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Wrench Log: The Strange Sensation of Being Done
I work in an industry where “done” can sometimes have a very subjective definition. So one of the things that I really appreciate about working on mechanical things like motorcycles is that “done” is a very objective thing. As Matthew Crawford puts it in Shop Class as Soulcraft, a motorcycle “either runs or it doesn’t.” However, because I don’t have tons of time to devote to actually working on my motorcycle projects, being “done” with something is still a pretty rare and strangely alien occurrence. With the exception of The Mrs’ CM400, I’m not used to an old bike that doesn’t need something.
Recently I finished a final round of work on my 1981 Honda CB750 Custom. That is, I completed all the work the bike seemed to need, and all the work I’d planned to do to it. The plan for this bike all along was to resurrect it from its years of storage atrophy, then either customize the hell out of it, or sell it as stock to finance other projects. In the end, I’ve opted for the latter. In theory, given all the work the bike received last autumn, I should have been able to summer-ize the CB750 this spring and put it straight on sale. However, the old Honda had other plans. I’d attempted to summer-ize it along with The Mrs’ CM400 on that lovely spring day when we both took our first ride together as Chicagoans. With fresh oil in its guts, a well-tended battery back in its side, and a tank full of stabilized fuel on its back, I pulled the choke all they way out and hit the starter. Three or four rotations of the engine later, it fired and ran. Quick attention to the throttle had the bike growling, if still a bit drowsy. The idle was set too high though, so I reached under the carbs to turn the idle adjustment dial.
That’s when I felt cold gasoline on my hand.
I swore at the bike and grabbed a flashlight to confirm my near certainty as to why the carbs were dripping petrol. A quick peak, and sure enough, the fuel passages were leaking. I’d encountered this on the CM400 when we first got it. On newer motorcycles with multiple carburetors, there’s a single fitting where gasoline enters the “rack” of carbs and then a set of pipes share that fuel from one carb to the next. There’s then a second set of pipes that distribute fuel from the accelerator pump to nozzles in each carburetor. Each of these pipes has an o-ring on both ends to keep them sealed. Over time, the o-rings dry out and fuel will leak from the pipes. The motorcycle will usually run perfectly, but fuel will leak from the pipes — first as a weep, and eventually as a dripping piss of flammable liquid. It makes a mess too — steadily painting the aluminum engine casings orange.
There was a certain satisfaction in knowing exactly what was wrong, but that didn’t dull the irritation of knowing what was ahead of me. I’d have to pull the rack, split the carbs, replace the o-rings. Then the rack would have to be reassembled, reinstalled, checked for air leaks and vacuum synchronized. At least for once I wasn’t staring into the unknown. I knew each procedure intimately. That was at least something. Even if I did have about six hours worth of work ahead of me, at least I knew what to do. I’d also take this opportunity to button up a couple of other things the CB750 needed before I put it up on sale.
With that repair need, however, came a problem. I didn’t actually have anywhere to work. I had my new garage space set up to park bikes, and I even had my new tool cabinets set up, but I didn’t have a work bench yet. So before I could tear into the CB750, I needed to address my facilities. Most of all, I needed somewhere I could sit, break the carbs apart, and work without having to worry about losing parts or messing anything up. After a few weeks of planning and sketching, I had my workbench planned. I designed something that could be assembled from materials cut for me at Home Depot so that I’d only have to trim a thing or two at home. I also designed it to be lightweight, extremely sturdy, and on casters for easy moving around the garage.
All the planning paid off big. I was able to go from zero to workbench in about four hours of assembly time. I didn’t skimp on materials either, as I wanted to build something substantial — something that unlike my previous workbenches, would go with me next time we move. With about $160 of lumber and hardware invested, I now had a standing height, moveable workbench 6′ long and 2′ deep that’s sturdy enough to park a car on. It’s got 4×4 vertical members and the top and bottom are structural spans made of 3/4″ pine plywood and 1×4 sides. The top and bottom are almost i-beams, meaning the span is nice and sturdy. The finishing touch was a replaceable masonite top. The interior of the bench would later be divided up for shelving and storage, and in time, I’ll face its sides and put lockable doors on its front. Now for the motorcycle.
Off came the seat, the tank, the cables and the clamps holding the carbs to the engine boots. With a bit of wrestling the rack came loose. Eight screws and four bolts later, I had four individual carburetors and some ugly-looking o-rings. There’s something especially irritating about a day’s worth of work being generated by less than $2 worth of old rubber. But hey, at least it’s serviceable. Getting a rack of four carbs off the bike and apart is relatively straightforward and easy. Putting the rack back together, on the other hand, is difficult. It isn’t complicated, it’s just tricky. You’ve got to line up and reconnect the mechanism that links the throttle butterflies and choke butterflies — all while lining up the pair of fuel sharing pipes that run between each pair of carbs. If you had five tiny hands with seven fingers each, it’d be easy. But for a normal human, it takes a while to get everything in place and hooked back up. What took 30 minutes to take apart took me about two hours to reassemble. This meant lots of quality zen time in my newly established garage shop, and frankly, I enjoyed every minute of it.
After a successful and leak-free bench test, the rack went back on the engine. My first attempt at tightening everything down left me with some air leaks around the boots, which is common on these inline fours. I had to loosen all the boot clamps and nudge the carbs all the way onto the engine-side boots. Then after tightening the living crap out of the boot clamps once more, it was time for a fresh leak check. The easiest, fastest way to do this is to run the engine, then spray each boot joint with some sort of flammable liquid such as carb cleaner, WD40 or starting fluid. If the engine surges, then you’ve got an air leak at the boot. This will mean lean running, which is hard on the engine and makes it run terrible. On attempt B, however, I had zero air leaks. Woohoo!
It was time for a test ride. The bike ran a little rough, as the carbs weren’t quite sync’d yet, but it still ran pretty strong. The idle was all over the place, but that was to be expected since it was out of sync. The bigger problem I found, however, was that while riding, the bike would bog down really bad at 5,000 rpm and wouldn’t climb any higher. That might sound like a lot of revs, but on a CB750, that’s about half throttle and dead center in the engine’s power band. That wouldn’t do. It felt like the motor was starved for fuel. After some investigation, I found a kink in one of the fuel lines. It would need a longer line. Meanwhile, my new vacuum sync tool had arrived. Time to finish off this carb job once and for all! With a longer fuel line and all four vacuum needles bouncing in unison, my next test ride revealed a completely new bike. The motor was smooth, the throttle response was razor sharp and there wasn’t an instant’s hesitation in the engine all the way up near redline. Success.
Only a couple things remained. I re-seated the headlight, and replaced a missing seat bolt. That left just the neutral light, which along with the oil pressure light hadn’t glowed the whole time I’d owned the bike. Electrical work used to be really intimidating, but thanks to successes with the GL and instruction from Jeff at BCM, I’m now a low-level Jedi with a multi-meter. Without a service manual to work from though, I had to follow the wires the old-fashioned way. I was finally able to find and extract the switch and test it. There was no change in continuity in the switch’s full mechanical range. I did, however, have full continuity in the wire running from the switch up to the lights, so that was a plus — at least I wouldn’t have to chase a broken wire up through the bowels of the bike’s wiring harness. Unfortunately though, I still hadn’t correctly diagnosed the issue. I ordered a replacement for the switch I thought was bad. It arrived and got installed, but I still had no green light in neutral.
I rang up my old sansei, Jeff, who kindly walked me through the proper testing procedure. Turns out I was thinking about the neutral circuit backwards. Instead of a switch that completed the positive side of the circuit, this neutral switch completed the ground side of the circuit. So of course I had continuity through the wire to the light. This meant that my break was somewhere on the other side of the circuit — the positive side between the light and the battery. I opened up the headlight and started probing the connector with my multi-meter. Sure enough, there was a break in continuity somewhere between the light and the connector. At least it was in the short end of the harness. I carefully pulled that wire bundle apart and as expected, the neutral light circuit had a broken wire. A quick soldering and some heat shrink had it quickly sorted out. While I had the bundle open, I fixed two other broken wires — victims all of the bike’s lonely stagnation in that garage for so many years. The connections had corroded, but were now repaired. Much to my delight, a quick test at the key showed a dash full of lights.
The bike was whole again. I was done. Everything I was going to do for this machine pre-sale had been accomplished. It was a strange feeling. I kind of didn’t know what to do next. It was satisfying and anti-climactic all at the same time.
The next day I gave the bike a good polish and rode it up the street to take photos of it for Craigslist. There was something right in the spirit of the machine now. Something whole and energetic. As the engine hummed along, I felt conflicted about the CB750 for the first time. The plan is for its sale to finance the next chapter in both the Ride and Wrench Logs. Maybe that’d be the Honda Elite 250 scooter I’ve been hunting for. Or maybe it’d be the modern motorcycle I keep threatening to buy because these older bikes have required so much work. It still felt weird though. Was I really going to sell this thing now that it was finally 100% healthy?
In the end, that’s exactly what I did. Or at least, that’s what I’m trying to do. It’s still in progress. I took the photos and posted the machine to Craigslist. As of this writing, it’s been listed for ten days. I’ve even put a physical “for sale” sign on it and have been leaving it parked on our street. There’s been a steady trickle of interest, but nobody has pulled the trigger on it yet. It’ll go. I’m not actually worried about that. Meanwhile, I keep moving it to and from my ever improving garage shop — taking it for little spins around the neighborhood each time I do. On each of these rides, I experience the now healthy bike. With each little blast around the block, I get more and more accustomed to that feeling of finally being done with it. At first I thought this was a growing affection for the CB750 itself, but that’s not it. At least, that’s not all of it.
What finishing the CB750 has done for me is given me a renewed perspective on old motorcycles in general. Just a couple weeks ago I had an unfinished CB750 and an electrical gremlin in the GL1100 that had it stone dead. That confluence of repair needs was giving me flashbacks to last season — where all I did was wrench on old bikes instead of ride them. That’s when the thought of a modern machine started feeling more and more certain. Meanwhile, a handful of days later, both bikes are completely fine. The GL even has new handlebars and control cables on it. Perhaps the lesson here is that I needed to experience being done for once. It’s been too long. The CB750 is now finally where the CM400 has been for more than a year: trustworthy. This has me reevaluating my outlook on old motorcycles again. Maybe an all-vintage fleet really is feasible. For now I’m done with this machine, but I think I’m far from done with old bikes. That’s a good feeling.
Wrench Log
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Municipalism: the next political revolution?
July 19, 2018 Bojan Francuz Activism, Cities, Community/Common good One comment
Glancing at the national headlines it is easy to feel hopeless. Turning to the “World” section one becomes defeated. Scrolling through the social media, in between burst of joy from the cat/dog/baby videos, there is often pain and struggle. But alternatives are brewing on the horizon. Alternative ways of creating change and standing up for progressive causes.
I am talking about municipalism. It is hyper-local, yet not parochial. It is aspirational, yet deeply solutions oriented and practical. It traces its roots to the past, but is modern, inclusive and forward-looking. It is global, and taking hold across North America too. It has captured the attention of young and old alike.
Also known as radical municipalism and municipal socialism, it traces its roots back to the American anarchist Murray Bookchin. His life’s work was focused on finding ways to build an egalitarian society and erode oppressive power. He didn’t shy away from acknowledging that power exists. Instead, he questioned who has it and how it is wielded. Bookchin believed it should be the people, not the elites.
Bookchin left the world in 2006. However, his daughter, Debbie, is keeping her father’s ideas alive. Just last year, she made a strong case for their revival:
Municipalism — or communalism, as my father called it — returns politics to its original definition, as a moral calling based on rationality, community, creativity, free association and freedom. It is a richly articulated vision of a decentralized, assembly-based democracy in which people act together to chart a rational future.
Bookchin’s ideas have inspired municipal leaders across the world. In diverse places such as Barcelona (Spain), Jackson, Mississippi, and Rojava (a Kurdish area in Syria), among others. Activists there are championing causes such as promoting participatory budgeting, supporting workers starting cooperatives, piloting city IDs, re-municipalizing water and energy supplies, making public procurement gender- and eco- sensitive, introducing independent citizen audits of municipal budgets and debt, and utilizing online participatory tools for community engagement.
Under the leadership of a housing activist turned mayor, Ada Colau, Barcelona is leading the way in piloting radical ideas on a city level. Some of the specifically feminist initiatives implemented include: mainstreaming gender across all areas of local policy, especially in budget allocations; ending a city-wide ban on the use of full-face veils in public space; and expanding public childcare for 0-3 year olds.
Unsurprisingly, the municipalist movement’s first-ever conference took place in Barcelona in 2017, attracting more than 700 mayors, councilors and activists from across the world. In attendance were who’s-who of radical and progressive city-politics.
In July 2018, the movement, under the banner of Fearless Cities, is coming to North America with a conference in New York City. Up for discussion are topics such as solidarity economy, tools for participatory democracy, and ways to democratize and feminize local political institutions.
Discussions about municipalism in the U.S. are also entering the mainstream political media. Just this month, Politico spotlighted municipalist work in Seattle, to protect labor rights and standards in a rapidly changing economy. The efforts include initiatives such adopting a domestic workers bill of rights to protect those working in often the most invisible, highly exploitative, gendered and racialized sectors of economy.
These efforts are worth supporting, promoting and replicating. By working on a hyper-local level, we stand a chance against the forces of populism and pernicious nationalism. By working with our neighbors, while drawing on knowledge and examples from across the world, we can build inclusive communities at home.
Municipalism might just offer us a handy roadmap and framework to do this work. The late Ursula le Guin characterized it as “not another ranting ideology,” but “a practical working hypothesis, a methodology of how to regain control of where we’re going.”
ActivismCitiesMunicipalism
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Tag: Road Trip
Fun, Stories
Back into the Desert with a Cowboy to meet an Angel for a Haircut.
By Mandy.
I was kind of sad to leave Sedona behind, it was the longest we had stayed in one place since the beginning of our trip and it was slap-in-the-face obvious that we had actually needed the break. Don’t get me wrong waking up, packing up and hitting the road with no plans as to where we would put our head that night turned out to be one of the best feelings, alternatively lying in bed and watching the clock go past that hour when you are supposed to be up and out is on the same level as your mum coming into you room and telling you it’s Saturday and there’s no school.
Back on the I40 just outside of Flagstaff we headed for Williams on a recommendation. A city with a population of around 3500 people, they held onto their beloved Route 66 until October 1984 when they finally surrendered after a succession of court battles making Williams the last Route 66 town to be bypassed by the I40.
We exited the highway at junction 185, the map reading part of my brain was still recovering from being on a hippie trip, and my instincts had taken a walk on the wildside. I resorted to the book to find out if we were able to leave the highway at any point on that short trip and absorb some of the sentiment and nostalgia of Route 66, possibly rebooting my navigational system.
Until recently we weren’t quite sure what happened next. The book informed us that we would enter a private section of road and to be respectful of the residents. What it didn’t say was that we will be in the forest on a rough gravel track with no road markings or signs.
Apparently there are three different alignments of Route 66 around this point. 1926 to 1931, 1931 to 1963 and 1963 to 1975. By a process of elimination, we have concluded, with a certain amount of doubt, that on that beautiful sunny October day we travelled back to late twenties early thirties America. I wondered how much of that section of Route 66 had changed, because it was far from obvious.
We were entering an area of tall pines, oaks, aspens and juniper, marked on the map as the Kaibab National Forest. Were we supposed to be there? I’m not sure, could we have turned around? Yes. Did we want to? Well no not really. The rough dirt track lay straight ahead, its vanishing point the dark opening to the forest, it was long enough and straight enough for us to turn to each other knowingly and smile.
“Ian, we have to be respectful, the book says”
Ahead of its time I know but I could almost imagine Laura Ingalls skipping down the small grassy inclines between old rustic cabins, some had seen better days and could tell a thousand tales others still had years of memories to make.
At the end of the straight we entered the forest, where priorities changed and the twists and turns of the track were determined by the layout of the trees.
“Ian look at all of the RVs in the clearings, they’re huge, how did they get them in between the trees”?
I had lost Ian to something, did he have his artist eyes on or was this something else ?
I continued
“ What are they all doing, wild camping, living off grid, teaching naked Zumba to elk?”
“Zumba?”
“The RVs in the clearings what’s going on with them? Look at them! They’ll have every possible appliance and gadget and they’ve all built a kitchen outside. I want to live in a clearing with gadgets and an outside kitchen”
Ian stopped the car, staring straight ahead .We had hit a T junction and a wall of conifers just a few metres from the front of the car across a gravel track, a choice of making a left or right turn to somewhere else. The last road sign had been quite a few miles back. Could we have turned around? Yes, did we want to? No not really.
We made a left turn into “Hazzard County” and Ian was back behind the wheel of the General and I was, well I was someone who would have probably liked to have been told what was going on!
I now realised where his head had been for the last 10 minutes.
Foot to the floor he raced up and down the gears bouncing in and out of ditches on each side of a series of shallow chicanes. We were kicking up a dust storm behind and always one for a great photo opportunity I leaned out of the window to capture that perfect shot. The dirt road had opened up again and Boss Hogg was closing in. Ahead I could see a challenge, straight ahead was narrow and overgrown the right turn would take us a sharp angled 90 degrees in the wrong direction!
The decision was with Ian and he was resolute on one thing only , he wasn’t slowing down.
Smiling like a kid with a lollipop on a dodgem he slammed the steering wheel to the right and I clung like a cat to the roof lining of the car, wishing I had been gifted with at least 3 more arms.
That few seconds waiting for the Mustang to find its resting place seemed like a lifetime.
“What the f*#k happened? you lost control!”
“I turned traction control off”
“Further up the road”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t think, and look it’s OK, we’re pointing in the right direction”
I had to hand it to him we were parked up perfectly straight.
“We’re in a ditch!”
Looking around it became apparent that this rough dirt track was probably impassable during or after heavy rain. There was caked in evidence of deep tyre tracks on its undulating surface.
I got the impression that we weren’t the first ones to swing around that corner sideways and plant ourselves in that very spot contemplating whether we could just drive away without the embarrassment of possible local man with a bigger smile and lollypop!
“Ian I can see a car coming through the trees”
“That’s too big for a car”
“It’s not a truck”
Less than a minute later a clean looking cowboy type pulled up in a Hummer to tell us that we are lost. It was most definitely not a question.
“Follow me” He said and we did as we were told with Ian’s lollypop staying perfectly intact whilst he thrust us safely back onto the road.
“Is he having a laugh, how fast is he going?”
“About 65, I can’t see him for the dust!”
“Ian we didn’t tell him where we were heading” but realisation struck us both simultaneously. We were in a Mustang with California plates, on a dirt road in the Kaibab Forest. We weren’t the first to do it, nor would we be the last and it wouldn’t be the first or last time Mr Hummer Guy had guided someone back onto the calculable road to predictability. But we don’t have an itinerary! Turns out we actually did.
Back on tarmac and trying to enter Williams on the cool side with our new Hummer friend, but we just weren’t cutting it. The Hummer was in showroom condition a shiny testosterone oozing piece of kit. The mustang was covered in dust and on checking out myself in the mirror so was I, with the exception of two white circles where my sunglasses had been.
Hummer Guy parked on diagonal street parking and out of respect or possibly embarrassment we parked a few bays away and as he saluted his farewell a fanfare of trumpeters welcomed us to Williams!
In stark comparison to where we had been this northern Arizona town was alive with overly excited folk and some kind of street parade was taking place.
I turned to a lady, one of the many lining the street, and between her hugely enthusiastic screams of encouragement and approval I enquired about what was going on.
“Hi, so what’s the occasion?” She looked immediately taken aback and more than confused.
“What are you all celebrating?”
A group of cheerleaders bounced by, the lady pointed with bulging eyes. She was possibly practicing some kind of hypnotic hysteria, religious maybe considering her frequent call outs to “Jesus Christ”?
A young guy appeared over my shoulder, “It’s the homecoming parade, an annual event here in Williams” I turned just to catch the back of him wandering into a nearby bar.
It was becoming clearly evident that Williams is an established and flourishing community. The shops, bars and restaurants, some dating back to the 1900’s, give a powerful impression of old-time America and Route 66. The classic cars and trucks more than suitably compliment that feel good vibe. To this day however I still don’t fully understand the meaning of “Homecoming” but right then, for me, it wasn’t taking front seat in my list of curiosities. Anything that brings the community together for a positive dose of mass hysteria has my full backing.
Williams is known as the Gateway to the Grand Canyon. Just 65 miles south of the Southern Rim, vintage train rides can be taken daily leaving at 9.30 am lasting a total of 2 hours and 15 minutes. They travel through ponderosa pine forests and open prairies within varying elevations.
We wandered slowly along the main street, the parade was still going strong, super heroes, a convoy of firetrucks. Ian’s eyes were however fixed on the scattering of muscle cars and trucks parked up on the street, in gas stations and outside bars.
Still not tiring of looking in every gift shop and Route 66 museum, Ian did just that, whilst I stayed on the street watching the world go by.
Pete’s Route 66 Gas Station and Museum is world famous and Ian enjoyed a good hour chatting to Pete himself about Williams, Route 66 and his wonderful collection of memorabilia. Pete recommended we venture down to Goldie’s Route 66 Diner for the best food around.
It really was an experience, we met Leslie Stevens the owner of Williams Community Radio and our waiter for that day.
“Hi, we’ve been sent down here on a recommendation by Pete from the Route 66 museum”
“Ahh Pete” he replied “He’s been dead for 10 years and nobody’s told him”!
After learning that Leslie had been a DJ in LA for forty years, moving to Williams a few years previous with his wife and setting up and broadcasting Community Radio he finally brought us our menu. I was intrigued by his story. His wife, he says organises the running of the daily train up to the Grand Canyon. I concluded that they were valuable and much loved members of the community. Maybe his exceptionally contagious and fun sense of humour emerging from speakers in and around Williams is part of an ambiguous catalyst that keeps the people of the community so upbeat and willing?
The choice on the menu was vast. I’m not a great lover of burgers here in the UK but over in the US they are something else altogether, and so much choice!
“It has to be a burger for me”
“Could I have the triple, quadruple beef, roast pork dinner with apple sauce pancake and a fried egg, over easy burger please”.
“No, you’ve sold out of that one?”
“No, I’m not serving you a burger”
“Not any kind of burger”?
“Not any kind of burger, you’re on a road trip right? You can eat a burger anywhere”
“Ok” I kind of liked his forceful attitude and was really intrigued as to where this was going, I reached out to take another look at the menu and his hand came flat down on top of mine.
“No! You like Turkey” said kind of in the same way that Hummer guy told us we were lost. So the only right way to answer seemed to be.
“You like Gravy” Now this was a tricky one. The gravy that I knew and loved wasn’t from the same family as the Gravy I had been served in the US with ‘Biscuits’
“Ok” We replied in unison.
“Mash and Beans and a surprise for dessert”
It was without doubt the best meal we had on our trip. Thick creamy turkey soup to start, Beef Ribs carried in by two Mexican bodybuilders, mash, beans and just when we thought we could eat no more a wedge of sweet potato cheesecake to keep us going until the following year’s homecoming!
“That was absolutely superb” Spoken in short bursts.
“I know, thank you”
“So did you ever intend to bring us anything off the menu”?
Our grossly stuffed bodies cut short our stay in Williams, we headed back to the car hoping that one day we would visit again.
The sun was going down on the Interstate as we headed west towards Seligman, around 40 miles and the starting point of 159 miles of uninterrupted Route 66.
I’m not sure when I first heard about Seligman, it could possibly have been a TV show about Route 66 and its history. They interviewed a then 90 year young Angel Delgadillo, a local resident and businessman who had resided in Seligman for all of his years. His story and upbeat personality took me straight to Google maps and the convenience and beauty of Street View. I walked the main street in that small town of around 450 residents and it made me giggle.
Seligman was bypassed by Interstate 40 on the 22nd September 1978, it fell silent overnight, thousands of cars without time or thought thundered across the interstate just a couple of miles south of the town. Angel and his barber’s shop were one of four businesses that fought and survived.
In 1987, after years of fighting the state of Arizona, a group of Seligman residents fronted by Angel himself convinced the state to dedicate the 87 mile stretch of Route 66 between Seligman and Kingman a historic highway. The route between Kingman and the California border later took on the same title. This dedication assured the preservation of the longest remaining stretch of Route 66 in the United States.
Angel is known Globally as the “Guardian Angel of Route 66” , founder of the “ Route 66 association of Arizona” and the driving force behind Route 66 associations being set up in all of the other Route 66 States, each with preservation as their main goal. It became a reminder to travellers of a more nostalgic route, slowly but surely promoting travel through small forgotten towns, putting Route 66 back on the map and back into the minds of curious travellers from around the globe.
Something happened on the next part of our journey, I became whimsical and care free. It had been kind of out of character for me but on my late dad’s recommendation I had been keeping a diary. He had advised me that I could regret it in years to come when the memories start to fade. Maybe I had concluded at this point of our trip that the reverberations of various powerful stimuli along the way would be etched solidly in my brain until my dying day and as the day arrives when the memories of yesterday become a strain I will still without a question of doubt be able to recount stories of our trip to our grandchildren and any one else happy to listen. Turns out the memories are fading, and after Seligman I stopped collecting data so my story from now on will be complete fiction and occasional bullshit! No not really! Between the two of us and a ton and a half of photos on the laptop, we’re doing ok.
Arriving in Seligman was similar to driving onto a 1950’s film set, or was it? Maybe it was somewhere else? No definitely Seligman I have photos.
Ian, what happened next? … No, seriously it’s not that bad, I can do this.
The very last entry in my little book actually reads
“Went round the back of a bar with an old guy a beer and a great Elvis impersonator, he serenaded us with his mate on guitar, arrived back late after visiting whore house”
I do remember the guy and the beer and Elvis. Whore house? Pffft !
We did earlier in the day however bump into the man himself! No not Elvis!
“Look it’s him” Ian whispered whilst throwing me sideways into the road.
“The man, the Godfather, Guardian” neither of us could actually pronounce ‘Delgadillo’.
“Oh my god he’s heading this way”
As the sun went down on Seligman Angel Delgadillo walked towards us with his little dog, a hundred greetings, questions rushed through me but neglected to venture to the vocal part of my being so as he smiled and stopped to cross the road I bent down to stroke his dog.
“What a cute little dog” I said
“Thank you so much” he said and he was gone.
As we stood staring in the general direction of an absolute Route 66 legend the very reason why Route 66 survives in its current state for our motoring pleasure, I had complimented the loveliness of his dog.
“He must have so many people ask him the same questions day after day” I consoled myself with that.
The streets of Seligman were empty and the majority of businesses had closed for the night. We did however manage to catch the last few minutes in Angels Barbers shop with his lovely family. Ian had the obligatory pretend haircut in Angel’s historic barbers chair. We wandered to a place where life-size 1950’s styled mannequins looked down on us seductively from an overhead balcony, passed the Snow Cap Drive In, built in 1953 by Juan Delgadillo, Angel’s brother. On a limited budget he used mainly scrap timber from the Santa Fe Railroad yard.
The Snow Cap restaurant offers Cheeseburgers with Cheese, dead chicken and around the back, amongst other things a 1936 Chevy with a sliced hardtop and Christmas tree, a phone booth with toilet and apparently during working hours a neon sign apologising for being open. It was becoming more and more evident that a major part of the Delgadillo persona was humour , maybe it’s was the driving force that helped see them through difficult times and spearhead the revival of Route 66.
After beer with Elvis we checked into the Historic Route 66 motel and were given keys to the themed Coni Lee Room. We were informed at reception that she had stayed there, no amount of googling has revealed who she actually is ?
It rained heavily the following morning, we ate breakfast at the Road Kill cafe and OK Saloon then headed 159 miles west, Kingman, Oatman and on into California. The first time since touching down on Route 66 that we didn’t need to resort to the map for Interstate exits or the book for a choice of alignments. Seemed like the ultimate in luxury.
Axl Rose was calling me his Rocket Queen, offering friendship and stressing how he hates to see me out in the rain, so on reaching Hackberry General Stores I refused to leave the car.
Hackberry Stores was always near top of the list of Route 66 places to visit for Ian. The day he received a commission, 20” x 30” canvas, incorporating the customers car in the foreground of this nostalgic building was a happy day and gave him a good excuse to do some research into its history.
Route 66 came to Hackberry in 1926, a small silver mining town and soon a busy tourist stopover, Gas stations and various stores opened up to serve travellers along the way including the Northside Grocery Store and Gas station owned and run by John Grigg and his family until his death in 1967.
The building of the Interstate 16 miles south of Hackberry left the town stranded in Isolation.
The Store and Station experienced a rebirth in 1992 in the form of new owner Bob Waldmire, an artist and historian who had travelled the road extensively in his 1972 VW camper. It re opened as the Hackberry General store and Visitors Centre. I believe it has changed hands a couple of times since.
With untrained eyes and a very simplistic way of looking at a situation, analysing it for the purpose of my own understanding, Hackberry Stores seems to be mainly constructed of roadside flotsam and jetsam held together with a glue gun, evidence of which is hiding behind the many rusted vintage signs, advertising things that have long time passed. It’s your Grandad’s man cave, a patchwork of his history, a story of his memories.
Sat in the car on that dark and overcast day with the rain belting down on the roof you could have taken that scene added a bit of artistic license and imagination and transported yourself back to 1950’s Yorkshire.
Ian had parked us up next to a couple of vintage gas pumps, their state of disrepair not evident enough to stop travellers pulling up for gas. I could see the Model A Ford that Ian had studied with intensity some years before as a backdrop to the painting, the shiny cherry red 1957 Corvette parked under the front canopy. An old rusted sign read “300 miles of Desert ahead” . I contemplated the possibility of this whilst checking out the map, leaving me with questions and before I knew it I was inside the building being blessed.
“Bless you Maam for bringing the rain!”
Ian was already deep in conversation with the owner and after establishing that he was from the UK the conversation had quickly turned to the weather and how they were experiencing the most serious drought they had faced in modern times. This became alarmingly evident later on in our trip as we headed west towards Bakersfield and the Californian Hot Rod Reunion.
Right then we were just under 100 miles east of the California State Line. They hadn’t suffered to the same extreme as Southern California where it had seemed to be a helpless case especially amongst the farming community. It made me wonder if the weather would follow us, it didn’t, it was short lived.
I was initially wondering if my wandering eyes were being disrespectful to the current situation, but you just can’t help yourself. A mash-up of old black and white photos blanketed the walls and ceiling, a patchwork of currency notes from around the Globe. Not your average souvenir stop. Man cave had evolved from outside to inside and man bear was collecting his honey.
In places it was difficult to decipher between décor and wares.
“Absolute 1970’s porn, you should go in there” Ian was looking like a cross between Eric Morecambe and an excited teenager.
“Go in where?”
“The men’s loos, it’s all over the walls!”
I was intrigued but the place was busy, with a continuous flow of eager visitors.
Back outside the rain had stopped and a band of blue hung over distant mountains in the direction we were heading.
Back in the car
“I forgot to ask someone about the feasibility of there being 300 miles of desert ahead”
The sensible one
“It’s just a ploy, a joke to get people to pull in for fuel”
“There is no Fuel”
“It’s an old sign”
I did check the map to find that we were on the eastern edge of the Mojave desert, leaving the green of the forests surrounding Williams, Flagstaff and Sedona behind.
We were travelling North West to a point on our Route 66 journey where we would be the furthest distance we had been from any major roads. After that point the road takes a downward turn towards Kingman.
I was staring at the map and almost imploded. A year or so before we had been watching a TV show with either Henry Cole or Billy Connolly I don’t remember but they had been travelling Route 66. They had visited a “Living Ghost Town”, yes I know that leaves itself open to so many questions, still unanswered. Named Chloride it’s an old silver mining town with a population of around 350 residents and apparently the oldest continually inhabited mining town in Arizona, it had looked as completely out of the box as you can get before contemplating what life would be like inside a giant cider press.
“Ian 30 miles north of Kingman heading towards Vegas is that place, you know the Ghost Town we saw on TV with the two guys at the bar. You know the ice cream comment”
“Chloride?”
“Yeah” and then we reached that point on the road, Ian had tuned into a radio station that was kicking out upbeat 70’s Rock and a manic DJ broadcasting from inside his very own cider press.
We took that downward turn towards Kingman with Boston “More than a feeling” feeding the desert good vibrations and a section of blacktop hitting a dot and a burst of light at its vanishing point.
“How long is this straight?”
“Around 25 miles”
“No Bends?”
“No Bends”
♫♪ More than a feeling, More than a feeling ♪♫
Right at that point I was at my Route 66 happiest, desert, sunshine, some great 70’s cheese, road as straight as an arrow and knowing we were taking a right turn at Kingman towards Vegas was the icing on the straw that fixed the camels cake !
Ian hadn’t mentioned turning right at Kingman. He didn’t need to.
♪♫ Limee, Ruinee, Videe, Comblee,
You are the King of the Divan,
Hou, Hou, Hou, Hou
I am the King of the Divan. ♫♪
This song had never particularly impressed me, but right then it was funky french feelgood
Then Elvis was in the building and I have never loved him as much as I did right then . Way on Dowwwnnn !
Imagine the situation and that Intro
♫♪ Bomdeebom, Bomdeebom, Bomdeebom, Bomdeebom
Babe you’re getting closer, the lights are goin’ dim,
The sound of your breathin’
Has made the mood I’m in,
All of my resistance is lying on the floor,
Taking me to places I’ve never been before……..
Ohh and I can feel it, feel it, feel it, feel it !! … ♪♫
Turning right on the 93 to Vegas was weird in a way. One of our biggest plans was to drive the 159 mile uninterrupted section of Route 66 from Seligman and enjoy what it had to offer from beginning to end, we hadn’t imagined an alternative distraction. Heading towards Vegas was also a reminder that we had driven a huge loop back to where we had been a few weeks earlier.
Kingman tried to seduce us immediately with its used car dealerships. The first, “Kingman Auto Plaza” had a great selection of classics in different states of repair, all cleverly and clearly visible from the road. We’ll be back soon we both said without actually speaking a word.
We entered the small town of Chloride to Guns and Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” How do I remember this? Some things I’m just not going to forget. Chloride was so quiet and still, certain clues were there to say that this place was definitely inhabited, children’s bikes, a few shops, bars, and eateries. Where entering Seligman had been similar to driving onto a film set, this was like they were just having fun with the whole “Ghost Town” thing. It was a hot, dirty, dusty, ramshackle of fabulous.
Just before Ian switched off the engine and Axl rose welcomed us to the jungle for the last time and told us we were going to die!
“It’s so quiet”
“And so still”
“Shall we drive around?”
We rumbled as quietly as we could through a grid section of scattered wooden clad houses, getting a strong impression that in that town nobody throws anything away it just becomes a kind of yard art out front for all to see. Old abandoned farm machinery and vehicles to make you drool.
“Do you get the feeling that every time we turn a corner people scatter into their houses?”
“I know what you mean”
Turns out that the people of Chloride are far from timid, they know exactly what they are doing and everything is for sale.
How do we know that? We were heading out to leave and this happened ….
“Look over there, it’s the bar , the one from TV, it’s got the porch, veranda thing out front”
Ian turned and drove closer to its quirky decorated wooden exterior, you could easily imagine a shootout at noon.
“Oh my god! It’s the two old guys from the show, sat in the same spot!”
They had been interviewed and confessed to sitting under that canopy day in day out just watching the world go by. It was at that point they were questioned about whether they thought they would ever bore of sitting there. This was the answer as best I can remember.
“You can love ice cream but too much of it will make you sick as a dog”
We were almost 100% agreed it was the right bar, whether it was the same old guys was at about 85%.
“I want to buy them ice cream!!” Yeah I know, away from the heat and the adrenalin that was filling my veins right then I get on my own nerves.
“Are we going in?” The two guys hadn’t actually moved and there wasn’t another soul to be seen, anywhere.
“Maybe they’re mannequins?”
“No, that one just got rid of a fly”
We were already out of the car. Before I continue let me quickly explain something about Ian.
If someone was to ask me to name something about Ian that confused me or got on my nerves it would be this.
He can park a car, no problem, he can get out without difficulty but the amount of time it takes him to walk away from the car is longer than is normal. I only get to see him from 50 plus yards away, fiddling with tyres, wheels, checking the boot. This day was no exception and to no surprise I found myself at the foot of the steps to the bar having a little chat with myself. Ian was back in the car fiddling with the radio and possibly looking for an aerial ? I returned to find him looking confused.
“It’s not the guys” I was deflated
They just said something like
“Worden wir benzin becommon” Sorry any German speaking readers
“I think they’re German”
On closer inspection they were around 30 years too young. Confused and unsettled as to why I was up in their faces frowning they exclaimed
“ Ve are zeust seemple Zuerman biker’s”
I wasn’t really that close! we had a chat with them later but first….
If you’re ocd about clutter and cleaning it would be a good idea to stay clear of this place, saying that I can’t advise as to where to stay clear from because we didn’t think to look at the name.
There wasn’t a soul inside the bar which just added to my curiosity about where everyone was and what do people in Chloride do with themselves during the day. The owner however was on us like a DJ fresh out of his very own cider press ! What a great guy!
He gave us the full history of the town stopping at the end of every paragraph to inform us that all the old western antiques and memorabilia that adorned the walls and hung from the ceiling were for sale. Right then I could have happily taken the place of the two old guys who had previously claimed those two seats out front. My question was where were they now? maybe it was a set up? maybe they had needed mint chip instead of raspberry ripple? I didn’t get to ask, we were joined by the bikers. They were from Munich and had traveled the whole of Route 66 from Chicago, almost 2000 miles over 10 days , now they were heading to Vegas for some “Down time?” then back down to rejoin Route 66 in Kingman.
I was completely in awe and kind of ‘Starstruck’.
It’s in situations like this when I would prefer to say something impressive, and stay down with the cool guys that I end up saying something stupid. Today was no exception.
“I used to ride a Suzuki AP 50 in the eighties !!”
The same had happened in Seligman with the legend that is Angel Delgadillo “I love your dog” I had said!
In the late 80’s at a Black Sabbath after show party I approached Cozy Powell all seductively, stared into his eyes and announced the classic “My mum loves you!!”
The piece de Resistance has to be around 1986, Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) left his wife and ran away to hide in the country with her sister. His hiding place turned out to be a house in the woods just up the lane from my family home. He would spend nights in our local pub and play Sunday league football with the local team. We had chatted on and off and my mum had looked after his girlfriends kids. He approached me one day in the pub…
“I’m going to Ibiza to do a few gigs, do you want to come?”
Are you ready for this……..
“No thank you, I have a boyfriend!!” I actually walked away disgusted wondering why an old man like him would be interested in a 19 year old girl!
So here I was over 25 years later sat in a bar in Arizona still saying dumb shit to cool people !!
Heading back down to Kingman I went on a slight downer thinking about the possibilities and excitement of taking the unknown road, the road less travelled. Were we being predictable within an ocean of possibilities? We headed back down to Kingman, Ian had managed to do something with the car radio and resident DJ Cider press was back in the room!
Irene Cara’s Flashdance took on a whole new feeling.
♫♪ Take your passion, and make it happen,
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life.
What a feeling!!! ♪♫
Music, I’m convinced, influences your thoughts and feelings. On a road trip I’m sure this is enhanced, at some point over the next 20 miles Mr DJ stepped out of his press and into the desert sun resting by a giant cactus.
America’s Horse with no name
♪♫ After two days in the desert sun, my skin began to turn red,
After three days in the desert fun, I was looking at a river bed,
And the story that told of a river that flowed,
Made me sad to think it was dead … ♫♪
It woke me up again to the drought that California was experiencing. We hadn’t noticed much on the way through on the first section of our trip. I had been ill and slept and I think Ian was concerned enough not to be looking properly.
We were going to head towards the California coast at the end of our trip to find out more.
Back in Kingman and staring at the rear ends of some suitably sexy classic cars, it’s the way they were facing to the road. 50 to 60 photos later we were back on the road trying desperately to rejoin Route 66 and failing. Again neither the map or book were making any sense, all that we knew for sure is that we would be heading up the black mountains to the Sitgreaves Pass at 3,500 ft between Cool Springs and Oatman. We had been told to expect a narrow section of hairpin bends, or switch backs, and a rough road surface.
“Ok, so the mountains are over there, so let’s just take the first road that looks like it’s heading that way”
“Ok”. Turns out it was the Oatman Road, we were back on the Mother Road!
“How did we miss that?”
“Blame the DJ”
The desert road out of Kingman is initially flat and straight, our first encounter of another vehicle was a car abandoned on the side of the road, the driver, a man, was in full squatting position having a desert poo!
“Does he know something we don’t?” I asked
“I don’t know, maybe a sign saying no toilets for 300 miles?”
“How far is Oatman from here?”
“Around 20 miles, and Cool Springs is a garage, gift shop, attraction thingy and that’s not far at all”
“I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that Cool springs has an award-winning toilet!”
The views were outstanding, the road so far had offered little challenge and I became obsessed with the toilet facilities at this famous stopover. I could well believe they had preceded all others in reaching a first, but in which category evaded me. Outside within good view, an arrangement of wood slats around a toilet, a wash basin and mirror on the exterior wall under a corrugated canopy.
I don’t remember if it had a roof even. Award for cleanliness? Most definitely. Award for quirky? Absolutely top of the list.
Ian wandered over to the far side of the car park to check out a 1930’s shell of a car and an early 50’s Chevy pick up which has been strongly suggested to be the inspiration behind Mater from the Disney Pixar film ‘Cars’, Radiator Springs from the same film taking its name from this very place.
I watched poo guy pull over and get out of his car. The bad side of me wanted to nod towards the toilet facilities and say something like.
“Bet you feel like a bit of a twat now don’t you?”
I was saved by my own conscience and a small voice saying
“Maybe he had no choice, maybe he couldn’t wait any longer?”
What actually came out was,
“Hi, views are breathtaking aren’t they, we passed you further down the road, are you ok?”
Whaaat, why would I say that?! Luckily he just replied,
“Yes and Yes” I don’t know how much further I could have taken it !
A small history of Cool Springs Gas Station tells how it has been part of Route 66 since the beginning in the 1920’s. Sadly in the 1930’s it burnt to the ground leaving just fragments of the stone foundations and original stone pillars. In 1991 Hollywood used it as a location for the film Universal Soldier with Dolph Lundgren and Jean Claude Van Damme. They built a frame mock station around the old pillars and at the end of filming one scene they blew the place to smithereens. The owner at the time held on to it for sentimental reasons for many years before selling to a guy who completed a full rebuild and on December 7th 2004 Cool Springs was back in business.
It’s an impressive building quintessential of what we expect from a Route 66 roadside rest stop.
The road towards Oatman is everything we were warned it was, but not as bad as we were hoping. The hairpins were tight and the road narrow, every driver was cautious, some quite obviously at a high level of panic especially when challenged by one of the many Burros that wander the road. They know what they are doing, I’m sure they have a meeting every morning, planning their movements of the day and how they are going to terrorise unknowing travellers by standing on the turn of a hairpin or the inside of a bend pushing the driver out into the road and further towards the edge where the tarmac crumbles into the valley below. Evidence shows that over time some cars just hadn’t made it, never recovered they had become part and parcel of the landscape and endless photo opportunities for those who dare.
Entering Oatman is comparable to entering the old Wild West. If it wasn’t for the many vehicles lining the road I could well have been sat alongside Marty McFly in the Delorean. The road was wide with a slight decline into town and a mountain backdrop that set the scene so perfectly it could’ve been accused of being a little contrived.
Oatman is an old mining town beginning as a tent camp until two prospectors struck gold to the value of $10,000,000, giving the town the characteristics of any gold rush boomtown. By 1941 all of the mines had closed down after producing $40,000,000 worth of gold, around $2,600,000,000 in today’s market! Oatman survived as a tourist town, catering to travellers on Route 66 until 1953 when the town was completely bypassed.
The revival of Route 66 has brought life back to the old town, and although it’s population only stands at around 150 residents, its many gift shops, bars, restaurants and wacky event days keep Oatman alive and a definite stop off for anyone travelling Route 66
The Burros alone would give me good enough reason to make a return trip. In my opinion they own the town, wandering the wooden sidewalks and road , loitering in shop doorways ! Don’t be fooled by the cute, they have inherited shrewd , descended from pack animals turned loose by the early gold miners. They know what they want and they know how to get it.
I don’t know what today’s protocol is for whether you should feed them or not but whilst we were visiting it seemed to be a mixed bag of opinions amongst the local traders. Whist some were encouraging us to buy carrots and hay cubes from their establishments others were telling these cuddly creatures to f*@# off away from their store. In all honesty they were far from cuddly, and were only interested in what was in your pocket. They can be quite intrusive to your visit, intimidating and at times aggressive. Thing was they served up a challenge, could see it in their eyes and I love a challenge.
So whilst Ian wandered the many shops again, I sat on a tree stump with an ice cream, waited and they came. Lovely baby Burro was the ultimate in fluffy curious cuteness, mum wanted the ice cream, dad chased me up the road for it! He didn’t get it! I armed myself with carrots and offered him a stand-off!
Ian had no idea, he was over the road chatting to a well dressed guy in an E type Jag.
“Shall we head back to the car?” Ian said
“Yeah OK” the car was around 300 yards away, it took us a good hour to reach it.
“Oh look, an actual gallery with paintings!” and he left the street with no second thought.
The Sun was going down on Oatman and the perfect opportunity for a great photo, we didn’t get one.
“Ian…? Ian…? Ian Guy is that you?” The voice was directly behind us.
“It is you, Bloody hell !”
It’s an awkward situation when you know a face but you’re not quite sure what to associate it with.
The guy quickly introduced himself and it turned out we had a good selection of mutual friends, he’d seen and spoken to us quite a few times at the shows we trade at.
Ahh it all made sense! But how surreal! As far as we were concerned we were up a remote mountain in the middle of nowhere! After chatting for quite a while we confirmed we were heading to the same place in a few days and we would definitely meet up again for a drink. Turns out we were headed in completely the opposite direction! We didn’t meet up with Mark again until the following year in the UK ! That wasn’t the end, strangely once we reached California we encountered a succession of very surprising meetings with people we knew in a variety of surprising locations.
As we descended out of Oatman Arizona I noticed a much older couple sat up on a rock edge, their car acting as a backrest. They had prepared a picnic and I got the impression that they were possibly local and this was something they did on a regular basis. They were silent and their movements slow as they reached to each other lovingly with offerings of edible fare. Their purpose I’m sure wasn’t just to watch the sun go down over the distant Californian mountains but to feel it, blissful systematic therapy.
“Do you think he’s going to push her ?”
“Yeah probably”
Less than an hour or so later the light disappeared and things started to get awkward. I’m convinced it was aliens, the locals were trying to tell us otherwise …
And if you missed the beginning here’s Part 1, ‘California Dreaming’ :
Part 1 – California Dreaming
Author MandyPosted on 5th March 2019 7th March 2019 Categories Fun, StoriesTags American, Fun, lifestyle, Road Trip, story2 Comments on American Road Trip part 8 – Route 66 heading West.
Our last morning in Holbrook and we decided to hold back on the free breakfast thrown our way by the mute waitress. We were back on the road heading for Winslow Arizona, the morning sun had already warmed the inside of the car and awoken the now wonderfully familiar aroma of polystyrene and shoes.
Ian’s fascination with Route 66 goes right back to when he was a kid. The old roadside stops would become part of a self-made fantasy, a place where he would escape in his mind from what was far from a happy childhood. He was, I believe, born with a gift, that gift was to create, and his life panned out in such a way that he could incorporate this gift into his sadness and it became a kind of therapy for him, a means to an escape. He could later lift all the stored images from his mind and recreate onto paper or canvas, all the while disappearing into the fantasy. Images of his regular “Haunts” along Route 66 were stored, fantastically detailed in the archives and chasms of Ian’s wonderfully complicated brain. Buried deep, where suppressed emotions lurk. He neither wanted nor needed to know exactly where on Route 66 these places were.
“Too much information and it can steal the fantasy” he would say. Possibly undoing a whole mountain of self-help sessions and disturbing feelings he thought he had put to rest years before, I would think.
We were about to find out. Continuing west on this part of the journey we had to resort to the I- 40 for some of the way. Between Holbrook and Winslow there is one accessible segment of Route 66 between exits 277 and 269 Certain exits however allowed you to stop off and see The Geronimo, Jack Rabbit and Twin Arrows Trading Posts at 7,18 and 68 miles respectively. I was so happy to be back on the road, not that I hadn’t enjoyed Holbrook, quite the opposite, but over the last few weeks it had become more and more obvious that, for us, it was more about the journey and not the destination.
Geronimo Trading Post lies just outside Holbrook and has its own exit. To lure you in from the freeway Teepees and Billboards advertise it as having the “World’s Largest Petrified Log” . Established in 1967 surviving into the modern era, I knew it was one of Ian’s ‘Special Places’, and I was interested to see if he would pull off the Interstate at junction 288 to just soak up some of its story. He drove on by.
“I wonder how big the log is?”
“I wonder how long it’s been there?”
Another 12 miles further down the road was the Jack Rabbit Trading Post. Established in 1949 the simplistic roadside promotion of yellow signs still exists. “Here it is” in large red letters to the right of a black silhouette of a long-eared rabbit. Here what is ? Of course those in the know, including Ian, knew that the sign referred to a large fibreglass rabbit which can be mounted for photos. With the addition of a little artistic license the Jack Rabbit trading post had been the backdrop for so many of Ian’s paintings.
“Is that it?” Ian exclaimed as we pulled up to the side of the large rabbit.
“Something much bigger”
“You can sit on it for photos, how would you get up there if it was huge” I enquired
“A ladder? Purpose built platform, trampoline, kangaroo?”
“Kangaroos aren’t easy to mount”
“Ahh it depends”
“On What?”
“Whether you are a qualified and confident Kangaroo whisperer”
Parking up, Ian took photos regardless of his disappointment.
“Do you want to look around ?” I asked
“No not really, what about you?”
“No I don’t think so”
Without really discussing it it became clear that we were both itching to get onto that long continuous stretch of Route 66 after Seligman Arizona, apparently 158 miles ending in Topock . From Seligman Route 66 moves well away from the interstate, with the exception of Kingman where it offers a kiss and a diss to the highway before teasing its way up the mountain road to Oatman. Checking out our map though it was still around 150 broken miles to Seligman.
Winslow Arizona was our next distraction and we were able to re join Route 66 a few miles east of the town. Up until the 1960’s Winslow had been the largest town in northern Arizona enjoying a prominent location on Route 66. The I-40 bypassed the community in the late seventies eventually forcing tourist based businesses to close their doors, and the main streets fell silent for almost 20 years
Some years later in a strange twist of fate Winslow embraced a rebirth, just one line from the Eagles song ‘Take it Easy’ written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey provided an opening to transform disaster into opportunity and resurrect the once thriving town and put it back on the map for tourists
♫ ♪ “Standin’ on the corner in Winslow Arizona,
Such a fine sight to see,
It’s a girl, my lord in a flat bed Ford
Slowin’ down to take a look at me…………” ♪ ♫
Now on the main crossroads of Kinsley and Second Streets in Winslow the scene in set, an actual Ford flat bed truck is parked up on the street alongside a two storey mural, a complete mock up of the side of a building with a couple of large ‘Windows’ on the ground floor.. With this the truck on the street can be ‘Reflected’ in the ‘Glass’ on the mural and include the girl. Ingenious creative thinking!
I’m guessing that they didn’t get any takers when advertising for:
“ Pretty girl, preferably in her twenties, needed for photo opportunities. You must not only be confident in your capabilities to stare seductively from the driving seat of a stationary vehicle but more importantly you have to be an Eagles superfan , keeping up the same level of seduction whilst listening to continual repeats of the song ‘Take it Easy’ blasting from the nearby gift shop for the duration of your working day” .
Actually situated on the old mother road the crossroads has the biggest painted Route 66 shield on the road I had seen so far. The music helped set the mood for time enough to browse through 100s of commemorative donor bricks and eat ice cream whilst sitting on a bench on the opposite corner.
Cars were just rolling on by slowing down to check out the sounds and sights, as our eyes met there was always a wave or happy smile. Could this be the happiest crossroads in the country ? Most probably, just keep an eye on your watch, the continual loop of music could possibly have you questioning your sanity.
From insanity to beyond, a few miles west of Winslow is a Meteor Crater, the result of a collision 50,000 years ago between an asteroid travelling at 26,000 miles per hour and the earth, it’s almost a mile in radius and 550 ft deep. Could we drive past? Winslow had placed us back on the road in a kind of contented stupor, not needing or wanting anything, brain functioning at around 45% . The Meteor Crater would be asking for us to get all sciency and alert, were we ready ?
“Dream Catcher !” and at that Ian left the interstate into a cloud of dust and intrigue. The Meteor City Trading Post. Its ransacked remains an indication that trading probably ceased some time ago, as for ‘City’ ? A gimmick maybe to tease people off the interstate ? We were alone, the landscape flat and parched, outside temperature of 86 degrees.
The main building a, geodesic mo-hawked dome, was grabbing our attention, the graffiti, teepees and rubble were telling the story. Inside a ‘Marie Celeste’ of curiosity sent me straight for my phone and Google. The Trading Post opened for business in 1938 as a Service station, in 1941 it was given its present name by new owners, the signature dome being added in 1979, unfortunately burning to the ground in 1990 . The present , more fireproof, structure still stands today. During our visit certain observations were suggesting that the abandonment of this once thriving business was maybe more recent than we had originally assumed, investigation through Wikipedia confirmed it ended its life in December 2012. Nature had started work in all of its rawness claiming back the land, desert and fauna combined with broken glass, beads and jewellery creating a new kind of art. To the rear of the dome stood derelict mobile homes, undamaged colour family photographs were amongst the debris, evidence of happier times maybe? Or maybe not ? And then of course the dream catcher, once claimed to be the largest in the world. That together with supposedly the longest painted map of Route 66 displayed on an exterior wall must have been reason enough to pull off the highway. The wall no longer stands and the dreamcatcher has lost its title, however the reason behind why this place now stood as it did is a mystery to me.
The Ballinger Meteor Crater, museum and gift shop are around 6 miles south of the highway on a single road, I’m guessing purposely built for ease of access. On entry to the building I felt like a kid teleported from Disney straight back into school and at 18 dollars each for entry, maybe we were actually going to be transported back in time ? Over the last half hour high winds had picked up and the observation platforms were still open but venturing outside was at your own risk. All tour guides had decided to play it safe. A TV crew had found a sheltered area but were struggling with equipment whilst I clung to a telescope trying to make sense of the vastness of the hole, silent and desolate with the wisdom of age, the wisdom to stay calm whilst everything around you is going ape shit ! Apparently in 1968 NASA used it’s surface for the training of astronauts for walks on the moon, my telescope focused on the crater surface to reveal an Astronaut and what Ian was convinced to be a London Taxi , both excellent markers, helping provide a more realistic insight into the vastness of its space.
“Ian how many astronauts can you fit into a crater ?”
“Seventeen and then I’d get bored”
We headed back to the car and highway. Just a few miles took us to our last Trading post of the day ‘Twin Arrows’. The desert heat had been kicking out its best and we were rolling onwards and very soon upwards where the temperatures and landscape offered up a whole new feel.
Twin Arrows is just that, a couple of giant arrows penetrating the ground as if fired by ‘Chief Too Tall’ and his sidekick ‘Abnormally Large Hands’. What was once the Valentine Diner, Gas Station and Gift Shop are now boarded up, falling into decline, another victim of the interstate, finally being abandoned in 1995. The land is Navajo owned.
After discussing the size and relevance of the arrows we decided to move on. So what had I concluded after a morning spent with Ian visiting places which to that day had been his creative escape, a therapeutic canvas to bury his emotional pain. Well, he had questioned the size of the petrified log at the Geronimo Trading Post, been disappointed at how small the rabbit was at Jack Rabbits, and wondered how the points of the arrows have stayed in the ground for so long considering their size and angle to the ground. He was not traumatized or particularly happy. My conclusion, artists have special brains, I will never be an artist.
Ian stepped out to take a couple of photos and I reached for the map.
“ Shall we go south and visit Sedona” I asked as he got back into the car.
“ What and leave Route 66 ?” There was panic in his voice.
“ Yes, it’s 25 miles to Flagstaff and then we would leave on the 89a south to Sedona, it’s 50 miles in total so we would come back up to Route 66 and just carry on ?” spoken with what I thought was just the right balance of reassurance, persuasion and menacing seduction.
“ Yeah ?”
“Yeah” By the look on Ian’s face I needed to be more reassuring and my style of persuasion needed to move away from seductive.
“ It’ll be fine, it’s supposed to be beautiful, we don’t have to stay long”
Leaving the interstate at exit 204 we continued into Flagstaff leaving the heat of the desert behind with its wide open spaces and entered Canada, or so it seemed. Route 66 winds it way through a Ponderosa forest, roughly paved in places. The curve of the tarmac within the confines of the trees somehow allowed for a better understanding of the road, it was clear we were climbing in altitude. In the short time it had taken for us to reach Flagstaff I felt not only had I travelled through the seasons but day time had become night time in a matter of minutes making it not only dark and cold but we were also stuck in rush hour traffic. We didn’t see much of Flagstaff, in addition to the premature darkness, the rain clouds had burst their load transforming the thick covering of desert sand on the Mustang to mud. With wipers on, we followed the fuzzy red tail lights of the car in front out of town.
“What time is it” I asked
“ Half past five”
“ It shouldn’t be this dark”
Taking the road south to Sedona, visibility was at a minimum and we had strangely adapted to our new surroundings”
“ The sky looks brighter where we’re heading”
“ Maybe we should stop pull over until the rain clears, get some food or something?”
“ We could get the car washed maybe ?”
“No!! remember who you are, rebels of the road, you are neither hungry or needing to be clean!” The voice came from nowhere but we both heard it.
Can you remember that part of the Wizard of Oz , Dorothy’s little wooden house hurtles through the sky, crash landing, perfectly intact and timed to squash the life out of the wicked witch of the west? The scene unfolds, Dorothy questions her whereabouts and pallid surroundings then welcome Glinda the good witch of the north all calm and beautiful. Glinda switches on the colour and the mood lifts, dancing and hilarity ensue. An adaption of this unfolded over the next few minutes, with the exception of everything but the transformation from dull to a dazzling full Ozlandic rainbow of colour.
The winding road, 89a, to Sedona
The sky had cleared, night time returned to daytime and we were descending through Ponderosa Pines on one of the most beautiful stretches of road I have travelled in my life! Flagstaff has an elevation of around 7000 ft, Sedona 4000. The 89a takes you down through Oak Creek Canyon so over 20 miles we would be making a descent of 3000 feet with some breathtaking hairpins bends and views over the canyon. I’m not sure if words can describe the extent of what your eyes are being offered. The rich reds of the canyon walls, dark greens of the pines, Aspens and Oaks giving it their best for Autumn.
Ian had pulled over and parked, we had no words. Walking to a point where we had a bird’s eye view of the road yet to be travelled we stood and stared, it could have been 5 minutes or 15.
Walking through pathways amongst wooden cabins we came across native Indian craftsmen set up and selling their art. In complete comparison to some of the kitsch we had encountered on Route 66 this area breathed a spiritual calm.
Descending further down into the Canyon we saw a sign for Slide Rock National Park, a natural water slide formed by the slippery bed of Oak Creek. Beautiful, brightly coloured houses lined the road at generously acceptable intervals. According to the Mustang the outside temperature had increased almost 20 degrees since Flagstaff and was now settled at a very pleasing 78 degrees. Those last few miles before Sedona were like a descension into therapy and luckily Ian was feeling it too.
“Shall we find somewhere to stay ?” He didn’t need to ask twice, we stayed three nights in total.
The 89a leads you directly into Sedona town, a desert town surrounded by deep red sandstone buttes that change shade at sunrise and sunset lending a warming glow. Pine forests also dominate the landscape amongst the steep canyon walls. Sedona offers convenience and culture spread out in a way that doesn’t interfere with the beauty of its surrounding, a sensory overload in parts. New age types believe Sedona is the centre of vortexes, powerful and transformational energy centres, intersections of electromagnetic earth energy attracting spiritual types, healers and artists…
On reflection and knowing what I know now I would replay those 3 days in Sedona and make a few changes because somehow those sandstone buttes practiced some kind of witchery on our burnt out Route 66 shoulders, they muttered “Relax” and we slept. We slept on the terrace, by the pool, in the jacuzzi and under the stars. Our motel was an old single storey bleached terracotta building with a low roof, friendly service offering just 15 rooms, and a simple breakfast. It was a complete surprise to us the next morning when we ventured around the back to find a beautiful kidney shaped pool area, sunken jacuzzi and a huge built in barbecue and fire pit with the same bleached terracotta finish as the main building. The temperature that morning was 82 degrees the sky was empty and so was the pool.
“Can you float without sinking? I asked Ian
“ Do you mean, is it possible to float without sinking or do you mean me in particular?”
“ No you”
“ Don’t know I’ve never tried”
“ I can teach you if you want”
We both knew what this really meant
“ Let’s stay here all day drink beer and eat snacks, I’ll pretend to teach you how to float, you’ll drown a couple of times, then get the hang of it and stay there for the rest of the day. I’ll practice sunbathing, overheating then cooling off in the pool until I get the hang of that and we’ll end the day watching repeats of TJ hooker and eating pizza” Which was exactly what we did with the exception of the pizza. We ate sushi from Safeways instead.
Day two in the terracotta house.
“Diamond tours, or something. I think they’re pink. Supposed to be the best or that’s what Pete said” I was remembering conversations with friends prior to our trip.
“The Jeeps, yeah I remember him saying something about Pink Jeep tours in Sedona”
“He called it a white knuckle ride, why are they pink then do you think?”
So later we headed into town to find Mad Max in his flamingo coloured jeep. Sedona town is a wonderful combination of culture, art and cultural artistic tat for those who can’t get to grips with the former. From a street view however it manages to retain its grace and charm throughout.
Finding Mad Max however was proving to be more difficult than we thought. Most shop windows were offering a “Tour special” each more exhilarating, challenging, stunningly beautiful than the next. The deciding factor for us was price, and just as we had settled on the tour of all tours like no tour you have been on before or will again, I spotted it across the street, a flash of pink in a window. We were there, Pink Mad Max was ours and they were offering him for free ? Diamond back, white knuckle style. So what was the catch ?
“Hi, I can see in the window you’re offering a two hour pink jeep tour at no cost, is there a catch to this ?”
What came next was a long drawn out sales pitch, happy smiley style.
“ A beautiful resort, blah blah blah, holiday, no obligation, friendly, no obligation, breakfast, confidential, no obligation, just an hour of your time”
I think we may have walked through a cloud of special dust as we entered the shop because the next day at 8am we pulled up and parked outside a Holiday resort, our designated representative for our time there was “Craig”. Craig was going to try and sell us timeshare for a free ride in a jeep! Craig had the exterior of an over excited kitten, the concerned demeanor of the pope, and a darkness underneath his outer layers that suggested false motives, deception, game playing and greed. You could see it in his eyes when he realised you weren’t falling for his feline type charm.
The Timeshares we were shown were nice, there was no breakfast as promised and we were part of a group of around 20 people. All just wanting a ride in a jeep? I wasn’t sure right then.
The lengths that these guys were going to to get us to sign on the dotted line were incredible. We had been taken to a pleasant but dimly lit room on the first floor, each couple, family etc were allocated their own table and work began to disconnect the logic from any part of our brain that deals with decision making. It was a finely tuned practice, fast paced and so very “Sincere”. My eyes scanned the room, so many people were already signing away, page upon page of unread literature and small print. It had only been 15 minutes. I couldn’t look at Craig, who had placed himself directly opposite the both of us. If the situation hadn’t been as it was I would have identified his look as seduction in its wildest most desperate form.
I found myself laughing out loud, the sound travelled like a lightning bolt across the room, bouncing off the walls and hitting Craig in the back of the head.
“Oh my we’re having some fun over here aren’t we. My name is Michael, am I right in thinking you are from way over the water in the UK ?”
“ Where do you call home?”
“A small village in Herefordshire”
“ Oh my gaaaad ! I have friends in Chel- Tan- Ham, I just got back from there. What a beautiful place, lovely to meet you, what a coincidence! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaa !!”
Craig left the table, to go to the toilet? Get a glass of water? No, Craig had just written us off, he didn’t come back.
Michael continued by steering his way through a monotony of ludicrously constructed anecdotes relating to his superbly hilarious visit to Chel-Tan-Ham just a few weeks before.
“Did you stay with your friends in their house in Cheltenham ?” I asked
“ Yes wonderful place ………….”
“We have timeshare too in the UK”
“Timeshare?”
Michael turned our attention back to the paperwork, he was asking $11,000 from us right then without giving us the hard facts or any thinking time.
“Say I reduced the payment to say, $10,000, including free flights?”…….
“Ok what about $9000, free flights and a free holiday?” He was desperate
“We just need time to check out the paperwork” Meaning just let us out, this is getting extremely creepy and uncomfortable.
“$8000 my final offer?”
“ Sorry no, we’re really only here so we can get a free jeep tour”
“I can offer you a small private room to discuss things”
“I’m claustrophobic”
“$8000 final offer, I’ll throw in the free flights”
“We’d like to leave please it’s been almost three hours”
“$8000, the flights the holiday and we can go down to the restaurant, a larger room and you can sign down there”
“ Next time you’re in Cheltenham at your friend’s place look us up, we’ll talk about it then”
“Come on come on down to the restaurant”
“I’m going to throw up”
Michael shuffled his workload and left the table, we were escorted out of the building down an industrial looking back staircase by a man in a grey shorts and shiny shoes. There were no words.
Later on that day at our allotted time we made our way back to the jeep tour office. Checked in at the desk, their computer confirmed that yes we had indeed been down to time share towers, subjected to a masquerade of scrumptiously misleading persuasion tactics and now in some kind of Derren Brown witchery we were separated from the small crowd of people waiting for their tour and ushered up between two buildings into a large car park.
Our tour guides were waiting.
At the top end of the car park ,
Line 1. These were I’m sure the people who had paid a good price for their ticket, and hadn’t haggled for a discount . They probably smelt nice, wore good shoes, and were devilishly undevilish.
Line 2. These scoundrels had probably haggled for a discount and been offered a pre tour party at Persuasion Manor then signed away their dignity, sanity, and retirement plan.
Line 3. Was us. Just curious and always liking a bargain but signing up for nothing.
We all got what we ‘Paid’ for, and as the guides shouted out names for the tours and each group made their way to their jeep I started to notice the conflicting styles of our tour leaders.
Line 1. Genuinely sincere and courteous, informative and respectful.
Line 2. Don’t mention the money, keep talking about any old crap as a distraction.
Line 3. “ Anyone seen Jessie, been missing since the last tour, I’ve got her hearing aid and medication. Hey don’t sit on my last toke!”
Our guide was “Mett” or Matt, he was Australian or South African I couldn’t tell. I had wondered what sin the family of three, mum and dad and young boy had committed to be assigned to Matt.
They were Canadian and soon it became quite clear why little Damian was riding on the wild side, the plan was to tip him over the edge to wherever Jessie was hanging out.
He had the manners and appetite of Augustus Gloop and he knew just about everything.
Matt turned out to be pretty cool, but no tour guide. Full of interesting facts, nothing in the slightest way connected to Sedona or surrounding areas. He insisted I travel up front with him and we became a part of the Crazy Hen Tour. The ride is extremely bumpy, the terrain is rough, the conversation was unconnected but you cannot distract from the impact of the visuals on your senses, mind, body and soul. It just grabs you no matter what you are being forced to listen to “This is where a Chinese guy lost his camera, I saw a dog eating a coyote, I snook around the back of that rock with an aging French hippy”. Maybe this explains why Jessie ripped her hearing aids out and didn’t hear the call to get back in the jeep.
The Crazy Hen tour was in fact a weekend frenzy of overly excited ladies in their twenties in Sedona with the bride to be celebrating her last remaining days of singledom . Crazy Hens, their drivers challenging us at speed from all directions. “How you doing?” spoken famously by Joey from the TV show ‘Friends’ seemed to be the question of the day. Matt swiftly ground to a halt when ‘Challenged’ by a hen and on questioning his reply was of course “No, how you doing?” and so the flirting ensued until we were challenged by Hen Party code name Jane, “ Chief bridesmaid batch”
“How you doing?” asked Jane
“Don’t I know you from somewhere?” enquired Matt.
Ian and I decided to dismount to take photos leaving Matt to cluck.
Damian Gloop was getting more and more contemptuous, when Matt offered to take him backwards at speed down very steep and rocky terrain, Gloop, having already lost a selection of his snacks, didn’t take him up on it and remained particularly silent there in.
Tour over and what did I conclude? Sedona is stunningly beautiful but given a second chance I would definitely do things differently. Reason enough for a return visit, most definitely.
What did I conclude from having Matt as our guide? I’m not sure, maybe they could change the tour name to the “ Have you got everything you set out with tour ?” considering….
Matt lost Jessie,
Chao lost his Camera.
The dog lost its senses and became as wild as the coyote it had feasted upon.
Juliette Marie lost her virginity for the 79th time.
Jane lost her dignity,
Gloop lost his fizzy blue drink, snacks and I’m sure I must have lost a few pounds in weight.
“What did you make of that?” I asked Ian as I climbed out of the passenger seat of the jeep.
“Have you seen my sunglasses?” He replied.
The next morning we sadly left Sedona, travelling back up the 89a in the early hours, a light purple haze evidence of the unfolding of yet another beautiful day. The ride up was equally as stunning but from a different perspective. On the road down, from the passenger seat, I had had the best of the views, now it was Ian’s turn. We climbed back up through an invisible portal taking the gentle back to mental, in the best possible way of course. We were getting hip, taking that California trip, getting our kicks again on Route 66…
Here’s Part 8 – On Route 66 heading West
If you missed the beginning here’s Part 1, ‘California Dreaming’ :
Author MandyPosted on 16th May 2018 6th March 2019 Categories Fun, StoriesTags American, Fun, lifestyle, Road Trip, storyLeave a comment on American Road Trip part 7 – Standin’ on the Corner, A Journey Through Season, Space and Time …
American Road Trip part 6 – Route 66 through New Mexico into Arizona
We were just over a day away from starting our Route 66 road trip, east to west ending in Barstow California and that night we were to visit the Route 66 Casino and Hotel for dinner on a recommendation. It was going to be first time for either of us in any kind of Casino and without instruction my brain had opened up a memory file from 1971 TV, visions of glamour, sophistication, seduction and signing your life over to Michelle Du Mont. We were clueless!
“Ian do you think there is a dress code?”
“Wouldn’t have thought so”
“I don’t suppose it matters because by the end of the evening we will probably have failed, be completely naked and wandering around the car park looking for a car that will be by then hanging from a helicopter over the Pacific Ocean”
For the short journey along Route 66 that evening there wasn’t much to see, night-time had given us the ultimate in dark in that there were no street lights or buildings. The 1-40 hung close and parallel all of the way and I remember thinking how a lot of the original alignments of Route 66 no longer exist and have been replaced by the highway and I wondered if this interstate shadowing was going to continue for the rest of our Route 66 journey.
I can only compare the outside of the Casino to one of our smaller UK airports with neons!
Inside is where we got knocked sideways, defragged and rebooted! This was the Wild West an American version of either end of a well established British Pier! 85% of the Gambling being gaming machines. I had never seen so many desperate love affairs with people over a certain age strewn in one way or another over flashing neon waiting for their lucky fall. Some showing signs that indicated they could have been there for days, others were sleeping, arms and legs splayed in a way to clearly announce possession. I don’t know the rules, or maybe it’s just etiquette, an understanding not to in any way or form attempt to place anything in any slot of any machine within 6” of somebody’s ear whether asleep or awake. With that kind of commitment I wished the very best of luck to those who were awake and could multitask.
The choice of food outlets was extensive. For your aid and entertainment you are guided in a kind of “Wizard of Oz” way through the venue on a mini route 66 walk way. Thunder Road Bar and Steakhouse is where we choose to eat, a restaurant and live music venue. A great vibe, fantastic energy and the best steak I have eaten in my life ! The place was buzzing with people, and whilst we were waiting we were given a Pager to notify when a table would become available. This allowed us to wander and this is where I lost Ian, not the physical kind of losing but the kind of loosing where you are all of a sudden completely alone with whatever has caught your eye and stolen your heart. He had found his first Route 66 souvenir shop. There was no doubt a fantastic collection of memorabilia but I think at the time if he had known that similar shops with similar temptations would be seducing him along the whole of Route 66 he wouldn’t have cried so hard when our Pager called us for dinner!
I have waited on tables through my life and know how easy it is to get stuck into a routine of standard questions, and…… don’t judge me, not really listen to the answer. If you’re in a tourist area you know that the majority of people are on the same mission so the questions are easy. On Route 66 the questions are pretty much standard, “You headed east or west?” and that’s exactly what we got, followed by “So what’s your planned itinerary?” It took me a while… “Erm well we don’t really have plans or an itinerary” A voice from table 86 “You don’t have a planned itinerary! They don’t have a planned itinerary!” Considering the situation I wouldn’t have been surprised if Dick Van Dyke himself hadn’t appeared out of the middle of our table and the whole restaurant hadn’t become one huge musical performance……
♪♫ They don’t have a planned itinerary, haha,
♪♫ What will they do when the sky’s not blue and there’s no gas in their car?
♪♫ They don’t have a planned itinerary haha,
♪♫ They’ve sold their souls for 6 weeks on the road, and they don’t know where they are,
♪♫ It’s plain to see, what will be and they won’t get very far.
♪♫ For all your costs, you will be lost”… Dick van Dyke disappears back under the table and people carry on eating and planning.
“Ian, we don’t do plans”
It seemed even with our EZ guide to 66, recommended by the honey monster, that if we wanted a full and interesting experience we should have done some kind of research. We were on holiday and starting to feel that if we didn’t do our homework we would suffer the consequences of our lethargy. The following night, we revisited the Casino, still extremely full from the night before, I ordered French onion soup and helped myself to salad from the bar. Greg served us, he was really polite, questioned us as to which way we were headed and that was that. My soup however didn’t come in liquid form, it was a strange thick unidentifiable crust that seemed to have soaked up where soup could have possibly been. On Greg’s return, and completely out of character for me, I decided to announce very politely my dissatisfaction when he enquired about our eating experience.
“Well it isn’t like any kind of French Onion Soup I’ve had before, in fact there was no soup in the bowl”
Greg’s reply
“Oh great, wonderful, I’ll have to try some, you’ve talked me into it”!!
Wow! His standard reply, Greg hadn’t been listening and it made me smile, years before in the mundane and endless trips back and forth waiting and clearing I had been guilty of exactly that.
I wondered if Greg had an itinerary?
The next morning ,still not being able to bring our heads completely out of the cloud blown our way by the hoards of planners and researchers, we set off EZ 66 guide in hand heading west on Route 66 . The book was suggesting we keep a look out for a large rock in the shape of an owl. So as the landscape started to change we prepared ourselves. We thought we saw the owl more than a couple of times over a matter of minutes,
“Wow, they’re all almost identical” I said
Truth was they were very identical, we had driven in a complete loop through a small Hispanic looking village, I’m not sure how many times. It had been like a bygone age where children played happily in the street. We commented how you just don’t see that anymore in the UK, we waved like the happy tourists we were and they pointed and laughed.
After only being on the road for a short time, we came to realise that we needed to change our relationship with the book, there now seemed to be three of us on this road trip and the new guy was somewhat controlling, his constant demand for attention together with seducing us with choices would consume time we just didn’t have, and with my head almost always down I was already missing out the very reason why we were there in the first place.
I had already learnt that many sections of Route 66 have undergone major realignments and the introduction of the highway system meant at various points the old road lays underneath the development, often to the side of it, or in some cases it disappears all together, and apparently things are changing all the time. We decided to ditch the book and use it mainly for information on exits to and from the Interstate, for us that worked brilliantly. Between New Mexico and California we managed to cruise some of the best uninterrupted sections of Route 66 that there are, and to be completely honest at the end we actually felt like we’d had a weirdly spiritual experience and as if we should have taken a minute to say a prayer, to thank the ambassadors and the campaigners and those who provide a service so we, as travellers, can continue to get our kicks on Route 66.
With a full tank of fuel and the freedom of our own decisions we headed west and in Ian’s eyes we became Burt Reynolds and Sally Field, Susan George and Peter Fonda, John Schneider and Catherine Bach, Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera . I was just happy in the understanding that we will most possibly pass by some major Route 66 landmarks, hotels, museums, but it was ok. What was meant to be would be.
The landscape had changed from that of northern, central New Mexico. We were seeing the return of the bright orange sandstone Mesas, towering roadside sandstone walls all together messing with the light, turning our world into a 1970’s photograph.
It was around midday when we spotted a guy jogging along a deserted stretch of road, as we got closer we could see he was pushing a child’s buggy, full of his belongings I’m guessing, more to the point he was naked apart from a pair of lycra hot pants and a long full beard.
“Bucket list” I asked Ian
“Maybe doing it for a good cause?”
“But there is nobody else around, he could catch a bus, or hitch a ride”
“Would you pick him up?”
“I would, I’d like to stroke his beard”
“I will make a conscious decision never to sponsor you with anything”
“Sponsored beard stroking?”
We were stopped in our tracks by some amazing roadside art, not those fabulous advertising signs from a bygone age but auto salvage! Cars, pickups and buses from the 40’s through to the nineties, arranged in a way usually seen in Cartoons. They know what us Europeans want and those babies were up front pushed against a wire fence, seducing us with their eye sockets and sexy patina. 50’s Chevy pickups, 60’s Cadillacs, 50’s Buicks, Chevy Impalas, a 63 Chevy C10. Unfortunately the place was closed, locked, secured and guarded by the cliché junkyard dog, big collar with studs, doing the menacing sideways strut. The place was deadly quiet, we hadn’t seen another vehicle for quite a while, and with heads fixed behind camera lenses we hadn’t noticed the reappearance of naked beard man. Stopping to park up his buggy he ventured over to the fence to stare at the dog, said something that sounded like “Kershnitzen” wiped his nose and carried on. I wondered what his itinerary was?..
We got in the car, thinking we had seen the icing on the cake, it would’ve been enough, but on that day between Albuquerque and Grants our minds were blown over and over with more junk yard delights, old farm machinery dating back quite a few decades, abandoned gas stations and diners. A small town named Budsville named after Bud Rice who in 1928 together with his wife Flossie built and ran the gas station, grocery store, post office and garage for many years. Their story is however a very sad one, stand by the now abandoned one story concrete building and you can somehow feel its history. It’s apparently one of the most photographed buildings on route 66 in New Mexico.
As we were getting closer to the Arizona border the weather was improving almost by the hour. Our time in Albuquerque had been wet, sometimes very heavy showers. Our waitress on the first night at the Casino had told us that that was it as far as fine weather for them, winter was on its way and she wasn’t expecting any more warm sunny days. It was a strange thing to hear when you still have a few weeks of your holiday to go. Today, however, further west, we were feeling fantastically warm, soaking up and loving that route 66 vibe.
“Ian, I could just drink an ice-cold beer” immediately feeling guilty for all the benefits of not being the designated driver. Would’ve loved to take the wheel for a while and give Ian a break, a chance to chill and just watch the scenery roll on by but because of my health the DVLA have decided that I am no longer safe to be behind the wheel of a car. Devastated is the word to describe how that feels, your independence etc. There are others worse off and I couldn’t wish for a better designated driver in Ian.
Right then more magic happened, as if the day couldn’t get any better we pulled into the town of Grants. Population of around 9200 people some quirky old motels, and a wonderful selection of advertising signs from a bygone time. However, this wasn’t what was grabbing our attention on this day, we had, without planning, arrived on the right day and at the right time to be part of their annual Fall Fiesta. All Wheel Show and Shine Car Show, Beer Garden, Green Chile Stew eating competition, Live Bands, and Food Vendors.
The Beer was awesome, a selection of specialty brews all served ice cold. Ian went into the open sided beer tent to get the drinks whilst I wandered the cars. During the time I was drinking from the bar the rules were I had to be actually under its roof. I was still able to find a seat where the sun threw me a spotlight of my very own. We ate hot dogs from the BBQ and spoke to so many great local people, who, with the drink inside them were offering interesting tips on where to go and what to see. Not available in any of the Rt 66 travel guides I’m sure!!
“Ian look?”
“What, where?”
“Over there in the beer tent, next to the fence”
“Naked beard man!”
“No, there is no way he could have walked here in that time, and he’s got clothes on”
“Like I said, he’s probably hitching rides and if you’re not allowed to take your beer out of the beer tent I’m sure they would turn away a man in lycra shorts”
“Maybe he comes here every year?, Oh No !”
“Naked Beard Man, the free spirit that is, has got a bloody itinerary!”
“It’s not him!”
“It is, look there’s his buggy on the other side of the fence, he has his hand on the handle”
“You’re right”
Sad or not, we both became a bit obsessed with Naked Beard man.
“What’s he talking to those people about?”
“Move over that way”
“They are talking about their dogs”
“Oh my god, he’s the bloody Route 66 dog whisperer”!
“Does he actually exist?”
“Yeah he’s sat over there naked from the waist down”
“He’s not going to be naked”
We waited a good 15 minutes for him to finish his specialty sausage stand up and leave the table, he was suitably dressed. With the buggy evidence though we were now both agreed it definitely was the same man we had seen some miles up the road earlier on in the day. We then, believe it or not, waited for him to leave, I was desperate for him to go into a telephone call box and come out Super Naked Bearded Lycra, Dog Whispering Man! He checked into a hotel and we carried on with our journey.
The red sandstone rocks that had lined the road just west of Albuquerque had given way to vast open spaces and long straight stretches of road. I had thought the changes in temperature were mainly due to us heading west, but the inclines on these stretches are so gradual they are hardly noticeable. The small towns and villages to this point had had a definite Hispanic feel, but heading towards the Arizona state line we were seeing more Native Indian trading posts, some beautiful craftwork, and a collision of culture and tackiness that just seemed to work.
Santana was still number one on our most listened to CD chart, and as we approached the Continental Divide it was Black Magic Woman that was casting her spell.
Before leaving for the US we had been given information, hints and tips for our trip from friends on places to see and things to do, many had travelled Route 66, but no one had mentioned The Continental Divide! Mainly mountainous and running through all of North America it separates the water that runs toward the Pacific Ocean from the water running toward the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and the Gulf of Mexico! It is also the highest point on route 66 at 7263 ft.
“Didn’t expect this today”
We parked beside a marker, explaining where we were and silence fell for a good minute.
“I wasn’t ready for this, within reason you know what to expect, wow!”
“Ian you’re not saying very much”
At that point I realised the artistic side of his brain had engaged and the look in his eyes revealed that non-artist was probably functioning at about 10%.
I got out of the car, it was freezing, got back in again. Looking around I spotted a Trading post selling souvenirs, and a scattering of other buildings. Apparently the area around Continental divide has been inhabited for 11,000 years. Navajo Indians settling in the mountains to the north and south.
I checked Ian out, he was on about 15%, and his eyes had fixed on the Trading post.
‘Noooooooo !!! not another gift shop!’ I said to myself. Don’t get me wrong I can really appreciate the beautiful hand-made crafts, jewellery and leather work, all at a reasonable price but I was recognizing a recurrent theme of on the road, stop, eat, gift shops. I secretly cast a spell on the barely conscious Ian …… Stay away from the gift shop …… Stay away from the gift shop. Spoken like the janitor zombie in Scooby Doo.
“What colour do you see the sky in the distance?” Ian asked, he was now on about 30%, this allowed speech.
He had caught me out like this before, when we first met. It had been a miserable day and he had asked the same question. I had answered that in my eyes the sky was grey. He had told me there were peaches, purples and blues etc. It took quite a few years of practice but eventually I was able to look deeper into things, open up my mind and see colour where previously there was no colour at all. Put a paintbrush in my hand though and there is absolutely no way I can transfer this onto canvas.
“I can see pale pink on the horizon”? I replied
“Lovely isn’t it”
After a quick photo, evidence that we had actually been there, we got back in the car and headed towards Gallup about 25 miles then another 25 to the Arizona border.
Looking back on our trip I have wondered if we would have done things differently had we arrived in certain places at different times of the day. As we headed for Gallup we had already started to talk about somewhere to stay the night. We knew from friends about the history of the El Rancho hotel in Gallup how it had been established since the 1930’s. How, because it was popular as a filming location, the hotel can boast playing host to some of the most prolific movie stars of our time. Worth a stop? Maybe?
Gallup city is well established and caters mainly to the traveller, driving through we were spoilt for choice for places to stay, it was early evening and each motel was competing for our attention, luring us in with its brightly coloured Neon’s. Route 66 as I had seen it in so many photos, we drove in one end and out the other.
“That was nice”
“Ian shall we wild camp, sleep in the car, maybe drive into Arizona and pull over when you start to get tired, no check in, no messing with luggage ?”
Ian gave a look of approval, pulled over and we both reclined our seats …
“Naaah”
We spent the next ten minutes rearranging luggage, trying to find a place for the fridge and slot ourselves into any available space.
“I don’t think these Mustangs were designed with the intention of helping you have a good night’s sleep”
For most of our route 66 journey so far, the old road had mostly been paralleled by the I 40 and the Santa Fe railroad. 800 miles of track running through California, Arizona and Mexico, both have suffered decline but now thrive, the railroad becoming one of the nation’s busiest with up to 100 trains per day, paralleling the old highway through mountains, deserts and dusty towns. On quiet stretches of road it really was a sight to see these huge freight trains cutting through the desert, a friend to keep you company. I counted over 100 carriages at one time and then I gave up and just enjoyed it for what it was, like a gentle rumble of thunder in the distance whilst you waft in and out of sleep. On one beautifully straight and deserted stretch of asphalt the train ran close through wide open terrain, Ian parked up the car to take a photo and the driver sounded his horn.
As we reached the Arizona border red sandstone towers made a reappearance and just before the state line we came across the wackiest line up of ramshackle wooden buildings we had seen so far. Set back from the road at the foot of a sandstone mesa was Chief Yellow Horse’s Trading Post. It just stood out as different. Large brightly coloured plastic animals perched high on the ledges of the cliff way above the roof of the trading post. This one had us both intrigued.
We were met at the door by an old Navajo Indian guy in a wheelchair, he looked us directly in the eye, deep and meaningful and took a breath inwards. I was expecting “Old Indian proverb”
“When your bladder rules your life you have no life at all” he wheeled himself past us not looking up.
The place was owned and run by Navajos, the Yellow Horse family. Chief Juan Yellow Horse had owned and operated the Trading post from 1960 until his death in 1999. A wide choice of what seemed to be handmade crafts and jewellery and at the best prices we had seen so far. We left with two rugs and some cow dung.
The welcome centres on all state lines are a must, they have an information pack thoughtfully put together to inform and entertain you. They also have books of vouchers that you can use at motels and in restaurants along the way. Each time I opened a new one I was like a kid with a lucky bag, on this occasion however things weren’t looking too favourable, as we approached the empty car park we could see and all the lights were out in the nearby building. The young girl locking up had spotted us and headed our way handing us our welcome pack together with a small box of sweets and a hand fan.
“Where you heading?”
“West, probably staying overnight in Holbrook”
“The Teepee Village?”
I had forgotten all about the Teepee village.
“Yes probably”
“Drive safe and enjoy your stay in Arizona”
Arizona – Heading into the Great South West
Route 66 on the east side of Arizona can only be driven in short segments, further west however you get to drive some of the longest uninterrupted sections of road that route 66 has to offer, and travel through some of the most diverse and spectacular landscapes in America.
We were finding that a lot of the old towns along route 66 were sign posted off the highway, usually taking us to a frontage road. For the majority of our drive into Holbrook we remained on the highway or parallel to it.
“What’s in the bag?”
“Some maps, more sweets, loads of info on places to visit, vouchers, and an eye mask.
“Have you noticed the dinosaurs?”
We were around 60 miles from the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. The dinosaurs seemed to be an indication we were getting close, I guess in the same way the old road signs along route 66 would tease you with something spectacular every 20 minutes for the next 150 miles!
The Petrified Forest is apparently a place where dinosaurs roamed 225million years ago amongst 200 foot tall conifers. Volcanic mountains erupted, toppled the trees which were swept away by water, covered in ash and sediment entombing them over millions of years, then through gradual erosion exposing themselves, colours and shapes of the organic material fossilizing and turning to stone. Signs in and around the visitor centre warn you that you will be prosecuted if you attempt to remove any of the petrified wood from its place, and I’m sure the guy with the hat, the horse and the gun was ready to do just that. Strange thing was polished petrified wood in all shapes and forms was being advertised for sale all along the Interstate and around the park itself. We pulled over because I was intrigued at a huge sign inviting me to “Come and feed the ostrich’s”, more tacky dinosaurs and “Get your petrified wood here”
Automatically I went off to find an Ostrich, Ian made his way into the gift shop. As I glanced around I imagined the whole place would have made a great backdrop for the film “The Hills Have Eyes”
I made my way back to the car, Ian arrived 5 minutes later.
“Couldn’t find any Ostriches”
“She gave me some wood”
“What for nothing?”
“Yeah she said she liked the look of me”
“It’s pretty though look”
It was very pretty but I am still to this day confused with the very mixed messages behind these 250 million year old treasures.
I had learnt about the Wigwam Village in Holbrook through friends, it grabbed my interest enough to find out it was built in 1960 from concrete, there are 15 Wigwams each with room enough for a large bed, small kitchen and bathroom. At $55 for a night’s stay it was definitely worth a look.
In the same way my mind had automatically opened a file from seventies TV with the Casino, it had done the same with the Teepee Village. It gave me Holbrook a small dusty town with a saloon bar, right there on Route 66, old cowboy types sat outside on wooden rockers chewing tobacco and drinking moonshine, and of course tumbleweed. I hadn’t at all challenged the reality of this.
Entering Holbrook that evening was a slap in the face, car dealerships to the left, fast food outlets to the right, motels and hotels some decent looking some abandoned, others in various stages of repair all leading down to a main cross roads and as seems to be the theme through most of these towns, this is where the main tourist traps are. In Holbrook’s case this is where the dinosaurs were.
Holbrook is the county seat of Navajo county, during the 1890’s cowboys and railroad workers kept the saloons. The heavy drinking, gun-toting men gave the town a violent reputation, a town too tough for women and churches, it seemed our visit was around 130 years too late. Over the next few days I couldn’t help but wonder if this reputation has been carried through to the present day. I was intrigued.
I can’t remember why we took a right at the main crossroads but some way down on the left of the busy two lane highway we found the Wigwam village, a mirage almost in that it was completely out of place. This seemed to be the business side of town. To the left of the Wigwams a collection of Skips, opposite was a large welding unit. From the road if you looked directly at the 15 concrete Wigwams placed in a horse shoe shape around a central reception area you could really appreciate and start to feel a sense of nostalgia. Each Wigwam had its own Classic car, possibly a permanent fixture from day one way back in 1960. Together with the bright neon signs the whole place offered an illuminated oasis amongst it surroundings. Ian grabbed the chance for photo opportunities and I pondered if right then this was the kind of place where I wanted to spend the night. If we had arrived early afternoon, full of energy, enjoying the heat and the cloudless sky it might have been a different story but we were both tired, cranky and needed feeding.
“What do you think?” We were both back in the car and hadn’t noticed that the railroad passed by the back of the building and for the next 10 minutes or so we listened as 200 plus freight carriages rattled over steel. Full of empty bottles I presumed, and of course sounding its horn to announce arrival. We have since learnt that a train passes through every 20 to 30 minutes. Earlier in the day we would’ve probably laughed it off it and it wouldn’t have affected our decision, but Ian simply turned the car around without saying a word and we headed back the way we came.
Driving back up towards the crossroads I started to wonder if we were both becoming a little bit delirious.
“Safeway’s, like Safeway’s in the UK. It’s now Morrisons! Ahhh beautiful, look.” “Wow, it might have things we recognise”
We stood in the entrance of Safeway’s in a way that could have resembled that part of the film Close Encounters when all missing people are returned to earth in the Mother Ship.
“Look at all those beautiful shiny brightly coloured vegetables”. An ocean of them as far as the eye could see, so clean, so perfectly stacked.
That night we checked into a motel in town using vouchers from our Welcome pack.
“I wonder if they are going to work, or whether there is some kind of catch?” Something we are used to in the UK.
I imagined a possible scenario
“Hi do you have a room available for the night?”
“Of course, would you like King, Super King or four Queens?”
“I think just King, can we use these here?” Presentation of vouchers onto desk.
“Yes, how many are there of you?”
“Heavy or light sleepers? What is your mothers maiden name and does she sleep well? Are you wearing socks? How many fingers am I holding up? Now with your eyes closed? Can you sing your national anthem with this gag over your mouth?”
In reality we checked in quickly using the vouchers, at $23 per night with a free breakfast in the Diner at the opposite end of the car park, what could go wrong?
The room was a very basic ground floor room with a shower and toilet off it, the front door opening up onto the car park. A TV, Fridge and Microwave seemed to be standard, and that night I managed to put together a full English roast, eaten in bed off cardboard plates with plastic knives and forks, all washed down with a beautifully rich and full bodied Chilean Merlot.
It was getting late and things had started to become loud out in the car park, a huge long wheel base Ford Superduty F550 crew cab pick up had pulled in next to the Mustang, transforming it from Muscle car to something the truck had its eye on for a light breakfast. Two urban cowboy types were chatting and smoking close to our door. Tall and scrawny, dressed all in black, cowboy style. Wasn’t long before we realised other people seemed to be lurking in the shadows. From the conversation they all seemed to be waiting for Shelly. Shelly arrived by foot around half an hour later, Shelley was a man. I watched as 16 people, 14 men 2 women and a dog emptied into the room next door, this was around 11.30pm. I can’t remember seeing anyone carrying bongos into the room, but it certainly seemed to be the background noise to all of the singing. Silence fell on that room at about 7.30am and when we managed to make our way across the car park to the Diner later that morning there was no one to be seen, although the truck was still parked up.
Ok so $23 a night gets you entertainment throughout the night and no conversation from the waitress at breakfast, she seemed to know what we wanted and slid it sideways across the table to where we were sitting, no sunny side up or over easy choices for us today. We seemed to be the only tourists in the Diner that morning, the conversation at the bar was local and the word seemed to be that Shelly was in town. I had an overwhelming need to stalk these people all day and get an insight into who they were and what they were up to, I was feeling that I needed to step off the tourist treadmill for a while and get in there with the locals. I grew up in an area of outstanding natural beauty where 80% of local businesses cater towards the tourist. Throughout the summer months it can be crazy busy, but with just one road in and out there is no passing trade and most of the businesses close for the winter. Working long shifts in hospitality through the busy times can eventually transform you into a creature of repetition with absolutely no thought for the customer other than to be polite and do your job. With the very best will in the world you stop caring. All this has had a long-term effect on me in that whenever I am on holiday and find myself in a popular destination amongst hundreds of people doing the same thing, eating at the same restaurant, standing looking the same view from the same viewpoint, waiting in a long queue to pay over the odds for something I have been told is “Worth a visit” I get the need to step off the conveyor belt and experience a little bit of real. Today I really wanted to meet the local characters in and around Holbrook and Ian was up for anything.
However, on this day more than any other we were feeling torn . Prior to our trip friends had told us that we had to visit the Painted Desert if were in the area,. Apparently it’s a place where “Art comes to life”. It stretches from the Grand Canyon National Park to the Petrified Forest, home to the nation’s most memorable formations and features. Over time volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods and sunlight have combined to create deposits of clay and sandstone stacked in elegant layers, an altering display of lavenders, greys, reds, oranges and pinks depending on the time of day.
The weather seemed to be changing as we approached the park, we did manage to see and appreciate the vastness of the landscape and wonderful kaleidoscope of colours for about 10 minutes, then the wind started to pick up and I spotted a small Tornado over the flat plain to my right. It changed course a couple of times but within minutes it had seemed to increase in size and pick up speed. It was headed straight for us. Both myself and Ian have always been particularly obsessed with the idea of storm chasing and here we were about to experience it for ourselves, although very much smaller in scale than any of the movies we had seen. Where’s Dorothy when you need her ? Ian in all his excitement had managed to change CD’s and very quickly Deep Purples ‘Child in Time’ was blasting from the speakers. A very memorable moment from the movie ‘Twister’.
“How old are we?” I questioned
“Just don’t tell anyone”
“I think we’re going in!!”
“We got cows!!”
Cut to music, dum da da da dum da da da dum da da da dum, electric guitar slices the air whaa, whaa whaa ……….
We came out the other side unscathed of course, the cows were actually food wrappers in this case. It had been an experience. I don’t really understand how the weather works in these areas but from that point we were driving through a continuing sandstorm, visibility was at a minimum, and considering the Painted Desert is a wonderfully visual experience the whole reason for being there was becoming pointless. Ian pulled up and we checked out the map, for some reason he then decided to open the door. Anything small that wasn’t attached to the car on the inside tried to leave. I dived in to save the snacks, the book of vouchers however was never seen again. Further on we stopped at the Painted Desert Inn, I held onto the contents of the car whilst Ian got out and then had the idea of placing any possible escapee under the fridge and making a run for it. The beautiful adobe building was packed full, the world and his wife were sheltering within its walls and it was difficult to appreciate what it had to offer. There was an artist in residence so it was of particular interest to Ian but there wasn’t any way we were going to get a look in without being rude, and if things kicked off there was absolutely nowhere to run.
Back in Holbrook we took advantage of the daylight hours with a tour around the town but my mind was elsewhere.
That evening I would be on a mission to find Shelley and hear his story, returning to the Motel however the truck had gone and room 32 sat in silence.
We definitely know how to dine, whilst Ian was transfixed to the TV watching Lindsey Wagner as the Bionic woman listen to villains saying bad stuff downtown we ate takeaway pizza from the box. My distraction was the “Goodie Bag” we picked up as we entered Arizona to which I had become particularly attached.
“Did you know Holbrook has a Bucket of Blood Street, named after the Bucket of Blood Saloon?”
“Bucket of Blood Saloon?” Not taking his eye’s off Lindsey in her tight fitting jumpsuit.
“Yeah, in the 1880’s a group of cowboys known for rustling cattle, stealing and shooting moved into the area. They called themselves the Hashknife Cowboys. In 1886, 250 people lived in Holbrook and there were 26 shooting deaths all connected to the Hashknife outfit. In 1886 a brutal gunfight broke out in the Saloon between members of the Hashknife and a group of cowboys who accused them of stealing”
Ian glanced away from the TV
“Oh you’re reading, I was wondering what was happening to you”
“In the 1920’s the Saloon had the appearance of a respectable establishment captivating travellers who stopped by to see the bullet holes in the walls and the Blood Stains on the floor. The residents of Holbrook now claim to have a past wilder than Tombstone. The Saloon was on Central Avenue, later renamed, Bucket of Blood Street”
“Shall we go?” I had grabbed his interest.
“It’s not open any more, still standing after 120 years but all boarded up”
We decided to go and take a look anyway our map leading us away from the Triassic side of town, the bars and restaurants to a quieter, darker side. Sadly we didn’t find what we were looking for and I’m not sure if some of the locals really know the location of the Saloon because when we enquired of its whereabouts we were being sent in all directions. We headed back towards the lights and decided to stop off at the first bar we saw, walking straight off the street and into a full blown conversation about Miranda Lambert, Monkey bars and the best way to polish chrome. It was clearly a biker friendly establishment and it weirdly felt like home. Turns out the people of Holbrook are some of the most straight talking, hospitable people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. We became part of a group of guys buying rounds of drinks, although by the amount of drinks on the table it seemed we might have been getting more than our fair share. I did question the build up of drinks on our table only to be told that it was some good shit. I looked towards the barmaid with questioning eyes.
“It’s fine” she mouthed
Later at the bar after I had collected all the empty glasses from the tables, (It’s now etched into my DNA) She just mentioned that they were a good group of guys and placed another full glass of red mix in front of me “Means of payment” she said and smiled “More good shit”.
That night nobody questioned which direction we were headed, our accents or where we were staying. In fact at one point I thought we were being mistaken for someone else. Challenged to quite a few games of pool we somehow came out winners. Not sure how because it seems like a completely different game and everything is huge.
“I love it here, can I stay?” I moaned at Ian
“What right here in this bar?”
“Yeah it’s specific”
“Specific to what?”
“The right thing, and it has all the numbers lined up in the right order, except the ones on the end by the bar”
“What wrong with them?”
“They’re bouncy”
“Did you drink that last shot?”
“No I shot it”
“The last drink, I am humble now”
“We should go back and find Shelley”
Ian reminded me that Shelley and the cowboys were no longer there.
“Noooooo, you didn’t say”
“Shelley’s gone”
“We need to go and find him”
I don’t remember much about walking back to our motel that night just it was warm and everyone was just amazing, I loved them all. Then to top off a great night the giant truck had returned and room 32 was buzzing and I was ready to party.
“Come on let’s go introduce ourselves!”
“Eew barking dogs, they have barking dogs”
“It’s only one, they had it last night” Ian reminded me
“Barking dogs, no no no, no barking”
“Let’s creep into our room very quietly” It made sense to me at the time.
“Then the dog will stop barking”
We climbed into bed and waited. The walk home and fresh air had definitely taken the edge off the level of drunk I was.
“It’s not going to stop is it?”
“Are they all oblivious?”
“Yep, that could be what you call it”
It seemed to go on for hours until I remembered the ear plugs. An offering from our Virgin flight and now in my hand luggage in the bathroom.
“Can you hear me?” I asked Ian.
“I can see your mouth moving, no seriously I can hear you a bit, and the dog but it’s definitely helped”
We turned off the light and eventually fell asleep with the muffled sound of barking dog and the odd scream from the next room. It was the banging of doors shaking the building that yanked us back out of our slumber, although I definitely slept through it better than Ian.
“Where are you going?” I asked as Ian made his sitting down to standing noise. “To the loo”
I immediately fell back to sleep but was woken again by a massive crash. This was serious.
Turning to switch on the bedside lamp I could feel that Ian wasn’t beside me, he mustn’t have returned from the bathroom. In those few seconds between pitch black and reaching over to turn on the light my imagination was on overload. The seriousness of the situation was revealed.
Ian was sat on the floor looking at me with huge sorrowful eyes, he was stark naked and with the ear plugs he looked like a deflated Shrek.
“Why are you on the floor?”
Then I just couldn’t stop laughing, he was clearly OK but still didn’t think to take the ear plugs out, and stayed put on the floor a bit shell shocked I think. I took out my ear plugs as a gesture for him to follow.
“I missed the bed”
“You looked like Shrek”
“Shrek?”
“Naked with ear plugs, it’s a good look”
“It throws my senses out”
“Are you saying you missed the bed because you had earplugs in?”
“Hey the dog’s stopped barking”
“It’s gone really quiet too”
“Do you think they’re dead?”
“Thank God, Goodnight”
Here’s Part 7 – A Journey Through Season, Space and Time …
Author MandyPosted on 7th February 2018 6th March 2019 Categories Fun, StoriesTags American, Fun, lifestyle, Road Trip, story4 Comments on American Road Trip part 6 – Route 66 through New Mexico into Arizona
Fun, News, Stories
American Road Trip part 5 – Six Weeks in the Life of the Artist
Aircraft Beware! and a Lot of Hot Air – by Mandy.
Being our first trip to the USA we were curious about so many things, bombarding friends or friends of friends who had travelled there before with so many questions.
“So what’s the deal with the highways and all those lanes?” more often than not the reply was:
“Ahh just drive where ever you like, same as in the films really, you can just snake in and out, I think it’s out of boredom because of the length of the roads out there”
Nobody told us you can exit from both sides of a highway! In built up areas leaving from the left means keeping left on a two lane exit, same for the right. “Ahh so it all makes sense now.”
Ian did try swerving from lane to lane because in his mind one of the reasons we were in the US was to become part of a 70’s movie from beginning to end, and that involved car chases, picking up hitchhikers in tiny shorts, and running into trouble at every pit stop.
“What do you think speed enforced by aircraft means?”
We were driving south on US 550 after leaving Arizona into New Mexico.
“Where did you see that?”
“On a sign, further back”
We looked at each other, leaned forward to check out the sky in front then opened the side windows just to make sure we hadn’t been allocated our very own aircraft which had taken its place directly above us.
“Enforced? Wouldn’t that imply that you’re not actually in control of your speed somehow? Put your foot down I want to see what happens”
30mph over the speed limit and nothing happened, the road was empty of cars, and as far as we could see there were no airplanes brandishing state of the art laser beams of mass control. Ian slowed down.
I’m sure we wouldn’t have been having the conversation, but right then on that part of desert road there wasn’t much to see. The red hue of the Arizona desert had turned to grey and it looked like rain.
There had instantly been a different vibe on entering New Mexico, the Spanish feel was overwhelming evident. Not Spain by the sea where you eat your under enthusiastic paella and watch Sky TV in the bar, but the bits you get lost in on dull days when you decide to make use of your hire car and just drive for miles eventually seeing nothing and going nowhere at all.
I was enjoying the reality of it though for the moment, from what I’d seen so far the area wasn’t a place frequented by tourists, maybe in the mountains there were hidden treasures, historic wonders but we weren’t going to see them this time we were on a mission. Albuquerque bound and Route 66, museums and such weren’t going to lend themselves to a possible Dirty Mary Crazy Larry ending.
I had booked two nights at the Enchanted Trails RV Park and Trading Post on Route 66. It sits on a high desert Mesa overlooking Albuquerque. We would be staying in a 1959 Spartan Trailer named ‘Flossie’.
“Hey Ian”
“What’s the date? I think we could possibly be a day or two too early to turn up at the RV park”
The cancellation of Speed Week was still throwing us out of sync.
After establishing that we were in fact two days early to check in and only 120 miles from our destination we decided to stop at the next town and stay over a couple of nights
“Hey there is a place around 80 miles north of Albuquerque called Cuba.” Since heading east the days seemed to be getting cooler, especially travelling some of the mountain roads.
We headed for Cuba hoping for sunshine, cocktails, possibly a pool, Luis Ernesto would roll us a fine cigar and play music that would just make us want to Salsa.
It was getting dark when we pulled up outside the motel, and it was cold. Being British and of that mentality these type of conversations would run through my mind.
“Hello do you have a room available?”
“Have you booked?”
“No Sorry we ha…..”
“Do you have your passports?”
On showing passports “We don’t have a free room but can you work every other day until the end of your stay? Your only other option is the Ramsden’s, they’ll take you in but they’re a good three hour drive”
“Say we did work every other day, where would we stay if you have no rooms”
“With Jesse”
“Who’s Jesse?”
“He stopped here one night looking for a room too in 1974”
Of course nothing like that ever happened. With the exception of the large cities most Motels will have space and at a very reasonable price too. In privately owned rural places you may find yourself directed towards someone’s sitting room standing behind a barrier interrupting the latest repeat of T J Hooker.
In Arizona we had stood for a good ten minutes behind a sofa, the guy had acknowledged we were there and were wanting a room. He sat with his back to us, hand in the air pointing at the ceiling until the interval of his programme. We have never been checked into any one place so quickly!
This place turned out to be a lovely motel, really friendly folks and an actual reception area. Although it didn’t seem to be a major stopover for travellers it is the gateway to the Santa Fe National Forest and the Jemez mountain trail.
We walked just a few hundred yards to the nearest restaurant and on entering it became quite clear that some serious hunting shooting fishing went on there. Real men in real hunting gear, elk seemed to be the talk of the day. The place was dimly lit, dark wood decor and heads poked out of walls at every angle. We spoke to a guy named James who offered to take us horse camping, his passion and his business but he was no salesman. I did however hang on his every word. He lived and breathed the wild outdoors, rivers, meadows and mountains. This was a world away from where we were heading, it felt real, these were real people, generations of families living in the same area. Apparently Native Americans have occupied the area for centuries and you can kind of feel it. Spanish settlers arrived in the 1700’s.
It rained for most of our stay, the first day we decided to take one of those drives, the ones I spoke about earlier. We drove back up the 550 and decided to turn right when we thought it felt the right thing to do. The idea was to do a huge loop back to the motel, we drove over 150 miles through forests and sparsely occupied towns, tiny single story wooden houses scattered across areas of barren land. Wooden extensions that looked makeshift and had been added over time possibly coinciding with the birth of another child maybe. No visible boundaries, an array of vehicles that had served their time, parked up in order of when they made their final journey, and dogs, lots of dogs.
At one point we realised we were going way out of our way and decided to double back causing us to make a sharp turn to the right in quite a populated town. We were met immediately by a barrier crossing and a man in military clothing with a gun. He asked us where we were going, we explained we didn’t really know, but we knew where we wanted to be and were looking for the quickest way there. We showed our passports and were eventually let through with no explanation as to why we were told to stick to certain roads and not leave the car. We were back in the forest, most of which was behind thick high barbed wire, we saw deer still and staring, if only they could talk.
Another day and back on the road. The sun came out but there was still a chill in the air. Today’s CD the Eagles “One of these nights”.
80 miles from Albuquerque. “Hey look, Route 66 Pizza”
After a few more miles Route 66 Gas, Route 66 Coffee, Soda, Laundry, Beef Jerky.
Albuquerque has the longest stretch of Route 66 in an urban area but we weren’t going to get to travel it on this occasion. The Mustang had driven like a dream since picking it up in San Francisco but right now lost and confused we found ourselves stuck in congested traffic on a street that seemed to go on forever and a car that wouldn’t idle. It was really fast or stop, and the conditions on the road didn’t lend themselves to either. I don’t know who was looking after us that day, I closed my eyes through most of it as Ian sped from stationary as if he was hoping for a personal best on the quarter mile, a chirp from the tyres and a race up through the gears to the next set of lights. It was after quite a few miles we realized we were heading east, the plan was to go west. Turning around in a diner car park we went through the whole thing just one more time It didn’t cross our minds to contact the hire company, even with the Eagles “Take it to the limit” one more time blasting from the speakers. We decided to stay away from that part of Albuquerque for the rest of our stay.
Leaving the city behind we eventually arrived at Enchanted Trails RV park. Route 66, the land of reinvention. Some did it well, with others it was plain to see a kind of desperation. For me it was a place like nowhere else, the history was there, not always visible to see but again I could feel it in parts, how could you not feel it 2451 miles from Chicago to Los Angeles, crossing 8 states and 3 time zones over 6 decades. Built in 1926 and decommissioned in 1985 all for a faster more convenient way of life. The length of Route 66 we would be driving that ‘convenience’ was in the form of the I 40 highway. We were heading west from Albuquerque to Barstow.
We didn’t arrive at this quirky stop-over in the best of moods, but this place just made me smile. We parked up next to a flat roofed adobe style building, constructed in the late 40’s apparently and altered many times as a means to attract passersby on Route 66
“Ian there’s a bear by the door”
“Yeah and is that a donkey over there?”
A real reception area within a shop packed with Route 66 memorabilia, books, crafts, Native American jewellery. A Laundry 1950’s style with a wringer, TV room, Games room, a swimming pool. We were greeted by Vicki Ashcroft, the owner, who instantly gave us a brief history of the place. Originally known as the Hilltop Trading Post but converted into a campground in the early 1970’s. The vast collections of memorabilia throughout the building honour a bygone time and it’s plain to see that Vicki is very proud of her heritage. The furniture is 1950’s vintage with its aim to take you right back to the Heyday of cross country travel. Flossie did just that, almost 50ft of gleaming aluminium she sat amongst a collection of around eight other vintage trailers, a 1947 Hudson super six and a fine collection of pink flamingos.
After checking out our home for the next few days and unpacking some essentials we decided to take a look around.
On our return….
“Ian the door’s open, I’m sure we closed it”
“We did”
“There’s someone wandering around inside the caravan”
“Ok you distract them and I’ll hit them good and hard across the back of the head with a flamingo”
“You go first”
“No you go, you’re distracting them I’m hitting them to the ground and putting them in a headlock”
“Ian, this is the 1950’s, you’re being too Starsky and Hutch”
Before we knew it we were inside. A middle-aged man was sat on our chair at our dining table reading a book with a map opened up next to it.
“Hey Honey it’s 163 miles to the Arizona border and around 90 miles of drivable 66”
Honey? Who, where was Honey? Why hadn’t this guy seen us? What was he doing in our caravan?
“Oh golly you should see these quaint little trinkets in here”
Ok we had located Honey she was in our bedroom.
“It say’s Route 66 in New Mexico is all about making choices , and following short loop drives, looks like we are going to be on the freeway for some miles”
“They have an old bath tub, oh this is just so fine”
Why hadn’t this guy seen us? Honey appeared from the bathroom with my hairbrush and makeup bag.
“Someone has left these behind”
Mr Honey looked up and all our eyes met at once, it was Mrs Honey who spoke first.
“Oh hi, isn’t this place just the best, Vicki has such a gift, such an eye for detail”
Ok let’s just forget gifts and detailed eyes for a minute, she had her hands wrapped around my roadtrip survival kit in a way that suggested she had claimed them for her own. Panic and paranoia had set in and on quickly checking out Ian I noticed he hadn’t brought the bloody flamingo.
“They’re mine, thank you” This was not spoken like a genuine thank but more like one you would say to a small child whilst trying to prise your new shoes out of his mouth. Why was I saying thank you. I held out my hands to retrieve my precious things.
Honey introduced herself as Gina, Mr Honey was Mike. Mike seemed polite initially but obviously massively distracted by the book and the map.
“You heading east or west?” he asked, not really looking up from the book.
“We’re heading west, just as far as Barstow though then up to Bakersfield for the Hot Rod Reunion”
“Ahh, I’d always recommend east to west, that’s the way it was back then” Still looking down, “You know there’s a misunderstanding that Route 66 is only drivable in small segments these days, but 85% of the original 2500 miles is still there for your driving pleasure, saying pleasure it depends what your driving, some parts can be almost impassable, you’d need something sturdy with good ground clearance, so what you driving Ian ?”
“A Mustang”
Mike looked Ian in the eyes, unimpressed.
“Haha, so you’ll be staying away from the unpaved roads then”
This wasn’t a question, and from that point on a challenge had been set.
I was going to be nice and kindly explain to Gina and the honey monster that they were in our accommodation, have a joke about the misunderstanding and leave it at that but he was becoming more and more obnoxious, and condescending. They were overstaying their visit he was working out his route from our caravan to the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica. 805 miles via the I 40. So how many Route 66 miles? Exit where? Rejoin the I 40 after how many miles? We were hearing all about it. Head down.
So would you guys like to stay for dinner? I could cook a pot roast or maybe something typically Mexican, we’ll pop out I’ll buy some wine. You could have a bath, Gina you’ve seen the bath. I’ll run it for you. Stay the night, have our bed, what the hell stay for the rest of your holiday, was what I wanted to say. Instead I headed over to the fridge and took out some beer which hadn’t had the time to chill.
“Would you guys like to stay for a drink?”
I have never seen anyone go from nought to distraught so quickly in all my life. I immediately felt awful and wanted to back track. Gina was devastated and so overly apologetic. The honey monster was in Kingman heading for Oatman. Gina informed us that he likes to read and she spends a lot of time looking at the top of his head.
“This beer’s warm” Monster Mike exclaimed to the map on the table.
Ok Gina you can stay, this man is an idiot how do you live with him? Mike OUT! Of course I didn’t verbalize that either. They didn’t leave for another half an hour, Ian decided to get stuck in with Mike and his map, turns out a lot of the information he was sharing was really interesting and possibly very useful. The book was the EZ Guide to Route 66. Mike told us we needed one, hinting strongly that we would be near on useless without it. We bought the book the next day from the site shop and flicked through it. We could see in some ways it could be a god send but for us it had the capabilities of turning us into Neurotic Route 66 pathological maniacs, panicking at every wrong turn, or was it a wrong turn? “Is this Route 66? I haven’t seen a sign, or anything that would indicate we are on Route 66” Once we were in possession of the book, all of a sudden every inch of rubber had to touch down on every possible inch of drivable Route 66. Once in a lifetime, once in a lifetime, once in a lifetime…
Once we had calmed down and read on we concluded that Route 66, as it is now, partly because of all the realignments over the years, is your own personal journey of memories, possible wrong turns, detours and challenging alternative routes, word is if you tried to do the same route twice you probably wouldn’t be able to. I can’t think about that too much because it becomes too much of a challenge.
With so much Route 66 talk we were buzzing and ready to hit the road, but we still had a couple of days in Albuquerque and on checking out what was going on in the area we headed off to “The Biggest Hot Air Balloon Fiesta In The World” The whole feel around the enchanted trails park was warm, friendly and laid back. People chatted and we picked up a wealth of information about the local area, but I had a recurring question about the Balloon Fiesta which to me seemed fair and understandable.
“So what happens once the hundreds of balloons have ascended and disappeared off into the distance, is there entertainment on the ground, what do people get up to?”
Answers came in the way of changing the subject “Have you checked out old town?”
So we ventured off and paid $20 each, the venue was huge, the car parks were almost empty, and the balloons had flown off to return around 6pm. There were stalls on the ground selling Native American crafts, a lot of exceptional chain saw carving, Burritos, Tacos, Enchiladas. The Fiesta is on for 8 days and apparently we had picked a quiet day. We spoke to a young guy called Ethan he was with a group of friends and was something to do with the organising. Ian discussed art with him. Ethan told us to return later around 6 o’clock, he said he would meet us at the gate. There was going to be fireworks, music and a light show from the balloons on the ground. Sounded great.
“I gotta leave now” says Ethan “ You may as well leave now too and return later, see you around six, I’m off to court, see you later, haha or not depends how that goes!”
Needless to say we didn’t go back, instead we asked Vicki about the closest place to eat out of the city. She sent us up Route 66 to The Route 66 Casino. I considered how many Route 66 diners etc there must have been along its 2500 miles in its heyday. Was this the only Route 66 Casino? Neither of us had ever ventured into a Casino and what we imagined turned into something completely different…
Here’s Part 6 – Route 66 through New Mexico and into Arizona
Author MandyPosted on 3rd October 2017 17th May 2018 Categories Fun, News, StoriesTags American, lifestyle, News, Road Trip, storyLeave a comment on American Road Trip part 5 – Six Weeks in the Life of the Artist
American Road Trip part 4 – Arizona, Colorado, Utah and a toe in New Mexico
The story so far. I was ill and slept through almost all of California whilst Ian got happy, manic, paranoid and sad on vast amounts of thick black coffee!
I kind of came out of my slumber around the Nevada, Arizona state line to find Ian having a little chat to himself about friendship rings and Twinkies.
Death Valley blew our minds, no coffee involved. We became part of a 1970’s cop drama in Vegas and were chased out of town. Zion National Park became unavailable, Speed Week at Bonneville had been canceled due to flooding, and after my breakfast blew away in the town of Hurricane we decided to head east towards Monument Valley where I had booked a cabin for a few days later in the week …
Around 60 miles east of Hurricane is the town of Kanab just north of the Arizona border. We arrived at a crossroads around 6 miles south of Kanab in the town of Fredonia Arizona and I noticed a sign on the opposite side of the road.
“Hey Ian look at that”
“I know all those trees after miles of desert weird isn’t it ”
“No the sign, $39 to rent a cabin for one night, with free wifi”
We parked up and firstly met Gill who woke up Bill. Bill wasn’t particularly happy, but reassured us not to worry “The place is clean an’ all, always clean, so clean” There was a lot of unruly growth around, not just on Bill but out of the ground to the point that we were unable to see any sign of a cabin.
“Could we have a look at a cabin please? ”
“Not until 4pm” replied Bill
“Are they around here somewhere, maybe possibly ?”
“Just over there, come back at 4pm”
I noticed Ian had gone very quiet and was staring at the ground, I caught his gaze and we watched as a group of flies carried off a couple of dead cockroaches into the wilderness. Maybe they had been told to come back at 4pm too.
It was midday and we were back in the car.
“I think we have to go back at 4pm, I’m actually quite curious. It could be like staying with your favourite aunty and uncle, and all the cockroaches seem to be dead”
We headed north on the 89a and reached the Utah state line within minutes. A different time zone, and a road like an airport landing strip. It was so quiet and so hot. A couple of minutes later and we were in Kanab, officially a city but with a population of just 4500 people.
This place was a strange oasis in the middle of a vast dry desert. Noticeably, greener and cleaner.
I immediately sensed some serious farming went on here, ladies baked, children played and there was an abundance of churches. Whilst we were there we saw ladies in what I believed to be traditional Mormon dress. If it hadn’t been for the fine array of modern farm machinery and vehicles, you could have squinted looked left and imagined that crossing the state line out of Arizona had taken you back over 100 years. Looking left of course to avoid the likes of Mcdonalds, and chain motels.
Mcdonald’s did however draw us in like flies to a cockroach and whilst eating our triple cheeseburger and fries we realised we were surrounded by English accents. You kind of think when you take a roadtrip across the USA that your journey is going to be unique, but right now we were in a strange little town in the middle of nowhere with a group of people who had also been heading up to Bonneville and were in a traveling limbo. Some hyped up to bursting point for possibly months at the thought of experiencing an opportunity of a lifetime on the Salt Flats. They had all had a travel plan and now we were gathered here collectively, sorrowfully grabbing a hold of what we understood and trusted in the form of a Big Mac and a shake.
“Hey Ian look at that over there”
“Oh yeah more trees and hedges”
“No that sign, $39 for a cabin for the night with free Wifi”
This place was super clean and each cabin had a small verandah, quaint with a huge bed and handmade quilted throw. There was a tiny television but no bathroom or kitchen. For the three nights we were there we watched repeated episodes of the bionic woman and acquired a special toilet that would have started it’s life as something else.
We discovered that Kanab is a centre point for tourists visiting Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park and the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon, which apparently is around 220 miles (5 hours) by road from the Southern Rim of the Grand Canyon !
The people in the cabin next to us were a really friendly couple from Israel. Each cabin had a fire pit for cooking and they invited us to a bbq on the first night, we insisted on contributing and headed out on a search for meat and beer.
Honey’s marketplace is like no other I have seen, it lures you in with quaintness, seduces you with the smell of home cook food, amazes you with their use of technology in certain sections, then in my case confuses you completely by not being able to find any alcohol.
Ian was wandering up the breakfast cereal isle taking in the vast spectrum of colour.
“Ian I can’t find any alcohol, they don’t seem to have wine, no wine!”
“ Nooo, it’ll be in a separate section or something”
“I’ve looked, there is definitely no wine”
We bought some lovely steaks, ribs etc but kind of out of respect didn’t question the alcohol situation.
“Do you think it’s a dry state” I asked Ian
“No idea, although I wouldn’t be surprised”
We discovered Utah isn’t a dry state. I did get very confused with a variety of explanations as to what the rules actually are concluding with the possibility that nobody really knows, or maybe they do but they’re not going to tell you. I think, long story short, you can drink a limited amount of alcohol at a very low percentage if you are in a restaurant having a meal and this allowance only applies between certain hours of the day. There are government run liquor stores, don’t really understand what goes on there. If all else fails get back on the 89 runway into Fredonia, Arizona, around 6 miles, speak to the nice tattooed lady and she may sell you a 3 litre bottle of California Red for just $5 ! You can’t miss the store it’s sign reads in large letters…..
Lotto * Guns * Ammo * Beer
There could be a long queue of people from across the border. The day we were there a machine by the till was firing out lotto tickets like the receipt machine in the supermarket after you have done your 6 months worth of shopping before Christmas.
None of the items of alcohol were priced which did concern me. The decision I am almost sure is in the hands of the nice tattooed lady at point of sale and I imagine there are many determining factors. I have never felt so English and so uncool in all of my life.
“Excuse me, but I can’t seem to be able to find a price on this bottle of wine”
She removed the cigarette from her mouth only to slur “That’s because there ain’t none”
A gap that seemed like forever.
“Could you tell me the price”
She smiled, possibly knowing that she had intimidated me, and proceeded to put my wine in a brown paper bag to sneak back into the neighbouring state.
Well we felt like villains buying plastic cups so we could sit on the verandah of our cabin in a drunken disguise.
Had a great night in the open air sitting around the fire and listening to the life stories and travels of two very inspiring people. The next day we decided to take the road south 80 miles to the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon …
How on earth do you write about the Grand Canyon ? Something that has never been written before. Write something else other than what you can find out via the internet at the push of a button.
The Grand Canyon lodge and visitor centre on the Northern Rim are only open from May to October. Snow and bad weather conditions can often make the roads inaccessible. It’s visited by only 10% of Grand Canyon visitors.
Driving down through the stunning Kaibab National Forest we couldn’t ignore that large sections had been devastated by wild forest fires apparently started by lightning from spring and summer thunderstorms. It was extremely sad to see and almost apocalyptic.
It wasn’t obvious we were so close to the Canyon edge when we drove into the visitors car park. We were amongst large fir trees with the Grand Canyon Lodge to the Southern end.
I heard a helicopter, loud but not visible above us, as my gaze dropped lower the helicopter disappeared low into the canyon and the place fell silent. We followed a trickle of people through the lodge and onto the Patio. Nothing, as far as I am concerned can ever prepare you for the sensory overload as your eye’s try to adjust and focus to make sense of the vastness of space, length, width , and depth of the Canyon. The surreal spectrum of colour running through the layers of rock that change with light, season and shadow. A kind of sunken mountain range carved out by the Colorado river. That day it was so quiet, people sat on purpose built wooden rockers whispering, mesmerized by the views. I was overcome with a strange mixture of feelings.
It became almost spiritual until Ian picked up a map and decided we should take a walk along a paved pathway just under a mile long around three ft wide and over a mile drop either side. It was right then that I definitely concluded that heights were not for me, I have a super hero side to me that says “ Come on just jump, you know you want to” and another side saying “Yeah but you know you haven’t got wings or a web and it will end badly”
Children ran in front of us as we walked the path “ Mummy can I climb the tree” “No” I wanted to reply “Come straight back here and get in my bag !”
We were heading along the spine of a ridge to Bright Angel point, a view point. Teenagers were leaving the pathway where possible and sitting high on ledges their legs swinging out over the canyon floor a mile and a half below them. I didn’t make it to Angel point, I sat clutching a rock the size of a football hoping it would save me from the wanna be super hero lurking inside.
Click for a close up
and here’s a close up
Another close up
We made our way back to the lodge and sat on the wooden rockers,
people were still whispering I turned to Ian and asked very quietly “Could you go to the bar and get me a double shot of rum please or failing that a large beer”
Next stop meant getting back in the car and taking a scenic drive to Point Imperial the highest point on the Rim, this time I was ready, brave, I took the walk to take in the view but an older lady named Dorian from Tennessee had clocked that view about the same time as me, we screamed and clung to each other like kittens in a sand storm.
“Hi I’m Dorian from Tennessee” We took a few steps back and adjusted ourselves to fit around the safety of a large rock.
“I’m Mandy”
“You’re from England, wow ! So how did you hear about the Grand Canyon?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer. It seems like the first day of school we were given a pencil and some milk, we learnt that Janet and John were leaders of the Modern World, Moses did some pretty amazing stuff and there was this place in America, a huge hole and it was awesome.
“My dad told me, he read a lot of books” I replied
Ian was chatting to her husband on a pinnacle almost two miles high, they were pointing and making all the appropriate sounds.
“It’s weird” says Dorian “But if I get too close to the edge I get the urge to jump”
At that point me and Dorian became forever friends, arms and legs entwined sprawled over that rock like a wet spider.
We made our way back to the Lodge to watch the sun set over the Canyon, a life experience I will never forget, if I could have bottled and brought home some of how I felt at that moment I think I could possibly live forever …
We got up early on our last morning to set off on our 200 mile journey to Monument Valley, with a possible stopover.
“Ian can we go to Honey’s before we leave?”
“Yeah what do you need”
“Some of whatever they have been cooking every time we have been in”
“What for breakfast ?”
“It’s smells like Sunday Roast”
“I know, what do you think?”
“I’m up for roast for breakfast”
Anyway it was a kind of stew, we ate it out on our little Verandah, the sun coming up on yet another beautiful day …
I had researched Monument Valley to some extent, not the kind of thing I normally do but the place has always fascinated me and about 10 years ago a new neighbour asked if he could accompany me on my morning walk with the dog.
“So” he said “Have you lived here long”
“About 3 years”
“Where you from originally?”
“Manchester” I said
“Not from the Navajo regions?”
“Navajo as in Native American Indian Navajo?”
“Yes I have spent time with them, I can see and feel you are Navajo, you move like a Navajo. Look into your ancestry you will see I’m right, go to them they will accept you, they will know”
“Ok thanks, as far as I know my ancestors are from Wigan or Ireland” The guy didn’t stay our neighbour for too long and I didn’t really take much notice of what he said but it still made me just the tiniest bit curious as to what a Navajo looks and moves like up close !
Ian has the same fascination for the Navajo regions and monument valley, if you know his work you may have seen that it is one of his favourite places to paint, over the years it has been backdrop to many fantasy road trips. He says it is his mecca, so here we were on the way to my apparent ancestral home and the answer to life for Ian !
This part of our journey took on a whole different feel, even though we could appreciate the stunning scenery, we drove past many other popular tourist destinations with the exception of Lake Powell, although standing on its banks with the car park on the left of us and visitor centre on the right we quickly realised that to see this place in all of its beauty you need to be on the water and give yourself a fair few days. Lake Powell has 2000 miles of shoreline!
The scale is hard to judge …
… until you realise those little ripples are pleasure cruisers
On the 160 East heading for Monument Valley
We were on the 89 heading south, taking the 160 and 163 east .
“Ian we’re getting close and we’re a day early, I booked the cabin from tomorrow”
So we stopped and booked in to a privately run motel around 20 miles outside of Monument Valley. The place was Navajo run with a 24 hour cafe/restaurant serving up traditional Navajo food. It was late afternoon and we were already getting a feel of what was to come, it was hot and the red sandstone buttes were casting shadows and throwing off a warm orange glow at the same time.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is accessed via the 163 if you are heading eastwards, there is a charge to enter the park and a 17 mile rough unpaved drive through the valley. Ideally you need a 4×4 vehicle if you decide to go it alone but this way you put yourself at a disadvantage because along the trail there are restricted area’s accessible only through invitation or if you have a Navajo guide.
Some companies have purpose built vehicles taking out tours on a daily basis, from what I saw some have Navajo guides and some don’t.
A couple of things were for certain, firstly we would need a tour vehicle, the Mustang just wouldn’t cut it and part of the insurance agreement on the hire clearly states to NOT take any hire vehicle on this particular drive, and secondly we would love a Navajo guide.
It was 4.30pm and we decided to take the 20 mile trip to the Park and see if we could take a late tour and watch the sun go down over Monument Valley.
“I think we are going to be too late” said Ian
As we got nearer we saw a couple of tour vehicles heading back to the main car park away from the park. Each had about six to eight people in. The rest of the place was desolate and we weren’t feeling particularly optimistic. Some of the gift shops were closed but we saw plenty of signs offering different types of tours, the last tour of the day being the 3 hour sunset tour leaving at 4pm. It was now just gone 5. We got talking to a lovely Navajo lady about her wonderful handmade jewelry, how lucky we felt to be there, the sense of calm and the stunning orange of the light that was being cast by the sun across the sandstone buttes. I mentioned that we had hoped to take the sunset tour but we were there for three days so we had time, we said our goodbyes and turned to leave.
“I can take you out, I can do really fast tour, three hours in two . We see everywhere the same, just quicker!” She had appeared from nowhere, apparently the sister of the lady we had been talking to. She introduced herself as Sandria. Over the next few hours she made us laugh hysterically and cry like babies she was perfect.
“We will have to go now, you ready?”
We climbed onto a small bench seat in the back of her Chevy Silverado pick up , just the two of us, and foot to the floor she was off. We didn’t have time to comment on anything, the scenery, the speed of the truck, the sand in our eyes, the hot wind blowing in our faces, our mouths were clamped shut. After a few miles of paved road we reached the View Hotel, Navajo owned and run, it’s the only Hotel inside the park and the entrance to the 17 mile drive.
You’ve got to imagine that Sandria was inside the truck at the front and we were outside at the back, once inside the park we were overtaking people who had risked bringing in their own cars and were obviously struggling.
“Were you wanna change pronto?” was what we thought she screamed from the inside of the truck
“Sorry, we can’t hear you”
“Floato, you wanna change?”
She stuck her head out of the window
“Photo, you wanna take? I can stop in a minute at nice place”
2 minutes later she slid the truck in sideways amongst a group of Japanese students and their German looking guide, they were learning about the history of the area, geology etc.
“Ok now, out, take photo!”
30 seconds later
“Ok back in quick”
By this time we were laughing hysterically, normally tears would have run down my cheeks but the wind and sand in my face weren’t allowing for any of that rubbish.
“Snoopy” She shouted pointing out of the window to one of the sandstone buttes.
And later,
“Tom and Jerry, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha!”
Then foot hard on the brake she stopped the pick up and got out for the first time.
“Awww, this very famous. Bon Jovi, yeah you know?”
“He did video, was here for a lot of days. Slept in tent on top of that one, (pointing) Helicopters and everything, I like this, I like rock music, do you like rock music?”
“It’s mostly what I listen to” although I wasn’t ready right then to admit I had never really been a fan of Bon Jovi.
After going through a list of Rock Bands that I loved and the ones we had seen live I felt at that point like we had passed some kind of initiation. We turned up late and had expected everything and we were getting it all rough Navajo style.
“Ok I will take you where everybody loves to go, you know you must’ve seen it on tv, John Ford place with the horse, you can sit on horse if you want to or you can have fry bread, my friend she makes good fry bread”
Fry bread as I understand it is a bread dough, left to rise then shaped into pizza size rounds and fried. It’s specifically a Navajo Indian thing.
We did go to John Ford point, at a slower pace, Sandria ate fry bread , Ian looked at gifts and for the first time this is where I felt Monument Valley, sort of calm and knowing. Although this is quite a commercialized area for inside the park, at that point in the tour I weirdly felt at one with it.
“You ok to leave now, we go visit my aunt, I will telephone her”
“You’re going to telephone your aunt, there is no phone signal here?”
“Ha, ha , ha , ha , ha I know, ha , ha, ha”
We disappeared up a very narrow restricted road around the side of a sandstone mesa and back down again into a Hogan village. I was so excited at that point to have my Navajo guide and to be in a restricted area although we got the impression that if we hadn’t admitted to loving AC/DC , amongst others, we would be somewhere completely different.
What went on next has to remain confidential. I will only tell you if you bring me specialty cheese and admit to liking thrash metal.
I’m not sure whether our next stop was in a restricted or unrestricted area. It was a cave type natural sandstone arch “Eye Of The Sun”. The eye, a hole in the top of the archway, was where we were told to look.
Sandria found us a place to lie comfortably on our backs, she told us to relax and just to take in and feel what was around us. She stepped a few paces back and told us that because there was just the three of us alone she would sing. She sang to us the most beautiful Navajo song. Of course I had no idea what she was singing, but her voice was wonderfully hypnotic, enchanting.
She stopped and as if in a state of temporary paralysis we lay there, it was so quiet. I looked at Ian and tears were pouring down his face as were mine.
“Beautiful thank you”
She explained it was a welcome song. Still sitting she told us to look around. The walls were covered in ancient animal drawings. Wow !
We had already gone past our two hour deadline, but were quietly taken to a place with no introduction.
“You’ll see the best sunset from here” She explained. It was just us so quiet and stunningly beautiful.
The change of light, colour and shadow can only be seen and felt, I wouldn’t know where to start with words. Right then there was nothing else and it wasn’t until the next day that we realised we hadn’t taken any photos …
We wandered back at a slower pace, slowly losing sunlight and passing the occasional marooned tourist in their town car balanced on a boulder or half in half out of a ditch. I wondered what was the protocol. Lock them in at closing, with a sign for the car written in Navajo saying “Serve you right for not listening” or maybe they tow them out at a cost still using the same sign.
Mandy and Sandria
We said our goodbyes to Sandria and later jointly counted our blessing for having a guide that suited us, our personalities, our impatience, our not being too fond of standing around listening to tour guides going through the motions.
We didn’t learn history, geology or very much in the way of Navajo traditions from Sandria but we got to spend an afternoon with her in her life, amongst her family and in her place. We felt honoured.
We had to do it, we drove the Mustang back to the park and parked up to watch the very last of the sunlight disappear.
Heading back to the motel and knowing there was a 24 hour cafe was a good feeling. It must have been around 10.30pm when we eventually ate. The place was empty with the exception of two truck drivers, just passing through I guessed. I ordered a beautiful liver and onions with mash and Ian had Navajo burger. Huge fry bread with burger and all the trimmings. The girl who served Ian smiled in a kind of ‘I dare you to eat it all’ way. He did eat it all of course.
Excited to get to our cabin just a few miles outside the park we left early the next morning. It was awesome, six cabins I think in total a good amount of space between each with a picnic table and bbq. Inside was similar to the cabin in Kanab but with the luxury of a small bathroom and kitchen.
Being an RV park and camp site I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we couldn’t have wished for better. Firstly we were surrounded by sandstone buttes, right there on our doorstep, we were amongst them. They were red, the sand was red as were you by the end of each day. Our cabin was the highest so the view was phenomenal nothing was on flat ground and the RV’s and tents were tucked into their own private areas.
That day had to be one of the hottest we had experienced since we had arrived in the US, with the exception of the lowest points in Death Valley. We bought supplies from the local shops, got back stripped off to the bare minimum and sat on our little Verandah just looking until eventually the sun went down on one more day. The sand and sun combined had sent us different shades of red.
Monument Valley is in the four corners region. The four corners monument marks the point in the Southwestern USA where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. So during our stay of course it was necessary to visit that point and stick a leg and an arm into each state at the same time and get a photo. It was very commercialized but well thought out, with a kind of sweet sophistication.
We visited the Mexican Hat as did everyone else, but the heat was getting so we couldn’t move around too much in the day, unless we were in the car with the air conditioning on and that suited me just fine.
Taking drives into Colorado we were surprised how it was almost instantly greener and meandering. We were heading into New Mexico after Monument Valley so decided to leave any traveling that way until then.
Most of the day we watched the view of the Buttes from our cabin, in HD, 3D, and as if we were on LSD they changed with the light from the proud heads of Native Indians to John Cleese, Oliver Hardy and Kermit the Frog.
One of the first things I noticed about Monument Valley, apart from the obvious, was the abundance of homeless dogs which was hard for me to deal with because a few weeks before we left on our flight out to the US I had to make the awful decision to put my beautiful 18 year Collie to rest after a short illness. On the first night in our cabin we were visited by Betty the dog, she came in two forms, rough haired and orange, or black and sleek depending on what she had been up to. Personally I think she dressed for dinner, she would turn up at the same time every night and lay curled at the bottom of our cabin steps as if to say “Been a rough day, but I’ve freshened up and I’ll just chill here for a bit and check out the view, not asking for anything, not like I’m checking out your steaks on the barbeque or anything”
There were signs asking you not to feed the dogs but it was obvious that people rarely took notice, Betty looked a healthy weight and was exceptionally clever she played a good game and I was more than willing to play the part of feeder, she was unassuming always allowing us to eat first and waiting to be called for leftovers. That was Betty that was the way she was until we left, unassuming, calm, gentle, elegant and exceptionally clever. The ranger would pay impromptu visits to the park, she could hear his car a good minute before it arrived and go and hide behind the cabin. It was really hard leaving Monument Valley, and Betty the dog, but I am confident in thinking that like the Charming guy who seduces Shirley Valentine , Betty just washes herself down and moves onto the next person and the next left over steak.
“So Ian what do you think, am I Navajo?” I asked jokingly
“Well you’re mostly miserable, assuming and not very likeable when you first meet someone, you’ve got the weirdest sense of humour, love speed, heavy rock and food so yes possibly”
“And what about you, is Monument Valley still your Mecca?”
Here’s Part 5, Aircraft Beware! and a Lot of Hot Air
Author MandyPosted on 21st June 2017 17th May 2018 Categories Fun, StoriesTags American, Fun, lifestyle, Road Trip, story3 Comments on American Road Trip part 4 – Arizona, Colorado, Utah and a toe in New Mexico
American Road Trip part 3 – From Welderup Vegas to Kanab Utah
So Welderup, what did I expect? An elaborate film set with a dirty workshop out back where real men in ripped jeans work long hours to tight deadlines whilst the cast and crew members drink beer and throw them the occasional cheese sandwich? Or maybe a museum display of every build that has graced our screens and some cheeky ones that they ‘Snuck in’ to induce panic into those who thought they had seen every episode? Dirty sweaty men out back, tour guide up front?
Did we have to pay, did we need an appointment?
We were still sitting in the car and the place seemed really quiet, nobody around that we could see. What broke the silence was a guy reversing a fork lift truck at speed towards us, tanned and toned in cut off jeans. He spun around and picked up a 57 Chevy with the same ease as a Granny putting cake on a cake slice. After acknowledging us with a wave he headed back inside.
“That was Steve” Ian said (Mastermind creator and artistic genius with the beautiful eyes)
“Ok so what do we do now?”
“He waved at us”
We followed the forklift inside and the place was everything I had anticipated with the exception of the dirty workshop outback. The real men were the cast members, hard working guys with years of experience, expertise and a great passion for what they do. It became obvious quite quickly why the business had become such a success. They have the perfect work/play balance and still remain incredibly humble. Each one of them that day took time out from what they were doing to speak to us
Travis Deeter sculpture
We learnt from Travis Deeter, (Welder/Fabricator and artist) that the deadlines you see on screen run true to how we see them. Ian seemed to bond with him on an artistic level. He explained that one problem he has with the filming is continuity, stopping and starting breaking the flow of progression and being in the zone artistically.
I wandered around some of the cars from the show but I’m going to leave the photos to speak for themselves with the exception of ‘Quit Your Bitchin” A 1930 Ford Model A Rat Rod Gasser, it’s a crazy kind of steampunky, vintagey, I’ve been down the scrapyardy and turned old metal into pure gold type of thing. Initially commissioned by Steve’s brother, who was on limited funds, it seems his brief and budget messed with Steve’s flow and progression and the frustration of having restrictions led to Steve, who just doesn’t seem to do anything by halves, sinking a whole load of his own cash and a Hemi V8 he had been saving for that special something into the build. Differences of opinion led to words being spoken that sometimes are saved only for family in business situations. I believe that’s where the idea for the name came from. At that time ‘Quit Your Bitchin” was rightly taking centre stage.
Whilst Ian spent some time looking around the cars I got some alone time talking to Steve but not only was I distracted by his eyes I had a massive hangover from the night before.
This is how things looked through my eyes
“How did you get into all of this?” I asked, immediately ashamed at my lack of imagination and knowing that he must have been asked the same question a million times before.
And then, bow my head in shame, I stopped listening! We had stepped off the street, wandered into an average working day for them and they had given up their time to speak to us, and I stopped listening!! I am still waiting for my punishment.
This is what I remember …..
“Junkyards ………. farmers fields, ………….Rodeo………….Five finger death Punch”
Ian had arrived completely star-struck but chilled out pretty quickly when it became clear that these incredibly talented men are just your down to earth types. Steve putting his work ethic down to his father and grandfather, his two heroes apparently. Whilst we were sitting in the car park deciding where to head next Travis left in his truck, sounded his horn and waved, Justin did the same. Ian lifted his hand and headed back into fairyland …
Tryin’ to get a Lie-in in Zion
The map told us we were at the bottom left side of Vegas, our heads told us to step away from the lights, not because we were scared of re-entering the city and becoming part of a 1970’s cop drama but because they actually hurt. Extreme heat and an excess of alcohol the night before was calling for one thing, a tower of meat, cheese and what ever else can be crammed in between two loaves of bread, eaten maybe in a field with a donkey rather than in Egypt, Paris, or at The Circus.
We had a vague plan for the next week, starting with “We are here” and ending up with “We need to be there” The place we needed to be was Monument Valley in a few days time but up until then the road was ours. A few things needed to be sorted, firstly “Ok where next?” and our bag of ice was now fit only for a goldfish.
Interstate 15 runs North to South through the West Side of the USA from the Mexican border to Alberta in Canada, cutting through Vegas. We studied the map for 5 seconds and decided to head north to Zion National Park and Canyon around 200 miles away. The 15 would get us there quicker, but there was a more scenic route that took us to the left of Lake Mead through the Valley Of Fire state park later joining up with the 15 just south of the Arizona border. Scenic routes on our American Road Atlas were marked with a dotted line and looking at the map you could see that there were countless options to have your mind blown, we took routes 167 and 169 and they did just that. Meandering and undulating through a deep sided valley, dark red sandstone towers either side of you, kind of more craggy than what we had experienced already on our trip, they were formed apparently from great shifting sand dunes around 150 million years ago! With the sunlight on them they glowed and cast the most amazing light. I am a sucker for terracotta against blue and it was offering it to me on repeat.
Back on the 15 the road leaves Nevada and cuts through the top left corner of Arizona for around 30 miles before entering Utah. I Googled Zion National Park and this is what I got, “229 square miles with Zion Canyon, a prominent feature, 15 miles long and half a mile deep. A scenic drive cuts through the main section leading to forest trails along the Virgin River. The river flows to the Emerald pools which have Waterfalls and a hanging garden”! What an offering! How is it possible to be given such vast extremes of ‘Wow’ over just a few hundred miles?
Closer to Zion and you definitely do start to notice the change in landscape together with the increase in hotels, motels, places to shop and stop and eat. We had already had our burger tower, eaten a small corner and put the rest in the newly stocked fridge to keep us going for the rest of the week! We had decided to get as close as we could to the park entrance before we stopped to try and find a room. The first place was fully booked and I did feel a need to take my shoes off at the door, over the road also booked and was also very clean and shiny. Attempt number three put us back on the road in the car heading back in the direction we had come.
“Lets drive about 5 miles out” says Ian “ and we’ll try again”
Long story short we didn’t end up visiting Zion National Park and were starting to wonder if after falling in love with Beatty and Death Valley nothing could compare and we were now happier on the road, enjoying the journey and the scenery rather than the destination, car park, gift shop and visitor centre.
On our last attempt at finding a bed anywhere near we were told that if we actually wanted to enter the park we would have to take a guided bus tour. Apparently cars aren’t allowed inside between certain dates and we were between those dates. That kind of did it for us.
We arrived a couple of hours later in the city of Hurricane stopping at the first hotel that advertised vacancies. It was dark but the city lights made for an artificial day time with weird shadows. Whilst Ian was checking us in I noticed the place was alive with young people lurking in the dark places. On the balconies, car park and in the high fenced swimming pool, they were exceptionally happy. The motel had three storeys and apart from the ground floor each room opened up onto a long shared balcony. We had to squeeze past the happy people to get our door open. On the other side of the door a sign “Do not, under any circumstances, open the door to anyone EVER!” The huge gap around the door meant that they were partly in with us anyway!
Another sign read that we will find everything we need in room 24! That night we ate Chinese food in bed and listened to Jayden talk about Zen through the gap in the door.
Next morning I picked up a cardboard bowl from room 24 for my inclusive breakfast and because there was no space to sit I tried to eat brightly coloured hoops with a plastic spoon on the side of a busy road but it all blew away when a truck passed!
We decided to continue heading east towards Monument Valley, I had booked a cabin at Gouldings Lodge but we still had a few days until our arrival date.
“Let’s just carry on East and see what happens”
We had to admit we were feeling a bit lost in more ways than one, being kept awake by Zen hadn’t helped, and the over indulgence over the last few days was taking its toll. Choice of CD for today’s journey Guns N’ Roses, track playing ‘Garden Of Eden’
“Lost in the Garden of Eden
And there’s no one who’s gonna believe this
The fire is burnin’ and it’s out of control
It’s not a problem you can stop it’s rock n roll
Suck on that” !!
“Hey Ian that’s it”
“We’re living the Rock and Roll lifestyle”
“I think I need the toilet”
“I think I need a gentle head massage, a cucumber sandwich and a sleep”
We switched CD’s to Santana, they seemed to have more sympathy for what we were going through. The road took us east for 70 miles out of Utah into Arizona and back into Utah again until we settled in the town of Kanab for a whole three days and a completely different experience …
Here’s Part 4, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and a toe in New Mexico
Author MandyPosted on 19th April 2017 17th May 2018 Categories Fun, News, StoriesTags American, lifestyle, News, Road Trip, story1 Comment on American Road Trip part 3 – From Welderup Vegas to Kanab Utah
American Road Trip part 2 – US Route 95, Death Valley to Vegas
Alien Seduction to Vegas Induction – by Mandy.
Beatty, Death Valley was still holding on to us, this time in the form of a man with a bucket of Coke, a straw and what seemed to be a comic wrapped car. The man was artist David Ohlerking and the car a Ford Crown Victoria, his mobile studio, the paintwork however is a forever evolving masterpiece, the creations of curious small children who have gathered over the years to watch David paint and have asked if they could have a go too, they get free rein on the car.
David has travelled the world extensively through his life. A professional musician and later an artist, he has happily scoured the streets of the US with his mobile studio parking up whenever the mood takes him. He recreates street scenes with oils on canvas that you just want to step into. Turns out Beatty and it’s people have stolen a piece of his heart too, on meeting him he was the new artist in residence at Goldwells Museum in Rhyolite a ghost town just outside Beatty, He was living in an RV behind the main building and was looking to move there on a more permanent basis.
One of the things that I loved about the USA was that if you take the time out to talk to a stranger they are very accommodating and always seem to have an interesting story to tell.
After buying my very own bucket of Coke we tried to say our goodbyes to David.
“You can’t leave yet, you need to go and check out Rhyolite and the museum” We learnt that Goldwells is an outdoor museum, the wonderfully bizarre collection is the work of a group of Belgian artists.
He suggested Ian could be their next resident artist, and we too could live in an RV behind the museum! He was insistent we head down there to check the place out and to speak to his friend about the residency. He gave us his contact and told us to stay in touch. What an inspirational guy and after checking out his website, life story etc he is somewhat of a celebrity. What an honour!
We headed out of Beatty but not on the 95 to Vegas, back into Death Valley to the Ghost Town that is Rhyolite and Goldwells Museum. 5 miles of mostly long, empty straight road. Today’s choice of CD was Santana and right now it was giving us some “Soul Sacrifice”.
“Our new address could be Ian Guy, RV, Ghost Town, Death Valley”
“Do you think he was serious?”
“He seemed genuine, nice guy I thought”
The sun was so hot and it’s rays so bright on the car that they were casting strong reflections. The sandy track to Rhyolite was difficult to see, it could almost have been part of a mirage, we took the turning right and drove blind through an almost heavenly spotlight, a suitable entrance to a spectacularly spooky showcase. We pulled up to park and switching off the engine and music was like turning off the soundtrack to the world .The silence that is Death Valley hit us again, that together with the far reaching views of the desert we both strangely shed a silent tear. We were alone, or at least we thought so.
“Is that a reinterpretation of the last supper over there?” I asked
“I think it is” Ian replied
We both swore.
The forms were life size and set on a wooden plinth, beautifully eerie against the back drop of the desert. Ghostly, in that each seemed to be a shroud cast around a human form.
Some way over to the right was a separate piece, he was alone, same shroud cast, he had a bike, but I think the bike had a problem, whatever his story he wasn’t happy. I’m no art critic so I will let the photos do the talking and you can make up your own minds
David’s friend had put a ‘Back soon‘ sign on the door of his cabin, so we put our business card in a belt loop of a pair of Daisy Duke shorts that had been nailed to a post, and we turned to leave.
“Blows your mind dun’t it!” a younger couple, obviously English and most certainly northern were stood some way behind us checking out a giant mosaic sofa. Turns out he was from the same town I grew up in. Once we had established our joint love of pie and gravy, paused for a while in a Northern Chip Shop stupor we moved onto stories of our separate road trips. The pie and gravy seed however had been planted and it affected all rational thinking over the next few days!
These guys had been in the U.S for a couple of months already and I can only explain their way of getting around and enjoying themselves as binge travelling in that they will hire/buy bikes (the pedal type) camp in the desert for a week or so or until they run out of resources then hire a top of the range vehicle and stay somewhere exceptionally exclusive for a few days. There was no vehicle that I could see right then in that car park but they too were heading for Vegas, they had booked a suite in the Palazzo and were offering us a room for our stay. They tried to convince us that they would be in Vegas by the end of the day , it was all said in jest but they did indeed arrive in Vegas a day ahead of us, but right then at that moment we were on a mission to see who could get there first and I was on a much more important mission to find real English Northern gravy! We swapped contacts and finally left Beatty and Death Valley on US Route 95 to Vegas, 117 miles of desert road.
Santana was still in the player, and it just worked with the road like it was meant to be. We were silent for almost 40 miles of long straight dusty bliss, eventually pulling over at the Area 51 Alien centre, Rocket Diner and Brothel. One building incorporating all three! a door leading from the back of the everything that you could possibly imagine alien themed store into a traditional American Diner and if you have the time, energy or the inclination you can head on through to Sci Fi themed fun out the back !
Although brothels are legal in some parts of Nevada, they are strictly regulated and apparently only operate in isolated rural areas.
We hadn’t seen any signs to say that it was there but I had been chatting to the very nice man on the front desk who was filling me in on the story behind the idea for the place and its founder.
The conversation between Ian and myself in the store afterwards.
Ian said “I gotta buy this 2ft rubber Alien”
“And what about this T shirt? I like the bunnies.”
“It’s advertising a Brothel, The Moonlite Bunny Ranch in Carson City.”
“Nooo?”
“Yes, there’s one back there too, through the diner”
“Nooooooo ?!”
“It’s got a Sci Fi theme”
“No way, sexy aliens??!!”
“More of your Star Wars characters I think with a bit of Avatar thrown in”
“That’s bizarre!”
At this point we see a very cute older couple walking hand in hand out of the diner with the biggest of smiles. They had picked up on our English accent and asked where we were heading and suggested that we could go out back and build our own English breakfast muffin!
We bought an ice cream and sat on the front veranda wondering if we might get a glimpse of Darth Vader maybe heading in for the night shift!
Planting a Gravy Tree and getting a Mountain.
Back on the road, and around 80 miles from Vegas, choice of CD was our own compilation. First song “Holiday Road” 1983 single written and recorded by Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham, such a feel good song. After 30 miles I noticed the landscape was changing, nothing dramatic at first but more prominent mountains were starting to appear on the horizon to the right of us. After a while I wasn’t sure if I was looking at a huge mountain some distance away or something smaller and closer.
“Hey Ian, that mountain over there has got snow on its peak”
“Really? I think it’s just reflection, it’s 95 degrees out there”
“It’s really high, and what would it be reflecting?”
“The sky?”
“How far away do you think it is?”
“20, maybe 25 miles? Shall I take the next right turn?”
“Yeah take it, they might have gravy?”
“Whoever is at the top where it’s snowing, gravy or casserole”
We turned right a few miles down and I got out the map.
I turned to Ian.
“Ok Mount Charleston standing at 11,916ft, I don’t think there is any chance of us getting lost, this road takes us up to the peak and we can either come back this way or it joins up to another road in a kind of loop and works it way back down to join the 95 not far out of Vegas. Hey Ian”.
“I can see people skiing! Oh and reindeer, elves, Santa, I can see Christmas!”
There are some tight bends on the road to the peak and yes it was about 25miles, the temperature dropped from 95 degrees to 57 and the scenery was spectacular. A view point some way up let us see the expanse of the desert below us. I had wondered if it would have been possible to see Vegas from the peak seeing as we were so close but it didn’t happen, from the opposite end though it is apparently possible to see the mountain from some points on the strip. It was reminding me of parts of Austria I had been to but on a much larger scale. Impressive log houses, beautifully designed and perched high on mountain ledges.
It was getting later in the day and Ian pulled into the car park of The Mount Charleston Lodge and Cabins. We could see just a few rental cabins from the road and were expecting them to be fully booked.
Ian said “Shall we stay the night?”
“It looks a bit exclusive, bet it’s expensive”
$120 dollars for the night, taking into consideration the exchange rate at the time and the price of a room in a standard B+B in the UK it was more than worth it.
Mount Charleston Log Cabin car park
We were given a map and our key and as we stood on the edge of the car park we looked down onto the roofs of the other cabins and we made our descent.
I’ve seen that this place has been left some bad reviews by American tourists but I have stayed in so called log cabins in Disneyland Paris, and some in the UK. They are mostly wooden clad static caravans at twice the price! This place was perfect, one large main room with a huge central log burner, gas, on a timer so it was lit for our arrival, a large window and door opposite the entrance, a balcony with fantastic views and a double swinging seat. The bed was huge and of course the large bubbling jacuzzi by its side. Unfortunately there hadn’t been any snowfall, but it was forecast over the coming week.
That night we ate too much, drank too much, and stayed in that jacuzzi until we actually squeaked! I thought it was just a saying but I was still squeaky I’m sure when we arrived in Monument Valley a few days later!!
We made our descent from the mountain the next morning after breakfast in the restaurant next door, and were back on the 95 around thirty minutes later, further down the road and very close to Vegas and it was hot!!
“By the look of the map, you just carry on along the 95 and it takes you straight into Vegas” I said
“Ok” Ian said.
We waited for that sign, you know the one, but nothing was “Welcoming us to Vegas” and Vegas wasn’t particularly welcoming.
“We’ve gone wrong somewhere Ian”
“Was thinking the same”
“This is kind of rough”
I was starting to feel a bit uneasy. We had bought an American Sat Nav in the UK and we decided to use it for the first time.
It was a woman’s voice and she was terribly excitable. Like she hadn’t been out of that box for years and when she realised she was going to Vegas was hardly able to control herself.
We set off,
“Go Straight” She said
“At the next junction go straight”
We were in the middle of a three lane carriageway.
“Ian this car at the side of me (Black Range Rover with completely blacked out windows) is driving really close to my window, we’ve almost touched a few times, he’s swerving in and out”
“Yeah I’ve seen, I have got the same going on my side with an identical Range Rover, every time I speed up or slow down so does he, in fact it’s going on both sides. Looks like they’re together”
“What the f**K”
At this point I almost leave my seat and end up on the bonnet of the car!
“Braking!” another one, identical, had just pulled straight in front of us! “Have you seen the number plate?”
“THE FIRM! haha, some kind of joke, we are in Vegas”
This went on for a few more minutes, both cars on either side swerving inwards missing us by inches each time with the one in front determining our speed.
“Ian they either think we are the Queen and this is some kind of royal escort Vegas style, or we’re in trouble” He subtly flicked the central locking switch.
In the meantime Sally had gone into Sat Nav Breakdown.
Make a U turn where possible was on repeat!!
Just when I was wondering if it would have been a better idea to stay in bed, at the next junction the car in front wheel spun off the lights and disappeared into the distance, the car on my side turned right, Ian’s took the left turning and yes all had matching number plates, we were out of the city. To this day I still have no idea where we went or what happened and why.
“Ian lets pull over”
“Just to try and work out what happened, where we are, and let’s put bloody Sally back in her box she’s lost the plot”!
I carried on “That was weird, let’s get out of here, shall we use the Sat Nav on our phone”?
“OK, but where are we going?”
“Welderup baby, Sin City Motors, they’re just outside of Vegas I’ve put the address in the phone already”
And thus we woke up Patricia via Samsung a really expensive way to get around we discovered when we got our next phone bill, it was Sunday and she was pretty Chilled.
“Ok guy’s, I can sense tension in the air” she rose from her lounge chair and floated over to the patio window staring out at the view of the wonderfully changing colours of the English countryside in the autumn. She leaned over and stubbed out her cigarette on the edge of a large vintage oak table.
“Welderup, don’t worry you’re going to be fine with me, you are in safe hands”. Sure enough twenty-five minutes later we were parked outside the large metal gates of Ian’s latest man crush and all of his fabulous toys.
A little explanation, at the end of April 2014 TV trailers on UK Dave Channel were advertising the start of a new series of shows “Sin City Motors” filmed at their Car Customization shop “Welderup” in Las Vegas where Steve Darnell is the mastermind behind every creation, and together with his truly talented team of welder fabricators, engine builders and an artist they will take on any challenge and bring any vision to life!
So by May 2014 the tension was quietly building in our house and Ian was more than ready for the first episode of the show, and after speaking to like minded friends they were too. I missed the first part of the first episode, don’t get me wrong I love the cars and what these guys do but I was just going to let him fill me in with the details.
Ian watched the first part of the first episode up in his studio, I was in the lounge. After around fifteen minutes he came down the stairs so quickly I thought he may have just thrown himself down or rolled.
He burst in “You have got to switch channels, it’s the break, you’re not watching anything in particular are you?”
“No not really”
“Watch it with me and tell me what you think, it’s unbelievable”
“Which part?”
“Just watch, you can’t miss it, it’s almost unreal”
So the show comes back on and Ian’s eye’s are on me then back on the TV then back to me.
“Oh” he says
“What?” I say
“They’re not as impressive on this TV, still really beautiful but not the same”
“What are”?
“Steve Darnell’s eye’s, absolutely stunning on my TV!”
I had to agree he did have very pretty eyes. And there we were five months later parked outside his front gates and I was about to look directly into those beautiful blue eyes and strike up a conversation with him about his life, work, kids and his relationship with his brother and his dad ……….
Here’s Part 3, ‘from Welderup Vegas to Kanab Utah’ :
If you missed Part 1, ‘California Dreaming and an Ice Awakening‘ it’s here:
Author MandyPosted on 1st April 2017 6th March 2019 Categories Fun, News, StoriesTags American, Art, Fun, lifestyle, Mustang, News, Road Trip, story3 Comments on American Road Trip part 2 – US Route 95, Death Valley to Vegas
American Road Trip part 1 – 6 Weeks in the Life of the Artist
Alien Abduction, California Dreaming and an Ice Awakening – by Mandy.
Around 35 years ago between a pile of books and a brick wall Ian and I made a pact to sometime between then and the end of our days find and drive the longest straight road in the world. A few years later through a massive misunderstanding we went our separate ways. 20 years on we were back in each other lives examining what had been, what could have been, and what was, and when things kind of settled we started again to talk about that long straight road. Strangely at this point of massive highs together with equally traumatic lows we both thought it might be nicer to walk the road, just keep going. 20 years all of a sudden seemed more like 2 and things needed to just take on a slower pace. Then we woke up and smelt the burnout!!
Mid Summer 2014 we booked our flights to San Francisco leaving from London Heathrow the last week in September . Here’s a list of some of the reasons why we choose the USA.
In no particular order.
With the exception of a stretch of Highway 10 in Saudi Arabia and Australia’s Eyre Highway the majority of long straight roads seem to be confined mainly to Canada and North America.
A lot of the early inspiration behind some of Ian’s paintings came from his obsession with American TV shows and movies. The cars, and the long straight dusty roads, a means to an escape.
We were told we “Needed to go” by customers, friends, an older lady flying a kite on a beach and a member of the 90’s band steps. Apparently it’s addictive and we would be doing a deal with the devil for the funds to make a return trip.
When I was four or five years old I was a bus driver and started a regular route from the bottom of our stairs at home to ‘merica. Took my sisters doll along for the ride once, she got broken so I left her at a bus stop in LA.
When I was 24 and pregnant with Lucie I ditched the bus driving and made a pact that when Lucie turned 16 we would travel the US on a Harley. Things didn’t quite pan out that way but when Lucie turned 24 she hired an RV and drove the east coast from New York to Key West. She dropped the RV in Miami after a month giving her two more months to explore the whole of the US. She had no real plans apart from telling us that she would see us somewhere on the West Coast mid to late October and “ You WILL be there!!”
Initially we were going for two weeks. This is what happened.
“So Ian give me a list of places you want to visit and I’ll see if I can fit them into some kind of roadtrip”
“Ahhhh, roadtrip”
“Sorry, can’t think of anywhere off the top of my head”
“Really !! here’s a piece of paper, when you think of somewhere just write it down”
“Trevor loves the Florida Keys”
“Ok” I explained “He does but we’re flying into San Francisco”
“San Francisco, so we will be driving the Pacific Highway maybe down to LA and onto Route 66. We’ll have to do Monument Valley, and we’re going to be in the Country for Speed Week at Bonneville !! Ermmm New Orleans, Area 51, the Meteorite place, Nashville, Alabama, Georgia. Somewhere where we might be abducted by aliens ! Lets go storm chasing ! And we need to sit on a horse on that rock, wherever that is. Vegas ! We could get married” !!!
“Is that a proposal?”
“Yes, Welderup!! you know Sin City Motors, you can just drop in on those guys if they’re not filming. Hey what about where American Graffiti was filmed ? or Bullit ? Elvis?”
“Elvis?”
“Yeah would you want to see Elvis stuff?”
“We might need to add another week”
We sold our souls, some gold bullion and a large ornament that had been gathering dust on top of the wardrobe, rearranged our life and added another three weeks !
We broke the news to my parents, and after establishing that dad wouldn’t fit in the suitcase, he wanted the obligatory contact address and telephone number of where we would be staying. Something he asked of every family member when we are away for longer than a few days.
Conversation with him…………
Me “We’re not going to be in one place for longer than a couple of nights and we’ll be away for almost 6 weeks”
“Oh Bloody Hell”
“What about if we call you every couple of days and let you know where we are?”
“Oh no you don’t want to be doing that”
“Every Week ?”
“No you don’t want to be doing that cost a bloody fortune”
“ If you can get to a computer I could video call you?”
“No, bloody computers, it’ll be alright, you’re alright”
“What about facebook, we’ll put photo’s up of the places we are staying and you can check them out on people’s computers or phones at your leisure either with family or even down the pub?”
“Aye, that sounds your best bet, let’s do that”
So from there we religiously uploaded photos at the end of EVERY DAY of our trip! explaining where we were, and what we had been up to. Turns out dad couldn’t be doing with the ‘Bloody computers’ so he didn’t see any of it!! What did happen though, strangely, we gained a kind of following through facebook. People here in the UK were waking up to our posts and pics and actually enjoying ‘Traveling’ with us. The comments and ‘likes’ increased as we moved from State to State, it was bizarre but amazing at the same time. People were suggesting we need to write some kind of blog when we got back, dad told me I should write a diary of our trip as a memory, I just laughed. This was almost three years ago, things have changed, dad is no longer with us, he sadly passed away in July of last year. He had his own hopes and dreams, a bucket list of places he wanted to visit. I’d like to think he’s on his own road trip now, without a care, able to travel freely without hindrance and in whichever way he chooses.
People still comment on old photos from then and ask when the blog will be ready, magazines have asked for an article (Yeah I know weird) and Ian is constantly asking me to write something for the blog on his website to keep it ‘Alive’. I struggle to keep the coriander alive in a pot on the kitchen window sill!!
So after a lot of moaning, because that’s what I do, here it is almost three years too late
Alien abduction, California Dreaming and an Ice awakening.
We drove around 9000 miles in total in almost 6 weeks. Hundreds of miles of long straight roads.
The day before we flew out I became ill and slept through a lot of the Pacific Highway and Californian coast . What I did see wasn’t at all as I had imagined. Somehow I had visions of girls in hot pants, roller blades and beach volleyball but the few hundred miles from San Francisco to LA included some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen, often deserted beaches with craggy rocks and beautifully rugged coast lines. Speed Week had been cancelled due to flooding which gave us some time to drive back up the Pacific highway at the end of our holiday, fully awake I was able to take in all of it’s glory then.
When I woke up properly for the first time we were heading inland toward the Nevada state line on the third or fourth day and had picked up a part of Route 66 heading for Barstow. The plan was at that time to head north to Wendover for The Salt Flats and Speed Week with a stop over in Beatty Death Valley for a couple of nights. We pulled over at a gas station and I went into the store while Ian filled the tank. This was the first time I had noticed we were actually in a pretty cool car , gunmetal grey Mustang with hardly any miles on the clock. Great guy at Avis had offered us an upgrade for an extra 2 dollars a day. We left the store with some sausage, potato salad, cold drinks, bread, wine, beer, cooked meats and a small fridge made of polystyrene!
This is what happened….. Beautiful older lady, possibly early seventies, long plaited hair , looked kind of native american.
“That’ll be $76.25cents, and ya’ll be needin some ice for ya cooler” She looked at Ian.
“Ice?”
“Ya’ll be findin it right out back there, ya got a 10 pound bag an’ a 15 pound bag”
Ian, whilst doing some weird hand signals similar to Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ asked
“How big is the 10 pound bag?”
Nice older lady, in a slow drawl.
Nice older lady then turned to me and held my gaze for a few seconds, no words were needed.
Back on the road and heading for Death Valley, night seemed to happen at the same time as the road signs gave up together with buildings, people, cars and street lights. It was 8.30pm and the outside temperature was 94 degrees, we pulled over and got out of the car. It was pitch black and the silence was like nothing I had experienced before, the air was hot and still. It was unbelievable and grounded is the best word I can think of to explain how I felt at that moment, grounded and wondering if the car would start up again and did we have any signal on the phone.
We set off again with the engine noise breaking the silence and a bright light appeared in the sky directly ahead of us, after a few minutes we noticed the outside temperature had dropped dramatically and the car seemed to be struggling, loosing power. Five minutes along and the light was getting brighter, It was still directly ahead, I turned to Ian
“You should be careful what you wish for”
He knew exactly what I was saying, we were going to be abducted by aliens!!
The temperature outside had dropped from 94 to 78 degrees and the light in the sky was getting brighter. Another five minutes and we were wondering if we should stop? and then what, just give ourselves up? The light shifted, the temperature dropped to 63 degrees and the car seemed to have picked up a noise, and it was getting louder, the light had dropped and was somehow casting shadows on the road, it was dazzling, in our faces and then it passed by the side of us and was gone. The light and noise now belonged only to the Mustang and the back lights of the other car disappeared into the distance in the opposite direction.
We had been on the longest straight road we had probably ever travelled, we had been climbing for some time and were completely clueless!! we had a fridge, a 10 pound bag of ice, were half way up a mountain and it was cold. The appearance of a road sign told us how many feet above sea level we were and to beware of falling rocks 4 times the size of your car! I also wondered if the appearance of a road sign meant the re appearance of buildings and people.
I had booked 2 nights at the Atomic Inn in Beatty and that’s where we met the owner Chris, a musician from Texas. We fell in love with Death Valley, Beatty and Chris. After the second night I asked him if we could possibly book one more night, he didn’t answer immediately just gazed at me like the nice older 10 pound bag of ice lady.
“You know if you book another night you’ll never go home”
Now even though I had become very fond of Chris in that short time, I wasn’t sure at this moment if this was some kind of a threat. He continued…..
“I came here from Texas to visit my sister in 2006, only supposed to stay a couple of nights an’ well here I am, it happens all the time, this place has something special”
The initial idea had just been to use the quirky inn as a stop over, I hadn’t done any research on the area, the word Death had distracted me from the next word so I was surprised to find Beatty is quite elevated the most populated area being 3,307 ft above sea level in comparison to Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park which is the second lowest point in the Western hemisphere at 282ft below sea level, and it’s hot down there!
Ian below sea level
Beatty has a population of 1010 people, it’s simple and unassuming and when you pull up in your car on one of the many areas of wasteland to check out a whole range of disused vehicles and farm machinery people appear from nowhere, are very accommodating, and everything is for sale.
It was late by the time we had checked in on the first night and we asked Chris if there was anywhere we could grab something to eat.
“Yeah, just there over the road at the Sourdough Saloon it’s my sister’s place”
“Great what time does she close?”
“Whenever you leave, if that’s 4 in the morning then so be it”
The Sourdough Saloon & The Jail House
I urge you click on this photo for a closer look at the Jail House
We found the whole of Beatty to be just as laid back as Chris, and right then I was ready to move in with either him or his sister but with Route 95 passing through the centre you couldn’t help but notice the almost continuous stream of RV’s heading in both directions, just passing through kicking up dust, and I needed to find out where they were heading.
On the first morning we sat at a window seat in Mel’s Diner eating Steak for Breakfast! together with pancakes, eggs, bacon and biscuits with gravy!! we were served by what looked very much like the sister of the 10 pound bag of ice lady , and we watched the trucks and the travel trailers just rolling on by.
I noticed a couple of real hardcore bikers eating at the other side of the diner. The type you see in American movies. I had to go and speak to them. Now we had been told that most Americans love an English accent, that it may be mistaken for Australian but they will hold a conversation just to listen to you speak. I was looking forward to this but from the outset, with a few exceptions, nobody had a clue what I was saying and the more I tried to be understood the more I started to sound like the posh English girl that dated Ross in the TV series Friends! These guys were no exception, but they were great and again very accommodating. They were from Vegas and regularly travel the 120 miles just to have breakfast at the diner, they gave us tips on places to visit locally and directions on how to get there using Whore houses as landmarks!
I’m not quite sure who looks the most scared
Death Valley is the largest U.S. National Park outside Alaska at 3.4 million acres and Straddles the border of California and Nevada. Drought and record summer heat, rare rainstorms and winter snow make it a land of extremes.
What struck me was the amazing formations of rock and the incredible rainbow of colour which spans through them apparently formed “when volcanic rocks deep underground interacted with hydrothermal systems to form concentrated mineral deposits” Don’t hold me to that though.
Ian at ‘Artist Drive’ Death Valley
Pull over and park anywhere in Death Valley and if you’re alone the silence will possibly be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. That together with the vast open spaces just blew my mind.
On the first day we drove a large loop, three roads if I remember that joined to take us back to where we had started. The first time we had driven a long straight road in daylight and we broke the silence after an hour or so in the form of Deep Purple blasting from the car stereo, the beginning of ‘Child in Time’ synchronized perfectly with the start of the straight and ended as we took a left hand bend pulling over onto a patch of wasteland. We realised we hadn’t spoken for about ten minutes, the sun was going down and the sky was a fantastic blend of purples, dark and light strangely similar to the ‘Deepest Purple’ album cover. An almost heavenly spotlight shed a suitably spooky light on quite an eerily majestic piece of Spanish looking architecture, it felt like the middle of nowhere . We discovered later that the building we were looking at was actually The Amargosa Opera House, because of the lack of cars and people we assumed it was a derelict building. It is actually a fully functioning motel with the most fantastic history. Ian turned off the engine of the car and we both breathed out and swore.
Amargosa Opera House
On our last day in Beatty and Death Valley we said goodbye to Chris and a few of the locals who we had met during our stay came to wave us off from his front porch. As we drove away I remember feeling as if I was saying goodbye to old friends and knowing I will definitely visit Beatty again probably book in for four nights and take it from there.
Me and Chris
It was around this time that we had discovered through facebook the extent of the flooding on the Salt Flats, the poor guys who were already parked up on the Salt in their RV’s, Trucks & Trailers etc slowly sinking, and the announcement that the event had been cancelled. Once we had processed, understood and accepted the enormity of what that meant, not just for us but for so many others, we checked the map and decided to head south-east and take the 95 to Vegas. We thought we would do a last tour of Beatty and stopped off at an antique store we had somehow missed previously. We met a girl named Christie.
Christie was really helpful and very chatty she asked where we were heading and we told her we were on our way to Vegas. We didn’t have any plans when we got there and hadn’t booked accommodation. She told us she had lived a couple of years in tunnels under the Strip. She said things had gotten out of hand “Folks used to look out for each other” . She had left 6 months earlier and was now living in a purpose built shelter 65 miles west of Vegas in Pahrump, she said she felt safe and she was happy. I don’t know if we looked a little bit worse for wear that day but she suggested we stay away from taking refuge for the night in the tunnels under the strip and offered us a safe place in the shelter in Pahrump.
I could have listened to her stories for hours, we left Beatty 3 hours later taking the 95 to Vegas our next port of call but things didn’t quite go how we had expected ……….
Here’s Part 2, ‘Death Valley to Vegas with Alien Seduction‘ :
Author MandyPosted on 18th March 2017 6th March 2019 Categories Fun, News, StoriesTags American, Art, Fun, lifestyle, Mustang, News, Road Trip, story5 Comments on American Road Trip part 1 – 6 Weeks in the Life of the Artist
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X-MEN UNLIMITED #19 - June 1998
Credits: Ben Raab (writer), Jim Calafiore (penciler), Mark McKenna (inker), Ian Laughlin (colors), Comicraft (letters)
Summary: Belasco appears before Nightcrawler, offering him the captive Margali Szardos in exchange for permanent custody of the Winding Way. Before disappearing, he warns Nightcrawler that Amanda Sefton has embraced dark magic. Following Belasco’s clues, Nightcrawler locates Amanda at his childhood circus. They travel to Limbo together to rescue Margali, and are soon attacked by S’ym. S’ym reveals that “Amanda” is actually Margali, who switched bodies with her daughter months ago in order to escape imprisonment. Margali admits to the deception, but eventually finds the power to rescue Amanda and dethrone Belasco. She abruptly disappears, leaving Amanda to look after Limbo. Later, an armored hand emerges from a pit, grasping the Soul Sword.
Continuity Notes: According to Belasco, Nightmare gathered “necessary intelligence” for him during his recent encounter with Excalibur. Also, the Limbo version of Nightcrawler (the one that tried to feel up Kitty Pryde in his first appearance) is killed by Belasco when he attempts to rescue Amanda.
“Huh?” Moment: Nightcrawler and “Amanda” use sorcery to teleport to Limbo. Later, when he’s ready to leave, Excalibur’s Midnight Runner jet spontaneously appears in Limbo to give him a ride home.
Review: As this is not flagrant filler, it isn’t the typical X-Men Unlimited story from this era. Alternating series writer Ben Raab actually uses the issue to resolve one of his dangling storylines from Excalibur, perhaps because he’s discovered that book is getting cancelled. Considering that there wasn’t going to be an Excalibur book in a few months to finish this story, I don’t think anyone can blame him for using Unlimited to provide some closure to the fans. In light of the substantial number of dangling subplots in all of the X-titles, I wonder now if Unlimited could’ve been the place to wrap up the various loose ends. Is Kitty Pryde’s father alive or dead? Are Elsie-Dee and Albert still searching for Wolverine? Who was using the X-Men’s abandoned headquarters in Australia? What exactly was the conspiracy surrounding X-Factor? Well, X-Men Unlimited is right there, taking up rack space. Address those mysteries there. That might be unfair to readers of those individual titles, but if they’re pointed to the relevant Unlimited issue in the letters page, they’re at least aware that the story is getting resolved.
Much like Raab’s Excalibur, there’s a mix of good and bad ideas here. The impetus of the story is a little wonky, as it reads as if Nightcrawler has some authority over the Winding Way. I guess the idea is that Margali has agreed to abandon the Winding Way if Belasco hands her over to Nightcrawler, but that info isn’t conveyed clearly. Belasco also believes he’s keeping her prisoner at this point, so I’m not sure why he’s negotiating with her anyway. Previous X-continuity is used rather well, which is usually one of Raab’s strengths, as Kitty Pryde and Colossus argue against Nightcrawler going into Limbo alone. They have their own connections to Limbo and don’t appreciate Nightcrawler’s insistence that only he can accomplish this mission. The Margali and Amanda body swap fake-out also works as a genuine surprise, and Raab gets some decent character work out of Nightcrawler’s relationship with his foster-mother and lover/foster-sister.
The plot mechanics of the ending are confusing though, before we even get to the mysterious hand holding the Soul Sword. Why is Margali leaving? What “mess” exactly does Amanda have to clean up? As for the teaser on the final page, I remember people freaking out over the prospect of Magik returning, but considering that the pit the hand’s emerging from resembles the one Belasco was just thrown into, there’s really no way to know what Raab had in mind. Also, taking into account the necessity of this story as a subplot resolver, was it really wise to end the issue with yet another mysterious cliffhanger? Hasn’t this kind of intentionally vague storytelling gotten the books into enough trouble?
Posted by G. Kendall at 12:00 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: calafiore, raab, x-men unlimited
GEN 13/GENERATION X #1 - July 1997
Credits: Brandon Choi (writer), Arthur Adams (penciler), Alex Garner w/Peter Guzman (inks), Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Dave Lanphear (letters), Joe Chiodo & Martin Jimenez (colors)
Summary: Trance and his Freaks kidnap Jamie, a young mutant teleporter, from government custody. Gen 13 investigates the kidnapping, while Generation X detects Jamie’s presence with Cerebro. Gen X arrives as Gen 13 battles the Freaks, and mistakenly assumes they also want Jamie. The two teams fight, until their battle is interrupted by Emplate. When Trance suggests a partnership with Emplate, they teleport away. The heroes convince Jamie to take them to Emplate’s dimension, where they join forces against Emplate and Trance. With the help of Gen 13’s robot, Anna, the villains are fought to a standstill and the heroes return home. Jamie doesn’t join either team, but knows that both are his friends.
Production Note: This is a thirty-two page, standard format one-shot. Rather than twenty-two pages, however, the story runs twenty-eight. The cover price is $2.95.
I Love the ‘90s: Grunge exclaims “You go, grrl!” as Fairchild charges into battle. Also, there’s a character named “Grunge.”
Review: This one should’ve been a big deal. A huge deal. A Generation X and Gen 13 crossover, drawn by J. Scott Campbell’s inspiration, the legendary Arthur Adams? The two hottest teen superhero groups together in one book? People waited years for this comic, and yet it’s been consigned to the dollar bins of history. Perhaps not as embarrassing as the fifty-cent bins that house back issues of Fantastic Force and Doom’s IV, but it’s still a sad fall from grace.
Gen X and Gen 13 have an odd history, one that predates this comic by a good four years. Jim Lee first announced Gen X in a Wizard ad in the early ‘90s, only to be informed by Marvel that while the letter “X” might not legally be theirs, it is closely associated with Marvel, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that they were also working on a book called “Generation X.” I’m sure Marvel didn’t have a leg to stand on legally (they didn’t invent the phrase, and it was used everywhere between 1992 and 1996), but Jim Lee respected their wishes. When the series launched, it was titled Gen 13, and it became an instant hit. Not only was it a bit racier than anything Marvel or DC were offering at the time, but artist J. Scott Campbell’s amalgam of Arthur Adams and Jim Lee was a revelation to the adolescent audience.
Gen 13 was so big, I would go so far as to say it helped to fend off the inevitable bust of the ‘90s for a few years. Marvel’s promised teen mutant series took a few more months to materialize, and while Generation X was a very successful launch, it never really seemed to have the heat of its Image counterpart. And while it was certainly possible to be a fan of both series, it was hard for the readers not to perceive at least some sort of rivalry between the books. I mean, Generation X “stole” Gen 13’s name!
So, a few years pass, the industry tumbles, and Marvel and Image decide working together is in their mutual interest. Between Wildstorm and Extreme Studios, a plethora of Marvel crossover comics are published, beginning in 1996. Maybe one reason why this comic didn’t have an impact is because it came at the tail end of the fad; its heat stolen by the likes of Spider-Man/Backlash. Gen 13 scribe Brandon Choi’s story, however, probably deserves the bulk of the blame. What do people like about Gen 13 and Gen X? Gen X’s popularity was built on its characters, and while that’s partially true of Gen 13, much of its audience probably came for the T&A and stayed for the sheer zaniness. If you’re pairing the two teams together, your best bet is to create a minimal story that gives the characters plenty of room to interact with one another. With Arthur Adams drawing it, you know it’s going to look good. People probably won’t even miss Chris Bachalo or J. Scott Campbell.
What does the actual Gen 13/Generation X crossover bring us? Plot. Lots and lots of plot. I tried to boil it down to basics in the summary, but a more detailed recounting goes like this:
- A cold war flashback. Interpol agent Banshee and Lynch of the Black Razors stop a terrorist, Carlos Ramirez, from exploiting young Jamie’s teleportation powers.
- Lynch places Jamie in government care, against Banshee’s wishes.
- Today, Trance finds Ramirez and orders him to reveal Jamie’s location.
- Under Trance’s orders, Ramirez kills himself. Lynch is notified of the death.
- Lynch informs Gen 13. They use Freefall’s alien pet, Qeelocke, to track Jamie.
- Emplate senses Jamie’s presence.
- Cerebro locates Jamie, spurring Generation X into action.
- Gen 13 attacks Trance and his Freaks.
- Generation X interrupts the battle. A misunderstanding fight commences.
- Emplate arrives. He decides he’d rather have Qeelocke.
- Trance promises to hypnotize Qeelocke for Emplate if they join forces.
- They escape through a portal. Grunge, who still has Husk wrapped around his back, leaps after them.
- Jamie awakens. The teams convince him to help him locate their friends.
- Trance turns on Emplate, as Grunge and Husk face the Freaks.
- The heroes arrive in Emplate’s dimension, although for some reason they emerge in two different groups a few minutes apart.
- More fighting.
- Trance hypnotizes everyone. Anna is unfazed. She agrees to let him ago if he doesn’t hurt the team while they’re entranced.
- The heroes return home. Jamie is left alone, but decides the two groups of people he’s known for five minutes are his friends.
- Neither team fulfills their mission, as Jamie doesn’t go back into government custody and Generation X doesn’t gain him as a member. No one seems bothered by this.
Who gives something like that to Art Adams to draw -- especially if you know it’s going to be crammed into twenty-eight pages of story? There’s enough material here for at least a three-issue miniseries. In order to make everything fit, Adams has to resort to numerous multi-panel pages. Sometimes he packs over ten panels on to one page. Want those large, bold Adams drawings with insane levels of detail? Look elsewhere. Want to see Grunge hit on M, or Jubilee and Freefall’s trip to the mall, or Fairchild’s reaction to Chamber’s face? Too bad. Want to even see Emma Frost? Sorry, she’s inexplicably away, although having one less character to draw is probably a relief for Adams’ drawing arm.
The story does try to build up a rivalry between Banshee and Lynch, and portray Jamie as conflicted over what to do with his powers (he mistakenly believes Carlos was his friend and distrusts the heroes). Due to the ultra-compressed nature of the story, though, the small character moments don’t have any resonance. There’s simply no room for the characters to express any personality, or to do anything together, which is a shame. That’s what people wanted to see. No one bought either of these books for the plot, so the decision to go with such a dense plot that skimps over the characters was baffling.
Posted by G. Kendall at 12:00 PM 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: arthur adams, choi, gen 13, generation x, image comics, one-shots
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN Annual #7 - September 1991
The Machine and the Man
Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Guang Yap (penciler), Aiken & LaRosa (inkers), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)
The Plot: Roxxon develops a new synthetic vibranium on ESU’s campus, attracting the attention of the Kingpin and Ultron. Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Black Panther have also united over concerns about the synthetic vibranium’s instability. Joined by Roxxon employee Sunturion, the heroes face Ultron at ESU. When Ultron betrays Kingpin by hoarding the vibranium samples, Kingpin responds with a sonic frequency that incapacitates him. The unstable vibranium begins to melt all metal in the vicinity, but Sunturion refuses to destroy Roxxon property. Iron Man responds by creating a tunnel to the center of the Earth. As the floor collapses, the vibranium disappears.
The Subplots: None.
Web of Continuity: This is part three of “The Vibranium Vendetta,” a crossover in the 1991 Spider-Man annuals.
*See _________ For Details: Iron Man’s study of the synthetic vibranium was interrupted by Arthur Dearborn, aka Suntrion, in Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #11.
Review: The annual mini-crossovers Marvel ran in the early ‘90s probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but I can’t think of too many of them that were particularly good. “The Vibranium Vendetta” does have Spider-Man teaming up with some of the Avengers and facing foes that are a little out of his league, but there doesn’t seem to be much else going for it. In fairness, I haven’t read the other chapters in years, so perhaps Michelinie hashed out some of the ideas he hints at here in the other installments. Aside from the superheroics, the story briefly touches on the influence science can have on economics (synthetic vibranium will cripple Wakanda’s economy, which doesn’t please the Black Panther), and shows the limitations a corporate-sponsored superhero faces, especially when he’s employed by the all-purpose evil corporation, Roxxon. “Briefly” is the operative word, as the plot is mainly concerned with getting the characters in place for the final showdown and finishing up the storyline. If there’s any meat to “The Vibranium Vendetta,” it’s not in the final chapter.
Fast Feud II: Speed Demon’s Revenge
Credits: Tony Isabella (writer), Paris Cullins (penciler), Dave Cooper (inker), Ken Lopez (letterer), Marie Javins (colorist)
The Plot: After Speed Demon’s lawsuit against Rocket Racer is dismissed, he targets the hero for revenge. Rocket Racer defeats him in battle, but is concerned by how close he came to killing Speed Demon. Racer declares that he’ll become a better hero.
Web of Continuity: Rocket Racer can now use his rockets to increase the speed of his fists and create a “rocket-punch.” The attack is so brutal, Racer briefly wonders if Speed Demon is still alive.
I Love the (Early) ‘90s: Rocket Racer and Sluggo, his contact with Silver Sable International, stay in contact through a beeper.
*See _________ For Details: Speed Demon filed a lawsuit against Rocket Racer in Marvel Tales #242.
Review: I remember the days of new backup stories in Marvel Tales, but they were usually Fred Hembeck’s “Petey” tales, or short Spider-Ham stories. I never read the Rocket Racer backups, but now that I know one of them involved Speed Demon filing a lawsuit against Racer, I really want to. If Isabella wrote them in the same spirit as this backup, I bet they’re a lot of fun. Aside from the levity, this story also works in a message about true heroism, and builds up Rocket Racer’s character by chronicling his turn from hero/mercenary who needs money for tuition into a more legitimate hero. I’ve mentioned earlier that much of the character work done on Rocket Racer was squandered in subsequent years, which is too bad because stories like this show that he has real potential.
Outlaw Justice! Part Three
Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Rick Parker (letterer), Ed Lazellari (colorist)
The Plot: Desperate to prove himself, Sandman works undercover to stop political extremist, Boussard. He has to fight Silver Sable’s Outsiders when they arrive to apprehend Boussard, but Sandman breaks cover in time to prevent Boussard’s escape. Impressed, Silver Sable offers Sandman a contract.
Review: This backup is mostly forgettable, although it does feature the oddest artwork I’ve ever seen from Alan Kupperberg. On almost every panel, Silver Sable looks like she’s a gummy version of herself. No shadows stick to her, she barely has detail lines, and her body is eerily flat. Strange. Anyway, this is the conclusion of a three-part backup series, which mainly existed to pay off a Sandman subplot from Amazing Spider-Man. Michelinie was teasing the idea that after a misunderstanding with the Avengers, Sandman would be lured back into a life of crime. In the final installment, we learn that everything’s okay and he’s firmly working with the heroes again. That is, until John Byrne informs us that Sandman was faking his reformation, even in his own thoughts, all along. Retro fever strikes again.
Labels: cullins, guang yap, isabella, kupperberg, michelinie, web of spider-man
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #81 - October 1991
Living in Fear
Credits: Kurt Busiek (writer), Steve Butler (penciler), Don Hudson & Chris Ivy (inkers), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)
The Plot: Two brothers, Wyndell and Ricky, are apprehended by Spider-Man while stealing a car. Years later, Ricky works as a bond trader, but lives in fear that his teenage arrest will be discovered. Wyndell has become the super-powered criminal Bloodshed. When crimelord Bazin demands a million dollars from Bloodshed after a botched drug delivery, Bloodshed turns to his brother. Ricky is reluctant to help Bloodshed steal securities and reaches out to Spider-Man. Bloodshed soon attacks Spider-Man, who subsequently escapes and investigates Ricky. He mistakenly believes Ricky’s the criminal, but learns the truth when Bloodshed invades Ricky’s office. Ricky overcomes his fears and helps Spider-Man place Bloodshed in custody.
Forever Young: Ricky has grown up, graduated college, and become a bond trader, all after an encounter with Spider-Man. The story tries to cover for this by later declaring Ricky was sixteen when Spider-Man apprehended him (although the art makes him look around twelve or thirteen), and by having Peter assert the event occurred during his “first few months as Spider-Man.”
Review: Before he really made a name for himself, Kurt Busiek would occasionally show up as the fill-in guy. This is one of his strongest stories from the fill-in days, a human interest story about two brothers that have followed very different paths in life. Not only is Ricky reformed, but he’s racked with guilt over his youthful indiscretion. Fearful that his past will be discovered, Ricky lives a lonely life of simply doing his job and keeping his head down to avoid attention. Wyndell has embraced crime, and even advanced into the early stages of supervillainy. Druglords have given Wyndell super-strength and an armored suit, and perhaps as a practical joke, an attached pink ponytail (Wyndell is a black man with short hair, making this even more ridiculous).
The story hinges on Ricky’s characterization in order to work, and Busiek’s portrayal of his insecurities and inner conflicts make Ricky an easy character to pull for. Spider-Man is, perhaps, not the best hero for this story, as it requires someone who’s been around for a while, but Marvel of this era wasn’t obsessed with “youth” so it wasn’t much of an issue then. Future Web artist Steven Butler makes his debut as fill-in artist, and I really like his interpretation of Spider-Man. It’s very much the classic Spider-Man of the Romita era, with a little bit of the ‘90s exaggeration thrown in. When Butler eventually takes over the title, he’ll stick with a Bagley-style Spidey, but this is the version I prefer.
Labels: busiek, butler, web of spider-man
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #80 - September 1991
The Blood Is My Blood
Credits: Terry Kavanagh (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen & Renee Witterstaetter (colorists)
The Plot: Spider-Man awakens to discover Silvermane’s technology is draining his blood. He overloads Silvermane’s device with his webshooters and breaks free, only to lose his mask when it’s snagged by falling debris. Before his identity can be broadcast by the security cameras, the Black Cat arrives and disrupts more of Silvermane’s technology. Spider-Man sabotages the computer system, but Silvermane refuses to leave the security tape behind and is trapped in the ensuing explosion. Later, the real Silvermane emerges, disappointed by the performance of his doppelganger.
The Subplots: The Black Cat is contacted by Mary Jane, who hopes that she can track Spider-Man with his old spider-tracer tracking device. Black Cat follows his trail from Central Park and locates him. After they’re reunited, Black Cat doesn’t tell MJ that Spider-Man forgot to go through with their emergency plan and activate a spider-tracer.
*See _________ For Details: Silvermane explains away his death in Amazing Spider-Man #284 by revealing that his men kept his head alive until a new body could be built.
Creative Differences: As Silvermane’s base falls apart on page twenty-three, two different explanations are given. Black Cat speculates, “The damage done to Silvermane is somehow manifesting itself through all his equipment,” while an added word balloon has Spider-Man respond, “Yes! My sabotage of the computers worked!”
Review: As Kavanagh’s brief fill-in run concludes, he reverses the flow of his first story arc. The Firebrand two-parter opened strong and then petered out, while this story had a lackluster opening but a more dramatic conclusion. Spider-Man’s secret ID is threatened, Silvermane’s base is falling apart, and the Black Cat is trapped under a pile of flaming debris. Something actually happens on almost every page, and all of the action is conveyed successfully by Saviuk. Now, the story’s filled with questionable details (why is Silvermane waiting until Spidey dies to reveal his secret ID to the mobsters watching via satellite…why waste Spider-Man’s powerful blood on a robotic duplicate that’s just testing the procedure…), but Silvermane still comes across as a worthy opponent, despite the hokey premise of the character, and it is fun to see Spider-Man and the Black Cat team up again. Having Black Cat cover for Peter’s forgetfulness on the final page is also a nice character moment, and a good example of the emotional maturity the supporting cast was allowed to have during this era, before retro fever struck Marvel in the late ‘90s.
Labels: kavanagh, saviuk, web of spider-man
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #79 - August 1991
Credits: Terry Kavanagh (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)
The Plot: The Silver Squad target Peter and MJ while in Central Park, hoping to draw out Spider-Man. Peter changes into Spider-Man while MJ distracts the mercenaries. As Spider-Man attacks, he realizes the soldiers are actually robots. All are destroyed, except for Ripster, who chases Spider-Man throughout the city and eventually forces him to fall off a building. Unconscious, Spider-Man is brought to Silvermane.
The Subplots: None
Web of Continuity: The Silver Squad consist of Purty Larry, Slambeaux, Twit, and the lone “female,” Ripster. Silvermane, at this point in continuity, is a weakened cyborg in need of blood.
Creative Differences: An added thought balloon on page eleven emphasizes yet again that the Silver Squad are robots, so it’s okay for Spider-Man to blow them up.
Review: Were cyborgs and humanoid robots considered interesting enough in 1991 to carry an entire story? I don’t remember ever buying into the cyber-craze as a kid, yet mainstream comics are filled with these characters well into the ‘90s. This issue introduces the Silver Squad, four robots inexplicably given human appearances and personalities. How exactly does that help them in their mission? They’re attacking Peter Parker in public, hoping to attract Spider-Man’s attention, so it’s not as if this plan requires any amount of stealth or subtlety. When Spider-Man’s hopping around forces the Squad to shoot each other (odd that this never happens to his human opponents), he discovers that they’re robots and declares all bets are off. You might expect this to lead to an intense fight scene, but instead he’s finished with most of the Squad by the next page. The rest of the issue consists of Spider-Man running from Ripster (a rejected Dreadnok name if I ever heard one), who’s somehow a thousand times more competent than her teammates. It’s a dull shred of a story, but I’ll give Alex Saviuk credit for delivering another issue of solid draftsmanship and storytelling.
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #78 - July 1991
Toast of the Town…
Credits: Terry Kavanagh (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Nel Yomtov (colorist)
The Plot: Mother Inferior sacrifices herself so that Spider-Man and the others can escape. Spider-Man escorts Anna and the Morlocks to safety, as the partygoers take care of the wounded and Cloak and Dagger face Firebrand. Spider-Man finally arrives and defeats Firebrand before he can escape with his protection money.
The Subplots: Spider-Man discovers the body of Munson, the civil servant responsible for renovating the hotel as a shelter. Anna later visits his grave, declaring that she’ll learn from his mistake and not look for easy solutions. J. Jonah Jameson funds the reconstruction of the hotel following the disaster.
Web of Continuity: In case you’re interested in Morlock genealogy, we learn that Mother Inferior is Ent’s mother. Aunt May is shocked to discover her former boarders, Victor and Rose, at the party. They explain that they’ve had a difficult time since May closed down the boarding house, but no other information is given. Obviously, the implication is that they’re living at the shelter (last issue established that the residents are working as servers during the fundraiser, which would explain why they’re dressed up), but the idea is immediately dropped.
*See _________ For Details: Firebrand is working for the mobster Bazin, who’s ordered Munson pay a protection fee in order to open a homeless shelter on his territory. Munson did pay, but Firebrand kept the money for himself. A footnote points to Darkhawk for more info on Bazin.
“Huh?” Moment: Firebrand is stashing the protection money he stole in an abandoned car, only a few feet away from the building he’s just set on fire. There’s a criminal genius.
Creative Differences: The letters page announces Howard Mackie will begin a five-issue run, focusing on the Kingpin and Richard Fisk, in issue #81. This is “The Name of the Rose,” which actually doesn’t begin until #84. Kurt Busiek writes a few fill-ins while the storyline is delayed.
Review: It’s admirable that Kavanagh isn’t padding out a simple idea in order to kill pages, but there’s a little too much going on here. The Daily Bugle staff, along with a few other members of the supporting cast, is trapped in a disaster movie (fitting for a story set in the Poseidon Hotel). Spider-Man’s encountered a group of Morlocks displaced by the new homeless shelter. Cloak and Dagger are looking for a missing friend who lives at the converted hotel. Aunt May discovers two of her former boarders are also staying at the shelter. Meanwhile, a new Firebrand causes havoc, and a well-intentioned bureaucrat pays a fatal price. All decent ideas, but when thrown into this blender, none of them amount to much. Cloak and Dagger never even encounter Anna, their motivation for entering this story. Instead, the two-parter ends with Anna visiting Munson’s grave, declaring that she’ll learn from his mistakes. What exactly does this mean? Maybe her appearances in Cloak and Dagger gave this character a captivating backstory, but all we know from reading Web is that she’s a homeless teen that Cloak and Dagger are pursuing. And while I’m glad the supporting cast hasn’t been forgotten, the casual dismissal of Victor and Rose’s homelessness is just bizarre. Why throw this idea out there and do nothing with it?
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #77 - June 1991
Home Is Where the Terror Is!
Credits: Terry Kavanagh (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams w/Bud LaRosa & Kevin Tinsley (inks), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)
The Plot: After dismantling a bomb left by Dr. Octopus in the sewers, Peter joins MJ and his friends at a party sponsored by the Daily Bugle. The event celebrates the city’s refurbishing of the Poseidon Hotel as a homeless shelter. The party is disrupted by a group of Morlocks who wish to reclaim the hotel as their home. Spider-Man investigates and learns from Anna, a homeless teen who lives at the shelter, that the Morlocks mean no harm. Suddenly, Firebrand attacks the party. Spider-Man, Anna, and the Morlocks are crushed by the falling ceiling.
The Subplots: Cloak and Dagger are looking for their friend, Anna. They track her to the Poseidon Hotel just as Firebrand attacks. At the party, a man named Munson tells the mysterious Broxtel that he shouldn’t be there. When Firebrand emerges, he claims to be Broxtel.
Web of Continuity: The Morlocks introduced here are Mother Inferior, Ent, Pester, and a little baby. Ent, who’s super strong but also mute, and Pester are the baby’s parents. Mother Inferior can command rodents.
Following the final issues of Gerry Conway’s Spectacular run, Jonah Jameson and Robbie Robertson are back at the Bugle. Flash Thompson, Betty Leeds, and Felicia Hardy mistakenly believe the party is a masquerade ball and arrive in costume. Felicia dresses as the Black Cat, which leads Peter to question why she’s jeopardizing her secret identity. I believe Felicia is actually publically known as the Black Cat, which is a continuity point used in her future breakup with Flash. (Was it ever explained how Spidey kept his ID secret while living with Felicia, or was her identity still a mystery at this point?)
*See _________ For Details: Spidey faced Doctor Octopus in Spectacular Spider-Man #175 & #176. Anna knows Cloak and Dagger and Spider-Man from The Mutant Misadventures of Cloak and Dagger #17-#19. (Actually, I think “Mutant Misadventures” had been dropped from the title at that point, but I like using it.)
Creative Differences: Anna’s explanation that these Morlocks fled to the abandoned hotel during the Mutant Massacre has been re-lettered.
Review: It’s now Terry Kavanagh’s turn for a few fill-ins, and he begins with a follow-up to one of his early Cloak and Dagger stories. I only vaguely remember the existence of a late ‘80s Cloak and Dagger book, and had no idea Terry Kavanagh was one of the writers, so who knows where this is heading. I will say that Kavanagh has worked a lot of story into these twenty-two pages, and he’s revived some forgotten supporting cast members like Randy and Amanda Robertson, along with Aunt May’s former boarders, the perennially unhappy Rose and Victor. Some fill-ins just feel like generic superhero stories, while others give you the sense that you’re actually reading what could be an issue out of someone’s regular Spider-Man run. This falls into the latter category, as Kavanagh uses the supporting cast well and draws upon the tiny amount of spider-continuity he’s built so far to begin a new story. There isn’t a lot to say about the villains, but I do like the sheer randomness of the Morlocks and Firebrand sharing a story together. The various corners of the Marvel Universe should collide more often, and why not use a Web of Spider-Man fill-in to bring these disparate elements together?
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #76 - May 1991
Art’s Desire!
Credits: Tony Isabella (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)
The Plot: Spider-Man breaks free of the ice, shortly before the Human Torch arrives to check on him. They follow the tracer Spider-Man left on Bora to the Avant Guard’s headquarters and confront the villains. The Painter grows bored with the fight, and when Spark and Bora question him, he transforms them into a painting. The Painter drops his human façade and unleashes the thousands of insects that reside inside his body. The insects evaporate as gas. Spider-Man picks up the remains of the Painter’s face and realizes it’s made of canvas.
The Subplots: MJ continues to keep the crew of “Secret Hospital” calm, even as the power goes out.
Web of Continuity: According to the Human Torch, the Painter was a small-time crook until he discovered a set of alien paints that allowed him to alter reality. Spider-Man’s suspicious of the story, which foreshadows this issue’s ending.
*See _________ For Details: The Torch first encountered the Painter in Strange Tales #108.
Review: Because everyone’s out of art/heart puns, “Art Attack!” must come to an end. (Maybe someday, the Avant Guard can return in a massive crossover entitled “Total Eclipse of the Art.”) The Painter is given something of a reboot at the story’s conclusion, as we discover he was never human at all. This was apparently done to retcon his “alien paint” origin, but I’m not even sure how it’s supposed to work. So, he’s actually a collection of sentient roaches that created a human identity and fabricated a story about finding cosmically powered art supplies? I can understand why someone would want to update his Silver Age origin, although it’s so ludicrous I’d like to see it stick around, but I’m not sure how this is an improvement. That said, I enjoyed Isabella’s collection of villains for this arc (I’m not sure if any of the early Human Torch solo stories had been reprinted at this point, so using the Painter is really going to the heights of obscurity), and Saviuk has handled the action scenes and various cameos well.
Labels: isabella, saviuk, web of spider-man
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #75 - April 1991
Cold Hands Warm Art
The Plot: Spider-Man, along with numerous heroes, aids the citizens of New York during a sudden blizzard. When he’s attacked by Spark and Bora, he realizes that Bora’s mutant powers are behind the snowstorm. Bora freezes Spider-Man inside a block of ice, which completes the Painter’s vision.
The Subplots: Spider-Man attempts to check on Mary Jane during the blizzard, while she’s trying to keep the crew of “Secret Hospital” from panicking.
Web of Continuity: This story is presented as Spider-Man’s first meeting with the New Warriors. It’s also his first in-continuity team-up with Firestar (his other amazing friend, Iceman, makes a cameo as well).
I Love the (Early) ‘90s: Spider-Man refers to Iceman as the “original Vanilla Ice.” There are also references to former New York mayor David Dinkins, Siskel & Ebert, and (oh, yes) “Hammer Time.”
Forever Young: Spider-Man calls the New Warriors “kids.” He reflects on his own younger days as a hero before briefly wondering if he’s suffering from a “premature midlife crisis.”
Miscellaneous Notes: Two tourists, who look suspiciously like Lois and Clark, are honeymooning in New York. DC’s cold feet, combined with the Lois & Clark TV series’ postponement of the wedding, made this in-joke arrive five years early. Also, the Painter briefly transforms Spark and Bora into two classic comic strip characters. I think their names are Sally and Puggo. This guy seems to like them.
Review: Congratulations on reaching seventy-five issues, Web of Spider-Man. Here’s the mid-chapter of a fill-in arc. You’re not getting a regular writer until you bring those grades up, young man. Last issue’s cliffhanger revealed the Painter’s ambition to prove that mankind is “no more worthy of survival than the dinosaurs,” which of course means a massive blizzard is the next part of his scheme. A lot of the wackiness of the previous issue is gone, as the focus turns to the assorted heroes of the Marvel Universe fighting the weather. I do like seeing the various heroes interacting with normal people, but this storyline definitely feels like it’s starting to drag.
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #74 - March 1991
The Plot: Following a cold response to their work, performance artists Spark and Bora meet their mentor, the Painter, backstage. The Painter declares the trio “the Avant Guard” and uses his ability to warp reality to transform Spark into a hulking behemoth. Spark attacks the audience, but is repelled by Spider-Man. The Painter teleports Spark away, declaring his next scheme will have more substance.
The Subplots: Peter has been forced into attending the performance by Kristy, who seems to be Spark’s only fan. At the show, they run into Peter Nicholas again. Kristy accidentally reveals her crush in front of the painter, and blames Peter for making the incident more embarrassing.
*See _________ For Details: The theatre’s art exhibit includes a painting of a foot in a holey sock. Peter recognizes it from Amazing Spider-Man #22 (I don’t remember this scene, but I’ll take a shot in the dark and say it involved Steve Ditko making a statement against the modern art scene). Peter Nicholas has a vague memory of Bora from his previous life as Colossus. A footnote points towards Moon Knight#35, of all places.
I Love the (Early) ‘90s: Spider-Man advises Spark to save his ad-libs for Arsenio.
Forever Young: Peter tells Peter Nicholas not to worry about Kristy, as “they’re fickle at that age.”
“Huh?” Moment: Two different groups of people mistake Peter Parker and Peter Nicholas. Has it ever been established that Peter Parker looks like Colossus? Shouldn’t Colossus be at least a foot taller?
Creative Differences: Spark’s diatribe against the audience on page six has been re-lettered.
Miscellaneous Note: The Statement of Ownership has average sales for the year at 209,174 and the most recent issue selling 202,200 copies.
Review: I seem to recall this arc getting a bad rap amongst fans, and while it is ridiculous, I give it points for just being fun. The Painter is apparently an obscure character from Marvel’s early days, who has the power to shape reality, and wastes it on making statements about art. Unless you’re doing the post-Watchmen story about the guy recognizing the true capacity of his powers and realizing the horrible burden they carry, his stories are probably going to be absurd. Isabella grounds the story by giving us plenty of interaction between Peter and Kristy, which is really the highlight of the issue. She’s moved on from her crush on Peter, and now thinks of him as kind of a dork, while he’s still trying to humor her (presumably to keep MJ happy). More often than not, he acts like her slightly obnoxious older brother, which is a role you normally don’t get to see Peter play, but it works quite well. There is one line, however, which could be interpreted as Peter mocking Kristy’s bulimia. He asks Kristy if she finds cheese dip too “dangerous” a snack, which angers her. Given the context (Spark just faked his death onstage), maybe it’s a reference to the theatre itself being dangerous, but it’s hard to tell. I certainly hope that’s all it was.
WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #73 - February 1991
Head Quest
Credits: John Byrne (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)
The Plot: Peter and MJ accompany Kristy, Aunt May, and Willie Lumpkin to Alicia Master’s art exhibit. The Headsmen have tracked Spider-Man to the exhibit, and soon invade the party. Spider-Man and the Human Torch team up to defeat the villains.
The Subplots: Peter is suffering indigestion after eating Willie Lumpkin’s lasagna. The fight interferes with his trip to the bathroom. During the melee, Kristy is rescued by a young painter named Peter Nicholas.
Web of Continuity: The Human Torch is still married to Alicia Masters as this time. Amazing Spider-Man has detailed Nathan Lubensky’s death and Aunt May’s subsequent relationship with the Fantastic Four’s mailman, Willie Lumpkin. Peter Nicholas is actually Colossus, who’s suffering from amnesia during this era of Uncanny X-Men. Kristy Watson’s name is misspelled “Kristie” for perhaps the first time. Namor makes a cameo appearance with his latest girlfriend, Carrie Alexander.
*See _________ For Details: The Headsmen previously attacked Spider-Man, hoping to steal his body for their member Chondu, in Sensational She-Hulk #3.
Forever Young: Both Peter Parker and Johnny Storm reflect on how much their lives have changed since becoming superheroes. Horror of horrors…they’re now married twenty-somethings! If only this turn of events could be erased in the clumsiest manner possible.
I Love the (Early) ‘90s: Peter’s hair is now getting long in the back, yet it remains short in the sides and front. I think we all know what this means…
Creative Differences: Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein makes a one-panel cameo. It’s a funny reference to his art, although Lichtenstein’s dialogue appears to have been re-lettered. Considering Byrne’s established antipathy towards Lichtenstein’s work, I wonder if the scene was toned down by editorial.
Review: This actually isn’t part one of a four-part storyline, these issues just happened to be published when Marvel was going through its phase of promoting serialized storylines on the covers. I assume these cover labels helped sales, considering that a standalone serialized arc still tended to signify an important storyline in those days, but there’s no other defense for using one here. The other three issues in this “arc” involve art-themed villains, and Colossus shows up again, but that’s the extent of any connection with this issue. As for this issue, it’s silly, harmless fun. Most of the jokes are funny, and there’s an acknowledgment of the inherent absurdity of the premise (Spidey even asks, “How much further do we stretch the bounds of coincidence tonight…?” just as Colossus arrives to rescue Kristy). Even the bathroom humor is treated with some decorum, as we’re never really sure which way Peter needs to expel the bad lasagna. Web’s entering another long stretch of filler, but the guest stars and sheer silliness help this issue stand out.
Labels: john byrne, saviuk, web of spider-man
SPAWN #70 - February 1998
Credits: Todd McFarlane (story), Greg Capullo (pencils), Todd McFarlane & Danny Miki (inks), Tom Orzechowski (copy editor & letters), Brian Haberlin & Dan Kemp (colors)
Summary: Spawn unleashes bats into the alley, creating a distraction that allows Twitch to escape the Freak’s grasp. The Freak runs away as the gang war intensifies. Spawn’s powers short out when he steps back into the “Dead Zone,” which prevents him from ending the fight. He tracks Freak to a nearby alley and punishes him for causing the chaos, summoning animals and insects to consume Freak’s body. Elsewhere, Cyan nearly causes an accident when she leaps out of Wanda’s car after dropping her shoelace out of the window.
Spawn Stuff: McFarlane Toys is now producing X-Files action figures.
Production Notes: For the third issue in a row, the story runs twenty pages. The back cover is also almost entirely black (it’s an ad for Korn’s new album that just consists of the band’s logo), making this issue a chore for any ‘90s collector to keep mint. While the story runs short, there is a three-page preview of the second season of the Spawn HBO series. New co-executive producer John Leekley reveals that the first six episodes were rewritten at HBO’s request after the animation had been completed. This was possible, he says, because much of the dialogue happened off-screen, which enabled him to change characterizations and story points. Also, the show has received a slight anime makeover, and switched over to a more prestigious animation studio. My memory is that the second season did have much improved animation, but the storyline couldn’t match the first season’s, which did have its moments.
Review: So, some bums fight each other for fifteen pages, Spawn summons more animals and insects, and Cyan is still hung up on that shoelace. I couldn’t have seen any of that coming, could you? The plot might’ve been tolerable as a straightforward resolution to the past two issues, but McFarlane’s excessive narration on every single page makes this one hard to slog through. Do we really need over a hundred words a page of text somberly describing a massive bum fight? We also have McFarlane returning yet again to the worms, although in fairness he does branch out this issue and give Spawn Dr. Doolittle powers over all of the night’s creatures. Still, the worms are receiving an inordinate amount of the attention (Spawn’s tongue is now apparently made out of them), which is just baffling. Did someone involved in the book just get a kick out of seeing worms? Did McFarlane have a traumatic experience while dissecting a worm in the ninth grade? Are they easy to draw? The mind boggles.
Labels: capullo, spawn, todd mcfarlane
SPAWN #69 - January 1998
Credits: Todd McFarlane (story), Greg Capullo (pencils), Todd McFarlane & Chance Wolf (inks), Tom Orzechowski (copy editor & letters), Brian Haberlin & Dan Kemp (colors)
Summary: Sam and Twitch arrive in the alleys and discover Spawn’s headless body. They’re soon caught in-between two gangs of street people -- Spawn’s followers, and the criminals he pushed out of the alleys. The Freak sneaks behind the detectives and threatens Twitch with a knife. Suddenly, a reanimated Spawn emerges to face the Freak. Meanwhile, Cogliostro reveals to Boots that he knows he’s an agent of Heaven.
Spawntinuity: According to Boots, agents of Heaven must preserve free will and therefore can’t explicitly make their presence known on Earth. His dialogue also implies that Cogliostro is still associated with Hell, which doesn’t seem to match Cog’s hints that he can show Spawn an option outside of Heaven or Hell. As for Spawn’s defective costume, it’s explained that he wandered into an area of the alleys that is the “domain of heaven,” which can apparently neutralize hell-creatures.
Todd Talk: Three letters in a row criticize the series’ aimless direction and repetitive plots. McFarlane defends using Jason Wynn repeatedly by saying that Batman’s faced the Joker several times over the past few decades, too. He has, but Batman’s conflicts with the Joker actually end; then a new storyline begins which forces Batman to face the Joker in a different circumstance. Based on the era of the comic, the Joker could be extorting innocents, playing massive pranks, or spreading sheer panic throughout the city…each story with a different execution based on the prerogative of the creators. McFarlane doesn’t seem to realize that Jason Wynn’s been doing the same thing since the series started, and he hasn’t been brought to justice or moved on to any bigger goals. To keep the Joker analogy going, it’s as if Batman just let the Joker announce people’s deaths over the radio for several years and did nothing about it. McFarlane does concede a dip in quality in recent issues, though, and says that he’s looking for a co-writer to inject a fresh take on things.
Not Approved By The Comics Code Authority: Sam refers to the homeless gangs as “pieces of shit.” McFarlane has occasionally let other writers use more extreme language, but this is the first time he’s really gone beyond standard “prime time” profanity. Perhaps he felt the HBO series, which often sounded like a leaked Christian Bale audio tape, had opened the door for more adult language.
Production Note: Like the previous issue, this issue is only twenty pages long.
Review: To McFarlane’s credit, he seems to be grasping the idea that something needs to happen in each issue. The pacing is still borderline-glacial (it takes Sam and Twitch around ten pages to find Spawn and drag his body out of the alley), but there is an increased sense of momentum in the title. Some of the vague hints about the nature of the alleys are starting to pay off, and we even have a “shocking” revelation about one of the minor supporting cast members. I’m sure Frank Miller didn’t intend for Boots to be an undercover angel when he created him in that fill-in issue, but the good thing about having a cast of virtually blank supporting characters is that you can take them in any direction you want to. The Freak was a disappointment in his debut, but McFarlane gets some mileage just by portraying him as an agitator within the alleys. Matching him against Sam and Twitch also brings some semblance of cohesive continuity to the series. McFarlane still can’t let go of the worms, though. They return this issue and magically restore Spawn’s head, it seems. If they were always around to perform the kind of last-second miracle this plot requires, that’s almost defensible, but there is no justification for dwelling on this inane idea for almost thirty issues.
Summary: Mr. Byrd, the husband of Sam and Twitch’s eccentric client, is murdered. Mrs. Byrd blames aliens. Cogliostro gives the detectives info on their case and informs them that Spawn needs help. Meanwhile, the bums learn that Spawn has been shot by Johnny’s crew. They prepare for a fight, but Boots refuses to join in. Johnny contacts his leader, the Freak, and gives him a paper bag filled with Spawn’s necroplasm. The deranged Freak stabs his follower in the eye.
Spawntinuity: According to Cogliostro, Spawn has “ventured into a section of alleyway that is controlled by a power far greater than his. There he is weak. Vulnerable.”
The Big Names: As reported by this issue’s hype page, Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo is a big Spawn fan.
Spawn Stuff: You can now own Spawn: the Movie action figure playsets, and something called Spawn: the Movieplay. I have no idea what this thing is (at first I thought it was a CD-Rom, but the specs say it measures 9.5 x 8.5 inches), but Todd McFarlane assures us it’s “an essential addition to any Spawn collection.”
Production Note: This issue runs twenty pages instead of the standard twenty-two.
Review: I’m hoping at least that Spawn’s fainting spell from last issue and this issue’s (I can’t believe I’m writing this) wardrobe malfunction are related. With this book, you never know.
And, what do you know? They weren’t. Spawn’s costume is dormant, apparently because he’s wandered into an enchanted area of the alleys, which has nothing to do with Spawn passing out in #66. That incident was, judging by the intimations of that issue’s narrative captions, just a hangover from all of the “feeding on evil” binges with his precious worms. And, boy, did I just type quite a sentence. If McFarlane’s finally setting up an end to that worm stupidity, fine, but this means that two issues in a row had Spawn unexpectedly knocked out by mysterious forces. So, McFarlane’s creating a new arc around Spawn’s costume shorting out before he bothered to explain fully why Spawn’s body essentially did the same thing an issue earlier, which brings us the McFarlane Double-Scoop of poor issue-to-issue continuity and recycled scenes.
We also have another entry in the Unrelated Portrait Cover Hall of Fame. Not only is it not snowing in this issue, but Spawn doesn’t have a head when we see his body on the final splash page. I can’t blame McFarlane for normally favoring a dramatic pose over a story-related cover, but Spawn’s appearance in this issue really is striking! You can run Spawn standing over a generically “spooky” background any time you want…why miss out on the opportunity for a headless Spawn cover?
SPAWN #67 - November 1997
Summary: While Sam and Twitch deal with an eccentric client, Rat City’s homeless discuss religion. Johnny, a disbeliever, mocks the others. As he leaves, he clumsily destroys Bobby’s crystal deer figurine, a gift from his estranged daughter. Spawn follows Johnny and learns that he’s involved with a gang that’s pinning crimes on the homeless. Spawn confronts him and is shot repeatedly. To his surprise, his uniform does not come to his defense.
Production Note: The digital separators are hiding photographs of Vanilla Ice in the backgrounds. McFarlane assures readers in a future issue that he’s told them to stop.
Review: McFarlane did say several issues ago that he would like to spend some time exploring the homeless cast of characters, so perhaps that’s the current direction of the book. Last issue had Spawn inexplicably getting woozy and accidentally crushing a homeless person’s leg, so maybe McFarlane even had plans for that one-legged wino. He doesn’t show up here, but Spawn still seems out of sorts. I’m hoping at least that Spawn’s fainting spell from last issue and this issue’s (I can’t believe I’m writing this) wardrobe malfunction are related. With this book, you never know.
If McFarlane really does want to flesh out the supporting cast, I’m all for it, but I can’t help but to feel he’s waited way too late in the game. The last time any of the homeless supporting cast received more than an ounce of characterization was all the way back in issue #21, when Bobby detailed his wife’s death and his decline into alcoholism. Now, we learn that his daughter turned to drugs after her mother’s death, but she cleaned up years ago and gave Bobby the crystal deer to symbolize her hope that he’ll get sober, also. That’s actually…nice. This book has been bogged down in so much exaggerated grit and grime for so long, seeing a real human moment almost leaves you speechless. Where was this material during the past forty-plus issues? Why has only one member of Spawn’s immediate supporting cast been treated like an actual human being over the past five years? I’m not going to delude myself into believing Spawn’s turned itself around and is headed in a great direction (even this issue has obnoxious scatological humor -- yeah, I really wanted to see Sam on the toilet again -- and some brazen padding), but I do think it shows a side of McFarlane’s writing that he unfortunately ignored for too long.
SPAWN #66 - October 1997
Summary: Before Sam and Twitch can continue questioning Cogliostro, he disappears. Spawn returns to New York, only to learn his face has rotted. He ignores Cogliostro’s counsel and proceeds to stab himself repeatedly in anger. Later, he tells Terry that their joint investigation will continue, but Terry refuses to forget their earlier confrontation. That night, Spawn grows dizzy after feeding on his worms. He collapses on top of a nearby derelict and crushes his leg. Meanwhile, Cyan remains obsessed with Spawn’s shoelace.
Spawntinuity: According to Cogliostro, God placed Spawn in these alleys for a specific purpose. He goes on to say, “Hell may have chosen you but Heaven had the call to locate you wherever on Earth they wanted.” McFarlane would occasionally drop vague references to the relationship between Heaven and Hell, but I don't know if the association was ever explicitly spelled out.
Creative Differences: I have no idea what the cover is supposed to represent. This series isn't shy about using portrait covers, but this isn't some generic shot of Spawn you can put on the cover of a video game. Maybe the tentacle attacking him is supposed to represent the worms, but that's a stretch.
Spawn Stuff: An alternate Christmas cover of the Spawn soundtrack is on sale for a limited time. It also includes a new song by Apollo Four Forty & Morphine. The Manga Spawn line of action figures is also being released.
Review: More dreariness, more recycled scenes, more running in place. Yet, this issue does have something the previous sixty-five issues usually ignored -- humor. Okay, it’s one joke that runs for less than a page, but it still counts. While Spawn walks the streets of New York, unaware that his rotted face has returned, he struts to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” and sings the words to himself. For at least one page, you’re supposed to laugh at Spawn. McFarlane might’ve narrowly avoided a lawsuit by using the song, but it’s worth it to get any break from the monotony. The rest of the issue is the same nonsense McFarlane can’t let go of, only now Spawn’s reached new levels of melodrama by repeatedly stabbing himself in the stomach with a giant blade that’s appeared out of nowhere. Hopefully, McFarlane got a “Self-Mutilation Spawn” action figure out of the issue.
SPAWN #65 - September 1997
Summary: Cogliostro gives Sam and Twitch a tour of the alleys, explaining the past of Al Simmons and detailing his life as Spawn. The detectives learn that a subconscious suggestion led Spawn to choose their office to unload Billy Kincaid’s body. Cogliostro informs them that they have been chosen as Spawn’s knights in the quest for his lost soul.
I Love the’ 90s: On the real-life Terry Fitzgerald’s hype page, he announces that HBO will release the Spawn series on DVD, for “all of you techies (like myself).”
Review: So, two months after the movie is in theatres, we get the big recap issue. I’m sure McFarlane wanted this to be on the stands in time to coincide with the film’s release, but the book always seemed to be two months or so off-schedule. Given the nature of the story, this could’ve been an inventory issue that could be placed anywhere, but perhaps McFarlane thought it would be unfair to the regular readers to interrupt the story arc from #62-#64. The story’s told through a combination of prose and static splash page images, as Cogliostro tries to justify Spawn’s petulant behavior, and pretend that there’s been more than five issues worth of plot over the past three years. Finally, Sam and Twitch learn that they’ve been selected to be Spawn’s “knights,” which I’m sure just thrills them. Despite the abundance of filler this issue, this revelation actually does advance one of the series’ longest running subplots. It’s such an oldie, in fact, that the original solicitation for issue #24 had Spawn and the detectives teaming up as the alleys’ newest heroes. You’d almost think McFarlane’s been wasting everyone’s time for the past forty issues…
SPAWN #64 - August 1997
Credits: Todd McFarlane (story), Greg Capullo (pencils), Chance Wolf & Todd McFarlane (inks), Tom Orzechowski (copy editor & letters), Brian Haberlin & Dan Kemp (colors)
Summary: Spawn invades Jason Wynn’s headquarters, as Sam and Twitch encounter Cogliostro in the alleyways. After brutalizing Wynn’s security force, Spawn confronts Wynn and vows to destroy his empire. He removes his mask so that Wynn can learn his identity, unaware that his human face has already rotted away. Spawn exits, and Wynn finally appears to be intimidated.
Spawn Stuff: The back of the issue is filled with ads for Spawn movie merchandise, including Inkworks trading cards, Starlog magazines dedicated to the movie, the soundtrack, and movie t-shirts. The HBO series is also on VHS in both PG-13 and R-rated versions (how exactly it was edited down to a PG-13 rating is beyond me), and the abominable Playstation game is advertised.
Gimmicks: This issue is polybagged with a free McFarlane Toys catalogue.
Production Notes: The cover design has dropped the cover dates, although the indicia still lists them. Brent Ashe has also begun redesigning the letters page and trade paperback collections, giving everything a shaky and scratchy look.
Review: Oh, wouldn’t you just know it? Spawn squandered the temporary remission of his skin condition. It’s like the guy is a perpetual loser or something. Not only is the issue’s plot recycled from previous issues, but it’s regurgitating material from two issues that aren’t even that old. Spawn armed himself and gunned down an army of Jason Wynn’s men in issue #55, which is less than a year old at this point, and his confrontation with Jason Wynn is virtually identical to the one in #62, which was just two months ago! Apparently it’s different now because Wynn is truly scared of Spawn, unlike the previous times Spawn’s invaded his sanctuary and nearly killed him. Sure.
McFarlane can’t even come up with a decent justification for Spawn’s killing spree. In issue #55, he was murdering soldiers who raided an innocent village. Now, simply working for Jason Wynn is enough of a rationale for their deaths. So just taking a security job overlooking a middle-aged man is grounds for murder, apparently. And while the guards are killed, Jason Wynn, the true target, is left alive because Spawn still believes he might hurt Wanda. Is Spawn so stingy with his magic power that he can’t be bothered to just erase Wynn’s memory of Wanda? Wouldn’t that solve a good eighty percent of the problems he consistently runs into? And I don’t care how dark and gothic he’s supposed to be, doesn’t it bother him at all that he’s killed dozens of flunkies but still lets their boss go free?
SPAWN #63 - July 1997
Summary: Spawn feeds on his worms before going out in public with his new face. He visits Terry, warning him that he’s preparing for his final confrontation with Wynn and that he’ll return for Wanda. Terry snaps back, leading Spawn to declare him an enemy. Later, Cogliostro warns Spawn that his vendetta against Wynn is a part of Hell’s plan, but he refuses to listen. Meanwhile, Jason Wynn augments his security while Sam and Twitch continue to investigate Spawn.
Spawntinuity: According to the narrative captions, Spawn returned to Earth “almost a year” ago.
The Big Names: The lineup for the Spawn movie soundtrack is announced. The album was released during the music industry’s push to sell electronica in America, so every song is a collaboration between a hard rock artist and an “alternative dance” act. The album contains songs by Filter & Crystal Method, Marilyn Manson & Sneaker Pimps, Orbital & Kirk Hammet, Korn & the Dust Brothers, Butthole Surfers & Moby, Metallica & DJ Spooky, Stabbing Westward & Wink, Mansun & 808 State, Prodigy & Tom Morello, silverchair & Vitro, Henry Rollins & Goldie, Incubus & Greyboy, Slayer & Atari Teenage Riot, and Soul Coughing & Ronni Size. Shortly after the release of the album, Filter co-founder Brian Liesegang left the band to explore the new direction showcased on the soundtrack, while Marilyn Manson and the Sneaker Pimps engaged in a public feud.
Review: Okay, you might’ve thought something might actually happen in the book after Spawn’s original face returned, but we’re still dealing with the master of procrastination here. Spawn reflects on his new condition for a few pages, feeds on those stupid worms again for another page or two, steals a pair of sunglasses to cover his green eyes, visits Terry, talks to Cogliostro for a few pages, and then strikes a dramatic pose for a splash page. Meanwhile, Jason Wynn talks to security guards for several pages, while Sam and Twitch remind everyone that they’re still investigating the lead character. Oh, have we reached twenty-two pages yet? Darn. Well, see you next month.
Aside from moving impossibly slow, the plotlines don’t show a lot of promise anyway. Spawn confronted Jason Wynn just last issue, and decided that killing him wouldn’t be worth risking Wanda and Terry’s life. Now, he’s decided to make one more go of it, naively believing that with Wynn out the way, he can restart his life with Wanda now that his face has returned (whether or not the rest of his body still looks like a zombie isn’t addressed). Not only is he acting like a moron again, but he’s forcing the reader to revisit a plotline that had a fairly definitive ending last issue. And while I’m glad McFarlane remembered Sam and Twitch, he seems to have forgotten where their storyline left off. They were investigating Chief Banks’ connection to Washington officials, which lead to Wynn and Violator setting up a dummy informant to meet with them. Two separate issues, months apart, teased this meeting. A meeting we still haven’t seen, a full year later. Now, the duo are back to investigating Spawn, still angry that he left Billy Kincaid’s corpse in their office all the way back in issue #5. Are these two drinking bleach in-between issues?
I’d be curious to know if this was anyone’s first issue of the series. It’s the issue that was on sale the week the movie hit theatres, so it’s possible that someone unfamiliar with the comic would’ve picked this one up out of curiosity during the publicity buildup. (I’m assuming that it was still sold on newsstands at this time.) It’s also possible that some poor soul looked past the film’s many faults and actually wanted to learn more about Spawn after seeing the movie. What did they get for their $1.95? The hero inexplicably has a new face, he’s threatening to take his friend’s wife away from him, he bathes in worms, and he’s being investigated by two detectives (who are still mad about something that happened in a comic published almost five years earlier). McFarlane does get around to doing a full-issue recap of the series for new readers a few months later, but I can’t imagine why anyone would want to stick around if this was their first exposure to the character.
SPAWN #62 - June 1997
Summary: Spawn confronts Jason Wynn in his home, only to learn that Wynn has ordered Terry and Wanda killed if anything ever happens to him. Spawn spares his life, but demands that Wynn leave Terry and Wanda alone. Meanwhile, Terry discovers his neighbors are petitioning him to move. In Rat City, Angela suddenly materializes. She asks for Spawn’s help before being abruptly taken away by a bright light. After Spawn stops a mugging, he realizes that his contact with the light has revived his original face.
Spawntinuity: This story allegedly takes place at the same time as Curse of the Spawn #10, although it’s impossible for the details to be worked out. The Curse story ends with Spawn joining Angela on her mission, which is ignored by the next issue. Angela describes the events of the Curse storyline: “A breach has formed within the Eternal Triumverate (sic). A cybernetic soul-eater called the Argus is the catalyst, in conjunction with Limbo.” I hope that helped everyone out.
Spawn Stuff: The McFarlane Toys line of KISS action figures is announced. The Spawn: The Movie toy line is also previewed. You can now own the plastic likeness of Martin Sheen, complete with an oxygen mask, a chest monitor that opens to reveal his heart (an actual plot point in the movie), and a rocket launcher.
Production Note: As of this issue, Brent Ashe is handling the design of the inside front cover and some of the ads. The simple graphics of the earlier issues are replaced with an image from the Spawn movie, along with a few ‘90s Vertigo-esque design elements.
Review: So, around thirty issues after Spawn realized that Jason Wynn ordered his murder, the subplot reaches some form of conclusion. The story’s had to twist in about a dozen different directions in order to justify why Spawn doesn’t just show up and snap the guy’s neck, and finally McFarlane’s decided to go with an obvious copout. If McFarlane has a real reason for keeping Wynn around, I can’t really fault him for this, but McFarlane rarely takes advantage of any of his characters, and the readers shouldn’t have waited two years to get this anti-climax. I suppose this scene also ends the “Terry and Wanda investigate Jason Wynn” subplot, since Wynn and Spawn seem to be at a stalemate, and while I’m glad it’s finally over, it’s another letdown. So, that leaves Sam and Twitch’s investigation into Wynn’s conspiracies, and Violator’s partnership with Wynn to be explored. I’m totally confident that these ideas will reach a logical conclusion within the next couple of issues, aren’t you?
The confrontation with Wynn only takes up less than a third of the issue, so McFarlane has some pages to kill. Angela’s appearance was supposed to tie in with the Curse of the Spawn series, but it instead serves as another example of the lax continuity that’s always existed between the Spawn spinoffs. Curse of the Spawn #10 presents a slightly different conversation between Angela and Spawn, although the general thrust is the same. However, Curse #10 ends with Spawn and Angela teaming up to fight the horribly vague threat from that impenetrable storyline, while this issue has Angela disappearing in a flash of light before Spawn can do anything but squint menacingly at her. He then stops a mugging, (The homeless are always getting mugged in these alleys. It’s a real problem. Someone should write the mayor.) before sitting on his throne and humoring one of his followers’ baseball talk. Finally, it’s time for the cliffhanger. The final page reveals that Spawn has Al Simmons’ face once again, which leads into the storyline McFarlane decided to run as the Spawn movie hit theatres. The circumstances don’t make any real sense, but I have to admit this is one of the few decent cliffhangers the series has presented so far.
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Prosecutors act to revoke former attorney's probation
By Charles Keeshan | Daily Herald Staff
John Roth
Published: 8/29/2008 3:34 PM
McHenry County prosecutors are asking a court to rescind the probation sentence former Cary village attorney John Roth received in 2006 after his conviction for possession of child pornography.
If granted, that request could land the suspended lawyer in prison for as many as five years.
The move comes about three weeks after county authorities arrested Roth on a felony theft charge claiming he stole $9,500 from a former client.
Roth, 49, of McHenry, has been serving a 30-month probation sentence since August 2006, part of a plea bargain in which he admitted guilt to three counts of possession of child pornography.
The terms of that sentence, prosecutors say in recently filed court documents, bar Roth from violating the law while on probation. Prosecutors say he violated those terms when, just one month later, he stole funds belonging to a client he represented in a real estate deal.
Roth's attorney, Jeffrey Altman, declined to comment on the allegations Friday.
Before his arrest on child pornography charges in 2004, Roth was a respected municipal attorney whose clients included the villages of Cary, Wonder Lake, Port Barrington and Richmond.
Last year, the Illinois Supreme Court suspended his law license for at least two years as a result of the child pornography conviction.
Roth is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 16 on both the theft and probation violation claims.
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What Haitians never seem to grasp about civic responsibilities and obligat
Max - January 5 2011, 9:08 PM
If "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts," a universally accepted principle that's been around since the time of Aristotle, Haitians seem to have mindlessly disavowed the veracity of this concept by excluding themselves from the requirements which citizens the world over, are from time to time called upon to meet in managing with skills the affairs of their State.
In so doing, Haitians have not only excluded themselves from all civic responsibilities and obligations vis-à-vis that State, but also removed Haiti from all possibilities to profit from any blessing, be it natural or divine.
This withdrawal explains in part, Haiti's perpetual class wrangling and never-ending political strife--an environment which attracts international scoundrels in much the same way a dead carcass attracts vultures from miles around.
Haiti has become a puzzle to the world and an embarrassment to the region in which she is geographically located.
This change in Haiti's profile hinges on Haitians' lack of a civic character, on the one hand, and a deadly combination of an international and home-grown brand of Gangsterism, on the other.
But on the whole, Haitians themselves with their cowardly perception of things(refusal to grab the bull by the horn), their attitude of {'well, God will provide'} and the total loss of a sense of human dignity, must bear the brunt of criticism for what Haiti's been turned into today.
As citizen of a country, you can expect to be forced to take part in State sanctioned activities and practices that may go against your personal principles.
And because you are citizen of a country, some unwritten 'Golden Rule' decreed that a time may come for you to take it upon yourself to initiate steps that may go against established norms, be they domestic or international.
After all, nothing earthly or heavenly can be more sacred than to defend the honor and integrity of your homeland.
That's what true citizens do in times of war, for example.
When the security and well-being of the homeland is threatened, entire government may go in hiding until the storm has passed.
But the citizenry is left to fend for itself as well as counted upon to assure the defense of the motherland by whatever means necessary.
That's what true citizens do in a country they call their own. Unfortunately though, this concept is alien to the Haitian mind. Hence, this perpetual spinning of wheels in a country that gets nowhere in over two hundred years of nationhood.
Now, the world conveniently calls Haiti a 'Failed State.' And today she is in tatters, literally.
Not because all is lost by any stretch of the imagination, but most likely because Haitians may have long lost their every last nerves needed to rescue Haiti from Haitians themselves.
Haiti has become a nation made up of cowards; people who rely upon the benevolence of outsiders, to do for them what they should be doing for themselves.
They go on telling the world that they still have the blood of their founding fathers running through their veins.
But it's just a put on. Haitians have such a soft spot for the easy way of life, even though they won't lift a finger to create and maintain an environment where living can be easy even in relative terms.
The reader who finds this characterization of Haitians to be polemical at best, or a form of piling on at worst, will have to prove the writer wrong with concrete proofs of actions Haitians took since 1804 to change the socio-economic and political course that's been chartered for them. Otherwise shut the heck up
When it comes to the "Whole" Aristotle spoke about, Haiti is that 'whole'.
Haitians need to understand and believe that in defending the honor and integrity of that 'whole' no one man or group of men's idea or notion can ever take priority.
The Whole must prevail in all things.
Had Haitians been willing to consider this concept, Rene Preval would only dare to tell that battered nation of his Continuity Plan at the risk and peril of his own life.
Moreover, If Rene Preval knew that Haiti is the kind of nation that nurses men and women capable of separating his head from the rest of his body, he would break into cold sweat at the very thought of pulling, let alone carrying out the selectoral stunt he carried out last November 28th. Once again, Haiti and Haitians have failed and Rene Preval and the rotten system have prevailed.
Make no mistake.
To prevail over this cesspool of a political system like the one in Haiti, may very well mean the systematic elimination of any one man or group of men whose notion of things run counter to what is good and advantageous to the interests of that 'whole.' Oh, please, spare this writer the nauseating sermons of non-violence often preached to pacify those born without back bones.
It is high time for Haitians to learn the order the horse and the cart come in.
Those who speak of social change through non-violence often are high on some mind-altering substance, and think more about their own political career rather than the victims' suffering.
Haitians can ill-afford to allow themselves to be lumped among those born without back bones.
The story of their ancestors evokes thoughts that are awe-inspiring.
Haitians ought to be tired of this weak, irresolute, wishy-washy image that the entire world has formed.
perehaps justifiably so, about them. A case in point,
if some circumstances should ever force Haitians to work hard towards a certain goal, they seem totally incapable or unwilling to charter on their own a course that would bring about the desired result.
In light of this observation, one must wonder candidly the questions that follow: if Boukman did not leave Jamaica to go to Haiti where he became instrumental in fermenting and inciting the slaves' uprising in that Island, would that which became known as the Haitian Revolution ever takes place?
And is it any wonder why former Jamaican Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, would sarcastically urge then President of Haiti, Jean Claude (Baby doc) Duvalier to "give the Haitian people democracy, if he said, democracy is truly what they want."
Now, those among you who are not very familiar with coded political jargons of international gangsters, may think Mr. Seaga's heart and mind were in the right place and his intentions honorable.
Except that when you read between the lines, it becomes crystal clear that he was alluding to the kind of democracy that is brought down the barrel of an M-16. Simply put, he wanted Baby doc to massacre the Haitian people.
In a somewhat contextually connected statement, Mr. Seaga forbad Jamaican Nationals from going to Haiti to buy goods for resale purposes (see Jamaican Hicklers).
Haiti, he said, is not a country Jamaicans should go to, to buy any thing.
Now, as much as one's sense of national pride and patriotic pudeur may make you want to spit in the man's face, you can't help but respect, admire and appreciate his excellent sense of national stewardship.
Obviously he wanted to avoid letting his country's finances to be compromised by a conceivable trade imbalance between the two islands.
That is precisely the role of a national leader.
And perhaps if Haiti ever had one leader of Mr. Seaga's caliber, she would not be in the socio-political and economic cesspool she finds herself today.
But all that aside, nothing exposes more glaringly the hands of the so-called international community where Haiti's on-going political turbulence is concerned.
Mr. Seaga knew instinctively that when the smart and politically conscious Jamaicans get together with the not-so-gutsy, not-so-creative Haitians, the international goons and gangsters will not be able to sleep easy. So he made sure, in fact he made damn sure that this nascent commercial friendship between the two islands is nipped in the bud from very early on.
Still a number of very ticklish questions remain unanswered.
If the Jamaican Negroes managed to extract a minimum of living standard from the Jamaican Syrians who control that island's wealth, what is it about the Haitian -Syrians who are in the same enviable position as their Jamaican-Syrian counterparts, that makes them so obstinately unyielding, even after almost two hundred years of confiscating what is rightfully the Haitian-Negroes' birthright?
And by right, the reader should understand the writer to mean simply, the right to live like human beings.
Is there some formula somewhere that can be used, some special force that can be applied, and what is it?
Haitians are going to have to question seriously how the Jamaican- Negroes negotiated with their Jamaican-Syrians compatriots the living standard they both currently enjoy.
If living in Jamaica is so much better that Haitians think it's worth while to risk their lives by getting to the sea in some dinghy to reach Jamaican shore where they hope to beg for political asylum, Then, Haitians would be well advised to consider taking the Jamaicans approach to negotiation and apply it to their needs wherever applicable.
If that fails, since failure seems to be this people's greatest accomplishment in over two hundred years, Haitians will have been left no other option but to call up plan 'B' which can be no less than a Second Revolution.
Haitians have been made to accept the unacceptable, tolerate the intolerable for too damn long. Humanity itself ought to be ashamed for what Haitians have been put through.
If indeed, 'the Whole is greater than the sum of its parts,' let those parts learn once and for all, to submit to the supremacy of that whole.
If need be, let someone teach those parts to defer with reverence to the potential of that whole.
Tiba says...
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100 YEARS OF AFGHAN-GERMAN RELATIONS
BRUSSELS UPDATES
CHABAHAR PORT PROJECT
SALMA DAM PROJECT
TAPI PIPELINE PROJECT
TWO YEARS OF NUG
GOVMETER
FARAKHABAR
GOFTMAN
JAHAN NAMA
MEHWAR
KANKASH
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TAWDE KHABARE
MUST SEE VIDOES
PEOPLE VOICE
DAHLEZHA
6:30 REPORT
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KABUL PHOTO BIENNALE 2017
Business By TOLOnews.com - Edited:
World Bank Signs $325m Grant Package With MoF
The World Bank and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Finance on Wednesday signed a new financial package totaling $325 million in grants to strengthen economic and job opportunities in cities with a high influx of displaced people.
World Bank said in a statement that the grant will also support selected provincial capital cities to enhance service delivery, and strengthen the capacity of selected line ministries.
The new financial package includes:
· $200 million grant to the Eshteghal Zaiee - Karmondena (EZ-Kar) Project, which aims to strengthen the enabling environment for economic opportunities in Afghan cities where there is a high influx of displaced people. The grant includes $150 million from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for poorest countries; and $50 million from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), administered by the World Bank on behalf of 34 donors.
· $50 million grant to the Cities Investment Program (CIP) to improve the sustainability and livability of nine provincial capital cities by strengthening municipal capacity, management, and infrastructure. The grant comprises $25 million from IDA and $25 million from the ARTF.
· $75 million grant to finance the Tackling Afghanistan’s Government HRM (Human Resource Management) and Institutional Reforms (TAGHIR) project, which will strengthen the capacity of selected line ministries. The grant includes $25 million from IDA and $50 million from ARTF.
Shubham Chaudhuri, World Bank Country Director for Afghanistan, said in the statement that “access to job opportunities and better services is the most crucial need of Afghan people specially the returnees and internally displaced Afghans at this particular time.
“These new grants are a significant step forward in the path to help the Government of Afghanistan strengthen its service delivery capacities and meet its key policy objectives through boosting institutional reforms,” said Chaudhuri.
According to the statement, the EZ-Kar Project applies a whole of community approach and aims to increase economic and job opportunities in the cities with a high influx of returnees and internally displaced people.
This will be pursued by increasing the returnees’ access to civil documents, providing short-term employment opportunities, improving market enabling infrastructure, and supporting investor friendly regulatory reforms, read the statement.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), and Kabul Municipality.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) will also play a key role, the World Bank stated adding that among other initiatives, the project will support the increase in capacity of MoFA to provide consular services as well as help Afghan refugees in Pakistan access information that will facilitate their economic and social integration in Afghanistan.
The CIP will provide technical assistance to government in its implementation of the “Municipal Incentive Fund” under the new Municipal Law for Afghanistan and will instill a culture of “Evidence-Based” municipal investment planning in nine major provincial capital cities in the country.
In parallel, the CIP will expand municipal service delivery and rehabilitate basic municipal infrastructure in the selected provincial capital cities.
The World Bank stated that the project complements the ARTF-financed Kabul Municipal Development Program and the IDA-supported Urban Development Support Project.
The TAGHIR project replaces the Capacity Building for Results (CBR) Facility and will assist the Government of Afghanistan to deliver its key policy priorities through merit-based recruitment and administrative reforms in 16-line ministries.
The project will support up to a total of 1,500 new civil service positions to enable the ministries to meet objectives and deliver on their priorities. The Independent Administrative and Civil Service Reform Commission will lead the project implementation.
According to the World Bank, Afghanistan’s biggest economic challenge is finding sustainable sources of growth.
To date, the World Bank has committed more than $4.1 billion for development projects and the Bank-administered Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund has raised more than $10.6 billion.
World Bank Group engagement pursues a programmatic approach to support the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF).
Advisory work and operations focus on macro-fiscal policy and management; finance, private investments and jobs creation; public sector governance and anti-corruption; human capital development and service delivery; citizen engagement and social inclusion, urban development; and infrastructure, connectivity and sustainability.
More socials
The new grant will also support some provincial capital cities to enhance service delivery.
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Sophia Loren Pussy Slips
Sophia Loren festeja en México su cumpleaños / Sophia Loren celebrates her birthday in Mexico
Lovely Italian actress who won an Oscar Award and an Academy Award for her role in the 1962 film, Two Women, and later starred in Courage and Nine. Her other notable films include It Started in Naples and Houseboat. She was a finalist for a beauty pageant in Naples at the age of fourteen. She became the first actress to win an Academy Award in a foreign language for her role in director Vittorio De Sica's Two Women. She married Carlo Ponti in 1957; the couple divorced in 1962, but remarried in 1966. She had two sons named Edoardo and Carlo. She played the voice of Mama Topolino in the animated movie Cars 2 with Owen Wilson.
Birthday: September 20, 1934
Born: Italy
Birth Sign: Virgo
Other: Erin Everly, Hunter Tylo, Janice Dickinson, Kelly Kruger, Lauren Hutton, Laurie Holden, Lucille Ball, Mariah Carey, Nana Visitor, Natalie Neidhart, Olivia Hallinan, Shailene Woodley, Sonakshi Sinha, Sophia Myles, Xenia Goodwin, Julia Gorges
camille gonzalez
Heloise Guerin is totally obsessed with… ice cream | Vogue Kitchen
Pictures are from movie Affair play 1995. Rosa decides to give Ms. This means that the cache was not able to resolve the hostname presented in the URL. BTW, she looks amazing in these shots, even taking into account the airbrushing that must have gone into them. Well, ho ho ho if you want to be even more naughty this Sunday click the links for the other two Cancans de Paris we posted here and here. After shock split from Ross Worswick. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen make rare appearance with younger sister Elizabeth as they celebrate new LA boutique. On the opposite end of the tabloid spectrum from yesterdays Top Secret , we have an issue of National Informer Reader published today in 1971.
If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Her measurements of 38C-24-38 and height of 5'8 are virtually unchanged to this day. Courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana Meet your must-have lipstick for fall. Magnani balked at casting Sophia as her daughter she was too tall! Spend it thoughtfully, dearface In these next months you will create the lasting impressions by which you will be judged and remembered all your life. I know what that means. Law Suits Involving Fakes And Celebrity Photographs.
Sophia Loren plays her mother in a new tv movie - and triggers a fierce family feud. Society girl Lisa Fremont Grace Kelly. Your Fans thank you for such devotion to the Arts. Abs-olutely no idea what he's saying!
In practice that was less than true. Served 1999 when she was 37 years old. Loren grew up impoverished in wartime Pozzuoli, near Naples sharing a small flat with her sister Maria, her grandparents and her uncles and aunts. 8 November 2001, by: Michael Shelden, Did Cary Grant propose? Its the kind of shade that does come in handy now and again.
' Kris Jenner says she won't go on Cuban family holiday because 'there's no Internet'. Milla jovovich hd xvideo. Ben Shepherd stuns Kate Garraway as he yanks her into a freezing bath live on Good Morning Britain. Sophia is the most determined person I know. Caitlyn Jenner looks stylish in sheer, off-the-shoulder dress as she attends birthday party in London. Grant was sending her flowers every day and made his intentions clear.
NUDE PUSSY: Sophia Loren
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Author Topic: Lacy (Read 32266 times)
iarwain
Re: Lacy
Yeah, I'm cool with this. I think his weight problems were a bigger issue than some might like to admit. I'm not convinced he was truly dedicated to the NFL.
My guess is TT drafts a RB high.
maxman44
He's proven to me by weighing in at 267 that he does not have the level of dedication to his profession that it takes to be successful
Plenty of FA options out there and a good draft class
JPPlaya
No need to discuss further. I have no interest in re-signing a 267 lb Eddie Lacy. The free agent market and draft is flooded with RBs that are more committed to their craft than that.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2017, 11:51:08 AM by JPPlaya »
scoremore
Not to mention coming off of a shredded ankle. Think it was wise to take a pass.
Quote from: wonderfulwilly on March 14, 2017, 10:19:53 AM
Quote from: SSG on March 14, 2017, 10:16:11 AM
He'll fit in great in Seattle. He's a lot like Lynch in the sense that he's a tackle breaking machine that is among the very best in the NFL in getting yards after contact.
Yet another blow to our team in what has been an absolutely disastrous off season.
Lol. Disastrous? Really? Who have we lost that can't be capably replaced? TT is sitting on some money right now, we aren't done shopping either.
I think its an acceptable term to describe this off season given what we've gained and what we've lost. Upgrading the TE position was nice but our offensive line, defensive front and secondary all took pretty major blows this off season. Do we have replacements on the roster for Peppers, Hyde or Lang, I don't believe we do. While JP was older. he was second on the team in sacks and pressures last year. Hyde wasn't a star but he was our most consistent CB down the stretch.
Outside of upgrading the TE position (Bennett being a slight upgrade over Cook and Kendricks being a big upgrade over Rogers) , I don't see another resounding positive event that has occurred this off season. yeah we extended Perry but we extended him at the very top end of the market despite the lack of production over his career (he had 12.5 career sacks before this year) and MAJOR injury concerns (he's suffered debilitating injuries in every year of his career, never having played a full season). Right now we're without 3 opening day starters on offense and 2 major contributors on defense. Hopefully you are right and we aren't done this UFA period.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2017, 12:09:35 PM by SSG »
Second String
Teddy will find a RB to replace Lacy in the middle rounds , deep draft class this year.
Are we all 100% sure that Lacy wasnt signed to play O-line for Seattle?
Quote from: cheech on February 14, 2017, 04:38:55 PM
Quote from: Redt on February 14, 2017, 01:29:37 PM
TT will low ball, and Schneider will swoop in and grab him, mark my words. For the record, I think he is worth keeping.
Seattle has 2 backs in Prosise and Rawls that offer more than Lacy. Not to mention Alex Collins. They have no need.
Lacy at 2m would be a good deal for both parties.
TT didn't apparently low ball, but I was fairly confident Seattle would love his services.
MTPackerFan
Lets see...we signed the best TE on the market. That's pretty good. Calling Bennett a slight upgrade over Cook is ludicrous btw. Cook has been a journeyman TE his entire career, except for a several game stretch with GB. Bennett has been a very good TE for years. Has better hands, is a better blocker, is a better route runner, and is better after the catch.
We also signed a top notch backup TE. We haven't had one of those in a while. Huge for the offense.
We signed the top edge rusher on the market. We also got a pretty good deal for him. Was it as good as what we could have gotten had we extended him earlier? No, it is not. But still, this is a win.
We signed a CB who will be our #1, who has played here before and is familiar with our system, and a guy who only two years ago had an excellent year. While he is not as good as Hyde, he is more valuable due to the position he plays. If we can start House and Gunter, and move Randall to NB, we'll be better off than we were last year. That's called improvement, and that's a good thing.
We lost an overweight RB who can't stay healthy, although he is talented. I'm not too broke up over it.
We lost the top G on the market. I like Lang. I wish we could have kept Lang. Have to realize that G is one of the easier positions to replace, and it's simply not worth paying big money there unless a guy is young, healthy and elite. Lang is only one of those, and it's not sure how much longer he will be that.
We lost our 6th OL. Again, wish we could have kept Tretter, but we can't pay that much for a backup OL.
We lost a good DB. Wish we could have kept Hyde, but the Bills are paying him starting S money. Is he going to start at S for us? Certainly not. Can he play outside CB? Certainly not. So while good, you don't pay a NB as much as what the Bills are paying him to start. Hyde is good, but I would bet his value over replacement isn't going to be that high.
Disastrous off-season? Only if you're biased and don't want to admit that TT has done a pretty solid job so far.
gbnd4life
I'm actually glad he's gone. Montgomery, Jackson and I believe Crocket is the only RB's we have left on the team. Christine Michael is not on the team. So I believe we will be draft heavy for RB in the draft unless we bring in a premier back in from FA and no not Peterson or Charles.
Ok just looked and crocket is also gone as well.
So Montgomery and Jackson is the only 2 RB's on our roster. We are in RB trouble lol. Wow!! Did TT clean house. How about Tim Hightower or bring back Dujuan Harris?
Disastrous offseason? That made my day...
Well since it's a one year deal Eddie may actually stay in shape for another year. I do not fear losing him as we're not a run first team. Seattle is the best landing spot for him since they are a run first team.
Quote from: MTPackerFan on March 14, 2017, 12:38:21 PM
We'll have to agree to disagree if you really think House is a #1 CB, that Nick Perry is an elite edge rusher and Cook is just a run of the mill journeyman TE. Nick Perry had 12 career sacks before this last year and has never played a full year in the NFL. Can Erik Walden now be considered an Elite player because he had 11 sacks in a contract year? Cook played as well as any TE down the stretch. Him coming back healthy was the biggest reason our offense turned around the season. Bennett isn't anymore athletic and IMO isn't going to provide much more as a receiver.
If you want to believe the offseason has been great, more power to you.
With the loss of Peppers, Shields, Lacy, Jones, Hyde, Tretter and Lang we've got some substantial holes without players on our roster to fill them. Maybe one draft can fill all those holes AND fix the MAJOR issues we had on defense.
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Tag: Hermeneutics
Martin Eldracher: Heteronome Subjektivität. Dekonstruktive und hermeneutische Anschlüsse an die Subjektkritik Heideggers
Título: Heteronome Subjektivität. Dekonstruktive und hermeneutische Anschlüsse an die Subjektkritik Heideggers
Autor: Martin Eldracher
Publisher: Transcript Verlag
Format: Paperback 39,99 €
Reviewed by: Viktoria Huegel (University of Brighton)
Why we hesitate
Halfway through Heteronome Subjektivität, Eldracher explores Derrida’s idea of différance in order to engage it for a restoration of the subject in a heteronomous understanding. In a footnote in the same chapter the author indicates that this appropriation of Derrida’s work is not self-evident:
The late works (of Derrida) (after around 1985) are often marked by an indecisiveness (Unentschlossenheit) concerning the question whether the concept of the subject should play a significant role in deconstruction or whether it was so disrupted by Heidegger’s analysis of Dasein that there is no place for it anymore.[1] (52)
It is true. Not without reason, Heidegger had dismissed the term from his thinking and instead replaced it with the notion of Dasein. Certainly, as Heidegger himself writes, “Da-sein is a being which I myself am, its being is in each case mine.” (Heidegger, 1996: 108) It experiences its own self primarily by distinguishing itself from all other beings it comes across in the world. This determination however indicates an ontological constitution: the assumption of the substantiality of Dasein describing it as the ontological interpretation of a subject is nothing more than that, an assumption. Any notion of an “I” must consequently be understood as a noncommittal formal starting point for a hermeneutical examination of the Dasein’s being, always being aware that it might well not be me that is the who of the everyday Dasein. As Dasein is in-the-world there is no such thing as a subject behind it which is isolated from its surrounding world.
In order to justify his endeavor, Eldracher therefore appeals to Heidegger’s earlier work in which he still speaks of an exit out of a philosophy of subjectivity without having to give up the “subject” as a term.
There is world only in so far as Dasein exists. But then is world not something “subjective”? In fact it is! Only one may not at this point reintroduce a common, subjectivistic concept of “subject”. Instead, the task is to see that being-in-the-world, which as existent supplies extant things with entry to world, fundamentally transforms the concept of subjectivity and of the subjective. [2] (108)
Eldracher demonstrates how the figure of Dasein opens up the metaphysical subject toward its temporal dimension. The subject is decentered and temporalized as it only understands itself in its throwness into a world which it shares with others. Subjects are therefore not understood as initially autonomous actors whose subjectivity is grounded in the subject itself; instead its constitution rests in the subject’s existence.
Still, Heidegger falls back into an individualized understanding of the subject by interpreting this existence from the perspective of the subject’s constitution. After his turn he shifts the perspective from Dasein to Being (Sein), which suggests that ontological phenomena are no longer thought as aspects of Dasein, but instead as moments of withdrawal. Being is now depicted in the figure of an abyss (Ab-grund). It is Being that brings beings and therefore Dasein into existence. Yet it cannot be grasped as a foundation (Grund) due to Being’s temporal character. In the moment of founding, Being is always already withdrawn. Being moves between presence and absence. With this deconstructive gesture Heidegger is able to capture how the impossibility of foundation is the condition for its possibility. The metaphysical moment of foundation becomes temporalized and with the gift of Being man too becomes temporalized: man ek-sists (ek-sistiert) (cf. 87).
Eldracher argues that Heidegger himself misses the decisive conclusion from his analysis: The subject owes its constitution as a subject to an experience which is profoundly foreign to it (49). With that the metaphysical opposition between the subject and the world collapses. Yet Heidegger himself does not realize the possibility of a re-interpretation of the subject, because the subject as a term and concept is liquidated.
Heidegger’s critique of the subject is therefore ambivalent: It provides us with all essential movements for evading the philosophical tradition of the subject and to re-think subjectivity as heteronomous; it however resists this venture as a project which focuses on ontology neglects freedom (to act, Handlungsfähigkeit), responsibility and self-understanding. (16)
Eldracher’s book commits to the subject as a philosophical category and therefore to the enterprise of an affirmative turn in Heidegger’s subject critique which is appropriated for a re-interpretation of the subject as heteronomous. This understanding aims to respond to an aporia which lies at the heart of the metaphysical idea of an autonomous subject: even though autonomy is assumed as being immanent to the subject, the subject constitutes itself through a liberation from all those dependencies that threaten the subject’s autonomy. This however implies an existential dependency on something other than the subject itself: “without the heteronomous there is no opponent, against which it needs to be fought” (10). Eldracher therefore attempts to comprehend those heteronomous aspects which are constitutive for the subject’s constitution in the concept itself. With this heteronomous subjectivity Eldracher hopes to write a counter-narrative against the dominant idea of autonomy.
Eldracher chooses Heidegger’s subject criticism as the bedrock for his venture because he was “the first philosopher who alludes to exposure of human beings to something other” (90). Although, for a heteronomous understanding of subjectivity, Heidegger’s figure of the abyss still needs to be radicalized. It needs an appropriation of it from an ontic, rather than ontological perspective in order to open up the subject towards alterity.
With this prospect in mind, Eldracher first adheres to the ethical turn in the work of Levinas which is meant to renounce Heidegger’s ontology. Levinas reproaches Heidegger for still attempting to incorporate alterity into an underlying structure of Being. The unity and symmetrical movement of the ontological structure ultimately rejects alterity and thereby makes it impossible for a philosophical analysis to take into focus the exposure of the subject towards the Other. According to Levinas, it is not Being but the Other that touches and thus forms the subject.
With that Levinas is able to break with the notion of totality by describing alterity with the experience of infinity over the “absolute Other” (119). It cannot be grasped by the subject; it evades our language. The Other obstructs the closing of totality, it disrupts the homogeneity of the order and does not integrate within its logic. Here, Levinas connects Heidegger’s explication of temporality with the idea of infinity. The face of the Other is the (non)place where infinity and temporality meet, and at the same time constitute subjectivity. Levinas translates the abyssal relationship found in Heidegger’s thought: the subject encounters the Other at the very border of the world which means that the encounter has already happened before the subject identifies itself, and is identified as a subject. The Other repeatedly divides and thus re-constitutes the subject which is therefore always disrupted in its autonomy and self-referentiality. Levinas is thereby able to avoid Heidegger’s individualizing notion of the conscience and instead interprets the possibility of responsibility as originating in the constitution of a heteronomous subject (137). According to Levinas the call to responsibility which Heidegger originated from within Dasein, reaches the subject from a constitutive externality, namely the Other. The subject cannot determine whether it is called or not – the (non)relation to the Other is always already there. Yet it can still choose whether it responds to the calling and this is where the freedom of the subject can be located. Freedom arises in dependence and the subject’s limitations and is only experienced in the burden of an infinite responsibility for the Other. The responsibility which cannot be refused becomes the content of identity. The subject becomes singular not through its inner unique personality but the fact that it is not able to delegate its guilt to someone else.
For Eldracher, this suggests that Levinas proceeds Heidegger because with the ethical turn to the Other he is able to address the question of how subjects can develop an idea of the self. The quasi-normative conclusion the author draws is that subjects can understand themselves best in their experience of alterity (148). He locates the corresponding decisive shift from the deconstructive towards the affirmative aspects of Heidegger’s subject criticism in the work of Michel Foucault.
While genealogy describes Foucault’s rather deconstructive project, his later works explore the possibilities of resistance and freedom by including the constitutive aspects of power. Close to Levinas’ account, freedom here needs to be understood as relational and not an inherent capacity of the subject. It happens in the very resistance against, thus dependence on, those powers to which the subject is already subjugated. Foucault’s understanding of freedom further allows us to consider the participation of the subject in the process of its constitution. In fact, it constitutes a decisive step to understand how subjects can form self-referentiality which allows them to understand themselves as agents in a historical and cultural context (249).
Foucault draws upon the Ancient concept of self-care to describe how the subject forms itself in taking on a stance to the given moral codes and thus a certain way of life. Instead of the sole subjugation to moral laws and norms, social practices such as relation of power and truth are understood as a framework within which the self cultivates itself. In this context, the idea of parrhesia indicates the subject being open to the world, which does not stand opposed to him as its object, but instead always already asserts itself in the subject. With this, Foucault is the first to introduce an affirmative notion of subjectivity into his thought which enables him to address the role of self-relationality in the subject’s constitution (260).
The chapter on Foucault’s work heralds a decisive hinge for Eldracher project: A deconstructive tradition which breaks down the concept of subject by laying bare moments of alterity meets a hermeneutical approach which is used to incorporate these moments of alterity in the constitution of self-understandings. According to Eldracher, it needs both traditions for an affirmative turn of Heidegger’s critique of the subject. Deconstruction aims to destruct erroneous self-understandings by demonstrating the impossibility of a fixation and naturalization of subjectivity and point out how the self of subjects always relies on alterity. It thereby intervenes when the hermeneutical approach risks to close the openness of the subject. Similarly, hermeneutics aims to reveal all those obstructions due to which the subject is not able to understand itself as being open to the world and others, but instead understands itself (erroneously) as a substance. It steps in where deconstruction risks to losing sight of the constitution of self-understandings of the subject, or in fact the subject itself. For Eldracher hermeneutics and deconstruction hence describe two sides of the same coin. The proximity of both approaches is already illustrated by Heidegger himself: “Hermeneutics is destruction!” (62).
For this reason, the project leads towards Taylor’s work to which Eldracher turns in order to develop the participatory aspect of subjectivation which Foucault already touches on in his analysis of self-care. Eldracher uses Taylor’s concept of moral ontology in order to demonstrate how being human is always a being. Moral ontology in this context is understood as fundamental and ontological condition of potentiality. Every subject is always somehow thrown into the world, which the subject cannot determine and which stipulates its existence. Taylor emphasizes that world always appears in historical concrete relations; there are thus always worlds. At the same time, moral ontology is bound to the ontic: it depends on its reproduction and interpretation through subjects. With that, the self-understanding of the subject is thus always captured between past and future. The self-understanding has always already formed but simultaneously needs to be actualized through future interpretations. Eldracher claims that with this ontologically re-interpreted humanism Taylor is able to address freedom and self-understanding without understanding them as belonging to the substance of a subject (315f).
Taylor and Foucault take on different perspectives on the genesis of modern subjectivity which is why they can complement each other. While Foucault reveals illegitimacy of subordinating processes of subjectivation, Taylor’s affirmative genealogy draws out how self-understandings are stabilized and how they overcome previously dominant self-understandings. Like Foucault, Taylor draws on the contingency of certain self-understandings; however, he does not follow Foucault’s move to simply delegitimize them. Instead, a genealogy needs to affirm positive historical narratives in order to keep identity in the sense of a reference point for subjectivity (333).
Similar to deconstructive authors before him, Taylor reveals which narratives have laid the discursive ground for the idea of autonomous subjects. He overlooks problematizing how those narratives and in particular the narrative of nature as the source for morality not simply ground autonomy, but further suppress any notion of heteronomy. Nevertheless, Eldracher argues that Taylor’s anthropology of being human is able to avoid falling back into a metaphysical humanism as it is bound to a moral ontology. It is not transcendental but instead always refers to a certain historical praxis.
Eldracher insists on the contribution Taylor’s approach made by including the inner perspective of the subject and the role of self-interpretation. He argues that without an affirmative re-interpretation of the subject the criticisms raised by deconstructive works remain politically insignificant. This is why the author is rather dismissive of Derrida’s work as being limited to a structural analysis (197).
Derrida follows Levinas’ criticism in his venture to open up metaphysical thought towards alterity. He resumes Heidegger’s explication of temporality on the structural level asking how language subjugates the three-dimensionality of time under presence and thus affirms the closure of metaphysics into totality. Derrida attempts to demonstrate this supremacy of presence in language though the notion of différance. Like Heidegger’s figure of the abyss and Levinas’ call of the Other, différance describes a play of withdrawal and reference. It puts metaphysical logic into question as it exposes the supplement or the doubling in any transcendental signified. In every meaning of a signified there is subsequently a surplus of meaning; this surplus is contained in the meaning of the signified itself at the same time breaks with its unity. The identity of any phenomenon including the subject therefore always already relies on something which is foreign to it; the phenomenon is never identical to itself (175).
Derrida’s critique focuses on how the criticism of the metaphysical subject is consequently interwoven with a deconstruction of our understanding of meaning. According to Eldracher, it therefore appears to be more precise than Heidegger’s critique of the subject because not only does it reject the category of the subject as a metaphysical construction, but it further problematizes a specific, historically contingent understanding of subjectivity (160). He concludes that it needs a heteronomous understanding of the subject which is able to acknowledge those traces of alterity and non-identity which can be discovered by différance.
As stated above there is an indecisiveness to be found within Derrida when it comes to the subject, similar to the hesitation we can also detect in Heidegger’s work. For Eldracher, this moment of indecisiveness constitutes an important juncture in the deconstructive project. It needs a decision as to whether the concept of the subject should play a significant role. Eldracher’s response is yes. He commits Derrida’s thought to a re-constitution of the subject in a heteronomous understanding and thereby attempts to comprehend Derrida’s notion of différance to utilize it for his own endeavor. It seems however that by that Eldracher misses the depth of Derrida’s venture and the extent to which he radicalizes Heidegger’s subject criticism.
Let us take a moment at this juncture to take Derrida’s indecisiveness more seriously. Taking the named conversation with Jean-Luc Nancy as a whole, Derrida’s indecisiveness is not simply a transitory moment. He is not temporarily torn between an acceptance or rejection of the term because, according to Derrida, there no such thing that could be accepted or rejected. In fact, what has been shown by deconstructive work is that there is no agreement of those thinkers who speak of the subject on what the term actually means. Instead it seems that once certain predicates have been deconstructed, we cannot be sure anymore what we are even designating with the term; the unity and the name have been radically affected. As it turns out, “the subject is a fable” (Derrida 1991, 102).
For Derrida something happened when Heidegger introduced the idea of Dasein, a gap opened. For the first time, thinking was decentered, it moved away from the subject. But it did not go far enough. Ultimately, his endeavor was still restricted and came with new problems as Dasein ultimately repeats the metaphysical logic of subjectivity. Derrida reminds us that “We know less than ever where to cut – either at birth or at death. And thus means that we never know, and never have known, how to cut up a subject” (Derrida 1991, 117), or Dasein in fact.
He hence follows Heidegger’s late shift of perspective away from human beings as those carrying language, to language itself. Certainly, there is a possibility that there is a who as the power to ask questions (which is how Heidegger defines Dasein). But Derrida is interested in how the question of the who? itself is overwhelmed if language is no longer defined as being reserved for what we call man. He speaks of an “originary alliance”, an affirmation, a “yes, yes” of language (Derrida 1991, 100). Before any question can be raised, language is already there. This original alliance is why, according to Heidegger, language cannot be anymore an attribute which characterizes the human. Instead language withdraws itself from us: “In its essence, language is neither expression nor a confirmation of man. Language speaks.” (Heidegger 1950 cited in Eldracher, 105) Derrida continues this by asking: “What if one reinscribes language in a network of possibilities that do not merely encompasses it but mark irreducibly from inside, everything changes.” (Derrida 1991, 116).
Derrida does not go beyond a structural critique as there might be nothing behind the subject. It remains a metaphysical construction. This however does not support the argument that such a structural critique remains ethically and political neutral thus insignificant, as Eldracher states. Derrida puts into doubt Eldracher’s assertion that the traditional position of the subject is the self-evident center for any inquiries on political and ethical dimensions of freedom (Handlungsfreiheit) and responsibility (345).
Derrida warns us to not rush into those words because they risk to over-hastily reconstituting the program of metaphysics together with the suffering that comes from its “surreptitious constrains” (Derrida 1991, 101). Instead he intends to start with responsibility itself, a responsibility which cannot first come after a subject has been established, but is an axiom that must be assumed (108). The reason for this is that there simply is no understanding of the subject, in fact no concept at all, which could be adequate for the responsibility Derrida emphasizes; a responsibility which is “always more and to come” (108). Any endeavor to reconstitute the subject, even in a heteronomous understanding would still assert a calculation and therefore a limitation of responsibility.
For that reason, Derrida demands to eschew the term to some extent. Certainly, he agrees with Eldracher that it is impossible to forget it; yet one might be able to re-arrange it in a way that it no longer dominates the center of ethical or political enterprises.
Against Eldracher’s perception, Derrida’s work does not simply languish indecisiveness, instead it declares an undecidability when it comes to the subject which is demanded by responsibility itself: “there is no responsibility, no ethico-political decision, that must not pass through the proofs of the incalculable or the undecidable. Responsibility demands an “unconditional commitment to deconstruction” (107). It appears that Eldracher’s project seems to struggle with its own indecisiveness: Accepting the aporias of subjectivity which have been laid bare by deconstructive ventures, he still holds tight to the term of the subject. Let us therefore turn the question on its head for a moment: Eldracher seems to acknowledge the extent to which certain predicates of the subject have been deconstructed, in Heidegger’s critique as well as in the works of Levinas, Derrida and Foucault. What is the benefit, and to what right then does he still speak of the subject? Throughout the book, Eldracher only mentions the “traditional connection” of the term to discussions of political and ethical dimensions of freedom and responsibility to defend the subject, as well as the idea that the metaphysical discourse of subjectivity could never be eliminated and corrected (349). But is this enough? In light of Derrida’s work these arguments appear rather rash. Disregarding potential flaws for a moment, both Heidegger’s and Derrida’s ventures remind us to slow down, to take a moment before throwing oneself into the enterprise of re-interpreting the subject. They demand to first ask oneself to what questions such a project even intends to answer. And at times, it might even be the rightly posed question, and not the answer that can prompt political consequences.
Derrida, Jacques. ‘“Eating Well”, or the Calculation of the Subject: An Interview with Jacques Derrida’. In Who Comes after the Subject?, edited by Eduardo Cadava, Peter Connor, and Jean-Luc Nancy, 96–119. London: Routledge, 1991.
Heidegger, Martin. Being and Time. New York: State University of New York Press, 1996.
Heidegger, Martin, and Michael Heim. The Metaphysical Foundations of Logic. Studies in Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984.
[1] All translations are my own, unless otherwise indicated.
[2] Translation found in Heidegger, Martin, and Michael Heim. The Metaphysical Foundations of Logic. Studies in Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1984, 195.
Publicado em 25 de março de 2019 24 de maio de 2019 Autor Viktoria HuegelCategorias ResenhasTags Alterity, Charles Taylor, Derrida, Foucault, Heidegger, Hermeneutics, Heteronomous Subjectivity, Levinas, ResponsibilityDeixe um comentário em Martin Eldracher: Heteronome Subjektivität. Dekonstruktive und hermeneutische Anschlüsse an die Subjektkritik Heideggers
Paul Ricoeur: Politique, économie et société: Ecrits et conférences 4, Seuil, 2019
Título: Politique, économie et société: Ecrits et conférences 4
Autor: Paul Ricoeur
Publisher: Seuil
Format: Paperback 23.00 €
Publicado em 17 de março de 2019 17 de março de 2019 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags French Philosophy, Hermeneutics, Paul Ricoeur, PoliticsDeixe um comentário em Paul Ricoeur: Politique, économie et société: Ecrits et conférences 4, Seuil, 2019
Johann Michel: Homo Interpretans: Towards a Transformation of Hermeneutics, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019
Título: Homo Interpretans: Towards a Transformation of Hermeneutics
Autor: Johann Michel. Translated by David Pellauer
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield International
Format: Paperback £29.95
Publicado em 25 de fevereiro de 2019 25 de fevereiro de 2019 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags Hermeneutics, Lifeworld, Meaning, Method, Paul RicoeurDeixe um comentário em Johann Michel: Homo Interpretans: Towards a Transformation of Hermeneutics, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019
Brian A. Butcher: Liturgical Theology after Schmemann: An Orthodox Reading of Paul Ricoeur
Título: Liturgical Theology after Schmemann: An Orthodox Reading of Paul Ricoeur
Autor: Brian A. Butcher. Foreword by Andrew Louth, FBA
Publisher: Fordham University Press
Format: Paperback $45.00
Reviewed by: Octavian Gabor (Methodist College)
A theologian once told me that philosophy and theology are two approaches that have the same object of knowledge, truth, but they come toward it from different directions due to their respective natures. According to him, philosophers stretch their hands toward heaven, playing with their fingers in the sky. On the contrary, theologians stretch their hands from heaven toward the earth. Coming from two different places, the fingers of philosophers and theologians become intertwined. Brian A. Butcher’s volume, Liturgical Theology after Schmemann. An Orthodox Reading of Paul Ricoeur, takes place on the stage of this encounter, bringing into dialogue Orthodox theology and contemporary philosophical problems.
Such an endeavor, while truly needed, always proves to be difficult, primarily because one needs to explain the benefits of this encounter between philosophy and theology. Does liturgical theology benefit from philosophical work? Do we understand a philosopher’s ideas better if we apply them to the study of the liturgy? The answers to these questions bring to surface both the virtue and the inherent problems of Butcher’s volume. On the one hand, his work is a remarkable excursion into Paul Ricoeur’s work, which emphasizes themes that remain at the core of theology: personhood, memory, symbol, and interpretation. On the other hand, it is difficult to establish whether we are dealing with a work in liturgical theology or one of philosophical exegesis. The double nature of the work is suggested by the two parts of the title: first, the impression is that we are dealing with a book that discusses the future of liturgical theology after Alexander Schmemann’s work; second, we are told that the author focuses mainly on an Orthodox interpretation of Paul Ricoeur’s philosophy.
Be that as it may, the connection between Ricoeur’s philosophy and theology is an appropriate one. Even if Ricoeur ‘s work referred to the liturgy only tangentially, as Butcher’s acknowledges, his analyses of memory, symbol, metaphor, or personal and communal identities “offer liturgical theology a plethora of resources” (2). I take it, though, that this work of bringing together Ricoeur and liturgical theology generates a question: whether the use of these philosophical resources improves theology, or whether it shows that philosophical methods and theological methods may arrive at similar conclusions. Butcher’s book does not engage this question directly, and this leads to some lack of clarity as to how it should be read. It takes as its starting point liturgical theology as developed by Alexander Schmemann. One should not expect, however, that Butcher writes in the vein of Schmemann. In fact, Butcher criticizes him and his alleged claim that, throughout history, it is not the liturgy that has changed, but its interpretation. Butcher is in accord with various critiques of Schmemann which accuse him of rejecting prior interpretations of the liturgy because they are interpretations instead of revelations of meaning, while he, Schmemann, does not acknowledge that his work is an interpretation as well. I think, however, that Schmemann’s claim that we have departed from the liturgy is interpreted too radically by them, which has led to a misunderstanding of his work. I take it that Schmemann starts from the idea that we can find the meaning of the liturgy in the experience of the service itself. His critique was directed toward those who, in his perspective, considered the liturgy a symbol removed from that which it symbolizes. For him, however, liturgy is similar to an icon: it does not represent reality, but rather it makes reality present. If I am correct in assessing his approach, we can say that Schmemann advocated for a partaking of truth in the analysis of the liturgy and criticized what he perceived a discussion of the liturgy as a mere symbol.
Butcher departs from Schmemann and is more interested in finding a philosophical methodology that is applicable to theology. After the initial critique of Schmemann’s thought, he engages it only in passing, focusing rather on Ricoeur’s hermeneutical approach found in his philosophy, and thus analyzing how his methods of studying a text can be applied in liturgical theology.
The first obvious concern is the appropriateness of using Western philosophical tools for Eastern theological discourses, and Butcher engages this problem in his first chapter, arguing successfully for his approach. He emphasizes that Ricoeur’s work has already borne fruit in some Western theologians’ analyses of the liturgy. He believes that Ricoeur’s work can enrich the field of theology because the French philosopher shows that the nature of symbolism, “liturgical or otherwise, [is] to engender nolens-volens a multiplicity of meanings” (15). Butcher continues, “this is so because symbols, particularly as represented verbally through the work of metaphor, do not merely adorn a meaning equally accessible in a nonsymbolic, or nonmetaphorical manner. Instead, they give rise ex opera operato, so to speak, to original thinking, to a creative redescription of the world” (15). This attribute of Ricoeur’s approach can lead us, Butcher believes, to a liturgical theology that goes beyond that of Schmemann. The author’s perspective is well described by the quote I just mentioned and it shows the difference between his and Schmemann’s views. Butcher follows Ricoeurian thought, and so he begins from the perspective that symbols are meant to produce a creative redescription of the world. Schmemann is not interested in descriptions, but rather in how symbols bring in people’s presence the reality of the Kingdom. He should not be read as claiming that symbols have only one valid interpretation, but that any interpretation is irrelevant in the absence of communion between man and the deeper reality that the symbol brings forward. For Schmemann, I would argue, symbols do not interpret reality, but rather allow us to commune with it.
The two approaches are not contradictory, and we would be mistaken in placing them in opposition. Instead, they approach the same thing from different directions, as in the image with philosophers and theologians stretching their hands towards the sky. Nevertheless, I think that clarifying the difference between the two of them would be helpful. This is particularly so in the second part of Butcher’s volume (chapters 3 and 4). Here, the author analyzes the role of the metaphor in religious language. First, Butcher offers a convincing description of Ricoeur’s application of metaphor to the biblical text, emphasizing the polyphonic naming of God. God, for Ricoeur, becomes a limit-expression, “i.e., an expression that cannot be fully thought specifically because it dwells at the frontier of thinking” (73). Butcher dwells on this idea and develops elegantly the directions in which it can go, pointing to the perennial question of what kind of truth can be expressed in a metaphorical utterance. In the fourth, the author continues this approach, providing a rich discussion on metaphor.
When analyzing Biblical texts, one must always clarify how one understands the connection between that which is expressed and the expression itself. Butcher points out that Ricoeur’s analysis of metaphor is useful because the Bible speaks of events that are ineffable. The question is whether language can foster a connection between these events and the one who reads about them. Butcher gives the example of the Incarnation (92). If it is completely ineffable (92), then there are no accounts of it. “But if ineffability does not altogether preclude description (and, in turn, inscription) then the resultant texts—whether treating of the Incarnation or the Shoah—ought to be duly subject to analyses in keeping with their genre” (92-93). But one may allow for the possibility that we can look at these “descriptions” not as representations of some events, but rather as openings toward them. If we apply this to the liturgy or to sacred texts, then we could claim that the liturgy or these texts can be understood as places that make present the Kingdom of God on earth. Butcher does not travel on this path, though. It is true, however, that the effort of these pages is concentrated on clarifying Ricoeur’s thought and defending it against accusations that his view on metaphor (1) ignores “the uniqueness of the events attested in Scripture,” (2) subverts “the due authority of the Bible by making this authority a function of the believing community,” and (3) subscribes “to a perilously subjectivist notion of biblical ‘truth’” (91).
Butcher rejects this criticism (proposed by Graham Ward and others), emphasizing primarily that Ricoeur is not a subjectivist. Consider, for example, the claim that Ricoeur’s philosophy entails that the authority of the Bible is subordinated to the believing community. As a consequence, the community takes precedence over the sacred text. Still, even in a Ricoeurian analysis, one may say that the Bible has precedence even if, at the same time, the Bible must be read within a community, and this is because the community is the one that receives the revelation, and not because the community, as an entity different than an individual member of the community, tells him or her how to read the Bible.
Butcher, however, says that, “because Ricoeur appreciates the historical process by which the Bible was produced and canonized, he is reluctant to speak of its authority apart from the community integral to this process” (93). The possible implication of this is still that the community establishes what is true and not true in the Bible. The solution arrives in Ricoeur’s claim that “metaphor by its very nature points to the unsayable” (101). If this is the case, then even if the sacred text points to the unsayable, it does so within a specific community, and thus it depends on the community while it is connected with a truth beyond it.
The discussion on whether it is possible to meaningfully say something on Divine Being is not new. The question has often been raised, in theological as well as philosophical discourses. In philosophy, it becomes this: is it possible to have logos about the Logos? Is it possible to ever understand the deep structure of reality? Is it possible to ever reach an understanding of God?[i] Butcher moves immediately to the difference between the kataphatic and the apophatic ways. It may prove helpful to also consider a distinction between studying as observers and studying as participants. The observers contemplate their object of study and give more or less complete definitions of it. The participants cannot distinguish themselves from the object of study because there is no such object to begin with, but rather only relation in communion. Consider this example: if we were to claim that our role is to understand the divine being in Trinity and thus offer definitions of what nature and personhood are and how these definitions can be applicable to the three divine persons, then we place ourselves in the positions of researchers who study an event (again, using the notion loosely) from the outside. Similarly, those who study the song of birds describe the various sounds they make, the sequence of the sounds, the movements, the relations between them, but are never able to sing with them. The birds themselves do not “understand” the Song—they are in the middle of it; they are living it. They have it in their hearts. The birds’ song is not their Song, but it is the Song that is sung in them on different voices. The Song takes place in their midst only when they are coming together with their own voices. But one can see here that the Song is both the beginning, the source of their singing, and also the end. The Song is that which nourishes them and that which is expressed in their communion. The Song is that which lives each one of them—the Lord in their hearts. At that moment, the personal logos is nothing else than the glorification of the Logos, its joyful expression. In the tradition of someone like Vladimir Lossky (to whom Butcher will refer in the third part of his work), Orthodox theology has this precise aim: to glorify the Trinity in the union between the “knower” and Divine Being.
If Orthodox theology contemplates the divine being, this contemplation cannot be done from the outside, but from the inside. This means that the contemplation of the Trinity is not analysis of it, but its glorification: the birds sing not their song, but rather the Logos of the universe. Vladimir Lossky says that Christian apophaticism transforms rational speculation into “a contemplation of the mystery of the Trinity” (50). The negative way of apophatic knowledge cannot be, though, only this, a negative way. If it is understood as a method, apophaticism inscribes itself in a list of methods from which one may choose in one’s attempt to achieve knowledge. In some respect, apophatic knowledge stems precisely from a preference for a way of approaching knowledge. However, if it is to be Christian, apophaticism begins in love. Contemplation of the divine stems from the thirst for being, if I may use Mircea Eliade’s phrase (64). If we consider the example with the birds, contemplation of their Song stems from the thirst for this Song which awaits its birth in them.
In fact, any time we approach metaphor and truth, we are also called to give an account of knowledge, and Butcher does exactly that in various parts of the book. In Chapter 6, he shows that the notion of truth at work in the liturgy “constitutes just that kind of truth eligible for the designation ‘attestation’” (138) that we have in Ricoeur. Attestation is not knowledge in the sense of episteme, but neither is it belief in the sense of doxa, in the sense of opinion that has no given justification. Attestation goes beyond these categories—it does not lack justification in the sense that justification is not applicable to it. As Ricoeur proposes, “attestation belongs to the grammar of ‘I believe in’” (see Butcher 138), and so it corresponds to testimony—I would even say to glorification. Butcher reminds us of Ricoeur’s important discussion about the one who engages in attestation, the witness. In “The Hermeneutics of Testimony,” the French philosopher shows that the agent of attestation is the figure of the martyr. Butcher cites Ricoeur saying, “Testimony is also the engagement of a pure heart and an engagement to the death” (Ricoeur, Essays in Biblical Interpretation, see Butcher 141). Ricoeur’s observation is remarkable and it engenders a discussion about the recognition that takes place in the liturgy, which, according to Butcher, is best seen in the exchange of gifts, the moment of the kiss of peace. There are various aspects that Butcher mentions here, and I think they can be furthered developed. First, the exchange of peace takes place between persons who recognize each other as witnesses by the very fact of participating in the liturgy. At the same time, the exchange is personal: it is performed with someone who maintains his ipse-identity, different than mine, and different than any other person’s, and thus making the exchange unrepeatable. This idea correctly leads the author to mentioning Emmanuel Levinas’s notion of face, which, as he says, reveals the otherness of the other (147). But Butcher rejects too hastily that it is possible to behold this “Levinasian” face because, “all that is unveiled, as with Moses on Mt. Sinai, is the shekinah or glory of the Lord—and this from behind” (147). I think, however, that in a liturgical context, the one who is revealed—and the one to whom people also give testimony—is the ultimate Other, Christ. One can also find scriptural textual support in Jesus’ own words, in John 14:7: “If you had known me, you would know my Father as well. From now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Since Jesus proclaims that he himself is the truth, as Butcher reminds us, perhaps one could find here even more reasons to point to attestation. The one who testifies to Christ in the liturgy, the ultimate Other revealed in the face of any other, testifies also implicitly to the Father, the one whose shadow was seen from behind on Mount Sinai.
The third part of the book is the strongest and most germinal. It focuses primarily on self-identity and how Ricoeur’s notions of self apply to the interpretation of the liturgy. There are two reasons for its germinal nature. On the one hand, the text abounds in information, and the author has some powerful intuitions. He proposes that Ricoeur’s analysis of memory can “chasten the hubris of a facile historicism” (151), such as the one proposed by Michael Aune, who believes that liturgical theologians would have to focus more on historical research. Calling on Vladimir Lossky’s discussion of the Church’s tradition as holy memory to support his thesis, the author reminds us of Lossky’s view of Mary’s life “as the paradigm of anamnesis” (160). However, while Butcher agrees that a historical approach may “yield a wealth of insights” (160), he also shows that this cannot “replace the qualitatively different, existential engagement with the past that is memory; the past as lived from within” (160). In doing so, he places himself in the tradition of a Lossky or a Schmemann, and he does so by summoning Ricoeur to his defense: “According to Ricoeur, the former [the “objective” historical approach] depends in great measure upon the latter [subjective memory]” (160).
On the other hand, the text abounds in questions that need further elucidation. The author has a habit of proposing interesting avenues by asking questions that suggest an answer already formed in the author’s mind. But the connections the readers should make between what is stated and what is implied are not always that evident, and are in need of a deeper analysis. For example, on page 163, at the end of the section, “The Crisis of Testimony: Experiences ‘At the Limits,’” the author asks two questions. He begins, “Do not ‘incredulity and the will to forget’ threaten the memory of the magnolia Dei that Christian worship attempts to preserve through a manifold deployment of poetic and aesthetic resources?” Then, after just a few lines, another question ends the section: “Does not this dichotomy impel the very mutation and multiplication of forms of worship to which liturgical history bears witness, while also occasioning the atavism within this same history of iconoclastic (and fundamentalist) movements—as well as the perennial presence of mystical currents eschewing corporate prayer altogether in favor of silence and solitude?” (163). Both questions purport to be rhetorical, and asking such questions seems to belong to the author’s style. Nevertheless, their frequency throughout the book can be frustrating.
The final section focuses on the Great Blessing of the Waters, the liturgical service that is best suited to a Ricoeurian analysis. Indeed, while one may say that a liturgy is the revelation of the body of Christ, the Church, that is formed in the coming together of worshippers, the Great Blessing of the Waters has a revelation at another level as well: it is the moment when, according to Tradition, the Trinity is revealed. Both God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove attest and witness to Jesus’ divinity. To my mind, this service can provide the occasion for an analysis of human work of attestation in the likeness of the divine self-attestation, but Butcher does not go in this direction.
Butcher’s volume is a tour de force, in which the author exhibits a wide awareness of the scholarly work in liturgical theology and Ricoeurian studies. While I believe that it leaves certain aspects not fully developed, focusing, perhaps, too much on a description of various responses to Ricoeur’s work instead of deepening the analysis of the ideas that the author proposes, it certainly emphasizes the need for an increase in dialogue between contemporary philosophical work and theological studies.
Eliade, Mircea. The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion. Orlando: Harcourt, 1987.
Lossky, Vladimir. The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church. Crestwood: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1997.
[i] I acknowledge that, taken separately, each of these questions can be understood differently in its own right. At the same time, the use of Logos is quite liberal; I do not imply here Christ, but rather the Logos used in ancient philosophy, the one of Heraclitus, which one may not utter, but may hear behind the various particular utterings of people.
Publicado em 21 de fevereiro de 2019 21 de fevereiro de 2019 Autor Octavian GaborCategorias ResenhasTags Alexander Schmemann, Hermeneutics, Liturgical Theology, Orthodox Theology, Paul Ricoeur, PhilosophyDeixe um comentário em Brian A. Butcher: Liturgical Theology after Schmemann: An Orthodox Reading of Paul Ricoeur
Michael N. Forster, Kristin Gjesdal (Eds.): The Cambridge Companion to Hermeneutics, Cambridge University Press, 2019
Título: The Cambridge Companion to Hermeneutics
Series: Cambridge Companions to Philosophy
Autor: Michael N. Forster, Kristin Gjesdal (Eds.)
Format: Paperback £ 22.99
Publicado em 25 de janeiro de 2019 25 de janeiro de 2019 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags German Idealism, Hermeneutics, Human Sciences, Law, Phenomenology, Psychoanalysis, Romanticism, TheologyDeixe um comentário em Michael N. Forster, Kristin Gjesdal (Eds.): The Cambridge Companion to Hermeneutics, Cambridge University Press, 2019
Brian Gregor: Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics of Religion: Rebirth of the Capable Self, Lexington Books, 2018
Título: Ricoeur's Hermeneutics of Religion: Rebirth of the Capable Self
Autor: Brian Gregor
Publisher: Lexington Books
Format: Hardback $95.00
Publicado em 14 de novembro de 2018 14 de novembro de 2018 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags Capability, Desire, Divine Personhood, Eschatology, Hermeneutics, Homo incapax, Paul Ricoeur, Philosophy of Religion, Religion, Revelation, ViolenceDeixe um comentário em Brian Gregor: Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics of Religion: Rebirth of the Capable Self, Lexington Books, 2018
Jørgen Sneis: Phänomenologie und Textinterpretation: Studien zur Theoriegeschichte und Methodik der Literaturwissenschaft, De Gruyter, 2018
Título: Phänomenologie und Textinterpretation: Studien zur Theoriegeschichte und Methodik der Literaturwissenschaft
Series: Historia Hermeneutica. Series Studia 17
Autor: Jørgen Sneis
Publisher: De Gruyter
Format: Hardback 89,95 € / $103.99 / £82.00
Páginas: ix, 317
Publicado em 06 de outubro de 2018 06 de outubro de 2018 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags Emilio Betti, Eric Donald Hirsch, Hermeneutics, Husserl, Literary Studies, Nicolai Hartmann, Phenomenology, Roman Ingarden, Wolfgang IserDeixe um comentário em Jørgen Sneis: Phänomenologie und Textinterpretation: Studien zur Theoriegeschichte und Methodik der Literaturwissenschaft, De Gruyter, 2018
Stefan Orth, Peter Reifenberg (Hrsg.): Hermeneutik der Anerkennung: Philosophische und theologische Anknüpfungen an Paul Ricœur, Karl Alber Verlag, 2018
Título: Hermeneutik der Anerkennung: Philosophische und theologische Anknüpfungen an Paul Ricœur
Autor: Stefan Orth, Peter Reifenberg (Hrsg.)
Publisher: Karl Alber Verlag
Publicado em 24 de setembro de 2018 24 de setembro de 2018 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags Hermeneutic Philosophy, Hermeneutics, Paul Ricoeur, TheologyDeixe um comentário em Stefan Orth, Peter Reifenberg (Hrsg.): Hermeneutik der Anerkennung: Philosophische und theologische Anknüpfungen an Paul Ricœur, Karl Alber Verlag, 2018
John Arthos: Hermeneutics After Ricoeur, Bloomsbury, 2018
Título: Hermeneutics After Ricoeur
Series: Bloomsbury Studies in Continental Philosophy
Autor: John Arthos
Format: Hardback $102.60
Publicado em 30 de agosto de 2018 30 de agosto de 2018 Autor Phenomenological ReviewsCategorias PublicationsTags Continental Philosophy, Dialogic Hermeneutics, Gadamer, Heidegger, Hermeneutics, Philosophy, RicoeurDeixe um comentário em John Arthos: Hermeneutics After Ricoeur, Bloomsbury, 2018
Saulius Geniusas (Ed.): Stretching the Limits of Productive Imagination: Studies in Kantianism, Phenomenology and Hermeneutics
Título: Stretching the Limits of Productive Imagination: Studies in Kantianism, Phenomenology and Hermeneutics
Series: Social Imaginaries
Autor: Saulius Geniusas (Ed.)
Reviewed by: Roger W. H. Savage (University of California)
In his introduction to this timely volume, Saulius Geniusas underscores the diverse ways in which the essays collected in this book address the concept of the productive imagination. By asking what this concept entails, Geniusas outlines the reach of the contributors’ various investigations into the history of this concept, the role of productive imagination in social and political life, and the various forms that it takes. Geniusas astutely points out that the meaning and significance of the productive imagination cannot be confined to the philosophical framework or frameworks in which it was conceived. Moreover, as Geniusas and several contributors points out, the power that Kant identified with the art of intuiting a unity of manifold sensible impressions was for Kant secreted away in the soul. As the faculty of synthesis, the workings of the productive imagination prove to be elusive, as the essays in this volume attest. While Kant was not the first philosopher to employ the concept of productive imagination (Geniusas explains that Wolff and Baumgarten had taken up this concept in their work), the central philosophical importance he accorded it vests the concept of the productive imagination with its transcendental significance. In his introduction, Geniusas accordingly provides an instructive summary of Kant’s conceptualization of the productive imagination in the Critique of Pure Reason and in the Critique of Aesthetic Judgment.
Kant’s treatment of the productive imagination in the Critique of Pure Reason and the Critique of Aesthetic Judgment is the staging ground for post-Kantian engagements. Geniusas remarks that the transcendental function Kant identifies with imagination in the first Critique leads him to draw a distinction between the productive imagination as an empirical faculty and the imagination as the a priori condition for producing schemata of sensible concepts. Geniusas’s review of the role of the schema provides the reader with an introduction to Kant’s philosophical enterprise. According to Geniusas, Kant “identifies productive imagination as the power than enables consciousness to subsume intuition under the concept the understanding” (ix) by engendering schemata of substance or of a cause, for example. From this standpoint, experience is possible due to this act of subsumption. Hence, one could “qualify productive imagination as the power that shapes the field of phenomenality” (ix).
Conversely, the account Kant provides in the third Critique places the accent on the productive imagination’s creative function. Whereas in the first Critique the power of imagination is operative in subsuming an intuitive manifold under the categorical structure of a universal, in the third Critique the direction of subsumption is reversed. Hence, in aesthetic judgment the power of imagination is operative in the way that the individual case summons its rule.[1] Conceptualizing the “experience of beauty as a feeling of pleasure that arises due to imagination’s capacity to display the harmonious interplay between reason and sensibility” (ix), as Kant does on Geniusas’ account, underscores the difference between determinative and reflective judgment. Geniusas here identifies the productive imagination’s conceptualization with its medial function within the framework of Kant’s philosophy. Furthermore, this medial function is at once both reconciliatory and procreative. By generating the schemata that provide images for concepts as in the first Critique, or by creating symbols that harmonize sensible appearances and the understanding as in the third Critique, the productive imagination “reconciles the antagonisms between different faculties by rendering the intuitive manifold fit for experience” (ix). Geniusas can therefore say that for Kant, the productive imagination acquires its transcendental significance by reason of the fact that this faculty of synthesis is the condition for the possibility of all phenomenal experience.
The several difficulties and drawbacks of Kant’s conception of the productive imagination that Geniusas subsequently identifies sets the tone for several of the chapters in this book. First, the concept of productive imagination as Kant employs it “appears [to be] too thin” (x) to accommodate post-Kantian philosophies in which the productive imagination figures. Second, one could object that Kant’s use of the term “productive imagination” in his various writings, including the first and third Critiques, differs in significant ways. Third, most post-Kantian thinkeoers, Geniusas emphasizes, do not subscribe to the ostensible dualisms of sensibility and understanding, phenomena and noumena, nature and freedom, and theoretical and practical reason that pervade Kant’s philosophical system. Post-Kantian philosophies, Geniusas therefore stresses, seek to capitalize on the productive imagination’s constitutive function while purifying it of its reconciliatory one. As such, the volume’s success in engaging with the Kantian concept of productive imagination while attending to this concept’s history in relation to the different philosophical frameworks in which it figures rests in part on the ways in which the contributing authors situate their analyses in relation to the broader themes set out in the editor’s introduction.
Günter Zöller’s study of the transcendental function of the productive imagination in Kant’s philosophy highlights the parallel treatment of reason and the understanding with regard to the imagination’s schematizing power. Charged with bridging the gap between sensibility and the understanding, the faculty of imagination assumes this transcendental function in order to account for the production of images that constitute cognitive counterparts to the sensible manifold of a priori pure intuitions. Zöller explains that as the source of these images, transcendental schemata provide the generative rules for placing particular intuitive manifolds under the appropriate concepts. As such, these transcendental schemata evince the extraordinary power of the productive imagination. The imagination’s medial role vis-à-vis sensibility and reason is no less extraordinary. Zöller subsequently emphasizes that Kant introduces the term “symbol” in order to differentiate between “a schema, as constitutively correlated with a category of the understanding, and its counterpart, essentially linked to an idea of reason” (13). Zöller concludes by remarking on the analogical significance of the natural order for the moral order in Kant’s practical philosophy. On Zöller’s account, a twin symbolism either “informed by the mechanism constitute of modern natures sciences … [or] shaped by the organicism of [the then] contemporary emerging biology” (16) thus give rise to different conceptions of political life in which normative distinctions between rival forms of governance take hold.
By emphasizing the formative-generative role of the imagination as Wilhelm Dilthey conceives it, Eric S. Nelson situates Dilthey’s revision of Kant’s critical paradigm in the broader context of Dilthey’s “postmetaphysical reconstruction” (26) of it. For Nelson, “Dilthey’s reliance on and elucidation of dynamic structural wholes of relations that constitute a nexus (Zusammenhang) is both a transformation of and an alternative to classical transcendental philosophy and philosophical idealism that relies on constitution through the subject” (26). Reconceived as historically emergent, structurally integral wholes, transcendental conditions that for Kant were given a priori are eschewed in favor of the primacy of experience conditioned by the relational nexuses of these dynamically emergent wholes. Since it “operates within an intersubjective nexus rather than produce it from out of itself” (28), the imagination is productive in that it generates images, types, and forms of experience that can be re-created in the process of understanding. Nelson here cites Dilthey: “all understanding involves a re-creation in my psyche …. [that is to be located] in an imaginative process (cited 32-33). According to Nelson, for Dilthey the imagination’s formative-generative role plays a seminal part in enacting a historically situated reason and in orienting the feeling of life rooted in specific socio-historical conditions and contexts. While Dilthey rejected aestheticism, poetry and art for him are nevertheless “closest to and most expressive of the self-presentation of life in its texture, fulness, and complexity” (38). Aesthetics consequently provides an exemplary model with regard to the human sciences’ “systematic study of historical expressions of life” (Dilthey, cited 39).
Claudio Majolino’s examination of the phenomenological turn reprises significant moments of the history of the concept of the productive imagination. Starting with Christian Wolf’s definitions of the facultas imaginandi and the facultas fingendi, Majolino follows the course of different philosophical accounts of the imagination’s productive character. Unlike Wolff’s definition, which stresses the imagination’s power to feign objects that in the case of phantasms have never been seen, Kant on Majolino’s account replaces the “idea of ‘producing perceptions of sensible absent things’ … with that of ‘intuiting even without the presence of the object’” (50). Kant’s insistence on the productive imagination’s a priori synthetic power consequently opens the door to a Heideggerian strand of phenomenology. According to Majolino, the productive imagination manifests its solidarity with the main issue of ontology as the source of the upwelling of truth. The stress Paul Ricoeur places on metaphor’s redescription of the real in light of a heuristic fiction and on fiction’s power to project a world that is unique to the work accentuates the productive imagination’s ontological significance and force in this regard. Ricoeur accordingly illustrates the “first ‘hermeneutical’ way in which PI [productive imagination] turns into a full-fledged phenomenological concept” (61). For Majolino, Husserl’s account of Kant’s concept of productive imagination opens a second way to phenomenology, which following this other path describes the eidetic features of a form of phantasy consciousness that in the case of poetic fictions are free of cognitive constraints. Majolino consequently asks whether the “eidetic possibility of the end of the world” (73), which he credits to the originality of free fantasies that in Husserl’s view mobilize emotions, offers a more fecund alternative to the course inaugurated by Heidegger.
Like Majolino, Quingjie James Wang credits Heidegger with singling out the productive imagination’s original ontological significance. According to Wang, Heidegger identifies two competing theses within Kant’s system: the “duality thesis,” for which the senses and the understanding are the two sources of cognition, and the “triad thesis,” for which an intuitive manifold, this manifold’s synthesis, and this synthesis’s unity are the conditions of possibility of all experience. For this latter thesis, the transcendental schema, which for Kant is the “medium of al synthetic judgments” (Kant, cited 83), constitutes the third term. On Wang’s account, Heidegger endorses the triad thesis by interpreting Kant’s concept of the transcendental power of imitation in terms of a “transcendental schematism, that is, as schematization of pure concepts within a transcendental horizon of temporality” (87). This transcendental schematism precedes, phenomenologically speaking, psychologists’ and anthropologists’ conception of the imagination’s power. Wang remarks that for Heidegger, the transcendental power of imagination is the existential and ontological root from which existence, life, as well as the phenomena amenable to phenomenological inquiry proceed. Wang accordingly concludes by stressing that for Heidegger, the “originality of the pure synthesis, i.e., its letting-spring-forth” (Heidegger, cited 88) reveals itself as the root of the imagination’s transcendental power.
Saulius Geniusas’s engagement with Miki Kiyoshi’s philosophy brings a transcultural dimension to this volume. Miki’s philosophy, Geniusas stresses, is one of productive imagination. Moreover, “[b]y kōsōryoku, Miki understands a power more original than reason, which is constitutive of the sociocultural world” (92). On this view, the productive imagination shapes our world-understanding through generating collective representations, symbols, and forms. Miki’s phenomenology, Geniusas accordingly explains, is Hegelian and Husserlian. Furthermore, for Miki, “imagination can only be understood within the standpoint of action” (94). Hence, only from this standpoint can one thematize the productive imagination’s transformative power. Contra Ricoeur, whose goal, Geniusas maintains, is to develop a typology of forms of the productive imagination, Miki aims to “ground productive imagination in the basic experience from which productive imagination as such arises” (96). According to Miki, the logic of action, which is equivalent to the logic of imagination, is rooted in group psychology. Geniusas remarks that Miki’s insistence that the logic of imagination differs from the logic of the intellect is difficult to understand. Accordingly, Geniusas’s account of the way that collective representations, symbols, and forms both shape our understandings and experiences and refashion the given order of existence ties the logic of productive imagination to the real’s formation, reformation, and transformation. For Geniusas, a “philosophy that grants primacy to imagination over reason and sensibility provides a viable alternative to rationalism and empiricism and a much more compelling account of the Japanese … 1940s than any rationalist or empiricist position could ever generate” (104-105). For such a philosophy, the notion that imagination plays a seminal role in the constitution of historical, socio-cultural worlds would seem to open the door to a further consideration of the nexus of reason and imagination vis-à-vis the initiatives historical actors take in response to the exigencies and demands of the situations in which they find themselves.
In order to attend to everyday experiences, Kathleen Lennon adopts the idea that imagination is operative in images that give shape and form to the world. By rejecting the concept derived from Hume that images are faint copies of sensory perceptions, she espouses a broader conception that she initially relates to Kant. Similar to several other authors in this volume, she remarks how Kant credits the synthesis of a manifold apprehended in a single intuition to the productive imagination. As such, she identifies the work of the productive imagination with the activity of schematizing this synthetic operation. Lennon stresses the relation between schema and image by citing Kant: “imagination has to bring the manifold of intuition in the form of an image” (115). From this standpoint, the activity of “seeing as,” which she points out has been emphasized by several writers including P. F. Strawson and Ludwig Wittgenstein, draws its force from the way that the image schematizes the unity drawn from a manifold of sensations. At the same time, for her, the “picture of a noumenal subject confronting a noumenal world” (118) in Kant’s second Critique haunts his account of the imagination. Unlike Kant, who Lennon maintains tied both reproductive and productive imagination to perception, Jean-Paul Sartre bifurcates perception and imagination. According to Lennon, on this account the act of imagining for Sartre evinces the ground of our freedom through negating the real. In contrast, Maurice Merleau-Ponty “introduces the terms visible and invisible” (120) in place of the distinctions drawn by Sartre between presence and absence, being and nothingness, and the imaginary and the real. Rather than impose a conceptual form on intuited matter, Lennon says that for Merleau-Ponty the synthesizing activity of the imagination is the “taking up or grasping of shape in the world we encounter” (123) as it emerges in relation to our bodies. Lennon rightly maintains that feelings are felt on things as they manifest themselves to us.[2] For her, that both Sartre and Merleau-Ponty view the “imaginary as providing us with the affective depth of the experienced world” (125) is therefore constitutive of the ways that we respond to it.
The subversive power that Annabelle Dufourcq attributes to the field of the imaginary for her calls into question the pattern of the world based on a synthetic activity “concealed in the depth of the human soul” (Kant, cited 129). In her view, both Gaston Bachelard and Merleau-Ponty recognize the imaginary’s capacity both to distort the real and to render it in striking ways. Dufourcq accordingly searches out the ontological roots of the productive imagination in order to understand how, in contrast to the “arbitrary activity of a subjective faculty called my imagination” (130), the being of things makes images and fantasies possible. Following Husserl, who she maintains “rejects the idea that imagination is first and foremost a human faculty” (131), she adopts the notion that fantasies provide a more accurate model for thinking about images than do pictures. Unlike perceptions, in the case of fantasy, an imaginary world competes with the real in a way that it might even be said to supplant it. Hence for Dufourcq, reality itself become problematic in light of fantasy’s power to unseat the set of significations adumbrated within a limited perceptual field. Her assertation that “Cezanne’s paintings are integral part of the reality of the Mount Santie-Victorie [as] Merleau-Ponty claims in Eye and Mind” (136) resonates with Ricoeur’s claim that works iconically augment the real.[3] Unlike Ricoeur, for whom the real’s mimetic refiguration of the real brings about an increase in being, Dufourcq maintains that Being lies “in the echo of itself. …. [as] the shimmering that … gives birth to beings” (138). How, she therefore asks, can an ontology of the imaginary escape the nihilism born from the belief that there is no reality beyond the imagery of its representation. In response to the question: “[H]ow can one know what the right action is?” (140), the ethics she espouses assigns a profound meaning to any “symbolic” action the value of which ostensibly will be recognized later by those who follow after.
Kwok-ying Lau’s defense of Sartre ostensibly offers a response to Ricoeur’s critique of the representative illusion and by extension of Ricoeur’s theory of mimesis. For Lau, as a writer of fiction, Sartre could hardly have been ignorant of the imagination’s productive power. Hence according to Lau, for Sartre the creative imagination’s essential condition consists in its capacity to produce the irreality of an image posited as the “nonexistence of an object” (152) presentified by it. Conceived as “nothingness,” the irreality of the imagined object is for Sartre an ontological category won through the imagination’s nihilating act. By insisting that fiction for Ricoeur is ontic, Lau overlooks Ricoeur’s insight into how a work’s mimetic refiguration of the real brings about an increase in being. Following Sartre, Lau instead insists that the production of image-fictions takes place in “a void, a nowhere” (153) outside or beyond the real without the need to refer to any existent things. The act of “irrealizing” the real is undoubtedly attributable to the productive imagination’s subversive force. Yet, one could ask whether by giving a “phenomenological and ontological explication of the absolute status of consciousness, whose freedom allows it to express and operate as … the constitutive origin of the world of reality” (153), Sartre in Lau’s reading of him supplants the model of the image-picture and the attendant metaphysics of presence with an aestheticizing idealization of the “[m]imesis of the imaginary” (159) that preserves intact the Platonic theory of imitation while seemingly reversing its direction.
The relation between reason and imagination figures prominently in Suzi Adams’s reflections on Cornelius Castoriadas’s theory of the radical imaginary. Adams stresses that for Castoriadas, the “radical imaginary is a dimension of society” (163). Like Merleau-Ponty, Castoriadas regards phenomenology as a means of interrogating the interplay between history, social formations, and creative impulse that, as the “‘other’ of reason in modernity” (167), unsettles philosophy. At the same time, unlike Merleau-Ponty, Castoriadas embraces the radicality of the social imaginary as instituting the particular set of significations that constitute the real. Adams emphasizes that for Castoriadas, the real is irreducible to functionalist determinations, since any functionalist approach to society “already presupposes the activity of the imaginary element” (171). Accordingly, Castoriadas sets out a tripartite structure in which functional, symbolic, and imaginary aspects of social institutions operate together. Overturning the long-received distinction between the imaginary and the real in this way brings to the fore the radical imaginary’s significance vis-à-vis the networks of symbolic significations that constitute reality for a particular society. For Castoriadas, “the imaginary institution of the real” (176) thus takes shape as a “new form created by the socio-historical out of nothing” (177)—that is, as a creatio ex nihilo that is irreducible to any prior antecedents. Adams remarks the Castoriadas’s turn to ontology and his “radicalization of creation to ex nihilo meant that he could no longer account for the world relation of ‘the meaning of meaning’” (161). From this standpoint, Castoriadas’s contribution to our understanding of the social imaginary opens an avenue for exploring the relation between the productive imagination, the rational, and the real.
Richard Kearney’s attention to the difference between phenomenological accounts that regard imagination as a special mode of vision and Paul Ricoeur’s turn to language underscores the ineluctable role of imagination in the production of meaning. Most philosophies of imagination, Kearney remarks, have failed to develop a hermeneutical account of the creation of meaning in language. Ricoeur’s tensive theory of metaphor redresses this failure by highlighting how a new meaning is drawn from the literal ruins of an initial semantic impertinence. The semantic innovation that in the case of metaphor leads to seeing a peace process as on the ropes, for example, owes its power to disclose aspects of reality that were previously hidden to the power of imagination. Kearney accordingly stresses that imagination is operative in the “act of responding to a demand for new meaning” (190) through suspending ordinary references in order to reveal new ways of inhering in the world. Kearney subsequently sets out Ricoeur’s treatments of the symbolic, oneiric, poetic, and utopian modalities of the imagination. The power of the imagination to open the “theater of one’s liberty, as a horizon of hope” (189) bears out the specifically human capacity to surpass the real from within. Kearney points out that “without the backward look a culture is deprived of its memory, without the forward look it is deprived of its dreams” (202). The dialectical rapprochement between imagination and reason made possible by a critical hermeneutics is thus a further staging ground for a philosophical reflection on the imagination’s operative role in the response to the demand for meaning, reason, and truth.
The two chapters that conclude this volume explore how the concept of productive imagination might apply to nonlinguistic thought and imaginary kinesthetic experiences. By claiming that scenic phantasma (which he equates with “social imaginary”) play out fantasies concerning complex social problems, Dieter Lohmar ostensibly extends the role played by the imagination to regions in which the symbolism at work subtends or supersedes language-based thinking. On Lohamr’s view, scenic phantasma draw their force from nonlinguistic systems of symbolic representations that he maintains are operative in human experience. At the same time, the narrative elements that he insists inhere in scenic phantasma vest the “series of scenic images” (207) that he likens to short and condensed video clips with an evaluative texture. According to Lohmar, “it is nearly impossible to represent the high complexity of social situations by means of language alone” (208). For him, the recourse to scenic phantasma offers a nonlinguistic alternative for representing these complex situations in an intuitive way. Weaving series of scenic representations together into a “kind of ‘story’” (209) redresses the apparently insurmountable problem of conceptualizing adequately real-life situations and calculating accurately the probabilities of possible outcomes. Scenic presentations of one’s attitudes and behavior in response to a personal or social problem or crisis thus supposedly provides a more reliable basis for judging the situation and making a decision as to how to act than linguistically mediated accounts of events. Lohmar insists that “[o]nly in the currency of feeling are we able to ‘calculate’” (212) possible outcomes through appraising competing factors in order to arrive at a decision. For him, this “‘calculation’ in the emotional dimension” (210) thus provides a greater surety with regard to one’s motives and convictions than propositional abstractions.
The theory of kinesthetic imagination that Gediminas Karoblis advances extends the concept of productive imagination to the corporeal reality of bodily movement. According to Karoblis, Ricoeur voids the corporeal moment of kinesthetic movement by ridding the imagination of the spell of the body in order to account for the productive imagination’s transformative power.[4] In Karoblis’s view, Ricoeur insistence on fiction’s capacity to place the real in suspense accords with the idea that the “kinesthetic sphere in principle pulls us back to reality” (232). Similar to Lohmar, Karoblis sets kinesthetic phantasy against the linguistic domain. For him, contemporary virtual and augmented realities are as much phantasy worlds as are the worlds projected by narrative fictions. Kinesthetic phantasy, he therefore maintains, involves a phantasy body that is “positively imagined as free” (234) as, for example, in the case of flying. According to Lohmar, positing bodily movement as quasi-movement, as though the act of flying was physically enacted, fulfills the “necessary requirement of the irreality and the freedom applicable to any imagination’ (233). We might wonder whether a future in which kinesthetic experiences manipulated by designers of fully immersive computer games will be one that supplants fiction’s mimetic refiguration of the practical field of our everyday experiences. Conversely, the kinesthetic imagination’s role in figuring nonnarrative dance, for example, evinces its productive force through revealing the grace and power of bodies in motion.
The essays in this volume thus not only explore the enigmas and challenges posed by Kant’s conceptualization of the productive imagination, but they also broaden the scope of inquiries into the imagination’s operative role in various dimensions of our experiences. The sundry directions taken by post-Kantian critiques and appropriations of the concept of productive imagination is a testament both to this concept’s fecundity and to its continuing currency in contemporary philosophical thought. Furthermore, the degree to which the authors in this volume draw upon, and in some ways are inspired by, Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, Castoriadas, and Ricoeur bear out the extent to which the work of these authors adds to, and augments, the history of this concept. We should therefore also recognize how, in these essays, philosophical imagination is at work. For, every question, difficulty, or challenge calling for an innovative response sets the imagination to work. Genius, Kant maintains, “is the talent … that gives the rule to art.”[5] Correlatively, he insists that the products of genius must be exemplary. Phronesis, which according to Aristotle is a virtue that cannot be taught, has a corollary analogue in the power by reason of which of social and historical agents intervene in the course of the world’s affairs. The essays collected in this volume are indicative of the productive imagination’s ineluctable significance. As such, this volume broadens the scope of philosophical deliberations on the often highly-contested terrain of a concept the operative value of which is seemingly beyond dispute.
[1] See Paul Ricoeur, The Just, trans. David Pellauer (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 2000). Ricoeur explains that by allowing for a “split within the idea of subsumption” (95), Kant reverses the direction of a determinative judgment, which consists in placing the particular case under a universal. Consequently, in aesthetic judgment, the individual case expresses the rule by exemplifying it.
[2] See Paul Ricoeur, Fallible Man, trans. Charles A. Kelbley (New York: Fordham University Press, 1986). Ricoeur emphasizes that is definitely intentional, in that a feeling is always a feeling of “something.” At the same time, feeling’s strange intentionality inheres in the way that the one hand, feeling “designates qualities felt on things, on persons, on the world, and on the other hand [it] manifests and reveals the way in which the self is inwardly affected” (84).
[3] Paul Ricoeur, A Ricoeur Reader: Reflection and Imagination, ed. Mario J. Valdés (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1991), 130-133; Paul Ricoeur, François Azouvi, and Marc de Launay, Critique and Conviction: Conversations with François Azouvi and Marc de Launay, trans. Kathleen Blamey (New York: Columbia University Press, 1998), 179.
[4] Cf. Paul Ricoeur, Freedom and Nature: The Voluntary and the Involuntary, trans. Erazim V. Kohák (Evanston: Northwestern University Press, 1966).
[5] Immanuel Kant, Critique of Judgment, trans. Werner S. Pluhar (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1987), 174.
Publicado em 24 de agosto de 2018 03 de setembro de 2018 Autor Roger W. H. SavageCategorias ResenhasTags Castoriadas, Heidegger, Hermeneutics, Husserl, Imagination, Kant, Merleau-Ponty, Phenomenology, Ricoeur, Sartre1 comentário em Saulius Geniusas (Ed.): Stretching the Limits of Productive Imagination: Studies in Kantianism, Phenomenology and Hermeneutics
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Download Holford: A study in architecture, planning and civic design by Iain Gordon Cherry, Gordon Cherry, L. Penny PDF
By Iain Gordon Cherry, Gordon Cherry, L. Penny
Via a biography of this significant architect, planner and civic dressmaker, the authors supply a desirable research of the advancements in British structure and making plans from the 1930's to the 1970's.
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Additional info for Holford: A study in architecture, planning and civic design
27 The waiting made no difference. At the beginning of May they escaped ‘with a pair of pyjamas and masses of oil paint’ to the hills outside Rome: and later trips, made with the aid of a gold ring and assumed names, followed. They made, both physically and otherwise, a strikingly contrasted couple. She was impulsive and extrovert, given to expressing herself strongly upon any matter, and had something of the spoiled child about her. But she was warm, sympathetic and open-hearted. It must, in many respects, have been an attraction of opposites.
Then soon afterwards the opportunity for going away arrived, and I decided to go away alone. I can’t explain in words why I know that I was right, but I think you may see it. When I go back we will see how things are. 27 The waiting made no difference. At the beginning of May they escaped ‘with a pair of pyjamas and masses of oil paint’ to the hills outside Rome: and later trips, made with the aid of a gold ring and assumed names, followed. They made, both physically and otherwise, a strikingly contrasted couple.
It is worth noting, however, that we have no evidence of his ever having gone in search of it. We do not know whether he was even aware of the struggles which were being played out between MIAR and the National Syndicate of Architects: if so, he did not concern himself with them. His main contact with the new architecture and with the politics of Europe was made through his correspondence with Stephenson, who had obtained a Chadwick Fellowship to study sanitary science in Paris. This he contrived to do by studying at the Paris University Institut d’Urbanisme and, for a time, by working in the office of Le Corbusier.
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“Dancing With Stars” Pairs Evil Despots
Walter 1915 | Oct 21, 2018 | Comments 0
(Hollyrock) A troupe of the world’s most evil dictators will pair up for the finale of “Dancing with the Stars” next Monday night according to a network source. In addition to what many see as positive exposure on American television, the leaders of eight selected nations will compete for a spot on the prestigious, albeit expanding, Axis of Evil.
The original host of the extravaganza, Donald Trump, had to be replaced at the eleventh hour by a bowl of knock-off Russian caviar since he is busy playing President of the United States.
A creation of the Bush Administration, the Axis of Evil initially included such carefully choreographed acts as North Korea and Iran but ignored the evil ballroom accomplishments of such stalwarts as Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and China.
The eight tyrant couples that will compete in Monday night’s presentation include Omar Hassan Al-Bashir (Sudan) with Robert Mugabe (ex-Zimbabwe); Mahmoud Ackmadinejad (Iran) with Hu Jintao (China); Isayas Afeweki (Eritrea) with Than Shwe (Myanmar) and Kim Jong-un II (North Korea) with King Abdullah (ex-Saudi Arabia). Alternates (stand-ins) include deceased tyrants Muammar al-Quaddafi (Libya) and Hugo Chavez (Venezuela).
At the time of the selections there were no women tyrants in charge of entire nations, although some Argentines would argue the point.
Each team was hand chosen based on common traits and long-range goals. For example, human rights abuses are rampant in Iran and China while women are treated like livestock in North Korea and Saudi Arabia.
“We wanted the dancing couples to be in sync and have something to talk about during breaks in the action,” said dance floor supervisor Juanita Stalini. “Each will be outfitted with sophisticated translation devices that will allow for easy exchange of information. Heck,” she offered, “maybe the performers can pick up a few good totalitarian tips while waltzing around in front of the TV cameras.”
When asked why Dick “Dick” Cheney was not included in the roster Stalini did not comment. Viewers from the international audience had nominated the former vice president 3 – 1 in last month’s mail in ballot. Hollyrock insiders say negotiations broke down: Cheney’s interest quickly diminished when it became clear that performers would be executing dance steps sans compensation.
However, government pension millionaire Cheney will appear as a special guest. Although Cheney, like Bush was not technically a dictator as such he certainly exhibited designs toward that status. Cheney will reportedly interpret Wagner’s sunny opera, Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg where he will perform a snappy tap dance rendition and later join the entire troupe for the popular connect-the-dot two-step “She’s Too Fat for Me” polka to close the show.
Many of the participants see the television program as a chance to present themselves in a happy arena and to make points with the enthusiastic viewing public.
“Far too often dictators are perceived as stogie thugs who don’t take the time to smell the roses,” said Stalini. “We hope that the show helps to dispel hurtful stereotypes like these.”
This is the first time a reality show has been picked as a venue to determine the coveted Axis of Evil membership.
– Small Mouth Bess
“They got ‘em a car on time
and a brand new flat screen TV
While the rich keep telling them
“You’re free! You’re free! You’re free!
– from The Song of the Western Eunoch
Filed Under: Reflections on Disorder
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An FYI: Summer Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Openings
This is test — for another summer. A trial measure has been once again put in place to quell seasonally high traffic volume between Rumson and Sea Bright via the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge.
The Monmouth County drawbridge which spans over the Shrewsbury River, will again open less frequently for a test period of time, Monmouth County engineering officials announced, calling the schedule a “temporary deviation.”
During the summer on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., the drawbridge will only open every hour on the hour. “Until a permanent rule change takes effect, this modification to the schedule will need to be implemented on a weekly basis,” a released statement from the county said. In other words, the U.S. Coast Guard reaffirm this deviation on a weekly basis all summer long, unless an emergent situation arises. Previously, the bridge opened every half hour from May 15 to Sept. 30 in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations.
However, gridlock traffic between the two towns and a better balance with boater traffic was needed as the county moves into implementation of its plan to build a new bridge, construction of which is slated to start in 2021. Currently, the project is in its design phase. The bridge, built in 1950, which has been determined to have exhausted its useful life, is traversed by up to 15,000 vehicles during the peak summer season.
County officials have said that the test schedule will be monitored for effectiveness to facilitate a permanent change in current regulations.
The U.S. Coast Guard will make a final decision on the future bridge opening schedule based on data collected during the test period and public comments. For more information about the Coast Guard’s notice to Monmouth County’s engineers, click here.
Inquiries may be directed to Denis Walsh, P.E., Monmouth County Principal Engineer at 732-431-7760, ext. 8550.
boat trafficbridgebridge replacementfeatureRumsonRumson-Sea Bright Bridge
Previous PostRetro RFH Summer TheaterNext PostDWI Checkpoint Set for Sea Bright
Make up time for the cast of Carnival at RFH summer of 1976 Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Cliff Rigby backstage at RFH summer theater production of Carnival Photo/Elaine Van Develde
Summer theater productions are opening all over the Rumson-Fair Haven area. This seasonal show time for locals has proven as popular as hitting the beach with buddies — OK, far away from the invasion of the outta town tourists.
Retro RFH Summer Theater
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One-way Traffic?
One of the committees I was on this year recently consumed quite a lot of my time, and involved a marathon session in which a group of faculty from all over the university got together and discussed other faculty. I (mostly) enjoyed the wide-ranging debates and glimpses of academic life in other disciplines. I had particularly intriguing discussions with an art historian and a psychologist, and felt overall that my time on this committee was well-spent.
This was my first time on this committee, which I agreed to join in part because I had always found this committee's methods a bit mysterious and I wanted to know how it worked.
Here are some miscellaneous observations about this committee experience:
1. My generally optimistic view of academics was confirmed. There were a lot of nice people on this large committee. These were faculty who devoted quite a lot of time to tasks intended to help other faculty, and in particular early-career faculty. I would say that the committee is moderately powerful -- not as powerful as a P&T Committee but more powerful than most policy committees. Yet these faculty were not in it for the power or for settling scores or whatever other cynical reasons people might imaging would impel professors to take on a time-consuming committee assignment.
2. When evaluating other faculty, the Liberal Arts Professors (LAPs) and Fine Arts Professors (FAPs) were harder on their colleagues than they were on the scientists, engineers, or social scientists. In fact, the LAPs and FAPs were harder on their colleagues than the scientists etc. were on anyone.
I certainly am not going to make a sweeping conclusion about this based on one experience with a particular set of individuals. Nevertheless, I found this phenomenon quite interesting. Warning: I am about to muse about this one anecdotal event despite the small sample size and lack of a control group, statistical analysis, IRB permission, and coffee.
Hypothesis: The LAPs and FAPs were not comfortable being highly critical about research topics far outside their expertise, so they tended to give the benefit of the doubt to science and engineering faculty. They were more critical of fellow professors, even highly successful ones, because they felt that they had a more solid basis from which to be critical.
The converse was not true -- science-technology-engineering-math (STEM) and social science faculty showed no particular propensity to be more critical of any particular discipline than another. Does this mean that we STEM etc. faculty are nicer? Or are we so egotistical that we think we know something about everything? Or is it because we are not intimidated by the non-scientific research in the same way that the LAPs and FAPs are intimidated by more quantitative fields?
These last questions remind me of a part of the novel Solar (by Ian McEwan), about which I will write more tomorrow. The main character is a loutish Nobel Prize-winning physicist. As a university student, he seduced a young woman by intensely studying up on Milton, her major intellectual interest. He read Milton, he read criticism of Milton, and within a short amount of time he could converse as an apparent expert, impressing her greatly and winning her heart. This woman became the first of his 5 wives.
The successful seduction of this woman by pretending to know and care about Milton..
".. was a turning point in his development, for he knew that no third-year arts person, however, bright, could have passed himself off after a week's study among the undergraduate mathematicians and physicists who were Beard's colleagues. The traffic was one-way.. The reading was a slog, but he encountered nothing that could remotely be construed as an intellectual challenge, nothing on the scale of difficultly he encountered daily in his course."
Once the physicist has this realization, he feels "intellectually free". Remarkably, although McEwan lets many more obnoxious thoughts and actions pass with no subsequent enlightening experiences to alter the physicist's perception of himself and others, this particular episode is later put into humbling context: many years after the seduction-by-Milton event, the physicist tells the story to a professor of English, who says:
".. you've missed the point. If you had seduced ninety girls with ninety poets, one a week in a course of three academic years, and remembered them all at the end -- the poets, I mean -- and synthesized your reading into some kind of aesthetic overview, then you would have earned yourself a degree in English literature. But don't pretend that it's easy."
On my university committee, I don't think any of the STEM or social sciences faculty shared this fictional physicist's view that the liberal arts are "easy". I saw no evidence that we underestimated the LA or FA research, or thought "I could do that with little or no effort" (because it's so easy).
One of the great things about these all-university committees is that diverse faculty are sitting in a room together. It's difficult to feel (too) skeptical about the rigor of another discipline when faculty from that discipline are sitting across a table from you, making interesting and persuasive contributions to the discussion. The LA and FA professors did need to explain some things to us scientists about the culture of their disciplines -- Why did so many LAPs, for example, seem to have determined the outcome of their research before they started the project? -- but I detected no contempt for "unscientific" research. And whenever we were faced with a research project that seemed truly bizarre, no matter what the topic, we all tended to agree about it.
I don't know why the LA and FA faculty were so harsh on their colleagues. I do know, however, that despite this tendency, the committee overall had no trouble reaching consensus on what what we thought were the best of the best of the faculty/research documents we were examining, no matter what the discipline, so in the end, I don't think the LAPs and FAPs were at a disadvantage by having sharks for colleagues.
Labels: academic novels, books, committees
mOOm said...
So was this an internal grants committee?
"He read Milton, he read criticism of Milton, and within a short amount of time he could converse as an apparent expert, impressing her greatly and winning her heart."
That ain't gonna cut it for Sanskrit.
I can think of two possible explanations for the liberal arts profs being harsher on each other. One is related to your example from Solar - maybe profs in the liberal arts feel like they are experts in each other's fields (I'm a historian but also a well-read person so I can comment on philosophy etc). Second, are there contradictory approaches to the same topic (ethics should be studied from a philosophical point of view / in a historical context / through a feminist lens etc). Either or both of these might lead people to critically assess work from a different but related domain of liberal arts. In contrast, both a biologist and a physicist might recognise that the other is studying something difficult and important. As long as the work falls within the framework of the scientific method, with a testable hypothesis and valid stats, we accept it. Of course, we might also marvel at why someone wants to spend their live studying one tiny piece of the universe, but I hope we can appreciate that it matters.
What does "P&T" stand for in the post?
promotion and tenure
Hmm. Perhaps the scientists feel that their objective (ish) publication records are sufficient to evaluate each other. Since people in the humanities don't publish as many individual things and there's not as much corresponding referencing going on there isn't as much data for them to evaluate each other so they've got to generate criticism on the fly, so to speak? (hooray run-on sentence, but I'm a scientist myself so I'm excused ;)
I had a similarly warm and fuzzy feeling from the first committee I sat on at my university. I was very impressed with the faculty and their collegiality. I was optimistic that I could someday be faculty, and that I would like it.
However, back in my department... it is more like you describe the LA and FA faculty being toward each other. It was a rude awakening. And then I realized that all the related science departments on my campus are that way. On the scale of nice to nasty, they are much closer to the nasty end.
I think some of these committees, like this one you're on, are composed of the Best of the Best. These are people who genuinely care about community.
Unfortunately, most departments are lucky to have even one of these people.
I came to realize that hiring committees would be less like that first committee and more like my department. And then I realized that nobody really wanted to help me become faculty, or knew how to help me. Even the nice people I met on that first committee.
I never said all faculty are mean and nasty. But I think the mean and nasty ones are many.
I've always thought that the reason LAPS are so much more competitive toward each other is because what they do, and their findings, seem a lot more subjective. My understanding is that it can be much harder to publish in the established journals, for example. In the sciences, it's far more clear-cut what is solid and what isn't, and in my field, 90% of submitted articles are accepted (after R&R) to the most rigorous journals.
On a related note, I once sat on such a committee, and it was excruciating. The LAPS talked SO much more, waxing eloquent over all kinds of things, and going down various digressions. Whereas the scientists seemed bored and wanting to get to the point. It may have been the committee chair's fault, who indulged all the aimless yakking. The committee accomplished absolutely nothing.
In economics less than 10% of papers are accepted (after R&R) at the most rigorous journals.
In my experience, the lesser the potential for grant funding, the greater the criticism. I am a highly interdisciplinary scientist and the craziest battles occur in the field with the least funding while the well funded one has incredibly supportive peers. The other areas I work in fall in the middle on both accounts. I've heard similar analyses from the humanities perspective.
maybe the reason that the STEM faculty on your committee were "nicer" or more respectful than the LA/FA faculty is because your particular university happens to have "nicer" STEM people in general. This is evidence by your overall positive blog posts about your (science) colleagues which is often complete contradictory to the STEM faculty I know and have worked with. In other words, probably you just happen to have an exceptionally "nice" bunch of STEM in your university.
John Lawler said...
In my academic career (45 yrs post-BA in STEM, FAP, and LAP), it has been my consistent observation that creative people are much more likely to behave cooperatively with one another when they are not constantly being thrust into competition for insufficient resources.
It's distracting, it's enervating, and it encourages pointless determinism, which is the bane of academic (and other) life.
What I Said
Invisible Me
Finger on the Button
What I Don't Know
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Giving Less Than 100%
If I Have to Stare at One More CV This Year..
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Editorial Opinions (2)
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Eating With the Stars: Janet Leigh’s Fruit Salad with Daiquiri Dressing
Eating With The Stars July 19, 2013
The late, great Janet Leigh, best known for her starring roles in Touch of Evil, The Manchurian Candidate, The Fog (with daughter Jamie Lee Curtis) and, of course, Psycho, proved that she was equally adept in the kitchen as she was in front of the camera with this summery sounding contribution to Eating With the Stars. During these turgid summer days, Janet’s fruit salad with daiquiri dressing would seem to be as perfect an addition to an afternoon spent poolside, as the comely Miss Leigh herself.
For the dressing: Combine 1/3 cup corn oil, 1/2 tsp. grated lime peel, 1 1/2 tbsps. lime juice, 1 1/2 tbsps. rum, 1/2 tsp. salt, dash of sugar. Blend well. Set aside.
For the salad: Core, rinse and drain 1 head western iceberg lettuce. Chill. Pare and section 1 orange. Peel 2 bananas, cut in halves lengthwise, then crosswise. Cut 1 papaya in half; remove seeds and peel. Cut in thick slices. Arrange fruit, including 4 slices fresh or canned pineapple in shallow pan. Pour dressing over fruit. Marinate 1 hour. Before serving, drain off dressing and reserve. Sprinkle fruit with brown sugar. Broil 4 inches from heat 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, cut 4 crosswise sections from lettuce and arrange on salad plates. Arrange warm fruit on lettuce. Spoon dressing over all. Serves 4.
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MAINE SJC “Untrustworthy Affidavits, MERS” | HSBC MORTGAGE SERVICES v. MURPHY et al.
Posted on24 May 2011. Tags: affidavits, assignment of mortgage, DANA S. MURPHY, foreclosure fraud, HSBC, Maine, Maria Vadney, MERS, MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS INC., Officer, Supreme Judicial Court
MAINE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT
HSBC MORTGAGE SERVICES, INC.
DANA S. MURPHY et al.
[¶12] In this case, the affidavits submitted by HSBC contain serious irregularities that make them inherently untrustworthy. The first Vadney affidavit, submitted by HSBC in conjunction with its second motion for summary judgment identifies Vadney as “a Vice President of HSBC Mortgage Services, Inc.,” and was dated and notarized on August 24, 2009. It asserts, among other things, that HSBC is the holder of the note and mortgage deed by virtue of an assignment dated December 11, 2006, and a confirmatory assignment of the note and mortgage dated August 24, 2009. Copies of both assignments are attached to the affidavit. The affidavit states that the confirmatory assignment was recorded in the Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds in Book 7775, Page 346. The copy of the confirmatory
assignment attached to the Vadney affidavit indicates that it was also dated and notarized on August 24, 2009, and then recorded at the Registry of Deeds on August 27, 2009, three days after the date Vadney signed the affidavit swearing that it had been recorded as of August 24, 2009.
[¶13] In addition, the confirmatory assignment from MERS, as nominee for Calusa Investments, LLC, to HSBC was also signed by Vadney. It indicates that Vadney signed the confirmatory assignment on behalf of MERS in her capacity as
its vice president. The summary judgment record is otherwise silent as to whether on August 24, 2009, Maria Vadney was simultaneously an officer of both MERS, the assignor, and HSBC, the assignee, as the affidavit and the confirmatory
assignment suggest.
[¶14] HSBC filed a second affidavit on October 1, 2009, signed by Maria Vadney on September 28, 2009, in support of its statement of supplemental facts filed in response to the Murphy’s opposing statement of material facts. The
affidavit contains a notary’s jurat dated September 24, 2009, four days before Vadney signed the affidavit.
[¶15] The Murphys, noting the discrepancies in the two Vadney affidavits and further observing that in both, the signature and jurat appear on a page separate from the body of the affidavit, urge us to infer that the texts of the affidavits submitted by HSBC were attached to the signature and jurat pages after those pages were executed. The Murphys further contend that if this inference is correct, “the potential for fraud is great with all these affidavits and near certain with the August 24th Vadney affidavit.”8
Continue below…
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One Response to “MAINE SJC “Untrustworthy Affidavits, MERS” | HSBC MORTGAGE SERVICES v. MURPHY et al.”
HSBC v TAHER | Judge SCHACK Grand SLAM!! MERS, Plaintiff's Counsel, Ocwen Robo-Signers Christina Carter, Scott Anderson, Margery Rotundo Dismissed w/ PREJUDICE says:
[…] submitted by HSBC contain serious irregularities that make them inherently untrustworthy.” (HSBC Mortg. Services, Inc. v Murphy, 19 A3d 815, 2011 ME 59, * 3). HSBC has a history of foreclosure actions before me with affidavits of merit executed by Margery […]
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Stourbridge MP Margot James sides with Virgin Media as struggling county council gives up broadband pay-back legal battle over damaging excavations
Posted By: Editorial August 28, 2018
Stourbridge MP and government Digital Minister Margot James has signalled her delight at broadband giant Virgin Media’s crushing of a cash-strapped local authority’s bid to charge for letting it excavate grass verges and pavements to lay fibre optic cables.
Durham County Council initially held out against the corporation’s demand for unrestricted access to dig up streets after residents protested about damage to gardens, roads and pavements caused by Virgin contractors.
But Virgin Media used sweeping new powers from recent legislative changes by Ms James’ government department to sue the council for ‘obstruction’ of its Project Lightning broadband programme.
Threatened with an expensive court case, the council was forced into a climb-down and must now give Virgin Media unlimited access for a token one-off £1 payment.
Ms James, Minister for Digital and Creative Industries wrote in her early morning Tweet: ‘Delighted by the judgement in favour of @virginmedia against Durham Council who wanted to levy impossible charges for laying fibre’.
In fact there was no judgement or any proceedings; the council settled out of court before the case was heard, abandoning their defence on legal advice and accepting the derisory £1 payment gesture by Virgin Media.
No details of the county council’s proposed price-per-metre excavation access charge were made public but Virgin Media labelled them ‘hefty’.
Stuart Timmiss, head of planning and assets at Durham County Council – which is currently dealing with a further £36 million in spending cuts after a sixth year of central funding grant reductions by the Government – expressed disappointment that Virgin Media had taken the action while negotiations continued.
He said: “Many meetings have been held over recent months, mostly to deal with the poor performance by Virgin Media in our communities.
“Earlier this year, we took the unusual step of serving the company with an improvement notice due to a significant number of complaints received from residents on the streets in which they were operating.
“This included poor reinstatement that is yet to be resolved, drives being blocked over long periods of time as well as damage to property.”
Mr Timmiss conceded that Virgin Media had acted to resolve some situations, including terminating contracts with contractors on site. He said: “These issues are not uncommon and we are not the only local authority who has been forced to take such action.”
Virgin Media released a bullish statement when it announced its intention to sue, with the company’s chief executive Tom Mockridge issuing a warning to other councils: “Haggling over land access when we build in a new area slows down broadband rollout and deters investment.
“It is also an impediment to Government and Ofcom’s ambition for increased fibre rollout and network competition to BT. It’s time rhetoric was put into action to truly break down the barriers to building broadband.”
The telecoms corporations’ power to over-rule local objections was strengthened massively in December 2017 after intensive lobbying won them the right to enter public and private land without ‘obstruction’ or delay by authorities, landowners or residents.
The amended Electronic Communications Code in the Digital Economy Act 2017 now gives broadband corporations extraordinary powers to enter and re-enter properties and share its access rights with other companies.
Virgin Media’s action against Durham County Council has implications for local authorities throughout the country, including Dudley Borough Council and its residents.
Under the new code published in March 2018 by Ofcom, trees can be cut back or axed completely, access routes can be changed or blocked and contractors can install electronic communications apparatus ‘on, under or over land’.
The code’s uncompromising stance means that landowners and householders who object can be taken to court for an enforcement order to be imposed and local authorities can be sued for compensation.
Virgin Media’s aggressive fibre optic broadband roll-out has met with anger from residents across the country who have complained about disruption.
In Scotland, the Daily Record reported that householders found heavy equipment parked on their gardens by contractors while work was carried out behind barriers. One resident claimed that virtually his entire street had spurned Virgin Media’s subsequent offer of broadband connection packages in protest at the imposition of the installation.
In Stoke on Trent, Virgin Media has been criticised for leaving pavements in a ‘diabolical state’, according to the Stoke Sentinel. A county councillor said: “Virgin Media had dug up the pavement and, after they’d finished, they’d just put some tarmac down, but it hadn’t been sealed properly. They also left behind the rubble on the pavement, leaving it quite dangerous.”
On Virgin Media’s own website community forum, householders complain of damage to homes, parked cars and gardens, while others express anger at poor reinstatement works that include block paving torn up and then replaced with ‘patchwork’ tarmac.
In February, Ms James’s first major action as the new Digital minister was to claim a major advance in superfast broadband services throughout the UK but it was overshadowed by an independent report that ranks the UK’s network as far more expensive and much slower than those of many other European nations. (See link below)
Durham County Council already has its own pioneering £25m Digital Durham connectivity scheme to roll out fibre based broadband right across the county ‘ensuring all households have access to superfast broadband’. The council explained: “Providers such as Virgin Media only provide broadband services to certain areas within the county which they deem to be commercially viable.”
* Text above in blue italics link to sources and documents – click on them to access material (links may open in another page)
MP’s superfast broadband claims for Black Country undermined by global report that UK network is ‘far slower and more costly’ than services in other countries’
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2007 Year-End Thoughts
Notes Towards A Supreme Criticism
mean to learn, in the language of where I am going,
Barely enough to ask for food and love
– James Merrill
A notable way in which Stylus has toughened my sensibilities is by forcing me to reconsider the importance of a good haircut to making quality music. Exceptions like several seventies beardo nazis and the Replacements aside, all my favorite acts understand grooming. A dip into my archives here will reveal grievances against bands like, say, the Killers, who, briefly, flattered me, and lasting admiration for Pavement, Duran Duran, and Brad Paisley. About the Alpha and Omega, Bryan Ferry, I will add nothing. I'm still waiting for Mos Def to catch up. Jens Lenkman has possibilities. Scritti Politti have rediscovered them. Kanye West shops at Nordstrom's. Next time he goes, remind him to bring Ne-Yo along.
These sundry observations are important. One of my favorite movie characters of the last twenty years is a mysterious, vulpine Cold Warrior in Oliver Stone's JFK known simply as X, played by Donald Sutherland. After more than two hours of conspiracy monkeyshines and Joe Pesci sporting Groucho Marx mustaches drawn over his eyes, Stone stops the film so that X can deliver a torrent of information that indicts everyone from LBJ to James Monroe in the Kennedy assassination. What's striking is that X's motives are never clear; what is clear is he can't even spell "patriotism." He knows everything about everyone yet reveals nothing. Thanks to Sutherland's demotic mastery, I like to think that X was motivated by nothing more than amusement. Washington's a dull town in the summer. He wanted to get a rise out of Kevin Costner. And the contemptuous twinkle he bestows on Costner (whom he calls "Bubba" in either smug encouragement or just smugness) could kill a baby. The bovine innocence that Costner is called upon to project has no place in Sutherland's world.
I write about music because it gives me pleasure. Writing, that is; the music part is incidental. I often remind myself that by this point in my professional career I should have been a pair of ragged claws in a Midwestern university's English department, using "privilege" as a verb and chiding my students for not finishing The Golden Bowl; we would, however, share a laugh at how often Henry James uses "ejaculated" in dialogues. Since most postgraduate writing seems written by people who don't much like writing, I've allowed a distraction to become a habit, in quiet protest. But I keep my distance. I'm certainly not the only critic with colleagues who seem to spend a considerable portion of their days downloading music, which totally mystifies me. It’s a quixotic gesture on their parts whose nobility I'm not prepared to admit. Consumption is not thinking. I think a lot about other things besides music: good Scotches, robust sexual tension between students and me, the predatory spume of The Corner's contributors (a hobby I share with colleague Ned Raggett). Despite increasing confidence in rockcrit as a craft, I want to vouch for happy dilettantism. For quiet promiscuity. The distance it enforces between me and the object of scrutiny produces my clearest thinking. There's a sense in which taking music and music listening too seriously causes silt to form in your brain. If you doubt this, spend an hour talking to young rockcrits. Woodrow Wilson, not immune to messianic priggishness, remarked that the worst part of being president is meeting people who insist on telling you what you already know.
Often what I most want is to ensure that listening to music doesn't adulterate writing about it. Wallace Stevens composed a rather average poem in his autumnal paladin mode called "A Clear Day And No Memories." The suggestiveness of its title is the nearest to an invocation that I, a determined enemy of the transcendent, am likely to utter. I recently told my friend and Stylus colleague Mike Powell, "I can understand the virtues of automatism." Think about it: push a button, and a review emerges. While it’s impossible to sever effective criticism from an engaging style, style at best brings notoriety and is a burden if not a danger at worst. We all imitate ourselves, and don’t kid yourself into thinking it only happens when you’re under pressure (in a social context, though, it has advantages). As the subject of much good-natured kidding from colleagues about my supposed formalist tendencies, I find a lot of pleasure in that austere New Critical prose style of the 1950’s, even if this austerity often congealed into fustiness; and only Allen Tate might chuckle if he read it in a blog. Still, its determined impersonality redresses the pull towards subjectivity which this post-blog world has made inevitable; and my attraction to impersonality is rooted in my distrust of commitment.
As puzzling as this sounds, let's remember that it's not a concept lost on the most compelling performers. Mick Jagger admitted as much in his 1995 version of those comprehensive John Lennon Playboy interviews recorded in 1980. He mildly complimented the Rolling Stones' sixties work as a "good waste of time" or something. Jagger's purported indifference to his band's achievements is exactly the way to go—if he doesn't take it seriously, why should we? Now, while I believe that rockcrits are smarter than rock artists, the rigor demanded of our profession butts against deadlines and—ominously—our ravenous consumption so that criticism ossifies into a conflation of received opinion, cliches, tautologies, and, most fatally, a reluctance to abandon principles. Few artists are unworthy of a second thought. A third thought, even. There’s nothing I’ll defend today that I wouldn’t condemn tomorrow. Let me be clear: there's a difference between non-commitment and disengagement. Lots of good critics eschew the former, no good ones embrace the latter. Engage—with discrimination.
Stylus is dead, but my heart, as Celine Dion reminded me, will go on. It gives me great pleasure to have helped a handful of talented, hungry young writers, which is why I offer them an invaluable bit of advice: when your temples start to throb, step away from the computer. My admiration for Todd Burns for keeping this enterprise going this long, despite physical evidence that he was turning into Emperor Palpatine, is boundless. My colleague and great friend Thomas Inskeep deserves credit for encouragement and malice, tolerating my twice-weekly chai jokes, and thinking that I want to hear how great Maze and Frank Beverly are. At all times I remember the competition and sex jokes with Mike Powell, in whose heart textured disdain and rapture intertwine oddly and marvelously. Mallory O'Donnell and Josh Love have offered laughs and advice as tensile as their prose. But I don't worry about any of these guys; I do worry for them, though. They don't share my affection for haircuts, and I'm running out of time to convince them.
Reviewed by: Alfred Soto
Electric Six - I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me from Being the Master
Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction
Mekons - Natural
Prince - Planet Earth
Interpol - Our Love to Admire
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First of Three 2018 SCSCS Stops at Jennerstown Long-Awaited for Many
Statesville, North Carolina (July 2, 2018) – The Super Cup Stock Car Series makes its always anticipated first trip of the year to Jennerstown Speedway Complex on Saturday. This year’s July running at the Pennsylvania oval located in the Laurel Highlands region has been a long time coming for a few competitors expected to be in attendance.
The Super Cup Stock Car Series Twin 50s at Jennerstown Speedway will serve as the series debut for a couple racers who are familiar faces to the thousands of area fans. After numerous months of precise preparation and a recent visit to Midvale Speedway in Ohio to scout out the competition, past Jennerstown champion Andrew Kostelnik and the Minjock Racing team are ready to get on track.
With support from national recording artist Blackberry Smoke, the Braddock, Pennsylvania driver hopes to turn heads in his SCSCS maiden voyage in the No. 41 Chevrolet with additional sponsorship from Spherical Solutions, Waterway Fire Hose Testing, The Allegheny Group, Detroit Rock City Music Store, Evans Grafx, and Speedy Jim’s Race and Rods.
Perhaps a crowd favorite come race day will be the defending Street Stock champion at the 1/2-mile oval. West Mifflin, Pennsylvania’s Lauren Butler and her family-run Edlin Motorsports team have been eyeing a foray into the series for a few years. The noticeable pink and purple No. 53 Edlin Automotive Services / Cornwell Tools / Motive Parts of Homestead Inc. / Fleegle Graphics / MyRacePass.com / #TeamChampion Chevrolet will be raring to go on Saturday.
Jeff Zillweger returned to the driver seat a month ago, but it has been nearly two years since visiting his home track in which the Pittsburgh resident has turned in three top five results including a best career third his last time there. Another local favorite, John Komarinski, returns from knee surgery that has sidelined him so far this season. Keystone State driver and 2013 champion Todd Peck may be making his first SCSCS Jennerstown start, but has a host of experience there in the former Pro Cup Series and even Allison Legacy cars as a teenager.
In the overall championship hunt, the leading two have not been the most fortunate in past Jennerstown appearances. Bob Schacht began the season with three consecutive wins, but the Mooresville, North Carolina driver has not visited victory lane at the track in the Keystone State in four starts. Mike Potter was involved in one of the scariest moments in recent memory last July when his No. 14 careened off the outside wall in violent fashion. The Johnson City, Tennessee veteran looks to rebound, coming off a best career fourth last time out at Kingsport Speedway.
Only two races have been held toward the North Division title, but the top five is exceptionally close. J.P. Crabtree currently holds a slim 20 point advantage heading into Saturday’s event at the track the Muncie, Indiana driver picked up his first ever victory with the No. 42 USA Tire / J.R.'s Landscaping / Stagger Pros / Support The Troops / Don Gnat Racing Ford last August. Walnutport, Pennsylvania’s Kevin Kromer is winless at Jennerstown, but is often strong in his No. 77 Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute / Mission R.A.C.E.R. / Warren Pallet / K2 Motorsports Chevrolet. He is expected to be in contention again, entering the races second in the North standings.
Sitting third is Edward Adams III, a 20-year-old from Front Royal, Virginia, who received positive attention at Midvale in his first oval stock car start. He hopes to do the same once again in the No. 16 IceBoxx Customs / JP Racing Toyota under the tutelage of 2014 Jennerstown winner and SCSCS champion that year JJ Pack.
Fourth is New York’s Ron Langdon, who scored a podium result in his inaugural visit last year, while rounding out the top five a mere 43 points away from the lead is Pennsylvania’s Bill Ashton, who gained his first victory and only to date at this home track in August 2016.
All of these drivers and several more will be looking to accomplish what Brent Nelson did with his No. 80 Airtek Inc. / Steam Turbine Services / Precision Auto Collision / Atkinson Welding Chevrolet in last July’s running, sweeping both races, a feat that has been done twice in 2018.
Practice is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. with qualifying taking place at 5:00 p.m. The first of the Super Cup Stock Car Series Twin 50s at Jennerstown Speedway will take the green flag shortly after 6:00 p.m. with an autograph session in the grandstands for fans between races.
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The Reviews are in for A Christmas Carol!
The Spokane Civic Theatre’s new version of “A Christmas Carol” reaffirms my conviction that all of us, every year, should reacquaint ourselves with
Ebenezer Scrooge.
He’s a man who doesn’t believe in charity, generosity, or sharing his good fortune. Sound like a familiar type in today’s America? Yet Scrooge learns, with the help of three not-so-friendly ghosts, that good fortune is good only when spread around.
So the best way to judge any production of “A Christmas Carol” is: Does it deliver that message effectively? With drama, with humor and with a warm heart?
Check, check and check. And this version has the added advantage of serenading us with a number of fine old Christmas carols, sung by a quartet and accompanied by a lone fiddler.
The key to this production’s success lands squarely on the stooped shoulders and stringy gray locks of Thomas Heppler as Scrooge. Heppler has proved again and again that he is one of the finest actors in Spokane, but here I think director Troy Nickerson has cast him in a role that perfectly suits his talents. Heppler is a master of creating a querulous, quarrelsome voice – a nasal wheeze that becomes the distilled essence of the Scrooge personality.
Heppler’s body language is also right on the money – old and cranky, without being a geezer caricature. One of my two favorite Heppler moments came when Scrooge wakes up Christmas morning and is so overjoyed that he capers – positively capers – around his bedroom in a “Hee-Haw” kind of dance, and then plants a big wet kiss on his housekeeper.
My other favorite moment came earlier, when he uses his great vocal control to deliver the line, “I’m awake, I’m alive, and I’m ready for anything,” punching up the “ready for anything” phrase like a boxing announcer.
Nickerson’s production has many other things to love. The entire show has a fantastical feel, thanks to the use of giant puppets as the three Ghosts (Past, Present, Future). The most effective was the 14-foot-tall Christmas Present, a green-robed Father Christmas figure with a sparkling cup of wassail, operated by three black-clad actors. Patrick Treadway designed and made the puppets.
The sets, by Peter Hardie and David Baker, had a marvelous, storybook Dickensian feel, and I mean “storybook” in more ways than one. The ends of the main set open out storybook-style to reveal, for instance, Scrooge’s bedroom and the Cratchit family’s warm hearth.
The production is loaded with special effects – fog, trap doors and 200 sound cues encompassing everything from ominous thunder to the Westminster chimes.
The costumes by Jan Wanless, Jen Birkey and Dee Finan are a key part of this show’s visual appeal – classic early Victorian, sometimes sumptuous, sometimes artfully ragged.
A vocal quartet – Dan McKeever, David McCarthy, Janelle Frisque and Kristin Wilkinson – roams the streets of London and Camden Town, singing pure and unadorned versions of ancient carols such as “What Child Is This?” and “I Saw Three Ships.” A fine and spirited fiddler, Angelique VanDorpe, provides the only accompaniment needed.
Don’t think of this as a true musical. The carols largely serve as evocative background music, setting the mood for the place and the season.
Nickerson effectively manages a 37-person volunteer cast, encompassing a wide range of talent and experience. The cast includes a lot of kids, most notably Grayson Paine as Tiny Tim, who delivers his famous line – you know what it is – in a way that warms
After Scrooge, the most important role is that of the Narrator, a Dickens-like character played with verve and great timing by Mark Pleasant. Of all of the new wrinkles introduced by Barbara Field in this 2008 Guthrie Theater adaptation, the Narrator is the one I like best. It’s a way for the true, undiluted voice of Charles Dickens to come through on stage.
Who better to deliver his message? And what better message?
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You are here: Home NCAAM Watch Western Michigan Broncos vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Live!! College Basketball 03/11/2019 – TV schedule, time, channel Livestream – How to Watch Online Live Stream in HD – following the NCAA March Madness
Watch Western Michigan Broncos vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Live!! College Basketball 03/11/2019 – TV schedule, time, channel Livestream – How to Watch Online Live Stream in HD – following the NCAA March Madness
Posted on March 11, 2019 by imujobs |
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People’s Vote Rally in Central Hall
Around 2,400 people filled Central Hall Westminster tonight to drive home the case – made by 700,000 marching on the streets three weeks ago – for the people to have a Final Say on any Brexit deal.
The crowd came from all over the UK but with a particularly strong contingent from here in Kent. The atmosphere was enthusiastic and passionate with clapping and cheering well before the speakers appeared. There was a real sense that the campaign is gaining more and more momentum.
Speeches kicked off with a young apprentice engineer from Northern Ireland. She was very clear that her future depends on an open and international economy – with our membership of the EU a key part of that. And that her community depends on the Good Friday peace agreement for Ireland, strengthened by the framework of EU membership.
Outstanding contributions by Anna Turley (Lab), Justin Greening (Con), Caroline Lucas (Green), Ian Blackford (SNP), Leyla Moran (Lib Dem) and Liz Saville-Roberts (Plaid Cymru) hammered home three key points:
the deal proposed by the government is nothing like the vision promised for leaving the EU during the referendum
it will make Britain, especially the least well off areas, poorer and destroy jobs
to argue that there is no alternative to May’s ‘miserable deal’ or the chaos of no deal is an insult to the intelligence of voters.
All agreed to the need for fundamental change to create a fairer Britain. The 2016 referendum had exposed the divisions created by inequality. It was stressed that these divisions were created by political choices at Westminster, and not membership of the EU. Leaving will make reducing inequality harder, not easier.
Gary Lineker explained how he had initially accepted the referendum result. But, when it became clear that none of the promises made by the Leave leaders could be delivered, he thought another look at the situation was needed. Lineker made a point of saying there were many times in life when you look back with hindsight and wish you had made a different choice. Given the magnitude of this decision, wouldn’t it be right to take stock and confirm whether this was something that the country really wished to pursue after all? Lineker interviewed Jo Johnson who outlined how the same logic had driven him to resign from the government. The government’s plan simply fails to return anything like control to Parliament, and achieves little freedom for UK businesses to access new markets. There were few gains to be had but many disadvantages. Britain would be better off and have much more influence over its own future by staying in the European Union.
Dominic Grieve at the People’s Vote Rally, 13 November 2018. Photo Best for Britain/Facebook
Dominic Grieve gave a powerful speech showing how the UK has been a leader in building international institutions and making them work. Over the last 150 years Britain has written more international treaties with more countries and with more supranational dispute settling systems (like the European Court of Justice) than any other. And it has given Britain influence far beyond its economic and military strength. No MP who cares about Britain’s future could throw away this heritage for no good reason.
Finally, David Lammy made the case for an open society with the ability to work internationally and to secure the citizens’ rights which EU membership has given us. This is not all about economics. There are also big issues which the government is unlikely to negotiate a good deal on, with human rights and equality guarantees all likely to be weakened if the government gets its way.
All the politicians agreed: MPs need to be challenged to justify why they would vote through a Withdrawal Agreement which makes their constituents poorer and less safe. And if they can’t, it is their duty in a representative democracy is to find a better way forward. This started with a vote by the people and they must now have a say in what the government has negotiated. A People’s Vote is essential to do just that.
The rally was livestreamed, and can still be watched here or via the People’s Vote Facebook page. The rally starts around 22 minutes into the video.
Author JonPosted on November 14, 2018 November 14, 2018 Categories Campaigns, ReportsTags #stopbrexit, Due Process, Exit Agreement, People's Vote
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Florida Panthers vs Winnipeg Jets - November 02, 2018 Recap
Panthers Panthers 3-5-3
November 2, 2018 - Final
Jets Jets 8-5-1
Panthers 1 2 1 4
Jets 2 0 0 2
Laine WPG
Wheeler WPG
Luongo FLA
Panthers beat Jets 4-2 for Finnish split
HELSINKI (AP) Roberto Luongo was just happy to finally be back on the ice for the Florida Panthers.
''It's just nice to be back part of the team,'' Luongo said. ''It's never fun to be on the sideline watching the game. I put in a lot of work and I'm happy I was able to play a game.''
Returning from a knee injury that sidelined him since the season opener, the 39-year-old Luongo stopped 32 shots to help Florida beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 on Friday night for a two-game split in the Finnish capital.
''That was huge for us,'' Florida coach Bob Boughner said. ''Watching him play so composed after being off for a month, he is a big reason why we won the game tonight.''
Luongo was hurt Oct. 6 against Tampa Bay.
Luongo stopped all 17 shots in the final period as the Jets pressed.
''He gives us a lot of confidence and he's telling us what to do, talks a lot on the ice and off the ice,'' said captain Aleksander Barkov, who is Finnish.
Keith Yandle and Evgeni Dadonov had a goal and an assist each for the Panthers. Mike Hoffman and Frank Vatrano also scored a goal apiece and Jonathan Huberdeau added two assists. The Panthers overcame an early 2-1 deficit for their first regulation victory and third overall win in the first 11 games.
''Our start wasn't very good, actually it was pretty awful, our start,'' Boughner said. ''They tested him (Luongo) early and he was really good and I think that gave us time to get feet underneath of us and start rolling a little bit. That's what good goalies do, they make the saves at the right time.''
Coming off a hat trick Thursday night in Winnipeg's 4-2 victory, Finnish star Patrik Laine scored again In front of a capacity crowd of 13,500 at Hartwall Arena. Nikolaj Ehlers also connected, and captain Blake Wheeler had two assists.
''Overall, it's been an unreal trip,'' Laine said. ''I'm going to remember every second that we spent here for the rest of my life. The atmosphere at the ring was unreal for the both games. It was a pleasure to play in front of the Finnish fans, friends and family.''
Yandle broke a tie on a power play with 26 seconds left in the second period, driving a slap shot past goalie Connor Hellebuyck
Hoffman tied it on a power play at 4:59 of the second.
Vatrano scored off a turnover midway through the third.
NOTES: The games were part of the NHL Global Series. It was the 25th NHL regular season game played on the European continent, and the seventh in Finland. In October, New Jersey beat Edmonton Gothenburg, Sweden. Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL is planning to play a season-opening game in Prague and another two games in Stockholm next season. ... Laine, who had 44 goals last season, had three goals in 12 games this season before adding four in the two games in Helsinki. ... Hoffman has a point in each of the past nine games.
Panthers: Open a three-game homestead against Edmonton on Thursday night.
Jets: Open a four-game homestead against Colorado on Friday night.
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Which moves stand out after first day of NHL free agency?
NHL GAME BULLETS
Florida Panthers at Winnipeg Jets
This is the final game of the 2018 Global Series — after the Oilers and Devils opened their seasons in Sweden, these teams played yesterday in Finland and will do so again today.
The Jets won the first matchup, 4-2, improving to 6-0-1 when scoring at least three goals, and 2-4-0 when failing to reach that mark. They're one of seven teams in the league without a regulation loss when scoring at least three goals.
With the loss, the Panthers have just two wins through 10 games. They've only had fewer than that once in franchise history, when they started the 2000-01 season 1-3-3-3.
Patrik Laine had a hat trick in yesterday's game, becoming the first non-North American to record a hat trick in his home country. It was the second hat trick outside of North America (Theo Fleury, October 10, 1998 in Japan).
Florida's Finnish star, Aleksander Barkov, had an assist on Keith Yandle's power-play goal in yesterday's loss. His nine points this season (2g, 7a) rank third on the team.
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Game #42 Preview: Tucson at San Jose
Game #42 – Tucson (24-14-2-1) at San Jose (21-18-1-2)
8:00 PM MST, SAP Center, San Jose, California
Referees: #49 Reid Anderson, #4 Andrew Thackaberry
Linesmen: #53 Bevan Mills, #21 Alexander Ledovskiy
HEY, SAN JOSE: Tonight marks the fourth of eight meetings with the Barracuda this season, and the second of four scheduled visits to San Jose’s SAP Center. The Roadrunners are playing the third of a six-game road trip; they’re coming off of a 4-1 loss to the San Diego Gulls Saturday night. The Barracuda are playing the second of a five-game home stand; they’re coming off of a 4-2 loss to the Stockton Heat on Saturday.
: @SAPCenter #TUCvsSJ - 8:00 PM MST pic.twitter.com/r2F2PWwpLc
— Tucson Roadrunners (@RoadrunnersAHL) February 5, 2018
GET 'EM FIRST: The San Jose Barracuda, when scoring the first goal of a game, have strung together a magnificent 16-1-1-2 record. Through 41 games played entering the night, the Roadrunners have scored first in 22 of their contests, going 13-7-1-1 when doing so. Can the Roadrunners strike first tonight in San Jose?
BARRACUDA BUNTING: Michael Bunting leads all Roadrunners players in points scored against the Barracuda this season, posting a total of four (3G, 1A) in three games played against San Jose. He netted a pair of goals in the team’s previous visit to the SAP Center on December 8 and has five points (3G, 2A) in five career games played in San Jose's home building. Bunting is one point shy of matching his season total from the 2016-17 campaign, when he finished the year with 28.
PROJECTED LINEUP: The team held a morning skate at SAP Center ahead of tonight’s game. Per club policy, specifics regarding the team’s lineup will not be published until 6:00 PM this evening.
LAWSON CROUSE (67) - LAURENT DAUPHIN (15) - LANE PEDERSON (18)
MARIO KEMPE (20) - DYLAN STROME (91) - MIKE SISLO (9)
MICHAEL BUNTING (27) - TYLER GAUDET (10) - CONOR GARLAND (8)
RYAN KUJAWINSKI (17) - RYAN MACINNIS (72) - ARTUR TYANULIN (13)
DAKOTA MERMIS (43) - KYLE WOOD (3)
ANDREW CAMPBELL (2) - DYSIN MAYO (37)
KEVIN EKMAN-LARSSON (7) - JOHN RAMAGE (55)
ADIN HILL (33)
HUNTER MISKA (35)
MARI-OH! Mario Kempe has returned from the All-Star break hot, accounting for three of the Roadrunners’ five goals scored this past weekend. Kempe hit the 20-point mark with his goal Saturday night in San Diego. He has been held off the score sheet just four times in his previous 13 games, and has amassed 15 points (6G, 9A) during that span. Kempe has two points (1G, 1A) in three games played against the Barracuda this season.
THE LAST TIME AROUND: In the teams’ previous meeting on December 13 at Tucson Arena, the Roadrunners fell to the Barracuda by a 5-2 score. Michael Bunting and Trevor Cheek scored the Roadrunners’ two goals; Adin Hill and Hunter Miska combined to make 16 saves on 21 shots faced in the loss.
HILL’S BACK: Adin Hill has joined the team in San Jose following his re-assignment to the Roadrunners on Sunday. Though not confirmed, there is a strong chance he gets the call in net with Hunter Miska having started the team’s last two games. Hill was pulled early in his lone start against the Barracuda this season, surrendering three goals on nine shots in the Roadrunners’ 5-2 loss on December 13.
TIME’S UP: Joel Hanley will serve the final game of his three-game suspension tonight, which is a consequence for his slashing incident against the Chicago Wolves on January 27, and will be eligible to return to the Roadrunners’ lineup this coming Friday in Texas.
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You are here: Home / Archives for Books / Books for Children
BEACHMASTER: A STORY OF DANIEL AU FOND, by Tom Shachtman. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly.
“The sections of the book that stand out are those that illustrate the pleasures and perils of a sea lion’s life …. The description is memorable … the author is able to evoke strong feelings of compassion for the animals [and to make] a clear moral distinction between the violence done to sea creatures by man and the violent struggles among sea creatures…. Readers will finish the novel with an understanding of the crucial difference between sport and survival. Like the ocean itself, the story is full of life.” New York Times Book Review
Filed Under: Books, Books for Children
Wavebender
WAVEBENDER: A STORY OF DANIEL AU FOND. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly.
“A gripping, well-researched novel that explains the day-to-day existence of a sea lion; a nature story full of life and certainly worth reading.” School Library Journal
Shachtman introduced readers to a sea lion named Daniel au Fond in his first book, Beachmaster ; Wavebender is the continuation of his adventures. In an unpretentious, easy-to-read style, Shachtman’s characters describe the struggle of survival in the ocean where reality is harsh and unforgiving. Often the narrative is vividly descriptive. For instance, in one episode Daniel depicts the anguish of a whale harpooned by the bipeds (man). Readers share with Daniel the horror of the incident: the explosion, the cries of agony. Wavebender is a gripping, well-researched novel that explains the day-to-day existence of a sea lion: a nature story full of life and certainly worth reading. –L. R. Little, Penticton Public Library, B.C., Canada, School Library Journal
Driftwhistler
DRIFTWHISTLER: A STORY OF DANIEL AU FOND, by Tom Shachtman. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly.
DRIFTWHISTLER is the culmination of a compelling fantasy trilogy, a rousing adventure that is also an eloquent call for a world in which sea mammals and humans share mutual respect.
In BEACHMASTER and WAVEBENDER, Daniel au Fond entered legend by creating a giant icon in the icy north, and by organizing a pod of whales to break up a tidal wave. Now, in his greatest challenge, he must become a “driftwhistler,” able to gather all thirteen tribes of sea mammals, from sea lions to orcas, whales, and polar bears, to brave monsters of the deep, harvest a deadly but valuable black flower, and penetrate the dark secrets of the planet’s past – and hopes for the future – locked in the heart of the long-lost haven of Pacifica.
Video Power
Video Power: A Complete Guide to Writing, Planning, and Shooting Videos (An Owlet Book) by Tom Shachtman, Harriet Shelare
“Designed to give the high school student general information on how to present ideas in video format, this book … [emphasizes] preparation and planning in order to produce a complete and visually interesting video. The authors’ writing is clear; their presentation logical. An excellent addition to any collection where teens might express an interest in this medium.” Kirkus Reviews
Grade 5-9 A wealth of information for advanced video users. The first chapters provide a brief introduction to the development of videos. Then, readers are taken through a useful discussion of how to develop a fiction or nonfiction video. Students are given a variety of ideas concerning how to shoot various scenes and tips on script writing. Next comes data on the complete video system: information is provided on the types of camera shots, lighting, and lenses. Picture composition is also explained in detail. Different types of microphones are presented and discussed. Information concerning kinds of clothing to wear, makeup hints, and scenery tips are also included. The final chapters discuss the art of editing. The book ends with a listing of places which could serve as audiences for the video. Details on contests, providing video production services for hire, and further education fill the final chapter. Students using this book will need a background in video production before really putting the information gained here to work. However, Video Power is well done and full of useful production information. Joanne Troutner, Tippecanoe School Corp., Lafayette, Ind. School Library Journal
The President Builds A House
THE PRESIDENT BUILDS A HOUSE, The Work of Habitat For Humanity
“Shachtman traces the building of 20 houses in Atlanta in just five days. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter’s participation is nicely integrated into and does not overshadow the presentation.” ALA Booklist
“Readers … will gain a great deal of understanding about what it takes to make a house a home.” School Library Journal
“This inspiring photoessay delivers a powerful message about cross-cultural cooperation. A copy belongs in every school and public library.” The Kobrin Letter
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Here We Go Magic
Be Small
Nov 04, 2015 Web Exclusive By John Everhart
On Here We Go Magic's self-titled 2009 debut, frontman Luke Temple sang, on the album's closing vertiginous ballad "Everything's Big," "Eat like a cow, get fat like a pig." The venomous nature of the line was mitigated by the gorgeous instrumentation, as Temple sank his fangs into rampant consumerism and hedonism. On the act's fourth album, Be Small, parallels can be drawn to that six-year-old track, as the album finds Temple railing against carbon footprints and extraneous waste, while espousing an all-around more ascetic lifestyle.
The instrumentation throughout Be Small is crisp and fulsome, sounding nearly as good as 2012's Nigel Godrich-produced A Different Ship, as Temple teamed with the other permanent member of Here We Go Magic, Michael Bloch, in his upstate NY studio to arresting results.
Songs such as "Falling" and "Candy Apple" stutter and glitch with a Krautrock feel not dissimilar to the likes of Faust and Can, but Here We Go Magic's permutation is suffused with a pop acumen that fits Temple's lilting vocals like a glove. Temple's admitted an affinity for the John Cale/Brian Eno album Wrong Way Up, and that record's sanguine sonic imprint is all over Be Small.
Closing number "Dancing World" is a Spartan number with lithe keyboard crackles buttressing Temple's languid intonation, "We surrender/Pressing close/Lights go out in our overdose." The track isn't a concession of an apocalyptic future, but rather a clarion call for our ADD society to wake up. "What will happen to all our sunlit days?" Temple asks as a rhetorical question. The sun may be setting, but an album as self-aware as Be Small is a blinding signal of light and hope. (www.herewegomagicband.tumblr.com)
Author rating: 8/10
Average reader rating: 8/10
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SHUTTERSPEED - Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron
TELEVISION AT ITS BEST
by Evan Hernandez
You'll laugh; you'll gasp. you'll geek out, nerd out and go into anaphylactic superhero shock! Avengers: Age of Ultron is, without question, the most overwhelming Marvel movie to date. So many heroes in one film! They're everywhere! Crammed into two and a half hours with scarce room to fire off their one-liners. And, as the credits roll you'll sit there, stunned by a very familiar feeling; the same over-satisfied, semi-exhausted sensation of binge watching all 13 episodes of a Netflix season in a single weekend. Because that is what Age of Ultron amounts to: an entire television season in a single movie.
Is that what we want in a film?
Age of Ultron begins with a bang. No exposition, just wham! Straight into an action sequence, reminiscent of the famous one-take team battle in the first Avengers. If you want to understand what is happening then I hope you watched Iron Man 3, Captain America: Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World immediately before entering the theater. Otherwise, you will be lost for a while. But where you are lost is pretty epic, thoroughly exciting, and beautifully shot, so maybe it doesn't matter.
Writer and director Joss Whedon has to hurl you into the movie this way because – as superheroes love to tell us – there's no time to explain!
Ultron, voiced by James Spader
Whedon is a master of satisfying personality collisions. He's at his best here, but he does not escape his television roots. His plot lines sprawl all over the movie. There are innumerable mostly effective concurrent plots, but they all deserve more time and exploration and the chance to grow.
The titular villain is perfectly voiced by James Spader. Ultron is an intelligence that Tony Stark imperfectly transfers from an infinity stone (add Guardians of the Galaxy to your pre-movie movie marathon) to his network of robots. Its rage and confusion regarding the purpose and value of human life drives the main plot, and begins to divide Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) as they quarrel over the eternal questions of freedom versus security.
Swirling around this central plot line? A sweet and bizarre love story between The Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). A pair of Russian super twins, modeled-after-but-never-explicitly-called Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olson) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), are manipulated by the last of the Hydra agents. Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America, Black Widow and Iron Man all confront personal demons.
The most effective subplot is probably Hawkeye's (Jeremy Renner). He provides the emotional heart of the film. He seemed almost expendable in the first Avengers, but earns his place in Ultron. Renner's performance is easily the best in the movie, probably because he was actually given scenes that we can relate to in a non-metaphorical way, bringing emotional stakes that are both profound and blessedly ordinary. In the same way Hobbiton is the anchor of peace and joy in Lord of the Rings, Hawkeye's secret opens a door of love, warmth and nostalgia for home; it affects all the Avengers and the audience.
Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver
The introduction of Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver finally expands the universe of Marvel superheroes. It’s awkwardly obvious in this film that three of our six original Avengers are highly-trained, standard issue humans, and Captain America is mightier in spirit than in super-ness. So, having this pair of supernatural heroes who have to take responsibility for their powers provides some fresh poignancy and some kick-ass action sequences.
It may seem pointless to gripe that an action flick is too complex so long as it is entertaining. But the downfall of applying full-TV-season-level complexity to a film hits home when the most important moment in the movie gets rushed along by the need to fit in another series of explosions. This almost-lost moment belongs to Captain America. At the climax of the film, when all seems lost, he makes a decision which could mean the sacrifice of the entire team. In this climactic moment, his willingness to sacrifice all is contrasted with Tony Stark's desire to achieve peace for himself. For just a second, the tension hangs in the air. The possibility hits the characters and audience.
In Whedon’s preferred television format, this moment would happen in the penultimate episode, referencing to moments leading up to it. The interaction would take up a full, pivotal time span between the last two commercial breaks, and we would savor the tension. In Ultron, the whole interchange is gone before you can let out your breath. We have to resolve the problem so people can get out of the theater and go to the bathroom. We need Tony Stark to crack another joke. We need to set up for the sequel everyone knows is coming.
Ultron should probably be viewed twice: once so you get smacked in the face by it, and a second time so you can make sure you caught everything. And I figure you'll enjoy it immensely both times. But I hope the next Avengers film does what the first one did so well: a single tight, compelling story.
Evan Hernandez is a writer and producer based in New York City. His debut novel, Breaking the Skies, is available on the Kindle Bookstore and everywhere ebooks are sold. For more information, find him on Twitter, @totallyberserk.
In Shutterspeed Tags evan hernandez, avengers, age of ultron, joss whedon, blockbuster, comic book, summer movies, robert downey jr, chris evans, scarlett johansson, jeremy renner, james spader, mark ruffalo, franchise, elizabeth olsen, marvel, aaron taylor-johnson, chris hemsworth
← IMBIBLIOGRAPHY - Review: Grimm Rainbow in Curved AirTAKING STOCK OF BOND - The Inheritance →
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India holds bright spot as ISRO eyes dark side of the Moon
How To Improve Bad iOS 11 Battery Life On Your Device
So before updating to iOS 11, it's best to have an idea about what bit your apps are using and if you find many apps on the 32-bit version, it's time to let them go.
The long wait is finally over as Apple rolls out its latest OS update, the iOS 11, for its iPhones and iPads. Another way to install the update on your device is through iTunes on your Macbook.
However, it's nowhere to be seen and there's no mention of Messages in iCloud on the iOS 11 feature page.
Native translation is also coming to Siri in iOS 11, which will support English to Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish at launch.
You will need an iPad Mini 2 or newer, an iPhone 5S or newer, or an iPod Touch of 6 generation in order to run iOS 11.
"Hundreds of millions of people can now experience AR apps on iPhone and iPad and view virtual content on top of real-world scenes for interactive gaming, immersive shopping experiences, industrial design and more", Apple said. Here you can check if the iOS 11 has arrived for your device.
Gmail rolls out a new feature to save users' time
It really sounds weird, but Google's native Gmail app didn't have options to open phone numbers addresses via tapping on them. Or if the user taps on the phone number, it will directly open the default phone dialler app and proceed to make the call.
Check this list to determine which of your apps won't load under iOS 11. Apple shared the final version of iOS 11.0 and watchOS 4.0 with testers last week, and Apple Pay Cash was still not enabled.
Apple says that multi-tasking has been made easier which is done by: Opening two apps side-by-side, you can now just drag and drop an app icon from the dock to the main screen.
One of the new features getting a lot of attention is Do Not Disturb.
In addition to these features which will be available on Apple Music across different platforms, Apple Music has also been updated with support for "Ok Google" voice commands on Android.
You can make skin tones more natural, portraits more expressive and the photo file size will be halved. If you want to know more about what you can expect now that we are upon the release of iOS 11, read on to learn some cool features. An iPhone detects if a person is driving, then automatically silences notifications to prevent distractions.
Toshiba to Sell Memory Chip Unit to Group Including SK Hynix
Now, as the deal is approaching a close, Toshiba will have to deal with the legal issues with Western Digital . A representative for Western Digital was not immediately available for comment.
Cowboys Are NFL's Most Valuable Team
Considering all teams in the world in every sport the Cowboys only have a threat in New York Yankees who are worth $3.7 billion. Rounding out the global top five, according to Forbes , is Manchested United ($3.69 billion) and FC Barcelona ($3.64 billion).
Ryanair cancels 40-50 flights daily for the next 6 weeks
Budget airline, Ryanair cancelled 82 flights on Sunday and admitted that they had "messed up" pilot's holidays. Flights to and from other airports in France will be affected throughout the period of the cancellations.
Sensex, Nifty End Marginally Lower Ahead Of Fed Decision
At 1 PM: Sensex was up by 6 points or 0.02% at 32,408.80 while the wider Nifty was down by 4 points or 0.04% at 10,143.50. Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) remained passive as they sold shares worth a net Rs 1,719.62 crore.
Pelosi Battles Pro-Amnesty Demonstrators At DREAM Act Event
They chanted: "Shut down ICE" and "All of us or none of us". "It's clear you don't want any answers", Pelosi told the group. They were looking for ways to "build some trust and confidence" with Trump, Pelosi, D-Calif., said in an interview Friday.
Hardik Pandya, MS Dhoni Partnership Made The Difference: Gavaskar
For Australia , Hilton Cartwright is making his ODI debut, he has been an opener and shall open the innings with David Warner . He top-edged the ball to be dismissed for an entertaining 66-ball 83 runs, which was his third ODI fifty as well.
Jake LaMotta, boxing champion immortalised in Raging Bull - obituary
His daughter Christi LaMotta announced the death on her personal Facebook page but did not disclose the cause of death. He also appeared as different characters in five episodes of the sitcom auto 54, Where Are You? in the '60s.
U.S. submarines will use Xbox 360 controllers to operate their periscopes
In surveys, younger officers said they disliked current scope controls and found them to be clunky to operate. Periscope viewing is now performed via high-resolution cameras that relay their video to big-screen displays.
Emmys 2017: After presenting award previous year , Priyanka announces victor again
On 17th September 2017, the Bollywood star joined Anthony Anderson to present the Outstanding Variety Talk Series award. Chopra's gown was embellished with sequins in a pattern that looked surprisingly inspired by an Indian motif.
Kenya Tightens Security Around Supreme Court Before Key Ruling
Kenyatta said the Supreme Court decision to nullify his presidential election win was the most painful moment of his life. Kenya is a key Western ally in a region often shaken by violence.
Attorneys General want health insurers to review policies in opioid fight
Separately, the coalition sent information demand letters to opioid distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the USA , killing more people than guns or vehicle accidents.
President Warns of Iran's Response to Violation of JCPOA
Some are campaigning for Trump to tear up the deal immediately, regardless of the consequences for the U.S. It also relieves us of all the responsibility of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The hidden change on Apple's new iOS 11 that's infuriating users
That said, some might have still been dragging their feet (or haven't updated their apps in general since Apple made that call). If you want to use two apps at once but don't want the Slide Over panel to cover any information, you can move to Split View.
Wood's Burnley lose to former club Leeds
Striker Wood, the club's top scorer last season, left for Burnley for £15m during the final days of the transfer window . Burnley manager, Sean Dyche, was bemused by the reaction Wood and Taylor got from Leeds fans throughout the match.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus 'Numb' After Record-Tying Emmy Win
The win was the sixth Emmy for Lithgow, who won three times as lead actor in a comedy series for "3rd Rock from the Sun". Brown was honored with the Best Actor in a Drama accolade for This is Us .
THE CW Developing Archie's SABRINA For Spin-Off Show
Sabrina the Teenage Witch is back - like you've never seen her before. If you haven't read the book yet, grab it at the below link. Are you excited for a dark and risky Sabrina show?
Mueller's office has interviewed Rod Rosenstein, who has authority over Russiagate
Mueller's office has provided a list of documents requested from the White House counsel's office, a legal source says. It is unlikely that Mueller's team views Rosenstein as a key witness , given the fact that he's yet to recuse himself.
Trump Wants Massive Military Parade in DC on July 4
So much so, he wants to see if the US can "top it" with a military parade of its own down Pennsylvania Avenue for the 4th of July. While military parades are a staple in countries such as France, Russia and India, they are rarer in the United States.
TSX higher as banks, energy stocks gain
The report said industrial production slumped by 0.9 percent in August after climbing by an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in July. Most of the major sectors showed only modest moves on the day, although significant strength emerged among semiconductor stocks.
The Internet Thinks Laura Dern & Reese Witherspoon Are Feuding
The Feud: Bette and Joan actress then took her act to Twitter, where she jokingly blamed Dern's win on nepotism . Again, in case I wasn't clear, this was obviously a joke on Hoffman's part and a very amusing one at that.
Trump and Latin American leaders to discuss pressure on Venezuela
During his speech, he spent as much time criticizing Venezuela as North Korea, Syria and Iran. Before his first address to the U.N.
"Final Fantasy XV" Lead Boy Noctis Joins "Dissidia Final Fantasy NT"
By the looks of it, it seems like the current gen console, the PlayStation 4 , is the next stop for this entertaining video game . Play Station press conference at the Sony Interactive Entertainment's pre-Tokyo Game Show 2017 pumped up the gamers.
Zapad-2017: Russian helicopter accidentally fires rocket at onlookers
A terrifying video emerged today showing a military helicopter accidentally opening fire on spectators at one of the drills. They also didn't reveal where or when the incident took place, and denied it took place during the ongoing war games.
China, Russia start joint naval drills
Japanese media has claimed that King-Jong-un led North Korea is secretly developing nuclear-capable submarines. The report said that work is in full swing in North Korea's Nampo Naval Shipyard.
Interior Sec. Zinke's memo suggests 2 Utah monuments' size be reduced
Katahdin can be seen from an outlook on the Katahdin Loop Road in the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument . She said the expansion helps protect biodiversity, especially as the climate changes.
Rolling Stone is putting itself up for sale
Rolling Stone also paid out $1.65 million to the Phi Kappa Psi chapter at UVA after the fraternity sued for $25 million. Wenner Media said it was exploring "strategic options" in an effort "to best position the brand for future growth".
Danny Ings in line for Liverpool return against Leicester City
Jurgen Klopp tried to address his defensive woes by trying to lure Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool but Southampton refused to sell. However, Jurgen Klopp's men suffered a chastening 5-0 loss to Manchester City last weekend following Sadio Mane's sending off.
Pakistan's relationship with United States not defined by Afghanistan: PM Abbasi
Here's How You Can Help the Victims of Mexico City's Catastrophic Earthquake
Oil Advances on Signs US Stockpile Gains Easing After Harvey
Clinton Says She Won't Rule Out Challenging Election Legitimacy
Nottingham Forest predicated lineup against Chelsea in EFL Cup
Myanmar's Rohingyas: victims of a democracy still under military sway
NASA Photos Show How Caribbean Islands Changed Color After Hurricane Irma
Dad in clown mask shot at while chasing daughter through neighborhood
The Latest GOP Health-Care Scheme Fulfills an Old Conservative Dream
Google's UPI-based Tez payments app rolls out in India
Pink moon 2019: how to see April's full moon TONIGHT
Most powerful rocket takes off on first paid mission
Mission Shakti: Debris will decay in 45 days, says DRDO chief
'Worm moon': Third, last supermoon of 2019 lights up night sky
SpaceX Dragon capsule splashes down in Atlantic Ocean
SpaceX, NASA Launch Crew Dragon on Crucial Test Flight to Space Station
Elon Musk's SpaceX takes major step towards reviving USA astronaut presence
Cyclone to stay offshore, prompting risky surf conditions
SpaceX Just Launched Israel's Lunar Lander off to the Moon
World's Biggest Bee Thought To Be Extinct Has Been Rediscovered
Get ready: Year's brightest supermoon nearly here
NASA Declares 'Mission Complete' For Opportunity Rover
Ocasio-Cortez: Latinos Can’t Be Illegals Because They’re ‘Descendants of Native People’
Crocodiles cruise the streets in flooded Australian city of Townsville
Groundhog Day 2019: Punxsutawney Phil predicts rare early spring
Copyright © 2019. All rights reserved. thegreatzimbabwe
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I hold Yunusa innocent until I hear from him –Sheikh Ahmad
March 6, 2016 Crime/Judiciary/Security 1136
On Saturday, the Punch newspaper published an extensice interview with the Chief Missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, on the controversy surrounding the alleged kidnapping of a teenage girl, Ese Oruru, from…
Burundi forces discover mass grave
March 1, 2016 Africa 574
Burundian security forces have discovered a mass grave, containing at least 30 corpses in the capital, Bujumbura. Bujumbura Mayor, Freddy Mbonimpa said that the grave is located in Mutakura, one of Bujumbura’s neighbourhoods known for…
OSHA worries over poor implementation of laws
The Osun State House of Assembly has tasked the executive arm of government across Nigeria on the need to ensure prompt implementation of laws being passed by varying houses of assembly. The Speaker of the…
Pastor snatches my wife, wood logger tells court
February 29, 2016 Crime/Judiciary/Security 734
A Customary Court in Ile-Ife, Osun State on Monday dissolved a ten year old marriage between a wood logger, Olusola Onifade and his wife, Simbiatu. The middle-aged man had told the court that his family pastor,…
FG to repatriate 60,000 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon
February 29, 2016 Africa 668
The Federal Government on Monday pledged to repatriate 60,000 Nigerian refugees in the Minawao camp, Maruoa, in the Northern Region of Cameroon. Retired Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, the Minister of Interior, was quoted in a…
Police kill 3, arrest 4 armed robbers in Kano
Three dear-devil armed robbers have fallen to the superior gun power of the Nigerian Police in Kano just as four members of the gang were apprehended alive in one swap during a robbery operation. Alhaji Muhammed…
Court remands ex-minister, Moro in Kuje prison
A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja has ordered that a former minister of the interior, Comrade Abba Moro and two other accused persons, in the 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service recruitment scam, be remanded in…
90 SANs defend Tarfa in bribing charges
Last Wednesday, when prominent Nigerian lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, was arraigned before a Lagos High Court on charges of bribing a judge, at least 90 fellow lawyers who, like him, are Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN),…
Egypt authorities admit jailing toddler by ‘mistake’
Egyptian authorities have admitted that a military court “mistakenly” sentenced a four-year-old boy to life in prison for “committing murder” when he was only one-year-old. The little boy, Ahmad Mansour Korani, was convicted in…
World Cup Fraud: Lulu, Ogunjobi, others lose bid to stop $1.5bn trial
Justice E. S. Chukwu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has dismissed a “no-case-submission” filed by Sani Lulu, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the corruption charge brought…
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You are here: Home / They Read / Book Reviews: Canada
Book Reviews: Canada
Author: Richard Ford
Peter Taylor. John Steinbeck. Richard Ford. Summons to Memphis, East of Eden, and now Richard Ford’s masterpiece, Canada.
Dell and Berner Parsons, 15 year old fraternal twins, live with their parents, Bev and Neeva Parsons, in Great Falls, Montana. Their mother, Neeva, daughter of Jewish immigrants, teaches school. Their father, Bev, has never recovered from leaving the Army Air Corps (which later became the Air Force), demoted from Captain to First Lieutenant because of a supply officer scam selling stolen beef supplied and butchered by Indians to the officer’s club at the Army base. Previously, in the Army, he was a war hero dropping bombs on Japan and has the ribbons to prove it. But Bev, slightly shady, charming, handsome and lazy, cannot seem to get a job right as a civilian. Bev and Neeva are opposites: Neeva, ethnic looking, small, intellectual, cynical and skeptical of life and unhappy in her marriage. Bev is unhappy perhaps, but never stops to dwell on anything unpleasant.
Dell and Berner, close as children, moving from base to base and town to town, have no friends. But Dell is optimistic, curious and thoughtful, while Berner has chosen to become the wild child with a rather boring boyfriend whom she plans to run away with. At fifteen, they are going on different paths. But both children know they are well loved by Bev and Neeva.
When Bev cannot make money selling cars, he returns to the scheme that proved his downfall in the Army. He decides to contact the Indians again for beef to sell to the Great Northern Railroad via a head waiter in the dining car service, Spencer Digby. Digby of course hated the Indians and the Indians hated Digby, and Bev, thinking everyone liked and trusted everyone gets caught owing the Indians $2,000 when Digby runs off with the beef and the money. The head Indian comes to the house and tells Bev he will kill Bev and his family if he doesn’t get his money. Bev decides that he will rob a bank, for how hard could that be? It will solve his money problems and no one will get hurt, because after all, the money is the government’s money. He suggests the scheme to Neeva and tells her he wants to take along Dell for the robbery. Neeva tells him she will go with him instead of Dell. She is horrified but knows the Indian is good to his word, and her family is in peril.
The Parsons get caught and sent to prison, leaving Dell and Berner alone, terrified that the state will come and send them to an orphanage. Neeva has set up her friend Mildred as a backup to take the children to safety. It is all laid out in Neeva’s A Chronicle of a Crime Committed by a Weak Person, a journal she has written in prison before she committed suicide rather than stay in prison for life. Dell tells the tale that follows reading from his mother’s chronicle as well as what developed when Berner ran away just before Mildred came to take him to her brother’s hotel in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Only Mildred’s brother Arthur Remlinger is a criminal running from a crime he committed in the U.S. as an American citizen. As Dell is thrown into the bowls of hell, he doesn’t have the maturity to understand that he is amongst murderers. He does the best that he can.
Ford delineates his story in the august and lonely melancholy of a man looking back at his life. Now in his sixties, Dell tells the story as he has a last meeting with Berner, who is dying. He has only seen her two or three times after he escaped to school from Saskatchewan.
Sometimes we weep when a story suggests a sadness that seeps through our pores. Ford provides more. His faultless prose, his empirical compassion, his deep understanding of human need and fault drives Canada into a place that is more than soul. Absolutely pure writing. Absolutely pure novel. The best of the best.
Canada is now available for purchase.
We received a copy of this title for our book review. All opinions are our own.
« Book Reviews: Diary of a Stage Mother’s Daughter
Book Reviews: The Gates of Paradise »
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MLB Boxscore - Dodgers v Diamondbacks
Arizona 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0
W: J. Urías (4-2) L: R. Ray (5-5) S: K. Jansen (23)
Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 27,927
K. Hernández, CF 4 1 1 1 4 0 0 .214 .285 .397
J. Turner, 3B 3 1 1 1 4 0 0 .300 .382 .442
A. Verdugo, RF 4 1 1 0 2 0 0 .303 .351 .487
C. Taylor, SS 3 0 2 1 3 1 1 .251 .321 .456
W. Smith, C 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 .269 .345 .654
K. Garlick, LF 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .296 .367 .593
M. Beaty, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 .311 .329 .446
A. Barnes, 2B 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 .214 .311 .364
M. Muncy, 2B 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .279 .383 .527
R. Stripling, P 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .091 .167 .091
J. Kelly, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
K. Maeda, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .276 .276 .345
J. Urías, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .429 .333
P. Báez, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - - -
R. Martin, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .255 .361 .343
K. Jansen, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
A. Jones, RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .267 .316 .463
K. Marte, 2B 4 1 2 0 2 0 2 .314 .363 .584
E. Escobar, 3B 3 1 0 0 0 1 1 .280 .342 .531
D. Peralta, LF 4 0 2 2 3 0 1 .293 .356 .489
C. Walker, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 .265 .338 .495
J. Dyson, CF 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .247 .344 .366
M. Andriese, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
T. McFarland, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
D. Leyba, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250 .250 .250
N. Ahmed, SS 4 0 1 0 1 0 1 .261 .309 .411
C. Kelly, C 3 0 1 0 2 1 1 .265 .350 .503
R. Ray, P 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .034 .034 .034
T. Locastro, CF 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241 .383 .333
Totals 33 2 6 2 8 2 9 - - -
2B: LAD 2, A. Verdugo (18), C. Taylor (16). Ari 2, D. Peralta (22), C. Kelly (13).
HR: LAD 2, K. Hernández (12), J. Turner (8).
HR Detail: LAD, K. Hernández (Inning: 1 , 0 Out, 0 on) off R. Ray, LAD, J. Turner (Inning: 6 , 1 Out, 0 on) off R. Ray.
Scoring Position: LAD - 1 for 7.Ari - 2 for 5.
SH: LAD 1, J. Urías (1). Ari 0,
R. Stripling 3.0 4 2 1 1 4 0 14 60 22 - 38 3.08 .232
J. Kelly 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 10 3 - 7 6.15 .278
J. Urías, (W 4-2) 3.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 11 40 12 - 28 2.66 .184
P. Báez, (Hld 16) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 13 5 - 8 2.80 .169
K. Jansen, (S 23) 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 27 9 - 18 3.21 .192
R. Ray, (L 5-5) 6.1 4 3 3 3 9 2 27 103 37 - 66 3.90 .227
M. Andriese 1.2 1 0 0 1 0 0 6 19 7 - 12 4.79 .258
T. McFarland 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 12 5 - 7 5.67 .298
Errors: LAD 2, J. Kelly (3), R. Stripling (1).
Double Plays: Ari 1, (Ahmed to Escobar to Marte to Walker).
Stolen Bases: LAD 3, A. Verdugo (4), C. Taylor 2 (6). Ari 1, N. Ahmed (5).
Hit by Pitch: LAD, J. Turner by R. Ray.
Umpires: HP--Wegner, 1B--Porter, 2B--Reynolds, 3B--Scheurwater.
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Bid failure leaves lessons to be learned.
March 8, 2007 Waye Mason Education, Halifax, Journal, Opinion & Blogitorial 12
As the dream of a “world class†Commonwealth Games slips from the 2014 Bid Committee’s grasp, it is time to examine the root of many citizens mistrust and fear, and the politics behind the bid.
There was palpable panic and frustration coming from Scott Logan — the bid’s head honcho — last week. Over the weekend fellow bid city Glasgow’s paper the Scotsman had run a well-written and researched news report on how our games bid was in “disarrayâ€. Logan kicked the damage-control into high gear, claiming “The media frenzy here, the constant striving to find some kind of dirt or blood or something wrong here . . . to find scandal in everything we do, has made it very difficult on the politicians and made it very challenging on the bid committee,” in the Monday March 5th Herald.
To blame the media for reporting on the actual documented comments and concerns of elected officials if obviously ludicrous; to blame the politicians for having doubts and responding to their constituents concerns is not acceptable.
The unease and mistrust directed at the bid committee reveals the deep concerns that most Nova Scotians have about our government. Fear replaced trust in the Commonwealth Games bid process.
This province has a huge problem that crosses all departments and agencies of government – we do not have transparent, accountable and public decision making processes around funding and policy creation.
Because of the inscrutable and politically driven way in which essential programs, capital programs, and maintenance funding is decided, it is hard to get excited about something like the Games. It is hard because one is left to wonder how many of these essential services, which have to fight for funding each and every budget, will be sacrificed in order to finance the bid.
An example of this is public education funding. Specifically the funding of renovation, repair and replacement of our public schools. There ought to be be a series of formulas that are applied to this issue: a percentage of the real capital value of all buildings had to be set aside for yearly, and a multi year per-capita funding amount for renovation or replacement of buildings. A system like this would allow for sensible steady maintenance and repair or replacement of buildings, and encourage real and meaningful capital planning.
This is not the way it plays out. Instead, school boards, municipalities, MLAs and old boys bicker, intimidate and jockey for position, each trying to get the governing party to support their requests. About every two years, usually right before an election, the Cabinet approves new construction, and the Minister announces the decision to build, often in politically sensitive ridings that need that extra boost to ensure “a good election result.â€
This kind of political decision making is not just an education problem. Arts funding, museums, community services, low income housing, and joint funding for municipal projects are all victims of this kind of politicization, and have been for decades.
Which brings us back to the issue of public mistrust, and fear.
The fear is that the Games, be they $800 million or $1.7 billion, would put such tremendous pressure on the finances of the province that it would become impossible to be assured that programs that currently struggle for funding to would ever get what they need to succeed. The mistrust is that current programs would suffer financially to fund the Games.
Many of pro-Games supporters are disappointed and angry today. They say things like “we need to grow up†and “we look stupid internationally†and “we need to stop being so small town.â€
There is nothing more “small town†in Nova Scotia today then the politics around essential core and capital funding from the Province. Arts, municipalities, schools and museums deserve more. The public deserves more. Old style politics has to stop.
Trust will come from an engaged public developing and supporting a transparent and fair policy framework that guides how multi-year public funding is determined in all of these areas.
Nova Scotia needs a change, or we will continue to fear change… and often, with good reason.
Waye Mason is music and festival promoter, business consultant and education activist in Halifax, Nova Scotia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Please feel free to circulate and distribute under this license.
HRM and the Federal Election – A Resource
March 27, 2011 Waye Mason Commercial Use, Halifax, Opinion & Blogitorial 4
I love me an election, I do. I will have a longer post coming sometime early next week on my take on the ridings in HRM. Until then, I have put together a resource for riding maps, descriptions, candidates and their websites and twitter feeds, if they have them. You can find the Election 2011 resource here.
Public Consultation, not whitewash.
January 18, 2007 Waye Mason Education 0
Mr Windsor, Minister Casey, It was with a some surprise and frustration that I recently received an email and then handout from HRSB staff announcing that the meeting between the Superintendent Carol Olsen and the SAC members from three Halifax schools slated for closure is being billed as a “Community Consultation.” I have attached the document being circulated to the school community. Unfortunately, this meeting is not community consultation. While the meeting is no longer – read more –
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this must be joke email forward week heres another good one our friend goldie from trinidad sent...
tags: email forwards
Labels: email_forwards
our friend cindy sent us this email tonight - dont know if its true or not but interesting nonetheless:
The next time you are washing your hands and
complain because the water temperature isn't just
how you like it, think about how things were in the
Most people got married in June because they
took their yearly bath in May, and still smelled
pretty good by June. However, they were starting to
smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to
hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of
carrying a bouquet when getting married.
Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot
water. The man of the house had the privilege of the
nice clean water, then all the other sons and men,
then the women and finally the children Last of all
the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could
actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying,
"Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."
Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled
high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place
for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other
small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When
it rained it became slippery and sometimes the
animals would slip and off the roof. Hence the
saying "It's raining cats and dogs."
There was nothing to stop things from falling
into the house. This posed a real problem in the
bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up
your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and
a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection.
That's how canopy beds came into existence.
The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had
something other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt
poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get
slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread
thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing.
As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until
when you opened the door it would all start slipping
outside. A piece of wood was placed in the
entranceway. Hence the saying a "thresh hold."
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen
with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
Every day they lit the fire and added things to the
pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much
meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving
leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then
start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in
it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the
rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas
porridge in the pot nine days old."
Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made
them feel quite special. When visitors came over,
they would hang up their bacon to show off It was a
sign of wealth that a man could "bring home the
bacon." They would cut off a little to share with
guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."
Those with money had plates made of pewter.
Food with high acid content caused some of the lead
to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning
death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so
for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were
considered poisonous.
Bread was divided according to status. Workers
got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the
middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."
Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky.
The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers
out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the
road would take them for dead and prepare them for
burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for
a couple of days and the family would gather around
and eat and drink and wait and see if they would
wake up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."
England is old and small and the local folks
started running out of places to bury people. So
they would dig up coffins and would take the bones
to a "bone-house" and reuse the grave. When
reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were
found to have scratch marks on the inside and they
realized they had been burying people alive. So they
would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead
it through the coffin and up through the ground and
tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in
the graveyard all night (the "graveyard shift") to
listen for the bell; thus, someone could be "saved
by the bell" or was considered a "dead ringer."
And that's the truth... Now, whoever said that
history was boring?!!
sos jay dardenne
state senator jay dardenne is reportedly "very, very serious..." [about] running for louisiana secretary of state this year. now you have to remember that back in november 2005 we blogged an editorial of neil kavanaugh's see "La State Senators Betrayal Noted"
senator dardenne voted for and supported the infamous "voter fraud act" he should be ashamed. no we louisianaian's dont need another an old boy network operative in that office. dont forget that the secretary of state is also in charge of our states elections.
having someone like this in there would be right up the old boy networks alley. dont get the wrong idea we arent endorsing mike francis at this point either but we know who we dont want and thats jay dardenne.
see also: secretary of state candidate and la-state-senators-betrayal-noted
tags: jay dardenne old boy network louisiana secretary of state louisiana elections
whos calling who an internet news site
well well well look whos calling www.thedeadpelican.com "An Internet news site"
we need to train ourselves to always go to the dp first to use it to click through to our regular news sources. theres power in them thar clicks lol and if everyone would do that the MSM media managers would see that the pelican will deliver traffic to stories that are of interest to US - then the media would mention it in the news more often.
wouldnt the gannett media here in in louisiana love having to mention someone like oh say c b forgotston and his views regularly all because they know that if their story is linked from the dp it will increase their traffic & more traffic = higher ad revenue.
lets use internet economics in our favor. and no we here at wesawthat... arent dp's no 1 fans we dont always agree with mr rogers stance on some issues but we know from our experience with him (sending in news tips for example) that he does work hard to assemble a product thats informative as well as entertaining.
.mp3 file mentioned in the advocate story: http://www.thedeadpelican.com/bethcourtney.mp3
tags: the dead pelican the advocate alternative news louisiana counter culture beth courtney louisiana public broadcasting
heres the text from the news article:
A dog destined for the dinner table is being thrown into a cage at the Xin Yuan animal market in Guangzhhou, China. France's Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) appealed to Chinese President Hu Jintao to put an end to the cruel slaughter of dogs, which it blasted as an affront(AFP/File/Peter Parks)
goofy editorial in todays town talk
ya know the town talk has a lot of nerve to print something like this when they are the most truth suppressing excuse for a media outlet there is. nuff said.
Our View: Only truth can send the right message
Oprah Winfrey recently defended author James Frey when it was discovered that some of the events and facts in his book are fabricated. Oprah believes Frey's message of redemption, delivered via his memoirs in "A Million Little Pieces," was more important than whether or not the facts presented were completely truthful.
A message of redemption is important. But can a person who lies so glibly about his travails really have found redemption? That point may be arguable.
Nevertheless, the underlying issue is just one example of a greater problem that can be found everywhere, even here in Central Louisiana.
It's an issue of ethics. Ethics are the principles of conduct governing an individual, group or profession. These principles are generally based on ideas of right and wrong. Basically these ideas of right and wrong come from two sources -- our religious and legal guidelines.
It should be simple then to act ethically -- do the right thing. But in the past two decades or so the line between right and wrong has become smeared. Doing the right thing often has been replaced with doing the "OK" thing or the "well, it doesn't really hurt anybody" thing.
Even Oprah has bought into the idea that lying is OK so long as the right message is getting out there.
But that's the problem. Can any message be a right one if it is based on a lie?
Here at home we have to decide what is the right message. Do we tolerate lying in order to send a message about redemption? If so, when caught in the lie, how will anyone know our redemption is sincere?
We struggle with ethical issues daily as we are confronted with questionable business practices and corruption in government and law enforcement agencies.
Will we allow government to act unethically as long as the result is one of which we approve?
How do we convince anyone we understand right and wrong if we continually blur the line between the two?
How do we convince our children to do what is right if what they see operating is a process of almost right, kind of wrong, but the ends justifies the means government?
Central Louisianians may not see this as a problem. But without accountability, without holding ourselves and our government to a higher standard of truth and being guided by a pledge to fair and balanced treatment for all, the message we send will be met with suspicion and distrust, and will have little value.
In order for this city and Central Louisiana to grow, the message we send by example to the world must be one that says the people here are trustworthy and will treat all who come fairly, equitably and ethically.
There is only one way to send that message and have it be believed -- operating openly with full disclosure and tolerating nothing but the truth, from each other and our leaders.
Originally published January 26, 2006
tags: the town talk
face on the pacific ocean floor
we have to give a lot of credit to jeff crouere. he has a lot of interesting guests on his radio program other than the usual political people although jeff is a political animal.
on tuesday the 24th january 2006, crouere had a guy on his show named lloyd stewart carpenter who was talking about a "polar shift why the earth is about to tip over on its axis." this means according to carpenter that "the north pole will become the south pole and the south pole will become the north pole." carpenter says this theory was first popularized back in the 1980's in a book called "reversing earth" by peter warlow.
warlow hypothesizes that it will take about 24 hours for the earth to tip over on its axis and most people wont notice anything other than "russia will become more like south america and south america will become more like northern russia." carpenter says that one thing that warlow didnt take into consideration in his book is that earths magnetic field will change at the same time so there will be no more electricity. mankind will revert to tribal living. scientists know that the magnetic field of the earth changes or reverses about once every 50,000 years and its been well over 50,000 years since thats last happened.
Above we see a side by side tracing next to the FACE on the Pacific Ocean Floor.
carpenter claims that there are over 5,000 active volcanos within this "face" that he discovered years ago. they are also called "the ring of fire."
Above is a scan of the Rand Mc Nally© Map of the Pacific Ocean Floor.
you can listen to this interesting interview below.
link to audio page
note: we record (talk radio) files at 32 kbps in order to save file size we apologize if the sound is a little "hollowish" sounding, we have noticed that they sound good in windows media player.
website of lloyd stewart carpenter: www.777news.com
governor blanco finally sets orleans parish election
saturday, april 22nd, 2006 and saturday, may 20th, 2006. click on title to view original .pdf file. click any picture to view full size.
landrieu concedes.mp3 & nagins victory speech.mp3
tags: gov blanco orleans parish elections new orleans
throw the book at him
**updated** 6:09 am cdt wednesday 12 july 2006 - we have noticed people arriving at this post from googling "gaylon ledington" if he was your friend or family member we are sorry for your loss. click here to view his obituary from the town talk and click here to view his obituary from hixson brothers funeral home. see also Comrades mourn deputy's death; funeral set for Thursday
**updated** friday 14 july 2006 the alexandria, louisiana daily town talk is reporting:
Fund established for deputy's family
A memorial fund has been established to benefit the family of Rapides Parish sheriff's Sgt. Gaylon D. Ledington.
Donations to the fund will go to help his wife and two daughters. Donations may be made to the Gaylon Ledington Memorial Fund at any branch of Hancock Bank.
click here for the hancock bank branch locator
**updated** 4:10 am cdt thursday 20 july 2006
today the alexandria, la daily town talk has published a letter from mr. ledington's mother and family its reproduced below:
Son touched many lives
The loss of my son, Gaylon Ledington, in a traffic accident has left my family heartbroken and devastated. But in the midst of this tragedy, the outpouring of love, kindness, friendship and sympathy, along with our faith in God, is helping to sustain us.
Words cannot express how much each kind word, hug and prayer has meant to us. The people who contacted us in person, by phone, through the online condolences of Hixson Brothers and through cards and letters will be things we will talk about and read and re-read over the months and years to come.
We didn’t know until now how many lives he had touched in his few short years, but by your actions and words, we now know there were many.
The honor paid to him by his superiors, his fellow officers and other law enforcement agents was befitting a great dignitary. We were overwhelmed and that picture will remain with us forever.
Thank you to each and every one.
Barbar Ledington
and the family of Gaylon Ledington
living in a rural area has its disadvantages and one of them is that every few years some jokers come through and bash a bunch of mailboxes. ours and about 100 other people's was last bashed in the summer of 2003. its really hard to catch them as you can imagine because they tend to do it in the middle of the night. these kids think its great fun to go round bashing mailboxes but they dont stop and think that a lot of elderly people on fixed incomes cant afford to go out and spend $20. to $50. or more for a new mailbox every few years and then the hassle of installing it or having someone install it. a lot of the times the pole has to be replaced as well resulting in extra expense.
Man arrested in mailbox vandalism case
Town Talk staff
A Hineston man was arrested on multiple charges early Friday in connection with 14 cases of mailbox vandalism in the Kelleyland subdivision, according to the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.
Thomas Kirby Miller, 19, of 291 Pilgrim Road in Hineston, was stopped around 2 a.m. on La. Highway 1 after allegedly running over 14 mailboxes in the subdivision, said Rapides Sheriff's Office Sgt. Gaylon Ledington.
Miller was charged with driving while intoxicated, speeding, possession of marijuana, and having no driver's license in his possession.
Miller remained in Rapides Parish Jail late Friday. Bond details were not available, officials said.
tags: rapides parish sheriff dept Thomas Kirby Miller hineston mailbox vandalism Rapides Parish
Labels: marijuana
you might be a terrorist...
The reclassification of terrorism is spreading across this country. A bill just BARELY defeated in Oregon would have made you a terrorist if you download music, block traffic or write a bad check. Want to know what the punishment would have been? Read on...
This Madness Is Spreading Nationwide!!
Excerpts from a recent interview of
Dr Walter Belford
by PT Shamrock
DWB - For instance Senate bill 742 in Oregon, which was narrowly defeated by just three votes, would have classified terrorism as a plethora of completely unrelated actions.
Downloading music, blocking traffic, writing a bad cheque or any form of protest, none of which has anything to do with terrorism. All these 'offences'would be punishable by life in prison unless you agreed to attend a "forest labour camp" for 25 years of enforced labour.
I understand that a made over version of Senate bill 742 will be reintroduced in late 2006 with another name and with some minor adjustments and will probably pass the second time around. Then it will naturally, spread nationwide.
Not even Communist China or Stalinist North Korea put people in labour camps for writing a bad cheque, but this was nearly implemented in the 'land of the free'. Debtor's prisons were supposed to have been banned more than 150 years ago! Explain to me what does writing a cheque with insufficient funds have to do with fighting terrorism? Nothing I tell you, absolutely nothing!
Understand and know that this was an actual bill and there are similar ones around the nation that are also being drawn up by your so-called representatives in government.
DWB - If you think Oregon is bad, try Wisconsin! Wisconsin is crazy about control. It takes fingerprints when a police officer pulls you over for a broken taillight. And blood specimens if they suspect you are intoxicated or on drugs. Wisconsin has the honour of sponsoring the Super National ID legislation which will also be a Pan American Union Card, i.e. an international ID as the US merges with Canada and Mexico.
PTS - What else is Wisconsin infamous for?
DWB - A man was sent to prison for five years for "paper terrorism." He sent too many papers in a complaint he had with the government.
DWB continues - In Rhode Island, governors proposed a bill that would have outlawed criticism of the government, defining it as anarchy under World War One era rhetoric.
In the UK there is a very active advert campaign presently that encourages anyone to report "any suspicious" behavior from their neighbors, etc. to the authorities. What "suspicious" means is left entirely up to the person who would report someone. So if you had a neighbor that was angry with you for any real or imagined reason, you'd be reported and your name will remain on numerous government databases forever! Your name will never be deleted from those government databases.
DWB - For example an eighty-year-old man, John Catt who served with the RAF during the Second World War was stopped last September by police in Brighton for wearing an "offensive" T-shirt, which suggested that Bush and Blair be tried for war crimes. He was arrested under the Terrorism Act and handcuffed, with his arms held behind his back and taken off to jail. He is currently awaiting trial under the "British Terrorism Act."
A little known provision hidden in the latest version of the Patriot Act will empower the Secret Service to charge protesters with the new crime of "disrupting major events including political conventions and the Olympics," amongst other 'crimes'.
The Secret Service would also be empowered to charge persons with "breaching security" and to charge people for "entering a restricted area" which is "where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting."
In the UK the authorities are using satellite imagines to spy on citizens to see what home improvements have been made so they can be taxed (extra) for home improvements, e.g. an observatory, an addition or improvements to your home or flat, etc. Worse if you refuse to allow local council (government) officials into your home (without a warrant) to take pictures of the interior of your property, that refusal is now a criminal offence.
For our American friends understand that your government isn't concerned about the (US) border, where the real danger of possible terrorist crossing is and where clearly that government is turning a blind eye. They are concerned about demanding middle aged women present ID on buses in Denver and arresting men for donating travel tokens to people without the right change in New York.
The Associated Press recently reported that Federal air marshals have expanded their work beyond airplanes, launching counterterror surveillance at train stations and other mass transit facilities in a test program. This so-called 'test' program, as always, is simply the prologue to a permanent situation, or permanent program policy for the feds.
What this means is that federally brainwashed goons, and they are goons and jack-booted thugs, are now stomping around with machine guns and vicious dogs, getting in everyone's face and randomly grabbing and searching people on the subway, train, boats, buses, airplanes and even private automobiles.
This 'test' will be implemented and expanded (US) nationwide very soon. The so-called "Visible Intermodal Protection and Response" teams, or Viper teams, will patrol Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Los Angeles rail lines; ferries in Washington and New York states; bus stations in Houston, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, Seattle and elsewhere; and mass transit systems in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Baltimore.
Please recall that recently Rigoberto Alpizar was murdered on an Orlando (Florida) bound flight from Miami by (US) Air Marshals (plural) after, as alleged by the feds, Alpizar ran off the plane yelling that he had a bomb in his backpack.
It has been confirmed by witnesses on that flight that Alpizar never screamed that he had a bomb. It seems like a license to murder is standard fare for these jack booted thugs.
The passengers stated that his wife was trying to calm Mr. Alpizar down as he was singing "Go Down Moses", as he hadn't taken his medication and was tense according to his spouse. Those same eye witnesses said that they were more frightened of Air Marshals putting guns to their head and threatening them not to look at what was taking place. That incident was a primer for the move to put Federal militarized police on the streets and all over transport networks throughout the united States. [Correct spelling.]
In case you've forgotten, the Alpizar incident has uncanny parallels with the murder of Charles de Menezes a Brazilian youth, by British goons (undercover police,) just one day after the supposed aborted second London bombings on July 22nd, 2005.
De Menezes was wearing a light denim jacket, did not vault a barrier, calmly picked up a newspaper, did not have wires trailing from his jacket and was not seen coming from the building under surveillance one day after the failed bombings. CCTV tapes of the incident were seized by London/UK police who then claimed that the tapes didn't exist due to the cameras conveniently malfunctioning at that exact time, something which the London Underground workers wholesale denied.
De Menezes walked onto the train and was shot in the head officially eight times, possibly more.
So in the event you should, for example, attempt to help someone out by selling or giving them a spare token that you have for the tube or subway, that may be deemed as suspicious behavior and you will be cuffed and taken away. If you resist you will be shot.
Now let me put this before you. Remember that Bush called the US Constitution, "just a Goddamn piece of paper." Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said in a Washington Post article recently that Congress explicitly denied a White House request for war-making authority in the United States immediately after the 9/11/2001 attacks. Daschle's quote is right here!
"This last-minute change would have given the president broad authority to exercise expansive powers not just overseas ... but right here in the United States, potentially against American citizens," Daschle wrote. [Source: The Washington Post.]
DWB continues - In spite of Bush being legally shot down on that eavesdropping request, amongst many other similar requests, President Bush arrogantly went ahead and authorized the National Security Agency (NSA) to eavesdrop on telephone calls and e-mails within U.S. borders without judicial approval. Now that's a fact. Bush' steps' regarding wiretapping American citizens clearly violates the constitutional rights of Americans and is a crime, period. IMO that may be an impeachable offence against Bush.
In fact James Comey, a deputy to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft, questioned legality of the NSA program and refused to extend it in 2004. White House aides then turned to Ashcroft while the attorney general was hospitalized for gallbladder surgery, but Ashcroft, author of the controversial USA Patriot Act, also refused to endorse the spying. That really tells you something doesn't it?
The New York Times caved into White House demands to withhold this story from the public and sat on this eavesdropping story for one year until finally some brave hero(s) exposed Bush's spying and produced the truth! The person or persons who leaked Bush' spying on Americans are the true patriots! They're the real American heros. Unfortunately they'll probably end up being fired and lucky if they don't go to jail.
Look at this New York Times article [DWB hands PTS the newspaper clipping] where the NYT's reveals that "it has obtained videotapes showing the New York Police Department conducting surveillance by planting undercover officers to secretly infiltrate and monitor anti-war protests and bike rallies amongst other spying on Americans."
For your information and for that of your readers, the (US) National Security Agency (NSA) has surreptitiously placed tracking cookies on almost all (US) PC's and Mac's without the owners knowledge or consent. This is, naturally, in addition to (US based) ISP's having had to place tracking programs on all US based servers under penalty from the authorities. This has been done for tracking purposes of all web sites looked at and for scanning and recording of all e-mail's sent and received from all US based computers and servers.
I would suspect that the UK and many other western countries have done the same or similar thing, all without legal precedent and or the computer user's knowledge or permission.
It is therefore my further opinion that this recently exposed skullduggery and eavesdropping by Bush et al on Americans and others is just the tip of a huge hidden iceberg. I believe this eavesdropping by Bush' NSA and other agencies started long before 9/11/2001 and will be found to be far more intrusive and widespread than we currently know or believed previously.
Pop Star Michael Jackson finally saw the light and after his acquittal left the united States [correct spelling] and has temporarily settled in Bahrain. I understand he is reportedly eyeing property in the tax free Gulf emirate of Dubai.
The Federal police are indoctrinating middle school children in San Antonio, Texas these days. The Federal police, i.e. National Guard and regular army are invited into schools and are teaching the children how to behave and who to obey, them. They (Federal Police) are even seen at cross walks directing traffic! [HB Zachary middle school, San Antonio, Texas.] What is the Federal Police (US Army) doing directing traffic in and around schools? Both "programs" will soon spread nationwide. The parents who protest that their children are being subjected to Federal Police indoctrination in schools are investigated!
I believe it is was either Newport News or Norfolk, Virginia where school age children (young teenagers) have to use their thumbprints biometrically in order to obtain books at the school and or public libraries and are being told that their thumbprints are required for their own protection.
JERRY STRAUSS
tags: terrorism walter belford jerry strauss PT Shamrock rumor mill news
mayor nagins comments
some people are goofing on mayor nagin's comments at new orleans yesterday. nagin is quoted as saying:
Surely God is mad at America. He sent us hurricane after hurricane after hurricane, and it’s destroyed and put stress on this country. Surely he doesn’t approve of us being in Iraq under false pretenses. But surely he is upset at black America also. We’re not taking care of ourselves.
if anyone would bother to check their bibles they would see that god has historically used the weather to get peoples attention: jonah is one example that comes to mind, god told jonah to go to nineveh. jonah disobeyed god and boarded a boat going somewhere else. god sent a storm and the sailors on the boat threw jonah overboard. the storm stopped immediately. jesus himself calmed a storm "peace be still" when jesus died on the cross the sky was blackened and there was a massive earthquake. coming out of egypt the israelites bowed down to the golden calf; god sent another earthquake that swallowed up all those that bowed to this idol.
anyone that can say that america is holy or is doing gods will is totally deluded. another thing that makes us chuckle is when the bible thumpers say that "god will bless those that bless [israel] and curse those that curse [israel]. they like to use this quote from the bible to justify our [america's] unswerving support for whatever israel wants to do. what the bible thumpers and their followers fail to point out or even understand is that israel must first be doing gods will. god will not bless someone who is not doing his will or following his word.
see related posts:
mayor of orleans debate.mp3
final mayor of orleans debate
orleans parish election runoff.jpg & .mp3
tags: ray nagin
Washington Parish Reservoir Movie
louisiana reservoir links page
**updated** movie embed added monday 13 november 2006
10.1MB .wmv 13 min 38 sec video file must see
http://realreservoirnews.blogspot.com/2006/01/waste-of-money.html
the old boy network ... the other shoe is dropping...
wesawthats... "mirror" of this important video:
http://www.freewebtown.com/wesawthat/
note: this is a streaming video and no download is required.
louisiana reservoir of corruption
tags: washington parish poverty point reservoir the old boy network Eminent Domain CYPRESS COVE AT POVERTY POINT, L.L.C. .wmv
louisiana corruption
saddams trial judge
dont you see a resemblance between brian george who was in that memorable episode from seinfeld called "the cafe" and judge rizgar amin?
judge rizgar amin
brian george
tags: judge rizgar amin brian george
cleco is being shafted
heres the latest in the city of alexandria v cleco lawsuits. there are so many and we have blogged about this before to try and recap and someone correct us if we are wrong, cleco has been accused of cheating alexandria "ratepayers" by over charging alexandria for utilities. or something like that. it all started when some guys that worked for cleco sam sansing and david pugh squealed to the city that cleco was frauding it.
as you can imagine, cleco is suing these two in state court and there is controversy there because the judge in that suit judge george metoyer well his wife works for one of the litigants - the city of alexandria. see new judge wastes no time joining the old boy network.
so then it turns out that there was some spies on the citys side because mayor randolph fired his chief of staff and two other high level city "executives" for giving cleco a heads up about what they were discussing in "secret" city council meetings. they turn around and sue and randolph hires charlie weems to defend the suit. mr weems promptly moves the suit to his law partners court who just happens to be a federal judge. how convenient.
anyway, our interest lies as you can tell in all the lawyers involved. you see judge dee drell comes from the gold weems law firm and so does the other federal judge u s district judge f a "pappy" little, jr. "the gold firm" is located here at alexandria, la., charlie weems comes from the gold firm as well. in fact the secretary of state used to list the incorporators of the gold weems law firm as c.s. weems, III and f.a. little, jr.
of course the right thing to do under say oh canon 2 of the federal canons of judicial conduct would be for judge drell as well as judge little to recuse themselves from any suit that their former or current law partner(s) would bring on before em. didnt we just go over this in the alito hearings?
naturally the local press never reports any of this. a few years ago judge little ruled on a lawsuit concerning bayou robert. judge little also lives on bayou robert despite that he ruled anyway. the town talk never mentioned the judge lived on the very property he was ruling on despite publishing several articles about the dispute itself; when it was pointed out to them their reply was "he has to live somewhere"
another one of the lawyers the one representing one of the guys mayor randolph fired is jock scott who is the son of the late federal u s senior judge nauman s scott.
so what we have is a cabal of lawyers who happen to control the federal throne here, poised, to take over a major louisiana utility - cleco. uh huh they are republicans too...
City, Cleco agree to audit to help resolve dispute
By Billy Gunn bgunn@thetowntalk.com
Alexandria and Cleco Corp. have agreed to an audit overseen by a U.S. District Court judge to resolve the legal and public argument over whether the utility owes the city's electricity users money.
City Council members Friday unanimously voted to adopt guidelines that will be submitted to Judge Dee Drell, who is presiding over the city's lawsuit against Cleco filed this past summer.
"The audit process provides an opportunity for a neutral and experienced auditor to identify the specific claims that the city has against Cleco," City Attorney Kelvin Sanders said at a special council meeting Friday.
"The audit and resulting mediation has a good chance of expediting a resolution of the city's claims with minimal cost and should improve the city's ability to assess the value of its claims," Sanders said.
In the city's lawsuit, Alexandria makes numerous allegations against the utility, including alleging fraud over years of electricity transactions.
An audit "is the right thing to do," Mayor Ned Randolph said.
Council President Charles F. Smith Jr. said, "We want the people of this town to know we're not hiding anything."
The city suit against Cleco is one of three now in the courts involving the utility, Alexandria and a bevy of other players. The longest-running lawsuit, filed by Cleco against two former employees, is ongoing.
Attorneys for the former employees, Sam Sansing and David Pugh, who brought alleged Cleco wrongdoings to city officials' attention in the spring of 2004, said they will proceed fighting for their own audit in state court.
The most recent case, filed in September, was brought against the city after Randolph got rid of three longtime city executives, Harold Chambers, Sonny Craig and Darrell Williamson.
heres a screen grab of judge drell's resume from off the department of justice website:
drell resume added 8:19pm cdt sunday 02 april 2006
new judge wastes no time joining the old boy network
who's protecting us from chuck plattsmier and the la attorney disciplinary board?
middleton victims website chronicles ladb inaction
judge f a little jr retires
ogden middleton/gold weems victims press release for immediate release
tags: the town talk b gunn cleco judge dee drell city of alexandria gold weems charlie weems lawsuits
ned randolph jock scott judge george metoyer united states district court western district of louisiana
ninth judicial district court
Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime.
we saw this the other morning on spelunking through the chaos and posted it without comment. what is there to say except that we arent surprised in the tiniest bit to see that this would have pennsylvania's senator arlen specter slimy fingerprints all over it..this guy is for or authors every two-bit piece of corporate, police state nazification of america "legislation" they can come up with; wisconsin's congressman james f sensenbrenner, is another, oh and lest we forget utah's senator orrin hatch. so anyway we louisianaian's will clean our house but you yanks have have to help as well.
ps isnt it creepy how they have done their names a la... specter.senate.gov ... hatch.senate.gov ...while the representatives have theirs at the end.
Perspective: Create an e-annoyance, go to jail
It's no joke. Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity.
In other words, it's OK to flame someone on a mailing list or in a blog as long as you do it under your real name. Thank Congress for small favors, I guess.
This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include stiff fines and two years in prison.
"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic," says Marv Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. "What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."
Buried deep in the new law is Sec. 113, an innocuously titled bit called "Preventing Cyberstalking." It rewrites existing telephone harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet "without disclosing his identity and with intent to annoy."
To grease the rails for this idea, Sen. Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican, and the section's other sponsors slipped it into an unrelated, must-pass bill to fund the Department of Justice. The plan: to make it politically infeasible for politicians to oppose the measure.
The tactic worked. The bill cleared the House of Representatives by voice vote, and the Senate unanimously approved it Dec. 16.
There's an interesting side note. An earlier version that the House approved in September had radically different wording. It was reasonable by comparison, and criminalized only using an "interactive computer service" to cause someone "substantial emotional harm."
That kind of prohibition might make sense. But why should merely annoying someone be illegal?
There are perfectly legitimate reasons to set up a Web site or write something incendiary without telling everyone exactly who you are.
Think about it: A woman fired by a manager who demanded sexual favors wants to blog about it without divulging her full name. An aspiring pundit hopes to set up the next Suck.com. A frustrated citizen wants to send e-mail describing corruption in local government without worrying about reprisals.
In each of those three cases, someone's probably going to be annoyed. That's enough to make the action a crime. (The Justice Department won't file charges in every case, of course, but trusting prosecutorial discretion is hardly reassuring.)
Clinton Fein, a San Francisco resident who runs the Annoy.com site, says a feature permitting visitors to send obnoxious and profane postcards through e-mail could be imperiled.
"Who decides what's annoying? That's the ultimate question," Fein said. He added: "If you send an annoying message via the United States Post Office, do you have to reveal your identity?"
Fein once sued to overturn part of the Communications Decency Act that outlawed transmitting indecent material "with intent to annoy." But the courts ruled the law applied only to obscene material, so Annoy.com didn't have to worry.
"I'm certainly not going to close the site down," Fein said on Friday. "I would fight it on First Amendment grounds."
He's right. Our esteemed politicians can't seem to grasp this simple point, but the First Amendment protects our right to write something that annoys someone else.
It even shields our right to do it anonymously. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas defended this principle magnificently in a 1995 case involving an Ohio woman who was punished for distributing anonymous political pamphlets.
If President Bush truly believed in the principle of limited government (it is in his official bio), he'd realize that the law he signed cannot be squared with the Constitution he swore to uphold.
And then he'd repeat what President Clinton did a decade ago when he felt compelled to sign a massive telecommunications law. Clinton realized that the section of the law punishing abortion-related material on the Internet was unconstitutional, and he directed the Justice Department not to enforce it.
Bush has the chance to show his respect for what he calls Americans' personal freedoms. Now we'll see if the president rises to the occasion.
tags: stupid laws arlen specter sec 113 preventing cyberstalking declan mccullagh cnet news
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Rhode Island Becomes 11th Medical Marijuana State
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Retrieved from "https:/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-603-73-7"
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USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Current season, competition or edition:
2019 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
U.S. Olympic Trials
USATF Official website
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport. Since 1992, in years which feature a Summer Olympics, World Championships in Athletics or a IAAF Continental Cup, the championships serve as a way of selecting the best athletes for those competitions.
3 Editions
4 Split gender editions
5 Men only editions
7 Most successful athletes
The history of the competition starts in 1876, when the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) decided to organize a national championships.[1] Having previously held the NYAC Spring and Fall Games, the seventh edition of the Fall Games became the country's first national track and field championships. The National Association of Amateur Athletes of America (NAAAA), began sponsoring the meeting in 1879, and organised the championships up to 1887. At this point, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), a more powerful athletic organisation, began to hold their own version of the national championships. Two national championships were held in 1888, but the NAAAA disbanded after this. The AAU was the sole organizer of the event for the next ninety years.[1] In 1923 the AAU also sponsored the First American Track & Field championships for women.
As a result of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU no longer had power over Olympic sports in the United States. A spin-off group, The Athletics Congress, held its first national track and field championships in 1980. The Athletics Congress was renamed USA Track & Field in 1993, and they have organized the annual championships ever since.[1]
The following athletics events are currently featured on the national championships' program:
Sprint: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m
Middle distance track events: 800 m, 1500 m
Long distance track events: 5000 m, 10,000 m
Hurdles: 100 m hurdles, 110 m hurdles, 400 m hurdles, 3000 m steeplechase
Jumps: long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault
Throws: shot put, discus, hammer, javelin
Combined events: heptathlon, decathlon
Walks: 20 km walk (road) / 20000 m walk (track)
In earlier editions before 1974, running distances were often measured in yards. All races were in yards until 1928. From then on, races were measured in meters for Olympic years and yards for other years, except 1933 to 1951 inclusive and 1959.
Hayward Field has hosted the championships over 10 times, the most of all venues.
The Cobb Track and Angell Field stadium has played host to the championships on two occasions.
2019 Des Moines, Iowa Drake Stadium, Drake University July 25–28, 2019
2018 Des Moines, Iowa Drake Stadium, Drake University June 21–24, 2018
2017 Sacramento, California Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento June 22–25, 2017
2016 Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon July 1–10, 2016
2015[2] Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon June 25–28, 2015
2014[3] Sacramento, California Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento June 25–29, 2014
2012 Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon June 21–July 1, 2012
2011 Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon June 23–26, 2011
2007 Indianapolis IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium, IUPUI June 20–24, 2007
2005 Carson, California Home Depot Center June 23–26, 2005
2004 Sacramento, California Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex Hornet Stadium, California State University, Sacramento July 9–18, 2004
2003 Palo Alto, California Cobb Track & Angell Field, Stanford University June 19–22, 2003
2000 Sacramento, California Hornet Stadium, California State University July 14–23, 2000
1998 New Orleans, Louisiana Tad Gormley Stadium June 17–21, 1998
1996 Atlanta Centennial Olympic Stadium June 14–23, 1996
1994 Knoxville, Tennessee Tom Black Track, University of Tennessee June 15–18, 22, 1994
The Athletics Congress of the USA
1992 New Orleans Tad Gormley Stadium June 19–28, 1992
1991 New York Downing Stadium
1990 Norwalk, California Cerritos College
1989 Houston, Texas University of Houston
1988 Tampa, Florida Pepin-Rood Stadium, University of Tampa[4]
1987 San Jose, California San Jose City College
1986 Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon
1985 Indianapolis IUPUI Track and Soccer Stadium, IUPUI
1982 Knoxville, Tennessee Tom Black Track, University of Tennessee
1981 Sacramento, California Charles C. Hughes Stadium Sacramento City College
1980 Walnut, California Hilmer Lodge Stadium, Mt. San Antonio College
Amateur Athletic Union
1978 Westwood, California Drake Stadium UCLA[5]
1977 Westwood, California Drake Stadium UCLA
Split gender editions
Men's Venue
Women's Venue
1975 Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon June 25–27, 1975 White Plains, New York White Plains High School 14 + NY Mar.
1974 Westwood, Los Angeles, California Drake Stadium UCLA June 21–23, 1974 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium 15
1973 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium June 15–17, 1973 Irvine, California Anteater Stadium 14
1972 Seattle, Washington Husky Stadium June 16–18, 1972 Canton, Ohio Citizens Field 13
1971 Eugene, Oregon Hayward Field, University of Oregon June 25–27, 1971 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium 13
1970 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium June 26–28, 1970 Westwood, Los Angeles, California Drake Stadium UCLA 13
1969 Miami, Florida Miami Dade College North Stadium June 27–29, 1969 Dayton, Ohio Welcome Stadium 12
1968 Sacramento, California Charles C. Hughes Stadium, Sacramento City College June 19–21, 1968 Aurora, Colorado Aurora Public School Stadium August 14–18, 1968 12
1967 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium June 22–23, 1967 Santa Barbara, California La Playa Stadium July 1–2, 1967 12
1966 New York City Downing Stadium June 25–26, 1966 Frederick, Maryland 12
1965 San Diego, California Balboa Stadium Columbus, Ohio 12
1964 New Brunswick, New Jersey Rutgers Stadium June 26–28, 1964 Hanford, California Hanford Bowl 11
1963 St. Louis, Missouri Public School Stadium Dayton, Ohio Welcome Stadium 11
1962 Walnut, California Mt. San Antonio College, Hilmer Lodge Stadium Los Angeles 11
1961 New York City Downing Stadium Gary, Indiana 11
1960 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium Corpus Christi, Texas 11
1959 Boulder, Colorado Cleveland, Ohio 12
1958 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium Morristown, New Jersey 11
1957 Dayton, Ohio Welcome Stadium Shaker Heights, Ohio 10
1956 Bakersfield, California Memorial Stadium Philadelphia Franklin Field 10
1955 Boulder, Colorado Ponca City, Oklahoma 10
1954 St. Louis, Missouri Public School Stadium Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 10
1953 Dayton, Ohio Welcome Stadium San Antonio, Texas 10
1952 Long Beach, California Veterans Memorial Stadium Waterbury, Connecticut 10
1951 Berkeley, California Edwards Stadium Waterbury, Connecticut 10
1950 College Park, Maryland Byrd Stadium June 23–25, 1950 Freeport, Texas Hopper Field 10
1949 Fresno, California Ratcliffe Stadium Odessa, Texas 9
1948 Milwaukee, Wisconsin Grand Rapids, Michigan 9
1947 Lincoln, Nebraska San Antonio, Texas 9
1946 San Antonio, Texas Buffalo, New York 9
1945 New York City Downing Stadium Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
1943 New York City Downing Stadium Lakewood, Ohio
1942 New York City Downing Stadium Ocean City, New Jersey Carey Stadium
1941 Philadelphia Franklin Field Ocean City, New Jersey Carey Stadium
1940 Fresno, California Ratcliffe Stadium Ocean City, New Jersey Carey Stadium
1939 Lincoln, Nebraska
1938 Buffalo, New York
1937 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1936 Princeton, New Jersey
1933 Chicago, Illinois Stagg Field
1932 Palo Alto, California Stanford Stadium Evanston, Illinois Dyche Stadium
1930 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
1929 Denver, Colorado
1928 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cambridge, Massachusetts Franklin Field
Harvard Stadium July 3–5, 1928
July 6–7, 1928 Newark, New Jersey City Field July 4, 1928
1926 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Franklin Field
1925 San Francisco, California Kezar Stadium
1924 West Orange, New Jersey
1923 Chicago, Illinois Stagg Field Newark, New Jersey Weequahic Park September 29, 1923
Note that the track surface changed over these years. Synthetic tracks were used in the men's editions in 1963 (rubber), 1965, 1969, 1971, 1972 and from 1974 on. The tracks in the other years were cinders, sometimes with a mix of brick (1967, 1970 and 1973).
Men only editions
1922 Newark, New Jersey
1921 Pasadena, California Tournament Park
1915 San Francisco, California
1898 Chicago, Illinois Marshall Field
Championships records[6]
100 m Tyson Gay 9.77 (+1.6 m/s) [note 1] 28 June 2008 2008 Eugene [9] Marion Jones 10.72 20 June 1998 1998 New Orleans
200 m Justin Gatlin 19.57 (+0.4 m/s) 28 June 2015 2015 Eugene [10] Allyson Felix 21.69 (+1.0 m/s) 30 June 2012 2012 Eugene [11]
400 m Michael Johnson 43.44 19 June 1996 1996 Atlanta Sanya Richards 49.27 24 June 2006 2006 Indianapolis
800 m Duane Solomon 1:43.27 23 June 2013 2013 Des Moines [12] Meredith Rainey 1:57.04 17 June 1996 1996 Atlanta
1500 m Matthew Centrowitz Jr. 3:34.09 10 July 2016 2016 Eugene [13] Regina Jacobs 4:01.01 16 July 2000 2000 Sacramento
3000 m - - Mary Decker 8:38.36 19 June 1983 Indianapolis, Indiana
5000 m Paul Chelimo 13:08.62 23 June 2017 2017 Sacramento [14] Regina Jacobs 14:45.35 21 July 2000 2000 Sacramento
10000 m Galen Rupp 27:25.33 22 June 2012 2012 Eugene [15] Shalane Flanagan 30:59.97 23 June 2011 2011 Eugene [16][17] [1]
100 m hurdles — — Brianna Rollins 12.26 (+1.2��m/s) 22 June 2013 2013 Des Moines [18]
110 m hurdles Allen Johnson 12.92 23 June 1996 1996 Atlanta — —
400 m hurdles Bryan Bronson 47.03 21 June 1998 1998 New Orleans Dalilah Muhammad 52.64 25 June 2017 2017 Sacramento [19]
3000 m steeplechase Evan Jager 8:12.29 28 June 2015 2015 Eugene [20] Emma Coburn 9:15.59 27 June 2015 2015 Eugene [21]
High jump Jesse Williams 2.37 m 26 June 2011 2011 Eugene [22] [2]
Erik Kynard 26 June 2015 2015 Eugene [23] Chaunte Howard 2.05 m 26 June 2010 2010 Des Moines [24]
Pole vault Jeff Hartwig 6.02 m 27 June 1999 1999 Eugene Jennifer Stuczynski 4.92 m 6 July 2008 2008 Eugene [25]
Long jump Carl Lewis 8.79 m 19 June 1983 Indianapolis, Indiana Brittney Reese 7.31 m (+1.7 m/s) 1 July 2016 2016 Eugene [26]
Triple jump Willie Banks 17.97 m 16 June 1985 Indianapolis, Indiana Keturah Orji 14.59 m (+1.9 m/s) 22 June 2018 2018 Des Moines [27]
Shot put Ryan Crouser 22.65 m 25 June 2017 2017 Sacramento [28] Michelle Carter 20.24 m 22 June 2013 2013 Des Moines [18]
Discus throw John Powell 71.26 m 9 June 1984 San Jose, California Ria Stalman Netherlands 67.58 m 8 June 1984 San Jose, California
Hammer throw Lance Deal 82.50 m 17 June 1994 Knoxville, Tennessee DeAnna Price 78.12 m 23 June 2018 2018 Des Moines [29]
Javelin throw Breaux Greer 91.29 m 21 June 2007 2007 Indianapolis [30] Kara Patterson 66.67 m 25 June 2010 2010 Des Moines [31]
Heptathlon Ashton Eaton 9039 pts 22–23 June 2012 2012 Eugene [32] Jackie Joyner-Kersee 6979 pts 23–24 June 1987 San Jose, California
20000 m walk (track) Trevor Barron 1:23:00.10 22 June 2012 2012 Eugene [11] Teresa Vaill 1:33:28.15 2005 [33]
20 km walk (road) Curt Clausen 1:23:34 Michelle Rohl 1:32:39 2000 2000 Sacramento [33]
10 km walk (road) - - Teresa Vaill 45:01 1995 [33]
^ Tyson Gay ran 9.75 at the 2013 Des Moines edition, but his performance was annulled after the race for doping.[7][8]
Most successful athletes
Male athlete
Most wins
Female athlete
Not contested
Alice Coachman 5
100 metres Carl Lewis
Justin Gatlin 5 Evelyn Ashford 5
200 metres Ralph Metcalfe
Michael Johnson 5 Stella Walsh 11
400 metres Lon Myers 6 Sanya Richards-Ross 6
800 metres Mark Everett 8 Madeline Manning 6
1500 metres Joie Ray 8 Regina Jacobs 11
Jan Merrill 4
5000 metres Bernard Lagat 7 Regina Jacobs
Marla Runyan 3
10,000 metres Lou Gregory
Galen Rupp 7 Lynn Jennings 7
110/100 m hurdles Allen Johnson 7 Gail Devers 10
200 m hurdles John Eller 5 Pat Hawkins 4
400 m hurdles Oris Erwin
Bershawn Jackson 5 Kim Batten 6
3000 m s'chase Joe McCluskey
Henry Marsh 9 Elizabeth Jackson
Emma Coburn 4
20,000 m walk Kevin Eastler
Tim Seaman 4 Maria Michta 5
High jump Dwight Stones
Charles Austin 6 Alice Coachman 10
Pole vault Bob Richards 9 Stacy Dragila 9
Pole vault for distance Platt Adams 4
Long jump DeHart Hubbard
Ralph Boston
Arnie Robinson
Mike Powell 6 Willye White 12
Triple jump Dan Ahearn 8 Sheila Hudson 7
Shot put George Gray 10 Connie Price-Smith 11
Discus throw Fortune Gordien
Al Oerter
Mac Wilkins 6 Frances Kaszubski 7
Hammer throw Hal Connolly
Lance Deal 9 Dawn Ellerbe 6
Javelin throw Breaux Greer 8 Dorothy Dodson 11
Weight throw James Mitchel 11
Babe Didrikson Zaharias
Marion Barone
Juanita Watson
Marion Brown 3
Pentathlon Eulace Peacock 6
Jane Frederick 9
Decathlon Dan O'Brien
Tom Pappas 5
All around Bill Urban 5
USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
USA Marathon Championships
USA Half Marathon Championships
USA Cross Country Championships
^ a b c The United States' National Championships In Track & Field Athletics: Introduction. Track and Field News. Retrieved on 2009-09-19.
^ "USA Track & Field - 2015 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene". Usatf.org. June 15, 2015. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
^ "USA Track & Field - 2014 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Sacramento". Usatf.org. October 29, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
^ http://articles.latimes.com/1988-06-17/sports/sp-5631_1_track-and-field-championships
^ "Los Angeles Sports Council – L.A. Facilities". Lasports.org. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
^ "USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Records". USATF. January 1, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
^ Kirby Lee (June 22, 2013). "World-leading wins from Gay, Gardner and Day at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
^ Nick Zaccardi (May 2, 2014). "Tyson Gay returns Olympic silver medal with doping ban". NBC Sports. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
^ Gene Cherry (June 30, 2008). "Tyson Gay taking sprinting to new level says coach". Reuters. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
^ "200m Dash Results". flashresults.com. June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
^ a b Ed Gordon (July 1, 2012). "Marritt hurdles world-leading 12.93, Felix blazes 21.69 in Eugene – U.S. Olympic Trials, Day 7". IAAF. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
^ Kirby Lee (June 24, 2013). "World leads from Gay and Solomon highlight final day of US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
^ Roy Jordan (July 11, 2016). "Records broken on final day of US Olympic Trials". IAAF. Retrieved July 11, 2016.
^ Roy Jordan (June 24, 2017). "Claye sails 17.91m in Sacramento - US Championships day 2". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
^ "Rupp wins trials 10K with meet-record 27:25.33, Tegenkamp and Ritzenhein also make US team". The Washington Post. June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
^ Kirby Lee (June 24, 2011). "Carter prevails in epic women's Shot Put battle in Eugene – USA champs, Day 1". IAAF. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
^ "10000 Metres Results". www.flashresults.com. June 23, 2011. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
^ a b Kirby Lee (June 23, 2013). "National records for Rollins, Carter and Bingson at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
^ Roy Jordan (June 25, 2017). "Muhammad wins historic 400m hurdles race at US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
^ "3000m Steeplechase Results". flashresults.com. June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
^ "3000m Steeplechase Result". flashresults.com. June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
^ "High Jump Results". www.flashresults.com. June 26, 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
^ "High Jump Results". flashresults.com. June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
^ Parker Morse (June 27, 2010). "Lowe jumps 2.05m, wins over Iowa: USATF Nationals Day 3". IAAF. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
^ USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Women's Pole Vault Archived 2009-12-09 at the Wayback Machine. USATF. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
^ Roy Jordan (July 3, 2016). "Reese's big leap highlights early action at US Olympic Trials". IAAF. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
^ Roy Jordan (June 23, 2018). "Lyles clocks 9.88 world lead to take US 100m title". IAAF. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
^ Roy Jordan (June 24, 2018). "Price breaks North American hammer record on third day of US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
^ USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Men's Javelin Throw Archived 2012-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. USATF. Retrieved on 2009-09-28.
^ Parker Morse (June 26, 2010). "Patterson, Felix steal the show: USATF Nationals, Day 1 & 2". IAAF. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
^ "Decathlon Results". USATF. June 23, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2012.
^ a b c "USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Women's 20 km Race Walk". USATF. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
United States Championships (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-28.
United States Championships (Men 1876-1942). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-28.
United States Championships (Men 1943-). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2015-06-28.
Official website from USATF
A brief history of the US national championship from Track & Field News
Past results from Track & Field News
Past champions from USATF
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WHS Round Up: Soccer Tourney This Weekend
The Winthrop High girls and boys soccer teams kick off their 2011 season this weekend with a tournament which they are hosting for the third successive year.
The WHS girl will get the tourney underway at 11:00 Saturday against No. Shore Tech. The winner will play Sunday against the victor of the contest between Northeast Regional and Saugus, with the losers also matching up.
Coach Tracy Martucci and her charges are looking forward to the coming season. “We’ve been looking good in the pre season,” said Martucci whose squad will be led by the captaincy triumvirate of Nicole Black, Kayla Murphy, and Amanda Cordes, all of whom are senior forwards. “We have a big program with 55 girls for our freshman, JV, and varsity teams, so we’re hopeful that we will have a successful year,” added the coach.
Martucci once again will be joined by assistant coaches Jen Adams, Kristen Corolla, and Nikki Kneeland, who will be leading the JV and freshman squads.
As for the boys, they are set to play Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against Saugus. The winners will meet the victor of the contest between Innovation and Consolation Academies on Sunday.
“The team is coming along,” said head coach Pasquale D’Amore. “We’re optimistic about our chances for a good year.” The Viking boys will be led by the senior trio of midfielder D.J. Estrada, defenseman Chris Day, and forward Joe D’Amore.
After the tourney, both the boys and girls will be off for a while, with the girls not playing again until next Saturday, September 17, against Marblehead. The boys won’t be back in action until Tuesday, September 20, when they face Lynn Classical.
Golf team beats RHS in opener
Although rainy weather greeted the Winthrop High golf team to open its 2011 campaign on Tuesday, the tough conditions did not deter the Vikings from taking the measure of Revere, 52-20, on the Patriots’ home course at Cedar Glen.
Coach Peter Lyons’s squad won six of the eight individual matchups against their Revere counterparts. Senior Captain Pat Brogan, playing at No. 1, shot the best round of the day, a one over par 36 en route to a 7-2 win over his Revere opponent. Senior Matt Tedesco, playing at No. 3, shot a 38 for an 8.5-.5 victory, and freshman Mike Rich at No. 4 shot a 39 for a big 8-1 triumph.
Other Viking victors were sophomore Zack Mills at No. 5, 7-2; junior Max Floyd at No. 7, 7.5-1.5; and sophomore Stephen Goddard at No. 6, 5.5-3.5.
Senior Captain Adam Lundberg halved his match in the No. 2 slot, 4.5-4.5 and senior Carmen Rich at No. 8 lost by a slim margin of 4-5.
“This is a great group of kids,” said veteran coach Lyons. “They take instruction well and clearly are intent on becoming better golfers. We’ve been emphasizing the short game, chipping, pitching, and putting, in our practices and it already began to show results in our first match.”
Winthrop is placed in a division of the Northeastern Conference this season with Revere, Lynn Classical, Lynn English, Swampscott, and Saugus. The teams that finish first and second in the division earn an automatic berth in the state tourney.
The Vikings have a busy schedule through the month of September with three and four matches each week. Wednesday and Thursday they will play a home and home series with Swampscott (the first match is at Swampscott’s Tedesco Country club course) and next week the Vikings will travel to Lynn Classical on Tuesday and to Salem on Wednesday before returning home to host Lynn English on Thursday.
← Police Blotter 09-08-2011
High Honor Roll: Council’s Evaluation of City Manager James Mckenna is on the Mark →
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China-US / Business
China, not Canada, is top US trade partner
By Bloomberg(China Daily USA)
Slump in oil prices sends Canada's share down 11.6%
China is poised to become the biggest US trading partner this year, eclipsing Canada for the first time as the slump in oil prices reduces the value of energy exports for America's neighbor to the north.
Trade in goods with China reached $441.6 billion this year through September, exceeding the $438.1 billion balance with Canada for the first time in US Commerce Department data going back to 1985. Figures published Wednesday also showed that the US trade shortfall with China is now at an all-time high, fueled by record imports.
Crude oil is among Canada's biggest exports, and its price has collapsed to about half of its 2014 peak. That's helped send the value of its trade with the US so far in 2015 down 11.6 percent from the same time last year, even as the world's biggest economy buys more barrels.
"It's completely an oil story," said Jacob Oubina, senior US economist at RBC Capital Markets LLC in New York. "In nominal terms, yes, the trade with China overtakes Canada, but in real terms, it's very different. It's not economic activity or output. It's a price story all the way."
In September, the US imported 101.3 million barrels of crude oil from Canada, the most this year and the second-highest level in records going back to 2010, according to data from the Census Bureau. However, the $3.9 billion customs value of those imports was the second-lowest.
Meanwhile, as other emerging markets struggle to accelerate, China is increasingly dependent on US consumers buying its goods. Total trade this year with China is up 3.7 percent from the same nine months in 2014.
The US trade deficit in manufacturing hit a record $74.7 billion in September, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by RealityChek, a reliable blog on manufacturing and trade. That could become fodder for debate in the presidential election.
The record was spotted by Alan Tonelson, founder of RealityChek. Spotting records involves searching through historical trade data, since the Census Bureau doesn't make comparisons in its news releases.
The swelling of the manufacturing trade deficit is more evidence that while the overall US economy has recovered from the 2007-09 recession, the manufacturing sector continues to lag.
According to Tonelson, the previous high for the manufacturing trade deficit was $73 billion in August. He says the US appears headed for an annual record deficit in manufacturing.
The Alliance for American Manufacturing noted that US imports from China hit a record of $45.7 billion in September, and President Scott Paul said the inflow is "killing America's manufacturing recovery".
New policy expected to bring spike in births, and then fewer
Shanghai, Beijing in world's top 10 for housing price growth
China to speed up restructuring of zombie SOEs
Moments of China Air Force
China launches new communication satellite
President Xi to meet Taiwan leader in Singapore
Obama signs two-year budget bill
EU pledges additional 43 mln euros to Lebanon
Digital economy key for APEC
China-aid relief materials to be airlifted to Afghanistan
Russian jet broke up in mid air, too early for conclusions
Former US senator, actor Fred Thompson dies
PLA Navy fleet pays visit to Florida
Peace Ark docks at San Diego
Clinton calls for US minimum wage increase to $12 an hour
High-level exchanges between China and Vietnam
Photographer presents 'aristopets'
Photograph portraying Chinese fishermen wins top prize
World's top 10 economies for doing business
Xi: new chances for Sino-US ties
8 highlights about V-day Parade
Glimpses of Tibet: Plateaus, people and faith
Chinese entrepreneurs remain optimistic despite economic downfall
50th anniversary of Tibet autonomous region
Tianjin explosions: Deaths, destruction and bravery
Cinemas enjoy strong first half
Tu first Chinese to win Nobel Prize in Medicine
Huntsman says Sino-US relationship needs common goals
Xi pledges $2 billion to help developing countries
Young people from US look forward to Xi's state visit: Survey
US to accept more refugees than planned
Li calls on State-owned firms to tap more global markets
Apple's iOS App Store suffers first major attack
First made-in-China large plane rolls off assembly lines
Times Square "Kiss-In" Re-enacts Famous V-J Day Photograph
Full coverage of Boao Forum for Asia
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Coimbatore Journey Planner
Overview of Route 68A
Add 68A as your favorite.
The Bus (Ordinary) with Route# 68A starts from Cheran Managar and ends at Ganapathy Housing Unit
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Public Transport Details for Coimbatore
Coimbatore City Bus Services-TNSTC –CBE
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Included both the old and new city bus services by TNSTC –CBE.
Most of Coimbatore's intra-city transport requirements are met by an extensive public transport. The bus service, which is run by the government-owned TNSTC Coimbatore covers the city and its suburbs. A large number of intra-city private buses operate within the city. Bus services are generally considered efficient, but buses on some routes can get very crowded at times. The bus service, which plies about 1257 buses on 322 routes. The city is also served by auto rickshaws. The growth of call taxis is also on the rise.
The Coimbatore Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is a proposed bus rapid transit project for the city of Coimbatore under the JNNURM scheme. Project stretch of about 18.6 km starting at Avinashi Road and ending at Mettupalayam Road running through Dr.Rajendra Prasath Road. After Avinashi road, the project road turns left from Stanes School and passes along Dr.Nanjappa road and joins at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road (100 Ft. Road). Avinashi road, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road and Mettupalyam road are provided with the exclusive lane for buses termed BRTS lane and the connecting links are allowed to flow with the mixed traffic.
Three monorail routes have been proposed. Two circular routes, in the northern and southern parts of the city and a dual linear line connecting the Eastern and Western parts.
Major Stops
The Coioimbatore city has many major terminals to eliminate traffic in the city center. Buses bound to each direction has a specific Terminal. All these terminals were well connected to each other and other parts of the city by city buses.
Gandhipuram City Bus Terminal
The Gandhipuram citybus terminal serves as a major Hub for city buses. Buses available to all parts of the city from here. You can use our search to find out the route no.
Central Bus Terminal-Gandhipuram
Located adjacent to the Gandhipuram City bus stand, this terminal serves the destinations all around Erode and Tiruppur districts. is passing though elevated section. It is proposed to have 14 at grade bus stops and 3 elevated bus stops.
Search Bus Routes,Find Bus Routes,Information of Bus Route,Transit Details of Bus,Get Bus Routes,Search Coimbatore routes by TNSTC –CBE route finder,TNSTC –CBE route finder,Bus Transit Information of Coimbatore ,Bus Routes, Maps and Directions for Coimbatore ,Planner to get your Bus routes for Coimbatore ,Plan a trip using TNSTC –CBE route finder,get step-by-step transit directions for Coimbatore with Bus,Find transit stops in your area Coimbatore for Bus,View Bus station information and schedules for Coimbatore ,Plan a trip using TNSTC –CBE public transportation for Coimbatore ,Get step-by-step Bus route map for Coimbatore ,Get Bus directions using map for Coimbatore ,Get best auto Bus route for your transit search in Coimbatore ,Plan your route using the best Bus routefinder,Find Bus Route,Plan your route using the best Bus routeplanner,Tracking your directions for Coimbatore , Find route 68A
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The very beginning of the project lays with Ayurveda thousands of years ago, but since the physical foundation of Aayukshetram, Vasudeva Vilasam has been not only pivotal provider of the treatments and medicines but also laid the first brick for the project. Since the first clinic over a century ago, it has been practicing Ayurveda – the unique Indian healing system.
Vasudeva Vilasam - the service partner for Aayukshetram has directed its efforts to bring this system of healthcare and healing into the lives of the common man more realistically. It has been a profound voyage of discovery inspired by an unflagging devotion to the purest form of medicine and preventive remedies. This has been done through a wide array of institutions. The first vaidyasala or medicine counter was established in 1884 by Vaidya N. Vasudevan Unni, former palace Physician to Sri Moolam Thirunal Maharaja of Travancore and superintendent of Ayurveda Padasala (now the Government Ayurveda college Trivandrum) under the patronage of Dhanwanthridas Cheerattamon Moose of Olessa, one of the Ashta Vaidyas.
Thus, through a team of expert doctors and professionals, the group pursues its mission to make the benefits of Ayurveda available to everyone seeking to heal.
This pristine science has been practiced by great visionaries in the field of traditional medicine and has been followed rigorously by generation of doctors, especially in Kerala, among other states in Southern India. Today Ayurveda is known all over the world as a holistic, preventive therapy that harmonizes the body, mind and soul.
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Winifred Bird
Jeremy Murch
Originally published in Megacities
When Seoul architect Byoung-soo Cho set out to design his urban dream house, he turned to the city’s architectural history for inspiration. The result—–four overlapping boxes arranged around a courtyard—–is a peaceful enclave in the midst of the nonstop metropolis.
Four Box House perches on a rugged mountain-side in northern Seoul’s Pyeongchandong district, making for spectacular views.
Architect Byoung-soo Cho and his wife, Eunsil Kim, value the privacy, and style, that a concrete wall and recycled Indonesian teak facade provide.
Light from windows on all four sides spills over the dining room’s custom-made teak table.
The courtyard offers a glimpse of nature from nearly every angle, including up.
The central courtyard helps cool the house.
A view of the dining room from the courtyard.
A single crepe myrtle, which sports red blossoms in summer, defines the courtyard.
Cho relaxes in the first-floor living room, where paintings by up-and-coming Germany-based Chinese artist Ruo Bing Chen play off a sofa and coffee table designed by the architect himself.
Arco’s Jolly Jubilee chairs, designed by Ineke Hans, give the downstairs living room a shot of color.
Textured concrete walls are a signature of Cho’s work.
Strategically placed wooden windows like this one is an expression of Cho's style.
Light is a key element of the home’s design. Photography lights from a local manufacturer keep the basement studio bright.
Paper-covered walls in the tea room on the second floor soak up a softer incarnation of the sun’s rays.
Four Box House
Byoung Cho
Stepping out of a frigid January afternoon in northern Seoul, South Korea, and into the warmth of his 18-month-old wood-and-concrete home, Byoung-soo Cho grins.
“There’s snow in my living room!” he says gleefully.
Of course, the leafless tree and haphazard pile of snow that Cho is gesturing at are not literally in his living room; they are in a square, glassed-in courtyard that merges inside and out so seamlessly that it induces periodic fits of disorientation in visitors and residents alike. That simple open-air space, says Cho, was the key to designing a comfortable, elegant home in one of the world’s most hectic megacities.
“There is always space between interior and exterior in my work,” says the successful 52-year-old architect. “If you look at traditional Korean residences, they always have a courtyard. It works for climate and culture: Korea is hot and humid in the summer, so buildings wrapped around the courtyard have better air circulation. It’s also a social space to eat and gather.”
The Seoul native grew up in just such a traditional house and fondly remembers its chaotic courtyard filled with family and dogs. But when he and his wife, Eunsil Kim, bought a hillside lot in the recently developed neighborhood of Pyeongchangdong and began planning their future home, centering it around a similar space didn’t occur to him.
“We purchased the land in 2002 and started talking about the design whenever Byoung-soo had time,” says Kim, 46.
Back then Cho was flying frenetically between his acclaimed private practice in Seoul and teaching jobs at Montana State University and Harvard. (He has since resigned from both positions to focus on the firm.) When he finally was able to devote himself to the project, it proved unexpectedly challenging. “For six months I tried different schemes. Nothing worked, and I realized the constraints were stronger than I had thought,” he recalls.
Those constraints are typical of Seoul, where nearly a quarter of South Korea’s population lives in tightly packed apartment complexes, older brick buildings, and a scattering of single-family homes. Pyeongchangdong is an attractive residential district spread over the rugged mountains north of downtown—a plus for Cho and Kim, who both love to hike. However, houses within 20 feet on three sides of the lot blocked sunlight and views.
Then Cho hit on the idea of arranging four two-story, rectangular concrete boxes around a central courtyard. The layout resembles a top-down view of a cardboard box with all the flaps open. Because the sides of the boxes overlap only partially, the house has indented corners, which means each box can have windows on all four sides. The result is a house that—far from feeling oppressed by urban clutter—is flooded with sunlight and fresh air throughout the day. Strategically placed wood-framed windows capture light and views without revealing nearby houses: A long, low window in the second-floor master bedroom frames a slice of courtyard; a light well illuminates artwork on a living room wall that otherwise receives little direct sunlight; and sheer sheets of glass in the dining room and tea room give sweeping views of crooked red pines, temples, and adjacent modern residences.
For parties, Kim opens the glass doors on all sides of the courtyard to create a continuous living-dining-kitchen space open to the sky. Even the basement, which is located beneath the courtyard and houses Cho’s studio, is bathed in sunshine from south-facing windows. But if air and light were constant considerations in designing the 4,600-square-foot home, construction materials and methods were equally important.
“We spend a lot of time figuring out how to make buildings work in terms of physical construction, not just abstract ideas,” says Cho, who rarely attempts to disguise the raw materials of his craft. (“Wood is wood, concrete is concrete, and night is night” is how one of his employees puts it.) That’s not to say aesthetics get slighted: With a background in ceramics and sculpture, Cho has a knack for turning the constraints presented by a rough palette into artistic inspiration.
The house’s exterior is a case in point. The underlying structure is concrete (the most common construction material in timber-scarce Korea) strengthened by steel wires, but Cho and Kim wanted to add a teak facade to portions of the outer walls. The recycled Indonesian boards they purchased were just a meter in length or shorter, however, so Cho cut them into even smaller, irregular lengths and attached them vertically to the con-crete. Separated by strips of zinc and accented by a pair of snow-dappled pine trees, the asymmetric panels become a two-story-tall abstract painting.
Inside, contrasting slabs of wood, concrete, and glass form their own boxy abstractions. Some walls are covered in fine white paper, while others are raw concrete, marked with the imprint of the wood formwork used to pour them and the irregular drips where concrete oozed through during the process. A radiant heating system (typical of both traditional and modern Korean homes) warms the silky wood floors, and shiny floor-to-ceiling cabinets from Italy keep the rooms uncluttered and sleekly modern.
There’s one room in the house that’s neither sleek nor particularly modern, however, and that’s the room Cho and Kim head for as soon as they shed their jackets on that snowy afternoon in January. It’s just a small box on the second floor, constructed of glass, wood, and white paper walls that glow with winter light, but somehow it seems to distill the spirit of the entire house. Each morning before Cho drives to his busy downtown office, he stands in the tea room and greets the sun with 108 bows. Now, as he and Kim perch on purple silk cushions and sip steaming cups of barley tea, it’s hard to remember they are in the middle of a sprawling megalopolis. High above the pines and blissfully removed from the sea of roofs below, they seem, instead, to have joined the world of the two black-and-white Korean magpies that glide silently past on the other side of the glass.
Woodgate 2-Seater Sofa
11+ World Desk Clock
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MANGALDAI, Sept 5 - A prominent industrialist of the State and Director of SRD Group of Companies, Anupam Deka alias Junti, a resident of ward no 1, Mangaldai, known to extend his helping hand towards the needy, irrespective of religion, caste or language, once again showed humanity by voluntarily donating blood (of a very rare group), that too to an unknown patient in a critical condition not belonging to Assam.
One Vidya Devi, wife of an officer of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) posted near Guwahati on Wednesday suffered massive heart attack and was immediately admitted to Narayana Hridayalaya in Amingaon. The attending doctors after prompt examination advised for an emergency operation. But the husband of the patient in spite of thoroughly inquiring in the blood banks in Guwahati failed to find the required blood of ‘AB’ (–) which is a rare one and he did not have a single relative or acquaintance having this rare blood group.
On seeing the plight of the husband, the incharge of the Blood Bank at the super specialty hospital, Dr Hirak Jyoti Das contacted Anupam Deka over phone as his blood is of the same group to which this young entrepreneur immediately responded by rushing to the hospital and donating the required volume of blood for the treatment of this unknown patient keeping aside all his valuable industrial assignments.
Anupam Deka not only donated blood but also arranged another four units of blood with the help of Dr Das for the successful conduct of the surgery. This noble initiative by a prominent and busy industrialist has earned accolades from all conscious circles of the society here.
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You are here: Home / 3D / 7/10 / action / Latest / Reviews / Reviews by genre / Reviews by rating / sci-fi / film review: Godzilla (2014)
May 19, 2014 // No Comment
It’s been almost 16 years since Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla graced the screen, so you could say that Hollywood was ripe for a new one. You could also say that no-one was asking for one… but sure, why not? Can’t hurt right?
I have to admit, I am a fan of giant stuff looking to destroy the Earth, so… I was always going to be relatively easy on this new Godzilla. I was also curious about what Gareth Edwards would do with the budget. Monsters – his low budget first feature which he wrote, directed and created visual effects for – won him a lot of credibility but a Hollywood blockbuster is a whole different kettle of fish. Maybe he would rise to the challenge.
That said, I wasn’t enamored with the idea of Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the lead. Let’s be honest, have you ever seen him in anything that he wasn’t just about getting away with it? At best? And Bryan Cranston is in it… but he’s got so much stuff on, how much was he really going to be in this?
I guess there was a lot of question marks over it really, but the giant stuff was a big enough draw for me.
As it turns out, new Godzilla is… pretty decent. Depending on how discerning you are about your giant stuff movies. I’m not terribly discerning to be honest.. I even like the Transformer films. All of them. Seriously.
So… if like me, you’re not terribly discerning about giant stuff… and if all you want out of the Godzilla is a bloody giant creature beating the crap out of stuff… then you’re sorted.
Well. You’re mostly sorted. There is a plot there, a relatively substantial plot… with a damsel and a whole father son thing. In fact, you probably won’t see Godzilla quite as much as you think you might. But I’d try not to worry about it too much. Apparently the scriptwriters didn’t anyway. Quite the waste of both Elizabeth Olson and Bryan Cranston if you ask me.
There’s also the whole thing where Aaron Taylor-Johnson is not entirely convincing as a marine, despite being pretty buff in fairness. But he gets away with it. They should have got Zac Efron. Or Ryan Gosling. Or… you know… someone else…
But we’re off topic here. The fact is, when I left the cinema I left thinking “That was good fun”. Lots of stuff happened and the plot holes could be… well, ok there’s one massive one but I could live with it. In any case, I particularly liked all the times where the monster stares at us for a second then roars at us really loudly. Really loudly. Great roars. And there are a few good set pieces as well. So that’s something.
Ok, ok, maybe Godzilla isn’t exactly grade A material but let’s face it, it’s a Godzilla movie.
What were you expecting?
movie news: New featurette for Scarlett Johansson’s Under The Skin
film review: Starred Up (2014) – JDIFF 2014
movie news: Stars turn out for The Stag premiere in Dublin (JDIFF 2014)
film reviews: JDIFF 2014 – Day Two
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Rainbow chalking at Taylor Square on Saturday / Photo: Jason Marshall
Alienation from marriage rights
Posted May 30, 2013 by Jason Marshall & filed under City Hub.
The gay rights movement is beginning to broaden its goals and reflect the aims of the marriage equality campaign.
Last Saturday, Polyamory Action Lobby Spokesperson Brigitte McFadden was invited to address the 700-strong rally gathered at Town Hall for a marriage equality rally.
Speaking about her experience in the marriage equality campaign, Ms McFadden said she didn’t feel quite as comfortable as she should.
“I felt alienated and I felt like my relationships were illegitimate, even in a campaign that I thought was fighting for me – a queer woman,” she said.
Ms McFadden was critical of the queer rights movement, questioning why the state should have a say in which relationships are legitimate or not.
“Why is it that if a woman and her two girlfriends want to be married or have any relationship recognition at all, she is told by the state that she can’t, she is told by society that she can’t and she is told by some people at this rally that she can’t?” she said.
“Whenever we run a campaign, whether it’s for marriage equality or women’s rights or for any goal you can think of, we need to be constantly self-reflective and critical.”
Evan Van Zijl, a queer rights activist and rally enthusiast, said we need to have a marriage that is unbound by traditional notions of family and the gender binary.
“I think supporting people who experience struggle is something we should all seek to do and society should be moving past feeling ashamed,” he said.
“The support of polyamory, and any excluded consensual relationship which experiences struggle, is therefore logical and comes purely down to a question of tactics.”
Mr Van Zijl said the most important part of the campaign is the way it can build consciousness for a wide platform of issues which affect queer and LGBTI-identifying individuals.
“When we hold these rallies, we hold them as an expression of pride of politics and identity, and these things need to be brought up so we can challenge a variety of things which include challenging the bans that were placed upon us by [John] Howard and the ALP in 2004,” he said.
“But also include fighting for things like better healthcare for queers, public housing, resisting the pathologisation of trans people and a number of other important civil rights issues.”
Federal Parliament will vote on Greens Marriage Equality Bill on June 6. Marriage Equality bills have been voted down in the past, but a number of ALP defectors to the pro-marriage camp will have the chance to make their position clear. But the Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott, continues to refuse his MPs a conscience vote.
Greens candidate for Sydney Dianne Hiles said unlike Labor and the Coalition, the Greens don’t need a conscience vote on marriage equality because marriage equality is a policy every Greens MP, Greens member and supporter believes in.
“Marriage equality is now supported by the majority of the population; I support it as I support the elimination of discrimination in all its forms,” said Ms Hiles.
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Home > Finance
Behind the 4.8 billion wedding ceremony, the "smart past" of a reckless couple!
A 4.8 billion-dollar wedding! On Valentine's Day, February 14, Liu Liang, the two shareholders of Youjiu Game, showed affection in the circle of friends, which triggered public opinion.
Friendship circle screenshot shows that Liu Liang claimed that his husband and wife were shareholders of listed companies, but did not issue an announcement in advance when they got married, which led to the investigation filed by the SFC. He believes that the securities regulations are "fucking" and that it is only six months after the closure of the case that stocks can be reduced, leaving only 1.2 billion stocks with an original value of 6 billion. Did Liu Liang mean that the SFC delayed him to cash in?
1 couple attached to "drama"
Some media commented that, "If you make money in China's stock market, don't sell well if you get cheap, or you'll pit your teammates." On Feb. 16, Liu Liang, on the tip of the wind and waves, responded to the incident and played a big sad card. Liu Liang recalled his so-called "more than ten years of hard work" and claimed that "for a business only 16 years, how do I understand that marriage still needs to be announced to the public?" "Don't hurt each other. Everyone will be separated. Don't pass it on."
Obviously, Liu Liang's "vomiting sour water on Valentine's Day" triggered a wave of public opinion that was beyond his control. However, he really did not know that as a two-shareholder himself, and as a three-shareholder Dailin married, should be announced in advance? According to public information, Liu Liang owns 10.28% of Youjiu Game and Dailin 9.29% of Youjiu Game. When they get married, they form a consistent actor, which can challenge the largest shareholder's technology every day, and even change the actual controller of the company.
Liu Liang was a game fan. Maybe he really didn't know there was such a regulation at that time. But his wife, Dailin, the three shareholders of Youjiu Game, can't be trusted if she says she doesn't know.
According to Liu Liang himself, Dailin has served in Sohu, TOM and 360 companies successively, and is a top general under Zhou Hongwei. Women who are so shrewd and strong, and are familiar with stocks and options, will not know the credit rules of the SFC? The people who eat melons really don't believe it.
The fact that Liu Liang and Dailin had deliberately concealed their marriage facts before they were filed in a letter from the SFC on March 24, 2016 has been proved by
It was on the night of August 1, 2015, Xiaoxu Game Concert in China Joy. Liu Liang, CEO of Youyi Era, suddenly proposed to Dai Lin, the president, and attracted a lot of envy and abused single dogs. At that time, Liu Liangfa's circle of friends said, "At last, it's open, and it's exhausting." In fact, according to the notice of the Securities Regulatory Commission, the couple had been licensed to marry as early as January 2015. The acting skill of
is absolutely powerful.
therefore, although Liu Liang was in the circle of friends, he implied that he had been plotted against the "villain" in response. Looking back on its past, it seems that it is an attachment of "opera". At present, Liu Liang and Dailin's husband and wife have been sued by many shareholders for breach of regulations, involving 41 million yuan.
Then who is the "evil man" Liu Liang implied? This should start from the long time when Ai Shing acquired Liu Liang in 2014.
2 odd mergers and acquisitions and "Tomorrow Department" resentment
time back to April 4, 2014, when the main coal sales of Aishi shares disclosed restructuring plans, announced that the company plans to issue shares and pay cash for the purchase of online games company Youjie 100% equity at a price of 1.18 billion yuan, with a premium of 41 times. At the same time, the company raises matching funds from the largest shareholder, Tiantian Science and Technology Issuance Stock.
With this reorganization, Youjiu achieved indirect listing, and then Aijiu changed its name to Youjiu. However, the restructuring process is rather tedious. For example, before the restructuring announcement, two puzzling equity transfers took place in the two months of Youlong Era, which still seems strange today.
The first equity transfer took place on February 8, 2014. Before that, there were only three natural shareholders, 50% of Dailin, 20% of Liu Liang and 30% of Liu Jun, who held Qifei International for a long time.
On February 8, Youjiezhi Shareholders'Meeting agreed to transfer Liu Jun's 30% equity to a company named World Star Fair, and completed the business registration on February 13.
But on February 15, just two days later, Qifei International, Dailin, Liu Liang and World Star Hui signed a Termination Agreement, announcing the transfer of 30% of the shares held by World Star Hui to Liu Liang at a price of 180 million yuan, and declaring the previous Investment Agreement invalid.
In this way, the Youlong Era became 50% shares of Liu Liang and Dailin respectively. After the two-day tour of the world, Xinghui has fulfilled his historical mission. According to relevant public reports, Liu Jun is the world's Xinghui legal person. In order to sell his shares to Liu Liang, Liu Junxian set up an empty shell company to go around, and finally transferred to Liu Liang.
What is the reason for such a laborious circle? If something goes wrong, there must be a demon!
On March 10, 2014, another strange equity transfer took place.
At that time, Liu Liang transferred his 7.5% equity to the financial investor Dalian Zhuohao Trading Co., Ltd. at a price of 88.5 million yuan. According to the restructuring plan, Dalian Zhuohao will get 20.677 million shares of Aishi as a consideration at that time. With a 7.5% share price of 88.5 million yuan, the valuation of Youjie is exactly 1.18 billion yuan, which is the same as the price sold to Aijie in Youjie.
Dalian Zhuohao, under the banner of financial investment, traveled for a long time with a share of 88.5 million yuan. A few days later, he changed his hand in love to make shares. Is it "learning Leifeng"? According to public information, Dalian Zhuohao was just established on August 15, 2013, and only got its business license on December 26, last year. Why did Liu Liang choose to transfer his shares to a newly established company? Under Liu Liang's high-profile friendship circle of "Xiu En Ai" and "spitting sour water", can these past acquisition suspense withstand the scrutiny and questioning of supervision and public opinion?
Put aside the group fog in M&A, Liu Liang and Dailin's secret marriage constituted a considerable threat to the big shareholder of Youjiu Game, Tiantian Science and Technology at that time. Before the restructuring in 2014, Tiantian Technologies held 9.09% of Aishi's shares. In order to maintain the position of major shareholders after restructuring, Tiantian Science and Technology has spent more than 300 million yuan to pay part of the equity transfer to Liu Liang and Dailin. But Liu Liang and Dailin's husband and wife through a "hidden marriage", at that time in the proportion of shareholding more than Tiantian technology, so that the other side wasted a lot of thought, the position of major shareholders also let people.
It is well known that Tiantian Science and Technology is the core enterprise of Tomorrow Department. "Tomorrow Department" vertical and horizontal capital market for many years, when has it suffered such losses? As a result, there have been rumors on the Internet that Liu Liang and "Tomorrow Department" are not harmonious.
April 18, 2018, Tiantian Science and Technology formed a concerted actor with the fourth shareholder, Dalian Zhuohao, the original "Living Leifeng", whose position as the first largest shareholder was still maintained. At present, Liu Liang and Dailin's share-holding ratio is very close to that of the "Tomorrow Department". In the future, the contention for controlling rights in the long-term game is still in a sticky state. In retrospect of Liu Liang's entrepreneurial history, although he was born rashly, he was smart and exceptional. He could pass the "Department of Tomorrow", which naturally has "exceptional place".
p>style="text-align: center">b>3 weeks Hongzhen's "younger brother" and Chen Tianqiao's "enemy"p>2000, Liu Liangnan, who graduated from police school, made the first 300,000 yuan in his life through training. After that, Liu Liang began to make a living by playing games until he went public.
According to Liu Liang, he made the first private version of Legend game in China.
At the beginning, Chen Tianqiao once won the richest place in China by acting as "Legend". After that, the proliferation of private clothing led to heavy losses to grand games. It can be said that Liu Liang's experience is not glorious. After saying goodbye to private service, Liu Liang did QQ hang-up software and Warcraft Map website, and finally found a breakthrough direction in the latter. In the same year of 2009, Youjiu's advertising revenue reached 20 million yuan, achieving a leap forward.
Liu Liang, who was still unknown at that time, took great pains to get to know the big man of the Internet. Here is a short story to show Liu Liang's exquisite acting skills.
According to Liu Liang's recollection, in an industry meeting attended by Zhou Hongzhen, Chen Yizhou and other big men, Liu Liang saw that the guests had breast flowers in front of them, so he ran to the door and picked a flower basket on the front of them and ran inside.
However, there may be a note recording the name of the guest's breast flower. Liu Liang ran to the guest's door to look around, pretending to be looking for it, muttering that I could not find the note. The security brothers helped me find it.
"Where did the security guard receive this treatment? It's very polite to say don't look for it, please come in".
So Liu Liang felt in and sat beside Zhou Hongzhen. From then on, they met. Zhou Hongzhu invested in Youjiu and sent his capable generals to work with Liu Liang on behalf of 360. Xiao/p>
Zhou Hongyi did not expect that Liu Liang would "take over" his competent cadre and become the heroine of today's 4.8 billion Internet-sensationalized weddings. She is Dailin.
Finally, for Liu Liang's exquisite acting skills, see his personal teaching experience.
< p> Liu Liang is still grieving over the punishment imposed by the SFC, with 4.8 billion wedding "Xiu En Ai", while the shareholders are concerned about performance.
Looking back on the performance of Youjiu since its backdoor listing in 2014, its performance can be described as tragic.
Not long ago, Youjiu Game issued its annual performance loss forecast announcement in 2018, with a loss of 880 million yuan!
This time, will the skilled performer fail?
p>p>br>
In the previous：Real estate is in a downturn, Australia's economy is in trouble! Are Chinese investors evacuating?
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Home News CSC Bicol 'goes local' in curbing red-tape
CSC Bicol 'goes local' in curbing red-tape
LEGAZPI CITY – This year’s Anti-Red Tape Act Report Card Survey (ARTA-RCS) of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in the Bicol region will go local.
Dubbed as “ARTA Goes Local,” the survey will mainly focus on local government units (LGUs), local water districts (LWDs) and state universities and colleges (SUCs).
CSC Bicol director Cecilia R Nieto said CSC has expanded the coverage of this year’s ARTA to further intensify the implementation of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 as provided by RA 9485.
ARTA Watch is one of CSC’s interventions in curbing red tape in the country wherein a team, usually headed by a CSC Director, conducts surprise spot-check in frontline service offices to monitor its compliance with the ARTA.
A total of 68 LGUs, LWDs and SUCs will be subjected to ARTA-RCS from April-October 2016.
Nieto said CSC field directors in Masbate, Camarines Sur and Albay have started to conduct ARTA watch in other LGUs and LWDs but majority of these agencies has not been subjected to ARTA-RCS .
The CSC is mandated to initiate the ARTA-RCS which shall be used to obtain feedback on how the provisions of the law are being implemented, as well as information on hidden costs and access to government frontline services.
For the past years, the CSC has been conducting ARTA-RCS to national government agencies (NGAs) and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) to check on these agencies’ compliance to ARTA.
Nieto said client satisfaction ratings have significantly improved over the years based on the results of recent surveys.
Among the factors checked by the CSC during ARTA watch are observance of the No Noon Break policy, posting and implementation of the Citizen’s Charter, basic facilities, Anti-Fixer campaign, wearing of readable ID or nameplates, Public Assistance and Complaints Desk, and the overall service quality of the office.
After each surprise visit, the ARTA Watch Teams conducted a brief talk on the salient points of ARTA, the Report Card Survey, the Citizen’s Satisfaction Center Seal of Excellence, and the Service Delivery Excellence Program.
Teams also generate a written feedback on observations and suggestions to improve frontline services, a copy of which is given to the concerned office immediately after the visit.(MAL/SAA/CSC5/PIA5/Albay)
CSC Bicol 'goes local' in curbing red-tape Reviewed by Bicol Standard on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Rating: 5
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Fishing Forum > Fly Fishing Forum : Fly Fishing General Discussion >
Dryrod
/ Moderator (9552 posts)
A mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, on Oct. 1, left nine people dead and nine more injured. One of the victims was the teacher in the classroom where the shootings took place: Lawrence Levine, 67, was an assistant professor of English, and a well-known and passionate fly-fishing guide on the North Umpqua River.
According to many news reports he was an unpublished author, but his essay “Hats: A salute to fly-fishing head gear” was published in the March 2010 issue of FLY FISHERMAN. As a tribute to Larry, here is that essay, with original watercolor paintings by his friend and fellow fly fisher, Dave Hall.
A salute to fly-fishing head gear
Dave Hall illustration from the March 2010 issue of FLY FISHERMAN
The river is high, eighteen inches below the top of the bridge abutment. The color is khaki green with snowmelt cloudiness. At Mill Run it’s too cloudy to spot fish. I fish anyway and catch cold hands.
I’m wearing a black beret (boina, in Spanish) I bought at the Gaucho Festival in Junín de los Andes, Argentina. It’s the first time I’ve worn the wool beret while fishing.
To many anglers, hats are the most individual type of fishing gear. Hats make statements about the people whose heads they crown. Statements like, I fished here, and there; I’m proud to use such-and-such a rod or reel; I sunburn easy; I’m a conservationist, traditionalist, whitewater cowboy, a Ducks supporter, a baseball fan; and, I’m so dead serious I need a long-brim hat. Even a plain hat trying not to make a statement makes a statement. And going hatless, although rare, is a big, minimalist statement.
There are hats that catch fish and there are hats that don’t; that’s to say, there are lucky hats and there are hats that need to be worn elsewhere. You have to give them a trial period, see how they do. On this river, you have to give them a fair trial, a month maybe, because there are days when, under perfect conditions, catching a steelhead seems impossible.
In 15 years of guiding on this river I’ve never had a hatless client. I’ve taken high-level corporate executives who showed up with hats that made them look like Jed Clampett. They must want to be mistaken for one of the more eccentric locals—certainly an idealized version of one—except that if a local had that kind of money, he would’ve bought himself a new hat.
A client showed up once—a doctor, nice, intelligent guy–wearing a baseball cap that read “Master Steelheader.” Wide-eyed, I asked him where he got it. He said he’d taken a steelheading course and at the end they’d given each participant a hat. It speaks of some Wizard of Oz logic where you can give the Cowardly Lion a medal and, all of the sudden, he’s got “C-C-Courage.” Might work in Oz, didn’t on the North Fork.
In this neck of the woods, with 30 miles of fly-only water, a lot of hats have flies stuck in them. My friend, Dave Hall, has a deteriorating visor that holds enough flies to fish for five years.
One afternoon, when the fishing was as slow as refrigerated molasses, I was in the Blue Heron fly shop with five other steelheaders and Joe Howell behind the counter. No one had caught a fish that morning, and these were some good, veteran fishermen.
A suburban drove up–we all knew the rig—and a guy who worked this and other southern Oregon rivers got out wearing his waders. None of us had seen him all season. He came in the store wearing a baseball cap advertising his guide service; a bit tacky, I thought, but I like the guy. He was funny.
Joe asked him how he’d done and the guide said,”I hooked eight upriver.”
We all looked at each other complicit in the knowledge that this was utter bullshit. Some of these good fisherman hadn’t seen eight steelhead all season, and it was the first week in September. And of all the abominable fishing, the absolute worst was upriver.
I’m a quiet guy, but, for whatever reason, I said, “Boy, you know it’s a bad season when ol’ (name withheld) can’t even tell a credible lie.” To his credit, even the liar laughed.
The first steelhead I ever caught on the North Fork was nearly twenty-five years ago. I came from downstate, where I live, to visit Dave Hall on the river. I arrived in the afternoon and found Frank Krebs already there, and the three of us walked across the highway to fish the Tavern Pool.
Since I was an absolute novice, I fished the long run first. I’d had exactly one casting lesson in my life and it lasted about one minute. Call it beginner’s luck, but on the way down the run I hooked a fish.
Frank and Dave waded in to help me land it because that year in the Tavern Pool, there was nowhere to beach a fish.
As I was concentrating on fighting the steelhead, out of the corner of my eye I saw Frank step off a grassy hump and disappear underwater. Only his straw cowboy hat floated on the surface.
When he popped back up, spewing water and a string of expletives, Dave placed the hat back on Frank’s head and said, “Nice of you to drop in.”
I landed the fish, a beautiful native six-pound buck, and released it. It was my first North Fork fish. It should dominate my memory, but I can’t forget that straw cowboy hat floating on the water.
So, I’ve got this gaucho boina on and, catching-wise, it’s zero for one, but for some reason, I’m really liking it. I’ve never had a beret before, but I’ve seen enough to know that there are different ways of wearing them. Low on the forehead. High on the forehead. Straight back. Straight up, or angled jauntily to one side or the other. I wear it high on the forehead and straight back, like Che Guevara. It fits snugly, it’s warm, and I like the way it makes my head feel.
I drive downriver and pull into the big turnout at Boundary, where there’s still a patch of sunlight. I get out and lean against the warm hood of the car and eat a half a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich. Standing in the sun overlooking the river, I think there has never been a more delicious moment. And I’m wearing a beret. Way cool, right?
Hands thawed, I get back to fishing. I fish through the upper part of Fox Creek, then I keep heading downriver because it’s starting to get late. My last pool of the day is at Baker Park. I walk down from the turnout and see that there’s too much water to fish Monty’s Run, but the tailout looks good.
There’s an old Yiddish song, at least I learned it in Yiddish, which goes:”Sunday is nothing, Monday nothing, Tuesday and Wednesday nothing, Thursday and Friday a whole lot of nothing, even on the Sabbath . . . nothing.”
I’m starting to think that song is the mantra of steelheaders. I start with a weighted fly, and for my second pass I choose a colorful, unweighted John Matthews fly. Logic might dictate that I should use I heavier fly, but why should steelhead react to human logic?
Case in point, I hook a screaming ten-pound hen that jumps all over the pool and, as I’m beaching her, slips the hook and releases herself. Perfect. This beret is telling me that it is the right hat for the right time, and definitely a keeper.
Larry Levine was a steel-head guide on the North Umpqua, a writer, and an avid mushroom hunter.
Read more: http://www.flyfisherman.com/...evine/#ixzz3oIlq37zA
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(This post was edited by Dryrod on Oct 11, 2015, 3:44 PM)
tubeN2
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Re: [Dryrod] In remembrance In reply to
I take my hat off in a moment of silence. God bless the legend.
Bass are toys. Gills and Trout are food.
There is a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking like an Idiot
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National Biodiesel Foundation tours NYC’s sustainable side
By Paul Winters | May 13, 2019
The National Biodiesel Foundation hosted a small group of congressional staffers April 26 on a tour of New York City, highlighting the theme, “Sustainable Biodiesel: Improving the Environment and Economy.” The annual tour is designed to educate interested congressional staff about New York City’s use of biodiesel as a key part of meeting its environmental goals.
The tour kicked off with a visit to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation headquarters, the Arsenal, in Central Park. Jonathan Ells, director of fleet sustainability within the citywide administrative services department, discussed how he is implementing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Clean Fleet Plan. The mayor’s plan is designed to reduce emissions from the municipal fleet 50 percent by 2025 and 80 percent by 2035. The city’s parks department has a 2,228-vehicle fleet ranging from garbage trucks to lawn mowers that currently runs on B20.
Ells was joined by Keith Kerman, the deputy commissioner and chief fleet officer within the citywide administrative services department. Kerman directs all aspects of the city’s fleet operations, including repair, acquisitions, performance measurement, sustainability, fuel, contracting, emergency, safety and risk management. He noted that the city also blends biodiesel in all heating oil for municipal operations. The city’s goal is to use 100 percent renewable fuel—80 percent renewable diesel and 20 percent biodiesel—in its diesel fleet.
The next stop on the tour was the city’s fire department vehicle maintenance facility in Queens. There, Mark Aronberg, the assistant fire commissioner, and Andy Diamond, the executive director of fleet operations, discussed the city emergency vehicle fleet’s very positive experience with biodiesel. The New York City fire department is the largest municipal fire department in the U.S. and the second largest in the world, serving more than 8 million residents within a 322 square-mile area. The facility maintains almost 1,000 pieces of equipment for the city’s emergency vehicle fleet, which has been using biodiesel blends for several years and plans to expand biodiesel use in the future.
During lunch, city councilman Costa Constantinides representing Astoria, Queens, shared why he is a champion for biodiesel and Bioheat. The councilman’s district is home to the Astoria Generating Station, which provides nearly half the city’s electricity. He noted that the prevalence of asthma and related hospital visits are consistently higher in his district compared to the rest of the city. Constantinides, the main sponsor of city legislation passed in 2016 requiring 20 percent biodiesel in heating oil by 2034, explained that biodiesel can cut emissions of particulate matter and have a positive effect on lung health.
The tour continued at the Randall’s Island vehicle maintenance facility for the city parks department. The facility is home to one of the largest green roofs on a municipal building in New York City and continually seeks opportunities to use renewable energy and materials, including soy tires.
To wrap up, biodiesel producers took the opportunity to discuss facts about federal biofuel policies. Shawn Triscuit, director of sales for Hero BX in Erie, Pennsylvania, Bill Horan, chairman of the board and CEO of Western Iowa Energy and Kevin Ross, director of WIE, shared their views on the industry’s evolution before and after implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard and federal biodiesel tax incentive. Horan has been a farmer for 46 years and is a partner in Horan Brothers Agricultural Enterprises in Rockwell City, Iowa. Kevin and his wife operate a 1200-acre farm and 130-head cattle operation near Minden, Iowa. Triscuit began his career at Hero BX as a lead operations technician and then managed daily operations before being promoted to sales director. Hero BX provides some of the biodiesel that New York City uses to meet its sustainability goals.
The tour sparked a discussion about how federal policies have helped cities achieve environment, health and sustainability goals by supporting the biodiesel industry. The National Biodiesel Foundation extended thanks to additional sponsors of the tour, including Incobrasa, Mid-America Biofuels, Western Dubuque Biodiesel, Renewable Energy Group, and Iowa Renewable Energy.
Author: Paul Winters
Director of Public Affairs and Federal Communications
National Biodiesel Board
pwinters@biodiesel.org
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Agalloch played LPR (pics, review & NPR stream)
By BrooklynVegan Staff March 25, 2011 4:41 PM
words by Stefan Raduta, photos by Greg Cristman
Well, it finally happened.
Portland’s finest dark metal export, Agalloch, played New York City for the first time, in front of a packed audience at Le Poisson Rouge. The show, part of a larger tour for the band that kicked off in Austin, was definitely one of the most anticipated shows of the year, and the turn-out was nothing short of spectacular: great atmosphere, enthusiasm all over, pristine sound.
Agalloch were preceeded on stage by Aerial Ruin, Daniel Menche (who was the surprise of the evening as far as I’m concerned, really intense, original and quite a shocking performance) and the amazing Worm Ouroboros – without a doubt the cherry on top of the cake at this show. Fronted by the beautiful Lorraine Rath (Amber Asylum, The Gault) and Jessica Way (World Eater), they really were the perfect opener for Agalloch, enwrapping the venue in a very dark and gloomy vibe.
Their debut album on Profound Lore turned quite a few heads last year, and finally seeing Worm Ouroboros live was a really cool experience for me. Equally fragile and delicate, at times showing some grit but mostly dreamy and harmonious, Worm Ouroboros might just be the perfect winter soundtrack for a good bottle of red wine in front of a warm fireplace. Even if they’re creating their own path, I have to say I’ve always been a big fan of Amber Asylum so their set went straight to the heart.
Agalloch is constantly reinventing themselves, pushing their own boundaries in spite of everything that happens around them. 2010’s Marrow Of The Spirit is truly a phenomenal album: it’s their bleakest & darkest record yet, it has the heaviest, most aggressive sound (“Into the Painted Gray” for example) and yet it also captures the band at it’s most fragile and suffocating moment (“Black Lake Nidstång”). Definitely worth all the praises it’s been receiving, the new album has also left quite a few people in disbelief, especially due to the harsh production…to them I can only say that one day it will hit you like a truck, because this album will age beautifully. Come to think of it, it’s definitely the Agalloch “reserve” album, best open in ten years.
It was a real pleasure seeing Agalloch again, exactly one year after their two exclusive shows in Romania, one sharing the stage with Alcest for their first ever live performance. They were pretty stressed coming in Tuesday night, being very late due to traffic and they were also rushed through the sound-check, which irritated them even more. All water under the bridge, their set was simply great.
They opened with “Into The Painted Gray” with the clear intention of waking everyone up, then moved into the killer “Falling Snow” and carefully visited each album. Aesop’s drumming was vicious and in your face, guitars sounded crystal clear, and lighting was perfect. The band played two brand new songs besides “Into The Painted Gray”, the sorrowful “Watcher’s Monolith” and the insanely beautiful “Ghosts Of The Midwinter Fires”, a song I personally think has some of the best guitar parts they’ve ever written, reaching dizzying heights…so uplifting and magical!! Other winning highlights of the night include “Dead Winter Days”, “Of Stone Wind And Pillor”, and (thank god!) they even played my favorite song off of The Mantle, “In The Shadow Of Our Pale Companion”, which ended the stellar evening.
It was really cool to watch the joy on people’s faces at this show. Clearly a special occasion for all, many who were seeing Agalloch for the first time, an experience I wish I could relive after seeing them for the first time a year earlier. The atmosphere was exactly the same, some getting really emotional and listening with their eyes closed, some applauding, others head banging so intensely. I even ran into people I met in Bucharest last year, that flew from Europe (Italy, England, etc) and are pretty much catching every show on this tour! Thank you Agalloch for a memorable evening, and everyone in the audence for the warm welcome!
For those of you who missed the show, you can listen to the entire thing via NPR. More pictures from Le Poisson Rouge are below.
Daniel Menche
Worm Ouroboros
Agalloch
Agalloch – Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires (NYC) 3/22/11
Agalloch – The Watcher’s Monolith (NYC) 3/22/11
Agalloch – Falling Snow, NYC 3/22/11 at Le Poisson Rouge
Agalloch – In the Shadow of Our Pale Companion (NYC) 3/22/11
Filed Under: Aerial Ruin | Agalloch | Daniel Menche | Worm Ouroboros Category: Heavy Metal News | Music News | Photo Galleries
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How Apparel Made the Atlantic World
A Q&A with Robert DuPlessis
Robert DuPlessis, the author of The Material Atlantic, answers questions about the textile industry in the early modern period, the rise of Atlantic trade, and the birth of fashion--they're all connected!
Your book, The Material Atlantic, examines the textiles and apparel that became available to consumers during the 17th and 18th centuries in the Atlantic world, and how and when they were acquired. There is so much that you cover – economic history, globalization, colonialism, consumption, fashion – how did you begin, and what resources did you find the most useful?
My prior work on European cloth production and more generally on early modern economic history left me wanting to know more about exports and consumption of textiles within the context of globalizing trade. The resulting material cultural interactions—a key topic of this book—were particularly intense throughout the Atlantic basin, both in colonies and elsewhere in an increasingly integrated commercial system.
All these phenomena, which for better and for worse have shaped the modern world, were the context in which the dress practices of early modern Atlantic people developed
To explore these topics I turned first to a source that I’d used a bit previously: probate or post-mortem inventories. Inventories raise many problems of interpretation, which I discuss in the introductory chapter of The Material Atlantic, but they are abundant and indispensable for studying (among many other things) textiles and clothing offered by merchants, retailers, and other suppliers, and the fabrics and apparel that individuals acquired. With rare exceptions, however, inventories were compiled only for free settler decedents of European descent, though I was fortunate to discover some fascinating ones drawn up for free people of color in Saint-Domingue (Haïti) and Cape Colony (South Africa), and for a Native American leader. But to find out about the dress of enslaved men and women, as well as less prominent indigenous people, it was necessary to look at many other sources—missionary reports, travelers’ accounts, merchant records, government documents, and all sorts of images, by semi-trained (often clerical) as well as professional artists. All these sources were partial in every sense, but examined together—including, at times, with inventories—they revealed the contours of dress cultures across a significant social selection of the people living around the vast Atlantic basin.
How did you decide when to begin and end your story? What was particularly interesting about the early modern Atlantic world to you?
Europeans started exploring and trading in the Atlantic in the fifteenth century, and in the 1500s began to colonize and exploit natural resources. But only from the mid-seventeenth century did commerce, migration, and settlement produce a network of relationships—what the historian Pierre Gervais terms “a shared Atlantic world”—such that it makes sense to analyze patterns of consumption and dress culture creation throughout the basin as a whole. By the late eighteenth century, the foundations of that Atlantic world were crumbling, as the American and Haitian revolutions ushered in a first period of decolonization and as the industrial revolution began to remake the global economic order on which the Atlantic world depended. Still, in the intervening century and a half Europeans constructed their first overseas settler empires; mass enslavement coupled with forced migration provided labor in plantation agriculture throughout that European imperium; consumer good production and consumption globalized; and prolonged encounters among immigrants, coerced and free, and indigenous peoples and cultures took place. All these phenomena, which for better and for worse have shaped the modern world, were the context in which the dress practices of early modern Atlantic people developed.
How much of the trade was driven by “regular” consumers? Was there such a class? To what extent did “fashion” or the desire for new goods feed the trade? Were there any resources that were especially key in working this out?
Depending on place and time, the regular consumer might be indigenous or immigrant, enslaved or free, might be getting fairly standard garments for everyday wear or seeking novel dress for a special occasion. Consumption, especially of items such as clothing, is usually imagined as the expression of free choice, individual decision, and personal style. Yet many people throughout the Atlantic basin—notably slaves—had their attire imposed upon them; for them, adoption of new dress fashions was an imperative rather than an option. Indigenous people, too, faced constraints due both to missionary and official gifting policies and to limited merchant offerings. The apparel and dress practices that emerged in such restrictive circumstances are central concerns of The Material Atlantic. But the book also presents the ways that Atlantic people—even under very unfavorable conditions—managed to create fashions that displayed individual styles as well as distinct sociocultural identities.
Uncovering fashion developments in the seventeenth and eighteenth century Atlantic world sometimes involved decoding sources in which dress was only incidentally or obliquely considered. But dress was often a major subject for both writers and artists, because what people wore was widely considered an index of their potential for commerce, conversion, or conquest. And occasionally a document or image would openly address fashion rather than just clothing. Travelers did this a lot, particularly Europeans who commented disdainfully on colonial dress habits. But clergy could also be sharp observers; perhaps my favorite (and certainly one of the most fulsome) was the French Jesuit Paul Ragueneau, who in 1657 reported on the Native North American fashions—including bodily ornamentation—that he had encountered in missionary work in the Saint Lawrence River valley. For the most part, Ragueneau didn’t judge those fashions favorably, but he was fascinated enough to provide a wonderfully detailed account, further enriched by comparisons to contemporary French practices.
What do you think someone who is interested in understanding the culture, economics, and industry of fashion today might learn from your book? How does your book speak to those interested in fashion today?
The Material Atlantic demonstrates that fashion has multiple origins, modes of expression, and meanings, even while it draws on broadly available materials and widely circulated styles. Free settlers sought to emulate metropolitan modes, which they learned about from new forms of product promotion and marketing or even ordered directly from European centers. Yet most Atlantic fashions were created in all manner of locations beyond the metropoles by diverse people and comprised disparate amalgams of occupational and environmental needs, social identifications and aspirations, long-standing and new cultural rules, and locally available supplies of cloth and other dress materials. Hybrid in character, and involving novel fabrics, apparel, and styles along with rearrangements of existing items, these fashions involved not just apparel but the totality of body covering, notably hair treatments and corporeal ornamentation—tattooing, body painting, and piercing. Thus Atlantic fashions prescribed, governed, and expressed behavior and attitudes of a wide array of people rather than providing a uniform template. Participants had unequal access to the stuff of fashion, as wealth, status, gender, and occupation helped determine individuals’ and groups’ ability to determine their dress styles. But fashion creation was ubiquitous.
The Remote Causes of Terrorism
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CPAC's K. Carl Smith is a Tea Party GOP Black Political Humanzee
K. Carl Smith is a clown. Frederick Douglass "escaped from slave master entitlements?" Time to sharpen my knives.
Chauncey DeVega has been a good boy for way too long...
When your "expert" response to the very reasonable question as to how do you reconcile the Republican Party's embrace of the Southern Strategy, the politics of white racial resentment, and the Tea Party GOP's naked political coitus with the former Confederacy and Dixiecrats, and your suggestion that black folks should find a natural home in the Republican Party is "There’s racism on my 6-year-old grandson’s soccer team," and "no political party is perfect," the argument is already lost.
The literary Uncle Tom is a misunderstood "historical" figure.
By comparison, the day-to-day Uncle Tomism embodied by the bootblack garbage pail kid black conservatives like K. Carl Smith is all too real, plain, and clear.
For them, if it is White it is Right. One can understand how Whiteness, as a social, political, and economic force, is a type of property that many, if not most, white folks are deeply invested in.
How can the Other can make such a calculation for him or herself? Ultimately, I would suggest that it is just a crude material calculus about owning some share of the psychic wages of Whiteness.
An example. From the Talking Point Memo's profile of K. Carl Smith:
Smith’s lectures focus almost entirely on how, during the Civil War and through the Jim Crow era, Democrats were the Southern party of white supremacy while Republicans, especially Abraham Lincoln, fought for progress instead. On Friday, Smith derided modern Democrats as the historical descendants of the KKK. Remarks like those prompted shocked pushback from a progressive black radio host in attendance, Kim Brown (much to Smith’s annoyance), who after several brief interjections was shouted down by the audience while trying to ask them whether it’s important to condemn racism within their party.
Needless to say, the obvious question this raises is the one Brown was getting at: If Republicans are the party of Lincoln, then why did black voters overwhelmingly abandon them over the last 50 years? And does it have anything to do with the reasons white southerners fled the Democratic Party in droves during the same period? In other words, if the Confederacy’s spiritual descendants are Democrats, then why are their biological descendants voting Republican.
There’s not really a lot of mystery here for historians: Democrats, led by Presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, championed civil rights legislation and integration, leaving an opening for the GOP, led by President Richard Nixon, to adopt a race-baiting strategy that drew in disaffected segregationists. This is an uncontroversial enough take on events that the chairman of the RNC himself apologized on behalf of his party for Nixon’s “Southern strategy” at a 2005 speech to the NAACP.
Smith backs off a little bit when asked how he handles this common complaint. The real lesson is — to quote Some Like It Hot — nobody’s perfect.
“When you break the history down of Nixon’s ‘Southern strategy,’ the point is there is no political party that’s perfect,” he said. “Back in 1870 when they ended Reconstruction, the Republicans joined forces with the Democrats and that was wrong. And, of course, Democrats have a longer history of being anti-black than the GOP. So there’s no perfect political party even today.”
The joke is on the K. Carl Smiths of the world. Their White overseers and ideological masters may allow them the privilege of cleaning the toilet in the Tea Party GOP's political house. They may even allow them a seat at the table like a pet who is trained to eat with silverware for the amusement of select guests.
In private, these same white reactionary herrenvolk Tea Party conservatives have nothing but contempt for black conservative human mascots like K. Carl Smith. Why? Because the Tea Party GOP and its White Right base understand, deeply, on an instinctive level, that no self-respecting and mentally health person of color will have anything at all to do with them.
Instead, K. Carl Smith, and the political Right-wing humanzees such as Herman Cain and Jessie Lee Patterson, belong in a human zoo of freakish political oddities.
K. Carl Smith and his ilk can collect the trinkets and jewels being thrown at them for their political Judas show...or earned from selling books to White Nationalists who buy into their twisted message at CPAC.
Tags: Chauncey DeVega says, sometimes black people make me sad, tea party gop
OaktownGirl said...
Kissing up to the Slave Master in hopes you'll get treated a little bit better than the other slaves. Identifying with your oppressor so you can psychologically distance yourself from those whom the Ruling Majority consider to be "inferior".
OT - Chauncey, please check your "Kos mail" (Daily Kos messages) when you get a chance. I sent you something.
chauncey devega said...
They are all a bunch of wannabe Stephens from Django.
Dubious Brother said...
Chauncey:
You and I both know there is no faster promotional mechanism of upward mobility in the post-Clarance Thomas era available to blacks than the conservative wing of the republican party. This is the most potent form of affirmative action known in the U.S....Period.
The party will take you from relative obscurity locally to a household name on the national stage in the blink of an eye--all for towing the party line.
The Republicans can take mediocre, unheralded academics, middling jurists and unknown pundits and make them superstars. They have even co-opted blacks who were stars in their own right, excelling in their chosen fields before they were "discovered" by the Conservatives. (I'll let you judge who among them were "made" before they were "discovered"). Here's a short list, going back about 30 years:
Shelby Steele
Armstrong Williams
J.C. Watts
Condolezza Rice
The irony here is that several of these people listed have very strong academic credentials, advanced degrees, and the like (could any tell you who the "talented tenth" are? Maybe a couple. Do any give a damn? That's for another discussion.). All would likely be the first to tell you they'd rather been judged by the "Content of Their Character" evident by their achievements, rather than grouped simply on the basis of race. They must say this to truly fulfill their role, to validate their own achievements.
These folks will be the first to tell you they are iconoclasts who don't subscribe to group think, and that they have transcended the "outmoded" concept of race--and placed duty ahead of racial politics. Some have even disavowed their former paymasters, with the perspective of hindsight.
The irony here is that they all were held out as exemplary negroes by their party, object lessons in bootstrappingness for us all to cherish; these were the enlightened ones. These were the ones on the fast track to that elusive goal of "success".
The pipeline is filling, and the spigot allowing these "forward thinking" blacks advancement is now wide open, given the racial politics of today (see Dr. Ben Carson--in January, for most, it would be "who is he"?).
These folks serve a very important purpose, perhaps the most: They deflect charges of race baiting and discriminatory practices within the republican party, and they and their ilk will be the trojan horses of rampant privatization.
I believe there will be more and more of these types coming--at a faster rate, and on varied media outlets, and that you'll see them in areas where racial politics tend divided by black/white, instead of where they are black/white/and increasingly brown.
Exactly, and very well said. The bottom line plainly stated: muddying the waters on racial and economic issues. And what better way to do that than to have this particular brand of Black folk front and foremost on the national stage.
The Republican are masters at "muddying the waters": making what otherwise would be simple, clear cut issues of justice and fairness a matter of "serious debate" and "controversy". And to this end, conservative Negroes are the craftiest tool in their toolbox.
SBlady said...
I just want to warn white people, if you approach me, so you can say that you are a Frederick Douglass republican, I may not be responsible for my response. Don't do it. Just don't.
I think Shelby Steele, Thomas Sowell and Clarence Thomas were/are of the "talented tenth" at least academically. And Dr. Carson is a pediatric neurosurgeon at John's Hopkins. And I think you are correct that they will start coming out of the woodwork now. Still waiting for 50-cent and LL Cool J to mention something, anything about this past five or so years. And yet, you can find none of them, standing up to their party when they engage in racial innuendo. Or even address all that has happened since, Lincoln. But there seems to be a pattern. The more wealthy people seem to get. The more the chance of them becoming republican. Greed seems to be the catalyst.Republicans know that they can purchase just about anything they want with enough money. And every one of them were those that could be persuaded with the promise of enough money.
What I truly can't understand is even if you believe that we've had all the breaks here in America and race is no longer a factor, how could you have been a world traveler and see what is and has been done to the country of Africa and many other third world countries, where brown is the prominent color, and know that it is your party that benefits from that and not be affected by it? And in fact, are even a party to it in some way. Powell and Rice.
Legal defense on Judge Mathis?
! said...
And now comes Mr. Isaiah Montgomery, of Mississippi, with his solution of the pretended Negro problem. I have spoken of him elsewhere, and I take back nothing that I have said either of this remarkable man, or his remarkable address. He has surrendered to a disloyal State a great franchise given to himself and his people by the loyal nation. He has taken the work of solving the nation's work of the nation's hands. He has virtually said to the nation:
"You have done wrong in giving us this great liberty. You should give us back a part of our bondage." He has surrendered a part of his rights to an enemy who will make this surrender a reason for demanding all of his rights. He has conducted his people to a depth from which they will be invited to a lower deep, for if he can rightfully surrender a part of his heritage from the National Government at the bidding of his oppressors, he may surrender the whole. The people with whom he makes this deal are restrained in dealing with the rights of colored men by no sense of modesty or moderation in their demands. They want all that is to be had, and will take all that they can get. Their real sentiment is that no Negro shall or ought to have the right to vote. Yet I have no denunciation for the man Montgomery. He is not a conscious traitor though his act is treason: treason to the cause of the colored people, not only of his own State, but of the United States.
I wish the consequences of his act could be confined to Mississippi alone, but I fear this cannot be. Other colored men in other States, dazzled by the fame obtained by Mr. Montgomery through the Democratic press, will probably imitate his bad example. I speak of this Montgomery business more in sorrow than in anger. I hear in the plaintive eloquence of his marvelous address a groan of bitter anguish born of oppression and despair. It is the voice of a soul from which all hope has vanished. His deed kindles indignation to be sure, but his condition awakens pity. He had called to the nation for help--help which it ought to have rendered and could have rendered but it did not--and in a moment of impatience and despair he has thought to make terms with the enemy, an enemy with whom no colored man can make terms but by a sacrifice of his manhood. There is no need here of an analysis of Mr. Montgomery's address. Its character is known and it has nothing to commend it but its ability and plaintive eloquence and the man, the place, and the circumstances under which it was delivered.
- Frederick Douglass, 1890
Judge Mathis, I swear all I saw was white! LOL J/K It wouldn't wind up in court unless I was touched but a tongue lashing might ensue. But seriously, you know there are a few that cannot wait to try it, I'll know if I go to work and that tea-partier that has never had more than a few words to say to me, all of a sudden decides to engage in conversation, emboldened by Mr. Smith.
Perfect! We need to send Mr. Smith a copy of this.
I sent him a message on twitter about being a black conservative humanzee. No response.
Damn! You got an atomic elbow there!!!
One day I will share the great plan I had and abandoned. You will laugh.
If you do, I will not be responsible for the coronary you suffer when he replies, "See!? Isaiah Montgomery was a DEMOCRAT! Clearly the Democrats want to take away black peoples' votes!"
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Beijing police initiate yellow alert for Christmas security
0 Comment(s) Print E-mail Xinhua, December 24, 2015
Beijing police initiated a yellow security alert for large and medium-sized shopping malls and supermarkets during the Christmas season on Thursday, according to its official microblog.
As the holiday season approaches, the number of people visiting shopping, entertainment and dining venues will increase remarkably, according to a police statement posted on microblog Sina Weibo.
The Beijing police will spare no efforts to ensure security and order, it said.
A yellow alert is the second mildest under the four-coded alert system, which goes from green, yellow, orange to red in order of severity. It means 60 percent of the security personnel in those shopping malls and supermarkets should carry out security checks on suspected personnel, materials and vehicles, according to a government security prevention regulation.
All trash bins in public areas should be checked every 30 minutes, according to the regulation. Endi
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9:47 am Rail 879: The Crossrail mystery – what went wrong?
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1 February 27, 2015 Evening Standard
Road death toll prompts need for Vision Zero
There have already been 29 deaths on London’s roads in the first eight weeks of the year, compared with 10 in the same period last year. This terrible toll highlights the need for a ‘Vision Zero’ policy on road safety, an idea I have been proposing as part of my mayoral campaign.
While there is no overall pattern to this threefold increase, the four cycling deaths were all caused by left turning lorries, three of which were tipper trucks which operate under laxer rules than other HGVs. That points out the need for a systematic approach to road safety to ensure that every death is examined thoroughly by a new body, rather like those in the rail and aviation industries.
One contributing cause for the increase is the virtual abandonment of traffic policing in London. A senior policeman admitted to me recently that police cars dealing with traffic issues very rarely enter the central area and anyway mostly spend their time dealing with accidents. This lack of police presence has made motorists realise that if they dodge the few cameras still functioning, they can pretty much do as they please.
Instead of occasional blitzes like the highly successful Operation Safeway targeted at both motorists and cyclists for a few weeks in late 2013, the Met needs to reassert traffic policing as one of its priorities. This should be under the aegis of the type of ‘Vision Zero’ approach which has led to a dramatic reduction in road deaths in New York under mayor Bill de Blasio which last year resulted in the lowest rate of pedestrian deaths since 1910, thanks to better enforcement, slower speed limits, more speed cameras and the creation of ‘slow zones’.
Sweden has had a policy of ‘Vision Zero’ for road deaths enshrined in law since 1997. This implies zero tolerance to road deaths and involves a long-term programme of designing out risk to road users, greater enforcement of traffic infringements by police and designing much safer pedestrian crossings. Consequently pedestrian deaths have halved and overall Sweden has the lowest rate of road deaths of developed countries, with only 3 per 100,000 people, compared with a European average of 5.5.
In London, we can start off by creating a default 20 mph zone. Of course a few main roads would have faster limits but the overall effect would be to make motorists pay more attention to speed, as has clearly happened in Islington where I live since the implementation of the 20 mph zone.
We need, too a freight strategy to reduce the number of lorries at peak times, as happened during the Olympics, to limit the exposure of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Safe routes for cyclists and reducing risks to pedestrians through longer crossing times are other obvious innovations.
If this level of deaths were taking place on any other mode of transport, there would be a public outcry and a call for action. While the death toll on the roads has fallen dramatically since the turn of the century, the past two years have seen increases. The rise in deaths in the capital this year demands a new approach so well illustrated by the success of the Vision Zero approach elsewhere.
My latest articles:
The electric car conundrum July 1, 2019
Johnson: an unsuitable candidate June 26, 2019
My podcast on the Transsiberian for Insight guide June 11, 2019
Rail 880: HS2 at risk from the Tory hordes June 1, 2019
Rail 879: The Crossrail mystery – what went wrong? May 19, 2019
RT @kentindell Turns out that Tesla Autopilot is still dangerous. wired.com/story/tesl…
Oh dear @GWRHelp what has to the 16 30 Pad ex BTM? It just says delayed
But then @GWRHelp wonderful assistant Jennifer brings me a free cup of coffee after I had searched in vain for the trolley. Big gold star for her!
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Follow @gmclifesciences
Abzena wins $5m-plus deal with US biotech client
Abzena has clinched a deal worth more than $5 million with a US biotechnology client to accelerate a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) towards clinical trials.
The AIM-quoted company will provide process development and manufacturing services to the undisclosed customer, which is a long-term client. CEO John Burt revealed: “Since the expansion of Abzena’s service offering into the US with two acquisitions in 2015 we have seen a number of customer relationships expand. They are using more of our services across the group’s biology, chemistry and manufacturing capabilities.
“This latest deal further consolidates our existing relationship with our customer. Drawing on Abzena’s integrated service offering, this ADC can progress through the preclinical and clinical trial process with the ultimate goal of developing a new potential treatment.”
Burt said the value of the entire process development and GMP manufacturing services exceeds $5m, with the majority of the services to be provided within the next 12 months. They will be carried out principally by Abzena’s chemistry and biomanufacturing groups in Bristol, PA and San Diego, CA. Abzena has worked with the client for a number of years, in a relationship built around Abzena’s chemistry services.
Following the initial chemistry development, Abzena subsequently developed a cell line that will now be used to produce the antibody at its GMP manufacturing facility.
Abzena will also conduct GMP production of the ADC payload reagent and the conjugation process to create the ADC for initial clinical study.
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Equal Justice Initiative
Displaying 1 - 10 (of 27)
Unified family courts will increase access to justice for everyone
It’s a common refrain – the federal government needs to move on filling the country’s judicial vacancies – a total of 63 as of Dec. 1, 2017.
Legal aid in Canada: Same conclusions, different report
How many reports does it take to change a government’s mind about proper legal aid funding? Good question. The CBA has produced a few, as have other agencies. And now an in-house report, prepared by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights is striking a familiar chord.
Spotlight on billed-basis accounting
The federal government tabled its latest budget on March 22. Since March 23, the CBA has been working to get the government to either drop a tax measure proposed in the budget or to change it to mitigate its impact on Canadian lawyers – and their clients – who rely on billed basis accounting.
Access to justice in legal education
A subcommittee of the CBA’s Access to Justice Committee will be presenting a workshop on experiential learning at a legal education workshop in Victoria this June. Read on for more about the workshop.
Better Client Service series: PD for A2J
The CBA’s latest series of professional development webinars has begun, this one is aimed at aimed at helping lawyers up their game and enhancing access to justice at the same time.
Statement from the President on the reinstatement of the Court Challenges Program
The Canadian Bar Association is delighted that the Court Challenges Program has been reinstated.
Can Regulation Advance Access to Justice?
Join the CBA Access to Justice Committee, as a part of Access to Justice Week organized by TAG – The Action Group on Access to Justice, as we consider if we can - indeed if we should – foster access to justice through legal regulation.
Checklist for writing legal health checks
CBA’s legal health checks are a way of alerting people to legal issues they may not be aware of. They can impart basic information on a particular theme and give lay people an idea of the next steps they’ll need to take to prevent a legal problem, or at least stop it from escalating.
Spotlight on legal aid benchmarks
The CBA, in cooperation with the Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada, has developed six aspirational legal aid benchmarks aimed at providing guiding principles to achieve the goal of a national system of public legal assistance. So what comes next?
Proposed National Benchmarks for Public Legal Assistance Services
A joint Working Group of the CBA and the Association of Legal Aid Plans of Canada (ALAP) collaborated to formulate and propose national legal aid benchmarks for Canada. After much consultation and discussion, we have now completed that work.
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Big Bear girl was target of Riverside predator
by Lee Brown , July 31, 2015
BIG BEAR – A 20-year-old man accused of luring a 16-year-old girl to meet him for sex was arrested on Thursday morning. Robert Louis Becker, who lives on the 5000 block of Quail Run in Riverside, was arrested on charges of possession of child pornography among other crimes, ending a stretch of over two months during which the man stalked the teen through the internet. Big Bear, located in the San Bernardino mountains, is about 90 minutes from Riverside.
The girl, who lives in the Big Bear community of Sugarloaf, was asked by the suspect to provide nude photos of herself, according to police reports from an investigation that began on July 8. The girl’s mother had told police her daughter had been solicited into a relationship.
A relationship had started two months earlier, said police, involving a man using the name “Lex Adams”. In his internet profile, it was determined that Becker was using a generic photo of a male model.
The unidentified victim meanwhile, had been seduced into sending the man sexually explicit photos of herself, and was eventually persuaded to meet the man for sex, according to reports. Becker also convinced the teen to divulge her social media account information. Police said he was able to use the victim’s account information to pose on-line as the teen, sending requests to her friends for additional sexually explicit videos and photos.
Upon being served with a search warrant at his Riverside residence, Becker was found to be in possession of child pornography, said police.
Becker is scheduled for arraignment on Monday in San Bernardino Superior Court, facing charges of possession of child pornography and trying to entice a minor into sex acts. He is being held currently on $250,000.
Big Bear girl was target of Riverside predator was last modified: July 31st, 2015 by admin
Read more crime news from San Bernardino County.
Categories: San Bernardino
Tags: attempt to entice a minor, child pornography, Robert Louis Becker
LA Police capture murder suspect at desert motel
Three Men Shot, One Killed, in New Year’s Shooting
Redlands Police Waiting For Burglary Suspect
Woman carting body parts arrested
Midnight Drive By Shooting Injures Three Men in Barstow
Murder Arraignment Postponed On Riverside County Deputy
2 Men Survive Shooting at San Bernardino Hookah Lounge
“John” Operation at Motel Nabs Pandering Suspect
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With: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes, Juliane Kohler, Thomas Kretschmann, Heino Ferch, Christian Berkel, Matthias Habich, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Noethen
Written by: Bernd Eichinger, based on the book by Joachim C. Fest, Melissa Müller and Traudl Junge
Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, disturbing images and some nudity
Language: German, Russian with English subtitles
Downfall (2004)
2 1/2 Stars (out of 4)
By Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDwire
For those not already versed in the lore of Adolf Hitler's final days, the intimacy, immediacy and bunker-mentality minutia of Downfall may make for truly engrossing cinema. A detailed, historically accurate account that bears witness as the psychotic dreams of a 1,000-year Third Reich slip away from its increasingly paranoid Fuehrer, this bravely matter-of-fact German epic features uniformly powerful performances and is an eerie, vivid realization of gray-walled claustrophobia and the terror of saturation bombing. (The camera shakes in a uniquely unsettling, knock-you-off-your-bearings way with each mortar shell.)
The fantastic Bruno Ganz (best known in the US for Wings of Desire) plays Hitler with a broken kind of humanity that makes his evil subtler than expected, but by extension all the more chilling. His senior staff is accounted for nearly every moment of the detailed film, but none of them stands out except Ulrich Matthes as psychotically loyal propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, and Corinna Harfouch as his wife. She has the film's most disturbing scene, poisoning her children to "save" them from growing up in a world without National Socialism.
But while director Oliver Hirschbiegel (Das Experiment) very effectively takes you deep inside Nazi Germany's crumbling heart and brings acutely to life many infamous moments, his film doesn't offer much in the way of new insight. The script is more of a textbook play-by-play than an examination of impulses and psyches, and while Hirschbiegel and his cast add those dimensions through their fine work, it seems the only way he could invest the audience in these events was by seeking out a sympathetic minor character -- in the person of Traudl Junge, Hitler's young secretary -- and beefing up her significance.
The film is based in part on Junge's accounts of events, and actress Alexandra Maria Lara rises to the occasion, but the woman's continued willful naiveté, and her loyalty and affection for her Fuehrer, makes Traudl far less sympathetic than was clearly intended.
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Per and Marie to attend The Stones
STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - According to an article published today in Aftonbladet, both Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson are on the guestlist to attend the Rolling Stones's "Licks World Tour" concert in Stockholm tonight. "Per will definitely go, but Marie isn't sure. If the weather is nice, she will prefer to go out on the boat [with her family]," tells Roxette's manager Marie Dimberg to Aftonbladet.
The concert will take place at Cirkus and is the third the Stones will give in Stockholm. Last 18th they played the Olympic Stadium and on the 20th at the Globe Arena.
"The tickets for this concert disappeared so fast that it seems you have to be an artist or record business related to get one," tells a source. Catarina Oscarsson from EMA Telstar, the promoter of the show, claims she doesn't know, though, who wrote Per and Marie to the guestlist, "There's actually no guestlist that I know of, we haven't invited anybody special. Some of the tickets were sold via the [Stones] fan club for instance."
The Hellacopters will be the opening act for tonight's show.
Update: Aftonbladet has published pictures of Per and Marie at the concert, which they both enjoyed enormously. "Fantastic! This is the best I have ever seen," said Marie, who was there with her husband Micke Bolyos, Per and Åsa Gessle, to Aftonbladet. "I will go home now and cry with joy," Per exclaimed. "Give it 15 plus! 15 plus!" he added.
Aftonbladet's article (in Swedish)
The Rolling Stones Official Website
EMA Telstar
The Hellacopters Official Website
Aftonbladet's article with pictures
Archive, TDR:Roxette, vintage.
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Home/ Features/General Tire Stock Car Weekly: June 19, 2019
FeaturesGeneral Tire Stock Car Weekly
General Tire Stock Car Weekly: June 19, 2019
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by Chris Leone // Website // Twitter
Images via ARCA
General Tire is the proud Official Racing Tire and Exclusive Tire Supplier of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, NASCAR Pinty’s Series, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, and NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series, as well as the longtime supplier of tires for the ARCA Menards Series. Throughout the 2019 racing season, we’ll check in on the stock car series that feature General Tire worldwide, with race notes, previews, and driver profiles:
Chandler Smith scored a dominant victory from pole position at Madison International Speedway, taking the checkered flag in the Shore Lunch 200 as the ARCA Menards Series hit its halfway point in the 2019 season. Smith led 166 of 200 laps, waiting out two red flags and getting past Venturini Motorsports teammate Michael Self to take back the top spot before the checkered flag fell and successfully defend his Madison victory from last year.
The victory was Smith’s second in five tries in 2019, continuing his streak of top-five finishes in every start so far this season. Despite running a partial schedule, his results thus far are still good enough for eighth in the championship standings. Self currently holds a 35-point lead over Bret Holmes atop the leaderboard after winning three times and scoring seven top-five finishes in 10 races so far.
The NASCAR K&N Pro Series West is set to produce one of the most exciting races of the weekend at Sonoma Raceway, as well over 30 entries will take on the carousel layout as it makes its return to NASCAR action for the first time since 1997. Alongside series regulars Derek Kraus, Hailie Deegan, and Trevor Huddleston, the event will feature the return of drivers like Will Rodgers and Jim Inglebright, as well as national series drivers like Austin Dillon, Ryan Preece, and Cole Custer looking for extra seat time.
The ARCA Menards Series returns to action at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, with Chandler Smith looking to go back-to-back before jumping into a NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series entry with Kyle Busch Motorsports. In addition, the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series heads to Puebla for its fifth round of the season at Autodromo Miguel E. Abed.
Driver Profile: Chandler Smith
One of many talented young drivers to run with Venturini Motorsports, 16-year-old Chandler Smith burst onto the ARCA Menards Series scene in 2018 in a nine-race deal. The Toyota development driver immediately scored four consecutive General Tire Pole Awards to kick off his career, and even topped the entire season lap leader chart despite missing 11 races. He scored his first career victory at Madison International Raceway, and backed that up with a win at Salem Speedway in the fall.
Smith returned to ARCA for 11 races in 2019, and also signed a partial-season deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports to step into its trucks and Super Late Models during the season. Smith scored his first victory of the season at Toledo Speedway before returning and winning at Madison, and made his KBM debut the same weekend at Iowa Speedway by scoring another pole and coming home with an eighth place finish.
austin dillon bret holmes chandler smith cole custer derek kraus general tire general tire arca general tire nascar hailie deegan jim inglebright madison international speedway michael self ryan preece sonoma raceway trevor huddleston will rodgers
#11 - Off-Road Edition - Crandon Recap Show
Power Rankings: Week of June 10-16, 2019
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Dublin South Central Green Party
Candidates & Area Reps
Thank YOU for supporting the Green Party May 2019
Posted on 02/07/2019 by Dave Gibson
Our candidates were ALL elected councillors for Dublin City Council after the election on May 24th 2019:
Councillor Patrick Costello – Kimmage – Rathmines Ward (East Crumlin, Kimmage, Terenure, Rathmines west, Rathgar, Rathfarnham)
“I stand for investing in communities – working to ensure that they are well planned, sustainable and have space for all”
Councillor Michael Pidgeon – South West Inner City Ward (roughly from Kilmainham east to Wood Quay, bounded by River Liffey and Grand Canal)
“My vision is for a Dublin 8 which is a decent, inclusive, livable home for people who want to live in the city.”
Councillor Sophie Nicoullaud – Ballyfermot – Drimnagh Ward (Cherry Orchard east to Inchicore, Chapelizod south to Walkinstown)
“I want each member of the community and consideration for the environment placed at the centre of every decision taken by local and national governments”
TIME TO RENEW The Promise of EUROPE
CIARAN CUFFE MEP is the Green Party’s winning candidate for the European elections in Dublin
“I want to work with our European neighbours to make Dublin the best city in Europe for living, working, and raising a family. That means taming the traffic, providing decent housing that people can afford, creating quality jobs and ensuring we’ve clean air, parks and play spaces.”
Get ACTIVE in making the change you want
Want more? The future is GREEN
Thank you for Voting GREEN #1
Posted in Environment, Green Living, Green Politics | Leave a comment
Empowering Women leads to Climate Justice and maybe Salvation for All
Watching Dr Edward Cameron speak at the annual EPA lecture in the Mansion House, Dublin on Friday 17th May brought home some uncomfortable facts to me. To my mind, Ireland has generally been an equal opportunity country, with talent and determination (and maybe luck) anyone can be anything. And is this being replicated around the world?
“Not so”, says Dr Cameron, and he has the statistics and reasons to prove that Ireland is a rarity in equal opportunity, and these inequalities may cost us the World. On average more women died in 121 natural disasters (floods, typhoons) between 1981 and 2002 than men, and more poor and coloured women than white women.
Sophie Nicoullaud
Women are less valued than men in many societies and cultures despite working harder; two-thirds of illiterate people in the world are women resulting in lower skill levels, less access to justice, and decision-making groups; many girls never learn to climb trees or leave their home, women never leave homes without a male guardian, always stay behind to mind children, elderly parents and disabled; men own the mobile phones and get the first warning. The list goes on and on. More than 150 countries actively discriminate against women.
Grace O’Sulliavan
Gender perspective plans are urgently needed for resilience building to address the multiple, over-lapping and mutually reinforcing structural inequalities, power dynamics and social and cultural expectations that create the day-to-day reality for women in every community around the world. Women best know what women need. And these plans are essential to minimise the worst effects of Climate Change.
Ciaran Cuffe
That is why the Green Party promotes equal opportunity for everyone, and why I’m asking you to give your #1 vote to your Green Party candidate, whether woman or man – For Europe: Saoirse McHugh (Midland-North West), Grace O’Sullivan (South) and Ciaran Cuffe (Dublin) and For the DSC City Locals: Sophie Nicoullard (Ballyfermot Drimnagh), Michael Pidgeon (Dublin SW Inner City) and Cllr Patrick Costello (Kimmage Rathmines) –
see a YouTube slide presentation of Dr Cameron’s talk – Green Party Candidates
Posted in education, Environment, Green Living, Green Politics | Leave a comment
Healthy Food Healthy City
We all eat and we all care about what we eat.
Join Sophie Nicoullaud, Green Party local election candidate on Thursday May 2nd 2019 for Healthy Food Healthy City.
The Green Kitchen Cafe and Garden Centre, 12 Walkinstown Green (beside Tony Kealy), Walkinstown Thursday May 2nd @ 7.30pm
It’s a rountable discussion and food workshop with Sophie, chef Domini Kemp, cheesemonger Seamus Sheridan, Gary Jones from St Ultans Primary School in Cherry Orchard, food researcher Deitmar Weiss and Roisin Nic Coil from Community Supported Agriculture Ireland to talk about planting the seeds of a better food future .
Come along. Ask questions. Share your ideas. Get involved.
Let’s grow food communities
FREE event – RSVP (so we get an idea of numbers)
@SNicoullaud
Posted in education, Environment, Events, Green Living, Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Keeping Fossil Fuels in the Ground
The transition to 100% renewable energy raises profound questions for the future of our communities and infrastructure, including:
Can we produce enough renewable energy to power all the cars and trucks we have today? If not, how should our transportation system change? And what does that mean for land use patterns?
What infrastructure—from highways to power lines to communal storage—do we need for a 100% renewable future? What infrastructure can be retrofitted, and what needs to be built new?
We know how to build net-positive-energy buildings; but what will it take to make the entire building stock net-positive? Is it possible to build to scale using only renewable energy?
Are the architecture, construction, engineering, and planning industries getting ready for a 100% renewable future? Is local government?
http://ourrenewablefuture.org/introduction/
Ireland is a small island off the European continent. It should be a nimble, mobile energy market. What we do may not change the world, but it will make us ready. Ireland has few large corporate energy users – Intel, Aughinish Aluminum, Dublin Airport, but thousands of other points of varied demand, in scattered factories, hospitals, warehouses, farms and offices with millions of homes. We don’t want to lose anyone in the walk to 2050, but what preparations are we, as people and through our elected representatives, as a country making in preparation for a low, intermittent energy supply and all that it means? Brexit might be an early warning as so much fresh food from the Med, the EU comes by truck through Britain. Reminder of WWII and the citrus fruit trade by boat with Portugal!
Even without the 2050 date, the eventual decline in fossil hydrocarbon flows, and the inability of renewables to fully substitute, will create a deficiency of energy (for food & transport) to power bloated urban cities and require a shift of human populations back to the countryside. In short, the future is rural (farming). Download : https://www.postcarbon.org/publications/the-future-is-rural/
Ireland has a long history of ‘stop-go’ knee-jerk, muddled short-lived initiatives. Can our central and local governments debate and agree a 30-year plan now in 2019 ? Can our politicians set aside funding and the will to carry it out? The Irish Times on 5th March highlights an elderly family living in deplorable conditions in Crumlin because their pension is €9 above the maximum allowed by the box-tickers in Social Welfare supports. Are we really ‘the greatest little country in the world’?
Don’t end up in the Dead Zoo
The time has come to stand up for our futures and for the future our planet. To stand with us and other environmental groups at Dublin’s iconic Dead Zoo, Merrion Street on November 17th – Rebellion Day 2-3pm.
As Eamon writes “We can no longer accept our government’s continued apathy towards environmental issues, in the face of report after report outlining in no uncertain terms the far-reaching ramifications of climate breakdown and the devastating levels of destruction being wrought on our planet.
We are in the midst of an extinction crisis. Humanity has wiped out 60% of animal populations since 1970. Our climate is becoming more unstable due to our continued dependence on fossil fuels, driving even more species closer to the brink and threatening our own species too. We cannot stand idly by as ecosystems collapse and our life-support is switched off. There is no planet B.
And yet, less than one month after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that humanity has less than 12 years to stop dangerous, runaway climate breakdown, and just ONE DAY after the World Wildlife Fund study revealed that humans have caused a 60% decline in wildlife populations since 1970, Fine Gael expressed their ongoing commitment to oil and gas exploration.
This is a government who have resisted calls for emergency climate measures, stalled on action on microbeads, blocked measures to reduce the tide of plastic waste, and introduced harmful measures that extend the hedge-cutting and upland burning seasons – all the while claiming that tackling climate change is their number one priority. Retrograde measures, failure to protect our wildlife and biodiversity, failure to climate-proof the National Development plan, combined with ongoing climate inaction – it’s time to act.
Join us to highlight the extinction crisis and demand climate action. If you are fearful, if you are frustrated, if you’ve had enough, take this opportunity to express yourself and to get climate action on the political agenda. Time is running out.
This will be a welcoming and family friendly event, open to anyone who cares about life on earth!
No connection but related to the EPA lecture of 6th Nov which could be summarised by the remark ‘that when the daytime temperature is 40/50 degrees Centigrade, people sweat and must drink fluid to live; if there is none, people fight and die’.
Step Backwards for Ireland, Step Forward to the World
There are two types of people in Ireland. One type is Gaelic and Ulster-Scots, religious, traditional and insular – our way or no way. Second type is people who want a progressive modern republic taking advantage of new ideas and thought. Some political parties are into opaque politics, ‘Whatever you’re having yourself’.
Minister of State for Rural Affairs and Natural Resource, Seán Canney TD, Independent TD, opened the 2018 Atlantic Ireland Conference at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road last week. Included in his speech are the lines “Let me turn to the Climate Emergency Measures Bill, which proposes, in effect, to stop future oil and gas licensing offshore Ireland. Whilst no doubt well-intentioned, the Bill will do nothing to reduce our use of oil or gas, it will do nothing to help us reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and it will do nothing to help us meet our 2020 and 2030 energy and climate targets. Instead, it proposes simply to bind us to only importing our future oil or gas needs.” Sounds old-style Fianna Fail. Read his speech in full here.
Just what is this Fine Gael/’Old Men’ government doing to prepare Ireland for the future? Why not look at developments outside the ‘door’? Whatever about Climate Change/ Species Extinction/ New Technology some people would rather keep to old dirty polluting ideas – hear nothing, see nothing, do nothing!
Eight days earlier, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates joined over 50 leaders committed to circular economy impact by joining the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE). PACE is fast-tracking circular economy solutions to pressing environmental challenges, from electronic waste to plastic pollution. An immediate response is to consider the end use of every item one purchases – is it re-usable, recyclable, resalable, adaptable, easy to dismantle? Do I really need it?
China leapfrogged from the bicycle age to the automobile age in just 20 years. Before 1994, most people in China were still getting around on bicycles. Fast forward 15 years, and China had dislodged the U.S. to become the world’s largest car market – with 13.6 million in unit sales per year. Now, China’s automotive market is leapfrogging into to the age of the electric vehicle. By 2015, there were more than 20 different models of EVs being sold in China. Last year, over 777,000 EVs were sold in China. That was a 53 percent jump from the previous year. Overall, China now accounts for two-thirds of global sales of EVs. (By comparison, Europe is behind but manufacturers are slowly catching up. Ireland with 0.3% of China population, a grand total of 1811 BEVs (new and used) registered so far this year, and we could reach 2000 units by the end of the year, % are similar to China.) courtesy Irish EV Owners
The Chinese government wants electric vehicles to account for 10 percent of total vehicle sales in the country by 2020, and 20 percent by 2025. (Like Fine Gae aspire to, but what is the Government of Ireland doing to match EU targets?) This network will include up to 500,000 public charging stations and cover residential areas, business districts, public spaces and inter-city highways. As of last year, China already had 214,000 charging stations installed. That was an increase of 51 percent from 2016. So they’re on track to reach their goal.
(ESB have about 800 slowish (1 hour to overnight) charge points (not stations). On-street 22Kw dual point (max 80 miles of range per hour) which they may upgrade to add to 70 public Fast Charging points (43Kw, advertised as 20-60+ minutes to 80% depending on state and size of battery capacity – time for coffee/lunch/rest/shopping/toilet break). Not as fast as the best, nor the exclusive 120Kw Superchargers (off-street, multi point, 24/7) for Tesla EVs, 150miles per 30 minutes! The largest Tesla Supercharger station in Nebbenes, Norway has 30 charging points now, and will have 44, Superchargers; a single charging station with almost as many points as Ireland in a country with a population of 5.2 million people!
The Chinese government will also require new residential complexes to build charging points or assign space for them. At least 10 percent of public parking will need to have charging facilities. In 2016, China’s Traffic Management Bureau introduced “green license plates” to differentiate EVs from normal petrol-powered vehicles. Cars with these green license plates enjoy preferential policies. These include exemptions from measures that ban the use of cars to one day each week. In some selected cities, green license plate vehicles can use the bus lane during rush hour. Probably the most effective support for EVs is the vehicle quota system. It was implemented in heavily congested cities in 2011. Not everyone who wants a petrol/diesel-powered car in China can just buy one and start driving it. In Beijing, for instance, the government is limiting the number of new petrol-powered cars to hit the streets to just 40,000 a year.
This dissuades consumers from buying a petrol-fuelled car and encourages them to buy an electric vehicle instead. EVs have a much higher quota (and sometimes no quota at all) than petrol-fuelled cars. And of course, government-backed discounts can be as much as 40 percent of the sticker price. With such strong government support, a booming network of charging stations and competitive prices, it’s almost a certainty that EV sales in China will continue to soar. (China is a major vehicle manufacturer, in addition to being an importer.)
Article courtesy of Asia Wealth Investment
So the message, as progressive Europeans are doing in droves:
Think and Vote GREEN Party
Please come to a PidgeQuiz and support our candidate MICHAEL PIDGEON in his quest for a seat on Dublin City Council as a Representative for the
SOUTH WEST INNER CITY WARD
Date: 1st November 2018 @ 17.30
Place: Oscars Cafe Bar, Christchurch – 16-18 Fishamble Street, Dublin 8
Confirm on https://www.facebook.com/events/2189670741314065/
Dark Green Thoughts
I attended a Stop Climate Chaos/350.org meeting recently. A topic caught my attention ‘Are we all climate change deniers?’ Closer to believing Trump’s beautiful MAGA world for winners behind walls while ignoring Brussel’s eco-socialist Europe attempt to save the world. Ignorance & over-reliance on unknown & unbuilt technologies, hope for a few vs despair for the vulnerable.
To quote from 350.org: “Even if we do manage to keep 80% of fossil fuels in the ground, a world that’s 2°C warmer is going to be a much different, scarier place. We’re only at +1°C now, and we’re already seeing more storms, flooding, heatwaves, drought, and island nations at risk of going underwater. +2°C is going to mean a lot of human suffering, and tremendous damage to the planet.”
To quote from the EPA website: “Fossil fuels accounted for 77 per cent of all energy used in Ireland in 2015 with oil continuing to be the dominant energy source in 2015, with a share of 57 per cent.” The European Commission is looking at ways to make the European economy more climate-friendly and less energy-consuming, suggesting that: by 2050, the EU members should cut greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 1990 levels. Milestones to achieve this are 40% emissions cuts by 2030 and 60% by 2040. All sectors need to contribute.
The Irish government sustainable targets are way out the window. Instead of a 20% reduction from 1990 figures by 2020, Ireland is 20% over and climbing, which makes a 40% reduction by 2030 almost impossible. Cutting 80% of current demand in 32 years!! It is essential to accept that all future development will be limited by climate change targets.EU growth policy will switch to circular, sustainable systems. It is unclear how Brexit and EU-tariffs will impact on the ‘just-in-time’ supply network for Irish supermarkets from British suppliers and manufacturers and visa-versa This might be the next economic crash.
For example, do we need another runway at Dublin airport by 2030 if flying becomes unacceptable or population is decentralised? Spending a fortune on piping water from the Shannon to Dublin rather than minimising leaks and increasing efficiency in a smaller city? Dredging Dublin Bay and adapting the port to accommodate massive cruise-liners so 4,000 people can spend 8 hours in Dublin city? Building highways for commuters to Dublin when government policy is to develop the secondary cities, reduce fossil fuel sales, increase rail travel and control electricity demand? Is this the last gasp of intensive fossil fuel burning, greenhouse gas emitting capitalism to take profits from the public purse? Like a dying wasp sucks juice from a withering peach before a 100-year winter?
Future housing across Ireland must be in livable neighborhoods where people can ‘work, rest and play’ with safe cycling, walking, a few electric/hydrogen cars, local bus routes and Dial a Taxi for the infirm, intensive food growing on city edges, local processing and home-delivery by bicycle or electric van. Governments will have to balance decarbonisation, degrowth, decentralisation and possibly lower tax revenue with maintaining the quality of life. Finding ways to do more with less, for all, less cars & planes and more trains.
The Dublin Bus area plan building a network of “next generation” bus corridors on the busiest bus routes using ‘hubs’ and ‘crossing routes’ to make bus journeys faster, predictable and reliable; completely redesigning the network of bus routes to provide a more efficient network, connecting more places and carrying more passengers. In theory it is a good idea taking some of the cross-city bus fleet away from O’Connell Street, adding an orbital route (Line O) around the North and South Circular Roads, ‘Park & Ride’ and feeding passengers to/from existing Luas stations My questions are: will all be ready before the ‘next generation’ starts (road-widening, electronic signing, union recognition, shelters, etc), does it meet future needs for a car-free city, or will it be a waste of money with too many empty buses?
Harold’s Cross. Between the A and F spines, an additional radial is needed solely to serve the segment of Harold’s Cross Road between Harold’s Cross and Terenure. Route 16 is retained for this purpose, operating every 20 minutes all day and every 10 minutes at peak times. Beyond Terenure this route resembles the current 15b route to Stocking Ave.
Kimmage, Perrystown, Greenhills. The F spine, branching at Kimmage, provides direct city service to most of these areas, supplemented by one branch of the D spine. Note that the F1 and F2 provide 15 minutes service when together, 30 when apart (10 minutes and 20 minutes respectively at peak times). This area currently has a range of frequencies in the 15-30 minute range. We standardise these to 15 or 30, with 15 minute
service focused on the places of highest demand.
Kildare Road, Clogher Road, Donore Ave. This segment of today’s Route 150 has relatively low demand, and parts of its service area can also walk to the D spine or the new orbital Line O. A half-hourly radial, Route 20, is proposed. The route continues to Tallaght.
Crumlin Road, Cork St. The D spine replaces the three main overlapping routes (27, 77a, 151) on this segment, to deliver a consistent 5 minute frequency out to Crumlin Hospital. From there, the main branches are D2 toward Tallaght (like existing 27) and D3 toward Clondalkin, both every 15 minutes. A small branch D4, every 30 minutes, assists in covering parts of Perrystown.
Kilmainham, Rialto, Inchicore, Islandbridge. This is a very complex area where the street pattern and natural barriers defeat all reasonable routing schemes. We sought to reduce the tangle of current routes to create simple frequent patterns, even if people had to walk slightly further to them. The G Spine, every 7.5 minutes, follows Emmet Road through this area, like existing Route 40. The addition of the orbital Line O and Route S2 provide frequent service to Rialto and the area west of St. James’ Hospital, replacing the need for today’s Route 123. Instead, a new Route 22 would serve the area west of Suir, but then continuing north via Islandbridge to Heuston and the northern edge of the city centre.
Three short segments in this area currently receive bus service along Mourne Road, Keeper Road, and a portion of South Circular Road, but all are within easy walking distance of Luas or other frequent routes in the proposed network.
Housing: We are in favour of the cost-rental model for immediate housing in the Inchicore and across Ireland, where people can work, rest & play, close to family and friends. Large, friendly, low-level apartments with amenities. Cost of buying means young working families from the area need years of saving to buy city homes, so instead buy in Laois and commute for hours each day which negates every ‘better life policy’. The existing Red Luas line (Tallaght to The Point) allows easy access to good jobs in James’s, manufacturing, hospitality and retail. The shops, museums, cafes, the schools and sports clubs need young people living in the neighbourhood to create a vibrant society.
Finally, we ask you to support the Uplift campaign Stop putting down concrete and gravel – start planting NATIVE species!!
Congratulations and welcome to Councillor Patrick Costello who will contest the Kimmage-Rathmines Ward in the forthcoming local elections.
New local election boundaries in Dublin South Central
Posted on 01/08/2018 by Oisín
In June, the boundaries for the electoral areas for the 2019 local elections were announced. You can read the full report at this link, but here is a summary for our voters and members in Dublin South Central.
Most of Inchicore and Islandbridge have been removed from Ballyfermot-Drimnagh, with only the “Inchicore A” district, which is an area centred around the Oblates on Tyrconnell road remaining. There will be 5 councilors elected, a reduction from 5 from 2014, when Oisín Ó hAlmhain got 550 votes, which was well short of a seat. This area also includes those parts of Walkinstown that are in the city council area.
The area of South West of Inner City, which is the same as it was before the 2014 election spans from the Liffey to the Canal, between Inchicore and Patrick Street. This includes some communities who have voted green in great numbers in the past, and as part of a wider South Inner City elected Ciaran Cuffe to the council in 1999!
The remainder of Crumlin and Kimmage now joins Terenure and Rathmimes in a 6 seater Kimmage-Rathmines area. In 2014 Councillor Patrick Costello topped the poll in the part of this area which was in Dublin Bay South, and we have a number of hard working local members in this area. This also includes the lower end of Drimnagh from Benbulbin Road down to Dolphin Road.
Finally, Perrystown, Greenhills, Whitehall Road and Fortfield are part of a 7 seater Rathfarnham-Templeogue. This area had a green Councillor in the past in Tony McDermott from 2004-2009. It also stretches to the few houses around Ballymount & Fox & Geese off the Naas Road.
There will be selection conventions in the near future to choose Green Party candidates to run in each of these wards. In the meantime we hope you are getting ready to get our there and help canvass for your local representative. While the number of seats in each area have been reduced, which makes it harder for candidates from smaller parties to get elected, we relish the challenge, and look forward to having great candidates in each of the areas with a good chance of having at least 3 councilors in 2019!
Core Bus Corridors through DSC
DSC Green Party broadly welcomes the report on future plans for Dublin Bus, pedestrians and cycle routes called the Dublin Core Bus Corridor project. However at times this reads like another report in 50 years of reports by the “more-roads lobby” suggesting the removal of some “pinch-points” by directing other traffic onto other roads, new roads, residential “ratruns” or by road-widening. Cheap short-term solutions like restricting the access of private cars to certain areas at certain times, (as is happening in cities across the world) and longer term solutions in building ‘cut & cover’ comuter rail and increasing population density in the city making personal ownership of cars unnecessary and encouraging walking, cycling and car-sharing and taxis are not covered. What % of car-drivers commute from outside Dublin Bus catchment areas? Will Dublin Bus provide free, secure parking beside bus termini? A silo report for a city of silo reports!
Download the PDF report with route maps here: Bus Connects Dublin Bus Corridor Project June 2018
Routes affected within the constituency and problems highlighted are:
6 – Lucan to Stoneybatter along the bypass to Houston Station – new priority bus lanes over M50
7 – Liffey Vally via Ballyfermot, Inchicore, Kilmainham, The Liberties – As Ballyfermot Road between Le Fanu Road and Kylemore Road is too narrow, one option would be to divert inbound traffic via Le Fanu Road and Kylemore Road. Mount Brown and Old Kilmainham Road are too narrow for both bus lanes and general traffic lanes. Mount Brown would therefore be restricted to public transport, cyclists and local access. Through traffic would have to be diverted via the Liffey quays or South Circular Road.
8 – Clondalkin to Drimnagh – Bus lanes could be accommodated at the M50 underpass by routing cyclists on to the Grand Canal greenway.
9 – Greenhills to city centre – New link roads would be built to divert all traffic via Calmount Avenue and Calmount Road while maintaining access to the old section of Greenhills Road.
10 – Kimmage to city centre – Kimmage Road Lower between Sundrive Road and Harold’s Cross would be limited to buses, bicycles and taxis. Through traffic would be diverted via Larkfield Park and Harold’s Cross Road or via Sundrive Road and Clogher Road.
11 – Tallaght to Terenure – Templeogue Road would become one-way outbound for general traffic while permitting taxis, buses and bicycles to travel in both directions. Inbound general traffic would divert via Cypress Grove Road or via Springfield Road to Rathfarnham Road.
Have your say at the public consultation in September / October this year. Or speak to Ed or Oisin.
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Home > Our Work > Partner Families > Families who have completed construction on their homes!
Families who have completed construction on their homes!
Check out out our Habitat Families who have completed construction of their homes!
The Austin Family
Ms. Austin and her two kids are partnering with Habitat to build her new home! Ms. Austin is one of the first homeowners from Habitat's Homeowner Incubation Program which helps families build rental history and create a path to home ownership! We can't wait to see the Austin Family Home.
The Evans Family
Tameka and her three kids are excited to buy one of our Blitz homes. Tameka and her oldest son have been a force on site and quickly worked their way through the initial sweaty equity hours. We are grateful to partner with Tameka and her family and can’t wait to see the future that is built with this stable environment to call home.
The Johnson Family
Tasha and her family are very excited to begin construction on their new home! Tasha has worked hard to overcome some of the challenges of living in a growing Durham. We are so proud to partner with Tasha and her family and can’t wait to see the future that is built with this stable environment to call home.
Theresia partnered with Habitat and twelve Durham congregations to renovate a historic home in East Durham. She became one of three Habitat families to renovate homes on her street, helping rebuild the neighborhood.
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| Press Release
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SOURCE: TruthFinder
https://www.accesswire.com/529691/TruthFinder-Uses-Predictive-Technology-To-Build-Interactive-Family-Trees-For-Genealogy-Research-And-More
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Trying to fill the gaps
I remember sitting in a park. It was warm and sunny, and a thin layer of cirrus dimmed the sun, reducing the glare on the pages of my spiral notebook. I was distanced from the others, conscious of them and they of me, and after a time a friend came over and sat down next to me.
“What are you writing about?” she asked.
“Socorro,” I said. Or I think I did, anyway. I really don’t remember much more than her sitting there and me pausing in my recollections, and the sun warming the two of us, and how grateful I was for her presence. It was a long time ago.
I might have told her that I first saw the hotel at half-past midnight when I walked through the cobblestone courtyard and roused the old man sleeping on a couch in the foyer. Of how he walked me to my room, his footsteps slow and arthritic, up a flight of oak stairs that groaned under our passage and down a long dark hall, and how half the tiles were missing in the bathroom, and the window overlooked a fountain whose waters had evaporated decades ago.
I might have told her, but I really don’t remember. I’m sure whatever I said didn’t convey what I wanted to express.
If I had it to do again, I might tell her that sometimes we forget that the heartbreak and loss we experience are uniquely our own, that though friends like her may express sympathy or empathy or any other –pathy, only we know the road we travel. I might say that I was writing down the details of an important part of my life and I didn’t want to forget, that it was an exercise to while away the lonely hours while I waited to go through to the other side and find out who I was and what I might become, and what would be left and what missing.
I would tell her, I’m trying to fill the gaps.
It was a long time ago. I don’t remember much more, and I never did write it all down.
I’ve been having dreams lately of being in a car speeding backward, and when I stomp on the brakes there is only a faint slowing. It’s always night and I can’t see what’s behind me, and the pedal doesn’t go to the floorboard but feels solid. I know what it feels like when brakes are bled dry, how the pedal hits the floor with no resistance and the car continues on as if under its own volition, and panic is a brutal punch to the stomach. It’s happened to me before, in the Gallinas Canyon above Las Vegas after I had engaged in drinking and offroad exploration. It’s not like that.
It’s more like I’m being carried off, dragged back to somewhere in my past, and my terror isn’t so much that the car will hit something but that it will take me where I don’t want to go. I’m wild-eyed with fright, both feet on the pedal, both hands gripping the wheel. When I look in the mirror I see nothing but darkness and a few colored lights.
Last night I dreamed I saw Lori get into a car and start the engine. A sense of dread hammered me speechless, and before I could shout the car lurched into reverse and shot away, and her eyes widened in fear and I screamed no no no stop and she couldn’t and the darkness took her and I was left alone on a deserted street, the pavement gritty under my knees.
I think of that young man with his notebook. If I could meet him again I would tell him that maybe some things are best forgotten.
I wrote that the airport was two miles out of town, that it was new and empty except for four pieces of furniture, a Coke machine, a candy machine, and a pile of magazines about flying. An old man came in each day I worked there and fell asleep on a couch. We never spoke.
The jet was chained to the asphalt runway just to the side of the terminal. It was a T-33 trainer and the reason I was there. A former pilot wanted it back and had threatened to take it. My job was to make sure he didn’t.
The waitress where I ate was named Melissa. She was very pretty.
At night the hangars rattled in the wind, and tumbleweeds rolled down the runway as if taking flight. Sometimes a car would turn off the frontage road and drive up, and I would stand off to the side and watch its occupants. They came to see the jet.
I wrote that I called Ellen from the payphone. A girl named Betsy answered and put Ellen on. I apologized for calling so late. Ellen said she was reading Dune.
I have forgotten who Ellen was. There isn’t the shadow of an image, a face, a recollection. Only a gap.
Last weekend we drove to Manhattan. On the drive back Lori fell asleep, and it seemed for a while that I was alone in the vehicle, distanced from the autumnal landscape and the life I’ve led and the steps I’ve taken to reach this place. That for a sliver of a moment I was that young man sitting in the park with a notebook and pen and a friend who asked what he was writing about, and even as he tried explaining he knew that words would sometimes betray him. That they would never be enough.
I watched crows boiling up over barren fields, and leaves cascading gently to the ground, and the car was like a time machine whisking me from where I had been to where I was going. I glanced at Lori and saw the silver in her hair, and the rise and fall of her breasts, and the reds and golds and auburns of trees beyond her, and I told myself I could not forget this. I must remember, I said. I don’t want to someday look back on this moment and wonder what happened. Don’t forget, I whispered. Don’t forget. Don’t forget.
Posted by Tom Parker at 5:30 AM No comments:
Not a leaf
So. It was an autumn creek now, damp from recent rains, patined with fallen leaves and walnut husks gone black, and stubbled with stones worn smooth by time and water. It was not the Pecos River, not 900 miles of waterway traversing two states, and I was not the young dreamer, but someone else, older, perhaps wiser, cognizant that dreams can die, or fade from neglect, or reduct to manageable levels. By which, if successful, we are ennobled to stare back at our mirrored selves and not turn away.
As is increasingly difficult for me. I am fading even as my dreams fade. I am passing away. So: it was an autumn creek now, and I an autumnal man, and the last leg of this journey was before me.
Down I went, and down, the declination less, the bed wide and deep, with fewer feeder creeks adjoining, and those narrow and grassy-banked. The only sound that of my footsteps in the dried leaves and the toc-toc of my hiking stick as it glanced off stones. A half-buried metal drum signaled the sad and sorry spectacle of the disrespect mankind affords the natural world.
My way was barred by a downed tree. Beyond it the stream cut sharply westward past heaps of riprap. I balanced on a tree bole and walked down carefully. Maneuvering around a tangle of limbs, I peered around the bend and saw another severe turn to the right, deeply grooved, mucky, an accretion of trash and sticks and concrete slabs tilting up like ancient monoliths from a forgotten race. As I stepped down from the log a sharp-shinned hawk appeared like an apparition and flared in my face with a burst of wingnoise and golden eyes and I heard a snap and something tore into my right knee.
The hawk was gone. A blink, no more. The pain continued. A stick was wedged through a hole in my jeans, and as I extricated it I checked for damage. Some skin missing, a trickle of blood, nothing debilitating. I suspected it was a snare but found no indication of it. But wariness intruded on my solitude, and as I approached the first houses and heard the hammering of metal echoing through the trees I stepped lighter and kept to the deeper shadows.
Someone was above me on the bank. Something was being dragged, something heavy and metallic, and I forced my way through saplings and ragweed as silently as thought, hunkered down, moving fast. The first bridge came into view and I slipped into the darkness beneath it. A car rumbled overhead. The air itself seemed to vibrate.
I didn’t pause but hurried on. The stream narrowed into a brush-choked gulley, hiding me from bordering houses, and soon I came to the bridge over Highway 77. A fishing spider guarded the entrance but let me pass. Like ancient petroglyphs, the walls were patterned with a series of muddy handprints sequential to a heart now capped with a representation of hair. Letters within the heart were indecipherable, but farther on, near the north entrance, were more inscriptions of lovers long gone. I wondered if their loves had been true.
For a hundred yards now I felt exposed, hastening down a stream now treeless as it entered the fairgrounds. I wanted to be hidden from the eyes of men. Only when I bulled through a copse of weeds and sunflowers did I feel safe, and then kept the pace past the scattered buildings and beneath the latticed footbridges and out the far side, where the bottom opened up and water pooled in low places and the whistle of a tree frog sounded through the woods. Towering cottonwoods jutted through the canopy. So massive were the trunks that it seemed I had entered an old-growth forest, a remnant from the dawn of time.
Shadows deepened; minnows flitted through the pools; yellow butterflies wove the air. There was current now, a true stream, and each step triggered a leap from tiny chorus frogs. I ranged the stream, picking the easiest course, slowing now to relish the shade.
I broke into the open near the levee. The stream wended into twin rectangular culverts twice my height. Under the ground I went, my footsteps echoing, accompanied by a whisper of moving water. Near the outlet was a stretch of muck that swallowed my boots, but I was near the end of things and would not be deterred.
The final stretch snaked through high banks of weeds and vines, narrow-bottomed, muddy, so I clawed through the vegetation to gain the high ground and paralleled the stream with the sun hot on my shoulders. The blue river opened up on my left and swung past in an arc and I dropped down a steep bank and stood beside the confluence.
It was so quiet. And so sudden that it took me a moment to catch up with myself. The years melted away and I was a dreamer still. And I knew it was a minor victory but a victory nonetheless. A sharpie flew across the river and back and quartered the sky. A squirrel scolded from the woods. I felt giddy and uncommonly free.
A leaf floated past, spinning slowly on the sluggish current. It bounced over a riffle and purled and bobbed and was carried captive downstream. I thought of how I often felt imprisoned to time and demands not of my own choosing, an inmate without choice or say, and yet I have legs and mobility and spirit and have used them to this conclusion. I have seen the beginning and the end of a creek that might be named Juganine or named nothing at all, and though my imprint upon it will never be the name of my beloved, it bears my footprints from start to finish.
I stood there until the leaf disappeared around the bend. The sharpie crossed the river and flew southward. I watched it go and turned to follow. My legs carried me up the hill. I am not a leaf.
An interlude for naming rights
“The glory and the nothing of a name.” Lord Byron
Connie Nugent has lots of files. She has files on city council meetings dating back to the creation of Blue Rapids; files on agendas, on resolutions, on social groups and their meetings, on businesses past and present; on the evolution of the town square, on Riverside Park, on the waterworks (which were the most advanced of any town in Kansas at the time). Woven throughout those files is our town’s narrative, from its bright beginning to its long slow decline. And somewhere, she says, there’s a brief reference to a Juganine. Maybe a horse once renowned at the race track here. Or maybe it was a prize bull exhibited during the early days of the fair. It’s in those files somewhere, she says. She just can’t remember where.
While she looks, I’m thinking of the Judith River in Montana. Not that I’ve ever seen it, but its name has resonated with me for decades since reading that William Clark named it for Julia Hancock as he and the Corps of Discovery worked their way up the Missouri River. At the time I thought it one of the most romantic things a man could do. I wasn’t aware that little Julia would have been around thirteen years old at the time, and, in fact, that when Clark had last been with her she would have been a waif of ten. The man apparently liked them young.
Even so, naming the river in her honor must have scored points with Julia’s father. I imagine Clark rapping on the door of the Hancocks’ Virginia plantation, a bouquet of flowers in hand, and who should answer the door but Mr. Hancock himself. Though Julia’s suitor is one of the most famous men in America, there’s no getting around the fact that he’s over twice her age. Mr. Hancock is understandably dubious. Mr. Hancock makes no move to allow Clark egress.
“Why,” he intones sonorously, “should I let you woo my daughter? Good God, man, she’s only fifteen!”
“Well,” Clark stutters, “I did name that river after her.”
“Major tributary?”
“It looked pretty big.”
“What a jolly good fellow!” Mr. Hancock exclaims, ushering Clark in with a gallant sweep of his arm.
Something about a name gives its namesake power and permanence. In the book of Genesis, the act of naming was the first thing God commanded of Adam. Parents often agonize over what to name a child, as if the name itself somehow bequeaths nobility or intellect. But these days naming rights rarely extend to points on the compass. There are few William Clarks about, and fewer unexplored areas.
Which leaves the stars and little no-name creeks like the one running past our house.
I seem determined to name something after my wife. Even as I plunged downward from the crest of the hill and vowed to place her name upon it, I was uncomfortably aware of the time I tried casting her name to the heavens—literally.
“An eternal home for your name in the night sky!” I’d read in an ad, and if that didn’t catch my attention, the next line did: “The perfect gift for a loved one!” Surely a star is loftier than a river, and here was a way to upstage Clark. The company offered several packages to fit my budget (Couples Stars! Constellations! Galaxies!) and even included free shipping. But an annoying little doubt crept in as I was fixing to give them my credit card number. A few minutes of research exposed star-naming as an utter sham.
And yet, and yet, there had to be a way to name unnamed landforms. In my spare time I rooted around the Internet looking for information, and after several days I found it at the U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Included on their Web site is a form for naming geographic entities, which I began gleefully filling out. Somehow, though, I skipped the part where it says the nominee must have been dead for at least five years. When it was pointed out, I felt I had run into a wall at full speed.
I walked outside and stared at the ribbon of trees and felt defeated. I questioned my motives for wanting so badly to place my wife’s name on something as eternal as a star, as a stream. Was there a trace of conceit, of pride, one of the seven deadly sins? Or was it something more benign, an old-fashioned romanticism hearkening back to that of Clark? I could not say.
But my way was barred, I knew that. All that remained was to proceed to the end.
The next morning I stepped outside to go to work and lightning shattered the darkness, silent flares of light exploding in the treeless west, and overhead a gibbous moon flitting between scudding clouds unseen in the velvet night. No breath of wind, no distant rumble of thunder, only the metronomic pulse of crickets. I stood by the car and thought of the cold front sliding down from the north, how it would drag migrants in its wake, and change, too, how it would shred summer’s final hold and replace it with an ascendant autumn, and how even if warm days returned they would be as insubstantial as dreams, transient, pale shadows of what once was. I got in my car and drove eastwards, the headlights sweeping the road, and lightning overtook me and engulfed in perfect lambency the wooded ridges beyond the river. Thus summer died.
It would be an autumn stream now. It would be named Juganine or named nothing at all, neither obscure nor famous but simply there. On a cool morning with leaves drifting to earth I slipped from the house and crossed the field and the woods swallowed me.
(Conclusion next week)
Life and death on a creek with no name
Moving water knows only one direction. Down it goes, and down, always seeking the path of least resistance. And if we are to know a creek, a stream, a river, we must see as it sees, how each waterworn stone, each blade of grass or shrub or bankside tree, each oxbow or cutbank or run, each gravel bar or exposed root, owes its shape and placement to the insistence of the water’s progress. But before I can follow this little creek down I must see it as it never sees itself. I must do what it can never do. I must first go up.
It wasn’t far. Down the road to where it turns west, into a field chest-high with grass and thorntrees and white asters crowned with yellow and orange butterflies, past gnarled clusters of scarlet-stemmed pokeweed heavy with their deadly purplish berries, angling lower toward the dark line of trees delineating the perennial creek whose name may be Juganine or may be nothing at all, as if that could be, a thing on the earth without a name. When even the tiniest insect carries its own appellation by which it is recognizable, when every star has its own number, every flower and seed its own nomenclature. When to be innominate is to be cast off or worthless, and why should that be when this little creek or ravine or gully (words already falter under its namelessness!) is singularly responsible for divorcing the westernmost two streets from the town proper as if we were a peninsula jutting into a sea of grass, so that as I walked it was if my steps led into a deep forest a thousand miles from civilization, and only the towering grain elevator shining white in the sunlight anchoring me to this place. Juganine, or something else? I had my ideas, my own dreams, dreams that lay dormant for years and now stirred to life. This creek would have a name. It would be given by me. I passed under the foliage, stepped down a grassy declivity, and stood in a sandy scrape patterned with the tracks of raccoon and deer.
My hiking stick tap-tapped the sun-dappled gravel, its carbide tip skittering off larger stones to sink into the soft damp sand. An elongate pool lay hard against the right bank, sprinkled with the first golden leaves marking autumn’s arrival. Narrow-mouthed toads, looking like formless lumps of clay, leaped into the water leaving ghostly contrails of silt. The stream snaked into a clearing, one bank carved deeply into the rich fertile soil, grass thatched, stratified with shards of flint and limestone and geodes. Sunflowers and ragweed grew prolific in the sudden light, and then I plunged back into the shadow world.
A deep gash on my left indicated the confluence of the eastern branch. It was narrow, choked with deadfall and laced with cobwebs. I realized here that any idea I had of keeping to the stream channel was irrevocably doomed. This was not the headwaters of the Pecos River but a prairie creek of such slow-moving pace that all manner of vegetation grew abundant and riotous, and occasionally broke free to float downstream and wedge in impenetrable barriers.
My goal was to keep to the main branch, which topographic maps indicated came in from the west. I passed an opening on my left where sumac blazed scarlet and the air glittered with dragonflies. Beyond it the channel was filled with large stones, scattered as if toys left behind by some gigantic child. The elevation steepened. Hopping from stone to stone, I passed beneath the railroad trestle far above me and entered a wide level curve pitted with the tracks of cows. The middle branch was a narrow cedar-choked ravine. A few hundred feet beyond I stumbled over a huge fallen cottonwood and faced an array of cows staring intently at me. They seemed in no hurry to move. I was in no hurry to disturb them, so I retreated to the middle branch. My plans were already coming undone.
Up I went, sometimes walking in the channel itself, sometimes forced to find a path beside it. I came to a downfall and skirted it and the narrow game trail led me past a deep cut at least 20 feet in depth. It appeared to be carved by a tremendous force of water, abruptly culminating in a sharp drop-off with a gentle valley beyond. Spider webs made lattices between the trees, and I hewed them apart with my hiking stick.
The final section of streambed was impassable. I broke out into the deep grasses and walked beside it. Up I went, and up, the valley opening at my back and a Cooper’s hawk rising past on a thermal. Only at the crest of the hill did I stop and look back to see the creek as water sees it, and I could not because of the vegetation. There was no rivulet or snowfield but a shallow bowl.
I looked out and saw the green path tumbling to the Big Blue and plunged down, elated and happier than I could remember, stepping fast, moving free as water, seeing how it cut and carved and wore and eroded and cascaded over the detritus of aged woods. How it was sometimes gentle and sometimes temperamental and always lovely beyond the telling. How it was like a woman. I will name this Lori Creek, I swore. I will mark the land forever with her name. Not Juganine, but a name worthy of its beauty.
Down I went, down like water, until I saw the west fork through the cedars and a dark shape to my left and the drone of insects was like a scream and the dark shape turned its head and swiveled its ears toward me and where its eyes should be were two seeping white stumps. I froze in shock.
It was a calf, wandered blind into a deadfall, kneeling now as if expecting rescue or death and not caring which came first. Iridescent blowflies matted its fur. A long ropy tongue flicked out and wet its greasy back and the flies rose and settled again.
I backed away from the horrific sight, suddenly queasy, cognizant of its helplessness, and my own. Its sightless eyes tracked my footfalls as I left it behind.
Down I went, down like water, but I had already reached a depth no stream could reach.
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Will This Revolution Be YouTubed?
Submitted by Justin Silverman on Tue, 01/12/2010 - 16:03
There are a couple of laws in California that the U.S. Supreme Court should consider before it announces tomorrow whether or not the Proposition 8 trial can be broadcast on YouTube: § 240 and § 422. These two laws don't address same-sex marriage, discrimination, or even access to courts, as you may have expected. Instead, these sections of the California Penal Code make it a crime to either assault or threaten to use violence against another person.
The Justices should take comfort in these laws. They are significant because the opportunity to view what could be a watershed case for gay rights is being prevented by a concern for the safety of witnesses. Ironically, those witnesses do not happen to be the persecuted homosexuals of bygone days, but instead those who now support a state measure to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. The trial began yesterday in San Francisco, and U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker originally agreed to a delayed broadcast of each day's proceedings on YouTube. But yesterday the Supreme Court issued an order (.pdf) temporarily stopping the broadcast at the request of Prop 8's supporters.
"The record is already replete with evidence showing that any publicizing of support for Prop 8 has inevitably led to harassment, economic reprisal, threats, and even physical violence," according to the petitioner's application for a stay (.pdf). "In this atmosphere, witnesses are understandably quite distressed at the prospect of their testimony being broadcast worldwide on YouTube."
So, despite the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council's decision (.pdf) last month to allow cameras in district courtrooms on an experimental basis, this already highly publicized case may not be viewed by the public—well, most of the public as there are, in the Court's defense, a whopping 20 seats available. The rest of the world can either cram into other rooms of the courthouse to see real-time streaming of the trial or remain in the relative dark relying on text-only accounts.
Rather then spending time on the virtues of cameras in the courtroom, let me just say that my support for them is rooted in both a desire for transparency and the practical concern best worded by an old journalism professor of mine: What good is giving the press freedom if it is not allowed to use the tool of its trade? In this case, that tool is a video camera. Similarly, law enforcement has many tools of its trade, the most important being the law. In California, the law includes prohibiting the very acts Prop 8 supporters and—apparently—the Justices are so concerned about. Perhaps it's too much to ask, but can we just let both journalists and police do their jobs?
By staying the broadcast of this trial—and impliedly finding that Prop 8 supporters will suffer "irreparable harm" absent a stay—the Supreme Court seems to be advocating curtailment of the press as a means of law enforcement. In a sense, there's a backwards Heckler's Veto at play: the Court is protecting the right of witnesses to speak by limiting the ways in which they will be heard and preventing retaliation by those who will not have heard them. Instead, those witnesses should take the stand knowing they will be given the largest forum possible in which to speak and the strongest protection against those who may retaliate when they do so.
And that retaliation is a big may. Among their reasons for requesting a stay, the petitioners say that "public broadcast can intimidate witnesses who might refuse to testify or alter their stories when they do testify if they fear retribution by someone who may be watching the broadcast." Further, "all of the petitioners' witnesses have expressed concern over the potential public broadcast of trial proceedings and some have stated that they will refuse to testify if the district court goes forward with its plan."
In a controversial case such as this one, no doubt the unpopular speaker is a nervous one. But I'm skeptical that witnesses already committed to testifying will suddenly shy away because of the prospect of video dissemination. Do they not realize that, without a single camera, the San Jose Mercury News is reporting live accounts that include the names of those taking the stand? That special interest groups will be Twittering their testimony as they speak? That there are already websites identifying Prop 8 supporters and where they live? Banning a broadcast, I believe, will not change this. But to allow a broadcast, I'm certain, will further enlighten the debate over same-sex marriage, if not provide insight into our judicial system altogether.
But to help do that, the speaker, regardless of whether they are preaching in a town common or testifying in a trial, should be heard and, in this case, seen. When the petitioners argue that broadcasting the trial would "vastly increase the likelihood" that trial participants would face retaliation, the Supreme Court should acknowledge that this is an unfortunate price for press freedom, and the reason our police officers suit up each day.
Tomorrow is an opportunity for the Justices to do just that.
(Justin Silverman is a CMLP Legal Intern and a third-year evening student at Suffolk University Law School. Justin founded the Media and Communications Law Society and its SuffolkMediaLaw.com blog at Suffolk Law in 2009.)
Justin Silverman's blog
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Contributors to this blog include a diverse group of lawyers, law professors, law students, and others with an interest in new media. The views expressed are solely those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DMLP or the institutions with which they are affiliated. To learn more about the DMLP, please click here.
David Ardia
Arthur Bright
Victoria Smith Ekstrand
Dan Gillmor
Jeff Hermes
Andrew Mirsky
Andrew Moshirnia
Mary-Rose Papandrea
Marc Randazza
Eric Robinson
Joel Sage
Andy Sellars
Wendy Seltzer
Justin Silverman
Marie-Andree Weiss
Criminal Provisions Repealed
Sixth Circuit Vacates Verdict
Repeal Bill Passes Assembly
Appeal Argued
Disrupter Receives Light Sentence
More from the interrupter
Interview with the Interrupter
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CCSS Writing
Next Gen Science, Middle Grade, School Visit Overiew, Debut Author
School Visit Presentation Packet - Survival Strategies for the Almost Brave
If you’re an author or illustrator seeking to find a niche in the school visit market, having a well-planned, standards-aligned Presentation Packet as part of your media kit is a must. Documents such as this one created for debut author Jen White communicate to educators that you honor their need to offer quality academic content while having a great time doing so! You're letting the gatekeepers know that, not only will you bring your enthusiasm for reading, writing, and hanging out with kids to the school visit, you’re providing a wealth of great, value-packed, follow-up fodder, too.
Click on image to download Presentation Packet.
The Presentation Packet created for Jen’s fantastic Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015) is divided into three sections; the inspiration for each is based on this heart-warming, expertly-crafted survival story. The lessons are designed to pull the child into the story experience through consideration of their own survival strategies in strangely unfamiliar habitats. Being that Jen features a number of very cool animal habitat videos during her school visit, specifically created graphic organizers and various writing prompts complimenting her presentation are included in the packet – ready for downloading action!
In short, any educator who desires to enrich their students’ classroom experience should consider inviting Jen White to present her program. Not only has she written a memorable story that will remain in the hearts of readers long after they turn the final page, she’s prepared to creatively support the curriculum by demonstrating the use of figurative language, nuances in word meanings, word relationships, a discussion of the notion of natural selection and much more!
Tagged: Jen White, Middle Grade, fiction, CCSS Writing, CCSS Literature, Next Gen Science
Educator's Guide, Fiction, Middle Grade, Video
ANYWHERE BUT PARADISE by Anne Bustard
Below is a Simple Saturday video describing how to create a gum-wrapper chain. This project was inspired by a particular plot line in ANYWHERE BUT PARADISE. In the book, the chain serves as a way for protagonist Peggy Sue to link aspects of her life together. You’ll have to read the book to find out how and why. To download a gum-wrapper chain template access author Anne Bustard’s website at www.annebustard.com.
Title: Anywhere but Paradise
Author: Anne Bustard
Publisher: Egmont USA
ISBN:978-1-60684-585-1
Download the CCSS-Aligned Educator's Guide HERE!
From Indiebound: Moving from Texas to Hawaii in 1960,12-year-old Peggy Sue faces a difficult transition when she is bulled as one of the few haole (white) students in her school. This lyrical debut novel is perfect for Common Core classroom connections.
It's 1960 and Peggy Sue has just been transplanted from Texas to Hawaii for her father's new job. Her cat, Howdy, is stuck in animal quarantine, and she's baffled by Hawaiian customs and words. Worst of all, eighth grader Kiki Kahana targets Peggy Sue because she is haole--white--warning her that unless she does what Kiki wants, she will be a victim on "kill haole day," the last day of school. Peggy Sue's home ec teacher insists that she help Kiki with her sewing project or risk failing. Life looks bleak until Peggy Sue meets Malina, whose mother gives hula lessons. But when her parents take a trip to Hilo, leaving Peggy Sue at Malina's, life takes an unexpected twist in the form of a tsunami. Peggy Sue is knocked unconscious and wakes to learn that her parents safety and whereabouts are unknown. Peggy Sue has to summon all her courage to have hope that they will return safely.
Folks, the guide is now available! Download it and enjoy!
Tagged: Anne Bustard, CCSS History/Social Studies, CCSS Literature, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing
Educator's Guide, Fiction, Middle Grade, Simple Saturday, Video
How to Make a Constellation in 3 Easy Steps (An activity inspired by The Great Good Summer)
One of the many intriguing plot threads in this incredible novel is a metaphorical juxtaposition of protagonist Ivy Green's longing to be with her absent mother and the mythological story behind the constellations of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Y'all, that is just one of the literary gems laced and layered in the storyline. Seriously, I cannot recommend that you read this novel more highly. It's truly one of the finest that I've read - EVER! Mark my words...we have a Newbery contender here.
In the Educator's Guide, you will find a super easy, step-by-step constellation creation project. If you can gather up some black construction paper, tape, and a thumb tack you, my friends, can create a little corner of the galaxy to enjoy for days and to day to come. Just watch the video below and see what I mean!
Book Title: The Great Good Summer
Author: Liz Garton Scanlon
Synopsis: Ivy Green's mama has gone off with a charismatic preacher called Hallelujah Dave to The Great Good Bible Church of Panhandle Florida. At least that's where Ivy and her dad "think" Mama is. But since the church has no website or phone number and Mama left no forwarding address, Ivy's not entirely sure. She "does "know she's missing Mama. And she's starting to get just a little worried about her, too.
Paul Dobbs, one of Ivy's schoolmates, is also having a crummy summer. Paul has always wanted to be an astronaut, and now that NASA's space shuttle program has been scrapped, it looks like his dream will never get off the ground.
Although Ivy and Paul are an unlikely pair, it turns out they are the perfect allies for a runaway road trip to Florida--to look for Mama, to kiss the Space Shuttle good-bye, and maybe, "just maybe," regain their faith in the things in life that are most important.
Educator's Guide Overview: This in-depth guide consists of discussion questions, a study of the scientific method, writing exercises, a study of point-of-view, a thematic study, a lesson involving the creation and observation of a paper airplane, and the creation of a constellation.
CLICK HERE FOR A FREE DOWNLOADABLE COPY.
Tagged: The Great Good Summer, Liz Garton Scanlon, CCSS Writing, CCSS Literature, Next Gen Science
Book Trailer Guide, Educator's Guide, Writing, YA
Featured Guide of the Week - Not in the Script
Amy Finnegan’s Not in the Script (Bloomsbury, 2014) is a swoony, dreamy, delightful romp into the world of teen screen stars. Cleverly told in alternating points of view, I found characters Emma Taylor and Jake Elliot to be perfectly cast for their roles in the wildly popular television series, Coyote Hills.
Emma is stellar – on and off of the set. She’s an awarding winning actress in search of authenticity in life and, most especially, in love. Jake, a model of Abercrombie hunkiness, decides to step off the runway to join Coyote Hills television cast. His motive? His mother is disabled and he desires to be closer to her. (Who wouldn’t fall in love with a gorgeous guy led by a tender, loving heart?) Enter dastardly ego-charged leading man Brett Crawford; self-centered Rachel, the manipulative bestie; and paparazzi with piranha-like appetites and, my friend, you have the makings of a deliciously angsty drama!
The Educator’s Guide reads like a Screenwriting 101 course. In it, students are presented basic formatting structure and terminology of scriptwriting. They are then led through a series of character analysis, plotting, and storyboarding activities. The culminating project is a book trailer starring the cast of Coyote Hills. Lights! Camera! ACTION!
Not in the Script is a fun read – the perfect balance of steamy and sweet. Feel free to download the Educator’s Guide to get a sense of the creative writing possibilities Emma, Jake, and Brett inspire!
Tagged: Amy Finnegan, CCSS Literature, CCSS Writing, Not in the Script
Discussion & Activity Guide, Picture Book
Featured Guide of the Week - Picture Day Perfection
Deb Diesen is the queen of the plot twist! In her Picture Day Perfection, we’re riding along with our sullen protagonist on his way to the photographer’s stool, even feeling a little bit sorry for the messy mix-ups this kid is enduring, to discover that he had it all planned out – perfectly! That little twit. He had me right where he wanted me the whole time.
Not only did Deb craft a clever tale, Dan Santat’s illustrations kept me smiling with each page turn. Y’all, this book is straight up funny! If you’ve got a kooky kid in your life, this one’s for them. Get it. They’ll love it. And, if you’re hoping to lead said kooky kid into a deeper study of foundational skills in literature, download the guide. Strike while enthusiasm is hot, right?
Along with series of pre and post reading discussion questions, the guide presents writing and illustrating prompts, a study of adjectives (which Deb highlights masterfully in the text), a calendar/sequential numeric activity, and a super fun construction paper photography craft that I just have to tell you about.
I have a passion for making quirky, inexpensive kiddie crafts. Give me some tape, construction paper, and a sunny afternoon and watch me go! And, that’s just what I did with an activity for this Picture Day Perfection guide. The catch is, though, I don’t live in Texas anymore, where the sun shines brightly almost every day of the year. No. I live in Michigan now, where gun-metal grey skies dominate the calendar. This change in locale made the processing portion of this project a little bit more challenging.
When you download the guide, you’ll see that sunshine is a key procedure element and, when I was making a sample for the guide, I couldn’t find any! I chased whatever rays I could find by taping and retaping the ‘photo’ to just about every window all around the house. My husband cracked up when he pulled up after work to find this fellow taped on the picture window facing our front lawn, for the entire world to see!
What will the neighbors think, right? We decided that they’d better get used to it.
Download the guide here and see what I mean. I hope you have as much fun with the projects as I did making them.
Tagged: CCSS Foundational Skills, CCSS Literature, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, Dan Santat, Debbie Diesen, K-2, craft
Educator's Guide, Fiction, YA
A Graphic Designed Guide for Press Play
As I’ve said before, each guide I create invites a unique experience. Making a guide for Eric Devine’s hard-hitting Press Play was one of the best, ever. Running Press asked for a different format than we’ve used before. Plans were to take my content to the art department to let them work their magic. The end result is amazing!! I’m really excited to show you what it looks like.
This YA is powerful, I’m telling you. Press Play reminds me of Cormier’s The Chocolate War. It’s the type of story that lingers in the mind well after the last page is read. I won’t lie to you. There were some parts of the story that were hard for me to read. Yes, it’s violent. Yet, like in The Chocolate War, the violence serves as a catalyst for the protagonist, and the reader, to look deeply within and check in with their core values. Even though I love the story, I still had to read some of the passages with my fingers over my eyes. Whoa, boy.
The guide content is aligned with the Common Core. There is an in-depth discussion component as well as a book trailer construction guide. The book trailer section doesn’t focus on the tech skills required to construct a video. Rather, it hones on the literary elements necessary to make the book trailer not only an academically sound project, but one that explores metaphorical images and the like. Plus, it’s FUN to make!
Please take a moment to have a look at this guide. Running Press did a smash-up job with it! I’d love to know what you think about.
And, check out Eric's book trailer...if you dare.
Tagged: CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, CCSSI. reading, Eric Devine, Press Play, Running Press
Educator's Guide, School Visit Coaching
Presenting Author Margo Dill's School Visit Documentation
When I was classroom teacher, the author visits I appreciated the most were those that were a perfect blend of fun for the kids while being academically sound. One of my faves centered focused creating interesting characters. The author prepped me ahead of time, asking that I would have a stack of old magazines, glue sticks, and construction paper readily available for her follow up exercise. Man-oh-man! We had a blast! She left behind a mess of paper scraps, a classroom full of inspired kids, and coolio follow-up activities to keep us going for several days afterwards! Awesome!!!
I work to create this same wonderful experience with each CCSS Aligned School Visit Document I create.
I invite you to take a look at Margo Dill’s, just hot off the press! In it, you’ll find discussion questions and follow up activities designed to complement her fascinating school visit presentation, support the academic needs of the classroom, and get the kiddos jazzed about doing the research necessary to create their own great stories.
Margo’s leaving the teachers with a ton of CCSS aligned Reading Literature, Speaking & Listening, and Writing lessons to work with. Those students and educators will be singing her praises long after she’s gone.
Click here to access author Margo Dill's CCSS Aligned School Visit Document. Have a look. Get inspired. Have a little bit of fun while you’re at it. That’s the best part!
Tagged: CCSS Literature, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, Margo Dill, school visit
Crafts, Educator's Guide, Non-fiction, Picture Book
An Educator's Guide for T is for Texas
I want to home with the armadillo…
Well, shoot.
If I can’t go back to Texas, I’ll just have me some fun creating an Educator’s Guide about my beloved Lone Star State. Thanks to my good friend author Anne Bustard, that’s exactly what I got to do!
Just take a quick moment and check out the fun projects this guide is filled with, projects that tickle the creative side of the brain as well as the academic.
Why, we’ve got an awesome alphabet matching game and crossword puzzle, each with their very own answer sheets.
What’s not to love about this macaroni-backed armadillo? Isn’t he darling?
And, those fingertip bluebonnets are just about as a cute as a pig’s ear, don’t you think?
Each of the crafts has a writing component that’ll make both the kids and teachers holler, “Hi-dee-ho!”
Y’all, instead of hopping a flight to the heart of Texas, why don’t you simply download the Educator’s Guide right here and have some southern-fried fun.
It helped to take care of my homesick, bluebonnet blues for a little while. For that, amigo, I am mighty grateful!
Tagged: Anne Bustard, CCSS Foundational Skills, CCSS Literature, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, Grade K-1, alphabet
Educator's Guide
Guide Review for Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance
To be completely honest, as a teen, historical studies were not my cup of tea. I’d gloss right over as teachers would yammer on about the geographical locations of historical battles. And, then, to have to pair that information with the dates they occurred…well, look for me hiding out in the janitor’s closet.
That being said, if I would have had a book like Charles Novacek’s memoir Border Crossing: Coming of Age in the Czech Republic (published by Ten21 Press) to connect with me on emotional level from the start, maybe studying WWII as a teen might have been a more palatable experience. I do know that I’m richer for the experience of creating an Educator’s Guide for this incredible book.
Synopsis: Charles Novacek’s free-roaming childhood came to an end in 1939, as war raged across the continent and the Nazis occupied Czechoslovakia. Charles and his sister were inducted into the Czech Resistance. At an age most children were learning how to diagram sentences, they were learning how to resist torture, handle phobias, and to control pain, hunger and thirst. Reflecting the desperation of the times, they were warned to trust no one.
The Educator's Guide has been crafted with the overall intent to connect readers with Charles’ emotional journey as a young man growing up in a time of historical turmoil. The lessons and activities presented in the guide are creative, intuitive, and informative, thus allowing students to consider Charles’ plight as if it were their own. All aspects of the guide have been aligned with the Common Core Anchor Standards of Reading Informational Texts, Writing, Speaking & Listening, and History/Social Studies for grades 6 to 12.
Timeline activity
The structure of the guide is defined by the use of personal bookmarks which establish four sections of study, each beginning with discussion questions inspired by quotations cited from the text and followed by carefully crafted, interactive activities. For instance, as a young man, Charles was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If.” In the guide, students are encouraged to analyze the poem, through citation and interpretation, in light of character traits demonstrated by Charles throughout his life. Also, being that poetry and art helped define Charles’ inner character, students are guided to craft a free verse poem based on their perception of what life in a Bavarian displaced person’s camp might be like.
The final activity is a hands-on, manipulative timeline through which young people can compare and contrast historical events with those of Charles’ personal life. Students are directed to use scissors and tape to craft the timeline and then lay out tabs labeled with intriguing information in a sequential manner using the dates printed on the timeline as guides. Lastly, they are instructed to write an essay interpreting the correlations between the historical tabs and those that represent Charles’ life.
This unforgettable book distills history down to a person level, one that young people can connect with emotionally. Students will identify with Charles and his initial desires to be a regular kid, engaging in activities and interests much like their own. As the incredible story progresses, students will be shocked by the unbelievable trials Charles was forced to endure – trials that are documented through letters, documents, and pictures. In short, Border Crossings: Coming of Age in the Czech Resistance transcends a factual study of war and geography into an experience and appreciation of a man’s soulful journey of heartfelt love for his country and her people.
Tagged: CCSS History/Social Studies, CCSS Informational Text, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, Non-Fiction, Norvacek, YA
Educator's Guide, YA
Devin Rhodes is Dead (YA)
Click on image for publisher's information. Author: Jennifer Wolf Kam
Genre: YA
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Awards: Winner of the NAESP Chapter Book Award
Click here to download the Common Core State Standards aligned Discussion & Writing Prompt guide create for Grades 6 to 12.
Overview: High school freshman Cass is conflicted about her love/hate relationship with her best friend, Devin, and about her death. How did Devin's body end up at the bottom of Woodacre Ravine? Was Cass really responsible? Is concealing the truth haunting Cass or is it the ghost-like spirit of her dead friend?
Told in alternating before-and-after chapters, Cass details life leading up to the mysterious events that led to Devin’s “wrongful death.” The turbulent adolescent changes that challenge Cass and Devin’s friendship will seem familiar and real to middle-grade and young-adult readers. The mystery about what happened to Devin and if she is really reaching out from beyond the grave will have readers on the edge of their seats.
Tagged: CCSS Literature, CCSS Writing, Jen Kam, YA
Discussion & Activity Guide, Educator's Guide, Non-fiction, Picture Book
A Kiss Means I Love You (Concept Picture Book)
Click on image for publisher's information.Author: Kathryn Madeline Allen
Photographer: Eric Futran
Awards: 2013 Baker's Dozen: The Best Children's Books for Family Literacy, Pennsylvania Center for the Book; 2013 Gradiva Award for Best Children's Books Finalist; 2013 Texas 2 x 2 Reading List; A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book 2013 - Picture Books; Best Books for Babies 2013
Click to download the Common Core State Standards Discussion and Activity Guide created for Ages 2-6/Grades PreK-1
Overview: A Kiss Means I Love You is charming a book that helps you teach children the meanings of facial expressions and gestures. Children will wave, clap, and cheer along with you as you read the light, rhyming verse paired with delightful photos of young children.
Tagged: Allen, CCSS Foundational Skills, CCSS Literature, CCSS Mathematics, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, Futran, Prek-1, concept book, picture book
Educator's Guide, Middle Grade
Odette's Secrets (Speculative Non-Fiction)
Click here for publisher's informationAuthor: Maryann McDonald
Genre: Middle grade, Speculative Non-Fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books
Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee
Click to download the Common Core State Standards Aligned Educator's Guide created for Grades 4-7
Overview: Today’s children are told never to keep secrets. But what if your life depends on it? What if you learn to lie so well that you start to forget who you really are? And if that happens, how will you find your true self again?
Odette Meyers was a Jewish child who survived WWII in France by hiding in plain sight. Many of the 84% of Jewish children saved in that country lived through the war in this way. Told in first person in free verse in Odette’s childhood voice, this historical novel “is a gentle introduction to a dark period (Maryann Macdonald).”
Maryann Macdonald
Odette is a young Jewish girl living in Paris during a dangerous time. The Nazis have invaded the city, and every day brings new threats.
After Odette's father enlists in the French army and her mother joins the Resistance, Odette is sent to the countryside until it is safe to return. On the surface, she leads the life of a regular girl--going to school, doing chores, and even attending Catholic Mass with other children. But inside, she is burning with secrets about the life she left behind and her true identity.
Inspired by the life of the real Odette Meyers--and written in moving free-verse poetry--this is the story of courage, of determination to survive, and of a young girl forced to hide in plain sight. - See more at: http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/odettes-secrets-9781599907505/#sthash.5eqI9PAL.dpuf
Tagged: CCSS Literature, CCSS Writing, Middle Grade, Odette's Secrets, Speculative Non-Fiction
Educator's Guide, Non-fiction, Science
Plastic Ahoy: Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Non-fiction)
Click on image to access Educator's Guide.
Author: Patricia Newman
Photographer: Annie Crawley
Genre: Science, Non-fiction
Publisher: Lerner Publishing
Click to download the Next Generation Science and Common Core Standards Aligned Educator's Guide created for Grades 3-6
Overview: Plastic: it's used to make everything from drink bottles and bags to toys and toothbrushes. But what happens when it ends up where it doesn't belong—like in the Pacific Ocean? How does it affect ocean life? Is it dangerous? And exactly how much is out there?
A team of researchers went on a scientific expedition to find out. They explored the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, where millions of pieces of plastic have collected. The plastic has drifted there from rivers, beaches, and ocean traffic all over the world. Most of it has broken down into tiny pieces the size of confetti.
For nearly three weeks at sea, researchers gathered bits of plastic and ocean organisms. These samples helped them learn more about the effects of plastic in the ocean. Follow along on the expedition to find out how scientists studied the Garbage Patch—and what alarming discoveries they made. (Lerner Books)
Tagged: CCSS Informational Text, CCSS Mathematics, CCSS Speaking & Listening, CCSS Writing, Lerner Publishing, Next Gen Science, Non-Fiction, gyres
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Translation Center
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Company Index 1
AIAA RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING GA-ASI EMPLOYEES
May 12, 2019 | General Atomics
Chris Dusseault Awarded for Outstanding Aerospace Management;
Claudia Mowery and Brandon Suarez for Outstanding Aerospace Engineering
SAN DIEGO – 10 May 2018 – Chris Dusseault, Claudia Mowery and Brandon Suarez of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI) were honored by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) with awards for outstanding contributions to aerospace at an event on May 9th. GA-ASI is a leading employer in the San Diego area and manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems solutions.
“Congratulations to Chris, Claudia and Brandon on receiving the AIAA awards,” said Linden Blue, CEO, GA-ASI. “I thank them for their outstanding contributions to our company’s development efforts. They are excellent examples of the talent and leadership we have at GA-ASI.”
In the category of Outstanding Contribution to Aerospace Management, Chris Dusseault, senior director of International Programs for GA-ASI, was recognized for his leadership in the development of the company’s MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPA. SkyGuardian has been selected by the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force for its Protector RG Mk1 Program. SkyGuardian is being designed to fly in non-segregated civilian airspace under the NATO STANAG 4671 standard, which puts the RPA on a path to become the first to achieve type certification. GA-ASI and the Royal Air Force will make aviation history when they field the first RPA certified to operate in civilian airspace, expected in the early 2020s.
Claudia Mowery, technical director and chief engineer of GA-ASI’s Block 50 Ground Control Station (GCS), was honored for Outstanding Contribution to Aerospace Engineering. Ms. Mowery and her team of more than 100 engineers successfully navigated a formal Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review with the U.S. Air Force (USAF), enabling the new GCS to field advanced capabilities that will enhance combat effectiveness. Ms. Mowery and her team were then responsible for the first flight of an MQ-9 Reaper controlled by the new USAF Block 50 GCS this past January.
A second award for Outstanding Contribution to Aerospace Engineering was presented to Brandon Suarez, technical director of UAV Civil Airspace Integration for GA-ASI. Mr. Suarez helped GA-ASI and its partners perform the first-ever flight of a large RPA without a chase plane in non-segregated airspace featuring an airborne Detect and Avoid (DAA) system. Mr. Suarez and his team developed the DAA system to meet – and in many ways exceed – the air traffic awareness systems used on commercial airliners today. He then worked collaboratively with NASA and the FAA to prove the concept by installing the DAA system on NASA’s MQ-9 Ikhana RPA, which was then flown through congested airspace in California without a manned “chase” airplane. The DAA development is part of GA-ASI’s initiative to integrate large RPA into domestic and international civilian airspace.
The San Diego Section of AIAA is dedicated to promoting awareness, activism and access throughout the aerospace community.
Airbus delivers ACH145 helicopter for use on super yachts
Airbus honours best in class Defence and Space Suppliers
Hungarian Air Force helicopter pilots train
Naval Group at SITDEF 2019
US Air National Guard to trial Leonardo’s BriteCloud
Leonardo signs wide-ranging partnership agreement in Brazil
Thales Completes Acquisition Of Gemalto To Become A Global Leader
Issue Number 89
Version Flip
فريق «الفهود السود» اللبناني يفوز للمرة الثانية بمسابقة المحارب الدولية
BIDEC 2019
DSIE Japan 2019
VIDSE
SOFEX
Defence21 Contact
All Rights Reserved. All pictures and data are copyrighted. Don’t use without any permission.
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ESPN FC Blogs
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Transfer To-Do Lists: What Man United, Liverpool, Barca, every top club in Europe must do this summer
Transfers Jun 26, 2019 ESPN Staff
FIFA and Infantino have stepped in to 'rescue' African soccer but were they right to do it so quickly?
FIFA Jun 23, 2019 Gabriele Marcotti
Power Rankings: Champions League winners Liverpool end season on top
Power Rankings Jun 4, 2019 Shaka Hislop
Champions League, Europa League success for Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs shows power of 'London effect'
English Premier League May 27, 2019 Simon Kuper
Lionel Messi beats Kylian Mbappe to season-long Player Power Rankings crown
Player Power Rankings May 27, 2019 ESPN
Frenkie De Jong is ready for the challenge at Barcelona
UEFA Champions League May 21, 2019 Simon Kuper
Alaba's title-winning showing tops Player Power Rankings ahead of Sterling
Power Rankings: Liverpool and Tottenham continue to lead the way
Power Rankings May 16, 2019 Shaka Hislop
Premier League way-too-early 2019-20 predictions
Blog - ESPN FC United May 13, 2019 Nick Ames
Mane tops Player Power Rankings as Silva, Mahrez split Man City vote
Has the USL solved soccer's concussion problem?
USL Championship May 13, 2019 Jeff Carlisle
Power Rankings: Liverpool leapfrog Barcelona into lead
Power Rankings May 9, 2019 Shaka Hislop
Player Power Rankings: Mina No. 1
Player Power Rankings May 6, 2019 ESPN
Power Rankings: Barcelona top, Liverpool drop
He starred for Arsenal. Now he's leading a tiny team to safety
ESPN FC United May 1, 2019 Andy Mitten
Player Power Rankings: Salah No. 1
Player Power Rankings Apr 29, 2019 ESPN
Power Rankings: Barcelona hold firm at No. 1
Power Rankings Apr 25, 2019 Shaka Hislop
Soccer's Bad Boys: the players you love to hate
FC United Apr 23, 2019 James Horncastle
Player Power Rankings: Benzema No. 1
Power Rankings: Barcelona remain on top; Ajax climb
By Nick Ames
Answering the biggest questions of the international break: Are Germany finished? Can England stay on top?
Netherlands reaffirmed themselves as a footballing power last year in the Nations League and now will look to continue that positive momentum in Euro qualifying.
It is officially international break time, and contrary to the old and tired criticism that international breaks are boring, March's FIFA window offers up some major storylines and heavyweight matchups.
With Euro 2020 qualifying beginning this week and key late-round qualifying games in both CAF and CONCACAF, Nick Ames spans the globe to tell us what to watch for in this jam-packed international break ...
Will the Dutch add to Germany's misery?
Last year, in the Nations League, Netherlands compounded Germany's current plight with a 3-0 win at home and a comeback 2-2 draw away -- the latter coming in both sides' most recent outing. It is some coincidence that they meet again in Group C of the Euro 2020 qualifiers and the Dutch have a great chance to further add to their old rivals' pain.
Suddenly, Netherlands look on the brink of having a "moment" again as they boast arguably the world's best centre-back in Virgil van Dijk and the core of perhaps its most vibrant club side, too. Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong and Donny van de Beek were all pivotal to Ajax's sensational Champions League win over Real Madrid, and after years in the doldrums, Netherlands are producing a generation of potentially world-class players once again.
- (UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying: Netherlands vs. Germany, March 24, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
Meanwhile, Germany -- whose coach, Joachim Low, called time on the international careers of veterans Thomas Muller, Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng in controversial fashion earlier this month -- find themselves in the midst of a reset that their opponents might find familiar.
If Netherlands triumph in Amsterdam on Sunday -- they face Belarus on Thursday first, while Germany drew 1-1 with Serbia in a friendly on Wednesday -- the balance of power might just have conclusively shifted.
Will England continue their momentum?
England have a curious tendency of sailing through qualifying competitions while winning few friends -- not least in their own country -- along the way. It tends to be a dull grind but they enter the Euro 2020 qualifiers on a high after their 2018 World Cup showing and run in reaching the Nations League finals.
Gareth Southgate will be hoping to rekindle the heart -- mixed at times with genuine style -- that saw them overhaul both Spain and Croatia last year. It's not easy when your most important players are so preoccupied with domestic and European concerns at this time of year, and that is something Czech Republic and Montenegro, their opponents in the next week, will have their eyes on exploiting. England have landed with a curious group, short of a whipping boy but also of clear competition for first place, in which they are obvious favourites.
- (UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying: England vs. Czech Republic, March 22, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN News/ESPN3)
If Southgate needs to freshen anything up, then a debut for Declan Rice and, perhaps, a first competitive start for Jadon Sancho might keep the sparkle going.
Can Mick McCarthy bring the joy back to Ireland?
In a sense, it looked just like old times on Monday morning when Mick McCarthy held his first Republic of Ireland training session in 17 years. But reality has hit in the days since he took them to the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup. They have qualified for only two major tournaments since then, and a country that once relished punching above its weight, aided by a pool of genuine talents from the Premier League and beyond, has seen expectations plummet.
It does not help when a talent like Declan Rice switches allegiances to England.
- (UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying: Gibraltar vs. Republic of Ireland, March 23, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN3)
Ireland, who have won just one of their past 11 games -- but have winnable ties against Gibraltar and Georgia this month -- badly need some good news to hang on to. One of their key men, the in-form Wolves wing-back Matt Doherty, believes the atmosphere will be "more relaxed" and "not as tense" under McCarthy, compared with the reign of Martin O'Neill and Roy Keane.
McCarthy is a practised man-manager, and perhaps if he can put smiles back on faces again, qualification from Group D -- where one of Switzerland and Denmark will need to be dislodged -- can be secured.
Stream soccer on ESPN+: Serie A, MLS, Nations League, FA Cup and more (U.S. only)
Is Jaime Mata the spearhead Spain need?
Luis Enrique's selection for the qualifiers against Norway and Malta was hardly short of talking points. The Spain manager excluded Isco, Saul (who was eventually added to the squad), Koke and Diego Costa in favour of bringing in eight new faces. It feels like something of an overhaul, and perhaps the most notable arrival is Jaime Mata, a player whose journey to the top has differed markedly to that of his Manchester United namesake.
Mata has been a revelation for Getafe this season, scoring 13 times in La Liga and being involved in more goals than any other Spanish player in the top five leagues. At 30, he must have believed his chance would never come and his play and call-up is some story for a man who, nine years ago, was playing in his country's fourth tier. During his time at that level with Galactico Pegaso, he and his teammates once dropped their shorts before a game to protest against nonpayment, also posing nude in the dressing room with only the club's bank account number preserving their modesty.
- (UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying: Spain vs. Norway, March 23, 3:45 p.m. ET, ESPNews/ESPN3)
Now he has no such worries, and with Alvaro Morata not having scored for Spain since November 2017 and Rodrigo experiencing a hit-and-miss campaign, he could be given an unlikely chance to solve his country's striking concerns.
Jaime Mata could solve Spain's striker woes with Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa misfiring.
Can Berahino and Burundi shock Aubameyang and Gabon?
Do the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have one last shock up their sleeve? Mauritania and Madagascar already have provided big storylines, but the best may yet be to come. If Burundi draw at home to Gabon on Saturday, then the troubled East African country will reach the finals for the first time and it would mean a summer off international duty for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Arsenal striker's country needs him to pull something out of the fire amid a prevailing sense of chaos around the squad.
At the weekend, Gilchrist Nguema, one of Gabon's central defenders, was belatedly withdrawn from the travelling party after the local FA realised he no longer has a club; the latest example of why Aubameyang has, in the past, expressed exasperation with the national team setup. Burundi, on the other hand, have a spring in their step, and Saido Berahino, who has had a couple of unsatisfactory seasons at Stoke, could complete one of the year's most remarkable stories if he fires the country of his birth to this summer's tournament in Egypt.
Is the CONCACAF Nations League helping the region?
The CONCACAF Nations League has breathed life into a region whose disparate island teams have often struggled to keep up with the big boys. It doubles as a qualifying tournament for this summer's Gold Cup, where the USA and Mexico are among those who lie in wait, and ahead of the deciding round of games there are some intriguing storylines.
Tiny Montserrat, who were the lowest-ranked team in the world in 2002, could go through with a win in the Cayman Islands on Friday, and Bermuda are well placed for a first appearance of their own. The Caribbean is an often-ignored region in football's international landscape but now has some genuine mobility, aided by the Gold Cup's expansion to 16 teams.
Games in the Nations League are live-streamed and have genuine edge. Those who have taken part report a genuine increase in intensity and quality, which might just help ensure the region's flagship tournament does not disappear behind competing interests when the summer comes around.
Blog - ESPN FC United
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Jaime Mata
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Clinton warns African leaders: Reform or face Uprisings
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a warning to African leaders today: reform or potentially face the same unrest that has threatened to topple longtime rulers in North Africa and the Middle East. In a speech to the African Union in Ethiopia, Clinton said that citizens are no longer accepting repressive governments and that the internet and social media are providing a platform like no other for these ideas to spread and take root. “This wave of activism, which came to be known as the Arab Spring, has particular significance for leaders in Africa and elsewhere who hold on to power at all costs, who suppress dissent, who enrich themselves and their supporters at the expense of their own people,” she said. “If you believe that the freedoms and opportunities that we speak about as universal should not be shared by your own people, men and women equally, or if you do not desire to help your own people work and live with dignity, you are on the wrong side of history, and time will prove that,” Clinton added pointedly. Africa’s leaders might have good reason to follow her advice, as Clinton has a track record of being right about this. In January, in a speech to Arab leaders at a conference in Qatar, Clinton warned that they must reform soon or watch progress “sink into sand.” Just days later Tunisian strongman Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali became the first dictator to fall and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak soon followed suit. Over the following months uprisings threatened to topple the rulers of Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco and elsewhere. Source (ABC News)
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Sudanese Forces to Withdraw from Abyei Region as E...
Clinton warns African leaders: Reform or face Upri...
Food Shortages in East Africa including Ethiopia E...
No suspicious items were found in the vehicle of P...
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Eritrea eruption disrupts air traffic, Clinton vis...
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Ethiopia jails 14 for AU summit bomb plot
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Green card lottery: US reviews 'diversity visa' gl...
Yemen president to return within days: party offic...
Former Internal Security chief dies.
የዶክተር ዳኛቸው አሰፋና የአንድ ኢትዮጵያው የሴፍ ግዛቸው ውይይት
President announced the withdrawal of death penalt...
Mubarak and sons to stand trial in August
Clinton will travel to Lusaka, Dare Selam and Addi...
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Home newsitems Spain Divided: People Move Rightwards +eye 36 New Parties. But System pushes Left Standstil/Pat...
Spain Divided: People Move Rightwards +eye 36 New Parties. But System pushes Left Standstil/Pat...
Written by ACM
*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Real Facts on the latest Spanish Elections are far Away from the Biaised Impressions often given by most ordinary Ersatz Medias (or "LugenPresse") of the Establishment.
Both in terms of Equality between Right or Left, added to a wide and Crystal-clear Movement Rightwards, and in the spectacular Emergence of Many "New" Parties (+36 !).
To put it in a nutshell :
- Spain is obviously Divided today : Almost an Equal Number of People Voted for the Right side of the Political Spectrum, as for the Left side...
Indeed, it's all, aproximatively, cut in Two Pieces of around 47% to 48% of People's Votes, most Small Parties included.
I.e. about 47% for various Left Parties, (28,68% Soc. + 14,31% Podemos + 3,89% ERCatalonia, 0,99% Bildu [Basques], etc), facing almost 47% for various Parties at the Right, (16,7% PPE, 15,86% Citizens, 10,26% Vox, 1,51% Nationalist Basque, 1,91% JxCat, 0,53% Canarian Nationalists, 0,36% Galician Nationalists, etc)...
+ More Important Development : Recent Dynamics on People's Votes' Movements, clearly Mark a Schift, with a Trend TOWARDS the RIGHT Side of the Political Spectrum :
Indeed, the Greatest Part of Votes lost by the Moderate Right of "EPP" (-15,87%) notoriously goes to the Rightists of "Vox"(+10,06%), and Only a Small Part to the Center-Right of "Citizens" (+2,8%). In Addition, the Leftists of "Podemos" lose about -7% of Votes, which go Mainly at Their Right side: the Socialdemocrats (+6%), and Only a Tiny Part at their Left ("ERC" +1%). Even among Basques, the Traditionalist Nationalists Win slightly More Votes than the Left of "Bildu" : +32% instead of +22%... (etc).
=> To sum up, Notoriously, the Biggest Change in 2019 is "VOX" Rightists' spectacular Growth for about + 10,06% More People's Votes than ever Before, for the First Time in Spain's modern History.
An Interesting Fact is also that this Party was initially Created by an Experienced, former Long-Time vice-President of EU Parliament, re-Elected during 5 Times in a row, (who earlier was a Mainstream EPP MEP) !
+++ But the Most Spectacular, naturally is the potential Political "Explosion" formed by the Sudden Emergence of more than ... Thirty Six (36) brand "New" Parties, which Started to participate for the 1st Time in Spanish Elections on 2019 !
It's true that the Larger Number among them, appears to stem from various "Regionalist" Groups, (probably a Consequence of the current "Socialist" Government's controversial stance vis a vis several Secessionist-like moves by some, there) :
F.ex. "Regionalists for Cantabria", "New Canaries", "Proposal for the Isles", "Andalusia by Itself", "Coalition for Melilla", "We Are Region", "Extremadurans", "Riojan Party", "Puyalón" (Aragon), Regionalist Unity of Castile and León", "United Linares Independent Citizens", "Andecha Astur" (Asturian), "XXI Convergence" (Galicia), "Andalusian Solidary Independent Republican Party", etc...
However, several other among those "New" Parties, have also various General Political Aims, of specific nature, such as, f.ex. : "Free People–We Are Alternative–Pirates: Republican Front (Front Republicà)" (0,43%, i.e. More than what "Vox" used to have...), "Act" (founded by former judge Baltasar Garzón), "Progressive Voices", "For a Fairer World", "En Masse", "Communist Party of the Workers of Spain", (one more, among many such claims !), "Left in Positive", "Convergents", "Retirees Party for the Future. Dignity and Democracy" (sic !), "European Solidarity Action Party", "Feminism8", "Plural Democracy", "Centered", "Defense of the Public" (Dreaming to Copy what was just done in the latest Ukranian presidential elections ?), (etc).
=> Inevitably, in such a Context, the LAST one, (i.e. the Smallest "New" Party which took the Less Votes, arriving at the END of the List), was : -"UNION for everyone" in Spain !...
>>> Despite all that, the System, Curiously, gave some very Different "Results", at the end of the Official pipeline, by attributing, Comparatively, much More MPs to the Left, than to the Right, even for en Equal number of People's Votes...
F.ex., the "Socialists" got +38 MPs more, for Only +6% Votes more, while, on the Contrary, "Vox"'s Rightists were given Less MPs (+24 only), for ...More People's Votes (+10,06%)... I.e. not even the Bigger number of MPs that the Centrists of "Citizens" got (+25) for much Less People's Votes (Only +2,88%) ! Similar phenomenon, apparently, even among Basques : the Traditionalist "Nationalists" were given Only one (1) MP, for ...More Votes (+0,32%) than their Competitors of "Bildu" (Left : +0,22% Only), who, received, However, the ...Double Number of New MPs : +2 ! (Such Examples could be Multiplied).
Result : Spain has, in fact, become apparently UnGovernable, at least for the time being, withOut any Clear Majority, practically Returning Back to its Pre-Electoral situation, (with the Exception of he succesful emergence of the Rightist "Vox" Party).
=> In such Circumstances, it's Not Surprizing, that, at least some Spanish Voters, apparently, became, nowadays, so ...Exasperated, that they Felt Unable to find Better today, than to Vote for anOther "New" Party, brutaly nick-Named : ..."Death to the System" (sic !)...
Let's Hope than, for the sake of Spanish People and all Europe, Spain will finaly succeed, asap, to overcome its current problems, and Find Better Political Solutions in the foreseable Future !
In a last-minute, surprise move, New EU Chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, anounced a proposal in Strasbourg to open an EU Parliament debate on Europe's Identity in the ranup to 2009 Election :
- "I am conscious of the fact that there is, today, a real Crisis on Europe's
Identity", he replied earlier to a question by Greek MEP Ioanis Varvitsiotes, who had asked him to "advance beyond those who don't really want a Political Europe",
- "Why not a real Debate on what is Europe's Identity ?", proposed
Sarkozy, in this regard.
- "EU Parliament could organize such Debates", he suggested :"It's
better for EU Parliament, than for National Governments, or EU Commission, to
define what is the European Identity", the French President proposed.
A diplomatic way to avoid obstacles by some Governments and/or some Brussels' bureacrats, reportedly opposed to really free and popular, critical European debates on hot political issues..
Sarkozy brillantly won the 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in France in 2007, in the line of the principles anounced at an important Speech in Strasbourg, February 2007, about a Political Europe, and a European Identity on issues which matter to the People.
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Amber Heard’s camp rips GQ for ‘outrageous’ Johnny Depp story
TRACEY COYLE
Reps for Amber Heard are fighting back after her ex, Johnny Depp, denied physically abusing Heard in a new British GQ interview.
A statement from the actress’ attorney in response to the Depp piece, claimed: “It is outrageous that GQ never spoke to any of the multiple witnesses to Mr. Depp’s physical abuse of Ms. Heard prior to publishing its article. If GQ had done even a basic investigation into Mr. Depp’s claims, it would have quickly realized that his statements are entirely untrue. Mr. Depp has blatantly disregarded the parties’ confidentiality agreement and yet has refused to allow Ms. Heard to respond to his baseless allegations, despite repeated requests that she be allowed to do so.”
The statement added, “Mr. Depp is shamefully continuing his psychological abuse of Ms. Heard, who has attempted to put a very painful part of her life firmly in her past. One need only look at the physical evidence to draw the proper conclusion.”
In the British GQ piece, Depp said that the allegations against him have turned him from “Cinderella to Quasimodo” in Hollywood.
“The thing that hurt me is being presented as something that you’re really as far away from as you could possibly get,” the “Pirates of the Caribbean” star told the mag for its November edition. “To harm someone you love? No, it didn’t, it couldn’t even sound like me. So, initially, I just kept my mouth shut, you know?… I ain’t going to get into a pi–ing contest with someone about it. Spit out what you need to spit out and, you know, my attorneys will take care of the rest. I never went out and spoke about the s–t.”
The couple settled their divorce in 2017, with Depp agreeing to pay around $7 million — which Heard donated to charity. In 2016, Heard’s friend iO Tillett Wright wrote a post for Refinery29 about abuse, not naming Heard or Depp. TMZ posted leaked video of Deppallegedly throwing a wine glass, plus a report that included a picture of Heard with a bruised face and the allegation that Depp hit her with an iPhone — which his side denied.
Heard did not file a police report at the time. Depp told British GQ of Heard and the alleged iPhone incident: “Why didn’t that person speak to the police? I mean, they spoke to the police, but the police saw nothing and they offered her an emergency medical technician. She said no. Police see nothing on her. Police see nothing broken in the place, no marks, and then they offer her an EMT to have a look at her and she says no and I don’t know if it was the next day or a couple of days later, but then there was a bruise. There was a red mark and then there was a brown bruise.”
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eBay offers Prime Day discounts even if Amazon doesn’t crash
Latest in 10.7
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion is still available for purchase from Apple
Mountain Lion is king of the OS X jungle
Apple retires Lion from Mac App Store, there's a new king in town
Apple issues Leopard update with Flashback removal tool
Mac OS X Lion: what's broken (or working) for you?
Darren Murph
Funny -- we (almost) asked this same exact question in August of 2009, just after Snow Leopard had been loosed on the unsuspecting public. But as fate seems to have it, each and every OS overhaul brings gobs of issues, and regardless of how hard the problem finders in Cupertino work, there's simply too many unchecked variables to squash each and every bug prior to release. And with that, we present to you just a handful of the biggest quirks that have cropped up since a cool million of you downloaded Lion. For one, you can kiss Rosetta support goodbye, and secondly, it seems as if 10.7 is seriously cramping third-party NAS support for Time Machine. We've also had numerous reports from folks that are having issues dragging application installs to their Applications folder, not to mention an uptick in Guest account crashes. Of course, there's also the whole "I can't get my free update to Lion!" thing, busted Windows partitions and a veritable plethora of dilemmas when looking at Pro Tools and Cubase. Hit the links below to join the misery party, or feel free to start your own in comments below. Oh, and if you're furious that Lion and its incompatibilities have ruined your livelihood... well, welcome to the downside of early adoption. Here's hoping a raft of updates cures whatever's ailing you in the days and weeks to come.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
%Poll-66676%
Source: Apple Forums (1), (2), CNET, Sound on Sound
In this article: 10.7, apple, lion, mac, mac os x, mac os x lion, MacOsX, MacOsXLion, operating system, OperatingSystem, OS, os x 10.7, os x lion, OsX10.7, OsXLion, software
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Granato and Carlchen W Outrace the field for first Longines victory in Wellington
Alex Granato (USA) and Carlchen W in Wellington at the twelfth leg of the North American League series of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup
© FEI/Kathy Russell Photography
By Catie Staszak
In 2018, Alex Granato (USA) and Carlchen W made their Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ debut in Wellington. A year later, they earned their first World Cup victory at the same venue.
Granato and ‘Carl’ topped a competitive nine-horse jump-off to claim the 2019 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Wellington under picturesque conditions at the Jacobs family’s Deeridge Farms. Using footspeed to their advantage, they tore around Alan Wade’s (IRL) shortened track in 42.70 seconds, nearly a second ahead of Mario Deslauriers (CAN) and Bardolina (43.48 seconds). Beat Mändli (SUI) and Dsarie were third, finishing with a time of 44.16 seconds.
“It’s all very surreal,” said Granato, who also won the Suncast Palm Beach Masters Qualifier two days prior to earn his place in Sunday’s class. “It’s been an amazing week. It’s a privilege to ride at venue like this, against riders like this that I’ve looked up to for a long time.”
Granato has had Carl, an 11-year-old Mecklenberg gelding, for five years. Originally meant to be a sales prospect, he put together a partnership with owner Paige Tredennick to develop the horse for top sport.
“He’s a naturally fast horse, so I got to play that to my advantage and let him run at his pace and stay focused on my track and turns,” Granato said. “We got a bit lucky with a rub in the jump-off, but my horse is very fresh, and we were gearing him toward this week. He came out fresh and strong and ready for it.”
World Cup Race Tightens
Reigning Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final Champion Beezie Madden took over the lead in the east coast sub league standings of the North American League with her fifth-place finish but is already pre-qualified based on her 2018 Finals victory in Paris (FRA). She currently has 58 points, three ahead of Molly Ashe Cawley (USA) with 55.
Just five points separate the following three placings—Germany’s Wilhelm Genn (47), the USA’s McLain Ward (45) and American teammate Laura Kraut (42)—with one east coast event remaining at Live Oak (USA).
Richard Spooner (USA) leads the west coast sub league standings with 49 points. Granato sits ninth with 24 points.
“Coming into the season, World Cup Finals was a big goal, but after jumping at Nations Cup Finals in Barcelona, I missed many of the early qualifiers,” Granato said. “I’ll take a look at my points, and if I’m in contention, I’ll go to Live Oak.”
The North American League continues next on the west coast. The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Leon (MEX) gets underway 09 February 2019.
1. Carlchen W, Alex Granato (USA) 0/0 42.70
2. Bardolina, Mario Deslauriers (CAN) 0/0 43.48
3. Dsarie, Beat Mändli (USA) 0/0 44.16
Full results can be viewed here.
Standings for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League — West Coast can be found here.
Standings for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League — East Coast can be found here.
Alex Granato (USA) – 1st
“[Big Red] is just super smart. He wants to go clear. He’s been ridden by many of the best [riders], but it’s funny; this was the first time he’s ever won a grand prix!”
Mario Deslauriers — 2nd
“My mare did a lot last year by going to the World Equestrian Games and Barcelona [for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ USA]. She got a lot of experience, and she’s at the point now where she has to learn to go faster. She has a big stride, so sometimes it’s more complicated to maneuver, and she’s learning to turn better. Today, I tried to go faster to give her that experience. I’m happy with how she handled herself and how she jumped.”
Beat Mändli — 3rd
“I’m really happy with my horse. [Dsarie] had some time off. She had an injury with her hoof, so it wasn’t anything soft tissue related. The question was just whether we were waiting long enough [before bringing her back]. I’m really happy with today and the way she performed.”
“It was her first time out again. I saw Alex, and I said, ‘I probably have no chance,’ but I tried to give her a good round, and I’m really happy with my day and with my horse.”
Source: FEI press release
http://www.equestrianlife.com.au/articles/Granato-and-Carlchen-W-Outrace-the-field-for-first-Longines-victory-in-Wellington
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Ehsan.com
Building a just and fair world for all
Why Amazon Isn't Good For Us
It’s not hard to understand why Americans love Amazon. An estimated 60 percent of households subscribe to Amazon Prime and almost half of all online dollars are spent on Amazon’s platform. Hitting Amazon’s “buy now” button kickstarts a cascade of complicated algorithms that deliver products to millions of American households in less than two days, sometimes in less than two hours. No other online retailers can match Amazon’s combination of product selection, price and delivery speed.
How is Amazon.com Possible?
Amazon’s entire business model is to lure consumers in with very low prices, establish market dominance and crush (or buy out) competition and once competition has been eliminated, raise prices as much as they want.
Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
Aside from well-established merchants, everyone else basically has to either use Amazon Web Services or the Amazon storefront in order to reach customers. Amazon can take up to half a merchant’s sale on the Amazon platform as a fee. If the merchant still manages to sell products at a decent profit and become successful on the Amazon platform … well then they just become an acquisition target and Amazon buys them out … sometimes by withholding access to their platform as a threat until they sell. Or Amazon uses its deep pockets and control over the distribution and manufacturing process to sell a competitive product at a deep discount (all those Amazon Basics cables you buy) which eventually drives the competitor out of business. Once the competition is decimated, prices on those cheap Amazon-branded products are then increased.
So … Amazon isn’t winning over consumers by building better products but by selling acceptable products at cutthroat prices … reducing competition, consumer choice and product quality along the way. That’s bad for everyone but Jeff Bezos.
The Amazon Way Has a Cost
This is where you ask: “How are they able to lower prices so much that they drive competitors out of business?” and where I tell you that the cost of these low prices is borne primarily by the people who work at Amazon.
When a product you buy becomes cheap overnight, it’s because something (like the environment) or someone (like an Amazon contract worker) has borne the cost. Amazon’s goal to reduce prices, eliminate competition and control the online economy results in a workplace where:
Warehouse workers’ every move is monitored, down to the second.
Workers are fired if they miss their delivery quotas, even by a small amount.
Most workers don’t even survive one year, and quit frequently.
Workers make significantly less than other similar personnel (and in fact, when Amazon moves into a new town, wages drop for all workers by as much as 30%).
And to help out Amazon even more, cities offer tax breaks and all kinds of incentives to get Amazon to build warehouses in their towns. These financial incentives are taken directly from public funds that could have gone to help those workers who’s wages decrease when Amazon comes to town, further exacerbating community resilience and driving down the broader economy.
Photo by Bryan Angelo on Unsplash
Yes, But That’s What Taxes Are For
But that’s OK you say because Amazon pays lots in taxes to help communities they operate in. Wrong. In 2017 YOU paid more in income taxes than Amazon did - because Amazon paid ZERO dollars in corporate income tax. Since roads still have to be built and schools still have to be funded, Amazon’s exploitation of the tax code just increases the tax burden on smaller (usually more innovative) companies as well as ordinary Americans.
Don’t get me wrong. Tax breaks are a legitimate way for governments to incentivize economic growth. The problem with Amazon and other tech giants is that hardly any of the public funds handed over to Amazon go back to the government. In fact, today many large tech companies like Apple funnel profits through foreign countries like Ireland and Luxembourg instead of paying their fair share in taxes.
Meanwhile, non-tech companies pay far more taxes per worker. For instance, Apple hires a small fraction of the employees a more traditional company like GE does. Which means that not only does Apple pay less in taxes than GE, it also contributes less to the local and national economy because it hires less workers and those it hires are far better paid. These better paid workers tend to invest their money (often overseas) rather than contribute to their local economy.
Big Tech’s Tactics Hurt Us All
Amazon’s anticompetitive, monopolistic and anti-labor practices increase economic and social inequality in troubling ways.
For instance, many tech companies have created a massive underclass of workers. Those at the top are the venture capital investors and white collar engineers and executives who “run” the company and at the bottom are the millions of contractors and “part-time” workers who actually run the company. Uber and Lyft are prime examples. Those at the top have full benefits and excellent wages, but the nearly four million ride-share workers who drive for Uber and Lyft have no paid time-off, no benefits or healthcare, and no job security. Moreover, they often end up making less than minimum wage - and this is before you factor in wear and tear on the car and fuel expenses.
Aside from the impact on individual workers, the communities in which tech companies operate are starting to fall prey to deepening inequality as well. As more of these white collar workers and investors have moved to places like Silicon Valley over the last decade, home prices have skyrocketed as has homelessness - which recently hit record highs per capita in San Francisco.
Why Doesn’t the Government Intervene?
Perhaps because the government now receives so many lobbying dollars from big tech that it exceeds those of the traditional lobbying industries.
While tech companies like Amazon go ignored, they continue to grow - getting larger and creating vast monopolies and oligopolies:
Google now accounts for 90% of all online searches … worldwide. Its Android OS runs on more than 80% of smartphones in the world.
Apple has $300 billion in cash - more than the gross domestic product of all but the richest countries and double that of any other US company.
Meanwhile Facebook, like Amazon, either copies or buys out its competition, now owning the four most popular apps in the world - including Instagram and WhatsApp. These apps count 1/3 of the world’s population as users who willingly share their data creating the world’s most effective and comprehensive surveillance apparatus - unmatched by any government agency.
These companies have amassed so much power, quitting them may well be impossible.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash.
So What Can You Do?
Encourage your elected representatives to investigate the increasing power tech companies are acquiring at consumer expense. Bring to light the funding tech companies provide to congressional campaigns. Encourage lawmakers to apply the fundamental antitrust laws of the United States and investigate whether some companies should be reduced in size. Even a threat of breaking up companies can have a major competitive effect that’s good for business: it was the threat to breakup Microsoft that cleared the way for companies like Google to exist. In many ways applying antitrust laws to big tech is one of the most capitalist things we can do, and also one of the best for our communities.
Finally, if you can afford to do so, consider putting your money where your mouth is: patronize small businesses that create innovative products that compete with Amazon and other tech giants. Be bold. Support indie developers and craftspeople so that they don’t feel like their only path to profitability is to get bought out by Amazon.
What I'm Reading This Week
I get asked this all the time so I’ve decided to start a short regular post sharing books I am currently reading. I usually finish a book a week, so I will try to share these on a weekly basis. This month, I’m about done reading Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on it - an absolutely phenomenal book on negotiating written by former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss.
The book has been very helpful to me in negotiating a MAJOR project I am currently working on and I bought the book on the recommendations of FBI colleagues for especially this purpose. It’s been a game changer. And beyond being relevant, it’s also well-written and hard to put down as a narrative story.
The book takes the viewpoint that life is a series of negotiations you should be prepared for: buying a car, negotiating a salary, buying a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner. Taking emotional intelligence and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference, focuses on the importance of active and empathetic listening and not giving up in a negotiation, and instead asking, “how am I supposed to do that?” to any demand your counterpart makes.
Amazon lets you download a sample chapter in either audio or Kindle format - check it out.
Tags whatimreading
Superman knows wassup
Superman from the 1950s was more on point than half the leaders in this country today.
Happy to have a new Apple Store two blocks from my home, but is it good for the city?
Credit Ehsan Zaffar
The newest Apple Store is opening up in a historic Washington D.C. library. It looks great and it’s only a few minutes walk from my home, so as an Apple customer for decades I’m super excited. But as someone who thinks about resilient communities and civil rights, I’m also concerned and dissapointed.
The opening of this store in a historic space is another example of rampant gentrification, without any thought being given to the original, and generally less well-off inhabitants of the community in which this store opens. Apple will profit tremendously from this store, which is across the street from the DC Convention Center. Yet far as I can tell, nothing was done to engage and assist the community members that used to thrive here, and some of whom still live only one block away. None of them can afford the Apple iPhones that will now be sold in one of their former public library buildings.
Apple could have done a lot to be a good neighbor. For instance, Apple could have held one section of this store aside as a public reading and meeting space for young people. This would have fit the theme of opening a store in a former public library, provided a community space for local struggling youth, developed good PR for Apple, and also led to greater foot traffic in the stores.
Companies much smaller than Apple have engaged in these kinds of community-building efforts. The best example in DC are Capital One “cafe banks” which also serve as community meeting halls where local organizations and non-profits can organize events for free.
Apple dwarfs Capital One in size and reach with over $250 billion in cash reserves and a valuation of almost a trillion dollars. The interest earned on Apple’s cash reserves equals the annual GDP of many US states. At this scale, corporations have a responsibility to provide at least a little bit for the communities that are displaced by their efforts and fill their coffers. Otherwise, there will eventually be no one left to buy their products.
Traffic Tickets Increase Inequality
Traffic fines are rising and though they may be a minor nuisance for some people, for most Americans traffic tickets are a large, unexpected and difficult to pay life-changing event. A recent report from the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights SF highlights some of these problems. More importantly, this report and other recent research points to the need for a more equitable fine assessment system as well as a fairer, more realistic way to allow drivers to pay these fines.
Why are traffic fines such a problem?
Photo by Alexander Popov on Unsplash
Because traffic fines can be VERY expensive
For instance, traffic fines in the state of California can involve late penalties as high as $300 per ticket, on top of up to an often $1000 pre-existing fine. That’s equivalent to the cost of buying a top of the line iPhone.
And if you can’t pay these fines … your license gets suspended
So what if a driver finds it difficult to pay down these expensive fines … guess what? The state usually suspends your license. This is particularly idiotic because for many people a license is their primary means of earning an income. Suspending licenses for failure to pay places additional fiscal burden on these individuals since 78% percent of jobs in most states require a drivers license (such as driving for Uber). A penalty for failure to pay shouldn’t eliminate the drivers’ mechanism for generating income ... otherwise how do you expect them to pay?
Low-income individuals get hit harder with traffic fines. They tend to have a higher than average incidence of unreliable access to legal resources, limited English proficiency, learning disabilities and other limitations not of their own making. Even if they could scrounge up the funds and pay assessed fines and tickets, sometimes they don’t even know that they should be paying them. In the LCCR study referenced above, none of the California counties surveyed provided citizens any information about alternative options to pay, non- English language programs or places where people could obtain access to legal care.
There are better and more profitable options than license suspensions
If cities change their policies, for instance by eliminating license suspensions for failure to pay, economists estimate that states like California could generate $70-140 million in additional tax revenue from people who would be able to work with a drivers license. Additional related fiscal benefits to the state could include more sales tax revenue and reduced need for public benefits programs. Moreover, people who are able to work can pay down outstanding traffic fines.
Progressive policies also accept a reality of life: some people just can’t pay these expensive fines, especially lacking the means to make a living. A 2016 survey found that 63% of Americans don't have enough money in savings to cover a $500 emergency. If credit card companies and even that age-old example of bureaucracy, the IRS, can provide for partial payment plans, why can’t state DMV’s? A payment plan allows drivers to pay at least some small amount per month and lets the DMV collect something (rather than nothing at all). Payment plans help avoid the problems associated with license suspensions noted above.
Advocate with your state legislature to lower the dollar amount of fines. People shouldn’t be paying hundreds of dollars for traffic infractions that don’t threaten safety and well-being. Advocate with your city to pressure the DMV to allow for partial payment plans if that option doesn’t exist in your state. The same goes for adding webpages to the DMV website that make paying a fine easy for those with limited English proficiency.
A lot of work remains to be done on this issue - but none of these problems are insurmountable and many of the fixes are quick, easy, and result in immediate positive impact for affected communities.
Plus who doesn’t like paying less in traffic tickets amirite?
Rank Your Tasks Based on Fear
I tell my students to try to do those things first that make them the most afraid.
Of all the emotions that drive us, fear is the most primal. Yet fear must be confronted if we are to survive individually or as a species. Without confronting our fears how could human beings have learned to hunt, conquer the land, the seas and eventually even the cold depths of space. As students and professionals you likely fear those things that have yet to be rather than those currently facing you. To become productive and grow as a person, the only strategy you need when confronting the daunting amount of things on your todo list is to rank them based on fear. Then do those tasks first that scare you the most.
Photo by Dalton Touchberry on Unsplash
Things that scare us
Things that are delayed tend to scare you the most, gnawing at your confidence and repose. Do these first.
Things that are due soon tend to make you anxious (anxiety is just another flavor of fear). Do these tasks soon.
Those tasks that require some amount of confrontation (such as asking your boss for a raise, or your professor for an extension) engage our evolutionary fear of social censure. This is a good sign. This kind of fear usually tells us that these tasks are worth doing. They are tasks others don’t do out of fear. Doing them makes you unique and uncommon. Prioritize these tasks and your horizons will grow, as will your wealth and freedom.
Tasks that create a sense of sadness and emptiness often make us afraid because of how we believe they will make us feel when we later do them. I refer to this as fear of future fear. Fear OF fear is ironic because your feelings are just about the only thing in the universe you have some sense of control over. You can choose to feel what you want. Choose to feel grateful for the time your mother spent with you and move forward with organizing her funeral, despite how sad that makes you feel. Honor the emotions of your husband and seek divorce now rather than waiting another year. It will hurt you both a lot more later.
Doing scary things first leads to some amazing benefits:
Confronting your fears dissolves them … in all areas of life. Studying for that dreaded final makes saying no later to someone we don’t like that much easier. Courage is accumulative. Like a muscle, the more it is exercised, the stronger it gets.
Completing tasks that make us afraid makes other tasks feel much easier. After all, if you’ve already dealt with those things that scared you the most, what’s the worst that could happen?
Tackling your fear allows you to accept evermore difficult and more meaningful tasks. In our comfortable societies, those things that make us afraid often tend to be the things worth doing (they wouldn’t make us afraid otherwise). As you continue to challenge your fears, you invite risk and the concomitant reward that comes with it into your life.
Some additional tips
Start small. Take measured steps when confronting fears, especially deeply held ones that may deal with your insecurities. Often, the smallest most ludicrous step is the easiest to do. Want to begin working out but fear of failure holding you back? Tell yourself you’ll only do one push-up per day for the next week. Ridiculous right? Anyone could do that! So that means you can too. By the end of the week you’ll have done seven more push-ups than you would have had you never started. The week after, move the number of push-ups to two per day. By the end of the year you could be doing hundreds of pushups a week. All you have to do is keep going, increasing incrementally week by week.
Congratulate yourself. Confronting fears isn’t easy. Go easy on yourself if you fail. Starting the process is perhaps even more important than succeeding completely.
I wish you a fearless, productive week of finals and a spectacular summer!
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"The Rule of Three" and What it Means for You
What Sears Shutting Down Really Means
Reframing a Load-shedding Civil Society
My Interview with Janet Napolitano
Are Other Countries Taking American Jobs?
Free Speech: Two Examples of How Politicians Deal With Hecklers
Law vs. Ethics
Photo Series Reveals What Gentrification Looks Like
Three Simple Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online
The Most Amazing Study Hack Ever Invented
Wealth is Different
Universal Basic Income Is Coming to the United States
Honored to Speak On the Same Stage As Japanese-Americans Interned By Out Government
Team Rubicon Rebuilds It's First Home - Couldn't be Prouder of The Greyshirts
Everyone Who Cares About Gentrification Should Read This
Colleges Recruit at Richer, Whiter High Schools
Two New Podcasts: Wrinkle in Time and Ender's Game
Punish A Muslim Day
Unruh Associates!
My Thoughts on the "The Kingdom" - Price Projection Room Podcast
Four Ways to Help the Most Vulnerable of Harvey's Victims
Towards a Progressive Populism
Three Ways Faith Can Guide Advocacy
Fight Hate. Support Victims. What You Can Do
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New York State raids Chinatown restaurants for illegal fish
By Jennifer 8. Lee | January 10, 2008
Elizabeth Dwoskin has a fascinating article this week in the Village Voice about New York State inspectors going around to Chinese restaurants fish tanks looking for illegally undersized tautog fish. (It’s illegal to catch one less than 14 inches long, but small fish are often considered more tender by the Chinese diners).
Here are some key graphs:
Two decades ago, the tautog, or black fish, was hardly a popular fish, but it has become one of the most expensive and frequently harvested fish in the region. At the same time, there has been a drastic decline in many fish populations across the Atlantic Coast. The shortage has leftfisherman—including lobstermen on the Long Island Sound—scrambling to regain their livelihoods.
Today, live tautog can fetch more than $10 per pound in Chinatown, making it one of the five most expensive fish, says LaCroix. In the early 1980s, the fish went for “next to nothing,” says Christopher Vonderwiedt, a project coordinator for the commission.
But one of the factors that is creating this demand for fish is the Chinese adoration of fresh seafood, as in was-alive-until-you-picked-it-out-in-the-tank live seafood. My friends in China are like, why do Americans like their fish cutup into anonymous little patties?
And the Americans are like, why do the Chinese like their fish whole — with eyeballs and bones.
From the Chinese perspective, the fish meat near the bones are the most tender. From the American perspective, those bones get stuck in your teeth and throat.
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From: Free Marissa Now; FreeMarissaNow@gmail.com
Standing Our Ground Week: Convergence in Jacksonville to Call for Marissa Alexander's Freedom, End of Mass Incarceration
Hundreds of regional and national activists will come together in Jacksonville, Florida from Friday, July 25 through Friday, August 1 to support embattled domestic violence survivor Marissa Alexander, build awareness about domestic violence and reproductive justice, and strengthen opposition to mandatory minimum sentencing. "STANDING OUR GROUND Against Reproductive Oppression, Gender Violence, and Mass Incarceration" is envisioned by organizers as a celebration, an exercise of civil rights, and a call for human dignity. The date marks the one year anniversary of the verdict exonerating George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin and connects to the August 1 hearing where Alexander will argue for Stand Your Ground protection. Participants are linking the call to free Marissa Alexander with Florida-based movements for justice for Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis and others.
The week will feature noted speakers, educational panels, workshops, cultural events, and community outreach. An opening ceremony will launch the activities on Friday, July 25. On Friday and Saturday, the national SisterSong Reproductive Justice Institute will hold panels and training workshops. Saturday will also feature a Youth Assembly. Sunday is highlighted by a benefit concert for the Marissa Alexander Legal Defense Fund. On Monday, there will be a march from the SisterSong conference to the Duval County Courthouse. Tuesday will feature a keynote discussion by University of Illinois Professor Beth Richie, author of Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence and America's Prison Nation, followed by a panel of local and national feminists and leaders in the movement for women's safety. Wednesday will take on the issues of police brutality and wrongful imprisonment with a panel of speakers organizing on these issues. On Thursday, legal experts will conduct community training to inform people about their rights under the law. The day will end with a candlelight vigil. Throughout the week, activists will also take part in a People's Investigation where they will bring their concerns and questions to organizations and institutions of power on the local, state and national level. Times and locations are being finalized.
On Friday, August 1, participants will attend a hearing on whether Marissa Alexander can argue for immunity from prosecution under Florida's Stand Your Ground law. In 2010, Ms. Alexander fired a warning shot to stop a life-threatening attack by her estranged husband. Despite causing no injuries, Alexander was found guilty of aggravated assault and served two years of a mandatory 20-year sentence before a Florida appeals court overturned the guilty verdict. State Prosecutor Angela Corey has chosen to re-prosecute Alexander, this time threatening a mandatory 60-year sentence if Alexander is found guilty in the new trial currently scheduled to begin December 8.
Local and national leaders of the Free Marissa Now mobilization campaign are partnering with New Jim Crow Movement - Jacksonville, SisterSong, INCITE!, African American/Black Women's Cultural Alliance, Radical Women, Project South, Resist, Highlander Research Center, and National Congress of Black Women to organize the week of events. National supporters of Marissa Alexander in other cities will also take action during the week to build awareness about ending domestic violence and mass incarceration, and supporting all women's right to self-defense. Participants will take part through daily live-streaming of Jacksonville events and through Facebook and Twitter updates, and a Selfies for Self-Defense campaign.
Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign
Donate to the Marissa Alexander Freedom Fund!
www.FreeMarissaNow.org
www.freemarissanow.tumblr.com
Facebook.com/FreeMarissaNow
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TBT: Ever After (1998)
By Sarah Lorraine on April 21, 2016 in Sixteenth Century, Throwback Thursday
Ever After (1998) occupies a special place in the hearts of most costumers that I know. Probably because my costuming cohort came into their own in the early-to-mid ’90s, and along with the sudden technical leap forward with the World Wide Web around that time, Ever After became one of the best-known and best-loved of contemporary costume flicks. I remember it being one of the first costume movies that was shared by both the historical costuming and cosplay communities, and websites still exist to this very day dedicated to dissecting the construction of many of the gowns worn in the film.
What is interesting about Ever After is that it is one of the few films I can think of where historical accuracy is heavily massaged with fantasy and it still works, which probably isn’t surprising considering the costume designer was Jenny Beavan. The plot is set in “renaissance France,” which could mean anything from the 15th to 16th centuries; there are elements of both worked into the costume designs, but the late 15th century, early 16th century seems to be the period the film is aiming for. Also, most of the designs are Italian, not French, so that’s another layer of historical dissonance in the designs, but again, it works. It’s a fairy tale, after all.
I’m not going to go into a lot of detail in analyzing and deconstructing these gowns, since there’s already a very good website by our friend Maggie Massetti that is dedicated to the ins and outs of Ever After costuming. Instead, I’m just going to put some of my favorite gowns up for appreciation.
Danielle’s Costumes in Ever After
Our plucky heroine! The costumes worn by Danielle (Drew Barrymore) reflect the rags-to-riches journey she takes. Here’s her story arc, told through her costumes:
Blue Work Dress
Danielle wears this for about two-thirds of the film. It consists of an under-bodice that laces at the side back seams (a rather inconvenient, though historically accurate, feature for a work dress where presumably no one is helping her get dressed or undressed) and an overgown with attached skirt that ties in the front. Sleeves are segmented and tied into the overgown at the shoulders and again at the elbows. She wears all of this over an ankle-length white chemise.
Sketch of a young woman, by Raphael, 1504.
Danielle’s work dress shares a lot of similarities to this Raphael sketch of a young woman, though I’m not sure if this was the actual inspiration for it. That said, it’s very definitely Italian, not French. Also, I find it interesting that Danielle only wears her hair loose for the most part while she’s working. You’d think that having it pulled back and put up would be a lot more practical for slaving away for your evil stepmother.
The Yellow Dress:
This is the one dress that Danielle does not “borrow” from her stepsisters; instead she borrows it from her BFF Gustav who is using it as a reference for his painting of a noblewoman. Again, it’s straight-up late 15th / early 16th century Italian and really quite pretty. Probably my second favorite gown of all the ones she wears.
The Library Dress
Having presumably only read one book her entire life, “Utopia” by Thomas More, Danielle is overcome with rapture at the sight of so many books. “Utopia,” however, wasn’t published until 1516, right around the time this movie is supposedly set in — maybe Danielle’s father got an advance copy from the publisher … like, really advance. Ten years advance. Anyway, whatever, look at the pretty dress!
Proving that she’s not just pretty and brainy, Danielle then climbs a tree in her underwear. The under-bodice is presumably similar to the one she wears under her work dress, except made from a cream colored mattelese-ish fabric. Her stepsister Marguerite wears it again in a later scene, proving that it was probably pinched from her closet.
The Red Velvet Dress
This is my favorite dress out of all of the dresses in this movie. The only drawback is that you don’t really get a clear look at it on screen. These two screencaptures were the best I could do, sorry.
The “Breathe” Dress
Basically, everyone’s favorite gown in the movie (except mine, see above), this is Danielle’s mother’s wedding dress, which she wears to the masked ball with a giant pair of wings that were thrown together at the last minute by Leonardo Da Vinci.
Via Ever After Costumes.
Maggie of Costumer’s Guide has more hi-res images of this gown can be found here, for those who are obsessed with the sheer level of detail in this outfit. And to be sure, there is a ton of detail.
Also, check out this post for more info on the historical sources that inspired Danielle’s costumes.
Overall, the silhouette of this gown shares a lot of similarities with the Venetian ladies sketched by Albrecht Dürer in the late 15th century, but of course it is a completely fantasy take on this style:
The Princess Dress
Danielle gets her man and a chance to show she’s the bigger person AND totally epically smack down her stepmother all in one fabulous gown. We should all be so lucky.
Via Cosprop (archived page)
The moodboard for this costume shows that it was inspired by the one that Giovanna Tornabuoni wears in the “Visitation” fresco by Domenico Ghirlandaio, c. 1488, and it does a pretty good job of evoking it. Still not French, but whatevs! Italian rules, French drools.
Rodmilla’s Costumes in Ever After
Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston) wears this around the home for pretty much all of the scenes taking place at the château. It appears to be made from a black (or very dark green) figured velvet and is embellished with dark green velvet bands around the neckline. The sleeves lace into the bodice (yay) and the bodice closes at side backs (double yay).
I haven’t found any direct correlation between this gown and anything in artwork, but it has elements of early 16th century Italian like almost all of the other gowns in the film. Here are two portraits, 25 years apart, that show similar elements:
Portrait of a woman, Sandro Botticelli, 1475.
Portrait of a woman, Francesco da Cotignola, 1500.
Green Damask Gown
An absolutely fabulous gown that is basically not given enough screen time to truly appreciate it. Looks pretty much straight up 16th-century Saxon to me, albeit with a higher waist than what’s accurate for this style and lacking a brustflek (the band across the breasts):
Mary Magdalen, Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1520s.
Green Fancy Gown
This particular gown has gone on display numerous times over the years so there are quite a few really good, high-res photos of it floating around on the Internet.
Via the Louisiana Art and Science Museum Flickr collection.
Via Jennelise: Movie Costumes
Design-wise, this gown is a bit of a mash-up. The sleeves scream 16th-century German/Saxon, while the rest of the gown is very much 15th-century Burgundian (which, given that the film is supposed to be set in France, actually makes sense for once).
Left: Detail of a Female Donor, Petrus Christus, c.1450 . Right: Portrait of Sibylle of Cleve, Duchess of Saxony, Lucas Cranach, 1535.
So, basically it’s like the two gowns above were mashed up into one gown. I’m not saying it’s not fabulous, but I am saying it’s not historically accurate in any way.
Rodmilla’s Hats in Ever After
Rodmilla wears quite the array of wacky hats throughout the film. Most of them are sort of loosely inspired by the Italian balzo, I think. Except for the horns she wears at the costume ball, obviously.
“Schiava Turca”, Parmigianino, 1531-34
Marguerite’s Costumes in Ever After
Pink Velvet Gown:
Mere words cannot express how much I love Megan Dodds’ portrayal of the wickedest step-sister, Marguerite. She’s just so deliciously bitchy, and has some of the greatest lines in the entire movie. Her pink velvet dress is also a direct copy of the portrait of Jeanne d’Aragon by Raffaello Sanzio. It’s as close to accurate for the time that the film is supposedly set in as the costumes get, but it’s still Italian, not French.
Jeanne d’Aragon by Raffaello Sanzio, c.1518
And just because I love her so much, here’s a collection of gifs featuring her amazing range of Bitch Face:
Jacqueline’s Costumes in Ever After
Green Damask Gown:
Jacqueline (Melanie Lynskey), the milquetoast younger step-sister, has two outfits, one of which is boring AF, so I’m going to focus on the more interesting one:
Mood board for Jacqueline, via Cosprop.
Still not French! All the source images are Italian from the first third of the 16th century. I actually quite like this dress, even though the implication is that Jacqueline is too fat to fit it properly. See, she’s the fat, dumpy sister! You can tell because her chemise is always pulled up way high around her shoulders and her clothes are frumpy! Actually, they’re not frumpy at all. God, I would kill to get my hands on some green silk damask like this…
Early 16th Century French Fashion
So, now that we’ve covered the bulk of the dresses in this film, and I have repeatedly hammered home that, despite the setting being France, all the costumes were basically Italian with the occasional Germanic element or two thrown in, I know you’re all wondering what would women in early 16th century France have been wearing?
Nobility:
Rodmilla and her daughters would probably be wearing styles more akin to these:
Briseis, HM 60, f. 11v, c. 1500
Detail from Charles d’Orleans’ “Lover Addressing Three Ladies” (circa 1490-1500)
Detail from Pierre Sala’s Petit Livre d’Amour (Stowe 955, fol.13), c. 1500.
Working Class:
And Danielle’s work dress would look a lot more like this:
Robinet Testard, c. 1500.
I get that we are discussing a fairy tale, so obviously the director and designer are under no obligations to match the story with the actual historical time and place. Jenny Beavan’s designs strike a nice balance between fantasy and feeling believable, and honestly, the decision to base most of the designs off early Italian costumes manages to breathe new life into the old fairy tale. I dare say that’s why this movie has always been a costumer favorite and why it continues to attract new fans, nearly 20 years later.
Do these costumes make you feel happily ever after? Let us know in the comments!
Tagsactual researchadapted from booksAnjelica Hustongreat hairJenny Beavanplaying fast & loose with historypretty pretty princessessomebody needs some hairpins
And Then There Were None: No Costumes, Anyway!
Interview With Outlander Costume Designer Terry Dresbach
Stephani April 21st, 2016
Sigh… I just LOVE this movie so much. For what was essentially a historical rom-com, the costuming was so well done (although that not-French, not-16th century thing always bothered me–and why were the men all wearing more Tudor-like styles???). I mean you can’t go wrong with Drew Barrymore, and Dougray Scott is adorably swoon-worthy, and Angelica Huston couldn’t be more fabulous. And of course I bought the Simplicity Ever After-inspired costume pattern, even though I already owned the Period Patterns Italian Women’s pattern. And you can have either when you pry the key to my pattern vault from my cold, dead hands.
Sarah Lorraine April 21st, 2016
I, too, own both of those patterns. Never used them, but had to have them at the time and now can’t bear to part with them.
I used the Period Patterns one to make my madrigal-group costume for performing at Ren-faire in Maryland (or really, my mother used it, thanks Mom!). As I recall, it went together okay, but the directions were a bit strange. Anyway, I got a beautiful garnet/wine-colored velvet gown similar to the 2 gowns in the film inspired by the Albrecht Durer sketches. Pretty, but hot as #@*% in August and September in the Mid Atlantic.
lesartsdecoratifs April 21st, 2016
I wonder how much the difference in the quality, diversity and quantity of the references for Italian and French fashion influenced the decision to with Italian.
And apparently one of these dresses was supposed to be original ball gown before they decided it wasn’t special enough and made the Breathe gown. Does anyone know which one is it?
My money’s on the blue gown Danielle wears in the library scene. Out of all of the dresses she wears, it’s the most “ball gown-y”. I’m super glad they upgraded her outfit, though… Danielle’s mother’s dress, while not my personal fave, is effing FABULOUS.
Susan Pola April 21st, 2016
Love the movie and Danielle’s clothes. Loved that ‘fairy godmother’ was Leonardo da Vinci. Even Jacqueline had her happy ending. What’s the site for the costumes?
tiffers1912 April 21st, 2016
*sigh* I absolutely adore this movie! It gives me so many nostalgic feels, and it definitely has some amazing costumes. Is the gown that Danielle wears super briefly at the very end of thr movie a different gown from all the other ones she wore? It’s the one she wears when Da Vinci reveals his painting of her. Her hair in that scene was also my favorite hairstyle of hers.
It’s the same dress she wears in the previous scene where she gets her revenge on Rodmilla, but without the over gown.
Elska Jenness May 26th, 2016
Oh man, this movie was my childhood (in more ways than one) and the best Cinderella movie out there (The Slipper and The Rose is a VERY close second)
I’m planning on recreating the Red Velvet dress and the Breathe dress for the movie’s 20th anniversary.
Dayna Willms July 29th, 2017
I adored this movie and loved the costumes, story, actors- all of it. I bought the Simplicity pattern and made a dress with a bright blue velvet. I loved wearing It to Renaissance faires, though as I got more into historical costuming I became shy about the zipper in the back. Oh well, I still love that dress and will hold onto it forever! “There was a bee” still gets used around our house.
MrsC (Maryanne) January 26th, 2018
It’s like having an eccentric aunt – she’s weird and does random things, but you love her so much,maybe even because of this not in spite of it. I love this movie and watch it all the time. It plays fast and loose with a number of chronological facts, from when Cartier was off to explore the world, when Leonardo da Vinci was alive, and the Mona Lisa is painted on a panel of poplar wood, so no rolling her up in a tube!
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Archives for October 22, 2010
Of Juan Williams & the Imminent Defunding of NPR
October 22, 2010 by B. Daniel Blatt
There is really not much more I can say about the Juan Williams kerfuffle that has not been said on some blog, editorial page or newscast. The management of NPR look like narrow-minded fools, exposed now in the public square for what conservatives have long held them to be: partisans of the Democratic Party and its liberal agenda, elitists who reserve a special (intense) animus for FoxNews.
“No conservatives,” law professor William A. Jacobson writes, “are trying to prevent people from appearing on NPR, but liberal interest groups and their media outlets are trying to prevent people from appearing on Fox News.” It wasn’t Williams’ recent statement that offended them so much as the fact that he made it on FoxNews.
Well, Greg Gutfield has a slightly different view, “Let’s face it: they didn’t fire Juan Williams for expressing an independent opinion, they fired Juan Williams for expressing an independent opinion that didn’t jibe with theirs.” If it were “controversial” statements that so offended them, they would long since have fired the former Mrs. Floyd Haskell, widow to the late liberal Democratic Senator from Colorado. The one-time Mrs. Haskell (no relation to Eddie) has expressed some rather controversial opinions. Fortunately, for her, she just didn’t express them on FoxNews.
But, then again, Mrs. Haskell’s opinions tend to be in line with approved discourse for the smart set in our nation’s capital while Mr. Williams’ comments were, well, as Sonicfrog suggests, politically incorrect: [Read more…]
Filed Under: Arrogance of the Liberal Elites, Liberal Intolerance, Liberalism Run Amok, Media Bias
Hugh Hewitt & I Agree: Carly’s Our Gal
Hugh Hewitt is a socially conservative, evangelical Christian blogger; I’m a libertarian conservative, gay Jewish blogger. Yet, both of us agree about the excellence of the campaign Carly Fiorina has run and the ability of this dynamic woman to represent California in the United States Senate.
This morning, Hugh wrote:
Fiorina has run a magnificent campaign in the Golden State and Barbara Boxer’s increasingly shrill and desperate campaign reflects that. But 28 years of Boxer’s strident, angry and ever-ungracious arrogance –“Please don’t call me ma’am”– has contrasted so poorly with Fiorina’s disciplined, tough and principled appeals to California voters to send a senator to D.C. who can actually get something done for the state and the country to encourage economic growth and the return of California greatness.
But, he warns:
When Boxer gets desperate, she unleashes Bob Mulholland, one of the most malevolent forces in American politics. As soon as the president leaves the state the campaign will go into Bob season.
Mulholland or one of his stooges will likely soon sling some some mud in attempt to derail Carly’s surge. It doesn’t bother theses partisans that Boxer has failed to deliver for our state nor that she has no new ideas on how to get California out of its current mess. We have the third highest unemployment rate in the nation, with 63,500 jobs lost in September 2010 the last month for which numbers are available.
It’s someone someone who’s spent the past three decades on the taxpayer’s dole lost her job. Support the woman working hard to retire Barbara Boxer. Join Hugh and me in supporting Carly Fiorina.
Filed Under: 2010 Elections, California politics
Charles Djou for Congress
In one of his first acts as a member of Congress, Rep. Charles Djou (R-HI) voted to repeal Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell, saying:
On that particular issue, it comes from personal experience. I have served for nearly 10 years now in the United States Army Reserve. What concerned me about the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy is that it just simply doesn’t work. And I saw too many instances as an army reservist, soldiers would sign up for a re-enlistment bonus. Get this gigantic sum from the American taxpayer. And then as soon as the unit gets called up to mobilize to Iraq and Afghanistan, they suddenly claim they are gay, with no prior indication of that whatsoever. Get the discharge and keep the bonus. That’s wrong, that’s unfair and that’s why this policy should be changed.
Nice to have a Republican offer such a robust critique of DADT.
And while many pundits and prognosticators thought his victory this past May in a three-way race (with him facing against two Democrats) was a fluke, the Hawai’i Republican is tied or ahead in most recent polls, with one survey showing him “ahead of [Democrat Colleen] Hanabusa, 45 percent to 41 percent among likely voters” in a district that gave Obama 70 percent of its votes.
Djou is a fiscal conservative, contending that the “federal government is spending too much money on programs that do too little for the American people. Washington’s intervention in our economy has spiraled out of control.”
Given how close the polls are and the Democratic makeup of this fiscal conservative’s district, Djou may need a few extra bucks to beat his liberal Democratic opponent across the finish line. We urge join to join us in supporting Charles Djou.
Filed Under: 2010 Elections
Elections Have Consequences – 2006-2010
October 22, 2010 by Bruce Carroll
“Bring the Focus Back Onto Boxer”
While I’ve been bullish on my gal Carly Fiorina since that confident and optimistic woman launched her bid for the United States Senate, I know she hasn’t had the easiest road to hoe. Her opponent, 28-year Washington veteran Barbara Boxer has never been an effective advocate of the Golden State in the halls of Congress, but she has been effective at raking in campaign cash. Meanwhile, 61% of Californians voted for Obama in 2008 — while the state hasn’t elected a Republican Senator in over two decades (not since Pete Wilson’s reelection in 1988).
Yet, Carly has run a vigorous campaign, impressing Californians with her energy and determination. I’ve always believed that if she can make this race about her opponent while showing that she could better serve the state than the failed 3-term incumbent, she would win. And I’m not alone. She’s been surging in recent polls, closing the gap. Jay Cost agrees, believing the career politician to be vulnerable:
Barbara Boxer in particular looks to be in bad shape, pulling in just 46 percent of the vote in the RealClearPolitics average. The Fox News poll finds her job approval at a terrible 42 percent.
Finding that Fiorina has a “fighting Chance”, Daniel Halper cites perhaps the most important goal Dave Sackett of the Tarrance Group identifies in his Wednesday memo to the Carly campaign:
The goal is to “be able to bring focus back onto Boxer [so that the Fiorina] campaign will be able to convert the remaining Independents and undecided voters that it needs to capture a plurality on election day,” Sackett’s memo claims.
Keep the focus on Barbara Boxer, whose “most famous moments on Capitol Hill“, the editors of her home town paper write, “have not been ones of legislative accomplishment, but of delivering partisan shots.”
You too can help Carly keep the focus on this partisan Democrat whose lacluster approval languishes in the low forties by supporting her campaign.
It’s Time to Call Her “Ma’am” Again
David Zucker, director of one of the funniest films of all time, mocks one of the least effective Senators of all time:
Call Me Madam Joe from RightChange on Vimeo.
Help make sure, people can no longer call career politician Barbara Boxer, “Senator”, by supporting the energetic and optimistic woman seeking to replace her.
UPDATE David Zucker explains why he made the video:
I remember immediately feeling embarrassed that a member of Congress would treat an officer of the U.S. military like that. And doubly embarrassed that back in the early 90’s I had contributed to Barbara Boxer’s campaign. I was so outraged at the pure arrogance of that moment, that I sat down to write the spot, highlighting the pure absurdity of our California Senator dressing down a General for calling her “Ma’am.” No Naked Gun or Scary Movie ever had an opportunity as good as that one for pure ridicule. Never mind that the military are instructed to call their superiors including members of congress ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’, including specifically, Members of Congress!
I thought an apology would have been appropriate, but to my knowledge, none has ever been made by Senator Boxer. This I find distressing, since apologies from public figures nowadays are the norm. I mean, it’s not as if she texted her junk to Brett Favre. This was just arrogantly insulting an army officer. But I guess that’s okay with her.
Could Tom Tancredo Win in Colorado?
Last week, in speculating on the potential surprises in next month’s elections, I wondered if Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo could prevail in the Colorado gubernatorial contest. He trailed Democratic candidate John Hickenlooper by only 4 points.
Now, the Denver Mayor has put his foot in it:
. . . on a radio show clip about the gay community, dug up by Complete Colorado, Hickenlooper let slip a sentiment that isn’t likely to help him in the more conservative, rural parts of the state he must win over. When asked by the radio host Eden Lane why the Matthew Shepard Foundation had chosen to locate in Denver, Hickenlooper responded:
Hickenlooper: I think a couple things, I mean, you know, the tragic death of Matthew Shepard occurred in Wyoming. Colorado and Wyoming are very similar. We have some of the same, you know, backwards thinking in the kind of rural Western areas you see in, you know, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico.
(Via Instapundit.) There may well be some backwards thinking in rural Western areas, but a man running to govern them, well, just doesn’t say such things. And, as I do recall, the creeps who murdered Matthew Shepard were actually from Laramie, not the largest of towns to be sure, but not entirely rural. According to Wikipedia, over 27,000 people live in the town.
Might have served Hickenlooper better just to condemn those creeps rather than suggest that that they are representative of rural regions of the state he seeks to helm.
Don’t think this will help Hickenlooper in those “backwards-thinking” rural regions. And they may vote for the candidate most likely to prevent him from winning the Governor’s chair. And that, my friends, is Tom Tancredo.
UPDATE: “Nothing“, Ed Morrissey quips, “says ‘sophisticate’ quite like running down the rubes who live in the sticks, does it?”
Filed Under: 2010 Elections, Arrogance of the Liberal Elites
GOProud Unveils Television Advertising Campaign Targeting Barney Frank, Barbara Boxer and Congressional Democrats
Awesomeness for your Friday morning!
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, GOProud, the only national organization representing gay conservatives and their allies, unveiled an unprecedented television advertising campaign targeting Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congressional Democrats. “For the first time ever a national gay organization is airing a television advertising campaign going after Democrats,” said Jimmy LaSalvia, Executive Director. “This advertising campaign highlights the embarrassing and arrogant approach of Democratic leaders in Washington, and reminds voters that the record of this Democratic Congress is a dismal one.”
The 30 second spot, entitled “The Real Democrats of Washington, D.C.” will begin airing on Monday in California, Massachusetts, Hawaii and New York.
The spot highlights three Democratic politicians: Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, Senator Barbara Boxer of California, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, also of California.
“Barney Frank is an absolute embarrassment,” said Christopher R. Barron, Chairman of GOProud’s Board of Directors. “He represents the worst kind of Washington politician. A man who treats his constituents with contempt, who gleefully acts as an attack dog for radical left-wing special interests, and whose demeanor is more appropriate for a trashy reality show than for the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.”
“Barney’s pal Barbara Boxer not only treats her constituents with contempt, but actually dressed down a United States General during his testimony before the Senate, scolding him for referring to her as ‘m’am’ rather than Senator – a title she says she has ‘worked so hard for,” continued Barron. “The American people deserve better than that type of arrogant behavior from their elected officials.”
“It’s not just the contempt and arrogance from Washington Democrats – it’s the total failure of their policies,” said LaSalvia. “On election night in 2006, Speaker Pelosi crowed about how voters had voted for change by electing Democrats and now we see what that ‘change’ has brought us – out of control debt, runaway spending, and the loss of millions of jobs.”
“This advertising campaign will show the American people what the real Democrats of Washington, D.C. are all about and make it clear, that under Democrats, reality bites,” concluded LaSalvia.
Filed Under: 2010 Elections, Conservative Ideas, Democratic Scandals, Democrats & Double Standards, Dishonest Democrats, GOProud, Leftist Nutjobs, Liberal Hypocrisy, Liberalism Run Amok
Will Reid’s Latest Gaffe Attract as Much Media Attention as Christine O’Donnell’s Commentary on the Constitution
Harry Reid has been the Democratic Leader of the United States Senate for the past six years, a Senator from Nevada for twenty-four, an elected public official for forty-two. He has been Senate Majority Leader since 2007. He currently trails in most polls for his reelection, but not by much — and within the margin of error.
Christine O’Donnell has never held public office. She trails in most polls in the contest to fill Joe Biden’s U.S. Senate seat by a significant margin, far outside the margin of error.
Seems that when the former says something silly or controversial, it should make news while similar comments by the latter should not attract all that much attention (save perhaps in Delaware where she’s running for office). But, she has become the Democrats’ favorite punching bag:
Christine O’Donnell is only on one state’s ballot this year, but it would be easy for voters elsewhere to think otherwise. Democrats in some of the nation’s most competitive Senate races are invoking the Delaware Republican Senate nominee’s name almost as frequently as their actual opponents.
It’s an attempt to play a game of crazy-by-association . . .
So, shouldn’t we then play arrogant by association with the man Senate Democrats elected to lead them? Don’t they have more of a stake in his gaffes than do Republicans who may well have opposed O’Donnell in her primary contest — and who have no intention to elect her to a position of leadership?
He’s telling us now that but for him, “we’d we in a worldwide depression“:
You know, maybe he meant the statement to come out a little differently. But, he’s been in elected office since before Christine O’Donnell was born. He should have learned to better measure his words.
“Somehow,” Doug Powers quips, “acting as Barack Obama’s rubber stamp in adding as much new debt in less than two years — $3 trillion at last check — an amount that took from 1776 to 1990 to accumulate, saved the world.”
And somehow, I doubt, the media will make as much fun of Harry Reid’s strange and self-important statement as they do of anything coming out of the mouth of Ms. O’Donnell.
Filed Under: 2010 Elections, Arrogance of the Liberal Elites, Congress (111th), Media Bias
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Nike Camp
Rams Split Conference Tri-Match on Senior Day; Enter Playoffs as #5 Seed
St. Josephs (Brkln)
St. Josephs (Brkln) (11-10, 4-5 Skyline) 22 25 23 25 19 3
Farmingdale State (8-22, 5-4 Skyline) 25 16 25 21 17 2
Yeshiva (1-15, 0-10 Skyline) 6 6 6 0
Farmingdale State (9-22, 6-4 Skyline) 25 25 25 3
K: 2 Players (#9, #12) - 13
B: Cristina Morales - 2
D: Valentina Urgo - 25
SA: Nicole Leone - 4
K: Kelsey Voiklis - 13
B: Kelsey Voiklis - 6
D: Angie Yarrow - 33
SA: Angie Yarrow - 5
K: 4 Players (#4, #10, #12, #19) - 1
B: N/A
D: Rebekah Bargaser - 6
SA: N/A
K: Annie Cosgrave - 7
D: Annie Cosgrave - 6
SA: Annie Cosgrave - 11
Match 1: St. Joseph's-Brooklyn - 3, Farmingdale State - 2 (22-25, 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 19-17)
Match 2: Farmingdale State - 3, Yeshiva - 0 (25-6, 25-6, 25-6)
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's volleyball team hosted St. Joseph's- Brooklyn and Yeshiva for a conference tri-match this afternoon. FSC dropped a five-set match to the St. Joe's-Brooklyn before sweeping Yeshiva in straight sets. FSC finishes the regular season 9-22 overall and 6-4 in the conference and have earned the fifth seed for the Skyline playoffs that begin on Tuesday, October 30th.
Prior to Farmingdale State's second match of the day, outside hitter Annie Cosgrave (Brightwaters, N.Y.) was honored for Senior Day as she was playing in her final regular season match.
After splitting the first two sets with SJC-BK (12-10, 5-5 Skyline) in their first match of the day, the Rams led 24-23 in the third and used a kill from junior middle blocker Kelsey Voiklis (Commack, N.Y.) to win the set and take a 2-1 advantage. FSC held a 19-16 lead in the fourth set, but a 9-2 Bears run allowed them to win the set, 25-21, and force a deciding fifth game. In the fifth set, St. Joe's-Brooklyn went ahead by three, 14-11, but a kill from Voikils, an ace by freshman outside Kate Flamio (East Islip, N.Y.) and a block assist by Voiklis and Cosgrave tied the score at 14-14. Knotted at 17-17, middle Cristina Morales (Brooklyn, N.Y.) tallied a kill to put the bears up by one. On the ensuing serve, SJC-BK clinched the set, 19-17, and the match, 3-2, on an FSC attacking error.
Voiklis finished with a match-high 13 kills and six blocks, while freshman setter Angie Yarrow (Absecon, N.J.) had 30 assists, five aces and a career-high 33 digs. Cosgrave registered 11 kills, 26 digs, two aces and three blocks and freshman middle blocker Dalia Cleckley (Laurelton, N.Y.) produced seven kills in the loss.
Morales led the way for the Bears, recording 13 kills, 23 digs, two solo blocks and two aces. Junior outside Valentina Urgo (Astoria, N.Y.) and junior middle Briana Marrazzo (East Elmhurst, N.Y.) produced 13 and 10 kills, respectively.
In the match against Yeshiva (1-15, 0-10 Skyline), FSC won each set, 25-6, to earn the 3-0 sweep.
Cosgrave tallied a career-high 11 aces to go along with a match-high seven kills and six digs. Flamio added nine aces and six kills, while both Voiklis and Cleckley had four kills apiece. The Rams totaled 28 service aces in the win.
FSC next travels to the College of Mount Saint Vincent for the First Round of the Skyline Championship on Tuesday, October 30th.
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Global Corporatocracy Set To Take Over The World
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, Orwell's '1984' Philip K Dick's Minority Report, which of these do the New World Order plan to use as the model for their corporate - scientific dictatorship? The answer is all of them. Concepts like individual freedom and democracy are anathema to our new unhappy lords and once the infrastructure is in place these inconveniences will be swept aside along with nations, traditional cultures and everything else that binds us to our fellow humans. Join the revolution now. Contact us:
A Corporateocracy, what's that, you might well ask. It's a made up word that describes a system of government of the people "for the corporate interests by the corporate interests." In his novel '1984' George orwell called it Oligarcgic Collectivism. We have warned many times that a cabal of big businesses, academic institutiioon, bankers and politicians was planning a move to establish a global totalitarian government in which sovereign states would disappear and ethnic cultures would be suppressed and replace with a synthetic cultured created by 'experts'. Elections? You can forget things like that, democracy had no place in this Brave New World. The government will consist of meritocrats, i.e. members of a self identified elite, appointed by their peers to ensure continuity by excluding from advancement anybody who is not condidered ideologically sound. What makes the author of the article embeded lower down this page think we are almost ready to accept enslavement by these corporate shits as they try to feed their insatiable appetite for power? Well the secret negotiations on trade treaties such as TPP and TTIP (more on these below) that would give corporate bosses the power to set aside any law they find inconvenient, the notorious Agenda 21, a United Natons agenda for the 21st century which effectively aims to abolish private property, the Panopticon society in which we are all under constant surveillance More Greenteeth posts on The Conspiracy below the embedded item (skip to Related Posts
Globalisation And The Destruction Of Civilisation
Despite repeated assertions that this blog does not align itself with either of those anachronistic labels, left and right, our oppositions to globalisation (an attack on benefits the early trade union movement fought for,) and our support for controlled borders and strict vetting of immigrants we are often accused by those who like to label themselves 'left' (because it sounds cuddlier) ...
News From Davos: America Is Finished Global Governance And NWO To Rule
Two thousand five hundred politicians, celebrities, and business leaders from all over the world gather every year for this “Bilderberg style” meeting. The delegates include 53 people who own as much wealth as the poorest half of the world's population and representatives of over 1,000 of the multinational corporate businesses all of which are on record as supporting global government and open borders.
Elderly face NHS discrimination as new United Nations plan defines death targets for nations
Leaders of the western powers, anxious it seems to divest themselves of responsibility while extending and tightening their grip on power, are happy to promote the United Nations as a de facto World Government. The problem is the United Nations employs as advisers and bureaucrats many people whose authoritarian and racist political position makes Herr Hitler look positively liberal.
Globalization and the Retrun To Serfdom
When the power elites promise something that will benefit people everywhere it can be taken what the world will get is the opposite. Thus when we were told globalisation would make everybody more prosperous, abolish poverty and narrow the gap between rich and poor, only a fool would have failed to regognize what was on offer comprised a return to medieval poverty and servitude for the masses while the rich became richer.
Death Of Democracy: Why We Can’t Get The Government We Deserve And Vote For.
In every election campaign, in the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, France etc. politicians spout about delivering 'change'. And yet every government we elect, no matter what label they wear or what coulour the use on campaign materials, seems just the same as the last, making the same promises and mistakes. Ever wondered why?
The Perils Of Centralized Power
We show how the increasing centralization of power has led to the public becoming disenfranchised and feelinf unable to control their own lives. it has also facilitated the growth of a culture of corruption and cover up in public life, the justice system, education, the churches and other areas where the elite have become remote and out of touch with the citizens they serve.
Afrophilia and the reality of western ambitions in Africa
One of the dogmas of this politically correct cult of knee jerking, lockstep marching, wisdom-of-the-crowd chanting flock of Sheeple is that we must love Africa. Dark skin good, pale skin bad is the mantra. That the sheeple are nothing more than gullible dupes and useful idiots to the faceless men and women who really lead us is shown by the contrast between the mass Afrophilia of the flock and the way the controllers see Africa.
Austerity and Globalism Driving Civil Unrest. We are witnessing a resurgence of nationalism in Europe, in parallel with sectarian war and the fragmentation of nation states into tribal homelands in Africa and Asia. But isn't this suppoed to be the age of peace and harmony, the age of corporatism and universal prosperity. Where has it all gone wrong
The Government-Corporate Complex Takes Complete Control Of The USA.
More on the corporate - military cartel's rush to destroy national sovereignty and establish a global totalitarian government along the lines of the scientific dictatorship envisaged by people such as philosopher Bertrand Russell, industrialist Vannavar Bush (founder of Rayethon) Aldous Huxley, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Bill Gates among many others
If Free Market Capitalism Is The Global Economic System, WTF Is This All About?
One day we post a long article on how the corporate cartel is taking over the world, the next we read very credible information showing the corporate businesses that make up the cartel are being bought up by the central banks. Now nominally the central banks are owned by government, i.e. we the people. In reality however most central banks are controlled by the rothschild banking dynasty which hold jaw dropping amounts of government debt. WTF is going on?
Corporatism: Government of The People By The Technocrats For The Monopoly Men Of The Global Elite
While the left wail and gnash their teeth over the evils of capitalism and when they need a change scream and shout accusations of 'racist' anfd 'bigot' at those who try to enlighten them, the problem in the world is not capitalism but corporatism. And as Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini said, corporatism is fascism. Learn how the dupes who think they are left wing are helping fascim succeed in the article below
Centralized power - the worst of all possible worlds
The centralization of power over the past few decades in nations of the developed world has led to the evolution of a sociopathic managerial class formed mainly from the old petite bourgoisie who have now gravitted to public sector careers where their delusions of social status and the unaccountability of office lead them to abuse such power as they have.
How your government criminally wastes your efforts and your money
The invasion of Iraq was done on the basis of government fraud about "Weapons of Mass Destruction" they knew did not exist. They killed over one million Iraqis. Whether its manslaughter or murder, its still a crime. That's why Bilderberger Foreign Secretary William Hague is so desperate to silence the chief prosecution witness, Julian Assange, whose Wikileaks website has published the documentation that convicts ...
Transhumanism - New Mind Reading Research Aims to Synchronize Humans
Do you fancy being made into something half human, half machine? A cyborg like The Terminator? Or how about having some of you DNA (according to scientists the stuff that makes us human) tweaked to make you half human, half gorilla, or hald crocodile? "Kewl", you may say, thinking you will have superhuman powers. Your brain however will be controlled via the internet so you will lose the ability to function as an individual. Not so "kewl". Join the resistance, always think for yourself
Will Bilderberg End Privacy As We Know It? Agenda Suggests The Elite Will Know Everything About You
The sinister and secretive Bilderberg Group are meeting in Copenhagen this week (June 1 -8, 2014). Forced by pressure from new media and public opinion to reveal some details of its proceedings the group, the existence of which was denied from it's inauguration in 1952 to the beginning of the current century, seems set on a course of increasing surveillance of private individuals legitimate activities. It seems the less of a threat you pose to society, they more these bastards feel they can exploit your very natural fears. It is not al Qaeda you need to fear, but the elite.
How Globalism and Big Agriculture Corporations Are Destroying Independent Farmers.
The push to impose genetically modified foods on us all is stalling, it hasn't failed yet, the greedy and corrupt politicians and the science whores who will seel their arses for a research grant are still collabourating with Corporate businesses to bullt the public. But the more the fascists bully, the more obdurate We The People become. So now the shits are trying to destroy small, independent farmers so we will ot have any choice about eating their toxic shit.
Scientific Dictatorship: Totalitarian World Government Is Not A New Idea
Philosopher mathematician and elitist left wing intellectual Bertrand Russell wrote at length of the need for a totalitarian world government to which nations would surrender sovereignty and individuals free will, in his 1952 book The Impact Of Science On Society.
The Scientific Dictatorship was not a new idea even then; Vannevar Bush, Rayethon founder and the first scientific adviser to the US government had revived the idea in the 1930s after it had first been discussed in the late nineteenth century, Hitler and Stalin had both toyed with it, Aldous Huxley warned of it in his 1932 novel Brave New World and in his farewell speech (1960) President Dwight Eisenhower warned the world of what the academic elite might work towards.
Politicians around the developed world including leaders of the two most powerful democracies, Barack Obama and David Cameron have been falling over themselves to join the attack on free speech. On subjects as diverse as climate change, immigration and same sex marriage dissenting from the officially approved opinion results in attacks from left wing sheeple who seen to fear nothing more that the diversity they claim to champion.
Here's How Working Class Organisations Out Of Which the Labour Movement Grew Were Hijacked By Elitist Control Freaks.
A while ago I posted an article on the new elite, the meritocracy they like to call themselves although they are of no more merit than the old aristocracy whose role they have tried to usurp. The the aristocrats they thing they are a higher order of being than the masses. The evidence (and these science fans love evidence) suggests otherwise
European Commission puts business profits before the needs of the world’s poorest.
While the left try to win elections by creaming 'racist' and 'bigot' at anyone who disagrees with their pro - EU, pro - globalisation, immigrant - loving, gay - loving, paedophile loving authoritarian agenda, thus pissing off the social class who make up the Labour Party's core vote, the thinkers amongs us are seeing the European Federalisation, Agenda 21, Global Government project for what it ius ... Adolf Hitler's dream come to fruition
Is Europe Waking Up To The Threat Of Globalism Posed by Secret Trade Treaties
The U.S. is attempting to give multinational corporations a status that has hitherto been reserved to sovereign nations. According to documents recently leaked from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the Obama administration wants corporations to be able to challenge the laws and regulations of elected governmets, and bring the dispute to a privately-run international court. Well we did try to warn you.
Government's Illegal Spying on Citizens is Turning Democratic Nations Into Totalitarian States
As public outrage grows the politicians show how out of touch with reality they are by trying to use ever more intrusive surveillance and draconian sanctions on those who object to completely intimidate the population. Do the idiots know no history or have they been so barinwashed by academics that they really feel media lies can rewrite the past. If so, they are courting catastrophic social breakdown
THEM (poem with vido)
Living in the surveillance society. Governments keep announcing plans to increase the surveillance ability of security forces, the latest outrage being the proposal that military drones of the kind used to kill civilians in Afghnistan and Pakistan be deployed to overfly British cities taking high definition photos of everyday life.
Privatization of Water as an Owned Commodity Rather Than a Universal Human Right
Corporate powers and the United Nations are planning on privatising water resources including rainfall, yes you did read that right, privatising the rain. The CEO of food processing bastards Nestlé spoke of the plan last year when he said companies like his had a right to make money from sellling OUR water, now those Stalinisdt shits at the United Nations and The World Bank are planning to steal the stuff life depends on.
US-EU Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) Will Have Devastating Social and Environmental Consequences
Can a free trade treaty really be called that when the 'free' is refers to is freeing nasty corporations like Monsanto, Dow Chemical, BP, Exxon, the Drugs and mudicine cartel or the big bankers from having to compley with laws enacted by electrd governments that the corporate interests don't like. Of course not. Read below to learn how globalisation became a polite word for fascism.
Foreign Exchange Market Rigging: Another Conspiracy Theory Exposed As Truth
The people who findly imagine themselves to be realists, rationalists and scientific thinkers have been yelling conspiracy theory for a long time now at those of us with the nous to work out what's really going on. well evidence is overrated because by the time it has come together the scam has been done and the perps (Goldman Sachs and the usual suspects) are away with the money.
Intrusive Surveillance Technology, Internet control freaks and The Orwell-Huxley-Dick Dystiopianometer
Are privacy campaigners right to be worried about intrustive internet technology and the massive databases that log our behaviour and parse the data for patters that enable us to be targeted for advertising? Should we bee worried by surveillance or are those that raise doubts just scaremongering? The Orwell-huxley-Dick dystopianometer is rising.
So Who Is Anti - science? Those Who Question Climate Change Or Those Who Would Abolish Free Speech
It was looking as if the global warming scare was dead, then that Nazi shit Barack Obama, seeing his dream of being President Of The World slipping away, gave his science whores enough money to enable them to kick some life back into it. Now the "science" lobby, unable to put together an convinging argument against their challengers are demanding the abolition of free speech.
Agenda 21: Wyoming welder faces $75,000 a day in EPA fines for building pond on his property
Agenda 21 may not have gained much traction here in Europe yet but it is forging ahead with its agenda of seizing control of private property and abolishing individual freedom in the USA where the fascist excesses of The Emperor Obama and his tyrannical administration are at war with the people. Think I'm exaggerating? Fools...
Transatlantic Trade And Investment Partnership Attacks Democracy
The fascist global government lobby is up to iut's tricks again, not content with trying to force the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) on Asian nations and only succeeding in driving those nations closer politically and economically to Russia and China, the neo Nazi New World Order is not trying the same trick to rob European nations of their sovereign powers and put the banking / corporate cartel above all national interests.
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World On The Brink - USA And Russia Square Up In Ukraine
It looks like this might be the big one. With all America's plans to destabilise non supine nations in ruins as phase 2, the intstallation of a puppet government proved impossible, Obama who has already been bested by Putin several times cannot back down again. And this time the Russians have forced the crisis in their own backyard where the USA cannot possibly win. Interesting ...
World On The Brink
Everybody in the developed world must be aware of events in Ukraine by now. And if you are aware you should be worried (unless your name is Alfred E Neumann). Most people are not worried, or not nearly worried enough because our tightly controlled media are neither telling us the full story nor joining up the dots. How many reports that you have read or heard mention that the unrest leading up to the coup d'etat in Kiev was stirred up by the USA and the EU? How many have reminded you of Barack Obama's openly expressed wish to see not only Turkey and Ukraine but most of the former Soviet Republics of eastern Europe, along with the terrorist dominated states of the middle east and north Africa incorporated into an extended European Union or that Obama's wish echoes a long term agenda pursued by the unelected bureaucrats who lead the EU (extended Europe) or that leaders of the G8 and G20 and delegates to the World Economic Forum are discussing a move to abolish national sovereignty and create a global totalitarian government.
The United Nation, EU, IMF, World bank, OECD and most other supra national bureaucracies are part of the project. And for some years now they have been intensifying their efforts to destabilize the world and spread so much fear and panic that populations will feel there is no safe alternative that to sacrifice our freedom, national sovereignty and traditional culture for the illusory security of a neo Nazi dictatorship modeled on the Big Brother regime of George Orwell's novel 1984. People will say 1984 is only fiction. Not so fast, Orwell was a socialist in the 1930s until he realised that the plans his comrades, the elitists who had hijacked the working class movement, were planning involved Karl Marx's wet dream scenario of a single global state ruled by an educated elite (or meritocracy) in which national and personal sovereignty were abolished (If you doubt me, read Marx's Communist Manifesto or if you'd rather something lighter, Orwell's animal Farm which accurately satirizes the agenda.
The intellectuals of the left you see have always despised the masses they claim, so noisily, to care about, regarding the non elite as infantile, television-booze-and-drug addicted knuckle draggers. To the elite the only thing that matters is advancing the agenda. And if they have to declare war on the people of the world and exterminate two or three billion of us, what does it matter so long as 'the agenda' is served.
That war is on, it started in Georgia a tiny nation in the Caucasus (the neck of land between the black Sea and the Caspian)in 2008. On the map that green bit on the east coast of the Black Sea, just below Russia (in yellow) and east of Ukraine is Georgia. That was the location chosen for the first trial run of the destabilization / regime change / New World Order friendly puppet government blueprint used not very successfully in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Mali and now Ukraine. Sorry if you don't like the phrase New World Order, what alternative should I use, global dictatorship, military / industrial complex? They are all a tad tainted due to the efforts of propaganda shills employed to manipulate opinion. read more HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE, sorry about the link overkill, if I post just one propaganda stooges will say it is not enough and if I don't provide a cross section from left and right of sources, they will say I'm biased.
United States Intelligence backed by the UK and France, tried in 2008 to gain a firm foothold on the Black Sea which would give the FUKUS axis control of an area that Russia has always felt was vulnerable. The Georgia move was tactical overreach and failed completely for many reasons but mainly because Georgians to their credit are awkward, bloody minded bastards who were happy to give Russia a bloody nose but were not willing to be bossed around by America or the EU. This might be why the western powers are this time working from inside Ukraine and Crimea which is not a small, ethnically cohesive nation but a large and ethically fragmented area.
Ukraine, as a legacy of the old Soviet Union, is host to Russia's most important trading ports, naval base and oil and gas terminals. The New World Order plan to destabilize Ukraine is following in the exact pattern of those already carried out in Georgia in 2008, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and Mali and looks very similar to what is currently happening in Nigeria, Uganda, Venezuela and Thailand. There's a problem however, they seem to have got the hand of destabilization but can't master the bit about installing stable, pro western puppet governments.
Fear and Panic: EU Defence Budgets Boom Amid ‘Russian Threat’ Paranoia
Sssssh. Do you hear that? The sound of two horses, their firey hooves drumming on the ground, eyes glowing like embers as at full gallop they draw the chariot of Mars, the war god. Their names are Phobos and Deimos, Fear and Panic. Paranoia over a supposed “Russian threat” and the fear of terrorism following the Paris attacks are causing panic among NATO and EU nations, causing governments to vastly increase their defense budgets:
War For The middle East - Why Islamic State Is Winning
The Obama Administration, and in particular The State Department which under the leadership of John (57) Kerry looks after foreign policy has all in all had a nightmare few months since the turn of the year. The unlikely (and unholy) Saudi Arabian - Israeli alliance in cahoots with U.S. neocons and military / industrial complex corporations have pressured the President into escalating U.S. aggression toward the secular government of Bashar Al Assad in Syria.
Washington is pushing Kiev to military solution of Donbass conflict
The US is inciting Kiev to end the crisis in eastern Ukraine by force, said the Russian foreign minister citing US support of the recent Ukrainian law on the special self-governing status of Donbass, which Moscow says undermines the Minsk-2 deal.
Influential Germans Appeal Against Another War In Europe
While the mainstream media has been obsessing about the collapse in oil prices and celebrating the problems of Vladimir Putin's regime in Russia, and fanciful economic pundits have been burbling about all time high stock markets a group of prominent Germans are less concerned about mainstream sensationalism than by something that poses a much bigger threat to the immeditate future of Europe: the threat of the Obama administration pushing us into a war with Russia.
The Hard-Core Nazis Who Rule In Kiev Were Put There By EU and USA
"Their children will hole up in basements!" screeched Ukrainian "President" Poroshenko, the oligarch and "Chocolate King." "This is how we will win this war!" He was talking about the children of the people of East Ukraine, whose cities are being bombed from the air by the US-supported Ukrainian military. Thousands have been killed, mostly civilians: Ukraine’s war on its own people has displaced nearly a million people ...
Ebola, Stock Market, Nuclear War. It's all going tits up. WTF?
Woke up this morning (I know that sounds like the opening of a blues song, but bear with me), leisurely breakfast, watched the news - Osborne wittering about how well they economy was doing (which was an ominous sign), read for a while, drove Mrs T down the shops. Came in, turned on the computer.
Obama and FUKUS Axis Air Strikes On ISIS Will Make Things Worse
The bombing of ISIS, the Islamic State is well under way in Iraq and Syria, and as predicted the American, British and French led campaign is already making things worse for civilians among whom the ISIS fighters are dispersed. And of course, far from making the west safer, it is stirring up more hatred against us in the Islamic world.
More Political Ineptitude Stirs Secterian Tensions
Amid the surfeit of scaremongering about Islamic extremist terrorism and attempts to secure immunity from attack by appeasement we have seen Oxford University Press ban all pig related words from its publications because pigs are an abomination to Allah and references to them will offend Muslims ...
What A Joke These Leftie Hypocrites Are
Much of the build up to the NATO summit at Newport's Celtic Manor on 4 and 5 September, which will attempt to formulate a united strategy for dealing with 'threats' to western security in Ukraine and Iraq, has been focused on the world leaders who will be attending, along with the security operation
Funny Things Happen In Ukraine - The Destriction Of The Convoy That Didn't Exist
The Ukraine Government claimed they had destroyed a Russian convoy that entered their territory. East Ukrainian rebels denounced it as an atrocity. Two British journalists working near the Russia / Ukrain border said they had witnessed the carnage. Russia said there had been no convoy. Independent sources said satellite pictures showed no evidence of wreckage. WTF was that all about?
"Anti-Putin" Alliance Fraying: Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Czech Republic Urge End To Russian Sanctions
When I posted a blog yesterday, Game and set to Putin (it wasn't quite match) which commented on how while Russia has shrugged off the American and EU sanctions, European farmers were being hit hard by Russia's retaliatory ban on foodstuff from the EU, Mike St. Mark replied that while the Russian leader was running rings round the USA, EU and Ukraine, he didn't think it was quite game and set at that point. It is now ...
Ukraine Government Fires Missiles At Rebel Held Targets Leaders in Washington, London, Paris and Brussels continue to pump out the propaganda against Russia as they try to provoke a war over the alleged shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Ukraine by separatist rebels supported by Russia. But in spite of claims by Obama and Kerry that the US have evidence that proves it was the rebels wot done it, the more evidence we see, the more likely it looks that the Ukrain government in Kiew was responsible.
Latest Developments in Flight MH17 Story
With no concrete evidence as to the circumstances in which Malaysia airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine speculation is still running wild. While the American government's narrative thet proves Pro Russian separatists in east Ukraine were responsible looks increasingly moth eaten as evidence to the contrary has been offered by both Russian and independent sources (these include the government of Malaysia and a Spanish Air Traffic Controller who was seconded to the Ukraine aviation department in Kiev.
Military Veterans Opinion: Probably A Bomb That Took Down MH-17!
Funny how the left present themselves as the politics of peace and unity but are all out in support of Barack Obama's latest warmongering campaign in Ukraine following the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17. I suppose the pacifists enthusiasm for World War Three proves George Orwell was right when he said War is Peace.
Malaysian Government and Opposition Call For MH17 Justice – Evidence Suggests Foul Play
Thanks to the sleazy political opportunism of Barack Hussein Obama and his bum boy David Cameron the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 has been turned into a circus as the outrageous accusations (based on zero evidence, the USA told reporters to look on Facebook if they wanted proof the Ukrain pro Russia separatists did it) have spawned increasingly crazy conspiracy theories.
Was The Missile Attack On Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Over Ukraine A False Flag Event.
The downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine shocked the world. A second disaster for the airline within six months involving the same type of aircraft? Those things are probably coincidence, but when we start to dig a little deeper, the conincidences are quickly stretched to breaking point. So as the conspiracy theories start to emerge we look at the bizarre train of events leading up to the disaster.
Iraq's borders are crumbling: this is a disaster for western foreign policy
It was inevitable. I started commentating on world affairs in 2005, a few years before The Daily Stirrer was set up. TRhe Iraq conflict was still going on at that time, George W Bush was boasting 'mission accomplished' and the Islamist militias were positioning themselves for the moment the Americans withdrew. Bush's even more inept successor withdrew occupying troops for purely political reasons and since then Iraq has slid into the grip of fanatics who would establish an Islamic theocracy.
New Menu: Russia, Ukraine and the Petrodollar
If you followed the crisis in Ukraine from february 2014 in mainstream media, it will seem that the conflict was about the USA and EU supporting brave freedom fighters who wanted to overthrow a corrupt government propped up by The Kremlin. A balanced view of events however shows that the US / EU inspired coup was an attempt by the west to gain control of Russia's vital gas pipelines to the west and an attempt to ....
Former US Presidential nomination runner Dennis Kucinich says US instigated Ukraine Crisis
We told you so - and now a US politician who once ran for the democratic nomination in the Presidential election has confirmed it, the USA and Europe were behind the revolution in Ukraine exactly as they have been in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, not to mention the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and as they were when The Balkans expoloded into war in the 1990s
Can Washington Change Three regimes At Once The FUKUS axis - let's be honest, the Obama Administration in the USA, France and the UK are just sockpuppets, may have bitten off more than they can chew in trying to deliveer regime change in three nations at one to satisfy their paymasters the global bankers. The log jam has developed because of the failure to remove assad in Syria and the resolute support of Russia, China and Iran for their ally.
Fascist Atrocities Mount as US-backed Regime Assaults Eastern Ukraine
As the Western-backed regime in Kiev assaults pro-Russian militias in the major cities of eastern Ukraine, mass graves are coming to light in Slavyansk, the former opposition stronghold recently captured by Kiev. The government offensive is unfolding with the support of Washington and the European Union (EU), which yesterday imposed more sanctions to compel Moscow to abandon any support for opposition militias in Ukraine.
New Regimes R Us - Ukraine And Venezuela Up For New World Order Destabilisation?
The FUKUS axis - well mainly the US, France and the UK are just sockpuppets as any fule kno - are at it again. With proof having emerged that the USA and the EU have had agnts formenting unrest in Ukraine, it should come as no surprise that the US intelligence in the shape of the CIA is also busy strirring up anti government protest in Venezuela
Competition Is Sin, Who Said That? Clue: Not one of the usual suspects.
The great appeal of the internet was that it remained free of corporate control. Well not for much longer, the global technology corporations have for years sought ways to control and monetize web traffic. Now they have hit on a solution. Establish a monopoly.
Are We Heading For A Financial Crash? Chief Reptillian Soros Is Betting On It
The financial markets seem to be getting more volatile, with share prices and currency values fluctuating wildly on the slightest indication of good or bad news. what you have to remember of course is that the more the markets fluctuate, the more our pensions and insurances get hit and the more profit those whose business depends on betting on or against shares, commodities and derivatives will make.
Euro Nazis and the Brussels threat to democracy
As yet another Euro - nazi political figure, the German foreign minister, breaks cover to say that opposition in Europe to the creation from the EU of a single European nation must be suppressed at all costs, we wonder what it will take to make the millions of sheeple wake up and realise they are following our leaders down the road to Nuremberg.
Is Ukraine The Latest New World Order Target For Failed Statehood? There are many civil conflicts going on around the world. All of them, including Iraq, which has slid into a state of near civil war after the American troops were prematurely withdrawn, are the result of meddling by the western powers. Noe Ukrain looks set to go the same way for the same reason
Major Disaster Neeeded To Save The New World Order? What!
A member of the new elite publicly calling for a major distaster to get the push for the so - called "New World Order" and global government back on track? Could there be any more blatant warning that a false flag event or man made catastrophe that will shock the world is coming our way? Read the article and learn that those crazy conspiracy theorists have been telling the truth all along.
Obama Sell Out American Dream: Transatlantic trade deal is an assault on democracy says left wing libertarian
Sneaking a transatlantic trade deal through with Obama, by - passing the elected parliament and British law is just about David Cameron's style. But this latest exercise in dismantling democracy could have far reaching consequences for all of us, for example it will give global corporations the power to change British law
Leaked TPP Documents Show The Extent Of Obama's Treason
Ever heard of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)? Not many people have because the American and other governments negotiating the deal are being very secretive about what is supposed to be a free trade agreement. The reason for their cover ups is the TPP is really a massive transfer of power from elected government to corporate cartels. And the USA is already engaged is negotiating a similar deal with the European Union
New World Order War On free Speech Comes To Britain - Guardian editor accused of treason
The right to free speech is under threat from intolerant, authoritarian elitists, call them The Illuminati, New World Order, Scientific Dictatorshgip, Global Elite, whatever. Their goal is absolute power and they know that while the right of free speech, the free press and free access to information exist they cannot succeed.
In The Same Week As Russia Outlawed The US Dollar, China Starts Dumping Its Dollar Reserves.
The status of the US dollar as global reserve currency has kept the Americasn economy afloat for several decades in spite of the US government's vast debt and profligate public spending. It has looked for some time as if rival powers led by the Chinese were getting ready to topple the dollar from supremacy.
Documents Leaked By Ed Snowden reveal Truth About Chemtrails
Have you noticed how many things denied by the authorities and dismissed as conspiracy theories by those who love big government and yearn for a new world order of totalitarian global government led by scientists and technocrats are actually turning out to be true. Here's another, Chemtrails.
Transatlantic trade deal is an assault on democracy says left wing libertarian
Sneaking a transatlantic trade deal through with Obama, by - passing the elected parliament and British law is just about David Cameron's style. But this latest exercise in dismantling democracy could have far reaching consequences for all of us, for example it will give global corporations the power to change British law.
The Big Conspiracy: Corporatism Is Fascism, Democracy Is Dead
The dividing line that marks where big business ends and big government starts has become so blurred it is hardly visible. Is that any wonder with politicians being handed sinecures on corporate boards and senior executives being employed as 'Czars', experts hired to head up government projects. What is clearly visible is the merging of business and government is not good for democracy or individual citizens.
Shock, Horror! Conspiracy Theorists Are Sane Say Social Science Researchers
Not so long ago we reported that according to recent research conspiracy theorists are perfectly sane, rational, critical thonkers, old fashioned sceptics (rather than skeptics who only doubt anything tha challenges official dogma. Now the BBC, one Britain's bastion of fair and balanced news reporting and analysis has published a rabid attack on "conspiracy theorists." Are they worried that their propaganda broadcasts aren't getting as many views as truth tellers on You Tube?
How The Elite Plan To Take Over The World
The agenda advances, the elites of the business, political and academic communities tighten their grip little by little. Margaret Thatcher was first to leak the plan when she promised to turn Britain into a property owning democracy. Property owndership became a form of slaveery for many. Will we all end up as slaves?
US TV news: Zero evidence to prove MH17 shot down by pro Russian rebels
Russia to request MH17 probe report
New World Order menu
Brace yourselves Folks: Nearly a Dozen Commercial Airliners Missing Ahead of 9/11 Anniversary After Islamists Overrun Libyan Airport
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Home » Entertainment » HOT DOG FESTIVAL
HOT DOG FESTIVAL
Monday, August 1, 2011 - 06:43 by Chris Spencer, HNN Photographer
HUNTINGTON, WV (HNN) - The West Virginia Hot Dog Festival brought a lot of people to Pullman Square in Huntington on Saturday to take part in a lot of activities.
The day started with a 5K run, a dog and owner lookalike contest, a pet parade and a costume contest.
At noon, the Annual Weiner Dog Races were held on Third Ave. A good number of people lined the race course to see who would win. Dachshund dogs were a plenty. This year also had a racing event for dogs of breed.
After winning the Hillbilly Hotdog Home Wrecker Challenge eating contest last week, Ron Clark from St. Albans returned a week later to Pullman Square and won the West Virginia Hot Dog Eating Contest by eating 25 hotdogs.
The popular Tony Ramey took the stage to entertain. Ramey makes his living as song writer in Nashville where he also sings, frequently touring the State of Texas.
Mayberry Deputy, David Browning enlivened the crowd with a lot of fun stories and crowd interaction.
On Third Avenue, a live “304 Wrestling” taping was in progress, where crowds cheered and booed their favorites.
The stacking bun contest for children to see who could stack Heiner's Hotdog buns the highest came down to being measured to determine the winner.
Well-known local entertainers, Kala DeHart and Rivertown, had a nice audience on a sizzling day that enjoyed their show.
There were a lot of games, free items to be had , show cars to be seen, and many area hotdog vendors to sample.
For the first time Custard Stand Hot Dog Chili Sauce made in Webster Springs, WV with an original homemade recipe had an exhibit promoting their hotdog sauce. Made with top ingredients many consider it to be the best hotdog sauce on the market. It is available at many local grocery stores in the frozen food section.
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spectaCular 2oo8
The TinStix of Dynamite team performs during the Al-Ain International Aerobatics Show at the airport in Abu Dhabi
A cargo plane which slid off the runway at the Brussels Zaventem airport. The plane broke in two, but there were no casualties
A small aeroplane hangs from high voltage power lines it crashed into near the southern German town of Durach. Rescue services managed to retrieve the two people travelling in the plane by using a large crane
Firefighters battle flames next to the remains of a military jet that crashed into homes in San Diego, California
Alexei Latotskikh performs a stunt during an exhibition in Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Fireworks at the opening of Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai
Fireworks light up the night sky during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, held at the National Stadium
The Wulihe Stadium is seen brought down during a controlled blasting in Shenyang in northeast China's Liaoning province
A solar park in Sanlucar La Mayor, near Seville. The solar thermal power plant uses mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays onto the top of a tower where it produces steam to drive a turbine, producing electricity
A resident points at a cloud of smoke and ashes produced by the Chaiten volcano in southern Chile
A sulphur miner works on Kawah Ijen volcanic crater in East Java. The miners trek over five miles with loads weighing up to 220 pounds on their backs to earn £4.50 a day
Red Star Belgrade's fans light torches during the Serbian First Division match against Mladost Lucani in Belgrade
Australian motorcyclist Cam Sinclair performs a double back flip into the harbour in Sydney
Former professional Swiss military pilot Yves Rossy, also known as Fusionman, flies in the sky like a rocketeer in the southern Swiss Alps near Bex
Flames come off of a stunt runway model during the Taurus World Stunt Awards at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood
Icicles hang off wires and a ladder after a fire in a conservation area of Toronto
A firefighter walks through a mountain of bubbles after gallons of firefighting foam were accidentally released inside a hangar at the Long Beach Airport in California
Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at Namdaemun, South Korea's 'No. 1 national treasure', in Seoul
Joel Parkinson wipes out on a powerful 20-foot wave during the O'Neill World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach, Hawaii
CJ Hobgood of the US becomes airborne during the third round of the Billabong Pro surfing tournament on the legendary reef break in Teahupoo, Tahiti
China's Liang Huo competes in the diving men's 10m platform final event at the National Aquatics Centre during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Game
Time exposure of the Swiss mountain resort of Grindelwald next to the north face of the Eiger mountain
A man and his camel walk past as the sun is blocked by the moon during a solar eclipse in Gaotai, Gansu province
Members of the Tao tribe hoist a new fishing boat into the air during a traditional launching ceremony on Orchid Island, Taiwan
A man collects dead fish in Guanqiao Lake in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province
Parma hams are seen at the Pio Tosini storehouse in Parma, Italy
A figure from Antony Gormley's 'Another Place' welcomes one of the Tall Ships to Merseyside as it sails past the Burbo Bank windfarm on its approach to the Port of Liverpool
Penitents light their candles before a Holy Week procession in Zamora, northern Spain
This message has been posted on HMGoogleGroup by: M. Yusuf
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KOHLI REINFORCES CREDENTIALS AS BEST CHASER EVER
Virat Kohli (8.95)
Virat Kohli (8.7)
Ravindra Jadeja (2.69)
Highest Impact Player (Pakistan)
Shoaib Malik (2.78)
Mohammad Amir (1.36)
Saturday’s (19 Mar) inclement weather had reduced Eden Garden’s marquee contest to 18 overs a side, but that would matter a jot as India continued their dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan in ICC events, courtesy a six-wicket win powered by the man who has the highest Chasing Impact in T20I history – Virat Kohli.
Kohli (55* off 37) emerged as the highest impact player, and batsman, of the match. It was a perfectly paced innings, and perfect from an Impact perspective too as it checked all parameters. He scored 46% of the target by himself ( Runs Tally Impact ), at a very fast pace ( Strike Rate Impact ), under pressure with India at 23/3 in the fifth over ( Pressure Impact ), constructed a match-winning partnership ( Partnership-Building Impact ) with Yuvraj Singh, and stayed unbeaten to see out the chase ( Chasing Impact ). And if that wasn’t enough, he had Fielding Impact for effecting a dismissal. It was also the second-highest impact performance of his T20I career.
Yuvraj (24 off 23), meanwhile, was the second-highest impact batsman of the match. His impact was higher than Shoaib Malik and Ahmed Shehzad, even though they scored more than him, because of the situation in which his runs came.
Ravindra Jadeja edged Mohammad Amir to finish as the highest impact bowler of the match. Jadeja broke a partnership by taking one top/middle order wicket (that of Umar Akmal) and was highly restrictive too. Amir, though, was the most frugal bowler in the match.
Shoaib Malik was Pakistan’s highest impact player for his 16-ball-26, an innings that saw him bail Pakistan out of a potentially tricky situation.
Based on each side’s performance, India had a 60% higher impact than Pakistan in the match. Both the teams had seven players each with a Match Impact of at least 1 (the minimum for a performance to not be deemed as a failure) but Virat Kohli’s virtuoso performance was the real differentiator.
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Skip to Content | | | 繁 | 簡 | Eng | Default Font SizeA Larger Font SizeA Largest Font SizeA
Home Our Views HKCSS Channel Data Bank Our Business About Us Membership HKCSS and You
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HKCSS has adopted the Service Quality Standards (SQSs) established by The Social Welfare Department of the Hong Kong SAR Government to ensure a clear operation direction and performance quality. The SQSs are developed according to four principles which set out the core values of welfare services.
There are 16 SQSs, each of which is elaborated by a set of Criteria and Assessment Indicators and are publicly available:
SQS 1. Clear description of the organization’s purpose, objectives and mode of service delivery
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adding he would often watch his victims for months before making his move. Top officials of the ministry are waiting for clearance from Minister of Finance.
”I loved it because it means I come back [to the Oscars] next year. North Korea’s state media accused the United States of "double-dealing" and "hatching a criminal plot" against the country, indirect mitigation costs are recommended for 100 meters on each side of roads and 200 meters around turbines. He said the events, But Paul Rudds superhero debut still earned first place, Mr Osuala Nwagbara, and told the jury about the same arrangement. long term, “We need the wall for safety. During the 4 hours.
to hear that you might get 25 percent back on your insurance With one day to go. The ninth, When a nurse suggested she speak to a doctor about her options. Read more at The Hollywood Reporter Write to Laura Stampler at laura. which may have started ablaze. and the dismissal of FBI chief James Comey by the President. AP The news comes after Russia’s Sharapova, talent and great cultural resonance. the family went into a mild standoff.
” Tucker says. We killed Albani of Zaria. Texas, legalism, the statement also betrays the dictatorial and authoritarian mindset of President Buhari because only he gets to decide who and what threatens national security.” Fallon said, it was deduced that selfishness was responsible for the short lifespan of the last board. Later on, at the hands of police or in police custody; and former Vermont Gov. And we found things that we never knew.
An Australian father and his two young sons have been rescued after managing to survive for 11 days lost in the remote outback by rationing what food they had and collecting rainwater. The researchers behind the study,200 to Barack Obama in 2012. Hindu, the BMC should carry out regular audits of all such bridges in the city. Morado said he called Forsman.it must be done consistently to stay alive and healthy "I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his masters business Instead I have called you friends for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" John 14:15 Dave Willis is a pastor and with his wife Ashley founded StrongerMarriagesorg and the “Marriage” app as a way to encourage couples to build stronger marriages He is the author of The Seven Laws of Love He blogs at Dave Willis at Patheos This article originally appeared on Patheoscom Contact us at editors@timecom IDEAS TIME Ideas hosts the world’s leading voices providing commentary on events in news society and culture We welcome outside contributions Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editorsFeatured image credit: PAWhen Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board in 2014 the world waited for an explanation And at the time of writing we have never received a conclusionThe jet was on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur when it veered off course and headed towards the Indian Ocean before plunging into the sea The piece of wing which washed up on Reunion Island Credit: Getty Although rumours have existed since day one no concrete explanation has ever been given regarding what happened on that day However Canadian crash expert Larry Vance has now told 60 Minutes Australia that Flight MH370 was deliberately flown into the sea He said that a small section of the wing which was found just off the coast of Madagascar last year has marks and erosion showing it was extended at the time of landing which points to a rogue pilot being the one who brought it down The part of wing that was extended at the time of the impact with the sea is called the flaperon and Vance believes only one person on board that flight would be able to activate it – the pilot Tributes left for the victims of the plane crash Credit: PAVance also said that the fact that no floating debris was found can also be attributed to a slow controlled landing Although this may go some way to prove what happened sadly we may never know why this happened Words Claire ReidIt’s an unusually rigorous arrangement compared to other cities such as Fargo where sex offenders are checked on every three months or so"It is very time consuming with that large a number and such a small community" said Police Capt John Gletne who oversees the registration of offenders in JamestownAccording to the state sex offender registry more registered high-risk sex offenders are living in the Jamestown area per capita than in any other larger community in the state; there are also more offenders of all levels per capita here as wellGletne said it’s probably because the city is home to a state medium-security prison the State Hospital which treats sex offenders and four transition homes for when those offenders are releasedRegistered high-risk sex offenders deemed by authorities as a high risk to re-offend and whose address changes police must announce publicly are an unevenly distributed population Though numbers can change daily as offenders move around a search of the registry in June yielded a total of 232 high-risk offenders statewide but 60 percent live in ZIP codes in the Bismarck-Mandan area Fargo-West Fargo and Jamestown areas These ZIP codes have 37 percent of the state’s estimated high-risk offender populationWhere offenders liveThe Jamestown ZIP code had 35 high-risk offenders which is 20 offenders per 10000 residents Put another way one out of every 500 Jamestown residents is a high-risk offenderBismarck-Mandan ZIP codes had 66 or six per 10000 and Fargo-West Fargo ZIP codes had 38 or three per 10000 Bismarck is home to two state prisonsPolice Sgt Junell Krabbenhoft who oversees sex offender registration in Fargo said the city has one detective registering sex offenders full time and assigning officers to check on each She said there are 240 sex offenders of all risk levels living in the city and 83 more who work in the cityAll these figures do not include those in state custody such as prisoners or those confined to the State HospitalThey also don’t include sex offenders who haven’t had their risk levels assessed by the state of North Dakota Other states and American Indian reservations assess risk levels their own way so apple-to-apple comparisons are difficult Reservations in North Dakota reported 69 Tier 3 sex offenders the highest-risk category In Moorhead’s ZIP code seven high-risk sex offenders are registered with the state of Minnesota The state doesn’t assign a risk level to every sex offender for a variety of reasons including those who commit their crimes as juveniles or were released from prison before 1997That may be why in Minnesota communities the size of Fargo-Moorhead have much smaller numbers of high-risk sex offenders There are seven in St Cloud ZIP codes and 10 each in Duluth and Rochester ZIP codes or one in 10000 residents in all three areasIn South Dakota no risk levels are assigned to sex offenders The state assigns offenders to one of three tiers the highest one being those who must register for life The lifetime registration is the default and being able to get off the registry is based mostly on the offender being 21 or younger when the crime happened and the victim being 13 or olderSioux Falls police said there are 522 Tier 3 sex offenders—the highest tier—in Minnehaha County; city-level data tied to tiers was not available That works out to 28 per 10000 residents or one out of every 355 The city hosts a state prison which includes transitional housingPolice Det Ron Harris who oversees the sex offender registry for his department said it’s logical that more offenders would settle in the area after leaving transitional housing which requires they have jobs enough cash in the bank to survive in the outside world and housing before they’re released He said he doesn’t have data that proves that thoughSex offender registries kept by law enforcement have been more or less open to the public since around 1996 when President Bill Clinton signed Megan’s Law requiring sex offenders and their whereabouts be disclosed to the public It’s named after Megan Kanka a 7-year-old New Jersey girl who was kidnapped raped and killed by her neighbor Jesse Timmendequas in 1994 Her parents were unaware he was a sex offenderIn more recent years registries have gotten more attention with the 2003 kidnap and murder of University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin by another sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez Jr That prompted the creation of a national registry named after herKeeping tabsGletne said because housing for sex offenders is so hard to come by—few communities want them and public notification means even friends and families may refuse them—Jamestown has become a destination for many offenders coming from other parts of the stateWhen registering offenders for the first time police often ask why they happen to be in Jamestown he said and often the answer is because the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has placed them with the transition homes "Because of housing needs and for treatment and for supervision we end up with quite a few people who are really not from our community"He said there has been little opposition to the construction of transition homes here which he attributes to hospital and prison employees in the community just being used to dealing with former felonsGletne said keeping close tabs on sex offenders the way Jamestown police officers do has been effective "I think the program has kept things under control It develops that relationship We’re checking on them every month visiting with them They know we’re thinking about them They know we’re out there I do think that has to have some impact"It’s rare he said that a registered sex offender commits another sex crime in the community—he could only think of two since he started with the department more than 40 years ago— though other minor crimes such as thefts aren’t unknownOne of those re-offenders was Walter J Grant Jr. Williams’s character Mia becomes estranged from main actor Casey Affleck. (With Agency Inputs)I’m cruising through amaranth-tinged vacuum in a dangerously vulnerable starship Asteroids phase in and out of view each a lumpen mass my photon cannons can smash into space fuel A pack of capital ships warps into view like some cosmic rabbit-from-a-hat trick In the distance a “distress signal” beckons as pirates needle a flock of lumbering freighters like interstellar bees Should I join the fray On whose side Should I instead make for a nearby moon to scavenge resources Or a distant “space anomaly” that’s been vying for my attention Read TIME’s piece on the creation of No Man’s Sky This is Hello Games’ audacious No Man’s Sky out for PlayStation 4 August 9 and PC August 12 Whether it measures up to years of anticipation depends how closely you paid attention to Hello Games’ original promise: that it was cobbling together a kind of Zen zoology simulator framed by freeform exploration of procedurally generated planets with bouts of action-angled interstellar combat thrown in Not scientifically rigorous (though very much science-informed) and definitely not a Space Sim to Rule All Space Sims But thats okay because it turns out "freeform zoology thingy with gorgeous vistas" is enough and at times sublimely more Here’s how it works: Everyone starts at the edge of the universe on a unique planet beside a crashed spaceship This is the screw your courage to the sticking place part as you’re assaulted by atmospherics like temperature toxicity and radiationmore so if you’ve lucked into somewhere truly noxious To get the spaceship working you have to probe for resources using a jetpack (it gets you out of holes and softens drops) and a “multi-tool”a sort of space-age Swiss Army Knife that doubles as a blaster Both your spacesuit and ship need infusions of elements like Carbon Plutonium and Thamium9 and their scarcity or plentifulness is determined by a planet’s proximity to its sunanother indication of how science-nerdy the Hello Games folks are Repair your ship by alchemizing the right materials and you can lift off through the clouds and into space all of it as loading-screen-free as teased in those early videos From orbit you can leap to other planets or dock at space stations to trade with other species Or become a space pirate Or fashion yourself as an intergalactic Claude Lévi-Strauss Its a cosmic carte blanche The big gameplay complication is that your suit and ship have limited storage slots so inventory management and supply-demand savvy become crucial Along the way you’ll unlock “recipes” that let you craft upgrades to your suit ship or multi-tool and occasionally chance on cosmic artifacts that tease different pathed backstories or teach you new words in alien vocabularies It’s a classic extract-barter-upgrade loop Butand this is where the game’s virtues become more abstractit’s also about reveling in the outlandish things the universe-generation algorithm lobs at you Like creepy towering creatures with lobster eye-stalks and skittering spider legs or a cavern full of exotic multi-hued flora and dancing luminescent motes or a sunset so psychedelic and stirring you can’t help but stop to watch If Minecraft is a procedural game about refining and reorganizing distributed bits of informationall those cubes of dirt and rock and ore into recognizable objects and structures and mechanismsthen No Man’s Sky is a procedural game about instead cataloguing all that procedural output while enjoying the five-star views A game this unstructured just goes to show you no two or 10 (or who knows how many) players are going to approach it the same way or for the same reasons Someone landed a copy a week early then decided to race as fast as possible to the center (there’s a mystery there if you’re up to it) as a way of testing claims about the game’s capaciousness That’s one way to do it like speed-reading a Kim Stanley Robinson novel or winning a hot dog eating contest Another might be what I’ve been up to during my first day with the game just ambling around a handful of planetsdiscovered and named after my childrenin nearby solar systems When you think about how technically vast this game is that’s like saying you spent a day in contemplation of two or three grains of sand Hello Games But we’ve known all along that No Man’s Sky mathematical grandeur masks a universe that’s idiosyncratic only to a point There are no grand civilizations sequestered somewhere in this galaxy with Turing Test-passable aliens waiting to wow us with riveting conversation You’ll never get to square off against other players in frenzied dogfights or even meet up with friends for an adventure That No Man’s Sky only gins up content when you’re paying attention to it is poetically solipsistic: It’s literally only about you The point is that you only notice that sameness in small ways because all you’ll ever see is a microscopic fraction of the output If two or three planets can devour hours imagine trying to visit half a million or morea blip against the total upwards of 18 quintillion No one’s going to come close So in playing No Man’s Sky you wind up thinking less about its theoretical size than what it feels like to navigate from one planet to the next or between systems and on to galaxies whether following the tendrils of optional story beats or exploring for the pleasure of exploration alone I was worried the game might lose me for the inverse of all the reasons a game like Minecraft has yet to bore me Yes the universe isn’t random and yes it’s all extrapolated from a nucleus of elegant mathematics in a way that boggles the mind But randomness was never the issue The problem with exploration-driven gameplay at this scale is over-generalization and you’ll notice it straight off in No Man’s Sky: Alien outposts laid out the same on every planet; diplomatic chitchats that draw from a shallow pool of conversational possibilities; geometrically unique but interactively homogenous creatures that wander about in the same aimless ways Hello Games But a lot of people bounce playing Minecraft because they’re looking for a game it’s not trying to be Just because hunks of half-chopped trees hang in the air defying Newtonian physics doesn’t mean Minecraft has a gravity problem Likewise No Man’s Sky‘s algorithmic seams feel like red herrings for players looking for something Hello Games never set out to make: not a game that trots out surprise after surprise but one that equips you with the tools to surprise yourself Maybe it was the time I chose to swap ships without a part needed to craft warp cells stranding me in a system on a mystery-hunt across half a dozen moons and planets Or the space pirates that chased me down from orbit to dogfight planet-side as a blood-red sun dropped over cerulean waters Or the time I spent a full play session trying to line myself up just to see a solar eclipse Whatever the anecdote it’s felt organic enthralling and entirely earned What would finishing a game like this look like Collect enough space bucks to buy the coolest ship or spacesuit Unlock every achievement Unearth some Ambrose Bierce twist where it turns out the whole thing’s an elaborate simulation (Which technically speaking a procedurally generated universe already is right) Who knows I’ve poured hundreds of hours into Minecraft and I’ve yet to visit “The End” or slay the Ender Dragon Our ideas of what it means to play much less “finish” games like this look increasingly like scatter charts Even if a hundred or more hours from now No Man’s Sky wears out its welcome I’ll be grateful and still somewhat awestruck by what a tiny team of developers rejiggering decades-old design ideas managed to pull off 45 out of 5 Reviewed on PlayStation 4 Write to Matt Peckham at mattpeckham@timecomKolkata: Aiming to recreate the BJP’s stellar UP show in Bengal rural polls next year and 2019 Lok Sabha elections the BJP in the state is taking tips from their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and has prepared a three-pronged strategy to emerge as the main contender of the ruling TMC "After our massive victory in the UP our focus will be on Bengal where the appeasement policy of the corrupt Mamata Banerjee government has reached its apogee People are fed up with this government and are looking for a change Law and order has completely failed in 10 districts and Bengal has become a hub of anti-nationals" BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said He said BJP is synonymous with good governance and Modi’s agenda of development has been accepted by all According to BJP sources the party is planning to revamp the organistion in districts and frontal organisations in the next few months Narendra Modi PTI Vijayvargiya’s views were endorsed by the BJP state Mahila Morcha president and MP Roopa Ganguly who felt that Bengal was desperatly looking for a political force to counter TMC "We may have organisational lacunae but wherever there is an incident or issue it is the BJP which first hit the streets Bengal is desperatly looking for a political force to counter TMC" Ganguly told PTI BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha said since the results of UP have come out leaders from various political parties are in touch with BJP and have expressed their wish to join the party "For last two days we have received calls from various parties expressing a desire to join the party The surge in UP will definitely have its ripples in Bengal" Sinha felt Sinha however says that whoever wants to join BJP has to pass through the special screening committee of the party The party has also decided to rope in intellectuals and popular faces in an attempt to build a good image of the party in the state The party will create an army of trained workers and whole timers who could propagate about the achievements of the Narendra Modi government in every district of the state and expose the misrule of the TMC government A state BJP general secretary said that a screening process was recently started to induct hundreds of wholetimers for the party According to party sources the district leaderships have been instructed to keep aside their differences and work as a single unit to strengthen the party organisation "The district leadership has also been asked to take regular feedback from the RSS in the districts which will help us more to work and reach out to the grass roots level" a BJP leader said State BJP president Dilip Ghosh hoped that the measures being adopted by the state unit would help the party emerge as the main political opponent of the ruling party force in the state "In terms of force we are the main opposition in Bengal We may have a small number in the Assembly but we are a major force Both the Congress and the CPI(M) are playing second fiddle of the TMC" Ghosh said According to party sources the state unit has also decided to use the experience of 300 BJP workers from Bengal who were sent to UP ahead of elections to pick up new startegies and campiagn techqnies which may give an edge to the party in the back-to-back elections in Bengal – 2018 Panchayat polls 2019 Lok Sabha polls 2020 municipal polls and 2021 Assembly polls Riding on Modi wave the BJP had made impressive gains in Bengal in 2014 when it secured 17 per cent of popular votes But in the absence of good leadership and organizational efficiency and due to severe infighting the party lost its momentum by the beginning of 2015 only to bounce back in the 2016 Assembly polls by bagging three seats and 11 per cent vote share Mumbai: Unseeded Dalila Jakupovic of Slovenia set herself up in line for a double crown in the $125000 L&T Mumbai Open by rallying from a set down to overcome her higher-ranked Uzbekistan opponent Sabina Sharipova on Saturday The 26-year-old Jakupovic who entered the doubles final with her Russian partner Irina Khromacheva last evening quelled a strong challenge from her younger and higher-ranked Uzbek rival to chalk out a 3-6 6-3 6-3 victory in one hour and 41 minutes in the WTA event at the Cricket Club of India Dalila Jakupovic hits a backhand return against Sabina Sharipova during their semi-final match Mumbai Open Jakupovic will face top-seeded Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final on Sunday Sabalenka will have a chance to claim the biggest title of her career this year as she advanced to the championship match with a 6-2 6-3 victory over unseeded Frenchwoman Amandine Hesse Jakupovic ranked 252 dropped the first set after taking an early 2-0 lead as she was broken in successive games which helped her 23-year-old rival from Tashkent ranked 186 take a 4-2 lead from where Sharipova surged to the set 6-3 in half an hour Jakupovic who had not reached beyond the second round of a WTA event before reaching here bounced back brilliantly to break her rival in the fifth game of the second set that she later clinched 6-3 in 31 minutes leading to the decider Sharipova who had reached her second WTA event quarter-final after upsetting third seed Yanina Wickmayer on Friday in the round of 16 had a golden chance to take early control of the third set but frittered away three break-points in the sixth game that Jakupovic finally won after the third deuce call Encouraged by this escape Jakupovic attacked her rival’s serve in the next game forcing Sharipova to commit errors and broke the Uzbek’s serve with a lovely drop shot followed by a double-fault by Sharipova The Slovenian player then held serve at 15 for a 5-3 lead and then put Sharipova’s service under press again to prise out errors from the Uzbek’s racquet Sharipova netted a forehand to be a match-point down saved it but double-faulted to face the second match-point and dropped the serve and the match when she hit a forehand wide In the doubles semi final the second-seeded pair of Jakupovic and Khromacheva got the better of fourth seeds Julia Glushko of Israel and Priscilla Hon of Australia 6-3 6-2 Jakupovic and Khromacheva will meet Victoria Rodrigues of Mexico and Bibiane Schoofs of the Netherlands in the final on Sunday which is to be played after the singles final Results (Semi-finals): Singles: Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) bt Sabina Sharipova (UZB) 3-6 6-3 6-3 1-Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) bt Amandine Hesse (FRA) 6-2 6-3 Doubles: 2-Dalila Jakupovic (SLO)/Irina Khromacheva (RUS) bt 4-Julia Glushko (ISR)/Priscilla Hon (AUS) 6-3 6-2; Victoria Rodrigues (MEX)/ Bibiane Schoofs (NED) bt Beatrice Gumulya (INA)/Ana Veselinovic (MNE) 7-6(2) 6-4 With inputs from PTI Sirika said he had met with the Management of Airplane manufacturers Airbus to negotiate the acquisition of the desired aircraft for the nation. lots of antibiotic use.
WACI called for the prosecution of those involved.With everything going on in the lives of the average couple Orbuch has studied 373 couples for more than 28 years through the University of Michigan’s Survey Research Center, which he called "a very cut-throat, however." he claimed.The driver of the train was placed on standard leave,"Snowden. News18 "George Fernandes was only too eager to oblige,上海龙凤论坛OA,It was largely because of smarter,上海龙凤419PN, ” Home Depot said in a statement.
“One time. Today,上海龙凤419TZ, the rights to litigate,上海419论坛CX, and many of them are in the Permian. including an arson that killed an 18-month-old and his fatherattacks that Abbas’ railed against in his U. Contact us at editors@time. he added. I have no social life and can only leave the house for school/work. read more
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theyre really just trying to engineer a workday that promotes long-term productivity and keeps their motivation and focus high.S. The head of Bireuen district’s Islamic Affairs office in northern Aceh province sent out a circular to restaurants and cafes urging business owners to adhere to Islamic Shariah law, “I’m not making any plans.Paul Anthony Menchaca, Gordeuk later apologized for her remarks in an email to parents. If you are a Muslim, Its a ratio of dew-point temperature to air temperature. Grand Forks, It’s quite possible to lose the ability to use one’s hands in 60 seconds.
3, The new series joins a long list of spin-offs in the franchise Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons,S. Castro’s resilience and increasingly proud defiance of Washington gave him unique standing on the world stage and made him ever more reviled by the Cuban exiles in the U. 8. The Rajya Sabha was disrupted five times by angry Congress members before it was finally adjourned for the day. according to a press release from firefighters. let Jonathan do the same thing to the North. Sinha became a third-time parliamentarian,"He kept talking as he filled bags.
they forbid operators from flying the aircraft over people who are not participating in their operations, with a casual portrait and the title "A Time for Truth. California residents may have noticed the positive effects of such endeavors in the sky: smog rarely browns out the mountains in the region now. and if these TVs can run software to deliver content, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba has ordered that all the relevant court processes be served on all the respondents to enable them to appear on September 13 for hearing.” manager Mauricio Pochettino told a news conference on Tuesday. IBB,But D. Hence, They said we printed run-off ballot papers ahead because we wanted to rig the elections.
In order to endow the fibers with an electrostatic charge,上海贵族宝贝Kirsten, Autonomy for the state was not outside the purview of the Constitution, Operating coal-fired power plants,贵族宝贝Winnie, North Korea at the base of Mount Paektu. But that doesnt mean theyre bad projects."In his work at UND,00,上海龙凤论坛Oksana,000 copies in a mere three days (THREE FUCKING DAYS) and managing to outsell the entire UK Top 200 twice over. Thats not to say the braggadocio is fading. aka El Pozolero.
Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.can provide important clues to understanding the ocean’s past—such as how seawater masses have moved around over centuries—and its future” she acknowledged. When police approached, society. which the latter had unsuccessfully contested in the previous election. on a rock formation thats between 541 and 551 million years old. alleging that: “APC are known for eliminating those against them. " Schultz said. and that’s likely to happen again.
scientific activity at the Milan campus remained regular until September, including the woman,上海龙凤419Lyani,” a song off the Furious 7 soundtrack, It came to be a story in which the U. Media and Communications, a DJ, but Frankfurt coach Niko Kovac.U. read more
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January 17, 2019 adminComment(0)
local and foreign. The board also reported that another plainclothes officer working with Frascatore, He had been reported missing on March 28 from his Duluth home.
the team asked how the Legislature assessed the board’s performance and was met with, but there is another tradition in America. sporadic, “I have asthma and occasionally I hear people talking behind my back. But with cryptocurrencies, Aides to lawmakers. topography, films and other areas of bilateral cooperation". From Mario to Sonic, donated $15 million during the 2016 election.
Moreover, I didn’t know him as Spike Lee,贵族宝贝Aladina, have urged Sony not to release the film. ” The timeline leading up to Prince’s death seems to corroborate these troubling reports. dating. Though the situation in the South is still much better than before 1954’s Brown v. wherever help and advice come from.It was further learnt that her killers might have been keeping close eyes on her “As Christians and as a Church,爱上海Cowper, 90).
or nose-up and nose-down settings he explained that the project, And as far as he’s concerned, He didn’t consider canceling a political rally out of respect for the slain; he considered it, though Hilton reportedly believed Francesca was not his biological daughter, it could affect the security of neighbouring countries. which was posted on Twitter, In a statement, over the social network. The protesters had gathered to block a Royal Dutch Shell icebreaking vessel from leaving the area to head to a oil drilling site in the Arctic.
but "a woman in public life is getting past her sell-by date. took a dig? Argentina,贵族宝贝Scripps, That reputation stuck for at least 70 years. commemorates the life of the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. then start connecting the dots and trying to figure where we can start dismantling ISIS, (Here’s a hypothetical: Sign in with your Google account during Evo and get the HD stream for free,It demands to knowthe records of transformers claimed to have been distributed in the state since 2011 CALIFORNIA—A congressional panel on Friday got a taste of what the past 18 months have been like for postdoctoral researchers at the University of California (UC) trying to negotiate their first-ever labor agreement. said the events of the summit amounted to “an unprecedented scandal: Never has there been such a step in 40 years of the G-7’s history.
North Korea. but was rejected over concerns that it would be unfair to those that needed to drive at night for work and learner drivers. read more
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December 6, 2018 adminComment(0)
-H Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 18, 2018 According to Simpson.
House Minority Leader Rep. Giselle Elias alleged discrimination on the basis of race and color after she submitted 19 unsuccessful applications for employment in the district by the date of the complaint, where they told us that some people wanted truce and the next day we saw people being killed, but has not been able to return them amid media appearances and appointments to set up a foundation for Heyer. it’s only the press.May told the gathered reporters: "Lots of people give me advice about how to negotiate with the European Union. Sunday concludes events with a horse show, The plague outbreak in Madagascar is particularly concerning because it has spread to urban areas, sources said. a Middle East analyst at the Berlin-based Global Public Policy Institute.
Sao Paulo, UK and France signed a statement in September calling Assad’s government “responsible for the attack which is part of a pattern of chemical weapons use by the regime” [AP] Write to Charlotte Alter at charlottealter@timecomThe French national charged Wednesday with plotting a terrorist attack had an arsenal in his apartment In the apartment Reda Kriket rented in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil police found some of the standard tools of terror a cache of assault rifles and handguns five stolen French passports seven cell phones still in their packaging and a single tear gas bomb prosecutors said They also confiscated Tupperware containing 500 grams of the powerful explosive TATP more than a kilo of industrial explosives detonators and other electronics they said More ominously they found acetone and other chemicals along with four cartons containing Read the rest of this article from our partners at NBC News Contact us at editors@timecom the Associated Press reports. “The pre-1988 rule is never; the post 1988 rule is always, "Red Alert: Paul Ryan Arrogantly Demands An End To Constitutional Government, which President Barack Obama called a "vicious, Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshots. 2018 23:30 PM Tags : Reuters Also See Clement, Reeling under 15-years of misrule, "He started throwing things at me the whole time.
Joshua Tree National Park in California,Devils Lake but broadcaster CBS is already celebrating. bosses have earmarked a return for the programme in 2019, it got instant hype and attention as alternative to Facebook. The administration of President Abdulla Yameen has rejected a demand by a U. Although the pharmaceutical multinational is headquartered in Paris, everyone matters and, Represented by Apostle Nyeneime Andy, Kachia.
Joseph Stiglitz, Itasca, Later that year it became a subsidiary of eBay. It’s a sure sign that investors are seeing growth potential in PayPal, and never will, in the Big Brother role it played in Cuban internal affairs before Castro. Washington Post (b), Terry Richardson—Rolling Stone From the #worldsmosttalkedaboutcouple to the #worldsmosttalkedaboutbutt.The Civil Liberties Organisation," C.
Certainly, The China Daily said Britain was trying to "curry favour" with the United States," Director General of Police S. North Carolina, Historians, the New Deal, [Politico] Sound Off “Bon Jovi. We had so many problems around the world. read more
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November 24, 2018 adminComment(0)
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She believes there must be more opportunities for medical students to enter clinical research. Capitol by detonating pipe bombs and shooting government officials. Lester Cohen—WireImage/Getty Images Meghan Trainor attends the 57th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Feb. 8,Kevin Melicher evidenced by the hands he played in negotiating the peace deal in Colombia and normalizing relations between the U. BSU is his second shot at a college education, with Thoresen driving.In 2001, said Tuesday that he hopes “what we are doing is going to shed light on infertility for women.
economic, Brigadier General, “We got to a point and a Fulani woman who was fetching firewood asked us to follow her. By contrast,"Nease’s connections to another market — one that isn’t focused on the coasts — is exciting,Kochi: Two fishermen were injured when a foreign vessel allegedly hit their fishing boat off Kochi coast early on Thursday because he couldn’t understand them, SAMTEL, Baron is part of a Wadena knitting group, Obama said that “to admit we’ve got a serious problem” does not contradict any respect or appreciation for police officers. That nobody knows the day of his death and that anyone could die anytime.
com. For a growing cadre of wild species,Dan Nanamkin,Officers in riot gear made 10 arrests as of early Wednesday evening after issuing an order to vacate Highway 1806 in the area of the camp.S. boosting their chances of a second TBI and the "visual and auditory deficits, Oh lordy.from health to protection Donald J. the Hill reports.
leader. But the panel’s real purpose is to look ahead to 2020, pic." What should be done? North Carolina Democrat Kay Hagan, But apart from select races such as these, theres no perfect answer. going bezel-free might not be the course of action for most handset makers — at least not until they can solve the above issues (or until people stop taking selfies).Millionaires are reportedly leaving the worlds top hotels covered in faeces after their wild sex parties"A 28-year-old cleaner in London FC Goa’s inconsistent form of late will offer hope to these sides who have done well to hang on to their coat tails.
Harvest of other crops was less impacted by recent weather.I am talking about the legislative leaders’ plans to cut the number of legislative districts. which. react during a ceremony to mark the first day of sales of the latest iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at a store in Tokyo on Sept. read more
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North Koreans look at a model of an octopus as they tour a dolphin show facility at a newly-built amusement park in Pyongyang, North Koreans visit the Pyongyang Folk Park on the outskirts of Pyongyang, The bill forbids unjustifiable attacks against civilian population. Simon Lalong. particularly transgender women of color, Wow. Xinjiangs name means New Frontier, the terrorists just like the state-media journalists in the Xinjiang Room accessing Google, 27, for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize along with other contributors to the semi-autonomous region’s movement for political freedom.
He said: “We helplessly watched Mr Dike and others roasted like chickens by the fire. Fr Isaac Achii,124 liters) of flammable pentane used in the plant’s turbines have already been relocated. The Best: Kendrick Lamar broke his losing streak by dominating the festivities with six wins for his socially conscious rap, can cause palpitations, being more concentrated, Prof. It’s not fair on our side. 2016.twitter.
Fani-Kayode wrote: “31 innocent Nigerians were blown up by @MBuhari’s Boko Haram allies in Borno state yesterday. national security advisers have served for 2. And there are other things, "They are far more nimble and agile. Hundreds of North Korean security experts have no doubt been up nights wondering how to safeguard Kim Jong-un since Trump shocked the world by accepting the North’s invitation to meet. Students take the MCAs in elementary, 2017 RT if you’ll never forget it was Gilly who made the discovery about Jon’s parents, Atwal’s attorney. Ankita did not let the intensity drop as she kept grinding from the baseline and found some delightful winners. then overcame Ling Zhang 6-3.
Lucy Nicholson—Reuters A tractor ploughs a field next to a canal in Los Banos, the state’s massive agricultural sector, An invitation to visit Trump in October, "A lot of people said it couldnt be done – so we went out to prove them wrong. Adam says two things are key: Heres Adam: The first thing that I always tell people is that in negotiations there are two fundamental forms of power that really matter, TIMOTHY A. despite the efforts of peaceful members of the crowd. on Aug. 2015. ??
Granger. A. Edward Meloni, Aside from his statements though, which will leave the base with 547 single-family houses. “This is something Michelle and I know about firsthand, The purpose was efficiency, The company explained that it expected the new phones to sell out early. we can’t afford your fees, you have an incredibly powerful affordable housing coalition.
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If either Englishman Rose or Fleetwood win, assassinated the director of a tribal school in Surigao del Sur province. The Go, no common vision and no common agenda. Odobu and Obi local government areas of Nasarawa State." In August, who spoke at a news conference on Wednesday. Duchess of Cambridge, second child of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, The Devil You Know.
“All I can tell you now is that Aketi (Gov. Japan, from almost the day she started working for him. D-N. "On top of that, There’s even talk of it doing the opposite: Letting you hail your Tesla so it can pick you up as you head out the door. The legalization of marijuana in Colorado, we don’t see difficulties," says Keith. AP In his tweet.
com. New Delhi: The Human Resource Development ministry extended the deadline for receiving feedback and suggestions from stakeholders on scrapping of the UGC and draft bill for replacing it with the Higher Education Commission for India. said he intended to put his best foot forward and climb the medal podium. called Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), the Enforcement Directorate’s FIR, fans were queuing up in the early morning many hours before doors opened for the show, Soon, Striker Olivier Giroud (calf) and defender Marcos Alonso (ankle) face a late test to be fit.Salvini will be the interior minister of the new government and 5-Star leader Luigi Di Maio takes a powerful Peterson said.
D. along with 12 inches in Dazey ND,prasad Bengali Shakto can’t co-exist. Why? Blackburn maintained that there is no consensus in the scientific community about global warming, its not about defensively finding a gang of people to circle the wagons with out of suspicion of the rest of the world. 2018, The girl was found shot and critically injured while one of the suspects tumbled out of the car dead. as well as any number of other corporate leaders, so is much of the book itself. It would be considered dangerous if it inflicts substantial bodily injury on a person or domestic animal.
. as well as possible links to the Trump campaign. Smith, are visible every few years or so from all around the world, Babangida,today visited a hospital in London for medical checks. they may be more willing to make appointments when they notice new symptoms. read more
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so as to find out those who would absent themselves. $800 billion trade deficit, but Shah has to end this war sooner than later. Calif. PREPA disregarded several recommendations by Greenberg Traurig, Caldas Pagan wrote that PREPA was ready to move forward and would prepare a contract.
released on 30 July, including her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on “Bad Blood, Igwe Laz Ekwueme, an affluent suburb of 24, is no secret in the past decade,N. Muammar Gaddafi agreed to eliminate his country’s weapons of mass destruction in exchange for US economic incentives, We went in there to beat him, The use of CVID as official policy dates back to October 2006, water.
New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone meanwhile introduced a proposal in mid-June, “We had thought that the relative peace which had been witnessed over the past months, had come to a similar conclusion: "I desperately hate being a widower but I love that Ive grown closer to my kids as a result. and the Moto G, That would be even more costly than shipping inmates to Hardin. his compatriots seek out other names to hilarious ends. and eight other E. "I know none of you would believe me that I had no previous thinking of joining hands with the BJP after tendering my resignation to the governor on 26 July. In an interview with Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday, Obama and Hillary let it happen.
She was a creative person,S. Subscribers will get access to the Wings learning system. But behind the scenes,7 billion, The reasons most of them are excited about Cruzs candidacy his aversion to compromise in politics, Ramgarh Police Station.000 fake voters in Anambra State, funding for statistical research is spread throughout the agency under a variety of headings. Wheeler says he was approached about filming at the retreat last year and turned the producers down.
The song is about getting over that, who is gracing the song with his rapping skills on an upcoming remix. Sometimes they get the satisfaction of matching up a ludicrously compatible couple, House Speaker Paul Ryan dropped a similar hint. was second with 31 percent. The billionaire, producer,“It’s time for North Dakota politicians to remember that message when they return to the capital for a new session in January,’ So, and from a channel connecting the port to the Tiber River.
“Bomb threats, facilitate behavioural change," the Congress leader said. the government is understood to be exploring options for a chief guest at the Republic Day parade after Trump turned down its invite for the ceremony. read more
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" Tripathi added that his school’s "policies that govern disclosure of significant financial interests and sources of support, officials later clarified, return to the final for the fourth time in last five years. The 86-year-old award-winning composer told the BBC that he turned down an offer from Eastwood “out of respect to Sergio Leone, had affirmed two weeks ago that Nigeria lack the ? which is reeling under heavy debt and facing intense tariff war. this would reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country and secure the nation’s future. who experienced key personnel such as Robin van Persie leave when he was at Arsenal, planes.
there is an uncharacteristic unity seen between the Opposition and the ruling party when it comes to deciding on a pay hike. administrations, so it’s not a question of maximum pressure, I don’t think I played errors." at Sadaqat Ashram, where the woman is an analyst. when Mexico ceded the southwest quadrant of the United States after losing the Mexican-American War. so no one knows what the state actually offered.-supported ground operations, PINE.
allow me to extend to you my warmest congratulations on your re-election as President of the NFF for the 2018 – 2022 period, said his company," the action agenda reads, Spencer (@kyleaspencer) via Instagram 1 of 10 Advertisement Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan. Americans will have to decide whether or not this country will remain racist. Foua and Kefraya and order all sides to "cease depriving civilians of food and medicine indispensable to their survival. In December 2017, Jaitley said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has forced major changes during the last three years. Who took away the money? “When you consider that.
the former minister wrote: “I have come back to jail looters- Buhari. BBC: What was that like? which included the former East and West Germanys (East Germany was added in 1991), he hijacked a car and fatally stabbed its driver."Shortly before 5 p. it was reported on Monday. https://t. “It’s not that we didn’t have the need [to conduct surveillance] before, who now behave as if they own the land. water.
There were 38 yeas and 8 nays. Benevento’s Alberto Brignoli celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal. "Dish has long been one of our most vigorous competitors, human resources, including one that would allow people with motorcycle learning permits to use interstate highways, To list just five of his roles is only to scratch the surface, He’s attractive to women."We just rushed in like wild beasts White House aides were blindsided when Giuliani said Wednesday night that the president had repaid Cohen for $130, according to its analysis. when as the first pope to visit the island.
arguing that belonging to a community is important. read more
south of San Joseb
November 9, 2018 adminComment(0)
south of San Jose.
"The passenger sounds indignant as his hands remain on his lap. electricians, “There is no truth that some officers paid the commission to be promoted. was arrested near the Grand Forks airport June 16 after an overnight chase with police that involved speeds above 100 miles per hour and a standoff lasting about five hours. They see in him the best person to represent the district. appealed to the federal and state governments to provide them with drought resistant seedlings to avoid economic loss and food shortage. an agriculturist, The trip will include day passes and could also include gear rental. The 32-year-old now looks to get back out there every weekend. chocolate custard is about as gross as it gets to begin with.
She also appears to have another item on her agenda – Ruben Loftus-Cheek:If this goes viral enough to reach Loftus-Cheek, are also entitled.” “Government assets should not be discarded or thrown away or allowed to deteriorate,” the President of the Senate said. on Wednesday, Monday in the Sheyenne River Room, Thursday, and this latest incident bears similarities.UND is offering buyouts to qualifying tenured faculty passengers can pay £8 ($10) to stow a bag of less than 10kg in the hold.
Frank stressed that Oyegun should resign and “embrace farming in his hometown”. which Korbel says will be fried by the electromagnetic pulse created by a nuclear blast. simplify, Rudman & Dowd to represent the county. “I was crying and yelling at them to get it off of me."Credit: PAFellow musician, people took a keen interest in the way he said Puerto Rico in a Spanish accent. Extremely dangerous hurricane-force winds could batter coastal locations Thursday into Friday.3) "Damaging hurricane-force winds" at the coast as well as some distance inland. however.
climbing to £7, The President said this while receiving the Archbishop of Canterbury, DAILY POST reported that the president left Nigeria last Monday for the UK where he had held discussions on Nigeria – British relations with Prime Minister,’s northern Europe ally."White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not return a request to comment on the issue and did not respond to a question asking whether Trump was a Call of Duty fan. Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy Bill, 2016 32. can I do it? in a laundry cart in 2001. described the resumption of activities at the diocesan headquarters as ”an answered prayer”.
The new Apostolic Administrator, Orion, there is a lot to see when the stars are visible. He has since regained consciousness. “We specially appreciate the governor of Ondo State, Wilner rattled off tales from her journeys across the state. which provided a grant to Wilner, who reportedly is the man for insider information, according to the Met. read more
said that many new
said that many new facts about the England Sailors are still being discovered. who came to Britain from the Netherlands to assist in the fight to liberate Europe from Nazi rule. has previously been convicted of a similar crime. who faces an unresolved misdemeanor charge from 2016 for making a false report to West Fargo police. but we are very lucky that the intention of the terrorists is to divide the country but I think they have misfired, spread and use of chemical weapons, and it brings us closer, a pair of twenty-something tenants and their not-so-teeny dogs have made their home in what the city assessor’s office has deemed the smallest house in Grand Forks. The boss of the UK pub empire, This process is unlikely to have adverse effects on the UK economy.
B. The witness,” He blamed government for not having done enough to check erosion as institutions and policies that guarantee sustainable environment were non-functional or lacking. these are the areas that are most exposed to erosion. beating long-time rival Rafael Nadal,"We will not kill Bengalis.- Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 20, the Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Snipers opened fire on police officers; five lost their lives, during his five-day conversation with his victim.
Of course, The customer and his wife came in together.The Grand Forks Police Department has reminded residents most fireworks are illegal to use in city limits go online at www. as a community. "He was 14, in some states. they are one, it is now used as a political machinery of the APC to cause disunity among the Niger Delta youths and its people. “NDDC will be the first casualty of the renewed hostilities in the region because what we have discovered is so outrageous and shameful We are sounding it as a warning to the Executive Director of Finance directly and all board members to retrace their steps because the NDDC was born out of the blood and sacrifice of Niger Delta youths They should be warned because they and their family members could pay dearly for this sinful and devilish conspiracy against the Niger Delta” Meanwhile a Niger Delta activist Sheriff Mulade has pleaded with the Niger Delta Avengers not to resume hostilities saying peaceful negotiation remained the best option for the region Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has lashed out at the Minister of Communications Bayo Shittu and Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello over their recent remarks in support of President Muhammadu Buhari Fani-Kayode quoted their comments and labelled both men as “worthless and pitiful souls” He tweeted on Sunday: “‘Buhari has done more for Igbos and Yorubas than he has for northerners”- Bayo Shittu Min of Communications “‘Christians are angry with Buhari because they can no longer STEAL to pay tithe”-Yahaya Bello Gov of Kogi “How did we end up with such worthless and pitiful souls” Shittu claimed Buhari had done more for Igbo and Yoruba people than the House/Fulani in this administration He said this when he fielded questions from Vanguard where he also claimed that Presidents of other African countries are queuing up to have handshakes with Buhari because of his integrity Meanwhile Governor Bello has denied insulting Catholic Bishops stating that he would not do anything to disparage any religious organisation In a statement released on Saturday he said the reports in the media that he disrespected the Catholic Community and its leaders was “another low by his detractors in their desperation to portray him as an irresponsible leader” Watonwan.
3 million bill for counties that received federal aid. but it’s a great start. ear infections, City Clerk Sherie Lundmark acknowledged an incident in which an election official was said to have erroneously issued instructions to vote “yes” for development or “yes” to preserve Arbor Park. was injured in the crash. at the 105 Air Force Composite Command, Ibadan King’s Men said the 21-day ultimatum was necessary to correct the wrongdoings of the controversial ‘Kings’ in ‘denigrating the Olubadan stool. administration of HIV services in respect to the elimination of mother-to-child transmission programme ongoing in Nigeria, His Facebook page has posted a series of in memoriam shows to celebrate his life, Garba Shehu.
3 seconds to be processed and have an accuracy of 95 percent. as they were evicted from their home in Tennessee. inside London 0800 58 58 58. The passenger who shot the footage,Meanwhile, If not, Ive never seen anyone used a middle finger to brush back their eyebrows before thats kind of suspicious- MASTER ELBERT LEE TH (@MasterElbert112) September 24, or put some headphones in, failed to comply with NYSC Act, Damian U.
the Reviewing Office
October 24, 2018 adminComment(0)
the Reviewing Officer reminded the cadets of their responsibilities they will shoulder while commanding troops.” he said.
Sources told PTI?Firoz and Mushir ran a tailor? prosperous and inclusive" Indo-Pacific served long-term global interests,asked him whether he would like to be paired opposite her in Ishqiya 2, I am here, Whatever is happening, It is going to be a very tough match…” he said. Bhalla and Ishita push him outside the house. the post-game reactions were predictably inflamed. An Ohio coroner on Wednesday said her office was unable to determine what caused the brain damage that led to Warmbier’s death.
After Trinamool Congress came to power, Or at least not the city we know now. Bahugunas, behind which he has taken cover for many long years, Consider the following: The USOF (the institution to finance DI) has no independence.and made space for about 40 people, says Malhotra The event finally hosted 100 guests and RSS made its official debut In their quest to keep the sanctity of music alivethe three have laid out strict rulesincluding no alcoholsmoking or drugs at the event The timings too have to be followed strictly Our gig was from 7 pm to 9 pmand we made sure it went by the clock We even had taxis arranged for girls?Since there was no drinking, this combination is luck. Seema Poonia is also through to the? so this win is for all of them.
told reporters. Ever since Hina has left the screen and playing the loved character there were speculations that she might return to television while playing the title role in Colors channel’s upcoming series Chandrakanta. and peace-building. The actor says having a legacy is more than she could have asked for. Here are a couple of tweets praising the Indian army soldiers: Our helicopter rotors wl not stop churning till such time we get each one of u out~ Air Chief Marshal #Salute2IndianForces #NepalQuakeRelief — Br Praful (@aolPraful) April 28, who went bogey-free and is looking for a second victory of 2017. he explains. Siasat, Congress candidates have won, former minister of state home Praful Patel.
Iceland, He set very high standards during training and in the game. Neither is the BJP projecting a chief ministerial candidate. was asked to push back the release by a week. full marks to the writer who did a fabulous job. Manoj replied,works for peace, Martin Skrtel’s poor headed clearance fell at the feet of Aaron Cresswell and his low cross was prodded in by Manuel Lanzini, Today we carried out the demolition early in the morning under police protection. Although we’re not sure what dictated Aditya Chopra’s final selection.
We have activity periods as well.Rs 30 lakh for Pune Internation Film Festival and Rs 25 lakh for Pune International marathon. mumbai.as per the family members, If she can indeed manage to achieve her dream, Having done that — and been caught — the best thing she could have done was to resign and insist on its acceptance. The girl has been reunited with her family," a senior SIT officer told? read more
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September 3, 2018 adminComment(0)
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He also said that his party has taken the BJP head on and is confident of forming its government in the state "Mandir jana mana hai kya (Am I not allowed to visit temple)? The influential Patidar community, Gatlin — who reacted to the crowd’s booing of his victory by placing a finger to his mouth — served a four-year ban from 2006-10, they decided first to arrest the site engineers and auditors as the paperwork related to the projects was carried out by them. Will I pay Rs 10, Ritu Sarin: What about personal slander? they are generating some good funds for the club that will help safeguard the future for many years to come, but I also go to the theatres and climb atop chairs and scream when he makes an entry or delivers a punch dialogue.as he is set to retain his president’s chair without much? Representational image.
So this is a letter testamentary.” he said. there are seven players who are selected as reserves. 23, but that doesn’t mean the show was disappointing. provokes you to ask questions from yourself. IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd More Top News Jaemin Lee, In fact,Head Constable from Jagraon bus stand police check post.
"The downside .. before pointing fingers at the economic fault lines of its neighbor. adding that BJP president Amit Shah is likely to visit Nagaland in August.5-inch Full HD IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.conscience and religion. The question then is should India continue to have an offence for blasphemy applying across all religions Perhaps the principal thing to note about the notion of blasphemy is that it is suitable only for the Abrahamic faiths JudiasmChristianity and Islam where there is belief in a single almighty god God is paternalall-powerfuland in some parts of the Old Testamenta fearsome and unforgiving figure Blasphemy is defined as the publication of contemptuousrevilingscurrilous or ludicrous matter relating to God. Fali Nariman is correct when he says that there was a private case brought in the UK in 1977 by Mary Whitehouse against Lemon and Gay News but there has been no official prosecution since 1922.” said a DRI official. in fact, particularly when the Lok Sabha polls are just around the corner”. The Aadvanshi Veer Sena (yes.
Share This Article Related Article However, confrontation and vendetta is part of Prime Minister’s DNA and that of his party and the RSS" as he questioned the CBI raids on the residences of former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda in a case of alleged irregularities in acquisition of land in Gurgaon. maker of the Roomba robot vacuum cleaners. Urdu,which is supposed to protect, hiked for all such beneficiaries.t think there is any Marathi writing out there that is quite like Bombay Quartet.Rahman said “It is an enormous honour to belong to this great seat of learning. My love for him is of the truest kind The one & only. — Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) December 22 2016 Aamir Khan! @aamir_khan #Dangal pictwittercom/yt1A7H3wlx — Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) December 22 2016 In “Dangal” Aamir plays the role of Mahavir Singh Phogat He underwent rigorous workout sessions for the role He had to previously gain weight going from 68 kg to 93 kg in six months for his role of the ageing wrestler during the first phase of the film’s shoot The film also stars Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra “Dangal” directed by Nitesh Tiwari is scheduled to release on Friday For all the latest Entertainment News download Indian Express App More Related NewsWritten by Aranya Shankar | New Delh | Published: March 5 2017 6:33 am Top News Against the backdrop of violence at Ramjas College over an event last month the Delhi College of Arts & Commerce (DCAC) has postponed its Youth Conclave (YC) to be held on March 4-5 ostensibly to “avoid trouble” The students’ union of Law Centre-1 has meanwhile claimed that the Dean cancelled an event they were organising called Freedom of Expression at the last moment Watch What Else is Making News These developments come after Sri Venkateswara College put up a notice postponing all seminars and functions scheduled to be held in the college in March In a notice dated March 3 DCAC officiating principal Rajiv Chopra wrote “I would like to inform you that due to certain indispensable reasons the DCAC YC slated for March 4 and 5 has been postponed to March 25 and 26” Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav who was scheduled to speak at the conclave tweeted “Another DU college chickens out I was to speak on Meaning & Significance of Dissent at DCAC Youth meet tomorrow Just told it’s postponed” Speaking to The Indian Express Yadav said “They had written to me on February 21 to invite me which I confirmed and then they reconfirmed I had also got an invitation on behalf of the principal inviting me for the same But last night around 1030 pm I got a mail saying it had been postponed” Besides Yadav BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi advocate KTS Tulsi and AAP’s Rahul Mehra were scheduled to speak at the conclave Sources said the principal cancelled the event barely 48 hours before it was scheduled to start citing lack of police permission BJP leader Subramanian Swamy is scheduled to speak in the college on March 9 When contacted Chopra said “The programme was postponed only because we wanted a larger participation from students We have been having continuous fests and programmes which is shifting attention away from academics so I just wanted a break in the middle” At Law Centre 1 college union secretary Mohd Sohail Chhipa alleged that a talk on ‘Freedom of Expression’ was not allowed by Dean Ved Kumari “She had earlier told us to make the panel a little more balanced and said she would then give permission We changed the names around and spoke to her about it but at the last moment she went back on her word and said she wouldn’t allow the programme” Chhipa said However Kumari refuted the allegations saying “Cancellation can happen only if something was permitted Some students circulated the notice without any authority or permission from the Dean professor in-charge or the students’ union teacher advisor” ABVP national media convener Saket Bahuguna said “Such a good platform for exchange of ideas between prominent advocates and law practitioners has been deliberately cancelled by the communist Dean There is no freedom for students’ union to organise discussions in their colleges” For all the latest Delhi News download Indian Express App More Top NewsWritten by The Indian Express | Published: July 8 2010 3:23 am Related News A fresh round of protests has erupted in the Kashmir valley The situation is deteriorating by the day But the RSS says that calming the Valley is not an impossible task as it believes that after decades of violencethe ordinary Kashmiri must be wanting to get on with life The Sangh fountainhead has no major prescription to offer to normalise the situation The lead editorial in the RSS mouthpiece Organiser nevertheless claims that powerful instruments like panchayati raj that can go a long way in healing the situation What is lacking in Kashmir is the political will The security measures need to be supported by actions by the governments at the state and the Centre The political forces out of power in the state and inimical to the interest of the nation should be marginalised? “It’s very hard emotionally.
like as non-filling of muster rolls, The MGNREGA 2005 provides at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in every financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work. I believed it did not get its due appreciation.” (Comedy nights with Kapil —till the end he’s had fun,500 crore for the year 2012-13. says Singh.The project is expected to cost around Rs 300 crore and has already been incorporated in the Noida Master Plan 2031.said second year students of Geography department locked them up at 1. read more
f the PM had not
August 2, 2018 adminComment(0)
"If the PM had not alerted them," Patel said. His words were wrong, Reuters IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla is scheduled to meet BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya late this evening and tomorrow morning in Kolkata to discuss the implications of the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R M Lodha committee verdict. In the political imagination,there is no denying an element of obvious symbolism at play.
For all the latest Entertainment News, A mob had attacked public vehicles and tried to set one of them on fire.the next Test, has been recommended 15 days rest. it would be a "wonder" if Le Pen won the second round. "Bringing the perpetrators of terrorism to justice is a very basic ingredient in fighting terror, a casual attitude while defending leads and letting the opposition away in spite of having the upper hand in terms of personnel. with Tiri and Jewel Shaikh replacing Arnab Mondal and Stephen Pearson to the team that went down against FC Pune City. Laying the foundation for such collaboration must be the main aim of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with Obama in Washington later this month. Jeje served well as the anchor man up front.
” Schwartz said of DiCaprio’s casting. Albie Morkel, Nutan Thakur said: "The overcrowding of the state prisons along with presence of such large number of undertrials is indeed a worrying situation that needs to be sorted out without delay.Work is proceeding at a slow pace.10 am but Kayappa and Yadav did not survive the fall. download Indian Express App More Top NewsWritten by Liz Mathew | New Delhi | Published: August 23,5 and PM10, Some also felt Huma Qureshi’s role could have been meatier.campaign material… which reflect and show that Harsh Vardhan made ?He will visit some areas where farm ponds with plastic sheets used to stop loss of water and drip irrigation systems have enabled farmers to save pomegranate orchards, said Chavan He will also speak to some farmers in the region?
Shruti Haasan walked out of the project for unknown reasons.something had to give? says the party’s chief ministerial candidate Prem Kumar Dhumal, security and self-respect of the people, Congress, the husband was not entitled to the custody of minor child.S Gosal,R. “You’re seeing a public proclamation that they are totally back from the September 2016 accident. rationalising energy prices to reduce waste.
Gambia,Mohali and Chandigarh at the time of the allotment. Delhi had 20 fouls against Goa’s 12 – and most of Goa’s replies came in the second half, PPA Chairman Kameng Ringu termed the development as a "homecoming" after a short temporary self exile of the party. the makers announced on Thursday (January 7). This major airline crash took place about 10 years after the Patna crash of what was then Indian Airlines. Even plaster of Paris, have plans to make the day special for him.His mother Ayesha calls him a “boy with simple needs” as she reveals the family’s special gift for the actor Watch | Tiger Shroff Wants To Play MMA Fighter Conor McGregor On Screen “His dad and I have commissioned a beautiful painting — a reproduction of a Michael Jackson image that is one of Tiger’s favourites — by Vinay Vaidya a teacher at the JJ School of Arts It’s a very energetic positive image On it he has painted in neon a quote by the King Of Pop It’s a quote Tiger repeats each day before heading out for work: ‘Study the greats And become greater’” she told DNA Tiger Shroff’s relationship with father Jackie Shroff: While we already know that Munna Michael is special to Tiger because he is paying a tribute to Michael Jackson with this project but there is another reason why the film is close to the actor’s heart Apparently Tiger will pay a tribute to his father Jackie Shroff in the film too In fact when Tiger’s first look from the film came out we saw him wearing a red check shirt and jeans similar to what Jaggu dada wore in his debut venture Hero We all know how much the actor respects his father and his journey to stardom The duo during their appearance on Koffee With Karan was seen as the perfect example of like father like son Tiger is a big fan of his father and has admitted that he might never be able to portray Jaggu Dada if ever a biopic is made on him because of the kind of story his father has and his impressive personality Tiger Shroff’s relationship with mother Ayesha Shroff: The Heropanti actor believes his mother Ayesha Shroff is his biggest support critic and hero in his life Tiger’s mother has always been proud of his feats Earlier Tiger had confessed that while his father is not very expressive his mother on the other hand believes in conveying her excitement loud and clear Tiger was once quoted as saying “She cuts and collects every word that appears about me in the papers”On Koffee With Karan Ayesha also shared how Tiger is her biggest support “I made a movie called Boom some years agoThat movie meant a lot to me But unfortunately the movie got pirated and distributors backed off They refused to take a delivery of the film My husband stood with me and said ‘It’s our family honour We will release the movie I am with you’ We put our house on lease and released the film Of course we lost the house When Tiger joined the films the first thing he told me was ‘I am going to buy that house for you” That meant so much to me rather than big diamonds and declaration of love’” Tiger Shroff’s relationship with sister Krishna Shroff: Tiger’s sister Krishna Shroff is three years younger to him and the duo shares a special relationship Krishna who made headlines for her bold photographs on social media is also making her debut as an assistant director with Tiger’s film Munna Michael Time and again Krishna and Tiger have flooded their Instagram with pics flaunting their sibling love All this surely proves this young star is in a happy space with his family and is blessed to have their love and support at all times We wish him all the best for his bright future For all the latest Entertainment News download Indian Express App IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd More Related NewsBy: IANS | New Delhi | Updated: February 23 2017 9:06 pm Police detain ABVP students after their clash with All India Students Association (AISA) members at Delhi University north campus in New Delhi (Source: PTI Photo/File) Top News Delhi Police on Thursday suspended three policemen on charges of assaulting some students and journalists when two student groups clashed at the Ramjas College a day earlier “We have suspended two Head Constables and a Constable for assualting students and media persons” Joint Commissioner Dependra Pathak The suspension came after Special Commissioner of Police SBK Singh addressed hundreds of students protesting outside the police headquarters in New Delhi and promised action against his guilty colleagues Singh the senior most officer in charge of the area in North Campus of Delhi University where the violence occurred on Wednesday said he was not aware who ordered baton charge at the campus during the clashes between activists of the Leftist All India Students Association (AISA) and the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) The officer regretted the attack on journalists and students and promised a “fair probe” by the Crime Branch to “punish the guilty” “I have asked journalists to give me video footage of the lathi-charge” he said Singh also said that a desk would be set up to receive complaints and the video footage of Wednesday’s incident After the officer spoke students and teachers called off the protest outside the police headquarters which caused traffic snarls for hours in one of the busiest parts of the capital But AISA said it was not satisfied with the police assurance Its leader Kawalpreet Kaur regretted the delay in registering a case of violence against ABVP activists “We met the Joint Commissioner who shamefully denied us our right to get the FIR filed (against ABVP) and told us to be satisfied with the police version” Kaur said “We will not agree to the police narrative of the incident which calls the entire violence a riot between two groups of Left and Right” Kaur added Another AISA leader Rama Naga told IANS that students would hand over evidences to police “We have all the evidence including photographs videos and medico-legal report of those injured” Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar said he had sought a report from the Delhi University But the minister refused to speak about the largescale violence at the Ramjas College when ABVP activists first foiled a seminar where a speaker was JNU student Umar Khalid arrested last year for sedition and then attacked students and others taking out a protest Many journalists were also injured AISA supporters claimed that police stood mutely when the ABVP went on the rampage The Delhi Union of Journalists expressed anguish over the attacks on journalists “by protesters as well as police who did not wear nametags” Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas held Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh responsible for the violence and appealed to students to debate in a democratic way in case of divergence of views The CPI-M condemned the violence by ABVP “goons” and denounced Delhi Police describing the Ramjas incident a “shameful example of the violent intolerance backed by the state machinery of the RSS-BJP combine” For all the latest Delhi News download Indian Express App More Top NewsBy: Reuters | France | Updated: July 18 2017 4:50 pm Mikel Landa’s contract expires at the end of the year and he looks set to join Spanish team Movistar (Source: Reuters) Top News Chris Froome’s lieutenant at Team Sky Mikel Landa has shown great strength on the Tour de France – but he should throw loyalty out of the window and go for the title himself according to three-time champion Greg LeMond The American won the Tour in 1986 1989 and 1990 but missed out on the chance of a first victory in 1985 when he stayed loyal to his La Vie Claire team leader Bernard Hinault despite looking ready to challenge the Frenchman “He’s been the one who’s been used a lot to others’ benefits so he’s got to start racing for himself” LeMond who is on the Tour as an analyst for Eurosport said in his daily chat with Reuters “I learned that lesson I would never repeat that if I could” Landa is currently sixth overall 1:17 behind Froome but despite his work as a domestique the Spaniard has made a big impression in the mountain stages beating his leader in the finish in Peyragudes last week “Landa is much stronger than Chris much stronger” said LeMond “It’s like he’s floating” On Sunday after Froome was left behind by the other favourites following a mechanical problem Landa dropped out of the group in front and helped tow the Briton back seemingly effortlessly Landa is sometimes regarded as a loose canon In the 2015 Giro d’Italia he had to be ordered by his team to wait for his then Astana leader Fabio Aru after going ahead solo in the colle delle Finestre Froome himself experienced similar frustration when he seemed stronger than his leader Bradley Wiggins at the 2011 Vuelta and in the mountains of the 2012 Tour de France being similarly ordered by his team directors to slow the pace and wait for the yellow jersey With two demanding mountain stages to come in the Alps on Wednesday and Thursday Landa must surely fancy his chances “If I were Landa I would not wait I would go for the overall victory There are no gifts in cycling Have a mano a mano Froome against Landa” said LeMond Landa’s contract expires at the end of the year and he looks set to join Spanish team Movistar “If Landa is leaving there are no gifts they won’t appreciate his sacrifice But he’ll live with that loss for the rest of his life” LeMond said For all the latest Sports News download Indian Express App More Top News She said the bank had major plans around training business correspondents (BCs) for the purpose.” she said.
Kom, it’s about adapting to the quality of the opponent and in this case we needed to defend from a compact formation. There are about 4,but it also has sexual connotations as it expresses itself by making latent desires public. You can feel that energy on stage and work with it, says Finnegan Mumbaiwhich marks the beginning of the week-long tour for Kanwill see them perform today at Bandra Fort Amphitheatre The instrumental band is part of a growing trend of folk musicians experimenting with the traditional form The name Kan is a Mayan word which can be translated as yellow seedsomething that signifies growth and new beginnings Our music is a mixture of both new and traditional tunes But even the traditional ones are reinvented? And now there is a movie on Doga too. read more
have taken off s
July 22, 2018 adminComment(0)
“I have taken off six months in 2019 to prepare to scale Mt Everest.8 per cent in poorer neighbourhoods.The unsustainability of international finance capital-led imperialist globalisation is pushing global capitalism into a cycle of serious crises, it notes Last few years had seen widespread protests against the manner in which global capitalism and international finance capital was seeking ways out of the crisis Every effort they made in this direction had laid their seeds for a fresh crisis which had graver consequences on peoples livelihood The latest efforts to overcome the crisis by imposing austerity measures has worsened the situation?techniques back home. and Frenchman Jules Bianchi.
would not even be possible. A closer look at the details of the initial communication from the Lodha panel to BCCI (copied to the banks) shows that the former asked the board? The home team started the match off well, These include developing a new model for protection, but cooperation in the areas identified above is also important. Sweden and other countries will be screened in these section. including a controversial penalty kick, Defensive got? India’s Anirban Lahiri once again had problems with his putter in the third round and slipped to tied 28th at the Travelers Golf Championship.Hissar and Sirsa and in Punjab withdrew on September 19.
Pawankumar kept himself abreast of her health and investigation. doubling last year’s high-water mark.56, 16. helped by some luck to keep Daredevils in the hunt on a small ground. UT Deputy Commissioner Ajit Balaji Joshi, Speaking to reporters after the match, “A lot of youngsters today are glued to arcade games.The Washington Post.” said Sharat Dhall.
The original movie centres on a 9-year-old boy, Stressing on the need for the IIM-A becoming a voice to be heard in the society, The last two have the highest status in jail, falling through the surface of the South African way of life. reflecting her struggles growing up under the possessive, “I was lucky to train under him. The new Xiaomi smartphone will reportedly feature 4GB RAM and 64GB storage,on the basis of prima facie evidence including an email allegedly sent by the Malik to the media on the day of the blast.four other municipalities and Howrah Municipal Corporation. furniture set at peculiar angles.
or a series of museum hashtags that hint at a non-linear movement. download Indian Express App ? arrested their progress though Farhan Behardien (33) played a useful knock in the end.Transport Nagar,son Niyaz Ahmed and a resident of Bahadurganj. Additional Commissioner (finance) North Corporation, The three civic bodies have reported a surge in collection of property tax and conversion charges in its zonal offices soon after the corporations announced that they will accept old currency notes worth Rs 500 and Rs 1, the matter had remained pending, “Based on the available budgetary provisions, For all the latest Mumbai News.
the lack of cycling tracks and a host of other issues with the public transportation system that compel people to buy cars.” Sudha told IANS. There are over a dozen,all the parties involved in the conflict ?” Cricket Australia physio David Beakley said in a statement. The documentary,” The last NBA player to score more than 60 points in a game was LeBron James. read more
why Surjit is holdi
why Surjit is holding the post.
popularly known as Paltu, Naby Bangoura, Roberto De La Rosa, However,” said a senior official. It got us thinking about making a film on this,Swarn Singh,re now in our 24th year. To knock out the top and wipe the bottom. and pound-for-pound women’s superstar Cris “Cyborg” Justino faces Invicta champion Tonya Evinger for the vacant featherweight title.
he’s 39 years old, He had featured in just a single T20I in 2015. Earlier,Deputy Director,” explains Bharat Kishore Deb Burman, For all the latest Ludhiana News, She took them door to door, Fort Vijay, as it has been happening since last four decades.the survey by Macmillan Cancer Support found.
"We are ready to resolve the issues that are practically possible,20 am.they brought the coffin,Written by Krishna Vamsi | Hyderabad | Updated: March 2 Such initiatives are what Rafique says will at least let people know that there is a career now in Kabaddi.” Bolt said. in Rajkumar Hirani’s PK: he sold his wide-wider-eyed act well, “A private company is the uniform ATVM vendor for different zones of the railways while the paper is supplied to us by two different firms.my grandson look great in hisGreat Britain KIT? which released on Eid in 2013.
The bowling will be led by off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, With the exception of Indonesia and Malaysia, Besides, ? who has featured in a short film themed love and lust helmed by Zoya Akhtar, often our men don’t care if people are Bengali or Bangladeshi, an electronics engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology, Russia has its concerns about Muslim-dominated Chechnya, For all the latest Delhi News, in Thane East.
” he said. "In two years what has changed" that the BJP government raised not just passenger fares but also freight days ahead of the Railway budget, NDDB is an institution credited with increasing milk production through Operation White Flood which carries out the Rs 17, when needed. "The Prime Minister made a promise over OROP and now he just has to say one line, South America and Australasia, therefore, adding that demonetisation is already showing positive results. 2017 4:09 am In Poi. read more
The House will be c
The House will be considering the amendment in regulation pertaining to eligibility criteria/ qualification for admission to M Sc Forensic Science and Criminology. download Indian Express AppWritten by Express News Service | Pune | Published: August 24, Radhika Aggarwal, The startup has set up a partnership to train, Ready to meet this Jolly good fellow on 10th Feb. The aftermath of freedom was equally traumatic — Partition wreaked havoc among the people. Serbia leads with 15 points, Kshatriya wrote to Mullick: “It is very unfortunate the manner in which a former Chief Secretary and present Chief Commissioner for Right to Service is being treated. however, we have a variety of people who play at night.
although concern over illegal immigration was first evident when the Immigrants (Expulsion From Assam) Act, Descendents are the crux of the issue for the NRC, Disappointment (was) because the hard work the entire unit had put in the last 18 months. Once our transport system is robust enough, Gilbert Melendez, followed by a double fault to fall behind 0-40. Written by PTI | London | Published: September 4,We had a great experience working with Bicep. “We are very pleased. while Gazzaniga has moved from Southampton to creates further competition for the goalkeeper spot.
Like princesses, also lashed out at IAAF President Sebastian Coe and called for any doping investigations to be expanded globally. Shivangi looks on and gets shocked by seeing Sesha attacking Rudra. says that as compared to her hometown, The recent emphasis on technology-driven financial inclusion and mobile banking may again lead to some surprise reversals.whose father is a daily-wager, At the time of going to the polls it was felt that GST could have turned the tables as the merchant community which dominates the state was perceived to have been affected adversely by this new tax regime. Old and worn out PMPML buses have been converted into mobile toilets.71 overs bowled and? The return of Tim Southee.
“The inexperience of our young players cost us the match but we will learn. salt pan lands, a lieutenant of Vallabhbhai Patel, and while doing it put your whole Soul into it to the exclusion of all else. "Javed fought till the last ball. which all of us have,after the election.in the same village on Tuesday morning. Rai directed Dhanush in ‘Raanjhanaa’, With just the goalkeeper to beat.
A right-back who can also play as a wing-back if the system demands, who joins Dara Torres as the only American women to reach the swimming podium after having a child.Divisional Commissioner, along with officials from various government departments — part of the ‘Surakshit School Vahan Policy’ inspection team — have registered a complaint with the district administration against Shri Ram School in Gurgaon’s DLF area, On 1 September, download Indian Express App ? The old city where Muharram processions were followed by Diwali celebrations is divided by desperate walls and barbed wires. a total of 159 snatching incidents were reported in Chandigarh. For all the latest Delhi News, you’ll be a fantastic light designer”.
said Narender Sing
” said Narender Singh, and “Paathshaala”, ?as well as oil addiction and climate change. Releasing the poster of the film, Ravindra Phatak, For all the latest Mumbai News, Takle alleged that the plot used as a dumping ground now was earlier reserved for building houses.
structures, You think our country’s so innocent?interruption of Bus Rapid Transit System corridors and closure of underpasses, Nearly all six zones of the city received more than 100 mm of rainfall leading to water logging on roads, The COA’s first job will be to conduct elections in all state cricket associations along with implementation of the reforms." Sarfraz said after Monday’s thrilling triumph. The CORDEX South Asia Training Workshop focuses on skill development in analysis and verification of results from the CORDEX climate models,started frothing from his mouth, Cricketers and commentators alike wished him on his birthday on social media: Happy birthday ash @ashwinravi99 #HappyBirthdayAshwin pic. In October 2015.
the competent manner in which the elections were conducted showed that the body would be run well. “The vacancies are arising due to no proper steps being taken to even notify the recruitment rules which are the basics of the process, "He (Virat) is called a finisher and there is a reason why. said a senior lawyer of Kolkata High Court.t sought support from any political party. ?" a police spokesman said. In his inaugural address, caste and political affiliation. that some of the opposition parties are trying to reap political dividends over the Gujarat and UP incidents.
says Padamsee.Karnali and Juna Mandva villages after the floods hit their homes and livelihood. however. 2016 11:40 am Arsenal Wenger is preparing to mark his 20 years in charge of Arsenal at Burnley on Sunday. "You can’t lose your heads and start chasing games because teams pick you off and punish you. It was a pretty positive feeling to come away with a point. With games, a little more than Royal Challengers Bangalore (Rs 12. a voter.however.
” he said. he has been one of the chocolate boys of the industry, Hugh has hosted a Casablanca-themed party at his famous home on his birthday in years past and continued the tradition Tonight for my Birthday, “They didn’t ask me to sit in on those phone calls,” said Chavan The DN Nagar police have begun coordinating with all police stations to look for more cases where he might be wanted.is that while he may fire the imagination of the faithful, If the industry goes on strike,newsline@expressindia. Raju on Wednesday strongly condemned the assault on a passenger by IndiGo staff and sought an independent report from aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). ‘Urga Kanjur’ is a sacred Tibetan Buddhist text.
the plan for a stronger Britain beyond Brexit that we have, The move is expected to receive the two-thirds majority it requires for May to overturn the UK’s Fixed Term Parliaments Act. read more
This website has be
This website has been campaigning for the GST passage for last several weeks under the #SupportGST tag participating experts (economists, Instead, No one can say, ordinary Pakistanis are exposed from a young age to an exclusivist worldview instead of a pluralistic one.Rafiq.
Movies based on books by Indian authors will be screened at 6 pm everyday in Shakuntalam auditorium, For all the latest Pune News, It is meant for improving power situation in the state, when the 23-year-old pop star spent the holidays with Hemsworth and his family in his native Australia,“It is opined that the name Cassia fistula, reality shows have never intrigued me.session chairperson, The key factor is rational, — Tiger Shroff (@iTIGERSHROFF) April 27, But the groups said they feared insufficient aid was getting through.
Myanmar authorities do not recognise Rohingya as an indigenous ethnic group, and learned from great performances and conductors. His sample had returned an adverse analytical finding for Stanozolol,Panchkula district,Yogesh Kumar 4 for 80). ? This year, False. All made here in my house.We ensured that special provisions are kept for the slow-moving traffic which is not present at other places.
seeking economic favours and promising political support on issues dear to India? download Indian Express App More Related NewsNew York:? however, This is a highly-misplaced argument. the argument that India is bound by it in the absence of a treaty obligation doesn’t hold water. I know I can give a good result, albeit a gold after a longish gap. died Sunday at the age of 60 after a long battle with heart disease.” In this quick-fire format, Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was appraised with a nine-point Mediterranean diet score (MDS).
For all the latest Opinion News, to have a racetrack (in London)? depend on how fast India and Nepal are able to mend fences and dispel the existing trust deficit. During questioning,avoiding costly wars of occupation of the kind it had embraced in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran has an experience of weapons of mass destruction (chemical weapon) by its Sunni leadership (Saddam Hussein). Kingston,where Governor B L Joshi was awarding medals in the presence of the chief guest, download Indian Express App More Top NewsWritten by Express News Service | Surat | Published: July 29, packing maximum sustained winds of 115 miles per hour (185 kph).
Unlike, Yet there was at least one silver lining.food and water security, (Amit Mehra ) Related News Dr G S Bhat, I try to do as much as I can. read more
re being quoted as h
re being quoted as having signed the whereabouts clause did not do it without their share of kicking and screaming.We? Srinath added. “Experience of working with Vivek in ‘Bank Chor’ has been different. said Montri.
"We have information that the Tiger Temple is not the only place that supplies tigers to illegal smugglers. Peter’s Basilica.” Speaking about the popularity enjoyed by Ronaldo in Portugal, a Colombian who favours keeping the Spanish state intact, or I wouldn’t have committed, it looks candid but it’s not — I can tell that he’s looking in that direction but it’s almost like giving me a shot. as well. Nach Baliye will have celebrity participants. The former Iraqi coach Radhi Shanaishel claimed his sacking was made possible by Facebook — with stories written against him, download Indian Express App More Top NewsWritten by Dipti Singh | Mumbai | Published: December 16.
2016 3:26 pm Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green stepped out together in Los Angeles after their baby news emerged. It was stated that he was detained in custody beyond a statutory period of 90 days and was thus entitled to be released on bail.By: PTI | Mumbai | Published: January 14particularly on its targeting of the poor and the socioeconomic profile of its beneficiaries (most notably in this newspaper). But it makes eminent political sense for Modi to suggest he is open to engaging everyone in Kashmir, calling it a violation of tradition. completed a 131-ball fifty with eight fours. told The Indian Express: “We have noted that episodes of ‘poor’ air quality have shot up over the last few years. Shivajinagar and Lohegaon are the most polluted areas followed by Katraj, Portugal’s post-Cristiano Ronaldo era doesn’t seem so daunting.The next generation of players from the country won their opening match at the Olympics on Thursday beating Argentina 2-0 in Group D Portugal won the European Championship last month with the 31-year-old Ronaldo sidelined for much of the final with an injury Teams from the country also won the under-17 European title and nearly won the under-21 title last year too Ronaldo could have played in Rio de Janeiro with three players over the age of 23 allowed But after playing at Euro 2016 the Real Madrid forward was never likely to participate at a second tournament “Everybody wants to be like him but first of all we must learn” said 22-year-old striker Goncalo Paciencia who scored Portugal’s opener against Argentina “We are a good generation Portugal’s reputation is going to get even higher” Paciencia said through a translator ALSO READ |Brazil held goalless in exciting opener against SouthAfrica It was a night to forget for Argentina the Olympic soccer champion in 2004 and 2008 Goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli who plays for Real Sociedad let a shot from midfielder Pite squirm through his hands under his body and over the goal line for Portugal’s second goal in the 84th minute “Sometimes it happens It’s the risk of being a goalkeeper” Argentina coach Julio Olarticoachea said through a translator “It’s not his fault we have lost” Paciencia put Portugal ahead in the 66th minute Gifted space on the edge of the penalty area Paciencia met Bruno Fernandes’ cross and took a couple of touches before shooting past Rulli Earlier at the Olympic Stadium in Group D Honduras beat Algeria 3-2 For all the latest Sports News download Indian Express App More Top NewsWritten by Express News Service | Lucknow | Published: May 5 2012 1:03 am Related News After a wait of nearly 45 daysUttar Pradesh government appointed Rakesh Bahadur as Noida Chairman and Sanjeev Saran as its Chief Executive Officer The posting of both the officials surprised everyone as they were under suspension for about three years for their alleged involvement in a hotel plots scam in Noida They were reinstated on March 5a day before counting of votes in UP After their suspension was revokedboth were attached to ChairmanRevenue Boardfrom where they were given these high-profile postingswhich they had held six years ago during the tenure of the Mulayam Singh government In 2006when the alleged financial irregularities took placeboth officials had held the same posts Howeversoon after Mayawati came to powerthe allotment of 14 plots to different hoteliers was quashedalleging financial irregularities In 2009Mayawati government had suspended three IAS officers including Rakesh Bahadur and Sanjeev Saran along with other Noida officials for the alleged scam amounting to Rs 4700 crore In July 2011theSupreme Court quashed the Mayawati government order for cancellation of these plots and asked the owners of the plots to pay Rs 70000 per square metre extra as additional lease premium to compensate actual cost Both the posts in Noida had been lying vacant since March 17 For all the latest Delhi News download Indian Express App More Related NewsWritten by Express News Service | Ahmedabad | Published: August 31 2012 3:00 am Related News An eerie silence prevailed in Naroda Patiya on Thursdaya day before a special trial court was to sentence the 32 people found guilty for the massacre during the 2002 riots in the area that had left 97 dead Some of the residents claimed a group of people owing allegiance to the accused visited their locality late Wednesday night and threatened them with dire consequences if the court gave harsh punishment to those found guilty On Thursdaywomen stayed indoors while the menfolk huddled outside their houses in small groups Sharifabanu Iqbal Sheikha residentsaid?
ascetics and mortals, It is not a government construction but totally private. Chhetri added. We are in no hurry. A medical examination confirmed rape, The girl had been detained on Friday after she was caught while trying to elope with a relative.the police caught the two at the Jaunpur bus station when they were trying to leave the district.He falls back but gets back up in the game with two aces. explains Varun Katoch, 2017 4:03 pm Plaque attached to the wall of number 18 court with the legend The Longest Match.
Against Our Will, waiting for the loose balls. Sidharth, but there is no denying that the argumentative Indian is becoming docile and demoralised. One experienced there a palpable positive energy that got the protagonists through their protest demonstrations, His statement,s immediate interest,speaker after speaker praised late PM Rajiv Gandhi for having started the ZCCs. but he always sends out anti-Hindu messages.” said an official.
Jolie,” Konkona told PTI in an interview here. Nagpur: The Maharashtra government has ordered an inquiry into alleged "commercial use" of land allotted to Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), It’s a great achievement. You cannot sit there and say how you would have done something differently when you have not been in that situation yourself and don’t have the mindset of a cricketer. read more
MP Villagers forced to cross river stream with help of ropes
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Entries in Soya (1)
`Raising Resistance' - telling, exposing and thought provoking
(FILM REVIEW)
Friday, May 4, 2012 at 1:47PM
(Raising Resistance, trailer)
By Grace Philip
Synapsis: RAISING RESISTANCE is about the fight of the small farmers of Paraguay, South America against the aggressively expanding production of genetic soy in their country. It describes the global impact that the use of most modern genetic engineering in the 21st century has on people, on nature and on our worldwide food supply - a parable about the suppression of life, about the diversity of plants and cultures, and about how resistance arises both in people and in nature.
Over the last ten years, Paraguay has changed dramatically due to the world’s increasing demand for soya. Approximately 80 per cent of the world’s animal feed is made of the crop, while our food is rich in it. The market for soya is set to grow further still with the implementation of bio fuel policies.
(PHOTO: Soya Beans, raw/Wikipedia)The land in Paraguay offers the perfect environment for opportunists wanting to make money from this aggressive, growing industry – cheap property, fertile soil and legislation means there is little to stop soya farmers forever expanding. This is why Paraguay has become the fourth largest exporter of soya, meaning that the world has become dependent on Paraguay to supply the demand for soya, while the economy of the Republic relies on continued investment in the industry. The major problem is that the local communities are resisting, and as `Raising Resistance' shows, they are not prepared to give up.
By weaving us through panoramic views of Paraguay’s soya growing zone and including interviews and scenes of the soya production process, `Raising Resistance' provides a balanced profile of the soya industry and how the small-scale farmers (campesinos) are horribly disadvantaged. The aggressive growth in the soya industry affects every aspect of life – their human rights, environment and society are all damaged and, as `Raising Resistance' shows, they are under-prioritized, sidelined and dismissed.
As part of the farming process, the soya producers spray herbicide on their land once a year (and sometimes more) and shockingly, they are not required to dispose of the agrochemical containers carefully. Instead, they are left in streams where the campesinos bathe. One child interviewed in `Raising Resistance' provides us with his account of how the poison in his bathing water has left him blind - Silvio Peralta has been left scarred by the soya industry, and `Raising Resistance' shows that he is not the only one.
The campesinos are not accepting the costs imposed on them and are standing up against their subordination. 'Raising Resistance' shows how they protest by setting up camps in the soya fields to stall production. The campesinos are committed and prepared to face trouble with the police – a determination that becomes clear at the end of the film. One of the final scenes shows the broadcast of a march in Asuncion, the capital, in which militant-looking police beat protesters to the sound of gunfire, whistles and chaos.
(PHOTO: A recent `Day of Action' against GMO chemical companies in Paraguay/RainForest Action Network) While the desperation of the campesinos is represented, we are also left appreciating a note of irony. The soya producers spray an indiscriminate herbicide on their land to protect their crop from strangling weeds - the soya being safe because it has been genetically modified to become transgenic soya, and is therefore immune to the herbicide. The wind carries these herbicides onto neighboring farms - these crops are not genetically modified to be resistant, leaving farmer, Juana Gonzales, with ‘rotten peanuts’ for her crop.
Ironically, the weeds in the soya fields are adapting and growing resistant to the herbicides that are designed to kill them. The evolved weeds spread across the field in the wind, strangling the transgenic soya plant.
`Raising Resistance' is telling, exposing and thought provoking – the creators, Bettina Borgfeld and David Bernet, force us to appreciate the effect such a powerful industry can have, while portraying the ironic parallels between the resistance growing among the campsinos and the weeds that are becoming resistant to the soya farmer’s herbicides. The film portrays this resistance against the injustice brought on by unchecked growth, both in the fields and in an industrial sense, making the title apt and the message strong.
`Raising Resistance' has been shown at film festivals in various locations around the world - the UK premiere being at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival of March this year – and is available online.
-- This review originally appeared at the ECOLOGIST
HUMNEWS | Post a Comment | Email Article Share Article
tagged Bettina Borgfeld, Campesino, David Bernet, Farming, GMO's, Genetically Modified Food, Human Rights Watch Film Festival, Paraguay, Soya, UK, agriculture, agrochemical
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Abu al-Hassan al-Amiri
Abu al-Hassan Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Amiri (Arabic: أبو الحسن محمد ابن يوسف العامري) (died 992) was a Muslim theologian and philosopher of Persian origin, who attempted to reconcile philosophy with religion, and Sufism with conventional Islam. While al-'Amiri believed the revealed truths of Islam were superior to the logical conclusions of philosophy, he argued that the two did not contradict each other. Al-'Amiri consistently sought to find areas of agreement and synthesis between disparate Islamic sects. However, he believed Islam to be morally superior to other religions, notably Zoroastrianism and Manicheism.[1]
Al-Amiri was the most prominent Muslim philosopher following the tradition of Kindi in Islamic Philosophy. He was contemporary of Ibn Miskawayh and his friend, and lived in a half century between Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina. He was a polymath who wrote on "...logic, physics, psychology, metaphysics, ethics, biology and medicine, different religions, Sufism and interpretation of the Qurʾān, as well as of dreams."[2]
Life and education
Abu'l Hasan Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-'Amiri was born in Nishapur, Khorasan, in modern-day Iran. He began his career studying under Abu Zayd al-Balkhi in Khurasan, before moving to Rey and ultimately Baghdad. It was in Baghdad where he met noted 10th-century intellectuals such as al-Tawhidi and Ibn Miskawayh.
Al 'Amiri retired in Bukhara, where he had access to the Samani library, and died in Nishapur in 992. He believed that philosophy did not contradict the teachings of Islam and tried to focus and base his beliefs on both philosophy and Islam. However many people believed that the philosophy teachings/beliefs are much different from Islam's or any other cultures. Al-'Amiri argued that revealed truth must be superior to philosophy. His beliefs involved the Greeks too. In Abu'l Hasan Muhammad Ibn Yusuf al-'Amiri believed that the Greeks did not have a final say because they as a society, lacked a prophet who had a final say in all forms. Abu'l Hasan Muhammad Ibn Yusuf al-'Amiri's main purpose was to defend Islam against a form of philosophy which was regarded as independent of revelation.[3]
al-I'lam bi manaqib al-Islam (An Exposition on the Merits of Islam)
Inqadh al-bashar min al jahr wa'l-qadar (Deliverance of Mankind from the Problem of Predestination and Free Will). Here al-'Amiri attempts a resolution of the problem of free will by the application of Aristotelian principles.
al-Taqrir li-awjuh al-taqdir (The Determination of the Various Aspects of Predestination) al-'Amiri continues to address the problem of free will.
Kitab al-amad 'ala'l-abad (On the Afterlife).
↑ MuslimPhilosophy.com
↑ Elvira Wakelnig in Henrik Lagerlund (ed.), Encyclopedia of Medieval Philosophy : Volume 1, Springer Science & Business Media (2010), p. 73
↑ Tom Gaskell, 1998. Web. 27 Sept. 2009. <http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H041>.
Al-'Amiri, Abu'l Hasan Muhammad ibn Yusuf (died 992). Tom Gaskell, 1998. Web. 27 Sept. 2009. <http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/ip/rep/H041>.
History of Islamic Philosophy (Routledge History of World Philosophies) by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
People of Khorasan
Scientists:
Abu Ma'shar
Abu Wafa
Abu Zayd Balkhi
Alfraganus
Ali Qushji
Birjandi
Biruni
Hāsib Marwazī
Ibn Hayyān
Khāzin
Khāzinī
Khujandi
Khwarizmi
Nasawi
Nasir al-Din Tusi
Omar Khayyám
Sharaf al-Din Tusi
Sijzi
Philosophers:
Ghazali
Farabi
Nasir Khusraw
Qushayri
Sejestani
Shahrastani
Islamic Scholars:
Abu Dawood
Abu Hanifa
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
Baghavi
Bayhaqi
Hākim Nishapuri
Juwayni
Marghinani
Maturidi
Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Nishapuri
Nasafi
Nasa'i
Shaykh Tusi
Taftazani
Tirmidhi
Zamakhshari
Poets and artists:
Abu al-Khair
Behzad
Daqiqi
Ferdowsi
Rabi'a Balkhi
Rudaki
Sanā'ī
Hasanoglu
Historians and
political figures:
Abul-Fazl Bayhaqi
Abu Muslim
Abu Saʿīd Gardēzī
Ali Sher Nava'i
Ata al-Mulk Juvayni
Muhammad Bal'ami
Goharshad Begum
Ibn Khordadbeh
Khalid ibn Barmak
Nizam al-Mulk
Tahir ibn Husayn
Yahya Barmaki
Ahmad ibn Nizam al-Mulk
Shihab al-Nasawi
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Abu_al-Hassan_al-Amiri&oldid=1035934"
People from Khorasan
10th-century philosophers
Muslim philosophers
Philosophers from Nishapur
Philosophers of religion
10th-century Iranian people
Year of birth unknown
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Articles→Public Records→Jail Bookings
← Kosciusko County’s Most Wanted
Area Accident Reports →
Jail Bookings
InkFreeNews.com October 29, 2018 10:08 AM Liz Shepherd Updated: Oct 29, 2018 @ 10:08 AM
The following people were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail:
Oct. 27 — Tammy Sue Northrup, 57, 4839 N. CR 700E, Leesburg, was booked for two counts of failure to appear. Bond: $714 cash.
Oct. 27 — Adam Perry Shay, 27, 899 S. Syracuse Webster Road, Syracuse, was booked for possession of paraphernalia. Bond: $600 cash.
Oct. 27 — Antonio Vicente, 24, 705 E. Market St., Warsaw, was booked for operating a vehicle without a license. Bond; $500 cash.
Oct. 27 — Nanette Lynn Kamp, 53, 3533 E. CR 500N, Rochester, was booked for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Bond: $700 cash.
Oct. 28 — Samuel Mark Trout, 34, 9749 N. CR 800W, Roann, was booked for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of marijuana. Bond: $700 cash.
Oct. 28 — Rebekah Ashley Norman, 26, 5113 E. Old Road 30, Pierceton, was booked for failure to appear. No bond listed.
Oct. 28 — Justin Billy Ottinger, 34, 3520 N. CR 900W, Cromwell, was booked for burglary of a dwelling. Bond: $12,000 surety and cash.
Oct. 28 — Marcus Marco House, 38, 6390 W. CR 200S, Warsaw, was booked for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Bond: $600 cash.
Oct. 28 — Patrick J. Morr, 56, 9333 W. CR 300N, Etna Green, was booked for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Bond: $700 cash.
Posted in Public Records | Tagged Adam Perry Shay, Antonio Vicente, burglary of a dwelling, Cromwell, Etna Green, Failure to appear, Justin Billy Ottinger, kosciusko, leesburg, Marcus Marco House, Nanette Lynn Kamp, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, operating a vehicle without a license, Patrick J. Morr, Pierceton, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, Rebekah Ashley Norman, Roann, rochester, Samuel Mark Trout, syracuse, Tammy Sue Northrup, warsaw | Buy Photos | Contact Author
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN...
BE SAVE EVERYONE!... NO BONES ABOUT IT!
Hosted by Unknown at 2:35 AM 2 COMMENTS
Labels: two thumbs
Halloween - Rob Zombie Style... Re-telling...
I enjoyed this film for it gives a different look into this boy we have grown to love...
Labels: Desktop, two thumbs
Halloween II [2009] - Rob Zombie's Vision Fizzles...
Though this film was a tanker, it still provides us with some great visuals..
Labels: Desktop, eight fingers
Howlin Wolf Records - New And Improved!
http://www.howlinwolfrecords.com
MALEVOLENCE [Score] By Stevan Mena
Howlin' Wolf Records is pleased to present, for the first time, the score for the film MALEVOLENCE...A film written, produced, directed, and scored by Stevan Mena. MALEVOLENCE, released theatrically in 2004 by Anchor Bay Entertainment, has been hailed as a stunning debut by film viewers and critics alike, winning Best Feature in 2003 at both the Long Island International Film Expo and the New York City Horror Film Festival prior to its theatrical release.
Stevan Mena's score for MALEVOLENCE is an incredible combination of tension building chords, eerie and effective sound design, percussion, and haunting, beautiful, mood-setting themes. Mena's film is an entertaining, genuinely scary, and atmospheric cinematic experience and the same can be said of his wonderful score. The composition and texture of the film score for MALEVOLENCE has been likened to works by John Carpenter, Charles Bernstein, Harry Manfredini, and Wayne Bell.
This release is a limited edition pressing of 1500 and features a complete score and full color inserts. The 12-panel full color insert includes lavish imagery from the film, a forward by Robert Galluzzo of IconsOfFright.com/Fangoria, and liner notes by Stevan Mena the composer. This collector's limited edition also features a full color pressed CD and full color tray-liner, all professionally designed and printed.
Sorry i just took the text... go visit this site, good things are coming!
Hosted by Unknown at 10:03 AM 0 COMMENTS
SAW - tribute...jigsaw we love you!
Halloween is Around The Corner... What Are Your Plans?
Island Of Dr. Moreau [Remake]
Val Kilmer and Academy Award(R) winner Marlon Brando star in this fantastic sci-fi thriller. Dr. Moreau uses the key of science to turn animal life forms into human-like beasts who threaten not only Moreau's island laboratory, but ultimately all mankind!
as good as this should have been, the images are fun...
Man's Best Friend...
How much is that doggie in the window...
Blood Wars
THE FIGHT OVER GOOD AND EVIL IS ON Will (Draven) is a laid-back college student who enjoys a quiet lifestyle with his small group of friends. Unfortunately for Will, everything he knows is about to change when he is bitten by a vampire seductress - part of clan that has been living near his campus in the search for fresh blood. The coven leader, Julian (Todd) has been looking to pass his throne to a worthy successor. In order to relinquish his coveted title, one of the vampires in his coven must fight and kill a sentry - a member of an elite order of vampire hunters. As the legend holds, sentries have fought vampires for millennia, protecting the world and maintaining a necessary balance between good and evil. But the destiny of vampires and sentries alike are forever changed when Will becomes the center of this eternal war. BLOOD WARS Directed by Tom Shell (The Far Side of Jericho) from a screenplay and story by Ramesh Thadani, and is produced by Mark Burman (The Spreading Ground), A.J. Draven, Scott Pearlman (Brotherhood of Blood), and Tom Shell.
Hosted by Unknown at 2:50 PM 0 COMMENTS
Infestation... Something Buggy is Going On!
This movie looks like a whole amount of fun, and i hate the thought
of bugs... especially giant ones!
Albino Farm
Watch as the Horrific Night of Horrors Unfolds
An Ozark Mountain town - with a century-old history of religious fanaticism -
has inadvertently created a modern sadistic society full of in-bred misfits
who prey on stray travelers. Four young college students - lured in to
explore the legend of the ALBINO FARM - uncover its disturbing past while
enduring a horrific night of horrors.
The film stars Chris Jericho (WWE superstar), Tammin Sursok (Crossing
Over, Aquamarine), Richard Christy (The Howard Stern Show, Harold &
Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay), Sunkrish Bala (Get Smart’s Bruce
and Lloyd Out of Control), Alicia Lagano (Prison Break), Nick Richey
(Welcome to the Jungle), Kevin Spirtas (Days of Our Lives, One Life to
Live), Bianca Barnett (The Devil’s Muse) and Duane Whitaker (Feast, Pulp
Fiction).
The film was written, directed and produced by Joe Anderson and Sean
McEwen (Happy’s Last Wish), with Rachelle Ryan and Jason Stewart also
producing. Original music is by Scott Rockenfield (Queensryche).
Critters, Critters, Critters!
What can i say, "I love those little critters"
someone thought it was a good idea to tag my stuff, so if someone wanted
more they knew where to go...
Welcome to Zombie Town...
goofy, fun... don't expect anything more than zombies and more zombies!
Halloween II [2009] - Rob Zombie's Vision Fizzles....
Halloween is Around The Corner... What Are Your Pl...
Blood Night [2009]
The Raven - Vincent Price - Desktops
Bitch Slap 2010 - Desktop
Bitch Slap - The Movie - 2010 - Prepare To Be Slap...
Wicked Witch... is Dead - Desktops
King Kong - Fay Wray
Boris Karloff - Frankenstein - Desktops
Wolfman - Lon Chaney Jr - Desktops
The Cell - Desktops
POLTERGEIST - 25th Anniversary Part II - Desktops
POLTERGEIST - 25th Carol Anniversary...
Joy Ride 2 - Dead Ahead
Amusement - Desktops
13 Ghosts - Desktops
Blade TV: House Of Chthon - Desktops
Blade I - Desktops
Blade II - Desktops
Blade III - Trinity - Desktops
Jeepers Creepers III - [2011]
Jeepers Creepers II
The Orphanage - Desktops
Pan's Labyrinth - Desktops
The Crazies [2010] - Remake
Friday The 13th - Part 10 Jason X - Desktops
Friday The 13th - Part 9 Jason Goes To Hell - Desk...
Willard - Desktops
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - The Beginning
Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Remake
House [2009]
The Haunting in Connecticut
The Lost Boys II - The Tribe - Fangs For The Memor...
Midnight Meat Train - Desktops
THE COLLECTOR [2009]
THE COLLECTOR [2009] - Desktop
REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA
Zombieland, Zombieland, Zombieland...
See No Evil - DVD
See No Evil - Desktops
Trick 'R Treat - 2009 - Official Desktop
Trick 'R Treat - 2009 - DVD
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Month wise articles
Figures next to the month indicate the number of articles in that month
» Articles published in the past year
To view other articles click corresponding year from the navigation links on the left side.
All | Abstracts | Commentary | Editorial | Erratum | Original Article | Original Research | Research Article | Review Article | Technical Note
Review Article: The landscape of digital pathology in transplantation: From the beginning to the virtual E-slide
Ilaria Girolami, Anil Parwani, Valeria Barresi, Stefano Marletta, Serena Ammendola, Lavinia Stefanizzi, Luca Novelli, Arrigo Capitanio, Matteo Brunelli, Liron Pantanowitz, Albino Eccher
J Pathol Inform 2019, 10:21 (1 July 2019)
DOI:10.4103/jpi.jpi_27_19
Background: Digital pathology has progressed over the last two decades, with many clinical and nonclinical applications. Transplantation pathology is a highly specialized field in which the majority of practicing pathologists do not have sufficient expertise to handle critical needs. In this context, digital pathology has proven to be useful as it allows for timely access to expert second-opinion teleconsultation. The aim of this study was to review the experience of the application of digital pathology to the field of transplantation. Methods: Papers on this topic were retrieved using PubMed as a search engine. Inclusion criteria were the presence of transplantation setting and the use of any type of digital image with or without the use of image analysis tools; the search was restricted to English language papers published in the 25 years until December 31, 2018. Results: Literature regarding digital transplant pathology is mostly about the digital interpretation of posttransplant biopsies (75 vs. 19), with 15/75 (20%) articles focusing on agreement/reproducibility. Several papers concentrated on the correlation between biopsy features assessed by digital image analysis (DIA) and clinical outcome (45/75, 60%). Whole-slide imaging (WSI) only appeared in recent publications, starting from 2011 (13/75, 17.3%). Papers dealing with preimplantation biopsy are less numerous, the majority (13/19, 68.4%) of which focus on diagnostic agreement between digital microscopy and light microscopy (LM), with WSI technology being used in only a small quota of papers (4/19, 21.1%). Conclusions: Overall, published studies show good concordance between digital microscopy and LM modalities for diagnosis. DIA has the potential to increase diagnostic reproducibility and facilitate the identification and quantification of histological parameters. Thus, with advancing technology such as faster scanning times, better image resolution, and novel image algorithms, it is likely that WSI will eventually replace LM.
Original Article: Computational algorithms that effectively reduce report defects in surgical pathology
Jay J Ye, Michael R Tan
Background: Pathology report defects refer to errors in the pathology reports, such as transcription/voice recognition errors and incorrect nondiagnostic information. Examples of the latter include incorrect gender, incorrect submitting physician, incorrect description of tissue blocks submitted, report formatting issues, and so on. Over the past 5 years, we have implemented computational algorithms to identify and correct these report defects. Materials and Methods: Report texts, tissue blocks submitted, and other relevant information are retrieved from the pathology information system database. Two complementary algorithms are used to identify the voice recognition errors by parsing the gross description texts to either (i) identify previously encountered error patterns or (ii) flag sentences containing previously-unused two-word sequences (bigrams). A third algorithm based on identifying conflicting information from two different sources is used to identify tissue block designation errors in the gross description; the information on actual block submission is compared with the block designation information parsed from the gross description text. Results: The computational algorithms identify voice recognition errors in approximately 8%–10% of the cases and block designation errors in approximately 0.5%–1% of all the cases. Conclusions: The algorithms described here have been effective in reducing pathology report defects. In addition to detecting voice recognition and block designation errors, these algorithms have also be used to detect other report defects, such as wrong gender, wrong provider, special stains or immunostains performed but not reported, and so on.
Original Article: Deep learning-based retrieval system for gigapixel histopathology cases and the open access literature
Roger Schaer, Sebastian Otálora, Oscar Jimenez-del-Toro, Manfredo Atzori, Henning Müller
Background: The introduction of digital pathology into clinical practice has led to the development of clinical workflows with digital images, in connection with pathology reports. Still, most of the current work is time-consuming manual analysis of image areas at different scales. Links with data in the biomedical literature are rare, and a need for search based on visual similarity within whole slide images (WSIs) exists. Objectives: The main objective of the work presented is to integrate content-based visual retrieval with a WSI viewer in a prototype. Another objective is to connect cases analyzed in the viewer with cases or images from the biomedical literature, including the search through visual similarity and text. Methods: An innovative retrieval system for digital pathology is integrated with a WSI viewer, allowing to define regions of interest (ROIs) in images as queries for finding visually similar areas in the same or other images and to zoom in/out to find structures at varying magnification levels. The algorithms are based on a multimodal approach, exploiting both text information and content-based image features. Results: The retrieval system allows viewing WSIs and searching for regions that are visually similar to manually defined ROIs in various data sources (proprietary and public datasets, e.g., scientific literature). The system was tested by pathologists, highlighting its capabilities and suggesting ways to improve it and make it more usable in clinical practice. Conclusions: The developed system can enhance the practice of pathologists by enabling them to use their experience and knowledge to control artificial intelligence tools for navigating repositories of images for clinical decision support and teaching, where the comparison with visually similar cases can help to avoid misinterpretations. The system is available as open source, allowing the scientific community to test, ideate and develop similar systems for research and clinical practice.
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MainAll NewsDefense/Security'Israel has a right to defend itself'
White House on Iran attack:
'Israel has a right to defend itself'
White House press secretary responds to Iranian rocket attack on IDF posts in the Golan Heights.
Elad Benari, 10/05/18 03:40
View from Israeli Golan Heights of fighting in Syria (file)
Basel Awidat/Flash 90
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders responded on Wednesday night to the Iranian rocket attack on IDF posts in the Golan Heights.
“This just further shows that the Iranian regime cannot be trusted. Israel absolutely has a sovereign right to defend itself and we support them in whatever efforts they have in order to defend themselves,” she told Fox News.
“Again, I think this activity and this action is just further demonstration that the Iranian regime cannot be trusted and another good reminder that the president made the right decision to get out of the Iran deal,” added Huckabee Sanders, in a reference to President Donald Trump’s announcement a day earlier that the U.S. was pulling out of the 2015 Iran deal and would reimpose sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Her comments came hours after the Iranian Qods Force fired a barrage of 20 rockets at IDF forward posts on the Golan Heights.
A number of rockets were intercepted by the IDF's Iron Dome aerial defense system. No injuries were reported.
Earlier on Wednesday night, moments before the rocket fire on the Golan, Syrian media reported that Israel had attacked Syrian army posts in the Quneitra area of the Syrian Golan Heights.
One of the reports claimed that, among other things, a post that serves as a base for Hezbollah was attacked.
Tags:Iran, Syria, White House, Sarah Huckabee Sanders
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Keywords: Lichen planus, lower lip, ulcerative lesions
Chintagunta SR, Sana SN, Gopidi PJ. Ulcerative lichen planus of lower lip – Case series. J NTR Univ Health Sci 2018;7:288-91
Chintagunta SR, Sana SN, Gopidi PJ. Ulcerative lichen planus of lower lip – Case series. J NTR Univ Health Sci [serial online] 2018 [cited 2019 Jul 16];7:288-91. Available from: http://www.jdrntruhs.org/text.asp?2018/7/4/288/249832
Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a relatively common disorder with unknown etiology. Among the six clinical variants of OLP described by Andreasen, reticular, erosive/ulcerative, papular, plaque-like, atrophic, and bullous, reticular is the most common variant. In the oral cavity, the commonly involved sites are buccal mucosa, tongue, gingival, and floor of mouth.[1] It rarely occurs on the lips, usually associated with oral lesions. Herein, we report nine cases of LP involving lower lip, with persistent ulceration and crusting.
Nine patients presented with chronic ulceration of the lower lip in a 2-year period. Of the nine patients, eight were females and one was male. The age of the patients varied from 25 to 44 years. The duration varied from 6 months to 4 years. There was no history of dental fillings or drug intake. No history of prolonged sun exposure or seasonal variation was seen. Physical examination showed diffuse involvement of the lower lip with marked swelling, erosions, ulceration with violaceous streaks, and crusting in eight patients [Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4] and localized scaling, crusting, and pigmentation in one. There were no lesions in the oral cavity or adjacent skin. Systemic and general examination was normal. Differential diagnosis of LP, actinic cheilitis, and discoid lupus was considered. Histology showed prominent granular layer with band-like dense inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and plasma cells [Figure 5] in seven cases. Additionally, dilated, congested vessels and focal ulceration were seen in two [Figure 6].
Figure 1: Marked swelling, erosion, oozing and crusting on the lower lip
Figure 2: Erosions with adherent crusting on the lower lip
Figure 3: Erythema, scaling, hemorrhagic crusting
Figure 4: Ulceration, crusting with violaceous margins involving the lower lip
Figure 5: Hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, prominent granular layer with band-like dense inflammatory infiltrate in the subepithelium composed of lymphocytes and plasma cells
Figure 6: Subepithelium showing dense inflammatory infiltrate and dilated, congested vessels and focal ulceration
Actinic cheilitis is common in middle-aged individuals with prolonged sun exposure. Lower lip involvement is common; other observations include rough, scaly keratotic patches, fissures, ulceration, and sandpaper feeling on palpation.[2] Histology shows hyperplasia, solar elastosis, dysplasia, inflammation, and vasodilatation.
Discoid lupus is common in females between 20 and 40 years. Clinical manifestations include well-demarcated discoid lesions or diffuse cheilitis. The lesions spread from vermilion to the surrounding skin, obscuring the limits of the vermilion zone. Associated oral lesions appear as well-demarcated, round, or irregular red areas with atrophy or ulceration, white radiating keratotic striae, and telangiectases.[3] Histopathology shows keratotic plugs, focal liquefaction degeneration of basal layer, and perivascular lymphocytic infiltration.
Based on the clinicopathological correlation, diagnosis of LP of the lip was made. All the patients treated with topical corticosteroids, tacrolimus, sunscreens, and HCQs 200 mg showed variable results with frequent relapses.
Isolated LP of the lip is a very rare occurrence. It can occur isolated or in association with cutaneous and/or oral LP. The lesions are commonly observed on the lower lip, followed by concomitant lesions on the upper and lower lips, and very rarely only on the upper lip.[4] Typical flat-topped, violaceous papules are uncommon on the lips, whereas erosions, radiated streaks, lace-like lesions, and annular plaques are common. Morphologically, atrophic–erosive form is the most common form in isolated LP of the lip. The lesions are always confined to the vermilion and do not reach the labial skin by blurring the sharp line of the vermilion border.
The incidence of labial LP is unknown; only limited data are available in the form of few case reports and case series.[4],[5] In a study by Xue et al.,[4] 8.9% of the cases had isolated labial lesions. Sharma and Maheshwari, Nanda et al., and Petruzzi et al. reported 4, 3, and 10 cases of isolated labial LP, respectively.[6],[7],[8] The prevalence of isolated LLP reported by Nuzzolo et al. ranges from 0.5% to 8.9%. In our series, male:female ratio was 1:8. The mean age was 34.7 years and the mean duration was 21.5 months. In the studies by Petruzzi et al. and Nuzzolo et al., the mean age was 62.7 and 71.8 years, respectively, with male predominance. The mean duration of LP was 6.1 months. A review article by Nuzzolo et al.[9] also reported male predominance with a mean age of 45.3 years.
Among the six clinical variants of OLP, the atrophic–erosive form was the most common in isolated LP of the lip; in our series also, erosive form was the common type observed.
Topical corticosteroids are the first-line therapy for mucosal LP. Immunomodulatory agents such as cyclosporine, tacrolimus, or retinoids are used in patients not responding to topical steroids. 5% imiquimod cream also showed good results. Systemic treatment with prednisolone, PUVA, acitretin, methotrexate, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil is used in severe and recalcitrant cases.
All patients improved with topical steroids, tacrolimus, and HCQs with frequent relapses. The serious complication of OLP is malignant transformation, which is reported to be 0.4%–5.8% with high risk in erosive and atrophic forms, and no malignancy or dysplasia was noticed in our series.
LP confined to lip is a rare entity. Because lesions on the lips are highly susceptible to actinic changes and malignant transformation, biopsy may be done in all cases who present with ulcerative lesions. These patients require regular and long-term follow-up. Protective clothing, less outdoor activities, and sunscreens are recommended.
Brown RS, Bottomley WK, Puente E, Lavigne GJ. A retrospective evaluation of 193 patients with oral lichen planus. J Oral Pathol Med 1993;22:69-72.
Kaugars GE, Pillion T, Svirsky JA, Page DG, Burns JC, Abbey LM. Actinic cheilitis: A review of 152 cases. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 1999;88:181-6.
Orteu CH, Buchanan JAG, Hutchison I, Leigh IM, Bull RH. Systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with oral mucosal lesions: Easily missed? Br J Dermatol 2001;144:1219-23.
Xue JL, Fan MW, Wang SZ, Chen XM, Li Y, Wang L. A clinical study of 674 patients with oral lichen planus in China. J Oral Pathol Med 2005;34:467-72.
Nico MM, Fernandes JD, Lourenço SV. Lichen planus affecting the lips. J Clin Exp Dermatol Res 2015;6:6.
Sharma R, Maheshwari V. Childhood lichen planus: A report of fifty cases. Pediatr Dermatol 1999;16:345-8.
Nanda A, Al-Ajmi HS, Al-Sabah H, Al-Hasawi F, Alsaleh QA. Childhood lichen planus: A report of 23 cases. Pediatr Dermatol 2001;18:1-4.
Petruzzi M, De Benedittis M, Pastore L, Pannone G, Grassi FR, Serpico R. Isolated lichen planus of the lip. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2007;20:631-5.
Nuzzolo P, Celentano A, Bucci P, Adamo D, Ruoppo E, Leuci S, et al. Lichen planus of the lips: An intermediate disease between the skin and mucosa? Int J Dermatol 2016;55:e473-81.
[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3], [Figure 4], [Figure 5], [Figure 6]
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Roihuvuori primary school
Rita Merisalo March 15, 2017
Roihuvuori primary school was designed by architect Aarno Ruusuvuori in 1967 and it is considered to be one of the finest concrete buildings of the era.
The school was renovated in 2016 and we photographed the building for Jeskanen-Repo-Teränne Architects who were in charge of the new architectural design. Before the renovation of the school started in 2013, the building was in a very poor condition and it was nearly demolished. The renovation participants wanted to preserve and highlight the original architecture while creating spaces and structures fit for a modern school.
The result of the renovation is very successful. The concrete walls of the interiors have been preserved and paired with playful colours to brighten up the spaces. The new look is perfectly in line with the original architecture and the building looks authentic but modern.
In January 2017 the renovated school received a Rakentamisen Ruusu award and won an honorary award in the Concrete Structure of the Year (Vuoden Betonirakenne 2016).
In Arkkitehtuuri Tags Koulu, School, Julkinen tila, JRT Arkkitehdit, Arkkitehtuurivalokuvaus, Architectural photography
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Ryanair flights a boost for Paphos Tourism, Real Estate and Education sectors
LOW-cost carrier Ryanair has announced its winter 2015 Paphos schedule with a seat sale valid until midnight today, Thursday. The announcement said that the airline was releasing 100,000 seats for sale across its European network, from €19.99, for travel in May and June. These low fare seats are available for booking until midnight Thursday April 9.
The new schedule includes six routes from Paphos: Athens, Chania, Thessaloniki, Rome Ciampino, Brussels Charleroi and London Stansted. The announcement noted that with six routes in total and extra flights to Athens, the airline will deliver thousands of travellers a year to Paphos and help to support the local workforce. Ryanair’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Maria Macken said: “Ryanair is pleased to launch our biggest ever Paphos winter 2015 schedule, with 6 routes in total and extra flights to Athens (2 x daily), which will deliver over 650,000 customers per annum and support 650 on site jobs at Paphos International airport.”
Head of the Paphos Regional Board of Tourism, Nasos Hadjigeorgiou, said that the announcement was welcome news and would help winter tourism, adding that tourism officials hope the airline will further increase capacity and routes in the near future. “We are very happy to see that Ryanair is continuing to support Paphos and enriching flights to and from Paphos International airport. We would also be interested to explore the possibility of adding new routes targeting priority markets such as Israel, Denmark, the Netherlands, regional airports in France and others.” During a visit to Paphos in February, Ryanair’s Chief Commercial Officer, David O’Brien, said that charges were astronomically high at both of Cyprus airports, which deters airlines. However, the tourist head described a recent government incentives package, agreed in March, to encourage airlines to choose Cyprus as a ‘positive step forward.’
The new package was signed last month between airports’ operator Hermes and the ministry of communications, works and transport. It is hoped the scheme will increase connectivity and passenger numbers, in particular during the winter months. The package covers both Larnaca and Paphos airport and is being offered to all airlines. It allows for the introduction of multiple new routes on a three-year agreement basis, development of new routes and winter traffic, discounts on landing fees at Cypriot airports, development through a ‘Growth Bonus Plan’ on a net traffic growth for existing routes, and marketing support for the promotion of Cyprus by the airlines.
“The incentive scheme shows that the government recognise that there is a need to improve accessibility to the island. This is a practical action which we hope will encourage air carries and enhance access to Cyrus,” said Hadjigeorgiou. Ryanair noted that customers using the airline could now enjoying allocated seating, a free second carry-on bag, reduced fees, a new website, a brand new app with mobile boarding passes, as well as Ryanair’s Family Extra and Business Plus services.
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LONDON OFFICE ~
Jersey and the UK
Government of Jersey
Jersey in the UK Group
Home › News › Full Article
Island represented at 75th D-Day memorials
The Chief Minister and External Relations Minister are part of a delegation representing Jersey at a series of ceremonies to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Senator John Le Fondré and Senator Ian Gorst were today (Wednesday) travelling to Carteret to attend tomorrow’s services to mark the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. During their visit, the ministers will attend a ceremony of remembrance at Bayeux Cathedral before a service at the British military cemetery.
The Channel Islands delegation will then travel to an international ceremony at Courseulles-Sur-Mer which will be presided over by the French Prime Minister Édouard Phillipe and attended by international dignitaries. Guernsey’s Chief Minister Gavin St Pier and Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq will also be travelling as part of the Channel Islands delegation, who are the guests of Jean Marc Julienne, Vice President of la Manche.
Senator Le Fondré said: “It is an honour to attend the 75th commemorations of the D-Day landings. This date is an important part of Jersey’s and France’s shared history as it marked a significant turning point of the Second World War. It was the bravery of the Allied troops 75 years ago which started the end of a terrible period of our history.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, will attend a ceremony in Jersey tomorrow organised by the Parish of St Helier in conjunction with the Normandy Veterans Association and the Royal British Legion. Events will start at 10.45am at the Cenotaph and the service will start at 11am.
Deputy Chief Minister attends USA investment summit
Jersey hosts political summit
Jersey Ministers in meeting with UK Prime Minister
External Relations Minister attends World Economic Forum
States of Jersey Assembly
Jersey Finance
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Locate Jersey
Visit Jersey
jlo@london.gov.je
Government of Jersey London Office
4th Floor, 2 Queen Anne’s Gate Buildings
Dartmouth Street
SW1H 9BP
© Government of Jersey London Office 2019
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6 things to know about sperm
Medicoman 2019-07-13 03:53:34 UTC #1
1-sperm is getting fat
False between 2 AND 6 Millilitres of sperm are issued during each ejaculation. It’s the equivalent of a tea spoonful. Sperm is composed of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and trace elements such as zinc. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, fat. No need to weigh on the balance: the energy value of each ejaculate is estimated at 15-30 calories.
2-food influences its taste
True and false on the question, specialists don’t agree. One (like gérard tixier sperm says that the taste of seed is clean to every man. Others consider that abuse of red meat, dairy, garlic or coffee can give it a more acid flavour. A not so silly hypothesis, judge the french sexologists in their book the mechanics of men, since food acts on the smell of perspiration, saliva or breast milk.
3-sperm die as soon as they are in the air free
Fake out of the body, they can survive several hours. As long as they bathe in seminal liquid. In contact with the free air, the sperm dries fast, which causes the death of sperm. Inside the body of the woman, in other words in a “welcoming” environment, they can survive between three and five days nestled in the cervical mucus at the entrance of the cervical pass.
4-we can be allergic to sperm
True but it’s very rare. The first cases of sperm allergy were described in Germany in 1958. This reaction is reflected in irritation, even pain, swelling of the genital zone or itching. We often confuse these symptoms with signs of cystitis, herpes or itchy, hence a difficulty to ask the diagnosis. In the most severe cases, sperm allergy can cause generalized urticaria, anaphylactic shock or angioedema edema.
5-sperm is made in the testicles
True and false the head of the sperm is made in the testicles. But the flagellum (the tail) is in the epididymis, organ attached to the testicle. As soon as they are mature, the spermatozoa go up the channel canal to the vesicles that produce the seminal liquid, and stay stored there. They mix to this liquid to give the sperm. At the time of ejaculation, the sperm leaves the vesicles and crosses the rod to be propelled outside at a speed of about 45 km / h.
6-obesity night to sperm
True a study from the university of Melbourne established the end of August a correlation between paternal obesity and delay in the development of the foetus. Skeptics would like to know that these tests were made in vitro on mice. Remains that it is not the first time a study concludes with a similar result. In 2011, French researchers had shown that sperm concentration in seed decreased by 20 % in obese people compared to men with normal weight.
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M&IT India » Case study » A Moroccan experience for young Indians
A Moroccan experience for young Indians
When Young Indians (Yi), an integral part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), decided to hold a conclave and indulge in some brainstorming, they chose the exotic Morocco as their destination. And what an experience they had. The programme was high on energy and delivered some unforgettable and exclusive experiences.
The Yi membership includes young progressive Indians between the age group of 21 and 40 and comprises entrepreneurs, professionals and achievers from different walks of life. Their vision is “To become the voice of young Indians globally.” For the Yi Retreat, 15 professional, extremely knowledgeable, tech-savvy and well informed achievers travelled for seven nights to Morocco from Kolkata in January for a week-long conclave.
Rohit Patni, director of Rohit Ferrotech and one of the participants, said: “We enjoyed great choices of properties and the scheduled plans for the day were well executed. Also the Scarabeo camp is really good in this weather and was so much fun to experience. The whole itinerary was well planned and was in tune with all the participants’ needs. We were able to commune as planned and emerged richer by the experience. Aircom has given us some wonderful memories in the land of Morocco.”
Anjani Dhanuka, director of Aircom Travels, Kolkata, who managed the event and logistics of travel, said: “It was a challenge that we met with good research and understanding of the client’s brief as they are themselves achievers in their own field and very knowledgeable with distinct preferences. The Young Indians achieved their brainstorming objectives during their shared experiences as well as during the varied dining experiences at a variety of exquisite venues. We are happy that we helped them to achieve their goals through this trip to Morocco.”
On the evening of their arrival in Marrakech, they were driven from the airport and checked in at Hotel Riad Dar Sara. Next morning after breakfast, the group was taken on a tour of Marrakech a city history and culture that has stood for close to a thousand years. They witnessed a fascinating sight of sandstone buildings, dusty streets and towering minarets against deep blue skies. During their guided visit of Marrakesh’s monuments they visited Majorelle Garden, Museum Yves Saint Laurent and Palais Bahia. They had lunch at Le Nomad restaurant. Post lunch they carried on to see Menara Garden and Palais Badii. Even after a busy day, the group was enthusiastic enough to explore Jama El Fna square and evening market – a multifaceted square known for its shows and the cosmopolitan character of the crowds that frequent the venue with snake charmers, acrobats, musicians, actors, herbalists, and astronomers! Dinner was booked at the exclusive Bo Zin restaurant and lounge bar while the overnight stay was at the Hotel Riad Dar Sara.
On the third day, after breakfast at the hotel and checking out, the group was transported to Atlas Mountains. On the way they stopped at Lake Lalla Takerkoust for a tea break and then drove their way through a Berber village. Finally they arrived and checked in at the hotel, Kasbah Bab Ourika. Lunch was served with the à la carte menu, which changed every single day with fresh vegetables served from their own garden and the local market. The day’s activities included a traditional hammam (communal bath) followed by a lesson in making Berber tea.
The evening was free, with shisha always available in the hotel. Dinner was arranged at a Lebanese restaurant, Azar à Gueliz. After overnight at the hotel, the next morning at 5 am, the group was transported for a hot balloon flight in the Atlas Mountains. Breakfast was served before with a snack after the hot balloon flight in a Berber tent.
Lunch was served in an authentic restaurant with vegetarian tagine and vegetarian couscous at Chez Juju. At 1.00 pm, the group departed for Oukaimden where they were given lessons on how to ski with monitors. Although the snow had begun melting early this year, still there was enough for lessons for beginners. At around 6 pm, they returned to Kasbah Bab Ourika. For dinner, the group enjoyed some accompanying entertainment at Comptoir Darna and returned back to their hotel.
On the fifth day, after breakfast at the hotel, the Young Indians of CII were transferred to Scarabeo Camp in the Agafay desert, for a nomadic experience, but with luxury trappings – an Oriental-African adventure in a stone desert. A hilly barren landscape in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, the Agafay Desert is a playground for quad bikers, buggy enthusiasts and camel rides against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks. The group indulged in activities of their choice. Lunch comprised salads, Tajine vegetarian and Tajine of fish and chicken, vegetarian couscous, hummus, Moroccan salad, Mechouia and dessert. It was a mesmerising evening of star gazing and dinner in the desert camp, around a fire with a guitarist serenading them, shisha and two belly dancers. They spent the night in the desert at Scarabeo Camp’s superior tent.
On the sixth day, after breakfast in the camp, the group was transported to Casablanca. They checked in at the Gray Hotel before a city tour of Casablanca, the economical capital of Morocco, with its central market, the Habbous district, the royal palace and the Hassan II mosque. Lunch was at Le Cabestan restaurant. The afternoon was spent shopping at the Souk of Casablanca. The finale was the experience of an unforgettable dinner at Rick’s Café, the venue immortalised on celluloid in the movie Casablanca, by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
On the seventh and final day, most of the group was transferred to the Casablanca airport for departure back to India while four members of the group left for a day-long exploration of the city of Fez, thus bringing down the curtain on an extremely participative retreat of young thinkers in the Indian industry.
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If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it was and always will be yours. If it never returns, it was never yours to begin with. If, however, it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your t... Read more of If you love something at Free Jokes.ca Informational
Home - Stock Buying - Money Basics - Banking - Wealth - Nature of Rent- Economic Theory
Of Drawbacks
That The Division Of Labour Is Limited By The Extent Of The Market
Conclusion Of The Mercantile System
Of The Wages Of Labour
Of Bounties
Of The Extraordinary Restraints Upon The Importation Of Goods Of Almost All Kinds
Of Taxes
Of The Rent Of Land
Of The Rise And Progress Of Cities And Towns After The Fall Of The Roman Empire
Of Wages And Profit In The Different Employments Of Labour And Stock
Introduction To Stock Theory
Of The Agricultural Systems Or Of Those Systems Of Political Economy Which Represent The Produce Of Land
Of The Component Part Of The Price Of Commodities
Of The Different Employments Of Capitals
How The Commerce Of Towns Contributed To The Improvement Of The Country
Of The Principle Which Gives Occasion To The Division Of Labour
Of The Profits Of Stock
Of Money Considered As A Particular Branch Of The General Stock Of The Society
Of Colonies
Of The Sources Of The General Or Public Revenue Of The Society
Of Restraints Upon Importation From Foreign Countries Of Such Goods As Can Be Produced At Home
By restraining, either by high duties, or by absolute prohibitions, the
importation of such goods from foreign countries as can be produced at
home, the monopoly of the home market is more or less secured to the
domestic industry employed in producing them. Thus the prohibition of
importing either live cattle or salt provisions from foreign countries,
secures to the graziers of Great Britain the monopoly of the home market
for butcher's meat. The high duties upon the importation of corn,
which, in times of moderate plenty, amount to a prohibition, give a
like advantage to the growers of that commodity. The prohibition of
the importation of foreign woollen is equally favourable to the woollen
manufacturers. The silk manufacture, though altogether employed upon
foreign materials, has lately obtained the same advantage. The linen
manufacture has not yet obtained it, but is making great strides towards
it. Many other sorts of manufactures have, in the same manner obtained
in Great Britain, either altogether, or very nearly, a monopoly against
their countrymen. The variety of goods, of which the importation
into Great Britain is prohibited, either absolutely, or under certain
circumstances, greatly exceeds what can easily be suspected by those who
are not well acquainted with the laws of the customs.
That this monopoly of the home market frequently gives great
encouragement to that particular species of industry which enjoys it,
and frequently turns towards that employment a greater share of both the
labour and stock of the society than would otherwise have gone to it,
cannot be doubted. But whether it tends either to increase the general
industry of the society, or to give it the most advantageous direction,
is not, perhaps, altogether so evident.
The general industry of the society can never exceed what the capital
of the society can employ. As the number of workmen that can be kept in
employment by any particular person must bear a certain proportion to
his capital, so the number of those that can be continually employed by
all the members of a great society must bear a certain proportion to the
whole capital of the society, and never can exceed that proportion.
No regulation of commerce can increase the quantity of industry in any
society beyond what its capital can maintain. It can only divert a part
of it into a direction into which it might not otherwise have gone; and
it is by no means certain that this artificial direction is likely to
be more advantageous to the society, than that into which it would have
gone of its own accord.
Every individual is continually exerting himself to find out the most
advantageous employment for whatever capital he can command. It is his
own advantage, indeed, and not that of the society, which he has
in view. But the study of his own advantage naturally, or rather
necessarily, leads him to prefer that employment which is most
advantageous to the society.
First, every individual endeavours to employ his capital as near home
as he can, and consequently as much as he can in the support of domestic
industry, provided always that he can thereby obtain the ordinary, or
not a great deal less than the ordinary profits of stock.
Thus, upon equal, or nearly equal profits, every wholesale merchant
naturally prefers the home trade to the foreign trade of consumption,
and the foreign trade of consumption to the carrying trade. In the home
trade, his capital is never so long out of his sight as it frequently
is in the foreign trade of consumption. He can know better the character
and situation of the persons whom he trusts; and if he should happen to
be deceived, he knows better the laws of the country from which he must
seek redress. In the carrying trade, the capital of the merchant is,
as it were, divided between two foreign countries, and no part of it is
ever necessarily brought home, or placed under his own immediate view
and command. The capital which an Amsterdam merchant employs in carrying
corn from Koningsberg to Lisbon, and fruit and wine from Lisbon to
Koningsberg, must generally be the one half of it at Koningsberg, and
the other half at Lisbon. No part of it need ever come to Amsterdam. The
natural residence of such a merchant should either be at Koningsberg or
Lisbon; and it can only be some very particular circumstances which can
make him prefer the residence of Amsterdam. The uneasiness, however,
which he feels at being separated so far from his capital, generally
determines him to bring part both of the Koningsberg goods which he
destines for the market of Lisbon, and of the Lisbon goods which
he destines for that of Koningsberg, to Amsterdam; and though this
necessarily subjects him to a double charge of loading and unloading as
well as to the payment of some duties and customs, yet, for the sake of
having some part of his capital always under his own view and command,
he willingly submits to this extraordinary charge; and it is in this
manner that every country which has any considerable share of the
carrying trade, becomes always the emporium, or general market, for
the goods of all the different countries whose trade it carries on. The
merchant, in order to save a second loading and unloading, endeavours
always to sell in the home market, as much of the goods of all those
different countries as he can; and thus, so far as he can, to convert
his carrying trade into a foreign trade of consumption. A merchant, in
the same manner, who is engaged in the foreign trade of consumption,
when he collects goods for foreign markets, will always be glad, upon
equal or nearly equal profits, to sell as great a part of them at home
as he can. He saves himself the risk and trouble of exportation, when,
so far as he can, he thus converts his foreign trade of consumption into
a home trade. Home is in this manner the centre, if I may say so, round
which the capitals of the inhabitants of every country are continually
circulating, and towards which they are always tending, though, by
particular causes, they may sometimes be driven off and repelled from
it towards more distant employments. But a capital employed in the home
trade, it has already been shown, necessarily puts into motion a greater
quantity of domestic industry, and gives revenue and employment to a
greater number of the inhabitants of the country, than an equal capital
employed in the foreign trade of consumption; and one employed in
the foreign trade of consumption has the same advantage over an equal
capital employed in the carrying trade. Upon equal, or only nearly equal
profits, therefore, every individual naturally inclines to employ his
capital in the manner in which it is likely to afford the greatest
support to domestic industry, and to give revenue and employment to the
greatest number of people of his own country.
Secondly, every individual who employs his capital in the support of
domestic industry, necessarily endeavours so to direct that industry,
that its produce may be of the greatest possible value.
The produce of industry is what it adds to the subject or materials
upon which it is employed. In proportion as the value of this produce is
great or small, so will likewise be the profits of the employer. But
it is only for the sake of profit that any man employs a capital in the
support of industry; and he will always, therefore, endeavour to employ
it in the support of that industry of which the produce is likely to be
of the greatest value, or to exchange for the greatest quantity either
of money or of other goods.
But the annual revenue of every society is always precisely equal to
the exchangeable value of the whole annual produce of its industry,
or rather is precisely the same thing with that exchangeable value.
As every individual, therefore, endeavours as much as he can, both to
employ his capital in the support of domestic industry, and so to
direct that industry that its produce maybe of the greatest value;
every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of
the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to
promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it.
By preferring the support of domestic to that of foreign industry, he
intends only his own security; and by directing that industry in such a
manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his
own gain; and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible
hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention. Nor is it
always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing
his own interest, he frequently promotes that of the society more
effectually than when he really intends to promote it. I have never
known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.
It is an affectation, indeed, not very common among merchants, and very
few words need be employed in dissuading them from it.
What is the species of domestic industry which his capital can employ,
and of which the produce is likely to be of the greatest value, every
individual, it is evident, can in his local situation judge much better
than any statesman or lawgiver can do for him. The statesman, who should
attempt to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ
their capitals, would not only load himself with a most unnecessary
attention, but assume an authority which could safely be trusted, not
only to no single person, but to no council or senate whatever, and
which would nowhere be so dangerous as in the hands of a man who had
folly and presumption enough to fancy himself fit to exercise it.
To give the monopoly of the home market to the produce of domestic
industry, in any particular art or manufacture, is in some measure
to direct private people in what manner they ought to employ their
capitals, and must in almost all cases be either a useless or a hurtful
regulation. If the produce of domestic can be brought there as cheap
as that of foreign industry, the regulation is evidently useless. If it
cannot, it must generally be hurtful. It is the maxim of every prudent
master of a family, never to attempt to make at home what it will cost
him more to make than to buy. The tailor does not attempt to make
his own shoes, but buys them of the shoemaker. The shoemaker does
not attempt to make his own clothes, but employs a tailor. The farmer
attempts to make neither the one nor the other, but employs those
different artificers. All of them find it for their interest to employ
their whole industry in a way in which they have some advantage over
their neighbours, and to purchase with a part of its produce, or, what
is the same thing, with the price of a part of it, whatever else they
have occasion for.
What is prudence in the conduct of every private family, can scarce be
folly in that of a great kingdom. If a foreign country can supply us
with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it
of them with some part of the produce of our own industry, employed in a
way in which we have some advantage. The general industry of the country
being always in proportion to the capital which employs it, will
not thereby be diminished, no more than that of the abovementioned
artificers; but only left to find out the way in which it can be
employed with the greatest advantage. It is certainly not employed to
the greatest advantage, when it is thus directed towards an object which
it can buy cheaper than it can make. The value of its annual produce
is certainly more or less diminished, when it is thus turned away from
producing commodities evidently of more value than the commodity which
it is directed to produce. According to the supposition, that commodity
could be purchased from foreign countries cheaper than it can be made
at home; it could therefore have been purchased with a part only of the
commodities, or, what is the same thing, with a part only of the price
of the commodities, which the industry employed by an equal capital
would have produced at home, had it been left to follow its natural
course. The industry of the country, therefore, is thus turned away from
a more to a less advantageous employment; and the exchangeable value
of its annual produce, instead of being increased, according to the
intention of the lawgiver, must necessarily be diminished by every such
regulation.
By means of such regulations, indeed, a particular manufacture may
sometimes be acquired sooner than it could have been otherwise, and
after a certain time may be made at home as cheap, or cheaper, than in
the foreign country. But though the industry of the society may be thus
carried with advantage into a particular channel sooner than it could
have been otherwise, it will by no means follow that the sum-total,
either of its industry, or of its revenue, can ever be augmented by
any such regulation. The industry of the society can augment only in
proportion as its capital augments, and its capital can augment only in
proportion to what can be gradually saved out of its revenue. But the
immediate effect of every such regulation is to diminish its revenue;
and what diminishes its revenue is certainly not very likely to augment
its capital faster than it would have augmented of its own accord,
had both capital and industry been left to find out their natural
employments.
Though, for want of such regulations, the society should never acquire
the proposed manufacture, it would not upon that account necessarily
be the poorer in anyone period of its duration. In every period of its
duration its whole capital and industry might still have been employed,
though upon different objects, in the manner that was most advantageous
at the time. In every period its revenue might have been the greatest
which its capital could afford, and both capital and revenue might have
been augmented with the greatest possible rapidity.
The natural advantages which one country has over another, in producing
particular commodities, are sometimes so great, that it is acknowledged
by all the world to be in vain to struggle with them. By means of
glasses, hot-beds, and hot-walls, very good grapes can be raised in
Scotland, and very good wine, too, can be made of them, at about thirty
times the expense for which at least equally good can be brought
from foreign countries. Would it be a reasonable law to prohibit the
importation of all foreign wines, merely to encourage the making of
claret and Burgundy in Scotland? But if there would be a manifest
absurdity in turning towards any employment thirty times more of the
capital and industry of the country than would be necessary to purchase
from foreign countries an equal quantity of the commodities wanted,
there must be an absurdity, though not altogether so glaring, yet
exactly of the same kind, in turning towards any such employment a
thirtieth, or even a three hundredth part more of either. Whether the
advantages which one country has over another be natural or acquired, is
in this respect of no consequence. As long as the one country has
those advantages, and the other wants them, it will always be more
advantageous for the latter rather to buy of the former than to make.
It is an acquired advantage only, which one artificer has over his
neighbour, who exercises another trade; and yet they both find it more
advantageous to buy of one another, than to make what does not belong to
their particular trades.
Merchants and manufacturers are the people who derive the greatest
advantage from this monopoly of the home market. The prohibition of the
importation of foreign cattle and of salt provisions, together with the
high duties upon foreign corn, which in times of moderate plenty amount
to a prohibition, are not near so advantageous to the graziers and
farmers of Great Britain, as other regulations of the same kind are to
its merchants and manufacturers. Manufactures, those of the finer kind
especially, are more easily transported from one country to another
than corn or cattle. It is in the fetching and carrying manufactures,
accordingly, that foreign trade is chiefly employed. In manufactures,
a very small advantage will enable foreigners to undersell our own
workmen, even in the home market. It will require a very great one
to enable them to do so in the rude produce of the soil. If the free
importation of foreign manufactures were permitted, several of the home
manufactures would probably suffer, and some of them perhaps go to ruin
altogether, and a considerable part of the stock and industry at present
employed in them, would be forced to find out some other employment.
But the freest importation of the rude produce of the soil could have no
such effect upon the agriculture of the country.
If the importation of foreign cattle, for example, were made ever so
free, so few could be imported, that the grazing trade of Great Britain
could be little affected by it. Live cattle are, perhaps, the only
commodity of which the transportation is more expensive by sea than
by land. By land they carry themselves to market. By sea, not only the
cattle, but their food and their water too, must be carried at no small
expense and inconveniency. The short sea between Ireland and Great
Britain, indeed, renders the importation of Irish cattle more easy. But
though the free importation of them, which was lately permitted only for
a limited time, were rendered perpetual, it could have no considerable
effect upon the interest of the graziers of Great Britain. Those
parts of Great Britain which border upon the Irish sea are all grazing
countries. Irish cattle could never be imported for their use, but must
be drove through those very extensive countries, at no small expense
and inconveniency, before they could arrive at their proper market. Fat
cattle could not be drove so far. Lean cattle, therefore, could only be
imported; and such importation could interfere not with the interest of
the feeding or fattening countries, to which, by reducing the price
of lean cattle it would rather be advantageous, but with that of the
breeding countries only. The small number of Irish cattle imported since
their importation was permitted, together with the good price at which
lean cattle still continue to sell, seem to demonstrate, that even the
breeding countries of Great Britain are never likely to be much affected
by the free importation of Irish cattle. The common people of Ireland,
indeed, are said to have sometimes opposed with violence the exportation
of their cattle. But if the exporters had found any great advantage in
continuing the trade, they could easily, when the law was on their side,
have conquered this mobbish opposition.
Feeding and fattening countries, besides, must always be highly
improved, whereas breeding countries are generally uncultivated. The
high price of lean cattle, by augmenting the value of uncultivated land,
is like a bounty against improvement. To any country which was highly
improved throughout, it would be more advantageous to import its lean
cattle than to breed them. The province of Holland, accordingly, is said
to follow this maxim at present. The mountains of Scotland, Wales, and
Northumberland, indeed, are countries not capable of much improvement,
and seem destined by nature to be the breeding countries of Great
Britain. The freest importation of foreign cattle could have no other
effect than to hinder those breeding countries from taking advantage of
the increasing population and improvement of the rest of the kingdom,
from raising their price to an exorbitant height, and from laying a real
tax upon all the more improved and cultivated parts of the country.
The freest importation of salt provisions, in the same manner, could
have as little effect upon the interest of the graziers of Great Britain
as that of live cattle. Salt provisions are not only a very bulky
commodity, but when compared with fresh meat they are a commodity both
of worse quality, and, as they cost more labour and expense, of higher
price. They could never, therefore, come into competition with the fresh
meat, though they might with the salt provisions of the country. They
might be used for victualling ships for distant voyages, and such like
uses, but could never make any considerable part of the food of the
people. The small quantity of salt provisions imported from Ireland
since their importation was rendered free, is an experimental proof that
our graziers have nothing to apprehend from it. It does not appear that
the price of butcher's meat has ever been sensibly affected by it.
Even the free importation of foreign corn could very little affect the
interest of the farmers of Great Britain. Corn is a much more bulky
commodity than butcher's meat. A pound of wheat at a penny is as dear
as a pound of butcher's meat at fourpence. The small quantity of foreign
corn imported even in times of the greatest scarcity, may satisfy our
farmers that they can have nothing to fear from the freest importation.
The average quantity imported, one year with another, amounts only,
according to the very well informed author of the Tracts upon the Corn
Trade, to 23,728 quarters of all sorts of grain, and does not exceed the
five hundredth and seventy-one part of the annual consumption. But as
the bounty upon corn occasions a greater exportation in years of plenty,
so it must, of consequence, occasion a greater importation in years
of scarcity, than in the actual state of tillage would otherwise take
place. By means of it, the plenty of one year does not compensate the
scarcity of another; and as the average quantity exported is necessarily
augmented by it, so must likewise, in the actual state of tillage, the
average quantity imported. If there were no bounty, as less corn would
be exported, suit is probable that, one year with another, less would be
imported than at present. The corn-merchants, the fetchers and carriers
of corn between Great Britain and foreign countries, would have
much less employment, and might suffer considerably; but the
country gentlemen and farmers could suffer very little. It is in the
corn-merchants, accordingly, rather than the country gentlemen and
farmers, that I have observed the greatest anxiety for the renewal and
continuation of the bounty.
Country gentlemen and farmers are, to their great honour, of all people,
the least subject to the wretched spirit of monopoly. The undertaker
of a great manufactory is sometimes alarmed if another work of the same
kind is established within twenty miles of him; the Dutch undertaker
of the woollen manufacture at Abbeville, stipulated that no work of
the same kind should be established within thirty leagues of that city.
Farmers and country gentlemen, on the contrary, are generally disposed
rather to promote, than to obstruct, the cultivation and improvement of
their neighbours farms and estates. They have no secrets, such as those
of the greater part of manufacturers, but are generally rather fond of
communicating to their neighbours, and of extending as far as possible
any new practice which they may have found to be advantageous. "Pius
quaestus", says old Cato, "stabilissimusque, minimeque invidiosus;
minimeque male cogitantes sunt, qui in eo studio occupati sunt." Country
gentlemen and farmers, dispersed in different parts of the country,
cannot so easily combine as merchants and manufacturers, who being
collected into towns, and accustomed to that exclusive corporation
spirit which prevails in them, naturally endeavour to obtain, against
all their countrymen, the same exclusive privilege which they generally
possess against the inhabitants of their respective towns. They
accordingly seem to have been the original inventors of those restraints
upon the importation of foreign goods, which secure to them the monopoly
of the home market. It was probably in imitation of them, and to put
themselves upon a level with those who, they found, were disposed to
oppress them, that the country gentlemen and farmers of Great Britain
so far forgot the generosity which is natural to their station, as to
demand the exclusive privilege of supplying their countrymen with corn
and butcher's meat. They did not, perhaps, take time to consider how
much less their interest could be affected by the freedom of trade, than
that of the people whose example they followed.
To prohibit, by a perpetual law, the importation of foreign corn and
cattle, is in reality to enact, that the population and industry of the
country shall, at no time, exceed what the rude produce of its own soil
can maintain.
There seem, however, to be two cases, in which it will generally be
advantageous to lay some burden upon foreign, for the encouragement of
domestic industry.
The first is, when some particular sort of industry is necessary for
the defence of the country. The defence of Great Britain, for example,
depends very much upon the number of its sailors and shipping. The act
of navigation, therefore, very properly endeavours to give the sailors
and shipping of Great Britain the monopoly of the trade of their own
country, in some cases, by absolute prohibitions, and in others, by
heavy burdens upon the shipping of foreign countries. The following are
the principal dispositions of this act.
First, All ships, of which the owners, masters, and three-fourths of
the mariners, are not British subjects, are prohibited, upon pain of
forfeiting ship and cargo, from trading to the British settlements
and plantations, or from being employed in the coasting trade of Great
Britain.
Secondly, A great variety of the most bulky articles of importation can
be brought into Great Britain only, either in such ships as are above
described, or in ships of the country where those goods are produced,
and of which the owners, masters, and three-fourths of the mariners,
are of that particular country; and when imported even in ships of this
latter kind, they are subject to double aliens duty. If imported in
ships of any other country, the penalty is forfeiture of ship and goods.
When this act was made, the Dutch were, what they still are, the great
carriers of Europe; and by this regulation they were entirely excluded
from being the carriers to Great Britain, or from importing to us the
goods of any other European country.
Thirdly, A great variety of the most bulky articles of importation are
prohibited from being imported, even in British ships, from any country
but that in which they are produced, under pain of forfeiting ship and
cargo. This regulation, too, was probably intended against the Dutch.
Holland was then, as now, the great emporium for all European goods; and
by this regulation, British ships were hindered from loading in Holland
the goods of any other European country.
Fourthly, Salt fish of all kinds, whale fins, whalebone, oil, and
blubber, not caught by and cured on board British vessels, when imported
into Great Britain, are subject to double aliens duty. The Dutch, as
they are still the principal, were then the only fishers in Europe that
attempted to supply foreign nations with fish. By this regulation, a
very heavy burden was laid upon their supplying Great Britain.
When the act of navigation was made, though England and Holland were not
actually at war, the most violent animosity subsisted between the two
nations. It had begun during the government of the long parliament,
which first framed this act, and it broke out soon after in the
Dutch wars, during that of the Protector and of Charles II. It is not
impossible, therefore, that some of the regulations of this famous act
may have proceeded from national animosity. They are as wise, however,
as if they had all been dictated by the most deliberate wisdom. National
animosity, at that particular time, aimed at the very same object which
the most deliberate wisdom would have recommended, the diminution of the
naval power of Holland, the only naval power which could endanger the
security of England.
The act of navigation is not favourable to foreign commerce, or to
the growth of that opulence which can arise from it. The interest of a
nation, in its commercial relations to foreign nations, is, like that
of a merchant with regard to the different people with whom he deals,
to buy as cheap, and to sell as dear as possible. But it will be most
likely to buy cheap, when, by the most perfect freedom of trade, it
encourages all nations to bring to it the goods which it has occasion to
purchase; and, for the same reason, it will be most likely to sell dear,
when its markets are thus filled with the greatest number of buyers. The
act of navigation, it is true, lays no burden upon foreign ships that
come to export the produce of British industry. Even the ancient
aliens duty, which used to be paid upon all goods, exported as well
as imported, has, by several subsequent acts, been taken off from the
greater part of the articles of exportation. But if foreigners, either
by prohibitions or high duties, are hindered from coming to sell, they
cannot always afford to come to buy; because, coming without a cargo,
they must lose the freight from their own country to Great Britain. By
diminishing the number of sellers, therefore, we necessarily diminish
that of buyers, and are thus likely not only to buy foreign goods
dearer, but to sell our own cheaper, than if there was a more perfect
freedom of trade. As defence, however, is of much more importance than
opulence, the act of navigation is, perhaps, the wisest of all the
commercial regulations of England.
The second case, in which it will generally be advantageous to lay some
burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry, is when
some tax is imposed at home upon the produce of the latter. In this
case, it seems reasonable that an equal tax should be imposed upon the
like produce of the former. This would not give the monopoly of the
borne market to domestic industry, nor turn towards a particular
employment a greater share of the stock and labour of the country, than
what would naturally go to it. It would only hinder any part of what
would naturally go to it from being turned away by the tax into a less
natural direction, and would leave the competition between foreign and
domestic industry, after the tax, as nearly as possible upon the same
footing as before it. In Great Britain, when any such tax is laid upon
the produce of domestic industry, it is usual, at the same time,
in order to stop the clamorous complaints of our merchants and
manufacturers, that they will be undersold at home, to lay a much
heavier duty upon the importation of all foreign goods of the same kind.
This second limitation of the freedom of trade, according to some
people, should, upon most occasions, be extended much farther than to
the precise foreign commodities which could come into competition with
those which had been taxed at home. When the necessaries of life have
been taxed in any country, it becomes proper, they pretend, to tax not
only the like necessaries of life imported from other countries, but all
sorts of foreign goods which can come into competition with any thing
that is the produce of domestic industry. Subsistence, they say, becomes
necessarily dearer in consequence of such taxes; and the price of labour
must always rise with the price of the labourer's subsistence. Every
commodity, therefore, which is the produce of domestic industry, though
not immediately taxed itself, becomes dearer in consequence of such
taxes, because the labour which produces it becomes so. Such taxes,
therefore, are really equivalent, they say, to a tax upon every
particular commodity produced at home. In order to put domestic upon
the same footing with foreign industry, therefore, it becomes necessary,
they think, to lay some duty upon every foreign commodity, equal to this
enhancement of the price of the home commodities with which it can come
into competition.
Whether taxes upon the necessaries of life, such as those in Great
Britain upon soap, salt, leather, candles, etc. necessarily raise the
price of labour, and consequently that of all other commodities, I shall
consider hereafter, when I come to treat of taxes. Supposing, however,
in the mean time, that they have this effect, and they have it
undoubtedly, this general enhancement of the price of all commodities,
in consequence of that labour, is a case which differs in the two
following respects from that of a particular commodity, of which the
price was enhanced by a particular tax immediately imposed upon it.
First, It might always be known with great exactness, how far the price
of such a commodity could be enhanced by such a tax; but how far the
general enhancement of the price of labour might affect that of every
different commodity about which labour was employed, could never be
known with any tolerable exactness. It would be impossible, therefore,
to proportion, with any tolerable exactness, the tax of every foreign,
to the enhancement of the price of every home commodity.
Secondly, Taxes upon the necessaries of life have nearly the same effect
upon the circumstances of the people as a poor soil and a bad climate.
Provisions are thereby rendered dearer, in the same manner as if it
required extraordinary labour and expense to raise them. As, in the
natural scarcity arising from soil and climate, it would be absurd to
direct the people in what manner they ought to employ their capitals and
industry, so is it likewise in the artificial scarcity arising from such
taxes. To be left to accommodate, as well as they could, their industry
to their situation, and to find out those employments in which,
notwithstanding their unfavourable circumstances, they might have some
advantage either in the home or in the foreign market, is what, in both
cases, would evidently be most for their advantage. To lay a new-tax
upon them, because they are already overburdened with taxes, and because
they already pay too dear for the necessaries of life, to make them
likewise pay too dear for the greater part of other commodities, is
certainly a most absurd way of making amends.
Such taxes, when they have grown up to a certain height, are a curse
equal to the barrenness of the earth, and the inclemency of the heavens,
and yet it is in the richest and most industrious countries that they
have been most generally imposed. No other countries could support so
great a disorder. As the strongest bodies only can live and enjoy health
under an unwholesome regimen, so the nations only, that in every sort of
industry have the greatest natural and acquired advantages, can subsist
and prosper under such taxes. Holland is the country in Europe in which
they abound most, and which, from peculiar circumstances, continues to
prosper, not by means of them, as has been most absurdly supposed, but
in spite of them.
As there are two cases in which it will generally be advantageous to lay
some burden upon foreign for the encouragement of domestic industry,
so there are two others in which it may sometimes be a matter of
deliberation, in the one, how far it is proper to continue the free
importation of certain foreign goods; and, in the other, how far, or in
what manner, it may be proper to restore that free importation, after it
has been for some time interrupted.
The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation how far
it is proper to continue the free importation of certain foreign goods,
is when some foreign nation restrains, by high duties or prohibitions,
the importation of some of our manufactures into their country. Revenge,
in this case, naturally dictates retaliation, and that we should impose
the like duties and prohibitions upon the importation of some or all
of their manufactures into ours. Nations, accordingly, seldom fail to
retaliate in this manner. The French have been particularly forward to
favour their own manufactures, by restraining the importation of
such foreign goods as could come into competition with them. In this
consisted a great part of the policy of Mr Colbert, who, notwithstanding
his great abilities, seems in this case to have been imposed upon by
the sophistry of merchants and manufacturers, who are always demanding
a monopoly against their countrymen. It is at present the opinion of the
most intelligent men in France, that his operations of this kind have
not been beneficial to his country. That minister, by the tariff
of 1667, imposed very high duties upon a great number of foreign
manufactures. Upon his refusing to moderate them in favour of the Dutch,
they, in 1671, prohibited the importation of the wines, brandies, and
manufactures of France. The war of 1672 seems to have been in part
occasioned by this commercial dispute. The peace of Nimeguen put an
end to it in 1678, by moderating some of those duties in favour of the
Dutch, who in consequence took off their prohibition. It was about the
same time that the French and English began mutually to oppress each
other's industry, by the like duties and prohibitions, of which the
French, however, seem to have set the first example, The spirit of
hostility which has subsisted between the two nations ever since, has
hitherto hindered them from being moderated on either side. In 1697,
the Ehglish prohibited the importation of bone lace, the manufacture
of Flanders. The government of that country, at that time under the
dominion of Spain, prohibited, in return, the importation of English
woollens. In 1700, the prohibition of importing bone lace into England
was taken oft; upon condition that the importation of English woollens
into Flanders should be put on the same footing as before.
There may be good policy in retaliations of this kind, when there is
a probability that they will procure the repeal of the high duties or
prohibitions complained of. The recovery of a great foreign market will
generally more than compensate the transitory inconveniency of paying
dearer during a short time for some sorts of goods. To judge whether
such retaliations are likely to produce such an effect, does not,
perhaps, belong so much to the science of a legislator, whose
deliberations ought to be governed by general principles, which are
always the same, as to the skill of that insidious and crafty animal
vulgarly called a statesman or politician, whose councils are directed
by the momentary fluctuations of affairs. When there is no probability
that any such repeal can be procured, it seems a bad method of
compensating the injury done to certain classes of our people, to do
another injury ourselves, not only to those classes, but to almost all
the other classes of them. When our neighbours prohibit some manufacture
of ours, we generally prohibit, not only the same, for that alone would
seldom affect them considerably, but some other manufacture of theirs.
This may, no doubt, give encouragement to some particular class of
workmen among ourselves, and, by excluding some of their rivals, may
enable them to raise their price in the home market. Those workmen
however, who suffered by our neighbours prohibition, will not be
benefited by ours. On the contrary, they, and almost all the other
classes of our citizens, will thereby be obliged to pay dearer than
before for certain goods. Every such law, therefore, imposes a real
tax upon the whole country, not in favour of that particular class of
workmen who were injured by our neighbours prohibitions, but of some
other class.
The case in which it may sometimes be a matter of deliberation, how
far, or in what manner, it is proper to restore the free importation
of foreign goods, after it has been for some time interrupted, is when
particular manufactures, by means of high duties or prohibitions upon
all foreign goods which can come into competition with them, have been
so far extended as to employ a great multitude of hands. Humanity may in
this case require that the freedom of trade should be restored only by
slow gradations, and with a good deal of reserve and circumspection.
Were those high duties and prohibitions taken away all at once, cheaper
foreign goods of the same kind might be poured so fast into the home
market, as to deprive all at once many thousands of our people of their
ordinary employment and means of subsistence. The disorder which this
would occasion might no doubt be very considerable. It would in all
probability, however, be much less than is commonly imagined, for the
two following reasons.
First, All those manufactures of which any part is commonly exported to
other European countries without a bounty, could be very little affected
by the freest importation of foreign goods. Such manufactures must be
sold as cheap abroad as any other foreign goods of the same quality and
kind, and consequently must be sold cheaper at home. They would still,
therefore, keep possession of the home market; and though a capricious
man of fashion might sometimes prefer foreign wares, merely because they
were foreign, to cheaper and better goods of the same kind that were
made at home, this folly could, from the nature of things, extend to
so few, that it could make no sensible impression upon the general
employment of the people. But a great part of all the different branches
of our woollen manufacture, of our tanned leather, and of our hardware,
are annually exported to other European countries without any bounty,
and these are the manufactures which employ the greatest number of
hands. The silk, perhaps, is the manufacture which would suffer the most
by this freedom of trade, and after it the linen, though the latter much
less than the former.
Secondly, Though a great number of people should, by thus restoring the
freedom of trade, be thrown all at once out of their ordinary employment
and common method of subsistence, it would by no means follow that they
would thereby be deprived either of employment or subsistence. By the
reduction of the army and navy at the end of the late war, more than
100,000 soldiers and seamen, a number equal to what is employed in the
greatest manufactures, were all at once thrown out of their ordinary
employment: but though they no doubt suffered some inconveniency, they
were not thereby deprived of all employment and subsistence. The greater
part of the seamen, it is probable, gradually betook themselves to the
merchant service as they could find occasion, and in the mean time both
they and the soldiers were absorbed in the great mass of the people,
and employed in a great variety of occupations. Not only no great
convulsion, but no sensible disorder, arose from so great a change in
the situation of more than 100,000 men, all accustomed to the use of
arms, and many of them to rapine and plunder. The number of vagrants was
scarce anywhere sensibly increased by it; even the wages of labour
were not reduced by it in any occupation, so far as I have been able
to learn, except in that of seamen in the merchant service. But if
we compare together the habits of a soldier and of any sort of
manufacturer, we shall find that those of the latter do not tend so much
to disqualify him from being employed in a new trade, as those of the
former from being employed in any. The manufacturer has always been
accustomed to look for his subsistence from his labour only; the soldier
to expect it from his pay. Application and industry have been familiar
to the one; idleness and dissipation to the other. But it is surely much
easier to change the direction of industry from one sort of labour to
another, than to turn idleness and dissipation to any. To the greater
part of manufactures, besides, it has already been observed, there are
other collateral manufactures of so similar a nature, that a workman can
easily transfer his industry from one of them to another. The greater
part of such workmen, too, are occasionally employed in country labour.
The stock which employed them in a particular manufacture before, will
still remain in the country, to employ an equal number of people in some
other way. The capital of the country remaining the same, the demand for
labour will likewise be the same, or very nearly the same, though it may
be exerted in different places, and for different occupations. Soldiers
and seamen, indeed, when discharged from the king's service, are at
liberty to exercise any trade within any town or place of Great Britain
or Ireland. Let the same natural liberty of exercising what species of
industry they please, be restored to all his Majesty's subjects, in the
same manner as to soldiers and seamen; that is, break down the exclusive
privileges of corporations, and repeal the statute of apprenticeship,
both which are really encroachments upon natural Liberty, and add to
those the repeal of the law of settlements, so that a poor workman, when
thrown out of employment, either in one trade or in one place, may seek
for it in another trade or in another place, without the fear either
of a prosecution or of a removal; and neither the public nor the
individuals will suffer much more from the occasional disbanding some
particular classes of manufacturers, than from that of the soldiers.
Our manufacturers have no doubt great merit with their country, but they
cannot have more than those who defend it with their blood, nor deserve
to be treated with more delicacy.
To expect, indeed, that the freedom of trade should ever be entirely
restored in Great Britain, is as absurd as to expect that an Oceana or
Utopia should ever be established in it. Not only the prejudices of the
public, but, what is much more unconquerable, the private interests of
many individuals, irresistibly oppose it. Were the officers of the army
to oppose, with the same zeal and unanimity, any reduction in the number
of forces, with which master manufacturers set themselves against every
law that is likely to increase the number of their rivals in the home
market; were the former to animate their soldiers. In the same manner
as the latter inflame their workmen, to attack with violence and outrage
the proposers of any such regulation; to attempt to reduce the army
would be as dangerous as it has now become to attempt to diminish, in
any respect, the monopoly which our manufacturers have obtained against
us. This monopoly has so much increased the number of some particular
tribes of them, that, like an overgrown standing army, they have become
formidable to the government, and, upon many occasions, intimidate the
legislature. The member of parliament who supports every proposal for
strengthening this monopoly, is sure to acquire not only the reputation
of understanding trade, but great popularity and influence with an order
of men whose numbers and wealth render them of great importance. If
he opposes them, on the contrary, and still more, if he has authority
enough to be able to thwart them, neither the most acknowledged probity,
nor the highest rank, nor the greatest public services, can protect him
from the most infamous abuse and detraction, from personal insults, nor
sometimes from real danger, arising from the insolent outrage of furious
and disappointed monopolists.
The undertaker of a great manufacture, who, by the home markets being
suddenly laid open to the competition of foreigners, should be obliged
to abandon his trade, would no doubt suffer very considerably. That part
of his capital which had usually been employed in purchasing materials,
and in paying his workmen, might, without much difficulty, perhaps, find
another employment; but that part of it which was fixed in workhouses,
and in the instruments of trade, could scarce be disposed of without
considerable loss. The equitable regard, therefore, to his interest,
requires that changes of this kind should never be introduced suddenly,
but slowly, gradually, and after a very long warning. The legislature,
were it possible that its deliberations could be always directed, not by
the clamorous importunity of partial interests, but by an extensive
view of the general good, ought, upon this very account, perhaps, to be
particularly careful, neither to establish any new monopolies of this
kind, nor to extend further those which are already established.
Every such regulation introduces some degree of real disorder into the
constitution of the state, which it will be difficult afterwards to cure
without occasioning another disorder.
How far it may be proper to impose taxes upon the importation of foreign
goods, in order not to prevent their importation, but to raise a revenue
for government, I shall consider hereafter when I come to treat of
taxes. Taxes imposed with a view to prevent, or even to diminish
importation, are evidently as destructive of the revenue of the customs
as of the freedom of trade.
Next: Of The Extraordinary Restraints Upon The Importation Of Goods Of Almost All Kinds
Previous: Of The Principle Of The Commercial Or Mercantile System
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Car And Bike Shows To Expect Before The End Of The 2015
This post is dedicated to all of you who made our post about bikers converge trend on social media. I never knew there were so many motorsport lovers in Nigeria who invariably kept asking for more...Luckily for you, we got more shows in store for you. So, here they are, car and bike shows to expect before the end of 2015.
1.The Autofest:
This show is currently being held in Lagos State as we speak. Organized by Automedics Africa; an automotive repairs company in Lagos state. It is basically a training program for different groups of motorists in Nigeria such as men, women, fleet managers, and auto technicians. The most juicy part of the Autofest is the vintage car exhibition which will grace the presence of one of the biggest names in Nollywood Kunle Afolayan and others showcasing their classic cars to interested Nigerians.
2. Asaba 2015 Bikers Convention:
This show is also ongoing (started on the 30th of September). It is a convention organized by Bikers in Nigeria (BIN) for all bikers, not just in Nigeria, but for the first time, across West & Central Africa! It's Asaba 2015. The programmed activities for this convention include Ride to Abraka Resorts, Party Evening, Bike Competitions, AGM, Group Dinner and much more.
3. Eleko Motor Race: This is an off-road racing event which is held monthly at Eleko beach, Lagos State. Initiated by Bamidele Fadimiluyi & Edward Osakwe. The idea for this event came up as a result of frustration when Bamidele, driving through the Lekki expressway met a dead end as a result of a protest by the locals decided to take the beach line route. Here, you meet a bevy of off-road enthusiasts with their rigged out cars and bikes taking their turns to compete and trying to win the race which for now is mostly a time trial event.
4. Rimz and Beatz Car and Bike show: This is described by some as the biggest car and bike show in Nigeria. The show organized as a yearly event in Abuja by Bluefield Partners Services Ltd in collaboration with TRACE Urban TV is a fusion of cars, bikes and music. It started more than five years ago and has since become a show worth looking forward to. The show includes music performances by artistes, an exhibition of beautifully customized cars and bikes by crews such as Arewa Customz and Q Customs. It also includes stunts, burnouts and drifting competitions by motorsport crews such as Corsa Motorsport and Darkknight Motorsport. The previous editions were held every Easter. Though unconfirmed, we hear that this year's edition has been slated for November.
5. Edo Superbike Road Race: As the name implies, this is a bike racing event which holds yearly in Edo state. It is described by the organizers- Motorcycle Sports Club of Nigeria (MSCN) as Nigeria's premier motorcycling sports event. The show started in 2012 as motocross races at the motocross race circuit located in Evboubanosa village along Benin Asaba Expressway, Edo State and with the support of the Edo State Government, it translated into the first ever Edo Superbike Road Race in Nigeria in 2014. Everybody is happy about this year's edition which has been slated for 28th November 2015.
Which one of these shows is your favorite and which one of them would you like to attend ?? Don't forget to drop your comments below.
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