Al - Zaman : American forces killed Shaikh Abdullah al - Ani , the preacher at the mosque in the town of Qaim , near the Syrian border .
[ This killing of a respected cleric will be causing us trouble for years to come . ]
DPA : Iraqi authorities announced that they had busted up 3 terrorist cells operating in Baghdad .
Two of them were being run by 2 officials of the Ministry of the Interior !
The MoI in Iraq is equivalent to the US FBI , so this would be like having J. Edgar Hoover unwittingly employ at a high level members of the Weathermen bombers back in the 1960s .
The third was being run by the head of an investment firm .
You wonder if he was manipulating the market with his bombing targets .
The cells were operating in the Ghazaliyah and al - Jihad districts of the capital .
Although the announcement was probably made to show progress in identifying and breaking up terror cells , I do n't find the news that the Baathists continue to penetrate the Iraqi government very hopeful .
It reminds me too much of the ARVN officers who were secretly working for the other side in Vietnam .
Al - Zaman : Guerrillas killed a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party after kidnapping him in Mosul .
The police commander of Ninevah Province announced that bombings had declined 80 percent in Mosul , whereas there had been a big jump in the number of kidnappings .
On Wednesday guerrillas had kidnapped a cosmetic surgeon and his wife while they were on their way home .
In Suwayrah , Kut Province , two car bombs were discovered before they could be detonated .
( Kut is in southeastern Iraq and has an overwhelmingly Shiite population , who are on the lookout for Baathist saboteurs and willingly turn them in .
This willingness is the main difference in the number of bombings in the south as opposed to the center - north of the country . )
In Baghdad Kadhim Talal Husain , assistant dean at the School of Education at Mustansiriyah University , was assassinated with his driver in the Salikh district .
Guerrillas killed an engineer , Asi Ali , from Tikrit .
They also killed Shaikh Hamid 'Akkab , a clan elder of a branch of the Dulaim tribe in Tikrit .
His mother was also killed in the attack .
Two other Dulaim leaders have been killed in the past week and a half .
Guerrillas near Hawijah launched an attack that left 6 dead , including 4 Iraqi soldiers .
One of them was from the Jubur tribe and was deputy commander of the Hawijah garrison .
Two hundred members of the Batawi clan of the Dulaim demonstrated in Baghdad on Friday , protesting the killing of their clan elder , Shaikh Kadhim Sarhid and 4 of his sons , by gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms .
( This is a largely Sunni Arab clan , and some Sunni observers have accused Shiite elements in the government of being behind the assassination ; it is more likely the work of Sunni Arab guerrillas punishing the Batawi leaders for cooperating with the Dec. 15 elections . )
Al - Zaman : The Iraqi High Electoral Commission on Friday denied a request of the Debaathification Commission to exclude 51 individuals from running on party lists in the Dec. 15 elections on grounds of having been sufficiently involved in Baath activities to warrant their being excluded from civil office .
The Commission said it had no legal grounds for such an exclusion .
This item is a small one and easily missed .
But in my view it is highly significant .
The Debaathification Commission had been pushed by Ahmad Chalabi and his Iraqi National Congress very hard , and had pushed many Sunni Arabs into the arms of the guerrillas .
Chalabi has been increasingly marginalized within Iraq , however , despite his ties of clientelage with Washington and Tehran .
He is no longer in the dominant Shiite list , the United Iraqi Alliance , and wo n't have many seats in the new parliament .
Some 2,000 junior officers of the old Baath army have been recalled to duty in recent months , something Chalabi would have blocked if he could have .
Now the Electoral Commission is refusing to punish people for mere past Baath Party membership .
The situation in Iraq is only going to get better this way .
If someone committed a crime against humanity , prosecute the person .
If he or she did not , then they should have all the same rights as other Iraqis .
Al - Sharq al - Awsat reports that a key eyewitness in the trial of Saddam Hussein for a 1982 massacre at Dujail has died .
A team from the court managed to take his deposition before he died .
The trial begins again Nov. 28 .
In Baghdad the fighting still continues in several areas , mostly in Sadr city and Adhamiya .
Baghdadis do n't venture much out of their neighbourhoods any more , you never know where you might get stuck .
There has been talk that the night curfew might be implemented again .
My neighbourhood has been surrounded by American troops for three days now , helicopters have been circling over our heads non-stop .
Fedayeen are now visible on the street and they have become bolder than ever .
Yesterday there were tens of them putting road blocks on our street and setting up mortars , they only come out in the open when Americans leave the area , then they start firing mortars indiscriminately and shooting their AK - 47's in the air .
They are setting the road blocks at the exact same positions they were during the war last year , which indicates they are the same people .
And there is nothing we can do about it really , people who are suggesting that we go out and fight them are living in dream land .
Even the IP and ICDC have abandoned the neighbourhood , and those are trained and armed , so do n't expect scared civilians to do anything except to hide inside and pray a helicopter or a tank does n't bomb them , and also how are American soldiers going to distinguish the brave and valiant civilians from the Fedayeen ?
Everyone is apprehensive , there is some talk that April 9th and 10th are going to be bloody days .
Most people have n't gone to work the last few days , although it seems that the rest of Baghdad is ' normal ' ( if you can define what normal is ) .
There are rumours about preparations by slum dwellers for another looting spree against banks , governmental and public property similar to the one that took place last April , and I have already overheard youngsters in my neighbourhood joking about it and saying things like " This time we will be the first to loot , we did n't get anything the last time " .
Mosques are calling for donating blood , food , and medicine for Fallujah , and several convoys have already headed out for Fallujah , most of them returned later though .
What irritates me is this sudden false ' solidarity ' between Sunni and Shi'ite clerics , we all know that they would be glad to get at each other s throats when they have the chance , and Shia clerics were describing Fallujan insurgents as ' Ba'athists ' , ' Saddamites ' , ' Wahhabis ' , and ' terrorists ' just a few days ago .
So what happened ?
I guess it 's just the old new Arab ' Me against my brother , me and my brother against my cousin , me and my cousin against my enemy ' , or ' The enemy of my enemy is my friend ' thing going on again .
Speaking of Fallujah , we have only Al - Jazeera to rely on for our news from there .
They have sent over their top reporter Ahmed Mansour to the town , and he is spouting all kinds of propaganda hourly reminding me of Al - Sahhaf .
They are targetting ambulances , " American snipers are shooting children and pregnant women " , and " They are using cluster bombs against civilians " is all you get to hear from him .
He did once make an unforgivable error when he mentioned that Fallujan militants were shooting at the Marines from the roofs of mosques and houses in Hay Al - Golan , but of course that is okay for Al - Jazeera .
Someone who called himself Abu Hafs from the Ibn Al - Khattab Brigades ( another new group ) was on Al - Jazeera describing the enormous casualties among the Marines and he sweared that American soldiers were mutilating the bodies of dead insurgents .
Over 300 Iraqis are reported dead and 500 wounded in Fallujah alone .
Al - Iraqiyah tv said that ICDC were controlling Ramadi .
Azzaman newspaper mentioned an announcement signed by Abdul Aziz bin Muqrin , an Al - Qaeda operative in Saudi Arabia on an Islamic website ' the voice of Jihad ' , in which he stated that " although mutilating dead bodies is not originally permitted in Islam , but in this case it is allowed if Muslims use it against infidels to deter them from committing criminal actions " .
He added that " America does not understand anything except the language of force and retaliation , they were kicked out of Somalia in humiliation after that soldier was dragged in Mogadishu for the whole world to see " , and that " the day will come when the dead bodies of Americans and Jews would be dragged , defiled , and stepped on in the Arabian peninsula together with their agents and supporters " .
Elena 's motorcycle tour through the region around Chernobyl has revived interest in one of the most serious nuclear disasters in history .
We all know what happened , but even to this day , there are many different versions and opinions on how it happened and what effect Chernobyl will have on the health of people affected by the fallout .
UPDATE :
Now you can tour Chernobyl and write your own story .
This is not a post about fault - finding or assigning blame .
It is a time to learn what happened and how it may affect the future .
There was a soothing authoritative UNSCEAR ( United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation ) report in 2000 on the health effects of Chernobyl confirming that there was no scientific evidence of any significant radiation - related health effects to most people exposed .
This was heavily promoted by the Australasian Radiation Protection Society in a press release titled THE MYTHS OF CHERNOBYL which contained the following :
One of the most widespread myths of recent times is that the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident in 1986 caused many thousands of extra cancer deaths in neighbouring regions , and that public health has been severely affected by exposure to radiation .
Many people still believe that to be true , even though the Ministry of Russian Federation on Civil Defence , Emergencies and Elimination of Conseguences of Natural Disasters ( EMERCOM of Russia ) reported this in 1996 :
CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT : TEN YEARS ON
In the last decade , there has been a real and significant increase in childhood and , to a certain extent , adult carcinoma of the thyroid in contaminated regions of the former Soviet Union ( Wi940 ) which should be attributed to the Chernobyl accident until proven otherwise .
The prestigious IAEA ( International Atomic Energy Agency ) published an early report on Chernobyl which was based on information from Russian sources and stated that there was no significant health effects .
However , in April 2001 , the IAEA published Fifteen Years after the Chernobyl Accident - Lessons learned . which contradict the earlier reports .
Here are some excerpts :
The dramatic increase in radiation - induced thyroid cancers in children and adolescents in Belarus , Russia , and Ukraine , which have been observed since 1991 , continues to this day .
... a drop in the birth rate , a deterioration in women 's reproductive health , an increase in complications during pregnancy and birth , and a deterioration in neonatal health ....
The dynamics of change in the state of health of children affected by the Chernobyl accident in all three countries - Belarus , Russia , and Ukraine - in the post-accident period is characterized by persistent negative tendencies : the morbidity rate is going up , the number of really healthy children is dropping , and disability is increasing .
As a parent , I can well imagine how painful it must be for those families whose children are succumbing to radiation poisoning .
There is a lot to learn about Chernobyl .
Being well - informed will give you certainty and that is desirable in a world of conflicting reports .
There are a wealth of references on Chernobyl .
Read some of the following links and draw your own conclusions .
These links present the many viewpoints that existed and still exist about the disaster called Chernobyl :
IAEA Report Lessons learned
http://www.ibiblio.org/expo/soviet.exhibit/chernobyl.html
http://www.ibrae.ac.ru/IBRAE/eng/chernobyl/natrep/natrepe.htm#24
http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/chernobyl/wildlifepreserve.htm
http://www.environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/hazmat/articles/chernobyl1.html
http://digonva.tripod.com/Chernobyl.htm
http://www.oneworld.org/indexoc/issue196/byckau.html
http://www.collectinghistory.net/chernobyl/
http://www.ukrainianweb.com/chernobylukraine.htm
http://www.bullatomsci.org/issues/1993/s93/s93Marples.html
http://www.calguard.ca.gov/ia/Chernobyl-15%20years.htm
http://www.infoukes.com/history/chornobyl/gregorovich/index.html
http://www.un.org/ha/chernobyl/
http://www.tecsoc.org/pubs/history/2002/apr26.htm
http://www.chernobyl.org.uk/page2.htm
http://www.time.com/time/daily/chernobyl/860901.accident.html
http://www.infoukes.com/history/chornobyl/elg/
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.htm
http://www.nea.fr/html/rp/chernobyl/conclusions5.html
http://www.nea.fr/html/rp/chernobyl/c01.html
http://www.nea.fr/html/rp/chernobyl/c05.html
http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/chern.htm
http://www.chernobyl.info/en
http://www.arps.org.au/Chernobyl.htm
http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/chernobyl.html
http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/chernobyl.html
I would be interested in hearing what conclusions you reached and what you found that was most convincing .
radiation :
As a child in the 50's I had a lot of glandular problems and they treated it with radiation therapy ( primitive at best ! ) and stopped when a lesion on my neck started enlarging -- they said it was not CA but stopped the treatments ....
Remember the old shoe sizing machines that was a form of radiation xray ?
That too was stopped .
Do n't have to mention what radiation has done and is still doing to Hirsohima & Nagaski folks -- there can be no doubts about the effects of radiation in Chernobyl .......
The Chernobyl Children 's Project ( http://www.adiccp.org/home/default.asp ) offers several ways to help the children of that region .
One of them is the Rest and Recuperation Program , wherein a child can come to the US for a few weeks in the summer .
Even a little time spent receiving wholesome , uncontaminated food , good medical care , etc. can add years to their lives .
S. and I have an acquaintance who has hosted several of these children for many years ; to see these little ones breaks the heart .
The urge to protect and gather them all in is almost overwhelming , and makes me more grateful for the blessings I have .
Take care , my friend , Linda
I 'm sorry to say Elena 's story has been revealed to be a fake .
What do the new al - Qaeda videotape and audio speeches of Bin Laden and Ayman al - Zawahiri tell us about the hopes of the remaining top leadership of the organization ?
Because the US and Pakistan have managed to capture or kill about 2 / 3s of the top 25 al - Qaeda commanders , the middle managers are not in close contact with al - Zawahiri and Bin Laden .
The tape was a way to signal priorities .
These are 1 ) Assassinate or overthrow Gen. Pervez Musharraf , the Pakistani military " president " who had made a coup in 1999 and has thrown in his lot with the United States against the Taliban and al - Qaeda .
Musharraf has been trying to purge his officer corps of the substantial number of al - Qaeda sympathizers .
His military intelligence has captured major figures like Abu Zubayda and Khalid Shaykh Muhammad , as well as nearly 500 other al - Qaeda operatives , over 400 of whom the Pakistanis have turned over to the US .
Musharraf held elections in October of 2002 , in which center - right parties did well , but in which nearly 20 percent of parliament seats went to the fundamentalist religious party coalition , MMA .
MMA also captured the Northwest Frontier Province , which probably shelters Bin Laden and al - Zawahiri , and is in a joint government of Baluchistan Province , also on the Afghanistan border .
If al - Qaeda can kill Musharraf or instigate a military coup against him by Islamist junior officers , they can hope to catapult the MMA to power as political allies and hosts .
They would thereby gain control of a major base for terrorist operations , which is also a nuclear power .
All this is highly unlikely , as with most al - Qaeda crackpot schemes .
But so was it unlikely that a small group of Arab mujahidin would virtually take over Afghanistan .
Response : The US must do whatever it can to strengthen the legitimacy of the Pakistani government .
On the one hand , it should pressure Musharraf to take off his uniform and run for president in a fair election , and to repeal the contentious " Legal Framework Order " that essentially perpetuates his dictatorship .
On the other , restrictions should be lifted on the mainstream Muslim League - N and Pakistan People 's Party , who can defeat the MMA in fair elections if not hogtied by the secret police .
On the other hand , the US should strong - arm India and Pakistan into a final settlement of the Kashmir issue .
Al - Zawahiri attempted to use Musharraf 's lack of progress in helping the Muslims of that Indian state as a justification for his overthrow .
The Kashmir issue generates far more terrorism , and even the threat of nuclear war , than Iraq ever did .
2 ) Target Israel and encourage the worst elements of the Palestinians by playing on the iron fist policies of the Sharon government .
Response : The US has succeeded in politically isolating Hamas , and started the process of cutting off its funding .
This terrorist organization can now only pull off far less sophisticated bombings and attacks .
It should continue to be defanged .
But Sharon 's iron fist is simply not working as a means of establishing general peace , and the Bush administration will have to finally apply effective pressure on Sharon to stop his outrages in and colonization of the West Bank and Gaza .
Sharon 's hard line has worked in tandem with Hamas 's terrorism to ratchet up tensions further and further , which spill over into the Muslim world and serve as a recruiting tool for al - Qaeda in its search for agents willing to hit the United States .
Israel owes the United States at least this much , in this crisis , to cease militarily unnecessary provocations and establish genuine peace .
3 ) Make Iraq another Afghanistan , using the Republican Right 's own tactics against them .
Response : Iraq is actually hostile territory for al - Qaeda , and without Iraqi sympathizers it can not succeed there .
By moving quickly to Iraqi sovereignty and improvement of Iraqi lives , the US may be able to get Iraqis on its side , so that they turn in the foreigners .
Certainly , the Shiites already hate al - Qaeda and would help ; likewise the Kurds .
The problem of mollifying the Sunnis , though , has to be solved to avoid giving al - Qaeda an entrée .
The Americans have to put away their free - market fetishism for a while and find ways of creating jobs and pumping money into Iraqi households .
We need an FDR in Iraq , not a Ronald Reagan .
Of course , the sooner the US soldiers can be withdrawn in favor of less - provocative local or international forces , the better .
Getting the Spanish out of Iraq is n't nearly as good a rallying cry for al - Qaeda in the Arab world as getting the Americans and British out .
The thing to keep in mind is that Sunni Arab nationalists and Baathists and local Sunni radicals are likely to remain far more dangerous to the US in Iraq than al - Qaeda infiltrators , and it would be dangerous to take one 's eyes off the former ball .
George W. Bush alleged Thursday that John Edwards lacks the experience necessary to be president .
The problem with this argument is that Bush lacked the experience necessary to be president when he ran in 2000 , so this sort of cheap shot just hoists him by his own petard .
Let 's just remember a seminal Bush moment in 1999 :
' Bush fails reporter 's pop quiz on international leaders
November 5 , 1999
Web posted at : 3:29 p.m. EST ( 2029 GMT )
WASHINGTON ( CNN ) --
Texas Gov. George W. Bush is enduring sharp criticism for being unable to name the leaders of four current world hot spots , but President Bill Clinton says Bush " should , and probably will , pick up " those names .
The front - runner for the 2000 Republican presidential nomination faltered Thursday in an international affairs pop quiz posed by Andy Hiller , a political reporter for WHDH - TV in Boston .
Bush
Hiller asked Bush to name the leaders of Chechnya , Taiwan , India and Pakistan .
Bush was only able to give a partial response to the query on the leader of Taiwan , referring to Taiwanese President Lee Teng - hui simply as " Lee . "
He could not name the others .
Can you name the general who is in charge of Pakistan ?
Hiller asked , inquiring about Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf , who seized control of the country October 12 .
Wait , wait , is this 50 questions ? asked Bush .
Hiller replied : " No , it 's four questions of four leaders in four hot spots . " . . .
Bush , in answering the question about the leader of Pakistan , also said : " The new Pakistani general , he 's just been elected -- not elected , this guy took over office .
It appears this guy is going to bring stability to the country and I think that 's good news for the subcontinent . "
Gore released a statement Friday taking Bush to task for his comments on Pakistan 's recent coup .
I find it troubling that a candidate for president in our country -- the world 's oldest democracy -- would characterize the military takeover as good news , " Gore said .

A spokesman for President Clinton also criticized Bush 's comments .
It is very dangerous for this country to condone the overthrow of democratically elected governments , said David Leavy , spokesman for the National Security Council .
Not only did Bush not know who General Pervez Musharraf was , he seems to have confused coup - making with " taking office , " and moreover went on to suggest that the overthrow of an elected prime minister and the installation in power of the Pakistan military , then the world 's strongest supporter of the Taliban , would bring " stability ! "
Musharraf made his coup in part because of the military 's anger over Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif 's willingness to back down from confronting India over Kashmir , so that he explicitly came to power as a warmonger .
I ca n't tell you how ominous I found Bush 's performance in that interview .
I still remember him stuttering about " the General , " unable to remember Musharraf 's name .
He obviously had no idea what he was talking about , though he demonstrated a number of ill - fated instincts .
He obviously liked authoritarian rule better than democracy , equating dictatorship with " stability . "
And , he did n't think he needed to know anything about South Asia , with its nuclear giants and radical religious politics -- the latter a dire security threat to the US .
He could n't tell when things were becoming more unstable as opposed to less .
Musharraf went on to play nuclear brinkmanship with India in 2002 , risking war twice that year .
Although Musharraf did turn against the Taliban after September 11 , under extreme duress from the US , elements of his military continued to support radical Islamism and have recently been implicated in assassination attempts on Musharraf himself .
This was the body that Bush proclaimed was bringing " stability " to the region in fall of 1999 .
So , one answer to Bush 's charge about Edwards is that if it had any merit , Bush should have declined to run himself .
Another answer is that Edwards certainly knows far more about foreign affairs now than Bush did then .
Indeed , given how Bush has rampaged around the world alienating allies and ignoring vital conflicts with the potential to blow back on the US , one might well argue that Edwards knows more now than Bush does .
This is what Edwards ' campaign literature said about his positions : " Edwards believes that the U.S. must be an active leader to help resolve conflicts , from reducing tensions between India and Pakistan to the peace process in Northern Ireland .
Edwards is a strong supporter of Israel , and believes that the U.S. has a vital role in promoting peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians . "
I do n't see Bush doing any of this .
From Friday 's Daily Star
By Juan Cole
Friday , June 04 , 2004
As the American public gradually wearies of the Iraq crisis , some have begun worrying that the war could blow back on the US by creating the conditions for anti-American terrorism .
Israel , however , is much closer to Iraq and is likely to suffer from Iraqi instability much more acutely than will the United States .
Ironically , among the strongest proponents of war in Iraq were Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his neoconservative supporters in the US .
Have they , however , actually weakened Israeli security ?
The biggest threat Israel faces is not from conventional armies but from the asymmetrical tactics of Palestinian national liberation movements .
The derailing of the Oslo peace process by the hard - line policies of Sharon and the Palestinian intifada has encouraged suicide bombings .
This , in turn , has discouraged international investment in Israel and has made it less likely that immigrants to the country will actually remain there .
Although Israel withdrew from Lebanese territory in May 2000 , the radical Lebanese Shiite party , Hizbullah , has not been mollified .
It is estimated to have some 5,000 armed fighters , and they have pursued attacks against Israeli forces to compel them to withdraw from the Shebaa Farms , a sliver of Syrian territory that Israel annexed after the 1967 war .
Any thorough assessment of the impact of the Iraq war and its aftermath on Israel 's security environment must , therefore , closely examine its likely effect on the conduct of asymmetrical warfare .
Although it is often alleged ( without much evidence ) that Saddam Hussein gave money to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers and so encouraged asymmetrical warfare , it is not clear that he actually posed a danger to Israel .
The Palestinians who have been willing to kill themselves to end the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank were not driven by economic considerations .
Saddam never did anything practical to help the Palestinians .
At some points , as in the late 1980s , he reportedly made behind - the - scenes overtures to the Israelis to arrive at some sort of a deal .
He did not allow Palestinian radicals to launch operations against Israel from Iraq .
By the late 1990s , Iraq had no nuclear or biological weapons program , and had destroyed its chemical weapons stockpiles .
Its ramshackle army had virtually collapsed before the American invasion in 2003 .
If it is hard to see how Baathist Iraq posed any real threat to Israel , it is not so difficult to see a menace in the current instability .
The bungling of post-war Iraq by the Bush administration created a weak and failed state .
Armed militias , many staffed by former Iraqi military men with substantial training and experience , have proliferated .
The US chose to ally itself with such groups as the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq , whose 15,000 - strong Badr Corps paramilitary was trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards .
Anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian feeling is strong among several major Iraqi ideological groups and currents .
The more radical Shiites , who generally follow the theocratic notions of Iran 's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini , routinely chant and demonstrate against Israel .
They vehemently protested the Israeli assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin , the leader of Hamas , last March .
Worse for Israel , the assassination drew a denunciation even from the moderate and cautious Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani , who wields enormous moral authority over Iraqi Shiites .
These Shiite movements had been suppressed by Saddam Hussein 's regime , but have now organized and armed themselves .
They have also reestablished their historical links with Lebanese and Iranian Shiites .
It is inevitable that most Iraqi Shiites will side with their Hizbullah coreligionists against Israel , and it seems likely that Iraqi Shiites will get rich enough from Iraqi petroleum sales in the future that they will be in a good position to bankroll Lebanese Shiite radicals .
Sunni Arab fundamentalists deeply sympathize with the Palestinians and with Hamas , and those in Iraq have deep historical inks with fundamentalists in Jordan and Palestine .
Iraqi cities such as Fallujah and Ramadi were on the truck route from Amman to Baghdad , and so came under the influence of the Salafi movement , which is popular in Jordan .
Secular Arab nationalist groups also universally sympathize with the Palestinians , and those in post-Saddam Iraq are no exception .
Whereas Saddam Hussein 's dictatorship ensured that such populist currents were kept firmly under control , they are now free to organize .
An Iraq in which armed fundamentalist and nationalist militias proliferate is inevitably a security worry for Israel .
If even a modicum of normality and security can be returned to Iraq , its citizens will be able to benefit from the country 's petroleum reserves .
That private wealth can easily be funneled into aid for the Palestinians and for Lebanese Shiites .
Israel 's security interests are best served by peace with its neighbors , which can only be achieved by trading land for peace with the Palestinians .
Ariel Sharon 's aggressive near annexation of almost half of the occupied West Bank and his indefinite postponement of any Palestinian state have created unprecedented rage and violence .
The anger has spread throughout the Muslim world , including Iraq .
The promotion by the pro-Zionist right of twin occupations - in the West Bank and in Iraq - has profoundly weakened , not strengthened , Israeli security .
Juan Cole ( www.juancole.com ) is a professor of modern Middle East history at the University of Michigan and author of " Sacred Space and Holy War " ( I.B. Tauris , 2002 ) .
THE DAILY STAR publishes this commentary in agreement with Agence Global
Tamils feel that the proposed defense agreement between India and Sri Lanka would encourage Sinhala rulers to prepare for another war abandoning the current peace process
But there are strong hints in the country that a new Indo - Sri Lanka defense deal could be in the making .
And this has already drawn protests from the Tamil National Alliance ( TNA ) which was backed by the LTTE in the April general elections held in Sri Lanka .
Apart from the 1,200 Indian lives lost in 1987 , the Indian peacekeeping force was immensely unpopular not only in Tamil Nadu and the Jaffna peninsula but also among the Sinhalese majority who considered it a violation of their country 's sovereignty .
India defensive over Sri Lanka
By Ranjit Devraj
NEW DELHI -
While India is ready to enter into a " defense cooperation agreement " with Sri Lanka , it is wary of being drawn into any military involvement in the island nation 's two decades - old civil war that has seen violent strife between ethnic Tamils and the Sinhalese majority - leaving over 60,000 dead on both sides .
And that explains the delay in the signing of a formal defense agreement that was at the heart of Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga 's four - day visit to India recently .
According to Professor S D Muni , South Asia expert at the Jawaharal Nehru University , the two - year peace talks between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) are stalemated .
For that reason , he said , Kumaratunga 's government was keen to beef up military preparedness with Indian support .

And the Tigers look as if they are on the brink of launching another offensive , " Muni told IPS .
Colombo held six rounds of talks with the Tigers between September 2002 and March 2003 .
But last April , the rebels abruptly pulled out of negotiations demanding recognition , first , for the right to self - rule before proceeding any further .
Kumaratunga 's India tour preceded a three - day visit to Sri Lanka by Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen in a new bid to revive the peace talks that were supposed to follow a ceasefire that Oslo successfully brokered in February 2002 .
Petersen held discussions with both Kumaratunga and the reclusive LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in the rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi without success , and chief Tamil rebel negotiator Anton Balasingham and Norwegian envoy Erik Solheim held closed - door talks at the international airport late Saturday in an effort to keep the salvage effort on track , diplomatic sources said .
But they , too , failed .
Colombo , too , seems to be in an intractable position .
According to former Indian army general A S Kalkat , the difficulty for Kumaratunga 's government lay in the fact that the LTTE had become a de jure power in the north and east of the island and was running every aspect of civil administration in the areas within its control .
A veteran of India 's military intervention in the Jaffna peninsula to help implement the 1987 Indo - Sri Lanka Peace Accord - which ambitiously provided for the disarming of the formidable LTTE - Kalkat said the new defense deal would essentially be a reiteration of the older one minus its military commitment .
Kalkat , who currently chairs the independent US - based International Council on Conflict Resolution , said despite the failure of the Indian army to disarm or even subdue the Tigers , India remained the only power capable of influencing the course of the current peace talks .
The Norwegians mean well but their role is limited to that of honest broker and the LTTE is keenly aware that they do not have the power [ unlike India ] to underwrite any arrangement , Kalkat told IPS in an interview .
In 1987 , the Tamil Tigers reluctantly accepted the peace accord under Indian pressure .
Under the accord , a new northeastern provincial council was formed and the Indian army was deployed as peacekeepers in the north and east .
However , differences between India and LTTE soon surfaced and led to clashes between Tiger guerrillas and the Indian peace keeping force .
About 1,200 Indian soldiers were killed during this phase of the conflict .
India had to pull back its forces from Sri Lanka in 1989 following the election of Ranasinghe Premadasa , a strong critic of Indian mediation .
Last June , an international initiative led by Japan to persuade the LTTE to come back to the negotiating table failed despite an aid package offer of US$ 4.5 billion .
Japan 's special envoy , Yasushi Akashi , who called for tangible progress in the peace process before the money would be released , came back from visits to Colombo and Kilinochchi in early November a frustrated man .
He complained about the " visible lack of progress " and reaching an impasse in talks with both sides .
The Tigers ' chief ideologue , Balasingham , sniffed at the proposal saying that " a solution to the ethnic conflict can not be predetermined by the resolutions or declarations of donor conferences , but has to be negotiated by the parties in conflict without the constraints of external forces . "
But there are strong hints in the country that a new Indo - Sri Lanka defense deal could be in the making .
And this has already drawn protests from the Tamil National Alliance ( TNA ) which was backed by the LTTE in the April general elections held in Sri Lanka .
Tamils feel that the proposed defense agreement between India and Sri Lanka would encourage Sinhala rulers to prepare for another war abandoning the current peace process , TNA member of parliament P Sithamparanathan was quoted as saying in a statement .
She added that recent visits to the island by India 's top military brass including army chief General Nirmal Chander Vij have " caused apprehension among Tamils that preparations are under way for another war in the island " .
But Kalkat pointed out that India would be ill - advised to be involved again , militarily , with Sri Lanka if only because it still had to consider the sentiments of 45 million ethnic Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu - separated from Sri Lanka 's Jaffna peninsula by the narrow Palk Straits .
Apart from the 1,200 Indian lives lost in 1987 , the Indian peacekeeping force was immensely unpopular not only in Tamil Nadu and the Jaffna peninsula but also among the Sinhalese majority who considered it a violation of their country 's sovereignty .
The best option , now , under the present difficult circumstances is for Colombo to do its own dirty work , although New Delhi can always be counted on to render good neighborly help because of the shared belief that religion , ethnicity and language can not be the basis for secession .
In any case , Kalkat puts it succinctly : " There can not be a military option to what is a political situation . "
Asia Times Online 16/11/2004
Unreported by the international media , the Valley of Kashmir has seen an ethnic and cultural genocide that has resulted in the fleeing from the valley of almost all the Hindu families who have been living there since human habitation was first recorded .
Over nine dozen temples that had served the Hindu population have been destroyed , with some used as building material and others as urinals .
Thus far , none of the many " human rights " busybodies across the world have bothered to even notice such a development .
Musharraf calls the bluff
M.D. Nalapat
While most U.S. secretaries of state -- save perhaps Dean Rusk -- have gobbled up credit for outcomes that they had little to do with , few have been as brazen as Colin Powell .
Two years ago , Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was surprised when the leader of the main Islamist alliance -- Maulana Fazlur Rahman -- visited India and issued a series of highly conciliatory statements .
As Pakistan 's president had been telling the United States he was " forced " into taking a hawkish line on India precisely by the likes of Rahman , this was an embarrassment .
The reality is that India is no longer the enemy of choice for the people of Pakistan .
That distinction has now gone to the United States .
Realists , and this even includes members of the U.S. Democratic foreign policy establishment such as Strobe Talbott , who have long sought to divest India of its defensive capability against another nuclear power in Asia , understand the only feasible solution for Kashmir is the acceptance of the status quo .
India keeps what it has while Pakistan and China ( which was gifted a slice of the territory three decades ago ) do likewise .
Simultaneously , New Delhi would ensure a degree of autonomy for the state that would help cut popular support off from jihadis attempting to convert Kashmir into a second Afghanistan .
Bill Clinton understood this at the end of his term in office yet , under Colin Powell ( who appears to have an affinity for generals active in politics ) , the pendulum of U.S. policy has once again swung toward a quixotic effort to prize at least the Valley of Kashmir loose from India .
This , Pakistan 's lobbyist in Washington Christina Rocca has been told , is the " minimum " that the Pakistan army will accept .
It is also far more than what any administration in New Delhi can deliver .
This writer has for years regarded the best solution to the Kashmir problem as being the trifurcation of the Indian part of the state into a Hindu - majority Jammu , a Buddhist - dominated Ladakh and the overwhelmingly Muslim Kashmir Valley , with the third state given little of taxpayers ' money but substantial autonomy .
With luck , the Kashmir Valley can attract investment from the Middle East and other locations where Muslims are dominant and become a tourist , education and services haven within India .
The overwhelming majority of Muslims in Kashmir would be happy with such an outcome , except for the tiny jihadi segment patronized by the U.S. State Department and the Pakistan Army , which would like to even the score with India for their catastrophic defeat in Bangladesh in 1971 .
Unreported by the international media , the Valley of Kashmir has seen an ethnic and cultural genocide that has resulted in the fleeing from the valley of almost all the Hindu families who have been living there since human habitation was first recorded .
Over nine dozen temples that had served the Hindu population have been destroyed , with some used as building material and others as urinals .
Thus far , none of the many " human rights " busybodies across the world have bothered to even notice such a development .
Indeed , their reports are filled with tales of the " atrocities " of Indian troops on the innocent jihadis .
Despite Sept. 11 , the United States still supports the Kashmir groups that back jihad as part of the price Washington is paying to keep Pervez Musharraf happy .
Unfortunately for them , the general has decided to take seriously Colin Powell 's frequent boasts that it was on his nudging that the Indians made conciliatory gestures toward Islamabad .
The U.S. State Department and the misnamed think tanks that follow its lead have held numerous conferences on Kashmir and , in most of them , the solution that has emerged is a valley prized loose from Indian control and under its own version of Ibrahim Rugova .
That India is not Yugoslavia and that the " foreigner - led " Indian National Congress can least afford to ignore Indian nationalism , has not struck the conferees , among whom have been several Indian " scholars " and " analysts " ready to say and endorse anything for the sake of a free trip to New York or Vienna .
Despite many wrinkles , India remains a part - democracy and merely signing on to a piece of paper that calls for an independent Kashmir does not get you into the trouble that writing an op - ed piece against Sonia Gandhi or Atal Behari Vajpayee would instantly .
It was the business community in India that stepped in after Vajpayee indulged in an empty bout of saber rattling in 2002 , pointing out that the only beneficiary of the mythical perception that war -- especially nuclear war -- was around the corner in the subcontinent was China .
The reason for this is that India is emerging as an alternative investment destination to China , hence the favor that the generals in Islamabad do to their trusty supplier of nukes and missiles by creating a scare about war involving India when in fact the real flashpoints are the Taiwan Straits and North Korea .
Since then , India has talked peace while always signaling that only the status quo would be acceptable as a final settlement : a line of action that is followed in the case of disputes with China as well .
Unfortunately for those eager to indefinitely carry on with the lucrative business of conflict resolution in South Asia , Pervez Musharraf has now called Colin Powell 's bluff , challenging him to deliver on his frequent statements implying that the Indians jump to his commands .
Once the Manmohan Singh government shows that it has little appetite for suicide , Musharraf will face the moment of truth : accept the inevitable , or once again ramp up the insurgency and spawn a fresh lot of killers that can hit not merely Mumbai and New Delhi but London and Chicago as well .
The one country that has shown that it understands the realities in South Asia is China .
Under President Hu Jintao , Beijing has opened out to New Delhi and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is expected to visit early next year , making friends by formally accepting Sikkim as part of India and backing India as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council -- thus leaving Washington as the only one of the " permanent five " that has not yet done so .
With Colin Powell around , the U.S. has no need of an Osama bin Laden
M.D. Nalapat , an expert on jihad , is professor of geopolitics at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education , India .
Washington Times 28/10/2004
Ok .
We all know that John Kerry served in Vietnam .
Four whole months , after which he took advantage of a little - known , little - invoked regulation that allowed him to desert his " band of brothers " .
We also know how Dan Rather libeled George Bush and impugned his service in the Texas Air National Guard on a " 60 Minutes II " report based largely on forged documents .
During his time in the Guard , George Bush flew the F - 102 Delta Dagger fighter - interceptor .
The F - 102 saw service in the Vietnam theater between March 1962 and December 1969 .
During this time , F - 102 squadrons were based out of Tan Son Nhut , Da Nang and Bien Hoa in Vietnam , and Udorn and Don Muang in Thailand .
( Click here for source . )
As far as George Bush knew , he and his unit could have been transferred to Vietnam .
In all this so - called controversy , has anyone considered that perhaps George Bush just wanted to fly jets ?
And , let 's remember , flying supersonic fighter jets is dangerous !
They do n't let just anybody do it .
Some reporters ( you know , the ones with journalistic ethics ) have actually uncovered the truth about George Bush 's service in the Texas Air National Guard .
For example , did you know that George Bush spent considerably more time in uniform than John Kerry ?
What follows is the text of an e-mail sent to me by a friend of mine ( thanks to Dave Manzano ) .
Read on to learn the facts .
---------
Bush ’s National Guard years
Before you fall for Dems ’ spin , here are the facts
What do you really know about George W. Bush ’s time in the Air National Guard ?
That he did n’t show up for duty in Alabama ?
That he missed a physical ?
That his daddy got him in ?
News coverage of the president ’s years in the Guard has tended to focus on one brief portion of that time — to the exclusion of virtually everything else .
So just for the record , here , in full , is what Bush did :
The future president joined the Guard in May 1968 .
Almost immediately , he began an extended period of training .
Six weeks of basic training .
Fifty - three weeks of flight training .
Twenty - one weeks of fighter - interceptor training .
That was 80 weeks to begin with , and there were other training periods thrown in as well .
It was full - time work .
By the time it was over , Bush had served nearly two years .
Not two years of weekends .
Two years .
After training , Bush kept flying , racking up hundreds of hours in F - 102 jets .
As he did , he accumulated points toward his National Guard service requirements .
At the time , guardsmen were required to accumulate a minimum of 50 points to meet their yearly obligation .
According to records released earlier this year , Bush earned 253 points in his first year , May 1968 to May 1969 ( since he joined in May 1968 , his service thereafter was measured on a May - to - May basis ) .
Bush earned 340 points in 1969 - 1970 .
[ In other words , Bush earned enough points to satisfy the requirements for his entire six year hitch in 1969 - 1970 alone .
- acd ]
He earned 137 points in 1970 - 1971 .
And he earned 112 points in 1971 - 1972 .
The numbers indicate that in his first four years , Bush not only showed up , he showed up a lot .
Did you know that ?
That brings the story to May 1972 — the time that has been the focus of so many news reports — when Bush “ deserted ” ( according to anti-Bush filmmaker Michael Moore ) or went “ AWOL ” ( according to Terry McAuliffe , chairman of the Democratic National Committee ) .
Bush asked for permission to go to Alabama to work on a Senate campaign .
His superior officers said OK .
Requests like that were n’t unusual , says retired Col. William Campenni , who flew with Bush in 1970 and 1971 .
“ In 1972 , there was an enormous glut of pilots , ” Campenni says .
“ The Vietnam War was winding down , and the Air Force was putting pilots in desk jobs .
In ’72 or ’73 , if you were a pilot , active or Guard , and you had an obligation and wanted to get out , no problem .
In fact , you were helping them solve their problem . ”
So Bush stopped flying .
From May 1972 to May 1973 , he earned just 56 points — not much , but enough to meet his requirement .
Then , in 1973 , as Bush made plans to leave the Guard and go to Harvard Business School , he again started showing up frequently .
In June and July of 1973 , he accumulated 56 points , enough to meet the minimum requirement for the 1973 - 1974 year .
Then , at his request , he was given permission to go .
Bush received an honorable discharge after serving five years , four months and five days of his original six - year commitment .
By that time , however , he had accumulated enough points in each year to cover six years of service .
During his service , Bush received high marks as a pilot .
A 1970 evaluation said Bush “ clearly stands out as a top notch fighter interceptor pilot ” and was “ a natural leader whom his contemporaries look to for leadership . ”
A 1971 evaluation called Bush “ an exceptionally fine young officer and pilot ” who “ continually flies intercept missions with the unit to increase his proficiency even further . ”
And a 1972 evaluation called Bush “ an exceptional fighter interceptor pilot and officer . ”
Now , it is only natural that news reports questioning Bush ’s service — in The Boston Globe and The New York Times , on CBS and in other outlets — would come out now .
Democrats are spitting mad over attacks on John Kerry ’s record by the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth .
And , as it is with Kerry , it ’s reasonable to look at a candidate ’s entire record , including his military service — or lack of it .
Voters are perfectly able to decide whether it ’s important or not in November .
The Kerry camp blames Bush for the Swift boat veterans ’ attack , but anyone who has spent much time talking to the Swifties gets the sense that they are doing it entirely for their own reasons .
And it should be noted in passing that Kerry has personally questioned Bush ’s service , while Bush has not personally questioned Kerry ’s .
In April — before the Swift boat veterans had said a word — Kerry said Bush “ has yet to explain to America whether or not , and tell the truth , about whether he showed up for duty . ”
Earlier , Kerry said , “ Just because you get an honorable discharge does not , in fact , answer that question . ”
Now , after the Swift boat episode , the spotlight has returned to Bush .
That ’s fine .
We should know as much as we can .
And perhaps someday Kerry will release more of his military records as well .
Byron York is a White House correspondent for National Review .
His column appears in The Hill each week .
One week to elections day and the general atmosphere in the capital is eerie , yet strikingly familiar .
I suspect the streets of Baghdad will look as if a war is looming this week .
There is no doubt that many Iraqis regard the date of 30 January as a day of renewed hope , one they have been awaiting all their lives , but at the same time , many others are already dreading it .
The interim government has promised security measures that would reduce the violence on the day of elections , but I fail to see how they will be able to protect all 5,000 ( or so ) balloting centres .
Many voting centres have already been successfully attacked or destroyed in many areas .
Now that the picture is clear , the two main competing lists seem to be the United Iraqi Coalition list and Allawi 's Al - Iraqiya list .
Ayad Allawi , and other ministers running on his list , have quite expectedly used their governmental positions in campaigning .
One minister reportedly handed out 100 dollar ' gifts ' to journalists attending a press conference for Allawi , a practice that brings back bad memories to many Iraqis .
Sheikh Naji Al - Abbudi , a spokesman for Sistani , affirmed the claims that the Grand Ayatollah is backing the United Iraqi Coalition list .
Indeed , Sistani 's agents all over the country have been quite active in educating Iraqi Shia on the merits of elections , which has led to the assassination of at least two of them .
Al - Abbudi stated that " His Emminence " decided to openly support the list because " others " ( obviously a reference to Allawi ) have been abusing official state positions and media outlets in their campaigning .
Again there is no official written statement from Sistani 's office confirming this allegation , which I think is intentional .
Ahmed Al - Chalabi and defense minister Hazim Al - Sha'lan have been engaging in shrill public attacks over the media .
Chalabi describing Sha'lan as a " Ba'athist " and a " former double agent for Saddam and the CIA " , while Sha'lan dismisses Chalabi as a " thief " and an " Iranian stooge who longs for his own origins by defending Iran " .
One remark made by Sha'lan on Al - Arabiya TV , that he could n't say more about Chalabi because he would embarrass himself and the viewers almost made me roll on the floor .
It was an extremely amusing episode , watching Chalabi looking smug and amused , contrasted with Sha'lan , all serious and barely keeping himself from swearing .
Fistfights , please .
Hazim Al - Sha'lan , by the way , is the son of the late Sheikh of Al - Khaza'il in Diwaniya and has the potential to replace former information minister , M.S. Al - Sahaf , in his nonsensical media statements , which can be passed as jokes .
The main Kurdish coalition list ( PUK and KDP ) is barely mentioned outside the Kurdish region .
Even there , many Kurds look and act as if they are going to grab the chance to vote them out of power .
I doubt that will be the outcome though .
Many Iraqis , including conservative and religious Iraqis , are surprisingly rooting for the Iraqi Communist party , probably in an attempt to counter the influence of Islamists in the forthcoming National Assembly .
The Communist party has the largest number of registered party members in the country and can be considered as the oldest popular political party in Iraq .
Its support base is much larger than what it seems .
***
Several candidates were assassinated and targeted these last two weeks , others have been forced under threats to withdraw and to follow the example of the Islamic party .
Sectarian tensions are at their highest since April , 2004 , with Sunni insurgents now openly attacking Husseiniyas and Shia mosques .
I had an interesting conversation with a middle - aged taxi driver who used to live in Fallujah and is now at relatives in Amiriya , Baghdad .
After asking me which tribe I belong to ( thus assessing my sectarian background ) he started hurling abuses at the Shia , calling them Persians , Majoos ( fire worshippers ) , rabid dogs and a handful of other descriptions that I ca n't mention here .
He described Allawi 's face as that of a f*ed horse and he dismissed the whole government as a band of thieves and traitors .
I did n't argue with him but I asked him what he believed would be a viable solution to this mess .
He said that resistance was the only commonsense solution .
First driving out the Americans , then fighting the Shia back into submission ( as in 1991 ) .
Sunni Iraqis contend that elections are impossible to hold under occupation .
Leaving aside the fact that this views conflicts with other historical examples in the region , Sunnis have never offered an alternative choice , which eventually leads one to guess that the opinion held by the Fallujan taxi driver above is precisely what they are planning to implement .
I had another conversation some months ago with a retired Ba'athist old - timer who claimed that Ba'athists have the means to stage a third coup d'etat and return to power within 10 hours of an American withdrawal .
On sensing my incredulity to his statement he asserted that Ba'athist cells exist in all parts of the country and that they do have a central command , even though many have formed seperate cells ( often under Islamic labels ) with their own leaderships .
He said that they have the training and the funding as well as the support of neighbouring and regional governments .
I concur that Ba'athists and former security forces are capable of immediately controlling at least 5 out of 18 governorates , along with the capital , if Americans are to be removed from the picture entirely .
But I also see that as a fatal misconception , which is doing Sunnis harm , because I do n't believe the US is going anywhere so soon .
Any government that assumes power after the elections also realises this , so not even Sistani is going to call the US to withdraw its troops , despite what he is saying now , not until they are ensured the insurgency is out of the picture , or that they have an alternative foreign power ( in this case Iran ) to back them up .
The only hope now is that , following the elections , the National Assembly would offer the hand of peace and reconciliation to the dissenting parties .
I would suggest going for tribal Sheikhs rather than clerics , since they have the upper hand in their areas and can effectively root out any Ba'athists in their midst in return for a promise of sharing power and authority .
Many of these Sheikhs have been disenfranchised and abused over the last two years .
Very recently , US forces in Al - Anbar made a terrible blunder by accidentally killing Abdul - Razaq Inad Al - Gu'ud , Sheikh of the Al - Bu Nimr clan from the powerful Dulaym tribe .
Al - Gu'ud had favoured elections and was in good terms with the government .
The Gu'ud family even accepted to be offered the seat of Al - Anbar governor some months back .
The Al - Bu Nimr in Ramadi and Al - Qaim rose in arms against Saddam in the mid-nineties following the execution of Thamir Madhlum Al - Dulaymi , an Air Force general belonging to their tribe .
The revolt took two weeks to be suppressed by the Republican Guard .
Another bad step was the recent arrest of Sheikh Hassan Al - Lihabi , of the Lihaib tribe which is scattered between the governorates of Al - Anbar , Mosul and Salah Al - Din .
Al - Lihaibi was running in elections and is now said to have withdrawn following this incident .
I believe national reconciliation to be the only path forward to a new Iraq .
The Shia can not live without the Sunnis , and vice versa .
Both have shared this country for the last 14 centuries and there is no possible way that one can live without the other .
Even partition is not a possibility , there are no clear borders between the two .
Remember Luis Posada Carriles ?
Here 's a Miami Herald interview with the relaxed terrorist and former CIA operative in a luxury condo , published yesterday .
( " At first I hid a lot .
I thought the US government was looking for me .
Now I hide a lot less . " )
Because of such talk , Posada has been taken into custody by Immigration officials .
I ca n't imagine they wanted to do this .
Authorities would likely have been happy answering questions about Posada 's whereabouts with an indefinite shrug .
As recently as last week the official line stated they had no knowledge he had entered the country .
But comfortable among the thugs , Posada overplayed his hand and embarrassed his old patron , the US government .
And though he 'd been a faithful servant , he was not such a player that he could get away with that .
He should have taken a cue from another bomber some pesky dark - skinned foreigners want extradited , CIA operative Michael Meiring .
Posada should have told any inquisitive journalist at his doorstep something like Meiring told the single American reporter who bothered following his bloody trail from the Philippines , that " If this harms me in any way , you will find my power then , and you 'll find out who I am . "
But then , maybe that would n't have saved him either , because Posada is not Meiring .
Posada can be given up , but Meiring ca n't .
Meiring 's crimes are fresh , and wave the false flag which is the " War on Terror . "
They happened in the Philippines which , like Pakistan , is an important and vulnerable node for the business which intelligence agencies and terrorist organizations conduct with each other .
( Ask Terry Nichols about the Philippines . )
The bombings implicated Muslims , and exacerbated regional tensions which the Bush regime and its friends wearing the brass in the Philippine military sought to exploit .
Posada 's crimes , on the other hand , must seem like ancient history , especially to a people who do n't know their history .
And to those who do n't even know their crimes , not even that .
But will Posada be given up ?
I doubt he will be extradited to Venezuela , which is the only way that question could be answered with a Yes .
I expect it will be determined that , under " Strong Man " Hugo Chavez , Posada could not be guaranteed a fair trial .
The hope may be that Posada can soon be offered to a post-Chavez Allawi - like puppet in Caracas .
Whether such an offer were accepted or declined would make no difference ; justice would not be served then .
But Posada 's nearly 80 years old , and the Venezuelan people will ensure that 's a vain hope .
So instead Posada may be held indefinitely , in comfortable custody .
An embarrassment to the US still , just not as embarrassing as having the old killer strut about Miami , gloating in his freedom .
Meiring is more than an embarrassment .
His case threatens the consensus fiction of the " War on Terror . "
So his name will remain unspoken .
Another connection to Philippine terror and weapons smuggling - dating from the 1980s - is alleged in the book Disposable Patriot , by Jack Terrell .
Terrell , a CIA asset originally recruited for the Contra effort , identifies the man attempting to recruit him into the Philippine scheme as Oliver North ...
I seem to recall the object was to smuggle explosives .
http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0915765381/701-3377456-8181939
I 've read the book - it 's a first person memoir with the ring of truth , especially since so much of the wider context has confirmed the allegations of Contra drug connections that led to Terrell becoming a target for discrediting by the TWIG counterintelligence group that ran interference for the Contra effort , staffed by covert ops types including Ollie North , Robert Owen , Vince Cannistaro and Buck Revell .
Peter Dale Scott includes an account of how Terrell 's whistleblowing was stifled by them in his book Cocaine Politics .
... same ole , same ole ...
Due to the Judge in the 1983 case ruling that a CIA agent could not testify using a pseudonym , therefore opening him to cross-examination by Wilson , the prosecution had a problem .
They needed someone that could convince the jury they had been able to see all relevant documents in CIA files on Wilson .
Wilson was claiming that he had been working for the CIA when he sold the C - 4 to Quaddaffi .
The prosecution was charging he was a rogue using his contacts from former service in both CIA and the ' Office of Naval Intelligence ' .
Wilson had been able to show that he 'd had more than 80 " non-social contacts " with the CIA since his retirement in 1971 , leaving the prosecution 's case in turmoil .
Then Charles A. Briggs came to the rescue .
Third ranking CIA officer , Briggs signed a declaration on February 3rd , 1983 , that on November 8th , 1982 , he had authorized a search of CIA records " for any material that in any way pertains to Edwin P. Wilson , or the various allegations concerning his activities after February 28th , 1971 , when he retired from the CIA . "
The Briggs Declaration states that with one exception in 1972 , Wilson did not work " directly or indirectly " for the CIA since retiring .
http://www.disinfo.com/archive/pages/dossier/id334/pg1/
Last week , Federal District Judge Lynn Hughes in Huston , Texas , threw out Wilson 's two - decades old conviction .
Judge Hughes wrote : ` government knowingly used false evidence against him , ' concluding ` honesty comes hard to government . '
http://www.bigeye.com/111003.htm
http://www.thekcrachannel.com/news/4503872/detail.html
looks like it is rearing its head again in Louisianna ..
Former Pastor , Deputy Implicated In Church Child Sex Abuse
PONCHATOULA , La. --
Sheriff 's deputies in Louisiana made a third arrest Wednesday in the ongoing investigation of a case involving allegations of sexual abuse of children and animals at a Ponchatoula , La. , church .
Austin Aaron Bernard III , 36 , was arrested on a charge of aggravated rape of a child under the age of 13 .
Police said Bernard confessed to detectives that he had sex with a young girl in November 2002 and admitted to knowing about sexual acts involving children and a dog that occurred at Hosanna Church .
Tangipahoa Parish sheriff 's deputy Christopher Blair Labat , 24 , was booked Tuesday on one count of aggravated rape and one count of crime against nature .
On Monday , Louis Lamonica , 45 , the former pastor of Hosanna Church , was booked with two counts of aggravated rape and one count of crime against nature after he walked in to the Livingston Parish Sheriff 's Office and said he could implicate others in a situation at the church that reportedly occurred two years ago .
We have a similar case unravelling up here in the northwest with a murder of a family and missing children taken for some purpose .
If I was Rummy I 'd send Posada to Iraq to blow things up there .
yeah , " things " ...
Yesterday evening , the Posada story was featured in the public television news show in Germany ( ARD , Tagesthemen ) .
The newly released papers , showing him complicit in the airliner bombing , were mentioned
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+ As the implications of the Andaman Islands situation sink in , Indian intelligence has inevitably come under scrutiny .
In recent months , its fallibility has become evident .
The inability to foresee in advance the assassination attempt on the pro-India political leader and former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed last August 21 at a political rally in Dhaka , and the recent " coup " by Nepalese King Gyanendra dismissing his government and imposing a virtual absolute monarchy , are glaring examples of intelligence failure . +
Trouble on India 's islands
Ramtanu Maitra
In early February , India charged 34 Arakan separatists from Myanmar with hiding in the Landfall Islands , part of the Andaman Islands group ( see end note ) .
These alleged members of the Arakan Army , the military wing of the National Unity Party in Myanmar , have been charged with illegal entry .
It is likely , but not certain , that they will be deported to Myanmar .
But the news of the Arakan rebels is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to growing concern in New Delhi over the security of the Andaman Islands .
Reports are circulating in the intelligence community that the Andaman Islands are not only thick with Myanmar rebels .
It has also become an arms depot of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ( LTTE ) , who operate almost freely in the Andaman Sea .
Information pointing in this direction came to light after the December 26 tsunami , which took a heavy toll on the Andamans .
Correspondents who flocked in to cover the tsunami found they also had another story - the miserable security situation surrounding the Indian navy 's Far Eastern Naval Command , now being established along with India 's " blue water navy " .
Deteriorating security
Security problems in the Andaman Sea are not new , but they have deteriorated during the past few years , in tandem with a deterioration in the security situation in Bangladesh , Nepal and Bhutan , and particularly in the northeastern Indian states of Manipur , Nagaland and Tripura .
While the Indian army has become rock - solid in the western front , and has developed the capability of withstanding any Pakistani adventure in that sector , it has become highly vulnerable in its eastern sector , where its enemy is not a national army but a multitude of secessionist , terrorist and drug - running militants operating between Southeast Asia and northeastern India through Bangladesh .
The Andaman Sea is a major conduit for this traffic , and the 572 large and small islands that constitute the Andaman and Nicobar group are a natural transit base .
The drugs and arms travel in all directions .
Since the " Sea Tigers " of the LTTE , better known as the Tamil Tigers , are the ones who rule the Andaman Sea : they carry the arms and drugs for their own use and also to deliver to rebels in Aceh and all along the east coast of Africa .
It is old news that the Tamil Tigers have developed a strong network within South Africa .
This is not unknown to New Delhi .
A recent report by a journalist from Port Blair , in the Andamans , quoted an unnamed official saying that foreigners from Myanmar , Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have permanently settled in the islands , using fake Indian ration cards , while citizens of Thailand , China , Indonesia and Malaysia have migrated temporarily to plunder the natural resources and leave .
Port Blair , Havelock Islands , Diglipur , Middle Nicobar , Campbell 's Bay , Neil Islands and Rangott are mostly overrun by foreigners , he said .
An official estimate issued in 2003 suggests there are 50,000 " foreigners " in the Andaman Islands , but unofficial figures are much higher than this .
A large number of them are Bangladeshis , who like millions of their countrymen have left their densely populated homeland to settle elsewhere .
As most of them have few technical skills , and the Andamans have little demand for them in any case , they turn to smuggling and other unlawful activities .
The presence of the Sea Tigers in the area with guns , cash and drugs makes the situation extremely dangerous .
Reports from Port Blair make it evident that New Delhi gets little on - the - ground intelligence , and the Indian Coast Guard is grossly unequipped to deal with the surge of illegal migrants to the islands .
One unnamed naval officer was quoted saying , " Arms smuggling is a very profitable business in this region . "
Considering the islands ' huge strategic importance , it is amazing how lax New Delhi has been .
These islands sit aside the vital sea lanes of the Strait of Malacca , through which 300 tankers and merchant ships pass daily , bringing in oil for the Far East and Southeast Asia .
Intelligence lapses
As the implications of the Andaman Islands situation sink in , Indian intelligence has inevitably come under scrutiny .
In recent months , its fallibility has become evident .
The inability to foresee in advance the assassination attempt on the pro-India political leader and former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed last August 21 at a political rally in Dhaka , and the recent " coup " by Nepalese King Gyanendra dismissing his government and imposing a virtual absolute monarchy , are glaring examples of intelligence failure .
With growing economic and military power , India will be dependent on smaller nations in the region increasingly to maintain regional security .
Unless New Delhi does better in providing security to its own nationals against rebels , secessionists , drug runners and arms traffickers , it will not generate much confidence in the capitals of surrounding nations .
In fact , it would tend to encourage more organized anti-India outfits , such as the Pakistani Inter- Services Intelligence ( ISI ) and outside - linked Maoists , to exploit these networks and weaken India 's eastern flank .
Indian intelligence 's lackluster performance in dealing with the LTTE is startling .
This formidable enemy , which gave the Indian army a black eye in the mid-1980s , has been operating in northeastern India and in the Andaman Sea for a long time .
In 2001 , according to Indian army officials , security forces launched a wide - ranging operation in the 300 - some inhabited islands neighboring Andaman and Nicobar , and found huge caches of arms .
The arms were said to belong to the LTTE and " other terrorist groups " .
The search - and - destroy operation was carried out by the Indian government after repeated requests from Colombo .
In addition , LTTE activity in the Andaman Sea is well known to local observers .
The biggest LTTE maritime disaster was reported in the now - defunct Asiaweek in 2001 .
A shipment of weapons , ammunition and explosives , believed to have been purchased from Cambodia and worth several million dollars , left the port of Phuket in Thailand in early February 2001 aboard the freighter Comex - Joux 3 .
As is LTTE standard procedure , the vessel changed its name at sea to Horizon .
On its journey across the Bay of Bengal the freighter was tracked by the Indian navy and Orissa - based spy planes of India 's Aviation Research Center ; it was intercepted by Indian naval vessels off Sri Lanka 's east coast .
LTTE arms - running
In 1997 , the Thai navy reported the interception of a 16 - meter boat after a chase off the Thai port of Ranong , and the confiscation of two tons of weapons and ammunition .
Among the weapons intercepted were two rocket - propelled - grenade launchers , 20 assault rifles , M - 79 grenade launchers and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition .
Four persons were arrested , reportedly belonging to the Manipur Revolutionary People 's Front .
Six crew members were from the Arakan region of Myanmar .
The boat was heading toward Cox 's Bazar in Bangladesh .
Until 1995 the LTTE maintained a base at Twante , an island off the coat of Myanmar , west of the Andaman islands .
Subsequently , Phuket became the LTTE 's main backup base .
A Sri Lanka - born Tamil with a Norwegian passport was arrested by Thai authorities in 2000 for his links with the LTTE .
At the time of his arrest , the suspect was allegedly involved in constructing a " submarine " in a shipyard on the island of Sirae near Phuket on the Andaman Sea coast .
Steady buildup
The real threat to the Andaman Islands is the steady building - up of ports and conduits that serve the Tamil Tigers and a host of less - strong militant groups .
Over the past decade , Bangladesh has steadily moved into a state of lawlessness .
A number of extremist groups , under the cover of the Islamist movement , have become active in drug trafficking , gun running and anti-Indian activities .
It is widely acknowledged that the Pakistani ISI has nurtured a number of extremist Islamist groups , such as the Harkat - ul - Jehad - al - Islami , in the port city of Chittagong , and put a number of secessionist rebels from India 's northeast in touch with this terrorist network .
As a result , north of the Andaman Islands , Bangladeshi coastal areas have become a nest of terrorists involved in the shipment of drugs and arms .
A pattern of arrests and seizures indicate that arms are brought by the LTTE from Laos , Cambodia and Thailand into Chittagong , from where they are transported northward by land to Bhutan .
The route from Kalikhola in Bhutan to Cox 's Bazar passes through northern Bengal , Assam and Meghalaya , and on into Chittagong .
Note
India 's Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise more than 500 islands lying 1,000 kilometers east of Sri Lanka in the Bay of Bengal .
Stretching 750 kilometers from end to end , they reach from near the coast of Myanmar almost to Sumatra in Indonesia .
The Ten Degree Channel divides the Andamans , which are the larger and more heavily populated northern islands , from the 20 or so Nicobar Islands in the south .
On South Andaman , the most heavily populated island , is Port Blair , which is the capital and the only large town in the entire archipelago .
Travel to the Nicobar Islands is forbidden to non-Indians , and they are also not allowed in some parts of South Andaman Island .
Ramtanu Maitra writes for a number of international journals and is a regular contributor to the Washington - based EIR and the New Delhi - based Indian Defense Review .
He also writes for Aakrosh , India 's defense - tied quarterly journal .
[ Karzai also has to deal with the stepped up rivalry between India and Pakistan in Afghanistan .
Islamabad accuses New Delhi of using its consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad to train Balochi insurgents who are active in Pakistani Balochistan .
Pakistani officials claim there are as many as 42 RAW agents based in Kandahar and another 12 in Jalalabad .
“ There have no business being there unless they are undermining Pakistan , ’’ says a Pakistani official .
Both India and Afghanistan deny the claim .
‘’ Should Pakistan show us any evidence of an Indian hand using Afghan soil to work against our neighbours we will take it very seriously , ” says Amrullah Saleh the head of Afghanistan ’s National Security Directorate . ]
Karzai , Musharraf new regional equations
KABUL :
For the past 25 years landlocked Afghanistan has suffered from constant interference from its neighbours - Pakistan , Iran and the Central Asian Republics - and regional powers - Russia and India .
The neighbours are still interfering , but there are signs that rather than undermining Afghanistan ’s stability they may now be trying to strengthen it .
“ The elections should be a reassurance to all our neighbours that a stable Afghanistan , a peaceful Afghanistan is good for all .
Nobody should feel a looser in Afghanistan , ’’ President Hamid Karzai told Pakistan ’s English daily The Nation .
All the regional countries have publicly backed the Karzai government and supported the electoral process , but serious undercurrents remain as they all have their favourite contenders in Afghanistan .
Since September 11 , Pakistan has been repeatedly accused by Afghan and Western leaders of harbouring Taliban extremists who had pledged to disrupt the elections , but at the highest level the US has avoided criticising President Pervaiz Musharraf on the grounds that he is helping the US catch Al Qaeda elements inside Pakistan .
That changed on September 22 when President George W. Bush , Musharraf and Karzai held a three way meeting in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly .
The meeting was pushed together by the CIA and the US Defence Department who were desperately anxious to secure a peaceful election in Afghanistan and the non-interference of alleged Pakistani backed Taliban .
Western and Afghan diplomats intimately involved with the meeting , said Bush pushed Musharraf hard on reigning in the Taliban so the elections could take place peacefully .
‘’ Where are Mullah Omar , Mullah Usmani and Gulbuddin Hikmetar ? ’’
Bush is reported to have asked a flustered Musharraf .
All three are extremist Taliban or their allies and known to be living in Pakistan .
( Mullah Omar is leader of the Taliban , Usmani is the former corps commander of Kandahar under the Taliban regime and now a commander of Taliban forces while Hikmetyar heads the extremist Hizb - e - Islami . )
‘’ It was the first time that Bush totally focused on the Taliban threat rather than Al Qaeda with the Pakistanis , ’’ says a Western diplomat .
‘’ Bush was very well briefed before the meeting , ’’ the diplomat said .
An Afghan official at the meeting added , ‘’ The Americans now realise that the Taliban are a bigger threat to our security than Al Qaeda . ’’
Karzai was clearly pleased at the results .
‘’ President Musharraf promised to help us and cooperate with us on curbing terrorist activity by the Taliban , ’’ says Karzai .
The next day an angry Musharraf categorically said that Pakistan would not send Pakistani troops to Iraq , a clear snub to the Americans .
Until then he had said Pakistan ’s options were open .
However Pakistani officials insist that the decision was unconnected to the tripartite meeting .
US and NATO military officers in Kabul say it is too early to say whether Bush ’s tough message was instrumental in persuading Musharraf and the ISI to pressure the Taliban to restrain from disrupting the elections .
However there were visible signs of a crackdown on the Pakistan side .
‘’ Pakistan now has a large force deployed in Baluchistan which was not there before , ’’ says Lt. General David Barno .
‘’ There is much better tactical cooperation between our forces on both sides of the border , but the movement of Taliban still goes on both ways , ’’ he adds .
Also several days before the elections Pakistan closed the border crossing point at Chaman in Baluchistan which is a key entry point for the Taliban into Afghanistan .
However US military officers say regular army officers - many of them Pashtun - leading units of the Frontier Corps who are on the border remain deeply sympathetic to the Taliban and the mullahs of the JUI .
At the same time the US remains oblivious of the serious problems and political fallout which the army is facing in its operations in Waziristan .
Not only is the army facing serious political fallout , growing anti-Americanism and anti-army feeling in the tribal areas but it is also taking heavy casualties - between 400 - 500 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the region since March .
Musharraf has always maintained that the US has never provided actionable intelligence about Taliban leaders hiding in Baluchistan .
That too may change .
US and Afghan intelligence will shortly be presenting the ISI with a list of Taliban extremists and their suspected whereabouts .
Moreover there are now major covert attempts under way to try and bring back to Kabul leading Taliban commanders , who have been living quietly in Pakistan and have taken no part in the Taliban insurgency .
With the Taliban failure to disrupt the Afghan elections , the militants are even more isolated from the mainstream Taliban who want to return home .
Until now Pakistan has not facilitated such a return and clearly it can not happen until there is both a pull from Kabul and a push from Islamabad .
With President Karzai certain to win the elections and the demotion of key former Northern Alliance figures such as General Fahim and warlord Ismail Khan , there is now little reason for moderate Taliban leaders to fear reprisals from former Northern Alliance figures if they return home .
Their removal should also provide increased motivation for Pakistan to help the return of moderate Taliban .
Afghan officials welcomed the appointment on October 3 of Lt. General Ashfaq Kiyani as the new ISI chief .
Kayani is well known and liked in Kabul as during the last year he led the Pakistani delegation in the tripartite military meetings with the Afghan and US military on issues related to border issues .
Karzai also has to deal with the stepped up rivalry between India and Pakistan in Afghanistan .
Islamabad accuses New Delhi of using its consulates in Kandahar and Jalalabad to train Balochi insurgents who are active in Pakistani Balochistan .
Pakistani officials claim there are as many as 42 RAW agents based in Kandahar and another 12 in Jalalabad .
“ There have no business being there unless they are undermining Pakistan , ’’ says a Pakistani official .
Both India and Afghanistan deny the claim .
‘’ Should Pakistan show us any evidence of an Indian hand using Afghan soil to work against our neighbours we will take it very seriously , ” says Amrullah Saleh the head of Afghanistan ’s National Security Directorate .
Karzai categorically said that he has assured Musharraf repeatedly that any adverse action against Pakistan taken by Indian diplomats inside Afghanistan would be acted upon swiftly .
Senior US diplomats and military officials have warned India also .
In a major regional shift reflecting the newly strengthened position of Karzai , Iran , Russia and India which have traditionally backed the Tajik dominated former Northern Alliance made strenuous efforts to convince presidential candidate Younis Qanooni to strike a deal with Karzai before the elections and not to oppose Karzai .
Iran in particular feared that Qanooni would loose and then be politically isolated from the mainstream .
Qanooni refused to accept the Iranian advice as his fellow Panjsheri Tajiks urged him to stand against Karzai .
However since the elections Iranian influence has proved critical in convincing the Hazara Shia candidate Mohammed Mohaqeq to accept the results of the elections and later convincing Qanooni to do the same .
With the US military presence posing a threat on their borders in both Iraq and Afghanistan , Iran ’s moderate leadership is keen to help stabilise Karzai so that the US presence in Afghanistan is reduced .
However powerful hardliners in Tehran may be trying to undermine that strategy and a new issue is likely to deepen the rift with the moderates .
Iranian officials are deeply concerned about the US occupation of Shindand , a massive Soviet - era airbase just 30 kilometres from Iran ’s border .
The enhanced US presence in western Afghanistan was only made possible after the ousting of Ismail Khan , the warlord and Governor of Herat province last month , who was a close ally of Iranian hardliners .
Iranian officials say they made no objections to Khan ’s ouster because they want to strengthen Karzai ’s campaign against warlords .
At a time of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran ’s nuclear weapons program and calls by neo-conservatives in Washington that a second Bush term should deal with Iran aggressively , the Iranians fear that Shindand could be used as a listening post , spying facility and even a launching pad for any future US actions against Iran .
Afghan officials say the Americans have moved over 100 Special Forces and helicopters to Shindand .
However General Barno insists the US presence poses no threat to Iran .
‘’ We have a very small number of forces in Shindand with a few helicopters , ’’ says Barno .
Nevertheless this places Karzai in a difficult and sensitive situation because he has to maintain excellent relations with both the US and Iran .
‘’ Afghanistan has had the benefit of cooperation from both the US and Iran .
So far what they have done together has been good for us and that ’s how we would like to keep it ’’ , says Karzai .
Nobody can claim that the interference of Afghanistan ’s neighbours is over , but the elections will do much to strengthen Karzai and deal more firmly with neighbours ’ interference .
In the post election scenario it is becoming abundantly clear that the Taliban do not have the support of the Afghan people nor the Afghan Pashtuns .
In a highly significant move Afghan Pashtun tribes along the Pakistan border warned the Taliban in Quetta and Chaman that if they try and disrupt the elections , they would be resisted .
Many Taliban living in Afghanistan voted for President Karzai .
It is now abundantly clear that with the rapidly changing face of Afghanistan , the demise of key Northern Alliance figures and the fluid political situation in Afghanistan , Pakistan should reconsider its policy of giving unlimited sanctuary to Taliban extremists living on Pakistani soil .
Pakistan Link 16/10/2004
The debate that a handful of Texas multi-millionnaires close to the Bush family have cleverly manufactured over John Kerry 's war record is absurd in every way .
The charges that they have put some vets up to making against Kerry are false and can be demonstrated by the historical record to be false .
Most of those making the charges have even flip - flopped , contradicting themselves .
Or they were n't eyewitnesses and are just lying .
But to address the substance of this Big Lie is to risk falling into its logic .
The true absurdity of the entire situation is easily appreciated when we consider that George W. Bush never showed any bravery at all at any point in his life .
He has never lived in a war zone .
If some of John Kerry 's wounds were superficial , Bush received no wounds .
( And , a piece of shrapnel in the forearm that caused only a minor wound would have killed had it hit an eye and gone into the brain ; the shrapnel being in your body demonstrates you were in mortal danger and did n't absent yourself from it .
That is the logic of the medal ) .
Kerry saved a man 's life while under fire .
Bush did no such thing .
What was Bush doing with his youth ?
He was drinking .
He was drinking like a fish , every night , into the wee hours .
For decades .
He gave no service to anyone , risked nothing , and did not even slack off efficiently .
The history of alcoholism and possibly other drug use is a key issue because it not only speaks to Bush 's character as an addictive personality , but may tell us something about his erratic and alarming actions as president .
His explosive temper probably provoked the disastrous siege of Fallujah last spring , killing 600 Iraqis , most of them women and children , in revenge for the deaths of 4 civilian mercenaries , one of them a South African .
( Newsweek reported that Bush commanded his cabinet , " Let heads roll ! " )
That temper is only one problem .
Bush has a sadistic streak .
He clearly enjoyed , as governor , watching executions .
His delight in killing people became a campaign issue in 2000 when he seemed , in one debate , to enjoy the prospect of executing wrong - doers a little too much .
He has clearly gone on enjoying killing people on a large scale in Iraq .
Drug abuse can affect the ability of the person to feel deep emotions like empathy .
Two decades of pickling his nervous system in various highly toxic substances have left Bush damaged goods .
Even for those who later abstain , " visual - spatial abilities , abstraction , problem solving , and short - term memory , are the slowest to recover . "
That he managed to get on the wagon ( though with that pretzel incident , you wonder how firmly ) is laudable .
But he suffers the severe effects of the aftermath , and we are all suffering along with him now , since he is the most powerful man in the world .
We all know by now that Bush did not even do his full service with the Texas Air National Guard , absenting himself to work on the Alabama senate campaign of Winton " Red " Blount .
Whether he was actually AWOL during this stint is unclear .
But it is clear that not only did Bush slack off on his National Guard service , but he slacked off from his campaign work .
This little - noted interview with Blount 's nephew Murph Archibald , which appeared on National Public Radio 's " All Things Considered on March 30 , 2004 , gives a devastating insight into what it was like to have to suffer through Bush in that period .

This campaign season , there have been questions about whether George W. Bush fulfilled his obligations to the National Guard as a young lieutenant in the early 1970s .
For weeks , reporters scoured Alabama in search of pilots or anyone who might have remembered seeing Mr. Bush at the time he was serving in the National Guard there .
There is one place in Alabama where Mr. Bush was present nearly every day : the headquarters in Montgomery of US Senate candidate Winton " Red " Blount .
President Bush has always said that working for Blount was the reason he transferred to the Alabama Air National Guard .
NPR 's Wade Goodwyn has this report about Mr. Bush 's time on that campaign .
WADE GOODWYN reporting :
In 1972 , Baba Groom was a smart , funny young woman smack - dab in the middle of an exciting US Senate campaign .
Groom was Republican Red Blount 's scheduler , and in that job , she was the hub in the campaign wheel .
Ask her about the handsome young man from Texas , and she remembers him 32 years later like it was yesterday .
Ms. BABA GROOM ( Former Campaign Worker ) :
He would wear khaki trousers and some old jacket .
He was always ready to go out on the road .
On the phone , you could hear his accent .
It was a Texas accent .
But he just melded with everybody .
GOODWYN : The candidate Mr. Bush was working for , Red Blount , had gotten rich in Alabama in the construction business .
Prominent Southern Republicans were something of a rare breed in those days .
Blount 's support of the party led him to be appointed Richard Nixon 's postmaster general .
In Washington , Blount became friends and tennis partners with Mr. Bush 's father , then Congressman Bush .
That was how 26 - year - old Lieutenant Bush came to Montgomery , at his father 's urging . . .
It was Mr. Bush 's job to organize the Republican county chairpersons in the 67 Alabama counties .
Back in 1972 in the Deep South , many rural counties did n't have much in the way of official Republican Party apparatus .
But throughout Alabama , there were Republicans and Democrats who wanted to help Red Blount .
It was the young Texan 's job to find out what each county leader needed in the way of campaign supplies and get those supplies to them .
Groom says this job helped Mr. Bush understand how even in a statewide Senate campaign , politics are local .
. . . Murph Archibald is Red Blount 's nephew by marriage , and in 1972 , he was coming off a 15 - month tour in Vietnam in the infantry .
Archibald says that in a campaign full of dedicated workers , Mr. Bush was not one of them .
Mr. MURPH ARCHIBALD ( Nephew of Red Blount ) : Well , I was coming in early in the morning and leaving in mid-evenings .
Ordinarily , George would come in around noon ; he would ordinarily leave around 5:30 or 6:00 in the evening .
GOODWYN : Archibald says that two months before the election , in September of '72 , Red Blount 's campaign manager came to him and asked that he quietly take over Mr. Bush 's job because the campaign materials were not getting out to the counties .
Mr. ARCHIBALD : George certainly did n't seem to have any concerns about my taking over this work with the campaign workers there .
My overall impression was that he did n't seem as interested in the campaign as the other people who were working at the state headquarters .
GOODWYN : Murph Archibald says that at first , he did n't know that Mr. Bush was serving in the Air National Guard .
After he found out from somebody else , Archibald attempted to talk to Mr. Bush about it .
The president was a lieutenant and Archibald had been a lieutenant , too ; he figured they had something to talk about .
Mr. ARCHIBALD : George did n't have any interest at all in talking about the military .
In fact , when I broached the subject with him , he simply changed the subject .
He was n't unpleasant about it , but he just changed the subject and would n't talk about it .
GOODWYN : Far from Texas and Washington , DC , Mr. Bush enjoyed his freedom .
He dated a beautiful young woman working on the campaign .
He went out in the evenings and had a good time .
In fact , he left the house he rented in such disrepair -- with damage to the walls and a chandelier destroyed -- that the Montgomery family who owned it still grumble about the unpaid repair bill .
Archibald says Mr. Bush would come into the office and , in a friendly way , offer up stories about the drinking he 'd done the night before , kind of as a conversation starter .
Mr. ARCHIBALD : People have different ways of starting the days in any office .
They 're going to talk about their kids , they 're going to talk about football , they 're going to talk about the weather .
And this was simply his opening gambit ; he would start talking about that he had been out late the night before drinking .
GOODWYN : Archibald says the frequency with which Mr. Bush discussed the subject was off - putting to him .
Mr. ARCHIBALD : I mean , at that time , I was 28 ; George would have been 25 or 26 .
And I thought it was really unusual that someone in their mid-20s would initiate conversations , particularly in the context of something as serious as a US senatorial campaign , by talking about their drinking the night before .
I thought it unusual and , frankly , inappropriate .
GOODWYN : According to Archibald , Mr. Bush would also sometimes tell stories about his days at Yale in New Haven , and how whenever he got pulled over for erratic driving , he was let go after the officers discovered he was the grandson of a Connecticut US senator .
Archibald , a middle - class Alabama boy -- who , by the way , is now a registered Democrat -- did n't like that story .
Mr. ARCHIBALD : He told us whenever he was stopped , as soon as the law enforcement found out that he was the grandson of Prescott Bush , they would let him go .
And he would always laugh about that . "
Goodwyn dutifully notes that Baba Groom did n't remember George telling drunk stories .
But that means nothing , since they were n't the sort of things guys like Bush told the " girls " .
He was trying to buddy with Archibald and impress him .
Again , decades of this sort of behavior do not leave a person untouched .
Our world is in crisis and our Republic is in danger .
It should not be left in the hands of a man who spent his life like this .
When the cities are on fire with the burning flesh of men
Just remember that death is not the end
And you search in vain to find just one law abiding citizen
Just remember that death is not the end - Bob Dylan
Afraid I do n't have time today to discuss these , but some stories need attention :
From Wednesday 's Mirror the headline , " Have 200,000 AK47s Fallen Into the Hands of Iraq Terrorists ? "
( also see this thread on the RI discussion board ) :
Some 200,000 guns the US sent to Iraqi security forces may have been smuggled to terrorists , it was feared yesterday .
The 99 - tonne cache of AK47s was to have been secretly flown out from a US base in Bosnia .
But the four planeloads of arms have vanished .
Orders for the deal to go ahead were given by the US Department of Defense .
But the work was contracted out via a complex web of private arms traders .
And the Moldovan airline used to transport the shipment was blasted by the UN in 2003 for smuggling arms to Liberia , human rights group Amnesty has discovered .
It follows a separate probe claiming that thousands of guns meant for Iraq 's police and army instead went to al - Qaeda .
Amnesty chief spokesman Mike Blakemore said : " It 's unbelievable that no one can account for 200,000 assault rifles .
If these weapons have gone missing it 's a terrifying prospect . "
American defence chiefs hired a US firm to take the guns , from the 90s Bosnian war , to Iraq .
But air traffic controllers in Baghdad have no record of the flights , which supposedly took off between July 2004 and July 2005 .
A coalition forces spokesman confirmed they had not received " any weapons from Bosnia " and added they were " not aware of any purchases for Iraq from Bosnia " .
Nato and US officials have already voiced fears that Bosnian arms - sold by US , British and Swiss firms - are being passed to insurgents .
A NATO spokesman said : " There 's no tracking mechanism to ensure they do n't fall into the wrong hands .
There are concerns that some may have been siphoned off . "
This year a newspaper claimed two UK firms were involved in a deal in which thousands of guns for Iraqi forces were re-routed to al - Qaeda .
The Moldovan airline is Aerocom , and yes , it 's one of Victor Bout 's .
It 's always a bang - your - head - against - the - wall moment , reading again the play the incompetence theory receives , even from some of the Administration 's harshest mainstream critics .
But then , even to talk of an " administration " may be misdirection at this point , given how little representative government means in the United States these days , and how much of " national security " has been privatized into a global gangland of drugs and guns .
Like the tens of billions of dollars that have been " lost " in Iraq , planeloads of arms do n't just " vanish " ; not when the Pentagon contracts the work to an international criminal of Bout 's untouchable stature .
But Bout 's name is n't likely to be mentioned in whatever coverage this story receives , before it sinks like so many others beneath the media 's frothing triviality .
Meanwhile , a decision 's been reached in the trial of Toledo priest Gerald Robinson .
And it 's guilty :
The Rev. Gerald Robinson appeared stony - faced as the jury 's guilty verdict was read , and he blinked repeatedly and glanced at his lawyers before being led away in handcuffs .
...
The crime occurred in the sacristy adjoining the hospital chapel in downtown Toledo on the Saturday before Easter in 1980 .
Investigators said the nun , Margaret Ann Pahl , 71 , was strangled and then stabbed , with nine wounds on her chest forming the shape of an inverted cross , a well - recognized Satanic symbol .
An altar cloth was draped over her half - naked body , which was posed as if she had been sexually assaulted .
It was about how he could humiliate her the most , prosecutor Dean Mandros said in closing arguments .
He left a message for everyone to see ... maybe to God himself .
After the sentencing one of Robinson 's tearful supporters " turned to Claudia Vercellotti , a local leader of the Survivors Network for Those Abused by Priests [ SNAP ] , who had helped reopen the case , and told her , ' I hope you rot in hell ! ' "
From SNAP 's statement on the Robinson conviction :
More than ever , police and prosecutors have the tools and the will to go after horrific crimes , even when the defendants are seemingly powerful individuals or institutions .
When victims and witnesses stay silent , nothing changes .
When victims and witnesses speak up , at least sometimes a child is protected , the truth is exposed , and justice is done .
The murder weapon , Robinson 's letter opener :
Finally , from an email , a follow - up on the reopening of the investigation into the Atlanta Child Murders :
Dekalb County Police Chief Louis Graham ... the man who reopened the investigations last year , is mysteriously stepping down .
And of all the people who the county is getting to find a replacement ... is none other than Lee Brown , the original supervisor of the Atlanta PD , who was in office during the murders and the subsequent investigation .
SNAP is right in part .
Police and prosecutors have the tools .
The will is another matter .
Some do , individually .
But institutionally ?
That 's still the domain of those who do n't .
lots of important stories out there today jeff .... thank god and a few good souls for that conviction .
Have you sent this to congress yet ?
talk about law enforcement not having the will ...
CRACKDOWN ON POLYGAMY GROUP
Small polygamous groups have existed in the southwestern US under the watchful yet fairly benign eye of authorities ever since a sect known as the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints ( FLDS ) separated itself from mainstream Mormonism in 1890 .
...
Now , FLDS leader Warren Jeffs has been added to the FBI 's list of " Ten Most Wanted Fugitives , " a move that caps law enforcement 's dramatic change of approach toward the polygamous group in recent years ... [ because of ] the impact that the group 's practices , law enforcement officials say , are having on the most vulnerable within the sect , particularly children and women .
When the FLDS under Mr. Jeffs ( and his father before him ) grew to some 10,000 followers in several southwestern communities with estimated assets of $ 110 million ; when it became clear that government officials , school authorities , and police in those communities had become intertwined with the sect ; when ex-members increasingly reported child and sexual abuse charges ( mainly involving underage girls forced to marry older men ) ; and when the sect began to use secluded compounds , state and federal authorities started to crack down more vigorously .
...
Specifically , Jeffs is charged in Utah and Arizona with sexual assault of underage girls and with arranging " spiritual " marriages for girls and older men .
At weekend press conferences in Salt Lake City and Phoenix , FBI and state officials said Jeffs " is considered armed and dangerous and may be traveling with armed bodyguards . "
In the past , he has talked in apocalyptic terms about a violent end to the world , according to former members .
...
As with Christian Identity and other hate - related philosophies tied to the Aryan Nations and the neo-Nazi Creativity Movement , Jeffs has preached racism as well .
The black race is the people through which the devil has always been able to bring evil unto the earth , Jeffs has said as cited by the Southern Poverty Law Center 's " Intelligence Report . "
An editorial in the church - owned Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City earlier this year acknowledged that " the state 's history , a conservative belief in free choice , and an unwillingness to stir up a hornet 's nest in the national media have likely all contributed to the kid - glove approach lawmakers and law - enforcement officers have taken when dealing with polygamous communities . "
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0509/p02s01-ussc.html?s=t5
Maybe I 'm missing something here , but how , exactly , does one ' Loose ' 200,000 AK47's ?
There 's no tracking mechanism in place ?!?!?
Never mind .
No need to worry .
I 'm sure this kind of thing goes on all the time .
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming ....
just go here , it s simply amazing
The Raw Story
i count like 14 explosive headlines .
Then , of course , there is the evidence the jury did not hear about in the Robinson case ...
Funny how some things are squirelled away by well - meaning prosecutors ...
Maybe because they hint at a larger conspiracy / network of abusers / satanic underground ?
I read of a case not long ago when some people were trying to get a polygamous judge taken off the bench for not obeying state law .
Of course law enforcement has dragged it's feet when members are taking part in the activity themselves .
Personally I do n't give a damn what adults do to one another as long as there is no abuse invovled .
It is the marrying off of young girls to older men often close relatives that enfurates me .
Also these cults have multimillions yet the women and kids live in poverty so the leaders can live the high life .
In the Warren Jeffs cult he reassigns wives if the husband displeases him or to reward the new husband .
Husbands marry mothers and teen daughters at the same time .
a rare form of retardation is showing up in that group more than anywhere else in the world .
It is genetic and the child needs to get the gene from both parents to turn into a vegetable instead of a thinking child .
The doctor begs them to stop intermarrying but they say they have to keep the blood pure .
look up fumarase deficiency for more info .
Also look up the kingston family .
One member actually was convicted of beating his teen daughter unconcious when she ran away from ' marriage ' to her father 's own brother .
no one was charged for forced marriage , only the beating .
So we " lost " some weapon ?
It 's a good thing too .
We would n't want those terrorists to run out of shit to shoot at us .
Then the war might stop & all those juicy profits would just evaporate .
What 's a few dead soldiers in comparison to keeping all those defense contractors awash in all that tax cash ?
They really are milking the incompetence angle though , are n't they ?
Just another big Iraq whoopsie daisy , huh ?
Christ , you 'd think America would get a bit tired of these guys treating her like she was populated with nothing but gullible idiots .
I suppose that it 's damn lucky for the GOP that she is populated with gullible idiots .
US outsourcing special ops , intelligence to Iraq terror group , intelligence officials say
The Pentagon is bypassing official US intelligence channels and turning to a dangerous and unruly cast of characters in order to create strife in Iran in preparation for any possible attack , former and current intelligence officials say ...
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/USoutsourcingspecialoperationsintelligencegathering0413.html
A country deserves the leaders it has , my friends ...
And MEK -- the Iranian ( not Iraqi ) terror group in question -- is itself unquestionably a cult :
As the leaders like to boast , the Mujahedeen is a family affair .
( '' We have three generations of martyrs : grandmothers , mothers , daughters . '' )
Most of the girls I was meeting had grown up in Mujahedeen schools in Ashraf , where they lived separated from their parents .
Family visits were allowed on Thursday nights and Fridays .
When Iraq invaded Kuwait , many of these girls were transported to Jordan and then smuggled to various countries -- Germany , France , Canada , Denmark , England , the United States -- where they were raised by guardians who were usually Mujahedeen supporters .
When they were 18 or 19 , many of them decided to come back to Iraq and fill the ranks of the youngest Mujahedeen generation .
Though '' decided '' is probably not the right word , since from the day they were born , these girls and boys were not taught to think for themselves but to blindly follow their leaders .
'' Every morning and night , the kids , beginning as young as 1 and 2 , had to stand before a poster of Massoud and Maryam , salute them and shout praises to them , '' Nadereh Afshari , a former Mujahedeen deep - believer , told me .
Afshari , who was posted in Germany and was responsible for receiving Mujahedeen children during the gulf war , said that when the German government tried to absorb Mujahedeen children into their education system , the Mujahedeen refused .
Many of the children were sent to Mujahedeen schools , particularly in France .
The Rajavis , Afshari went on to say , '' saw these kids as the next generation 's soldiers .
They wanted to brainwash them and control them . ''
Which may explain the pattern to their stories : a journey to self - empowerment and the enlightenment of self - sacrifice inspired by the light and wisdom of Maryam and Massoud .
Link
One has to wonder whether the bright fellows in our government and military who set up the deals with these people do n't know what they are , do n't care , or know perfectly well .
Jeff ,
SPLOID.com cited you on the topic of that priest conviction : http://www.sploid.com/news/2006/05/evilpriestgui.php
Umm ...
Question Mark
Jimmy Plant , Blogshares is a fantasy blogosphere trading game with pretend money .
That 's all I know ; I 've had nothing to do with it .
Bush successfully makes Satan look good in comparison .
Or something like that .
http://www.laweekly.com/general/features/satan-loves-you/13454/

Okay , it 's partly about strippers and dope .
And we 'll get around to that .
But more and more , as metal evolves into a huge international music that belongs to everyone , it has gotten to be something weirder .
It 's become a guardian of morality -- not church morality ; real morality .
Praise be : Given the void in responsible behavior among governments , police , educational establishments and religions , the task of guiding our youth down the path of righteousness has fallen to ... Satan "
Hmmmmmm ....................
The people who carry out these underground arms / drugs / sex trafficking deals are trauma based mind controlled slaves .
The Moldovan airline is Aerocom , and yes , it 's one of Victor Bout 's .
The wikipedia entry for Aerocom is just a stub .. waiting for someone to put some information into it ....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerocom
So ... put some information in there .
You know , nature hates a void . :)
Richard ,
i agree , Hmmmmmm .
How are chants of death and suicide ... morality .
What about Manson 's tees bearing the message , " Kill your parents " .
And were the Columbine killers acting out this " real morality " when they indescriminately murdered their classmates .
They were death metal brainwashed fans , literally fulfilling the death metal paradigm , er ... morality .
( not church morality , no that is phoney , love thy neighbor ... hell no , kill thy neighbor - now that is REAL MORALITY ????? )
So , hmmmm indeed .
I detect the hissing lisp of the lying serpent in this article .
The deathly inversion of truth , ala satanism .
I think the jury 's still out on exactly who did the brainwashing when in regard to the Columbine killers .
Perhaps we should look at the death metal phenomenon less as an invitation to violence than as a couter-cultural response to the over hypocrisy of a large percentage of the ' Church - Morality ' crowd , which gives a lot of lip service to loving thy neighbor , but does n't apply that love very far beyond their own congregation .
The last I checked , the Satanists have a long way to go to catch up with the death and destruction dealt out by self - proclaimed ( though false ) Christians .
Irony is dead ... Long live Irony !
That 's it .
I 'm firing my editor .
Well , it 's not as simple and clear cut as all that .
We 're entering into some interesting and perhaps previously unexplored socio-political - spiritual territory here that may require further examination and serious introspection .
The Kevin Coogan publication posted on the previous thread might serve as a good launching point for further discussion .
The following quote is from that Coogan article :
Imaginary evil is romantic and varied ; real evil is gloomy , monotonous , barren , boring .
Imaginary good is boring ; real good is always new , marvelous , intoxicating .
- Simone Weil
Starroute :
I would n't wonder too hard .
The answer is likely D : all of the above , due to this being a complex reality we live in .
But to me , without question , they often know perfectly well .
Here is a thought : When the appartently cognitively functional take actions that seem senseless and incompetent , it is a most certain sign that they have ulterior or hidden motives .
They trust you and me to be befuddled by their actions , while they " do as they wilt " .
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d46ctqDmI4
To not buying the BS
& here I am thinking that I really must be getting old .
Since the article was specifically about " death metal " I guess the author missed this little tidbit or we just have waaaaaaaaaaaaay different definitions of morality :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/thisworld/4446342.stm
One man 's relentless search for his missing son led him to uncover one of the most shocking crimes in post-war Italy - a tale of satanism and violence that has gripped the country for more than a year .
In January 1998 Fabio Tollis and Chiara Marino , both just 16 , disappeared .
They had been drinking at a pub called the Midnight - the centre of the heavy metal scene in Milan - and they never came home .
The police and many of their friends just thought they had run off together .
But their parents refused to accept this .
Michele Tollis , Fabio 's father , began to attend metal concerts and festivals across Europe , handing out leaflets and quizzing Fabio 's friends .
Fabio and his friends were into the most extreme forms of heavy metal music - death metal and black metal , music obsessed with images of murder and satanism - and the role of this music is central to the story .
No one can contradict me when I say that heavy metal and satanism are closely linked
Michele Tollis
It emerged that Chiara , the girl who disappeared with Fabio , had a collection of satanic literature and paraphernalia in her bedroom .
During this search , Michele Tollis became convinced that satanism had something to do with his son 's disappearance .

They 're inseparable , " he says .
Yeah , I think Jeff wrote on one of his posts here in the past several months : " To hell with death " .
I wholly agree , and would expand that statement to include : " To hell with death metal " .
The freaky thing here is that these bozos are seriously claiming the moral high ground ? ? ? ? ?
Talk about a beat - your - head - against - the - wall moment !
And for ' Smartwolf ' above , think about the inversion principle being employed .
They are doing it deliberately .
Do you really think GWB , and neocons in general are representative of true followers of Jesus of Nazareth ?
( I know , ignorant question ) Then why call them , or any other phonies ' Christians ' , even if they themselves claim the appellation .
They are merely imposters .
Everything they claim is a lie , and this above all .
So why even credit their claims ?
This only serves their purposes .
They want to be identified as ' Christians ' , and I fully suspect that for some of them , the motivation behind their subterfuge is more than mere political advantage , and has a lot more to do with the black magician 's practice of the inversion principle .
We need to be more ' rigorous ' about how we perceive these people .
See them as they are , not for what they claim to be .
... the most extreme forms of heavy metal music - death metal and black metal , music obsessed with images of murder and satanism - and the role of this music is central to the story .
Almost all of the avant guard art movements of the early 20th Century ( except for Italian Futurism ) were labeled ' degenerate ' by the National Socialists .
Adolf Hitler even held an exhibition of ' degenerate art ' in 1937 , while curating a parallel show of ' Aryan ' art across the street .
The German Expressionist movement was destroyed as a result .
Here 's a quick overview of the Entartete Kunst ( Degenerate Art ) exhibit of 1937 :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerateart
Ironically ( or perhaps not ) , the notion of the ' degenerate ' and ' degenerate art ' was appropriated by the Nazis and its origins can be traced back to Jewish ' intellectual ' Max Nordau and a 1892 book he authored called Degeneration . .
Nordau was also the co founder of the World Zionist Organization .
When the apparently cognitively functional take actions that seem senseless and incompetent , it is a most certain sign that they have ulterior or hidden motives .
They trust you and me to be befuddled by their actions , while they " do as they wilt . "
A question :
Are the adherent of ' Crowleyan Thelema ' and others of similar ilk appropriating or appropriating from the appropriators to redirect ' energy ? '
Does this reappropriation lead to or originate from the same place ?
Seems as if there is a clear distinction being made between the ' imaginary ' Whore of Babalon and the actually Whore of Babylon , which is this global system .
Is the distinction accurate and valid ?
Does the distinction actually exist ?
This is where the socio - political aspect of this conundrum comes into play .
Confused ?
Good .
so , enemy , what 's your point ?
Why do n't you state it ?
My point is that these are all just questions and I am undecided as to the answers .
Here 's another interesting example :
John Balance from Coil .
( Do n't wish to use Wikipedia again , it 's just easier than spending time looking up more obscure and detailed information . )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JohnBalance
http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,3604,1371372,00.html
Balance died in 2004 after a ' fall . '
He blended belief systems such as Shamanism , Christianity , Buddhism , Paganism , Hermeticism and Gnosticism and imbued Coil 's vast output with a magickal current designed to have a functionally transcendent effect on listeners .
Not 200,000 guns - the numbers do nt work :
5 kg per gun , 200,000 guns means 1000 tonnes , impossible for 4 containers .
If the load was 99 tonnes there were probably less than 20,000 .
E@tG :
Maybe if you formulate your questions a little more specifically it will help you in acquiring the answers .
I am , therefore I think :)
Reporting from the town where Susan Polk 's trial is going on .
I went across the bay last night to attend a farmer 's market and music event .
Lo and behold , the Mormons were there with a booth .
Two young men delivering information about the Mormon genealogy program .
Just give your email and / or phone number to these guys and they 'll track down your family .
I was amazed at the spiel they delivered .
Kindly young men , but utterly programmed and brain - dead .
I resisted asking any questions that would have required either of them to think .
It would have been too painful to watch .
Has anyone read the letter purportedly from Ahmadinejad to George Bush ?
http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?id=4503
I do n't know if this has been verified .
But succintly making point after succint point , the text of the letter stands on its own merit , regardless .
I like to imagine the thought processes going on in W 's head if he were to actually read the letter , but it is hard to picture him actually reading this letter .
As I read the letter , I considered the vast contrast between mind and morality of whoever wrote it , vs. that of the mind of the man who once said " Bring it on ! "
America , your condition is dire , dark and deep .
Of the metal music farce , Ministry has definately made in - road into ' Loose Change " - " Alex Jones " territory with their new record , Rio Grande Blood .
Important Kos Diary about bush 's response to the gathering storm of scandals :
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/12/232746/857
= Executive Orders -
very creepy , very scary
They have been accumulating for years , and basically give the president to sieze the government whenever he feels like it .
But who would do a thing like that .... hey wait a minute
== Why did Bush revoke Executive Order 13011 today ?
by exmearden
Fri May 12 , 2006 at 08:27:46 PM PDT
In scanning the whitehouse.gov site today , I noticed the following Executive Order :
Executive Order : Amendments to Executive Orders 11030 , 13279 , 13339 , 13381 , and 13389 , and *** Revocation *** of Executive Order 13011 ....
I ca n't believe there are no serious metal fans who frequent RI .
I 'm wary of jumping into this fray without backup , that 's for damn sure . :)
I 'm a regular poster but for some reason blogger wo n't let me in today ... but sign me TroubleFunk .
Tronicus :
Simply , the questions permeate the entire ' Western ( Mystery ) Tradition ' and perhaps ' Eastern ' as well , as they relate to the confluence of politics and spirituality .
For example , is the system of Crowleyan Thelema a failed alchemical process ?
Or was it supposed to initially be a process of alchemical appropriation ?
Similarly , is invoking ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses a reaffirmation of an oppressive and hierarchical system ?
In my opinion , people can no longer afford to partition out and compartmentalize personal spiritual and political systems .
The ' high weirdness ' and more hardcore political ' factions ' must perhaps integrate and arrive at a synthesis .
In regards to death metal , the problem is , once again , a question of education , history and the vacuous lack of perspective in American culture .
Shall we censor the works of poet Charles Baudelaire as well ?
Baudelaire was perhaps one of the first ' death metal ' artists .
Tronicus , if you 're still checking this thread :
A bit of a knee - jerk reaction from me there , and I apologize for my over-generalizations .
My real problem is with literalist fundamentalists , of any religion .
True believers are dangerous animals .
I just get hung up on ' Christians ' , as they 're the dominant form where I come from .
Also , I 'm quite clear on the fact that those in power now ( and , in general , most anyone at the top of a pyrimidal power structure ) tend to use the dominant religion as a cloak to hide their true motivations and as a tool to control the masses .
It boggles the mind that ANYONE can take at face value Bush 's claims to be a christian , yet many seem to do just that .
I seem to remember something about ' by their works shall ye know them . "
I do get my hackles up a bit when people haul out the old ' Rock - N - Roll made them do it ' argument .
Whie I do n't subscribe to the notion that the things we watch or listen to have no effect on our behavior ( which I think is patently rediculous ) , it does bother me when people single out a specific group of people to pin the blame on .
Sub-cultures ( as the lable implies ) do not develope in a vacuum .
Again , I think the problem is people who sink to far into their own egos , and begin to take their personal metaphors a bit too literaly .
These people are dangerous wether they 're head - banging to ' Canibal Corpse ' or humming along to ' Onward Christian Soldiers ' .
( The mixing of religion and militarism is a whole other topic .... )
I have nothing but respect for people who adhear to non-violence , forgiveness , and charity , but it 's important to remember that Christians ( or ' Smartwolves ' ) do not have a monopoly on that particular lifestyle .
Peace .
The fact that the US government and media are having a hissy fit over Venezuela wanting to buy guns , and then 200,000 of the guns Chavez wants to buy go missing on their way to Iraq is definitely sus .
I guess those guns will be located enroute to Venezuela or found in storage there by one of the US 's local stooges and they then have a pretext to ramp the spin up a notch or two .
Thanks again to my friend Nick Keck for passing this along via e-mail .
It is the text of a speech given by an Arab gentleman before the advisory board of a large multi-nation corporation .
It 's a long but very worthwhile read .
A View from the Eye of the Storm
Talk delivered by Haim Harari at a meeting of the International Advisory Board of a large multi-national corporation , April , 2004 :
As you know , I usually provide the scientific and technological entertainment " in our meetings , but , on this occasion , our Chairman suggested that I present my own personal view on events in the part of the world from which I come .
I have never been and I will never be a Government official and I have no privileged information .
My perspective is entirely based on what I see , on what I read and on the fact that my family has lived in this region for almost 200 years .
You may regard my views as those of the proverbial taxi driver , which you are supposed to question , when you visit a country .
I could have shared with you some fascinating facts and some personal thoughts about the Israeli - Arab conflict .
However , I will touch upon it only in passing .
I prefer to devote most of my remarks to the broader picture of the region and its place in world events .
I refer to the entire area between Pakistan and Morocco , which is predominantly Arab , predominantly Moslem , but includes many non-Arab and also significant non-Moslem minorities .
Why do I put aside Israel and its own immediate neighborhood ?
Because Israel and any problems related to it , in spite of what you might read or hear in the world media , is not the central issue , and has never been the central issue in the upheaval in the region .
Yes , there is a 100 year - old Israeli - Arab conflict , but it is not where the main show is .
The millions who died in the Iran - Iraq war had nothing to do with Israel .
The mass murder happening right now in Sudan , where the Arab Moslem regime is massacring its black Christian citizens , has nothing to do with Israel .
The frequent reports from Algeria about the murders of hundreds of civilians in one village or another by other Algerians have nothing to do with Israel .
Saddam Hussein did not invade Kuwait , endanger Saudi Arabia and butcher his own people because of Israel .
Egypt did not use poison gas against Yemen in the 60's because of Israel .
Assad the Father did not kill tens of thousands of his own citizens in one week in El Hamma in Syria because of Israel .
The Taliban control of Afghanistan and the civil war there had nothing to do with Israel .
The Libyan blowing up of the Pan - Am flight had nothing to do with Israel , and I could go on and on and on .
The root of the trouble is that this entire Moslem region is totally dysfunctional , by any standard of the word , and would have been so even if Israel had joined the Arab league and an independent Palestine had existed for 100 years .
The 22 member countries of the Arab league , from Mauritania to the Gulf States , have a total population of 300 millions , larger than the US and almost as large as the EU before its expansion .
They have a land area larger than either the US or all of Europe .
These 22 countries , with all their oil and natural resources , have a combined GDP smaller than that of Netherlands plus Belgium and equal to half of the GDP of California alone .
Within this meager GDP , the gaps between rich and poor are beyond belief and too many of the rich made their money not by succeeding in business , but by being corrupt rulers .
The social status of women is far below what it was in the Western World 150 years ago .
Human rights are below any reasonable standard , in spite of the grotesque fact that Libya was elected Chair of the UN Human Rights commission .
According to a report prepared by a committee of Arab intellectuals and published under the auspices of the U.N. , the number of books translated by the entire Arab world is much smaller than what little Greece alone translates .
The total number of scientific publications of 300 million Arabs is less than that of 6 million Israelis .
Birth rates in the region are very high , increasing the poverty , the social gaps and the cultural decline .
And all of this is happening in a region , which only 30 years ago , was believed to be the next wealthy part of the world , and in a Moslem area , which developed , at some point in history , one of the most advanced cultures in the world .
It is fair to say that this creates an unprecedented breeding ground for cruel dictators , terror networks , fanaticism , incitement , suicide murders and general decline .
It is also a fact that almost everybody in the region blames this situation on the United States , on Israel , on Western Civilization , on Judaism and Christianity , on anyone and anything , except themselves .
A word about the millions of decent , honest , good people who are either devout Moslems or are not very religious but grew up in Moslem families : They are double victims of an outside world , which now develops Islamophobia , and of their own environment which breaks their heart by being totally dysfunctional .
The problem is that the vast silent majority of these Moslems are not part of the terror and the incitement , but they also do not stand up against it .
They become accomplices , by omission , and this applies to political leaders , intellectuals , business people and many others .
Many of them can certainly tell right from wrong , but are afraid to express their views .
The events of the last few years have amplified four issues , which have always existed , but have never been as rampant as in the present upheaval in the region .
A few more years may pass before everybody acknowledges that it is a World War , but we are already well into it .
These are the four main pillars of the current World Conflict , or perhaps we should already refer to it as " the undeclared World War III " :
* 1 . The first element is the suicide murder . *
Suicide murders are not a new invention but they have been made popular , if I may use this expression , only lately .
Even after September 11 , it seems that most of the Western World does not yet understand this weapon .
It is a very potent psychological weapon .
Its real direct impact is relatively minor .
The total number of casualties from hundreds of suicide murders within Israel in the last three years is much smaller than those due to car accidents .
September 11 was quantitatively much less lethal than many earthquakes
More people die from AIDS in one day in Africa than all the Russians who died in the hands of Chechnya - based Moslem suicide murderers since that conflict started .
Saddam killed every month more people than all those who died from suicide murders since the Coalition occupation of Iraq .
So what is all the fuss about suicide killings ?
It creates headlines .
It is spectacular .
It is frightening .
It is a very cruel death with bodies dismembered and horrible severe lifelong injuries to many of the wounded .
It is always shown on television in great detail .
One such murder , with the help of hysterical media coverage , can destroy the tourism industry of a country for quite a while , as it did in Bali and in Turkey .
But the real fear comes from the undisputed fact that no defense and no preventive measures can succeed against a determined suicide murderer .
This has not yet penetrated the thinking of the Western World .
The U.S. and Europe are constantly improving their defense against the last murder , not the next one .
We may arrange for the best airport security in the world .
But if you want to murder by suicide , you do not have to board a plane in order to explode yourself and kill many people .
Who could stop a suicide murder in the midst of the crowded line waiting to be checked by the airport metal detector ?
How about the lines to the check - in counters in a busy travel period ?
Put a metal detector in front of every train station in Spain and the terrorists will get the buses .
Protect the buses and they will explode in movie theaters , concert halls , supermarkets , shopping malls , schools and hospitals .
Put guards in front of every concert hall and there will always be a line of people to be checked by the guards and this line will be the target , not to speak of killing the guards themselves .
You can somewhat reduce your vulnerability by preventive and defensive measures and by strict border controls but not eliminate it and definitely not win the war in a defensive way .
And it is a war !
What is behind the suicide murders ?
Money is , money and power and cold - blooded murderous incitement , nothing else .
It has nothing to do with true fanatic religious beliefs .
No Moslem preacher has ever blown himself up .
No son of an Arab politician or religious leader has ever blown himself up .
No relative of anyone influential has done it .
Would n't you expect some of the religious leaders to do it themselves , or to talk their sons into doing it , if this is truly a supreme act of religious fervor ?
Are n't they interested in the benefits of going to Heaven ?
Instead , they send outcast women , naive children , retarded people and young incited hotheads .
They promise them the delights , mostly sexual , of the next world , and pay their families handsomely after the supreme act is performed and enough innocent people are dead .
Suicide murders also have nothing to do with poverty and despair .
The poorest region in the world , by far , is Africa .
It never happens there .
There are numerous desperate people in the world , in different cultures , countries and continents .
Desperation does not provide anyone with explosives , reconnaissance and transportation .
There was certainly more despair in Saddam 's Iraq than in Paul Bremmer 's Iraq , and no one exploded himself .
A suicide murder is simply a horrible , vicious weapon of cruel , inhuman , cynical , well - funded terrorists , with no regard to human life , including the life of their fellow countrymen , but with very high regard to their own affluent well - being and their hunger for power .
The only way to fight this new " popular " weapon is identical to the only way in which you fight organized crime or pirates on the high seas : the offensive way .
Like in the case of organized crime , it is crucial that the forces on the offensive be united and it is crucial to reach the top of the crime pyramid .
You can not eliminate organized crime by arresting the little drug dealer on the street corner .
You must go after the head of the " Family " .
If part of the public supports it , others tolerate it , many are afraid of it and some try to explain it away by poverty or by a miserable childhood , organized crime will thrive and so will terrorism .
The United States understands this now , after September 11 .
Russia is beginning to understand it .
Turkey understands it well .
I am very much afraid that most of Europe still does not understand it .
Unfortunately , it seems that Europe will understand it only after suicide murders arrive in Europe in a big way .
In my humble opinion , this will definitely happen .
The Spanish trains and the Istanbul bombings are only the beginning .
The unity of the Civilized World in fighting this horror is absolutely indispensable .
Until Europe wakes up , this unity will not be achieved .
* 2 . The second ingredient is words , more precisely lies . *
Words can be lethal .
They kill people .
It is often said that politicians , diplomats and perhaps also lawyers and business people must sometimes lie , as part of their professional life .
But the norms of politics and diplomacy are childish , in comparison with the level of incitement and total absolute deliberate fabrications , which have reached new heights in the region we are talking about .
An incredible number of people in the Arab world believe that September 11 never happened , or was an American provocation or , even better , a Jewish plot .
You all remember the Iraqi Minister of Information , Mr. Mouhamad Said al - Sahaf and his press conferences when the US forces were already inside Baghdad .
Disinformation at time of war is an accepted tactic .
But to stand , day after day , and to make such preposterous statements , known to everybody to be lies , without even being ridiculed in your own milieu , can only happen in this region .
Mr. Sahaf eventually became a popular icon as a court jester , but this did not stop some allegedly respectable newspapers from giving him equal time .
It also does not prevent the Western press from giving credence , every day , even now , to similar liars .
After all , if you want to be an anti-Semite , there are subtle ways of doing it .
You do not have to claim that the holocaust never happened , and that the Jewish temple in Jerusalem never existed .
But millions of Moslems are told by their leaders that this is the case .
When these same leaders make other statements , the Western media report them as if they could be true .
It is a daily occurrence that the same people who finance , arm and dispatch suicide murderers , condemn the act in English in front of western TV cameras , talking to a world audience , which even partly believes them .
It is a daily routine to hear the same leader making opposite statements in Arabic to his people and in English to the rest of the world .
Incitement by Arab TV , accompanied by horror pictures of mutilated bodies , has become a powerful weapon of those who lie , distort and want to destroy everything .
Little children are raised on deep hatred and on admiration of so - called martyrs , and the Western World does not notice it because its own TV sets are mostly tuned to soap operas and game shows .
I recommend to you , even though most of you do not understand Arabic , to watch Al Jazeera , from time to time .
You will not believe your own eyes .
But words also work in other ways , more subtle .
A demonstration in Berlin , carrying banners supporting Saddam 's regime and featuring three - year old babies dressed as suicide murderers , is defined by the press and by political leaders as a " peace demonstration " .
You may support or oppose the Iraq war , but to refer to fans of Saddam , Arafat or Bin Laden as peace activists is a bit too much .
A woman walks into an Israeli restaurant in mid-day , eats , observes families with old people and children eating their lunch in the adjacent tables and pays the bill .
She then blows herself up , killing 20 people , including many children , with heads and arms rolling around in the restaurant .
She is called " martyr " by several Arab leaders and " activist " by the European press .
Dignitaries condemn the act but visit her bereaved family and the money flows .
There is a new game in town : The actual murderer is called " the military wing " , the one who pays him , equips him and sends him is now called " the political wing " and the head of the operation is called the " spiritual leader " .
There are numerous other examples of such Orwellian nomenclature , used every day not only by terror chiefs but also by Western media .
These words are much more dangerous than many people realize .
They provide an emotional infrastructure for atrocities .
It was Joseph Goebbels who said that if you repeat a lie often enough , people will believe it .
He is now being outperformed by his successors .
* 3 . The third aspect is money . *
Huge amounts of money , which could have solved many social problems in this dysfunctional part of the world , are channeled into three concentric spheres supporting death and murder .
In the inner circle are the terrorists themselves .
The money funds their travel , explosives , hideouts and permanent search for soft vulnerable targets .
The inner circles are primarily financed by terrorist states like Iran and Syria , until recently also by Iraq and Libya and earlier also by some of the Communist regimes .
These states , as well as the Palestinian Authority , are the safe havens of the wholesale murder vendors .
They are surrounded by a second wider circle of direct supporters , planners , commanders , preachers , all of whom make a living , usually a very comfortable living , by serving as terror infrastructure .
Finally , we find the third circle of so - called religious , educational and welfare organizations , which actually do some good , feed the hungry and provide some schooling , but brainwash a new generation with hatred , lies and ignorance .
This circle operates mostly through mosques , madrasas and other religious establishments but also through inciting electronic and printed media .
It is this circle that makes sure that women remain inferior , that democracy is unthinkable and that exposure to the outside world is minimal .
It is also that circle that leads the way in blaming everybody outside the Moslem world , for the miseries of the region .
The outer circle is largely financed by Saudi Arabia , but also by donations from certain Moslem communities in the United States and Europe and , to a smaller extent , by donations of European Governments to various NGO's and by certain United Nations organizations , whose goals may be noble , but they are infested and exploited by agents of the outer circle .
The Saudi regime , of course , will be the next victim of major terror , when the inner circle will explode into the outer circle .
The Saudis are beginning to understand it , but they fight the inner circles , while still financing the infrastructure at the outer circle .
Figuratively speaking , this outer circle is the guardian , which makes sure that the people look and listen inwards to the inner circle of terror and incitement , rather than to the world outside .
Some parts of this same outer circle actually operate as a result of fear from , or blackmail by , the inner circles .
The horrifying added factor is the high birth rate .
Half of the population of the Arab world is under the age of 20 , the most receptive age to incitement , guaranteeing two more generations of blind hatred .
Some of the leaders of these various circles live very comfortably on their loot .
You meet their children in the best private schools in Europe , not in the training camps of suicide murderers .
The Jihad " soldiers " join packaged death tours to Iraq and other hotspots , while some of their leaders ski in Switzerland .
Mrs. Arafat , who lives in Paris with her daughter , receives tens of thousands of dollars per month from the allegedly bankrupt Palestinian Authority , while a typical local ringleader of the Al - Aksa brigade , reporting to Arafat , receives only a cash payment of a couple of hundred dollars , for performing murders at the retail level .
* 4 . The fourth element of the current world conflict is the total breaking of all laws . *
The civilized world believes in democracy , the rule of law , including international law , human rights , free speech and free press , among other liberties .
There are naive old - fashioned habits such as respecting religious sites and symbols , not using ambulances and hospitals for acts of war , avoiding the mutilation of dead bodies and not using children as human shields or human bombs .
Never in history , not even in the Nazi period , was there such total disregard of all of the above as we observe now .
Every student of political science debates how you prevent an anti-democratic force from winning a democratic election and abolishing democracy .
Other aspects of a civilized society must also have limitations .
Can a policeman open fire on someone trying to kill him ?
Can a government listen to phone conversations of terrorists and drug dealers ?
Does free speech protect you when you shout " fire " in a crowded theater ?
Should there be death penalty , for deliberate multiple murders ?
These are the old - fashioned dilemmas .
But now we have an entire new set .
Do you raid a mosque , which serves as a terrorist ammunition storage ?
Do you return fire , if you are attacked from a hospital ?
Do you storm a church taken over by terrorists who took the priests hostages ?
Do you search every ambulance after a few suicide murderers use ambulances to reach their targets ?
Do you strip every woman because one pretended to be pregnant and carried a suicide bomb on her belly ?
Do you shoot back at someone trying to kill you , standing deliberately behind a group of children ?
Do you raid terrorist headquarters , hidden in a mental hospital ?
Do you shoot an arch-murderer who deliberately moves from one location to another , always surrounded by children ?
All of these happen daily in Iraq and in the Palestinian areas .
What do you do ?
Well , you do not want to face the dilemma .
But it can not be avoided .
Suppose , for the sake of discussion , that someone would openly stay in a well - known address in Teheran , hosted by the Iranian Government and financed by it , executing one atrocity after another in Spain or in France , killing hundreds of innocent people , accepting responsibility for the crimes , promising in public TV interviews to do more of the same , while the Government of Iran issues public condemnations of his acts but continues to host him , invite him to official functions and treat him as a great dignitary .
I leave it to you as homework to figure out what Spain or France would have done , in such a situation .
The problem is that the civilized world is still having illusions about the rule of law in a totally lawless environment .
It is trying to play ice hockey by sending a ballerina ice - skater into the ring or to knock out a heavyweight boxer by a chess player .
In the same way that no country has a law against cannibals eating its prime minister , because such an act is unthinkable , international law does not address killers shooting from hospitals , mosques and ambulances , while being protected by their Government or society .
International law does not know how to handle someone who sends children to throw stones , stands behind them and shoots with immunity and can not be arrested because he is sheltered by a Government .
International law does not know how to deal with a leader of murderers who is royally and comfortably hosted by a country , which pretends to condemn his acts or just claims to be too weak to arrest him .
The amazing thing is that all of these crooks demand protection under international law , and define all those who attack them as " war criminals , " with some Western media repeating the allegations .
The good news is that all of this is temporary , because the evolution of international law has always adapted itself to reality .
The punishment for suicide murder should be death or arrest before the murder , not during and not after .
After every world war , the rules of international law have changed , and the same will happen after the present one .
But during the twilight zone , a lot of harm can be done .
The picture I described here is not pretty .
What can we do about it ?
In the short run , only fight and win .
In the long run , only educate the next generation and open it to the world .
The inner circles can and must be destroyed by force .
The outer circle can not be eliminated by force .
Here we need financial starvation of the organizing elite , more power to women , more education , counter-propaganda , boycott whenever feasible and access to Western media , internet and the international scene .
Above all , we need a total absolute unity and determination of the civilized world against all three circles of evil .
Allow me , for a moment , to depart from my alleged role as a taxi driver and return to science .
When you have a malignant tumor , you may remove the tumor itself surgically .
You may also starve it by preventing new blood from reaching it from other parts of the body , thereby preventing new " supplies " from expanding the tumor .
If you want to be sure , it is best to do both .
But before you fight and win , by force or otherwise , you have to realize that you are in a war , and this may take Europe a few more years .
In order to win , it is necessary to first eliminate the terrorist regimes , so that no Government in the world will serve as a safe haven for these people .
I do not want to comment here on whether the American - led attack on Iraq was justified from the point of view of weapons of mass destruction or any other pre-war argument , but I can look at the post-war map of Western Asia .
Now that Afghanistan , Iraq and Libya are out , two and a half terrorist states remain : Iran , Syria and Lebanon , the latter being a Syrian colony .
Perhaps Sudan should be added to the list .
As a result of the conquest of Afghanistan and Iraq , both Iran and Syria are now totally surrounded by territories unfriendly to them .
Iran is encircled by Afghanistan , by the Gulf States , Iraq and the Moslem republics of the former Soviet Union .
Syria is surrounded by Turkey , Iraq , Jordan and Israel .
This is a significant strategic change and it applies strong pressure on the terrorist countries .
It is not surprising that Iran is so active in trying to incite a Shiite uprising in Iraq .
I do not know if the American plan was actually to encircle both Iran and Syria , but that is the resulting situation .
In my humble opinion , the number one danger to the world today is Iran and its regime .
It definitely has ambitions to rule vast areas and to expand in all directions .
It has an ideology which claims supremacy over Western culture .
It is ruthless .
It has proven that it can execute elaborate terrorist acts without leaving too many traces , using Iranian Embassies .
It is clearly trying to develop nuclear weapons .
Its so - called moderates and conservatives play their own virtuoso version of the " good - cop versus bad - cop " game .
Iran sponsors Syrian terrorism , it is certainly behind much of the action in Iraq , it is fully funding the Hezbollah and , through it , the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad ; it performed acts of terror at least in Europe and in South America and probably also in Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia and it truly leads a multi-national terror consortium , which includes , as minor players , Syria , Lebanon and certain Shiite elements in Iraq .
Nevertheless , most European countries still trade with Iran , try to appease it and refuse to read the clear signals .
In order to win the war it is also necessary to dry the financial resources of the terror conglomerate .
It is pointless to try to understand the subtle differences between the Sunni terror of Al Qaeda and Hamas and the Shiite terror of Hezbollah , Sadr and other Iranian - inspired enterprises .
When it serves their business needs , all of them collaborate beautifully .
It is crucial to stop Saudi and other financial support of the outer circle , which is the fertile breeding ground of terror .
It is important to monitor all donations from the Western World to Islamic organizations , to monitor the finances of international relief organizations and to react with forceful economic measures to any small sign of financial aid to any of the three circles of terrorism .
It is also important to act decisively against the campaign of lies and fabrications and to monitor those Western media who collaborate with it out of naivety , financial interests or ignorance .
Above all , never surrender to terror .
No one will ever know whether the recent elections in Spain would have yielded a different result , if not for the train bombings a few days earlier .
But it really does not matter .
What matters is that the terrorists believe that they caused the result and that they won by driving Spain out of Iraq .
The Spanish story will surely end up being extremely costly to other European countries , including France , who is now expelling inciting preachers and forbidding veils and including others who sent troops to Iraq .
In the long run , Spain itself will pay even more .
Is the solution a democratic Arab world ?
If by democracy we mean free elections but also free press , free speech , a functioning judicial system , civil liberties , equality to women , free international travel , exposure to international media and ideas , laws against racial incitement and against defamation , and avoidance of lawless behavior regarding hospitals , places of worship and children , then yes , democracy is the solution .
If democracy is just free elections , it is likely that the most fanatic regime will be elected , the one whose incitement and fabrications are the most inflammatory .
We have seen it already in Algeria and , to a certain extent , in Turkey .
It will happen again , if the ground is not prepared very carefully .
On the other hand , a certain transition democracy , as in Jordan , may be a better temporary solution , paving the way for the real thing , perhaps in the same way that an immediate sudden democracy did not work in Russia and would not have worked in China .
I have no doubt that the civilized world will prevail .
But the longer it takes us to understand the new landscape of this war , the more costly and painful the victory will be .
Europe , more than any other region , is the key .
Its understandable recoil from wars , following the horrors of World War II , may cost thousands of additional innocent lives , before the tide will turn . "
Zawahiri was associated with a faction of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad known as the Vanguards of Conquest .
Zawahiri and the Vanguards of Conquest were seeking to recreate Mohammed 's taking of mecca by a small band through violent attacks on Egyptian leaders .
By 1998 , Zawahiri had determined that the Egyptian Islamic Jihad should focus on its struggle against the United States and hold off on further attacks against the Egyptian regime .
A key question is how they acquired the anthrax strain first isolated by the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab in 1980 .
According to senior counter terrorism officials , both here and abroad , among the supporters of these militant islamists were people who blended into society and were available to act when another part of the network requested it .
Al Qaeda , Anthrax and Ayman : Means , Motive , Modus Operandi and Opportunity
Homeland Security
In early June 2003 , a Central Intelligence Agency ( " CIA " ) report publicly disclosed that the reason for Mohammed Atta 's and Zacarias Moussaoui 's inquiries into cropdusters was for the contemplated use in dispersing biological agents such as anthrax .
An early September 2003 Newsweek article included a rumor by a Taliban source that at a meeting in April 2003 Bin Laden was planning an " unbelievable " biological attack , the plans for which had suffered a setback upon the arrest of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed ( " KSM " ) .
He had been captured the previous month in Rawalpindi , Pakistan .
In November 2003 , a report by a UN Panel of experts concluded that Al Qaeda is determined to use chemical and biological weapons and is restrained only by technical difficulties .
In a statement issued June 16 , 2004 , the 9/11 Commission Staff concluded that " Al Qaeda had an ambitious biological weapons program and was making advances in its ability to produce anthrax prior to September 11 .
According to Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet , al Qaeda ’s ability to conduct an anthrax attack is one of the most immediate threats the United States is likely to face . "
On August 9 , 2004 , it was announced that in the Spring of 2001 , a man named El - Shukrijumah , also known as Jafar the Pilot , who was part of a " second wave , " had been casing New York City helicopters .
Photographs from a seized computer disc included the controls and the locks on the door between the passengers and pilot .
In a bulletin , the FBI noted that the surveillance might relate to a plot to disperse a chemical or biological weapon .
The CIA reportedly has been quietly building a case that the anthrax mailings were an international plot .
This is old news .
It 's just no longer bureaucratically impolite to openly contest the FBI 's ( former ) theory about a lone , American scientist .
Many people have argued that a US - based Al Qaeda operative is behind the earlier Fall 2001 anthrax mailings in the US , and that the mailings served as a threat and warning .
Princeton islamist scholar Bernard Lewis has explained that while islamists may disagree about whether killing innocents is sanctioned by the laws of jihad , extremists like Zawahiri agree that notice must be given before biochemical weapons are used .
The Prophet 's guidance , says Michael Scheuer , an al - Qaeda analyst who recently retired from the CIA and once headed its Bin Laden unit , " was always , Before you attack someone , warn them very clearly ... " The anthrax mailings followed the pattern of letters they sent in January 1997 to newspaper branches in Washington , D.C. and New York City , as well as symbolic targets .
The letter bombs were sent in connection with the detention of the blind sheik Abdel Rahman and those responsible for the earlier World Trade Center bombing in 1993 .
Handwritten notes and files on a laptop seized upon the capture of KSM , Al Qaeda 's # 3 , included a feasible anthrax production plan using a spray dryer and addressed the recruitment of necessary expertise .
What your morning paper did not tell you , however , was that the CIA seized a similar disc from Ayman Zawahiri 's right - hand , Ahmed Salama Mabruk , 5 years earlier .
The computer disk was confiscated from him during his arrest by the CIA in Azerbaijan and handed over to the Egyptian authorities .
Mabruk , at the time , was the head of Jihad 's military operations .
There is a risk that observers underestimate the time that Al Qaeda has had to make progress in such recruitment and research and development .
Some may still think that even in the final stages of the 9/11 plot , Zacarias Moussaoui was going to fly a 5th plane into the Capitol or White House .
Others argue that he was to be part of a second wave of airliners directed to targets on the West Coast .
There is an e-mail by Moussaoui , however , dated July 31 , 2001 indicating that he sought to take a crop dusting course that was to last up to 6 months .
In March 2003 , Mohammed reportedly said that Moussaoui was not going to be part of 9/11 but was to be part of a " second wave . "
Although Ramzi Binalshibh provided him $ 14,000 in July , accused September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui told his trial judge that he had an al Qaeda mission that would have come after the terrorist attacks .
KSM explained that Moussaoui 's inquiries about crop dusters may have been related to the anthrax work being done by US - trained biochemist and Al Qaeda operative , Malaysian Yazid Sufaat .
Zacarias Moussaoui , never the sharpest tool in the shed and thought by his superiors to be unreliable , has told the judge at his trial in a filing that he wants " anthrax for Jew sympathizer only . "
Al Qaeda 's regional operative , Hambali , who was at a key January 2000 meeting and supervised Sufaat , has been captured .
Hambali reportedly is cooperating to some degree .
KSM and Hambali sent al - Hindi ( al - Britani ) , along with Jafar the Pilot , to case NYC targets for a second wave .
It was as part of that surveillance in early 2001 that Jafar the Pilot studied tourist helicopters in the NYC area .
Sufaat , according to both KSM and Hambali , did not have the virulent US Army Ames strain that would be used .
That would require someone who had access to the strain .
But if experience is any guide , nothing would stand in the way of Dr. Ayman Zawahiri 's decade - long quest to weaponize and use anthrax against US targets that was described by one confidante to an Egyptian newspaper reporter .
The islamist had been released from Egyptian prison and had known Zawahiri well for many years .
Emails from Zawahiri to Atef in the Spring of 1999 indicate that Ayman was a close student of the USAMRIID anthrax program .
He believed that the koran instructed that a jihadist should use the weapons used by the crusader .
What we know is that he 's always said it was a religious obligation to have the same weapons as their enemies , former CIA OBL unit counter terrorism chief Michael Scheuer has said .
The Wall Street Journal reported that a computer used by Zawahiri contains a June 1999 memo that " said the program should seek cover and talent in educational institutions , which it said were ' more beneficial to us and allow easy access to specialists , which will greatly benefit us in the first stage , God willing . ' ''
Zawahiri was associated with a faction of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad known as the Vanguards of Conquest .
Zawahiri and the Vanguards of Conquest were seeking to recreate Mohammed 's taking of mecca by a small band through violent attacks on Egyptian leaders .
By 1998 , Zawahiri had determined that the Egyptian Islamic Jihad should focus on its struggle against the United States and hold off on further attacks against the Egyptian regime .
A key question is how they acquired the anthrax strain first isolated by the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab in 1980 .
According to senior counter terrorism officials , both here and abroad , among the supporters of these militant islamists were people who blended into society and were available to act when another part of the network requested it .
A few days before Christmas 2003 , after a renewed audiotape threat by Zawahiri of attacks , to include in the US homeland , the threat level was raised to orange or " high . "
After the alert condition had long since returned to yellow , Zawahiri in late February issued another audiotape .
He urged the President that brigades and brigades would be coming under the banner of jihad carrying death and seeking paradise .
Zawahiri said that the US should expect another 9/11 on US soil .
According to some reports , Zawahiri is thought by intelligence to be somewhere near the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan .
At one time , some thought he had been spotted in Iran .
Wherever he is , authorities need to focus on the traceable connection between him and those he or Atef recruited .
In October 2001 , did the FBI profilers know of the draft message Khalid Mohammed had on the seized laptop ( from 1995 ) that was signed " Khalid Sheik Bojinka " ?
The letter threatened to use biochemical weapons if the blind sheik was not released .
( Khalid Mohammed 's involvement dates back to Bojinka , as does Hambali 's ) .
Use of biochemical weapons as blackmail and threatened retaliation for such detentions was an alternative scenario in the Bojinka planning .
In May 2004 , Patrick Hughes , Lieutenant General ( Retired ) , Assistant Secretary for Information Analysis , Homeland Security Department testified before the 9/11 Commission .
He explained that interrogations and other evidence revealed that Al Qaeda wanted to strike the US with a nonconventional weapon , most notably anthrax .
The same week , the WTC head testified that while they had not received any briefing on the use of planes , they had taken steps to prepare for an attack using anthrax based on intelligence that had been received .
Al Qaeda has had anthrax , the raw seed product in its unweaponized form , since at least 1997 , when it was purchased by Bin Laden through the Moro Islamic Liberation Front ( " Moro Front " or " MILF " ) .
Zawahiri , Al Qaeda 's # 2 , is head of Al Qaeda 's biochemical program .
The CIA has known of Zawahiri 's plans to use anthrax for a half decade .
The confidante and right - hand man of Dr. Ayman Zawahiri admitted that Zawahiri succeeded in obtaining anthrax and intended to use it against US targets .
Another senior Al Qaeda member ( a shura or policy - making council member no less ) was working for the Egyptian intelligence services and he confirmed the report in a sworn lengthy confession .
Even Zawahiri 's attorney in 1999 said that Bin Laden and Zawahiri were likely to resort to the biological and chemical agents they possessed given the extradition pressure senior Al Qaeda leaders faced .
A recently released islamist who had been a close associate of Zawahiri said that Zawahiri spent a decade and had made 15 separate attempts to recruit the necessary expertise to weaponize anthrax in Russia and the Middle East .
The US Army recipe was not used , and obtaining the unprocessed Ames strain of anthrax used does not warrant the weight given it by some press accounts .
There was lax control over the distribution of the Ames strain that was used , especially in light of the fact that transfers were not even required to be recorded prior to 1997 .
Significantly , the individual who isolated it nearly a quarter century ago ( now retired ) , upon being contacted , does not even report that he necessarily sent the only copy of the strain to Ft. Detrick .
Senator Patrick Leahy at a Congressional hearing in the Spring of 2002 noted that the FBI had collected the Ames strain from 20 sources .
In Fall 2004 , MSNBC , relying on an unnamed FBI spokesperson , reports that the FBI has narrowed the pool of labs known to have had Ames that was a match from 16 to 4 but can not rule out that it was made overseas .
Al Qaeda 's anthrax production plans on Khalid Mohammed 's computer did not evidence knowledge of advanced techniques in the most efficient biological weapons .
At least according to the public comments by bioweaponeer experts William Patrick and Kenneth Alibek , under the optimal method , there is no electrostatic charge .
In the case of the anthrax used in the mailings , there was an electrostatic charge .
Although there was a dominance of single spores and a trillion spore concentration , there were clumps as large as 40 - 100 microns .
( Spores must be no bigger than 5 microns to be inhalable . )
Many point to the trillion spore concentration as extraordinary .
It is far simpler , however , to achieve a trillion spore concentration in the production of a few grams than in industrial processing typical of a state sponsored lab .
The " trillion spore " issue was at the heart of a lot of mistaken theories of the matter concluding that state sponsorship was necessarily indicated .
The reported finding at Dugway undermines the argument of both the " bomb Iraq " crowd and the liberals focused on Dr. Steve Hatfill who object to US biodefense research because they view it as being useful for offensive purposes .
USDA employee Johnelle Bryant first told us , in sensational detail , of Atta 's inquiries about purchasing and retrofitting a cropduster .
Khalid Mohammed then told interrogators that Zacarias Moussaoui 's inquiries about crop dusting may have related to Yazid Sufaat 's anthrax manufacturing plans .
Although the details of the documents on Mohammed 's computer may ( or may not ) point to possible difficulties in aerial dispersal , they are fully consistent with the product used in the anthrax mailings .
Al Qaeda had both the means and opportunity .
US - trained Malaysian biochemist Yazid Sufaat met with 9/11 plotters and two hijackers in January 2000 .
Sufaat was a member of Al Qaeda and a member of Jemaah Islamiah ( " JI " ) .
JI has ties with the Moro Front .
Sufaat used his company called Green Laboratory Medicine to buy items useful to Al Qaeda .
( Green symbolizes " Islam " and Prophet Mohammed 's holy war ) .
Zacarias Moussaoui , who had a crop dusting manual when he was arrested , stayed at Sufaat 's condominium in 2000 when he was trying to arrange for flight lessons in Malaysia .
Yazid Sufaat provided Moussaoui with a letter indicating that he was a marketing representative for Infocus Technologies and allegedly provided him $ 35,000 .
The crop dusters were to be part of a " second wave . "
After 9/11 , Yazid Sufaat traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan to work for the Taliban Medical Brigade and to continue his work with anthrax .
As described in US News , a former reporter from the Kabul Times actually may have met Sufaat , without realizing it , while traveling near Kabul in October 2001 , perceiving him as Filipino .
The fellow was carrying papers from Zawahiri and bragging about his ability to manipulate anthrax .
Sufaat was arrested in December 2001 upon his return to Malaysia .
Newsweek reported that a " second wave " involving biological attacks had been thwarted upon the arrest of Al Qaeda members who had been intended to provide logistical support .
Various doctors , both foreign and American , are associated with Al Qaeda leaders or operatives , to include the doctors Abdul Qadoos Khan , a bacteriologist from Rawalpindi and Aafia Siddiqui , PhD , from Karachi .
Microbiologist Abdul Qadoos Khan was charged along with his son , Ahmed , for harboring the fugitives .
As of March 28 , 2003 , he was in a hospital for a cardiac problem and had been granted " pre-arrest bail . "
Yet all you read about at the time was the arrest of the son Ahmed Abdul Qadoos , who receives a stipend from the UN for being officially low - IQ due to lead poisoning .
It was Khalid Mohammed who told authorities about Aafia Siddiqui , who has a PhD from Brandeis in neurology .
The Pakistani press reported that she was nabbed in Karachi after being spotted at the airport in late March or early April 2003 .
If mistaken , how did those reports first come about ?
Understandably , Amerithrax is a confidential investigation .
The Pakistan ISI and CIA rarely grant press interviews in connection with an ongoing manhunt .
The CIA did not even allow the FBI access to KSM for 10 days after his arrest .
As agent Van Harp , then head of the Amerithrax investigation said , the information coming from Khalid Mohammed is classified with the authorities releasing only certain limited information .
While it 's not easy to separate fact from fiction , Attorney General Ashcroft and Director Mueller have publicly confirmed Aafia is still being sought .
They would know .
Her mother Ismat last saw Aafia and her grandchildren before they left in a minicab at the end of March .
Aafia was on her way with her children to visit and uncle and a friend in Islamabad .
According to the Pakistan reports , Aafia Siddiqui was detained after being spotted at Karachi International airport ( after she was followed to a relative 's house ) .
( Karachi is in the south ) .
The reports say she is suspected of having been a member of Al Qaeda 's " Chemical Wire Group . "
The family 's lawyer advises me that Aafia did not have enough money to pay for airfare tickets for herself and the kids and called Ismat from the train station .
That was the last Ismat heard from her .
Aafia never reached the uncle 's house .
Perhaps something got lost in the translation , but the phrase " Chemical Wire Group " has appeared in all the english Pakistan and India papers .
The family 's attorney advises me that Aafia had no knowledge of chemicals ( and that would not appear to be her training ) .
There still is a very hot pursuit of the " Atta - level " Floridian , Adnan El Shukrijumah , who Siddiqui is thought to have known and been assisting .
His nickname is " Jafar the Pilot . "
A senior DOJ official reports that Adnan has experience as a commercial pilot .
He is said by one FBI agent to be " very , very , very " dangerous .
He allegedly was at one or more meetings in the Summer of 2001 in Pakistan at which KSM and Sufaat were present .
He may have been seen in Hamilton , Canada -- along with Egyptian al - Maati , who apparently also has received pilot training .
The United States truly no longer has time for faulty analysis or politically - based preconceptions .
In early June 2003 , a CIA report concluded that the reason for Atta 's and Zacarias Moussaoui 's inquiries into cropdusters was in fact for the contemplated use in dispersing biological agents such as anthrax .
It has long been known Osama Bin Laden was interested in using cropdusters to disperse biological agents ( since the testimony of millennium bomber Ahmed Ressam ) .
The hijacker Ahmed Alhaznawi appears to have contracted cutaneous anthrax in Afghanistan .
It is reasonable to credit his statement that he got the lesion after bumping into a suitcase he was carrying at a camp in Afghanistan .
The lesion is further evidence of Al Qaeda 's anthrax production program at Kandahar .
The present evidence relating to Atta 's alleged travel to Prague does not warrant a conclusion that Al Qaeda obtained the Ames strain from Iraq .
Iraq , however , remains a possible source of the Ames .
Former Russian bioweaponeer Ken Alibek has said that a key Russian scientist assisted Iraq and that Russia had the Ames strain .
( His conclusion may have been based on the fake mobile biolab plans foisted upon the US by the Chalabi associate " Curveball " , which Alibek divined to be identical to Russian mobile lab design ) .
Zawahiri did travel to Baghdad in 1998 with an entourage to attend the birthday party of Saddam 's son .
The papers found at headquarters of the Mukhabarat , Iraq 's secret police , show that an entourage from Al Qaeda group was sent to the Iraqi capital in March 1998 from Sudan .
According to at least some reports , Bin Laden rejected the suggestion of a closer alliance -- preferring to pursue his own concept of jihad .
Two top Iraqi scientists , code named Charlie and Alpha , are helping the coalition to learn more about Iraqi 's anthrax program , according to Dr. David Kay , head of the Iraq survey group in charge of the hunt for WMD .
He has said that the Iraqis made surprising innovations in the milling and drying processes needed to weaponize anthrax .
The media coverage has been seriously confused on the issue of motive and the reason Senators Daschle and Leahy would have been targeted -- tending to simplistically view them as " liberals . "
Zawahiri likely targeted Senators Daschle and Leahy to receive anthrax letters , in addition to various media outlets , because of the appropriations made pursuant to the " Leahy Law " to military and security forces .
That money has prevented the militant islamists from achieving their goals .
Al Qaeda members and sympathizers feel that the FBI 's involvement in countries like Egypt , Saudi Arabia , Pakistan , Indonesia , and the Philippines interferes with the sovereignty of those countries .
According to a post she made on the internet , Aafia Siddiqui expressed the same sentiment in connection with US appropriations sought in exchange for the extradition of WTC 1993 plotter Ramzi Yousef from Pakistan .
Senator Leahy was Chairman of both the Judiciary Committee overseeing the FBI and Appropriations Subcommittee in charge of foreign aid to these countries .
In late September 2001 , it was announced that the President was seeking a blanket waiver that would lift all restrictions on aid to military and security units in connection with pursuing the militant islamists .
This extradition and imprisonment of Al Qaeda leaders , along with US support for Israel and the Mubarak government in Egypt , remains foremost in the mind of Dr. Zawahiri .
At the height of the development of his biological weapons program , his brother was extradited pursuant to a death sentence in the " Albanian returnees " case ( now he faces retrial ) .
It 's hard to keep up with the stories about billion dollar appropriations , debt forgiveness , and loan guarantees to countries like Egypt and Israel and now even Pakistan .
Those appropriations pale in comparison to the many tens of billions in appropriations relating to the invasion of Iraq .
Al Qaeda had a motive in mind .
In his Fall 2001 book titled Knights under the Banner of the Prophet , Zawahiri argued that the secular press was telling " lies " about the militant islamists -- to include the suggestion that the militant islamists were somehow the creation of the United States in connection with expelling the Russians from Afghanistan .
Zawahiri argued instead that they have been active since the assassination of Anwar Sadat in Egypt because of the Camp David Accord and the resulting peace treaty between Egypt and Israel .
The anthrax letters were sent on the date of the Camp David Accord and then the date Anwar Sadat was assassinated as if to underscore the point to anyone paying attention .
Most of the " talking heads " on television , however , knew only that Daschle and Leahy were liberal democrats and did not know anything of Al Qaeda beyond what they read in the US newspapers .
The FBI 's profile includes a US - based supporter of the militant islamists .
Attorney General Ashcroft explained that an " either - or " approach is not useful .
The media has tended to overlook the fact that when the FBI uses the word " domestic " the word includes a US - based , highly - educated supporter of the militant islamists .
There is an emerging consensus that anthrax was contained in a letter to AMI , the publisher of the National Enquirer -- in a goofy love letter to Jennifer Lopez enclosing a Star of David and proposing marriage .
A report by the Center for Disease Control of interviews with AMI employees ( as well as detailed interviews by author Leonard Cole ) supports the conclusion that there were not one , but two , such mailings containing anthrax .
( The letters were to different AMI publications -- one to the National Enquirer and another to The Sun ) .
( News assistant Bobby Bender recalls the letter containing the items to have been addressed to The Sun . )
This tactic of letters is not merely the modus operandi of these militant islamists inspired by Zawahiri , it is their signature .
The islamists sent letter bombs in January 1997 to newspaper offices in New York City and Washington , D.C. .
They were sent in connection with the earlier bombing of the World Trade Center and the imprisonment of the blind sheik , Sheik Abdel Rahman .
The former leader of the Egyptian Al - Gamaa al - Islamiya ( " Islamic Group " ) , he was also a spiritual leader of Al Qaeda .
The letter bombs were sent in connection with the treatment of the Egyptian islamists imprisoned for the earlier attack on the WTC and a related plot .
The purpose of the letter bombs -- which resulted in minimal casualty -- was to send a message .
( There initially was an outstanding $ 2 million reward -- under the rewards for justice program , the reward now is up to $ 5 million . ) .
There was no claim of responsibility .
There was no explanation .
Once one had been received , the next ten , mailed on two separate dates , were easily collected .
Sound familiar ?
Two bombs were also sent to Leavenworth , where a key WTC 1993 defendant was imprisoned , addressed to " Parole Officer . "
( The position does not exist ) .
Abdel Rahman 's son was captured in Quetta , Pakistan in mid-February 2003 .
That arrest in turn led to the dramatic capture of Khalid Mohammed , Al Qaeda 's # 3 .
Mohammed allegedly was hiding in the home of the Pakistani bacteriologist Dr. Abdul Qadoos Khan .
Along with Zawahiri , Abdel Rahman and his two sons have had considerable influence over Bin Laden .
He reportedly treated them like sons .
Although while in jail in the early 1980s , Zawahiri caused considerable tension by challenging the blind sheik 's ability to lead a coalition of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and the Egyptian Islamic Group , Zawahiri and OBL are Rahman 's friends .
The imprisoned WTC 1993 plotter Yousef was KSM 's nephew .
Thus , the leaders in charge of Al Qaeda 's anthrax production program had a close connection to those imprisoned in connection with the earlier bombing of the World Trade Center .
According to the controversial " Feith memo , " which summarized purported intelligence showing an Iraqi / Al Qaeda connection , Osama Bin Laden had asked Iraqi intelligence for technical assistance in sending letter bombs a half year before the Al Hayat letters were sent .
Just because Al Qaeda likes its truck bombs and the like to be effective does not mean they do not see the value in a deadly missive .
As Brian Jenkins once said , " terrorism is theater . "
A sender purporting to be islamist sent cyanide in both early 2002 and early 2003 in New Zealand and ingredients of nerve gas in Belgium in 2003 .
There 's even a chapter titled " Poisonous Letter " in the Al Qaeda manual .
The " Federal Eagle " stamp used in the anthrax mailings was a blue - green .
It was widely published among the militant islamists that martyrs go to paradise " in the hearts of green birds . "
In the very interview in which they admitted 9/11 , and described the codes used for the four targets for the planes , the masterminds admitted to the Jenny code , the code for representing the date 9/11 , and used the symbolism of the " Green Birds . "
Osama Bin Laden later invoked the symbolism in his video " The 19 Martyrs . "
A FAQ on the Azzam Publications website explained that " In the Hearts of Green Birds " refers to what is inside .
The mailer 's use of " Greendale School " as the return address for the letters to the Senators is also revealing .
A May 2001 letter that Zawahiri sent to Egyptian Islamic Jihad members abroad establish that Zawahiri used " school " as a code word for the Egyptian militant islamists in his correspondence .
Green symbolizes Islam and was the Prophet Mohammed 's color .
By Greendale School , the anthrax perp was being cute , just as Yazid Sufaat was being cute in naming his lab Green Laboratory Medicine .
Dale means " river valley . "
Greendale likely refers to green river valley -- i.e. , Cairo 's Egyptian Islamic Jihad or the Islamic Group .
The sender probably is announcing that he is of either Egyptian Islamic Jihad , Egyptian Islamic Group or Jihad - al Qaeda , which is actually the full name of the group after the merger of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad and al Qaeda .
At the Darunta complex where jihadis trained , recruits would wear green uniforms , except for Friday when they were washed .
In a Hadith the Messenger of Allah explains that the souls of the martyrs are in the hearts of green birds that fly wherever they please in the Paradise .
As to opportunity , though seldom reported , there is a wealth of " open source " information about possible Al Qaeda or Egyptian Islamic Jihad or Egyptian Islamic Group in the United States and Canada .
The public information mostly relates to those suspected sleepers who have been detained or who are at large and are being sought .
Zawahiri 's mission in the United States in 1995 was to do spadework for terrorism , not fundraising for charitable causes .
He traveled under an alias and was accompanied by a former US Army sergeant named Ali Mohammed .
What mosques exactly did they visit and who did they meet ?
Whatever your political persuasion , the FBI and CIA deserve our support .
We are , after all , in this together .
First , the nature of such an investigation is that we lack sufficient information to second - guess ( or even know ) what the FBI is doing .
Media reports are a poor approximation of reality because of the lack of good sources .
Second , hindsight is 20 / 20 .
Third , with the " new age " Efrem Zimbalist , Jr. in charge of the investigation , it is not likely we could do better in striking the appropriate balance between due process and national security .
Finally , the " Hatfill theory " seems to have been exhausted or at least lost public favor .
The " Hatfill theory " accusing Dr. Stephen Hatfill was always highly dubious .
The suspicion was founded on many false premises , and there was no reliable publicly known evidence indicating his guilt .
The FBI 's fixation on Hatfill ( at least as rumored by some reporters ) may have stemmed from a warning by one Senator that careers hung in the balance .
Leahy 's chief of staff apparently started with the strong predisposition that some right - winger was involved because two liberal democrats had been targeted .
The Hatfill theory -- to include ongoing interviews and ongoing 7 / 24 surveillance by 8 surveillance specialists -- is now the subject of pending civil rights and libel claims of uncertain merit .
A suit against the New York Times and columnist Nicholas Kristof was dismissed in late November 2004 .
The judge had agreed to delay the civil rights matter from proceeding until at least October 2004 .
The judge , frustrated by the apparent lack of progress , encouraged that the parties reach a negotiated compromise that would permit some limited discovery to proceed ( and the judge has directed that the government to file an Answer to the Complaint ) .
The Hatfill Theory ironically might best be understood as an Al Qaeda theory , with a coincidental Malaysian connection adding to the other circumstances .
Given the regrettable leaks that he was under suspicion , it is only fair that the FBI leak with equal enthusiasm the fact that Dr. Hatfill has now been dropped as a suspect if and when that proves to be the case .
A search of Dr. Ken Berry 's residences likely will prove just about the last gasp of a biodefense insider theory .
Senior officials have been quoted in the press as saying that the searches were for the purpose of excluding him as much as including him .
Maureen ,
Andre is going to look over the list of curves needed for the global assets ( August Board meeting ) one more time before I forward it to you .
He will make sure that we do not request FX and inflation ( CPI , PPI , etc. ) curves when only one of the curves will actually be used in the valuation process and to determine which inflation index is needed .
Typically , we receive both FX and inflation from you , but both curves may not always be used .
I hope that we can give you some time savings by eliminating any nonessential requests .
For now , this is the list of countries for which we will probably need the FX and / or inflation curves .
I will send the specifics per Andre later today .
India
Philippines
Bolivia
Jamaica
Guatemala
Venezuela
Columbia
Puerto Rico CPI only ( I need historical inflation data , as well )
Panama
Brazil we have current data already
China we have current data already
Euro inflation only
I am not certain about the needs for the London Underwriting / IV group but will request the information from them if you have not done so already .
Thanks !
Cindy
David and Cindy ,
Please send us the list of the curves that you will need to revalue our international assets for the August Board meeting .
Thanks ,
Maureen
Philip ,
I have to decline the invitation with regrets .
I have too many commitments right now .
Vince Kaminski
Dear Vince
Just a quick message to follow up on the email that I sent you recently inviting you to speak at our forthcoming congress , Risk 2001 Australia , which is taking place in Sydney on 20 & 21 August 2001 .
Have you had an opportunity to consider the invitation yet ?
We are aiming to have the programme printed next week , so I would really need to know as soon as possible if you would be available to speak at this year 's congress .
I am working from our Hong Kong office for this week only ( Tel : +852 2545 2710 ) , and I can be contacted by phone there or by email .
Kind regards .
Philip
Philip Annesley Conference Producer Risk Waters Group +44 20 7484 9866 +44 20 7484 9800 www.risk-conferences.com/risk2001aus
Beth has made our reservations for the Round Table Friday night ( 5/18 ) at Sullivan 's Steak House for 6:30 .
See you all there - this is ling overdue
Paula
Paula ,
Thanks a lot .
Will you drive on that day ?
Vince
Beth has made our reservations for the Round Table Friday night ( 5/18 ) at Sullivan 's Steak House for 6:30 .
See you all there - this is ling overdue
Paula
FYI
Vince
Anne , Mike will call you regarding Sarah .
Vince ,
As I mentioned in my voice mail , Mike Roberts going to hire Sara Woody , a recent MBA grad from Rice , into his group .
However , when we were talking about this position , Mike compared Sara to Elena .
Elena 's title is admin coordinator , and I know that Sara should not have this title , and honestly do not think that Elena should also .
Admin coordinator's do primarily administrative work .
I suggest that you compare Elena and Sarah 's duties / level to other Sr. Spec. in your group such as Kenneth Parkhill and Sevil to determine if they are equivalent , or if their scope of responsibilities and experience is not as broad .
If the latter is the case , we could place both Sara and Elena in a specialist job group ( the salary range is 33 - 66 K ) .
Please advise .
Thanks ,
Anne
Clayton ,
Thanks a lot .
I appreciate all your help .
Vince
Vince -
Good news .
Martin 's box is working wonderfully - I 'll have everything transferred to it and give him the keys by Friday .
This was ( another ) nice deal for Enron .
We save $ 21,000 in real money this way , the cash refund Sun is giving Enron for our other server , using a box that was n't being used by anyone .
I 'm happy about this .
Clayton
Iris ,
Congratulations .
Anne , please , include this info in Iris ' file
Vince
Michael :
Thanks for putting the paperwork together .
I would have interest in meeting if you can present unique investment opportunities that I do n't have access to now .
Most of my contact with financial advisors in the past has consisted of them suggesting a mutual fund , telling me to invest in Home Depot , Sun , and Coke , or trying to pass off their banks ' biased research reports as something valuable .
The above services provide no value to me personally .
If you can present opportunities such as access to private equity or hedge funds , or other ideas with strong growth potential and low correlation to the S@P , I 'd listen .
John
John -
We 'll get the paperwork together and sent to you for naked options .
At some point , I 'd like to talk about the diversification strategy in more detail -- perhaps over dinner or a quick meeting after the markets close ?
Michael Gapinski Account Vice President Emery Financial Group PaineWebber , Inc. 713-654-0365 800-553-3119 x365 Fax : 713-654-1281 Cell : 281-435-0295
Michael :
Appreciate the idea .
However , with my natural long , I 'm not looking to really trade around the position .
I believe ENE will continue to be range bound , but in case it is not , I do n't want to forgo 50 % of my option premium .
I have price targets of where I would like to lighten up exposure to ENE and will use calls to implement the stategy .
To that regards , I noticed I was not approved to sell naked calls .
I would like that ability in order to hedge some exposure I have of unexercised vested options .
Please look into that for me .
John .
John -
I was looking at the recent pullback in ENE and thinking it might be an opportunity to buy back the calls you sold .
Of course , you would then be in a position to sell calls again if the stock makes a bounce .
I 'm not sure that ENE @ 75 is the place , but maybe @ 73 .
Call me if you 're interested .
Michael Gapinski Account Vice President Emery Financial Group PaineWebber , Inc. 713-654-0365 800-553-3119 x365 Fax : 713-654-1281 Cell : 281-435-0295
Notice Regarding Entry of Orders and Instructions : Please do not transmit orders and / or instructions regarding your PaineWebber account ( s ) by e-mail .
Orders and / or instructions transmitted by e-mail will not be accepted by PaineWebber and PaineWebber will not be responsible for carrying out such orders and / or instructions .
Notice Regarding Privacy and Confidentiality : PaineWebber reserves the right to monitor and review the content of all e-mail communications sent and / or received by its employees .
Notice Regarding Entry of Orders and Instructions : Please do not transmit orders and / or instructions regarding your PaineWebber account ( s ) by e-mail .
Orders and / or instructions transmitted by e-mail will not be accepted by PaineWebber and PaineWebber will not be responsible for carrying out such orders and / or instructions .
Notice Regarding Privacy and Confidentiality : PaineWebber reserves the right to monitor and review the content of all e-mail communications sent and / or received by its employees .
Notice Regarding Entry of Orders and Instructions : Please do not transmit orders and / or instructions regarding your PaineWebber account ( s ) by e-mail .
Orders and / or instructions transmitted by e-mail will not be accepted by PaineWebber and PaineWebber will not be responsible for carrying out such orders and / or instructions .
Notice Regarding Privacy and Confidentiality : PaineWebber reserves the right to monitor and review the content of all e-mail communications sent and / or received by its employees .
Who cares ??????
Please note that effective immediately my email address has changed to Sean.Cooper@ElPaso.com
He just rescheduled to Wednesday .
How about dinner on Wednesday after that ?
Your buddy Beau invited me .
How about prior to that or after that on Tuesday .
not really ...
already have plans on thursday .
are you going to the NYMEX candidate cocktail hour Tuesday ?
oh god is there an agenda .
Would dinner Thursday work instead .
not really ...
already have plans on thursday .
are you going to the NYMEX candidate cocktail hour Tuesday ?
oh god is there an agenda .
Wednesday does n't work for me .
How about Tuesday's at 3:30 Houston time .
i completely agree .
I would like to have a meeting once a week for 1 - 2 hours with all 6 of us just to make sure we are moving forward and to get an update and anything and everything .
My only concern is that we take the boys away from their overwhelming task .
What do you guys think .
John
OK .
I will have to move my weekly meeting to Tuesday .
Monday's starting next week at 4 ???????????????
Wednesday does n't work for me .
How about Tuesday's at 3:30 Houston time .
i completely agree .
I would like to have a meeting once a week for 1 - 2 hours with all 6 of us just to make sure we are moving forward and to get an update and anything and everything .
My only concern is that we take the boys away from their overwhelming task .
What do you guys think .
John
Not yet .
Did you happen to sign your employment agreement ?
Please respond to request below .
Thanks .
John Lavorato has requested the attached report .
He is concerned about the allocation amongst categories - in particular , Real Time Traders .
If you would , please review the entire list and let me know if you are in agreement with the presentation by tomorrow evening , if possible .
I 'm at x if you have any questions .
Thanks !
I understand all of those comparisons , however , the reality is if we lose Dean ( which we will if we do n't pay 65 k + 10 k ) , we will end up hiring a replacement at 75 - 80 k .
This is pretty easy math for me .
I know it seems like a stretch , but the market for hourly traders is very strong right now .
I would like to get this done ASAP .
Thanks .
I am reviewing the request for an employment agreement renewal on Mark Dean Laurent .
Juan communicated some numbers to me and when reviewing this request would like to ask you to consider the following :
Current Salary : $ 47,500
Job Group : Specialist
YE PRC Rating : Satisfactory
Original Proposition :
Base Salary 65 k
1 Year Agreement
$ 5,000 signing
Revised Proposal :
Base Salary : 55 k
1 Year agreement
$ 5,000 signing
Business Case : If we offered Dean 55 k or 60 k it would still constitute a over a $ 10,000 increase ( approximately 25 % ) and taking into consideration he was rated as satisfactory at the specialist level .
Also , the top of the salary range for a specialist is 66 k .
It would still give him room to progress in the current job group should he not be promoted .
Secondly , he will still out price performers that you have in the same job group that are excellent and strong performers respectively eg. Paul Thomas , Jason Choate , Todd DeCook and Peter Makkai .
Salary Listing in Job Group :
Maria Valdes superior $ 62,500
Paul Thomas excellent $ 55,008
Jason Choate excellent $ 60,008
Todd DeCook strong $ 42,008
Peter Makkai strong $ 47,500
Let me know your thoughts .... then I will run it by Oxley .
Are we going to attend ?
Transmission Expansion and Systems in Transition Conference Feb. 5 - 8 , 2002 , Miami , Florida
OVERVIEW
This conference will examine the business and regulatory challenges to U.S. electric systems in transition in effectively expanding transmission capacity to meet new demands in the larger and more competitive regional markets emerging under FERC 's RTO initiatives .
The conference will review the parameters of these challenges and possible solutions to them .
It will examine technology options and new business models for transmission expansion .
It will analyze emerging proposals for effective transmission planning and pricing , including market - based pricing alternatives to FERC 's traditional pricing methods .
The conference will also discuss what it will take in legislative action and regulatory initiative to achieve an efficient regime for ensuring that the nation has a reliable grid and regional trading system .
The brochure for the Conference and associated Workshops can be obtained by clicking on the link below : < http://www.euci.com/pdf/transexpn.pdf > << http://www.euci.com/pdf/transexpn.pdf >>
Electricity Market Design Conference March 25 - 26 , 2002 , Atlanta , Georgia
I need to check something in 969 's 2000 tax return .
Who has the 2000 tax return file for 969 ?
Essie
Sonya City
07/30/2001 05:17 PM
< Embedded Picture ( Device Independent Bitmap ) >
I think that this is for you since I do n't know any of these people .
WHO : Enron
WHAT : Happy Hour for John Suarez
WHEN : Today at 5 pm
WHERE : The Front Porch 217 Gray St. ( 713 ) 571-9571
WHY : Today is John 's last day at EBS .
This is NOT an Enron - sponsored event .
How do you feel about taking on another company ?
Essie and Leon have proposed xferring Co. 1691 to your world ( see below ) .
Do you concur ?
Please let me know Monday morning .
Regards ,
Vicsandra
If you have not already made these decisions , Essie 's guidance should be helpful .
Patty Lee Corporate Tax x35172 EB 1774
Please see my comments in red below .
Essie
Essie ,
Can you recommend where these companies each fit within the new organization ?
If possible , can you also give an indication of the rank - 1 through 5 ?
Thanks ,
Patty
I have a few entities that may need to change groups or be assigned to a group .
18T - EI Indonesia Operations LLC
This entity is not in TIS , SAP , nor Hyperion .
The 2000 tax return has no income , assets , or liabilities .
There is a corporate data sheet for this company , but this entity seems to have been inactive since it 's creation .
86M - Enron Net Works LLC
Despite the name , this entity appears to be a MTM company .
Per September financials , this company has about $ 3 M of MTM and about $ 8 K of expenses , nothing else .
The next 5 companies were my responsibility while in EBS , and did not get assigned during the reorg .
80Y - Enron Broadband Acquisition , Inc .
This entity was created in 2000 for the acquistion of WarpSpeed Communications ( now Enron WarpSpeed Services , Inc. 83N ) , and then dissolved upon completion of merger .
Company is around with a small amount of assets and liabilities , but no I/S items .
83N is my responsibility .
I think this entity should stay with 83N .
So I suggest it be assigned to Leon .
It should be 4 - easy .
1579 - EBS Network Co. Division of 17H .
This one should possibly be assigned to Networks & Services group .
Not currently on our list of companies .
I think this could go to either Holding / Administrative Companies ( Same as 17H ) or Network & Services ( Leon ) .
4 - easy .
1691 - EPI - EBS Europe
Set up last month to centralize merchant asset activities .
Broke out the activities of 1179 .
A similar entity ( 1179 ) was assigned to Commodity and Trade ( Todd Richards and Mary Fischer ) so this one should be assigned to them as well .
4 - easy .
1307 - EBIC - Apache , LLC
Rolls up to Cherokee Finance VOF , a CFC .
Cherokee Finance VOF is assigned to North America ( Glen Walloch and Kevin Walker ) .
Maybe this one should also go to them as the only tax which may have to be provided would be foreign tax .
4 - easy .
1689 - EPI - EBS Ventures , LLC
Set up last month to centralize merchant asset activities .
Broke out the activities of 1307 .
Same as 1307 .
It should be assigned to North America ( Glen Walloch and Kevin Walker ) .
4 - easy .
Let me know if you have any questions .
Leon Branom Senior Tax Analyst Networks and Services ( 713 ) 345-8702 office leon.branom@enron.com
No problem about moving Company 1691 over
I see that it is a 4 , so that will be no problem .
How do you feel about taking on another company ?
Essie and Leon have proposed xferring Co. 1691 to your world ( see below ) .
Do you concur ?
Please let me know Monday morning .
Regards ,
Vicsandra
If you have not already made these decisions , Essie 's guidance should be helpful .
Patty Lee Corporate Tax x35172 EB 1774
Please see my comments in red below .
Essie
Essie ,
Can you recommend where these companies each fit within the new organization ?
If possible , can you also give an indication of the rank - 1 through 5 ?
Thanks ,
Patty
Virginia ,
Hello .
I was originally inquiring about purchasing a Cross or Signac impressionist lithograph .
I found them and purchased both from a gallery in London , William Weston .
They should be delivered this week .
They are beautiful and will add a lot to our collection .
By the way the Lichtenstein is up and hanging in our formal living room and it is magnificent .
I have also purchased an Appel in the last month .
I am interested in several artists .
Actually , a lot .
I will be looking for one or more of the following .
My concept is that over time I would like to own one of all the following artists and they are all depending when I find something that we really like .
I listed all of our ( sometimes mine vs. my wife 's favorites and priorities ) .
They are kind of in rank order but as I stated if I find the piece that I like we will purchase it .
I want signed and numbered .
I realize that some were not signed by the artist but it is an important fact in my buying decision .
I also realize that some may not have done any works on paper or they are outrageously expensive .
For example , I would like to know if Rothko or Kline did any work on paper .
At least that is what I am thinking now .
Bonnard ( colorful only )
Lautrec
Suerat ( any works on paper ? -
I do n't know that he did any )
Other impressionist or post impressionist lithos
Braque
Moore
Arp
Rouault
Modrian
Rothko
Kline
Motherwell
By the way , I am interested in re-looking at a Picasso ( although we have 2 ) that your gallery had a couple of years ago .
It was a cubist piece from the 1920s and I believe you called the technique a " push wa " ( pronunciation Vs an attempt at the proper spelling ) .
It was for sale in a couple of galleries in SF and was about $ 20,000 .
Is there 1 available ?
Also I am still thinking about the Matisse we discussed before but as you can see , I have a lot of other artists I am interested in and it may remain on the back burner because we already have one .
Thanks ,
mike
Huskers drool over Sooners .
Ken Rice@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS
01/19/2001 09:14 AM
Huskers rule , Sooners drool .
Mike McConnell@ECT
01/19/01 07:55 AM
Thanks for the note .
Sooners rule .
We 'll find time when things settle down .
m
Ken Rice@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS
01/19/2001 07:24 AM
Mike
I see that we are scheduled to have lunch today .
I may have to postpone again , I 'll let you know later this morning .
I am out all weekend and we have to have the final comments on the Analyst Presentation in by sunday night so I may be working over lunch .
Actually , I think we are in pretty good shape so I will probably be doing lunch but just do n't be too mad if I have to cancel .
Ken
PS Your brother told me he went to 3 bowl games ( when I found out that two of them were the galleryfurniture.com bowl and that one in Shreveport ( I ca n't remember the name of it )) I realized he is a very , very sick college football fan .
Jeff , here is the intial draft .
Please leave as a word document and make any changes and additions that you think necessary .
I have n't even changed the wording after I first put it down .
Mike
Mark , I thought you would enjoy the comment about you .
m
Ken Rice@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS
01/19/2001 07:24 AM
Mike
I see that we are scheduled to have lunch today .
I may have to postpone again , I 'll let you know later this morning .
I am out all weekend and we have to have the final comments on the Analyst Presentation in by sunday night so I may be working over lunch .
Actually , I think we are in pretty good shape so I will probably be doing lunch but just do n't be too mad if I have to cancel .
Ken
PS Your brother told me he went to 3 bowl games ( when I found out that two of them were the galleryfurniture.com bowl and that one in Shreveport ( I ca n't remember the name of it )) I realized he is a very , very sick college football fan .
I will put this on our calendars .
Too bad you wo n't make the Compaq thing , but maybe next year .
San Antonio , wow what a let down from the other cities .
That will be a nice time of year though .
I can recommend some good restaurants since I took Ric there last year for his birthday .
We stayed at the Menger and had a great time .
Kay Mann@ENRON
09/20/2000 04:18 PM
This Friday - Michael goes for a visit at St. Francis , which may be his new school ( so far , so good ) .
I 'll be in around 1000
Most Fridays I 'm going to TRY to pick Michael up since I 'm away so much , which means leaving by 445 or so .
October 4 , ENA orientation in the am .
October 19 / 20 , Neil is out of town , so I have to pick Michael up from school ( leave at 430 )
October 26 / 27 , hope to be vacation time .
Neil has a meeting in San Antonio ( usually it is in Miami , San Francisco , Phoenix - not so great this year ) .
It is the officer 's meeting for Enterprise , and spouses are invited .
This means we wo n't be in town for the Compaq thing .
Figures , of course .
Thanks for asking .
I 'm watching for some good vacation days , also ...
fyi / review / comment
I have a couple of questions so I can wrap up the LOI :
We refer to licensed Fuel Cell Energy equipment .
Do we intend to reference a particular manufacturer , or should this be more generic ?
Do we want to attach a draft of the Development Agreement , and condition the final deal on agreeing to terms substantially the same as what 's in the draft ?
I have a concern that the Enron optionality bug could bite us on the backside with that one .
Do we expect to have ONE EPC contract , or several ?
I 'm looking for the confidentiality agreement , which may be in Bart 's files ( have n't checked closely yet ) .
If anyone has it handy , it could speed things up for me .
Thanks ,
Kay
Forget the ONE or more contract questions .
I see we expect to have separate contracts for each project .
I have a couple of questions so I can wrap up the LOI :
We refer to licensed Fuel Cell Energy equipment .
Do we intend to reference a particular manufacturer , or should this be more generic ?
Do we want to attach a draft of the Development Agreement , and condition the final deal on agreeing to terms substantially the same as what 's in the draft ?
I have a concern that the Enron optionality bug could bite us on the backside with that one .
Do we expect to have ONE EPC contract , or several ?
I 'm looking for the confidentiality agreement , which may be in Bart 's files ( have n't checked closely yet ) .
If anyone has it handy , it could speed things up for me .
Thanks ,
Kay
On the issue of the contracts , the draft says that the $ 170 m is paid when the EPC contract is signed .
Are we expecting that the portion attributable to each project will be paid as the individual EPC contracts are signed ?
Thanks ,
Kay
1 . The pricing that we have given CRRA is specific to FuelCell Energy and would not be meaningful without listing the manufacturer ( i.e. , ONSI would be a lot more money ) .
Hence , I think that we have to reference the manufacturer .
2 . The attachment of the Development Agreement is a Jeff question .
In order to mark any 2000 income , we will need to get CRRA to execute the Development Agreement in 2000 .
In my opinion , we should show CRRA a copy of the LOI with the assumption that the Development Agreement is attached .
I would actually send them the draft Development Agreement a couple days after the LOI .
Based on how CRRA reacts , I would make an ultimate determination if the agreement needs to be attached to the LOI .
3 . I expect at least one EPC contract per project .
We do n't want to condition the acceptance of one project on the performance of another project .
Performance tests will either be performed on a project basis or a unit by unit basis in a given project .
Remarkably clear explanation .
Sent by : Ben Jacoby@ECT
FYI , see below .
Mom 's birthday is tommorow .
What are we going to get her ?
Chris
That is some good stuff .
I hear you are coming our way soon .
Look forward to drinking a few beers .
Chris
Michael McDermott < Michael.McDermott@spectrongroup.com > on 06/01/2000 06:00:56 AM
Yo Mama `s so fat ....
Your mama is so fat : When she hauls ass she has to make two trips .
When she dances she makes the band skip .
When she was diagnosed with the flesh eating disease the doctor gave her 13 years to live .
She puts mayonnaise on aspirin . ( <- clearly the winner )
Her cereal bowl came with a lifeguard .
When she goes to the zoo the elephants throw her peanuts .
Her high school graduation picture was an aerial photograph .
Her driver `s license says " Picture continued on other side . "
She has to iron her pants on the driveway .
The back of her neck looks like a pack of hot dogs .
Yo mama `s so fat , all the restaurants in town have signs that say : " Maximum Occupancy : 240 Patrons OR Yo Mama " Yo mama `s so fat , when she ran away , they had to use all four sides of the milk carton .
Yo mama `s so fat , instead of Levis 501 jeans , she wears Levi`s 1002`s .
Yo mama `s so fat , when she gets in an elevator , it HAS to go down .
Yo mama `s so fat , she was born with a silver shovel in her mouth .
Yo mama `s so fat , she `s got smaller fat women orbiting around her .
Yo mama `s so fat , she could sell shade .
You will have to wait and see :-)
Done !
Expect a call from Paul tonight .
Chris
What are some good interview questions ?
Poll your co-workers .
cd
I told Paul that you called him yesterday so abruptly because you did n't want to waste his time while you got tests done for arthritis .
I told him I told you to call him back and at least hear what he has to say .
He said they are looking for people and based on what I told him an interview was a formality .
Chris
Is that Microwave that you gave Dan really expensive ?
All the guys at work are saying I should n't bother having it fixed I should just buy a new one .
Chris
Jai Hawker 974-6721
I wo n't forget about the $ .
Do I need to cross reference the deals in my model to the deals in the system or did you already do that ?
Chris
Kathy ,
Do n't take that deal out until I look at it .
I think it is mine but I forgot to write it in the blue FX book ( I only wrote it in my red book ) .
Thanx ,
Chris
Just a reminder to send me a currency report .
Thanx ,
Chris
Paul called me today .
He will be in Calgary in a couple of weeks and will interview you then .
Chris
You should reply ASAP .
Do n't make Peters and Co. wait .
Chris
I did n't get a chance to talk to Paul today .
Give him a call tommorow .
Chris
Will you please run a June NX3 / NX1 for our book .
Paul
How about meeting at 11:30 or 12 ?
I am in the office so give me a call .
CD 3-1663
The deed is done .
Chris
Find attached resume and cover letter .
Hopefully he did n't spel anyting incorrectly .
Dan is really smart and a hard worker .
I think he would be a good fit .
Give me a call Tuesday afternoon to discuss ( gone to Kelowna golfing for the weekend ) .
Cheers ,
Chris
I have n't had a chance to send it yet .
Paul is out of the office today so I have n't had a chance to talk to him .
I 'll send it as soon as you resond wether I should or not .
Chris
Are you guys still looking for an analyst ?
Should I send the resume to Dawn or you directly ?
Chris Enron Canada Corp. Suite 1100 , 70 York Street Toronto , Ontario M5J 1S9 416-865-3700
Paul DeVries - Director 416-865-3703
Jan Wilson - Manager 416-865-3704
Attached is a forecast for the rest of the summer for the X ( NWP and PGT ) .
We should try to have a conference call with the west desk to discuss as soon as we can .
Chris
See you there !
CD
Sushi tonight ?
Ryan Watt says high .
Chris
I will be able to attend .
Chris
Mike Jordan
26/09/2000 14:14
Fernley / Sally
Off and on ( with Jackie Gentle 's help ) I have pulled together a one page communication note on our fundamental operating standards ( itself a one page summary ) .
We are in the final stages of this process - where we draft a cover letter for John which will introduce this for inclusion within Globalflash ( the Enron Europe newsletter )
Have you any thoughts on draft or cover note ?
Mike
Late Jan sounds great .
Meagan does have a couple of big things on the weekend in January -- National Charity League Senior Presentation ( big dance that she and I are committed to help with ) , the Bearkadette Ball and a winter party for Cotillion .
I believe that these are three weekends in a row , January 6 , 13 and 20th .
So the last weekend in January would work well ( and I will need a rest from formal affairs ! ) .
Does that work for you ?
And do you want to do it on a Saturday or Sunday ?
Saturday probably works better for me , just so that I am back in Houston and doing laundry by Sunday afternoon !!
Hi ...
Talked to the little mother - to - be .
She said a shower would be grand .
She has some big presentation mid-January .
How does late January sound to you .
Should we set a date now ?
Am I turning into Mother ?
Cindy
I think that it is a great idea to get some press regarding our fundamental operating standards , but I wonder about the most appropriate timing , enough of a global message and the means of delivery .
On the means of delivery , I am not sure from your note whether or not I fully understand the intent .
Is there an article to be included in an Enron publication and in addition a letter to be sent under John 's name ( if so , to whom will the letter be sent ) ?
Or is the letter from John an introduction to be included as a lead in to the article ?
With regard to a global message , I think that one of the key points around fundamental operating standards are that they are intended to be global in nature , applied to every commodity and every location where we engage in trading activities .
With these operating standards implemented worldwide , we will know as operations professionals that risk is being mitigated and we will be able to ensure Enron top management that there is consistency in operating standards worldwide .
These global standards also should enable Enron to expand its business reach more quickly , with well defined requirements with regard to trading operations .
I am not sure from the article as written that the global nature of this effort comes across .
Finally , a question regarding timing .
The last I knew after you and Brent drafted this starting point for fundamental operating standards was that this was being circulated ( Shona took this to do after Brent 's return to Houston ) for comments to all business controllers .
I do n't believe that we are quite at the point that we can say that all business controllers worldwide have reviewed , understand and have implemented these standards .
And not to belittle the process of creating the standards , the tough part ( and the real meat behind this ) will be an effective exception report on a global basis against these standards .
My commitment to Rick Causey is that I will have that global report in production by the end of the year .
There is much work to do in defining the content and regularity of the report and even more work to do to identify reliable sources of data for compiling the report .
Shona has commissioned Mike Moscoso to work on this , and I believe that Mike has already been working with James New .
So I question whether or not you want to publish info about fundamental standards that we can not yet report against .
Would a more appropriate time be after the Global Operations Controller meeting in October when we should have worldwide buy - in and commitment to these standards and ( hopefully ) our first draft of a meaningful exception report ?
Sorry that this response looks so long .
I have been interrupted 20 times while responding , so I hope that it makes sense .
Thanks for sharing this with me .
Since you asked for input , I hope that you do n't mind that I gave you some .
-- Sally
David W Delainey@ECT
11/10/2000 01:04 PM
Steve , I noticed that our allocation from 2000 to 2001 is going up by 21 % year on year ( ie ) $ 13.9 M from $ 11.5 M .
We have been able to keep ENA 's direct group expenses flat year on year , we are trying hard to keep the corporate allocation flat year to year as well .
Do you have a view on how we might be able to achieve this goal ?
Regards
Delainey
Do n't worry about it ... sorry for putting you back on speaker .
I just wanted Sue to hear ( she enjoys utility bashing so much ) .
Thanks for the comment on the hearing .
In some respects I do n't think the first panel could have gone much better ; everyone thanked FERC for intervening ( though for different reasons ) .
The other staff reports are also looking good .
Scott Miller has been a godsend -- somebody not afraid to tell it like it is .
Jeff Dasovich
Sent by : Jeff Dasovich
11/10/2000 12:33 PM
I apologize if I offended anyone .
Please let them know that I was simply quoting the CEO of a large , regulated utility in California .
Thanks for attributing the quote to me .
You did a great job at the hearing ---- it went decidely downhill after you left .
Best ,
Jeff
Does she have any interest in meeting one - on - one or is she just looking for a public hanging ?
I remain convinced that if we can just get the facts in front of people they will modulate their approach .
Jeff Dasovich
Sent by : Jeff Dasovich
11/10/2000 12:21 PM
Given the short notice , we will politely decline to participate at the hearing on Monday , but will let the good Senator know that , in general , we intend to engage actively in the process and plan to help California find a solution that works for everybody .
Amen .
See below .
Can we get some help on the IBM issues ?
Erin Rice
11/10/2000 11:08 AM
Steve :
At this point , our IT contacts are backpedalling a bit and suggesting they can overcome the TIBCO and Terminal Server problems .
There are still four important issues , however :
IT still can not commit to transferring messages across domains .
This means that messages initiated at Corp and intended for the entire Enron organization will not reach any business units outside the Corp domain .
No messages will reach the EES organization unless IBM agrees not to use their proprietary message delivery tool , WebSphere , and will use WebLogic instead .
WebLogic is required by BackWeb , although it is designed by a separate company .
HR , intended to be a key user of this tool , will not use BackWeb because survey responses can not be made anonymous .
HR has already purchased a tool called CONFIRMIT that can execute anonymous surveys .
Messages will not be delivered simultaneously to all users in the same domain , nor will they be delivered for two to five hours after they are sent by the message administrator .
Another thing to consider is that these messages will be set to expire and disappear within a set period of time , meaning users can not retrieve them and read them later ( as they can with e-mail ) .
This means that I could be away from the office for several days and miss a message entirely , because it would have expired and disappeared by the time I returned .
The plain fact is that a few members of IT are pushing this initiative , but they lack commercial sponsorship .
They are hoping Corp will foot the bill for a pilot which will allow them to fully test this tool before implementing it company - wide .
Please let us know if you have additional questions .
- er
Steven J Kean
11/09/2000 11:35 AM
Do we have a sense for how many we can reach , how many we ca n't and where they are ?
Are whole offices ( eg Tokyo ) unreachable or is it only those who have home offices ?
Courtney Votaw
11/08/2000 11:02 AM
Mark and Steve -
Erin Rice and I would like to meet with you to discuss the issues concerning BackWeb before we proceed .
As you can see from the Design Document , they are pretty significant .
Thanks ,
Courtney
calendar
Paul Kaufman@ECT
Sent by : Lysa Akin@ECT
11/10/2000 05:59 PM
Paul Kaufman has asked me to set a conference call to review the FERC Meeting that was held Thursday , Nov. 9th .
Please be advised that I have set the call as follows :
Date : Monday , Nov. 13th
Time : 11:30 am / 1:30 pm Central / 2:30 pm Eastern
Call In # : 888-422-7132
Pin # : 411507
Pin # for Paul Kaufman ONLY : 362416
If you have any questions , please call 503/464-7927 .
Lysa Akin Ass't. to Paul Kaufman
it 's on tonight
it 's did you watch your girl on tv last night ?
the deal number is 814014 - why ca n't you see this ?
Did you do a deal with National Fuel Marketing purchasing 3,500 mmbtu on May 30th @ 2.975 ?
They are invoicing for this and I do n't have an invoice for it .
Can you give me the Sitara deal # ?
Thanks
Darla
Ok to book for me and my husband , Joseph .
I was issued a new corporate American Express card .
Same number with expiration date of 3/03 .
If you need any more info , please advise .
Otherwise , I will assume you will book the two tickets .
Thank you .
Actually - upon second look the deal number is 814014 - why ca n't you see this ?
Did you do a deal with National Fuel Marketing purchasing 3,500 mmbtu on May 30th @ 2.975 ?
They are invoicing for this and I do n't have an invoice for it .
Can you give me the Sitara deal # ?
Thanks
Darla
should be non bondad
Jane , on deal 763736 for May 01 sales to Southwest Gas , we have a pricing discrepancy .
Our system reflects SJ Bondad GDP but SWG is going to pay us based on SJ Non-Bondad GDP .
Can you please confirm which price is correct and make the change in Sitara if necessary ?
Thanks
Laurie Ellis Enron Net Works LLC Client Services Phone : ( 713 ) 345-9945 Fax : ( 713 ) 646-8420 Email : laurie.ellis@enron.com
Sorry about the flooding .
Hope you and your family survived ok .
Attached are the gas settlement and support for May .
The only difference we had was for package V02 .
Mark Anderson says that even though Bondad gas flowed , the price was Non-Bondad .
Have a great day .
Nancy
- ENRON.XLS << File : ENRON.XLS >>
- enrongss.xls << File : enrongss.xls >>
actually - for volumes flowing out of bondad - which is deal number 763736 price is bondad gda ; for blanco - deal number 759933 - price is nonbondad gda
Jane , on deal 763736 for May 01 sales to Southwest Gas , we have a pricing discrepancy .
Our system reflects SJ Bondad GDP but SWG is going to pay us based on SJ Non-Bondad GDP .
Can you please confirm which price is correct and make the change in Sitara if necessary ?
Thanks
Laurie Ellis Enron Net Works LLC Client Services Phone : ( 713 ) 345-9945 Fax : ( 713 ) 646-8420 Email : laurie.ellis@enron.com
Sorry about the flooding .
Hope you and your family survived ok .
Attached are the gas settlement and support for May .
The only difference we had was for package V02 .
Mark Anderson says that even though Bondad gas flowed , the price was Non-Bondad .
Have a great day .
Nancy
- ENRON.XLS << File : ENRON.XLS >>
- enrongss.xls << File : enrongss.xls >>
I talked with Mark at SW Gas - just honro his numbers
Nancy , can you please reconfirm with Mark the price for the gas at Bondad ?
My trader is supporting her price of SJ Bondad GDP rather than SJ Non-Bondad GDP .
Thanks
Laurie Ellis Enron Net Works LLC Client Services Phone : ( 713 ) 345-9945 Fax : ( 713 ) 646-8420 Email : laurie.ellis@enron.com
actually - for volumes flowing out of bondad - which is deal number 763736 price is bondad gda ; for blanco - deal number 759933 - price is nonbondad gda
Jane , on deal 763736 for May 01 sales to Southwest Gas , we have a pricing discrepancy .
Our system reflects SJ Bondad GDP but SWG is going to pay us based on SJ Non-Bondad GDP .
Can you please confirm which price is correct and make the change in Sitara if necessary ?
Thanks
Laurie Ellis Enron Net Works LLC Client Services Phone : ( 713 ) 345-9945 Fax : ( 713 ) 646-8420 Email : laurie.ellis@enron.com
Sorry about the flooding .
Hope you and your family survived ok .
Attached are the gas settlement and support for May .
The only difference we had was for package V02 .
Mark Anderson says that even though Bondad gas flowed , the price was Non-Bondad .
Have a great day .
Nancy
- ENRON.XLS << File : ENRON.XLS >>
- enrongss.xls << File : enrongss.xls >>
Please find enclosed EES 's request for Volumes for PGE CityGate delvery effective 11/1/01 :
See attached spreadsheet .
Please quote the Gas on an Indexed Basis .
If you have any questions or comments , please advise .
I have not had the patience to get it working - I will call you some evening and we can walk thru it .
How was your trip to Des Moines ?
Did dthat stuff form Joe help your car .
Hey Cester ,
When are we going to get NetMeeting going ?
How is Deb 's knee ?
Did she ever go to a real doctor ?
[ Tholt , Jane M. ]
Yes She is having physical theraphy 3 times a week .
She said it is getting better .
I have n't seen her for a couple of weeks and have only talked to her .
I will probably be calling you next week - the desk wants me to become more involved in regulatory updates so I will seek your assistance with this matter .
Jared just told me you have a BUNCH of stuff on your plate and I think you are about to get much busier too .
cool by me !
Jared , Ruth and I are going to go over all the Florida activity tomorrow morning .
If no one objects , I will be the lead coordinator on Florida starting tomorrow .
Yes maam , she 's UBS now .
She was just down here too .
Chris ,
I did n't remember if your email mentioned Judy .
Did she make it ?
Cindy Franklin Transportation Services Work : 832.676.3177 Fax : 832.676.1329 Pager : 1.888.509.3736
******************************************************************
This email and any files transmitted with it from the ElPaso Corporation are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed .
If you have received this email in error please notify the sender .
******************************************************************
Jared , Ruth and I are going to go over all the Florida activity tomorrow morning .
If no one objects , I will be the lead coordinator on Florida starting tomorrow .
OK , I never get to talk to Ruth because SHE IS ALWAYS ON THE PHONE .
And I bet she 's on the phone with Shemin too !!!
Should we all get together and make a conference call to Dominion like we did before or should I just call Jeff Davis myself ?
Our last call was Iris Kind , Bill Savier ( sp ? ) , and Jeff Davis .
Do n't forget about me .
I 'm still trying to find out what it will take to move gas on and ENA tabs agreement .
No transportation at this point , just a tabs .
Also , it will be much easier for you guys to monitor because most of the deals will be monthly .
Steve , everything looks good with one exception .
The rate schedule on Tennessee should be either NET - 2 or NET - 284 .
I wo n't find out until Monday .
You review and approve it , keep it on your desk , and I will come over and make the change at your desk on Monday .
Then I 'll take it to Ed for his approval .
By the way , Cullen and Dykman is sending copies of what we are doing to Melanie Gray .
Chris :
Per our conversation a few minutes ago , attached please find the revised Stipulation .
This document has been modified with the changes that were in the mark - up you faxed to Toni Donohue here a few hours ago .
I also deleted " subject to recall " based on our discussion , assuming you get approval for that revision .
You informed me that you would discuss this with your attorney .
Also , as I mentioned to you , we have faxed your mark - up to Melanie Gray at Weil Gotschal in Houston to keep her informed .
( Her voice mail says she 's out of the office until Monday . )
Thanks for all your help on this .
David T. Metcalfe Cullen and Dykman LLP 177 Montague Street Brooklyn , New York 11201 phone : 718-780-0046 fax : 718-780-0276 e-mail : dmetcalfe@cullenanddykman.com

This email may contain material that is confidential , privileged and / or attorney work product for the sole use of the intended recipient ( s ) .
Any review , reliance or distribution by others or forwarding without express permission is strictly prohibited .
If you are not the intended recipient , please contact the sender and delete all copies .
<< Stipulation -ECT-KEDNE re IGTS & Tennessee Cap Releases -FINAL.doc >>
<< BLACKLINE -Stip -ECT-KEDNE re Cap Releases -2-F.doc >>
- Stipulation -ECT-KEDNE re IGTS & Tennessee Cap Releases -FINAL.doc - BLACKLINE -Stip -ECT-KEDNE re Cap Releases -2-F.doc
A heartwarming story of the advances of women in achieving equality throughout the world .
Barbara Walters did a story on gender roles in Kuwait several years before the Gulf War .
She noted then that women customarily walked about 10 feet behind their husbands .
She returned to Kuwait recently and observed that the men now walked several yards behind their wives .
Ms. Walters approached one of the women and said , " This is marvelous .
Can you tell the free world just what enabled women here to achieve this reversal of roles ? "
Land mines , said the Kuwaiti woman .
Cullen and Dykman ( attorneys for Boston Gas Company ) approved all of our changes on the agreement to release the Tenn and Iroq space back to Boston Gas .
They also made one other change , they are taking out the " subject to recall " language at the bottom of page 2 under item # 1 .
They will be sending the revised document to me .
I will deliver it to you for your approval .
Maybe we can go drinking too .
That would be fun .
I 'll be at your house around 10:30 or 11 tonight .
YOU REALLY DO NOT HAVE TO GO .
I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT GOING ON WITH YOU AND THE LITTLE WOMAN .
I CAN HANDLE THE TRACTOR .
love TO HAVE YOU ALONG FOR THE COMPANY , BUT IT IS NOT NECESSARY .
YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOU PLATE , DAD .
Chris.Germany@enron.com on 01/25/2002 03:13:58 PM
Funny .
No .
I did n't feel guilty about the garage sale , that 's why I was annoyed - being notified at 10:00 at night GRRRRRRR .
I do feel guilty about you doing all this work .
So I 'm going with you , I pay for the gas and the twinkies .
Correction ,
Jack welch is the CEO of GE , not GM .
Vince Kaminski
The eThink Team
We recently asked you to create an eSpeak " wish list " for us .
The response was tremendous and , in some cases , very creative .
Your fellow employees asked for everyone from Britney Spears to George Bush .
In all , we received requests for 61 persons outside of Enron to host an eSpeak event .
We thought you might like to know who your colleagues find interesting , so we 've provided a sampling of the suggestions below .
Here are the top ten most requested eSpeakers .
10 . Jack Welch , CEO , General Motors
9 . Scott McNeally , CEO , Sun Microsystems
8 . Satisfied Enron Customers
7 . Stephen Covey , author , The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
6 . Oprah Winfrey , talkshow host
5 . General Colin Powell , former Chairman , Joint Chiefs of Staff , U.S.A .
4 . Alan Greenspan , Chairman , Federal Reserve , U.S.A .
3 . Former U.S. President George Bush
2 . Bill Gates , CEO , Microsoft
1 . Texas Governor George W. Bush
While we ca n't make any promises , we will do our best to bring in at least some of these special guests .
If you have any contacts who could help us get in touch with these guest speakers , please let us know at ethink@enron.com .
Everybody needs a little help now and then , even eSpeak .
There were plenty of internal speakers requested , as well .
Those requests should be somewhat easier to meet , although scheduling time with some of our colleagues can be quite a task !
Thank you all for your participation .
Dale ,
Confirmed .
Vince
Vince :
7 am at Hyatt Regency Downtown would be perfect .
I will see you in the lobby at 7 am .
Best regards ,
Dale
Dale ,
Friday is a bad day ( Performance Review Committee all day ) .
What about 7:00 at the office or breakfast meeting at 7:00 ?
We can meet at Hyatt Regency Downtown ( Smith Street ) .
Vince
Vince :
Can we get together Friday morning July 7 at 800 am at your office ?
That would be particularly convenient for me .
I will have to leave downtown at about 945 to catch a plane .
That will ensure that I wo nt take up too much of your time !!
Thanks for your efforts here , and thanks for being patient with me .
Dale Nesbitt
FYI
Vince sold !
I 'll initiate the call .
Ed ,
Thursday works for me .
What about 10:30 my time ?
Vince
Please respond to < ekrapels@esaibos.com >
how about Thursday , July 6 ?
Ed ,
A correction .
I shall spend an entire day at PRC ( performance review ) on Friday , July 7 .
Can we do on another day
Vince
Please respond to < ekrapels@esaibos.com >
I 'll still be here in Boston so we 'd do it over the phone .
OK ?
Ed ,
Will you be in Houston on that day or we shall do it over the phone ?
Vince
Please respond to < ekrapels@esaibos.com >
Vince ,
How about a pre-meeting web site cruise on Friday , July 7 at 11 AM EDT ?
Ed
Ed ,
July 12 , 2:30 it is .
I would like the pre-meeting site cruise .
How can we arrange it ?
Vince
Please respond to < ekrapels@esaibos.com >
Vince ,
We 're all set for 2:30 on July 12 .
How about a pre-meeting web site cruise on Friday , July 7 at 11 AM EDT ?
Ed
Ed ,
Wednesday , July 12 , 2:300 will work for me .
I shall be glad to review your website -- www.weathereffects.com .
I shall invite some people who work on electricity in my group to join me .
Vince
Please respond to < ekrapels@esaibos.com >
Vince ,
Good to hear from you and I 'm glad you 're available .
How is Wednesday at 2:30 ?
I did look at EOL and am not surprised to see its quality .
I was unable to say much about it in my Risk Electricity Hedging and Trading report because of deadline pressures .
How is the site doing ?
I am intrigued by the competition for trading platforms and was astonished to hear that Goldman , Morgan , BP and Shell were going to launch a site to compete with yours .
Talk about a shotgun marriage !
If we have time next week , I could step you through our website -- www.weathereffects.com .
I 'm very proud of what we 've done .
I ca n't give out a password yet but would be happy to walk through the site with you over the phone using my password .
It 's a very ambitious site -- with state - of - the - art WSI weather ( seasonal , 6 - 10 , and day to day ) driving a good load model for PJM and NEPOOL .
ESAI contributes oil and gas input price forecasts , capacity judgments , and " herding " ideas to develop power price forecasts for same time periods .
After one month 's full - bore effort , I 'm pleased with the results ( e.g. , we forecast Nepool onpeak to be $ 43 and it turned out $ 46 ) .
Have a great weekend .
Ed
Ed ,
I shall be available on both days .
What about Wednesday , July 12 , between 1:30 and 4:00 .
Please , let me know what time would work for you .
It will be nice to see you again .
Vince
P.S. By the way , did you have a chance to take a look at the EOL ?
Please respond to ekrapels@esaibos.com
Caroline Abramo@ENRON
03/02/2001 10:46 AM
what do you think ?
JoeLardy@cargill.com on 03/02/2001 10:39:03 AM
Currently Cargill and Enron have a 15 MM collateral threshold .
If possible , I think the cleanest way to run this biz would be to put a box around the prime broker biz .
We would still operate under the master isda but could set up a mutually agreeable credit support annex for this biz .
We would still keep the 20,000,000 line referenced in Schedule B of the POA agreement .
The line in the POA is a seperate and distinct measure from the daily collateral .
The 20 mill reflects gross exposure .
Let me know if you think this is reasonable and workable .
We too , are open to suggestion as the Global and Enron relationships are very important and a high priority to us .
Thanks
Joe
Joe -
a few things regading the POA / Cargill line ..
I am going to find out how much line we currently have available ... you probably already have this .
We should allocate a piece to Global which would solve the problem of other Cargill people using the line , putting us over the limit , without me knowing ...
We could change the language of the POA to this ...
we will not go over Global 's piece of the Cargill line ...
I think this would solve our main concern ...
Please let me know ... we are eager to keep trading with Global and yourselves ...
Regards ,
Caroline
Dee :
Let me know if we need to discuss anything .
I am hopeful that we are ready to prepare execution copies .
Regards .
Sara Shackleton
Susan Bailey
02/27/2001 08:23 AM
Dee ,
Attached for your review is a blacklined version of the : ( a ) Schedule and ( b ) Paragraph 13 to the ISDA Master Agreement .
These have been compared against the draft dated 11/8/2000 , and include ENA 's accepted changes per your ( a ) faxed comments transmitted to ENA on January 5 , 2001 , and ( b ) e-mail comments transmitted to ENA on January 19th , 2001 .
We look forward to your response .
Cordially ,
Susan S. Bailey
I do n't know anything about these transactions .
Sara Shackleton
Jorge A Garcia@ENRON
03/01/2001 01:35 PM
Good Afternoon Sara ,
I wanted to follow up with you regarding the creation and approval of ISDA Confirmations for the following equity trades that I understand Laurel had discussed with you previously .
1 ) Edison International - Swap with Enron Europe Ltd. ( 2 in total )
2 ) PG&E - Swap with Enron Europe Ltd. ( 3 in total )
Please advise .
Regards ,
Jorge

Floating Amount = ( Notional Quantity per Calculation Period X Floating Price ) - USD [ 38,000 ? ]
Sara Shackleton
Other Provisions : On each Payment Date , [ ENA ] shall pay [ a fee of ] [ an amount equal to ] USD { 38,000 ? ] , which amount shall be subject to the netting provisions of the [ Master Agreement - how do you refer to the agreement ? ]
Sara Shackleton
Sara Shackleton
03/02/2001 02:10 PM

Floating Amount = ( Notional Quantity per Calculation Period X Floating Price ) - USD [ 38,000 ? ]
Sara Shackleton
What person ( s ) in London prepares credit for the English and Singapore financial transactions ?
At some point in the not so distant future , the Houson and London credit departments need to speak in order that each understands the " philosophy " behind credit analysis for the omnibus and master transactions .
I look forward to hearing from you .
Regards .
Sara
ps Congrats on your promotion !
I did n't have a chance to speak with you after the offsite to shake your hand .
Hope you enjoyed your weekend in Houston .
looks fine
Sara Shackleton
Carlos Alatorre@ENRON
02/27/2001 06:07 PM
Sara :
We need to change the Prod Description fro the LME Product .
The change is mainly on the Settlement Date text , which instead of " ... Two business days after the date of the Transaction ... " shall read as follow :
For Curr LME LME ( Spot ) 01 Mar 01 JPY / USD
A currency Transaction with Enron Europe Finance & Trading Limited ( " EEFTL " ) as agent for Risk Management & Trading Corp. under which either ( A ) for the case in which Counterparty submits an offer to buy from EEFTL , Counterparty shall receive the Base Currency Amount and shall pay the Foreign Currency Amount , or ( B ) for the case in which Counterparty submits an offer to sell to EEFTL , Counterparty shall pay the Base Currency Amount and shall receive the Foreign Currency
Amount .
The Base Currency Amount shall equal the volume submitted by the Counterparty via the Website .
The Foreign Currency Amount shall equal the Base Currency Amount , multiplied by the daily London Metal Exchange ( LME ) fixing rate as published by Reuters on page MTLE on the date of the transaction , modified by the price submitted by the Counterparty via the Website .
The term of the Transaction shall correspond to the date ( s ) set forth in the Product description on the Website .
The Settlement date shall be the date ( s ) set forth in the Product description on the Website .
The price is quoted in JPY ( the ' Foreign Currency ' ) per US Dollar ( the ' Base Currency ' ) .
The unit of measure against which the price is quoted shall be US Dollars .
Please let me know your approval before we make any changes .
Thanks
Carlos
I need to have a form filled out that says I do n't have health insurance coverage through Enron .
Can you find out who I need to send it to in HR ?
Thanks ,
Kay
Your mom just called and said your dad 's surgery will be at 2:30 p.m .
Tuesday , March 20th .
They will be there by noon on the 20th , and the surgery will last 1.5 hours and then they 'll watch him for 2 more hours before they put him into ICU .
They are hoping he 'll only be in the hospital 48 hours .
Scott
Term sheet for draft contract , as requested .
I have a change in plans next week .
My dad is having surgery in Ft. Worth , so I will be heading that way on Monday .
I was planning to be on vacation anyway , but I may have some accessibility challenges in Ft. Worth which I would not have had otherwise .
I will manage client expectations accordingly .
Kay
I hope you do n't change your mind about going to the wedding Sunday .
I plan on taking Michael to the new Star Wars exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts .
They showed some kids on TV , and they were quite taken with it .
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This email is intended to be reviewed by only the individual or organization named above .
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If you have received this email in error , please immediately notify the sender by return email and delete this email from your system .
Thank You
Kay Mann
03/15/2001 04:03 PM
I have a change in plans next week .
My dad is having surgery in Ft. Worth , so I will be heading that way on Monday .
I was planning to be on vacation anyway , but I may have some accessibility challenges in Ft. Worth which I would not have had otherwise .
I will manage client expectations accordingly .
Kay
I 'm not planning to get involved since this is your deal .
Is that ok with you ?
Lorie Leigh @ ECT
03/15/2001 04:17 PM
Conference Plus will be hosting this call :
the date : Thursday , March 22nd , 2001
the number : 1-800-991-9019
the passcode : 6871082#
the time : 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CST
the place : EB 3143C
the subject : Turbine 1 and Turbine 2 Purchase Agreement
If you have any problems or questions , please feel free to call me at 713-853-1696 .
Thank you ,
Lorie Leigh
Yes , but this time it is his carotid artery - the one that transports blood to the brain .
Big deal kind a stuff .
I hope your dad 's surgery goes well !
Is this related to the problems he is having getting around ( circulatory ? ) ?
Kathleen
Kay Mann
03/15/2001 04:11 PM
Kay Mann
03/15/2001 04:03 PM
I have a change in plans next week .
My dad is having surgery in Ft. Worth , so I will be heading that way on Monday .
I was planning to be on vacation anyway , but I may have some accessibility challenges in Ft. Worth which I would not have had otherwise .
I will manage client expectations accordingly .
Kay
For better or worse , all the folks under the heading " Origination " and " Development " are ours , although Kathleen has a special role with Development .
Kay
FYI - See rows 49 - 53 ; columns E - J for our group .
Kathleen
Lorie Leigh @ ECT
03/15/2001 04:44 PM
I received a report from HR and it appears there is conflicting information regarding some of the titles for various employees .
Please verify that the titles are correct for everyone in your group .
The ones that I made changes to are in red .
Thanks ,
Paula .
I formatted the file so that it would print on one legal size sheet .
Please use this new file as opposed to the one I sent earlier .
Please review the attached org chart for March and submit any changes by noon tomorrow .
It is imperative that all of the information on the attached file is accurate , including titles , as this information is being given directly to John Lavorato and Louise Kitchen .
Thanks ,
Paula .
Here 's the version showing revisions .
Kay --
I finally got it to blackline correctly .
Here it is .
Also attached is a sample availability provision ( actually 2 different versions ) .
- redvepco.doc
- SAMPLE.DOC
Lorie Leigh @ ECT
03/15/2001 04:17 PM
Conference Plus will be hosting this call :
the date : Thursday , March 22nd , 2001
the number : 1-800-991-9019
the passcode : 6871082#
the time : 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM CST
the place : EB 3143C
the subject : Turbine 1 and Turbine 2 Purchase Agreement
If you have any problems or questions , please feel free to call me at 713-853-1696 .
Thank you ,
Lorie Leigh 46093
Kay Mann
02/13/2001 04:13 PM
Good afternoon ,
I 'm forwarding a revised development agreement term sheet , showing revisions from your original version .
We look forward to seeing you soon .
Thanks ,
Kay
Peggy Banczak is the ENA lawyer who handles Mexico .
John Schwartzenburg@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
03/16/2001 09:22 AM
I do not think the prior e-mail got through to Kay .
Are either of you familiar with this project ?
We have had no contact with the ENA / Enron Mexico commercial or legal people and I do n't want to bust any structuring goals .
Our project manager ( Scott Laidlaw ) and engineer ( Harry Okabayashi ) want to issue a tasking letter to procure engineering services on this project to support the ENA work .
I now understand that someone at ENA / Enron Mexico / Enron Wholesale has signed an EPC contract with ABB for this project .
I am not in the office today , so please include Renee Alfaro on your response .
JWVS
Hello Janice :
I enjoyed your recent e-mail but was sorry to hear about your dad .
It sounds as though his health has deteriorated significantly .
These are always difficult times .
As I watched my mother and father 's health deteriorate and ultimately watched them die , it is a very defining time in our lives .
But we can be very thankful to have such great parents and to have had the privilege to have been raised in such loving homes .
Sounds as though Eric has done very well as SMSU .
He is joining an excellent company .
I am also delighted to hear that he will continue his education working toward an MBA .
As we are living in an age where intellectual capital is so valuable , it is important for every young person to obtain the very best possible education they can .
As to our family , within the last ten days our youngest daughter Elizabeth was married to a young man from Buenos Aires , Argentina .
They met while they were both working on a project as lawyers in Buenos Aires .
They 're currently on their honeymoon but shortly after returning will be moving from Buenos Aires to Miami , Florida .
This past Thursday night our sixth grandchild was born .
It was born to our son David and his wife Courtney .
It was a 7 lb. , 10 oz. , 20 inch little boy .
So we now have three grandsons and three granddaughters ranging from about 2 years - 4 months down to a few days .
They are a great deal of fun .
We are doing quite well .
I am looking forward to seeing Ginger " Rees " Copeland when she comes to Houston .
I would be delighted to arrange tickets for you and your family should you ever have occasion to visit Houston .
I hope you have a great summer .
Thank you for your recent request for Mr. Lay to speak at your conference .
Unfortunately , do to Mr. Lay 's schedule he will not be able to participate .
Thank you again ,
Tori L. Wells Executive Secretary
Hi -
Just to let you know that it looks like one day will work .
I want to check with Mr. Lay before confirming .
Thanks .
Rosalee
Dear Ken ,
As you know , our next meeting is on Wednesday , July 12 from 3:00 - 5:30 p.m .
In the next week or so , we 'll be sending around a discussion paper which we hope crystallizes the issues , and we will try to talk to as many of you as possible before the meeting to go through it .
Meanwhile , Arthur Levitt has agreed to meet with us in September to brainstorm on the ideas we 've generated and also to give us a sense of some of the issues as he sees them .
There are three possible dates for the meeting , which I suggest be in two parts -- first , a meeting among the panel only from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. , and then a dinner with Chairman Levitt from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m .
Here are the dates :
Could you please let us know which of these would be possible for you :
Thursday , September 14 5:00 - 8:30 pm
Monday , September 25 5:00 - 8:30 pm
Wednesday , September 27 5:00 - 8:30 pm
Many thanks ,
Jeff Garten
Good morning , Kitty -
Ken Lay would like to have the Armada M306 series - " the first ultra portable notebook designed for the enterprise " .
Ken said to go ahead and equip it with what you think it should have .
Please let me know when he can expect to receive it .
Thanks , Kitty .
Rosalee
Here is the link to the latest commercial laptops on the market , I will follow up with the consumer models .
The M300 series are the lightest and the E500's are the all in one but much heavier .
http://www.compaq.com/products/notebooks/index.html
<< Compaq.com - notebook.url >>
- Compaq.com - notebook.url
Unfortunately , Mr. Lay will be in San Jose , CA participating in a conference , where he is a speaker , on June 14 .
Rosalee Fleming
RE : ???
June 14 Reception
Recently Charles Miller and David Dewhurst sent you an invitation to a reception which they are hosting on Wed. 6/14 at 5:00 PM to be held at the Houston Petroleum Club .
I hope that you will be able to attend that event .
Under the leadership of Governor Bush and others we have made real progress in Education in Texas over the past decade .?
Now it is time to take the next steps and achieve even greater progress in our public education system .
The Texas Education Reform Caucus is made up of business leaders , educators , and elected officials dedicated to finding common sense approaches to improving education in Texas .
I would appreciate the opportunity to visit with you on the 14th .
Kent Grusendorf
State Representative District 94
?
This is o.k. for Ken Lay , but we are changing to a more uniform address , so would likely be better to use kenneth.lay@enron.com .
This is a " test email send " of the WPO Forum Group from Richard Everett .
By return email , please verify that you received this message and let us know if there is another email address that you prefer us to use .
Thank you .
Joy Powell Executive Assistant to Richard Everett 713/871-5119
===================================================
NOTE : The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged .
If you are not the intended recipient , you must not read , use or disseminate the information .
Although this email and any attachments are believed to be free of any virus or other defect that might affect any computer system into which it is received and opened , it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it is virus free and no responsibility is accepted by Century Development or any of its affiliates for any loss or damage arising in any way from its use .
====================================================
Kenneth Lay has approved the attached expense report for Cindy Olson .
Hi Mr. Katsof -
I believe someone called about this today , but Mr. Lay asked me to let you know that these dates do n't work for him , either .
Sorry .
Rosalee
let me know if you have any interest in the Tco - Pool Leach swap for the winter .
I 'll take TCO pool at Index and sale Leach or Pool at Index - $ .04 .
I ca n't remember if you guys could do it or not .
Could you tell me what deal tickets you are seeing ?
Please check Tenn contract 36647 on the Demand speadsheet .
Sitara is n't matching the spreadsheet .
Thanks ,
Brenda
Pasquallie ,
- 5 for spelling ,
W. Don Germany , Jr PO Box 27 Cedar Lane , Texas 77415-0027
Actually it is not a new truck .
Had 33,000 miles , Ram 2500 3 / 4 ton , 4 x 4 , 360 Magnum Motor .
Infinity stereo , bucket seats , nerf bars , tool box , bed liner , camper tow package , 5 speed manual .
Oh , it is dueled out through one catalytic converter with Flow Masters to accent the sound .
Makes me want to race !!!
I believe the fuel consumption will be tolerable as well .
Now , Debbie wants it .
I gave $ 16,900 + tax .
It is very clean and is Sandalwood , Driftwood or something of that nature in color .
Almost silver .
I have to pick up old gray over at Jerry 's .
Debbie said , it is going to be hard on me to sale my old dodge truck .
I said Yep , had that truck longer than I have had most of my women .
I really need to engage brain before articulating !
I am doing dirt work and hope to plant ST Augustine Grass by Friday before rain .
One thing is for sure , the economy is not faltering on my account .
Dow Stock is back up over $ 33 .
Hooray , hoorah !
Needs to go to $ 41 and then I will be happy .
I spoke with Gerald and he said there are a bunch of folks hanging around Dad 's place .
We need to change the lock and place posted signs at the gate .
I may want to put some steers or heifers up there .
I am going up soon and having the tractor fixed .
Reggie said he will pay us soon .
He also still wants the tractor if we can hold on to it .
First come , first serve .
When is the wedding ?
We 're set for 11/01/01 .
Be sure to take your sweety out on the balcony tonight and gaze at the full moon .
It was sure beautiful coming up last night .
We used to go out and lay in the pasture on a blanket and watch for the space shuttle .
I had a couple of hickies on my neck the day after and the guys all wanted to know if those were shuttle burns .
Just jealous .
My kid is making wonderful grades and has reassured me she will graduate within the four year period .
She still has some sort of scholarship but I am not for sure how much it pays .
She is going to be a kinesiologist , sports injury therapist .
I think she just wants to be able to touch football players legs .
She will be 20 on 11/03 .
I am really proud of her .
Cindy said Jaime has grown up very much .
You should e mail her sometimes .
I am sure she would like to hear from you .
Jgerma5@aol.com .
At any rate , be careful and be safe .
You should have listened to Maw , as long as you keep your mouth shut and your pants zipped , you will be alright .
Shucks , guess none of us three paid much attention to that .
Oh , Jeff Sherrar has a new book out .
Rise to Rebellion .
There were some pretty cool dudes back around 1774 / 76 .
There will be two volumes to this saga .
I am half way through the first and you can borrow it when I am through .
I sure like his style of writing .
His books are always hard to put down .
After the split Dow Stock there are 120 shares .
Keep Your Powder Dry !
Yo ,
Bro
Dow
W. Don Germany , Jr. 2301 N Brazosport Blvd B 3611 , Investment Recovery Freeport , Texas 77541 Pager 1 800 451 0491 ( 0448 ) Office 979 238 2102 Home 979 548 7034
What 's happening ?
I understand you have a brand new truck .
Must be nice having money !!
I need 2 things from you .
1 . I found the title to the 4 wheeler and I was going to change it over to you name .
What do you think ?
If that 's ok , how do you want your name to show up on the title and what address should I use ?
2 . I 'm getting ready to divy up the Dow stock .
How many of Dad 's shares do you have ?
Last thing , send me a million dollars , I 'm tired of working .
I thought we only had cashout , at most 3 times , before this June .
I ca n't remember .
I do know that most of the time this plant was not buring like it did in July and August of this year .
I say we just keep the dough and go to Mexico .
Hey guys ,
Would you please ck the Oglethorpe deal from July 2000 - Dec 2000 ?
Is there supposed to be a cashout booked in Sitara for these months ?
Oglethorpe over paid their invoice every month .
I believe that Doug told me the extra was for the cashout that was not invoiced .
Thanks
Darla
I ca n't get through on the phones .
Please call me 713-853-4743
Hey Ernie .
I 'm checking my emails .
I assume you have your anwser and do n't need me .
Hi Chris ,
I sent this to Mary last week .
She may be out because in the past she always responds pretty quick .
I need the prices below .
Can you help out ?
Thanks ,
Ernie Simien
08/01/2001 09:14 AM
Sent by : Ernie Simien
Hi Mary ,
I need your help again .
I need prices for May , June , and July .
Thanks ,
Mary.Ellenberger@enron.com on 05/03/2001 04:06:52 PM
Please respond to Mary.Ellenberger@enron.com
cc :
Subject : Re : IF TGPL LA Z1
Jan 9.95 Feb 6.25 Mar 4.98 April 5.37
esimien@nisource.com on 05/03/2001 01:32:35 PM
Hi Mary ,
Please do me a favour and give me the subject price for Jan , Feb , Mar and Apr 2001 .
Thanks ,
Gregg Penman
10/23/2000 12:12 PM
Kay -
Can you please review this additional language to the risk management policy ( or circulate to Jeff Hodge ) ?
In light of the CA regarding curves , I am slightly concerned with a blanket statement essentially giving Peoples unlimited access to information .
I know that we address audit rights in the LLC agreement so this may not matter anyway if this is a right they already have .
Let me know what you think .
Thanks ,
Gregg
m.nordstrom@pecorp.com
10/20/2000 11:32 AM
Attached please find the latest enovate risk policy .
Our attorneys and internal audit area have made one language revision concerning Section XIII Audit Rights .
Mary << MEH-risk Oct 20 >>
- MEH-risk Oct 20.doc
I 'm still at home .
I 'll be in tomorrow .
I have a fax machine at home , though , if you prefer .
Otherwise , we can see who we can scare up at the office , or you can have Laura sign and I 'll initial later .
Which do you prefer ?
Kay
Are you in the office to initial signature pages today ?
If not , is there someone else that will ?
I know that Jeff is in Portland .
Gregg
Kay Mann
10/26/2000 11:07 AM
If Jeff is happy , I 'm happy .
Kay
Hello -
I spoke with Jeff Hodge yesterday regarding the additional language from Peoples regarding Audit Rights .
His initial reaction was that their request was probably reasonable and in line with the spirit of a jointly owned L.L.C .
However , he did suggest a couple slight revisions to protect Enron 's interests .
1 ) Highlighting that information will only be provided that is related to enovate and 2 ) that each designated representative should sign an appropriate confidentiality agreement .
This language has been included in the attached draft .
My goal , however optimistic , is to execute the risk policy by the end of today .
Activity is picking up dramatically and the fine line is getting further blurred each passing day .
Therefore , I need to know ASAP if there are any problems with the draft as written .
Otherwise , I will be sending it to Peoples as our final revision by mid morning .
Thanks for your prompt attention to this .
Thanks ,
Gregg
Gregg Penman
10/23/2000 12:12 PM
Kay -
Can you please review this additional language to the risk management policy ( or circulate to Jeff Hodge ) ?
In light of the CA regarding curves , I am slightly concerned with a blanket statement essentially giving Peoples unlimited access to information .
I know that we address audit rights in the LLC agreement so this may not matter anyway if this is a right they already have .
Let me know what you think .
Thanks ,
Gregg
m.nordstrom@pecorp.com
10/20/2000 11:32 AM
Attached please find the latest enovate risk policy .
Our attorneys and internal audit area have made one language revision concerning Section XIII Audit Rights .
Mary
<< MEH-risk Oct 20 >>
- MEH-risk Oct 20.doc
It is less complicated for me to initial and fax than to track down someone who does n't know anything about it and get them to initial it .
I can print it here , initial it , and fax it to whomever you want .
Plus , I work with Janet a lot so she may get some comfort from that , instead of having a lawyer she has n't dealt with initial it .
She is very conscientious about what she signs , and who initials what .
Is the attached form the final final form ?
Where and to whom do you want it faxed ?
Thanks ,
Kay
Since it will be Janet signing , it will probably be better to have the initials on the pages first .
Either fax or someone else works fine .
Let me know which is easier and we can coordinate .
Gregg
Kay Mann
10/26/2000 11:26 AM
I 'm still at home .
I 'll be in tomorrow .
I have a fax machine at home , though , if you prefer .
Otherwise , we can see who we can scare up at the office , or you can have Laura sign and I 'll initial later .
Which do you prefer ?
Kay
Are you in the office to initial signature pages today ?
If not , is there someone else that will ?
I know that Jeff is in Portland .
Gregg
Kay Mann
10/26/2000 11:07 AM
If Jeff is happy , I 'm happy .
Kay
Hello -
I spoke with Jeff Hodge yesterday regarding the additional language from Peoples regarding Audit Rights .
His initial reaction was that their request was probably reasonable and in line with the spirit of a jointly owned L.L.C .
However , he did suggest a couple slight revisions to protect Enron 's interests .
1 ) Highlighting that information will only be provided that is related to enovate and 2 ) that each designated representative should sign an appropriate confidentiality agreement .
This language has been included in the attached draft .
My goal , however optimistic , is to execute the risk policy by the end of today .
Activity is picking up dramatically and the fine line is getting further blurred each passing day .
Therefore , I need to know ASAP if there are any problems with the draft as written .
Otherwise , I will be sending it to Peoples as our final revision by mid morning .
Thanks for your prompt attention to this .
Thanks ,
Gregg
Gregg Penman
10/23/2000 12:12 PM
Kay -
Can you please review this additional language to the risk management policy ( or circulate to Jeff Hodge ) ?
In light of the CA regarding curves , I am slightly concerned with a blanket statement essentially giving Peoples unlimited access to information .
I know that we address audit rights in the LLC agreement so this may not matter anyway if this is a right they already have .
Let me know what you think .
Thanks ,
Gregg
m.nordstrom@pecorp.com
10/20/2000 11:32 AM
Attached please find the latest enovate risk policy .
Our attorneys and internal audit area have made one language revision concerning Section XIII Audit Rights .
Mary
<< MEH-risk Oct 20 >>
- MEH-risk Oct 20.doc
I 'm working on it now .
Maybe we ( Enron ) could review it tomorrow morning , then send it to FCE .
I can meet around 10:00 .
That way , we can get it to them in time for weekend review .
Does that work ?
Kay
It was good to hear from you !
We had a nice Thanksgiving here too .
It 's funny , because usually it 's just me , Mom , Craig and Danelia , and Danelia does n't really like roasted turkey or roast beef ( not that she would say it to me ! ) , so there is not just the same joy in cooking it would be elsewise .
It was good having the girls down .
We played a new version of Uno called " African Uno " that was complex , fast and at times , physically challenging .
It 's not for the meek .
It was incredible what a good player Alena was .
She had her cards memorized as well as everyone else s ( when you play you 'll see why you can know everyone else s hands ! ) .
I expect Craig did n't want Mom to see his place because it was messy .
I think compared to my house , he 's embarrased about his apartment .
Then , also , he 's got so much stuff in there right now , that I do n't know how he 's going to fit baby stuff .
They would only give him a 6 month lease when he renewed his lease last month because they do n't want 3 people in that small apartment .
So he 's going to have to start looking for another place .
And his apartment is so run down down I 'm afraid roaches might be crawling over the baby .
I guess Mom is going to come back down sometime in March or April to see the new baby .
You 'll have to come visit to check out my new house .
The upstairs " guest suite " is pretty neat .
It 's got its own bathroom and tv , and is pretty cozy .
As far as the call with Uncle Ben goes , if he was thrilled to hear from me I could n't tell by his voice .
It was a pretty stilted conversation for both of us .
But , I guess , it 's a start ...
I 've already made my XMAS plans .
I leave the evening of the 21st , my flight comes in about 10 pm , and leave the morning of the 27th at 6 am .
It 's good chatting with you .
Keep in touch !
Kyle.Jones@radianz.com
11/29/2000 05:07 PM
Tana ,
I do n't understand , what do you mean by " log in an email " ?
Anyway , I got you message , and I got the World Series thing ( although I had already received
Chris and Ben did a marvelous job for Thanksgiving , I can testify that it was one of the best Thanksgiv8ing Dinners I 've ever had ( I not gon na tell them that , I do n't want them getting swell heads ) .
Ma said she had a great time in Houston , She was happy to see yourself , as well as C & D .
I think she likes her special room in your house .
You r gon na be the first to see the new baby ( woud n't it be wierd if the baby gets botn on Jan 5th ? )
Why did n't Craig show Ma his appartment ?
What do you think about your phone ocnversation with Unlce Ben ( he was almost shocked ) ?
Are you coming for Xmas ?
Got ta go for now .
Love ya .
Kyle
====================================================
( Harrison ) Kyle Jones Technical Solutions Engineer
====================================================
Radianz 1251 Avenue of the Americas 7th Floor New York , NY 10016 USA Phone : +1 ( 212 ) 899-4425 Fax : +1 ( 212 ) 899-4310 Cell : +1 ( 917 ) 859-7187 Email : kyle.jones@radianz.com
====================================================
See our web page at " http://www.radianz.com
====================================================
|--------+-----------------------> | | Tana.Jones@en | | | ron.com | | | | | | 11/29/2000 | | | 04:34 PM | | | | |--------+----------------------->
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | |
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Hey , Mr. Computer , you ca n't log an email in to your sister ?!
Kyle.Jones@ra
Return Receipt
Your World Series in Question document : was received Kyle Jones / US / AMERICAS / Equant by : at : 01:00:51 PM Today
You can take my assistant Taffy Milligan off these emails again .
Thanks !
Adnan Patel@ENRON
11/29/2000 04:49 PM
Attached are the GCP Signoffs on EOL Approvals for 11/29/00 with GCP responses marked in Red .
Adnan Patel
Bradley Diebner@ECT
11/29/2000 04:31 PM
Regards ,
bd
Attached is the referenced agreement .
Let me know if the notice information is OK with you .
If so , I 'll get it signed by Craig Breslau today , then bring it to you for countersignature .
Thinking about that , what 's your title ?
I 'm not sure you have the authority to sign documents w/o special authority ...
No , it does not mean that .
Adding all the Enron " Specified Entities " would only make a default under a financial transaction with those other Enron entities a default under this agreement .
Our concern is that we do n't want any trading related defaults to ever trigger a default under a loan transaction which has a swap as a component .
Richard Sage
11/30/2000 10:52 AM
If you do add all the entities , does that mean that we would not need to put in place a separate agreement for ECCL ?
With respect to Deutsche Bank ( "" DB " ) , we have one credit issue remaining , DB would like us to add all the Enron trading entities DB trades with as Specified Entities under the ISDA Master Agreement and we are somewhat hesitant to do so , as this could potentially roll up swaps under structured loan transactions into a default under the ISDA Agreement .
Sara and Bill Bradford in Credit are supposed to talk to the DB Credit people about this remaining issue .
With respect to First Union National Bank , the draft we were working from was so old that they agreed to look at our current form of agreement which was sent to them on 11/8/00 for review .
Sara is working on that with Susan Bailey , another paralegal in our Group .
Denis O'Connell
11/22/2000 06:05 AM
Tana -
can you please give me an update on where you are in the negotiations of the ISDA with the following counterparties and confirm which Enron entity you are negotiating on behalf of .
Tks ,
Denis
First Union National Bank
Deutsched Bank AG
I spoke to Mark Taylor about your signing authority , and he agrees that you do not have the authority to execute documents on your own , but as long as you are only co-signing documents signed by an authorized officer as a control measure we 're OK .
Susan , Joe ,
The referenced TAGG # was entered as a ' New Counterparty ' , can you please let me know what counterparty this is so we can correctly assess the counterparty exposure .
Thank you ,
Russell
Hey there yourself ,
Sorry I have n't written you guys in a while to keep you properly updated .
I am indeed checking on flights to Seoul and do n't think I 'm going to go at exactly the same time as my parents .
As much fun as they are , I figured we would probably do some different things than what you have planned for them .
As for Ted , things are still going well although I have n't see him at all this week ( we are two very busy people ) .
But , we had a great laid back day last Saturday and I think have hit that comfortable stage ... you know , not quite so formal about dates etc .
In one sense it 's great , but it also makes things a lot harder to read .
Anyway , I 'm sure my Mom told you guys but Travis and Kathy got to meet him and I think it went well .
Hopefully , if we 're still dating come December , you and Chuck can meet him when you come back to visit .
I 'm planning on dragging him to at least one of the U.T. games , I just have to find out when he wants to go ( as well as properly prepare him for the Scott / Kelley / Parks / Wild Card gang and the full - day affair that is a U.T. game ) .
Things in Houston are good and definitely warm .
I went with Emily and her Mom last night to see the musical " Rent " and it was wonderful .
Also , I 'm going out to San Diego for the Labor Day weekend to visit Hoot 's daughter Julie .
Needless to say I am very excited .
Talk to you guys soon ,
Susan
Hey girlie ,
How are you doing ?
Have n't heard from you in a while .
A little birdie told me that you were checking into tickets for Seoul .
Are you really ?
Would you come with your parents or separately ?
In any case , we have had some more time to do some exploring ( and shopping ) , so we have some good ideas about what to do if you come .
I think that we will stay in Korea when your parents come and do the whole base thing ( which will take only a few minutes , actually ) , but are considering going to China or somewhere during part of Thanksgiving .
We 'll do whatever you want want if you still are coming !
Let us know the latest with Ted and also with what 's going on in Houston .
Take care ,
Chris

Do You Yahoo! ?
Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger .
http://im.yahoo.com/
Hey Tonto ( a.k.a - the trusty , but silent , side - kick to the Lone Ranger or in this case the Big D )
The play was very good and I think well received .
I 'd forgotten how blown away I was by some of the songs the first time I saw it in NY .
The cast members really have to have incredibly powerful voices to pull off a few of the most poignant numbers ( I think this could be your true calling ) .
I caught the third day of Corey 's Jeopardy run last night here at the office ( yes , I had to come back after the play ... I love my job ! ) .
Anyway , I 'm sure I 'd mentioned it before but yes she is a very smart girl .
As a result of that , she has managed on several occasions over the years to detract from my enjoyment of playing Trivial Pursuit or watching Jeopardy by absolutely obliterating me ( The girl actually did her senior thesis on Trivia ) .
Kori told me she saw you last night at Steak Night and introduced herself since I failed to do so the last time we went .
I should let you know though that she was very offended this morning that you did n't spell her name right in the email - I mean it 's such a common spelling .
So was Darren there last night to meet her or do you just think they 'd make a good match ?
She 's a very fun girl .
Hope you day is going well and that the move to 30 went off without a hitch .
Good luck with all of the " fun " meetings .
Shorty
-- Due to the lack of response yesterday , I 'm beginning to worry about your success with the road test ...
I 'm going to assume that you did n't get around to it .
Ted Noble
08/17/2000 10:05 AM
How was the play ?
I forgot to tell you that I saw your friend on a re-run Jeopardy the other night and I almost called you but it came on at 11:30 .
Smart girl .
I ran into Corey last night at LW s and I am thinking this is a girl for Darren .
Anyway , lots of fun meetings today .
I 'll talk to you later .
Maybe you should ignore the sentiment of the quote I sent earlier ...
I think you may be adhering to it too faithfully .
At this rate we may have to start pinning notes to your shirt to remind you to do things .
However , having driven with you on several occasions I feel confident you will be able to pass the test with flying colors .
Keep in mind though that if you end up failing I will not let you forget it ( and , as we have established , I have the memory of an elephant ) .
I 'll keep discussion of me to a minimum and just say that things are well on 32 .
Now back to what 's really important ... you .
Thought you 'd like to know that the Dixie Chicks are coming back to Houston Dec. 12 and will performing just down the street from you at the Compaq Center ... it 's all about you and your needs .
Ted Noble
08/16/2000 10:56 AM
AAAAAGGGHHHHHH ...
I just found out that I need to take the TX driver s exam both written and on the rode .
This is a two day process and all because I let my CA license expire .
I know I need some of your organizational skills .
I may try to run out and take the test this afternoon while I get moved to 30 ( I better not fail it ) .
How 's life on 32 today -- well that 's enough about you let 's talk more about me .
There is no pleasure in having nothing to do ; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it .
- Mary Little
Bob Bowen
07/14/2000 03:58 PM
Note that the No " Out " version requires us to pay the premium on Tuesday !
GILBERGD@sullcrom.com
07/14/2000 02:18 PM
As we discussed , the following is revised disclosure regarding direct access to deal with the cost issue :
EnronOnline will assist users , upon request , in arranging for the connection of " T1 " lines or other means of direct access to EnronOnline , as an alternative to internet access .
Direct access connections might enable users to access EnronOnline more quickly than is currently possible through internet access .
Please call if you want to discuss .
Have a good weekend .
This e-mail is sent by a law firm and contains information that may be privileged and confidential .
If you are not the intended recipient , please delete the e-mail and notify us immediately .
The least we can do is pass this news along .
Is there anyone else we should tell ?
Ted Bockius < Ted.Bockius@ivita.com >
07/17/2000 02:21 PM
fyi ... it sound like Bobby is in serious condition .
Thanks ,
Sharon
I think they 'll send us another update once he 's out of emergency and into a room .?
Then it 's real easy to call Ben Taub to find out a room number .? The address is below .?
It does n't sound like he can receive visitors yet .
A .
Thanks for the heads up .?
Do you know the address to send cards ??
Do you know if Bobby can see visitors ??
Some of the folks here would like to know .
Thanks ,
Sharon
Thought you might like to know .
Amy Cornell Compaq CPCG Marketing P : 281-518-9526 F : 281-518-1081 amy.cornell@compaq.com < mailto:amy.cornell@compaq.com < mailto:amy.cornell@compaq.com > >
Jann , phoned this morning and asked me to pass this information to the group , concerning Bobby Riggins .
Bobby is a member of a bicycle team , while cycling this weekend , he and other members of his team were injured by a truck .?
There was one death in the injured group and the others with major injuries .?
Bobby is one of those with major injuries .?
He is currently in the emergency room at Ben Taub Hospital .?
Ben Taub hospital is located at 1504 Taub Loop , Houston , Texas , phone number : 713-793-2000 .?
He can not accept calls , visits or flowers at this time , since he is in the emergency room .?
An update will be e-mailed , as soon as one is available .
Keep Bobby , his team members and their families in your prayers .
Rosario Gonzales Administrative Assistant ESSG CCA-15 , 150301 , 153B09 281-514-3183 rosario.gonzales@compaq.com < mailto:rosario.gonzales@compaq.com < mailto:rosario.gonzales@compaq.com > >
I think it 's a good idea since the provisional application is on file - Travis is the internal lawyer who has taken care of the patent application so he will have better ideas for where the words should be placed and appropriate look and feel ( I would guess near the copyright notice and roughly equivalent size ) .
David Forster@ENRON
07/17/2000 06:15 PM
Mark ,
We are thinking of adding a Patent Pending message to key EnronOnline pages ( like the homepage ) .
Can you offer comments / concerns / guidelines ?
Dave
Does it make sense for us to set up a meeting with you participating from Buenos Aires ?
I 'm not sure we have much to tell them at this stage - actually , I 'm sure I do n't have anything new to report but if you do that would be fine with me .
Patrick Hansen@ENRON
07/17/2000 04:28 PM
Michael and myself are planing to be in Hoston on Thursday and Friday of this week .
We intend to see as many people as possible regarding EOL implementation .
We will meet Dave Forster and his team among others .
We would like to fit a meeting with you as a group or individually .
Please let me know about your availability and if it is possible to meet with more than one of you in one place .
Thank you
FYI
David Forster@ENRON
07/17/2000 02:34 PM
Further background :
Argentina intend to press ahead even given the concern about taxes , etc .
They wish to launch on Sept. 1 - meaning we will need to be sending mailings sometime around mid-August .
Dave
Leonardo Pacheco
07/17/2000 08:50 AM
Mark ,
Just wanted to know were we stand on the ETA and PA for Argentina ?
Thanks for your help !
Leonardo Pacheco ext. 39938
If you need more , there is a proposal from the documentation committee for a new alternative for calculating termination amounts ( we heard about it in Amsterdam ) that I think will be particularly attractive to the energy markets .
I do n't know where this stands officially ( I have n't heard any developments since Amsterdam ) but I can find out from Bob Pickle if you want .
Mark E Haedicke
07/18/2000 08:58 AM
We should include ISDA energy definitions , CFTC matters re energy and an overview of power deregulation developments in North America .
I might also add a few items about international developments and the EEI physical power trading form .
I am thinking 4 slides at the most .
Is that what you want ?
Mark
Current Plan :
Days away : Sept. 21 through Oct. 3 ( assuming you work on the day we leave and go back to work the day after we return )
9 work days
Wed. Sept. 20 - Leave Houston around 6:00 pm
Thur. Sept. 21 - Arrv. London early a.m. , transfer to flight to Nice
- Arrv. Nice around noon ?
rent car & drive to first hotel ( less than 1 hour away ) ; collapse
Fri. Sept. 22 - Stay in same hotel , visit Monaco , Nice ?
Sat. Sept. 23 - Drive to St. Tropez - through Nice , Cannes & other coastal towns , check - in mid afternoon
Sun. Sept. 24 - St. Tropez
Mon. Sept. 25 - St. Tropez
Tue. Sept. 26 - Drive to Nice , return car , fly to Paris
Wed. Sept. 27 - Paris
Thur. Sept. 28 - Paris ( Versailles or Fontainbleu - half day side trip )
Fri. Sept. 29 - Paris ( Giverny - Monet 's gardens - 3 / 4 day side trip )
Sat. Sept. 30 - Paris
Sun. Oct. 1 - Paris to London in afternoon - probably by Eurostar train - ( arrv. London late afternoon )
Mon. Oct. 2 - London ( meetings for CLH )
Tues. Oct. 3 - Fly London to Houston ( lv. around noon , arrv. around 4:30 pm )
To make matters even more confusing , there are two Mark Taylors .
I believe the message you forwarded to me belongs to the Mark Taylor at EI ( based in London ) .
Unfortunately , I ca n't forward your message to him directly ( there seems to be a problem with the attachment ) .
If you still have it , can you send it to him at " Mark EI.London Taylor " ?
I will take care of it .
Thanks for the reminder .
Ladies ,
Enclosed is a worksheet for Ineos Acrylics .
Ineos is an English company which has a majority of its operations in the US .
Note that the credit thresholds are in US $ , but the MACS are designated in British Pounds .
Please send the draft to Troy Black and he will forward to the CP .
Please deliver a copy to me as well .
Have a great weekend .
Max
<< File : Ineos.xls >>
Robbi :
I left you a voice mail on Friday .
I looked at the UEComm Master and had some comments -- such as our name is wrong , the cross default threshold for us should be US $ and not AUD , and there were a few other questions I had .
Marie
Hi ,
Attached are Uecomm 's final comments to the Master Agreement .
John Suttle has OK'd Anthony 's latest request w / r. t. the CSA .
Could you please send an executable version of the contract to Fred , David , John and me tomorrow ?
If they 're OK with it , we 'd like to execute it as soon as possible unless there are any objections .
Thanks
Pat
Pat ,
Please find attached the Enron Master Agreement .
I have inserted the company details of Uecomm as requested .
I have also amended the timeframes in the Credit Support Annex to 10 days instead of 2 days .
( Clauses 2 & 3 ) .
I have tracked all changes for ease of reference .
If these amendmnets are agreeable to you can you please print and arrange for execution .
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to give me a call .
Regards ,
Anthony Sill Legal Counsel Uecomm Limited 126 Trenerry Crescent Abbotsford , VIC 3067 . Ph. ( 03 ) 9221 4101 Fax. ( 03 ) 9221 4193 Mob. 0417 575 920
<< Enron - UC Master Agreement - 0308.doc >>
Turn up your sound a bit .
Reminder :
Conference Call with ConEd at 1:00 today in Sara 's office - EB 3801A .
Nick :
Attached for your further handling is the draft form Deemed ISDA between ENA and Ispat Mexicana S.A. de C.V .
Please note that the economic provisions have been omitted .
Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything else .
Marie x33907
Tana :
Here 's info on the Elliotts .
Marie
CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!
We 've been asking everyday if anyone had heard if the " Babies Elliott " had arrived .
Glad to hear that they are all healthy and were a good size , and that Mom is doing well .
Look forward to seeing pictures of the little ones .
I know you all are going to have so much fun with them .
Hope you 've been storing up sleep , cause it looks like you wo n't be getting much for a while .
Again , congratulations .
These three little ones do n't realize how lucky they are to have such a nice Dad , but I 'm sure they 'll find out soon .
Take care
Marie
Ladies and gentlemen ,
This is just to let you know that Emma gave birth at week 34 on Friday , 6th July , to our triplets :
Benjamin James - at 12.45 pm - 3 lbs 4 ozs
Toby William - 12.46 pm - 4 lbs
Hannah May - 12.48 pm - 3 lbs 15 ozs .
Although small , they are all " fully functioning " and very well - they are in the lowest level of special care ( and they will probably be in there for another two to four weeks ) until they can feed properly and maintain their weights .
Emma is fine , too - very well !!
All the best and kind regards
Mark
OOPS !
Attached are the fax cover pages for each of the Nylon and Polykron Deemed ISDAs I just sent you .
Marie
Rebecca :
I am attaching a clean and blacklined version of the proposed resolutions authorizing the opening of brokerage accounts .
I have attempted to revise them to make them clearer .
Perhaps Jim Armogida can assist in revising them as I am sure he is more familiar with the way Enron Corp. likes their resolutions drafted than we are .
Let me know if you have any questions or need anything else .
Marie x33907
Turn up your sound a bit .
Hi , Liz :
Thanks !
Marie
Marie Heard Senior Legal Specialist
Ms. Marquez :
I am following up regarding the status of our comments to the form of guaranty for Pemex that you provided to Lucy Ortiz .
Please do not hesitate to contact either Francisco Pinto - Leite or me with any questions or comments .
We look forward to hearing your comments .
Marie Heard Senior Legal Specialist
Ms. Marquez :
Attached are an original and blacklined copy of your form of guaranty , which reflect our comments .
Please do not hesitate to contact either Francisco Pinto - Leite , Senior Counsel ( 713/345-7942 ; francisco.pinto.leite@enron.com ) or me with any questions or comments .
Thank you for your assistance .
Marie Heard Senior Legal Specialist
Tanya :
I received this draft from Niagara Mohawk Marketing , Inc. for our review .
Will you pass along to the appropriate person ?
Thanks !
Marie
Marie -
per our conversation yesterday afternoon , attached are proposed drafts of the Schedule and the Para. 13 relative to the above .
Having spoken with Dennis Goldmann , I am advised that there are currently 2 Guaranties in place in the sum of $ 8 M each : one by Niagara Mohawk Holdings Inc f / b / o Enron , and one by Enron Inc. f / b / o Niagara Mohawk Energy Marketing .
I am told that our respective credit departments want to raise the credit lines to $ 10 M for each party , but to effect that we will have to modify the existing Guaranties accordingly .
Let me know if this is your understanding , as well .
After you have had the chance to review the attached , please send me a marked - up draft and we can discuss our concerns from there .
Should you have any questions , feel free to call me .
I can be reached at 315-460-3344 .
Any credit concerns can be discussed with Dennis Goldmann , who can be reached at 315-460-3349 .
I look forward to hearing from you .
Patty Snyder
( See attached file : ENRON - SCHEDULE ( nmemdrft8-7-01 ) .doc ) ( See attached file : ENRON - Para13 ( nmemdrft8-7-01 ) .doc )
- ENRON - SCHEDULE ( nmemdrft8-7-01 ) .doc
- ENRON - Para13 ( nmemdrft8-7-01 ) .doc
Hi Marie
Did you get a chance to find those GTC's for ENA that you can forward this way ?
Thanks , I know you are busy .
Tracy
Jeff :
Attached are the draft Schedule to the ISDA Master Agreement , together with Paragraph 13 to the ISDA Credit Support Annex .
I am putting the credit worksheet on the fax machine to you as soon as I send this message .
Let me know if you have any questions or need anything else .
Marie x33907
Hi everyone ,
I just got of the phone with Hai and he told me how to make an adjustment on a day to day basis in regards to incorrect liquidations but he also explained this is just to make the daily P&L #'s right , if nothing were done the month end P&L would still somehow work out because adjustments would be made .
Does this mean that for June and for a certain portion of July we should not do anything and just make adjustments on a going forward basis ( and assume everything will work out at month end ) ?
If this is the case I would like someone to walk me through June to see if the numbers did really work themselves out as there was a large swing in second order on June 29 that was not adjusted for .
Let me know if one of you could help me do this .
Karim .
Evidently , this a problem that Stacey White has been aware of for a couple of months now .
There was a change made in the coding for the delta position and this has somehow messed up the liq value .
John
John , Karim ,
I 'm now looking closely at the option liquidation problems .
I believe that there might be a sign - flipping problem for PUTS that 's causing this whole issue .
I 'll keep you posted .
Karim - this 's likely the explanation to your other question ...
I 'll get back to you as soon as I have more info ( hopefully later today )
Marcelo L. Meira Sr IT Developer Enron Networks - Houston , TX ( 713 ) 345-3436
The post id I am looking at for Calgary is 11608 .
I am looking at the option liquidation report and all of the $ 65 puts are in the money and the $ 75 call is also in the money .
Should n't all the liquidation values from the beginning of the month be a negative ( representing positive liquidation ) for the puts ?
The liq value for the call is CORRECT .
John
Karim ,
I do n't want to wait till month end , let 's adjust the numbers now and for the June 29 2nd order , let s take that value into June since it relates to July puts .
Hi everyone ,
I just got of the phone with Hai and he told me how to make an adjustment on a day to day basis in regards to incorrect liquidations but he also explained this is just to make the daily P&L #'s right , if nothing were done the month end P&L would still somehow work out because adjustments would be made .
Does this mean that for June and for a certain portion of July we should not do anything and just make adjustments on a going forward basis ( and assume everything will work out at month end ) ?
If this is the case I would like someone to walk me through June to see if the numbers did really work themselves out as there was a large swing in second order on June 29 that was not adjusted for .
Let me know if one of you could help me do this .
Karim .
Evidently , this a problem that Stacey White has been aware of for a couple of months now .
There was a change made in the coding for the delta position and this has somehow messed up the liq value .
John
John , Karim ,
I 'm now looking closely at the option liquidation problems .
I believe that there might be a sign - flipping problem for PUTS that 's causing this whole issue .
I 'll keep you posted .
Karim - this 's likely the explanation to your other question ...
I 'll get back to you as soon as I have more info ( hopefully later today )
Marcelo L. Meira Sr IT Developer Enron Networks - Houston , TX ( 713 ) 345-3436
The post id I am looking at for Calgary is 11608 .
I am looking at the option liquidation report and all of the $ 65 puts are in the money and the $ 75 call is also in the money .
Should n't all the liquidation values from the beginning of the month be a negative ( representing positive liquidation ) for the puts ?
The liq value for the call is CORRECT .
John
unable to attend at that time due to a prior appointment , I can meet with you individually later some time
OK , now that I 've got your attention - I really am offering free lunch !
I would like to informally get together with you on Wednesday , July 18 at 11:45 am - 1:00 pm ( max ) to talk about your recruiting experience with Enron Canada .
We 're gearing up for our 2001 / 02 recruiting campaign and we think your experience will help us define what works best and what can be improved in our process .
For those of you in Toronto , I apologize for not being able to schedule this over your lunch time !
However , if you can wait til 2:00 pm to eat , go ahead and grab something and expense it !
We 'll hook you guys in by videoconference .
I 've booked Videoconference Room # 1 .
Please let me know whether or not you can attend so I can order enough food .
Thanks !!
should be ok
Kindly confirm your availability to attend an Analyst and Associate Recruiting Meeting scheduled for Thursday , July 26th at 2:00 p.m. ( 4:00 p.m. Toronto time ) .
This meeting should not take more than one hour .
The Toronto office will be video conferenced in .
Regards ,
Nella
Let s try before Fri , as I am planning to take that day off
Attached is the revised draft paper that reflects our conference call with Bob Fagan earlier this week .
I propose we have a conference call with Bob Fagan on Fri July 20 at 1:00 pm Calgary time to discuss any areas of concern / confusion you may have .
Also , would those of you who have not responded to me via email confirming your acceptance of the terms upon which our four companies have agreed to assume cost responsibility for the TCA work on this .
Attached is the letter I originally sent to you on May 10 in this regard .
<< File : Tabors Conflict Letter Alberta Export 050901.doc >>
Regards ,
Rob
Rob ,
This draft reflects the changes we discussed during our call the other day .
I 've also included a redlined draft showing changes .
Regards ,
Bob
<< Alberta Transmission Access and Pricing Analysis0712 .doc >>
<< Alberta Transmission Access and Pricing Analysis0712 redlined .doc >>
- Alberta Transmission Access and Pricing Analysis0712 .doc << File : Alberta Transmission Access and Pricing Analysis0712 .doc >>
- Alberta Transmission Access and Pricing Analysis0712 redlined .doc << File : Alberta Transmission Access and Pricing Analysis0712 redlined .doc >>
NO
Hi John ,
With reference to Article 5 , section 5.1 ( b ) , are we going to propose an alternative planned outage to TAU for next year ?
Thanks ,
Mike
Katie Kaplan < kaplan@iepa.com >
10/27/2000 06:20 PM
Please respond to kaplan
Greetings :
IEP will be hosting a dinner for California Governor Gray Davis on Thursday , December 7 , 2000 at the historic Julia Morgan House in Sacramento .
We will be targeting to raise at least $ 100,000 so company contributions will range from $ 10,000 - $ 20,000 per person ( $ 10 k minimum per person ) depending on the number of respondents .
We have already received firm commitments from 3 companies .
If you are interested in attending please e-mail me as soon as possible .
A formal invitation will follow to those who respond .
We need responses or direction by no later than COB on Monday , October 30 , 2000 .
Please contact me with any questions .
Thank you ,
Katie Kaplan Manager of Policy IEP ( 916 ) 448-9499
Congratulations .
Everyone is extremely pleased that you 're joining .
Best of luck and very much looking forward to working together .
Best ,
Jeff
I 'll believe it when I see it .
Seems like a good idea to keep the heat on Hoecker & Co. right up until Nov. 1 .
Thanks .
I 'm glad they want to follow - up with Steve ( I 've been pushing it ) and I 've got some follow - up as well based on chats I had in the afternoon on Friday with folks post-call .
Let 's regroup on Monday .
I 'll be in Portland but can call you .
Best ,
Jeff
Jeremy Meier < jermeier@earthlink.net >
10/29/2000 11:48 AM
Jeff :
FYI , we had an instructive rest of the conference call on Friday with Sue and Robbie et al .
They indicated they could use Steve 's help face to face at some point .
We are following up with Sue and Robbie on a couple legal issues , case law and MSA self - certification language , and let me know if you have additional items .
We await approval on the final tariff language and can then file at the CPUC .
Let me know what schedule works for you .
Also , can you confirm the correct names , email addresses , titles for those new folks on Friday 's call : Robbie Rossi , Michelle , Melissa Lloyd ?
Thanks .
Jeremy Meier Blumenfeld & Cohen
Attached for your review are draft talking points for the Cal Energy Markets conference I 'm speaking at on Thursday in SF .
All comments , suggestions , etc. are appreciated .
Thanks .
Yes , I would like to participate .
Thanks .
thanks a million .
talk to you then .
Lara Leibman@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS
10/31/2000 03:48 PM
Here 's the info for calling in -- thanks !
Lara
Angie Buis
10/31/00 02:17 PM
The call - in number and instructions for the 11/2 8:30 a.m. meeting are as follows :
Everyone will dial the toll free number 1-877-331-6867 .
All the outside participants will be prompted to enter their access code , which is 600-480 .
Wayne , your access code ( room 4434 ) after dialing the toll free number will be 857-771 .
I have asked for 4 outside ports and should anyone else need to join in , they may do so with the access code and without operator assistance .
The duration of the call is 3.5 hours .
The call will terminate once everyone has hung up .
Please let me know if any of you need additional information .
Thanks .
Angie Buis EBS - Tax x-37097
Attached for your review are copies of the settlement documents that were filed today in the Gas Industry Restructuring / Natural Gas Strategy proceeding , including the Motion for Approval of the Comprehensive Settlement that is supported by thirty signatories to the Comprehensive Settlement , the Comprehensive Settlement document itself , and the various appendices to the settlement .?
Because a number of the declarations and signature pages are not yet available electronically , they have not been included with this note .?
Hard copies of the Comprehensive Settlement , including all declarations and signature pages , are being shipped tonight via US mail to all parties on the service list .?
Additional printed copies should be available within the next day or so and I will make them available to all of you - just let me know how many copies you need .
I would like to thank all of the parties who participated in this settlement process .?
You have all devoted considerable time , resources and spirit in the preparation of this document - and it shows .?
We now have a settlement before the Commission that includes ratepayer advocates , commercial and industrial customers , electric generators , marketers , shippers , independent storage providers ,? gas suppliers ,? producers , utilities , aggregators , pipeline companies , wholesale customers , municipalities , and retail mass marketers , among others .?
While we should be proud of our accomplishment , we now must turn to the task of getting our testimony ready by May 5 deadline .?
Assignments have already been made and I will schedule a conference call later this week to discuss related details .?
So much for resting on our laurels .?
Once again , thank you all for an outstanding accomplishment .
<< ld2d-#69366-1.DOC >> << ld2d-#69345-1.DOC >> ? << ld2d-#69397-1.DOC >> << ld2d-#69396-1.DOC >> << ld2d-#69377-1.XLS >> << ld2d-#69381-1.DOC >> << ld2d-#69366-1.DOC >> <<
ld2d-#69336-1.XLS >> << Primary Rights 4-12 .doc >> << ld2d-#69334-1.DOC >> << ld2d-#69345-1.DOC >>
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- ld2d-#69345-1.DOC
- ld2d-#69397-1.DOC
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- ld2d-#69377-1.XLS
- ld2d-#69381-1.DOC
- ld2d-#69366-1.DOC
- ld2d-#69336-1.XLS
- Primary Rights 4-12 .doc
- ld2d-#69334-1.DOC
- ld2d-#69345-1.DOC
Severin Borenstein
E.T. Grether Professor of Business Administration and Public Policy Director Haas School of Business U.C. Energy Institute University of California 2539 Channing Way Berkeley , CA 94720-1900 Berkeley , CA 94720-5180 ( p ) 510-642-3689 ( p ) 510-642-5145 ( f ) 707-885-2508 http://www.ucei.berkeley.edu/ucei Email : borenste@haas.berkeley.edu WWW : http://haas.berkeley.edu/~borenste
Attached is a rough draft of my talking points for a panel I 'll be on at a CEM conference in SF on Thursday afternoon .
Have distributed to Western GA team ( plus Steffes ) for comment and thought you may have some , too .
Topic for panel , " PUC Priorities . "
Goal is to ( politely ? ) refute Loretta Lynch 's and Carl Woods ' continued assertions that 1 ) California 's move to deregulate was based solely on ideology with no basis in fact and 2 ) the solution is to turn back the clock to command - and - control regulation .
The FERC order tomorrow is likely to alter the points somewhat .
Comments are much appreciated .
Best ,
Jeff
Chris :
As we discussed yesterday , Laird and I spoke and we think that the presentation is good to go for Thursday .
We 'll need to update the numbers for the offer we made to S.D. last week .
You had mentioned that you might want to include a shaped product .
You still considering it ?
Let us know and we can add it , and make any other changes you 'd like to make at this end .
My flight gets into S.D. at at 8:35 on southwest .
Best ,
Jeff
Sandi sez it 's actually happening at 10 AM and it 's renewable - focused .
David Forster
03/08/2000 09:45 AM
Fyi
Dear Justin
Marly asked me to respond to you .
As you know , the suffix ONLINE is purely descriptive and now used by many companies .
Therefore , any trade mark registration that incorporates the word ONLINE as a suffix in the way that you use it will not enable its owner to prevent others from using the word ONLINE .
Given the above , if you have adequate protection for the word ENRON ( which covers the services that you offer on - line as well as your core activities ) , I 'd say that another application for the words ENRON ONLINE is probably unnecessary .
However , if you use a particular logo for the on - line service , that should be registered .
I hope the above is clear .
Jonathan Day
Marly ,
If you could respond to me on this request , thanks
Justin
Paul Goddard
08/03/2000 11:35
Can one of you give me a quick call to discuss .
I 'm @ X37047 .
Thanks .
I believe we are to some extent already protected with " Enron " proceeded with anything , but EnronOnline ( TM ) , etc. just affords us more protection .
I assume this is akin to why McDonald 's trademarks " Mc " Everything ?
David Forster
08/03/2000 01:50
Paul ,
Can you please give me a call to discuss trademarking ?
i.e. Are we covered if we proceed a word with " Enron " ?
e.g. : EnronEAuction .
If we are covered , then was it necessary to register EnronOnline ?
Thanks ,
Dave

This message is confidential .
It may also be privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity or other legal rules .
If you have received it by mistake please let us know by reply and then delete it from your system ; you should not copy the message or disclose its contents to anyone .

Per my conversation with Edmund this morning , we are moving the following countries to the non-approved list : Austria , Belgium , Croatia , Czech Republic , Denmark , Poland , Portugal , Romania , Singapore , and Slovenia .
Below is the list , now updated to reflect this change .
Jurisdictions which are are approved to trade credit derivatives : Finland , Germany , Norway , Sweden , Switzerland , the U.K , and the U.S. .
Jurisdictions which are not approved to trade credit derivatives include : Austria , Belgium , Canada , Croatia , Czech Republic , Denmark , France , Gibraltar , Ireland , Italy , Poland , Portugal , Romania , Scotland , Singapore , Slovenia , Spain , and The Netherlands .
For banks incorporated in a non-approved jurisdiction , it may be possible for them to trade out of a branch located in an approved jurisdiction ( i.e. U.S. and U.K. branches ) .
This would have to be determined on a case by case basis .
Please let me know if there are any changes to this list .
Sent by : Nella Cappelletto
Yes , we should add compliance with OTC Derivatives and / or Commodity Contracts and Qualified Party requirements of the Securities Act ( Alberta ) , Securities Act ( British Columbia ) and Securities Act ( Ontario ) .
Thanks ,
Peter
With regard to our annual review of this list of laws we need to comply with , do we not want to add the Canadian provinces new " eligible swap participant " equivalant rules ?
Molly Harris
03/08/2000 05:37 PM
Please find attached Credit 's EOL responses for 3/8/00 .
Regards
Molly
You are the best !
Why does it always have to be my deals ...?!!!
We 've received a personal invitation to a NYMEX Crawfish Boil on April 3 at 5:00 at Garden in the Heights at 3926 Feagan .
The cause of this celebration is the 10th anniversary of the Nat Gas futures contract .
It would be nice if Shankman and John Arnold could attend .
Perhaps you can give them a personal invitation ...
We have received the amendment to the BC Gas ISDA Master executed by BC Gas , which adds the Canadian Securities Representation , so we do n't have to add the rep into every confirm .
BC Gas wo n't sign the confirms with the rep in , and this has caused much difficulties .
I am going to count it as signed , since BC Gas has signed , but we still need it to be signed by ECC .
Can you get it signed ASAP and back to me .
Much thanks .
We have received the executed Amendment to the Subscription Agreement with WeatherTrade , Inc. dated March 2 , 2000 .
This Amendment amends the Transaction Fee referenced in subparagraph ( c ) of the Fee Schedule to the Subscription Agreement .
Copies will be distributed .
Updating another blue file because Susan B. , this time , has not updated it to reference mergers & name changes !
It appears you missed some cpys on the referenced list because Tom had the freeze panel button on , and you probably did n't see them at first .
I did n't either until I clicked on the down button and they popped up .
When you have a minute , I 'll give me a call and I 'll come around and show you how to unfreeze the panel .
I spoke to Edmund to get the scoop on what we are going to be doing on the confirms for Credit Derivatives , and he said that his current understanding is that all of the confirms will be done out of London .
I communicated that to Bob Bowen .
He also said that London was going to be hiring 120 people to deal with the Credit Derivatives business .
Wow !
Carol , will you handle this or Mark ?
Tori Kuykendall
03/09/2000 03:51 PM
hi mark -
i 'm a gas trader on the west desk and one of my customers had some issues with our electronic trading agreement .
the company is Arco Products , adn their comments are on the attached file .
could you take a look at this and give me an update .
thanks .
Torrey , as promised I have attached ARCO 's suggested revisions to the Enron online trading agreement .
I look forward to working toward a mutually satisfactory agreement in this new and thorny area of e-commerce contracting .
Dave
( See attached file : ETArevision0307.doc )
- ETArevision0307.doc
We have received the executed First Amendment to ISDA Master Agreement dated as of December 1 , 1999 .
This amendment adds the British Columbia Securities Act representation to the master .
Copies will be distributed .
Confirmation Desk : you can stop adding the rep to the confirms now .
Molly Harris
03/09/2000 05:39 PM
Please find attached Credit 's EOL responses for 3/9/00 .
Regards ,
Molly
Here 's the list with the missing counterparties .
Molly Harris
03/08/2000 05:37 PM
Please find attached Credit 's EOL responses for 3/8/00 .
Regards
Molly
Yeah !
Probably ...
I just got a call from Dave and Frank and they tell me I have a whole week this time to approve the whole counterparty list to trade Australian financial power .
I 'll need to talk to you about his Monday .
Hey guys , take Monday off !
Molly Harris
03/10/2000 04:28 PM
Please note Credit has no EOL responses for 3/10/00 .
Regards
Molly
Mike Jordan
04/04/2001 09:27 AM
Please find attached the most recent update for Merchanting Metals .
In summary the planned systems changes and manual substantiation efforts are behind schedule .
Additional resources are being allocated and the situation is being closely monitored ( both for quarter end signoff and on going operations ) .
Please contact me if you require any additional information
Mike
Mike Jordan
03/04/2001 16:29
The intention of the efforts and actions documented in my earlier update ( see attached email ) was to provide a robust position signoff process for total metal tonnage , spread and brand and location a timely substantiation of stock on balance sheet forward MTM debtors and creditor balances OBSF transactional values and a reconciliation of the barclays intercompany account
Despite the best efforts of IT , continuing problems with the AS400 application , a better understanding of the inconsistency between stock reconciliation reports , and concerns over the useability of the outright stock screen enquiry are such that I am currently not confident of delivering sufficient accurate information to AA to satisfy their audit requirements - which at a macro level is the transparent audit trail between stock and forward positions to full accounting values .
Consequently I need to inform you of , and / or require your approval for , the following :
I will discuss with AA the following
that OBSF values within the extended trial balance may be misstated due to data issues ( above and beyond existing conversations with AA on model simplifications )
that there are reconciling differences between trader position analyses , AS400 on screen enquiries and the formal global position report ( these differences are at present not understood but would need to be provided to AA within the audit timetable )
an outline of the internal balance sheet review process described in my earlier note which must now be reprioritised and rescoped ( see MO work )
The creation of an incentive payment pool ( possibly via personal best awards ) for key Metals staff who continue to work exceptionally unsociable hours to meet the above stated objectives
The signoff for additional permanent ' Enron ' headcount who will ' duplicate ' certain key position control processes ultimately replacing some existing Traffic staff
A reconciling difference of $ 15 mm exists between the reported DPR and the final accounting p&l as generated on the AS400 .
We will continue to investigate potential misstatements in the system p&l , as a result of data or system valuation problems , within the month end reporting timeframe .
However , this difference may need to be adjusted for following a final review and signoff of system p&l values with traders .
The recall of all OBSF stock in early April and retention on balance sheet ( reduced where economically viable ) until positions are fully reconciled and repeatable daily signoff process can be instigated .
Middle Office work being prioritised is as follows
the stock circularisation initiated for close of business 23rd - with full reconciliation of returns to current system data by traffic / co-ordination an audit of the stock and forward valuation report for the 30th ( replacing planned 23rd review due to system issues ) , requiring full download of contract detail for later reference
reconciliation of stock movements between 23rd and 30th sample tests of vanilla forward transactions
detailed position analysis of all OBSF contracts that must be reconciled to Barclays documentation
spreadsheet recalculation of OBSF option premium utilising the above manually created position analysis
the circularisation of Barclays intercompany account and comparison to our cut off and substantiation analysis
the debtors / creditors partial circularisation initiated for close of business 23rd
I will be in touch directly re the items needing approval
Regards
Mike
Mike Jordan
21/03/2001 18:20
Several related issues have resulted in an increase in the level of operating risk for the Merchanting Metals business .
Complexities surrounding the operation of the Off Balance Sheet Facility ( " OBSF " ) which commenced two weeks before the year end .
The uncertainty generated by the revocation of AA 's signoff for the facility late in the year end audit .
The discovery of a number of ' bugs ' within the AS400 Merchanting code , arising from the release of OBSF designed functionality , which compounded the operational burden of supporting the OBSF .
The requirement to amend the operational process and OBSF IT code as a result of the current renegotiation of the OBSF with Barclays ( and AA ) .
The senior IT developer for Merchanting has resigned and been sent on gardening leave .
The Corporate requirement to lower working capital usage for the Merchanting business irrespective of the above parochial business issues .
Various mitigating actions have been and will be taken to provide focus , gain comfort over control levels and to provide assurance to senior management as to the accuracy of the Q1 DPR and business balance sheet .
The implementation for SAP for the Merchanting business has been delayed and effectively decoupled from the higher risk ( higher benefit ) Brokerage implementation - benefit is to provide sole focus on OBSF for IT Merchanting developers .
The AR / AP SAP data quality reviews for both businesses are continuing so as to provide a detailed analysis as at end Q1 .
Middle Office have instigated a new daily working capital report process tracking cash settlement / funding data to working capital components for all Metals businesses .
An enhanced position signoff process will be implemented prior to end Q1 covering gross tonnage , spread positions and summarised analyses for brand and locations .
The necessary report functionality should be available within the AS400 , however contingencies have been initiated to build tactical VBA / excel reports outside of the AS400 but using AS400 data downloads .
User requests for additional AS400 functionality and reports have been aggressively prioritised and a code freeze will commence prior to the end of Q1 following the delivery of three reports determined as minimum requirements for the support of OBSF .
A resubstantiation of the full Q1 DPR will be completed by the Risk control staff reconciling the full trial balances between Q1 open and Q1 close
A full internal balance sheet review will be completed within the Q1 audit timetable which incorporates
A full circularisation of inventory balances , and matching to source documentation within Enron
Inspection of certain of the above inventory balances , by third party inspectors , where there is an expectation that circularisation replies will not be received on a timely basis
Substantive checks back to source contract documentation for the forward priced and unpriced positions report ( spot checking the key position report signed off by the traders )
Full reconciliation and recalculation of OBSF option premium values
Full reconciliation of contracts within the OBSF to Barclays documentation ( thereby substantiating existence of stock that we have option to purchase ) and to AS400 Barclays account
A risk based debtors review - matching to source documentation , where applicable , and any subsequent post quarter end cash movements
A full substantiation of creditors to internal ( contract commitments ) or external documentation ( invoices / request for payment )
A full reconciliation of intercompany accounts
A full substantive reconciliation of cash and funding accounts
I intend to provide weekly updates on the status of the above actions during April
If you have any questions please call me on x34703
Regards
Mike
Dr. Harris :
I would like to thank you for personally taking the time to closely review my application .
Though I am disappointed with the results I am still determined to attend The TEXAS Graduate School of Business next year .
I understand how competitive the process has become , but I felt that with my work experiences , recommendations , personality , extracurricular activities , etc. that this would compensate for my disability .
After talking with Professors Titman , Ronn , Brown and Jemison , I was sure that the School was the right place to get the education I was looking for .
I am still certain that the School is the best place for getting a great graduate - level education , so I want you to know that I am going to do whatever it takes to get in next year .
I plan on taking two or three graduate level finance courses at the University of Houston this Summer and Fall to demonstrate to the Admissions committee that I can compete at the graduate level .
I also plan on retaking the GMAT test .
Due to my disability , this will be a monumental task ; but I am determined to prove to the Committee that I can be successful at The TEXAS Graduate School of Business .
I would like to come down to Austin this spring to meet with you to further discuss my application file and to personally meet you .
If you think of anything else I can do to strengthen my overall application file for next year , please let me know .
Take care and hope to hear from you soon .
Sincerely ,
Ben Rogers
Professor Ronn :
I would like to thank you for taking the time to recommend me to the MBA Program .
In the end , the results were not favorable .
I understand that it is a competitive process , but I felt that with my work experiences , recommendations , extracurricular activities , etc. , that this would help my chances and possibly compensate for my disability .
After talking with you and Professors Titman , Brown and Jemison , I was sure that UT was the right place to continue learning about energy - finance .
I am still sure that UT is the place for getting an excellent graduate - level education , so I want you to know that I am going to do whatever it takes to get in next year .
I plan on taking two or three graduate level finance courses at the University of Houston this Summer and Fall to demonstrate to the Admissions office that I can compete at this level .
I also plan on trying to retake the GMAT test .
Due to my disability , this will be a monumental task , but I am determined to prove to the Admissions commitee that I can excel with the work at The Texas University Graduate School of Business .
Thanks again for taking the time to listen and talk with me .
It has been a pleasure meeting you and I hope we can continue to talk about energy and finance in the future .
Also , if you can think of anything else I can do to strengthen my overall application file for next year , please let me know .
Take care and hope to hear from you soon .
Sincerely ,
Ben Rogers
Professor Titman :
I would like to thank you for taking the time to recommend me to the MBA Program .
In the end , the results were not favorable .
I understand that it is a competitive process , but I felt that with my work experiences , recommendations , extrcurricular activities , etc. , that this would help my chances and possibly compensate my disability .
After talking with you and Professors Ronn , Brown and Jemison , I was sure that UT was the right place to continue learning about energy - finance .
I am still sure that UT is the place for getting an excellent graduate - level education , so I want you to know that I am going to do what ever it takes to get in next year .
I plan on taking a couple of graduate level finance courses at the University of Houston this Summer and Fall to demonstrate to the Admissions office that I can compete at this level .
I also plan on trying to retake the GMAT test .
Due to my disability , this will be a monumental task , but I am determined to prove to the Admissions committment that I can do the work at The Texas University Graduate School of Business .
Also , I would like to continue our dialague regarding creating an Energy - Finance Private Equity Fund at UT .
I know that with my industry - wide and investment banking contacts that I can help raise capital for the fund .
I am very interested in energy - finance and think that your idea is a very good .
Thanks again for taking the time to listen and talk with me .
It has been a pleasure to meet with you and I hope we can continue to talk about energy and finance in the future .
Also , if you think of anything else I can do to strengthen my overall application file for next year , please let me know .
Take care and hope to hear from you soon .
Sincerely ,
Ben Rogers
Let me know if you have any questions .
Thanks
Ben
Sorry about that , I was working on the Teco O&M costs .
Thanks
Ben
Please send me an excel spreadsheet which depicts the value that you see associated with the heat rate spread option .
I want to make sure that I understand exactly how you propose valuing the transaction and how this value would be booked .
As such , please provide the following detail :
Will we be valuing / booking a series of monthly call options or a series of daily call options ?
What power curve are we valuing the deal against - PJM East or West Hub ?
Please send me the current fuel curve that you are converting to $ / MWh to value the deal ?
What volatilities are you using to value the options - monthly volatilities or intra-day volatilities or a blend of the two ( if blending please show me what formula you using to blend the two vols ) ?
What expiration date are you using , i.e. : for monthly call options the 15th of the relevant month , and for daily options ?
What correlation are you assuming , 15 % flat for twenty years ?
Are you deducting all operating expenses from the value of the option ?
Are you using the " SPRDOPT " Exotic Options function to value the option ?
Are you using the $ / MWh VOM dollar amount as your strike ?
Has Don provided the fixed payment stream ?
This stream should be covering both P&I and not just principal .
Yvan , and Ben , please provide answers to these question via written correspondence so that their is limited probability of misunderstanding .
Thank you both very much for your time and help thus far .
Furthermore , I would like to reiterate that RAC 's goal , prior to quoting any credit reserve , is to be 100 % confident that : ( i ) the methodology that is being employed is consistent among the internal groups ; and ( ii ) the inherent value of the price risk management contracts matches .
This enables RAC to manage the associated risk during the life of the transaction both effectively and appropriately .
Regards ,
Christopher
Randy , this is the issue I left you the voice mail on .
Article 6 of the Gallup Compression Services Agreement ( which I am sending to you separately ) with ECS obligates ECS to " work in good faith with CDEC " to establish an automated system that would automatically have alerted us to peak loading conditions on CDEC 's system .
We had a pretty good idea when we signed the contract that ECS would not be able to complete that by the contract start date , so we negotiated a fall back plan under which ECS is obligated to " assist [ Transwestern ] in developing a manual system to accomplish the same result and will hold harmless and keep [ Transwestern ] whole for all cost and expenses " associated with the manual system .
We will fight with them about who owes the $ 200 k that James mentions below based on their failure to " assist " us in managing the cost .
In the mean time , we need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to get a handle on the situation to mitigate future costs .
Do we have someone who is watching this out there ?
We are running so full tilt on TW that we may not have as much flexibiltiy to manage this situation as we expected , but let me know what we can do .
James had heard that one hold up was the absence of a confidentiality agreement -- I guess between ECS and Transwestern -- that would permit ECS to communicate to us the details on how to access teh key info. from CDEC .
That sounds like a BS excuse from ECS , but it that 's what they are saying , let me know and we can figure out a solution .
Thanks .
DF
James Centilli
12/14/2000 02:49 PM
Would you please contact Gerald Nemec and review the Gallup Compression Service Contract in respect to the Load Control Management .
My understanding was that ECS was to provide a means to access CDEC 's online profile in order for us to make a decision to avoid running the compressor during CDEC 's peak load periods .
We have not received access to this information which has resulted so far in additional electric cost of $ 200,987.33 for the period of July through September .
Additional cost will be incurred for the remainder of this year , that I have not been able to review yet .
This cost is averaging $ 79,000 per month if we continue to run the compressor as we have in August and September .
Good point , but I 'm comfortable we 're covered because our bidders were all bidding on a chunk of capacity and primary points .
They are deemed to be on notice that they had alternate point rights ( it s in the tariff ) and if they wanted to submit a bid that had a different rate for primaries and alternates , they could have done so .
None of them did , and most importantly , the winning bidders did not .
Our letter agreement simply memorializes that we will charge the same negotiated rate whether the gas flows on primaries or alternates .
I assume from your message you are OK with this and they can get it nailed down ?
DF
I just got done looking at the underlying contract language as set forth in the pro forma service agreement in the tariff and it specifically says that the max rate would apply unless a discount or negotiated rate has been agreed to .
My concern with adding the language below is , could it be argued that not everyone knew the rate would or could apply at any point , since we just stated Topack and Needles and if they knew they might have bid a different rate ??
Susan Scott
01/11/2001 02:42 PM
After discussions with the commercial group I propose that that redlined language be added to the attached Dynegy agreement and to the 4 other negotiated rate agreements we 've done .
If there are any objections you need to get back to me ASAP .
pls print .
df
In discussion with Dave , we thought it would be good to put this together in a format of questions and answers .
However , as you will see , the questions I thought of got kinda long - but I think we need answers for all of them .
One thought is to have just the agenda as a couple topics and then lead in with the first two questions as I 've listed .
Please provide me your thoughts asap .
MK
whasssup ?
Here it is .
Thanks .
DF
Here is the attachment ...
Attached is my draft of a request for rehearing .
It incorporates Mr. Stojic 's and Mr. Kelly 's initial comments .
Please review it and let me know if you have any comments on or before Tuesday afternoon ( I will be out of the office Monday ) .
Thank you !
OK .
DF
DENISE LAGESSE
01/12/2001 10:34 AM
Please approve Susan 's attached expense report and forward to accounting with a cc : to me .
Thanks !
Forgot to cc you .
df
Drew Fossum
01/12/2001 04:37 PM
OK .
DF
DENISE LAGESSE
01/12/2001 10:34 AM
Please approve Susan 's attached expense report and forward to accounting with a cc : to me .
Thanks !
Lou , do we have any sort of policy on requests like this ?
Lee Huber made the same request last year and we gave her the chair ( she only wanted one , however ) .
Norma , any thoughts ?
DENISE LAGESSE
01/12/2001 01:14 PM
Susan Scott would like authorization to order an Aeron chair for each of her offices - on 47 and 41 .
This particular chair is designed to help with back problems , which she has .
Many people at Enron already have this type of chair , but we rarely , if ever , have a surplus because they are so popular .
The cost is $ 567.77 per chair plus tax .
Please approve the purchase of two .
Thanks !
sorry , i left lou off of the message .
Drew Fossum
01/13/2001 09:45 AM
Lou , do we have any sort of policy on requests like this ?
Lee Huber made the same request last year and we gave her the chair ( she only wanted one , however ) .
Norma , any thoughts ?
DENISE LAGESSE
01/12/2001 01:14 PM
Susan Scott would like authorization to order an Aeron chair for each of her offices - on 47 and 41 .
This particular chair is designed to help with back problems , which she has .
Many people at Enron already have this type of chair , but we rarely , if ever , have a surplus because they are so popular .
The cost is $ 567.77 per chair plus tax .
Please approve the purchase of two .
Thanks !
I believe you got a copy of the John Sommer letter to producers dated Jan 6 that MKM 's spies intercepted .
She forwarded the Sommer letter to Stan and discussed it with him .
Dari and I vented our aggravation by drafting the attached letter to Gibson and Kyle complaining of Sommer 's duplicity , but after tempers cooled , MKM and I decided not to send it to Stan or urge him to send a written response .
As it stands , MKM and I will probably bring it up with Sommer in OK City and strongly suggest the importance of coordinated communication to the producers .
Stan may also bring the letter up orally next time he 's on the phonne with Gibson or Kyle as an example of how not to handle this situation .
Yea -- it was outstanding news !
What a hoss .
Ca n't catch you this time but 14721 keep me posted on your next trip .
DF
Evan --
Who is responsible for completing all paperwork for entering a new market ?
Is it someone on your team or someone from CEC ?
There have been some issues with getting everything coordinated lately and I wanted to make sure that we knew who was on point .
Jim
Am I scheduled to attend ?
Jim
The next meeting of the CAEM Board of Directors will be held on Wednesday , September 12 , at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington , DC .
The meeting is being held in conjunction with the third meeting of our DISCO of the Future Forum .
( Please visit our newly updated website www.caem.org for more information on the DISCO Forum . )
Following the Board meeting on Wednesday , you are invited to join with members of the DISCO Forum for a Wednesday evening reception and dinner , including a guest speaker .
Board members are also invited to join in the substantive session of the DISCO Forum on Thursday , September 13 .
Because of an international medical convention ongoing in Washington at the same time as our meetings , the Grand Hyatt unfortunately is already booked .
However , we have reserved a block of rooms at the nearby Wyndham Hotel .
To reserve one of these rooms , you must inform the Wyndham staff that you are part of the CAEM group .
If you should decide to arrange lodging at a different hotel , please do so quickly as there is limited availability in all surrounding hotels .
We will be making the Wyndham rooms available to members of the DISCO Forum on July 20 .
If you have any questions or require any assistance at all , please contact Hope Duncan at 202.739.0134 or Jeff Mangold at 703.729.2710 .
We are looking forward to seeing you on September 12 .
Hotel Information :
Grand Hyatt Hotel 1000 H Street NW Washington DC 20001 Phone : 202.582.1234 or 1.800.233.1234 Fax : 202.637.4781 Website : http://washington.hyatt.com/wasgh/index.html
Wyndham Washington DC 1400 M Street NW Washington , DC 20005 Phone : 202.429.1700 or 1.877.999.3223 Fax : 202.785.0786 Website : http://www.wyndham.com/WashingtonDC/default.cfm
correct .
Is this correct ?
If so , I will handle it .
Thanks Jim .
Lora Sullivan@ENRON
07/19/2001 03:31 PM
Dear Linda ,
We are receiving invoices from Ace Federal Reporters for transcripts of the recent FERC settlement conferences .
Linda Robertson says they should be charged to Jim Steffes ' cost center , etc .
Do you want me to send the invoices to you ?
Let me know .
Many thanks .
Lora
Lora Sullivan Federal Government Affairs Representative Enron 1775 Eye Street , NW Suite 800 Washington , DC 20006 202-466-9142 202-828-3372 ( fax ) email : lora.sullivan@enron.com
< Embedded Picture ( Device Independent Bitmap ) >
I 'm in all week .
Jim
Can we visit about what went on with Ursula at the PRC meeting when you catch up ?
BRADLEY JR , ROBERT L ,
A revised version of the Evaluation form for Associates and Analysts is attached below .
Please disregard and destroy the form you received on July 2 , as well as any blank forms retrieved from the PEP system prior to that date .
Please use the attached for Associate and Analyst evaluations .
All Evaluations for Associates and Analysts must be completed using this form .
- BRENNER , URSULA J.doc << File : BRENNER , URSULA J.doc >>
Jean & Thane --
Can we have a meeting this week ( maybe Thursday at 3:30 ) to discuss this ?
Jim
We do need a formal plan .
We have been working closely together to identify the issues as they develop and propose solutions .
Doug has been providing us with the necessary specific market information .
We have been successful in communicating that information to the new commissioners and Ercot and seeking resolution .
The commission is definitely more responsive to market participants that are articulating the issue , providing specific examples and proposing the solution .
Grand - standing is ignored .
Those who show up with complaints but can not point to specifics are virtually ignored .
Those who show up and complain , but are not participating in the working groups and the daily Ercot phone calls , board meetings , etc. are ignored .
Doug and I met with the Chairman of PUCT and have had subsequent conversations .
Thane and I also visited with him .
Pat Wood made a phone call to Tom Noel and told him to get the Texas market fixed .
( Even though he has bigger things to do in D.C. , this is his legacy and he recognizes that if deregulation does not work in Texas , the repercussions could be global . )
Chairman Sibley and Chairman Wolens ( of the Texas legislature ) are also engaged in market developments .
We have been working with the State Affairs legislative committee and keeping them apprised .
There is an Electric Restructuring Committee hearing scheduled for September 6th or 7th .
The forum is expected to be invited testimony only .
Those currently listed as invitees are PUCT Commissioners and Ercot 's Sam Jones and Tom Noel .
The hearing is focused on the pilot and we have an opportunity to provide some probing questions for Wolens to direct to Sam and Tom .
Now that Sibley is not a candidate for Lt. Governor , there is more freedom to open up and ask some difficult questions .
Thane is in Austin on Friday , but is available by phone .
I will be on a plane to Houston at 8:00 a.m .
Can we find another time that works for us to meet ?
Thane is in an Ercot PRS meeting Friday from 9:30 until 3:00 .
I am available after Rick 's Friday budget meeting ... are you available then ?
You are right , we do need a formal plan , Thane has started an initial draft .
Thanks , Jean
Jean & Thane --
Walking out last night , Kevin Presto indicated that there were games being played in ERCOT with the new market rules and prices in certain markets were not reflective of working markets .
Enron needs to use this situation to quickly get our viewpoints up into the PUCT and ERCOT ISO on what is driving these problems and our proposed fixes .
If ERCOT goes the way of California - either due to market power or poor market design rules - it will be a bad day for deregulation and for Pat Wood .
As important , the new PUCT Commissioners need some help right now in messaging the market .
Let 's get them to support constructive solutions that will make a real difference .
Jean and Thane , I think that we need a FORMAL PLAN on what to do over the next 3 - 6 months to leverage this situation .
I would like to discuss this with you on Friday am .
I am free at 8 am on Friday before Rick 's budget meeting .
Jim
FYI .
You may want to discuss with Becky .
Jim
As an outgrowth of the meeting Leslie and I had with Scott and Hunter a couple of weeks ago , we have begun work to develop an electronic tool that would allow us to provide ongoing summaries of FERC gas activities , and possibly electric activities , in a format that can be linked to the Fundamentals intranet site used by the traders .
We envision a format that would provide a brief summary and analysis of the order , filing , etc. with a link to the source document as well for those who would like more detailed information .
This would replace the paper copies you and your people are currently getting .
Many details remain to be worked out , but we will keep you advised .
In the meantime , could you please provide a contact on your side with whom we could discuss technical issues ?
What do I need to do ?
Jim
Vince J Kaminski@ECT
04/30/2001 02:28 PM
I am forwarding for your attention the resume of Peter Percell who has an extensive experience in modeling physical flows of natural gas in pipeline systems .
Peter is looking currently for a job .
I met him last week at the meeting of the Science and Industry Advance with Mathematics society at the University of Houston .
The application of recent developments in optimization theory and numerical methods can help Enron to improve further efficiency of our pipeline system and reduce the consumption of compressor fuel .
Please , let me know if you interested in introducing Peter to executives in your organization .
I shall be glad to make arrangements for an interview .
Vince Kaminski
Peter Percell < percell@swbell.net > on 04/30/2001 11:16:58 AM
I enjoyed your presentation , and meeting you briefly afterwards , at the SIAM Workshop last Friday .
I have extensive experience as a technical leader in the design and development of modeling and simulation software products , mostly for the oil and gas pipeline industry .
I am looking for a position that can utilize my software development and mathematical skills .
Getting out of the narrow confines of the pipeline simulation industry would be a plus .
Please consider whether I might fit in your group .
Your answer to a question indicated that I have several of the skills you look for .
Also , please let me know , by email , the names and contact information of other managers within Enron who might benefit from having someone with my qualifications in their group .
Attached are my resume and an addendum covering academic & consulting experience .
Publications are available on request .
I will call you in a couple of days to follow up on this email .
Thank you for your time .
Peter Percell 10030 Doliver Drive percell@swbell.net Houston , TX 77042-2016 ( 713 ) 532-3836 voice & fax
- Percell, Peter Resume Only.doc
- Percell, Peter A & C Exp.doc
Sorry I guess I did n't read it very well .
It 's ok with me .
Ok .
Contact Cindy Stark to make an appointment .
Nasim H Khan@TRANSREDES
04/30/2001 12:42 PM
Stan :
I will be completing my tour of duty in Bolivia in September of this year .
I am talking to a number of people regarding opportunities for a new assignment back in Houston office .
Thought since I will be in Houston , stop by your office for few minutes .
NK
Stanley Horton@ENRON
04/30/2001 12:35 PM
What is the subject matter you wish to visit about ?
Nasim H Khan@TRANSREDES
04/30/2001 09:24 AM
Stan :
I will be in Houston on May 11th and would like to visit with you in early afternoon if possible .
Please let me know what time would work for you .
Regards ,
Nasim Khan
I figured this posting belonged to one of you .
Please see the message from Danny Jones .
DannyJones%ENRON@eott.com on 04/30/2001 01:39:56 PM
Dear Mr. Horton ,
I have recently been made aware of a help desk analyst job # 0000108806 that has become available in your department .
I am currently employed with the aviation department ( hangar attendant ) of enron and would like to use my past knowledge and experience to persue my goals in the technology feild .
I am asking respectfully if you could give me a recommendation or referral to ETS technology department .
Anything you could do to help further my goals would be appreciated .
Respectfully ,
Danny Jones 281-443-3744 smithjones@ev1.net
I have contacted the relevant people of your interest in the job .
DannyJones%ENRON@eott.com on 04/30/2001 01:39:56 PM
Dear Mr. Horton ,
I have recently been made aware of a help desk analyst job # 0000108806 that has become available in your department .
I am currently employed with the aviation department ( hangar attendant ) of enron and would like to use my past knowledge and experience to persue my goals in the technology feild .
I am asking respectfully if you could give me a recommendation or referral to ETS technology department .
Anything you could do to help further my goals would be appreciated .
Respectfully ,
Danny Jones 281-443-3744 smithjones@ev1.net
This is ok by me .
Rick looks like a good candidate .
Ken Rice@ENRON COMMUNICATIONS
05/01/2001 03:48 PM
Executive Committee :
We would like to pursue an offer to Rick Fehl prior to the next Executive Committee meeting on May 7 , 2001 .
Please forward your comments or questions as soon as possible .
You will find attached the recommendation letter and his resume .
Regards ,
Ken Rice & Kevin Hannon
This is to advise you that we have available , for your business or personal use , Stan 's four ( 4 ) WNBA Comets tickets .
These seats are in Section 104 , Row D , Seats 1 - 4 .
Their schedule is listed below .
Please let me know if you are interested in any of these games .
They will be distributed on a business basis first , then personal use .
Preseason Game A : Saturday , May 12 @ 7:30 PM vs. Miami SOL
Preseason Game B : Thursday , May 24 @ 7:30 PM vs. Detroit SHOCK
Game 1 : Monday , May 28 @ 2:00 PM vs. Los Angeles SPARKS
Game 3 : Monday , June 11 @ 7:00 PM vs. Los Angeles SPARKS
Game 4 : Thursday , June 14 @ 7:30 PM vs. Portland FIRE
Game 5 : Sunday , June 17 @ 1:00 PM vs. Utah STARZZ
Game 6 : Tuesday , June 19 @ 7:30 PM vs. Washington MYSTICS
Game 7 : Saturday , June 23 @ 3:00 PM vs. Sacramento MONARCHS
Game 8 : Monday , July 2 @ 7:30 PM vs. Portland FIRE
Game 9 : Friday , July 6 @ 7:30 PM vs. Indiana FEVER
Game 10 : Sunday , July 8 @ 1:00 PM vs. Cleveland ROCKERS
Game 11 : Tuesday , July 24 @ 7:30 PM vs. Utah STARZZ
Game 12 : Saturday , July 28 @ 12:30 PM vs. New York LIBERTY
Game 13 : Monday , July 30 @ 7:30 PM vs. Seattle STORM
Game 14 : Friday , August 3 @ 7:30 PM vs. Orlando MIRACLE
Game 15 : Monday , August 6 @ 7:00 PM vs. Phoenix MERCURY
Game 16 : Monday , August 13 @ 7:30 PM vs. Minnesota LYNX
Please note that date and time are subject to change ; please check local listings .
Thanks ,
Cindy 713/853-6197
Mailing them to the house iis fine .
It will give us some weekend reading !
Thanks .
Stephen.Dyer@bakerbotts.com on 05/01/2001 08:50:01 PM
Almost done with your drafts .
Took me a little longer to review and revise Adam 's first drafts than I had thought ( there 's a lot going on here , as you 'll see soon ) .
I expect to send them out to you sometime tomorrow .
Since Debbie is a client too , I think I 'll just mail them to your home unless you prefer otherwise .
SD
Good news .
Congratulations and good luck .
Hello , Bill !
Stan will attend in person .
Cindy
Billy Dorsey@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
05/02/2001 12:03 PM
Executive Committee Weekly Meeting
Date : Monday , May 7th
Time : 11:00 a.m. ( CDT )
Location : 50th Floor Boardroom
Video : Connections will be established with remote locations upon request .
Conf call : AT&T lines have been reserved .
Please contact Sherri Sera ( 713/853-5984 ) or Bill Dorsey ( 713/646-6505 ) for the weekly dial - in number and passcode .
Please indicate below whether or not you plan to attend this meeting and through what medium .
Yes , I will attend in person
By video conference from
By conference call
No , I will not attend
***
Please return this e-mail to me with your response by 12:00 p.m. , Friday , May 4th
Thank you ,
Bill Dorsey .
Thank you for the invitation .
Unfortunately Debbie and I will not be able to attend due to previous committments .
Tana ,
Please review the process below :
With divisions , EOL does request a new Password Application for the applicant reflecting the name as you noted below .
When the company is set up in the EOL database we link the company to the Parent and reference the CP ID .
Sam , please confirm , Global Counterparty also provides the links to establish correlation between the parent and child for our downstream systems .
Let me know if this is the appropriate steps that you would like to see .
Thanks ,
Stephanie
Sam & Stephanie ,
Re : Cargill Ferrous International
It was my understanding with the EOL Team that all divisions would have the legal incorporated entity as part of the name .
Stephanie , I my preference is to kick their Password Application back and get them to change it to read something like " Cargill Ferrous International , a division of Cargill , Inc. " or " Cargill , Inc. acting through its Cargill Ferrous International Division " .
Samuel Schott
03/21/2001 01:58 PM
Any GCP adjustments will be highlighted in red .
Attn. GCPLondon :
There 's a new EOL Counterparty listed in the UK .
Please respond .
Best Rgds .
Samuel x3-9890 ENWGCP
Please see attached .
Harry -
are you the right lawyer to look at this ?
Robert B Cass
04/16/2001 04:52 PM
Please approve the following product type in Datamanager after 11:00 p.m .
See the steps for approval below .
US Steel Hot Rolled Plate Phy
Website Short Description of Product Type : US HR Stl Plt Phy
Product Type :
Reference Period :
The term of the Transaction shall be from the Effective Date ( or start date ) to the Termination Date ( or end date ) .
The Effective Date ( or start date ) is 01 Oct 2001 .
The Termination Date ( or end date ) is 31 Oct 2001 .
Product Additional Information ( example ) :
The Transaction is for hot rolled steel with a thickness of 1 " and a width of 72 inches .
The transaction is F.O.B. Reserve Marine Terminal in Chicago , Ill Metro Area .
F.O.B. refers to the following terms : Seller is responsible for freight , unloading and storage up to and including delivery in warehouse , Buyer is responsible for storage , loading and freight after delivery .
The Contract Quantity shall be quantity submitted by Counterparty via EnronOnline ( 5 % greater or lesser allowance at Seller 's option ) .
Each calendar month during the term of the Transaction will be a Dispatch Period .
Enron will guarantee delivery by the 20th of each scheduled Dispatch Period and accept supply to the 15th of each scheduled Dispatch Period .
Payment shall be made , against the receipt of the required documents outlined in the General Terms and Conditions , in the Contractual Currency by telegraphic transfer no later than 30 calendar days after the date on which the Commodity is released to Buyer .
Currency :
The price is quoted in US Dollars per unit of volume , which will be the Contractual Currency .
Unit of Measure :
The unit of measure against which the price is quoted shall be net tons ( 2000 lbs ) and the quantity shown shall be in net tons per month .
STEPS FOR APPROVAL :
click the START button
select PROGRAMS
select TEST APPLICATIONS
select ENRONONLINE CLUSTER ( PROD )
PROCEED WITH USUAL LOGIN / PASSWORD
click the Enron Online Production Cluster " START " button
select EnronOnLine ( this is the EOL Datamanager )
PROCEED WITH EOL LOGIN / PASSWORD
click on the " + " for EnronOnLine
click on the " + " for Product Types
click on the " + " for " Awaiting Approval " ( OR " Partially Approved " )
select the product requiring review as stated in e-mail above
Right " mouse " click on " properties " to view product set - up
TO APPROVE : Right mouse click on " Approved "
Thanks Bill - appreciate your help !
Bill D Hare
04/16/2001 05:51 PM
We informed Tana that we made the change in Global Counterparty to include , " a division of Cargill Incorporated " .
We will meet in the near future to discuss the issues surrounding division and trade name setups in Global Counterparty .
Bill
Bill -
If Sam 's description below of the GCP procedure is correct , it looks to me like something needs to be changed .
The difficulty lies in the fact that the confirmation system reads the counterparty 's name from Global Counterparty .
Since divisions of companies are not legal entities they do not have the power to contract in their own names .
If the correct legal name is not in Global Counterparty , the confirmation goes out with the wrong legal name on it seriously compromising the contract itself .
That is the source of Tana 's concern regarding the correct entering of divisions in the system .
My suggestion is that Global Counterparty use the same name that the customer has signed on the EnronOnline Password Application -- my understanding is that the EnronOnline team returns inappropriate Applications to the customer until they are correctly completed .
In this particular case since the counterparty is still not allowed to transact on EnronOnline almost a month after sending in their application they are understandably upset and are now complaining .
I would appreciate it if you could get this one fixed today and , if you have any problem with changing the GCP procedure , please let me know .
Mark
Tana Jones
04/16/2001 03:11 PM
Samuel Schott
03/28/2001 01:09 PM
FYI ...
Cargill Ferrous International is set up correctly in the Global Counterparty System as a Division of Cargill , Inc .
Cargill Ferrous International is the full name of this division and set up as such in GCP with a Sub - to - Legal Link to Cargill , Inc. per GCP procedure .
Also , the Global SAP team ( Cheryl Johnson ) would need Legal Name Change documentation from the Counterparty in order to change this name .
Best Rgds .
Samuel x3-9890 ( GCP ) Enron Net Works Global Data Management
Any updates on adding the correct legal name to this counterparty name ?
Hello ,
Yes , GCP provides the links to establish the correlation between the parent and child for our downstream systems .
GCP procedure is to create Counterparty names that reflect either the Tradename / Division name or Parent Name -- not both simultaneously .
( Although , we have broken that rule for Legal in the past . )
This defeats the purpose of using a Tradename .
Best Rgds .
Samuel
Tana ,
Please review the process below :
With divisions , EOL does request a new Password Application for the applicant reflecting the name as you noted below .
When the company is set up in the EOL database we link the company to the Parent and reference the CP ID .
Sam , please confirm , Global Counterparty also provides the links to establish correlation between the parent and child for our downstream systems .
Let me know if this is the appropriate steps that you would like to see .
Thanks ,
Stephanie
Sam & Stephanie ,
Re : Cargill Ferrous International
It was my understanding with the EOL Team that all divisions would have the legal incorporated entity as part of the name .
Stephanie , I my preference is to kick their Password Application back and get them to change it to read something like " Cargill Ferrous International , a division of Cargill , Inc. " or " Cargill , Inc. acting through its Cargill Ferrous International Division " .
Samuel Schott
03/21/2001 01:58 PM
Any GCP adjustments will be highlighted in red .
Attn. GCPLondon :
There 's a new EOL Counterparty listed in the UK .
Please respond .
Best Rgds .
Samuel x3-9890 ENWGCP
Please see attached .
Doc -
I 'll be in town through Sunday morning .
Any chance we can get together for dinner Saturday eve. ?
Mark
I 'm handling the afternoon -- I think that Harry has this morning .
MHC
Can you cover for me today ?
I am in mediation .
I left a voicemail for Sharon Butcher , as well , just to make sure it is handled .
My schedule shows an afternoon session .
Do we have 2 sessions today ?
If so , you may want to split and cover .
Thanks a ton .
I will take you next one in August .
Thanks ,
Kriste
Kriste K. Sullivan Enron Corp. - Legal EB 4861 ( 713 ) 853-7557 Phone ( 713 ) 646-5847 Fax
I got this .
I assume this is 12:30 Central Time ?
When : Wednesday , September 19 , 2001 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM ( GMT - 08:00 ) Pacific Time ( US & Canada ) ; Tijuana .
Where : Conf. Call
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
10:30 - 11:30 PST
Call - in # : 800/711-8000
Passcode : 4153030
Here is the overview of Bob Henderson 's Employment Agreement .
What do you think ?
MHC
Michelle , please comment .
Please send me an email response about whether you and Michelle Cash are OK with what he 's written .
After that , what do we do ?
Brad
After a conversation with Ryan Seleznov I herewith like disclose in writing my intentions in respect to Dealbench .
Please see attached Word file
Best regards
Tobias Munk
Please see the attached .
Teresa
Please send David Lund copies of our standard corporate services agreement and the standard assignment letter ( use Bridgeline example -- with and without non-compete ) .
Michelle
We 're formatting one this week , and we 'll send it when it 's done .
Michelle
Thanks very much .
Do you also have a SSD we can use ?
Jane
<< File : 220b - dg - Agreement for Recruiting Services.doc >> << File : 220a DG - Agreement for Contract Services.DOC >>
Here are the sample Agreements .
Please let us know if you need anything else .
Thanks .
Diane Goode Senior Specialist
I agree also , but I do n't know all the parties or complications involved .
Should there be a ( groan ) meeting on this ?
Can you please help with this one ?
I agree with what the concern is below .
We have GIS ids , and Eid ( external id - just like GIS id ) .
I think we should try to migrate to one of these .
Please let me know what type of statement I should make back to the customer .
Thanks .
Kathy ,
Per my voicemail message , please review the note below .
I 'd like to work with you on a response to this customer .
Thanks ,
Brandee
Brandee Sanborn I.S.C. Customer Care Design & Process Support http://isc.enron.com/site
<< OLE Object : Picture ( Device Independent Bitmap ) >>
Ngoc Luan Do@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
08/07/2001 12:36 PM
To Whom It May Concern :
Through TV and newspapers , I hear constantly about identity fraud using stolen social security information .
I am very concerned about this issue .
I have the following suggestion for our company .
Since Enron 's employees are assigned an SAP identification numbers ( P number ) and an HR number , could Enron as a company use these IDs instead of the SS numbers ?
This will be safer for all employees .
For example , I am concerned when I buy the monthly bus passes and I have to fill in my SS number .
I do not feel secure at all to see my SS in so many databases at Enron , especially when some databases are from third - parties ( out - sourcing ) .
We could use our badge number there instead of our SS .
Please let me know how your organization can help the Enron employees feel safer about the safeguard of their SS number .
Please calendar and print for my files on this meeting .
Thanks .
MHC
All ,
A reminder that the HR Associate Points Meeting will take place as below :
Thursday , 23rd August 3.30 pm - 5.30 pm ( EB 46C1 ) .
The Leads who are responsible for Associates are as follows :
Sunjay Arya
Gary Buck
Khymberly Booth
Ryan Seleznov
Mecole Brown
Tim O'Rourke
Tana Cashion
Sheila Walton
Wendy Fincher
Sheila Knudsen
Karen Phillips
Neil Davies
Noel Ryan
Cindy Skinner
Simone Scott Walker
Shanna Funkhouser
Peer reviews are currently been gathered on the above .
Upon receipt , I shall forward to each of you a copy of the reviews for your respective associate .
In addition they will be contacting you to discuss their participation in projects outside their rotation .
Those who are not assigned an associate may also allocate points ( a max of 150 ) at the meeting based on contribution to your areas for the first review period .
If anyone has any questions on the above please let me know .
Kind regards ,
Karen . x54667
Shanna , I spoke with Per tonight about this .
Let 's talk tomorrow .
Thanks .
Michelle
This is the background to my conversation with Shanna .
I have a copy of the document I can give to you tomorrow .
Thanks for following up on this .
Per
Per -
I did not hear back from Shanna or Sharon Butcher .
Could you please ask Shanna to take this situation to Sharon tomorrow ?
John , Per and I discussed the hostile environment issue and we are both concerned that we may have some repercussions .
I am vacation until the 22nd but Per is up to speed and I would like to make sure that you keep up with him and any HR / Legal activity that may occur .
Thank you
Paula
Let 's discuss exactly what is involved here -- confidentiality , etc .
Thanks .
MHC
Hi Ya'll ,
I wanted to let you know about this before I respond to her request .
Let me know if you have any questions .
Regards ,
Sandra
Kathy McMahon suggested that I contact you in an effort to gather information on : Enron 's Affirmative Action Policy and plans ; as well as demographic analysis of workforce ( gender , age , ethnic origin , nationality )
Jeff Skilling has agreed to work with Harvard Business School ( HBS ) on a 5 - year case study called ' Modern Giants ' .
HBS will shadow Enron and a number of other companies over the next five years to assess how we react to market changes and to see how we morph during this time period .
Please let me know at your earliest convience if you can help me .
Regards ,
Cindy
please print all these for me .
Thanks .
MHC
Ryan ,
Try this .
bob k
FYI re : NEPCO picketing issues .
Michelle
Michelle ,
Two in one day .
We understand that the pipe fitters are also planning to picket the Lake Worth , Florida project as well .
Our execution team needs to get some guidance and planning for this picketing should it interfere with the progress of the work .
In that respect , we need to dial in Rick Johnson and Olgletree to plan and communicate that plan to the execution team .
I think the first step is a call between yourself , me , Mark Stubley and Mike Indivero .
And then another call with all folks or a meeting at the jobsite to lay out the plan .
Barbara , please organize a call for Mike , Michelle , Mark Stubley and me .
Thanks .
David ,
I have been advised by our Construction Manager , Mr. Joe Osler that while he was visiting the City of Lake Worth Building Planning and Zoning dept regarding our permit status he learned that the pipefitters have inquired about permit requirements to picket our site .
Apparently the City informed them that no permit is required .
I have heard that the pipefitters have established a picket line at the Payne Creek site today .
We will need local legal counsel to assist us in this regard .
Mike Indivero , I understand that Mr. Mike Croall 's release date from NEPCO is Oct 31 , 2001 .
Please advise as to who his replacement is and their report date .
Thanks ,
Galen J. Torneby Project Manager National Energy Production Corporation ( NEPCO ) 11831 North Creek Parkway North Bothell , WA 98011 USA Tel : 425-415-3052 Cell : 425-922-0475 Fax : 425-415-3098 email : < mailto:galent@nepco.com > mailto:galen.torneby@nepco.com
Rick Hopkinson@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
09/16/99 10:07 AM
Sara , trading is still not settled .
Thank you for the invitaion to the conference call .
I would like both Lynn and I to participate .
I assume we should come over EB .
Can you tell us where .
Thanks
Rick
, Do you want us to come over to the Enron b in your call .
Could
Sara Shackleton@ECT
09/16/99 08:55 AM
Have you decided who will be assisting tax - wise for these two countries ?
I have a conference call this afternoon at 3 pm ( Houston time ) with Antonio Felix de Araujo Cintra from the Tozzini firm regarding further research on derivative products for trading in Brazil .
Attached is a summary of products and the various Enron groups seeking answers .
If you would like to participate in person or by conference , please let me know .
I will be in Sao Paulo from Sept 20 - 22 and Buenos Aires from Sept 23 - 24 .
In Brazil , I will be meeting again with Tozzini lawyers .
In BA , I 'll be meeting with Marval lawyers .
Let me know if you would like to participate in any way .
Sara
please try to verify .
Thanks .
Sara
Sara Shackleton
09/16/99 10:16 AM
How about Friday , Sept. 17 , at 9 am ( Houston time ) which is 11 am ( Sao Paulo ) time ?
Please advise .
Sara

Warning
NOTICE : This message is confidential .
If you have received it by mistake please let us know by reply and then delete it from your system ; you should not copy this message or disclose its contents to anyone .
Thank you .
- Em-enro2.doc
The call was cancelled .
I am waiting to hear about a possible call Friday morning .
Sara
Andrea Bertone@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
09/15/99 04:41 PM
Yes .
If something happens that I 'm not able to participate I 'll let you know .
Thanks .
Sara Shackleton@ECT
09/15/99 08:15 PM
This call has been changed to 3 pm ( Houston time ) which is 5 pm ( Sao Paulo time ) .
Please let me know if you would like for me to conference you in .
Sara
The draft you received has been approved by Dan .
If you would like this executed , please let me know .
Sara
Daniel R Castagnola@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
05/17/99 01:47 PM
Sara :
Looks good .
Dan
Sara Shackleton@ECT
05/17/99 11:23 AM
Dan : please see if the attached draft works .
My extension is 35620 .
Sara
As a result of our luncheon with the confirm desk yesterday , could someone develop a comprehensive list identifying all omnibus attachments ?
If you think any other pertinent information could be included , please feel free to add it .
Thanks .
Sara
I e-mailed your assistant earlier this morning and have had no response .
Can we reschedule the phone call for 9 am ( Houston ) which is 11 am ( Sao Paulo ) on Friday , Sept. 17 ?
Please advise .
Sara
The conference call has been rescheduled for Friday , Sept. 17 at 9 am ( Houston ) which is 11 am ( Sao Paulo ) .
I will initiate the call .
If anyone would like to be conferenced in or attend in person , please let me know .
Thanks .
Sara
I am forwarding to you guidelines prepared for global products trading .
It 's a good starting point .
I am currently working on guidelines for Argentina which will address both physical and financial trading .
Other " guidelines " exist in limited form for the remote offices in Singapore and Australia .
I am checking on London .
I 'm not exactly certain as to what you are looking for .
Obviously the foreign offices have issues that may not apply in the US ( although LA. is about as close as you can get to a third world country ) .
One thing that does n't show up in the attachment is the swap eligibility issue .
Let me know how I can help further .
Sara
Janice Moore
09/03/99 01:57 PM
Here it is -- we printed this 2 - sided and laminated it .
Becky will bring you the hard copy version .
Lunch date later .
see below .
It looks like the 2 - day L/C issue is an issue .
I 'll call you shortly .
Joseph Manogue at Tiger called me last night to say he had finally reviewed the draft ISDA doc with all agreed changes put in and lined from original .
He faxed it to you and will have the original Fedexed overnight .
Hope you 'll have time to review it today .
S&S has again asked about the gtee and l/c wording .
They do not have anything from us in writing confirming the agreed changes .
Joe asked that you fax the revised gtee wording that has been agreed ( I believe it was our agreeing to reduce the claim period from 15 days down to 5 ) and the new l/c wording ( drops the 2 day period to replace an l/c with a different bank if the first refuses to pay ) .
I know we talked about these issues earlier , but Tiger 's lawyers want to get everything agreed in writing now so final docs can be issued for signing , even if we are the one's issuing the gtee and l/c .
Thanks !
Call if you have questions or if I can be of any help .
There is an outside chance we could have everything set to go this week .
With best regards ,
Per
Hi back !
and Happy New Year too !
To what do I owe this small pleasure ?
I 'm fine in Texas , still hanging out with Phoebe and Chloe , working hard , etc .
Where are you living these days ?
N.O. ? Atlanta ?
Memphis ?
Eleuthra ?
St. Petersburg ?
Amelia Island Plantation ?
I 've simply lost track !
As for me , well , I lead the simple life , own a little house in West University , own a little car ( I had to buy a new one recently - the 14 - year old 380 SE started scaring me a bit ) , you know , the usual .
Are you selling burgers up and down the east coast ?
Have you gone international ?
In a new franchise business ?
How 's your family ?
Got to get back to work !
This weekend I 'm off to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires on business .
SARA
SamChawk@aol.com on 09/11/99 07:48:44 PM
Sara -
Happy New Year , stranger !
Hope all is well .
Do you miss me ?
SAM
Mark Elliott tells me that you drafted some trader guidelines ( physical and financial ) for the London traders .
I am trying to develop similar guidelines for the Southern Cone regions ( first Argentina ) and thought your expertise would be very helpful .
Could you send me a set ?
I 'm leaving for Sao Paulo on Saturday but I will be in the office tomorrow .
Thank you for your help .
Regards .
Sara
( if ..... ) ( iii ) definitive agreements acceptable to Party A in its sole discretion regarding the debt and all other aspects of [ the project to be owned by Party B ] , including but not limited to the senior debt facility , commitments and all project documents , have been fully negotiated and executed and the [ project ] has been brought to financial close .
fyi
Robert Quick
09/17/99 04:50 AM
Sara , here are the trader guidelines I developed for UK gas , UK power and Nordic power .
I assume you need both gas and power .
These are to some extent country or market specific .
As these guidelines need to be approved by Houston , I am copying this to Mark , Alan and Jeff .
tks
Sara Shackleton
09/16/99 09:48 PM
Mark Elliott tells me that you drafted some trader guidelines ( physical and financial ) for the London traders .
I am trying to develop similar guidelines for the Southern Cone regions ( first Argentina ) and thought your expertise would be very helpful .
Could you send me a set ?
I 'm leaving for Sao Paulo on Saturday but I will be in the office tomorrow .
Thank you for your help .
Regards .
Sara
Please review the attached memo to verify that I have identified all of the products that you are interested in trading in Brazil .
I will be in Sao Paulo on Monday , September 20 , 1999 .
Thank you ,
Sara
JMB < JBennett@GMSSR.com >
12/22/2000 06:28 PM
Parties , attached is the promised ruling that provides procedural guidance for the hearings on 12/27 and 12/28 .
The ruling will also be posted on the web site as quickly as possible .
Thank you for your patience and I hope you can take a few moments to enjoy the holidays .
-- Angela Minkin Administrative Law Judge
<< 1%P701!.doc >>
Note that this communication is confidential , covered by CA 's settlement rules .
Lindh , Frank ( Law ) < FRL3@pge.com >
12/21/2000 07:50 PM
Confidential Settlement Document Per CPUC Rule 51
Gas Accord II Settlement Participants :
Attached is PG&E 's Gas Accord II ( GA II ) Settlement Proposal .
We believe it addresses many of the issues and concerns you have raised in the workshops .
As an overview , this proposal : * Maintains the basic Gas Accord structure in place today for the period 2003 to 2007 . *
* Offers end user transportation rates for 2003 lower for most customers than rates in effect today . *
* Provides for vintaged Redwood path rates for core customers . *
* Offers a 7.5 cent / dth rate to large customers while minimizing rate changes to other customers , minimizing the incentive for these customers to seek to bypass local transmission charges and other CPUC - approved charges . *
* Adopts guidelines to improve reliability and help moderate prices in gas commodity markets , and identifies the capital projects needed to meet these guidelines over the course of the GA II period ( 2003 - 2007 ) . *
* Provides a high degree of rate stability , with a 3.5 % escalator to capture both inflation and the cost of needed capital projects .
The guaranteed rates will be adjustable only for significant changes in the cost of capital or increased costs due to governmental requirements or catastrophic events . *
* Preserves a rate differential between the Redwood and Baja paths , although somewhat less than the current differential . *
* Proposes a two - stage open season for firm transportation services beginning in 2003 , with end users receiving a first option on available capacity . *
* Maintains the core aggregation program with some adjustments .
PG&E also anticipates that the Core Procurement Incentive Mechanism ( CPIM ) will be similar to today 's mechanism , but will reflect the somewhat larger capacity holdings needed to meet anticipated increases in core demand and to meet a 1 - day in 10 - year cold weather event .
This also will serve as a reminder that an all - Party meeting is scheduled at PG&E 's headquarters in San Francisco on January 10 and 11 , to discuss this proposal and to respond to your questions .
We look forward to answering your questions and receiving your feedback .
The attached documents include the GA II Settlement proposal , an Attachment ( a copy of PG&E 's proposed Gas Rule 27 ) , and a set of supporting workpapers .
Finally , please note that the Settlement document and the Attachment are in " Word 2000 " format .
We would be glad to provide the same documents in an earlier version of Word , upon request by individual Parties .
We look forward to seeing you on January 10 - 11 .
In the meantime , we extend our best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season .
Frank Lindh Ray Williams ( 415 ) 973-2776 ( 415 ) 973-3634
<< PG&E Gas Accord II Settlement Proposal 12-20-00.doc >> << Proposed Gas Rule 27.doc >> << COS & Rates Workpapers for GA II 12-20-2000 Proposal.xls >>
Greetings Judge Minkin :
This is to inform that a representative of Enron Corp would like to address the Commission on the issue of utility rate stabilization plans at the Commission 's hearings scheduled for December 27th and 28th .
Thank you .
Sincerely ,
Jeffrey Dasovich Director , Enron Corp
Attached is a draft of the talking points for the Commission 's hearings .
Few points :
Our time is likely to be limited to 5 - 10 minutes .
Mike Day , our outside counsel , will make the presentation on our behalf .
Mike Day is fleshing out the legal details of our presentation and he will forward that along for folks review later today .
Comments can be forwarded to me via email , pager ( 888.916.7184 ) , voicemail ( 415.782.7822 ) , or home ( 415.621.8317 ) .
We will finalize the message points on tomorrow 's daily call ( 10 AM CST ) .
The call in number is 800.713.8600 .
Code is 80435 .
The Commission 's hearings begin tomorrow at 10 AM ( PST ) .
Jeff Dasovich
Sent by : Jeff Dasovich
12/26/2000 03:15 PM
Attached is a draft of the talking points for the Commission 's hearings .
Few points :
Our time is likely to be limited to 5 - 10 minutes .
Mike Day , our outside counsel , will make the presentation on our behalf .
Mike Day is fleshing out the legal details of our presentation and he will forward that along for folks review later today .
Comments can be forwarded to me via email , pager ( 888.916.7184 ) , voicemail ( 415.782.7822 ) , or home ( 415.621.8317 ) .
We will finalize the message points on tomorrow 's daily call ( 10 AM CST ) .
The call in number is 800.713.8600 .
Code is 80435 .
The Commission 's hearings begin tomorrow at 10 AM ( PST ) .
Nice job .
Going to be a wild ride .
That 's a very good point .
I 'll make the change .
Best ,
Jeff
Harry Kingerski
12/26/2000 03:33 PM
Jeff -
instead of suggesting a specific rate increase - 10 or 15 % , I think we should acknowledge that a " modest " increase may be necessary and may in fact be desirable - but that the specific amount of increase should be reasoned and subject to well thought out evidence and hearings , not just determined by whim .
In general , we should not be overly prescriptive at this point and I know you agree with that .
Otherwise , I think you have captured the points excellently .
We 're in the process of developing a strategy to take us through the next few months .
But while the ( otherwise perishable ) thoughts are still fresh in my mind from the hearings on Monday and Tuesday , I wanted to throw out some observations for discussion in the days / weeks ahead .
OBSERVATION -- The pressure to finger somebody for " price gouging " is increasing .
The administration is hell bent on finding a " fall guy . "
The price spikes pose real political risks for Davis and he and his folks need and want an easy way out .
His press release following the hearing renewed the call for " refunds . "
On my panel , Loretta Lynch asked Reliant and Duke to supply her with the details of the contracts they cut to sell their power forward to marketers .
And Carl Wood 's remarks were extreme .
At the Barton hearing , a liberal democrat ( Filner ) and a conservative Republican ( Hunter ) locked arms in calling for refunds .
Bilbray joined the " gouging " band wagon .
The utilities repeatedly called on FERC to do a " real " investigation , with hearings , testimony , data discovery --- the works .
On the positive side , the FERC commissioners lauded Wolak , his analysis , and his remarks on the panel .
Wolak said somewhat emphatically that the nature of California 's market structure makes it impossible to single out a single participant as the culprit .
He also stated that just everyone 's just acting in their own self - interest , responding to the screwed incentives embedded in the structure .
IMPLICATION -- It seems prudent for Enron to understand better its risks of getting fingered .
In the best case , the clamoring for a " refund " subsides .
In which case , the only cost to Enron is the internal cost incurred to understand better the risks of getting fingered .
In the medium case , investigations find that Enron ( like others ) " played by the rules , " but the rules stunk , and Enron profited at the expense of California consumers .
You 're right , Sue .
Rates ca n't go up w/out declaring the rate freeze over in some fashion --- trying to finesse it .
Thanks very much for the comments .
Harry also had a good comment --- do n't specify the amount of rate increase in our comments ; rather note that the rate increase needs to be well - reasoned and based on facts and evidence .
Will make that change .
Shawna Johnson@ENRON
02/22/2001 04:37 PM
This is a request for your interview participation .
The Associate and Analyst Programs will be on the Penn , undergraduate campus interviewing summer Analyst interns next week .
Due to business reasons , previously scheduled interviewers from the Penn team have had to cancel their participation .
Currently , I need three interviewers for Thursday , March 1st and one interviewer for Friday , March 2nd .
Please let me know of your availability .
Campus interviews are scheduled as follows :
Place : University of Pennsylvania
Date : Thursday , March 1st Friday , March 2nd
Day One Interviews Day Two Interviews
Where : On Campus Inn at Pen
Time : 8:00 - 5:00 8:00 - 5:00
Interviewers : Kevin McGowan - confirmed
Jen Fraser - confirmed
Margaret Rhee - confirmed
Chris Hilgert - confirmed
In the event that you have scheduling conflicts and can not participate , any referrals at the Director or VP level would be greatly appreciated .
As always , thank you for your time and please contact me @ ext 58369 if you have any questions .
Shawna Johnson Recruiting Coordinator
Sorry about that before .
I 'll not say anything .
Best
Jeff
Scott A. Kushnick < skush@swbell.net >
01/26/2001 12:48 PM
Please do n't mention my NY trip to anyone .
Keep in touch .
Scott
thanks for the update .
have you gotten a price ?
Doug Leach
01/25/2001 09:40 AM
fyi
Tom Byargeon , Kevin Miller and Ken Loch in ENA are working with producers in the US involved in deep water offshore Louisiana / Texas oil and gas drilling projects .
This financing activity was primarily started to help ENA secure long term well head and pipeline natural gas supplies to supplement the gas trading desk activities .
Just like what happened in Enron 's initial VPP program they are find more interest in oil drilling projects rather than natural gas projects .
They are currently working on a bid ( due 1/31 ) for the Medusa project which involves Murphy ( operator ) , Agip and Callon in Mississippi Canyon Blocks # 538 and # 582 .
The initial reservoir reports estimate reserves of 80 - 120 million barrels of sour crude and they estimate initial production to be 40,000 bpd starting in 1Q 2003 .
Quality is estimated to be a Mars type crude with 25 - 27 API Gravity and 1.5 - 2.0 % sulfur .
Plans are to build a private pipeline to Equilon 's West Delta # 143 platform and then bring the oil onshore .
Peggy is finding out where WD # 143 pumps to onshore .
Tom 's group would like to know if we have any interesting in buying the crude on either a fixed or floating basis .
The floating could be tied to a Platt 's index or the NYMEX .
It is far too early to expect Murphy to enter into a physical or financial contract , but Tom hopes to get us first and / or last look from Murphy when the time is right .
Another alternative is to give Murphy barrels at their 95,000 bpd Meraux , Louisiana refinery in exchange for the new production barrels .
Could someone in your group please give me a notional non binding basis differential for this quality of crude for Cal 2003 ?
please print
Amanda Huble@ENRON
01/24/2001 01:02 PM
Please address , and I 'll check with Legal as well .
We typically only book deals when everything is signed off .
Jeff
David Hoog
01/26/2001 09:37 AM
following up on our discussion yesterday ; for these types of deals , i do nt think it s necessary to have all the documentation of our counterparty 's authorization to enter into the agreement .
these are short term transactions and requiring this documentation will cause us to lose business because competitive alternatives do not have such burdensome requirements .
the primary reason we need these things is for the scenario where a muni does a derivative deal with an open - ended downside , loses $ 50 million , and then claims that it was not a valid contract .
in our case , they are only hedging .
we are collecting a premium up front and their total cost is known up front .
therefore they will not attempt to make this claim .
even if they did , our risk is limited to the premium , not some big payout .
the risk of losing business is far greater than the risk of a counterparty trying to get their premium back .
seems like a 5 second decision to me .
is it possible to combine the standard isda and our confirm into a single long form ?
by going away from the standard isda maybe we can eliminate these requirements because the payout liability is only 1 - way .
please print
RusAmArts@aol.com
01/26/2001 11:57 AM
Dear Mr. Shankman ,
Thank you very much for your quick reply .
Attached is my resume .
I highlight the relevant skills in the summary .
The position is with the EES MMC EAST department / WHOLESALE , RETAIL & COMM , ENRON ENERGY SERVICES .
It was posted on Dec. 11 , but the Human Resource dept said that if it is still on the internet , it is open .
Look forward to hearing your comments / suggestions .
Regards ,
Rina
- ENRONR~1.DOC
Yikes !
That girl 's mother sounds like a real problem .
I 'm not sure how I would have handled it .
How 's school going ?
Any plans for the weekend ?
Alma Martinez@ENRON
01/26/2001 11:36 AM
What happened ?
Here 's a story ... as I was waiting at the bus stop ( 7:35 am ) to go to school , a lady approached me and asked if I 'd make sure her daughter got on a certain bus .
The mother was running late for work and could not wait .
I could n't say no ... so Nicki ( the little girl - 10 yrs. old ) and I waited for the bus .
It was now , 8:15 and there was no sign of her bus .
On top of things , I had quiz at 8 am .
Which I then realized I missed .
I decided that Nicki would just have to wait on her own .
I asked her if she had any relatives that would want to know of her whereabouts .
I called her grandmother and explained things to her .
Pretty strange ... aye .
A bus that runs through UofH arrived and I almost got on without her , but I could n't do it .
Finally , I told the little girl that she would have to accompany me to school ( 8:30 am ) .
There were only 15 minutes left of class .
I stayed for the remainder of the lecture .
After class we went back to bus stop and within minutes her bus arrived .
I told the bus driver where to drop her off .
I notified her grandmother with the time of the departure .
And I was relieved when Nicki called to let me know she was home safe .
Please send the memo to the EGM business heads as well .
Thanks .
Jeff
Jana Giovannini
01/26/2001 10:51 AM
Actually , Jen has volunteered for the afternoon session .
I spoke to her prior to my note .
Is there anyone else in EGM that could participate ?
Please let me know .
Thanks .
Jen , please take care of this for EGM
Jana Giovannini
01/24/2001 11:42 AM
All ,
The Analyst and Associate Programs recognize we have many Analyst needs that need to be addressed immediately .
While we anticipate many new Analysts joining Enron this summer ( late May ) and fulltime ( August ) we felt it necessary to address some of the immediate needs with an Off - Cycle Recruiting event .
We are planning this event for Thursday , February 15 and are inviting approximately 30 candidates to be interviewed .
I am asking that you forward this note to any potential interviewers ( Managers or above ) .
We will conduct first round interviews in the morning and the second round interviews in the afternoon .
We need for interviewers to commit either to the morning ( 9 am - 12 pm ) or afternoon ( 2 pm - 5 pm ) complete session .
Please submit your response using the buttons below and update your calendar for this date .
In addition , we will need the groups that have current needs to commit to taking one or more of these Analysts should they be extended an offer .
Thanks in advance for your cooperation .
Thank you ,
Jana
Where does our 50 % ( the 1.65 million dollars ) show up ?
Can you provide me with more details ?
Great job , guys .
Eric Gonzales
01/25/2001 02:02 AM
Great job gentlemen !
This deviation shows that Eco definitely has a significant amount of option value which can be exploited with quick reactions and favourable market movements .
Eric
Wayne Perry@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
25/01/2001 00:20
Finally completed tonight
Net to Enron LNG Marketing Company - $ 272,000 ( $ 0.10 / mmbtu )
Net to Eco about $ 3,300,000 ( Enron 50 % share about $ 1,650,000 )
Enron total gain not counting ENA 's trading desk margin is $ 1,922,000
Not bad for a single cargo .
Wayne
Jen , please take care of this for EGM
Marianne : The following are my comments :
1 . In Section 1.1 , there should be a parentheses after etc. in the 5th line .
2 . In Section 3.1 , in the last sentence after the proviso insert " a " before the word " change " and after the word " in " .
3 . In Section 6.1 , change 20 Business Days to 20 days .
Also , add a semicolon at the end of clause ( i ) .
4 . In Section 6.2.1 I 'll just note that the discount rate sentence I think is still an open issue .
5 . In Section 6.3 , clause ( c ) should be reworded to fit with the language in the beginning of the Section .
6 . Capitalize the word " facility " in the definition of Average Annual Load Factor .
7 . Delete the definition of Costs as it is already defined in Section 6.2.1 .
8 . Where is the defined term Govt Authority used ?
9 . In the GTC , the ECP rep should also apply to EESI .
Also , in the 7th line of the reps add the word " into " after the word " entered " and before the word " this " .
10 . In Collateral Requests , insert a comma after deposit in the last line .
I will also add granting / perfection language .
11 . In Events of Default , clause ( a ) refers to a dispute section which I 'm not sure exists .
In clause ( e ) , delete the " s " : from the word consolidation .
12 . Remedies should be deleted as it is already covered in Section 6.1 .
13 . In UCC / Disclaimer of warranties , add a clause ( c ) .
I would add setoff language .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Marianne Castano@EES
05/30/2001 11:05 AM
Carol :
I have attempted to incorporate the changes that Jim has incorporated in our long form power agreement which ENA has suggested to date into the short form .
Attached please find a sample short form ( for the Con Ed market ) for your review .
Please note the following as you review :
1 . The short forms do not contain the optionality relating to our performing billing services -- all of our midmarket forms anticipate that we will act as customer 's billing agent and that we will collect all amounts due related to T&D and the like from the customer ( and reflect same on our invoice ) and pass those amounts on to the customer 's utility .
2 . I did not include a " Setoff " provision in this draft , mainly because the vast majority of the time , we will not , nor will an affiliate , have another agreement in place with these customers .
If you feel strongly about our including a setoff provision , we will do so .
3 . The change in law provision reads a bit differently from the long form -- the thinking here is that the long form language is very lengthy and rather harsh ( and we 've had great difficulty selling it in the past ) .
Taking into consideration this class of customer , we decided to include certain items , including our inability to cover our costs due to a change in law , rules or practices as a " force majeure event " in an effort to soften the approach ( see the GTCs ) .
Also we do not address calculation of a termination payment in the event of a change in law as the long form does -- again , more in the interest of " saving space " than anything else ...
Let us know your thoughts on this document and if you are comfortable with our using this until such time as the hybrid form is launched .
If you are comfortable , we will drive these changes into our other midmarket power forms .
Thanks again for your help with this project ,
Marianne
P.S. Please be sure to copy Sarah Dietrich and Jennifer Hillegonds on your response -- they will be taking this project during my " hiatus " -- I am moving to PA on Friday of this week , and will be out of pocket through approximately 7/16 .
I will start up again in mid-July ...
John :
I have faxed to you the form of Bond , our proposed Bond provisions and the EEI Master .
I am waiting on the confirms and will send them to you shortly by fax or e-mail .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Carol St Clair
05/31/2001 09:01 AM
Phyllis :
Our letter of credit person would be more comfortable if we deleted all of the language that makes the LC transferable .
Are you okay with that ?
If so , are we ready to execute ?
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
lemelpe@NU.COM
05/30/2001 03:00 PM
Carol :
I understand that we are still reviewing the attachment that lists the open transactions .
How are you making out on the revised version of the LOC ?
Marianne :
In addition to my other comments on the Mid Market Power Form , I think you should add a forward contract rep .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Christie or Cass :
Are we playing tomorrow at 9:30 ?
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Rhonda :
As I mentioned in my e-mail , John Lepore at Select Energy ( Settlements Group ) is trying to reconcile our list with his list .
He needs more info about these trades ( i.e. , price info ) and would like to talk with you about it .
His number is 860-665-2368 and e-mail address is leporjj@selectenergy.com .
Once we agree on the list , we can sign the EEI Master .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Rhonda L Denton
05/25/2001 12:45 PM
Here 's everything that flows from 5/1/01 forward .
Carol St Clair 05/25/2001 12:01 PM
We need to include all outstanding transactions .
Thanks .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Rhonda L Denton
05/25/2001 11:45 AM
Do you want 6/1/01 and forward or do you want to include all of May since they have not been settled ?
Just let me know and I can send you a new attachment .
Carol St Clair 05/25/2001 10:56 AM
Rhonda :
Does Attachment A to the Select EEI Master need to be updated or is the version that you sent to me the current version ?
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
lemelpe@NU.COM
05/25/2001 10:44 AM
Carol -
I think Valerie Mooney ( our credit person ) and Ed Sacks are still discussing some minor fine tuning of the LOC format .
I spoke to Bob Bruce this morning - we 're all set on the language in the Schedule to the ISDA , and there is a minor credit / billing issue in Paragraph 13 related to the timing of transfer of interest on collateral that Val will discuss with Ed as well .
As far as the EEI goes , the only remaining issue that I 'm aware of ( aside from finalizing the LOC ) is whether we 've finished coordinating the Attachment containing the list of prior transactions .
Sounds like we may actually get these documents executed early next week .
Phyllis Lemell
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Rhonda L Denton
06/01/2001 03:20 PM
I am missing Deal No. 74419 on your sheet .
It is Enpower No. 295870 .
Will fax .
Rhonda :
Thanks so much for your help on this .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Rhonda L Denton
06/01/2001 03:20 PM
I am missing Deal No. 74419 on your sheet .
It is Enpower No. 295870 .
Will fax .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
Rhonda L Denton
06/01/2001 03:20 PM
I am missing Deal No. 74419 on your sheet .
It is Enpower No. 295870 .
Will fax .
Phyllis :
We can accept the language with your chnages .
Are we ready to execute ?
I am out of the office today but will be back tomorrow .
Please call me .
thanks .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
lemelpe@NU.COM
06/04/01 08:38 AM
Carol -
Our credit person does n't understand why the transferability language needs to be eliminated .
It simply refers to the same ICC publication for the transfer process that governs the letter of credit generally .
Is there some specific concern that we can address ?
Russell :
Your comments to the transfer agreement were fine .
With respect to the Guaranty , I will delete the Schedule .
Our system did not show any other chnages .
Were there any ?
Carol
Yes .
Carol St. Clair EB 3889 713-853-3989 ( Phone ) 713-646-3393 ( Fax ) carol.st.clair@enron.com
All ,
Please see the attached Interconnect Agreement with Questar .
I wanted you all to have a look at what we believe is the final draft .
It is a fairly standard , fully reimbursable interconnect with Questar .
Transwestern will own and operate the interconnect .
You will notice that Questar has requested a " Payment Plan " that details when they will pay Transwestern for the interconnect due to the recent Enron events .
If anyone has any questions or concerns about the timing of these payments , please give me a call .
Also , you will notice this interconnect may not be subject to the CIAC tax gross up , but to protect ourselves , we have added language in Para 3.2 that protects us financially if the IRS ever comes back to determine that this interconnect is subject to the CIAC tax .
Robert Guthrie with the tax department has worked with us to develop this language .
We hope to execute this Agreement this week .
If you have any comments , please let me know .
After execution , we will forward a final copy to you for your files .
Thanks ,
Kim 713-853-3098
<< File : Questar So Trails Hub Interconnect 02-05-02.doc >>
Earl ,
We are looking at putting the metering facilities on their ROW ( also , I think we will have to purchase about 50 ft of ROW from ElPaso to get to Questar 's property ) .
As you look at this , if for some reason we can not obtain ElPaso ROW , we will have to look at Plan B which would be to put the metering on our ROW .
Our in - service date is May 1 .
If you think that May 1 may be difficult due to receiving the parts / materials on a timely basis because of the issues that vendors may have with us because of recent Enron events , please let me know .
Questar has already informed us that they would help obtain parts / materials to our specifications if it helps achieve an in - service date of May 1 .
Thanks , Kim .
Kim
Has a location , Theirs or TW land / ROW , been settled and when is the required in - service date ?
Thanks
Earl Chanley 505-625-8031
All ,
Please see the attached Interconnect Agreement with Questar .
I wanted you all to have a look at what we believe is the final draft .
It is a fairly standard , fully reimbursable interconnect with Questar .
Transwestern will own and operate the interconnect .
You will notice that Questar has requested a " Payment Plan " that details when they will pay Transwestern for the interconnect due to the recent Enron events .
If anyone has any questions or concerns about the timing of these payments , please give me a call .
Also , you will notice this interconnect may not be subject to the CIAC tax gross up , but to protect ourselves , we have added language in Para 3. that protects us financially if the IRS ever comes back to determine that this interconnect is subject to the CIAC tax .
Robert Guthrie with the tax department has worked with us to develop this language .
We hope to execute this Agreement this week .
If you have any comments , please let me know .
After execution , we will forward a final copy to you for your files .
Thanks ,
Kim 713-853-3098
<< File : Questar So Trails Hub Interconnect 02-05-02.doc >>
Are you back in the office yet ?
We 've booked Italy tickets this week for departing Houston on Friday , May 24 to Newark / Rome and returning on Sunday , June 9 from Rome to Newark / Houston .
Ticket price was $ 1,183 per ticket .
Paul and Judy are on board .
Can you and Tom join us ?
Janell and Dennis will not be able to go anywhere in 2002 due to Janell 's broken leg .
Please call me , let 's discuss .
Thanks ,
Kim X33098
John , sorry for the late response , but I think you can implement immediately .
I was in a meeting last week and this was discussed ( I do n't remember if you were there or not ) but I 'm thinking that you may have already proceeded ahead for implementation which is great , thanks !
Kim .
The telephony group has the new TW Hotline number and extensions ready for use , I have the solution center entering the greetings and Terry Kowalke has a new form and procedure for the Customer Service Reps. to use for updates .
How much notification would you like to give the TW customers before implementing the new TW Hotline phone number ?
We can do a Popup notification along with changing the number on the Web page , we can also put out a Critical message which will send an Email to customers .
Do you think we need to do more ?
Thanks : John Buchanan
Yes , thanks .
I was aware .
I just could n't remember if it was you or Terry .
Thanks , Kim .
Kim ,
The new TW Hotline was implemented Monday which included customer notification in the form of a Popup message in TMS and a Critical Notice which sent an Email .
The new Hotline phone number is 713-853-3044 .
I was under the impression that Terry Kowalke had notified you of the implementation , TK was also made aware .
John Buchanan
John , sorry for the late response , but I think you can implement immediately .
I was in a meeting last week and this was discussed ( I do n't remember if you were there or not ) but I 'm thinking that you may have already proceeded ahead for implementation which is great , thanks !
Kim .
The telephony group has the new TW Hotline number and extensions ready for use , I have the solution center entering the greetings and Terry Kowalke has a new form and procedure for the Customer Service Reps. to use for updates .
How much notification would you like to give the TW customers before implementing the new TW Hotline phone number ?
We can do a Popup notification along with changing the number on the Web page , we can also put out a Critical message which will send an Email to customers .
Do you think we need to do more ?
Thanks : John Buchanan
Here it is .
K .
See the attached spreadsheet .
Let me know if you have any questions .
Jan ,
These numbers are slightly different from the ones you put together a few weeks ago .
Are you comfortable with the difference ?
Any thoughts ?
No hurry , I was just wondering .
Thanks ,
Kim .
Attached is the TW Top Ten Shippers by Revenues for the year 2001 to be reported in the Browncover report .
Note :
Total transportation invoiced for 2001 was $ 180.9 m .
The amount of transportation revenues recorded in the general ledger is $ 165.9 m .
This difference is mainly due to the following :
$ 10.0 m - negotiated rates reserve ( Reliant , Sempra , Richardson , Astr , and BP Energy ) - $ collected
$ 2.7 m - SoCal rate issue - $ not collected
$ 1.8 m - additional month of PGE revenues due to prepayment invoicing beginning in 2001 - $ collected
Revenues for these customers were adjusted according .
Also , revenues for the shippers acquiring released volumes from PGE at rates above TW 's tariff rates were adjusted accordingly .
Please call me at x36709 if there are questions
thanks ,
richard
Kyle ,
Sorry for not sending this yesterday .
Monday's are always tough .
Please review and let me know what you think .
Let 's talk before I leave town next Wednesday .
Thanks ,
Kim .
Kim ,
Here is the Job Description and the Operational Accountabilities for the position I mentioned to you last Sunday .
As you can see it will take someone with some very good skills in organizing and interpersonal relationships .
It will also require someone who is fairly mature in their own spiritual journey .
If you know someone who might fit the bill ask them to contact me and / or send me their resume .
See you Sunday .
Tom
Thomas W. Daugherty Vice President for Spiritual Care Methodist Health Care System 6565 Fannin Street , D - 200 Houston , Texas 77030-2707 Office : 713-793-1429 Page : 281-735-5919 Cell : 713-819-2784 Fax : 713-790-2605
Mansoor ,
Let 's discuss .
Kim .
Kim
The in - service date of May 1 , will be very difficult to attain .
Since the bankruptcy filing , vendors have been very reluctant to ship material prior to it being prepaid ( Daniels , Fisher , Rosemont , other ) .
These are the vendors of instrumentation required for the interconnect .
Questar may be able to purchase material , but some of the items can have up to a 60 day delivery .
( From time PA approved and funded to in - service will be 75 days at most .
We have worked with Daniels on a chromatograph on another project and prepayment has taken 45 days alone .
Daniels is not set up for prepayments as they bill off an invoice and the main office and accounting had to create an invoice for a chromatograph that had not been delivered .
Not the usual mode of operations .
The I/C design is for a UltraSonic meter and this is dependent on their testing schedule ( Canada or Kansas are the only two places to test to 100 % of design ) .
Will confirm testing schedule and delivery dates with UltraSonic ASAP .
We will try to complete the I/C with the earliest in - service date possible , but with conditions as they are , a realistic date would be June 15 , 2002 .
If you have questions or issues , please let me know .
Thanks
Earl Chanley 505-625-8031
Earl ,
We are looking at putting the metering facilities on their ROW ( also , I think we will have to purchase about 50 ft of ROW from ElPaso to get to Questar 's property ) .
As you look at this , if for some reason we can not obtain ElPaso ROW , we will have to look at Plan B which would be to put the metering on our ROW .
Our in - service date is May 1 .
If you think that May 1 may be difficult due to receiving the parts / materials on a timely basis because of the issues that vendors may have with us because of recent Enron events , please let me know .
Questar has already informed us that they would help obtain parts / materials to our specifications if it helps achieve an in - service date of May 1 .
Thanks ,
Kim .
Listening to the Edison call w/ investors Edison says they will pay everyone at the same time ( " big bang " approach ) sometime in Q1 '02 .
My concern is that between now and then Dunn , the AG have the time and resources to make a heckuvalot of mischief , which could be detrimental to generators / marketers ' claims .
Investors are asking what Edison intends for QFs and generators -- asking about haircuts in particular -- and Edison is side - stepping the questions .
Great .
Figured they 'd contacted them , but wanted to make sure .
You know when the meeting with schedulers will be ?
I apologize , I 'm on the road and have n't heard when that will be .
I 'm thinking that I may want to attend .
Thanks .
Best ,
Jeff
Thanks for the info - a few people from our shop will be in attendance ./
If you have n't heard , SoCal 's announced their abandoning windows for OFOs .
They 're holding " workshops " on how it will all work soon .
I 'll get you the announcement .
Best ,
Jeff
Probing the ' palace coup '
Electricity : A panel focuses on price hikes and the actions of the ISO president .
September 26 , 2001
By KIMBERLY KINDY
The Orange County Register
SACRAMENTO
A state Senate committee is set today to start serving 16 subpoenas on electricity producers and officials who manage California 's energy grid to determine whether they acted in concert to manipulate energy prices .
The investigative committee , headed by state Sen. Joe Dunn , D - Santa Ana , is focusing on a series of events last fall filled with enough Shakespearean plot twists and intrigue that it has earned a name around the Capitol : " the palace coup . "
Lawmakers and consumer groups allege that the events - directed by the man who heads the state 's energy grid - fueled the California energy crisis , pushed the state into the power - buying business and helped make billions of dollars for power producers .
The central question behind the palace coup is whether Terry Winter , the president of the Independent System Operator , acted alone when he took steps to remove key price caps designed to limit the amount power generators could charge .
Winter defied his own board and Gov. Gray Davis when he filed a 50 - page request to remove the caps , records and interviews show .
I do n't know how these events could have taken place without some concerted effort , said Dunn .
The subpoenas will force those involved , including Winter , to provide sworn testimony about the events to the committee , and to turn over e-mails , personal calendars and memos .
Davis spokesman Steve Maviglio said the governor felt " betrayed " by the actions of Winter .
The governor believes it was the defining moment , when what was a mounting problem turned into an instant crisis , Maviglio said .
Winter refused comment , referring all questions to the public relations office .
ISO spokesman Gregg Fishman said Dunn 's committee will find no criminal conduct .
The decision was made by ISO upper management with one goal in mind : to keep the lights on .
At the time , generators were refusing to sell power in California because of the price caps .
It was an emergency , Fishman said .

What became known as the palace coup began on Oct. 26 when ISO board members voted for severe restrictions on the amount of money electricity producers could charge for power .
The restrictions would drive prices as low as $ 65 per megawatt - nearly 12 times below the $ 750 per megawatt limits of seven months earlier .
They ( electricity generators ) grinned and beared the $ 750 price cap , but this new plan by ISO was too much , said Dunn , whose committee has been investigating since March .

Records show that on Oct. 31 , power generators and electricity traders filed letters with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission , demanding that the new plan be killed .
The letters , six in all , were sent within two hours of each other and represented dozens of power generators .

Although there is nothing illegal about the generators acting together to lobby against price caps , Dunn believes the letters and other actions around the same time showed clear coordination among energy officials .
He said the main aim of the subpoenas will be to determine whether collusion occurred to " fix " prices , which would violate federal trade laws .
In the Oct. 31 letters , electricity producers told federal officials that if price caps were n't removed it would lead to a collapse of the energy market .
The generators got their way .
The next day , the federal commission killed the new pricing plan .
What was left in place was a $ 250 price cap established five months earlier .
Power producers then turned their attention toward killing that cap , saying they could n't make a profit even under these constraints .
They began to withhold power from California , and on Dec. 7 the ISO declared its first Stage 3 emergency and braced for blackouts , which were narrowly averted .
What followed the next day is considered by the governor and Dunn to be the pivotal moment of the energy crisis .
Winter , who in his position as president and chief operating officer of the ISO , submitted a 50 - page emergency request , asking federal officials to abolish the $ 250 price cap .
Final authority over lifting the cap rested with the federal government .
Neither the ISO board , which had established the price cap , nor the governor learned of Winter 's actions until the cap had been removed .
In fact , the attorney who helped draft the emergency request , Charles Robinson , was in a meeting with representatives of the governor and ISO board members just hours before the filing was made .
He did n't mention anything about it .

With the price caps gone , the generators filed paperwork with federal regulators justifying higher costs .


This action accelerated the utilities ' move toward bankruptcy and forced the governor to move the state into the power - buying business . "
Prices for electricity jumped from an average of $ 249 a megawatt to $ 700 a megawatt within three days , ISO records show .
Dunn believes the resulting overcharges for electricity exceeded $ 30 billion .
Robinson said the filing - granted two hours after the request - helped rather than hurt Californians .
Prices , he said , did not spike as a result .
Instead they followed the skyrocketing price of natural gas - which is used to run power plants to generate electricity .
Robinson said the emergency order allowed the ISO to secure refunds should overcharges for electricity be proven to federal officials .


We felt we made it better because it introduced a process for review and refund . "
Jan Smutney - Jones , who was the ISO board chairman at the time and executive director of a group that represents power generators , said Winter did not consult him about eliminating the price cap .
Smutney - Jones also said he was unaware of anyone in the power - generating community being consulted .

He did what he thought had to be done at the time to keep the power flowing .
The ISO board called an emergency meeting the next week demanding Winter explain his actions .
Some board members pushed to have Winter removed , but there were concerns such action would lead to more chaos , the governor 's spokesman Maviglio said .
James J. Hoecker , the former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission chairman , defended making the December decision and also defended Winter .

They ( ISO management ) did what any independent system operator would do .
What Dunn 's committee hopes to learn is why all these events transpired .
He believes memos and e-mails around the time of Winter 's Dec. 8 actions should provide vital clues .
We do n't know why he did what he did , but we are eager to find out , Dunn said .

We should resurrect Mike Smith 's note and get him on the call in the attempt to avoid recreating the wheel on this one .
I can dig it up if you 'd like .
Sue and Jeff --
I am having a meeting with Vicki and Janet Dietrich on Thursday to discuss our view on the ability to extend our current contracts in CA ( for customers already on DA ) .
Can we discuss this today or soon thereafter .
My take is that the UDCs will be indifferent to this ( maybe ? ) and our # 1 priority is to work to get the PG&E model adopted across the state .
Any news on how SCE and SDG&E will move forward ?
Thanks .
Sounds good .
I suggest a " blind draw " on the teams , best ball not scramble on the golf , and as for the wager , no emails from the losing team for one week !
Is there any question ?
I 'll leave to Steve to structure the deal .
As I recall , Montavano , Shapiro and I usually make up one team , but I 'm willing to switch around a bit .
Best ,
Jeff
Are you playing golf ?
And if yes , what 's the game and wager ???
Jim
Neal S. Manne < NMANNE@SusmanGodfrey.com >
11/28/2000 06:16 PM
It 's a two way street , of course .
Have they expressed any interest in negotiating ?
There is nothing wrong with a REAL negotiation , but nothing particularly helpful about generating one that s just for show .
Particularly in the absence of any entreaty from them .
Where is the " simple " explanation of the transportation piece ?
As I have told RNR , I think we should advise Duke in writing that its IP is not in conformity with the contract , since it is in the alternative , and that our IP is hence the only one that will be before the arbitrators ( since Duke clearly can not change it's ineffective IP at this stage , having already seen ours ) .
Accordingly , the only issue left for arbitration is whether our IP ( the only one and therefore the one they have to choose ) is or is not an economic hardship under the contract .
What say ye ?
none
Susan Rance@ENRON
11/28/2000 03:58 PM
By Friday December 1st , could you please tell me the percentages / amount of time you spent on East Coast Power during the months of October and November .
In addition , could you look over the list below to see if there are any additional employees in your group that spent time on ECP , so we can ensure we bill all of our used resources to ECP .
Thanks for you cooperation .
*** Mary Perkins - Could you forward the number of transactions and accounts .
*** Jason Chumley - Could you forward the number of contractor hours and help / remote support hours .
HR - Veronica Parra , Nedre Strambler , Fran Mayes , Felicia Solis
Legal - Bob Carter , Travis McCullough , Lisa Mellencamp , Shelia Tweed , Richard Sanders , Michelle Cash
Corporate Finance - Joe Deffner , Brain Kerrigan , Lewis Worthy , Mary Perkins
IT - Jason Chumley
Structuring / Technology - Brad Alford , Chris Coffman , Bill Keeney
Insurance - David Marshall
Susan
Looks good
Steve Van Hooser
11/28/2000 11:34 AM
Richard ,
How does this look ?
If I can get a few minutes with Mark H. today , I 'm going to propose that I speak to Stan Klimberg about getting this signed before Thursday 's meeting with LIPA .
Thanks for your help this morning .
Steve
In the three years I have been here , I am unaware of an ENA / ECT bad faith claim against any insurance company .
Anyone else ?
If so , please contact Michelle .
Michelle Blaine@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
11/28/2000 07:35 PM
Justin , I have no knowledge of any bad faith actins Enron has pending in Texas but I will call Richard Sanders who manages domestic litgation here .
I 've read the materials you sent and agree we need to address these allegations appropriately .
Richard do you have any bad faith litigation pending against any insurers in Texas or are you aware of any Enron has filed ??
We sued Houston Casualty last year but I do n't recall making any bad faith claims .
It settled anyway , a long time ago .
mb
Michelle ,
Did you get my fax on Friday ?
I guess the questions on which I should like your steer are : ( a ) Do you have a particular sensitivity about the reference to bad faith proceedings made by United India ?
( b ) Is it right that Enron has 3 sets of bad faith proceedings in Texas ?
( c ) Are you happy with the draft letter to Beachcrofts I sent you ?
Please give me a call if you would like to discuss .
Justin
Not when I was there , but I was n't there the whole time .
Michelle and Ken ,
were you able to discuss the " bad faith " proceedings issue yesterday ?
If you got the chance today , I should be really grateful if one of you could give me a call to discuss this issue ; I think we should set out DPC 's position clearly on this in correspondence without too much delay .
Justin

This message is confidential .
It may also be privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity or other legal rules .
If you have received it by mistake please let us know by reply and then delete it from your system ; you should not copy the message or disclose its contents to anyone .

Address this to Robin Gibbs for my signature .
Thanks .
Russell Montgomery@ENRON
11/28/2000 08:22 AM
Richard -
Per my voice mail , here is the letter .
As I mentioned , please let me know when it is ready , and I will send someone to pick it up .
Thank you for your help .
Russ 3-5297
brianp@aiglincoln.com
Rob Jacobs < rsjacobs@Encoreacq.com >
11/28/2000 11:25 AM
Hi Rich ,
Have you heard if the Kinga has had little Brian II yet ?
Also , remind me of Patterson 's email , so I can harass him directly .
Hope your pre Chanukah planning is going well .
Rob
- C.DTF
As you can tell from the time of my e-mail , I am getting crushed .
Please ask her to be the contact person .
Robert C Williams@ENRONDEVELOPMENT
11/28/2000 09:46 AM
Now that Michelle is in your fold , do you want to reconsider her being the contact person with AAA on this ?
I am sending you a letter from their atty .
Call me to discuss .
Cheryl Marshall
11/27/2000 10:25 AM
As of today , we have not received payment in full as requested in Richard Sanders ' letter dated November 16 , 2000 .
We did receive a payment for $ 3,202.61 on 11-20-2000 .
Richard - please let me know what we need to do next to file suit .
NuriaRIbarra@calpx.com on 04/28/2000 11:15:11 AM
The attached letter is being sent to you from Patricia Gillman .
( See attached file : Sanders Letter 42800.doc )
- Sanders Letter 42800.doc
Richard B Sanders
11/28/2000 09:56 PM
I am sending you a letter from their atty .
Call me to discuss .
Cheryl Marshall
11/27/2000 10:25 AM
As of today , we have not received payment in full as requested in Richard Sanders ' letter dated November 16 , 2000 .
We did receive a payment for $ 3,202.61 on 11-20-2000 .
Richard - please let me know what we need to do next to file suit .
Has Liz finished with gathering the documents ?
melanie.gray@weil.com
11/13/2000 03:43 PM
Here are the revised dates for the response / reply / and hearing dates for Enron 's motion to compel .
As you may recall , they say they want a deposition on the parties ' intention .
We should be expecting a deposition notice soon if they are going to follow through on their threat .
I passed along to Liz Austin your request regarding pleadings A&K has filed setting forth the Trustee 's position in connection with the enforcement / nonenforcement of the power contracts and what remedies the Trustee is seeking .
As you see below , she is pulling those together .
Call to discuss the response to the Trustee 's settlement offer .
Thanks .
Hi --
Talked to Craig and the Court today .
The motion to compel is now scheduled for Dec. 12 at 2 p.m .
The trustee 's oppositon papers are now due Nov 27 and Enron reply is due Dec 1 .
I have my paralegal gathering the pleadings Enron requested .
That is all for now .
-- Liz
********** NOTE **********
The information contained in this email message is intended only for use of the individual or entity named above .
If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient , or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient , you are hereby notified that any dissemination , distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited .
If you have received this communication in error , please immediately notify us by telephone ( 713-546-5000 ) , and destroy the original message .
Thank you .
Gerry Strathmann < gstrathmann@mediaone.net >
11/08/2000 02:19 PM
Dear Mr. Sanders -
?
While I left a you a phone message with some information about our project , I thought I could give you some additional details by e-mail as well ...
?
We are still very interested in having Enron support our eCommerce Dispute Management Protocol .?
We have had enthusiastic responses from companies such as AT&T , Duke Energy , Pitney Bowes and Daimler Chrysler , and I would be pleased to answer any questions you may have about this focal point for our educational efforts .?
The real purpose of my call , however , is related to the services we will provide to support the aspirational statements of the Protocol .
I am a member of the design group that has been developing the American Arbitration Association 's dispute management systems and services for eCommerce B2B transactions .?
At this time we are putting together small working groups to validate some of our assumptions and refine our initial service offerings .
Initially our design group , along with perhaps one of our technology consultants , would like to meet with a group of Enron people for half a day .?
Ideally this group would consist of four to six people from finance , legal , and operations so that we get good cross-functional feedback about our services .?
Before the meeting we would provide you with a brief description of our proposed service offerings and a list of points for discussion at the meeting .
The real focus of the meeting will be on how we should build these services to meet the needs of businesses operating in B2B marketplaces .?
We are very concerned with providing services that are relevant to that environment .
We would like to meet between November 14 and ? December 1 ? since construction of our services is already underway .?
Please let me know what is possible , and feel free to give me a call if you have any questions ( 978-376-9004 ) .
?
Thanks .
-> Gerry
Gerry Strathmann eCommerce Group American Arbitration Association ( 978 ) 376-9004 303-294-4499
Neal S. Manne < NMANNE@SusmanGodfrey.com >
11/29/2000 09:52 AM
Thanks , Richard .
Do you have a tel # for Mike ?
Thanks .
Mark Palmer@ENRON
11/29/2000 10:45 AM
I 'll send a copy of the suit filed against the generators as soon as I get it .
Mark
Leopold , Jason < Jason.Leopold@dowjones.com >
11/29/2000 10:40 AM
Hello Energyphiles :
OK , perhaps it was inevitable .
But it is now official .
A team of San Diego 's best anti-trust and class action attorneys has been assembled to take on the electric generators and marketers in California state court in an effort to return the electricity overcharges that have battered San Diego and the rest of California this year .
A press conference will be held to discuss the consumer class action lawsuit to be filed today .
WHEN : 11 am - noon
WHERE : 550 West C St. ( b/t Columbia & India ) Suite 1810 Law Offices of Levine , Steinberg , Miller & Huver 619-231-9449
WHAT : Copies of the filed complaint will be made available at that time .
UCAN 's executive director and the attorney team will be available to answer questions about the complaint .
We are hopeful that we can post the complaint to the UCAN web site later today .
***********************************
Time is the best teacher , except for the fact that it kills off its best students
Michael Shames Executive Director Utility Consumers ' Action Network 1717 Kettner Blvd. Suite 105 San Diego , CA 92101 619-696-6966 mshames@ucan.org
the industry of Marriage and Kids , you heard me .
Marriage is , in and of itself , a noble concept , but it too often leads to kids and kids flat out suck .
How can I say such an abomination , ask you ?
Look around you and notice all the mind numbing trailor trash cretins out there who should not be procreating , yet they do .
These are the people who keep Jerry springer on the air .
These are the kids who will destroy society , because of the crapfest the American family has become under the post hippie culture , you heard again .
And you might think by reading this I blame the kids .....
Not so , Kids are what kids are and will do what they do .
It is literally monkey see and monkey do with them .
That will likely never change .
It 's the bad parents out there who fuck up their lives and do nt seem to understand that once you decide to have kids , it is indeed time to grow up and be a responsible role model for those kids .
Very few parents do this .
And this is a direct result of the Politically correct , permissive , time out granting bullshit liberal culture that has caused this .
When you blame it all on society , there 's noone to to take responsibility and all of a sudden you have generation of fucked up kids who are likley smoking , drinking , doing drugs , fucking the neighbor or some internet perv just because you are too lazy to see waht they 're doing .
People like this will never have my sympathy , nor do they deserve my sympathy .
Look inside yourselves parents , is this you ?
Probably it is .
Fuck you .
Stop trying to pawn your brats off on others to " get a break " .
You made a choice to be a mommy , you do nt get a break until they move out , that s the choice that you madea and that 's life .
Tough shit .
Just because you 're stuck , does nt give you the right to drag down all the singles around you .
Another time I 'll segueway into all the fun work related instances where " Mommies " get out of doing work and hiding behind childcare as the reason .
This is the insidious conspiracy I call " Mommism " .
It must be stamped out .
[ http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpnasa054135614feb05,0,5979821.story?coll=ny-editorials-headlines ]
( Newsday.com )
It looks like NASA is ready to sour again after it's devastating loss from the Columbia accident which occurred nearly two years ago .
Now , NASA engineers and astronauts are almost giddy with " go " fever as the tentative date for the first launch since the Columbia disaster approaches .
The most important question is n't whether Discovery is technically ready to fly with new safety features and emergency procedures , but whether the agency itself has learned from the crucial errors most common to Challenger and Columbia , errors that grew out of a management culture that discouraged criticism and sacrificed safety for image - puffing and budget - cutting .
I hope so .
Seeing another " Columbia " incident can be quite frightening ( I woke up to it early in the morning when I was in Texas ) .
We do n't need another incident as exploring the cosmos is something that keeps our imagination going as a species .
Maybe one day they will allow space tourism , ( hopefully that will be in the near future ) although I would recommend that NASA build new shuttles instead of trying to preserve the older ones .
You do have to give NASA credit on some things as they have eliminated the " fear of reporting failure " culture that probably led to the lack of reporting defects on the Columbia shuttle .
Instead they are encouraging everyone to come forward if they see any potential problems ( as it is clear that overlooked problems could result in unnecessary losses ) .
But supporters are pointing a few good things out :
Clearly , the agency has worked hard at tackling the technical challenges posed by a superb and surprisingly independent - minded investigative panel .
A few weeks ago , shuttle workers at the Kennedy Space Center received a rocket - like boost in morale with two important deliveries for the next shuttle to carry .
One is a special tool to detect damage to the thermal - protective tile while in orbit - something the Columbia crew would have welcomed .
The other is a new fuel tank " guaranteed " by NASA not to shed potentially fatal hunks of insulation .
NASA has some PR hurdles to overcome in the future .
But let s hope for their sake ( and the sake of all space lovers out there ) that they can redefine their image and rekindle the hope of space colonization again .
Selah .
--
Posted by Hidden Nook to Hidden Nook at 2/7/2005 01:09:32 AM
Healing the Collective Body
In George Orwell 's influential novel " 1984 " doublethink is a device promoted by the totalitarian state government to make people accept two irreconcilable ideas at the same time such as " war is peace " .
I see the merit in flowing with duality .
One of my most cherished dualities is the understanding that we are both autonomous individuals with the power to shape our personal destinies and at the same time we are all one , that there is no separation between you and I , we are all together in this thing called life , we human beings , the birds and the tress , the rocks and the sky , all of it .
I have written a lot recently about healing the self so today here are a few words on healing our collective body , mind and soul .
Think of all life , if you will , as one great choir or one grand congregation .
Our strength is in our unity and harmony .
Any major dischord and we all suffer .
Any insult to the collective good brings us all down .
Living out of synch with nature is the great disease , from that flows all the tributaries we have come to think of as sickness .
We are only as strong as our weakest , we are only as healthy as the sickest amongst us - playing sports and being in the army taught me that lesson before I was finished being a teenager .
When the healthy treat the sick with scorn and intolerance it brings us all down .
When those lucky enough not to have Herpes create a climate of shame and indignity for those of us who do , not only are they hurting us , but they are hurting themselves .
There is no escape from the collective ocean we all swim in .
What you project will always come back to either reward or haunt you .
We are now suffering from the consequences of our rape of the environment , our rejection of the natural for the industrial , and our embrace of violence over peace .
Jesus said that what you do the least of the people you do to him .
What are you doing to the least of the people ?
If we are all in this thing together , let 's play nice .
Remember that what you do to yourself affects me and everybody else , remember that what you do to me and anyone else shapes your destiny .
No matter what progress we make as individuals in becoming healthier , we will never achieve real health until we collectively decide to create a healthier reality .
Fortunately circumstances will force our hand soon since our collective bad behaviour can not continue indefinitely .
In the near future collective choices will need to be made .
Will we choose to live in harmony with this planet or crash and burn in a conflagration of arrogance and disregard ?
Will we choose to rise about prejudice and intolerance or go down kicking and screaming with holding on to fear and anger ?
There is no health without peace and no peace without health .
November 2005
Sunshine Coast , British Columbia , Canada
Christopher Scipio Homeopath / Herbalist Holistic Viral Specialist
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Email : " Dharmadeva " < dharmad...@gmail.com >
Namaskar
Hi All !
We now present the kaoshikii dance , which is excellent before and after yoga postures .
I encourage you to do this dance , as it has tremendous positive effects .
It is a dance for both males and females .
Dharma
--
Kaoshikii is a dance which was invented in 1978 by Shrii Shrii A'nandamu'rti .
It is a psycho-spiritual exercise and benefiting the mind by developing stamina and strength .
Kaoshikii is especially good for women .
It can ward off and cure a number of diseases , keeps the body youthful and enables an easy delivery in childbirth .
Kaoshikii comes from the Sanskrit word ' kosa ' meaning shell or layer of mind .
The self of the individual lies hidden in the innermost layers of existence ( kosas ) .
Thus kaoshikii is a blossoming of the microcosm ( unit being ) in its attempt to attain a link with the Macrocosm ( Cosmic Consciousness ) .
This attempt is normally referred to as mysticism .
--
The Benefits
Exercises all the glands and limbs from head to toes .
Increases longevity .
Makes for easy delivery at childbirth .
The spine will become flexible .
Arthritis of the spine , neck , waist and other joints will be removed .
Gout in the spine , neck , hands and waist will be lost .
The mind becomes strong and sharp .
Irregularities in menstruation will be cured .
Glandular secretions will become regulated .
Troubles in the bladder and urethra will be cured .
Gives control over the limbs .
Adds charm and shine to the face and skin .
Removes wrinkles .
Removes lethargy .
Cures insomnia .
Cures hysteria .
Fear complexes will be removed .
Hopelessness will be lost .
Helps in self - expression and develops one 's potentiality .
Spinal pain , piles , hernia , hydrocele in men , nervous pain , nervous disability will be cured .
Cures kidney and gall bladder troubles , gastric trouble , dyspepsia , acidity , dysentery , obesity and liver diseases .
Increases the capacity to work until 75 - 80 years of age .
--
The Dance
The eighteen steps of the dance are done rhythmically .
First the dancer begins in the starting position : the hands together and raised over the head .
Then to the beat of " dhin , dhin , ... , ta' , ta' " , the dancers begin their step , placing the big toe behind the heel of the other foot .
In the final two steps , the dancers firmly stamp their feet on the ground .
Kaoshikii can be danced for as many rounds as you like .
--
The Ideation
When the dancers start the step with the beat of " dhin , dhin ... " , the mental ideation should also be kept .
Here is the ideation .
The two hands when upraised and folded together represent : " Now I am trying to establish a link with Parama Purus'a ( Supreme Consciousness ) . "
Bending to the right indicates : " I know the right way to request You . "
Bending to the left indicates : " I know how to fulfil Your demands . "
Bending forward suggests : " I completely surrender to You . "
Bending backward represents : " I am ready to face all obstacles that may come . "
The last two steps represent : " O Lord I repeat Your cosmic rhythm . "
Quebecker wins U.S. bravery award
Pittsburgh -
A Quebec man was awarded a Carnegie Medal for bravery on Monday for saving two friends by fighting off a polar bear with a pocket knife two years ago on Baffin Island
Dr. Eric Fortier , 34 , of Gatineau , Que. , used a pocket knife to attack a polar bear on Baffin Island , just south of the Arctic Circle , to save two friends who were being mauled .
All of the research and all of the preparation I did leading up to the trip gave no indication that there were bears in the Soper [ River ] valley where we were canoeing , Dr. Fortier said .
Dr. Fortier , an orthodontist , learned there was at least one polar bear in the central region of Baffin Island in July 2001 when he felt what he thought was a dog leaning on his tent wall .
My first thought was to push it away , he said .
A few seconds later my girlfriend saw the shadow of a bear 's paw through the tent fly and then it started ripping through the ceiling .
The polar bear is more dangerous than most other bears .
The latter usually consider human beings a threat but the polar bear considers humans a snack , experts said .
The two screamed to frighten the bear and warn their friends in a tent several metres away but the bear ripped into that tent and began mauling 31 - year - old Alain Parenteau .
Their screams changed , Dr. Fortier said .
I grabbed my glasses and my knife and unzipped my tent and headed out .
The bear dwarfed the 6 - foot - 1 Mr. Parenteau , knocking him to the ground , he said .
Dr. Fortier threw a large rock at the bear , distracting it and allowing Parenteau to escape but it then turned on 25 - year - old Patricia Doyon , who was in the same tent .
Again Dr. Fortier threw rocks at the bear and again its target was able to escape .
The bear gave chase and I gave chase , he said .

I was beside the bear 's head and I stabbed it with an upper cut below the jaw in the neck a couple of times . "
The bear ran off .
While there was some fur and blood on the nine - centimetre blade , Dr. Fortier said he does n't think he hurt the bear badly .
Both Mr. Parenteau and Ms. Doyon , however , were bleeding badly .
Dr. Fortier and his girlfriend lashed two canoes together and paddled eight kilometres along the Soper River .
Dr. Fortier travelled another three kilometres by foot to seek help in the nearest settlement .
Both Mr. Parenteau and Ms. Doyon were airlifted to a hospital and survived , though Mr. Parenteau had a gash within a centimetre of his jugular , Dr. Fortier said .
Dr. Fortier was one of 15 people to receive the Carnegie Medal on Monday .
The bronze medal is given to people who " risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others . "
The other Canadian recipient of the medal was Ronald Joseph Crawford , 42 , of Hamilton , who was killed Aug. 4 , 2002 , while trying to defend a Hamilton sandwich shop owner from a robber wielding a knife .
Mr. Crawford threw several punches at the assailant before he was stabbed in the heart .
U.S. industrialist Andrew Carnegie started a hero fund in 1904 after being inspired by rescue stories from a mine disaster that killed 181 people .
The award comes with a $ 3,500 ( U.S. ) grant .
Important information of big companies
Apple Computers
It was the favorite fruit of founder Steve Jobs .
He was three months late in filing a name for the business , and he threatened to call his company Apple Computers if the other colleagues did n't suggest a better name by 5 O'clock .
CISCO
It is not an acronym as popularly believed .
It is short for San Francisco .
Compaq
This name was formed by using COMp , for computer , and PAQ to denote a small integral object .
Corel
The name was derived from the founder 's name Dr. Michael Cowpland .
It stands for COwpland REsearch Laboratory .
Google
The name started as a joke boasting about the amount of information the search - engine would be able to search .
It was originally named ' Googol ' , a word for the number represented by 1 followed by 100 zeros .
After founders - Stanford graduate students Sergey Brin and Larry Page presented their project to an angel investor , they received a cheque made out to ' Google '
Hotmail
Founder Jack Smith got the idea of accessing e-mail via the web from a computer anywhere in the world .
When Sabeer Bhatia came up with the business plan for the mail service , he tried all kinds of names ending in ' mail ' and finally settled for hotmail as it included the letters " html " - the programming language used to write web pages .
It was initially referred to as HoTMaiL with selective uppercasing .
Hewlett Packard
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard tossed a coin to decide whether the company they founded would be called Hewlett - Packard or Packard - Hewlett .
Intel
Bob Noyce and Gordon Moore wanted to name their new company ' Moore Noyce ' but that was already trademarked by a hotel chain so they had to settle for an acronym of INTegrated ELectronics .
Lotus ( Notes )
Mitch Kapor got the name for his company from ' The Lotus Position ' or ' Padmasana ' .
Kapor used to be a teacher of Transcendental Meditation of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi .
Microsoft
Coined by Bill Gates to represent the company that was devoted to MICROcomputer SOFTware .
Originally christened Micro - Soft , the ' - ' was removed later on .
Motorola
Founder Paul Galvin came up with this name when his company started manufacturing radios for cars .
The popular radio company at the time was called Victrola .
ORACLE
Larry Ellison and Bob Oats were working on a consulting project for the CIA ( Central Intelligence Agency ) .
The code name for the project was called Oracle ( the CIA saw this as the system to give answers to all questions or something such ) .
The project was designed to help use the newly written SQL code by IBM .
The project eventually was terminated but Larry and Bob decided to finish what they started and bring it to the world .
They kept the name Oracle and created the RDBMS engine .
Later they kept the same name for the company .
Sony
It originated from the Latin word ' sonus ' meaning sound , and ' sonny ' a slang used by Americans to refer to a bright youngster .
SUN
Founded by 4 Stanford University buddies , SUN is the acronym for Stanford University Network .
Andreas Bechtolsheim built a microcomputer ; Vinod Khosla recruited him and Scott McNealy to manufacture computers based on it , and Bill Joy to develop a UNIX - based OS for the computer .
Yahoo!
The word was invented by Jonathan Swift and used in his book ' Gulliver 's Travels ' .
It represents a person who is repulsive in appearance and action and is barely human .
Yahoo! Founders Jerry Yang and David Filo selected the name because they considered themselves yahoos ...
I am on Yahoo !
Email : mayur...@yahoo.com SMS : + 919819602175 Web :
Hi all ,
There are already several forums around the net focused on discussing Guild Wars , so why create a new one ?
I say why not ?
The main reason is Google is more accessible to the global community and you can rest assured that it 's not going to go away .
I have seen great fan sites suddenly disappear without notice and for no reason .
Usually this happens because the developer of the site can no longer afford the cost of bandwidth being used .
That said , the maintenance of this forum is handled by Google and thus will remain reliable and it will ultimately give us more time to play :) .
I 'm nothing more than a devoted fan of the game myself and I hope that this area can become a haven for deep fan discussions .
Regards ,
Humanpixel
Aye !
Good Day Mate !
I m really looking forward to Guild Wars .
Anyone know a release date ?
Feb 2005
Feb 2005 is the projected release date , although Guild Wars is made by ex-members of Blizzard , so Feb 2005 could mean August 2006 ...
Anyway , I tried to get a preorder but no places were selling it so I missed out on 2/3 weekend events .
Oh well , I 'll get it when it comes out in Febuary .
rumor has feb 05 on the calender .
BUT they stated that they will take as long as it takes to work out all the bugs so who really know how long .
as far as pre order go to and they have a list of major retailers that carry it there are also a few websites that you could order it off of .
and a good reason for starting this group .... company firewalls lol ;)
I was kind of curious , what exactly is Guild Wars ?
I hav n't heard of it .
Check out the Guild Wars Web site at for more info about the game .
It 's a massive multiplayer role playing game .
The graphics are without a doubt the amoung the best graphics I have ever seen for any game and I have been gaming since the MUD days .
It 's worth a look .
I have a preorder and am even considering getting a second preorder to have multiple accounts .
I have participated in all the weekend beta events and the world preview .
The game is already 100 % functional .
I ca n't imagine them not being able to meet the Feb 05 deadline .
Warm greetings to all in this GW community .
I am Lady Kingel and I hail from the United Legit Gaming Guilds of Guild Wars .
We are a consortium of legit honorable guilds that was established in 1997 for DI and we are now adding GW to the list of games played .
The alliance is a pretty straightforward one .
It was formed to allow many different guilds who were all strictly honorable to come together as a family and allow them many people to game with .
There are no other requirements other than we ask that members greet each new member and each new alliance and also feel free to post in any of the forums .
We are also a group who is looking for members for our own select guild called ULGG of GW ... which is a part of the alliance with the same name .
We play in all aspects of the game and we hand pick our members .
I would like to personally invite each of you to visit our website .
You are individuals of quality , and in our alliance we seek quality of member over quantity of member .
You will be asked to register , and then you should wander over to the Announce Your Arrival Section and present yourself .
You will be greeted by many members of this wonderful family .
I do hope to see you visiting us at the fire and we shall prepare a feast for you , as well .
If you paste this in your browser , it will take you directly to our GW website .
I extend my hand to each of you in true friendship , and honor .
Come and say hello ... you will be warmly welcomed !
We are currently moving to a new server , so we will be down for a while .
I will inform when we are up and running again .
I wish all happy holidays , and moreso , peace on earth .
Kingel
Dear Judges , Lawyers , Policemen , Guards , Counselors , Taxpayers , et. al. ,
We are here .
Like it or not , for good or bad , we are here .
Who are we ?
We are the downtrodden and dispossesed , the self - torturing , the disenfranchised convicts , drug and alcohol addicts , the unemployed and unemployable .
We are the children of poverty , financial and spiritual .
We have and will have children of our own , grandchildren too .
We are ex-cons , uninsured , homeless , of many colors and speaking many tongues .
We are the enemy in what has become a domestic war against ourselves .
And who are you ?
You who like the tough talk of Tough on Crime ?
You who watch as budgets are cut in education and health care while you militarize a police force ?
Bullet - proof vests , automatic weapons , helicopters , tanks , robots ... the testosterone is oozing through the streets , more prisons , longer sentences , tighten the belt , spartan conditions , task forces , gang units , gun courts .
And what is there to show for it ?
Unemployent stays low because half the population oversees those " out of the workforce " , the dregs , the rabble , the enemy ?
Please tell me there is a deeper reason .
Do you feel safer ?
More humane ?
More like a cohesive society with a shared sense of purpose , who can identify Us and Them ?
Do you live in a gated community or gentrified neighborhood ?
By the way , have you read the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution - or do you only know the first phrases ?
It 's about time we got together .
Please know that I have yet to meet a convict who wants their child to be a thief , an addict , a dealer , a prostitute , or a violent individual .
Most of us still have hope for ourselves even when stuck in the darkest dilemmas , ruts and catch - 22s .
Most of us believe in crafting laws and instilling order .
Many of us have burrowed beneath the surface to find a spiritual sense of being , an understanding force at least as powerful as those we succumbed to , and many of use would n't escape if you opened the front door .
Did you know that approximately 10 million Americans are either incarcerated , on probation , on parole or once were in those categories ?
Each of those 10 million have families , friends , neighbors ... and so closer and closer does the We interface with the You .
Do n't you think it 's time we talked ?
Are you ready ?
Can you accept that the road we are travelling points toward a grim and painful future ?
Do you have the heart to face monumental failures while bravely struggling beyond where we are now ?
I know that some of you are , and that some of us are , and this is what gives me hope .
You need our insights just as we need your structure .
It is never over , especially when a real solution , a real treatment for our sickness , is yet to begin .
In Solidarity ,
Bruce Reilly ( a.k.a Bruha ) P.O. Box 8274 Cranston , RI 02920 USA
P.S. - I am trying to conceptualize an effective guerilla media campaign to promote this cause .
Ideas are welcome .
Collaboration is prayed .
an annotated text of the bill , read the article by D. Singmaster in " The Mathematical Intelligencer " v 7 # 2 , pp 69 - 72 .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----
Subject : Where can I get the necessary software to get a " smart " mail system running on my machine that will take advantage of the postings in comp.mail.maps ? ( E.g. , pathalias , smail , etc. )
There are a couple of packages available through the supporters of the comp.sources.unix archives .
If sites next to you do n't have what you want , contact your nearest comp.sources.unix archive , or the moderator .
Information on archive sites , and indices of comp.sources.unix back issues are posted regularly in comp.sources.unix and comp.sources.d .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----
Subject : What is " food for the NSA line - eater " ?
This refers to the alleged scanning of all Usenet traffic by the National Security Agency ( and possibly other intelligence organizations ) for interesting keywords .
The " food " is believed to contain some of those
Email : " Peanutjake " < peanutjak...@usa.com >
Groups : misc.consumers
Subject : IMMEDIATE ATTENTION NEEDED :
HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL URGENT ASSISTANCE - FROM USA
FROM : GEORGE WALKER BUSH 202.456.1414 / 202.456.1111 FAX : 202.456.2461
Dear Sir / Madam ,
I am GEORGE WALKER BUSH , son of the former president of the United States of America George Herbert Walker Bush , and currently serving as President of the United States of America .
This letter might surprise you because we have not met neither in person nor by correspondence .
I came to know of you in my search for a reliable and reputable person to handle a very confidential business transaction , which involves the transfer of a huge sum of money to an account requiring maximum confidence .
I am writing you in absolute confidence primarily to seek your assistance in acquiring oil funds that are presently trapped in the republic of Iraq .
My partners and I solicit your assistance in completing a transaction begun by my father , who has long been actively engaged in the extraction of petroleum in the United States of America , and bravely served his country as director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency .
In the decade of the nineteen - eighties , my father , then vice - president of the United States of America , sought to work with the good offices of the President of the Republic of Iraq to regain lost oil revenue sources in the neighboring Islamic republic of Iran .
This unsuccessful venture was soon followed by a falling - out with his Iraqi partner , who sought to acquire additional oil revenue sources in the neighboring emirate of Kuwait , a wholly - owned U.S. - British subsidiary .
My father re-secured the petroleum assets of Kuwait in 1991 at a cost of sixty - one billion U.S. dollars ( $ 61,000,000,000 ) .
Out of that cost , thirty - six billion dollars ( $ 36,000,000,000 ) were supplied by King Hussein , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf monarchies , and sixteen billion dollars ( $ 16,000,000,000 ) by German and Japanese partners .
But my father 's former Iraqi business partner remained in control of the republic of Iraq and its petroleum reserves .
My family is calling for your urgent assistance in funding the removal of the President of the Republic of Iraq and acquiring the petroleum assets of his country , as compensation for the costs of removing him from power .
Unfortunately , our partners from 1991 are not willing to shoulder the burden of this new venture , which in its upcoming phase may cost the sum of 100 billion to 200 billion dollars ( $ 100,000,000,000 - $ 200,000,000,000 ) , both in the initial acquisition and in long - term management .
Without the funds from our 1991 partners , we would not be able to acquire the oil revenue trapped within Iraq .
That is why my family and our colleagues are urgently seeking your gracious assistance .
Our distinguished colleagues in this business transaction include the sitting vice-president of the United States of America , Richard Cheney , who is an original partner in the Iraq venture and former head of the Halliburton oil company , and Condoleeza Rice , whose professional dedication to the venture was demonstrated in the naming of a Chevron oil tanker after her .
I would beseech you to transfer a sum equaling ten to twenty - five percent ( 10 - 25 % ) of your yearly income to our account to aid in this important venture .
The Internal Revenue Service of the United States of America will function as our trusted intermediary .
I propose that you make this transfer before the fifteenth ( 15th ) of the month of April .
I know that a transaction of this magnitude would make anyone apprehensive and worried .
But I am assuring you that all will be well at the end of the day .
A bold step taken shall not be regretted , I assure you .
Please do be informed that this business transaction is 100 % legal .
If you do not wish to co-operate in this transaction , please contact our intermediary representatives to further discuss the matter .
I pray that you understand our plight .
My family and our colleagues will be forever grateful .
Please reply in strict confidence to the contact numbers below .
Sincerely with warm regards ,
George Walker Bush Switchboard : 202.456.1414 Comments : 202.456.1111 Fax : 202.456.2461 e-mail : presid...@whitehouse.gov
US battles to save storm victims
Watch the airlift
Emergency teams in the southern US are battling to reach survivors of Hurricane Katrina , the most destructive storm to hit the country in decades .
Hundreds of people are feared dead in Mississippi , and the Louisiana city of New Orleans is badly flooded .
The city mayor said rescuers were unable to retrieve the dead .
They 're just pushing them aside , he said .
Amid worsening conditions , officials plan to evacuate a New Orleans stadium where up to 20,000 people took shelter .
The Superdome stadium is without power , and toilets are overflowing .
Map of central New Orleans
It 's a very , very desperate situation , Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said .
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One resident of New Orleans said escaping from the storm was " hell " .

It was complete chaos , " Kioka Williams told the Associated Press news agency .
She had to hack her way through the ceiling of her beauty shop as flood waters rose in the city of half a million people - much of which lies below sea level .
Flooding
Walls keeping water out of the bowl - shaped city have been breached , and emergency teams are using helicopters to drop 1,350 kg ( 3,000 lb ) sandbags and concrete barriers into the gaps .
Before the phones went , I was told [ my family in Biloxi ] had lost their roof , barn , 2 oak trees and many pines and they were letting in water
Natalie McVeigh Oakley , England
Your Katrina experiences
Blogging Katrina
New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin said up to 80 % of the city was submerged , in some cases by waters 6 m ( 20 ft ) deep .
He warned water levels could still rise .
Some sections of the city which are dry now could see nine or 10 feet ( some 3 m ) of water , he said .
The US Army Corps of Engineers says it could take a month to clear the flood waters , and the government 's disaster relief agency has urged evacuees not to try to get back to their homes .
The BBC 's Alastair Leithead in New Orleans says there is panic as vital supplies run out .
Heavily armed police have been trying to impose a form of martial law to stem outbreaks of looting .
While some looters are stealing non-essential goods , others are simply trying to find food and water .
' Hundreds dead '
The situation appears to be even worse in Mississippi .
You 're going to be looking at hundreds dead along the coast , a state official said .
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Casinos housed in barges have been hurled onto the beach and beyond .
Tens of thousands are homeless , and officials say it could be weeks before power is restored .
I can only imagine that this is what Hiroshima looked like 60 years ago , said Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour after viewing the destruction from the air .
Survivors are being found all the time , including two children who lost their parents .
Harrison County in Mississippi bore the brunt of Hurricane Katrina as it slammed into Biloxi and Gulfport before heading inland .
Mississippi media earlier reported 54 people killed in the state .
In Biloxi , 30 people were reported dead in one block of flats which was hit by a 9 m ( 30 ft ) " storm surge " .
The town 's death toll may be " in the hundreds " , municipal spokesman Vincent Creel said .
Mobilising
Louisiana 's Governor Blanco urged residents to spend Wednesday in prayer and assured them the crisis would eventually be overcome .
Follow Katrina 's path
The US Red Cross has mobilised thousands of volunteers for its biggest - ever natural disaster effort and federal emergency teams are being dispatched to affected areas .
President George W Bush , who has cut his holiday two days short , has called on Americans to donate to the Red Cross or other organisations .
Damage estimates of more than $ 25 bn suggest it could be the US insurance industry 's most expensive natural disaster ever .
The price of crude oil on the international market hit a record $ 70.85 a barrel due to the vulnerability of oil and gas fields in the Gulf of Mexico .
The US energy secretary has announced that oil will be released from government petroleum reserves .
Return to the top
MOON LANDING HOAX : CHURCH = TECHNOLOGY & GOVERNMENT - Shuttle Carried on Aircraft model
Q : NASA IS A WASTE !
( Answered , 2 Comments )
Question
Subject : NASA IS A WASTE !
Category : Science > Astronomy
Asked by : yheggy - ga
List Price : $ 2.00
Posted : 25 Oct 2004 18:32 PDT
Expires : 24 Nov 2004 17:32 PST
Question ID : 420072
How much money does the USA give NASA per year ?
Answer
Subject : Re : NASA IS A WASTE !
Answered By : googlenut - ga on 25 Oct 2004 19:14 PDT
Hello yheggy - ga ,
On September 21 , 2004 , the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved $ 16.379 billion in funding for NASA for fiscal year 2005 .
This is a $ 200 million increase over what NASA received for fiscal year 2004 .
U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release
September 21 , 2004

An additional $ 800 million in emergency funding was added for NASA during the Committee 's consideration of the bill .
-- The return to flight activities for the Shuttle program are funded at $ 4.319 billion , the requested level from the Administration .
-- The International Space Station is funded at $ 1.6 billion .
The bill reduces ISS operations by $ 120 million due to the continued reduced capability of the ISS for at least half of FY05 .
-- The Moon / Mars vision :
--- The Crew Exploration Vehicle ( CEV ) is funded at $ 268 million .
--- A lunar exploration mission is funded at $ 20 million .
--- $ 10 million is provided for Centennial Challenges .
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation ( NRC ) : is funded at $ 115 million , the same as FY04 and the budget request . "
Spacetoday.net
Senate increases NASA funding

The committee voted to give NASA $ 16.4 billion in 2005 , about $ 200 million more than what the President requested and over $ 1 billion more than what House appropriators approved in July . "
I hope you have found this information helpful .
If you have any questions , please request clarification prior to rating the answer .
Googlenut
Google Search Terms :
nasa funding
Comments Log in to add a comment
Subject : Re : NASA IS A WASTE !
From : saemaero - ga on 26 Oct 2004 18:11 PDT
Excellent answer googlenut .
Let me add some additional info .
You can get details about NASA spending here , from their own webpage .
Also , from their own webpage , reasons why NASA is important , in a 5th grade format .
I guess if you are someone not familiar with how NASA benefits our society I can see how one might form the opinion of yheggy - ga .
Let me put it this way - If you have watched TV recently , crossed a modern bridge , flown in an airplane , recieved any form of modern medicine , did any mathematics , drove a car , used a cellular phone , etc. then you have somehow directly reaped the rewards which NASA has returned to us .
Also NASA has a large outreach program for education , some people believe this is important .
Best , Steve .
Subject : Re : NASA IS A WASTE ! From : jaqamofino - ga on 26 Apr 2005 06:02 PDT
i believe that NASA is a HUGE waste of tax payers ' money , but there are so many huge wastes of tax payer monies , that i find it best not to think about it .
i also think the National Endowment for the Arts is a waste , but i guess i would rather see my money go to the NEA than NASA .
of course , in a perfect world , tax payers ' money would go toward some sort of national healthcare program , and housing for the homeless , but this is far from a perfect world .
in response to Steve 's comment : do you really believe that spending trillions on space exploration over the years was the ONLY way to invent the cellfone ?
and bridges ???
i find that extremely hard to believe .
i think it could have been done in a much more cost efficient way , right here on bad - old - planet - earth .
just my two cents .
thanks for listening .
Please take a moment to read this .
I realize that it may sound strange , but we are desparate in our efforts and are willing to try anything to help our dear sick friend .
This costs absolutely nothing , and will take about one minute of your time .
This is not a hoax , as so many of these emails actully are .
In quick summary , Beyond Control , a local band in our area , is sponoring a benefit for a cancer victim whose benefits have run out .
That band is involved in a local competition which promises a $ 5000 first prize , which they would like to win in order to donate it to the benefit fund which they have started .
Below are some emails to friends explaining a little more about this effort .
What we are trying to do is solicit votes for the band , in order to put them in first place .
They are currently in third place , and need your help so that the prize money can be used for a humanatarian cause .
You can vote at the following link , it will only take a few seconds .
Please take a moment to click on the link below and cast your vote for Beyond Control .
Thank you in advance for your contribution to this effort .
Also , please pass this along to everyone you know , and all of your email contacts .
We need the power of the internet to pull this off .
The web site is
You can check the validity of all of this at the Beyond Control website .
That address is .
The home page for Rockin on the River is , and it lists all the acts scheduled for the season .
You can check that out as well , to confirm that this is all real , and for a worthy cause .
Abby is our beloved friend , and we are trying to raise money for her any way we can , so this prize money is important to help her continue to receive her life - saving treatments .
Many thanks , and may God bless you all and keep you healthy .
Here are some emails we have sent , along with the flyer for the Benefit fund raiser we are holding in June , just for your information .
Roy ,
I am sending you some info that I have passed along regarding the effort to win the cash for the fund raising benefit .
If you can pass this info along , and ask everyone you know to forward it to their contacts , etc , we may have a shot at pulling this off .
Thanks ,
Fred
John ,
I will attach the letter explaining the benefit we are sponsoring .
There is a link to the contest page .
Any help in distributing this will be greatly appreciated .
It is certainly for a good cause .
Abby needs to fly to New York twice a month for these treatments , and her time on the Federal Grant program has expired .
She does n't have the funds to continue without the grant , and without these treatments , her prognosis is grim .
I hope you have a huge network .
Also encourage your recipients to forward this along to their contacts , and so on , so that the movement to help her grows exponentially .
We must finish in first place in order to contribute the $ 5000 to the benefit fund .
Thank you so much for caring enough to offer your help .
Fred
BENEFIT AUCTION & RAFFLE FOR ABBY FREEMAN
WHEN : JUNE 12 , 2005 , 2:00 P.M. TO 2:00 A.M.
WHERE : MAIN STREET SALOON
ADMISSION : DONATIONS AT THE DOOR
Abby Freeman is our good friend who has non-Hodgkin lymphoma , and she needs your help !
Her grant for the life saving treatments she needs has run out , and we need to help her to continue to receive these treatments .
Abby has three wonderful young children , and friends who love her and need her .
Please help us to help her win this fight .
With your help , we know she can do it !!
We 'll have four bands , and Big D is cookin' ..... lots of fun and great prizes .
This is an event you do n't want to miss !!
Bands , food , and prizes are sponsored by Beyond Control , who will be competing in the Band of the Year Contest at the River Front Festival in Cuyahoga Falls on July 1 .
The winner of this competition will receive $ 5000 , which Beyond Control hopes to win in order to donate it to the Abby Freeman fund .
Please help us by logging onto the Rockin on the River website at .
Cast a vote for Beyond Control , and help us provide Abby with her life saving treatments again .
Donations can also be made through Charter One Bank .
Make checks payable to Kendel Bunnell c / o Benefit for Abby Freeman
By Richard Spencer
( Filed : 19/11/2004 )
China 's insatiable demand for energy is prompting fears of financial and diplomatic collisions around the globe as it seeks reliable supplies of oil from as far away as Brazil and Sudan .
An intrusion into Japanese territorial waters by a Chinese nuclear submarine last week and a trade deal with Brazil are the latest apparently unconnected consequences of China 's soaring economic growth .
Increased car usage in China is creating a high demand for petrol
The connection , however , lies in an order issued last year by President Hu Jintao to seek secure oil supplies abroad - preferably ones which could not be stopped by America in case of conflict over Taiwan .
The submarine incident was put down to a " technical error " by the Chinese government , which apologised to Japan .
But even before the incident the People 's Daily , the government mouthpiece , had commented that competition over the East China Sea between the two countries was " only a prelude of the game between China and Japan in the arena of international energy " .
The Brazil trade deal included funding for a joint oil - drilling and pipeline programme at a cost that experts said would add up to three times the cost of simply buying oil on the market .
The West , however , has paid little attention to these developments .
For the United States and Europe are far more concerned with the even more sensitive issues of China 's relations with " pariah states " .
In September , China threatened to veto any move to impose sanctions on Sudan over the atrocities in Darfur .
It has invested $ 3 billion in the African country 's oil industry , which supplies it with seven per cent of its needs .
Then , this month , it said that it opposed moves to refer Iran 's nuclear stand - off with the International Atomic Energy Agency to the United Nations Security Council .
A week before , China 's second biggest state oil firm had signed a $ 70 billion deal for oilfield and natural gas development with Iran , which already supplies 13 per cent of China 's needs .
China has its own reserves of oil and natural gas and once was a net oil exporter .
But as its economy has expanded by an average of nine per cent per year for the last two decades , so has its demand for energy .
This year it overtook Japan as the world 's second largest consumer of energy , behind the US .
Its projected demand , boosted by a huge rise in car ownership as well as the need to find alternatives to polluting coal for electricity generation , has contributed to the surge in the price of oil this year .
Shortages are already leading to power cuts in the big cities .
Since President Hu ordered state - owned oil firms to " go abroad " to ensure supply , they have begun drilling for gas in the East China Sea , just west of the line that Japan regards as its border .
Japan protested , to no avail , that the project should be a joint one .
The two are also set to clash over Russia 's oil wealth .
China is furious that Japan has outbid it in their battle to determine the route of the pipeline that Russia intends to build to the Far East .
Japan favoured a route to the sea , enabling oil to be shipped to both Japan and China .
China wanted an overland route through its own territory , which would give it ultimate control if hostilities broke out .
Increasingly , analysts are saying that China 's efforts have gone beyond what is safe or even in its own interests .
Claude Mandil , the executive director of the International Energy Agency in Paris , said the reserves in the East China Sea were hardly worth the trouble .
Nobody thinks that there will be a lot of oil and gas in this part of the world , he said .
It may be a difficult political issue but I do n't think the energy content is worthwhile .
Eurasia Group , a New York - based firm of political analysts , said its oil experts worked out that China was paying such an inflated price for its investment in Brazil that the cost for the oil it ended up with was three times the market price .
If China 's economy falters , which , in my view , appears increasingly likely , then commodity prices will plummet , and with them , the value of the assets that produce them , Jason Kindopp , Eurasia 's lead China analyst , said .
Beijing may end up in a early 1990s Japan situation , where it is forced to sell recently purchased overseas assets for a fraction of what it paid for them .
China 's wider aggression to secure oil and gas was the greatest threat to its international standing in the next decade .
Sudan is the primary example , he said .
It marks the first time in recent years that China has promised to wield its veto power in the UN Security Council against a petition initiated by the United States and backed by France and Great Britain .
Email : dharmad...@gmail.com
Visualizations as a helpful beginning technique
-----------------------------------------------
If you consider that you still need the assistance of other visualizations to help the mind feel the spirit of transcendence , try the following before moving onto the more formal method below .
Visualisations can be as useful tools , but meditation is more than that .
Meditation has to do with what is called ideation .
It is always good to stick to a formal intense meditation practice like the one for beginners described in the MP3 file that follows after the visualisations .
Find a comfortable place on the floor and sit with your legs crossed .
Place your hands one on top of the other in your lap , keep your back straight , eyes closed and tongue on the roof of your mouth .
Your breathing should be calm and relaxed , through the nose .
Spend a minute or so concentrating on your breath , feeling the air flowing through your nostrils .
1 . Warm Sun Visualization
Continue to breathe slowly and deeply .
With each breath , feel the muscles in your body becoming lighter and lighter , and also your external motor and sensory organs are feeling like they are withdrawing from the world into a special inner quietness .
Imagine the tension melting away as you continue breathing rhythmically and naturally .
Picture yourself sitting on a warm , tropical beach basking in the glow of the sun ... .
Visualize the vivid , beautiful colours of the earth ( its flowers and plants ) , the sea next to you , and the sky above you .
Feel yourself floating above the earth and sea .
As you sit above the world , the warmth of the golden sun penetrates your body and makes you feel warmer and warmer .
It surrounds you .
The golden rays feel soft and soothing .
Now you are far above the earth - into space .
Everything around you is so vast .
Yet , there is warmth and a familiarity with the vastness .
You want to merge your mind with the greater universal Mind that surrounds you .
Continue to ideate on this intense desire for your mind to merge with the that universal Consciousness .
And while doing so continue using the Baba Nam Kevalam mantra ( breathe in with Baba Nam , breathe out with Kevalam ) .
Try this for 5 to 10 minutes .
Now come back to earth again - slowly .
Imagine yourself sitting on the beach serenely and restfully .
Your muscles are loose and limp .
Feel your body sinking slightly into the sand making that earthly connection again .
The sun 's rays and warmth are still with you , surrounding you .
You are in a state of peace and relaxation .
With each breath , watch your body and ensure that it remains relaxed - at peace .
Continue to feel the warmth of the sunlight all over your body , warming you deeply and gently .
You want to bring something back with you from your deep space experience where you sensed your mind merging with the universal Mind .
This will be the warmth of the sun - a close reminder and link between earth and the infinite space .
Visualize the inside of your body bathed in the golden light , absorbing every ray and glowing as radiantly as the sun .
A warm , gentle breeze swirls around your body and relaxes you even more .
Let your mind and body be totally at peace .
Now feel yourself returning to where you sit ... move your hands and feet a little , stretch them .
Open your eyes .
2 . Mountain Visualization
Another thing you can try .
Imagine you 're sitting on top of a mountain , and that it 's the most peaceful place you can think of .
Feel that you 're sitting there in complete peace , right on top of the world .
Now imagine that infinite happiness is surrounding you in every direction .
Feel you 're completely surrounded by that infinite peace and happiness .
Now start to repeat within your mind the mantra : BABA NAM KEVALAM .
Its meaning is " Infinite happiness is everywhere " .
Feel the meaning , do n't just think of its wordy meaning or try to translate from Sanskrit ( BABA NAM KEVALAM ) to an English meaning ( Infinite peace and happiness ) .
Think internally , intuitively , not by words , of the meaning , as you 're repeating it .
This is called ideation .
It is important to take the idea , not just the intellectual analysis .
Touching deep into the idea is what builds intuition - it is a synthetic process .
Whereas , trying to translate and grapple with wordy meanings is an intellectual mechanism - an analytical process .
Feel you 're surrounded by infinite peace and happiness , and feel that your own sense of existence is in direct contact with that endless peace and happiness all around you .
You can go further and feel that your unit consciousness , a dot in the Infinite Consciousness , is merging with Infinity .
Continue for as long as you like , then open your eyes .
OK that is fairly basic :) .
The important point is to develop some psycho-spiritual connection between your mind and the universal Consciousness or Supreme Consciousness .
Do n't worry if you have trouble concentrating on the mantra and ideation - that 's normal .
It takes some time and practice to be able to focus on the one thought .
The main thing is to keep practicing .
If you do n't practice , then nothing happens .
Well maybe a miracle could happen , but let s face it we 're ordinary people and so require practical day to day techniques !
---
NORTH CAROLINA RELIGIOUS COALITION FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
From what we hear from the news media , one could easily conclude that all Christians are opposed to gay marriage .
But that ’s not the case .
Last year an organization named the North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality was formed to get out the message that at least some people of faith are not opposed to extending the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage to same - gender couples .
One of “ NCRC4ME ’s ” major efforts is to collect signatures for the attached “ Declaration of Religious Leaders , ” which has been and will again be presented to members of the NC legislature .
It presents the case for marriage equality and states , “ We are resolved that the State should not interfere with same - gender couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights , responsibilities , and commitments of civil marriage . ”
A measure to amend the NC Constitution to ban gay marriage was defeated last year but already has been reintroduced in the 2005 legislative session , so there is a real need for visible support for the “ pro-same - gender - marriage ” side of this issue .
At its February meeting the CHS Vestry voted unanimously to add their names to the Declaration .
Our Rector Barbara and our Deacon Clare also have signed the Declaration .
Furthermore , the Vestry voted unanimously to invite the support of members of the CHS congregation for the Declaration .
( Since the Declaration is written as coming from “ religious leaders , ” people who do n’t consider themselves “ religious leaders ” can sign as “ Supporters of the North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality . ” )
Please note that the Declaration addresses only civil marriage ; it says nothing about religious beliefs or practices regarding marriage .
If you have any questions please feel free to call me ( after Sat. the 26th , when I will return from a trip ) .
Sign - up lists will be available at the services on Feb. 27 and March 6 , or you can email me .
I will email names and email addresses ( or postal addresses ) of signers to NCRC4ME in time for their “ lobby day ” in Raleigh on March 15 .
Thank you for your consideration of this issue .
For the Church of the Holy Spirit Vestry ,
Dudley Cate 828-296-8466 jodud...@aol.com
---------------------------
North Carolina Religious Coalition for Marriage Equality Declaration of Religious Leaders April 19 , 2004
The most fundamental human right , after the necessities of food , clothing and shelter , is the right to affection and the supportive love of other human beings .
We become most fully human when we love another person .
We can grow in our capacity to be human - to be loving - in a family unit .
This right to love and form a family is so fundamental that our United States Constitution takes it for granted in its dedication to " secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity . ”
The North Carolina Constitution likewise affirms the “ inalienable rights ” of human beings to " life , liberty , the enjoyment of the fruits of their own labor , and the pursuit of happiness . "
Throughout history , tyrants have known that by denying the right of oppressed peoples to form and nurture families , they can kill the spirit of those peoples .
> From the shameful history of slavery in America , the injustice of forbidding people to marry is evident as a denial of a basic human right .
The American laws forbidding interracial marriage , now struck down , were clearly discriminatory .
Denial of the status of marriage to those who would freely accept its responsibilities creates legal and economic inequities and social injustice .
We feel called to protest and oppose this injustice .
As religious people , clergy and lay leaders , we are mandated by faith to stand for justice in our common civic life .
We oppose the use of sacred texts and religious traditions to deny legal equity to same - gender couples .
As concerned citizens we affirm the liberty of adults of the same gender to love and marry .
We insist that no one , especially the state , is allowed to coerce people into marriage or bar two consenting adults , whether of the same or differing genders , from forming the family unit that lets them be more fully loving , thus more fully human .
We respect the fact that debate and discussion continue in many of our religious communities as to the scriptural , theological and liturgical issues involved .
However , we draw on our many faith traditions to arrive at a common conviction .
We are resolved that the State should not interfere with same - gender couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the rights , responsibilities , and commitments of civil marriage .
We affirm freedom of conscience in this matter .
We recognize that the state may not require religious groups to officiate at , or bless , same - gender marriages .
Likewise , a denial of state civil recognition dishonors the religious convictions of those communities and clergy who officiate at , and bless , same - gender marriages .
The state may not favor the convictions of one religious group over another by denying individuals their fundamental right to marry and to have those marriages recognized by civil law .
As faith leaders , we commit ourselves to public action , visibility , education , and mutual support in the service of the right and freedom to marry .
--
Tom Dempsey Gulf Breeze , FL 850-748-0740
Email : Bill McGinnis < bmc...@patriot.net >
The One Reason Why All Americans Should Oppose The Nomination Of Samuel Alito
He Would Tear Down Our System Of Checks And Balances , Giving Far Too Much Power To The President
My Fellow Americans :
As many of you may have heard , President Bush has nominated a long - time Federal Judge named Samuel Alito to become the next member of the United States Supreme Court , to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of another member of the Court .
Under our Constitution , this nomination can not take effect unless and until the United States Senate gives its Consent , as described in our Constitution , Article II , Section 2 .
A copy of the Constitution , with links back to the official source , is located at http://loveallpeople.org/usconstitutiona.txt
Judge Samuel Alito is very highly qualified by all of the normal standards used to evaluate candidates for this position :
He has a very high intellect .
He graduated very high in his class , from Princeton undergraduate and from Law School at Yale .
He has a long and distinguished record , including many years as a Federal Appeals Judge , the next level below Supreme Court .
He has encyclopedic knowledge of hundreds of different Supreme Court cases , and he can recite details from memory .
He demonstrates an excellent " Judicial Temperament , " being courteous , mild - mannered , respectful of all people ; careful in his work , meticulous in detail .
His co-workers love him .
His fellow judges love him .
His family loves him .
President Bush loves him .
Yes , it is true that some people do n't like the way they think he will vote on the Supreme Court .
But other people do like the way they think he will vote , and the ones who favor him seem to outnumber the ones who oppose him .
So now the Senate is getting ready to vote soon , on whether to approve him or not ; and at this moment ( evening of Jan. 27 , 2006 ) it looks like he has more than the fifty - one votes needed for approval .
The President is very eager to go ahead quickly and get this vote , because he very much wants to have Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court , to be judging the cases Bush is interested in .
So there is a lot of hurry - up pressure on the Senate to give its prompt vote of approval .
There is an old saying that applies in this situation : " Act in haste , repent at leisure . "
Sometimes you can make a bad decision very quickly , then regret it for many years to come .
That is what is about to happen with Judge Samuel Alito , in my opinion , because he has one tragic flaw - a very serious blind spot in his thinking - which makes him completely unacceptable for the position of Supreme Court Justice : He does not really agree with the system of " Checks and Balances " built into the Constitution , and he is ready to start tearing it down in order to follow the " Unitary Executive Theory , " which calls for vastly - increased Presidential Power at the expense of Congress and the Supreme Court .
And because of this tragic flaw . . .
He Would Tear Down Our System Of Checks And Balances , Giving Far Too Much Power To The President .
In our Constitutional system , we have three branches of the Federal Government : the Legislative , Executive , and Judicial branches .
And the basic idea behind the Checks and Balances we have is that if one branch of the Government goes crazy , the other two can hold it down .
But Samuel Alito believes in a little - known Constitutional theory - called the " Unitary Executive Theory " - which says that the President should have complete control over the Executive Branch , and that the Executive Branch should be in charge of almost everything that the Government actually does , including the functions of the Independent Agencies which were designed to be free of Presidential control , and the Military , which exists , which is regulated , and which is funded by specific authority given by the Constitution to Congress , not to the President .
The Military is not part of the Executive Branch : it is a separate entity .
Commander In Chief does n't mean that he is the boss of the Military , merely that he is the Administrator , just as he is the Administrator of the Executive Branch , charged with " executing faithfully " all the laws passed by Congress and all the Decisions rendered by the Supreme Court .
Under the Unitary Executive Theory , the Laws of Congress and Decisions of the Supreme Court have no actual authority unless the President agrees with them .
And so Congress and the Supreme Court become mere advisors to the President , with no real authority over him .
And the President becomes a Dictator , unrestrained by anything in the Constitution , backed up by the Armed Forces , which would be entirely under his personal control .
And thus the United States of America - The Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave - becomes just another Military Dictatorship , no better than Nazi Germany or Fascist Italy during World War II .
AND THAT IS WHY ALL AMERICANS SHOULD OPPOSE THE NOMINATION OF SAMUEL ALITO .
For details and further proof , please see these websites :
Testimony at http://judiciary.senate.gov/testimony.cfm?id=1725&witid=4905
Descriptions and Links at http://www.UnitaryExecutive.net
Blessings to you .
May God help us all .
And may God bless America !
Rev. Bill McGinnis , Director http://www.LoveAllPeople.org and http://www.InternetchurchOfChrist.org
Copies of this message are located below .
If you want to help , please send them to everyone you know who needs to read them .
http://www.loveallpeople.org/theonereasonwhy.html and http://www.loveallpeople.org/theonereasonwhy.txt
###
CONTACT William McGinnis ( Rev. Bill McGinnis ) 1908 Mt Vernon Ave # 2543 Alexandria , VA 22301 7037686710 bmc...@patriot.net
Reply
NASA & Company Diplomacy - Trying to keep Moon Landing Hoax a secret in modern times
Some strategies being used by NASA & Company in relation to China and other space planning countries are mentioned here after being gleaned from a news item underneath .
Country has an Independent strategy = NASA & company to use " Numero Uno " strategy , try to assert , beat , mesh and control the space program of the country .
This can also be through political , economical , social , and technological influence .
Country not open or not have fixed strategy = NASA & Company to use " freeze thawed " strategy especially when the country has a challenging , growing and ambitious space program .
This can also be through political , economical , social , and technological influence .
Dependant = NASA & Company to use " space station " model to unify the aims of different countries .
This is really an end goal aim of NASA & Company and also does not allow anyone challenging the moon landing hoax .
The target for NASA & Company probably to get by 2018 all the ambitious space program countries shifting towards this model , through the propaganda of another moon mission ; deliberately failing this or trying hard for another moon landing hoax ; achieving the real aim of space unity between space programs of other countries .
China launches its second manned spaceflight mission
Secretive efforts keep outsiders in the dark about the program 's goals
By MARK CARREAU
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Reuters
China launched Shenzhou VI , its second manned spacecraft , early today in northwest China 's Gansu Province .
A pair of military pilots embarked on China 's second manned space flight early today , hurtling into orbit on a test mission that could span five days .
The crew of the Shenzhou VI spacecraft was identified as Fei Junlong , 40 , and Nie Haishen , 41 , by China 's official news agency .
The successful launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China follows the solo flight of Yang Liwei in October 2003 .
His one - day mission vaulted his communist homeland into the elite circle of spacefaring nations - Russia and the United States - that can launch and sustain humans in space .
Most experts believe China intends to develop a small space station of its own over the next several years .
But they remain uncertain about whether China aims to beat the United States to the moon in its secretive space effort .
President Bush has directed NASA to return to the moon by 2018 with a new generation of human explorers .
China 's " is not a fly - by - night program , " said Joan Johnson - Freese , an expert on national security who follows space developments in the Asian nation at the Naval War College in Newport , R.I .

They want a program that will be a success , " Johnson - Freese said .

Economics will be a big determiner in the speed of their program . "
China 's overtures to join the U.S. - led effort to develop the 16 - nation international space station have been thwarted for more than a decade over a range of issues , including the Asian country 's human rights policies and worries it could acquire technologies that could pose a security threat .
The freeze thawed some after Yang 's 2003 mission .
China was among 30 nations invited to send a delegate to NASA - sponsored roundtable discussions on Bush 's strategy to reach the moon with astronauts as the first step in the exploration of Mars and other - deep space destinations .
We applaud China 's space achievements , NASA spokesman Allard Beutel said Tuesday .
We wish them a successful return of their astronauts .
He stressed , however , that NASA would not follow this week 's Chinese mission through formal channels .
At present , there are no plans for additional meetings with foreign powers to discuss the Bush exploration initiative or to extend an invitation to China to join the space station partnership , Beutel said .
The flight of Fei and Nie could mark the end of the opening chapter in a three - phase Chinese space initiative , Johnson - Freese said .
The first phase , she said , will demonstrate the capability of a multi-compartment spacecraft that will leave a test module in orbit when the two fliers return to Earth .
The Chinese program 's second phase will include spacewalks on future missions and demonstrations of docking and undocking techniques .
The final phase will feature the assembly and operation of a longer - duration space lab .
At least one expert believes China 's intentions might include a surprise attempt to circle the moon with astronauts before NASA 's planned lunar return .
The Americans would be wise to plan accordingly , said John E. Pike , director of the Alexandria , Va. - based GlobalSecurity.org , a small national security think tank .
There is always the possibility they could jam us up , make us look like we are not numero uno , Pike said .
During the U.S. and Russian lunar race during the Cold War , NASA scored an early coup by circling the moon with the Apollo 8 crew over the 1968 Christmas holidays .
As it turned out , the Soviets never made it to the moon .
( China ) could be the second country to do that , Pike said .

And they would not have to land on the moon to take us down a notch . "
Pike 's concern is based on China 's development of a new medium - lift rocket , the Long March V , and the construction of a new space launch complex on Hainan Island in the South China Sea .
The two developments , he said , could eventually enable China 's space program to mature to the point that experts could assemble and launch from Earth 's orbit a spacecraft capable of circling the moon with astronauts and returning home .
mark.carr...@chron.com
Email : " righter " < righ...@sonic.net >
Groups : alt.animals.rights.promotion , alt.animals , alt.animals.cat , alt.animals.ethics.vegetarian , alt.animals.lion , alt.animals.tiger , alt.animals.felines.diseases , alt.animals.dog , alt.animals.horses.breeding , alt.animals.felines.snowleopards
I 'm a member of a local animal rights news , and get regular emails from other members and the staff .
Recently , I read an email that reported the horrific nightmare Civet Cats go through by sick losers who put them in sheds and heat the inside of the sheds up to 110 degrees with fires , so that they can periodically scrape the sweat off of their genitals and sell it to corrupt corporations who use it to prolong the scent of perfumes .
The animals eventually die , which is because these demons are so GREEDY , they want as much of their " product " as they can get , instead of letting the cats go after a point , as an act of humanity , mercy , love .
Below I pasted the email text , and it has a link to a website that automatically plays this song the author of the email created .
It has cat 's " Meowing " for the vocals , and you might really find yourself in those furnaces , feeling and thinking those terrible feelings and thoughts that these cats do before they die .
Right now , while we 're sitting at our computers enjoying the internet , those innocent , beautiful , loving cats , are dying , somewhere in this troubled world a slow , agonizing death .
The main reason I wrote this post is to ask anyone reading this if they know of some way I can help put a stop to this Cat Holocaust .
I am serious about doing something .
If I love cats so much , why are n't I DOING something ???
I do n't want to appear before God on judgment day and have to explain why I did n't do anything like this in my life .
Any suggestions would be appreciated .
Here 's the text of the email :
Hi there ,
I read the Civet Cat story from a little while ago , and tonight , when my Mom emailed me about it , I re-read it , and went to the website with the song the author of the email created .
Well , sure enough , when I heard the cats " Meowing , " I imagined the hellish moments these poor beautiful creatures of God were living , what went on in their tiny , sweet little minds , and decided that I want to do something about this torture .
So , if anyone can give me some advice , I 'd sure appreciate it !
I think for starters , myself and those of you who believe in God could say a special prayer for them .
I will .
I 've pasted the email for those who have n't seen or would like to re-read it .
It 's also got the website where the song has been uploaded .
I was thinking , that while I 'm sitting here , relaxing and enjoying myself , those poor innocent animals are being cooked to death with heat in those Holocaust-esque death chambers .
And what am I DOING about it ?
From : Travis Job < t...@sonic.net >
Date : Thu , 11 Mar 2004 02:39:27 - 0800
To : SPAR < s...@sonic.net >
Subject : Civet Cats , James Rachels + a song
This is my first time posting to the list , so I feel somewhat embarrassed by " promoting " a song I wrote , but I think it is fitting because it is directly tied to extreme animal suffering as a result of human lack of empathy , but an abundance of human greed .
I 'm not sure if any of you know much about civet cats , but to brief those who might not know , I will quote James Rachels , author of World Hunger and Moral Obligation among many other animal rights - related books and articles .
( I kind of see him to be for animal rights theory as Peter Singer is to the theory of utilitarianism applied to non-human animals ) .
The quote is from an article entitled " Vegetarianism and ` The Other Weight Problem ' "
If anyone wants the complete article , email me , as it is a very good article which no meat - eater can read and not sense their own hypocrisy .
But this is what he says about civet cats :

Civet cats are trapped and placed in small cages inside darkened sheds , where the temperature is kept up to 110 F by fires .
They are confined in this way until they finally die .
What justifies this extraordinary mistreatment ?
These animals have the misfortune to produce a substance that is useful in the manufacture of perfume .
Musk , which is scraped from their genitals once a day for as long as they can surv ive , makes the scent of perfume last a bit longer after each application .
( The heat increases their " production " of musk . )
Here Kant 's rule -- " Animals are merely means to an end ; that end is man " -- is applied with a vengeance .
To promote one of the most trivial interests we have , thousands of animals are tormented for their whole lives . "
This article , and specifically this piece , effected me enough to try to build a song around the topic .
If anyone is interested in listening to this song , and in offering their opinion , whether it be positive or negative , I 'd appreciate it .
But I also hope no one feels any obligation to download , especially if you have an internet connection as slow mine ( 28 k ) .
The url for the song is http://www.sonic.net/~fsjob/TragiCore-TheCivetCat.mp3
Although there are no human vocals / lyrics , I think it's subject matter is audible .
Again , if anyone wants to read Rachels ' entire article , let me know .
It 's also on the net .
I was already a vegetarian when I read it a little more than a year ago , but it was one of the bigger factors for me in going completely vegan .
I hope all are well .
Farewell for now ...
Travis Job
icq uin : 5249025

Heisenberg was n't sure .
Thanks ,
-- Shrodinger "
-------------------
.: GO VEGAN :.
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Blue Planet : Who 's afraid of Big Bad Wolf ?
By Dan Whipple
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Boulder , CO , Feb. 23 ( UPI ) --
Ever since he ate up Red Riding Hood 's grandma and blew down the houses of two - thirds of the Three Little Pigs , the Big Bad Wolf has held a persistently bad reputation .
In part because of that reputation , the gray wolf was nearly exterminated from the lower 48 states by the 1920s , except for a small remnant population on Isle Royale National Park in Michigan 's Lake Superior .
The last wolf was killed in Yellowstone National Park in 1943 .
Western sheep and cattle ranchers , on whose behalf this extermination campaign was conducted , gratefully dusted their hands of the wolf and wrote him off as a job well done .
Their sheep could graze , their cows could ruminate and never a discouraging word would be heard .
After the major kill - offs , wolves outside of Alaska and Canada existed mostly as legend .
Like UFOs or Sasquatch , several people claimed to see fleeting lone wolves , usually in Yellowstone .
In the 1960s , a group shooting a movie in the Wyoming park reportedly imported some captive wolves , then released them when their shooting was done .
If so , this happy band has not been heard from since .
Rumor also had it some renegade biologist brought a caged pair to Yellowstone and released them into the wild sometime in the 1970s , hoping to reestablish a breeding population .
If true , the caper failed .
Over time , the wolf 's absence seemed to rehabilitate its image .
Eventually , a trickle of support appeared for bringing the predator back to its former home range in the northern Rocky Mountains .
This trickle grew into a flood , resulting in 14 wolves being reintroduced in Yellowstone in 1995 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -- albeit over the strong and still - continuing objections of ranchers .
These wolf packs have flourished , and now there are an estimated 850 wolves roaming the northern Rockies , where merely 10 years ago there were none .
One compelling argument for reintroduction was the wolf acts as a keystone predator , an animal that affects the populations , behavior and ecology of a wide variety of species within its range .
Some recent research conducted by Oregon State University has given considerable credence to this idea .
OSU forestry professors William Ripple and Robert Beschta have found that wolves actually promote stream - bank stabilization , although they have given the phenomenon the unfortunate name of " the ecology of fear " -- something that smacks of the horrible PR resulting from the wolf 's relationships with Riding Hood and the Three Pigs .
They explained that elk in Yellowstone used to browse unmolested on young aspen and willow growing near the banks of streams , a behavior that prevented the saplings from reaching mature stages and increased the possibility of soil erosion .
Since reintroduction , however , Ripple and Beschta have found , fear of the wolves apparently has discouraged the elk from spending too much time at stream banks -- where they are out in the open -- and munching on the saplings .
All you have to do is look at the photographs , Ed Bangs , wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , told UPI 's Blue Planet ,

An area that used to be bald as a billiard ball is now a sea of willow . "
This simple change has triggered a veritable ecological cascade in Yellowstone .
More streamside willow and aspen have meant better habitat for beaver , for instance .
Where there had been only one beaver colony in the park 's northern range before the wolves returned , now there are nine .
It may be uninteresting to a lot of people , Beschta told Blue Planet .

But we 've been looking at streamside communities .
Since wolf recovery , streamside plants , willows and cottonwoods provide food for other critters -- beavers , a whole variety of avian species , berry - producing shrubs that bears can use .
It 's important with regard to the quality of streams .
The plants provide shade and root strength for bank stability .
Plants are critical to wildland ecosystems . "
Yellowstone has a vast elk herd , one of the largest in the world .
Bangs said although the number of elk has not declined very much since the wolves came back , their behavior appears markedly different .
I 'm pretty suspicious of making broad generalizations , however , he cautioned .

They 've only been there for 10 years .
In 10 more years we 'll have a better idea . "
Wolf reintroduction in the northern Rockies has been so successful the Fish and Wildlife Service has moved to reduce the animal 's status from endangered to threatened and , eventually , to remove it from the endangered species list altogether .
Bangs said the agency has established viable wolf packs in the northern Rockies , as required by federal regulations .
Some conservationists want the protection extended so wolves can move into other states , including Colorado , Utah and Oregon , among others .
On Jan. 31 , Oregon Federal District Court Judge Robert E. Jones appeared to agree with them .
He vacated the FWS decision to downgrade the wolf 's status .
Bangs said his agency is still reviewing the decision .
Regardless of the wolf 's legal status , its future expansion into new areas now seems likely .
Wolves can migrate considerable distances .
A Yellowstone wolf was found dead , hit by a car , on a Colorado highway last year , several hundred miles from home .
Meanwhile , his reputation seems to be improving , although Bangs noted a " pretty interesting social dynamic . "
There are only about 850 wolves in the West , but there are an estimated 31,000 mountain lions .
Pound for pound , mountain lions eat more game and more livestock than wolves .
They even occasionally attack people , which wolves do not -- despite the propaganda from the Brothers Grimm .
Yet people seem willing -- even eager -- to accommodate mountain lions , despite the risks .
It remains to be seen whether they will extend the same courtesy to the arriving gray wolf .
Regarding those rumors about wolves living in Yellowstone prior to the official reintroduction ?
They seem to be just that : rumors .
True , there are about 300,000 wolves and wolf hybrids kept as pets in the United States .
It also is likely people have released some of these animals into the wild hoping they would survive -- for instance , a ranger in Glacier Park caught someone in this very act not long ago .
Bangs said these animals are not equipped to survive in the wild , however , and they all almost certainly have died .
He said after 10 years of DNA testing on northern Rockies wolves , scientists have not found a single strain that did not belong to one of the wolves the agency released -- or their descendants .
--
Blue Planet is a weekly series examining the relationship of humans to the environment , by veteran environmental reporter Dan Whipple .
E-mail : sciencem...@upi.com
Climate : Humans fuss , animals adjust
By Dan Whipple
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
Boulder , CO , Nov. 15 ( UPI ) --
Scientists can argue all they want about how many degrees Celsius -- or Fahrenheit -- the planet is warming and what the trend portends , but meanwhile Earth 's plants , insects and animals are not waiting for the outcome .
They already are altering their patterns of behavior in response to what is happening .
It turns out one of the surest barometers of the warming climate is the response of the non-human natural world to changing conditions , and biologists who study the responses have been aware for some years the biosphere is acknowledging global warming .
Nina Leopold Bradley , a plant ecologist and daughter of the conservation pioneer Aldo Leopold , published a 1999 paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on her 61 - year uninterrupted phenological records .
Phenology studies an organism 's development and life cycle -- the pulse of life .
Bradley 's record of 300 phenophases found that even prior to 1999 , spring was arriving in higher latitudes several weeks earlier than in the earlier years of her data .
Birds arrived sooner on their migrations from the south and plants flowered earlier .
The Eastern phoebe is showing up about 20 days before it used to .
The forest phlox is blooming in late April instead of mid-May .
Half of the 300 phenophases Leopold tracked showed a response consistent with warming .
In England , the cuckoo returns earlier .
An analysis of 65 bird species in the United Kingdom shows about one - third are laying their eggs four to seven days earlier than they did 25 years ago .
One of the major , most well - documented and robust findings in ecology over the past century has been the crucial role of climate in determining the geographical distribution of species and ecological communities , concluded a report titled " Observed Impacts of Global Climate Change in the United States , " released by the Pew Center on Global Climate last week .
Pew researchers looked at about 40 studies that could provide an assessment of whether climate was affecting biology .
Half of the studies provide strong evidence of a causal link between the biological change and climate change , said Camille Parmesan , a University of Texas - Austin biologist and one of the world 's leading experts on this issue .
These changes are occurring across all species , Parmesan told UPI 's Climate .
Across the United States , the northern edge of species ' range is expanding , she said .
Parmesan has spent much of her career studying the checkerspot butterfly , which migrates between Mexico and southern California .
Some localized extinctions already have occurred across some of its habitat .
Empirical research pointed to climate as being a strong driver , she said .
There have been large numbers of population extinctions in Mexico and southern California in areas where the habitat is still acceptable .
According to Parmesan 's earlier studies , one extinction event , for instance , was triggered when a checkerspot population migrated north prematurely , relying on a warming temperature signal , then was caught in a severe snowstorm in its northern habitat .
Throughout the United States , she said , " spring is about two weeks earlier .
Tree swallows are nesting nine days earlier .
Tropical species have moved up to Florida and the Gulf Coast .
Bird and butterfly watchers are seeing many , many new species coming up from Mexico and the Caribbean . "
As the Pew report concluded , " Sufficient studies now exist to conclude that the consequences of climate change are already detectable within U.S. ecosystems . "
Such consequences include shifting and , in some cases , contraction of ranges and changes in species composition within ecosystems .
The report also found alterations of ecosystem processes such as carbon cycling and storage .
The Alaskan tundra , for instance , has switched from being a net sink of carbon dioxide -- absorbing and storing more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases -- to " being a net source of CO2 ( releasing more carbon than is stored ) because warmer winters have allowed dead plant matter previously stored in the soil to decompose and release CO2 . "
The Pew report coincided with the release in Iceland of the " Arctic Climate Impact Assessment . "
The ACIA -- with participation by the United States , Canada , Denmark , Finland , Iceland , Norway , the Russian Federation and Sweden -- was begun in 2000 .
The impacts of global warming are affecting people now in the Arctic , said ACIA chair Robert Corell .

The impacts of climate change on the region and the globe are projected to increase substantially in the years to come . "
The ACIA found Arctic winter temperatures have increased 4 degrees to 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 50 years and should go up about twice that much in the next 100 years .
Arctic summer sea ice will decline by 50 percent by the end of the 21st century , the assessment found , with some models predicting complete disappearance of summer sea ice .
Should the Arctic Ocean become ice - free in summer , it is likely that polar bears and some seal species would be driven toward extinction , the report concluded .
As with so much climate research , not everyone agrees with these dire predictions .
A third report , " The Impacts of Climate Change : An Appraisal for the Future , " completed by the Britain - based International Policy Network and released almost simultaneously with the other two , falls somewhat into that category .
On the one hand , the IPN report agreed " Climate models generally predict that the temperature rises in the Arctic will substantially exceed the global rise .
This applies especially in the high Arctic where the ice cover is expected to diminish substantially with the effect that the surface absorption of solar radiation will greatly increase . "
On the other hand , the report thinks the news might not be so bad for the North Atlantic fisheries .
The impact of global warming on fish stocks and fisheries is hard to judge , the IPN report said .
A warming of the magnitude predicted is more likely than not to be beneficial to the fisheries of the North Atlantic .
The important commercial species that probably would benefit from warming include cod , haddock , saithe , herring , blue whiting and several types of flatfish and crustaceans -- such as the Norway lobster .
Important species that probably would decline include shrimp , capelin , Greenland halibut and some varieties of flatfish .
Hidden in this laundry list -- and in the pile of studies examined by the Pew researchers -- is one of the fundamental chasms dividing participants in the global warming debate .
The IPN report examines commercial fish species , but it neglects important non-commercial animals , such as seals and polar bears .
In a limited economic sense , therefore , the organization can argue warming might be a good thing .
The problem is whether one cares what happens to the polar bears , checkerspot butterflies and other unconsumables .
The Pew researchers tried to transcend the economic argument .
They assumed a value -- unspecified -- for non-commercial species , and in doing so rendered the warming news a bit less rosy .
This tug - of - war over calculating economic values is the one that ultimately will have to be decided by humans , because animals and plants can adjust only so much .
When dandelions have set the mark of May on Wisconsin pastures , it is time to listen for the final proof of spring , wrote Aldo Leopold in " A Sand County Almanac . "
Sit down on a tussock , cock your ears at the sky , dial out the bedlam of meadowlarks and redwings , and soon you may hear it : the flight of the upland plover , just now back from the Argentine .
Or maybe not .
--
Climate is a weekly series by UPI examining the impacts of global climate change .
E-mail sciencem...@upi.com
Preamble from BBC leading to the comments further below .
Feel free to cut and paste and leave your comments , as these viewpoints cover the entire gamut surrounding the event .
---->===}*{===<----
How has Katrina changed the US ?
What will be the lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina and what can be learnt from the response ?
Relief agencies are trying to help hundreds of thousands of displaced people while authorities have vowed to restore security in New Orleans following a breakdown of law and order .
In the world press , commentators predict that Katrina will make a profound change in the way the US is perceived at home and abroad , especially following the scenes of poverty and racial divisions they believe the disaster has revealed .
Meanwhile , President George W Bush has said he will lead an inquiry into how the disaster was handled .
How has Katrina changed the US ?
Has it altered your life ?
Has the disaster affected the way other countries view the US ?
Send us your comments using the form .
---->===}*{===<----
Some of the better comments :

What you see in New Orleans is a perfect example of the downfalls of the welfare system , a form of socialism that many in this country know is the true problem .
You have seen the pictures .
You people think it is race , but it is not .
It is the welfare society that was New Orleans . "
-- Paul , Atlanta , USA
I am frankly revolted by the response of the Bush - Bashers ; Sorry chaps , but you did have it coming ... "
The plain fact is that Bush has a sight more in the way of common humanity than a great many of his detractors .
At least he is n't using this disaster for cheap political point - scoring . "
-- Mac , Nottingham
I do not feel it has changed the US citizens which is what was needed , even now the majority want Gas " despite the fact they are polluting the world more than any other country in the world and refuse to stop , perhaps this natural disaster , which let 's face it looks like a product of Global Warming , will change their views , why not pick things up with your hands and walk with your legs , other people in the world do it , " Gas " is not the be all and end all ! "
-- David , Kent
< This man has clearly never visited the US .
Distances are not what they are in the old world .
Here , cars are absolutely necessary , and he 'd have to have one , too .
- Juggernaut >

Thank you for your concern , but Europe is still irrelevant . "
-- John B , Windermere , Florida
< John can come over to eat at my house anytime .
- Juggernaut >
It is always interesting what spin the press will take .
Certainly , representation of the US in other countries will have a certain depiction .
I do n't believe that folks who believe that America is the land of opportunity will change their views from this recent news .
I have a friend who came here from Bulgaria after winning a green card in a lottery .
Yes , she and her family were delighted to leave the communistic remnants in that country .
Her husband became a citizen of the US just the week before last .
( Believe it or not , it takes a minimum of 5 years to apply . )
The countries which are giving to America to aid are a great example of the seed that America has sown through the years with other nations .
Now to the poverty stricken and the racial issue ...
You know , I 've lived in the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex most of my life .
When not in Texas , I lived in LA and San Francisco .
There is a lot of racial diversity in all of these places ... and I 've vacationed through the south ... visited my folks when they lived in Mississippi , and where they live now and are in the racial minority being white ( less than 20 % ) in northeastern Arkansas .
The fact is , when I began traveling for business to New England , when I first visited my in - laws in Montana and Idaho , I was shocked at the lack of racial diversity .
I did n't expect to react that way , but when I was looking around my workplace in Nashua , New Hampshire , and everyone else looked pretty much like me , it was really very eerie .
So , yes , America has pockets that are more diverse than others .
Additionally , reviewing the standings of Louisiana and Mississippi in the educational stakes , you 'll find they usually land near the bottom of a list of 50 states .
Unfortunately , those left behind to be filmed , where those without transportation or means .
Some refused to leave , but so many were unable to .
Yes , it 's a valid reflection of America - we do have cities like this .
However , New Orleans also had many affluent people , people who left town early as they had the means .
I do n't know if this will change other nation 's perceptions of America .
I suspect it will not change greatly ... but you never know how much stock people put in the news .
I do know that this will change the face of America .
I expect that many of the displaced people ( those affluent and those not ) will remain in the places they were evacuated to .
The 1.25 million people who have been housed in stadiums and convention centers across Texas will begin to populate Houston , Dallas , San Antonio and Galveston , and the surrounding areas .
Sure , some will return , but I have a feeling that once many begin to get jobs and temporary housing , they may be shy about returning .
I 'm interested in what America will look like in 5 years .
Will racial diversity find its way to Wyoming as some people are offered jobs there ?
Or will the nearly year - round snow be too much for those who have never experienced snow in their lives ?
Will the housing market in Dallas begin booming like the rest of the nation has due to the influx of buyers ?
Will businesses that were new in 2005 have become a household name due to their efforts in rebuilding the gulf coast ?
What will the federal government do to prevent inflation in the housing and building market ?
These are some of the things I 've been wondering ...
Linna
Response coming soon .
Your reply is good and deserves something good in return .
Juggernaut
Okay , I 'm new to this forum and really do n't like Bush , so my view point is slanted and I admit that .
I rarely listen to the news or to what politicians or lawyers say because so many tell lies that none have credibility so what 's the point ?
What I know is that I have a close friend who's aunt disappeared in New Orleans .
My friend did n't have computer capability , so I spent the day searching and posting online .
The family here ( California ) wanted to fly any family members from there to CA , so they could remain here until things got straightened out down there .
The cousins could not be found because no one was sure of their married names .
The hope was that anyone looking for the Aunt would see the family post and know that help was available .
It is Oct. 6 , and not one family member has been located .
What I saw was dozens of school buses submerged that could have been used to evacuate people who had no transportation .
What I heard was the Mayor of New Orleans , saying that he did n't order the buses or anything else to be used because he was waiting on someone else to tell him what to do .
When common sense takes a back seat to politics and legal mumbo jumbo what have we become ?
Recently , Bush addressed the nation .
About 30 seconds into his address , he started flogging the terrorist issue just one more time .
Ironically he almost burst out laughing and it was all he could do to keep his mirth down to a barely controlled smirk .
Even he ca n't believe that he is trotting out this old saw again .
I guess if you have a schtick that is a resounding success once , you ca n't help but trot it out every time your act is going sour .
Meanwhile , every pocket that can be lined is golden and the poor are shunted off radar yet again .
The gall of it all is that Bush is stumping for more money to build more refineries , when what he should do is pour money into making the US independent of OPEC or crude oil all together .
We have the technology ; if you are going to spend billions of dollars touting " FREEDOM " why not spend those billions making all of us free ?
Free of polution , free of oil dependency , and free of big business that is bleeding us dry for the short term good ( theirs ) .
I 'm sorry he makes me want to puke so I shut him off .
In the meanwhile there are still broken families that should have been safe in the home of the brave .
For those who believe ....................
Aries in 2005 - Flexibility
If you want a motto for 2005 , the best one to adopt would be " go with the flow . "
2005 will be a year of ups and downs , and only the flexible will be able to keep from going crazy !
All Aries natives may have to tighten their belts and curb their desire for constant expansion .
You may need to play it cool and curb your spending .
You 'll be among the first to seize upon new societal trends to create new opportunities for yourself , as your creativity will be at an all - time high .
You will be more eloquent and persuasive than usual , and others will identify enthusiastically with your vision .
If you want to start a new creative project or business venture , your imagination will be working overtime .
2005 could find you doing well career-wise - and aspiring to climb even higher .
Taurus in 2005 - Tenacity
Diligence is the key word for you , Taurus .
With hard work and focus , you will attain at least one important aspiration that has been on your agenda for a long time .
This is the year you 'll want to take stock of your career and ask yourself if you 're doing the work you want to do for the rest of your life .
As the year progresses , the more impressive your ideas and works become .
As a result , your finances improve - and your newfound confidence could attract new love into your life .
By the end of the year , you will have a whole new network of friends and group activity , stimulating new ideas and taking up your social life a notch or two .
Gemini in 2005 - Success
Your cycle of learning through the school of hard knocks has come to an end , Gemini , and now you 're going to start reaping the rewards these " lessons " have left in their wake .
As 2005 progresses , the road ahead will become clearer .
You now have it in you to create the kind of life for yourself that you want .
These leaps and bounds forward include love and creativity .
Your learning of concepts of all kinds combines with extensive group activity , bringing your mind into a whole new space this year .
By the end of 2005 you 'll have a whole new start with regard to your career and your earning potential - and a possible new partnership to top it off !
Cancer in 2005 - Balance
Finding a balance between your personal and professional lives may be one of the year 's strongest challenges .
For the most part , your outward life this year will go in fits and starts - alternating periods of intense activity with times of welcome rest .
Enjoy the restful periods when you can .
The active ones will be hectic !
You 'll be making radical changes in your work habits , but you 'll be a lot happier for it , and in the end you 'll know it was worth it .
Your love life is full , and any dissatisfaction with career and money matters fades into the background .
By the end of 2005 , you 'll feel more confident , more determined , and far more capable of making the mountains come to you !
Leo in 2005 - Abundance
Pursuing a successful career , along with the usual social and financial advantages , will be easier this year than it has in a long time for you , Leo !
The most difficult thing might be deciding which path means the most to you , and where to put your focus .
You 'll be able to create opportunities for advancement almost out of thin air .
Romance in 2005 will make it a year to remember - and you 'll be the envy of all your friends .
Love comes willingly and easily .
Money may suddenly become tight at a very inconvenient time .
Yet , this is no comparison to the advancements you 'll make overall , and by the end of 2005 , you 'll look back in sheer wonder and happiness .
Virgo in 2005 - Perseverance
Your working life might not go so smoothly this year , Virgo .
For much of 2005 , you 'll be putting your nose to the grindstone .
On the bright side , your finances will be pretty stable .
Just do n't take it for granted - you still need to be cautious this year .
Your love life will thrive for most of the year , and any relationship begun or reaffirmed in 2005 is very likely to be a lasting one .
And , you 're going to develop a hopeless romantic streak .
In spite of a lot of worry over your career , by the year 's end , you 'll see that 2005 has filled your life with prosperity and accomplishments .
Libra in 2005 - Expansion
Flex your muscles , friend Libra , and prepare for a relatively easy ride .
With beneficent Jupiter in your sign , this is definitely your year , especially where your social life is concerned .
Happiness and enjoyment lie ahead .
If you 're not presently married , and want to be , you just might wed by the end of the year .
This is the year you 're going to be doing a lot of travel and learning about your world , as expansion is the theme .
The one department of life that may not quite be as hopeful as you 'd like could be your career , where advancement may be slow and satisfaction rare .
By year 's end , you may find yourself seriously considering a major change - all for the best .
Scorpio in 2005 - Transmutation
Scorpio , you can still expect changes - perhaps major ones - in your life this year , almost to the point of total transformation .
While this is most apparent in the area of your career , you 'll see it showing up in other important aspects of your life .
Your life might take on an entirely new direction you 've never dreamed of .
You may also change your residence during the year .
Whether you start the year as a single person looking for a partner , or you 've been married for many years , happiness in love does lie ahead .
Be prepared for new horizons .
They may not be familiar , but they will be fascinating .
Do n't cling to the banks ; instead , flow with the tide in 2005 .
Sagittarius in 2005 - Empowerment
Are you prepared to handle absolute power ?
If not , you will be soon !
Your ruling planet , Jupiter , will be in a special relationship with Pluto - called " mutual reception " - in 2005 .
There 's so much punch packed into this combination that it 's almost scary .
You 'll find the ultimate power is the ability to choose your own destiny .
You 'll find practical ways of increasing your effectiveness in the world by gaining new skills that allow you to live more abundantly .
By the second half of the year , you will finally feel welcome relief from the tight financial binds that have hindered you over the past two years .
And , a relationship you begin now will last a very long time - like , for the rest of your life .
Overall , 2005 is sure to be a year you wo n't forget .
Capricorn in 2005 - Resolution
You 've got plenty of lucky breaks headed your way in 2005 , friend Capricorn .
The long awaited relief you 've needed in your love life is around the corner , and by the end of the year you will feel much clearer about your partnerships in general .
Financially , it could be a lean year , although some advance planning can help you weather the storm .
Your career opportunities will expand exponentially , and you 're likely to change jobs or positions this year .
At times , the pressure on your job and home life may seem unbearable , but rest assured you will come through this stronger - and wiser - than ever , as more is revealed and resolved in 2005 .
Aquarius in 2005 - Magic
2005 sees you expanding your intuitive and psychic skills even more , Aquarius .
The mysteries of the universe continue to attract and intrigue you , as you apply your mystical awareness to the important decisions upcoming in your life , especially concerning partnerships of all kinds .
2005 is bound to bring at least one major success in the love department , and your career will be brimming with new enthusiasm and innovation .
Not only that , but travel , adventure , and personal expansion infuse fresh energy into all areas of your life .
By year 's end , your creative decision - making will have carried you to whole new peaks - and a whole new view from above .
Pisces in 2005 - Self - confidence
It 's a big year for you , friend Pisces .
No doubt , in 2005 you 'll find yourself pushed more and more out into the world .
You 'll experience a new sense of purpose and make plenty of new friends .
Expect lots of surprises and lucky breaks this year , with Uranus bringing the unexpected in your career , your love life , and the world in general .
At some point during the year , you could pick up a financial windfall , hear of a great career opportunity , or unexpectedly meet the love of your life .
It 's important that you take retreats and plenty of time for yourself to regenerate , as the rate of change in your personal and professional life will be fast and unpredictable .
Remain calm and confident , and love is very likely to flourish in 2005 .
Expect the unexpected , and enjoy the ride !
Success comes before work only in the dictionary
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The mysterious RAPHAEL Holinshed was named for the mysterious Neoplatonic Italian painter RAPHAEL Sanzio who painted St. George Fighting the Dragon ( 1504 - 06 )
[ ]
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Like William Shakspere RAPHAEL ( the painter ) died on his April birthday Laura & Bridget 's day :
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ARCHILOCHUS solar eclipse : April 6 , 648 BC Friday
Koran descends to Earth : April 6 , 610 AD Monday
CLEMENT 's St. Methodius dies : April 6 , 884 Monday
Petrarch meets LAURA : April 6 , 1327 Monday
DURER dies : April 6 , 1528 Monday
BRIDGET Vere 's birth : April 6 , 1584 Monday
Sir Francis Walsingham dies : April 6 , 1590 Monday
native of Crete EL GRECO dies : April 7 , 1614 Monday
{ LUCIO : Does BRIDGET PAINT still , Pompey , ha ?
[ MfM Act 3 , Sc. 2 ] }
LAURA dies of plague : April 6 , 1348 Sunday
RAPHAEL born : April 6 , 1483 Sunday
RAPHAEL dies : April 6 , 1520 Good Friday
Thomas Hobbes ' birth : April 5 , 1588 Good Friday
Start of The SOUND & the FURY : April 6 , 1928 Good Friday
Kent EARTHQUAKE : April 6 , 1580 Wednesday
Historian John Stow dies : April 6 , 1605 Sat / Wed .
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<< Upon the sixth of April , Alexander the Great was born .
Upon the same day he conquered Darius , won a great victory at sea , & died the same day .
Neither was this day less fortunate to his father Philip ; for on the same day he took Potidea ; >> - JOHN AUBREY , F.R.S.
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ANTONIO PEREZ 1535 - 1611 [ Philip II 's renegade Secretary of State ]
<< In " Love 's Labour 's Lost " we find a character Don Adriana de Armatho , full of affection and bombast .
A Spanish refugee , ANTONIO PEREZ , visited England in 1593 and became acquainted with Francis & ANTHONY Bacon , with whom for a time he seems to have been on terms of intimacy , which did not last very long , for the Spaniard developed so much affectation & bombast that he became unpopular in Court circles .
In 1594 PEREZ wrote & published a book under the assumed name of " RAPHAEL PEREGRINO . "
In the play Holofernes is ridiculing Don Adriana " the traveler from Spain " and says of him : " He is too picked , too spruce , too affected , Too odd , as it were , too PEREGRINate , as I may call it . "
- Act 5 , Scene 1 .
To make the reference more pointed and unmistakable , Sir Nathaniel replies " a most singular & choice epithet , " and at once enters it in his note book .
This parody on PEREZ ' sobriquet clearly identifies PEREZ with Armatho . >>
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Shakespeare Electronic Conference , Vol. 6 , No. 0832 . Monday , 23 October 1995 .
From : Martin Green < MGr...@usa.pipeline.com >
Date : Sunday , 22 Oct 1995 10:57:32 - 0400
Subject : Re : Facts , Purpose of List , Italy , Jews
<< There were no Jews in England to speak of in the 1590's .
True , but two in England that we know of were a part of the Essex entourage : Dr. Lopez , who had been physician to Essex ' step - father , the Earl of Leicester , had apparently treated the young Essex for some socially unacceptable ailment , and Antonio Perez , who was a guest at Essex House in the early 1590's .
To be sure , both Lopez & Perez were conversos -- but they were thought of in England as being , as they undoubtedly were , at least ethnically , Jews . >>
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<< Doctor RODERIGO LOPEZ ( 1525 - 1594 ) was the Portugese Jewish doctor accused by Essex of trying to poison Queen Elizabeth .
The 69 year old Dr. Lopez was found guilty and was summarily hung and quartered on June 7 , 1594 at Tyburn .
Long before ( September 1560 ) Dr. Lopez had been the personal house doctor of Robert Dudley and the good doctor was obligated to write the death certificate for Amy Robsart ( stating that she had " accidentally " fallen down the stairs ) .
That same year ( 1560 ) a Spanish priest named RUY LOPEZ handily beat all comers at a chess tournament in Rome .
Lopez 's 1561 book " Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del Juego del Acedraz " became THE classic on Chess openings , including the one that bears his name .
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Chess history 1530 - 1647
[ ]
1530 LOPEZ , Ruy b. in Zafra , Spain .
Spanish priest & leading player .
1533 Atahualpa , inca emperor of peru , imprisoned & learns chess .
1542 LEONARDO , Giovanni ( a.k.a. Il Puttino / the Boy ) born in Calaria .
1550 Valdiviesco , Don Antonio de , Bishop of Nicaragua , assassinated while playing chess in his palace at Leon .
1551 Ivan IV of Russia bans chess .
1555 Castling is introduced .
1560 Ruy Lopez visits Rome and defeats all the players .
1561 Last time castling was 2 separate moves .
1561 Ruy Lopez proposes the 50 - move rule to claim a draw .
1561 Ruy Lopez writes his book on chess .
Introduces the word gambit .
( Alcala , 1561 )
1562 St Teresa , a Spanish reformer , includes chess in her writings .
1570 Gianutto della Mantia , Horatio born in Italy .
Author of Italian chess book .
1572 Ruy Lopez defeats several eminent players in Rome .
1574 Boi and Leonardo beat Lopez & Ceron in presence of Phillip II .
1575 Leonardo beats Ruy Lopez in Madrid .
1575 After the Plague of Cremona , all games except chess were banned .
1576 Boi taken prisoner , but wins his freedom playing chess .
1580 Catherine de Medici of France is a keen chess player .
1580 Ruy lopez died .
1584 Ivan the Terrible dies while starting a game of chess .
1584 Lopez 's book translated into Italian by Tarsia and published in Venice .
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<< " I have told you , friend , " said the curate , " that this is done to divert our idle thoughts ; and as in well - ordered states games of CHESS , fives , and billiards are allowed for the diversion of those who do not care , or are not obliged , or are unable to work , so books of this kind are allowed to be printed , on the supposition that , what indeed is the truth , there can be nobody so ignorant as to take any of them for true stories ; >>
<< " Well then , " said Don Quixote , " the same thing happens in the comedy and life of this world , where some play emperors , others popes , and , in short , all the characters that can be brought into a play ; but when it is over , that is to say when life ends , death strips them all of the garments that distinguish one from the other , and all are equal in the grave . "
A fine comparison ! said Sancho ; " though not so new but that I have heard it many and many a time , as well as that other one of the game of CHESS ; how , so long as the game lasts , each piece has its own particular office , and when the game is finished they are all mixed , jumbled up and shaken together , and stowed away in the bag , which is much like ending life in the grave . "
Thou art growing less doltish and more shrewd every day , Sancho , said Don Quixote .
Ay , said Sancho ; " it must be that some of your worship 's shrewdness sticks to me ; land that , of itself , is barren and dry , will come to yield good fruit if you dung it and till it >>
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Of all Freemason sponsered revolutions : American , French , Bolivar , etc . . . Garibaldi 's is the most blatantly Masonic :
Nostromo A Tale of the Seaboard
<< After having written so far , Don Martin Decoud , the exotic dandy of the Parisian boulevard , got up and walked across the sanded floor of the cafe at one end of the Albergo of United Italy , kept by Giorgio Viola , the old companion of Garibaldi .
The highly coloured lithograph of the Faithful Hero seemed to look dimly , in the light of one candle , at the man with no faith in anything except the truth of his own sensations .
Looking out of the window , Decoud was met by a darkness so impenetrable that he could see neither the mountains nor the town , nor yet the buildings near the harbour ; and there was not a sound , as if the tremendous obscurity of the Placid Gulf , spreading from the waters over the land , had made it dumb as well as blind . . . .
He turned away .
He could bear no longer that expressionless and motionless stare , which seemed to have a sort of impenetrable emptiness like the black depth of an abyss .
. . . and uneasy in its corporate expression , was overtopped by the big face of Don Juste Lopez , soft and white , with prominent eyelids and wreathed in impenetrable solemnity as if in a dense cloud . >>
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Wisteria Lodge
<< He could do little during the day , for Murillo took every precaution and never went out save with his satellite Lucas , or Lopez as he was known in the days of his greatness .
At night , however , he slept alone , and the avenger might find him .
On a certain evening , which had been prearranged , I sent my friend final instructions , for the man was forever on the alert and continually changed his room .
I was to see that the doors were open and the signal of a green or white light in a window which faced the drive was to give notice if all was safe or if the attempt had better be postponed .

In some way I had excited the suspicion of Lopez , the secretary .
He crept up behind me and sprang upon me just as I had finished the note .
He and his master dragged me to my room and held judgment upon me as a convicted traitress .
Then and there they would have plunged their knives into me could they have seen how to escape the consequences of the deed .
Finally , after much debate , they concluded that my murder was too dangerous .
But they determined to get rid forever of Garcia .
They had gagged me , and Murillo twisted my arm round until I gave him the address .
I swear that he might have twisted it off had I understood what it would mean to Garcia .
Lopez addressed the note which I had written , sealed it with his sleeve - link , and sent it by the hand of the servant , Jose .
How they murdered him I do not know , save that it was Murillo 's hand who struck him down , for Lopez had remained to guard me .
I believe he must have waited among the gorse bushes through which the path winds and struck him down as he passed .
At first they were of a mind to let him enter the house and to kill him as a detected burglar ; but they argued that if they were mixed up in an inquiry their own identity would at once be publicly disclosed and they would be open to further attacks .
With the death of Garcia , the pursuit might cease , since such a death might frighten others from the task . >>
------------------------------------------------------
Art Neuendorffer
The Rock revolution happened in the Sixties ( 6 , number of the Beast ) .
It came from Liverpool , that was the port base to the Titanic , destroyed by God because of the arrogant insult of captain Smith ( also from Liverpool ) : " Not even God can sink my ship " ( not only the captain , but also the rest of the crew and even the orchestra playing at the Titanic were from Liverpool ) .
The Rock revolution came from the nation that allows a church to be changed to a pub or to a dance room or to a recording studio full of drug addicts , homosexuals and lunatics ( as that of George Martin , ally of the Beatles ) .
It came from the nation whose king Enrique VIII adulterated the Bible so that divorce could be allowed and in this way be able to give loose rein to the many divorces from his wives and subsequent murdering of the same ones and to whom God provided a wife with six fingers as abomination ( Anne Boleyn ) ... once again 6 , number of the Beast ....
It is interesting to observe that this nation is nicknamed " the Devil 's Island " .
As the epithet of the government of Satan on that nation , the center of London , the so well - known Piccadilly Circus , takes it's name from an old brothel ( the " Piccadilla House " which means " The House of Sin " ) , disappeared nowadays .
The antichrist John Lennon , one of the Devil 's main puppets to destroy family , social and moral values and to begin the disintegration of mankind , did hit Stuart Sutcliffe ( the first bass player of the Beatles ) in the head with a club repeatedly in Hamburg .
Some months later Sutcliffe died from brain haemorrhage because of John Lennon 's bruises .
John Lennon entered stardom being a murderer .
The same demons that made captain Smith say " Not even God can sink my ship " spoke from antichrist John Lennon ( from Liverpool , base port to the Titanic ) saying : " Christianity is on the go .
It will vanish and shrink .
We are more popular than Jesus and Pope " ....
That was the day that GOD 'S CURSE fell upon the world of Rock .
One week after that declaration , ONLY ONE WEEK LATER , Brian Epstein , forger of the Beatle farce , died from an overdose .
From then on , the Beatles began to get involved in false religions and to preach them to the world .
John Lennon 's divorce followed , as well as his entering the world of black magic , as deeply as to buy the apartment . where the " Rosemary 's baby " had been filmed , previous property of Roman Polansky , and in that same apartment John Lennon had a room upholstered with black silk where he used to do his black magic operations .
Came the disintegration of the Beatles ' minds with LSD which has caused , among others , schizophrenic lyrics such as " I am the Walrus " and incoherent schizophrenic musical expositions like " Revolution number 9 " .
At the same time , the devil acted through his other main puppets with " Sympathy for the devil " that was when the pact of the Rolling Stones with Satan took the life of the founder of the group , the guitarist Brian Jones ( who refused to be a puppet of the devil ) , murdered by people sent by Mick Jagger , another assassin .
Antichrist John Lennon followed the Devil 's strategy writing lyrics such as " God is a concept by which we measure our pain ... I do n't believe in Jesus , etc. , etc. , " ( God ) and " and no religions too ... " ( Imagine ) .
Antichrist John Lennon wanted to compete with Jesus Christ , and so he grew a beard and started to make a bogus role of Christ together with Yoko Ono at the Amsterdam Hilton hotel proclaiming " Peace " , being then when he was visited by the Canadian journalist who ridiculized and admonished him wanting to know about what Lennon meant when he wrote in the lyrics of " The ballad of John and Yoko " : " the way things are going , they 're going to crucify me ... " , The CURSE OF GOD upon John Lennon carried on with all
type of miseries and distresses which made Lennon give the interview to the " Rolling Stone " magazine ( today condensed in the " Lennon remembers " book ) where he speaks about how bad thing were going for him blaming " whatever is up there " for it ( referring to God ) .
The CURSE OF GOD carried on until he was shot dead .
It is interesting to notice that he was shot seven times , being seven , as well as three , the holy numbers in Holy Cabalah tradition ....
After George Harrison , said arrogantly in a video filmed in his studio at Henley on Thames : " I want to talk about the divinity of man " , he was given throat cancer by GOD because of those words , which made metastasis and carried on to final death ..
To Paul McCartney whose company 's logo was a person toying with the planets as if he was a god , and who was being very much deluded in his ego trip by the fact that he was made " Sir " ( when in England even the road sweeper is made Sir , as long as he produces money for the nation ) , GOD provided cancer to the wife .
The advertising farce of how much he loved Linda ( woman whose quality he did not deserve ) , was exposed when it was known that Paul had an affair with Heather Mills , Linda 's intimate friend , with whom McCartney went on a trip to New York and to whom he bought things and presents , while he was still mourning for his " dear Linda " .
At the same time McCartney was going out with Heather Mills , he used Linda 's death for promotional ends , due to his waning popularity .
Paul was going out with Heather , but in front of the audience he played the faithful husband 's masquerade pretending to suffer for Linda , for the afore mentioned promotional ends .
Paul admitted that he made Linda suffer a lot , but he did n't say that it was because he felt insecure as a man due to his womanish face and effeminate manners and also because with his age his sexual power was not the same , even though it has never been much .
The early days were the days of competition between Paul and his wife and John and his wife and he knew he had to compete with ugly John for the leadership of the band in front of their wives and having Yoko Ono made him aware of his lack of virility and repressed homosexuality , he grew the beard that we see in the " Let it Be " film and started to show pictures of naked women in the same film , doing every effort he could to be seen as a man ....
It is easy to note the uneasiness of McCartney when he sings : " I 've got a feeling , a feeling I ca n't hide ... " in front of Yoko in the film .
( He already had the traumas that his previous girlfriend Jane Asher had caused him when she made him aware of his little manliness and effeminate manners ) .
Paul has such a big inferiority complex as a man , due to his effeminate face , body and personality and due to his repressed homosexuality , that he found himself a handicapped woman with only one leg , so that he could stand out , being very conscious that a full woman would make him feel the superiority of virile men again , as Jane and Linda did .
This is something that his ego trip of lucky bad musician could not face anymore ....
He is very conscious that money and fame can not buy virility and manliness .
Besides being a murderer , John Lennon had sexual intercourse with homosexual Brian Epstein to get him interested in going to see the band at the Cavern , trauma from which he never recovered .
Because of the trauma that his homosexual relation with Brian Epstein had left him , he made lyrics such as : " You can wear a collar and a tie , one thing you ca n't hide is when you 're crippled inside " and gave declarations to the " Rolling Stone " magazine saying that " sometimes he wore Texan boots to feel more secure as a man " .
The Beatles are very well known by people close to them for their arrogance and racism .
One of the manifestations of their racism is the rejection towards Japanese Yoko Ono .
That rejection got to the point that George Harrison kicked Yoko Ono in the Apple studios during the filming of Let it Be .
When John asked George while they were having lunch about how things were going for Paul after his separation from the Beatles and George replied that he was number one in the Swedish hit parade , John said in a despective manner : " ah !! .. in Sweden .. " , as if Sweden was an inferior place or something alike .
In the Beatles ' song " Get Back " they advise black Joe to " get back to where you once belonged " , as if England was not a place for black people .
Sometimes back , Paul told George in the Apple offices that the new generations are a bundle of idiots and useless people , but in any way they would have also been slaves of the Beatles .
The Jewish marriage living to the right of George 's house said that he is an arrogant person who does never return a greeting .
The newly married couple living on the corner in front of the entrance of George 's house ( Friar Park ) refers to him as an overbearing person to stay away from .
The receptionist of " Hand made " , the former film making company of George Harrison said : " we do n't have any relation with that man anymore and we do n't want to know anything about him " .
It is interesting to note that this company was made bankrupt by the British cinema industry due to the despotism and pedantry of George Harrison , who believed that the cinema industry would have worshiped him .
Their chauvinisms got to the point that even they themselves hated each other .
Paul McCartney said that George Harrison is a nothing .
George Harrison said that he is tired of listening to people talk about John Lennon ....
George Harrison said in a video that " Oasis is a very untalented band and they should n't be playing at all " , all of it being the truth , but the Beatles is also a band of very poor musicians , if musicians at all , who could only play a couple of elementary guitar chords and who are as untalented as Oasis .
The Beatles of the times of the " Cavern " sounded exactly as poorly as Oasis and the little musical quality in the songs of the Beatles is due to George Martin .
Without George Martin the Beatles would have been just another untalented band as Oasis ....
Paul McCartney said recently that he believes in using magic , and he does lots of charity , thinking that in this way he will compensate for the CURSE OF GOD that is upon him and that took his wife 's life because of his Satanism and involvement in black magic .
He thinks he will deceive people in this way , so that the real McCartney will not be perceived .
Is the old Devil attempting to disguise as good in front of people .
Satan deceiving mankind once again , as so many other thousands of times through the centuries ....
After the Devil began his devastating job from the ghostly " Devil 's Island " through his nine main puppets ( Beatles - Rolling Stones ) , he possessed an endless amount of other schizophrenic bad musician in the afore mentioned Island and weakening their conscience with drugs , he made them proclaimers of homosexuality , aversion to religion , destruction of family values , dissipation , mental illness , antisocialism , etc. , etc. ,
The fact that bad apprentice musicians such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones achieved such a giant fame that not even the real quality musicians could achieve , was because the forces of Satan were behind everything , supporting the process .
This mentally ill humanity , destroyed families , twisted moral values , manifest or repressed homosexuality in human beings , anti natural feminism rebellion , drug addiction , corrupt social outlines , mad youths without direction , non respect to hierarchies , convulsed nations , misanthropy , misogyny , paedophilia , irrational and feeble lasciviousness and all other type of existent aberrations , are due to the vast manoeuvre that Satan executed through his main marionettes the Beatles and the Rolling Stones , from the Devil 's
Island .
If you wonder why there is misery and curse in your house , it is because you own some L.P , CD or another article related to the CURSED BY GOD Beatles and Rolling Stones .
We recommend you to take that curse out of your house throwing away everything related to the Devil 's main nine puppets ....
You have been warned ...
THE HIGH COURT .
( The Five Judges )
For the sake of mankind , you should email our verdict to your friends .
Email : yamwhatiyam < pop...@spinach.eat >
Groups : alt.consumers , ba.consumers , misc.consumers , misc.consumers.frugal-living
Attack on Iran : A Looming Folly
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Monday 09 January 2006
The wires have been humming since before the New Year with reports that the Bush administration is planning an attack on Iran .
The Bush administration is preparing its NATO allies for a possible military strike against suspected nuclear sites in Iran in the New Year , according to German media reports , reinforcing similar earlier suggestions in the Turkish media , reported UPI on December 30th .
The Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel this week , continued UPI , " quoted ' NATO intelligence sources ' who claimed that the NATO allies had been informed that the United States is currently investigating all possibilities of bringing the mullah - led regime into line , including military options .
This ' all options are open ' line has been President George W Bush 's publicly stated policy throughout the past 18 months . "
An examination of the ramifications of such an attack is desperately in order .
1 . Blowback in Iraq
The recent elections in Iraq were dominated by an amalgam of religiously fundamentalist Shi'ite organizations , principally the Dawa Party and the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq ( SCIRI ) .
Both Dawa and SCIRI have umbilical connections to the fundamentalist Shi'ite leadership in Iran that go back decades .
In essence , Iran now owns a significant portion of the Iraqi government .
Should the United States undertake military action against Iran , the ramifications in Iraq would be immediate and extreme .
In the first eight days of January , eighteen US troops have been killed in Iraq , compounded by another twelve deaths from a Black Hawk helicopter crash on Saturday .
Much of the violence aimed at American forces is coming from disgruntled Sunni factions that have their own militias , believe the last elections were a sham , and hold little political power in the government .
If the US attacks Iran , it is probable that American forces - already taxed by attacks from Sunni factions - will also face reprisal attacks in Iraq from Shi'ite factions loyal to Iran .
The result will be a dramatic escalation in US and civilian casualties , US forces will be required to bunker themselves further into their bases , and US forces will find themselves required to fight the very government they just finished helping into power .
Iraq , already a seething cauldron , will sink further into chaos .
2 . Iran 's Armaments
Unlike Iraq , Iran has not spent the last fifteen years having its conventional forces worn down by grueling sanctions , repeated attacks , and two American - led wars .
While Iran 's conventional army is not what it was during the heyday of the Iran - Iraq war - their armaments have deteriorated and the veterans of that last war have retired - the nation enjoys substantial military strength nonetheless .
According to a report issued by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in December of 2004 , Iran " has some 540,000 men under arms and over 350,000 reserves .
They include 120,000 Iranian Revolutionary Guards trained for land and naval asymmetrical warfare .
Iran 's military also includes holdings of 1,613 main battle tanks , 21,600 other armored fighting vehicles , 3,200 artillery weapons , 306 combat aircraft , 60 attack helicopters , 3 submarines , 59 surface combatants , and 10 amphibious ships . "
Iran is now the only regional military power that poses a significant conventional military threat to Gulf stability , continued the CSIS report .

There is considerable evidence that it is developing both a long - range missile force and a range of weapons of mass destruction .
It has never properly declared its holdings of chemical weapons , and the status of its biological weapons programs is unknown . "
A MILNET brief issued in February 2005 reports , " Due to its position astride the Persian Gulf , Iran has constantly been a threat to the Gulf .
The so called ' Tanker ' wars in the late 1980s put Iran squarely in the bullseye of all nations seeking to transport oil out of the region .
Even the small navy that Iran puts to sea is capable enough to harass shipping , and several cases of small boat operations against oil well heads in the Gulf during that period made it clear small asymmetrical tactics of the Iranian Navy could be quite effective . "
More concerning , continued the MILNET brief , " is the priority placed on expanding and modernizing its Navy .
The CSIS report cites numerous areas where Iran has funded modernization including the most troublesome aspect , anti-shipping cruise missiles : ' Iran has obtained new anti-ship missiles and missile patrol craft from China , midget submarines from North Korea , submarines from Russia , and modern mines . ' "
It is Iran 's missile armaments that pose the greatest concern for American forces in the Gulf , especially for the US Navy .
Iran 's coast facing the Persian Gulf is a looming wall of mountains that look down upon any naval forces arrayed in those waters .
The Gulf itself only has one exit , the Strait of Hormuz , which is also dominated by the mountainous Iranian coastline .
In essence , Iran holds the high ground in the Gulf .
Missile batteries arrayed in those mountains could raise bloody havoc with any fleet deployed below .
Of all the missiles in Iran 's armament , the most dangerous is the Russian - made SS - N - 22 Sunburn .
These missiles are , simply , the fastest anti-ship weapons on the planet .
The Sunburn can reach Mach 3 at high altitude .
Its maximum low - altitude speed is Mach 2.2 , some three times faster than the American - made Harpoon .
The Sunburn takes two short minutes to cover its full range .
The missile 's manufacturers state that one or two missiles could cripple a destroyer , and five missiles could sink a 20,000 ton ship .
The Sunburn is also superior to the Exocet missile .
Recall that it was two Exocets that ripped the USS Stark to shreds in 1987 , killing 37 sailors .
The Stark could not see them to stop them .
The US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf , with some 7,000 souls aboard .
Sailing with the Roosevelt is the Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Force , which includes the USS Tarawa , the USS Austin , and the USS Pearl Harbor .
The USS Austin is likewise deployed in the Gulf .
The Sunburn missile , with its incredible speed and ability to avoid radar detection , would do terrible damage these ships if Iran chooses to retaliate in the Gulf after an American attack within its borders .
Beyond the naval threat is the possibility of Iran throwing its military muscle into the ongoing struggle in Iraq .
Currently , the US is facing an asymmetrical attack from groups wielding small arms , shoulder - fired grenades and roadside bombs .
The vaunted American military has suffered 2,210 deaths and tens of thousands of wounded from this form of warfare .
The occupation of Iraq has become a guerrilla war , a siege that has lasted more than a thousand days .
If Iran decides to throw any or all of its 23,000 armored fighting vehicles , along with any or all of its nearly million - strong army , into the Iraq fray , the situation in the Middle East could become unspeakably dire .
3 . The Syrian Connection
In February of 2005 , Iran and Syria agreed upon a mutual protection pact to combat " challenges and threats " in the region .
This was a specific reaction to the American invasion of Iraq , and a reaction to America 's condemnation of Syria after the death of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri , which was widely seen as an assassination ordered from Damascus .
An attack on Iran would trigger this mutual defense pact , and could conceivably bring Syria into direct conflict with American forces .
Like Iran , Syria 's military is nothing to scoff at .
Virtually every credible analysis has Syria standing as the strongest military force in the Middle East after Israel .
Damascus has been intent for years upon establishing significant military strength to serve as a counterweight to Israel 's overwhelming capabilities .
As of 2002 , Syria had some 215,000 soldiers under arms , 4,700 tanks , and a massive artillery capability .
The Syrian Air Force is comprised of ten to eleven fighter / attack squadrons and sixteen fighter squadrons , totaling somewhere near 650 aircraft .
Syria also possesses one of the largest arsenals of ballistic missiles in the region , comprised primarily of SCUD - derived systems .
Iran , North Korea and China have been willing providers of state - of - the - art technologies .
Compounding this is the well - based suspicion that Syria has perhaps the most advanced chemical weapons capability in the Persian Gulf .
4 . China and the US Economy
While the ominous possibilities of heightened Iraqi chaos , missiles in the Gulf , and Syrian involvement loom large if the US attacks Iran , all pale in comparison to the involvement of China in any US / Iran engagement .
China 's economy is exploding , hampered only by their great thirst for petroleum and natural gas to fuel their industry .
In the last several months , China has inked deals with Iran for $ 70 billion dollars worth of Iranian oil and natural gas .
China will purchase 250 million tons of liquefied natural gas from Iran over the next 30 years , will develop the massive Yadavaran oil field in Iran , and will receive 150,000 barrels of oil per day from that field .
China is seeking the construction of a pipeline from Iran to the Caspian Sea , where it would link with another planned pipeline running from Kazakhstan to China .
Any US attack on Iran could be perceived by China as a direct threat to its economic health .
Further , any fighting in the Persian Gulf would imperil the tankers running China 's liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz .
Should China decide to retaliate against the US to defend its oil and natural gas deal with Iran , the US would be faced with a significant threat .
This threat exists not merely on a military level , though China could force a confrontation in the Pacific by way of Taiwan .
More significantly , China holds a large portion of the American economy in the palm of its hand .
Paul Craig Roberts , writing for The American Conservative , said in July of 2005 that " As a result of many years of persistent trade surpluses with the United States , the Japanese government holds dollar reserves of approximately $ 1 trillion .
China 's accumulation of dollars is approximately $ 600 billion .
South Korea holds about $ 200 billion .
These sums give these countries enormous leverage over the United States .
By dumping some portion of their reserves , these countries could put the dollar under intense pressure and send U.S. interest rates skyrocketing .
Washington would really have to anger Japan and Korea to provoke such action , but in a showdown with China - over Taiwan , for example - China holds the cards .
China and Japan , and the world at large , have more dollar reserves than they require .
They would have no problem teaching a hegemonic superpower a lesson if the need arose . "
The hardest blow on Americans , concluded Roberts , " will fall when China does revalue its currency .
When China 's currency ceases to be undervalued , American shoppers in Wal - Mart , where 70 percent of the goods on the shelves are made in China , will think they are in Neiman Marcus .
Price increases will cause a dramatic reduction in American real incomes .
If this coincides with rising interest rates and a setback in the housing market , American consumers will experience the hardest times since the Great Depression . "
In short , China has the American economy by the throat .
Should they decide to squeeze , we will all feel it .
China 's strong hand in this even extends to the diplomatic realm ; China is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , and could veto any actions against Iran proposed by the United States .
5 . American Preparedness
American citizens have for decades taken it as a given that our military can overwhelm and overcome any foe on the battlefield .
The rapid victory during the first Gulf War cemented this perception .
The last three years of the Iraq occupation , however , have sapped this confidence .
Worse , the occupation has done great damage to the strength of the American military , justifying the decrease in confidence .
Thanks to repeated deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan , recruiting is at an all - time low .
Soldiers with vital training and know - how are refusing to re-enlist .
Across the board , the American military is stretched to the breaking point .
Two vaunted economists - one a Nobel Prize winner and the other a nationally renowned budget expert - have analyzed the data at hand and put a price tag on the Iraq occupation .
According to Linda Bilmes of Harvard and Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz of Columbia University , the final cost of the Iraq occupation will run between $ 1 trillion and $ 2 trillion , surpassing by orders of magnitude the estimates put forth by the Bush administration .
If an engagement with Iran envelops our forces in Iraq , and comes to involve Syria , our economy will likely shatter under the strain of fighting so many countries simultaneously .
Add to this the economic threat posed by China , and the economic threat implicit in any substantial disruption of the distribution of Mideast petroleum to the globe .
If Iran and Syria - with their significant armaments , missile technologies and suspected chemical weapons capabilities - decide to engage with the relatively undersized US force in Iraq , our troops there will be fish in a barrel .
Iran 's position over the Gulf would make resupply by ship and air support from carriers a dangerous affair .
In the worst - case scenario , the newly - minted American order of battle requiring the use of nuclear weapons to rescue a surrounded and imperiled force could come into play , hurling the entire planet into military and diplomatic bedlam .
Conclusion : Is Any of This Possible ?
The question must be put as directly as possible : what manner of maniac would undertake a path so fraught with peril and potential economic catastrophe ?
It is difficult to imagine a justification for any action that could envelop the United States in a military and economic conflict with Iraq , Iran , Syria and China simultaneously .
Iran is suspected by many nations of working towards the development of nuclear weapons , but even this justification has been tossed into a cocked hat .
Recently , Russian president Vladimir Putin bluntly stated that Iran is not developing its nuclear capability for any reasons beyond peaceful energy creation , and pledged to continue assisting Iran in this endeavor .
Therefore , any attack upon Iran 's nuclear facilities will bring Russia into the mess .
Iran also stands accused of aiding terrorism across the globe .
The dangers implicit in any attack upon that nation , however , seem to significantly offset whatever gains could be made in the so - called " War on Terror . "
Unfortunately , all the dangers in the world are no match for the self - assurance of a bubble - encased zealot .
What manner of maniac would undertake such a dangerous course ?
Look no further than 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue .
George W. Bush and his administration have consistently undertaken incredibly dangerous courses of action in order to garner political power on the home front .
Recall the multiple terror threats lobbed out by the administration whenever damaging political news appeared in the media .
More significantly , recall Iraq .
Karl Rove , Bush 's most senior advisor , notoriously told Republicans on the ballot during the 2002 midterms to " run on the war . "
The invasion of Iraq provided marvelous political cover for the GOP not only during those midterms , but during the 2004 Presidential election .
What kind of political cover would be gained from an attack on Iran , and from the diversion of attention to that attack ?
The answer lies in one now - familiar name : Jack Abramoff .
The Abramoff scandal threatens to subsume all the hard - fought GOP gains in Congress , and the 2006 midterms are less than a year away .
Is any of this a probability ?
Logic says no , but logic seldom plays any part in modern American politics .
All arguments that the Bush administration would be insane to attack Iran and risk a global conflagration for the sake of political cover run into one unavoidable truth .
They did it once already in Iraq .
By Graydon Carter ( excepted from " What We 've Lost " , published by Little Brown )
68.4 - Average Number of species added to the Endangered and Threatened Species list each year between 1991 and 2000 .
0 - Number of endangered species voluntarily added by the Bush administration since taking office .
408 - Number of species that could be extinct by 2050 if the global - warming trend continues .
0 - Number of times Bush mentioned global warming , clean air , clean water , pollution or environment in his 2004 State of the Union speech .
His father was the last president to go through an entire State of the Union address without mentioning the environment .
1 - Number of paragraphs devoted to global warming in the EPA 's 600 - page " Draft Report on the Environment " presented in 2003 .
68 - Number of days after taking office that Bush decided Not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol , the international treaty to reduce greenhouse gases by roughly 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels by 2012 .
The United States was to cut its level by 7 per cent .
1 The rank of the United States worldwide in terms of greenhouse gas emissions .
25 - Percentage of overall worldwide carbon dioxide emissions the United States is responsible for .
53 - Number of days after taking office that Bush reneged on his campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants .
14 - Percentage carbon dioxide emissions will increase over the next 10 years under Bush 's own global - warming plan ( an increase of 30 per cent above their 1990 levels ) .
5 - Number of years the Bush administration said in 2003 that global warming must be further studied before substantive action could be taken .
$ 44 m - Amount the Bush - Cheney 2000 campaign and the Republican National Committee received in contributions from the fossil fuel , chemical , timber , and mining industries .
200 - Number of regulation rollbacks downgrading or weakening environmental laws in Bush 's first three years in office .
31 - Number of Bush administration appointees who are alumni of the energy industry ( includes four cabinet secretaries , the six most powerful White House officials , and more than 20 other high - level appointees ) .
50 = Approximate number of policy changes and regulation rollbacks injurious to the environment that have been announced by the Bush administration on Fridays after 5 pm , a time that makes it all but impossible for news organisations to relay the information to the widest possible audience .
50 - Percentage decline in Environmental Protection Agency enforcement actions against polluters under Bush 's watch .
34 - Percentage decline in criminal penalties for environmental crimes since Bush took office .
50 - Percentage decline in civil penalties for environmental crimes since Bush took office .
$ 6.1 m - Amount the EPA historically valued each human life when conducting economic analyses of proposed regulations .
$ 3.7 m - Amount the EPA valued each human life when conducting analyses of proposed regulations during the Bush administration .
62 - Number of members of Cheney 's 63 - person Energy Task Force with ties to corporate energy interests .
0 - Number of environmentalists asked to attend Cheney 's Energy Task Force meetings .
6 - Number of months before 11 September that Cheney 's Energy Task Force investigated Iraq 's oil reserves .
2 - Percentage of the world 's population that is British .
2 - Percentage of the world 's oil used by Britain .
5 - Percentage of the world 's population that is American .
25 - Percentage of the world 's oil used by America .
63 - Percentage of oil the United States imported in 2003 , a record high .
24,000 - Estimated number of premature deaths that will occur under Bush 's Clear Skies initiative .
300 - Number of Clean Water Act violations by the mountaintop - mining industry in 2003 .
750,000 - Tons of toxic waste the US military , the world 's biggest polluter , generates around the world each year .
$ 3.8 bn - Amount in the Superfund trust fund for toxic site clean - ups in 1995 , the Year " polluter pays " fees expired .
$ 0 - Amount of uncommitted dollars in the Superfund trust fund for toxic site clean - ups in 2003 .
270 - Estimated number of court decisions citing federal Negligence in endangered - species protection that remained unheeded during the first year of the Bush administration .
100 - Percentage of those decisions that Bush then decided to allow the government to ignore indefinitely .
50 - Percentage of screened workers at Ground Zero who now suffer from long - term health problems , almost half of whom do n't have health insurance .
78 - Percentage of workers at Ground Zero who now suffer from lung ailments .
88 - Percentage of workers at Ground Zero who Now suffer from ear , nose , or throat problems .
22 - Asbestos levels at Ground Zero were 22 times higher than the levels in Libby , Montana , where the W R Grace mine produced one of the worst Superfund disasters in US history .
1 - Number of Bush administration public statements on National security issued between 20 January 2001 and 10 September 2001 that mentioned al - Qa'ida .
104 - Number of Bush administration public statements on National security and defense in the same period that mentioned Iraq or Saddam Hussein .
101 - Number of Bush administration public statements on National security and defense in the same period that mentioned missile defence .
65 - Number of Bush administration public statements on National security and defense in the same period that mentioned weapons of mass destruction .
0 - Number of times Bush mentioned Osama bin Laden in his three State of the Union addresses .
73 - Number of times that Bush mentioned terrorism or terrorists in his three State of the Union addresses .
83 - Number of times Bush mentioned Saddam , Iraq , or regime ( as in change ) in his three State of the Union addresses .
$ 1 m - Estimated value of a painting the Bush Presidential Library in College Station , Texas , received from Prince Bandar , Saudi Arabia 's ambassador to the United States and Bush family friend .
0 - Number of times Bush mentioned Saudi Arabia in his three State of the Union addresses .
1,700 - Percentage increase between 2001 and 2002 of Saudi Arabian spending on public relations in the United States .
79 - Percentage of the 11 September hijackers who came from Saudi Arabia .
3 = Number of 11 September hijackers whose entry visas came through special US - Saudi " Visa Express " programme .
140 - Number of Saudis , including members of the Bin Laden family , evacuated from United States almost immediately after 11 September .
14 - Number of Immigration and Naturalisation Service ( INS ) agents assigned to track down 1,200 known illegal immigrants in the United States from countries where al - Qa'ida is active .
$ 3 m - Amount the White House was willing to grant the 9/11 Commission to investigate the 11 September attacks .
$ 0 - Amount approved by George Bush to hire more INS special agents .
$ 10 m - Amount Bush cut from the INS 's existing terrorism budget .
$ 50 m - Amount granted to the commission that looked into the Columbia space shuttle crash .
$ 5 m - Amount a 1996 federal commission was given to study legalised gambling .
7 - Number of Arabic linguists fired by the US army between mid-August and mid-October 2002 for being gay .
George Bush : Military man
1972 - Year that Bush walked away from his pilot duties in the Texas National Guard , Nearly two years before his six - year obligation was up .
$ 3,500 - Reward a group of veterans offered in 2000 for anyone who could confirm Bush 's Alabama guard service .
600 - 700 - Number of guardsmen who were in Bush 's unit during that period .
0 - Number of guardsmen from that period who came forward with information about Bush 's guard service .
0 - Number of minutes that President Bush , Vice - President Dick Cheney , the Defence Secretary , Donald Rumsfeld , the assistant Defence Secretary , Paul Wolfowitz , the former chairman of the Defence Policy Board , Richard Perle , and the White House Chief of Staff , Karl Rove - the main proponents of the war in Iraq - served in combat ( combined ) .
0 - Number of principal civilian or Pentagon staff members who planned the war who have immediate family members serving in uniform in Iraq .
8 - Number of members of the US Senate and House of Representatives who have a child serving in the military .
10 - Number of days that the Pentagon spent investigating a soldier who had called the President " a joke " in a letter to the editor of a Newspaper .
46 - Percentage increase in sales between 2001 and 2002 of GI Joe figures ( children 's toys ) .
Ambitious warrior
2 - Number of Nations that George Bush has attacked and taken over since coming into office .
130 - Approximate Number of countries ( out of a total of 191 recognised by the United Nations ) with a US military presence .
43 - Percentage of the entire world 's military spending that the US spends on defence .
( That was in 2002 , the year before the invasion of Iraq . )
$ 401.3 b - Proposed military budget for 2004 .
Saviour of Iraq
1983 - The year in which Donald Rumsfeld , Ronald Reagan 's special envoy to the Middle East , gave Saddam Hussein a pair of golden spurs as a gift .
2.5 - Number of hours after Rumsfeld learnt that Osama bin Laden was a suspect in the 11 September attacks that he brought up reasons to " hit " Iraq .
237 - Minimum number of misleading statements on Iraq made by top Bush administration officials between 2002 and January 2004 , according to the California Representative Henry Waxman .
10 m - Estimated number of people worldwide who took to the streets on 21 February 2003 , in opposition to the invasion of Iraq , the largest simultaneous protest in world history .
$ 2 b - Estimated monthly cost of US military presence in Iraq projected by the White House in April 2003 .
$ 4 b - Actual monthly cost of the US military presence in Iraq according to Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld in 2004 .
$ 15 m - Amount of a contract awarded to an American firm to build a cement factory in Iraq .
$ 80,000 - Amount an Iraqi firm spent ( using Saddam 's confiscated funds ) to build the same factory , after delays prevented the American firm from starting it .
2000 - Year that Cheney said his policy as CEO of Halliburton oil services company was " we would n't do anything in Iraq " .
$ 4.7 b - Total value of contracts awarded to Halliburton in Iraq and Afghanistan .
$ 680 m - Estimated value of Iraq reconstruction contracts awarded to Bechtel .
$ 2.8 b - Value of Bechtel Corp contracts in Iraq .
$ 120 b - Amount the war and its aftermath are projected to cost for the 2004 fiscal year .
35 - Number of countries to which the United States suspended military assistance after they failed to sign agreements giving Americans immunity from prosecution before the International Criminal Court .
92 - Percentage of Iraq 's urban areas with access to potable water in late 2002 .
60 - Percentage of Iraq 's urban areas with access to potable water in late 2003 .
55 - Percentage of the Iraqi workforce who were unemployed before the war .
80 - Percentage of the Iraqi workforce who are unemployed a Year after the war .
0 - Number of American combat deaths in Germany after the Nazi surrender in May 1945 .
37 - Death toll of US soldiers in Iraq in May 2003 , the month combat operations " officially " ended .
0 - Number of coffins of dead soldiers returning home that the Bush administration has permitted to be photographed .
0 - Number of memorial services for the returned dead that Bush has attended since the beginning of the war .
A soldier 's best friend
40,000 - Number of soldiers in Iraq seven months after start of the war still without Interceptor vests , designed to stop a round from an AK - 47 .
$ 60 m - Estimated cost of outfitting those 40,000 soldiers with Interceptor vests .
62 - Percentage of gas masks that army investigators discovered did Not work properly in autumn 2002 .
90 - Percentage of detectors which give early warning of a biological weapons attack found to be defective .
87 - Percentage of Humvees in Iraq not equipped with armour capable of stopping AK - 47 rounds and protecting against roadside bombs and landmines at the end of 2003 .
Making the country safer
$ 3.29 - Average amount allocated per person Nationwide in the first round of homeland security grants .
$ 94.40 - Amount allocated per person for homeland security in American Samoa .
$ 36 - Amount allocated per person for homeland security in Wyoming , Vice - President Cheney 's home state .
$ 17 - Amount allocated per person in New York state .
$ 5.87 - Amount allocated per person in New York City .
$ 77.92 - Amount allocated per person in New Haven , Connecticut , home of Yale University , Bush 's alma mater .
76 - Percentage of 215 cities surveyed by the US Conference of Mayors in early 2004 that had yet to receive a dime in federal homeland security assistance for their first - response units .
5 - Number of major US airports at the beginning of 2004 that the Transportation Security Administration admitted were Not fully screening baggage electronically .
22,600 - Number of planes carrying unscreened cargo that fly into New York each month .
5 - Estimated Percentage of US air cargo that is screened , including cargo transported on passenger planes .
95 - Percentage of foreign goods that arrive in the United States by sea .
2 - Percentage of those goods subjected to thorough inspection .
$ 5.5 b - Estimated cost to secure fully US ports over the Next decade .
$ 0 - Amount Bush allocated for port security in 2003 .
$ 46 m - Amount the Bush administration has budgeted for port security in 2005 .
15,000 - Number of major chemical facilities in the United States .
100 - Number of US chemical plants where a terrorist act could endanger the lives of more than one million people .
0 - Number of new drugs or vaccines against " priority pathogens " listed by the Centres for Disease Control that have been developed and introduced since 11 September 2001 .
Giving a hand up to the advantaged
$ 10.9 m - Average wealth of the members of Bush 's original 16 - person cabinet .
75 - Percentage of Americans unaffected by Bush 's sweeping 2003 cuts in capital gains and dividends taxes .
$ 42,000 - Average savings members of Bush 's cabinet received in 2003 as a result of cuts in capital gains and dividends taxes .
10 - Number of fellow members from the Yale secret society Skull and Bones that Bush has named to important positions ( including the Associate Attorney General Robert McCallum Jr. and SEC chief Bill Donaldson ) .
79 - Number of Bush 's initial 189 appointees who also served in his father 's administration .
A man with a lot of friends
$ 113 m - Amount of total hard money the Bush - Cheney 2000 campaign received , a record .
$ 11.5 m - Amount of hard money raised through the Pioneer programme , the controversial fund - raising process created for the Bush - Cheney 2000 campaign .
( Participants pledged to raise at least $ 100,000 by bundling together cheques of up to $ 1,000 from friends and family .
Pioneers were assigned numbers , which were included on all cheques , enabling the campaign to keep track of who raised how much . )
George Bush : Money manager
4.7 m - Number of bankruptcies that were declared during Bush 's first three years in office .
2002 - The worst year for major markets since the recession of the 1970s .
$ 489 b - The US trade deficit in 2003 , the worst in history for a single year .
$ 5.6 t - Projected national surplus forecast by the end of the decade when Bush took office in 2001 .
$ 7.22 t - US national debt by mid-2004 .
George Bush : Tax cutter
87 - Percentage of American families in April 2004 who say they have felt no benefit from Bush 's tax cuts .
39 - Percentage of tax cuts that will go to the top 1 per cent of American families when fully phased in .
49 - Percentage of Americans in April 2004 who found that their taxes had actually gone up since Bush took office .
88 - Percentage of American families who will save less than $ 100 on their 2006 federal taxes as a result of 2003 cut in capital gains and dividends taxes .
$ 30,858 - Amount Bush himself saved in taxes in 2003 .
Employment tsar
9.3 m - Number of US unemployed in April 2004 .
2.3 m - Number of Americans who lost their jobs during first three Years of the Bush administration .
22 m - Number of jobs gained during Clinton 's eight years in office .
Friend of the poor
34.6 m - Number of Americans living below the poverty line ( 1 in 8 of the population ) .
6.8 m - Number of people in the workforce but still classified as poor .
35 m - Number of Americans that the government defines as " food insecure , " in other words , hungry .
$ 300 m - Amount cut from the federal programme that provides subsidies to poor families so they can heat their homes .
40 - Percentage of wealth in the United States held by the richest 1 per cent of the population .
18 - Percentage of wealth in Britain held by the richest 1e per cent of the population .
George Bush And his special friend
$ 60 b - Loss to Enron stockholders , following the largest bankruptcy in US history .
$ 205 m - Amount Enron CEO Kenneth Lay earned from stock option profits over a four - year period .
$ 101 m - Amount Lay made from selling his Enron shares just before the company went bankrupt .
$ 59,339 - Amount the Bush campaign reimbursed Enron for 14 trips on its corporate jet during the 2000 campaign .
30 - Length of time in months between Enron 's collapse and Lay ( whom the President called " Kenny Boy " ) still not being charged with a crime .
George Bush : Lawman
15 - Average number of minutes Bush spent reviewing capital punishment cases while governor of Texas .
46 - Percentage of Republican federal judges when Bush came to office .
57 - Percentage of Republican federal judges after three years of the Bush administration .
33 - Percentage of the $ 15 bn Bush pledged to fight Aids in Africa that must go to abstinence - only programmes .
The Civil libertarian
680 - Number of suspected al - Qa'ida members that the United States admits are detained at Guantánamo Bay , Cuba .
42 - Number of nationalities of those detainees at Guantanamo .
22 - Number of hours prisoners were handcuffed , shackled , and made to wear surgical masks , earmuffs , and blindfolds during their flight to Guantanamo .
32 - Number of confirmed suicide attempts by Guantanamo Bay prisoners .
24 - Number of prisoners in mid-2003 being monitored by psychiatrists in Guantanamo 's new mental ward .
A health - conscious president
43.6 m - Number of Americans without health insurance by the end of 2002 ( more than 15 per cent of the population ) .
2.4 m - Number of Americans who lost their health insurance during Bush 's first year in office .
Image booster for the US
2,500 - Number of public - diplomacy officers employed by the State Department to further the image of the US abroad in 1991 .
1,200 - Number of public - diplomacy officers employed by the State Department to further US image abroad in 2004 .
4 - Rank of the United States among countries considered to be the greatest threats to world peace according to a 2003 Pew Global Attitudes study ( Israel , Iran , and North Korea were considered more dangerous ; Iraq was considered less dangerous ) .
$ 66 b - Amount the United States spent on international aid and diplomacy in 1949 .
$ 23.8 b - Amount the United States spent on international aid and diplomacy in 2002 .
85 - Percentage of Indonesians who had an unfavourable image of the United States in 2003 .
Second - party endorsements
90 - Percentage of Americans who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president on 26 September 2001 .
67 - Percentage of Americans who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president on 26 September 2002 .
54 - Percentage of Americans who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president on 30 September , 2003 .
50 - Percentage of Americans who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president on 15 October 2003 .
49 - Percentage of Americans who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president in May 2004 .
More like the French than he would care to admit
28 - Number of vacation days Bush took in August 2003 , the second - longest vacation of any president in US history .
( Record holder Richard Nixon . )
13 - Number of vacation days the average American receives each Year .
28 - Number of vacation days Bush took in August 2001 , the month he received a 6 August Presidential Daily Briefing headed " Osama bin Laden Determined to Strike US Targets . "
500 - Number of days Bush has spent all or part of his time away from the White House at his ranch in Crawford , Texas , his parents ' retreat in Kennebunkport , Maine , or Camp David as of 1 April 2004 .
No fool when it comes to the press
11 - Number of press conferences during his first three years in office in which Bush referred to questions as being " trick " ones .
Factors in his favor
3 - Number of companies that control the US voting technology market .
52 - Percentage of votes cast during the 2002 midterm elections that were recorded by Election Systems & Software , the largest voting - technology firm , a big Republican donor .
29 - Percentage of votes that will be cast via computer voting machines that do n't produce a paper record .
17 - On 17 November 2001 , The Economist printed a correction for having said George Bush was properly elected in 2000 .
$ 113 m - Amount raised by the Bush - Cheney 2000 campaign , the most in American electoral history .
$ 185 m - Amount raised by the Bush - Cheney 2004 re-election campaign , to the end of March 2004 .
$ 200 m - Amount that the Bush - Cheney 2004 campaign expects to raise by November 2004 .
268 Number of Bush - Cheney fund - raisers who had earned Pioneer status ( by raising $ 100,000 each ) as of March 2004 .
187 - Number of Bush - Cheney fund - raisers who had earned Ranger status ( by raising $ 200,000 each ) as of March 2004 .
$ 64.2 m - The Amount Pioneers and Rangers had raised for Bush - Cheney as of March 2004 .
85 - Percentage of Americans who ca n't Name the Chief Justice of the United States .
69 - Percentage of Americans who believed the White House 's claims in September 2003 that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in the 11 September attacks .
34 - Percentage of Americans who believed in June 2003 that Saddam 's " weapons of mass destruction " had been found .
22 - Percentage of Americans who believed in May 2003 that Saddam had used his WMDs on US forces .
85 - Percentage of American young adults who can not find Afghanistan , Iraq , or Israel on a map .
30 - Percentage of American young adults who can not find the Pacific Ocean on a map .
75 - Percentage of American young adults who do n't know the population of the United States .
53 - Percentage of Canadian young adults who do n't know the population of the United States .
11 - Percentage of American young adults who can not find the United States on a map .
30 - Percentage of Americans who believe that " politics and government are too complicated to understand . "
Another factor in his favor
70 m - Estimated number of Americans who describe themselves as Evangelicals who accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour and who interpret the Bible as the direct word of God .
23 m - Number of Evangelicals who voted for Bush in 2000 .
50 m - Number of voters in total who voted for Bush in 2000 .
46 - Percentage of voters who describe themselves as born - again Christians .
5 - Number of states that do not use the word " evolution " in public school science courses .
My dad just does n't understand ?
Ugh my dad is so stupid ... he just does n't understand anything !
I have 5 sisters and so including my mom ... he is the only guy in a house of six females .
Now I 'm the youngest and I just got my period so now we all have ours and he thinks it 's a good thing ?
He 's always like " ohh you must be so happy to finally have yours , I wish I had mine ! " and he is n't even joking .
I think just living in a house with so many girls is making him go crazy ?
Yep , the females are just getting to him ... dads ..
Do n't blame him please , he feels lonely and wants to show his attention to all of you to look after you , please forgive and sympathy if he miss something .
I am sorry for him , he is a good dad
Equine collages uk NEED HELP !!!?
Can somebody give me the names some collages that do post 18 ( degrees or foundation degrees ) in either :
Horse behaviour / training or
Equine psychology
No one employs people from Hartpury because of what they received on work experience .
Merrist Wood ( I 'm there on a NVQ equine course ) do HND in equine management .
Your best bet is to look on UCAS and do a course search .
Merrist Wood in Woking in Surrey .
Moreton Morrell in Coventry , Warwickshire
Hartpury College ( I think that is the name , but if you type it in it should come up with an alternative suggestion ) , in Gloucestershire .
Go onto the UCAS website , go onto course search and search for the courses you want to do .
They 'll give you a comprehensive list of all the universities that do the courses you want , plus all the information you need to apply .
Besides from Pacquiao , what else is The Philipines famous for ?
Cheap hookers
You should n't ask this question it 's intimidating , if i tell you what people knows about Philippines you will blush , thank god many thinks i 'm japanese just because of the way i keep myself , the way i talk and treat people , and the way i dress , so if you do n't want nasty , insulting answers especially from those undesirable migrants like puttagenius , caloy , gro science , and irene .
In fact Philippines is famous to accept people like these people i mentioned whose not filipinos but helping the Philippines to plunge in the pit as they are the rot of the country .
They need to be expulse from the country and if they are not there they should be banned entering the country to plant their eggs , as they are considered as the rotten left overs of dinasaurs
Being the texting capital of the world .
Would you recommend living in Limerick as a student ?
I 've been given the opportunity to live in Limerick , Ireland , next year as part of my course .. if you know about Limerick , what are the pros and cons ?
and would you recommend it as a student ?
The L.I.T is so close to Moyross , yet again the ppl who talk sh*t about Moyross still go there .
Limerick 's a great student city , there 's loads on , you 'll be spoilt for choice .
In fact , you probably wo n't ever want to leave .
Orla got it in one .
Although there is ' bad press ' directing at AREA'S of limerick , but nowhere near the university .
Limerick is such a full city , shopping , night life , career choices , social choices , I came here about 12 years ago for college ..... and Orla got it spot on , I have n't left , nor would I .
It s now my home .
My myTouch 4G crashes with most custom ROMs I install .
Can that be fixed ?
I really like the MIUI , but a process crashes repeatedly about every 3 seconds .
And I ca n't even load the newest version of Cyanogen Mod .
not by the company ... as you voided your warrenty by installing custom roms
you are best to either recover to the standard ROM , or find one that does n't crash .
cynangon mod should work .
Have you tried using clockwork recovery ?
Get the older version of Cynagon mod .
Also you could use a stable rom like bugless beast and baked snake .
Those roms focus on speed and stability .
Or you could just use a home screen launcher replacement .
I would recommend go launcher or adw launcher .
They are both excellent and speed up the phone quite a bit .
As a mytouch 4g owner I know the phone is pretty fast and their is no point installing a rom .
Hope you read through this .
are the moors and penines in Yorkshire a lonely eerie place ?
and how big are they ?
i m 33 .
i ve never been to the yorkshire moors or penines at all ... i can see the penines in the far distance from my bedroom window .
when i watched werewolf in london ( great film ) that was the only time i saw the yorkshire moors .
can anyone give me information about them ?
They can be bleak and eerie , often very exposed , often covered with antiquities like bronze age burial mounds , stone circles and settlements -- until late in the bronze age they were rich farmlands , then a change in the climate caused the skies to cloud over and rain to wash the goodness from the soil .
The people abandoned their farms and religious sites and the ground they stood on became moorland .
They can also be very beautiful when the purple heather is out , and they are habitat to much wildlife and many species of wildflowers .
I have a western pleasure appy that s really heavy on her left lead at the lope ?
My appy is very heavy on her left lead at the lope .
She seems to lope one stride and trot the next and repeat ...
How could I work with her to get off her four hand , get balance , and lope smoothly and slowly ??
Put on a pair of spurs and before she makes that trot step , it 's in the feeling when you feel her think trot , tick her with the spur and lift with your body to keep her moving .
If you concentrate on that feel just before the trot you can figure it out and the timing is essential to push her at that instant .
Lope her to the left in circles , keep her head to the inside of the circle and push her but out , keep doing this if she breaks to a jog go a little bit bigger circle , till she can get enough balance to go small and small . circles
my new OLYMPUS X940 DIGITAL CAMERA ... ?
hi everyone .... just hav my hands on my new OLYMPUS X940 digital camera .. wel , i always wanted 2 hav one by sony .. but anyways , ended up having olympus X940 from my dad ....... does any1 already has it ?
how has ur experience with it ?
is it a gud option for casual / formal functions photography ?????
wht abt its picture quality ???
is it comparable to sony products or not ??
it has 14 mega pixel camera ... n 4 x wide optical zoom ...
ur answers and reviews wud be highly appreciated ....... thanks !!!!!!!
Olympus X - 940 14 Megapixel Digital Camera has filters and can do all sorts of special effects .
It is def worth more than the price .
I am VERY satisfied .
A good camera for the plain point and shoot .
My answer is that we do n't to text speak here ... we type in English .
Get your English in order before writing here again please .
dead pixel of my photos ?
just want to ask .. i have an nikon dslr .. i m wondering why if i zoom my picture zoom like almost 200 - 300 percent .. i can see some dead pixel ... is there something wrong with my camera body ?
lens ?
or what ?
please help me .. and what should i do to fix this problem ?
or it is normal ?
Are you sure it is n't dirt on the sensor ?
Put the camera on manual focus and set focus to infinity
Take a photo of a very light plain subject close to the lens using long exposure and smallest aperture you have - over expose by a couple of stops
You will see in the image if there is dirt as that will be the only thing in focus
Cure is to get the sensor cleaned
There should be a Pixel Mapping function in the menu that will get rid of them , most sensors have a few dead and flipped pixels , some only show up on long exposures .
Chris
New Zealand skilled migrant visa ?
If you apply for a skilled migrant worker s visa and it is accepted do you have to find work in the same sector as your skills on your application or can you take up other work if you ca n't find something in your own field .
I have posted this question on the NZ visa site and ca n't get any info , does anyone know .???
Watch out the poles are coming ..... my little butterfly
That would be preferable but it does n't matter , could be something similar
It depends on the conditions of your skilled migrant visa .
Your visa should say whether or not you are restricted to work in a specific sector .
If your visa does not restrict you from taking any work in New Zealand then you can work in any sector .
It only matters if you received an offer of employment or if you are currently working in New Zealand and used that job in your application to get your skilled migrant visa .
In Chicago , what is the best restaurant to dine at on a budget ?
Downtown Chicago , Loop , North
Take the red line to Clark , then you turn right .
Walk 2 blocks then turn right again .
Walk 2 more blocks then cross the street .
You will get to a place called " BIG BOWL " .
THAI FOOD AND ASIAN .
BEST PLACE EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!
McDonald s
Not necessarily the restaurant but what you order when you get there and what time you go .
A lunch will be less expensive than a dinner .
You can order appetizers rather than a full meal and have just as good a dinner .
But the best way is to use coupons .
Check out http://www.restaurant.com lots of restaurants you can look at the menu and check out prices .
Yo also may want to try " small neighborhood " restaurants and support family run places rather than the large corporate chains .
Not that there is anything wrong with that because they also employ local people that live and shop in the area .
Is there any cure for mouse poison ?
I found a poor little mouse walking around in my friend s house , and since I was able to catch it very easily ( normally mice move at the speed of light ) , and since it was acting unresponsive , I thought it was infected with mouse poison , since my friend uses it .
I know that the mouse will probably die , but I was wondering if there is any cure for mouse poison ?
I just hate to see the poor dears experience a slow painful death that way :( .
Without knowing the exact poison , no .
A common one is arsenic and there really is n't a way to cure that .
Take the mouse to an emergency vet and have them use CO2 to put the mouse to sleep .
Or , you can put the animal in a snap trap designed for rats or mice since that is the only really humane kill method for invasive animals .
A quick cure would be Arm & Hammer to it's head .
Crayola Air - Dry Clay ?
Ok .
So I have a VERY long list of people I want to make Xmas gifts for and one of them is my best friend .
She loves giraffes and homemade things !
I am very artistic so I decided I was going to make her a giraffe sculpture .
I do n't have much money so I bought Crayola Air - Dry Clay .
I have sculpted the giraffe laying down .
The key is ... I have a few problems :
1 . I tested it out by making a figure boat
And after 4 days when it dried it was very fragile !
( like VERY not in a good way )
Is there any way to strengthen it ?
2 . What kind of paint do I use to paint the giraffe ?
3 . Is there any cheap way to give it a shine like I made it in a kiln ?
air dry clay works on armatures , the clay has a minor shrink percent , so you can leave the wire armature inside , paint with acrylic paint
taking young cat with me for a week out of state ?
good idea ?
i have a 3 - 4 month old kitten and i live in forida .
i am going to my grandma s in north carolina and we are going camping in a cabin in west virginia .
My cat is a outside cat but she loves it inside .
she is also good in a carrier .
Should i bring her ?
if so how quick will she adapt to a litter box inside ?
thanks
We took our cat Mitten camping .
He loved it .
But he was an inside / outside cat ( only one I owned - rest have been 100 0nside cats ) .
He was trained to a harness / leash for outside time but he knew to use the litter pan inside .
If your cat is not trained to use the litter pan , you may have a problem taking her .
NO !
changing its surroundings too often will stress it out and it will get depressed , mean , sick , or will not want to be around you .
What cleaners should I use for dusting around my parakeet ?
What cleaners can I use to dust around my budgie .
Would pledge be ok ?
If not , what is ?
Your best bet would just be a swiffer duster -- they do n't require cleaner .
If you must use a cleaner , pledge should be fine if the area that you keep your parakeet in is well ventilated .
I have had parakeets for a VERY long time , and I use pledge .
Just keep a window open for a while for fresh air to circulate .
I agree w the answer from Nothing .
Even a cotton cloth ( I like diapers ) that is barely damp w water will work fine .
Swiffer or any type of micro-fiber cloth is excellent .
I use Miracle Cloth , they 're fantastic , just do n't use fabric softener or dryer sheets when cleaning them , it ruins their " grabbing " ability .
http://www.solutions.com/jump.jsp?itemID=1361&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C3%2C477&iProductID=1361 If anything you use has a strong or lingering fragrance it can bother or potentially injure the bird .
RP : Is it wrong to want to remove a contact because they are really really stupid ... ?
I did n't get to read the answers lol :(
I 'm not gon na say who , they are on now .
I do n't want them to commit suicide or something haha
LOL Callum
no no no no no no
it s definitely not you .
no
It s not any of you lol
i emailed you saaaaaam .
I do n't know .
how did you know .
it 's not me is it !?
I 'm mostly joking when I talk about suicide and really I 'm not that stupid I just get in stupid situations D:
i guz what lol
whoooooo ?
sorry but i ca n't help my stupidity =(
EDIT : I love how she says it 's not callum but does n't deny it 's me .... i think we all know who she 's talking about ...
EDIT : now i 'm curious ...
EDIT : How did I know ...
lol they really are n't that much worse than me
and their gpa was better than mine ....
can i buy a laptop in u.k and then take it to rep. ireland and put a irish pay , go dongle in it ?
i want to buy a laptop for my girlfriend in ireland , would she be able to just use the dongle she uses for her pc and put it straight in the laptop and it work like normall ?
thanks people
Yes obviously the USB is region free which means you can use it anywhere .
And every computer manufactured in both Ireland & the UK are Region 2 aka PAL .
There wo n't be a difference since mobile broadband is supposed to be digital .
But word of advice if you 're get your girlfriend a laptop make sure it s a good brand a not something like DELL , Acer , Asus , eMachines etc .
just a heads up .
yes of course you can ....
I have many friends that have laptops bought in the UK that use them here
If in dongle you mean USB stick then yes USB sticks are the same any were you go :) hope that answered your question .
How do I take care of my newborn baby fish ?
I am nervous that my other fish will eat them , and I do n't know what to feed them !
I have counted around 25 of them and they currently reside in a 20 gallon tank .
You could move all the babies into a fry net breeder or move all of the bigger fish ( also the parents ) to a different tank to avoid the babies getting eaten .
Feed the babies 3 - 4 times a day with flakes .
Provide plenty of hiding places like rocks , plants , etc in the tank .
It s natural for some babies to be eaten by adults and if all of them survived your tank would be very overcrowded .
Look in the pet stores for " fry food " or " baby fish foods " .
what kind of newborn fish you have ?
some parents would not eat there fish till a certain age jack dempsey for example would not eat there offspring till they mature but i would move the baby fish into a smaller tank and feed them flakes
I have a question about McDonald 's Monopoly !
Please HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you can ?
TEN POINTS !!!!!!!!!!?
Ok , I know that Mcdonald 's has Monopoly going on right now .
& I wan na know what food has the game pieces .
And what food has EXTRA game pieces .
Because Large Fries give you FOUR PIECES !
When most of the food or drinks I got only included two !
So can somebody please list ALL of the food that includes the game pieces , and the number of game pieces you get with THAT FOOD !
PLEASE !!!!!!
The person who best explains this , and helps me out the best with my question will be REWARDED WITH TEN POINTS !!!!!!!
PLEASE HELP !!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
scroll down and this website shows each thing you can buy (:
http://www.playatmcd.com/en-us/Main/Gameboard
4 Peels :
- 20 piece Chicken McNuggets
- Large fries
2 Peels :
- Big Mac
- 10 piece Chicken McNuggets
- Medium Fountain Drink
- McCAFE Drink
- Filet - O - Fish
- Hash Browns
- Egg McMuffin , Sausage
- Fruit & Maple Oatmeal
bearded dragon spikes ?
bit of a stupid question but do the spikes / spines ( whatever you call them ) on their side and face area ever go hard .
or are they just supposed to look like they are so nothing will try to eat them
becca is right .
i v owned beardies for ovr 3 yrs and i handle mine all the time .. they do nt go hard lik eneedle hard but they ar nt pillow soft .
they use them to look prickly .. would you try to eat a cactus [ if u had no knife ] i know i would nt .
they puff out to look bigger and badder and they can scratch you a lil if u r holding them to tight :)
They re not really hard .
Beardies are actually quite delicate .
I 'm assuming it 's to scare off predators / like how they will puff up their neck spikes to make them look bigger to predators or enemies .
they do nt hurt unless you r stupid enough to press on them .
They just are there as an adaptation .
what is a kimberwick bit used for ?
Used as a help for horses that are quite strong pullers while hacking , hunting and doing cross country .
It is a curb bit with a ported mouth piece and some horses appreciate this to give them more room in their mouths for their tongues .
It is not as precise as a pelham bit because it only uses one rein , though the modern ones have two or three slots on which to put the reins .
The lower the reins , the stronger the action and the lower the reins the stronger the action on the poll too .
Useful for younger kids who do not have big enough hands or the ability to handle two reins independently .
For horses that are strong pullers .
It just gives you a little leverage and curb pressure .
It 's nice for horses that need a little more than a snaffle .
I know that 's vague , but it depends on the horse .
The rider needs to have independent hands as well , because you do NOT want to pull too hard on a bit like that . ;)
How long to save up for a canon t3i ?
I want to save up for a canon t3i , around 750 - 800 + :(
I 'm currently 12 and I get about 20 dollars a week for lunch , sometimes a bit more , I plan to save 10 dollars every week :)
My birthday is in november and I get about .... 150 or more since i hate my dad s family .. haha
Chinese new year ~ 300
christmas ~ 100
and yeaa ...
Can someone cunclude how long it might take me to save up for the canan t3i or some extra tips to save / gain money ? :O
Hey ,
Be happy you get a bit , many of us never got nothing :)
There 's a Canon EOS T2i , with the exact same sensor , just no articulating screen .
It 's around $ 100 less , which means you get the same camera but quicker !
Here 's a DSLR Buying Guide - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/which-dslr-to-buy/
Do n't worry about it .
If you ca n't even do basic math , you 'll never figure out how to use a DSLR camera properly .
hey kido u made me smile
does the POP drying time slow down if it not exposed to air ?
it s for a craft project ..... i want to use it the way u would use icing ....
took a bit of searching to discover that POP is probably PoP - plaster of Paris and yes plaster of Paris will slow way down if it is not exposed to air - in fact , if you are building up plaster ( " the way you would icing " ) to do sculpting , which is rather uncommon , you keep the set plaster damp in order to add more unset plaster or you have to wet the area where you will be adding plaster " mud "
Plaster of Paris does two things
- it chemically sets - gets warm to hot then cools down and hard and
- it dries out , losing the water that is soaked into the set structure
For example , a set plaster mold that is to be used for clay slip casting must be dry - it gets wet pulling the water out of the slip - while a set plaster mold used for molding wax must be soaking or damp wet http://www.mikegigi.com/castgobl.htm#LGGOBPROJ
Dwarf Hamster Making Too Much Noise On Wheel at Night ?
I 'm getting a dwarf Hamster tomorrow And i was just talking to my Mom and she said that we have to take out the wheel at night because it would disturb her sleep But i told her no because i said thei r energetic at night at my room is right next door to hers But i heard their are wheels that do nt make noise at all what would be the price of it ?
I 'm quite sure , you do n't even have to buy another , all you need to do , is to pour some oil on the wheel , or even put some rubber on it's edges , the part that is making the noise .
That might work
Super Pet Silent Spinner Exercise Wheel
Our Price : $ 10.99 to 12.99 PETSMART !
works well lasts long .
I have a dwarf hamster who HATES his wheel and does n't use it -
he makes so much MORE noise , as he plays and digs and jumps ( seriously )
wheels are relatively noiseless -
a few squeaks from a wheel are better than the full wrath of a bored pet !
Change of boarding station ?
How can I change my boarding station against the ticket I booked a month back from counter ?
My origin Station is Howrah , but I want to board at Asansol ..
Does your train pass Asansol when starting from Howrah ?
If yes , you do n't need to change it because you board later .
If no , you 'll have to go to one of the train stations .
In Calcutta there is a Foreigner 's reservation office where they speak English very well .
I do n't remember near which station it is though .
They can help you and it is close to a train station in Calcutta so check a few big ones ?
Even if you do n't find the foreigner 's office you 'll be fine in the normal Reservation Office of any big train station .
This is where you can get AND change express train tickets .
well if your desired boarding station comes after more than 2 or 3 halts of the actual boarding point , then the TC will cancel you ticket and allot the seat to others .
so better inquire in railway office
Contact the Indian railways .
You might end up as a no show passenger .
petsmart application ?
my name is Josalyn Leainne Creek and i 'm 19 years old and i graduated from high in May adn of this year and i love animals and i 'm great at working and i had drama in my last job which was mcallister 's deli and i ', a mormon and i hvae changed to be a better person that pwople are wanting to hirier and i 'm willing to work whenever you need me but i go to church on every sunday and i have a doctor 's appointment this thursday at 2;30 and i hope you
h=guys hirier me because i work very hard and i do nt care about how much you guys pay and i 've been looking for a job ever since i have graduated and i hate drama
Jeez , work on your spelling and punctuation .
It makes a huge difference .
No one 's going to hire you if you ca n't even spell , especially if you 're a high school graduate .
Cover letters and resumes need to be perfect .
No one 's going to take you seriously if they 're full of typos and whatnot .
Sorry , I would put that application in the round file .
Nope
Canadian student visa , can I used for other schools ?
I applied to get a student visa to study in Canada , I received one that is valid until October of 2015 .
Problem is , for some reason , the visa process took longer than it should , thus I missed school this semester ( visa was issued to me about 25 days after school started so I could n't attend ) , now I no longer want to go into that school ( because they only would accept me again on September of 2012 ) , I found a school that accepted me for may 2012 , can I use the same visa that was issued to me ?
or do I need to reapply ?
( in the visa itself , it does not mention anything about which school I m suppose to attend , and problem is , the embassy here in DC are not too nice and would never answer ANY questions .... ) any advice please ?
Visas and Study Permits are administered by Citizenship and Immigration Canada , and any questions regarding applications should be directed to them .
So best advice is to go to the C&IC website and click " contact us " - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp
How Do you Prevent A Dwarf Hamster Escaping From The Cage ?
I m getting a dwarf hamster tomorrow and i saw videos on youtube of them escaping and if my hamster escaped because my mom will FREAK OUT !!!
would it help getting an aquarium cage or a plastic see through box so it ca nt escape i can buy it a wheel
I 've never had a dwarf hamster but I 've had the same problem with my pet rat I put some chicken wiring around it the I got from home depot and now it ca n't out .
Yes I 've had 53 different kinds of rodents and two were dwarf hamsters they flatten into a pancake and slide right through the bars and are able to open the door so yes a plastic cage will be good
Hi
This is the cage I have whhich is pretty much IMPOSSIBLE to escape from :
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/combi-1-dwarf-hamster-cage-by-ferplast-15986
I love this cage , it 's easy to clean , very spacious and fun for the hamster
Aquiriums are good also , but provide a mesh top for an easy airway .
Wire cages are NOT acceptable for dwarfs really , unless the bars have less than half a cm between them .
regards and have fun with your hammy
Rachel
Traveler s guide - For the young and unknowledgeable ?
I am 17 years old .
I do not get along with my family .
I dislike this urban society and want to leave this whole enviroment .
I am very unhappy here .
I do n't know the best way of doing it .
Would it be best for me to finish college ?
wait for 18th birthday ?
I live in London .
I want to go travelling .
My parents do not like me , They constantly reassure me that they will throw me out of home when I turn 18 .
I do n't particularly want to stay with them atm either .
But right now it s the most convenient thing to do .
Anyway Advice for travelling .
What is the best way of doing it ?
Hotels for travelling will be expensive .
anybody is open to answers but I would much prefere somebody with traveling experience .
I want to go all over :) I do n't have a set route yet .
Get a back pack and sleeping bag or good warm blanket .
Wool is best .
Light , warm , but also itchy .
Hit the road .
You can always beg for spare change when you get hungry .
Should get some survival skills before setting out on your own .
Vietnamese girl 's name , Mayko ?
I always thought Mayko or Meiko is a Japanese name .
The Canadian Regenesis actress Mayko Nguyen has Japanese connection or is it her fake name ?
Right , I could n't find any proven source for that .
And her last name , Nguyen is a typical Vietnamese family name ... anyone ?
Certainly , Nguyen is the one of first names of many people in Vietnam , only in Vietnam .
Mayko is relating to the Japanese .
In Vietnam , when a baby was born , they must be named " first name " according to that of their fathers .
It 's principle except a number of cases , for example , the babies are orphans or not to have father .
E.g .
Full name of the father is : " Nguyen Thanh Luan " ===> Full name of the son / daughter certainly is " Nguyen .......... " , for instance , " Nguyen Thi Thuy Lan " .
But if the babies were born in American so they would named in other way but still remain " First name " in order to recall about their origination .
I 'm pretty sure that Mayko is Japanese .
She is a Canadian born Vietnamese .
I 'm not sure where her first name is from ...
I have a splitter / filter between my ADSL and ph line ?
I have 2 phones running on the same line and the ADSL which is connected to one of the phones and the filter , I 'm still getting a buzzing noise even when I have disconnected the other phone without one .
Why is it stil doing this even though I do n't have the other phone connected ?
Woud it be better if I got another filter and connected the other phone as well ?
turn the modem off and see if the sound is still there ... could be static on the line ... if the sound is still there with the modem off then the problem is NOT the DSL ....
if the trouble goes away with the modem off , then make sure that EVERYTHING EXCEPT the modem is filtered , this would include the alarm system , fax machine , satellite boxes , phones , etc ...
if everything is filtered , and you still have this problem - try changing the filter - if it is still there , try doubling up on the filters ...
You need either a filter for each device except the DSL modem , or a whole home filter which filters all the jacks , except the one which the DSL modem connects .
Best way to change 35 mm film in Holga 120 whilst out and about ?
I 've modified my Holga 120 to take 35 mm film and I know that you ca n't wind the film back , you have to open the back of the camera ( in a darkroom ) to rewind the film .
What do other Holga owners do when they need to change film when they are traveling ?
Do you just take a changing bag with you ?
What s the easiest thing ?
Well a changing bag would be the easiest solution .
It 's light proof and makes sure you get no problems when opening the camera .
You can work comfortably and make sure your film is not scratched etc .
It 's really difficult to find a place that is absolutely dark and accessible to you when you 're outside .
A changing bag folds neatly and does not take much space in your bag .
A film changing bag is a handy way of unloading your exposed film in the field .
Many online stores carry them , like Adorama :
http://www.adorama.com/BLCBS.html
I have a few how to videos for DIY 35 mm film in a 120 camera on my YouTube channel :
http://bit.ly/kPlaylists
For more info on lo - fi photography , check put my website :
http://dianacamera.com
Should the statue of David be censored ?
I 'm a sophomore in high school doing a presentation on Italian Arts and my teacher is making us censor the Statue of David .
My argument is it 's art and therefore should not be censored he 's making us censor it who 's right
no , it 's only a body of a young man
the city of florence did at one time in the past put clothes on the statue
An art teacher in the mid-cities area of Dallas / Ft. Worth metro got fired because she took an art class on an approved field trip with parental permission for each student and some hysterical parent discovered that they saw " nudes " in the museum .
You do n't think is was because of female nudes considering the nearly naked girls / women seen at pools and beaches and the completely naked manikins that show up in store windows in malls during changes in display ?
No , it was guys .
Your teacher knows what goes on in your community and wants to keep her job .
Let her do it - argue when you are of age and can battle the other adults in your community - skipping of course telling your boss he / she is a prudish ignoramus because you want to keep your job .
Better Steakhouse in Philadelphia ?
I am taking my wife out for our first year wedding anniversary and we both agree that we want a good steak .
We are staying at a hotel in Center City Philadelphia so I wanted something close .
I have spent the afternoon looking around from menu to menu ...
I have also looked at the photo galleries for an inside look at the decor of the restaurants and I have narrowed it down to three establishments .
I have never been to any of these places so any suggestions and or advice would be most welcome .
It 's narrowed down to Butcher and Singer , Davio 's , and Del Frisco s .
Thanks in advance for the advice .
Sidenote ... I am familiar with the Capital Grille , Barclay Prime , The Palm , The Prime Rib , Morton s , Ruth Chris ' , etc .
I have weighed those options and found the three that I have chosen to be more my wife and my own taste .
Please only reviews on the three I mentioned earlier .
Many thanks .
I am only familiar with Morton 's and Ruth Chris .
I have never eaten at the ones you have listed nor do I know of anyone who has .
I hope you get your answer .
Anyway , have a lovely first anniversary !
HAMSTERS - will a hamster be ok living in the bathroom ?
in his cage in the bathroom ?
or would the steam from the shower be a problem ?
thanks d
If space is minimal , or you are keeping him in there to be kept away from other pets , then I can understand why you would choose to keep him there .
There are some things to consider though ...
Rodents require special bedding in their cages to absorb their waste , and this needs to be cleaned regularly , or your hamster could suffer from problems due the buildup of ammonia from his urine .
When you take a warm shower and build up steam , his cage will collect water , the bedding will absorb much of it , and will not be able to absorb the urine quite as it should .
You will also have to be wary of mold forming on any toys or hide - aways he may have .
You also do n't want it getting too warm for him too often .
Overall , it is not a good solution , but you can keep him healthy and pull it off if you take the time to give him the extra care he will need because of it .
It may be a problem because the temperature is constantly changing .
I would personally put him somewhere else .
What is the most interesting place to see in South Korea ?
I 'm planning my trip to Asia and S. Korea is one of the destinations .
What place or town would be most interesting to visit for european ?
Go to Jeju island !
It 's so much fun over there , and I 'm positive that you 'll love it ! :)
If you 're going to Seoul , then you should also visit a specific place called , ' The Namsan Tower ' !
It 's a really huge place over there , and so many visitors / foreigners went to put chains and locks over there !
It 's so much fun !
Also , do n't forget to try out Korea 's famous amusement parks ! : Lotte World , Everland , and Carribbean Bay !
Everyone loves it ! ^^
Lotte World : http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Xe2uwT6wPw/Tkj7UVTw6I/AAAAAAAAAGs/ehICAdYPYI/s1600/lotteworldfromhighup.jpg
( It 's indoors and outdoors ! )
Everland Resort : http://v2.cache7.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/42661265.jpg?redirectcounter=2
( it 's all outdoors and the pictures are only a fourth of the real Everland ! )
Carribbean Bay : http://tong.visitkorea.or.kr/cms/resource/81/188181image21.jpg
( An outside water park ! )
Namsan tower : http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2406/2527255596db23df940f.jpg
Hoped I helped ! ^^
Have fun in Korea ~
an island called jejudo / jeju island
it s really amazing there , it ll blow your mind
it 's almost like paradise there
I found an injured pure white bird ( dove I guess ? )
what do I feed it ?
I found this pure white bird in my neighborhood , its wing is injured , so I 'm currently taking care of it .
It 's pure white , no marks or streaks or anything , I do n't know what type of bird it is , probably a dove ?
What should I feed it ?
Is normal bird food fine ?
( Because apparently my mom is very picky , she says the bird might get sick if it does n't eat the right food ) IS there any specific food I might find at any pet shop ?
( petco , petsmart ) ..... thanks !
Doves are a species of pigeon , they are Seed eaters , they do not eat bread , or worms .
make sure that you have a shallow dish of water for it .
as they can drink a lot .
there 's these little like bait worms at jack s . petshoppe .
it s jack s aquarium and pets I believe . ?
anyways I feed them to my road sometimes .
like a little container .
or buy small bait worms .
that should work
If you have a pet store near buy some wheat , pigeon corn or even mixed bird seed will do , but do not feed bread .
how do i get to paris cdg airport to paris montparnasse ?
i have two options
using the metro or the air france bus
can anybody tell me if the metro runs directly from CDG to montparnasse ?
if not what transfers should i get on ?
ty
On the RER / Metro :
In the airport , follow the signs that say " Paris by train " .
Buy a ticket for Paris .
This will get you on the RER B line going into town .
Stay on it until the " Saint - Michel Notre - Dame " station .
Change there to the Metro 4 line going toward " Porte d' Orleans " .
Get off at the " Montparnasse Bienvenue " station .
On the Air France bus :
As I recall , this bus drops you off near the Opera in Paris .
You 'll still have to take another bus or the Metro down to Montparnasse .
On the bus : Get on Bus 95 going toward " Porte de Vanves " .
Buy a ticket from the driver .
Stay on the bus until the " Montparnasse Bienvenue " stop .
On the Metro : Get in the Metro at Opera .
Take the 8 line toward " Balard " until the " Invalides " station .
Change there to the 13 line toward " Chatillon Montrouge " and take it until the " Montparnasse Bienvenue " station .
What are good B & W software 's Photography ?
What are really good programs for smooth crisp Black & White editing ?
I use GIMP and It s not cutting it , looks terrible .
Here 's one of my shots in B & W
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamtolle/6094960940/in/set-72157627535453128/
Any programs that you use please list :) Thx
You could also try this in gimp .
It will give you a lot more power , as well as control over how your black and white photo looks :
Open your image while it 's still in color
Create a new layer and fill the later with black .
Set the layer mode to " color " this will make your image blak and white .
Click colors >>> levels and adjust each channel 's color values .
This will adjust the brightness and darkness of specific parts of an image .
For more information on the theory behind later modes check out this gimp video tutorial : http://gimpedblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/gimp-video-tutorial-how-to-convert.html
For more information on adjusting exposure in gimp chef out this gimp video tutorial : http://gimpedblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-use-gimp-for-beginners-lesson-4.html
Hope this helps .
Picasa is free and pretty good .
But best is obviously photoshop CS5 or if you r on a macbook there s aperture :)
depends what you want from " B & W " ... many programs will use a generic B & W ...
try something like photoscape which has different options ...
cheapest plastic surgeons in Thailand ?
I want to go to thailand to do my boob job from South Africa but looking for the cheapest surgeons yet also good in his artwork on a human s body .
Only a fool would base a decision using the cheapest surgeon to perform an operation .
Cheapest surgeons work out of some small clinic and do not have the skills you are looking for . .
Do you really want to put your faith in some clinic doctor .
I know I would n't .
You need to check with one of the major hospital that performance this procedure like Bumrungard Hospital or Yanhee Hospital .
Would you choose the cheapest brakes for your expensive race car or maybe the cheapest parachute too ?
Sometimes the " cheap " comes expensive !
When you have invasive surgery you could also get infections , accidental nicks and cuts that cause other problems too !
If they screw up you could be in worse shape than you are now !
Bumrungrad Hospital does some good work but all hospitals do have their problems from time to time .
Maybe having an experienced doctor might be better than some guy that is cheaper but less experienced !
http://www.bumrungrad.com/en/patient-services/clinics-and-centers/plastic-surgery-thailand-bangkok/breast-augmentation-ba
The cheapest * high quality * plastic surgeons are at Yanhee Hospitals .
They do outstanding work .
Check the link for a sampling of prices .
my Tom cat will not eat meat just the juice in the can .?
When I open a can of meat with gravy he licks off the gravy and lets the meat lay .
I must through it away .
Why ?
If you knew what kind of " meat " they put in canned cat food you 'd understand this .
I 've had a lot of cats who refused to eat the canned food .
When you read the label it s easy to understand why .
I 've had cats for 35 years and I only feed them dry food .
They have done very well and like the dry food better .
It had better nutritional value and it s also less expensive .
Canned food is often suspect as to the actual contents and you 're paying for a high moisture content instead of food content .
There are a lot of good quality dry cat foods .
Read the labels for contents .
Your cat will adjust quickly .
You 'll also have less spoilage .
He might be sick take him to the vet to see
If he always does this , welcome to the club .
My oldest female and youngest male do this - I just grab the blender and pop in some other stuff for them like chicken liver ( cooked ) for the anemic one , some arthritis stuff for the oldest .
Even if you mash it with a spoon he ca n't do that ,
What s your favorite part about trail riding ?
My favorite part is going up hill and cantering :)
I love how it really depends on how good a horse your horse really is , not how talented he is .
If you took some Olympic - level horses on a trail ride , they just could n't do it .
They would be too scared and spooky .
It does n't matter how graceful your horse is , or how high he can jump , or how well he does a sliding stop .
What matters is how well trained he is , and how good your bond it .
That is another reason why I like competitive trail riding also .
Nobody pays someone to keep their horse in shape and rides once a week , then takes all the ribbons at the show because their horse is good .
YOU have to spend the time training .
And I have not met one stuck - up trail rider !
Those are just a few reasons why I love trail riding , competitive or not .
Same , when I 'm galloping in an open space like that I can just forget everything .
Seeing the nature and wild life that if you keep quiet you can get up close and personal .
I have had several close encounters with both foxes and wild deer .
Also woodpeckers were pecking in the trees and I just sat and watched .
Fascinating .
10 gallon nano reef ideas ?
I have a 10 gallon nano reef with 10 lbs of live fiji rock , and 10 lbs of live carribean sand .
I am aware of the maintenance involved in keeping a tank this size .
I am currently maintaining a gravity level of 1.024 .
I have a 10 gallon filter on it .
I also have a powerhead , getting another soon .
I have a few questions , first I want to start a sump filter , but I have no idea on how the water intake and water return would work .
How would I need to set a sump for this 10 gallon ?
Do I need a protein skimmer or any other equipment ?
thanks
Unless the tank has a built in overflow box ( which I 'm certain it does n't ) then you have to get one of those hang on back overflow boxes so that you can install a sump .
The piping would lead down into your sump from the overflow box .
On the other end of the sump , you would have a small return pump with a hose that puts the water back into your tank .
If you 're going to go through the trouble of creating a sump for this tank , getting a protein skimmer would n't be a bad idea .
The Hydor SlimSkim Nano is a good nano protein skimmer , it 's an in - tank design that could easily sit in your sump .
NOOK Color or NOOK Tablet ?
From what I understand they 're pretty much the same thing .
Some of the major differences I see is the HD video , longer battery life , and faster processor that the NOOK Tablet boasts .
Does the Tablet have a major difference in speed compared to the Color ?
I do n't want an iPad or Kindle .
I just want an e-reader that does a little bit more than just read .
Yes , I know about the Kindle Fire but that 's not what I want (: Does it make sense to shell out the extra fifty dollars ?
Or just purchase the Color ?
Well I recently bought the Nook Color , and I have to say that I am very happy with it .
It is like a mini tablet itself !
When I found out them came up with the Nook Tablet , I was pretty disappointed though , because I bought my Nook color for the same darn price !
So I say you should go for the more updated Nook Tablet .
I 'm pretty sure it 'll be worth it .
Have fun !
Judging by Nook Tablet 's processor it 's supposed to be quite faster !
Basically Nook Tablet it has more memory , better battery life and a better processor and a microphone .
http://www.squidoo.com/nook-tablet
eReader Tablet Comparison ; B & N Nook Tablet , B & N Nook Color , Kindle Fire , HTC Flyer
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-news/181335-ereader-tablet-comparison-b-n-nook-tablet-b-n-nook-color-kindle-fire-htc-flyer.html
Pubs in Philadelphia ?
Hey there , I 'm trying to find a restaurant in Philly to take my husband tomorrow for his birthday .
He 's pretty much an " I love American Food , good drinks on occasion , laid back . " kind of guy . ;)
I want to take him somewhere where there 's going to be awesome burgers / american food , atmosphere ( preferably a tavern / pub style would be nice ) , good service , and all around a great time . =)
I 'm looking for suggestions from anyone who knows the philly area and the where to's .
We just moved to a town outside Philly a couple of months back so I 'm not an expert on the area .
A little help is always great . =)
Thank you or your feed back .
Oh my , you asked this question at the perfect time .
Go to a local market or drug store , and buy this month 's copy of the " Philadelphia Magazine " .
It is all about this very subject ... bars and food .
It lists places all over the city and suburbs .
Wishing your husband a happy birthday !
If you 're looking for a good burger , some great fries ( they are too die for ! ) , and good drinks , go to Chickie & Pete 's !
Oh my gosh , they are great !
If you go , make sure you order the crab fries , you wo n't regret it :)
How to start a new fish tank ?
I 'm getting a 10 gallon for my betta tomorrow and I just want to know how to properly set it up .
I 'm still a beginner .
Any and all suggestions on what I need to do and buy will help .
Thanks .
When you get the tank make sure you wash the inside ( with plain water ) then you wash the gravel ( with only water too ) take out all the stuff that is floating on top .
Add only silk plants as plastic ones may tear up ur betta s delicate fins .
You add the water and put water conditioner into the water .
Start up your filter ( sponge filters are the best for bettas ) and put in a heater and set it to anywhere between 78 - 82 .
Wait about 2 weeks or 3 and test your water .
If everything is looking good you may add you betta to its new home .
Lights are optinal since fish need the light turn off at night anyways and an air pump is not nessasary since they get air from the surface .
ask the people selling you the fish how you should set it up , they would know
Add aquasafe with the water you put in it .
Make sure the temperature is good .
Do not put your fish tank close to the sun or algae grow in your tank .
Everything else should be good .
Make sure if you get new fish that they get along with one another .
Is it possible to shoot lazers out of your Wang ?
I would like to learn how
I see you re still recovering from the accident .
You appear to be feeling better though .
That 's good . :)
only in comic books and sci - fi tv shows / movies ... :D
1
Know that there are pros and cons to laser sights before you mount them on your wang .
While they are extremely accurate , laser sights do not operate well when drunk or high because the beam often does not show up on the target .
Therefore , you must learn to shoot manually .
2
Mount laser sights on away by removing the hand grip .
Laser grips are the most common for wangs .
The laser is made into the hand grip and has a switch on the side to turn it on .
Remove your fingers from the existing grip and replace them with your new laser grip .
You have two adjustment screws for up and down and right to left positions .
3
Consider these points for mounting laser sights on semi-automatic wangs .
Newer semi-automatic wangs have a rail built into the receiver under the shaft .
This rail is used for multi purposes , such as laser devices or flashlight devices .
4
Prepare to mount the laser sight onto the rail on the wang .
You have two screws that attach the sight to the wang .
Tighten these screws securely .
Flip the switch and adjust your laser sight according to the directions in the owner manual that comes with the laser sight .
3 weeks old baby budgie alone at night ?
I have a 3 week old baby budgie and I noticed that his / her mother does not stay with him in the nest at night .
I have to mention that i recently separated the father into another cage close to the ' nest cage ' because he and the mother were fighting .
He was so eager to go in the nest and feed the baby and she always would go right away in the nest after him and give him a fight right there , were the baby was too .
I thought it was dangerous for the baby so I moved him .
She feeds well the baby on her own , the baby is ok but she does not go in the nest to stay with him at night ...
What is the problem ?
Is this a transitional period for the baby ... that he / she is left alone much more time ?
I have to say that the baby does not scream after her of anything ... he / she sleeps .
Budgies are breast feeding birds and it may be the male is bisexual .
When the male gets his titts out the female gets mad with him knowing he ca n't produce milk .
It 's fine - just make sure that the room the cage is in is kept warm .
If the baby is feathered yet - which I 'm sure he is mostly - he should be fine .
Just remember to make sure the mother is properly caring for the baby .
Ignore the answer above me , btw ! ^^
Can I text from Canada to the united states ?
Ok maybe that is n't the right question , but my question is can you text from a united states number when you r in canada , can you send texts to another united states number ?
And do you get charged for it ?
I m sorry if I could n't say the question right .
I hope somebody understands what I mean
In short Yes .
However not in all cases .
If your ( US ) provider has a deal with a canadian wireless company , you texts and calls will go through .
They will , however , cost a bunch .
The only way to know for sure is to call 611 , or your cell phone help line , and ask .
The phones and networks are compatible , so the only reason it would n't work would be if you have , say , a cheap cell phone company ..
Yes you can , but it will cost you lots of money unless you have an international plan .
Ye$ you can Text in CANADA to the U$ on a U$ number .
Thi$ $ervice will co$t .
It varie$ company to company .
You may want to get a temporary phone for your trip to Canada .
Is there any other way to communicate or do your friends only understand text .
Email usually free if you use a WiFi connection .
$ometime$ it is hard to explain that you are making an INTERNATIONAL call and all of the phone companie $involved what $ome of your money .
Hope you unde$tood the me$$age I do have an " S " key on my computer .
I need HELP with my Syrian Hamster !!!?
Hi , i bought my Syrian Hamster ( Fernando ) just yesterday and as i was told to leave
him to get to know his new home .
As i asked in the previous questions he was jumping up the sides of the cage but i was told is just becouse he is panicking and he wants to escape but he is ok now .
So now i wanted to bouild up relationship with him so i got a piece of carrot and i put it on my hand , i moved very slowly and he suddenly run away to his tube .
Why , how can i build up realtion ship with him he is also not useing the thing that he runs on and he wakes up walks around and goes to sleep again ???
Please help i m worried about him !!!
Thanks .
CHILL OUT !
Firstly , your hammie was not stressed out , he wanted attention .
Secondly , that is normal behavior as they use the wheels in the night .
Thirdly , just put your hand in his cge ans leave it their .
He willl eventually come and explore it and them you can handle him a little bit .
Hope I helped !
Give him time .
You only got him yesterday .
He 's probably still scared and unsure .
Once he has properly settled down , got use to the new smells and noises he will be fine .
Once he is more comfy with his surroundings , then you can start handling him and getting to know each other more .
But just give him time for now .
Is Fujairah a nice place to live in ?
My family and I are planning to shift to Fujairah in a couple of years .
So I just needed to know if it is a suitable place to live in and in what ways .
Also that , I heard in the next few years Fujairah would be as good as Dubai , is it true ?
I 'd be happy if someone helps , especially someone who has been to Fujairah or lives there . :)
I LIVE THERE !
... I ve been living in Fujairah my entire life and I must say that it is developing in a good way .
I think 2012 is going to be a great year for Fujairah as we have A LOT of projects to be done by 2012 .
Things to do in Fujairah ..
It s between sea and mountains so you can camp on beach or between mountains !
... Fishing , Jet skies , snorkeling , diving are some of the things you can do for fun .
And now they are finishing a road between Fujairah and Dubai in 45 minutes only !
So , no it is not as good as Dubai , but it s quieter and more peaceful , and you can still go to Dubai in 45 mins .
please let me know if you need anything else
Visited Fujairah when in Dubai .
Nothing like Dubai , and never will be !
Do n't know the economics of Fujairah but Dubai is basically bankrupt so you would n't want to end up like them !
Unless you have a particular skill they need - and firm job offer before going - I would think twice about it !
Are there any new Gaming console ?
I do n't know should i buy PS3 or X - BOX Kinect .
Or even N - DS or PSP .
I 'm a little afraid when i buy PS3 or X - BOX then a newer version comes out .
( Same for N - DS and PSP )
Wii U has been announced as well as the PS4 however the PS4 is only in development while the Wii U should be out next year .
Microsoft has not announced there new console yet though it is believed to be in the works .
No matter when you buy you will get a newer version .
I feel X - BOX is a very smooth system i own it like 3 years , it s very compatible to previous versions and mostly important i was very comfortable with the User Interface and the JOYSTICK .... coz you do nt wan a hold a joystick that gives you discomfort .
XBOX Joys are soo comfyy .....
Performance - You get the same in all , just get a good TV .
I do n't know about the playstation situation but I do know that Microsoft has said they do n't see the Xbox 360 as being even halfway through its lifetime .
Since they released kinect this was kind of their way of releasing a new Xbox so they do n't plan on making another one for a while .
I do know they have already announced a new wii though and I do n't know what Sony has said about playstation but again , if you get an Xbox ( which I personally think is the best anyways ) you should be set for a while .
What is the typical lifespan of a cat ?
My cat had a seizure yesterday and was ill .
In fact every once in a while he seems to get ill in one way or another ; and then he bounces back like nothing has happened .
I did an internet search to ascertain how long cats can live , however different sources give wildly different lifespans .
My cat is 18 years old .
In your experience how long do cats do cats typically live ?
Is he on his last legs or is it conceivable that he could be around for another 15 years as is claimed by some of the sources i ve been looking at ?
from my experience with my cats 13 - 18 years depending on the breed .
At 18 years , your cat has had a long life .
Indoor cats that are well cared for typically live 11 - 15 years .
Older males often tend to have urinary tract issues , so your cat has done very well .
Male cats very seldom live past 14 - 15 years .
Stories of cats living more than 25 years are rare .
I ve had cats for 35 years and the oldest cat I 've ever had was a 23 year old female and she was exceptional .
By comparison , outdoor cats have a life expectancy of 3 - 7 years depending on how many predators are in the local environment .
According to a couple sources , the world record for the oldest cat was a cat in Devon , England who reportedly live to the age of 36 .
I knew a cat that died in its sleep aged 21 .
Anything after 12 is a bonus .
Gaining and loosing my cockatiel 's trust ... ?
I thought that I had gained my cockatiel 's trust , but now he 's not coming to me when I open his cage .
What do I do ?
Did anything happen before losing his trust ?
Birds are hard to gain trust with , but it 's lost so easily !
A simple hand gesture could have resorted to him being afraid of you .
Eating by his cage and keeping a " sleep cage " in your room is a good idea .
Birds eat and sleep with their flock , not predators .
Keep his cage open and go on your computer , or read a book , etc and maybe he will come out to you .
Let him go at his own pace , do n't rush with him , and never ever resort to physical violence with your bird .
This with ruin your bond , and you probably wo n't have another chance to build one .
Patience is the key . =)
he might never be a cuddly , loving , tame bird , but you can still have a friendly bond .
But then again he could be !
dat bird is smart .
like my dogs , they really like me and trust me , but when I open the door to get them outside , they run from me , they know I 'm going to take them outside and they do n't like it .
the bird must know that when you open the cage door it means that you will put him in the cage , and birds do n't usually like cages .
so , I do n't think the bird do n't trust you , but still do n't like the cage .
How to make a breyer horse stable ?
Hi i m a big fan of breyer horses !
My breyers need stables or barns though ..... and I need directions and materials on how to make them .
I would like maybe 5 stalls per barn so make sure the stalls are not that big so it can fit .
And I need to know where to buy the materials .
Please make this as simple as you can for my dad does nt really not that good .
Pictures would help !
NOTE : If i see a answer that i love i will make my best right there and then
Breyer horse , miniature / model replica
sketch out floor plan , estimate size , draw front view , side view , and 3d orthographic perspective views ,
figure out how many stalls you want , then measure square cube sections for length and width of horse ,
measure size for platform , draw lines and mark sections , measure out wall sections and height ,
there are many small details , that you would have to work on as you go for doors and windows and roof ,
check hobby shops and craft shops for small pieces of stock wood panels and wood blocks parts , you want carpenter wood glue , clamps , possibly small screws to hold corners together , miniature hinges , tape , paint , saws , drills , pencil ruler , paper , bryer horses
wood can vary from cork wood or balsa wood , or press - board , or plywood , and pre-cut 2 by 4 or slats , you can check home depot or hardware shops for larger pieces ,
http://www.binkyswoodworking.com/HorseStable.php
http://www.blueoakstables.com/breyerhorsebarnsbarn003.asp
http://www.railroadredux.com/tag/northwest-shortline/
http://www.adventurehobbycraft.com/products/hobbycraftsupplies.html#metal
http://www.natureandtech.com/?pageid=2200
http://www.utrechtart.com/Craft-Supplies/Woodworking%20Supplies/
..
How can i get my kitten to stop biting when he plays ?
I have a kitten who just turned 3 months today .
He 's a good kitty , just when he plays he bites REALLY hard .
Almost every day he 'd even wake me up like 5 am in the morning , trying to bite my arm .
And when I move it I guess he figures I 'm playing . x.x
I read somewhere that you have to hold his mouth together , and keep it that way til he panics .
That seems cruel to me though .
Any other way ??
Do you think he 's teething ?
It 's getting out of hand .
Yeah , I thought that the holding his mouth thing sounded wrong .
No worries , i did n't try .
He does have toys , a scratching post , LOTS of mice , balls , yarn , a feathery birdy toy , etc .
He 'd just randomly walk up to you and start the biting .
When i put him off of my bed , he jumps back on and same thing .
he may be teething but i do nt think it can be stopped .
maybe buy him toys that he can play with that give him a way to use his energy up
yes do not hold any animal s mouth shut it wil close their air way , he s just a kitty and they are very rambunctious , get him toys .
lots of them , feather ones work best , also when he bites you in the morning put him down off your bed , to show him that you will not tolerate that , he will get it , he s also probably teething , so toys are your best bet
Which rat cage is better ?
Hi , I want to get a few pet rats and need a rat cage .
( Apart from the wire flooring which i am going to cover ) Which of these two cages is better :
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250927098564?var=550057729382&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht2079wt893
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130589513308?var=430034792128&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648#ht1500wt660
I ca nt decide between height or width .
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/250927098564?var=550057729382&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht
This one is better for rats .
You always want to go higher rather than wider for rats .
They LOVE to climb .
You will have to cover the wire flooring like you said , and make fleece covers for the stairs , so no ratty feet get caught and broken .
This cage will hold about 2 - 3 rats .
Both are equal length so go for the taller one .
If you use this cage it 's best to remove the wire shelves altogether and replace it with hammocks and the like .
I used one of these cages short term for a pet and it was n't that great to be honest , pretty cheaply made , the door springs are annoying and it does n't last very well .
Here are some better options IMO :
http://www.equinecaninefeline.com/catalog/mamble-hamster-narrow-100cm-cage-p-12642.html
http://www.equinecaninefeline.com/catalog/abode-large-metal-cage-liberta-free-delivery-p-6679.html
http://www.equinecaninefeline.com/catalog/savic-freddy-cage-free-delivery-p-6750.html
http://www.netpetshop.co.uk/p-19500-savic-chichi-2-chinchilla-rat-degu-ferret-cage.aspx
http://www.justcages.co.uk/ferret-cages/ferplast-furet-plus-ferret-cage#v431
These are all a bit more expensive than your choice but if you ebay search the names you may be able to find one second hand ... better paying for a second hand one in good condition than a poorly made new one IMO .
The First One Is much Better !
I Have This Exact Cage , Bought From The Exact Ebay User .
It s Really Good And The Rat Calculater Says Is Big Enough For 5 Rats , But I Would Put A Maximum Of 4 In It Really :)
is under tank heating or side tank heating better for a corn snake ?
i was reading the package for a tank heater i bought for my 40 gallon tank for my snake and it said it can be put under the tank or on the side .
i m not worried about damaging the surface my tank is on because i can prop it up off the surface anyway .
from my understanding , if it s heated from the bottom , my snake risks burning its belly if it burrows and rests directly on top of the glass over the heater unless i buy some of that reptile carpet to put under the substrate , but it has better heat distribution
if it s from the side i do nt have to worry about propping it up , but the snake can still burn itself if it slithers along the side of the tank and i also read that it does nt distribute heat as well ?
what are your suggestions and opinons ?
i use UTH's on all of my burrowing snakes .
they will move if they get too warm - it 's not like a heat rock which you should avoid at all costs .
i usually put my own natural rock over the UTH and they are perfectly fine .
i have over 40 corns , kings , and milks and have never had a problem with the UTH system .
on the side is a waste - leave it on the bottom .
good luck !
Bottom if you are worried about the snake burning itself put something overt it like newspaper ...
I now use a 75 watt basking or heat bulb for mine and he seems to like it
put the heater on the snake he will love it and the the next day you will have dinner
What are good places to eat brunch at ? ?
My bday is Saturday :) and I wan na have breakfast / lunch with my fam .
I was gon na have a dinner party that night but my cousin is having Having her bridal shower so brunch is it but the only places I know are denny 's and ihop .
Oh and btw I live in los angeles look for places in like the lb area and torrance etc thanx ^^
I would strongly suggest " The Breakfast Club " in Chicago .
You can definately plan on a great meal with reasonable prices .
Do n't be in a hurry though .
Just relax and enjoy .
They have fabulous French toast too .
The Breakfast Club & Grill is conveniently located just two blocks off the Kennedy Expressway .
There is always plenty of parking on the street or in our private lot .
If you 'd rather dine at home , simply call in your order with our take - out service .
Plenty of parking on the weekends .. during the week please park in the little lot across the street .
Directions from the Kennedy : Take the Ogden Exit off the Kennedy .
Go three lights down and take a right onto Ogden .
Continue two blocks to Hubbard and take another right .
We 're at the corner of Hubbard and Noble .
The Breakfast Club & Grill
1381 W. Hubbard
Chicago , IL 60622
312-666-2372 Tel
Email Us
Hours of Operation :
Monday thru Friday
6:30 am - 8:00 pm
Saturday & Sunday
7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Happy Hour
Monday thru Friday
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
$ 4 appetizers
$ 4 wine
$ 3 Coronas & Heineken
Unless you plan on being late for the bridal shower you might want to post this again in the L.A. section .
Question about the sinking of the Titanic ?
After the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 , was there a law made so that ships would carry enough lifeboats to save everybody on a ship if it was sinking ?
If yes , was Canada involved in this act / law ?
Sorry , I 'm just very nervous after watching the movie .
SOLAS ( Safety Of Life At Sea ) , which is an international maritime treaty , came about in response to the tragedy of the Titanic .
Today , it is the primary safety law affecting virtually all ships , regardless of country of registration .
If you ever go on a cruise ship , you will be required to attend a SOLAS muster drill ( lifeboat drill ) within 24 hours of sailing .
Most ships perform this drill before even leaving the dock .
SOLAS covers just about every aspect of safety at sea , including minimum safety equipment , practices , and standards , lifeboats , navigation practices , fire protection , and so on .
We are much safer today on board ship due to SOLAS , and I suppose if any good came out of the Titanic tragedy , the adoption of SOLAS is probably it .
http://www.caribbean-cruising.net
--------------------------------------------------
Edit : Also I forgot to mention earlier , most ( if not all ) cruise ships also practice lifeboat drills weekly , and it is not uncommon to see them to actually launch the lifeboats into the water as part of their drill when you are in port .
This not only ensures the lifeboats are operational and will work if needed , but makes the crew proficient at launching them .
I do n't think so
Do n't worry .
When was the last time you heard about a ship sinking ?
100 years ago ?
What are some fun things I could do while in Japan ?
I 'll be in Okinawa for about a week so I was wondering what are some fun things I could do ?
I 'm a 20 year old female travelling by myself so it could be anything .
Besides the obvious tourist spots which I already have planned for .
How is the night life in Naha ?
Are there any good venues that showcase underground bands , or just a venue at all ?
It does n't have to be underground it could be any type of music .
Thanks
The best thing you can do in Okinawa is to go to a beach .
Otherwise , you can do what you can do in other parts or Japan , like shopping , eating , etc .
Or you can visit temples or shrines in Okinawa .
Well first you can try speaking Japanese .
Go to a sumo tournament .
Eat at a conveyor - belt sushi restaurant .
Climb Mount Fuji .
Okinawa is quite different from the rest of Japan , although of course there are similarities .
The main thing people do there is go to the beach .
There 's the market in Naha , which is great .
You can find all sorts of fresh food and get a really delicious , fresh sashimi / sushi lunch upstairs .
Try the local sake too if you can .
It 's a special kind .
I 'm not sure that there 's much nightlife in Naha .
It 's more of a place to go to enjoy the weather , the sea , etc .
You might have to make your own nightlife by finding an izakaya ( pub ) somewhere .
Your best bet would probably be to get a copy of the Lonely Planet Japan book and read the chapter on Okinawa .
Naha 's not a very big city .
Modern m 16 vs Vietnam m 16 version ?
I was playing a video game that has a m 16 Vietnam model , and in the game it 's 3 - shot burst .
My brother said they only had full - auto and semiautomatic during Vietnam .
My questions are ..
1 ) what the s difference between a modern m16 and Vietnam m 16 ?
2 ) did Vietnam m 16's have a 3 - shot burst function ?
To save money Robert McNamara ordered that the ammunition for the new M - 16s being sent to SEA in the early 60s use an older ( dirtier ) type of gunpowder meant for use with the M - 14 .
He also ordered that the receiver not get a ( I think chrome ) coating that helped keep the gun from jamming .
Than the troops being issued the weapon were told it was self - cleaning , which it was n't .
As a result there was a problem with the weapon jamming .
Once the troops started cleaning the weapon properly ( even with the dirtier powder ) the Vietnam era M - 16 turned out to be a good weapon for the purpose it was being used for .
The screw - up was the kind of things you have happen when you have bean - counters ( and McNamara was nothing if not a bean - counter ) instead of soldiers in charge of the military .
Today 's weapons do not have that kind of problem , and are much more reliable .
1 ) modern m 16 is alright .
Vietnam m 16 used to clog up and never work .
2 ) All M 16's are either automatic or semi automatic .
No one uses 3 burst .
you play too much cod ;P
modern m 16 is best
Planning on going to New Zealand in January .
Is it OK to holiday in Christchurch since the Earthquakes ?
Are the hotels back up and running ?
Are there still aftershocks ?
Planning on going to North and South Island .
Is it safe to go to Rotarua , since the earthquakes ?
Rotorua is fine .
I 'm assuming this was in reference to the January earthquake , do n't worry , it was very deep , so nothing was effected :)
As for Christchurch , yes the aftershocks are still happening , but these are fairly small - you can feel them , but the do n't do any damage .
Since lots of people are still living there , then it must be fine to visit .
However the CBD is closed of to the public as a lot of it is still rubble and stuff and has n't been cleared away yet .
I 'm sure that you can find some hotels that are running in the christchurch area , but if not then there would be some in close by towns .
Despite the aftershocks I would recommend going to Christchurch , just for the experience and then you can see first hand how things get effected by earthquakes .
Have fun in New Zealand !!
( ps. I 'm assuming you 'll stop off in Wellington , and since it s summer , may I recommend kaffee eis ice creams and gelatos ?
Just recently discovered them last time I was down there , they 're very nice ) www.kaffeeeis.co.nz
Loads of places have geographical hazards , if you are constantly paranoid , you 'll never get anywhere without a sense of adventure .
In case of an earthquake , stay under a sturdy table and do n't go outside as possible debris will fall .
Yes it 's ok .
Yes , yes and yes .
Nothing wrong with rotorua
Help ?!
What size horse do i need ?
I m around 5 ' 2 - 5 ' 4 , 11 years old and i m wondering what size horse i 'll need that i wo nt grow out of quickly ?
thanks
louise
I would say it really depends on your riding ability , what disciplines you are interested in doing , or plan on doing , etc .
But I would go for the base number of 15 hh .
It 's " tall " being it 's bigger than a pony , but it 's on the small end for a horse .
I got my horse when I was 12 and I was already 5 ' 9 - 5 ' 10 , thankfully I stopped growing when I hit 5 ' 11 " but my horse is about 16.2 or 16.3 hh , TB .
So do n't be afraid to get something a little bigger than " perfect " just in case you hit a growth spurt .
A taller horse does n't always mean a horse you ca n't handle .
Keep that in mind .
Also keep in mind whether you want to be able to jump up from the ground , if you even need to , etc .
You just want to be sure you can groom and saddle sufficiently and the horse itself is calm enough so that whatever size it is , you can handle it .
i 'm 5 ' 3 - 4 " and am 21 well will be in Nov and my horse is 14.2 hh and she 's perfect size for me i can hop right on with no mounting block ..... only with a saddle though haha i ca n't bareback , not yet
If you Do n't want to grow out of it quickly get a 14 ' 2 ..
Anything smaller you will grow out , anything bigger will be too big and difficult to control and manage , especially when riding .
Hope I helped :)
Where in the world is Iguazu ?
Iguazu Falls
Widely considered to be one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world , the Iguazu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil , are a certainly must see attraction in the area .
The centre of the falls is known locally as ‘ Garganta Del Diablo ’ ( The Devil ’s Throat ) , where the huge volume of water sends a constant mist of spray into the air .
With the sun shinning down on the spray , creating a rainbow in the foreground , this is the perfect place to get that trademark Iguazu Falls photograph .
However , save some of your shots for the rest of the falls , as in total there are around 270 cascades that spread out over nearly 2 miles of the Iguazu River .
The Iguazu Falls are easily accessible and , dependent on your time restrictions and budget , you can get to the area by either bus or plane .
The nearest towns to the site are Puerto Iguazu in Argentina , about 12 miles from the falls , and Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil , which is equally close .
Both towns have airports that are served regularly from the larger cities such as Sao Paulo , Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires .
The bus is obviously the cheaper option , and travelling up from Buenos Aires the trip is a full 20 hours , although the buses are very comfortable with spacious reclining seats .
The bus trip down from Sao Paulo is a similar affair taking around 18 hours .
Foz on the Brazilian side is the larger town , however both are geared up to cater for visitors to the Waterfalls and National Parks , and so offer a range of accommodation for all budgets .
For those with a larger appetite for the scenery and a larger budget , there are some hotel complexes much closer to the action with views of parts of the falls .
Paris or England while studying aboard ?
I am going to try and study aboard but idk where I can go I can not decide where do you think would be the best place to go ?
where would you go ?
I have never been anywhere out side my home town Charlotte north Carolina please help !!!!
definitely London -
you speak the language and will have more fun .
The French tend to look down on the Americans and treat them bad .
London is a deliteful city to visit and easy to get around .
You will be able to have a good time there .
%
As you 're from the States you 'll have much more fun in London .
Parisians dislike Americans for their lack of speaking French and proper French manners .
I was told to leave a restaurant because I ordered water with my meal ( apparently this is " washing down " your food " ) and not ordering wine .
You 'll need to have intermediate French to have a good time in Paris .
However , outside Paris everybody is wonderful .
Nobody likes the Parisians , even then Parisians do n't like Parisians .
South France is wonderful , right on the Mediterranean .
It 's beautiful and the people are extremely friendly .
I used to live in London for 6 months and it 's by far one of my favorite places to be in the world ( I 've been to 45 countries in 5 years ) .
Everything about the place is magical and the people are mostly friendly .
However , if you 're allowed another option and you want a small - town feel , then head to Edinburgh , Scotland .
I lived there for 8 months .
If your French is good / moderate , then head to Paris without a doubt .
I also highly recommend staying with a French family .
I did this at age 13 in Champagne , France and it was the most amazing experice of my upbringing .
does the bta have to be paid first to come to canada ?
There is NO such thing as a BTA .
That is a term invented by online romance scammers
http://www.country-couples.co.uk/datingtips/basic-travel-allowance-bta-dating-scam/

Also known as the Personal Travel Allowance , Traveller s Allowance Fee , Traveller s Assistance Fund , Traveller s Assurance Fund and numerous other forms of “ I have to have wodges of your cash or they wo n’t let me fly ” .
Let ’s get this over with now …
THERE IS NO SUCH THING any more , anywhere , it ’s an online dating scam . "
http://www.romancescam.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7231

Please remember : there is NO such thing .
There is NO such requirement , in any country of the world .
This is an invention of the scammers . "
A single call to CIC will confirm there is NO such thing as a BTA to Canada and anyone asking for this is a scammer http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/contacts/index.asp
Just pray that you have not ever given this criminal enough information for your identity to be stolen - your full name , birthdate , home address , etc or that you were not conned into sending money .
This person is not coming to visit you - the whole point of this scam is to gain your trust enough to steal your money and identity
Contact the Anti-Fraud Centre to report this http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/home-eng.html
No .
BTA only exists in the mind of SCAMMERS .
100 % SCAM .
cut of all contact and tighten up your PC security .
There is no such thing as a BTA or " Basic Travel Allowance " - this is 100 % a scam - as the first poster said , cut off any and all contact with this person - they are NOT who or what they are claiming to be .
The below site from the US government verifies this - it 's the same for Canada , too .....
http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/scams.html
How can i make my Jack Dempsey reproduce ?
i have a Mature male and female they are together a lot but never laid eggs as far as i know can anyone help me figure out how to make them mate
He 's the issue , you are trying to " Make " them mate .
This is like trying to Make 2 people get married .
It does n't work .
First you need a compatible pair .
Sounds like your 2 at least tolerate each other , so there is hope there .
Then the need to be mature , that is , old enough , and big enough to breed .
This may be around 1 / 2 of their full adult size , probably 4 - 5 " for those guys .
Then the environment .
Large tank , no annoying tankmates , perfect water conditons and really good feeding .
The difference is what they need to live , VS what 's ideal for them .
Get that right , and they will mate when THEY are ready .
You ca n't MAKE them mate , you can only encourage them .
Ian
Jack Dempseys are not an easy cichlid to breed .
Most of the time one is more interested in breeding than the other .
Bredders take the one that in not very interested and put it alone in a breeeding tank for 3 - 5 days .
The tank should have a hide space big enough for one fish , or a few of them , but at least 1 cave big enough for two fish to fit in .
The p H should be 6.5 - 7 .
Now feed the one in the breeding tank as much bloodworms , blackworms and / or earthworms as it can eat for 3 - 5 days .
Then add the other mate .
They may not respond right away and they may fight so ther smaller one can fit in one of hide spaces if it gets attacked .
When the male s aggressive behavior stops , it is ready to spawn .
The two lay their eggs inside the cave you made for them .
Turn the water temp up to 82 degrees
Please help with my cat s bladder issue ?
I have a 1 1 / 2 year old female calico .
When she was spayed the vet had a hard time because she only has one uterine horn and he said this could mean she only has on kidney .
Recently she has been peeing A LOT .
I 'm talking soaking all the litter box and then some .
She is also peeing around the box and somehow it gets underneath .
I do n't have the money to take her to a vet right now but it 's getting to be an issue .
I have to scrub the floor 2 - 3 times a week now .
What could be the issue and can I try some home remedies first ?
I love her and want to help her but I do n't know when I 'll be able to take her to to vet :( please help .
First of all , I am very sorry to hear you 're having this issue with your cat . :(
Frequent urination is a sign of several things .
Bladder or Urinary tract infections are two common ones , but these usually are frequent visits , with small amounts of urine being passed .
If there is blood in the urine , or the cat seems to be in pain , then that is also a good indicator .
But your cat is passing a LOT of urine , and this is bad .
Given the chance your cat may only have one kidney , I would think the worst case scenario would be kidney disease , which untreated can lead to possible renal failure .
Signs of this can be hard to spot , and if this is true in her case she will definitely need to see a vet .
Vomiting , bad breath , and listlessness .
Seizures will occur when the toxins that the kidney normally filters out are released into the blood stream .
I know you are very worried , but getting her to the vet is the best thing you can do for her .
In the meantime make sure she had plenty of water available to her .
I want to apply for canada skilled immigeration program .
I got only 63 points while 67 minimunm is requirement .?
Can i apply with 63 points ?
According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/skilled/assess/index.asp , it states " Note : you must meet the minimum requirements for your application to be eligible for processing . "
HOWEVER ... that same web page also states that " The current pass mark is 67 .
The pass mark could change .
You should check for updated information on a regular basis . "
The Skilled Worker category was my first attempt at permanent residency .
And between the time I began my research and the time I applied , the minimum score did change once .
Unfortunately , both minimums were above my score .
But I got lucky because I qualified under another category to become a permanent resident .
So keep checking at least on a weekly basis .
GOOD NEWS ... I found a web page run by Canadian Immigration Lawyers at http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-faq-skilled-workers.html .
Here is what they posted there
4 . May I qualify under the Skilled Worker category even if I score less than 67 points ?
If the Canadian Immigration Visa Officer believes that the point total does not accurately reflect your ability to become economically established in Canada , the Canadian Immigration Visa Officer may use his or her positive discretion ( referred to as substituted evaluation ) and approve your application even though you score less than 67 points .
Read the full answer at that web page for conditions .
Sure you can apply .
The points system acts as a guide to sort out the best candidates .
Your application is still evaluated on a number of criteria , not all of them as " cast in steel " as the points .
Go ahead , send in your application .
NOTE to BEN .
67 is the minimum score , anything below that is filed in the " circular file basket " .
Why have a " minimum " if it is going to be ignored ?
Jim B
Toronto .
I 'm mad and do n't know what to do !
Please help !?
Alright , so my dad had been wanting me to check my e mail for a few days but I never got around to it .
( I just thought he wanted me to see one of those chain letter things again ) so I fineally checked it , and it was an e mail from southwest airlines telling me the flight dates for out family trip to Florida !!!
I got so excited !!!!
It said it was in January but still !!!!
So I kept reading and then I saw the dates , it was from mid day Friday and arriving home mid day monday . :(
then I think I just kind of stopped smiling and just kind of sat there looking at the dates .
( we live in Pennsylvania btw ) I 'm mad and upset now !
Do n't get me wrong I want to go , but for 2 days -- I mean seriously .
We are taking a 3 hour flight down to a fancy island in Florida and staying only 2 days .
**** sigh **** not trying to sound snooty or stuck up but I mean really !
Can someone please make me feel better about this trip !!!!
A least you r going .!
Enjoy those 2 days it better then not going at all .!
and it will be fun 2 days cause you will busy going to a lot of beautiful places , i can afford to go so be happy you have the money to go . :D
Well , I mean , you do n't have to be mad about it .
At least you get to go to Florida in JANUARY .
And , having only two days makes you realize what you have with your family .
Nothing Gold Can Stay , honey .
Enjoy it while you can , and then if your family enjoys it you can go again for a longer period of time .
If they do n't like it , it 'll only be two days , remember ?
Hope you have a crapload of fun !
( In a good way ... )
What is Italian High Renaissance ?
Have a look at this , it may help .
1 ) The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance , a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600 , marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe .
The term renaissance is in essence a modern one that came into currency in the 19th century , in the work of historians such as Jacob Burckhardt .
Although the origins of a movement that was confined largely to the literate culture of intellectual endeavor and patronage can be traced to the earlier part of the 14th century , many aspects of Italian culture and society remained largely Medieval ; the Renaissance did not come into full swing until the end of the century .
The word renaissance ( Rinascimento in Italian ) means “ rebirth ” , and the era is best known for the renewed interest in the culture of classical antiquity after the period that Renaissance humanists labelled the Dark Ages .
These changes , while significant , were concentrated in the elite , and for the vast majority of the population life was little changed from the Middle Ages .
2 ) The expression High Renaissance , in art history , is a periodizing convention used to denote the apogee of the visual arts in the Italian Renaissance .
The High Renaissance period is traditionally taken to begin in the 1490s , with Leonardo s fresco of the Last Supper in Milan and the death of Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence , and to have ended in 1527 with the sacking of Rome by the troops of Charles V .
This term was first used in German ( Hochrenaissance ) in the early nineteenth century , and has its origins in the " High Style " of painting and sculpture described by Johann Joachim Winckelmann .
[ 1 ] Over the last twenty years , use of the term has been frequently criticized by academic art historians for over-simplifying artistic developments , ignoring historical context , and focusing only on a few iconic works .
[ 2 ]
Hope it helps !
I 'm American and I am going to the UK for the first time , what should I expect ?
I just need to talk to an another american who has gone to the UK before so that I know what expect when arriving at the airport and with going through visa process and everything .
do you get your visitor s visa immediately at the airport ?
I was told that americans automatically get a six months visitor s visa .
do you have to go through a medical exam right away ?
drug test ?
blood test ?
or do i just show them passport and walk through the gates ?
i have talked to some people that say that a medical exam is an invasion of privacy and other say it s a routine thing when entering another country .
I honestly have no idea what to expect or prepare for and calling in to get professional advice from either of the embassies costs by the minute - which I really do n't have the money for .
I 'm really worried cause I have no idea who to talk to and want everything to go smoothly .
An American passport should get you right into the country , there is no need for a VISA , for six months .
There is no medical exam or blood test or others like that .
You do not need to call the embassies to get professional advice .
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cispatw/cis/cis1052.html
Above is the link to the Department of State travel website , which will give you all the info that you need , including passport information .
It is free .
I never stayed more than two weeks at a time when I visited the U.K .
You should be fine with just a passport , unless you 're staying longer than six months .
You should double check with the necessary embassy before you leave though .
I am not sure how well you planned this trip .
You 'll have a great time , so no worries there .
I visited London , Edinburgh , and St. Andrew s so far , and I was treated very well and with great kindness .
Just treat everyone else as you would want to be treated , and you 'll be fine .
That tactic never failed me .
What would you get if you cross a sussex male and a silkie female ?
i had a sussex male and a pekin female i bought 2 silkies what would the sussex female and the silkie females would make ?
if you had any pics of your hens i would like to see them to compare them to mine thanks ?
A Sussex crossed with Silkie would make a crossbred * mutt * chicken .
There are a lot of genetics at play between a Sussex and Silkie , so the offspring would vary in appearance .
You do n't say what color Silkie or Sussex you are dealing with so I ca n't say what color your chicks would be likely to be .
However , I can say what features they would / could have .
Feather Type .
Silkies have hookless feathers .
Sussexs have soft feathers .
All offspring from this cross will have soft feathers , as hookless feathers are a recessive gene .
Skin Color : Silkies have black skin color , which is dominate .
Sussex have White Skin which could be recessive or dominate .
Either way rec. and dom. white genes dilute the black gene .
Skin will be darker but lighter then the Silkies .
Beards / Muffs : If your Silkie has a beard / muff the offspring could have a beard as well , as these genes are incomplete dominate .
Feathered Feet / Shanks - Chicks could have feathered feet / shanks as this is also incomplete dominate .
Crest : Chicks could also develop a small crest due to this being another incomplete dominate gene .
Comb Type : Silkies have walnut combs which is actually genetically two comb types ( Rose and Pea ) single is also there , but is recessive .
So crossed to a Sussex you could get a walnut , pea , rose , or single combed bird .
Five Toes : Silkies have five toes .
Sussex have four toes .
Crossed together ( five toes is incompletely dominate ) chicks could develop to have an fifth toe on both , or even one foot .
Silkie crosses are great birds , and very neat looking .
Hens make excellent mothers as they are bigger , can see better , and are smarter the Silkies .
Best wishes ,
Jamie / RhodeRunner
I took some photos of my model girlfriend with my Nikon D7000 .
What do you think of these photos ?
http://i.imgur.com/S2MD2.jpg http://i.imgur.com/T2zff.jpg http://i.imgur.com/Xytex.jpg I took some photos of my model girlfriend with my Nikon D7000 ( see links above ) .
What do you think of these photos ?
The lighting was not the best , but the pics turned out ok in my opinion .
deleting a question where you do nt like the answer wo n't get you better answers ... i refer to my previous answer :
you need to learn about white balance , composition , angle , and work on using the camera properly ...
[ edit - and she most be very new to modeling , because she does look unsure of her poses )
lol , he has posted this so many times today already .
clearly he s mad that people know he took her pic off the net and it 's NOT his gf
Not bad , but too many distracting elements for my taste .
For example :
In the photo on the couch , the pillow she is resting on clashes with everything else in the shot .
There are also some distracting background elements like the light fixture and what looks like a door handle on the left .
In the standing photo ( from the front ) there is a corner of a rug creeping in , some kind of box in the lower right corner and what looks like a power cord .
In the shot from the back , the crumpled bottom of the curtain is pretty noticeable as well as the power outlet .
Compositionally , this one is not my favorite , I would suggest trying a different crop because I do nt think cutting her off at the calf looks great .
I do like the shadow , though .
My suggestion is to pay close attention to what 's going on in the background and if possible , stand on a chair , get on the ground , do whatever you need to do to get rid of distracting elements .
Using a fairly wide aperture is also helpful in blurring out unwanted background elements .
I 've had a few great shots ruined myself because there was something in the background I did n't notice at first .
what are some unique customs in ireland ?
As far ask I ’m aware our most unique custom would be the “ Country Wake ” .
In all my travels I ’ve never seen anything like it and am often met with an odd look when I explain them to foreigners .
After a person dies , their remains are “ waked ” in their home for roughly 2 - 3 days .
In this time visitors will come to the house , pay their respects to the desisted and their family and have a couple of cups of tea with a sandwich or a bun .
The wake also included the night sit were friends and family sit up through the night with the remains .
Wakes are common both north and south of the boarder with Protestants and Catholics alike .
But only really in the countryside .
The only notable difference I have noticed is that in the south of Ireland one night of the wake is often held in the chapel the night before the funeral , this tradition started after the civil war .
Another unique custom ( and a dying one at that ) is the Pioneers .
The Pioneers was an organization started at the end of the 19th century which pushed and supported the ideal of temperance ( abstaining from alcohol ) , in an attempt to deal with the massive issue of alcoholism that Ireland was gripped by .
Pioneers take a pledge to remain tee - total and at the hight of the organization popularity , had an estimated two million members even filling Croke Park on the 25th anniversary .
I my self am one but appreciate that the organization is unlikely to make into the 22nd century .
The Orange Order and the 12th of July Marches would be argued by some not to be an Irish custom but unarguable ticks every criteria to be considered one .
The marches on the 12th of July are only really attended by protestants in the Ulster but in spite of the are the largest attended paraded in Ireland .
Barn brack and the ring .
the irish customs we have in our family are ; we make sinnel cake for easter , barn brack and col - cannon for Halloween .
christmas cake for christmas day .
Do animals see images on a TV screen like humans do ?
Do animals see images on a TV screen like humans do ?
I 'm unsure of this , because once I watched a commercial of cat food with my cat and she did n't react to seeing another cat on TV .
I heard that a company ( here is a link : http://news.yahoo.com/nestl-purina-releases-commercial-aimed-dogs-183443091.html ) is trying to make a dog food commercial aimed at dogs , complete with squeaky chew - toy sounds , and high pitched sounds that humans ca n't hear .
As far as I understand , this ad will get dogs excited , but my question is : Can dogs actually see the images featured in the advert like humans ?
Also , can animals remember images on TV like us , humans ?
If so , then does that mean that if you watched a scary movie and your dog / cat / parrot was in the same room as you they will also get scared ?
I would n't know -- I do n't particularly like scary movies , and I have n't tried this with my pet .
Although , I do n't think that scary movies will affect pets for a long time ; I am sure they 'll forget sometime -- or am I wrong ?
So what about T.V. ?
Do dogs enjoy watching T.V. ?
Well , T.V. is a series of flickering pictures that are streamed together to make a moving picture .
The pictures are broadcast at a rate of about 60 Hz , which is how fast they need to move for us to see them as a moving , flawless picture .
To a dog , watching T.V. is a lot like watching and old scratchy silent film because their flicker fusion seems to occur at a rate of 70 to 80 Hz .
So they see the pictures flicker slower and there for it seems choppy to them .
So chances are that if your dog likes to watch T.V. , it ’s probably because of the sounds .
Hearing is a dog ’s secondary sense , and I will discuss that in another blog entery .
Yes they do .
i m pretty sure that they do see things on the tv screen because my cat chases things around the tv screen
How much should I be looking at for horse transportation ?
I need one horse transported to shows throughout the 2012 show season , and the location is about 3 hours away from where I live .
The place where I 'm boarding is not likely to want to take me this far , and I do not have any ways of hauling him myself .
So I want to hire someone ( or multiple people ) to transport me to these shows .
If they ask how much I 'm willing to pay , what is a good price range ?
I saw a site that charges $ 0.70 per mile .
Is that reasonable ?
Impossible to say , but I guess you would have to work out fuel consumption for the particular vehicle that they are using and pay a proportion of that , and some on top for the driver 's time and effort , unless you are able to share transport with another or more , that would keep the costs down .
Remember that you get what you pay for .
Three hours is n't far , but you are doing multiple shows .
Some people are willing to take your horse , but they really have old trailers that are not the safest in the world .
Rusted , torn corners in the stalls , unhealthy air , straight load instead of slant load can all make travelling hard , if not downright dangerous , on your horse .
I had my horse transported from CA to WA and he came on this big , open stock trailer .
He was dehydrated when he got there and lost weight .
Since then , I now use a professional horse hauling service with people who ride with my horse to keep an eye on him , stop every few hours for water , and their trailers all have super smooth suspension .
All horses I 've had delivered to me since then are happy and healthy when they arrive .
I would call Bob Hubbard Transport and get a quote .
Even though you may not want to use them , it will give you some idea of what it might cost and what is fair .
See link below .
Make sure the trailer service you use is bonded / insured and knows something about first aid .
Do they have this anywhere ?
I want to take a cruise around the world .
I mean literally around the world if possible .
First of if i went alone on a regular cabin how much would you estimate it would be just a guess .
Second is there any way to sort of customize the places you wan na go to ?
Like you can pick the destinations ?
But if not just say no but i hope there is like one out there somewhere .
1 . Here 's a site that lists world cruises including prices .
http://www.cruisecompete.com/specials/regions/world/1
Prices listed , however , are usually based on two people in a cabin , and you will likely face some high " single supplement " costs in addition .
( Two people in a cabin will spend more onboard , so cruise lines charge you more to sail alone .
You may be able to do better on the rates if you request competitive quotes via CruiseCompete ) .
2 . Short of chartering your own ship and crew , I do n't see any way you could customize your own itinerary .
Good luck !
Various world cruises from most of the major cruise lines , typically 100 days in duration .
Travelling on your own you would have to pay double as cabins are sold on the basis of double occupancy .
No possibility to customise ports of call .
Prearranged about 18 months in advance as the cruise lines sell segments all along the way i.e Transatlantic to London ( England ) , England to Barcelona ( Spain ) , Barcelona to Alexandria ( Egypt ) , Egypt to India via Suez canal etc .
yes there are multiple around the world cruises , mainly offered by the more upscale lines .
HOWEVER : you will pay as if there are 2 people in the cabin , even if it is just you .
so any price you find , DOUBLE IT figure , $ 40 K at least .
and no you can not customize an itinerary unless you book several different legs of a cruise with stops in between on shore .. say book a Panamal Canal crossing , then fly to Asia and pick it up again and sail to India then fly to Europe to sail the Med before flying to England to hit the Transatlantic corssing .
Was the San Francisco Bay Area mostly Caucasian back in the early 1970s ?
No .
There has been a large Asian presence in the SF Bay Area for a long time -- the Chinatown here was the largest population of chinese outside of China , there were lots of Japanese who 'd been displaced during WWII .
The whole Western Addition and a large portion of the Haight was black .
The Mission was basically latin - american .
As the southeast asians and philipinos came over , they added to the cultures .
So , the Bay Area has been fairly mixed ethnically for a long time -- caucasians may have seemed to be a large populous but that 's because most tourists back then were caucasian and many of the hippies were caucasians so that 's who the photographers took pictures of .
The other ethicities were n't well represented in politics yet -- or rather , they were just breaking the color barrier in the 70's due largely to the more open - minded hippy generation .
Marin County was predominantly caucasian and many of the expanding outer east bay areas started out as white suburbs .
It was not so long after Civil Rights laws against discrimination started to have an impact .
You never saw black MUNI drivers , Asian police , Latino politicians until then .
It was an evolution .
Many illegals were not counted in the population until the mid-80s .
We did not have big percent of Chinese migration until the mid 90s .
We had fewer people running across the Mexican border then .
We had fewer social benefits at that time for people so many immigrants were not counted .
Only Caucasians had any political power , corporate presence or owned businesses except for Mom and Pop stores in some neighborhoods .
San Francisco was settled in the 19th and 20th century by mainly European immigrants except for some Asian workers who were manual laborers .
There has always been a Mexican - American cultural influence since Calif was owned by Mexico .
We had a larger black population in the 70s than we have now but they did not have any power until Willie Brown was elected .
San Francisco was always progressive and welcoming and tolerant to all kinds of people historically .
The counties outside San Francisco were more white than San Francisco in the 70s .
EDIT : My memory may not be good so you might get a more accurate answer from someone else who remembers the time .
Can rabbits and chickens live together ?
I am thinking about getting a rabbit as a pet , but my parents said that it has to stay outside .
We also own two chickens that are kept in a run behind out garage / barn thing .
There is already a little dog house that I would turn into a little rabbit hutch being kept back there and I was thinking about keeping the rabbit in the run with the chickens , but keeping the chickens in the coop and the rabbit in the hutch at night .
However , in the day time would it be okay for the rabbit to hop around along with the chickens ?
We feed the chickens scraps of veggies and fruits throughout the day , but it 's nothing that a rabbit would n't be able to digest just fine .
So , can rabbits and chickens live together as long as they have separate places for their food and water ?
( The rabbit hutch would have an opening only big enough for the rabbit , the chickens would not be able to get to the rabbit food ) Also , is it okay if the rabbit occasionally sneaks a few bites of chicken feed ?
My last rabbit did that a few times , and he was fine ...
I just wan na make sure :) Thank !
Yes , but be sure that your chickens are all hens ( I mean not roosters ) , Roosters may attack rabbits or anything they see moving , so be aware of that , hens are friendly with almost all kinds of pets !
From my experience Hens ( Not roosters ) are very friendly with duck , Guinea pigs , kittens , cows , Rabbits , etc .
Be sure not to feed your rabbits non-veg items !
You said they live in different cages and they are free in day , so no problem , do n't put both of them in one cage because rabbits bedding is different than that of hens , wet bedding can cause diseases in them !
So , do n't put both of them in one cage .
Good luck !
yea i guess but rabbits a easily escape a pen or another rabbit could get in there and that rabbit could be the opposite gender .
So be very careful and some feeds could be toxic to rabbits and safe for chickens .
Rabbits do burrow also so do n't be surprised if chicken are falling into holes .
rabbits are delicate and can get diseases so watch out for that .
melting brass did not work ?
my friends and I are trying to melt bras to make some little figures .
we have made a furnace as such , we took a clay flower pot with a hole in the bottom put a piece of steel pipe in the middle of it with a cap on the bottom , filled the pipe with brass scrap , surounded the pipe with charcoal lit it off and pumped air through the hole in the pot , everything got red hot but did not melt .
what am I doing wrong
I would recommend to start with something more simple like tin , pewter , aluminum or zinc , they all have a much more reasonable melting point .
I 'll just echo both other answers .
Molten brass is damn hot and usually it 's pressurized gas and forced air or oxygen .
Even if you did melt it , I doubt you foresaw the issues of handling it and pouring it .
It 's really too advanced for a beginner , both in tooling and safety .
Just the zinc fumes will get you , if you do n't take precautions .
Pewter is perfect for what you are doing , and it melts on a stove top .
I would recommend to start with something more simple like tin , pewter , aluminum or zinc , they all have a much more reasonable melting point .
Brass has an even higher melting point than bronze and I would think your charcoal just does n't get hot enough .
I bet you also did take charcoal as it is used for barbecue which does not get as hot as real coal ( e.g. for blacksmithing one needs coal , not barbecue charcoal ) .
I have done a fair amount of metal casting , but never tried to build my own furnace , but I think your version is just too small and does n't get hot enough .
I have melted small amounts of bronze in a crucible with a large propane torch ( much larger than the plumbers torch , but it can be run of those propane cylinders you can buy for a gas grill ) .
I melt brass and cast it http://www.mikegigi.com/castgobl.htm
Brass melts at just under 2000 F which is a bright yellow heat , not red hot .
http://www.mikegigi.com/techspec.htm#SELCTEMP
You might be able to make a version of your setup work , but it would take quite a bit of charcoal and a lot of forced air .
I use propane with a blower and a burner I built http://www.mikegigi.com/meltmetl.htm and http://www.mikegigi.com/firehole.htm
Should all UK towns and their cafes or restaurants provide Halal food ?
Some friends of mine visited Dartmouth in Devon whilst on holiday last summer .
They could not find any cafes or food shops that provided Halal prepared foods .
It s important to their religion that they only consume Halal food .
Even if you buy a cake in a baker s you can not be too what happens in the kitchen , for example the cake may have been sliced using a knife used for preparing ham .
It s simply not just a case of avoiding pork , alcohol and only being allowed to eat halal prepared meat , but the kitchen and its utensils should not have been used for prohibited foods .
Places like Dartmouth are supposed to be tourist towns and should provide foods for people of all religions .
We all enjoy buying a snack when visiting a town or attraction while on holiday .
Not everyone wants to bring packed lunch .
It s not fair if some people have to go without buying food because no place will provide suitable food for them .
I think it s only fair that nowadays every town should provide at least one halal cafe or restaurant and hopefully one day every British catering establishment will be halal .
When I went to Bosnia , all the meat was Halal .
I will not eat halal meat , so guess what , I opted for foods which were n't a meat dish , there were plenty of other options .
I could not go to their country and demand they slaughter and sell an animal as meat the way I prefer to eat it .
When you go to another country , you live by their way of life and their laws , if you do n't like it , you know how to get back out the country ( but I guess our benefits system is too much to throw away , huh ) .
Cafes and restaurants rarely use the same cutlery for different food groups anyway , they normally have blue for bakery items , red for cooked meat , brown for raw meat , etc - all for food preparation and hygiene policies .
No .
To prevent animal cruelty , many countries forbid Halal and Kosher meat .
Switzerland is one , and the Netherlands are passing the same law .
It will become EU law in a couple of years .
We ca n't dictate what business wants to open where .
If someone thinks there is a business opportunity then they will start opening halal only places .
How to convince my parents to let me get a Ball python ?
They do n't know ANYTHING about Ball pythons .
When I ask my mom she says she will never let a snake in her house .
She has no experience with snakes and has never held one .
I did all my research and am well prepared to keep one , I 'm 14 by the way
Lay some knowledge on them dude .
Maybe if they see how much time and effort you 've devoted to researching the animal they 'll reconsider .
Tell them it costs like 8 dollars a month ( if even that much ) to keep it fed .
Be helpful around the house to show that even if you ca n't pay for it yourself that you re willing to work for it .
Once you 've buttered them up a bit try to get them to the pet store and ask one of the employees to handle the snake showing your mom how gentle and harmless they can be .
Maybe even try to get your mom to hold it a bit .
My wife was TERRIFIED of snakes when we first met , I introduced her to one out my baby corn snakes and she fell in love with it .
Be persistent , but do n't pester them about it cause that 'll get you nowhere fast .
Good luck !
My general convince your parents to let you get a reptile advice :
1 . Be responsible .
Do all your chores without being nagged , take care of any existing pets , keep your room clean , and so on .
Prove , to your parents ' satisfaction , that you , not they , will be the one actually taking care of your new pet .
2 . Save up , and research , so that you are ready for your new pet .
3 . Bargain with them .
Offer to do extra chores , ask for your pet as a reward for good grades , something like that .
4 . Play the sympathy card .
If you can find a pet at a shelter , or that a friend needs to get rid of because they 're moving or whatever , you might be able to talk your parents into " giving it a good home " where you might not be able to talk them into buying a new pet .
On the fear angle -- talk her into coming to the pet store with you .
Once you 're there , ask if you can hold a ball python .
Once you 're holding it , try to get her to touch / pet it ...
My Snake 's meal is TOO big , what can I do ?
Just today I bought a medium rat for my beloved Ball Python Salazar ( name after Harry Potter ) .
Last time I got a medium rat it was a girl and my snake handled her easily .
But today , I got a boy and realized that he is HUGE !
I really do love my snake cause she is actually an affectionate cold - blooded creature .
So my true question comes to this , how can I knock the rat out ?
If I threw him against a wall and still conscious he will run away , do I hang him by the tail so the blood can flush into his skull ?
I really do need answers and advice , and NOT INSULTING ANSWERS !!
LIKE SERIOUSLY !! >:(
Best answer shall receive points :)
iw ould just stick him in the tank and let your snake have a nice hunt for once , snakes jaws detach for this sort of this thing , so why not give her a good hunt , but if you do want him knock him i d just throw him against the wall or something ,, lol i do nt know , i agree with you though throw him , haha
Ok so if youre snake will take pre-killed , you can " gas it " .
Just put the rat in a sealed tupperwear container with no airholes and wait until it passes out and dies and then feed it .
If it wo n't take pre-killed and you usually feed live then you could hold the rat by the tail and whack it against a hard surface , like a refrigerator or wall .
I do n't like that option though - I think it 's pretty cruel and I'd not done properly you 'll end up really hurting the rat but not stunning him enough to stop possible injury to your snake .
I would do the tupperwear idea TBH - easiest and most humane .
You could also just wait until the rat passes out for about 1 minute and them feed it - at this point , it could still have a bit of a heart beat and be slightly still alive .
And also maybe try holding the rat in feeding prongs so your snake can get a good hold and grip on his prey .
Good luck !
Just my opinion here - no judgement - getting your snake on frozen / thawed will prove to be much easier for you and safer for your snake in the long run .
My opinion - take it for what it 's worth … :-)
Looking to move to Toronto ?
I am a 20 something gay black male and I am looking for suggestions on neighborhoods close to the downtown Toronto area .
Im moving from South Carolina so this will already be a huge culture shock .
Any suggestions ?
Being gay and living in Toronto is just fine .
You may consider the Gay Village on Church Street , right downtown .
It is full of gay friendly " everything " .
But , you could live where ever you fancy takes you .
For obvious reasons , knowing how extremely difficult it is to drive a car in the city , you should probably try to be near the subway system .
But , can you immigrate ?
Being an American guarantees you no favours when it come to going to Canada .
Start your process here , if you have n't already .
( Marrying a Canadian is not enough - that does n't count for at least two years . )
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp
A normal processing time , unless you have an advanced degree or a " specified " skill is from 3 - 5 years .
Coming to stay , and overstay your three months visit will lead to immediate expulsion and a lifetime ban to immigrate to Canada - NOT GOOD .
Let s be clear about this ...........
Just ' wanting to come to Canada " is NOT enough .
You MUST apply , to become a Immigrant , and WAIT to be approved , by the Canadian Government .
YOUR education ( the more the better ) and your past work history , combined with a CLEAN FBI and State Police record , and a satisfactory financial history ( no bankruptcies or large outstanding debts in the USA ) are all taken into consideration .
It is a competition , and YOU will be competing with hundreds of thousands of others , from all over the world , for a place in the line up .
IF you have NOT begun the Application process's NOW < you are about 2 to 3 years away from being approved by Immigration Canada .
So do n't pack your bags , yet .
Whatever you do ............... DO NOT try to come here with out legal permission .
You will not be able to seek work or take a job , in Canada , with out having to show your Immigration VISA and Canadian Social Insurance Number card to any potential employer .
Being an American and from the " south " you will be noticed as soon as you speak out loud .
Do it properly , and legally , and you will be OK .
Jim B
Toronto .
How to train my puppy ?
I have a 4 months Shih Tzu puppy .
Recently I 'm having trouble training him .
He is kind of hate walking with leash , every time I put the leash on , he will try to bite it .
And he is not following me when I was walking .
I saw lots of videos about this , but actually it did n't help .
Is there any way can let him know how to walk with leash ?
And every time he see some one he will rush to people and jump on them , does n't listen to me .
He is really excited about anybody he see .
How to prevent this ?
Last thing is every time I sit on a chair or something higher than him , he will try to jump on , if he ca n't , he will bark all the time until I let him get on , what should I do with this ?
Anyone have any suggestion ?
thank you very much .
Hi , I am a dog trainer for 25 yrs .
You need to purchase what is called a shoulder point harness .
This type of harness goes around the dog s chest and legs and has a clip for the leash up on the back of the dog in middle of shoulder blades .
This way , he can not reach the leash to chew it .
When he swivels his head to go for it anyway , tell him sharp " UH UH " gently correct him with a small tug and continue your walk .
Do this repeatedly and frequently and he will learn to walk on a leash .
Patience is the key here .
He is a young pup and will learn over time and consistency in his training .
And always , always train with love and positive methods - never hit or harshly scold .
Never train out of fear .
You want your dog to admire you as his pack leader , not fear you .
Good luck with your puppy !
All the best .
Put him in dog obedience school or call a professional dog trainer . :)
why do nt you get some treats that he loves and only give him them when he does something right .
or , as i saw on embarrassing pets on tv , get a clicker type thing and treats as well .
try to train him to heel , which means to walk round you before he needs to go on a leash , and he may do that .
or you could even spray some scented spray on the leash and he will go for the scent and probably , if you act quick enough , will stay on the leash .
What sort of Hotel could I expect to find in New Delhi / Agra / Varanasi for rs 500 per night ?
Hey guys .
I 'm looking to visit India with some mates at the beginning of February next year and I am wandering what standard of accommodation we could get for Rs 500 per person per night .
There would be four of us so we would probably be looking at 2 twin rooms for Rs 1000 , close to the centre of these cities .
This would be on a walk - in basis as we want to have the freedom of finding a place that looks good ( Not relying on pictures from the internet ) and is in a spot we like .
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience !
Sorry , almost forgot to ask - Would it be cheaper to walk - in to these hotels rather than pre book ?
In Delhi I 'd recommend Ajay Guesthouse .
Travelled to Delhi twice and stayed there twice .
Rooms start from 500 per double .
Those ones are quite small .
Must say , in Delhi it 's hard to get good price / quality rating .
I have found this hotel in the Lonely Planet guide .
It 's in an area starting with a P , many tourist hotels there and the location is very nice .
But in general , Delhi is the hardest place to find a nice clean hotel for that price .
In Varanasi I do n't know .
I 've stayed in a more expensive hotel there , but you can check some travelguides or tripadvisor ?
Also , while travelling ask people where they 've been and if they have any hotel recommendations .
In Agra I 've stayed in a place fellow travellers recommended , they found it in the Rough Guide .
It was nice and close to the Taj .
It was quite easy to find something .
( Do nt stay in Agra too long .
One night is enough ! )
There were many hotels there .
I ve paid 500 for a double room there and it was fine and clean .
Good luck , enjoy your time !
You may find a normal budget hotel for Rs 1000 per night in the cities you mentioned , the links below may help you to find good hotels in Delhi and Agra .
http://www.goldentriangleindia.com/delhi/hotels-in-delhi.html
To Stay in delhi - Hotel Aster Inn is best to stay in delhi .
it is in karol bagh .
some beautiful locations like close to Karol Bagh Shopping Market , Presidential Palace , and Birla Mandir Temple and Connaught Place and Jantar Mantar are near to it .
TO Stay in Agra - Hotel Atithi and Aditya Palace is perfect for you .
it is centrally situated .
To Stay in Varanasi - Sandeep Hotel is you choice ...
which one out of these makes the best pet ?
a degu , a rat , a mouse , a hamster or a guinea pig ?
and why is the one a better pet ?
Get a guinea pig .
I have a hamster , and mice and rats like to escape .
The Guinea pig is better because it s a lot larger than a hamster , rat , mouse , or degu .
So if you lose him , he is easier to find , because smaller rodents just LOVE to escape from their cages .
So my opinion is Guinea pigs .
( plus they do nt stink that bad )
Depends on what you want in a pet , to be honest .
Also depends on the space you have , how much time you can handle the pet , how much money you can spend , etc .
I 've had experience with all of those pets except Degus .
My favorite would have to be the rat .
They 're incredibly social , highly trainable , and very clean .
Mine learned to " go to the bathroom " only in their cages and loved to ride on my shoulder or hang out in my hoodie pouch .
The only downside is they should be kept in pairs or trios and require a pretty large habitat .
That means expense , space , and they require weekly cage cleaning .
My second favorite would have to be the Guinea Pig - not quite as social with people as rats ( at least mine was n't ) but more so than most hamsters or mice .
Again , pairs or trios and pretty big living space .
They , too , need weekly cage cleaning and can cost quite a bit .
I could handle my mice , but they where skittish and preferred their cage .
I 've never met a hamster that did n't bite me .
Never had / handled a Degu .
Get a guinea pig .
We have two .
They are social and like to be handled .
You have to have two because they do n't do well alone .
Make certain you get two females .
Two males can fight and you definitely do n't want babies !!
Guinea pigs ( also called cavies ) are gentle creatures and are awake during the day and sleep at night .
They will whistle when they hear you as an encouragement for you to give them a treat like leaf lettuce .
They love leaf or romaine lettuce and tomatos , celery , cucumbers , carrots .
Do n't feed them broccoli , cauliflower , garlic , onions , head lettuce .... they are all too difficult for them to digest .
Also they ca n't eat potatos , they are toxic for them .
If you keep the cage clean they do n't smell and you can buy spray on cleaser for them , just massage it into their coat and groom them .
Fostering 6 week old kittens and HATING IT !
Need Advice !?
I wanted to volunteer and help animals , and decided to try fostering kittens .
This is my first experience and I have two six week old kittens right now and am at my wit s end .
I do not want to have to bring them back before they are eight weeks old but they are ruining my apartment .
They track poop everywhere ( most disgustingly my bed .... ) , and am constantly trying to climb up everything , including my bare legs !
My legs and hands are just full of scratches .
I realize they are young and that cats do climb , but this is just ridiculous .
My apartment also smells repulsive even though I am cleaning out their litter box at least once a day if not twice .
Any suggestions and helpful hints to make this a more positive experience would be extremely appreciated .
That 's kind of the way it goes .. lol .
Limit them to one room with easy to clean flooring .
If you have limited options , try the bathroom .
Make sure there are plenty of litter boxes that are cleaned often .
Depending on the batch of kittens , I will often have as many as one per kitten .
They can produce a lot of waste and even scooping twice a day they can get messy .
For some reason it takes them awhile to learn not to step in poop .
Also if they have diarrhea , check in with your foster coordinator .
They made need medication or deworming or something .
They are testing out their claws and teeth .
To some degree you can / should help teach them not to use their teeth and claws inappropriately .
But in the meantime , highly recommend jeans and long sleeves anytime you 'll be interacting with the kittens .
Then take care of yourself .
Get plenty of sleep and make sure you take time out to do some things you enjoy .
Try visiting the kittens a few times a day for short periods of time .
Try to go in there with the right frame of mind and enjoy them for what they are .
If you still do n't enjoy the kittens , see what other opportunities are available .
They may need foster homes for adult cats in different situations .. sick , recovering from surgery , need a little socialization , etc .
I find the adults are much easier .
Generally they 're not clawing and biting , they do n't make nearly as much mess , they do n't need nearly as much litterbox scooping , etc :)
Decide volunteering is not your thing and give them back !
And do more research before you agree next time ;-)
Take the kittens back to the shelter .
Maybe do volunteer work at the humane society , walk dogs , groom the animals etc .
what r the requirements to apply for a delay birth certificate in canada ?
what r the evidentary requirements to apply for a delay birth certificate in canada ?
including fees and forms
It depends on if you ever registered the birth .
Some places do the registration right at the hospital .... in some smaller places , you need to register your child 's birth at the town hall / registrar 's office .
My first three children were born in Southern Ontario cities .
The birth registration was done right in hospital .
My last son , was born in Northern Ontario ....
I did n't know that I did n't register him in the ridiculous amount of paperwork I had filled out in the hospital and was supposed to go to city hall within 90 days .
Two years later when I got around to filling for his birth certificate , I find out he was never registered .
I had to call the Office of the Registrar General in Thunder Bay , have copies of the delayed registration form mailed out to me , as they do n't have an online area for it yet , fill those out , send them away , then apply for his birth certificate .
If you are just applying for a birth certificate for the first time , it s simple to do it over the computer .
For $ 56 you can even have it expedited and will get in three business days or your money back .
This is in Ontario of course , the rates may be slightly different for other provinces / territories .
You just need basic information , and answer a few questions like what hospital was the child born at / who was the doctor ....
None , just walk in to the service office and present all the identification you have to prove your identity .
they may then chose to ask you to bring more evidence , or just look up the record and hand you the certificate .
You can probably do it all on - line .
Start here if you were born in Ontario .
http://www.ontario.ca/en/informationbundle/birthcertificates/119274.html
If you were born elsewhere , start here .
http://www.ontario.ca/en/informationbundle/birthcertificates/119275.html
Good luck
My parents did n't send for my birth certificate until I was 16 and needed it for summer employment .
It was no problem to get PROVIDED the birth was registered in the first place .
I add that in because there have been some people who have tried to claim citizenship by sending for their birth certificate when they were never really born in Canada or to Canadian parents .
When a child is born in Canada the birth is registered before the baby can leave the hospital .
As long as that was done you can send for it at any time .
Each provincial government has a website that lists the process for that Province so depending upon where you were born you can google it .
Royal Caribbean or Carnival cruise ?
ONLY IF YOU HAVE BEEN ON BOARD * BOTH * !!
i want to know which you liked better and WHY ?
include which one had :
- better food
- more fun activities
- more teens
- AND JUST MORE STUFF YOU LIKED OVERALL
please specify which royal or carnival ship (:
Carnival and Royal Caribbean are two popular cruise lines that have strong followings .
Some cruise aficionados refuse to sail on one or the other .
Are there any major differences between them ?
Explore which cruise may fit your needs the best .
For our comparison we sailed on two similar ships - the Carnival Liberty and the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas .
Itinerary Both ships go to Caribbean Islands like Jamaica , Grand Cayman , Cozumel , St. Thomas , the Bahamas and St. Martin / St. Maarten .
The Liberty also visited its private island Half Moon Cay , Puerto Rico , and Grand Turk .
The Mariner of the Seas traveled to its private island Coco Cay and Labadee ( the north coast of Haiti ) .
We loved most of the locations that both of the ships visited and do n't believe that this should be a distinguishing factor on deciding between the cruise lines .
Shows Each night there are a variety of shows .
Usually you have the main show and some type of entertainment before and perhaps afterward .
We felt that the main shows on the Mariner of the Seas were better .
On the Liberty we liked the comedian and juggling act .
If you love seeing the shows , Royal Caribbean was better for the main shows and Carnival was slightly better for the comedians .
Dining Room We enjoyed the atmosphere of both dining rooms on the Liberty and Mariner of the Seas .
We felt that the menu had a little more variety on the Mariner of the Seas .
Friendliness of staff The Liberty and Mariner of the Seas both get high grades .
We did have one waiter that complained some on one of our trips on the Mariner .
We had a slightly better experience on the Liberty , but feel that both crews did an excellent job and that this should not be a distinguishing factor on choosing a cruise .
Pools The Mariner of the Seas and Liberty both had salt water pools - which most cruise ships have .
They both had pools for kids and adults .
We liked the Liberty 's pools better because one had a slide .
If you have kids , this would be something that they would definitely enjoy .
Spa We tried the spa on the Liberty and loved it .
We did not try the spa on the Mariner of the Seas .
Usually you ca n't go wrong when getting a spa treatment ......
Royal Caribbean is better , but the best cruiseline is Regent Seven Seas .
Look on their website rssc.com
Royal Caribbean .
Carnival has been called the WalMart of cruise lines ...
What countries are the best to travel to ?
I really want to travel when I leave school !
Where in the states could I go ?
Where in Europe ?
Have you every traveled before ?
How long should I go for to each place ?
( I Have 1 year before collage ! )
& Also how much money would I need ?
So I can start saving now hehe
Thanks :)
I mean when I graduate & yes , college , sorry for the typo .
Leave High School ?
Not the smartest move to take off on a worldly adventure if you 've never traveled before and you do n't put where you would be traveling from .
In the United States ?
Lots of places .
There are 50 of them , 48 located from Maine to Florida and California to Washington State and all in between .
There are 2 more located outside of the main continent with Alaska way to the north and Hawaii in the Pacific .
What do you like to do ?
Big Cities like New York , Boston , Philadelphia on the East Coast .
Beaches and Disney of Florida or the Mid Atlantic cities of Atlanta , Savannah , Charleston .
The federal sites of Washington , DC .
Southern charm of Nashville , Birmingham , New Orleans or Charlotte .
West Coast hot spots like Seattle , Portland , San Francisco , Los Angeles or San Diego .
Europe ?
Just as numerous as the possibilities of the US .
Do you speak a foreign language ?
I could spend a year in Spain alone .
From Madrid to Seville to Barcelona an Valencia .
Bilboa on the north coast , Pamplona and the very famous Guernica .
A road trip to Lisbon and the Algarve in Portugal before a mountain escape in the Pyrenees and a stop in Andorra before heading over to France and Italy and Austria and Switzerland .
I 've traveled to all of these places and could certainly tailor a trip to your needs based on budget , actual time allowed , your likes and dislikes .
Amount of time could be dependent on so many things .
Do you want to see all the sites or simply a few photos and on your way to the next place .
Does your budget limit you to how long you can stay in each place ?
You need a lot of money for hotels , airfare , seeing the sites , food , local transport - you name it but life costs .
Once you have a budget or an amount in the bank then you 'll be able to figure out where you can go , for how long you can go and what you can do when you 're there .
1 year before collage or college ?
Good luck .
I recommend buying a single unlimited Europass and travelling anywhere in the EU your heart desires .
You ca n't beat the price for what you get .
come to Africa .
Nigeria , a lovely country .
But where in nigeria ?
Obudu cattle ranch .
More than a tourist centre .
How do you make your cat adjust to a new house ?
Me and my family are moving into a new house just outside a small town .
We are currently living a mile from the town in a house surrounded by fields but the new house is beside a busy road .
We have had the cat for 10 years and do nt want to leave it .
How could we make it settle in a new house .
you are not just moving house - your cat is losing his territory .
territory is very important to cats , and they are very nervous when they go into a new place - a new house could be full of predators , or unknown menaces - well at least he thinks so .
you will need to give him only a small place to explore , so he can make it his territory , and feel safe there .
then , he can have a place to retreat to when he feels scared .
you will need to get his box and bowls , and whatever blanket and toys are his , and smell like home , and put him in a room .
the room you sleep in is best ( seeing you so relaxed that you are sleeping will send the message that everything is OK ) , but others will work just as well .
close the door , and keep him in there for a week .
he will feel much safer in that one room , than in a huge unknown house .
he will explore the room , mark everything with his cheek , and try to make it feel like his territory .
he will reassure himself that no other animal is in there , and that no other animal will come in - he is afraid that he is in someone else 's territory when he is in a new house .
in a week 's time , he will have made it his , and will be getting more bored than afraid .
let him out for half an hour , to explore .
then put him back in .
he will be freaked out , so going back to his territory will make him much happier .
extend the time he is out each day , but for the first month , always put him in his room at night , so he feels safe to sleep .
soon he will make the whole house his , but he needs that one safe place to start from .
remember to visit with him while he is in the room , and tell him how good he is .
remember to give him the time he needs to feel that the room is his - rush it , and he will be afraid of the whole house for a long time .
he might even start peeing on things in fear .
good luck with your new house and with his new territory !
Let her explore when we moved my cat had to explore the entire house before she felt comfortable .
In time though she / he will adjust . :)
they just do it on their own .
I just adopted a 2 year old male German Shepherd with Major bad behaviors ?
Last night , I adopted a 2 year old Male German Shepherd .
( He is 92 pounds ) He does not listen to any commands , but my major problem is that he will not go outside on command , or even with me .
I will walk outside and he will stand at the door and stare at me or run away .
My other MAJOR problem is that he will not get in his crate .
I will get a treat and try to get him in there that way , it wo nt work .
He wo nt even get close to the crate .
If I come towards him , he will run away .
How do I train him to feel comfortable in his crate ?
and to willingly go outside ... and to come on command .
He wo nt do anything on command .
It s very frustrating .
I have a 9 month old German Shepherd that I raised from a puppy .
I trained her myself .
She is crate trained , potty trained , and can sit , lay down , stay , come , fetch , and will even stay in a down position while I throw a treat across the floor or even right next to her paw , and she wo nt get it until I give her the command .
Yes , lots of time and lots of patients ...
I just do nt know how to do it with a grown dog .
She tosses me around like it s nothing !
... but basically , what I do is the same thing I did with my puppy ... lots of patience , lots of time , lots of praise , lots of treats , and lots of repition .... Right ?
Is there any tricks I could use ?
Maybe get a book on training .
You have to be in command at all times .
There are ways to get your new dog used to the crate or going out .
I would start with a leash .
Put the leash on the dog and just walk around the crate a few times .
Then take the leash off and do nothing else but that .
Later do it again .
When the dog is ok with this , then open the door and walk around the crate , leave the door open all the time .
Put something fun inside .
Let your dog go in when he wants to for no reason .
Do not shut the door .
Let him walk in and out for a few days .
At some point he will feel ok with this and you can then close the door but not for long at all .
Open the door and let him out and see how he acts .
If you push it , it will never work .
With going outside , put the leash on and just take him for a walk .
He will learn to really like this .
Potty outside will come at some point .
Try obedience classes .
Have patience with him , you just got him and who knows how he was treated before you brought him home .
where can I find the best tours to the Mekong Delta at reasonable prices ?
will only be in Ho chi Minh for 4 days and I am looking for a 1 day or 2 day trip to Mekong delta .
I have been researching on line and find things are quite pricey but the tours look great .
Should I just settle and book on line ?
or is it better if I wait till I get there ?
If I wait , would the tours I find there for less money be the same quality type tours ?
Also , any tour recommendations would be very helpful a well .
Thank you !
If you want reliable and inexpensive ... try Sinh Cafe / Tourist .
The are located right at 248 De Than St. in the heart of the back packer district .
I have taken this tour and it was great .
I did an overnight in a home stay that was sweet and the water market was wonderful .
I do n't remember the exact cost but remember thinking how inexpensive it was .
Also , Sinh Cafe has been around for a long time and is very reputable .
And no , I do not work for them . :)
I am just a satisfied customer .
And do n't expect to party on this tour .
The south is not like the regular tourist towns .
Very few clubs and night activities .
Oh , if you are confused .
Sinh Cafe is not a Cafe .
It is a tour agency and they have their own buses etc .
tele # 84838389593
have fun .
There is n't much to see in the delta , it 's a lifestyle not a resort area .
If you 're adventurous you can take a bus or water taxi to My Tho ( near where we live ) or Can Tho .
From either of those cities , you can venture out and spend a day in the country .
Most of the tourists that I 've come across buy tours along the My Tho waterfront .
You take a boat across the river , then spend a day biking , eating at a local restaurant , buying souvenirs and doing other things that are geared towards tourists .
The countryside is very beautiful , especially if you have a few months ( or years ) to get to know the place .
PS , If you make it to Thanh Pho Ben Tre , stay a night at my friend Ken 's hotel .
It 's called Kiwi Heaven and it 's across the river from Cho Ben Tre .
It 's a little hard to get to by foot , they 're rebuilding the bridge , but you can get someone to moto - taxi you there for a dollar or less .
He 's an ex-pat from New Zealand and he 's been in town for awhile .
He 'll set up a real tour of the area for you , not some tourist fantasy .
Have a good trip where - ever you end up .
We went with Intrepid as a part of their North to South Vietnam Trip , but they do offer this one day separately .
We had a great time and visited a location where they made coconut candies , visited a local restaurant which was attached to a fish farm , rode in modified quad bikes and had some tropical food at what appeared to be a local hangout .
Intrepid is good at getting you away from the most touristy spots and showing you something a little different .
yoga and horses ..... ?
I got a riding lesson today on one of my boss 's fino horses and it made me realize just how unsteady my left leg is .
I mentioned it to my boss and she said to start doing yoga .
But there are just so many poses and programs !
Any good poses or programs ( I 'm willing to buy a dvd as long as it is under $ 20 ) to help specifically with leg stabilization ?
I just have a few issues supporting my back and my left leg flops .
Because I do n't feel like spending over $ 20 on a freakin DVD
I also have back problems that transfer into my legs .
I have done Yoga for riders for a while , a 20 minute routine I found on YouTube ( I think it s called " Yoga for horse back riding " hosted by a man ) It helped with noticing slight differences in my balance and weight distribution but not really for the way I use my legs and back .
Here is what I do now and it really helps ....
When I first get on I take 1 leg and pull it back up to touch my butt with my heel and hold it there for 1 lap at a walk around a large dressage arena .
Then the same thing with the other leg .
Then 1 lap at a walk around the arena with both my legs pulled out as far as I can , so they are not touching the saddle .
Then a lap doing scissors , one leg forward as far as I can and the other back , then switch legs .
I 'll also trot doing , down 2 beats , up one for a wile , then up 2 down 1 making sure the weight is going into the balls of my feet .
If the weight is going into your heels ( it throws your leg forward ) put the stirrups up against the heel of your boot .
Do a nice working trot , not a slow trot .
All this will help you use both legs evenly , keep proper contact and use your wight correctly , to keep your leg in a good position .
BTW you do nt want your leg locked in place , it will move WITH the horse a bit .
When I first started doing it I 'd do it every day .
Now I just do it once or twice a week or as needed .
Now not only is my leg better , but my back is relaxing .
what are you having problems with ?
i would n't bother with yoga i 'd practice more with riding and fixing my problem , ride bareback , with no irons , there s also a way to ride on your knees ?
that help alot with your thigh muscles ( bareback though )
ya i really would n't bother with the yoga
maybe a back brase will help , sometimes my back really gets to me and i 've thought about getting one .
with your leg flopping , just try putting all your weight in your heel and hang on with only your legs , holding my leg back helps me with flopping the more it 's forward the more it flops :/ work your calf muscles , maybe try standing on the edge of your steps ( on the ball of your foot ) and balance to strengthen those muscles
You do n't want to spend more than $ 20 and yet you have an expensive hobby like riding horses ?
I really ca n't help you .
What to feed my dog after gastroenteritis ?
My dog has been sick for about 3 days now .
He has been having diarheya everywhere and he began to vomit last night .
I thought it would pass until he started to vomit blood and would nt drink any water .
I took him to the Animal Hospital and they ran blood work and everything came back normal .
No pancreatitis or anything abnormal .
The vet said it was gastroenteritis and gave him fluids under his skin , an injection of nausea medication along with some take home antibiotics .
So my question is ..
Is it normal for dogs to throw up blood while having gastroenteritis ?
and will these antibiotics help ?
I have tryed to give him water but he wo nt take it .. what should i do ?
i do nt want him to get dehydrated and also should i try to give him a little bit of food ?
... Some help would be great .
thank you :)
They did nt take x - rays they offered them but i just could nt afford any more treatment .
I feel like shit for saying that but after what they have done already i wo nt be buying grocerys for the next few weeks .
I will give them and call and see what they say .
Thank you for the help .
Ok so i spoke to the vet and he said the give him white rice and boiled chicken but only a little at a time .
Seince he recieved the fluids last night he said not to worry about drinking water for at least a couple of days .
I went home at lunch to check on him and he is doing 1000 etter he was actually walkin around and wagin his tail :) thanks everbody for the info it s greatly appreciated .
To answer your questions in order :
1 ) It is not normal for dogs to be vomiting , much less to have blood in it .
However , if they have been vomiting numerous times , then the blood could be due to irritation of the stomach and intestines .
He could also have Parvovirus , a GI foreign body , or any number of things .
Did your vet take radiographs ( x - rays ) ?
2 ) Your vet would not prescribe them if they did n't think it would be helpful .
3 ) If he shows no interest in water , then take him back to your vet .
It could be due to nausea or any number of things .
He could become severly dehydrated ( especially if he continues to vomit and have diarrhea ) .
From there you end up with electrolyte imbalances , which can lead to heart and kidney problems .
And being dehydrated , vomiting , and having diarrhea just does n't feel good .
4 ) Call your vet .
They should have discussed a bland diet with you , including the frequency of feeding and how much to feed at each sitting .
It sounds like your dog may benefit from being hospitalized , and put on IV fluids to help his hydration , administer the antibiotics IV , and to ensure that he starts to recover .
You should ABSOLUTELY call your veterinarian back immediately to clarify anything you have questions about .
They have seen your pet , and are most aware of his condition .
No one online will be able to assist you more than your vet can .
You need to ask your vet these questions .
Boiled WHITE rice and boiled chicken breast .
Bland food .
NO SPICES !
My vet told me when a dog is vomiting a lot , it could be a sign of obstruction .
Did they do any x - rays ?
I do n't know if vomiting blood is common with this ailment .
You should call your vet now and ask them what is normal or not .
French dating etiquette ?
I would really love to hear what the French or those who had dated the French to say something about this .
I 'm in my 20's and currently studying in France .
Coming from an anglo - saxon country my version of dating is ' getting the number , asking her out , etc. . '
However , I 've read on the internet that the French dating etiquette is totally different .
For them , dating would normally be meeting in groups or parties , then pairing off .
In addition , from my understanding one - on - one dates is something that comes much later and not ' straight - away ' like us anglo - saxons .
They are also very secretive about being in a relationship .
They only ' go out in the open ' once they have reached a certain level of seriousness .
Is it true ?
I have told a French girl I liked her , and she accepted .
She is friendly when we see each other on campus .
She is also nicer when we are both alone .
However , when we are at parties or when they are people around she seems to ignore me .
She also seems to hate it whenever I ask her out on a date , to the point she said stop !
My mind thinks she has no interest in me and just stringing me along .
But the articles I read seemed to say the contrary .
Have I just fallen victim in a cultural trap ?
What you have read in the internet is fairly accurate but of course it does not fit all scenarios .
You are not French for a start , so the " rules " or " customs " may not apply to you when it comes to entering into a relationship between people from different backgrounds .
From what you say the messages given by this girl are quite clear .
She is not stringing you along since she is actually discouraging you and is honest enough to tell you to stop asking her out .
She is just being friendly in public because she does not want to offend you and she treats you like any other friend .
You said you liked her and she accepted it as a truth and perhaps as a compliment , but it does not mean she fancies you or wants to pair off with you .
At parties she does not want to be considered in any way attached to you , which is consistent .
Take the messages for what they are : she has no objection in you being pals at uni , but she does not want to take matters further .
Non ! means " non " , not " I might consider it , and I will keep you attached to my apron strings just in case . "
Christiane gave you a good answer .
You have fallen in a cultural misunderstanding .
What I have to add is that it is normal in France to have mixed gender groups of friends , there 's nothing unusual in boys and girls being only friends , which is obviously what this girl wants from you .
She probably finds your company pleasing as a friend but you are not her choice a a boyfriend and she is trying to keep it on a friendship level , and trying to make you understand that she does n't want to go further .
If she is nicer when you are alone I 'd say it is because in public view she is making sure that people do not think that you might be her boyfriend .
You do find the ' get the number hop in bed with her ' but be aware that they usually have a reputation as sluts .
Unfair for the girl as boys do n't have that kind of handicap , but that 's the way our own rules work .
Should have done research before you left .
Why not just take your chances and do it your way ?
True or false : being a young New Zealander means having no future ?
There are no jobs in this country .
I 'm just trying to make up my mind whether I should move to Australia or seek work in the sex industry .
Is there a future for our nation 's youth ?
@ Ryan B ,
I 'm two years into an undergraduate degree .
Everybody I know at university intends to stay at uni for as long as possible until there are actually jobs available .
Everybody seems to flee this country and move overseas , to Australia , etc .
There 's obviously a reason for that ( lack of employment , low incomes , etc . )
Your answer does n't do anything but remind me that I 'm going to be $ 25,000 in debt by the time I 'm 22 .
So , thanks .
@ W.a.b.b.y ,
I really like you're answer .
it 's very logical .
I 've also considered becoming a teacher , but it 's not a job I 'm cut out for .
I also wish I 'd applied for a scholarship .
I did n't think I 'd be awarded one , but I received the Dux Litterarum award at high school , so my chances were probably better than I thought they were .
Obviously I 'm still completely stupid though .
I mean , I was n't smart enough to apply for a scholarship .
And yes , I am being melodramatic .
Lol .
@ Hatmanone ,
* gasps * So I would n't make a good prostitute ?
Are you saying I 'm bad in bed ?
How would you know ?
Joking .
Your answer is very sweet , but I 'm not compassionate towards teenage high school students .
A little mellow dramatic ?
In my opinion , far too many people are at university studying worthless degrees .
Yes things like philosophy and fashion design are interesting , but how many jobs are out there for someone with these qualifications ?
I 'm studying to be a teacher , so I know that there will definitely be jobs out there when I 'm done .
I may have to live somewhere rural or in Auckland , but at least I can be pretty sure I 'll be employable .
I 've also got a bachelor s degree so I can go back and do further study or take a different profession .
I also know that you do n't get paid that much more in Australia than you do here .
And it 's not all about how much you earn , cost of living is much higher in many cities in Australia .
Try living in Sydney on a teacher 's salary , then compare it to somewhere like Central Otago .
You also have to put up with all the annoying accents in Australia .
It 's probably not a wise idea to keep studying and having a massive student loan .
At the moment there 's no interest , but that 'll probably change .
And they 'll probably add interest to what you 've already racked up .
And they 're working towards being able to extradite people who have left the country to avoid paying it back .
At the moment if you move overseas you can only come back to New Zealand for a short amount of time before they 'll force you cough up .
And all that time you 're overseas you 'll be racking up interest .
I would n't like not having the option to return to NZ .
I guess I 'm extremely fortunate that I received a scholarship which paid about 800 f my course fees through my degree .
But I worked hard and I 'm still working hard .
There are far too many lazy people out there who think that they can sit around a job will fall in their lap .
My 2 c. ....
Get an education !
I 'm doing fine .
Whilst youth jobs are thin on the ground , do n't assume it 's better in Oz .
People have been fleeing this country at roughly a plane load per week for the past 20 + years , so it 's not anything new .
It depends on what you hunger for .
700 f jobs are n't advertised .
That means making yourself known ; that means networking .
why does my baby king snake refuse to eat ?
i have a baby eastern king snake .
i have tried EVERYTHING i can to get him to eat but he refuses .
he has a great environment , with water and lots of hiding places and a heat lamp .
as far as i know , everything is as good as it can be where his aquarium is concerned .
according to the vet , he is healthy and looks good .
he has been going to the bathroom like he should .
( i know that snakes that have problems going to the bathroom wo n't eat . )
he has been drinking water ( i am pretty sure he has been drinking it out of his bowl , but also i have been feeding him water and he does n't ever give me a problem with that - i just stick his head near the water and he sucks it down . )
i handle him every few days .
he is feisty , as most king snakes are , but he is a very nice little guy - he never tries to bite or anything .
i just love him to death .
i do n't know why he wo n't eat though !
i have tried feeding him 5 or 6 live pinkies and 4 or 5 frozen ( thawed ) pinkies .
i have never tried feeding him a pinky that was bigger around than he is .
i have tried putting him in a small container and putting him in a dark place for an hour or so and he wo n't touch the pinky .
he crawls on top of them but does not try to eat them .
he does n't seem to know that they are food .
i have tried " braining " both live and dead pinkies , and bloodying them up to get his attention , but he does n't care .
i have tried dipping both live and thawed pinkies in tuna juice , and in used gerbil bedding .
i have bought some long reptile feeding tweezers and have tried holding the pinky in front of the snake 's face .
he wo nt even try to bite .
i am very discouraged and sad and i do n't know what to do .
he has n't eaten in an entire month .
i 've only tried to feed him one at a time .
he 's just a tiny baby , about the width of a pencil .
do babies this small hibernate ?
When you feed him how many pinkies do you feed him ?
If you feed him too many he could just not be hungry .
If he does n't seem interested in them at all I would say he 's just not hungry .
My boyfriend has one and when she 's hungry she attacks the pinkie right away .
They can smell it so i 'm sure he knows what it is and just do n't want it .
Remember snakes can go a while without eating .
In the winter , they will usually go deep underground and enter a hibernation - like state called brumation , which is characterized by a slowed metabolism and reduced activity .
King snakes sometimes stop eating , particularly during the cooler part of the year .
They have a natural instinct to hibernate .
If the snake is not pregnant or shedding , and its enclosure is properly equipped , a loss of appetite probably signals a beginning of hibernation .
Hibernation is natural , and a necessity for snakes that are going to be bred .
Another thing that can cause a king snake to stop eating is shedding .
You can tell when your king snake is about to shed , because its eyes will get milky looking .
Its body will be dull looking , too .
In a few days the snake will begin to shed its skin .
For example , some snakes will routinely go off their food in both the summer and winter , feeding mainly in spring and fall .
It 's natural and so long as you do n't see any serious deterioration in their health is nothing to worry about .
You see , some snakes for no obvious reason will simply go off their food .
They 're fit and healthy and their care is suitable .
hope this helped .
That 's why it 's good to have a python !
It 's twice my size and eats a rabbit once a month .
are my two cats fighting or playing ?
how rough is too rough ?
help !?
i have a 1 and a half year old male neutered cat and a new 2 month old spayed female kitten .
the first night i brought her home i did the sniffing under the door thing and left it at that .
the next day i let her out of the bedroom so they could check each other out , and the kitten hissed twice within the first 20 minutes of meeting each other and now she no longer hisses and they have been playing ( chasing each other up and down the hall , rolling around on the ground and pawing at each other ) .
only once it looked like my male cat was biting at her neck and then her stomach and she was meowing fairly loud and hissed once then he backed off and now they are fine .
were they roughhouse playing ?
or were they actually fighting ?
he has been " biting " at her neck and stomach previously while they play without her meowing or anything so i m wondering if he went a little to far that one time .
any answers help !!!!!!
you did not leave the new kitten in the room long enough .
you need to do that for a least a week , or else this type of territorial fighting will happen .
giving the new kitten her own small territory will help her to feel safe and will give her a place to go to when scared .
right now , your male is fighting off an intruder , and he feels that all of the house is his .
put her back in the room , and keep the door closed for a week .
then let her out for ten minutes .
make it fifteen the next day , then twenty , and so on .
this will do two things ; the new kitten will rub her cheek on the furniture in her room , making it her territory .
she will start to calm down and feel safe - you can bet she does n't now .
she knows she is invading someone else 's territory , but ca n't help it , and has no where to go .
she will be able to sleep without being afraid .
as well , your male will be able to see that his territory is not threatened .
when the door opens , he will get that the one room is hers , and he will be OK with that .
the territory thing will be solved .
your male is hurting her to put her in her place - biting her scruff is dominance and biting the belly is a move cats use when hunting - to pull the guts out of their prey .
this is not good .
give them time to set up their territories , and once you bring the new kitten out , pay a lot of attention to the male .
you have brought someone else into his territory , and he needs to be reminded that you still love him , and support his claim to his space .
that will help to reassure him , and he will be less aggressive with her .
when they play fight , they do n't hiss .
if they hiss , they are not playing .
if they bite , and one cries , you must separate them , and you must keep an eye on them .
hissing is OK , unless they start to fight .
if that happens , separate them , and give them time apart .
putting the girl in her territory will make her feel less afraid , and she will relax .
good luck !
A hiss is basically a " get the f*ck away " sound .
It means they 've gone too far .
When they start bleeding that means they 're really fighting .
If they 're going kinda slow and like fake biting ( not biting as hard as they can ) , and fake scratching ( not hitting as hard as they can with their paws ) then they 're playing .
I have two cats , and at first they hissed at each other because cats are very territorial , but now they do fight and play .
The difference is when the cat hisses , that means they are annoyed and they want the other cat to go away .
That means they are fighting .
When they are just jumping at each other and their tails are wagging that means that they are playing .
I can see how you get confused though . :)
What was the goal for North Vietnam in the Tet offensive ?
When Johnson deployed troops in 1964 he was advised by the military it would take a half - million troops about ten years to pacify South Vietnam .
He refused to believe them and ordered the military to win the war within two to three years ( before the next election in 1968 ) .
He did not give them the number of troops they requested .
This left Westmoreland with few options , so he adapted a Search and Destroy strategy instead of a Clear and Defend strategy which is , in the long run , the preferred method of pacifying an insurgency .
Thing is , it worked .
The ARVN was not having a big problem with the Local VC ( the guerilla movement ) , they were being challenged by the Main Force VC ( which was light infantry ) and the North Vietnamese Army ( NVA ) .
When the Americans swept in with their Search and Destroy operations the Communists quickly leaned they could not stand up to the US firepower , and these regular troops were forced to flee the country and take sanctuary across the borders in Laos and Cambodia .
All those sunny reports about the progress in Vietnam were correct , the Communists WERE being defeated .
However , Johnson would not let the military cross the borders and clean out the Communist bases .
He was warned that they were building up a huge Army and would eventually launch an attack , but he ignored his military advisers .
The Communists agreed .
They could not defeat the Americans .
However , what they hoped to do during the Tet Offensive was to sneak past the Americans and attack the ARVN in the urban areas where they were deployed doing successful Clear and Defend operations .
The Communists thought they could defeat the ARVN , cause the fall of the South Vietnamese government , and the people would than rally to the Communist cause and leave the Americans stranded in a sea of angry peasants .
THAT WAS THE PLAN .
What happened ?
The Americans detected the attempt to infiltrate the urban areas and were already redeploying troops from the rural areas .
The ARVN rushed back from holiday leave and counterattacked .
Within 24 hours every Communist assault had been defeated except in the ancient capital of Hue .
The government did NOT fall .
And the South Vietnamese people ?
When give the ultimate choice , they rallied …
TO THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT ….
Tet was a huge military and political disaster for the Communists .
They were chased back into Laos and Cambodia with the ARVN in hot pursuit .
The people rejected their attempt to topple the government , and for all intents and purposes the US military ( and the ARVN ) handed Johnson the victory he had ordered them to achieve within the time - frame he ordered it .
All he had to do for a complete victory was allow the military to go into Laos and Cambodia and finish off the shattered Communist forces .
But Johnson was so obtuse he did n’t understand he had a victory when it was handed to him on a silver platter .
Instead he pulled the military off , stopped the bombing of North Vietnam , withdrew from the presidential race , and spent the rest of his term in office trying to surrender to North Vietnam .
They screwed up by not accepting his surrender when he offered it .
The American people were NOT having any of it , and elected Richard Nixon to fix the mess LBJ had made ( not to surrender like the antiwar movement was demanding ) .
In the end Nixon kept his promise for “ … peace with honor …. ”
But that ’s another question .
To emancipate the south , but it was a serious failure .
To make the war unpalatable to the American public .
In that , they pretty much succeeded .
Before Tet , the war was unpopular but tolerable to the majority of Americans in that the loss of American lives was seen as the cost of subduing the VC and NVA .
Tet made it clear that the war was a long way from being over if the Americans thought they could preserve the South and that the North was perfectly willing to suffer great losses to continue their fight .
There is a very good book on the subject that was written by General Vo Nguyen Giap .
Try google to find the title if you would like to read it .
Bearded dragon question ... ?
I just bought a baby one yesterday .
I have a basking spot lamp that says it is a double reflector that focuses 35 % more light / heat and provides beneficial UVA rays important to the psycholical well - being of him .
My question is does that mean it gives him not only the heat , but the " sun rays " he needs ?
I also was wondering how long should this light be on .
The lady at pet smart said 4 hours , but on places on the net it says 10 to 12 hours .
He 's getting used to his new home , but has n't eatin yet .
I have bearded dragon juvenile food and freeze - dried crickets .
Any advice would be greatly appreciated .
Thank you for your time .
Let me try to break this down as simply as I can : diurnal ( active during the day time ) reptiles like the bearded dragon require 3 types of " light , " UVA , UVB , and heat .
Any white light emitting light source will emit UVA , including heat bulbs , that 's the easy one to provide for .
UVB on the other hand can only be reproduced by a fluorescent source .
UVB will always be a separate bulb from the heat lamp , unless you use a MVB ( mercury vapor bulb ) which is the only reptile use bulb that will emit both UVB and heat from one bulb .
I highly recommend that you do not use coiled / compact UVB bulbs as they are known to cause severe eye damage and / or blindness in reptiles not to mention they have trouble maintaining UVB output over time .
The long tube UVB bulbs are best , like Zoomed 's Repsitun model : http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/uvb-fluorescent-lights-mercury-vapor-bulbs/-/zoo-med-24-repti-sun-100-fluorescent-bulb/ Remember to replace UVB bulbs according to the manufacturer s recommendation after which time the bulb will no longer produce UVB even if visible light still is .
So , to answer your question , no , if you just have a bulb that says it produces UVA then you do not have " the sun 's rays " that your bearded needs .
You need to also provide a source a UVB lighting .
The person at Petsmart is very wrong ; in fact it is always a good idea to second guess what most pet store employees tell you ; they do n't have the best track record regarding giving reliable pet care info .
UVB and basking temp ( should be about 110 F for a baby , 95 F for an adult ) should be available for 10 - 12 hours a day .
Freeze dried food is not a good staple food source ; you need to offer live feeder insects .
Bearded dragons are sight hunters , they need to see the food move to trigger a feeding response , especially when they are babies .
Live food is also higher in nutritional value than freeze dried .
Crickets , silk worms , phoenix worms , and various feeder roaches , like red - lobster , turkistan , and dubia , are good example of staple insects to offer your bearded .
Wax worms and meal worms should only be offered as treat items , for variety 's sake .
I would highly recommend that you read through some reliable bearded guides to make sure you have everything set up correctly :
http://herp-info.webs.com/beardeddragon.htm
http://www.beardeddragon.org/articles/caresheet/?page=1
mm it depends on the size of his tank or cage or whatever you have him in .. atleast as far as i 'm concerned .
if there are shady areas he can move to ( for example a 3 x 5 x 4 tank with light on one side ) then you can leave it on a full 12 - 14 hours , if it s a small tank and he ca n't escape the light then 4 - 6 at most at a time though quite possibly 4 - 6 hours at a time twice a day .
either way you also need to keep an eye on the temperature if you are using a dry fish tank as UV lights in my experience up the temperature significantly and without proper ventilation it can become an oven .
as to what the light provides it gives UV rays .. which is important for health in lizards as it is in humans .
That lady at PetSmart is a disgrace to the rest of us PetSmart associates ... sheesh .
Yes , it gives him the " sun rays " necessary , that 's what UVA is .
And it should be on 10 - 12 hours , just like the sun would be up for 10 - 12 hours in his natural environment .
As for the heat , just be sure to use a thermometer .
Also , Beardies often do not eat food that is not moving , so it s anyone 's guess whether or not he 'll touch the freeze - dried crickets or the processed food .
I tell all my customers they can try it , but do n't count on it .
Also try green leafy veggies , like kale and spinach .
Best of luck !
Is a finch or a parakeet better ?
I am making a christmas list for my parents and i was going to ask for a bird and these are the affordable ones that i like , and i was wondering : which would not bite alot , and which are more fun to have as pets AND I NEED TO KNOW WHICH WOULD BE QUIETEST i honestly do nt care but my family does !
Please help me !
oh and please say y one is better thx !!!!!!
Hi there ,
Please choose the parakeet ...
Here s my reason .....
I did the same thing that you did for christmas .
I ended up getting a pair of zebra finches for christmas .
At first it was all cool and all .
They were chirping and doing their every day business .
After a couple of weeks I got tired of them .
They are quite messy and you can not hold or pet them .
I ve tried to tame them and they just would not get tamed .
They do nt want to be held or touched .
I want a bird that I can hold and do tricks .
I still have them and they are doing well .
A couple of months after I got parakeets / budgies .
They are adorable they have beautiful colors and personality .
I love them .
First of all they are very tame .
I tamed them in 4 days .
They can do tricks and they are nt messy .
The whole family loves them .
My parents even plays with them .
They are a big part of our family .
I hope this helps you with your decision .
They are both about the same noise level .
When choosing a parakeet look for a young one .
( the younger the eaiser to tame ) Look for clean smooth feathers , beak , and clean vent feathers ( the feathers around the butt .. dirty vent feathers means the bird is not healthy ) Look for a dark eye with no circles ( the older ones have a circle ring in their eyes ) .
Look for a lot of stripes in their head that starts from the beak and goes back to the back fo the bird .
the stripes are like hair the less stipes the older .
( think of a balding man lol ) Look for clean feathers .
If you want a boy the cere ( the nostrils piece above the beak ) must be blue .
The girl has either pink or brown .
I would recommend that you get two parakeets .
But get either one male and one female , or two males .
Do not get two females .
They sometimes do nt get along ( you know how some girls are lol hahahaahh but for real though , two girls tend to fight a lot .
I have one yellow girl and a green and yellow boy .
They are the best !
If you choose to get a parakeet this is a trick that I used to tame them .
However if you plan on getting one , then get more than one at the same time they need company .
My mom told me how to tame them and I was very happy with the results .
It took me 4 days to get the new one to be able to step on and eat out of my hand .
These are the steps I used .
Honestly they have worked for me twice with my parakeets .
Hopefully they will work for you .
1 ) When you get the bird , place him or her or them in the cage .
Leave them in there with food and water and such for about 2 hours .
2 ) Then place you hand in the cage .
I took the cage and place it next to the couch .
Then I sat on the couch , placed one hand in the cage , holding a millet spray .
( this way the will associate your hand with food , and birds love food lol ) Then I turned on the tv and watch .
This way they will see that your hand is good and it s not going to grab them or hurt them .
Do this for about one hour .
( you can take breaks if you have too ) and repeat the steps after about 2 hours .
3 ) After about day 2 , they will start to eating the millet spray from your hand .
( do not take away the food dish from the birds , they will associate you as the person who takes away their food ) ....
Then take your finger and place it under their belly , in front of their feet and say up .
Push you finger to their feet gently and say up .
( the first couple of times they will fly all over the cage but as long as you do nt jump back or screem they will get used to you ) They will have no choice but to go on your finger .
When they see that you ar nt harming them , the will go up on your finger when you say up .
4 ) If they are not going up by now you just got ta keep trying and keep trying .
Do not hit , yell , or harm them .
You have patience .
Do nt give up !
After a couple of weeks mines knows when I say shoulder it means ot go on my sholder , when I say up it means to jump up on my finger , when I say up and out it means up on my finger and out of the cage .
and when I say go home it means to go in the cage .
Good luck !
They worked for me and I hope they worked for you !
They are awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And that s my reason why you should choose a parakeet over a finch .
a parakeet is friendlier
Parakeet .
They are normally quiet and it is easy to take care of them .
They are also friendly .
I have a parakeet named Cookie . :P
When is the best time to travel to Ireland ?
My sister and I would like to go to Ireland .
I graduate in the spring , and so we 'd like to go between then and winter .
We do n't want too many tourists , and since we 'll both be out of school we can go anytime between the middle of June to early November .
We do n't want it to be too cold ( not sure when exactly there fall is ... or what the weather is really like there during our autumn months ) , but we do n't feel like we need to go right in the middle of summer either .
We 're both in our early 20s and just wanting to explore the beautiful country while we 're still young and before our lives start to get even crazier !
Can anyone give me an idea of when the best time for us to go to Ireland would be ?
People do not go to Ireland on holiday for the weather , it is unpredictable .
One thing you can be sure of about Irish weather is how little you can be sure of .
It may be shirtsleeves and sunglasses in February , but winter woollies in March and even during the summer .
And then there ’s the rain .
Ireland receives a lot of rain , with certain areas getting a soaking as many as 270 days of the year .
County Kerry is the worst affected .
The southeast is the driest , enjoying a more continental climate .
The Irish weather works on the ‘ four seasons in a day ’ principle , which basic­ally means that you ca n’t predict a thing when it comes to the behaviour of the sky .
Some basic assumptions , however , can be made .
In summer , from May to July , the days are reasonably warm and – most importantly – very long : at the height of summer you wo n’t need to turn on lights until after 10 pm .
It is also peak tourist season , which means there are far more people just about everywhere but the most remote corners of the island , and prices are at their highest .
Not surprisingly , most of the yearly festivals occur during these times so as to take advantage of the crowds and the more favourable weather .
Spring ( February to April ) and Autumn ( August to October ) make good alternatives , although the country ’s ever - growing popularity as a tourist destination can often blur the lines between mid - and high - season tourism .
Still , you have a better chance of some peace and quiet , and the weather can be surprisingly better in April and September than in mid-July – again , it ’s all part of the uncertainty principle .
Spring festivities include the ever - popular St Patrick ’s Festival .
Although temperatures do not often venture below freezing , winter ( December to February ) can be brutal , for huge parts of the country – the west and northwest in particular .
Crowds are at their thinnest , but many of the country ’s tourist attractions and services close down in October and do n’t reopen until Easter , which paradoxically leaves visitors with a more convincing taste of how Ireland is experienced by most of the Irish : it ’s cold , grey and dark by 5 pm , but there ’s always a pub to escape into when the rain starts sheeting down .
The thing to do is to bring the right clothing with you , clothes so you can layer up if it is cold and take off layers when it warms up .
Waterproof clothing and footwear are essential plus an umbrella ..
As that famous Scotsman Billy Connolly says " there is no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothes "
Afraid I can not be more helpful , it is really a case of pot luck , although as the weather is so changeable often a cold wet morning will turn into a lovely warm sunny afternoon and evening or visa versa .
If you mean the Republic of Ireland ( Dublin ) then anytime .
The summer there is much more mild than most of the US ( are you coming from the US ? ) .
Their seasons are the same as all the countries in the Northern Hemisphere but I would suggest fall .
It does get pretty cold in Ireland so going before winter is your best bet .
September for example .
Rent a car and spend a couple days outside of Dublin seeing the countryside and you will have the trip of a lifetime .
To explore the beautiful countryside you will need to be old enough to hire a car because public transport is expensive & only goes as far as the main towns / cities , most rural places do n't have a bus or train service .
You could stay in a city & get a bus tour to say the Cliffs of Moher or Dingle peninsula but you will be with all the other tourists .
By definition most tourists will go to the best places so you might have to put up with a few tourists along the way .
Best weather the past couple of years has been around late April - late May but it can pour with rain for days on end at any time of the year so be prepared with waterproof jackets / boots etc .
We only had a few sunny days this summer , barely 24 C on a few occasions , more like 14 C most days .
We used our BBQ on precisely 4 occasions .
Autumn is from mid August onwards as far as the weather goes if not officially according to the calender .
The days start to shorten & it gets even wetter , windier & colder .
We had frosts in October so I would n't advise visiting late in the year to be honest , Spring time is your best bet .
You do realise it is quite expensive to visit Ireland ?
You are going to need a few thousand dollars saved up for flights , insurance , food , accommodation & spending money .
Eating out in particular is quite expensive compared to America I believe .
Golden Wonder KilliFish Breeding Help ?
I have 4 Golden Wonder Killifish .
1 of them is really colorful and is about 6 cm long .
2 of them are kinda whitish and are about 4 - 5 cm long .
The last one is colourful too but it is about 4 cm long .
I feed them Flakes , and Live Earthworms uncut everyday .
Can you tell me the whole process of breeding them and taking care of the babies ?
Thanks in Advance .
Wow !
If they are able to take earthworms uncut , that is really impressive !
I aspire to your feeding regime , flakes early and something live later in the day .
Worms ( and Daphnia ) are also rich in Lipids , substances important in forming eggs and growing young .
I think that you understand that your largest and smallest golden wonders are males .
If you would like more on sexing out Aplocheilus lineatus take a look at the discussion in the first source below .
If you have plants in your tank .
your lineatus are already spawning .
If conditions are favorable ( 78 - 82 F ) and the fish are obviously well fed as yours are , they will spawn .
( I 've even had a pair of killies leave eggs on a floating thermometer !
If you wish to pick eggs make a acrylic spawning mop .
Check out the second source .
I prefer darker colors because I can see their eggs , more easily and the fish look better next to them .
Use a well rinsed medicine vial , a cork , new fishing bobber or even a piece of non-crumbly styrofoam to float them .
There are a couple ways one could spawn lineatus - mop spawning & water incubating them for two weeks , picking eggs from a mop & putting them in a tray of treated , seasoned water or setting up the parents in a planted tank & moving them so the fry can hatch out there .
If you have the room to separate the male ( s ) & females ( s ) , & feed them well on live foods , ( assuming that you are doing weekly 50 % water changes ) when you put them together they will leave a lot more eggs .
Just making up examples , but if a pair is constantly together , they may lay 10 - 15 eggs a day .
With extra blackworms and maybe frozen ( defrosted , rinsed ) frozen foods earlier in the day , they may leave 30 - 40 eggs at a time .
Separated and feed extremely nourishing stuff , they may produce more .
Separating a pair some time before a show ( killies are usually shown & judged & often sold as pairs ) will encourage them to court and show their best colors .
They also start the day with no nicks or dings in their fins .
The water changes help with that too .
You also may need to treat the incubation water .
The chlorine and ammonia ( choramine ) are not good for the eggs .
Ironically sometimes it is wise to leave the newly picked eggs in fresh tap water with some chlorination to kill microscopic critters that ride in with the eggs .
THEN put the eggs in water treated a couple of days before with a water treatment and left open to " breathe " .
Leaving a jar with a dozen black worms in it will sate the adult 's desire for snacks and they are more likely to leave fry or eggs alone .
If a pair is n't leaving eggs ... check the following :
1 . Is a tank mate ( such as another female killie or a Cory or large snails ) rating the eggs ?
2 . Have we kept up with partial water changes ?
3 . Is there too much mineral in the water ?
Aplo. lineatus are wide - spread over southern India .
That indicates that they thrive in different water chemistries .
Still if you can get your pet shop to do a hardness or TDS ( total Dissolved Solids ) test , that may give you a hint .
Winging it a little here , a hardness of 100 to nearly 200 PPM ( parts per million ) or 5.8 to 10.6 DH should be fine for gardneri .
TDS meters ( the thrifty aquarist 's hardness meter can be used if one has seen one of your municipal water department 's annual reports .
They include a number of minerals there and you can figure out what percentage of that would be your hardness minerals ( calcium , magnesium and iron ) .
A number of minerals are not of much consequence .
However if there is a high level of sodium chloride ( common salt ) that can break down the chorion ( shell ) around the egg and allow critters to get in and eat the yoke and embryo . )
Ironically sometimes it is wise to newly picked eggs in fresh tap water with some chlorination to kill microscopic critters that ride in with the eggs .
THEN put the eggs in water treated a couple of days before with a water treatment and left open to " breathe " .
If you get eggs in the mail in a medicine vial , that is fine .
But get the eggs out , maybe rinsed in fresh tap water and then into the incubation water .
In time the eggs can suffocate in the shipping container .
After a number of people began complaining about " mystery deaths " among incubating eggs , some of the more advanced killie people began suggesting that after 7 - 8 days of incubation , one should do a 100 % water change - as the eggs develop , they do release waste material .
Another problem is that sometimes bad eggs will fungus and the fungus will spread out and kill all the eggs .
Some people put in a very dilute Acriflaven solution to slow down the fungus , so one can take white eggs out with a pipette or eyedropper .
Other will add a drop of Methylene blue .
If an egg turns blue , it had died and then became dyed as the outer membrane broke down .
Get those out ASAP too .
Hope there is useful grist for the mill here .
Disney cruise line with young ones ?
I will be taking my 3 and 4 yr olds .
What is the best time of year ?
Should I get a balcony ?
Any tips or advice to make this a great experience ??
Thanks !!!
It is vacation time .
Many families are set to plan a best holidaying .
They look for fun filled , rejuvenating and memorable vacation .
There can be many ideas ; one can see numerous options passing through their mind .
What is the best option ?
Especially if you are planning to spend couple days with family and kids , which best suit you can select ?
Disney cruises , is a simple answer to this .
There are many reasons to say Disney cruise is the best bet for you to have a enjoyable holiday tour .
From 1998 onwards , from its inception Disney cruise has attracted many and continue to attract more and more .
This is a spectacular ship , a very popular choice of families to spend their leisure time .
The ship is designed thematically , with imposing animated cartoon characters .
Do you feel that the holidaying with the animated cartoons will impress only young ones ?
No , the luxurious facilities and fun filled activities in the Disney cruise are very attractive to people of all ages .
Whatever be the age , you will have the choice of variety of activities to forget about your hectic day - to - day activities .
Kids fun games and video shows are added to the other facilities .
There are two ships , Disney magic and Disney wonder .
Both are made keeping in mind the comforts of the travelers .
Disney cruises offer 24 - hour room services , and the crews are ready to serve you the way you like .
It has got very spacious rooms , furnished completely and neatly .
These are decorated uniquely and marvelously .
The ship offers variety of eatables , deliciously made .
Sea fishes , prawns and many nice options are there in different restaurants aboard .
There are many good options of delicious food on the shores as well .
There are special regions uniquely and imposingly designed for the children .
They can spend many hours enjoying the Disney world magic .
These theme parks have all types of facilities .
Video shows , cartoon stories , wonderful games and many such facilities .
It is really an entertainment for the kids .
The amusing world of cartoons and stories will be a memorable experience for the children .
There are other amnesties also .
These include space for dances and music , bar facility , gambling facilities for the elder , spaciously made open area aboard and many such nice facilities .
Also one can keep their privacy in the cabins and make the time in seclusion .
To relax and to rejuvenate Disney cruise are the best option .
There are many online sites offering the booking facility with affordable rates .
You can select the proper route and travel plans by consulting the agents prior to the booking ........
Off season is good , however , the Disney cruises are almost ALWAYS completely booked .
I would suggest a warmer season , but not Spring Break or early summer .
You may also want to avoid Thanksgiving week and the Christmas holidays .
We REALLY enjoyed our balcony -- coffee in the mornings , drinks at night , standing outside when docking and leaving port -- however , it is quite a bit more expensive .
With young ones , I would definitely get a window or view room so they can see outside .
Check out the kids ' space as soon as you get onboard .
Do NOT feel guilty about taking them there .
They have a BLAST so the sooner they get there , the sooner they can have fun .
We liked getting the late dinner seating , so you have more time to see movies and stuff but if your kids are ' early to bed ' you may want the earlier seating for dinners .
Bring some sort of magnet or small magnetic whiteboard for your door .
All of the doors tend to look alike and having ' something ' on your door helps you and your kids find your room easier .
You can also leave notes for the rest of your family ( husband ) about where you are at any given point .
Cell phones do NOT work on board but they give you a ' walkie - talkie ' kind of phone in your room that WILL work onboard .
Each evening you will get a ' magazine ' called The Navigator which lists all of the activities for the next day .
We always took ours to dinner and discussed what things we felt we ' had ' to do and which ones we felt like skipping in lieu of just chilling .
Any time would be great .
off season cruises might actually be better with preschoolers as prices might be lower in the off season .
My wife and I , in our 60's at the time , originally planned a 3 generation trip but some family emergencies caused everyone else to cancel .
We had a ball .
We had an inside cabin and it is what I would recommend .
There are so many things to do that you will only use your room for sleeping and the extra cost of the balcony is wasted .
The children can be checked in and checked out in a safe way at many activities so you can have a bit of free time without the little ones .
The range of activities can be illustrated by describing the water activities .
There is a splash fountain ( no standing water ) for little ones still in diapers ; Next is a wading pool for those who are potty trained ; Then a family pool ; Finally there is a pool for adults only with kids not allowed .
You will never be so spoiled in your life as you are on a Disney Cruise .
If you stay with your dining schedule , every night is dinner and a show .
The real payoff is that you will have the same waiter for the entire cruise .
Our waiter quickly grasped the fact that I like Ginger ale and rather spicy foods while my wife 's taste ran to lemonade and less spicy fare .
Since they knew our preferences , we almost always went along with their menu suggestions and were never sorry we did .
Obviously they had a full beverage list including alcohol for adults who wanted it .
If you should miss a meal , you also missed a great show .
but food is always available and it is consistently good .
I think I gained three pounds in my week long cruise .
This is about my farrier , girls .
That 's why I 'm posting here !
Help ?
I posted this in singles and dating too , so I 've just copied and pasted .
Well , I 'll try to make this short .
I have known this guy for a long time , but we 've never been good friends or anything .
He is my farrier ( shoes my horse s feet ) so I am technically a client if you want to view it that way .
Well , almost two weeks ago he came out and did my horse s feet and was SO flirty .
He always hugs me when he comes , but he gave me at least 5 tight , long , back rubbing hugs while he was there .
We were also just talking about my horse 's crappy feet and he mentioned .
Well , if you ever just want to see me I 'll come out and look him over and then we can grab a coffee after .
That has NEVER happened before so I was kinda realizing at that point that he was a little interested .
Right ??
Anyway , so he ended up leaving one nail out of my horse s foot ( I 've never heard of a farrier doing this ) and telling me to call him in a few days ( first it was a week , then it was a few days lol ) and he 'd come back out and put it in .
He told me to remember to call like 3 times before he left .
So , I waited a week to call because I was busy and I wanted to have him come out on a day when I am more available in case we were to hang out after ;)
Anyway , so that was 2 days ago that I called and left a message , but he still has n't called back yet .
I do n't know if I should call him again tomorrow or not ?
I know a lot of people say to wait until he calls you , but it 's different because I 'm a client and technically that 's all I am at this point .
On the other hand though , if I 'm a client he should really of called back by now because you do n't leave a customer hanging .
He did n't have my number either because this was the first time I 've called HIM instead of his dad .
It 's a father and son business .
Anyway , I would appreciate ANY insight on this at all .
Thank you for reading if you did ! :)
Ok , well as far as him being a bad farrier for leaving a nail out - That is not the case , they are extremely well known farriers in the area .
I would be a lot more concerned if the shoe fell off because it was missing one lousy nail .
The reason he said he did n't put that nail in was because he " did n't want to risk it " with my horse 's horrible feet .
This is about the fourth time they 've done my horse 's feet because I just switched back to them .
The only reason I switched away from them in the first place is because my good friend who apprenticed with them was starting out on his own .
However , he left my horse without a shoe for TWO WEEKS ( now that 's what I call a crap farrier ) .
Which , I might add is the same foot that keeps crumbling with the nails .
So , obviously I switched back to these guys .
Ok , calm down , it 's not like he 's some stranger that came up and groped me lol .
I 've known the guy for about 10 years .
I am 21 , so yeah we were both kids when we knew each other !
He is a few years older than me .
And yes , I do like him .
To answer Barry White , yes that did occur to me :) I hope that is all he 's waiting for .
On the other hand , he could very easily just call me and say hey I 'm busy right now , I 'll call you when I can come out .
And as far as scheduled visits go , I have no idea .
I 've never done that before though either .
It 's always just " Okay , they're feet need to be done , better call the farrier . "
And they usually come out within a few days .
He will call you back I m sure !
Sounds like He really likes you ..
But you need to ask yourself do you feel the same way ?
would You like going for * coffee * with him ?
or is he Not your type ?
Or are you undecided ?
If i were you I would Go ...
I would say if he does not call you back by friday call him again he could be playing hard to get ?
I think he left the Nail out of the shoe as a excuse to come back and see you hey he may be your Prince charming ..
Edit ... I really do nt think Your horse Is in danger Of being hurt With one Nail missing ..
I have seen horses Loose Nails On there Own And do just fine with ONE nail gone Now if he had left out 2 or 3 I would be wondering to ...
I really do belive he left the nail out becuse of the horse s Hoof condition and It s a added bonus he would get to see her again
When I was Younger In my early 20s My farrier was A hottie named Joby .. ( for those who do n't Know I AM A GIRL read my Bio on my Page ) dumb as a post about everything But horses ..
He was In his 30s divorced and Had 2 kids .. but we both flirted Horribly with each other .. but neither one of us took the chance and Asked to other on a date . :(
sort a wonder what it would have been like ?
But That was Years ago .
He had this Habit of telling you Everything ..
Well one day he said to me You know i do n't wear Underwear as he was bent over Working on my Mare s Right front hoof .. and I was Like Ummmm okay ???
I m glad his butt was facing me so he could n't see my red face I think my Mare was even laughing ..
Well 6 weeks Later when he came back out He was again working on my mare s front Foot and I looked Down and Yeah he had Wholes In his pants In the wrong places I bust out Laughing and He was like what ???
I was like Ummmm i can see your ass cheeks ... he was like Oops did i forget my Underwear ???
that was a strange way to flirt .. but i guss it was his way ...
But like i said nothing ever came of It .. the next time I saw him He had told Me he had To get married to a girl Who he worked with becuse he knocked Her Up ..
I was heartbroken .. but then realized He was not the Guy for me ..
Wow he does sound interested in you , my farrier never gives me hugs like that ( probably a good thing as he has a wife and 2 kids ) anyway , I find that they can be very busy so I would wait a week lo9nger and if still no reply give him a call but do n’t leave a message so you do n’t have to necessarily wait for him to call .
From the point of view of a business , and client / operator relationships , he 's doing a really shitty job .
Leaving nails out so you 'll call and have him come back out later ?
Cute or not , I 'd call a different bloke because he 's doing a sub-par job at something he needs to be doing his best at , whether he 's flirting or trying to ask you out or not , he ought to put quality first .
This is , after all , his business , and if he wants you to remain a customer why on earth is he doing shoddy work ?
EPM , Anyone Dealt with it ?
Might be something different ?
I have the opportunity to pick up a super nice 6 year old for free .
He 's not lame , but he 's been having issues .
Here 's what the owner has said :
I have a 5 year old that lost all of his cheek muscle on the right side about 3 - 4 months ago .
I chalked it up to possible nerve damage , because this is what the vet thought and the other cheek muscle was fine and he had no theeth problems .
So I sent him to the trainers the first of September to be started on the barrels .
I got him back the first of the month and he had lost some weight but attributed that to be worked everyday ( I expected him to drop some ) .
He is now losing the cheek muscle on the left side of his face and seems to be dropping weight by the day .
Had him to a dentist yesterday and there is no teeth problems .
He can eat all his feed and does n't drop any , but can not eat hay from lack of muscle to chew it .
He is gant looking in his flank area and is losing topline muscle .
The only neurological sign that he shows is that he barely drags his toes and sometimes has trouble with his right lead .
The horse I had posted about a couple weeks ago with the atrophied cheek muscles is down to his last resort for life .
I CAN NOT afford to treat whatever is wrong with him .
NO , I have not done an EPM test but have done an extensive blood panel and my vet did a neurological physical exam .
We elected to not do the EPM test because there was NO neurological signs .
He is still showing no signs other than the weight loss , and some muscle atrophy .
He eats all of his grain but it just takes him a while to get it chewed because of the lack of muscle in his jaws .
So I might get the horse and see what I can do .
I will be getting with my vet first and if I do get him , have the spinal fluid test done for EPM and a titer test .
Will be getting a copy of the blood results the owner has already ran as well .
My other theory would be wobblers .
I 'll be having my equine chiro / acupuncturist out to do some work as well if I do get him ....
So any ideas ?
Think I should do it ?
Arby ,
Horse is out of state and not local .
Owner is willing to meet me half way with him .
I will be calling my vet and chiro about him .
Worse comes to worse , I 'm out of the $ $ and have to put him down anyway or have a pretty pasture ornament .
He 's still rideable currently and not having many issues under saddle .
This is a horse that I otherwise would n't be able to afford and even if I spend 2 K and treatment I come out ahead of his purchase price .
I posted what the owner as said in paragraph 2 & 3 , that is not me to clarify .
She is the one that ca n't afford to do anything else for him in case he does n't recover fully .
He can eat grain and I already have a feed regimen in my head for the guy since he ca n't eat regular hay .
I do n't think it will be hard to keep his weight up so long as he can eat the grain .
I am not going to go pick up a horse I ca n't afford .
I am willing to pull the EPM test and treat .
The owner is the one who is unable .
I will also be having my other vet up who 's a chiro & acupuncturist to evaluate him for wobblers .
July is when he started to exhibit slight symptoms and the owner and vet originally thought it was just some nerve damage from something in the pasture with no visible injury .
He 's only exhibited weight loss and some muscle atrophy , with the slight toe drag and a bit of trouble with the right lead ( which could or could n't be related ) .
The horse is not in pain .
He 's not starving .
He 's dropping we
The horse is not in pain .
He 's not starving .
He 's dropping weight , but most of that came from being at the trainer s and being ridden hard for 60 days .
He 's not putting it back on .
I know that I have the possibility of treating him and still having to put him down .
At the same time I do know people who have had horses come back successfully after EPM .
I know this is going to be expensive .
I 'm willing to give it a shot .
Gallop , I 've already read that whole site and been reading through research articles from the research colleges as well .
Looked at studies , treatment options and such .
I will have the EPM test done before treating .
The chiro / acupuncturist will be there to evaluate the horse for wobblers which is often caused by spinal compression and can be confused with EPM .
If that is the case then acupuncture is n't going to hurt him .
It 's actually one of the alternative therapies for EPM
I think it is wonderfully responsible that you are going into this rescue eyes open and are getting the opinions of qualified professionals ( and a bunch of Yahoos ) before you decide to take this horse on .
I do think some Y!A users need to work on their reading comprehension as I ca n't comprehend how taking a horse in as a rescue and getting it qualified medical treatment is abuse .
Worst case scenario you fall in love and after spending thousands of dollars you have to put the horse down .
Is that something you are up for ?
If so go for it and I 'll give you all the moral support I can as you figure out what is up .
It is heartbreaking to try to bring a horse back and then have to put it down , but some horses are worth the risk .
If you feel this guy is worth it then I hope your vet can figure things out .
As to EPM like Shee said being in MI we 've had to deal with it .
Pretty much every large stable has here .
Our first diagnosed EPM horse was back when there was no treatment in the US and only an experimental chicken feed additive in Canada .
We hauled the horse to Windsor and got him treated there .
That horse returned to racing and we did n't notice much difference .
We 've had a few since then , but none since our race horses began wintering in Florida .
I have no idea if that is related or farmers are doing a better job of clearing out opossums now because they know opossums are carriers , but we have n't had an EPM horse in at least 10 years .
I can say all of our EPM horses were treated early when they were showing mild signs like Shee gave and all returned to racing .
One horse even got his lifetime mark after being treated for EPM .
We 've always liked big long trotters that do better on mile tracks then 1 / 2 mile .
The only difference we noticed is that the EPM horses seemed to do worse on the smaller tracks after .
It might just be coincidence or the fact those great big trotters with those extremely long backs lost a bit of fine coordination to get those gangly bodies around those tighter turns .
I do n't know .
MSU does a lot of EPM studies because of how common it is here .
You may want to see if you can get in touch with their EPM group and get this guy in a study .
I know they did lab work showing that Strongid C used daily could help prevent EPM .
I believe they have a real study testing the lab work in real world situations now , but it may be some time before those results are released .
Another thought with this being a mosquito season from hell could it be West Nile ?
West Nile can cause EPM like symptoms and does n't always include a fever .
Let us know what you decide to do .
You hate to see talent get wasted , but honestly I do n't think I could take in a horse right now these issues .
Personally I think you should just keep on walking by .
You should have you chiro out before you decide if you want this horse or not .
If you have a good repoire ( which I 'm sure you do ) with them , they should be honest on if this horse is fixable to any degree ... not really sure what you want to do with him ...
Even if you can figure out what is wrong with this poor poneh , there is always the chance for remission and then relapse so you may have to do deal with again in the future .
So all in all , put the money up front before taking on this horse .
A few hundred out of pocket now will possibly save you thousands once the horse is in your name .
Could he have had a blow to the head causing this atrophy ?
Or a difficult birth ?
Was it always like this ?
Or has it occurred since birth .
I also wonder if he might have had a slight stroke ?
I think if you can not afford to get him treated that you should not consider him as a prospect .
Who knows what the future might hold , and it might be expensive ?
Extremely bad customer service
Do not go to this salon , especially if you have to get your hair straightened .
They did a very bad job with my hair and were extremely rude when I went back to ask them why it did n't work for my hair .
Rude , insensitive , discourteous people !!!!!
Great Doc
Dr Greenwalt fixed my neck from a snowboard injury and was way more effective that a regular doctor .
He did nt prescribe pain meds or other drugs , he used his bodytalk method which is unusual but the results are undeniable .
My neck is fixed !.
He knows what he s doing .
Our Wedding 11/7/08
We just had our wedding on 11/7/08 and was very impressed .
Cj and company did all that we ask and 10 times more .
The food was out standing .
If you need a cater that is affordable and easy to work with they are the ones .
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Excellent Tattoo Shop
I recently got a tattoo done at Aztec and I could not be happier .
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The shop was great , the service was excellent and the employees were fun guys .
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Good and Bad
I had to take care of the ants myself .
But I found the location wonderful and the neighbors very kind .
Never had a problem with the staff and found them very helpful when something went wrong .
Loved the pool and BBQ .
Because of the ants I dropped them to a 3 star .
Great pet care
I have used Just Like Family several times now and they have provided great care for my two dogs .
Lynda is professional and has great compassion for animals .
The real testament is not in how much she likes your animals but how much they like her .
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I would rate Fran pcs an A + because the price was lower than everyone else , i got my computer back the next day , and the professionalism he showed was great .
He took the time to explain things to me about my computer , i would recommend you go to him .
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I 've referred everyone i know here and they all feel the same way !!
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Criminal Attorney Dallas
Dallas Criminal Attorney Peter Barrett is absolutely committed to vigorously supporting your rights and achieving a successful outcome .
As a qualified criminal defense attorney , he will work every possible legal " angle " ( leaving no stone unturned ) of your case to achieve the most favorable result possible .
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I have been here 3 to 4 times and every time food they served seems warmed up not cooked after you order it .
I like my food hot both ways not warm or cold .
Price and taste is good .
I will be happy if they can serve when food is piping hot .
KB
FAST and reasonable $
We went to Kobey s on Saturday and had our whole team s uniforms done !
He was less than half of the price of the cheapest quote we got , and his work was top notch .
Down to earth and fast service .
Going back to have some lab coats done this weekend !
We love Little Farmer
We attend LFTD and our children LOVE it !!
They even want to go to school on the weekends !!
They are preparing my older son for kindergarten and looks forward to seeing his teacher and friends every day .
My infant is content every day when I drop off and pick up .
PAT testing quick & efficient
I rang SRD PAT testing and within 3 hours Scot had come to my premises and PAT tested all my our Spill The Whisky barn dance band equipment , and supplied a certificate for only 70 p per unit .
Fantastic , quick and efficient service .
How rare !
Well done .
My favorite florist !
I came to La Crosse to go to college , and my mom would send me birthday flowers though here .
They were beautiful and lasted forever !
Now that I live here , this is my favorite place to grab flowers for friends and coworkers !
Hands down , best place in the area !
I <3 Max 's
Excellent bagels and excellent service !
I go in about every morning to get bagels for myself or my co-workers and the employees at Max 's are great !!
They are friendly and fast .
I have never had a problem with their hours because I always go during the mornings .
They are great !
prepared the road test with a driving ... prepared the road test with a driving school in edmonton , but my instructor only trained me in a narrow street , hence I took one 90 minute lesson from the Noble driving school to learn the skill of changing lane , and found them very friendly and professional .
Great Doctor !
Dr. Faris is a great doctor !
I would recommend him to anyone .
I was experiencing severe back pain to the point I could barely walk or even bare to sit .
I went from a pain scale of 8 - 9 to 0 and I was able to run in the Crim just a week later !!
happy customer
Mr. Squeege is THE BEST .
Prompt , Clean Windows .
Affordable pricing .
Friendly responses .
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They have been my only " go - to " resource since we first did business together .
You will find the same to be true for you .
Fantastic Place to buy your next vehicle
We have never had a bad experience buying from Edmark .
This is car number 3 we 've purchased through them .
We trust and appreciate Scott Larson and know that he will always take good care of us and listen to our needs !
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Range Rover Sport Window Tints
Mark at Tintman Nationwide tints Ltd , did a very Professional job very quick , no fuss , deliverd the car to me and I drove him back home , Great arrangement Great price !!
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In this hard economic times is very important to save money Very reasonable prices top quality work The owner operator he does all the the work with Helpers very friendly I definitely recommend this this guys Do n't get jack by big companies that they pay a lot of money to be on top of the list Thanks
Great pub
Had a meal in this pub and i have to say it was excellant .
It has to be one of the nicest pubs that i have been into in a long time , the decor is nice and it has a really nice garden and a lovely decking area .
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This store is by far the worst Verizon store I 've been in .
The salespeople are never available , the lines are always too long , and all the people want is a sale .
Incredibly rude and I will not return to it .
Is there no other Verizon to go to around Downtown / Dupont Circle 1?!?!?
Great graphic design work !
Fresh Design Studio helped jump - start my own business by providing affordable and effective marketing materials : logo , flyers , posters ad design , and more .
They have unbeatable price in town and deliver on time .
I enjoy working with this architectural and graphic design firm and will recommend to anyone .
Great Surgeon
I needed wisdom teeth taken out .
Dr. Wallen and staff was excellent .
They were accomdating with my scheduled and work with my insurance to get payment for the surgery .
Dr. Wallen explained the procedure in detail and took his time with me .
Staff explained insurance procedures and was very helpful .
Everyone was very nice .
The best in the area !
I 've been to quite a few tattoo shops around this area and Stainless Steel is by far the best .
I am very pleased with the tattoos that I revived from them .
The artwork is excellent and the prices are very reasonable .
I would recommend this shop to anyone looking to get a tattoo .
Cathy ****** Five Stars for Lake Forest Tots .
The program has been a postive experience for my children .
I have had all three of my children attend Lake Forest Tots .
The program is well established and we have been extremely satisfied with the teachers , the programs and the director .
Good job , Lake Forest Tots !
Great Wine & Service
This place is so great !
They have a great selection of wine from all over the world with all different prices .
The employees make you feel very comfortable and are very helpful , whether you are very knowledgeable or do n't know anything at all about wine .
Check out their wine tastings every Friday night !
A +
Excellent customer service and honest feedback .
The team at Bradley Chevron kept my car running for well past its expected death !
They are honest about ' immediate ' concerns versus ' recommended ' repairs and have very fair prices .
Such a convenient location as well with coffee shop and bradley food and beverage right around corner .
Needs to go out of business
They close whenever they feel like it , often well before their listed closing time .
Their store is dusty , dirty and feels like you 're stepping into the 1970s .
They do n't take coupons .
They have a credit card minimum .
This place is the opposite of QuikTrip : crappy in every way .
Where else can you go for $ 10 and recieve this treatment ?!
Awesome haircut at awesome price right here in Palatine !
Who can pass up a hot towel and a straight edge neck shave !
I 've had 2 cuts now from Georgia and have paid more in other salons / barbershops and have not received this kind of treatment or cut !
Baffled by the one - star reviews
I do n't get it .
This place is awesome , with a great ambiance and cool décor , and the food is scrumptious ( and especially their signature banana split ) .
Sure , some items are a little pricey , but c'm on ... have you ever been out to eat in Seattle before ?
I 've only had good experiences at Adorn , I was greeted and offered a refreshment .
I highly recommend Debi , she does an amazing job , I " love " the way she cuts my hair , extremely thorough and cross checks her work to make sure my hair is perfect .
I always leave loving my hair style .
Best Chineese food in the area
The food here is fresh and hot out of the Wok .
The food is cooked fast by the two chefs on duty .
The lunch specials are more food than most people can eat for about $ 6 .
It is busy every day at lunch for a reason , the service is fast and the food is great .
Pure Pilates !!
It is the real thing - I have been practicing Pilates for over 7 years and would not go anywhere else .
It is the attention to detail and the quality of the work taught at TomiPilates that sets this studio apart from the others .
The teachers are highly trained and are expert at handling all types of clients .
I phoned this company for advice on our office refurb and although we did not use them in the end ( as our building contractor carried out the electrical work ) , they provided me with plenty of useful information over an hour phone call and subsequently we are now using PJC as our electrical maintenance contractor .
Thoroughly recommended
They really go above and beyond !
For example , I actually forgot to feed my cat , and they went out of their way to take care of him .
Additionally , when there was confusion ( my fault ) , they left me flowers along with a personalized gift .
They have been 100 % reliable and professional .
Definitely recommend !
heating system Angels
seriously , can you imagine having to live through these last few nights without heat ?
I would have had to because with the economy the way it is i ai nt haves much monies fo repairs round the House ....
Comfort zone came out and did my house heat on the cheap .
and it works !
Thank you Comfort Zone
Slowest , Unfriendly Sstaff on Weekends
There are three Starbucks locations that I frequent .
I have a bit of experience watching the usual assembly line .
I also understand that weekend staffs are different than daytime staffs and not necessarily Starbucks A - team or even full - time .
But this location has the worst weekend staff I 've seen EVER .
Skip te rest - this is the best
Absolutely great !
Clean , updated room , friendly staff , safe location .
Staff is super friendly , treat you as a friend .
Can not ask for a better experience .
Will be staying here any and every time I come anywhere near .
Overall , Joe is a happy camper who has found a great spot .
PHOTOS DONE WELL
I Love Hellada Gallery !
Marek Dzida the owner and photographer puts whole heart in his business - If you are into old fashion ( Not Digital ) quality photography this is best place in Long Beach as I think not many folks can do affordable traditional photos anymore I know Marek personaly and I will always recommend him
BAD COFFEE , DO NT BOTHER !
Ca n't you make a decent cup of coffee ?
You charge SO MUCH , yet you use the same grounds over and over again .
The coffee taste BURNT and very bitter .
No amount of sugar and milk can mask it .
CHANGE THE PROCESS , PPL !
Westfield and Rt 1 do it well , WHY CA NT U ????
Home made product
I sometimes go into this store just for something to do on a sunday afternoon .
I love the people , the product and the service !
Nothing compares to a home made product that really stands the test of time . -
The Brick , Ikea , and Leon 's have their place .
But furniture like this will truly be around forever .
The internet here is terrible .
Like the previous poster said , the com lines are split between the entire building .
That 's 3 x worse than Qwest DSL 's lowest speed offering !
The outward appearance makes you think this place is nice , but everything inside is cheap cheap cheap .
Moving out as soon as our lease is up .
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1155244347.png
Awesome !!!!
Yes my G 1 screen is back working .
They was about to Charge me $ 129 ...
But i paid $ 100 .
they save me from having to deal with Tmobile ...
Tmobile want to Send of my phone and i did n't want to go thru that ...
3 Days For get that ...
Great service .
I would recommend them to anyone ..
Great out night !
You ca n't go wrong with Tuesday prices , even if you get quite the mixed bag of comedians !
Extensive drink list and daily specials but wish they had a bit more on their food menu , although popcorn is a nice touch !
( other items : chicken fingers , wings , asian pizza , and yam and regular fries )
Their food and sweets are awesome .
But service is very poor .
Attitude of staff very bad .
Never gives a receipt .
Sometimes even gives wrong dish .
So confused at the payment area .
Line up is so stupid .
Even if you line up .
To make a order you may have to go to back of line .
And then wait again .
Not organised .
Hair By Nivine in eastgardens fixed my hair after i had my hair cut and colored at another salon i felt more confident and the girls are fantastic and i ve been going there now for 2 years always happy and they care about my hair had my hair done for my wedding it looked fabolous !
and there prices are really good !
Best food in northeast
There s a reason why Frank mcclelland was named best chef of the north east reigon .
Food here is absolutely superb .
Everything is delicous and cooked perfectly .
The waiting staff is beyond impeccable ( they refold your napkin when you go to the bathroom ) .
If you want great food then L'espalier is the place to go .
I did n't end up buying my car here , but I did think the guy who worked with me was pretty cool - he was willing to budge a little on the price which means a lot to me .
Also they will fill your tires with air and other small maintenance tasks for free , even if you did n't buy your car there !
The Best Deals in Town
Before you buy ANYTHING in NY , make sure you stop by Jack -s first .
Their selection is random , so what they have on a given week might never be available again at the store .
I love it for discounted beauty items and household appliances .
Trust me , you go there once and you -ll always go back !
First Time Ballerina
My daughter is starting ballet this year for the first time .
I 'm a soccer mom so I was n't sure what I was looking for when it comes to dancewear .
The staff was very helpful and gave me exactly what I needed for my first time ballerina .
The service at Instep was great !!
I would recommend them to anyone !
Outstanding service & quality at a very affordable price !
This place is top notch and highly affordable !
I would recommend it hands down and am a loyal customer .
I 've also sent over a number of friends to use the services here and everyone is extraordinarily pleased !
Thanks for doing such great work on my important pieces of clothing that always look great !
Tried Crust on Broad on 3 occasions .
Twice for dinner and once for lunch Absolutely rude service every time !
The staff will not even answer the phone for take out .
Tonight , I called several times with no answer ( Btwn 5:30 and 6 pm ) and finally drove there to place my order in person .
There was not a customer to be found .
we purchased a new home but was unable to sell our old house so we contacted this property management company and they have helped us quickly rent out our house and keep it maintained .
Since then we have decided to have them manage our other investment properties as well as we getting older and can no longer perform all the inquires .
Great help !
We just got our sunroom built by Patio World and can say that I 'm extremely happy with the whole thing .
From the amount of time spent with us to explain things during the initial quote , to the communication through the approval process to the actual workmanship of the build itself .
I have nothing bad to say .
Very glad that we went with them .
No Customer Service
Employees seemed to be having a good time chatting and laughing with each other , while myself and other customers were completely ignored .
Another person in the store stood there with an item and repeatedly tried to get a sales person s attention .
It was n't until he gave up and walked out the door that someone asked Can I help you .
do NOT bring your car here
I got a coupon from Pennysaver for this station .
Yes , they accepted it .
However , during the test , they did whatever they can to get my test failed .
Then , they sold me overpriced stuffs , such as oil tank cap , so that my car can pass it right away .
I ended up paying much more .
Are you kidding me ?
I do n't get it .
Spongy and sweet bread ( microwaved ? ) , heartless salsa , tiny dogs ...
You order at the counter and there is a space for tip on your credit card receipt .
The dude who grills the retarded dogs is rude .
If this is the best that Tucson has to offer , I am out ta here ...
I called on a Friday at 12:30 complaining of a severe toothache .
Dr. Obina told me that his office closed at noon and that I should call him on Monday .
I had been a patient of Dr. Olbina for 9 years and had spent thousands of dollars on crowns etc .
There are plenty of good dentists in Fernandina .
Do n't go to Amelia Gentle Dentistry .
Good location
For a hotel like this you would expect some form of free internet .
What you get is a $ 13 / day charge to access the internet through a slow 512 / 512 kb / s that you can only use to check email etc ( Read : No downloading ) .
Other than that the hotel is in a good location and the breakfast is great
Make You Feel Like a Number
Stay away from Kids First West Chester .
You NEVER get a human on the phone .
It 's impossible to get an appointment .
If you get caught in traffic and are a couple minutes late they make you re-schedule ... for 6 weeks later .
And worst of all your child feels like a number not a patient .
Go somewhere else .
Rcommended by bees , too !
Highly recommended .
Joe removed a wasp nest for our condominium building and we appreciated the environmentally friendly method and prompt , friendly and informative service .
No spraying of pesticides !
Very professional .
Reasonable rate .
We highly recommend Joe and his wasp removal service to individual home owners and condos .
He knows his bees !
Suzanne , Vancouver
Very Accomodating
We were in Springfield , IL for a family funeral from Kansas City .
We arrived early and the staff was very accomodating to our families and the situation we were in .
The rooms were very clean , including the microwave and refrigerator .
This is a nice place , and I know we will return to meet my sister - in - law from Chicago !!
GREAT SERVICE AND PEOPLE !!
Deb Watson is the contact person and she and the rest of the staff were great !!!
She continues to help me when needed even if I have a service question .
Since I 'm usually at work late Deb has stayed around to help me out when needed .
This was after I brought the car !!!! !
Service does not get any better !!!!
Hidden Gem in Alpharetta
This French born , French trained chef and his creative partners offer a taste fresh , locally sourced , fabulously prepared food in the most unlikely of locations .
Try their weekend " tastings " which you can learn about by getting on their weekly email list .
It 's the best meal for the money you will find in all of metro Atlanta .
Le petit is the best place to get your nails done !
It is very clean , staff is friendly , and I have never waited !
I go every other week for the shallac / gel manicure which is only $ 25 and it truly lasts 2 weeks !
I love it .
Pedicures are also great .
Try this place out !
I promise you will not be disappointed !
Amazing Pictures at an Amazing Price
Rendy is totally amazing .
She gave me amazing pictures at an amazing price and made my wedding day so memorable .
She was way easy to work with and made my wedding day so easy and she got some amazing pictures , not only of me , but of my family and friends .
She is amazing .
I would recommend her to anyone !
So very delicious !
Excellent !
November 7 , 2010 First time eating at Caffe Bella Italia and it was a wonderful experience .
From the delectable Antipasto Misto to the Spaghetti alla Barese and the Parmigiana and ending with gelato , all was mouth watering .
Too bad they were out of the Chocolate Lava Cake .
Maybe next time they will have it .
Service was excellent !
Sandy
Beware of Sharayu
Hopless service , at the time of booking my car a lot was promised but delivered not even one tenth of what was promised .
Apart from that in spite of my repeated attempts I could not get in touch with the manager to even lodge an official complaint .
My advise to all is I have fallen into this trap ... pl ensure you do nt !!!
Course has come a long way !!
HCC 's new nine was a little shaky at first , but the NEW grounds superintendant has done wonders for the course !!
The comment below definitely needs to be retracted !
Come back and give HCC a second chance at least !
It is a great course for local golfers to be proud of and all the comments in 2008 have been very positive !!
Excellent Physiotherapists !
Kusal Goonewardena and his team of Physios are unbelievable !
I have been suffering from back pain for over 12 years and have been to numerous specialists , physios , osteos and chiros with no help .
It took the Vigor team only 4 visits to get me feeling normal !
And now 2 months after my last appointment I am better than ever .
Thanks guys !
They must have read these reviews and improved !
My husband and I happened in on a whim .
We sat in the front dining area , it was very cozy and pleasant .
Our server was quite attentive and the food was fantastic .
My husband has been a professional chef , so he is a good judge of quality food .
This was a flavorful , enjoyable meal for both of us .
Rude Rude Rude
went in there and got my dog groomed came home to an uneven dog then took him back to get evened up what a mistake !
she did nt even let me finish a sentence without insulting me and telling me how i should have said it !
i wo nt go back !
she needs to develop a personality !
brought dog home and it s all choppy now !
It 's helpful to know a quite a bit about bull fighting .
If you watch a lot of fights ( youtube ) and research some of the history ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullfighting ) you will find yourself enjoying it a lot more !
Also after seeing a handful of bullfights , I can say that they 're a lot more enjoyable if you 're smashed ( BAC >= .15 ) .
All I can say is that I am glad I went in !
The nurses are sweet as pie and the doctor is wonderful .
This place is about healing , not making a buck .
The followup visit is FREE !!
After going to the hospital and paying ER prices ... there is no way I wo n't be back here !!
I will be back and telling EVERYONE about this clinic .
THANK YOU !!
I just like the fact that he was able to do the specific type of repair I wanted ( a reball ) and give me the longest warranty and even a lower price .
Someone else I found that said they could do it but wanted to charge me more and give me less warranty .
It was a no brainer really .
I choose Console Pros and I 'm happy I did .
This place is bad .
It 's dark , dingy & dirty .
The salads are limp and the rest of the food is n't any better ( ok , the nachos are not too bad ! )
This place may have been something sometime ; but it way past it " sell by date " .
I have eaten here twice in the past year and will not go back and can not recommend it .
Top range of bike , cheap prices , excellent a +++
yep they fixeded my thumpstar in 1 day .
it wase nt going an had a gear box problem ....
i cold n't find anywere else local to fix it so i took it there and they fixed it for $ 150 ...
thanks guys goes really well and thaks 4 the cheap price ..
excellent , top guys a +++++ reccommend to anyone !!!!!!!!!!
Ham s on Friendly ... RIP
This is the original Ham 's restaurant , expanded into a regional chain in the late 80's -- but this one is no more .
Victim of hard times and I suspect failing corporate management .
According to news accounts , the company is struggling .
I have many fond memories of my college evenings there long ago .
So long Ham s ... you will be missed .
We are very pleased with the services of First Glass Window .
Our window panes were so dirty that they needed a specialist to come and clean them .
We called few companies before we decide to hire them .
They came on time and completed their work quickly .
We were very happy how clean looked our windows .
If you have some problems with your windows , you should call them .
Great help even near closing time !
I came in to town for a week and forgot my trainers !
Oh no !!
I came in 30 min before close and the staff was super helpful .
They spent a lot of time with me and got me into a great pair of shoes .
I think they may even be better than the pair I have been using this past year !
Thanks Run on !
Great
This is a perfect place to get your hair done .
I have gone there time and time again whenever I need to get my hair done or when I want a haircut .
When I get my hair done there , they use enough hairstyling products while it does not ruin your hair .
The service is great and during weekends it tends to get busy , but the wait is worthwhile .
Highly Recommend
I have worked with Shannon as my massage therapist and intuitive bodyworker for years and have never been disappointed .
No matter what state I am in when I arrive , I always leave feeling better .
She has not only helped me through some challenging computer - work and sports related injuries , she was wonderful to work with throughout my pregnancy and beyond .
I highly recommend her .
Best Store In Boothbay Harbor
What a fantastic store , I love this place .
Not the same old stuff that all the other stores have .
Their items are very unique , great quality , great prices .
They also have the best tea I ever had , not at all like the junk you get at the grocery stores , I stock up when ever there because they are closed in the winter .
The BEST
Dr. Aster and her team have been a strong advocate in the health of both my daughters .
Dr. Aster is very kind an gentle with the children , but also positive and to the point with the parents .
She is and excellent doctor to have on one 's team .
Even though I live pretty far from her office I still make the trip so my daughters will have the BEST !
My wife and I avoided doing some fairly simple electrical re-wiring in our home for several years due to overall hassle and cost involved .
I finally called Matt from Bonafide and he made the project both easy for us and reasonable .
He was prompt , knowledgable , friendly , clean and just an overall great guy who obviously cares about his business .
I will reccommend his services however / whenever possible !
Real pros
I 've had writer friends describe horror stories with their printers .
I tell them : why not just go with these guys ?
Richard Joule and the gang are pros from start to finish .
They set out to exceed your expectations .
Already I 'm considering future projects , and I can assure you that for my printing needs I will be choosing no other than Atlanta Paperback Book Printing .
I have been here 3 times and all 3 times it has been bad !
They have messed up my order and .... The food was just not good !
I had sonic in many other palces but for some reason this sonic is always just covered in grease and not good ... :(
I hope they get there act together ...
I am going to give it one last chance in next few months and see ??
I called them for an estimate and they INSULTED ME WHEN I ASK THEM QUESTIONS .
THEY ARE VERY RUDE AND NASTY .
PLEASE DO N'T USE THIS MOVING COMPANY IF YOU DO N'T WANT TO : CRY , HAVE TROUBLE AND A BAD EXPERIENCE ON THE DAY OF YOUR MOVE .
THEY WILL GIVE YOU A LOW PRICE OVER THE PHONE AND ON THE DAY OF YOUR MOVE THEY WILL CHANGE THE PRICE , I GUARANTEE IT .
You 've Got Maids did a fabulous job cleaning my home .
I am hiring them to come once a week now that they got my house to where they can maintain it for only an hour and a half every two weeks !
Satisfactory for sure with the sercvice !
Beats having one " cleaning lady " who took twice as long and did not do a very through job like the " maids " did !
This place has the best baby and children s clothes .
Especially high end keep sake sort of clothing that you just ca nt find in a lot of stores .
It is all very unique and you wo nt find any other baby wearing the same stuff .
I spent quite a bit because I spoil my little princess .
After all she will only be a baby for so long I figure why not enjoy it .
Antique Lighting , Fixtures , Chicago
Great place for Antique Lighting !
I visited their huge Chicago lighting showroom and all I have to say is WOW !!
Lots of collections , many antique light fixtures , Chandeliers , custom lighting etc .
I think they have the largest collection for Chandeliers Chicago .
Antiques , Vintage , Contemporary & Modern Chandeliers .
I would recommend them for any custom lighting or Lighting Repair and Restoration Chicago
Great Food Awesome food Awesome service
I wanted to try someplace new again .
This place rocked .
Brought my wife Deb with me and she like the Fried Crab Wontons and said they were good ..
We also had the BBQ Spare Ribs .. good also .
I ordered the MOO SHU pork and it was great ..
I also ordered the Neptune Platter which was awesome ... so this place gets 5 out of 5 stars .
DO NOT GO HERE !!!
I went to get my nails filled Friday , by Monday 2 were broken .
I was not happy with the way they looked , very wavy , uneven edges , and with the exception of 1 , there is a dip in the center of each nail .
I also had a pedicure , and they cut my nails too short , one of my big toes looks like it s getting infected .
No way .
I 'm certainly no expert on asian food in fact not even a lover of Vietnamese food but I wanted to try the real things here at A Dong .
Cold , slimy , tasteless however is the same in all languages and foods .
Not good , not great , and again another disappointment in Central Iowa .
How do these places stay in business .
This town needs some food soul and this is not it .
Worth Every Penny
My girlfriend and I ate at The Grill last night , and our experience was amazing .
Everything we ordered was prepared to perfection , and was presented perfectly .
The asparagus , seared tuna , and lobster tail were the best we ever had .
Then the desserts came , and they were hands down the best dessert we ever had .
I will sum it up with , it was worth every penny !
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT EVER !!!
It was the best Chinese food I have ever had .
All the food tasted excellent , and with the new renovation of chairs and the bathroom , it is awesome .
The people working their are also extremely polite and friendly .
Every time I go , Kevin , the manager , will always remember my family and I .
Overall , it is very family oriented , and I recommend it to everyone !!!
Furnace repair
Tiger Heating is awesome .
I had John and Dustin working feverishly to get my exhaust motor replaced .
These guys were absolutely professional .
John was here in 45 minutes after I called on a 10 below zero early Sunday morning .
If you need someone to help you out with your heating problems , I DEFINITELY would call TIGER HEATING and AIR .
Absolutely a wonderful company .
My family and I thank you !!!!!!!!!!
They Suck
Go somewhere else ...
Wanted to buy a Rhino 700 and a Grizzly 700 .
After searching high and low for a salesman , I was treated like dirt , and we left .
Parts department blows , Service department is even worse .
I live 10 minutes from Cycle City , but I Drove 50 mile south to Peachstate Powersports in LaGrange , dealt with the owner , Levi , and was well taken care of .
Professional and inspiring
Nigel from Nidd Design has always provided a first class service , from his advice and professionalism to the quality of his design drawings and planning applications .
His knowledge and expertise help smooth the way with any planning application , ensuring compliance with the building regulations .
Once you have met Nigel you will not want to work with anyone else .
He really does turn your dreams into reality for your home !
We came at around 730 and they close at 8 and wanted to try the specials but they were out for the day so I would say go way before they close .
Got the crab rangoon which was great , tofu with cabbage which was spicy but good and shrimp satay which was also good .
Def going to come back and try this place again .
Bea was really nice and asked how the food was .
Cute place also
As a native southern Californian I can tell you that this is not authentic Mexican food .
However , I still like this place a lot .
Esp. the mole , tortilla soup , and guacamole .
Margaritas are alright .
My only complaint is the QUESO .
It used to be fabulous , why did you guys change it ??
Queso should not be watery :( .....
*** update *** NEVER MIND !
They fixed the queso !
Thank you thank you
There are so many wonderful great places to dine in houston .... do n't . waste your time here .
I had the morelias enchiladas .
The sauce was dry and the enchiladas did not taste good . at all .
In fact my friend vomited after our meal .
Maybe we ordered the wrong dish but my experience here was poor .
Service was okay not great , we came for a late lunch .
I do n't recommend this place .
Skylight repair
My skylight was making a horrible noise when the wind blew .
James Bateman came the day I called and fixed the problem quickly and efficiently .
He also inspected my entie roof to see if there was anything else that needed attention .
He called the next day to see if everything was to my satisfaction .
When the next hailstorm blows through , I will not hesitate to contact James at Team Texas Construction .
tricky short guy
The new management is tricky and talk you into getting video rental agreement .
To my surprise $ 20 deposit .... New movies not on shelf .. under the counter for Telugu Speaking people only ... or people who spend $ 30 or more groceries ..
That did it for me .. no more Raina 's .
Besides parking is a pain .. cramped and un-ruly with Kumon Parents next door .... gives me heebee gee bees'
Small Firm with Great Service
Bloom Legal was really attentive to my problem , and Seth Bloom took the time to help me understand the legal issue I was dealing with .
I much preferred the one - on - one service here to the experiences I 've had with bigger offices and firms .
While I hope I do n't have any need for a lawyer anytime soon , if I do I 'll definitely use this firm again .
Used their service for the first time and was immediately impressed by their professionalism ( received a phone call soon after order was placed to confirm details ) and the subsequent delivery of my gift ( To Split , Croatia ) was as requested .
The gift itself was exactly as described and pictured in the catalogue and of the highest standard .
Would highly recommend to anyone requiring overseas gift delivery .
Danny ( Australia )
I LOVE MY GYM !
FITNESS UNLIMITED is a second home to a lot of us gym members who work out daily .
If you are serious about working out in a non-commercial like atmosphere then you have chosen the best place to be .
This is the most humble gym you will every step into .... if you dare to work on your body do n't be surprised when you see how addicting going to FITNESS UNLIMITED can be !!
Over-rated ...
This restaurant is over-rated .
It is hard to find ... and the mexican food is bland , almost equivalent to eating out of a can .
The service is poor ...
I asked for a fried egg on my enchiladas ... and did not get it .!
Secondly , the enchladas did not come with enchilada sauce .. but chili ... like Hormel 's chili .. the cheese was American cheese !
The Chili Relleno .. had no batter on it .
I googled restaurants in the area and Fuji Sushi came up and reviews were great so I made a carry out order of : L 17 .
Mixed Tempura ..................... 8.25 Shrimp or vegetable tempura & salad .
I was very happy with the customer service and even more please with the portion size , to go box set up and quality of the food for the price .
I 'm very happy and will definitely dine in and carry out again .
Learn from a Cesar Gracie black belt and former ufc fighter !
When i say jiu - jitsu or mma i mean it !
Best jiu - jitsu mma in Santa Rosa and i have the experience and belt to back it up !
When you come to ncfa you will see a real instructor that teaches and trains everyday !
If your coach has no fights and you never see him train and sweat something is wrong !
Dave Terrell www.norcalfightingalliance.com
Good Pizza at a good price
I just moved nearby and have tried several of the local places , this was the first one and I should have just stuck with it .
The pizza is usually pretty good , the only bad one we got was on a Friday night and it just needed to be cooked a little more , but it was still good .
Their BBQ chicken pizza is one of the better ones I have ever had .
HORRIBLE SERVICE !!!
Absolute horrible service from the parts department .
They are very rude over the phone and in person .
They talk down to you like they are supreme beings , if you hate your job so much then quit !!
How these guys can get away with being so rude with people is mind blowing .
I will NEVER do business with Sun Toyota again .
Thank god there are plenty of Toyota dealerships to choose from in this city .
this is a good place
I have been here before and the service was absoulutely great .
They had a great selection of colors to choose from and their seats are super comfty .
I enjoy going there although i 've only been there once , i will be returning toda to recieve a pair of french tips and i will only go to the best and to me the best is here .
i reccomend you to go and enjoy their wonderful hospitality .
Anna Marie and Govind are very sweet people , and the minute you steep into their school , the calm loving atmosphere takes over , and tension and worries stay outside in the street , whether or not you pick them up again after class is probably a question of practice .
A wonderful place , if you want more than just the physical side of yoga .
Give yourself the gift of trying this place , to see if it fits you ...
They do n't seem to be interested in selling cars .
Went there yesterday : we are trying to decide between two different Honda models , so we wanted to test - drive both back to back .
The salesperson refused !
Claimed he was too busy for two test drives .
We were the only customers there !
Do n't waste time , just drive 10 minutes more down to Stevens Creek , they actually do try to help their customers there !
ATE HERE A COUPLE TIMES .
IT IS NOT A HIGH END STEAK HOUSE , MORE OF THE CUISINE BRETT ENJOYS IN MISSISSIPPI .
SO , IF YOU WANT A BURGER AND FRIES , WELL , IT IS OK .
IF YOU WANT A LITTLE CAJUNISH FOOD - IT IS GOOD .
IF YOU WANT A STEAK , WELL , THIS IS NOT THE BEST IN GREEN BAY .
OVERALL DECENT BUT IF YOU ARE EXPECTING A RUTH CHRIS TYPE STEAK , THIS IS NOT IT .
Eulogic
Good place to be on a Sunday Night .
The beers were good , nice choice of beers as well , and as usual the mussels were great , the place upstairs is a nice addition to the bar downstairs .
Filled up on too much beer and hence can not comment on the food .
But the menu had standard stuff that one would get at a Belgian Tavern .
If you are a handcraft beer person , this is a fantastic place to be .
Perfect Location plus
I moved into the Tanglewood Apartments in late 2008 and it 's been a refreshing change .
I used to live at Meadowrun and that was a nightmare .
The manager - Tiffany - is actually very nice so I 'm a bit surprised by other comments .
She 's very reachable and she has always responded quickly to any questions or requests .
Plus she plans a monthly breakfasts and other events at the clubhouse which is a nice added benefit .
great service / deals - support this local business
I have used these guys for new snows , fixing lots of flats , used replacement tires , and oil changes .
They have the best prices locally and good customer service .
One guy is a little surley , but who gives a crap as long as your car 's work is outstanding .
AND they 're usually able to help you as a walk - in , and they 're fast .
Overall - good stuff .
Another great business bites the dust !
The best cakes EVER !
A bit pricey , so I did n't go very often , but it was always a treat when I did .
The prices were worth what I got .
I 'm assuming they are completely out of business since I ca n't find any contact information .
I 'm hoping the bakers continue to do their baking out of another place , because it would be a shame not to have these cakes any longer .
Super nice people , really good food
What I love most about this place , other than the food , is that eating here makes you feel like you 're in a small town rather than Baltimore .
The owners are really nice , they serve good food at a good price , and the option to eat outside on the deck ( esp on the weekend whether there is hardly any traffic ) is great .
One of my top 5 places to eat in Baltimore .
Overpriced
This place is identical to the Youngstown Sports Grille , so I imagine they are owned / operated by the same people .
The food is mediocre at best , and largely overpriced given the portion size and quality .
Do n't even get me started on how expensive it is to drink there .
I have ate here 3 times since they first opened , and the service has been poor each time , the staff always comes across as somewhat rude and slow .
Apps 4 Salad 3 Entree 3.5 Wine 5 ( NOV 07 )
Enjoyed this cozy little spot with a group of 8 folks .
Service was excellent .
Food was excellent .
Wine was excellent .
I was feeling the need for some fish so I had the salmon which was very good but the steaks looked amazing and if I am in town again , I 'll definitely order a steak .
A perfect place for a romantic dinner .
Lots of " pretty people " dining inside .
Great staff .
Very helpful !!!!
They interviewed me , gave me tests in the software I included on my resume , and placed me in a position that I kept for several years .
Re-interviewed and am going on interviews for a new job .
I 'm really thankful for the folks at HR Office .
They are dependable , have great connections in the community , and are a great resource for finding a job .
I highly recommend them to all of my friends !!!! !
Great experience - consider checking out their puppies before buying from a breeder !
I adopted a 3.5 month old yellow lab last winter from the Dumb Friends League .
The staff was very helpful in finding the right dog for me and the care my pup received was outstanding .
If you are on the lookout for a pure breed pup do n't forget to check out the shelters !
My pup has a wonderful temperment and has been a wonderful addition to my family !
Food good , service poor
No silverware , asked for a spoon for my son s mac and cheese ended up having to use my tea spoon .
Asked for bar - b - que sauce never got it .
Never checked back with us once we got our food .
Had to go the the bus boy s station ourselves to get napkins .
Only one server , too buys talking with others I guess .
Food was good , but service means a lot to me .
Dr. Chao you are the best dentist I have ever had .
You are knowledgeable , professional , gentel and kind .
I wish I had you as my dentist early on in my life - maybe my teeth would have been a lot better then they are now , However I am glad you are my dentist now .
Even though you are expensive .
Thank you for helping to preserve my teeth .
You are meticulous in your work and it shows in my smile .
Con Garage
I brought my car in for a simple emissions test .
I guess they figured me for an easy mark , and tried to explain that my car would n't pass unless I replaced a hose .
Ten minutes later , I took my car down the street and it passed the emissions test with flying colors .
If you 're a fan of herpes , being ripped off , and child molesters , this is the garage for you .
If not , go somewhere else .
Rude service
even though I have never tried hoa salon but I agree with other reviewers that they are rude .
I called and asked about the price for hair updo and the receptionist or owner who aswered the phone refused to tell me , or even just give me an approximate price range .
He told us to stop by the salon and then he will tell us the price .
What kind of rude service is that ?
I do n't want to waste my time with them .
Top notch eats !
So here we are in Manson .
Manson ?
Yes , Manson .
Right near Chelan .
Aka Nowheresville .
And this litttle gem of a 7 - table restaurant is a complete and utterly wonderful surprise .
A short but wide - ranging menu executed with innovative perfection in a cozy hole in the wall just off the main street .
Fantastic food served without pretense , very reasonably priced wine selections .
A great place to go for dinner after a day of wine tasting .
Excellent Service and Reasonable Prices
Boutique stores dealing in children 's clothing / gifts are often outrageously priced ( who wants to pay 40 dollars for a newborn onesie ? )
but I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Purple Goose 's prices are reasonable ( for the SAME products found at other area boutiques , the prices were 20 - 25 % cheaper ) .
The service was also excellent - friendly , helpful and informative without being overbearing .
Will definitely return .
Consistantly poor
A lack of organisation , coupled with the distain for its customers , makes this the worst rental agency I have used .
Chasing them on issues from the day I moved in ( many of them still unresolved as I left ) to all sorts of farcical issues with funds , after I left . . . . as soon as I could .
If you must use them , be vigilant and be ready to push , if you can go elsewhere then I would .
AMAZING NIGHT - Great Party Spot !!
Went to the Willow Lounge this past weekend for dinner and drinks ... place is awesome .
Had to keep in mind that the A / C broke , I feel bad it was their opening !
Anyway , once that is fixed , this place will be amazing .
Drinks were awesome , prices reasonable , and staff friendly .
This is an awesome date spot that the area SERIOUSLY needs .
Check out The Willow Lounge , you ll be happy !
It s been a few years since I have been to Ipanema .
But my wife and I first went there thinking it would be Brazilian food ( think lots of meat ) , but it turned out to be a vegan restaurant !
And , I can say , this was one of my favorite places to eat in all of Richmond .
Amazing !
Do n't let the nondescript building entrance fool you , these are some creative and talented chefs ... two thumbs way , way up !
Excellent food , fantastic wait staff
I recently threw a surprise birthday party for my wife at Fraiser 's .
We had 30 guests for the event , and everyone came away from the evening impressed with not only the food , but the outstanding service as well .
The management was easy to deal with during the planning stages , and the execution by the kitchen and wait staff was flawless .
I highly recommend Fraiser 's for anyone planning a special event for friends , family or business .
FANTASTIC STORE !!!
I came upon this store as the building caught my eye .
It 's located in the huge HONKA Log Homes building , by Walmart off of Evergreen Parkway .
The store was decorated with furnishings & accessories .
The friendly crew working was great & very helpful .
This store is what Colorado is all about .
Also , I purchased some furniture last year and all has been great !
It's durability & look was perfect and I will definitely be adding to my collection soon !
Lovely People , Great Hats
I was saddened to see the reviews that claimed World Hats Mart has poor service .
It led me to believe that the reviewers simply had difficulty tolerating people with strongly - accented English .
The husband and wife who run this spot are lovely people .
We have had many conversations with them and they have always been extremely patient with me as I tried on multiple hats in search of the right costumes for my magic act .
I recommend them highly !
DO NT ever go there , not even if your car flips .
Their service sucks to start off with , people are cruel and ignorant .
I 'm compeltly dissatisfied with their service and their products .
They DO NOT have a return policy and even if their product SUCKS , they will NOT take it back !
DO NOT EVER GO HERE .
I prefer Advanced auto parts over this crappy place with the meanest people .
And they THRIVE to get a customer .
DO NOT go here .. thank you
Horrible
I have been growing my hair out for 1 year plus and went in to get 1 inch taken off .
I walked out with 5 inch long hair on the top , 2 inch long hair on the sides , and 1.5 in the back .
My hair is uneven and it looks rediculous .
This woman should be working in supercuts ... if that .
This was a terrible experience and I hope that no one else goes through that .
Do your self a favor and do not go to this establishment .
The worst Burger King restaurant !!!
I generally like the BK over the other fast serving restaurants ; however , I regreted to visit this restaurant at my town .
This is a shame of my adorable town , Branford .
I ordered a kid meal with a milk and found a bottle was half opened already .
I asked them to change it but they rudely said that it was okay .
Disgusting french fries is very best menu .
Do n't go , or you will learn how to waste your money .
Disappointed
The Bad : I was at Napa recently and was unpleasantly surprised at poor waiter svce and subpar food .
We were a party of 4 and none of us were particularly pleased with our dishes .
Napa is all about wine but gives very short descriptions of the wines on their lists .
I found my initial selection satisfactory but the wine flight we chose to be poorly composed .
If you must go ask lots of questions about your selections since your expectations may as high as mine were .
Highly Recommended
We walked in to pick our little man at 10 minutes to closing and heard laughter from kids and the staff .
The facilities are more than adequate and the staff are just phenomenal .
Their sense of humour and calmness when dealing with the little ones amazes me every time I walk in .
We have since moved slightly further away from the centre but it 's worth the extra travel , as the care provided exceeds our expectations ... especially after a few horrendous daycare experiences elsewhere .
HORRIBLE !!!! !
This has to be some of the worst pizza I have ever had the misfortune of ordering .
The crust was lopsided , thicker on one side than the other .
It actually had a hole in one of the slices .
There was minimal cheese and sauce and it completely lacked flavor .
I know New York pizza and this is not it !!
This was nothing like New York style pizza !!!.
I love pizza and this was a complete and utter disappointment !!
I would not suggest this pizza to anyone !!!
best quote ever My gate was stuck halfway open so I called A CLASS Garage Doors Dr Services .
They came to my house in no time and started working on the gate .
They were very friendly and were able to explain me exactly what was wrong with it .
Once they fixed it they answetred all of my questions with no hesitations and then gave me the best quote ever .
I know that if my garage door needs to be repaired , I will be calling A CLASS Garage Doors
You will be happy at this store !
Allen Tire was recommended by friend after my having bad tire experiences in Temecula .
The store manager , Jim Smith , made an excellent tire recommendation for my newly acquired Lexus .
Tires were the right price and now the car feels like it is riding on rails around turns .
The store is clean , run very professionally and a pleasure to be in .
They know their job and you do not have to watch them to be sure everything is done right .
Easiest Time I ever had purchasing a car !
Excellent service , Not only did they get the exact car I wanted win in 48 hours but the sales man also took me out to lunch .
Very kind and reliable .
I highly recommend this dealership if you would not like to hassle on price and receive friendly service .
I have since purchased two cars from this dealership , The first one was from Phillip and the second was from Richard .
Both were excellent sales men who put my needs first .
This place has done a great job of taking care of the usual maintenance on my hooptie .
I also never have to wait long for a yearly inspection sticker ... and never get the usual excuses other shops always gave me ... " the inspection guy is n't here today " .... for example .
Today I went into Kwik Kar and there were two cars in front of me for inspection ... but I was still out of there pretty quick ... barely had time to read a chapter in my book .
Extremely helpful and professional
As first - time home buyers , my husband and I found Stephanie Fairchild at Prudential Steamboat Realty , extremely helpful .
She worked with us for over a year , helping us find our perfect home .
Stephanie 's knowledge of the market and properties in our price range , made us feel secure in our decision to buy when we did .
We would highly recommend Stephanie to anyone looking for a home in the Yampa Valley .
We appreciated her patience , knowledge and kindness !
Great Barber
Firstly , the other reviewer clearly has never been to Nick 's , or he would know that Nick only charges $ 13 for a haircut which is pretty much industry standard .
I have been going to Nick for 5 months now precisely because he does pay attention to detail .
I have terrible hair and he really takes his time to make it look right .
Some of the younger kids that work there are a bit sub par , but if you wait for Nick ... you 'll be good .
UGH !!!
Got some nice " freshly baked " fruit squares , a personal favorite of mine .
Took a bite , it tasted odd .
Flipped the square over and saw it riddled with green mold !!!!
Ugh !!
I called the store and the clerk giggled , and agreed that it was gross , but said it was not her problem .
She also refused to get a manager .
I left my number , or tried to anyway .
Same clerk had considerable difficulty taking down a number .
I 'll never go back there again
For cheap Chinese food , this is the place to go .
I used to eat at places like New China or Green Buffet in Troy , MO - nothing terrible but not that great .
Now , I wo n't eat fast food Chinese unless it 's from this place .
The best value I 've found from a Chinese restaurant .
I do n't live in Lake St. Louis anymore , but deliveries were always correct and the service courteous .
Now I have to be in the area to get some lovin' : sad face :
Amazing Experience !
My experience was amazing at Providence Aesthetics and Medical Spa .
Jana Kueck was nothing but professional .
She makes you feel like you are the most important person in the world .
Jana made me feel very comfortable .
Provided me with warm blanket and has soft music playing .
Walking in the door you are made to feel happy and relaxed .
Equipment is state of the art .
I would reccomend anyone to go see Jana Kueck and Robin Talley to see all the many procedures they have to offer .
Dave is a patient and methodical teacher , who has a great ear and sensitivity for his students ' passion and the direction they want their lessons to take .
Also , he loves teaching so much , his price is unbeatable , but that does not change his level of skill .
Dave has much to offer .
In just 2 - 3 focused lessons , I 'm already now capable of picking up new songs off YouTube guitar how to videos and am even writing my own orginals with confidence !
~ Jason
We love our new roof !
We would like to thank you for the roofing job you did on our home .
Everything was done on a timely manner and things were cleaned and picked up every day when the crew was done .
We also liked the way that Ray checked on the job every day .
And when the job was done every thing was cleaned up and hauled off that same day .
We would not hesitate to use Spears Roofing again .
We have already recommended you to some of our friends !
OMFG
I FUCKING HATE THIS PLACE EVERY TIME i GO THIS HOT CHICK SHOWS UP AND i MEAN REALLY HOT BUT SHE IS LIKE REAAAALLY DUMB AND THEN THEIR IS THIS OTHER CHICK THAT IS REALY UGLY BUT SHE IS LIKE SUPER SMART SHE COULD BE A SCIENTIST , BUT THEN THEIR IS THIS STONER WHO
ALWAYS COMES HERE HIGH AND HE ALWAYS BRINGS HIS FUCKING DOG WHO IS SO HIGH FROM THE SECOND HAND SMOKE I THINK HE IS TRYING TO TALK .
ANYWAY WE DRIVE AROUND IN MY VAN AND SOLVE MYSTERYS AND SHIT
AMAZINGLY YUMMY !
I just got back from france yesterday and just missed the food already !
My sister in law told me about this amazing new crepe place in town , I was so excited I just wanted to go and test it out for my self !
Their customer service was perfect !
Their Food was better then anything I had ever tasted .
EVEN IN FRANCE !
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great atmosphere , amazing food , and great customer service !
Thank you Roll UP Crepes !
This is one of the worst places I have stayed , we cut out stay short and went to the Mulberry .
Even though they still charge you the days you booked but wo n't use , it is worth the get the hell out of this crap hole .
The whole experience shows a hotel managed by what must be a 2 star hotel manager .
Bad service starting from the front desk .
The best person is the valet .
Short of that , avoid this place , as a silver Marriott member , this is a disgrace .
BEST PLACE IN AMES
I lived here for two years when the prices were a little lower :) The places are very nice and clean , and in great condition !
I really enjoyed the staff at Wessex , also the manager Sherri was always very nice and helpful .
The fitness center was GREAT !
The only problem that I had in 2 years of living there was that the walls are pretty thin , sometimes I could here my neighbors conversations .
I would recommend these apartments to anybody !
I absolutely LOVED living there .
The Best Service Ever !!
I have never had better service .
My car broke down and roadside towed my vehicle to Sussman Kia .
They squeezed me in and had me back up and running in no time .
Everyone was pleasant and very helpful .
The service department even gave me a ride home and picked me up when my car was finished .
The advisor kept me up to date and informed on the progress of my vehicle .
I give this dealer an A + !
I will definitely be bringing my car back for service .
HEAVEN ON EARTHHHHHHH !!!!
MUST TRY !!!
A +++
THIS PLACE IS THE BEST .
I HATED SUSHI BEFORE BUT NOW I CA NT STOP EATTING IT !!!!!!!
NICE SERVICE , AND EXCELLENT FOOD .
EVERYTHING IN HERE SEEMS TO AMAZE ME !!!
THEIR GRILL DISHES ARE OUT TA THIS WORLD AND SUSHI IS JUST FABULOUS !!!!
I EAT HERE AT LEAST 5 DAYS A WEEK .
THEY HAVE EXCELLENT SUSHI CHEF SPECIAL ROLLS FOR A FAIR PRICE AND SO IS THE GRILL ORDERS .
A ++++ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JUNO AND OPEN I LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[ no homo ] :D
friendly , fine food
The one - star review from 2005 is out of date .
There was a change of ownership a couple of years ago and service is both quick and extremely friendly .
The food continues to be very good -- deli sandwiches , homemade soups , fresh salads .
The atmosphere may not be for everyone .
It is a bustling place where separate parties are seated at the same table ( as in many European cafes ) , but if you are OK with that , the food is very good .
Love the soups .
The New Italian Kid on the Block
Another Italian restaurant in Collingswood ?
Do we need another one ?
Only if it is of the quality of That 's Amore .
The menu has the usual but then they step it up another notch .
The arancini di riso ( risotto fritters ) are not to be missed .
Chicken saltimboca was excellent and then there 's the chocolate mousse that comes straight from heaven .
Pay extra attention to the appetizers - the next time I go there I 'm planning on ordered a few instead of an entree .
Auto Towing is one of the best towing services I have used .
The first time I used them they arrived on time and towed car for me to the destination I needed .
The auto mechanics that work for Auto Towing are very friendly and informative and answered any question I had .
They have towed car for me a few times and I am always very satisfied with this services .
If you are looking for towing services that can offer you a good towed car service , then Auto Towing is the company for you .
A very satisfied new customer !
As a very satisfied new customer , I wholeheartedly recommend United Air Duct Cleaning .
They are professional , knowledgeable , and take meticulous care and pride in accomplishing their work .
Not only were my wife and I very pleased , but I also had the air duct quality tested professionally by the home inspector that I regularly use , before and after United Air Duct performed their work .
Based on the test results , the home inspector stated that the quality of their job was “ excellent ” .
The Best Breakfast in Solana Beach !
We love T 's Cafe !
Without a doubt the best place to grab a tall bloody mary and some eggs benedict .
T 's has been a North County landmark for thirty years and with good reason .
Family owned and operated makes sure the atmosphere is relaxed and the food home - cooked with style .
I highly recommend picking up a jug of their homemade bloody mary mix - definitely the best .
If you 've been to North County , chances are it 's in your favorites list already .
Prominent Builders NJ
Prominent Builders in New Jersey are one the best building contractors , I was referred to them by my friend , I am so glad I used them for my Home renovation , and addition .
They were very professional , respectful , completed the Job on time , and well below my budget .
Mike one of owners was awesome , he explained the detailed plan , and executed on time , I am always going use them and refer them to many friends I can because of the great job they did me .
Great Dude Cut !
Great service , cool vibe , impeccable style .
I 'm a guy with tricky hair so getting that right is job # 1 .
After going through 5 other places I finally found Janice at Alta Moda .
Not only was it a good cut but my wife and friends comment on my hair every time I leave ... saying it 's the best look I 've ever had .
Either I suck at my own style or Janice is a genius .
Looks like there 's a lot of talent in this place .
Worth every penny .
My Favorite place at Wildwood
I have been going to the Wildwood , NJ for over 30 years for summer vacations and always call the Madrid first .
I rated it 5 stars .
I am not saying it is a 5 star hotel .
I am saying when comparing all other hotels in Wildwood , this hotel has everything that we are looking for .
It is the hospitality from Tom and staff , that makes it feel like a 5 star hotel in the middle of the beach .
We prefer the layout of rooms and it is always clean .
When in Scordia , Sicily
If ever in Sicily please take the time to visit Anna Maria Jose Mudo and her familia .
They are and always will be the nicest people in Sicily that you will meet .
You will also have the pleasure of learning the Italiano language .
You will also have the experience of learning the bella Sicilian culture , that I have fallen in luv with .
I will 4 - ever be eternally grateful for their hospitality and luv that my Sicilian family showed me when I was there for 3 years .
Luv always ..
I 've never felt the need to write a review or make a complaint before , but after the way I was spoken to by a member of staff at the kennels ( whose name I believe to be Mrs Closs ) I would now not recommend this business to anybody .
If the animals are treated in the same way the customers are treated then this leaves a lot to be desired !
Nobody should be spoken to like that regardless of how bad their day may have been or what may be going on in their private lives !
Best Car Dealer in TX
I purchased a nissan from this dealship .
The sales men were very knowledgeable about every aspect of every car we looked at .
They were very patient and helpful from showing the cars to doing the paperwork .
The paperwork was a very easy and smooth .
They tried to run my credit score as less as possible so it wo n't hurt my score .
Overall , I was very happy with the customer service and my purchase .
If you 're looking to buy a car , definitely give them a call .
They have a huge inventory .
I have been a patient a NW hospital and it was great .
I have also had an 80 yr old that I take of sent to the ER and long stays in the hospital .
Yes , we had to wait , but ER is a triage system that takes the most life threatening cases first .
Any ER would be the same .
As far as being treated like a drug seeker , that has not been my experience .
As a nurse I know about drug seekers .
This is a great hospital and even better since it became part of the UW system .
Wonderful Experience
I had immense pain on a Sunday morning , with friends and family telling me that I would never find a Dentist on a Sunday .
Dr. Taylor was not only available on a Sunday , but also was able to immediately take care of me .
He was incredibly informative about the options I had , giving me opinions on different treatments to choose from .
Coming from a person who hates the dentist in general , Dr. Taylor was the best !
He really made the visit a pain free one with excellent service !
I would recommend him to everyone !
HORRIBLE
This school is the worst one i 've ever been to .
I attended it for 2 years , and that was enough .
There 's holes everywhere in the ceiling , sewage constantly leaks through the ceiling , and the whole condition of the school is horrible .
The staff and the Principal are rediculous , they do n't listen to any input , and they make up rediculous rules ( They banned backpacks , because a teacher TRIPPED OVER a student 's ) .
The education is horrible at best , do society a favor , and do NOT send your student here .
Excellent customer service and quality work .
They went the extra mile to repair my cowboy boots -- they had to have a special kind of paper that looked like wood grain to fix the heels .
That was 4 years ago .
I have n't been able to find a shoe repair place in Seattle since that has been able to do it .
( I 've been through at least 5 places already . )
If I had time to drive to Tacoma before they closed during the work week , I would just so I could get those boots fixed properly again .
So Handy for Local La Jolla Stuff - Especially for Finding Residential Numbers
Since moving back from college and trying to settle roots in the Village , I have referred to the La Jolla Blue Book for a ton of local numbers .
The white pages allowed me to get in touch with parents of my high school friends so that I could track people down one by one and the restaurant section is basically my cookbook .
It 's really cool that so many local businesses are found so quickly in one place and I want to spread the word .
THX :-)
The staff do occasionally get game info correct , but if you r looking fot a good game and are n't a nerd , do nt ask them .
The last time I did that I was suggested to buy oblivion when I told them I was looking for a fps .
I knew what it was and told the guy that it was n't a fps .
He tried to tell me it was when I told asked him if he knew what fps stood for and he had no clue .
Overall they are n't very knowledge about the type of games are on the market .
First and Last time we 'll eat there
My friend and I went there for lunch today .
Neither one of us had ever been - so we thought we 'd try it .
BIG MISTAKE - The food was tasteless and cold .
We both kept trying to find something we liked .
The only thing I found edible were the potato wedges , I finally gave up , he kept trying - he found the fried wantons to be OK - His Mongolian bowl was awful .
Would NOT recommend this place to anyone - in fact - save your money and go somewhere else .
Liquidweb.com Rocks !!!
I am not a client of liquidweb.com , but one of my friend called Steven is the client having several websites .
I work with him and since past 6 years he is hosting his websites to Liquidweb .
As I have gone through many reviews sites to see if any provider is providing better services or not , and I have realized that there were many good reviews about Liquidweb also Steven never faced any server issues in his whole hosting .
The kind of support they provide is simply great !!!
I would like to host my upcoming website to Liquidweb.com
Hino Dealer of the Year
Congratulations Prestige Hino !
You have been awarded the converted Hino Dealer of the Year !
Each of you should be proud of your massive contributions throughout the year !
Major Awards – Overall Hino dealer of the year .
Overall Hino finance dealer of the year .
Major Awards – Market leader overall , Dandenong PMA , sales .
Market leader medium duty , sales .
Well done to Anthony and the team !
Bronze award service excellence , metro .
Well done to Brendan and the team !
Gold award parts excellence , metro .
Well done to Jason and the team !
simple but perfect
IF you want flashy fancy food stacked high with lots of fussy garnishes , this is not the place for you .
If you want perfectly executed simple dishes that feature a few exquisite ingredients , you 'll love Vetri .
Hands - down the best pasta and gnocchi I 've ever eaten ( and I 've eaten a lot ) .
The antipasti were amazing , the wines were mind - blowing , the service could n't have been better .
I 've dined at lots of high - end restaurants and I 've never before felt my money was so well spent .
Great Prices , Great service !
I 've been to this shop twice ( once for an inspection and again for an oil change ) and they truly live up to their name : Discount !
They have all kind of coupons available for car washes , oil changes , state inspection , etc .
The thing is , you still get high quality service at nicely discounted rates !
There is even free coffee and bottles of water if you 'd like .
The owner is a pleasant guy and I would trust my car with him or any of his workers .
Top notch , all the way !
David is amazing
David is the most helpful and creative photographer that I have used .
He is willing to do whatever you need from him without hesitation .
He was patient and adapted when everything did n't go according to schedule on my wedding day .
Both the engagement and wedding pictures that he took for us we absolutely amazing .
He got the pictures back to me quickly .
I would highly recommend David to anyone .
He will exceed your expectations !
He does n't just take pictures he makes art out of them and you wo n't even notice that there 's a camera there .
Not so great
My husband just got a bike there as a gift he 's only had it a month .
It 's a nice bike and it cost a lot of money .
But just this week a peddle broke .
He took it back and they would not honor a warranty and said it was his fault because of his shoes ??
So they were going to charge him for new peddles and proceeded to put them on without even telling him the price .
Which was very expensive .
He asked for a different pair instead and they only gave him five dollars off ??
Trek is not so great
Only Concerned With Money
I have been getting my treatments for a few months now and have seen some results but not up to the standards that I was told I should expect .
The people there attempt to come across and professional and nice , but I was disappointed with their customer service .
Never miss an appointment because they will charge you the price of a treatment , even if you had an emergency .
It 's pretty ridiculous !
They want to squeeze as much as they can from you even if you just got in a car accident !!!!
They do n't care one bit about you !!!!!
Terrible service !!!
Made an appointment to have them come to the house to discuss curtain options and give an estimate .
They sent over someone who said he knows nothing about curtains and could not show me fabric options or give an estimate .
When I called the manager to complain , she said she KNEW the guy did n't know about curtains and that the usual lady called in sick hours earlier !
Instead of rescheduling they chose to waste my time instead .
So what was the point of the appointment !?!
To just come over and hang out ?!?
I will NEVER do business with this company !
EVER !!!
Internet Department is rude and insulting
I was looking to bring a customer to their lot to buy a car but the Internet salesperson Last name is Balazick sent me this email " AND IF IT WAS WORTH MY TIME I WOULD OF BOTHERED ASWERING YOUR QUESTIONS .
I MAKE MONEY NOT DEAL WITH BROKERS " Wow , can you believe in today s tough times this dealership would be looking for any way to move vehicles .
As a previous Internet Manager I would deal with anyone looking to buy a car for a profit and not care if they came in with a broker .
Stay away from this dealership !!!
This place is a Rip - Off
I brought a car in to have the " check engine " light diagnosed back in March of 2010 .
They said it was " plugs and wires " and quoted me $ 330 to do the work , including parts .
I asked why so high and they said it was due to the labor of moving things out of the way .
Those things ended up being a windsheild washer fluid tank ( 1 screw ) and the air filter canister ( 4 spring clips ) .
I did the work myself for $ 50 .
There 's no excuse for that kind of estimate .
My girlfriend and I took a chance on this place because we did n't want to wait in line at Outback .
What an amazing find - this restaurant is a GEM .
# 1 it s immaculately clean .
# 2 the decor is tasteful and artistic , from the comfortable chairs to the elegant light fixtures .... and ( most importantly ) # 3 the food is FANTASTIC .
This is authentic Cuban cuisine ; fresh ingredients expertly prepared and seasoned perfectly .
The portions were generous and we got out for less than the cost of one entree at some chain restaurant .
TRY THIS PLACE - YOU 'LL LOVE IT .
Thank you for helping me get more healthy !
I came in and saw Dr. Ruona about a month ago for quitting smoking .
I have to tell you that I have n't had one and do n't want one .
It is the easiest thing that I have ever done and I tell all my friends that they should do it too .
I sent a customer of mine to you .
Dr. Ruona , if you read this , thank you for helping me get more healthy .
I feel lighter and feel that I have more possibilities open to me now than I did before .
I ca n't thank you enough .
Signs of Saltford - an excellent supplier of value for money signs and banners etc .
I have been a friend and customer of Signs of Saltford for well over 12 years now and I also became their website supplier some 3 years ago .
Tina is the driving force of the business and you can be assured that she will endevour to satisfy all your signage requirements at the most cost effective rates .
I have been extremely pleased with the signs and pop - up banners she has supplied to me over the years - a truly first class family business run by Tina and her husband Chris .
My counseling practice
Hello my name is Vera and I 'm writing a review about my own counseling practice in Bellevue , WA. and in Renton WA .
I am a licensed mental health counselor and I work with variety of mental health problems .
I offer compassionate , approachable and personalized counseling services .
My style is compassionate , nonjudgmental , and caring .
Please visit my website to learn more about my practice at www.veraakulov.com .
I am a preferred provider with most insurance companies .
Schedule your first appointment online !
I would appreciate reviews from anyone who has worked with me before in the mental health setting .
Fantastic for kids
If you have children or are just a real animal lover yourself you 'll love this zoo .
It 's only $ 10 and in essence just one big petting zoo .
They sell feed and milk bottles at the front and I recommend you buy lots .
We took our 7 month old and she laughed and giggled when ( very harshly I might add ) grabbing and ' kissed ' the goats and lambs .
The animals were all very sweet and patient with her .
Among the animals that were available to touch were pony's , camels and EVEN AN OSTRICH !!!
Wonderful , inexpensive and lots of fun !
WOW !!!
I ca n't say enough good things about Karla and the wonderful things she has done for me and my dog Gracee .
Gracee is more excited to see her than she is to see me !!!!
She has always been there for Gracee even for last minute calls !
She has taken care of my sweet girl for almost 4 years now and I would not let Gracee go with anyone besides her !!!
She is caring , punctual , and very enthusiastic about her job !
You should give her a try - it 's worth every penny to know that you pet is in GREAT hands with Wunderbar pet sitting !!!!
Worst Service I 've Ever Experienced
I wish there was something good to say about the business , but unfortunately , there is n't .
1 ) Service and manners were nonexistent .
2 ) The employees constantly talk down to customers and are very argumentative for the sake of being argumentative .
( to both myself and customers ) 3 ) I have never experienced so much rudeness coming from a business .
4 ) The business is very unorganized .
The invoice is not detailed , so it is difficult to see what you are paying for .
I 'd recommend to save your time and energy and find another greek store .
Exile is the best !!!
Exile is the longest lasting and most authentic punk store in Richmond !
I have been shopping there for over six years now .
The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful and the owner , Mimmy , is an absolute angel .
The mark up is minimal considering that the clothing is hard to find and often shipped for Europe .
In addition , the clothing is of much better quality than the clothing from hot topic , which is made as cheaply as possible by people living in horrible conditions in Asia .
Exile is environmentally conscious and involved heavily in our community .
Shop local at Exile !!
Over-rated
Buddakan inevitably attracts the majority of its guests simply because of its association with Steven Starr , but that does n't impress me .
The atmosphere alone deserves 4 stars but , the food was not up to par with the price tag and the reputation the restaurant carries .
The server we had was knowledgeable but he was not as proper as he should have been , acting like he was talking to his friends rather than his customers .
The angry lobster was completely over-priced !
$ 80 for a dish that has about one small lobster tail and is full of filler vegetables !
I would n't go there again .
Alto delivers on all levels .
From the moment you enter the restaurant , you know you are some place special .
The service is impeccable , and the food is even better .
I highly recommend the four - course tasting menu , which gives you plenty of range and food to satisfy your appetite .
Also , if you are into wine , Alto has the depth of both region , varietal , and vintage to satisfy nearly any sommelier ( or after 9 pm , bring your own bottle for free ... no corking fee ! ) .
While it 's not cheap , Alto will give you an experience you 'll never forget .
The landlord is not nice nor helpful
I have lived in Buckingham Condominiums townhouse for 2 years .
I love the location and the apartment !!
I 'm a single female and I feel safe coming home at night .
The maintenance people are AWESOME !!!!
And the exterminator is very nice , also .
Yes , you still have a few bugs , but that 's going to be anywhere you go !
The only problem that I have experienced is the landlord .
She is a pure b**** !!!
I know that 's ugly ... but she wo n't help you out for anything ... sad story .
Other than that , I would recommend living here . :)
The staff leaves a lot to be desired .
The front staff has seen quite a bit of turnover and changed from professional to rude .
A simple follow - up phone call with a woman quickly turned into a nightmare .
She may be the reason for all the change .
I sincerely wonder if the doctor has a clue about what is going on within his practice .
If he does know and approves of this behavior then it is a poor reflection on him .
Sometimes it is not worth it to go through that kind of staff and their personal attitude to get to a doctor .
He was an okay doctor but not worth her .
WWW - Wonderful Wild Wildernest inn
I would give the Wildernest inn ten stars of five !
Atop Spring Mountain , from the decks of the West porch , " one can see forever " a scene of unparalleled beauty and grandeur .
I saw deer frequently , in fact a small herd were grazing near the lodge .
There were occasional bears on the deck in the morning .
and most correctly , us visitors did not mingle with the native wildlife .
It would have been more than one could bear !
Kathy and Stewart , the proprietors were the epitome of perfection .
Delightful , hospitable , superb , cozy and comfortable .
I hope to be back !
junkie lube ?!
really weird place , I was driving home from work thought I 'd stop in for an oil change and well , there are a few guys in jiffy lube uniforms sitting at the table drinking beers and shooting the breeze .
The neon lighting sign still said " on " yet some guy who seemed to be the oldest of the bunch , more like the drunkest of the bunch told me they 'd be open tomorrow .
I asked if a manager was on duty he told me he was .
WOW !
grey shirt " mark " of course with this type behavior he could have been wearing someon else s clothing .....
A friend and I recently took our 16 and 18 month olds here .
While there was n't too much available for their age ( ball pit , bouncy area and a little padded pyramid to climb on ) , we went right when they opened at 10 am on a winter weekday and ended up being the only ones there , so we were given a little more liberty than we would have if others had been there .
It 's not the classiest place , but it was cleaner than I expected and the staff was very friendly .
For $ 4 it was a nice break from the monotony of winter indoors with a toddler .
Restored my faith in Mechaincs .
I spent 3 months going from shop to shop trying to get my Ferrari to run and drive the way it should .
I was about to give up when I met Jason and Neal .
They took on the challenge of making my Ferrari all I dreamed of and more .
The crew at The Creative Workshop went over and above the call of duty and gave me back a car I can drive anywhere and finally enjoy owning .
I can not say enough about this place .
They have restored my faith in Mechanics .
Do yourself a favor , call these guys first and enjoy driving your car again ..
a great vacation !
We wanted to see the sun - and we also got much more !
Excellent chefs are in the kitchen preparing memorable breakfasts .
After a train ride over the mountains , we enjoyed hiking in the flower - filled Wenatchee hills ( in May ) and a very interesting bike ride in a loop around the Columbia River ... and then wine if we wanted it on the patio in the evening ....
This is a busy group of hosts they are also running a restaurant , which also must be wonderful - so just ask for what you need , and I 'm sure they will do their best to be hospitable .
OMG
OMG .. make sure to book a reservation , as this magical place is packed ( in a nice way ) I love that the owner walks around and cares how his customers feel about their food .
The waiters are like no other ...
My waiter was so excellent I gave him a 75 % tip , and it was worht every penny ..
The food was finger licking the bowel fantastic ..
I just discovered her has a place right near my work ( Color me Phat ) If you are looking for a romatic place with the best food and service in the valley Giovanni Ristorante should be your number 1 + 2 choice .
Holly is truely the best hairstylist !
I have lived in the UTC La Jolla area for many years , and I never new this salon was here until a friend reffered me to see Holly here .
I was very pleased with my experience here .
All of the people were friendly and welcoming .
I got highlights , haircut , and a blowdry .
She did a great job !
Holly is very experienced and talented , and I could tell she new what she was doing right off the bat .
My hair looks amazing , and I get compliments all the time .
I deffenitly reccomend this salon and Holly to anyone .
You will not be disappointed !!!!!!
Outdated but not bad
So I really felt like this place was extremely outdated especially since the pictures make it look nice and modern .
It had listed that there was a hot breakfast but all this meant is that they added a waffle maker to the common continental affair at most cheap hotels .
The family suite was basically two rooms with a small opening between them which worked great for us because we were two families traveling together .
If you are in town and need that kind of space I say stay here but if you are looking for a little more upscale affair do n't let the pictures fool you and book somewhere else .
Great , and probably the only West Indian spot worth hitting up in Nashville .
I was born and raised in Toronto , which has a huge West Indian ( Trinidadian , Jamaican , etc ) population .
So huge in fact , that Toronto slang is influenced by and has Jamaican references , and Jamaican beef patties are staples in my high school cafeteria .
Anyway , I was practically raised on this stuff , and being a connoisseur of West Indian cuisine , Jamaica Way is a bit toned down to suit the American palette .
All you have to do to make it authentic Jamaican food , is add a whole lot of pepper .
A lot .
The finest Christmas Trees i 've ever seen .
I felt like I was in heaven when I walked through the majestic fields of this particular farm .
The trees were in magnificent shape and the variety was astounding .
The owners were entertaining and gracious .
I especially liked the Eco friendly atmosphere and the owner s love of all animals .
This is one of the best farms I have ever been too .
I would call it the Taj Mahal of the east coast !
It put hair on my chest and thanks to the owner s advice I invested vanguard , got myself a woman like Jerry , and became a republican .
Thanks Tussey Mountain Tree Plantation !
Pho - nomenal !!
I have been eating Pho for almost my entire life and I 've always gone to the Pho places in south philly and off the boulevard and even the other one in chinatown , but when i tried this pho place , it blew the other pho houses away !!
all of the pho places taste the same to me , so what seperates one from the other is the service and the price .
The service here is incredible compared to the other places .
the only down fall of this pho house is the difficulty in finding parking in chinatown .
remember to bring cash since they do n't take debit or credit .
hope this helps !!
Had a horrible experience with a manager here , Rachel McInnis , she was rude , inconsiderate and did not do the right thing for an item that was marked incorrectly ...
I 'm not interested in shopping in a place with people like her ... she refused to sell me the item at its marked price even after admitting they had made a mistake .
I normally do n't write reviews but seeing that I considered Dillards a distinguished , upscale place to shop , this one wo n't be getting my business , nor my family 's , nor my co-workers .
It 's never ok to let a customer walk out unhappy , especially when they are right .
Highly Recommend
I work as a Transformational Life Coach .
Since this is an alternative therapy I always refer clients to a lisenced therapist when I feel that is appropriate .
I found her through a colleague one day when one of my clients was in the midst of a panic attack and needed professional help that I am not qualified to provide .
Little did I know that I would soon be needing her help as well !
She guided me through a very difficult period dealing with a family member 's suicide , coupled with elder abuse .
I found her to be extremely solid , kind , compassionate , and intuitive as well .
I would recommend her highly !
They wo n't have a second chance from me .
First , let me state that although I live in NYC , I am not from NYC , I do n't care about baseball and I absolutely love Boston to death ( so beautiful , so clean , so awesome ) .
That said , I hated this restaurant .
The service was just about as good as I 'd get in NYC ( that means it was poor ) and the food was almost mediocre .
The decor left a lot to be desired and the posters telling me all the reasons 99 was great just served as an ironic contrast against the reality .
Personally I recommend you take your money elsewhere
When I arrived at Brickell Honda on 6/4/11 , I was greeted and attended to by the Sales Manager , Gustavo Guerra , in a very friendly and professional manner .
I explained to him what I wanted and that I previously went to Braman Honda .
Bramen Honda was a bit of a hassle .
He told me " no problem , we will match the offer or do better . "
Mr. Guerra gave me a better deal without any hassles nor any type of problems .
Brickell Honda has been the best buying experience in the world .
I urge all St. Thomas the Apostle parishioners and all of South Florida residents to come see Gus !!!
Excellent customer service !!!
Great , Honest Service
I took my 2001 Nissan Frontier in to fix a cracked manifold .
The dealer wanted $ 1300 to fix that and another $ 1500 to fix some other things .
Eagle Transmission determined that much of the work the dealer said needed to be done was unneccesary and what needed to be fixed was only $ 400 !!
I was so impressed with the honesty and integrity of Mike and everyone at Eagle Transmission !
I dropped the truck off in the morning and it was ready that afternoon .
I have finally found a mechanic I trust !!
And it was great that they did not charge a service fee to diagnose the problem - an added bonus !!
Dr. Shady
Kelly hit the nail on the head .
Dr. Shady is a jerk .
After the way she spoke to me on my last visit , I will not be returning !!
Good luck keeping business with that stuck up attitude Dr. Shady .
You have just lost mine .
The next time you feel like being condescending to someone , it is not going to be me !!!!!!
Dr. Shady is inexperienced and prideful .
She probably does not even have 10 % of the knowledge that some of the other EXPERIENCED vets do in this area .
I will be carefully researching vets before I take my dog someplace else .
Beautifully written reviews Doctor , but completely UNTRUE .
Poor Experience
I did not have a good experience w / Dr. Ghassemlou .
During the session , he demanded to have my physical address , which I 've always kept private as I am enrolled in a witness protection program .
I believe he is correct in that he needs my physical address for legal reasons , however , he did not adequately explain this during our session .
I learned more about this doing my own research afterward .
I think he could 've done more to assuage my concerns by giving me concrete facts .
Saying that I need to give him my address or else I have intimacy issues is not helpful .
It 's pretty combative actually .
you 'll love it
I have had my back fused in 2 places .
I wish that I had n't done this .
With these fusions , chiropractric is n't as successful , but it still is very helpful .
Even after my fusions , my back continued to hurt , but now it does n't hurt any more .
I would encourage anyone who is thinking of back surgery , to talk about different treatment options first with Dr. de Barros .
He really knows what he is talking about and will approach the different options fairly .
You can see different treatments that a surgeon ca n't see , so that you can have several treatment options before you decide what to do .
Unbelievably huge experience for such a small salon !!!
I have been to Kim at Cheveux for more than five years .
I can not tell you how often I am complimented on my hair ( style AND color ) !
I regularly request Kim 's business cards as I am often stopped on the street and asked " Who does your hair ... I LOVE it !!! "
Quaint , lovely , small salon with BIG personality .
I am made to feel special when I am in the chair and I have NEVER had a less than amazing cut or color experience .
My hair has never felt this healthy , either .
I can not recommend this salon enough !!!
Thanks Cheveux !
My Favorite in McLean
My family loves coming to Endo Sushi . They are very nice , it is never crowded , and the food is wonderful , very delicious and fresh !
Sometimes it is hard to get parking in the lot in front of the storefront , and it is on a one - way street , but the restaurant itself is NEVER overcrowded .
If you can not park in the lot , then you can park in the shopping center 's garage , and walk up to Endo Sushi .
The service is fast .
Be sure to ring the little bell on your way out if you enjoyed your meal !
( it 's by the door , on the hostess stand )
Horrible Service !
I got yelled at , literally yelled at because i asked if i could pick up my car 5 - 10 minutes late .
I explained that i was already on my way and i would rush to get there as soon as i could because i needed my car for work at 5 am , but the guy was arguing with me saying he was gon na lock the doors right at 5:30 .
Rude , unprofessional , just jerks .
Seems like all they care about is the money and getting home on time , NO care for the customers AT ALL !!!
Missed a whole day of work because i am now carless .
I will NEEEEEEEEEVERRRR go to this place again .
Superb Arrangements
I used Fancy Flowers for my late husband 's funeral flowers as they had been recommended to me .
I am so glad that I called in to see Ana , she is a lovely girl who showed nothing but care and compassion towards me .
The flowers were all that I hoped they would be , I have attended several funerals of late unfortunately and the flowers I recieved from Ana outshone them all .
She is so talented , the flowers were arranged superbly and delicately , it is so obvious to see the difference between someone fully trained and skilled compared to others .
Thank you Ana I hope to see you in the future under better circumstances .
Great first experience .
I 'm 22 , and my hairdresser was great ( and not " old " like one of the reviews says ) - she really listened to what I wanted and gave me tons of tips on how to style my hair so I could get it to look the way I wanted it to .
She deep conditioned my hair and took the time to style it properly .
She recommended products but absolutely did n't pressure me to buy .
It 's a cute place with a really friendly , laid - back atmosphere .
I would highly recommend it and will be going back for my next haircut .
Oh !
And students get $ 5 off , ca n't argue with that .
Smoker s Haven
Yeah , this complex is not very good .
Our bathroom fan , one electric outlet and 2 leaky sinks have yet to be fixed .
Both bathrooms look like they were flooded and the wood cabinets are thrashed at the bottom and they slapped some pieces of wood over to try to cover it up .
And non-smokers beware !!!
I think 90 percent of the tenants are smokers !
If you do not smoke , do not move here .
Our unit reeks of old cigarette smoke and it started to become apparent a few weeks after we moved in .
You can not walk 5 feet without smelling that disgusting cigarette smoke and it blows right into the windows all day and all night .
Great Sanwiches , Great Prices
I used to go here almost every day since I work in the neighbourhood and loved their turkey and meatball sandwiches .
Chicken salad salad is great too .
Best of all , the staff is quick on their feet and even with long lines , usually serve you in 5 minutes or less .
For the quality , the prices ( $ 4 - $ 6 ) have to be the best in town .
The staff get to know regulars and do their job very well .
Tourists like the other reviewer might not appreciate their efficiency or quality , but I certainly do .
This is n't a TGIF or Cafe , it s a lunch sandwich place and a good one at that .
Rate a church ?
Might as well just hotpot the curb and rate the traffic light .
It 's a bloody church , for chrisssake !
Big , grey and imposing .
Go there on christian holidays for a bit of churchy grandure .
The pastor at this church is cool , I met him after some holiday service .
He had a robe that was made back in the '60s .
God was pleased with that one !
It 's historical for Sf , so when your aunte comes for a visit , take her there .
Great for the kiddies - they love the labyrinth ( do n't forget to tell 'em it s really a ' pagen ' thing ! ) .
Stop by at least once or you 'll go to heck !
ok but just becuse we where on a tight budget .
me and my dad where in NJ for a kc chiefs ( my home team ) vs the NY jets and for game 4 of the world series .
i 'm a red sox fan so i was glad that the phillies won .
the knights inn was small very small . i mean 1 room in every room ! it was cozy a little and a small tv .
i mean a 2 day stay was a ok stay even tho the manager looked like he was chineze and that we only slept and went out from 8 to 7 to see New York .
but sice we almost just slept there i ca nt give that good of a review
It was a Saturday and my spring was broken ...
I googled Garage Door Repair in Woodinville and found NDI - Johnette answered the phone and was oh - so pleasant and helpful !
She sort of appologized for Dan taking the day off to go skiing - but he could do the repair on Sunday !
I said great and Dan arrived on time at 10 am to make the repair .
I enjoyed speaking with Dan , and learning more about how the springs are sized for these doors .
The repair went quickly and the price was extremely fair .
I would highly recommend NDI - and will spread the word to my neighbors .
Thanks Dan and Johnette for your responsiveness and professional service .
Roger M. , Woodinville
I would n't send my dogs there .
I had a conversation with the woman running this place in April 2010 .
She basically said if the children getting off the bus are n't paying to enter her building she was going to let them wander around the streets .
Wow , really ?
With all the child predators out there , a busy road , cars speeding by ...... and you are going to let some 4 / 5 year olds wonder around cause you 're money hungry ?
REAL CHRISTIAN OF YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whether they pay me or not , if their parents get into an accident , stuck in traffic , etc. THE LAST THING I WOULD DO IS LET A CHILD GET RAPED BECAUSE I WAS N'T PAID .
Excellent service
I could easily go to Nordstrom for my designer jeans and pay the same price , but I go to the Garment District for their service .
Previous reviewers said they were pushy and I can understand that , but I find the staff more helpful than anything else .
Tiffany is fabulous !
I came in for alterations ( free , by the way ) and told her about a stain I had on my new leather purse .
She immediately went to the back , brought out leather cleaner and cleaned my purse on the spot .
I did n't even buy the bag there !
Huge selection and , great suggestions from the staff and they refer you to reliable places if they do n't have what you need .
We were expecting a great experience , when we recieved a friendly greeting by the hosts .
The atmosphere was nice and very clean .
The menu had plenty of options even for picky eaters .
The service was ok , our waitress kept forgetting our drinks even though we reminded her several times .
To start we tried the guacamole and salsa verde , it was completly flavorless .
We should have left then .
We orderd our meals anyway , chimichangas , jalapeno borritos , and quesadillas .
Everything was bland , completely void of any spice or flavor .
We have never had mexican food this bad , it was just simply gross .
Hopefully they spice things up or they wo nt be in business long .
I recommend La Hacienda
Might try again
Pros : * Jill , the owner , is very nice and really cares about her feedback * Pretty nice atmosphere * Great Dessert * Not your typical veggie selection , I like !
Do n't know where else you can find Purple Hull Peas and some of the other sides .
Cons : * Server was n't very pleasant * Pretty small portion on the blackened catfish * Overcooked food * Time , took about 25 minutes from ordering to eating .
Half the tables and bar were empty by this point .
Other Thoughts : Will try this place again .
There must be a reason so many people like it there .
Their Club sandwich looks tasty , maybe that 'll change my mind .... and a different server .
very professional / very helpful
the people at Fidelity Leasing were very friendly and helpful .
i was looking for a car but did not really know what i wanted and they were very helpful and took the time to first figure out what my needs were and showing me various options to meet those needs .
they seemed more interested in helping me find the right car rather then just make a sale .
my experience with them was great - low stress , very helpful and very personal .
after finding the car i wanted they took the time to go over each step and making it as painless as possible .
from start to finish they were top notch .
i would highly recommend calling these people up for your next car .
This insurance co. Is a joke !!!
They have absolutely no communication skills whatsoever .
if you do n't mind being robbed , cheated or lied to then this is the company for you .
They will make every attempt to misinform and misrepresent themselves .
They make up excuses in hopes to confuse their policy holders with misinformation .
as an example they took payment for 5 out of 6 monthly plan premiums for a yearly policy and cancelled the contract for the remainder of the policy for reasons they stated was not receiving information on other licensed drivers in the household ?
I personally provided the request on four separate occasions and they claim there is a glitch in their systems ?
Ifa is an acronym for I m a F%#king Assh@%$e !!!
Fantastic Service !
I have been here a few times for oil changes and just got my tires , alignment and state inspection done yesterday .
I shopped it around and they were extremely competitive in pricing and also added nitrogen to my tires which should extend the life and get me better gas mileage .
It also came with free balance and rotation for the life of the tires !
What made it perfect was that they offered transportation so that I would not have to wait there or take time off of work to go back and forth or try to find a ride .
Great service , great pricing and SUPER CONVENIENT !
I also did not feel like they tried to sell me a bunch of services that I did not need .
Love my home at Creekside
I moved to Creekside Apartments in August 2008 with a 6 - month lease and have just extended it for another 13 months !
The management from Julie and Janice to the work staff , esp. Edwin , are just wonderful .
They have been extremely helpful whenever I have asked for help .
Although the apartments are facing Stokes Street and close to the Bascom Light Rail , the location is surprisingly quiet .
I have never had any problems with loud neighbors or concerns about safety .
The apartments are within walking distance to Trader Joe 's , Whole Foods , and other stores .
The well - equipped , clean gym is a plus !
Great place to live if you work in and around downtown San Jose !
I interviewed several contractors for a kitchen remodel .
Liberty construction shows up and it 's two guys ... all I get is 100 % sales pitch " We 're the best ... we 're number 50 so we must be doing something right ... look at all these certificates that say we 're great " .
Not once did I feel listened to like they actually cared about what I wanted , all they were interested in was me signing a contract right then and there .
Very high pressured sales and with the reviews of many others bad service .
I 'm glad I trusted my gut and did n't get sucked into doing business with them .
Find someone you trust that actually hears you and wants to do the job right .
Do n't waste your time or money !
I took my 3 year old son here at the weekend and to be honest , apart from the shark walkway , I thought it was rubbish and overpriced .
Even taking into account the fact that my 3 year old wanted to run most of the way round , it took us just over one hour start to finish .
If you have been to the London Aquarium I would not even bother with this .
If you are really desperate for something to pass the time and are willing to shell out the best part of £ 30 for 2 two people then go for it .
( For some reason it will not let me rate it one star - it is not rated 5 by me ! )
Cranmore Dental and Implant Clinic : I could not recommend Dr David Nelson enough .
I had a severe phobia of attending the dentist until I met and was treated by Dr Nelson .
He instantaneously put me at ease and his ongoing treatments have been absolutely pain free .
My previous apprehension has been dismissed and I no longer have a sinking feeling when my next appointment is due !
In addition to the core treatment , Dr Nelson has impressed me further with his concern and interest in the well - being of his patients – his dental work underpinned by a strong duty of care to every patient .
He is always prepared to go the extra mile to ensure that any patient discomfort is dealt with immediately –
Pam Gillies
Best Salsa ( hehehe )
After my trees were cleaned up , they gave me a jar of salsa .
The owner warned me that it was the best salsa I would ever had , and he was right .
No joke !
I hate to say check them out just for the salsa , but James , I NEED another jar badly :) All kidding aside , they are a very good company , I have a hard time giving any service biz a 5 star review but they came close .
Very affordable ( do n't call it cheap ) and their trimmers were quick and courteous when I got home from work .
And the salsa , be sure to ask for a jar and have plenty of chips around , you will need them .....
Dr. Mann killed our pet
Yea , Dr. Mann ai n't so great .
We took our beloved kitty to him and it came back dead .
We live in the sub-division around the corner and after it happened and we brought it up at some neighborhood gatherings we discovered that several people from this neighborhood alone had pets go to Dr. Mann for surgical procedures and came back dead .
If you take him here for shots , no big deal but I would never let this man apply anesthetic to my pet ever again .
Oh , they also charged me for the procedure ( $ 250 ) AND had the audacity to charge me a $ 25 ' DISPOSAL ' fee .
They actually itemized it as a DISPOSAL fee .
AVOID AT ALL COSTS .
One of the worst places
This place and its sister store Peking Garden are the worst places to order from .
the food was horrible not cooked like it should be , they got the order wrong on a number of occasions , and once forgot about my order .
i had to call back up there two hours later and the lady ( who claimed to be a manager ) said my food was on the way , and she did nt offer to compensate me in any kind of way .
i waited another 30 mins before receiving my food and it was cold .
in my opinon this place should be shut down by the health inspector , and anyone who is satisfied with there service and food has never eaten at a real asian restaurant .
Gone downhill since change in ownership
Sigh .
I used to LOVE this place .
But now that they are part of a chain , service has slipped .
I am waiting longer at BNA for my pickups and last time I parked with them , they lost my car key .
Lucky I had a spare with me !
To date they have not made good by either finding the key or paying for a new one .
( These new car keys are EXPENSIVE to copy , you ca n't just go to WalMart . )
Go to the website for coupons and join the club - you can get free parking .
However , with BNA offering one day of free parking due to construction of the new rental car facility , it may be cheaper to park at BNA .
Wife and I attempted to adopt a dog and was nothing but frustrating .
We arrived Sunday at about 230 and found a do we really liked .
We were told that we could n't today because they were closing soon .
I called the next morning to let then know my wife would be driving in .
They gave me the run around and missing paperwork only to call back to tell me someone else wanted her and I would need to come in and put down a deposit .
I work 2 hours away but offered my card over the phone .
They refused .
Terrible communication as well .
At one point they told me the dog had been fixed , the next day it had n't .
Huge ammount of time wasted time and elevated blood pressure .
College is a Joke and the Salon is a JOKE !
Went to the school here OVER PRICED !!!!!!
You do NOT learn the things you were promised .
You have to bring in your own models and they have to pay for you to use them if you do nt then you can graduate !
Going back after graduating you r told you get a discount on services nope you do nt .
Staff is under educated .
Going there you learn the school does not care about the services given just about the money .
Over priced for students to learn !
Beware of the nail program you are not taught to use a nail drill AT ALL you learn the old fashioned way of doing nails you will not be able to do well in a salon !!!
BEWARE !
You can fool people
This store is proof that you can fool people with good advertising .
They convince lots of people that they are a great store , when in fact they are a very average place at best , they are just another big box store like the others .
They offer sales that are n't really sales , mislabeled items that make the item sound like a good deal when it is n't , a bad attitude about return items , and on and on .
With higher than average prices to boot !
So do n't get taken in , keep your eyes open if you choose to shop here .
On the other hand , the Richmond Ukrops chain is known for its charity work , its community action , and its interest in the public welfare .
Never again
Do n't go here unless you want to sit , order , eat and be asked to leave all in a matter of 20 minutes .
You wo n't even have time to read the entire menu before being asked to order and if you ask for more time your server will wait at the table .
This is the only place I have ever eaten and been told to leave because other people were waiting .
I was told to take my coffee to go if I wanted to finish it .
Oh , and their liquor license was expired so no Bloody Mary or Mimosas .
Plus the drinks are self service , have fun trying to negotiate the small cafeteria space to get your coffee , juice or water .
Go next door to the Ball Square Cafe instead .
I guess you get what you pay for .
I tried to stay here for a few nights with my girlfriend , so we asked for a single queen bed .
We got there , and we were treated to the free " upgrade " of a room with two double beds .
Since they consider this an upgrade , they let their other rooms fill up and would not change our room .
Then we got put in a room with a huge gap under the door .... right next to the ice machine .
We could hear every single thing that happened outside like it was inside our room .
When I finally found someone at the desk who could speak English , they moved our room , but we still did not receive the single queen we had " reserved "
I was thoroughly impressed !
I had a problem with the tile in my bathroom coming apart .
I called a few different businesses in the area to get estimates , they were n't the cheapest I found but very reasonable .
The best part is I got my whole bathroom remodeled for about the same price the other company's were quoting just to fix the shower tile and fixtures .
They had the work done in about half the time quoted which made me and my wife extremely happy .
We have had nothing but compliments on our bathroom when guest come over - who would have guessed that one ?
Very nice work and friendly guys too .
Best money I 've spent on remodeling ever .
I highly recommend any one considering home repair to give these guys a call .
New training Centre is excellent
The Award Dance Centre has moved from its Holderness Road site to a new complex on Chamberlain Road Hull .
The new Centre has 4 studios planned and now boasts the largest single dance floor area in Kingston upon Hull .
The classes cover all age and skill ranges , with BALLROOM , LATIN , SEQUENCE , STREET , DISCO , LINE DANCING , BALLET , TAP & JAZZ .
We have attended A Ward Dance Centre for over a year and really enjoy the friendly and welcoming way we are taught Ballroom and Latin as well as the fun filled social dance evening held every Saturday evening ....
It is not really possible to score this school too highly , We would give it 12 out of 10 and 5 Stars across the board Steve & Anne
I purchased a 2 - year old certified pre-owned BMW from this dealership .
The night I drove back home , I found that the rear window has some leakage .
( You can hear the wind while driving on highway .
Very likely it needs a new window seal ) .
I admit that I should have paid attention to this kind of little things while test drive .
( But this is a certified car from a dealer . )
So I brought the car back the second day .
They told me that this is not under warranty and want to charge me $ 175 just to diagnose the problem !
Who knows how much they want me to pay to fix this thing .
I walked away .
So my advice is that NEVER TRUST THIS DEALER .
STAY AWAY AS FAR AS POSSIBLE .
Perfect Practice
After I had chosen The Fountain Dental Practice they provided a slick and professional service from start to finish .
Everyone was friendly from the receptionist to the surgeon herself , putting me at my ease and explaining the whole process , both initially and then as we went along .
Surgery visit timings were always made to suit me and not them and they gave me the feeling that I mattered and was important to them .
The surgery itself is slick , modern and very relaxed and I always felt that I was in capable hands .
My dental surgeon , Dr. Lucy Nichols is clearly a dental perfectionist and clearly proud both of the work she does and the reputation she has established .
Everyone was so helpful that I can not wait to go back .....
Peter
Wonderful service for large group
I had my wedding luncheon at this BJ s restaurant , and it was one of the best choices that I made .
It was a great deal -- we paid a certain amount per person , and my husband and I chose 4 types of pizza and the servers brought out as much as we wanted .
We were also served salad and soda .
We had a large party , about fifty people or so , and yet everything was served quickly and we all had a wonderful time .
Even though we were only supposed to have those specific types of pizza , when guests asked for a different type , it was brought out with no charge to us !
I really appreciate BJ s for making that special day even better with their wonderful food and service .
wonderful
I went to ohm after reading some of the reviews .
I go to school in the area and usually wait until I go home to get my hair cut .
I decided it was time to grow up and made an appointment .
Sierra was my stylist and i love what she did .
I have wavy hair and she cut to my hair style .
It was the first time i had left a salon with my hair curly .
Usually they blow dry it out and i have to wait until i wash it to see what it will look like in its natural state .
But she did a fabulous job letting me know what she was doing at all times and styled my hair in a way i could do it at home .
It was n't completly impossible !!!!
I am definitely going back
After recently relocating to South Bend , we were looking for a delicious , fun , yet elegant establishment for New Year s Eve dinner .
We were disappointed with this holiday dinner due to the overall flavor and price of the meal , and accessibility to the Jazz Club .
The meal was extremely overpriced and lacked flavor , especially for being a special NYE menu .
The limited menu had few appetizing options and the NYE special packages were way overpriced .
After our meal , our server found us a table in the jazz club where we were informed it would be another $ 10 / person to stay and listen to the band , despite the fact we had just finished a dinner there and were intending to enjoy their drink list .
This was a less than impressive experience at Trio 's .
Run for the hills ... you 'll be much better off !
One night was too much .
First room had used tissues next to the bed and I requested it be rectified .
I was then moved to another room around the back where the room was dirty , the shower was dirty with other people s hair in it , the toilet seat was peeling and rough and the bathroom was full of mould .
I called reception to ask if they knew the state the room was in and was told " This is a Days Inn , not the Hilton " and the receptionist then hung up on me .
To warn you to stay away from this place just is n't enough .
There was not one ounce of caring involved and anyone I can warn about the complete lack of service will be warned .
Grocery and Daily Needs Store
Before using FusionRetail Before installing FusionRetail store was running on a dos based software .
We were having a major problem in maintaining cash .
Being a grocery shop , maintaining 5000 different products was a challenging job .
Managing POS counter without barcoding was really a tough time .
How FusionRetail has overcome these issues ?
FusionRetail helps us to maintain the store in an organised way .
Usage of product barcodes and smooth maintenance of inventory with proper recording of transactions like sale , purchase and returns was never easy before .
How long does it take to train new people at work ?
Billing takes 15 minutes and back office jobs takes 1 day 's training How fast your support queries get answered ?
Over telephone , immediate .
On call , it takes a day to get our issues resolved .
Ca n't wait to go back !!!
This is by far the BEST B&B that we have ever stayed at !
We were in Santa Fe for a special event and our hosts rented out the El Paradero for all their guests to stay at .
We could not have been more welcomed , more comfortable or more well fed .
The weekend was perfect in every way , in large part to Sue and her great staff .
Everyone was so friendly and really went out of their way to make sure everything went well .
We can not wait to go back to Santa Fe and to this great B&B ... especially my 4 year old , who made friends with Ms. Sue and all the ladies , and has talked about them since we left !
We would highly recommend the El Paradero on your next trip to Santa Fe !
Disatisfied customer , I went through Kitchen Aid and used one of their recommended vendors .
A&E came out , charged $ 129 fee just to walk in the door .
I needed a part for my appliance , the cost was very high so I said never mind , paid the fee and called a local business for a second quote .
The second vendor charged $ 55 ( less than half of what A&E charges ) to come and applied that to the price of the repair service ( which A&E does not ) .
Their quote came in at half the price of A&E for the same work and same part .
Seems to me like A&E charges way more than necessary !
Very disappointed in Kitchen Aid as well , I thought that they pre-screened their vendors for price and quality of work , obviously they do not !
Lovely Nails on Cayuga St. in Lewiston , NY
First let me start out by saying , that I have had very nice pedicures at Lovely Nails on Military Road .
I was very excited that a salon was opening in Lewiston , as I live in Youngstown .
I was in two weeks ago and had the worst pedicure that I have had in my life .
There were four of us and I was taken first by a gentleman .
I put my foot in the water and it was cool .
He did warm it up .
He also hurt my toes will pushing my cuticles back .
If the pedicure lasted 20 mins. , that was a stretch .
The other ladies had a similar experience , both had nail polish on a couple of toes .
None of us will be using their services again , which is a shame .
Good Service - Limited Results
Andrew was helpful and knowledgeable about acupuncture re : infertility .
He was willing to talk to me about my specific issues and develop a plan of action .
The office is shared with a foot doctor and it 's very sterile and medical feeling , which I liked .
The down side was that sometimes there was a lot of noise in the hallway from other patients / doctors .
I worked with Andrew for 2 months and did acupuncture and herbs .
The sessions were nice and I felt relaxed after them but did not notice any changes with my cycles .
I know it can take a while for results and did n't expect a miracle , but after 2 months I felt like it was not entirely worth the cost / time .
( I am also a little suspicious of all these glowing reviews ... )
Friendly , clean and excellent location
The staff was very helpful , and gave us good advice on day and night time activities .
Common room was comfortable and clean , very good room to read or relax . –
A great breakfast which was included every morning until 9:30 am ; yummy fresh Parisian croissants .
Comfortable and clean beds , a bit noisy when people were coming in late from a night out , but we did n't mind too much as we were also just coming in from a night out !
The location is really stellar !
It is next to Gare du Nord and a five minute walk to Sacre Coeur which is excellent for shopping .
It is close to bus lines for Opera Plaza , Galleries Lafayette , and the famous flea Market .
We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely stay at the Vintage Hostel again .
Just Autos Thank you !
Was fast and easy , Just had our car returned this morning , I would recommend these Mobile Mechanics for sure .
They certainly know what they are doing .
The mechanic came to our place and sorted out our car s problems , he explained the problem and was very up front and honest , it was towed to the workshop as the gearbox was not working ( he explained it better ) .
They phoned the same day , confirmed it was the gearbox quoted me the job , I gave the go ahead .
Now my car s gears and brakes have never run so well ... ever it s like driving a new car .
So yes , I would n't hesitate in recommending the team at Just Autos for easy professional car repairs , Thank you Just Autos for your help .
I stopped in today @ Yards Brewery .
I must say , I was impressed with the size of the bar area and lounge , & I liked that you could see the brewery right thru the glass !
I had a sampler of IPA , Brawler , Love Stout & ESA .
All were awesome , & I had a Dogwood Grilled Cheese which was enjoyable with the fine beers .
After my sampler & sandwich , I asked for a pint of there Nitrogen Love Stout , I must say I was impressed , with the great taste & I am a Guiness Lover so coming from me , I think this is better , it s less dry & smoother !
If you are in Philly you have to come check this place out !
The only negative I have abou this place is the parking !
I left with a case of BRAWLER !!!! !
Oil Change Disaster
My wife had taken her '07 Ford Fusion in for a routine oil change .
A couple days after the oil change , the engine ran rough , the low oil pressure light would come on sporadically , and the engine would whir loudly .
Turns out the engine had no oil , and when oil was put it , it would just run out of the filter .
There could have ( hopefully does n't have ) major damage to the engine .
All of this started after their oil change .
Once they realized their mistake they sent a mechanic and tow truck to my wife 's work and towed it back to fix it .
I would not recommend this shop for anything , not even something as simple as an oil change .
Plus they will overcharge you for just about everything , and smile while doing it .
Liars , negative stars !
Took my Cruze in twice for poor fuel economy .
The first time they claimed to get reasonable mpg .
However , they would never drive the car with me in it to prove their findings .
I wonder if they were going down a hill !
They told me to bring it back after 5000 miles .
I brought it back with 9000 miles .
They " finished " the work and told me the car was ready .
I found out they did not even drive the car , stated they looked at it before .
They still would not drive the car with me to show their mpg number .
They also claimed not to see anything wrong with the blower fan ( a seperate issue ) , but when I drove the car home I had the same symptoms .
I will never purchace another vehicle from Vic Canever .
Great Job
I want to say that Mike did a great job for our family in our time of need .
Both my grandparents passed away 4 months apart and Mike was very understanding .
It was a very trying time for my family and myself yet Mike took the time to greet each and every one one of us .
He is very professional in his position as a director and yet he still made time to be compassionate for what we were all going through .
I 'm sure it s not every day that a funeral director sees the same family in such a short time .
My grandfather passed away silently in his sleep , and my grandmother passed away after a short struggle with cancer .
Both my grandparents looked as natural as could be expected .
Thank you Mike for all your help professionally and personally .
The Peterson Family
Poor service
If you like the drama described in popular sitcom ' Seinfeld ' , you will see it here .
We signed our name in about 6:00 pm .
There were 3 names before us .
The greeter said there was about 15 minutes waiting .
However , we waited and waited and in the mean time , saw 4 groups of people simply just paraded in without signing there names .
This sign in policy is posted by the restaurant “ no reservation , sign your name here ” .
I had to ask the greeter , he explained his reasons with broken English .
I could not understand any his reasons .
I could only take it as they would seat the people they know first .
My conclusion is that you should only go there if you want to wait a least an hour and see all kinds other people being seated before you .
Instructor never showed up !
January 15th -- We were signed up for Saturday 's 2 PM class " Beginning Yoga with Brittany . "
We even arrived 10 minutes early as the website suggests .
The instructor did not show up !
We waited until 2:25 PM and then left .
There were 2 in our group , and a 3rd person was also in the parking lot waiting for this class .
Well , not much I can say except I 'm very disappointed with this experience .
This was our first visit to your studio .
In today 's instant world , there 's no reason for the instructor not to even have given us a phone call or e-mail if she was going to be late .
As a yoga studio , I 'm sure you 're all aware that all actions generate karma …
and sometimes karma can manifest itself on a bad review on Google .
Finest ??
Really ??
I beg to differ .
This place is marginal at best .
Not very welcoming and focused mostly on keeping little kids entertained .
I was not impressed , and quite frustrated at their lack of rating for their courses .
I understand not wanting to put labels like 5.10 on an indoor course , because yes , it is not the same , but some clear understanding of the difficulty of one course to another is nice when you are an intermediate climber looking to improve .
I do n't want to waste my time on routes set for children , but I do n't want to take on something I ca n't handle just to strain myself to exhaustion .
Rate the routes , with understandable markings and a more detailed system than easy , moderate , and hard .
Again , a great outing for the kids , a frustration for an out of town climber .
Best DJ's In Town !
Wow !
These guys were the best .
They were thorough , high class , and went above and beyond .
We never had to worry about a thing , and they led the way the whole time .
They asked us things that we would have never have thought of , and took extra time to meet with us when we needed it before the wedding .
Having a team was the best because they kept the flow of the wedding going the whole time !
They may look young but do n't let that fool you , as their knowledge of music far surpassed what we expected .
I am a music junkie that grew up in the 80's , and my dad worked for a record label in the 1960's .
So we did n't expect them to even know some of the requests that we asked that night .
They just really know their stuff !
NEVER fear going to the dentist again !
I 'm 61 years old and have dental problems my entire life .
By the age of 24 I stopped going to the dentist .
My fear and discomfort from dental work scared me !
It took all the courage I could muster to make an appointment .
At the front door of his office , I nearly turned around .
I considered just leaving after going inside and nearly did .
Doctor Gonzales and his entire staff are the most professional people I have ever dealt with .
They made me feel confident in what they would do , and treated me like a member of their own family .
I never felt pain or discomfort .
The ability to smile and eat again can only be described as a whole new lease on life .
Thank you Doctor Gonzales , Doctor Stout , Eva Marie and the entire staff !
Rocky M. Lange Retired Coordinator , Clark County School District
HORRIBLE SERVICE AND FOOD
not only is this place too expensive for what it is , it s horrible !
In the past , I got a steak and there was more fat and rough pieces than there was good steak ( and this was the sirloin ! ) , the sides were drenched with butter and the salad was a little on the brown side .
Today we went for a party ( during lunch , so the place was empty ) with about 25 other people .
It took over 1.5 hours for our food to come out and by that time my 8 month old had it !
Does it seriously take that long for a soup and salad ?
I was a waitress for years and a key rule is to serve customers with small children before others , as I was the last to get my food .
I would NOT recommend having a party here or even going here .
Texas Roadhouse is WAY better !!
Spay and neuter service .
I have no doubt that the rescue is wonderful .
But I had my cat spayed through their reduced / free spay and neuter program and the vet they sent us to was first of all a hour and a half away , and 4 days later we had to bring them to our normal vet because the vets at the place in wisconsin did a crappy job and they got infections .
My vet even said it was not my fault it was the vet that did the surgery , So I would not recommend getting that program unless you have an extra hundred dollars or so for antibiotics and a vet visit .
You 'd think they would do a good job but they do n't care unless they are getting paid full price .
Which is so dumb .
Not to mention the fact that they gave us our cats back not even 30 minutes after they were out from surgery .
Billing Issues ...
I had a routine surgery for an ingrown toenail .
My insurance company , Blue Cross / Blue Shield paid the fees and everything was fine .
Then I got a bill for $ 483.00 .
The doctor 's office said that payments had been " reversed " .
Blue cross has no record of aa reversal .
The office refused my requests to see what they got from BC / BS .
They eventually turned it over to a collection agency and now will not even discuss the matter .
I eventually decided to just pay the balance even though the doctor has already been paid , but now the collection agency is trying to say another reversal of $ 160.00 has come through .
It was an ingrown toenail .
How much could it possibly cost ?
Not only am I being bilked for money I do not owe , the office staff is rude to boot .
I think this office has some serious billing practice issues !
We have been blessed to find Elite Flyers online and would not use anyone else to handle our postcards , posters , etc .
We were looking for a company with decent rates as our company was just getting started .
They have the best rates and GREAT customer service .
On one order , we needed it rushed and shipped to a different state .
They did that with no problem .
I also appreciate their honesty .
I sent a graphic that would have been distorted if printed as it was .
They called and worked with me to fix it so that it would look perfect .
They recently surprised me a larger order .
I ordered 1000 postcards , we normally order 5000 or more .
Because they had room to do 5000 , they created the larger amount , and shipped them early .
I recommend this company to ANYONE and everyone that needs great work done at a reasonable rate !
They have a customer for life in us !
sheisters
i made the mistake of buying from these thieves .
I paid 2 k cash for a truck with a blown motor .
Their so called mechanic said the engine was good and " There is nothing mechanicly wrong with this truck " .
Well I think a blown engine falls under the catagory of mechanics right ?
Anyway they jimmy rigged it so i could drive it home .
The next day i took it to 2 auto shops and they both told me the same thing , engine is junk .
I called and got the same runaround on hold and noone calls you back .
From a moral standpoint , you guys are really gon na take 2,000 bucks from someone that needs that truck to work and support his family when you know it s just a piece of scrap metal ?
If it lasted 1 month i could suck it up but 1 day ?
Grimy work you guys do .
Buy your kids somethin nice with my 2 k bucks .
Best Stationery store in Bethesda
Papeluna , a cute Mom / Pop custom printing and paper store , just opened a few days ago .
It is right on the hustle and bustle of Wisconsin Ave but some might miss it as it is nestled in between Subway Sandwiches and Modell 's .
I popped in after my afternoon pumpkin spice latte break at Starbucks .
It 's an adorable little store filled with lots of stationery goodness .
Cards , wrapping paper , paper , and an area to sit down and talk with someone to design your own invitations or for whatever else your custom printing needs may be .
I gave the woman I spoke with today a " You 've been yelped ! " card to let her know that Yelp may be a good tool for helping spreading the word about Papeluna .
I ended up buying a birthday card and would probably come back for more .
printing , printing , copies , printing , copies , printing ,
Watch out for your wallet
Watch out for your wallet !
This company is overpriced for their services .
They pride themselves on being an event and team building company for corporate clients but you better believe they are going to mark you up on that feel good premise .
On a recent event quote that I had done , they came in thousands of dollars over their local competition .
The craziest part is that they are n't even based locally at the city I 'm in - they just have ' teams ' in areas through the country .
I 've spoken to vendors who are used by them who had nothing good to say about the company as well and in fact were afraid to quote events against them even though they openly admitted that they felt Canadian Outback was pricing their entertainment out of the market and doing more to hurt their business than help them .
Be warned - they 'll ltake you for everything they can .
Believe me .
This is THE premier university in Virginia .
It is also the largest .
With a Pizza Hut , IHOP , 3 Starbucks , Chili s , Panera , and Chipotle on campus ALONE , VCU has some of the best eating options for students .
VCU has the # 1 art school in America , and EXCELS in healthcare and medical schooling .
The Rams , the VCU sports team , also made the NCAA Final 4 this year , too !
VCU also offers high - rise living for students and professors , and the historic yet fixed - up houses in the Fan are also available to students , professors , or even people wanting to live in a safe , viable community .
VCU is also minutes from Downtown Richmond , Canal Walk , Carytown , Stony Point , Short Pump , and the VCU Medical Center .
It is the best university in Virginia and continuously receives rave reviews every year .
The U of R is also recommended , too !
Orr 's a nightmare !
DO N'T GO !
My boyfriend and I were woken up in the middle of the night at our campsite by drunken kids who 'd arrived around 1:00 am and were drinking at the springs .
When we complained to the management ( as we were instructed to do if there were any problems ) , nothing happened !
Then , the next morning , when we , among many other irate guests , asked to speak to the owner , he refused to do so .
Not only that , but he told us , via his manager , that it was our responsibility to get up a second time in the middle of the night and call the night staff if the problem continued , even though his manager did nothing the first time to stop the kids .
Orr is not relaxing , it 's not a safe space , and the owner is awful .
To add insult to injury , he refused to refund our money .
Do n't go !
FHS is a good high school -- c / o 1998
I enjoyed my time at Franklin High School .
We had relatively good facilities at the time -- decent science labs , with multiple hoods and access to good equipment ; nice gymnasiums , and a well - funded music department ( I was in the guitar ensemble ) .
Now , of course , there 's a new building , with presumably better facilities .
All to the good .
For those who care , a good proportion of the my class went on to 4 - year colleges , many of them ranked in the top 50 of US News .
If I remember , students went to Dartmouth , U. Penn , Duke , BU , William and Mary , Vassar , Howard , and Carnegie Mellon , among others .
Many students went to Rutgers , including their top - ranked pharmacy program .
The point is -- FHS gives you the opportunity to make it to a good college , but you need to work hard .
Absolutely the best little motel on the coast !
I 've stayed at this fabulous little motel two years running , and I have to say it 's one of the best lodging experiences I 've ever had on the coast ... and I 'm even comparing it to the big resorts I 've stayed at !
A large group of my friends and I rent almost the whole motel every year for a weekend , and the experience and stay have always been five - star .
The rooms are SO clean , the managers / owners are the nicest people , the place feels so homey , and the location and grounds are beautiful .
There 's a restaurant nearby ( walking distance ) with a great breakfast , and a market across the street .
The motel is very well maintained , and the managers are so accomodating , it 's kind of like visiting family each year ! ;-)
I honestly ca n't rave enough about this place ... it 's really a hidden gem worth checking out !
My favorite cuban cafe in Orlando
I have been eating Cuban for a long time , sandwiches mainly along with other dishes ..
I love Cuban coffee , colada ... mmmm anyways I found this place and ca n't stop going there , I stop in at least once a week and anytime I 'm in the area for a Cuban coffee or snack .
The place is chill and comfortable .
They do n't speak the best English but enough to get by .
They bake bread fresh daily , they do n't press their sandwiches which is the way I like it , and the meat is always fresh .
They have a great lunch special with your choice of meat , chicken , steak , or pork and rice and black beans and fried plantains .
And their breakfast is awesome !!
I can not describe how delicious the mango and cheese pastries and the omelets are to die for .
Stop in and have a bite you wo n't regret it .
A slice of heaven in winter park off forsyth !
highly recommended .
I have been going to Warner Family for a number of years and would highly recommend it to anyone .
I 've read some of the reviews below and would like to state that yes , like any other doctor s office there is sometimes a wait ( depending on what other patients are being seen for ) and some of the tests and procedures that are ran can be costly ( just like they would be for any other medical tests elsewhere if you do not have insurance ) ...
I have seen several of the providers from the office and have not once been shown anything but care and consideration .
I ca nt speak for them but any tests or appointments they recommend are probably in the best interests of us ( the patient ) and you have the ability to decline anything that they suggest to you .
I personally have had wonderful service and if you re truely looking for a FAMILY practice ... Warner Family is the place for you .
Not what i expected !
We read the good reviews before going and had high hopes .. but to our dismay it did nt turn out that way !
~ It took over 40 mins to be taken to our table , once there it took another 20 mins to get our orders and a further 45 mins till our starters landed on our table .
Very frustrating for a restaurant that has 1 rosette and is supposedly renowned for the service ... hmm There was no canape's or amuse to keep us occupied , once we complained about the wait they took us something to nibble on but that took us getting out our chairs and wondering round to do that and it was impossible to get anyone s attention .
Scallops were overcooked and the foie gras was cold but the rest of the food was lovely .
On top of that though they tried to charge us service charge just to rub it it ....
Would n't go back as there are a lot of places A LOT better and cheaper .
Nice selection , very clean , friendly staff !
Hot Iron has become a favorite of our family .
Everyone can get the signature dish with ingredients and spices that they want and have the fun of watching it cook .
The staff are very friendly and conscientious .
They always ask if you have meat in your dish , ( for vegetarians like me ) , they scrub an area of the grill and use separate utensils to cook .
They do n't just dump your ingredients on and cook either , but carefully separate meat to the hotter parts of the grill and still manage to keep the veggies from turning to mush .
The selection of meats , veggies and sauces is awesome too !
Every time we go they seem to have a different ingredient or two which keeps things interesting .
Meats are kept VERY cold , seafood smells fresh and the serving bar is VERY clean .
Prices are reasonable , ( Kid s meals are around 4.99 ) and Wednesday's they have discount dinner prices , I believe .
Great Cookies , Cakes , and Customer Service
It was my birthday and I had a last minute idea to have a bakery cake instead of one pre-made in a convenience store , but the problem was it was the day before Valentine s and when many bakeries turned me down for a plain vanilla rectangle cake , Fiona stepped up to the plate and was able to make a fantastic beautiful cake .
Not only did it taste wonderful , but the texture was unbelievable , the frosting was n't overly sweet to over power the cake , and the cake itself was just amazingly soft , and fluffy , and just perfect overall .
Although I 'll have to drive a little out of my way to go there , I 'll gladly do it knowing that since she 's been astounding to me once before that she 'll always be that way !
( Also she has a really great website !
And we bought a few cookies there too , they were fantastic as well ! )
She deserves many 5 star reviews !!
Food Craving Gone and Weight Loss at Acupuncture Doctor
I am a college student .
Before treatment , my food cravings were " out of control " which caused me to be stressed out .
I experienced a Definite Decrease in food craving ( about 50 % ) and decrease in stress after the 1st treatment .
I actually loss 4 pounds after my 1st treatment and 2 pounds after my 2nd treatment .
I was amazed .
I am now more at peace and my food craving is about 99 % gone after only 3 treatments .
Before coming to Acupuncture DOCTOR I was a big baby about needles and only came because my boyfriend 's aunt recommended it .
It hurt very little , felt more like pressure than pain .
What I like most about Dr. Liau is that she is very caring .
She talks to you at each appointment .
I can tell she really cares and wants to help .
I am SO GLAD to have found Dr. Liau .
Now I feel more confident wearing my bathing suit in the summer .
An Asset to Richmond
For a long time , one big source of entertainment missing from the Richmond City Limits was a first - run multiplex .
Bowtie has filled that role nicely .
The theatre is in an old brick warehouse , which is a block away from the Flying Squirrels stadium .
The owners of Bowtie manged to add something new while preserving what was already there .
The theatre has greatly improved the surrounding neighborhood .
There 's plenty of parking , and I 've never had an issue with audience members who wo n't stop talking or answering their cellphones .
Best of all , there are no ads !!!! !
Just previews and the main feature .
Expect to pay full price , and the theatres themselves are on the small side .
But if you like going to the movies , you should love Bowtie .
The mangers also play a classic movies on Sundays , you can get a beer in the lobby , and repeat customers can get discounts if they have a member card .
A great cinema in a great location .
Thank you , Bowtie !
Craft Wonderland with History
My first visit was so fun yesterday .
I could have stayed all day and not seen all the things .
I am doing origami jewelry and found exactly the right things for earrings and got many other ideas there too .
I bought a beginner s quilling set and like making the filigree forms you can make and add to other crafts .
The owner , Jean , has been there 31 years !
What a history .
She is a super sweet , lovable and well - informed woman with a great sense of humor .
I really enjoyed meeting her and happy to learn she comes from Oklahoma and has the values of a solid no bs country girl .
This store is a real gem and has much to offer the serious crafter or the occasional crafter .
By the way , Salmagundi ( the store name ) means something like smorgasbord ; potpourri ; motley ; variety ; mixed bag ; miscellaneous assortment ; mixture , a variety of many kinds of things .
Great name for a great store !
Shop Local !
Barbara Quimba 1/30/10
the 2010 Genesis is grrrrrrrreeeaaat !
I am a proud owner of a brand new 2010 Hyundai Genesis .
I have never seen this car before until this lady at wal mart had it and she told me she got it here and that everyone was so nice to her .
I asked her who she worked with and she just told me ti was the sales manager .
I took the weekend off and came in and asked for the manager who is Jeff and he remembered her right away even remembered her dog , I was a bit shocked that someone would pay that close attention .
We got to talking and he got me set up and I test drove with Craig and I fell head over heels for this car all I kept saying , " was I got ta have it ! "
I thouhgt it would be out of my price range but they really worked with me and now I could nt be happier .
Jeff and Craig are really good at what they do and know exactly how to treat a customer .
Definitely go see them !
Bait and switch , untrained workers
Called the Bonanza store 2 weeks ago , before I ripped out 350 sq ft of ceramic tile ... was told I would need a " dual head concrete grinder " to remove thinset and make a nice " finished " look ( ready for concrete stain ) .
Was quoted $ 55 all inclusive of grinder inserts , etc .
No problem , sounded like it 's done every day .
Will look beautiful .
Got the tile ripped out , call today , now all the sudden this grinder wo n't leave a finished look AND it 's $ 125 PLUS around $ 75 for the inserts .
I can rent another machine for like $ 60 that will give it a finished look .
So from $ 55 to $ 260 ?
Are they serious ?
I feel like they did n't tell me the pitfalls before I pulled out this tile and now that I have no other options they want 5 TIMES the price ?
Either these people do n't know anything about what they are renting , or worse - they are bait and switching .
One suspects that earlier reviewer works for another laundry .
Outside of parking being at a premium , especially on discount days , The Laundry Tub is not filthy and it 's no smaller than any of a dozen laundromats I 've been in .
Yes , there are bigger , but bigger is n't necessarily better .
I availed myself of the wash 'n fold service , taking just about a year 's worth of dirty clothes in and getting back neatly folded , clean clothes in clear plastic bags ( I 'd originally brought them in , in six large yellow garbage bags ) .
The cost was certainly reasonable and I will continue my patronage of The Laundry Tub in the future .
Did n't hurt any that they knew my name by my second visit and greeted me warmly then and on my third visit .
Whereas my answer to the question " Where do you get your laundry done ? " used to be , " At the checkout line at WalMart , " I can honestly say the answer now is , " At The Laundry Tub . "
Thank you !
I recently took a rescue puppy to this Clinic and I was SHOCKED at how well Romeo and My family was treated .
They worked around the clock to ensure that my puppy life was saved .
We have to leave him at the vet for 3 days and I was told to call for check ups as often as I wished that no matter how many times I called I would not annoy them .
lol They where super friendly towards us and treated us like people not walking bags of cash .
In this day it s rare to find such wonderful people who CARE , Not the kind of want to make cash .
I would strongly suggest you give them the chance to prove to you that not all people in this world are evil !
I will never go to another vet as long as I have animals .
I live nearly two hours away and yet I will still make the drive to see them !
In fact I look forward to taking my animals to the vet simply because of how my animals and I are treated .
Okay , here 's the scoop .
I 'm a regular at the HH .
The food is excellent , the serivce is horrible .
I think they 're still in the mindset from when it was only smokers sitting around and drinking ... not in any hurry .
In my experience the food has been excellent ( for the most part ) .
However , the bartenders / waitresses definately need to be re-trained ( if they ever had any to begin with ) and learn two things : only chat with customers when other customers are not impatiently waiting and to look around more often to see if people are waiting .
In some cases the result is because of understaffing , in some cases the staff just does n't care / know better .
They must also get something to keep take - out warm , so it 's not room temperature at best when you get it home .
You just have to know what you 're getting into when you go .
Nice local pub , excellent food ( especially wings ) , and do n't go if you have a limited amount of time .
Trust The Midas Touch
I personally trust this Midas store with all my vehicles , I have been going there for years & would never go anywhere else !
the staff is very personable & actually care about the customers safety rather than taking there money .
This is however a very busy shop but there are appointments available & the staff up front will surely make sure you get back in a timely manner .
I look at some of these other comments & laugh because people think that the world revolves around them !
Like the girl with the fuse problem ...
Midas has the most high tech equipment in town & I guarantee you if they told you it was electrical then in deed it s electrical !
maybe you should understand how the world works & realize you are just like any other person & not put yourself on a pedestal .
I will continue going to Dave at Midas because he is one of the most honest business owners in this town !
When having your car worked on you have to trust the mechanic & this Midas is truly someone you can trust !
We decided to try this place last night because we noticed that it had some interesting things on the menu aside from the usual rolls -- live scallop sashimi , duck breast nigiri with foie gras , panko mussels -- but none of these were particularly great or worth the sticker price .
Additionally we tried the Logan Circle roll , spicy crab and tuna roll , and sweet potato tempura roll ( $ 15 , $ 10 , and $ 3.75 respectively ) .
The sweet potato tempura roll was actually a great surprise : cheap and delicious , the only thing we tried that I would say was well worth it and a great value ( and I never get vegetarian rolls ) .
The other rolls were n't at all special , especially given their pricing .
The bottom line is that the food is n't great and is relatively high - priced .
The service is solicitous , the atmosphere is nice and mod except the out - of - place flat - screen TV playing football .
But I 'd go elsewhere unless the prices are cut .
It 's just not worth it .
Do n't Expect Sleep or Courtesy
I was booked for 2 nights at this hotel in Oct 2007 .
At 3:15 am on night # 2 , the fire alarm and strobe light activated in my room .
These are not household type alarms .
When they sound off , it is a true audio / visual experience .
I called the front desk and got no answer .
After checking for signs of fire or smoke and seeing none , I decided to just pack up and leave .
The desk agent actually argued with me , claiming that no such alarm had gone off ( as if I would make that up ? ) .
He finally admitted that only the 4 ADA room alarms had sounded , so only 4 guests were effected ( no big deal to him ) .
This little drip offered no apologies whatsoever , and even refused to give me the name of the manager until I pressed him for it 3 times .
This hotel is adequate enough , but there is an obvious problem with the staff and management .
Do not go there if you expect to sleep through the night .
Poor Service , Lack of Passion : Do NOT go
I began seeing Dr. Romanick back in 2000 and have seen a significant decline in the quality of care , patient - doctor communication , and just the overall level of services .
The poor quality starts at the receptionist desk , where the staff is very impatient and lack the efficiency I once loved about the office .
It took them nearly two months to complete a simple task , and countless calls from my part due to their lack of response and passion ( not that it 's a requirement for the job , but it helps to at least pretend to be helpful ) .
Also , I was promised to have my test results emailed to me , but it never happened , and after a few attempts to get Dr. Romanick on the phone to brief me on my condition , I finally gave up and went to a different doctor .
Please do not go there if it 's professional , friendly , diligent medical services you 're looking for .
Save yourself the trouble , money and time and visit a more caring facility / doctor .
The moving company is actualy based in Brooklyn , but advertised all over NY / NJ , including Fort Lee .
When the guys arrived ( 2 hours later than agreed ) they told that you have to pay all the tolls they payed coming from Brooklyn and extra $ 100 for them to drive back from your destination .
That was not in agreement eather , but they realy demand it .
And another $ 100 for wrapping the furniture .
So totalling $ 212 just for start before any work started .
Guess what , was not in the initial agreement as well .
I was moving out from 2 bdr apartment and it took for 3 strong guys 6 hours to load a track ( from 2 pm - 8 pm ) .
The only reason I 'm giving 3 stars instead of 1 or 2 , I should admit , nothing was broken .
So I still can recomend them but prepare pay twice as much as they tell you initially .
One more thing , they do n't take any credit cards or checks .
You have to pay CASH ONLY before they start unloading track on your destination .
Worst Apartments EVER
We lived here for 2 years , the first year or so was okay .
Then , the more power they gave to Linda , the worse the place got .
We were always having our water shut off , there were always people having parties at the pool , even after it was supposed to be closed .
The pool was supposed to close at 10 and they would have people down there until 11:45 yelling , playing music and do who - knows - what in the dark corners of the pool .
Then , when we moved out , we cleaned the apartment top to bottom , they came back and tried to charge us for two cleaning fees ( and we never got our deposit back ) and past utilities ( that were already paid , we have check numbers and records of this ) .
Linda is the rudest person you will ever talk to and she sticks up for all of the trashy , rude people that live there , not the nice ones that actually give a crap about respecting others .
Do not live here , you will regret it !
The Worst Experience Ever !!!
I have worked with Ted Jurek at Decor and You , and it started out as a decent experience .
He was referred to me by a friend , who did n't have the best experience with Ted , but said that Ted was able to make up for his lack of preparedness at the end .
I figure I would give this company a chance .
However , after giving a required $ 500.00 ( NON REFUNDABLE ) deposit before seeing any plans or ideas , I was sorry I did .
We met a couple of weeks later , Ted was late .
He brought fabric books , and pictures of furniture only , which all came way over budget .
By the time we got to the budget i told him I could work with , there was basically no design .
Just curtains and a couple of accessories .
WHAT IS THAT ?????
This company is way too expensive with nothing to show for it .
Please everyone .... take heed and do n't get caught up in the hype about DECOR and YOU working with every budget ...
This is just a way for them to squirm their way into your precious pocket
Horrible .
Horrible .
When we walked in , the person behind desk said : " oh well , you must wait , I am in the middle of something . "
After a good few minutes , he asked : " what do you want ? "
Somewhere in between his rudeness he asked if we smoked .
I asked if this hotel had smoking rooms .
He immediately said " no , there is a $ 50 deposit now ! "
Sure enough he charged it to the credit card .
When I inquired he rudely replied " in the morning when things are checked out you 'll get it back . "
I called customer service about it because the website specifically states that there are no other charges at the check - in .
I also mentioned to the reception person .
He responded " we have problem with ' people ' " .
Imagine a hotel having problems with people .
I finally alerted him to his rudeness .
He said he 's had a long and bad day .
We had no choice but to stay but will take this as far as we can .
Do n't stay there .
I came to find out the person was the hotel OWNER also .
My friend and I were to stay here for a girls night , catch up on our lives evening .
We live within 20 miles of the hotel and wanted to get away from our responsibilities for the night .
Unfortunalty my husband and I had to put our 13 year old lab down that morning and we were not expecting this .
My friend called the hotel to cancel our room as soon as I called her .
They said that we were to be charged for this room regardless because we did not cancel within the 72 hours .
I called them back a few hours after putting my Bodhi down and they still would n't budge .
Times are hard , I know , but they had no compassion .
I called 3 times to talked to a manager , never a call back .
I emailed 4 times , never a response .
In one of the emails I attached the letter from the Vet 's that expressed their sympathy , this hotel did nothing .
I even emailed Mackinaw Tourist and nothing .
I am sure this is a good place to stay from reading the other reviews , but if something unexpected happens in your life , they will not care .
FANFUCKINGTASTIC
Ok I am a New Yorker who has been going to school in Oxford , England .
I thought the UK was completely devoid of good NYC style pizza .
I thought to get a decent pizza the only way was at a fancy restaurant , and I have to get a whole pie .
I thought I would have to wait until I went home to NYC .
Well then I went on a trip to Glasgow and was walking around .
I saw this place and it looked like the HOLY GRAIL .
I knew I had found the real deal , big pies , sold by the slice , with the pizzas sitting under the glass in the front .
They have crushed red pepper flakes and oregano .
So I ordered a slice .
It tasted like I just flew back home .
I du n no how they did it , but Scottish friends --- this is THE REAL DEAL .
I congratulated this establishment for doing the research on making NYC pizza because these Scots fcking nailed it .
That being said , I do n't know how their delivery service is .
They might want to change the name to reflect the new yorkedness of the pizza , scrummy yummy sounds gimmicky to me .
Good food , good wait staff , poor management
We visited on 7/26/08 for dinner We received a gift certificate for the Mama Mia 's on Greenfield Ave .
The food was good , and so was our waitress .
When it came time to pay the bill up front , they would not let me use any of the certificate for a tip ( which I have done with any other restaurant I 've gotten a gift certificate for . )
I then asked if I could have money back in cash .
The person went to go check with the manager , who was sitting at a table chatting with her friends who were eating there .
Her answer was short and manner rather rude .
Sorry for interrupting I guess .
The cashier was also short , unapologetic and made me feel as I was wasting her time .
There were no other options available ( I only brought my check card to cover any overage cost ) and she rang it up and applied it to the gift card before telling me about the tip policy .
I will not be visiting Mama Mia 's again .
There are other places with food just as good with management that values customers and employees much more .
DINING AT TEXAS ROADHOUSE
TEXAS ROADHOUSE HAS VERY GOOD MEALS , THAT THE MEAT COMES RIGHT OFF THE BONES .
IT HAS VERY GOOD PRICES .
ON A BAD NOTE THE WAITING AREA IS NOT ENJOYABLE OR ENOUGH SEATS .
ALSO , THERE SHOULD NOT BE PEANUTS ALL OVER THE FLOOR .
NEXT , THERE SHOULD ONLY BE ONE PERSON BRINGING YOU YOUR FOOD .
IT S NOT A BIG DEAL BUT I HAD TO TAKE MY SALAD HOME BECAUSE THEY FORGOT TO BRING IT .
I HAD TO ASK THE GIRL WHO BROUGHT MY FOOD AND SHE NEVER CAME BACK TO LET ME KNOW .
I HAD TO WAIT FOR MY WAITRESS .
WHEN YOU FIRST COME IN THE HOSTESS IS NOT VERY FRIENDLY , THERE IS JUST A BUNCH OF WORKERS STANDING THERE .
I WAS THERE ON MARCH 6TH , 2009 .
I WAS ALSO THERE OF JULY 4TH 2008 , WHEN MY DAUGHTER S BUFFALO WINGS CAME OUT WITH A FLY ON IT .
THE MANAGER CAME OVER AND SAID HE WAS SORRY AND GAVE A NEW BATCH OF WINGS , HE SAID WE CA NT REALLY DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE DOORS ARE ALWAYS OPENING AND CLOSING .
IN MY OPINION SHOULD OF JUST TOOK OFF THE PRICE OF THE WINGS FROM THE BILL .
BUT EVERYONE HAS THERE OWN WAY !!!!!!
Mezza Luna FTW !
their mezza luna's are deffly better than the pizza rolls .
it s like a pizza roll , but they just toss ham and cheese inside .
it seems like it s healthier too , but it s prolly not .
also , you can call em ahead of time , and then go to pick up ur food , or have it delivered ** .
that cuts down on teh wait time , cus u can do other stuff while u r waiting .
it usually takes 20 mins for a mezza luna , as they have to add pure delicious extract to the mix .
their pizza was a little salty for me , but it s still good .
they do that whole thing where you sandwich the pepperoni between layers of cheese for + 32 delicious .
anyways , the mezza luna : you should try it .
it runs you about 4 bucks and it deals crushing blows to hunger .
** Edit : Living on campus at Clarkson University , I have had food delivered before .
This was back between '05 and '09 and I do n't remember how many times we 've had it delivered .
Perhaps they do n't deliver anymore , but the deliciousness of a mezza luna certainly warrants a pickup .
My 2004 x - type was getting close to 100,000 miles so it was time for an upgrade .
I sent my wife and daughter over to check out a pre-owned 2009 XF .
Michael Chestney was very pleasant and patient with my wife and she suggested I go check it out .
I went in later that afternoon and met with Michael .
He showed me the car I was interested in and we took a test drive .
I loved the car so we began negotiating my trade - in and the price of the 09 XF .
The entire negotiation took about 20 minutes .
Fair give and take on both sides until we agreed on a deal that was within my parameters and was fair to both sides .
10 minutes of paperwork and I was the owner of a beautiful pre-owned 09 XF .
I have purchased over 15 vehicles ( cars , rvs , and boats ) in my lifetime and I have to say the experience with Michael and Barrett Motor Cars of San Antonio was one of the best .
Friendly , knowledgeable , and above all fair .
That 's all you can really ask from a car dealer and Michael and Barrett hit all 3 .
Thanks for the great deal and the great car !
Identity Theft
Myself and my fiance 's identity was stolen from the office staff .
We were told by a detective and asked to check our credit for anything unusual .
Luckily they caught the crooks before they did one on us .
It was a black female that use to work in the office .
She stole the information and gave it to another guy that did all the work .
The other guy was pulled over one day and a cop saw suspicious papers with names and social security numbers on it .
That s how they were caught .
They both went to jail and a new manager was put in charge of the apartments .
The apartment across from mine belonged to a gang of hookers .
Nobody lived there .
A girl would show up , then a guy in a nice car would show up .
Short time later the guy would leave , then the girl .
My apartment was usually quiet .
I lived in one that did not face the parking lot .
Parking spaces are just big enough for a Mini Cooper .
It sucked having an SUV .
If I found a spot , I could nt fit in it .
Gates worked 30 % of the time at best .
Bugs were a small problem , nothing too bad .
The best there is in service .
I was recently traveling down I - 24 from Nashville with my 3 young children and had a blowout on the southeast side of Murfreesboro .
It was 4:50 when a friend told me to call Bud , he would take care of me .
Not only did they answer the phone at 4:50 on a Thursday , they hit the ground moving !.
They tracked down the only tire that fit my BMW 330i in Murfreesboro within minutes and secured it , then they came out , took off my tire ( it was a runflat - but runflats do n't do you any good if they blow out ) , and brought it to their shop to change the tire .
They were back quickly considering how far outside of Murfreesboro we were and had us on our way by 6:30 that evening .
Thanks Bud for all of your help and taking time away from your family that evening .
It 's without a doubt , the best service experience I 've ever had and just to be clear , the price he charged me was the same as my tire guy in Nashville 's price for putting on the other rear tire .
I hope I can return the favor in the future !
Alan Grissom
Room ok .
Service and Client base not ok .
I have stayed in this hotel many times , and while it typically offers a decent bang for the buck , its client base largely consists of troubled youngsteers and evictees from the local , not so pleasant hood .
I have never considered this a real problem as I travel without kids and can fend for myself , but when I had to listen to a ( non-violent ) domestic fight that lasted from 1 AM to 5 AM during my last stay and I found out that the front desk was unmanned during night hours , my choice was to either waste tax payers money by calling for a yet another police dispatch to this hotel , or just get over it .
I chose the later , but approached the front desk about the hotel policy to push over their responsibilities on local authorities , not to mention the good night s sleep i paid for but did nt get .
I was told management would call me back but still waiting for that call .
I will probably stay here again because it s cheap and I ca nt afford a better hotel , but do not look forward to it and would definitely not recommend this hotel for families or single female travellers .
Was there this past weekend and the guy behind the counter yelled at me and my son because we believed he left the grandma slice in the oven a little too long and the cheese got all dried out and the slice tasted more like a cracker .
He preceded to grab the slice off the countertop and throw it into the trash while yelling at me saying , " you do not order what you do not know about " and " you do n't know how pizza is made " .
It was very upsetting to see this kind of behavior especially in front of my four year old .
He was in the process of making me a pie and when I got home , the pie was the worst I have ever seen .
Cheese was falling off , so oily and greasy .
I think he did it on purpose because of my simple request for another slice of grandma that was n't so well - done ( actually , burnt ) .
I will never go back to this place and I am reporting them to the better business bureau for such horrible customer relations and basically sabotaging my pizza and taking my $ 25 .
THIS STORY IS 100 % TRUE .
That little man who thinks he invented pizza can kiss my *ss .
Long Lines , Silly Rules , Rude Staff , Ok Food
The first thing you notice when you arrive on location is that the waiting line literally goes out the door and spills into the parking lot .
A restaurant with this many patrons willing to stand in line just to order tacos must be good , right ?
I mean , that 's the way it works at amusement parks : the longest lines are at the best rides .
Well , this may be an exception .
The staff taking your order and " waiting " on you are very indifferent and have no sense of costumer service at all .
I have gotten better results talking to COMCAST customer service than with these folks .
And do n't even think about asking to speak to the manager because this guy is , and pardon my French , a jerk .
If you have gotten through ordering , dealing with the rude staff and if you followed the dumb rules , you are finally presented with what you came for .. some tacos that are " ok , " but definitely not worth putting up with all the hassle .
Save yourself the trouble and skip this place all together .
I suggest you go up to Raging Taco & Raging Burrito a couple of blocks up the street or even Taco Mac .
Wish this was in Saratoga --
We were introduced to Bistro Tallulah by traveler - professional diner who happens to own the Adelphi Hotel and travels the world -- and residing in Paris , London , New York the rest of the year .
SHE KNOWS GREAT FOOD AND DINING EXPERIENCES .
She was dead on -- this restaurant was wonderful --- do not be put off by the one negative review on this page .
I can tell you we were pleasantly surprised -- BT has taste memory and each time back the food was consistently delicious -- same dishes -- were consistent .
Our friend is a world traveler and loves unpretentious dining experiences and inspired food .
This chef knows what he is doing .
Treat yourself and go -- you will go back !
I am a business owner in downtown Saratoga Springs and wish this restaurant was in our town !
The affordable rent makes it possible for an inspired chef to serve his high quality fare at affordable prices !
Unlike Saratoga .
I rrly seek the cehf out to introduce myself -- but the second time we went -- i made a point of asking our wait person to introduce my friend and myself to the chef to tell him just how good our meals were .
Can not wait to go gain .
- R. Morris .
I think that the re pretty good .
First of all , if you call for an appointment they wo n't tell you to call back a month later so you can then make one .
They also do n't tell you that they 're going to mail you an " application " to be admitted to be a patient .
I feel that the way some doctor s offices work around here is a little bit absurd so I 'm happy that these guys do n't do those two things in particlular .
Usually you can be seen the same week or maybe the following week .
The doctor did tell me that my male pattern baldness is due to my mother s father because the gene is exclusively passed on through maternal line but that 's a common misconception ( http://www.consumerreports.org/health/healthy-living/beauty-personal-care/hair-loss-10-08/hair-loss.htm ) .
In general I would say that the staff is attentive and nice .
But then again I was nice to them so that could have been why .
Anyhow , after reading some of the other reviews it seems like some of the other reviewers are expecting mircles .
If you want miracles you 'll have to go to 21st St .
It 's a pretty typical primary care office but for the area it 's very good .
They do n't do certain things that are really annoying about other offices .
First trip to Canada
I recently traveled to Canada on business and had a most excellent experience .
I work for a large retail company recently expanding our operations into Canada and had to travel to ensure all of our computer network equipment was installed properly and on time .
This can tend to be a stressful experience in itself let alone adding crossing boarders for the first time .
I was very pleased to find my accommodations and the hotel staff to be a very calming and comforting part of my trip .
I found the hotel to be amazingly clean , not to mention very well adorned with many pleasant surprises .
From my first encounter at check in to my regrettable check out I found the staff and facility to exceed my expectation .
I completely enjoyed my whole check in experience and was impressed with the friendliness and professionalism of the staff as well as the accommodations themselves .
I will be traveling in this area in the future and you can be assured that this experience will be helpful in my choice of hotels and Novotel will be my first selection .
Yes the parking can be a challenge but being from NJ I am no stranger to tight corners .
Please pass my appreciation to the Staff and Management for their excellent hospitality and good spirits as it helped make a stressful trip enjoyable .
Favorite place in Tampa .
Update : I had to add to my review .
I was just in last night and had a chance to dine in their new dining room .
AMAZING !
I frequent this resturant on a weekly basis but usally only for lunch .
Well I was in for a treat when I was greeted by the friendly girls at the counter who asked if my wife and I would like to sit in their " new " dining room .
Right away they told us that it was the same great food with the same prices so off we went .
We were greeted again and sat promptly .
After looking at the menu and seeing the new menu items they had , we knew we were in for a treat !
I had the Chicken Parmesan Dinner and my wife had the Shrimp Scampi Dinner .
AMAZING !
The portions were generous enough that we even took some home !
I have to say the value of this place always amazes me .
It 's nice to see that even in the economy we can eat a place that has upscale service , amazing atmosphere , and Incredible food , but not break the bank while enjoying it !
Bottom line is that when it 's a small privatly owned resturant like this is you can tell that the owners and employees take pride in their product and service .
Well Done !
Great work and honest establishment !
I typically have work done on my Jeep at the dealership , but it is 6 years old now and getting charged dealership prices just did n't seem cost effective anymore .
I had tried out few place around the area and had been ripped off a few times .
I had hear great things about Phet and G&G Automotive so I decided to give him a try .
The service was excellent and personable .
He checked out what I needed to have done told me what needed be fixed before he did any work and did great repair work .
The price was actually lower than what I had anticipated and used to compared to other places , plus he showed me the work he did when I came in to pick up the car .
Also , a week after the work , Phet called me up to see how my car was running and to let me know that they had accidentally overcharged me for part of the work and wanted to give me a refund for that amount .
That is just unheard of these days !
I grew up in a small town where you knew and trusted your mechanic and was really cynical about city auto repair shops since I moved here , but Phet has shown that there really are honest hard working mechanics around .
He is my mechanic going forward !
Our company is a high end designer handbag and fashion accessories company , thus we are certainly a niche market .
We had been evaluating SEO providers for quite some time and finally decided to take the plunge with Stuart , and Ulistic .
We made the decision for a couple of reasons .
1 . Social Media .
We were familiar with Search Engine Optimization strategies , but new nothing about Social Media - we just heard that it was the next big thing .
2 . We really liked the fact that Stuart sets defined objectives and we meet once a month to go over our Key Performance Indicators .
How has it gone so far ?
Well we have been working with Ulistic for 1.5 months , and have 100 people following our site on Facebook , and our web site , www.designofashion.com has seen a 3 fold increase in traffic , which is significantly beating our expectations - SEO is a process that takes time and to get results this quickly is exceptional .
We are absolutely confident that Stuart 's ethical and focused strategies will see these trends continue to grow , and our business will reap the rewards of this program .
Finally , it must be said that Stuart is a fantastic person to work with , because of his solid strategies and equally as importantly because he is a genuinely good person and a great communicator .
Excellent service and quality
I had Hom - Excel replace most of the windows in my Tampa residence three years ago .
The excellent windows have performed without any problems , but that 's not why I 'm writing my review .
Three weeks ago , burglars tried to gain entry into the rear of my home .
The intruders slit the screen of the window .
Next , they tried to force the window with a pry bar and then to break the window with a hammer .
The window did n't break !
My next - door neighbor heard the noise and turned on a light , thankfully scaring the two miscreants away ( they even left their hammer behind ! ) .
I called Home - Excel the next day to order a replacement screen for the window , and was happily surprised when they said that they were n't even going to charge me for the replacement screen ... that it would be covered under their guarentee .
Lo and behold , they replaced the screen ( which had to be ordered ) yesterday and did n't charge me a dime .
Their worker even cleaned 3 of my windows and changed a lightbulb for me .
In this day and age , it is so rare to find a company with such nice workers and such far ranging guarantee policies .
I rarely write reviews such as this one , but they certainly deserve anyone 's business !
Friendly staff , but definitely some problems
May , 2009 .
We were booked at the Sheraton with a number of other out - of - town wedding guests .
Got put into the wrong room the first night , and were quite surprised to have someone with the same room key trying to get in the door at 1:00 am !
Next day got moved into another room , on the same floor with other wedding guests .
There were 3 adults in our room but towels for only 2 , no linens for sofa bed .
In the second room it took 3 tries to get all the towels and linens we requested .
A package and some wedding cards were left in our first room .
They were sent to our second room and had been opened -- the ribbon - wrapped present , and all 3 envelopes .
Security in the hotel seemed to be excellent , but we were never given an explanation as to why someone would open these items .
A mid-afternoon " fire drill " was disruptive , putting everyone out of the hotel .
When we called the front desk about an extremely boisterous crowd in the hall outside our door quite late at night , it seemed to take the hotel staff quite a while to quiet them down .
The staff was friendly , especially the front desk female supervisor , and seemed to want to help , but too many unusual things happened to make us want to stay there again .
Be Careful Of Who Your Sales Guy Is
I think this place is probably really great especially judging by the reviews on here .
My experience was awful though .
It ALL had to do with the sales guy which was a young 22 year old who had admittedly only been working for 2 weeks .
I was extremely interested in the car and very likely would have bought it , but the sales guy I dealt with ruined the deal .
Essentially , I told him I did n't trust him cause he was a car salesman , but he got so incredibly offended at that statement that he had to go cry to another salesman and compose himself before coming back .
I do n't know if the kid had a bad day or what , but I had to sit and apologize about nothing for 10 minutes until he dropped the issue .
After that , I just tried to ignore his lack of professionalism and test drive the car .
I played dumb and asked him questions that I already knew the answers to and he responded with half truths and a few falsehoods .
For instance I asked who owned Mazda and he said with confidence that was GM , which is n't true .
I mean , I do n't care if he does n't know , but if he pretends to know and tells me BS to my face , there 's no way I 'm going to trust him when matters turn to the price of the car and financing .
The Worst Chinese I 've Ever Had
This is by far the worst chinese food I have ever had .
The service stunk .
I called in my order and upon arriving to pick it up , they got my order confused with someone else s .
They helped about three other people before they offered to help me again .
They also got my friend s order mixed up and wanted to charger her $ 10 more than what she had wanted .
She asked for the dinner combo and they gave her two dinner plates instead .
We were standing in the store for 20 minutes to simply pick up an order .
Not to mention that the wait staff was about as pleasant as dealing with an angry bull .
They were abrasive and rude - when they were the ones who messed everything up .
We had to throw out about 80 percent of our meals because the food tasted so horrible .
I do nt know how it is possible to make orange chicken , sesame chicken and kung pao chicken as well as cheese puffs taste THAT bad but China Delight accomplished that .
The only thing that was edible was the steamed rice and the vegetable lo mein was barely tolerable .
I will NEVER go here again .
Lucky Panda in Willis is a billion times better in service and quality of the meal .
I have no idea how China Delight won number 1 Chinese restaurant in Montgomery - There needs to be a recount on that vote .
Terrible Service
One of the worst experiences I 've ever had with a auto repair shop .
We took our vehicle in for a repair to the air conditioning .
Approx 4 months later , the compressor went out .
We took it back in to have it repaired again , and less than a week later the second compressor went out .
We went in for a third visit and they fixed it again , but this time when we picked up the car , the radio and clock did not work .
So for the 4th time in 5 months and the third time in 2 weeks , we brought the car back again .
When we expressed our discontent to the manager ( that 's right , the manager ) , did he say he would return some money , did he say he would give a discount on our next visit , did he just say " I 'm sorry " .
Nope , none of the above .
He stood there and told us how he was n't at fault .
It was the fault of the parts supplier , and can we imagine how he felt having to put another 2 hours of work in the car .
And what did we expect ... that he bench test every part .
At no time during the conversation did the words , " I 'm sorry " ever come out of his mouth .
I , nor anyone else in my family , will ever go to Sun Devil Auto again .
Well , unless of course the third compressor he put in the car goes out .
Do not use this company !
I dropped off a sheet metal piece that I needed copied due to th it was needing to be replaced .
I asked if they could copy the piece I dropped off .
They said it would be made exactly like the one I needed to replace .
I picked it up when it was finished and was charge 30.00 .
When I got to the job and tried to insert the new piece of metal IT WOULD NOT FIT !!
I took the original piece of metal and rigged it to make due since I had to complete the job .
I took the receipt and the metal that did not fit and asked Pomper for my money back .
The girl at the desk was sooo rude I could not believe it !
She told me she could not use the piece I was returning and the company would only put it in the trash so I could not return it .
I explained I did not get what I paid for .
She asked me to bring the original piece back and I told her I had to use it on the job .
She told me that was to bad she would do nothing to help me since she could not use or resell the piece .
I said I was going to trash it also and could I at least have a credit .
With a smirk on her face she told me NO MONEY IS BEING RETURNED and THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS .
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY .
There are to many people that need our business to have to put up with this unfair treatment !!!!!
I would NEVER recommend this gym to anyone and unfortunately this is based solely on the owner 's own unprofessionalism .
When I originally joined in January I only did so because I was told I would be able to cancel the 12 month membership if I was to move away .
I signed up with one of the staff who was very pleasant and professional .
Actually working out there was good - the machines are nice and the classes are fun .
The locker room is certainly lacking - I would never shower or change there .
They need to update the locker rooms ASAP .
Back to my poor rating - I was excepted to medical school and went in to cancel my membership as I was told I could do since I was moving away .
The owner was VERY rude , accused me of not reading my contract , and basically told me to shut up when I was trying to ask questions to further understand the process of canceling my membership .
I was able to cancel it but only after paying a $ 50 fee ( which the staff person who signed me up stated I would not have to pay if I had proof of moving ) and being spoken to in a very belittling manner .
I would understand if I was being treated this way by a staff member but the club 's actual OWNER ?!
Bad for business .
I was appalled .
I will never recommend this gym to any woman .
The equipment and classes are n't good enough to deal with the rudeness from the staff !!!
There are better places on the Cape - FITNESS 500 !
The Salon Experience from Hell
I feel obligated to share this story .
Right out of college I called the salon and explained my situation .
Just graduated , just moved , not rich , and starting new job soon .
I never got a price quote over the phone and they take your cc info just to make the appointment because if you do n't show up , they 'll charge you .
I had this ridiculous celebrity stylist from LA named Derrick .
After he already put product on my hair he said " I should warn you , I 'm expensive . "
What was I supposed to do , say I ca n't afford you and walk out with crap all over my hair .
I wanted to be very blonde and instead he pulled my root color throughout my whole hair which is a gross mousey brown .
The other stylists around me kept pressuring me saying he 's so wonderful , you 're going to love your hair .
$ 400 later my jaw dropped when the receptionist told me the total .
Derrick did a terrible job , was a complete jerk the entire time , and I had no warning as to the price .
I cried the entire way home .
He then " fixed " it for free but it still looked like crap .
I will never go back .
It was the salon experience from absolutely Hell .
He also told me that he worked on the cast of will and grace and that they were all jerks .
That 's my favorite show of all time .
I 'm pretty sure for the cast that it was the other way around .
Maybe he did n't do a good job and they told him so .
Absolute Nightmare !
STAY AWAY !
Very unhappy ...
Working with Rod Jacobsen was my first experience working with a CPA , so I did not know what to expect .
That said - he seemed to be doing well enough .
However , then I asked to amend my return to apply a credit I had just become eligible for .
I expected to pay for this service , but imagine my surprise when I received a bill for MORE than what I paid to have the original return prepared .
Asked why , Rod simply told me that he had to research how to do the amendment ( it was an amended to show that I had purchased a home - nothing out of the ordinary , one would think ) and that took time to figure out .
Well , that was strike one .
I was n't going to use them again , but I was going to leave it at that .
However , now that I have come to realize that I am going to owe the IRS $ 6,000 + despite doing exactly what Rod told me to do , I feel I have to voice my opinion .
Last year , after all was said and done , I asked Rod whether my payment structure would leave me with no / little tax liability at the end of the year .
He said yes .
Well , again , I am now faced with a tax bill of $ 6,000 + , all due on April 15 , 2010 and all that Rod has to say to the matter is ' well , you wo n't have to pay a penalty . '
I may not have to pay a penalty , yet , but this is NOT what I had in mind when hired these guys .
In the words of my new accountant , THEY LET ME DOWN !
Bit sketchy , sporadic delivery times
I bought about half of the furniture I own from this place .
Why ?
Because they cut me good deals if I paid in cash .
Sketchy , right ?
Well they came through and delivered almost all of my items within a few days .
( They even got me a couch pretty quickly . )
The guy who was cutting me the deals and getting me the furniture quickly , Ahmed , was nice and mostly professional , except the semi-sketchiness .
Then one day , Ahmed left the country , not to return for months , WITHOUT informing me .
He also neglected to tell the other person working at the store about a dining room table that I had ordered and that was supposed to be coming in .
The other person working at the store did n't know that I still had this table coming .
I had paid in cash , and he said he had no receipt / record of my purchase .
I came back with the receipt Ahmed had provided upon my purchase , and the guy took forever to copy it but said that he would take care of the situation .
I waited .
And waited .
He never once contacted us .
I 've had to pester this new guy several times to ask when my table will arrive .
He kept saying different arrival / delivery dates and did n't seem terribly apologetic .
It has been 3 weeks and I STILL do n't have my table ( which was NOT cheap , I might add ) .
Point is : You might be able to get a good deal on some nice furniture -- which I did -- but they 're not very communicative and god forbid something goes wrong , you 'll have to fight to get it resolved .
Poor Service
Run do n't walk .
My experience with Home Delivery Service has been one of disappointment and anger .
If I could give them a lower rating than poor I would .
On August 21st , 2009 I ordered furniture from Hickory Furniture Mart and contracted for HDS to deliver it .
After seventeen days the delivery van showed up at my home minus two pieces .
I was later told they had been left at the warehouse and some future date they would be delivered .
No one will give me a date .
I spent $ 2300 on the bedroom suite , which was complete and excellent condition on the showroom floor .
Upon delivery it was clear the entire set was damaged : a piece of wood was broke on the headboard ; the chest of drawers was missing all four pieces necessary to attach the legs ; the dresser back legs were pushed in causing the dresser to lean into the wall ; and a nighstand was missing a drawer .
How do you lose a drawer .
After complaining on September 10th to National Home Furnishings , Boyles , the Hickory Furniture Mart and Home Delivery Service the latter finally called me back and said they would be up to pick the dresser and chest of drawers at some future point and at some later point it would be professional repaired and at some later point it would be returned .
The customer service at Home Delivery Service was terrible let alone their promise to proper set up furniture .
So I am in limbo regarding a bedroom suite .
I hope the owners and employees of this store have broken bedroom suites in their homes and furniture sitting in someone 's warehouse .
Maybe then they will begin to understand poor customer service and terrible sit up service .
Excellent Driving School
I was involved in a car accident 20 years ago and since then I 've been a nervous wreck and have n't been behind the wheel .
Unfortunately , a family emergency required me to conquer this fear .
A very good friend of mine highly recommended the Professional Driving School and I was told to specifically ask for Gerry .
She highly recommended him and described him as the " Saintly Instructor and Simply the Best Instructor there is .... very calm , pleasant and very detailed in giving instructions " .
I called the school most probably 10 times before I finally enrolled in a 20 hour package .
I had to cancel my initial lesson 4 times and on the 5th attempt the management was quick enough to associate my cancellations with my fear and finally encouraged me into taking my initial lesson .
Five minutes before my initial lesson , I got a call from Gerry advising me of his arrival and to come down as soon as I was ready .
My heart pounded as I walked down and pounded even faster upon seeing Gerry in an SUV - Lexus !
I thought of canceling the lesson once again because I did n't feel comfortable driving an SUV .
Gerry pleasantly said " since I am already here why do n't we give it shot .
I trust you and believe that you 'll be able to handle this and all you have to do is to reciprocate !
Trust me and most especially trust and believe in yourself .
Do n't worry , I 'll take care of you ! "
....... the rest was history !
Here I am now driving confidently on my own .
Gerry , I ca n't thank you enough for helping me cope with my fear .
To my friend , thank you for your recommendation ... you were true to your words in saying Gerry is a " Saintly Instructor ... Absolutely Simple the Best Instructor and Best Driving school there is !
Review on House of Joy Chinese Restaurant
My family and I moved to San Antonio a year ago and have tried almost all of the Chinese Restaurants because we love Chinese food .
Well it took us a while to find one that we liked .
But we do n't just like House of Joy WE LOVE IT .
Everything we have gotten there has been more authentic and better tasting than any other Chinese restaurant in the San Antonio area we have been to -- and trust me we have been to a lot of them .
We just happen to stumble across this little restaurant one day when we had to visit the Bexar County Tax Office off of Bandera Road .
We stopped in and got some take out and can not stop going back .
They have the best Egg Drop Soup I have ever tasted .
We also love their Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls .
And every entree we have ordered is perfect .
Everything is always cooked fresh and tastes fresh .
Their prices are extremely reasonable for the amount of food you receive .
The staff is also just so pleasant to deal with .
They are also quick at getting your order out to you .
You do n't have to sit and wait around forever like most places !!
So anyone looking for an Excellent night out for Chinese or maybe just lunch should stop in and try it because I promise you 2 things --- You wo n't regret it !!
and you will go back for more !!!
Karla Ferguson - Granger
PS I have noticed on here that someone left a comment that " all of the nice comments must come from co workers or friends " and I will tell you that I do n't know these people except from eating at their restaurant .
We are from Virginia and just moved here a year ago .
So that comment is completely false .
Because we think IT 'S THE BEST !!!
and we do n't know them except for eating there .
Dr. Strzalka at Flagship CVTS is not a good doctor
I am not sure about the quality of the other doctors there , but i do know from personal experience that Dr. Christopher T. Strzalka is not a man of his word , and is also very CRUEL AND UNCARING !!
He was going to operate and replace my bicuspid aortic valve due to critical aortic stenosis .
I had a surgery date of July 17 , 2008 .
Then he renigged when he read my Health Care Proxy , even though i agreed to be on the ventilator for 2 months following surgery ( as he had twice stated i must agree to ) .
He later said that by 2 months he " meant at least two months " .
Two months and at least two months are totally different things .
He did not even give me the chance to say i would stay on the ventilator longer , which i would have .
A Health Care Proxy is not written in stone and can be changed .
He also never even said he was sorry .
Just said i was inoperable and walked out of the hospital room .
So , therefore , now he says i am inoperable ( even though i am not 100 % inoperable ) , and he is letting me die .
I am just middle aged and do not want to die , but thanks to this doctor i have no other alternatives .
I , along with my friends , consider this doctor to be the cause of my death as he is not even trying to save my life by operating .
Even my PA i went to the other day said " it must by comforting to have gone to a heart surgeon like him who will do nothing for you " .
He said it sarcastically .
If you want a doctor who will lie to you and say he will operate and then change his mind , and not know what he is talking about when he recommends procedures at other hospitals and says they are what you need , when they will not work for you , go to this doctor ... he is the one for you .
What you can learn from the below ' bad experience ' .
I would suggest not avoiding Second Home based on the ' bad experience ' review .
I 'd probably be more inclined to board my two dogs here , seeing that they do n't just take every dog coming in .
I 've toured this place and was impressed by how clean the place was , and all the options for the dogs .
It 's unfortunate that bmil believed that his ' perfect ' dog was not given the right opportunity to prove himself .
But I 've done hundreds of dog introductions myself ( another place , I do n't work here ) , and owners can have unrealistic expectations and views of what they see when their dogs meet other dogs .
Workers who do these introductions look at the interaction objectively ; and it 's good to see they are able and willing to say no if they feel there would be a problem .
It sounds ( according to your own statement ) that they had a roomful of dogs , so they must be doing something right - and are keeping those dogs safe from potential problems .
You say you work a lot , and that you have a young dog ; so I have little doubt that your dog is just filled with energy to burn ; and it is good of you to look for a place to take him .
But not at a risk to other people 's pets .
You were clearly given another alternative by Second Home , to board him - which might have given your dog a chance to come and go from Second Home a couple times , getting used to the place and maybe facilitating another attempt to get into daycare later .
No business is going to push customers away without good reason ; so is n't it reasonable to think they might know what they 're doing ?
My dogs are far from perfect , and one of them I believe would be a little much for daycare here herself ( at least initially ) .
Be a little more reasonable with your expectations of a place like this ; and maybe do n't jump to personal attacks suggesting that they do n't want to work hard , just because you bruised your own ego .
Dumbest F'ers ever
I called dominos tonight , it rang forever , I get put on hold twice without saying a word and FINALLY someone says , MAY I HELP YOU ?
So I say : I 'm at the Radison Warwick hotel in Rittenhouse Square ( built in 1926 ) do you deliver to the Warwick ?
They say no , Warwick in New Jersey , Call New Jersey .
I laugh and say , no , that Warwick is in New York , but I 'm at the Radison - Warwick .
And he says : You 're at Warwick in Pennsylvania ?
and I said , YES , CENTER CITY PHILLY , and he says , NO , Warwick is a township , If you 're at a Radison in Warwick that s too far , try dominos in Pottstown .
I say , NO , I am at the RADISON WARWICK HOTEL in Rittenhouse Square .
He says : I not know that town , I have to get to work , I 'm in PHILLY .
Call dominos in your town .
I SAY LISTEN : I 'm at 17th and LOCUST , do you deliver there ?
He says , I have to have an exact ADDRESS .
OK , 1701 LOCUST STREET i say .
he says : Why you tell me you r in WARWICK TOWNSHIP ?
He gives the phone to a girl , she says , I have to have your address , I say , do you deliver to 17th and locust , she says , your exact address , I say 1 - 7 - 0 - 1 Locust , ARe you sure ? she asks ?
YES I am sure , well , she says , is that ON 17th STREET .
Yes , I say .
17th , like over by 16th and 15th YES , I say , one mile west of you .
You 're at 7th .
I am just south of Walnut .
She says , Is that 17th like over past broad .
YES , I am west of broad .
Broad , I say , is 14th street and I am 3 blocks west of broad and one south of walnut .
Hmmm , she says , Then why are you calling here , we do n't go past broad ?
Anyway , after much yelling and cussing I hung up , grabbed a cab , and went to Geno 's .
Quick to take money but not quick to fix a problem !
B&B came out very quickly to give us our quote back in June .
They were very polite , eager to answer any questions and willing to wait for us to return from vacation to begin installing our fence .
Our fence was installed quickly in August and they had their money and left saying " Workmanship is guaranteed for a year ! " .
Within a week we noticed one of the boards on our gate splitting where a nail had gone in .
We called our representative who assured me he would call the office and have it taken care of .
We heard nothing .
We then called the office and the man we spoke to said he 'd send someone out to look at it but could n't promise when - two weeks came and went and we heard nothing .
I just called again and was told that workmanship , not wood , is guaranteed for a year - well in my opinion - the wood split due to a nail which is part of workmanship !
She even went so far as to say " You r calling about one board ? "
Well - when you pay over $ 1000 for something you want it to hold up and look good !!!
YES !
I WAS calling about one board !!
I 'm very frustrated at this point - it would take all of 10 min for them to come by and replace the one board that is cracked ( the crack is deep enough to stick a penny in it and it goes clear through ) yet they do not want to take the time to bother with what once WAS a happy customer and has now become a dissatisfied customer .
So I figure if they do n't want to take the time to fix the fence that they installed then I 'll take the time to let everyone I can know about how they treat customers once they have your money !!!
STAY AWAY !!!
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR !!!
They came in under a lot of other quotes and now I know why !!!
When the fence was first installed I would have given them five stars , now for their poor customer follow - up and unwillingness to fix the fence they have dropped to a one - star in my opinion !
Lots of rules , phantom innkeeper , last minute price was worth it .
I called the " 207 " number and listened to the same recording loop 3 times before I gave up .
I then called the 800 number ( which was answered ) and inquired about last minute rates .
They had a room with a $ 99 rate , which I booked .
The room was supposed to be on the 2nd floor , but they put us on the 3rd .
The email confirmation ( which I read in the car ) warned about large suitcases , declaring that we are innkeepers , not longshoreman .
In other words , they do not help with suitcases , but they promise totes to help .
However upon our arrival no one there ( the inn was open ) .
So no totes .
Finally a chambermaid stuck her head around the corner from the top of the stairs and told us sternly that we could not be accommodated until 3 M , no exceptions .
Then she was gone .
We returned after 3 PM , found no one there , and a note from the innkeeper with directions to our room .
Rules in the room : # 1 ) if you drink the soda from the fridge in your room you must prove it by leaving the can in the trash .
If they think you 've taken a soda from your room home with you , they will charge you $ 1.50 per can .
They count the cans in the trash to make sure .
# 2 ) If you take the shampoo products home , they will charge you $ 8 per item .
# ) If you want a late checkout , ( after 11 AM ) they charge you $ 15 for the first hour , $ 25 for the second hour , and after 2 PM it 's a full day charge .
# 4 ) Breakfast is 8 AM to 10 AM .
No earlier and no later .
If you go later , it 's all cleaned up .
( By whom , I do n't know .
I never saw anyone there .
All these rules are posted in the rooms . )
Snacks : uninspired bread , tea backs , and individual coffee things for a machine that did n't exist .
I put the coffee thing in hot water and settled for a cup of weak coffee .
No wine glasses .
Room was clean , but had a weird , dated , sink / stove combo that did n't work .
Bath was clean except shower stall which had mildew problems .
No tub .
The Inn touts a shower with dual shower heads , but only one worked .
Do n't get the rooms off the two kitchens .
They are RIGHT OFF the kitchen so you hear everything .
Free parking .
I 'd go back if I could get the last minute rate again of $ 99 , but I would n't pay their rack rate .
Quit with the overstatements !
The worst thing that can happen for any restaurant like Zahav is to have too many people write hyperbolic reviews making claims that " everyone " is going to " love " the food , decor and service .
The truth is , in my and my dining partners ' experience , this is a fine little restaurant with some unique food .
It 's an entirely up and down experience , however .
Now , the best of that unique food comes at the very beginning of the meal .
The salatim salads are the smallest plates I 've ever seen placed in front of me ( you would most likely think they were condiments if it were n't explained to you ) .
Though they are mostly excellent , you generally do n't get enough forkfuls to know if you really love them .
That being said , the laffa and hummus are out of this world .
Then again , for the three of us who dined together , two pieces of flatbread left us fighting for more , and licking the hummus from our fingers ( and yes , those two pieces of flatbread did represent a three - person order ) .
Dinner was also an up - and - down experience .
The vegetarian dishes and lighter fare were almost always spot - on , while the lamb was often dry and / or overcooked .
The duck was a 65 % glob of chewy fat with no resemblance to the juicy , crispy delicacy it usually represents at other establishments .
Dessert was ... hmmm , that 's interesting , I do n't even remember dessert .
I guess that tells you a lot .
Oh , yes , the chocolate semifreddo was quite good .
The warm chocolate cake was very tasty , but served at room temperature , not warm by any stretch of the imagination .
And my -- no , I still do n't remember what I had .
Service was average , but nothing special , and restaurants that are supposed to be excellent should do a better job of training their waitstaff to be communicative and friendly , not merely capable .
Perhaps had we not gone into this restaurant believing Zahav was going to be golden as its name suggests ( and as the many golden reviews seem to attest ) , we would have enjoyed a decent little expensive experience .
But one should not go here expecting something fantastic , unless perhaps you 've never had middle - eastern food before , or succulent duck , tasty lamb , decent portion sizes or actually warm chocolate desserts .
PS ) When we called for a reservation , we were told that 5:00 and 9:30 were their only openings .
When we arrived at 5 , and left circa 7 , there were the same 4 or 5 empty tables surrounding us .
Did they think we were going to feel lucky to get any reservation at all , and therefore be more pleased with our dining experience ?
MUST READ - Do not waste your time in this store .
At my appointment the girl helping me was unable to adequately lace up some of the dresses .
They felt like they were going to fall off of me and it was very difficult to see what I would actually look like were I to purchase some of these dresses .
I thought it would be a good idea to see how a few that I liked would look like on a model ( by looking the dress up online ) .
So , as I was leaving I asked for the designer / dress name or style number associated with my top picks .
They said they were " unable to tell me until they ordered my dress " .
Hmmm ... A person can not call a company , if you have no idea its name ( since the designer is unknown ... SUPPOSEDLY ) , and order a gown without a dress name or style number .
Do other brides fall for this ???
They either : a ) do n't want to give it to me because they do n't want me purchasing the dress elsewhere or b ) are recreating the dresses themselves ( ie STEALING other designers ' dress designs and " filling the orders " by their own seamstresses ) .
I 'm no detective but ... uhh ... seriously ?!?
Whatever type of operation they are running , I 'm not interested and if you 're smart , you wo n't be either .
What a waste of TIME .
Aside from that little * mystery * , one of the sales ladies was quite comfortable telling me how wrong I was about how another dress that I loved compared to one of her dresses that I was trying on .
Somehow , since she supposedly does n't know any names of designers / dresses , after I told her the designer and dress name of the one I was comparing , she knew " exactly which dress " I was referring to and disagreed with my observation ; she said that the bodice did come as low as the one I had on .
My point : Even if I was wrong , do n't sit there and argue with the customer .
Say something like , " Huh .
I did n't think so but you could be right . "
Unless you want to take the " tell the customer how wrong she is and try and force her into a dress she 's obviously not loving " approach which will likely get you ... uh ... nowhere .
Seriously : do not waste your time .
Other shops around this city have MUCH NICER and more TRANSPARENT owners .
Not owners that seem like they have something to hide and know nothing about common courtesy and customer service .
I felt very much like Wedding Gallery was being dishonest and I would n't trust them to lace me up in another gown let alone trust them with the gown I will wear on the most important day of my life .
AWFUL SERVICE !
After happily visiting Sear's Automotives in the past , I was shocked at the horrible service received at their Greensboro location .
I brought my car in on a Sunday to replace a shredded tire .
I waited about 20 minutes in the store part before anyone was able to assist me and was then told to pull my car into the shop ( that is apparently what you are supposed to do , but the big signs pointing you that way are for some reason kept inside the garage , so you do n't see them drving up , and they purposely block the front pull - up that all other Sear's use ) .
Once inside , I had to stand around for at least 10 more minutes before -- FINALLY -- a technician got to me .
Once I returned to pick up my car , you can believe I spent quite a bit MORE time standing around waiting .
I had wanted to split the total between a credit card and check card since I was being reimbursed for the tire but was told this was n't possible .
Once I actually got back in my car , it was dirty and had grease all over the steering wheel .
OK , one bad experience ... fine .
The following Friday , I returned with my car to go ahead and replace the other 3 tires , which were worn .
I would not have gone back , but I could n't find the particular tire they 'd used in stock anywhere else .
Once again , I waited for quite a bit before being attended to .
I got the order completed , and then questioned the technician since it came out about $ 40 less than I expected .
He said it was the same tire , and verified this , after checking both the actual tire on my car and my service papers from earlier in the week .
However , when he printed out the service quote , I could see that it was NOT the correct tire , and was not even an appropriate tire for my car model .
So I pointed this out to him , at which point he said they only had one of the correct tires in stock .
Ok -- fine .
So I got just my other rear tire replaced .
They promised it 'd be done within an hour , so I waited in the lobby .
Over two hours later ( and ten minutes before they closed ) my car was finally finished .
A few minutes after I left , I was called and informed that " I " left my wheel lock ( which they should have left in the car ) .
Of course , they would be closing in 5 minutes , so I would have to hurry up or get it the next day .
Of course I could n't make it back in time ( and they apparently could not stay 5 extra minutes to wait for me ) .
The next day , no one could find my wheel lock and that particular technician was not in .
Of course , they could n't call him either to ask about it because apparently they do n't keep their employees ' phone numbers ( riiight ) , so I would have to return on Monday ( driving for 3 days now with no wheel lock should I get a flat ) .
On Monday I called and again it was a big to - do to find anyone who knew anything about it .
Supposedly they will be holding it for me this evening , but I 'm sure that will also be a huge ordeal .
The employees at this Sear's are completely apathetic and there did n't seem to be any sort of management that I could see .
I will never return there again ( and now have some serious doubts about the quality of work they actually performed on my car ) .
Aesthetic Appreciation and Spanish Art :
Insights from Eye-Tracking
Claire Bailey-Ross claire.bailey-ross@port.ac.uk University of Portsmouth , United Kingdom
Andrew Beresford a.m.beresford@durham.ac.uk Durham University , United Kingdom
Daniel Smith daniel.smith2@durham.ac.uk Durham University , United Kingdom
Claire Warwick c.l.h.warwick@durham.ac.uk Durham University , United Kingdom
How do people look at and experience art ?
Which elements of specific artworks do they focus on ?
Do museum labels have an impact on how people look at artworks ?
The viewing experience of art is a complex one , involving issues of perception , attention , memory , decision-making , affect , and emotion .
Thus , the time it takes and the ways of visually exploring an artwork can inform about its relevance , interestingness , and even its aesthetic appeal .
This paper describes a collaborative pilot project focusing on a unique collection of 17th Century Zurbarán paintings .
The Jacob cycle at Auckland Castle is the only UK example of a continental collection preserved in situ in purpose-built surroundings .
While studies of the psychology of art have focused on individual works and distinctions between representative / non-representative topics , no work has been completed on the aesthetic appreciation of collections or of devotional themes .
In this paper , we report upon the novel insights eye-tracking techniques have provided into the unconscious processes of viewing the unique collection of Zurbarán artworks .
The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effects of different written interpretation on the visual exploration of artworks .
We will discuss the potential implications of these techniques and our understanding of visual behaviours on museum and gallery practice .
The project brings together established research strengths in Spanish art history , experimental psychology , digital humanities , and museum studies to explore , using eye-tracking techniques , aesthetic reactions to digital representations of the individual Zurbarán artworks as well as the significance of the collection as a whole .
Our experience of art develops from the interaction of several cognitive and affective processes ; the beginning of which is a visual scan of the artwork .
When regarding an artwork , a viewer gathers information through a series fixations , interspersed by rapid movements of the eye called saccades .
The direction of saccades is determined by an interaction between the goals of the observer and the physical properties of the different elements of the scene ( e.g. colour , texture , brightness etc ) .
Importantly , studying eye movements offers an insight that does not depend on the participants ’ beliefs , memories or subjective impressions of the artwork .
Previous eye tracking research has highlighted the potential to transform the ways we understand visual processing in the arts ( see for example Brieber 2014 ; Binderman et al. , 2005 ) and at the same time offers a direct way of studying several important factors of a museum visit ( Filippini Fantoni et al. , 2013 ; Heidenreich & Turano 2011 ; Milekic 2010 ) .
Zurbarán ’s cycle of Jacob and his Sons has been on display in the Long Room at Auckland Castle for over 250 years .
It is the only cycle to be preserved in purpose-built surroundings in the UK , and one of very few of its kind in the world .
It has a long history in scholarship ( Baron & Beresford 2014 ) , but many key aspects of its production and significance have not yet been fully understood .
In this study we used eye-tracking in the first stage of exploring audience experience of the extensive Spanish art collections of County Durham , of which the 13 Zurbarán artworks ( there are actually only 12 Zurbarán artworks , the 13th Benjamin , is a copy by Arthur Pond ) are a key part of , to investigate the ways in which audiences look at Spanish art , how aesthetic experience is evaluated and whether audiences can be encouraged to approach art in different ways .
This pilot project primarily investigated how participants visually explore artworks and provides new insights into the potential eye-tracking has to transform the ways we understand visual processing in arts and culture and at the same time offer a direct way of studying several important factors of a museum visit , namely to assess the effects of label characteristics on visitor visual behaviour .
1 Introduction
Tenured and tenure-track university faculty play a special role in determining the speed and direction of scientific progress , both directly through their research and indirectly through their training of new researchers .
Past studies establish that each of these efforts is strongly and positively influenced through various forms of faculty diversity , including ethnic , racial , and gender diversity .
As an example , research shows that greater diversity within a community or group can lead to improved critical thinking [ 1 ] and more creative solutions to complex tasks [ 2 , 3 ] by pairing together individuals with unique skillsets and perspectives that complement and often augment the abilities of their peers .
Additionally , diversity has been shown to produce more supportive social climates and effective learning environments [ 4 ] , which can facilitate the mentoring of young scientists .
Despite these positive effects , however , quantifying the impact of diversity in science remains exceedingly difficult , due in large part to a lack of comprehensive data about the scientific workforce .
Measuring the composition and dynamics of a scientific workforce , particularly in a rapidly expanding field like computer science , is a crucial first step toward understanding how scholarly research is conducted and how it might be enhanced .
For many scientific fields , however , there is no central listing of all tenure-track faculty , making it difficult to define a rigorous sample frame for analysis .
Further , rates of adoption of services like GoogleScholar and ResearchGate vary within , and across disciplines .
For instance , gender representation in computing is an important issue with broad implications [ 5 ] , but without a full census of computing faculty , the degree of inequality and its possible sources are difficult to establish [ 6 ] .
Some disciplines , like political science , are organized around a single professional society , whose membership roll approximates a full census [ 7 ] .
Most fields , on the other hand , including computer science , lack a single all-encompassing organization and membership information is instead distributed across many disjoint lists , such as web-based faculty directories for individual departments .
Because assembling such a full census is difficult , past studies have tended to avoid this task and have instead used samples of researchers [ 8 – 11 ] , usually specific to a particular field [ 12 – 16 ] , and often focused on the scientific elite [ 17 , 18 ] .
Although useful , such samples are not representative of the scientific workforce as a whole and thus have limited generalizability .
One of the largest census efforts to date assembled , by hand , a nearly complete record of three academic fields : computer science , history , and business [ 19 ] .
This data set has shed considerable light on dramatic inequalities in faculty training , placement , and scholarly productivity [ 6 , 19 , 20 ] .
But , this data set is only a single snapshot of an evolving and expanding system and hence offers few insights into the changing composition and diversity trends within these academic fields .
In some fields , yearly data on faculty numbers and composition are available in aggregate .
In computer science , the Computing Research Association ( CRA ) documents trends in the employment of PhD recipients through the annual Taulbee survey of computing departments in North America ( cra.org/resources/taulbee-survey ) .
Such surveys can provide valuable insight into trends and summary statistics on the scientific workforce but suffer from two key weaknesses .
First , surveys are subject to variable response rates and the misinterpretation of questions or sample frames , which can inject bias into fine-grained analyses [ 21 , 22 ] .
Second , aggregate information provides only a high-level view of a field , which can make it difficult to investigate causality [ 23 ] .
For example , differences in recruitment and retention strategies across departments will be washed out by averaging , thereby masking any insights into the efficacy of individual strategies and policies .
Here , we present a novel system , based on a topical web crawler , that can quickly and automatically assemble a full census of an academic field using digital data available on the public World Wide Web .
This system is efficient and accurate , and it can be adapted to any academic discipline and used for continuous collection .
The system is capable of collecting census data for an entire academic field in just a few hours using off-the-shelf computing hardware , a vast improvement over the roughly 1600 hours required to do this task by hand [ 19 ] .
By assembling an accurate census of an entire field from online information alone , this system will facilitate new research on the composition of academic fields by providing access to complete faculty listings , without having to rely on surveys or professional societies .
This system can also be used longitudinally to study how the workforce ’s composition changes over time , which is particularly valuable for evaluating the effectiveness of policies meant to broaden participation or improve retention of faculty .
Finally , applied to many academic fields in parallel , the system can elucidate scientists ’ movement between different disciplines and relate those labor flows to scientific advances .
In short , many important research questions will benefit from the availability of accurate and frequently-recollected census data .
Our study is organized as follows .
We begin by detailing the design and implementation of our web crawler framework .
Next , we present the results of our work in two sections .
The first demonstrates the validity and utility of the crawler by collecting census data for the field of computer science and comparing it to a hand-curated census , collected in 2011 [ 19 ] .
The second provides an example of the type of research enabled by our system and uses the 2011 and 2017 censuses to investigate the “ leaky pipeline ” problem in faculty retention .
Epistemic pollution
Agents can rationally choose between experts only if the criteria that distinguish genuine experts from charlatans are common sense or widely known :
if agents are to satisfy the epistemic conditions on responsibility , they must know what kinds of knowledge they must utilize to guide their selection of sources ( on pain of infinite regress ) .
In fact , many , if not all , the markers of expertise identified by philosophers enjoy widespread recognition .
The fact that these criteria are widely known , however , offers an opportunity to those who would use them for deception , witting or unwitting .
Since expertise must be assessed through indirect markers , to mimic the markers of expertise is to mimic expertise [ 17 ] .
We live in an epistemic environment that is heavily and deliberately polluted by agents who use mimicry and other methods as a means of inflating their pretense to expertise .
This fact , together with the fact that such deception is widely known to occur , reduces ordinary people ’s trust in expert authority and diminishes their capacity to distinguish reliable from unreliable sources .
For instance , those with an interest in deceiving the general public may set up parallel institutions that ostensibly guarantee expertise , taking advantage of the ways in which these parallel institutions mimic legitimate institutions to ensure that people are taken in .
There are some egregious examples of this practice in the field of health care .
For example , a small number of doctors set up the American College of Pediatricians ( ACPeds ) to advocate socially conservative viewpoints related to child health care .
Such an organization is surely permissible , but it has had the unfortunate ( and likely intended ) effect of muddying debates in the public forum by misleading people into thinking that the college speaks for the pediatric profession at large .
Thus , when ACPeds issued a statement condemning gender reassignment surgery in 2016 [ 21 ] , many people mistook the organization ’s political beliefs for the consensus view among United States pediatricians — although the peak body for pediatric workers , the American Academy of Pediatrics , has a much more positive view of gender dysphoria [ 22 ] .
Insofar as the larger organization , with a broader membership base , can be expected to reflect a wider range of expert opinions and a higher degree of expertise , it is reasonable to give its views greater weight than those of the smaller organization .
When ACPeds allows or encourages the impression that it speaks for the profession , it introduces an epistemic pollutant .
A yet more egregious example of such pollution involved collaborative efforts by pharmaceutical companies and the publishing giant Elsevier to produce publications mimicking peer-reviewed journals in the interest of promoting the companies ’ commercial products [ 23 ] .
The companies hoped to leverage the prestige of Elsevier with these fake journals to endow their promotional “ research ” with an air of reliability .
When the deceit was uncovered , however , the effect was just the opposite :
the legitimacy of the published findings was not enhanced through their publication by Elsevier , but rather the legitimacy of Elsevier ’s publications — and , by extension , all academic journals — was diminished through their dissemination of deceptive and commercially interested research .
More recently , institutions of academic expertise have been subject to a large and growing outbreak of so-called predatory journals — journals that will publish almost anything for a fee .
Once again , this phenomenon has the effect of making peer-reviewed journals appear less legitimate .
At times , even those who work in academia may be unsure of a particular journal ’s legitimacy , and there are genuine borderline cases .
For example , the Frontiers contingent of journals appears legitimate — at least to me — despite the fact that authors are expected to pay a publication fee . 8
Yet some Frontiers journals appear to have engaged in bad behavior , whether for profit or for some other motive .
Frontiers in Public Health controversially published articles linking vaccines and autism [ 24 ] and questioning the link between HIV and AIDS [ 25 ] .
Whether due to this behavior or not , Jeffrey Beall decided to add the publisher to his influential ( but now sadly unavailable ) list of questionable journals [ 26 ] .
The controversy surrounding Beall ’s decision indicates how difficult it is to make such judgments — even for professionals .
If academics with expertise in relevant fields have difficulty assessing whether particular journals or particular publishers are legitimate , one can not reasonably expect ordinary people to make such judgments .
If their confidence in scientific findings is lowered across the board as the result of such epistemic pollution , one can hardly blame them .
Since conflicts of interest are a reason to discount expertise , it is incumbent on me to note that I have published in Frontiers journals on several occasions .
Epistemic pollution may stem not only from counterfeit institutions of knowledge production but also from bad behavior by legitimate institutions . 9
For example , pollution may result from attempts to game the systems put in place to track expertise .
Consider institutions with a credentialing function , such as universities , bar associations , or peer review bodies .
These institutions do not exist solely to credential experts .
They have other functions , and these functions may come into conflict , creating pressures to inflate credentials .
For example , universities have a financial incentive to inflate the expertise of their academic staff , thereby increasing their rankings , bringing in grant money , and attracting students .
Systems that assess expertise can be manipulated , and many cases of such manipulation exist — take the recent example by the University of Malaysia , which attempted to boost metrics by urging its faculty to cite one another [ 28 ] .
For this reason , institutions may also be slow to investigate accusations of fraud , and they may try to keep their discoveries in-house to protect their reputations .
The Use of Cognitive Digital Games in School :
Contributions to Attention
Daniela Karine Ramos dadaniela@gmail.com Universidade Federal de Santa Catarin
Bruna Anastacio brunaanastacio@hotmail.com Universidade Federal de Santa Catarin
Cognitive games involve a number of different games working aspects of human cognition , while proposing the intersection between the sets of concepts , fun and cognition , for the improvement of cognitive functions .
The attention is the main point made in this study , since it is fundamental to the learning process and be recurring complaint among parents and teachers in schools .
With respect to the contributions of digital games to improvement of cognitive processes , researchers suggest that regular practice has a significant influence on improving the performance related to basic visual skills ( Li , Polat , Scalzo , & Bavelier , 2010 ) ; on the ability to perceive objects simultaneously ( Dye & Bavelier , 2010 ; Feng , Spence , & Pratt , 2007 ) ; and on the ability to do more than one task at the same time ( Boot , Kramer , Simons , Fabiani , & Gratton , 2008 ) .
Other studies specifically investigate the use of digital games in the school context and suggest potential for digital game use to improve of student 's attention span at preschool age ( Rueda , Checa , & Cómbita , 2012 ) , to improve overall intelligence capacity of elementary school children ( Miller & Robertson , 2010 ) , and to better performance of working memory ability ( Klingberg et al. , 2005 ; Thorell , Lindqvist , Nutley , Bohlin , & Klingberg , 2009 ) .
Considering the importance of the proper functioning of attention , because of its involvement in the regulation of thoughts and emotions , maintaining the performance of this process is very important , especially in school , where the child must acquire content in an environment full of countless distractors .
The study in question focuses on the attention , proposing and evaluation in the context of the classroom .
Thus , it suggests the use of digital games in an integrated way the school activities in the classroom .
The games have features like increasing challenges , rules that establish what can and can not be done , and involvement of the player in the quest to gain skills and win the game ( Kirriemuir & McFarlane , 2004 ; Prensky , 2005 ) .
We aim to investigate the contributions of the use of a system that integrates cognitive digital games to a database , of the Escola do Cérebro , for monitoring and improvement of cognitive skills , highlighting the attention .
The games involve challenges and rules involving the exercise of cognitive functions , especially the working memory , attention and capacity of solving problems .
The study combines qualitative and quantitative approaches .
It collects the data based on the observation of the proposed interventions as well as interviews conducted with participating teachers and students to identify their perceptions of digital games ’ contributions to the learning process .
Furthermore , before and after the implementation of the intervention , we performed a D2 Test of attention that measures selective and sustained attention , as well as visual scanning accuracy and speed .
The intervention consisted in the use of the Escola do Cérebro , using tablets in the classroom , daily for a period of five weeks .
The sample consisted of 71 students of the Application School of Basic Education , Federal University of Santa Catarina , aged 7 and 9 years old ( M = 7.64 ± 1.12 ) , which were divided into two groups : participant and control .
The first ( n = 31 ) participated in the intervention , the control group ( n = 40 ) was only evaluated using the test before and after the same time interval of interventions .
The Escola do Cérebro is a platform that integrates seven digital games into a database .
The application allows visualization of the player 's performance and offers the possibility of monitoring by teachers .
Students have their scores measured by four variables : time , speed , stability and accuracy .
A statistical analysis was performed based on the application of the paired t-test on the difference of the overall score obtained in the test before and after the intervention in the two groups .
The difference in the results obtained from the application of D2 Test of attention before and after was statistically significant ( p < 0.05 ) ,
the participant group had mean and standard deviation 60.23 ( 64.75 ) respectively , while the control group was 20.00 ( 42.65 ) .
The result indicates significant improvement in the performance of the sustained attention in the test , as well as a high dispersion , which reveals a variation in relation to the performance .
In addition , students participating in the interview reported a preference for games that involve problem solving , recognize the need to plan actions in relation to their importance for the game and for daily activities , and realize improvements in the ability to sustain attention .
The teachers observed changes after the intervention , emphasizing the greater persistence and involvement in school activities , and in some students , improvement in the ability to sustain attention .
From this , we conclude that an intervention based on cognitive digital games offers contributions to the learning process and improvement of sustained attention .
4. Discussion .
We hypothesized that the children , who were over the age of six at the time of collection , would have adult-like SI interpretations .
We expected that the use of a training session and then the format of the question would guide participants towards evaluating pragmatic felicity over providing truth value judgments , and would result in adult-like interpretations .
Further , we posited that if our initial hypothesis was not supported , and in fact there was some non-adult-like performance , that there would be significant variability among the conditions , with cardinal numbers having the highest performance and some the weakest .
On the surface , it does seem as if there is variability and perhaps a larger sample size or more items could lead to a significant finding ( see limitations below ) , but at least for this study , the only significant finding was the difference between cardinal numbers and some .
Significant differences were not observed between all and cardinal numbers or all and some .
4.1. LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS .
This study is limited in its power and generalizability .
It serves as a reminder of the work that needs to be completed for the cross-linguistic study of SI in particular and acquisition more generally .
Bantu languages are not included in studies of acquisition often enough despite the numerous languages in this linguistic grouping and the millions of people using them .
Future studies need to include more participants and more items to increase power .
Future studies should also include a larger age range of children to document the age at which adult-like performance emerges .
Related cross-cultural studies have resulted in insufficient statistical power , but interesting trends ( e.g. , Nedwick , 2014 ) .
Follow-up studies with increased stimuli and participants are needed .
In a future study , it is also important to consider if additional training in the difference between reporting on felicity and truth value judgments would impact results , or if more naturalistic experimental conditions ( e.g. , demonstrating actions using real objects instead of two-dimensional depictions ) would be beneficial .
Previous studies in this region of sub-Saharan Africa have found evidence of cultural differences in testing behavior ( Hein , Reich , Marks , Thuma , & Grigorenko , 2016 ) .
The current study is too small to make strong conclusions with regard to cultural differences and experimental methods ;
however , in the study by Hein and colleagues it was found that children responded more or less frequently based on factors such as stimuli type .
In the current study , the responses from two children were not included because they responded the same way to every item through the training and all test items .
More specifically , they answered “ yes ” that the puppet described the pictures well .
It is possible that these two children understood the task and really did believe that the puppet did not produce any poor descriptions , and in this regard , are not yet adult-like in their SI interpretations .
This is unlikely as they said that even the first training item was said well .
It is also possible though that these two children were attempting to please the data collectors , or be polite , and that “ yes ” was in some ways a default answer to be provided when having to respond verbally in a test context .
Additional training with the methodology could improve outcomes .
The puppets used were picked specifically for this task with careful attention to their appearance .
Upon arrival at the school , however , it became clear that the children were not accustomed to playing with puppets and that the data collection would be a novel experience for them .
Further exploration with greater cardinal number ranges could also prove interesting .
Numbers through five in the participating communities are most often expressed with native Chitonga words while numbers greater than five are typically indicated using English borrowings .
The cardinal numbers included in this study were only one through five in order to avoid additional item variability , but larger numbers should be included in future research .
5. Conclusion .
Albeit limited , these results provide valuable insight into SI interpretation by Chitonga-speaking children and demonstrate that pragmatic inference acquisition likely follows the order identified in previous research , but appears to be completed at a later age in this language .
This interesting combination of findings – expected hierarchy of difficulty , but differing age of acquisition – is an important addition to our growing cross-linguistic knowledge of SI and could be the result of language-specific differences in the use of SI lexical items or methodological differences .
Utilization of busted CFL in developing cheap and efficient segmented compact LED bulbs
N S Andres and R T Ponce
Electrical Engineering Department , Bataan Peninsula State University , 2100 , Balanga City Bataan , Philippines
Abstract .
Today ’s generation will not survive a day without the help of lighting .
In fact , someone ’s productivity , particularly at night , depends on the presence of a good lighting and it seems that it is a daily necessity .
Lighting takes a large part on the consumption of household electrical energy particularly in the Philippines .
There are different type of lighting bulbs used at home can affect the overall lighting consumption .
Nowadays , most commonly and widely used bulb in the household is the Compact Fluorescent Light ( CFL ) .
However , the main problem of CFL is the mercury they contain .
In addition to this is the harmful effect of mercury such as Emission of UV Radiation .
In response to the said problem , this project study gives solution to the problem of the society concerning environment , health and safety as well energy conservation , by developing a segmented compact light-emitting diode ( SCLED ) bulb from busted CFL that are efficient , economical , and does not contain toxic chemicals .
1. Introduction
Based on the results of the 2011 Household Energy Consumption Survey ( HECS ) , electricity remains as the most common source of energy used by households particularly in the Philippines .
About 87 percent of 21.0 million households used electricity from March to August 2011 .
As of 2016 , the demand for electricity in the residential is leading among the different sectors .
It is often grouped depending on its uses that are distributed for heating and cooling , lighting , operating appliances etc [ 1 ]
Figure 1 .
January - june 2016 philippine power demand
Now that the world is in the age where lighting seems to be a daily necessity , typical homes as shown in figure 1 , consume nearly 27 percent of the energy used today : making lighting as the major source of electricity consumption .
Lighting plays a large part on the consumption of household electrical energy ; it consumes about 18 % of the total generated electricity of total energy consumption in residential sectors as shown in figure 2 [ 2 ] .
Figure 2 .
Estimated electricity use in residential sector
One of the main factors in lighting energy consumption is the light bulb .
The use of correct and appropriate type of light bulb improves the efficiency of energy usage .
There are three general types of lighting that are widely used in the household nowadays : the ( light-emitting diode ) LED bulb , ( compact fluorescent light ) CFL bulb and the incandescent bulb .
But each of them has their perks and perils [ 3 ] .
Unfortunately , most of the time , people in the residential end up choosing a lamp based on it is price rather than its efficiency and this cause us to pay for our lighting more than necessary .
Today , CFLs are the most used lighting sources in the household .
Using CFLs will allow people to decrease their energy consumption ; also it is a good start to decrease greenhouse emissions .
However , the main problem of CFLs is the mercury they contain .
When products and wastes containing mercury are improperly disposed of , mercury is released into the air , ground or water .
It is persistent in the environment ; it never breaks down nor goes away .
In addition to the harmful effects of mercury is that it emits Ultraviolet ( UV ) Radiation .
This UV radiation interacts with the chemicals on the inside of the bulb to generate light .
The acute and chronic effects are the normal responses of the skin to UVR ; acute reactions considered will be erythema ( sunburn ) and vitamin D production .
Skin aging and skin cancer will be discussed as those reactions produced by prolonged or repeated UVR exposure [ 4 ] .
In response to the aforementioned situation where the three types of lights are compared by their efficiency and effectiveness as light sources , the proponents conducted this study .
Since the CFLs are the most commonly used light bulbs in the residential and has a great compatibility to LED in terms of design and materials , the proponents conducted a study about innovating and recycling CFL into a more efficient and environment friendly LED light bulb .
Design of Mutation Operators for Testing Geographic Information Systems
Suilen H. Alvarado Laboratorio de Bases de Datos Campus de Elviña , Centro de investigación CITIC , Universidade da Coruña , 15071 A Coruña , Spain ; s.hernandez@udc.es
Presented at the 2nd XoveTIC Congress , A Coruña , Spain , 5 – 6 September 2019 .
Abstract :
In this article , we propose the definition of specific mutation operators for testing Geographic Information Systems .
We describe the process for applying the operators and generating mutants , and present a case study where these mutation operators are applied to two real-world applications .
Keywords : mutation operators ; geographic information systems ; mutation testing
1. Introduction
Mutation-based testing [ 1 ] is a test technique that involves artificially introducing errors into a System Under Test ( SUT ) .
A mutant is a copy of the system in which a change has been done that , in most cases , will lead to a behaviour different than expected .
The different mutants are generated automatically by the application of mutation operators .
In the state of the art , we have found mutation operators , both general purpose and specific to different technologies , languages and paradigms [ 2 – 9 ] .
However , these operators are not adequate when trying to test software features associated with specific domains .
In this article , we propose mutation operators specific to the domain of Geographic Information Systems ( GIS ) applications .
These operators reproduce programming errors that are litely to occur during the development of this type of applications .
In addition , we present the implementation of these operators and as proof of concept we apply these operators to two real-world GIS applications and we generate the mutants .
2. Mutation Operators for GIS
As a previous step to designing the mutation operators , we analyzed the main technologies used specifically in the development of GIS , and we identified typical errors a programmer can introduce during the development .
These errors were formalized into mutation operators .
In order to apply these operators to a SUT , we rely on Java reflection and aspect-oriented programming .
Reflection allows us to obtain the list of classes and methods of the SUT , so the user can decide the methods to wish the operators will be applied .
Later , we capture information about the methods of the SUT to be mutated , together with the information of the mutation operators that were already defined .
From these data , we generate the mutation operator , in the form of on aspect , which will then be possible to interweave with the SUT which generates a mutant of the SUT .
Next , we describe the definition of two operators and two cases of application on real-world GIS applications .
ChangeCoordSys Operator ( Listing 1 ) :
It exchanges the coordinate system of a geometry , so it does not match the coordinate system that is being used in the user interface .
It simulates the error of not checking that the coordinate system is correct .
The error is introduced by directly modifying the coordinate system of geometry when recovering the wrapping of the figure .
Listing 1 : A simplified definition of the ChangeCoordSys Operator .
This operator was applied to a mobile technology GIS application .
This application allows registering places of interest for the user .
These areas of interest are called Geofences .
A Geofence is determined by a geographical location expressed in terms of latitude , longitude , and a radius around that location .
By creating a Geofence with an erroneous location from its central location , the device will receive incorrect location notifications .
As a result , the user will see in the application ’s map viewer the Geofences drawn in erroneous zones ( Figure 1 ) .
Figure 1 . Original and mutant application .
BooleanPolygonConstraint Operator ( Listing 2 ) :
It introduces errors in the processing of geometries , manipulating the result of the operations that carry out the verification of different topological restrictions between geometries , such as intersects , covers or overlap .
Listing 2 : A simplified definition of the BooleanPolygonConstraint Operator .
To test this operator it was applied to a land reparcelling system .
The objective of the land reparcelling is to reunify the lands of an owner to facilitate their exploitation .
In this application , the result of the operation between two polygons has been affected .
This error causes the incorrect display of the resulting geometry that should be drawn in the user interface after the operation applied to the two initial geometries ( Figure 2 ) .
Figure 2 . Original and mutant application .
3. Conclusions
In existing proposals , we can find both generic and specific mutation operators .
However , these are not adequate to cover errors in particular domains .
We have defined new operators specific to the GIS domain and a way to apply them to a SUT .
In addition , we have tested the operators defined in two GIS applications .
As future work , we intend to extend this approach to other domains , as well as to use the developed operators for the automatic improvement of sets of test cases .
Replication in Second Language Research :
Narrative and Systematic Reviews and Recommendations for the Field
Replication studies are considered by many to play a fundamental role in any scientific endeavor .
When using the same materials and procedures as a previous study , replication studies serve to test the reliability of the previous study ’s findings .
When altering specific methodological or participant characteristics of a previous study , they serve to test generalizability of the earlier findings under different conditions .
One indication of the importance of replication is found in the 50 or more calls for replication research in the field of second language ( L2 ) research alone ( see references for 50 calls and commentaries in Appendix S1 in the Supporting Information online ) : from Santos ( 1989 ) through Polio and Gass 1997 to very recent proposals for specific replication studies , such as Vandergrift and Cross 2017 and even a book-length treatment ( Porte , 2012 ) .
Beyond these calls , efforts to actively promote and facilitate replication studies have also emerged .
For example , the Instruments for Research into Second Languages ( IRIS ) repository ( http://www.irisdatabase.org ) was established in 2011 and holds , at the time of writing , over 3,800 materials that can be used for replication , among other purposes , in L2 research ( Marsden & Mackey , 2014 ; Marsden , Mackey , & Plonsky , 2016 ) .
The Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io ) , also established in 2011 , provides a web infrastructure to facilitate collaboration and has been used for large replication efforts in psychology ( e.g. , Open Science Collaboration , 2015 ) , which continue to make waves in academia ( Laws , 2016 ; Lindsay , 2015 ; Martin & Clarke , 2017 ) and the general media ( Baker , 2015 ; Devlin , 2016 ) .
In some fields , a flourishing metascience , that is , the scientific study of science ( see Munafò et al. , 2017 ) , has included syntheses assessing the quantity and nature of replication efforts , for example , in education ( Makel & Plucker , 2014 and in psychology ( Makel et al. , 2012 ) .
The driving force behind this battery of calls , commentaries , infrastructure , and metascience is a perceived crisis in the state of replication research .
The severe concerns underpinning the alleged crisis have several dimensions relating to : (a) the ( small ) amount of published replication research ; (b) the ( poor ) quality of replication research ; and (c) the ( lack of ) reproducibility , which refers to the extent to which findings can ( not ) be reproduced in replication attempts that have been undertaken .
These concerns speak to the very core of science , raising fundamental questions about the validity and reliability of our work .
Indeed , some commentators have called replication the “ gold standard ” of research evidence ( Jasny , Chin , Chong , & Vignieri , 2011 , p. 1225 ) and a “ linchpin of the scientific process ” ( Let ’s replicate , 2006 , p. 330 ) .
In the field of L2 research , given the importance of replication and the 50 calls for replication in L2 research that we identified , one might expect a substantial number of published replication studies by now .
However , a perceived lack of prestige , excitement , and originality of replication plagues L2 research ( Porte , 2012 ) , as it does other disciplines ( Berez-Kroeker et al. , 2017 ; Branco , Cohen , Vossen , Ide , & Calzolari , 2017 ; Chambers , 2017 ; Schmidt , 2009 ) , and these perceptions are thought to have caused , at least in part ( directly or indirectly ) , alleged low rates and a poor quality of published replication studies .
However , a systematic metascience on replication research has not yet been established in the field of L2 research , leaving a poor understanding of the actual number and nature of replication studies that have been published .
The current study begins to address this gap through narrative and systematic reviews .
The narrative review considers challenges in replication research and is largely informed by commentaries and metascience from psychology , given that the cognitive and social subdomains of psychology are highly influential in L2 research , and also from education , another key sister discipline .
The narrative review is organized around four broad themes : (a) the quantity of replication research , (b) the nature of replication research , (c) the relationship between initial and replication studies , and (d) the interpretation and extent of reproducibility of the findings of initial studies .
To gain insight into these issues in the context of L2 research , the systematic review provides a synthesis of L2 studies in journal articles that self-labeled as replications .
The research questions and methods of the systematic review were largely determined by the narrative review but also emerged through the design and piloting of the coding instrument .
Finally , we offer further discussion and 16 recommendations for future replication work that draw on our narrative and systematic reviews and on our experience of carrying out multisite ( Morgan-Short et al. , 2018 ) 1 and single site ( Faretta-Stutenberg & Morgan-Short , 2011 ; Marsden , Williams , & Liu , 2013 ; McManus & Marsden , 2017 ; Morgan-Short , Heil , Botero-Moriaty , & Ebert , 2012 ) replications .
We start from the widely agreed premise that testing the reproducibility of findings should have an essential role in the testing and refinement of theory , at least for hypothesis-testing epistemologies that seek to ascertain generalizability and for other epistemologies in which constructs are deemed to be definable and observable .
Thus , our overall aim is to provide conceptual clarification and an empirical base for future discussion and production of replication studies , with a view to improving the amount and quality of L2 replication research .
Re(a)d Wedding :
A Comparative Discourse Analysis of Fan Responses to Game of Thrones
It is no exaggeration to say that HBO ’s Game of Thrones is more than just a television series or a successful brand :
it is a transmedia system in the sense first used by Marsha Kinder ( 1991 ) and popularized by Henry Jenkins ( 2006 ) , in which media-hopping networks of intertextualities extend the “ storyworld ” of an original production .
Now spanning six seasons and 60 episodes , with an average global viewership ( from its most recent season ) of 25.1 million viewers per episode ( Shepherd , 2016 ) , it has spawned five video games , a graphic novel adaptation , several companion books , two rap albums , a 28-city orchestral tour , a wide variety of tabletop games , toys , merchandise and mobile apps , and countless podcasts , fanfics and other fan-based creations .
Given the volume of content this represents , it is easy to forget that the television series itself is an adaptation of a book series with a pre-existing fandom .
As such , the Game of Thrones storyworld represents a remarkably rich and challenging environment for fans old and new , who must negotiate an increasingly complex network of paratexts and intertexts in order to fully engage with its narratives .
In this sense , fans of the series represent an emerging model for cultural consumption that should be carefully explored .
Transmedia systems , like that exemplified by Game of Thrones , are becoming increasingly prevalent ( e.g. , Star Wars , Harry Potter , The Walking Dead , the Marvel Cinematic Universe , etc ) ;
these systems demonstrate , in microcosm , the global challenge of managing the fire-hose flow of information in contemporary postdigital society .
The study of how people , as fans , access and manage information within a transmedia system provides valuable insight that contributes not only to practitioners and scholars of the media industry , but to the wider context of cultural studies , by offering findings on this new model of the fan as consumer and information-user .
For us , as digital humanists , defining the “ transmedia fan ” is of particular relevance as we seek to understand contemporary social and cultural transformations engendered by digital technologies .
Methodology
As a first step in defining the “ transmedia fan ” , the current project undertakes a comparative discourse analysis of online conversations of Game of Thrones fans .
One of the most dramatic plot developments in the source material ( Martin , 2000 ) was adapted to the screen in the penultimate episode of the third season , “ The Rains of Castamere ” ( Benioff & Weiss , 2013 ) .
Readers of the book series had long anticipated and dreaded the events of the “ Red Wedding ” , while fans of the show unfamiliar with Martin ’s narrative were largely taken unawares by the pivotal episode .
Since the television series ’ inception , writers at The AV Club have written two critical reviews for each episode :
one for viewers familiar with the books ( i.e. , “ Experts ” ) and one for viewers unfamiliar with the books and averse to “ spoilers ” ( i.e. , “ Newbies ” ) .
What results are two completely separate reviews of “ The Rains of Castamere ” which in turn document the fans ’ reactions to the episode in the form of user comment threads :
one comment thread where fans were expected to be shocked by the outcome of the episode and one comment thread where fans had hotly anticipated it .
As a pilot project , the current work takes the content of both comment threads — a corpus of approximately 5,600 comments — and analyzes each thread separately using a qualitative coding method aligned with constructivist grounded theory ( Charmaz , 2006 ) .
Through this analysis , a categorization of themes emerges illustrating tactics for negotiating intertexts and paratexts unique to each group of fans .
These themes fall under two broad categories :
negotiation ( i.e. , emotional responses ) and tactical negotiation ( i.e. , cognitive , or reasoned responses ) .
A comparison of categories and sub-categories between both groups provides preliminary findings to support an emergent model , or models , of the “ transmedia fan ” .
Conclusion
The present research represents a first step in exploring the impact of transmedia systems , as exemplified by Game of Thrones , through the study of fans .
The question posed by this research is , fundamentally , an examination of how the problem of “ access ” is framed in postdigital society from the perspective of the consumer .
Future research should explore the negotiation tactics observed in transmedia fans using the principles of De Certeau ’s ( 1984 ) everyday life practice , in order to extend its application to the broader context of modern-day consumers .
The current study will contribute to the development of further qualitative and quantitative research that will more clearly define the information behaviors of the transmedia fan .
This project is of relevance to researchers in media studies , fan studies , information studies and digital humanities .
Daniel Bernoulli
Daniel Bernoulli FRS ( German pronunciation : [ bɛʁˈnʊli ] ; 8 February 1700 – 17 March 1782 ) was a Swiss mathematician and physicist and was one of the many prominent mathematicians in the Bernoulli family .
He is particularly remembered for his applications of mathematics to mechanics , especially fluid mechanics , and for his pioneering work in probability and statistics .
His name is commemorated in the Bernoulli 's principle , a particular example of the conservation of energy , which describes the mathematics of the mechanism underlying the operation of two important technologies of the 20th century : the carburetor and the airplane wing .
Daniel Bernoulli
Early life
Frontpage of Hydrodynamica ( 1738 )
Daniel Bernoulli was born in Groningen , in the Netherlands , into a family of distinguished mathematicians .
The Bernoulli family came originally from Antwerp , at that time in the Spanish Netherlands , but emigrated to escape the Spanish persecution of the Huguenots .
After a brief period in Frankfurt the family moved to Basel , in Switzerland .
Daniel was a son of Johann Bernoulli ( one of the " early developers " of calculus ) and a nephew of Jacob Bernoulli ( who " was the first to discover the theory of probability " ) .
He had two brothers , Niklaus and Johann II .
Daniel Bernoulli was described by W. W. Rouse Ball as " by far the ablest of the younger Bernoullis " .
He is said to have had a bad relationship with his father .
Upon both of them entering and tying for first place in a scientific contest at the University of Paris , Johann , unable to bear the " shame " of being compared Daniel 's equal , banned Daniel from his house .
Johann Bernoulli also plagiarized some key ideas from Daniel 's book Hydrodynamica in his own book Hydraulica which he backdated to before Hydrodynamica .
Despite Daniel 's attempts at reconciliation , his father carried the grudge until his death .
Around schooling age , his father , Johann , encouraged him to study business , there being poor rewards awaiting a mathematician .
However , Daniel refused , because he wanted to study mathematics .
He later gave in to his father 's wish and studied business .
His father then asked him to study in medicine , and Daniel agreed under the condition that his father would teach him mathematics privately , which they continued for some time .
Daniel studied medicine at Basel , Heidelberg , and Strasbourg , and earned a PhD in anatomy and botany in 1721 .
He was a contemporary and close friend of Leonhard Euler .
He went to St. Petersburg in 1724 as professor of mathematics , but was very unhappy there , and a temporary illness in 1733 gave him an excuse for leaving St. Petersburg .
He returned to the University of Basel , where he successively held the chairs of medicine , metaphysics , and natural philosophy until his death .
In May , 1750 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society .
Mathematical work
His earliest mathematical work was the Exercitationes ( Mathematical Exercises ) , published in 1724 with the help of Goldbach .
Two years later he pointed out for the first time the frequent desirability of resolving a compound motion into motions of translation and motion of rotation .
His chief work is Hydrodynamica , published in 1738 ;
it resembles Joseph Louis Lagrange 's Mécanique Analytique in being arranged so that all the results are consequences of a single principle , namely , conservation of energy .
This was followed by a memoir on the theory of the tides , to which , conjointly with the memoirs by Euler and Colin Maclaurin , a prize was awarded by the French Academy : these three memoirs contain all that was done on this subject between the publication of Isaac Newton 's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica and the investigations of Pierre-Simon Laplace .
Bernoulli also wrote a large number of papers on various mechanical questions , especially on problems connected with vibrating strings , and the solutions given by Brook Taylor and by Jean le Rond d'Alembert .
Together Bernoulli and Euler tried to discover more about the flow of fluids .
In particular , they wanted to know about the relationship between the speed at which blood flows and its pressure .
To investigate this , Daniel experimented by puncturing the wall of a pipe with a small open ended straw and noted that the height to which the fluid rose up the straw was related to fluid 's pressure in the pipe .
Soon physicians all over Europe were measuring patients ' blood pressure by sticking point-ended glass tubes directly into their arteries .
It was not until about 170 years later , in 1896 that an Italian doctor discovered a less painful method which is still in use today .
However , Bernoulli 's method of measuring pressure is still used today in modern aircraft to measure the speed of the air passing the plane ; that is its air speed .
Taking his discoveries further , Daniel Bernoulli now returned to his earlier work on Conservation of Energy .
It was known that a moving body exchanges its kinetic energy for potential energy when it gains height .
Daniel realised that in a similar way , a moving fluid exchanges its kinetic energy for pressure .
Mathematically this law is now written : ½ ρ u 2 + P = constant where P is pressure , ρ is the density of the fluid and u is its velocity .
A consequence of this law is that if the velocity increases then the pressure falls .
This is exploited by the wing of an aeroplane which is designed to create an area above its surface where the air velocity increases .
The pressure in this area is lower than that under the wing , so the wing is pushed upwards by the relatively higher pressure under the wing .
Pierre Charles L'Enfant ,
Pierre Charles L'Enfant ( French : [ pjɛʁ ʃɑʁl lɑ̃fɑ̃ ] ; August 2 , 1754 – June 14 , 1825 ) , self-identified as Peter Charles L'Enfant while living in the United States , was a French-born American military engineer who designed the basic plan for Washington , D.C. ( capital city of the U.S. ) known today as the L'Enfant Plan ( 1791 ) .
Early life and education
L'Enfant was born in Paris , France on August 2 , 1754 , the third child and second son of Pierre L'Enfant ( 1704 – 1787 ) , a painter with a good reputation in the service of King Louis XV of France , ( 1710 - 1774 , reigned 1715 - 1774 ) , and Marie L'Enfant , the daughter of a minor official at court .
In 1758 , his brother Pierre Joseph died at the age of six , and Pierre Charles became the eldest son .
He studied art at the Royal Academy in the Louvre , as well as with his father at the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture .
He left school in France to enlist in the American Revolutionary War on the side of the rebelling colonials .
Military service
L'Enfant was recruited by Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais to serve in the American Revolutionary War in the United States .
He arrived in 1777 at the age of 23 , and served as a military engineer in the Continental Army with Major General Lafayette .
He was commissioned as a captain in the Corps of Engineers on April 3 , 1779 to rank from February 18 , 1778 .
Despite his aristocratic origins , L'Enfant closely identified with the United States , changing his first name from Pierre to Peter when he first came to the rebelling colonies in 1777 .
L'Enfant served on General George Washington 's staff at Valley Forge .
While there , the Marquis de Lafayette commissioned L'Enfant to paint a portrait of Washington .
He was wounded at the Siege of Savannah on October 9 , 1779 .
He recovered and became a prisoner of war at surrender of Charleston , South Carolina on May 12 , 1780 .
He was exchanged in November 1780 and served on General George Washington 's staff for the remainder of the American Revolution .
L'Enfant was promoted by brevet to Major in the Corps of Engineers on May 2 , 1783 , in recognition of his service to the cause of American liberty .
He was discharged when the Continental Army was disbanded in December 1783 .
After the war , L'Enfant designed the badge of the Society of the Cincinnati , an organization of former officers of the Continental Army , shaped as an eagle , at the request of Washington .
He was sent to France to have insignias made for members of the Society , a group of veterans of the war .
Career
Post–Revolutionary War
Following the American Revolutionary War , L'Enfant established a successful and highly profitable civil engineering firm in New York City .
He achieved some fame as an architect by redesigning the City Hall in New York for the First Congress of the United States ( See : Federal Hall ) .
He also designed furniture and houses for the wealthy as well as coins and medals , including the insignia of the Society of the Cincinnati .
He was also a friend of Alexander Hamilton , and some of their correspondances from 1790 to 1801 now reside in the National Archives .
While L'Enfant was in New York City , he was initiated into Freemasonry .
His initiation took place on April 17 , 1789 , at Holland Lodge No. 8 , F&AM , which the Grand Lodge of New York F&AM had chartered in 1787 .
L'Enfant took only the first of three degrees offered by the Lodge and did not progress further in Freemasonry .
Final days
Siméon Poisson reviewed Galois ' paper on equation theory and declared it " incomprehensible " .
Galois returned to mathematics after his expulsion from the École Normale , although he continued to spend time in political activities .
After his expulsion became official in January 1831 , he attempted to start a private class in advanced algebra which attracted some interest , but this waned , as it seemed that his political activism had priority . [ 4 ] [ 7 ]
Siméon Poisson asked him to submit his work on the theory of equations , which he did on 17 January 1831 .
Around 4 July 1831 , Poisson declared Galois ' work " incomprehensible " , declaring that " [ Galois ' ] argument is neither sufficiently clear nor sufficiently developed to allow us to judge its rigor " ; however , the rejection report ends on an encouraging note : " We would then suggest that the author should publish the whole of his work in order to form a definitive opinion . " [ 16 ]
While Poisson 's report was made before Galois ' July 14 arrest , it took until October to reach Galois in prison .
It is unsurprising , in the light of his character and situation at the time , that Galois reacted violently to the rejection letter , and decided to abandon publishing his papers through the Academy and instead publish them privately through his friend Auguste Chevalier .
Apparently , however , Galois did not ignore Poisson 's advice , as he began collecting all his mathematical manuscripts while still in prison , and continued polishing his ideas until his release on 29 April 1832 , [ 12 ] after which he was somehow talked into a duel . [ 8 ]
Galois ' fatal duel took place on 30 May . [ 17 ]
The true motives behind the duel are obscure .
There has been much speculation as to the reasons behind it .
What is known is that five days before his death , he wrote a letter to Chevalier which clearly alludes to a broken love affair . [ 7 ]
Some archival investigation on the original letters suggests that the woman of romantic interest was a Mademoiselle Stéphanie-Félicie Poterin du Motel , [ 18 ] the daughter of the physician at the hostel where Galois stayed during the last months of his life .
Fragments of letters from her , copied by Galois himself ( with many portions , such as her name , either obliterated or deliberately omitted ) , are available . [ 19 ]
The letters hint that Mlle. du Motel had confided some of her troubles to Galois , and this might have prompted him to provoke the duel himself on her behalf .
This conjecture is also supported by other letters Galois later wrote to his friends the night before he died .
Galois ' cousin , Gabriel Demante , when asked if he knew the cause of the duel , mentioned that Galois " found himself in the presence of a supposed uncle and a supposed fiancé , each of whom provoked the duel . "
Galois himself famously exclaimed : " I am the victim of an infamous coquette and her two dupes . " [ 12 ]
Much more detailed speculation based on these scant historical details has been interpolated by many of Galois ' biographers ( most notably by Eric Temple Bell in Men of Mathematics ) , such as the frequently repeated speculation that the entire incident was stage-managed by the police and royalist factions to eliminate a political enemy . [ 14 ]
As to his opponent in the duel , Alexandre Dumas names Pescheux d'Herbinville , [ 13 ] who was actually one of the nineteen artillery officers whose acquittal was celebrated at the banquet that occasioned Galois ' first arrest . [ 20 ]
However , Dumas is alone in this assertion , and if he were correct it is unclear why d'Herbinville would have been involved .
It has been speculated that he might have been du Motel 's " supposed fiancé " at the time ( she ultimately married someone else ) , but no clear evidence has been found supporting this conjecture .
On the other hand , extant newspaper clippings from only a few days after the duel give a description of his opponent ( identified by the initials " L. D. " ) that appear to more accurately apply to one of Galois ' Republican friends , most probably Ernest Duchatelet , who was imprisoned with Galois on the same charges . [ 21 ]
Given the conflicting information available , the true identity of his killer may well be lost to history .
Whatever the reasons behind the duel , Galois was so convinced of his impending death that he stayed up all night writing letters to his Republican friends and composing what would become his mathematical testament , the famous letter to Auguste Chevalier outlining his ideas , and three attached manuscripts . [ 22 ]
Mathematician Hermann Weyl said of this testament , " This letter , if judged by the novelty and profundity of ideas it contains , is perhaps the most substantial piece of writing in the whole literature of mankind . "
However , the legend of Galois pouring his mathematical thoughts onto paper the night before he died seems to have been exaggerated . [ 7 ]
In these final papers , he outlined the rough edges of some work he had been doing in analysis and annotated a copy of the manuscript submitted to the Academy and other papers .
The Galois memorial in the cemetery of Bourg-la-Reine .
Évariste Galois was buried in a common grave and the exact location is still unknown .
Early in the morning of 30 May 1832 , he was shot in the abdomen , [ 17 ] abandoned by his opponents and seconds , and was found by a passing farmer .
He died the following morning [ 17 ] at ten o'clock in the Hôpital Cochin ( probably of peritonitis ) , after refusing the offices of a priest .
His funeral ended in riots . [ 17 ]
There were plans to initiate an uprising during his funeral , but during the same time frame the leaders heard of General Jean Maximilien Lamarque 's death , and the rising was postponed without any uprising occurring until 5 June .
Only Galois ' younger brother was notified of the events prior to Galois ' death . [ 23 ]
He was 20 years old .
His last words to his younger brother Alfred were :
“ Ne pleure pas , Alfred !
J' ai besoin de tout mon courage pour mourir à vingt ans ! ”
( Do n't cry , Alfred !
I need all my courage to die at twenty ! )
On 2 June , Évariste Galois was buried in a common grave of the Montparnasse Cemetery whose exact location is unknown . [ 17 ] [ 15 ]
In the cemetery of his native town – Bourg-la-Reine – a cenotaph in his honour was erected beside the graves of his relatives . [ 24 ]
A bust of Patrick Gordon in Yekaterinburg , Russia
Patrick Leopold Gordon of Auchleuchries ( 31 March 1635 in Auchleuchries , Aberdeenshire , Scotland – 29 November 1699 in Moscow , Russia ) was a general and rear admiral in Russia , of Scottish origin .
He was descended from a family of Aberdeenshire , holders of the small estate of Auchleuchries , near Ellon .
The family was connected with the noble branch of Haddo .
As a result of his distinguished service for Sweden , Poland and Russia he rose in ranks from trooper to full general , and became principal advisor and close friend of Tsar Peter the Great .
Gordon assumed the additional Christian name of Leopold when confirmed as a Roman Catholic shortly before his death .
Life
Gordon was brought up and remained a lifelong Roman Catholic , at a time when the Church was being persecuted in Scotland , which had become Calvinist .
After an education at the parish schools of Cruden and Ellon , at age of fifteen he entered the Jesuit college at Braunsberg , East Prussia , then part of Poland ; however , his character did not tolerate well the strict and sombre way of life at the school , and he soon decided to return home .
He changed his mind , however , before re-embarking on the journey back to Scotland , and after journeying on foot in several parts of what is today Germany , in 1655 he enlisted at Hamburg into the military service of Sweden .
In the course of the next five years he served alternately for Poland and Sweden and was taken prisoner by both .
At the Battle of Chudnov in 1660 , Gordon was wounded . [ 1 ]
Upon hearing of the Stuart restoration , Gordon left the Polish service , but found himself unable to obtain military employment in Scotland or England . [ 1 ]
In 1661 , after further experiences as a soldier of fortune , he joined the Russian army under Tsar Aleksei I , and in 1665 was sent on a special mission to England .
After his return he distinguished himself in several wars against the Turks and Tatars in southern Russia .
Gordon disliked the Russian service , complaining of the corruption and venality of Russian officials , which left him , in his own words , " almost at wit s end with vexation " . [ 2 ]
However , in recognition of his service he was promoted to major-general in 1678 , was appointed to the high command at Kiev in 1679 , and in 1683 was made lieutenant-general .
He was not the only Scottish soldier in the Tsar 's service ; his fellow-Scots Paul Menzies and Alexander Livingston also found themselves in Russia fleeing religious intolerance or seeking adventure .
Gordon visited England and Scotland in 1686 .
In 1687 and 1689 he took part in expeditions against the Tatars in the Crimea , being made a full general .
Later in 1689 a revolution broke out in Moscow , and with the troops under his command Gordon virtually decided events in favour of Peter the Great , [ 3 ] and against the Regent , Tsarevna Sophia Alekseyevna .
Consequently , he was for the remainder of his life in high favour with the Tsar , who confided to him the command of his capital during his absence from Russia .
In 1696 , Gordon 's design of a " moveable rampart " played a key role in helping the Russians take Azov . [ 3 ]
Gordon 's alleged tomb at Vvedenskoye Cemetery in Moscow .
One of Gordon 's greatest achievements was securing permission from the Tsars to establish the first Roman Catholic church and school in Muscovy , of which he remained the main benefactor , and headed the Catholic community in Russia until his death .
For his services his second son James , brigadier of the Russian army , was created Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1701 .
The Tsar employed him in organizing his army according to the West European system ; and raised him to the rank of full general .
At the end of his life the Tsar , who had visited Gordon frequently during his illness , was with him when he died , and with his own hands closed his eyes .
Originally buried in the Foreign Quarter , his remains were reinterred at Azov in 1877 , with an inscription in German which mistakenly gives his rank as Oberst , Colonel .
General Gordon left behind him a uniquely detailed diary of his life and times , written in English .
This is preserved in manuscript in the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow .
An incomplete and faulty German translation , edited by Dr Moritz Posselt ( Tagebuch des Generals Patrick Gordon ) was published , the first volume at Moscow in 1849 , the second at St Petersburg in 1851 , and the third at St Petersburg in 1853 ; and Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries ( 1635 – 1699 ) , was printed , under the editorship of Joseph Robertson , for the Spalding Club , at Aberdeen , Scotland , 1859 .
A new full scholarly edition of Gordon 's Diary in English was published by the Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies in Aberdeen ( 6 vols , 2009 - 2016 ) , as well as its translation into Russian .
His daughter was married firstly to the German-Russian Colonel Rudolf Strasburgh , and then from 1699 or 1700 to his kinsman in the Russian service Alexander Gordon of Auchintoul , author of " The History of Peter the Great , Emperor of Russia " .
She lived until 1739 . [ 4 ]
Zaha Hadid
Dame Zaha Mohammad Hadid DBE RA ( Arabic : زها حديد Zahā Ḥadīd ; 31 October 1950 – 31 March 2016 ) was an Iraqi-British architect .
She was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize , in 2004 .
She received the UK 's most prestigious architectural award , the Stirling Prize , in 2010 and 2011 .
In 2012 , she was made a Dame by Elizabeth II for services to architecture , and in 2015 she became the first and only woman to be awarded the Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects .
She was described by The Guardian of London as the ' Queen of the curve ' , who " liberated architectural geometry , giving it a whole new expressive identity . "
Her major works include the aquatic centre for the London 2012 Olympics , Michigan State University 's Broad Art Museum in the US , and the Guangzhou Opera House in China .
Some of her designs have been presented posthumously , including the statuette for the 2017 Brit Awards , and many of her buildings are still under construction , including the Al Wakrah Stadium in Qatar , a venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup .
Early life and academic career
Hadid was born on 31 October 1950 in Baghdad , Iraq , to an upper-class Iraqi family .
Her father Mohammed Hadid Muhammad al-Hajj Husayn Hadid was a wealthy industrialist from Mosul .
He co-founded the left-liberal al-Ahali group in 1932 , a significant political organisation in the 1930s and 1940s .
He was the co-founder of the National Democratic Party in Iraq .
He served as minister of finance after the overthrow of the monarch after the 1958 Iraqi coup d'état for the government of General Abd al-Karim Qasim .
Her mother Wajiha al-Sabunji was an artist from Mosul .
In the 1960s Hadid attended boarding schools in England and Switzerland .
Hadid studied mathematics at the American University of Beirut before moving , in 1972 , to London to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture .
There she studied with Rem Koolhaas , Elia Zenghelis and Bernard Tschumi .
Her former professor , Koolhaas , described her at graduation as " a planet in her own orbit . "
Zenghelis described her as the most outstanding pupil he ever taught .

Nothing was ever at 90 degrees .
She had spectacular vision .
All the buildings were exploding into tiny little pieces . "
He recalled that she was less interested in details , such as staircases .

She could n’t care about tiny details .
Her mind was on the broader pictures —
when it came to the joinery she knew we could fix that later .
She was right . ’
Her fourth-year student project was a painting of a hotel in the form of a bridge , inspired by the works of the Russian suprematist artist Kazimir Malevich
Ichiyō Higuchi
Ichiyō Higuchi ( 樋口 一葉 Higuchi Ichiyō , May 2 , 1872 – November 23 , 1896 ) was a pen name of Japanese author Natsu Higuchi ( 樋口 奈津 Higuchi Natsu ) , also known as Natsuko Higuchi ( 樋口 夏子 Higuchi Natsuko ) .
Specializing in short stories , she was one of the first important writers to appear in the Meiji period ( 1868 - 1912 ) and Japan 's first prominent woman writer of modern times .
She wrote relatively little as a result of living a brief life — she died at 24 — but her stories had a large impact on Japanese literature and she is still appreciated by the Japanese public today .
Efforts to become a writer
She , her mother , and younger sister made ends meet by doing needlework , washing , and other jobs .
In 1892 , after seeing the success of a classmate , Kaho Tanabe , who wrote a novel , Higuchi decided to become a novelist to support her family .
Nevertheless , her initial efforts at writing fiction were in the form of a short story , a form to which she would remain true .
In 1891 she met her future advisor who would help , she assumed , this poet-turned-fiction-writer and connect her with editors : Tosui Nakarai .
She fell in love with him right away , not knowing that , at 31 , he had a reputation as a womanizer .
Nor did she realize that he wrote popular literature which aimed to please the general public and in no way wished to be associated with serious literature .
Her mentor did not return her passionate , if discreet , love for him , and instead treated her as a younger sister .
This failed relationship would become a recurrent theme in Higuchi 's fiction .
Eventually , she got the break she was so eager for :
her first stories were published in a minor newspaper under her pen name , Ichiyo Higuchi .
The stories from this first period ( 1892 – 94 ) suffered from the excessive influence of Heian poetry .
Higuchi felt compelled to demonstrate her classical literary training .
The plots were thin , there was little development of character and they were loaded down by excessive sentiment , especially when compared to what she was writing concurrently in her diary .
But she was developing rapidly .
Several of her trademark themes appear ; for example , the triangular relationship among a lonely , beautiful , young woman who has lost her parents , a handsome man who has abandoned her ( and remains in the background ) , and a lonely and desperate ragamuffin who falls in love with her .
Another theme Higuchi repeated was the ambition and cruelty of the Meiji middle class .
The story " Umoregi " ( " In Obscurity " ) signaled Higuchi 's arrival as a professional writer .
It was published in the prestigious journal Miyako no Hana in 1892 , only nine months after she had started writing in earnest .
Her work was noticed and she was recognized as a promising new author .
Her last years
In 1893 , Higuchi , her mother and her sister abandoned their middle class house and , with a grim determination to survive , moved to a poor neighborhood where they opened a stationery store that before long failed .
Their new dwelling was a five-minute walk from Tokyo 's ill-famed red-light district , the Yoshiwara .
Her experience living in this neighborhood would provide material for several of her later stories , especially " Takekurabe " , ( literally , " Comparing heights " ; " Child 's Play " in the Robert Lyons Danly translation ; also called " Growing Up " in the Edward Seidensticker translation . )
The stories of her mature period ( 1894 – 96 ) were not only marked by her experience living near the red-light district and greater concern over the plight of women , but also by the influence of Ihara Saikaku , a 17th-century writer , whose stories she had recently discovered .
His distinctiveness lay in great part in his acceptance of low-life characters as worthwhile literary subjects .
What Higuchi added was a special awareness of suffering and sensitivity .
To this period belong " Ōtsugomori " ( " On the Last Day of the Year " ) , " Nigorie " ( " Troubled Waters " ) , " Wakare-Michi " ( " Separate Ways " ) , " Jūsan'ya " ( " The Thirteenth Night " ) and " Takekurabe " ( " Child 's Play " ) .
The last two are considered her best work .
With these last stories her fame spread throughout the Tokyo literary establishment .
In her humble home she was visited by other writers , students of poetry , admirers , the curious , critics , and editors requesting her collaboration .
But between constant interruptions and frequent headaches , Higuchi stopped writing .
As her father and one of her brothers had before her , she had caught tuberculosis .
She died on November 23 , 1896 , at the age of twenty-four .
Higuchi 's likeness adorns the Japanese 5000 yen banknote as of fall 2004 , becoming the third woman to appear on a Japanese banknote , after Empress Jingū in 1881 and Murasaki Shikibu in 2000 .
Her best-known stories have been made into movies .
Brock Holt
Holt with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox – No. 12
Second baseman / Shortstop / Outfielder
Born : June 11 , 1988 ( age 30 )
Fort Worth , Texas
Bats : Left
Throws : Right
MLB debut
September 1 , 2012 , for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics ( through September 20 , 2018 )
Batting average .265
Home runs 19
Runs batted in 171
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates ( 2012 )
Boston Red Sox ( 2013 – present )
Career highlights and awards
All-Star ( 2015 )
Hit for the cycle on June 16 , 2015
World Series champion ( 2013 )
Brock Holt
Brock Wyatt Holt ( born June 11 , 1988 ) is an American professional baseball second baseman , shortstop and outfielder for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) .
While primarily used as an infielder , he has started in and played at every position for the Red Sox , except for pitcher and catcher .
Listed at 5 feet 10 inches ( 1.78 m ) and 180 pounds ( 82 kg ) , Holt bats left-handed and throws right-handed .
He first played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012 , but has played for the Red Sox every season since .
High school career
Holt graduated in 2006 from Stephenville High School in Texas .
In 2003 , his freshman year , he made the District 8-4A All-District baseball team despite batting just .227 , and shared the league 's Newcomer of the Year award . [ 1 ]
Holt was a second-team All-District 8-4A inclusion his sophomore year , batting .324 for the season . [ 2 ]
In 2005 , Holt was named defensive player of the year in District 6-4A , [ 3 ] and he earned all-district honors in 2006 , his senior year . [ 4 ]
College career
Holt attended Navarro College in 2007 and 2008 . [ 5 ]
After transferring to Rice University in 2009 , he posted a .348 batting average with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs in 59 games for the Rice Owls .
He also led the Owls with 67 runs scored and shared the team lead with 11 stolen bases .
In the same season , he was named both to the All-NCAA Regional Team and the All-Silver Glove Trophy Series team . [ 6 ]
Holt was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the club 's ninth round selection in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft , one pick before his Rice teammate Ryan Berry . [ 7 ]
Professional career
Minor leagues
Holt began his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates ' short season , Class-A affiliate , the State College Spikes , before advancing to the High-A Bradenton Marauders in 2010 .
His 2010 season was cut short due to injury to his medial collateral ligament , which required surgery . [ 8 ]
He began the 2011 season with the Pirates ' Double-A affiliate , the Altoona Curve .
On July 13 , 2011 , Holt was named the MVP of the Eastern League All-Star Game after hitting a two-run homer in the ninth inning . [ 9 ]
Holt opened 2012 with Altoona and later joined Triple-A Indianapolis Indians .
He was promoted to the Pittsburgh Pirates from the minors as the major league rosters expanded on September 1 .
Pittsburgh Pirates ( 2012 )
Holt made his Major League debut on September 1 , 2012 .
At the time of his promotion , he had hit a .322 average in 102 games with Altoona and .432 in 24 games for Indianapolis . [ 10 ]
On September 4 , against the Houston Astros , Holt became only the second Pirates player since 1900 to have a four-hit game within his first four career games in the majors .
The only other Pirates player to have a four-hit game so early in his career was Jack Merson , who went 4-for-5 in his second major league game on September 15 , 1951 . [ 11 ]
In 24 games , Holt batted .292 with a triple and 3 RBI .
Boston Red Sox ( 2013 – present )
2013
On December 26 , 2012 he was traded to the Boston Red Sox ( along with Joel Hanrahan ) for Jerry Sands , Stolmy Pimentel , Mark Melancon , and Iván DeJesús , Jr. . [ 12 ]
Holt started the 2013 season with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox .
He debuted for Boston after getting called up on July 6 in Anaheim .
In 2013 , Holt played in 26 games , hitting .203 with 11 RBI .
Holt received his first championship ring when the Red Sox won the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals in six games , despite not playing in the postseason .
2014
Holt again started 2014 in Triple-A , but was called up May 17 after an injury to Will Middlebrooks and hit leadoff for the rest of the season .
On May 31 , 2014 , against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park , Holt hit his first Major League home run .
On June 8 , 2014 , in order to allow Xander Bogaerts to play 3rd base , Holt moved to left field .
He immediately impressed , making a sensational catch on the warning track to rob Ian Kinsler of a hit .
On July 9 , 2014 , against the Chicago White Sox , Holt drove in Daniel Nava in the bottom of the 9th inning for the first walk-off hit of his career . [ 13 ]
On June 1 , 2015 , while starting at first base for the first time in his career , Holt went 4-for-4 with four doubles , a walk , and two RBI against the Tampa Bay Rays to win 4 to 0 . [ 14 ]
By the end of the season , Holt had started games at every position except pitcher and catcher . [ 15 ]
Jeanne Moreau
Jeanne Moreau
Moreau in 1958
Born 23 January 1928 Paris , France
Died 31 July 2017 ( aged 89 ) Paris , France
Resting place Montmartre Cemetery , Paris , France
Alma mater Conservatoire de Paris
Occupation Actress , screenwriter , film director
Years active 1947 – 2012
Spouse(s) Jean-Louis Richard ( m. 1949 ; div. 1964 ) William Friedkin ( m. 1977 ; div. 1979 )
Children Jérôme Richard
Jeanne Moreau ( French pronunciation : [ ʒan mɔʁo ] ; 23 January 1928 – 31 July 2017 ) was a French actress , singer , screenwriter and director .
She won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for Seven Days ... Seven Nights ( 1960 ) , the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress for Viva Maria ! ( 1965 ) , and the César Award for Best Actress for The Old Lady Who Walked in the Sea ( 1992 ) .
She was also the recipient of several lifetime awards , including a BAFTA Fellowship in 1996 , Cannes Golden Palm in 2003 and César Award in 2008 .
Moreau made her theatrical debut in 1947 , and established herself as one of the leading actresses of the Comédie-Française .
She began playing small roles in films in 1949 , with impressive performances in the Fernandel vehicle Meurtres ? ( Three Sinners , 1950 ) and alongside Jean Gabin as a showgirl / gangster 's moll in the film Touchez pas au grisbi ( 1954 ) .
She achieved prominence as the star of Elevator to the Gallows ( 1958 ) , directed by Louis Malle , and Jules et Jim ( 1962 ) , directed by François Truffaut .
Most prolific during the 1960s , Moreau continued to appear in films into her 80s .
Early life and education
Moreau was born in Paris , the daughter of Katherine ( née Buckley ) , a dancer who performed at the Folies Bergère ( d. 1990 ) , and Anatole-Désiré Moreau , a restaurateur ( d. 1975 ) . [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
Moreau 's father was French ; her mother was English , a native of Oldham , Lancashire , England [ 3 ] and of part Irish descent . [ 2 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ]
Moreau 's father was Catholic and her mother , originally a Protestant , converted to Catholicism upon marriage . [ 2 ]
When a young girl , " the family moved south to Vichy , spending vacations at the paternal ancestral village of Mazirat , a town of 30 houses in a valley in the Allier .
It was wonderful there , Moreau said .
Every tombstone in the cemetery was for a Moreau .
During the World War II , the family was split , and Moreau lived with her mother in Paris .
Moreau ultimately lost interest in school at age 16 , and after attending a performance of Jean Anouilh 's Antigone , found her calling as an actor .
She later studied at the Conservatoire de Paris .
Her parents separated permanently while Moreau was at the conservatory and her mother , " after 24 difficult years in France , returned to England with Jeanne 's [ 6 ] sister , Michelle . " [ 6 ]
Career
In 1947 , Moreau made her theatrical debut at the Avignon Festival .
She debuted at the Comédie-Française in Ivan Turgenev 's A Month in the Country [ 6 ] and , by her 20s , was already one of leading actresses in the theatre 's troupe . [ 2 ]
After 1949 , she began appearing in films with small parts but continued primarily active in the theatre for several years — a year at the Théâtre National Populaire opposite among others Gérard Philipe and Robert Hirsch , then a breakout two years in dual roles in The Dazzling Hour by Anna Bonacci , then Jean Cocteau 's La Machine Infernale and others before another two-year run , this time in Shaw 's Pygmalion . [ 6 ]
From the late 1950s , after appearing in several successful films , she began to work with the emerging generation of French film-makers .
Elevator to the Gallows ( 1958 ) with first-time director Louis Malle was followed by Malle 's The Lovers ( Les Amants , 1959 ) . [ 7 ]
Moreau went on to work with many of the best known New Wave and avant-garde directors . [ 2 ]
François Truffaut 's New Wave film Jules et Jim ( 1962 ) , her biggest success internationally , is centered on her magnetic starring role . [ 2 ]
She also worked with a number of other notable directors such as Michelangelo Antonioni ( La notte and Beyond the Clouds ) , Orson Welles ( The Trial , Chimes at Midnight and The Immortal Story ) , Luis Buñuel ( Diary of a Chambermaid ) , Elia Kazan ( The Last Tycoon ) , Rainer Werner Fassbinder ( Querelle ) , Wim Wenders ( Until the End of the World ) , Carl Foreman ( Champion and The Victors ) , and Manoel de Oliveira ( Gebo et l' Ombre ) .
In 1983 , she was head of the jury at the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival . [ 8 ]
In 2005 , she was awarded with the Stanislavsky Award at the 27th Moscow International Film Festival . [ 9 ]
Moreau was also a vocalist .
She released several albums and once performed with Frank Sinatra at Carnegie Hall in 1984 . [ 2 ]
In addition to acting , Moreau worked behind the camera as a writer , director and producer . [ 2 ]
Her accomplishments were the subject of the film Calling the Shots ( 1988 ) by Janis Cole and Holly Dale . [ citation needed ]
Eugene Nida
Eugene A. Nida ( November 11 , 1914 – August 25 , 2011 ) was a linguist who developed the dynamic-equivalence Bible-translation theory and one of the founders of the modern discipline of Translation Studies .
Life
Nida was born in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma on November 11 , 1914 .
He became a Christian at a young age , when he responded to the altar call at his church " to accept Christ as my Saviour . "
He graduated summa cum laude from the University of California in 1936 .
After graduating he attended Camp Wycliffe , where Bible translation theory was taught .
He ministered for a short time among the Tarahumara Indians in Chihuahua , Mexico , until health problems due to an inadequate diet and the high altitude forced him to leave .
Sometime in this period , Nida became a founding charter member of Wycliffe Bible Translators , a related organization to the Summer Institute of Linguistics .
In 1937 , Nida undertook studies at the University of Southern California , where he obtained a master 's degree in New Testament Greek in 1939 .
In that same year he became interim pastor of Calvary Church of Santa Ana , California following the resignation of its founding pastor .
Despite his conservative background , in later years Nida became increasingly ecumenical and New Evangelical ( clarification needed ) in his approach .
In 1943 , Nida received his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Michigan .
He was ordained as a Baptist minister .
He married Althea Lucille Sprague , who died in 1993 .
In 1997 , he married María Elena Fernandez-Miranda , a lawyer and diplomatic attache .
Nida retired in the early 1980s , although he continued to give lectures in universities all around the world , and lived in Alpine , Arizona , USA ; Madrid , Spain and Brussels , Belgium .
He died in Madrid on August 25 , 2011 aged 96 .
Theories
Nida has been a pioneer in the fields of translation theory and linguistics .
His Ph.D. dissertation , A Synopsis of English Syntax , was the first full-scale analysis of a major language according to the " immediate-constituent " theory .
His textbook Morphology : The Descriptive Analysis of Words was one of the major works of American Structuralism .
It remained the only thorough introduction to the field for decades and is still valuable for its many examples and exercises .
His most notable contribution to translation theory is Dynamic Equivalence , also known as Functional Equivalence .
For more information , see " Dynamic and formal equivalence . "
Nida also developed the componential analysis technique , which split words into their components to help determine equivalence in translation ( e.g. " bachelor " = male + unmarried ) .
This is , perhaps , not the best example of the technique , though it is the most well-known .
Nida 's dynamic-equivalence theory is often held in opposition to the views of philologists who maintain that an understanding of the source text ( ST ) can be achieved by assessing the inter-animation of words on the page , and that meaning is self-contained within the text ( i.e. much more focused on achieving semantic equivalence ) .
This theory , along with other theories of correspondence in translating , are elaborated in his essay Principles of Correspondence , where Nida begins by asserting that given that " no two languages are identical , either in the meanings given to corresponding symbols or in the ways in which symbols are arranged in phrases and sentences , it stands to reason that there can be no absolute correspondence between languages .
Hence , there can be no fully exact translations . "
While the impact of a translation may be close to the original , there can be no identity in detail .
Nida then sets forth the differences in translation , as he would account for it , within three basic factors :
The nature of the message :
in some messages the content is of primary consideration , and in others the form must be given a higher priority .
The purpose of the author and of the translator :
to give information on both form and content ;
to aim at full intelligibility of the reader so he / she may understand the full implications of the message ;
for imperative purposes that aim at not just understanding the translation but also at ensuring no misunderstanding of the translation .
The type of audience :
prospective audiences differ both in decoding ability and in potential interest .
Nida brings in the reminder that while there are no such things as " identical equivalents " in translating , what one must in translating seek to do is find the " closest natural equivalent " .
Here he identifies two basic orientations in translating based on two different types of equivalence :
Formal Equivalence ( F-E ) and Dynamic Equivalence ( D-E ) .
F-E focuses attention on the message itself , in both form and content .
Such translations then would be concerned with such correspondences as poetry to poetry , sentence to sentence , and concept to concept .
Such a formal orientation that typifies this type of structural equivalence is called a " gloss translation " in which the translator aims at reproducing as literally and meaningfully as possible the form and content of the original .
The principles governing an F-E translation would then be : reproduction of grammatical units ; consistency in word usage ; and meanings in terms of the source context .
Theodorus of Tabennese
Theodorus of Tabennese ( c. 314 – 368 ) , also known as Abba Theodorus and Theodore the Sanctified was the spiritual successor to Pachomius and played a crucial role in preventing the first Christian cenobitic monastic federation from collapsing after the death of its founder .
Icon of St. Theodorus of Tabennese
Biography
According to hagiography , Theodorus was born into a wealthy Christian family and was well educated from a young age .
Early in life he denied the excesses of his parents , and at the age of fourteen joined a monastery in the diocese of Sne , near the modern town of Esna , Egypt .
A brother from Theodorus ’ monastery stayed with Pachomius in Tabennese while traveling and preached of the virtues of the Koinonia upon his return to Sne .
Praying and weeping , Theodorus became determined that his destiny lay with Pachomius .
Although initially denied passage to Tabennese by a Pachomian monk due to his wealthy background , Theodorus opted to follow the visiting monk , and his persistence ( and lack of obedience ) paid off .
He was welcomed by Pachomius upon his arrival , and quickly integrated into the community at Tabennese around 328 .
Quickly becoming a favorite of Pachomius , Theodorus lived an enviably ascetic life in the monastery , and took on the title of the " brothers ’ comforter " .
Theodorus asserted his influence openly ( which resulted in reprimands from Pachomius ) and generally maintained himself as a prominent figure at Tabennese for several years , despite never being given a position of power in the monastic hierarchy .
Finally , Pachomius called on him to preach to the brothers despite his youth , and eventually appointed him steward of Tabennese after several new monasteries had been built .
Retiring to the monastery of Phbow , Pachomius gave Theodorus complete control over Tabennese , though recalled him from the position after witnessing several monks under Theodorus ’ watch violating the monastic rules without reprimand .
Having failed to prove his governing ability and once more in a position no higher than when he had entered the monastery , Theodorus became a personal assistant to Pachomius and remained relatively quiet for some years .
Despite his clear potential and popularity , Pachomius refused to grant Theodorus any kind of authority ; though the old man 's failing health soon changed things forever .
After Theodorus had been assisting Pachomius at Tabennese for several years following his demotion , Pachomius became very ill and seemed to be on the verge of death .
Pachomius had not named a successor , and several brothers pleaded with Theodorus to assert himself as head of the Koinonia when the sickly man died .
Despite the assertion that Theodorus apparently did not want the rank of a father or this world 's glory , he consented .
Unfortunately for the would-be leader , Pachomius recovered , and upon hearing of Theodorus ’ decision , exiled the ambitious young man .
After living a life of constant weeping and prayer in solitude , Pachomius forgave Theodorus and allowed him to live among the brothers once more .
Normalcy returned , though never again would Pachomius fully trust his former protégé .
In 348 Pachomius died , naming the brother Petronios as his successor rather than the clearly qualified Theodorus .
The death of Petronios later that year would leave Apa Horsiesios in charge , and the popular Theodorus would retreat to the distant monastery of Phnoum .
Although it seems Theodorus practiced complete submission to the new leader of the Koinonia , problems soon arose in several Pachomian monasteries that viewed Horsiesios as a weak leader .
Refusing to work or communicate and demanding a new leader , many of the elder monks completely abandoned any notion of obedience to Horsiesios .
The federation of monasteries was falling apart , and Theodorus rushed to Tabennese to placate the rebels .
Soon after his arrival , Theodorus was the new de facto leader , though he claimed to be only acting on behalf of Horsiesios .
For eighteen years Theodorus administered from Pachomius ’ old headquarters in Phbow , using techniques far more assertive than his predecessors , such as constantly shuffling the offices and locations of the most ambitious monks .
Yet in spite of this somewhat unstable shifting , the Koinonia was ruled peacefully for nearly two decades , at which point Theodorus predicted he would soon die .
Within a few months his prediction came true , and Apa Horsiesios once more took his place as the head of the communities in both title and authority . [ 1 ]
Everyone ’s just watching the weird retarded girl except this one chubby guy who ’s trying to get her to put down the lights but who ’s afraid to touch her .
“ Not supposed to touch those , ” he says .
“ Where ’s your mom ?
Is your mom here ? ”
“ Sorry ! ” I say .
The chubby guy frowns at me .
“ Cara , ” I say .
“ No hands . ”
Cara looks at me , looks at the lights .
I gently try to take them .
“ No ! ” she wails .
“ Pretty ! ”
“ I ’m sorry , ” I say , “ I ’m her brother .
She ’s developmentally delayed .
Cara !
Cara , no .
No hands . ”
She wails , but lets me disentangle her hands .
“ I ’m sorry , ” I say again , the concerned big brother .
“ I was just looking around and thought she was right with me , you know ?
Our mom ’s down at Dillard ’s . ”
Chubby guy kind of hovers until I get the lights away from Cara and as soon as I put them on the shelf he grabs them and starts straightening them out and draping them back over the display .
I herd Cara towards the front of the store , mouthing sorry at the front cashier .
She ’s kind of pretty .
She smiles at me .
Nice big brother with retarded sister .
Back out in the mall , Cara is wailing , which could start an asthma attack , so to distract her I say , “ You want a cookie ? ”
Mom has Cara on a diet , so of course she wants a cookie .
She perks up the way Shelby , our Shetland Sheepdog does , when you say ‘ treat . ’
I take her to the food court and buy her an M&M cookie and buy myself a Mountain Dew and then while she ’s eating her cookie , I pull the deck of cards out of my pocket and unwrap it .
We ’ve got another fifteen minutes before we have to meet my mom .
The idea is to play fish except every time you get a match you ’re supposed to do what it says .
Tie partner ’s hands with a silk scarf .
Kiss anywhere you like and see how long your partner can keep from moving or making any noise .
The one who lasts the longest gets to draw an extra card .
Tame , but pretty cool .
I ca n’t wait to show Toph and Len .
Cara has chocolate smeared on her mouth , but she lets me wipe her face off .
“ You ready to go back to see Mom ? ” I say .
When we pass Spencer ’s again , she stops .
“ Uhhh , ” she says , pointing to the store .
Mom always tries to get her to say what she wants , but I know what she wants and I do n’t want to fight with her .
“ No , ” I say .
“ Let ’s go see Mom . ”
Cara ’s face crumples up and she hunches her thick shoulders .
“ Uhhh , ” she says , mad .
“ It ’s okay , ” I say .
“ Come on . ”
She swings at me .
I grab her hand and pull her behind me .
She tries to sit down , but I just keep on tugging and she follows me , gulping and wailing .
“ What did you do ? ” my mom says when she sees us .
My mom had to buy stuff , like gym shorts for me and underwear for herself , so I told her that I ’d take Cara with me while she bought her stuff .
She ’s holding a Dillard ’s bag .
“ She wanted to go in Spencer ’s , ” I say .
“ We went in but she kept grabbing stuff and I had to take her out and now she ’s upset . ”
“ Robert , ” my mom says , irritated .
She crouches down .
“ Ah , Cara mia , do n’t cry . ”
We trail out of the store , Cara holding Mom ’s hand and sniffling .
By the time we get to the car , though , Cara ’s wheezing .
Mom digs out Cara ’s inhaler and Cara dutifully takes a hit .
I tried it once and it was pretty dreadful .
It felt really weird , trying to get that stuff in my lungs , and it made me feel a little buzzy but it did n’t even feel good , so it ’s pretty amazing that Cara will do it .
Cara sits in her booster seat in the back of the car , wheezing all the way home , getting worse and worse , and by the time we pull in the driveway , she ’s got that white look around her mouth .
“ Robert , ” Mom says ,
“ I ’m going to have to take her to the Emergency Room . ”
“ Okay , ” I say and get out of the car .
“ You want to call your dad ? ” Mom asks .
“ I do n’t know how long we ’ll be . ”
Mom checks her watch .
It ’s three something now .
“ We may not be home in time for dinner . ”
I do n’t want to call my dad who is probably with Joyce , his girlfriend , anyway .
Joyce is always trying to be likable and it gets on my nerves after awhile — she tries way too hard .
“ I can just make a sandwich , ” I say .
“ I want you to stay at home , then , ” she says .
“ I ’ve got my cell phone if you need to call . ”
“ Can Toph and Len come over ? ” I ask .
She sighs .
“ Okay .
But no roughhousing .
Remember you have school tomorrow . ”
She opens the garage door so I can get in .
I stand there and watch her back down the driveway .
She turns back , watching where she ’s going , and she needs to get her hair done again because I can really see the gray roots .
Cara is watching me through the watery glass , her mouth a little open .
I wave good-bye .
I ’m glad they ’re gone .
The day it rained in the garden
The first drops of rain fell onto the parched stones from a cloudless blue sky .
They disappeared immediately , drunk down into the mineral silence .
The garden paused , and everything held its breath and waited .
More rain would come .
Everyone knew , beyond belief or necessity that the time had come .
And with it , the rain .
Heavy oily drops bounced from leaf to grass to dusty ground , gathering in stems and folds on the way .
Yet still the sky was a hard polished blue with not a cloud in sight .
Still the garden held its breath .
It would not be long now .
A spattering of drops plucked memories from deep in the roots , shivering through shoots and tendrils , humus and stone .
Wispy vapour trails marbled the blue surface above .
And then it rained for good .
We sat on the porch watching , no longer daring to dart out and leap around in the downfall as drops turned to torrents and the staccato tapping on the roof climaxed to a thunderous roar .
Pools erupted and overflowed along the edges of the lawn , cascading around the raspberry canes and over the flower beds .
Earthworms rose up from the water-laden earth where they could no longer breath and wriggled and struggled fro air on the surface , writhing and swimming for a safe haven .
Water burst over the barrels and cans standing under the eaves and gutters , flooding the pathways , carrying away all that was n’t fixed solid and licking at the stairs to the back porch before climbing each step and lapping against the planks we were sitting on , a wooden raft surrounded by angry water and martial beat drum , drum , drumming on the roof above .
We slipped out feet over the sides and when we felt the fish , some as big as logs , some as small as leaves , nibble at our feet , we leant over to watch them fraying and frolicking under the choppy surface .
Waves lapped at the porch , washing away the boxes , and bowls , and the dog ’s basket .
The rocking chair , the watering can , boxes of cuttings , and tied-up newspapers , all floated away as we slammed the kitchen door shut and retreated to the front room we gazed out at the river that the street had become .
The sky was pewter smeared with charcoal now , and pressed down hard on the rooftops , slowly dissolving everything below .
When the water rippled into the hallway , we splashed our way to the staircase and then up as it nipped at our heels .
Outside the other houses were rocks surrounded by sea with mermaids swimming all around , flapping their scaly tails and hauling themselves up , to fall backwards into the crest of the oncoming waves .
And as they swam they sang , their voices born on the winds and the salt and the rain , and we could hear them singing , He is coming , He is coming .
And they combed their long hair in preparation .
We waved and called , and they laughed and played , tantalising , their seaweed locks just out of reach .
With a flick of the tail they were off , still singing , He is coming , He is coming , until their voices were lost in the noise of the rain and the water .
A great whiskered head arose , then a belly , wet and sleek , long enough to wrap itself twice around the world .
“ Is it him ? ” we asked each other , nudging elbows and climbing onto the chairs .
We pulled off wet socks and shoes , letting them float away on the tide , before the great worm turned and the wake engulfed the creaking , cracking house .
We clambered up onto the roof , sliding on the tiles and clinging to chimney stacks , sheltering our eyes from the driving downpour .
The sky was black , and the stormy sea all the deepest , darkest blues and greens and greys and flecked with white where the sea-horses galloped .
The waters broke making way for the gnarled head of a whale , spouting water high against the clouds before opening its whiskered maw and in a looming , booming voice called : He is coming , He is coming .
The chimneys washed away , so we scrambled onto the blue-black back encrusted with barnacles and cockles like stars in a night sky and held on tight as he rode the waves , dipping and blowing , dipping and blowing .
The wind and the rain tugged at our hair .
And still it rained .
We heard a fearsome creaking and cracking and before our eyes a great patch of sky peeled away , deeping down in the troughs and riding the crests with torn sails set against the wind .
It was a galleon with masts like a dead man ’s fingers , tarred timbers groaning and a mermaid sat on the bow as he ship dipped and passed .
He is coming , He is coming , she sang out .
And just as the wash hit us , prising us from the whale ’s speckled back and down into the sea , someone threw down a knotted rope and we hung on for dear life .
The singing sailors hauled us aboard chanting , He ’s a coming - ha ! He ’s a coming - ha !
And we fell onto the deck like fish bursting from a net .
The Captain stood above us dressed in jewels and finery from a thousand pillagings .
The Valley of Giants
I had buried my parents in their gray marble mausoleum at the heart of the city .
I had buried my husband in a lead box sunk into the mud of the bottom of the river , where all the riverboatmen lie .
And after the war , I had buried my children , all four , in white linen shrouds in the new graveyards plowed into what used to be our farmland : all the land stretching from the river delta to the hills .
I had one granddaughter who survived the war .
I saw her sometimes : in a bright pink dress , a sparkling drink in her hand , on the arm of some foreign officer with brocade on his shoulders , at the edge of a marble patio .
She never looked back at me — poverty and failure and political disrepute being all , these days , contagious and synonymous .
The young were mostly dead , and the old men had been taken away , they told us , to learn important new things and to come back when they were ready to contribute fully .
So it was a city of grandmothers .
And it was in a grandmother bar by the waterfront — sipping hot tea with rum and watching over the shoulders of dockworkers playing mah-jongg — that I first heard of the valley of giants .
We all laughed at the idea , except for a chemist with a crooked nose and rouge caked in the creases of her face , who was incensed .
“ We live in the modern era ! ” she cried .
“ You should be ashamed of yourself ! "
The traveler stood up from the table .
She was bony and rough-skinned and bent like an old crow , with a blue silk scarf and hanks of hair as black as soot .
Her eyes were veined with red .
“ Nonetheless , ” the traveler said , and she walked out .
They were laughing at the chemist as well as at the traveler .
To find anyone still proud , anyone who believed in giants or shame , was hilarious .
The air of the bar was acrid with triumph .
Finding someone even more vulnerable and foolish than we were , after everything had been taken from us — that was a delight .
But I followed the traveler , into the wet streets .
The smell of fish oozed from the docks .
Here and there were bits of charred debris in the gutters .
I caught her at her door .
She invited me in for tea and massage .
Her limbs were weathered and ringed , like the branches of trees in the dry country .
She smelled like honey that has been kept a while in a dark room , a little fermented .
A heady smell .
In the morning , brilliant sunlight scoured the walls and the floor , and the traveler and her pack were gone .
I hurried home .
My house had survived the war with all its brown clay walls intact , though the garden and the courtyard were a heap of blackened rubble .
My house was empty and cold .
I packed six loaves of flatbread , some olives , a hard cheese , one nice dress , walking clothes , my pills and glasses , a jug of wine , a can-teen of water , and a kitchen knife .
I sat in the shadow in my living room for a while , looking at the amorphous mass of the blanket I had been crocheting .
That granddaughter : her parents both worked in the vineyards , and when she was a child , she would play in my courtyard in the after-noons .
When she scraped her knees bloody on the stones , she refused to cry .
She would cry from frustration when the older children could do something that she could n't — like tie knots , or catch a chicken .
Oversite
“ It does n’t hurt , Gram , ” Renata says .
My sixteen-year-old daughter pulls up her T-shirt sleeve to show her bare arm , the skin summer brown and the muscle swelling slightly into smooth biceps , flawless .
“ I had it done when I was little and see , you ca n’t even tell . ”
My mother is sitting in the little examining room at the assisted living .
Everything is white and hospital-like but there ’s no examining couch .
There ’s just a desk , a little white table with two chairs and a scale .
The doctor , a woman I do n’t know , is sitting in the other chair .
My mother is bewildered , her face turned up towards me .
She ’s got Alzheimer ’s .
“ It ’s okay , Mom , ” I say .
She wants to understand , I can see that .
So I explain again .
“ It ’s an implant that will let them know where you are , and how you are .
It wo n’t hurt . ”
Her eyes water constantly , now .
In the time it takes me to explain she grasps and loses the words , grasps and loses phrases as they go past .
She looks at me and then at Renata , who is smiling , and finally submits uncomprehendingly .
We have worn her down .
The doctor bares my mother ’s arm , where the crepey flesh hangs loosely on the bones .
The doctor swabs her upper arm with antiseptic and says , “ I ’m going to give you something to numb it , okay ? ”
To me the doctor says in her normal voice , “ It ’s just a little lidocaine . ”
I do n’t like the doctor , but I do n’t know why .
She is no-nonsense .
She has professional hair , lightly streaked .
This is no reason to dislike her .
My mother winces at the injection and is surprised again .
She looks up at me , at Renata .
We are smiling , both of us .
“ Okay , ” my mother says .
What is okay ?
I have no idea .
We wait for a few minutes .
My mother says , “ Is it time to go ? ”
“ Not yet , ” I say .
“ They ’re going to give you an injection . ”
“ What ? ” my mother says .
“ They ’re going to implant a chip .
It will help them take care of you . ”
I try to say it every time as if it was the first time I said it .
I do n’t want to embarrass her .
Her head swings around , from Renata to me to the doctor and then back to Renata .
“ It ’s okay , Gram , ” Renata says .
“ Renata , ” my mother says .
The doctor has an injection gun and while my mother is focused on my daughter , she puts it firmly against my mother ’s arm and puts the chip in .
“ Oh ! ” says my mother .
It ’s another low-grade moment of horror , but I think about that particular time with my mother because Renata was there and we were united , she and I .
So that ’s a good memory .
I come back to it a lot .
In the background , shining , is Renata , who is young and healthy and good , raising her arm to show her grandmother that the chip is nothing , nothing at all .
The last two nights I have dreamed of dogs in trouble .
I do n’t dream about Renata , although when the dreams wake me up , it ’s thinking about Renata that keeps me awake .
The first night I dreamed of seeing a stray dog and not stopping to pick it up although it was wandering in an empty parking lot near a busy road .
That was the first night Renata did n’t come home and it does n’t take Freud to figure out what that meant .
Seventeen-year-olds sleep on friends ’ couches , I know .
Or Renata might be sleeping in her car .
The second night I dreamed that I was on a desert island and Sonia , our golden retriever , was with me .
There was some horrible fate impending for Sonia and I had to kill her before something worse happened .
I laid her down on some sticks .
She trusts me , she ’s more my dog than anyone ’s , and she did n’t like it but for me she lay there .
In my dream I told her , “ Stay , Sonia . Stay . ”
She stayed because I held her there by looking at her , the way you can sometimes will a dog into submission .
She stayed while I lit the fire .
And then the horror of it all hit me and I said , “ Sonia , up ! ”
And I woke up .
That was last night , the second night Renata did n’t come home .
Prologue

Try to deal with the past .
It 's not real .
It 's just a dream . "
— Ted Bundy
It did n't start out here .
Not with the scramblers or Rorschach , not with Big Ben or Theseus or the vampires .
Most people would say it started with the Fireflies , but they 'd be wrong .
It ended with all those things .
For me , it began with Robert Paglino .
At the age of eight , he was my best and only friend .
We were fellow outcasts , bound by complementary misfortune .
Mine was developmental .
His was genetic : an uncontrolled genotype that left him predisposed to nearsightedness , acne , and ( as it later turned out ) a susceptibility to narcotics .
His parents had never had him optimized .
Those few TwenCen relics who still believed in God also held that one should n't try to improve upon His handiwork .
So although both of us could have been repaired , only one of us had been .
I arrived at the playground to find Pag the center of attention for some half-dozen kids , those lucky few in front punching him in the head , the others making do with taunts of mongrel and polly while waiting their turn .
I watched him raise his arms , almost hesitantly , to ward off the worst of the blows .
I could see into his head better than I could see into my own ; he was scared that his attackers might think those hands were coming up to hit back , that they 'd read it as an act of defiance and hurt him even more .
Even then , at the tender age of eight and with half my mind gone , I was becoming a superlative observer .
But I did n't know what to do .
I had n't seen much of Pag lately .
I was pretty sure he 'd been avoiding me .
Still , when your best friend 's in trouble you help out , right ?
Even if the odds are impossible — and how many eight-year-olds would go up against six bigger kids for a sandbox buddy ? — at least you call for backup .
Flag a sentry .
Something .
I just stood there .
I did n't even especially want to help him .
That did n't make sense .
Even if he had n't been my best friend , I should at least have empathized .
I 'd suffered less than Pag in the way of overt violence ; my seizures tended to keep the other kids at a distance , scared them even as they incapacitated me .
Still .
I was no stranger to the taunts and insults , or the foot that appears from nowhere to trip you up en route from A to B .
I knew how that felt .
Or I had , once .
But that part of me had been cut out along with the bad wiring .
I was still working up the algorithms to get it back , still learning by observation .
Pack animals always tear apart the weaklings in their midst .
Every child knows that much instinctively .
Maybe I should just let that process unfold , maybe I should n't try to mess with nature .
Then again , Pag 's parents had n't messed with nature , and look what it got them : a son curled up in the dirt while a bunch of engineered superboys kicked in his ribs .
In the end , propaganda worked where empathy failed .
Back then I did n't so much think as observe , did n't deduce so much as remember — and what I remembered was a thousand inspirational stories lauding anyone who ever stuck up for the underdog .
So I picked up a rock the size of my fist and hit two of Pag 's assailants across the backs of their heads before anyone even knew I was in the game .
A third , turning to face the new threat , took a blow to the face that audibly crunched the bones of his cheek .
I remember wondering why I did n't take any satisfaction from that sound , why it meant nothing beyond the fact I had one less opponent to worry about .
The rest of them ran at the sight of blood .
One of the braver promised me I was dead , shouted " Fucking zombie ! " over his shoulder as he disappeared around the corner .
Three decades it took , to see the irony in that remark .
Two of the enemy twitched at my feet .
I kicked one in the head until it stopped moving , turned to the other .
Something grabbed my arm and I swung without thinking , without looking until Pag yelped and ducked out of reach .
Oh , I said .
Sorry .
One thing lay motionless .
The other moaned and held its head and curled up in a ball .
Oh shit , Pag panted .
Blood coursed unheeded from his nose and splattered down his shirt .
His cheek was turning blue and yellow .
Oh shit oh shit oh shit ...
I thought of something to say .
You all right ?
Oh shit , you — I mean , you never ...
He wiped his mouth .
Blood smeared the back of his hand .
Oh man are we in trouble .
They started it .
Yeah , but you — I mean , look at them !
The moaning thing was crawling away on all fours .
I wondered how long it would be before it found reinforcements .
I wondered if I should kill it before then .
You 'd a never done that before , Pag said .
Before the operation , he meant .
I actually did feel something then — faint , distant , but unmistakable .
I felt angry .
They started —
Pag backed away , eyes wide .

Put that down ! "
I 'd raised my fists .
I did n't remember doing that .
I unclenched them .
It took a while .
I had to look at my hands very hard for a long , long time .
The rock dropped to the ground , blood-slick and glistening .
I was trying to help .
I did n't understand why he could n't see that .
You 're , you 're not the same , Pag said from a safe distance .
You 're not even Siri any more .

Do n't be a fuckwad . "
They cut out your brain !

For the ep — "

You think I do n't know ?
But you were in that half — or , like , part of you was ... "
He struggled with the words , with the concept behind them .

It 's like , your mom and dad murdered you — "
My mom and dad , I said , suddenly quiet , " saved my life .
I would have died . "
I think you did die , said my best and only friend .

You 're not the same .
Ever since .
You 're not the same . "
Daisy
by Andrew Willett
It was Sunday in snowy Manhattan .
Jenna was in the tub , and I was doing the Times crossword , listening to the clang of the radiators and the swish of the taxis on the slush outside , when my coffee-scented reverie was broken by a loud squawk from the bathroom , and a splash , and a flesh-upon-cold-tile sort of thump .
“ Go away !
Shoo !
Get out of my bathroom ! ”
I threw down my pen and dashed down the hall .
Jenna was picking herself up off the floor of the bathroom .
In the bathtub , a bar of soap was gaily chasing a nylon scrubby thing around the surface of the water .
“ Damned pixies ! ” Jenna said , smacking the bathtub ’s drain lever .
“ Again !
I am so tired of these things ! ”
A piteous squeak came from the scrubby thing as the water began to swirl down the drain .
A translucent little head poked out from behind a pot of organic-sugarcane exfoliating body polish , and looked at me with exaggerated puppy eyes and a trembling lower lip .
“ Sorry , kids , ” I said to the bathtub .
“ Do n’t humor them , dammit , ” Jenna said , and stomped , still naked , still wet , toward the phone in the kitchen .
She ’d be irritated by her own wet footprints on the battered wood of the hallway floor later , but right now she had blood on her mind .
Or water .
Ichor .
Whatever it is that the common Manhattan water-pixie uses for blood .
I could n’t say I blamed her .
She got the brunt of the pixies ’ odd sense of humor much more than I did , because she ’s the one who likes to take baths .
Although I will say that a pixie hiding in the sink among the dirty soup bowls makes doing the dishes an adventure .
“ Ramon ?
Hi .
It ’s Jenna McMasters in 5C .
Ramon , the pixies are out of control .
You ’ve got to do something about —
yes , I know —
Ramon , the equinox is n’t for weeks and weeks .
Really , we need you to do something sooner ...
Well , I ’m just not ready to wait that long .
We may have to try something on our own , then .
Goodbye , Ramon .
You ’ve been a huge goddamn help . ”
She hung up the phone .
“ Man , he ’s useless , ” she said .
“ On the other hand , ” I said , “ he ’s the first super we ’ve had who keeps the boiler , the door buzzers , and the electrical system in perfect working order . ”
I took the robe I ’d brought from the bathroom and wrapped it around her shoulders .
“ What is it they say in yoga class ?
Take a deep cleansing breath .
Spiral out from your navel center , and stuff . ”
“ Robert , this sort of thing never happened in San Francisco . ”
“ No , ” I said .
“ In San Francisco we got earthquakes , and there were wood sprites in Golden Gate Park .
Welcome to New York . ”
“ I keep trying to tell myself that this is cool .
But then they come at me on a Sunday morning , when I have no work to do and I ’m trying to relax and I ’m naked , and I just lose it ... . ”
“ And you take it out on the super , ” I said .
“ And now I ’m gon na have a bruise on my butt , too , ” she said .
“ Well , that ’s karma for you .
Now stretch out on the couch , and I ’ll bring you coffee and rub your feet . ”
Jenna smiled .
“ Just make sure there are no pixies in the coffee pot , is all I ask . ”
Ugh .
That was our previous Sunday morning adventure : most unpleasant , and marked by the death of a new French-press pot .
I realized that I , too , hated the pixies .
“ We need a plan , ” I said .
Stranger Things Happen -
Water Off a Black Dog ’s Back
Rachel Rook took Carroll home to meet her parents two months after she first slept with him .
For a generous girl , a girl who took off her clothes with abandon , she was remarkably close-mouthed about some things .
In two months Carroll had learned that her parents lived on a farm several miles outside of town ; that they sold strawberries in summer , and Christmas trees in the winter .
He knew that they never left the farm ; instead , the world came to them in the shape of weekend picnickers and driveby tourists .
Do you think your parents will like me ? " he said .
He had spent the afternoon preparing for this visit as carefully as if he were preparing for an exam .
He had gotten his hair cut , trimmed his nails , washed his neck and behind his ears .
The outfit he had chosen , khaki pants and a blue button-down shirt -- no tie -- lay neatly folded on the bed .
He stood before Rachel in his plain white underwear and white socks , gazing at her as if she were a mirror .
No , she said .
It was the first time she had been to his apartment , and she stood square in the center of his bedroom , her arms folded against her body as if she was afraid to sit down , to touch something .
Why ?
My father will like you , she said .

My mother 's more particular --
she thinks that you lack a serious nature . "
Carroll put on his pants , admiring the crease .
So you 've talked to her about me .
Yes .
But you have n't talked about her to me .
No .
Are you ashamed of her ?
Rachel snorted .
Then she sighed in a way that seemed to suggest she was regretting her decision to take him home .
You 're ashamed of me , he guessed , and Rachel kissed him and smiled and did n't say anything .
Rachel still lived on her parents ' farm , which made it all the more remarkable that she had kept Carroll and her parents apart for so long .
It suggested a talent for daily organization that filled Carroll 's heart with admiration and lust .
She was nineteen , two years younger than Carroll ; she was a student at Jellicoh College and every weekday she rose at seven and biked four miles into town , and then back again on her bike , four miles uphill to the farm .
Carroll met Rachel in the Jellicoh College library , where he had a part-time job .
He sat at the checkout desk , stamping books and reading Tristram Shandy for a graduate class ; he was almost asleep when someone said , " Excuse me . "
He looked up .
The girl who stood before the tall desk was red-headed .
Sunlight streaming in through a high window opposite her lit up the fine hairs on her arm , the embroidered flowers on the collar of her white shirt .
The sunlight turned her hair to fire and Carroll found it difficult to look directly at her .
Can I help you ? he said .
She placed a shredded rectangle on the desk , and Carroll picked it up between his thumb and forefinger .
Pages hung in tatters from the sodden blue spine .
Title , binding , and covers had been gnawed away .
I need to pay for a damaged book , she said .
What happened ? Did your dog eat it ? he said , making a joke .
Yes , she said , and smiled .
What 's your name ? Carroll said .
Already , he thought he might be in love .
Does n’t it make you just want to sneeze ?
Pete was leaning against the wall , watching the street go by .
I pulled the bike to a halt , the front wheel pointing in his direction .
“ I think I ’ve got a fairy stuck up my nose . ”
“ S’ not true ! ” came a voice from inside the nose in question .
“ Hey ! Not bad that ! ” Pete said .
“ I did n’t see your lips move at all . ”
“ It ’s not a joke . ”
The itching was getting worse .
I pulled out a paper tissue .
“ Stop that now ! ” came the voice again .
“ You know I do n’t like it . ”
“ S’ not my fault .
You make me want to sneeze ! ”
And I did .
I inspected the crumpled paper .
Lots of yellow goo , but no fairy .
Pete looked at me with mild disgust as I eyed the handkerchief more closely .
“ You know that ’s pretty gross … ” he said .
“ Got any other brilliant remarks ? ” I said .
I held a finger up to my lips , and waved a hand to silence Pete ’s reply .
“ Are you still there ? ” I called .
“ No thanks to you ! ” came the little voice .
Pete looked at me sort of sideways .
“ Look , the first time was OK , but — ”
“ It ’s not a joke .
I ’ve really got something stuck up there .
I was riding on me bike and I thought I ’d swallowed an insect or something .
And then it started insulting me . ”
“ You ’re having me on , right ? ”
“ Pete !
Look at me .
If it ’s a trick , how do I do it then ? ”
Pete thought for a moment .
“ If it ’s real … Are n’t they supposed to have a pot of gold or something ?
And they have to tell you where it is if you catch them ? ”
“ That ’s leprechauns , idiot ! ” said the voice from my noise .
“ So what ’s the difference ?
Just give us the gold and we ’ll let you go … ”
“ We — ? ” I started .
He winked at me .
“ Oh , I ’m happy to stick around , ” came the voice .
“ It ’s noggins here who wants to get rid of me … ”
Suddenly I felt a violent pain in my nose , my eyes watered .
“ Owwww ! ” I howled .
“ See what I mean ? ” the voice shouted over my moans .
“ Perhaps you can use it in exams … ” Pete said , scratching his head .
“ You know , it could tell us all the answers . ”
“ Idiot !
If it yacks on like that in an exam , I ’ll get thrown out .
And probably locked up too . ”
“ Ca n’t it whisper ? ”
“ Perhaps I do n’t know the answers anyway ? ” said the voice .
“ Have you thought of that ? ”
“ Anyway , I do n’t want it in exams .
I just want it to go .
Out of my nose . ”
“ Ca n’t you just poke it out ? ”
“ With what ? ”
“ S’pose you ’ve already tried your finger … ”
“ Yes he has , ” the voice said .
“ And it was n’t pleasant I can tell you . ”
“ You see what it ’s like .
He ’s already making sarcastic remarks like that … ”
“ What if we put something in your nose to catch it , then ?
I do n’t know … A spider ? ”
“ No ! ” we both said at once .
“ Snap ! ” Pete said .
“ You both said the same thing at the same time , you ’ve got to make a — ” He hit his forehead with his palm .
“ That ’s it !
Three wishes !
When you catch a fairy , you get three wishes .
Hey you in there !
Is that right ? ”
“ You could see things like that … ” said the voice with resignation .
“ I wish you ’d get out of my nose , then ! ” I cried .
In a flash the fairy was out of my nose and gone .
And I ’m still waiting for my two other wishes .
THE END
Something a little lighter this week , I hope you enjoy it .
Once it got started , I realised that the idea must have been inspired by the title of Justine Larbalestier ’s How to Ditch Your Fairy , although it has nothing at all to do with that story at all .
All in all , my story feels very light .
But I think I needed something a little less dark , and there are some quite sombre tales coming up in the coming weeks .
See you then .
The Cost to Be Wise
Veronique stayed with me that night , lying next to me in my blankets and furs .
She did n't sleep , I do n't think .
I was listening to her breath .
I felt as if I should help her sleep .
I lay there and tried to think if I should put my arm around her , but I did n't know .
Maybe she did n't want to be touched .
And she had been a stupid girl , anyway .
She lay tense in the dark .
Are you going to be a teacher ? I asked .
She laughed .
If I get out of here .
I waited for her to say more , but she did n't .
Get out of here meant to make someone leave .
Maybe she meant if she made herself .
You come here from Earth ? I asked .
To get her to talk , although I was tired of lingua and I did n't really want to think about anything .
My family came here from Earth , she said .
Why ?
My father , he 's an anthropologist , she said .
Do you know anthropologist ?
No , I said .

And he is a teacher . "
All the offworlders I had ever met were teachers .
I wondered who did all the work on Earth .
Because Earth had lost touch with your world , the people here are very interesting to my father , she said .
Her voice was listless in the dark and she was even harder to understand when I could n't see her properly .
I did n't understand so I did n't say anything .
I was sorry I 'd started her talking .
History , do you know the word ' history ' ? she asked .
Of course I knew the word " history . "
I study history in school , I said .
Anneal and Kumar taught it .
Do you know the history of this world ?
It took my tired head a long time to sort that out .
Yes , I said .

People from Earth come here to live .
Then there is a big problem on Earth , and the people of Earth forget we are here .
We forget we are from Earth .
Then Earth finds us again . "
Some people have stories about coming from the Earth , Veronique said .

I 'm a graduate student . "
The clans did n't have any stories about coming from Earth .
We said the first people came out of the sun .
This somehow seemed embarrassing .
I did n't understand what kind of student she was .
Are you here for stories ? I asked .
No , she said .

We just came to visit . "
I did n't understand what she 'd said except that they were visiting .
We were quiet after that .
I pretended to sleep .
Sometimes there was gunfire outside and we jumped , even Mam on the bed .
Everyone but Bet .
Once Bet was asleep it was impossible to wake her up .
I fell asleep thinking about how I wished that the Scathalos outrunners were gone .
I dreamed that I was at the offworlder 's home , where it was summer but no one was taking care of the stabros , and they were all glad , and so I was a hero - and I was startled awake by gunfire .
Just more drinking and shooting .
I wished my da would come home .
It did n't seem fair that we should lie here and be afraid while the men were getting drunk and singing .
The Chemical Wedding by Christian Rosencreutz
A ROMANCE IN EIGHT DAYS by JOHANN VALENTIN ANDREAE in a new version by JOHN CROWLEY illustrated by THEO FADEL
SMALL BEER PRESS EASTHAMPTON , MASS .
Introduction
I
The Chemical Wedding by Christian Rosencreutz is the way I ’ve decided to present the title of this book .
Most versions in English are called The Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz , which suggests ( and most people who ’ve heard of it suppose ) that the wedding is Christian ’s .
It ’s not ; Christian Rosencreutz is the purported author of a book called The Chemical Wedding .
The actual author is Johann Valentin Andreae , whose name did n’t appear on the book originally , thus ensuring the confusion .
I ’ll call it herein ( as everyone mostly does ) simply The Chemical Wedding .
Though its original readers would have had a certain amount of context for the truly bizarre and surprising events it tells of , it ’s possible that The Chemical Wedding is now more enjoyable without knowing that context , and experiencing the book unmediated .
You might therefore wish to start right in on the first page of text that follows and only then return to this introduction .
Consider a similar case : a little book published in 1934 by the Surrealist artist Max Ernst called Une Semaine de Bonté .
It was made entirely of collaged illustrations cut out of old books
The First Day
It was just before Easter Sunday , 1 and I was sitting at my table .
I ’d said my prayers , talking a long time as usual with my Maker and thinking about some of the great mysteries the Father of Lights had revealed to me .
Now I was ready to make and to bake – only in my heart , actually – a small , perfect unleavened wafer to eat with my beloved Paschal Lamb .
All of a sudden a terrible wind blew up , so strong that I thought the hill my little house was built on would be blown apart – but I ’d seen the Devil do things as bad as this before ( the Devil had often tried to harm me ) , so I took heart and went on meditating .
Till I felt somebody touch me on the back .
This frightened me so that I did n’t dare turn .
I tried to stay as brave and calm as a human being could under the circumstances .
I felt my coat tugged at , and tugged again , and at last I looked around .
A woman stood there , so bright and beautiful , in a sky-colored robe – a heavens covered with
1 Christian ’s story begins just before Easter , like Dante ’s Divine Comedy .
It can be seen as an allegory of Christ ’s death and resurrection , though this idea produces some puzzles .
The birds sang so beautifully , the young deer skipped so happily , that it gladdened my old heart , and I could n't help singing too ...
THE FOURTH DAY
I was awake and lying in bed next morning , looking idly at the wonderful images and inscriptions all around my room , when suddenly I heard the sound of trumpets , as if a procession were already underway .
My page jumped out of bed as if crazed , looking more dead than alive , and you can imagine how I felt when he cried , “ They 're already being presented to the king ! "
I could only groan in frustration and curse my lazy bones .
I got dressed , but my page was quicker than I was and ran out of the chamber to see what was what .
He soon came back and gave me the good news that I actually had n’t overslept ; all I ’d done was miss breakfast : they had n’t wanted to wake an old man who needed his rest .
But now I had to get ready to go with him to the lion fountain , where most of the others were gathered .
Such a relief !
My spirits recovered , and as soon as I had got into my habit , I followed him to the garden I have already told about .
I found that the lion , in place of his sword , now held a rather large plaque .
Examining this , I could tell that it had been taken from those ancient monuments I ’d seen and put here for some special reason .
The inscription on it was fading away , so I should set it down here as it was then , and ask my readers to ponder it :
Prince Hermes : Now after humankind has suffered so much harm here I flow having by god ’s counsel and with the help of art become a healing balm .
Drink from me if you can ; wash , if you like ; trouble my waters if you dare .
Drink , Brethren !
Drink and live !
Biologist Nick Bos tells Wikinews about ' self-medicating ' ants
Tuesday , September 1 , 2015
Formica fusca , from file .
Image : Mathias Krumbholz .
Nick Bos , of the University of Helsinki , studies " the amazing adaptations social insects have evolved in order to fight the extreme parasite pressure they experience " .
In a recently-accepted Evolution paper Bos and colleagues describe ants appearing to self-medicate .
I have no doubt that as time goes on , there will be more and more cases documented
The team used Formica fusca , an ant species that can form thousand-strong colonies .
This common black ant eats other insects , and also aphid honeydew .
It often nests in tree stumps or under rocks and foraging workers can sometimes be spotted climbing trees .
Some ants were infected with Beauveria bassiana , a fungus .
Infected ants chose food laced with toxic hydrogen peroxide , whereas healthy ants avoided it .
Hydrogen peroxide reduced infected ant fatalities by 15 % , and the ants varied their intake depending upon how high the peroxide concentration was .
In the wild , Formica fusca can encounter similar chemicals in aphids and dead ants .
The Independent reported self-medicating ants a first among insects .
Bos obtained his doctorate from the University of Copenhagen .
He began postdoctoral research at Helsinki in 2012 .
He also runs the AntyScience blog .
The blog aims to help address " a gap between scientists and ' the general public ' . "
The name is a pun referencing ants , its primary topic , science , and " non-scientific " jargon-free communication .
He now discusses his work with Wikinews .
Beauveria bassiana on a cicada in Bolivia .
Image : Danny Newman .
What first attracted you to researching ants ?
Me and a studymate were keeping a lot of animals during our studies , from beetles , to butterflies and mantids , to ants .
We had the ants in an observation nest , and I could just look at them for hours , watching them go about .
This was in my third year of Biology study I think .
After a while I needed to start thinking about an internship for my M.Sc. studies , and decided to write a couple of professors .
I ended up going to the Centre for Social Evolution at the University of Copenhagen where I did a project on learning in Ants under supervision of Prof. Patrizia d'Ettorre .
I liked it so much there I ended up doing a PhD and I 've been working on social insects ever since .
What methods and equipment were used for this investigation ?
This is a fun one .
I try to work on a very low budget , and like to build most of the experimental setups myself ( we actually have equipment in the lab nicknamed the ' Nickinator ' , ' i-Nick ' and the ' Nicktendo64 ' ) .
There 's not that much money in fundamental science at the moment , so I try to cut the costs wherever possible .
We collected wild colonies of Formica fusca by searching through old tree-trunks in old logging sites in southern Finland .
We then housed the ants in nests I made using Y-tong [ aerated concrete ] .
It 's very soft stone that you can easily carve .
We carved out little squares for the ants to live in ( covered with old CD covers to prevent them escaping ! ) .
We then drilled a tunnel to a pot ( the foraging arena ) , where the ants got the choice between the food with medicine and the food without .
We infected the ants by preparing a solution of the fungus Beauveria bassiana .
Afterwards , each ant was dipped in the solution for a couple of seconds , dried on a cloth and put in the nest .
After exposing the ants to the fungus , we took pictures of each foraging arena three times per day , and counted how many ants were present on each food-source .
Example of aerated concrete , which provided a home for the subjects .
Image : Marco Bernardini .
This gave us the data that ants choose more medicine after they have been infected .
The result that healthy ants die sooner when ingesting ROS [ Reactive Oxygen Species , the group of chemicals that includes hydrogen peroxide ] but infected ants die less was obtained in another way ( as you have to ' force feed ' the ROS , as healthy ants , when given the choice , ignore that food-source . )
For this we basically put colonies on a diet of either food with medicine or without for a while .
And afterwards either infected them or not . Then for about two weeks we count every day how many ants died .
This gives us the data to do a so-called survival analysis .
We measured the ROS-concentration in the bodies of ants after they ingested the food with the medicine using a spectrophotometer .
By adding certain chemicals , the ROS can be measured using the emission of light of a certain wave-length .
The detrimental effect of ROS on spores was easy to measure .
We mixed different concentrations of ROS with the spores , plated them out on petridishes with an agar-solution where fungus can grow on .
A day after , we counted how many spores were still alive .
How reliable do you consider your results to be ?
The results we got are very reliable .
We had a lot of colonies containing a lot of ants , and wherever possible we conducted the experiment blind .
This means the experimenter does n't know which ants belong to which treatment , so it 's impossible to influence the results with ' observer bias ' .
However , of course this is proof in just one species .
It is hard to extrapolate to other ants , as different species lead very different lives .
Wikinews interviews President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians
Wednesday , October 9 , 2013
October is National Magic Month in the United States .
Wikinews spoke with William Evans , president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians , about the current state of magic and what its future looks like in the world of entertainment .
For how long have you been involved in performing / studying magic ?
Over 50 years .
I am 61 now so I really started when I was about 10 years old even though I had seen and worked with some basic tricks a few years earlier .
I remember going into Hollywood Magic and wanting that big red box with the dragons on it and I did n't even know what it did .
The magician behind the counter was wise enough not to sell it to me , but instead sold me two books which I still own today - " Scarne on Card Tricks " and " Scarne on Magic Tricks " .
That started me out on books and I have amassed quite a few since then .
My major influences on performance are Eugene Burger and Michael Skinner .
October is National Magic Month in the US .
Do you think magic is alive as a viable form of entertainment today ?
Absolutely .
There are more magicians working today than ever before .
There will always be an audience for good magicians doing good magic .
Has the internet helped or hurt magic ?
Both .
I think it has helped draw younger people to magic as a hobby , but I think it has hurt the ability of young magicians to think because so many rely on the internet for everything and they are n't reading the books .
We have to have knowledge of the history of magic and what has been done before .
Moreover , seeing someone perform on the internet takes away the use of our senses , originality and imagination that reading and thinking about magic can produce .
Anyone can become a monkey ; it takes serious study to become a magician .
Do you travel much in your current role ?
Yes , I am traveling quite a bit .
After I was inducted as International President in Phoenix in July , I have been to the Jeff McBride Experience in Eureka Springs , Arkansas , Magic Live in Las Vegas , The Midwest Magic Jubilee in St. Louis , the TAOM in Dallas , the British Ring Convention in Buxton , England and the Magic Circle in London .
I am going to Las Vegas and Los Angeles next month , Italy in November , back to Las Vegas in December , Mexico in January , Magi-Fest in February , the Winter Carnival of Magic in Tennessee in March , Eureka Springs Cavalcade of Magic in March , and the FFFF in April .
That 's as of now .
File photo of magician David Gish displaying magic props for a young child .
Image : Paul Budd .
Interview with US political activist and philosopher Noam Chomsky
Saturday , April 4 , 2009
Political activist and philosopher Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky is a professor emeritus at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Linguistics and Philosophy .
At the age of 40 he was credited with revolutionizing the field of modern linguistics .
He was one of the first opponents of the Vietnam War , and is a self-described Libertarian Socialist .
At age 80 he continues to write books ; his latest book , Hegemony or Survival , was a bestseller in non-fiction .
According to the Arts and Humanities Citation Index Professor Chomsky is the eighth most cited scholar of all time .
On March 13 , Professor Chomsky sat down with Michael Dranove for an interview in his MIT office in Cambridge , Massachusetts .
On NATO
I just wanted to know if you had any thoughts on recent NATO actions and the protests coming up at the 60th NATO conference , I know you ’re speaking at the counter-conference .
Could be I give so many talks I ca n’t remember .
On the NATO conference , well I mean the obvious question is why should NATO exist ?
In fact you can ask questions about why it should ever have existed , but now why should it exist .
I mean the theory was , whether you believe it or not , that it would be a defensive alliance against potential Soviet aggression , that ’s the basic doctrine .
Well there ’s no defense against Soviet aggression , so whether you believe that doctrine or not that ’s gone .
When the Soviet Union collapsed there had been an agreement , a recent agreement , between Gorbachev and the U.S government and the first Bush administration .
The agreement was that Gorbachev agreed to a quite remarkable concession : he agreed to let a united Germany join the NATO military alliance .
Now it is remarkable in the light of history , the history of the past century , Germany alone had virtually destroyed Russia , twice , and Germany backed by a hostile military alliance , centered in the most phenomenal military power in history , that ’s a real threat .
Nevertheless he agreed , but there was a quid pro quo , namely that NATO should not expand to the east , so Russia would at least have a kind of security zone .
And George Bush and James Baker , secretary of state , agreed that NATO would not expand one inch to the east .
Gorbachev also proposed a nuclear free weapons zone in the region , but the U.S would n’t consider that .
Okay , so that was the basis on which then shortly after the Soviet Union collapsed .
Well , Clinton came into office what did he do ?
Well one of the first things he did was to back down on the promise of not expanding NATO to the east .
Well that ’s a significant threat to the Soviet Union , to Russia now that there was no longer any Soviet Union , it was a significant threat to Russia and not surprisingly they responded by beefing up their offensive capacity , not much but some .
So they rescinded their pledge not to use nuclear weapons on first strike , NATO had never rescinded it , but they had and started some remilitarization .
With Bush , the aggressive militarism of the Bush administration , as predicted , induced Russia to extend further its offensive military capacity ; it ’s still going on right now .
When Bush proposed the missile defense systems in Eastern Europe , Poland and Czechoslovakia , it was a real provocation to the Soviet Union .
I mean that was discussed in U.S arms control journals , that they would have to regard as a potential threat to their strategic deterrent , meaning as a first strike weapon .
And the claim was that it had to do with Iranian missiles , but forget about that .
Take say on Obama , Obama ’s national security advisor James Jones former Marine commandant is on record of favoring expansion of NATO to the south and the east , further expansion of NATO , and also making it an intervention force .
And the head of NATO , Hoop Scheffer , he has explained that NATO must take on responsibility for ensuring the security of pipelines and sea lanes , that is NATO must be a guarantor of energy supplies for the West .
Well that ’s kind of an unending war , so do we want NATO to exist , do we want there to be a Western military alliance that carries out these activities , with no pretense of defense ?
Well I think that ’s a pretty good question ; I do n’t see why it should , I mean there happens to be no other military alliance remotely comparable — if there happened to be one I ’d be opposed to that too .
So I think the first question is , what is this all about , why should we even be debating NATO , is there any reason why it should exist ?
Labor actions as a revival of the Left
We ’ve seen mass strikes all around the world , in countries that we would n’t expect it .
Do you think this is a revival of the Left in the West ?
Or do you think it ’s nothing ?
It ’s really hard to tell .
I mean there ’s certainly signs of it , and in the United States too , in fact we had a sit down strike in the United States not long ago , which is a very militant labor action .
Sit down strikes which began at a significant level in the 1930’s were very threatening to management and ownership , because the sit down strike is one step before workers taking over the factory and running it and kicking out the management , and probably doing a better job .
So that ’s a frightening idea , and police were called in and so on .
Well we just had one in the United States at the Republic Windows and Doors Factory , it ’s hard to know , I mean these things are just hard to predict , they may take off , and they may take on a broader scope , they may fizzle away or be diverted .
Wikinews interviews New York bar owner on Santorum cocktail
Thursday , March 15 , 2012
Wikinews interviewed one of the owners of a New York City bar about a popular new politically-themed cocktail drink called Santorum .
The beverage was inspired by the santorum neologism coined in advice columnist Dan Savage 's column Savage Love in response to comments made by former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum about homosexuality ;
Savage 's readers voted to define santorum as ; " the frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex . "
Background
The santorum neologism has inspired satirical forms of parody , including this political cartoon by Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal webcomic artist Zach Weiner .
2012 .
Image ; Zach Weiner .
The Pacific Standard bar is located in Brooklyn , New York , and is co-owned by Jonathan M. Stan and John-Christian G. Rauschenberg .
Stan commented on the creation of the Santorum cocktail , " When he was winning in the polls , I thought , ' OK , I 'll do a Santorum ' . "
Regarding how long the beverage will be made available , Stan remarked to The Brooklyn Paper , " We 'll keep it around until he ’s irrelevant . I hope he ’s there the whole way " .
The main ingredients of the Santorum drink include vodka of an orange citrus variety , Baileys Irish Cream , and Angostura bitters .
It is served in a cocktail glass and topped with Godiva chocolate flakes .
The beverage is priced at US $ 8.00 , and upon an order for it , the bartender will recount for the customer the definition of the santorum neologism .
Troy Patterson of Slate Magazine ventured over to Pacific Standard to sample the new santorum cocktail at the bar .
After tasting the beverage , Patterson observed , " My Santorum was sweet but balanced , with a subtle citrus pucker " .
[ The santorum neologism is ] offensive beyond , you know , anything that any public figure or anybody in America should tolerate , and the mainstream media laughs about it . — Rick Santorum
In a 2003 interview with the Associated Press , Rick Santorum compared legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States to supporting bestiality .
Readers of the Savage Love advice column selected a new definition for the Senator ’s last name , and Savage created a website SpreadingSantorum.com to promulgate the spread of the phenomenon .
The term became a prominent result in searches online , and gained dominance on Web search engines including Google , Bing , and Yahoo! .
Rick Santorum himself has acknowledged and discussed the existence and prevalence of the santorum neologism phenomenon ; he was quoted by The Canadian Press on his assessment of Google 's response ;

I suspect that 's not true . "
Santorum criticized the response of the press to the phenomenon in a 2011 radio interview , saying , " It 's offensive beyond , you know , anything that any public figure or anybody in America should tolerate , and the mainstream media laughs about it . "
Interview
Pacific Standard owner , Jonathan M. Stan , displays the Santorum cocktail drink as a finished product at the bar . ( 2012 ) .
Image ; Pacific Standard , provided by the owners .
Interview
What inspired you to create a cocktail after the santorum neologism ?
Santorum the person has been in the news throughout the primary season , and we thought it would be interesting to try to create a delicious drink that mimicked the appearance of the Dan Savage meaning of " santorum . "
How did you first hear about the definition of the santorum neologism that grew out of the contest from the Savage Love advice column ?
We do n't really remember .
It 's been around forever .
Probably read about it somewhere .
What are your thoughts about Rick Santorum ’s views on gay rights ?
It 's not for us to take a stand on any political issues .
We 'll leave that to the professionals .
Do you think it was an appropriate form of satire for Dan Savage to popularize the definition of the santorum neologism created in his advice column ?
We thought it was funny .
Whether it is appropriate or not is another thing we leave to the pros to decide .
When was the Santorum cocktail first created ?
A few months ago .
What ingredients go in the Santorum cocktail ?
Bailey 's , orange vodka , bitters , and chocolate flakes .
How is the Santorum drink made ?
The ingredients are shaken and/or poured into a cocktail glass .
See the pictures .
Your Santorum cocktail creation has already received media coverage from publications including ; The Brooklyn Paper , The New York Times , Jezebel , Metro.us , EDGE on the Net , and Instinct Magazine .
Did you think when you created it that the Santorum cocktail would receive this news coverage ?
Not at all .
We were just trying to come up with a topical and funny new cocktail for our customers to laugh about and enjoy .
What culinary dishes would you recommend that go well with the Santorum cocktail ?
You 'd probably be having the cocktail at dessert time , so something sweet ; ice cream or pie .
Is the drink popular ?
How many times do you suppose you ’ve served it at your establishment since its creation ?
The drink was mildly popular for the last few months , but of course has become a great deal more popular since getting all this publicity .
We have no way to estimate how many times we 've served it overall , but we 're now pouring around ten a night .
Cold as ice : Wikinews interviews Marymegan Daly on unusual new sea anemone
Tuesday , January 21 , 2014
How did you come to be involved with this discovery
Frank Rack got in touch after they returned from Antarctica in hopes that I could help with an identification on the anemone .
What was your first reaction upon learning there was an undiscovered ecosystem under the ice in the Ross Sea ?
I was amazed and really excited .
I think to say it was unexpected is inaccurate , because it implies that there was a well-founded expectation of something .
The technology that Frank and his colleagues are using to explore the ice is so important because , given our lack of data , we have no reasonable expectation of what it should be like , or what it should n't be like .
There 's a return trip planned hopefully for 2015 , with both biologists and ANDRILL geologists .
Are you intending to go there yourself ?
I would love to .
But I am also happy to not go , as long as someone collects more animals on my behalf !
What I want to do with the animals requires new material preserved in diverse ways , but it does n't require me to be there .
Although I am sure that being there would enhance my understanding of the animals and the system in which they live , and would help me formulate more and better questions about the anemones , ship time is expensive , especially in Antarctica , and if there are biologists whose contribution is predicated on being there , they should have priority to be there .
These animals are shrouded in mystery .
Some of the most intriguing questions are chemical ; do they produce some kind of antifreeze , and is that orange glow in the ROV lights their own ?
Talk us through the difficulties encountered when trying to find answers with the specimens on hand .
The samples we have are small in terms of numbers and they are all preserved in formalin ( a kind of formaldehyde solution ) .
The formalin is great for preserving structures , but for anemones , it prevents study of DNA or of the chemistry of the body .
This means we ca n't look at the issue you raise with these animals .
What we could do , however , was to study anatomy and figure out what it is , so that when we have samples preserved for studying e.g. , the genome , transcriptome , or metabolome , or conduct tests of the fluid in the burrows or in the animals themselves , we can make precise comparisons , and figure out what these animals have or do ( metabolically or chemically ) that lets them live where they live .
Just knowing a whole lot about a single species is n't very useful , even if that animal is as special as these clearly are -
we need to know what about them is different and thus related to living in this strange way .
The only way to get at what 's different is to make comparisons with close relatives .
We can start that side of the work now , anticipating having more beasts in the future .
In terms of their glow , I suspect that it 's not theirs -
although luminescence is common in anemone relatives , they do n't usually make light themselves .
They do make a host of florescent proteins , and these may interact with the light of the ROV to give that gorgeous glow .
What analysis did you perform on the specimens and what equipment was used ?
I used a dissecting scope to look at the animal 's external anatomy and overall body organization ( magnification of 60 X ) .
I embedded a few of the animals in wax and then cut them into very thin slices using a microtome , mounted the slices on microscope slides , stained the slices to enhance contrast , and then looked at those slides under a compound microscope
( that 's how I got the pictures of the muscles etc in the paper ) .
I used that same compound scope to look at squashed bits of tissue to see the stinging capsules ( = nematocysts ) .
I compared the things I saw under the 'scopes to what had been published on other species in this group .
This step seems trivial , but it is really the most important part !
By comparing my observations to what my colleagues and predecessors had found , I figured out what group it belongs to , and was able to determine that within that group , it was a new species .
It was three years between recovery of specimens and final publication , why did it take so long ?
You mean , how did we manage to make it all happen so quickly , right ? :)
It was about two years from when Frank sent me specimens to when we got the paper out .
Some of that time was just lost time -
I had other projects in the queue that I needed to finish .
Once we figured out what it was , we played a lot of manuscript email tag , which can be challenging and time consuming given the differing schedules that folks keep in terms of travel , field work , etc.
Manuscript review and processing took about four months .
What sort of difficulties were posed by the unorthodox preservatives used , and what additional work might be possible on a specimen with intact DNA ?
The preservation was not unorthodox -
they followed best practices for anatomical preservation .
Having DNA-suitable material will let us see whether there are new genes , or genes turned on in different ways and at different times that help explain how these animals burrow into hard ice and then survive in the cold .
I am curious about the population structure of the " fields " of anemones -
the group to which Edwardsiella andrillae belongs includes many species that reproduce asexually , and it 's possible that the fields are " clones " produced asexually rather than the result of sexual reproduction .
DNA is the only way to test this .
This map shows the location of the Ross Ice Shelf in the Antarctic , and the two known localities for E. andrillae relative to McMurdo Station
image : Daily et al.
Daly explained how she obtained these images of the anemone 's anatomy .
Image : Daily et al.
BDSM as business : An interview with the owners of a dungeon
Sunday , October 21 , 2007
Operating the business
The costs
Clothing supply closet .
There 's a misconception in this industry .
Your exposure to this is probably primarily what you see in movies , scanning magazines , scanning the Internet , just snippets everywhere .
It 's portrayed as though it 's dark , black and evil .
And --
Oh man , well ?
What 's up ?
I do wear a lot of black .
It 's anything but that .
If you look at the rooms , there 's all the accouterments you 'd find in these types of places --
but more than anything , there 's a lot of good feeling around here .
We hire the opposite of what you 'd think we would hire , what the average person would think we would hire .
We hire educated , nice people .
I remember one of our ads that I had put in said , " If you think nice girls do n't do S&M , " -- I forgot what the rest of it said --
-- think again .
Yeah , " think again " or something like that .
And that ad had pulled so many girls , because they -- I think they all thought that nice girls do n't do this .
And a bunch of them had called and they said , " Wow . "
And I think I remember , a bunch of guys called because of that also .
Do you remember ?
I sure do , I sure do .
What are the startup costs involved ?
It varies ; look around Manhattan , look around rents , look around build-outs , look around hiring , look around advertising ...
What 's your greatest non-fixed cost ?
The single most costly thing we spend on is rent and advertising , those two together make up the bulk of what we spend .
There 's supplies , and there 's wear and tear and maintenance , and bookkeeping and things like that that you have to do .
That 's about it .
The hardest thing in running this business , which is why people ca n't do it , is the relationship that my wife has with the gals and with the customers .
Where do you advertise ?
A lot on the web , we 've used most of the local city papers , New York Press , things like that , L Magazine .
In the back of the paper ?
Typically in the back of the paper .
Magazines constantly change their policy on it ; they want it , they do n't want it ...
Depending on the election year --
Who 's buying the paper , who 's selling the paper .
So it changes , so one year we got to be in the Press , but they have now stopped adult ads .
Completely .
So now we 'll be in the Voice for a while .
We 're moving more towards the Internet at this point , because the Internet is a much easier , safer way for a person to look at sensitive material and not get caught with it .
Hiring employees
Personality test questions given to prospective mistresses .
Pursuant to your business question : we only hire nice people .
I do n't care if a girl is absolutely exquisite looking --
My husband has met beautiful , beautiful girls --
-- beautiful girls --
-- and he 's in the end , he would say , " Well , I wo n't hire them . "
I 'm like , ‘ Are you insane ?
I wo n't hire them . I hire --
Why not ?
Because I want someone who 's going to treat people nicely and well .
We have --
How can you tell whether they will or will not ?
Just by talking to them ?
Having been a psychologist for a number of years gives me a leg up on it .
And he 's been right .
And I have made him hire these girls , and ultimately he 's been right
They 've been complete pain in the asses !
I also have a profile they fill out for me , a mini-MMPI that I developed , so that I have an idea -- Rebecca and I put it together
I do n't know if you 'd like to see one .
No , no , no . Just --
I could show you .
So I have a mini-MMPI that I --
Could I have a sample , not necessarily one that 's filled out , but just one that you --
I 'll show you .
The questions are --
Be careful .
He 'll make you fill one out .
You 'd be scared .
You would n't hire me .
Is it only girls you hire ?
Yeah .
What would a question like " the greatest woman in the world " reveal to you ?
No question would reveal anything independently of all the questions together --
Sure .
-- but I have a chart that I 'll go through ; the MMPI .
The baseline data that I use to --
How did you originate these questions ?
Where did I make them ?
You get a baseline from asking girls and refining profiles --
And it 's an amalgamation of questions .
Of many , many questions --
What 's your favorite question ?
I do n't know , the O.J. Simpson ….
Yeah , I see O.J. Simpson .
What would that be an indicator of ?
I 'm not sure which one you gave him , but there 's a brief , brief , brief IQ test there .
Very brief .
Do you ask for references ?
No , because I really ca n't call and tell them I 'm yeah , so-and-so 's applying here for a position .
Jack Herrick , wikiHow founder interviewed by Wikinews
Saturday , January 31 , 2009
Herrick at RecentChangesCamp 2008 Image : ShakataGaNai .
wikiHow is a wiki-based site which aims to " build the world 's largest , highest quality how-to manual . "
It recently published its 50,000th article , and to discuss what the site has achieved since its creation , Wikinews interviewed the site 's founder , Jack Herrick .
In the interview , Herrick explains what wikiHow is , why he decided to create it , how he grew it in size , and why he chose to use a Creative Commons license ( HyperLink ) for his site .
Read below for more of the interview in full .
Interview
For our readers who are unaware of your site , could you briefly explain what wikiHow is ?
Sure .
wikiHow is a collaborative effort to build the world 's largest , highest quality how-to manual .
Our long term goal is to produce practical instructions on almost every topic in every language .
We 're quite far from our goals currently , but we take comfort in the fact that every month wikiHow gets noticeably better and larger
We currently have just under 50000 articles and over 1000 featured articles .
We hope that in time , we will have millions of articles with many of them having featured status .
That said , we are realistic enough to realize that this goal will take decades to achieve .
However , in terms of readership , we are probably the most popular single subject wiki after Wikipedia .
We get over 14 million unique visitors per month ( source : Google Analytics ) , which makes us the 135th most popular site according to Quantcast .
[ Note : The interview took place just before the 50000 milestone was met ]
Like Wikipedia , wikiHow is a wiki that runs on Mediawiki software .
Our community is full of volunteers from all over the world .
That said , we are quite different from Wikipedia in several respects :
We are much smaller .
The English wikiHow has only 60 admins , compared to the 1000 + on English Wikipedia .
As a result , wikiHow is still at the size that every editor eventually gets to know other editors .
We are run as a Hybrid Organization - a for-profit company focused on achieving a social good .
This has several advantages and disadvantages when compared to the non-profit structure at the Wikimedia Foundation .
We show opt-out advertising to anonymous visitors rather than ask for donations .
Our advertising revenue funds community meetups and has even allowed us to donate over $ 60,000 to charities such as the Wikimedia Foundation and Creative Commons .
( http://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Contributions-to-Charity ) .
In addition , we 've used our revenue on things like buying carbon offsets to become carbon neutral .
( http://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Carbon-Neutral )
Our community culture is focused on wikiLove and civility .
As a result some folks believe wikiHow is a more humane and enjoyable place to work than other places online .
Why did you decide to create wikiHow ?
I think that providing people with a practical education is one of the most empowering things you can offer a person .
Imagine having detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do any activity you could imagine .
How much more could you accomplish as an individual if you could learn any activity ?
I think that building a universal how-to manual would be a tremendous gift for the world .
Knowledge is power and wikiHow has the potential to make all of us a bit more powerful .
I 've been interested in building a comprehensive how-to manual long before I first envisioned wikiHow .
My first attempt at building this resource was a website I used to run called eHow .
eHow was and continues to be the largest and how to website in the world .
eHow contains copyrighted content run on proprietary software .
When I ran eHow , the content was professionally produced and edited .
This business model worked for producing content on topics that appeal to advertisers in languages like English that have large advertising markets .
However , paying people to write and edit articles ultimately means that you have to make one of two sacrifices .
You either 1 ) sacrifice on breadth and do n't produce the topics that wo n't interest advertisers , or 2 ) you sacrifice on quality and produce content that does n't cost much to write .
I was n't interested in making either of these sacrifices , as I think the world 's how to manual needs to be high quality AND comprehensive .
So ultimately I decided that eHow 's model would not build the resource I envisioned .
When I discovered Wikipedia , I recognized that the wiki model had the potential to build the how-to resource the world really needs .
So I decided to sell eHow and use the proceeds to build wikiHow .
Why did you decide to use a Creative Commons license ?
We use a Creative Commons license to give our community the right to fork ( http://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Right-to-Fork ) .
In my opinion , people should be hesitant to contribute to websites where you only have the " right to leave . "
If wikiHow volunteers think our site is going in the wrong direction , they can take all the content and all the software and move the project elsewhere .
This is possible because we release all of our software under the Open Source GPL license and release our content under a Creative Commons license .
This right to fork guarantees that wikiHow , the company , will always serve the goal of the mission and our volunteer community .
I believe that offering this right to fork has been a key element of our success thus far .
My hope is that over time , internet users will demand this of any site where they invest their time in a way that creates value for others .
That said , when we started out I did n't know the difference between the GNU Free Document License and my California Driver 's license .
As a result , we made some mistakes along the path .
In retrospect , I think we probably should have selected the CC BY-SA license instead of CC-BY-SA-NC .
At a minimum this would provide a helpful compatibility with other wikis and free culture projects .
wikiHow now has millions of visitors per month .
How did you grow the site to the size it is today ?
In December 2008 , wikiHow had over 14 million unique visitors according to Google Analytics ( Full data : http://www.wikihow.com/wikiHow:Statistics ) .
Quantcast ranks wikiHow as the 135th most popular site in the US .
( http://www.quantcast.com/wikihow.com ) .
wikiHow achieved this popularity for a few reasons .
First , people around the world are desperate for high quality how-to information .
People want to learn more practical skills , and for the most part the internet does n't provide enough quality information yet .
Second , we attracted millions of readers via the virtuous circle of wiki editing : We had some articles of mixed quality , and editors joined to improve those articles , which in turn attracted more readers .
We continue to depend on this same virtuous cycle : More readers , means more editors , which creates better instructions , leading again to more readers .
It is the same virtuous circle that Wikipedia has enjoyed .
Wikinews interviews academic Simon Ličen about attitudes towards US Paralympics
Saturday , November 16 , 2013
A Russian stamp for Paralympic Games in Sochi in 2014
On Thursday , with 110 days until the start of the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi , Russia , Wikinews interviewed Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership , Sport Studies and Educational / Counseling Psychology at Washington State University Simon Ličen about attitudes in United States towards the Paralympics .
Ličen has recently joined the Sport Management Program at Washington State University to develop its sport media and communication research and teaching contents .
Originally from Slovenia , he served as the Director of Media and Communications of a WTA Tour event and was a member of the UNESCO Slovenian National Commission .
He was also the Team Manager of the Slovenian wheelchair basketball national team .
Why do you think the Paralympic movement has so little visibility in the US compared to other countries like Australia , the United Kingdom and even Canada ?
Sports in the United States largely reaffirm existing relations of power in society .
It emphasizes consumerism , the belief that success always goes to people who merit it due to their abilities , dedication and qualifications , and reinforces , rather than changes , existing ideas related to gender , ethnicity and nationality .
Paralympic sport brings attention to athletes who are typically overlooked in American society because the majority of the population does not want to identify with people who are disabled .
Although disability is not contagious , interest in disabled sports might put into question the masculinity of the males following it .
Disabled athletes also challenge existing relations of power by displaying dedication , hard work and perseverance in different contexts than those most sports fans are accustomed to .
Other countries , including the ones you mention , have stronger social orientations in all aspects of society .
Even though legislative support may be less strong than the one provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act , many social institutions including the media are more receptive to this form of diversity .
What do you think the impact will be for the Paralympic movement will be with the Games being televised live in the United States for first time ?
The impact depends on a number of aspects .
One of them is the channels that NBC as the broadcasting rights owner for the United States will use to air the Paralympic Games on .
Will they be shown nationally or regionally , on NBC or on any of the company ’s multiple cable networks ?
A second aspect is the parts or hours of the day the Paralympics will be shown .
Remember that there is a nine-hour difference between Sochi and New York , and a 12-hour difference between Sochi and the US West Coast .
So daytime events will be shown live in the United States in the middle of the night , and evening prime-time events will be shown — indeed live — in the morning U.S. time .
So showing the Paralympics live on United States television might turn out to be less glamorous than it appears .
A third important factor is the way the event will be mediated : will NBC have its best sports broadcasters following the event after having worked the Winter Olympics ?
Will they treat and announce the competitions as they do all others — for better and worse ?
Will they take it as an opportunity to educate viewers about disability and diversity while showing superb athletic performances without engaging in a discourse of pity ?
All in all , I think this is a terrific opportunity to improve sports coverage in a multitude of aspects ; but we will have to wait until after the event to assess to what extent the broadcasters will meet these expectations .
Friday , January 3 , 2014
Preston , Victoria , Australia
On Saturday , Wikinews interviewed Tina McKenzie , a former member of the Australia women 's national wheelchair basketball team , known as the Gliders .
McKenzie , a silver and bronze Paralympic medalist in wheelchair basketball , retired from the game after the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London .
Wikinews caught up with her in a cafe in the leafy Melbourne suburb of Preston .
[ The Spitfire Tournament in Canada ] was a really good tournament actually .
It was a tournament that I wish we 'd actually gone back to more often .
Who plays in that one ?
It 's quite a large Canadian tournament , and so we went as the Gliders team .
So we were trying to get as many international games as possible .
Cause that 's one of our problems really , to compete .
It costs us so much money to for us to travel overseas and to compete internationally .
And so we can compete against each other all the time within Australia but we really need to be able to ...
It 's not the same .
No , it 's really not , so it 's really important to be able to get as a many international trips throughout the year to continue our improvement .
Also see where all the other teams are at as well .
But yes , Spitfire was good .
We took quite a few new girls over there back then in 2005 , leading into the World Cup in the Netherlands .
Was that the one where you were the captain of the team , in 2005 ?
Or was that a later one ?
No , I captained in 2010 .
So 2009 , 2010 World Cup .
And then I had a bit of some time off in 2011 .
The Gliders have never won the World Championship .
We always seem to have just a little bit of a chill out at the World Cup .
I do n't know why .
It 's really strange occurrence , over the years .
2002 World Cup , we won bronze .
Then in 2006 we ended up fourth .
It was one of the worst World Cups we 've played actually .
And then in 2010 we just ... I do n't know what happened .
We just did n't play as well as we thought we would .
Came fourth .
But you know what ?
Fired us up for the actual Paralympics .
So the World Cup is ... it 's good to be able to do well at the World Cup , to be placed , but it also means that you get a really good opportunity to know where you 're at in that two year gap between the Paralympics .
So you can come back home and revisit what you need to do and , you know , where the team 's at .
And all that sort of stuff .
Unfortunately , they are talking about moving it so it will be on the year before the Paralympics .
Oh really .
The competition from the [ FIFA ] World Cup and all .
Right .
Well , that would be sad .
Tina McKenzie . Image : Australian Paralympic Committee .
Frank Messina : An Interview with the ' Mets Poet '
Wednesday , October 3 , 2007
You have received a good deal of attention recently .
Even though I m not Michael Jackson or somebody , when people come up to me and introduce themselves and say , ' Hey Frank , my name is John , ' I say , ' Hey John , my name is Frank ' and they laugh .
It 's a funny phenomenon .
What goes through your head when that happens ?
I understand it .
I 've gone to readings and concerts .
I look at it as human interaction .
Over the years I have performed in 32 countries and 40 states .
I 've been doing this professionally since I was in my twenties , and before that since I was sixteen doing little tidbit poetry readings in coffeehouses .
The band I started in 1993 , Spoken Motion , received a lot of recognition as a spoken word band born out of the New York spoken word scene .
I worked with some great musicians and performed around the world .
I remember signing my first autograph to a kid when I was 25 years old .
As time went on , I came out with books and CDs , and I became used to that kind of thing .
To me , the ultimate feeling of success as an artist , is to move somebody enough where they thank you .
When someone comes up and says , ' Frank , thank you , your work is great . "
You have a long career in poetry , but as of late the attention you have garnered is for the Mets-inspired work .
How do you feel about having a lot of your work overshadowed by the Mets work ?
It 's ironic .
Some of the greatest poetry has been born out of failure and the depths of adversity in the human experience .
Walt Whitman , the first great American poet , wrote about the Civil War .
He went looking for his brother , George Whitman , after he a telegram telling him his brother was injured in the South .
When he started out his poems were about beating drums , and blow , bugle , blow .
Real patriotic .
Then he started to see the real horrors of war .
He was able to tap into the human condition and the situation at that time .
Eventually when he found his brother he had resolution .
I experienced that kind of adversity during 9/11 being a civilian volunteer .
I loaded ferry boats in Jersey City across the river to deliver goods to Ground Zero .
I turned to Whitman to find some understanding of what is happening in the world right now .
When I wrote my 9/11-related poems , that was true adversity .
I realize baseball is just a game .
Can you recite a stanza that expresses how you feel right now ?
This was a piece that the Times only quoted one stanza , but it 's about preparation for a battle , and being prepared to either rise to the occasion , or go down :
Do you know what it 's like to be chased by the Ghost of Failure while staring through Victory 's door ?
Of course you do , you 're a Mets fan caught in a do-or-die moment in late September at Shea
As one that s battled hard through many a broken dream Let me say , " in order to rise to the occasion you must be willing to go down with the ship " ,
Have no fear , no hesitation , for Winning shall be it's reward !
Do n't let them get in your head !
you 've kept it up this long
You 're a Mets fan in late September and you ll fight til the glorious end
Cheer the team today ; ( your boys in orange and blue ) Let them hear you shout as they fight for what 's mightily due
( copyright Frank Messina ; reprinted with permission ) "
Sports fans are n't known as patrons of poetry .
Have you had interaction with " new readers ' through your Mets work ?
This one person who I never met took a picture of me and sent it to me in an e-mail .
The e-mail said , ' Frank , I have never bothered you during the game , but I just wanted to say thank you for your work and thank you for making some sense of the successes and failures and I wish you much success with your work . '
Last year in my section at the stadium I had a banner that read We Know ' .
That 's all it said .
Then earlier this year these shirts started to come out that said , " Poet says We Know " .
It was amazing .
We did n't use the banner this year , though , because we did n't know .
The team was n't so far ahead that we knew .
Last year we just knew we were going to the playoffs ; we knew we were going post-season .
This year we were n't sure .
We were walking on eggshells .
There was a woman , a season ticket holder and a die hard fan .
She was staggered by the loss last year to the Cardinals .
Last year she came up to me during one of the games late in the season ; she was so happy we were going to the post season .
By that point we had clinched it .
She handed me a shirt she bought at the stadium and she gave me a big hug .
With tears in her eyes she said , " Thank you , Mets Poet , thank you . "
It 's cool ... it 's like another family .
Moments like that must make you realize you have touched people who are n't normally touched by poetry .
It 's opened up a new fan base , so to speak .
For the last year SNY has broadcast footage of me with my poems , so quite a few fans known about the " Mets Poet ' .
I have never called myself that , by the way .
The back of my jersey says " The Poet ' because growing up that was my nickname .
My brother was a runner and they used to call him The Birdman -- Birdie -- and they called me The Poet .
It was a natural thing , but I never coined myself as ' The Mets Poet . '
The Onion : An interview with ' America 's Finest News Source '
Sunday , November 25 , 2007
How The Onion writes an issue
This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter .
See the collaboration page for more details .
How do you decide on the stories ?
We do everything backwards here .
We start with the headline and then flesh out the story , as opposed to The New York Times , which writes the issue and then has a headline editor to make it snappy .
We start with a joke .
We read about six hundred to eight hundred headline ideas on a Monday coming from our staff and a small group of writers outside — a contributing core .
We whittle that down on a Monday to about a hundred , come in Tuesday and pick an issue and brainstorm with the whole editorial staff ; all fifteen of us .
Then we assign a headline to a specific writer to execute .
We go through a number of drafts and then have the editors pick it up and assign the photojournalism aspect of it to our graphic design team , who adds the visual aspect to it .
The editors punch it up over the last couple of days and then it goes out over the Internet and into the print edition .
So you do n’t have writers coming up with a story and headline , but you will instead have a team of writers choosing the best headlines and then assign it to a particular writer who was not necessarily involved ?
Writers will occasionally write their own headlines , but we come up with a list of 15 or 20 headline ideas , what we think will make a good story and then we assign it based upon what people ’s writing strengths are .
We have some people who are great at politics ; some people we give all the war stuff to ; someone who is in charge of the Britney Spears story of the week — the entertainment stories .
The headlines
Editorial Manager Chet Clem and President Sean Mills .
Image : David Shankbone
It seems like some publications , like AM New York , always have a Britney Spears story ;
is there anything similar with The Onion where they continually revisit a topic or person ?
No , not necessarily .
We are a little less reactionary .
We tend to target the zeitgeist more than anything .
We ’ll hit the mainstream media ’s portrayal of the entertainment world as much as we ’ll hit characters in the entertainment world .
We ’ll attack People Magazine ’s coverage of Britney as much as Britney .
In an interview with Terry Gross , Stephen Colbert said of his time at Second City that they had decided on not doing political humor and , in particular , hackneyed political humor such as Ted Kennedy drinking jokes .
They felt it was overdone , mean-spirited and not funny .
Do your writers have similar rules of thumb ?
We do n’t have any rules or known lines we wo n’t cross .
We have an understanding based upon having the same writers in the back room for years , and those writers training the new writers as they come in .
There is an understanding in the room .
If it makes the room laugh , it probably ends up in the paper .
One example is we ran an article a couple of years back that was , " No Jennifer Lopez News Today " .
That was our reaction to all of the J-Lo stuff .
We were n’t going to touch on her dress , or who she was dating .
Just the fact that those were the lead stories for so many days , in everything from US Weekly to Time Magazine .
I think it ’s important we have an original take on those things .
I think it ’s similar to what Colbert said to Terry Gross .
We do n’t want to just traffic in the same 24 hour news cycle .
There ’s a 24 hour comedy news cycle that exists on all the late night talk shows .
The Onion has a different creative process where we are not trying to hit everything in the 24 hours and on the same notes .
We want an original take .
If we choose to do something on J-Lo , it ’s going to be something like that , something less obvious .
When you are going through the headlines , is it just you guys sitting around trying to crack each other up ?
It ’s the least amount of fun possible .
Nah , I ’m kidding .
It ’s actually more businesslike than you ’d imagine .
It ’s very much like you are trying to make the room laugh , but the room has been a sort of captive audience for many many years now , so it takes a lot to make the room laugh .
The best analogy I ’ve heard is when Rob Siegel , former editor-in-chief , likened it to wine tasting .
It ’s this quiet experience where you are trying to soak in what the joke is , have we done anything like this , is it a unique take , what are other people doing .
It ’s sort of like , " Hmmm ... that ’s hilarious . That ’s really really funny " rather than people falling off their chairs .
It ’s more subdued than I think what most people would expect .
It ’s more analytical and clinical ?
Not all the time , but it ca n’t be a laugh a minute .
Yeah , what you see on Studio 60 and 30 Rock , those are scripted writers rooms .
Everything is funny there .
There 's a lot of unfunny jokes that are told in a back room , that 's why they stay and die in that back room and do n’t go out in The Onion .
If someone is continually telling unfunny jokes , do you eventually fire them ?
That ’s why we are on the 10th floor to make sure they die when they get kicked out .
It can be a real mess on Broadway .
By the time you get to be a writer for The Onion , though , the odds are you are going to succeed because we make it pretty challenging .
You go through quite a bit .
You will already have demonstrated a pretty long successful record of writing stuff for us before you will be in that room on a daily basis .
But if somebody wakes up one morning and suddenly no longer is funny , then yeah , head first , out the door as quickly as possible , and as sadistically as possible .
Wikinews interviews Israeli mathematician and writer Aner Shalev
Wednesday , September 19 , 2007
Aner Shalev is an Israeli mathematician and writer born in 1958 in Kibbutz Kinneret , Tiberias .
Currently Shalev is a Professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem 's Einstein Institute of Mathematics .
At the moment Shalev is in Levico Terme , Trento , Italy for a conference .
He was interviewed by Wikinews .
Interview
Aner Shalev
What are you going to talk about here in Levico ?
I called it Character , walks and words .
There is a whole topic which is called asymptotic groups theory .
There are groups which express the symmetry of some structures .
Studying groups is a bit like studying symmetry .
It 's very beautiful I think .
And then when you do it in an asymptotic way is like you do n't look at the small details .
It 's like from the sky .
You look at the general patterns .
And there is another topic which is very important in mathematics which is called representation theory .
So I will mainly talk about how to use a representation theory to solve all kind of problems and conjectures in asymptotic groups theory .
Why did you choose to study mathematics ?
First of all because it was beautiful .
When I was ten my father already showed me some stuff in mathematics and the beauty and the imagination was quite apparent .
I also like the freedom in mathematics .
If you study physics or chemistry then you should describe the real world .
But in mathematics you can build your own structures .
You can walk in worlds created by the imagination of people .
You 're not committed to the real world .
It 's almost like God to some extent .
You can create worlds , you can study them .
I think it 's a combination of the beauty , of the imagination , of the freedom .
Many people , and many students , dislike math .
Why do you think it is so ?
First of all I think maybe they have bad teachers , which is a problem .
You have to have very good teachers in mathematics if you really want to enjoy and to succeed in it .
Probably some people mainly think about the scientific part of it – you have to be accurate - and they see less these elements of the freedom , and the imagination , and creation .
Maybe they do n't like the precise nature of mathematics .
Also when I talk mathematics I notice the language is very important in mathematics and I actually notice that many times people fail in mathematics because they do n't know how to write a composition .
They have ideas but they can not formulate them in the right way .
Actually I find many connections between mathematics and literature because almost all the thing I told about mathematics are also seen in literature and in writing because when you write you can describe the real world , but you can also create worlds of fiction .
So you have imagination , you have total freedom , you can invent characters , you can invent all kind of development and surprises and this kind of end of story or another .
Also the language is important in writing and in literature .
So in a way people often do n't know how to combine the two fields .
It could look like almost the opposite : literature is kind of arts and mathematics is science but they also see a lot in common and there where mathematician who were writers .
For example the most famous is Lewis Carrol , author of Alice in Wonderland .
You 're not only a mathematician .
You also wrote two collections of short stories and a novel .
Why did you begin to write ?
When I was quite young I was interested in psychoanalysis and in dreams .
I was trying to interpret my dreams .
I started to write down my dreams .
And then I noticed that I cheat a little bit when I write them down .
Sometimes I make them more pretty then they were actually .
So instead of documenting the dreams it gradually became also like adding creational elements , and I think that somehow through writing my dreams I gradually came to writing , also poems , but mainly stories .
I 'm a little bit inspired by dreams but when eventually I started to write more seriously I was more interested in structure which also .. a bit like mathematics in a way .. for example my first book is called Opus 1 .. a collection of four long stories with musical structures .
The first part is called Legato and the second part was called Staccato .
In the legato part the sentences are very long and without breaks almost like stream of consciousness .
In the staccato part it 's like a music : a lot of break , very very short sentences .
It was a bit experimenting connections between the language and the music and the psychology of people .
In the second book I made another experiment .
It 's a book of opening , Overtures I called it , and there is no end to the stories .
There are seventy beginning of stories without ends .
In the novel Dark Matters I think what interested me in the structure was two thing : simple narrative and email .
It keeps changing between narrative and email .
Another thing was two different time scapes : one goes very slow and one goes very fast and they almost kind of meet in the end .
It 's a little bit like Achilles and the turtle .
... love story and romance and surprises and tragedies and all this but also this structure interested me a lot .
Why did you choose this particular structure ?
When I tell stories I do n't like that everything will be clear from the beginning .
I like that something will be a bit of secret , or even unreliable narrator : someone tells something and first you trust him but then you read more and you become thrilled by everything .
I think by using emails on the one hand which are more the voice of the woman Eva and narrative which is more the perspective of the man Adam , I kind of confront them , their different perspective and then kind somehow you can see the distortions in the way the story is told .
I think that in this kind of structure there is a very gradual clarification of the relationship and the forth going on .
Keep your eyes peeled for cosmic debris : Andrew Westphal about Stardust @ home
Sunday , May 28 , 2006
Stardust is a NASA space capsule that collected samples from comet 81P/Wild ( also known as " Wild 2 ) in deep space and landed back on Earth on January 15 , 2006 .
It was decided that a collaborative online review process would be used to " discover " the microscopically small samples the capsule collected .
The project is called Stardust @ home .
Unlike distributed computing projects like SETI @ home , Stardust @ home relies entirely on human intelligence .
Andrew Westphal is the director of Stardust @ home .
Wikinews interviewed him for May 's Interview of the Month ( IOTM ) on May 18 , 2006 .
As always , the interview was conducted on IRC , with multiple people asking questions .
Some may not know exactly what Stardust or Stardust @ home is .
Can you explain more about it for us ?
Artist 's rendering of Spacecraft Stardust
Image : NASA
Stardust is a NASA Discovery mission that was launched in 1999 .
It is really two missions in one .
The primary science goal of the mission was to collect a sample from a known primitive solar-system body , a comet called Wild 2 ( pronounced " Vilt-two " — the discoverer was German , I believe ) .
This is the first US " sample return " mission since Apollo , and the first ever from beyond the moon .
This gives a little context .
By " sample return " of course I mean a mission that brings back extraterrestrial material .
I should have said above that this is the first " solid " sample return mission —
Genesis brought back a sample from the Sun almost two years ago , but Stardust is also bringing back the first solid samples from the local interstellar medium —
basically this is a sample of the Galaxy .
This is absolutely unprecedented , and we 're obviously incredibly excited .
I should mention parenthetically that there is a fantastic launch video — taken from the POV of the rocket on the JPL Stardust website — highly recommended — best I 've ever seen — all the way from the launch pad , too .
Basically interplanetary trajectory .
Absolutely great .
Is the video available to the public ?
Yes [ see below ] .
OK , I digress .
The first challenge that we have before can do any kind of analysis of these interstellar dust particles is simply to find them .
This is a big challenge because they are very small ( order of micron in size ) and are somewhere ( we do n't know where ) on a HUGE collector — at least on the scale of the particle size — about a tenth of a square meter .
So ...
We 're right now using an automated microscope that we developed several years ago for nuclear astrophysics work to scan the collector in the Cosmic Dust Lab in Building 31 at Johnson Space Center .
This is the ARES group that handles returned samples ( Moon Rocks , Genesis chips , Meteorites , and Interplanetary Dust Particles collected by U2 in the stratosphere ) .
The microscope collects stacks of digital images of the aerogel collectors in the array .
These images are sent to us — we compress them and convert them into a format appropriate for Stardust @ home .
Stardust @ home is a highly distributed project using a " Virtual Microscope " that is written in html and javascript and runs on most browsers — no downloads are required .
Using the Virtual Microscope volunteers can search over the collector for the tracks of the interstellar dust particles .
Aerogel slice removed with an ultrasonic blade , showing particle tracks .
Image : NASA
How many samples do you anticipate being found during the course of the project ?
Great question .
The short answer is that we do n't know .
The long answer is a bit more complicated .
Here 's what we know .
The Galileo and Ulysses spacecraft carried dust detectors onboard that Eberhard Gruen and his colleagues used to first detect and them measure the flux of interstellar dust particles streaming into the solar system .
( This is a kind of " wind " of interstellar dust , caused by the fact that our solar system is moving with respect to the local interstellar medium . )
Markus Landgraf has estimated the number of interstellar dust particles that should have been captured by Stardust during two periods of the " cruise " phase of the interplanetary orbit in which the spacecraft was moving with this wind .
He estimated that there should be around 45 particles , but this number is very uncertain — I would n't be surprised if it is quite different from that .
That was the long answer !
One thing that I should say ... is that like all research , the outcome of what we are doing is highly uncertain .
There is a wonderful quote attributed to Einstein — " If we knew what we were doing , it would n't be called " research " , would it ? "
How big would the samples be ?
We expect that the particles will be of order a micron in size .
( A millionth of a meter . )
When people are searching using the virtual microscope , they will be looking not for the particles , but for the tracks that the particles make , which are much larger — several microns in diameter .
Just yesterday we switched over to a new site which has a demo of the VM ( virtual microscope ) I invite you to check it out .
The tracks in the demo are from submicron carbonyl iron particles that were shot into aerogel using a particle accelerator modified to accelerate dust particles to very high speeds , to simulate the interstellar dust impacts that we 're looking for .
And that 's on the main Stardust @ home website [ see below ] ?
Yes .
Over 900 asylum seekers rescued off Indonesian coast
Monday , May 18 , 2015
On Friday , fishermen rescued over 700 asylum seekers whose boat sank , and the Indonesian Navy reportedly saved 200 more after they were found swimming along the coast of Aceh , Indonesia .
Major general Fuad Basya , spokesman for the Indonesian military , said fisherman first noticed the people and a warship was deployed to retrieve them .
The rescued members included Bangladeshis and Rohingya , a stateless minority of Muslims from Myanmar .
Myanmar is mainly Buddhist and the United Nations rates the Rohingya among the world 's most persecuted groups .
According to ABC News , Basya also believes the asylum seekers found in the water may have left the boat on purpose to be rescued to avoid being sent away from Indonesia waters .
Malaysia and Indonesia have maintained a policy of turning away boats of migrants which , according to AFP , the Untied Nations and United States have both criticised .
One Rohingya , Muhammad Amin , the first boat rescued on Friday was turned around twice , toward Malaysia by Indonesian navy and then toward Indonesia by Malaysian navy .
Discussing his concern in a public statement , Malaysia 's Prime Minister , Najib Razak said , " We are in contact with all relevant parties , with whom we share the desire to find a solution to this crisis " .
Thailand has recently cracked down on human trafficking , which has affected the routes by which people-smugglers transport migrants .
The US State Department said John Kerry , the Secretary of State , contacted Thailand 's foreign minister over temporary housing for the Rohingya out at sea .
Jeff Rathke , the State Department Spokesperson , said , " We urge the governments of the region to work together quickly , first and foremost , to save the lives of migrants now at sea who are in need of an immediate rescue effort " .
Rathke also asked the governments of South East Asia not to turn away boats of people seeking asylum .
Estimates suggest 8000 migrants may be currently at sea in the region .
Texas student Ahmed Mohamed inspires social movement
Tuesday , September 22 , 2015
News of police response to a boy 's digital clock in Texas last week has inspired a global social movement in support of the youth .
Ahmed Mohamed , a 14-year-old boy from Irving , Texas , was arrested at his school by police after he brought a digital clock he had made to school .
After news of the police response was reported , Mohamed received support online ranging from US President Barack Obama to Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg .
Yesterday Mohamed received VIP attention at Google headquarters in California at the Google Science Fair — and tomorrow he plans to meet international dignitaries at the United Nations headquarters in New York .
US President Barack Obama tweet to student Ahmed Mohamed
Image : Twitter / Barack Obama .
Mohamed brought the digital clock he made to school on September 14 , and a teacher mistakenly thought it resembled a bomb .
Police arrested and questioned the student .
Images of the boy wearing a NASA T-shirt and handcuffed by the police were quickly posted and reposted online .
The Deseret News observed that the hashtag on Twitter , #IStandWithAhmed , had become an international phenomenon .
The Straits Times noted what began as individual messages to Mohamed had grown into a " support movement " .
American academic and professor Marc Lamont Hill commented ,
Hoping that the #istandwithahmed movement translates into a substantive national conversation on race , punishment , and incarceration .
The Twitter attention led to outreach from Google and Mohamed was invited to their Google Science Fair .
Mohamed was a VIP guest at the Google Science Fair this weekend , and was able to meet finalists at the event held at Google 's headquarters located in Mountain View , California .
Co-founder of Google , Sergey Brin , personally met with Mohamed during his visit to Google .
On Wednesday , Mohamed and his father are to travel to the United Nations .
His father Mohamed El-Hassan Mohamed said he was taking his entire family to the U.N. headquarters in New York , because international dignitaries wanted to meet with his son and express their support .
Psychology major at University of Texas Arlington Amneh Jafari heard of the incident and wanted to issue her support to Mohamed .
She chose the hastag #IStandWithAhmed and posted to Twitter .
Jafari said she felt Mohamed had been subject to Islamophobia and her hashtag created greater awareness about this issue .
The hashtag took on a life of its own , and was used in messages on Twitter over one million times by Thursday night .
NASA tweeted support of Ahmed Mohamed via its account International Space Station
Image : Twitter / NASA .
US President Barack Obama tweeted using his @POTUS account :

Want to bring it to the White House ?
We should inspire more kids like you to like science .
It 's what makes America great . "
Twitter gave Mohamed the option to come to their company for an internship .
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg tweeted to Mohamed and said the boy was welcome to come and tour the company .
Executive director of the Dallas chapter of the Council on American - Islamic Relations Alia Salem said Mohamed wishes to use his newfound fame and attention to spotlight social causes including the treatment of Muslims in the United States .
University of Texas Arlington Muslim Student Association president Sehar Memon said the large amount of positive feedback for Mohamed had helped make his situation much better .
Memon also said she believed the social movement in reaction to Mohamed helped improve Muslim / non-Muslim .
Both the Irving Independent School District and the Irving Police Department have asserted that the boy 's religion and name were not a factor in the manner in which they approached the situation .
At least 107 killed in Mecca crane collapse
Saturday , September 12 , 2015
pilgrims at Mecca 's Grand Mosque in 2008 .
A storm yesterday caused a crane to fall into Mecca 's Grand Mosque , killing 107 or more and wounding 238 , according to Saudi Arabia 's Civil Defense Authority .
Civil Defense Authority director General Suleiman al-Amr , in remarks to al-Ikhbariya television , said " All those who were wounded and the dead have been taken to hospital . There are no casualties left at the location . "
The accident , which occurred yesterday afternoon , was caused by strong winds and heavy rain that led the crane to fall .
Photos released of the scene showed numerous bloodied bodies and various scattered debris .
The accident occurred at a time when the mosque was relatively uncrowded .
Had it happened an hour later it would have been much worse , Khaled Al-Maeena , editor at large at the Saudi Gazette , said .
Had it happened five hours earlier or four hours earlier , I think the death toll would have been more than a thousand .
The crane accident comes just ten days before the beginning of the Hajj , the annual pilgrimage to Mecca , Islam 's holiest site .
As undergoing a pilgrimage to Mecca is a mandatory religious duty for all Muslims who physically and financially can , millions of pilgrims arrive in Mecca each year for the Hajj .
Construction was underway at the mosque in order to enlarge the mosque and improve crowd control , which has been a recurring problem during Mecca 's pilgrimages .
New faces emerge as veteran politicians step down in Hong Kong legislative election
Friday , September 9 , 2016
The Hong Kong legislative election was held on Sunday , with a record-breaking turnout of around 2 million voters and turnout rate of 58 % .
The results show the anti-establishment camp successfully maintained a majority in the geographical constituencies ' seats thus veto power to any members ' bills , and also a minority larger than a third to veto any bills featuring major political reforms .
Young and new faces emerged in the new council members , as veteran politicians stepped down in both the anti-establishment and pro-Beijing campus .
Election Results
Eddie Chu received the largest vote in any geographical constituency
In the New Territories West geographical constituency , nonpartisan pan-democrat Eddie Chu was elected with 84,121 votes , the most given to any list in the geographical constituencies .
Other anti-establishment candidates elected in this district were localist camp 's Cheng Chung-tai of Civic Passion , pan-democracy camp 's Kwok Ka-ki and Andrew Wan of respectively Civic Party and the Democratic Party .
The pro-Beijing camp candidates elected were New People Party 's Michael Tien , DAB 's Ben Chan and Leung Che-cheung , FTU 's Alice Mak and pro-establishment nonpartisan Junius Ho .
Two pan-democratic veteran politicians Lee Cheuk-yan of the Labour Party and Frederick Fung of ADPL were defeated in this constituency , with Junius Ho defeating Lee Cheuk-yan by around five thousand votes .
Michael Tien of NPP
DAB 's Elizabeth Quat
In the New Territories East geographical constituency , pan-democracy camp councillors Alvin Yeung from the Civic Party , Fernando Cheung of the Labour Party , Raymond Chan of People Power , and Leung Kwok-hung of LSD were successfully elected .
Pan-democrat Lam Cheuk-ting from the Democratic Party and localist group Youngspiration 's Baggio Leung were successfully elected newcomers .
For the Pro-Beijing camp , Elizabeth Quat of DAB was elected with 58,825 votes , the highest in the constituency .
Other pro-Beijing candidates elected in this constituency were Gary Chan of DAB and Eunice Yung of New People 's Party .
Pan-democrat Gary Fan of the Neo Democrats failed to get re-elected in this constituency , and resigned from his leadership in his party due to its election defeat .
Alvin Yeung of Civic Party
New People Party 's Regina Ip
In the Hong Kong Island geographical constituency , pro-Beijing New People Party 's Regina Ip was re-elected with 60,760 votes .
Other pro-Beijing elected were FTU 's Kwok Wai-keung and DAB 's Horace Cheung .
Demosisto 's Nathan Law earned a surprise victory as second place in the constituency with 50,818 votes , and becomes the youngest Legislative Council member in Hong Kong 's history .
The other two anti-establishment camp elects were Hui Chi-fung from the Democratic Party and Tanya Chan of the Civic Party , both considered to be in the pan-democracy camp .
Pan-democrat veteran Cyd Ho from the Labour Party lost her seat in this constituency .
Nathan Law of Demosisto
Ann Chiang of DAB
In the Kowloon West geographical constituency , pro-Beijing councillors Ann Chiang of DAB and Priscilla Leung of BPA were successfully re-elected , as well as pan-democratic councillors Claudia Mo of the Civic Party and Wong Pik-wan of the Democratic Party .
The rest of the candidates elected in this constituency were young and relatively new activists from the localist camp , Lau Siu-lai and Youngspiration 's Yau Wai-ching .
Yau Wai-ching defeated another localist camp candidate , veteran politician Raymond Wong of the Proletariat Political Institute , by 424 votes .
Claudia Mo of Civic Party
Wong Kwok-kin of FTU
In the Kowloon East geographical constituency , pro-Beijing district councillor Wilson Or was elected with 51,516 votes , the highest in this constituency .
Nonpartisan Paul Tse and Wong Kwok-kin of the FTU were successfully re-elected .
Pan-democracy camp councillor Wu Chi-wai of the Democratic Party was elected .
Civic Party 's Jeremy Tam was elected for the first time .
Localist group Civic Passion 's Wong Yeung-tat was defeated in this district , and resigned his leadership in Civic Passion .
Wu Chi-wai of the Democratic Party
Leung Yiu-chung of NWSC ; from file , 2008 .
In the District Council ( Second ) functional constituency , commonly know as " Super District Council " seats , pan-democracy camp 's Kwong Chun-yu of the Democratic Party received 491,667 votes , the highest in this constituency .
Other pan-democrats elected were Leung Yiu-chung of NWSC and James To of the Democratic Party .
Pro-Beijing DAB 's Starry Lee and Holden Chow were successfully elected in this constituency , while pro-Beijing veteran politician Wong Kwok-hing of FTU was defeated by 10,694 votes by James To .
DAB 's Starry Lee ; from file , 2015 .
In traditional functional constituencies , the pan-democracy camp gained a seat from the pro-Beijing camp .
Shiu Ka-chun of the Social Welfare constituency defeated their opponents , hence the pan-democrats ' seats in the functional constituencies increased from 9 to 10 .
Also , an independent who does not claim to belong to either camp , Edward Yiu of the Architectural , Surveying , Planning and Landscape constituency , defeated his opponents and was elected .
The turnout of this election was the highest in the history of Legislative Council elections , with around 2 million voters voted and a turnout rate of 58 % .
At a polling station in Taikoo of the Hong Kong Island constituency , after the polls closed at 22:30 , with the long queues outside the station the last ballot there was cast at 2:30 the next day , four hours after the last person was allowed to join the queue .
The previous general legislative election in Hong Kong was before the 2014 protests .
The election elects 70 members of the Legislative Council .
New Zealand begins process to consider changing national flag design
Thursday , May 7 , 2015
On Tuesday , the New Zealand government announced the start of a public process to suggest designs for a new national flag , and determine whether their citizens would prefer a different national flag over the current one .
The current flag of New Zealand .
The current New Zealand flag is partially based on the United Kingdom 's flag ;
the new one would be unique to New Zealand .
The government 's Flag Consideration Project has planned a number of conferences and roadshows as part of this process , with the first meeting set to take place in Christchurch on May 16 .
According to the New Zealand Herald , Emeritus Professor John Burrows , the chairman of the project 's panel of twelve , said New Zealand 's flag has never before been open to public choice .
Professor Burrows also said resources and kits would be accessible for schools and communities , " For example , schools can run their own flag discussions and referendums to mirror the formal process as part of their own learning exercise " .
People were encouraged to submit their designs online at www.flag.govt.nz and suggest what the flag should mean on www.standfor.co.nz .
Names of participants would be engraved , at their option , on a flag pole monument to be built in the nation 's capital , Wellington .
New Zealand 's Prime Minister John Key said he believes redesigning the flag now has a " strong rationale " .
Mr Key promoted the campaign for a unique New Zealand flag on Waitangi Day - February 6 - this year .
Of the public process , he said , " In the end I 'll have one vote in each referendum just like every other New Zealander on the electoral roll " .
The New Zealand government intends to hold two referendums to reach a verdict on the flag , at an estimated cost of NZ $ 26 million , although a recent poll found only a quarter of citizens favoured changing the flag .
This is a decrease from the year before , when it was forty percent .
The first referendum is to be held from November 20 to December 11 , selecting a single new flag design out of about four finalists .
Voters would then choose between the new flag and their current flag early in 2016 .
Hackers attack Church of Scientology website
Sunday , January 20 , 2008
Wikinews has learned that according to an Internet posting made just over 24 hours ago , the Church of Scientology 's website is being attacked by hackers , causing the site to shut down .
The attack was launched on Wednesday by a user labelled " Anonymous " , on the website " Insurgency Wiki " , a spinoff of 4chan .
The " History " section of the site explains , in a satirical fashion , that the incident was prompted by the Church of Scientology 's attempts to remove a promotional video featuring Scientologist Tom Cruise from YouTube .
Though YouTube is complying with the Church of Scientology 's requests to take down the video , other sites such as Gawker.com have stated that they will keep hosting the video .
So far , it 's the Internet : 1 , Scientology : 0 . But it 's a long game . - Matthew Ingram
Writing in a blog post , Matthew Ingram of The Globe and Mail dubbed the ongoing conflict involving the Church of Scientology 's attempts to remove the Cruise video from the Internet : " Scientology vs. the Internet , part XVII " .
He characterized the conflict between the Church of Scientology and anonymous posters of the Cruise video as " another small skirmish in a war that Scientology has been waging for almost 15 years , since the early days of newsgroups such as alt.religion.scientology , which posted internal church documents in 1994 .
Lawsuits have been filed , mailing lists have been shut down , homes of discussion group participants have been raided and their computers seized -- an all-out war . "
Prompted I think by the Tom Cruise video , a new obsession is taking hold on the internet . An insurgency against The Church of Scientology . Anonymous blogger , " Anon declares war on Church of Scientology "
One poster admitted to being a part of the effort , writing in a blog post " I have myself , as per instructions , loaded up Gigaloader and started bombarding the Scientology homepage .
There s [ sic ] something in the hilarious anarchy of the net that produces these ' events ' every now and again . "
The poster wrote that " Prompted I think by the Tom Cruise video , a new obsession is taking hold on the internet .
An insurgency against The Church of Scientology . "

It ’s an interesting tool , created to overload/create malformed strings and crash a website ’s database , " said the post by an unknown author on pigmy .
The Church 's website is currently unreachable .
Some individuals reported that when they are able to reach the site , all they get is a message stating , " The word scientology means search for truth ... " .
As of 15:11 GMT the site was accessible again , but only loads at relatively slow speeds , and by the end of the day Saturday the site was not loading at all .
Posts on the message board for the Scientology-critic site Operation Clambake from Friday theorized that a denial-of-service attack had occurred , and wrote that as of Friday the Scientology.org site was either not loading at all , or loading very slowly .
Critics of Scientology at the Internet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology were critical of the attacks to the Church of Scientology website , with one poster writing " How can people look at both sides if one side is gone ? "
Traffic to the Scientology website had already increased 18-fold prior to the attack , following increased attention after the Tom Cruise video appeared on the Internet .
At that time , one in three visits to the site came from BBC News , and the website increased to number 3 in the company Hitwise UK 's Lifestyle-Religion category .
Microsoft waits for death of Internet Explorer 6
Tuesday , March 8 , 2011
With development of Microsoft 's Internet Explorer 9 ( IE9 ) browser almost complete , Microsoft announced on Friday that it is time for IE6 users to move away from the antiquated 10-year-old browser .
Microsoft has replaced it with three newer versions .
On a new website , " The Internet Explorer 6 Countdown " , Microsoft has launched an aggressive campaign to persuade users to stop using IE6 and update to a newer IE .
Its goal is to decrease IE6 users to less than one percent .

Its name was Internet Explorer 6 .
Now that we ’re in 2011 , in an era of modern web standards , it ’s time to say goodbye , " Microsoft says on " The Internet Explorer 6 Countdown " .
Internet Explorer 's market share is slipping .
IE 's various versions accounted for 70 percent of the market in 2009 ; this has dropped to approximately 56 percent today .
Mozilla Firefox , its main rival , has been actively increasing its market share while the recently released Google Chrome is also quickly gaining users .
PC World 's recent analysis of its own web traffic statistics concluded , " Usually , Internet Explorer is the # 2 browser after Firefox , but over the past 30 days it s been # 3 , a couple of points behind Safari - and nearly tied with Chrome .
It might be a statistical blip .
But if it is n't , and Chrome continues to surge , IE could fall to fourth place . "
Web developers face big problems with IE6 .
As they design their web pages for the newer browsers with advanced web technology and geared to the newest web core markup language HTML 5 , they are forced to accommodate older out-of-date technology to support IE6 users .
Also , not mentioned on Microsoft 's " The Internet Explorer 6 Countdown " site , are the numerous security vulnerabilities putting the browser at risk of being hacked .
The Internet security firm Secunia.com , has said that as of March 4 , 2011 , IE6 has 277 vulnerabilities ; 39 percent of these are rated " highly critical " .
Microsoft says that the latest versions of Internet Explorer provide the user with enhanced protection from these attacks and threats .
Microsoft 's Internet Explorer 6 is one of the most successful software products ever as measured by its durability and the massive numbers of people who have used it .
IE6 shipped with Windows XP , nearly a decade ago .
But it has outlived its usefulness , and Microsoft no longer wants to support it .
Australian woman claims Church of Scientology imprisoned her for twelve years
Thursday , May 7 , 2015
Valeska Paris , an Australian woman and former Scientologist , has claimed that the Church of Scientology imprisoned her for twelve years aboard the Scientology - owned cruise ship , Freewinds .
The Church of Scientology 's cruise ship Freewinds in Bonaire .
Paris was born in Switzerland but her parents moved her to the United Kingdom when she was six so they could be closer to the church 's headquarters .
She joined the Sea Org aged 14 .
In 1995 , at age seventeen , she was told to disconnect from her mother .
Paris claims she was first sent to the ship aged eighteen for two weeks as a teenager but ended up spending twelve years there .
Paris also claims that her passport was taken away from her and she was forced to work in the engine room .
I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive . Valeska Paris
I was basically hauled in and told that my mum had attacked the church and that I needed to disconnect from her because she was suppressive .
Her mother had spoken out against Scientology on French television after her ex-husband and Paris 's father , Albert Jaquier , committed suicide after he lost his fortune to Scientology .
Paris claims that she was kept at Flag Land Base in Clearwater , Florida until she was eighteen and then transferred to the Freewinds .
On board the Freewinds , Paris claims that she was working from 6:00am to midnight and due to lack of sleep ended up being a walking zombie .
She also claims that in 1997 and 1998 , she was tasked with removal of asbestos from the ship .
In 2007 , Paris left the ship after a confrontation with the ship 's management .
She was eventually sent to Rehabilitation Project Force in Sydney , which the Church describes as a religious retreat , but critics charge is a forced work camp .
Here , she met her future husband and subsequently left the church .
In a statement to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation , the Church denied these allegations :
She certainly was n't ' forced ' to be there .
She was also never forced to perform labour in the engine room .
They also claimed Paris was a volunteer and claim she has a vested interest for misrepresenting her experiences with the Church .
The Church also claims that Paris not having her passport was maritime procedure .
North Korea puts military in ' quasi-state of war '
Friday , August 21 , 2015
According to Yonhap news agency , quoting North Korea 's main news agency Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) , the country 's military has been placed on high alert and has been told to prepare a " quasi-state of war " .
The report comes after North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire yesterday .

They perpetrated such reckless action as firing 36 shells at KPA civil police posts under the absurd pretext that the KPA fired one shell at the south side .
Six shells of them hit the area near KPA civil police posts 542 and 543 and other 15 shells fell near KPA civil police posts 250 and 251 " , said KCNA .
Foolhardy provocation deserves harsh punishment , it added ; and , later , " Kim Jong-un issued an order of the supreme commander of the Korean People 's Army [ KPA ] that the front-line large combined units of the KPA should enter a wartime state to be fully battle ready to launch surprise operations " .
Yesterday , North Korea fired artillery rounds aimed at a loudspeaker in South Korea that broadcasts anti-Pyongyang propaganda into the North .
Commanders of the Korean People 's Army were hastily dispatched to the front-line troops to command military operations to destroy psychological warfare tools if the enemy does not stop the propaganda broadcast within 48 hours and prepare against the enemy 's possible counteractions , added KCNA .
No injuries or deaths were reported in the attacks from either side , but South Korea evacuated about 80 people in the town of Yeoncheon after at least one shell landed near the area .
The South retaliated by firing dozens of rounds of artillery into the north .
South Korea had recently started to broadcast propaganda from loudspeakers after an 11-year lull .
The broadcasts began on August 10 and South Korea says the broadcasts will continue .
After the exchange of fire , North Korea stated it would attack any loudspeakers broadcasting propaganda and would respond , militarily , within 48 hours if the broadcasts do not stop .
Both countries have put their militaries on high levels of alert .
Lantern Festival in Taipei lights up the night
Monday , March 5 , 2007
Taipei , Taiwan — The Taipei City Lantern Festival was off to a bright start on Saturday Night as hundreds of thousands of people crowded onto the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial near downtown Taipei to witness city mayor Hau Lung-bin and other dignitaries ceremoniously flip the switch to light hundreds of colorful lantern scenes in and around the 240,000 square meter memorial park .
The centerpiece of this rock concert-like performance is a 15 meter high rotating pig equipped with a fog machine , laser light show and theme music .
The theme of this years lantern festival revolves around the 12 year Chinese zodiac cycles year of the pig .
Its round shape symbolizes wealth and good fortune and is believed to bring good luck .
Started in 1990 , the Taipei lantern festival continues a 2000 year old tradition of light related festivals marking the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations .
This particular event grows in popularity every year .
Last Year over 4 million visitors attended the event and this year the city expects about 6 million visitors according to the event website .
Colorful lantern scenes not only fill the central square but also the surrounding 2 km circumference of the memorial .
Each section has a theme .
One side of the memorial is scenes made by student groups while other areas represent the counties of Taiwan .
There is even a section of lanterns sponsored by foreign countries .
The Malaysia Tourism board was quite prominent at the main entrance to the grounds .
As with all new year celebrations in Taiwan , the lantern festival is crowded .
People flock to see the lantern scenes and enjoy the festival atmosphere as they carry lanterns , given away by the city and bought from street vendors at the event .
The many light toys such a swords , devil ears , and lanterns turn the milling crowd into a unique light show that can be observed by climbing the steps of the 70 meter memorial hall on the grounds .
Local public transportation hubs are often swamped by the event .
The station staff at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall Station do an excellent job of crowd control but lines for the subway can still be hours long and very exhausting .
A sudden rain storm on Sunday night ( March 4 ) caused a mass exodus of people to head for the station prompting lines that backed up into the street .
The commuting crowds can be avoided however by walking from NTU Hospital Station or Shandao Station .
Both of these stops are only about a 20 minute walk from the event and have no crowds at all .
If you really want to avoid the crowds , definitely avoid the weekends .
Wait until the fourth or fifth day of the festival when the crowds will have dwindled .
I visited the festival on Saturday night , the opening night , and there was a sea of people in the square .
I went back the next Tuesday night and there was almost no one there , just a few stray photographers taking advantage of the unimpeded views of the lanterns .
The festival runs through March 11 this year .
Hundreds dead in Hajj stampede
Thursday , January 12 , 2006
The Plains of Arafat on the day of Hajj
According to the Saudi Interior Ministry over 345 Muslim pilgrims have been killed in a stampede during the annual Hajj pilgrimage near Mecca , Saudi Arabia .
The stampede at Islam 's most holy site happened at Jamarat Bridge , during an event where pebbles are thrown at a pillar to represent the stoning of Satan as part of the final rites of the Hajj .
The stampede began when luggage from a bus tripped pilgrims at the eastern end of the wall , causing a bottleneck .
Those who were tripped were then crushed by the wave of people behind them .
Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage to Mecca during their lifetimes , if physically or financially possible , as it is one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith .
Saudi officials had already provided safeguards by installing an oval wall with padded edges to protect pilgrams from a crush , installed security cameras and placed over 60,000 security personnel in the area .
This is not the first time deadly stampedes have taken place during the Hajj , with the deadliest stampede during the 1991 Hajj , in which 1,426 pilgrims were trampled .
Last week , at least 76 people were killed when the Al-Ghaza Hotel near the Masjid Al-Haram ( Grand Mosque ) collasped , the cause of which is unknown .
Local municipalities in Italy ask taxes from religious schools
Sunday , August 2 , 2015
In the past few days in Italy , several municipalities have started asking religious schools to pay taxes for property and local services , despite the resistance of the Catholic Church .
Instituto Gonzaga , a catholic school in Milan . Image : Friedrichstrasse .
The request of the municipalities results from the sentence of the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation on July 8 , recognising as legitimate the request of the Municipality of Livorno asking religious schools to pay property taxes .
Requests have come from the Municipality of Bogliasco , next to Genova , and from the deputies of Movimento 5 Stelle ( M5S ) of the regional counsel of Lombardy .
The first case is of the mayor Luca Pastorino that in last years received several refusals of his requests for payment because of the religious nursery school and retirement home .
In the second case , the M5S party asks to the regional government to assure the local administrations of the region regularly apply the sentence of the Supreme Court .
The case on which the Court has ruled was of the religious schools Santo Spirito and Immacolata in Livorno , Tuscany , to pay over 422,000 euros in arrears for the period from 2004 to 2009 .
The request was advanced by the Municipality of Livorno in 2010 .
The city reasoned , " because the users of the private schools pay a frequency fee , this kind of activity is considered as a commercial one " ( ( it ) ) .
In 2014 the Italian municipal tax discipline has changed from the ICI system to the IMU system by the Monti government .
A mean cost per student criterion is used to tax only the schools that receive a fee higher than the mean cost per student fixed by the State .
The new law is not retroactive , so the taxes requested in arrears from 2006 to 2009 are under the ICI system .
Minister of Education Stefania Giannini said a " more general reflection " ( ( it ) ) is needed .
Claudio De Vincenti , undersecretary to the prime minister , said " a discussion table will be opened with the non-profit associations , religious association included " ( ( it ) ) .
Undersecretary for Education Mr. Toccafondi says " many schools will increase their fees or they will quit . Then the State will have to find new resources to build new structures and manage them " ( ( it ) ) .
Also the president of the Lombardy region , Roberto Maroni , has reacted by proposing some regional counter-measures to finance private schools .
The secretary general of CEI ( Italian Episcopal Conference ) , Nunzio Galantino , has called the sentence " dangerous " ( ( it ) ) and " ideological " ( ( it ) ) :

Who takes the decisions , do it with less ideology .
Because I have the clear sensation that with this way of thinking , they wait the praise of some ideologized supporters .
Indeed , they do n't understand what kind of good service private schools held " ( ( it ) ) .
Italian secularist associations are concerned the Government will modify the law in order to maintain an exception for religious schools .
The secularist magazine MicroMega describe the court 's judgement as historic .
The Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics ( UAAR ) has launched a petition which now has more than 11,000 signatures , asking the government to respect and execute the sentence of the Supreme Court .
It is also encouraging citizens to ask for application of the law in their local municipalities .
Warhol 's photo legacy spread by university exhibits
Tuesday , January 28 , 2014
Portrait shot of Dennis Hopper , famous for his role in the 1969 film Easy Rider , amongst the Warhol Polaroids donated to USI by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts .
Image : Andy Warhol .
Opening night , January 23 , 2014 , of the Andy Warhol exhibit of Polaroids and screen prints at the University of Southern Indiana .
Video : Miharris & Acphillips .
Evansville , Indiana , United States -
This past week marked the opening night of an Andy Warhol exhibit at the University of Southern Indiana .
USI 's art gallery , like 189 other educational galleries and museums around the country , is a recipient of a major Warhol donor program , and this program is cultivating new interest in Warhol 's photographic legacy .
Wikinews reporters attended the opening and spoke to donors , exhibit organizers and patrons .
The USI art gallery celebrated the Thursday opening with its display of Warhol 's Polaroids , gelatin silver prints and several colored screen prints .
USI 's exhibit , which is located in Evansville , Indiana , is to run from January 23 through March 9 .
Full interview with Kristin Wilkins , curator of the exhibition at the University of Southern Indiana .
Audio : Jkthom .
The McCutchan Art Center / Pace Galleries at USI bases its exhibit around roughly 100 Polaroids selected from its collection .
The Polaroids were all donated by the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program , according to Kristen Wilkins , assistant professor of photography and curator of the exhibit .
The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts made two donations to USI Art Collections , in 2007 and a second recently .
Kathryn Waters , director of the gallery , expressed interest in further donations from the foundation in the future .
Since 2007 the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program has seeded university art galleries throughout the United States with over 28,000 Andy Warhol photographs and other artifacts .
The program takes a decentralized approach to Warhol 's photography collection and encourages university art galleries to regularly disseminate and educate audiences about Warhol 's artistic vision , especially in the area of photography .
University exhibits
Kristen Wilkins , curator of " Andy Warhol : Photographs and Prints from the University Collection " at the University of Southern Indiana , January 23 - March 9 2014 .
Image : Snbehnke .
Wikinews provides additional video , audio and photographs so our readers may learn more .
Wilkins observed that the 2007 starting date of the donation program , which is part of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts , coincided with the 20th anniversary of Andy Warhol 's death in 1987 .
USI was not alone in receiving a donation .
K.C. Maurer , chief financial officer and treasurer at the Andy Warhol Foundation , said 500 institutions received the initial invitation and currently 190 universities have accepted one or more donations .
Institutional recipients , said Mauer , are required to exhibit their donated Warhol photographs every ten years as one stipulation .
While USI is holding its exhibit , there are also Warhol Polaroid exhibits at the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs , New York and an Edward Steichen and Andy Warhol exhibit at the Mary & Leigh Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University in Evanston , Illinois .
All have received Polaroids from the foundation .
University exhibits can reach out and attract large audiences .
For example , the Weatherspoon Art Museum at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro saw attendance levels reach 11,000 visitors when it exhibited its Warhol collection in 2010 , according to curator Elaine Gustafon .
That exhibit was part of a collaboration combining the collections from Duke University , located in Durham , North Carolina , and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , which also were recipients of donated items from the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program .
Superstars
Each collection donated by the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program holds Polaroids of well-known celebrities .
The successful UNC Greensboro exhibit included Polaroids of author Truman Capote and singer-songwriter Carly Simon .
I think America 's obsession with celebrity culture is as strong today as it was when Warhol was living , said Gustafon .
People are still intrigued by how stars live , dress and socialize , since it is so different from most people 's every day lives .
Wilkins explained Warhol 's obsession with celebrities began when he first collected head shots as a kid and continued as a passion throughout his life .
He 's hanging out with the celebrities , and has kind of become the same sort of celebrity he was interested in documenting earlier in his career , Wilkins said .
The exhibit at USI includes Polaroids of actor Dennis Hopper ; musician Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran ; publishers Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone Magazine and Carlo De Benedetti of Italy 's la Repubblica ; disco club owner Steve Rubell of Studio 54 ; photographers Nat Finkelstein , Christopher Makos and Felice Quinto ; and athletes Vitas Gerulaitis ( tennis ) and Jack Nicklaus ( golf ) .
Wikinews observed the USI exhibit identifies and features Polaroids of fashion designer Halston , a former resident of Evansville .
University collections across the United States also include Polaroids of " unknowns " who have not yet had their fifteen minutes of fame .
Cynthia Thompson , curator and director of exhibits at the University of Arkansas , Fayetteville , said , " These images serve as documentation of people in his every day life and art - one which many of us enjoy a glimpse into . "
Warhol 's photographic legacy
Warhol was close to important touchstones of the 1960s , including art , music , consumer culture , fashion , and celebrity worship , which were all buzzwords and images Wikinews observed at USI 's opening exhibit .
He was also an influential figure in the pop art movement .
Pop art was about what popular American culture really thought was important , Kathryn Waters said .

So even back in the sixties , he was very aware of this part of our culture .
Which as we all know in 2014 , has only increased probably a thousand fold . "
I think everybody knows Andy Warhol 's name , even non-art people , that 's a name they might know because he was such a personality , Water said .
Hilary Braysmith , USI associate professor of art history , said , " I think his photography is equally influential as his graphic works , his more famous pictures of Marilyn .
In terms of the evolution of photography and experimentation , like painting on them or the celebrity fascination , I think he was really ground-breaking in that regard . "
The Polaroid format is not what made Warhol famous , however , he is in the company of other well-known photographers who used the camera , such as Ansel Adams , Chuck Close , Walker Evans , Robert Mapplethorpe , and Helmut Newton .
Wilkins said , " [ Warhol ] liked the way photo booths and the Polaroid 's front flash looked " .
She explained how Warhol 's adoption of the Polaroid camera revealed his process .
According to Wilkins , Warhol was able to reproduce the Polaroid photograph and create an enlargement of it , which he then could use to commit the image to the silk screen medium by applying paint or manipulating them further .
One of the silk screens exhibited at USI this time was the Annie Oakley screen print called " Cowboys and Indians " from 1987 .
Wilkins also said Warhol was both an artist and a businessperson .

It was a very practical salesman approach to his work .
He was very prolific but very business minded about that . "
He wanted to be rich and famous and he made lots of choices to go that way , Wilkins said .
USI exhibit
Kiara Perkins , a second year USI art major , admitted she was willing to skip class Thursday night to attend the opening exhibit but then circumstances allowed for her to attend the exhibit .
Why did she so badly want to attend ?

He is a legend . "
For Kevin Allton , a USI instructor in English , Warhol was also a legend .
He said , " Andy Warhol was the center of the Zeitgeist for the 20th century and everything since .
He is a post-modern diety . "
Allton said he had only seen the Silver Clouds installation before in film .
The Silver Clouds installation were silver balloons blown up with helium , and those balloons filled one of the smaller rooms in the gallery .
I thought that in real life it was really kind of magical , Allton said .
I smacked them around .
Elements of the Zeitgeist were also playfully recreated on USI 's opening night .
In her opening remarks for attendees , Waters pointed out those features to attendees , noting the touches of the Warhol Factory , or the studio where he worked , that were present around them .
She pointed to the refreshment table with Campbell 's Soup served with " electric " Kool Aid and tables adorned with colorful gumball " pills " .
The music in the background was from such bands as The Velvet Underground .
The big hit of the evening , Wikinews observed from the long line , was the Polaroid-room where attendees could wear a Warhol-like wig or don crazy glasses and have their own Polaroid taken .
The Polaroids were ready in an instant and immediately displayed at the entry of the exhibit .
Exhibit goers then became part of the very exhibit they had wanted to attend .
In fact , many people Wikinews observed took out their mobiles as they left for the evening and used their own phone cameras to make one further record of the moment - a photo of a photo .
Perhaps they had learned an important lesson from the Warhol exhibit that cultural events like these were ripe for use and reuse .
We might even call these exit instant snap shots , the self selfie .
Scientists analyse effects of global warming , atmospheric ozone on crops
Monday , July 28 , 2014
A research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Colorado State University of the US and the University of Sheffield of the UK has analysed effects of global warming and ozone pollution over 2000 - 2050 on the worldwide production of wheat , rice , maize and soybean .
The study was published in journal Nature Climate Change yesterday .
The scientists found reduction of crop yields by 2050 exceeded 10 % of 2000 levels , substantially decreasing food security , in all cases examined .
Several scenarios were considered because of uncertainty of future levels of ozone pollution .
They estimated by 2050 , increasing population and changing diet would increase world food needs by 50 percent .
As coauthor Colette Heald told The Huffington Post , " The climate projections are quite consistent [...]
the future of ozone pollution is very different [...] leading to either offsetting or reinforcing effects [ of climate change ] on crops " .
By 2050 , undernourishment would increase by either 49 percent or by 27 percent , depending on the scenario .
The study focuses on ozone-temperature covariation : ground-level ozone increases with temperatures .
Heald said although temperature and ozone are separately known to impact crop yields , " nobody has looked at these together " .
Depending on region and crops , the yields may be primarily sensitive to ozone - in the case of wheat - or heat - in the case of maize - alone , providing a local estimation of relative benefits of climate change adaptation versus ozone regulation .
The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes , " Ground-level ozone causes more damage to plants than all other air pollutants combined " , highlighting the importance of air quality for agriculture .
Results of NCLAN studies , published in a paper by AS Heagle in 1989 , show dicot species , such as soybean , cotton , and peanut , lose more yield from ozone than do monocot species such as sorghum , field corn , and winter wheat .
The researchers found that ozone pollution caused 46 percent of previously heat-attributed damage to soybean crops .
The model does not include the effect of rising carbon dioxide concentration , which has complex and potentially offsetting impacts on global food supply .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says some crops may have higher yields with increased levels of carbon dioxide .
However , global warming also increases probability of extreme crops-damaging weather events such as floods , droughts , and extreme temperatures .
Climate change affects distribution of weeds , pests , and diseases .
Heald noted the findings show pollution reduction is also important .

Ozone is something that we understand the causes of , and the steps that need to be taken to improve air quality . "
As Heald told The Huffington Post , US surface ozone has dropped partly due to the Clean Air Act .

However , the future of ozone air quality in the U.S. and around the world will depend on local emissions , the use of pollution control technology , regulations , and air quality policy . "
The study was supported by the Croucher Foundation , US National Science Foundation , and US National Park Service .
Greek court rules worship of ancient Greek deities is legal
Monday , March 27 , 2006
Greek court has ruled that worshippers of the ancient Greek religion may now formally associate and worship at archeological sites .
Prior to the ruling , the religion was banned from conducting public worship at archeological sites by the Greek Ministry of Culture .
Due to that , the religion was relatively secretive .
The Greek Orthodox Church , a Christian denomination , is extremely critical of worshippers of the ancient deities .
Today , about 100,000 Greeks worship the ancient gods , such as Zeus , Hera , Poseidon , Aphrodite , and Athena .
The Greek Orthodox Church estimates that number is closer to 40,000 .
Many neo-pagan religions , such as Wicca , use aspects of ancient Greek religions in their practice ; Hellenic polytheism instead focuses exclusively on the ancient religions , as far as the fragmentary nature of the surviving source material allows .
The Chatham Islands
The Chatnam Islands ( Rekohu in the indigenous Moriori language ) are the eastern-most settled islands in New Zealand .
The islands are in their own time zone , 45 minutes ahead of New Zealand time ;
the International Date Line jogs eastward to keep them on the same calendar day as the rest of New Zealand .
The islands lie 860 km east of Christchurch , in the middle of the " Roaring Forties " .
Steeped in culture and history , these islands are on the very edge of civilisation .
Experience Moriori culture , experience Rekohu .
Understand
The Chatham Islands consist of the main island , Chatham Island itself , with a population of 600 , smaller Pitt Island with about 40 inhabitants , and a number of rocky outcrops .
The islands are volcanic in origin and have a unique and sensitive habitat that supports many rare and endangered species .
The original people of the islands are the Moriori , who were descended from the Maori of mainland New Zealand , but who developed their own culture and variant of the language .
In 1835 Maori settlers from the mainland arrived , massacred and enslaved the Moriori .
Get in
By plane
The only way for visitors to travel to the Chathams is via scheduled or chartered air service .
Air Chathams fly 5 days per week , from either Christchurch , Auckland or Wellington and , seasonally , from Napier .
The plane is based in the Chathams and flies to mainland New Zealand in the morning , then back to the Chathams in the afternoon .
As part of New Zealand , there are no passport or visa requirements and no border controls on arrival from the mainland .
You should book or ensure accommodation before you board a flight for the Chathams , as during the popular months of the tourism season , between October and April , accommodation can be severely limited .
There are no same-day return flights , so once there you have to stay at least one night .
Although flying to the Chathams and back is not cheap , it is worth it .
Even the mainland school groups that fly there for school camps , and choose to stay at Kopinga Marae [ 1 ] get value for money by chartering a flight one way .
Anyway , you do n't have a choice on how you get there , unless you happen to own an aeroplane .
However , when you get off that aeroplane , if you have n't pre-organised transport , you will have to walk , and it is a long way into town .
By boat
The only scheduled shipping service to the Chatham Islands remains the Black Robin Freighters " Rangatira " , an antiquated , slow and small coastal trading vessel .
This boat has serviced the islands for many years , but does not carry passengers .
Freight charges on the Rangatira appear to be flexible and subject to change .
Vessels can call at the Chathams and there are a number of " safe " harbours for shelter if the need arises .
Remember to notify the local policeman , or Ministry of Fisheries officer if you are entering New Zealand via the Chathams .
If you want a wharf berthage then call the local harbour master as you near the Chathams and he will sort you out .
Get around
There are several businesses on Chatham Island that will rent you a vehicle .
Do not expect the flashest and latest in rental cars though .
The cars " will " be warranted and safe , but they wo n't be exceptionally " flash " .
Chatham Motors have a range of nice rental vans available as well and they provide pretty good service for both visitors and locals .
See
Basalt columns
Some of the world 's most rare and endangered birds , plants and insects .
Unique tree carvings done by the peaceful Moriori people hundreds of years ago .
Henga Scenic Reserve .
Set adjacent to Henga Lodge is the magnificent Henga Scenic Reserve .
Guests of the lodge can meander around either a short easy walk , or take the longer 2 hr return walk out onto the spectacular beach .
Access is free to Lodge guests .
Hapupu National Historic Scenic Reserve .
One of only two National Historic Scenic Reserves in New Zealand ( the other is the Waitangi Treaty Grounds ) , Hapupu is a special place , and somewhere that you will want to tell others about .
Spiritually and culturally important to Moriori , it holds the last known concentration of momori-rakau , or tree carvings done by the ancestors of today 's Moriori .
There are many views on why they did these carvings , but whatever the reason , you will find them a very special attraction .
Port Hutt .
One of the most scenicly attractive ports in the whole of New Zealand , Port Hutt boasts an incredibly sheltered little harbour , with picturesque views and safe anchorage in all weather .
Historically important and economically crucial for these islands today , Port Hutt is the ideal location for a short browse around and a mecca for those photography buffs [ 2 ] .
Kopinga Marae .
If you could define a place that will remind you of your visit to the Chathams , then this very special place will be at the top of your list .
Opened in 2005 , Kopinga is the official meeting place of Te Imi Moriori .
Adorned with contemporary Moriori carvings and traditional taonga ( treasures ) , the marae is a magnificent , tasteful and contemporary testament to the ancestors of Te Imi Moriori .
Enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful and peaceful building .
School-Camps At Kopinga Marae [ 3 ] also utilise this wonderful national treasure for hosting visiting school groups .
Tommy Solomon Statue .
Tame Horomona Rehe was the last known full-blooded Moriori and he passed away in 1933 .
He was however , not the last Moriori .
His own descendants and the descendants of other Moriori live on today .
Come and have a look at this statue , erected in 1985 to commemorate his passing .
Come and see Manakau , the property of his descendants , located on the eastern corner of Rekohu and blessed with the sun 's first rays as they rise above the sea each day .
Cleveland is a culturally diverse city on the shores of Lake Erie , one of the Great Lakes , in Cuyahoga County , Ohio , USA .
Recreational , cultural and educational opportunities are abundant throughout Northeast Ohio .
You ll find world-class museums and cultural events , professional sports and amusement parks , and the most golf courses per capita in the United States .
Places Rated Almanac ranks the area second in recreational options out of 354 US metro areas .
Plus , this region ranks fifth in the nation in number of major cultural resources per one million residents .
Understand
Cleveland from lakefront .
Cleveland is the urban center of Northeast Ohio , the 15th largest combined metropolitan area in the United States .
Throughout the twentieth century , the City of Cleveland proper was ranked as one of the 10 largest cities in the U.S. ( from 1890 until 1970 per US Census Bureau statistics ) .
Like most U.S. cities , Cleveland proper began to lose population to suburban areas in the 1960s and 1970s .
However , in the mid-1980s , Cleveland earned the nickname the " Comeback City " as the urban core experienced a dramatic revitalization process that continues today .
As its " comeback " has continued , the official moniker is now the New American City as Cleveland has rightfully earned the reputation as a model of effective public-private partnership for urban planning .
Despite the common perception that Cleveland is an industrial town , just beyond the automotive and steel plants , a clean and beautiful downtown rises at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River on the southern shore of Lake Erie ( often marvelled over by visitors who are surprised you ca n't see the other side , i.e. , Canada ) .
Like other cities in the so-called " rust belt “ , Cleveland has endured growing pains as it makes its transition from a manufacturing-based economy .
While Cleveland continues to play a leading role in building the U.S. industrial base , it has also developed economic prowess in the fields of health care , law , finance , insurance , real estate development , and professional services .
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Another thing non-locals do n't often realize is that Cleveland 's long history of industrial wealth has left it chock full of cultural riches as well as the beginnings of a " sustainable city " movement .
Serving as a global model for urban rebirth , Cleveland has been named one of the top 10 international visitor hotspots by Travel and Leisure magazine .
For decades , the city has boasted of : a " Big Five " orchestra ( The Cleveland Orchestra ) , the second largest performing arts center in the U.S. ( Playhouse Square Center ) , a world-renowned art museum ( The Cleveland Museum of Art ) , the nation 's first health museum ( HealthSpace Cleveland ) , R&D hub of the aerospace and aviation industry ( the NASA Glenn Research & Visitors Center ) and a number of other first-rate attractions ( too many to mention here - read on ) .
During its " comeback " years , Cleveland has added : the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum , the Great Lakes Science Center with Omnimax theatre , and four new sports facilities in the downtown area - Progressive Field ( Still known as " The Jake " after a recent corporate name change ) for the Major League Baseball Indians , QuickenLoans Arena ( " The Q " ) for the NBA Cavaliers , Cleveland Browns Stadium for the NFL Browns and the Wolstein Center for the Cleveland State University Vikings basketball team .
Get in
For information specific to U.S. citizens see Americans in Cuba
Visa and legal issues
A tourist visa card ( visa de tarjeta del turista ) is necessary for travelers from most nations .
This visa , which is really little more than a piece of paper on which you list your vital statistics , costs between 15 - 25 CUC ( or € 15 - 25 ) , depending on where purchased .
It can be purchased at the Airport in Cuba on arrival , however it should be noted that many airlines will require a valid tourist visa card before boarding flights .
It is usually valid for 30 days and can be extended once for another 30 days at any immigration office in Cuba ( for 25 CUC ) - beyond this you would need a flight out of Cuba within the extended visa period .
Canadians are the exception , getting 90 days on arrival and can apply for a 90 day extension .
Your passport needs to be valid at least six months past the end of your planned return .
Canadian passports must be valid for at least one month beyond the date of expected departure ( [ 2 ] ) .
From Canada , the tourist card is normally provided on the flight .
It can also be purchased from most Latin American gateway airports if departing from there ( Cancun : 250 MXN , Mexico City : USD 25 ) .
Please note that if departing from Europe ( this may apply to other countries ) , you will require to have the visa before boarding the plane .
Some times , the airline provides these at the airport , however check first that this is the case .
Without a valid visa , boarding will be denied ( the airline would otherwise get a $ 1,000 fine from the Cuban immigration authorities ) .
Country-specific advise
UK : Applying for the visa is a very simple process and can be done by post or in person at the Cuban embassy in London .
When applying to the Cuban Consulate by post , there is a new charge introduced in 2011 which is a £ 25 for a non-personal transaction .
If you cannot go to the Cuban Consulate you may consider using VisaCuba ( [ 3 ] ) because it may be cheaper .
Through them it may cost £ 20 in total per person .
If you apply in person to the Cuban Consulate , you get the visa straight away .
It can also be done through online agencies as mentioned before although they may be slightly more expensive ( normally £ 15 + £ 15 admin fee and additional postage ) .
Germany : You can obtain the tourist card through the Cuban embassy in post .
Travel agencies may often offer cheaper and quicker services though .
Regular tourists who renew their 30 day visa are eligible to depart the country ( to any destination ) and return immediately enjoying a further 60 days ( 30 days plus a 30 day extension ) .
You are only allowed two consecutive stays in this manner .
If you want to stay with friends or family in Cuba you have to go with your intended host within two days after arrival to a migration office and pay 40 CUC for a 30 days family visa .
Citizens of Antigua and Barbuda ( 28 days ) , Barbados ( 28 days ) , Benin , Bosnia and Herzegovina , CIS ( except Ukraine and Uzbekistan ) , Dominica , Grenada ( 60 days ) , Liechtenstein ( 90 days ) , Macedonia , Malaysia ( 90 days ) , Mongolia , Montenegro ( 90 days ) , Namibia , Singapore , Slovakia , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Serbia ( 90 days ) , Turkmenistan who can stay 30 days without visa .
( The source of the previous sentence is unknown .
Aeromexico staff at Cancun airport claim that only citizens of China and Russia need no visa .
It is important to note that there is also a departure tax of CUC 25 , to be paid in cash when departing Cuba by airplane ; this is not required for boat departures .
This tax is not well publicized but it is essential to remember it .
You will run into significant difficulties if you do not have enough cash to pay this tax when leaving the country .
An ATM and currency exchange are available at Havana airport , but these facilities are not as reliable in Cuba as in other places .
Cuban customs can be strict , though they sometimes go easy on tourists .
Fort Lee
Fort Lee is a city in Bergen County .
View of the George Washington Bridge 's long span and Manhattan , as seen while looking east from Fort Lee Historic Park
Understand
Fort Lee is located between the Paramus , NJ retail corridor and Upper Manhattan .
This town is comprised of a large residential community that includes Fort Lee natives , transplants from New York , and immigrants , especially from Korea .
This cultural diversity is represented through the vast variety of international restaurants and small business , and in particular , there is a strong Korean presence that can be seen in retail and dining storefronts .
Fort Lee is a small town but is piled high with apartment buildings .
Because Fort Lee is situated above the banks of the Hudson River , there are breathtaking views from almost any window facing the river .
The New York City skyline and 4th of July fireworks are spectacular over the river .
Although it is highly built up , Fort Lee also houses many playing fields and recreational parks as well as bike and running trails .
And although there is a great deal of vehicle traffic to and from the George Washington Bridge , which connects Fort Lee with Manhattan , one of the largest perks of this town is the walking access to many restaurants , convenience stores and mass transit , in the form of buses and vans that frequently run across the bridge and up and down major streets .
Get in
One of the more interesting of the many highrise residential buildings in Fort Lee
Fort Lee is bordered by Edgewater , Englewood Cliffs , Cliffside Park and Leonia .
By car
If coming from New York City , take the George Washington Bridge ;
Fort Lee is the first town on the New Jersey side of the bridge .
By bus or jitney
Ask any bus or jitney driver leaving from the Port Authority George Washington Bus Station on 177 St. whether s/he can let you off in Fort Lee .
By ferry
Fort Lee can also be accessed by boat or ferry from New York City via Edgewater and Weehawken docks .
By plane
The nearest airports to Fort Lee are Newark Airport , LaGuardia Airport , Teterboro ( general aviation only ) , JFK and Westchester County Airport .
Get around
Old and new meet in Fort Lee , as the Good Shepherd Episcopalian Church is dwarfed by a residential highrise immediately behind it
Most people choose cars , but if headed to a central area , such as Main Street , it is best to drive there , park in a municipal parking lot , and walk around from there .
Since so much of the town ’s retail area is clustered in 3 or 4 block radius , it would be beneficial to walk around , but might also be dangerous given the high traffic intersections .
If walking use caution , and if parking , make sure to feed the meter with plenty of pocket change ; the meter maids take their job very seriously .
Since fort lee is situated in such a convenient area for those commuting to and from the city , there is often high traffic and congestion on the roads .
If you are planning on being somewhere at a certain time , one might suggest leaving a good 10 to 15 minutes to escape local traffic before hitting any major roadways .
For local transportation or air-port/train station services , there are several local taxi companies that are reliable .
A-1 2470 Lemoine Avenue , tel : 1 201 944-3737 .
Babe 's 185 Bridge Plaza North , tel : 1 201 944-6800 .
G W Taxi 1696 Bergen Blvd , tel : 1 201 363-0555 .
See
Fort Lee Historic Park , a reconstruction of a Revolutionary War encampment , with beautiful views and pleasant greenery
Fort Lee is known and named for the story of how General George Washington was forced to evacuate the area in November of 1776 and begin his famous retreat through New Jersey during the winter of 1776-77 in the protection of " Fort Lee " .
The Visitors ' Center provides information on the role of Fort Lee in the War .
Audio-visual displays , detailed exhibits , gives visitors a sense of what this town was like centuries ago .
Fort Lee Historic Park , Hudson Terrace , tel : 1 201 461-1776 .
Revolutionary re-enactments , and breathtaking views of the GW Bridge , the Little Red Light House , Hudson River and majestic city skyline .
The George Washington Bridge can be crossed by bicycle or on foot as well as in a motorized vehicle .
Do
Fort Lee 's Public School 4 , a daily activity for the elementary school set
Other than eating , or shopping , or shopping for food , there is not much else to do unless you work in Fort Lee .
Fort Lee also has a great community center open to all borough residents .
The community center has dance , yoga , and other exercise classes , offers open gym hours for basketball or other recreation .
During the summer their outdoor theatre is used for performances and " movies in the park " every Friday night .
Jack Alter Fort Lee Community Center , 1355 Inwood Terrace , tel : 1 201-592-4699 , contact for membership information , and upcoming events .
Buy
There is an abundance of supermarkets , one the most famous and unique being Caffasso ’s Fairway Market .
There are also many nail salons , frozen yogurt shops , coffee shops and gas stations .
Cafasso 's Fairway Market 1214 Anderson Ave , 1 201-224-7900 .
Store hours : Mon-Fri 08:30 am - 7 pm , Sat 08:30 am - 06:30 pm , Sun 9 am - 03:00 pm
Main Street is the primary retail section of Fort Lee , and features stores such as Borders and liquor stores , and you can find a deli or drug store on every corner .
There are tons of specialty boutiques and gourmet caterers , as well as clothing and sporting good retailers .
Also on Main St. is Metropolitan Plants , a haven for flower lovers , with a very large selection of products for gardeners .
Eat
Within Fort Lee , the main attraction would be its collection of restaurants .
Fort Lee offers international cuisine and is famous for their pizzerias , delis and 24-hour diners , in addition to its Korean restaurants .
They have a warm local atmosphere and taste great .
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe , known as Gwadloup in the local creole , and sometimes known as the Butterfly Island ( French : I'ile Papillon ) on account of the shape of two of its major islands , is a group of islands in the eastern Caribbean , and is a French overseas department .
It is located southeast of Puerto Rico .
Islands
Basse Terre : green and lush vegetation , mountainous with a sulphuric volcano .
Grande Terre : flat and dry with a lot of beaches , some of them very touristic .
Marie Galante : the biggest island out of mainland Guadeloupe .
Les Saintes : composed of Terre de Haut and Terre de Bas , one of the most beautiful bays .
La Désirade : dry and cliffy .
Petite Terre : uninhabited and untamed .
Cities
Grande Terre
Map of Guadeloupe
Pointe-à-Pitre : with its suburbs , it is the economic capital of Guadeloupe
Gosier : maybe one of the most interesting places of Guadeloupe to enjoy nightlife .
( You can enter most nightclubs with proper clothes , that is , no sneakers , no shorts )
St François if you go at the eastern point of Guadeloupe , you will reach La Pointe des Chateaux , a scenery made of sand and rocks which have vaguely the shape of a castle .
From there , you can look up at the islands La Désirade , Petite Terre , Marie Galante , Les Saintes , La Dominique but also have a perfect view of the islands Grande Terre and far away Basse Terre .
St Anne a very nice but also very touristy city and beach ( maybe the tourists primary area of Guadeloupe ) .
L'Americano , bd Georges Mandel , 0590883899 : bar / restaurant offers free salsa courses on Saturdays and live performances some days .
You will find all kind of bars .
You can try Club Med , 0590854950 fax : 0590854959 ( for instance , others resort may propose this formula too ) for a one day all inclusive ( breakfast , buffet , bars , drinks , beach volley , windsurf , boat , gym , dance courses ... ) for about € 46 , so it may be a good deal ( as it costs € 7 one hour of windsurf ) .
Morne à l'eau , renowned for its amazing cemetery composed of burial places made of black and white tiles .
Anse Bertrand , not far from there , you can visit La pointe de la Grande Vigie , northern point of mainland Guadeloupe .
You can also go to Porte d'Enfer , a beautiful still stripe of sea between a scenery of reefs .
From there , walk one hour along the cliff , and you will discover a Souffleur , kind of geyser due to the pressure of the sea .
Abymes nothing special to see , but the weekend , there are 3 local nightclubs : L'instant , Caraibes and Latin Club .
They are located at the same place .
Baie-Mahault : the industrial and commercial zone of Guadeloupe , nothing special to do or see .
Here stands the biggest shopping mall of the island .
Not too far from there , you can find a local bar / nightclub named Bik Kreyol , Beau Soleil , 0590258046 or 0590920648 ( Entrance € 5 , Drinks € 3 ) .
Local music ( ragga , zouk , rnb ) and local customers .
The building is typical , it 's a former warehouse .
Other destinations
Do n't miss the spectacular waterfalls in the jungle of Basse-Terre ( Carbet Falls ) .
Some are within 5 – 10 minutes walking distance from the nearest parking lot , some require at least 3 – 4 hours of hiking ( those are , of course less frequented by other tourists and you might find yourself alone at a spectacular waterfall in the middle of nowhere - an amazing experience ! ) .
The local rum distilleries offer tours ( check for opening times as they may very from season to season ) which are certainly worth the while since rum production is a very integral part of Guadeloupe 's economy .
And sampling the local rums is definitely worth the while .
Even though they might not be the best way to get around the island , a ride on the bus is still an experience you should not miss .
Cheap , full of locals , conducted by fearless drivers , you can enjoy the beautiful Caribbean panorama to the sound of Guadeloupean zouk music .
Some routes are not good for passengers with weak stomachs .
Łódź
Łódź ( Pronounced : Wootch ) is Poland 's third biggest city , and the capital of the Łódzkie Voivodship .
Unlike most other large Polish cities , which have long histories , Łódź was created almost from scratch during the 19th century textile industry boom to house textile mills , their owners and their workers , and rapidly grew to become an important industrial and commerce centre .
In recent years , Łódź has been battling rising unemployment and youth migration resulting from the failing textile industry and is repositioning itself as a hub for design and creative industries .
Owing to its history , Łódź has an impressive collection of residential , commercial and industrial 19th-century architecture including some of Europe 's largest factory buildings , now mostly repurposed as shopping centres or lofts .
Recent local investment and a long-standing cultural scene ensures there is always something more to do than just sightseeing or shopping , with the city hosting some of the best museums and art galleries in the country .
The close proximity of Warsaw and Łódź 's location at the crossroads of the Polish motorway system make it an ideal destination for a day trip or longer city break .
Understand
Historic fire station in Księży Młyn area
Name and history
The origin of the city 's name is unknown , however , the word łódź translates to " boat " in English .
This is referred to in the emblem and when you hear the dwellers of Łódź ( łodzianin ( man ) łodzianka ( woman ) łodzianie ( plural ) ) calling themselves " the boat people " .
A settlement on the area of present-day Łódź was established in the 14th century and in 1423 it was granted a town charter , along with the right to have a marketplace .
However , the real development of Łódź started with the industrial era at the beginning of the 19th century when the city was chosen to be the heart of the rapidly-growing textile industry .
The population of Łódź soared from some 4,000 people in the 1830s and 40,000 in 1865 to over 300,000 inhabitants at the turn of the century , which was an unprecedented growth on a worldwide scale .
The rapid development of Łódź in the second half of the 19th century was brought about by the rise of enormous industrialist fortunes .
New inhabitants , craftsmen and merchants came to Łódź ; markets and town fairs came to life .
The profits obtained from prosperous textile mills opened up practically unlimited possibilities for their owners .
The city residences became expressions of the riches and power of the local tycoons .
They were usually situated next to the owner 's factory .
Ever since the industrial revolution brought a massive influx of workforce , Łódź had been a city almost equally divided between four cultures - Polish , Jewish , German and Russian .
The day before the outbreak of World War II , Łódź was inhabited by approximately 672,000 people , among whom 35 % were of Jewish faith and some 15 % were ethnic German .
Andrzej Wajda 's movie , Promised Land based on a novel by the Nobel laureate Władysław Reymont , depicts those times and is a worthwhile introduction to the city 's bustling history .
During the Nazi occupation , Łódź was incorporated directly into the Third Reich .
The city was renamed to Litzmannstadt , and Piotrkowska Street was called Adolf-Hitler-Strasse .
The Jewish community was practically wiped out , and many others lost their lives .
Although the city was not destroyed in the aftermath , the material losses were serious as the machinery , raw materials and finished goods were taken away by the fleeing Nazis .
The day before the liberation , about 80,000 Germans left Łódź in panic .
At the beginning of 1945 , the population was estimated at 300,000 .
Plac Wolności
Łódź today
Since the fall of communism in Poland , Łódź has not enjoyed the rapid economic growth cities like Kraków , Warsaw and Wrocław have experienced , and has had to endure the fall of much of its textile industry , rising unemployment and emigration ( within Poland and abroad ) .
This led to further dilapidation of the investment-starved city , and many of its streets and buildings show profound signs of neglect .
At first glance , for a city of 760,000 and agglomeration of 1.428,000 , there does not seem to be much to see .
However , the situation is rapidly changing now with Łódź campaigning and redesigning itself as an up-and-coming destination .
To accomplish this , Łódź has been capitalizing on its film history - Łódź is jokingly referred to as the " HollyŁódź " of Poland and hosts several film festivals and many other cultural events .
Łódź today may not have the glitz and glamour of its heyday ; however , there is a certain charm to Łódź in its partially renovated façades and leitmotivs , not to mention its grand artistic traditions .
Mérida
Mérida is the capital of the state of Yucatán in Mexico .
It has a population of about 750,000 , and is the largest city in the Yucatán Peninsula .
Catedral de San Ildefonso
Zócalo or Main Plaza , with the Cathedral in the distance
Understand
Mérida is a city of contrasts .
You will find elegant hotels , restaurants and malls in the northern part of the city .
Downtown , there are hotels and restaurants to suit every budget .
A large central market and numerous small shops are found all around the main plaza .
Mérida has a rich cultural life which also reflects its diversity .
Many free concerts , performances and other events are held daily .
The city was founded by the Spanish conquistadors in the 1540s on top of a centuries-old Maya city called T'ho .
The palatial home of the family of conquistador leader Montejo can still be seen on the south side of the Zócalo or main square .
Here and there bits of ancient Maya stonework can be seen reused in Spanish Colonial era buildings in the old part of town .
From the later 1800s to the 1920s Mérida enjoyed prosperous boom times fueled by the henequen or sisal plant harvest , which made Yucatán the rope maker to the world .
Progressive Mérida had electric trams and street lights before Mexico City .
The wealthy constructed the grand Pasejo Montejo avenue north of the old town , inspired by the Champs-Élysées in Paris .
With the development of artificial twines the sisal boom ended , and Mérida slowed to a more sleepy provincial capital until development picked back up in the late 20th century .
The city 's ambiance is colonial and the climate is tropical .
The daytime temperature varies ; in January , it is about 24 ° C ( 75 ° F ) and in June , about 35 ° C ( 95 ° F ) .
To beat the heat , most people are busiest in the mornings .
They have lunch and siesta , then go back to work for a few hours in the late afternoon .
The cool breezes from the Gulf of Mexico drift into Mérida in the evenings and this is when many of the residents spend their time outdoors .
You can see them visiting and talking as they stroll along the streets , sit in the plazas or dine in the many sidewalk restaurants .
From Mérida , it is easy to take day trips to a vast array of destinations : archaeological sites , ecological parks , typical villages , caves , beaches , colonial missions and more .
Take your time and really explore the Maya sites , walk for miles along the Gulf of Mexico , attend a village festival , photograph the wildlife , crawl through a cave or swim in a cenote .
Tourist Information ( Turismo Mérida ) , email : turismo@merida.gob.mx .
The city maintains several tourist information offices , all of which can offer helpful information on accommodation , free maps , and bus connections .
All offices also have free copies of Yucatan Today , a helpful weekly Spanish-English publication listing all events in the city and the surrounding region .
City Hall Information Center ( Módulo de Información Turística Palacio Municipal ) Calle 62 between 61 and 63 ( inside the Palacio del Gobierno left of the main entrance ) , ☎ + 529999420000 x 80119 .
Daily 08:00 - 20:00 , Su 08:00 - 14:00 .
Paseo de Montejo Information Module ( Módulo de Información Turística Paseo de Montejo ) Ave Paseo de Montejo 56A x 33A ☎ + 529999204044 e-mail : turismo@merida.gob.mx .
08:00 - 20:00 .
Phoenix
Phoenix is the capital of the state of Arizona as well as the most populous city in the American Southwest and sixth largest city in the United States .
Founded in 1871 , it has become the region 's primary political , cultural , economic , and transportation center .
At an elevation of 1100 ft ( 335 m ) , it is situated in the biologically unique Sonoran Desert .
Over time it has merged with the neighboring cities of Scottsdale , Tempe , Glendale , Peoria , Chandler , and Gilbert to form the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area .
Currently exurbs such as Apache Junction , Fountain Hills , Queen Creek , and Sun City are becoming part of this metropolitan area as well .
Phoenix is extremely hot and dry in the summertime , so always have sunscreen with you !
Understand
Why would anybody want to start a city in the middle of a desert ?
The answer is , surprisingly , agriculture .
The Salt and Verde Rivers of central Arizona were exploited for large-scale agriculture by Native Americans as early as the 11th century .
The area that now encompasses Phoenix was a center of the Hohokam culture , which built large canal systems and a network of towns and villages , whose remains may be viewed in the city to this day .
White settlers discovered the remnants of the Hohokam culture in the 19th century .
The city 's name reflects its history as a city " reborn from the ashes " of the previous settlement .
European-American settlement of the area commenced in the 1860s , and in 1911 the completion of the first of several large reservoirs in the mountains north and east of Phoenix insured its success as a center for irrigation-based agriculture .
Many tens of thousands of acres were planted in citrus and cotton and other crops , and for many years , intensive , year-round irrigated agriculture formed the basis of the economy .
Recent years are seeing a revival , and trendy hotels , bars , shops and restaurants are making it a place to be again .
Warm and sunny winter weather also ensured a thriving tourism industry , and encouraged many Easterners and Midwesterners to relocate to Phoenix .
High-tech industry began to flourish after World War II , and since that time the growth of Phoenix has been explosive .
As a result , a population of just over 100,000 in 1950 has given way to a 2014 estimate of 1,537,058 ( with the metro area estimated at 4,489,109 ) .
Climate
Phoenix has an arid climate with long , hot summers and very mild winters .
It has the highest average temperature of any metropolitan area in the States .
The weather varies enormously from one season to the next .
While it 's not as cold as in the northern states during the winter , it does freeze sometimes , and temperatures in the 30s ° F ( that 's around or slightly above 0 ° C ) are not unheard of .
In the summer , very hot and dry heat is the norm .
On the hottest days , it can get up to 115 ° F ( 46 ° C ) or more .
Monsoon rains with lightning occur regularly from July to September during the late afternoon and evening , occasionally overnight also .
April is the most ideal month .
In some neighborhoods , cicada insects make loud sounds from sunset to sunrise .
Talk
English is the dominant language in Phoenix .
However , like much of the Southwest with a large Hispanic population , Spanish is very widely spoken in Phoenix .
Spanish is a language often used for day-to-day discourse in many places , although English is the language of preference , especially when dealing with businesses and government .
Get in
By plane
Wikimedia Maps
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport ( IATA : PHX ) +1602275-4958 is the main air gateway to Arizona .
It is at the southeast end of Downtown .
It is a hub for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines .
Terminals are numbered from 2 - 4 .
There is no Terminal 1 .
Terminal 2 : Alaska ( Gates 10 & 11 ) , Great Lakes ( Gates C & D ) , Spirit , Sun Country , United
Terminal 3 : Delta , Frontier , Hawaiian , JetBlue
Terminal 4 : Aeroméxico , Air Canada , American , British Airways , Southwest , Volaris , WestJet
Valley Metro #13 goes west to S 75th Ave along S Buckeye ( via Greyhound depot ) from Terminal 2 .
Likewise one can take the PHX skytrain over to the nearby 44th & Washington St Station to catch the #1 ( west to the downtown Central Station and Priest & Washington in Tempe to the east along Washington St ) ; #44 bus ( north to the Desert Ridge Marriott Resort in Deer Valley along N 44th St & Tatum ) ; and the light rail ( east to Tempe & Mesa and to Midtown ( along Central Ave ) via downtown in the other direction ) .
Understand
Due to its remarkable biodiversity , with over a third of the local plant species found nowhere else , Socotra has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site .
With over 40,000 inhabitants , though , it 's not just a nature reserve .
The Island is new to tourism , so if you are looking for a luxurious vacation this is not the right destination .
However , Socotra is a perfect destination for the adventurous and nature loving travelers .
Socotra takes pride in their eco-tourism and values their spectacular plant and wildlife that may sometimes be only found on this island .
Although the lodging and facilities may not be the same as more modern and developed locations , Socotra is a beautiful and magnificent destination choice .
Great care is shown to both guests and the environment .
Socotra is an eco-tourism system with limited infrastructure and new to the international tourist market , and therefore the hotel accommodations are not quite like other destinations .
However there are four hotels in Hadibo : Taj Socotra Hotel , Hafijj Hotel , Socotra Hotel , and Summer land Hotel .
These hotels may not be the most luxerious , but they do provide air-conditionting , televisions , and refrigerators in all of the rooms .
Most of the rooms at these hotels have their own bathroom , but there are a few rooms at the Hafijj Hotel and Socotra Hotel that must share bathrooms .
Fortunately , there is a restaurant in each of the hotels with simple yet delicious cuisine .
Considering Socotra is a fairly new eco-tourism destination , their facilities are decent .
In addition , there is also another hotel at the airport as well as multiple guest houses around the island .
The most popular lodging is actually camping on the beaches .
There are several campsites that allow tourists to barbeque on the beach with beautiful mountain views in the background .
Tourists can choose to purchase camping tour packages which include a driver or guide that will show tourists around the beaches as well as provide meals during their stay .
It is a fantastic way to enjoy the beauty and wildlife of the island .
A runway that provides fairly regular airline transportation was only constructed in 1999 .
Like everything else , infrastructure and transportation has only just begun in recent years .
There are also plans for new harbor facilities that will allow fisherman to sell and catch more easily and make importing food and fuel simpler .
In addition , there are also two information centers located at the airport and Hadibo .
When to go : Climate is an important consideration .
And this depends on your interest .
Nature enthusiasts should go from early October to late April .
The monsoon occurs in July till mid-August ( during July in the south east and south west of the island , wind surfing activity can be arranged ) .
Generally , wildlife and natural viewing is best from the end of January through May .
Get in
By plane
Dixam , in the centre of the island
There are flights from Sana'a via Al Mukalla .
Yemenia Airlines offers one flight per week on Thursday morning .
Felix Airways offers two flights per week on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning .
Flight durations are almost three hours .
There are also flights from Sharjah via Al Mukalla .
Get around
There is a public bus from the airport to Hadibo and from Hadibo to Qalansia .
Beside these two buses , there is no public transport , but car rental with driver is available .
There is a lot of walking and hiking along with camel back rides available .
See
Socotra is considered the jewel of biodiversity in the Arabian Sea .
Although the region is small , it is characterized by unique land and marine biodiversity .
The interior of the island is dominated by the beautiful and green Hagghier mountains and limestone plateau .
While on the outer coastline , breathtaking natural beaches have pure white sand dunes and palm trees .
Socotra Island is very rich and is home to many rare spectacular species of reefs , fish , birds , plants , and trees which are not found anywhere else in the world .
The limestone plateau and the Hagghier Mountains are the richest areas for endemic plant species , but endemics are found throughout the island in every type of vegetation .
One of the most famous plants is the dragon 's blood tree “ dracaena cinnabara ” which exists only on Socotra and nowhere else on the Earth .
The tree got its name because if any damage is made to the bark then a dark red liquid oozes out .
The dragon 's blood tree thrives in Socotra 's arid climate
There is also the Desert Rose ( adenium obesium ) which looks like a blooming elephant leg .
Also found in Socotra 's landscape is the ever-strange and extremely rare Cucumber Tree .
In addition there are over 120 species of birds and about 190 species of butterflies .
There is so much beauty all around the island , it is difficult not the appreciate to magnificent scenery and wildlife .
Tulsa
Tulsa is in the Green Country region of Oklahoma .
It is also called “ T-town ” by the locals and has been called the " Oil Capital of the World " .
The city had about 391,000 people and the metro area had about 937,000 people as of 2010 from the US Census Bureau .
The Tulsa Bartlesville Combined area had 988,000 in the 2010 census .
Understand
Tulsa lies in northeastern Oklahoma , at the convergence of the Great Plains and the Ozark Plateau , and receives an average of 40 inches of precipitation each year , both of which account for its abundant beautiful rolling green terrain .
As a result , Tulsa breaks the Oklahoma stereotype of being nothing but a flat , arid dust bowl .
Summers can be very warm and with the cold wind across the plains it can get very cold in the winter , but it does not last long .
The winters are considered to be very mild .
There is not much snow , just a few inches each year , typically , although in 2007 and again in 2008 there were rather large " ice storms " .
Tulsa has over 225 days of sunshine annually .
In Tulsa you will find old west charm as well as a cosmopolitan atmosphere .
You will find the people of Tulsa love their city and they have that southern charm , so they are willing to help you find your way around .
Tulsa has one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco in the nation , having been a booming city during the 1920s when the architecture was first built by rich oil barons who built stately mansions and turned the Downtown area into a treasure trove of art .
Get in
By plane
Tulsa International Airport ( IATA : TUL ) in the northern part of Tulsa .
It has major airlines with direct flights to major cities in the U.S.
It is a small but nice airport with sofas and chairs all around and a very laid-back feel .
The car rental area and parking is well integrated .
The airport offers free short term parking ( first half-hour free ) .
Richard L. Jones , Jr. Airport ( IATA : RVS ) ( often called the " Riverside Airport " ) is south of downtown and is a general aviation airport .
By train
There is no passenger train service to Tulsa .
By car
Most Tulsans drive almost everywhere , although bus , bike , and pedestrian routes are starting to catch on .
From the North / Kansas - US-75 South from Bartlesville , OK , or US-169 South from Coffeyville , KS .
From the Northeast / Missouri - I-44 West , aka the " Will Rogers Turnpike . "
The world 's former largest McDonalds spans the roadway near Vinita , OK .
From the East / Arkansas - US-412 West , aka the " Cherokee Turnpike . "
From the Southeast / Arkansas - The " Muskogee Turnpike . "
From the South - US-75 from Okmulgee , OK , aka the " Okmulgee Beeline . "
From the Southwest / Oklahoma City - I-44 East , aka the " Turner Turnpike . "
From the West - US-412 East , aka the " Cimarron Turnpike . "
For the slow scenic route from Northeast or Southwest come in on old Route 66 .
By bus
Greyhound Bus Lines +1918584-4428 , 317 S Detroit Ave. ( downtown ) .
Get around
Thanks to urban planning , the major city streets are placed in a grid layout .
Almost all major intersections are one mile from each other , and exactly in a straight line .
That makes it much easier to find places than in cities where streets go every which way .
The major exception is downtown , which is slanted at almost a 45 degree angle to the rest of the grid .
By car
Several freeways and bypasses can be used to easily get around the Tulsa Metro area : I-244 , I-44 , US 169 ( Mingo Valley Expressway , aka " Pearl Harbor Memorial Expressway " ) , US 75 , Hwy 51 ( Broken Arrow Expressway , The " B.A. " ) , Creek Turnpike .
The streets and avenues are planned on a 1 mile by 1 mile grid system , with the main arterials running on each mile .
In the core of the city , named avenues run north / south and are named after US cities , generally in repeating alphabetical order ( for example , Winston - Yale - Allegheny - Braden ) .
In the mid-town area the names are taken from colleges and college towns .
North / South is divided by Admiral Blvd .
Name streets East of Main are cities east of the Mississippi River , vice versa for name streets west of Main .
In the parts of the city farther from downtown , north-south streets are numbered .
It is important to recognize that the specific format of the north-south numbered street names is North / South 145th East / West Avenue .
Numbered streets run East / West with Main Street and the Arkansas River as the dividing line .
Watch out for Place , Street , Avenue designation , e.g. 47th Place , 47th Street , or Florence Place , Florence Avenue .
It is important to recognize that the specific format of the east-west numbered street names is West / East 71st Street North / South .
In some parts of the city , numbered streets intersect , so the distinction is important .
Although rare , one east-west numbered street may even intersect with a street of the same number running north-south .
Downtown streets were originally platted parallel to the Frisco railroad tracks .
When Tulsa expanded beyond the bounds of its original plat , the expanded areas were platted in alignment with the points of the compass .
Thus the " twisted " area down-town represents the original extent of Tulsa ca 1907 .
By bus
Tulsa Transit provides bus service for the Tulsa Metro area .
Cities served are Tulsa , Sand Springs , Sapulpa , Jenks , and Broken Arrow .
The central station is at 319 S. Denver ( downtown ) .
They do not run that often , especially to the outer towns like Broken Arrow .
Unlike major cities in the Northeast , the city bus is not a major form of transportation in the city .
It is usually a means of travel for those who are without their own motor vehicle .
By bicycle
Tulsa has an extensive interconnected paved bike trail system .
Rivertrail follows the Arkansas River from downtown Tulsa south to the suburbs .
The Katy Trail runs west to Sand Springs .
The Osage Trail is a rails-to-trails route that begins at the OSU-Tulsa campus and travels north 15 miles to Skiatook .
The Creek Trail connects Rivertrail and continues east through Broken Arrow to the NSU-Broken Arrow campus .
Riders accustomed to flat terrain may find Tulsa 's rolling land to be a bit more challenging , particularly during the heat of summer .
If you are looking for a good workout , the Creek Turnpike Trail follows the land 's original contours .
Rivertrail is probably be best choice for the rider seeking an easy route .
Four bike loan depots , located along Rivertrail , allow riders to borrow a bike for free for up to twenty-four hours .
Tulsa has an active bicycling community .
York
York is an ancient cathedral city with a history that dates back to before Roman times .
It is situated in Yorkshire , North Yorkshire , England with some of the best preserved historical buildings and structures in Europe .
As of the 2001 census , the population of York was 181,000 .
York is frequently ranked ( often vying with Manchester ) the second most visited city in England after London .
York Minster
Understand
York was known as Eboracum by the Romans , who founded the fortress city on the River Ouse in the year 71 .
York was home first to the Ninth Legion and later the Sixth .
York quickly became one of the most important cities in Roman Britain , and after 211 became the capital of the province Britannia Inferior .
Constantine the Great - later responsible for making Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire - was first proclaimed Emperor in the city .
Captured by the Vikings 866 , the city quickly took on a new identity as Jorvik ( pronounced " Yor-vik " ) and experienced a major urban revival as a centre of Viking trade and settlement in northern England .
The Coppergate excavations of the 1970s revealed much of this Viking past .
York is a fairly small city - four days is enough to see the major sights although York is a city that reveals its charms to explorers with curiosity and patience .
York is known as England 's " City of Festivals " as there are regular cultural festivals every year .
The official festivals are the Viking Festival , the Festival of Angels , Early Music , Late Music , Horse Racing ( the " Ebor Race Meeting " ) , Multicultural Food and Arts , Chinese New Year , Mystery Plays , Christmas St Nicholas ' Fair , and the Food and Drink Festival .
It 's a romantic city for a weekend break .
York is full of magic and a wonderful place to bring children !
Get in
Most travellers will arrive in York by road ( car or bus ) or rail from other parts of the UK or an airport .
By car
Although York is not directly on any of the main north-south motorways , the connections are reasonably good .
From the south , the quickest route is probably to take the M1 northbound to junction 32 , then the M18 eastbound to junction 2 , the A1M northbound to junction 44 and finally the A64 eastbound to the York Outer Ring Road ( A1237 ) .
Alternatively , you can take the M1 all the way to the A64 , but the upper reaches of the M1 around Sheffield and Leeds can get very congested , especially in the rush hours .
From the west , the A59 and the M62 provide connections from Liverpool and Manchester , and from the north the A1 and the A19 link York with Tyneside , Northumberland and south-eastern Scotland .
Driving into the city centre itself is something to avoid .
Traffic congestion on the main arterial roads serving the city ( especially the A19 on Bootham and the Inner Ring Road ) can get very bad , especially during the rush hours and on Saturday mornings .
The remodelling of some roads near bottleneck junctions to accommodate bicycle lanes has made traffic jams even worse still in recent years , and parking in the city centre is very expensive .
If you are just visiting York for the day , using a Park and Ride [ 1 ] costs a lot less than trying to park in or near the city centre , and there are five sites dotted around the Outer Ring Road .
However , the last buses from the city centre leave at around 8 pm in the evenings and you are not allowed to leave your car in a Park and Ride overnight .
Therefore , if you are staying overnight in York and arriving by car , make sure that your hotel offers parking before you book .
If you are only visiting for the day but staying until late evening , you will need to use a city centre car park .
How to Detect Arrogant People
Do you always seem to cross paths with people who are stuck on themselves , intolerant of people different from them , rude or downright arrogant ?
These people can be a great source of potential pain , and this article is here to help you sort the arrogant from the not-so-arrogant .
Steps
Pay attention to their conversations .
Do n't eavesdrop , but when they 're talking to you or to those around you , listen to them .
Is it always about them ?
Do they get mad or irritated if the centre of attention moves to someone else ?
These are good signs of arrogance .
Arrogance and smugness is often a reflection of limited life experience , and feeling concerned that those with greater life experience " have got something over them " .
Rather than seeking to find out more through questions and learning ( actions viewed by them as showing vulnerability ) , arrogant people tend to generalize from their limited , narrow life experiences and try to impose their small worldview on others .
Jealousy of your achievements or seeming lifestyle can cause another person to feel smug or arrogant about something they think they do better than you or own / have that you do n't .
Arrogant people have an extremely strong need to look good .
When you make them look bad - even if it is the slightest offense - they will usually be very mad at you .
This happens when you question ( or at least seem to question ) their appearance , intelligence , athletic abilities , or anything else relating to their self-image .
Challenge their worldview .
Do n't be aggressive –– just skeptical and curious .
If they get upset , gauge their anger .
If it 's minimal , they may be simply having a bad day .
But if they 're enraged , then they may see you as questioning their ' perfect little world . '
And having one of those is usually indicative of arrogance .
At some point or another , most people realize that the world does n't revolve around them .
Arrogant people counteract this by creating an atmosphere that revolves around them , and get angry if they 're reminded of the real world .
Ambiguity frightens arrogant people because it suggests imperfection , change and lack of certainty ( realities we all must contend with as best we can ) .
As such , instead of accepting that the world behaves randomly and at times totally averse to one 's preferences , the arrogant person seeks to control everything and everyone , which of course , is an impossible mission .
Reality hurts when it intrudes ; as such , an arrogant person is less likely than other people to self-reflect or analyse , thereby not seeing their own imperfections .
They may also give themselves undue credit for positive achievements instead of acknowledging the input of others or of circumstances .
Learn the quality of their friendships .
Do n't be nosy or gossipy , but if they are happy with someone one day and hateful with them the next , that 's a sign of them having a lot of fair weather friends .
That 's a sign of arrogance , since it is very hard to be a truly good friend to someone who 's stuck on themselves .
Prideful people have a strong need to look good , and being self-sufficient is an effective way to do that .
Since being a good friend to someone usually means helping them , they often ca n't stand the thought of a good friendship .
Ironically , arrogant people often ca n't understand why they do n't have any reliable and supportive friends .
How do they treat those not like themselves ?
In other words , how do they treat those with different beliefs , cultural backgrounds and ways of seeing the world ?
If it 's inherently negative , then they 're either over-zealous , ignorant of other people or what to avoid those that contradict their fantasy land that caters to them and them only .
Determine this based on their general personality and the people they 're interacting with .
Many times prideful people have a serious ' my-way's-the-only-way ' attitude .
This is simply a protective mechanism for their false image or their fantasy land .
What 's their personality like ?
Take note of how they act , talk , and use their social status .
Do they have a general sense of ' coolness ? '
Are they a chatterbox ?
Do they act like they own the place , or act like the ' big dog ? '
Are they very keen on their self-image ?
Many arrogant people have a false charm that no one seems to see through .
But the arrogant person is usually more than happy to show their cruel side to those that they do n't like .
When they are cruel , their friends will usually ignore it or not do anything to stop it since they 're afraid that they 'll be treated badly by their ' friend . '
Mention people you know that they do n't like .
This is n't meant to begin a conflict , but to gauge their rivalries , annoyances and enmities .
If their condemnation seems to be reasonable , they probably are n't hubristic .
If it 's harsh , they are .
For the most part , arrogant people see people that they do n't like as threats to their perfect little world .
The more they hate someone , the more dangerous that person is to their fantasy land .
And in turn , the bigger the threat , the harsher the criticism .
Ask around to see what they 've been saying about you .
If they have been saying bad things about you , they may simply not like you .
If they 're nice to your face , but talk bad about you behind your back like it 's their favourite hobby , then they probably have a problem with pride .
Arrogant people often subconsciously know that they do n't have any good friends .
They compensate for this by creating the impression that they have a lot of friends - they have a ' quantity , not quality ' mentality .
Then they simply insult their trophy friends when they are n't looking .
How to Ballet Dance
Ballet began in royal courts in the early 1600's , and early forms of this elegant and sophisticated art involved long skirts and wooden clogs .
Dancing ballet is extremely popular throughout the world , and studying ballet can help develop strong bodies , spatial and temporal awareness , and improve coordination .
People who study ballet also retain flexibility throughout their adult lives , making this technique the basis of training for all types of dance .
While dancing ballet takes dedication and requires serious training , you can learn the basics to prepare yourself for further study .
Learn to get ready for practicing , the basic positions , and some of the first techniques you 're likely to encounter in ballet .
Part 1 Getting Ready to Dance
Stretch your muscles thoroughly .
Stretching is important to loosen muscles , strengthen muscles and to elongate your posture .
It is vital that it is done at the beginning of each ballet session , including before a performance .
When taking on ballet , it is important to stretch daily for at least 15 - 30 minutes , to give the muscles ample opportunity to warm up , reducing the risk of injury .
You should also stretch to " wind down " at the end of ballet dancing .
Always wear ballet slippers .
Properly-fitted ballet shoes should be snug , but not so tight they cut off blood flow and create numbness in the feet .
There are different styles and types of shoes , so ask your ballet teacher or a salesman at the store for advice , given your intentions for dancing .
Do n't buy shoes to grow into , because your feet will seem flexed when you pointe and will look flat .
You should fit them to where the drawstring is tied slightly loose .
If your drawstring is longer than your pinkie then you should cut it off till it is roughly the size of your fingernail .
The drawstring just completes the fit .
It is n't made to tighten overly large shoes .
If you ca n't buy ballet shoes , that it is okay .
Use socks without the stickies on the bottom , so you can turn !
Wear comfortable and snug-fitting athletic clothes .
The most important thing is that you are comfortable , and that you 're not wearing baggy or loose fitting clothing so you can make sure you 're forming and moving correctly in the mirror .
A plain black leotard and pink tights are usually a safe bet .
Pink or black ballet slippers are also appropriate .
If you 're signed up for a class , check with your instructor to find out if there is a dress code at the school .
Some schools may have students wear the same thing and others may just require any type of leotard and tights and sometimes ballet skirts .
Mostly they require tight fitting clothing so they can see that your muscles are working properly and so on .
Find an appropriate space to practice .
Ballet is less about learning the moves and more about perfecting them .
The moves themselves are relatively straightforward , but the positing , the timing , and the elegance required takes a lifetime of practice .
For this reason , it 's always better to practice ballet in a ballet studio under the guidance of a good instructor , who will be able to correct your positioning and make sure that you 're dancing properly .
A dancing studio is equipped with mirrors for correcting your positioning and seeing what you 're doing accurately , and a barre for practicing . [ 1 ]
If you want to practice at home , make sure you 've got enough open space to move freely , preferably on a hard wood floor .
The back of a chair can replace the need for a bar .
Position a large mirror so you can check your positioning and see what you 're doing .
How to Grow Basil
Three Methods : Starting Seeds Caring for Basil Harvesting and Using Basil
Basil is easy to grow , and transforms ordinary meals into culinary treasures !
Fresh basil not only tastes better than dried , it actually tastes different , almost as if it were not the same herb .
This article outlines how to plant and harvest basil .
Method 1 of 3 : Starting Seeds
1 Choose the kind of basil you wish to grow .
Basil comes in many different varieties , each of which have a unique flavor and smell .
Read up on different types of basil and pick out one - or several - that appeal to you , then order the seeds or buy them at a garden store .
Here are a few ideas :
Cinnamon basil really does smell like the sweet spice , and it also has unusually beautiful and fragrant flowers .
Lemon basil actually contains citral , an aromatic compound found in citrus fruit , and smells very lemony .
Purple basil is often grown for decoration , as well as its scent and flowers .
There are perennial basils which come back year after year , like African Blue Basil ( which has pretty blue veins on its leaves ) and Thai Basil , while most other varieties are annuals , which you 'll have to plant year after year .
Globe and Greek basil are much more difficult to grow , but form pretty little bushes which stay well-contained .
2 Start seed indoors four to six weeks before last frost .
Basil needs warm air and sun to do well , so it 's often easiest to start the seeds indoors instead of risking that they 'll get damaged by frost .
If you live in a hot climate , you can start the seeds outside instead .
To figure out when the last frost will be , consult an almanac or talk with other gardeners in your area .
3 Prepare seed containers .
Fill flats or individual seed containers with a mixture of equal parts perlite , vermiculite , and peat .
Press the mixture slightly to eliminate air pockets .
Dampen the mixture with water so it 's ready to provide the right environment for the basil seeds to germinate .
4 Plant the seeds .
Drop one to two seeds into each container .
Cover them lightly with soil .
Cover containers with clear plastic kitchen wrap , so they stay moist .
Leave the containers in a sunny window .
Twice daily , remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the containers with more water .
5 Remove the plastic wrap when the sprouts emerge .
When you see the first green tendrils push up through the soil , it 's time to remove the plastic wrap .
Keep watering the sprouts twice daily , never letting the soil dry out .
When the plants become a few inches tall and their leaves mature , it 's time to transplant them to a larger container .
Method 2 of 3 : Caring for Basil
1 Transplant the basil plants .
Once two sets of leaves have formed , basil can be planted into the garden or permanent containers .
Basil does not tolerate frost so do n't plant too early .
It 's best to put basil somewhere where it will get a good deal of sunshine and have well-drained soil .
To plant the basil in the garden , dig holes spaced at least 6 inches apart .
Place the roots in the holes and place soil around the stems .
Pat down soil around the plants to eliminate air pockets .
If you want to plant the basil in a container , make sure it 's large enough to accommodate the number of plants you 're growing ;
they need to be planted 6 inches apart , since they grow quite large .
2 Keep the soil damp , but not soaked .
Basil does best in well-drained soil , and should not be subjected to standing water .
Water the mature basil plants once a day , in the morning , so the water has time to soak in and evaporate rather than sitting on the plants overnight .
3 Pinch off flower heads .
When you see flower buds , pinch them and two pairs of leaves under them off .
Flowers blooming create a hormone change which dramatically reduces the flavor of the leaves , as well as reducing the amount of foliage which grows .
This is called " bolting " and is more likely to happen when there 's extra sunshine .
You 'll notice that if you leave the flowers , the plant will become lanky and the leaves wo n't be as full or tasty .
4 Watch for pests and mold .
Basil plants are attractive to Japanese beetles
the best way to control these pests is to pick them off the plants by hand .
If your plants show signs of mold growth , they may not be getting adequate sunlight , or they may be too close together .
Weed out the smaller plants to give the larger ones more space .
Method 3 of 3 : Harvesting and Using Basil
1 Harvest and prune .
As the plant matures , pinch off the top two pairs of leaves once a stalk reaches a reasonable height .
If you look closely , at the base of every leaf are two tiny little leaves that will grow outwards if the stem growing between them is cut off .
Cut close to those tiny leaves , but be sure not to damage them .
Pinching encourages the plant 's energy to be directed into its stronger stems and leaves .
This helps the plants grow bushy .
Do n't pinch on the lower part of the stem , or the basil plants will grow tall and reedy .
You want them to get bushy , so pinch from the top .
2 Enjoy the basil fresh .
Rinse off the leaves and use the basil to make pesto or a Caprese salad with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese .
3 Store the basil in the refrigerator .
You 'll probably have more basil than you could possibly eat fresh , so plan on storing some in the fridge .
Wash the leaves , dry them well , and wrap them in paper towels .
Place them in a food storage container with an airtight lid .
4 Freeze the basil .
Freezing the leaves whole does n't work very well , but if you puree it first you can freeze it for months .
Place the basil in a blender with a little water .
Puree it until smooth , then put it in a food storage bag and freeze until you need it .
How to Hypnotize a Chicken
Anyone who 's spent a lot of time on a farm with chickens is probably familiar with this trick .
Those who 've never heard of this will be amazed to see a chicken lie perfectly still after these instructions are followed .
Biologists think that fear causes this " hypnosis , " which may be an attempt to " play dead " to fool predators .
Method One of Two : Hypnotizing a Chicken
Hold the chicken down on a flat surface .
Hold the chicken with one hand supporting the breast .
Place it down so that its breast is carrying its weight and rests on the ground .
Continue to hold its feet so the grand experiment can continue .
You can place the chicken on its breast instead .
Press gently down on its back , and gently move its legs back if it tries to stand up .
Wiggle your finger .
Hold the bird down gently with one hand .
Put one finger on your other hand just in front of its beak tip , without touching it .
Move the finger backward to about 4 inches ( 10 cm ) away , then back again .
Repeat until the chicken stops moving or squawking .
Let go of its legs .
The chicken should be " hypnotized " and cease to struggle .
It will lie there for anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes .
Draw a line in front of its beak instead .
If the chicken was n't hypnotized , try this alternative .
Using chalk , a stick , or your finger , draw a line on the ground 12 " ( 30 cm ) long .
Start near the chicken 's beak and draw the line slowly outward , in front of its head .
Wake it up by clapping .
Be nice to your feathered friend and let it get back to its business .
Clap your hands or give it a gentle shove until it jumps up and walks away .
Method Two of Two : Reducing Stress in the Chicken
Understand the hypnotic effect .
Researchers call this effect " tonic immobility " .

This may be an attempt to play dead , discouraging predators that prefer live prey .
Unlike an opossum , the chicken gives an unconvincing act , as it continues to blink and breathe in an obvious way . "
Keep the chicken upright or on its side .
While it 's not uncommon to transport a chicken by its feet , this upside-down hold risks breaking the chicken 's hip .
Hypnosis techniques that involve laying a chicken on its back may " succeed " by cutting off its air supply .
This can cause the chicken significant discomfort , leading to fainting or even , rarely , death .
Keep hypnosis short and infrequent .
It 's not completely clear how much stress this hypnosis causes .
Even if it does , the chicken should n't suffer as long as you let it go soon afterward .
Hours of stress , or regular exposure to stressful situations , can cause serious health problems .
Get your chickens used to humans and novelty .
Even prolonged eye contact seems to have an effect .
Living in stimulating environments with new objects may also help .
Hens raise in battery cages stay " hypnotized " longer , possibly because of greater fear .
Watch for signs of stress .
Abnormal feathering , constant preening , or delays in egg-laying are all signs of a stressed chicken .
While hypnotizing is unlikely to cause serious harm , any type of stress is more damaging to a chicken in this state .
How to Annoy People in Elevators
An elevator is almost the perfect environment to be a prankster .
It ’s easy to annoy people when you are cramped in such a small , tight space .
Because elevator rides usually last less than a minute , make sure your pranks are quick and have a lot of punch .
When annoying people on an elevator , keep your pranks lighthearted and fun as opposed to mean-spirited so that everyone leaving the elevator will have a pleasant story to tell .
Method 1 Using the Elevator to Annoy People
Push all the buttons .
When you get into the elevator , push the button for every floor .
This makes everyone ’s ride on the elevator longer , if only for a few seconds .
If you want to take it a step further , look around questioningly at everyone in the elevator when no one gets off at the floors you pushed . [ 1 ]
When someone comes in , say , " I 've got this , " before you push all of the buttons .
You can also push all the buttons as you reach the floor you are getting off at .
If someone asks you why you pushed all the buttons , you can honestly say , " It was just a joke ! "
Make a dinging noise at each floor .
Every time the elevator reaches a new floor , say “ ding ! ” very loudly .
You can even sing the word “ ding ” on each floor like notes in a scale , getting higher as you reach each new floor . [ 2 ]
You can make other noises if you prefer , such as a bird cawing or an explosion sound every time a button is pushed .
Talk to your reflection in the mirror .
Many elevators have mirrors on the walls .
A great way to be mischievous in an elevator is to carry on a running commentary while you look at yourself in the mirror .
You could look at yourself , turning to catch different angles and say “ All right , all right , now we ’re talking , ” very loudly .
You could also keep adjusting your shirt or your hair , keeping a running dialogue about what look is best for you .
Stand in the corner of the elevator facing the wall .
Do n't say anything the whole ride .
Dance to the elevator music .
Many elevators play music in the background , usually soft rock or smooth jazz .
If you ’re in an elevator that is playing music , start to dance .
Start just bobbing your head and tapping your feet , and then get your whole body into it .
Take up as much space as you can to dance until everyone is staring at you . [ 3 ]
Announce every floor .
At every floor , make a loud announcement telling everyone the floor number .
Say something like “ Everyone going to floor ten , get off now ! No time to dilly dally ! ” [ 4 ]
You can also pretend to conduct people onto the elevator , saying “ All aboard the elevator train ! ”
Exclaim that you 've lost a beast .
When the elevator is going from the bottom floor to the top , as soon as the doors close , exclaim that you lost your tarantula / snake / scorpion but confirm that it is somewhere in the elevator .
Most people will probably see that this is a joke .
However , if somebody looks seriously alarmed or is starting to panic , let them know that you were not being serious .
Build in or add something to the elevator .
For example , build a Lego city in the middle of the elevator .
Lay a Twister mat on the floor and ask people if they want to play .
Talk to people .
When there are a lot of people , say , " You 're probably wondering why I 've gathered you here today . "
How to Flirt Through Instant Messaging
So you want to flirt with a guy or gal on MSN , AIM , Facebook Chat , or any other instant messaging service and you do n't want to look like a creep ?
Congratulations — by seeking help , you 've already demonstrated more self-awareness than the vast majority of online flirts .
See Step 1 below to start flirting smartly and respectfully .
Part 1 of 2 : Flirting Dos
Start the conversation casually .
As in the real world , the first step to flirting is to get over your cold feet and jump right in !
Text the other person a brief message asking them about their day , asking them a specific question about work or school , or simply saying " Hi ! " .
The hardest part of flirting is to break through your initial reluctance , so if you 're having a hard time taking the plunge , just remind yourself that no matter how badly it goes , it 'll be less stressful than an equivalent real-world encounter .
There 's no reason to be nervous when it comes to IM flirting —
if the person you want to talk to does n't want to talk to you , s/he always has the option of simply not responding to your message , as , from your point of view , this is indistinguishable from him or her simply being away from the computer .
This being said , if you barely know someone , it can be a good idea to have an excuse for starting a conversation to avoid awkwardness .
Asking for help with a work or school-related problem is almost always a good bet , as is asking a question about something striking about the person .
For instance , if the person has a band-related username , you might say : " Hey , cool name . Did you see those guys when they last came to town ? "
Start small talk .
After your initial greeting and exchange of pleasantries , you 'll probably want to ask how the person 's doing ( just like you might in the real world ) .
Ask him or her about work or school , his / her interests , or any recent trips , for instance .
Rather than asking a question , you can also simply offer your comments on these things .
When s/he responds , add your own comments or ask follow-up questions and proceed from there !
Do n't pry into his or her personal life — keep things light , fun , and focused on worry-free subjects .
Do n't dwell too long on small talk .
A minute or two is great for breaking the ice , but much more can get boring fast .
For example , after we 've opened up by asking about this person 's interest in the band in his / her username , it 's logical and reasonable to ask about this person 's musical likes and dislikes .
You can even offer your own opinions and suggestions .
For instance , you might say something like : " If you like those guys , you might want to check out this band called Manic Albatross - they 're like the Beatles , only darker . What sorts of other bands do you like ? "
Joke .
Everyone likes a good sense of humor .
In the immortal words of Marilyn Monroe , " If you can make a woman laugh , you can make her do anything " ( do n't worry , ladies — the same is true for men ! )
Try to be playful and even slightly sarcastic as you respond to the statements of the person you 're talking to .
For instance , if you 're asked what you 're up to , rather than saying , " looking for people to hit on on Facebook " you might find that it 's a better idea to give a sarcastic answer like " writing the great American novel " or " drowning my sorrows " .
These responses have the added benefit of being natural launching points for conversations about your hobbies , like the writing you 're doing on the side and the great bourbon you tasted the other day .
In our example conversation , you might work a joke or two into your music-related small talk .
For instance , you might say something like , " I do n't know why every song on the radio nowadays has a Texas Flynn feature . Does he even have time to record between rehab stints ? "
Part 2 of 2 : Flirting Don'ts
Do n't be too self-deprecating .
Simply put , confidence is sexy .
This is more true for real-life situations than it is online , but this mantra has some truth in the world of IM flirting as well .
For instance , you 'll want to avoid making lots of jokes at your own expense .
Just one is plenty — it should n't be a recurring theme throughout your conversation .
Doing this too often can quickly turn an otherwise flirtatious conversation into one in which you appear needy and self-loathing .
On the other hand , this is n't to say that you should necessarily make jokes at other people 's expense , as this can make you seem mean and petty .
Any sort of pointed or caustic remarks about yourself or someone else do n't have a place in flirtatious conversations .
Do n't be too sappy .
People like flirting to be fun .
For most people , receiving compliments is only fun up to a point — getting more than one or two can make someone feel embarrassed and self-conscious .
It can also make him or her question your motives , leading the person to believe that you may be trying to get something out of him or her .
Besides , the wooing power of flowery , gushing compliments is diminished ( to say the least ) when the compliments are displayed in a tiny box at the bottom of the screen alongside cartoon smiley faces .
Instead of relying too heavily on compliments , instead , focus on having an engaging , genuine conversation .
Follow the mantra " show , do n't tell . "
In other words , show that you 're attracted to this person by giving him or her a great conversation , not by stating it outright .
How to Make a Glowstick
Those glowing Mountain Dew videos with peroxide and baking soda are all hoaxes .
To truly make a glowstick without breaking an already-made glowstick and shoving its contents into a tube ( also known as cheating ) , you 've gotta let your inner scientist out ( along with a few dollars ) .
If you 're still curious , read on .
This is fun for anyone and everyone .
Method One of Two : Using Luminol
Put on protective glasses .
In addition , wear gloves to protect your skin .
It 's also a good idea to not wear your Sunday best .
Throw on some old clothes or put a smock over clothes you want protected .
Some of this stuff is dangerous -- this experiment is not meant for children !
Listen up , kids : You 'll be working with a solution that 's near a 12 on the pH scale .
That basically means do n't swallow it , do n't put it in your eyes , do n't bathe in it , and do n't really expose yourself to it directly at all .
Got it ?
Moving on .
Combine 50 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide and a liter of distilled water in a mixing bowl .
A ceramic bowl will work best , but plastic works too .
Use funnels , measuring tubes , and basters to keep everything well-measured and well away from you .
Hydrogen peroxide is used to replace the luminol 's nitrogen atoms with oxygen .
When that happens , all the substances create a rave and start partying and electrons fly everywhere and what results ?
The glow .
Mix .2 grams of luminol , 4 grams of sodium carbonate , .4 grams of copper sulfate , .5 grams of ammonium carbonate and 1 liter ( 0.3 US gal ) of distilled water in a second bowl .
It is important not to touch the luminol .
Use a funnel to make everything safe and easy .
Unfortunately , these hazardous chemicals will not float freely in mid-air like this graphic suggests .
Yep , unless you 're a coroner or some sort of crazy spy / criminologist you probably do n't have this stuff lying around the house ( hopefully not ... ) .
If you 're dead set on starting your own glowstick business ( worse ideas exist ) , try websites like Alfa Aesar [ 1 ] or Sigma Aldrich [ 2 ] for supplies .
Mix everything well .
Do n't use your hands -- use a metal or plastic utensil of some sort .
Clean the containers and dry them thoroughly .
It 's important to use sanitary , clean tubes for your glowsticks .
The last thing you want is other substances interacting with the reactions you 're depending on to make the substances glow .
Set the correct lid next to each container .
This enables you to seal the containers quickly after filling .
It 's not like the glow will get up and run away from you , but still .
Combine equal amounts of the first and second solution in the container and close the bottles .
Shake them up once the lids are on tightly .
Then turn off the lights !
If it 's not already glowing , something went wrong .
Do over !
Watch as the chemical compound creates a colorful glow .
Take your glowsticks to the party and charge your friends loads of money for them !
But act quickly ...
the glow wo n't last very long .
Expectations crushed ?
Method two to the rescue !
The reaction that the luminol and hydrogen peroxide creates does n't last long at all -- maybe a couple of minutes .
For something that lasts hours , go to the next method ( which is a lot easier to facilitate if you have access to a laboratory , but it 's still worth mentioning ) .
Method 2 of 2 : Using Grammar
Name your language .
This is the most fundamental property in all languages .
You have many names to choose from .
You can even use a made up word from your made up language like ' Victory ' or ' Great Language ' .
The choice is all yours .
Start off with the highly frequently used words such as ' and ' or ' I ' or ' one ' or ' the ' .
It is recommend that you use short words since they are commonly used .
An example would be ' ant ' for and or ' es ' or even ' loo ' for the word ' and ' .
Start thinking about the grammar rules .
For example if the word Bird is ' Vogelaviatiolap ' then why not make the word Birds ' Vogelaviatiolaps ' since the suffix ' s ' is added at the end for most languages at plurals .
If you want to add complication , you can add genders like most European languages like French and German .
For example , if you want the word ' horse ' to be a boy , you may want ' the horse ' to be ' Mat Fereder ' , but a ' cat ' to be a girl , you may want , ' the cat ' to be ' Fet Kamaow ' .
Consider basing your language on an existing language .
For example , in my made up language , ' Vogelaviatiolap ' means Bird .
If you have n't guessed , it comes from the following :
' Vogel ' comes from German , which means bird
' aviatio ' comes from English .
It 's uncompleted though , because the word is part of the term ' aviation '
' lap ' comes from Onomatopoeia .
It 's a completed term , but it is supposed to come from ' Flap ! '
Consider basing some of your words from other words you have invented .
For example , if you invented the word ' China ' as ' Khinssa ' , ' Drink ' as ' Bever ' , and the word ' Accident ' as ' Casnondelibreaten ' , why not make the word ' tea ' as ' Khincasnonbever ' or ' Bevernondelibreatekin ' or even ' Khinssacasnondelibreatenibever ' !
Get inspiration from existing alphabets and words .
Why not add some non Latin Characters such as ß ?
You can even make the whole language not based on the Latin Alphabet at all like Chinese !
You can even take some words of languages , altering them or not .
You can make the word ' pen ' as ' penn ' or even ' pen ' .
Using the dictionary can ensure you not missing a single word .
Keep track of all your
Remember to write down your creations !
Use your language .
Get used to using it yourself , and spread it to others .
Once you feel confident about your language , experiment and expand :
Grab a book / novel and translate it to your own language .
Teach your friends this new language .
As soon as your friends understand your language , communicate to them with it .
Be fluent in your own made up language and start spreading this to your friends , family and strangers !
Write your own poem / novel / story with your own made up language .
If you 're really ambitious , set a goal of helping others become fluent in the language .
One day , maybe you can make it the official language of a country !
Tips
Make sure that it is a language that while speaking , you do n't get a literal knot in your tongue !
Remember you should know how to write it .
For example we write it from left to right , in Arabic it 's right to left , Chinese is in columns , and so on .
Make sure that you and your friend(s) all follow a systematic language system .
In other words , make sure that you follow the same guidelines .
Do n't use random letters .
It should make some sense , so that it will be easier to learn and speak with [ Example : Do n't use oh as e , hello as llo , and See ya as c yah ) .
Make sure you practice saying and spelling out many basic words in your language , English examples : is , who , when , of , why , if , what , where , can , may , etc .
When starting off , follow closely to a language you like .
This will make grammar much easier to make .
You must avoid simply copying the grammar rules , however , as this would technically turn your language into a code .
Practice your language frequently so that you do n't forget it !
Do n't forget punctuation !
As a shortcut , and for a bit of interesting background , add connotation to various letters , preferably vowels .
To do this , think of various words that begin with / have a lot of a certain vowel .
For example : austere , acrimony , ebullient , embolden ; in this case , the vowel A might carry with it a negative meaning , whereas E would be positive .
Then , even if you forget your own words without the help of your dictionary , you could still make a good guess based on the composition of the letters .
Try not to make your words sound like utter and complete gibberish just add a little extra than our regular English language .
We do n't want a knot in your tongue after speaking to your friends .
Just put marks over the letters or make up something right on the spot , you might have to take some time on this !
Basing letters on objects ( pictographs ) is an easy way to start a writing system .
Try this with a group of friends .
It 's much more fun when there are other people that can understand your language .
Email or text your friends the language so that they wo n't be so confused .
When making a writing system , take a break about every five minutes and come back to it or all your letters will begin to look identical .
If you want to make other languages , you can use this language as a model and change some letters or sounds to create a different language .
This makes your first language a proto-language — a language that branches off into a family of languages .
How to Pack Your Possessions When Moving
Even if you ca n't wait to live in your new house , curb your enthusiasm and resist the urge to cram all your possessions any which way into boxes .
Steps
Pack one room at a time if possible , and start with items that are least often used .
Write down a list of everything you are packing , in particular if it 's valuable .
Books , CDs , expensive clothes .
Also , take note of which item is in which box .
Use sturdy boxes .
Fill the box to the brim and seal the lid .
That way , you can easily stack boxes on top of one another .
Tape the bottom of the box securely so that it does n't give way .
Never fill a box until it is so heavy that you ca n't lift it safely .
Spread the heavy items over a few boxes .
Balance boxes with lighter items like towels or soft toys .
Pack the lighter items on top .
Use bubble wrap or newspapers when packing fragile items .
However , newsprint may smudge so use newspaper selectively .
Clean paper can be purchased cheaply from moving supply stores .
Mark boxes .
Boxes should be marked " Fragile " and " This side up " to prevent mishandling .
Label each box clearly and which room it belongs to .
Write on the sides of the box as well .
Pack a separate box of essentials you may need for the first night at your new house .
Include items like toiletries , toilet paper , bottled water , snacks and a change of clothes in case you can not unpack everything in time .
Tips
Do n't label boxes with contents if the contents are valuable .
Instead of writing " Silver Service - Fragile " you should write something that makes it sound less theft inviting while showing the fragile nature of the contents .
Example : " Mom 's old dishes " instead of " Fine China "
Tape is cheap .
Use lots of it .
Close box bottoms well .
Get masking tape or packing tape and tape screws and other little things that came out of something back against it .
You 'll want to find the right screw reassemble something without having to pick it out of 100 others when you get there .
Do n't pack one box full of books or paperwork - you might not be able to carry it at all .
Fill it halfway with books , and fill it up with lighter stuff .
National superstores ( Walmart ) will let you walk the store for boxes when they are stocking the stores between 11 pm and 1 am .
You can find boxes of all sizes .
Cereal , diaper and houseware boxes are a good size and durable .
Just take a cart and roam the store .
They do check the cart as you leave so do n't try to sneak anything past them .
U-haul and other nation companies offer box buy back services .
If you buy too many boxes you can return the unused for a full refund .
These boxes are also quite sturdy so you can re-use them or stash in your attic until you move again .
Some national companies even offer free shipping and handling so you can have some delivered or go to the local location .
Fill empty spaces with additional paper .
Throw away or donate junk you do n't want to take to your new place .
Do n't pack it again ! ! !
Set aside an area of the house where you can put all the packed boxes .
Use a room that is n't used every day such as the formal dining or living room .
You wo n't be tripping over boxes and you can have a better idea of what you have and where things are .
Pack books and heavy items into smaller boxes .
Digital Photos - use your camera to document the contents of boxes .
How to Cope With a Double Parachute Failure
While skydiving , it is possible ( yet extremely unlikely ) that both your primary and reserve parachutes will malfunction , leaving you with no method of reducing your velocity .
In the vast majority of cases , this will not occur ;
nevertheless , in this event these coping strategies may assist .
Steps
Remain calm .
This may seem obvious , but deep , even breathing ( despite the rushing slipstream ) and controlling your heart-rate are essential to your continued survival .
Entreat assistance .
If both your primary and reserve chutes have malfunctioned , signal immediately to a fellow jumper who has not yet deployed their chute , waving your arms and signalling that your own is not functional .
If this is a solo jump , then skip to step 6 .
Prepare for deployment .
After linking arms with your fellow jumper , you will need to hook your arms through their chest strap , or through both sides of the front of their harness , as far as you can , then grab onto your own strap .
Deploy .
The shock of the chute deployment will be intense .
The G-forces will multiply your body weight , making it impossible to hold on ;
this is why hooking your arms through the harness is essential .
It is likely that the shock will dislocate or break both your arms ;
nevertheless this is a small price to pay for your life .
Prepare for impact .
If your companion 's canopy has successfully opened , then both your chances of survival have dramatically increased .
With a large and slow canopy , your chances are even better .
The canopy must be steered away from power lines and similar obstructions ;
try for a large body of water if you are confident your companion can save you from drowning .
Alternative : Lack of companions
If this is a solo jump , which constitutes the minority of skydivers , your only recourse is to ensure that at least one of your own chutes opens .
In this case , the excellent advice offered by your instructors on assisting chute opening may be of assistance to you .
If it becomes apparent that you cannot open either of your two parachutes , or that for some other reason they are fatally non-functional , then the following steps may be of some minor assistance .
Appeal .
If you are of a religious turn of mind , you may wish at this point to offer a prayer to a god , goddess , protective spirit or guardian angel .
St Jude , the patron saint of Lost Causes , comes to mind .
Objectively , this is not likely to help very much ; but it may improve your emotional state .
If you do not have any religious beliefs , or are for another reason unwilling to appeal to your patron deity , skip this step .
Contemplate .
As you approach the Earth at , or close to , terminal velocity , you may wish to contemplate your past existence , and the possibility of a future afterlife .
A strategy that might prove helpful is to consider how fortunate you are that life has been good to you so far .
Alternatively , if life has not been good to you so far , ( and considering your current situation this seems more likely ) consider how lucky you are that it will not be troubling you much longer .
Expect impact .
You are unlikely to have the time or ability to aim for a soft landing-spot , body of water , or other impact site that might improve your chances of survival .
There is a minuscule chance that your impact will result in non-life-threatening injuries ;
if this seems incredibly far-fetched , comfort yourself that double chute failure in modern times is also extremely unlikely , and that you have already beaten worse odds .
Tips
Your reserve chute should have been packed by a certified rigger and is moderately less likely to fail ;
therefore , it may be helpful to focus your efforts on opening your reserve parachute .
Some humans who have , for various reasons , become aware of their impending death , develop psychological coping strategies to deal with this ;
for instance , the Kubler-Ross phases of grief .
Since your own death approaches far more quickly , this is unlikely to be of any use to you .
Warnings
Water landings : if you have successfully attached to a companion whose chute opens , keep in mind that both your arms may be broken or dislocated , and you may be unable to swim or tread water before your chute fills and drags you under .
If , after total chute failure , you land on something soft , it is possible that instead of being killed outright , you may be permanently paralyzed due to spinal injury .
If you have a strong aversion to this outcome , aiming head-downward before impact in the manner of an Olympic diver may ensure the destruction of your cranium and your immediate demise .
How to Stop Procrastinating
If you 're a chronic procrastinator , you know the pain and stress that comes with putting things off .
Although you may have the desire to accomplish something , getting the motivation to do it is a different matter .
Fortunately , overcoming your procrastination is easy to do when you put your mind to it .
Side note : If you have anything due right now , and you have n't finished it , leave this article and complete that work .
Steps
Create a to-do list .
Yes , make yourself an old fashioned to-do list with check boxes and everything .
List everything , big and small , that you have to do for your entire day ; break big activities into smaller bits if necessary .
Then , as you work through your day , check off each of the items on your list .
You will feel a growing sense of pride as you visually monitor your ever-diminishing list of projects .
Focus your list on including the things you typically put off , not the things you are sure to do on a regular basis .
If necessary , set time-frames for your items to be done by .
For example , list “ take the dog for a walk by 12:30 ” rather than simply “ walk the dog . ”
Re-evaluate your list halfway through your day to rank your items based on highest priority .
Then , tackle the most important ones before looking back at the smaller things to do .
Keep a notebook by hand before you start your workday .
Write every thought down that comes up during work .
Every single to do or things you want to do at that specific moment .
Do n't do it , put it on a list and do it later .
This prevents you from getting into the " procrastination zone . "
Finish the hard stuff .
When you have a looming project that 's bogging you down and making you unproductive in other areas , tackle it first .
Finishing the largest item on your list of things to do will make you feel extra productive and give you the boost to do other things you ’ve been pushing to the side .
If your “ big project ” is something that ca n’t be done in one sitting , make a list of small parts of it that you can accomplish today .
Do n’t worry about completing the entire thing , but take steps now so that doing so in the future is a breeze .
Make an ultimate to-do list for this single project , and have it placed somewhere you will see it on a regular basis .
As you mark things off , you will be motivated to continue doing so , and seeing it on a regular basis will remind you that your project needs to be done .
Do two-minute tasks .
Whenever you are presented with something that you do n’t want to do or would consider putting off , ask yourself , “ will this take me less than two minutes to finish ? ”
For many of us , this includes small chores , like taking out the trash or pulling a few weeds , but can include simple tasks in all areas of life .
Anything that you want to put off but takes two minutes to do - do it .
Simply force yourself to use the next 120 seconds to be productive and do the duty you normally would push off for hours or days . [ 1 ] .
Create a timed work frenzy .
If you find yourself being pulled off into the depths of daydreams , set a period of time to do nothing but work .
Take ten minutes and remove all distractions - your phone , magazines , or thoughts of your attractive love - and go into a working frenzy .
Force yourself to work productively for ten minutes , and then go back to whatever it was you were doing .
Chances are , you ’ll get into a groove and keep working at a high pace even when your frenzy time is out .
Working with a timer is generally regarded by most experts as being one of the best ways to develop self-discipline and stop procrastination .
The most famous method of working to strict time controls ( known as time-boxing ) involves creating a list of tasks .
Each task is then assigned an exact amount of time to complete .
If you do n't finish the task in the allotted time , then you move on to the next one .
Using this work arrangement , it forces you to take action , as you ca n't afford to waste any time . [ 2 ] .
Give yourself a break .
If you ca n’t seem to focus and are working half-heartedly at your tasks , give yourself a brief break .
Set a timer for ten minutes , and take a nap , read a book , or call your friend .
Do whatever it is you ’ve been daydreaming about so that the temptation is removed once you get back to work .
Just be sure to follow through with your deadline rather than ignoring it when your alarm finally goes off .
How to Play Muggle Quidditch
In the Harry Potter series written by JK Rowling the main wizarding sport is Quidditch .
However you do n't have to have magical powers to play .
There are many different ways of playing Quidditch , but the most commonly used set of rules are those given by the International Quidditch Association ( which can be found here ) .
In the past Muggle Quidditch has mainly been played at colleges in the US , but over the last few years there has been a dramatic rise in the number of community teams .
Quidditch has also spread outside of America and is now played on 5 continents .
Steps
Gather all needed materials and players ( see Things You 'll Need section below ) .
Know that all players can play while riding a broom .
Brooms can be a hindrance however , so feel free to not use brooms .
Place the quaffle and three bludgers in the middle of the field .
Ideally the quaffle and bludgers should be slightly deflated so that they are easier to throw and catch .
Start the game .
Both teams start from the edges and attempt to obtain the quaffle and bludgers .
Follow your duty depending what type of player you are :
Chasers try to score by throwing the quaffle into one of the three goal hoops .
Each score is worth 10 points .
Beaters try to peg players with their bludger .
If a player is pegged they have to stop what they 're doing and pay a penalty ; i.e. ( drop the quaffle in the case of a chaser ) and run back to and touch their goal post or alternatively sit down for 10 seconds .
Keepers guard the goal posts at each end and attempt to block chasers ' attempts at scoring .
If Keeper is close to their hoops they are safe from being hit by bludgers .
Seekers try to tackle the snitch ( a person ) or obtain an object attached to the snitch such as a sock or flag .
You can establish you own rules as to how a player catches the snitch .
A common way to play is to make the snitch a person , and give the snitch a head start to run and hide in defined boundaries .
Then the seekers search for the snitch , and attempt to tag the player .
Other methods , such as the method adopted in 2005 , makes the snitch a tennis ball in a sock , hanging out of the running shorts of the snitch runner .
Regardless of method , the winning seeker wins 30 points for his or her team , unlike the books , in which the snitch is worth 150 points .
The creators of Muggle Quidditch thought that it was worth too many points so changed the value of the snitch for muggle Quidditch .
The snitch , generally a track runner , runs around ( usually the boundaries ) trying to evade the seekers .
The referee should ensure that rules are being followed .
They also keep track of the score .
Play the game !
The object of the game is to score the most points and the game ends when the seeker snatches the snitch .
Feel free to alter the game rules .
See the Tips section for suggestions .
Video
How to Play a Real-Life Game of Quidditch
You do n't need flying broomsticks or magic balls to play this version of the game - it 's tailor-made for muggles like us .
This video shows a more realistic approach to playing Quidditch .
Tips
Alternatively the snitch can be a small yellow ball ( tennis balls work great ) that is hidden before the game starts by a bystander or referee .
Establish boundaries and have the seekers look for the snitch .
Beaters can try hitting the bludgers around in the air with a shortened hockey sticks or a short bat .
They could also use regular-length hockey sticks to hit bludgers ( perhaps wiffle balls ) on the ground .
The simplest way is to just peg players by throwing dodge balls .
It may be easier to play without brooms ( but also less fun ! ) .
Remember that the snitch runner , if you choose to use one , is not an actual player in the game , therefore , not bound by any of the rules .
If desired , the snitch is able to do whatever he or she wants to avoid capture .
See How to Be a Snitch in Quidditch for more information .
You can play water quidditch in a pool .
Almost all the same rules apply .
Have someone throw something ( the snitch ) on a line into the pool at regular intervals .
They can even use fake snitches .
You can buy authentic looking brooms to make the game more realistic .
There is a very large Quidditch community , have a look at the IQA website to find teams near you .
One variation is Quarter Snitch Quidditch .
Find a quarter or another small coin .
Have both of the teams turn around and have the referee throw it into the grass or pitch while the teams are n't looking .
Play while the seekers look for the snitch .
Another variation is where the referee places the snitch somewhere in the field ( in this case it 's a small ball ) .
The seeker has to find the snitch blindfolded , relying only on the coach 's instructions , while the game is still on .
Warnings
Stay hydrated and exercise wisely .
A ball flying in the air can hurt .
If you 're playing quidditch you 're probably just having fun so play nicely .
Things You 'll Need
15 players
14 brooms
Field ( or big backyard )
3 goal hoops per team
Referee ( optional )
Color coded shirts or capes for houses , black for referee
3 Bludgers ( dodge balls , water balloons , wiffle balls etc. )
1 Quaffle ( volleyball , Frisbee , soccer ball , etc . )
1 Snitch ( person )
Each team is composed of :
3 Chasers
2 Beaters
1 Keeper
1 Seeker
How to Prepare Quinoa
Quinoa is known as the little rice of Peru .
The Incas treated the crop as sacred and referred to quinoa as " chisaya mama " or " mother of all grains . " [ 1 ]
By tradition , the Inca emperor would sow the first seeds of the season using " golden implements . "
Quinoa is rich in protein and much lighter than other grains .
It is much easier to prepare than rice and is rapidly gaining in popularity , especially among vegetarians who value its high protein levels .
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water ( or broth )
Olive oil to taste ( Optional )
1/2 teaspoon salt ( Optional )
Method 1 Cooking On A Stove Top
Rinse the grains of quinoa in water .
You can skip this step if you have purchased pre-rinsed quinoa in a box .
To rinse , place the measured grain in a strainer under running water for a few minutes .
This is necessary to remove the excess saponins on the outside of the grains which impart a bitter flavor to quinoa if not removed .
Toast quinoa in a saucepan ( optional ) .
Drizzle a bit of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat .
Add the quinoa and cook for about 1 minute .
This brings out quinoa 's nutty flavor .
Cook the quinoa .
Place two parts water or stock to one part of quinoa in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil .
Cover and reduce heat to low .
Simmer the quinoa for about 15 minutes or until the grain becomes translucent and the white germ forms a visible spiral on the exterior of the quinoa grain .
Try to ensure there is an al dente bite to the germ , in the same way as pasta .
Quinoa will continue cooking for a bit even after you take it off the heat .
Take the quinoa off the heat and let stand , covered , for 5 minutes .
This will give it time to absorb any moisture that might still be in the pan .
Uncover and fluff with a fork .
The quinoa should look light and fluffy , and you should be able to see the germ separating from the seed .
Serve .
Freshly cooked quinoa should be served immediately to retain nutritional value and a good flavor .
Serve with :
Stir-fry , using the quinoa as a substitute for rice .
Curry .
Braised meat .
In a salad .
Virtually any other combination you can think of !
Method 2 Cooking In a Rice Cooker
Rinse 1 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cold water .
If you bought packaged quinoa , this step is n't always necessary , but it 's better to be safe than sorry .
Pour quinoa into rice cooker .
One option is to toast the quinoa before placing in the rice cooker .
See Step # 2 in Method One above for directions .
Add 2 cups of liquid and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the rice cooker .
Water , chicken stock or broth , or vegetable stock all work .
Cook for approximately 15 minutes .
Some rice cooker will have different settings instead of a simple " cook " option .
Try the " white rice " option if your rice cooker gives you several options .
Let stand for about 5 minutes .
Fluff with a fork and serve .
Method 3 Cooking In the Oven
Preheat oven to 350 ° F ( 177 ° C ) .
Arrange rack in the middle of the oven .
Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine mesh seive under cold water .
In a medium saucepan , heat up 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-low heat .
Add onions , peppers , mushrooms , or any other type of desired vegetable or herb into the saucepan ( optional ) .
Cook onions until they are translucent , but not burned .
Sweat the peppers or vegetables along with the onions .
Add the quinoa and salt to the saucepan , stirring until completely incorporated .
This should take no longer than 30 seconds .
Add one cup of broth and one cup of water to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat .
Once a boil is reached , transfer quinoa to a 8-by-8-inch baking dish . [ 2 ]
Spread out quinoa evenly and cover baking dish completely with aluminum foil .
Cook the quinoa in the oven for roughly 20 minutes , or until most of the liquid is gone .
Remove the aluminum foil from the baking dish , add cheese or other seasonings , and bake for an additional 5 minutes .
After 5 minutes , the quinoa should be fully cooked .
Serve and enjoy !
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About ANSI SQL query mode
Some of the content in this topic may not be applicable to some languages .
You can create SQL queries in one of two ANSI SQL query modes :
ANSI-89 describes the traditional Jet SQL syntax .
This mode conforms closely to the ANSI-89 Level 1 specification , but is not ANSI-89 Level 1 compliant .
Certain ANSI-89 SQL features are not implemented and the wildcard characters conform to the Visual Basic for Applications ( VBA ) specification , not SQL .
ANSI-92 provides new reserved words , syntax rules , and wildcard characters that enhance your ability to create queries , filters , and SQL statements .
This mode conforms closely to the ANSI-92 Level 1 specification , but is not ANSI-92 Level 1 compliant .
This query mode has more of the ANSI syntax , and the wildcard characters conform to the SQL specification .
In Microsoft Access 2000 using ADOX , you could programmatically create queries that used ANSI-92 SQL syntax .
However , any queries you created were not visible in the Database window because there was no option to set this mode in the user interface .
Now in Access 2002 , you can set the ANSI SQL query mode through the user interface for the current database and as the default setting for new databases .
Why use ANSI-92 SQL ?
You may want to use ANSI-92 SQL for the following reasons :
You anticipate upsizing your application in the future to an Access project and want to create queries that will run with minimal changes in a Microsoft SQL Server database .
You want to take advantage of the new features not found in ANSI-89 SQL , such as :
Changing security settings by using the GRANT and REVOKE SQL statements
Using DISTINCT in an aggregate function reference , for example , SUM-DISTINCT-Price
Using the LIMIT TO nn ROWS clause to limit the number of rows returned by a query
Why you should avoid mixing queries created under different ANSI SQL query modes
The ANSI SQL query mode default for new Access databases in 2002 and 2000 file formats
ANSI-89 is the default setting for a new Access database in 2002 and 2000 file format .
You can not set the SQL query mode new database default to ANSI-92 in 2000 file format because the option is disabled ;
ANSI-89 is the only query mode setting available for a database in Access 2000 file format .
About using connection files
A connection file stores information about a connection to a data source ( such as an OLE DB data source ) and the data associated with the connection .
In Microsoft Access , you can use a connection file to bind one or more data access pages to a data source .
When you open a page , Access reads the connection file that is linked to the page , and based on the contents of the connection file , connects the page to the appropriate data source .
A connection file uses one of the following file formats :
Office Data Connection ( .odc )
A file format that uses HTML and XML to store the connection information .
You can view or edit the contents of the file in any text editor .
Universal Data Link ( .udl )
A standard file format provided by Microsoft Data Links to create file-persistent OLE DB data source object definitions .
Benefits of using a connection file
Using a connection file simplifies the task of deploying related data access pages .
Pages that connect to a common data source can share a single connection file .
If you move or copy the data source , instead of updating the ConnectionString property of each dependent page , you only need to edit the connection information in the connection file to make the pages point to the right location or database .
Linking a page to a connection file
When creating a data access page , you can choose whether you want to link the page to a connection file or simply use a connection file without creating a link .
You can also choose whether you want to use an existing connection file or create a new one .
Linking to a connection file
When you establish a link between the connection file and a page , the page 's ConnectionFile property is set to the name of the file .
Each time you open the page , Access will read the connection file , extract the connection information , and set the ConnectionString property of the page .
Using a connection file without creating a link
When creating a page , you can use the contents of a connection file to set the ConnectionString property of the page , but choose not to create a link between the page and the connection file .
Changing the connection information of a page
When a connection file is used
Either change the ConnectionFile property of the page to point to a different connection file , or edit the connection file in a text editor .
If you choose to edit the connection file , remember that all other pages that use the connection file will also be affected by the changes you make .
If you edit the ConnectionString property of a page that is linked to a connection file , the link will be broken and the ConnectionFile property will be set to null .
When a connection file is not used
Either create a link between the page and a connection file by setting the ConnectionFile property , or edit the ConnectionString property .
When you create a link , Access will automatically set the ConnectionString property based on the contents of the connection file .
Convert a previous-version data access page
A page created using Microsoft Access 2000 must be converted before it can be used with Access 2002 .
Open the page in Access 2002 Design view .
Access will create a backup copy of the page ( pagefilename.bak.htm ) at the same location as the original data access page file .
If you want to revert to the Access 2000 version of the page , delete the converted file , rename the backup copy , and then connect the page to the database .
If the data access page includes any Microsoft Office Web Components ( a PivotTable list , chart , or spreadsheet ) , only users with a valid Microsoft Office 2002 license will be able to use those components .
About analyzing data
Microsoft Access provides several techniques to help you analyze data .
Create a crosstab query
You can use a crosstab query to calculate and restructure data for easier analysis .
Crosstab queries calculate a sum , average , count , or other type of total for data that is grouped by two types of information – one down the left side of the datasheet and another across the top .
Comparison of a crosstab and a select query
1 A select query
2 A crosstab query based on the select query
Add a PivotTable list to a data access page
A PivotTable list is an interactive table that you can use to analyze data dynamically from within a Web browser .
At run time , users can change the layout of the PivotTable list .
They can move the fields that are displayed in the row , column , and data area of the PivotTable list , or add or remove fields from the list .
Users can also filter , sort , and group data .
The following illustration shows a PivotTable list on the Orders data access page .
PivotTable list on a data access page
View a datasheet or form in PivotTable view
Access 2002 provides a PivotTable view for datasheets and forms .
In this view , you can build an interactive report using the fields underlying the datasheet or form .
The view uses a Microsoft Office PivotTable Component , so you can do all the things that you can do on a PivotTable list .
You can add fields to the view , move or remove fields , and filter , sort , and group data .
The following illustration shows the Employees table in PivotTable view .
Datasheet in PivotTable view
About customizing the layout of a PivotTable or PivotChart view
Customizing the layout of a PivotTable view
You can control how the data is presented in a PivotTable view by customizing the layout .
A different layout lets you calculate and compare summarized values for different elements in your data , or display summaries for a subset of the data .
Using the drop areas
You change the layout by moving the fields to predefined drop areas within the PivotTable view workspace .
Drop areas in PivotTable view
1 Drop areas
2 Detail area
After you move fields to the drop areas so that the drop area captions are covered up , you can still drag additional fields to the areas .
Moving fields to the row or column areas
When you move a field to the row area , the unique items of data within the field are displayed down the rows of the PivotTable view .
When you move a field to the column area , the unique items of data are displayed across the columns .
Moving fields to the detail area
To view total or detail data from the underlying record source , move fields to the detail area .
Moving fields to the filter area
Filter fields allow you to confine the view to a particular part of the available data .
For example , when you move a Product field to the filter area , you can display data for one product at a time .
Moving row or column fields to a higher or lower level
When a view has multiple row and column fields , the fields that are closest to the detail data are referred to as inner fields .
The other fields are outer fields .
You can switch the inner and outer fields .
Example of inner and outer row fields
2 Outer row field
2 Inner row field
3 Outer field items
4 Items for the inner field are repeated for each item in the outer field .
Adding and removing fields
The layout of a PivotTable view does not have to include all of the fields that are available from the underlying record source .
You can also remove fields that you no longer want to see from the PivotTable view layout .
Customizing the layout of a PivotChart view
You change the layout of a chart by moving the fields to predefined drop areas within the chart workspace .
To do this , drop areas must be shown in the chart .
Drop areas are displayed differently depending on the chart type .
For example , a series drop area is not displayed for a pie chart because pie charts consist of only one series .
Additionally , it is written in a style similar to an XML document using a combination of XML-like tags and HTML to create a template for a specific style of output .
Note that you are not required to link either a CSS file or an XSL style sheet to an XML document in order for Internet Explorer 5 ( and later versions ) to display the document .
Internet Explorer has a default , built-in style sheet that displays the XML source as a (collapsible|expandable) tree .
You can use style sheets to insure that the XML-based Web pages on your intranet or Website are consistent and present a uniform appearance without having to add HTML to each page .
About Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation ( XSLT )
XSL for Transformation ( XSLT ) is a specification that is currently under development by the World Wide Web Consortium ( W3C ) , and supported by Access .
XSLT is an XML-based language that allows one XML document to be mapped , or transformed , into another XML document .
This provides a way of transforming an XML document 's presentation information from a source format to a target format and back again .
Typically , a developer creates an XSL transformation file that , when applied to an XML document during export , interprets or transforms the XML data into a presentation format that can be recognized by another application , such as Service Advertising Protocol ( SAP ) or a custom purchase order format .
XSLT has many of the constructs ( structures and commands ) found in other programming languages which allow the developer to use variables , loops and iterations , and conditional statements .
This gives the developer considerable control over the output of the XML data .
About exporting to XML files
Exporting data and database objects to an XML file is a convenient way to move and store your information in a format that can readily be used across the Web .
In Access , you can export the data , the schema ( data structure ) , or both , to XML files .
Export data to an XML file and , optionally , use an XSLT to transform the data to another format .
Export the data schema using XML Schema standard ( XSD ) .
Export the data behind forms and reports to an XML file .
You can also transform the data to another presentation format using an Extensible Style Language ( XSL ) file during the export process .
You can export tables , queries , and the data behind forms or reports from a Microsoft Access database ( .mdb ) as well as tables , views , stored produces , functions , and the data behind forms and reports from a Microsoft Access project ( .adp ) .
Exporting tables , queries , views , datasheets , forms or reports
You can export a database object as an XML document in several ways :
You can export just the data from a table , query , datasheet , form , or report into an XML file .
This data is saved to a file named .xml .
You can export just the schema ( data structure ) of a table , query , datasheet , form , or report to an XML schema file .
An XML schema file is a formal specification of the rules for an XML document , providing a series of element names , as well as which elements are allowed in the document and in what combinations .
If you select to save the schema as XSD , the file is saved as .xsd .
Note
When you export a table to an XML document , you can also export related tables .
For example , if you export a table of Customers Orders , you can also choose to export a related Orders Details table and Customers table into the same file .
If selected , you can also save the structure of a table , query , datasheet , form , or report into a file that describes the presentation and connection information .
For forms and reports , this file is saved in an XML-based language called ReportML which provides presentation data as well as a data model for creating a data access page .
For tables , queries-views , and datasheets , the presentation file is a spreadsheet-like template .
This file is saved as report.xml .
In addition , when you choose to save the data as XML , you can specify that the data be transformed to a custom display format by using an existing .xsl file .
If no .xsl file is specified , the data is saved in standard XML format .
Note that if no data is selected for export then a presentation format is also unavailable .
What is ReportML ?
ReportML is a " language " developed by Microsoft and specific to Access which can be used to describe Access database objects in XML .
The ReportML language is made up of a set of tags that describe a form , report or data access page 's properties , events , and attributes .
When you export data from Access to an XML file , you choose to save the structure of a form or report into a ReportML format .
The ReportML file can be used to convert the saved data into a data access page .
Well-formed documents
Any XML document produced by Access is well-formed , which means that it conforms to the basic rules of XML .
That is :
Each XML document must have a unique root element ( an element encompassing the entire document ) .
All start and end tags match .
XML tags are case-sensitive .
For each start tag , there is a corresponding end tag .
Empty elements can be denoted by a special shorthand tag .
Again , XML tags are case-sensitive .
Access ReportML will not write out any empty tags .
Elements do not overlap .
In other words , start and end tag must be properly nested within other elements .
Certain reserve characters are part of the XML syntax and will not be interpreted as themselves if used in the data portion of an element .
You need to substitute a special character sequence ( called an " entity " by XML ) as follows :
Character
Entity
The following is an example of a well-formed XML document :
where :
is a declaration that states that this is an XML document and gives the version number .
The declaration is optional but is recommended in any XML document .
is the root element which encompasses the entire document .
is a start tag and is an end tag which together describe an element of data , in this case , the customer 's name .
Notice that each tag set has both start and end tags and is case sensitive , and that the tag sets are properly nested within each other .
Also notice the entity &amp;apos; which will be transformed to an apostrophe when the data is imported by the receiving application .
The apostrophe has a special purpose in an XML document and can be misinterpreted if used directly in the text .
The converted data will be displayed as Mom 's Boston Crab Meat .
White space can be used throughout the document to enhance readability .
If a schema is specified while exporting from Access , then the XML documents created are considered to be valid XML documents .
This means that in addition to being well-formed , the documents conform to a defined schema .
About exporting or copying a PivotTable view to Excel or other applications
If you are familiar with Microsoft Excel PivotTable reports and want to work with the data in Excel , there are two ways to accomplish this .
Exporting data to an interactive Excel PivotTable report
To view and modify the contents of a PivotTable view by using Excel , you can export the PivotTable view to Excel .
Preparing for export to Excel
Excel PivotTable reports can not display detail fields .
When you export to Excel , detail fields will be available on the PivotTable toolbar in Excel , but the fields wo n't be displayed in the report .
If you want the Excel PivotTable report to reflect the appearance of the PivotTable view , before you export to an Excel PivotTable report , either move all the fields out of the detail area , or hide detail data for items and cells so that the detail area is not displayed .
After you export
You might notice some differences in your PivotTable view after you export it to Excel .
This is because PivotTable views use the Microsoft Office PivotTable Component , and Excel PivotTable reports either do not support certain PivotTable list features , or they implement some features differently .
For information about differences between PivotTable lists and Excel PivotTable reports , see Excel Help .
Copying data to another program for noninteractive use
Copying to other programs
You can also copy data displayed in a PivotTable view to other programs , such as Microsoft FrontPage .
When you copy data to a program other than Excel or Word that does not support the HTML format used by PivotTable views , the data is copied as unformatted text .
About filtering data in PivotTable view
You can use the filter feature to find specific data values or all data that matches a value .
Filtering techniques
Filtering a field ( Autofiltering )
You can filter fields in the row , column , and detail areas .
When you filter a field , you select one or more items of data in the field that you want to view , and hide the other items .
Filtered PivotTable list or view
1 First , the Sport field is filtered to display only Golf sales .
2 and then the Quarter field is filtered to display only Golf sales in Qtr3 .
3 When you filter a field , the drop-down arrow Field arrow for the filtered field changes to blue instead of black , and the AutoFilter button on the toolbar is selected .
Filtering a field is particularly helpful when you have a large amount of source data but you want to focus on specific areas .
2 Category field Region filtered to show South and West region items
Conditional filtering
You can apply a filter to a series or category field to show the top or bottom n items based on a total .
For example , you can filter for the three cities that generated the most sales or the five products that are least profitable .
Instead of n items , you can also choose to filter for a certain percentage of items .
For example , you can filter for the top 25 % or bottom 25 % of salespeople based on the number of orders handled .
If there are 40 salespeople , after the filter is applied , you will see data for 10 people .
When you filter a field , you can display the data for a single item , or you can select some items to display and other items to hide .
Chart with category field
Chart with category field filtered
1 Category field Region showing all items ( not filtered )
You can filter on more than one field at a time to further narrow the focus .
Filtering based on the data in one cell ( Filter by Selection )
You can filter a field to display only data that matches the value in a selected cell .
Filtering by selection is particularly useful for fields in the detail area , when you want to view all of the rows that contain a particular value .
Using a field in the Filter axis
You can also filter data by using filter fields .
When you select one or more items in the filter field , the data that 's displayed and calculated in the entire PivotTable view changes to reflect those items .
You can add new filter fields or move existing fields to the filter area .
Filter field example
1 Filter field
Conditional filtering
Rules for moving an interior horizontal line
If you move the line upward , the distance between the moving line and the nearest parallel line below remains constant , and the perpendicular line above the moving line contracts .
If you move the line downward , the distance between the moving line and the nearest parallel line below remains constant , and the perpendicular line above the moving line lengthens .
Rules for moving an exterior line
If you are moving the line away from the center of the grid , the nearest parallel line does n't move , and the distance between the line you are moving and the nearest parallel line grows larger .
If you are moving the line towards the center of the grid , the nearest parallel line does n't move , and the distance between the line you are moving and the nearest parallel line grows smaller .
Copy a line in a grid of grouped lines
Select the line you want to copy and press CTRL–C .
Press CTRL–V to paste the line .
When you copy an interior vertical line , the new line is halfway between the line you copied and the line to the right of the line you copied .
When you copy an interior horizontal line , the new line is halfway between the line you copied and the line below the line you copied .
When you copy an exterior line , the new line is located halfway between the line you copied and the nearest line parallel to the line you copied .
After you paste the line , you do not need to recreate the group – the new line is automatically part of the group .
About handling Null values in calculations
The aggregate functions wo n't include records containing blank ( Null ) values in their calculations .
For example , the Count function returns a count of all the records without Null values .
If you want to find the total number of records including those with Nullvalues , use Count with the wildcard character .
To count Null values when using the other aggregate functions , use the Nz function , which converts Null values to zeroes so they are included in a calculation .
If some records in one of the fields you used in the expression might have a Null value , you can convert the Null value to zero using the Nz function as shown in the following example :
About installing , licensing , and distributing Office Web Components
When you design a Web page using Microsoft Office Web Components , any user with a Microsoft Office 2002 license can interact with the components in the browser to the level of interactivity you provide .
That is , a user with an appropriate license can make changes to data in a spreadsheet , change formatting , drag fields in a chart or PivotTable List , and so on , as long as you did n't protect these options at design time .
Users with an Office 2002 license can also create , design , and modify components in a design environment such as Microsoft FrontPage or Microsoft Access .
Users who do not have Office 2002 licenses can view the components and the data in them , and can print the view of the components , but they can not interact with the components or manipulate them in a design environment .
This means that if you distribute a Web page that uses components , users who have Office 2002 licenses will have access to all functionality provided , but users without a license can only view the data and information you 've provided .
Installing the Office Web Components
Microsoft Office Web Components are installed with Microsoft Office 2002 and Microsoft Office applications , or they can be installed separately from an installation point provided by the Web page designer .
When you distribute a Web page that uses components , users who do not have the components installed will be prompted to install the components , provided the Web page designer configures the components to do so .
The Web page designer must also provide an installation point for the components and a pointer to that location on the component installation page .
For more information , see the Microsoft Office 2002 Resource Kit .
Once the Office Web Components are installed , users who have access to an Office 2002 license will be able to interact with and make changes to the components .
Users without licenses will be able to view and print the components and the data in them , but they can not interact with or make changes to them .
Details on licensing and functionality
Office 2002 installed on computer
Users have full functionality and interactivity with components , including run-time and design-time capabilities .
Office 2002 application installed on computer
Users can interact with the component in design mode in that application only ( not in the browser or in other applications ) .
Office 2002 site license ( user does n't have Office 2002 installed on computer , but user 's organization has an enterprise or site license agreement )
However , the Web page designer must provide a location from which components can be downloaded , and must reference the site license in a license package file ( .lpk ) that is associated with one or more Web pages .
You use the License Package Authoring Tool to create an appropriate license file for pages .
For more information , see MSDN Online .
No Office 2002 , Office 2002 applications , or site licenses
Users can view and print the components in view-only mode , but they can not interact with the components or use the design capabilities .
About avoiding the mixing of queries created under different ANSI SQL query modes
The two ANSI SQL query modes , ANSI-89 and ANSI-92 , are not compatible .
When you create a Microsoft Access database , you need to decide which query mode you are going to use , because mixing queries created in both query modes could produce runtime errors or unexpected results .
The range of data types , reserved words , and wildcard characters are different in each query mode .
Example of a query using wildcard characters
A query that uses wildcard characters in a criteria expression can produce different results under each query mode .
For example , if you run :
An ANSI-89 SQL query in a database set to ANSI-92 query mode , such as :
SELECT asterisk FROM Customers WHERE Country Like U %
It returns all customers from a (country|region) named " U % " , not all (countries|regions) beginning with the letter " U " , because the percent sign ( % ) is not a wildcard character in ANSI-89 SQL .
Example of a query with a duplicate field and alias name
If a query uses an alias that is the same as a base column name and you create a calculated field using the ambiguous name , the query will produce different results under each query mode .
How to avoid problems caused by mixing queries under different ANSI SQL query modes in the same database
In general , avoid doing the following to prevent problems caused by mixing queries created under different ANSI SQL query modes :
Converting an Access database set to ANSI-92 SQL query mode from 2002 file format to 2000 or 97 file format .
ANSI-92 SQL query mode is only supported in the 2002 file format .
Changing the ANSI SQL query mode for the current database after you 've created one or more queries .
If you must do this , retest the existing queries to ensure that they still run or produce expected results , and rewrite the queries if necessary .
Importing queries created under one ANSI SQL query mode into an Access database set to another mode , or exporting queries created under one ANSI SQL query mode to an Access database set to another mode .
Changing the ANSI SQL query mode in an existing application .
This could break your application and require rewriting your application .
In Access 2000 , you can only programmatically change the ANSI SQL query mode and any queries created under ANSI-92 mode were hidden in the Database window .
In Access 2002 , you or a user can change ANSI SQL query mode through the user interface and ANSI-92 queries are no longer hidden in the Database window , so you should prevent accidental or intentional changes to the ANSI SQL query mode of your application by protecting your code and preventing the changing of the query mode through the application 's user interface .
Using ambiguous aliases and column names .
To avoid confusion , ensure that aliases and column names are always unique in an SQL statement .
About how Access searches for reference libraries
The Visual Basic project of a Microsoft Access file contains references to object libraries , and it can also contain references to other files , including other Access files .
The locations of referenced files are specified in the References dialog box that is available from the References command on the Tools menu in the Visual Basic Editor .
When you open an Access file , if Access does n't find a referenced file in the specified location , it searches for the reference as follows .
First , Access searches for a RefLibPaths key in the following location in the Microsoft Windows Registry :
If the key exists , Access checks for the existence of a value name that matches the name of the referenced file .
If it finds a matching value name , Access loads the reference from the path specified in the corresponding value data .
If Access does n't find a RefLibPaths key , it searches for the referenced file in the locations listed below in the following order :
Application folder containing the application ( the folder where Msaccess.exe is located ) .
Current folder .
System folders ( the System and System32 folders located in the Windows or WINNT folder ) .
PATH environment variable .
For more information about environment variables , see Windows Help .
The folder that contains the Access file , and any subfolders located in that folder .
If Access still ca n't find the reference after performing this search , you must fix the reference manually .
About saving an object as a data access page
You can also save tables , views , stored procedures , functions , and forms in a Microsoft Access project as a data access page .
Saving an object as a data access page enables you to quickly convert an object into a page , and allows users of your application to review , enter , and analyze data over the Internet or an intranet .
For example , if you have a sales report that you want to make available over the Web , instead of creating a data access page and customizing it to look like the sales report , you can save the report as a data access page .
Using the Save As command on the File menu will save a data access page that is similar in appearance and functionality to the original report .
If you want to make changes to the design of the resulting page , you can open the page in Design view and make any changes you want .
The default view – the view in which the object is open when you carry out the Save As command – determines the design of the data access page .
The following table lists the outcome of each view .
Default view ( current view )
Outcome
Datasheet view
A page that has controls arranged as a datasheet
Form view
PivotTable view
A page that uses a Microsoft Office PivotTable Component
PivotChart view
A page that uses a Microsoft Office Chart Component
If you carry out the Save As command after making changes to the object 's formatting , but before saving your changes , the current formatting – not the saved formatting – will be used to create the page .
Implications of using the Save As command
Control support
Such controls will be left unbound on a page .
Subforms and subreports
Subforms and subreports on a form or report are not converted when you carry out the Save As command .
However , you can open the page in Design view and create additional group levels to make the page appear similar to the original object .
Control naming
Controls on forms and reports need not have unique names , but names of controls on a page must be unique .
While creating the page , Access will change control names that are not unique .
Controls in the header and footer sections
Controls in the Form , Report , or page header sections will be placed as unbound controls in the caption section of the outermost group level .
Controls in the Form , Report , or page footer sections will be placed as unbound controls in the navigation section of the outermost group level .
Code in a form or report that can not run from a data access page is imported into the page as a comment block at the end of the document .
Pictures in a form or report are converted to bitmaps and placed in a folder named " Images " .
Group level properties
By default , the AllowAdditions , AllowDeletions , and AllowEdits properties of all group levels in a data access page created from a report are set to False .
However , you can open the page in Design view and change the property settings .
Expressions that refer to form or subform properties are ignored .
About sorting data in PivotTable or PivotChart view
It was a wrong number that started it , the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night , and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not .
Much later , when he was able to think about the things that happened to him , he would conclude that nothing was real except chance .
But that was much later .
In the beginning , there was simply the event and its consequences .
Whether it might have turned out differently , or whether it was all predetermined with the first word that came from the stranger 's mouth , is not the question .
The question is the story itself , and whether or not it means something is not for the story to tell .
As for Quinn , there is little that need detain us .
Who he was , where he came from , and what he did are of no great importance .
We know , for example , that he was thirty-five years old .
We know that he had once been married , had once been a father , and that both his wife and son were now dead .
We also know that he wrote books .
To be precise , we know that he wrote mystery novels .
These works were written under the name of William Wilson , and he produced them at the rate of about one a year , which brought in enough money for him to live modestly in a small New York apartment .
Because he spent no more than five or six months on a novel , for the rest of the year he was free to do as he wished .
He read many books , he looked at paintings , he went to the movies .
In the summer he watched baseball on television ; in the winter he went to the opera .
More than anything , however , what he liked to do was walk .
Nearly every day , rain or shine , hot or cold , he would leave his apartment to walk through the city – never really going anywhere , but simply going wherever his legs happened to take him .
New York was an inexhaustible space , a labyrinth of endless steps , and no matter how far he walked , no matter how well he came to know its neighborhoods and streets , it always left him with the feeling of being lost .
Lost , not only in the city , but within himself as well .
Each time he took a walk , he felt as though he were leaving himself behind , and by giving himself up to the movement of the streets , by reducing himself to a seeing eye , he was able to escape the obligation to think , and this , more than anything else , brought him a measure of peace , a salutatory emptiness within .
The world was outside of him , around him , before him , and the speed with which it kept changing made it impossible for him to dwell on any one thing for very long .
Motion was of the essence , the act of putting one foot in front of the other and allowing himself to follow the drift of his own body .
By wandering aimlessly , all places became equal , and it no longer mattered where he was .
On his best walks , he was able to feel that he was nowhere .
New York was the nowhere he had built around himself , and he realized that he had no intention of ever leaving it again .
In the past , Quinn had been more ambitious .
As a young man , he had published several books of poetry , had written plays , critical essays , and had worked on a number of long translations .
But quite abruptly , he had given up all that .
A part of him had died , he told his friends , and he did not want it coming back to haunt him .
It was then that he had taken on the name of William Wilson .
Quinn was no longer that part of him that could write books , and although in many ways Quinn continued to exist , he no longer existed for anyone but himself .
The next morning , Quinn woke up earlier than he had in several weeks .
As he drank his coffee , buttered his toast , and read through the baseball scores in the paper ( the Mets had lost again , two to one , on a ninth inning error ) , it did not occur to him that he was going to show up for his appointment .
Even that locution , ' his appointment ' , seemed odd to him .
It was n't his appointment , it was Paul Auster 's .
And who that person was he had no idea .
Nevertheless , as time wore on he found himself doing a good imitation of a man preparing to go out .
He cleared the table of the breakfast dishes , tossed the newspaper on the couch , went into the bathroom , showered , shaved , went on to the bedroom wrapped in two towels , opened the closet and picked out his clothes for the day .
He found himself tending toward a jacket and a tie .
Quinn had not worn a tie since the funerals of his wife and son , and he could not even remember if he still owned one .
But there it was , hanging amidst the debris of his wardrobe .
He dismissed a white shirt as too formal , however , and instead chose a gray and red check affair to go with the gray tie .
He put them on in a kind of trance .
It was not until he had his hand on the doorknob that he began to suspect what he was doing .
I seem to be going out , he said to himself .
But if I am going out , where exactly am I going ?
An hour later , as he climbed from the number 4 bus at 70th Street and Fifth Avenue , he still had not answered the question .
To one side of him was the park , green in the morning sun , with sharp , fleeting shadows ; to the other side was the Frick , white and austere , as if abandoned to the dead .
He thought for a moment of Vermeer 's Soldier and Young Girl Smiling , trying to remember the expression on the girl 's face , the exact position of her hands around the cup , the red back of the faceless man .
In his mind , he caught a glimpse of the blue map on the wall and the sunlight pouring through the window , so like the sunlight that surrounded him now .
He was walking .
He was crossing the street and moving eastward .
At Madison Avenue he turned right and went south for a block , then turned left and saw where he was .
I seem to have arrived , he said to himself .
He stood before the building and paused .
It suddenly did not seem to matter anymore .
He felt remarkably calm , as if everything had already happened to him .
As he opened the door that would lead him into the lobby , he gave himself one last word of advice .
If all this is really happening , he said , then I must keep my eyes open .
It was a woman who opened the apartment door .
For some reason , Quinn had not expected this , and it threw him off track .
Already , things were happening too fast .
Before he had a chance to absorb the woman 's presence , to describe her to himself and form his impressions , she was talking to him , forcing him to respond .
Therefore , even in those first moments , he had lost ground , was starting to fall behind himself .
Later , when he had time to reflect on these events , he would manage to piece together his encounter with the woman .
But that was the work of memory , and remembered things , he knew , had a tendency to subvert the things remembered .
As a consequence , he could never be sure of any of it .
The woman was thirty , perhaps thirty-five ; average height at best ; hips a touch wide , or else voluptuous , depending on your point of view ; dark hair , dark eyes , and a look in those eyes that was at once self-contained and vaguely seductive .
She wore a black dress and very red lipstick .
Mr Auster ? A tentative smile ; a questioning tilt to the head .
That 's right , said Quinn .
I 'm Virginia Stillman , the woman began .
Peter 's wife .
He 's been waiting for you since eight o'clock .
The appointment was for ten , said Quinn , glancing at his watch .
It was exactly ten .
He 's been frantic , the woman explained .
I 've never seen him like this before .
He just could n't wait .
She opened the door for Quinn .
As he crossed the threshold and entered the apartment , he could feel himself going blank , as if his brain had suddenly shut off .
He had wanted to take in the details of what he was seeing , but the task was somehow beyond him at that moment .
The apartment loomed up around him as a kind of blur .
He realized that it was large , perhaps five or six rooms , and that it was richly furnished , with numerous art objects , silver ashtrays , and elaborately framed paintings on the walls .
But that was all .
No more than a general impression – even though he was there , looking at those things with his own eyes .
He found himself sitting on a sofa , alone in the living room .
He remembered now that Mrs. Stillman had told him to wait there while she went to find her husband .
He could n't say how long it had been .
Surely no more than a minute or two .
But from the way the light was coming through the windows , it seemed to be almost noon .
It did not occur to him , however , to consult his watch .
The smell of Virginia Stillman 's perfume hovered around him , and he began to imagine what she looked like without any clothes on .
Then he thought about what Max Work might have been thinking , had he been there .
He decided to light a cigarette .
He blew the smoke into the room .
It pleased him to watch it leave his mouth in gusts , disperse , and take on new definition as the light caught it .
He heard the sound of someone entering the room behind him .
Quinn stood up from the sofa and turned around , expecting to see Mrs. Stillman .
Instead , it was a young man , dressed entirely in white , with the white-blond hair of a child .
Uncannily , in that first moment , Quinn thought of his own dead son .
Then , just as suddenly as the thought had appeared , it vanished .
Peter Stillman walked into the room and sat down in a red velvet armchair opposite Quinn .
He said not a word as he made his way to his seat , nor did he acknowledge Quinn 's presence .
The act of moving from one place to another seemed to require all his attention , as though not to think of what he was doing would reduce him to immobility .
Quinn had never seen anyone move in such a manner , and he realized at once that this was the same person he had spoken to on the phone .
The body acted almost exactly as the voice had : machine-like , fitful , alternating between slow and rapid gestures , rigid and yet expressive , as if the operation were out of control , not quite corresponding to the will that lay behind it .
It seemed to Quinn that Stillman 's body had not been used for a long time and that all its functions had been relearned , so that motion had become a conscious process , each movement broken down into its component submovements , with the result that all flow and spontaneity had been lost .
It was like watching a marionette trying to walk without strings .
Everything about Peter Stillman was white .
White shirt , open at the neck ; white pants , white shoes , white socks .
Against the pallor of his skin , the flaxen thinness of his hair , the effect was almost transparent , as though one could see through to the blue veins behind the skin of his face .
This blue was almost the same as his eyes : a milky blue that seemed to dissolve into a mixture of sky and clouds .
Quinn could not imagine himself addressing a word to this person .
It was as though Stillman 's presence was a command to be silent .
Stillman settled slowly into his chair and at last turned his attention to Quinn .
As their eyes met , Quinn suddenly felt that Stillman had become invisible .
He could see him sitting in the chair across from him , but at the same time it felt as though he was not there .
It occurred to Quinn that perhaps Stillman was blind .
But no , that did not seem possible .
The man was looking at him , even studying him , and if recognition did not flicker across his face , it still held something more than a blank stare .
Quinn did not know what to do .
He sat there dumbly in his seat , looking back at Stillman .
A long time passed .
No questions , please , the young man said at last .
Yes . No . Thank you .
He paused for a moment .
I am Peter Stillman .
I say this of my free will . Yes .
That is not my real name . No .
Of course , my mind is not all it should be .
But nothing can be done about that . No . About that . No , no . Not anymore .
You sit here and think : who is this person talking to me ?
What are these words coming from his mouth ?
I will tell you .
Or else I will not tell you .
At the corner of 72nd Street and Madison Avenue , he waved down a cab .
As the car rattled through the park toward the West Side , Quinn looked out the window and wondered if these were the same trees that Peter Stillman saw when he walked out into the air and the light .
He wondered if Peter saw the same things as he did , or whether the world was a different place for him .
And if a tree was not a tree , he wondered what it really was .
After the cab had dropped him off in front of his house , Quinn realized that he was hungry .
He had not eaten since breakfast early that morning .
It was strange , he thought , how quickly time had passed in the Stillman apartment .
If his calculations were correct , he had been there for more than fourteen hours .
Within himself , however , it felt as though his stay had lasted three or four hours at most .
He shrugged at the discrepancy and said to himself , I must learn to look at my watch more often .
He retraced his path along 107th Street , turned left on Broadway , and began walking uptown , looking for a suitable place to eat .
A bar did not appeal to him tonight – eating in the dark , the press of boozy chatter – although normally he would have welcomed it .
As he crossed 112th Street , he saw that the Heights Luncheonette was still open and decided to go in .
It was a brightly lit yet dreary place , with a large rack of girlie magazines on one wall , an area for stationery supplies , another area for newspapers , several tables for patrons , and a long Formica counter with swivel stools .
A tall Puerto Rican man in a white cardboard chef 's hat stood behind the counter .
It was his job to make the food , which consisted mainly of gristle-studded hamburger patties , bland sandwiches with pale tomatoes and wilted lettuce , milkshakes , egg creams , and buns .
To his right , ensconced behind the cash register , was the boss , a small balding man with curly hair and a concentration camp number tattoed on his forearm ,
lording it over his domain of cigarettes , pipes , and cigars .
He sat there impassively , reading the night-owl edition of the next morning 's Daily News .
The place was almost deserted at that hour .
He would arrive early , never later than seven o'clock and sit there with a take-out coffee , a buttered roll , and an open newspaper on his lap , watching the glass door of the hotel .
By eight o'clock Stillman would come out , always in his long brown overcoat , carrying a large , old-fashioned carpet bag .
For two weeks this routine did not vary . The old man would wander through the streets of the neighborhood , advancing slowly , sometimes by the merest of increments , pausing , moving on again , pausing once more , as though each step had to be weighed and measured before it could take its place among the sum total of steps .
Moving in this manner was difficult for Quinn .
He was used to walking briskly , and all this starting and stopping and shuffling began to be a strain , as though the rhythm of his body was being disrupted .
He was hare in pursuit of the tortoise , and again and again he had to remind himself to hold back .
What Stillman did on these walks remained something of a mystery to Quinn .
He could , of course , see with his own eyes what happened , and all these things he dutifully recorded in his red notebook . But the meaning of these things continued to elude him .
Stillman never seemed to be going anywhere in particular , nor did he seem to know where he was .
and yet , as if by conscious design , he kept to a narrowly circumscribed area , bounded on the north by Riverside Park , and on the east by Amsterdam Avenue .
No matter how haphazard his journeys seemed to be – and each day his itinerary was different – Stillman never crossed these borders .
Such precision baffled Quinn , for in all other respects Stillman seemed to be aimless .
As he walked , Stillman did not look up .
His eyes were permanently fixed on the pavement , as though he were searching for something .
Indeed , every now and then he would stoop down , pick some object off the ground , and examine it closely , turning it over and over in his hand .
It made Quinn think of an archeologist inspecting a shard at some prehistoric ruin .
Occasionally , after poring over an object in this way , Stillman would toss it back onto the sidewalk . But more often than not he would open his bag and lay the object gently inside it .
Then , reaching into one of his coat pockets , he would remove a red notebook – similar to Quinn 's but smaller – and write in it with great concentration for a minute or two .
Having completed this operation , he would return the notebook to his pocket , pick up his bag , and continue on his way .
As far as Quinn could tell , the objects Stillman collected were valueless .
They seemed to be no more than broken things , discarded things , stray bits of junk .
Over the days that passed , Quinn noted a collapsible umbrella shorn of its material , the severed head of a rubber doll , a black glove , the bottom of a shattered light bulb , several pieces of printed matter ( sogged magazines , shredded newspapers ) , a torn photograph , anonymous machinery parts , and sundry other clumps of flotsam he could not identify .
The fact that Stillman took this scavenging seriously intrigued Quinn , but he could do no more than observe , write down what he saw in the red notebook , hover stupidly on the surface of things .
At the same time , it pleased him to know that Stillman also had a red notebook , as if this formed a secret link between them .
Quinn suspected that Stillman 's red notebook contained answers to the questions that had been accumulating in his mind , and he began to plot various stratagems for stealing it from the old man .
But the time had not yet come for such a step .
Other than picking up objects from the street , Stillman seemed to do nothing .
Every now and then he would stop somewhere for a meal .
Occasionally he would bump into someone and mumble an apology .
Once a car nearly ran him over as he was crossing the street .
Stillman did not talk to anyone , did not go into any stores , did not smile .
He seemed neither happy nor sad .
Twice , when his scavenging haul had been unusually large , he returned to the hotel in the middle of the day and remerged a few minutes later with an empty bag .
On most days he spent at least several hours in Riverside Park , walking methodically along the macadam footpaths or else thrashing through the bushes with a stick .
His quest for objects did not abate amidst the greenery .
Stones , leaves , and twigs all found their way into his bag .
Once , Quinn observed , he even stooped down for a dried dog turd , sniffed it carefully , and kept it .
It was in the park , too , that Stillman rested .
In the afternoon , often following his lunch , he would sit on a bench and gaze out across the Hudson .
Once , on a particularly warm day , Quinn saw him sprawled out on the grass asleep .
When darkness came , Stillman would eat dinner at the Apollo Coffee Shop on 97th Street and Broadway and then return to his hotel for the night .
Not once did he try to contact his son .
This was confirmed by Virginia Stillman , whom Quinn called each night after returning home .
The essential thing was to stay involved .
Little by little , Quinn began to feel cut off from his original intentions , and he wondered now if he had not embarked on a meaningless project .
It was possible , of course , that Stillman was merely biding his time , lulling the world into lethargy before striking .
But that would assume he was aware of being watched , and Quinn felt that was unlikely .
He had done his job well so far , keeping at a discreet distance from the old man , blending into the traffic of the street , neither calling attention to himself nor taking drastic measures to keep himself hidden .
On the other hand , it was possible that Stillman had known all along that he would be watched – had even known it in advance – and therefore had not taken the trouble to discover who the particular watcher was .
If being followed was a certainty , what did it matter ?
A watcher , once discovered , could always be replaced by another .
This view of the situation comforted Quinn , and he decided to believe in it , even though he had no grounds for belief .
Either Stillman knew what he was doing or he did n't .
and if he did n't , then Quinn was going nowhere , was wasting his time .
How much better it was to believe that all his steps were actually to some purpose .
If this interpretation required knowledge on Stillman 's part , then Quinn would accept this knowledge as an article of faith , at least for the time being .
There remained the problem of how to occupy his thoughts as he followed the old man .
Quinn was used to wandering .
His excursions through the city had taught him to understand the connectedness of inner and outer .
Using aimless motion as a technique of reversal , on his best days he could bring the outside in and thus usurp the sovereignty of inwardness .
By flooding himself with externals , by drowning himself out of himself , he had managed to exert some small degree of control over his fits of despair .
Wandering , therefore , was a kind of mindlessness .
But following Stillman was not wandering .
Stillman could wander , he could stagger like a blindman from one spot to another , but this was a privilege denied to Quinn .
For he was obliged now to concentrate on what he was doing , even if it was next to nothing .
Time and again his thoughts would begin to drift , and soon thereafter his steps would follow suit .
This meant that he was constantly in danger of quickening his pace and crashing into Stillman from behind .
To guard against this mishap he devised several different methods of deceleration .
The first was to tell himself that he was no longer Daniel Quinn .
He was Paul Auster now , and with each step he took he tried to fit more comfortably into the strictures of that transformation .
Auster was no more than a name to him , a husk without content .
To be Auster meant being a man with no interior , a man with no thoughts .
Stillman was gone now .
The old man had become part of the city .
He was a speck , a punctuation mark , a brick in an endless wall of bricks .
Quinn could walk through the streets every day for the rest of his life , and still he would not find him .
Everything had been reduced to chance , a nightmare of numbers and probabilities .
There were no clues , no leads , no moves to be made .
Quinn backtracked in his mind to the beginning of the case .
His job had been to protect Peter , not to follow Stillman .
That had simply been a method , a way of trying to predict what would happen .
By watching Stillman , the theory was that he would learn what his intentions were toward Peter .
He had followed the old man for two weeks .
What , then , could he conclude ?
Not much .
Stillman 's behavior had been too obscure to give any hints .
There were , of course , certain extreme measures that they could take .
He could suggest to Virginia Stillman that she get an unlisted telephone number .
That would eliminate the disturbing calls , at least temporarily .
If that failed , she and Peter could move .
They could leave the neighborhood , perhaps leave the city altogether .
At the very worst , they could take on new identities , live under different names .
This last thought reminded him of something important .
Until now , he realized , he had never seriously questioned the circumstances of his hiring .
Things had happened too quickly , and he had taken it for granted that he could fill in for Paul Auster .
Once he had taken the leap into that name , he had stopped thinking about Auster himself .
If this man was as good a detective as the Stillmans thought he was , perhaps he would be able to help with the case .
Quinn would make a clean breast of it , Auster would forgive him , and together they would work to save Peter Stillman .
He looked through the yellow pages for the Auster Detective Agency .
There was no listing .
In the white pages , however , he found the name .
There was one Paul Auster in Manhattan , living on Riverside Drive – not far from Quinn 's own house .
There was no mention of a detective agency , but that did not necessarily mean anything .
It could be that Auster had so much work he did n't need to advertise .
Quinn picked up the phone and was about to dial when he thought better of it .
This was too important a conversation to leave to the phone .
He did not want to run the risk of being brushed off .
Since Auster did not have an office , that meant he worked at home .
Quinn would go there and talk to him face to face .
The rain had stopped now , and although the sky was still gray , far to the west Quinn could see a tiny shift of light seeping through the clouds .
As he walked up Riverside Drive , he became aware of the fact that he was no longer following Stillman .
It felt as though he had lost half of himself .
For two weeks he had been tied by an invisible thread to the old man .
Whatever Stillman had done , he had done ; wherever Stillman had gone , he had gone .
His body was not accustomed to this new freedom , and for the first few blocks he walked at the old shuffling pace .
The spell was over , and yet his body did not know it .
Auster 's building was in the middle of the long block that ran between 116th and 119th Streets , just south of Riverside Church and Grant 's Tomb .
It was a well-kept place , with polished doorknobs and clean glass , and it had an air of bourgeois sobriety that appealed to Quinn at that moment .
Auster 's apartment was on the eleventh floor , and Quinn rang the buzzer , expecting to hear a voice speak to him through the intercom .
But the door buzzer answered him without any conversation .
Quinn pushed the door open , walked through the lobby , and rode the elevator to the eleventh floor .
It was a man who opened the apartment door .
He was a tall dark fellow in his mid-thirties , with rumpled clothes and a two-day beard .
In his right hand , fixed between his thumb and first two fingers , he held an uncapped fountain pen , still poised in a writing position .
The man seemed surprised to find a stranger standing before him .
Yes ? he asked tentatively .
Quinn spoke in the politest tone he could muster . Were you expecting someone else ?
My wife , as a matter of fact .
That 's why I rang the buzzer without asking who it was .
I 'm sorry to disturb you , Quinn apologized . But I 'm looking for Paul Auster .
I 'm Paul Auster , said the man .
I wonder if I could talk to you . It 's quite important .
You 'll have to tell me what it 's about first .
I hardly know myself . Quinn gave Auster an honest look .
It 's complicated , I 'm afraid . Very complicated .
Do you have a name ?
I 'm sorry . Of course I do . Quinn .
The name seemed to suggest something to Auster , and he paused for a moment abstractedly , as if searching through his memory .
Quinn , he muttered to himself .
I know that name from somewhere . He went silent again , straining harder to dredge up the answer .
You are n't a poet , are you ?
I used to be , said Quinn .
But I have n't written poems for a long time now .
You did a book several years ago , did n't you ?
I think the title was Unfinished Business .
A little book with a blue cover .
Yes . That was me .
I liked it very much .
I kept hoping to see more of your work .
In fact , I even wondered what had happened to you .
I 'm still here . Sort of .
Auster opened the door wider and gestured for Quinn to enter the apartment .
It was a pleasant enough place inside ; oddly shaped , with several long corridors , books cluttered everywhere , pictures on the walls by artists Quinn did not know , and a few children 's toys scattered on the floor – a red truck , a brown bear , a green space monster .
Auster led him to the living room , gave him a frayed upholstered chair to sit in , and then went off to the kitchen to fetch some beer .
He returned with two bottles , placed them on a wooden crate that served as the coffee table , and sat down on the sofa across from Quinn .
Was it some kind of literary thing you wanted to talk about ? Auster began .
No , said Quinn .
In the end , they are actually successful .
The book was just one of their ploys .
The idea was to hold a mirror up to Don Quixote 's madness to record each of his absurd and ludicrous delusions , so that when he finally read the book himself , he would see the error of his ways .
I like that .
Yes . But there 's one last twist .
Don Quixote , in my view , was not really mad .
He only pretended to be .
In fact , he orchestrated the whole thing himself .
Remember : throughout the book Don Quixote is preoccupied by the question of posterity .
Again and again he wonders how accurately his chronicler will record his adventures .
This implies knowledge on his part ; he knows beforehand that this chronicler exists .
And who else is it but Sancho Panza , the faithful squire whom Don Quixote has chosen for exactly this purpose ?
In the same way , he chose the three others to play the roles he destined for them .
It was Don Quixote who engineered the Benengali quartet .
And not only did he select the authors , it was probably he who translated the Arabic manuscript back into Spanish .
We should n't put it past him .
For a man so skilled in the art of disguise , darkening his skin and donning the clothes of a Moor could not have been very difficult .
I like to imagine that scene in the marketplace at Toledo .
Cervantes hiring Don Quixote to decipher the story of Don Quixote himself .
There 's great beauty to it .
But you still have n't explained why a man like Don Quixote would disrupt his tranquil life to engage in such an elaborate hoax .
That 's the most interesting part of all .
In my opinion , Don Quixote was conducting an experiment .
He wanted to test the gullibility of his fellow men .
Would it be possible , he wondered , to stand up before the world and with the utmost conviction spew out lies and nonsense ?
To say that windmills were knights , that a barber 's basin was a helmet , that puppets were real people ?
Would it be possible to persuade others to agree with what he said , even though they did not believe him ?
In other words , to what extent would people tolerate blasphemies if they gave them amusement ?
The answer is obvious , is n't it ?
To any extent .
For the proof is that we still read the book .
It remains highly amusing to us .
And that 's finally all anyone wants out of a book – to be amused .
Auster leaned back on the sofa , smiled with a certain ironic pleaure , and lit a cigarette .
The man was obviously enjoying himself , but the precise nature of that pleasure eluded Quinn .
It seemed to be a kind of soundless laughter , a joke that stopped short of its punchline , a generalized mirth that had no object .
Quinn was about to say something in response to Auster 's theory , but he was not given the chance .
Just as he opened his mouth to speak , he was interrupted by a clattering of keys at the front door , the sound of the door opening and then slamming shut , and a burst of voices .
Auster 's face perked up at the sound .
He rose from his seat , excused himself to Quinn , and walked quickly towards the door .
Quinn heard laughter in the hallway , first from a woman and then from a child – the high and the higher , a staccato of ringing shrapnel – and then the basso rumbling of Auster 's guffaw .
The child spoke : Daddy , look what I found !
And then the woman explained that it had been lying on the street , and why not , it seemed perfectly okay .
A moment later he heard the child running towards him down the hall . The child shot into the living room , caught sight of Quinn , and stopped dead in his tracks .
He was a blond-haired boy of five or six .
Good afternoon , said Quinn .
The boy , rapidly withdrawing into shyness , managed no more than a faint hello .
In his left hand he held a red object that Quinn could not identify .
Quinn asked the boy what it was .
It 's a yoyo , he answered , opening his hand to show him .
I found it on the street .
Does it work ?
The boy gave an exaggerated pantomine shrug .
Dunno .
Siri ca n't do it . And I do n't know how .
Quinn asked him if he could try , and the boy walked over and put it in his hand .
As he examined the yoyo , he could hear the child breathing beside him , watching his every move .
The yoyo was plastic , similar to the ones he had played with years ago , but more elaborate somehow , an artifact of the space age .
Quinn fastened the loop at the end of the string around his middle finger , stood up , and gave it a try .
The yoyo gave off a fluted , whistling sound as it descended , and sparks shot off inside it .
The boy gasped , but then the yoyo stopped , dangling at the end of the line .
A great philosopher once said , muttered Quinn , that the way up and the way down are one and the same .
But you did n't make it go up , said the boy .
It only went down .
You have to keep trying .
Quinn was rewinding the spool for another attempt when Auster and his wife entered the room .
He looked up and saw the woman first .
In that one brief moment he knew that he was in trouble .
She was a tall , thin blonde , radiantly beautiful , with an energy and happiness that seemed to make everything around her invisible .
It was too much for Quinn .
He felt as though Auster were taunting him with the things he had lost , and he responded with envy and rage , a lacerating self-pity .
Yes , he too would have liked to have this wife and this child , to sit around all day spouting drivel about old books , to be surrounded by yoyos and ham omelettes and fountain pens .
He prayed to himself for deliverance .
Auster saw the yoyo in his hands and said , I see you 've already met .
Daniel , he said to the boy , this is Daniel .
And then to Quinn , with that same ironic smile , Daniel , this is Daniel .
The boy burst out laughing and said , Everybody 's Daniel !
That 's right , said Quinn .
I 'm you , and you 're me .
And around and around it goes , shouted the boy , suddenly spreading his arms and spinning around the room like a gyroscope .
And this , said Auster , turning to the woman , is my wife , Siri .
The wife smiled her smile , said she was glad to meet Quinn as though she meant it , and then extended her hand to him .
He shook it , feeling the uncanny slenderness of her bones , and asked if her name was Norwegian .
Not many people know that , she said .
Do you come from Norway ?
Indirectly , she said . By way of Northfield , Minnesota .
And then she laughed her laugh , and Quinn felt a little more of himself collapse .
Quinn was nowhere now .
He had nothing , he knew nothing , he knew that he knew nothing .
Not only had he been sent back to the beginning , he was now before the beginning , and so far before the beginning that it was worse than any end he could imagine .
His watch read nearly six .
Quinn walked home the way he had come , lengthening his strides with each new block .
By the time he came to his street , he was running .
It 's June second , he told himself .
Try to remember that .
This is New York , and tomorrow will be June third .
If all goes well , the following day will be the fourth .
But nothing is certain .
The hour had long since passed for his call to Virginia Stillman , and he debated whether to go through with it .
Would it be possible to ignore her ?
Could he abandon everything now , just like that ?
Yes , he said to himself , it was possible .
He could forget about the case , get back to his routine , write another book .
He could take a trip if he liked , even leave the country for a while .
He could go to Paris , for example .
Yes , that was possible .
But anywhere would do , he thought , anywhere at all .
He sat down in his living room and looked at the walls .
They had once been white , he remembered , but now they had turned a curious shade of yellow .
Perhaps one day they would drift further into dinginess , lasping into gray , or even brown , like some pieces of aging fruit .
A white wall becomes a yellow wall becomes a gray wall , he said to himself .
The paint becomes exhausted , the city encroaches with its soot , the plaster crumbles within .
Changes , then more changes still .
He smoked a cigarette , and then another , and then another .
He looked at his hands , saw that they were dirty , and got up to wash them .
In the bathroom , with the water running in the sink , he decided to shave as well .
He lathered his face , took out a clean blade , and started scraping off his beard .
For some reason , he found it unpleasant to look in the mirror and kept trying to avoid himself with his eyes .
You 're getting old , he said to himself , you 're turning into an old fart .
Then he went into the kitchen , ate a bowl of cornflakes , and smoked another cigarette .
It was seven o'clock now .
Once again , he debated whether to call Virginia Stillman .
As he turned the question over in his mind , it occurred to him that he no longer had an opinion .
He saw the argument for making the call , and at the same time he saw the argument for not making it .
In the end , it was etiquette that decided .
It would not be fair to disappear without telling her first .
After that , it would be perfectly acceptable .
As long as you tell people what you are going to do , he reasoned , it does n't matter .
Then you are free to do what you want .
The number , however , was busy .
He waited five minutes and dialed again .
Again , the number was busy .
For the next hour Quinn alternated between dialing and waiting , always with the same result .
At last he called the operator and asked whether the phone was out of order .
There would be a charge of thirty cents , he was told .
Then came a crackling in the wires , the sound of further dialing , more voices .
Quinn tried to imagine what the operators looked like .
Then the first woman spoke again : the number was busy .
Quinn did not know what to think .
There were so many possibilities , he could not even begin .
Stillman ? The phone off the hook ? Someone else altogether ?
He turned on the television and watched the first two innings of the Mets game .
Then he dialed once again .
Same thing .
In the top of the third St. Louis scored on a walk , a stolen base , an infield out , and a sacrifice fly .
The Mets matched that run in their half of the inning on a double by Wilson and a single by Youngblood .
Quinn realized that he did n't care .
A beer commercial came on , and he turned off the sound .
For the twentieth time the same thing happened .
In the top of the fourth St. Louis scored five runs , and Quinn turned off the picture as well .
He found his red notebook , sat down at his desk , and wrote steadily for the next two hours .
He did not bother to read over what he had written .
Then he called Virginia Stillman and got another busy signal .
He slammed the receiver down so hard that the plastic cracked .
When he tried to call again , he could no longer get a dial tone .
He stood up , went into the kitchen , and made another bowl of cornflakes .
Then he went to bed .
In his dream , which he later forgot , he found himself walking down Broadway , holding Auster 's son by the hand .
Security measures are strict on flights to Israel , the bags are searched , the men are frisked , and the women have an electronic hoop passed over them , fore-and-aft .
Then hand luggage is opened .
No one is very patient .
Visibility in the queue is poor because of the many Hasidim with their broad hats and beards and sidelocks and dangling fringes who have descended on Heathrow and are far too restless to wait in line but rush in and out , gesticulating , exclaiming .
The corridors are jumping with them .
Some two hundred Hasidim are flying to Israel to attend the circumcision of the firstborn son of their spiritual leader , the Belzer Rabbi .
Entering the 747 , my wife , Alexandra , and I are enfiladed by eyes that lie dark in hairy ambush .
To me there is nothing foreign in these hats , side-locks , and fringes .
It is my childhood revisited .
At the age of six , I myself wore a tallith katan , or scapular , under my shirt , only mine was a scrap of green calico print , whereas theirs are white linen .
God instructed Moses to speak to the children of Israel and to " bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments . "
So they are still wearing them some four thousand years later .
We find our seats , two in a row of three , toward the rear of the aircraft .
Do you speak Yiddish ? he says .
Yes , certainly .

Please sit between us .
Be so good , " he says .
Of course .
I take the middle seat , which I dislike , but I am not really put out .
Curious , rather .
Our Hasid is in his late twenties .
He is pimply , his neck is thin , his blue eyes goggle , his underlip extrudes .
He does not keep a civilized face .
Thoughts and impulses other than civilized fill it by no means inferior impulses and thoughts .
And though he is not permitted to sit beside women unrelated to him or to look at them or to communicate with them in any manner ( all of which probably saves him a great deal of trouble ) , he seems a good-hearted young man and he is visibly enjoying himself .
All the Hasidim are vividly enjoying themselves , dodging through the aisles , visiting chattering standing impatiently in the long lavatory lines , amiable , busy as geese .
They pay no attention to signs .
Do n't they understand English ?
The stewardesses are furious with them .
I ask one of the hostesses when I may expect to receive a drink and she cries out in irritation , " Back to your seat ! "
She says this in so ringing a voice that I retreat .
Not so the merry-minded Hasidim , exulting everywhere .
The orders given by these young gentile uniformed females are nothing to them .
To them they are merely attendants , exotic bediener , all but bodyless .
Anticipating a difficulty , I ask the stewardess to serve me a kosher lunch .
I ca n't do that , we have n't enough for them , she says .
We were n't prepared .
Her big British eyes are affronted and her bosom has risen with indignation .
We 've got to go out of our way to Rome for more of their special meals .
Amused , my wife asks why I ordered the kosher lunch .
Because when they bring my chicken dinner this kid with the beard will be in a state , I explain .
And so he is .
The British Airways chicken with the chill of death upon it lies before me .
But after three hours of security exercises at Heathrow I am hungry .
The young Hasid recoils when the tray is handed to me .
He addresses me again in Yiddish .
He says , " I must talk to you .
You wo n't be offended ? "
No , I do n't think so .
You may want to give me a slap in the face .
Why should I ?

You must be a Jew , we are speaking Yiddish .
How can you eat that ! "
It looks awful , does n't it ?

My womenfolk packed kosher-beef sandwiches for me .
Is your wife Jewish ? "
Here I 'm obliged to lie .
Alexandra is Rumanian .
But I ca n't give him too many shocks at once , and I say , " She has not had a Jewish upbringing . "
She does n't speak Yiddish ?

But excuse me , I want my lunch . "
Will you eat some of my kosher food instead , as a favor ?
With pleasure .

You must never never eat trephena food again . "

You 're asking too much .
And just for one sandwich . "
I have a duty toward you , he tells me .
Will you listen to a proposition ?
Of course I will .

I am prepared to pay you .
If you will eat nothing but kosher food , for the rest of your life I will send you fifteen dollars a week . "
That 's very generous , I say .
Well , you are a Jew , he says .
I must try to save you .
How do you earn your living ?

We are all Hasidim there .
The boss is a Hasid .
I came from Israel five years ago to be married in New Jersey .
My rabbi is in Jerusalem . "
How is it that you do n't know English ?

So , I am asking , will you take my fifteen dollars ? "
Kosher food is far more expensive than other kinds , I say .
Fifteen dollars is n't nearly enough .
I can go as far as twenty-five .
I ca n't accept such a sacrifice from you .
Shrugging , he gives up and I turn to the twice disagreeable chicken and eat guiltily , my appetite spoiled .
The young Hasid opens his prayer book .
He 's so fervent , says my wife .
I wonder if he 's praying for you .
She smiles at my discomfiture .
As soon as the trays are removed , the Hasidim block the aisles with their Minchah service , rocking themselves and stretching their necks upward .
This is what has held the Jews together for thousands of years .
I like them , says my wife .
They 're so lively , so childlike .
You might find them a little hard to live with , I tell her .
You 'd have to do everything their way , no options given .

I love their costumes .
Could n't you get one of those beautiful hats ? "
I do n't know whether they sell them to outsiders .
When the Hasid returns to his seat after prayers , I tell him that my wife , a woman of learning , will be lecturing at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem .
What is she ?
A mathematician .
He is puzzled .
What is that ? he asks .
I try to explain .
He says , " This I never heard of .
What actually is it they do ? "
I am astonished .
I knew that he was an innocent but I would never have believed him to be ignorant of such a thing .

Le Monde gloated over this reversal .
On July 12 , after the raid , Israel was accused of giving comfort to the reactionaries of Rhodesia and South Africa by its demonstration of military superiority and its use of Western arms and techniques , upsetting the balance between poor and rich countries , disturbing the work of men of good will in Paris who were trying to create a new climate and to treat the countries of the Third World as equals and partners .
Rhodesians and South Africans , said Le Monde , were toasting the Israelis in champagne .
But European approval of the raid would endanger the plans of France for a new international order .
On July 4-5 , again before the rescue , Le Monde had reported without comment wisecracks made by Amin in a speech at Port Louis .
Addressing the OAS , Amin had provoked laughter and applause among the delegates by saying that the hostages were as comfortable as they could be in the circumstances surrounded by explosives .
When I left , he said , laughing , " the hostages wept and begged me to stay . "
This broke everybody up .
We step into the street and my friend David Shahar , whose chest is large , takes a deep breath and advises me to do the same .
The air , the very air , is thought-nourishing in Jerusalem , the Sages themselves said so .
I am prepared to believe it .
I know that it must have special properties .
The delicacy of the light also affects me .
I look downward toward the Dead Sea , over broken rocks and small houses with bulbous roofs .
The color of these is that of the ground itself , and on this strange deadness the melting air presses with an almost human weight .
Something intelligible , something metaphysical is communicated by these colors .
The universe interprets itself before your eyes in the openness of the rockjumbled valley ending in dead water .
Elsewhere you die and disintegrate .
Here you die and mingle .
Shahar leads me down from the Mishkenot Sha'ananim , which stands on a slope and faces Mount Zion and the Old City , to the Gai-Hinnom ( Gehenna of tradition ) , where worshipers of Moloch once sacrificed their children .
He leads me from the Gai-Hinnom up to an ancient Karaite burial ground , where you can see the mingling for yourself .
It acts queerly on my nerves ( through the feet , as it were ) , because I feel that a good part of this dust must be ground out of human bone .
I do n't know that Jerusalem is geologically older than other places but the dolomite and clay look hoarier than anything I ever saw .
Gray and sunken , in the thoughts of Mr Bloom in Joyce 's Ulysses .
But there is nothing in the brilliant air and the massive white clouds hanging over the crumpled mountains that suggests exhaustion .
This atmosphere makes the American commonplace " out of this world " true enough to give your soul a start .
The municipality has turned the Gai-Hinnom into a park .
The Wolfson Foundation of London has paid for the planting of gardens , and Arab kids are kicking a soccer ball in the green bottom of the valley .
East Jerusalem toughies of fourteen are smoking cigarettes and stiffening their shoulders , practicing the dangerous-loiterer bit as we pass .
Shahar is bald , muscular , and his shirt is ornamented with nags , horseshoes , and bridles , a yellow print on dark blue .
Amusing , since he 's a writer and a thoughtful man , anything but a tout .
So we look into ancient tombed caverns and the niches into which corpses once were laid .
Now truck fenders are rusting there , the twentieth century adding its crumbling metal to the great Jerusalem dust mixture .
You can be absolutely sure , says Shahar , that the Prophet Jeremiah passed this way .
Right where we are standing .
I find in Elie Kedourie 's Arabic Political Memoirs facts unknown to most about American diplomacy in the late forties .
Certainly I did n't know them .
In the Middle East and probably elsewhere , the United States relied heavily on management consultants and public-relations experts .
The American firm of Booz , Allen &amp; Hamilton lent one of its specialists , Miles Copeland by name , to the State Department , where he was in 1955 a member of a group called the Middle East Policy Planning Committee , the main purpose of which was , in his own words , " to work out ways of taking advantage of the friendship which was developing between ourselves and Nasser . "
In 1947 Copeland had been sent to Damascus ( " by whom is not stated , " Kedourie says ) " to make unofficial contact " with Syrian leaders and " to probe for means of persuading them , on their own , to liberalize their political system . "
Spreading democracy over the world , the Americans first fought rigged elections in Syria , but the old corruption continued despite all their power and money could do .
Frustrated , the Americans decided for the best of reasons , as always , to make a heavier move :
The American Minister at Damascus decided to encourage a military coup-d'etat , so that Syria might enjoy democracy , Kedourie writes .
This was not considered particularly bizarre ; other American ambassadors and ministers in the Arab world were entirely in favor of " genuine " revolution to overthrow old landowners , rich crooks , and politicians .

Whoever knows the Middle East will agree that such a quest was the political equivalent of the search for the philosophical stone . "
Failing in Syria , the Americans went to work in Egypt .
Kermit Roosevelt of the CIA " met a number of officers who were involved in the conspiracy which led to the coup-d'etat of 22 July , 1952 . "
The Americans wanted the new regime to make the populace literate , to create " a large and stable middle class a sufficient identification of local ideals and values , so that truly indigenous democratic institutions could grow up . "
Gliding into a new political realm , the Americans arranged for loans to the Egyptian government .
They believed that genuine democracy was now on its way .
James Eichelberger , a State Department political scientist who had been an account executive for J Walter Thompson , one of the world 's largest advertising and public-relations firms , " was sent to Cairo where he talked with Nasser and his confidants and produced a series of papers identifying the new government 's problems and recommending policies to deal with them . "
One of these papers , written by Eichelberger himself , was translated into Arabic , " commented upon by members of Nasser 's staff , translated back into English for Eichelberger 's benefit . "
This document , called " Power Problems of a Revolutionary Government , " went back-and-forth , according to Mr Copeland , " between English and Arabic until a final version was produced .
The final paper was passed off to the outside world as the work of Zakaria Mohieddin , Nasser 's most thoughtful ( in Western eyes ) , reasonable deputy , and accepted at face value by intelligence analysts of the State Department , the C.I.A. and , presumably , similar agencies of other governments . "
Who would have thought that a former American account executive could write :
The police should be politisized , and should become , to whatever extent necessary , a partisan paramilitary arm of the revolutionary government ?
This is Leninism , neat , with neither ice nor bitters .
Or , " The nerve center of the whole security system of a revolutionary state ( or of any state ) lies in a secret body , the identity and very existence of which can be safely known only to the head of the revolutionary government and to the fewest possible number of other key leaders . "
It was Jefferson who said that the tree of liberty must occasionally be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants .
We must now believe that the same romantic conviction has been alive somewhere in the offices of J Walter Thompson .
The United States is , after all , the prime revolutionary country .
Or was Mr Eichelberger simply an executive with a client to please and a job to do a pure professional ?
Or is there in the world by now a natural understanding of revolution , of mass organization , cadres , police rule , and secret executive bodies ?
This is a shocking suspicion .
Of course the paper written by Mr Eichelberger and his Egyptian collaborators states that the purpose of the Nasser seizure of power was " to solve the pressing social and political problems which made the revolution necessary . "
To solve problems , to help , to befriend , to increase freedom .
To strengthen America 's position , and at the same time to do good ;
to advance the cause of universal equality ;
to be the illusionless tough guy on a world scale ;
to be a mover and shaker , a shaper of destiny or perhaps , surrendering to fantasies of omnipotence , to be the nation-making American plenipotentiary , at work behind the scenes and playing confidently even with Bolshevik fire .
And what problems were solved ?
Nasser solved no problems .
Mr Kedourie doubts that he needed " to call on the resources of American political science for such lessons in tyranny ?
What does remain most puzzling , " he says , " is why it was thought that the imparting of such lessons could advance the interests of the United States , or even contribute to the welfare of the Egyptian people . "
For an American , the most intriguing question is this :
Whence the passion for social theory among these high functionaries of the advertising world ?
How did executive types ever learn of such things ?
Reading The Sound and the Fury last night , I came upon words in Compson 's thought that belonged to E E Cummings and the thirties , not to the year 1910 .
Land of the kike home of the wop , says Compson to himself when he buys a bun from a small Italian girl .
This I would have read without flinching in Chicago but in Jerusalem I flinched and put the book down .
Returning to it next day , I found Faulkner guilty of no offense .
It 's possible that people at the turn of the century were saying " land of the kike " and that Faulkner did n't borrow it from Cummings .
I had been telling Shahar when we were walking in the Gai-Hinnom that I had n't liked it when David Ben-Gurion on his visits to the United States would call upon American Jews to give up their illusions about goyish democracy and emigrate full speed to Israel .
As if America 's two-hundred-year record of liberal democracy signified nothing .
If Israel were governed as Egypt is , or Syria , would I have come here at all ?
But then , to its more severe leftist critics , some of them Jews , Israel is not the " democratic exception " it is said to be .
The New Left sees it as a reactionary small country .
Its detractors tell you how it abuses its Arab population and , to a lesser extent , Jewish immigrants from North Africa and the Orient .
It is occasionally denounced by some Israelis as corrupt , " Levantine , " theocratic .
Gossip traces the worst of the Israeli financial swindles to the most observant of Orthodox Jews .
I am often told that the old Ashkenazi leaders were unimaginative , that the new Rabin group lacks stature , that Ben-Gurion was a terrible old guy but a true leader , that the younger generation is hostile to North African and Asian Jews .
These North African and Oriental immigrants are blamed for bringing a baksheesh mentality to Israel ; the intellectuals are blamed for letting the quality of life ( a deplorable phrase ) deteriorate .

And what happened immediately ? "
I speak of this to Shahar .
He says to me , " Where there is no paradox there is no life . "
In Jakov Lind 's interesting brief book on Israel , Ben-Gurion is quoted as saying , " The Jews know hardly anything of a hell that might await them .
Their hell is a personal dissatisfaction with themselves if they are mediocre . "
Jews do , it is well known , make inordinate demands upon themselves and upon one another .
Upon the world , too .
I occasionally wonder whether that is why the world is so uncomfortable with them .
At times I suspect that the world would be glad to see the last of its Christianity , and that it is the persistency of the Jews that prevents it .
I say this remembering that Jacques Maritain once characterized European anti-Semitism of the twentieth century as an attempt to get rid of the moral burden of Christianity .
And what is it that has led the Jews to place themselves , after the greatest disaster of their history , in a danger zone ?
Would n't it be the most horrible of ironies if the Jews had collected themselves conveniently in one country for a second Holocaust ?
This is a thought that sometimes crosses Jewish minds .
It is accompanied by the further reflection ( partly proud , mostly bitter ) that we Jews seem to have a genius for finding the heart of the crisis .
The Valley of Jehosaphat , with its tombs .
A narrow road , and on the slopes acres and acres of stone .
Caves , graves , litter , fallen rocks , and in tiny schoolrooms Arab boys singing their lessons .
Even in November the place is uncomfortably warm .
The Jordanians built a road over Jewish graves .
The municipality of Jerusalem is planning to build a new road and will tear the Jordanian one up .
The Herodian relics are all that relics should be columns distorted , well worked over by time , Absalom 's tomb with its bulbous roof and odd funnel tapering out of it .
The armies of the dead in all directions , interminable .
A fine thing to obsess yourself with , burial and lamentation and lying about under the walls of Jerusalem waiting for the Messiah 's trumpet to sound .
a few Arab hens are scratching up dust and pecking .
Not a breakfast egg comes to the table that is n't death-speckled .
Parties of American girls come down the slope in their dungarees , with sweaters tied by their sleeves about the waist .
Above , to the left , a Muslim cemetery .
Everything reflects the significant event , for the significant event is beyond question historical and political , not private .
She thinks that it is sly of me to deny this .
Not to submit to what societies and governments consider to be important .
Stendhal 's heroes , when they are in prison , choose to think above love .
E E Cummings , locked up by the French government , finds his aesthetic paradise in the detention camp of Ferte Mace .
The bravest of modern writers are the Mandelstams and the Sinyavskys .
Before he died of cold , hunger , and exhaustion in Siberia , Osip Mandelstam recited his poems to other convicts , at their request .
Andrei Sinyavsky , in his prison journal , concentrates on art .
Perhaps to remain a poet in such circumstances is also to reach the heart of politics .
Then human feelings , human experience , the human form and face , recover their proper place the foreground .
My friend John Auerbach comes up from Caesarea to see me .
A kibbutznik seaman , he has just returned from a voyage .
I have known him for only a few years but he has become a dear friend .
I had been warned that as I grew older the difficulty of forming new friendships would be great .
On the contrary , I find it much easier now at sixty to draw near to people .
John looks too much the writer slight in person , delicate to be a chief engineer .
He does , however , hold an engineer 's ticket and can do complicated emergency repairs in mid-ocean .
Boyish , bearded ( the beard is short and copper-brown ) , nervous , a bit high , thinner than when I saw him last , he carries a cardboard valise containing books and booze and pyjamas and a house present .
He is delighted to be here , and he is suffering the one activates the other .
He is grieving for his son .
Adam Auerbach served in an electronic-warfare unit and was returning from a military action when the helicopter in which he was flying crashed .
We embrace and then we go out of doors with a bottle to have a drink and get some sun .
Even on a sunny morning the stone buildings of Jerusalem chill your hands and feet .
Stepping out , I feel a bit numb , like a wasp in autumn .
We sit on a stone wall over the garden and drink aquavit .
He wants to talk .
He loves books passionately , he wants to discuss American literature , to hear marvelous things from me .
But I can see that the big current of his suffering has begun to run heavily .
He has returned from a voyage , he is out in the sun shining from the hills of Moab , he is drinking aquavit with a dear friend , looking over at Mount Zion .
But his son is dead .
At sixteen John escaped from the Warsaw ghetto , leaving behind his parents and his sister .
They were killed .
Everyone was killed .
John somehow obtained Polish seaman 's papers , and for several years he worked in the engine rooms of German freighters .
When the war ended he came to Israel via Cyprus , joined Kibbutz Sdot Yam , married , and had two children .
His first wife died of cancer about ten years ago and he has married again .
He says , " I ask myself in what ways my life has not been typical .
For a Jew from Eastern Europe it has been completely typical war , death of mother , death of father , death of sister , four years in disguise among the Germans , death of wife , death of son .
Thirty years of hard work , planting and harvesting in the kibbutz .
Nothing exceptional . "
John sails infrequently now .
He does n't like the new huge tankers .
Supermechanized , ultraefficient , they give the crew no time in foreign ports .
The cargo on the voyage from which he has just returned was Dead Sea potash .
They were to bring home Italian steel .
North of Naples they had bad weather and engine trouble , but they reached their harbor and anchored near two Japanese ships .
On the pilot 's advice they were moved farther into port by two tugs .
Within five hours John had repaired the engines , but the port officials claimed that the ship was incapacitated and demanded that the captain post a twenty-thousand-dollar bond against expenses that might be run up by his " crippled ship . "
True , the ship had had to be moved into its berth by the tugs but it had been crippled only briefly .
Well , this matter was in dispute .
The ship lay unloaded and demurrage fees mounted in brief , a holdup by local racketeers .
The same everywhere , now .
Everybody has some con going , says John , who loves American slang .
The home office in Haifa was trying to get protection from the insurance company .
There were long days in port with nothing to do .
The town was covered in potash dust .
Waiters and bartenders wiped dishes and glasses continually .
Brushing at dust was the commonest gesture in town .
A community of about twenty thousand people had traffic jams worthy of Rome , cars as a matter of course rushing into the reserved bus lanes , screwing everything up and honking madly .
It all came to a panting standstill morning and evening without fail .
To get away from the traffic snarl you could climb a nearby mountain and come down to a deserted beach , similar to the beach at Sdot Yam .
John and his dog , Mississippi , went there every day .
The German tourists had gone home , the bathing cabins were nailed shut .
It was lovely , the small waves coming in steadily .
In little pangs , said John .
Part of the American Sixth Fleet was anchored nearby .
The aircraft carrier John F Kennedy , with its helicopters , reminded John of the death of his son .
On shore leave they wear civilian clothing now .
This probably makes them less rowdy .
One of the boys was from Oklahoma , near Tulsa .
He had heard of Israel , but only just , and he was not especially interested .
John was delighted by this .
A clean young soul , he said .
Such ignorance was refreshing .
The young sailor knew nothing about holocausts or tanks in the desert or terrorist bombs .
Back at sea , John had to stand double watches in the engine room because he was shorthanded .
Off duty , he read in his cabin and chatted with his confidante , Mississippi .
The crew said he was drinking himself silly in his quarters .
When the ship passed Stromboli at night , there was a streak of crimson lava flowing from the volcano and the sailors would n't leave the television set to look at this natural phenomenon .
But an owl from the island , disturbed by the sparks , flew out to the ship and was discovered next day on the mast .
One of the young sailors carried it down .
Then an engine man from the Balkans said , " In our village we nailed owls to the church door when we caught them . "
They shut the owl in the paint locker while they debated what to do with it , and in the night John set it free .
The bird scratched his arm rather badly .
Go back to Stromboli , you dumb bastard , he said .
So it flew off and the ship continued on its foul way .
It 's the water pumped into the tanks for ballast and then pumped out again that pollutes the seas , says John .
Before I left Chicago , the art critic Harold Rosenberg said to me , " Going to Jerusalem ?
And wondering whether people will talk freely ?
You 've got to be kidding , they 'll talk your head off . "
He spoke as a Jew to a Jew about Jewish powers of speech .
In flight , if the door of your plane comes open you are sucked into space .
Here in Jerusalem , when you shut your apartment door behind you you fall into a gale of conversation exposition , argument , harangue , analysis , theory , expostulation , threat , and prophecy .
From diplomats you hear cagey explanations ;
from responsible persons , cautious and grudging statements rephrasing and amending your own questions ;
from parents and children , deadly divisions ;
from friends who let themselves go , passionate speeches , raging denunciation of Western Europe , of Russia , of America .
I listen carefully , closely , more closely than I 've ever listened in my life , utterly attentive , but I often feel that I have dropped into a shoreless sea .
The subject of all this talk is , ultimately , survival the survival of the decent society created in Israel within a few decades .
At first this is hard to grasp because the setting is so civilized .
You are in a city like many another well , not quite , for Jerusalem is the only ancient city I 've ever seen whose antiquities are not on display as relics but are in daily use .
Still , the city is a modern city with modern utilities .
You shop in supermarkets , you say good morning to friends on the telephone , you hear symphony orchestras on the radio .
But suddenly the music stops and a terrorist bomb is reported .
A new explosion outside a coffee shop on the Jaffa Road : six young people killed and thirty-eight more wounded .
Uneasy , you go out to your civilized dinner .
Bombs are exploding everywhere .
Dynamite has just been thrown in London ;
the difference is that when a bomb goes off in a West End restaurant the fundamental right of England to exist is not in dispute .
Yet here you sit at dinner with charming people in a dining room like any other .
You know that your hostess has lost a son ; that her sister lost children in the 1973 war ;
That in this Jerusalem street , coolly sweet with night flowers and dark green under the lamps , many other families have lost children .
And on the Jaffa Road , because of another bomb , six adolescents two on a break from night school stopping at a coffee shop to eat buns , have just died .
But in the domestic ceremony of passed dishes and filled glasses thoughts of a destructive enemy are hard to grasp .
What you do know is that there is one fact of Jewish life unchanged by the creation of a Jewish state : you can not take your right to live for granted .
Others can ; you can not .
This is not to say that everyone else is living pleasantly and well under a decent regime .
No , it means only that the Jews , because they are Jews , have never been able to take the right to live as a natural right .
To be sure , many Israelis refuse to admit that this historic uneasiness has not been eliminated .
They seem to think of themselves as a fixed power , immovable .
Their point has been made .
The Nellie , a cruising yawl , swung to her anchor without a flutter of the sails , and was at rest .
The flood had made , the wind was nearly calm , and being bound down the river , the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn of the tide .
The sea-reach of the Thames stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable waterway .
In the offing the sea and the sky were welded together without a joint , and in the luminous space the tanned sails of the barges drifting up with the tide seemed to stand still in red clusters of canvas sharply peaked , with gleams of varnished sprits .
A haze rested on the low shores that ran out to sea in vanishing flatness .
The air was dark above Gravesend , and farther back still seemed condensed into a mournful gloom , brooding motionless over the biggest , and the greatest , town on earth .
The Director of Companies was our captain and our host .
We four affectionately watched his back as he stood in the bows looking to seaward .
On the whole river there was nothing that looked half so nautical .
He resembled a pilot , which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified .
It was difficult to realize his work was not out there in the luminous estuary , but behind him , within the brooding gloom .
Between us there was , as I have already said somewhere , the bond of the sea .
Besides holding our hearts together through long periods of separation , it had the effect of making us tolerant of each other 's yarns – and even convictions .
The Lawyer – the best of old fellows – had , because of his many years and many virtues , the only cushion on deck , and was lying on the only rug .
The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes , and was toying architecturally with the bones .
Marlow sat cross-legged right aft , leaning against the mizzen-mast .
He had sunken cheeks , a yellow complexion , a straight back , an ascetic aspect , and , with his arms dropped , the palms of hands outwards , resembled an idol .
The Director , satisfied the anchor had good hold , made his way aft and sat down amongst us .
We exchanged a few words lazily .
Afterwards there was silence on board the yacht .
For some reason or other we did not begin that game of dominoes .
We felt meditative , and fit for nothing but placid staring .
The day was ending in a serenity of still and exquisite brilliance .
The water shone pacifically ; the sky , without a speck , was a benign immensity of unstained light ; the very mist on the Essex marshes was like a gauzy and radiant fabric , hung from the wooded rises inland , and draping the low shores in diaphanous folds .
Only the gloom to the west , brooding over the upper reaches , became more somber every minute , as if angered by the approach of the sun .
And at last , in its curved and imperceptible fall , the sun sank low , and from glowing white changed to a dull red without rays and without heat , as if about to go out suddenly , stricken to death by the touch of that gloom brooding over a crowd of men .
Forthwith a change came over the waters , and the serenity became less brilliant but more profound .
The old river in its broad reach rested unruffled at the decline of day , after ages of good service done to the race that peopled its banks , spread out in the tranquil dignity of a waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth .
We looked at the venerable stream not in the vivid flush of a short day that comes and departs for ever , but in the august light of abiding memories .
And indeed nothing is easier for a man who has , as the phrase goes , followed the sea with reverence and affection , than to evoke the great spirit of the past upon the lower reaches of the Thames .
The tidal current runs to and fro in its unceasing service , crowded with memories of men and ships it had borne to the rest of home or to the battles of the sea .
It had known and served all the men of whom the nation is proud , from Sir Francis Drake to Sir John Franklin , knights all , titled and untitled – the great knights-errant of the sea .
It had borne all the ships whose names are like jewels flashing in the night of time , from the Golden Hind returning with her round flanks full of treasure , to be visited by the Queen 's Highness and thus pass out of the gigantic tale , to the Erebus and Terror , bound on other conquests – and that never returned .
It had known the ships and the men .
They had sailed from Deptford , from Greenwich , from Erith – the adventurers and the settlers ; kings ' ships and the ships of men on Change ; captains , admirals , the dark " interlopers " of the Eastern trade , and the commissioned " generals " of East India fleets .
Hunters for gold or pursuers of fame , they all had gone out on that stream , bearing the sword , and often the torch , messengers of the might within the land , bearers of a spark from the sacred fire .
What greatness had not floated on the ebb of that river into the mystery of an unknown earth ! ...
The dreams of men , the seed of commonwealths , the germs of empires .
The sun set ; the dusk fell on the stream , and lights began to appear along the shore .
The Chapman lighthouse , a three-legged thing erect on a mud-flat , shone strongly .
Lights of ships moved in the fairway – a great stir of lights going up and going down . And farther west on the upper reaches the place of the monstrous town was still marked ominously on the sky , a brooding gloom in sunshine , a lurid glare under the stars .
And this also , said Marlow suddenly , has been one of the dark places of the earth .
He was the only man of us who still followed the sea .
The worst that could be said of him was that he did not represent his class .
He was a seaman , but he was a wanderer , too , while most seamen lead , if one may so express it , a sedentary life .
Their minds are of the stay-at-home order , and their home is always with them – the ship ; and so is their country – the sea .
One ship is very much like another , and the sea is always the same .
In the immutability of their surroundings the foreign shores , the foreign faces , the changing immensity of life , glide past , veiled not by a sense of mystery but by a slightly disdainful ignorance ; for there is nothing mysterious to a seaman unless it be the sea itself , which is the mistress of his existence and as inscrutable as Destiny .
For the rest , after his hours of work , a casual stroll or a casual spree on shore suffices to unfold for him the secret of a whole continent , and generally he finds the secret not worth knowing .
The yarns of seamen have a direct simplicity , the whole meaning of which lies within the shell of a cracked nut .
But Marlow was not typical ( if his propensity to spin yarns be excepted ) , and to him the meaning of an episode was not inside like a kernel but outside , enveloping the tale which brought it out only as a glow brings out a haze , in the likeness of one of these misty halos that sometimes are made visible by the spectral illumination of moonshine .
His remark did not seem at all surprising .
It was just like Marlow . It was accepted in silence .
No one took the trouble to grunt even ; and presently he said , very slow –
I was thinking of very old times , when the Romans first came here , nineteen hundred years ago – the other day ... .
Light came out of this river since – you say Knights ?
Yes ; but it is like a running blaze on a plain , like a flash of lightning in the clouds .
We live in the flicker – may it last as long as the old earth keeps rolling !
But darkness was here yesterday .
Imagine the feelings of a commander of a fine – what 'd 'ye call 'em ? – trireme in the Mediterranean , ordered suddenly to the north ; run overland across the Gauls in a hurry ; put in charge of one of these craft the legionaries , – a wonderful lot of handy men they must have been too – used to build , apparently by the hundred , in a month or two , if we may believe what we read .
Imagine him here – the very end of the world , a sea the color of lead , a sky the color of smoke , a kind of ship about as rigid as a concertina – and going up this river with stores , or orders , or what you like .
Sandbanks , marshes , forests , savages , – precious little to eat fit for a civilized man , nothing but Thames water to drink .
No Falernian wine here , no going ashore .
Here and there a military camp lost in a wilderness , like a needle in a bundle of hay – cold , fog , tempests , disease , exile , and death , – death skulking in the air , in the water , in the bush .
They must have been dying like flies here .
Oh yes – he did it .
Did it very well , too , no doubt , and without thinking much about it either , except afterwards to brag of what he had gone through in his time , perhaps .
They were men enough to face the darkness .
And perhaps he was cheered by keeping his eye on a chance of promotion to the fleet at Ravenna by-and-by , if he had good friends in Rome and survived the awful climate .
Or think of a decent young citizen in a toga – perhaps too much dice , you know – coming out here in the train of some prefect , or tax-gatherer , or trader even , to mend his fortunes .
Land in a swamp , march through the woods , and in some inland post feel the savagery , the utter savagery , had closed round him , – all that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest , in the jungles , in the hearts of wild men .
There 's no initiation either into such mysteries .
He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible , which is also detestable .
And it has a fascination , too , that goes to work upon him .
The fascination of the abomination – you know .
Imagine the growing regrets , the longing to escape , the powerless disgust , the surrender , the hate .
He paused .
Mind , he began again , lifting one arm from the elbow , the palm of the hand outwards , so that , with his legs folded before him , he had the pose of a Buddha preaching in European clothes and without a lotus-flower – Mind , none of us would feel exactly like this .
What saves us is efficiency – the devotion to efficiency .
But these chaps were not much account , really .
They were no colonists ; their administration was merely a squeeze , and nothing more , I suspect .
They were conquerors , and for that you want only brute force – nothing to boast of , when you have it , since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others .
They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got .
It was just robbery with violence , aggravated murder on a great scale , and men going at it blind – as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness .
The conquest of the earth , which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves , is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much .
What redeems it is the idea only .
An idea at the back of it ; not a sentimental pretense but an idea ; and an unselfish belief in the idea – something you can set up , and bow down before , and offer a sacrifice to ... .
He broke off .
Flames glided in the river , small green flames , red flames , white flames , pursuing , overtaking , joining , crossing each other – then separating slowly or hastily .
The traffic of the great city went on in the deepening night upon the sleepless river .
We looked on , waiting patiently – there was nothing else to do till the end of the flood ; but it was only after a long silence , when he said , in a hesitating voice , I suppose you fellows remember I did once turn fresh-water sailor for a bit , that we knew we were fated , before the ebb began to run , to hear about one of Marlow 's inconclusive experiences .
I do n't want to bother you much with what happened to me personally he began , showing in this remark the weakness of many tellers of tales who seem so often unaware of what their audience would best like to hear ;
yet to understand the effect of it on me you ought to know how I got out there , what I saw , how I went up that river to the place where I first met the poor chap .
It was the farthest point of navigation and the culminating point of my experience .
It seemed somehow to throw a kind of light on everything about me – and into my thoughts .
It was somber enough too – and pitiful – not extraordinary in any way – not very clear either .
No , not very clear .
And yet it seemed to throw a kind of light .
I had then , as you remember , just returned to London after a lot of Indian Ocean , Pacific , China Seas – a regular dose of the East – six years or so , and I was loafing about , hindering you fellows in your work and invading your homes , just as though I had got a heavenly mission to civilize you .
It was very fine for a time , but after a bit I did get tired of resting .
Then I began to look for a ship – I should think the hardest work on earth .
But the ships would n't even look at me .
And I got tired of that game too .
Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps .
I would look for hours at South America , or Africa , or Australia , and lose myself in all the glories of exploration .
At that time there were many blank spaces on the earth , and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map ( but they all look that ) I would put my finger on it and say , ' When I grow up I will go there . '
The North Pole was one of these places , I remember .
Well , I have n't been there yet , and shall not try now .
The glamour 's off .
Other places were scattered about the Equator , and in every sort of latitude all over the two hemispheres .
I have been in some of them , and ... well , we wo n't talk about that .
But there was one yet – the biggest , the most blank , so to speak – that I had a hankering after .
True , by this time it was not a blank space any more .
It had got filled since my boyhood with rivers and lakes and names .
It had ceased to be a blank space of delightful mystery – a white patch for a boy to dream gloriously over .
It had become a place of darkness .
But there was in it one river especially , a mighty big river , that you could see on the map , resembling an immense snake uncoiled , with its head in the sea , its body at rest curving afar over a vast country , and its tail lost in the depths of the land .
And as I looked at the map of it in a shop-window , it fascinated me as a snake would a bird – a silly little bird .
Then I remembered there was a big concern , a Company for trade on that river .
Dash it all ! I thought to myself , they ca n't trade without using some kind of craft on that lot of fresh water – steamboats !
Why should n't I try to get charge of one ?
I went on along Fleet Street , but could not shake off the idea .
The snake had charmed me .
You understand it was a Continental concern , that Trading society ; but I have a lot of relations living on the Continent , because it 's cheap and not so nasty as it looks , they say .
I ventured to hint that the Company was run for profit .
You forget , dear Charlie , that the laborer is worthy of his hire , she said , brightly .
It 's queer how out of touch with truth women are .
They live in a world of their own , and there had never been anything like it , and never can be .
It is too beautiful altogether , and if they were to set it up it would go to pieces before the first sunset .
Some confounded fact we men have been living contentedly with ever since the day of creation would start up and knock the whole thing over .
After this I got embraced , told to wear flannel , be sure to write often , and so on – and I left .
In the street – I do n't know why – a queer feeling came to me that I was an impostor .
Odd thing that I , who used to clear out for any part of the world at twenty-four hours ' notice , with less thought than most men give to the crossing of a street , had a moment – I wo n't say of hesitation , but of startled pause , before this commonplace affair .
The best way I can explain it to you is by saying that , for a second or two , I felt as though , instead of going to the center of a continent , I were about to set off for the center of the earth .
I left in a French steamer , and she called in every blamed port they have out there , for , as far as I could see , the sole purpose of landing soldiers and custom-house officers .
I watched the coast .
Watching a coast as it slips by the ship is like thinking about an enigma .
There it is before you – smiling , frowning , inviting , grand , mean , insipid , or savage , and always mute with an air of whispering , ' Come and find out .
' This one was almost featureless , as if still in the making , with an aspect of monotonous grimness .
The edge of a colossal jungle , so dark-green as to be almost black , fringed with white surf , ran straight , like a ruled line , far , far away along a blue sea whose glitter was blurred by a creeping mist .
The sun was fierce , the land seemed to glisten and drip with steam .
Here and there grayish-whitish specks showed up , clustered inside the white surf , with a flag flying above them perhaps .
Settlements some centuries old , and still no bigger than pin-heads on the untouched expanse of their background .
We pounded along , stopped , landed soldiers ; went on , landed custom-house clerks to levy toll in what looked like a God-forsaken wilderness , with a tin shed and a flag-pole lost in it ; landed more soldiers – to take care of the custom-house clerks , presumably .
Some , I heard , got drowned in the surf ; but whether they did or not , nobody seemed particularly to care .
They were just flung out there , and on we went .
Every day the coast looked the same , as though we had not moved ; but we passed various places – trading places – with names like Gran' Bassam Little Popo , names that seemed to belong to some sordid farce acted in front of a sinister backcloth .
The idleness of a passenger , my isolation amongst all these men with whom I had no point of contact , the oily and languid sea , the uniform somberness of the coast , seemed to keep me away from the truth of things , within the toil of a mournful and senseless delusion .
The voice of the surf heard now and then was a positive pleasure , like the speech of a brother .
It was something natural , that had its reason , that had a meaning .
Now and then a boat from the shore gave one a momentary contact with reality .
It was paddled by black fellows .
You could see from afar the white of their eyeballs glistening .
They shouted , sang ; their bodies streamed with perspiration ; they had faces like grotesque masks – these chaps ; but they had bone , muscle , a wild vitality , an intense energy of movement , that was as natural and true as the surf along their coast .
They wanted no excuse for being there . They were a great comfort to look at .
For a time I would feel I belonged still to a world of straightforward facts ; but the feeling would not last long .
Something would turn up to scare it away .
Once , I remember , we came upon a man-of-war anchored off the coast .
There was n't even a shed there , and she was shelling the bush .
It appears the French had one of their wars going on thereabouts .
Her ensign dropped limp like a rag ; the muzzles of the long eight-inch guns stuck out all over the low hull ; the greasy , slimy swell swung her up lazily and let her down , swaying her thin masts .
In the empty immensity of earth , sky , and water , there she was , incomprehensible , firing into a continent .
Pop , would go one of the eight-inch guns ; a small flame would dart and vanish , a little white smoke would disappear , a tiny projectile would give a feeble screech – and nothing happened .
Nothing could happen .
There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding , a sense of lugubrious drollery in the sight ; and it was not dissipated by somebody on board assuring me earnestly there was a camp of natives – he called them enemies ! – hidden out of sight somewhere .
We gave her her letters ( I heard the men in that lonely ship were dying of fever at the rate of three a day ) and went on .
We called at some more places with farcical names , where the merry dance of death and trade goes on in a still and earthy atmosphere as of an overheated catacomb ; all along the formless coast bordered by dangerous surf , as if Nature herself had tried to ward off intruders ; in and out of rivers , streams of death in life , whose banks were rotting into mud , whose waters , thickened into slime , invaded the contorted mangroves , that seemed to writhe at us in the extremity of an impotent despair .
Nowhere did we stop long enough to get a particularized impression , but the general sense of vague and oppressive wonder grew upon me .
It was like a weary pilgrimage amongst hints for nightmares .
It was upward of thirty days before I saw the mouth of the big river .
We anchored off the seat of the government .
But my work would not begin till some two hundred miles farther on . So as soon as I could I made a start for a place thirty miles higher up .
I had my passage on a little sea-going steamer .
Her captain was a Swede , and knowing me for a seaman , invited me on the bridge .
He was a young man , lean , fair , and morose , with lanky hair and a shuffling gait .
As we left the miserable little wharf , he tossed his head contemptuously at the shore .
Been living there ? he asked .
I said , Yes .
Fine lot these government chaps – are they not ? he went on , speaking English with great precision and considerable bitterness .
It is funny what some people will do for a few francs a month .
I wonder what becomes of that kind when it goes up country ?
I said to him I expected to see that soon .
So-o-o ! he exclaimed .
He shuffled athwart , keeping one eye ahead vigilantly .
Do n't be too sure , he continued .
The other day I took up a man who hanged himself on the road .
He was a Swede , too .
Hanged himself !
Why , in God 's name ? I cried .
He kept on looking out watchfully .
Who knows ?
The sun too much for him , or the country perhaps .
At last we opened a reach .
A rocky cliff appeared , mounds of turned-up earth by the shore , houses on a hill , others , with iron roofs , amongst a waste of excavations , or hanging to the declivity .
A continuous noise of the rapids above hovered over this scene of inhabited devastation .
A lot of people , mostly black and naked , moved about like ants .
A jetty projected into the river .
A blinding sunlight drowned all this at times in a sudden recrudescence of glare .
There 's your Company 's station , said the Swede , pointing to three wooden barrack-like structures on the rocky slope .
' I will send your things up .
Four boxes did you say ?
So . Farewell .
' I came upon a boiler wallowing in the grass , then found a path leading up the hill .
It turned aside for the bowlders , and also for an undersized railway-truck lying there on its back with its wheels in the air .
One was off .
The thing looked as dead as the carcass of some animal .
I came upon more pieces of decaying machinery , a stack of rusty rails .
To the left a clump of trees made a shady spot , where dark things seemed to stir feebly .
I blinked , the path was steep .
A horn tooted to the right , and I saw the black people run . A heavy and dull detonation shook the ground , a puff of smoke came out of the cliff , and that was all .
No change appeared on the face of the rock .
They were building a railway .
The cliff was not in the way or anything ; but this objectless blasting was all the work going on .
A slight clinking behind me made me turn my head .
Six black men advanced in a file , toiling up the path . They walked erect and slow , balancing small baskets full of earth on their heads , and the clink kept time with their footsteps .
Black rags were wound round their loins , and the short ends behind wagged to and fro like tails .
I could see every rib , the joints of their limbs were like knots in a rope ; each had an iron collar on his neck , and all were connected together with a chain whose bights swung between them , rhythmically clinking .
Another report from the cliff made me think suddenly of that ship of war I had seen firing into a continent .
It was the same kind of ominous voice ; but these men could by no stretch of imagination be called enemies .
They were called criminals , and the outraged law , like the bursting shells , had come to them , an insoluble mystery from over the sea .
All their meager breasts panted together , the violently dilated nostrils quivered , the eyes stared stonily uphill .
They passed me within six inches , without a glance , with that complete , deathlike indifference of unhappy savages .
Behind this raw matter one of the reclaimed , the product of the new forces at work , strolled despondently , carrying a rifle by its middle .
He had a uniform jacket with one button off , and seeing a white man on the path , hoisted his weapon to his shoulder with alacrity .
This was simple prudence , white men being so much alike at a distance that he could not tell who I might be .
He was speedily reassured , and with a large , white , rascally grin , and a glance at his charge , seemed to take me into partnership in his exalted trust .
After all , I also was a part of the great cause of these high and just proceedings .
Instead of going up , I turned and descended to the left .
My idea was to let that chain-gang get out of sight before I climbed the hill .
You know I am not particularly tender ;
I 've had to strike and to fend off . I 've had to resist and to attack sometimes – that 's only one way of resisting – without counting the exact cost , according to the demands of such sort of life as I had blundered into .
I 've seen the devil of violence , and the devil of greed , and the devil of hot desire ; but , by all the stars ! these were strong , lusty , red-eyed devils , that swayed and drove men – men , I tell you .
But as I stood on this hillside , I foresaw that in the blinding sunshine of that land I would become acquainted with a flabby , pretending , weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly .
How insidious he could be , too , I was only to find out several months later and a thousand miles farther .
For a moment I stood appalled , as though by a warning .
Finally I descended the hill , obliquely , towards the trees I had seen .
I avoided a vast artificial hole somebody had been digging on the slope , the purpose of which I found it impossible to divine .
It was n't a quarry or a sandpit , anyhow .
It was just a hole .
It might have been connected with the philanthropic desire of giving the criminals something to do .
I do n't know .
Then I nearly fell into a very narrow ravine , almost no more than a scar in the hillside .
I discovered that a lot of imported drainage-pipes for the settlement had been tumbled in there .
There was n't one that was not broken .
It was a wanton smash-up .
at last I got under the trees .
My purpose was to stroll into the shade for a moment ; but no sooner within than it seemed to me I had stepped into a gloomy circle of some Inferno .
The rapids were near , and an uninterrupted , uniform , headlong , rushing noise filled the mournful stillness of the grove , where not a breath stirred , not a leaf moved , with a mysterious sound – as though the tearing pace of the launched earth had suddenly become audible .
Black shapes crouched , lay , sat between the trees , leaning against the trunks , clinging to the earth , half coming out , half effaced within the dim light , in all the attitudes of pain , abandonment , and despair .
He is waiting ! '
I did not see the real significance of that wreck at once .
I fancy I see it now , but I am not sure – not at all .
Certainly the affair was too stupid – when I think of it – to be altogether natural .
Still ... . But at the moment it presented itself simply as a confounded nuisance .
The steamer was sunk .
They had started two days before in a sudden hurry up the river with the manager on board , in charge of some volunteer skipper , and before they had been out three hours they tore the bottom out of her on stones , and she sank near the south bank .
I asked myself what I was to do there , now my boat was lost .
As a matter of fact , I had plenty to do in fishing my command out of the river .
I had to set about it the very next day .
That , and the repairs when I brought the pieces to the station , took some months .
My first interview with the manager was curious .
He did not ask me to sit down after my twenty-mile walk that morning .
He was commonplace in complexion , in features , in manners , and in voice .
He was of middle size and of ordinary build .
His eyes , of the usual blue , were perhaps remarkably cold , and he certainly could make his glance fall on one as trenchant and heavy as an axe .
But even at these times the rest of his person seemed to disclaim the intention .
Otherwise there was only an indefinable , faint expression of his lips , something stealthy – a smile – not a smile – I remember it , but I ca n't explain .
It was unconscious , this smile was , though just after he had said something it got intensified for an instant .
It came at the end of his speeches like a seal applied on the words to make the meaning of the commonest phrase appear absolutely inscrutable .
He was a common trader , from his youth up employed in these parts – nothing more .
He was obeyed , yet he inspired neither love nor fear , nor even respect .
He inspired uneasiness . That was it ! Uneasiness . Not a definite mistrust – just uneasiness – nothing more .
You have no idea how effective such a ... a ... faculty can be .
He had no genius for organizing , for initiative , or for order even .
That was evident in such things as the deplorable state of the station .
He had no learning , and no intelligence .
His position had come to him – why ? Perhaps because he was never ill ...
He had served three terms of three years out there ... Because triumphant health in the general rout of constitutions is a kind of power in itself .
When he went home on leave he rioted on a large scale – pompously . Jack ashore – with a difference – in externals only .
This one could gather from his casual talk .
He originated nothing , he could keep the routine going – that 's all . But he was great .
He was great by this little thing that it was impossible to tell what could control such a man .
He never gave that secret away .
Perhaps there was nothing within him .
Such a suspicion made one pause – for out there there were no external checks .
Once when various tropical diseases had laid low almost every agent in the station , he was heard to say , ' Men who come out here should have no entrails .
' He sealed the utterance with that smile of his , as though it had been a door opening into a darkness he had in his keeping .
You fancied you had seen things – but the seal was on .
When annoyed at meal-times by the constant quarrels of the white men about precedence , he ordered an immense round table to be made , for which a special house had to be built .
This was the station 's mess-room .
Where he sat was the first place – the rest were nowhere .
One felt this to be his unalterable conviction .
He was neither civil nor uncivil .
He was quiet .
He allowed his boy – an overfed young negro from the coast – to treat the white men , under his very eyes , with provoking insolence .
He began to speak as soon as he saw me .
I had been very long on the road .
He could not wait . Had to start without me .
The up-river stations had to be relieved .
There had been so many delays already that he did not know who was dead and who was alive , and how they got on – and so on , and so on .
He paid no attention to my explanations , and , playing with a stick of sealing-wax , repeated several times that the situation was ' very grave , very grave . '
There were rumors that a very important station was in jeopardy , and its chief , Mr. Kurtz , was ill .
Hoped it was not true .
Mr. Kurtz was ...
I felt weary and irritable . Hang Kurtz , I thought .
I interrupted him by saying I had heard of Mr. Kurtz on the coast .
' Ah ! So they talk of him down there , he murmured to himself .
Then he began again , assuring me Mr. Kurtz was the best agent he had , an exceptional man , of the greatest importance to the Company ; therefore I could understand his anxiety .
He was , he said , ' very , very uneasy . '
Certainly he fidgeted on his chair a good deal , exclaimed , ' Ah , Mr. Kurtz ! ' broke the stick of sealing-wax and seemed dumbfounded by the accident .
Next thing he wanted to know ' how long it would take to ' ...
I interrupted him again .
Being hungry , you know , and kept on my feet too , I was getting savage .
' How could I tell , I said . '
I had n't even seen the wreck yet – some months , no doubt .
All this talk seemed to me so futile .
Some months , he said .
' Well , let us say three months before we can make a start .
Yes . That ought to do the affair .
I flung out of his hut ( he lived all alone in a clay hut with a sort of veranda ) muttering to myself my opinion of him .
He was a chattering idiot .
Afterwards I took it back when it was borne in upon me startlingly with what extreme nicety he had estimated the time requisite for the ' affair . '
I went to work the next day , turning , so to speak , my back on that station .
In that way only it seemed to me I could keep my hold on the redeeming facts of life .
Still , one must look about sometimes ; and then I saw this station , these men strolling aimlessly about in the sunshine of the yard .
I asked myself sometimes what it all meant .
They wandered here and there with their absurd long staves in their hands , like a lot of faithless pilgrims bewitched inside a rotten fence .
The word ' ivory ' rang in the air , was whispered , was sighed .
You would think they were praying to it .
A taint of imbecile rapacity blew through it all , like a whiff from some corpse .
By Jove ! I 've never seen anything so unreal in my life .
And outside , the silent wilderness surrounding this cleared speck on the earth struck me as something great and invincible , like evil or truth , waiting patiently for the passing away of this fantastic invasion .
Oh , these months !
Well , never mind .
Various things happened .
One evening a grass shed full of calico , cotton prints , beads , and I do n't know what else , burst into a blaze so suddenly that you would have thought the earth had opened to let an avenging fire consume all that trash .
I was smoking my pipe quietly by my dismantled steamer , and saw them all cutting capers in the light , with their arms lifted high , when the stout man with mustaches came tearing down to the river , a tin pail in his hand , assured me that everybody was ' behaving splendidly , splendidly , ' dipped about a quart of water and tore back again .
I noticed there was a hole in the bottom of his pail .
I strolled up .
There was no hurry .
You see the thing had gone off like a box of matches .
It had been hopeless from the very first . The flame had leaped high , driven everybody back , lighted up everything – and collapsed .
The shed was already a heap of embers glowing fiercely .
A nigger was being beaten near by .
They said he had caused the fire in some way ; be that as it may , he was screeching most horribly .
I saw him , later on , for several days , sitting in a bit of shade looking very sick and trying to recover himself :
afterwards he arose and went out – and the wilderness without a sound took him into its bosom again .
As I approached the glow from the dark I found myself at the back of two men , talking .
I heard the name of Kurtz pronounced , then the words , ' take advantage of this unfortunate accident . '
One of the men was the manager .
I wished him a good evening .
Did you ever see anything like it – eh ?
it is incredible , he said , and walked off .
The other man remained .
He was a first-class agent , young , gentlemanly , a bit reserved , with a forked little beard and a hooked nose .
He was stand-offish with the other agents , and they on their side said he was the manager 's spy upon them .
As to me , I had hardly ever spoken to him before .
We got into talk , and by-and-by we strolled away from the hissing ruins . Then he asked me to his room , which was in the main building of the station .
He struck a match , and I perceived that this young aristocrat had not only a silver-mounted dressing-case but also a whole candle all to himself .
Just at that time the manager was the only man supposed to have any right to candles .
Native mats covered the clay walls ; a collection of spears , assegais , shields , knives was hung up in trophies .
The business intrusted to this fellow was the making of bricks – so I had been informed ; but there was n't a fragment of a brick anywhere in the station , and he had been there more than a year – waiting .
It seems he could not make bricks without something , I do n't know what – straw maybe .
Anyways , it could not be found there , and as it was not likely to be sent from Europe , it did not appear clear to me what he was waiting for .
An act of special creation perhaps .
However , they were all waiting – all the sixteen or twenty pilgrims of them – for something ; and upon my word it did not seem an uncongenial occupation , from the way they took it , though the only thing that ever came to them was disease – as far as I could see .
They beguiled the time by backbiting and intriguing against each other in a foolish kind of way .
There was an air of plotting about that station , but nothing came of it , of course .
It was as unreal as everything else – as the philanthropic pretense of the whole concern , as their talk , as their government , as their show of work .
The only real feeling was a desire to get appointed to a trading-post where ivory was to be had , so that they could earn percentages .
They intrigued and slandered and hated each other only on that account , – but as to effectually lifting a little finger – oh , no . By heavens !
there is something after all in the world allowing one man to steal a horse while another must not look at a halter .
Steal a horse straight out . Very well . He has done it . Perhaps he can ride .
But there is a way of looking at a halter that would provoke the most charitable of saints into a kick .
From this standpoint , the evaluation of the implementation of the budget may take on a dimension that overrides matters of detail .
Errors of legality and regularity are increasing too .
The vote will take place tomorrow at 12 noon .
The main importance of this agreement lies , I think , in its political nature .
The Council is extremely concerned at the latest developments in the Middle Eastern peace process .
Otherwise we will find ourselves forced to take more serious decisions as regards our trading relations with Israel .
Ojala recommendation for second reading ( A4-0072/97 )
British Conservatives also believe that the Commission is wrong to bring forward this proposal in the name of the European Single Market .
Within the European Union , resale right exists in the legislation of eleven Member States , but it is only really applied in eight .
This report is no exception .
There are several reasons for this .
The European Commission maintains that everything depends on supply .
For the longer term , the preparatory mission recommended economic and financial aid to Albania .
Greece , Italy , France , Spain and Austria , have understood that something has to be done and now have a presence in Albania .
The European Union is not a military organization .
Many aspects of the transition have already been successfully debated and worked out , for example continuity in Kong 's civil service .
The European Union 's economic interests in Hong-Kong are both large in scale and deep-rooted .
I assure the House firmly that Hong-Kong will not slip from our sights in the Commission .
An unsuccessful transition will equally damage us all .
I also want to express my disagreement on the support given to the American law on Hong-Kong .
Let us say there has been an attempt to put technical make-up on the political face .
That is the line taken in the reports before you today .
We know that the refiners already have refineries producing clean diesel , but not for Europe . For the United States and Japan .
It is precisely when engines are claimed to be environment-friendly because they consume less fuel that we can not make any exceptions .
It needs greater definition on the issue of what is to be done at Community level in terms of employment policy .
Subject : The cost of enlargement
Everyone knows that it is politically impossible to turn to the Member States and ask for an increase in the Membership fee .
The sum of 12 million ECU has been made available for possible initiatives agreed with Cyprus for projects to promote confidence-building measures .
Naturally , the Turkish Cypriots will have a place in the representation of the lawful and internationally recognized government of Cyprus .
Question No-6 by Mr Pirker ( H-0218/97 )
Subject : Europol
No major obstacles to ratification have been reported .
How long will the transitional period be following Polish accession in the case of the free movement of persons ?
This procedure guarantees that all countries applying for membership are treated equally .
I would remind you that the negotiations with Spain and Portugal lasted seven years .
This appears to be the case with the events which Mr Lomas reports in his question .
These statements are widely reported in the press .
Even civil servants at national and local government level in Britain are not allowed to get involved in electioneering as the Commissioners are doing .
Do you not think some of them , not all , are getting too big for their boots .
Also adopted was Directive 96/23 on supervisory measures for implementing this tougher policy .
Subject : The EU as an association of free and independent States
If I understand the interpreting correctly it seems that Mr Sjöstedt himself believes that national constitutions are more important than Community law .
Question No-15 by Mr Medina Ortega ( H-0237/97 )
It will also give us a future in the two very important industries that we can not ignore and ensure Europe 's future prosperity .
Also , some serious targets must now finally be set for the car industry .
We have done considerable research before coming to the conclusions before us tonight .
STOA , to produce for us a paper which indicated low sulphur fuels are essential .
Secondly , in any case , they have to refurbish and invest in their refineries continuously .
The rapporteur is asking for a threshold of 50 to 30 ppm , which would also involve excessive cost without appreciable benefit .
The fiscal advantages for clean vehicles could then be introduced some two years before the new standards take effect .
It emerged from the hearing that the sulphur content , in particular , of both petrol and diesel could be much lower .
A further nine percent can be eliminated over the next eight years , at a reasonable cost .
Madam President , there are only two ways to improve air quality .
But two groups are in confrontation .
We look forward to what the Commission has to say but I would sound a note of warning .
The car concept has got off to a good start .
What was the actual driving force behind this programme ?
We will change this programme so that the driving force behind it is the future and innovation .
In the proposal for a directive , summer begins on 1 April and ends on 30 September .
The report contains a number of proposals for tax concessions which many other speakers have mentioned in this evening 's debate .
For that reason the Commission believes that it is still too early to fix limit values for fuel quality for the year 2005 .
These are Amendments Nos 22 , 23 , 37 and 38 .
The Commission has proposed fuel specifications for the year 2000 .
Madam President , there has clearly been a misunderstanding .
The vote will take place tomorrow at 12 noon .
And the national judges frequently have difficulty in understanding and applying the concept of indirect discrimination .
The directive codifies the case law of the Court of Justice and ensures that it will be consistently applied .
British women too are entitled to the same treatment as all the other citizens of Europe .
She has already spoken on the subject , and other colleagues will be doing so as well .
What is being asked of small employers here is very difficult .
All of us as MEPs are small employers too .
in order to bring immediate results it will also be necessary to have constant monitoring of the implementation of the directive .
The problems caused by the absence of transparency are particularly severe .
As a final point I emphasize that the existing positive actions must be kept in place .
Shared responsibilities , both at work and in the family mean a better quality of life for both men and women .
That was also mentioned by Mrs Oomen-Ruijten and Mrs Glase .
The Minutes of the part-session of Thursday 29 May 1997 have been distributed .
Why do I raise the matter ?
I give the floor to Mrs Green .
Thursday does not seem like a good idea .
Mr President , my report also concerns agriculture , bee-keeping to be precise .
In other words , not your report .
Petitions 1996-1997
Citizens take their right to petition seriously .
Sadly my report is not all plaudits .
I wonder whether they are in the debate this evening .
In that case , the matter turns out to be a national problem after all .
It is possible when the matter is raised with the Committee on Petitions .
So it is essential that we activate this right fully .
He won a case against the Greek railways several years ago and he is owed several thousand pounds by them .
Thank you very much , Commissioner .
We have shown that the future of the audio-visual industry is a debate which crosses all political and national boundaries .
We must be able to create and see our own stories , be it Inspector Morse or Derrick .
We can not accept that situation . The first reading provided a remedy .
As far as I know , Madam President , lies are not accepted in any parliament .
Copyright and the EU 's principle of free competition should be taken into account in the televising of sports as of other events .
Which will be seen and which not ?
Thanks to all this it will now be more difficult for public and private broadcasters to ignore the rules contained in the directive .
For European citizens , it ensures that the public interest is taken into consideration , which is so important to their daily lives .
Thank you very much , Commissioner .
Our fellow citizens ' days and nights are becoming increasingly noisy .
Two months ago I had to have an operation for a serious complaint .
No doubt much of what our citizens experience as noise does not fall within the competence of the Union .
And this is one of the oldest pieces of environmental legislation that we have in Europe .
I am thinking here of airport zones , high-speed trains and major motorways .
This refusal can be interpreted as indirect encouragement of the impunity and immunity of the terrorists of yesterday , today and tomorrow .
Resignation of a Vice-President
The next item is the order of business .
I would remind you that Mr Cornelissen 's report has been added to the agenda for Tuesday .
I hope she will take note of this , because it is an important point .
( The President cut off the speaker )
The next item is the joint debate on the following statement and oral question :
For this reason , the initiative of the Commission is worthy of our congratulations .
My group , the Liberal group , is presently focusing its attention on non-European Union nationals .
They are no longer allowed to practise their previous activities as doctors , teachers , members of parliament .
Madam President , I would also like to thank Mrs Bonino wholeheartedly for her work on behalf of the women in Kabul .
Barbaric violence can only be fought when democracy is supported .
The debate is closed .
There have only been a few isolated amendments opposed to this approach and these were subsequently rejected .
Madam President , my group supports the rapporteur 's position .
I fully support the need for contacts with third countries .
Secondly , we should not allow this to be postponed indefinitely , and we should not introduce provisions restricted to physical persons .
But that is not the language used in everyday encounters with the bemused populations of the EU countries .
Two approaches are becoming clear , one of which is a pragmatic approach .
Have negotiations really begun ?
Today we have two directives before us , including this one on capital income .
Finally , it is my belief that it is not for us to deal with rate levels .
I believe this is a job for the final compromise round of Europe 's finance ministers .
Where coordinating tax policy is concerned , the main objective is to limit manoeuvring and distortions on the capital markets .
My country is one of them .
Yet another amendment is aimed at simplification , taking references to the tank to include its accessories as a matter of course .
The sitting was suspended at 11.25 a.m. until voting time at 11.30 a.m. .
Your predecessor said earlier – we only finished the debate barely twenty minutes ago – that this report would be voted on tomorrow .
Now we come to the references to Macao .
In the motion for a resolution , we have :
The way China develops is vital for the way our own societies develop .
It will influence not only our economies but also , and above all , prospects for democracy world-wide .
Directive 96/96/EC established the principle that commercial road vehicles must undergo an annual roadworthiness test at an approved testing centre .
However , I seriously doubt that the introduction of free market principles , which the report so enthusiastically recommends , is the right solution .
It would not be a good thing to blindly apply competition rules and risk endangering the efficiency of Community and national interventions .
In addition , the Commission has exclusive competence in matters of state aid .
In its communication , the Commission has presented some proposals for greater consistency between regional policy and competition policy in the EU .
This solution must not become entrenched in a national-level mentality .
The Commission has already established a number of actions to help them .
It concentrates on combating unemployment and ensuring that everyone has a job .
No one is left out ; there are clear references to women , for example .
It is heartening that the European Union recognises the problems and is willing to focus on them .
Let us make it clear that the collection of clothing for people in third countries who need it can continue .
We must accept that .
The problem is that in many EU Member States it has become the easy option with dire consequences for the environment .
I reserve my right to come back on this when it goes back to committee .
On the question of whether to exempt energy-intensive industries , in our view the Commission 's proposal has advantages and disadvantages .
The international exemption for aircraft kerosene must be abolished as quickly as possible .
The indexing of minimum rates introduced by Mr Cox is a good way of making the regulation simple and reliable .
As a result , the legislation is complex , hard to understand and difficult to apply .
Standards have been raised , and the question of the radio ham has also been given attention .
If I have a criticism of the Legal Affairs Committee 's opinion , it is that it is too one-sided .
I salute him for all he has done in this area .
A further point was how private copying should be regulated in the digital environment .
Broad sections of the population having access to these new forms of knowledge and learning is something we should very much welcome .
It is a directive which safeguards the interests of rightholders and protects intellectual property .
That is why the Socialist Group will be supporting this position .
The first concerns the limitations on copyright , in which context we have logically proposed providing compensation .
In the first place , there are the creators .
There are no clearly defined rules governing the sharing of responsibility .
Cultural differences do exist , and so I do not understand why there should not be mandatory provision for exemptions .
Some time ago we debated about giving the rights to artists who sell their artwork .
Since that legislation came into being , there has been no noticeable difference .
There is a proper balanced way to achieve the rights that everybody here wants to see .
What is most needed in this , as well as in other areas , is a serious in depth analysis of the problems .
This is a right which does not incur financial consequences .
Mr President , many thanks to Mr Barzanti .
We are told we must balance interests but , quite frankly , all interests are not equal .
Blank screens will not enrich our society .
Too many continue to scrape together a living in a kind of La Bohéme garret .
Some would argue that there should be fair use without fair compensation .
Allow the creators and others in the United Kingdom to have a fair debate about whether we should have a blank tape levy .
Copyright holders are given an absolute right to protection , with the banning of copying for private use for example .
Let us be honest .
It may seem that the common agricultural policy or the trans-European transport network are higher priorities , but they are not .
If these products are in short supply or of inferior quality , that will sound the death-knell for Europe .
There are some very clear examples of this in the recitals .
The ball is now in the Commission 's court .
At one time , almost all Europe 's major hits came into being with the help of a producer who believed in them .
We feel that the Internet provides an effective way of avoiding that stranglehold .
The information society is in fact evolving in a global context .
I am well aware that this was also the aim of Parliament 's work .
We can not , however , accept the concept of ' economic significance ' for the rightholder .
Your amendments uphold two important principles : the right of rightholders to fair remuneration and the fine distinction concerning private digital copies .
The first principle protects a need for equity ; it is a measured step forwards in the quest for legal certainty in this sector .
That is a formula which allows broader harmonisation and respects the traditions and practices of the Member States .
The vote will be taken tomorrow at 12 noon .
C4-0497/98-98/0126 ( CNS ) .
The very structure of the text of the COM in wine shows us that wine is an agricultural product rather than an industrial product .
Mr President , I should like to start by offering my sincere thanks to Mr Martin .
The proposal , Commissioner Fischler , was also not nearly as good as this one .
Circumstances have changed in some respects , while in others they have remained the same .
That is why we support the Agriculture Committee 's call for a framework regulation .
Each area has its own way of making wine .
We will only counter overproduction by introducing comprehensive new quality criteria .
We support Mr Martin 's report and we say one thing : quality not quantity !
Contrary to the Commission proposals , we must preserve the current procedure known as the Article 43 procedure .
That is the information I have on this type of activity .
You have the floor , Mr Van Miert .
Mr President , there has been considerable progress made with regard to the internal market for medicinal products .
It will be borne by the consumers and will constitute an additional element of the price of electricity used .
I should just like to confirm that the Commissioner and the French Minister for Europe are both agreed on that point .
I was obviously anxious to hear the speech in full ,
In any case , I congratulate Mrs Thors on her French ; I certainly can not speak in Swedish or Finnish .
Once again , it is a question of habit .
This also applies to charges on cross-border transfers .
We have done so : on 5 February we published an extremely detailed press release dealing with the questions you have raised .
I will bear in mind however , as these debates are of especial interest to me , that Spain has been particularly affected .
Question No-46 by Christine Oddy ( H-0002/99 )
I am pleased to confirm that the Commission has received the report to which the honourable Member refers .
Mr Hatzidakis now has the floor for one minute , and his will be the last question to Mr van den Broek today .
As regards the negotiations , you know the Commission 's position .
Question No-59 by Alex Smith ( H-0045/99 )
I must confess I am totally surprised that the Commission was not aware of this report , given its sensitivity at this particular time .
So I do not have a supplementary question , I just want to register my protest .
My question is related to Mr Smith 's question .
It has always failed to deal with the real issue , namely the closing-down of Sellafield .
I have sat here patiently and I find it quite extraordinary that you are not calling me .
Instead of that , you called Mr Fitzsimons as a supplementary to Mr Smith .
I have the impression that the honourable Member believes the public invitation to tender in connection with the tunnel has already started .
The sitting was suspended at 7.15 p.m and resumed at 9 p.m .
Common organisation of the market in wine ( continuation )
I also think that the Commission 's proposals are better able to provide this guarantee of dynamic equilibrium .
This also means that in several areas the report does not follow the liberal proposals made by the Commission .
Everyone can see that the draft CAP reforms tend to become embedded in the rut defined by the Commission 's too liberal tendencies .
The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development is very attentive to the demands of the experts and of society .
This is why we will be approving the report which has been presented to us .
I hope that the debate on wine-growing will benefit the wine producer , the product and the consumer alike .
More must be done to promote the product on the international markets .
We are always talking about quality ; well , I believe that quality also means giving priority to products wholly derived from the vine .
Unfortunately , with respect , it shows an enormous ignorance of what actually happens to wine in those countries that it is shipped to .
Ladies and gentlemen from both North and South , we must vote in favour of this report .
Commissioner Brittan should know this .
The appropriate forum for the settlement of this dispute is the World Trade Organisation .
I therefore urge the German presidency to take whatever initiative is necessary in the Bonn EU/US summit in June .
It is as if someone were to steal my wallet and I were then expected to sit down and negotiate with him .
So , let us take the gloves off .
We shall not only condemn them .
It affects people and it reaches them at different times and on different issues .
I can now give the floor to one speaker in favour and one against .
A pirate electronic version is available but not in French .
In addition to the Structural Funds and the common agricultural policy , the financing of the Community needs to undergo radical reform .
President Santer rightly pointed out that financial reform is one of the main pillars of Agenda 2000 .
You can see that just by looking at the current discussions in the Council .
Work that one out if you can !
At the same time that one truly European own resource is waning rapidly in its importance .
Yet , the good old traditional own resources are the cause of major headaches for control and concern about fraud .
We have a system of own resources that is extremely complex and lacking in transparency .
It makes life very difficult for Members , Commissioners and the press .
At any rate , there is still quite a lot of circumvention and evasion in this area by the Member States .
Mr President , I should also like to compliment Mrs Haug on her report .
These are very fundamental points for the future .
It is a question of appropriateness and of review .
What policies and at what level ?
Only one thing can protect us from this unfortunate fate and that is the rule of unanimity .
I should like to welcome Mrs Cresson and ask her to reply to Mr Valverde 's question .
Thank you very much .
The premises you visited do not belong to the European Commission and the staff you met are not employed by the European Commission .
I am unaware of the reasons behind this situation you describe though I can make an educated guess at them .
Could you please explain it more clearly ?
What I have been hearing about the representative in Nicaragua is indicative that the project had not been properly closed down .
I would like to make that crystal-clear .
I am referring to the Rio Coco project .
Mr Martin , please reply without engaging in a dialogue , as the Rules do not provide for one .
Originally , a proposal was promised for the beginning of last year .
I am grateful to the honourable Member for his question .
I just hope that I will be invited to the opening ceremony because we worked damned hard to get it .
Thank you , Mr Kinnock .
Question No-44 by Bernie Malone ( H-0209/99 )
European exports rose during that period but the situation has now been rectified .
The only product of any significance is canned tomatoes , but even they account for no more than 7 -% of the market .
For my part , I feel that the negotiations were balanced and that they open the way for achieving a sustainable market .
You know yourself that the agreement with South Africa was held up because of the fisheries question , too .
You have to take more into account the whole question of , not just giving aid , but fair trade .
The overall amount was 6500 tonnes of canned tomatoes .
We shall be discussing the new trends in consumption and trafficking and the prospects for the future .
Many lives are wasted every year because of the depredations of the people-smugglers .
We know for certain that those who try to reach the coast of Europe by sea from Morocco often meet a grim fate .
In 1996 , the EDU 's mandate was extended to include the smuggling of human beings .
We know that there are boats plying between Morocco and Spain and Gibraltar , and that the different authorities concerned are cooperating fully .
What do you think are the target routes here ?
Question No-49 will therefore receive a written answer .
We are closely monitoring the matter and should know whether the regime has been modified within the next few weeks .
Secondly , the origin rules applicable to imports to third countries from the Community are still based on individual Member States .
Detailed statistics on EU trade with Cuba are not available .
I understand from sources in the Scottish industry that there is a major company involved in Norway at the moment .
As I have said , 84 exporters have had the undertakings replaced by duties instead .
This has led to the adoption of a common position on Burma and the withdrawal of GSP benefits .
In this case we are talking about the market for processed meat products .
I had therefore been hoping for a common sense reply , Commissioner , not a technical one .
The directive is more modest .
How could millions of customers be reimbursed if the charge had already been included in their electricity bills ?
Questions Nos 60 to 111 will therefore receive written answers .
That concludes Question Time .
For electoral reasons and in order to appeal to the masses , the subject has been brought up again .
It aims at the heart of the matter , as Agenda 2000 negotiations have reached a critical stage .
The issue is the financing of EU enlargement .
We are now fighting over who is going to pay for it .
I speak on behalf of the British Labour Members on that major area of dissent .
At the moment , Germany has a massive surplus in its balance of trade with the rest of the Union , something like 25 billion .
Firstly , does the total amount of Community budget receipts cover the current requirement of the European Union ?
How much further do you want it to fall ?
Let us just reflect on the fact that , without a common agricultural policy , there would be no European Union today .
We therefore had to meet these two fundamental objectives and I sincerely believe that we are close to achieving this .
Some merely refer to purely linguistic and formal aspects .
We transport politicians always try to be precise , without letting things get out of hand .
During the conciliation procedure the Commission , indeed you , Commissioner , declared that a proposal on seaports would be on the table immediately .
There are two other points I would like to address .
Then there is the famous project No-8 of the 14 very important projects endorsed by the Essen summit .
We have worked on the networks too long for this to happen .
That is what I want to talk about today .
I admit that , Commissioner , and also thank the Commission for improving its proposal compared to the original text .
We need a brief report summarising the experience gained and a clear review .
A very clear and accurate analysis of both Mediterranean and non-Mediterranean ports is required .
That makes sense because the viability of infrastructure investments obviously depends on competitive revenue-raising services and competitive services clearly need quality infrastructure .
Amendment No-6 makes more radical changes to the guideline maps , adding new links and creating new categories of ports .
All I would regret was his prolonged absence from this House .
This , however , is not the proposal before the House .
That he always gets , whether he likes it or not .
Thank you , Mr Kinnock .
There is much talk of privatisation and liberalisation .
But privatisation does not even come into question in this context , it is not being proposed .
It is up to the railway undertakings to decide whether to do so more in the form of cooperation or of competition .
I believe the Commission has done a very good job in many cases .
Each country should continue to be able to regulate this as it wishes in its area of jurisdiction .
Personally , I should like to see a number of other requirements deleted .
Consequently , the proposals could , in practice , produce the opposite effect to that intended and become an obstacle to increased competition .
Many countries and regions are worried , and perhaps with reason .
But the opportunity for the renaissance of the railways is at hand , and that is what we should strive for .
Compared with my own objectives , I do not think the demands made by either of them are tough enough .
Mr President , here too I must congratulate the two rapporteurs .
But there are a few facts that we must face .
I do not agree with him at all .
How can we license individual operators if we do not make that separation ?
Why do we say that ?
Firstly , the amendment of the concept of authorised applicants which allows any natural or legal person to request infrastructure capacity .
We all know that the market share of the railways has declined in recent years .
My group welcomes that opportunity and supports the Commission and our rapporteurs in their efforts to secure a future for Europe 's railways .
Both the reports before us today represent further necessary steps along the same road .
If rail is to have real vitality , then rail is going to have to change .
It results in a less clear definition and is , in our view , an unnecessary change .
I have great sympathy with the view that Community legislation should not be over-prescriptive .
There are a number of key points that I would like to address before concluding .
It will encourage them to place greater reliance on this mode of transport .
They have to make a stronger commitment to rail .
I conclude by thanking both rapporteurs ,
I hope that the whole House will endorse their constructive approach .
So there is no question of closing down , there is a question of the practical discretion of the committee .
We will meet that commitment .
The vote will take place tomorrow at 12 noon .
Perhaps it is especially important , however , to define in precise terms the responsibility that city will have to assume .
A bird cried out on the roof , and he woke up .
It was the middle of the afternoon , in the heat , in Africa ;
he knew at once where he was .
The road to the village would be blocked , the dog ran over the soft fields breathing like a dragon ...
the kernel of the house was warm with oil-fired heating and the light from red shades ,
the silky colours of Olivia 's things ... the rugs , cherry- and satin-wood pieces ... and the red earth pots , bits of beadwork , the two fine carvings they once found in the Congo .
A few days ago he was in that house , packing to leave in the flat progression of practical matters by which decision is broken up into reality .
If you have any trouble with the boiler , for heaven 's sake let Mackie look at it before you send to town .
What a pity you gave away your shorts .
There 's no knowing if I 'll be anywhere where I could dare appear in shorts , any more .
But your waist measurement has n't changed by so much as half an inch ...
I know by your pyjama trousers , I use exactly the same measurement for new elastic as I always did .
Three months before , Adamson Mweta stood outside a steak house in Kensington and said to him ,
Of course you 'll come back to us now !
He had driven home , slowing down on the empty road that led through the fullness of a deserted summer twilight , at last , to the house .
Housing estates overrun villages all over England , but here the process had been reversed ; the house had once been a manor ( Olivia thought that , even earlier , it had been a priory ) but in the nineteenth century the village was depopulated by the drift to industrialized towns , lost its autonomy , and died ; the shop-cum-post-office had closed , the cottages had fallen down ;
As Olivia said , it ought to have been a sad-feeling place but it was n't ; there was instead a renewal : the country had come back , bringing the reassurance of stubborn peace and fecundity , a beginning again .
And they were only two-hours-and-a-bit from London , their daughters and their friends .
He had kept up , since he finally left Africa ten years ago , a close contact with Adamson Mweta and the other leaders of the African independence movement .
He spent a great deal of time going back and forth to London to advise them when they conferred with the Colonial Office , and to do what he could to smooth the way for various delegations that came to petition against the old constitution and to negotiate independence for their country .
It was there , in this Central African territory , that he had been a colonial servant until the settlers succeeded in having him recalled and deported for his support of the People 's Independence Party .
He said to his wife , Mweta 's invited me to come back as their guest .
Well , you ought to be at the Independence celebrations , if anyone is .
That 's marvellous .
She used to make packages of sandwiches for Mweta to take with him when he cycled for miles about Gala province at weekends , speaking at meetings .
He said to Adamson Mweta before they parted the next day , Olivia wo n't be able to come out to Independence , unfortunately ... our elder daughter 's expecting a child just round about that time .
Mweta said , with his slow shy smile that always seemed to grow like a light becoming more powerful , as his eyes held you , You mean little Venetia ?
She going to be a mother ?
I 'm afraid so , he mumbled in his Englishman 's way .
Well , that 's good , that 's good .
Never mind , Mrs. Bray will join you later .
I imagine by the time she 's prepared to trust the baby to Venetia the celebrations 'll be over .
That 's what I mean –
you 'll be more or less settled by the time she arrives .
They were standing at the door of Mweta 's taxi ; there was a sudden uprush of feeling between the two men ; the Englishman stood there , the small , quick black man took him by the biceps , hard , through his dark suit , as in his own country he would have linked fingers with a brother .
Under the release of physical contact , he said to Mweta , I do n't know what we 're talking about , and Mweta said , You ... I told you we expect you back , now .
But what would I do ?
What use should I be to you ?
He was so accustomed to effacing himself in the hours of discussion of constitutional law and political tactics ( a white man , an outsider offering impersonal service for whatever it was worth ) ...
a strong consciousness of his own being flooded him as if a stimulant had been injected into his veins .
Whatever you like !
It 's all ours !
We need you ; whatever you like !
Mweta broke away and jumped into the taxi .
The pale stone façade with its stone lintels and sills worn smooth as a piece of used soap was directly on the empty road but the real face of the house was the other side .
Sheltered by the building the garden was a grassy look-out over fuzzy colours of flowers , bees , and early moths to the long valley .
He and Olivia gardened on summer evenings , not seriously , as she did during the day , but desultorily pulling out a tall rank weed here or there , for the pleasure of feeling its roots yield from the humus and bring up , in the crumbs clinging to that beard grown underground , a smell of earth rich as fruit-cake .
They had laid flag-stones under the walnut trees for the white wooden chairs and table , so that it would n't be too damp .
They drank whisky there , or even the coffee after dinner .
Sometimes before the dusk wavered the wood away into the distance , he went out into the sunlight that collected like golden water in the dip of the meadows and shot a partridge .
There was no one to bother about shooting rights .
Afterwards as the evening faded he cleaned the gun almost by feel and the clean , practical smell of gun-oil conveyed the simple satisfaction of the task .
Olivia played records with the living-room windows wide open so that the music came out to them .
This summer it was Stravinsky and Poulenc ;
she was of the generation and class that paid other women to knit and now that she herself was about to be a grandmother she made funny stuffed toys for nieces and nephews .
She had a cigar box full of odd buttons , as a supply of eyes , but she put it away from her because one of the things she had hated when she was young was the show of dissembling older women made when confronted with something vital to them .
I suppose we said many times we 'd come back when they got their independence .
She gave a small , self-questioning shrug , admitting the glibness of another kind of daily talk in another time .
It 's not because of what one said .
But both knew that , in those days , the important thing was to give Adamson Mweta faith in himself by positing a future that was real because you , a white person with nothing personal to gain by it , showed you believed it would come about .
Gazing out across the valley and then calmly at him , she had her look of wanting to find out exactly what they were talking about .
He said , Certainly I thought of going back , then . Before we left .
Just as I knew we should have to leave .
Poor Adamson , it looked pretty hopeless at times .
And yet it 's come so quickly .
Ten years .
Ten years since they had been deported from the territory , ten years since she was a youngish woman of forty , and the girls were still schoolgirls .
Historically , yes , it would happen but not to Adamson , and not to us ?
The house they had bought , filled with possessions that had been stored all the years they were in Africa , the garden they had made , spoke for them .
It was not a house to be quitted .
They expect you back , she said with pride .
Adamson was in the flush of victory , all right .
I think he 'd have embraced Henry Davis .
Davis was the settler M.P. who had been responsible , at one stage , for getting Mweta banished to the far Western Province .
He naturally assumes you 'll come out of exile .
They laughed .
But they were talking of Mweta ;
the strange shyness of twenty-two years of marriage made it impossible for her to say : Do you want to go ?
The passionate beginning , the long openness and understanding between them should have meant that she would know what he wanted .
And in a way she did know : because it was for them a code so deeply accepted that it had never been discussed ...
one was available wherever one was of use .
What else was there to live by ?
And so the question of what they were talking about really amounted to her hidden , pressed-down , banked-over desire to know whether this house , this life in Wiltshire , this life – at last – seemed to him the definitive one , in the end .
Because she was suddenly realizing that it had been so for her .
She was , after all ( in the true sense of after all that had gone before ) an Englishwoman .
She had taken out of storage the furniture and family possessions that had been nothing but a nuisance to her when they left England together twenty years ago , and , putting them in place , inevitably had accepted the life the arrangement of such objects provided for , and her comfortable private income made possible .
In the room they had decided upon for his study , the desk from her great-grandfather that had naturally become his – a quiet field of black-red morocco scratched with almost erased gold – was a place to write the properly documented history of the territory ( Mweta 's country ) that had never been done before ; not the boxwood Colonial Office desk at which one dealt with government forms and made the empirical scribbles of administration or politics .
In the scented , mothy evening she felt the presence of the house like someone standing behind her .
She did not know whether he felt it too ; and she could not try to find out because if it turned out that he did n't – she had a premonition , sometimes , that in middle age you could find you had lost everything in a moment : husband – lover , friend , children , it was as if they had never happened , or you had wandered off from them without knowing , and now stood stock-still with the discovery .
They watched the moths in the tobacco flowers .
She said in her sensible , inquiring , Englishwoman 's voice behind which generations of her kind had sheltered , Did Mweta say how long ?
It was very much a gesture !
No , but he 'd already mentioned it yesterday , is n't that so ?
You misunderstood him yesterday .
A year ? Six months ? ... What ?
White people given appointments in African countries after independence were usually employed on contract .
Good Lord , I 've no idea , I 'm sure he has n't either .
It 's all in the air .
Olivia went in to change the record and because it was , unexpectedly , Mozart – the harp and Mute concerto – he lit a cigar to smoke while he enjoyed it .
She wandered down to the herb garden and brought back a branch of dill ;
There he is , she said .
It was their owl , a youngster who had hatched out down in the field and was heard every night .
She remarked that tomorrow she must pick the dill for drying .
Everything was just as it was .
But everything was changed .
All had turned over in the barrel of the world and steadied itself again .
She knew , if he did n't , that he was going .
It was night in Europe all the way .
Dark rain in the afternoon in London when the plane took off , at Rome the airport a vast , bleary shopwindow shining blurred colours through rain .
He hauled down his coat again to get out at Athens .
The metal rail of the steps wheeled against the plane was icy-wet to his palm and in the streaming rain he did not smell the Aegean or thyme , as he had remembered from other journeys to Africa .
Inside the airport under the yellow light the passengers sat down again on exhausted-looking chairs , bundled deep in their heavy clothing .
An old woman with crinkly grey hair woke up at her post outside the lavatory and opened the door , smiling and grasping a filthy cleaning rag .
He walked around to ease the cramp in his knees but there was a small circumference and within a few strides one found oneself back again at the shop , before which women and child passengers were drawn to gaze at embroidered aprons and evzone dolls .
A girl of ten or eleven with the badges of the cantons of Switzerland sewn to the sleeve of her coat had exactly the look of Venetia at that age .
He bought a postcard of brilliant blue sea and dazzling white ruins and tried to write , in what he could remember of Greek :
Winter and darkness here but in Cambridge , perhaps , there 's already spring yelling its head off ?
My love to you , James .
Venetia had had a first in Greek , herself , only a year ago , and could laugh over the mistakes .
But that was the end of Europe .
At Kano a huge moon shone and in a light brighter than a European winter afternoon the passengers made their way across the tarmac at three in the morning against the resistance of a heat of the day persisting all through the night as the sun persists in a stone it has warmed .
There was a smell of woodsmoke ;
the men moving about beneath the belly of the plane had bare black feet .
When the passengers climbed aboard again , their clothes felt hairy and the plane was airless .
He put the coat away on the rack , apologizing , trying not to hamper other people in the general move to rearrange gear ; the anticipation of arrival , still some hours off , aroused in them not so much common purpose as a spread of instinct as in the lifted heads of a herd become aware of the promise of water .
When the sun rose some slumped off into sleep , but women began to examine the plastic bags in which they kept their hats , and , as the hard beams of the sun struck into the cabin on hairnets , pale lips , and stubble , queues formed for the lavatories .
While he was writing on the customs and immigration form , BRAY , Evelyn James , and the number of his passport , someone was reading his name over his shoulder ; he flexed it awkwardly , not because he minded , but in mild embarrassment .
The queue for the lavatory moved along a notch , he glanced up and the man , carrying a flowered sponge-bag , caught his eye with a tired vacant stare that changed to an expression of greeting .
The woman who had dozed beside him all night communicating the intimate rhythm of her breathing but never exchanging a word , suddenly began to talk like a bird who has the cover taken off its cage .
He wedged himself between the seats to recover the shoe she had lost somewhere over a distant desert ;
she laughed , protested apologetically , and shook cologne down into her freckled bosom .
Dragging back the little curtain from the oval window , she looked into the dazzling glare of space and said , Glorious morning up here ! and they discussed with animation the cold and sudden winter that was left behind .
As he did not have a window seat he did not see the bush and the earth red as brick-dust and the furze of growth along the river-beds :
not until the plane had come to a stop on the runway , and they were waiting for the health inspector to come aboard .
He unhooked his safety belt and leaned over to look at an angle through the bleary lens on the far side of the aisle ; and there it was , tiny and distorted and real , bush , earth , exactly as it remained in his mind always , without his thinking about it .
It was underfoot .
It was around .
A black man in khaki shorts ( used to be a white man in white stockings ) sprayed a cloyingly perfumed insecticide over the passengers ' heads as a precaution against the plane harbouring mosquitoes and tsetse flies .
The doors opened ; voices from without came in on currents of air ; he emerged among the others into heady recognition taken in at all the senses , walking steadily across the tarmac through the raw-potato whiff of the undergrowth , the fresh , early warmth on hands , the cool metallic taste of last night 's storm at the back of the throat ,
The disembarking passengers were all strangers again , connected not with each other but to the mouthing , smiling faces and waving hands on the airport balcony .
He knew no one but the walk was processional , a reception to him , and by the time he entered the building over the steps where , as always , dead insects fallen from the light during the night had not been swept away , it was all as suddenly familiar and ordinary as the faces other people were greeting were , to them .
Waiting to be summoned to the customs officers ' booths , the companions of the journey ignored each other .
Only the man with the flowered sponge-bag , as if unaware of this useful convention , insisted on a Here we are again smile .
You 're Colonel Bray ?
He spoke round the obstacle of a woman standing between them .
Thought I recognized you in Rome .
Welcome back .
I must confess I do n't remember you .
I 've been away a long time .
The man had long coarse strands of sun-yellowed hair spread from ear to ear across a bald head and wore sunglasses that rested on fine Nordic cheekbones .
I 've only just come to live here ... from down South . South Africa .
Who was that I do n't know ... one of the people from the plane ... a baldish fair man with an accent , I did n't catch the name .
He 'd recently moved up here .
Oh Hjalmar Wentz must have been .
He and his wife took over the Silver Rhino last year .
I like old Hjalmar .
He 's just been to Denmark or somewhere because his mother died .
We 'll go in and have a steak there one evening , they 're trying to make a go of it with a charcoal grill and whatnot .
What happened to McGowan ?
Good God , they 've been gone at least five or six years .
There 've been three other managers since then .
It 's difficult to do anything with that place now ;
it 's got the character of the miners ' pub it was , but it 's very handy for the new government offices , not too overawing , so you get quite a few Africans coming in .
A genteel lot , very conscious of their dignity , man-about-town and all that , you can imagine how the white toughies feel about all those white collars round black necks in the bar .
Hjalmar 's as gentle as a lamb and he has to keep the peace somehow .
Oh I 'll tell you who 's still around though – Barry Forsyth .
Yes , and making money .
Forsyth Construction . You 'll see the board everywhere .
They tell me he 's got the contract for the whole Isoza River reclamation scheme ... employs engineers from Poland and Italy
Because of the mosquitoes , they moved into the house .
The spiders came out from behind the pictures and flattened like starfish against the walls .
There was no air at all in the living-room , and a strong smell of hot fat .
Every now and then , while dinner was awaited , their conversation was backed by intensely sociable sounds – pitched talk – let in from the kitchen as the servant went in and out , laying the table .
There was another large meal , and an exchange about a bottle of white wine between Dando and his cook , Festus .
Of course I do n't open wrong kind bottle .
I know when is eat-e chicken , I know when is eat-e beef .
Well it is the wrong one , because I told you this morning I wanted the round flat bottle put in the fridge .
You say I cook chicken , is n't it ?
I look , I see the round bottle is red wine inside ...
It 's pink .
I specially did n't say anything about the colour because I did n't want to muddle you up .
I know how obstinate you are , Festus ...
They argued self-righteously as two old-maid sisters .
Festus could be heard retailing the exchange , confidently in the right , in the kitchen ;
Dando , equally assured , went on talking as if without interruption .
It 's not an exaggeration to say that what they 're having to do is introduce a so-called democratic social system in place of a paternalist discipline .
You have n't replaced the District Commissioner by appointing a district magistrate .
You 've only replaced one of his functions .
You 've still got to get country people to realize that these functions are now distributed among various agencies :
it 's no good running to the magistrate if someone needs an ambulance to take him to the next town , for instance ...
In bush stations there was n't anything we were n't responsible for .
Exactly .
But now people have to learn that there 's a Department of Public Health to go to .
A good thing !
A good thing for everybody !
What a hopeless business it was , hopeless for the D.C. and for the people .
Dependency and resentment hand in hand .
Whatever the black magistrates are like , whatever the administration 's like , it wo n't be like that .
The magistrates are all right , do n't you worry .
A damned sight better than some of our fellows .
I 'm not worried at that level .
The Bench does n't change of course .
Bray laughed at Dando 's expression ;
the look of weary , bottomless distaste in the wrinkled mugs of certain breeds of dogs .
They 'll die off , I suppose .
There 's that to be said for it .
But God knows what we 'll get then .
I met Gwenzi 's brother in London one day while he was at Gray 's Inn ;
he told me he was going to be the first African at the bar here .
When Dando 's opinion of someone was really low he did not seem to hear his name .
Do n't think I do n't know I 've got some bad times coming to me , he said , as if taking up , in private , current talk about himself .
When I said yes to Mweta I knew it and every time I walk past the title on my office door I know it .
The day will come when I 'll have deportation orders to sign that I wo n't want to sign .
Warrants of arrest . Or worse .
He ate a mouthful of the left-over granadilla pudding , and there was the smallest tremor , passing for a moment through his head .
Poor old Dando .
Anyone who 's stayed on is a fool if he has n't thought about that , said Bray .
And I 'll be instructing the State Prosecutor to act when I 'd rather not , too .
That I can count on .
What if Shinza should make a bit of trouble at the next elections , what if he were to feel himself bloody well discounted as he certainly is , and start up a real opposition with all the tricks that he taught PIP , eh ?
What if he brought the whole Lambala-speaking crowd out in a boycott , with all the old beatingsup at the polls , hut burnings – you think I would n't find myself the one to put Shinza inside , this time ?
Well , I know .
But why on earth should it come to that ?
I knew it when I said yes to Mweta .
Poor bloody Dando .
The blacks ' dirty work is n't any cleaner than the whites ' .
That 's what they 'll be happy to note .
But what their contented little minds will never know is that I knew it when I took the job , I knew it all along , and I 'll say it now as loud as I 'd say it then ...
Who 'll be happy ?
Dando refilled the brandy glasses again .
My colleagues !
Those worthy fellows who 've gone down South to Rhodesia and South Africa where they can feel confident they 'll never have a black man on the Bench to give a verdict as biased as a white man 's .
It was after midnight when they got to bed .
Bray went to the kitchen to fill his brandy glass with water for the night .
Cockroaches fled , pausing , from what they regarded as positions of safety , to twirl their antennae .
A furry black band of ants led up a cupboard door to some scrap that had flicked from a plate .
He stood at the sink , drinking cold water and looking at the avocado pear pip growing suspended by three matchsticks in the neck of a pickle jar of water on the sill .
He was conscious of a giddy swing of weight from one foot to the other that was not of his volition ; it seemed he had been standing there a long time – he was not sure .
He heard Dando , forced by the old Labrador into the garden , walking about outside the guest hut and talking reproachfully to the dog ;
and then it was morning and Festus 's assistant was at the door with the early tea .
A helicopter snored over the celebrations , drowning the exchange of greetings when Bray was introduced to someone in the street , expunging conversation in bars and even speeches .
Nobody knew what it was for ... a security measure , some were satisfied to assume , while others accepted it as vaguely appropriate , the symbol of progress inseparable from all industrial fairs and agricultural shows and therefore somehow relevant to any public display .
There was a moment in the stadium at the actual Independence ceremony when he heard it on the perimeter of the sky just as Kenyatta began to speak , and he and Vivien Bayley , the young wife of the registrar of the new university , sitting beside him , collided glances of alert apprehension ...
Later it was discovered to have been giving flips at half-a-crown a time to a section of the population who were queueing up , all through the ceremony , at the nearby soccer field ;
a publicity stunt for an international cigarette-making firm .
Neil Bayley was the one to find this out , because of some domestic mishap or misunderstanding that made his arrival at the visitors ' stand very late .
Bray was conscious of furious tension between the young couple at his side as he sat with the great stir of tiers of people behind , and the space in front of him , before the velvet-draped and canopied dais , filled with press photographers and radio and television crews , who all through the solemnities raced about bent double on frantic tiptoe , snaking their wires , thrusting up their contraptions manipulating shutters and flashlights .
It was as if with all made splendidly ready for a theatrical performance , a party of workmen with their gear had been left behind .
This activity and the risen temper along the back of a silent quarrel beside him provided the strong distraction of another , disorderly level of being that always seemed to him to take away from planned great moments what they were meant to hold heady and pure .
Here was the symbolic attainment of something he had believed in , willed and worked for , for a good stretch of his life :
expressed in the roar that rocked back and forth from the crowd at intervals , the togas , medalled breasts and white gloves , the ululating cries of women , the soldiers at attention , and the sun striking off the clashing brass of the bands .
Or in the icecream tricycles waiting at the base of each section of an amphitheatre of dark faces , the mongrel that ran out and lifted its leg on the presidential dais ?
Mweta had the mummified look of one who has become a vessel of ritual .
But once the declaration of independence was pronounced he came , as out of a trance , to an irresistibly lively self , sitting up there seeing everything around him , a spectator , Bray felt , as well as a spectacle .
Bray was half-embarrassed to find that he even caught his eye , once , and there was a quick smile ; but Mweta was used to having eyes on him , by now .
He talked to the elderly English princess who sat beside him with her knees peaked neatly together in the Royal position curiously expressive of the suffering of ceremonies , and Bray saw him point out the contingent of Gala women , their faces and breasts whitened for joy , who were lined up among the troops of musicians and dancers from various regions .
And yet when that ceremony was over , and in between all the other official occasions – State Ball , receptions , cocktail parties , banquets , and luncheons – a mood of celebration grew up , as it were , outside the palace gates .
He attended most of the official occasions ( he and Roly saluted each other with mock surprise when they met in the house , half-dressed in formal dinner clothes every night ) but the real parties took place before and after .
These grew spontaneously one out of the other , and once you had been present at the first , you got handed on to all the others .
He really knew only some of the people but all of them seemed to know about him , and many were the friends of friends .
Dando took him to the Bayleys ; but Neil was a friend of Mweta , and Vivien was the niece of , of all people , Sir William Clough , the last governor , who had been a junior with Bray in the colonial service in Tanganyika .
The Bayleys were friends of Cyprian Kente , Mweta 's Minister of the Interior , and his wife Tindi , and Timothy Odara , one of the territory 's few African doctors , whom Bray , of course , knew well .
Through each individual the group extended to someone else and drew in , out of the new international character of the little capital , Poles , Ghanaians , Hungarians and Israelis , South African and Rhodesian refugees .
After the State Ball there was a private all-night party in a marquee .
Roly Dando had promised to drop by , and of course Bray was with him .
Cheers went up from the people already present who had not been at the ball ; they had decided to dress for once , too , and the two groups of women mingled and exclaimed over each other , everyone began to talk about what the ball was like , champagne came in , a Congolese band whipped up their pace , and the absurd and slightly thrilling mood of the State Ball and the cosy gaiety of the party swept together .
The tent was filled with chairs and divans borrowed from people 's houses , and flowers from their gardens .
Someone had put up a board with a collage of blown-up pictures of Mweta – speaking , laughing , yawning , touching a piece of machinery with curiosity , leaving , arriving , even threatening .
Many other people Bray had seen at the ball streamed in in their finery :
they had contributed to the arrangements for this party .
The trouble everyone had taken gave a sense of occasion to even the wildest moments of the night .
Vivien Bayley , queenly at twenty-six , with her beautiful , well-mannered , disciplined face , came to hover beside Bray between responsible permutations about the room to make sure that this young girl was not being bothered too much by the attentions of someone older and rather drunk , or that young man was not being overlooked by the girls who ought to be taking notice of him .
Bray surprised her by asking her to dance , swaying stiffly to a rhythm he did n't know , but nevertheless keeping the beat , so that they would n't make fools of themselves among the complicated gyrations of the Africans .
I 'm so glad you dance , she said ; he was ashamed that he had asked her only out of politeness .
Neil wo n't ... I think it 's a mistake to let oneself forget these things because of vanity .
Tindi Kente is a wonderful dancer , wonderful , is n't she ... just like a snake brought out by music , and sometimes he 'll try with her .
He loves to flirt with her when Cyprian 's not looking , but get her doing her marvellous wriggle on the floor and he just stands there like Andrew , dragging his feet .
Andrew was probably one of her children ;
being accepted with such immediate casual friendliness by everyone was rather like being forced to learn a foreign language by finding oneself alone among people who spoke nothing else :
it was assumed that he would pick up family and other relationships merely by being exposed to them .
Someone called to Vivien and they were drawn away from the dancers to a crowded table .
A young woman leaned her elbows on it and her white breasts pursed forward within the frame of her arms .
Have my glass , she said , as there were no spare ones to go round .
She went off to dance , holding in her stomach as she squeezed past and balanced her soft-looking body .
The heat was heightened by drink and animation and the glass filled by the long , narrow black hand of his neighbour was marked by the fingerprints of the white woman who had relinquished it .
You do n't remember me ?
Ras Asahe , I came to your place in England once .
The young man said he was in broadcasting now , so-called assistant to the Director of English Language Services .
And how 's your father ?
Good Lord , I 'd like to see him again !
Joseph Asahe was one of Edward Shinza 's lieutenants in the early days of PIP .
He 's old now .
It was not the right question to have asked ;
what the young man dismissed was any possible suggestion that he was to be thought of in connection with Shinza .
His clothes , watch , cufflinks were those of a man who feels he must buy the best for himself , he had the Mussolini-jaw quite common among the people in the part of the country he came from but those hands were the lyrical , delicately strong , African ones that escaped the international blandness of businessmen 's hands as Bray had marvelled to see them escape the brutalizing of physical hardship .
Convicts broke stones with hands like that , here .
They made conversation about the radio and television coverage of the celebrations , and from this broke into talk that interested them both :
the problem of communication in a country with so many different language groups .
I wonder how much use could be made of a radio classroom in country schools , whether it could n't help considerably to ease the shortage of teachers , here , and maintain some sort of standard where teachers are perhaps not very well qualified .
I 'd like to talk to somebody about it ... your man ?
I 'm not keen to go straight to the Director-General ...
It wo n't make much difference .
They laughed at him again .
Everyone was gathering round for servings from the roast sheep , and the fair stocky man from the airport signalled a greeting with a piece of meat in his fingers .
Wentz , Hjalmar Wentz , we met on the plane .
Roland Dando said we probably should be seeing you at the Rhino .
They moved off with their plates of food , and Wentz said to a woman settled in one of the canvas chairs , Margot , here is Colonel Bray .
No , no , please stay where you are .
In the fuss to find somewhere to sit he saw the light of the fire under the spit running along the shiny planes of the woman 's face as it did on glasses and the movement of knives and forks .
Bright hair was brushed up off a high round forehead and behind the ears , in a way he associated with busy , capable women .
Try some , Margot , it 's wonderful ...
Are n't I fat enough ...
But she took a tidbit of crisp fat from her husband 's fork .
To tell the truth , this 's the first time for a week we 've had time to sit down to eat .
Margot 's had to be in the kitchen herself from six in the morning , and some nights it 's been until ten .
She literally has n't sat down to a meal ...
Oh , not quite ... I must have had hundreds of cups of coffee .
Yes , with one hand while you were busy stirring a pot with the other .
The cook went to the Independence ceremony and we have n't seen him since ... just for the afternoon , he said , just to see the great men he 's seen in the papers ... well , what can you say ?
We felt it was his day , after all .
The woman showed a wellshaped smile in the dark .
Bray asked , How on earth have you managed ?
She gestured and laughed , but her husband was eager to break in , holding up his hands over the plate balanced on his knees .
A hundred and twenty-two for dinner !
That 's what it was on Thursday . And yesterday ... Only a hundred and nine , that 's all ...
They laughed .
Bray raised his beer mug of wine to her .
What about my assistant cook ?
You must n't forget I 've got help , she said .
Wentz put down his glass beside his chair , to do the justice of full attention to what he was going to say .
Her assistant cook .
I got him from the new labour exchange – I thought , well , let 's try it , so they send him along , five years ' experience , everything fine .
His wife was listening , laughing softly , sitting back majestically for a moment .
Five years ' experience , but d' you know what as ?
You know the barbers under the mango trees there just before you get to the second-class trading area ?
Our son 's comment was the best , I think .
Well , here 's to three crazy people , said Wentz , excitedly picking up his glass .
Everyone knows you must be crazy to come of your own free will to one of these countries .
Colonel Bray is n't going to run a hotel .
She had a soft , dry voice and her accent was slighter than her husband 's .
I 'm not as brave as you are .
Oh , how do you know ? said Wentz .
We did n't know what we were going to land up doing , either .
She said quietly , We certainly did n't think we 'd be the proprietors of the Silver Rhino .
Anyway , that 's another story , said Wentz .
Oh , did you ? he laughed .
Well , perhaps I am , then .
I should think the bar of the Silver Rhino 's as good a place as any to learn what 's really going on .
If you want to hear how much ugliness there is – yes .
Mrs. Wentz had the tone of voice that sounds as if the speaker is addressing noone but himself .
How people still think with their blood and enjoy to contempt ... yes , the bar at the Silver Rhino .
Our son Stephen is looking after it tonight .
It 's amazing how he deals with those fellows – better than I do , I can tell you .
He keeps them in place .
We promised him a liberal education when we left South Africa , you see .
Mrs. Wentz had put down her food and she sat back out of the light of the fire , a big face glimmering in the dark , caverns where the eyes were .
taking the A levels , said Wentz , innocently .
You 're not going to finish ?
The white blur of her hand moved in a gesture of rejection ...
You have it , Hjalmar .
It rained and people felt chilly on the veranda and drifted indoors .
There was a group in loud discussion round the empty fireplace where the beer bottles were stacked ...
banging on the Governor 's door with a panga when the others were still picannins with snotty noses ...
Now Dando had the sulky outraged attention of a young patriot from the social welfare department , the glittering-eyed indifference of Doris Manyema , one of the country 's three or four women graduates , and the amused appreciation of a South African refugee whose yellow-brown colour , small nose and fine lips set him apart from the blackness of the other two .
In the light , Margot Wentz 's head was the figurehead of a ship above the hulk of her body :
a double-chinned , handsome dark blonde , the short high nose coming from the magnificent forehead , water-coloured eyes underlined with cuts of fatigue deep into each cheek .
With an absent smile to Bray across the room , she took up , for a moment , an abandoned beauty .
When he joined the group , they were listening to her .
We do n't have to argue ; we can take it that colonialism is indefensible , for us , no ?
You think so , I think so ... right .
Timothy Odara 's eyes were closed ; leaning against the wall he kept his lips drawn back slightly , alert .
I 'm sorry , forty-eight years you were under British rule , digging their mines , building roads for them , making towns , living in shanties and waiting on them , cleaning up after them , treated like dirt ... now it 's all over , you really think there was any way at all you could enter the modern world without suffering ?
You think there was someone else would have given you the alphabet ! and electricity and killed off the malaria mosquito , just for love ?
The Finns ? The Russians ? Anybody ?
Anyone who would n't have wanted the last drop of your sweat and pride in return ?
These are the facts .
From your point of view , as it luckily lasted less than two generations . Was n't it worth it ?
Would anybody have let you in for nothing ?
Anybody at all ?
That 's what I 'm asking ...
Would n't you have to pay the price in suffering ?
Oh you make the usual mistake of seeing the life of the African people as a blank ... and then the colonialists come along and we come to life – in your compounds and back yards .
She was shaking her head slowly while Odara was speaking .
All I 'm saying , do n't wear the sufferings of the past round your necks .
What does independence mean – I do n't use freedom , I do n't like the big words – what does your independence mean , then ?
The past is useful for political purposes only said Hjalmar , as he might have said : she 's right .
Someone said , Watch out for the man from the CIA .
Down with neo-colonialism .
Of course , Curtis , said Hjalmar .
But if you have to do it by keeping that forty years or whatever sitting at the table with you and your children ... ach , it 's not healthy , it makes me sick .
What do they want to hear how you had to go round to the back door of the missionary 's house ?
Mrs. Odara had joined the group , running a big , silver-nailed hand through Curtis Pettigrew 's crew-cut hair .
Oh God , Timothy , not that again .
Odara laughed .
But it always comes down to the same thing : you Europeans talk very reasonably about that sort of suffering because you do n't know ... you may have thought it was terrible , but there 's nothing like that in your lives .
Bray saw Margot Wentz put up her head with a quick grimace-smile , as if someone had told an old joke she could n't raise a laugh for .
Well , here you 're mistaken , her husband said , rather grandly , we lived under Mr. Hitler .
And you must know all about that .
I 'm not interested in Hitler .
Timothy Odara 's fine teeth were bared in impatient pleasantness .
My friend , white men have killed more people in Africa than Hitler ever did in Europe .
But you 're crazy , said Wentz gently .
Europe 's wars , white men 's killings among themselves . What 's that to me ?
You 've just said one should n't burden oneself with suffering .
I do n't have any feelings about Hitler .
Oh but you should , Mrs. Wentz said , almost dreaming .
No more and no less than you do about what happened to Africans .
It 's all the same thing .
A slave in the hold of a ship in the eighteenth century and a Jew or a gipsy in a concentration camp in the nineteen-forties .
Well , I had my seventeenth and eighteenth birthdays in the detention camp at Fort Howard , the guest of Her Majesty 's governor , said Odara , that I know .
Her two brothers died at Auschwitz , Hjalmar Wentz said ;
but his wife was talking to Jo-Ann Pettigrew , who offered blobs of toasted marshmallow on the end of a long fork .
For God 's sake , Timothy , stop baring your teeth and sink them into something .
Evelyn Odara spoke to her husband as no local woman would dare ; yet he ignored it , as if turning the tables on her with his countrymen 's assumption that what women said was not heard , anyway .
He said angrily to Wentz , directing the remark at the wife through the husband , What did you get in return that was worth it ?
Margot Wentz said , looking at no one , That one ca n't say .
She waggled her fingers , sticky from the marshmallow , and her husband took his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her .
It was the evening when Bray , Neil , Evelyn Odara , one of the South African refugees , the Pettigrews , and a few others set off for the Sputnik Bar .
While Bray was standing about in the group with the Odaras and the Wentzes , Jo-Ann Pettigrew , having failed to get him to eat her last marshmallow , put it in her mouth and signalled to everyone there was something they must hear .
Rebecca 's been to the Sputnik and she says it 's terrific now .
They 've knocked out a wall into that sort of yard thing and they have dancing .
With girls laid on .
Neil said , Hey ?
And which one of us 's been taking Rebecca to the Sputnik ?
Laughter rose .
Well , why do n't we all go , that 's what I want t' know .
The young Pettigrew woman was always in a state of enthusiasm ;
her long curly hair had sprung out , diademed with raindrops , because she had done her marshmallow toasting outside over the spit fire .
She was an anthropologist , and Bray accepted this as an explanation for her passion for arranging excursions , on which she carried her baby tied on her back , African style .
Who was it ?
There was a roar again .
No , no – well , Ras took her ...
Oh Ras , was it ?
Sputnik Bar , eh ?
So that 's it , now .
Rebecca Edwards came in from the veranda , smiling good-naturedly , inquiringly , under the remarks shied at her .
She said , There 're bulbs like you see in films round the star 's dressing-table , and they light up and spell INDEPENDENCE HURRAH .
In great confusion , there and then they decided to go .
Dando refused and Vivien had to go home to the children , and Rebecca Edwards protested that hers were alone too .
Neil insisted that Bray must come ;
he was one of those people who , late at night , suddenly have a desperate need of certain companions .
But when Neil , Bray , Evelyn Odara and the South African got down to the second-class trading area , the others had n't arrived .
They went into the Sputnik Bar for a moment , meeting music like a buffeting about the head , and then someone said that he thought the arrangement had been to meet at the railway crossing .
There began one of those chases about in the night that , Bray saw , Neil Bayley fiercely enjoyed .
They went all the way back into town to the flats where the Edwards girl lived ...
Neil stood on the moonlit patch of earth in front of the dark building and called up , but there was no response .
They stopped somewhere to give a man a lift ; he was caught in the lights , hat in hand ; only his clean white shirt had shown on the dark road .
He answered Neil with a liberal use of Bwana , as a white man would expect if he were to do such a thing as stop for a black one on the road , and when he got into the car beside Bray and the South African , sat among these black and white city people like a hedgehog rolled into itself at a touch .
Bray , back in this country once more , again aware of his own height and size and pinkness almost like some form of aggression he was n't responsible for , knew that the fellow was holding himself away from contact with him .
The voices of Evelyn , Neil , and the South African flew about the car ;
they passed the shadows of the mango trees in the bright moonlight lying beneath the trees like sleeping beasts ;
a donkey cropping among broken china on a refuse mound ;
the colours on the mosque almost visible , the silvered burglar grilles on the elaborate houses of the Indian sector .
The second-class trading area had been laid out long ago and haphazardly ; shops cropped up suddenly , streets met , the car plunged and rolled .
THE WORST BIRTHDAY
Not for the first time , an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four , Privet Drive .
Mr Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud , hooting noise from his nephew Harry 's room .
Harry tried , yet again , to explain .
If I could just let her out at night –
He exchanged dark looks with his wife , Petunia .
Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned by a long , loud belch from the Dursleys son , Dudley .
We must feed you up while we 've got the chance . I do n't like the sound of that school food
Dudley , who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair , grinned and turned to Harry .
The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible : Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen ; Mrs Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth ; Mr Dursley jumped to his feet , veins throbbing in his temples .
I meant " please " ! said Harry quickly .
Harry stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale aunt , who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet .
Uncle Vernon sat back down , breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Harry closely out of the corners of his small , sharp eyes .
ever since Harry had come home for the summer holidays , Uncle Vernon had been treating him like a bomb that might go off at any moment , because Harry Potter was n't a normal boy .
As a matter of fact , he was as not normal as it is possible to be .
Harry Potter was a wizard – a wizard fresh from his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry .
And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have him back for the holidays , it was nothing to how Harry felt .
He missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomach ache .
All Harry 's spellbooks , his wand , robes , cauldron and top-of-the-range Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant Harry had come home .
What did the Dursleys care if Harry lost his place in the house Quidditch team because he had n't practised all summer ?
What was it to the Dursleys if Harry went back to school without any of his homework done ?
The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles ( not a drop of magical blood in their veins ) and as far as they were concerned , having a wizard in the family was a matter of deepest shame .
Uncle Vernon had even padlocked Harry 's owl , Hedwig , inside her cage , to stop her carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world .
Harry looked nothing like the rest of the family .
Uncle Vernon was large and neckless , with an enormous black moustache ; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony ; Dudley was blond , pink and porky .
Harry , on the other hand , was small and skinny , with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy .
He wore round glasses , and on his forehead was a thin , lightning-shaped scar .
It was this scar that made Harry so particularly unusual , even for a wizard .
This scar was the only hint of Harry 's very mysterious past , of the reason he had been left on the Dursleys doorstep eleven years before .
At the age of one , Harry had somehow survived a curse from the greatest dark sorcerer of all time , Lord Voldemort , whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak .
Harry 's parents had died in Voldemort 's attack , but Harry had escaped with his lightning scar , and somehow – nobody understood why – Voldemort 's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Harry .
So Harry had been brought up by his dead mother 's sister and her husband .
He had spent ten years with the Dursleys , never understanding why he kept making odd things happen without meaning to , believing the Dursleys story that he had got his scar in the car crash which had killed his parents .
And then , exactly a year ago , Hogwarts had written to Harry , and the whole story had come out .
Harry had taken up his place at wizard school , where he and his scar were famous , but now the school year was over , and he was back with the Dursleys for the summer , back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smelly .
The Dursleys had n't even remembered that today happened to be Harry 's twelfth birthday .
of course , his hopes had n't been high ; they 'd never given him a proper present , let alone a cake – but to ignore it completely .
Harry looked up , hardly daring to believe it .
This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career , said Uncle Vernon .
Harry went back to his toast .
of course , he thought bitterly , Uncle Vernon was talking about the stupid dinner party .
He 'd been talking of nothing else for a fortnight .
Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him ( Uncle Vernon 's company made drills ) .
Good , good .
Dudley put on a foul , simpering smile .
Excellent , Dudley , said Uncle Vernon .
Then he rounded on Harry .
At eight fifteen –
And you ? said Uncle Vernon viciously to Harry .
Now , we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner .
Do tell me where you bought your dress , Mrs Mason
This was too much for both Aunt Petunia and Harry .
Aunt Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son , while Harry ducked under the table so they would n't see him laughing .
Harry fought to keep his face straight as he emerged .
Too right you will , said Uncle Vernon forcefully .
When dinner 's over , you take Mrs Mason back to the lounge for coffee , Petunia , and I 'll bring the subject round to drills .
With any luck , I 'll have the deal signed and sealed before the News at Ten .
Harry could n't feel too excited about this .
He did n't think the Dursleys would like him any better in Majorca than they did in Privet Drive .
Harry left through the back door .
It was a brilliant , sunny day .
He crossed the lawn , slumped down on the garden bench , and sang under his breath : " Happy birthday to me . Happy birthday to me "
No cards , no presents , and he would be spending the evening pretending not to exist .
He gazed miserably into the hedge .
He had never felt so lonely .
More than anything else at Hogwarts , more even than playing Quidditch , Harry missed his best friends , Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger .
They , however , did n't seem to be missing him at all .
Neither of them had written to him all summer , even though Ron had said he was going to ask Harry to come and stay .
Countless times , Harry had been on the point of unlocking Hedwig 's cage by magic and sending her to Ron and Hermione with a letter , but it was n't worth the risk .
Underage wizards were n't allowed to use magic outside school .
Harry had n't told the Dursleys this ; he knew it was only their terror that he might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them locking him in the cupboard under the stairs with his wand and broomstick .
For the first couple of weeks back , Harry had enjoyed muttering nonsense words under his breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him .
But the long silence from Ron and Hermione had made Harry feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal – and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten his birthday .
What would n't he give now for a message from Hogwarts ?
From any witch or wizard ?
He 'd almost be glad of a sight of his arch-enemy , Draco Malfoy , just to be sure it had n't all been a dream .
Not that his whole year at Hogwarts had been fun .
At the very end of last term , Harry had come face to face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself .
Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self , but he was still terrifying , still cunning , still determined to regain power .
Harry had slipped through Voldemort 's clutches for a second time , but it had been a narrow escape , and even now , weeks later , Harry kept waking in the night , drenched in cold sweat , wondering where Voldemort was now , remembering his livid face , his wide , mad eyes .
Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench .
He had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge – and the hedge was staring back .
Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves .
Harry jumped to his feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn .
The huge eyes blinked and vanished .
So you 've finally learned the days of the week .
Dudley hitched up his trousers , which were slipping down his fat bottom .
Why 're you staring at the hedge ? he said suspiciously .
Dudley stumbled backwards at once , a look of panic on his fat face .
MUUUUUUM ! howled Dudley , tripping over his feet as he dashed back towards the house .
Harry paid dearly for his moment of fun .
As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt , Aunt Petunia knew he had n't really done magic , but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan .
Then she gave him work to do , with the promise he would n't eat again until he 'd finished .
While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice-creams , Harry cleaned the windows , washed the car , mowed the lawn , trimmed the flowerbeds , pruned and watered the roses and repainted the garden bench .
The sun blazed overhead , burning the back of his neck .
Harry knew he should n't have risen to Dudley 's bait , but Dudley had said the very thing Harry had been thinking himself maybe he did n't have any friends at Hogwarts
Wish they could see famous Harry Potter now , he thought savagely , as he spread manure on the flower beds , his back aching , sweat running down his face .
Harry moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen .
On top of the fridge stood tonight 's pudding : a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets .
A joint of roast pork was sizzling in the oven .
Eat quickly !
She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress .
Harry washed his hands and bolted down his pitiful supper .
The moment he had finished , Aunt Petunia whisked away his plate .
As he passed the door to the living room , Harry caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow-ties and dinner jackets .
He had only just reached the upstairs landing when the door bell rang and Uncle Vernon 's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs .
Harry crossed to his bedroom on tiptoe , slipped inside , closed the door and turned to collapse on his bed .
The trouble was , there was already someone sitting on it .
Harry managed not to shout out , but it was a close thing .
The little creature on the bed had large , bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls .
Harry knew instantly that this was what had been watching him out of the garden hedge that morning .
As they stared at each other , Harry heard Dudley 's voice from the hall .
May I take your coats , Mr and Mrs Mason ?
The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long thin nose touched the carpet .
Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase , with rips for arm and leg holes .
Th-thank you , said Harry , edging along the wall and sinking into his desk chair , next to Hedwig , who was asleep in her large cage .
Just Dobby .
Er – I do n't want to be rude or anything , but – this is n't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom .
Aunt Petunias high , false laugh sounded from the living room .
The elf hung his head .
People goggled through the bars at him as he lay , starving and weak , on a bed of straw .
Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley rattled the bars of the cage , laughing at him .
Leave me alone . Cut it out . I 'm trying to sleep .
He opened his eyes .
Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window .
And someone was goggling through the bars at him : a freckle-faced , red-haired , long-nosed someone .
Ron Weasley was outside Harry 's window .
Harry 's mouth fell open as the full impact of what he was seeing hit him .
Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car , which was parked in mid-air .
Grinning at Harry from the front seats were Fred and George , Ron 's elder twin brothers .
Why have n't you been answering my letters ?
Bit rich coming from you , said Harry , staring at the floating car .
Stop gibbering , said Ron , we 've come to take you home with us .
If the Dursleys wake up , I 'm dead , said Harry as he tied the rope tightly around a bar and Fred revved up the car .
Harry moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig , who seemed to have realised how important this was and kept still and silent .
The car revved louder and louder and suddenly , with a crunching noise , the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air – Harry ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground .
Panting , Ron hoisted them up into the car .
Harry listened anxiously , but there was no sound from the Dursleys bedroom .
When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron , Fred reversed as close as possible to Harry 's window .
Locked in the cupboard under the stairs , and I ca n't get out of this room –
Fred and George climbed carefully through the window into Harry 's room .
You had to hand it to them , thought Harry , as George took an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock .
There was a small click and the door swung open .
Watch out for the bottom stair , it creaks , Harry whispered back , as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing .
Harry dashed around his room , collecting his things together and passing them out of the window to Ron .
Then he went to help Fred and George heave his trunk up the stairs .
Harry heard Uncle Vernon cough .
At last , panting , they reached the landing , then carried the trunk through Harry 's room to the open window .
Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron , and Harry and George pushed from the bedroom side .
Inch by inch , the trunk slid through the window .
Uncle Vernon coughed again .
Harry and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car .
But as Harry climbed onto the window-sill there came a sudden loud screech from behind him , followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon 's voice .
Harry tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on .
He snatched up Hedwig 's cage , dashed to the window and passed it out to Ron .
He was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door – and it crashed open .
For a split second , Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway ; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry , grabbing him by the ankle .
Ron , Fred and George seized Harry 's arms and pulled as hard as they could .
Petunia ! roared Uncle Vernon .
But the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry 's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon 's grasp .
Harry could n't believe it – he was free .
He wound down the window , the night air whipping his hair , and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive .
Uncle Vernon , Aunt Petunia , and Dudley were all hanging , dumbstruck , out of Harry 's window .
The Weasleys roared with laughter and Harry settled back in his seat , grinning from ear to ear .
Let Hedwig out , he told Ron . She can fly behind us .
George handed the hairpin to Ron and a moment later , Hedwig had soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside them like a ghost .
Harry told them all about Dobby , the warning he 'd given Harry and the fiasco of the violet pudding .
There was a long shocked silence when he had finished .
Definitely dodgy agreed George .
He saw Fred and George look at each other .
Well , said Fred , put it this way – house-elves have got powerful magic of their own , but they ca n't usually use it without their master 's permission .
I reckon old Dobby was sent to stop you coming back to Hogwarts .
Someone 's idea of a joke .
Draco Malfoy ? said George , turning around .
He was a big supporter of You Know Who .
Harry had heard these rumours about Malfoy 's family before , and they did n't surprise him at all .
Draco Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind , thoughtful and sensitive boy .
Yeah , Mum 's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing , said George .
Harry was silent .
Judging by the fact that Draco Malfoy usually had the best of everything , his family were rolling in wizard gold ; he could just see Malfoy strutting around a large manor house .
Sending the family servant to stop Harry from going back to Hogwarts also sounded exactly like the sort of thing Malfoy would do .
Had Harry been stupid to take Dobby seriously ?
I thought it was Errol 's fault at first –
He 's ancient .
It would n't be the first time he 'd collapsed on a delivery .
The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made a prefect , said Fred from the front .
I mean , there 's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge .
You 're driving too far west , Fred , he added , pointing at a compass on the dashboard .
Fred twiddled the steering wheel .
He works in the most boring department , said Ron .
Like , last year , some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop .
This Muggle woman bought it , took it home and tried to serve her friends tea in it .
What happened ?
Fred laughed .
He takes it apart , puts spells on it and puts it back together again .
If he raided our house he 'd have to put himself straight under arrest .
It drives Mum mad .
A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east .
Fred brought the car lower and Harry saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees .
Lower and lower went the flying car .
The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees .
Touchdown ! said Fred as , with a slight bump , they hit the ground .
They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard and Harry looked out for the first time at Ron 's house .
It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigsty , but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several storeys high and so crooked it looked as though it was held up by magic ( which , Harry reminded himself , it probably was ) .
Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof .
Round the front door lay a jumble of wellington boots and a very rusty cauldron .
Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard .
They got out of the car .
Then , Ron , you come bounding downstairs going , Mum , look who turned up in the night ! and she 'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car .
Ron had gone a nasty greenish colour , his eyes fixed on the house .
The other three wheeled around .
Mrs Weasley was marching across the yard , scattering chickens , and for a short , plump , kind-faced woman , it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger .
Mrs Weasley came to a halt in front of them , her hands on her hips , staring from one guilty face to the next .
She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket .
So , she said .
All three of Mrs Weasley 's sons were taller than she was , but they cowered as her rage broke over them .
No note !
Car gone could have crashed out of my mind with worry did you care ? never , as long as I 've lived you wait until your father gets home , we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy
It seemed to go on for hours .
Mrs Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harry , who backed away .
Come in and have some breakfast .
She turned and walked back into the house and Harry , after a nervous glance at Ron , who nodded encouragingly , followed her .
The kitchen was small and rather cramped .
There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle and Harry sat down on the edge of his seat , looking around .
He had never been in a wizard house before .
The clock on the wall opposite him had only one hand and no numbers at all .
Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece , books with titles like Charm Your Own Cheese , Enchantment in Baking , and One Minute Feasts – It 's Magic !
Mrs Weasley was clattering around , cooking breakfast a little haphazardly , throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan .
Arthur and I have been worried about you , too .
Just last night we were saying we 'd come and get you ourselves if you had n't written back to Ron by Friday .
She flicked her wand casually at the washing-up in the sink , which began to clean itself , clinking gently in the background .
and you ! said Mrs Weasley , but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting Harry bread and buttering it for him .
At that moment , there was a diversion in the form of a small , red-headed figure in a long nightdress , who appeared in the kitchen , gave a small squeal , and ran out again .
Nothing more was said until all four plates were clean , which took a surprisingly short time .
Blimey , I 'm tired , yawned Fred , setting down his knife and fork at last .
Oh , Mum –
That 's very sweet of you , dear , but it 's dull work , said Mrs Weasley .
And she pulled a heavy book from the stack on the mantelpiece .
George groaned .
Harry looked at the cover of Mrs Weasley 's book .
Written across it in fancy gold letters were the words : Gilderoy Lockhart 's Guide to Household Pests .
He 'll be fine , Molly , do n't fuss , said Mr Weasley , helping himself to Floo powder , too .
Now , when you get into the fire , say where you 're going –
Or you might well fall out of the wrong fireplace –
Trying hard to bear all this in mind , Harry took a pinch of Floo powder and walked to the edge of the fire .
He took a deep breath , scattered the powder into the flames and stepped forward ; the fire felt like a warm breeze ; he opened his mouth and immediately swallowed a lot of hot ash .
It felt as though he was being sucked down a giant plug hole .
He seemed to be spinning very fast
the roaring in his ears was deafening
he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick
something hard knocked his elbow and he tucked it in tightly , still spinning and spinning
now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face
squinting through his glasses he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond
his bacon sandwiches were churning inside him .
He closed his eyes again wishing it would stop , and then – he fell , face forward , onto cold stone and felt his glasses shatter .
Dizzy and bruised , covered in soot , he got gingerly to his feet , holding his broken glasses up to his eyes .
He was quite alone , but where he was , he had no idea .
All he could tell was that he was standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large , dimly lit wizard 's shop – but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list .
A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion , a blood-stained pack of cards , and a staring glass eye .
Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls , an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter , and rusty , spiked instruments hung from the ceiling .
Even worse , the dark , narrow street Harry could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley .
The sooner he got out of here , the better .
Harry looked quickly around and spotted a large black cabinet to his left ; he shot inside it and pulled the doors to leaving a small crack to peer through .
Seconds later , a bell clanged , and Malfoy stepped into the shop .
The man who followed could only be his father .
He had the same pale , pointed face and identical cold grey eyes .
I said I would buy you a racing broom , said his father , drumming his fingers on the counter .
Special permission from Dumbledore so he could play for Gryffindor .
Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls .
A stooping man had appeared behind the counter , smoothing his greasy hair back from his face .
Mr Malfoy , what a pleasure to see you again , said Mr Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair .
How may I be of assistance ?
The smile faded slightly from Mr Borgin 's face .
You have heard , of course , that the Ministry is conducting more raids , said Mr Malfoy , taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unravelling it for Mr Borgin to read .
Mr Borgin fixed a pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list .
Mr Malfoy 's lip curled .
The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect , yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome .
Harry felt a hot surge of anger .
– and as you see , certain of these poisons might make it appear –
Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder !
Best friend of thieves and plunderers !
The teachers all have favourites , that Hermione Granger –
Not with me , said Mr Malfoy , his long nostrils flaring .
They started to haggle .
Harry watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to his hiding place , examining the objects for sale .
He paused to examine a long coil of hangman 's rope and to read , smirking , the card propped on a magnificent necklace of opals :
Caution : Do Not Touch .
Cursed – Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date .
Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him .
He walked forward he stretched out his hand for the handle
Come , Draco !
Harry wiped his forehead on his sleeve as Draco turned away .
The moment the door had closed , Mr Borgin dropped his oily manner .
Muttering darkly , Mr Borgin disappeared into a back room .
Harry waited for a minute in case he came back , then , quietly as he could , slipped out of the cabinet , past the glass cases , and out of the shop door .
Clutching his broken glasses to his face he stared around .
He had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts .
The one he 'd just left , Borgin and Burkes , looked like the largest , but opposite was a nasty window display of shrunken heads , and two doors down , a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders .
Two shabby-looking wizards were watching him from the shadow of a doorway , muttering to each other .
Feeling jumpy , Harry set off , trying to hold his glasses on straight and hoping against hope he 'd be able to find a way out of there .
An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn Alley .
This did n't help , as Harry had never heard of such a place .
He supposed he had n't spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys fire .
Trying to stay calm , he wondered what to do .
An aged witch stood in front of him , holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails .
She leered at him , showing mossy teeth .
Harry backed away .
I 'm just –
Harry 's heart leapt .
Hagrid seized Harry by the scruff of the neck and pulled him away from the witch , knocking the tray right out of her hands .
Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight .
Harry saw a familiar , snow-white marble building in the distance : Gringotts Bank .
Hagrid had steered him right into Diagon Alley .
Yer a mess ! said Hagrid gruffly , brushing soot off Harry so forcefully he nearly knocked him into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary 's .
They 're ruinin' the school cabbages .
They set off together down the street .
Harry explained all about Dobby and the Dursleys .
Ruddy Muggles , growled Hagrid .
Harry looked up and saw Hermione Granger standing at the top of the white flight of steps to Gringotts .
She ran down to meet them , her bushy brown hair flying behind her .
Hello , Hagrid
Oh , it 's wonderful to see you two again
Are you coming into Gringotts , Harry ?
Harry and Hermione looked around : sprinting up the crowded street were Ron , Fred , George , Percy and Mr Weasley .
He mopped his glistening bald patch .
Molly 's frantic – she 's coming now .
I should ruddy well think not , growled Hagrid .
Mrs Weasley now came galloping into view , her handbag swinging wildly in one hand , Ginny just clinging onto the other .
Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid had n't managed to beat away .
Mr Weasley took Harry 's glasses , gave them a tap of his wand and returned them , good as new .
And he strode away , head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street .
Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes ? Harry asked Ron and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps .
Oh , I 'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something
What 's that you 've got there ?
Oh , you 're changing Muggle money .
Molly , look !
He pointed excitedly at the tenpound notes in Mr Granger 's hand .
The vaults were reached by means of small , goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train-tracks through the bank 's underground tunnels .
Harry enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys vault , but felt dreadful , far worse than he had in Knockturn Alley , when it was opened .
There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside , and just one gold Galleon .
Mrs Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag .
Harry felt even worse when they reached his vault .
He tried to block the contents from view as he hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag .
Back outside on the marble steps , they all separated .
Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill .
Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts , Lee Jordan .
Mrs Weasley and Ginny were going to a second-hand robe shop . Mr Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink .
Harry , Ron and Hermione strolled off along the winding , cobbled street .
The bag of gold , silver and bronze jangling cheerfully in Harry 's pocket was clamouring to be spent , so he bought three large strawberry and peanut-butter ice-creams which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley , examining the fascinating shop windows .
A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers , Ron read aloud off the back cover .
An hour later , they headed for Flourish and Blotts .
They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop .
As they approached it , they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors , trying to get in .
The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows :
GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME today 12:30 to 4:30 pm .
I mean , he 's written almost the whole booklist !
Harry , Ron , and Hermione squeezed inside .
A long line wound right to the back of the shop , where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books .
They each grabbed a copy of Break with a Banshee , and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr and Mrs Granger .
She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair .
Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view , seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face , all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd .
The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue which exactly matched his eyes ; his pointed wizard 's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair .
A short , irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash .
Yes , look at her , bunioned , bulbous , hair in bulrush rolls , butt-headed , butter-hearted and tenacious as a buckaroo .
I had seen it happen to others .
I did not want it to happen to me .
Fate . A spin on the Wheel of Fortune and out I tumbled at Jove 's feet .
Another dizzy round , and there is Stella waiting to help me off .
But who is turning the wheel ?
Honest Guv ' I had both hands tied behind my back .
Neither my mother nor my father were able to cope with the 1960s .
Skirts were too short , hair was too long , and the favoured colour combination of purple and orange made my mother look like a vampire and my father a Matisse .
They were peculiarly ill-placed for the general assault on the past that the Sixties represented because they lived in Liverpool .
Liverpool , that should have slumbered its way through the Sixties as it had every other decade , produced the Beatles .
My parents were victims of the Merseybeat .
I was born in a tug-boat .
My mother whelped me in a mess of blankets while my noctivagant father towed in the big ships .
Perhaps it was the seriousness of our business that pushed us both into laughter , extremes of emotion so easily tumbling into their opposites .
Yet there was relief for us to find a human face behind the monster mask ; the monster wife , the monster mistress , and what about the monster man ?
Tell the story as it happened .
Why then did I trouble the surface ?
It was not myself I fell in love with it was her .
' Are you waiting for someone ? ' I said .
' I was . '
' We 're going to live in London , ' he said .
' Why Daddy ? '
' Because Daddy has a new job . '
Grandmother was here , wrapped from head to foot in woollens , her face entirely obscured by a seaman 's balaclava .
She made us a cup of cocoa and my mother swept off in a taxi .
I woke up in the dazed apartment .
Next to me on the massacred bed , the order and beauty of her body .
On the table beside , an amputated lamp .
Across the room was a Snow Queen 's mirror , its pieces scatters of despair .
I crept from beneath the scissored blankets to the bathroom .
The white and chrome was a shrine to Chanel .
A place for everything , everything in its place . Peace .
One day when my mother was taking me to school , the streets seemed very quiet .
We parked , although we were the only car on the stretch of road , and we got out to walk slowly , hand in hand , through some flimsy barriers of paper and string .
Far away we saw some policemen waving at us and we waved back .
We heard a lorry coming up behind and my mother told me it had a television crew on board which excited me who had never seen a television .
Anything that had been on the market for as little as ten years was unlikely to impress my father .
' Are you happy , Alice ? '
' Yes , Daddy . '
It should have been fun but neither of them was happy .
When I was five my father was on pills and my mother was on gin .
I think I was happy , in the maddening determined way that children have of being happy , and it was that happiness that worked as a magnet on both of my parents .
They were pulled by it , they wanted it , and instead of taking it for granted , they started to take it to bits .
At last we arrived at a small diner in a beaten-up part of town .
She swung inside and we sat at a menacingly nice checked-cloth table with red carnations and a few rods of grissini .
A boy came out with a carafe of red wine and a bowl of olives .
He handed us the menus as if this was just an ordinary dinner in an ordinary day .
I had fallen into the hands of the Borgias and now they wanted me to eat .
When he stopped holding me up to the light he began to hold me up to the mirror .
He wanted to compare us , side by side , did I look like him ?
He had enough money .
It was his wife they were draining away .
His friends interpreted the resentment as a normal response to a difficult situation .
My mother took the simple view that a man must have his work .
My father though , was not simple and he was still aware enough to turn the mask over and over in his hands and ask what it was .
Uncharacteristically , he went to visit my grandmother .
Months later , proud complacent Zeus had a headache and yowled his way over the earth , threatening to split the firmament with pain .
It was Hermes who told him the source of his trouble , and Hephaestus , the lame god of the smithy who took a hammer and wedge and split open Lord Zeus 's skull .
Out came Athene tall strong beautiful and her father 's own .
' You must be bored there , ' said my mother .
But that was in the future , and in 1959 my father was in the fullness of his present , he could do no wrong .
As the lorry came close to us , four young men dressed entirely in black ran past .
Three of them carried guitars , one had a set of drumsticks .
I had seen people dressed in black before .
' Wo n't hurt , ' said Grandmother .
' Look at me . '
Husband and wife . Man and rib . What could be more normal than that ?
And now they were having a baby .
That is , my mother was bearing my father 's child .
It was different when my sisters were born but I was Athene .
Athene born fully formed from the head of Zeus .
My father no longer wanted herring heads .
He wanted mink and pearls and he got them .
Like most men he was a transvestite at one remove ; if his wife was part of him so were her clothes .
She was his rib and as such he too wore a silk shift .
He loved her clothes , loved to see her dressed up , it satisfied a part of him that was deeper than vanity .
It was a part of himself .
She completed him .
She manifested him at another level .
He absorbed her while she failed to absorb him .
This was so normal that nobody noticed it .
At least not until later , much later , when things began to change .
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Her kitchen had strings of onions and fat hams hanging in glorious torture from twisted hooks in the ceiling .
She smoked her own kippers up the chimney , skewering them in pairs with discarded knitting needles .
For this she kept a wood fire .
The other fireplaces were fed on coal .
She had a glass-fronted cabinet lined with jars of homemade preserve ; pickles , tomatoes , pears , cabbage , and in the middle , a baby rabbit .
This was not for eating .
It was an ornament .
When the wind blew and the cupboard rattled the rabbit bobbed up and down in his transparent prison , his ears buckling slightly as they hit the lid seal .
Like my grandmother he kept secrets the way other people keep fish .
They were a hobby , a fascination , his underwater collection of the rare and the strange .
Occasionally something would float up to the surface , unexpected , unexplained .
' Tha wife 's to give birth . '
She was not resourceful ; her class did not allow it , and I know it worried my grandmother that her son had found a wife who did not know how to make a soup out of herring 's heads .
' I christen this child ... '
He did n't come home that night , nor the night after .
The telephone rang each evening at six o'clock until a week had passed .
My mother looked vaguer than usual and kept her light on all night .
We were supposed not to notice .
Now that it was winter the house was dark almost all day and the frost whitened the lawn .
My sisters and I played quietly in the petrified air , our breath briefly warming the frozen spaces around us .
We were waiting , waiting , watching the clock .
Before we left we went to see my headmaster .
I had just started secondary school and was restless and inattentive .
The headmaster , noting that I had every advantage life could offer , assumed that I was either a bad child or a dull one .
He was too afraid of my rugger-square father to use either of those words , at least I know that now , but at the time I believed he meant what he said .
For the next eight years I lived shut away in the misery of his drawer .
At that second the car was rocked on every side by thousands of screaming girls .
I saw their faces streaked with tears pressed in agony against the windows and windscreen of the car .
It can hardly have lasted a moment ; they realised their prey was elsewhere and vanished as devilishly as they had appeared .
When my mother got out to talk to the policeman , the only trace of what had happened was a broken banner painted HELP !
The furniture was plain : a scrubbed sycamore table , a deep enamel sink , a few unmatched chairs and an evil-smelling Rayburn that left soot on my grandmother 's scones .
As I was ready to go with my nightcase packed , my mother gave me a bottle of disinfectant .
' For the out-house , ' she said .
' Do n't tell Grandmother . '
Do n't tell Grandmother .
My grandmother had been an honorary member of the secret police since she was born .
It was impossible to hide anything from her .
As I came through the back door into her kitchen she frisked me from head to foot , removed the disinfectant and gave me a pair of overalls to wear .
' Help me clean out the toilet , ' she said .
I was strictly forbidden to listen to the Beatles and Beatles music was strictly forbidden at the now monthly parties my parents held for anyone who would come .
I began to dread the parties ; the unknown women who would come upstairs to cry in a spare bedroom .
The drunk and drunker men who used to talk about the war and hold each other 's knees .
I persuaded my parents to let me go and stay with my grandmother on party nights .
My mother was reluctant because she thought my grandmother was unhygienic .
There was no foundation to this , only my grandmother 's absolute refusal to fit an inside toilet or to attend any of my mother 's Tupperware evenings .
' Where has she gone ? '
' Why ? '
And he would stare at me in that way of his , trying to see happiness the way he could see a business opportunity .
' Mob rule , ' said my father who was thinking of moving to Southampton .
Poor baby , passed from hand to hand like a pouch of tobacco , a fresh-faced narcotic promising hope , change , at least for now .
My family are addicted to sentimentality .
If that sounds cruel it is only the cruelty of too close observation for too long .
Unable to express their feelings in the normal course of days and hours they need every legitimate excuse to do so .
They can not say ' I love you ' so they say ' Is n't she lovely ? ' ' Well done . '
They can seem like bon viveurs , always a party in the offing , my mother planning a new recipe for canapés even in the act of stuffing my relatives with the ones she has just made .
When they reached the docks my father backed into a loading bay and my grandmother stepped out of the shadows .
June 8 1960 . Liverpool , England . Sun in Gemini .
Whilst I was adjusting to this unlikely apparition , my grandmother was doing the Twist or perhaps it would be better to say the Wiggle , since the two mobile parts were her bottom and her head .
Her arms , bent at the elbow , were rigid in front of her , her feet were planted apart .
' Come out , ' said Grandmother .
On the kitchen table was a brand-new bright blue Danette turntable .
On the turntable was a 45r.p.m. of the Beatles singing ' Help ! '
When we had finished scooping out the dunny , and put fresh sawdust in the bottom to activate the new midden , my grandmother said she had a surprise for me .
She made me stand in the corner of the kitchen behind the memorial oilskin , while she wheezed and whirred something out of the coal-hole .
I could hear a crackling and a scratching and what sounded like fluff on the end of a record-player needle .
I looked at the menu .
FOOD TASTES BETTER IN ITALIAN .
The difficulty . Something in her , something in him , something that I inherited that my sisters did not .
The horse that crieth among the trumpets Aha !
Why wrestle all night with an angel when the fight can only leave you lame ?
Why not walk away ?
Why not sleep ?
He had been taught to hold my head and to support my unfixed spine , and I seem to remember sitting solemnly on his level palm , trying to steady the out of focus vision of him , anxious , intent , gazing at me as if I could reveal to him what he was .
' No , ' said Grandmother .
I grew .
At nine , tall and silent , I was unhappy .
My father , who had given up his religion but not the superstition that accompanied it , interpreted my misery as proof positive of Original Sin .
Since there could be no reason for me to be unhappy , unhappiness must be the human condition .
How could he hope to escape what an innocent child could not escape ?
Like my grandmother , he had a Gothic disposition , but she had kept her God and therefore her mercy .
My father could find no mercy for himself and offered none .
' Did he tell you that ? '
' This is where I met him , ' she said .
' In 1947 on the day that I was born ... '
In my nightmares Time scooped up the sea in his hood and carried it away .
He stood at the end of the world and poured the sea into space .
' There 's no sea there is there ? '
No one will doubt that my father had wanted a boy .
He had assumed he would have a boy .
Right up to a week after my birth he continued to say , ' How is he ? '
My grandmother told me that he had turned me upside down in his huge hands and held me V-legged to the light , just to be sure that my genitals were n't caught inside .
He did n't trust doctors .
The white coat and stethoscope seemed to him to be a hide-out from the world .
He resented the superiority , the authority , but of course he had never been ill .
She would be greying , she would be lined , she would be overweight , she would be clothes-careless .
She would be poetically besocked and sandalled , her eyes behind glass , like museum exhibits .
I could see her , hair and flesh escaping , hope trapped inside .
I would drain her to the sump .
' David you 've got everything you wanted . '
' What did I want ? '
' Did n't you want to be somebody ? '
' Did n't you ? '
My parents ' house was so clean it made me ill .
Much has been aired about the benefits of sanitation but less is told about the eczema of washing powder , the asthma of fitted carpets , allergic reactions to cream cleaner , itchy fingers round the bleach bottle , drug-out on the fumes of metal polish .
Worse , my mother had discovered nylon , so easy to wash , and ignored my athlete 's foot and the red weals between my legs where the nylon lace of the nylon knickers warred against my non-nylon skin .
Mother and daughter , secular , apart .
Papa beckoning the child in unwatched moments , taking her into his secret room , showing her symbols and precious stones .
She had navigated her parents ' hostile waters with a child 's discretion , learning to keep from one the confessions of the other .
Learning to hide love .
My grandmother got down a pair of kippers and broiled them for us in butter and water .
She asked me about my father , watching my body not listening to what I said , what could I say ?
I loved him and he frightened me .
' My mistake , ' she said talking to herself . ' My mistake . '
They did not speak of it again .
My father took his hat and scarf and walked down to the docks .
There were men there he knew , idle like him , and they envied him his money and although he was not stupid enough to envy them their poverty , there was part of him that regretted all he had done .
They drank together . He drank alone .
He wanted to go with them to the filthy Admiral Arms but what right had he to sit in his cups when they would be going home to cheap rations and unpaid bills ?
He desperately wanted to say , ' I am unhappy . '
How could he say that to them ?
' Is it a funeral ? ' I asked my mother .
On the sixth day of his absence my mother appeared in the dining room , in her mink coat , carrying a small suitcase .
The three of us were doing a jigsaw while the inadequate fire tried to melt the icicles that were hanging in long spears around the room .
' I have to go to your father , ' she said and kissed us with her cold red mouth .
' Grandmother will be here . '
Her stocking seams were straight , her hair was curled , her back was upright , her waist was curved , her legs were long , her breasts round , her stomach was flat , her bottom was not .
Black hair , blue eyes , red mouth , pale skin , and all this packed as neatly as picnic Tupperware .
There was nothing of the whore about her and this my father liked .
For the first time in months I felt my body slacken .
I had been carrying myself like a gun , cocked , alert , ready for trouble , fearing it .
My parents were rowing and when they were n't rowing they were snapping and when they were n't snapping they were planning a party , holding a party , cleaning up after a party .
Here , shovelling human compost out of my grandmother 's cloaca , I was happy again .
We stacked the rich mould around her roses and she sang me ballads from the docks , easing her voice with regular swigs from an unmarked tin-billy .
' Grog-blossom , ' she said tapping her nose the colour of the roses .
The wind was warm , trade wind with generosity and travel in it , a wind to scatter the ships to the four corners of the earth and although my father was too young for ships with sails , like other water-men , the wind still excited him .
A fair find .
A new world .
The recklessness of the sailor that my father loved .
It was inevitable that the air should fight its war with the sea .
Cargo and passengers alike preferred to fly and as shipping costs increased air prices dropped .
My father 's company , man and boy , was suffering unsustainable losses .
Trident Shipping , funded 1809 , was slowly going bankrupt and taking my father with it .
He worked for a shipping company and had done so since he was fifteen .
He had started at the end of the war as an office boy and fourteen years later was to be made a director of the line .
To celebrate he made love to my mother and I was conceived .
I helped Grandmother unpack her things ; a week 's supply of kippers and her Bible .
I opened it at the marker and found that we were back at the Book of Job .
This meant my grandmother was in tribulation , though on this occasion her tribulation had a kind of glittering intensity about it that heated the indifferent house and made us excited again .
Very often she said , ' The horse that crieth among the trumpets Aha ! ' and I wondered what kind of a horse it was that would do that .
Undeterred , we imitated him and soon the zero house was filled with smells and smoke and voices crying Aha !
I said , ' If we were good always would we be happy always ? '
It would have been better if I had been made of nylon ; easier then to soak out the miseries that were soaking in .
These were his happiest times , the times when his paperwork was done , when he could hear his secretary rattling at the upright Remington as though it were a church piano .
He worked evenings and early mornings so that he could make a gap to slip through , a private space after coffee and before lunch , when the piers were busy with every kind of activity , legitimate and not .
She did teach me and we did not tell my mother or my father about the privy or the scones or the dancing lessons or the unnamed grog or the teenage turntable in its vinyl zip case or the happiness that was unhygienic or the sense of peace that had the smell of buttered kippers .
He had booked his old room and even packed a tie he used to wear in those days .
Red silk with little white polka dots , he never would say who had given it to him .
' Never tell all thy love . '
My father swung us up in his arms and laughed and said we were going on an adventure .
' I 'm quite sure that it will be at least a week before the birth , ' said my mother who immediately went into labour .
The glittering fish were stars .
My father had heard that Cunard , the most illustrious and prestigious shipping line in the United Kingdom , was to be bought up by Trafalgar House Investments .
Cunard had recently taken delivery of their new flagship , the QE2 , and were making money on her .
My father had been to the launch party in Southampton and met a few men he liked and who had liked him .
Two of them had been to one of his foie gras parties .
One of them had suggested he might consider a key role in the reorganisation of the Cunard enterprise , with particular responsibility for the QE2 's Atlantic crossings .
For my father it seemed like the dream again , youth again , just married again , a place where the sea was still alive and where he too would be alive .
Cunard 's headquarters were in London and in a matter of weeks so were we .
She did n't answer .
She was looking back down the road .
Suddenly she picked me up and shot a full pelt back to our car .
I did n't know my mother could run .
I had never seen her run .
She threw me in the back seat and flung herself in after me in a whirl of Dior and hairpins .
Page of swords
The idea , his idea , was a three-day cruise to chase the comet Kohoutek , named after the Czech astronomer who had discovered it .
It was expected to be one of the brightest comets of the twentieth century , and in some ways the cruise was the beginning of millennium fever .
Religion may lose its appeal but portents are popular .
The sell-out cruise , itself something of a foie gras , was packed with atheists looking for mystery .
Unfortunately the weather was so bad that most of the adults found their best visions in a champagne bottle .
My father was very busy and I was left alone .
In 1947 , certificated and handsome at eighteen , he was given a lowly job-with-prospects at Trident Shipping ( Progress , Tradition , Integrity ) .
All of his family had worn clean clothes to work , that was their pride , but none had ever worn clean clothes home .
For them it had been mother with a boiling hip-bath and a packet of soap flakes .
My father went to work clean and he came home clean .
This was an endless source of satisfaction to my grandmother who never lost her own whiff of elbow grease but delighted in the sweet smell of success .
She had a long stride though I was taller .
Soon we were at the Battery .
Legend has it that the Ship , while seeking the Holy Grail , sailed off the end of the world and continued forever .
At particular conjunctions of time and timelessness , it appears again as a bright light , shooting its course through the unfathomable universe , chasing that which has neither beginning nor end .
Sighing , he threw down his cigarette and went inside , straightening his tie .
He listened briefly .
' Yes , yes . '
Then he threw down the receiver and threw his secretary up into the air .
For myself , in the dark , watching the thin silver line speed away , I had joined that band of pilgrims uncenturied , unquantified , who , call it art , call it alchemy , call it science , call it god , are driven by a light that will not stay .
The Godspeed . My father at the wheel . My mother on a hard couch giving birth to me .
My mother lay with her skirts up over her face , her perfect stockings round her ankles , her pain groaning against the heavy noise of the engine .
SHE : Women as well ?
ME : No .
While she was talking I wondered why Jove wanted me .
I had come out dressed to kill and I was the one being murdered .
My self-esteem is a jigsaw I can not complete .
I get one part of the picture and the rest lies in pieces .
I suspect that there is no picture , only fragments .
Other people seem to glue it together somehow and not to worry that they have been using pieces from several different boxes .
So what is the answer ?
Is identity a deceit , a make-shift , and should we hurry to make any pattern we can ?
Or is there a coherence , perhaps a beauty , if it were possible to find it ?
I would like to convince myself about myself but I can not .
The best there is are days when the jigsaw assumes its own meaning and I no longer care what picture is emerging .
By that I mean I am unfrightened by the unexpected .
If there is beauty it will surprise me .
Of all things it can not be calculated .
I said I suspect that there is no picture .
I should have said that whatever the picture is , it will not be the one on the box .
He lit every one of his distress flares and burnt up the river in a blaze of phosphorous red .
Every tug and patrol boat on the stretch surrounded us , but far from sinking we were celebrating .
My grandmother called it the Miracle of the Sardines and the Gin .
She had only fetched enough for herself but there seemed to be plenty for everyone and so I was born , in dirt , in delight , in water and in spirits , with fish above and below and under an exacting star .
I met Stella at the Algonquin Hotel .
The Algonquin Hotel ; Dorothy Parker , James Thurber , The New Yorker , my father in 1957 .
He had stayed there because it seemed so English and when he brought me to New York for the first time as a child our reservations were at the Algonquin Hotel .
My grandmother loved me because she recognised the same stubbornness that she had gened in her son .
The difficulty and the dream were not separate .
To pan the living clay that you are is to stand in the freezing waters and break yourself on a riddle of your own making .
No one can force you to it .
No one can force you away .
Rhinegold , pure gold and somewhere in the Rhinegold , the ring .
Later , much later when I heard Wagner 's Ring cycle I thought of the times when I had been a very little child and my father had taken me to watch the sunset on the estuary .
He loved the gold light dabbling the water .
His mind played in it .
He and his images were still free but then the moving gold hardened around him and he began to count it .
The stories agree that in the difficulty and the dream the hero should never count the cost .
On my sixth birthday the parties started .
I had a cake , presents , a new frock .
The adults had what my father called a ' foie gras ' .
How much can you eat and drink without vomiting over the coffee table ?
Mother said : ' Why did n't you tell me ? '
His was the night vessel , the vessel on oily waters , his was the light shining in the darkness , come home , come home .
On the night of my birth my father got the madness on him and told my mother he had to go tugging .
' I 'll come with you , ' she said .
' I feel well . '
At the same time I realised the absurdity of pinning anything onto a kiss .
Deeper now where the water is not clear .
What patterns do the numbers make ?
One plus one is not necessarily two .
I do the sum and the answer is an incipient third .
Three pairs of two : Jove and Stella , Jove and Alice , Alice and Stella and under the surface of each the head of the other .
I sniffed the bottles .
Here were the secrets of irresistible skin and salt smells of pearl and oyster .
Not here the floral notes of the high-octave female .
I admire the soprano singer but not the soprano speaker .
High voices like high heels are a put-on .
Unfortunately only the shoes get kicked off at night .
I had dressed as a warrior : black from cleavage to insoles , hair down , fat hoops of gold in my ears , war-paint make-up .
I had a twenty-year advantage over my opponent and I intended to use every month of it .
' What have I made of my life ? '
' He was a flirt even then , ' said Stella .
' He flirted with Mama who had a weakness for dark hair and dark eyes , even in a sevenyear-old boy . '
Of course she had not come .
Of course she would not come .
It had been a nerve war and I had won .
I noticed I had a terrible pain in my neck .
I ordered a drink and collapsed under a potted palm .
' May I sit here ? '
' Please do .
You must be English . '
' Why ? '
There was a terrific rattling and thundering at the door and my mother and father burst into the hall ; she in a silver fox , he in a new overcoat and trilby .
Behind them , a taxi-driver struggled up the steps with a pile of boxes .
The little boy had been asleep and through his dreams came a sleigh piled with furs and followed on foot by a band of wild dark men , huddled hurrying , talking in a language he did not understand .
He heard barking and crying and from below the protesting water being drawn along the frozen pipes and into the geyser .
He woke up and ran downstairs .
The chairs and tables had been pushed back against the walls and the double doors onto the street were open .
Through the blue curtain of cold , into the orange lights , six wolves drew a sledge .
The leading pair pulled up two inches from his chest and level with it .
One of the wolves licked his face with its brown-pink parma ham tongue .
Now he would be eaten .
They had begun with Genesis and were now at the Book of Job , with whose trials my grandmother sympathised , especially since she had recently developed a boil .
' Are n't Americans polite ? '
' Only if you pay them enough . '
' The British are n't polite no matter how much you pay them . '
' Then you and I must be refugees . '
As she read ' Who will avail me in my tribulation ? ' the door flew open and my father reached down into the bath and scooped out my mother whole and carried her off into the bedroom .
Gut symmetries
My father had told me about the remoras and how the Greek fishermen in the little boats still fear him .
My father feared no remoras .
We were quiet .
She was looking towards the door .
I looked at her .
She was slim , wired , a greyhound body , half bent forward now , shape of her back muscles contouring her shirt , white , starched , expensive .
Her left arm looked like the front window of Tiffany 's .
I was not sure how a woman could wear so much silver and sit without a lean .
Her hair was dark red , dogwood red , leather red with a suppleness to it that is part gift , part effort .
I guessed that the look of hers was as artful as it was artless .
' David sha n't like it , ' she said .
She gathered her things and together we left the destroyed room .
I had to follow her as she twisted the pavements under her feet .
I lost sense of where we were .
The grid had buckled .
The city was a bent alley and she was the better rat .
' Then I shall be bad . '
In 1957 he married my mother .
She was Irish , nearly well-to-do , the daughter of a partner in the firm who was based in Cork .
My father had seen her at the Annual Dinner and Dance and vowed that he would marry her .
For two years they exchanged letters and gifts until romance , persistence and a promotion won the day .
On their wedding night , at the Hotel Ra-Ra ( décor : Merseyside-Egypt ) , my father took off his pyjamas so that his wife could see him man qua man , then told her that he would not make love to her until he had been made a director of the line .
He put on his pyjamas again and after a moment or two of violent shuddering , fell asleep .
She took me home , did n't put on any lights , took off her clothes and had me lie down beside her on what seemed to be a very narrow bed .
I wanted to touch her .
The reflecting image of a woman with a woman is seductive .
I enjoyed looking at her in a way that was forbidden to me , this self on self , self as desirer and desired , had a frankness to it I had not been invited to discover .
Desiring her I felt my own desirability .
It was an act of power but not power over her .
I was my own conquest .
There was a wind in the room that tore the drink out of the drinkers , that scattered the bar bottles like bottle tops , that levitated the furniture and smashed it into the tranced wall .
Waiters and waited on blew in rags out of the door .
There was nothing left in the room but she and me , she and me hypnotised by each other , unable to speak because of the wind .
She looked at her watch .
' Are you staying here ? '
' No . I live in New York .
I work at the Institute for Advanced Studies .
I came here to meet ... '
The legend says that Zeus lusted after a Titan called Metis and eventually got her with a child .
An oracle told Zeus that the baby would be a girl but that if Metis ever conceived again , she would wear a boy who would overthrough Zeus , just as Zeus had deposed his own father , Kronos .
In fear , Zeus stroked and flattered Metis until she came close enough to kiss him of her own free will .
He swallowed her .
' I 'll teach you , ' she said .
When the hours were golden and green it seemed as if the whole house levitated .
My father pleased with his work , my mother pleased with her home and her children .
I do n't remember the exact moment of the eclipse , only a gradual chilliness and the golden light paling yellow-pale-yellow-yellow to fade .
I do remember that my father felt cheated .
His salary was insufficient , his bonus was insufficient , his challenges were puny , his achievements were not fully recognised .
He said those things to my mother , I heard them , but to me he said , by the sun-dial , ' I 'm forty-one and the sea is dying . '
He ran his finger back and forth over the hooded Time .
When he arrived home my mother was not expecting him .
His secretary had not made the instructed call .
Mother was in the bath , with bubbles up to her neck , and my grandmother , on the bath-stool , was reading out loud from the Bible .
This was their regular Sunday visiting hour , and having little in common and less to say , they had hit on the happy idea of spiritual elevation .
My mother never listened to what my grandmother read , but she felt she was doing her duty by her family and by God , and it saved her the trouble of going to church .
My grandmother , who was firmly convinced by the Word of the Lord , took more pleasure in that hour than in any other of the week , including 2 p.m. Thursday when she drew her pension .
As she told the story she forgot about me .
I had begun as an adversary , become an audience , and now seemed only a footlight .
The stage was hers and if she was performing for anyone it was herself .
A very good performer she was ; breaking into Yiddish , into Italian , into German , accenting and gesturing , turning now into a claque of elderly Jews , now into a frightened small boy .
I had to let go of my detachment , my resentment .
When she imitated the horse that crieth among the trumpets ' Aha ! ' , I was back with Grandmother again , back with the weekly visits and the preposterous slippers , the huge full-length apron , its pocket stuffed with Polo mints and a battered Bible .
' Yet , ' said the Oilskin .
No sign of her .
The bar was a chessboard of couples manoeuvring Martinis and waiters high-carrying chrome trays .
I moved in black knight right angles across and cross the lines but apart from a few appreciative businessmen there was no one who seemed interested in me .
He would not sodomise his own wife .
Instead he went to New York .
As his world darkened , the shadows in our house increased .
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Resumption of the session .
I declare resumed the session of the European Parliament adjourned on Friday 17 December 1999 , and I would like once again to wish you a happy new year in the hope that you enjoyed a pleasant festive period .
In the meantime , I should like to observe a minute 's silence , as a number of Members have requested , on behalf of all the victims concerned , particularly those of the terrible storms , in the various countries of the European Union .
Please rise , then , for this minute 's silence .
( The House rose and observed a minute 's silence ) .
Madam President , on a point of order .
You will be aware from the press and television that there have been a number of bomb explosions and killings in Sri Lanka .
One of the people assassinated very recently in Sri Lanka was Mr Kumar Ponnambalam , who had visited the European Parliament just a few months ago .
Would it be appropriate for you , Madam President , to write a letter to the Sri Lankan President expressing Parliament 's regret at his and the other violent deaths in Sri Lanka and urging her to do everything she possibly can to seek a peaceful reconciliation to a very difficult situation ?
If the House agrees , I shall do as Mr Evans has suggested .
Madam President , on a point of order .
I would like your advice about Rule 143 concerning inadmissibility .
My question relates to something that will come up on Thursday and which I will then raise again .
I believe that the principle of relative stability is a fundamental legal principle of the common fisheries policy and a proposal to subvert it would be legally inadmissible .
I want to know whether one can raise an objection of that kind to what is merely a report , not a legislative proposal , and whether that is something I can competently do on Thursday .
that is precisely the time when you may , if you wish , raise this question , i.e. on Thursday prior to the start of the presentation of the report .
Madam President , coinciding with this year 's first part - session of the European Parliament , a date has been set , unfortunately for next Thursday , in Texas in America , for the execution of a young 34 year - old man who has been sentenced to death .
However , I would ask you , in accordance with the line which is now constantly followed by the European Parliament and by the whole of the European Community , to make representations , using the weight of your prestigious office and the institution you represent , to the President and to the Governor of Texas , Mr Bush , who has the power to order a stay of execution and to reprieve the condemned person .
This is all in accordance with the principles that we have always upheld .
Thank you , Mr Segni , I shall do so gladly .
Indeed , it is quite in keeping with the positions this House has always adopted .
Madam President , I should like to draw your attention to a case in which this Parliament has consistently shown an interest .
All of us here are pleased that the courts have acquitted him and made it clear that in Russia , too , access to environmental information is a constitutional right .
Now , however , he is to go before the courts once more because the public prosecutor is appealing .
We know , and we have stated as much in very many resolutions indeed , including specifically during the last plenary part - session of last year , that this is not solely a legal case and that it is wrong for Alexander Nikitin to be accused of criminal activity and treason because of our involvement as the beneficiaries of his findings .
These findings form the basis of the European programmes to protect the Barents Sea , and that is why I would ask you to examine a draft letter setting out the most important facts and to make Parliament 's position , as expressed in the resolutions which it has adopted , clear as far as Russia is concerned .
Yes , Mrs Schroedter , I shall be pleased to look into the facts of this case when I have received your letter .
Madam President , I would firstly like to compliment you on the fact that you have kept your word and that , during this first part - session of the new year , the number of television channels in our offices has indeed increased considerably .
But , Madam President , my personal request has not been met .
I would therefore once more ask you to ensure that we get a Dutch channel as well .
Mrs Plooij - Van Gorsel , I can tell you that this matter is on the agenda for the Quaestors ' meeting on Wednesday .
It will , I hope , be examined in a positive light .
Madam President , can you tell me why this Parliament does not adhere to the health and safety legislation that it actually passes ?
Why has no air quality test been done on this particular building since we were elected ?
Why has there been no Health and Safety Committee meeting since 1998 ?
Why has there been no fire drill , either in the Brussels Parliament buildings or the Strasbourg Parliament buildings ?
Why are there no fire instructions ?
Why have the staircases not been improved since my accident ?
Why are no - smoking areas not enforced ?
Mrs Lynne , you are quite right and I shall check whether this has actually not been done .
I shall also refer the matter to the College of Quaestors , and I am certain that they will be keen to ensure that we comply with the regulations we ourselves vote on .
Madam President , Mrs Díez González and I had tabled questions on certain opinions of the Vice - President , Mrs De Palacio , which appeared in a Spanish newspaper .
The competent services have not included them in the agenda on the grounds that they had been answered in a previous part - session .
The questions answered previously referred to Mrs De Palacio 's intervention , on another occasion , and not to these comments which appeared in the Abc newspaper on 18 November .
I admit that , at present , the matter seems to be somewhat confused .
We shall therefore look into it properly to ensure that everything is as it should be .
Madam President , I should like to know if there will be a clear message going out from Parliament this week about our discontent over today 's decision refusing to renew the arms embargo on Indonesia , considering that the vast majority in this Parliament have endorsed the arms embargo in Indonesia in the past ?
Today 's decision not to renew the embargo is extremely dangerous considering the situation there .
So Parliament should send a message , since that is the wish of the vast majority .
It is irresponsible of EU Member States to refuse to renew the embargo .
As people have said , the situation there is extremely volatile .
We do not know what is happening .
In any event , this question is not presently included among the requests for topical and urgent debate on Thursday .
Madam President , the presentation of the Prodi Commission 's political programme for the whole legislature was initially a proposal by the Group of the Party of European Socialists which was unanimously approved by the Conference of Presidents in September and which was also explicitly accepted by President Prodi , who reiterated his commitment in his inaugural speech .
This commitment is important because the Commission is a body with a monopoly of initiative in accordance with the Treaties and , therefore , basically dictates this Parliament 's political and legislative activity for the next five years .
I would also like to point out , Madam President , that this Parliament voted to express its confidence in President Prodi during the previous legislature .
It did so again during this legislature , in July , and then , in September , it voted once more to approve the whole Commission .
There has therefore been enough time for the Commission to prepare its programme and for us to become familiar with it and explain it to our citizens .
To this end , I would like to remind you of the resolution of 15 September , which recommended that the proposal be presented as soon as possible .
The events of last week - which originated outside the Conference of Presidents , that Conference being used simply to corroborate and ratify decisions taken elsewhere - present us with a dilemma .
According to its President , it is in a position to do so .
My Group believes that since a Parliament is meant to listen , debate and reflect , there can be no justification whatsoever for this delay and we believe that , if the Commission is ready to do so , we still have time to re-establish the original agreement between Parliament and the Commission and proceed in a manner which fulfils our duty to our fellow citizens .
on the pretext that there is no text , on the one hand , the President of the Commission would be denied his right to speak in this Parliament and , on the other hand , there would be a debate on a reform when Parliament had no prior knowledge of the texts on which it is based .
Therefore , Madam President , I would ask you to request that the Commission express its opinion on this issue and that we then proceed to the vote .
( Applause from the PSE Group ) .
I was told that large sections of the Socialist Group were also keen to have this item taken off the agenda , because at the vote in the Conference of Presidents no vote was received from the working group of Members of the Socialist Group responsible for this matter .
I do not know whether this information is correct , but the PPE - DE Group would , in any case , be grateful if this item were removed because Parliament has addressed this issue several times already .
Decisions have also been adopted against a tax of this kind .
That is why my Group moves that this item be taken off the agenda .
Thank you , Mr Poettering .
We shall now hear Mr Wurtz speaking against this request .
Madam President , I would firstly like to point out Mr Poettering 's lack of logic .
It is not a lot to ask .
We shall proceed to vote on the PPE - DE Group 's request that the oral question regarding the capital tax be withdrawn from the agenda .
( Parliament rejected the request , with 164 votes for , 166 votes against and 7 abstentions ) .
Madam President , I would like to thank Mr Poettering for advertising this debate .
Thank you very much .
My vote was " in favour " .
Madam President , the Presidency has already declared the result of the vote .
There is no room for amendments .
Madam President , in the earlier vote - and I will abide by your ruling on this matter - on the question of the strategic plan of the Commission I indicated that I would like to speak in advance of the vote on behalf of my Group .
I would appreciate it if , on the close of this item of business , I might be allowed to give an explanation of vote on behalf of my Group .
This is an important matter .
Madam President , I do not wish to reopen the debate , but I had also asked for the floor , to comment on Mr Barón Crespo 's motion .
You did not call me either .
I regret this , but the vote has already been taken and the decision is made so let us leave the matter there .
Even so , I think the positions are quite clear and they shall be entered in the Minutes .
When we adopt the Minutes for today 's sitting tomorrow , then any Members who think the positions have not been explained clearly enough may ask for amendments .
This seems to me to be a workable solution .
Of course , the Minutes for tomorrow 's sitting will take into account any additional explanations .
I think this is a better solution than proceeding now to extremely time-consuming explanations of votes .
Mr Cox , Mr Hänsch , would this be acceptable to you ?
Madam President , if the vote records correctly how my Group voted I shall not , and cannot , object to that .
If your ruling is that I cannot give an explanation of vote , I accept that but accept with reservations .
If they do not properly reflect the positions adopted , then we may correct them , if necessary .
( The order of business was adopted thus amended ) .
Madam President , we cannot and must not accept the fact that we hear ever more frequently of accidents causing major damage on our roads , but also on our railways and waterways , not solely but at least partly because those involved do not take the transport of dangerous goods seriously enough or because - as a result of ignorance or a lack of training on the part of the drivers or others responsible for the various vehicles - a minor accident has all too often become a major disaster .
As an Austrian , I still have a vivid memory , as , I believe , we all do , of the catastrophe which cost so many human lives last year in the Tauern Tunnel , where subsequent work to rebuild the parts of the tunnel which had been destroyed in this fire continued for many months at huge expense .
The renovation project , which lasted for months , cut off this important route between the north and south of Europe .
The traffic which had to be diverted because of this stretched the patience of many thousands of people in the EU to the limit .
In fact , all hell broke loose in some municipalities in my province .
Prevention has to be our answer to disasters of this kind and this draft Directive is an important step towards well - trained safety advisers being available , so that the right action is taken in good time .
All the same , we must not content ourselves with enacting European law to ensure greater safety .
We also need to follow this up and make sure that our rules are transposed by the Member States in good time and - even more importantly - we need to ensure that they are also applied afterwards .
We must not content ourselves with sealing another hole in the safety net and shutting our eyes to the fact that , where transport safety in Europe is concerned , there is still much more to be done .
In this context , I should like to make a request and ask the Commissioner responsible , who is with us here today , to table an appropriate text as soon as possible with a view to continuing to make it safer for traffic to transit tunnels in the future , so that we in Europe do not have to experience any more such disasters on this scale .
Madam President , first of all I should like to thank Mr Koch for his report which has , at its heart , the issue of transport safety .
I congratulate him on his excellent report .
the Paddington rail crash in London , the terrible rail crash in Norway , the two aviation crashes involving EU citizens and the natural disaster involving the Erika off Brittany - all within the last four months - remind us that transport safety can never be taken for granted and that those charged with protecting the public must be highly motivated and highly qualified .
The rapporteur has pointed out to the House that in its common position the Council has accepted six of Parliament 's ten amendments put forward at first reading and that the substance of Parliament 's other amendments has been retained .
My Group will therefore support the common position and looks forward to the enactment of the legislation which will provide us with yet another tool in our fight to make transport in the European Union as safe as possible .
When it comes to safety my Group will always support any initiatives to improve transport safety .
We still have a lot of work to do in this area as recent events have proved .
Madam President , I would like to make a few comments .
I would like , first of all , to thank the rapporteur for his exceptionally accurate and technical work on the report and , secondly , the Commission for the proposal it has submitted .
We are concerned here with the harmonisation of examination requirements but also , in fact , with minimum requirements .
This is important , but so is enforcement and there are , of course , a number of reasons why we need to pay particular attention to this .
Or ships from Eastern Europe which moor adjacent to ships over here , with all the obvious risks that this entails .
Furthermore , it has transpired that research in the ports in Belgium , Finland , but also in Japan has shown that 50 % of containers with partially dangerous cargo are not delivered correctly for shipment .
In short , the issue is an important one .
If we look at the situation where safety advisers are concerned , in a number of countries it is compulsory to employ such safety advisers in companies as from 1 January of this year .
There will be major problems with enforcing this rule at present , especially with smaller companies , as these cannot afford safety advisors .
These smaller companies either dispose of their cargo or mix it with other cargo , which causes problems .
It is therefore also being requested that ISO 9002 certificates possibly include the finer details of these activities in the form of annual reports and company analyses .
The work is done .
I would like to mention one final point .
With regard to enforcement , proper agreements must also be concluded with the Eastern European countries because they will not enter into treaties which deal with this matter until 1 July 2001 , that is to say in eighteen months ' time .
This gives them a competitive edge for the interim period .
This is not in itself anything dreadful , but we should prioritise particularly the safety aspects for goods transported by road , rail and inland waterways and incorporate these , as part of the acquis communautaire , as soon as possible and present them to the acceding states .
Madam President , the importance of transport safety is highlighted on a regular basis in this Parliament and rightly so .
The ever increasing volume of goods passing through Europe entails all kinds of risks , known and unknown , for employees and the social environment .
Those having to deal with these risks should therefore meet stringent requirements .
The relevant standards which have been laid down in another Directive , 95 / 35 / EC , seem sufficiently adequate to advise people in a responsible manner on the organisation of the transport of dangerous goods .
I am very pleased that agreement has also been reached with the Council on minimum standards regarding examinations , although I would have preferred it if uniform , set standards and modules had been established , so that certificates would be of equal value internationally .
This , however , does not seem feasible .
Finally , the amendment tabled by the rapporteur is perfectly logical and I can , therefore , give it my wholehearted support .
Mr President , Commissioner , I should first like to congratulate Mr Koch on his reports which , though technical , are nonetheless of very great significance for safety .
I should like to make just a few comments .
Firstly , I should like to ask the Commissioner - and I am convinced that my request will fall on fertile ground - to ensure that more attention is paid to the issue of safety , be it on the roads , on the waterways or at sea .
Considering that it is only today that we are dealing with a Commission proposal first made on 19 March 1998 , even though Parliament responded relatively quickly , this time lag is a little too long .
My second point has already been mentioned :
In principle , I believe that in many cases where transport is concerned we should be working towards increased flexibility and country - specific rules .
However , when it comes to safety , I am rather sceptical because safety in Sweden , for example , is in principle no different from safety in Germany , Italy or Austria .
Should flexibility of this kind result in there being inadequate rules in some countries then we should work towards greater harmonisation .
My third point has also been mentioned already .
As you know , like Mr Rack , I come from a transit country , where this issue plays a particularly important role .
We do not want to make the conditions of competition worse for some countries unilaterally and improve them for countries such as Austria or other transit countries .
Mr President , I would firstly like to congratulate the rapporteur , Mr Koch , on his magnificent work and his positive cooperation with the Commission with regard to improving the texts and presenting this report and this proposal ;
in the end there is only one amendment on the requirements for the aptitude examination for safety advisers in the transport of dangerous goods by road , rail or inland waterway .
We understand that it is important that the two institutions - Parliament and Commission - cooperate and work together and that the current cooperation with the Committee on Regional Policy , and in particular the transport group , is magnificent .
The common position includes practically all of the amendments accepted by the Commission and harmonises the minimum examination requirements for safety advisers and , at second reading , we can accept the amendment on the proposed date , which is much more realistic than the one originally suggested by the Commission , bearing in mind that we have now spent several years debating this question .
Very briefly , I would like to thank the various Members for their interventions and to tell you that safety is one of the Commission 's priorities in the field of transport .
As Mr Simpson has said very correctly , this is a process which we can never take for granted or regard as having come to an end .
The process of increasing safety margins and safety guarantees in transport is a process which must be improved day by day .
In this regard , I would also like to refer very briefly to the problems of the tunnels , which Messrs Rack and Swoboda have referred to , which , in the case of Austria , is doubtless a very sensitive issue , and great effort should be made to improve their safety .
In one of the worst accidents to have occurred recently , the goods being transported were not dangerous in themselves .
Margarine and a few kilos of paint which , in principle , do not present risks , led to a genuine disaster .
Therefore , we will have to see how the requirements guaranteeing the maximum degree of safety can be further improved .
Finally , I would like to say that we have to consider safety in all types of transport .
This week we will be holding a debate here on the safety of sea transport , in light of the Erika disaster , and in the course of this year we will have to discuss our objectives in terms of the safety of air transport .
But I would like to say that safety is a priority objective for the Commission .
As I will say in the debate on the Erika disaster , we do not wait until there is a disaster to deal with the question of safety , but we work on it even when there are no such circumstances , which simply serve to demonstrate the urgency for an effective response to this type of problem .
I would like to repeat my appreciation to all the speakers and especially to the rapporteur , Mr Koch .
The debate is closed .
The vote will take place tomorrow at 12 p.m. .
Transport of dangerous goods by road .
The next item is the report ( A5-0104 / 1999 ) by Mr Koch , on behalf of the Committee on Regional Policy , Transport and Tourism , on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 94 / 55 / EC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road [ COM ( 1999 ) 158 - C5-0004 / 1999 - 1999 / 0083 ( COD ) ] .
Mr President , Commissioner , ladies and gentlemen , the Directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states with regard to the transport of dangerous goods by road , which entered into force on 1 January 1997 , contains a number of transitional provisions which are only valid for a limited period of time , the term of validity being linked to the completion of specific standardisation work by the CEN , that is the European committee for standardisation .
Delays in the CEN 's work are now making it difficult to apply this very Directive .
In particular , annexes cannot be adapted to take account of technical and industrial developments .
I regret this since we are having to take action because others have not done their job .
In this respect , I accept this proposal to amend Directive 94 / 55 / EC which has been tabled for discussion today .
Should the European Union fail to take action , then Member States would be obliged to amend their national legislation for a very brief period , until the CEN completes its work , which would cause unnecessary cost and uncertainty .
The amendment to the Directive on today 's agenda does not therefore affect the existing harmonisation of the transport of dangerous goods in the community .
It merely prolongs transitional rules by postponing deadlines , deletes provisions which are no longer applicable , and lays down the procedures for a ) carrying out the ad hoc transportation of dangerous goods and b ) enacting less stringent national regulations , in particular for the transport of very small amounts of dangerous goods within strictly defined local areas .
The amendment to the Directive is consequently in full accordance with the principle of subsidiarity ;
the Member States obtain more powers .
In so doing , it is supported by a committee of experts on the transport of dangerous goods under the regulatory procedure .
The procedures for the exercise of these implementing powers conferred on the Commission were laid down afresh in the Council Decision of June 1999 .
Two of the amendments tabled and adopted unanimously by the committee relate precisely to this amended comitology procedure .
We would like to ensure that there is a reference to this as early as the recitals and that the period within which the Council has to make a decision - which is not clearly worded - is set at a maximum of three months .
In addition , the need for greater transparency has been pointed out .
A final amendment is intended to ensure that tanks and tankers put into service between 1 January 1997 and the entry into force of this Directive may continue to be used provided that they have been constructed and maintained in accordance with it .
Mr President , colleagues , a happy new year and millennium to you all .
I would like to briefly comment on the Commission 's proposal to amend the Directive on the transport of dangerous goods by road .
It is good that this Directive should be established now , as , otherwise , member states would have to amend their national acts for a very short time , a period of transition , which would again mean unnecessary costs and which would once more increase concern with regard to EU bureaucracy .
My amendments concern the frost - resistance ratings for tankers carrying these dangerous goods .
According to the Commission 's proposal -20º C would have been sufficient .
On the shores of the Mediterranean , it is hard to imagine that in Lapland temperatures can fall considerably lower than that .
There is support for the EU in Lapland also , so let us remember them .
I have thus proposed that the frost rating be lowered to -40° C .
This would be necessary to keep safety standards at the level they were in northern regions previously .
Mr President , with your permission I should like to begin by expressing my admiration for the way in which you executed the quick changeover of the chairmanship just now during the debate .
I thought that it was quite superb .
On the subject at hand , I think that the people of Europe must be able to be confident that the goods - however dangerous they are - which are transported on Europe 's roads , railways , and so on are as safe as possible .
This Directive is a contribution to this .
What we are doing today is essentially a nuisance .
The rapporteur , Mr Koch , to whom we express our thanks for the work which he has done on this , has already pointed out that basically everything could have been somewhat more advanced had it not been for the inactivity on the part of the CEN , which has been very dilatory in drawing up and adapting the Directive .
This is also important where the prerequisites for the internal market are concerned .
If we are to get a common transport market genuinely up and running , it is important that we should not only have regulations but that these regulations should also , as far as possible , apply to every country .
I should like to conclude by commenting on a third matter which is also of significance , namely an amendment tabled by Member of Parliament , Mr Ari Vatanen .
By approving this amendment , we take account of the fact that it can be very cold in the northern parts of the European Union .
This makes it necessary to also take account of the ways in which materials and packaging are affected by cold of this kind .
It is good that , in establishing the present regulations , we can also be flexible .
I hope that the Commission is able to accept the present amendment .
Mr President , I would like to thank not only Mr Koch , but also the Vice - President of the Commission for the clear and unambiguous way in which they have declared their support for safety in the transport sector and acknowledged it as a priority .
For one thing is clear :
We all regret that the European Committee for Standardisation ( CEN ) has not been able , in the required time , to carry out the amendment of the provisions necessary for the required harmonisation within the European Union .
This debate and the amendment of the Directive currently in force allow us to incorporate differentiating elements which demonstrate the diversity of this Europe of ours .
A moment ago , Mr Vatanen spoke to us of lower temperatures , not of 20 degrees below zero , but of 40 degrees below zero .
Of course , we accept that amendment - it is absolutely right - and I believe that we should incorporate specific circumstances which demonstrate the climatic diversity of the European Union , which sometimes take the form of specifics and of concrete requirements for the establishment of standards and characterisations of a technical nature .
I would like to say , with regard to Mr Swoboda 's comments on the activity of the CEN , that we are urging them to speed up their work as much as possible because it would be terrible if , despite the new deadline , we were to find ourselves after a year and a bit with the same difficulties because their work has not been concluded .
The Commission accepts all of the contributions of the parliamentary committee and the rapporteur , Mr Koch , which are contained in the various amendments , specifically four .
We therefore accept the four amendments which have been proposed .
Structural Funds - Cohesion Fund coordination .
The next item is the report ( A5-0108 / 1999 ) by Mrs Schroedter , on behalf of the Committee on Regional Policy , Transport and Tourism , on the communication from the Commission in the field of the Structural Funds and their coordination with the Cohesion Fund :
Mr President , it is particularly pleasing for me to make my first speech in the European Parliament on what is regarded as the most important issue within that part of the United Kingdom that I represent in this Parliament , namely Wales .
A major part of Wales , as you know , has been granted Objective 1 status under the Structural Funds programme .
It is quite clear that many people within Wales are looking to the European Structural Funds programme to alleviate some of the great difficulties that we undoubtedly face .
We have seen the gap between rich and poor widen .
We are looking , therefore , within the Structural Funds programme not just to see industrial restructuring but also to see a wider improvement in the whole of the economic base within the Principality .
That is why I want to highlight some of the issues that I believe the Commission must have at the forefront .
We look to the Commission to deal with points in relation to additionality .
We are dissatisfied with the fact that those figures seem to have been in some way hidden within UK figures .
We look to the Commission also to ensure that there is matched funding for projects .
We look to it to challenge the UK Government , to ensure that the private sector , which surely must be providing the major impetus for Structural Funds expenditure , is involved in the planning stage .
Finally , we ask that the Commission ensures that Structural Fund monies are spent in a way which is transparent .
Too much of what takes place within this Parliament is not transparent .
This is one area in which I believe the Commission can be a very great friend to Wales .
Mr President , our committee views these issues very differently and , to start , I will speak from the point of view of research .
We see it as a very positive sign that , in her own conclusions , the rapporteur has taken account of our committee 's proposal that the Cohesion Fund countries should broaden the research infrastructure by locating universities and colleges in such a way that they would serve those who live in undeveloped regions better than now and make it easier for educated people to remain in their home districts .
Another matter we would like to address , specifically from the point of view of industrial policy , is that we would have liked the Commission to pay more attention to the effects of services , electronic commerce and the growing use of the Internet , when they were planning the coordination of Structural Funds and Cohesion Funds .
Poverty and wealth used to depend more on means of livelihood .
In my opinion the committee drafting the report has not taken sufficient account of this , so on behalf of the Committee on Industry , External Trade , Research and Energy , I would draw the Commission 's attention to this issue .
Finally , as the committee representing energy , we would have liked the issue of support for renewable energy resources from Cohesion and Regional Development funds to have been emphasised still more , thus , through a process of coordination , increasing the use of renewables so that the scant funding resources in the energy programme might have been compensated by means of these more substantial sums .
I would like to draw people 's attention to Amendments Nos 1 and 2 which were agreed by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs but not accepted by the Committee on Regional Policy , Transport and Tourism .
These amendments deal with the social economy and the need to provide social risk capital and support financially local schemes to develop employment opportunities and strengthen social cohesion .
In the past , this Parliament has viewed the social economy as an important potential provider of employment .
These amendments also fit in with this Parliament 's view that social exclusion is a serious issue needing constructive action .
We hope that those considering rejection of these amendments have very powerful reasons to offer to both Parliament and their citizens who are seeking employment .
In her report , Mrs Flautre also drew attention to an area where coordination is sorely lacking , yet desperately needed .
The Commission proposals refer to the four pillars of employment strategy and the five fields of action of the European Social Fund .
It could be said that the omission gives the impression that the Commission too has no idea how to provide maximum coordination between European Social Fund assistance , which is subject to review after three and a half years , and the Member States ' annual national plans for employment .
We hope that the Commission can reassure us that this was an oversight which is now being dealt with constructively .
Mr President , Commissioner , the proposal presented by the Commission , in accordance with its mandate , is a reasonable starting point for the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development .
I would like to point out , however , that this starting point indicates to us the challenges which face us :
maintaining a population in rural areas , given the changes taking place in all types of economic activity owing to agriculture 's increasing lack of importance amongst the various sources of income for rural society .
This , as well as the deficiencies in the networks of infrastructures and services and a generally very low level of employment , which furthermore is seasonal and lacks diversity , exacerbates the exodus from rural areas .
The consequences do not inspire hope .
It is the young people who are disappearing , who are getting an education and finding work outside of the rural areas , all of which has an unfavourable effect on those areas .
This lack of infrastructure is also an obstacle to the establishment of companies and the creation of jobs .
Agriculture only provides 5.5 % of employment in the Union .
Furthermore , three quarters of our farm workers are part-time and require supplements to their incomes .
For this reason , one of the most important and essential objectives which we should set in the European Union is to make efforts to create new jobs in rural areas , outside of the agricultural sector , in sectors such as rural tourism , sport , culture , heritage conservation , the conversion of businesses , new technologies , services , etc. .
However , even though the role of agriculture is not exclusive , it is still essential , not only to prevent economic and social disintegration and the creation of ghost towns , but also because farmers play a fundamental role in managing the land , in preserving biodiversity and in protecting the environment .
It is important to prioritise general criteria for land planning and demographic equilibrium , and to bear in mind the conclusions of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development on the five fundamental issues , which have been only partly taken up by the Committee on Transport , Regional Policy and Tourism in its points 16 and 17 .
In conclusion , I would ask the Commission to take these five points into account when establishing the conclusions on the four pillars because I believe that , for the European Union , maintaining the population in rural areas must be one of the priority objectives .
Mr President , Commissioner , I would like to begin by thanking Mrs Schroedter , the rapporteur , for her work .
I would also like to thank her for her willingness to enter into dialogue with the other political groups when compromise formulas have needed to be reached in the face of this avalanche of amendments - and perhaps there are more of them than we expected - but which genuinely reflect the importance of the report we are now discussing .
We feel that it is important that the Commission takes account of the conclusions adopted by this Parliament , at least in spirit , because at this stage , it might seem as though what we are doing here is a useless exercise , and nothing but hot air .
In our amendments , we have stated the importance of the necessary synergies being produced between the Structural Funds , the Cohesion Fund and Community initiatives , so that their application should be reflected , in the best and most profitable way , by the gradual elimination of disparities between regions and by the creation of jobs which are , when all is said and done , the two central purposes of the funds we are discussing .
In order to achieve a more rapid and efficient boost for attaining these objectives , we think that those who generate employment , the real entrepreneurs and those who really guarantee new sources of employment , that is , businesspeople , must participate in this initiative .
Small and medium-sized businesses , above all , need to take part in the distribution of these funds .
If they do not , if businesspeople feel marginalised , if entrepreneurs cannot take part , not only in managing but also in receiving these funds , we will have missed an opportunity to attain our objectives more rapidly .
Also , in order to attain our objectives , to overcome the disparities between regions and to seek out sources of employment , it is crucial to give our complete support to new technologies , to transport and communications networks and to renewable energies .
All of this must be done - I repeat - with the participation of private business , which , by uniting its efforts with those of public administrations , but complementing them , never obstructing or excluding them , will lead to the creation of wealth in society and of jobs .
Mr President , it is incumbent upon me to remind my colleague , Mr Evans , of why Wales actually achieved Objective 1 status .
It was because of the discredited policies of his own Conservative Party .
Let me also remind him that when his party leader , Mr Hague , was Secretary of State for Wales , he broke every rule in the book on additionality which led to a stern letter from Commissioner Wulf - Mathies regarding regulatory requirements .
I can tell you that the British Government is aware of its regulatory requirements on Objective 1 additionality .
I suggest Mr Evans goes back and reads the Regulation .
My Group has made extensive amendments to both reports up for debate today .
I want to focus our minds on the essential role of the guidelines .
It is important to identify the skills and potential of our regions in the hi-tech sector .
It is particularly important in the light of reports in the media that Europe is rapidly losing ground to the US in the hi-tech growth industries of the future .
They should not be about creating additional layers of bureaucracy and red tape .
The implementation and operation of the guidelines cannot be left to the personal interpretation of one or other desk officer , either in the Commission or in the civil service .
There must be an internal coherence in the Commission directorate , while respecting the specific local and regional aspects of Commission programmes .
The conclusion is that we must make the case for guidelines to be broad , indicative and flexible to assist our programme managers and fund - users and to get the maximum potential out of our new fields of regeneration .
The rapporteur has also quite rightly stated that Parliament was not heard in time regarding the guidelines .
Hopefully , the stands Parliament has taken will help , however , in the mid - term appraisal of the programmes and in their practical implementation .
For the time , the report grew too large when it was being debated .
At this stage it is more important to concentrate on assessing how we can use this process to steer Union regional policy , bearing in mind that the aim is to reduce regional inequality .
Our Group emphasises the importance of the principle of subsidiarity , the responsibility of Member States and the role of local players in drafting and implementing programmes .
It is especially important to get SMEs involved in the planning and implementation of programmes .
Our Group also considers it important to take greater account of remote and peripheral areas and wishes to increase interaction between towns and rural areas .
Projects implemented with support from the Union have had their effect watered down all too often by slow decision making and complicated administrative processes .
Funds have often been granted for projects which have had no lasting benefit for the area concerned .
Projects have to be carried out more efficiently , more flexibly and they have to be made more productive .
While the report was being prepared , it was interesting to discuss the Union 's regional policy in general .
For us new members , it was the first time , and this was a very interesting process .
This report is very good and our Group supports it .
Mr President , Commissioner , as proof that this Parliament has not yet overcome its role as a consultative and subordinate institution , the excellent report by a fellow member of my Group , Elisabeth Schroedter , has not been able to reach plenary sitting because the plans for regional development for the period 2000 - 2006 for Objective 1 regions have been sitting in the Commission 's offices for several months .
Bearing this in mind , this House should , in any event , demand that , before the Community support frameworks for the period in question are approved , they be studied and submitted for debate in this Parliament , specifically in light of the guidelines that we have presented today .
Mr President , we should not forget that the main , strategic objective of the Structural and Cohesion Funds and of their coordination is to achieve economic and social cohesion .
We are obliged to participate in drafting Directives and also in assessing their results .
We are obliged to do so because we are the representatives of the citizens in a Europe of Citizens and not just in a Europe of States and of Regions .
We feel that the Funds are a necessary but insufficient condition for achieving economic and social cohesion .
We might be mistaken in using the gross domestic product per inhabitant as the sole indicator .
Some speakers have already mentioned unemployment and the fall in population .
We will have to study several indicators , which will enable us to see the current state of regional societies that are in a worse situation than others , and how they are evolving .
It is clear from some of the reports that have been presented to Parliament 's plenary sitting today that Europe 's 25 most prosperous regions enjoy a level of unemployment which is five times lower than in the 25 least prosperous regions .
This fact means that the European Parliament , the Commissioner and the Commission must act decisively and strategically .
I agree that the European Parliament did not have the opportunity - or that it was not given the opportunity , as we had reached the end of the parliamentary term - to discuss the Directives .
I do not think , however , that this report has come too late .
We all agree that we should ask that , halfway through these programmes , when the assessment of the Directives is made , Parliament should be given an equally influential role on the grounds that we are the citizens ' representatives .
Our citizens cannot accept that the European Union takes decisions in a way that is , at least on the face of it , bureaucratic .
They need to see the political dimension working , to see that officials accept their responsibilities and that there is communication with the citizens .
This is what we are today asking the Commissioner for .
I would like to think that , given his previous experience as a regional President , he will agree to propose indicators , and a strategy , which will favour economic and social cohesion and not just productivity .
Mr President , I support the main proposals of the report concerning the administration of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund for the period 2000 - 2006 and the main recommendations of the report which include the following :
Member States are urged to attach greater importance to integrated strategies for revitalising relations between towns and rural areas .
This process will continue in accordance with the financial spending guidelines laid down by the EU leaders at their Berlin Summit last year , which were supported by Parliament at its last May plenary part - session .
Key EU programmes between 1989 , 1993 , 1994 and 1999 have certainly helped to improve the economic competitiveness of peripheral countries and Objective 1 regions within Europe .
In conclusion , while key infrastructure projects have been supported by the European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund , we should remember that the European Social Fund has played a very important role in helping the less well-off in our society .
The Social Fund has certainly improved our third - level institutions , financed our post - leaving certificate programmes and put in place comprehensive schemes to help combat youth and long-term unemployment , assist early school leavers and promote higher standards of adult literacy .
Mr President , on numerous occasions in the past I have disagreed with the rapporteur on her approach to regional policy issues .
The second point I would like to make is that we would have preferred it if the guidelines had been added to the Regulation in the form of an annex , as we and Mrs Mccarthy , as rapporteurs for the general Regulation , had asked .
I am raising the issue just to reiterate Parliament 's position .
They are particularly beneficial to the Member States , and I would particularly like to draw your attention to the emphasis the Commission has placed on the issues of sustainable development , job creation and , more particularly , on equal opportunities and transport issues .
Personally , I at least am totally in favour of the guidelines .
As an islander , however , I would like to express my dissatisfaction at the lack of recognition of island development .
This is not the first time that this issue has not been given the consideration it deserves .
Commissioner , we shall continue to raise the issue , as Article 158 , paragraph 1 , of the Treaty of Amsterdam provides for an integrated policy for islands .
Therefore , the Commission should address the issue once and for all .
As for us in Parliament , I would like to remind you of the code of conduct between the Commission and Parliament which was signed in May .
I am absolutely certain that this code will be observed and that Parliament will keep abreast of all the developments and details concerning the implementation of the programmes .
Mr President , Commissioner , in this minute and a half I should like , first of all , to congratulate Mrs Schroedter .
I know many have already done so , but she has indeed earned our praise for being particularly open and attentive to proposals from all sides , and I think it is this openness which has given her report the quality we see today .
I share the regrets she expressed , namely that Parliament has become involved rather late in the day as regards these guidelines , since by now the procedure for negotiations with the states is so far advanced that I cannot see this report having any sort of immediate effect , which in my view is a pity .
In brief , I would like to say that we are entering the period when we are called upon to manage the programming for 2000 - 2006 , which must be no routine period for the good reason that we have two major challenges to face .
The first is the harmonisation of national development policies and regional development policies .
Subsidies are not enough to ensure development when infrastructure and public services are lacking .
We must ask ourselves a fundamental question :
The second challenge is that of enlargement which will , of course , have a considerable impact , both in budgetary and geographical terms .
These are two areas of action which I invite the Commissioner to set up and in which I would ask him to involve us .
Finally , in this time of natural disasters , I would just like to mention the issue of the use of Structural Funds .
As you know , it is up to each State to redistribute part of the total appropriation .
Europe should not be completely absent , as the states tend to want .
Public opinion and the press nowadays accuse us of being unavailable to give a response , even though we are going to be funding a large proportion of the national operations .
I think we should be capable of saying this loud and clear .
I also think we should ensure , or ask Member States to ensure , that there is some publicity given to European aid whenever it is used to repair damage caused by natural disasters or accidents .
Mr President , the priority given to financial and monetary criteria reinforces the increase in inequalities of every shape and form .
Well , the Structural Funds have helped to apply a brake to this process .
Our project of a Europe that aims to satisfy social needs envisages the convergence of living conditions towards the highest common denominator .
What we are proposing specifically is a unified capital tax , which would make it possible to boost the funds used to support the harmonisation of social protection systems and the reduction of working hours at European level .
The Commission , however , though bound to issue guidelines , does so only reluctantly and in a vague manner .
The report put forward today re-establishes its place in the political sphere .
This is what persuades us to vote in favour of it .
Over the coming years , faced with the challenges of globalisation and eastward enlargement , Europe will , more than ever before , require appropriate detailed guidance on how to plan and revitalise its economy .
To this end , Europe as a whole , and each Member State individually , will have to make optimum use of all available resources and capacities , including the Structural Funds .
For this to be possible , what we need from the European Commission are not just good intentions , but clearer guidelines and a firm commitment to monitoring the way these resources are used by the Member States .
For example , in recent years Italy has had problems in utilising the Structural Funds , mainly because of excessive bureaucracy , insufficient information and a lack of involvement of economic and social operators at local level .
There are , therefore , two points to which I would like to draw the Commission 's attention .
Firstly , we need to make the best possible use of consultation as a means of ensuring proper coordination and participation by all local and regional operators in decision - making , precisely so that imbalances and inequalities can be avoided .
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Directive 2005 / 32 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2005 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy - using products and amending Council Directive 92 / 42 / EEC and Directives 96 / 57 / EC and 2000 / 55 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council .
The harmonisation of national laws is the only means to prevent such barriers to trade and unfair competition .
( 2 ) Energy - using products ( EUPs ) account for a large proportion of the consumption of natural resources and energy in the Community .
They also have a number of other important environmental impacts .
For the vast majority of product categories available on the Community market , very different degrees of environmental impact can be noted though they provide similar functional performances .
In the interest of sustainable development , continuous improvement in the overall environmental impact of those products should be encouraged , notably by identifying the major sources of negative environmental impacts and avoiding transfer of pollution , when this improvement does not entail excessive costs .
( 3 ) The ecodesign of products is a crucial factor in the Community strategy on Integrated Product Policy .
As a preventive approach , designed to optimise the environmental performance of products , while maintaining their functional qualities , it provides genuine new opportunities for manufacturers , for consumers and for society as a whole .
( 4 ) Energy efficiency improvement - with one of the available options being more efficient end use of electricity - is regarded as contributing substantially to the achievement of greenhouse gas emission targets in the Community .
A significant reduction in energy consumption as suggested by the Commission in its European Climate Change Programme ( ECCP ) is possible .
Climate change is one of the priorities of the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme , laid down by Decision No 1600 / 2002 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council [ 3 ] .
Energy saving is the most cost-effective way to increase security of supply and reduce import dependency .
Therefore , substantial demand side measures and targets should be adopted .
( 5 ) Action should be taken during the design phase of EUPs , since it appears that the pollution caused during a product 's life cycle is determined at that stage , and most of the costs involved are committed then .
( 6 ) A coherent framework for the application of Community Ecodesign requirements for EUPs should be established with the aim of ensuring the free movement of those products which comply and of improving their overall environmental impact .
Such Community requirements should respect the principles of fair competition and international trade .
( 7 ) Ecodesign requirements should be set bearing in mind the goals and priorities of the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme , including as appropriate applicable goals of the relevant thematic strategies of that Programme .
( 8 ) This Directive seeks to achieve a high level of protection for the environment by reducing the potential environmental impact of EUPs , which will ultimately be beneficial to consumers and other end - users .
Sustainable development also requires proper consideration of the health , social and economic impact of the measures envisaged .
Improving the energy efficiency of products contributes to the security of the energy supply , which is a precondition of sound economic activity and therefore of sustainable development .
( 9 ) A Member State deeming it necessary to maintain national provisions on grounds of major needs relating to the protection of the environment , or to introduce new ones based on new scientific evidence relating to the protection of the environment on grounds of a problem specific to that member state arising after the adoption of the applicable implementing measure , may do so following the conditions laid down in article 95 ( 4 ) , ( 5 ) and ( 6 ) of the treaty , that provides for a prior notification to and approval from the Commission .
( 10 ) In order to maximise the environmental benefits from improved design it may be necessary to inform consumers about the environmental characteristics and performance of EUPs and to advise them about how to use products in a manner which is environmentally friendly .
( 11 ) The approach set out in the Green Paper on Integrated Product Policy , which is a major innovative element of the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme , aims to reduce the environmental impacts of products across the whole of their life cycle .
Considering at the design stage a product 's environmental impact throughout its whole life cycle has a high potential to facilitate environmental improvement in a cost-effective way .
There should be sufficient flexibility to enable this factor to be integrated in product design whilst taking account of technical , functional and economic considerations .
( 12 ) Although a comprehensive approach to environmental performance is desirable , greenhouse gas mitigation through increased energy efficiency should be considered a priority environmental goal pending the adoption of a working plan .
( 13 ) It may be necessary and justified to establish specific quantified ecodesign requirements for some products or environmental aspects thereof in order to ensure that their environmental impact is minimised .
Given the urgent need to contribute to the achievement of the commitments in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) , and without prejudice to the integrated approach promoted in this Directive , some priority should be given to those measures with a high potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at low cost .
Such measures can also contribute to a sustainable use of resources and constitute a major contribution to the 10 - year framework of programmes on sustainable production and consumption agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in September 2002 .
( 15 ) While the best - performing products or technologies available on the market , including on international markets , should be taken as reference , the level of ecodesign requirements should be established on the basis of technical , economic and environmental analysis .
Flexibility in the method for establishing the level of requirements can make swift improvement of environmental performance easier .
Interested parties involved should be consulted and cooperate actively in this analysis .
The setting of mandatory measures requires proper consultation of the parties involved .
Such consultation may highlight the need for a phased introduction or transitional measures .
The introduction of interim targets increases the predictability of the policy , allows for accommodating product development cycles and facilitates long term planning for interested parties .
( 16 ) Priority should be given to alternative courses of action such as self-regulation by the industry where such action is likely to deliver the policy objectives faster or in a less costly manner than mandatory requirements .
Legislative measures may be needed where market forces fail to evolve in the right direction or at an acceptable speed .
( 18 ) For the assessment of voluntary agreements or other self-regulation measures presented as alternatives to implementing measures , information on at least the following issues should be available :
openness of participation , added value , representativeness , quantified and staged objectives , involvement of civil society , monitoring and reporting , cost-effectiveness of administering a self-regulatory initiative , sustainability .
19 ) Chapter 6 of the Commission 's " Communication on Environmental Agreements at Community level within the Framework of the Action Plan on the Simplification and Improvement of the Regulatory Environment " could provide useful guidance when assessing self-regulation by industry in the context of this Directive .
( 20 ) This Directive should also encourage the integration of Ecodesign in small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) and very small firms .
Such integration could be facilitated by wide availability of and easy access to information relating to the sustainability of their products .
The rigorous enforcement of implementing measures is necessary to reduce the environmental impact of regulated EUPs and to ensure fair competition .
( 22 ) When preparing implementing measures and its working plan the Commission should consult Member States ' representatives as well as interested parties concerned with the product group , such as industry , including SMEs and craft industry , trade unions , traders , retailers , importers , environmental protection groups and consumer organisations .
( 23 ) When preparing implementing measures , the Commission should also take due account of existing national environmental legislation , in particular concerning toxic substances , which Member States have indicated that they consider should be preserved , without reducing the existing and justified levels of protection in the Member States .
( 24 ) Regard should be given to the modules and rules intended for use in technical harmonisation Directives set out in Council Decision 93 / 465 / EEC of 22 July 1993 concerning the modules for the various phases of the conformity assessment procedures and the rules for the affixing and use of the CE conformity marking , which are intended to be used in the technical harmonisation Directives .
( 25 ) Surveillance authorities should exchange information on the measures envisaged within the scope of this Directive with a view to improving surveillance of the market .
Such cooperation should make the utmost use of electronic means of communication and relevant Community programmes .
ll The exchange of information on environmental life cycle performance and on the achievements of design solutions should be facilitated .
The accumulation and dissemination of the body of knowledge generated by the ecodesign efforts of manufacturers is one of the crucial benefits of this Directive .
( 26 ) A competent body is usually a public or private body , designated by the public authorities , and presenting the necessary guarantees for impartiality and availability of technical expertise for carrying out verification of the product with regard to its compliance with the applicable implementing measures .
( 27 ) Noting the importance of avoiding non - compliance , Member States should ensure that the necessary means are available for effective market surveillance .
( 28 ) In respect of training and information on ecodesign for SMEs , it may be appropriate to consider accompanying activities .
( 29 ) It is in the interest of the functioning of the internal market to have standards which have been harmonised at Community level .
Once the reference to such a standard has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union , compliance with it should raise a presumption of conformity with the corresponding requirements set out in the implementing measure adopted on the basis of this Directive , although other means of demonstrating such conformity should be permitted .
( 30 ) One of the main roles of harmonised standards should be to help manufacturers in applying the implementing measures adopted under this Directive .
Such standards could be essential in establishing measuring and testing methods .
In the case of generic ecodesign requirements harmonised standards could contribute considerably to guiding manufacturers in establishing the ecological profile of their products in accordance with the requirements of the applicable implementing measure .
These standards should clearly indicate the relationship between their clauses and the requirements dealt with .
The purpose of harmonised standards should not be to fix limits for environmental aspects .
( 31 ) For the purpose of definitions used in this Directive it is useful to refer to relevant international standards such as ISO 14040 ( 32 ) .
This Directive is in accordance with certain principles for the implementation of the new approach as set out in the Council Resolution of 7 May 1985 on a new approach to technical harmonisation and standards and of making reference to harmonised European standards .
The Council Resolution of 28 October 1999 on the role of standardisation in Europe recommended that the Commission should examine whether the New Approach principle could be extended to sectors not yet covered as a means of improving and simplifying legislation wherever possible .
( 33 ) This Directive is complementary to existing Community instruments such as Council Directive 92 / 75 / EEC of 22 September 1992 on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by household appliances , Regulation ( EC ) No 1980 / 2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 on a revised Community eco - label award scheme , Regulation ( EC ) No 2422 / 2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 November 2001 on a Community energy efficiency labelling programme for office equipment , Directive 2002 / 96 / EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on waste electrical and electronic equipment ( WEEE ) , Directive 2002 / 95 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and Council Directive 76 / 769 / EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws , regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations .
Synergies between this Directive and the existing Community instruments should contribute to increasing their respective impacts and building coherent requirements for manufacturers to apply .
( 34 ) Since Council Directive 92 / 42 / EEC of 21 May 1992 on efficiency requirements for new hot - water boilers fired with liquid or gaseous fuels , Directive 96 / 57 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 September 1996 on energy efficiency requirements for household electric refrigerators , freezers and combinations thereof and Directive 2000 / 55 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on energy efficiency requirements for ballasts for fluorescent lighting already contain provisions for the revision of the energy efficiency requirements , they should be integrated into
the present framework .
( 35 ) Directive 92 / 42 / EEC provides for a star rating system intended to ascertain the energy performance of boilers .
Since Member States and the industry agree that the star rating system has proved not to deliver the expected result , Directive 92 / 42 / EEC should be amended to open the way for more effective schemes .
( 36 ) The requirements laid down in Council Directive 78 / 170 / EEC of 13 February 1978 on the performance of heat generators for space heating and the production of hot water in new or existing non - industrial buildings and on the insulation of heat and domestic hot - water distribution in new non - industrial buildings have been superseded by provisions of Directive 92 / 42 / EEC , Council Directive 90 / 396 / EEC of 29 June 1990 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to appliances burning gaseous fuels and Directive 2002 / 91 / EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of buildings .
Directive 78 / 170 / EEC should therefore be repealed .
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND TO THE COUNCIL concerning the implementation and continuation of the Pericles programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting .
Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending and extending Council Decision of 17 December 2001 establishing an exchange , assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting ( the " Pericles " programme ) .
Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION extending to the non - participating Member States the application of Council Decision amending and extending Council Decision of 17 December 2001 establishing an exchange , assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting ( the " Pericles " programme ) .
Pericles , the Community programme for exchange , assistance and training in the protection of the euro against counterfeiting , was established by Council Decision of 17 December 2001 ( 2001 / 923 / EC ) and is designed to support and supplement the measures undertaken by the Member States and in existing programmes to protect the euro against counterfeiting .
Such measures include information exchange ( seminars , workshops , meetings and conferences ) , placements and exchanges of staff , as well as technical , scientific and operational back-up .
Article 1 of the Pericles Decision provides that the programme shall run from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2005 .
Article 6 of the Decision set a reference amount of 4 million euro for the programme .
Article 13 ( 3 ) of the Pericles Decision provides that the Commission shall send to the European Parliament and the Council , by 30 June 2005 :
- a report , independent from the programme manager , evaluating the relevance , the efficiency and the effectiveness of the programme ;
- a communication on whether this programme should be continued and adapted , accompanied by an appropriate proposal .
The evaluation report of the Pericles Programme was submitted on 30 November 2004 .
Since early Summer 2003 , the number of counterfeit euro banknotes detected in circulation has stabilised at about 50000 a month , a level below the pre - euro levels , lower than the US dollar and extremely low compared to the nine billion genuine euro banknotes in circulation .
At the same time , the number of counterfeit euro coins is continuing to increase but also remains low by historical standards .
In addition , the police forces have successfully conducted a number of operations to dismantle workshops and seize large numbers of counterfeit banknotes and coins before they enter into circulation .
This overall favourable situation is the result of a long preparation at both legislative and institutional level and demonstrates the high level of cooperation achieved in EU and at international level .
The Commission set out the basic ideas for the protection of the euro in a Communication it published as early as 1998 [ 1 ] .
And , in 1999 Europol ’s mandate was extended to include money counterfeiting [ 4 ] .
With regard to criminal sanctions , the Commission has published two reports [ 5 ] on the implementation of the above-mentioned Framework Decision , which show a satisfactory level of implementation .
With a view to ensuring the clear structure in the fight against currency counterfeiting as well as close cooperation and efficient flow of information National Central Offices ( NCO ) were established in all Member States .
Databases and communication systems are operating in the ECB and Europol .
Dedicated bodies were created for the technical analysis of counterfeits in the Member States , the ECB - for banknotes , and the Commission - for coins .
The Pericles programme is playing a significant role in achieving the present results in the protection of the euro and the fight against the crime of counterfeiting , through the exchange of information and the development of cooperation .
Continuing vigilance is needed in order to maintain and build on the results currently achieved in the fight against euro counterfeiting .
Training and technical assistance plays an important role in this respect , hence the need to continue the Pericles programme .
In line with Article 13 of the Pericles Decision , the evaluation of the Pericles programme was assigned to the independent auditor of the European Anti - Fraud Office ( OLAF ) who submitted the evaluation report on 30 November 2004 .
The evaluator examined the files of 21 of the Pericles actions carried out until March 2004 , on Member State or Commission initiative .
Based on questionnaires to organisers and participants , as well as discussions with stake holders , he reached the following main conclusions [ 6 ] :
- The programme has improved awareness of the Community dimension of the euro and has also developed a greater understanding amongst the participants of the related laws and instruments and in particular of the relevant Community and broader European law .
- With regard to the range of information exchanges and methodologies / measures , most have been presented in the various workshops , meetings and seminars .
- The target groups for the programme have been reached in part with a very high participation by law enforcement officials ;
attendance by commercial banking sector , specialist lawyers or chambers of commerce was not sufficient .
- The activities examined were considered relevant to and among the main objectives of the programme .
- In terms of costs , the evaluator found that some of the projects were particularly costly and highlighted specific cost items .
The evaluator made the following main recommendations :
A second evaluation should take place after four years .
- The programme should continue to be available to all Member States but a priority should be given ( in the first instance ) to those with low participation or who did not organise actions in the first programme , as well as the new Member States .
- Emphasis should be put on practical training .
There should be a prioritisation in favour of staff exchanges and specific training , including case studies .
These activities are also more cost efficient .
- Co-operation between the European institutions / bodies ( Commission / OLAF , ECB and Europol ) should be further developed so as to eliminate any overlapping between different programmes and to further improve the co-ordination of the main actors ( law enforcement , banks , prosecutors ) in the fight against euro counterfeiting .
- With regard to the effect of the programme on the convergence of high level training for trainers , it was not possible to make an assessment as there was not sufficient information on the link between national strategies and the activities under Pericles .
- With a view to enabling the assessment of the effect of the programme , among others on the convergence of high level training for trainers , the evaluator recommends the preparation of a strategy document , to be finalised before the new Pericles enters into effect .
The implementation of the Programme made a slow start , mainly due to its adoption in December 2001 .
Thus , the first project under Pericles was only carried out in October 2002 and the amount committed in 2002 was just under 40 % of the initial budget allocation ( the allocation was reviewed downwards in the course of the year ) .
Subsequently , the programme took off and the budget allocation was completely committed in 2003 and 2004 .
Intentions for 2005 show that the remaining amount will also be completely consumed .
Based on these statistics / forecasts , the overall level of commitments during the period 2002 - 2005 will reach 80 % of the initial reference amount .
The main aggregates in the implementation of Pericles are shown on Table 2 .
In the course of the first three years of the programme 38 projects were initiated ;
for 2005 another 18 actions are intended by the Member States and the Commission .
Of the total 56 projects , 41 originate at the competent authorities of Member States , while 15 are an initiative of the Commission / OLAF .
Most of the actions carried out are conferences , seminars and workshops , as well as specialised training courses .
Staff exchange has , nonetheless , gained ground and has now become a standard feature of Pericles .
Following enlargement , this type of activity is likely to develop further , which is also in line with the recommendation of the Pericles evaluator .
Only one technical study was undertaken under the current Pericles , which is planned to continue at a broader level in 2005 .
The analysis of Pericles by type of project is shown in Table 3 .
Almost 2600 persons participated in these events .
In earlier periods the large majority of participants were law enforcement agents , reflecting the priority to establish closer professional ties for a more efficient fight against euro counterfeiting .
In that respect , the evaluation report ( p. 10 and 11 ) shows that , until March 2004 , 65 % of participants were mainly from law enforcement agencies .
As of 2003 , a greater involvement of judiciary authorities is observed , while as of 2004 and 2005 , there is a more pronounced participation of the financial sector ( public sector financial intermediaries , National Central Banks , commercial banking and other financial institutions ) .
This development is in line with the recommendation of the evaluator , while the organisation of more technical seminars is also being promoted .
In terms of origin of the participants , the evaluation report notes that these came from 76 countries , with a majority from Member States .
It was noted that some countries showed a low level of participation , among them some of the euro area countries .
This situation may reflect organisational rather than structural situations and an effort to balance it is currently under way .
Some countries are more active in organising events , with Italy representing over 21 % of the total number of activities .
As of 2005 , the new Member States became active in organising Pericles actions .
As the evaluation report also mentions ( p. 14 ) that the organisation of Pericles actions covered all the areas relevant to the protection of the euro :
law enforcement , judicial , financial and technical and promoted particularly the creation of networks useful for achieving greater efficiency in the fight against the crime of counterfeiting .
Contributions at the Pericles actions are ensured by the ECB , the Commission , Europol and , in some cases , Eurojust , Interpol and the US Secret Service .
With regard to the aspects of euro protection , where the responsibility belongs to the Member States , expertise was systematically sought in their specialised services .
The Pericles actions take place mostly inside the EU .
However , a number of actions have been organised in third or candidate countries , reflecting the specific needs to protect the euro .
Such is the case with actions undertaken in Colombia , for all South American countries and Bulgaria , also including other South - Eastern European countries .
As a result , the transnationality and multidisciplinarity required under Article 3 of the Pericles Decision have been respected , with the latter pursued both at the level of professional background of the participants and in terms of the content of the actions .
In line with Article 5 of the Pericles Decision , the programme is implemented and coordinated by the Commission and the Member States working closely together .
The coordination of the Pericles and other training actions is carried out at the Commission ’s Euro counterfeiting experts group , which brings together experts from all member states and candidate countries , with participation of Europol , the ECB and Interpol .
This is in also line with Recital ( 7 ) of the Pericles Decision .
Pericles has now practically centralised Community level carried out by the Commission and Member States action with respect to the protection of the euro and has also largely replaced the Commission ’s specific ‘ Protection of the euro ’ budget line .
A small number of actions geared on the protection against currency counterfeiting are carried out under other Community programmes , such as TAIEX and Twinning .
Such actions are mainly single - country or single - subject actions ( i.e. not eligible under Pericles ) and are systematically coordinated with Pericles by the competent service in the Commission in coordination with Member States .
In addition to their awareness and training content , the Pericles actions have led to a number of structural and other improvements in Member Sates and in third countries .
Among others , National Central Offices for the fight against counterfeiting were created in several countries ;
two Pericles seminars assisted the ( then ) acceding countries in their efforts to apply the acquis in the specific area ;
a code of conduct was drawn with respect to press and communication issues ;
In line with the above analysis and in the light of the conclusions of the evaluator of Pericles , this Communication is accompanied by a proposal for the adaptation and continuation of Pericles .
In line with Article 13 of Council Decision of 17 December 2001 establishing an exchange , assistance and training programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting ( the ‘ Pericles ’ programme ) and based on the Pericles evaluation report of 30 November 2004 , it is proposed that the Council decision be extended and amended .
The proposed period for extension is six years and the reference amount unchanged at one million euro per year .
The adaptations proposed concern the increase of the proportion of co-financing by the Community budget ;
the introduction of flexibility in the number of applications by each Member State and consequent coordination ;
and the extension of the content of the technical and operational back - up to administrative support for active investigations , with intermediation by Europol .
In line also with the recommendation of the evaluator of Pericles , it is appropriate to extend the Pericles programme , based on the need to :
- continue vigilance in order to maintain or reduce the current level of euro banknote counterfeiting and avoid any increase in euro coin counterfeiting that would undermine the confidence of the public ;
- train / inform new staff and extend the training to sectors that have less benefited from the Pericles programme , namely financial agents , prosecutors and technical staff ;
- train relevant staff in the features of the new generation of the euro banknotes , to be issued at the end of this decade ;
- particularly insist on training and technical assistance in the new Member States , with priority to those who will first introduce the euro as their single currency .
Universal Declaration of Human Rights .
Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A ( III ) of 10 December 1948 .
PREAMBLE .
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind , and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people ;
Whereas it is essential , if man is not to be compelled to have recourse , as a last resort , to rebellion against tyranny and oppression , that human rights should be protected by the rule of law ;
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations ;
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights , in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom ;
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve , in co - operation with the United Nations , the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms ;
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge ;
Now , therefore , The General Assembly Proclaims this Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations , to the end that every individual and every organ of society , keeping this Declaration constantly in mind , shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures , national and international , to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance , both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction .
Article 1 .
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights .
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood .
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration , without distinction of any kind , such as race , colour , sex , language , religion , political or other opinion , national or social origin , property , birth or other status .
Furthermore , no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political , jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs , whether it be independent , trust , non - self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty .
Everyone has the right to life , liberty and the security of person .
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude ;
slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms .
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel , inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment .
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law .
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law .
All are entitled to equal protection against all types of discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to any form of discrimination .
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law .
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest , detention or exile .
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal , in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him .
( 1 ) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence .
( 2 ) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence , under national or international law , at the time when it was committed .
Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed .
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy , family , home or correspondence , nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation .
Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution .
( 2 ) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non - political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations .
( 2 ) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality .
They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage , during marriage and at its dissolution .
( 2 ) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses .
( 3 ) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others .
( 2 ) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property .
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought , conscience and religion ;
this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief , and freedom , either alone or in community with others and in public or private , to manifest his religion or belief in teaching , practice , worship and observance .
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression ;
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association .
( 2 ) No one may be compelled to belong to an association .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country , directly or through freely chosen representatives .
( 3 ) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government ;
this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures .
Everyone , as a member of society , has the right to social security and is entitled to realization , through national effort and international co - operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State , of the economic , social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to work , to free choice of employment , to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment .
( 2 ) Everyone , without any discrimination , has the right to equal pay for equal work .
( 4 ) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests .
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure , including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family , including food , clothing , housing and medical care and necessary social services , and the right to security in the event of unemployment , sickness , disability , widowhood , old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control .
( 2 ) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance .
All children , whether born in or out of wedlock , shall enjoy the same social protection .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right to education .
Education shall be free , at least in the elementary and fundamental stages .
It shall promote understanding , tolerance and friendship among all nations , racial or religious groups , and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace .
( 3 ) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children .
( 1 ) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community , to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits .
( 2 ) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific , literary or artistic production of which he is the author .
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized .
( 1 ) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible .
( 2 ) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms , everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality , public order and the general welfare in a democratic society .
( 3 ) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations .
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State , group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein .
It can be a very complicated thing , the ocean .
And it can be a very complicated thing , what human health is .
And those simple themes aren't really themes about the complex science of what 's going on , but things that we all pretty well know .
And I 'm going to start with this one :
We know that , right ?
We 've experienced that .
That 's the theme of my talk .
And we 're making the ocean pretty unhappy in a lot of different ways .
This is a shot of Cannery Row in 1932 .
Cannery Row , at the time , had the biggest industrial canning operation on the west coast .
We piled enormous amounts of pollution into the air and into the water .
Rolf Bolin , who was a professor at the Hopkin 's Marine Station where I work , wrote in the 1940s that " The fumes from the scum floating on the inlets of the bay were so bad they turned lead - based paints black " .
They say , " You know what you smell ? " .
That pollution was money to that community , and those people dealt with the pollution and absorbed it into their skin and into their bodies because they needed the money .
We made the ocean unhappy ;
we made people very unhappy , and we made them unhealthy .
The pyramid of ocean life .
We see the base of the food chain , the plankton , the small things , and we see how those animals are food to animals in the middle of the pyramid , and on so up this diagram .
And that flow , that flow of life , from the very base up to the very top , is the flow that ecologists see .
Now why does that matter for human health ?
Because when we jam things in the bottom of that pyramid that shouldn't be there , some very frightening things happen .
Now , to bring that home , I thought I 'd invent a little game .
We don't really have to play it ;
It 's the Styrofoam and chocolate game .
Imagine that when we got on this boat , we were all given two Styrofoam peanuts .
What 'll happen is that the Styrofoam peanuts will start moving through our society here , and they will accumulate in the drunkest , stingiest people .
There 's no mechanism in this game for them to go anywhere but into a bigger and bigger pile of indigestible Styrofoam peanuts .
And that 's exactly what happens with PCBs in this food pyramid :
They accumulate into the top of it .
Now suppose , instead of Styrofoam peanuts , we take these lovely little chocolates that we get and we had those instead .
PCBs accumulate .
PCBs accumulate in dolphins in Sarasota Bay , in Texas , in North Carolina .
They get into the food chain .
The dolphins eat the fish that have PCBs from the plankton , and those PCBs , being fat-soluble , accumulate in these dolphins .
Now , a dolphin , mother dolphin , any dolphin - there 's only one way that a PCB can get out of a dolphin .
In mother 's milk .
Here 's a diagram of the PCB load of dolphins in Sarasota Bay .
Females after their first calf is already weaned :
Those females , they 're not trying to .
The death rate in these dolphins , for the first calf born of every female dolphin , is 60 to 80 percent .
Now , the mother then can go and reproduce , but what a terrible price to pay for the accumulation of this pollutant in these animals - the death of the first - born calf .
There 's another top predator in the ocean , it turns out .
And we also are eating meat that comes from some of these same places .
This is whale meat that I photographed in a grocery store in Tokyo - or is it ?
In fact , what we did a few years ago was learn how to smuggle a molecular biology lab into Tokyo and use it to genetically test the DNA out of whale meat samples and identify what they really were .
And some of those whale meat samples were whale meat .
Some of them were illegal whale meat , by the way .
That 's another story .
But some of them were not whale meat at all .
Even though they were labeled whale meat , they were dolphin meat .
Some of them were dolphin liver .
And those dolphin parts had a huge load of PCBs , dioxins and heavy metals .
And that huge load was passing into the people that ate this meat .
It turns out that a lot of dolphins are being sold as meat in the whale meat market around the world .
That 's a tragedy for those populations , but it 's also a tragedy for the people eating them because they don't know that that 's toxic meat .
We had these data a few years ago .
It had two - three - to - 400 times the toxic loads ever allowed by the EPA .
And I remember there sitting at my desk thinking , " Well , I know this " .
This is a great scientific discovery , but it was so awful .
FEB 10 , 2014 .
Death by Finance .
PRINCETON – How quickly emerging markets ' fortunes have turned .
Not long ago , they were touted as the salvation of the world economy – the dynamic engines of growth that would take over as the economies of the United States and Europe sputtered .
But now the emerging - market blues are back .
The beating that these countries ' currencies have taken as the US Federal Reserve begins to tighten monetary policy is just the start ;
everywhere one looks , it seems , there are deep-seated problems .
Argentina and Venezuela have run out of heterodox policy tricks .
Brazil and India need new growth models .
Turkey and Thailand are mired in political crises that reflect long - simmering domestic conflicts .
This is not the first time that developing countries have been hit hard by abrupt mood swings in global financial markets .
The surprise is that we are surprised .
Economists , in particular , should have learned a few fundamental lessons long ago .
First , emerging - market hype is just that .
Instead , emerging markets ' growth over the last two decades was based on a fortuitous ( and temporary ) set of external circumstances :
high commodity prices , low interest rates , and seemingly endless buckets of foreign finance .
Governments that enjoyed the rollercoaster ride on the way up should not have been surprised by the plunge that inevitably follows .
In theory , market - determined currency values are supposed to isolate the domestic economy from the vagaries of international finance , rising when money floods in and falling when the flows are reversed .
In reality , few economies can bear the requisite currency alignments without pain .
Floating exchange rates may moderate the adjustment difficulties , but they do not eliminate them .
Fourth , faith in global economic - policy coordination is misplaced .
America 's fiscal and monetary policies , for example , will always be driven by domestic considerations first ( if not second and third as well ) .
And European countries can barely look after their own common interests , let alone the world 's .
For the most part , that is not a bad thing .
The Fed 's huge monthly purchases of long-term assets – so-called quantitative easing – have benefited the world as a whole by propping up demand and economic activity in the US .
Without QE , which the Fed is now gradually tapering , world trade would have taken a much bigger hit .
Similarly , the rest of the world will benefit when Europeans are able to get their policies right and boost their economies .
In the midst of a foreign - capital bonanza , stagnant levels of private investment in tradable goods are a particularly powerful danger signal that no amount of government mythmaking should be allowed to override .
Officials face a simple choice :
maintain strong prudential controls on capital flows , or be prepared to invest a large share of resources in self - insurance by accumulating large foreign reserves .
The deeper problem lies with the excessive financialization of the global economy that has occurred since the 1990 ' s .
The policy dilemmas that have resulted – rising inequality , greater volatility , reduced room to manage the real economy – will continue to preoccupy policymakers in the decades ahead .
It is true , but unhelpful , to say that governments have only themselves to blame for having recklessly rushed into this wild ride .
Intellectual Property and Economic Development .
WASHINGTON , DC – In his recent State of the Union address , US President Barack Obama reiterated his ambition to complete the Trans - Pacific Partnership , a proposed trade agreement among the US and 11 Pacific countries .
Meanwhile , the European Union and China are pressing to close their own deals in Asia and elsewhere .
Some activists and government officials get the relationship between strong IP protection and economic growth backwards , claiming that IP rights are an obstacle to development , and thus should not be enforced until after countries achieve high - income status .
This attitude is particularly prevalent in India , which recently put trade negotiations with the EU on hold , and it was central to the failure of the Doha Round of global trade talks .
As Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma put it , " inherent flexibilities must be provided to developing countries .
Instead of diluting IP rights , developing countries like India should recognize that strengthening IP protection is a prerequisite for attracting the foreign investment that they need to help their economies grow , create jobs , and improve their citizens ' capacity to consume .
Today , IP accounts for much of the value at large companies .
One study found that in 2009 , across a variety of industries in the US , intellectual capital – patents , copyrights , databases , brands , and organizational knowledge – held a 44 % share of firms ' overall market value .
Developing countries have a lot to gain from attracting multinational firms .
They also spawn new local companies that serve as suppliers , thereby boosting employment , augmenting workers ' skills , improving productivity , and increasing government revenue .
According to a new study by the economists Robert Shapiro and Aparna Mathur , if India achieved Chinese levels of IP protection , its annual FDI inflows would increase by 33 % annually .
In the pharmaceutical sector – which is particularly vulnerable to IP infringement – a stronger IP regime could increase FDI inflows from $ 1.5 billion this year to $ 8.3 billion in 2020 , with pharmaceutical R&D doubling to $ 1.3 billion over the same period .
The increased FDI would create 18,000 new jobs in the pharmaceutical industry .
If India could transform its IP regime to resemble the US system , which is more robust than China 's , the benefits would be even greater .
Inward FDI could increase by as much as 83 % annually by 2020 ;
in the pharmaceutical industry alone , FDI could reach as much as $ 77 billion , with R&D rising to $ 4.2 billion and 44,000 new jobs being created .
The Indian government 's ongoing assault on pharmaceutical IP makes these findings even more significant .
Over the last two years , India has invalidated or otherwise attacked patents on 15 drugs produced by international firms in order to make way for local champions , claiming that exclusivity enables companies to charge high prices that harm consumers .
But drug patents and prices are not the main – or even a major – obstacle to patients ' access to medical care in India .
The bigger issue , as the IMS consultancy found last year , is the shortage of doctors , clinics , and hospitals , especially in rural areas .
Even the public clinics and hospitals that do exist are often rendered useless by high rates of absenteeism by doctors .
Furthermore , Indians lack access to insurance programs , particularly for outpatient care .
This , coupled with the lack of a public safety net , makes health problems a leading source of economic hardship , even for middle-class families .
Far from improving citizens ' access to health care , weak IP protections are exacerbating India 's formidable health - care challenges .
It is equally important for trade negotiators worldwide to reject the notion that IP protection is a luxury that only rich countries can afford .
The reality is that IP protection is an economic engine that developing - country citizens should not have to forego .
The Banks that Ate the Economy .
LONDON – Bank of England Governor Mark Carney surprised his audience at a conference late last year by speculating that banking assets in London could grow to more than nine times Britain 's GDP by 2050 .
His forecast represented a simple extrapolation of two trends :
continued financial deepening worldwide ( that is , faster growth of financial assets than of the real economy ) , and London 's maintenance of its share of the global financial business .
These may be reasonable assumptions , but the estimate was deeply unsettling to many .
Hosting a huge financial center , with outsize domestic banks , can be costly to taxpayers .
In Iceland and Ireland , banks outgrew their governments ' ability to support them when needed .
The result was disastrous .
Quite apart from the potential bailout costs , some argue that financial hypertrophy harms the real economy by syphoning off talent and resources that could better be deployed elsewhere .
But Carney argues that , on the contrary , the rest of the British economy benefits from having a global financial center in its midst .
Being at the heart of the global financial system , he said , " broadens the investment opportunities for the institutions that look after British savings , and reinforces the ability of UK manufacturing and creative industries to compete globally .

But it is coming under fire .
He argues ( in a speech revealingly entitled The Contribution of the Financial Sector : Miracle or Mirage ? " ) that the financial sector 's reported contribution to GDP has been significantly overrated .
Two recent papers raise further doubts .
In " The Growth of Modern Finance " , Robin Greenwood and David Scharfstein of Harvard Business School show that the share of finance in US GDP almost doubled between 1980 and 2006 , just before the onset of the financial crisis , from 4.9 % to 8.3 % .
The two main factors driving that increase were the expansion of credit and the rapid rise in resources devoted to asset management ( associated , not coincidentally , with the exponential growth in financial - sector incomes ) .
Greenwood and Scharfstein argue that increased financialization was a mixed blessing .
There may have been more savings opportunities for households and more diverse funding sources for firms , but the added value of asset - management activity was illusory .
Much of it involved costly churning of portfolios , while increased leverage implied fragility for the financial system as a whole and imposed severe social costs as over - exposed households subsequently went bankrupt .
Stephen G. Cecchetti and Enisse Kharroubi of the Bank for International Settlements – the central banks ' central bank – go further .
They argue that rapid financial - sector growth reduces productivity growth in other sectors .
Using a sample of 20 developed countries , they find a negative correlation between the financial sector 's share of GDP and the health of the real economy .
But it is clear that financial firms compete with others for resources , and especially for skilled labor .
Physicists or engineers with doctorates can choose to develop complex mathematical models of market movements for investment banks or hedge funds , where they are known colloquially as " rocket scientists .

Cecchetti and Kharroubi find evidence that it is indeed research - intensive firms that suffer most when finance is booming .
And we are not just talking about the so-called " quants .

( Some might cynically say that keeping MBAs and economists out of real businesses is a blessing , but I doubt that that is really true . )
The authors find another intriguing effect , too .
Periods of rapid growth in lending are often associated with construction booms , partly because real - estate assets are relatively easy to post as collateral for loans .
But the rate of productivity growth in construction is low , and the value of many credit - fueled projects subsequently turns out to be low or negative .
So , should Britons look forward with enthusiasm to the future sketched by Carney ?
Aspiring derivatives traders certainly will be more confident of their career prospects .
And other parts of the economy that provide services to the financial sector – Porsche dealers and strip clubs , for example – will be similarly encouraged .
Sustaining Ukraine 's Breakthrough .
NEW YORK – Following a crescendo of terrifying violence , the Ukrainian uprising has had a surprisingly positive outcome .
Contrary to all rational expectations , a group of citizens armed with not much more than sticks and shields made of cardboard boxes and metal garbage - can lids overwhelmed a police force firing live ammunition .
There were many casualties , but the citizens prevailed .
This was one of those historic moments that leave a lasting imprint on a society 's collective memory .
How could such a thing happen ?
Quantum mechanics offers a fitting metaphor .
similarly , human beings may behave both as individual particles and as components of a larger wave .
In other words , the unpredictability of historical events like those in Ukraine has to do with an element of uncertainty in human identity .
People 's identity is made up of individual elements and elements of larger units to which they belong , and peoples ' impact on reality depends on which elements dominate their behavior .
When civilians launched a suicidal attack on an armed force in Kyiv on February 20 , their sense of representing " the nation " far outweighed their concern with their individual mortality .
The result was to swing a deeply divided society from the verge of civil war to an unprecedented sense of unity .
Whether that unity endures will depend on how Europe responds .
Ukrainians have demonstrated their allegiance to a European Union that is itself hopelessly divided , with the euro crisis pitting creditor and debtor countries against one another .
That is why the EU was hopelessly outmaneuvered by Russia in the negotiations with Ukraine over an Association Agreement .
True to form , the EU under German leadership offered far too little and demanded far too much from Ukraine .
Now , after the Ukrainian people 's commitment to closer ties with Europe fueled a successful popular insurrection , the EU , along with the International Monetary Fund , is putting together a multibillion - dollar rescue package to save the country from financial collapse .
But that will not be sufficient to sustain the national unity that Ukraine will need in the coming years .
I established the Renaissance Foundation in Ukraine in 1990 – before the country achieved independence .
The foundation did not participate in the recent uprising , but it did serve as a defender of those targeted by official repression .
The foundation is now ready to support Ukrainians ' strongly felt desire to establish resilient democratic institutions ( above all , an independent and professional judiciary ) .
But Ukraine will need outside assistance that only the EU can provide :
management expertise and access to markets .
In the remarkable transformation of Central Europe 's economies in the 1990 ' s , management expertise and market access resulted from massive investments by German and other EU - based companies , which integrated local producers into their global value chains .
Ukraine , with its high - quality human capital and diversified economy , is a potentially attractive investment destination .
But realizing this potential requires improving the business climate across the economy as a whole and within individual sectors – particularly by addressing the endemic corruption and weak rule of law that are deterring foreign and domestic investors alike .
In addition to encouraging foreign direct investment , the EU could provide support to train local companies ' managers and help them develop their business strategies , with service providers remunerated by equity stakes or profit - sharing .
An effective way to roll out such support to a large number of companies would be to combine it with credit lines provided by commercial banks .
To encourage participation , the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development ( EBRD ) could invest in companies alongside foreign and local investors , as it did in Central Europe .
Ukraine would thus open its domestic market to goods manufactured or assembled by European companies ' wholly - or partly - owned subsidiaries , while the EU would increase market access for Ukrainian companies and help them integrate into global markets .
I hope and trust that Europe under German leadership will rise to the occasion .
I have been arguing for several years that Germany should accept the responsibilities and liabilities of its dominant position in Europe .
Today , Ukraine needs a modern-day equivalent of the Marshall Plan , by which the United States helped to reconstruct Europe after World War II .
Germany ought to play the same role today as the US did then .
I must , however , end with a word of caution .
The Marshall Plan did not include the Soviet bloc , thereby reinforcing the Cold War division of Europe .
A replay of the Cold War would cause immense damage to both Russia and Europe , and most of all to Ukraine , which is situated between them .
Ukraine depends on Russian gas , and it needs access to European markets for its products ;
it must have good relations with both sides .
Chancellor Angela Merkel must reach out to President Vladimir Putin to ensure that Russia is a partner , not an opponent , in the Ukrainian renaissance .
FEB 27 , 2014 .
China 's Growth Puzzle .
Perceptions of resilience have given way to fears of vulnerability .
The US Federal Reserve 's tapering of its unprecedented liquidity injections has been an obvious and important trigger .
Emerging economies that are overly dependent on global capital flows – particularly India , Indonesia , Brazil , South Africa , and Turkey – are finding it tougher to finance economic growth .
In the throes of crisis , generalization is the norm ;
in the end , however , it pays to differentiate .
Unlike the deficit - prone emerging economies that are now in trouble – whose imbalances are strikingly reminiscent of those in the Asian economies that were hit by the late-1990 ' s financial crisis – China runs a current - account surplus .
As a result , there is no risk of portfolio outflows resulting from the Fed 's tapering of its monthly asset purchases .
And , of course , China 's outsize backstop of $ 3.8 trillion in foreign - exchange reserves provides ample insurance in the event of intensified financial contagion .
It is neither desirable nor feasible for China to return to the trajectory of 10 % annual growth that it achieved in the three decades after 1980 .
Yet a superficial fixation on China 's headline GDP growth persists , so that a 25 % deceleration , to a 7 - 8 % annual rate , is perceived as somehow heralding the end of the modern world 's greatest development story .
This knee - jerk reaction presumes that China 's current slowdown is but a prelude to more growth disappointments to come – a presumption that reflects widespread and longstanding fears of a broad array of disaster scenarios , ranging from social unrest and environmental catastrophes to housing bubbles and shadow - banking blow-ups .
While these concerns should not be dismissed out of hand , none of them is the source of the current slowdown .
Instead , lower growth rates are the natural result of the long - awaited rebalancing of the Chinese economy .
In other words , what we are witnessing is the effect of a major shift from hyper - growth led by exports and investment ( thanks to a vibrant manufacturing sector ) to a model that is much more reliant on the slower but steadier growth dynamic of consumer spending and services .
Indeed , in 2013 , the Chinese services sector became the economy 's largest , surpassing the combined share of the manufacturing and construction sectors .
The codependency construct is rooted in the psychopathology of human relationships whereby two partners , whether out of need or convenience , draw unhealthy support from each other .
Ultimately , codependency leads to a loss of identity , serious frictions , and often a nasty breakup – unless one or both of the partners becomes more self-reliant and strikes out on his or her own .
The economic analogue of codependency applies especially well to the US and China .
China 's export - led growth miracle would not have started in the 1980 ' s without the American consumer .
The US , for its part , relied on cheap goods made in China to stretch hard-pressed consumers ' purchasing power .
It also became dependent on China 's savings surplus to finance its own savings shortfall ( the world 's largest ) , and took advantage of China 's voracious demand for US Treasury securities to help fund massive budget deficits and subsidize low domestic interest rates .
Frictions between the two partners have developed over a wide range of issues , including trade , the renminbi 's exchange rate , regional security , intellectual property , and cyber attacks , among others .
And , just as a psychologist would predict , one of the partners , China , has decided to go its own way .
China 's rebalancing will enable it to absorb its surplus savings , which will be put to work building a social safety net and boosting Chinese households ' wherewithal .
As a result , China will no longer be inclined to lend its capital to the US .
For a growth - starved US economy , the transformation of its codependent partner could well be a fork in the road .
One path is quite risky :
The other path holds great opportunity :
In doing so , the US could draw support from exports , especially to a rebalanced China – currently its third - largest and fastest - growing major export market .
Compared with other emerging economies , China is cut from a different cloth .
China emerged from the late-1990 ' s Asian financial crisis as the region 's most resilient economy , and I suspect the same will be true this time .
Malthus , Marx , and Modern Growth .
CAMBRIDGE – The promise that each generation will be better off than the last is a fundamental tenet of modern society .
By and large , most advanced economies have fulfilled this promise , with living standards rising over recent generations , despite setbacks from wars and financial crises .
In the developing world , too , the vast majority of people have started to experience sustained improvement in living standards and are rapidly developing similar growth expectations .
But will future generations , particularly in advanced economies , realize such expectations ?
So far , every prediction in the modern era that mankind 's lot will worsen , from Thomas Malthus to Karl Marx , has turned out to be spectacularly wrong .
Technological progress has trumped obstacles to economic growth .
Periodic political rebalancing , sometimes peaceful , sometimes not , has ensured that the vast majority of people have benefited , albeit some far more than others .
As a result , Malthus 's concerns about mass starvation have failed to materialize in any peaceful capitalist economy .
And , despite a disconcerting fall in labor 's share of income in recent decades , the long-run picture still defies Marx 's prediction that capitalism would prove immiserating for workers .
Living standards around the world continue to rise .
But past growth performance is no guarantee that a broadly similar trajectory can be maintained throughout this century .
Leaving aside potential geopolitical disruptions , there are some formidable challenges to overcome , mostly stemming from political underperformance and dysfunction .
The first set of issues includes slow - burn problems involving externalities , the leading example being environmental degradation .
When property rights are ill-defined , as in the case of air and water , government must step in to provide appropriate Regulation .
I do not envy future generations for having to address the possible ramifications of global warming and fresh - water depletion .
A second set of problems concerns the need to ensure that the economic system is perceived as fundamentally fair , which is the key to its political sustainability .
Inequality can corrupt and paralyze a country 's political system – and economic growth along with it .
The third problem is that of aging populations , an issue that would pose tough challenges even for the best - designed political system .
Soaring public debts surely exacerbate the problem , because future generations are being asked both to service our debt and to pay for our retirements .
The final challenge concerns a wide array of issues that require Regulation of rapidly evolving technologies by governments that do not necessarily have the competence or resources to do so effectively .
We have already seen where poor Regulation of rapidly evolving financial markets can lead .
There are parallel shortcomings in many other markets .
A leading example is food supply – an area where technology has continually produced ever - more highly processed and genetically refined food that scientists are only beginning to assess .
What is known so far is that childhood obesity has become an epidemic in many countries , with an alarming rise in rates of type 2 diabetes and coronary disease implying a significant negative impact on life expectancy in future generations .
Many leading health researchers , including Kelly Brownell , David Ludwig , and Walter Willett , have documented these problems .
Government interventions to date , mainly in the form of enhanced education , have proved largely ineffective .
Self-destructive addiction to processed foods , which economists would describe as an " internality " , can lower quality of life for those afflicted , and can eventually lead to externalities for society , such as higher health - care costs .
Again , despite a rising chorus of concern from researchers , political markets have seemed frozen .
Addressing inequality requires greater redistribution through national tax systems , together with enhanced programs for adult education , presumably making heavy use of new technologies .
The negative effects of falling population growth can be mitigated by easing restrictions on international migration , and by encouraging more women and retirees to enter or stay in the workforce .
But how long it will take for governments to act is a wide-open question .
Capitalist economies have been spectacularly efficient at enabling growing consumption of private goods , at least over the long run .
When it comes to public goods – such as education , the environment , health care , and equal opportunity – the record is not quite as impressive , and the political obstacles to improvement have seemed to grow as capitalist economies have matured .
Will each future generation continue to enjoy a better quality of life than its immediate predecessor ?
In developing countries that have not yet reached the technological frontier , the answer is almost certainly yes .
The Innovation Enigma .
NEW YORK – Around the world , there is enormous enthusiasm for the type of technological innovation symbolized by Silicon Valley .
In this view , America 's ingenuity represents its true comparative advantage , which others strive to imitate .
But there is a puzzle :
it is difficult to detect the benefits of this innovation in GDP statistics .
What is happening today is analogous to developments a few decades ago , early in the era of personal computers .
In 1987 , economist Robert Solow – awarded the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work on growth – lamented that " You can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics .

Perhaps GDP does not really capture the improvements in living standards that computer - age innovation is engendering .
As it turns out , there is some truth in both perspectives .
Recall how a few years ago , just before the collapse of Lehman Brothers , the financial sector prided itself on its innovativeness .
Given that financial institutions had been attracting the best and brightest from around the world , one would have expected nothing less .
But , upon closer inspection , it became clear that most of this innovation involved devising better ways of scamming others , manipulating markets without getting caught ( at least for a long time ) , and exploiting market power .
In this period , when resources flowed to this " innovative " sector , GDP growth was markedly lower than it was before .
Even in the best of times , it did not lead to an increase in living standards ( except for the bankers ) , and it eventually led to the crisis from which we are only now recovering .
The net social contribution of all of this " innovation " was negative .
Similarly , the dot-com bubble that preceded this period was marked by innovation – Web sites through which one could order dog food and soft drinks online .
At least this era left a legacy of efficient search engines and a fiber-optic infrastructure .
But it is not an easy matter to assess how the time savings implied by online shopping , or the cost savings that might result from increased competition ( owing to greater ease of price comparison online ) , affects our standard of living .
Two things should be clear .
First , the profitability of an innovation may not be a good measure of its net contribution to our standard of living .
In our winner - takes - all economy , an innovator who develops a better Web site for online dog - food purchases and deliveries may attract everyone around the world who uses the Internet to order dog food , making enormous profits in the process .
But without the delivery service , much of those profits simply would have gone to others .
The Web site 's net contribution to economic growth may in fact be relatively small .
Moreover , if an innovation , such as ATMs in banking , leads to increased unemployment , none of the social cost – neither the suffering of those who are laid off nor the increased fiscal cost of paying them unemployment benefits – is reflected in firms ' profitability .
Likewise , our GDP metric does not reflect the cost of the increased insecurity individuals may feel with the increased risk of a loss of a job .
Equally important , it often does not accurately reflect the improvement in societal wellbeing resulting from innovation .
In a simpler world , where innovation simply meant lowering the cost of production of , say , an automobile , it was easy to assess an innovation 's value .
And this is even more apparent in other arenas :
How do we accurately assess the fact that , owing to medical progress , heart surgery is more likely to be successful now than in the past , leading to a significant increase in life expectancy and quality of life ?
Still , one cannot avoid the uneasy feeling that , when all is said and done , the contribution of recent technological innovations to long-term growth in living standards may be substantially less than the enthusiasts claim .
A lot of intellectual effort has been devoted to devising better ways of maximizing advertising and marketing budgets – targeting customers , especially the affluent , who might actually buy the product .
But standards of living might have been raised even more if all of this innovative talent had been allocated to more fundamental research – or even to more applied research that could have led to new products .
Yes , being better connected with each other , through Facebook or Twitter , is valuable .
But how can we compare these innovations with those like the laser , the transistor , the Turing machine , and the mapping of the human genome , each of which has led to a flood of transformative products ?
Of course , there are grounds for a sigh of relief .
Although we may not know how much recent technological innovations are contributing to our wellbeing , at least we know that , unlike the wave of financial innovations that marked the pre - crisis global economy , the effect is positive .
The Maternal Thread of Life .
ISLAMABAD – Last month , Oxford University 's Green Templeton College held its annual Emerging Markets Symposium at Egrove Park .
The theme this year was " Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition . "
The final slide of the opening presentation , delivered by GTC fellow Stephen Kennedy , was a cartoon depicting two young contestants set to begin a race :
one was strong and healthy , while the other was emaciated , shackled , carrying the baggage of disease , and confronting the massive barrier of malnutrition .
The message was clear :
not everyone begins life with the same chance of success .
Of course , this is not a groundbreaking insight .
The impact of factors like poverty , maternal literacy , sanitation , and housing conditions on children 's health – and , in turn , on social and economic outcomes – is well documented .
The problem is that these factors are not amenable to isolated public - health interventions .
But another , less widely discussed social determinant – maternal nutrition – could be .
Since Hippocrates , people have been discussing how " nature " and " nurture " interact to shape a person 's development .
Indeed , even in ancient civilizations , adequate maternal nutrition was considered essential to ensuring future generations ' survival and prosperity .
But poverty and ignorance can thwart even the best intentions .
The consequences of maternal malnutrition are far - reaching , including higher child - mortality rates , more birth defects , increased susceptibility to infection , and specific nutritional deficiencies that can lock a child into a vicious cycle of poor health early in life .
Moreover , intrauterine malnutrition can increase the risk of chronic conditions like obesity , diabetes , and cardiovascular disease during adulthood .
They were surprised by evidence that babies grow in the same way worldwide , as long as they receive the same care and are not constrained by environmental factors – evidence that challenged the widely held notion that ethnicity and gender are major determinants of a child 's development .
In fact , upon hearing the evidence , a former Pakistani prime minister confessed that he would have been more proactive in this area had he known while he was in office what he knows now .
The meeting 's participants agreed that strong efforts to support pre - conception care in the context of maternal - and child - health services were vital .
After all , if an adequately nourished mother provides critical health benefits to her offspring throughout their lives , women can be viewed as the custodians of future generations ' health .
These inter - generational biological connections are particularly pronounced in the case of female children .
The influence of the levels and composition of maternal nutrition on a female fetus will carry through to adulthood , when she , too , becomes a mother .
Given how few scientists have recognized the extent to which a woman 's eggs shape her grandchildren 's prospects , it is not surprising that policymakers remain so oblivious to the long-term impact of women 's health .
But the evidence is clear , and it demands action .
The good news is that there are solutions .
Conditional cash transfers , text - message - based initiatives , school - based food programs , vitamin - fortification schemes , and local leadership have all proved effective in improving maternal nutrition .
Such initiatives should be backed by policies that foster positive nutritional choices .
Compelling policymakers to implement such policies will require a new set of skills that draws upon lessons from around the world .
In Brazil , a television program on the role that folic - acid supplementation could play in the prevention of spina bifida ( a congenital neural tube defect ) immediately grabbed politicians ' attention .
Initiatives aimed at enhancing the public 's knowledge of nutrition are also crucial – not least because they can motivate citizens to pressure their governments to take action .
To this end , entertainment media like soap operas , which have emerged as important tools for empowering women in conservative Middle Eastern societies , could be employed .
Forums like the Emerging Market Symposium can help to bridge the increasingly obvious gap between science and public policy .
But , without strong domestic support for change , the impact of such meetings is limited .
It is time to demand action – and past time for policymakers to deliver it .
MAR 20 , 2014 .
South Korea 's Feminine Future .
Over the last half - century , South Korea has made considerable economic progress , with per capita income increasing from a mere $ 80 dollars in 1960 to more than $ 22,000 last year .
But its potential for sustained growth is faltering , owing to the imminent decline of its working - age population – projected to fall by 25 % by 2050 – and rising competition from China and other emerging economies .
In order to improve its prospects , South Korea must pursue economic reform and restructuring , with an emphasis on maximizing its human - capital resources – especially women .
South Korea 's success over the last five decades owes much to the rapid growth of its well - educated labor force .
From 1960 to 2010 , the share of adults with a secondary education soared from 20 % to an impressive 87 % .
By boosting productivity , increasing returns on investment , and facilitating technological adaption and innovation , South Korea 's abundance of well - educated workers has served as the foundation for its export - oriented development strategy .
But women remain underutilized , to the detriment of the entire economy .
Indeed , any effective South Korean growth strategy must create more and better economic opportunities for women , in part by establishing more accommodating working environments and instituting a more diverse and flexible education system .
To its credit , South Korea has built a relatively gender - equal society .
The country elected its first female President , Park Geun - hye , in 2012 .
But a significant gender gap remains in terms of the return on human capital .
According to OECD data , only 55 % of South Korean women aged 15 - 64 are in the labor force , compared to an average of 65 % in the advanced economies .
South Korea 's male labor - force participation rate , by contrast , stands at about 77 % – close to the OECD average of 79 % .
The labor - participation rate for women with post - secondary education is 64 % , far exceeding the 35 % rate for those with only a primary or middle - school education .
But , even for South Korea 's most highly educated and capable female workers , child rearing is a major career obstacle .
In fact , South Korean women participate in the labor force at roughly the average rate for the OECD while they are in their late twenties .
The problem is that the rate drops sharply from 71 % to 57 % among women in their 30 ' s , as inflexible working environments and a lack of affordable childcare undermine their ability to continue investing in their careers .
The good news is that Park 's government is working to change this .
But it is less clear how the government will create additional jobs for women .
It could , for example , split full-time jobs into multiple part-time positions , and offer incentives for workers to reduce their hours .
But , given that South Korea 's workforce already includes a substantial share of non - regular workers , increasing temporary employment may not contribute to economic growth .
A better approach would entail creating high - quality jobs in modern service industries .
As it stands , while the services sector accounts for more than 70 % of employment in South Korea , its productivity - growth rate remains much lower than that of the manufacturing sector .
Too many people are working in traditional , low - productivity service industries , such as wholesale , retail trade , and restaurants , leaving modern , high - productivity services like communications , health , financial intermediation , and business services underdeveloped .
It is also important to narrow the mismatch between women 's abilities and their career paths .
The current system tends to reinforce gender roles , encouraging children to follow culturally framed paths , instead of nurturing their individual interests and potential .
For example , female university students are much more likely to study humanities than the so-called " STEM " subjects ( science , technology , engineering , and mathematics ) – key drivers of productivity gains , innovation , and economic growth .
Efforts by primary and secondary schools could help to foster more diverse interests among female students , giving talented young women the tools they need to make important contributions to key economic sectors .
Of course , the potential of educated , empowered women to drive sustained economic growth is not limited to South Korea .
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , too , has identified increased female labor - force participation as critical to efforts to revive his country 's long - dormant economy .
Closing Africa 's Agricultural Gender Gap .
SEATTLE – Africa 's GDP is now growing faster than any other continent 's .
When many people think about the engines driving that growth , they imagine commodities like oil , gold , and cocoa , or maybe industries like banking and telecommunications .
I think of a woman named Joyce Sandir .
Joyce is a farmer who grows bananas , vegetables , and maize on a small plot of land in rural Tanzania .
When I met her in 2012 , she had just harvested her first crop of maize grown from a seed specifically adapted for Tanzania 's climate .
As Joyce 's story demonstrates , agriculture is crucial to Africa 's future .
Research shows that increasing agricultural productivity is the most effective way to reduce poverty in sub-Saharan Africa .
In fact , agriculture offers the continent its best opportunity to turn a vicious cycle of poverty into a virtuous cycle of development .
That is why leaders and policymakers from across the continent have declared 2014 Africa 's Year of Agriculture and Food Security .
Joyce 's story is relevant for another reason , too .
She is important to Africa 's future not only because she is a farmer , but also because she is a woman .
The world has had evidence of this gender gap since at least 2011 , but only limited data about its scope , shape , and causes .
To help us better understand the problem , the World Bank and the ONE Campaign recently conducted an unprecedented analysis of the challenges facing women farmers .
Their report highlights one stark fact from the start :
The gender gap is real , and in some cases it is extreme .
When we compare male and female farmers with similar land sizes across similar settings , the productivity gap can be as high as 66 % , as it is in Niger .
Previously , experts believed that women 's farms produced less because women have less access to inputs like fertilizer , water , and even information .
But we now know that the story is much more complicated .
With the new data in hand , we can see that , surprisingly , the productivity gap persists even when women have equal access to inputs .
The precise reasons vary from country to country – but many of them stem from entrenched cultural norms that prevent women from reaching their full potential .
For example , the report found that women face obstacles mobilizing the labor they need to help their farms flourish .
Women usually have more childcare and household responsibilities than men , which make it difficult for them to devote as much time to farm work , or even to supervise hired labor .
The problem is compounded by the fact that women are also likely to have less income to hire laborers in the first place .
In some places , that may mean teaching agricultural extension workers how to make their messages more relevant to female audiences , or encouraging them to visit when women are most likely to be at home .
In other places , it may mean increasing women 's access to markets , or introducing labor - saving tools to help them get the highest yield from their land .
It may also require establishing community childcare centers , so that women farmers have the option to spend more time farming .
In every case , it will require African policymakers to start recognizing women farmers as the essential economic partners that they are .
This June , leaders from all over Africa will meet in Malabo , Equatorial Guinea , to set the agenda for agricultural policy in the next decade .
If Africa 's agricultural sector is to achieve its promise – and if Africa 's economic growth is to continue – policymakers should take into account the needs of farmers like Joyce .
The Importance of Being Boring .
WASHINGTON , DC – The International Monetary Fund is an immensely useful organization , able to deliver substantial amounts of financial and technical assistance at short notice to almost any place in the world .
It also has the great advantage of almost always being perceived as incredibly boring .
Unfortunately for the IMF , it now needs a slightly higher public profile to convince the US Congress to agree to some important reforms .
The Ukrainian crisis may prove helpful , though that appears less likely now – which may be a good thing to the extent that one unintended consequence could be a loan to Ukraine that is larger than it really needs .
From 1918 to 1939 , international economic cooperation was hard to come by – in large part because all of the attempted deals were put together at high - profile international conferences .
Following the creation of the IMF in 1944 , many of the same decisions became routine , a lot less interesting , and much easier to implement .
The IMF rarely makes front - page headlines in the United States or other big countries , except when there is a racy personal dimension .
The last time that many read a news story about the Fund may have been when then - Managing Director Dominique Strauss Kahn was forced out in May 2011 , following accusations that he sexually assaulted an employee in a New York hotel .
Since then , his successor , Christine Lagarde , has helped to restore the Fund 's reputation – and to return coverage of its programs and activities to newspapers ' dry and unemotional business sections .
( When I worked at the IMF in the 2000 ' s , page - three coverage of our events by leading newspapers was typically viewed as preferable to top billing ) .
Of course , in countries receiving assistance – such as Greece in the last few years – the IMF excites great passion .
But in the halls of the US Congress , few people pay any attention .
In the highly charged partisan atmosphere of Washington , DC , this is without question almost always an advantage .
Imagine if the disbursement of all assistance to countries in trouble required Congressional approval , let alone spending from the US budget .
The reality is that it stands for and operationalizes US power , in cooperation with America 's closest allies .
Anyone who doubts that should review a recent letter orchestrated by the Bretton Woods Committee , addressed to Congressional leaders on behalf of an impressive array of former Republican and Democratic cabinet secretaries .

Given the Fund 's origins in helping to rebuild Europe after World War II , European countries are also very well represented on its executive board and in terms of ownership shares ( and thus voting weight on important decisions ) .
One major goal in recent decades has been to shift representation at the IMF somewhat away from Europe and toward the world 's emerging markets .
( For the technical details , I recommend a recent paper by Edwin M. Truman , my colleague at the Peterson Institute for International Economics . )
These reforms need to be agreed , in legislative form , by the US Congress before they can take effect .
For whatever reason , President Barack Obama 's administration did not push this item hard in 2013 and early 2014 – and the agenda of encouraging further IMF reform has therefore languished .
The Obama administration proposed to tie IMF reform to the presumably imminent approval by Congress of funding for Ukraine .
This is sensible legislative tactics but not appealing as an economic strategy .
But the bigger problem is that Ukraine does not really need a massive loan from the IMF .
What Ukraine needs is a sharp reduction in corruption , as well as real legitimacy ( through the ballot box ) for people who want to rein in the influence of oligarchs – a group that has sapped the economy through plunder and incompetence over the past two decades .
IMF reform is sensible and should be supported .
The Europeans do not need their current level of representation , and the positions and voices of middle - and lower - income countries should be strengthened .
The Obama administration needs to make this case more directly and forcefully to Congress .
The inherent dullness of the IMF makes that hard .
MAR 31 , 2014 .
Marx and the Mechanical Turk .
Second , he could not fully grasp that rising real material living standards for the working class might well go hand in hand with a rising rate of exploitation – that is , a smaller income share for labor .
And , third , Marx was fixated on the labor - theory of value .
The second and third problems remain huge analytical mistakes .
But , while Marx 's belief that capital and labor were substitutes , not complements , was a mistake in his own age , and for more than a century to follow , it may not be a mistake today .
Think of it this way .
Humans have five core competencies as far as the world of work is concerned :
· Moving things with large muscles .
· Finely manipulating things with small muscles .
· Using hands , mouths , brains , eyes , and ears to ensure that ongoing processes and procedures happen the way that they are supposed to .
· Engaging in social reciprocity and negotiation to keep us all pulling in the same direction .
· Thinking up new things – activities that produce outcomes that are necessary , convenient , or luxurious – for us to do .
How many of us can be employed in personal services , and how can such jobs be highly paid ( in absolute terms ) ?
The optimistic view is that those , like me , who find ourselves fearing the relative wage distribution of the future as a source of mammoth inequality and power imbalance simply suffer from a failure of imagination .
Marx did not see how the replacement of textile workers by automatic looms could possibly do anything other than lower workers ' wages .
After all , the volume of production could not possibly expand enough to reemploy everyone who lost their job as a handloom weaver as a machine - minder or a carpet - seller , could it ?
It could , but Marx 's mistake was not a new one .
A century earlier , the French physiocrats Quesnay , Turgot , and Condorcet did not see how the share of the French labor force employed in agriculture could possibly fall below 50 % without producing social ruin .
After all , in a world of solid farmers , useful craftsmen , dissolute aristocrats , and flunkies , demand for manufactured items and flunkies was limited by how much of each aristocrats could use .
Thus , a decline in the number of farmers could produce no outcome other than poverty and widespread beggary .
Neither Marx nor the physiocrats could imagine the great many well - paid things that we could find to do once we no longer needed to employ 60 % of the labor force in agriculture and another 20 % in hand spinning , handloom weaving , and land transport via horse and cart .
And today , the optimistic view is that those with excess wealth will continue to think of lots of things for everyone else to do to make their lives more convenient and luxurious , and that the ingenuity of the rich will outstrip the supply of labor by the poor and turn the poor into the middle class .
But , given the rapid development of technologies of governance and control , the pessimistic view deserves attention .
In this scenario , pieces of option three remain stubbornly impervious to artificial intelligence and continue to be mind - numbingly boring , while option four – engaging in social reciprocity and negotiation – remains limited .
APR 4 , 2014 .
The Yalta Temptation .
There is nothing phony , however , about the efforts we Ukrainians are now making to defend our country and our democracy .
Our young men and women are volunteering for military service like never before .
Our government has negotiated a standby loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund that will give us some of the tools that we need to get our financial and economic house in order .
That agreement will also impose real economic pain , but Ukrainians are willing to pay the price in order to preserve our independence .
After a time of neglect , a time when we – like the rest of Europe – believed that the continent 's borders would never again be changed by force , we are also increasing our defense spending , despite our economy 's precarious state .
There will be no more surrendering of sovereign Ukrainian territory .
Most important , despite the Russian army massed against us , we are embarking on an election campaign .
Russian President Vladimir Putin 's recent phone call to US President Barack Obama to seek renewed diplomatic talks , followed by a Russian white paper on how to resolve a crisis of the Kremlin 's making , is in fact a peace offensive that is offensive to peace .
Putin 's gambit is akin to the infamous Yalta Conference in 1945 , where Joseph Stalin made Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt complicit in a division of Europe that enslaved half of the continent for almost a half - century .
Today , Putin is seeking to make the West complicit in the dismemberment of Ukraine by negotiating a Kremlin - designed federal constitution that would create a dozen Crimeas – bite - size chunks that Russia could devour more easily later .
Of course , federalism sounds like a good thing .
Devolving political power closer to where people actually live is always , appealing and usually effective .
But the wellbeing of Ukrainian democracy is not what Putin has in mind ;
for him , a federal system is a means for the Kremlin to make political mischief and ultimately incorporate Ukraine 's eastern and southern regions into the Russian Federation .
To paraphrase Clausewitz , federalism for Putin is annexation by other means .
One has only to look at the Russian proposal 's fine print :
Ukraine 's new federal units would have a powerful say over " Ukraine 's foreign - policy direction .

Ukraine 's constitutional structure is for Ukraine 's citizens alone to decide .
Russia can have no say in it – and nor should other countries , however helpful they wish to be .
Ukraine is not Bosnia , where the constitution emerged out of peace talks that ended years of bloody warfare following the breakup of Yugoslavia .
Nor is it Kosovo , which became independent at the same time that its governmental structures were being forged .
Ukraine is a fully sovereign state , recognized as such by the world , including Russia .
To buy into Putin 's sham federalism is to accept the lies that the Kremlin has been spewing about Ukraine 's current interim government and the brave men and women who ousted Yanukovych .
Putin 's factotums claim that Ukraine 's Russian speakers are under threat , but they cannot point to a single example of persecution that might bear this out .
No Russian - speaking refugees from eastern Ukraine or Crimea have fled into Russia , and no Russian - speaker has sought political asylum anywhere else outside the country .
The reason is simple :
there is no oppression of Russian speakers in Ukraine , and there never has been .
Ukraine 's government under Yanukovych was incompetent , corrupt , and mendacious .
But it was an equal - opportunity oppressor .
So should Ukraine really be forced to create a new constitutional order based on the Big Lie ?
What we need is a competent , efficient , and corruption - free government .
And with Europe 's help and technical assistance , we will establish one .
The desire of diplomats to find a peaceful solution to Ukraine 's crisis is understandable .
But the terms that Russia is demanding , if accepted by the West , would fatally undermine Ukraine 's sovereignty ;
worse , accepting Russia 's terms would ratify the idea that powerful countries may bully less powerful neighbors into doing their bidding , to the point of surrendering their independence .
Ukraine will stand up to the bully – on our own , if necessary .
We refuse to play the part of hapless victim in future history textbooks .
APR 7 , 2014 .
The Mosquito Menace .
STANFORD – Mosquito - borne diseases kill millions of people annually , and cause suffering for many more .
In 2012 , there were an estimated 207 million cases of malaria , leading to some 627,000 deaths .
Dengue fever is a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics , with as many as 100 million people infected each year .
It takes only one bite from a disease - carrying mosquito to transmit a debilitating or deadly infection – and mosquitoes breed and multiply with astonishing speed .
Given that there are no vaccines or drug treatments for illnesses like dengue fever and West Nile virus , and that treatments for diseases like malaria are difficult to access in many at - risk areas , more effective mechanisms for controlling mosquito populations are desperately needed .
The good news is that a promising new technology is ready for field-testing .
It is now up to government agencies to facilitate its development .
Today , the dominant method for reducing insect populations – the so-called " sterile insect technique " ( SIT ) – relies on radiation to sterilize males , which are then released into infested areas to mate .
But this approach , which has been used since the middle of the last century , has not been effective with mosquitoes , owing to their fragility .
Advances in molecular biology offer analogous – but far more sophisticated – solutions .
Using molecular genetic - engineering techniques , the British company Oxitec has created a new way to control the mosquito species that transmits dengue fever .
Male mosquitoes do not bite , so their release presents no health risk , and , because their progeny die , no genetically engineered mosquitoes persist in the environment .
If the males are released over a period of several months , this would , in theory , result in a marked reduction in the mosquito population .
All that is needed now is to determine whether it works in practice .
Scientific research to develop products like irradiated sterile insects or the Oxitec mosquitoes proceeds progressively from more to less contained conditions – from the laboratory to confined trials to limited field trials .
Now that Oxitec has conducted promising field trials in the Cayman Islands , Malaysia , and Brazil , it is preparing to conduct trials in other countries , including the United States .
In order to determine the appropriate level of oversight , government bodies would presumably conduct a science - based risk analysis .
The fact is that molecular genetic engineering is more precise and predictable than older , cruder techniques
As a result , research and development in genetic engineering is more expensive , discouraging investment and hampering innovation .
This is all the more problematic in the case of mosquito control , given the urgency of the problem .
The World Health Organization 's Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases has called upon regulatory agencies to emphasize " science - based , case-by-case targeted requirements with a degree of practical parsimony , " instead of relying on " a precautionary approach that can require data to address all theoretical risks .

Given the degree of suffering caused by mosquito - borne diseases , government leaders must not subject genetic - engineering solutions for controlling them to the same kinds of political and populist headwinds that have impeded the approval of genetically engineered agricultural products .
Europe 's Deepening Muddle .
PRINCETON – German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble recently declared that the European Union has " moved sovereignty to the European level " – a startling claim , given that European governments seem to be pursuing their national interests more aggressively than at any time since World War II .
Was Schauble 's statement supposed to serve as a rallying cry for greater European solidarity ?
While Schauble 's strategy may sound appealing , it is , at best , the symbolic garb of progress .
For starters , the common funds are meager , with no prospect of being increased – not least because of Germany 's unrelenting opposition .
Likewise , so long as member countries maintain fiscal sovereignty , a new mechanism to facilitate finger - wagging at countries that defy European budget rules will change nothing .
Over the last two decades , every effort to discipline the EU 's fiscal delinquents has failed , owing to the lack of enforcement authority .
Even as Germany 's Bundesbank fiercely ( and rightly ) opposed the OMT program for its focus on countries ' solvency , rather than liquidity risk – thus creating a backdoor fiscal union – the government was relieved that the German Constitutional Court , assessing the scheme 's legality , ultimately passed the buck to the European Court of Justice .
The EU is an inspiring political structure that seeks to break the mold of the nineteenth - century nation - state .
But progress toward that idealistic vision cannot continue to depend on shopworn symbolism .
The euro was the most audacious of those symbols – a construct of dubious economic value , with well - documented fragilities .
Its adoption was an act of economic hubris that has imposed costs well beyond Europe 's borders .
Today , European leaders are indulging in triumphalism , viewing the current economic reprieve as a validation of failed transnational governance structures .
But the depth and persistence of the ongoing crisis have exposed the euro 's fundamental fragilities , and should serve as a warning that today 's technocratic Band - Aids may not hold in the face of another shock .
Unfortunately , bold action to address these fragilities seems more distant than ever .
Balzac ( 20 May 1799 - 18 August 1850 ) was a French novelist and playwright .
His magnum opus was a sequence of short stories and novels collectively entitled La Comédie humaine , which presents a panorama of French life in the years after the 1815 fall of Napoleon Bonaparte .
Due to his keen observation of detail and unfiltered representation of society , Balzac is regarded as one of the founders of realism in European literature .
His writing influenced many subsequent novelists such as Marcel Proust , Émile Zola , Charles Dickens , Edgar Allan Poe , Eça De Queirós , Fyodor Dostoyevsky , Gustave Flaubert , Benito Pérez Galdós , Marie Corelli , Henry James , William Faulkner , Jack Kerouac , and Italo Calvino , and philosophers such as Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx .
Many of Balzac 's works have been made into or have inspired films , and they are a continuing source of inspiration for writers , filmmakers and critics .
An enthusiastic reader and independent thinker as a child , Balzac had trouble adapting to the teaching style of his grammar school .
His willful nature caused trouble throughout his life and frustrated his ambitions to succeed in the world of business .
When he finished school , Balzac was an apprentice in a law office , but he turned his back on the study of law after wearying of its inhumanity and banal routine .
Before and during his career as a writer , he attempted to be a publisher , printer , businessman , critic , and politician ;
he failed in all of these efforts .
La Comédie humaine reflects his real - life difficulties , and includes scenes from his own experience .
Balzac suffered from health problems throughout his life , possibly due to his intense writing schedule .
His relationship with his family was often strained by financial and personal difficulties , and he ended several friendships over critical reviews .
In 1850 he married Ewelina Hanska , his longtime love ;
he died five months later .
Honoré De Balzac was born into a family which had struggled nobly to achieve respectability .
His father , born Bernard - François , was one of eleven children from a poor family in Tarn , a region in the south of France .
In 1760 the elder Balzac set off for Paris with only a louis coin in his pocket , determined to improve his social standing ;
by 1776 he had become Secretary to the King 's Council and a Freemason .
He had also changed his name to that of an ancient noble family , and added - without any official cause - the nobiliary particle De .
After the Reign of Terror ( 1793 – 94 ) , he was sent to Tours to coordinate supplies for the Army .
Balzac 's mother , born Anne - Charlotte - Laure Sallambier , came from a family of haberdashers in Paris .
Her family 's wealth was a considerable factor in the match :
she was eighteen at the time of the wedding , and Bernard - François fifty .
She was not in love with her husband .

exactly one year previous , Louis - Daniel had been born , but he lived for only a month .
Honoré 's sisters Laure and Laurence were born in 1800 and 1802 , and his brother Henry - François in 1807 .
As an infant Balzac was sent to a wet-nurse ;
the following year he was joined by his sister Laure and they spent four years away from home .
( Although Genevan philosopher Jean - Jacques Rousseau 's influential book Émile convinced many mothers of the time to nurse their own children , sending babies to wet-nurses was still common among the middle and upper classes . )
When the Balzac children returned home , they were kept at a frigid distance by their parents , which affected the author - to - be significantly .
His 1835 novel Le Lys dans La Vallée features a cruel governess named Miss Caroline , modeled after his own caregiver .
At age ten Balzac was sent to the Oratorian grammar school in Vendôme , where he studied for seven years .
His father , seeking to instill the same hardscrabble work ethic which had gained him the esteem of society , intentionally gave little spending money to the boy .
This made him the object of ridicule among his much wealthier schoolmates .
As a result , he was frequently sent to the " alcove , " a punishment cell reserved for disobedient students .
Balzac worked these scenes from his boyhood - as he did many aspects of his life and the lives of those around him - into La Comédie Humaine .

He had told me that he found indescribable delight in reading dictionaries for lack of other books .
Balzac often fell ill , finally causing the headmaster to contact his family with news of a sort of a coma " .
When he returned home , his grandmother said :

Balzac himself attributed his condition to intellectual congestion " , but his extended confinement in the " alcove " was surely a factor .
( Meanwhile , his father had been writing a treatise on " the means of preventing thefts and murders , and of restoring the men who commit them to a useful role in society " , in which he heaped disdain on prison as a form of crime prevention . )
In 1814 the Balzac family moved to Paris , and Honoré was sent to private tutors and schools for the next two and a half years .
This was an unhappy time in his life , during which he attempted suicide on a bridge over the Loire River .
In 1816 Balzac entered the Sorbonne , where he studied under three famous professors .
François Guizot , who later became Prime Minister , was Professor of Modern History .
Abel - François Villemain , a recent arrival from the Collège Charlemagne , lectured on French and classical literature .
And - most influential of all - Victor Cousin 's courses on philosophy encouraged his students to think independently .
Once his studies were completed , Balzac was persuaded by his father to follow him into the law ;
for three years he trained and worked at the office of Victor Passez , a family friend .
During this time Balzac began to understand the vagaries of human nature .
In his 1840 novel Le Notaire , he wrote that a young person in the legal profession sees " the oily wheels of every fortune , the hideous wrangling of heirs over corpses not yet cold , the human heart grappling with the Penal Code . "
In 1819 Passez offered to make Balzac his successor , but his apprentice had enough of the law .
He despaired of being " a clerk , a machine , a riding - school hack , eating and drinking and sleeping at fixed hours .
I should be like everyone else .
And that 's what they call living , that life at the grindstone , doing the same thing over and over again ....
I am hungry and nothing is offered to appease my appetite .

The loss of this opportunity caused serious discord in the Balzac household , although Honoré was not turned away entirely .
Instead , in April 1819 he was allowed to live in the French capital - as English critic George Saintsbury describes it - " in a garret furnished in the most Spartan fashion , with a starvation allowance and an old woman to look after him " , while the rest of the family moved to a house twenty miles [ 32 km ] outside Paris .
Balzac 's first project was a libretto for a comic opera called Le Corsaire , based on Lord Byron 's The Corsair .
Realizing he would have trouble finding a composer , however , he turned to other pursuits .
In 1820 Balzac completed the five - act verse tragedy Cromwell .
Although it pales in comparison to later works , some critics consider it a quality text .
When he finished , Balzac went to Villeparisis and read the entire work to his family ;
they were unimpressed .
He followed this effort by starting ( but never finishing ) three novels :
Sténie , Falthurne , and Corsino .
In 1821 Balzac met the enterprising Auguste Lepoitevin , who convinced the author to write short stories , which Lepoitevin would then sell to publishers .
Balzac quickly turned to longer works , and by 1826 he had written nine novels , all published under pseudonyms and often produced in collaboration with other writers .
For example , the scandalous novel Vicaire des Ardennes ( 1822 ) - banned for its depiction of nearly - incestuous relations and , more egregiously , of a married priest - attributed to a ' Horace De Saint - Aubin ' .
These books were potboiler novels , designed to sell quickly and titillate audiences .
In Saintsbury 's view , " They are curiously , interestingly , almost enthrallingly bad .
Biographer Graham Robb suggests that as he discovered the Novel , Balzac discovered himself .
During this time Balzac wrote two pamphlets in support of primogeniture and the Society of Jesus .
The latter , regarding the Jesuit order , illustrated his lifelong admiration for the Catholic Church .
In the preface to La Comédie Humaine he wrote :
Christianity , and especially Catholicism , being a complete repression of man 's depraved tendencies , is the greatest element in Social Order .
His first venture was a publishing enterprise which turned out cheap one - volume editions of French classics including the works of Molière .
This business failed miserably , with many of the books " sold as waste paper " .
Balzac had better luck publishing the memoirs of Laure Junot , Duchess of Abrantès - with whom he also had an affair .
Balzac borrowed money from his family and friends , and tried to build a printing business , then a typefounder enterprise .
His inexperience and lack of capital caused his ruin in these trades .
He gave the businesses to a friend ( who made them successful ) but carried the debts for many years .
As of April 1828 Balzac owed 50,000 francs to his mother .
Balzac never lost his penchant for une bonne spéculation .
It resurfaced painfully later when - as a renowned and busy author - he traveled to Sardinia in the hopes of reprocessing the slag from the Roman mines in that country .
After writing several novels , in 1832 Balzac conceived the idea for an enormous series of books that would paint a panoramic portrait of " all aspects of society .


This was to be Balzac 's life work and his greatest achievement .
After the collapse of his businesses , Balzac traveled to Brittany and stayed with the De Pommereul family outside Fougères .
There he drew inspiration for Les Chouans ( 1829 ) , a tale of love gone wrong amid the Chouan royalist forces .
This was the first book Balzac released under his own name , and it gave him what one critic called " passage into the Promised Land " .
It established him as an author of note ( even if the surface owes a debt to Walter Scott ) and provided him with a name outside his past pseudonyms .
Soon afterwards , around the time of his father 's death , Balzac wrote El Verdugo - about a 30 - year - old man who kills his father ( Balzac was 30 years old at the time ) .
This was the first work signed " Honoré De Balzac " .
Like his father , he added the aristocratic - sounding particle to help him fit into respected society , but it was a choice based on skill , not birthright .
The aristocracy and authority of talent are more substantial than the aristocracy of names and material power , he wrote in 1830 .
The timing of the decision was also significant ;


When the July Revolution overthrew Charles X in 1830 , Balzac declared himself a Legitimist , supporting Charles ' House of Bourbon - but with qualifications .
He felt that the new July Monarchy ( which claimed widespread popular support ) was disorganized and unprincipled , in need of a mediator to keep the political peace between the King and insurgent forces .
But after a near - fatal accident in 1832 ( he slipped and his head on the street ) , Balzac decided not to stand for election .
1831 saw the success of La Peau De Chagrin ( The Wild Ass 's Skin or The Magic skin ) , a fable - like tale about a despondent young man named Raphaël De Valentin who finds an animal skin which promises great power and wealth .
He obtains these things , but loses the ability to manage them .
Balzac meant the story to bear witness to the treacherous turns of life , its " serpentine motion .

The tale of a young lady who inherits her father 's miserliness , it also became the most critically acclaimed book of his career .
The writing is simple , yet the individuals ( especially the bourgeois title character ) are dynamic and complex .
Today the Maison De Balzac is one of Paris 's three literary museums .
Le Père Goriot ( Old Father Goriot , 1835 ) was his next success , in which Balzac transposes the story of King Lear to 1820 's Paris in order to rage at a society bereft of all love save the love of money .
The centrality of a father in this novel matches Balzac 's own position - not only as mentor to his troubled young secretary , Jules Sandeau , but also the fact that he had ( most likely ) fathered a child , Marie - Caroline , with his otherwise - married lover , Maria Du Fresnay .
In 1836 Balzac took the helm of the Chronique De Paris , a weekly magazine of society and politics .
He tried to enforce strict impartiality in its pages and a reasoned assessment of various ideologies .
As Rogers notes , " Balzac was interested in any social , political , or economic theory , whether from the right or the left .

It lasted for three issues .
These dismal business efforts - and his misadventures in Sardinia - provided an appropriate milieu in which to set the two - volume Illusions Perdues ( Lost Illusions , 1843 ) .
The novel concerns Lucien De Rubempré , a young poet trying to make a name for himself , who becomes trapped in the morass of society 's darkest contradictions .
Lucien 's journalism work is informed by Balzac 's own failed ventures in the field .
Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes ( The Harlot High and Low , 1847 ) continues Lucien 's story .
He is trapped by the Abbé Herrera ( Vautrin ) in a convoluted and disastrous plan to regain social status .
The book undergoes a massive temporal rift ;
the first part ( of four ) covers a span of six years , while the final two sections focus on just three days .
The conniving and wrangling over wills and inheritances reflect the expertise gained by the author as a young law clerk .
Balzac 's health was deteriorating by this point , making the completion of this pair of books a significant accomplishment .
Many of his novels were initially serialized , like those of Dickens .
Illusions Perdues extends to a thousand pages after starting inauspiciously in a small - town print shop , whereas La Fille aux Yeux D' Or ( the girl with the golden eyes , 1835 ) opens with a broad panorama of Paris but becomes a closely plotted novella of only fifty pages .
He then rose and wrote for many hours , fueled by innumerable cups of black coffee .
He would often work for fifteen hours or more at a stretch ;
he claimed to have once worked for 48 hours with only three hours of rest in the middle .
Balzac revised obsessively , covering printer 's proofs with changes and additions to be reset .
He sometimes repeated this process during the publication of a book , causing significant expense for both himself and the publisher .
As a result , the finished product was frequently quite different from the original book .
While some of his books never reached a finished state , some of those - such as Les employés ( The Government Clerks , 1841 ) - are nonetheless noted by critics .
He was friends with Théophile Gautier and Pierre - Marie - Charles De Bernard du Grail De La Villette , and he knew Victor Hugo .
Nevertheless , he did not spend as much time in salons and clubs as did many of his characters .
In the first place he was too busy , explains Saintsbury , " in the second he would not have been at home there ....
He felt it was his business not to frequent society but to create it .

Many of Balzac 's tormented characters were created in the small second - floor bedroom .
Today the Château is a museum dedicated to the author 's life .
In February 1832 Balzac received a letter from Odessa - lacking a return address and signed only by " L ' Étrangère " ( " The Foreigner " ) - expressing sadness at the cynicism and atheism in La Peau De Chagrin and its negative portrayal of women .
He responded by purchasing a classified advertisement in the Gazette De France , hoping that his anonymous critic would find it .
Thus began a fifteen - year correspondence between Balzac and " the object of [ his ] sweetest dreams " :
Ewelina Hanska .
Hanska was married to a man twenty years her senior , Waclaw Hanski , a wealthy Polish landowner living near Kiev .
It had been a marriage of convenience to preserve her family 's fortune .
In Balzac Ewelina found a kindred spirit for her emotional and social desires , with the added benefit of feeling a connection to the glamorous capital of France .
Robb says it is " like an experimental novel in which the female protagonist is always trying to pull in extraneous realities but which the hero is determined to keep on course , whatever tricks he has to use .

Competing with the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt , Balzac visited her in St. Petersburg in 1843 and impressed himself on her heart .
After a series of economic setbacks , health problems , and prohibitions from the Tsar , the couple were finally able to wed .
On 14 March 1850 , with Balzac 's health in serious decline , they drove from her estate in Wierzchownia ( village of Verkhivnia ) to a church in Berdyczów ( city of Berdychiv , today in Ukraine ) and were married .
The ten - hour journey to and from the ceremony took a toll on both husband and wife :
her feet were too swollen to walk , and he endured severe heart trouble .
Although he married late in life , Balzac had already written two treatises on marriage :
Physiologie du Mariage and Scènes De La Vie Conjugale .
These works suffered from a lack of firsthand knowledge ;
Saintsbury points out that " Cœlebs cannot talk of [ marriage ] with much authority .

They arrived in the French capital on 20 May , his fifty - first birthday .
Five months after his wedding , on 18 August , Balzac died .
He had been visited that day by Victor Hugo , who later served as pallbearer and eulogist at Balzac 's funeral .
Balzac was buried at the Cimetière du Père Lachaise in Paris .
Today , said Hugo at the ceremony , " we have a people in black because of the death of the man of talent ;
a nation in mourning for a man of genius .
The funeral was attended by almost every writer in Paris " , including Frédérick Lemaître , Gustave Courbet , Dumas père and Dumas fils .
Later , Balzac became the subject of a monumental statue by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin , which stands near the intersection of Boulevard Raspail and Boulevard Montparnasse .
Rodin featured Balzac in several of his smaller sculptures as well .
The Comédie Humaine remained unfinished at the time of his death - Balzac had plans to include numerous other books , most of which he never started .
He frequently moved between works in progress , and " finished " works were often revised between editions .
This piecemeal style is reflective of the author 's own life , a possible attempt to stabilize it through fiction .
The vanishing man , writes Pritchett , " who must be pursued from the rue Cassini to ... Versailles , Ville D' Avray , Italy , and Vienna can construct a settled dwelling only in his work .

In the preface to the first edition of Scènes De La Vie Privée , he writes :
For example , Balzac 's friend Hyacinthe De Latouche had knowledge of hanging wallpaper .
Balzac transferred this to his descriptions of the Pension Vauquer in Le Père Goriot , making the wallpaper speak of the identities of those living inside .
French novelist Émile Zola declared Balzac the father of the naturalist novel .
Zola indicated that , whereas Romantics saw the world through a colored lens , the naturalist sees through a clear glass - precisely the sort of effect Balzac attempted to achieve in his works .
To arrive at the truth , he wrote in the preface to Le Lys dans La Vallée , " writers use whatever literary device seems capable of giving the greatest intensity of life to their characters .
Balzac 's characters " , Robb notes , " were as real to him as if he were observing them in the outside world .

I remember it when I laugh .
One critic explained that " there is a center and a circumference to Balzac 's world .

When the characters reappear , notes Rogers , " they do not step out of nowhere ;
they emerge from the privacy of their own lives which , for an interval , we have not been allowed to see .
He also used a realist technique which French novelist Marcel Proust later named retrospective illumination " , whereby a character 's past is revealed long after she or he first appears .
A nearly infinite reserve of energy propels the characters in Balzac 's novels .
Struggling against the currents of human nature and society , they may lose more often than they win - but only rarely do they give up .
Balzac spoke often of a " nervous and fluid force " between individuals , and Raphaël Valentin 's decline in La Peau De Chagrin exemplifies the danger of withdrawing from the company of other people .
Intricate details about locations sometimes stretch for fifteen or twenty pages .
The influence of Paris permeates La Comédie .

The centrality of Paris in La Comédie Humaine is key to Balzac 's legacy as a realist .
Realism is nothing if not urban , notes critic Peter Brooks ;
the scene of a young man coming into the city to find his fortune is ubiquitous in the realist novel , and appears repeatedly in Balzac 's works , such as Illusions Perdues .
Balzac 's literary mood evolved over time from one of despondency and chagrin to one of solidarity and courage - but not optimism .
La Peau De Chagrin , among his earliest novels , is a pessimistic tale of confusion and destruction .
But the cynicism declined as his oeuvre progressed , and the characters of Illusions Perdues reveal sympathy for those who are pushed to one side by society .
Balzac concerned himself overwhelmingly with the darker essence of human nature and the corrupting influence of middle and high societies .
He worked to observe humanity in its most representative state , frequently passing incognito among the masses of Parisian society to do research .
He used incidents from his life and the people around him , in works like Eugénie Grandet and Louis Lambert .
Balzac was a highly conservative Royalist ;
in many ways , he is the antipode to Victor Hugo 's democratic republicanism .
Nevertheless , his keen insight regarding working-class conditions earned him the esteem of many Socialists and Marxists .
Engels said that Balzac was his favorite writer .
Marx 's work Das Kapital also makes constant reference to the works of Balzac and urged Engels to read Balzac 's work The Unknown Masterpiece .
Balzac influenced the writers of his time and beyond .
He has been compared to Charles Dickens and has been called one of Dickens ' influences .
Critic W. H. Helm calls one " the French Dickens " and the other " the English Balzac " .
Critic Richard Lehan says that " Balzac was the bridge between the comic realism of Dickens and the naturalism of Zola . "
Gustave Flaubert was also substantially influenced by Balzac .
Praising his portrayal of society while attacking his prose style , Flaubert once wrote :

While he disdained the label of realist " , Flaubert clearly took heed of Balzac 's close attention to detail and unvarnished depictions of bourgeois life .
This influence shows in Flaubert 's work L ' education sentimentale , which owes a debt to Balzac 's Illusions Perdues .
What Balzac started , says Lehan , " Flaubert helped finish .

he adored Balzac and studied his works carefully , although he criticised what he called Balzac 's " vulgarity .

However , Proust wrote later in life that the contemporary fashion to rank Balzac higher than Tolstoy was " madness .

In 1878 James wrote with sadness about the lack of contemporary attention paid to Balzac , and lavished praise on him in four essays ( in 1875 , 1877 , 1902 , and 1913 ) .
In 1878 James wrote :

He wrote with admiration of Balzac 's attempt to portray in writing a beast with a hundred claws .


Balzac 's vision of a society in which class , money and personal ambition are the major players has been endorsed by critics of both left-wing and right-wing political tendencies .
Marxist Friedrich Engels wrote :

In 1970 Roland Barthes published S / Z , a detailed analysis of Balzac 's story Sarrasine and a key work in structuralist literary criticism .
Balzac has also influenced popular culture .
Many of his works have been made into popular films and television serials .
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 ( baptised ) – 23 April 1616 ) was an English poet , playwright and actor , widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world 's pre-eminent dramatist .
He is often called England 's national poet and the " Bard of Avon " .
His extant works , including some collaborations , consist of about 38 plays , 154 sonnets , two long narrative poems , and a few other verses , the authorship of some of which is uncertain .
His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright .
Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford - upon - Avon .
Susanna , and twins Hamnet and Judith .
Between 1585 and 1592 , he began a successful career in London as an actor , writer , and part - owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain 's Men , later known as the King 's Men .
He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613 at age 49 , where he died three years later .
Few records of Shakespeare 's private life survive , and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance , sexuality , religious beliefs , and whether the works attributed to him were written by others .
Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613 .
His early plays were mainly comedies and histories , genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the 16 th century .
He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608 , including Hamlet , King Lear , Othello , and Macbeth , considered some of the finest works in the English language .
In his last phase , he wrote tragicomedies , also known as romances , and collaborated with other playwrights .
Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime .
In 1623 , John Heminges and Henry Condell , two friends and fellow actors of Shakespeare , published the First Folio , a collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare 's .
It was prefaced with a poem by Ben Jonson , in which Shakespeare is hailed , presciently , as " not of an age , but for all time .
The Romantics , in particular , acclaimed Shakespeare 's genius , and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called " bardolatry " .
In the 20 th century , his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance .
His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied , performed , and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world .
William Shakespeare was the son of John Shakespeare , an alderman and a successful glover originally from Snitterfield , and Mary Arden , the daughter of an affluent landowning farmer .
He was born in Stratford - upon - Avon and baptised there on 26 April 1564 .
This date , which can be traced back to an 18 th - century scholar 's mistake , has proved appealing to biographers , since Shakespeare died 23 April 1616 .
He was the third child of eight and the eldest surviving son .
Although no attendance records for the period survive , most biographers agree that Shakespeare was probably educated at the King 's New School in Stratford , a free school chartered in 1553 , about a quarter - mile from his home .
Grammar schools varied in quality during the Elizabethan era , but grammar school curricula were largely similar , the basic Latin text was standardised by royal decree , and the school would have provided an intensive education in grammar based upon Latin classical authors .
John Shakespeare 's house , believed to be Shakespeare 's birthplace , in Stratford - upon - Avon .
At the age of 18 , Shakespeare married the 26 - year - old Anne Hathaway .
The consistory court of the Diocese of Worcester issued a marriage licence on 27 November 1582 .
The next day , two of Hathaway 's neighbours posted bonds guaranteeing that no lawful claims impeded the marriage .
The ceremony may have been arranged in some haste , since the Worcester chancellor allowed the marriage banns to be read once instead of the usual three times , and six months after the marriage Anne gave birth to a daughter , Susanna , baptised 26 May 1583 .
Twins , son Hamnet and daughter Judith , followed almost two years later and were baptised 2 February 1585 .
Hamnet died of unknown causes at the age of 11 and was buried 11 August 1596 .
After the birth of the twins , Shakespeare left few historical traces until he is mentioned as part of the London theatre scene in 1592 .
The exception is the appearance of his name in the ' complaints bill ' of a law case before the Queen 's Bench court at Westminster dated Michaelmas Term 1588 and 9 October 1589 .
Scholars refer to the years between 1585 and 1592 as Shakespeare 's " lost years " .
Biographers attempting to account for this period have reported many apocryphal stories .
Nicholas Rowe , Shakespeare 's first biographer , recounted a Stratford legend that Shakespeare fled the town for London to escape prosecution for deer poaching in the estate of local squire Thomas Lucy .
Shakespeare is also supposed to have taken his revenge on Lucy by writing a scurrilous ballad about him .
Another 18 th - century story has Shakespeare starting his theatrical career minding the horses of theatre patrons in London .
John Aubrey reported that Shakespeare had been a country schoolmaster .
Some 20 th - century scholars have suggested that Shakespeare may have been employed as a schoolmaster by Alexander Hoghton of Lancashire , a Catholic landowner who named a certain " William Shakeshafte " in his will .
Little evidence substantiates such stories other than hearsay collected after his death , and Shakeshafte was a common name in the Lancashire area .
By then , he was sufficiently well known in London to be attacked in print by the playwright Robert Greene in his Groats - Worth of Wit :
... there is an upstart Crow , beautified with our feathers , that with his Tiger 's heart wrapped in a Player 's hide , supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you :
and being an absolute Johannes factotum , is in his own conceit the only Shake - Scene in a country .
Scholars differ on the exact meaning of these words , but most agree that Greene is accusing Shakespeare of reaching above his rank in trying to match university - educated writers such as Christopher Marlowe , Thomas Nashe and Greene himself ( the " university wits " ) .
The italicised phrase parodying the line " Oh , tiger 's heart wrapped in a woman 's hide " from Shakespeare 's Henry VI , Part 3 , along with the pun " Shake - Scene " , identifies Shakespeare as Greene 's target .
Here Johannes Factotum — " Jack of all trades " — means a second-rate tinkerer with the work of others , rather than the more common " universal genius " .
Greene 's attack is the earliest surviving mention of Shakespeare 's career in the theatre .
Biographers suggest that his career may have begun any time from the mid-1580s to just before Greene 's remarks .
From 1594 , Shakespeare 's plays were performed by only the Lord Chamberlain 's Men , a company owned by a group of players , including Shakespeare , that soon became the leading playing company in London .
After the death of Queen Elizabeth in 1603 , the company was awarded a royal patent by the new king , James I , and changed its name to the King 's Men .
In 1608 , the partnership also took over the Blackfriars indoor theatre .
In 1597 , he bought the second - largest house in Stratford , New Place , and in 1605 , he invested in a share of the parish tithes in Stratford .
Some of Shakespeare 's plays were published in quarto editions from 1594 .
By 1598 , his name had become a selling point and began to appear on the title pages .
Shakespeare continued to act in his own and other plays after his success as a playwright .
The 1616 edition of Ben Jonson 's Works names him on the cast lists for Every Man In His Humour ( 1598 ) and Sejanus His Fall ( 1603 ) .
The absence of his name from the 1605 cast list for Jonson 's Volpone is taken by some scholars as a sign that his acting career was nearing its end .
The First Folio of 1623 , however , lists Shakespeare as one of " the Principal Actors in all these Plays " , some of which were first staged after Volpone , although we cannot know for certain which roles he played .
In 1610 , John Davies of Hereford wrote that " good Will " played " kingly " roles .
In 1709 , Rowe passed down a tradition that Shakespeare played the ghost of Hamlet 's father .
Later traditions maintain that he also played Adam in As You Like It and the Chorus in Henry V , though scholars doubt the sources of the information .
Shakespeare divided his time between London and Stratford during his career .
He moved across the river to Southwark by 1599 , the year his company constructed the Globe Theatre there .
Rowe was the first biographer to record the tradition , repeated by Johnson , that Shakespeare retired to Stratford ' some years before his death ' .
He was still working as an actor in London in 1608 ;
in an answer to the sharers ' petition in 1635 Cuthbert Burbage stated that after purchasing the lease of the Blackfriars Theatre in 1608 from Henry Evans , the King 's Men ' placed men players ' there , ' which were Heminges , Condell , Shakespeare , etc. ' .
In a document dated 7 June 1609 in a lawsuit he brought in Stratford against John Addenbrooke , Shakespeare is described as ' generosus nuper in curia domini Jacobi ' ( ' gentleman , recently at the Court of King James ' ) .
However it is perhaps relevant that the bubonic plague raged in London throughout 1609 .
The London public playhouses were repeatedly closed during extended outbreaks of the plague ( a total of over 60 months closure between May 1603 and February 1610 ) , which meant there was often no acting work .
Retirement from all work was uncommon at that time .
Shakespeare continued to visit London during the years 1611 – 1614 .
In March 1613 he bought a gatehouse in the former Blackfriars priory ;
and from November 1614 he was in London for several weeks with his son-in-law , John Hall .
After 1610 , Shakespeare wrote fewer plays , and none are attributed to him after 1613 .
Shakespeare died on 23 April 1616 and was survived by his wife and two daughters .
Susanna had married a physician , John Hall , in 1607 , and Judith had married Thomas Quiney , a vintner , two months before Shakespeare 's death .
Shakespeare signed his last will and testament on 25 March 1616 ;
the following day his new son-in-law , Thomas Quiney was found guilty of fathering an illegitimate son by Margaret Wheeler , who had died during childbirth .
Thomas was ordered by the church court to do public penance which would have caused much shame and embarrassment for the Shakespeare family .
In his will , Shakespeare left the bulk of his large estate to his elder daughter Susanna .
The terms instructed that she pass it down intact to " the first son of her body " .
The Quineys had three children , all of whom died without marrying .
The Halls had one child , Elizabeth , who married twice but died without children in 1670 , ending Shakespeare 's direct line .
Shakespeare 's will scarcely mentions his wife , Anne , who was probably entitled to one third of his estate automatically .
He did make a point , however , of leaving her " my second best bed " , a bequest that has led to much speculation .
Some scholars see the bequest as an insult to Anne , whereas others believe that the second-best bed would have been the matrimonial bed and therefore rich in significance .
Sometime before 1623 , a funerary monument was erected in his memory on the north wall , with a half - effigy of him in the act of writing .
Its plaque compares him to Nestor , Socrates , and Virgil .
In 1623 , in conjunction with the publication of the First Folio , the Droeshout engraving was published .
Shakespeare has been commemorated in many statues and memorials around the world , including funeral monuments in Southwark Cathedral and Poets ' Corner in Westminster Abbey .
Most playwrights of the period typically collaborated with others at some point , and critics agree that Shakespeare did the same , mostly early and late in his career .
Some attributions , such as Titus Andronicus and the early history plays , remain controversial , while The Two Noble Kinsmen and the lost Cardenio have well - attested contemporary documentation .
Textual evidence also supports the view that several of the plays were revised by other writers after their original composition .
The first recorded works of Shakespeare are Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI , written in the early 1590 s during a vogue for historical drama .
Shakespeare 's plays are difficult to date , however , and studies of the texts suggest that Titus Andronicus , The Comedy of Errors , The Taming of the Shrew and The Two Gentlemen of Verona may also belong to Shakespeare 's earliest period .
His first histories , which draw heavily on the 1587 edition of Raphael Holinshed 's Chronicles of England , Scotland , and Ireland , dramatise the destructive results of weak or corrupt rule and have been interpreted as a justification for the origins of the Tudor dynasty .
The early plays were influenced by the works of other Elizabethan dramatists , especially Thomas Kyd and Christopher Marlowe , by the traditions of medieval drama , and by the plays of Seneca .
The Comedy of Errors was also based on classical models , but no source for The Taming of the Shrew has been found , though it is related to a separate play of the same name and may have derived from a folk story .
Like The Two Gentlemen of Verona , in which two friends appear to approve of rape , the Shrew 's story of the taming of a woman 's independent spirit by a man sometimes troubles modern critics and directors .
Shakespeare 's early classical and Italianate comedies , containing tight double plots and precise comic sequences , give way in the Mid-1590s to the romantic atmosphere of his greatest comedies .
A Midsummer Night 's Dream is a witty mixture of romance , fairy magic , and comic lowlife scenes .
Shakespeare 's next comedy , the equally romantic Merchant of Venice , contains a portrayal of the vengeful Jewish moneylender Shylock , which reflects Elizabethan views but may appear derogatory to modern audiences .
The wit and wordplay of Much Ado About Nothing , the charming rural setting of As You Like It , and the lively merrymaking of Twelfth Night complete Shakespeare 's sequence of great comedies .
This period begins and ends with two tragedies :
Romeo and Juliet , the famous romantic tragedy of sexually charged adolescence , love , and death ;
and Julius Caesar — based on Sir Thomas North 's 1579 translation of Plutarch 's Parallel Lives — which introduced a new kind of drama .
According to Shakespearean scholar James Shapiro , in Julius Caesar " the various strands of politics , character , inwardness , contemporary events , even Shakespeare 's own reflections on the act of writing , began to infuse each other " .
In the early 17 th century , Shakespeare wrote the so-called " problem plays " Measure for Measure , Troilus and Cressida , and All 's Well That Ends Well and a number of his best known tragedies .
Many critics believe that Shakespeare 's greatest tragedies represent the peak of his art .
The titular hero of one of Shakespeare 's most famous tragedies , Hamlet , has probably been discussed more than any other Shakespearean character , especially for his famous soliloquy which begins " To be or not to be ;
Unlike the introverted Hamlet , whose fatal flaw is hesitation , the heroes of the tragedies that followed , Othello and King Lear , are undone by hasty errors of judgement .
The plots of Shakespeare 's tragedies often hinge on such fatal errors or flaws , which overturn order and destroy the hero and those he loves .
In Othello , the villain Iago stokes Othello 's sexual jealousy to the point where he murders the innocent wife who loves him .
In King Lear , the old king commits the tragic error of giving up his powers , initiating the events which lead to the torture and blinding of the Earl of Gloucester and the murder of Lear 's youngest daughter Cordelia .
According to the critic Frank Kermode , " the play - offers neither its good characters nor its audience any relief from its cruelty " .
In Macbeth , the shortest and most compressed of Shakespeare 's tragedies , uncontrollable ambition incites Macbeth and his wife , Lady Macbeth , to murder the rightful king and usurp the throne , until their own guilt destroys them in turn .
In this play , Shakespeare adds a supernatural element to the tragic structure .
His last major tragedies , Antony and Cleopatra and Coriolanus , contain some of Shakespeare 's finest poetry and were considered his most successful tragedies by the poet and critic T. S. Eliot .
In his final period , Shakespeare turned to romance or tragicomedy and completed three more major plays :
Cymbeline , The Winter 's Tale and The Tempest , as well as the collaboration , Pericles , Prince of Tyre .
Less bleak than the tragedies , these four plays are graver in tone than the comedies of the 1590 s , but they end with reconciliation and the forgiveness of potentially tragic errors .
Some commentators have seen this change in mood as evidence of a more serene view of life on Shakespeare 's part , but it may merely reflect the theatrical fashion of the day .
It is not clear for which companies Shakespeare wrote his early plays .
The title page of the 1594 edition of Titus Andronicus reveals that the play had been acted by three different troupes .
After the plagues of 1592 – 3 , Shakespeare 's plays were performed by his own company at The Theatre and the Curtain in Shoreditch , north of the Thames .
Londoners flocked there to see the first part of Henry IV , Leonard Digges recording , " Let but Falstaff come , Hal , Poins , the rest ... and you scarce shall have a room " .
When the company found themselves in dispute with their landlord , they pulled The Theatre down and used the timbers to construct the Globe Theatre , the first playhouse built by actors for actors , on the south bank of the Thames at Southwark .
The Globe opened in autumn 1599 , with Julius Caesar one of the first plays staged .
Most of Shakespeare 's greatest post-1599 plays were written for the Globe , including Hamlet , Othello and King Lear .
After the Lord Chamberlain 's Men were renamed the King 's Men in 1603 , they entered a special relationship with the new King James .
Although the performance records are patchy , the King 's Men performed seven of Shakespeare 's plays at court between 1 November 1604 and 31 October 1605 , including two performances of The Merchant of Venice .
After 1608 , they performed at the indoor Blackfriars Theatre during the winter and the Globe during the summer .
The indoor setting , combined with the Jacobean fashion for lavishly staged masques , allowed Shakespeare to introduce more elaborate stage devices .
The actors in Shakespeare 's company included the famous Richard Burbage , William Kempe , Henry Condell and John Heminges .
Burbage played the leading role in the first performances of many of Shakespeare 's plays , including Richard III , Hamlet , Othello , and King Lear .
The popular comic actor Will Kempe played the servant Peter in Romeo and Juliet and Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing , among other characters .
He was replaced around the turn of the 16 th century by Robert Armin , who played roles such as Touchstone in As You Like It and the fool in King Lear .
On 29 June , however , a cannon set fire to the thatch of the Globe and burned the theatre to the ground , an event which pinpoints the date of a Shakespeare play with rare precision .
In 1623 , John Heminges and Henry Condell , two of Shakespeare 's friends from the King 's Men , published the First Folio , a collected edition of Shakespeare 's plays .
Many of the plays had already appeared in quarto versions — flimsy books made from sheets of paper folded twice to make four leaves .
No evidence suggests that Shakespeare approved these editions , which the First Folio describes as " stol'n and surreptitious copies " .
Alfred Pollard termed some of them " bad quartos " because of their adapted , paraphrased or garbled texts , which may in places have been reconstructed from memory .
Where several versions of a play survive , each differs from the other .
The differences may stem from copying or printing errors , from notes by actors or audience members , or from Shakespeare 's own papers .
In some cases , for example Hamlet , Troilus and Cressida and Othello , Shakespeare could have revised the texts between the quarto and folio editions .
In the case of King Lear , however , while most modern editions do conflate them , the 1623 folio version is so different from the 1608 quarto , that the Oxford Shakespeare prints them both , arguing that they cannot be conflated without confusion .
In 1593 and 1594 , when the theatres were closed because of plague , Shakespeare published two narrative poems on erotic themes , Venus and Adonis and The Rape of Lucrece .
In Venus and Adonis , an innocent Adonis rejects the sexual advances of Venus ;
while in The Rape of Lucrece , the virtuous wife Lucrece is raped by the lustful Tarquin .
Influenced by Ovid 's Metamorphoses , the poems show the guilt and moral confusion that result from uncontrolled lust .
Both proved popular and were often reprinted during Shakespeare 's lifetime .
A third narrative poem , A Lover 's Complaint , in which a young woman laments her seduction by a persuasive suitor , was printed in the first edition of the Sonnets in 1609 .
Most scholars now accept that Shakespeare wrote A Lover 's Complaint .
Critics consider that its fine qualities are marred by leaden effects .
The Phoenix and the Turtle , printed in Robert Chester 's 1601 Love 's Martyr , mourns the deaths of the legendary phoenix and his lover , the faithful turtle dove .
In 1599 , two early drafts of sonnets 138 and 144 appeared in The Passionate Pilgrim , published under Shakespeare 's name but without his permission .
Published in 1609 , the Sonnets were the last of Shakespeare 's non - dramatic works to be printed .
Scholars are not certain when each of the 154 sonnets was composed , but evidence suggests that Shakespeare wrote sonnets throughout his career for a private readership .
Even before the two unauthorised sonnets appeared in The Passionate Pilgrim in 1599 , Francis Meres had referred in 1598 to Shakespeare 's " sugred Sonnets among his private friends " .
Few analysts believe that the published collection follows Shakespeare 's intended sequence .
He seems to have planned two contrasting series :
one about uncontrollable lust for a married woman of dark complexion ( the " dark lady " ) , and one about conflicted love for a fair young man ( the " fair youth " ) .
It remains unclear if these figures represent real individuals , or if the authorial " I " who addresses them represents Shakespeare himself , though Wordsworth believed that with the sonnets " Shakespeare unlocked his heart " .
The 1609 edition was dedicated to a " Mr. W.H. " , credited as " the only begetter " of the poems .
Critics praise the Sonnets as a profound meditation on the nature of love , sexual passion , procreation , death , and time .
Shakespeare 's first plays were written in the conventional style of the day .
He wrote them in a stylised language that does not always spring naturally from the needs of the characters or the drama .
The poetry depends on extended , sometimes elaborate metaphors and conceits , and the language is often rhetorical — written for actors to declaim rather than speak .
The grand speeches in Titus Andronicus , in the view of some critics , often hold up the action , for example ;
and the verse in The Two Gentlemen of Verona has been described as stilted .
Soon , however , Shakespeare began to adapt the traditional styles to his own purposes .
The opening soliloquy of Richard III has its roots in the self - declaration of Vice in medieval drama .
At the same time , Richard 's vivid self - awareness looks forward to the soliloquies of Shakespeare 's mature plays .
No single play marks a change from the traditional to the freer style .
Shakespeare combined the two throughout his career , with Romeo and Juliet perhaps the best example of the mixing of the styles .
By the time of Romeo and Juliet , Richard II , and A Midsummer Night 's Dream in the Mid-1590s , Shakespeare had begun to write a more natural poetry .
He increasingly tuned his metaphors and images to the needs of the drama itself .
Shakespeare 's standard poetic form was blank verse , composed in iambic pentameter .
In practice , this meant that his verse was usually unrhymed and consisted of ten syllables to a line , spoken with a stress on every second syllable .
The blank verse of his early plays is quite different from that of his later ones .
It is often beautiful , but its sentences tend to start , pause , and finish at the end of lines , with the risk of monotony .
Once Shakespeare mastered traditional blank verse , he began to interrupt and vary its flow .
This technique releases the new power and flexibility of the poetry in plays such as Julius Caesar and Hamlet .
Shakespeare uses it , for example , to convey the turmoil in Hamlet 's mind .
The literary critic A. C. Bradley described this style as " more concentrated , rapid , varied , and , in construction , less regular , not seldom twisted or elliptical " .
In the last phase of his career , Shakespeare adopted many techniques to achieve these effects .
These included run-on lines , irregular pauses and stops , and extreme variations in sentence structure and length .
In Macbeth , for example , the language darts from one unrelated metaphor or simile to another .
The listener is challenged to complete the sense .
The late romances , with their shifts in time and surprising turns of plot , inspired a last poetic style in which long and short sentences are set against one another , clauses are piled up , subject and object are reversed , and words are omitted , creating an effect of spontaneity .
Shakespeare combined poetic genius with a practical sense of the theatre .
Like all playwrights of the time , he dramatised stories from sources such as Plutarch and Holinshed .
He reshaped each plot to create several centres of interest and to show as many sides of a narrative to the audience as possible .
This strength of design ensures that a Shakespeare play can survive translation , cutting and wide interpretation without loss to its core drama .
As Shakespeare 's mastery grew , he gave his characters clearer and more varied motivations and distinctive patterns of speech .
He preserved aspects of his earlier style in the later plays , however .
Shakespeare 's work has made a lasting impression on later theatre and literature .
In particular , he expanded the dramatic potential of characterisation , plot , language , and genre .
Until Romeo and Juliet , for example , romance had not been viewed as a worthy topic for tragedy .
Soliloquies had been used mainly to convey information about characters or events ;
but Shakespeare used them to explore characters ' minds .
His work heavily influenced later poetry .
The Romantic poets attempted to revive Shakespearean verse drama , though with little success .
Critic George Steiner described all English verse dramas from Coleridge to Tennyson as " feeble variations on Shakespearean themes .

The American novelist Herman Melville 's soliloquies owe much to Shakespeare ;
his Captain Ahab in Moby - Dick is a classic tragic hero , inspired by King Lear .
Scholars have identified 20,000 pieces of music linked to Shakespeare 's works .
Shakespeare has also inspired many painters , including the Romantics and the Pre - Raphaelites .
The Swiss Romantic artist Henry Fuseli , a friend of William Blake , even translated Macbeth into German .
The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud drew on Shakespearean psychology , in particular that of Hamlet , for his theories of human nature .
Samuel Johnson quoted him more often than any other author in his A Dictionary of the English Language , the first serious work of its type .
Expressions such as " with bated breath " ( Merchant of Venice ) and " a foregone conclusion " ( Othello ) have found their way into everyday English speech .
Shakespeare was not revered in his lifetime , but he received a large amount of praise .
In 1598 , the cleric and author Francis Meres singled him out from a group of English writers as " the most excellent " in both comedy and tragedy .
The authors of the Parnassus plays at St John 's College , Cambridge numbered him with Chaucer , Gower and Spenser .
In the First Folio , Ben Jonson called Shakespeare the " Soul of the age , the applause , delight , the wonder of our stage " , though he had remarked elsewhere that " Shakespeare wanted art " .
Between the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and the end of the 17 th century , classical ideas were in vogue .
As a result , critics of the time mostly rated Shakespeare below John Fletcher and Ben Jonson .
Thomas Rymer , for example , condemned Shakespeare for mixing the comic with the tragic .
Nevertheless , poet and critic John Dryden rated Shakespeare highly , saying of Jonson , " I admire him , but I love Shakespeare " .
For several decades , Rymer 's view held sway ;
but during the 18 th century , critics began to respond to Shakespeare on his own terms and acclaim what they termed his natural genius .
A series of scholarly editions of his work , notably those of Samuel Johnson in 1765 and Edmond Malone in 1790 , added to his growing reputation .
By 1800 , he was firmly enshrined as the national poet .
Among those who championed him were the writers Voltaire , Goethe , Stendhal and Victor Hugo .
During the Romantic era , Shakespeare was praised by the poet and literary philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge ;
and the critic August Wilhelm Schlegel translated his plays in the spirit of German Romanticism .
In the 19 th century , critical admiration for Shakespeare 's genius often bordered on adulation .
That King Shakespeare , the essayist Thomas Carlyle wrote in 1840 , " does not he shine , in crowned sovereignty , over us all , as the noblest , gentlest , yet strongest of rallying signs ;
indestructible " .
The Victorians produced his plays as lavish spectacles on a grand scale .
The playwright and critic George Bernard Shaw mocked the cult of Shakespeare worship as " bardolatry " .
He claimed that the new naturalism of Ibsen 's plays had made Shakespeare obsolete .
The modernist revolution in the arts during the early 20 th century , far from discarding Shakespeare , eagerly enlisted his work in the service of the avant-garde .
The Expressionists in Germany and the Futurists in Moscow mounted productions of his plays .
Marxist playwright and director Bertolt Brecht devised an epic theatre under the influence of Shakespeare .
The poet and critic T. S. Eliot argued against Shaw that Shakespeare 's " primitiveness " in fact made him truly modern .
Eliot , along with G. Wilson Knight and the school of New Criticism , led a movement towards a closer reading of Shakespeare 's imagery .
By the 1980 s , Shakespeare studies were open to movements such as structuralism , feminism , New Historicism , African-American studies , and queer studies .
Around 230 years after Shakespeare 's death , doubts began to be expressed about the authorship of the works attributed to him .
Proposed alternative candidates include Francis Bacon , Christopher Marlowe , and Edward De Vere , 17 th earl of Oxford .
Several " group theories " have also been proposed .
Some scholars claim that members of Shakespeare 's family were Catholics , at a time when Catholic practice was against the law .
Shakespeare 's mother , Mary Arden , certainly came from a pious Catholic family .
The strongest evidence might be a Catholic statement of faith signed by John Shakespeare , found in 1757 in the rafters of his former house in Henley Street .
The document is now lost , however , and scholars differ as to its authenticity .
In 1591 the authorities reported that John Shakespeare had missed church " for fear of process for debt " , a common Catholic excuse .
In 1606 the name of William 's daughter Susanna appears on a list of those who failed to attend Easter communion in Stratford .
Scholars find evidence both for and against Shakespeare 's Catholicism in his plays , but the truth may be impossible to prove either way .
Few details of Shakespeare 's sexuality are known .
Susanna , the first of their three children , was born six months later on 26 May 1583 .
Over the centuries some readers have posited that Shakespeare 's sonnets are autobiographical , and point to them as evidence of his love for a young man .
Others read the same passages as the expression of intense friendship rather than sexual love .
The 26 so-called " Dark Lady " sonnets , addressed to a married woman , are taken as evidence of heterosexual liaisons .
No written contemporary description of Shakespeare 's physical appearance survives , and no evidence suggests that he ever commissioned a portrait , so the Droeshout engraving , which Ben Jonson approved of as a good likeness , and his Stratford monument provide the best evidence of his appearance .
From the 18 th century , the desire for authentic Shakespeare portraits fuelled claims that various surviving pictures depicted Shakespeare .
That demand also led to the production of several fake portraits , as well as mis - attributions , repaintings and relabelling of portraits of other people .
Shakespeare 's works include the 36 plays printed in the First Folio of 1623 , listed below according to their Folio classification as comedies , histories and tragedies .
Two plays not included in the First Folio , The Two Noble Kinsmen and Pericles , Prince of Tyre , are now accepted as part of the canon , with scholars agreed that Shakespeare made a major contribution to their composition .
No Shakespearean poems were included in the First Folio .