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Scientists cast doubt on claims BP spill's no threat to Gulf
WASHINGTON — Many scientists say they're skeptical of a widely publicized government report Wednesday that concludes much of the oil that gushed from BP's leaking well is gone and poses little threat to the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the "vast majority" of the 4.9 million barrels released into the Gulf has either evaporated "or been burned, skimmed, and recovered from the wellhead, or dispersed."
"I'm suspect if that's accurate or not," said Ronald Kendall, the director of the Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech University and one of the scientists who testified Wednesday at a congressional hearing about the need for more research into the composition and use of chemical dispersants to break up the oil in the Gulf.
"It's an estimate and I'd like to say that even if it's true, there are still 50 to 60 million gallons that are still out there," he said. "It's too early to draw the conclusion that the coast is clear, but there are species there that will tell us.''
The White House used the report to boost public confidence that the accident at BP's drilling site, which killed 11 workers, fouled the Gulf, killed wildlife and disrupted the regional economies from Texas to Florida, is now behind the nation.
Many scientists, however, questioned both the rosy White House assessment and the administration's motives, timing and record of estimating how much oil was flowing from the well.
The report says that less than half of the oil remains in the environment. About 26 percent of it remains as surface sheen or tarballs, or other forms of oil. About 16 percent was dispersed naturally, and another 8 percent was dispersed by the chemicals BP pumped onto the surface of the Gulf and deep underwater at the source of the leak.
Jane Lubchenco, NOAA administrator, said at a White House press conference that "Much of the dispersed oil is in the process of relatively rapid degradation."
Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the president's energy and climate change adviser, Carol Browner; and Thad Allen, who as the national incident commander directed the BP cleanup, joined Lubchenco at the White House briefing.
President Barack Obama, addressing the AFL-CIO on jobs, expressed optimism that "the long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end." Early Wednesday, BP reported that it had stopped the leak by pumping heavy drilling mud into the well shaft.
The scientists and other experts who challenged the government's conclusions warned that painting too rosy a picture could hamper the environmental monitoring and cleanup work that remains to be done in the Gulf.
Marine conservationist Rick Steiner, a retired University of Alaska scientist, said: "Let's look at this another way: that there's some 50 percent of the oil left. It's still there in the environment."
The government report also fails to account for the effect of vast, underwater plumes of microscopic droplets of oil that remain unmeasured, scientists said, and it downplays the potential long-term effects of the release of as much as 4.1 million barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. Some 800,000 barrels were captured at the wellhead.
The remaining 50 percent in the water is the equivalent of almost eight Exxon Valdez oil spills, until now the country's benchmark environmental disaster.
"Now what we're hearing is they don't think the damage will be as bad as they initially thought," Steiner said. "We have to remember that the same thing was said after the Exxon Valdez. But much of the damage didn't become apparent until the second or third year."
Scientists also questioned the report's methodology.
"There is a lot of uncertainty in these figures," said James H. Cowan, Jr., a professor in the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at Louisiana State University,
For example, the report doesn't explain how its authors decided what was naturally dispersed oil and what was chemically dispersed oil. They gave no details of how they estimated the evaporation rate of oil — something that's difficult to do over large areas of seawater because of the effects of weather and other factors, Cowan said.
In the face of the criticism, administration officials bristled at questions about their findings.
Lubchenco said the data was "the best direct measurements or estimates that we have at the moment" and that if new information surfaces, the government would adjust its findings "as is always the case in science." Browner said, "There could be some change" but said the likelihood of any large-scale revision was "very, very small."
Gibbs rejected the notion that the timing and framing of the report were meant to gloss over questions or to reassure Americans. "This isn't a reassurance document," he protested. "It's a compendium of where the oil is." Alluding to President George Bush's premature declaration of victory in Iraq, Gibbs said "there's no 'Mission Accomplished' banner" and that "we're not leaving the area, and more importantly we're not leaving behind any commitment to clean up the Gulf Coast."
Nonetheless, Lubchenco made clear she and other scientists have lingering concerns about safety and environmental implications.
"I think the common view of most of the scientists inside and outside government is that the effects of the spill will likely linger for decades," she said.
The oil already has killed creatures in the water, possibly including the eggs and young of Atlantic blue fin tuna, a giant fish that has been heavily overfished.
The oil that remains in small droplets also could be toxic to small creatures. The oil beneath the surface is "very dilute" and "disappearing very quickly," Lubchenco said, "but dilute and out of sight doesn't necessarily mean benign."
Both the oil that remains and the chemical dispersants used to break them up can cause ecological damage, said Greg Butcher, a scientist who directs bird conservation at the National Audubon Society.
A key concern is that the oil and dispersants would kill small fish and shrimp and other creatures at the bottom of the food chain. In that case, "big fish and birds are all likely to go hungry," he said.
Rescuers continue to find oiled birds, Butcher said. There haven't been the huge numbers of bird deaths as there were in the Exxon Valdez spill, "but that doesn't mean we're home free," he said.
Birds are beginning to move from breeding grounds to other areas as the breeding season ends and could hit oily water as they move. Shore birds are starting to migrate now, and migratory ducks will start to move through the area in September, he said.
One of the scientists, who also testified before Congress on Wednesday and contributed to the government report, said he wasn't surprised by the findings. Edward Overton, an emeritus professor of environmental sciences at Louisiana State, acknowledged that oil in deep water is unlikely to degrade as quickly because of colder water temperatures and lower oxygen levels.
However, he also said that organisms living in deep water are acclimated to living in some amount of crude oil — an amount of oil equal to two Exxon Valdez oil spills seeps naturally out of the sea bottom every year, he said.
"I think what is left is degrading rapidly,'' Overton said. "I keep asking everyone I see, 'You seen oil?' And the answer is 'nothing.'"
Lesley Clark also contributed.
A huff and boom ended Deepwater Horizon's good luck
BP begins 'static kill' of Deepwater Horizon well
Senate Democrats can't get votes to pass Gulf oil spill bill
Gulf oil flow was 12 times more than feds' original estimate
McClatchy's coverage of the Gulf oil spill
Check out McClatchy's politics blog: Planet Washington


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Topics in
The graph of an inverse function
THE INVERSE of a function reverses the action of that function.
Say, for example, that a function f acts on 5, producing f(5). Then if g is the inverse of f, then g acting on f(5) will bring back 5.
g(f(5)) = 5.
Actually, g must do that for all values in the domain of f. And f must do that for all values in the domain of g.
In general, if a function f acts on a value of x, producing f(x),
then if g is the inverse, then g acting on f(x) -- g(f(x)) --will return x.
Here is the definition:
Functions f(x) and g(x) are inverses of one another if:
f(g(x)) = x and g(f(x)) = x,
for all values of x in their respective domains.
Problem 1. Let f(x) and g(x) be inverses. Then if
f(0) = 8,
what is the value of g(8)?
To see the answer, pass your mouse over the colored area.
g(8) = 0.
For, f, acting on 0, produces 8. Therefore, since g is the inverse, then when it acts on 8, it will bring back 0.
g(f(x)) = x.
Example 1. Addition and subtraction are inverses. Subtracting a specific number reverses, or undoes, the result of adding it.
In the language of functions, let
f(x) = x + 2, and g(x) = x − 2.
f(x) adds 2 to its argument. g(x) subtracts 2.
Upon applying the definition:
f(g(x)) = f(x − 2) = (x − 2) + 2 = x,
g(f(x)) = g(x + 2) = (x + 2) − 2 = x.
The definition is satisfied. The functions f and g are inverses.
Problem 2. Let f(x) = x2 and g(x) = x½. Show that they are inverses of one another. (The domain of f must be restricted to x 0.)
f(g(x)) = f(x½) = (x½)2 = x,
g(f(x)) = g(x2) = (x2)½ = x.
When we write
(x + 3)4,
then x + 3 is the argument of the function
f(x) = x4.
f is that function which takes the 4th power of its argument.
Its inverse, g(x), will take the 4th root.
g(x) = x¼.
Example 2. Solve for x:
(x + 3)4 = 16.
Solution. To do that, we must free, or extract, the argument x + 3. We must write
x + 3 = . . .
And to extract the argument of any function, simply take its inverse. In this example, we take the 4th root of both sides of the equation. We can immediately write
x + 3 = 16¼ = 2.
x = 2 − 3 = −1.
Problem 3. Solve for x:
The inverse of taking the 5th root is taking the 5th power. Therefore, on taking the 5th power of both sides -- and thus freeing the argument:
x − 4 = 25 = 32.
x = 36.
The inverse of any function should be immediately clear. The inverse of x + 2 is x − 2. (Example 1) The inverse of x2 is x½. (Problem 2.) In Topic 21 we will see that the inverse of y = logbx is the exponential function y = bx. And in Topic 19 of Trigonometry, we see that the inverse of y = sin x is y = arcsin x.
But say that we want to write the inverse of a this function:
y = 3x − 4.
Then we can invert it by solving for x. At each step of the solution, we apply an inverse.
Upon exchanging sides:
We went from line (1) to line (2) because the inverse of subtracting 4 is adding 4.
And we went from line (2) to line (3) because the inverse of multiplying by 3 is dividing by 3.
If we now exchange the variables --
-- then that function is the inverse of y = 3x − 4.
In other words, the inverse of the function that first multiplies by 3 and then subtracts 4 --
y = 3x − 4
-- is the function that first adds 4 --
y = x + 4
-- and then divides by 3:
Problem 4. a) Write the inverse of f(x) = −5x.
Dividing by −5 is the inverse of multiplying by −5.
b) Prove that they are inverses.
f multiplies its argument by −5. g divides its argument by −5.
Problem 5. a) Let f(x) = −½x + 1. Can you immediately write g(x) its inverse?
g(x) = −2x + 2.
For, f is the function that multiplies its argument by −½ --equivalently, divides by −2 -- and then adds 1. Its inverse will therefore first subtract 1:
x − 1
and then multiply by −2:
−2(x − 1) = −2x + 2.
b) Prove that f(x) and g(x) are inverses.
f(g(x)) = −½(−2x + 2) + 1 = x − 1 + 1 = x.
g(f(x)) = −2(−½x + 1) + 2 = x − 2 + 2 = x.
One sometimes sees that to "find" the inverse of a function, it is necessary to solve for x and exchange the variables. That never comes up in calculus. In fact, to solve for x in calculus requires knowing the inverse.
The function I(x) = x is called the identity function. It always returns x.
As a notation for the inverse of a function f, we sometimes see f −1 ("f inverse"). "−1" is not an exponent. That notation is used because in the language of composition of functions, we can write:
f o f −1 = I
This is similar in form to the multiplication of numbers, a· a−1 = 1.
For the inverse trigonometric functions, see Topic 19 of Trigonometry.
The graph of an inverse function
The graph of the inverse of a function f(x) can be found as follows:
Reflect the graph about the x-axis, then rotate it 90° counterclockwise
(If we take the graph on the left to be the right-hand branch of y = x2, then the graph on the right is its inverse, y = .)
To see that that is the graph of the inverse, let A be any point on
the graph of f(x), let its coördinates be (a, b), let it be a distance d from the origin C, and let AC make an angle θ with the x-axis; triangle ABC is right angled.
The figure on the left shows the reflection of A about the x-axis to the point D. The figure on the right shows the rotation of D 90° counterclockwise to the point C'.
We will see that the coördinates of C' are (b, a) -- and those are coördinates on the graph of the inverse of f (x) For if we call that inverse g(x), then according to the figure on the left,
f (a) = b.
And g(b) -- the figure on the right -- returns us to a:
g(b) = a.
The definition of the inverse is satisfied.
To see that the coördinates of C' are (b, a), consider that since angle C'A'D is 90°, then C'A' makes an angle of 90° − θ with the x-axis. That is, angle C'A'B' is the complement of angle B'A'D, which is angle θ. Therefore in the right triangle A'B'C', the angle at C' is equal to θ.
But the angle at A is the complement of θ. Therefore the triangles ABC, A'B'C' are congruent (Angle-side-angle), and those sides are equal that are opposite the equal angles:
A'B' is equal to AB -- which is b, the y-coördinate of f (x).
B'C' is equal to BC -- which is a, the x-coördinate of f (x).
Therefore the coördinates of C' are (b, a).
So, when each point (a, b) on f(x) is transformed into (b, a), then the graph that results is its inverse.
Each point (a, b) will also be transformed into (b, a) when (a, b) is reflected about the line y = x.
Therefore we say that the graphs of a function and its inverse are symmetrical with respect to the straight line y = x.
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The Max Milam Library is a vital part of the community in Perry County. The 5,000 square-feet library was built in 1993, offers a wide variety of adult and children's books, DVDs, public computers, and wireless Internet access, as well as a meeting room.
Library ManagerJan Guffey
Hours of Operation
- Mon 10:00AM - 6:00PM
- Tue 10:00AM - 8:00PM
- Wed 10:00AM - 6:00PM
- Thu 10:00AM - 6:00PM
- Fri 10:00AM - 6:00PM
- Sat 10:00AM - 6:00PM
- Sun CLOSED
Max Milam
Max Milam was chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Arkansas, and founder of the University's public administration program. He was the Director of the State Finance and Administration for Gov. Rockefeller and Gov. Bumpers. He later became the Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of Rockefeller and Associates, and the Executor and Trustee of the Rockefeller Estate and Trust. Milam was a tireless promoter for rural health care delivery and rural economic development in Perry County and Arkansas.


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Nicki Minaj Quotes Herself in 'American Idol' Season 12 Promoby Amy Sciarretto | PopCrush
Oh, Nicki Minaj. From the drama to the promos, she remains the talk of 'American Idol' — and to think an episode hasn't even aired yet! In this new Season 12 promo spot, which is all of 30 seconds, the platinum blonde wig wearer quotes her own lyrics.
She says no one can touch the show — take that 'The Voice' and 'X Factor' — and then talks to the assembled hopefuls, saying they need to make it their "moment for life." So, she just quoted her own song 'Moment 4 Life.'
Hey, shameless self-promo is self-promo nonetheless, and Minaj is a master of it. You can't blame a girl for looking out for numero uno. Just remember that 'Idol' is about the idols, not the judges…


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Now that the "G.I. Joe" sequel has signed up the team from "Zombieland" to pen a script which, hopefully, won't suck this time, we asked Channing Tatum, who stars as Duke, arguably the realest of the Real American Heroes, what he'd like to see as the franchise returns for a shot at redemption.
"The history and the material that exists already is so broad that we can go anywhere," Tatum offers eagerly. "We keep joking that it's going to be on Cobra Island so we can go to Hawaii and work but I think that's just a pipe dream," he laughs.
We remember when we had dreams, childhood dreams, dreams of coolness that were shattered by Stephen Sommers and his hacktastic "The Rise of Cobra," but we digress.
"I'd like to see it go darker," Tatum continues. "I love that it was a family movie last time but I'd like to see it take a progression toward being edgier."
Well said, Channing. They need to take a page from Christopher Nolan's playbook and leave the cartoon crud out. These are the stories and heroes 20 and 30-somethings grew up with and cherish. Today's ten-year-olds have no idea what makes up half the battle (Note: it's knowing), so why make a movie for them?
Give us a sequel that honors the cartoon's history but was built for adults and audiences might just forgive the debacle churned out last time.


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Internet Librarian 2013 – Beyond Literacy: Exploring a Post-Literate Future
Mike Ridley
[Sarah's note: No, I was not doing LSD or taking mushrooms before or during this talk, believe it or not.]
Ridley said he was here to talk about "the welcome demise of literacy." Reading and writing are doomed. Literacy as we know it is over. Welcome to the post-literate future. He's talking about alphabet systems and writing systems when he says "literacy." The premise is that just as the powerful capability of literacy displaced primary orality, it is inevitable that literacy will be replaced by a more powerful tool, capacity, or capability.
He's been on sabbatical and published an eBook-like-thing called Beyond Literacy that came out as a series of blog posts originally. He wanted U Toronto iSchool students to be co-creators of this. The irony that a discussion of the death of literacy is in a book format does not escape him. They set up a Pinterest site for the bibliography.
"We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." – Marshall McLuhan
The literacy/writing box limits us. What is beyond that box, that tool, that could open up new ideas? The alphabet warps us and limits us. So we should get rid of it and move beyond it.
He makes a distinction between written language and spoken language. There are very few written languages. Most languages (97%) don't have a written equivalent.
We have too much information. Our environment has lots of stuff and it's reached a point where we can't deal with it. We face this "too much information" problem regularly as a culture. At these iterations we develop new tools. The writing systems we have are not that good—it takes a long time to learn. It's addictive too.
So what's post-literacy look like? Cognitive neural implants, perhaps. To him, though, he thinks that's hyperliteracy—it wouldn't change the undercurrent of our literary selves. Telepathy? What if we all were telepathic, that it's a capability we all have that's just suppressed? Collective unconscious? If we elevate ourselves to a higher level, do we become the Borg? Could pharmacology replace writing? People have been taking drugs to understand the universe for centuries.
Technologically we are closer to creating computers that are way smarter than we are, using a concept of computing intelligence in the abstract. Machine code is going to take over.
Or maybe it's not about us at all. We like to put ourselves at the center of history. Maybe it's really about "that next evolution," the next species that's coming along. Maybe the new toolset/change is the post-human species.
Can you maintain the self in a collective unconscious or a post-human species?
We'll go through this phase and it will take a while to get this next iteration right. We'll have to go through this transition and that's fine.
What about the physiology of information? This is a tremendously interesting time for neurology. Where will this science take us? The brain is a soup of proteins, neurons, synapses, redundancies, and chemicals. Connectivity is a huge piece of it. Information is stored in this soup…it's not an alphabetic component but a biological structure.
What about cognitive pharmacology? What if we could create a drug that would grown in your mind a particular understanding or idea? Take a pill, learn French. This would be the end of learning.
Mind-melding is powerful. There's a philosopher who has written a book on mind-melding. It's part philosophy and part neurology. It's achievable.
Some of his students theorized that aliens would bring us a post-literate culture.
There is a radio station about this research—Beyond Literacy Radio.


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PR nightmare on Pennsylvania Ave.
Just when everything seems settled and people are starting to catch their breath, all of a sudden, it's back.
That's pretty much any disaster or monster movie. It's also the story of the Obamacare rollout the past few months. Over and over again, Obama administration officials have promised that they're finally getting everything under control.
Story Continued Below
Each time, they assure people, they've put whatever the latest problem was to bed. No more changes. No more surprises.
( Understanding Obamacare: POLITICO's guide to the ACA)
And then another arrives.
This time, on the eve of Christmas Eve, the administration says it's just "proactively recognizing" the possibility of heavy traffic coming at what was supposed to be Monday night's sign-up deadline — a date that itself had been shifted back late last month, in response to the website problems. The new deadline is Tuesday night, though that's somewhat less exact than the NORAD Santa tracker: the deadline had been midnight Eastern Time Monday, but the latest announcement from the administration says only "the end of the day tomorrow."
For a law that's faced automatic Republican resistance from the start, the ball fumbling since Oct. 1 that President Barack Obama has repeatedly acknowledged hasn't helped.
The president and his aides say every announcement has been the result of being responsive and flexible, trying to make the law work for everyone. But at this point, the administration appears to be demonstrating that it lacks either a full sense of what implementing health care entails, or a full sense of the kind of blowback that each shift in the rules, however small, will generate.
( PHOTOS: 12 Democrats criticizing the Obamacare rollout)
Obama's personal credibility with the American public has tumbled since the website launch, and critics have used each new announcement to try to sink it further. Asked whether this was a reason to call the whole law into question, White House Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri said Monday afternoon on MSNBC, "I'm not worried about that."
"We're just trying to make sure everyone who wants to get enrolled to be covered by Jan. 1 is able to do that," Palmieri said, speaking after the latest news was announced.
The official explanation the administration cited for the move was high demand across multiple time zones, along with "other technical issues."
But officials denied any actual shift had taken place.
"We still consider the end of the deadline to be today, but we're going to try to accommodate people who try to get it done today," Palmieri said.
( PHOTOS: 25 unforgettable Obamacare quotes)
Shortly afterward, the official HealthCare.gov Twitter account wrote that record demand had prompted this "fail-safe."
Later, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services spokeswoman Julie Bataille sent a written statement playing down the significance of Tuesday.
"The deadline for signing up for coverage to start January 1 is today. We recognize that many have chosen to make their final decisions on today's deadline and are committed to making sure they can do so," Bataille said. "Consumers should not wait until tomorrow. If you are aiming to get coverage January 1, you should try to sign up today."
Last week, the administration explained the decision to quietly exempt people with canceled health plans from the individual mandate. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote a letter to six Senate Democrats telling them that people with canceled plans — the ones who found out they couldn't, in fact, keep their plan if they liked it — would qualify for a "hardship exemption" if they couldn't replace their plans with coverage they could afford.
"This is not a new policy. We merely clarified on behalf of a group of senators who asked the same questions on behalf of their constituents," Palmieri said Monday.
( Also on POLITICO: White House delays Obamacare deadline)
"We actually don't think in reality a great many people will avail themselves of this option," Palmieri added. "We just want to make sure that people understand they have this option."
The "hardship exemption" isn't a new part of the law, but had never applied to people with canceled plans — until Sebelius wrote that she "very much appreciate[s] your asking for a clarification" on whether that would apply to people with canceled plans.
Here again, the administration said, nothing had changed. Everything was taken care of. But up against a deadline and pressed by outside concerns, it needed another clarification. And not to worry — almost no one would be affected.


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How to Use
Eisenhower grew up on a farm in Abilene, Kansas. During World War I he served at Camp Colt in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Recalling his love for this small town in the foothills of the Appalachians, Eisenhower and his wife Mamie purchased a 189-acre farm in the Pennsylvania countryside near Gettysburg in 1950. Their plans to retire to the property were postponed when Eisenhower won the 1952 presidential election. The Gettysburg farm served as a weekend retreat during his two terms in office.
1. Why might Eisenhower have chosen to retire to a rural setting?
2. Note the farm's proximity to Washington, D.C. What would have been some of the advantages and disadvantages of this proximity during Eisenhower's presidency?
3. Locate Camp David, the presidential retreat that was only a short helicopter ride away from Gettysburg. Do you think it is important for the president of the United States to have access to Camp David? Why or why not?
* The map on the screen has a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high quality version of this map, but be aware that the file will take as much as two minutes to a load with a 28.8K modem.


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Local Area Scholarship Opportunities
The following organizations are offering scholarships. If interested, please contact the respective organizations.
Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association
Student scholarship is offered to an Illinois student attending an Illinois school who is pursuing a baccalaureate degree in land surveying or a baccalaureate degree in a related science including at least 24 semester hours of land surveying courses from theIllinois Department of Professional Regulation Land Surveyors Licensing Board approved curriculum of an accredited institution. Scholarship is for $1,000 and applications are available on their website at http://www.iplsa.org.
Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corporation
Scholarships are available to low income Macon County residents, who are pursuing course work and job training through an accredited school of higher education or occupational training. To qualifty, the applicant must be a member of an income eligible household and be able to provide proof of income for the last 90 days. Applicant must be a high school graduate or have a G.E.D. and must be a resident of Macon County. The school to be attended must be in Illinois. If the applicant is currently enrolled, they cannot be on academic probation or suspension, or financial aid suspension. Students must be in good academic standing with a GPA of 2.5.
Applications are available at the Decatur-Macon County Opportunities Corporation at 1122 East Marietta Street in Decatur. When picking up an application, be sure to schedule an appointment as that is the only time the application may be submitted.
Additional information is available at http://www.dmcoc.org/html/programs.html.
When coming to the appointment, you must bring a legible copy of the application, a copy of your GED or high school diploma, driver's license and social security card for all household members, proof of income for the past 90 days, name of the institution to be attended along with proof of registration as well as the school address and a contact person. An academic certification form must be submitted by the school as well.
Independent Accountants Association of Illinois
- Three $1000 scholarships are being offered to residential college students who are attending an Illinois college, junior college, or university. Students should be
- Applications are available on their website at www.illinoisaccountants.com.
- Completed application and transcripts and letter of recommendation are usually due no later than June 30. Please check their website for exact deadlines each year.
Land of Lincoln Retired Teachers
- Scholarships are available for college juniors or seniors majoring in education. Deadline is usually in July. Please reference their website at http://llrta.weebly.com/ for additional information.
Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln scholarships
Applications are available online at http://www.cfll.org/RECEIVINGbrbgrantsscholarshipsb/HowToApplyForAScholarship.aspx


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Clifford theory relates the representation theory of a group to that of a normal subgroup. A good reference for this is Curtis and Reiner's "Methods in Representation theory II", Theorem 11.1.
Theorem (Clifford theory)
Let $N$ be a normal subgroup of a finite group $G$. Let $M$ be a simple $kG$-module and $L$ a simple $kN$-submodule of ${\rm res}^G_N(M)$. Then the following statements hold:
The $kN$-module ${\rm res}^G_N(M)$ is semisimple, and is isomorphic to a direct sum of conjugates of $L$.
The $kN$-homogenous components of ${\rm res}^G_N(M)$ are permuted transitively by $G$.
Let $\hat{L}$ be a $kN$-homogenous component of ${\rm res}^G_N(M)$ containing $L$, and let $\hat{N}=\{ x\in G: x \hat{L}=\hat{L} \}$. Write $G$ as a disjoint union $G=\cup_{i=1}^n g_i \hat{N}$. Then $\{g_iL: 1 \leq i \leq n\}$ is a complete set of non-isomorphic conjugates of $L$, and each appears with equal multiplicity in ${\rm res}^G_N(M)$.
I am looking for a reference which generalises this theorem to other algebras. In particular, to the "skew-group ring" situation where a finite group, $G$, acts by automorphisms on an algebra $A$. We then get that Clifford theory relates the representation theories of $A$ and $$ A \rtimes G = \{ \sum_{x \in G} a_x x : a \in A \} . $$
One possible reference for this is Ram and Rammage "Affine Hecke algebras, cyclotomic Hecke algebras and Clifford theory", however they focus on induction and restriction between $A \rtimes G $ and $A \rtimes H$ where $H$ is the inertia group of a given simple module. I would prefer a reference to a theorem of the above form, directly relating $A \rtimes G$ and $A$, so that I can just write "please see...." without going into any more detail. This is lazy of me, I know, but I think that such a reference should exist.


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This information is produced and provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The information in this topic may have changed since it was written. For the most current information, contact the National Cancer Institute via the Internet web site at http://cancer.gov or call 1-800-4-CANCER.
Note: Separate PDQ summaries on Cervical Cancer Screening and Cervical Cancer Treatment are also available.
Avoidance of Human Papillomavirus Infection
Based on solid evidence, the following measures are effective to avoid human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and thus cervical cancer:
Abstinence from sexual activity
Magnitude of Effect: Abstinence prevents HPV infection.
Barrier protection and/or spermicidal gel during sexual intercourse
Magnitude of Effect: Total use of barrier protection decreases cancer incidence, relative risk of 0.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2–0.9).
Based on fair evidence, vaccination against HPV-16/HPV-18 is effective to avoid HPV infection, and thus cervical cancer.
Magnitude of Effects: Vaccination against HPV-16 and HPV-18 reduces incident and persistent infections with efficacy of 91.6% (95% CI, 64.5–98.0) and 100% (95% CI, 45–100), respectively. Efficacy beyond 6 to 8 years is not known.
Screening via Gynecologic Examinations and Cytologic Screening
Based on solid evidence, screening via regular gynecologic examinations and cytologic test (Papanicolaou smear) with treatment of precancerous abnormalities decreases the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. Screening is not beneficial in detecting invasive cancer in women younger than 25 years because of the low prevalence of invasive disease, and the harms outweigh the benefits. Screening is not beneficial in women older than 60 years if they have had a history of recent negative tests.
Magnitude of Effect: Estimates from population studies suggest that screening may decrease cancer incidence and mortality by more than 80%.
Cigarette Smoke
Based on solid evidence, cigarette smoking, both active and passive, increases the risk of cervical cancer.
Magnitude of Effect: Among HPV-infected women, current and former smokers have approximately two to three times the incidence of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or invasive cancer. Passive smoking is also associated with increased risk, but to a lesser extent.
Reproductive Behavior
High parity
Based on solid evidence, high parity is associated with increased risk of cervical cancer.
Magnitude of Effect: Among HPV-infected women, those who have had seven or more full-term pregnancies have approximately four times the risk of squamous cell cancer compared with nulliparous women, and two to three times the risk of women who have had one or two full-term pregnancies.[1]
Long-term use of oral contraceptives
Based on solid evidence, long-term use of oral contraceptives is associated with increased risk of cervical cancer.
Magnitude of Effect: Among HPV-infected women, those who used oral contraceptives for 5 to 9 years have approximately three times the incidence of invasive cancer, and those who used them for 10 years or longer have approximately four times the risk.[2]
Incidence and Mortality
An estimated 12,170 new cervical cancers and 4,220 cervical cancer deaths will occur in the United States in 2012.[1] An additional 1,250,000 women will be diagnosed with precancers annually by cytology using the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. A continuum of pathologic changes may be diagnosed, ranging from atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance to low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) to invasive cancer. The precancerous conditions LSIL and HSIL are also referred to as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 1, 2, and 3. Lesions can regress, persist, or progress to an invasive malignancy, with LSIL (CIN 1) more likely to regress spontaneously and HSIL (CIN 2/CIN 3) more likely to persist or progress. The average time for progression of CIN 3 to invasive cancer is estimated to be 10 to 15 years.[2]
The incidence of cervical cancer has decreased dramatically with the advent and widespread adoption of screening via gynecological examinations and Pap smears (refer to the PDQ summary on Cervical Cancer Screening for more information). Regular screening, however, is associated with large numbers of diagnostic procedures to evaluate abnormal tests, and the treatment of low-grade lesions may adversely affect subsequent fertility and pregnancy. Prevention of cancer may be more efficient, with fewer adverse consequences.
Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection,[3,4] which is transmitted during sexual activity. Therefore, cervical cancer is seen more frequently in women with sexual activity at an early age and with multiple partners. Barrier contraception and/or spermicidal gels may offer some protection (refer to the Human Papillomavirus section of this summary for more information).
Cigarette smoking or exposure to environmental smoke is also associated with increased risk among HPV-infected women,[5] suggesting that components of tobacco are promoters of abnormal growth of viral-infected cells.
Human Papillomavirus
Epidemiologic studies to evaluate risk factors for the development of squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) and cervical malignancy demonstrate conclusively a sexual mode of transmission of a carcinogen.[1] It is now widely accepted that human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary etiologic infectious agent.[2,3,4] Other sexually transmitted factors, including herpes simplex virus 2 and Chlamydia trachomatis, may play a cocausative role.[1] The finding of HPV viral DNA integrated in most cellular genomes of invasive cervical carcinomas supports epidemiologic data linking this agent to cervical cancer;[5] however, direct causation has not been demonstrated. More than 80 distinct types of HPV have been identified, approximately 30 of which infect the human genital tract. HPV types 16 and 18 are most often associated with invasive disease. Characterization of carcinogenic risk associated with HPV types is an important step in the process of developing a combination HPV vaccine for the prevention of cervical neoplasia. In a population-based study of HPV infection and cervical neoplasia in Costa Rica, 80% of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and invasive lesions were associated with HPV infection by one or more of 13 cancer-associated types.[6] In this study, the risk of about half of HSIL and invasive cervical cancer was attributable to HPV-16. HPV-18 was associated with 15% of invasive disease but only 5% of HSIL, suggesting that HPV-18 may have a role in more aggressive cases of cervical malignancy.
Barrier methods of contraception are associated with a reduced incidence of SIL presumptively secondary to protection from sexually transmitted disease.[7,8] The effectiveness of condom use for the prevention of HPV infections has been evaluated in a prospective study of women aged 18 to 22 years who were virgins.[9] The number of vulvovaginal HPV infections was reduced with consistent condom use, and HPV infection rate was 37.8 infections per 100 patient-years among women whose partners used condoms 100% of the time in the 8 months before testing, compared with 89.3 infections per 100 patient-years among women whose partners used condoms less than 5% of the time (P trend = .005). No cervical SIL were detected among women reporting 100% condom use by their partner.[9]
Given the etiologic role of HPV in the pathogenesis of cervical neoplasia, vaccines to immunize against HPV infection would offer a primary prevention strategy for cervical cancer. A quadrivalent (HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18) vaccine using a late protein L1 construct to induce antibody-mediated immunity was approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2006; a bivalent (HPV 16, 18) vaccine was approved in 2009.
Vaccine to prevent HPV infection
Persistent infection with oncogenic types of HPV such as HPV-16 and HPV-18 is associated with the development of cervical cancer.[10] A vaccine to prevent HPV infection with oncogenic-type viruses has the potential to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer. A vaccine against HPV-16 using empty-viral capsids called virus-like particles (VLP) was developed and tested for efficacy in preventing persistent infection with HPV-16.
A multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 2,391 women aged 16 to 23 years and randomly assigned them to receive either 40 µg of HPV-16 L1 VLP vaccine or placebo on day 1, at 2 months, and at 6 months. Papanicolaou (Pap) tests and genital samples for HPV-16 DNA were obtained on day 1, at 7 months, and every 6 months for 48 months. Colposcopy and cervical biopsies were obtained when clinically indicated at study exit. Serum HPV-16 antibody titers were obtained at study entry, at 7 months, and then every 6 months. A total of 1,505 women (755 receiving vaccine and 750 receiving placebo) completed all three vaccinations and had follow-up after month 7. After immunization, HPV titers peaked at month 7, declined through month 18, and then stabilized in months 30 through 48. There were no cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in the vaccine-treated women, but there were 12 cases in the placebo group (six CIN 2 and six CIN 3). HPV-16 infection that persisted for at least 4 months was seen in seven vaccine-treated women versus 111 placebo-treated women.[11]
An international, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a bivalent HPV-16/HPV-18 VLP vaccine was performed in 1,113 women aged 15 to 25 years with normal cervical cytology who were seronegative for HPV-16, HPV-18, and 12 other oncogenic HPV types at enrollment. Women received either vaccine or placebo at 0, 1, and 6 months and were assessed by cervical cytology and self-obtained cervicovaginal samples for at least 18 months. A masked treatment allocation follow-up study was performed for an additional 3 years, for a combined analysis of up to 6.4 years of follow-up. The 12-month persistent infection rate of HPV-16 or HPV-18 in an "according-to-protocol" cohort (i.e., women who received all three doses of vaccine or placebo on the correct schedule) was 0 of 401 women in the vaccine arm versus 20 of 372 women in the placebo arm, with a vaccine efficacy of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81.8–100). Diagnoses of CIN 2 or higher in a "total vaccinated" cohort (i.e., women who received at least one dose of vaccine or placebo) were 0 of 481 women in the vaccine arm versus 9 of 470 women in the placebo arm, with a vaccine efficacy of 100% (95% CI, 51.3–100). Adverse events were similar in vaccinated and placebo-treated women. It is important to note that neither analysis was intention-to-treat (ITT), making it difficult to know what the true vaccine efficacy for either virological or cytohistological endpoints would be in the routine clinical setting. Furthermore, cytohistological outcomes were reported only as composite endpoints (CIN 2+), making it impossible to distinguish the vaccine's efficacy against invasive cervical cancer alone and potentially inflating the observed efficacy by including lesions with a relatively high probability (approximately 50% for CIN 2 [12]) of spontaneous regression.[13]
A quadrivalent vaccine (HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18) was evaluated in a multinational, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of 17,622 women aged 15 to 26 years (FUTURE I and II).[14] Women received either the HPV vaccine or placebo at 0, 2, and 6 months; participants were assessed by clinical exam, Pap test, and HPV DNA testing for 4 or more years. Two analyses were reported. One group was considered to be HPV naive: negative to 14 HPV types. The second group was an ITT analysis, which approximates a sexually active population. The composite endpoint for cervical disease included the incidence of HPV-16/18-related, CIN 2, CIN 3, adenocarcinoma in situ, or invasive carcinoma. Outcomes were reported as follows:
This study also demonstrated decreased rates of abnormal Pap tests and subsequential diagnostic procedures. No cases of invasive cervical cancer were identified during the trial.
As largely expected based upon their mechanism of action, L1/2 HPV vaccines do not appear to impact pre-existing infections. The FUTURE II trial demonstrated a markedly lower vaccine efficacy rate in the total randomized study population, which included individuals positive for HPV at baseline, versus the "per-protocol" population (44% for lesions associated with HPV 16 or 18 and 17% for lesions associated with any HPV type vs. 98%, see table above).[14] Additionally, an intermediate analysis of a randomized controlled trial primarily evaluating the efficacy of the HPV-16/18 vaccine in preventing infection found no effect on viral clearance rates in women aged 18 to 25 years who were positive at the time of study enrollment.[15]
The type-specific vaccines, if successful in preventing invasive cancer, will offer protection for only a subset of cases, the proportion of which will vary worldwide.[16] Using data from a multicenter case-control study conducted in 25 countries, it was estimated that a vaccine containing the seven most common HPV types could prevent 87% of cervical cancers worldwide. A vaccine with HPV-16 and HPV-18 types, the two most common strains, would prevent 71% of cervical cancers worldwide.[16]
Anal HPV infection
Anal cancer occurs rarely: the international age-adjusted annual incidence is about 1.5 cases per 100,000 women.[17] However, rates have been increasing in Europe and the United States over the past few decades. As with cervical cancer, HPV-16 and HPV-18 are associated with a majority of anal cancer cases. To estimate the efficacy of the bivalent vaccine against anal HPV infections in women, investigators examined a subset of women participating in a randomized controlled trial principally designed to assess vaccine efficacy against persistent cervical HPV-16/18 infections and associated precancerous lesions. In the original trial,[15] 6,352 women aged 18 to 25 years received three doses of the bivalent vaccine or a control hepatitis A vaccine and were followed for 4 years after first administration. Women that attended the 4-year study visit, consented to provide anal specimens, and completed a survey regarding anal sexual behaviors (n=4,210) were included in this secondary analysis.[18] The efficacy of the vaccine against prevalent HPV-16/18 anal infections was 62% (95% CI, 47.1–73.1) for an ITT cohort. Limitations of this study include an inability to assess the baseline anal HPV infection rate in the population or to use HPV persistence as the endpoint of interest; given a high rate of spontaneous resolution of HPV infection, the endpoint of HPV prevalence will overestimate the efficacy of the vaccine. Additionally, there was a high attrition rate: the subgroup represented 56% of the original trial participants, of which 27% were lost due to noncompliance with anal sampling. The study provides no information about the efficacy of the vaccine against precancerous anal lesions or anal cancer.
Cigarette Smoking
Cigarette smoking by women is associated with an increased risk for squamous cell carcinoma.[1,19,20] This risk increases with longer duration and intensity of smoking and may be present with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, being as high as four times that of women who are nonsmokers and are not exposed to environmental smoking.[1] Case-control studies of women infected with HPV have examined the effect of various types and levels of tobacco exposure and found similar results.[20,21]
High parity has long been recognized as a risk factor for cervical cancer, but the relation of parity to HPV infection was uncertain. A meta-analysis of 25 epidemiologic studies, including 16,563 women with cervical cancer and 33,542 women without cervical cancer, showed that the number of full-term pregnancies was associated with increased risk, regardless of age at first pregnancy. This finding was also true if analyses were limited to patients with high-risk HPV infections (relative risk = 4.99 [3.49–7.13] for seven or more pregnancies versus no pregnancies; linear trend test x2 = 30.69; P < .001).[22]
Long-term use of oral contraceptives has also been known to be associated with cervical cancer, but its relation to HPV infection was also uncertain. A pooled analysis of HPV-positive women from the studies described above was undertaken. Compared with women who have never used oral contraceptives, those who have used them for fewer than 5 years did not have an increased risk of cervical cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.52–1.03). The OR for women who used oral contraceptives for 5 to 9 years was 2.82 (1.46–5.42), and for 10 or more years, the OR was 4.03 (2.09–8.02).[23] A meta-analysis of 24 epidemiological studies confirmed the increased risk associated with oral contraceptives, which is proportionate to the duration of use. Risk decreases after cessation and returns to normal risk levels in 10 years.[24]
Dietary Factors
Multiple case-control studies show an association between intake of some micronutrients and lower risk of cervical cancer, but results are conflicting and difficult to control for other risk factors. Two randomized trials of oral folate as a chemopreventive agent have shown no protective effect.
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Description of Evidence
Updated statistics with estimated new cases and deaths for 2012 (cited American Cancer Society as reference 1).
If you have questions or comments about this summary, please send them to Cancer.gov through the Web site's Contact Form. We can respond only to email messages written in English.
Purpose of This Summary
This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about cervical cancer prevention. It is intended as a resource to inform and assist clinicians who care for cancer patients. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions.
Reviewers and Updates
This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Board members review recently published articles each month to determine whether an article should:
Changes to the summaries are made through a consensus process in which Board members evaluate the strength of the evidence in the published articles and determine how the article should be included in the summary.
Any comments or questions about the summary content should be submitted to Cancer.gov through the Web site's Contact Form. Do not contact the individual Board Members with questions or comments about the summaries. Board members will not respond to individual inquiries.
Levels of Evidence
Some of the reference citations in this summary are accompanied by a level-of-evidence designation. These designations are intended to help readers assess the strength of the evidence supporting the use of specific interventions or approaches. The PDQ Screening and Prevention Editorial Board uses a formal evidence ranking system in developing its level-of-evidence designations.
Permission to Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. Although the content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text, it cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless it is presented in its entirety and is regularly updated. However, an author would be permitted to write a sentence such as "NCI's PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks succinctly: [include excerpt from the summary]."
The preferred citation for this PDQ summary is:
National Cancer Institute: PDQ® Cervical Cancer Prevention. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Date last modified <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/cervical/HealthProfessional. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>.
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Best of Ireland Tour (8 Night)
This Best of Ireland Tour, our most popular tour, can be accessed using any of the Irish Airports and is an 8 night tour based on Ireland's most famous sights including Trinity College and Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Powerscourt House & the Waterford Crystal exhibition in the South East, Blarney Castle and the Cobh Heritage Centre in Cork, Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher and the 'Burren Landscape' of County Clare as well as the Aran Islands and Connemara in County Galway and Ireland's most visited attraction, the ancient Megalithic Tombs at Newgrange, just 45 minutes north of Dublin.
Depending on the airports used, the stopovers outlined below may vary in order but the same route will be covered.
This tour will leave the traveller with a wonderful array of memories of the diverse scenery and cultural differences that they will encounter from one side of the country to the other. While the accents and dialects of the spoken word will vary greatly while journeying from County Dublin in the East of Ireland to the western counties of Cork, Kerry and Clare, the one unchanging constant will be the level of friendliness, humour & welcome that you receive throughout your travels.
While the suggested tour itinerary clearly outlines how you will be able to visit many of Ireland's most historical locations and attractions, make sure to take time-out to get to know the local people and their culture.
Overnights for this tour:
- Waterford or Kilkenny for 1 night
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- Galway for 2 nights
- Dublin for 2 nights
Your Accommodation Options:
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Blarney Castle
Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold in Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. It is near the River Martin. The castle originally dates from before AD 1200. It was destroyed in 1446, but subsequently rebuilt by Cormac MacCarthy, the King of Munster. It is currently a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and the battlements. There are many legends as to the origin of the stone, but some say that it was the Lia Fáil—a magical stone upon which Irish kings were crowned.The Blarney Stone is a block of bluestone built into the battlements of Blarney Castle, Blarney about 8 km from Cork, Ireland. According to legend, kissing the stone endows the kisser with the gift of gab (great eloquence or skill at flattery). The stone was set into a tower of the castle in 1446. The castle is a popular tourist site in Ireland, attracting visitors from all over the world to kiss the Stone and tour the castle and its gardens....read more
The Burren is a unique karst-landscape region in northwest County Clare, in Ireland and one of the largest Karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometres and is enclosed roughly within the circle comprised by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Tubber, Corofin, Kilfenora and Lisdoonvarna, It is bounded by the Atlantic and Galway Bay on the west and north respectively. Strictly speaking the territory of the Burren or barony of Burren only contains the villages of Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughan, Fanore, Craggagh, New Quay/Burrin, Bealaclugga (Bellharbour) and Carron. The definite article (making it "the Burren") has only been added to the name in the last few decades, possibly by academics, as it had always been called Boireann in Irish and Burren i...read more
Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin is the elder of the city's two mediæval cathedrals, the other being St. Patrick's Cathedral. It is officially claimed as the seat (cathedra) of both the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic archbishops of Dublin. In practice it has been the cathedral of only the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, since the Irish Reformation. Though nominally claimed as his cathedral, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin uses a church elsewhere, St Mary's in Malborough Street in Dublin, as his pro-cathedral (acting cathedral). Christ Church Cathedral is located in the former heart of mediaeval Dublin, next to Wood Quay, at the end of Dame Street . However a major dual carriage-way building scheme around it separated it from the original mediaeval str...read more
Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher (Irish: Aillte an Mhothair, lit. cliffs of the ruin, also known as the Cliffs of Coher from the Irish: Mhothair) are located in the parish of Liscannor at the south-western edge of The Burren area near Doolin, which is located in County Clare, Ireland. The cliffs rise 120 meters (394 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and reach their maximum height of 214 meters (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, eight kilometres away. The cliffs boast one of Ireland's most spectacular views. On a clear day the Aran Islands are visible in Galway Bay, as are the valleys and hills of Connemara. O'Brien's Tower is a round stone tower at the approximate midpoint of the cliffs. It was built by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, a descendant of Ireland's High King Brian Boru, in 18...read more
Cobh Heritage Centre
The Cobh Heritage Centre provides information on life in Ireland through the 18th and 19th centuries, the mass emigration, the Great Famine, and on how criminals were transported to Australia for petty crimes. It also has an exhibition on the history of the RMS Titanic, whose last port of call before it sank was Cóbh (then Queenstown). From 1848 - 1950 over 6 million adults and children emigrated from Ireland - over 2.5 million departed from Cobh, making it the single most important port of emigration. This exodus from Ireland was largely as a result of poverty, crop failures, the land system and a lack of opportunity. Irish emigration reached unprecedented proportions during the famine as people fled from hunger and disease. Many famine emigrants went initially to British ...read more
Conor Pass
The Conor Pass is the highest mountain pass in Ireland. It is situated on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, on the road that crosses the peninsula between Dingle Town and the coast the other side. The Mountains the Pass crosses are the Brandon Mountains and contain Ireland's second highest peak Brandon Mountain at 3127 ft. From Dingle Town the road runs some 4½ miles rising to 1500 ft as it winds its way to the pass. There are wonderful views of the coast. At the Pass there is a carpark where you are confronted with this magnificent sight. The road then carries on down towards Brandon Bay past cliffs, a waterfall and lakes ...read more
Dingle Peninsula
There are so many things to see, to do, to explore, to experience on the Dingle Peninsula . . . from almost 2,000 archaeological sites, to more walking than you could fit into a year, to Fungie, a bottlenose dolphin who's been living at the mouth of Dingle Harbour since 1984. There is no other landscape in western Europe with the density and variety of archaeological monuments as the Dingle Peninsula. This mountainous finger of land which juts into the Atlantic Ocean has supported various tribes and populations for almost 6,000 years. Because of the peninsula's remote location, and lack of specialised agriculture, there is a remarkable preservation of over 2,000 monuments. It is impossible to visit the Dingle Peninsula and not be impressed by its archaeological heritage. When one ...read more
Dublin is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Founded as a Viking settlement, the city has been Ireland's primary city for most of the island's history since medieval times. Today, it is an economic, administrative and cultural centre for the island of Ireland and has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city. The city has a world-famous literary history, having produced many prominent literary figures, including Nobel laureates William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw and Samuel Beckett. Other influential writers and playwrights from Dublin include Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift and the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker. It is ar...read more
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle (Irish: Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, is a major Irish governmental complex, formerly the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland until 1922. Most of the complex dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland. The Castle served as the seat of English, then later British government of Ireland under the Lordship of Ireland (1171–1541), the Kingdom of Ireland (1541–1800), and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1800–1922). Upon establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, the complex was ceremonially handed over to the newly formed Provisional Government led by Michael Collins. Dublin Castle fulfilled a number of r...read more
Dublinia Museum in Ireland is a heritage centre located in the heart of the medieval city of Dublin, Irelands capital city. There are three exciting exhibitions in Dublinia and a must see for any Vacation in Ireland. Viking Dublin takes the visitor back to life in the city in Viking times. See what life was like onboard a Viking warship, visit a Viking house and take a trip down a Viking street. Investigate burial customs explore the Viking legacy and much more. Our Medieval Dublin exhibition includes a busy medieval market, a rich merchant's house, and a noisy medieval street. Find out about death and disease and see what Medieval Dublin looked like with a fascinating scale model of the town. History Hunters brings our exhibitions full circle and shows the visitor how we know about ...read more
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Product Description
Don't lose your little girl's hair bling anymore! This lovely holder will show off her hair bows, barrettes, and clips so she can pick her favorite each day. No more scouring the carpet to locate her beautiful hair bling - they will be right where you can see them!
This hair barrette holder is a large 9 inch tall wooden letter in the stock font, 1/2 inch thick, with 2 to 4 ribbons to hold your hair barrettes and clippies. Letter is your choice, and the number of ribbons will depend on the letter (note that the letter V has only 1 ribbon).
The background is white with large polka dots in iron oxide brown, light pink, and Valentine pink scattered over the letter. The Callie Owl is hand painted light pink with Valentine pink wings and a iron oxide belly with small white polka dots. The beak and feet are orange, and the eyes are dark gray and white.
Each ribbon is approximately 18 inches long to accommodate many, many hair accessories, with a 1.5 inch circle at the bottom in coordinating colors.
Each large initial hair barrette holder even comes with one FREE NAIL COVER to use when hanging your holder.
Please note that this design is also available in any of our other items - growth chart, quilt clips, curtain holdbacks, peg rack, wall letters, name sign, and more.


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AmeriCymru and the Portland Center for Public Humanities present:
Culture Wars. Other Voices in British Literature: Should 'Welsh Writing in English' be taught as a separate course or module in U.S. Universities?
Friday, October 4th, 6:30pm
Smith Memorial Student Union 327/8 | 1825 SW Broadway (Click here for information about accessing PSU and visitor parking options)
Free and open to the public
The panel will discuss the possibility and desirability of offering courses or modules at American universities on 'Welsh Writing In English'. The discussion will take its cue from Dr. Tracy Prince's recent book Culture Wars in British Literature: Multiculturalism and National Identity. The evening will commence with a performance of the Welsh national anthem by the Oregon Welsh Festival Choir and there will be readings from Welsh and American writers followed by a reception which will give attendees an opportunity to meet the authors. Light refreshments will be served.
Would you like to receive the event announcements from the Portland Center for Public Humanities directly in your mailbox? Subscribe to our mailing list!
Requests for reasonable accommodations may be made to Conference & Events Office, (503) 725-CONF, e-mail:firstname.lastname@example.com or the Disability Resource Center, (503) 725-4150, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com. In order to ensure that reasonable accommodations can be provided in time for this event, please make your requests as soon as possible.


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The second series is for men and is titled "Raising up Masculinity, Honoring the Penis, and Embracing Manhood as a Sacred Institution".
[quote="brianv » April 5th, 2017, 7:25 am
Now why would this alleged person be a photoshop creation? I also downloaded and examined the image, it shows all the signs of being photoshopped.
http://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?i ... 96&fmt=ela
My new ELA tool concurs.
dblitz » April 4th, 2017, 7:22 pm wrote:Lenon has an interesting idea but no-one has ever convinced me on the existence of the subconscious. How can there be a part of consciousness that we are not conscious of? How does that work?
I don't know about anyone else, but I think that I have a lot of subconscious thought going on - I'd call it ego, self-will, or subconscious. Admittedly, I am a sample of one, but having had the experiences that I have had, and continue to have, that's definitely something that goes on in my head. It's the only rational explanation I have for some of the crazy apeshit bonkers behavior I have sometimes exhibited seemingly spontaneously.
Return to London, Madrid, Oslo and other faked terror events: the psyops are everywhere
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Just two weeks ago, the famous Goon Wah Restaurant of Kuchai Lama opened its doors in SStwo Mall (so much closer to me) and I couldn't be happier. Over this week alone, I have dined there 3 times already.
Please note that this is a non-halal restaurant.
Having been to their first outlet in Kuchai Lama,
(G13, Block KP 2, Jalan 3/115C, Taman Kuchai Jaya, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur)
I was more than ready to taste and compare the food here.
To my delight it's as good as the original outlet.
Restaurant Goon Wah's latest outlet is located at Lot G49-50 at SStwo Mall
Restaurant Goon Wah's latest outlet is located at Lot G49-50 at SStwo Mall
PJ folks can now rejoice because they need not go so far anymore for great food.
The Kuchai Lama outlet is not open on Saturdays and Sundays. The best part is, their second outlet in SStwo Mall is open daily from Mondays to Sundays, 10am - 10pm.
The Kuchai Lama outlet is not open on Saturdays and Sundays. The best part is, their second outlet in SStwo Mall is open daily from Mondays to Sundays, 10am - 10pm.
The ambience here is cozy with gentle lighting and comfortable to the eyes (not too bright). The place is air conditioned for maximum comfort for the diners.
The food is reasonably priced and the service is fast.
My food came under 8 minutes.
I was so shocked!Since the dishes are so affordable and tasty, I can predict that within a month or two when word gets around, this place will be so packed with people.
Let me share with you some of my favourite dishes.
But before I begin, do make sure you get hold of this chilli. Request from the waiters.
This sambal-like- chilli certainly makes a difference and makes the food tastes SO GOOD!
OK! Let's begin!
First on my list is the
Treasure Box Claypot Loh See Fun
Priced at RM12.90 (Available in one size only)
It can actually feed up to two people (bagi yang tak kuat sangat makan)
The Loh See Fun is filled with a generous portion of minced pork and "har mai"(udang kering)/fried dried shrimps. This is my favourite dish by far.
There is a technique in eating this dish.
To avoid the bottom being burnt, stir with the two huge spoons and after mixing it well, place both spoons at the bottom of the claypot to avoid over burning the loh see fun.
Next on my list is their famous Claypot XO Fish Head Noodles which is their signature dish.
It is available in 3 sizes.
Small RM 10.90
Medium RM 15.90
Big RM 24.90
This is the only place I take my fish head noodles as the fishy smell is not overwhelming and the soup base is very appetizing (slightly sourish)
When your soup is low, you can ask for a refill at no extra charge. These pots are considerately heated to maintain the heat for the soup. It warms my tummy drinking it. Yum! thumb's up!
The Claypot XO Fish Head Noodle is served using thick noodles
The next must try is the Kong Nam Mee
Small RM 13.90
The noodles are slighty fried giving it a crunchy feel. This is my mom's favourite dish.
The overflowing gravy and "liu" (so perfect in taste) blends in so nicely with the noodles.
And my other favourite dish is their Fried Rice
Small RM 11.90
Big RM 15.90
The Fried Rice is rich in toppings too! It contains crunchy salted fish and chopped sausages which makes the dish a wonder dish.
Here 's a quick look in summary on the dishes they serve there.
Restaurant Goon Wah is also on these social media platforms below:
Head over there now before it gets too crowded because the food is simply AWESOME there!
Bon Appetite!


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HAARP: The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program
Burning Man
Adventures Unlimited Press
Recent News and Events...
"There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern.
— Danniel Webster
The common thread through all my writing is that I write about those whom I call "control freaks." You take any 100 randomly selected people and put them into a room: A handful will instinctively "rise" to be the leaders -- some people feel compelled to rule. Another handful of the people in that room will just as instinctively want nothing to do with these self-proclaimed rulers (I'm afraid I'm one of them). The rest of the folks in the room will go along to get along, believing that someone has to rule and they don't want it to be themselves.
"Who are the control freaks? We can see a parable to the answer to that question in the story of Jesus casting the demons out of the possessedman and into a herd of pigs. In the King James Version of Mark 5:9, we read:
"And [Jesus] asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many."
Or, as Tears For Fears sang it "Everybody Wants To Rule The World."
There are indeed legions of players in this control game. Some do it for profit, some out of altruism, some to further their careers, some just 'cuz they can, and others do it for domination.
Now that the human family has grown to over six billion of us, that means there are several hundred million control freaks out there needing someone -- or some thing -- to control.
I write about a select group of them: the ones who are putting at risk my life and liberty -- and yours!"
Who Is Jerry E. Smith?
Jerry E. Smith is an "overnight sensation" that has been more than three decades in the making -- with three mass market non-fiction books under his belt and over 300 radio and television appearances and successful speaking engagements from Brisbane to The Bahamas. His career as a writer, researcher, activist, editor and lecturer began with the first professional sale of his writing back in 1969.
WEATHER WARFARE: The Military's Plan To Draft Mother Nature
HAARP: The Ultimate Weapon of the Conspiracy
And co-author with George Piccard (who wrote LIQUID CONSPIRACY: JFK, LSD, the CIA, Area 51, and UFOs) of:
SECRETS OF THE HOLY LANCE: The Spear of Destiny in History & Legend
All from Adventures Unlimited Press (AUP). Since HAARP's North American release in 1998 it has been translated into Portuguese, in 2005, by Editora Aleph of São Paulo, Brazil as "ARMAS ELETROMAGNÉTICAS: seria o projeto Haarp a próxima ameaça mundial?" and in 2001 into Polish by Amber Supermedia as "HAARP BRON OSTATECZNA."
In 1991, Jerry Smith and Jim Keith, author of Black Helicopters Over America: Strikeforce for the New World Order and numerous other conspiracy and mind control books, founded the National UFO Museum (NUFOM) in Reno, Nevada. From 1991 to 1994 Mr. Smith was the Executive Director of NUFOM, while Mr. Keith acted as the Chairman of the Board. Mr. Smith also edited and wrote for NUFOM's quarterly journal, "Notes from the Hangar".
At the same time Mr. Smith worked as an editor/graphic artist with Jim Keith's magazine "Dharma Combat: The Magazine of Spirituality, Reality and Other Conspiracies", until Jim's untimely death in 1999. Jerry served variously as Managing Editor and Art Director from Dharma Combat's inception in 1988. He was also a regular contributor under the penname of jarod o'danu.
Mr. Smith's life-long political and environmental activism and research has resulted in the publication of scores of news stories, opinion pieces and book and movie reviews for local and regional magazines and newspapers throughout the western states. Mr. Smith's work has also appeared in such national publications as Fate Magazine and Paranoia: The Conspiracy Reader.
For more details and references:
To view Jerry E. Smith's entry in the Wikipedia click here.
By Jerry E. Smith:


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2011 DuPont Global Automotive Color Popularity Report Insights
White/white pearl emerged as the fastest growing color in 2011 to tie with silver as the world's leading automotive color choices. This according to the 2011 DuPont Automotive Color Popularity Report released in November 2011.
A substantial increase in the popularity of white/white pearl globally has enabled it to surpass longstanding rivals black and gray, to join silver at the top of the world color ranks in the 2011 report. The DuPont report, in its 59th year, is the longest running and largest of its kind in the industry, includes automotive color popularity rankings and regional trends from 11 leading automotive regions of the world.
In 2010, white/white pearl was tied for third with gray in the world color ranks with just 16 percent share, but its ongoing popularity in North America, combined with a surge in popularity in Europe, China, Korea, South America and South Africa, has helped to increase its position in 2011 to 22 percent globally. Black and gray dropped to third and fourth, respectively, in the 2011 report with red and blue strengthening and holding positions in fifth and sixth place.
The top global vehicle colors in DuPont's report are as follows:
- White/White Pearl and Silver – tie, 22 percent
- Black/Black Effect – 20 percent
- Gray – 13 percent
- Red – 7 percent
- Blue – 6 percent
- Brown/Beige – 5 percent
- Green – 2 percent
- Yellow/Gold – 1 percent
- Others – 2 percent
"While white/white pearl has historically been a popular color for vehicles, we've seen a bigger shift in its popularity this year than DuPont expected," said Nancy Lockhart, DuPont color marketing manager.
Silver and black have long been recognized in the top three for color popularity. However, in the past few years, white/white pearl has been steadily growing in popularity outside of North America. In 2011, it jumped by more than four percentage points, according to Lockhart. "There has been increased consumer acceptance for white, and our OEM customers are meeting consumer demand for the clean look it brings to vehicle design," she said. "Silver and black were once the top colors of luxury, but white has increased in this area.
The overall trend for casual luxury has spread to numerous vehicle types. The expectation to have a luxurious feel to the vehicle is globally sought. Classic white and pearlescent white effects are inspiring luxury design
North America: White/White Pearl Continues its Lead, Followed by Black and Silver
White/white pearl, with 23 percent market share, dominated North American vehicle color for the fifth consecutive year, led by the truck/SUV segment, with 29 percent. The intermediate/CUV segment found white to rise from 16 percent in 2010 to 18 percent in 2011. Black/black effect captured 18 percent in the region, and led popularity in the luxury vehicle segment, while black effect continues to increase over solid black on luxury segments. Silver decreased with 16 percent share overall in the region, but continued to lead the compact segment in North America with 20 percent. Gray had 13 percent of the market and was in fourth position across all segments, and red maintained its fifth place rank with 10 percent of North American market share overall. High impact colors of bright blues and yellows with tempting hues of brown/beiges and greens continue to fill the region with colorful choices.
Europe: Luxury Segment Continues to be Dominated by Black
In Europe, black/black effect continued its popularity, with 25 percent share, led by the luxury/luxury SUV segment, with nearly 40 percent segment share. Black/black effect has maintained its leadership in the region since 2007. DuPont expects this trend to continue in the near future, especially regarding black effect. White/white pearl made a surprising surge of about five percentage points over 2010, to reach 20 percent share, which is primarily because of the popularity of solid white across all model segments.
"White also is seen as inspiration for the ecological megatrend in Europe, because it represents modern minimalism and future technology," said Elke Dirks, DuPont color designer for Europe. "This trend also resulted in a considerable increase in white/white pearl in the luxury segment," she explained.
Gray (18 percent) and silver (15 percent) decreased in popularity this year, and blue rounded out Europe's top five colors with 7 percent of the vehicle market.
Silver Tops in China, South Korea; Japan led by White/White Pearl
Silver topped the Asia Pacific region overall with more than 25 percent share in the region and repeated its No. 1 position again this year in China and South Korea. White/white pearl was second overall in the Asia Pacific region, with slightly less than 25 percent of the market, led by Japan and India, where it ranked as the No. 1 color in those countries.
In China, silver topped the market with 26 percent share, though it fell seven percentage points from 2010. Black/black effect was No. 2 in China again this year, but dropped more than nine percentage points, as blue has increased in the small car segment and other colors are more widely used for vehicles in China. The decrease in black is evident as blue shows increased usage in the small car segment and other colors are more widely used.
Japan's color popularity was led in this year's report by white/white pearl, with 26 percent share, down from 28 percent in 2010. Black/black effect also saw a decrease, to 20 percent share, but it overtook the No. 2 spot from silver, which ranked No. 3 in this year's report with 19 percent. Blue (9 percent) and gray (9 percent) completed the top five in Japan, with gray increasing 4 percent over last year.
"In the Asia Pacific region, we are seeing color trends shift to nature and the environment with the color blue," according to Kumiko Ohmura, DuPont color marketing manager, Asia Pacific. "We've seen a decrease in black, as blue increased in the small car segment and other colors are more widely used in all segments," she continued.
In South Korea, silver represented nearly 30 percent of the market in 2011, followed by white/white pearl at 25 percent. Black/black effect slipped to third position in South Korea with 15 percent, down nine percentage points from 2010.
In India, light shades continue to top the charts with white representing 28 percent of the market, silver following closely with 27 percent, and gray in third position in the country with just 9 percent share.
South America, Brazil: Silver Tops Vehicle Color Choice
Silver led the South American market with 30 percent share and also was the color of choice in Brazil. The second most popular color in South America, black/black effect, represented 19 percent of the region and white/white pearl was third in the region, with just 17 percent of the overall South America market, and similar share in Brazil.
White/White Pearl Tops South Africa; Russia Prefers Black
South Africa had the world's highest market share of white/white pearl of any region or country analyzed by DuPont in this year's report, with those vehicles representing 40 percent share. Silver followed, with nearly 22 percent market share, and black/black effect rounded out the top three with nearly 12 percent share.
In Russia, black/black effect is the most popular car color, with more than 23 percent market share. Silver ranked second, with just over 22 percent and white/white pearl represented nearly 15 percent of the market.
Of note, green captured 7 percent of the market in Russia, and though its share decreased from 2010, it is still more than any other region included in the DuPont report.
DuPont 2011 Trend Show "Sense of Color" Showcases Emotions and Dynamics of Color
In addition to its 59th Global Automotive Color Popularity Report, DuPont develops an annual color trend show to share with the world's leading automotive manufacturers as they seek to develop color palettes for future vehicles. This year's trend show, Sense of Color, showcases the emotions and dynamics of color. The senses play an important role in understanding if a color is loud or quiet, powerful or somber, exotic or sophisticated.
DuPont Performance Coatings demonstrates the influences of colors by how tasteful, touching reminiscent or calming a color will react with consumer preferences and moods. The 2011 DuPont trend show is segmented into four groups, as follows:
"Déjà vu" – The colors in this group are intense and meaningful as DuPont remembers similar versions of these colors from the past. Rich greens and reds, like "Green Velvet" and "Flashback" are historic colors that symbolize thoughtfulness, heritage, comfort and stability. New sparkling effects and intense colors bring a modern fit to white and dark red. Modern shades of gray and beige bring relevance and quality to the hues, favorites for a mature market and exclusive vehicles.
"Sound of Silence" – Although the colors in this group are slightly muted and quiet, the calming colors featured in this group are determined to make their mark. The eco-friendly hybrids and energy-efficient technologies are thought provoking inspirations for the future. In this group, color is influenced by nature's palette and the fast-growing world of technology. Sophisticated metallic, soft hues "Crescendo" and "Silent Auction" and earthy tones "Minor Gamut" and "Speechless" coexist in this group, and its dynamic make-up is a natural trend for global consideration.
"Touch of Blue" – This group focuses on the intense emotional attributes of color, inspired by the environment. Home accessories and interior design inspire some of the bright and rich blues in this group. Fashion inspires this group, as well, particularly in the pale blue and grayish undertones. The sense of familiarity and dramatic impulses of the light metallic and chromatic hues make this group popular among all vehicle segments, which includes contrasting sober shades like "Tactile Teal" and "Tickled Blue." DuPont has tracked blue trends in all markets, including automotive to best new style spaces for the automotive segment. This demand is expected to grow as the global focus on blue increases.
"Matter of Taste" – The exaggerated and unusual colors featured in this group offer a creative menu of colors that spotlight international flavors. Powerful shades of yellow, green, pink and purple bring excitement to a fearless group of colors. Caramel, tangerine and other savory colors are eye-catching and perfect for new vehicle launches, brand colors, concept vehicles, limited editions and the aftermarket. They put the individual taste of the driver at the forefront and include colors "Sweet Caramel" and "Berry Fusion."
Click here to see charts showing most popular colors for 2011 by region/country


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A turning point for soccer in the U.S.?
Midway through the World Cup we have seen the usual lame put-downs of soccer, often by people who consider 1-0 soccer games "boring" and 1-0 baseball games "gems." But I'm beginning to believe this World Cup will mark a turning point for the game in the U.S.
I'm not saying soccer is going to overtake major American sports in popularity. That probably won't ever happen, and it certainly won't happen in the near future.
But it feels like there is a critical mass of soccer fans in this country now, and they are demanding their due. There are enough of them that their sheer number demands respect. No longer can the enemies of soccer write us off as fringe kooks. Meanwhile the enemies of soccer just look more and more dense at a time when so many are caught up in what Team USA is doing in South Africa.
ESPN has given the World Cup great coverage and it seems like almost everyone is paying attention. Granted, ESPN has a big financial stake in it, but the New York Times is devoting page after page of coverage, often on page 1A. Sports Illustrated has given the tournament great exposure, and so has the Wall Street Journal.
And according to one measurement of internet traffic, in the minutes following Landon Donovan's goal that sent the Team USA into the knockout round, traffic spiked to 11.2 million visitors per minute, the second highest traffic spike of all time, overtaking the 2008 presidential election.
And then there's this from ESPN:
"Wednesday morning's United States vs. Algeria FIFA World Cup match is the highest-rated and most-watched soccer game in the history of ESPN networks, delivering a 4.6 rating (4.0 household U.S. rating), 4,582,000 households and 6,161,000 viewers for the two-hour contest. The previous households record was set five days earlier with the U.S.-Slovenia match (June 18) — 3,906,000.
Excluding holidays, ESPN's coverage of the U.S.-Algeria game ranks as the most-watched weekday morning telecast ever for ESPN, surpassing the U.S.-Germany World Cup match from eight years ago (June 21, 2002) — 4.4 rating and 5,335,000 viewers. The game ranked as the highest-rated program of the day on any network among males 18-34 and 18-49."
The time has come for the soccer fans of this country to be respected as the force they have become — even if you STILL don't get it.


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Items 1 to 10 of 13 total
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Daydream Sunset
The 60s Counterculture in the 70s$16.95
A colorful history of the 1970s. From the Fillmore East to Oakland Coliseum; from Berkeley's Telegraph Ave to the streets of Europe, this alternative history of this fraught time will make you feel...
That Winter the Wolf Came$16.00
That Winter the Wolf Came is a poetry written for this era of global struggle. It finds its ferment at the intersection of ecological and economic catastrophe such as the carbon...
We Are Nothing and So Can You$16.00
An epic poem of revolt against capitalism past, present, and future. In alternating passages of rhapsodic verse and speculative prose, Jasper Bernes's long poem plots the dynamic movement of...
Red Epic$16.00
Red Epic, invents a volatile poetry for a world on fire, written to illuminate the wreckage of the most recent gilded age. Leaping levels from global systems to street fights and back...
Underground Passages
Anarchist Resistance Culture, 1848–2011$22.95
An exhaustive study of the richly textured "resistance culture" anarchists create to sustain their ideals and identities amid everyday lives defined by capital and the state.
A User's Guide to (Demanding) the Impossible$8.00
This sixty-two-page booklet was written in a whirlwind of three days in December 2010, between the first and second days of action by students in the UK against the government cuts, and intended to...
Poetry and polemics have typically gone in opposite directions -- the fine flame of the sonnet, blue cone in orange, versus the raging blazes of oratory. But opposites are alike in every way but...
From Bughouse Square To The Beat Generation
Selected Ravings Of Slim Brundage - Founder & Janitor Of The College Of Complexes$14.00
A unique combination of tavern, university and nonstop wild party, the College in its heyday (1951-1961) was for many years Chicago's outstanding outsider outpost. The writings collected here by...
(An Open Entrance To The Shut Palace Of) Wrong Numbers$14.00
Like everyone else, you dial and receive Wrong Numbers. But what do you make of them? And what do they make of you? What do these calls, universally regarded as irritating, tell us about the...
Emma Goldman, Lucy Parsons, Ben Reitman & Other Agitators & Outsiders In 1920s/30s Chicago$12.00
From the 1910s through the Depression 30s, when Chicago was the undisputed hobo capital of the United States, a small north side neighborhood know as Towertown was the vital center of an...
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Thanks to MindLoveMisery's Menagerie for hosting Music Challenge #32 on the song "Moon River"sung by Audrey Hepburn. Also, thanks to NEKNEERAJ of MindLoveMisery's Menagerie for hosting Photo Challenge.
Credit: ezornier @deviantart
Falling blaze of light, night faerie,
With feathered puff wings she tarries.
Downy angel of stardust sent,
After the Moon Rivers descent.
Wider than a mile it bubbles,
Cutting past her legs stumbling.
She lifts feathers to fly, but her wings are weights, ball and chains set;
Sunshine hair in her eyes she smiles, but her feet lurch dirt wet.
As the moon's orb casts brilliant beams,
Directs a path she deftly gleans.
Her body trembles winter cold,
Winds chilling skin; for she's been told —
When to earth she fell, she chose weak;
To no more be a star so sweet.
Her wings disassemble, feathers as snowflakes fall, flutter;
Mud sucks her feet; she's a once gleaming bird wingless, sputtering.
Dimmed star, broken-hearted lover;
She seeks a soul; he loved her 'bove.
She treads his way, an innocent,
Not knowing human sorrow's pins;
Her wisdom lost, but she peers and waits.
Branches rustle, spirit engaged;
Perfection fumbles in girlish form, black-hole discovering —
A quest; she's swept down Moon River, crazy truth uncovered.
Stardust child with heart unchanging,
Rides a rainbow's trail on the chase.
She'll find him; he'll gentle whisper,
Asking why she became a wisp.
She's down Moon River full of angst,
Though, with her wings she scaled its banks.
With tears of joy on petal skin, she's found her dream-maker;
Her heart sparks; he bends to carry a star home, she's quaking.
Their two drifters mingling swiftly,
Rising to wander the world's mists.
Places of wonder that light her eyes,
Thunder breaks, in terror she cries.
They're a duo with each other —
For but a lifetime's sacred vows.
In years, the nebula rekindles shines with her soul twin;
Falling blazes, light ethereal, on infant wings both spin.
©Mandibelle16. (2018) All Rights Reserved.