text:
How these four managers changed modern day football
Joachim Leow managed to win Coach of the Year Award in this year's Ballon d'Or awards. He guided the Germans to their historical World Cup win, which easily tells us the importance of managers in modern football.
Therefore, let's have a look at the four best managers of modern era, who were selected on the basis of managing successful clubs in different leagues, the resources they had, and their achievements in Europe and internationally.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex is regarded as one of the most successful, admired and respected managers in the history of the game. A disciplinary and a dictator, he was famous for playing mind games with his rival managers and getting the better of their nerves. He was nicknamed 'The Furious Fergie' and 'Fergie Time' for United's reputation of scoring late goals in injury time. Alex Ferguson preferred a 4-4-2 system with two wingers and two strikers upfront to play attacking and free-flowing football with a strong defence.
It was with Aberdeen FC that Ferguson cemented his reputation as a top-flight manager. Breaking the Celtic-Rangers championship stranglehold, Ferguson led Aberdeen to three Scottish Premier Leagues. Ferguson's crowning achievement was taking over a mid-table Manchester United team and making them the best team in England. His greatest achievement came in the 1998-99 season, when he became the first manager of a British side to win the treble. During his 28 years at the club, he led them to win 38 trophies.
2. Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti tie at number two
Nicknamed the 'special one', what makes Jose Mourinho stand out is that he never played professional football but still his understanding of the game and tactics make him a genius of the game. Mourinho started as an interpreter for Sir Bobby Robson and then moved towards management. His playing style is countering and nullifying opponents, while going with very defensive tactics of 'parking the bus'. Known for being outspoken, his style is based on getting the right results and he is regarded as a master tactician.
Mourinho has given a whole new dimension to managers with the amount of lime light and media attention he got and his famous celebrations at Old Trafford in a win against Manchester United in UCL 2004 brought him prominence. Also, him leading his Porto side towards a UEFA Champions League trophy triumph was also a highlight of his career.
He helped Chelsea win two consecutive English Premier League trophies, their first since 1955. Again he achieved greatness with Inter Milan, while enabling them to win treble (including a European Cup since 1955) and made them the first ever Italian club to achieve such a feat. When his spell at Real Madrid started, it wasn't his best but he still managed to win a La Liga. He is now back with Chelsea.
Carlo Ancelotti is undoubtedly one of the greatest managers of modern era. With his success ranging over four different leagues, he is known to be a very cool-headed manager who doesn't follow strict regimes with his players. He allows his players to express themselves on the field. He uses the Ancelotti style of play as it is the most flexible one to change tactics according to the players.
It was when he was at AC Milan that his success story began, where he won two UEFA Champions Leagues and his master strokes included moving Andrea Pirlo from the hole behind the strikers to his deep lying playmaker role and shifted Kaka from the wing to the middle. These changes paid off and made Milan one the best club sides at that time. Then in 2009, he joined Chelsea, winning a historic double in the first season, followed by winning a title with PSG before joining Real Madrid, where he created history by leading the club to their record 10th Champions League trophy and became the only manager in history to have won the European Cup three times.
3. Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola brought tiki-taka football to fame, which was based on passing and keeping the ball with plenty of possession. Under Pep, Barca became one of the most fearsome, unstoppable and arguably the best club ever. He is considered to be one of the best managers of his generation and his best move was to bring Lionel Messi from the wing to forward position, which transformed the club and the player.
In doing so, Pep guided Barcelona to the maximum of six trophies out of six competitions in one year, thus achieving the sextuple and became the youngest manager ever to win the UEFA Champions League. Pep announced his retirement as Barcelona manager after winning 14 trophies in just four years and joined Bayern Munich where he has already won a Bundesliga.
Apart from these four, the game of football has seen other great managers, some of which are Vicente Del Bosque, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Marcello Lippi, and Louis van Gaal. However, for me, these three are on top of their game.
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The Express Tribune.


text:
What has Britney Spears taught us?
We all learn lessons from the people around us '— parents, mentors, religious leaders'… Britney Spears? After watching the '"Dateline'" Britney special with Matt Lauer last Thursday, I realize that we can all learn a few things from the former pop princess.
Britney has taught me that my mother was definitely right about two things: chewing gum makes you look like a horse in public and you should never let them see you cry.
During the interview Britney was chomping her gum so hard I thought I was watching the Kentucky Derby. The tougher the question, the harder she chomped.
Lauer asks about her husband Kevin Federline, who left his pregnant girlfriend for her.
Britney: Chomp side gnaw smack chomp. '"Actually I didn't know. I didn't know till two months later.'" Smack chomp smack.
Was no one around to tell her to spit that wad out? Where's her handler? Celebrities can't think on their own, everyone knows that.
Then came the crying.
My mama was no fool: everyone looks horrible when they're crying, particularly women in their seventh month of pregnancy. She looked like Rudolph, if Rudolph had the face of a Shar-Pei and wiped his nose with his hoof.
When you're on prime time television, you've got to suck it up.
Hasn't Brit ever seen that gleam in Barbara Walters' eye when the biggest hardballers well up and blubber? Did she think Lauer was going to go easy on her? Hell no '— he's still pissed about Katie Couric.
And let's be honest: Our girl Brit really looked like crap.
Maybe her stylist got fired for eating the last Ho-Ho (never come between a pregnant woman and her chocolate). Brit's greasy, bleach-blonde extensions '— I thought new moms needed low-maintenance hair '— hadn't seen a brush in days. And I wanted to reach through the television screen myself and flick that lump of mascara off her eyelash.
Was this a '"VH1 Behind the Music'"? If so I was feeling it, especially when they kept rolling clips of 'cute' Britney, the teenager who introduced a generation of teenage boys to the capital vice of lust.
Maybe that's why she was so emotional. I would be too if I realized what I once looked like in a red vinyl catsuit. The '"Dateline'" interview was more like '"Oops! I didn't wash my hair.'"
And my favorite part of Britney's knocked-up chic was the bra poking out of the tank top, straining to contain mommy's mammaries. I'm sorry '— boobs go into a period of 'not hot' when they become functional as a feeding apparatus. The shirt also featured a sheer midsection. Nice. So if you weren't sure she was pregnant, here's a shot of her swollen womb, rich with incubation.
(And I'm not letting Lauer off the hook '— was that the sockless-loafer combo he was sporting with his jeans and sports coat? I hope his luggage got lost.)
Britney taught us that being a young, rich, married mom is tough. She spent a good ten years trying to be famous and now she wants to flip a switch and be 'normal.'
Doesn't she get it? She'll never be able to drive down the highway with her 9 month old on her lap in peace? We're still talkin' 'bout '"what'chu talkin' bout,'" and that guy hasn't been famous for what '— 20 years? Get real, Brit. This is the wonderful, surreal, infamous life you always dreamed of. If it's so hard for you to handle, then I could take a couple of those millions off your hands, and maybe you can get that tranquility you long for.
Lastly, Britney has reminded us that the difference between poor white trash and rich white trash is money. If Britney weren't a pop star she would be doing about the same she is now '— pregnant for the second time in a year, defending a dirtbag husband who left his girlfriend with a two-month-old baby for her and making ill-advised wardrobe and makeup decisions.
She'd still be on television, chomping her gum, only she'd be explaining how she watched the satellite dish get ripped right off the side of her double-wide in the tornado. Or maybe she'd win the lottery and explain to Lauer how she's '"gonna take that $100,000 and get myself a tummy tuck.'"
Either way, we'd still be watching her, learning from her mistakes and laughing, all the while glad we are not her.
To comment on this column, e-mail Lauren at email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
My newest grilling obsession is making Grilled Mushrooms. I haven't grilled a mushroom since culinary school, and forgot just how good they are. However, the other night, when planning to grill mushrooms, the weather took a turn for the worse (read: monsoon) and I had to reevaluate my dinner plans. Since I already had my mushrooms mixed together with the oil, herbs and seasoning, I decided I would just roast them in the oven (oddly enough, something I've never done with mushrooms….usually I sauté them).
The mushrooms came out perfectly tender and flavorful and this literally could not be easier to make. I bought super large white mushrooms – potentially genetically engineered they were so large – and they worked out perfectly to be sliced ¼" thick for this recipe.
This side dish pairs great with chicken, steak or with a vegetarian meal to act as a "meaty" protein.
Oven Roasted Mushrooms
A quick and easy side dish that pairs great with any dinner!


text:
First Date Tips for People over 50
Dating again after 50 can be nerve-wracking if you have not dated in awhile. Ultimately, the first date's success depends on how well you connect with each other, and that really depends on how well you communicate.
Communication is a combination of what you say, what you don't say, how you listen, and what your habits and body language transmit. Communication helps build chemistry. All these things to remember may seem complex or even overwhelming, but the basic rules of communication are actually pretty straightforward.
Before your date, think about what to talk about and what to say or not say. If you don't, you may bring up topics that create tension, disinterest, or even anger. You want topics that interest both of you, that are respectful, and that help you get to know — and hopefully like — each other better.
Much of who people are is defined by how they spend their days. Here are the principles to keep in mind when talking about work:
How you feel about your work and how you describe it says a lot about you. Think about what this listener would like to know about you: Are you disciplined? Hardworking? Imaginative? Say something that gives your date an idea of your work and shows good sides of your character.
Dates feel comfortable if you start out with what you like about your job. You can always add some criticisms later. If you get into a rant, you may come off as a malcontent. Complain with a close friend, not with a first date.
Figure out how to make what you do interesting to someone not in your field. Don't use technical terms (boring). If you don't work outside the home, talk about something you do that's interesting and important to you.
Are you on a board, do you run something for your church, or do you handle a complex web of duties related to your children's school? Say things that give your date a sense of what you do on a regular basis.


text:
Friday, August 29, 2008
Best. Day. Ever.
Yes, it is truly the Best. Day. Ever.
Happy weekending, Internets.
orange mocha frappuccino!
Here is why you should be using it: your friends share things and you get to read them. And your friends will share awesome things like that David Duchovny has entered rehab for a sex addiction (WHAT?!?) and this (which will not be funny unless you've seen Zoolander).
So, for the love of pancakes, please start using Google Reader. Please? I mean, if you spend any time on the internets whatsoever, this will really organize your time-wasting. Trust me.
In other, real life, news, last night Heidi and I met Nancy at Fox & Hound because Nancy told us they had this yummy raspberry beer there. And they did. And we also got food. Because, you know, it was dinner time and the last time I had nothing but beer for dinner, I wound up hanging out with random British guys in a hotel lobby at 4 AM. True story.
When Heidi and I got there, I started digging through my purse for chapstick or something, and so I was pulling stuff out and putting it on the table. Said stuff included a book. Some manager dude came over to check on us, because we didn't have a waitress yet.
Manager Dude: Has anyone said hi to you yet?
Heidi: Nope.
Manager Dude: OK, well, hi. Oh, what are you reading?
Me: Um.
Manager Dude: I'm nosy.
Me: Persuasion. Jane Austen.
Manager Dude: Oooooh. So you're reading that for school, yeah?
Me: . . . no.
Last night, I also went to Kroger to buy ramen noodles (JOE) and I looked for Uncrustables, Abigail, but I couldn't find them. What aisle are they in? I did find chocolate covered pretzel 100 calorie packs, though, so YUM.
Then we watched Obama speak the hell out of some words. Today McCain is in Dayton to announce his running mate. I'll let you figure out which of those things I'm more excited about.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Bell out of order, please knock
It probably won't surprise you to hear that I was sort of a weird kid. A weird kid who grew up into a genuinely weird woman (or, as my mom calls me, "a unique mind").
My mom also likes to remind me that, when I was little, I had a Southern accent that no one would explain. I grew up in southwest Ohio and, while it is a bit close to Kentucky, it's not close enough for Southern twang to seep in. I don't remember how or when I lost it, but I wish I still had it. I love accents of all kinds, but the Southern accent is the friendliest of them all.
Like most kids, I liked to play "pretend" during recess, but instead of playing House or School, I liked to imitate Babs from Tiny Toons or pretend I was Peter Pan (the girl version, of course) and climb to the top of the jungle gym and jump off. I never ended up flying, though. I tried a lot of different things in my attempt to fly. I stood on one end of a teeter-totter and had my friend push down on the other end. My thought was that, if he pushed down hard enough, I've propel through the air and soar into the clouds. What happened was, I fell backwards off of the teeter totter and hit my head on the ground. It was sort of exactly like what happened when I tried to run down the Slip 'n Slide. I used to try flying off of swings, too. You know, you'd swing as high as you could and then jump when you reached the highest heights, but I always crashed back down to Earth. My most unsuccessful attempts at flying usually involved an umbrella. I thought that since Mary Poppins could take off from the ground and fly with an umbrella, I could do it, too. But since I was an amateur, I jumped off of stuff while holding an open umbrella, so I'd at least already be in the air. It never worked and I was always disappointed. Even now, I can't believe movies would lie to me like that. I mean, I cannot tell you how many times I tried clicking my heels three times, but it never took me home. I tried it just this morning and it still didn't work. Hasn't stopped me from trying, though.
ramen noodles, lunch of champions
A) I feel like I've traveled back in time and am sitting in Tower Hall with my Hot Pot
B) They smell delicious
C) I want to steal them
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
and this other time, a cicada flew right into my forehead while I was running
AND THEN I got in my car to drive to work, because when I try to drive to work without my car, nothing happens. So there I was, wiping leftover sleep from my eyes, and that's when I saw it! A big, fat cicada stuck in my windshield wipers. I thought about turning them on, but I didn't want smooshed cicada guts all over my windshield. That's just not the way I like to start my day, you know? And anyway, right after I thought about smooshing him, he moved! And, while I find these creatures odd and try to avoid them whenever possible (sorry, Kat), I wasn't about to kill an innocent bug just because he got stuck on my car. On the other hand, I wasn't going to get out of my car and flick him off the windshield. Not because I was afraid to touch him, I just didn't feel like getting out of the car. Do you realize how much motivation it takes to get IN the car when I know the car's taking me to work? Yeah.
Since the cicada was alive, I had to give him a name. So Jeff and I drove to work and the whole time I kept thinking, "hang on, little guy, we're almost there!" and you know what? He did hang on. He hung on for the entire ride. I think he actually liked it. I didn't get a change to ask him, because I was running late, but if he's still there after work, I'll ask him and let you guys know.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Pam, I'm public speaking. Stop public interrupting me!
Speaking of being sick, I had a doctor's appointment at lunch and I have another doctor's appointment after work. And when I say doctor's appointment, I mean "doctor's" "appointment." That means I had to wear heels today. My doctor is very strict and says that heels promote leg strength and back pain . . . back pain sounds bad, but really it builds character. I've almost broken my ankle about fifty bajillion times, which probably also builds character, so that's good. I don't think I could wear heels every day because OW my feet hurt. But they make me so much taller. Hmm.
Work sucks mostly because of this massive software conversion we're in the middle of, and I mean RIGHT SMACK in the middle of, and no one knows what's going on and it's all very confusing and off-putting. Did you hear that? I am PUT. OFF. Because I might have to work this weekend. That's right, this hallowed THREE DAY WEEKEND. Anyway, the software conversion gods have provided this test database so we can practice fucking shit up (that is what I do) but the tutorial left a lot to be desired and so again . . . NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON. And even though we're all in the same boat and no one knows what they're doing, especially me because I never know what I'm doing, people keep coming to me with their questions. They're all, "Jennie, how do you do this? What does this mean? Can you come help me? Wash the dishes DO THE MOPPING CINDERELLY CINDERELLY," and then my head explodes and that's messy and who do you think has to clean it up? Cinderelly.
So the moral of the story is, I don't know what's going on and I keep accidentally spreading my ignorance all around the office, which isn't even in my job description.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Werewolf bar mitzvah, spooky, scary, boys becoming men, men becoming wolves
Yeah, I don't know what I'm talking about, either. Last night, we went to get some Mexican food for dinner and when I walked in, I noticed that they were having a special on Miller Lite and Bud Light. $1.95 drafts. I was all, "hell yeah!" and didn't bother to look at how many ounces it was. So I ordered it and almost passed out (from delight) when the waiter brought me this:
That is a shitload of beer for less than two dollars. I will have to remember that.
After dinner, we ran over to K-Mart, where we got distracted in the clearance toy aisle. OK. I'm going to show you something and you're not going to believe this is a child's toy BUT IT IS:
Yeah. I don't really know what the point of it is, but you put your mouth on that long, skinny, flesh-colored tube and when you blow, it makes the . . . body (?) of the toy get bigger. WHAT THE HELL, K-MART?
Then I almost bought some My Little Ponies. True story:
The end.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
I got chocolate on my pants
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A woman shouldn't have to be hit by a car to learn that she may have rabies.
When I got home from Cleveland on Sunday, our downstairs neighbors (Dan the Man and his daughter) were out on their porch, which is right next to our front door. I noticed something odd as I came up the walkway and that something odd was two baby raccoons. On their porch. Like . . . in a cage.
Me: Um. Are those raccoons?
Daughter: Yep!
Me: Why?
Dan the Man: Well, the mom died so we decided to raise them until we can release them.
Me: Oh. Cool.
Then we had a nice long conversation about how long it takes to raise raccoons and how smart they are and how you can domesticate them and then I got rabies and died.
Oh, wait, that didn't happen. Anyway, I emailed Heidi at work on Monday and was all, "did you know our neighbors are keeping raccoons on the porch?" and she was all, "WHAT?!" and I said, "yes, raccoons . . . on the porch . . . and they are smelly." And then Heidi sacked up and called the apartment complex. Naturally, since I was at my office and Heidi was at her office, I could not hear the conversation, but I was told it went something like this:
Heidi: Hi, I was walking by an apartment and they have raccoons on their porch.
Office Lady: Say that again?
Heidi: They have raccoons on their porch.
Office Lady: On purpose?
Heidi: Yes. In a cage.
Office Lady: Why?
Heidi: I don't know.
Office Lady: Who does that?
Heidi: Our neighbors.
Office Lady: Which apartment are you in?
Heidi: 5699*
Office Lady: Is this Heidi or Jennie?
Heidi: Heidi.
Office Lady: You guys have the weirdest stuff happen to you**.
Then she told Heidi that they'd be gone within a day. And today they are gone. I wish I knew what happened to them. I feel bad because I didn't want them killed or anything, but if anyone in the apartment complex is going to accidentally get infected with rabies, it's gonna be me or Heidi. I mean, we had to take precautions.
*note: not our actual apartment number
**see: broken garbage disposal; upside-down oven knob; broken toilet; broken front door lock
Monday, August 18, 2008
they see me rollin', they hatin'
And I WANTED to hear my music, because just moments before I left for Cleveland, the mailman brought me a package from Abigail. She sent me a running CD because I whined last week about not having any running music. I figured running music would also make good road trip music, and boy was I right. It's a good CD, is what I'm saying. And then! There I was, flying down 70, when Track 7 started and I completely lost it . . . no kidding, I almost drove my car off the road, I was laughing so hard. Because I heard the beginning of "Ridin' Dirty," which always makes me think of that time Heather Anne told a stranger at the gas station that "riding dirty" meant someone was traveling with contraband. Awesome.
I loved this bachelorette party, by the way. It was very un-bachelorettey. Amy didn't want any penis-related stuff to wear or strippers or anything, so it was very low key. We went to a Japanese steakhouse for dinner, where our chef sang us rap songs and ALSO I caught a shrimp in my mouth. You'd be more impressed if you knew how uncoordinated I am. Then we went to a dueling piano bar, where there were approximately 80 other bachelorette parties, only these bachelorettes were whores, according to Amy.
I think I'm getting more mature in my old age, because I watched how much I drank Saturday night. I KNOW. I didn't want to drive home all hungover because that is the worst thing ever. Even worse than riding the plane from Philly all hungover. See how much I've matured in the past three months?
Friday, August 15, 2008
I'm about to do something very bold at this job that I've never done before. Try.
This is what I had for dinner last night (in order):
caramel fudge brownie
beef tenderloin and green beans
lobster bisque
tuna sandwich appetizer thingie
We went to The Taste of The Greene and there were approximately 80 bajillion people there. It cost $10, and I was a bit worried about getting my money's worth (on account of the 80 bajillion people), but then this lady came around handing out tickets for free burritos at Chipotle.
FREE BURRITOS AT CHIPOTLE. So, after we ate all that other food and gave the remainder of our tickets to Tamara and Jeremy, we got in line at Chipotle and there weren't even that many people there! I mean, yeah, the line was longer than the lunch line usually is, but FREE BURRITOS, people! I expected the line to be out the door and halfway down the block. Apparently these people do not appreciate the FREE BURRITO. Or they just hadn't made their way over there yet. Either way, I have a FREE CHIPOTLE BURRITO for lunch today.
Also, I forgot to share a really embarrassing story yesterday, and I sort of can't believe I forgot because it caused extreme mortification for approximately three weeks.
Once upon a time (high school), I worked at the library. And one night, when I went into the breakroom, some lady (I think it was a lady, I don't really remember) was back there. I thought she was just someone's friend. And then she was all, "what would you do if aliens landed on the Earth?" and I was like, "well, I would ask them to take me home with them and make me their pet," because I am incapable of giving a serious answer to any question. And she was all, "I need to take your picture now," and I was all, "what?" and she was all, "this is for the newspaper," and I was like, "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck." But I let her take my picture, because I am also a people pleaser. And I was in the paper talking about how I wanted to be ET's pet. And that's all I heard about from everyone I knew for the rest of my life. Or about three weeks. Whatever.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
you don't have to wear that dress tonight
When we got to Tamara and Jeremy's, I noticed that there were decorations on the front door. I was all, "um, won't that tip him off to the surprise?" and Heidi was like, "yeah, he's here . . . he's in the bedroom." Apparently some girls were totally mean to him ON HIS BIRTHDAY (read about it here) and he was sad. Stupid girls. Luckily, there were lots of people and food and drinks and ROCK BAND to make up for the bitchy, bitchy girls he works with.
Have you ever noticed that when Rock Band makes an appearance, everyone gets this manic look in their eyes? A greedy, manic look like, "I WANT TO PLAY ALL THE INSTRUMENTS AT THE SAME TIME AND ALSO SING AND OH MY GOD WHAT IF I DON'T GET TO SING WEEZER?" I'm not kidding. That game turns people into drunk five-year-olds and have you ever been around a drunk five-year-old? If you've been around me when I'm drunk, then that's close enough.
It was pretty awesome. Heidi remembered to strum. We discovered that Tamara is a fucking awesome singer. I got to sing Oasis. Sting inhabited Joe's body for the entirety of Roxanne. It was a little spooky.
This week on The Collective, we're sharing embarrassing stories about ourselves. I'm having a hard time coming up with anything, despite having embarrassed myself on a daily basis for about, oh, 25* years now. A little help? Heidi?
*I say 25, because I couldn't really talk for the first year . . . although, when I was a baby I did routinely poop my pants and that's sort of embarrassing.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
listenin' too long, to one song
Speaking of music (wow, nice segue, Jennie), I went to a concert this weekend and it rocked my face off. My whole face. Fell off. Onto the floor. And then I picked it up and washed it off, because gross, it fell on the floor at a concert. Anyway, We Are Scientists were the ones responsible for my face falling on the floor. I'd be upset, but it was a really good show.
You know what happened, though? I spilled my beer. I mean, this is not unusual. It happens a lot, actually. But this time, it so wasn't my fault. I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when all the sudden my beer bottle was upside down, trapped between my leg and the wall. And I was all, "What the hell? No one was even touching the table! UNFAIR UNFAIR I WANT MY BEER WAAAAAAAAAH." Then I noticed that all of the bottles kept slowly inching toward me and no one was even touching them, because the music was so loud that the table was vibrating, which was making the bottles move AND IT WAS CRAZY. Like Poltergeist crazy, but not really, because no one got sucked into the TV. Anyway. So that happened. Also, we saw this girl slump over a table and throw up on the floor. Amateur. Also also, Kat, they had PBR in cans.
Also also also, this was written in one of the bathroom stalls:
and I didn't even write it.
Friday, August 08, 2008
A is for Ass
When I was in elementary school, I liked the word "ass" because I'd say it and then, just as I was about to get in trouble, I was be all, "Nuh-uh, you misunderstood me, I was talking about a DONKEY . . . you ass."
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Here I am, all alone, wondering what went wrong. Did we ever have a chance?
Ahem. So, yes. I'm excited for that to start tomorrow. I may get a teeny bit obsessed, so if you DON'T like the Olympics (what's wrong with you?), don't say I didn't give you fair warning.
I'll have you know that today I successfully resisted an invitation to Chipotle. I swear, the people in my office go out to lunch almost every day and I just can't do that, or I'd weigh 400 pounds and my checking account would have -400 dollars in it. Both of these things would be a problem. It makes it easier to save money when I know I have to. For instance, next weekend I'm driving to Cleveland to take part in a bachelorette party for my dear friend Amy. It didn't occur to me until just now that the only person that I will know there is Amy. The fact that I am not freaking out about this shows just how far I've come over the past couple of years. Besides, there are going to be cocktails and after a few of those, I'm everyone's friend.
I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to talk about Saved by the Bell again. No, you know what? I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry at all. This morning? It was the episode where they're all in a band and Casey Kasem is doing that Behind the Music special. AWESOME. First of all, the name of their band is Friends Forever. Worst band name ever? Possibly. Second of all, what? They're in a band? And they're famous? And where the hell is Jessie in all of this?
Whatever. I got to thinking that Saved by the Bell would have been a much better show if it had been a drama. OK, probably not, but think of the possibilities. Because, isn't Zack loaded? Come to think of it, Lisa's rich, too. And Jessie lives next door to Zack AND her dad owns a hotel, so she's got money, too. I think the only one who didn't have money was Kelly. That's why she couldn't go to the prom that one time. And had to work at The Max. So if the show had been a drama, Kelly totally would have been the outcast who got pregnant junior year and had to have an abortion. And Slater would have turned out to be gay, but he'd be afraid to tell anyone because the wrestling team wouldn't want to wrestle with him anymore. Maybe he got Kelly pregnant! To prove he wasn't gay! What a bastard.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
You know, on the old mariners maps, the cartographers would designate uncharted territory by writing "here be monsters."
Anyway, the movie was Cassandra's Dream and it made me lose more faith in humanity than even Match Point did. Thanks, Woody Allen! Oh, and just as a warning, HERE BE SPOILERS:
So. There are these two brothers, right? Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell. Ewan McGregor is a man-whore who wants to be all rich so he pretends he's all rich in an attempt to get into this Kate Beckinsale-y woman's knickers. Colin Farrell is a drunk who is addicted to gambling and in one night loses 90 THOUSAND POUNDS. Yeah. That's right. They have a mysterious Uncle Howard who is loaded and they decide to ask him for lots and lots of money. Which is totally cool with Howard, but he wants a little something in return this time. Nothing big. He just wants them to kill this guy who is going to testify that he is a rotten, rotten bastard. Easy, right? So, I'm thinking, "Hey, they probably won't kill that guy . . . they're not very smart, but they seem like nice boys." I should have known better. I didn't think that one dude was going to kill Scarlett Johansson either, but he totally did. People are bastards.
Anyway, so they definitely kill that guy. And Colin Farrell starts going a little crazy because I guess murdering someone isn't something you just forget about. He starts drinking and taking pills and talking about going to the police, causing Ewan to freak out more than a little. It was at this point that I looked at Joe and said, "Ewan's going to kill his brother, isn't he?" AND THEN HE TOTALLY STARTS PLANNING TO KILL HIS BROTHER. I don't like it when Ewan McGregor is a rat bastard. He ultimately stops himself from carrying out his MUUUUUUURDER plan, but then they get in a fight and both die anyway. THE END HA HA HAPPY FUN TIMES
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
It DID storm so hard that the world ended for a couple of traffic lights this morning. What? You think traffic lights don't know they live in the world? You think they don't have feelings? Well, they do. They go red when they're angry, green when they're happy, and yellow when they're constipated. And YES constipated is a feeling. You think they turn colors for any other reason? You're wrong. Deal with it. There's something really disconcerting about a traffic light being completely dark. Mostly because I don't trust other people to not barrel through the intersection and kill me, kill me dead. No one did, though. But since there were two traffic lights that were out and I was on my way to work, I naturally assumed that my office building wouldn't have power when I got there. Because that's logical. Only not, because my office building totally had power and ALSO they expected me to work. PSHAW.
I wish it had been storming last night when Heidi and I decided to go running. But we had to run, for you see, we had Penn Station for dinner. That was the deal. We could have Penn Station, but we had to run. Right as we started, I was all, "didn't we decide not to run anymore after eating Penn Station because it makes us want to vomit?" and Heidi was all, "um, yeah, oops." Um, yeah, oops, indeed. I felt like vomiting after running about five steps, at which point I wanted to be done for the evening, but running five steps doesn't seem beneficial. Although, if I would just start with a five step run and add five steps to my run every day, that'd probably work better than my current running schedule, which is "run a couple miles four times a month and try not to pass out or throw up or die." Ah, well.
I don't think the run helped our stomachs OR our brains, because during our cool down lap around the pond, this happened:
Heidi: I've counted four tennis balls in the pond so far!
Me: Man, those people aren't very good tennis players.
Heidi: Seriously.
Me: Do you think our pink tennis ball is still down there?
Heidi: I hope so. I hope the ducks play with it.
Me: The ducks play tennis?
Heidi: Yeah, they use their bills as tennis rackets.
Me: Plus, they can fly, so that helps.
Heidi: Wanna know how they serve?
Me: YES.
Heidi: They put the ball in their mouth and just throw it.
Me: Wow. Do the ducks play doubles tennis?
Heidi: Totally. They play against the geese.
Me: The geese! I hope the ducks win, I hate the geese!
Heidi: Of course the ducks win. They're the Mighty Ducks.
Me: Awesome.
Heidi: Nine! I counted NINE tennis balls now!
And then were were all, "quack . . . quack . . . quack . . . QUACK . . . QUACK . . . QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK," only not really, but I wish that'd happened. I mean, I don't think it's possible for our neighbors to think we're any weirder. After all, there was that time we threw a spoon in the pond and Heidi's underwear in a tree. Also, that time I got chased by a zombie.
Monday, August 04, 2008
You wait 'til next year's chair catalogue comes out and find someone who's still alive
I did not find any of these things. Well, I found some little juice glasses. And some cards with rubber duckie faces on them that cost more than the juice glasses. All in all, I waited in a 900 foot line to buy three things for a grand total of $14.00.
Ikea, I am not impressed. I LOOOOOOOVED Ikea when we went to the one in Schaumberg. I wouldn't shut up about it. Here, let me show you the not shutting up. However, when we went to the Ikea in Schaumberg, I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I just gazed in wonder at the array of household crap laid out before me. This leads me to believe that Ikea is a much more pleasurable experience when you're NOT actually looking for something. Or the Ikea in West Chester just sucks. Either way, I was sort of bummed UNTIL . . .
I realized that we'd be driving through Mason. And Mason is where McAlister's Deli is. I used to get McAlister's all the time when I worked in Mason, but there aren't any of those around Dayton because Dayton hates me. Anyway, I knew it was off a certain exit, but I couldn't remember exactly where it was because I am directionally handicapped. We got off the exit and it went something like this:
Me: I don't think it's on this road.
Joe: OK, we'll find it.
Me: It might be on this whole other road.
Joe: Let's just keep driving.
Me: OK. I don't see it. Hey, there's Ruby Tuesday! "Gooooooodbye, Ruby Tuesday . . ."
Joe: Are those the only words you know?
Me: . . . NO. "Who could something rain on you?"
Joe: Um, no. It's, "who could hang a name on you?"
Me: Whatever. Do you see McAlister's?
Joe: No. Let's drive through this shopping center.
Me: OK. I don't see it. Where is it? I don't see it.
Joe: Do you just want to go to Ruby Tuesday?
Me: Yeah, OK.
Joe: Let me turn around.
Me: OH MY GOD THERE IT IS!
Joe: What?
Me: Look! Look! McAlister's! Across the street!
Joe: You scared the crap out of me.
Me: Sorry. BUT LOOK!
Then I got sweet tea and it was good. The end.
Friday, August 01, 2008
No time! There's never any time! I don't have time to study! I'll never get into Stanford!
When I talked to her, she was all, "your dad and I figured you were busy," and I said, "oh?" and she said, "yeah, because you never update your blog anymore," and I was all, "yeah, cause they expect me to do actual work at work now PSHAW WHATEVER I DO WHAT I WANT." And then she was like, "you should come over because I have a bunch of kitchen crap you can have." I wonder if there'll be a day when, instead of taking leftover crap that no one wants anymore, I will be the one giving someone leftover crap that I don't want anymore. The day has to come, I think. It's the circle of crap.
I KNOW I've been neglecting you, dear Internets. I'm sorry. Summer is the time for doing stuff, right? And so I've been doing stuff. Stuff like almost killing myself with a guitar and trying to figure out a way to become a runner without actually, you know, running. Also, I've become obsessed with grape soda THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN. Joe suggested we go to Potbelly a couple of weeks ago and I was all, "hmm, they have grape soda . . . I shall try it." And I tried it. And it was good. And then I kept suggesting we go back to Potbelly JUST so I could get more grape soda and then I bought grape soda at Meijer and now I want to drink it all the time, but I'm afraid my teeth might fall out.
Every time I drink it (or, let's face it, talk about it), I have to preface it with, "MMM, GRAPE SO-DA." My friend Nancy once came to a sorority function completely obliterated out of her mind (in the middle of the afternoon, I might add . . . those were the days) and proceeded to pour herself the biggest cup of grape soda known to mankind and womankind and, I don't know, duck-kind. She stuck her gum to the rim, then picked it back up, dipped it in the grape soda, stuck it in her mouth, and shouted, "MMM, GRAPE SO-DA." And then repeated this scenario for the next hour. We knew she was quoting something, but it took us the majority of the night to realize she was quoting Saved by the Bell. Saved by the Bell is sort of like Friends, in that anything that ever happens to you in life can be connected to an episode. True story. For instance, guess what episode was on the other day?
"I'm so excited! I'm so excited! I'm so . . . so SCAAAAARED." It was just like that time I got addicted to caffeine pills because I had a geometry test and my friends and I were in a girl band and I wanted to get into Stanford.


text:
This is a 2 bedroom apartment for 2-6 persons and is located at Magaluf Beach and very close to the clubs. But the location is so good that you are not disturbed by the life of the bar street outside. We have 4 apartments in that building in the same style.
Contact Rolle for the best price: +34601079773
or send us one email by filling in this form


text:
January February 2007Leading Posts
How Jewish is the state of Israel?
Mohammad Siddique Seddon
It [Israel] will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the Prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the Charter of the Unites Nations. [Declaration of the State of Israel, 1948][1]
When the state of Israel was established in the aftermath of the Second World War, it granted rights of return to all dispersed Jews throughout the world – claiming Palestine as the Jewish spiritual homeland. Although a product of Zionism, a secular political Jewish movement, the modern state evoked the teachings of the ancient Biblical Prophets as the inspiration for its self-proclaimed egalitarianism.[2] For its national language it adopted Hebrew; associated with the Torah and Judaism. But, despite the inclusion of symbolic religious motifs into the identity constructions of the new state, does this in fact make Israel Jewish? This question has produced a plethora of dichotomous responses, from those lauding the Jewish exclusivity of the State to criticism for not being Jewish enough. The exhaustive discussions on this contested subject are beyond the scope of this paper; instead the aim is simply to focus on a few pertinent points in order to explore the historical constructions of Judaism and Jewishness in the context of the modern State of Israel.
The Origins of Judaism
Born out of the Israelite faith (Yahwism) predominantly from the teachings of Moses, the Hebrew people or Ibrim originate either from the legendary figure, Eber, or from the fact that they, as Arameans, migrated from beyond the Great river (Eber ha-Nahar), the Euphrates. Perhaps the most eminent of all the Arameans was Abraham, considered to be the founder of the Jewish religion.[3] Judaism as a distinct religio-ethnic phenomenon, however, does not appear until the split of the Israelites into two distinct kingdoms within the Semitic lands after the time of Solomon. In the North, the Kingdom of Israel was created culminating with Samaria established as its capital; the South saw the emergence of the Kingdom of Judah (Judea).[4] After the Babylonians defeated the Southern Kingdom around 586 BC, Solomon's Temple, which was within the domain of the Kingdom of Judea, was demolished and the elite of the Southern Kingdom were taken into exile in Babylonia.[5] The invasion of the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, was seen by the Judeans as punishment for breaking the Covenant with God after entering the Promised Land under the guidance of Moses (Deuteronomy, 1: 35-5). Despite a succession of prophets and reformers, the nation had remained unfaithful. Jeremiah beseeched the people to repent but, as Ninian Smart comments, his call remained unanswered and, inevitably, the destruction of the land was assured.[6]
It was not until the Persian leader, Cyrus the Great, in 538 BC ordered the restoration of the Temple that the Judeans exiled in Babylonia were permitted back into Jerusalem. Ezra, their sage, reinstituted the teachings of the Torah and undertook the reformation of the people who had remained in Jerusalem. Temple worship was re-established along with fasting and the observance of Shabbat. Ezra's reforms in the fourth century BC brought in the Judeans from the other regions of the Diaspora, namely Babylonia and Egypt. This convergence saw a conglomeration of various interpretations of Hebrew traditions, all born out of the oral Torah handed down from the teachings of Moses. It is at this point that we begin to see the origins of Rabbinical Judaism.[7] Although Ezra is attributed with the re-establishment of the Temple at Jerusalem, the disintegration of the Northern Kingdom of Israel is held in contrast to the continuance of Hebrew tradition within the Southern Kingdom of Judea, which claimed descent from David. Hence, Cecil Roth concludes that the political and spiritual identity of the Northern Kingdom waned as the influence of the Kingdom of Judea took prominence in the character and national consciousness of the emerging New Israel.[8] However, whilst it might be argued that Judaism derives from the religion developed among the Hebrews of the Kingdom of Judea, we could equally contend that Judaism is located in the ancient traditions of the Semitic peoples existing as a nation in Judea (Palestine) from 6 BC to 1 CE. The contending historical interpretations present two definitions of Judaism; one based on religion, the other on race. In other words, in relation to historical constructions of Judaism there are two fundamental questions: who is a Jew? And, what is a Jew? – a dialectic that has been explored in an interesting and detailed discussion by Manfred Vogel.[9]
The implications of the dual definitions of Judaism are essential to understanding the national identity constructions of the modern State of Israel, particularly in relation to the question of its perceived Jewishness. For example, if Judaism is primarily a religion, then the validity of Israel's sovereignty and legitimacy rests on its religious scriptural edicts. That is, the where, why, when and how of Israel should be established according to the Biblical text.[10] If on the other hand, Judaism is defined racially, how then does the nation-state determine and define its national identity particularly in terms of citizenship, the inclusion and rights of indigenous, ethnic and religious others and their Human Rights? Some suggest that Judaism is a combination of both religion and race, firstly as a religion based on the teachings of the ancient prophets descending from Abraham and Moses. This is manifested through the Scripture and laws of one God by revelatory means of a Covenant, the adherence to which is fulfilled in Gods promise of land – The Kingdom. And, secondly, as a nation born out of the Semitic races principally emanating from ancient Judea or Palestine, who are historically linked to the revelatory Covenant and promise of God, hence, the formulation of people and land.[11] The connection of people and land is intrinsic to modern day Judaism and, perhaps more importantly, to the State of Israel's historical claim as a sovereign nation-state. However Gods promise of land, kingdom or state is conditional to the people's religious fidelity and adherence to their oath. In Hebrew these terms are known as Teshuvah (returning to righteousness) and Geulah (redemption through Zion, the Promised Land).[12]
It could be argued that the religion or race debate is both over-simplified and reductionist. The reality is that Judaism has been largely shaped by diasporic and exilic Jewish experiences that reflect the diverse civilisations and different cultures of historical settlements. The Hellenisation and Romanisation of the Jews are two classic examples.[13] However, whilst it is true that the diaspora has impacted on Judaism, resulting in a religious pluralism and diversity of doctrines based on central tenets and teachings, in recent times the assimilation disintegration of European Jews gave birth to political Zionism as a reassertion of Judaism. Theodore Herzl (1860-1904), the person accredited with the birth of the modern Zionist movement, conveyed his fears of Jewish assimilation and appealed to the national character of historical Judaism in order to redeem Jews 'from every degradation' as a community that he believed was 'too noble to make destruction desirable.'[14] The fact that Judaism could give rise to the birth of Zionism as a political expression outside of the realm of Messianic eschatology is perhaps further evidence of the diversity of Judaism. However, many Jewish scholars agree that Judaism is neither monolithic nor homogenous and Jacob Neusner's explanation of Judaisms is:
Judaic systems that explained the social order formed by Jews with an account of a coherent world-view, way of life, and theory of the Jews social entity or the Israel that they constituted.[15]
As a 'Judaism', political Zionism constructed its own particular Israel in the form of a modern secular nation-state. But then how Jewish is the state of Israel?
Zionism as Emancipation
The establishment of the Zionist movement took its inspirations from the malaise of the nineteenth-century European Jews and its desire for the creation of Zion (the land of Israel). The situation of European Jews in that period was that of polarisation. They were either socially segregated into ghettos where their somewhat introspective Talmudic observances detached them from their non-Jewish counterparts, or they were completely assimilated into the European way of life and disconnected from their own community, religion, and culture.[16] These responses were a reaction to the legacy of intolerance and oppression of the Jews that had existed for centuries, manifest in brutal pogroms occasionally incited by papal edicts.[17] David Vital asserts that emancipation from the status of European underclass and a desire to freely express Jewish beliefs and traditions, through the concept of a Jewish homeland, became possible as a result of the Enlightenment. He claims that the Enlightenment's draining away of the power of organised religion to uphold the traditional forms of authority made possible an assertion of Jewish national consciousness.[18]
Zionism as a religious expression has always been a part of the Messianic religious teachings of Judaism and Geulah represents salvation for the dispersed Jewish nation as an eschatological understanding of Deuteronomy, 30:1-5.[19] The advent of Geulah is generally believed to be preceded by the appearance of the Mashiach, or the Anointed One. The chronology of events, according to Hebrew tradition, teaches that Zion will be established only by the coming of the Mashiach, who will then gather the dispersed Israel and lead them into Zion.[20] However, the arrival of the Meshiach is conditional to Israel's Teshuvah, only then will Israel achieve Geulah Shelemah or 'complete redemption'.[21] Political Zionism, urged on by the rise of anti-Semitism and the problem of Jewish assimilation, wanted to make religious utopia a political and social reality. Herzl, the son of a Hungarian Rabbi, was a prolific mobiliser and proselytiser for the creation of a Jewish homeland, which he perceived as a solution to the Jewish question.[22] He was disturbed by the devastating effects of secularisation and assimilation on Judaism and the dispersed Jewish people. As a result, he saw political Zionism as an ideological alternative to Messianic emancipation.[23] Thus, the World Zionist Organisation that he and like-minded others established transformed their Jewish nationalism[24] in order to appeal to religious Jews holding Messianic beliefs. Ben Halpern claims this transformation was achieved, firstly, by actively assisting Jews from the Diaspora in turning to Israel; secondly, by not proposing any new Judaism or opposing any religious expressions; thirdly, the Zionists insisted on a rational solution to the problem of Jewish exile, presented as a re-affirmation of the religious eschatology that had largely been abandoned as a myth or disregarded by western Jews. Finally, they emphasized an equal regard for the Hebrew language and Jewish religious education as traditional forms of Jewish culture.[25]
Herzl's Zionists, however, were unable to convince all Jewish factions that a Jewish homeland through a secular state was a workable solution to their religio-ethnic and cultural problems. Despite some opposition, the first Zionist Congress was held in Basel in 1897 and was eventually able to enlist the help of many wealthy western Jews including the banker, Baron Edmund de Rothschild, whilst also evoking the sympathies of western politicians and leaders.[26] The organisation debated at length where the location of the new Jewish state would be: Uganda, Argentina, or Palestine. But Herzl had previously written that, 'Palestine is our unforgettable historic homeland'.[27] However, Palestine was then ruled by the Turks and the Sultan had already limited Jewish immigration into the region.[28] Herzl made an open bid to the Caliph by offering to bankroll the failing Ottoman Empire saying:
If His Majesty the Sultan were to give us Palestine, we could, in return, undertake the complete management of the finances of Turkey.[29]
The offer was swiftly and flatly declined. However, fortunes changed after the First World War, when Palestine came under the rule of the British government as a result of the Arabs (who were British Allies) revolting against their Turkish leaders. As anti-Semitism raged through Western Europe, the rise of National Socialism gave birth to Germany's Nazi Party, eventually leading to the formation of a fascist state. The diabolical rise of Nazism witnessed the most atrocious acts of genocide and the Jews received the brunt of Hitler's ethnic cleansing of Europe. A Nazi holocaust ensued whilst Europe waged war. Alexander contends that the massacre of millions of European Jews was another demonstration of the urgency of solving the problem of its homelessness by re-establishing in Eretz Israel the Jewish state.[30]
Jewish immigration into Palestine increased and civil unrest between the new settlers and the indigenous Arabs escalated as the Zionists continued their political lobbying for a Jewish homeland. By 1937, a form of partition was enforced by the governing British, effectively a precursor to the Jewish state, splitting the two Semitic communities (Jews and Arabs) by creating two satellite states.[31] This mandate was preceded by the Balfour Declaration of November 1917, which called upon the British government to recognise the Trans-Jordan (land west of the River Jordan) as a national home for the Jewish people.[32] In November 1947, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine and on the 15th May 1948, the State of Israel was declared.[33] Political Zionism had superseded the aspirations of centuries of Jewish dispersion and, although the Messiah had not come, for many the Messianic era had begun and the Jews finally had their state.
Israel: between Secularism and Judaism
It would appear that Herzl's vision of a model state was as much inspired by the class struggle of revolutionary Russian peasants as by the aspirations of dispersed and assimilated Western Jews. The spread of socialism ran parallel to the emergence of Zionism in the nineteenth century and many Jews were not only influenced by socialism, but were actively engaged in the Socialist Revolution. Although Herzl's political ideas were mild, progressive and largely based on state and democratic socialism,[34] Vital asserts that convergence of these two ideologies did occur and the needs of the Zionists were sympathetic to the all-Russian revolutionary struggle.[35] Although ideologically it may be argued that Herzl's dream for a Jewish homeland relied less upon the tenets of Judaism than it did on the principles of Socialism, it is true that the state of Israel has provided an ideological and political identity for Jews globally. However, the secular socialist principles fall short of fulfilling Talmudic law as a complete way of life but Herzl had mused positively about the creation of a Jewish state inspired by the recent creation of the revolutionary Soviet State; he commented,
To create a new sovereign state is neither ridiculous nor impossible. We have seen it happen in our own day, among peoples who were not largely middle class as we are, but poorer, less educated, and hence weaker than ourselves.[36]
These secular influences perhaps shaped the laws of the State of Israel as identified in its Declaration (1948) which, whilst clearly defining Israel as a Jewish state, also states that:
It [Israel] will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the Prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the Charter of the Unites Nations.[37]
Orthodox Jews holding Messianic beliefs would perhaps be even less inclined to a kingdom without a king that not only recognized the beliefs of religious others but also the sanctity of those who preferred atheism. Reform Jews; however, appear to be more accepting of the secular Jewish state and Michael Prior asserts that whilst Jewish religious establishments were initially reticent in embracing Zionism, today it fully supports its achievements. He cites Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks as stating that 'Israel is the most powerful collective expression of Jewry and the most significant development in Jewish life since the Holocaust'.[38] Prior also points us to the contradiction of the idealism of Israel's egalitarianism, cited in its Declaration, and the actual reality in respect of its now displaced indigenous Palestinian people. Further, he sees the destruction of Arab villages and the continued disproportionate use of force through wars and military operations as state terrorism.[39]
Prior's criticism of Israel's failure to implement its Declaration of State Principles; egalitarianism based on basic human rights, highlights Israel's problems as a multicultural, multi-ethnic and religiously plural society. In addition to the existence of cosmopolitan and multi-diverse communities already indigenous to the region before the creation of Israel, the influx of Russian, American, western European, African, Middle Eastern and Indian Jews has added extra tension to the regions fragile ethno-religious balance. Each new migrant sub-group has brought a diversity of 'Judaisms' and the hope of creating a monolithic national Judaism from the converging traditions will perhaps depend on how Israel accommodates religious multiplicity in a modern secular setting. The first edict of the State of Israel's law is the principle of Oleh (immigration) as a right for every Jew. However, as a result of their exile experiences, the immigrant Jewish communities to Israel are either advantaged or disadvantaged by their relative cogency of secularism. As political Zionism was conceived in a Western secular setting, European Jews appear as the advantaged group in Israel. Western émigré Jews are generally thought to fit more readily into the states socio-political framework largely because the Judaic systems they developed in exile were a response to Europe and America's secular environment. The Sephardim or Oriental Jews as more traditional communities emanating from Arabia, Africa and Asia are less able to integrate.[40] This does not mean that other Judaisms are not entitled to claim Israel as theirs – rather they have yet to orientate themselves within the state. This is not an easy process, for example, hundreds of Yemeni Sanaa'ni Jews along with large numbers of Ethiopian Falasha Jews have returned to their original countries after their unsuccessful migration attempts.
Is Daniel a Brother?
In a strange circumstance that required the secular Israeli law to define a Jew in religious terms; the Law of Return (1950) came under scrutiny during the Brother Daniel case of 1962.[41] As a Jewish convert to Christianity, Brother Daniel applied for nationality under the Law of Return, raising the age-old debate of who is and what is a Jew. Brother Daniel was indeed a Jew by virtue of his matriarchal lineage in accordance with the Law of Return, Clause 4B, which states that, for the purposes of this law, a Jew means a person who was born of a Jewish mother.[42] However, because of Brother Daniels religious conversion his rights of return and citizenship were vetoed and consequently revoked by a judicial verdict. Brother Daniels case is interesting and offers a partial answer to our inquiry of the Jewishness of the State of Israel. If Israel is simply a modern secular state for Jews, then Brother Daniel would meet the criteria of Jewish by race or lineage. However, Clause 4B continues '…or has converted to Judaism and is not a member of another religion'.[43] Judge Silberg, the presiding judge in the case, revealed some interesting Talmudic evidence which from a religious perspective appears to support Brother Daniels claim to be Jewish. One Halakah edict reads,
For even though he has converted to another religion he, none the less remains a Jew, as it is written, Israel has sinned; though he has sinned, he remains a Jew. (Prisha, Commentary on Tur, ibid., note 22.)[44]
Judge Silberg, after carefully scrutinising rabbinical laws which included laws of marriage and divorce, had to make a clear distinction between Jewish religious law, which supported Brother Daniels claim to be a Jew, and secular law, which it was ruled denied his claim. Ironically, Jewish Rabbinical law ruled that Jewishness was by blood or race, rather than by religious profession, whereas the secular state law ruled in opposition to the claimant, instead defining Jewishness not by ethnic origin, but by religion. The implications of the 'Brother Daniel' case is that the question what is a Jew (vis-à-vis beliefs) is certainly not the same as who is a Jew (vis-à-vis lineage).[45]
Another point of contention in respect of Israel's Jewishness is the issue of its sovereign borders, particularly those agreed by the United Nations (UN) which excluded specific territories. The disputed territories were already within the borders of existing sovereign states before the creation of Israel. However, the designated UN borders do not correspond to the ancient Biblical descriptions of Israel. Although a detailed archeological discussion falls outside the parameters of this paper, we might still raise the question – how Jewish is today's state of Israel in the light of biblical geography?[46] The resulting wars with neighboring states had a profound effect on Jews living outside Israel, especially those who had perhaps never really identified themselves with the state of Israel. In particular, when the Six Day War in 1967 seemed to spell the destruction of the State of Israel by an allied-Arab force, American Jews, who had formed their own Judaic system unique to America's secular political framework, began to forge strong sympathetic and supportive links with Israel.[47] Before the war, young American Jews were strangely introspective and apparently disconnected from recent Jewish history. For example, the Holocaust and the creation of the state of Israel were events with which young Jews in America did not associate.
Nathan Glazer attributes the Six Day War with the re-awakening of the American Jews to the idea of the Land of Israel. Jewish American youth, whose views before the war were generally inclined towards socialism, realised that promoting such ideas was in fact counter-productive to the cause of Israel. Glazer further asserts that young Jews less influenced by the New Left were torn between their Jewish feelings and the hostility towards Israel by the communist bloc realising they were more Jewish than they had suspected.[48] The Jewish feeling soon transformed into mobilization, via support of Israel, anti-Soviet activities and demonstrations, and large numbers of Jewish American immigrations to Israel. A reaction of extremism was employed by some young Jews through militant organisations like the Jewish Defence League in which hijackings, bombings, and assassinations were used as terror tactics to counteract Soviet anti-Semitism.[49] Further, the wave of new immigrants into Israel from America saw a resurgence of the Kibbutz movement. This movement, seen by many as either religious fanaticism or extreme nationalism, has been responsible for the increased border tensions, working mostly in opposition to the Israeli state in its efforts to expand Jewish territories.[50] Thus, it would appear that whilst the secular Israeli Government upholds agreements on disputed borders with other states, many of its citizens believe that the state boundaries should be those of the biblical description. Genesis, 15:18, reads, Unto thy seed I have given this land, from the River of Egypt unto the great river, the River Euphrates. (The Bible also contains other descriptions of Israel in, Numbers, 34:2, and, Ezekiel, 47:15-20.)
As a result of their territorial activities, the ultra-religious, nationalist Kibbutzim believe themselves to be truer to biblical Israel than the state itself. Yet it would seem that their expansionist aspirations seriously undermine the peace and security of the State, which allowed them the opportunity to settle in the land of Israel in the first instance. We might therefore argue that for the Kibbutzim, the State of Israel is not Jewish enough. But, the fact that Judaism is neither monolithic nor homogenous has caused it to continuously manifest throughout history in many varied forms and this prompts some scholars of Judaism to speak of Judaisms which have responded to their particular socio-political environments. Therefore, at times Judaisms have retracted into microcosmic communities, cutting off from the outside world as a means of self-preservation. Conversely, they have interacted unconditionally whilst participating fully within the dominant culture and society. This, it seems, has been the historical experience of the Diaspora – ghetto or assimilation.
Before the creation of the Zionist state of Israel, for most Jewish theological expressions, emancipation only occurred with Teshuvah and Geulah via the Mashiach. The unifying eschatology of Judaism is inextricably linked to the land and when Jews speak of Israel they mean both people and land. Expulsion is the price of religious infidelity and impiety, Salvation and redemption takes the shape of the Mashiach. Years of exile for the Jewish people had led to mythologizing Israel – the land. As their diasporic experiences became increasingly dire, the hope of mythological Israel intensified and political Zionism eventually realized these aspirations. Europe did not want the Jews, the Jews did not want Europe and the Zionist movement demythologised Israel through an ideological construction in the form of a nation-state. But is this national Jewish homeland Jewish? If the premise of multiple forms of Judaism or Judaisms is accepted then Zionism, despite its politicization, can be described as a Judaism even though in its early conception of a Jewish state, it was not overtly Judaic. However, once the State of Israel materialized, most Jews made a spiritual, political or metaphysical link with it as the State of Israel declared itself a Jewish homeland for the Jewish people. By its own choosing the state connected itself to the ancient Jewish Prophets and established itself within the Biblical Jewish homeland. Do these symbolic claims then make the state of Israel Jewish? Perhaps the nearest answer to this question is: not entirely. This is because the essential element in the fulfillment of Israel as a Promised Land is the Mashiach. The raised religious consciousness and awareness of belonging to a Jewish nation from around the world is one of Israel's achievements. However, its major failing has been in the physical gathering of diaspora Jews into the Zionist entity of a nation state homeland. We could therefore argue that its disputed existence has actually been a major contribution to Judaism globally, but at what price? Finally, the problem of Israel's exclusivity in defining a Jew, highlighted in the case of Brother Daniel and its expulsion of large numbers of indigenous Palestinians from the land, gives us a negative view which reflects a policy of racism. Through such acts Israel seems to be saying a land only of the Jews, only for the Jews. If Israel is making ancient Biblical claims for itself in connection with Judaism, then how can we as non-Jews dictate whether it is or is not? This leaves us to conclude that the Zionist State of Israel is only one of many Judaisms.
Alexander, Philip S., Judaism-Textual Sources for the Study of Religion, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 1984.
Al-Kayyali, Abdul Wahab, Zionism, Imperialism and Racism, London, Crom Helm Ltd., 1979.
Halpern, Ben, The Idea of the Jewish State, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1961.
Isaac, Rael Jean, Israel Divided, London, The John Hopkins University Press, 1976.
Lewittes, Mendell, Religious Foundations of the Jewish State, New York, Ktav Publishing House, 1977.
Nuesner, Jacob, Judaism in Modern Times: An Introduction and Reader, Oxford, Blackwell Publishers, 1995.
Prior, Michael, The Bible and Colonialism, Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
Roth, Cecil, A History of the Jews, New York, Schoken Books, revised edition, 1989.
Smart, Ninian, The Worlds Religions, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1989.
Vital, David, The Origins of Zionism, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1975.
Vogel, Manfred H., A Quest for a Theology of Judaism, London, University Press Of America, 1987.
Waines, David, A Sentence in Exile, Illinois, Medina Press, 1977.
Weaver, Mary Jo, Introduction to Christianity, California, Wadsworth Publishing Co., second edition, 1991.
[1] Cited in Alexander, Judaism-Textual Sources for the Study of Religion, 1984, p.166.
[2] Ibid.
[3] See Roth, A history of the Jews, 1989, pp3-4.
[4] See Smart, The Worlds Religions, 1989, pp.208-209.
[5] Ibid., p.210.
[6] Ibid., p.211.
[7] Ibid., p.212.
[8] Roth, op. cit., p.36.
[9] Vogel, A Quest for a Theology of Judaism, 1987, pp.77-108.
[10] See, Lewittes, Religious Foundations of the Jewish State, 1977, pp.1-4.
[11] Ibid., p.20.
[12] Ibid., pp.1-4.
[13] See, Weaver, An Introduction to Christianity, 1991, pp.21-22.
[14] Alexander, Judaism-Textual Sources for the Study of Religion, 1984, p.158.
[15] Neusner, Judaism in Modern Times, 1995, p.2.
[16] Vital, The Origins of Zionism,1975, p.25.
[17] Ibid., p.24.
[18] Ibid., p.371.
[19] Lewittes, op. cit., pp.34-37.
[20] Ibid., pp.38-41.
[21] Ibid., p.3.
[22] Cited in, Alexander, op. cit., p.160.
[23] Halpern, The Idea of the Jewish State, 1961, p.15.
[24] Ibid., p.17.
[25] Ibid., p.17.
[26] Vital, op. cit., pp.321-331.
[1][27] Cited in, Alexander, op. cit., p.160.
[28] Vital, op. cit., p.319.
[29] Ibid., p.160.
[30] Italics are mine, Ibid., p.165.
[31] Waines, A Sentence in Exile, 1977, pp.71-84.
[32] Ibid., p.25.
[33] Alexander, op. cit., p.165.
[34] Vital, op. cit., p.316.
[35] Ibid., p.315.
[36] Ibid., p.159.
[37] Cited in, Alexander, op. cit., p.166.
[38]Cited in, Prior, The Bible and Colonisation, 1997, p.172.
[39] Ibid., pp.172-173.
[40] See Neusner, op. cit., pp.1-18.
[41] Alexander, op. cit., p.168.
[42] Cited in, ibid., p.167.
[43] Cited in, ibid., p.167.
[44] Cited in, ibid., p.169.
[45] See Kassim, in Kayyali, (ed.), Zionism, Imperialism and Racism, 1979, pp.109-117.
[46] For a detailed discussion of this subject, see Isaacs, op. cit., pp.20-44.
[47] See Neusner, op. cit., p.6.
[48] Glazer, in ibid., p.225.
[49] Ibid., p.226.
[50] See Isaac, op. cit., pp.153-157.


text:
Press Releases
About YM
YourMembership, established in 1998, empowers associations and constituent-based organizations worldwide to deliver more value to their users through association management and learning technology, as well as innovative non-dues revenue programs, including certification and online education, career centers and programmatic advertising. YourMembership's cloud-based association management and learning platform enables associations to effectively brand their organization, engage their audience, and streamline their administrative processes. YourMembership provides the most comprehensive suite of technology and non-dues solutions to more than 5,000 customers in 32 countries.
For more information visit yourmembership.com


text:
Donkey Bakery plans and animates birthday parties. You can relax and enjoy your own, your child's or friend's birthday. We take care of the food and the animation with cooking and/or baking classes and other fun animations. Food, drinks, and personalised aprons and hats provided!
This is a big moment, and we are pleased to be a part of it.
Fill the catering order form here!
Cooking Classes
Come and join our Donkey Bakery cooking classes and experience the art of food. It's delicious and educational. Food touches our hearts and souls and this is something we want to share! Have fun, cook, eat and enjoy the experience!
Fill the catering order form here!
Corporate Events
This includes working lunches, conferences, corporate retreats, team-building exercices, company picnics, employee recognition ceremonies etc. We'll help you turn your next company into a business success!
Fill the catering order form here!
Seasonal or holiday events such as Tet, Christmas, National days, Celebrations… We tailor our menus and displays to meet your venu, theme, audience and attendees.
Fill the catering order form here!
Social Events
Social events mark life's milestones, whether they are birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, Grand Openings, graduation or retirement parties… Les Donkey Bakery's catering services make your social event memorable with our delicious food, beautiful presentations and attentive, professional service at the venue of your choice.
Fill the catering order form here!
For this most special day of your life, Donkey Bakery's catering services will help make your wedding and reception extraordinary. We understand this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and we want everything to be perfect for you. For your wedding and reception, we provide you with a caterer and event planner you can rely on. We take care of everything, down to the smallest details, to make your wedding day stress-free.


text:
Tourism is the travelling of individual's from their native place of residence to another atmosphere for the intention of leisure or business with no remuneration producing activity for less than a repeated year. The tourism industry analysis consists of data of most sub-industries, which offers goods and services to people during their travels. More largely, travel and tourism impacts sectors like hospitality, transportation, and entertainment industries.
The tourism industry plays a crucial role in supporting economic growth and development. The expansion of tourism can offer opportunities and challenges for countries worldwide. Developing countries often aim to enlarge their travel research companies for economic growth, also to promote cultural values and heritage worldwide. Other advantages of tourism promotion can as well consist of development of infrastructure, social sectors, and education.Read More..


text:
The Philosophy Department at Carleton University is home to an active research community. Members of the department publish in various subdisciplines of philosophy, including philosophy of mind and language, theoretical and practical ethics, feminist philosophy, the history of philosophy, philosophy of science, aesthetics, and other areas. Over half of our permanent faculty members hold external research grants. In the last couple of years, department members have published books with Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Rowman and Littlefield, and MIT Press. Philosophy students at Carleton often have the opportunity to engage in advanced research, in collaboration with and under the mentorship of faculty members.
Many department members are involved in interdisciplinary and collaborative research; we have close working relationships with colleagues in Cognitive Science, English, the School for Studies in Art and Culture, the College of the Humanities, Sociology/Anthropology, and Political Science, among other units. The department is also home to Carleton University's Centre on Ethics and Values, an interdisciplinary research centre that takes advantage of Carleton's location in the national capital by fostering conversations about issues in ethics and public policy between academics and members of the public sector.


text:
Florence in Lauderdale County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
"Gooney Bird" Propeller
The C-47s operated in both the European and Pacific theaters of W.W. II as troop and cargo transports, and initiated the Berlin Airlift.
More than 10,000 of these aircraft were produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company for military service.
Location. 34° 48.721′ N, 87° 37.442′ W. Marker is in Florence, Alabama, in Lauderdale County. Marker is on Veterans Park Drive 0.3 miles east of South Cox Creek Parkway (Alabama Route 133), on the left when traveling east. This marker is located west of the Veterans Museum. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Florence AL 35630, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. W.W. II Anchor (a few steps from this marker); Don Leslie Michael (a few steps from this marker); Anti-Tank Gun (a few steps from this marker); 75mm Field Gun (a few steps from this marker); 16" Projectile The "Honest John" Rocket (a few steps from this marker); The Hawk Missile (a few steps from this marker); The Cobra Helicopter (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Florence.
Also see . . . Air America: Douglas C-47 Gonney Birds by Dr. Joe F. Leeker (pdf file). The C-47 was one of the aircraft Air America inherited from CAT times in March 59. They were immediately used in a number of theaters: One C-47 was operated on Taiwan for the NACC, a front for the CIA (B-809, later "6110"); up to two of them were based at Bangkok for use by USAID - including a plane for parachute training by the Royal Thai Border Police and one that ensured the Embassy run from Bangkok to Vientiane via Udorn. (Submitted on October 24, 2013, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Alabama, USA.)
Categories. • Air & Space • War, Cold • War, World II •
More. Search the internet for "Gooney Bird" Propeller.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on October 23, 2013, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 735 times since then and 55 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 23, 2013, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.


text:
Starting next week we will start looking at Fall/Winter soft goods for consignment on Monday's and Wednesday's until October 22nd. Following October 22nd we will begin looking at all Winter hard goods and go back to our normal consignment days of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Thanks for cooperating with us as we make the seasonal transition!
Team Headwall


text:
The anthem film from the new US Marines campaign.
From beginning to end, this project was all about authenticity. We wanted the final results to feel as real as the epic moments in history we were depicting. We spent a lot of time researching genuine, specific moments from history that personified Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment.
We strived to faithfully recreate the craft and material finishes of bronze sculpture work, and used lighting and cinematography to underpin the sense of realism.
As they were all frozen moments, we used focus, lighting and camera movement to lead the viewers eye through the shots.
The campaign was inspired by the awesome work of artist Kris Kuksi who JWT Atlanta commissioned to make two additional sculptures.
For a full list of credits, go here.


text:
Political Notebook
Convention marks epic battle for California's Republican delegates
It is now all but certain that California's June 7 primary will be Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's coronation – or the day it becomes clear that the GOP will head to its national convention in Cleveland this summer without a clear nominee.
The campaign for that election starts in earnest this weekend in Burlingame, where the Republican rank-and-file will gather for the state party's annual spring convention. It is expected to be an intense and high-energy gathering because it's been a long time since California has played a pivotal role in selecting a presidential nominee, and also because there will be plenty of political star power.
"This weekend's state GOP convention will be the best-attended and most-watched since Reagan ran for president – if that," said Republican political strategist Jon Fleischman, publisher of the FlashReport, a widely read conservative blog.
RELATED: Trump hits immigration hard in Southern California speech
RELATED: Violence follows Trump speech in SoCal; 20 arrested
All three Republican presidential hopefuls will attend. Trump is scheduled to speak at the Friday luncheon. Ohio Gov. John Kasich is the Friday dinner speaker, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is the speaker at lunch on Saturday. Carly Fiorina, Cruz's newly minted running mate, will speak Saturday night.
Burlingame is in the spotlight because of what's at stake June 7: Will delegate-rich California push Trump past the 1,237 delegates he needs to clinch the GOP's presidential nomination? Or will Cruz and Kasich be able to stop him?
RELATED: California Democrats are using "Trump Republicans" to insult opponents
Their audience will be the party faithful, the on-the-ground worker bees who are expected to do the heavy lifting of getting Republican voters to the polls.
"This is a high-value audience of people who are involved in the party and could help at the grass-roots level in the coming campaign," said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, a national look at federal races published by University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato. "Trump appears ready to rhetorically turn the page on the primary, while Cruz and Kasich clearly are not."
The rank-and-file matter because California awards 159 of its delegates by congressional district, winner-take-all. That means the candidate with the most votes in each of the state's 53 congressional districts will win three delegates in each district.
It will make California feel like 53 small election battles, and will require campaign organization and coordination. And whether the district is Tulare Republican Devin Nunes' heavily GOP 22nd District here in the central San Joaquin Valley, or Rep. Nancy Pelosi's heavily Democratic Bay Area district, the same three delegates go to the Republican with the most votes. Only registered Republicans can vote in the GOP primary.
An additional 10 delegates and the votes of the three California Republican National Committee members go to the winner statewide.
Der Manouel's campaign advice for Trump
Fresno businessman Michael Der Manouel Jr., who is supporting Trump, said the New York businessman's goal for the weekend should be clear – act like the GOP's presumptive nominee. The reason, Der Manouel said, is that many of the rank-and-file party soldiers who will be in attendance this weekend are Cruz supporters.
"His goal should be to focus on Hillary Clinton," said Der Manouel, who is a Trump delegate in the 22nd Congressional District. That means if Trump wins the 22nd District vote, Der Manouel will go to the national convention this summer to cast his nomination ballot for Trump.
Der Manouel also said he would advise Trump against attacking Kasich or, especially, Cruz, because he risks getting booed at a Republican convention. Then again, Der Manouel said, that might be Trump's strategy.
"The guy plays a game of chess like nobody," he said of Trump. "Maybe he wants to get booed by the establishment."
Tim Clark, Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin's campaign consultant and the person directing Trump's California campaign, said as soon as Trump finishes his Friday speech, the campaign will kick into high gear. He said it would be "like skiing a black-diamond run – fast and furious. And everybody's going to be hanging on."
Cruz supporters say he's already there, having set up a California campaign organization months ago.
The FlashReport's Fleischman, who is supporting Cruz, said California "will ultimately be a Trump-Cruz contest." Kasich will still be running, but will be irrelevant.
"When the polls close on June 7, only then will we know whether Sen. Ted Cruz will have stopped Trump – and set the stage for a convention showdown," Fleischman wrote in a column for the Breitbart News Network.
Democrats look to capitalize
Democrats, in the meantime, are wasting no time trying to capitalize on Trump's convention appearance – and once again tie him to his past controversial comments about Latinos.
On Thursday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee organized a conference call with House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra and three candidates in races that political pundits consider to be competitive. Emilio Huerta, one of two Democrats running in the 21st Congressional District, a heavily Latino district currently represented by Hanford Republican David Valadao, was on the call.
"It is unacceptable that David Valadao has pledged to support Donald Trump if Donald Trump is the nominee," Huerta said. He was referring to a local television interview when Valadao, then supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (who later dropped out of the race), said he would ultimately support whomever was the Republican Party's presidential nominee.
Trump polls poorly with Latinos, which means this will become a key talking point if he wins the GOP nomination.
Huerta must first get past the June primary, where fellow Democrat Daniel Parra of Fowler is also running, and only the top two finishers, regardless of political party, advance to the November general election.
The 21st District is considered competitive because Democrats hold a more than 15 percentage point voter registration advantage. Valadao, however, easily dispatched Democratic challengers in 2012 and 2014.
Valadao's campaign spokesman Cole Rojewski dismissed Huerta's comments.
"While our opponent continues to strategize with Bay Area liberals like Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Valadao will continue to work on creating jobs, fighting for water, and advocating for comprehensive immigration reform not only in English, but in Portuguese and Spanish as well," he said.
John Ellis: 559-441-6320, @johnellis24


text:
- This event has passed.
SHADOWS II: Natural Transformations
10 March
Through a series of short presentations from contemporary artists and scientists, this symposium will explore the relationship between traditional photography processes and natural transformations. This symposium considers how contemporary artists use natural materials and phenomena to create photographic images.
Keynote speaker Susan Derges will contribute to the conference digitally, sharing a number of her projects including "River Taw", which explores the relationship between photography, time and the directional flow of a river to the sea.
Keynote speaker Garry Fabian Miller will talk in conversation with Almudena Romero about his relationship to Dartmoor both as home and a place of discovery and meaning. A site where the daily exposure to light illuminates a mind from which pictures may then appear in a Dark Room.
Walter & Zoniel present their "Pro-Creation" series, which consists seven salt prints of the planets representing the seven Welsh days of the week. Salt is taken from sex cells of the artist bodies and applied to paper which is then combined with silver nitrate in the darkroom.
Nettie Edwards will share her project "Hortus Luscis", involving residencies at Lacock Museum of Photography and Painswick Rococo Garden, where she has created anthotype prints from plants and flowers found in the gardens.
William Arnold will present "Surburban Herbarium", a project which focuses on the idea of contemporary wilderness. This work consists of a camera-less photographic study derived from a psychogeographic botanical study of suburban Truro.
Oliver Raymond Barker will show a number of works, including his project "Natural Alchemy", which utilises the unique properties of plants, rocks, minerals and metals to create his artworks.
Corinne Silva will share her latest project "Rocks and Fortresses" , explaining how she collects soils from worldwide locations to use as a pigment. The resulting prints not only replicate exactly the colouring of the landscapes they depict, but are also materially part of them.
Shadows Convener and LAPC Co-Director Melanie King will then discuss her work "Celestography", a research project which involves direct interactions with celestial objects using photographic processes. Recent projects include photographic etchings made from meteorite fragments, and a series of photographic prints caused by the Sun, Moon and stars.
Artist Myka Baum will talk about her ongoing interest in involving nature itself in the image making process. Baum's processes have included the corrosion of film under compost, corrosion of prints in saltwater and planting crops into and through photographic prints. She is currently attempting to capture the movement of earthworms.
Free. All welcome. This is a very popular event so booking is essential.
This event is part of Moose on the Loose 2017 and is organised by London Alternative Photography Collective in partnership with UAL Photography and the Archive Research Centre (PARC).
Run Times
12:00 Introduction to the London Alternative Photography Collective, Natural Transformation Symposium and Moose on the Loose
12:15 Susan Derges Digital Contribution
13:00 Corinne Silva
13:20 Nettie Edwards
13:40 Break
14:00 Garry Fabian Miller and Almudena Romero, In Conversation
15:00 Break
15:20 Melanie King
15:40 Oliver Raymond Barker
16:00 Willam Arnold
16:20 Myka Baum
16:40 Walter and Zoniel
17:00 Summary by Martin Barnes
17:10 Questions
Opening Times
10 March 12-6pm
Lecture Theatre A
London College of Communication
London, SE1 6SB United Kingdom


text:
Menu for the Week of January 9, 2012Submitted by rlw on Sat, 01/07/2012 - 10:15
Brassicas: A Renewed ApproachSubmitted by rlw on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 11:33
January is often a time for re-evaluating in many shapes and forms, including one's diet. But by diet I don't mean depriving yourself, but rather eating what your body needs. As I've mentioned, two of my favorite quotes are:
When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use.
When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.
- Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb
Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.
- Hippocrates
Increasing your consumption of foods rich in organic sulfur can help keep the winter blahs as well as aches and pains away, or just plain starting 2012 feeling great!
Happy HolidaysSubmitted by rlw on Fri, 12/16/2011 - 09:34
It's a time of giving... and now a gift to myself and family, 2 weeks post-free. See you in the New Year! Hopefully during that time I'll be ableto add some of the FABULOUS photos taken by MagicBox Photography. Here are a few of my favorites. Wishing you peace, happiness, & good eats during the holidays!
- Login to post comments
Irresistible Peppermint BarkSubmitted by rlw on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 22:15
Yesterday Skoogie and I made Peppermint Bark. It has become one of our holiday favorites and makes a great teacher treat! This year, Skoogie not only counted out all the chocolate squares, she was a NATURAL at pounding the candy canes with our rubber mallet and then sprinkled the peppermint pieces on top... but best of all she loved sampling our teacher surprise!
Read on for the recipe with links to other GLUTEN-FREE HOLIDAY TREATS & COOKIES...
Indonesian Corn Fritters & TangramsSubmitted by rlw on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 11:00
Our latest Indonesian explorations involve tangrams. While not originally from Indonesia, tangram puzzles are popular among Indonesian kids. We have a wooden tangram that both kids are quite good at solving. So I thought it might be fun to try trying to mix up the pieces to make a fish, duck and bird.
Weekly Menu for December 12, 2011Submitted by rlw on Fri, 12/09/2011 - 22:27
Tis the Season - some additional simple and make-ahead meals.
The Gift Of An AppleSubmitted by rlw on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 10:49
It is so fun to watch the kids delight in holiday traditions. Skoogie found a tree she "loved" and was so excited to bring it home. Both kids started unpacking the ornaments before Pete and I were up. Holiday music is playing non-stop. But one of the most anticipated traditions at our house is the Giving Tree.
Menu for the Week of December 5, 2011 - REAL SIMPLESubmitted by rlw on Sat, 12/03/2011 - 14:40
Many of the recipes this week come from Real Simple… we all need a little more simplicity this time of year. The Swedish Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen for a quick re-heated meal. Speaking of busyness, I forgot to take a photo this week, so am sharing a photo of the cousins playing on the ice.
Sometimes the Best Turkey is the LeftoversSubmitted by rlw on Tue, 11/22/2011 - 22:23
Looking for a way to use your leftover turkey this week? Check out the following recipes...
Indonesian Chicken Satay with RICESubmitted by rlw on Mon, 11/21/2011 - 22:56
Continuing our Indonesian journey...


text:
Larger than life. That's what they were.
On the manicured lawn near an art museum, I noticed a very interesting work.
It portrayed gigantic pencils placed together at different points.
Writing implements are tools with which we communicate our thoughts to others, releasing what is in our minds to the world outside of ourselves.
Like pencils, our tongues can communicate our thoughts to others, releasing what is in our minds to the world outside of ourselves.
It is up to us if we communicate positive, uplifting thoughts or negative, destructive thoughts.
I'm not sure what idea the artist wanted to communicate with their giant pencil art.
I do know that the power of a pencil in someone's hand is far greater than what is conveyed by its size.
So it is with the tongue.
Though small, it has much power.
James 3:10 reads, "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."
We have the power to uplift and encourage.
We have the power to tear down and dishearten.
How will you use you words today?
How will I?


text:
Protecting Our Neighbors One Home at a Time!
West Houston Dryer Vent, LLC formally opened its doors May 2011 with the intention of becoming the best dryer vent technician service company in Houston and the surrounding communities. Having been a victim of what a clogged dryer vent can do to a home and be dealing with the difficulties of finding a reputable company to help presented the need for such a company.As first-time business owners, we did our homework during the business setup process. We had expectations of what we wanted when a services company came to our home but weren't sure if it was the same with other families. We created a survey and polled many homeowners' and families to determine what people wanted and expected from a service company. Our findings were in line with our expectations; people wanted honesty, … {The WHDV Difference...}
Home Safety There are many reasons to clean your dryer vents with home safety being the most important. Dryer fires are a leading cause of household fires and are on the increase. The main cause of these fires is the build-up of lint in the dryer … {..Read More}


text:
Product Information
Bananas and cream gone wild mixed with vanilla wafers!
Customer Reviews 5 (13 Reviews) Write a review of this product
Kong's Addiction
This is becoming my all time favorite.
Kongs addiction
This is one of my favorite blends of e-juice, highly recommended
yummy banana
super tasty banana with a kick of cream, could vape this all day, in fact I'm gonna.
Wasn't sure about buying this on but damn glad I did. Really well done mixture. Banana is tasty. Don't know what else to say other than wow!!
Cock a doodle Damn!!
After a few sucks off my baby beast tank I can see why Kong was addiction to this juice. Best belive I'll be ordering the biggest bootleg they have next time around.
sweet , creamy and smooth, the bananna flavor is pretty realistic. i havnt gotten anything from cloud 9 that i didnt like, but kongs addiction is my favoriate so far
RDA vs tank
My wife has an aspire sub ohm tank and this is her new adv she is in love. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because when I use it in an RDA all I get is overwhelming banana.
Best E-Juice in two years of vaping
The product speaks for itself. The quality is very high allowing me to change my coils less often than ever before. Price and service is great very quick delivery highly recommend this company.
Really like the flavor, and I find I don't need to change my filter as quickly as I do with other e-juice products.
I love this flavor will end up buying more


text:
Maybe I should take up smoking
Maybe even cigars
Think I should be leaving now
I don't know who you are
Have I a reason?
Am I a liar?
Am I poison?
Am I alive?
There, there - don't cry
And I feel fine
Choke and dissolve like a child
I don't mind
There are two drinks on the table
I trace the design
There are two eyes pleading
But they're not mine
Stiff resolution
To fight to survive
I maintain indifference
All in favour say "I"
You want it, you want it you try
And I see why
You need her, you love her you die
When she's not
Strapped to your side.
|Not rated
|Rate It: