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ERF held its 21st Annual Conference in Tunisia, March 20-22, 2015, under the main theme of 'Democracy and Economic Development.' Over 150 economists, policymakers and political scientists participated in the event.
The Economic Research Forum's (ERF) Annual Conference has become the premiere regional event for Middle East economists, where new ideas are born, nourished and promoted; where the community of researchers meets; and where excellence is celebrated. This year's conference was held in Tunisia, March 20-22, 2015, in collaboration with the Tunisian Economic Association. The main theme of the plenary sessions is "Democracy and Economic Development."
Besides the plenary sessions, which featured world renowned economists, political scientists and policy makers, there will be six parallel sessions daily. Parallel sessions saw the presentation of more than 40 papers under the themes of Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, International Economics, Finance, Labor and Human Development and Institutional Economics. In addition, there were two special sessions showcasing the work by ERF on the themes of "Transition in the Arab World" and "Inequality in the Arab World." As always, the closing session was devoted to celebrating the six winners of what has become a regional mark of excellence: The Best Paper Award.
Conference Theme
The choice of "Democracy and Economic Development" as the main theme of the conference is prompted by two observations: First, several countries in the region are engaged in a messy democratization process; Second, the causal relationship between democracy and economic development (and reverse causation) is anything but clear and conclusive.
To be sure, democracy is important in its own right. In addition, as former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once famously remarked, "… [It] is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." We also know that all rich and advanced countries are democracies. The problem is that the transition to democracy is associated with high levels of uncertainty, economic difficulties and rising popular demands. Failing to manage this transition can be costly and may jeopardize the transition process altogether. Beyond the transition, both theory and empirical evidence are inconclusive when it comes to the impact of democracy on economic growth and distribution, on the one hand, and the impact of growth and distribution on democracy, on the other. Moreover, democracy is not monolithic and has different faces (especially in terms of design and practice), and thus may have varying repercussions on policymaking and development. In this context, the objectives of the three plenary sessions of this conference are to address the debates surrounding the link between democracy and development, the possible impact of different forms of democracy on development and how to best navigate the transition towards democracy in the Arab world.
Plenary Session 1: The Relationship between Democracy and Development
To disentangle the relationship between democracy and economic development, the speakers in this session will adopt a medium to long term perspective, addressing such questions as: Do countries become democratic when their levels of income reach a certain level, or does democracy come about as a result of historical events or critical junctures? What is the role of inequality and class structure in bringing about more democratic societies? Viewed from the opposite perspective, what is the impact of democracy on development, and does it always deliver acceptable socio-economic outcomes? Are there economic and social circumstances, such as levels of development or conflicts, where a dictatorship may outperform a democratic regime? With respect to the Arab countries, the speakers could further address questions such as: Why did the region suffer from a "democratic deficit" for a long time? To what extent did oil, conflicts, political Islam, and colonialism contribute to this outcome? What prompted the recent uprisings? Why did they occur in some countries, but not in others? And how serious is the ensuing polarization for prospects of democracy?
Plenary Session 2: Forms of Democracy and Development
This session starts from the observation that democracy comes in many forms, apparently with different results in terms of economic growth, equity and overall welfare. The question is what makes one form of democracy more successful than another? To explore this question, the speakers will address such questions as: To what extent can the variations in economic outcomes be attributed to the way democratic institutions are designed and the manner in which they behave, especially in terms of checks and balances, transparency, accountability and broad political inclusion? Which features of democratic institutions are most relevant and critical for achieving positive developmental outcomes? Are there forms of democracy, such as presidential or parliamentary; features of electoral processes; and/or systems of political finance that are empirically found to be better than others? Turning to the Arab countries, what are the implications of the above for the Arab countries in transition? In particular, what should these countries do to create good democratic systems and what are the pitfalls they should avoid?
Plenary Session 3: Navigating the Transition to Democracy
Informed by the findings of the previous plenary sessions, this session will more broadly examine the experiences of countries that went through democratic transitions to draw lessons for the Arab countries currently navigating their own transitions. To this end, the speakers will address such questions as: Is there a pattern for successful political and economic transitions or is the process country specific? How long does it take to achieve political and economic stability and at what cost? What prevents countries in transition from sliding back into undemocratic governance? Finally, how were social mass movements transformed into a political power base for new regimes? In addition to the above questions, the speakers may also deal with the role of religion and the military in transition processes. Finally, they may speculate about what can be expected going forward.
Country-Specific Oil Supply Shocks and the Global Economy: A Counterfactual Analysis
This paper investigates the global macroeconomic consequences of country-specific oil-supply shocks. Our contribution is both theoretical and empirical. On the theoretical side, we develop a ... read more
Access to Finance: Mind the Gender Gap
Studies on financial inclusion have so far focused on assessing determinants to overall access to finance, but limited attention has been given to financial inclusion ... read more
Bank Market Power and Non-interest Income in Emerging Markets
This paper examines how market power in traditional intermediation affects Turkish banks' involvement in non-interest income generating activities, in particular, fee and commission income. The ... read more
How Did Wars Dampen Trade in the MENA Region?
The paper investigates the effects of wars on trade in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. As a region, MENA faces considerable risk ... read more
The Unfolding of Gender Gap in Education
The gender gap in education against females becomes smaller as the level of development increases and turns in their favor in developed countries. Through analysis ... read more
Modelling the Density of Egyptian Quarterly CPI Inflation
This paper aims at modelling the density of quarterly inflation based on time-varying conditional variance, skewness and kurtosis model developed by Leon, Rubio, and Serna ... read more
An Empirical Analysis of Demand for Mobile Services in Turkey
We investigate the factors influencing the demand for mobile voice services in Turkey using firm level data that spans from January 2009 to December 2013. ... read more
Does Income Growth Relocate Ecological Footprint?
The aim of this paper is to investigate whether countries tend to relocate their ecological footprint as they grow richer. The analysis is carried out ... read more
The Economic Determinants of Political Islam: An Empirical Investigation of the Arab Spring in Egypt
This paper empirically studies the voting outcomes of the first post-revolution presidential elections in Egypt. In light of the strong success of Islamist candidate Mohamed ... read more
Growing Without Changing: A Tale of Egypt's Weak Productivity Growth
This paper aims to identify the reasons why economic growth in Egypt, although comparable to its peers, failed to significantly reduce unemployment, lower poverty levels ... read more
A Multilevel Analysis of Individuals' Attitudes toward Welfare State Responsibilities
Making use of data from the European Social Survey (ESS), we investigate the determinants of individuals' attitudes towards welfare state policies in 29 European countries. ... read more
Inequality of Opportunity in Individuals' Wages and Households' Assets in Egypt
Inequality has often been cited as one of the leading sources of discontent in Egypt and one of the causes of the 2011 revolution. However, ... read more
Measurement of Total Factor Productivity and Its Determinants: Case of Wheat Sector in Tunisia
The main objectives of this study are to quantify the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) growth of the durum wheat sector in Tunisia and to identify ... read more
Are We Sure About the Effects of the Egyptian Uprisings? A SURE Approach
Four years after the historic uprising of the Egyptians in January 2011, we aim to understand whether the Egyptian revolution has had a different impact ... read more
Comprendre l'utilisation de la Recherche en Sciences Sociales Par les Organisations de la Société Civile: La Leçon Marocaine
The objective of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the factors explaining the use of social science research by the development NGOs. ... read more
Public Spending Efficiency, Governance, and Political and Economic Policies: Is there a Substantial Causal Relation? Evidence from Selected MENA Countries
In this paper, we first seek a robust methodology for the estimation of the relative public spending efficiency of eleven Middle East and North Africa ... read more
Financial Vulnerability and Export Dynamics
This study documents the implications of financial vulnerability for export diversification in developing economies. Financial crises, by increasing the incidence of sunk costs of entry ... read more
Do Telecom Restrictive Policies Matter for Telecom Performance? Evidence from MENA Countries
The past decade has witnessed a significant transformation in the trade and regulatory policies of the telecom sector across the MENA region. Many countries committed ... read more
The Determinants of Child Health Disparities in Jordan
The first few years of children's lives provide a crucial window for their human development. Malnutrition, as a form of faltering development in the early ... read more
Sectoral Shifts, Diversification, Regional Unemployment on the Eve of Revolution in Tunisia: A Sequential Spatial Panel Approach
This paper investigates how sectoral shifts and industry specialization patterns have influenced Tunisian labor market performance in the recent past years. Building on a sequential ... read more
Political Instability, Uncertainty, Democracy, and Economic Growth in Egypt
This paper aims to determine if there is a relationship between political instability, uncertainty, and political regime, on the one hand, and economic growth in ... read more
Arab Countries between Winter and Spring: Where Democracy Shock Goes Next!
This paper presents rigorous mechanisms to study how persistent democratic shocks in one country produce spillover effects and comprise a major determinant in dynamic growth ... read more
Tests De Séparabilité Dans Les Décisions Des Ménages Agricoles: Cas Du Maroc
The modeling and empirical analysis of the behavior of farming households, particularly in a context of imperfect markets, is important in development microeconomics. Whether the ... read more
Which Firms Create the Most Jobs in Developing Countries? Evidence from Tunisia
This paper examines private sector job creation in Tunisia over the period 1996-2010 using a unique database containing information on all registered private enterprises, including ... read more
Arab Spring Protests and Women's Labor Market Outcomes: Evidence from the Egyptian Revolution
We analyze the effects of the 2011 Egyptian protests on the relative labor market conditions of women using panel information from the Egypt Labor Market ... read more
Understanding Democratic Transition Using Self-Organizing Maps: A Special Focus on Arab Spring Countries
The aim of the paper is to identify, in the light of the Arab spring, the conditions favorable for democratic transition and to analyze the ... read more
Empowerment is a Community Affair: Community Level Determinants of Married Women's Empowerment in Egypt
This paper examines the contextual and community-level determinants of multidimensional women's empowerment in Egypt, while accounting for the usual individual and household level factors typically ... read more
Algeria–Mali Trade: The Normality of Informality
This paper estimates the volume of informal trade between Algeria and Mali and analyzes its determinants and mechanisms, using a multi-pronged methodology. First, we discuss ... read more
Political Connections and Tariff Evasion: Evidence from Tunisia
Are politically connected firms more likely to evade taxes? This paper presents evidence suggesting firms owned by President Ben Ali and his family were more ... read more
Assessing Fiscal Sustainability in Algeria: A Nonlinear Approach
The main objective of this study is to examine the sustainability of fiscal policy using a nonlinear model approach and a smooth transition autoregressive model ... read more
An Estimation of Tariff Pass-Through in Tunisia
In this paper we evaluate the extent to which changes in tariffs and in international prices are transmitted into consumer prices in Tunisia over the ... read more
Can Banks Lead the Economic Recovery of the Arab Spring?
We analyze the role of banks in Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Yemen, pre-and post-revolution, and find that the volume of credit they offered to ... read more
Competitive Real Exchange Rates Are Good for the Poor: Evidence from Egyptian Household Surveys
This paper develops a theoretical model that allows for assessing the poverty impact of the real exchange rate (RER), as an economy-wide relative price, in ... read more
Household and Contextual Indicators of Poverty in Tunisia: A Multilevel Analysis
This paper uses a multilevel logit model and a multilevel mixed linear model to simultaneously analyze the micro-level (household) and macro-level (governorate) factors that might ... read more
Technical Efficiency and Stability to Shocks: A Comparison between Islamic Banks and Conventional Banks in MENA Region
The banking industry market is shared by conventional and Islamic Banks in MENA. These latter banks have been expanding during the last decade. In an ... read more
Economic Features of the Arab Spring
This paper analyzes the economic factors that lie behind the upheavals commonly known as the 'Arab Spring,' and the economic policy opportunities that a genuine ... read more
ERF's 21st Annual Conference Nearing
This blog is written by Ahmed Goher, Economic Research Forum From 2010 ... read more
ERF 21st Annual Conference Kicks Off
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Disentangling the Complex Relationship between Democracy and Development: Part I
This blog post is written by Ahmed Goher (Economic Research Forum) Economic Research Forum (ERF) ... read more
Disentangling the Complex Relationship between Democracy and Development: Part II
This blog post is written by Ahmed Goher (Economic Research Forum) In an attempt to understand ... read more
Forms of Democracy and Development
This blog is written by Ahmed Goher (Economic Research Forum) The Economic Research Forum (ERF) ... read more
Navigating the Transitions to Democracy
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text:
|La Parka II
La Parka signing an autograph for a fan
|Birth name
|Jesus Alfonso Huerta Escoboza
|January 4, 1966
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
|Karis La Momia Jr. (son)
|Professional wrestling career
|Ring name(s)
|Bello Sexy
Karis la Momia
La Parka
La Parka Jr.
Santa Esmeralda
|Billed height
|1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)[1]
|Billed weight
|101 kg (223 lb)[1]
|Billed from
|Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico[1]
|Trained by
|America Salvaje
Jesus Alfonso Huerta Escoboza[2] (born January 4, 1966) is a Mexican luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler, better known as La Parka, who has worked for the Mexican professional wrestling promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) since the mid-1990s.
Escoboza is not the first wrestler to use the ring name "La Parka", Adolfo Tapia was the original La Parka but did not own the trademark or copyright on either the name or the character. In the late 1990s Escoboza was billed as La Parka Jr. and then in 2003 he became the "official" La Parka while Tapia was forced to stop using the name and instead became known as L.A. Park.[3]
- 1 Professional wrestling career
- 1.1 Early career (1987–1995)
- 1.2 Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (1995–present)
- 2 Other media
- 3 Personal life
- 4 Championships and accomplishments
- 5 Luchas de Apuestas record
- 6 Notes
- 7 References
- 8 External links
Professional wrestling career
Early career (1987–1995)
Escobedo made his debut in 1987, working as Bello Sexy.[4] After working as Bello Sexy for five years he changed his gimmick to Maligno (Spanish for "Evil"), which he used until 1995.[4] In this time period he also briefly worked as Crater and Santa Esmarela.[4]
Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (1995–present)
Karis la Momia (1995���1996)
In early 1995 Escobedo was once again repackaged as he joined Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) and became Karis la Momia ("Karis the Mummy") a Mummy gimmick named after the 1940s Mummy-film series Kharis.[4] He was the fourth wrestler to use the Karis la Momia name. On June 30, 1995 Karis la Momia made his first AAA major show appearance as he teamed with Espectro I, El Duende, Manaico and Halloween, losing to Los Power Raiders at Triplemania III-C.[5] On May 15, 1996 Karis won his first wrestling championship as he defeated Blue Demon Jr. for the Mexican National Cruiserweight Championship.[6] At Triplemania IV-A Karis, Arunyo and Killer defeated Blue Demon Jr., El Torero, and Máscara Sagrada Jr.[7] Over the summer of 1996 Karis worked a storyline feud, teaming with Los Payasos against Los Junior Atómicos (Máscara Sagrada Jr., Tinieblas Jr., Blue Demon Jr. and Halcón Dorado Jr.). The two teams met in a four on four match at Triplemania IV-B which Los Junior Atómicos won.[8] The storyline continued at Triplemania IV-C as the two teams faced off in a Steel cage match as the main event of the show.[9] The match saw Karis la Momia defeat Halcón Dorado Jr., forcing him to unmask. In November 1996 Karis la Momia was given a new gimmick and he was forced to vacate the Mexican National Cruiserweight Championship because of this.[6] He may have impersonated a new character named La Calaca (a variation of La Parka character with an inverted costume and a more diabolical mask) in a match fought in Arena Neza at the end of 1996. This gimmick was later given to a Monterrey rudo named El Sanguinario.
La Parka Jr. (1996–2003)
By late 1996 AAA regular La Parka began working more or less full-time for World Championship Wrestling, which meant that AAA lost one of its most popular performers. Since AAA owner Antonio Peña had created the character and owned the rights to them in Mexico he decided to create "La Parka Jr." as a way to capitalize on the popularity of La Parka, giving the part to the promising Escobedo.[3] La Parka. Jr. joined Los Junior Atómicos, replacing the very man he had unmasked, Halcón Dorado Jr. One of the early appearances of La Parka Jr. was at Guerra de Titanes 1997, where he teamed with Máscara Sagrada Jr., Venum and Cuervo in a loss to Los Vipers (Psicosis II, Histeria, Mosco de la Merced and Maniaco).[10] La Parka Jr. quickly became a part of the storyline between the Los Vipers group and a group of "AAA Loyalists", this storyline led to a match at Triplemania VI where he teamed with Latin Lover, Blue Demon Jr. and Máscara Sagráda defeating Los Vipers (Cibernético, Histeria, Maniaco and Psicosis II).[11] On April 4, 1999 Los Junior Atómicos (La Parka Jr. Perro Aguayo Jr., Blue Demon Jr. and Máscara Sagrada Jr.) defeated Los Vatos Locos (Charly Manson, May Flowers, Nygma and Picudo) to win the Mexican National Atómicos Championship.[12] The group held the title for five months, before losing it to rivals Los Vipers at Verano de Escandalo (1999).[13] On August 12, 1999 La Parka Jr. regained the Mexican National Cruiserweight Championship he was forced to give up when he changed gimmicks, defeating Kendo for the title.[6] La Parka Jr. has not lost the Cruiserweight title but it has not been actively defended or promoted since 2001. By 2000 Los Junior Atómicos disbanded, with most of the juniors leaving AAA.
On March 30, 2001 La Parka Jr. defeated Latin Lover, Abismo Negro and Heavy Metal to win the 2001 Rey de Reyes tournament, the first visible proof that La Parka Jr. was being positioned as one of the top tecnicos (Face or good guy) of AAA.[14] La Parka Jr. followed his Rey de Reyes success by forcing Abismo Negro to submit in their four on four encounter at Triplemania IX on May 26, 2001.[15] On November 11, 2001 La Parka and Máscara Sagrada teamed up to defeat El Texano and Pirata Morgan for the Mexican National Tag Team Championship.[16] The team held onto the titles until April 19, 2002 when Electroshock and Chessman took the titles from the.[16] La Parka Jr.'s climb up the card continued as he teamed with El Alebrije, Máscara Sagrada and Octagón to defeat Abismo Negro, Cibernético, the Monsther and Leatherface in the main event of Guerra de Titanes 2002.[17] On March 16, 2003 La Parka Jr. won the Rey de Reyes tournament, defeating Abismo Negro to claim his second Rey de Reyes.[18]
The new La Parka (2003–2009)
In early 2003 the original La Parka joined Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), AAA's main rival, as a result Antonio Peña took legal action against Adolfo Tapia, barring him from using the name "La Parka" or wear the signature "skeleton suit" in Mexico. After taking action against Tapia La Parka Jr. became known officially as just "La Parka".[3] On June 15, 2003 La Parka main evented his first Triplemanía as he teamed with Lizmark, Octagón and Super Caló, defeating Abismo Negro, Cibernético and The Headhunters in the main event of Triplemania XI.[19] Five days later La Parka teamed with Octagón to win the Mexican National Tag Team Championship from Electroshock and Chessman, a title the team holds to this day.[20]
The storyline between the AAA loyalists, led by La Parka, and Los Vipers, led by Cibernético came to a head on June 20, 2004 in the main event of Triplemania XII as La Parka defeated Cibernético in a Luchas de Apuesta, forcing Cibernético to unmask after the match in one of the biggest Triplemania events ever.[21] The feud between La Parka and Cibernético continued beyond the mask loss, including La Parka defeating Cibernético in a "Lights Out" match at Verano de Escandalo (2004).[22]
In late 2005 Konnan returned to AAA, bringing a contingent of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) wrestlers with him, forming La Legión Extranjera, the new top Rudo (Heel or bad guy) faction of AAA. The appearance of La Legión actually caused La Parka and Cibernético to form a temporary alliance, fighting La Legión in the main event of Guerra de Titanes 2004, defeating Konnan and Rikishi.[23] The Cibernético / La Parka alliance did not last long as Cibernético formed La Secta Cibernetica in early 2005, siding with Konnan's La Legión. On March 11, 2005 La Parka won his third Rey de Reyes, winning a seven-way elimination match over Latin Lover, Abismo Negro, Chessman, Jeff Jarrett, Konnan and Cibernético. With the victory La Parka became the only wrestler to ever win three Rey de Reyes tournaments.[24] La Parka's run as the top tecnico of AAA continued, main eventing Triplemania XIII alongside Latin Lover and Octagón, defeating Cibernético, Chessman and Fuerza Guerrera.[25] In early 2006 La Secta de Cibernetica brought in Muerta Cibernetica to strengthen the group, often replacing Cibernético because of various minor injuries. At the 2006 Rey de Reyes La Parka, Vampiro and Octagón represented AAA in a four way trios match against La Secta, Team TNA and Los Guapos for the Rey de Reyes trophy. While La Parka did not win he did help his teammate Vampiro win it.[26] At Triplemania XIV La Parka faced off against Muerta Cibernetica in a Luchas de Apuesta. In a move that mirrored Triplemania XII La Parka won, unmasking Muerta Cibernetica.[27] The Legión Extranjera storyline saw La Parka face off against TNA wrestlers such as Abyss, Jeff Jarrett, Elix Skipper and Hotstuff Hernandez.[28][29]
In late 2006 AAA owner Antonio Peña died, forcing various changes backstage including Joaquin Roldan taking over the booking duties. One of the things that Roldan changed in AAA was that La Parka was no longer booked as the lone top tecnico any more, focusing the main storyline more on Cibernético. On March 18, 2007 La Parka won his fourth and so far final Rey de Reyes tournament defeating Octagón, Abismo Negro, Rhino, Fuerza Guerrera and Latin Lover in the elimination match final.[30] At Triplemania XV the La Legión team of Ron Killings, Sabu, Head Hunter A and Rikishi Phatu defeated La Parka, El Zorro, Latin Lover and Animal.[31] Over the summer of 2007 La Parka injured his shoulder in a car accident, forcing him to work a lighter schedule and a less risky style.[32] At the 2007 Antonio Peña Memorial Show Kenzo Suzuki aggravated La Parka's injury by accident forcing him to take time off after the event.[32][33]
La Parka's shoulder injury kept him sidelined for extended periods in both 2007 and 2008, but he did participate in Triplemania XVI where he teamed with Chessman and Silver King, only to lose to La Legión, represented by Bobby Lashley, Electroshock and Kenzo Suzuki.[34] The storyline between La Legión and the AAA Loyalists led to a Steel cage elimination match between team AAA (La Parka, Latin Lover, Octagón and Super Fly) and La Legión Extranjera (Electroshock, Konnan, Kenzo Suzuki and Rellik). The storyline leading into the match was that the winning team would gain control of AAA as well as the urn that supposedly contained Antonio Peña's ashes as the symbol of that control. Konnan's team won on the night, taking control of the promotion.[35] In 2009 La Parka's angle with La Legión focused mainly on Silver King, Silver King had turned on La Parka during a match in early 2009 and joined La Legión, since then the two faced off in many intense matches, often with inconclusive results. The storyline has seen both of them ripping at each other's masks, hinting at a future Luchas de Apuestas match. At Triplemania XVII La Parka, El Hijo del Santo, Vampiro, Octagón and Jack Evans defeated La Legión (Silver King, Chessman, Electroshock, Kenzo Suzuki and Teddy Hart in a match where team AAA won back the storyline control of AAA.[36] At Verano de Escandalo (2009) La Parka was pinned by Silver King as La Parka, Marco Corleone and Octagón lost to Los Wagnermaniacos (Silver King, Electroshock and Último Gladiador).[37]
Feuding with L.A. Park (2010)
During the 2010 Rey de Reyes the original La Parka, L.A. Park, returned to AAA 13 years after he left on bad terms to work a storyline feud against the "impostor" La Parka. L.A. Park sided with Dorian Roldan in his feud with his father Joaquin Roldan (president of AAA) while La Parka sided with Joaquin.[38] During an AAA show on March 19, 2010 L.A. Park attacked La Parka once again and threw him through a table.[39] At a later show the two had another brawl, after which La Parka challenged L.A. Park to a match at Triplemania XVIII, under any stipulation the original Parka wanted.[40] During AAA's television taping on April 30, 2010 L.A. Park accepted La Parka's challenge for a match at Triplemania XVIII.[41] At an AAA press conference on May 12, 2010 it was announced that the match between the two would be for the rights to the name "La Parka".[42] The two signed the official contract for the match during a television taping on May 19, 2010. After signing the contract Dorian Roldan had the police arrest La Parka for piracy by impersonating La Parka. He was released just in time to run in during the semi-main event to attack L.A. Park.[43] At Triplemania XVIII L.A. Park faced La Parka in the main event of the show. Near the end of the match Park used a tombstone piledriver, a move that is illegal in Lucha Libre. Joaquin Roldan entered the ring, when L.A. Park attempted to use a steel chair on La Parka. When L.A. Park teased using the chair on Joaquin instead, Dorian entered the ring to protest, but was pushed down by Park, who then hit Joaquin with the chair, which caused Dorian to turn on him, hitting him with a steel chair three times. Halloween and Damián 666 from the Perros del Mal wrestling promotion run to the ring to chase Dorian Roldan away. Then they drag L.A. Park on top of La Parka before rudo referee Hijo del Tirantes counts for three to give L.A. Park the victory. After the bell rings the rest of Los Perros del Mal (including Park's son Hijo de L.A. Park) came to the ring to celebrate with L.A. Park, who had won the rights to the name "La Parka". After a couple of minutes a group of AAA wrestlers led by Octagón came to ringside and in combination with the arena security managed to remove Los Perros del Mal from the ring. La Parka was taken from the ring on a stretcher, not having moved since L.A. Park applied the piledriver. A bit later it was announced that the match results had been thrown out due to interference by Los Perros del Mal, but the following morning it was confirmed that Tapia had indeed won and would now be known as "La Parka" once again and that AAA's La Parka would have to change his name.[44][45] However, on June 10 AAA announced that it would respect Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission's decision to throw out the match and as a result both La Parka and L.A. Park would keep their names.[46] On July 4 La Parka defeated L.A. Park in a rematch.[47]
El Inframundo (2010–2011)
In October 2010, Parka's friend Cibernético turned on him and AAA, after feeling betrayed by them when they didn't trust his claim about not joining La Sociedad, and re-formed his old group Los Bizarros with Amadeus, Billy el Malo, Charly Manson, Escoria, Nygma and Taboo.[48][49] Parka and Cibernético then started a heated rivalry, during which it was implied that Cibernético had hospitalized Parka's three-year-old son.[50] In May 2011, Parka formed El Inframundo ("The Underworld") with Dark Cuervo, Dark Espíritu, Dark Ozz and Drago to battle Los Bizarros.[51] On June 18 at Triplemanía XIX, Parka, Ozz, Drago and Octagón were defeated by Cibernético, Billy el Malo, Charly Manson and Escoria, when Cibernético pinned Parka following a distraction from Taboo, who appeared at the top of the ramp with his son. After the match it was revealed that Taboo was in fact Parka's brother.[52][53] Parka would finally get his hands on Taboo on July 31 at Verano de Escándalo in an eight-man tag team match between the two groups, which El Inframundo lost, when Parka was disqualified for excessive violence on his brother.[54]
La Sociedad and feud with La Parka Negra (2011–2014)
On October 9, 2011, at Héroes Inmortales, Octagón shocked AAA by turning on the promotion by attacking Dr. Wagner Jr. after his match with El Hijo del Perro Aguayo. La Parka entered the ring to seemingly confront his longtime partner, but then also attacked Wagner along with Octagón, Aguayo, Konan Big and Silver King, joining La Sociedad.[55] At the first post-Héroes Inmortales television tapings on October 21, Parka blamed his turn on AAA for bringing back L.A. Park after his 15 years of loyal service, and the promotion's fans for choosing to root for both Park and Cibernético over him during his past two rivalries.[56] On December 1, Parka and Park put their past differences aside, when they teamed together for the first time, defeating Dr. Wagner Jr. and Electroshock in a tag team main event.[57] On March 18, 2012, at Rey de Reyes, La Parka, Dark Dragon and Tito Santana were defeated by Cibernético, Billy el Malo and Escoria in what was billed as the final chapter in the rivalry between Parka and Cibernético. After the match, Octagón turned on Parka, attacking him with Dragon and Santana, which led to Los Bizarros returning to the ring and chasing them away.[58] After initially trying to save his alliance with La Sociedad, La Parka officially turned tecnico and rejoined AAA on April 30.[59]
On August 5 at Triplemanía XX, La Parka teamed with Los Psycho Circus in an eight-man tag team match, where they defeated Octagón and El Consejo, with Parka pinning Octagón for the win. Afterwards, Octagón was attacked by El Consejo, which led to Parka making the save for his former partner.[60] On October 7, 2012, at Héroes Inmortales, La Parka and Octagón made peace with each other, officially ending the short-lived rivalry between the two.[61] On December 2 at Guerra de Titanes, La Sociedad debuted La Parka's new storyline nemesis, La Parka Negra. In the following match, La Parka, Octagón and Octagón Jr. defeated La Parka Negra, the also debuting Pentagón Jr. and Silver King.[62][63] On October 18, 2013, at Héroes Inmortales VII, La Parka won the 2013 Copa Antonio Peña.[64] On March 16, 2014, at Rey de Reyes, La Parka defeated Black Warrior, El Hijo del Perro Aguayo and El Zorro to win his fifth Rey de Reyes tournament.[65]
Impact Wrestling (2018)
La Parka appeared on the October 4, 2018 edition of Impact!, which was taped September 14 at the Frontón México Entertainment Center in Mexico City, answering Eli Drake's open challenge and subsequently picking up the count-out victory.[66][67]
Injury (2019)
During a Kaoz show on October 21, 2019 La Parka dove out of the right, ending up missing his opponent Rush and instead hit the steel barrier and concrete floor head first.[68] The impact was so severe that the paralyzed La Parka was immediately taken to Monterrey's OCA hospital. While in the hospital, he did start to regain feelings to his extremities.[68] Early the next morning he underwent surgery for his neck and cervical fractures as well as relieve pressure to parts of his upper body.[69][70] It was reported that not only did the injury threaten La Parka's career, but could have been fatal.[70] The following day a fake press release was circulated stating that La Parka had died, which was identified as false by AAA hours later.[71]
Other media
La Parka II has appeared in the video game Lucha Libre AAA: Héroes del Ring.
Personal life
In August 2019 La Parka introduced "Karis La Momia Jr."; presented as a son who decided to follow in La Parka's footsteps and become a professional wrestler.[72]
Championships and accomplishments
- DDT Pro-Wrestling
- Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide
- GPCW SUPER-X Monster Championship (1 time)[Note 1]
- Mexican National Atómicos Championship (1 time) – with Perro Aguayo Jr., Blue Demon Jr. and Mascara Sagrada Jr.[Note 2][12]
- Mexican National Cruiserweight Championship (2 times)[Note 2][6]
- Mexican National Tag Team Championship (2 times) with Máscara Sagrada (1) and Octagón (1)[Note 2][16][20]
- Copa Antonio Peña (2013)[64]
- Rey de Reyes (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014)[14][18][24][30][65]
- Copa Triplemanía XXV (2017) – with Argenis and Bengala
- International Wrestling Revolution Group
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Luchas de Apuestas record
|Winner (wager)
|Loser (wager)
|Karis la Momia (mask)
|Halcón Dorado Jr. (mask)
|Acapulco, Guerrero
|Triplemanía IV-C
|July 15, 1996
|[Note 3][9]
|La Parka Jr. (mask)
|The Panther (hair)
|Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
|Live event
|January 30, 2000
|La Parka Jr. (mask)
|Gigante Drako (mask)
|Mexico City
|Rey de Reyes
|February 5, 2000
|La Parka Jr. (mask)
|El Hijo del Espectro (mask)
|Tijuana, Baja California
|Live event
|April 20, 2001
|La Parka Jr. (mask)
|Akuma (mask)
|Tijuana, Baja California
|Live event
|August 10, 2001
|La Parka (mask)
|Cibernético (mask)
|Naucalpan, Mexico State
|Triplemanía XII
|June 20, 2004
|La Parka (mask)
|La Bestia (mask)
|Reynosa, Tamaulipas
|Live event
|August 31, 2004
|La Parka (mask)
|El Angel (hair)
|Reynosa, Tamaulipas
|Live event
|August 30, 2005
|La Parka (mask)
|Destroyer II (mask)
|Reynosa, Tamaulipas
|Live event
|October 25, 2005
|La Parka (mask)
|Muerte Cibernetica (mask)
|Naucalpan, Mexico State
|Triplemanía XIV
|June 18, 2006
- ^ a b c "Statistics for Professional wrestlers". PWI Presents: 2009 Wrestling Almanac and book of facts. Kappa Publications. pp. 64–77. 2009 Edition.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (October 31, 2011). "Oct. 31 Observer Newsletter: Rock returns to the ring, Viacom buys stake in Bellator details, Survivor Series recap, All Japan's last major show of the year, tons more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, CA: 14. ISSN 1083-9593.
La Parka (Jesus Escobedo) did his first interview since turning heel at the 10/21 TV taping in Xalapa, which drew 4,000 fans, which was close to full in the smaller arena.
- ^ a b c Madigan, Dan (2007). "La Parka". Mondo Lucha A Go-Go: the bizarre and honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperColins Publisher. pp. 120–124. ISBN 978-0-06-085583-3.
- ^ a b c d Acosta, Calos (October 21, 2019). "CAMPAL: ¿La Parka se retirará tras el accidente en Monterrey?". Super Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b c d Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Cruiserweight Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 403. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Guerra de Titanes". Box y Lucha Magazine (in Spanish). December 23, 1997. pp. 10–12. issue 2329.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
- ^ a b Royal Duncan and Gary Will (2000). "Mexico: National Atómicos Title". Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. p. 402. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Verano de Escandalo". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 26, 2009.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b c "2001: Los Campeones". Box y Lucha Magazine (in Spanish). January 13, 2002. pp. 15–17. issue 2540.
- ^ "Guerra de Titanes". Box y Lucha Magazine (in Spanish). November 26, 2002. pp. 10–12. issue 2586.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Rey de Reyes Tournament". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b "Número Especial – Lo mejor de la lucha libre mexicana durante el 2003". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). January 5, 2003. issue 40.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Verano de Escandalo". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ Israel, Manuel (December 19, 2004). "AAA Guerra de Titánes". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). issue 84.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Rey de Reyes Tournament". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Rey de Reyes Tournament". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Verano de Escandalo". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ Ocampo, Jorge (December 17, 2006). "Guerra de Titánes!". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). issue 188.
- ^ a b "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion Rey de Reyes Tournament". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ a b "Pro Wrestling Illustrated 500 – 2008: 249 La Parka". Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, United States: Sports and Entertainment publications LLC. August 2008. p. 102. October 2008.
- ^ "AAA Misc. Cards – Pena Memorial show 2007". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- ^ "Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion TripleMania". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved September 27, 2009.
- ^ Miguel, Jose (October 23, 2008). "Homenaje a Antonio Peña en Veracruz". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved September 1, 2009.
- ^ Arturo Rosas Plata (2009-06-14). "Triplemanía, la locura!". Ovaciones (in Spanish). Mexico, D.F.: Editorial Ovaciones, S. A. de C.V. pp. 21–22. Número 21617 Año LXII. Retrieved June 14, 2009.
- ^ "AAA Verano de Escándalo 2009 (Resultados 21 agosto) – Dr. Wagner Jr. retiene el Megacampeonato – Aparece Gron XXX – Roxxi se presenta con AAA". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). August 21, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
- ^ "Rey de Reyes, cobertura en vivo aqui" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. March 12, 2010. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
- ^ "Ya estamos en la Casa" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. March 19, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
- ^ "El licenciado Roldan ¡Atacado!" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. April 18, 2010. Retrieved April 19, 2010.
- ^ Ruiz Glez, Alex (May 1, 2010). "AAA En Querétaro (resultados 30 de abril) – "Las Parkas" se destrozan- Octagon Nuevo Wagnermaniaco – Debuta Daniels – Una lucha mas para Triplemania 18". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- ^ Ruiz Glez, Alex (May 12, 2010). "Lo destacado en la conferencia de prensa AAA, previo a Triplemania 18". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved May 13, 2010.
- ^ "La Parka y L.A. Park firman contrato..." (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. May 20, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ Marquina, Alva (June 6, 2010). "Triplemania 18 (Cobertura y resultados 6 junio 2010) – La Parka vs. L.A. Park – Electroshock vs. Dr. Wagner Jr. – Los Perros del Mal en AAA". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved June 6, 2010.
- ^ "Triplemania XVIII: Fiesta de Fiestas" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. June 7, 2010. Archived from the original on August 15, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ Ruiz Glez, Alex (June 11, 2010). "AAA acepta la decisión de la comisión de Lucha Libre del DF: La lucha de las Parkas queda anulada". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ^ Boutwell, Josh (July 9, 2010). "Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly". WrestleView. Archived from the original on July 11, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
- ^ Carrillo, Omar (November 1, 2010). "Se presentan Los Bizarros sin el Cibernético en "Horror en la Ciudad"". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved May 7, 2011.
- ^ Fuentes, Laura (November 3, 2010). "Cibernético hable sin tapujos". Revista Luchas 2000 (in Spanish). Retrieved May 7, 2011.
- ^ Boutwell, Josh (January 21, 2011). "Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly". WrestleView. Archived from the original on April 10, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
- ^ "Nace El Inframundo". Récord (in Spanish). May 6, 2011. Archived from the original on May 9, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
- ^ Cano Vela, Eduardo (June 17, 2011). "Triplemania XIX (Cobertura y resultados 18 de Junio de 2011) – LA Park vs El Mesias Mascara vs Cabellera, TNA invade Triple A". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2011.
- ^ "¡Es mi tío!" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. June 20, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
- ^ "X-Fly fue rapado en Verano de Escándalo". Récord (in Spanish). July 31, 2011. Archived from the original on June 15, 2012. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
- ^ "Héroes Inmortales con hechos inimaginables" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. October 10, 2011. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
- ^ "La Parka deja claras su postura y su rudeza" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. October 22, 2011. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
- ^ Mexicool, Rey (December 2, 2011). "AAA (Resultados 1ro. de dic.): Cibernético y Jack Evans masacrados – Triunfan Las Parkas". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved December 2, 2011.
- ^ Cano Vela, Eduardo (March 18, 2012). "AAA Rey de Reyes (Cobetura y Resultados 18 de marzo de 2012) – ¿Quien ganara el torneo Rey de Reyes 2012?". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved March 18, 2012.
- ^ "Las Parkas, el AS bajo la manga del Lic. Roldán" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2012.
- ^ Cano Vela, Eduardo (August 5, 2012). "Triplemania XX "El día ha llegado" (Cobertura y resultados 5 de agosto de 2012) – Máscara vs máscara: Dr. Wagner vs Máscara Año 2000 Jr. – ¡Kurt Angle en México!". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved August 5, 2012.
- ^ "El Nacimiento de Octagón Jr" (in Spanish). Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
- ^ Mexicool, Rey (December 2, 2012). "La Parka Negra y Pentagón Jr. llegan a Guerra de Titanes 2012". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ "Guerra de Titanes, Minuto a Minuto ¡En Vivo!". Medio Tiempo (in Spanish). December 2, 2012. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ a b Mexicool, Rey (October 18, 2013). "La Parka... ¡ganador de la Copa Antonio Peña 2013! – @Parka_AAA @hijodelfantasma #HéroesInmortales". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2013.
- ^ a b "La Parka, Rey de Reyes 2014". Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (in Spanish). Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- ^ Killam, Mike (2018-09-14). "Major Name Makes Impact Wrestling Debut at Mexico City TV Tapings *SPOILERS*". Retrieved 2018-10-30.
- ^ Csonka, Larry (2018-10-04). "Csonka's Impact Wrestling Review 10.04.18". Retrieved 2018-10-30.
- ^ a b "Operan de emergencia a La Parka por espeluznante golpe en lucha contra Rush". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "Actualizacionn sobre el estadio de salud de La Parka". Furia de Titanes (in Spanish). October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ a b Dark Angelita (October 21, 2019). "Hospitalizan a La Parka tras impacto en la cabeza". Super Luchas (in Spanish). Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (October 22, 2019). "Segundo comunicado oficial: Información confirmada sobre el estado de salud de La Parka" (in Spanish). Twitter. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
- ^ "La Parka presentó a su hijo: Karis La Momia Jr". Súper Luchas (in Spanish). August 28, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
- ^ Redaccion (July 9, 2012). "Se lleva AAA la Guerra de Empresas sobre IWRG". MedioTiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- ^ "Guerra de Empresas (Resultados 08/Jul/12): AAA triunfa en Naucalpan". SuperLuchas (in Spanish). July 9, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
- ^ "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2007". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
- ^ "SLAM! Wrestling International -- 2000: The Year-In-Review Mexico". Slam Wrestling!. Canoe.ca. Retrieved July 31, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "Enciclopedia de las Mascaras". La Parka Jr. (in Spanish). Mexico City, Mexico. October 2007. p. 48. Tomo III.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nuclear plants have long generated nearly a quarter of Germany's electricity. But after the tsunami and earthquake that sent radiation spewing from Fukushima, half a world away, the government disconnected the 8 oldest of Germany's 17 reactors — including the two in this drab factory town — within days. Three months later, with a new plan to power the country without
As a result, electricity producers are scrambling to ensure an adequate supply. Customers and companies are nervous about whether their lights and assembly lines will stay up and running this winter. Economists and politicians argue over how much prices will rise.
"It's easy to say, 'Let's just go for renewables,' and I'm quite sure we can someday do without nuclear, but this is too abrupt," said Joachim Knebel, chief scientist at Germany's prestigious Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. He characterized the government's shutdown decision as "emotional" and pointed out that on most days, Germany has survived this experiment only by importing electricity from neighboring
Then there are real concerns that the plan will jettison efforts to rein in manmade
The world is watching Germany's extreme energy makeover, as politicians from New York to Rome have floated their own plans to shut or shelve reactors.
The International Energy Agency, generally a fan of Germany's green-leaning energy policy, has been critical. Laszlo Varro, head of the agency's gas, coal and power markets division, called the plan "very, very ambitious, though it is not impossible, since Germany is rich and technically sophisticated."
Even if Germany succeeds in producing the electricity it needs, "the nuclear moratorium is very bad news in terms of climate policy," Mr. Varro said. "We are not far from losing that battle, and losing nuclear makes that unnecessarily difficult."
The government counters that it is prepared to make huge
But Jürgen Grossmann, chief executive of the German energy giant RWE, which owns two closed reactors here in Biblis, about 40 miles south of
The Nuclear Equation
Germany's planners believed they could forgo nuclear energy in large part because of the country's remarkable progress in renewable energy, which now accounts for 17 percent of its electricity output, a number the government estimates will double in 10 years. On days when the offshore
Germany has "exceeded everyone's expectations on renewable power," said Mr. Varro, showing that it could be cost effective and reliable.
Until it closed the reactors, Germany was
With a total of 133 gigawatts of installed generating capacity in place at the start of this year, "there was really a huge amount of space to shut off nuclear plants,"
To be prudent, the plan calls for the creation of 23 gigawatts of gas- and coal-powered plants by
New coal and gas plants will use the cleanest technology available and should not aggravate climate change, government officials said, because they will operate within the European carbon-trading system in which plants that exceed the allowed emissions cap have to buy carbon credits from companies whose activities are environmentally beneficial, thus evening out the environmental ledger.
Electricity prices are expected to rise by 35 to 40 euros ($50 to $60) per household each year, or less than 5 percent, the government estimates. Though nuclear energy generally costs less than newer options, German law has long stipulated that renewable energy must be purchased first even if it is costlier.
But skeptics consider government assumptions overly optimistic. Stefan Martus, the mayor of Philippsburg, says he believes energy costs could rise more dramatically than government estimates; the price of permits to offset dirty power plants is highly unpredictable and variable, like the value of
Energy agency officials also question predictions that electricity use will decline an additional 10 percent over the next decade given the projected expansion of electric growth of the German economy. The average German family already uses only about half the electricity of its American equivalent.
"Yes, there is German angst about nuclear power," said Hildegard Cornelius-Gaus, the mayor of Biblis. "But if you phrased the question, 'Would you want to phase out nuclear energy if it cost massively more and you risk blackouts?' the answer would be very different."
An Ambivalent History
Even before Fukushima, nuclear energy's days in Germany were numbered. Biblis had been the site of giant national antinuclear demonstrations, and Germany was already enacting a plan for slowly phasing out nuclear energy by 2023. The country had become the world leader in wind power and a master at squeezing more energy efficiency out of appliances and homes, having built tens of thousands of self-heating "passive houses."
Still, Chancellor
Fukushima changed everything.
Both towns will lose hundreds of jobs and millions in
German energy companies say they have been handed a national energy template that looks good on paper but is technically challenging. Although the country's production of energy is bounteous, they say it is not always available where and when it is needed. Northern Germany has offshore wind and coal deposits, but southern Germany — a manufacturing epicenter that is home to Mercedes,
"Now, with the nuclear shut down, we have a very difficult task," said Joachim Vanzetta, head of transmission system operations at Amprion, the largest of the country's four grid operators.
Amprion had already started working toward a renewable future with no nuclear power, planning for 500 miles of new transmission lines to bring electricity from north to south that would cost $4.3 billion and take 10 to 15 years to build. At most, 40 miles of lines have been completed.
The country has also been pouring money into biomass plants and solar installations — millions of panels now sit on German roofs and fields. Despite recent technological improvements, solar electricity is still far more expensive to generate than wind, gas or nuclear power. And output can be highly seasonal.
Germany's hope that gas and coal plants will temporarily replace some of the lost nuclear generation may be hard to fulfill — power companies remain lukewarm about building them especially given the German policy of buying "clean" energy first. "Few operators will be willing to build a power plant in a form that may ultimately only run a couple of hundred hours a year," Mr. Grossman of RWE said.
This winter, Amprion predicts its grid will have 84,000 megawatts of electricity at its disposal, to provide 81,000 megawatts needed for consumption — an uncomfortably slim margin of safety, Mr. Vanzetta said. In prior years, electricity was readily available for purchase on the European grid if the price was right. But exported German power is what helped keep France glowing in winter.
"At the moment, we have a stressed system, but it's under control," Mr. Vanzetta said. "If we have days with no wind and no solar and can't buy energy from abroad, then there is the risk of blackouts."
An article on Aug. 30 about the energy challenges facing Germany as it moves toward shutting down all of its nuclear plants described the nation's peak electricity demand incorrectly. It averages 80 gigawatts, an instantaneous measure of power — not 80 gigawatts per day.


text:
[SPLUS Notice] Kim Hyung Jun 3rd anniversary debut solo concert information
Source: http://hyungjun.spluscompany.co.kr/board/board.asp?id=notice&mode=view&no=127
English trans: @SakuraDream501
Lifted from: http://ss501-news.blogspot.sg/2013/12/splus-notice-kim-hyung-jun-3rd.html
Kim Hyung Jun 3rd anniversary debut solo concert
- He, his story -
[Concert Profile]
Hello. This is Splus entertainment.
Kim Hyung Jun 3rd anniversary debut solo concert - He, his story - ticket opening guide.
Many people who looking forward to wait for Kim Hyung Jun solo concert
will be held in Seoul on February 2014.
In 2014, he starting to
browse to you with "Kim Hyung Jun, He, his story'
We want to tell you is Kim Hyung Jun have a special present on February 2014
1. New song release
-Kim Hyung Jun, the first line to emotional genre & sexy and this scenes never shows
2. Direct involvement in directing the stage
- Kim Hyung Jun is directing the Director Special decorate the stage
3. He, his story
- Talk about 'Love' emotionally unreeling 'Storytelling Concert '
[Concert summary]
Concert name: Kim Hyung Jun 3rd anniversary debut solo concert - He, his story
Cast: Kim Hyung Jun
Date: 2014.2.8 (Sat) PM 07:00
Venue: Yonsei University Auditorium
Tickets: VIP seats 77,000 won / R seat 66,000 won / S seat 55,000won
Viewer: Over 12 years old
Sponsored by: SPLUS Entertainment
[Booking Information]
Ticket opening: 2013.12.30 (Mon) PM 08:00
Advance tickets: Auction (www.auction.co.kr)
* Tickets and seating inquiries related please check through the auction.


text:
The Wizard of Oz, by
Over the top production
Sunday, July 1, 2007
This production was an incredible undertaking by the owner and his sacrifice to make sure it delivers shows in the reviews. It is great to see your appreciation for hard work, experience and professionalism.
My daughter is a Munchkin so I have seen the production 3 times - once each weekend. It gets better and better each weekend. The sound Saturday afternoon was dead on for almost the entire show - great job!!
To address one question about the costume changes for the "Ozians" - there are 9 costume changes! It is accomplished by having many dedicated volunteers making all of the costumes - most by hand - and by being back stage for EVERY production to help. Hats off to these people. They are doing a thankless job and I commend them for it.
There is one weekend left - come out and see the best show in Atlanta community theater.


text:
What does "Please Call Me" mean for your organisation? The "Please Call Me" case (Makate v Vodacom) brought the issue of who owns employee-created intellectual property sharply to the fore. This 'David v Goliath' saga, which lead to a legal battle all the way to the Constitutional Court, highlighted a number of key issues:
- Do you own your employees' ideas especially those that could become commercially successful?
- If you don't, are you still able to commercialise them?
- What are your policies around ownership, protection and commercialization of your intellectual property?
- Who is responsible for innovation in your business and does it matter?
- What processes do you have to encourage and incentivize 'bottom-up' idea creation from anywhere within your business? And are your employees' aware of these processes?
How can we help?
- Conduct an intellectual property audit to understand what your intellectual property assets are
- Review and advise on your employment and intellectual property assignment agreements
- Review and advise on your policies regarding ownership and commercialization of your business' intellectual property
- Advise on and draft appropriate clauses to your employment and commercialization agreements with your employees
- Advise on policies and processes to put in place to ensure identification and disclosure of ideas from wherever within your organisation
- Provide training to your employees and senior management to raise awareness of these policies and processes
- Advise on appropriate employee incentive schemes to encourage the disclosure of ideas and to incentivize and retain innovative employees
If you are interested, please complete the form on the right or enquire now. We will contact you to find out more about your requirements and give you a quote.
Key take-aways from the "Please call me" decision
Can you commercialize your employees' ideas even if you do not own them?
Yes, provided you have an agreement with the employee whose idea you want to commercialize. In the Makate v Vodacom case the Constitutional Court found that Vodacom and Makate had entered into an agreement to develop a product incorporating the "Please call me" idea. The fact that the parties deferred their negotiations regarding the amount to be paid to Makate to a later date, did not mean they had not entered into a valid and binding agreement.
Would Vodacom have known of "Please call me" had Makate not stepped forward and disclosed the idea?
Unlikely. It was serendipitous that Makate decided to bring the idea to his mentor's attention and, then on the basis of his advice, to the Product Development Director's attention. He could quite easily have left Vodacom or agreed to one of Vodacom's competitors using his idea. To think that Vodacom could have, unknowingly, lost a very lucrative innovation and handed the revenue generated by "Please call me" amounting to billions of rands to a competitor is spine chilling.
It would appear from the facts of the case that Vodacom's employees (certainly those outside of the product development function) were not encouraged to, or aware that they could, bring their ideas to the Product Development Director or that they may have had an entitlement to some reasonable compensation depending on the financial success of any new product incorporating their idea.
What processes do you have in your organisation to incentivize employees to disclose and also to manage their expectations regarding the commercialization of their ideas for potentially lucrative new products or services?
Ideas for innovative products and services can come from anywhere in an organisation. Employees, in whatever capacity they are employed, can be and are reliable sources of new idea generation and these ideas, however fledgling, can, if nurtured and developed, as "Please call me" clearly demonstrates, become highly lucrative new product and service lines.
To ensure 'bottom-up' idea generation from all corners of a business, organisations should not only encourage and assign, as is often times the case, new product development to the 'R&D' function but should also promote a 'business-wide' idea generation and incentivisation policy which should incorporate a well-defined process aimed at receiving ideas and exploring their commercial viability, whatever and wherever the source of the idea.
Organisations should also refrain from adopting too "heavy-handed" an approach regarding ownership of new product ideas whether via incorporating onerous terms in their employees' employment contracts, or by refusing innovative employees, such as Makate, a fair and reasonable compensation for a commercially successful idea. Such an approach can and will only disincentive employees from sharing their ideas and may indeed lead to their leaving their employment to start their own business in competition with their former employer or, worse still, selling or licensing their ideas to a competitor. Employers keen to discover new sources of competitive advantage should look to balance the need for new idea generation and retention of innovative employees with the need to own and monopolise the commercialization of their intellectual property.


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Welcome to the Library guide for Youth Citizenship and Identity. Use this guide as a pathway to information to assist you in your studies and research.
Use the tabs at the top of the page to navigate the guide.
Sunday sneakers http://www.flickr.com/photos/retrokatz/12927157484 CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Discover the roots of social identity :This cluster will be of special interest if you want to explore what the social sciences, cultural studies, gender studies, and media and communication studies have to tell us about the lives of children and young people today.
The Giblin Eunson Library is located at 111 Barry Street (opposite University Square), Campus Map (Melway 2B C9, Building 105).
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Are You Ready?
We're so excited to lead you through a Goldsmith Experience here at the Den! Thank you for checking out what amazing hands-on workshops we have to offer. Before we get our creative sides going, please read our checklist below in full so you are ready to start this adventure:
All public Silver fabrication workshops are $199 per seat
Gold Workshops are $499
Private workshops start at $459
- 2+ seats registering together is eligible for a private experience!
You must be above the age of 18 to participate and have a government issued photo id (cannot accept health care)
- No materials are included – you decide how much you want to work with!
- Silver is available at $5 per gram – Gold is custom to you (let's talk)
Add-on projects start as a base cost of $25 for non-reusable's including solder, chemicals, gas and extra time for your instructors.
- No contact lenses allowed for safety reasons
- Good eye-sight close up is necessary, glasses are safe!
- Booked appointments only – no drop in's!
- If at any time your instructor feels you are a disturbance or liability to the workshop, you will be asked to leave. You are not entitled to a refund at that point. We are working with potentially dangerous tools when misused.
- Not arriving on-time for your consultation will result in rescheduling your class as you won't be prepared! Missing your class will result in a $30 per seat rescheduling fee to re-book.
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The Element of Fire
Day: September 18, 2011
Burning Bright – The Element of Fire
Burning Bright
The Element of Fire
The Element of Fire
The Akasha Connection
The Akasha Connection
Spirit Qualities
Spirit Qualities
Akashic Records
Akashic Records
The Elements
The Elements
The Elements – Fire
Cinnamon or Juniper incense
Passion, enthusiasm, desire , courage, force, lust, fertility , virility. Fire magick : to bring on the new and destroy the old
Season: Summer
Symbol: Sword, Candle ,Burner
Colors:Reds, Oranges, Golds.
Candle- Red
Stones- Banded agate, black agate, brown agate, red agate, amber, apache tear, asbestos, bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, quartz crystal, diamond, flint, garnet, hematite, red jasper, lava, obsidian, onyx, pipestone, rhodocrosite, ruby, sard, sardonyx, serpentine, spinel, sulfur, sunstone, tiger's eye, topaz, red tourmaline, watermelon tourmaline, zircon.
Fire stones are used for protection, defensive magic, physical strength, magical energy, courage, will power (such as dieting), and purification
Bonfire Magick:burning something for example a piece of paper with your spell or an image for banishing, destroying
Candle Magick: simple easy and effective form to obtain your desire
Sun Magick : using the sun to enhance power,new beginnings,strength,control
The Elements – Air
Gems,stones,crystals,symbo Frankincense incense
Thoughts, reason ,intellect, memory, knowledge,freedom,Visualization
Season: Spring
Symbol : Wand, Athame
Color : yello,gold,white
Stones- Aventurine, mottled jasper, mica, pumice, sphene.
Candle- white
Mirror Magick: good for looking within,scrying
The Elements – Earth
East/ or North
stability, strength, warmth ,comfort, animals, farming,harvest. Earth Magick uses herbs and flowers,burying objects, drawing images in the earth, planting trees or plants,working with nature. Good for grounding
Season : Winter
Colors : Browns, Blacks, Greens.
Symbol: Pentacle ,salt ,grain ,stone.
Candles- Green
Stones- Green agate, moss agate, alum, green calcite, cat's eye, chrysoprase, coal, emerald, brown jasper, green jasper, jet, kunzite, malachite, olivine, peridot, salt, stalagmite, black tourmaline, green tourmaline, turquoise.
Earth Stones related to this element are useful in promoting peace, grounding and centering of energies, fertility, money, business success, stability, gardening and agriculture.
The Elements – Water
Bowl of water
Emotions, feelings, intuition, insight,fertility, divination. Water Magick incorporates rivers,ponds,streams, the beach,sand, shells,seawater,mirrors. Intuition,scrying. Good for love spells.
Season: Autumn
Colors : Blue, Light Greys, Sea Greens ,White,silver.
Symbols: Chalice
Candle- Blue
Stones- Blue lace agate, amethyst, aquamarine, azurite, beryl, blue calcite, pink calcite, celestite, chalcedony, chrysocolla, coral, quartz crystal, geodes, holey stones, jade, lapis lazuli, moonstone mother-of-pearl, pearl, sapphire, selenite, sodalite, sugilite, blue tourmaline, green tourmaline, pink tourmaline.
Stones of this element are used in love rituals and for healing, compassion, reconciliation, friendship, purification, de-stressing, peace, sleep, dreams and psychism.
Elements Of Life
Elements Of Life
In the Goddess tradition, as in many other earth-based traditions, the elements that sustain life are sacred. The four elements of life – air, fire, water, and earth form a circle, with the fifthe element, spirit, as its center. Each of the first four elements of life represents one of the four directions. For us, air is the east, fire is the south, water is the west, and earth is the north. In your circles, you must work with the correspondences that feel right to you. The elements teach us about ourselves. Air, fire, water and earth represent our minds, our energy, our emotions, and our bodies. When we face a problem or a challenge, we can ask ourselves whether we've looked at it from the point of view of each element. What do we think? What energies do we notice? What feelings do we have? How are our bodies affected? What does our inner spirit tell us? The circle of the elements of life helps us to remember to consider the whole, not merely one part, of any question or decision.
When these four elements of life are present and in harmony, the fifthe element, spirit, or center, is created. Spirit is what we call conscience, character, intuition, or the small voice inside. In Goddess tradition, this is the place where aquired knowledge and our innate wisdom meet and are touched by the Goddess to form an inner spirit, a sense of direction that steers us away from harm and toward our life's purpose.
In the task of raising children in Goddess tradition, we find that just as the four eleemnts earth, air, fire, and water connect to make the sacred circle, these elements, when translated into human attributes, make the child a whole vibrant person. Our goal, as people who are rooted in the world view of the Goddess traditions, is to rais echildren who are empowered. Empowerment is that combination of self confidence, independent thought, intuition, and egagement with the world that enables us to live by our princicples and stand up for what we believe in. By creating an environment that empowers our children and ourselves, we strive to create a culture based on concern and compassion, rather than apathy and indifference.
In the following sections we discuss each of the five elements and their primary associated qualities as they relate to child rearing and self-development. We focus on realistic goals and common sense strategies that we can all draw from, regardless of our personal preferences on a number of issues.
All life on earth depends on the energy of the sun. Plants use that energy directly to live and grow. Animals must eat plants or other animals. But directly or indirectly, we are all sustained by the sun.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is brightest and hottest when it shines at high noon from the south. Therefore south is the direction we associate with fire.
Fire is also the element that warms our houses and cooks out food. the hearth fire is sacred in every earth-based tradtion, for fire is the living heart of the home. Before, television, people would gather before a fire to tell tales and sing songs during the long nights of winter, We still love to sing around a campfire or chant over a ritual fire in the center of our circles.
Fire is also dangerous. Like all thing of power, fire demands respect. A curtain wafting across a candle can burn down a home. The summers are dry where we live, and a careless match or stray spark can ignite a wildfire that may burn thousands of acres and hundreds of homes. Learning to knowfire means learning how to use fire safely and how to put a fire out. Fire reminds us that we are all responsible for each other's safety.
Fire is the symbol of human energy as well as the sun's energy. Health, strength, enthusiasm, and passion are qualities of fire. When we direct our energies, when we focus on a goal, we use our will, one of the powers we find in this eleement. Fire is connected to all forms of magic that direct energy, especially healing and protection.
The time of day connected to fire is, of course, high noon, just as the season is high summer. The colors of fire are red, orange, and bright golden yellow. The lion, because of its bright golden color and wild, dangerous power is often seen as a symbol of fire. So is the dragon, with its fiery breath. Legends tell us that salamanders could live in fire – but don't test the myth with any of the ones you may find!
Brigit, of course, is the Goddess of the sacred flame of poetry, healing and the forge. Pele is the Hawaiian Goddess of the volcano. Hestia is the Greek Goddess of the hearth. Lugh is the Celtic sun God. Wayland Smith is the ancient God of the forge. Set is the anceint Egyptian God of the hot desert sun. There are many more Gods and Goddesses of fire. On our altars, a candle flame brings the presence of fire to our rituals. The tool of fire in our tradition is the wand, which is used to direct energy, and wands are oftenmade of wood, which burns. You can make a wand of your own by cutting (with adult help if working with a wee one) a small branch from you favorite tree. Be sure to ask the tree's permission, and leave an offering.
Life began in water, in the currents of the primeval ocean, and living things need water to survive. Our bodies are mostly water, and our blood is similar to seawater in its chemistry. Water carries nutrients to all the cells of our bodies and cleanses our wastes. Clean, sweet water is sacred to all people who honor life.
Water moves in a great cycle around the globe. Rain falls on the earth, bringing life to plants, soaking the soil or collecting in streams and rivers that flow to the sea. The great tides and currents of the ocean sustain sea life from the tiny plankton tot he great whales, influencing the weather, wearing away the shore. Water evaporates from the surface of the waves, forming clouds that bring the rain, and so the cycle begins again.
The summers are very dry where I live, so the first rains of winter are especially sacred. Suddenly new life appears. Seeds sprout, and grasses begin to grow. Our winters are often very wet, and rain comes down for days and days. Dry streams spring to life and rivers widen their flow. In flood years, we see the imense power of water to break through obstacles and carry away anything that blocks its flow. In drought years, water becomes extremely precious to us, and we learn to guard every drop carefully.
Water also represents our feelings and emotions. After all, our feelings flow and change like wtaer. We can bathe eah other in love and appreciation, but we can also rage and storm like the ocean waves crashing against the shore. When we honor all our feelings, the ones we think of as positive and those we think of as negative, we can choose how to act so that our emotions feed life. When we know our anger, we can choose to act peacefully. When we admit our fear, we can choose to act with courage.
For us, water is in the west, the direction of the ocean and the rain. Its time of day os the gray twilight, and its season is autumn, when the rains return. The colors of water are blue, blue- green, and gray. All water animals ~ all fish and sea creatures, including dolphins, whales, and the wise salmon ~ are symbols of water.
Tiamat, the ancient Babylonian sea seropent goddess, was mother of all the Gods. Aphrodite, Greek Goddess of love, is also Goddess of the sea. Brigit carries the power of the holy well along with the sacred flame. Oshun is the Yoruba Goddess of the river and of love, art, and culture. Yemaya is the Mother Goddess of the ocean. Ba'al is the Canaanite God of storms and the returning rains of winter. Tlaloc is the Toltec God of rain. Mananan mac Lir is the Welsh God of the sea, while Poseidon is the Greek ocean God, whose horses are the wild waves.
On the altar, the symbol of water and traditional tool is the cup or chalice. Seashells, water-smoothed stones, and images of water creatures can also be used.
We have gone around the wheel of the elements and visited all four directions. Now we come to the center, the place of that mysterious fifth element we call "spirit," although we could just as well call it "mystery." The center is the place of change and transformation, and this element is not so much of a physical presence but the sense of connection that puts us in touch with the great powers of life and death. Spirit might also be called "relationship," as the center is the place where we connect with the Goddess and God, with our traditions, and with prayer, blessing, meditations, and personal practice. Another name for this section might be "core values," for here we contemplate ethics, right and wrong, and our responsibility to be healers, peacemakers, and protectors of the earth and her peoples.
Spirit is timeless. It corresponds to the whole cycle of the day and night, the whole wheel of the year, and the realm beyond time. Its color is clear ~ or the rainbow, which contains all colors. All the Goddesses and Gods can be considered as aspects of the center.
The traditional tool of the center is the cauldron, the magic soup pot that combines the earth/metal of the container, the fire below and the air to feed it, and the water within to bring about transformation. The drum, which holds the heartbeat of a circle and keeps a large group unified, is also a tool of center. Many symbols can be used on the alter to represent spirit. One of our favorites is a mirror, for our connection to the sacred must be found inside each one of us.
The Earth ~ Rocks, minerals, and the living soil beneath our feet. Plants draw energy from the sun, but they are nourished by the earth. Seeds are planted beneath the ground to begin their lives. The dead bodies of animals and plants are taken back to the soil to feed new life.
We think of earth as a solid thing, but soil is amazingly complex. A square foot of good garden soil is like an underground city full of space, caverns, crystalline arches, and mineral bridges, all teeming with life. Soil contains air, so that life within can breathe, and carries water to sustain billions of soil creatures and feed the roots of plants. When we truly understand the marvelous world below us, we can protect the soil from erosion by wind and water, and learn to help build new, rich soil where plants can grow. Gardening, tending trees and plants, and caring for animals are all ways to honor and protect the sacred earth.
The earth is the element that stands for our bodies. Our physical bodies are sacred, and we must take care of ourselves as we take care of the earth. All the food we eat, all the things we make and do and use, are part of this element. Because good soil is often dark, the color of the earth is black and its time is midnight. The green of living plants and growing things is also a good earth color. Its direction is north, the one quarter of the sky where in the Northern Hemisphere the sun never travels, and its season is winter, the time of darkness when seeds sleep beneath the ground. Plants, trees, and all land animals, especially big ones such as bulls and bears, are symbols of earth.
Gaia (GUY-yuh) is the ancient Greek Goddess whose name means "earth." Demeter was the Goddess of grain and agriculture. Eriu was the Irish Goddess who gave her name to the land itself. In many Native American stories, Corn Mother is the sacred being whose body feeds the people. Cernunnos is the Celtic Horned God, the God of animals. The Green Man in all his aspects is the God of plants and trees. Ogun is the Yoruba Lord of the forest. Robin Hood is an old English forest God. There are many, many more Goddesses and Gods of earth, of particular plants and animals, and of sacred places.
Symbols of earth for the altar can be stones, crystals, rocks, or living plants. Leaves, grain, fruits, flowers, and vegetables can also be used. The traditional tool of earth is the pentacle, a five- pointed star in a circle, often inscribed on a plate or made of metal. Its five points stand for the four elements, plus the fifth, spirit. They also stand for the five senses, for our five fingers and toes, and for the human body with legs apart and arms uplifted to invoke the Goddess. The circle around it stands for the wheel of life. For us, the pentacle is a symbol of wholeness and balance, and of the ancient mysteries of our tradition.
Every Moment of our lives, we must breathe in order to survive. Air carries sounds and scents, and its clarity allows light to pass through so that we can see. Air is invisible, except when other things move in response to its motion, when the wind makes branches dance and leaves fly, or bends the grasses down as it passes.
We share breath with all life. Like other re-blooded creatures, we breathe in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide,which is used by plants and trees to transform the pure energy of the sun into food for all living things. Plants and trees give off oxygen, which we breathe in, and so a balance is sustained. We honor air as the breath of the Goddess and the gift of our most ancient fellow living creatures.
In our tradition, we associate air with the east, the direction of dawn or sunrise. Because air is invisible, we identify it with the parts of ourselves that are important but cannot be seen: our mind, our vision, our thoughts, and our dreams. Air represents knowledge and understanding, which we gain by looking closely at what is around us. Air is connected with springtime, the dawn of the year. The animals of air are, of course, birds and all flying insects,such as dragonflies and butterflies. Air's colors are pale pinks, yellows, and whites.
Some of the Goddesses of air are Iris, the Greek Goddess of sunrise and the rainbow, and Oya, Yoruba Goddess of the whirlwind and sudden changes. Boreas is the Greek God of the wind; Hermes is the power of thought and communication. Elegba, th Yoruba trickster, translates human language into that of the Orishas, the great powers of the universe. All could be invoked for the gifts connected with air.
Symbols of air to place on your altar might be feathers, incense or other good-smelling things, fans, pinwheels, or kites. In our tradition the tool of air is the athame, the Witch's knife. It stands for thepower of the mind to seperate things, to say: "I am me and you are you and we are not the same." Clearly, a knife is an inappropriate tool for young children. Substitutes might be a pair of scissors or a pen (the pen is mightier than the sword).
|Authors Details: The Elements Of Life by Starhawk
The Element Of Earth/Planetary Combinations
The Element Of Earth/Planetary Combinations
Note: Regarding the colors—for the most part, these are ceremonial magickal associations. You can use these or find colors that you feel would work better.
Earth with Sun
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with will.
Associated colors: Blue/orange and gold
Earth With Moon
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with emotions.
Associated colors: Blue/silver with white/silver
Earth with Venus
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with socialization.
Associated colors: Blue with pink or green
Earth with Mars
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with action
Associated colors: Blue with red
Earth with Jupiter
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with expansion
Associated colors: Blue with violet
Earth with Saturn
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with building structure or working with authority; or speed and the strength to banish.
Associated colors: Blue with black
Earth with Uranus
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity in the face of change
Associated colors: Blue with light blue
Earth with Neptune
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with dreaming/visionary work
Associated colors: Blue with Aqua
Earth with Pluto
Resulting action: Stability/prosperity with radical change–to destroy to rebuild
Associated colors: Blue/silver and black.
Meditation of Earth
Meditation of Earth
The best way to get to know the energy pattern of an Element is to work with it and use meditation to "become" that Element. For this exercise you will need a bowl of dirt or sand and a seed of some kind. Trace one of the earth sigils on the floor with your finger and sit inside. Take three deep breaths. Put your hand in the dirt. Begin by rolling the sand or dirt around with your fingers. Let your mind drift on subjects that pertain to the earth–the planet, earth goddesses, the ideas of stability and abundance. When you are through, ask for wisdom from the earth, brush off your hands, give a gentle thank you to the element, the ground and center. Hold the seed in your hand and think of a wish that you would like to grow. Think of planting that wish in the ground and visualize the result, then physically plant the seed somewhere on your property. If you like, you can bag up the dirt or sand in the bowl and use it in a spell or ritual later on. Note: If you have used the invoking earth pentagram then you will need to finish by tracing the banishing earth pentagram.


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The internet is a vital part of keeping in touch with our loved ones. Without social media like Facebook and Twitter, we're almost at a loss for ways to keep in touch. Social media is a hub of networking, and many of us fail to venture very far from its limits. Sometimes, however, the internet can evade us, and we need to seek out those ancient forms of contact.
Mobile Phones:
It seems that the days of text messages and phone calls have been replaced by Facebook messaging and tweets. Sure, using the internet is a handy way to keep in touch while abroad, but it's important to keep the options open in case you get caught without service. In times of great need, you can always revert back to texts and phone calls. However, we've all heard horror stories about roaming charges, so it's no doubt that many people are wary to do this. Before packing up and leaving, have a look into using your mobile phone overseas. Research the roaming charges, or look into buying an international sim card. Even if you don't plan on using your phone, it's better to be on the safe side.
If you don't have access to a mobile phone, you can always use a payphone. It may be slightly expensive, but it's still a way of keeping in touch. Depending on the hotel you're staying in, you should be able to use their phones to call home. Have a look into the prices of international calls before embarking on your trip.
Letters and Postcards:
Amidst the craze of Snapchat and Instagram, yes, it is still possible to send a letter. As crazy as it may seem, it's as simple as writing it out and going to the post office – a universal way to keep in touch. If you're lost without internet, or even phone access, letters are the way to go. By doing this, you can include photos or gifts for your loved ones. It may not be quite as fast as uploading your pictures to Facebook, but it does the job just fine. Consider sending postcards from the different places you visit. This can be a fun and informative way to keep your loved ones up to date with your travels.
It may seem strange to consider the need to send a letter or use a payphone. In today's world we have become reliant on the ease of smartphones and social media to keep us in touch with each other. At some stage, however, we all find ourselves lost. Falling out of touch is especially easy while travelling abroad, so be sure to adequately prepare before your trip. Look into postage prices and the cost of international calls. To buy an international sim card, visit http://www.travelsim.net.au.
Disclaimer: Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through them, we receive a small commission. This will never cost you extra and in many cases you receive a special discount. We appreciate your support!


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Main content
Rob Cowan explores the repertoire of composers known mainly for a single piece, including Pachelbel, Dukas and Albinoni. Plus the latest in a series of Bach cantatas: BWV70.
Some composers are known mainly for a single piece, and this morning Rob Cowan delves deeper into the repertoire by such eminent figures Pachelbel, Dukas and Albinoni, to discover more of their range and variety as writers. Plus there's this morning's cantata by J S Bach, BWV 70: Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! (Watch! Pray! Pray! Watch!).


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Channeling my inner Blair Waldorf with today's post. To be honest, anytime I wear a beautiful dress I feel like an asian Queen B, ha! Anywho, the cutaway lace top & ribbon belt are such lovely details. You'll feel super girly yet sophisticated! FYI: the piece fits true to size. I ordered a small and regretted it. I should've gone with my usual XS *sniffle* Oh wells! I'll just have to get it tailored. Clicky HERE to pick one up for yourself. It's currently on sale for $62.79 at Darling Clothing and is also available in navy. I'd go with the chartreuse though. The color's even prettier in person.
A closer look at details. I wore my fave pearl necklace (c/o +Lemon Drop Boutique) to complement my dress – a good call for sure *pats self on back* HAHA! TIP: pearls class any ensemble up. Throw them on and feel instantly polished. This chunky statement piece is a must-have IMO – perfect for work AND play.
My new Danielle Nicole handbag – has dual top handles with a removable shoulder strap. Love, love, LOVE the gold dots and hardware. Available at Nordstrom!
Bag: c/o Danielle Nicole ($78)|| Necklace: c/o Lemon Drop Boutique ($32) || Dress: c/o Darling Clothing ($62.79) || Shoes: Nine West Factory Outlet – old


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Google Drops Support for Google Wave
In a statement from Google, the company said that they had "set a high bar for what was possible in a Web browser. Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked." When it was announced, developers at Google I/O were excited to be a part of the next Wave in Google development.
Google will still maintain the Google Wave site through the end of the year, and the technology itself will eventually be used in other Google projects, as parts of the code are available as open source software.
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St. Andrew's Playground
St. Andrew's Playground
This playground, like the street it lies on, honors St. Andrew, one of the twelve apostles and the patron saint of Russia and Scotland. A Galilean fisherman, according to the Bible, he was originally a disciple of John the Baptist before he was called from his fishing by Jesus, who promised to make him a "fisher of men."
Tradition has it that St. Andrew was crucified in Patras, Greece, on a cross shaped like an "X"; this type of cross now bears his name. Tales tell of his miraculous ministry in Russia, Asia Minor, and Greece. His feats included saving a city from dog-shaped demons, driving away the devil, who was disguised as a courtesan seducing a bishop, and using just a few drops of water to douse a house set aflame by parents angry at their boy's conversion to Christianity. In the 8th century, relics of St. Andrew were taken to the future site of Saint Andrews in Scotland. It was then that he became the patron saint of the country. A white Saint Andrew's cross on a blue field is the national flag of Scotland.
This parkland, located between Atlantic Avenue and Herkimer Street, Kingston Avenue and St. Andrews Place, was originally the home of the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum. Now known as Brookwood Child Care and located on Washington Street, the Brooklyn Orphan Asylum was created in 1833 by a group of progressive women reformers. The City bought this site in 1945 in order to build this playground.
St. Andrews Playground offers facilities for basketball, handball, and baseball; the baseball field is equipped with lights for evening games. There are also benches, play equipment with safety surfacing, a comfort station, a spray shower, a drinking fountain, swings, picnic tables, a flagpole with a yardarm, and oaks (Quercus spp.) and London planetrees (Platanus x acerifolia). By providing a place where they can play, the park continues this site's tradition of meeting the needs of children.


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We have been handbuilding bespoke kitchens for more than 35 years and this experience means that we know exactly what it takes to deliver furniture that our clients are proud to use and to have in their homes.
We craft our kitchens in four timeless, beautifully made designs: Shaker, Linear, Arbor and Original. Each design is handcrafted in our Cambridgeshire workshop and is built to last using traditional construction techniques like in-frame cabinet construction and dovetailed drawer boxes.
Each kitchen design is highly versatile and can be customised and personalised to your exact needs and tastes. Our kitchens can be painted after installation in any colour you choose, which means you can choose the exact shade that is perfect for your new room or experiment with multiple colours. Equally, you can select your choice from an almost endless range of handles and knobs, allowing you to give your kitchen a truly personal touch. We also offer a huge variety of worksurface options, from granite and marble to composites and real wood, and each of our showrooms display a range of the latest appliances.
No matter which range you select, we offer an impressive range of thoughtful storage solutions to ensure that everything has a home in your new kitchen. From clever mechanisms to make the most use of awkward corner spaces to our much-loved handcrafted oak removable cutlery trays and spice drawers, we can guide you towards the most practical solutions that will make a real difference to the useability of the space you have available.
Your kitchen will be individually and carefully planned by one of our experienced designers who will work closely with you throughout the project to ensure that your brief is met. When you are completely satisfied with the plans for the kitchen, they will be submitted to our workshop where the kitchen will be handmade to order by our skilled team of joiners and cabinet makers. Over the course of its production, your kitchen will be worked upon by more than twenty different craftsmen.
We now have 32 kitchen showrooms across the UK. Our showrooms are the starting point for your project as they give you the opportunity to experience the quality of our construction first-hand and to see our ranges and the variety of cabinetry options we offer. You can find your nearest showroom by using our showroom locator at the foot of the page.
Browse this section for more information about our kitchen furniture, the installation and painting services we offer and the way in which we work. Don't forget to view our project case studies for lots of inspiring images of projects we have completed for our clients, and check our Facebook and Twitter pages for our latest news and design advice.
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The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen
Hardcover, 240 pages, Random House Inc, List Price: $35 |purchase
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Book Summary
The Lee brothers have collected one hundred recipes inspired by their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, including flounder in parchment with shaved vegetables, Hugenot torte and shrimp and grits.


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Twitter just rolled a new set of enhancements targeting the Direct Messaging feature in their app, the new enhancements bring the private messaging part of the platform out of the dark ages and give them a breath of fresh air.
Features added to DM's include:
- Seen notifications/checkmarks- when a message is read by the recipient the checkmark will turn blue, and it doesn't look like there's a way to turn this feature off.
- Typing alerts- When whoever you're messaging is typing you'll get a little bubble head, letting you know they're about to respond.
- Web link previews
- Group DM's
New! Direct Messages are more dynamic than ever with read receipts, typing indicators, and web link previews. pic.twitter.com/VEU92V5Gqj
— Twitter (@twitter) September 8, 2016
The set of new features certainly take the DM part of Twitter form being just a "messaging" platform and make it more of an "instant messaging" platform, where in the past I felt it was akin to email. A quick spin of the new feature's with the lovely Hazel from ITB News showed the platform was pretty much on par with iMessaging or any other mainstream chat service.
Currently these features are only available on the Android and iOS apps, it's unclear when they'll make their way to the desktop platform, if at all; but for now upgrade to the latest version to check them out.