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Picturesque scenery all year round, no shortage of fascinating historical venues, and public spaces offering unrivaled views are only a few reasons why Canada's capital city is such a popular place to say "I do." Here are some noteworthy places in the Ottawa-Gatineau area to create everlasting memories of your wedding.
National Arts Centre
After more than $85 million US in renovations, the landmark National Arts Centre unveiled several new spaces offering stunning views of the Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill. The most popular room, the 2,700-square-foot O'Born Room, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that will wow your guests any time of day – or year. For smaller wedding parties, consider the more intimate Lantern Room, which becomes illuminated at night thanks to the stunning digital artwork projected outside on transparent LED screens
Canadian Museum of History Grand Hall
Not only is the Grand Hall at the Canadian Museum of History a bright and impressive wedding venue with a six-story window overlooking the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill, but it's also home to one of the world's largest indoor collections of totem poles and an impressive tribute to First Nations history. With a built-in stage and permanently installed sound and lighting systems, you'll never have to worry about the logistics.
Diefenbunker Museum
Imagine saying, "I do" in a real underground bunker that was designed in secrecy during the Cold War. The Diefenbunker Museum, a 100,000-square-foot labyrinth that doubles as the world's largest escape room, is a truly unique option for history lovers who prefer to stay off the beaten path. In addition to pulling off a post-apocalyptic theme like no other, the Diefenbunker will also appeal to movie buffs – it was one of the filming locations for the 2002 espionage movie, The Sum of All Fears, starring Ben Affleck and Morgan Freeman.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
If you're looking for an unusual backdrop for your wedding photos, consider getting married amid vintage airplanes and rescue helicopters. The world-renowned aerospace collection of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum has been the setting of many weddings, where tall ceilings and hangar-like roofs afford plenty of space for guests to wander through the collection. Up to 400 guests can be accommodated in the Walkway of Time venue, distinctive for its collection of aircraft hanging from the ceiling, while the Cereal Barn and Three Sisters Hall are perfect for more casual, rustic affairs of around 100 guests.
Domaine Perrault Winery
If you've always wanted to have your wedding in the country, you don't have to venture far from Ottawa to do it. Within an easy 25-minute drive east from downtown Ottawa, you'll find the quiet, intimate Domaine Perrault Winery, surrounded by rolling green fields, romantic weeping willows, and, of course, wine! Up to 300 guests can be comfortably accommodated here for your special day.
For convenient access to wedding venues across the Ottawa-Gatineau region, consider booking your guests' stay at a Hilton hotel. Choose the Hilton Lac Leamy, DoubleTree by Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa or the Hampton Inn Ottawa if you're looking for easy access to downtown. If your guests need to be close to the airport, there's always the Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport, while extended visits for your wedding party can be comfortably accommodated at the all-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Ottawa-Kanata.


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One need not spend much time analyzing fake Russian news stories to notice that many of them were made with virtually no effort. Such fake stories are so horrendously bad that they fit the definition of "not even wrong," which is what you call something that would require considerable improvement simply to achieve the status of "incorrect." As such, dealing with such fakes is an exercise in philosophy. You must question and debunk every angle, and some answers only raise more questions. To a thinking person, a fake story on this level is like an onion of stupidity; peel back one layer and there's another below it.
As a case study let us look at a recently debunked fake story from the outlet that excels in producing effortless fakes- Zvezda, the Russian Ministry of Defense network. At first glance, it's a pretty straightforward fake story. It posits that Ukraine has become so impoverished that it is threatened by mass hunger. So much so that people are actually stooping to the level of trying to steal bread crumbs from pigeons.
Let us begin with the general theme of the article, the skin of the stupid onion, if you will. We should already be suspicious about the fact that this article is about mass hunger in Ukraine. See, Russians have a habit of not caring about real mass hunger in Ukraine stretching back to tsarist times. That they are suddenly concerned now sets off alarm bells.
With that out of the way, we can get down to the juicy inner layers. Not the basic facts about the story, mind you, as StopFake has already debunked it. No, let's ask the philosophical questions here. For example, the basis of the story is this photo of a woman who we're supposed to believe is trying to steal breadcrumbs from a flock of pigeons. But without any context, does it not look like she is the one who is, in fact, feeding the pigeons? This is still too superficial, however, let us dig deeper.
What we need here is a thought experiment. Suppose we accept the premise that this woman is actually trying to steal crumbs from the pigeons. This one singular account is being used as proof of widespread hunger in Ukraine. But there's a flipside the wily authors never thought of! Those crumbs did not get there by themselves; someone threw them. That means that Ukraine has at least one person so well-off that they can afford to simply throw bread away on the street. Surely if one person so hungry they need to steal from pigeons can be extrapolated as mass hunger in Ukraine, then one person who can afford to toss bread to pigeons can be similarly extrapolated to support the idea that Ukraine is full of people so wealthy that they are literally able to throw food away without care. Truly in a starving country there would be few willing to throw out still-edible bread.
So which is it? Crushing poverty and famine or middle class wealth and food waste? Truly the woman reduced to snatching crumbs from pigeons is canceled out by the person whose economic situation is good enough to allow throwing food away.
But we can go even deeper! The story goes on. In StopFake's debunking story, we see that Russian media outlets also alleged that Ukraine is going to implement ration cards for basic food products. However, much of Russia is known to suffer from Soviet nostalgia, and the Soviet Union was forced to turn to rationing several times in its existence. During the Second World War this was quite understandable, but what about during Perestroika in the 1980's?
Given that Russian families currently spend around 80 percent of their income on basic essentials like food, it seems like it isn't Ukraine that needs to worry about rationing.
This is all good fun, but seriously speaking- what is the point of such blatantly fake stories? Readers who are less familiar with the Kremlin regime's tactics and narratives might have trouble understanding why these media companies keep employing writers who put so little effort into their stories. This is what someone who cares about the concept of credibility thinks when confronted with blatantly falsified stories which are ridiculously easy to debunk. There is a strategy behind this, however.
First, one must understand that in the top levels of the Kremlin press there are people who believe that objective truth doesn't exist. More importantly, they have convinced themselves that all media works this way, especially that media which criticizes the Kremlin or questions its claims. These people want to continually popularize that same worldview among the Russian population, hence stories like these.
It's not that Russians actually believe these obvious fakes; they'll often tell you they don't. But what the Kremlin wants them to think is that all media is the same, and if the Russian state press makes up poorly veiled fake stories, then the foreign media must be doing the same thing. This process is duplicated by the Kremlin in other realms as well. For example, they do not deny that there is massive corruption in the Russian government- they just insist that it's the same in every country. Censorship in Russia? Here's a story about censorship somewhere in the West! The message is that free press, democracy, rule of law, etc. don't exist anywhere.
When you look at it that way, that is when you finally peel away all the layers of the stupid onion, you begin to understand the function that even the most laughable phony story serves.

subset: commoncrawl


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Perfectly spherical cloud looks like it was lifted straight out of a manga panel.
Photographs of an incredible looking globe cloud posted on social media this week were apparently taken in Fujisawa, which is located in Kanagawa Prefecture, which lies over Tokyo's southern border.
You can see the photograph here:
確かにこんなの、見たことがない…! https://t.co/we1j5i2vKD—
poppy (@pmxpvrtmx) December 06, 2016
The cloud is so otherworldly looking that many people are questioning the authenticity of the photograph. However, the woman who took the picture says she shot it from her car and did not edit the image at all:
"When I looked out of the car window I saw a round ball-shaped cloud. I gazed at the cloud for a while then I rushed to take the photo. When I saw the cloud it was an even more spherical shape, so I regret not taking the photo more quickly."
People online have been carrying out their own investigations as to what would cause such a phenomenon. One person who gathered information from a climate expert says the cloud is called a "roll cloud," saying "This cloud forms under wind created from a 'mountain wave' (or airstreams going over mountains) on a windy day".
Apparently, "Roll clouds are formed by outflows of cold air from sea breezes or cold fronts", according to Wikipedia.
Here are some more examples of "roll clouds":
▼ Taken in Fukushima Prefecture.
ひより (@hyr_lavieenrose) December 06, 2016
▼ Another photo of a "roll cloud" taken somewhere in Japan
@pmxpvrtmx @qwanovskaya ちょっと違うけど、こんなんも出てたよ。10月にだけどね... #雲 https://t.co/5F2eOzNAV3—
はなぶさ はる (@hanabusa_haru) December 06, 2016
▼ Yet another photograph taken in Uruguay
▼ Here is a gif of a similar weather event called a "shelf cloud"
With phone cameras becoming more and more common, we may be seeing a whole lot more of these incredible weather phenomena in the future. If you are one who is keen on all things weather then you may want to visit this cafe in Hokkaido where you can view amazing cloud patterns from the "Sea of Clouds" terrace.
So have you seen any "roll clouds" like these before? Have you taken a photograph like this but not posted it online?
Source: Twitter/@pmxprvtmx, Wikipedia
Featured image: Twitter/@pmxprvtmx
Insert image: Wikipedia/Daniela Mirner Eberl, Wikipedia/Karthik Easvur


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I AM a keen 80+ year-old recycler and visit Monkspath Hall Road recycling station every week. However, for the last five weeks due to an accident I have been unable to drive. Consequently everything has to go into my black bag.
Normally it would be barely half full - now it's full on collection day. I now realise there must be hundreds of residents in the borough who are unable to get to a recycling centre due to age or health problems or even lack of transport.
So come on Solihull, let's have more roadside collections and encourage everyone to recycle.
LDD, Solihull


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Codependent behavior is often defined by insufficient boundaries set by one or both partners, suggests Darlene Lancer, a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 25 years of experience, in her Psych Central article "Help for Codependents Whose Relationships are Ending." Clingy behavior can have serious emotional, mental and social effects on both partners. For example, during the relationship you might neglect outside friends and family members in order to focus exclusively on the relationship. This could make your girlfriend feel smothered by your clinginess, especially if you believe you can't function without her and bombard her with your concerns. To give your girlfriend some breathing room and come across as more independent, learn strategies to address the underlying problem of codependency: self-esteem.
Understand Your Clinginess
Understanding the difference between normal dependence and codependence can serve as the first step to correcting the problem. In a healthy relationship, two individuals with some sense of dependence resolve to care for and comfort each other. However, in a codependent relationship, one or both partners actually feel incomplete without the other, suggests Mark Banschick, M.D., a psychiatrist and author of "The Intelligent Divorce" book series, in his "Psychology Today" article "Overcoming Neediness." If you have trouble seeing yourself as a separate person from your girlfriend, in terms of feelings and goals, you are exhibiting codependent behavior. Your inability to separate yourself from your girlfriend could eventually make her feel emotionally and physically crowded, especially if she aims for independence.
Put the Spotlight on You
As with a drug addiction, one of your first steps should be to try to abstain from the person you are codependent on. However, you don't have to achieve total abstinence, suggests Lancer. In fact, the goal here is to shift your thoughts and concerns to yourself, rather than constantly seeking to please your girlfriend. Explain to her your goal so she doesn't find your new behavior strange. If she was worried about your clingy behavior, this new attitude might come as a breath of fresh air for her.
Search for the Cause
It is important to uncover the past and present causes of your low self-esteem, the mindset that leads you to cling to or try to please another person in the first place, suggests Lancer. For example, perhaps your siblings received more attention when you were growing up, while you were largely left on your own or ignored. This kind of past event leads to negative self-talk. An example of negative self-talk is the belief that you will never be good enough.
Practice Self-Acceptance
A great deal of the recovery process involves learning to accept yourself, says Lancer. By accepting your flaws and shortcomings, such as your tendency for negative self-talk and codependency, you allow for the possibility of change. For example, once you acknowledge that many of your thoughts are self-deprecating, you can make efforts to be kinder and less critical of yourself, boosting your self-esteem.
Take Steps Toward Independence
With a boost in self-esteem, you are now free to take new actions. For example, if you don't agree with your girlfriend's plans for the evening, you can suggest that you each spend the evening with a different group of friends. Actions such as these allow you to take your happiness into your own hands, according to Lancer, and each time those actions pay off, your sense of self and self-esteem will rise. In addition, your girlfriend can enjoy the personal space that comes with your new independent actions. However, don't take things too far and forget to schedule regular date nights together.
- Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images


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Depardieu the Defector
By: Dawes Cooke, Guest Blogger
Photo Credit: www.kremlin.ru
Gérard Depardieu's bombastic personality and distinguished acting career have made him a cultural icon in France. However, he recently earned international notoriety by embracing Russian president Vladimir Putin and announcing that he would give up his French passport in favor of a Russian one.
Over the past century, a number of celebrities with strong political ideologies have declared their support for controversial foreign regimes. American poet Ezra Pound believed that fascism offered a superior alternative to capitalist democracy, which he blamed for the First World War, and spent World War II singing the system's praises on Italian radio. Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun openly admired Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany's brand of fascism. American actor and singer Paul Robeson died an unapologetic supporter of the Soviet Union, arguing that it was free of the institutionalized racism he experienced in the United States. And today, some artists have shown an ideological affinity for authoritarian-leaning leftist regimes, as with Sean Penn and Danny Glover's support for Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.
However, many other such relationships lack coherent ideological underpinnings. American actress Hilary Swank and other stars were chastised by human rights groups for appearing at Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov's birthday party in 2011. French actress Brigitte Bardot recently praised Putin for supposedly protecting animals—implying that animal rights safeguards take precedence over human rights abuses—and threatened to run away to Russia if French officials euthanized two sick elephants. Depardieu demonstrated a higher level of support for the Russian regime, though, when he adopted Russian citizenship after a disagreement over taxes.
In December, outraged by French president François Hollande's proposal to raise tax rates to 75 percent for those earning over 1 million euros a year, Depardieu announced plans to flee to Belgium to avoid what he considered punitive measures against success and creativity. Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called the move "pathetic." Depardieu responded with an angry open letter, returning the insult. The prime minister backpedaled to appease Depardieu, and the French Constitutional Council eventually ruled against the new tax rate, but the damage was done. When Putin invited Depardieu to Russia and presented him with a Russian passport, the actor accepted, and he has already purchased land for a home outside of Moscow.
But why choose Russia instead of staying in Belgium or joining fellow French actor Christian Clavier in relatively low-tax Britain? Neither country matches Russia's flat tax rate of 13 percent, but both are closer to home and feature important amenities like the rule of law, secure property rights, and legal protections for free expression. By contrast, corruption and an unreliable legal system make personal connections the most valuable commodity in Russia. Indeed, as this Foreign Policy article suggests, the value of such connections might explain why Depardieu chose Russia. He has appeared in commercials and films in the country and claims a personal friendship with Putin himself. He also appeared at Kadyrov's 2012 birthday party and had the rare honor of singing a duet with Gulnara Karimova, daughter of the autocratic Uzbek president Islam Karimov, an intermittent Putin ally. Depardieu's links to Russia's ruling elite might make life there particularly rewarding, at least for a time. Russia's republic of Mordovia has already offered him the position of minister of culture, the sort of perk that he probably could not expect in Britain or Belgium.
That still leaves the question of why Putin would choose Depardieu. However the Russian leader may feel about him personally, the "defection" of such a famous Western actor is a public-relations victory. It allows Putin to thumb his nose at foreign governments that have accused his own of corruption and human rights abuses, and it runs counter to the dominant trend of wealthy Russians fleeing—or sending their money—to the West. Furthermore, since Depardieu owes his success in Russia to his relationship with Putin, he is obligated to defend the president from his detractors, both in Russia and abroad. He has already gone to bat for the regime by publicly criticizing the protest group Pussy Riot and the Russian opposition movement.
Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin suggested that Russia's tax policy would attract many wealthy foreigners, but few have followed Depardieu's example. Even Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev expressed skepticism that the tax rate would be a major draw. Instead, Depardieu's relationship with Russia is part of a different, long-standing trend whereby Putin responds to criticism with misdirection. For example, he answered the passage of the Magnitsky Act in the U.S. Congress in December by accusing the United States of its own human rights abuses and banning American adoptions of Russian orphans. And instead of addressing the concerns of civil society over the past year, he claimed that the opposition movement was colluding with foreigners and passed laws tarring civic activists as traitors and "foreign agents."
Unfortunately for both Depardieu and Putin, history shows that embraces between respected artists and dictators are far more likely to taint the former than redeem the latter.
*Dawes Cooke is a researcher assisting Freedom House with the forthcoming report Nations in Transit 2013.
Analyses and recommendations offered by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of Freedom House.


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If you read my last article entitled 5 Fast Facts about FIR, you likely know more about far infrared therapy than most of the population!
Far Infrared Rays (FIR) are invisible light rays from the sun that make us feel warm on sunny days BUT do not burn the skin. This light energy is absorbed deep into the tissue:
– activating water molecules in the blood
– increasing blood flow
– enhancing cell regeneration and soft tissue repair
Our bodies naturally contain FIR energy and this explains why we feel better when outside on sunny days and maybe why so many seniors feel better when wintering in Florida!
Hyperthermic therapies such as FIR have been used for generations but because the biological effects are hard to validate, peer reviewed medical articles on this topic are scarce. The quantitative data is mainly collected through pain questionnaires completed by test and control groups before, during and after the study.
An interesting study published by the American Journal of Geriatrics involved elderly patients experiencing pain and disability from degenerative osteoarthritis of the knee. A fully randomized, partially double-blind trial resulted in a pain reduction of more than 50% within the group using the FIR therapy, whereas there was no significant improvement in the placebo group. Studies done with Magnetic Resonance Imaging also suggested a more rapid recovery from muscle fatigue.1
Why Does FIR Help our Joints?
Researchers believe heated FIR therapies (such as FIR saunas and light panels) increase our body's thermoregulation warming our tissue and thus increasing circulation. While non-heating FIR particles (such as fabrics) cannot heat tissue to the same degree, many researchers believe the FIR in the fabric acts as a "perfect absorber" preventing the FIR our body naturally contains from being released. This warms the area producing similar effects to the heated FIR therapy.
Regardless of the application, FIR therapy is natural and has been shown to greatly improve joint health and reduce pain for those with inflammatory conditions such as:
· Arthritis
· Osteoarthritis
· Bursitis
· Diabetes
· Raynaud's Disease
Arthritis is the most common cause of disability affecting approximately 50 million Americans, and will only increase with our large aging population. While there isn't a cure for many inflammatory conditions affecting the joints, such as arthritis, garments such as braces and supports can give some relief. FIR braces and supports go even one step further by increasing circulation helping reduce the inflammation and hence the pain.
How to determine which is best for you?
There are many brands, styles and fabrics of supports and braces for almost every body part and joint. It can be very confusing to determine which is best for your condition as it really depends on your symptoms. As a rule…
FIR Supports – provide compression and warmth to reduce pain and swelling. Supports are best for mild arthritis affecting all or part of the joint.
FIR Braces – reinforce the ligaments and help reduce the stress or weight going through the joint. Braces are great for injury recovery and to stabilize the joint while providing warmth and support.
If you suffer arthritis, your doctor has likely said maintaining a healthy weight and exercise are the best ways to minimize symptoms. A FIR support or brace can help you stay active while protecting your joints. For those dealing with severe chronic pain, it can't hurt to try!
1. Dr. Fouad I. Ghaly, M.D. Far Infrared Ray Treatments and Uses. Reversing The Aging Process – an Enlightened Doctor's Discovery.


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Abbey Road Vapes
Abbey Road Vapes is a small locally owned vape shop in Clarks Summit PA...We opened with a few simple goals in mind: 1. To help people stop smoking, using a highly effective method of smoking cessation. One of the owners, Tom, had a moderate to severe smoking habit, but by vaping, has been smoke free for over a year! 2. To provide quality brand name products and ejuice at the best possible prices, while giving great customer service in a fun, laid back environment...Stop in and check us out and meet our rescued Boxer dog, Potato. He gives free kisses, but we do not, sorry!! :)
Business Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Tuesday 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Wednesday 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Thursday 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Friday 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Saturday 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Sunday Closed


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2003: Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn, along with representatives of Los Angeles Unified School District, the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced an agreement to facilitate construction of a much-needed high school and housing development in North Hollywood.
A major element of NoHo Commons will be a new high school that will serve nearly 2,000 students and alleviate overcrowding at Grant and North Hollywood High Schools.
The adjacent $218-million complex will include new residential units, retail and commercial office space, and community space near the North Hollywood Metro Red Line station and the San Fernando Valley Metro Orange Line Rapidway station.
Los Angeles City Councilman and LACMTA Board Member Tom LaBonge explains that:
"Development of the NoHo Commons with a housing component and high school together, which are located near a transportation portal, the Red Line, is smart urban development. This is a great example of public agencies working cooperatively for the greater benefit."


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When the server OS installed on server or system, most of the time java version is not updated and also some time we need to update or upgrade java version on server. Earlier in our article we have install Java version 8 update 111 on fresh installed server . Now we are going to upgrade or update Java version from java version 1.8 update 111(1.8.0_111) to Java version 1.8 update 151 (1.8.0_151) . Here you can see also the multiple version of java also installed on server. Recently Java version 1.8 update 151 launched.
Below is my java version , I ran the command to check java version java -version, Now here is output of my command.
[[email protected]]# java -version
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_111-b14)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.111-b14, mixed mode)
Below are the steps to installed or upgrade java version .
Downloading Latest Java Version
Here was java launch recently update 151 , so we have download 1.8.0_151 on the server through below command . You can find latest version of java on official site page.Download latest Java SE Development Kit 8 from official Java vendor .
Run below command to download and extract the downloaded file .
For Linux x64 ( 64 Bit )
# cd /tmp
# curl -LO http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/java/jdk/8u151-b12/e758a0de34e24606bca991d704f6dcbf/jdk-8u151-linux-x64.tar.gz -H --no-cookies --header "Cookie: oraclelicense=accept-securebackup-cookie"
# tar xzf jdk-8u151-linux-x64.tar.gz
# mv jdk1.8.0_151 /opt
For Linux x86 ( 32 Bit )
# cd /tmp
# curl -LO http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/java/jdk/8u151-b12/e758a0de34e24606bca991d704f6dcbf/jdk-8u151-linux-i586.tar.gz -H --no-cookies --header "Cookie: oraclelicense=accept-securebackup-cookie"
# tar xzf jdk-8u151-linux-i586.tar.gz
# mv jdk1.8.0_151 /opt
As we have earlier discussed in other articles that –no-cookies and –header option with curl or wget because of oracle does not give download unless we have not accept their license or terms .for accept header and license use above syntax for download .
Installation of Java 8 on CentOS 7 :
You can find installation of Java on fresh linux system through this link install Java version 8 update 151 .
Update Java
Now go to the java extracted folder through below command and install or switch to java version through alternatives command. This is the best way to install or switch java version to other. When we run the alternatives –config java , the command output will show different java programs which provide java, We need to choose or select command.Here we have selected /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin/java .Follow below command to set up.
# cd /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/
# alternatives --install /usr/bin/java java /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin/java 2
# alternatives --config java
Now set the jar and javac path .
[[email protected] jdk1.8.0_151]# alternatives --install /usr/bin/jar jar /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin/jar 2
[[email protected] jdk1.8.0_151]# alternatives --install /usr/bin/javac javac /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin/javac 2
[[email protected] jdk1.8.0_151]# alternatives --set jar /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin/jar
[[email protected] jdk1.8.0_151] # alternatives --set javac /opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin/javac
Now set the Environment Variables path of Java,Jre home variable through below commands
# export JAVA_HOME=/opt/jdk1.8.0_151
# export JRE_HOME=/opt/jdk1.8.0_151/jre/
# export PATH=$PATH:/opt/jdk1.8.0_151/bin:/opt/jdk1.8.0_151/jre/bin
Check updated Java Version :
# java -version


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Red Line improvements are coming soon, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Friday beside Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin. But repairs will be accompanied by closures.
The $86 million first phase of a $1 billion capital investment initiative involves seven of the CTA's oldest rail stations starting with the Granville stop on June 1. As CTA repairs begin, each station will close for six weeks.
Repairs to Morse will begin on June 29 followed by Thorndale on Aug. 17, Berwyn on Oct. 5, Argyle on Aug. 24, Lawrence on Oct. 14 and Jarvis on Nov. 9. Adjacent stations will remain open during each set of repairs.
"I am committed to repairing the city's crucial infrastructure and creating the opportunity for Chicagoans to move around the city and get to and from work with ease," said Emanuel said in a statement.
Emanuel said the work, including viaduct repairs, waterproofing, lighting and installation of new doors and windows, will create 250 jobs.
Emanuel noted the Morse station opened in 1908, when the Cubs won the World Series. "After a 100 plus years, it's time for a face lift," he said.
Durbin noted $80 million of the total cost for the project will be funded by the federal government.
"The Red Line is the heart of the CTA rail network," said Durbin in a statement. "It is also one of the oldest CTA rail lines and most in need of repair."
"Our economy depends on our transportation," Quinn said, adding, "It's important we have choices for people."
Officials Announce 7-Station Red Line Overhaul
$86 million project will fix up seven Red Line stations
Red Line improvements are coming soon, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Friday beside Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin. But repairs will be accompanied by closures.


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Sunday, June 29, 2008
I did the straightforward part of my quilt with rental tools at the Arts and Crafts Center on post, but since I need a car to get there in a reasonable amount of time, and a babysitter to keep an eye on the kids while I'm there, it's not practical anymore (car and hubby are already en-route to Hawaii). For the rest of the piece, I borrowed a friend's machine, which is great for the sewing part, but I'm out a rotary cutter and mat for anything else.
I did a test and felt that with a few changes I was on the right track. Now, I'm pretty much done, but I'm not entirely happy. My sketch is much better than it's stitched version. It's partly because the drawing is just plain better, and partly because the quilting stitches are uneven and wobbly (see blurry photo above).
I have a few ideas for re-doing the quilt, but they require getting to a place with tools and other thread and essentially starting over. My plan is to set it aside for a while (particularly since my neighbor needs her machine back to make a theater costume) and re-address it next week with fresher eyes.
Worst case scenario, I'll try my other idea, but it's possible that that one is better in my head as well.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
I played around with a bunch of metallic stuff yesterday. I also flipped through pages and pages of the St. John's Bible and even sketched several compositions. I am going through one of those periods where the idea is just barely bubbling to the surface but it has no real cohesiveness. I know I want to do some kind of illuminated page. But what form will it take? Must I actually use some kind of text? If so, what will it be? A biblical passage? How would I choose? A more contemporary source? What would it be?
I am reminded how much work art can be. The actual hours I spend "in the cloth" are minimal compared to the time it takes to come up with an idea that is worth pursuing. And let's not even talk about the time spent on failed ideas.
Here is all the metal stuff I dug out of various bins and boxes. I like using the foils and adhering them with Wonder Under.
I even swiped a bit of foil from an art kit that Claire received as a gift.
I also found this delightful little assemblage on Etsy.
At this point, I am just asking myself, "Now what?"
Friday, June 27, 2008
At the time, I concluded that the effect would be lost in a large-scale piece. However, there might be some potential for a 12x12 inch illumination...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Oh drat!
My idea was to use a wonderful quote about light and do a piece in the style of an illuminated manuscript page. A two-fer, using the theme in two ways, as it were. Then it occurred to me that the quote is undoubtedly protected by copyright. It is a song lyric. I don't know why I didn't think of that sooner. It was only as I was thinking about potential possibilities that some or all of these pieces might someday be published that the lightbulb went on.
So drat. I am back in the dark again. (this illumination theme is useful.) I have nothing.
So since I won't be using it for my challenge piece, I guess I can, at the least, share this lovely thought.
Monday, June 23, 2008
That is all I can think of. I read all your posts on beautiful buddhist mediations, illuminated manuscripts and cross cultural celebrations and all I can think about is Blackpool.
Really I want to work with the idea of Eureka! and Achimedes in his bath.
But all I can think about is Blackpool illuminations
So I think I will just have to go with it. But be warned. I am actually beginnng to understand why manufacturers make neon thread. Plus, I am thinking emebllishments the tack of which you have never seen before.
You may wish to use the poll function on our yahoo group to nominate someone to make a reserve quilt for the mosaic!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Lantern Parade
Monday, June 16, 2008
Today, I carved a couple of printing blocks.
I've also been manipulating some of my new pictures on the computer. More about this on my blog.
In the spotlight
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Eastern Illumination
Hongzhi Zhengjue
Hongzhi Zhengjue (宏智正覺 Japanese: Wanshi Zenji, 1091–1157) was a Chinese Chan Buddhist monk who authored or compiled several influential Buddhist texts. Hongzhi's conception of "silent illumination" is of particular importance to the Chinese Caodong and Japanese Soto zen schools; however, Hongzhi was also the author of an important collection of koans, although koans are now usually associated with the Linji or Japanese Rinzai schools).
By Hongzhi Zhengjue
Silent and serene, forgetting words, bright clarity appears before you.
Friday, June 13, 2008
I just love this theme. I'm traveling quite a bit between now and our August 1 reveal, so I hope I can find time to put together something meaningful. We'll see.
When I first read the theme, I immediately thought of the St. John's Bible. I read about it years ago when the project first began. In 1998, St. John's University in MN commissioned former calligraphy to the queen Donald Jackson to illuminate and hand write the bible. They have created a fully comprehensive and completely inspiring website which describes the whole process.
Donald Jackson and his assistants did tons of study and research. They used hand made inks and hand ground pigments. They invited school children to illuminate their own favorite passages.
They thought carefully about the mission, the history, the vision, the tradition and the translation.
They created spectacularly dramatic images and used beautiful gold leaf.
I'm not exactly sure what my quilt will look like, but it will incorporate letters and something metallic!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
My other illuminating thought
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Illumination Ideas
I also have photos of sun dappled trees which inspire me.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Thoughts on Illumination
(via About.com)
As the medium is the message (a defining concept for me), I had to find a way to tie egg tempera and parchment to thread and fabric. It dawned on me this morning that embroidered monograms could have a possible connection, often being highly decorated letters themselves. In looking for historical monograms online, I ran across a Brintannica article on the "Sacred Monogram" referencing none other than The Book of Kells. The most famous sacred monogram, is of course, the Chi-Rho; the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, often with the alpha and omega of the apocalypse on either side. By the way, it's the Chi-Rho that's been simplified to the X we now use in Xmas. Anyways, the sacred monogram angle connected the stitched letter back to vestments and to bibles, which are the original illuminated manuscripts.
So, what I thought was a dead-end idea last night, might actually have some merit. I found some exquisite examples here, and letters here. I have another idea too, but I'm worried it might be too hokey.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Artist Gallery Pages Now Updated
While many of us are using this challenge as an opportunity to experiment with different techniques, the distinctive style of each artist is quite apparent when you see their quilts grouped together.
Click on the mosaic to link through to the Artist Gallery.
Monday, June 2, 2008
My advice is to park at the North End in rather more decent Cleveleys and start with ginormous portions of fish and chips and traditional puddings at Cleveley's Cafe. Then, jump on one of the creaking trams ( illuminated naturally, in the shape of a spaceship perhaps) down to the Funfair. Watch other people making themselves sick on the rides then, grabbing a stick of candyfloss for sustenence, walk it all off by beating the crawling travel with an on-foot meander through the tack and neon. And who says Northerners have no class?
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Splash! Water Gallery is now online
A Light Bulb Moment
After we've all had a turn at choosing the theme (you have a long wait Terry!), it would be interesting to compare our respective short lists. Certainly, I had no shortage of ideas but I was still feeling a little anxious about choosing the "right" one to run with that had not been used excessively before*. Then, in a flash of inspiration, I had a new word and our next theme:
Illumination:In keeping with this word, I hope you will shed some light on your creative process by blogging as much as you feel comfortable with (short of the final piece) as you explore this theme. The next due date is Friday 1 August (California/blog time).
- (a) The act of illuminating or (b) The state of being illuminated.
- A source of light.
- Decorative lighting.
- Spiritual or intellectual enlightenment.
- Clarification; elucidation.
- (a) The art or act of decorating a text, page, or initial letter with ornamental designs, miniatures, or lettering or (b) An example of this art.
- Physics The luminous flux per unit area at any point on a surface exposed to incident light. Also called illuminance .
* My anxiety was not entirely misplaced. "Stories" was high on my short list and I see that it is also the Take it Further Challenge for June.
Music From Across the Water
I so enjoyed making this water piece!
My goal was to convey a sense of water that wasn't blue. I found myself thinking about reflections in water, and the wonderful ripply lines.
And then I found a stunning photograph by Flickr friend Russell Docksteader. You can see Russell's "Water Music" photograph here. (He has a lot of stunning water reflection pictures on his photostream, in case you want to cruise.) With Russell's permission, I translated the image into fabric for my piece.
I did this as a whole cloth piece, painting the colors with Tsukineko inks. Then I machine quilted it. I studied Robin Ferrier's facing/corner triangle method and used that on the back -- it was easy and worked great!
Karen, you picked a great topic. This had a great range of possibilities and I really enjoyed it.
Rainbows and Sun Breaks
I once lived in Wilmington, NC and it was interesting to note that the annual rainfall was about the same. However, in Wilmington it pours buckets of rain from huge thunderstorms and occasional hurricanes.
In Portland, we have gentle, misty rain with occasional sun breaks and rainbows. So this became my theme.
Here is a detail:
I found a copyright free rainbow photo and fiddled with it in Photoshop and printed it on cotton. I then printed it on organza, but really faded the photo so that it was barely visible.
I cut the organza in strips and fused them to the background photo. I over lapped the strips and did not line up exactly with the background photo so as to give the impression of looking through misty rain. I left two parts of the background without the organza overlay — these were to be the sun breaks. I quilted rain and sun streaks. I had to add a border and a binding. I didn't want that to be too boring so I added some rainbow fabric to the binding.
Because of my trip during the month of May, I had to select a format that I could easily do with the time I had before the trip and the short time when I returned. You can read more of the saga of creating this quilt on my blog.
The Creek
I started with a piece of hand-dyed fabric that I discharged the reflective "sparkles" from, using powdered dishwashing detergent. I then painted in the green shades and other blues. It was fused to a dark blue background to create the lines. The rocks started as a particularly hideous commercial print that I overpainted. I considered putting a frog or dragonfly on the rocks. I thought about floating a few leaves in the water. In the end I decided it was all about the water and the pattern it made and let the design stand.
PS I don't use blue much. I don't care for blue particularly, but I have really loved working on this very blue piece of work!
Ocean Dreaming
On top of the World
My piece took several unexpected turns. The process was a bit disconnected and I think there are several ideas here which come together in a somewhat cohesive quilt, but it would be interesting to explore them on their own.
I began by gathering fabrics and I made some sketches. I've been intrigued by book arts lately and I thought I'd incorporate that in some way.
I created a simple accordion book with two layers of fused fabrics. I cut each page separately and stamped various words on the pages. I brainstormed things that you might do with water and I just kept stamping the words until I ran out of ideas. Then I zigzagged the pages together and pressed them into an accordion format.
I used sequin waste as a stencil and painted the circles onto the surface of the book (and the rest of the quilt).
Originally, I was thinking of creating an abstract landscape inspired by my parents home on Lake Ontario. I even asked my dad to collect some smooth stones from the shore and bring them when they visited last month. The book concept took me a little away from the landscape.
But as the piece was in progress on my design wall I began to see some of the landscape elements I had originally sketched. The lacy bit on the bottom is a bit like foamy waves on the shore.
The striped fabric really makes me think of a sunset with just those few lines of orangy red mixed among all those watery cool colors.. The embroidered x's and the tiny seed beads at the top could be sky and stars. The arch could be a firmament.
That made me think of the familiar words from the creation story in the Book of Genesis.
God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
Then I wished I would have done a piece all based on that bit of scripture. (Maybe I'll do that for the Quiltart Journal project. Participants are required to make a quilt based on one or more of the elements: earth, air, water, fire.)
I like the composition of the quilt. I've made several other quilts with that altar/shrine format. I also really like the variety of textures, fabrics and surface design. I think the book is cool, though I'm not completely sure it fits.
Splish Splash
As I stated earlier in a blog post here, I've always loved images of mermaids and wanted to someday create one. Well you also saw in that post my initial drawings and I must say I really enjoyed creating this quilt and adding the embellishments.
I have been a fan of Nellie from the Nellie's Needles blog for a long time. She creates awesome water (lake series) quilts, and while I don't exactly know how she creates her quilts, I tried mimicking the look to create my water. I dyed white on white fabric for the skin using fabric paints. I drew her facial features on with a marker and then added further color with Tsukineko inks and fabric markers.
I embellished her lower body with sequins and beads and they really look great in the right lighting. I added teardrop-shaped beads to give the look of water spraying from her tail. I had the most trouble with her hair. I, at first, thought I'd create it with just yarns/fibers, but I wasn't happy with the control over the placement of them, so I sketched out some shapes for fabric and then added some fibers to enhance it once the fabric was stitched down.
I have created all of my 12x12 quilts on heavy interfacing, like Timtex, as I like the support it offers on these small quilts. I have also zigzagged around the edges of all my 12x12 quilts and on this particular quilt, I also added a fiber around the edge.
Water: Sustainer and Destroyer
I could have gone for dramatic imagery, but instead, I chose to keep the imagery rather generic but rather to create this quilt (or more properly, assemblage) out of things that are affected by water. Of course, since we are an art quilt group, the things are all related to sewing.
The "top" is appliqued with circles of sheer fabrics, to include a stabilizer painted in a water ring pattern with water soluble paints. It is embellished with pearls glued on with basting glue that releases when wet. I colored the piece with water color pencils and a fabric marker that disappears when wet. The "batting" is water soluble stabilizer.
The quilting is done with water soluble thread on top and a variegated rayon thread in the bobbin.
(Because of the sheer fabrics, I think this looks especially nice backlit.)
The backing fabric is a silk scarf which I marbled -- a process that requires paint to be floated on water.
This is what the piece looks like now, representing the sustaining quality of water. But eventually, I'm pretty sure I'll need to douse it in water and document it's demise to show the destructive power. I'm thinking that I should wait until it has a chance to travel across two oceans and then I'll photograph it at the beach, or perhaps find a waterfall which can be part of the process of destroying the piece. Performance art. Who knew we'd go there.
What would you like to see?
Swimming pool reflections
Here's a detail of the quilt...
More pictures on my blog very soon...
Down the Plughole
I had fun experimenting again with shibori to create various "water" fabrics as shown on my blog. I even started quilting one of the pieces. I quite like it but the overall effect is very subtle and I decided that something stronger was required as part of a group mosaic. (Is anyone else is finding that their design decisions are being influenced by this factor? I don't think it is a bad thing and the mosaics so far have been greater than the sum of their parts.)
Out of deference to my husband (aka the Laundry King), when I am dyeing fabrics in low volumes, I rinse the fabrics by hand rather than in the washing machine. Thus I observed lots of turquoise water disappearing down the plughole. This reinforced my decision to concentrate on this quilt.
I used freehand rotary cutting for the piecing and hand quilted it with a variety of perle threads in different weights and colours. I finished it off with a mitred facing (see the tutorial on my blog).
New World
As soon as our challenge was revealed to be "Water" I knew that I would use my photos. At first I thought they would just be references and I planned to make a quilt that was just an image of water made up of layers of applique. Then Terry had her article published in Quilting Arts and I bought the magazine and opened it to see... the exact thing I planned to make, already made by someone else! Poo.
The last month has been a very busy and stressful one for me and my husband (we have a new business) and, as the month passed, I found myself delaying work on the quilt and only giving it minutes of thought here and there. But those minutes added up and eventually I had a plan - to make a quilt about water using only photos of real water. I printed seven of my photos on to inkjet printable poplin (because at $8 a sheet that was as much printable fabric as I was prepared to buy!!). It was not easy to choose which of the photos to use and I realised as soon as I saw the first print that the colours were very subdued and I wasn't going to get any intensity. At that point I went all Zen and decided that whatever the printer gave me was what I would use. I didn't have the time or resources to play around!
My favourite of the photos (the brilliant turquoise) was taken on a trip to The Barrier Reef last year when my daughter had her first scuba dive. This quilt would be about that experience. She was so excited that day. I have rarely seen my reserved and cool daughter so openly bubbling and fizzing!
Although I have a passion for saturated and intense colour, the printed fabrics were so quiet that I figured I wouldn't be able to fight that and would have to work with it. So the intention became to have a quiet image of Ali emerging from the blue.
I made a line drawing of Ali and then used fusible web to make the image from my printed fabrics. I only used these fabrics (although I was very tempted to use others!) There is a small amount of stitching on the raw-edge applique to enhance some of the shapes, but mostly it is not stitched. The quilt is quilted in horizontal wavy lines using threads in soft blues, aquas and green. I also added some coloured pencil to adjust the colour of her face -it was too green- and shade her eyes a little. It's very hard for me to stop once I start drawing on things, so it took a lot of self-control not to completely rework the image.
I am probably the least satisfied with this quilt of any that I've made for 12x12 so far. I like the idea and the sewing went well. I am bothered by the darkest of the fabrics and wish I'd used something else. With such a limited choice of fabrics and no chance of making more (self-imposed) I guess I was up against it. Interestingly, this quilt looks best up close and really looks awful at a distance - most of mine are the other way around!!
I still like the idea of a water quilt made with water photos, but I think I could have done much better. I decided at the start of this group that I wouldn't beat myself up about these quilts; that I would use the format to experiment and have fun. It's working. I am!
There are a couple more detail shots on my blog.


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copyright © 2020 Internet Find. All rights reserved.


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Parish Volunteer Opportunities
Some of these activities may require that you complete the parish's Safe Environment Training and have a background check. This training is generally offered each month on the last Wednesday of the month. If you have questions about this, or to sign up for training, contact Tracy Russo at ext. 120, or at 721-1137.
Information about volunteering to help the poor.
Information about liturgical ministries needing volunteers is in the Liturgical Ministries.
To volunteer with our Religious Education program, contact the RE Director at 722-0051, or at 722-2110 ext 115.
To help with clerical tasks, such as mailings, answering phone, filing, etc., contact Mel Luetkemeyer in the church office at extension 110.
All of our healing ministries can use volunteers. See the information pages for our healing ministries or contact Jenny Fenner at extension 123.
For information on smoking cessation, contact Bob Waldrop at ext. 115
To volunteer with a specific Board or Group, such as the Women's Club or the Men's Club, see the contact information on their pages at this website.
Parish Work Days occur eight or nine times a year, on a Saturday morning. Generally there is both indoor and outdoor work available. They are announced in the parish bulletin. "Just show up!"
Parish Blood Drives are announced in the bulletin and a sign up sheet is posted on the Marble Table a week or so in advance. While we always prefer that people sign up in advance, you can "just show up" on the morning of the drive,
Our Nursery Child Care workers are employees of the Parish. If you are interested in helping with this, contact Jennifer Cunningham at 823-9189.
The parish delivers "Mobile Meals" to people who are home bound. To volunteer for this service, contact Mel at ext. 110.
To volunteer as a parish musician, contact Bob Waldrop at ext 115.
To help with the Bereavement Ministry by either setting up and cleaning up bereavement dinners, or providing food (casseroles, salads, and desserts), contact Barbara Bauer at 728-3603.
To help with one of our Annual Parish Events, see the pages for those events and contact the group sponsoring them, or if none is listed, contact Mel at 110.For any other volunteer interest that you have, not listed above, start with Mel in the church office at ext. 110.


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Jeremy Edge proved that he would go to great lengths for a great cause. On June 12th he set out to walk the distance between two of New York's most popular race tracks: Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.
Jeremy's trek was an effort to raise money for racing charities: Children of Anna House, The Belmont Child Care Association and the Permanently Disabled Jockey Fund.
Jeremy was not a jockey and did not come from a racing family, yet he feels so strongly about the causes he supports that he was willing to go the distance to make a difference.
Jeremy completed the 190-mile journey (1,520 furlongs, that is) in just 13 days. When he arrived at Saratoga Race Course on June 24th he was greeted by applause and a crowd waiting to cheering him on as he took the final steps of his trip.
The walk was a great success. Jeremy not only raised over $30,000 for charity, but also raised awareness for the racing charities he walked in support of.
People can accomplish great feats when motivated by a worthwhile cause. What would you be willing to walk 190 miles for?


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This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a signed paperback of JOE (US only -- digital copy substituted for international winners) and $15 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
Joe Knowe is not a boy. She is twenty-one years old, and she sees things before they happen; bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. A madman is going to shoot up the college Joe attends. The trouble is, her gift is stingy on the details she needs to divert the impending tragedy. Now, Joe has four days to figure out the mystery and save the lives of many.
From the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga comes a tense tale that glimpses the mind of a genuine psychopath, follows an unlikely hero, and explores real-life terror in a race against time that will leave the reader breathless.
Read an excerpt:
They were all so young, so full of life. Why shouldn't their outlook be light?
Because I knew that it wasn't.
One of the greatest mercies of life: not knowing what's going to happen next.
About the Author:
Buy the book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Arsenico e vecchi merletti (Arsenic and old lace) is the group for Italian lolitas where they can discuss new releases, organize meet-ups and talk about the fashion. If you are planning to come visit Italy this is the group you should join!
Contact form
Tickets and FAQ (English)
Make a free website with emyspot.com - Report abuse


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Ensighten Support can help you get the most from your Ensighten experience. This article explains how to submit a request for support. When creating a support request, make sure to give us as much information as you can so we can provide answers as quickly as possible. Tell us about:
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Condor Bass Flute Key of LOW D - WalnutHS109W
The Condor Bass has a deep & resonant full voice and is a very popular flute.
Because of the hole spacing people with small hands may have difficulty with this flute, see below for hole spacing. I do have a version of this flute for smaller hands.
It includes a leather tie that you can use to cover the third hole from the top and play it as a five-hole flute. The Kestral in high D plays along in key with this Condor Bass flute in low D.
Hear one of these flutes
It can be played as both a 5-hole or 6-hole flute. It has 6 holes and comes with a leather tie that easily converts it into a 5-hole flute. When comfortable just remove the leather tie and experience the use of the 6-hole.
Odell makes each flute from a solid piece of the finest wood (instead of gluing two halves together as is so common) eliminating splits or separation caused by moisture of the breath. Each flute is finished with three coats of a non-toxic hardening oil for durability and clarity of sound, and it is precision-tuned so that it will blend perfectly with other instruments.
This High Spirits Flute also comes with an excellent DVD with Beginner and Intermediate lessons that includes instructions on how to play the flute, use different techniques, how to care for it, and more. An instructional booklet including fingering charts is also included.
This is a large flute and not all people can comfortable play a flute this long.
Mark down the tone holes from the chart below on a dowel or rolled up piece of paper to see if you can comfortably play this flute.
Note: The diameter of the tone holes are rather large on this flute.
They range from 3/8" to 7/16" and some people have trouble covering the holes.
|Low D Minor - 6 Hole 440Hz
|Total Length:
|25 1/2"
|Mouthpiece to first hole center:
|12 1/8"
|Mouthpiece to hole #2 center:
|13 3/8"
|Mouthpiece to hole #3 center:
|14 1/2"
|Mouthpiece to hole #4 center:
|15 7/8"
|Mouthpiece to hole #5 center:
|17 1/8"
|Mouthpiece to hole #6 center:
|18 1/2"
|Outside Diameter:
|1 5/8"
|1 1/4"


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Pottery has a sensuality to it, a physical and emotional feel. The quality of the pottery indicates a lot about the maturity and prosperity of the culture that developed it. When times are good, pottery develops many different styles and forms. Decorations on the pottery also develop and proliferate. When times are not so good we see less pottery. Sometimes we also see the merging of different lines, such as when many Hopi migrated to Zuni in the late 1800's to wait out a drought and a smallpox outbreak in their homeland. When the Hopi returned to their mesas, the potters brought the use of the Zuni white slip with them.
Contrary to many other art forms, pottery is something you can pick up and feel with your hands. If you are really sensitive and in tune, you can often feel the energy of the potter who made it... It's a phenomenon I especially see when "in tune" people touch pieces made by Nampeyo of Hano. I've seen it with pieces made by other potters, too, but I have seen the phenomenon most pronounced with Nampeyo's pottery. For that matter, when working to ascertain who really created any older Hopi piece we have achieved the best results by asking descendants of various Hopi potters to offer their opinions: first thing they do is touch the piece, then run their hands over it, then examine the decorations. I've seen them identify the maker of the pot, the decorator of the pot, the relationships among the family involved and even who someone learned from, why they learned and where, exactly, in the neighborhood they lived at the time... and this is on pottery made 100 and more years ago.
Native American pottery has a legacy dating back at least 3,500 years. It's still a mystery as to how someone discovered that clay, when heated to a high enough temperature, would transform into a solid, brittle object that holds its shape. Some scholars claim the technique was brought to the early Southwest by settlers from Mesoamerica. Others contend that pottery making originated independently in the Southwestern cultures. One possibility for the discovery of the technique is that early cultures lined their cooking baskets with soft mud that would dry and harden and create a better and more durable surface on which to cook. The archaeological record somewhat supports this theory as early vessels have been found with the imprint of woven baskets texturing their outer surfaces.
Rodents can gnaw through a storage basket and quickly destroy any seeds or meals stored inside. A truly "hard" basket would stop that. A "hard" basket could also be coated with pitch just like a "soft" one, and become waterproof (Southwestern Native American pottery still is not normally glazed and will not hold a liquid without some such inner coating). A "hard" basket made for much more efficient cooking than a soft one. The idea was revolutionary and we can be sure it was opposed by those who made their living making and "selling" baskets. However, a "hard" basket can also crack or shatter. This trait made ceramic pottery a luxury to be enjoyed primarily by a sedentary culture. The nomadic cultures of the Great Plains and the semi-nomadic Navajo, Ute and Apache of the Southwest never made much pottery, although some Navajo potters today are creating some beautiful pottery, sealing it like they would a basket using the ancient pine pitch covering technique.
Many of the Pueblos had discovered how to make glazes out of lead compounds and often coated their utilitarian pottery with that before the Spanish invasion began. When the Spanish arrived, they claimed all the lead sources for themselves, to make lead shot for cannons and their primitive guns. The tribes were denied all access and the nature of much their pottery and its use changed almost overnight.
All the early cultures of the Southwest: the Mogollon, Hohokam, Salado, Sinagua and Anasazi, made pottery. Archaeologists are pretty certain the modern Puebloan potters are descendants of the Anasazi, although 600 years ago there was an influx of Mimbres and Salado potters into the newly forming Rio Grande pueblos as those former homelands were being abandoned. Techniques such as slipping and painting a vessel were well developed 800 years ago and have changed little even today. A lot was forgotten when the Euro-American pioneer push westward nearly destroyed the art of pottery-making in the pueblos. Cheap and easy-to-use glazed vessels and metal cookware became available in quantity to the Puebloans when traders and then the railroads began to infiltrate the Southwest in the 1800's. Thankfully, Puebloan pottery is not now (nor likely ever was) a purely utilitarian item: in the pueblos, pottery has a spirit. It is a product of Mother Earth and her body forms the vessel and her bounty provides both the paints to decorate it with and the very need for creating the pottery in the first place. The children of Mother Earth who create pottery are aware of that spirit in the clay, in the paint, and ultimately in the synergy of the created vessel itself. In the traditional way, there are songs and prayers to accompany each step in the process of creating a sacred pot. It is the awareness of this spirit that kept pottery-making from being lost completely in favor of lesser spiritual quality but more durable and efficient tools.
While the Puebloans were treated brutally by the Spanish and their priests, enslaved and forced to convert to Catholicism, their religion and their culture was not completely stamped out. Their spiritual practice, their language, their culture went underground and all have endured nearly unchanged over the centuries. When the United States took possession of the Southwest from Mexico in 1848, they largely ignored the pueblos as the pueblos were seemingly not as warlike as the nomadic Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Navajo and they didn't terrorize homesteaders and settlers like those tribes did. The Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo also confirmed the Pueblos as distinct sovereign entities as each had that kind of agreement in place with Spain and Mexico long before the Americans arrived. It's only in the most recent decades that the Puebloan culture has been truly threatened. As tiny islands in the seas of an alien culture, the Pueblos are finding their youth less willing to learn and speak their native tongue, less willing to learn the traditional techniques of making a living from the earth, and less willing to learn the complex and morally strict rites of the kivas.
Despite this trend, Native American Pueblo pottery-making is in the middle of its greatest renaissance. The arrival of the new Euro-Americans created another function for pottery as it became a salable commodity on a scale never known before. The basic beauty in the shapes, forms and decorations of Puebloan pottery was not lost on the new settlers and traveling Easterners. Potters found the market for their wares growing in the twentieth century, but they had to get past the impression made by the quickly made and poorly painted "tourist pot" of the early twentieth century. The "tourist pot" had come about as employees of the railroad barons solicited the potters of Acoma, Zuni and Hopi to churn out thousands of pieces of decidedly inferior quality. The art of pottery-making declined to being a basic mechanical function in the pueblos and soon, even the highest quality, well-made pieces themselves sold for next to nothing. It was individual traders who personally encouraged the potters to make more pieces of the quality of the vessels normally used in Pueblo ceremonies. The early traders were always the buffers and liaisons between the cultures and they played a tremendous role in cultivating general American appreciation for Native American art.
Before 1950 very few Native American potters signed their work. In their own communities, the forms and designs of their pieces made identifying the work of a master potter easy. Regionally, traders, collectors and museums also learned to differentiate these pieces. In the twentieth century benefactors from each of these categories organized a campaign to make the artistry and beauty of these vessels and their creators known to the world. Formal judging contests such as the Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial and the very prestigious Santa Fe Indian Market that awarded ribbons and prizes for exceptional artistry began to have an impact. The early success and recognition of San Ildefonso Pueblo potter Maria Martinez at the St. Louis, San Diego, & Chicago World Fairs began to open the door for other exceptional Native American potters. In the last decades of the 20th century the art and names of Pueblo pottery artists like Maria Martinez, Lucy Lewis, Christina Naranjo, Fannie Nampeyo, and Margaret Tafoya became known worldwide. Modern exhibitions like the Seven Families in Pueblo Pottery, permanent recognition in important museums around the world, and the marketing techniques of the traders and other Native American arts dealers has further cemented these names and the names of many, many other fine and deserving potters, both historic and contemporary, in the annals of art history.
As you look through this site you'll quickly see that each pueblo has its own style of pottery and designs, even when it comes to "contemporary" designs. Further, each potter and family of potters has its own styles and designs. Each succeeding generation sees potters becoming more and more specialized in their products: storyteller makers don't do large jars, and vice versa. Everyone does traditional designs but not everyone incorporates contemporary designs. And slowly the electric kiln is creeping in...
PS: As I lift my eyes to the horizon (from almost strictly Puebloan pottery) I'm discovering that pottery has been produced by many different Native American tribes. The distribution is from one end of the continent to another. That said, most lost their pottery traditions long ago, often in the periods of disruption following the invasion of Euro-Americans and the ensuing upheavals and forced migrations.


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Whet your guests' appetites with tempting appetizers that won't leave them too full for the main course. When appetizers are small, it's easy to overindulge and break the fat and calorie bank, but fat-free appetizers deliver high scores on flavor without the unnecessary and unhealthy excess fat. Whether you revamp your favorite recipes or try something new, nonfat appetizers will be a hit for your next gathering.
Dips and Spreads
Sour cream, cream cheese and shredded cheese raise the fat content of spreadable appetizers, but simple fat-free swaps eliminate fat without eliminating flavor. Fat-free dry soup or salad dressing mixes combined with creamy fat-free Greek yogurt create palate-pleasing dips for vegetable sticks. Vegetable spreads like baba ganoush or spinach dip often contain hidden calories in ingredients such as olive oil or cream cheese, but opting instead for fat-free chicken broth, fat-free creamy dressing, fat-free cream cheese or even cottage cheese ditches the unnecessary fat. To make your own fat-free hummus, omit the olive oil and tahini from the recipe, substitute a bit of fat-free mayonnaise or ranch dressing for creaminess and add flavor with lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts.
Fun with Vegetables
A vegetable platter is a simple fix for a fat-free appetizer, but clever arrangements and fat-free adornments elevate what is an otherwise simple starter. If you're in a time pinch, create your platter in order of colors for an eye-catching display and surround the tray with small ramekins of prepared fat-free creamy salad dressings for dipping. If you prefer a more elegant display, use a wide peeler or mandolin slicer to cut thin ribbons from cucumbers, squash or zucchini. A thin layer of fat-free cream cheese seasoned with garlic salt, curry powder or ranch seasoning mix along each ribbon provides ample flavor, and the delicate slices can be arranged in curled spirals and secured with toothpicks for a quick, elegant treat.
Tasty Seafood
Fat-free appetizers don't have to forgo filling proteins. Shrimp contain negligible amounts of fat, less than half a gram in four large shrimp. Serve up a classic shrimp cocktail with fat-free cocktail sauce in martini glasses with shrimp dressed around the edges. Or serve a less traditional, but no less delicious, non-fat creamy dressing with the shrimp. For a hot appetizer, toss the shrimp on the grill with a splash of citrus juice like lemon, orange or even pureed mango. Crab meat is equally low in fat and suitable for fat-free seafood salads -- opt for fat-free mayonnaise or creamy dressing and dried spices and seasonings to keep fat out. If you want absolutely no fat at all, purchase fat-free imitation crab meat instead of the real deal.
Sweet Bites
It's traditional to save sweet treats for after dinner, but nonfat appetizers with a hint of sweetness are also light options to kick off a meal. Fruit is refreshing and light -- chop up your favorite melons and slip them onto wooden skewers. Serve them with a drizzle of fat-free vanilla yogurt or offer fat-free vanilla pudding for dipping. Fat-free and even sugar-free fruit-flavored gelatin makes quick single-serve appetizers. Distribute the liquid in a silicone ice cube tray or mini muffin tin and drop small bits of peaches or whole berries into each compartment. Keep the jiggly appetizers elegant by serving them on individual spoons for easy serving.
- "L.A. Daily News"; Entertain with Guilt-Free, Flavorful Appetizers; Natalie Haughton; November 2010
- Active.com; 8 Healthier Options for Super Bowl Party Appetizers; Teresa Brunner
- "500 Low-Fat and Fat-Free Appetizers, Snacks and Hors d' oeuvres"; Sarah Schlesinger; 1995
- "Just 100 Calories"; Parragon; 2007
- Dynamic Graphics/Creatas/Getty Images


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Bracken_Joy 1 set/1 deadlift 200lbs (Stretch: 270lbs)1 set/1 back squat 135lbs(Stretch: 200lbs)Achieve proper and comfortable front rack position1 set/1 strict pullup
Quote from: Skinnin on December 02, 2016, 10:57:48 AMNice numbers! What is your weight and how long have you been training?I'm a former powerlifter. I still lift but my back is effed. I can still put up respectable numbers on bench, but not so much on squats or deads.Former stats were 258 BP, 353 squat, 450 DL @ a BW of 156.Pretty wild #'s you had there. Did you compete in the USAPL or another federation? I'm no where near as strong going by wilks score (weight vs. lifts for the non powerlifters)I'm currently sitting ~225lbs right now, will be cutting down to 205 for my first meet in March. I'm finishing up a 6 week DUP training block right now and will be testing my maxes again in 2 weeks. Expecting to hit a ~350-355 bp, 615-625 dl, and ~475-485 sq @ 220lbs
Nice numbers! What is your weight and how long have you been training?I'm a former powerlifter. I still lift but my back is effed. I can still put up respectable numbers on bench, but not so much on squats or deads.Former stats were 258 BP, 353 squat, 450 DL @ a BW of 156.
horsepoor Complete Robie Creek half marathon < 2:10:00 (April)Complete Zeitgeist half marathon < 2:00:00 (November)Paleo/Primal diet >= 90%Strength workouts 2x/weekSprint 1x/week (running, rowing, or kettlebell intervals)
hudsoncatMaintain 50lb fat loss from 2015Complete 5K <= 30:00 (<= 09:39/mile)Complete Half Marathon <= 2:20:00Complete Triathlon (sprint)Strength training 2X/weekSet Personal Record for 5K (<= 29:34) New PR: 28:54!
Flan-You've gotten great advice on this already, slow down, reduce mileage, ice after your runs and get good shoes. Don't mess around with crap shoes if you are putting in more than 10 miles a week. Question, do you hurt after your run or only during it? For shoes, I can't recommend the Mizuno wave rider line enough. It's a neutral shoe (foot doesn't roll to one side or the other on strike) that has a good deal of cushion (I find that my injury level stays low on a cushion shoe, your results will vary). The best thing about the wave rider? They don't change it up every year into something new. I used to wear New Balance like a religion BUT, they would do a major overall on a shoe ever iteration and take a cushion shoe and make it a stability shoe or otherwise mess up the foot feel (WHY OH WHY NEW BALANCE?!?!). The Wave rider stays consistent AND, if you shop around a little you can find last years models at great prices. The current model might run 120 bucks but go back to the year prior and they can be had for 60, that's a GREAT shoe for the price, I put 30 miles a week on them with zero issues. If I start feeling a twinge in the hips/knees/ankles (usually after 250-300 miles of use) I grab one of the new pairs that I have pre-purchased (last years model of course) and make it my new shoes, using the old one for short mileage. I've gotten a whole years of use out of three pairs of wave rider 18's using this method, that's a year of running for 180 bucks. Hope the knees get to feeling better. Tim
[...]I have accomplished one of my goals of losing ten pounds. Yay! [...]


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J.K. Rowling Announces New Harry Potter Play
Author J.K. Rowling on Friday announced plans for a new Harry Potter stage play, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" to open next year. The WSJ's Lee Hawkins reports the details. Photo: AP
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... couldn't explain ... you're a wizard I ... get ready Harry Potter fans the boy who lived will live once again ... this time on stage in London in the Harry Potter play that will debut next year Harry Potter author JK Robben announced Friday are worth Twitter now that the play titled Harry Potter and her style ... will hope that next summer at the Palace Theater in London's West it ... sees as a play is going to tell him on Toll part of the Harry Potter story ... lol ... I wanna say too much more because I don't want to spoil what I know will be a real treat for fans says ... however I can say that it is not a prequel of will ... and get this rallied shows the special day for Harry Potter fans make the announcement ... it's the eighteenth anniversary of the U K publication ... of the first book in the series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone ... so far the seven books in the Harry Potter series are pushing as ... four hundred and fifty million copies ... and eight other films have grossed more than seven point seven billion dollars worldwide ... for those of you may be wondering why is it also played for me ... to tell the story ... Rollins got an answer for you ... why is the first of a new novel see writes ... I am confident that when the audiences see the play ... they will agree that it was the only proper medium or the story on will ... tickets for Harry Potter and the first child a lot sale this fall ... BdB ...


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I love a good matte palette so when I heard about the Tarte Tartlette palette I was really intrigued.
Well I picked it up from Sephora back in February and figured it was time for a review.
First what is it?
The Tartlette Palette is an all matte palette that contains 12 Shadows in the shades Free Spirit (cream), Force Of Nature (nude), Dreamer (warm brown), Multi-Tasker (chocolate), Caregiver (pale pink), Natural Beauty (mauve), Best Friend (mulberry), Bombshell (dark plum), Super Mom (ivory), Wanderer (light brown), Power Player (taupe), Fashionista (black).
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According to a plaque on the wall, we were standing in THE HIGHEST LIBRARY IN THE WORLD on the 60th floor of our hotel. With two hands, Barrington took hold of a bookcase and pulled. It swung open, revealing a secret door at the end of a short, dark hallway. "It's like Harry Potter!" he said. Barrington opened the door and stepped out into the light. And just like that, he was 760 feet above Shanghai.
We had hired a guide to show us the history of architecture in the city. She pointed to a boxy brown building on the street below, across from People's Park. "That's the Park Hotel," she said. "Until 1983, it was the tallest building in Shanghai."
"That was the tallest building in Shanghai?"
"Yes, all of this is new," she said, sweeping her arm across the horizon.
Think about this. Barrington was born in 1983. This makes him older than every skyscraper in the city. If you're a high school senior, you are older than Shanghai's entire subway system—the world's largest. In 1999, Shanghai had only one subway line. Now there are fourteen, covering 334 miles of track. And that doesn't include the Maglev—the world's fastest train. Using the power of magnets to levitate one centimeter above a track, the train goes more than 250 miles per hour and makes the 25-mile journey from downtown to Pudong International Airport in 7 minutes.
If this all sounds mind-boggling, that's because it is. The speed and scale of construction in Shanghai right now is simply stupefying. "It's concrete as far as the eye can see," said Barrington. Everywhere we looked there were buildings popping up like weeds in an empty lot. Three rose higher than the rest: the Jin Mao Tower (88 stories, 1,380 feet), the Shanghai World Financial Center (101 stories, 1,614 feet), and the soon-to-be-completed Shanghai Tower (121 stories, 2,073 feet).
It's easy to think of cities as these huge, permanent things as if they've always existed. We forget that people had to build them, one building at a time. Shanghai offers a rare opportunity to witness the design of a city from the ground up.
"I'm used to seeing a city laid out like a grid," Barrington said to our guide. "This seems more like a free-for-all."
She insisted that it wasn't. And to prove it, our next stop was the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall.
In the lobby of the SUPEH, a gleaming gold monument to Shanghai's modernization towered over us. Above it, in block letters, read the slogan of the World Expo held here in 2010: "Better City, Better Life."
It's fitting that Shanghai chose a theme of self-improvement. In 1949, the year Mao Zedong founded the People's Republic of China, the population of Shanghai was 4 million. Most lived in small colonial-era houses along winding, gated lanes. The city gained only 2 million people over the next thirty years. Then in the 1980s, a new leader, Deng Xiaoping, opened the country to outside investors. "Development," he said, "is the absolute principle." Since then, Shanghai has exploded outward and upward to its present population of 24 million and counting.
Imagine the number of people in New York City. Now multiply that by three. How do you design a city to house that many people, each with their own wants, needs, hopes, and dreams? First, you need a plan—a 6,500 square foot plan to be exact. Sprawled across the third floor of the SUPEH, this 1:500 scale model shows how every building in central Shanghai will look in the year 2020. On the far side of the Huangpu River, where there once were fishing shacks and farmhouses, there's now a highly engineered financial district, featuring pedestrian skyways, a shish kebab-shaped TV tower, and the world's first trio of adjacent supertall skyscrapers.
The Shanghainese aren't just engineering buildings. Where there once was a racetrack for dogs and horses, there's now a grand park for the People. Where there once was a ferry, there's now the world's longest steel arch bridge. Where there once was a canal, there's now an elevated freeway. More Chinese are driving than ever before. Shanghai's road network can't handle 24 million drivers, so to deter car ownership, the city charges $15,000 for a license plate—in some cases more than the car itself!
They're engineering experiences, too. On a walk through the gardens of People's Square one morning, I heard the sound of crickets chirping. It was noticeably pleasant. Then I thought, "Wait a sec. Crickets don't chirp in the morning." That's when I saw the speaker disguised as a rock in the grass. This sort of manufactured nature seemed pretty creepy until I remembered that back in the U.S., brands like Abercrombie & Fitch and Starbucks have been pumping smells and sounds into their stores for years. At least here, I said to myself, China isn't trying to get me to buy anything. By time I left the SUPEH, I had retracted that statement. Barrington felt the same way.
Every exhibit inside that place as well as every piece of public engineering outside—from the tallest building to the longest bridge—was selling one BIG thing, an idea, and the idea was this: Look at the amazing things China can do for YOU if we all stick together!
Like the rock in the grass at People's Square, it all sounded creepy to our American ears until we stepped out of the Lujiazui Metro station in east Shanghai and looked up.
The Shanghai Tower rises from the street like a charmed cobra. When it opens in 2015, it will be the second tallest building in the world with 121 stories (2,073 feet) of offices, hotel rooms, and retail space. We came to Shanghai to study innovative engineering. It doesn't get much more innovative than this. A glass skin of windows swirls up around the tower's inner core, creating 21 airborne atriums—or "sky parks"—to bring trees and the feel of street-level neighborhoods to the upper floors. The trees will help freshen the air and regulate the building's temperature while 270 wind turbines help power the nighttime lighting. Its elevators are the world's fastest, racing skyward at 40 miles per hour. And a deep groove spiraling down the building deflects wind to reduce sway. This innovation alone reduced the cost of steel and concrete necessary to strengthen the core by $58 million!
Because it's still under construction, we couldn't get inside. So to get a closer view, we ascended its older siblings—the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC)—affectionately known as "the Bottle Opener." From the Jin Mao's observation deck on the 88th floor, you could look down thirty stories into the lobby of the Grand Hyatt or look up at people on the glass-floored observation deck of the SWFC next door. Like Shanghai's urban planners, we felt compelled to go higher.
So on our last day in Shanghai, Barrington, Fabio, and I went up the SWFC. An elevator rocketed us 1,430 feet to the 94th floor in 66 seconds! We stepped out onto an observation deck with floor-to-ceiling windows on either side. Stats along the windows put the building's construction in perspective: 200,000 kilometers of steel wrapped in 94,000 square-meters of glass. "I never knew a building could have 91 elevators," said Barrington. To dig the foundation, 712,000 tons of soil had to be removed. That's basically the weight of 10 million people.
Remarkably, the building wasn't swaying in the wind. That's because the building's iconic bottle opener shape isn't just for looks. The giant hole in the top floors was designed to let high winds pass through. We climbed stairs on one side of the hole to the glass-floored "Sky Walk" that spans the hole's top edge, 1,555 feet above the street. From that high up, barges on the river were just a few moving pixels in what looked like a screenshot from the video game Sim City.
A grey haze enshrouded the view. If this had actually been a game, the Sims would have rioted over air quality.
"Looks like the apocalypse," said Fabio. "The day after."
Barrington thought for a moment, his eyes fixed on the crowds of tiny people below.
"I'm leaving Shanghai with more questions than answers," he said. "In terms of sustainability, they have addressed the issue of housing people, but what about water, clean air, and food? They can limit the number of cars people buy, but they still haven't controlled the amount of coal they're burning. It's like loading an airplane. To stay aloft, you have to find the right balance."
NEXT STOP: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam


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The largest ecosystem on the planet is also the most mysterious–the bathypelagic or "midnight zone", that thick layer of seemingly monotonous dark water between the film of sunlit surface ocean above, where the alchemy of photosynthesis spins sunlight into the tiny algal cells that feed the rest of the ocean, and the cold dark desert of the deep-sea floor below.
The bathypelagic is a mystery because it is huge, sparsely populated, and largely inaccessible and so it is infrequently that we get to see the sometimes bizarre life forms that live there. Perhaps not surprisingly, these elusive creatures lend themselves to legend–the kraken, the giant squid, mermaids, and so on.
One of the most fascinating–and timely– such examples involves the strange, beautiful, and elusive Regalecus glesne, variously known as the oarfish on account of its long flat body, or more poetically, the "King of herrings". The latter name presumably derives from its colossal size (it is the longest bony fish in the world at >15 m) and the "crown" of spines at the front end of its dorsal fin. This striking animal, whose harmless nature is belied by its large size and bizarre appearance, occasionally ascends from its netherworld home and flounders about near the surface, where it is believed to be the origin of many sea serpent stories.
The oarfish is also believed in some quarters to be a harbinger of earthquakes, particularly around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. Consider this report from the Telegraph published on 4 March 2010:
Japan is bracing itself after dozens of rare giant oarfish – traditionally the harbinger of a powerful earthquake – have been washed ashore or caught in fishermen's nets. The appearance of the fish follows Saturday's destructive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile and the January 12 tremors in Haiti, which claimed an estimated 200,000 lives. A quake with a magnitude of 6.4 has also struck southern Taiwan. This rash of tectonic movements around the Pacific "Rim of Fire" is heightening concern that Japan – the most earthquake-prone country in the world – is next in line for a major earthquake. Those concerns have been stoked by the unexplained appearance of a fish that is known traditionally as the Messenger from the Sea God's Palace. The giant oarfish can grow up to five metres in length and is usually to be found at depths of 1,000 metres and very rarely above 200 metres from the surface. Long and slender with a dorsal fin the length of its body, the oarfish resembles a snake.
In recent weeks, 10 specimens have been found either washed ashore or in fishing nets off Ishikawa Prefecture, half-a-dozen have been caught in nets off Toyama Prefecture and others have been reported in Kyoto, Shimane and Nagasaki prefectures, all on the northern coast.
According to traditional Japanese lore, the fish rise to the surface and beach themselves to warn of an impending earthquake – and there are scientific theories that bottom-dwelling fish may very well be susceptible to movements in seismic fault lines and act in uncharacteristic ways in advance of an earthquake – but experts here are placing more faith in their constant high-tech monitoring of the tectonic plates beneath the surface.
"In ancient times Japanese people believed that fish warned of coming earthquakes, particularly catfish," Hiroshi Tajihi, deputy director of the Kobe Earthquake Centre, told the Daily Telegraph. "But these are just old superstitions and there is no scientific relationship between these sightings and an earthquake," he said.
Check out this video of the seemingly supernatural animal at home, swimming gracefully in the deep sea. It's easy to understand how Regal became part of its scientific name.
Thank you for the beautiful description of the oarfish and its basis in legends from mermaids to sea monsters. What a treasure of a story to come across! Poignant, too, its reminder of the tragedy in Japan. How much wisdom and mystery exist all around us!


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