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Look for High-Growth Oil and Gas JuniorsSource: Alec Gimurtu of The Energy Report (6/26/12) Companies Mentioned: Apache Corp. - AusTex Oil Ltd. - BreitBurn Energy Partners L.P. - Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. - Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd. - Encana Corp. - EOG Resources Inc. - Gale Force Petroleum Inc. - Gastar Exploration Ltd. - Molopo Energy Ltd. - Pacific Coast Oil Trust - Range Resources Corp. - Red Fork Energy Ltd. - Sonde Resources Corp. - Southwestern Energy Co. - Westbridge Energy Corp. The Energy Report: It's been a tough market for energy stocks since your last interview. What is your take on the state of the market? Josh Young: It's been a tough few months for energy stocks. Over the last few years, there have been risk-on and risk-off cycles. Commodities and smaller energy stocks have done well when the world economy appeared to be recovering; last November through March was one of those periods. Beginning in April, the market turned down. Investors got more cautious, oil and natural gas prices came down, as did energy stocks. This is an interesting time because it is not clear what will happen next. Unless there is a big, unforeseen global event, commodities and energy will continue to trade in the wide range that we've seen over the last few years. TER: What companies can succeed in this environment? Gale Force Petroleum Inc. (GFP:CVE) is one that you've talked about in the past. How do you evaluate them? JY: I've found that companies achieving the highest valuations are not just cheap based on cash flow and reserves. They are also rapidly growing. Growth can be organic or by acquisition, but there needs to be the potential to grow rapidly and economically. Any capital spending must lead to high growth. Highly valued, large companies such as Southwestern Energy Co. (SWN:NYSE) or Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG:NYSE) are rewarded with a premium multiple in the market after having achieved years of economic, high production growth. I look for companies that are smaller and are in the process of economically growing production, but that aren't necessarily showing the results just yet in their financials, and where people don't yet believe there will be consistent growth. That transitional period when companies are growing and drilling with high rates of return is the sweet spot for an equity holder. Unlike most oil and gas stocks, Gale Force is up for the year. It is well financed, growing rapidly and trading at a discount to the value of its cash flow and reserves. Gale Force recently announced production guidance in excess of 800 barrels per day (bbl/d) by the end of the year versus 275 bbl/d at the start of the year. It is possible that the company could get to 1 thousand barrels per day (Mbbl/d) by the end of the year. With a current enterprise value of around $20 million ($20M), it is undervalued relative to its peers and relative to the liquidation value of its assets. Gale Force is in the process of drilling to prove undeveloped locations and recompleting three producing wells. Production could exceed 600 bbl/d by the beginning of August. These projects have a very high rate of return�a triple-digit internal rate of return in many cases. It should create a lot of value over the next year or so through this capital program. Over time, the equity price will begin to reflect that. If Gale Force traded to a normal industry multiple of $100,000 (100K)/flowing barrel, with 1,000 bbl/d production by the end of the year, that could make for a $100M market cap versus the current $20M market cap. There is a lot of potential upside. TER: Does this multiple apply to junior producers or is that more for mid-tiers and majors? JY: That's a great question. It's not really still applicable for really small companies, but what Gale Force is doing will make it very applicable. Gale Force has been looking at royalty trusts that have been spun off by companies like SandRidge Energy (SD:NYSE), Chesapeake Energy Corp. (CHK:NYSE) and the management of BreitBurn Energy Partners L.P. (BBEP:NASDAQ). Once production exceeds 1,000 bbl/d, Gale Force will stabilize production with continuous drilling and workover programs. Those assets are being evaluated for spinning out to a royalty trust. The valuations on royalty trusts are well in excess of $100K/flowing barrel. Even now, after a few months of weakness in energy stocks, most of the royalty trusts are trading in excess of $250K/flowing barrel. There's a capital expenditure requirement, but even netting the capex requirement, 1,000 bbl/d of stabilized production could be worth more than $200M. In general, a $100K/flowing barrel metric is more appropriate for a larger company, Gale Force does have a near-term monetization plan. I think the $100K is fair. As a potential royalty trust offering becomes more of a reality, the stock could price it in. TER: Have other small companies successfully spun off or converted into a royalty trust? JY: Absolutely. Recently, the management that runs BreitBurn Energy had a private company that was smaller and grew over the last few years. They spun it out as Pacific Coast Oil Trust (ROYT:NYSE). The initial valuation was about $300K/flowing barrel. Production was approximately 3,000 bbl/d. Gale Force produces less but is higher margin. I don't think there's necessarily a size requirement beyond the 1,000 bbl/d Gale Force will achieve. A spinoff needs to be a certain size for investors to want to participate and for liquidity, but I don't think it should matter too much if it's 1,000 or 50,000 bbl/d as long as the yield is similar and the cash flow per unit is similar. TER: It's good to go down a path that's been traveled successfully. JY: Gale Force has always been on the XTO path, which is a little different. Many juniors will lease a bunch of land, then try to raise money on the back of it. Next, they drill wells and try to raise money on the back of those well results. Gale Force has done it the other way around. First, they buy production at a low price. Next, they rework the wells to increase production. Lastly, they borrow money, hedge production to protect the debt and repeat. Gale Force also raises equity, but it has been on the back of production, not because of large land positions. Most of Gale Force's production has a stable decline rate. That's why the royalty trust model could work well, whereas for a lot of smaller companies, it's not really an option. TER: Is Gale Force mostly active in Texas? JY: Most current production is in East Texas. Royalty trusts are best if geographically concentrated�it helps to have fields in just a few areas. Gale Force has a field in South Texas, but it is close to current production. It helps to have one center of operations. The company looks at additional acquisitions and drilling, but it's all within that small area. TER: When you look at other companies, is it important to you that they have established fields in drilling-friendly jurisdictions like Texas? JY: Yes, it's obviously helpful, but I care more about the field being highly economic than I do about location. I also care about political risk. In New York, you can't drill horizontally and do hydraulic fracturing. Internationally, there are all sorts of political risks that I generally avoid, although occasionally I'll participate for the right risk-reward ratio. A position I recently added is AusTex Oil Ltd. (AOK:ASX). It is traded in Australia, which is unusual for a small energy stock with most of its assets in the Mississippian play of Oklahoma and Kansas. That could be why it trades at a discount to its asset value and to its peers. AusTex is next to Range Resources Corp. (RRC:NYSE) on the Nemaha Ridge. Range has drilled more than 100 vertical wells in the area. Many have had more than 100% rates of return. More recently, Range has drilled eight horizontal wells within two miles of AusTex's position. AusTex was in one of those wells from which they expect a 30-day average rate of 1,000 bbl/d or more. With a well cost of less than $4M and production of 1,000 bbl/d, the well could pay out in a few months. AusTex is a minority working interest partner in that particular well, with approximately 14�15% interest. AusTex has 6,000 net acres adjacent to that well. The company has drilled a few vertical wells on the land with well costs around $600K and 30-day rates in excess of 100 bbl/d. Those are very high rates of return. Another AusTex neighbor is Apache Corp. (APA:NYSE), which just had its analyst day. Apache has hundreds of thousands of acres in the Mississippian in Kansas, where it envelops AusTex's position in Kansas. Apache is going to drill wells all around AusTex. It is possible that AusTex is in the center of a newly discovered oil field. It's exciting, but too early to give it too much credit in my valuation. TER: Your valuation on AusTex is based on production and cash flow plus a big growth component? JY: Yes. There will be a lot of growth from the 6,000 acres next to Range. AusTex will be able to drill hundreds of vertical wells or dozens of horizontal wells that will each have net present values well in excess of the cost of the well. You can more than double your money every time you drill a well. The market cap right now is just above $30M. It's a small company, but if it drills a few wells, it can ramp up production and cash flow significantly. It will be able to internally finance the drilling and get payback in approximately six months for each well. TER: AusTex stock has been pretty hot this year�tripling up to a few weeks ago and then selling off. Is the word getting out or is this still somewhat under the radar? JY: I think one or two investors in Australia figured it out. In February and March, people got excited. Prior to that it, it was stable in the $0.08�0.11 range for a long time. The stock started to move after announcing excellent vertical well results. Range's results were also great. Based on both companies' results, investors were comforted that it was not a "one-off" well. Recently, the stock has declined with the sector as a whole. With additional drill results, the stock could rebound and head higher. Competitors like Red Fork Energy Ltd. (RFE:ASX) and a few other Mississippian-focused companies have higher per-acre, per-flowing barrel and cash-flow valuations. It has a lot of room to the upside. I have bought this dip. TER: What other companies are you following? JY: Gastar Exploration Ltd. (GST:NYSE) has positions in Texas and West Virginia. It is executing on its plan, growing rapidly and generating high rates of return on its wells. Its financing is lined up. Last year, it doubled proven reserves and it's likely to do so again. The stock is down 50% since the beginning of the year, and it has far underperformed its peers. Exposure to natural gas and natural gas liquids didn't help. Despite that, Gastar's wells are highly economic on a new, mid-continent oil play. A partner has drilled a number of highly economic wells that cost $3�4M and came on at 30-day rates of 600�800 bbl/d. It also has a historic natural gas field that it hasn't been active in but still holds the land by production. EOG Resources Inc. (EOG:NYSE) recently drilled an Eaglebine shale well nearby with reports of stabilized production of approximately 1,000 bbl/d. Encana Corp. (ECA:TSX; ECA:NYSE) drilled a well nearby with an initial high production that flattened out at around 200 or 250 bbl/d. The company recently announced several others at similar production rates and is now drilling a longer lateral well, which it expects to produce at substantially higher rates. TER: But how do you value that? JY: Gastar's West Virginia land is probably worth more than the current enterprise value. In addition, it has 15�20K acres that are prospective for the Eagle Ford that EOG may have just delineated. Encana is also drilling around it. It also has the mid-continent oil play that looks like it's going to be highly economic. Gastar is participating in the first one of its wells in a few weeks. I believe the stock is cheap. Apparently, so does the CEO, because he bought $100K of the stock a couple of weeks ago. He said he got some flack because he only bought $100K. He told me that almost all of his personal net worth is already in the stock. When you go from 90% of your net worth in the stock to 91% of your net worth in the stock, even if it's a small dollar value, it's a big deal because obviously it's further concentrating your wealth. I think he was joking, but he said he was rummaging through his couch seats for change to go and buy a little bit more. Hearing that made me go through my couch seats to pick up a little more stock myself. TER: It's really been beaten up over the past year on the price chart. JY: Yes, it's gotten beaten up. It's tough as a current holder. I've owned the stock for a while. But it's also a great opportunity. I bought a little bit more recently. I may buy some more going forward. I see opportunity in stocks that are beaten down, executing well but are unloved for some reason. As they go back into favor, they have the opportunity to outperform. TER: Does Gastar look like an acquisition target? JY: Yes. The CEO has talked about getting inbound calls from private equity. I'm not sure that the whole company is for sale. However, the Marcellus asset is probably worth more than the whole company. Half could be sold for $100�200M to pay down debt and the balance re-deployed elsewhere. Such a scenario could double the stock. TER: Are there other special situations that you are watching? JY: I like companies that are cash rich. Neither Gastar, AusTex nor Gale Force have a lot of cash on hand. They have sufficient liquidity to execute their plans, but they don't have a ton of excess cash. I follow two companies that have more than 50% of their market cap in cash and no debt�Sonde Resources Corp. (SOQ:NYSE) and Molopo Energy Ltd. (MPO:ASX). Both happen to be selling international assets. Molopo is selling a natural gas field in Australia that could be used for liquefied natural gas transport. Sonde is selling a North African oil field. Both companies could have negative enterprise values if their sales happen at the management-guided prices. They're special-situation investments, and they theoretically shouldn't be very high beta. Oddly, they have traded in line with the market over the last few months. As their asset sales proceed, the stocks should diverge from trading with the market. Both should be able to create value through stock buybacks and maybe even distress acquisitions. TER: Molopo has a large portfolio of different types of projects all over the world. Would it make sense to focus on its best prospects? JY: Yes. It has a lot of valuable assets, but the company is hard to value because not all its projects are generating cash. Molopo needs to focus. Ironically, even if it gave away some assets, it could go up in value because it would be easier to understand. Its South African holdings are an example. It has hundreds of thousands of acres there that may have shale gas or other assets. How do you value that? My estimate is that it could be worth $10�20M or more in the future. For now, Molopo is not selling the South African holdings, but the asset has value. Molopo is selling an Australian asset, but it's also hard to value. Hopefully, proceeds will be used to buy back stock because the market is having trouble valuing the company. Buybacks would help to resolve the issue. TER: Are there any other interesting companies that you would like to mention? JY: Yes. The last one is unusual for me in that its only asset is offshore West Africa and it has no production or cash flow. It has a very low valuation based on the oil that could be underneath its leases. It is in Namibia, and it is called Westbridge Energy Corp. (WEB:TSX.V). Southern Namibia has a known offshore field. Chariot Oil & Gas Ltd. (CHAR:LSX) recently drilled an exploratory well. That well was uneconomic, but it showed a petroleum system in the area. That well looks to be on the side of the same reservoir as Westbridge. There is a lot of activity in the area, with many wells located and permitted offshore by a number of different operators. It will only take one economic well to get numerous buyout bids for Westbridge. For now, Westbridge is starting at a low valuation and taking a more pragmatic approach, which starts with coming in early, paying little for acreage and building relationships. Westbridge has attractive back-ins with Namibia. As an investor, their low-cost approach mirrors my own. A large, inexpensively acquired land package with lots of exploration activity should result in value creation that someone will pay well in excess of current market valuation. TER: That is a lot different from your other picks, but it fits a different portfolio need. JY: It's a flier�but it's a cheap flier. I know management well and I like how they work. If Namibia heats up, Westbridge could sell a portion of current holdings for a substantial profit to fund ongoing exploration. That would ensure that early investors are rewarded. Management recognizes that West Africa is a high-risk prospect and they are acting to maximize gains for themselves and early investors. TER: How would you sum up your advice for our readers? JY: It looks likely that we're going to get some quantitative easing and bailouts in the U.S. and Europe, particularly running up to the U.S. election in November. If so, energy stocks could run. Investors should consider the international dynamics for oil prices, especially with regard to Russia's role. I want to be on the same side of the table as Russia in this regard. The current Russian regime has strong incentives to maintain a high oil price. Their finances need $110 Brent. There are many strong geopolitical incentives for Russia and oil exporters to maintain the high oil price. That's part of why I feel comfortable maintaining exposure to oil, despite all of the geopolitical and economic turmoil. People with the power to maintain high oil prices are doing so. I expect a reasonably high price of oil over time, even if there is an economic downturn. TER: Thank you for your time, it has been interesting. Josh Young is the founder and portfolio manager of Young Capital Management LLC, which launched Young Capital Partners L.P. in 2010. He previously served as an analyst at a multibillion-dollar single-family office in Los Angeles. Prior to that, he was an investment analyst at Triton Pacific Capital Partners. He was also a corporate strategy consultant at Mercer Management Consulting and DiamondCluster. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Chicago. Source: Alec Gimurtu of The Energy Report (6/26/12) The Energy Report - http://www.theenergyreport.com - a unique, free site, featuring summaries of articles from major publications, specific recommendations from newsletter writers, analysts and portfolio managers covering the fossil, nuclear, renewable, and alternative energy sectors. We welcome your comments mailto:email@example.com The Energy Report is Copyright 2012 by Streetwise Inc. All rights are reserved. Streetwise Inc. hereby grants an unrestricted license to use or disseminate this copyrighted material only in whole (and always including this disclaimer), but never in part. The Energy Report does not render investment advice and does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned in this report. From time to time, Streetwise Inc. directors, officers, employees or members of their families may have a long or short position in securities mentioned and may make purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise. Streetwise Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported. DISCLOSURE: 1) Alec Gimurtu of The Energy Report conducted this interview. He personally and/or his family own shares of the following companies mentioned in this interview: Encana. |
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UC Concrete & Masonry
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UC Concrete & Masonry is the premier provider of comprehensive concrete and masonry services in the region. Our team of expert technicians provide top-quality service to residential, commercial, and industrial clients alike. We have long been a leader in our industry, operating with diligence and integrity on every job site. No matter how large or small your project is, our skilled technicians will meet your needs quickly and efficiently. They will also exceed your expectations with high-quality results. For the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are working alongside the best, make UC Concrete & Masonry a part of your next project.
Union City is a city in the San Francisco Bay Area in Alameda County, California, United States, located approximately 19 miles (31 km) south of Oakland, 30 miles (48 km) from San Francisco, and 20 miles (32 km) north of San Jose. Incorporated in 1959, combining the communities of Alvarado and Decoto, the city has 70,000 residents and a very diverse population. Alvarado is a California Historical Landmark (#503). The city celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009. The city, along with the cities of Fremont and Newark, makes up the Tri-City Area to the south.
28 Palms, Alvarado Historic District Merchant Association, Ardenwood, Brookvale, Cabrillo, Cameron Hills, Canyon Heights - Vallejo Mills, Casa Verde Park, Centerville, Centerville District, Central District, Chabot Park, Cherry - Guardino, City of Union City, California, Downtown Estates

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We recommend contacting a licensed plumber. You can install it yourself, but it must be installed according to our specifications, and the Utilities Department will inspect it after installation. If you hire someone to install it, provide them with a copy of the letter. After completing the install, contact a Backflow Tester from our List of Approved Backflow Testers and schedule a test. Provide a copy of the letter to your Tester. After completing the test, the Tester will submit the results to the City of Alamogordo Utilities Department.
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Contact a Backflow Tester from our List of Approved Backflow Testers and schedule a test. Provide a copy of the letter to your Tester. After completing the test, the Tester will submit the results to the City of Alamogordo Utilities Department.
Backflow prevention assemblies have internal seals, springs, and moving parts that are susceptible to wear and failure. Annual testing ensures they are functioning properly and protecting our public water system.
Yes, however, we require you to utilize independent private contractors. The City of Alamogordo Utilities Department does not install or test backflow preventers. We only inspect them. We do require backflow tests to be performed by Testers on our List of Approved Backflow Testers.
Residential customers are only required to install a backflow preventer if the home has an in-ground irrigation system, well, or pool. It is the customer's responsibility to notify us if an irrigation system, well, or pool is installed. Backflow requirements vary for commercial customers based on the business's water use. Our staff reviews newly established commercial water accounts to assess the degree of backflow hazard and notifies businesses about backflow requirements.
Backflow is the reversal of the normal flow of water. It's caused by pressure differences and can allow contaminants from an irrigation system, boiler, or other sources to enter a home or building's plumbing system or the public water supply. Backflow prevention devices protect plumbing systems and our public water supply by preventing backflow.
A cross-connection is a link between a potable water system and a non-potable water system, in our case, the City of Alamogordo's public water lines and our customers' private plumbing systems. Backflow can occur through cross-connections.
A sudden drop in water pressure in our public system can cause backflow. Backpressure can also cause backflow. Backpressure occurs when a building's plumbing system has higher pressure than the public water supply. Both situations can allow water and contaminants from a private plumbing system to reverse flow into the public supply, potentially contaminating the water for other users. Backflow preventers keep this from happening.
Since 1999, the City has installed residential dual check valves on every residential water service. We also require customers whose water use presents a backflow hazard to install and annually test a backflow prevention assembly according to our specifications.
Install a hose-bib vacuum breaker on each of your outside water spigots. These devices will prevent water from being back-siphoned from a hose or irrigation system into your home's plumbing. Hose-bib vacuum breakers are inexpensive and available at hardware stores.
This annual fee is assessed on each backflow prevention assembly to offset the cost of maintaining our backflow prevention program. Residential irrigation customers are exempt from this fee.
Different customers present different backflow hazards, even at the same location. If your water use is different from the last customer, contact us to schedule an assessment.
Compliance with our backflow requirements is the responsibility of the water account holder. If you are renting a commercial space, your landlord or property management company may agree to take care of the backflow installation and/or annual testing, but it is ultimately the account holder's responsibility.
Agriculture/Farming Operations/Processing Facilities · Air Conditioning Cooling Towers · Aircraft Modification and Storage Facilities · Airports and Airlines · Apartments, Condominiums, (Bidets, Cooling Towers, Chillers, Boilers, Laundry Machines, Pools, Blow Offs) · Asphalt Plants · Aspirators · Auto Garages · Autoclaves and Sanitizers · Automotive Dealers/Plants · Automotive Radiator Shops Automotive Paint, Body Repair Facilities · Automotive Repair Facilities · Autopsy Facilities · Baking Facility · Beauty Salon, Barber Shops, Beauty Parlors, Beauty and Baber Schools · Blood/Plasma Collection Facilities · Breweries · Butchers · Car Wash · Car and Truck Wash Facilities including Detail Services · Cellar drains of the water ejector type (Water Powered) · Cemetery (Excluding Office Facilities) · Chemical Plants (Processing, Manufacturing, Compounding, Treatment) · Chemical Storage Facilities Church/Religious Facilities (Baptisteries and Kitchens) · Coin/Card-Operated Laundries · Community Facilities · Compressed Gas Handling and Storage Facilities · Concrete Mixing Plants · Convenience Stores (with Gasoline and Food Facilities) · Crime Laboratories · Day Care Facilities (with Food Processing) · Dental Facilities/Laboratories/Buddy Systems · Doctors' Offices and Clinics · Dry Cleaners (Commercial, excluding Drop off Facilities) · Embalming · Equipment using Water Producing Pressure · Exterminating Companies · Facilities using Water in Manufacturing/Processing · Farms and Feedlot Operations/Hog Farm · Fertilizers Plants, (Liquid and Spray Distributors) · Film Processing Facilities (including One Hour Processing) · Food and Beverage Processing Facilities · Fire Sprinkler Systems · Fuel/Oil Handling or Processing Facilities · Funeral Homes/Parlors, Morgues and Mortuaries · Gardening/Horticulture, Composting · Gas Stations (and/or Mini Marts with Soda Dispensing Machines or Coffee Lines) · Grease Traps/Sewage Ejectors/Degreasing Equipment/ Garbage Grinders · Grocery Stores (Raw Meat and Hazardous Waste Processing or Storage Facilities · Health Care Facilities/Dockside Facilities Health Clubs, Fitness Centers and Spas · Heat Exchangers/Solar Heating System · Home Improvement Stores · Hospitals, Dialysis Centers · Hotels and Motels · Ice Processing and/or Manufacturing Facilities · Incineration Facilities · Irrigation Systems (Planting, Agricultural and Lawn) · Jails and Penal Institutions · Kennels and Pet Facilities (Animal Hospitals and Clinics) · Laboratories and Research Facilities (Industrial, Commercial, Medical Research Schools/Colleges) · Laundries/Laundromats (Commercial, excluding Drop off Facilities) · Livestock and Animal Holding Facilities · Lumber Yards/Processing Facilities · Meat Markets and/or Meat Processing Facilities · Medical Facilities/Offices/Labs (that administer medication), Plasma Centers · Metal Manufacturing, Plating Etching, Anodizing, Passivation or Pickling Plants · Mobile Homes (Trailers)/RV Parks or Campgrounds · Nail Salon · Nursery, Shrubbery or Garden Centers and Greenhouses · Nursing Homes/Convalescent (Rehabilitation) Homes · Paper and Paper Product Plants · Pesticides, Weedicides, Herbicides, Distributors, Processors, Applicators · Pharmacy/Drug Store · Petroleum Processing and Storage Plants · Poultry Operations · Power Plants (Electrical Facilities) · Premises with Industrial Piping Systems or Auxiliary Water Supplies/Restricted Inspections · Printing Facilities (Excluding Copy Centers) · Private Wells · Propane, Butane Gas Handling Facility · Radioactive Material Plants and Handling Facilities · Railroad Yards · Rain Water (Capture and Use) Systems · Recreational Areas (Swimming Pools/Water Slides/Flume) · Restaurants (all types), and Food Handlers · Retirement/Assisted Living Centers · Sand and/or Gravel Processing Plants · Schools with Athletics Facilities, Labs, Kitchen, Pool, Spas · Shopping Centers/Malls//Strip Malls · Soda Dispensing Machine (Vending Machine) · Stable for Horses/Dockside Farm · Steel Processing Facilities · Storage Facilities with Hazardous Materials/Scrap · Supermarkets · Swimming Pools (Including Multi-Tenant Facilities), Ponds and Fountains and Water Slides/Bath House · Tattoo/Piercing Parlors · Taxidermist · Urinals (Siphon jet blowout), Trough Urinals · Vending Machines · Vegetable Processing Facilities · Veterinary Clinics/Offices/Labs · Waterhouse Facilities with hazardous materials (Toxic Chemicals, etc.) · Zoos


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RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1846. An account of the fine dust which often falls on vessels in the Atlantic ocean. [Read 4 June 1845.] Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 2: 26-30.
REVISION HISTORY: Scanned, text prepared and edited by John van Wyhe 2003-8; textual corrections by Sue Asscher 12.2006. RN5
NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here.
June 4, 1845.
1. An account of the FINE DUST which often falls on Vessels in the ATLANTIC OCEAN. By CHARLES DARWIN, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S.
MANY scattered accounts have appeared concerning the dust which has fallen in considerable quantities on vessels on the African side of the Atlantic Ocean. It has appeared to me desirable to collect these accounts, more especially since Professor Ehrenberg's1 remarkable discovery that the dust consists in considerable part of Infusoria2 and
1 Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795-1876), protozoologist, professor of Zoology at Berlin. See Journal of researches 2d ed., p. 5.
2 Microscopic organisms, formerly also including siliceous skeletons of diatoms.
Phytolitharia.1 I have found fifteen distinct statements of dust having fallen; and several of these refer to a period of more than one day, and some to a considerably longer time. Other less distinct accounts have also appeared. At the end of this paper I will give the particular cases, and will here only refer to the more striking ones and make a few general remarks.
The phænomenon has been most frequently observed in the neighbourhood of the Cape Verd Archipelago. The most southern point at which dust is recorded to have fallen is noticed by Capt. Hayward (1), on whose vessel it fell whilst sailing from lat. 10° N. to 2° 56' N.; the distance from the nearest of the Cape Verd Islands being between 450 and 850 miles. Respecting the northern limit, the water for a great distance on both sides of C. Noon (in lat. 28° 45') is discoloured, owing in part, according to Lieut. Arlett (2), to the quantities of falling dust. Hence the phænomenon has been observed over a space of at least 1600 miles of latitude. This dust has several times fallen on vessels when between 300 and 600 miles from the coast of Africa: it fell, in May 1840, on the Princess Louise (3) (in lat. 14° 21' N. and long. 35° 24' W.) when 1030 miles from Cape Verd, the nearest point of the continent, and therefore half-way between Cayenne in S. America and the dry country north of the Senegal in Africa.
On the 16th of January (1833), when the Beagle was ten miles off the N.W. end of St. Jago, some very fine dust was found adhering to the under side of the horizontal wind-vane at the mast-head; it appeared to have been filtered by the gauze from the air, as the ship lay inclined to the wind. The wind had been for twenty-four hours previously E.N.E., and hence, from the position of the ship, the dust probably came from the coast of Africa. The atmosphere was so hazy that the visible horizon was only one mile distant. During our stay of three weeks at St. Jago (to February 8th) the wind was N.E., as is always the case during this time of the year; the atmosphere was often hazy, and very fine dust was almost constantly falling, so that the astronomical instruments were roughened and a little injured. The dust collected on the Beagle was excessively fine-grained, and of a reddish brown colour; it does not effervesce with acids; it easily fuses under the blowpipe into a black or gray bead.
In 1838, from the 7th to the 10th of March, whilst Lieut. James4 in H.M.S. Spey was sailing, at the distance of from 330 to 380 miles from the continent, between lat. 21° 10' N., long. 22° 14' W., and lat. 17° 43' N., long. 25° 54' W., considerable quantities of dust fell on his vessel, four packets of which, together with a written communication, I owe to the kindness of Mr. Lyell.2 The dust which fell on the first day (or the 7th) was preceded by a thick haze, and it is coarser than that which fell on the succeeding days: it contains numerous irregular, transparent, variously coloured particles of stone about the 1/1000th of an inch square, with some few a little larger, and much fine matter. The fact of particles of this size having been brought at least 330 miles from the land is interesting, as bearing on the distribution of the sporules of cryptogamic3
1 Siliceous plant cells.
2 See Correspondence vol. 2, p. 77.
3 Nonflowering plants.
4 Robert Bastard James, Lieutenant and commander of the brig Spey from 1835.
plants and the ovules of Infusoria. The dust which fell on the three succeeding days resembles in appearance and in its action under the blowpipe that collected by myself off St. Jago, and is so excessively fine, that Lieut. James was obliged to collect it with a sponge moistened with fresh water. As the wind continued nearly in the same direction during the four above-mentioned days, and the distance from the land was only a little increased after the first day, it would appear probable that the coarser dust was raised by a squall with which the breezes on this coast so often begin blowing.
With respect to the direction of the wind during the falls of dust, in every instance where recorded it has been between N.E. and S.E.; generally between N.E. and E. In the case however given by the Rev. W. Clarke1 (4), a hazy wind which had blown for some time from E. and S.E. first fell calm, and was succeeded for a few hours by a S.W. wind, and then returned strongly to the east; during this whole time dust fell. With respect to the time of year, the falls have always occurred in the months of January, February, March and April; but in the case of the Princess Louise in 1840, as late as on the 9th of May. In the one year of 1839, it has chanced that dust has been recorded as having fallen in the Atlantic (as may be seen in the references) on the 14th and 15th of January, and on the 2nd, 4th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of February. I may add, that Baron Roussin (5), during his survey of the north-western African coast, found, that whilst the wind keeps parallel to the shore, the haze and dust extend seaward only a short distance; but when during the above four specified months the harmattan2 blows from the N.E. and E.N.E., accompanied by tornados, the dust is blown far out, and is raised on high, so that stars and all other objects within 30° of the horizon are hidden.
From the several recorded accounts (6) it appears that the quantity of dust which falls on vessels in the open Atlantic is considerable, and that the atmosphere is often rendered quite hazy; but nearer to the African coast the quantity is still more considerable. Vessels have several times run on shore owing to the haziness of the air: and Horsburgh (7) recommends all vessels, for this reason, to avoid the passage between the Cape Verd Archipelago and the main-land. Roussin also, during his survey, was thus much impeded. Lieut. Arlett found the water so discoloured (8), that the track left by his ship was visible for a long time; and he attributes this in part to the fine sand blown from the deserts, "with which everything on board soon becomes perfectly caked."
Professor Ehrenberg* has examined the dust collected by Lieut. James and myself; and he finds that it is in considerable part composed of Infusoria, including no less than sixty-seven different forms. These consist of 32 species of siliceous-shielded Polygastrica;3 of 34 forms of Phytolitharia, or the siliceous tissues of plants; and of one
* These microscopic organized bodies have been described in the 'Monatsberichten der Berlin Akad. der Wissens. Mai 1844; u. 27 Februar 1845.'4 In the latter paper a full list of the names is given: the column marked St. Jago includes those collected by myself.
1 William Branwhite Clarke (1798-1878), clergyman and geologist who emigrated to Australia in 1839.
2 A dry and dusty West African trade wind which blows south from Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March.
3 Ciliated Protozoa, the Ciliata or Infusoria.
Polythalamia. The little packet of dust collected by myself would not have filled a quarter of a tea-spoon, yet it contains seventeen forms. Professor Ehrenberg remarks, that as 37 species are common to several of the packets, the dust collected by myself, and on four successive days by Lieut. James, must certainly have come from the same quarter; yet mine was brought by a E.N.E. wind, and Lieut. James's by a S.E. and E.S.E. wind. The Infusoria are all old known species, excepting one allied to a Hungarian fossil; and they are of freshwater origin with the exception of two (Grammatophora oceanica and Textilaria globulosa), which are certainly marine. Prof. Ehrenberg could not detect any of the soft parts of the Infusoria, as if they had been quickly dried up, and hence it would appear that they must have been caught up by the wind some time after having been dead. The greater number of the species are of wide or mundane distribution; four species are common to Senegambia and S. America, and two are peculiar to the latter country: moreover it is a very singular fact, that out of the many forms known to Professor Ehrenberg as characteristic of Africa, and more especially of the Sahara and Senegambian regions, none were found in the dust. From these facts one might at first doubt whether the dust came from Africa; but considering that it has invariably fallen with the wind between N.E. and S.E., that is, directly from the coast of Africa; that the first commencement of the haze has been seen to come on with these winds; that coarser particles have first fallen; that the dust and hazy atmosphere is more common near the African coast than further in the Atlantic; and lastly, that the months during which it falls coincide with those when the harmattan blows from the continent, and when it is known that clouds of dust and sand are raised by it, I think there can be no doubt that the dust which falls in the Atlantic does come from Africa. How to explain the enigma of the absence of characteristic African forms and of the presence of two species from S. America, I will not pretend to conjecture. Finally I may remark, that the circumstance of such quantities of dust being periodically blown, year after year, over so immense an area in the Atlantic Ocean, is interesting, as showing by how apparently inefficient a cause a widely extended deposit may be in process of formation; and this deposit, it appears from the researches of Prof. Ehrenberg, will in chief part consist of freshwater Polygastrica and of Phytolitharia.
List of References.
(1) Nautical Magazine, 1839, p. 364.1 The dust fell from the 9th to the 13th of February 1839, whilst sailing from (lat. 10° N., long. 29° 59') to (lat. 2° 56' N., long. 26° 30' W.). The wind on the 9th was E.N.E., on the 10th N.E. by E., and on the three succeeding days N.E.
(2) Geographical Journal, vol. vi. p. 296. "Survey of some of the Canary Islands and part of the coast of Africa, by Lieut. W. Arlett, R.N."2
(3) Edinburgh New Phil. Journal, vol. xxxii. p. 134.3 The account is taken from Berghaus' Almanack of the dust which fell on the Princess Louise on Jan. 14th and 15th, 1839, between (lat. 24° 20' N., long. 26° 42' W.) and (lat. 23° 05' N., and long. 28° 18' W.): and again in 1840 from the 6th to the 9th of May, whilst between (lat. 10° 29' N., long. 32° 19' W.) and (lat. 16° 44' N., long. 36° 37' W.). During the
1 Hayward 1839.
2 Arlett 1836.
3 Anon 1842.
voyage of a vessel of the same name, in which Dr. Meyen was a passenger (Reise um Erde, Th. i. s. 54)1 on the 27th of October 1830, the sails were observed to be stained by a powder, which Dr. Meyen considered to be a minute Cryptogamic plant: the date would lead me to believe that in this case the phænomenon was different from that of the dust described in this paper.
(4) Proceedings of the Geolog. Soc. vol. iv. p. 145.2 The dust described by the Rev. W. Clarke fell February 2nd to the 4th, 1839, when between (lat. 21° 14' N., long. 25° 6' W.), and nearly (lat. 12° 36' N., long. 24° 13' W.). The direction of the wind has been already given in the paper; as it also has been, when the dust was collected by Lieut. James and myself. Mr. Clarke has since written a communication on the subject for the 'Tasmanian Journal' (vol. i. p. 321),3 to which I am indebted for two references.
(5) Nautical Magazine, 1838, p. 824.4
(6) Nautical Magazine, 1837, p. 291.5 Mr. Burnett, on February 12th to 15th, in sailing from (lat. 4° 20' N., long. 23° 20' W.) to (lat. 8° N., long. 27° 20' W.), a distance of 300 miles, with the wind N.E., preceded by a S.E. squall which veered to E.S.E. and then to N.E., had the sails, rigging and mast covered with red dust. The dust began to fall as soon as the wind became N.E.: the atmosphere was very hazy. The nearest land was 600 miles distant. The same phænomenon was observed by Mr. Burnett in April 1836.
Mr. Forbes gives an account (Sharon Turner's S. Hist, of the World, p. 149)6 of dust which fell on a ship when 600 miles from the coast, between C. Verd and the R. Gambia: the wind all the previous night had been N.E.
In the Edinb. New Phil. Journal (vol. vii. p. 402)7 there is another account of dust which fell in considerable quantities on March 29th, 1821, in lat. 11° 3' N., when 300 miles from the nearest part of Africa.
In Howard Malcolm's Travels (vol. ii. p. 200)8 there is a similar account of dust which fell during several days in February on a ship north of the equator, when more than 1000 miles from the coast of Africa: the wind was N.E.
(7) Horsburgh's East Indian Directory, p. 11.9
(8) In Tuckey's Narrative of the Congo Expedition (p. 10),10 a discoloured sea and a hazy atmosphere are described on the 9th of April in lat. 22° N. and long. 19° 9' W., when 32 leagues from the main-land.
It may be worth here recording that Sir A. Burnes (Travels in Cabool, p. 223),11 in describing Khoten, a region of Upper Asia, adds, "it is said that its productiveness depends upon clouds of red dust, which always fall or are blown in this part of Asia." But he thinks that the statement requires confirmation.
1 Franz Julius Ferdinand Meyen (1804-1840), Prussian botanist and physician and naturalist on board the Prinzess Louise, 1830-1832. Meyen 1834.
2 Clarke 1839.
3 Clarke 1842.
5 Burnett 1837.
7 This reference has not been traced.
8 Malcolm 1839.
10 Tuckey 1818.
11 Burnes 1842.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 28 November, 2022


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text:
Nix, Patterson & Roach, LLP and other attorneys representing the plaintiffs in a major class action lawsuit against mining giant Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. have launched Cleanupblackwell.com, a Web site focusing on the legal action and the environmental contamination underlying it.
Blackwell is a town of 7,000 located in north-central Oklahoma. The community is contaminated with 58 million pounds of lead, arsenic, and other toxins left behind by the Blackwell Zinc Smelter, at one time the largest smelter of its type in the world. As successor-in-interest to the company that owned the smelter, Freeport-McMoRan is legally responsible for any related contamination.
Exposure to lead and arsenic can cause a wide variety of serious health problems, and Cleanupblackwell.com includes important information for Blackwell residents who are concerned about the health of their families and the contamination of their homes and properties.
The lawsuit demands that the defendants thoroughly and completely clean all property contaminated by the smelter waste and provide for a medical-monitoring program open to all Blackwell residents. It is styled Coffey, et al. and Others Similarly Situated v. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc., Phelps Dodge Corporation, et al., Case No. CJ-2008-68.
The suit was filed earlier this year in Kay County, Okla., but was removed at the defendants' request to a federal court in Oklahoma City.
This free educational webinar will provide a detailed process for climate-driven "pre-response" in a variety of key areas including: Supply Chain Disruptions, Employee Safety and Productivity, Regulatory and Compliance Risks …and many more areas.


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Current issue
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Number 01/2007
Can We Make An Alliance of Civilizations a Reality?
09 February 2007
Climate change and tackling world poverty may be the most important issues facing this generation. But we can only progress these if we can build an 'alliance of civilizations'. Mike Lowe finds out why this new UN initiative is so important.
What could you do with a trillion US dollars? Yes, that's right, a million million dollars? Well, for a start you could fund the UN and all its agencies fifty times over. Or for less than 1% of the total you could enable every child in the world to go to school, or fund some serious renewable energy programmes.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the world is currently spending over a trillion dollars per year on arms – a figure fast approaching levels last seen at the height of the cold-war arms race. The cold-war may be over, but in its place many are arguing that the world is facing a 'clash of civilizations' between the Western and Muslim worlds which requires continued high military spending.
Climate change and tackling world poverty are, in the eyes of many people, the most urgent tasks facing this generation. Yet so long as we are locked into old patterns of conflict and struggles for power we will not make progress on other issues. The words of Martin Luther King apply: 'We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.'
On 13th November 2006, on a bridge over the Bosporus in Istanbul – symbolically linking the Muslim world and the West – a report was delivered to the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan containing proposals for an
Alliance of Civilizations
So what? Another UN report – a few more trees get cut down. What's new?
Well, for a start this is not your usual UN report. Its authors include Nobel Prize-winner Desmond Tutu, author Karen Armstrong and a former President of Iran Mohammad Khatami, as well as respected intellectuals and religious figures from around the world. Perhaps because of this their analysis goes beyond the usual partisan political point-scoring that many of us are used to. The reality is that the causes of the divides between the Muslim and Western worlds are complex.
Secondly, the report makes some concrete suggestions for action and offers a framework of principles – respect for human rights and the rule of law, valuing diversity, tackling poverty and encouraging representative and responsive democracy - which can help to bridge the divides.
Third, and most importantly, the most pressing problems facing humanity – the environment, poverty and the 'clash of civilizations' – are all interconnected and can only be tackled side-by-side. This framework of the UN offers the best chance of a systematic multilateral and multi-level approach to addressing these problems.
Let's unpack those reasons a bit more: In the preamble, 'Bridging the world's divides', the authors write about the unfortunate way that talk of a 'clash of civilizations' has distorted discussion and perceptions of the relationship between the West and Muslim worlds: 'The history of relations between cultures is not only one of wars and confrontation. It is also based on centuries of constructive exchanges, cross-fertilization, and peaceful co-existence. Moreover, classifying internally fluid and diverse societies along hard-and-fast lines of civilizations interferes with more illuminating ways of understanding questions of identity, motivation and behaviour. Rifts between the powerful and the powerless or the rich and the poor or between different political groups, classes, occupations and nationalities have far greater explanatory power than such cultural categories.'
The report goes on to talk about the way that globalization has both led to a growing income disparity between rich and poor, but has also challenged group identities in many parts of the world. Communities that feel marginalised tend to assert their primary identity more forcefully.
This trend is exacerbated by a history of colonial occupation in Muslim countries and the fact that many Muslims stand on ground under which lies oil and valuable minerals which big business and powerful nations want access to.
Furthermore, the report says that 'in the context of relations between Muslim and Western societies, the perception of double standards in the application of international law and the protection of human rights is particularly acute.'
The mass media also has a responsibility, frequently reducing complex issues to two-dimensional stereotypes. Religion is often targeted as 'the problem'. Yet no major religion condones the killing of innocents. In fact the problems lie more with the failure of societies to apply the basic values of compassion, fairness, integrity and reverence for life which are found in all faith-traditions.
Religion doesn't exist in a vacuum but is always entwined with politics, whether on the streets of Baghdad or the marbled corridors of Washington – and this despite the best efforts of the European Enlightenment and the founders of secular constitutions. If religion is concerned with the questions of 'how we should live' it could not be any other way. Yet just as religion seeks to influence politics, politicians also seek to influence the faithful. Sometimes it is hard to tell which is which.
Nowhere are these issues felt more intensely than in the lands sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. It is hard to conceive of anything that would do more to improve relationships between the West and the Muslim world than finding solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Thus, one of the report's principle recommendations is for concerted international efforts to progress this particular issue – including the drafting of a White Paper which 'gives a voice to the competing narratives on both sides, reviewing the successes and failures of previous peace efforts, and establishing clearly the conditions that must be met to find a way out of this crisis.'
Another recommendation is to make progress towards the
Millennium Development Goals
– including halving the number of people living on less than one US dollar per day (the definition of
poverty), achieving universal access to primary education and empowering women. Populations who live in grinding poverty and who are poorly educated are more easily manipulated to direct their anger at scapegoats.
But perhaps the most interesting recommendations are not the political ones, but those aimed at changing the hearts and minds of populations. For example, training journalists in inter-cultural understanding, developing media content which fosters better understanding, ensuring that children's education equips them to live in a culturally diverse world, and promoting youth-exchanges.
Ultimately the United Nations alone can do little to promote this vision of an Alliance of Civilizations – and they recognize that. Addressing their recommendations not only to governments at every level but also non-government and civil-society organizations and societies at large, they call for partnership between many different organizations and bodies to be established, recognising that many are already at work in this area.
And this is where we come in, as ordinary people, concerned individuals. We can make a start wherever we are and make a difference. We can:
1. Step outside our comfort zones
How about talking to the person who is different and getting to know them? How about inviting them home and sharing hospitality? There is nothing like sitting together over a meal to break down barriers.
2. Listen to others
Everybody wants to be heard. When we really give space to others to hear their perspectives – even if we don't see things the same way – we build a bridge.
3. Focus on what is right, not who is right
So often pride, ego and power struggles get in the way, overtaking discussions and distracting from the real issues. There is a common ground of basic human values found in all cultures and religions which gives a helpful perspective.
4. Start with yourself
It is always easy to see where others fall short and need to change. But pointing fingers doesn't build trust. Better to ask 'Are there things I have done, or continue to do, that may cause a problem in this relationship?' and 'Are there things my people have done, or continue to do, which cause a problem in this relationship?' Where possible, we can then start to put things right. Often just admitting we have been wrong is enough to build a relationship.
For people who want to get involved in broader dialogues and networks, here are a few suggestions:
Take part in Conversation Week
at the end of March – or even host a conversation-week event. It is about 'celebrating the power of conversation to change the world'.
Invite someone to your home
as part of International
Open Homes Listening Hearts
month in June.
Join an online social network
such as
and start working alongside others on issues that matter.
If you are part of a religious community,
get involved in inter-faith networks
such as Religions for Peace
, the Focolare movement
The Rumi Forum
. The US chapter of Religions for Peace
gives notice of a
UN study session on 'Students and the dialogue of civilisations'
in New York city March 14-17.
And, of course, get involved in this online magazine community. Share your own experiences and perspectives. Pass on news of other organizations and events. Have your say on "what it will take to build an alliance of civilizations", and let other people know about this website.
Mike Lowe
Excellent article, Mike!
But one practical issue. I'd like to hear more on how we get some of that 'trillion US dollars' per year... It's hard to spend on important things like poverty reduction, universal education and renewable energies if the money is already spent!
So, I think to myself: what conditions are necessary for military and arms spending to be reduced -- especially from the legal, business and policy perspectives?
As an Australian, here's what I think...
We often hear of the West's 'addiction to oil', but rarely of our 'addiction to war'. After the Cold War ended there should have been a significant and sustained reduction in global arms spending.
But analysis, dating back to the 'Iron Mountain Report' in the 1970s, suggests the West is in the Middle East today -- in part -- because we actually need an enemy to justify our own military spending. The argument is that our economies would collapse without these large military supply corporations.
And, of course, arms manufacturers don't close their businesses simply because a few academics or politicians want them to. In the real world, such companies argue pressure and reward politicians, journalists and thinktanks for supporting foreign policies that are good for their shareholders. And so a 'groupthink' develops, perhaps because no one can see a way out of the addiction.
So, in addition to the excellent recommendations of the 'Bridging the Divides' report, to reduce and/or re-direct global military spending in order to fund proposals that will make an Alliance of Civilisations tangible, we need three more things:
1) Mainstream public awareness in the West of our own addiction to war. Just think of how Al Gore's film 'An Inconvenient Truth' has tipped the balance on mainstream concern about climate change. (N.B. Since the 5 biggest arms trading countries in the world are permanent, veto-holding members of the UN Security Council, it's unlikely any UN Report could include such a recommendation.).
2) To develop alternative, large-scale and safer business opportunities for the arms industry corporations, so they aren't cornered into blocking and countering efforts to inform the public about our collective war addiction.
3) Behind-the-scenes dialogue and negotiation with arms industry executives to create a viable business transition strategy and roadmap for the above. This can only work without pointing fingers of blame, and being focused on 'what is right, not who is right'. Technological globalization can't sustain this level of military spending. The longer it continues, the greater the chance of an overdose.
Interested in any comments on the above.
Erik Parsons
14 February 2007
You are right, Erik, that we have to find ways of spending less on weapons. I think that this needs two approaches:
One is to reduce the justification for military expenditure - which means reducing the levels of fear in the general population. This is where the Alliance of Civilisations comes in, and all our efforts to build understanding and trust between Muslims and the West.
The other approach is to penetrate the fogs of lies and corruption which surround the arms industry. Organisations such as Oxfam which have tried to bring the obscene levels of militar expenditure under public scrutiny have long known that the arms trade and corruption are so tightly linked as to be almost inseparable. A recent article by George Monbiot
gives an article relating to BAE's activities.
Again, raising public awareness will create the necessary political pressure.
Mike Lowe
15 February 2007
Thanks Mike, I've just read the Monbiot stuff. Sobering, and well-researched. Makes me think Mr Blair has been blackmailed (life of children threatened, etc) more than incentivised. Or the amount of money involved is so large that political advisors deem it strategically essential for political leaders to assist their own country's arms manufacturers.
Whilst the arms industry may indeed be extremely corrupt, as Monbiot suggests, I strongly doubt an 'old school' partisan leftist anti-corporate confrontational approach can get results. It's too easy to dismiss as 'radical'...in the same way green issues have been sidelined for 40 years!!!!!
And if we point the finger of blame and start attacking these companies en masse, or writing-off the individual people involved, it'd also be counter-productive. Why? They are under market pressures that are beyond any single individual's interests. All it would do is get their backs up, and become a left-wing partisan effort doomed to failure... an un-winnable campaign battle because these companies have the big money to defend their interests: money buys marketing which shapes public opinion.
But it will be important to initiate and invite open public debate about 'what is a sustainable future for companies that manufacturer arms'? Afterall, if we blow ourselves up there are no more profits for arms manufacturers, either. And as weapons technology advances, gets cheaper and 'trickles down', the danger for us all increases.
Comedy can be one useful angle, because one can't help but laugh at how stupid we humans can be!
Celebrities can speak, too. For instance, U2 displayed arms industry facts in their live shows.
However, I suspect genuine behind-the-scenes diplomacy with arms executives hasn't been attempted (along the lines of 'our shared humanity'). The Caux conferences (
) may have an important role in all this, especially given their track record of bringing together senior representatives of World Economic Forum and World Social Forum.
And we may need to write or promote reports that suggest redirecting funds from arms to renewables. Or reports that show exactly how much money is spent on different industries.
Though I suspect any visible commentator on this issue may be risking their own life. Like Lady Diana, for instance, who campaigned against land mines.
Erik Parsons
26 February 2007
I'm glad that Mike Lowe mentions the Millennium Development Goals in this thoughtful article about the ways to build an alliance of civilisations. Business and enterprise of course also have a key part in meeting the MDG of halving global poverty by 2015. It is businesses and enterprises that create jobs, skills and wealth. I've just been in Jamaica where a home grown food business, Walkerswood Caribbean Foods, has created 160 jobs in a rural community, plus giving the added value of a market for an estimated 3,000 farmers and crop pickers throughout Jamaica to supply the company. And while unemployment is running officially at 12 per cent nationally, in Walkerswood village (pop. 3,000) there is no 'compulsory unemployment'. All who want to work can do so. But what most impresses about Walkerswood is the emphasis on creating jobs rather than maximising profits. The company is run by 12 partners and any of the employees can also become share holders through a share ownership scheme. All this is good news for the Jamaican economy. Such homegrown enterprises, including social enterprises, play a keep part in helping to meet the millennium development goals.
Mike Smith
19 March 2007
I've just read Eva Joly's book ' Is it in this kind of world we want to live? (title freely translated from French) and according to that book irrespect for law in the arms industry is worse ( worse in the sens of hiring killers to get rid of uninvited questions) than in the petrol industry. So I don't know if that is a good point to start.
But what about the increasing vacuums of order because some members of society don't feel concerned by the law or because there is no way to enforce justice? And that doesn't happen only at the level of the powerful- the path to Europe for many immigrants is lined with thiefs and murderers of their own continent, who will try to get their part, and in the developped societies the idea of quick money as means to power and social recognition is gaining ground in the ghettos- also because any honest access to society seems to be blocked.
Any way I turn it I always come back to the old IofC motto- start with yourself. For me that means for example not to detain any stocks from companies whose profit is made from arms trade.
It means trying to understand both sides- a recent travel to Israel really helped me to look into some cultural differences and to understand their implications.
And it means working on intercultural issues and mediating where necessary.
Daniele de Lutzel
04 June 2007
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Stranger in One's Own Land
In a World Out of Balance
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Marco Rubio on Gun Control | |
RUBIO: My position on guns is pretty clear. I believe law-abiding people have a fundamental constitutional right to bear arms. And I believe criminals and dangerous people should not have access to guns. There are laws that protect those two things--but many of these [additional] gun laws are ineffective. They don't do those things. They either infringe on the rights of law-abiding people and do nothing to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. And I'm troubled this debate is about guns. It should be about violence. Violence is the problem, guns are what they're using. We are missing a golden opportunity to have an open, honest and serious conversation about these horrific violent acts, because everyone's focused on passing these laws that have proven ineffective.
RUBIO: I do not, but I have a concealed weapon permit. I don't [carry] because I spend most of my time in airports and in the Capitol where you're not allowed to necessarily carry those around. But let me say this to you: all Americans have a right to that--all Americans have a Second-Amendment right to buy a firearm, to possess one for both self-defense and for sport. And we should be very careful about anything that infringes on that. Now, if someone has an effective way to protect that right and to prevent criminals from getting access to weapons, certainly I think everyone is open to that.
Proponent's Argument for voting Yes: Sen. BLUMENTHAL: This amendment would ban high-capacity magazines which are used to kill more people more quickly and, in fact, have been used in more than half the mass shootings since 1982. I ask my colleagues to listen to law enforcement, their police, prosecutors who are outgunned by criminals who use these high-capacity magazines. I ask that my colleagues also listen to the families of those killed by people who used a high-capacity magazine.
Opponent's Argument for voting No: Sen. GRASSLEY. I oppose the amendment. In 2004, which is the last time we had the large-capacity magazine ban, a Department of Justice study found no evidence banning such magazines has led to a reduction in gun violence. The study also concluded it is not clear how often the outcomes of the gun attack depend on the ability of offenders to fire more than 10 shots without reloading. Secondly, there is no evidence banning these magazines has reduced the deaths from gun crimes. In fact, when the previous ban was in effect, a higher percentage of gun crime victims were killed or wounded than before it was adopted. Additionally, tens of millions of these magazines have been lawfully owned in this country for decades. They are in common use, not unusually dangerous, and used by law-abiding citizens in self-defense, as in the case of law enforcement.
The Christian Coalition voter guide [is] one of the most powerful tools Christians have ever had to impact our society during elections. This simple tool has helped educate tens of millions of citizens across this nation as to where candidates for public office stand on key faith and family issues.
The CC survey summarizes candidate stances on the following topic: "Further restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms"
While widely recognized today as a major political force and as America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has, since its inception, been the premier firearms education organization in the world. But our successes would not be possible without the tireless efforts and countless hours of service our nearly three million members have given to champion Second Amendment rights and support NRA programs.
The following ratings are based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionaire sent to all Congressional candidates; the NRA assigned a letter grade (with A+ being the highest and F being the lowest).
Dear President Obama:
We write to express our concern and regret at your decision to sign the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty. For the following reasons, we cannot give our advice and consent to this treaty:


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Drop a can of soup on your foot or whack your toe into a wall—we have all been there before. While you may not think anything of these common "stubs," you may begin to experience a throbbing, swollen, broken toe. A broken toe is painful, so don't suffer through it—visit your podiatrist in New York or Whitestone for a diagnosis and proper treatment plan.
Conservative treatments can often help decrease the pain and swelling to help the fracture heal properly. Your New York and Whitestone podiatrists offer these at home solutions to help with healing your broken toe:
Elevation – by keeping your foot raised above the level of your heart, you can help decrease swelling and discomfort. Prop your foot up on some pillows, especially when sleeping.
Ice – put ice in a plastic bag and apply it to your injured toe for 15-20 minutes every 1-2 hours for the first couple days. Don't forget to place a towel between the skin and the ice to protect your skin.
Rest – avoid any strenuous exercise, prolonged standing, or walking. Crutches or a special show may be needed when walking to avoid placing extra weight on the broken toe while it heels, which can be determined by your podiatrist in New York and Whitestone.
Depending on the location and severity of your broken toe, your New York podiatrist might need to splint or cast your toe. Contact Gary Evans, DPM, James Korponay, DPM, and Caren Schumer, DPM for diagnosis and treatment planning for the proper healing of your broken toe so that you can get back to your normal day-to-day schedule.


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To me, the real signs of spring are blooming bulb flowers and wind (there's a lot of wind in New Mexico in March, let me tell you!). So when I was sent a copy of the kid crafts book What Shall We Do Today? by Catherine Woram, I was particularly interested in the homemade wind chime as a spring break project with my 7-year-old son.
Happily for me, after looking through the book my sweet boy chose about 5 projects he was interested in, including the wind chime. Yay! A couple of weeks later as I made Pasta Rustica for dinner, a big, 48 oz. can of tomatoes called out to me as the perfect vessel for our creativity.
We gathered the other materials from around the house, or close facsimiles, picked up a few jingle bells at the Five & Dime, and we were ready.
The project is fairly simple and lots of fun — you punch some holes in your tin can for the hanger at the top and the beads, chimes, and clapper at the bottom. Paint some stripes on the sides of the can, and then string some beads together with some jingle bells. Next, you tie the chimes onto some other pieces of string and thread everything through holes in the bottom of the can. Finally, tie everything together through another bead inside the can, wire on a hanger, and you're done. The attached PDF explains the steps in more detail.
Our project, however, was not without a few minor roadblocks. These included:
- While punching the holes in the sides of the can, my husband accidentally punched a rather deep hole in his thumb. With a sort of rusty awl. At which point my DH lost enthusiasm for the project.
- We had a few questions about the steps, such as when the instructions call for 4 holes on the edge of the can, does that mean on the sides or at the edge of the bottom? (It's the edges of the bottom.)
- In our haste to get the beads and chimes tied on, we didn't let the paint dry quite enough. So there's a few spots that need touch up, and a shirt that needs washing.
- Our favorite blue bead turned out to be a dud — no hole in one end, so no way to thread it. But hey, we used a clear bead instead, and I apologized to my son for questioning the veracity of his claim that he couldn't thread the string through.
- I had no idea that a clapper was any different than a big, heavy washer. Turns out it has a little "handle" at the top that you can string the thread through. No worries, we just added a bead, part of a toothpick, and some wire, and we ended up with about the same idea.
But having the project come off without a hitch isn't really what it's about, is it? We still had fun making the project; we spent 2 afternoons together that we might have otherwise spent separately — probably me doing household chores and Arlo playing in his room; and we're both dang proud of the result.
Within days of starting our quest, we had the chimes that we made hanging from the barren tree branches, waiting for the wind and the budding leaves. Instead, there's more rain in the forecast, but our shiny chimes will be ready when my version of springtime weather hits!
Here's a free downloadable PDF of the wind chime project, excerpted from What Shall We Do Today? by Catherine Woram. Ryland Peters & Small, $19.95; rylandpeters.com Enjoy!
Copyright Ryland Peters & Small, 2009.
2 thoughts on "Crafting with Kids Wind Chime — Free PDF!"
My thumb is healing nicely. Next time we'll let the 7-year-old do all the dangerous parts!
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Ornament features Sugar Maple leaves and Monarch Butterfly
First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin today introduced the 2013 West Virginia Governor's Mansion limited-edition holiday ornament during a reception at the Culture Center in Charleston. This year's ornament is the fourth in First Lady Tomblin's holiday ornament series and is hand-painted by Logan native and Alum Creek resident artist Shelley Goodman. The clear glass ornament features three leaves from West Virginia's state tree, the Sugar Maple, as well as an elegant rendition of the state butterfly, the Monarch.
"It was a pleasure working with Tamarack and the West Virginia Division of Culture and History again this year. It is always exciting to help Shelley choose the design for the ornaments and decide which state symbols will be featured each year," First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin said. "Shelley has a wonderful way of bringing our state symbols to life through her colorful artwork. She is extremely dedicated and pays such close attention to detail, and as always, we are honored to have her bring her creative touch to this year's holiday ornament."
Goodman is a self-taught artist who uses enamel paints to create detailed nature and floral paintings. She most often adds her touch to glassware used in kitchens, but she also enjoys the challenge of designing and executing the Governor's Mansion holiday ornaments each year. Her works, titled "Designs by Shelley," are sold at Tamarack in Beckley, and at many of West Virginia's most popular fairs and festivals throughout the year. Goodman also designed the 2010 Governor's Mansion holiday ornament featuring the Cardinal, the 2011 ornament featuring the Rhododendron and last year's ornament featuring the Black Bear and Honey Bee.
The Tamarack Foundation provided support for the Governor's Mansion ornament with a grant that helped with packaging. Dunbar artist Steve Cassle's drawing of the Governor's Mansion is featured on the ornament card.
This year's ornament sells for $24.00. A portion of each sale will be donated to the West Virginia Governor's Mansion Preservation Fund to help preserve the mansion for future generations. The limited-edition ornament is available at the West Virginia State Museum Shop at the Culture Center (304-205-7911) and at Tamarack in Beckley (1-88 TAMARACK) as well as online at the Tamarack website, www.tamarack.com.
First Lady Tomblin and artist Shelley Goodman present the 2013 Governor's Mansion limited-edition holiday ornament at the Culture Center. The limited-edition Governor's Mansion holiday ornament features three leaves from West Virginia's state tree, the Sugar Maple, as well as the state butterfly, the Monarch. Photos courtesy of Tyler Evert, West Virginia Division of Culture & History


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Text by Candace Kanes
Images from Maine Historical Society, Aroostook County Historical and Art Museum, Bucksport Historical Society, Monson Historical Society, Portland Harbor Museum, and Stockholm Historical Society.
Town bands, which became popular following the Civil War, offered music education to boys and men, employment to musicians, and entertainment to communities.
While the popularity of such bands decreased following World War I when other entertainments rose in popularity, many town and organizational bands continued. By the middle of the 20th century, the bands began accepting women members.
Chandler's Band in Portland is one of the pre-Civil War bands that survives today in an era of renewed interest in community bands.


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Dozens of veiled women tried to squeeze past each other Monday and into a polling station in the working-class neighborhood of Raml in the northern Egyptian city of Alexandria.
They were eager to cast ballots for a clean-shaven man in a crisp blue suit and matching tie.
His name is Sobhi Saleh, and he heads the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party ticket in three of Alexandria's districts. The party is considered the best organized in Egypt and is expected to do well in the country's first election since President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February.
Many voters were thrilled to have such a choice of candidates. But that didn't keep one voter from complaining about the long lines. Saleh joked that she ought to cut in front of the other women.
Saleh appeared more relaxed than a year ago. At that time, the Brotherhood boycotted parliamentary elections that were widely seen as fraudulent.
Back in the 2005 parliamentary elections, Brotherhood members captured 88 seats — or about 20 percent of the total. However, Brotherhood members were not officially with the Islamist group and had to serve as independents because the group had been banned under Mubarak.
Brotherhood Served As Opposition
Still, the Brotherhood and its supporters served as the core of a noisy opposition that drew people's attention to the corruption and graft in Mubarak's government.
During the 2010 election season, Saleh was harassed and beaten by Egyptian security forces. Today, he sings their praises.
They, in turn, treat him with respect. At one polling center, a police official bowed as he shook Saleh's hand. Good luck and God bless you, the policeman told the candidate.
Saleh says his party's goal is to make life easier for Egyptians.
"We will advocate what the Egyptian people want, and they will feel like citizens of a free country," he said.
We will advocate what the Egyptian people want, and they will feel like citizens of a free country.
Yet many Alexandria residents worry that Islamists vying for seats here and across Egypt will do the opposite.
Their fears are bolstered by candidates pledging to enforce a stricter observance of Islamic codes. In one recent incident in Alexandria, members of a fundamentalist movement covered up semi-nude mermaid statues with blankets.
Egyptian Christians like Mina Samir predict violent attacks against Coptic Christians like him will increase if the Muslim Brotherhood is in charge. The 22-year-old business major also fears Islamist legislators will eventually ban access to the Internet, television and even cars because they were invented by non-Muslims.
Fellow university student Alaa Ramadan shares his concerns. An Egyptian Muslim who was born in Switzerland, the 22-year-old says she will go back to Europe if the Brotherhood pursues a fundamentalist agenda.
"Their strategy is to go to the poor areas and talk to residents about Islam," she said. "They tell them they have to vote for their candidates for Islam to win."
Saleh dismisses these fears as nonsense. He says the party's goals are to improve the Egyptian economy and government services, and that most voters know that.
But party officials aren't taking any chances.
They, like many other political parties, sent out scores of campaign workers to hand out glossy fliers and talk to voters standing in line at polling stations, even though it was against election rules.
Saleh spent much of the day inside key polling stations in Muslim Brotherhood strongholds. He wanted to make sure that voting was going smoothly, though his presence was also a violation of the election rules.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Tiger has a cub.
Less than 24 hours after Tiger Woods finished second at the U.S. Open on Father's Day, his wife gave birth to their first child, a daughter. He announced Monday night on his Web site that Sam Alexis Woods was born early Monday morning.
"Both Elin and Sam are doing well and resting peacefully," Woods wrote. "We want to thank our doctors and the hospital staff for all their dedicated and hard work. This is truly a special time in our lives and we look forward to introducing Sam to our family and friends over the next few weeks. We thank everyone for their well wishes and continued respect of our privacy."
Woods said he would miss a major if it meant seeing the birth of his child. Now he won't have to, but it's not clear how his upcoming schedule will be affected.
Woods finished a shot behind Angel Cabrera on Sunday to finish second in a major for the second time this year.
He's scheduled to host a tournament in Washington, D.C., from July 5-8. The British Open starts July 19, and the PGA Championship begins Aug. 9 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa.
"I'm pacing myself already just because of the fact that I have a baby coming up," Woods said about two weeks ago. "I don't know how much I'm going to play after that or how much I'm going to play before that. A lot of that is depending on what happens and the health of Elin and our child."
The past two years have been life-changing for Woods, who has won 12 majors in his brilliant career.
He turned 30 in December 2005, and the following May his father, Earl, died at age 74 after a long bout with cancer.
A month later, Woods failed to make the cut at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. He came back to win the British Open in July and broke down in tears on the 18th green at Royal Liverpool, sobbing on the shoulder of his caddie.
In December, Woods went public with his wife's pregnancy. Last week, before the U.S. Open he talked about becoming a father.
"My practice sessions are going to have to be tailored around a little bit, have to move things around. But, you know, I don't really know how my game is going to be affected by it because I've never gone through it before," he said.
"All I know is that Elin and I are excited, and that this is far more important than any game of golf. This is an opportunity for us to raise our first child, and we're really looking forward to it."
Have Fun .....
Peace & Be Cool


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Egypt: Release of blogger Maikel Nabil is the end of a 'cruel ordeal'
The release of an Egyptian blogger and prisoner of conscience whose trial was flagrantly unfair comes months too late, Amnesty International said today.
Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director, said: "The end of Maikel Nabil's cruel ordeal at the hands of the military council is a cause for real celebration.
"Yet 10 months of Maikal's life have been wasted. He should never have been arrested in the first place. His criminal record must now be expunged and he must be compensated for his ordeal.
"Throughout his trial the Egyptian authorities have behaved with a total lack of respect for his rights. At times they seemed to toy with his life, allowing his health to deteriorate so badly that many feared for his life.
"They should have freed Maikel Nabil long ago. It is shameful that they apparently have only done so now to try to avoid criticism on the anniversary of January 25."
After the blogger's arrest at his home in Cairo on 28 March, a military court sentenced him on 10 April to three years in prison over his criticism of the Egyptian military's use of force against protesters in Tahrir Square and his objection to military service.
After he went on hunger strike in August, surviving only on liquids, his weight plummeted and prison authorities denied him the medication he needs to treat a heart condition.
Throughout his trials the military court refused to release Maikel Nabil Sanad even temporarily to receive medical treatment.
In December he was convicted to two years imprisonment in a retrial. On 21 January the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) announced that he would be pardoned, along with up to 2000 other prisoners convicted by military tribunals.
In August, the SCAF admitted that some 12,000 civilians across the country had been tried by military courts following grossly unfair trials. At least 13 have been sentenced to death.
Amnesty International said that military trials violate fundamental requirements of due process and fair trials.
Hassiba Hadj-Sahraoui said: "It is shocking that more civilians have been tried before military courts under the SCAF in one year than under Mubarak's entire 30-year rule."
- Take action: End military trials of civilians in Egypt
- Read our report: Broken Promises - Egypt's military rulers erode human rights (November 2011)


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Monday, December 5, 2011
please join me...*edited*
22 comments:
- Helen said...
Am thinking I may have to "throw a sickie" tomorrow so I can watch her - the boss will be in and I won't be able to catch it online from the office.... Lol.
Love the idea of using rock candy on art parts... - December 5, 2011 at 9:58 AM
- Cim Allen said...
I'll have to try to find that link, if I do I'll pass it on. I love crackle paint on art parts .. awesome effect !! Thanks for enabling yet again Wendy with shopping .. LOL have a great day !
Maybe the Bears will do it next year .. GO PAC :) - December 5, 2011 at 10:10 AM
- Kaz Hall said...
Im with Helen ......I feel a migraine coming on, doctors says I need to rest up and watch TV!! lol!
Good luck Hels cannot wait to see
loving that rock candy too!
Kazx - December 5, 2011 at 10:12 AM
- Gabrielle said...
My boss said no to the day off so I'll be taping Hels' exploits!!! Soooo very proud of her! Sure you don't want to post the whole of that photo Wendy?!!!!
- December 5, 2011 at 10:36 AM
I was so happy for Hels and she couldn't working with a more fab collection!
- December 5, 2011 at 10:42 AM
- ellen vargo designs said...
Wendy you are just the SWEETEST person EVER... I'm so excited for Hels - just spoke with her in fact! Sounds like she's all ready to go! I hope I'll figure out a way to watch it, but I'll be at work so might be difficult... if you get to see it I want details! Thanks again for being SO supportive and enthusiastic... you're awesome.
Ellen xxx - December 5, 2011 at 11:13 AM
- Hels Sheridan said...
THANK YOU to YOU, the Wonderful Wendy Vecchi for being so kind... and... for designing the brilliant Studio 490 range... it is an honour to be able to do this... I am excited to be taking this next step on my "journey"... and I can't think of a better set of goodies to be taking onto the shows. I am covered in ink (need to clean these paws up before my debut lol) and I have been having a ball making lots of cards and Art Part samples...
I have checked out the website and I think it is... www.createandcraft.tv and then click on Watch Shows and click on Create & Craft. I think... hope that works for you!
Thanks again Wendy for your blessing and your amazing support... lotsa love XXX - December 5, 2011 at 11:21 AM
- Hels Sheridan said...
PS... can't wait to see the rest of that project... looks inviting!!!
- December 5, 2011 at 11:22 AM
- Gillian .... said...
I'm off work I'm off work especially to watch & support THE Hels Sheridan, cannot wait to see Studio 490 debut on U.K television. I know how much this means to Hels, thank you THE Wendy Vecchi for bringing aewsome stash for us to play with. x
- December 5, 2011 at 11:54 AM
- Marijane said...
Congrats to Hels!!! I am hoping I can get the show. She is the funniest blogger ever and a very talented artist as well. I can't wait! Thanks for the heads-up Wendy.
- December 5, 2011 at 11:59 AM
- Debby said...
Saw that on Hel's blog. Don't think I can watch it. Have to work. Thanks for the sales info, may have to check that out later.
- December 5, 2011 at 11:59 AM
- Sarah said...
Exciting stuff indeed - you could not wish for a better ambassador for Studio 490 - Hels will be fabulous!
- December 5, 2011 at 12:27 PM
- slbt17 said...
sorry to hear the weather is not fun there - we have been spoiled in CT - it has been getting to mid 50's low 60's .... I know our turn will come ...
Exciting news about Hels.
thanks for the tease.
Sandra ltb - December 5, 2011 at 2:29 PM
- Lori said...
Congrats to Hels! I've been WAY behind on blog reading....this is GREAT news!
Crackle paint on art parts IS wonderful! - December 5, 2011 at 2:41 PM
- SusanK said...
Only good stuff can happen if you use Studio 490 products!!! Would love to see ginormous bottles of Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint. Seriously, 4 oz. isn't big enough - hint hint to Ranger. lol That's barely a sneak peak...tease!! Good luck Hels!
- December 5, 2011 at 3:06 PM
- Cher said...
if u keep this up the hubster is going to steal my credit card! xo
Hels...way to go...already commented to her but no reply...she will do great! - December 5, 2011 at 4:22 PM
- sue said...
You are teasing us again. Congrats to Hels.
- December 5, 2011 at 4:36 PM
- Art By Wanda said...
I am very excited for Hels and I'm very glad you could give us times and an online link... thank you!!!!!!
- December 5, 2011 at 7:46 PM
- Michelle H. said...
How exciting!!
Looking foward to seeing the rest of your sneak!! - December 5, 2011 at 9:08 PM
- Alison Horne said...
Just watched Hels, she was great, off to crackle some christmas balls using art part circles.
Never heard of frigid weather before lol, always claimed a headache myself, maybe in future can blame the weather? [Who am I kidding, I'll take any offer these days.]Never mind, I'll stick to art parts, have had some for a while, but Hels has given me the courage to actually use them instead of just admiring them. xx - December 6, 2011 at 9:22 AM
- craftimamma said...
Hels was brilliant - just not enough of her on the shows. Her projects were totally fabulous and showcased your stamps, Art Parts and Clearly for Art to perfection.
Lesley Xx - December 6, 2011 at 3:23 PM
- Karen Goulet said...
Congratulations to Hels. I can't wait to see what you will come up with next Wendy. You rock girl!
Karen :) - December 6, 2011 at 10:45 PM


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Yeti® 50 Cushion
Waterproof neoprene or vinyl cushion top
High quality 32oz. marine vinyl sides and bottom
Stainless Steel DOT® fasteners
YKK® zippered opening for easy cushion removal
1" High tensile strength webbing strap
60mm black carabiner
Premium open and closed cell layered foam
Dimensions are 2.5 inches thick, and typically 1/2" smaller than than lid perimeter
Easy to install with included Stainless Steel DOT® self tapping screw studs
Handmade in West Chester, PA
***All Realtree® seats will vary in design, they are cut from a large printed neoprene sheet. All seats will be slightly different, but all will display one or more of the registered Realtree® logo***


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Rashi on Bereshit 33:7 relates that, when Yaakov's family presented themselves to Eisav, the mothers drew near before the sons, but in Rachel's case, Yosef preceded her .
...He said, "My mother has a pretty figure. Perhaps that scoundrel will set his eyes on her. I will stand in front of her and prevent him from gazing upon her....
And in Bereshit 49:22
אמר יוסף רשע הזה עינו רמה, שמא יתן עינו באמי, יצא לפניה ושרבב קומתו לכסותה,
Joseph said,"This scoundrel has a haughty eye. Perhaps he will take a fancy to my mother." So he went ahead of her, stretching his height to conceal her.
My question is:
Being that Yosef was a 6 year old boy at the time (see Bershit 30:25 and 31:41 ) how could he conceal Rachel?
Was he really tall? Was Rachel short?


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One computer used to be enough for the entire family, but we've moved into an era where more than one machine per person isn't out of the ordinary. How many computers do you own, and what do you use them for?
What counts as a computer? A laptop, desktop, netbook, nettop, etc. What's not? Your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device. We're speaking traditionally, here, even though your mobile hardware might take the place of a computer for some.
You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter and Facebook. If you'd like to contact him, Twitter is the most effective means of doing so.