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The other side of liberty
When visitors alight from their tour buses for Friday's opening of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, they'll be celebrating Independence Day in a place where the story of American freedom is anything but simple.
The center is part of the 45-acre Independence National Historical Park, where ongoing revitalization plans are a flash point for fierce debates over whose truth is being told, and how.
The symbolic fault lines can be found just beneath the soil. Under the bus drop-off area, for instance, lies the historic homesite of James Dexter, a former slave who cofounded The Free African Society in 1787. The site would have been paved over with no exploration, if not for a concerted drive by local African-American activists.
Now that it has been excavated and commemorated in an exhibit, the site can put into context to a more familiar event of 1787 - the Constitutional Convention. Delegates met three blocks from Dexter's home, at what is now known as Independence Hall, to hammer out the terms of the new nation - including counting each slave as three-fifths of a person and extending the slave trade for the next 20 years.
Although disputes continue to bubble up, many historians, activists, and park officials say this juncture is a unique opportunity to examine the paradoxes at the country's very foundation. While popular history often relegates slavery to the shadows when celebrating the Founding Fathers, now its inextricable links to the economic and political beginnings of the United States are being brought to light.
"It will challenge old ideas [for people to see that] America's most-agreed-upon 'birthplace of freedom' was 'complicated' by slavery - that is something that Americans need to know," says Clement Alexander Price, a history professor at Rutgers University, and a consultant to the park service on the site where Presidents George Washington and John Adams lived and governed.
"Liberty for some Americans came at the price of enslavement for other Americans," he says. "The 1790s was a very critical period, because it was the first decade of the new republic, and at end of it, the country had pretty much decided that it was not going to deal with slavery."
Some activists say decisionmakers today are still not dealing adequately with the slavery issue - and they worry that, with over $100 million of federal money being poured into the park's revitalization, this key opportunity might be squandered. At the time of publication, two groups were planning demonstrations: a candlelight memorial walk Wednesday to Philadelphia sites where Africans were sold as slaves; and a "Black Independence Day" Thursday on Independence Mall, to "free" the stories of African ancestors.
For their part, representatives of the Constitution Center (an independent nonprofit organization) and the park say they've never had any intention of shying away from slavery and other complexities of early American history.
Central to that story are the slavery compromises at the Constitutional Convention (see story), which left a mixed legacy of prosperity and victimization, unity and civil war, treasured diversity and modern-day racism. Efforts to portray that legacy are often caught between two camps: those who say there's not enough truth-telling about racial injustice, and those who say that a patriotic view of the Founding Fathers will be unnecessarily sullied by dwelling too much on slavery.
"There are lots of people who think that kids will not want to be American if they learn [about slavery and] genocide against Indians," says Gary Nash, a historian at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has done extensive research on Colonial Pennsylvania and has advocated for greater representation of African-American history at Independence Park. But for the most part, he adds, "Americans do not think that it is unpatriotic to talk about our blemishes."
The saving grace in Philadelphia may be that the story of the African-American experience there is not just a story of slavery, but also of "free" blacks and their crucial role in establishing black churches, the Underground Railroad, and other key institutions.
"The best way to shed light on the juxtaposition of freedom and slavery," Professor Price says, "is to point to the fact that as more Americans of African ancestry were gaining their freedom during and after the American Revolution, they put a very high premium on freedom - hence enhancing the meaning of freedom in a society that still had not made up its mind as to how free or how enslaved it was going to be."
Indeed, the Constitution Center aims to celebrate "the struggles of generations to realize the promise" of that revered document, says research director Stephen Frank.
Its exhibits and multimedia presentations address not just Colonial history, but the Civil War, the civil rights movement, and various ways that citizens today can make a difference. The center will also incorporate artifacts from its own building site - including evidence of enslaved African and native American populations. Excavated in 2001, the site is considered the richest trove of Colonial American artifacts ever found in an urban area.
The center's presentations relating to slavery, Mr. Frank says, reflect the most recent scholarship.
That body of scholarship - on everything from the economic impact of slavery to antislavery sentiment at the time of the revolution - has been building for decades, gradually correcting longstanding mistaken notions.
Prior to World War II, for instance, it was widely believed that slavery had not been profitable, says Barbara Solow, an economic historian retired from Boston University. Americans held to images of Pilgrims landing and intrepid frontiersmen pushing West, while largely ignoring the economic underpinnings of plantation slavery.
But in recent decades, historians have shown that slavery provided the primary financial support of the Colonies and the United States in its first 50 years, she says. "If you look at what was moving across the Atlantic [during the Colonial period], it was either slaves, the products of slaves, supplies to sustain slaves, or things bought with the earnings of slave labor. Seventy-five percent of Colonial New England's exports went to the Caribbean to support the slave system."
From 1807 to 1865, adds Harvard economic historian Sven Beckert, "the center of our economy was cotton," and both North and South profited.
"The old history separated 'American capitalism' and 'democracy' from 'slavery.' " Dr. Beckert says. "In the 'new history,' the three are organically connected."
Much of this scholarship is not yet widely appreciated outside the realm of economic historians themselves, Solow says. But it is getting more attention, especially from advocates of the slavery-reparations movement.
Nash agrees that only in this generation have historians come to accept the idea that "Slavery allowed there to be liberty.... There could not have been as much liberty as the colonists gained had there not been enslavement of a fifth of the population."
But that's not to say there wasn't strong opposition to slavery at the time. It arose alongside colonists' arguments against the tyranny of Britain. "The paradox became part of the whole Revolutionary discourse," Nash says.
That's why he rejects the argument that a politically correct move is under way to impose 21st-century values on 18th-century individuals. It's simply a matter of acknowledging that the Founding Fathers embodied contradictions, he and others say.
Of the 55 Constitutional Convention delegates, 25 owned slaves. At one time Benjamin Franklin owned a total of five slaves, but it's not clear if any were still serving him at the time of the convention, Nash says. By 1787, Franklin was president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, but he declined to read a statement condemning slavery at the convention. There were two main obstacles to people like Franklin using their moral capital to eliminate slavery, Nash says: the question of how to compensate slave owners for the slaves they regarded as their property, and the concerns that black and white people would not be able to live together peaceably on equal footing.
As this scholarship pushes its way into the public consciousness, it makes some people uneasy. "Public history is very difficult," Price says, "because [it] acknowledges two often-contradictory threads.... It acknowledges heritage, what people want to remember - and we want to remember George Washington as a good guy, as the founder of the republic. Yet historical scholarship shows that as a member of [the planter aristocracy] he behaved a certain way. How much light do you shed on that? [This] is what makes the Philadelphia project controversial."
But Philadelphia isn't the first place such issues have surfaced at popular historical sites. In 1999, Colonial Williamsburg incorporated new research on slavery into a yearlong series of reenactments. In 2000, the National Park Service began teaching about the role of blacks at Revolutionary War sites. That same year, US Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D) of Illinois succeeded in adding a provision to an appropriations bill directing that Civil War battlefield sites incorporate information about slavery.
Despite such moves, many people believe that the tragedy of slavery, if not ignored outright, is often watered down.
In Philadelphia, groups such as the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition (ATAC) have staged protests and sponsored petitions to try to ensure that doesn't happen at Independence Mall sites.
Their concerns were sparked when they discovered that the new Liberty Bell Center opening this fall would have its entryway right where local historians believe the slave quarters were in Washington's house. (The mansion was also home of the executive branch of the government from 1790 to 1800, though when Adams lived there, he did not keep slaves. It was torn down in the 1830s.)
Prompted by new research by historian Edward Lawler, activists lobbied for telling more fully the stories of the enslaved Africans in Washington's house. Washington had more than 100 slaves at Mount Vernon, Va. When he moved to Philadelphia, he brought eight of them, including two who later escaped at separate times: a woman named Oney Judge and the renowned household chef, Hercules.
In response to activists, the Park Service brought in Price as a consultant last year. The Liberty Bell Center design was already far along, but was changed to include more about slavery.
Then in January, the conceptual design for the adjacent President's House site was presented at a community meeting. Pavers in the ground would outline the homesite and slave quarters, and a scene would be etched in glass depicting the interaction of the white and black members of the household. A curving, 15-ft. wall would include a timeline of slavery on one side and of the free black community on the other. And in breaks in the wall, large sculptures would honor the contributions of African-American tradesmen (whether enslaved or free) to the building of the country. The estimated cost: $4.5 million.
At the time, people questioned whether money for such an ambitious project would come through. The park is waiting to hear about funding requests. Others at the meeting suggested that the process had been paternalistic and should start over using black designers and architects.
Price is African-American, but he upset people at the meeting when he characterized George Washington as a benevolent slaveholder. Later, in a phone interview, he said records show that slaves themselves made such distinctions between owners. "I was unprepared for the rage, which makes [some black activists] want to see slavery as an institution with no gradations," he says.
Talks have yielded some results, but "it is obvious to us our full history does not get represented without struggle," Michael Coard, an African-American lawyer here and an ATAC spokesman, said in a phone interview. The struggle continues, he says, because they were promised four more meetings this spring with the Park Service that have yet to materialize. Hence the Black Independence Day demonstration his group plans to stage Thursday.
Even the idea of calling Independence Mall the birthplace of democracy should be challenged, says Philadelphia talk-show host Reggie Bryant, reached by phone. "There's a certain falsity about the whole concept." He is involved with the local group Generations Unlimited, sponsor of the candlelight memorial walk. Their intent is to mark "a trail of blood and tears," Mr. Bryant says, and to offer a contrast to the celebratory "bombs bursting in air" on the Fourth of July.
Park officials say they plan to continue soliciting a wide range of input. "There's a way you can tell an accurate and full story without ignoring anybody's voice," says Phil Sheridan, Park Service spokesman. "[The display] won't be a condemnation of George Washington, but it also won't deny that he did have slaves."
Some members of the local black community see great potential in the $137.5 million Constitution Center and the Independence Mall proposals.
Take the Rev. Jeffrey Leath of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, just a few blocks from the mall. He was a point person for efforts to do more with the Dexter homesite.
Mr. Leath says it was "a triumph of reason" when the center decided to excavate the site in February. He anticipates discussion forums that will deepen people's understanding of Philadelphia's complex story.
"At first, the mall projects may be a little less of a tribute to what our nation was and more a place of what we can become," he says. "I have a lot of hope, but this is not a completed task."
How did the bell that rang out in Philadelphia at the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence come to be called the "Liberty Bell"?
If you think we have the Founding Fathers to thank for that moniker, think again. The famous bell didn't get its name until about 50 years later, when abolitionists in Philadelphia were pushing to end slavery. They dubbed it the Liberty Bell because of the inscription it bears from the Bible (Leviticus 25:10): "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."
The National Park Service, which has charge of the bell, has long made that story known. But it has not addressed what the abolitionists were fighting against. With urging from historians and members of the local African-American community, officials altered plans for the new Liberty Bell Center, set to open in October. Now it will present a fuller picture of slavery and other aspects of American history that color the notion of liberty.
The bell is "a symbol for liberty attained, in some cases, but in others, liberty not yet achieved," says Park Service spokesman Phil Sheridan.
Some activists say they are still lobbying to include information about a former Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, Isaac Norris, who commissioned the bell in 1751. They want to point out the irony that he was involved in the slave trade.
Despite such unresolved issues, "a highly triumphal scenario has been replaced by a much more realistic and balanced presentation of the Liberty Bell and its long history," says Gary Nash, a Colonial historian who has participated in community discussions with the National Park Service.
One-fifth of the population was enslaved in 1787, when delegates met in Philadelphia to draft the US Constitution. In Southern states, that ratio was 1 in 3. Delegates who wanted to eliminate slavery bowed to those who wanted to keep it, in exchange for forming a strong central government.
The so-called slavery compromise of the Constitution consisted of three parts:
• The three-fifths clause. Article I, Section 2 didn't use the word "slaves," but in outlining how to number the population for purposes of congressional representation and taxation, it counts "free Persons ... and ... three-fifths of all other persons."
• The extension of slavery. Article I, Section 9 prohibited Congress from outlawing the slave trade before 1808. It did allow a $10 per-person tax to be "imposed on such Importation."
• The fugitive-slave clause. Article IV, Section 2 required that runaways be returned to their owners, even if captured in a state that had abolished slavery.
"In effect, the delegates were endorsing slavery when they refused to pass a motion condemning the institution," writes Yale historian Robert Johnston in "The Making of America."
Because slave traders had only a 20-year window, they picked up the pace, says Ira Berlin, a historian at the University of Maryland. Between 1787 and 1808, when Congress outlawed the importation of slaves, 25,000 Africans were brought forcibly to the United States, he says.
The results were devastating for generations of people of African ancestry in America, including those who were free. "One little-known tragedy is that ... by the 1820s, Northern states that were free of slavery rewrote their Constitutions to strip rights away from people of color," says Prof. Gary Nash of the University of California, Los Angeles. "The compromise gave them 'permission' for racism and was indeed the bitter harvest of the Founding Fathers."
Without this compromise, observers note, there would have been no union. But the country paid a high price with the Civil War, when 600,000 died. Bridging the black-white divide the compromise perpetuated is still an unfinished project.


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West Hollywood Cosmetic Dentist
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subset: commoncrawl


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In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Should we use the word "Allah" or "God"?
In as many times as we have been on the internet or in a discussion or a chat group, we almost always run into someone who feels offended that we use the word "God" when we talk about the One and Only God (Allah in Arabic).
It is surprising to notice that most of these Muslim brothers and/or sisters do not know that the word "Allah" is the Arabic word for the word "God". Many of them believe that "Allah" is the name of the Muslim God. They do not realize that the word "Allah" does not belong exclusively to the Muslims and that it has always been used before (and after) Islam by the Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians when they speak about God.
Talking to English speaking people about God using the word "Allah" is very much the same like speaking to Arabic speaking people about "Allah" using the word God. It makes all the sense to show respect to the people and their language by speaking to them in the language they use. Insisting on the use of the word "Allah" which is the Arabic word for God immediately creates the illusion that "Allah" is a whole different deity than God of the whole world. It creates a god that belongs ONLY to the Muslims, and takes the universality of Islam out of it.
Although a lot has been said about the philology of the word 'Allah', however, in my opinion, the former of the two opinions noted by you seems to be closer to the correct one. A detailed discussion compiling the opinions of various scholars of the Arabic language regarding the origin of the word can be seen in "Lisaan al-Arab" under the word "Aliha" (a-l-h). In my opinion, 'Allah' is an Arabic word meaning 'the God'. According to the general principle of making proper nouns from common nouns in the Arabic language, the word "ilah" (common noun) has been converted to "al-ilah", which became "Allah" due to the turgidity and the slight difficulty of pronunciation of the word "al-ilah".
The Quran, because its prime and first addressees were the Arabs, used the word "Allah" for the Supreme Being, as that had traditionally been the word used for the Supreme Being in that language. The same had been the case in the older scriptures. Those scriptures, like the Quran, used those words for the Supreme Being, which had already in vogue in those languages, to refer to the Supreme Being.
However, there have been scholars of the Arabic language who ascribe to the opinion that "Allah" is the actual name of the Supreme Being. It is indeed important to the evidence that they have provided into account. Nevertheless, I feel that to give God a name is a requirement of us, humans. God, being the absolute being is in no need for a name.
May the Almighty guide us all to the path of His liking.


text: Over the past twenty-five years INNOVATION BRIEFS have become "must reading" for thousands of legislators, public officials, business leaders, newspaper editors and transportation professionals. The Briefs' critical commentaries and incisive analysis of current events keep our readers in touch with trends and ideas in the transportation world without subjecting them to an information overload. Our editorial policy is to maintain an independence of views, while striving to remain balanced and objective in our coverage. We believe it is these qualities that have earned INNOVATION BRIEFS the respect of the professional community and the accolade of the transportation fraternity as "the most influential transportation publication of its kind."


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Every year, I like checking my Last.fm account to see what music I played the most the previous year. This year, my most played artist was Sia. Given that I definitely know I play her music a lot, this doesn't come as a surprise to me. She's not my sixth most played artist overall in addition to number one in 2016.
This graph shows just how much more I listened to Sia than anyone else. It also amuses me that Instalok is number six considering I listen to his parody songs that use Overwatch footage.
Four of my most played tracks were by Sia. I only listened to her during the second half of the year as well. I have a Spotify playlist made on July 6 that consisted of the music Anela played while I was driving, and it was during that drive that she introduced me to Sia I think (although I did go on to find new tracks by her that I loved). "Kill Em with Kindness" and "You Don't Own Me" (which Suicide Squad made me love) was also from that same playlist actually.
Despite enjoying ska concerts, no ska song broke the top ten (although two ska bands were in my top ten most played artists. I guess I must listen to a lot of different Suburban Legends and Half Past Two songs.
I wonder what I'll listen to in 2017.


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In "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," Gordon Lightfoot refers to "the gales of November" on Lake Superior. In Minnesota the shores of Lake Superior lie within the Eighth Congressional District. According to a poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies on behalf of Eighth Congressional District Republican candidate Chip Cravaack and released by his campaign yesterday, Cravaack trails 18-term incumbent porkmeister Jim Oberstar by only three points (42-45 percent).
Will Oberstar founder on the gales of November 2? The POS poll has drawn the attention of Michael Barone, John McCormack and Ed Morrissey. I write to add these comments of my own.
First, Cravaack is a tremendous candidate running a race that seemed to me to present insuperable challenges. He made a great impression when he spoke to our Minnesota chapter of the Republican Jewish Coalition this past summer along with the four other Republican candidates challenging Minnesota's Democratic incumbents. Cravaack fits the model of the strong candidates recruited to run this year by the Republican Party whom we have been publicizing in our "Strong shots and long shots" series.
In the email from Cravaack campaign communications director Kyler Nerison announcing the poll result yesterday, the campaign reiterated Cravaack's background. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy who served in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve for 24 years. His service included stints at the Pentagon and NATO. After retiring from the Navy, he flew commercially for Northwest Airlines and served as a union representative for the Air Line Pilots Association. Cravaack lives with his wife and two young sons in Lindstrom where he served as the president of Parent Teacher Organization.
Second, the poll results tend to buttress a point Dick Morris made yesterday in warning of "the dangers of under confidence." Morris argues that "under confidence – writing off seats that we can win – is a huge obstacle to further progress." According to Morris, seats that Republicans had no chance to win in previous elections are suddenly in play. The Eighth Congressional District POS poll results fall within the ambit of this point made by Morris: "With scores of Democratic incumbent Congressmen polling at under 50% of the vote, the possibilities for Republican gains are enormous."
Morris adds that in assessing the meaning of the polls, analysts are underestimating the ability of Republican challengers to defeat Democratic incumbents who are under 50 percent of the vote because the undecided vote usually breaks to the challenger. Morris refers to Republican insurgents with limited name recognition who are running behind their incumbent Democratic opponents because voters don't know who they are. Morris argues that these Republican candidates running against Democratic incumbents polling under 50 percent can win their races. The Cravaack campaign appears to be a case in point.
Third, after the Cravaack campaign released the poll result yesterday, Ed Morrissey joined a blogger conference call hosted by the campaign. Ed asked Cravaack whether the poll meant that he would get national assistance. Ed summarized Cravaack's response:
Chip says he really doesn't need it. The local organization has done a great job so far and…he has a ground game ready to go. Another questioner says that the DCCC may descend on the district to rescue Oberstar through a huge negative attack-ad campaign, and that Chip may need the assistance from the NRCC to fend it off. Chip would prefer to be seen as a local candidate with local activists, but notes that the bloggers on the call are all outside of his district, too. "Bloggers rule," he said with a laugh.
I take that to mean that Cravaack does not think he will be getting support from the national party organs. Please consider contributing to the Cravaack campaign here.
UPDATE: Reader Dick Lacher directs our attention to an editorial from today's Duluth News Tribune: "Oberstar-Cravaack debate forced into larger venue." Reader Daryl Williamson comments: "I have a cabin on Lake Superior just north of Two Harbors and talked to a friend with a cabin near Ely. The north is filled with Cravaack signs! I don't remember this in past elections."
AND FURTHERMORE: Reader Marcia Lang writes to points out that Cravaack was not "recruited" to run. He stepped forward on his own.


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Special thanks to my awesome beta, SometimeSelkie.
"Greasy hair," Ron squeaked, then shrank back into the common room sofa when Hermione's glare was turned on him. For a seventeen year old girl, Hermione can glare like a champion. She'll make a great mother someday, let me tell you that.
Urgh. Mini-Snapes."
Thank you so much for all the great reviews guys!


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Takuya is a swordsman in the Royal Army of the Kingdom of Reachfar, who is sent on a unique mission into the Endless Forest to establish displomatic relations with the elven people. Could there be love awaiting him in the depths of the Elvenglade?
Jan 17, 2022 • All ages
Role-Playing Game Boy pursues Girl
Hazuki is an artist. Unfortunately, lately she feels no inspiration. The school days seem to just pass by and all that can cheer her up are text messages with a person she's never seen.
Sep 28, 2020 • 50 minutes • Ages 13+
Kinetic Novel Girl pursues Girl Girl pursues Boy
Welcome to the Magical Boutique! My name is Framboise and I will be your guide. The shop is based on a daily routine. Every day, our owner assigns tasks. The owner, who is a talented brewer, can make new potions using the ingredients. And at the end of the day, we look at the sales. If a potion has sold particularly well, it might be good to brew more of it the next day.
Jul 25, 2009 • 2.00 hours • All ages
A chance meeting between a down-to-earth farmer and an idealistic young boy can change how both view the world around them.
Dec 25, 2007 • 10 minutes • All ages
A cold doll, embedded with the knowledge of the world. This is the VN version of an entry for the PenOfChaos Novel contest 2007. This year's theme was "The door".
Dec 25, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
A small Christmas card in visual novel form, looking for the answer to... the Christmas question.
Dec 24, 2007 • 5 minutes • All ages
The game's story is about a transfer student, moved to another school. His name and his schedule will be decided by the player.
Dec 21, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
You play as Kelvin, who lives happily at a remote village, or does he? Actually not, since he lives under his skilled, popular brother's shadow... He feels that his existence is nonsense. However, he is saved by a young soldier, who treats him as his little brother despite Kelvin's reactions to him. Soon, Kelvin realizes that his life has meaning....for the one who saved him.
Dec 16, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
Joshua McDermouth. A young man, engaged to be married. That is, until his fiance dies in a fatal accident. Josh tries to change the past and prevent his fiance's death, and along the way, finds moments that he will treasure for the rest of his life.
Nov 18, 2007 • 50 minutes • Ages 13+
Kinetic Novel Boy pursues Girl
A short Higurashi parody starring the horned goddess Hanyuu, the enegetic Satoko and Keiichi whoever that is.
Nov 05, 2007 • 5 minutes • Ages 13+
You see, this isn't just any game. This is the best eroge ever made. It has so much ero, and so much ge, that you wouldn't believe it. - An eroge parody.
Nov 04, 2007 • 5 minutes • Ages 16+
Kinetic Novel Boy pursues Girl Parody
Kanna wants a Nintendo Wii and drags Ryuuya off to the mall to find one. A 5 minutes VN parody.
Nov 03, 2007 • 5 minutes • All ages
Visual Novel Girl pursues Boy Parody
This is a Sailor Moon fan game. The goal of the game is to win love of Aino Minako by asking her out on dates, giving her gifts or playing mini-games. You have a certain amount of days with one possible date per day.
Oct 23, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
A man wakes up in a hospital with a gunshot wound and no memory of his life, or even who he is. With no past and no future his only companion is a kind and cheerful nurse. But the past cannot be ignored and it returns to haunt the nameless man once more.
Oct 15, 2007 • 30 minutes • Ages 16+
Kinetic Novel Boy pursues Girl
Hiraya is about to graduate from engineering school. She has to deal with a classmate who decided to confess to her, a father who is undergoing depression, as well as the final exams which are coming up. But the biggest challenge would be discovering the true state of the world she lives in.
Sep 15, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
A young woman named Kuni's dream of becoming a robot pilot comes true when she's invited to the base home to the world's most powerful robot, Raynar. This is a throwback to Super Robot anime from the '70s, the protagonists are good and brightly coloured, the antagonists are evil and dark, and the heroes yell out all the names of their robot's attack.
Aug 16, 2007 • 20 minutes • Ages 16+
Girl pursues Girl Kinetic Novel
Kazuhiko and his brother Hideo are orphans living under the supervision of their caretaker. Then, one night, Kazuhiko has a dream. Will it help him pass a test in school?
Aug 09, 2007 • 60 minutes • All ages
After having lost some baseball tickets at a party, Jasper and Augustus investigate some friends to see who could have had the incentive to get them. In the meantime, time is running out as the game is about to start.
Jul 29, 2007 • 40 minutes • All ages
You are Hogi Hasekura, an eager student who wants to find out a secret about the once-glorious Ippongi family.
Jul 12, 2007 • 40 minutes • All ages
You play the role of a young woman, Katja, in the quaint hamlet of Nettestadt, in medieval Bavaria. After a failed uprising, there is a new fear: The Nettestadt Troll. To appease this lost soul and leave the town alone, you are sent to live in an isolated cottage outside of town as the troll's concubine.
Jul 10, 2007 • 60 minutes • Ages 18+
In a continent, two countries are at war against each other and meet a standstill. When it seems the war will be prolonged, a sudden legion appears, and the people living in the continent will forever remember it at the start of the dread winter. A bleak medieval story.
Jun 02, 2007 • 60 minutes • Ages 16+
Embark on a journey to regain a dear, lost friend. A short, heartwarming tale of friendship and trust.
Jun 01, 2007 • 7 minutes • All ages
Kinetic Novel Boy pursues Girl
A story about a boy named Jack who is trying to reach the stars.
May 18, 2007 • 60 minutes • All ages
Kinetic Novel Boy pursues Girl
The protagonist is a young man, Shoichiro Yoshizumi, whose grandfather has a job as a summer remedial instruction teacher. However, his gramps' has to have a surgery, so Shoichiro will be a substitute teacher for a while... And then he discovers that he's going to teach three girls, not very far from his own age!
May 14, 2007 • 30 minutes • Ages 13+
This is a Sailor Moon fan game. The goal of the game is to win love of Usagi Tsukino by asking her out on dates, giving her gifts or playing mini-games. You have a certain amount of days with one possible date per day. Answers selected during dialogues on dates will eventually affect Usagi's feelings.
Apr 17, 2007 • 30 minutes • Ages 13+
In the 14th century, Gunther is a page on Castle Berwartstein on the verge of becoming a squire. However, when the knight who was meant to train him dies unexpectedly, Gunther suspects murder and begins to investigate...
Apr 10, 2007 • 30 minutes • Ages 13+
The protagonist is a lost spirit who is given a second chance at life and at love by a sudden twist of fate. Will he accept his destiny or risk everything by challenging it?
Apr 01, 2007 • 40 minutes • All ages
Kyouhei is your ordinary protagonist in an ordinary school with extraordinarily hot classmates and of course, a hot teacher. And since the school is boring, what else is there to do than have dirty thoughts and try your luck? Seriously a hentai parody.
Apr 01, 2007 • 20 minutes • Ages 16+
When Hikari wakes up, she can't remember anything. She finds herself in the Venus Academy for specially gifted girls, where she is told that her powers have awakened.
Mar 31, 2007 • 60 minutes • Ages 13+
Role-Playing Game Girl pursues Girl
When Jake is told by his father that they will move, a lot of things change for him. But the new environment also holds new possibilities for him. Good or bad, it depends on his decisions how the realizations about his life and friends will turn out.
Mar 31, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
Aurora, a consumptive woman that has lost all hope of surviving the disease. Alvin, a grief-stricken husband that is helpless over the cruel fate of his wife. Aldous, a calculating, inflexible man with shadowy intentions. These are the actors of this little tale, a tragedy in three acts.
Mar 30, 2007 • 60 minutes • Ages 13+
This is the final chapter of the story that began with The Silent Maiden. It is Part 3 in the Jane Whitman trilogy (Silent Maiden, Worthy Bride & Wandering Child).
Mar 23, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
Visual Novel Girl pursues Boy Mystery
This is the sequel story to The Silent Maiden. It is Part 2 in the Jane Whitman trilogy (Silent Maiden, Worthy Bride & Wandering Child).
Mar 22, 2007 • 30 minutes • Ages 13+
Mystery Visual Novel Girl pursues Boy
Once upon a time there was an old woman who had three daughters. All of the three had married and left her house. So she lived alone. One day she was so bored of loneliness that she told herself: "Since my youngest daughter has married my house has gotten so dim and silent. I better go and pay her a visit."
Mar 20, 2007 • 10 minutes • All ages
After Emily Whitman suddenly dies with her last words being that she is engaged and part of a new family, Jane travels to London to find out the truth. Part 1 of the Jane Whitman trilogy (Worthy Bride & Wandering Child).
Mar 01, 2007 • 30 minutes • All ages
Mystery Visual Novel Girl pursues Boy
Liany is a freshman in the north Ashburg Institute of Art. Somehow though, her paintings still come out dull. Liana's best friend thinks she knows the answer - so can Liana find something that will inspire her? Or... someone?
Feb 09, 2007 • 30 minutes • Ages 13+
Once there was a troubled little boy. A very pampered, yet troubled little boy. All the spoils of the earth were his to be had at the snap of a finger. Yet, there was something missing.
Jan 26, 2007 • 5 minutes • All ages
Kinetic Novel Boy pursues Girl
Andrew is a successful manga artist that, in a fit of disapointment over his work, creates a character just like the woman of his dreams. But characters can't come to life, can they?
Jan 15, 2007 • 20 minutes • Ages 13+


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Kofax Limited has released the Kofax AP Agility, a smart process application (SPA) built on the Kofax TotalAgility platform. AP Agility's advanced analytics enable business users to assess the†effectiveness of their accounts payable processes, measure staff productivity levels, view the status of invoices being processed, and assess spend management. Users can also view available discounts and late payments, assess supplier activity, invoice volumes and expenditures, and identify duplicate invoices and approval violations.
AP Agility features a range of accounts payable capabilities including:
- Accepts invoices in a variety of formats, including paper, electronic invoices, faxes, emails, web portal submissions, and XML and EDI data streams
- Extracts business critical invoice data and validates it against ERP system data
- Provides configurable matching rules to reconcile the inevitable exceptions that occur between invoices, purchase orders, and receipts
- Includes a pre-built framework to integrate with any on premise or cloud based accounting or ERP system while offering out-of-the-box integration with Microsoft Dynamics AX
With the Microsoft Azure hosted SaaS cloud offering, customers are now able to:
- Deploy the solution without purchasing, installing, configuring, or maintaining hardware or software
- Meet line of business objectives through operating rather than capital expenditure budgets
- Protect sensitive information and ensure business continuity using Microsoft Azure's cloud infrastructure
"AP Agility is a compelling solution that addresses the end-to-end procure-to-pay process, giving chief financial and procurement officers the much needed visibility and insight necessary to better control their company's spend. The cloud-based offering provides the added benefits of faster deployment without capital expenditures," says Grant Johnson, Kofax's chief marketing officer.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
If a property is located in the L Zone, it does not necessarily mean the property is eligible for an STR-LE Permit. A property must meet the definition of "Lodge" in the Land Use Code to be eligible for a Lodging Exempt Permit. Individual owners of units at lodge or condo-hotel properties are not eligible for the Lodging Exempt Permit and must apply for a Classic or Owner-Occupied Permit.
Show All Answers
Reference Title 26 Part 100 Section 26.104.110 to determine whether your property falls within the definition of "Lodge Uses". Individual owners of units at lodge or condo-hotel properties are not eligible for the Lodging Exempt permit and must apply for a Classic or Owner-Occupied permit.
Use the Permit Selection Flowchart to determine which STR permit(s) you may be eligible to apply for.
If you believe an STR is in violation of Ordinance No. 09, Series 2022, you can file a complaint through Aspen 311 Connect.
Yes, all qualified owner's representatives are required to have a current, valid business license from the City of Aspen Finance Department.
2021-2022 STR permits may name a third-party management company as the qualified owner's representative (QOR) on their renewal application for 2023. If the management company wishes to be added to a 2021-2022 permit before that permit is renewed for 2023, they must create a MuniREVS account and request to be added to the current permit by contacting the Finance Department.
Staff anticipate being able to issue any new Classic Permits in capped zones in February 2023. Renewal applications from 2022 must be processed first to determine whether any new Classic Permits will be available.
Permittees who do not live within the Roaring Fork Valley or Colorado River Drainage from No Name to Rifle are required to name a qualified owner's representative (QOR) on permit applications. Permittees who live within the Roaring Fork Valley or Colorado River Drainage but are unable or unwilling to be available for in-person emergency response must also name a QOR for their STR unit.
Brokers with a licensed real estate company may use the real estate company's business license.
STR permits require that a permittee has at least 10% ownership of the property. If the property owner is willing to be named as the permittee, then the lessee could act as the qualified owner's representative (QOR) if they can fulfill the requirements of the Qualified Owner's Representative outlined in Ordinance No. 9, Series 2022 and the STR Program Guidelines.
The wildlife protection policy is printed on the STR permit document that the permittee will receive once the permit is issued.
STR operators are required to display the STR permit, in-unit messaging, STR business license, and Good Neighbor Guide in an obvious location in the STR unit. Acceptable locations include inside an informational binder, on the coffee table, displayed in frames, or other places where the renters can easily access the information.
The permit number should be included in all third-party advertisements such as on VRBO, Airbnb, or similar. The permit number can be included in the advertisement title, description of the property, or in the part of the posting specifically designated by the third-party company.
Permittees named on STR permits will need an STR-specific business license. Qualified owner's representatives will need either an STR-specific business license, or, if applicable, they may use the business license associated with their real estate or property management firm (these are most often "real estate" business licenses).
Timeshares and fractional ownership properties do not qualify as short-term rentals and are not regulated by Ordinance No. 9, Series 2022, so STR permits for these property types are not required. Please check with the Finance Department to see what the business license and associated tax requirements are for these properties.
Please contact email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com to confirm whether a property has a current STR permit.
Permits may not be transferred between addresses.
Explore the STR Eligibility Map to determine which zone district your property is located in.
Explore the STR Eligibility Map to determine whether STRs are permitted in your zone district.
If your residence is located within Aspen city limits, you will only need an STR permit through City of Aspen. If your residence is located outside of Aspen city limits, you'll only need a Pitkin County STR Permit. Find out whether your residence is in or out of Aspen.
All permit applications require the full name of one person with an ownership interest in the property. If the title to the STR property is held by a corporation, partnership, association, trust, or similar entity, the name and contact information of any officer, director, or stockholder holding at least 10% of interests in the entity is required as the "Permittee" on the application.
LLCs, trusts, or other business names will not be allowed on new STR permit applications after October 1, 2022. Applicants renewing 2022 STR permits where a trust, LLC, or similar was previously named must choose a natural person to assume the permittee role in the renewal application for 2023.
Permittee contact information may not be changed after a permit is issued as permits are non-transferable. Changes to permittee information will result in the termination and revocation of a permit and the new permittee will be required to apply for a new permit.
Reference the STR Program Guidelines for a detailed description of the Neighborhood Notice process and requirements for new Classic and Owner-Occupied STR permits.
Each STR permit application lists the required supplemental documents necessary to submit with the application type. Required documents are also listed for each permit type in the STR Program Guidelines.
STR data and tracking is a new program and will continue to evolve in the coming months. With that said, our STR mapping application is not yet perfect and is intended for informational purposes only. Staff are committed to updating the GIS application to accurately reflect the current, issued STR permits on a regular basis. The fact that your STR permit is not shown on the STR Eligibility Map does not necessarily indicate an issue with your permit.
To check if you have a valid STR permit for your property, please contact email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Rentals of 30 days or more are considered "long-term rentals" and do not require an STR permit from the City of Aspen. Long-term rentals require a business license from the Finance Department. Please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for more information about long-term rental requirements.
Public notices are required as a part of the application process for all new Classic and Owner-Occupied STR permits. Before a new permit is issued, permittees must post a notice at their property for 15 days and mail a notice to all property owners within 300 feet of the property for which they are seeking the new STR permit. The purpose of the public notice is to make neighbors aware of the new STR use for which the applicant is seeking a permit. If desired, neighbors can provide public comment about the application using the contact information provided in the notice.


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Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer
Product Code: cybex-bravo-8810-tall-chin-up-functional-trainer
Price: $8,495.00
Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer
FitnessZone Is An Authorized Dealer For Cybex Products Nationwide!
COMPLETE STRENGTH SOLUTION Functional Trainer
The Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer is a space-efficient machine that give the user hundreds of movements.
The Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Training system is a truly innovative approach to functional training. The system combines unique technologies and the best aspects of selectorized and cable-based strength training equipment to offer simple, safe operation, expanded functionality and better results.
Users no longer have to make a choice between workloads high enough to build strength and free-form patterns of movement that train for real-world applications - like golf or tennis. The Bravo Advanced delivers both for the optimum result. Order your Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer from fitnesszone.com.
Product No. : 8820 (Utility Bench - optional)
Dimensions L x W x H : 21" x 16" x 16" (54 cm x 39cm x 42 cm)
Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer Benefits:
Cybex Bravo Advanced functional trainer combines the best of selectorized and cable-based strength training. The unique patent-pending design adds two key features to revolutionize training applications - the Progressive Stabilization system, which allows the user to incrementally modify the stabilization provided, and the Cable Width Adjustment, which results in innumerable height and width configurations, giving the most creative trainers unlimited exercise possibilities.
The unique Progressive Stabilization system adjusts for height and horizontal position, offering maximum stabilization (like selectorized equipment) or free standing movement (like most functional trainers). The Bravo Advanced's Progressive Stabilization system can also be positioned for partial stability, introducing specific challenges for different functional tasks. Systematic destabilization allows trainers to create programming which builds strength and skills in a progressive, highly effective manner, offering new challenges as users' capabilities grow.
The advanced cable adjustment system lets not only the height of the cable to be adjusted, but also the width between cables. This means the direction of resistance can be completely controlled. The versatility creates almost endless training possibilities - and only Cybex has it.
The Bravo Advanced is a total training solution, offering more training options and versatility than any product in its class. Whether upper body, lower body, isolated, or fully integrated, the only limitation to the Bravo is the user's imagination. Available in the standard 2:1 configurations for most applications, or in 4:1 configurations for sports performance and rehabilitation applications.
Bravo Advanced is a great solution for luxury home gyms. Hundreds of exercises in one machine, Bravo Advanced offers the strength training that current medical literature stresses is important for both weight loss and cardiac health. Designed with commercial durability and versatility, a Bravo Advanced and an Arc Trainer are the perfect home gym.
Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer Features:
Progressive Stabilization System
The Bravo Advanced and Bravo Pro functional trainers and Bravo Press feature the patent pending Progressive Stabilization system, which is a pad that adjusts for height and horizontal position. The system offers maximum support—like selectorized equipment—or free standing, similar to most functional trainers. The Bravo Pull also offers the technology with height adjustment. Simply put, Progressive Stabilization gives users a greater variety of training options than other cable machines.
As far as results are concerned, Progressive Stabilization delivers what users want: faster, safer strength. Compared to other free-standing machines, the system offers:
- a 212% increase in load capacity,
- 184% increase in core activation,
- and a 38% greater strength gain*.
Advanced Cable Adjustment
The Bravo Advanced functional trainer includes the Advanced Cable Adjustment system, which lets users control the height and width between the cables' origin. This means the direction of resistance can be completely controlled. Welcome to a new level of versatility and almost endless training possibilities. Order your Cybex Bravo 8830 Compact Heavy Functional Trainer from fitnsszone.com.
Free Start Technology
The Bravo Lift features Free Start technology, which allows users to select the desired starting height and to get to it with minimal load, thus getting into the correct start position before the weight is engaged.
Variable Grip Chinup Bar
The integrated chinup bar's multiple grip options targets different movements and muscles.
Dedicated Accessories
Grips, straps, and bars are available to produce an almost unlimited array of exercises and functional applications.
Dual Weight Stack
Two weight stacks allow for fully independent motion and asymmetrical loads for single users, or individual stations for two users.
* "Effect of Horizontal Support on Abdominal Muscle Activation and Load During a Vertical Chest Press Exercise on a Dual Adjustable Pulley Apparatus," D.S. Peckinpaugh, C.T. Guzell, Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009.
Designed specifically for use with the Bravo Functional Training series to provide even greater training possibilities, the Utility Bench allows users to perform a variety of movements from the seated position either with or without the Progressive Stabilization pad.
Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer Specifications:
Dimensions Tall (L x W x H) : 45" x 54" x 87"
(114 cm x 137 cm x 221 cm)
Machine Weight : 8810 Tall:901 lbs (407 kg)
Weight Stack : 8810 Tall:170 lbs (77 kg)
Cable Travel : 8810 Tall:79" (200 cm)
Maximum Effective Load : 8810 Tall:85 lbs (39 kg) maximum per side
Minimum Effective Load : 8810 Tall:5 lbs (2.25 kg) per plate
Lifting ratio : 8810 Tall:2:1
Cable Position Adjustment : Vertical: 19 positons with 3" spacing
Rotation: 315 degrees detented every 45 degrees
Minimum Cable width: 15" (38 cm)
Maximum Cable width: 58" (147 cm)
Stabilization Assembly : 10 height positions; 9 fore/aft positions in 2" (5 cm) increments
Standard Accessories : 2 strap handles, 2 mult-length strap extensions, ankle cuff, rotating arm bar, triceps rope, lat pull bar
Order your Cybex Bravo 8810 Tall Chin-Up Functional Trainer from FitnessZone.com today!


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Dragon 7ft on base Green (JR 080081G)
This stunning Dragon model is a fantastic model. This resin and fibre-glass Dragon is sure to be a hit with all fantasy fans and is ideal for mythological and Arthurian themes.
Approx max dimensions: 79cm x 72cm x 213cm
Approx weight: 47kgs
This 3D model of a Dragon is made of cold-cast poly-resin and fibre-glass is an ideal figure for an Arthurian, Fantasty or Mythological scene or theme and for advertising or drawing attention to your business, or even as a great gift!
This scaley Dragon sits on a black resin pillar, which his tail curls right around, as his tallons grip the edge. The detail on this model is really impressive and the wings are removable for transit and storage.
Is the name of your pub The George and Dragon? This model works brilliantly with our life-size Knight figures!
All our models are high quality, durable, cold cast poly-resin & fibre-glass, not cheaper plastic or single-skin resin copies. The detail & modelling of these sculptures is superb. Well cared for, models supplied by the JollyRoger will give you & your customers pleasure for many years to come. We recommend that all models & point-of sale items which are going to be used outdoors be given a protective coat of clear lacquer or exterior varnish..
PLEASE CONTACT US ON 01626 833646 or 07860 680181 TO DISCUSS THIS MODEL & THE OTHER FIGURES IN OUR HALLOWEEN & HORROR THEME SERIES. PLEASE PHONE US TO PLACE AN ORDER & FOR A QUOTE FOR DELIVERY COST TO YOUR POSTCODE.
NB -DELIVERY - Please note that the delivery price quoted through the website ordering system is based on average delivery costs to mainland UK address when the ordered item or items are sent through a pallet-line service. (A next day courier service can be used for smaller models & figures). Please phone to confirm cost. For large items the delivery cost relates to the number of lorry pallet spaces required. However, wherever possible we try to personally deliver large items to your door when we can combine deliveries in an area; this does require flexibility for delivery date. Delivery charges on orders for multiple items will of course be discounted accordingly.
Before placing your order, if you have any queries or special requirements, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss these with you by phone or email.
Our Price: £489.00 Exc VAT
Stock: 1
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LOS ANGELES - NASA has tested new technology designed to bring spacecraft - and one day even astronauts - safely down to Mars, with the agency declaring the experiment a qualified success even though a giant parachute got tangled on the way down.
Saturday's $150 million experiment is the first of three involving the Low Density Supersonic Decelerator vehicle. Tests are being conducted at high altitude on Earth to mimic descent through the thin atmosphere of the Red Planet.
A balloon hauled the saucer-shaped craft 120,000 feet into the sky from a Navy missile range on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Then, the craft's own rocket boosted it to more than 30 miles high at supersonic speeds.
As the craft prepared to fall back to earth, a doughnut-shaped tube around it expanded like a Hawaiian puffer fish, creating atmospheric drag to dramatically slow it down from Mach 4, or four times the speed of sound.
Then the parachute unfurled - but only partially. The vehicle made a hard landing in the Pacific Ocean.
Engineers won't look at the parachute problem as a failure but as a way to learn more and apply that knowledge during future tests, said NASA engineer Dan Coatta with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
"In a way, that's a more valuable experience for us than if everything had gone exactly according to plan," he said.
A ship was sent to recover a "black box" designed to separate from the vehicle and float. Outfitted with a GPS beacon, the box contains the crucial flight data that scientists are eager to analyze.
NASA planned to hold a news teleconference on the flight Sunday.
Since the twin Viking spacecraft landed on the red planet in 1976, NASA has relied on a parachute to slow landers and rovers.
But the latest experiment involved both the drag-inducing device and a parachute that was 110 feet in diameter - twice as large as the one that carried the 1-ton Curiosity rover in 2011.
Cutting-edge technologies are needed to safely land larger payloads on Mars, enabling delivery of supplies and materials "and to pave the way for future human explorers," a NASA statement said.
Technology development "is the surest path to Mars," said Michael Gazarik, head of space technology at NASA headquarters.


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Automating functions.
Simplifying operations.
Modernizing protection.
Bebco EPS® 5500 Automation for Purge+Pressurization
In this YouTube video, our Product Portfolio Manager Chris Romano gives you an introduction to the 5500 series. He explains the different mounting concepts, technical details, our versatile vent, and the available accessories for the purging and pressurization system.
For more than 20 years, Bebco EPS® purge systems have provided well-proven design and reliable protection to the process automation industry. As the most recognized brand name, Pepperl+Fuchs is the global leader in the purge and pressurization market, continually offering users a safe and economical approach to installing electrical equipment in hazardous locations.
Simply send us an email if you need more information on our purge and pressurization solutions


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A coal company headed by a prominent Mitt Romney donor has laid off more than 160 workers in response to President Obama's election victory.
Murray Energy said Friday that it had been "forced" to make the layoffs in response to the bleak prospects for the coal industry during Obama's second term. In a prayer circulated by the company, CEO Robert Murray said Americans had voted "in favor of redistribution, national weakness and reduced standard of living and lower and lower levels of personal freedom."
"The American people have made their choice. They have decided that America must change its course, away from the principals [sic] of our Founders," Murray said in the prayer, which was delivered in a meeting with staff members earlier this week.
"Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corporation for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build."
Murray cited pending regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency and the possibility of a carbon tax as factors that could lead to the "total destruction of the coal industry by as early as 2030." One hundred and two layoffs are planned for Murray operations in Utah, with 54 from Illinois and seven from West Virginia.
In August, Murray shuttered an operation in Ohio, again blaming the Obama Administration and its alleged "war on coal."
Mitt Romney echoed this line on the campaign trail, accusing Obama of undermining the country's energy security during a rally at a Murray-owned mine in Ohio.
Footage from the rally was used in a Romney ad. Workers in the spot later complained to a local radio host that they were forced to attend the rally and weren't paid for the time, claims denied by Murray Energy.
Related: What's to blame for lost coal jobs
Administration officials responded to Romney's attacks by affirming that Obama supports "clean coal." They also pointed out that more coal miners were on the job in the U.S. this year than at any time since 1997, and that U.S. coal exports have risen 31%.
Domestically, however, coal production has dropped sharply, falling roughly 15% in 2011 versus years prior, according to the National Mining Association.
But the industry's woes go way beyond Obama's policies.
Utility companies are increasingly ditching coal in favor of cheaper, cleaner natural gas. In addition, the recession and improved energy efficiency have crimped demand for power.
Looking ahead, the coal industry faces a rule going into effect in 2015 that tightens the amount of mercury coal plants can emit, as well as regulations on mountain-top mining. Both will make coal production and coal-fired power plants more expensive.
The rules themselves are not Obama's doing, although he has implemented them fairly quickly. Most stem from the Clean Air Act, which was signed by Richard Nixon and strengthened during the first Bush presidency.
CNNMoney's Steve Hargreaves contributed reporting.


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I ran a session for Deirdre and the Chinwag crowd at the Ad:Tech conference yesterday. The theme (which we've covered before) was 'micromedia': widgets and microblogging and the atomisation of content and app functionality that's going on out there. My speakers were: Nick Halstead, whose fav.or.it is an interesting entry in the social bookmarking/blog aggregation area, Miles Lewis who's a proper biz dev geezer and works at Last.FM and the near legendary Umair "Bubble Generation" Haque who is an all-round interesting bloke.
It was the most interesting of the various sessions I've run on this theme. Umair gives good analogy and his comparison of the social media chaff we're creating by the truckload with the toxic debt produced by the financial community was instructive. He said that the increasingly clever and sophisticated architectures we're developing are like the impossibly exotic financial derivatives that have brought a large part of the investment banking industry to his knees. I suggested we might liken the wasteful, unsustainable social media that's beginning to clog the wires to the smog that disfigures big cities everywhere.
I'm not going to test Umair's analogy to destruction but I can certainly agree with him that there's a risk we'll forget the purpose of these devices we're building if we allow them to gain a life of their own, just as derivatives originally meant to hedge risk for simpler securities have grown into markets in their own right.
Umair's final point was that the richness or effectiveness of a particular device is irrelevant if it's being used in a miserable or exploitive way. The business of marketers should be to invest in durable, authentic content and experiences for their customers, not coming up with increasingly effective ways of taking them to the cleaners. At a conference and trade show devoted to online advertising I think this was a good message to leave behind. I suggested we start a service that ranks social media gadgets according to their authenticity, sustainability or social value. It'll be a huge hit.


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Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky is set to direct a movie adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter's play The Whale for A24. Brendan Fraser will star as the morbidly obese man hiding away from the world and slowly eating himself to death, according to Variety,.
The Whale in the story of a 600-pound recluse, hiding away from the world and slowly eating himself to death, who is given one last chance at redemption. When it played at off-Broadway's Playwrights Horizons in 2012, The Whale won both the Drama Desk Award and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play. Tony winner Shuler Hensley originated the role of Charlie in the production.
Hunter is a 2014 MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellow and is also a writer and producer for the television show Baskets, starring Zach Galifianakis. His work also includes the Obie-winning A Bright New Boise, The Healing, The Harvest, Lewiston/Clarkston, and most recently Greater Clements, which garnered a Drama Desk nomination for Best Play.
Aronofsky was nominated for an Academy Award for directing Black Swan. His movies also include Requiem for a Dream, Pi, Noah, and mother!.
Fraser, who appeared on Broadway in 2010's Elling, is known for starring in The Mummy franchise. He has also appeared on screen in Doon Patrol, Professionals, Condor, Texas Rising and George of the Jungle.
More information, including additional casting and a production timeline, to be announced.


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ERM Strategies is a consulting and research firm that provides its clients with a wide array of enterprise risk management services. Every business or public entity, whether large or small, faces a multitude of risks in day-to-day activities. In order to determine the specific needs of an organization, ERM Strategies provides each client with a rigorous assessment of the risks associated with their business activities. Once these risks have been assessed, the ERM Strategies team works with each client to develop an efficient and comprehensive enterprise risk management plan that can transform those risks into opportunities.
Enterprise Risk Management offers many advantages over traditional risk management. It improves an organization's strategic decision making by addressing threats and opportunities in a way that integrates risk management with the strategic planning process. ERM is a systemic approach to managing all of an organization's uncertainty in order to maximize shareholder value by optimizing risk taking.
We assist Executive Management teams and the Board of Directors to see which risks or combination of risks could have the greatest impact on their organization. We integrate the ERM methodology into the strategic planning process and address risk exposures related to opportunities and threats of the organization. Our goal is to improve an organization's strategic decision making by addressing potentially devastating threats, exploit opportunities for growth, and manage unwanted variations from expectations.


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Charles Evans Hughes
Chief Justice of the United States from 1930 to 1941
Charles Evans Hughes (11 April 1862 – 27 August 1948) was a Republican politician and jurist who served as Governor of New York, United States Secretary of State, Associate Justice and Chief Justice of the United States.
Quotes edit
- We are under a Constitution, but the Constitution is what the judges say it is, and the judiciary is the safeguard of our liberty and of our property under the Constitution.
- Speech before the Chamber of Commerce, Elmira, New York (3 May 1907); published in Addresses and Papers of Charles Evans Hughes, Governor of New York, 1906–1908 (1908), p. 139
- While democracy must have its organizations and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.
- Statement of May 1908, quoted in "Reauthorization of The Civil Rights Division of The United States Department of Justice" (15 May 2003) US House of Representatives.
- No greater mistake can be made than to think that our institutions are fixed or may not be changed for the worse. … Increasing prosperity tends to breed indifference and to corrupt moral soundness. Glaring inequalities in condition create discontent and strain the democratic relation. The vicious are the willing, and the ignorant are unconscious instruments of political artifice. Selfishness and demagoguery take advantage of liberty. The selfish hand constantly seeks to control government, and every increase of governmental power, even to meet just needs, furnishes opportunity for abuse and stimulates the effort to bend it to improper uses. .. The peril of this Nation is not in any foreign foe! We, the people, are its power, its peril, and its hope!
- Conditions of Progress in Democratic Government (1909).
- A man has to live with himself, and he should see to it that he always has good company.
- As quoted in Ethics and Citizenship (1924) by John Walter Wayland, p. 208.
- When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free.
- Address at Faneuil Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, on the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill (17 June 1925).
- The most ominous spirit of our times, as it seems to me, is the indication of the growth of an intolerent spirit. It is the more dangerous when armed, as it usually is, with sincere conviction. It is a spirit whose wrath must be turned away by the soft answers of a sweet reasonableness. It can be exorcised only by invoking the Genius which watched over our infancy and has guided our development— a good Genius— still potent let us believe — the American spirit of civil and religious liberty. Our institutions were not devised to bring about uniformity of opinion; if they had we might well abandon hope. It is important to remember, as has well been said, "the essential characteristic of true liberty is that under its shelter many different types of life and character and opinion and belief can develop unmolested and unobstructed."
- Speech to the American Bar Association (2 September 1925).
- …[I]n three notable instances the Court has suffered severely from self-inflicted wounds. The first of these was the Dred Scott case. … There the Supreme Court decided that Dred Scott, a negro, not being a citizen could not sue in the United States Courts and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in the territories. … [T]he grave injury that the Court sustained through its decision has been universally recognized. Its action was a public calamity. … [W]idespread and bitter attacks upon the judges who joined in the decision undermined confidence in the Court. … It was many years before the Court, even under new judges, was able to retrieve its reputation.…[The second instance was] the legal tender cases decided in 1870. … From the standpoint of the effect on public opinion there can be no doubt that the reopening of the case was a serious mistake and the overruling in such a short time, and by one vote, of the previous decision shook popular respect for the Court.… [The third instance happened] [t]wenty-five years later, when the Court had recovered its prestige, [and] its action in the income tax cases gave occasion for a bitter assault. … [After questions about the validity of the income tax] had been reserved owing to an equal division of the Court, a reargument was ordered and in the second decision the act was held to be unconstitutional by a majority of one. Justice Jackson was ill at the time of the first argument but took part in the final decision, voting in favor of the validity of the statute. It was evident that the result [holding the statute invalid] was brought about by a change in the vote of one of the judges who had participated in the first decision. … [T]he decision of such an important question by a majority of one after one judge had changed his vote aroused a criticism of the Court which has never been entirely stilled."
- "The Supreme Court of the United States: Its Foundation, Methods and Achievements," Columbia University Press, p. 50 (1928). ISBN 1-893122-85-9.
- The power of administrative bodies to make finding of fact which may be treated as conclusive, if there is evidence both ways, is a power of enormous consequence. An unscrupulous administrator might be tempted to say "Let me find the facts for the people of my country, and I care little who lays down the general principles."
- "Important Work of Uncle Sam's Lawyers", American Bar Association Journal (April 1931), p. 238, reprinting an address to the Federal Bar Association, Washington, D.C. (February 11, 1931), where the chief justice spoke of the "extraordinary development of administrative agencies of the government and of the lawyer's part in making them work satisfactorily and also in protecting the public against bureaucratic excesses", according to the article's subtitle
- We still proclaim the old ideals of liberty but we cannot voice them without anxiety in our hearts. The question is no longer one of establishing democratic institutions but of preserving them. … The arch enemies of society are those who know better but by indirection, misstatement, understatement, and slander, seek to accomplish their concealed purposes or to gain profit of some sort by misleading the public. The antidote for these poisons must be found in the sincere and courageous efforts of those who would preserve their cherished freedom by a wise and responsible use of it. Freedom of expression gives the essential democratic opportunity, but self-restraint is the essential civic discipline.
- As quoted in Charles Evans Hughes (1951) by Merlo J. Pusey, Vol. II, p. 794
- I think that it is a fallacy to suppose that helpful cooperation in the future will be assured by the attempted compulsion of an inflexible rule. Rather will such cooperation depend upon the fostering of firm friendships springing from an appreciation of community ideals, interests, and purposes, and such friendships are more likely to be promoted by freedom of conference than by the effort to create hard and fast engagements.
- Opposing Article X of the Covenant of the League of Nations which would obligate members of the League of Nations to collective response. As quoted in Autobiographical Notes of Charles Hughes (1973) edited by D. J. Danelski and J. S. Tulchin
- At the constitutional level where we work, ninety percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting our predilections.
- Reported in Justice William O. Douglas, The Court Years (1980), p. 8
- [Dissents are] appeals to the brooding spirit of the law, to the intelligence of another day.
- Reported in "Keeping Politics out of the Court", The New York Times (December 9, 1984); quoted in The HarperCollins Dictionary of American Government and Politics (1992) by Jay M. Shafritz, p. 407
Judicial opinions edit
- It is no longer open to doubt that the liberty of the press, and of speech, is within the liberty safeguarded by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment from invasion by state action. It was found impossible to conclude that this essential personal liberty of the citizen was left unprotected by the general guaranty of fundamental rights of person and property.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- But it is recognized that punishment for the abuse of the liberty accorded to the press is essential to the protection of the public, and that the common law rules that subject the libeler to responsibility for the public offense, as well as for the private injury, are not abolished by the protection extended in our constitutions. The law of criminal libel rests upon that secure foundation. There is also the conceded authority of courts to punish for contempt when publications directly tend to prevent the proper discharge of judicial functions.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- The exceptional nature of its limitations places in a strong light the general conception that liberty of the press, historically considered and taken up by the Federal Constitution, has meant, principally, although not exclusively, immunity from previous restraints or censorship.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- Public officers, whose character and conduct remain open to debate and free discussion in the press, find their remedies for false accusations in actions under libel laws providing for redress and punishment, and not in proceedings to restrain the publication of newspapers and periodicals. The general principle that the constitutional guaranty of the liberty of the press gives immunity from previous restraints has been approved in many decisions under the provisions of state constitutions. The importance of this immunity has not lessened. While reckless assaults upon public men, and efforts to bring obloquy upon those who are endeavoring faithfully to discharge official duties, exert a baleful influence and deserve the severest condemnation in public opinion, it cannot be said that this abuse is greater, and it is believed to be less, than that which characterized the period in which our institutions took shape. Meanwhile, the administration of government has become more complex, the opportunities for malfeasance and corruption have multiplied, crime has grown to most serious proportions, and the danger of its protection by unfaithful officials and of the impairment of the fundamental security of life and property by criminal alliances and official neglect, emphasizes the primary need of a vigilant and courageous press, especially in great cities. The fact that the liberty of the press may be abused by miscreant purveyors of scandal does not make any the less necessary the immunity of the press from previous restraint in dealing with official misconduct. Subsequent punishment for such abuses as may exist is the appropriate remedy consistent with constitutional privilege.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- In attempted justification of the statute, it is said that it deals not with publication per se, but with the "business" of publishing defamation. If, however, the publisher has a constitutional right to publish, without previous restraint, an edition of his newspaper charging official derelictions, it cannot be denied that he may publish subsequent editions for the same purpose. He does not lose his right by exercising it. If his right exists, it may be exercised in publishing nine editions, as in this case, as well as in one edition. If previous restraint is permissible, it may be imposed at once; indeed, the wrong may be as serious in one publication as in several. Characterizing the publication as a business, and the business as a nuisance, does not permit an invasion of the constitutional immunity against restraint. Similarly, it does not matter that the newspaper or periodical is found to be "largely" or "chiefly" devoted to the publication of such derelictions. If the publisher has a right, without previous restraint, to publish them, his right cannot be deemed to be dependent upon his publishing something else, more or less, with the matter to which objection is made. Nor can it be said that the constitutional freedom from previous restraint is lost because charges are made of derelictions which constitute crimes. With the multiplying provisions of penal codes, and of municipal charters and ordinances carrying penal sanctions, the conduct of public officers is very largely within the purview of criminal statutes. The freedom of the press from previous restraint has never been regarded as limited to such animadversions as lay outside the range of penal enactments. Historically, there is no such limitation; it is inconsistent with the reason which underlies the privilege, as the privilege so limited would be of slight value for the purposes for which it came to be established.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- The statute in question cannot be justified by reason of the fact that the publisher is permitted to show, before injunction issues, that the matter published is true and is published with good motives and for justifiable ends. If such a statute, authorizing suppression and injunction on such a basis, is constitutionally valid, it would be equally permissible for the legislature to provide that at any time the publisher of any newspaper could be brought before a court, or even an administrative officer (as the constitutional protection may not be regarded as resting on mere procedural details) and required to produce proof of the truth of his publication, or of what he intended to publish, and of his motives, or stand enjoined. If this can be done, the legislature may provide machinery for determining in the complete exercise of its discretion what are justifiable ends, and restrain publication accordingly. And it would be but a step to a complete system of censorship.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- The recognition of authority to impose previous restraint upon publication in order to protect the community against the circulation of charges of misconduct, and especially of official misconduct, necessarily would carry with it the admission of the authority of the censor against which the constitutional barrier was erected. The preliminary freedom, by virtue of the very reason for its existence, does not depend, as this Court has said, on proof of truth.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- Equally unavailing is the insistence that the statute is designed to prevent the circulation of scandal which tends [p722] to disturb the public peace and to provoke assaults and the commission of crime. Charges of reprehensible conduct, and in particular of official malfeasance, unquestionably create a public scandal, but the theory of the constitutional guaranty is that even a more serious public evil would be caused by authority to prevent publication. To prohibit the intent to excite those unfavorable sentiments against those who administer the Government is equivalent to a prohibition of the actual excitement of them, and to prohibit the actual excitement of them is equivalent to a prohibition of discussions having that tendency and effect, which, again, is equivalent to a protection of those who administer the Government, if they should at any time deserve the contempt or hatred of the people, against being exposed to it by free animadversions on their characters and conduct. There is nothing new in the fact that charges of reprehensible conduct may create resentment and the disposition to resort to violent means of redress, but this well understood tendency did not alter the determination to protect the press against censorship and restraint upon publication. [...] The danger of violent reactions becomes greater with effective organization of defiant groups resenting exposure, and if this consideration warranted legislative interference with the initial freedom of publication, the constitutional protection would be reduced to a mere form of words.
- Near v. Minnesota, 283 U.S. 697 (1931).
- Freedom of speech and of the press are fundamental rights which are safeguarded by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Federal Constitution. [...] The right of peaceable assembly is a right cognate to those of free speech and free press, and is equally fundamental. As this Court said in United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U.S. 542, 552:
The very idea of a government, republican in form, implies a right on the part of its citizens to meet peaceably for consultation in respect to public affairs and to petition for a redress of grievances.
The First Amendment of the Federal Constitution expressly guarantees that right against abridgment by Congress. But explicit mention there does not argue exclusion elsewhere. For the right is one that cannot be denied without violating those fundamental principles of liberty and justice which lie at the base of all civil and political institutions — principles which the Fourteenth Amendment embodies in the general terms of its due process clause. [...]
These rights may be abused by using speech or press or assembly in order to incite to violence and crime. The people, through their legislatures may protect themselves against that abuse. But the legislative intervention, can find constitutional justification only by dealing with the abuse. The rights themselves must not be curtailed. The greater the importance of safeguarding the community from incitements to the overthrow of our institutions by force and violence, the more imperative is the need to preserve inviolate the constitutional rights of free speech, free press and free assembly in order to maintain the opportunity for free political discussion, to the end that government may be responsive to the will of the people and that changes, if desired, may be obtained by peaceful means. Therein lies the security of the Republic, the very foundation of constitutional government.- Charles Evans Hughes, De Jonge v. Oregon, 299 U.S. 353, 365 (1937).
- The liberty of the press is not confined to newspapers and periodicals. It necessarily embraces pamphlets and leaflets. … the press in its historic connotation comprehends every sort of publication which affords a vehicle of information and opinion.
- Lovell v. City of Griffin, 303 U.S. 444 (1938).
The Pathway of Peace (1923) edit
- Speech to the Canadian Bar Association, Montreal, Ontario (4 September 1923); published in The Pathway of Peace : Representative Addresses Delivered During His Term as as secretary of state (1921-1925) (1925)
- We may gain something in our quest for peace if we recognize at once that war is not an abnormality. In the truest sense, it is not the mere play of brute force. It is the expression of the insistent human will, inflexible in its purpose.
When we consider the inability to maintain a just peace attests to the failure of civilization itself, we may be less confident of the success of any artificial contrivances to prevent war. We must recognize that we are dealing with the very woof and warp of human nature. The war to end war has left its curse of hate, its lasting injuries, its breeding grounds of strife, and to secure an abiding peace appears to be more difficult than ever. There is no advantage to shutting our eyes to the facts; nor should we turn in disgust of panaceas to the counsel of despair. The pathway of peace is the longest and most beset with obstacles the human race has to tread; the goal may be distant, but we must press on.
- It is not surprising that many should be captivated by the proposal, with its delusive simplicity and adequacey, for the outlawry of war. War should be made a crime, and those who instigate it should be punished as criminals. The suggestion, however futile in itself, has at least the merit of bringing us to the core of the problem. Even among its sponsors appear at once the qualifications which reflect the old distinction, so elaborately argued by Grotius, between just and unjust wars. "The grounds of war," said he, " are as numerous as those of judicial actions. For where the power of law ceases, there war begins." He found the justifiable causes generally assigned for war to be three — defense, indemnity, and punishment. War is self-help, and the right to make war has been recognized as the corollary of independence, the permitted means by which injured nations protect their territory and maintain their rights. International law leaves aggrieved states who cannot obtain redress for their wrongs by peaceful means to exact it by force. If war is outlawed, other means of redress of injuries must be provided. Moreover, few, if any, intend to outlaw self-defense, a right still accorded to individuals under all systems of law. To meet this difficulty, the usual formula is limited to wars of aggression. But justification for war, as recently demonstrated, is ready at hand for those who desire to make war, and there is rarely a case of admitted aggression, or where on each side the cause is not believed to be just by the peoples who support the war.
There is a further difficulty that lies deeper. There is no lawgiver for independent States. There is no legislature to impose its will by majority vote, no executive to give effect even to accepted rules. The outlawry of war necessarily implies a self-imposed restraint, and free peoples, jealous of their national safety, of their freedom of opportunity, of the rights and privileges they deem essential to their well-being, will not forego the only sanction at their command in extreme exigencies. The restraints they may be willing to place upon themselves will always be subject to such conditions as will leave them able to afford self-protection by force, and in this freedom there is abundant room for strife sought to be justified by deep-seated convictions of national interests, by long-standing grievances by the apprehension of aggression to be forestalled. The outlawry of war, by appropriate rule of law making war a crime, requires the common accord needed to establish and maintain a rule of international law, the common consent to abandon war; and the suggested remedy thus implies a state of mind in which no cure is needed. As the restraint is self-imposed it will prove to be of avail only while there is a will to peace.
- Time has shown how illusory are alliances of great powers so far as the maintenance of peace is concerned.
In considering the use of international force to secure peace, we are again brought to the fundamental necessity of common accord. If the feasibility of such a force be conceded for the purpose of maintaining adjudications of legal right, this is only because such an adjudication would proceed upon principles commonly accepted, and thus forming part of international law, and upon the common agreement to respect the decision of an impartial tribunal in the application of such principles. This is a limited field where force is rarely needed and where the sanctions of public opinion and the demands of national honor are generally quite sufficient to bring about acquiescence in judicial awards. But in the field of conflicting national policies, and what are deemed essential interests, when the smoldering fires of old grievances have been fanned into a flame by a passionate sense of immediate injury, or the imagination of peoples is dominated by apprehension of present danger to national safety, or by what is believed to be an assault upon national honor, what force is to control the outbreak? Great powers agreeing among themselves may indeed hold small powers in check. But who will hold great powers in check when great powers disagree?.
- There is no path to peace except as the will of peoples may open to it. The way of peace is through agreement, not through force. The question then is not of any ambitious scheme to prevent war, but simply of the constant effort, which is the highest task of statesmanship in relation to every possible cause of strife, to diminish a people's disposition to resort to force and to find a just and reasonable basis for accord. If the energy, ability, and sagacity equal to that now devoted to preparation for war could be concentrated upon such efforts aided by the urgent demands of an intelligent public opinion, addressed not to impossibilities but to the removal or adjustment of actual differences, we should make a sure approach to our goal.
- The only real progress to abiding peace is found in the friendly disposition of peoples and … facilities for maintaining peace are useful only to the extent that this friendly disposition exists and finds expression. War is not only possible, but probable, where mistrust and hatred and desire for revenge are the dominant motives. Our first duty is at home with our own opinion, by education and unceasing effort to bring to naught the mischievous exhortation of chauvinists; our next is to aid in every practicable way in promoting a better feeling among peoples, the healing of wounds, and the just settlement of differences.
Quotes about Hughes edit
- Now largely forgotten, Hughes was one of the great political figures of his age, both in America and on the world stage, and was very much the intellectual rival of his opponent in the narrowly lost presidential election of 1916, Woodrow Wilson. Hughes public career was distinguished and wide-ranging. A progressive Republican New York City lawyer catapulted overnight into the public eye by his service on public commissions investigating corruption in the utility and insurance industries, Hughes served as governor of New York from 1907 to 1910, stepping down to accept William Howard Taft's appointment as associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite pressures from supporters in the Republican Party, Hughes refused to leave the court to run for president in 1912; in 1916, he declined to seek his party's nomination (or, indeed, even to indicate a willingness to accept it) but having received it, stepped down from the court to take up the race against Wilson.
- Edward Rhodes, in "Charles Evans Hughes Reconsidered, or: Liberal Isolationism in the New Millennium" in The Real and the Ideal : Essays on International Relations in Honor of Richard H. Ullman (2001).
- Always a Progressive in outlook, Hughes believed in the organic growth and evolution of polities and political relationships; any effort to freeze conditions would inevitably become a reactionary defense of the rights of the privileged against what might, in some cases, be the reasonable and legitimate demands of the dispossessed and the interests of the community as a whole.
- Edward Rhodes, in "Charles Evans Hughes Reconsidered, or: Liberal Isolationism in the New Millennium" in The Real and the Ideal : Essays on International Relations in Honor of Richard H. Ullman (2001).
- I don't know the man I admire more than Hughes. If ever I have the chance I shall offer him the Chief Justiceship.
- William Howard Taft, in a letter to his sister-in-law, Clara F. Butt (21 March 1910).
External links edit
- Profile at Columbia University
- Profile at NNDB
- Profile at Spartacus
- Addresses of Charles Evans Hughes, 1906–1916 (1916)
Legal opinions as Chief Justice


text:
The Town of Ward has its roots dating back to the 1860's when the Colorado Gold Rush began after the neighboring town of Gold Hill struck the "mother load". Ward followed suite after gold was discovered nearby and the towns population swelled to over a couple of thousand...a stark contrast to the towns current population of a couple of hundred. One of Wards landmark is the "bus" parked near the west end of downtown. According to the locals, the bus belong to a hippie named Bill Stone. He drove his bus from somewhere, came to Ward and decided this was his town to plant his wheels, and permanently parked it at its present location. The local store owner, who resided in Ward for over 27 years said Mr. Stone was a stoner, artist, and local good guy. He lived in his bus, created a patio surrounded by old wood, skis, boots, etc. Mr. Stone has since passed away, but he has left his mark on Ward with its "iconic" rural hippie landmark.
Here are a few photos of Mr. Stone's home, studio, social gathering place, and landmark taken on May 16, 2013. All photos are strictly © Dejan Smaic 2013.
Broken Dreams. Inside the bus. |
Freewheeling times. |