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Monday, August 23, 2010
Happy Monday!
24 comments:
- Colette said...
Thank you for sharing these lovely images - I enjoyed this very much. have a lovely week. greetings from South Africa ~Colette/labrocanteuse
- August 23, 2010 at 1:04 PM
- Karena said...
Oh my, absolutely stunning! What a treat for the eyes!
Art by Karena
- August 23, 2010 at 1:07 PM
- Julie@beingRUBY said...
How beautiful!!! Love that first image!!
Have a wonderful weekend.. xx Julie
- August 23, 2010 at 1:19 PM
- Sarah said...
oooh I am definitely heading up to Brissy to see this, everyone so far has said it's amazing!
- August 23, 2010 at 2:24 PM
- Sarah B said...
What dreamy, stunning dresses! I'd have loved to have seen the exhibition. The book looks like a must have :)
- August 23, 2010 at 2:31 PM
- Splendid Sass said...
Over the top beauitful images!
- August 24, 2010 at 6:38 AM
- Maureen Sullivan Stemberg, Interiors said...
What a delight it was to read this article. The photo's,
that you selected were pure magical. Valentino, will always
be one of the best house of couture... Along side Lavin, Chanel and Armani.
- August 24, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Absolutely stunning dresses, I like!
- August 25, 2010 at 5:48 AM
- Renee Finberg said...
his work is so totally feminine.
i will have to take a peek at the book.
- August 25, 2010 at 11:10 AM
- la cabeza de maria antonieta said...
Beautiful dresses!!!
- August 25, 2010 at 9:42 PM
Top web site, I had not noticed oliveaux.blogspot.com earlier during my searches!
Keep up the good work!
- August 26, 2010 at 6:56 AM
- La Maison Fou said...
The dresses are stunning as are many Valentino creations. True works of art!
- August 26, 2010 at 11:02 PM
- Luuuuuua said...
f interesant blog,bravo
- August 27, 2010 at 4:14 PM
- City Girl said...
Oh wow! Wish I was nearer!:) gorgeous pics, thanks for sharing! City Girl x
- August 28, 2010 at 9:03 AM
- Jody Masina said...
What a lovely site...thanks for the visual beauty.
- August 28, 2010 at 7:12 PM
- Beadboard UpCountry said...
Hi Amanda!
I love Valentino, and was lucky enough to meet "VaVa" once...Tan and all.....His couture has been over the top for a long time.... And I worked next door in Beverly Hills as a shopgirl for Dior!!!!!!(the politics were amazing...)These were some of his best, detail was always priority. Thanks!Maryanne xo
- August 29, 2010 at 8:01 AM
- vicki archer said...
So beautiful Amanda...xv
- August 30, 2010 at 3:16 AM
- Renae said...
So beautiful and girlie!
- August 31, 2010 at 10:35 AM
- The Princess and The Pea said...
Wow, I must get to this next time I'm in Brisbane. If you haven't already seen it, am sure you would love Valentino, the last emperor. It's wonderful. Nicolex
- August 31, 2010 at 4:09 PM
- Mango Gal said...
So beautiful! The photo of the blue dress made me gasp.
- September 1, 2010 at 1:08 AM
- Treadgold said...
I adore Valentino - this has brightened up my day! The pink layered dress is just stunning in its detail..
- September 1, 2010 at 8:55 AM
- red ticking said...
GORGEOUS... and have been thinking of you sooo many times... wish i could pick up the phone and call you... big hug sweet friend xxxxxx pam
- September 2, 2010 at 3:27 PM
- vincent sandoval said...
I want one of those for my wedding! :p
- September 10, 2010 at 2:34 PM
- Mrs. Sutton said...
Oh - I have this book - it's AMAZING! x
- September 24, 2010 at 11:29 PM


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American Forces Press Service news stories are written by military journalists.
BAGHDAD - The most frequent question soldiers ask Chaplain (Maj.) Ibraheem Raheem is the meaning behind the crescent moon patch on his Army combat uniform.
Sometimes, he said, he jokingly explains that he's an astronaut; other times, he says he's an inspector for field rations or that the moon emblem means he's performed 3,000 night jumps.
In fact, the patch does distinguish Raheem as one of a special group of soldiers. He is one of only six Muslim chaplains serving in the U.S. Army, and is the only one deployed to Iraq.
His service as both a Muslim and an American soldier, he said, can lead to confusion for some people, both in the military and in local communities.
"After you talk to people and explain a few things to them, they get it," Raheem said. "That is, after breaking down a whole bunch of walls that have been put up in people's minds."
Though Muslim soldiers sometimes struggle with the issues of service and faith, Raheem said he and the soldiers to whom he ministers have found ways to reconcile their religious beliefs with their military service.
Raheem can relate easily to the problems of both his enlisted and non-Muslim soldiers. Raised in a Baptist household in Kansas City, Kan., he spent his first 12 years in the Army as an enlisted soldier in the Medical Corps. In a way it was that experience, he said, that led him to become a chaplain.
"The medical field was the first thing that jumped out at me, because you get to help people who are sick," he said. "It brought me closer to my spiritual upbringing."
Though working in an intensive care unit gave Raheem the opportunity to help people, he said, he found there were other kinds of help people needed, too.
"At the end of the day, God is the one who determines if a person pulls through or not."
Seeing the work that Army chaplains performed at the hospital inspired Raheem to seek a new path. "I felt like that's when I got my calling to be a chaplain," he said.
The journey would not be complete, however, until Raheem accepted the Islamic faith.
"I started studying the Bible in college, and later began learning about other faiths," he recalled. "When I came across Islam, I went to visit a mosque. A member there gave me a Koran.' I came back the next day with questions, and every day thereafter, each time getting the answers from the Koran until I eventually accepted the faith."
In reading the Koran, Raheem said, he discovered not a rejection of his older faith, but rather a faith resonated more deeply with his beliefs.
"I came to realize that the message it contained was what I had always believed from the days I was a child," he explained.
After completing seminary school, Raheem received his commission, realizing his ambition to become a chaplain. His acceptance of the Muslim faith had not only changed his career path, but also affected his entire outlook on life.
"My experience with Islam opened my mind to the world, its diversity and its many social challenges," he said. "Before Islam, I only thought of the people in my neighborhood; after Islam, I thought of the entire world."
Raheem is on his third deployment to Iraq since 2003. Attached to the Iraqi Assistance Group, he performs services and counsels Muslim soldiers at Camp Victory, where he is based. He holds a prayer service there every Friday, but also takes his work into the field, finding other Muslim soldiers who otherwise would not have access to his services. He brings copies of the Koran with him, and as part of his mission, he also collects damaged copies to be repaired and redistributed to Iraqi citizens.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Raheemtravels to as many parts of Iraq as possible to tend to Muslim soldiers' spiritual needs. He estimates there are fewer than 300 Muslim soldiers currently deployed. That means he has to cover a lot of ground.
"It's hard being the only (Muslim chaplain), and there are people spread out in many different places," he said. "Depending on transportation availability, weather and other factors, you may or may not get to a certain place."
While visiting bases around Iraq, Raheem performs services and provides counseling for soldiers, as he does at Camp Victory.
"I'll be getting out and trying to support the soldiers who are out there trying to practice," he said. "I realize that it's hard being one of the few people on the forward operating base that has a different religion, so I try to get out there with them and give them some encouragement."

subset: commoncrawl


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Tomorrow the women of the world will protest in solidarity with the Egyptian women in front our embassies against the sexual violence and attacks.
There will be protests in Aden , Ramallah, Yaffa, Rabat, Tunis, Beirut, Amman , Copenhagen , Brussels, Milano, New York, Washington, Ottawa , The Hague, Paris, London, Melbourne and Oslo
The global protests is coordinated by the Women Uprising in the Arab world.
There will be a protest tomorrow in Cairo at 6 PM at Talaat Harb square and I think there will be a rally from there to the Shura council to object the disgusting Shura MPs' statements today. The Shura MPs in the human rights committee blamed the women for the sexual harassments and rape in shocking statements.


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Baby Boomers Dole Out Cash to Family Members Despite Uncertainty About Their Own Financial Future
Study reveals that 93% of boomers have provided financial support to their adult children and 58% have assisted their aging parents.
Minneapolis – (May 1, 2012) – Graduation season is upon us and thousands of young adults will soon leave their dorm rooms, flood the job market… and possibly move back in with their parents. More than half (55%) of baby boomers admit they've allowed their adult children to move home and live rent free – but the support most provide their kids and aging parents extends well beyond room and board, according to new findings from the Money Across Generations IISM study, released today by Ameriprise Financial (NYSE: AMP). In fact, boomers continue to prioritize their families' needs over their own, despite increased uncertainty about their own financial security.
"Boomers are feeling the pressure financially and emotionally," says Suzanna de Baca, vice president of wealth strategies at Ameriprise Financial. "In many cases they're sandwiched between children who are unemployed or struggling to pay down their student loan debt and aging parents who are facing complex health and financial issues. At the same time, they're trying to prepare for their own retirement. The demands on their time and money can feel endless."
Boomers failing to save, but continuing to support adult children and aging parents
In 2007, when the original Money Across Generations® study was conducted, 44% of boomers claimed they were trying to grow their savings. Now only one in four (24%) say they're putting away money for the future and just as many (24%) report simply trying to maintain what they have.
While boomers' attitudes have changed, the level of support they're providing family members has not. More than half (58%) report assisting their aging parents in some way, including helping them purchase groceries (22%) or pay medical (15%) and utility bills (14%).
When it comes to their children, boomers are even more generous. Most boomers surveyed (93%) say they have provided some kind of support to their adult children. A majority have helped them pay for college tuition or loans (71%) or helped them buy a car (53%). Many are also helping their kids pay for car and health insurance, as well as cover basic expenses like rent, utility and car payments.
Boomers fail to realize the impact on their retirement goals
Only 10% of boomers admit that helping their parents has slowed down their retirement savings, while one-third (34%) feel the same about the support they've provided their adult children.
So if they aren't tapping into their retirement accounts, where are boomers coming up with the extra cash? Most say they're relying on day-to-day spending or regular savings. Unfortunately, by diverting funds from their retirement savings, or by failing to take advantage of catch-up contributions, many boomers may fall short of their own goals.
Boomers are faced with difficult decisions when their family members require help. More than two-thirds (68%) say they would continue to contribute to their retirement savings instead of helping a child pay off credit card debt. But when it comes to health care for their elders, more than half (57%) say they would help a parent pay for long-term care insurance in lieu of contributing to their own retirement savings.
Boomers don't regret providing support, but some questions linger
Despite uncertainty around meeting their own financial goals, a majority of boomers (86%) say that if they had to do it again, they would still support their adult children financially. Meanwhile, 20% express guilt about not being able to provide financial assistance to their adult children who currently need it.
They may be offering support willingly, but some boomers question their adult children's ability to manage their own finances. Nearly half (47%) say they worry that their children do not understand what it takes financially to prepare for retirement, and 35% express concern that their children have not learned responsibility when it comes to money.
If asked, boomers' children may partially blame their parents for their lack of financial savvy. More than half say that while growing up, their parents rarely or never talked to them about how they budgeted the family's money (56%) or the importance of saving for retirement (52%). And while a majority say that their parents' approach to spending and saving was fairly balanced, 30% feel their boomer parents' attitude toward money was "live for today." Only one-in-ten (11%) feel their parents conveyed an attitude that encouraged preparing for the unexpected.
"Family and personal values are important when making any kind of decision, but it can be difficult to prioritize our family members' needs against our own," says de Baca. "Unfortunately, unconditional financial support can threaten or even sabotage retirement goals and security. It's important to have open conversations with your family about your current financial situation and evaluate your ability to meet your own goals before offering any kind of support."
Additional study findings, tips for engaging in family money conversations and commentary from our financial experts, are available on the Ameriprise newsroom. Consumers can also visit beginyourconversation.com to view our interactive guide and learn more about having family money conversations.
About the survey
The Money Across Generations IISM study was commissioned by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and conducted by telephone by GfK in December 2011 among 1,006 affluent baby boomers (those with $100,000 or more in investable assets); 300 parents of baby boomers; and 300 children of baby boomers at least 18 years old. The margin of error is +/- three percentage points for the affluent boomers segment and +/- six percentage points for the parents and children of boomers segments.
About GfK
GfK is one of the world's largest research companies, with more than 11,000 experts working to discover new insights into the way people live, think and shop, in over 100 markets, every day. GfK is constantly innovating and using the latest technologies and the smartest methodologies to give its clients the clearest understanding of the most important people in the world: their customers. In 2010, GfK's sales amounted to EUR 1.29 billion. To find out more, visit gfk.com or follow GfK on Twitter: twitter.com/gfk_group.
About Ameriprise Financial
At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for over 115 years. With outstanding asset management, advisory and insurance capabilities and a nationwide network of 10,000 financial advisors, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. For more information, or to find an Ameriprise financial advisor, visit ameriprise.com.
# # #
Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients.
© 2012 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Average rating: 4.03 / 5.0 Based on 20 reviews.
|Excellent choice for a vege meal in downtown Oakland. In the past I've ordered off the menu, and always enjoyed the food. Today I ordered from the lunch buffet and couldn't believe how much food I got on the 5 item combo. All buffet items were quite good too. Service has been excellent last few times. Warning - this place is quite popular at lunch hour, you may wait. Omnivores like it too.
Reviews: 133
|This used to be one of my favorite restaurants in the East Bay. Food is still good, but the prices keep going up, smaller portions and service has gone down hill. I still really like the fu young, eggplant claypot and the fake caramelized chicken.
Reviews: 82
|I really hate to give a bad review but every time we have been here lately the prices keep going up and the service keeps getting worse. The last time we went we actually left before the food arrived because we were left waiting so long. Will have to try Veg House in Alameda. I might still try here at lunch for the buffet. Very disappointing-this used to be my favorite restaurant.
Reviews: 24
|Food is delicious, lots of dishes with faux meats to choose from. Carmelized chicken: yum; Vegetable Chow Mein: bland; Tofu & Eggplant dish: yum; Ginger Fish: yum. Unforunately, the indifferent and sometimes slow service spoils my enjoyment of dining out. Have been a long-time customer; over the years, portion sizes have gotten smaller and prices are getting larger.
Reviews: 138
|This is one of my favorite restaurants in the East Bay. And to paraphrase my 9 year old daughter - this place rocks! The jalapeno tofu is phenomenal. The spicy chicken and carmelized chicken are equally delicious. The facilities do not provide a lot of ambiance, but they are not distracting. Service is efficient if not friendly.
Reviews: 5
|It's no Golden Era, (or Golden Era 2 for that matter) but a great place to go in downtown Oakland for vegans. I agree that the service can be indifferent and are not the most attentive staff I have encountered, but all in all a good place for the price.
|seitan nic
Reviews: 15
|The food is pretty good, definetely a convenient spot for veggies who work on downtown Oakland.
Reviews: 4
|I still say this is the best vegan restaurant in the East Bay. I can't believe it has fallen out of the top ten. New discovery: Teriyaki "Chicken" served on a bed of fresh spinach. All dishes are great. Favorites: too many to list; try the carmelized chicken.
Reviews: 24
|Initially I was very impressed; however, I have now been short changed twice and so hesitate to go there anymore. Also they seem to be cutting back on ingredients.
Reviews: 2
|Decent food, maybe not as good as Golden Era - but at least this place is clean & no roaches! The chicken curry vermicelli soup is superb. I've had no problem with the service and eat there often.
Reviews: 4
|i have eaten here several times for dinner. the service is routinely horrible. no pleasantries and i have to ask for basics, like refills on water, etc. the food is only decent. not highly recommended
Reviews: 3
|very yummy but service sucked.
Reviews: 5
|Nice restuarant! I don't go out to eat very often so it doesn't take much to impress me. But the dishes at this place were all excellent. Gourmet Noodle would make an excellent lunch. Try the crepes!
Reviews: 10
|I love this place! I have been coming here for over 10 years. My favorites are the: Wonton Soup, Fried Imperial Rolls, Sweet-n-Sour and/or Lemon Chicken, Sesame Eggplant tofu, and Gourmet Fried Rice.
Reviews: 3
|Caramelized chicken was so-so tonight - queen's chicken at SJ vege house is much better. Service and Parking were awesome. 1000 layer tofu/eggplant is awesome!!
Reviews: 22
|The steam table lunch selections are consistently varied and tasty, as well as representing a bargain in noontime dining. I like the curry potato dish, and eggplant sautee, both over brown rice.
|Vegan Living
Reviews: 95
|My first veg.-only restaurant!.Imperial Rolls were a winner. Texture on the "chicken" a bit off for me. Eggplant clay pot- take away the onions and you have a winner. Chocolate vegan cake to die for.
Reviews: 1
|5 item Lunch steam plate TOGO with your own container, you have enough food for 2 people for around $7. Just add rice when you go home. The items are same everyday, I wish they will change it
Reviews: 81
|My favorite restaurant ever! Try: vermicelli bowl w/imperial rolls, veggie fu yung, "chicken" & potato curry, tofu & eggplant claypot, thai hot & sour soup or vietnamese crepe (a meal in itself). Yum!
Reviews: 34
|I have never been dissatisfied. The best vegan eatings in the East Bay! I recommend it all (except for the milk product items).
Reviews: 2
The intent of the Ultimate Guide is to make it easier for folks new to the Bay Area or new to vegetarianism to find businesses that support their vegetarian lifestyle. We welcome your reviews and feedback on businesses and services listed within. For any public reviews, please keep your comments constructive so that the business may learn from them -- no slander or mean-spirited comments.. You are responsible for what you post as a 3rd party contributor to the Ultimate Guide web site. Bay Area Vegetarians and the editors of the Ultimate Guide reserve the right to edit or delete submissions that are deemed inappropriate.


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"And the book of Legend was... yadda yadda yadda."
Hey everyone, been a few weeks now and time for another bit o' babble from yours truly.
I have been asked by the up-tops to throw in a WrestleMania column this time around and I'll get back to the troubled road of my little career in the next column.
Can't blame them, it's the biggest show of the year and the one event that should draw interest from casual viewers to reintroduce them to the modern product that they perhaps haven't been in to for a while.
So why doesn't it feel so?
Luckily, I have a few ideas that might get some answers to that question. And I even have a column to throw them out to you from!
Serendipity, eh? (Notice the "eh." I might live in Germany now but still got some Canadian rumbling around in my noggin!)
Firstly, I just think the overall product is kinda "meh".
I know all of the writers are doing their best, all of the agents are trying to get stuff to work, all of the production staff are trying to broadcast a flashy, powerful product and I know the talent all simply want to steal the show every night as it's just a good feeling to do well at your job... especially when it's your dream job and it's the biggest company in the industry.
So what's missing?
In my estimation, a coherent battle plan.
You have big announcements like "WE WON'T HIRE ANYONE OVER 30" because they believe that's the only thing people want to see.
But to limit where you find talent (whether geographically or on the calendar) ultimately limits the talent you find. (On a side note, kind of interesting that Stephanie McMahon-Levesque -- whom I really do like -- is the head of the whole deal and she's kind of reaching cougar-dom at the same time they are pushing young, fit guys exclusively! Hmmmmm.)
Now most of these guys will not be putting in much ring time, but it seems pretty obvious that these people are far more interesting than the current crop of talent being pushed at the moment. So these vets will have TV time (taken away from the younger talent they are "pushing") and be the selling point of the company, and you can't blame them since it's TV and it must be kept interesting.
So bring in young talent, then limit their time to connect with an audience in order to give face time to older talent who you can't/won't be using for the most part? Seems a difficult challenge. Doesn't sound like a well thought out battle plan to me.
Also seems like throwing a lot of crap against the wall to see what sticks.
Or in other words... DESPERATE! They need to push SOMEONE, but who?
Which brings me to the idea of the "push."
The last few years has had the whole idea of guys "paying their dues" on TV. Guys like MVP (a reinvention of the "Mr Perfect" gimmick, for the most part) were given gimmicks that should make them unstoppable until they go head to head with the current hero of the company, who saves the day.
Instead, they have to go through a series of beat downs and humiliations to the more established talent in order to "prove their worth."
But what I've found is that it's limited their worth.
Example, Dolph Ziggler.
He spent so long as the "but I'm Dolph Ziggler" guy in backstage vignettes, essentially being treated as a professional nobody and losing most matches. He's a solid athlete and a great bumper. In good shape and aside from looking a little bit too much like Billy Gunn, is a fairly unique looking guy on the roster, so he won't be lost in the crowd.
But they took so much shine off of him that they needed to hook him up with Vickie Guerrero to put some pepper on him.
He shouldn't need that.
And while it gets a decent reaction from the crowd who already bought tickets, he's been booked in such a way that few people BUY tickets JUST to see him.
It's not due to the talent in the ring, but rather to how that talent was presented.
It's hard on Edge too, as I've seen him lose a lot in the past while and he's the champ! It should be a colossal event to pin the champ and I've seen David Otunga and Justin Gabriel pin him.
So it's become no big deal to pin the champ and it only takes a short time with a manager to get a title shot even though you were put on a losing streak and made a punch line since your debut.
He comes into the match looking like he doesn't deserve to be there based on his record. So it's no surprise the audience doesn't show up as they are pretty confident that Ziggler won't win. Thus, they don't support Edge or the WWE in the process.
A villain who doesn't stand a chance of winning is not interesting and it doesn't help the babyface's record by beating a nobody. It makes the victory inevitable and most times the inevitable is uninteresting.
Kind of makes the whole thing uninteresting for me. Which is a shame as I really want WWE to do well as how they do, the whole industry follows and it is my bread and butter.
I could continue on my thoughts on the whole FCW thing being worse than better for the business or how "agents" are all wrong for what we do and bring to the table, but these are personal opinions I can allude to later.
After all, this is supposed to be about WrestleMania. But I've rambled on enough. We'll save my look at the big money matches for next week!
All the best and God Bless.
Joe E Legend
"Being good is about DOING good, Not just the absence of bad."
-- Joseph Hitchen 2007


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Brentwood, Tenn. - On Tuesday, Tennessee State's Robert Covington was selected the Ohio Valley Conference's Player of the Week.
The senior forward was then selected as the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's Player of the Week on Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Covington's awards come after helping TSU snap a two-game losing streak with a pair of victories last week as he averaged 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 1.5 assists per game.
Covington was also efficient in his scoring, hitting 65.4 percent (17-of-26) of his shots from the field, 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from 3-point range and 94.4 percent (17-of-18) from the free throw line.
Covington had a season-high 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting as TSU opened the week with a win over in-city rival Fisk in what was the team's first home game of the season. The senior also pulled down a season-high 14 rebounds, had five steals and two assists in the convincing victory.
The Bellwood, Ill. native ended the week with 27 points, six rebounds, four steals, an assist and a block in TSU's first road victory over Alabama A&M.
Covington currently ranks seventh in the OVC in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.5 and 7.5 per contest, respectively. He also is second in the conference in steals per game with 2.5 per game, trailing only teammate Patrick Miller who averages 2.7.
The conference award is the third of its kind for Covington, as he has now been selected as OVC Player of the Week once in each of the last three seasons. His first nomination was on Dec. 27, 2010 while his last was on Nov. 21, 2011.
This is Covington's first career TSWA Player of the Week selection.
--TSU Tigers--


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Jennifer Lopez might be moving on from hubby Marc Anthony in a big way -- because last night she went out on a date with Bradley Cooper ... TMZ has learned.
We're told the two hit up Per Se, a restaurant located at Columbus Circle in New York City. We're told the dinner was "romantic" and was just the two of them.
Lopez and Anthony announced their divorce on July 15.
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ATLAS Collaboration / CERN
This diagram shows the results of a proton-on-proton collision in the Large Hadron Collider's ATLAS detector last September, with four muons indicated by red tracks. Such a result could be consistent with the Standard Model with or without the Higgs boson, depending on the analysis of multiple events.
By Alan Boyle
Has the Higgs boson finally been detected? It's almost gotten to the point that if a discovery of some sort doesn't come out of next week's update on the multibillion-dollar subatomic search, it'll be a big surprise. But how far will the announcement go, and what will it mean for the future of physics?
To refresh your memory, the Higgs boson is the only fundamental subatomic particle predicted by theory but not yet detected. It's thought to play a role in endowing some particles, such as the W and Z boson, with mass ... while leaving other particles, such as the photon, massless. The Higgs mechanism, proposed by British physicist Peter Higgs and others in the 1960s, could have played a role in electroweak symmetry breaking, which was a key event in the rise of the universe as we know it.
The Higgs boson is so key to the current understanding of fundamental physics that Nobel-winning scientist Leon Lederman nicknamed it the "God Particle"Â â" a term that has been making other physicists wince ever since. Another religion-tinged cliche would be to call it the "holy grail of particle physics," as CERN physicist John Ellis has. He says finding the Higgs is a key goal for the $10 billion Large Hadron Collider.
"That's one thing that we're really looking forward to with the LHC," Ellis told me five years ago. "In fact, back when we persuaded the politicians to stump up the money to build the thing, that's probably what we told them."
Last December, the teams reported that they saw "tantalizing hints" of the Higgs' existence at a mass of around 125 billion electron volts, or 125 GeV. But the confidence in those results was not yet high enough to claim a discovery. Now the teams behind the collider's CMS and ATLAS experiments have collected higher piles of data, at higher energy levels, sparking higher expectations.
An hour-long BBC Horizon documentary focuses on the hunt for the Higgs boson.
The 5-sigma fetish
When physicists talk about their confidence, they talk in terms of statistical "sigma" levels. The higher the sigma, the less likely that the results are just a fluke. In particle physics, 3 sigma constitutes strong evidence, but it takes 5 sigma to accept the results as a discovery. At the 5-sigma level, statisticians say there's roughly one chance out of 3 million that you're leaping to the wrong conclusion, as opposed to a 1-in-1,000 chance at the 3-sigma level. That distinction makes a big difference when you're sifting through billions upon billions of proton-on-proton collision reports.
Last year, the best that the LHC teams could do was 3.6 sigma for ATLAS, and 2.6 for CMS. Now physicists are looking for a 5.
For three weeks, the teams have been running the numbers on their experimental results in secret, so as to avoid any chance that one analysis will influence the other. Their results are to be announced during a presentation at the CERN nuclear research center in Geneva, which will be webcast starting at 9 a.m. CEST (3 a.m. ET) on July 4. Although no official word has leaked out, the unofficial word is that someone looking for a discovery could get to the magic number.
"Reports from the experiments indicate that at least one of them, if not both, will reach the 5 sigma level of significance for the Higgs signal, when they combine 2011 and 2012 data and the most sensitive channel. So, this will definitely be the long-awaited Higgs discovery announcement, and party time for HEP [high-energy physics] physicists," Columbia mathematician Peter Woit wrote on his Not Even Wrong blog a week ago.
Since then, other physicist-bloggers have been fine-tuning the expectations. Here's a selection:
- On the Resonaances blog, physicist Adam Falkowski (a.k.a. Jester) has a countdown clock ticking toward the Higgs discovery. "It is not clear, at least to me, if either of the two experiments will pass the 5-sigma fetish. But it does not really matter. ... What's going to change next Wednesday is that the status of the Higgs will be upgraded from 'almost certain' to 'beyond reasonable doubt.'"
- On Quantum Diaries, Southern Methodist University physicist Aidan Randle-Conde advises against trying to combine the data from the two teams to get to 5 sigma. "With all this pressure to get as much out of the data as possible, it's tempting to move too quickly and do what we can to get a discovery, but now is not the time to rush things," he writes.
- On the ViXra Log, Philip Gibbs says that when CERN's researchers report their progress, "it is likely that the main question they are investigating will switch from 'Is there a Higgs Boson?' to 'Is it the Standard Model Higgs boson?'"
- On a blog titled "Of Particular Significance," Rutgers physicist Matt Strassler advises caution, but also suggests getting "the cases of champagne ready, in case the time has finally come to pop the corks." He points out that a discovery announcement would by no means be the end of the story. "Even if we see strong evidence of a Higgs-like particle ... the correct understanding of that particle â" in particular, determining whether it is or isn't a 'simplest Higgs' â" may take years."
- As we approach H-Hour, you can expect to hear more via all these outlets as well as other blogs such as Cosmic Variance and "A Quantum Diaries Survivor."
Physicist Gigi Rolandi discusses the Higgs search in a CERN video.
Hedging on the Higgs
What Strassler and Gibbs are saying is important: Technically speaking, CERN is unlikely to announce that the Higgs boson has been definitively discovered. It's more likely that physicists will talk about a new particle that has a signature consistent with the Higgs but has to be investigated further.
CERN hinted at that approach last week in the news release announcing Wednesday's webcast. "It's a bit like spotting a familiar face from afar," said the center's director general, Rolf Heuer. "Sometimes you need closer inspection to find out whether it's really your best friend, or actually your best friend's twin."
Gigi Rolandi, a senior research physicist at CERN, used a similar analogy in a video released this week, referring to crops of corn (which he calls maize, as most Europeans do), wheat (which he calls corn) and poppy flowers. Some particles are as easy to spot as a red poppy in a wheat field, he said. But not the Higgs. "The search for the Higgs is more similar to looking for a single plant of maize among many, many corn plants, than looking for a poppy among the corn," he said.
We'll get a foretaste of Wednesday's proceedings on Monday, when Fermilab is due to provide its final update on the Higgs boson search, based on the full set of data from the now-closed Tevatron. Will Fermilab try to steal some of CERN's thunder, at least for a couple of days? Stay tuned....
Previous episodes in the Higgs hunt:
- Ups and downs for Higgs boson buzz
- Cartoons visualize the Higgs boson
- Can physicists crack the big puzzle?
- Flash graphic: Inside the Big Bang Machine
- Flash graphic: Michio Kaku on LHC nightmares and dreams
- Msnbc.com's special report on the Large Hadron Collider
Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.


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AkamiaPosts: 154Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 11:41 pmLocation: Alaska Gender: Time Lord
FCC votes on repealing Net Neutrality on December 14
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/t ... oogle.com/
This has come up a good handful of times over the last few years. Every time, the attempts have failed. I should hope it stays that way. This will affect those of us, myself included, who live in the US, and may have a ripple effect on the rest of the world as well.
If you're a US citizen, I urge you to fight against this. This could have very negative consequences if it succeeds.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
The very thing that gives us humans our advanced cognitive abilities can also be our greatest weakness.
|Tue Nov 21, 2017 10:50 pm
SparhafocPosts: 2662Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:48 am
Re: FCC votes on repealing Net Neutrality on December 14
The Corporate State of America, where even most of the corporations disagree with the deregulation!
It's batshit, but let's not forget that Trump's apparent agenda is about overturning all of Obama's successes.
"a reprehensible human being"
Beliefs are, by definition, things we don't know to be true.
|Wed Nov 22, 2017 2:39 am


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Israel News - Stay Informed, Pray Informed
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe earlier this month put forward a resolution that essentially calls for the outlawing of circumcision.
The council said it is "particularly worried about a category of violation of the physical integrity of children ... This includes, amongst others, female genital mutilation, the circumcision of young boys for religious reasons, early childhood medical interventions in the case of inter-sexual children and the submission to or coercion of children into piercings, tattoos or plastic surgery."
Notwithstanding its inability to evaluate religions or, apparently, to distinguish between religious and non-religious practices - hence equating ear piercing with circumcision - the Council of Europe is an organ that assumes the right to impose its liberal ethical standards.
It is not surprising, therefore, that the council has called for legislation that would force its world view on everybody else. In its attitude and action, the council behave like an out of control religious synod.
This most recent reaction against circumcision is not new. In the past, Jews were prohibited from performing this religious rite precisely because kings and rulers understood it to be the implementation of a divine commandment distinguishing the Jews from those around them.
Prohibition on circumcision was, and still is, an effort to erase the divinely-mandated distinctiveness of the Jewish people. In other words, the end of circumcision would mean the end of the Jewish people. It would seem that a continent whose soil is soaked with the blood of millions of Jews has still failed to learn the lessons of the past.
The same phenomenon can be seen with remembrance of the Holocaust, as Europe increasingly misses the point in viewing that black chapter as a simple genocide. Holocaust carries with it religious significance, while genocide is a more "secular" term, the use of which sets apart the Jewish genocide from others only by its enormity.
In this light, the Council of Europe's recommendation to ban circumcision should be seen as nothing less than a "positive" approach to the "Jewish problem."
Hitler, who took the negative approach, also thought of the Jews as morally inferior. In his mind, Judeo-Christian civilization was a corrupting element that had to be removed before Europe, and the world, could enjoy the full extent of human potential. Hitler's attempt to cleanse Europe of its Judeo-Christian elements can, therefore, be seen as a noble, albeit terribly misguided effort to make the world a better place.
Hitler's unforgivable mistake was that he descended to hell to find his solution to this religious problem. The Council of Europe should not be equated with Hitler, but their definition of circumcision as an act of violence against infants - the most innocent and vulnerable of all human beings - is an outrageous accusation that brings it a little too much in line with the fuhrer's thinking.
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text:
Pete Mazzaccaro
We make mistakes every week in the Local, but last week we omitted a detail that caught the attention of quite a few readers.
The detail was left out of last week's story about the robbery of Delphine Gallery. In the online edition that was published the next day, we included a paragraph that was inadvertently left out of the print version. It read as follows:
"Police say they are looking for an African American male, 5'10," with a medium build, 25-30 years of age, based on descriptions from Spangler and other witnesses. At the time of the robbery, he was wearing a long dark navy blue dress and a shoulder-length braided wig. The robber wore a white silk mask over his face. Police also say the man fled in a black Ford Explorer."
I received a number of phone calls from readers after our paper hit the newsstands. They asked, "What race was the guy who robbed the gallery?" and "Why did we leave it out?"
I think it's fair to say that the calls really weren't from people who wanted to record Chestnut Hill crimes by skin color. I think I was being called out for what some guessed was a reluctance to identify the race of the robber because of some sort of agenda of political correctness. The point was that the description detail belonged there. They are right. Case closed.
I did find myself wondering, as the phone calls continued, what good such descriptions would these descriptions do anyway?
Every week in our published crime reports, there are robbers, burglars, thieves, etc., and most fit a very generic description: They are black men between the ages of 16 and 35, of various builds and skin tones, who wear an assortment of jeans, khakis and white T-shirts.
I suppose the descriptions, at their best, would empower citizens to identify criminals. But are Hillers really going to make citizens arrests based on these descriptions? Because they are almost always generic, the effect is that citizens of Chestnut Hill could simply conclude that they need to be on the lookout for young black men.
This is obviously not good for several reasons.
First, it should go without saying that not all young black men are criminals.We can choose to be suspicious of others based only on those fewest of demographic details and be right sometimes. But we'd more often be very wrong.
Second, not all criminals are black. As I said to one caller, it wouldn't have mattered for description purposes what race the Delphine Gallery robber was. White, black, whatever – a guy in disguise as an old lady is trouble.
Yes. It's true that Chestnut Hill crime reports show that most crime here is committed by young black men. Is that because young black men are inherently "a problem" or because we live and work in a neighborhood that's a stone's throw from some of the most poor and deprived black neighborhoods in the United States?
It would certainly be wrong to omit or censor descriptive details about criminals in our neighborhood.
But we can't simply sit back and draw the same lazy conclusions about race that have dogged this country for generations. No, we're not going to solve problems of racial inequality and their socio-economic impacts. Nor do we need to wring our hands and make excuses for the actions of criminals.
What's more important is that we work on finding ways to prevent crime and protect those who live, shop and work here. That has nothing to do with race at all.


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Rider: Jeremy Grendahl Photo: Darcy Bacha
Written by: Mary Walsh
Session One at Windells just wrapped up and it was a whirlwind of snowboarding, skateboarding and heavy-amazing off hill activities.
The addition of Windells' brand new, private rope tow allowed campers to spend the maximum amount of time lapping the triple jump line and triple rail line—no more hiking means way more shreddogging action and of course, tons of jump trains. Awesome.
Kicking off this week was the all-new Windells Dream Feature, a specially built terrain park feature designed by a visiting pro or team every session. For session one, Think Thank's Nick Visconti joined Pat Milbery and the Windells crew and created his Dance Party '09 feature—an amalgamation of a dance floor, snow butter box, pole jam and multiple transitions. Super creative, super fun and great for all the campers, from those who were just learning to hit boxes to the ones that were throwing combos and getting stylie with every hit. All week on hill, Nick ran contests and clinics on his buttery Dream Feature and hung out with the campers at night throwing foam pit flip contests and thrashing the skate features on campus.
Off-hill highlights included Rome Thrasher Night, Atmosphere's Snake Course, the always popular zombie dodgeball (where the undead always win), and Mexican night in the Heshin' Delicatessen. Seriously, the kitchen crew makes the best guacamole.
To check out the Session One video click HERE.


text:
2011-08-29 Adams• StageNames• Memories
Start: 12:04:57
3rdthawkins: did you find anymore on your Earnest, because I did find a E.G./L.G Grundy living in Cass county in 1920, but you left before i could show you on Friday
fierybug08: Irene interrupted my plans...strong storms all day Saturday and no power on Sunday. I see...I just read the last message on last week. E.G. Grundy was found as a prisoner in 1920 Census (Cass County)
3rdthawkins: yeah, same here, I wanted to keep the actual website up that i found him on, but with the weather, and living my computer on, I had to restart my cpu no fierybug08, that was in 1930, but there was another one, keep reading down the log, you'll see what i wrote, let me see if I can repost here you go fiery "I see a 3 yr old L G Grundy in 1920 Cass Co, but can't see the record, it could be E G, not sure.........hello alt
alt: Hello 3rdthawkins & fierybug08... hope you two are doing weel today.
3rdthawkins: fierybug08, were you researching Ragland, that L.G. in 1920 has a Ragland living in the home, let me see if I can pull up the link on familysearch yes alt, doing ok, we didn't get any flooding, everything is cool for us and with us, but i am a little concerned about my dad, I think his power may still be out, all I get is the answering machine, can't get through to him, and have no other way to
alt: I hope everything is well with him 3rdthawkins.I'm sure he'll get in touch with you when he is able.
3rdthawkins: yeah, hope so fierybug08, here is the link to L.G. Grundy in Cass County http://tinyurl.com/3l8xe7u
fierybug08: okay i'm back
3rdthawkins: hello daviss
vkn: I be good and glad to have avoided the alternative alt
alt: I hear ya vkn
fierybug08: hi daviss nice article that you added
daviss: hello 3rs, alt fierybug and vkn!
vkn: and how be alt?
daviss: 3rd
alt: Hi daviss, what's going on?
3rdthawkins: fierybug08, did you check out that link I just sent?
vkn: Greetings daviss
fierybug08: yes....i'm looking 3rd.
3rdthawkins: ok
fierybug08: i need to see if I can look at the actual record through HeritageQuest
vkn: Glad safety prevails for all
alt: vkn, been reading the "cost of genealogy" thread" scared to respond, I might be a little rough on the fella LOL.
3rdthawkins: yeah, you do, I saw it myself, but I still can't make out if it's E.G. or L.G., it looks more like L.G., but I see some death records for L.G.'s children, I'm thinking it may be someone else fierybug08
daviss: not too much going on except I was the first one in my polling place to vote this morn.
vkn: go head and kick butt alt lol lol lol
daviss: alt, I wish you would and I 2nd and 3rd vkn lol
fierybug08: alt, i saw that and I was like hmmmm.
alt: Okay, but you won't 'kick me off' for being nasty?
3rdthawkins: fierybug08 here's an Earnest living in Okmulgee, OKlahoma, not too many blacks with this namehttp://tinyurl.com/3r5qzu6
daviss: I will hold her hand alt lol'
alt: okay daviss hehehehehehe
fierybug08: hey 3rd...this might be something. i will check this out
daviss: is that the right age fierybug
3rdthawkins: alt vkn and daviss, the thing about it, I got a lot of information going back to late 1800s free, there are ways to get some things free, but it alwys depend on the state and also the researchers/genealogists/volunteers in those states, a lot of sites putting up birth,marriage,death information and you can get it for free if you just google, and google the right thing.......it was only on my dad's mother's side I had to order anything to find out more about her...you will have to pay and everything is not online, but there are ways to get stuff for free, so when you order records, it will the ONLY way *be)
vkn: Obviously the poster came here to pick a fight. Cynthia responded with her usual generosity and Sonia tried in so many ways to be gentle with her 2 x 4 the first "looking for Llyods..." was posted in the wrong board but we are and open door and that is a good thing sooo kick away alt
3rdthawkins: you will have to know your resources and use 'em, use 'em wisely, and use 'em good
daviss: and you say that to say what 3rd lol
3rdthawkins: this guy doesn't know what he's doing or talking about
daviss: or is that in response to the guy
alt: right 3rdthawkins, we're all looking to save money, but I don't think that is the agenda of the poster.... Where we would be if no one ever made 'books' from compiled public records? Genealogy societies would be out of 'fund raising' capabilities.
3rdthawkins: yes daviss but I did read his post, and I disagree with him, I agree with vkn, he came to pick a fight
daviss: I dont think that was this guys intent
vkn: There is always an initial investment
alt: and he has to consider when the lady's work was done... At one time pre-internet and personal websites, where else would you get your information, but from books
3rdthawkins: he's being unfair, I can slightly agree with him, but that's only because I don't have the "$50" (as he put) to spend to get the information, if I had it, you don't hear a complaint from me.....hmm.
alt: he just told me I wasted money buying Barnetta's work on NC cohabitation records because after I found my ancestors the 3 volume set is useless.
3rdthawkins: if it rains today and I have plans for today, of course I'm gonna complain and ask why couldn't it rain tomorrow or yesterday, but if I don't have plans, I don't have any complaints
fierybug08: I also think that it would be helpful for him to start doing some of the work himself so that he gets the benefit of what comes along with genealogy work. He had no clue about indexing, which is a very powerful tool alt...i will gladly take those volumes off your hands lol
vkn: lol lol lol get boxing gloves fiery lol
alt: not giving them or any of my 'worthless purchases' away anytime soon fierybug08 LOL LOL
fierybug08: well i couldn't help, but try. lol
alt: and I give you credit for that fierybug08
3rdthawkins: this is like a football player complains about tackling or getting tackling because he doens't want to get dirty :?
vkn: and poor me I pay an extra $50.00 a month rent to store my 'useless' purchases lol
fierybug08: 3rd, the grundy that you mentioned makes me curious. I'm not sure he is the age for my immediate family, but we may be related
alt: LOL @ vkn
3rdthawkins: *tackled*
alt: my son in Union NJ was 'flooded out' by the rain before Irene hit that area..
fierybug08: 3rd, its about a 4hr trip via car from Okmulgee, Oklahoma to Cass County, TX. It is worthy of further investigation on my part. Thanks for the lookup
vkn: What state for grundy and year fiery Oh dear alt
3rdthawkins: fierybug08, you will definitely need to talk to family members, because there are hardly any Negro/black Earnest Grundy's coming up, and lots of white's by that name.....before you make that trip, try and talk to family
alt: well, not completely flooded out, but some flood damage.
fierybug08: oh...yes I will definitely do that.
vkn: Hope he has flood insurance alt
3rdthawkins: sorry to hear that alt, I am concerned about family on Long Island and in Massachusetts
fierybug08: VKN, the grundys are in Cass County, TX. I will have to speak to someone on my father's side to give me additional information.
vkn: hmmm no word from selma dru or ayw
3rdthawkins: bingo!!!
fierybug08: hi AY
3rdthawkins: lol hello AY
daviss: hello AYWalton
AYWalton: Good afternoon, all.
vkn: ahhhhh speak of the ayw lol heyyyyy Angela
daviss: power may still be out for them vkn
AYWalton: howdy alt, daviss, fierybug08, greetings, VKN! Hope you are all well.
alt: Hello AYWalton
vkn: Glad you are ok ayw
3rdthawkins: yes, my father I think is still experiencing power outage, can't get through to his phone he lives in NE D.C. and that is the area that has been affected
AYWalton: thank you so much vkn. Glad to be out of danger, nd.ow that the storm has passed
vkn: http://afrigeneantalking.ning.com/group/familytrees/page/quarles A real neat record
AYWalton: is that a Savings Bank record, vkn?
vkn: I am helping a relative do the history of the first Black baptist church in Atlanta
AYWalton: oh that sounds wonderful!
fierybug08: wow, that's awesome VKN!
vkn: Yes ayw
3rdthawkins: yeah, that has just about every field filled out, I like records like that.....just hope it is all true......but have no question about this record, this is really neat
vkn: Church founded before end of Civil War
alt: 3rdthawkins & others.. got something to share with you on father-son (family) relationships, an Ode written for me by my son 20 years ago. http://tinyurl.com/3vddhjj
AYWalton: Wow Art that is a treasure! do you have it framed?
3rdthawkins: that's nice alt, wish I could have that experience and those feelings your son did
alt: Yes AYWalton . it is framed
3rdthawkins: and does
AYWalton: what a blessing and what a son. looks like he has quite a father as well.
daviss: thats great alt.. I think I had read that before
vkn: I recall your posting that to writers forum alt . Very nice
3rdthawkins: more importantly, what a father to have that kind of impact on his son
alt: Thanks 3rdthawkins, so just keep working with your father, it takes time.
3rdthawkins: ok alt, thx hello Seventies
fierybug08: hi seventies
AYWalton: Hey there SoulChile!
vkn: howdy seventies
daviss: Hello seventies
Seventies Soulchild: good afternoon, 3rd, alt, AYWalton, daviss, fierybug08, and vkn
daviss: glad to see ya seventies
AYWalton: hope you are dry in NY, SoulChile.
Seventies Soulchild: has anyone been on any webinars lately?
alt: Hello Seventies Soulchild, I sent you photocopies from the Woodson books... the pages referencing Tom Smith in the 1830 census.
AYWalton: not lately, but I hope you will all be on one this coming Wednesday. (yes some shameless self promotion!)
Seventies Soulchild: The Hudson is swelling, big time... the major hwys and some smaller roads are still closed. Thank you alt. I'll check my e-mail. I've had a pretty hectic day so far.
AYWalton: LegacyFamilyTree.com a free one will take place on Wednesday
alt: you gotta do it AYWalton ... work your brand!!!!!
AYWalton: lol
fierybug08: already on my agenda AYWalton
Seventies Soulchild: I saw that on the forums. Roots magic is again having some more free webinars I believe today....
3rdthawkins: you don;t see too many good father son relationships often, I sure don't, so it is good to see it....Cam Newton, who played for Auburn and just got drafted by the Carolina Panthers, is the first AA athlete I seen since Jordan who has such a great relationship with his dad.......You don't see too many young African American men (his age) be able to say, and on national tv nonetheless, that they love their father, that is great for him and his dad. So much anger in a lot of young men without fathers, this one young man is truly blessed
Seventies Soulchild: Oh speaking of... Beyonce Knowles-Carter is pregnant. That is one young couple that I truly admire. They are doing everything right on time.
alt: I agree, that's a great statement 3rdthawkins re: Cam Newton
fierybug08: sometimes I think it takes the children growing up and making something of themselves despite the relationship [lack of] from their parents. i know that i am a living testament of having parents who had difficulties raising me, but looking back now they did the best they could with what they had.
3rdthawkins: yeah, I heard Seventies, here comes Shawn Carter Jr. or Shawna Carter
Seventies Soulchild: I hope the baby looks like Beyonce though! lol
3rdthawkins: lol
daviss: several songs honoring fathers.. I love Color Him Father, Dance With My Father
fierybug08: ditto seventies
3rdthawkins: hello free, FREE!!!
freeaainnc: hi all!
daviss: hello free
AYWalton: you just answered a question I have had for a while---what is Jay Z's last name? Glad to know that it is not Z. The child deserves to a have a real surname. lol
alt: Getting away from the Male side of things... Our Adams Family Reunion this coming weekend is emphasizing the role played by the female descendants in our Adams Family.
freeaainnc: lol ay! what is his last name?
Seventies Soulchild: lol AYWalton
AYWalton: daviss that song by Luther always makes me teary. So loving and tender.
alt: hello freeaainnc
AYWalton: from SoulChile's post I guess it is Carter.
Seventies Soulchild: Yes his real name is Sean Carter.
daviss: me too AYWalton
freeaainnc: oh! ok
Seventies Soulchild: wait Shawn Carter
AYWalton: so what is Puff Daddy Diddy's name?
3rdthawkins: Sean Combs
freeaainnc: sean combs
Seventies Soulchild: Sean Combs.
3rdthawkins: Puff Daddy Diddy, lol
freeaainnc: it's either combs or combes, can't remember
AYWalton: hmm......interesting, two Sean/Shawns with unusual professional names. oh well. howdy bearnut2
3rdthawkins: Big Poppa (a.k.a.m Notorious B.I.G. a.k.a Biggie Smalls) Christopher Wallace
bearnut2: Hi all!
freeaainnc: hi bearnut
3rdthawkins: hello bearnut2
alt: hello bearnut2
daviss: snoop dog Calvin Broadus
Seventies Soulchild: Most rappers create an alter ego/stage name... this is common for a lot of musical performers, IMO Li'l Richard, Li'L Anthony, Li'l wayne... lol
AYWalton: so he has two names
daviss: hello bearnut2
bearnut2: Ahh...discussing rappers I see lol
freeaainnc: Ice Cube, Ice T. dd
alt: although not a rapper as such ... John Legend is John Stephens.
freeaainnc: oops, no dd
bearnut2: Hi freeaainnc 3rdthawkins alt Seventies Soulchild AYWalton daviss
AYWalton: Bit Poppa, Notorious---kind of self inflation in a world where bravado is the norm, I guess.
freeaainnc: right, not just rappers
AYWalton: I better run, folks have to do a test run for Webinar. have a good day.
Seventies Soulchild: Have a good day
daviss: Johnny Mathis = John Mathews
Seventies Soulchild: alt I agree.
freeaainnc: some use their real first names, or a nickname of their really name like John Legend, etc.
Seventies Soulchild: Ok speaking of Johnny Mathis/Mathews... what exactly is he???? He is black right?
daviss: yes he is and a Texan lol
3rdthawkins: yes, a lot of stage names among musical performers, even where the last name is different, given or surname has slight spelling and or pronunciation
alt: yep, a brother from San Francisco Seventies Soulchild.
Seventies Soulchild: I know he's an east texan daviss..lol He was on Denise Williams' Unsung episode.
freeaainnc: some, like Warren G have their real name (Warren Griffin)
3rdthawkins: Diana Ross was Diane Ross, but changed by Berry Gordy.....same thing for Tammi Terrell, I think it was her first or last name changed, I forget
bearnut2: Thats cool about your reunion alt. How do you plan to incorporate the theme?
alt: at least he was a track star "high jumper" @ USF.
Seventies Soulchild: Ok Tomasina was tammi Terrell's real first name and I think her surname was Montgomery
freeaainnc: or Ritchie Valens from Ricardo Valenzuela
3rdthawkins: Montgomery, right Seventies, thx, I forgot about the first name, wow
Seventies Soulchild: So these changes in names, to tie it in with genealogy, were these done to make the artists sound more anglo?? Your thoughts??
3rdthawkins: remembering reading Berry Gordy's book, I remember saying "I guess you would change your name wiht a name like that" that was way before i had a relative named Thomasena
vkn: ~~~~~ running
freeaainnc: it was for Ritchie Valens. For those like Tammi Terrell, no idea
alt: a memeber of the Reunion Committee has compiled a book on some of the 'more successful' Adams woman in the Adams family lines bearnut2
Seventies Soulchild: I normally view these types of name changes with European or hispanic immigrants.
daviss: not anglo but to sell more I think seventies
3rdthawkins: could be Seventies, I think for some it was to be more appealing
freeaainnc: yeah, I agree daviss
Seventies Soulchild: Valens... definitely doesn't sound as hispanic
freeaainnc: well, in the movie SS, the change was about crossover type of thing
3rdthawkins: Marvin Gaye and Thomasena Montgomery, how about that
bearnut2: Seventies Soulchild in the case of the more "hispanic" sounding names it appears so. I know generally ethnic sounding names were changed to more anglo names, especially for people in the spotlight--actors, actresses, singers, etc.
3rdthawkins: oh yes, remember, Marvin's surname was Gay, he added the "e" at the end like Sam Cooke did, his was just Cook
freeaainnc: don't know how true that was in real life, but the movie was made with the help of his family, so there is probably some truth to it
Seventies Soulchild: Or think about some of the white eastern Europeans with very ethnic names like polish and czech... changed their names to reflect West European, English (Anglo) in particular.
daviss: martin sheen = Estevez
Seventies Soulchild: Doris Day is an example from that side of the ethnic fence..
3rdthawkins: I know their hairstyles were to reflect the Caucasians that was in th 50s
bearnut2: thats cool alt--its good that there are enough for a book! lol
alt: Doris Kapplehoff I think from Cincinnati, OH.
Seventies Soulchild: Right daviss. All the other brothers, except for one, have taken the Sheen name.
freeaainnc: I forgot about that one daviss
daviss: right
Seventies Soulchild: Yep... very eastern European ethnic...
3rdthawkins: so the father's name was Estevez daviss? I ALWAYS wondered about that one son having a different surname
daviss: raquel welch I forget her real name
Seventies Soulchild: Yes and she was very Mexican. Cher another one..
3rdthawkins: so what about those who actually pass for white? I'm sure some name changes
freeaainnc: I know one of my ancestors changed their name from Hopf to Hubb around the turn of the 20th century
daviss: Vicky Carr the singer
alt: well, not really a book bearnut2, but a 8-9 page flyer with biographical information and family group sheets.
3rdthawkins: lots of immigrants into the U.S. changed their name or spelling/pronoun. of it...Johanna to John, etc.
bearnut2: Jo Raquel Tejada= Raquel Welch
freeaainnc: yep
Seventies Soulchild: freeaainnc, do you know why they did that?
bearnut2: cool alt!
daviss: ok thx bearnut2
freeaainnc: Yes, because German immigrants in the area where they lived were being discriminated against
Seventies Soulchild: lol bearnut2 growing up I thought she was an heiress to the Welch's grape empire... lol
freeaainnc: lol SS
bearnut2: lol Seventies Soulchild lol
Seventies Soulchild: Right and I think that's what brought these changes, freeaainnc.
freeaainnc: yeah, I agree
3rdthawkins: one current football player, recently played for the Colts....he "changed" his first name from Demon to Bob when he was a kid because people can't messing his name up (I can see how), so his name joked "So what you want me to call you, Bob?" and he stuck with that name
Seventies Soulchild: So they could change their names and become 'white' vs ethnic european.
3rdthawkins: can't=kept
bearnut2: And sometimes the change just sounde more "manly" like Marion Robert Morrison better known as John Wayne
3rdthawkins: his mother suggested call him Bob, and he took it
freeaainnc: I have a lot of German ancestors back into the early 1700s in the US and most of them changed their given names once they immigrated here
3rdthawkins: calling
alt: and now the 'performers' stick with their birth names... my, how times have changed.
Seventies Soulchild: Yes, Marion.... he did a lot more than just change his name to fit in...
freeaainnc: wow, had no clue about John Wayne
Seventies Soulchild: I don't know. I think some still do change their names... maybe not as much as in the past.
3rdthawkins: this brings us back to Khathu's ancestor, Roach,....aka Stanley Mathtews
bearnut2: I wondered how this topic came about lol thanks 3rd
freeaainnc: I would probably change my name if it were Roach lol would not want to be associated with cockroaches me too bearnut! lol
bearnut2: so was Roach his given name? or just a nickname
daviss: mark anthony = mario munez
3rdthawkins: my paternal grandmother's sister changed her name from Doris to Judith
Seventies Soulchild: At one time Roach was the given name.
3rdthawkins: hard to say bearnut, could be given, don't know could have been a surname
freeaainnc: oh, that is a crazy first name, I thought it was a surname lol
3rdthawkins: father's mother or mother's surname
daviss: I am guessing that most singers did not change name in the courts
Seventies Soulchild: Alright, I have a ton of work to do as I'm here by myself holding down the fort. Everyone have a great afternoon.
3rdthawkins: oh, you're right daviss, a lot of it has to do with contracts
bearnut2: My great grandfather was known as "Moose" (no idea why) lol
freeaainnc: probably no daviss because they are stage names lol bearnut
alt: was he a 'big' fella bearnut2?
daviss: He may have had a large frame
3rdthawkins: some record companies hold the right to use the performer's name....remember, Jackson 5 could not perform as Jackson 5 after leaving Motown....that is the problem with a lot of solo artists......Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations added the "s" at the end of his name when singing with the group, when he left Motown, he just went back to Kendrick, the original spelling of his name
freeaainnc: maybe he hunted moose, er, meese, er mooses. what the heck is the plural of moose?? lol
bearnut2: maybe thats it--you know how sometimes they call you the opposite of what you are?--cuz he was definitely NOT a big fella! he was quite short and had one leg shorter than the other
daviss: I grew up with several guys whose nicknames were moose
freeaainnc: that is interesting 3rd, didn't know that could be bearnut, like Curly from the 3 stooges lol
bearnut2: lol freeaainnc
3rdthawkins: that's why I got them confused lol
freeaainnc: me too! lol
bearnut2: My family used nicknames a lot
3rdthawkins: you all ever notice that, you see two people, and you think how by the people's appearances (or actions), the names should be reversed
freeaainnc: lol yep actually, where I work, there are 2 women named Cheryl and Sherry and Cheryl "looks" like a Sherry to me and vice versa lol
bearnut2: yeah 3rd and sometimes folks just "look" like they should have a particular name...apparently I "look" like a Pam or Kim because I have been called both by many different people
alt: well, my turn to 'skedaddle' later y'all
bearnut2: bye alt
daviss: later alt
bearnut2: catch ya later
3rdthawkins: ok alt
freeaainnc: oh boy, I hope that is not the case with me because people always call me Erwin instead of Erin lol
bearnut2: lol free
freeaainnc: or "Mr." instead of "Mrs."!
3rdthawkins: not going there
bearnut2: I get the Mr all the time on the phone--I have a pretty deep voice
daviss: over the phone free'
freeaainnc: I blame my first pediatrician
daviss: you may have a deep voice me too and also my sister bearnut2
3rdthawkins: ok, gonna go too, you ladies have a good day
freeaainnc: no davis, actuall those Mr. Bradfords I'm not worried about because they have not seen me and just assume I'm a man, but my name is Erin - which is a female name
bearnut2: you too 3rd!
daviss: bye 3rd
bearnut2: free I have a theory
freeaainnc: my 1st dr., when mom brought me in, he thought the chart said Eric and mom said when he took off my diaper, he was shocked and did a double take at my chart and said "Ooohhh! EriN" hehe
daviss: lol
freeaainnc: what is the theory
bearnut2: I remember when I was a kid there was a little boy in the neighborhood named "Erin" and my best friend and I always wondered WHY on earth would a parent name their son "Erin"???...
freeaainnc: lol
bearnut2: Turns out his name was actually Aaron!
freeaainnc: I have been known an Eron, but boys are generally Aaron
daviss: I had a friend named Doris and the Gen in our Elks club was Beverly
freeaainnc: Only once in my life have a met a male named Erin
bearnut2: Most folks say it so it sounds the same
freeaainnc: true bearnut
bearnut2: My 3rd gr grandfather's name was Beverly I was shocked to find out that Marion, Beverly and Leslie are all considered to me male names! me=be
freeaainnc: the 2nd time I was mistaken for a boy was by an elderly woman at our church where I grew up. it was about 6 months after my first brain surgery so I had really short hair and her eye sight was failing and she made a comment about me and my brother being "handsome boys" lol
daviss: I have an uncle Leslie
freeaainnc: yeah, originally they were
daviss: oh and a uncle Charles whose middle name is Mation
freeaainnc: davis, does he go by Les?
bearnut2: I was a "boy" for the first 2 years of my life--cuz I had no hair! lol
daviss: no he goes by Leslie
freeaainnc: lol bearnut!
daviss: lol @bearnut2
freeaainnc: wow, I'm surprised in this day and age he would go by Leslie
bearnut2: My mom still laughs that my hair grew as long as it did because everyone told her what a cute little "boy" she had lol
freeaainnc: b/c that is generally a female name now
daviss: and while we are talking Leslie one of my dear friend whom I just saw on Sunday is named Leslie He goes by that
freeaainnc: lol bearnut
bearnut2: so she constantly kept me in pink dresses and they still would say it!!! lol
freeaainnc: lol bearnut! you wore pink dresses and they STILL thought you were a boy?? were they blind? lol
daviss: guess it is no different than Francis and Frances
bearnut2: apparently!
freeaainnc: that is true daviss
bearnut2: I told her she scarred me because after the age of 5 I wouldn't DARE be caught DEAD in a dress!
freeaainnc: bearnut maybe they thought your parents were trying to create gender confusion or something lol lol!!!
daviss: lol @bearnut2
bearnut2: lol free--it made me a tomboy!
daviss: I was a tomboy
freeaainnc: I was too, so I could understand how that woman from church would mistake me as a boy with her failing eyesight b/c I refused to wear dresses or skirts, even now I don't wear them
daviss: my sister was girly girly
bearnut2: yep! Hated dresses! Hated anything PINK!
freeaainnc: me too!
bearnut2: I wore pants and shirts--NOT blouses!
freeaainnc: or anything floral/girly looking lol same here
bearnut2: and high top black chucks or desert boots!
freeaainnc: and I wore men's pants as a teenager
daviss: what are chucks is that those tennis
freeaainnc: I never wore chuck, but always like high top basketball shoes or timbs chuck taylor sneakers
daviss: oh ok
bearnut2: My aunt decided to make me a pink cake with pink icing for my 7th birthday and I refused to eat a bite of it! It was enough for me to blow out the candles! lol
freeaainnc: they were like a canvas shoe with a rubber bottom. I think they are making a come back
bearnut2: chucks=converse high tops
daviss: now I remember
freeaainnc: LOL bearnut about the cake! would would have eaten it anyway because cake is cake lol and I LOVE cake!
daviss: they prolly weren't invented when I was coming up lol lol
bearnut2: lol I was militantly anti pink! and I LOVE cake too! lol I ate crab instead!
freeaainnc: lol but that's pink-ish! lol
bearnut2: really! my uncle brought crab home and I tasted it and fell in love! So I ate crab and they ate cake! lol
freeaainnc: lol
bearnut2: yeah but its HARD pink! lol
freeaainnc: I never liked crab lol !
bearnut2: not soft frilly pink ;O
freeaainnc: I can't stop laughing about hard pink lol
bearnut2: daviss where are you? lol free
daviss: I am in Phx bearnut2
bearnut2: lol no I meant in the conversation! lol
daviss: lol
freeaainnc: when I was really little, I wasn't a tom boy, and I had wall paper from when we first moved in when I was 4 that had some pink bunnies and stuff
daviss: I am reading with interest,
freeaainnc: I wanted to get rid of it when I was older, so I started hanging posters in my room
daviss: I ditto everything you said
bearnut2: lol I had the most boyish room!
freeaainnc: and then in 7th grade became a die-hard fan of New Kids on the Block and plastered my entire room - even the ceiling - with posters
daviss: I am or was the champion marble shooter at school
freeaainnc: cool daviss
bearnut2: my mom let me pick out my bed--it was white with blue and green stripes I even had star trek sheets!
freeaainnc: lol
daviss: trekie huh
bearnut2: cool daviss!
freeaainnc: I could run faster than the boys when I was young, like 4th grade and I was SOOOO proud of that!
bearnut2: yep! My favorite aunt was a trekkie and anything she liked, I liked!
freeaainnc: except pink stuff, right?
bearnut2: ooh me too free! I won a 6th grade race against all the boys in the class! right free! lol
freeaainnc: and I played basketball up through 7th grade (had brain surgery the next year and couldn't walk for 6 mons).
bearnut2: Unfortunately, the race took place right after lunch and I "paid" for it soon after! lol
freeaainnc: I wanted to be the first woman in the NBA (not the WNBA, but the NBA) and I refused to play with a woman's bball although in the games, I didn't have a choice lol
bearnut2: I never played basketball--too short! I was a bowler and softball player
daviss: ahhh free that is a long time.. You had to relearn to walk big time now I was a softball player, played semi pro
bearnut2: wow daviss! thats cool! I was never THAT good!
daviss: I loved to play
freeaainnc: and I remember once playing in 7th grade in gym class 3 on 3 with me and 5 boys and I was a tight guard and this one kid I was guarding could not get past me or pass the ball. He just stopped, and really angry said "You think you're hot stuff, don't you?!?" and I stole the ball and said "Yep!" wow, that's cool daviss!
bearnut2: lol free love it!
freeaainnc: I actually refused to play softball b/c in my hometown only girls played softball and boys played baseball lol and I soooo wanted to play baseball. I also wanted to wrestle, but my school did not have a wrestling team
daviss: I wrote a piece on one of my friends who is a hall of famer in az let me get the link
freeaainnc: daviss I should say that I could walk after about 2 months, but had to have support, so it took me 6 months to learn to walk on my own
bearnut2: I grew up at the ball fields. My mom played a lot when I was a kid--I was the team babysitter! From the age of 8 I would look after all the little ones while their moms played. cool daviss--i'd love to read it!
freeaainnc: that's cool! my brother was a great baseball player, but quit after a while. He had this one coach that made me so mad though yelling at kids they hit like a girl!
daviss: http://lingeringthoughtslovingtimes.blogspot.com/
bearnut2: ugh! I hated when folks said that! thanks daviss!
daviss: see if that link works
bearnut2: It does--I'm going to read it when I get off here.
freeaainnc: my brother was a pitcher and would practice by pitching to me and I would hit it so far we couldn't find it so dad, being a carpenter, did this thing with a string through the ball so I wouldn't lose it lol but when I heard his coach say that I confronted him about that and he had me show how I hit and I hit it out of the park. I never heard him yell that again lol
bearnut2: Though I do find myself saying that to my co-workers when they try to throw something to me. lol
daviss: you may have to scroll down.
bearnut2: lol you showed HIM free!
daviss: but you can keep the link anyway and read the other stuff when time permits bearnut2
bearnut2: will do daviss! Cool site!
daviss: thank ya lol
freeaainnc: and the only time I've ever broken a bone was in high school gym class and hit a home run. slipped on wet grass, but at least I got the point - that is what matters lol
bearnut2: lol free--I've never (knock on wood) broken a bone
freeaainnc: that's good. I can't believe our gym teacher made us play softball on wet grass!. Should have sued the school or something lol dr. said I had "floppy foot" b/c I broke, dislocated, and tore all the tendons and ligaments except one - lol he said it was just "hanging by a string" lol
daviss: lol free can't say that I have not played in wet grass
freeaainnc: lol daviss
bearnut2: OUCH! daviss--is that picture of Texas leafshakers your family?
freeaainnc: the funny thing is mom worked across the street, but it took her 30 minutes to pick me up and take me to the hospital! lol
bearnut2: you poor thing!
daviss: hmm will gotta run you two. I enjoyed you and until next time
freeaainnc: she thought it was just twisted and didn't realize I had really hurt it so she took her sweet time coming lol she felt bad once she realized I really was hurt ok Daviss, talk to you later
bearnut2: ok daviss--take care!
daviss: Have a great rest of the day
freeaainnc: this was a fun convo
bearnut2: it was! lol guess I'd better go too
freeaainnc: I like reminiscing like that lol
bearnut2: me too free! I need to start writing stuff down
freeaainnc: yeah, lunch was over for me 50 minutes ago! lol I was just thinking that!
bearnut2: lol you take care and have a good rest of the day!
freeaainnc: talk to you later. bye! and you too


text:
Freedom in the World
You are here
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
2012 Scores
Freedom Rating (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Civil Liberties (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Political Rights (1 = best, 7 = worst)
Danny Philip resigned as prime minister in November 2011 over corruption charges and was replaced by former minister of finance Gordon Darcy Lilo. Jimmy Lusibaea, a former militant leader and elected lawmaker, was stripped of his seat in Parliament following his conviction on charges including attempted murder in 2000.
The Solomon Islands gained independence from Britain in 1978. Tensions between the two largest ethnic groups—the Gwale and the Malaitans—over jobs and land rights turned into open warfare in 1998. Scores were injured or killed before peace was gradually restored through the 2000 Townsville Peace Agreement, brokered by Australia and New Zealand. A UN mission initially maintained order, while the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has kept the peace since 2003.
In 2007, Derek Sikua was elected prime minister and made political stability and national reconciliation priorities of his government. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission, modeled after South Africa's, was launched in 2009 to investigate crimes and address impunity connected to the 1998–2003 violence. In 2010, the commission began its first hearings, during which witnesses told stories of threats, torture, and death. More hearings were held in 2011 to collect information for a final report expected to be released in 2012.
In the August 2010 general elections, independents won 19 seats, the Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP) captured 13 seats, the Reform Democratic Party (RDP) and the Ownership, Unity, and Responsibility Party each took 3 seats, and smaller parties captured the remainder. Approximately 100 international observers and police officers monitored the elections and maintained order. As is common in the Solomon Islands, new parties formed before the elections and disbanded afterward; legislators aligned themselves with these parties, but the groupings were fluid. RDP leader Danny Philip was chosen as the new prime minister, narrowly defeating SIDP leader Steve Abana. Philip, who served in Parliament from 1994 to 2001, reaffirmed the country's ties with Taiwan and pledged to work with RAMSI, fight corruption, and promote gender equality and development.
Philip resigned on November 10, 2011 in response to corruption allegations. On November 15, Parliament chose Philip's former finance minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, as the new prime minister. His selection resulted in rioting throughout the capital. Malaitans, in particular, opposed Lilo's selection because he had previously proposed termination of government allocations to Malaita. Within two days, Lilo faced a no-confidence vote, which was withdrawn due to lack of support.
In November 2010, Jimmy Lusibaea—the former leader of a militant group during the country's civil war—was convicted on charges including assault and attempted murder in 2000 and sentenced to almost three years in prison. Lusibaea challenged his conviction in January 2011, claiming that his crimes had occurred during a period covered under an amnesty for atrocities committed during the war. In October, his sentence was drastically reduced, though a High Court stripped him of his seat in Parliament.
In December 2011, the cabinet endorsed a phased withdrawal of RAMSI, which has shifted its emphasis from direct policing to a capacity-building mission for the Solomon Island police force.
The Solomon Islands are not an electoral democracy. A governor general, appointed on the advice of the National Parliament for a five-year term, represents the British monarch as head of state. Members of the 50-seat, unicameral National Parliament are elected for four-year terms. A parliamentary majority elects the prime minister, and the governor-general appoints the cabinet on the advice of the prime minister. New parties often form before elections and are disbanded afterward as lawmakers switch allegiance after taking office. Political activity is driven more by personalities and clan identities than party affiliation.
Corruption is rampant at all levels of government. In February 2011, Minister of Mines and Energy Mark Kemakeza was charged with corruption and abuse of office and stripped of his post in April. The court had not ruled on the charges against him by year's end. In July, 14 senior officials were fired for misusing government funds. In November, a government audit discovered widespread document falsification and forgery in the finance ministry, and the opposition party alleged misuse of nearly $900,000 of $1.3 million in discretionary funds controlled by the prime minister, leading to his resignation. Solomon Islands ranked 120 out of 183 countries in Transparency International's 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Freedoms of expression and of the press are generally respected, but politicians and elites sometimes use legal and extralegal means to intimidate journalists. The print media include a privately owned daily, a weekly, and two monthly publications. The government operates the only radio station. There is no local television station, but foreign broadcasts can be received via satellite. Internet use is growing, but access is limited by lack of infrastructure and high costs.
Freedom of religion is generally respected, as is academic freedom.
The constitution guarantees freedom of assembly, and the government generally recognizes this right in practice. Organizers of demonstrations must obtain permits, which are typically granted. Civil society groups operate without interference. Workers are free to organize, and strikes are permitted. In August 2011, a nation-wide strike by public sector union workers ended after just one day when it accepted the government's offer of a 4 percent increase in the cost of living allowance.
Threats against judges and prosecutors have weakened the independence and rigor of the judicial system. Judges and prosecutors have also been implicated in scandals relating to corruption and abuse of power. A lack of resources limits the government's ability to provide legal counsel and timely trials. The ombudsman's office has far-reaching powers to investigate complaints of official abuse and unfair treatment, but generally lacks the funds to do so. Poor training, abuse of power, and factional and ethnic rivalries are common in the police force.
Discrimination limits the economic and political roles of women; none were elected in the 2010 elections, and there are no female judges on the High Court. Rape and other forms of abuse against women and girls are widespread. While rape is illegal, no law prohibits domestic violence. In October 2011, the government rejected a call by the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality, saying that it is against traditional values.


text:
Paolo Veglio and his winemaker, Dante Scaglione (Photo ©Tom Hyland)
One of the most exciting things about Italian wines is discovering a great new estate that produces honest wines – wines that truly represent their territory. Cascina Roccalini in Barbaresco is the newest and most dynamic of this group of small estates in Italy that I discovered on my recent trip to Piemonte.
I have to thank Terence Hughes of Domenico Selections in New York for this find; I just happened to be looking at a few blogs before my trip and came across his post (read here) on this estate; he will begin selling the wines this autumn. Terry put me in touch with Paolo Veglio, the owner, who was delighted to arrange a visit for two of my Italian journalist friends, Franco Ziliani and Roberto Guiliani, along with myself.
Paolo Veglio is a young man who sold his grapes for years to the Bruno Giacosa winert when Dante Scaglione was the winemaker. Dante is no longer associated with Giacosa and now consults with several estates; in fact, he approached Paolo about being his winemaker when he decided to produce his first bottlings at Cascina Roccalini.
The winery is named for the Roccalini subzone (known as a sottozona of Barbaresco); Veglio has 3.5 hectares (approximately 8.6 acres of Nebbiolo) and another hectare (2.47 acres) divided between Dolcetto and Barbera. The vineyards have optimal exposure and are located at approximately 200 meters above sea level. The view from the winery is an impressive one, with the Tanaro River and the Roero district to the west and the Barbaresco Tower only a few kilometers to the south.
There are many important things to note about the wines of Roccalini, but perhaps the most significant is the elegantly simple winemaking philosophy of Dante Scaglione. The Barbera and Dolcetto are aged only in stainless steel (with one exception of the Barbera Superiore), while the Barbaresco is aged solely in grandi botti of 10 and 22hl casks. Tasting through the wines, you are enveloped in the varietal purity as well as fruit persistence and elegance.
The soon to be released 2007 Barbaresco is very typical of the vintage, with pretty red cherry and plum fruit, graceful tannins and precise acidity. This is not a powerhouse wine, but a beautifully expressed wine that is very attractive now and will be at its best in 10-12 years. The 2008 Barbaresco, tasted from cask, is an even better wine, in my opinion. While 2008 was a cooler year than 2007, the conditions were optimal for Nebbiolo and this wine has tremendous length in the finish with finely tuned acidity and a beautiful note of fennel in the aromas. This is a more reserved wine, but one that I believe will age even longer than the 2007; look for this wine to peak in 15-20 years. The 2005 Barbaresco, from the first vintage of Roccalini, is also beautifully crafted, with notes of currant and mocha and is drinking well right now; it should offer pleasure over the next 7-10 years.
As is typical in this area, Barbera and Dolcetto are also produced. Now while many other producers of Barbaresco also make very fine examples of these wines, the truth of the matter is that the bottlings from some local estates are pleasant, though hardly memorable wines. That's not the case at Cascina Roccalina – questi vini sono incredibili!
The 2008 Dolcetto d'Alba has gorgeous color and stunning aromas of boysenberry, black cherry and dark chocolate; there is excellent persistence and complexity with beautiful acidity and moderate tannins. This is a particularly complex Dolcetto that is absolutely delicious and remarkably elegant. The 2009, tasted from the tank, simply explodes on the nose and palate with beautiful ripe boysenberry and black plum fruit and notes of black mint. While 2008 with its long, cool growing season, may turn out the be a better year than 2009 for Nebbiolo, the opposite is true for Dolcetto (and Barbera) in this territory and this 2009 Dolcetto is a promise of the upcoming glories of this vintage. After tasting only these two wines, this is one of my top Dolcetto estates in all of Piemonte!
But the real star at Cascina Roccalini (at least it was to all of us on the day we visited) was the simple Barbera d'Alba. In truth, simple is a poor choice of words, as there is nothing ordinary about this wine. The 2008 Barbera d'Alba offers lovely myrtle, black plum and tar aromas with excellent concentration and superb acidity. The finish is long and very pleasing and there is tremendous fruit persistence. The 2009, tasted from the tank, is even better, with ripe black plum fruit and notes of anice; the acidity is precise, the varietal character is pure and the layers of fruit on the palate are remarkable. I can't wait for the 2009 and I'm definitely looking forward to trying the 2008 several more times (I'll have to contact Terence about acquiring a few bottles down the road – ditto for the Dolcetto!)
After the formal tasting, we were treated to a lovely dinner prepared by Paolo's mother Luciana, which included a sublime spinach flan wrapped in Raschera cheese, a local cow's milk variety; this dish rivaled the best I had all week long in the area's ristoranti!
What a start young (34 years old) Paolo Veglio is off to with Cascina Roccalini! Of course, it also helps to have great vineyards as well as a superb winemaker such as Dante Scaglione. But this is no overnight success, as Paolo has been working these vineyards for many years, delivering great fruit to the cellar.
Keep in mind that this is a small estate – only 14,500 bottles are produced, so the wines are quite limited. Thanks again to Terry for helping me organize this visit – I would have been disappointed to miss this estate. Best of luck selling the wines – though I'm not sure you'll need much of it, given the spectacular nature of these offerings!


text:
Saturday, March 10, 2007
For Your Own Safety & Those You Love
And so I'm joining the ranks of those who are taking the opportunity to remind you when you set your clocks ahead tonight, please change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
I've seen first hand the damage that fire can do. I won't quickly forget the night that Kevin was called out to something that sounded minor, and hours and hours later still hadn't come home. Only because the fire department was already out did they see the fire in its early stages. It destroyed a business, but not before they'd managed to rescue the business documents from the office. Kevin said he was picking up boxes that were on fire and putting the flames out as he removed them from the building.
Of course, I blogged about that back in the summer.
Want to read another account of a fire and see some amazing photos? Drop by Gabriele's and read about the recent fire she witnessed.
My grandmother Shaughnessy died in a house fire. Taking a few moments to replace the batteries could make the difference between life and death. Don't think it couldn't happen to you.
And in other news...
It's about time those who publish stuff under the umbrella of journalism who fabricate their stories started to pay damages. Maybe journalists will think twice before they jump the gun and start jumping to conclusions without checking their facts. Good for Kate.
Keep your shorts on. Alberta's booming economy blamed for an outbreak of syphilis. Bet that 15 year old had fun explaining this one at home, but really, it's no laughing matter.
9 comments:
- Patrick Shawn Bagley said...
We check our smoke detector batteries frequently because I'm worried the chain smokers in the downstairs apartment are going to burn us all to death some night.
We're moving back out to the sticks as soon as our lease runs out.
- 9:10 a.m.
- Christa M. Miller said...
It's not just about the batteries... it's also about having the thing connected to begin with.
My 3-year-old is afraid of the smoke detector. Sometimes I cook things that generate lots of smoke. As tempting as it is to disconnect the the detector, we don't. We ventilate instead. Why? Because we KNOW we'd both forget to reconnect it.
So change batteries, and don't disconnect.
- 9:30 a.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
Patrick, that was one of the things I didn't like about townhouses/apartments. You have no control over what your neighbours do.
Christa, that's true as well. I never disconnect because I can't reach the darn things.
- 9:43 a.m.
No one's immune either. Back in mid-February the home of a fire chief in my town caught fire. The smoke detectors went off and the chief got his family out. Then for some reason, he went back into the house. He was found unconscious inside the doorway (um, a tip, don't go back in once you're out).
The chief ended up being hospitalized for severe smoke inhalation, but his family is fine. All due to working smoke detectors. norby
- 12:22 p.m.
- Jack Ruttan said...
I'd rather say publishers who don't get sources from their writers should foot the bills for misfired or badly-researched stories that they print. (don't get me started, but there's too much emphasis on "sexy" or exciting stories in the media, giving a screwed up idea of the world. Like when did you ever hear a story from Africa about people getting along?)
- 7:24 p.m.
- Jack Ruttan said...
And just try to sell said story (eg. about happy grandmas taking care of their neighbours' children), if you're a freelance writer. Do they really have the power to say what goes in the paper? Should they take the fall?
- 7:30 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
Norby, yikes. At least they had them, but yeah, do NOT return to a burning building. He should have known he couldn't do it without his BA and turnout gear.
Jack, good point. I suppose there's both. I've seen some really reckless stuff posted on forums/blogs that are generally cited as industry but they really seem to be about smearing people. I don't know who calls the shots on that, but if you say you're reporting, you should take some responsibility.
Of course, this is why I couldn't stomach journalism and got out of it... Not like journalists don't have choices. I made mine.
- 8:03 p.m.
- Jack Ruttan said...
I've demurred doing a cover story smearing a famous person, then seen such stories published under a one-time only name. And after you turn down a gig, do you think you can freelance for that paper again?
Principles are expensive.
- 8:01 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
Yes Jack, they are.
I wish there was a way to stop publications from printing that stuff.
- 8:16 p.m.


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