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7/20 Baseball's unwritten rules
There are a lot of unwritten rules in baseball. There are a lot of things that happen on the field that stay on the field. When I came up, umpires treated the veterans a little differently than they treated rookies. It was not in a bad way, it was just a respect thing, a seniority thing. Veterans have a little bigger strike zone when they're pitching against a rookie. When I came up, Maddux, Glavine were getting calls on balls off the plate. You don't say anything. You earn your time and you earn the right to say things.
But then it comes to a point where an umpire sometimes will say something out of the box. He doesn't mean any harm, but he'll say it to a young guy who doesn't know how to take it and it gets back to the team and gets back to the manager or the front office, and after looking at the Marlins series and how the season has gone like ours, it's not well received at all, even if it's said in a joking manner. Maybe it can rattle a guy and when the outcome of that at-bat when he's spoken to is a negative with a strikeout, it really doesn't look right. The big thing in baseball is it's a fraternity. Umpires are included in this fraternity and we all need to be on the same page and work together. Communication has to be out there.
Mike Quade had our backs in his post-game interview the other day. He said exactly what needed to be said — he didn't say too much and didn't say too little. He got it out there and it was heard and hopefully it doesn't happen again. The umpire knows who he is and the player knows who he is and the umpire knows what he said. Hopefully, there's an apology that comes the next time that crew comes to town and if not, just make sure it doesn't happen again.
— Marlon
33 Comments
"Umpires are included in this fraternity and we all need to be on the same page and work together. Communication has to be out there."
I think this is awesome to hear. From a fan's perspective, it often seems like the umpires are the enemy. To hear from a player's mouth that the umpires are part of the fraternity…that really changes my outlook on a lot of things.
I remember times when an umpire is hit in the face mask by a foul tip, and while he is recovering you see players from both teams crowding around him with concern. It's times like this that you see a bit of this fraternity mentality.
Baseball is a billion dollar game. This was a respectful post Marlon, but my opinion is that the new job for the umpires needs to be watching a screen that tallies balls and strikes in a K-Zone. Teams, nor players, should be missing the playoffs because of bad calls. It happens WAY too much and could literally change the fortunes of the standings dramatically if the game was called correctly the way it should be. The technology is there and keeping umpires around in the current capacity should not be a sacred cow.
This thought of robotic umpires is totally blowing my mind. I inherently want to disagree but I find myself actually agreeing – even still, I don't think I like it very much.
I would much rather see replay options than the idea of having a computer call balls and strikes. Umpires add flavor to the game and to relegate them to a position that they cannot really participate in a game, is a game that I do not want to watch.
How would a computer be able to call someone out at second? Balls and strikes are not the types of errors that cause a team to make or miss the playoffs. And frankly, umpire errors are not causing teams to miss the playoffs. They may affect the outcome of a game, but good teams overcome these types of mistakes.
Hi Marlon!
I'm a big fan of patterns. I'm not talking about plans for designing dresses and leggings…that's my sister-in-law Tara who knows those patterns. The patterns I'm talking about are more like this…siht ekil erom era tuoba gniklat m'I snrettap ehT…The patterns I'm talking about are more like this…siht ekil erom era tuoba gniklat m'I snrettap ehT…The patterns I'm talking about are more like this…
I say this because some people are just into shapes and some people are just into colors. I like shapes and colors but I think that patterns are important. They tie it all together. They bring symmetry…much like the human face. That's why I like switch hitters better…because they have ear flaps on both sides of their helmet. Have you ever thought about tangents? I know, I'm even blowing MY mind here so I can only imagine how you're feeling right about now. Tangents are really great because they only touch one point on a circle and continue off into eternity. Maybe you should tape just the middle of a flat stick to your helmet and when people ask you what it is (like the catcher when you're at bat) you can just look at them and say "tangent".
You're probably thinking "man, this Keithman is really into geometry." I'm not. I haven't thought about geometry in quite some time. Let me ask you this…would you consider visiting my brother-in-law Andy's church this off season? Don't be scared off by his tattoos and his skater shoes and his home brews. Not everything about the guy rhymes with "ooze" so it's cool, Marlon. Maybe you could sign the Marlon Byrd autographed ball he has on his mantle.
Marlon, I'd love to tell you about my bruised hand and my 14 at-bat hitting streak and the fact that church league softball keeps getting postponed and cancelled but I don't want to heap my troubles on you. You guys are 20 games under .500 so who am I to complain? PS – I'm batting .941 right now.
Also, I don't have a clue what you're talking about in your blog this time. Maybe I should watch some games again, but I've been watching a lot of soccer and I hate to admit it but I really like it. Alex Morgan is way prettier than you. So is Hope Solo…by the way, is she related to Han?
One more thing: BANANAS!
Oh, man. I think it's time for a wellness check. You've been sitting in the sun way too long, and probably need to get back on your meds.
Hi GetThatGuySomeHelp!!
There isn't much sun here in the Pacific NW right now…and my season need for Claritin (or rather the much less expensive generic Loratadine) has passed. Thanks!
Keithman is definitely into patterns. Sadly, his pattern is that of a blubbering idot! He should continue watching soccer, and post his blogs in his own mind(what's left of it!)
Hi Dave!
What is an "idot"?
It's the dot that goes over an i. Do I have to explain everything to you?
one thing is for certain; if calls were made by machines and looks at replays, glavine would be nowhere close to even 200 victories. one time sammy sosa purposely swung at a pitch from glavine and looked back at the umpire to let him know that the bat wasn't long enough to hit a strike, 1 foot off the plate and I'm not kidding about the 1 foot. and the gutless announcers( you know who you are) would comment, "if a catcher lines up outside the plate and the pitcher hits that spot consistently the umpire is going to call it a strike". It got to where I couldn't watch more than a couple of innings if glavine pitched against my team. I always wanted to see a sports cartoon showing the catcher crouched halfway between home and 1st and glavine hitting the "spot consistently" and the umpire yelling "strike!". the debate about human umpires vs. machine assisted is a tough one, but in the last few years there have been some tough, touchy, 'oops', goof-ups in the play-offs and that is the last place bad calls can be tolerated.
That was insightful….Thank you!
Your the best!! Please stay in Chicago for a long time. I love the way you play. You know how to play the game correctly. Thanks for the smiles in center field. I know it must be a frustrating season, but you have a lot of fans who know you are working hard to be the best. Thank you for that.
this is why you are a respected player. the game could use many more players with your respect for the game. thank you for your hard play in this unfortunate season.
There are a lot of unwritten rules in baseball. Yes Marlon, that is so true, and most of these rules were written way back when there were no millionaires playing the game….it was not too long ago that the Babe signed for the huge, unheard of sum of one hundred thousand dollars…..some of these rules have been passed down but you must admit that things have changed….some on here even want a machine to call balls and strikes…..you could even just put the two team rosters into a computer and it would tell the winner without playing the game….they do that with old time teams….if the players and managers do not make any more mistakes than the umps they stand a very good chance to win….baseball is a game of failures, a good hitter fails 60% of the time, hitters swing at far worse pitches than what the ump calls.
Earlier this season Q made a statement about the unwritten rule of stealing a base when you had a big lead in the game….that is one you remember but you never say it to the media, I do not believe that you should change the way you play because of the score….so many batters strike out and when they are on their way back to the dugout they look at the pitcher, I guess to see if he is laughing….they pop up and they don't run it out….the most they come to the plate is 4 – 5 times a game, they can at least run it out like you do each and every time, in the outfield, on the average they get 3 – 6 chances a game, they can take each of these serious as you do….like in the All-Star game last year, some seem to think that there is an unwritten rule that in the All-Star game you don't do that, you don't take out the catcher like Pete Rose did, I am from the old school and i believe that if it is worth doing it is worth doing right….. we must always remember that home plate Ump gets 200+ chances each game, and most of them do a great job, the same on the bases, so often the announcers say it was a missed call but the run it back several times and find out it was the correct call, the same with pitches….sure there are mistakes, it is a game of mistakes, if the pitcher never makes a mistake there will be a bunch of low batting averages…….
Interesting perspective, Marlon. I'm sure you know it all better than we do. Hopefully the ump owns up to it and is the bigger man.
At any rate, thanks for being the player and person you are. I know we're gonna be sellers this year, I'm just praying we hold on to you until you're ready to retire, as a Cub. I've only bought one jersey in the last 15 years, and it's yours. Keep on being you – in a season where there's not much to cheer about, you're one of the reasons I turn on the TV or show up to the ballpark every day. Truly an honor to watch you play the game as it's meant to be played.
Absolutely! Wish there were more like Marlon, going full speed on a grounder-walk or a homer. Takes nothing for granted. Leaves it all on the field. Keep up the great work Marlon, and I too hope you are here for many more years, you deserve to be here when the Cubbies win it all. If the young guys follow your example—that may not be too far in the future!
Since 1979 I've been watching the Cubs. You,and Jim Edmonds have been the best key men on the team. The team needs leaders not overpaid people that don't perform. My son and I love to watch you play, too bad we didn't see you in KC. We need you in Chicago because Ryne Sandburg and your enthusiasm could get what the Cubs are looking for, win or lose Game 7 of the World Series. P.S We need the leadership you provide.
Just 1 question, I realize getting to the playoffs every year is really hard and getting to the World Series is even harder. But what is it that has kept the Cubs out for 100+ years? Day games, club house culture, old ownership what????
Keithman is a Cardinal fan, isn't he?
Hi Peggy Schmick!
I have been a Cubs fan since 1989! I'm just so discouraged by the mismanagement of contracts by the front office. If you would like to know more please check out my blog as it will give you some real insight…and it might even make you think a little.
Marlon you and Reed Johnson play the game the right way. We need more players like you two.
Marlon, I recently saw you at a game wearing a Power Balance bracelet. I realize you might believe that there is some athletic benefit to wearing it, so I would just like to inform you that the company that makes them admits that there is no scientific evidence to support that they work. They have been forced to withdraw from several markets because of their fraudulent claims. The demonstration they do to "prove" that they grant balance is actually more of a magician's trick. Any benefits that you do gain are actually due to the placebo effect and are not properties of the bracelet. Really, I urge you to think about it. How exactly is a silly little bracelet supposed to affect your body? They give you some crap about energy and whatnot, but that defies the laws of physics. They are banking on peoples' ignorance. Please take off the bracelet; don't become a spokesman for ignorance and gullibility.
You are the most under rated cub player. Hang in there.
I lost all respect for Byrd when he defended Holliday's spiking of Starlin Castro, on a slide so far away from second base that Holliday could barely reach Castro.
Marlon, you need to bat early in the lineup, because you choke more than any other player with RISP.
First of all…keithman—get some therapy and mental health help–quickly!
Secondly, Marlon, I too am a lifelong CUB fan and respected you most of all because of the way you play the game. I think you are way wrong, however about the Holliday slide issue. He went in feet in the air and spikes right at Castro. You should have backed up your team and teammate, NOT the opposition. Holliday's slide is not playing the game hard, it is play that has no business in the league. The umpire horribly miscalled the play and someday umpires need to be held accountable for terrible calls/non-calls. Talk to the kid who lost a PERFECT GAME because of a horrible call by an umpire. Maybe they should be sent to the minors when they screw up just like players, with a cut in pay and benefits each time. I'll be willing to bet we would get some much needed quality umpiring if that was in effect.
Hi Larry Dean!
First off all therapy costs money which is a good reason for you to go to my blog at http://dirtwank.blogspot.com and click on an ad or two that interest you! I would love to go in and have a nice deep tissue massage…I just hope they tissue they use is sturdier than the sandpaper they have on the tp rolls here at my office! I don't know how deep the tissue goes, but I can't imagine you want it falling apart when it's in there.
Secondly, people continue to talk about this mental health thing. I have been taking Menthol lozenges for a while now and they have a delicious minty flavor. I assume they will make my mental better since Menthol sounds like the same word. Thanks for the tip!
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Caterpillar has added new tools and resources to GovBidSpec.com, a website that helps governmental procurement professionals save time, control costs and make well-informed equipment investment decisions. This new content, combined with a major upgrade of the website in 2013, reflects the company's commitment to continuously improve service to governmental buyers who face unprecedented time and resource constraints.
A key new feature of GovBidSpec.com is RFP Builder, an easy-to-use tool that allows users to create quality RFPs for any vendor, quickly and efficiently. RFP Builder gives agencies a simple way to ask vendors for specific information about product features, pricing, capabilities, financing options and more. With RFP Builder, users select exactly what they want to include in their request for proposal, and then generate a Word document that can be edited and customized even further. Flexible, comprehensive and user-friendly, this tool gives governmental agencies a faster, easier way to collect the information they need to make decisions based on total value considerations.
Resource Center is another valuable addition to GovBidSpec.com. This library of guides, tips and other procurement materials provides practical information about a range of topics including total cost procurement, cooperative purchasing, safety and financing alternatives for governmental entities.
Also new on GovBidSpec.com is a "Why Caterpillar?" section that outlines how the company's strengths in technology leadership, safety, operator training, dealer support and financing translate into an equipment investment that delivers the lowest total cost over the life cycle.

subset: commoncrawl


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Friday, February 17, 2012
I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
Some of the essays are so funny and revealing of our culture of youth, and it feels good to discover shared feelings with those who also fail to keep track of their reading glasses, are unable to locate what they need in their purses, and recognize the benefits of an empty nest.
The essays provide glimpses into the funny side of being a woman of a certain age as recounted by a woman who can see the humor in the mundane and writes with a clear and vivacious voice, but in the midst of humor, Ephron doesn't try to hide her definite regret about the process.
I saw an interview with Ephron several years ago and found her witty and refreshing and added the book to my "list," then promptly lost that particular list and forgot about the book. When Nancy of Pomegranate Trail recommended it, and I ordered a used copy. Thank you, Nancy!
A short read, mostly amusing, sometimes serious, the book is revealing about the positive and negative aspects of Ephron's personality. She's human and honest, self-deprecating and funny. She wrote the screenplays for Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally; was married to Carl Bernstein, wrote Heartburn, and knew who Deep Throat was long before the rest of us. She may share some universal feelings, but her gift is the ability to make us laugh.
Nonfiction. Memoir/Essay. 2008. 160 pages.
6 comments:
I have heard about this book since it came out, but haven't really felt any sort of pressing desire to read it...ReplyDelete
I read this a few years ago and enjoyed Ephron's wit. The part about her friend buying the vintage Hermes bag in Paris and placing it on top of the table where they were lunching as some sort of shrine was hilarious.ReplyDelete
Kailana - Her essays appeal to any age, but more so to "women of a certain age." :)ReplyDelete
Kim - Can you imagine paying that much for a purse? Cracks me up!
I read this shortly after it was published and thoroughly enjoyed it (4.5/5 rating). I've also read I Remember Nothing and while I enjoyed it, I don't think it was as good as I Feel Bad About My Neck.ReplyDelete
This is one of the those books that I've kept because I know I will enjoy reading it again sometime. It's nice to find some humor in being a "woman of a certain age."ReplyDelete
Les - Something about Ephron is so down to earth. To be able to have that "common touch" AND a sense of humor makes her so much fun.ReplyDelete
Framed - I agree; returning to some of these essays would be a pleasure. Which reminds me that I'd like to read some Erma Bombeck.


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Working to Make Childbirth Safer
A national safety program is helping hospitals stem the rise in complications from childbirth, which, a new study found, have nearly doubled in the past decade. More mothers-to-be are older or obese. But complication also hit healthy mothers, and newborns. WSJ's Laura Landro and Premier President Susan DeVore discuss on Lunch Break. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... so here complications from ... giving birth here on the rise and hospitals are starting to change ... some of the apprentice is and how they deal with this we have ... I wanna mention she's informed patient column along with seasoned aboard his present from year which is a ... cost in the long lines that operates at simulation training presents for this issue ... right thanks so much about from him for being here it's interesting the defense is behind why these complications ... from the rise CB pretty simple what are they ... well if you have advanced maternal age of the older you get there more complications are likely to happen maybe multiple births and also the population changes that things are causing all the other comes obesity chronic disease ... diabetes ... in women who couldn't have babies before were told not to the kidney disease ... so many complications of health ... it also lead to complications in pregnancy ... but then anyone can get hemorrhage and Nick really before we turn the season and how the hospital are dealing with this when we talk to him reaching is this that the biggest problem that's happening is that the most severe was the most severe thing that happened and you know remember a lot of programs that mostly focused on the eastern they've done a lot of great work and gimmick to the babies are okay ... it is a new focus now on let's let's have equal focus on the mother ... says and this is that it will try to kick inside a hospital just to be prepared for something like this happening ... aam because I would assume time is of the essence particularly comes to ... IRAs to tell us what you've been good with from near the trading firm Jupiter place ... the US instead we ... get to where he lives working hostile still over the years of ... age and fifty thousand ... minus ten meetings ... at what we do with these hospitals is actually helping to train their staffs to know what to do ... in Europe and challenges for Seoul We simulation training must be made us and we actually ... on the data design and the idealized Qishan to Liberty ... users instances and so we created what we call bundles of cheer and were actually measuring hospital's ability ... to be in compliance with all of those on his charitable hundred and eighty to make sure they're safe as possible ... consider that the track I what I would see and and and and training simulation and you have a lot of big blind that you would still on the table for help ... I didn't realize how much blood there that that the mother has hammered to me when EU and specifically doing ... actually it seems computer up so we asked computerized Adkins don't we ... on and it will be out ... and they are computerized two of a single lead performer ... if things were happening in emergency situations though so ... we'll ... be ... in danger and see what it is the expansion on and ... test the team's ability to really respond quickly ... and ... it would stimulate the production of labor for a slow brooding Labor day and age when tests wet and and teens actually our goals were steps they should follow in the East Labour and its peer at its next year ... really what it does is allows these needs to learn how to communicate and Conway ... I use the resources they have ... and how to quickly ... is this ... the contents ... of several times before ... to all the first time ... I now know exactly what to do ... this and that would help limit the possible ... use of the liability is well run Umansky this it is not just ... during the the the the the did during birth is the province also can be after the birth of a mother goes home to many dangers is now relaxing between complications if not then home to me when you're in that hostile media ... heady fifth ear infection for example because no one there is a high rates of Syrian factions among the complications It's Assyrians ... is that the placenta might get wrapped up in the surgical scar ... now that humans can start a couple of days later so what they've really track the CDC has really tracked ... post delivery complications ... in the hospital when you're still in the hospital ... and that of course is a great danger because you know ... they're actually been rated debt although still small has increased by sixty six percent of the decade just an hour and was a troubling statistic that that sounds like it we are doing something about it the of it with a smile and a more in your


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The new Nexus 7 has been thoroughly detailed in a set of pictures, benchmarks, and a hands-on video, just hours before the device is set to be officially unveiled by Google.
In a few hours, Android and Chrome boss Sundar Pichai will be sitting down to have breakfast with, well, everyone who tunes in to Google's live event feed, to talk about, among other things, the second-generation Nexus 7. The problem is, thanks to a flurry of leaks, we've had pretty much a clear idea of what to expect from the company's second attempt at a 7-inch tablet, which means the official unveiling won't hold many surprises for anyone who has been following the news these past few weeks.
To further put the dampener on Google's incoming announcement, a Reddit user who was able to buy the actual device before launch has posted a hands-on video and numerous pictures for our viewing pleasure. Shortly thereafter, the folks over at Android Police were kind enough to provide a full list of specs and various benchmark results of the tablet, so let's take a look at what you're getting with the new Nexus 7.
Right from the get-go, the new Nexus 7 looks almost exactly like its predecessor on the front, though there are a few noticeable changes on the back. Google has added a 5-megapixel camera, and switched the Nexus logo's position from portrait to landscape. The back apparently feels similar to the Nexus 10's (read: plasticky), but for the most part there are minimal changes, including a similar arrangement of all the ports and buttons.
The display has been upgraded to a 1920 x 1200 pixels unit, which will provide almost double the pixel density of the original N7 (and the iPad Mini, though that could change later this year). The chipset powering it is a quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro clocked at 1.5GHz, the same as the Nexus 4, that should provide a marked increase in performance over the Tegra 3 CPU, coupled with the Adreno 320 GPU and 2GB of RAM.
Thanks to the improved internals, the benchmark scores are higher across the board. In AnTuTu, a benchmark that gives a total score based on the processor, storage, memory, and graphical performance, the new N7 scored 19,883 points, which means it did marginally better than the Nexus 4 while falling short of devices like the HTC One, which are powered by the faster Snapdragon 600 chipset. The performance was similar to the Nexus 4 in the Quadrant test as well, owing to the common processor powering the two.
In 3DMark, a graphics benchmark, the new Nexus 7 was able to post a higher score than the Nexus 4 despite pushing more pixels to the display, though in case of graphics performance even more powerful devices like the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 aren't too far ahead, as all of them have the same Adreno 320 GPU ticking away inside. Compared to the Tegra 3 in last year's N7, it's almost a 3x boost, so all the gamers out there shouldn't be disappointed apart from the fact that they'll lose access to those Tegra-exclusive titles.
As expected, the new Nexus 7 runs on Android 4.3 (build number JWR66N, same as the one that leaked for the Nexus 4), and since it's a minor upgrade in terms of new features, the visible differences from Android 4.2 are not many. Under the hood, the audio latency has been reduced by almost half (40ms on 4.3, 80-90 on 4.2.2), and while it's still not as low as to make developers of music apps suddenly embrace the platform, it's an impressive achievement nonetheless. Going by the benchmark scores, underlying performance is also better, so it's clear to see what Google was aiming for with the latest version of Android.
Almost everything on the second-generation Nexus 7 has received a major upgrade, and while the hardware falls short of devices like the HTC One or even Google's own 10-inch tablet, the low $229 price tag should give prospective buyers no reason to complain. Hopefully, the second round of the low-cost 7-inch Nexus will be enough to attract developers into focusing on tablet-optimized apps for the most popular smartphone operating system in the world, but even it doesn't, well, that isn't going to stop you from placing an order as soon as the new Nexus 7 launches, is it?
Source: Android Police (2)


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If you're in the Knoxville area, come out to Marble Springs State Historic Site this Saturday at 1:00 P.M. Fellow history blogger Gordon Belt will talk about his new book John Sevier: Tennessee's First Hero, an examination of the ways we've remembered, misremembered, and failed to remember the man who probably did more than anyone else to create the Volunteer State.
The cool thing about this book is that it offers an accessible introduction to Sevier's life as well as a thoroughly researched examination of his place in tradition and memory. It traces the development of the Sevier legend across the three major phases of his life as a pioneer, a soldier, and a statesman, stopping along the way to address some of the more popular stories about him, such as the dramatic rescue of his future wife at Ft. Watauga, his involvement in the Franklin movement, and his public feud with Andrew Jackson.
I eagerly awaited the publication of Gordon's book, not just because it fits my personal research interests to a T but also because I think it will help address a troubling bit of historical amnesia we have here in Tennessee.
I think I first realized the extent of the problem the day I went to UT's library to borrow a book about Sevier. It was Carl Driver's 1932 biography, and I needed it for my master's thesis on memory and the Battle of King's Mountain. The guy behind the counter looked at the title and said, "Oh, the highway guy."
The highway guy? And then it hit me: Gov. John Sevier Highway loops around the southern and eastern sides of Knoxville.
He was the state's first governor, a member of Congress, a state senator, the only governor of the Lost State of Franklin, an officer in one of the Revolutionary War's pivotal battles, commander of the state militia, defender of the frontier and the scourge of the Cherokees. If we don't remember his stellar résumé, we should at least remember his name, because it's all over East Tennessee: Sevierville, Sevier County, Gov. John Sevier Animal Clinic, John Sevier Combined Cycle Plant, John Sevier Elementary School. Along with his nemesis Old Hickory, he's one of two Tennessee heroes in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall. Even his wife has an elementary school named in her honor.
But to the kid behind the library desk, he was "the highway guy."
The notion that a Tennessean of any era would be unfamiliar with the exploits of "Nolichucky Jack" would have come as quite a shock to his contemporaries. From the time of the American Revolution until his death in 1815, Sevier was one of the most popular men in his corner of the world.
But by the late 1800s, there was already a sense among antiquarians, regional authors, and amateur historians that Sevier and the other heroes of the old frontier had not received their historical due. These men were determined to rectify the problem, but they overcompensated. In the work of writers like James Gilmore and Francis M. Turner, Sevier became a frontier demigod. The hero-worshipping writers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries obscured the flesh-and-blood man behind a haze of tradition and sentimental prose.
There were other, later attempts to understand and commemorate Sevier and his times in the twentieth century. Some of the most interesting were on the stage, as the early settlement of Tennessee became the subject of outdoor dramas. On the printed page, regional historians like Samuel Cole Williams and Pat Alderman picked up where the antiquarians of the 1800s had left off. But separating the man from the myth remained a problem. Although Driver's biography is the most thorough cradle-to-grave treatment of Sevier, it dates back to the Great Depression.
Gordon's book is just the sort of fresh take we need to kickstart another revival of interest in one of the frontier's most important figures. Visit Marble Springs this weekend to hear him discuss it.


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Numerous scholarship opportunities are available this year from a variety of organizations.
� Maria Jefferson Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, will award a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving junior or senior who is a citizen of the U.S. and resident of Florida. The student must be matriculated in an accredited four-year college or university.
Application packets are available from the office of Leslie Keys, Flagler College; office of financial aid, University of North Florida; Caroline Tingle, St. Johns State College, Palatka; or DAR member Beverly Henry, 408 Camelia Trail, St. Augustine, FL 32086. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
� The St. Johns County Medical Alliance offers scholarships to graduating St. Johns County high school seniors pursuing an education in pre-medicine, nursing or allied health.
Applicants must reside in St. Johns County and plan to begin a program of study in the fall of 2012 at an accredited institution. This includes a four year college or university or a two year community or junior college. Scholarship applicants are evaluated on academic ability, school involvement, community service, and financial need.
To obtain a copy of the scholarship application, go to www.sjcma.blogspot.com.
� American Association of University Women-St. Augustine branch is offering two college scholarships for 2012-13.
The Jean Luoma Memorial Scholarship and the AAUW St. Augustine Scholarship each usually exceed $1,000 with amounts based on fundraising. Qualified candidates will be residents of St. Johns County, have a 3.0 GPA, have completed at least the first year of college and be a U.S. citizen. Applicants will need to provide 3 references, transcript and application including a short essay. The deadline is March 15. The applications can be obtained in the St. Johns County Libraries and at www.aauwstaugustine.wordpress.com/scholarship.
� The New York Transit Retirees of Florida, Chapter 2 will award two $500 scholarships to a Flagler Palm Coast or Matanzas high school graduating senior with a 2.5 GPA or higher.
Applicants do not have to have a connection to New York City or our Transit organization. Applications are available in the guidance departments at FPC and Matanzas high schools. The application deadline is March 10. Call 386-446-4657.
� The Sons of Italy in America, St Augustine Lodge #2780 will award scholarships. A scholarship may be provided for any current St. Johns County High School student with a demonstrable Italian-American heritage (of any proportion) and will be judged by the following primary criteria. Applicants must be residents of St. Johns County and plan to be in a program of study in the fall of 2012 at an accredited educational institution above high school.
This may include a four-year college or university, a two-year community college, or a vocational/technical school. Additional evaluation criteria are described in the application package.
To request an application package call 461-4911 or 471-1631 or email: firstname.lastname@example.com and provide the name, address, email address and phone number for providing the application package. Completed applications and required documentation are due by April 16.
� To promote automotive technology preservation, the Ancient City Auto Club has created student scholarships for First Coast Technical College's Automotive Service Technology program.
Two, $500 scholarships will be awarded to male and/or female students, ages 18 to 25. High school GPA is a consideration, but not a requirement.
Applicants are requested to write a short essay describing an interest in the auto field. Include any previous experience working on cars, participation in auto clubs, community/school activities, organizations, etc. Applications will be accepted until April 30, with finalists interviewed by ACAC members. Scholarships awarded at FCTC's Awards Night on May 15. For application information contact Soman, at 461-9595, or mail application to 1186 San Jose Forrest Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32080.
� First Coast Technical College will award scholarships to Florida graduating high school seniors who desire technical career education.
FCTC's scholarship covers tuition for one year and may be used in any of 22 technical courses offered at four campus locations located in St. Johns and Putnam counties. Great jobs with excellent pay await those who have specific technical skills and abilities. Program completion takes from several months to two years.
Applications are available at www.fctc.edu (click prospective students) or 547-3502, and must be returned by April 1.


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Eleven years ago this month, my husband and I went on a research trip to Dunham, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada for four days. Traveling to this area of Canada took less than seven hours, so it wasn't a very long trip. I was extremely well prepared, because I knew exactly where I wanted to go, had the addresses of those I wanted to meet, and had mapped out the cemeteries. It all came together.
The first stop was at the Missisquoi Historical Society in East Stanbridge, a goldmine of resources. I had communicated with the archivist, and knew the hours of operation, and their holdings. Later, I met with a cousin, who came quite a distance to meet me at my B and B. The owners were very accommodating to us...I'm thinking, although they spoke French and I only English.
Another thing my husband and I did was drive all over the county and that of Brome County looking at gravestones. Another cousin had just visited the area several months earlier and found a number of our shared ancestors, so I was extremely fortunate. She had given me a marked map and copies of her photos. In all, I located 22 direct ancestor graves! I had totally forgotten that, until I mentioned it recently to GeneaBlogger, Carol Bowen Stevens, and she thought it was amazing. After all these years, I think so too, I was very lucky.
The last wonderful aspect of the trip was, I went to the old Ten Eyck homestead. I have no idea how old the house is, but the land has been in the family for well over 200 years. My grandmother grew up in the house, and when I was young, we went there for a long visit, as my grandmother's brother's family now lived there. The brother was deceased, but his wife was kind to invite us in for a long chat about the family. One thing led to another, and I found out that the wife, was born in the city where I now live! You just never know what you are going to find out when you talk to somebody.
This trip still brings back sentimental thoughts. It was a perfect trip, perfect weather and perfect memories.
The photos below are three photos taken that day at the house. And the one below, was scanned from the book, Dunham 1867 - 1992 (Anniversary Book), (Pub. Editions Louis Bilodeau and Fils Ltee, Sherbrook, Quebec 1992).
Ten Eyck Farm, Dunham, Missisquoi Co., Quebec, Canada


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French Sampler
Friday, April 27, 2012
Something for the Weekend
Afternoon Tea in the Garden 1957
Henrietta Tiarks
, Debutante, Model and The Duchess of Bedford...
Richard Avedon 1959
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend
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Henrietta Tiarks
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Messing about with Flowers
What is it about new cameras and flowers? We just can't seem to help ourselves. I have been mucking about with my new camera, keen eyed photographers will see I have been experimenting with depth of field. I still have so much to learn with the new camera, I think it will be an endless and ongoing learning curve but I am loving it! Experimentation is the best way, I have already gone on from all the automatic settings and am trying to get my head round F stops, light metering and ISO speeds! Not to mention experimenting with different light, textures and composition.
Flowers are always such a pleasure, Belle Mere is visiting us at the moment and she arrived with an armful of Ranunculus in pink and white, she brought them all the way from Provence!
Then yesterday whilst walking with Crusoe I spied some pretty wild flowers growing in a field, I hopped in and picked them before the local cows ate them, better in my house than in the cows tummies!
The weather here at the moment is pretty dire, very mixed and cold, I keep forgetting it is only April, March was beautiful and warm and confused everything, mostly me, I was working in the garden in a T shirt and shorts, now I am huddled up in wool, I am impatient for Summer and I am dying to get outside and experiment with some lovely spring shots, I have a photographic project in mind that I am keen to get started, it is on hold until the weather improves, I will keep you posted.
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Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Could Have Been Yesterday
Lee Miller, Man Ray Paris 1929
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Lee Miller
Man Ray
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Jacques Tati
Cannes Film Festival 1958, Jacques Tati and Alain Bercourt walk towards the Carlton Hotel, Henri Cartier-Bresson
I have a crush on the late
Jacques Tati
, MG first told me about him years ago but I had never seen one of his films. Fast forward to today and a chat to the Post Master at my local village post office, the conversation was sparked off by all the gorgeous retro film posters advertising Jacques Tati films, which decorate the walls of the tiny post office, the Post Master is a fan.
"Oh Madame, but you must see his films, I know you are a lady of taste, you will love them". With that kind of flattery from the handsome Post Master, who could resist? Once home I googled him straight away and now I am hooked. I see inspiration from Charlie Chaplin and I see where Peter Sellers got his inspiration from. Below is a clip, but you can see the whole of part one of Mon Oncle
and that will bounce you onto the whole film, if you feel so inclined and get hooked as I did, in fact I whiled away an hour or so watching the entire film on u tube when I was supposed to be working! It's a great comedic insight into post war France.
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Cannes Film Festival
Jacques Tati
Mon Oncle
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Underneath The Arbour
The arbour a few Springs ago
'Underneath the arbour', it should read 'all change in the arbour' but the latter sounded less romantic. We are very fortunate to have a large garden with plenty of al fresco dining areas. The arbour comes into it's own during July and August when we decamp there, usually for long lazy summer lunches, with good company, good food and copious amounts of wine, these lunches often last well into the night. The shade of the Campsis which winds around the latticework, the light, Summer westerly wind which breezes through the arbour, its gentle touch cooling hot skin, make dining outside in our humid Summers a very pleasurable experience.
MG has been itching to do something to the arbour for ages, he already started a couple of years ago when he replaced the lattice work, carefully propping up the ancient branches of the Campsis with Acro props. Last week the surface was re skimmed with concrete and with a fall this time, so the damp will no longer seep into the garage (which will one day be a sitting room) which lies behind the wall of this gable end.
MG (who is a natural, gifted designer and craftsman, amongst other things) has plans, I must admit, they are quite radical and quite modern, my eyebrows were raised when he first told me as I struggled to see his vision but now I have come round to the idea and am in fact quite excited about it. We have a deadline, May 12th, so this is all going to happen rather quickly, (weather permitting!) I will keep you posted and show you the final result.
The arbour the other day, don't worry even though the ivy has been removed, the Roses, Peonies, Scabiosa and Fleabane are still there (and are staying there) they just have not come up yet.
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A polluted stream which has turned white in Dongchuan district of Kunming, Yunnan province, March 20. According to local media, the source of the pollution is waste water discharged by nearby mining industries.
Farmers dig ditches from a white polluted stream to farm fields for irrigation in Dongchuan district of Kunming, Yunnan province, March 21.
A villager carries buckets of water to be used for drinking from a white polluted stream in Dongchuan district of Kunming, Yunnan province, March 20.
A villager holds two bottles of water, one from the polluted stream, left, and the other normal mineral water, in Dongchuan district of Kunming, Yunnan province, March 21.
Locals began calling the river, 'milk river' after runoff from a nearby mine turned the water white. It is their only source of drinking water and farmers use it to irrigate their fields.
Pollution problems are growing in China. Smog in Beijing, captured in pictures and heavily reported, caught the world's attention. Outdoor air pollution is now the fourth leading risk factor for deaths in the country, according to a report in The New York Times. But polluted water is another problem. In March, thousands of dead pigs were found floating in a Shanghai river, the main source of water for the city's residents. Tainted waterways have been linked to higher cancer rates in people living nearby. Rivers filled with algae, garbage or turned unnatural colors by factory runoff and chemical spills are still being used by farmers, fisherman and for drinking water.
An official newspaper reported that China will spend 100 billion yuan ($16 billion dollars) over three years to deal with Beijing's pollution. But will they address the water issue?
Editor's note: The pictures were taken on March 20-21, but made available to NBC News today.


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Why we love a Celtics-Lakers Final: was Paul Pierce faking or hurt in the game one of 2008 Finals?
HoopsVibe's Quick Call: Like you, HoopsVibe News loves having the Celtics and Lakers in the NBA Finals because of the controversy.
For instance, in 2008, you'll remember these two met, clashed, and fought for championship glory. The mighty green-and-white of Boston prevailed, in part, because of Paul Pierce's heroics in game one.
The All-Star injured his knee, but – in a moment that reminded many of Willis Reed emerging from the Madison Square Garden tunnel to lead the New York Knicks to victory on a sprained ankle – returned to lead the Celtics' comeback.
Was it really heroic?
Of course, there were doubters, especially amongst Laker-nation. They felt Pierce exaggerated the injury. They felt he wanted to set the stage for his dramatic return.
Others, however, believed Pierce displayed tenacity and guts by playing through the pain. And Boston fans see it as the defining moment of his proud career.
The Truth, pun intended, may be somewhere in the middle.
Was Pierce's return in 2008 acting or heroics? Was he faking or hurt? Watch the clips below and get at us in the comment box below with thoughts.
(The case for Pierce faking!)
(The case for Pierce having a legit injury!)


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California American Water and Monterey Peninsula Water Management District inject excess Carmel River flows into Seaside groundwater basin for summer withdrawal
California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District began annual operations of their joint Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project this month. The ASR project diverts excess water from the Carmel River that would otherwise flow to the Pacific Ocean, and stores the water in the Seaside groundwater basin. High flows in the river typically occur during the winter when the Monterey Peninsula receives the majority of its rainfall. During the dry, summer months when river flows are low and pumping is restricted, the stored water serves as an alternate source of supply.
"This program has tremendous environmental benefits," said Craig E. Anthony, general manager of California American Water. "It enables us to manage our pumping of the Carmel River aquifer in a way that most benefits the river and its habitat, including the threatened Central Coast steelhead trout."
Pumping for the ASR program began in December when river flows reached approximately 190 cfs, and has since been gradually increased to full capacity.
California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District began testing the ASR project in 1998. Two ASR wells have already been drilled by the district in the Seaside Basin and have been in operation since 2008. In 2009, California American Water constructed a new pipeline that allowed the full, permitted potential of excess Carmel River water to be captured and injected into the basin in the winter. It is estimated that an average of 900 acre ft per year of ASR water could now be supplied by the project.
"ASR is key to resolving the Monterey Peninsula's water supply shortage," said Monterey Peninsula Water Management District General Manager Darby Fuerst. "Like the development of new water supplies such as desal, and improved water conservation, ASR is a critical component of our future supply."
Based on the success of the ASR program, California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District are working cooperatively to expand the facilities by drilling two additional wells near Fitch Middle School in Seaside, which would double the project's yield.
California American Water is charged by the state to develop an additional water supply of more than 10,000 acre ft per year to replace current pumping from the Carmel River and the Seaside Basin. A project to accomplish this, which includes a desalination facility, is currently under review by the California Public Utilities Commission, which certified its Environmental Impact Report for the project on Dec. 17, 2009.


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Before you start recording new voice-overs and narrations, you can set up your mic. With the new Microphone Setup Wizard, you can verify that your audio is set up correctly. Simply connect the microphone, run the Wizard to set volume and mic sensitivity, and use it to record new voice-overs.
Follow these detailed instructions below to setup your mic:
- Click Record Audio and go to Settings or open the Narration Editor Options in the Narration Editor File menu.
- Start the Wizard by clicking Set Up Microphone and click Next.
- Now, select your mic in the list and click Next.
- Next, select a recording device type and click Next to proceed.
- Headset microphone
- Desktop Microphone
- Webcam
- Other – professional studio mic, clip-on mic etc.
- Check the recommendations at this step and click Next.
- Read the text on the screen and click Next, when you are done.
- If the setup finishes successfully, you will see a notification that your mic was properly configured and now it is ready to use.
- The setup may fail due to a number of reasons. You will see the error description on the screen. You can click Back and repeat recording following the recommendations on the error screen.
- If you see the Change microphone screen, it's highly recommended to change the microphone, select another device in the list and complete the setup.
If you are switching from one mic plugged in your computer to another, run the Setup Wizard for the new device.


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The population growth of working developers will take a major hit during 2009 in most industrialized economies, according to analyst Evans Data.
The researcher said it's dropped growth projections based on estimations made 12 months ago by a whopping 78 per cent for North America, Japan and Western Europe. The impact on "the rest of the world" will be less severe, but still had its growth projections slashed by 35 per cent versus last year, Evans stated.
On a global basis, we were forecasting in 2009 about 15.2 million developers," said Evans chief executive John Andrews. "Presently we're forecasting 14.6 million."
Evans largely blames the drop on a flagging economy, which has resulted in less spending on IT and communications and also produced layoffs. The analyst said it's also seeing less students in industrialized nations graduate in computer science. The population of developers in China and India, however, are expected to grow by 22 per cent from 2009 to 2011 according to Evans.
Andrews said the economies are more insulated from the larger IT spending freeze and are also benefitting from a younger population of developers combined with outsourcing by other countries. ®


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Jeffery Yap-Gammatera G2 Gaming Headphones
At Design Interviews
Interview with Jeffery Yap : Frank Scott: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?. Jeffery Yap : Stunning, Straight forward and Inspiring. .Frank Scott: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?. Jeffery Yap : I only focus on being unique and trendsetting without ignoring the needs of the target customers. .Frank Scott: What are your future plans for this award winning design?. Jeffery Yap : I will keep on working on great designs and look forward to work with other designers from around the world. .Frank Scott: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?. Jeffery Yap : 2 months .Frank Scott: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?. Jeffery Yap : Everything about this design is originally created by me. .Frank Scott: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?. Jeffery Yap : Yes the design has been confirmed and will be in the mass production stage in early 2015. .Frank Scott: What made you design this particular type of work?. Jeffery Yap : Edifier, a China No.1 audio equipments manufacturer is set to introduce a brand new gaming headphone like no others, an more exciting, soulful, competitive Gaming Headphone which named under the group Franchise, "G - Series ", with an ambitious Product name given - " Gammatera". Gammatera, represents the true warriors of the post-apocalypse era, an ultimate force of bravery to discover unknown dangers and potentials of the gaming world. .Frank Scott: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?. Jeffery Yap : None. .Frank Scott: Who is the target customer for his design?. Jeffery Yap : Online Computer Gamers .Frank Scott: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?. Jeffery Yap : There is a story we created for this product and the packaging, which most of the packaging in the market are lack of a background story and rationale, we have jumped out from the box of making this product stands out from others, in the sense of colours, mechanism and user experiences. Getting into the world of an online gamer set us apart from any competitors in the market. .Frank Scott: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?. Jeffery Yap : I was inspired by the Ancient Terracotta Warriors from the origin of the Great Emperor Qin with the legendary dynasty of Qin from 221 to 206 BC. The Edifier G-Series - Gammatera, represents the true warriors of the post-apocalypse era, an ultimate force of bravery to discover unknown dangers and potentials of the gaming world. .Frank Scott: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?. Jeffery Yap : adobe illustrator, photoshop and 3D Max .Frank Scott: What is the most unique aspect of your design?. Jeffery Yap : We have created a frontier of gaming headphone packaging design which no one has ever seen this in the market yet, friendly and stunning design are the reason to get excited. .Frank Scott: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?. Jeffery Yap : Yes, from the technical point of view, we have work closely with the client in producing a few prototypes before we confirm the packaging mechanism, but we created the design from scratch and implemented researches in ensuring our design fits perfectly internally and externally with the overall user experiences. .Frank Scott: What is the role of technology in this particular design?. Jeffery Yap : highly biodegradable and recyclable material, such as 600gsm card board with Matt Lamination Protection with a touch of luxury and sustainability; the open window design using biodegradable transparent plastic with supreme product visibility ; opening Panel has internal built-in magnets created for more user-friendly experience. .Frank Scott: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?. Jeffery Yap : Focus groups helps us in defining the core values of our target group (online gamers) and also product testing among the chosen candidates gave us sufficient data to improve our design. .Frank Scott: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?. Jeffery Yap : Practicality versus Creativity are the 2 things that always needed to be evaluated before a great design is born. .Frank Scott: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?. Jeffery Yap : I am excited to share good design creation to the world, and wish to help my client's getting international recognitions on their products and also hope to attend international events in seeking more networking possibilities with other designers. .Frank Scott: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?. Jeffery Yap : i have learnt the needs and desire in the world of online gamers, which inspired to explore to other possibilities .
Jeffery Yap-Gammatera G2 Gaming Headphones Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to Design Industrial homepage.


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Original Trinity Hymnal, #558
Who trusts in God, a strong abode
In heav'n and earth possesses;
Who looks in love to Christ above,
No fear his heart oppresses.
In thee alone, dear Lord, we own
Sweet hope and consolation;
Our shield from foes, our balm for woes,
Our great and sure salvation.
Though Satan's wrath beset our path,
And worldly scorn assail us,
While thou art near we will not fear,
Thy strength shall never fail us:
Thy rod and staff shall keep us safe,
And guide our steps for ever;
Nor shades of death, nor hell beneath,
Our souls from thee shall sever.
In all the strife of mortal life
Our feet shall stand securely;
Temptation's hour shall lose its power,
For thou shalt guard us surely.
O God, renew, with heav'nly dew,
Our body, soul, and spirit,
Until we stand at thy right hand,
Through Jesus' saving merit.
Page number: Blue 558, Right-Click Here to Download MIDI File
|© 2020 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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NB4U on Family Tree Circles
view: full | list
Journals and Posts
Looking for James & Michael Moffitt Melbourne Australia
James MOFFITT son of Michael Moffitt & Margaret BLACKHALL was born in Fowberry Mains England 1829 married twice, 1 to Eleanor (Ellen)2 MILLS & Helen TURNBULL. I am not sure where they married. He appears to have 8 children but again I am unsure from which marriages. Michael Moffitt B c 1861/62 in Melbourne m Annie KENNEDY 28.2.1887, parents of Micheal Joseph (my G'Fthr).
Does anyone have this line and know when James came to Australia and his history in Australia?
How soon after the marriage of Michael and Annie did they move to NZ? where they had James Edward (AllBlack) and Michael Joseph b Dunedin 07.02.1889-( Int Referee & my G'Fthr) Edward, Annie and Jane?
My Grandfather married Mary Johanna THWAITES, an Australian by birth in NZ in 1915.
I would love to visit Victoria where my family lived and collect history, any photos of homes and cemetaries would be wonderfull.I now live in QLD Aust permanently
- Displaying 1-1 of 1 Journals
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I started with python a while ago, but i didn't keep up...
Now i want to turn back to it, it was my second language (after some BASIC ) do you recommend me to keep up with it?
I want it for pen testing, vuln. assesment, and maybe writing security apps.


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First Quarter
Warner Bros
Adland® is a commercial-laden heaven and hell for advertising addicts around the world.
Founded in 1996, built on beer and bravery, Adland® now boasts the largest super bowl commercials collection in the world.
Adland survives on your donations alone. You can help us out by donating via Paypal, Donately or tip us at Liberapay.


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Tuesday, June 25: Watch Carnival, Lennar, Walgreen
Chris Dieterich takes a look at the stocks traders will be watching in market action, including Carnival, Lennar and Walgree. Photo: AP.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the the ... all in the first is Tesla not ... to about six percent premarket ... after their their their quarterly earnings nation in a big uptick in revenue so ... um some positivity some positivity there and Walgreen ... and looking down pre sharply ... premarket ... they did it imported profit gain from the year-earlier pumpkin candle that shy of analyst expectations and how that ... can influence thousands of thirties as Carnival ... Cruise line operator has been a little higher until it yet ... that businesses use to oneself ... from one offering ... it's it seems like a aam ... lor lor fuel costs for them are are are so helping in the short term they also looked ... looking ahead to the year expect some their fuel efficiency measures to take full and so the ... cost-cutting measures this let's talk about a half ... percent


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The Daily IKN email digest, get all daily posts sent to you next day (& no ads)
Daniel Ameduri's stupidity
Daniel Ameduri is in way over his head. He decided to take the bribes from Frank Giustra and his cohorts such as Brian Paes-Braga, but for some unknown reason he thinks he's some sort of respected stock picker too. Now that the easy money has gone and Ameduri pumps a stock and the Giustra crew do what they're always going to do, i.e. dump massive amounts of virtually free paper into the new volume, the price either stalls or falls and our poor little chemically challenged friend Ameduri throws a tantrum.
More details. Recently (and along with that other full-scale Giustra sycophant and scumbag Tommy Humphreys at CEO.ca) Ameduri pumped Japan Gold (JG.v) to his flock of sheep in exchange for yet another one of those six figure bribery cheques. The stock rocketed that day (Sep 19th) from 60c to 85c as the idiots who believe this tripe piled on to the tune of over 3m shares, but the days that followed saw immediate large scale selling as Paes-Braga unloaded all his pennystocks. Here we are a month later and JG.v is at 42c.
Next example Winston Gold (WGC on the CSE exchange) which is basically the same story of Giustra's chequebook and an Ameduri pump but this time only a few days ago and instead of any upside move at all, WGC immediately got whacked as the Paes-Braga/Giustra shares fell out. According to IKN's very well placed source "Ameduri went ballistic" and after talking to Giustra, in a fit of childish pique told Giustra it was all over between them and called sell on his previous bullshit pump jobs for the man, First Mining Finance (FF.v) and Lithium One (LIX.v) (which are of course constant favourites over at the paid lackey Tommy Humphrey's site as well...oh what a coincidence) at his main vehicle of bullshit dissemination Future Money Trends, as well as calling sell on his other paid pump Japan Gold (JG.v) via his other site CrushTheStreet.
In other words, Ameduri gets paid millions of dollars to pump these worthless companies by people holding massive amounts of shares in them at virtual zero cost, but when the scumbags who pay him sell their shares Daniel Ameduri gets all angry and throws his toys out of the pram. This dude has a serious, serious mental issue to sort out, he somehow thinks that getting paid cash by the scum of the Vancouver earth and doing their dirty deeds doesn't automatically make him one of the scumbags as well. How old is this guy, 15?
You have to have a serious coke habit...
...to do what Daniel Ameduri has done to Frank Giustra and think it's not going to ruin your business reputation. Talk about dumbasses, this guy tops the lot. A paid pumper who thinks his clients owe him a favour! You can't make this shit up.
Update Saturday: And if you want to know more, here.
Update Saturday: And if you want to know more, here.
The Friday OT: Nina Simone; Just like a woman
One of the most distinctive voices in the history of recorded music sings the M.I.A. Nobel winner. Suggested by reader GP and a darned good suggestion it was, too.
Youtube here.
PS: This week's OT is not Pen Pineapple Apple Pen.
Adventures in the countryside
This weekend in The IKN Weekly issue 390: The story of the visit to here:
It was fun and educational.
The single must-see event at the 2016 New Orleans Investment Conference
One of the features of the New Orleans Investment Conference every year is when a bunch of junior mining companies make sales pitches to a randomly chosen mining expert, all done in front of an audience. As luck would have it, one of the experts up for the game in the 2016 New Orleans gig is Brent Cook and here are the companies he's been allotted:
- Great Panther Silver (GPR.to) (GPL)
- Sirios Resources (SOI.v)
- Brazil Resources (BRI.v)
- First Mining Finance (FF.v)
- Balmoral Resources (BAR.to)
This could turn out to be the funniest mining event of the year. If you're going to the New Orleans show, do not miss this one.
Majors in earnings week: And the winner is...
...Barrick (ABX). So far.
Comparing the U$10Bn+ market cap majors to last weekend's closing prices:
- The main precious metals miners' ETF (GDX) is down 2.92%
- Goldcorp is down 3.35%
- Newmont is down 4.02%
- Franco Nevada is down 3.8%
- Agnico Eagle is down 1.24%
But Barrick (ABX) is up by 0.59%. Hardly a king's ransom, but better than the rest.
Mr. Prospector
"Mr. Prospector (January 28, 1970 – June 1, 1999) was a Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Kentucky whose descendants have dominated the United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. He won half of his 14 career races."
"...Mr. Black founded the Peruvian registered Rio Alto S.A.C. In 2009 after successfully negotiating the acquisition of the La Arena Gold Project from Iamgold Corp, Rio Alto was acquired by Mexican Silver Mines and renamed Rio Alto Mining Limited. In 2014, Rio Alto also completed the successful acquisition of Sulliden Gold and the Shahuindo Gold Project for C$300M. Mr. Black, as President & CEO of Rio Alto Mining Limited and his experienced management team built Rio Alto from a C$12M company in 2009 to a C$1.2 billion company in 2015 at the time of the acquisition by Tahoe Resources Inc..."
Name that view
Argentina: Chubut considers a referendum (from IKN389)
Here's one small section of this week's edition of The IKN Weekly, IKN389, out last Sunday:
Argentina: Chubut considers a referendum
It started with the head of the Chubut provincial cabinet of regional ministers, one Victor Cisterna, saying that the Chubut government was considering holding a referendum on mining activity in the province. It only took a day before English language headlines were confidently proclaiming "Chubut To Vote On Open Pit Mining" (15) and the whole message of "hey look, even Chubut is going to allow mining soon" was in the air, promoted by "Them What Know Stuff" wearing suits in Toronto and Vancouver.
These people are very stupid (about Argentina). Things to consider:
1) Whether the referendum will happen at all. After all, Chubut's government promised one for September 2015, that got neatly forgotten.
2) When any referendum would happen. If they decide to call such a vote, the obvious date would be at the same time as the regional mid-term elections of late 2017 (in fact that date was mentioned by Señor Cisterna as the possible frame).
3) Whether it would be a binding vote. It's one thing to have a referendum, quite another to act on its results. And for me, even if the vote goes ahead and Yes wins this is a classic looking "bicycle" situation (as they say in Argentina), where the slang verb bicicletear is used to denote indefinite delaying tactics, kicking can down the road etc.
4) What the result would be. As the Chubut constitution clearly states that there can only be one law for the whole province on any given matter, the people most interested in the Yes result, those in the Central Meseta region close to Pan American Silver's (PAA.to) (PAAS) Navidad project, will have to convince those in the very anti-mining West Cordillera region and the ambivalent and higher populated East Atlantic coastal region that mining's a good thing. And the central population is very sparse.
5) Why governor Mario Das Neves would call such a vote. He's known as anti-mining, he's also under pressure from the national government to show willing for the national cause. This could be a situation in which he won't call a referendum unless he feels confident the result will be a No.
People on the outside looking in seem to be convinced that news of a referendum, even a possible referendum, in Chubut is a positive development for the mining industry of Argentina and for the Navidad project (even Yamana's Suyai at a pinch). They're wrong. This is just another layer of bullshit being added to the pile. Forget Chubut as a mining destination, just like PAAS should have done before buying their white elephant.
On The Road
Posting will be somewhere between light and non-existent on this humble corner of cyberspace until Friday. For secret reasons.
Simon Ridgway is not a twat
Because if you call him a twat he gets all sensitive and defensive. Which makes him a double twat, the delicate flower.
Scumbag Frank Giustra just played Daniel Ameduri for the greenhorn patsy he is
Everybody's laughing at you, Dannyboy.
Management at Copper Mountain and K92, please take note
MarketWatch this morning runs "LUV your stock: Why ticker symbols matter", here's an excerpt:
"...researchers asked undergraduate business students at the University of Central Florida to rate three-letter ticker symbols from 1,959 publicly traded companies based on how much they liked them and how easy they were to pronounce. The paper found that valuations of shares with symbols the students liked.... were about 1.3 percentage points higher than valuations of those with handles rated less favorably..." continues here
The people behind the ticker symbol decisions for Copper Mountain (CUM) and "Derek and Clive" K92 Mining (KNT) need their heads examining. Mind you, I still rue the day now defunct junior Polar Star got in new management and changed its ticker to PSR. Previously it had been POS, which was simply perfect.
Chart of the day is...
...the Kitco live gold chart, which you can follow here if you want:
Somebody in New York decided they wanted to own some gold.
The Guardian picks up the story of the death of Brazil environment officer Luiz Alberto Araújo
This is the assassination, most a hit job ordered by illegal loggers, that IKN picked up on at the time of the killing back on October 13th (here and here). It's good to see it getting some wider coverage and here's an extract from the Graun note:
More than 150 environmental activists have been killed in Brazil since 2012, with studies showing the country accounts for half the global toll of such murders.Many of those killed, including the high-profile cases of Chico Mendes, Dorothy Stang, and Zé Claudio Ribeiro da Silva, were campaigners. But Araújo was a government official, and advocates say his murder is a rare and worrying development.
"The killing of Luiz Alberto Araújo marks a new low in the war waged against environmentalists in the Brazilian Amazon," said Billy Kyte, campaign leader at the NGO Global Witness. "It sends a message that no one is untouchable.
The IKN Weekly, out now
IKN389 has just been sent to subscribers. It has words, numbers and charts with both words and numbers. And Wilfred Owen. And Douglas Adams.
Labels: otto, the IKN weekly
Global Mining Observer interviews David Garofalo of Goldcorp (GG)
Even by GMO's high standards this is one humdinger of an interview. The intrepid AW makes it to Vancouver and sits down with Garofalo, head cheese of Goldcorp (GG) and gets a whole stack of inside track on how the company's new boss sees his company's direction.
Go read Breakfast in Vancouver with David Garofalo. As for all you other mining bosses out there, you too would look a whole lot better in the eyes of the investment public if you did this kind of Q&A, instead of the normal fawning BS ego-massage stuff you all seem to prefer. Applause due to Garofalo.
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Kandi Shows Off Her Thickness At The Beach & Sex Talk! "I Need Somebody Thats Going To Kiss Both Of My Lips Good" [Fixed]
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GOP lawsuit against Obama could outlast his presidency
WASHINGTON — As if President Obama doesn't have enough on his plate, the former constitutional law professor might spend the last 2½ years of his term in court, battling Republicans over whether he violated the Constitution.
House Speaker John Boehner's plan to sue the president for going around Congress on issues such as health care, immigration and prisoner exchanges represents an unprecedented congressional reaction to arguably unprecedented presidential initiatives.
Boehner's legal challenge may be a long shot, particularly in lower federal courts that traditionally support the government. But if he carries his case all the way to the Supreme Court, it could outlast Obama's presidency.
As a result, Boehner v. Obama could come to symbolize the president's contentious relations with congressional Republicans in much the same way impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton did in the late 1990s.
"It's very unlikely that you could resolve anything of this sort until Obama is gone," says Norman Ornstein, a congressional and presidential scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
Boehner has yet to outline Republicans' specific case against Obama for violating Article 2, Section 3 of the Constitution, which says the president "shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed." The House Rules Committee will convene a hearing next week before voting on legislation authorizing a lawsuit, which Republicans then would approve in the full House.
The speaker's choices are many, but his constitutional argument is untested. Most liberal legal experts scoff at his chances; most conservatives lend them credibility.
"It's very important that the Constitution is phrased the way it's phrased," says Simon Lazarus, senior counsel at the liberal Constitutional Accountability Center. It requires the president to show judgment and exercise authority through subordinates, he says, rather than execute every part of every law personally.
"It has to be challenged in my judgment," counters Curt Levey, executive director of the conservative Committee for Justice, "and this may be the best way to challenge it."
Whether Obama has violated the Constitution will come down to the specific actions Boehner challenges. Arguably, the president's overall record on executive actions isn't extraordinary. He has issued 182 executive orders in more than five years — a slower pace than any of his immediate predecessors. Ronald Reagan issued 381 in eight years; George W. Bush, 291.
But some of Obama's recent actions have addressed major policy issues such as the minimum wage, immigration and same-sex marriage. He made his case for unilateral action transparently, telling Congress in this year's State of the Union address that "wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that's what I'm going to do."
When presented with Boehner's plan of attack, his response was simple: "So sue me."
"Some of the Republicans in Congress are mad at me for going ahead and doing things," Obama told supporters in Denver Wednesday. "They have plans to sue me for taking executive actions that are within my authority — while they do nothing."
That's what Noel Canning, a Pepsi bottler in Yakima, Wash., did in 2012. The company's legal battle over Obama's "recess appointments" to the National Labor Relations Board ended last month when the Supreme Court declared the appointments unconstitutional because the Senate was not in recess.
Although Noel Canning had the right to sue over the NLRB's ruling on its union contract, it's not clear that House Republicans have standing to sue Obama.
When six members of Congress challenged the constitutionality of the presidential line-item veto in 1997, the Supreme Court denied standing, ruling that the loss of congressional power was an "abstract and widely dispersed" injury.
And last year, the court allowed the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group, composed of the top five House leaders, to defend a law denying federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples after the Justice Department refused to defend it. It did not rule either way on the issue of standing.
Conservatives hope the courts will grant Congress standing to file suit even though Obama's actions, such as those affecting health care and immigration, did not injure anyone.
"Without judicial review of the president's suspension, there is literally no other way — short of impeachment — to defend separation of powers," appellate lawyer David Rivkin and Elizabeth Price Foley, a Florida International University law professor, argued in a recent article.
"I think standing is the whole ball game," says Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow in constitutional studies at the libertarian Cato Institute. "If Boehner gets past standing, that's the toughest challenge. At that point, I think he has the better case over Obama."
That case could include:
•A variety of exemptions and delays granted after the enactment in 2010 of Obama's signature health care law, such as the mandate that employers offer health insurance to their employees.
•The halting of deportations for thousands of undocumented immigrants who came to the USA as young children.
•The prisoner swap that freed five Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl without prior congressional notification.
"I think it is clear that the president has overstepped his authority on a number of occasions," says Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School. "The president is effectively nullifying federal law."
On health care, the president could be helped or hurt by a ruling that could come as soon as Thursday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. A three-judge panel is set to decide whether the Internal Revenue Service had the right to offer tax subsidies to participants in federal health exchanges, rather than only state exchanges. A ruling against Obama could blow a hole in the health care law — and probably would be appealed to the full circuit court or the Supreme Court.
The case on immigration may be harder to make. In a landmark 2012 ruling involving Arizona's challenge to federal immigration laws, the Supreme Court granted considerable leeway to the federal government to exercise "discretion" when dealing with "immediate human concerns."
"You could make a case if you wanted to that he stretched his executive authority on immigration, and he stretched his executive authority in some areas of the (health care law)," Ornstein says. "All of those fit well within the zone of executive discretion. But they are using executive discretion in an expansive way."


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HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) - Joe Gibbs Racing announced Thursday that Kyle Busch has signed a long-term extension to continue driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry.
In addition, JGR will field the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the Nationwide Series for at least 25 races with Busch as the primary driver. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Busch, who has won 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races and made the Chase for the Cup five times since 2005, said he chose to stay with JGR after weighing offers from two other ownership groups.
"It's something that is really exciting that we've been working on for a long time," Busch said. "I probably took a few years off coach's life, but hopefully not. I'll repay him somehow, maybe with some championships."
Busch has 105 career wins spanning all three NASCAR series, including 51 in the Nationwide Series. However, the 27-year-old Busch is coming off a disastrous season by his own standards.
He finished 13th in the Sprint Cup standings and missed the Chase. And while he ranked second in the Cup in laps led, he only found Victory Lane once and finished the year with 13 top-five finishes after winning a combined 19 races the previous four years.
Busch ran his own car in the Nationwide Series and was winless in 22 races, posting three seconds and two thirds after winning 40 races in the previous four seasons. He competed in three events on the Camping World Truck series but failed to win there, too.
He called it his "worst season ever."
During negotiations, Busch said, Gibbs was "adamant" about Busch racing JGR cars during the Nationwide series, which he feels will give him a better chance to win.
"So I will be rejoining forces here and running about 25 races and then filling out the rest of the races with some younger talent in the non-companion races," Busch said.
Busch said he feels comfortable working for Gibbs, which made the decision to return fairly easy. Of course, the lucrative contract didn't hurt either.
"The good news is we signed him to a long-term deal, the bad news is we now work for him _ and we're broke," Gibbs joked.
With Matt Kenseth joining Busch and Denny Hamlin on the Sprint Cup Series, Gibbs said this is the most excited he's been entering a season.
He expects his Sprint Cup team to be competitive every week and also is excited about the prospect of running four cars on the Nationwide Series with Brian Vickers joining Kenseth, Busch and Hamlin.
While his drivers are friends and teammates, Gibbs said he expects some of that to wear off when February arrives.
"I was thinking this whole offseason they got along great and everything, but that's going to last until about the first time they get alongside each other up front," Gibbs said. "And I'm going to be ducking and dodging. All of these guys driving for us, we know each one is going to be going after (a championship)."
The good-natured jabs heated up at Thursday's Sprint Cup Series media day.
While on stage with his teammates, Busch was asked when Hamlin will get to sign a long-term extension with JGR.
"Well, we already gave him all of the best stuff," Busch cracked. "He had the fastest Toyota car down at Daytona in testing. What else do we gotta do? He's already got all of the good stuff."
Hamlin jabbed back, "I make up for it in talent."
Hamlin admittedly is a little sleep-deprived of late. He and his longtime girlfriend, Jordan Fish, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Taylor James Hamlin, born on Jan. 20 at 8:20 p.m. (20:20 military time) and she was 20 inches long.
"We squelched the rumor that Denny will now be driving the No. 20 car," joked JGR president J.D. Gibbs.
Kenseth brings a winning resume to Gibbs Racing. A two-time Daytona 500 winner and the 2003 Sprint Cup champion, Kenseth has won 24 Cup races including three last year for Roush Fenway Racing.
"It sounds like Kyle and Denny are already tied for the championship this year, but I'm looking forward to this anyway," Kenseth joked as he looked over at his teammates. He called it a "new beginning" and said sometimes change is good.
"I feel like it's a great opportunity to go and hopefully compete for some wins and try to compete for a championship," Kenseth said.
Said Gibbs: "It's great having Matt on board. He's somebody that we all respect. It's a thrill for us to have him."
Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC.


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CoPilot Live HD Premium full review
Apple hasn't covered itself in glory by replacing Google Maps with its own cartography on the iPhone 5. Refinements will undoubtedly appear, but in the meantime there's a market for a reliable offline map as well as one to help guide you to your destination using turn by turn navigation. CoPilot was quick to declare itself primed for iPhone and iOS6 use and complements rather than replaces the native Apple Maps. See all satnav software reviews.
The updated version of this powerful software takes advantage of the iPhone 5's elongated screen. It's also invaluable to be able to choose how much space on your smartphone you're willing to devote to the maps. This setup also ensure you're getting the most up-to-date mapping data. Once the app is installed there are options for European regions or the whole geography, plus a separate, slightly cheaper UK & Ireland only version. Take a look at TomTom app review.
Transport options run from car and motorbike to bicycle, pedestrian or RV, plus there are toll road and ferry avoidance options. Visit all App reviews.
CoPilot can direct you to a friend's house based on their address in your Contacts list, search for POIs, use Google Local Search items and enter specific street names. There's a Petrol Station Finder too. Our favourite feature is the PhotoNav. Click on a photo stored in your iPhone and, as long as Location Services were active at the time you snapped the shot, it will instantly show you on a map where it was taken. Roadtrippers will certainly appreciate this. Go to Apple iPad Mini vs Google Nexus 7 tablet comparison review.
Maps and verbal directions are clearly given, with the standard list/map and 2D/3D choices. Route recalculation when you miss a turn is pretty swift, but ensure you've still got a strong GPS signal before performing a U-turn during rush hour. It doesn't endear you to fellow road users. The default route preview is achingly slow, though sometimes there's an option to speed it up.
CoPilot Live HD Premium: Specs
- Size: 4.5MB
- Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.


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Dear All,
I hope you are enjoying the beginning of the summer. St. Louis summers are beautifully green. They can be toasty and wet too. We are enjoying a bit of both at the moment. The news from Iran has both good and disturbing parts. Among the disturbing parts are further American action to create unrest in Iran, as is the Iranian government's move to tighten its enforcement of the ladies dress code in public and of course the continued anxiety over the arrest of Dr. Esfandiari. Good things include news of continued strong resolve among Iranian women to enhance their presence on the social and political scene by forming new coalitions as well as the usual great artistic and intellectual activity in the country.
One of my goals in these windows is to dispel the myth that reduces Iran to a culture of "villains vs. victims." I would like you to see that regardless of the internal and global issues that Iran is dealing with, Iranians continue to be a lively, creative, humorous, and art loving people like any other in the world. Here it is in the words of one of the major contemporary Iranian painters Iran Darrudi
http://www.payvand.com/news/07/may/1304.html. Or, read about the three-minute documentary that the renowned Iranian director and screen-writer Abbas Kiarostami made on the occasion of Cannes Film festival's 60th year. Kiarostami included in his three-minute documentary, 24 top Iranian actresses whom he has worked with over the years: http://www.payvand.com/news/07/may/1226.html.
Visual Delight
Nothing connects cultures like a visit. Let's take a look at some
recent photos of Iran's natural beauty (thanks to my friend Bahar
Bastani who sent the images). I have kept the slide show short so your
home computers don't have large files to deal with. Click here: Iran Natural Beauty.
Recent Visit to Iran
While disturbing news about visits to Iran get a lot of attention, the
happy and successful ones find it hard to get any. My friend Judith
Ernst who visited Iran recently, had promised to share her experience
with us. Judith wrote a beautiful piece which provides a rare window
on Iran as few Americans make such a visits these days. Her
thoughtfully written piece about the trip received little attention
from the national papers. However, fortunately, it was greeted
enthusiastically by on-line news source Commondreams (thank goodness
for the alternative media). Judy was in Iran with her husband, Carl
Ernst, a professor of Islamic Studies at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, who was invited to a conference on Rumi and
while there received an award for his most recent book, Following
Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World. I recommend the book highly for personal reading and/or classroom use. Now, for Judy's take on the trip to Iran click on:
Current Issues
* And now to the not-so-exciting current news:
According to ABC News, the CIA has received secret presidential
approval to mount a covert "black" operation to destabilize the
Iranian government, current and former officials in the intelligence
community say. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity
because of the sensitive nature of the subject, say President Bush has
signed a "nonlethal presidential finding" that puts into motion a CIA
plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaign of propaganda,
disinformation and manipulation of Iran's currency and international
financial transactions.
* Though the majority of Americans many not readily connect the two, the
recent harshness on the part of the Iranian government toward Iranians
themselves as well as Iranian American visitors has much to do with
these "regime change" plans cooked here in the U.S. In a letter
recently written by Emaddedin Baghi of Defending Prisoners'
Rights Society in Tehran, Iran and circulated through the
International Society for Iranian Studies here in the US, Mr. Baghi writes:
In recent years, the government of the United States has announced
that it has allocated a yearly budget for the support of civil
society, democracy, and human rights in Iran. This so-called
"democracy fund" is approved by the United States Congress and
extensive media coverage of this financial endeavor has been
Given the existence of long-standing hostilities between the
governments of Iran and the United States, the government of Iran has
shown extreme sensitivity to the idea of individuals or groups
receiving funds to engage in activities that, in the public words of
at least some American officials, is intended for an eventual "regime
change" in Iran. I am sure the United States government would show
similar sensitivity if it was revealed that there were individuals or
organizations in the United States that were receiving funds from
hostile groups or countries intent on creating instability in that
Mr. Baghi suggests in his letter that "Undoubtedly, not all these
pressures and arrests are reflective of recently developed government
concerns and suspicions. Forces that are against liberty also use the
U.S. budget allocation as a pretext or excuse to legitimize their
opposition to civil liberties and to discredit their critics."
Nevertheless, he goes on to say: "It is not right for independent
individuals and institutions inside Iran to pay the price for
allocated funds that the United States government spends on
broadcasting from the United States into Iran or for the activities of
exiled Iranian groups that cooperate with various American
Mr. Baghi's moving letter ends with "This is why I hereby make a plea
to you and your respected organizations to insist that the United
States government change its ways or, in case of its insistence on
allocating a yearly budget, make public and transparent the exact
amount and recipients (individuals and groups) of these funds."
* On the brighter side, an Iranian woman member of the parliament,
Fatemeh Rakeii has announced a plan to form a coalition of women
political activists to help women gain all their rights in the
political and management arenas. Rakeii described the main goal of the
coalition as "abolition" of gender discrimination. At the same time, a
coalition of reformist women is also about to form in order to
increase women's seats in the 2008 parliamentary elections. To read
more on these, please visit:
* In these windows, I am always talking about one-sidedness of the media
on Iran/Islam related issues. At the moment, Iran gets the worst
possible press. But the treatment is extended to all Muslims, as my
student Matt Miller noted recently in an e-mail (thanks Matt!). Matt
writes: "There was a poll by Pew that came out today that surveyed the
U.S. Muslim population. Here is the headline that appeared in U.S.
media outlets (via the Associated Press) about the poll: "Some young
Muslims approve suicide hits." While on the BBC this was the headline
about the same poll: "Muslims 'well-integrated' in the U.S.." The
stark contrast in the headlines is incredible. The articles both go on
to talk about the same poll by Pew, yet the AP (U.S.) article focuses
almost exclusively on Muslims and terrorism (citing the 13% of young
U.S. Muslims who approve of suicide attacks to defend religion in
"rare cases"),while the BBC article talks about how U.S. Muslims are
well-integrated into U.S. life, reject terrorism in overwhelming
numbers, and like the U.S. although they don't often feel welcomed in
the U.S." Matt finds "incredible" how two stories about the same poll
portray the U.S. Muslim population in such vastly different lights. He
provides the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18797530/. Now compare
with: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6680939.stm
St. Louis Persian Music Event!
We just have to end on a happier note. What better than the news that my friend Behfar Dianati has sent. Behfar, with help from Iranian American Cultural Society of the Midwest, has organized a concert of Persian music by American musicians called Songs of Love from Iran by the artist Monika Jalili and her group Noorsaaz. The group will perform at the Missouri Historical Society, on Saturday, June 9, at 7:00. If you live in or near St. Louis, come to get a taste of Persian music performed by American artists. And, if you like more information, call (314- 746-4599).
Until the next window, I wish you a great week.
Fatemeh Keshavarz, Professor and Chair
Dept. of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures
Washington University in St. Louis
Tel: (314) 935-5156
Fax: (314) 935-4399