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Don't want to read everything below? Fair enough. In short, Primavera Sound '07 featured sun, sea, and almost no sand at all. There was some grass, and concrete, and a number of stages. Bands and DJs performed on them, and DiS danced. Yes, yes we did. And we didn't get sunburned.
Should you wish to follow us back in time – only a week or so, don't be scared – then hold our hands tight. Barcelona was dry and dusty; the festival site littered with plastic beer cups and the slight smell of decay from the various hot dawg stalls dotted around the place. Sticking to pizza and baguettes proved beneficial to DiS's alcohol-swimming innards – the beer was, brilliantly and unexpectedly, free, so we perhaps needlessly consumed An Official Lot Of It. Eeek, but great. We saw stars on the Thursday, and not just because we were blinded by Justice.
Despite the location - the city's seaside Forum - ultimately serving more as a post-modernist concrete wasteland than a festival site, Primavera Sound proved to be a fine affair. DiS stopped out until the wee hours of the mid morning, floated from stage to stage, saw bands old and new, and drank like it was fresher's week. The only downer: an occasionally chilly wind coming off the Mediterranean. Then again, that merely served to remind us of where we were. Sometimes it's not bad, this rock writing lark.
The first day of the main Primavera line-up, Thursday June 31, sees grunge legends rub shoulders with electro-twee ladyboys and sample-heavy party bangers. The Melvins are the first act DiS allows to properly hold our collective attention: large of hair and mighty of riff, the veteran outfit thunder through Houdini (their's was one of a handful of Don't Look Back-themed sets)… until the power shorts out and the main Estrella Damm stage is deafened by silence. The band don't change – laughs are had amongst fans old and new as an albeit predictable set has its thread snapped by failing electricity. Even from a distance the band prove disorientating, with volume levels (while they last) bordering on the intolerable. Sat on a hill of gravel and thistle that slopes back from the stage into the Med, the band's relentless crunch is disseminated into waves and they eventually, via fair means or foul, lose their grip on DiS's ears.
Over the way a little, Alexander Tucker is setting his drones in motion at the ATP stage. There's people up front next to us with their eyes shut, swaying in the sea breeze. Maybe it's so they don't have to look at Tucker, who needs a wash. His music is just as messy, but works something meticulous through hazy loops and back-fed vocals that slur your vision. Applause for the mastery, but before too long DiS gets seasick and longs for some solid ground.
Comets On Fire hammer their way through a Don't Look Back set, taking their Blue Cathedral LP through the abattoir blues and spraying its sliced remains all over the ATP stage's densely-packed crowd. But, although it's the quintet's last-ever show – mourn their passing we most certainly do – there's a mighty clash brewing: halfway through Blue Cathedral, around about the mighty riff intro of 'The Antlers Of The Midnight Sun', Smashing Pumpkins are on the main stage. DiS splits and runs like hell.
Arriving just in time for 'Today'. Fucking genius. Billy Corgan's gaggle of faces recognizable and absolutely not provide the first coherent wander down memory lane. DiS is surrounded by the dewy eyes of media bandits who the 'Pumpkins meant more to in bedrooms past, but we can't fail to be gripped a little bit by songs like 'Disarm' and 'Stand Inside Your Love'. Sure, Billy does look like a bit of a wanker up there, all decked out in white like some balding angel, but when the violins cut in for 'Tonight, Tonight' we have to cross our arms to avoid getting carried away. Slightly more trivially, the band's new bassist is hot. Bravo, Billy.
On the relatively small CD Drome by Vueling stage, Parenthetical Girls split DiS's opinion rather: on one hand, the Zac Pennington-fronted outfit pause between songs, allowing those in attendance to hear Slint from across the site, but on the other they often fail to develop their meandering lo-fi melodies. Pennington has a voice with a rare timbre, and they cover Casiotone For The Painfully Alone's 'Love Connection' quite beautifully, but they tease and waste the crowd with songs that largely go nowhere.
Slint entertain the Rockdelux by Friday's Project stage's audience – between Dirty Three's run-through of Ocean Songs (best moment: Warren Ellis' "What festival is this? Thank you, Roskilde!") and The White Stripes – remarkably well for a band essentially peddling the same old same old. That they're doing Spiderland doesn't wash with us – it is, really, the only worthwhile material they have, and it's well old. Still, floating in and out of the performance takes DiS back to the early '90s with a dull thud, and there is a sense of 'I was there' satisfaction come the show's climax. The White Stripes benefit from their unusual surroundings – the sight of the Med behind the stage lifts a selection of relative classics up a few notches, rendering the pair's set an enjoyable, if wholly unspectacular, watch. There's the usual threat of explosion as Jack tries to marry Mister Rock Star with Master White, but this time he can't fuse the chaos into the candy canes and the show never quite goes nuclear. That's what you get if you don't play 'Screwdriver', we guess.
For some reason we're late for Justice – we don't remember why, but it almost certainly has something to do with the fairly late Thursday realization that beer is free in the guest area (high fives). We're brought round by this half-set of broken beats and synths that swing like wrecking balls, challenging those amassed before the duo's neon cross to pick their tired feet back off the concrete floor again. And again. And again. The response is as unanimous as the dissent in our lactic ankles.
The Gallic pair are followed, almost immediately, by Girl Talk, who delivers what – in one DiSser's opinion – is the best set of the night. Rolling from the usual dance and trance to funk rock, blues, gospel and even bluegrass, the man behind the desks and lights and stuff demonstrates masterfully how seamless music can be to mix with a hint of imagination, but how complicated it is to pull it off well.
Day two of the hectic-as bill finds Portastatic opening proceedings on the Rockdeluxe stage. The new songs sound great, but the performance can only be summarized as mediocre. At just gone 6pm, barely anyone on site gives a damn about their presence – it's a shame, as in a crowded, sweaty club, they'd be ace.
The Auditori is Primavera's strangest venue – a bizarrely-angled purple wedge of glass and steel, it houses a selection of performances from the event's most dark-and-intimate acts, even if queuing to enter the place makes us feel as if we're on a school trip. It's here that Billy Bragg strides into the spotlight. He serenades the still-arriving crowd with 'To Have and Have Not', and proceeds through the political half of the set, trying to bend sentiments like 'no power without accountability' into campfire choruses. Yawn. But then come the love songs. These are much, much better. Problem is that the setting's so comfortable – it's worryingly easy to drift off into a half-slumber. Sun is required: invigoration and inebriation.
Over at Estrella Damm, The Rakes deliver a spirited set of atypical dance-rock. While they do sound like everyone else, or everyone else sounds like them, the quintet do a bang-up job of sounding like, well, how they sound. While there's nothing is wrong with that, it's odd that they precede a band fronted by one of alternative music's most-revered mavericks.
That'll be The Fall, then. Mark E. Smith + sunshine + the Mediterranean + a few glasses (cups) of free beer = something perversely entertaining. But, Black Lips are on!
But we're getting ahead of ourselves: on the ATP stage, a little earlier, Brightblack Morning Light are rubbish. Nothing more needs saying. How Dare You!'s widdly dissonance on the Vice stage, meanwhile, proves enough to drive us back towards the bar. Drawn by the citing of influences like Television Personalities and ESG, we're repelled as they skew those influences into a horrible, hypodermic mess. Yours, still flinching. Black Mountain bring their Blue Cheer to the ATP stage, and as one psychedelic jam follows another, good spirits run free. They're loud, sweaty and, most importantly, fun… and at just before 8pm.
Blonde Redhead, meanwhile, draw DiS right to the front of the assembled throng, and not just because we want a better look at Kazu Makino's hot pants (although we're not saying that's not part of the thinking as we push through an ocean of shoulders and elbows). Theirs is a sound that stultifies with duvet guitars and floats in sheets, so the accompanying off-the-sea wind just adds a bit of ebb and flow. They're remote and the Barcelona sun can't thaw that, so 23 remains trapped within its iceberg. But still: hot pants.
But… but… but… Black Lips. The Atlanta-spawned retro-jangle-rockers – flower punks, if you must – are immediately a festival highlight. Are they drunk? We can't tell, but they're having a hell of a time, and we can't help but be swayed to their way of thinking. And dancing. DiS is jerking shoulders, tapping feet. A passing sailboat collapses in the background. Sun sets, light changes. Clouds go pink. Guitarist hawks a loogy in the air. Dodges it. Catches it. Two beers cost 20 euros. We don't care. They play a load of songs, three of them are memorable. We don't care. They don't care. They slur incoherent and play like drunk five-year-olds in mud. We don't care. They don't care. Life is good. Thumbs up and back-slaps.
Beirut's otherworldly rhythms drift across the festival site during a moment of stillness, stirring DiS from our temporary lethargy. The size of the stage – Zach Condon and band play the second-largest on site – rather overpowers their fragilities, but the performance is still little short of brilliance. Eight youngsters churning through mandolins, accordions, acoustic guitars, banjos and brass, conjuring up melodies somewhere between Serbia and Boston. Regardless of the sound quality on the night – tonight – Beirut remain one of the most inventive indie bands on the surface of the known musical world.
Following The Fall on the main stage are the surprisingly fantastic Maximo Park. While their mix of angles and melodies is comparable at a base level to on-earlier sorts The Rakes, there's a wit and intelligence within these Geordies that makes those with no expectations whatsoever sit up and take notice. Those paying only casual attention, wanting aural wallpaper to liven up another few drinks, are hooked for the entire set. Fantastic, then, in short.
Midnight finds Modest Mouse squinting under the blinding lights of the ATP stage – the comparatively small standing-room-only space before them is, in a nutshell, fucking rammed. It's maybe meant to hold, say, 2,000 people – it feels like there's more than double that watching Isaac Brock and company. Their set is angst-ridden and perfectly sarcastic, mixing the brand new with the classical old. An obviously pished Brock botches 'The View', but it's still a highlight alongside recent single 'Dashboard'. Despite the claustrophobia, DiS leaves the show contented.
The Chromeo duo get booties shaking over at the Vice stage: with their name hanging in neon pink and their stage submerged beneath acrid dry ice, we feel like we've somehow returned to '80s LA and one of those films where a suspended cop gets tough with greasy local hoodlums as he fights to clear his name. Chromeo are most definitely bad cop. Or perhaps just naughty cop? "That's it, Chromeo: three weeks with pay!"
While Chromeo keep the fun rhymes flowing, the minimalist tact of Luke Slater's a whole different proposition. His beats hit hard around the 3am mark. Hard like the throbbing pulse in your temple when toothache renders the left side of your head pointless. The repetitive use of space in Slater's techno calls for the crowd to fill it with their own imagination; DiS chooses to fill it with chants of "Mugabe! Mugabe!" and "They-don Bois! They-don Bois!" The crowd grows hostile. DJ Yoda mashes some beats and splices some riddims, but the powers that be decide to fence off DiS's path, so we return to the free booze to listen from afar. Bonde Do Role play and barely anyone in the DiS camp bats an eyelid. 'Cause they're kinda closing a little earlier than we'd hoped. Kid Koala guides us home to our hotel, the scorpion bridge now a friendly roadside assurance that we are, indeed, going the right way.
Saturday… news creeps over the mobile internet telecommunication freeway whatever that England's footballers managed a decent draw with Brazil. Good times. DiS celebrates by walking into the centre of Barcelona, against the advice of the at-hotel Primavera representative. Fifty minutes later we're knackered. Pizza on Las Ramblas doesn't refresh us any, and finding a cab proves a total nightmare. Fuck this sun, seriously – DiS is pasty for a reason. We lurk in the shadows. These Spaniards are mental.
Ted Leo opens the main action with his Pharmacists in tow. Looking older than he sounds – he must be touching middle age by now – Leo grinds out adolescent punkish rock by the barrelful. Sure, one song sounds pretty much like the next, but it's ferocious fun all the same – 'Me and Mia' is the true standout. DiS skedaddles just before Leo ends, though, to catch The Apples In Stereo on the ATP stage. There's a silvery cape up there, but beyond the visual attraction their indie-pop falls flat today. The usually sharp melodies sound muddied, and there's a depression where elevation should emerge.
The same can't be said of Architecture In Helsinki, who are boisterously buoyant of mood. The crowd follows their every twist and turn, their every awkward sidestep and wayward rhythm. Theirs is a brand of alt-pop all wrapped up in a tight little bow, dripping with droplets of boy-girl sing-song and sticky, rhythmic slurry. Does that even make sense? It's ADD-driven candy-wrapper rock and roll from Australians far from home but entirely at home; their music might be schizophrenic, but it doesn't take a genius to follow it with a beaming grin.
The Long Blondes sport nice dresses beneath banners for Spanish booze of choice, Estrella Damm, but their Yorkshire born and bred indie-pop fails to inspire the small crowd before them. They're out of their depth on the festival's biggest stage, despite packing their strongest tunes beside their finest evening wear. Patti Smith, predictably, is a considerably bigger draw. She doesn't play 'Land'. She does play 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. To call this a 'mistake' is like calling a bout of cunge-tongue with Patti and Courtney a 'mistake': a huge, huge understatement. Her set leaves a bad taste in the mouth, etc...
Pelican are a welcome distraction, their muscular instrumental metal-tinged epics fleshed out beyond their tighty whiteys and inciting what can only be described as fist-pumping appreciation. They're dark and loud, and as the sun dithers on the horizon, they send it packing with riffs so huge they almost certainly sent shockwaves through most of western Europe. That they're followed immediately by Isis makes for something of a wet dream for one DiSser on site. The California-based masters of atmospheric post-metal go about their business brilliantly, ripping humungous holes in their …Absence Of Truth material. Even from the safety of the bleachers to the stage's side, it's a quaking experience. As they climax – suitably voluminous and full of bombast – something special's afoot on the main stage.
Sonic Youth's Don't Look Back set, for their Daydream Nation LP, is easily the most anticipated of those going down at Primavera. DiS is as front and centre as the guest area allows as the familiar melodies come flooding. We know we shouldn't like this – it does smack of boosting the coffers above anything else – but we do. Ultimately, whatever the motives behind SY's decision to tour Daydream Nation, there is no doubt that the potential results can be spectacular. We witness this from what we've elected to call 'the island', but the sound still washes over like warm rain. We kick our heels to every beat. Despite a couple of sarcastic remarks from Thurston - "Everyone ready? Have you got your notes?" - it's hard to detect any more regret than is standard for a Sonic Youth show. Whether they can hold the cynicism off for a whole tour remains to be seen, but tonight they're magical.
A little earlier, The Good the Bad and the Queen's set is blighted by inexplicably low levels on the Rockdelux stage. It's really, really frustrating - they are pushed back by the techno blast coming from the stacks opposite and the songs are robbed of a lot of their potency as the vocals drown in a sound that is more shallow water than deep green Thames. All it would've taken is someone backstage to turn the master volume up a couple of notches. It's a shame. Even earlier, The Duritti Column tackle the ATP crowd: as good as they are, they owe a considerable debt to the setting. The Vini Reilly-led three-, and then four-piece, warble through a set that sees shoegaze guitars flicker in faded primary colours and shine in the sunlight effortless and without direction. At times it's lost; at times it's gorgeous.
DiS pays its second visit to the Auditiori for Jonathan Richman. He is charming, and we don't use that word lightly. Such a dumb face and such goofy dance moves would usually get DiS clenching fists, but with Richman it's different: you can't help but warm to a New Yorker who has rewritten all his songs in Spanish especially for the show and makes sure that they still rhyme. The Auditori begins and ends on its feet for Richman.
Post-Sonic Youth, the main stage experiences something of a comedown – not that we mean that in a negative sense, as Wilco deliver one of the festival's finest sets. Every word Jeff Tweedy spews proves hypnotic, regardless of whether the band is debuting songs from the recent Sky Blue Sky or diving into their back catalogue. At well past 2am, the set seems to go on forever – with a full moon high in the sky and a crashing sea somewhere behind DiS in the darkness, things couldn't be more perfect. Or could they?
Not just yet: Múm provide a small distraction, granted, but our toes are twitching for something a little more… dance. Klaxons are meant to close the Rockdeluxe stage; they, though, are elsewhere, leaving some unusual suspects to end Primavera.
By half past three in the morning, DiS is positively dribbling for Battles. They don't disappoint, but exactly how our actions – our moves and smiles and waving hands and high-fives and chirps and whistles – can be accurately transformed into words, we don't know. How's this: "Battles… :/ :o :>."
It's what our faces look like the next morning, at least. Perfect ...ly knackered.
All photos by Rachel Cawley - from top: Black Mountain, Comets On Fire, The White Stripes, Blonde Redhead, Beirut, The Long Blondes


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1859 $1 MS65 Certification #21572847, PCGS #6946
Owner's Comments
Very sharply struck, with wonderfully frosted devices. The fields exhibit very few marks and are striated from the dies. Fresh!
Expert Comments
Q. David BowersThe following narrative, with minor editing, is from my "Silver Dollars & Trade Dollars of the United States: A Complete Encyclopedia" (Wolfeboro, NH: Bowers and Merena Galleries, Inc., 1993).
Coinage Context
Still another export issue: John M. Willem, in The United States Trade Dollar (p, 46), noted that the silver dollar coinages of 1859 and 1860, from all three mints, were made primarily for export to China. Most of these went to northern ports in China where the pieces were melted down and converted to bullion.
The Comstock Lode: New supplies of domestically mined silver remained scarce in the United States. However, this would change in the years to come, for in 1859 two prospectors, Patrick McLaughlin and Peter O'Reilly, discovered a deposit of ore on Mt. Davidson, in Washoe, Nevada, on property to which Henry Tompkins Paige Comstock, age 39, claimed rights. Comstock sold his interest, but his name remained behind in the Comstock Lode. The ore proved to yield metal in the ratio of about 75% silver and 25% gold and assayed about $4,700 per ton (as in typical ores, only a fraction of the ore consisted of valuable metal, but in this case the fraction was unusually valuable).
Although estimates have varied widely over the years, one modern source states that the Comstock during the next 11 years and $397 million by 1882. (Trager, The People's Chronology, p. 497.)
Silver from Arizona: New discoveries of silver in Arizona were exploited in 1859, and shipments of the metal began to reach the East, mostly by way of EI Paso, Texas. As of October 6, 1859 there were nearly two tons of silver bullion awaiting shipment from that point. Transportation was by mail coach, and was of uncertain safety. (Cf. The Bankers' Magazine, November 1859, pp. 404-405.)
Numismatic Information
Circulated grades: As noted, the vast majority of the mintage of over a quarter million 1859 Liberty Seated dollars went to the Orient, where they were soon melted. Examples of this high-mintage date are scarce today in all grades.
Mint State grades: Very few Uncirculated specimens exist. Dealers' memories are not always precise on this, for the availability in quantity of Mint State 1859-O sometimes causes confusion, but mint markless coins are rarities. In 1992, dealer specialist Chris Napolitano told me that he had never had a Mint State 1859 in stock, in the course of handling several collections and many rarities. (Conversation at the Central States Numismatic Society Convention, Minneapolis, April 30, 1992.) In this grade the 1859 may be influenced by the resubmission of the same coins.
Business strikes:
1. Normal Date: Breen-5457. Three obverse and five reverse dies were made for this date, but it is believed that not all were employed.
Dies prepared: Obverse: 3; Reverse: 5
Business strike mintage: 256,500; Delivery figures by day: April 18: 33,000; April 19: 22,000; April 28: 2,500; June 27: 16,000; July 8: 13,000; July 21: 20,000; October 6: 22,000; October 13: 18,000; October 18: 17,000; October 24: 24,000; October 25: 16,000; November 21: 29,000; November 23: 22,000; December 10: 2,000.
Estimated quantity melted: Unknown
Characteristics of striking: Many examples are weakly struck at one or both of these areas: stars (irregular weak striking, with stars 1 and 4 sharp and the others, especially 8 and 9, weak); head of Miss Liberty.
Known hoards of Mint State coins: None
Most business strike 1859 silver dollars were exported to China.
Additional Information
The Dollar Coinage from 1859 Onward
The following is from R.W.Julian:(Specific contribution to this book, February 1992. R.W. Julian places less emphasis on the exportation of dollars during this period than did John M. Willem (in The United States Trade Dollar) or the present author (QDB). Source material is often conflicting.)
The heavy coinage of 1859-1860 arose from three reasons.
First of all, the Treasury had shut off Snowden's illegal high price purchases in 1858. Second, there was a heavy imbalance in the silver imports and exports in favor of the United States in 1858-59. The third reason was the sudden and heavy mining of silver beginning in 1859 at a time when the nation had no use for increased quantities of this metal; the economy was just coming out of a recession and the mints were buying very little, even at reduced rates, for subsidiary silver coinage. I do not think that the Oriental trade had any bearing on this problem, although clearly a few people in 1859 and 1860 thought that it did.
There is no doubt in my mind that silver dollars did indeed go to the Orient, but purely as bullion and only in very small quantities. If there had been a real demand for the American silver dollar, then there would have been no need for the Spanish or Mexican coin to be sent to the Far East. The minuscule coinage at San Francisco in 1859 (when there were ample supplies of silver to be had, either from the Comstock or as a by-product of gold mining in California) is a telling point against silver dollars being sent in quantity to the Orient. If American dollars could have been used, even as bullion, the premium on the Mexican would have dropped to bullion value. There is some doubt that those dollars that did stray to the Orient went to China; Pollock, on more than one occasion, referred to them being used in the East India trade, which seems to imply Indo-China or the Dutch East Indies rather than Canton.
There was very heavy melting of dollars in 1861 for use as bullion in the manufacture of subsidiary silver. In one case there were 40,000 silver dollars melted at Philadelphia. I suspect that a careful investigation of archival material would turn up meltings well in excess of that. (This may have been a contributory factor to the rarity of business strike silver dollars of the 1853-1859 span)
There is also the question of ingots. San Francisco and Philadelphia both made large quantities of silver ingots of varying quality, according to the needs of the depositor. (At times, in the early 1870s for example, Carson City made more in bars than it made in coins.) Ingots would have been much easier to send to the Orient and they were readily available. The whole point of the later trade dollar coinage was to introduce a coin to the Far East, which was considered a better way to dispose of our silver than mere ingots.
The following is from Harry Salyards:
Concerning the possibility of heavy import surcharges with silver as a cause of the large coinages of silver dollars of 1859-60, to me this is not convincing when one considers that there was a constant import surplus during 1854-57 of almost as great a magnitude, with no corresponding effect on dollar coinage; and there was actually an export surplus on silver in 1860, for the first time since 1853 (Hepburn, table p. 70, op cit.). Plus, as commented upon previously, while the Comstock discovery dates to 1859, the boom years in silver production came a good deal later. (Specific contribution to this book, November 1992.)
Collecting Silver Dollars in 1859
In 1859 in the American Numismatical Manual; Montroville Wilson Dickeson, M.D., commented on the availability of silver dollars, including the Liberty Seated series. His remarks cover much of the first two decades of the issue and give an interesting view of how such coins were considered by numismatists of the era.
The 1840 dollar, the first year of issue of the Liberty Seated series, was called "scarce," while the issue of the following year, 1841, was designated as "plenty." Similarly, 1842 and 1843 were "plenty," but 1844 was "rare" and 1845 "scarce." Dollars of 1846 were likewise "scarce," but those of 1847 were "plenty." Followed by the "scarce" 1848 and "plenty" of the 1849 issue, the 1850 dollar was considered to be "scarce," and the 1851 dollar "extremely rare." The dollar of 1852 was considered "rare," while that of 1853 was "scarce" The 1854 Liberty Seated dollar, just five years old when Dickeson wrote his book in 1859, was already considered to be "rare," but 1855 for some reason was in the "plenty" category, followed by 1856 "rare" and 1857, the last year studied, "plenty." Doubtless, Dickeson knew little about the 1857 dollar except that it was a current issue. Indeed, his information apparently was compiled in the summer of 1857, for his comments referred to production half way through the year.
Christian Gobrecht
38.10 millimeters
26.73 grams
90% Silver, 10% Copper
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Professor: Human Ingenuity, Not Aliens, Behind Monumental Feats
Mummy curses! Ancient aliens!
Despite the scholarly nature of archaeological research, "We often find ourselves lumped in with the paranormal column," said David S. Anderson, an adjunct professor in Radford University's Anthropological Sciences program and an expert in Mayan archaeology.
Anderson will speak on the topic at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14, in Reed Hall 201 at Radford University. His free public lecture is titled, "Ancient Aliens vs. Human Ancestors: The Battle for the Public Perception of Archaeology."
"According to the History Channel's program 'Ancient Aliens,' virtually every monumental feat of the ancient past, whether it is the construction of the Pyramids of Giza or the development of the Mayan calendar, cannot be explained by the efforts of human ingenuity," Anderson said.
Instead, Anderson said, "they claim that such feats were beyond simple human beings and can only be explained by the ultimate deus ex machina, a fleet of extraterrestrials on a mission to civilize and educate a planet of savages."
In his talk, Anderson will explore why people find "this narrative so convincing in spite of decades of archaeological research proving the contrary, and what we can do to guard ourselves against similar deceptions."
Anderson received his Ph.D. in anthropology from Tulane University in 2010, with a focus on Mayan and Mesoamerican archaeology. The professor has been actively working on archaeological projects in Yucatan, Mexico, since 1999, and has worked to promote awareness of cultural heritage and archaeology to the general public.
To learn more about the lecture, contact Anderson at email@example.com.


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Contaminant transport in the fungal pipeline
Leipzig. Fungi are found throughout the soil with giant braiding of fine threads. However, these networks have surprising functions. Only a few years ago researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) discovered that bacteria travel over the fungal threads through the labyrinth of soil pores, much the same as on a highway. Now, together with British colleagues from the University of Lancaster, the UFZ researchers have come upon another phenomenon. Accordingly, the fungal networks also transports contaminants which are otherwise largely immobile in the ground. These living pipelines can therefore contribute to the restoration of impacted areas, write the researchers in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Some bacteria develop a voracious appetite for contaminants. They nourish themselves from toxic chemicals and at the same time convert these to harmless substances. This makes them valuable allies for the elimination of different forms of environmental pollution. Certain soil microbes, for example, are fully capable of restoring impacted ground by natural means. Theoretically at least. In practice, however, the tiny helpers are frequently pushed to their limits. "The problem is that the contaminants often do not even reach them", explains UFZ researcher Lukas Y. Wick, in charge of the new study.
The bacteria frequently have difficulties with substances which are largely insoluble in water. These include, for example, the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in crude oil and coal, released in practically all combustion processes. Along well-travelled roads, in the vicinity of airports or old gas works sites, the ground can also be polluted with these compounds. As many PAHs are considered to be carcinogenic, the help of bacteria for the degradation of this pollution would be entirely welcome.
In the complicated labyrinth of water-filled and air-filled pores found throughout the soil, however, bacteria and PAHs rarely come together. This is because the microorganisms are predominantly found in water and in thin liquid films. "The PAHs are virtually insoluble in water, so that they frequently staple themselves to particles of ground in tiny, air-filled pores", which the bacteria are unable to reach, explains Lukas Y. Wick. Between them and their sources of nutrition there are air barriers.
A living network
Nevertheless, there are soil organisms which can effectively overcome such barriers. These include fungi and a group of similar organisms which biologists describe as "pseudo-fungi". Both can grow either in water or in air and are found throughout the soil with a network of fine threads. Each of these so-called hyphae is in fact only a few thousandths of a millimetre thick. Yet, together they form a network of enormous dimensions. One single gram of soil may contain up to 1000 to 10,000 meters of fungal threads. A single braid thereby can extend over several square kilometres. Fungi are therefore in fact the largest living creatures on the Earth today.
That bacteria are fully capable of utilising the infrastructure of this huge neighbour, emerges from an earlier study of Lukas Y. Wick and his colleagues. The fungal braiding appears to be a kind of highway over which the microorganisms can effectively travel and propagate. They move on the surface of the hyphae and, in this way, overcome the air barriers between two water-filled pores without problem.
But what if the fungal network offers good travel possibilities not only for bacteria, but for contaminants as well? Nevertheless, it is known that the transport of nutrients which the fungus requires to survive takes place within the hyphae. Why should this not function, then, with other substances? Together with colleagues from the University of Lancaster, the UFZ researchers have now pursued this question.
For their investigations the researchers employed a pseudo-fungus with the name Pythium ultimum, which is widespread in the soil. This was placed on a central plate with nutrients, proceeding from which it could extend its hyphae to the right and left to two further sources of nourishment. The three nourishment stations were connected by rectangles of nourishment-free material. However, there were several gaps between the nourishment plates and rectangles containing only air. These were intended to simulate the air-filled pores in the ground.
At the edge of a rectangle the UFZ researchers applied a polycyclic aromatic carbohydrate with the name Phenanthrene. They then investigated at regular intervals whether this substance could be detected in other areas of the test path. "The results were astounding", says Lukas Y. Wick. Within a few hours the carbohydrate had migrated from one end of the experimental arrangement to the other from ten to one hundred times faster than it could have by simple diffusion. Furthermore, it overcame the air gaps with no difficulty, which was not possible over the same path without hyphal networks. "The hyphal networks are therefore not only highways for bacteria, but also pipelines for contaminants", concludes Lukas Wick. "Per hour a single hypha can transport up to 600 times the weight of an individual bacterium".
With a special microscope of the British colleagues it was even possible to observe this transport in detail. Accordingly, the contaminant migrates through the cell wall into the interior of the hyphae. There it is enclosed in tiny bubbles, which Pythium ultimum then actively pumps through its far-reaching network.
Contaminants in motion
In this way the fungal pipeline mobilises not only Phenanthrene, but also other substances virtually insoluble in water and therefore sooner immobile substances. The researchers repeated the experiment with a number of different PAHs, and all were found to be efficiently transported. However, over longer paths the transport of small molecules functioned better than that of large molecules. "Presumably the latter are not taken up as well by the hyphae", in the opinion of Lukas Y. Wick.
In this experiment even the longer paths consisted of only a few centimetres. This may appear to be relatively little, however it could still prove decisive for better contact between the contaminants and their decomposers, as the fungal pipeline effortlessly overcomes the minute air barriers between the water-filled soil pores.
The researchers hope that this effect can be utilised in future for the restoration of impacted ground. The targeted use of fungal networks could accelerate the degradation of PAHs and perhaps also of other substances virtually insoluble in water. "But this may function only when one combines the right fungi and bacteria", explains Lukas Y. Wick. Some types of these organisms are simply not compatible or even mutually inhibit each other. Consequently, the UFZ researchers are now searching for the most suitable partners for their microbial contaminant eliminator team.


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"The time is now near at hand which will probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves, whether they are to have any property they can call their own, or whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed and they consigned to a state of wretchedness from which they cannot be delivered. Our cruel and unrelenting Enemy leaves us no choice but a brave resistance or the most abject submission." ~General George Washington
This is a monumental moment in America, my fellow countrymen. It's time to take a stand or lose this Nation and your children FOREVER.
"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."
~John Adams
On October 11, 2013, I pray you will consider joining Patriots from ALL walks of life as we take the fight to DC and show those SOB's we mean business and we will NOT allow them to take this Nation and Her Citizens down without a fight.
"The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance." ~
Thomas Paine
These Truckers, Bikers, Veterans, TEA Partiers and millions of ordinary Citizens across this Nation are in this TO THE END, and we can and WILL shut down this entire infrastructure should it be called for. Think about it, folks….. Truckers transport each and EVERY physical necessity Americans use! Toilet paper, water, gasoline, food, oil, livestock and livestock feed, paper towels, tires, automobiles, soap, chemicals… the list is ENDLESS.
"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." ~Benjamin Franklin
If you must, use your vacation and sick time from work, take your children out of the schools and show them how to be free human beings, show your children that THEY are worth fighting for! Show them that their Freedom and Liberties are the most important gift for which our Founding Fathers sacrificed so much.
Patriots unable to make it to DC , PLEASE do what you can do to help. If that means keeping your wallets closed from October 11th through the 13th (SHUT OFF THE MONEY!), volunteering to drive, volunteering to pet sit or watch children for those who are going, renting busses, overpass duty…. WHATEVER IT TAKES.
Folks, We MUST take a stand, or we will never again be able to.
Use whatever resources you have in order to take a stand and join this movement. OUR NATION IS DYING. Whatever you need to do to make this happen, it's a price well worth paying. It's a sacrifice worth making, at WHATEVER COST.
"Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of supporting it." ~Thomas Paine
On October 11th, 2013, the RIDE FOR THE CONSTITUTION will be comprised of MILLIONS of Patriotic Americans all over this Nation joining these truckers who are FED UP with this unconstitutional cabal of tyrants we've got destroying this Nation and the future for our Children.
"I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace." ~Thomas Paine
It is time to take a stand, AMERICA! Are your children and future descendents to be free men, or slaves? Are they, and your Nation, WORTH FIGHTING FOR?
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~John F. Kennedy
"If ye love wealth better than liberty,
the tranquility of servitude
better than the animating contest of freedom,
go home from us in peace.
We ask not your counsels or your arms.
Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you.
May your chains set lightly upon you,
and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." ~Samuel Adams
Are YOU ready to take a stand? For more information about AMERICA'S REVOLUTION, please visit:
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This is from their website:
Trucker Shutdown – Oct.11th-13th
Radio talk show host Pete Santilli, who has recently announced that he is "ALL-IN" in support of the Trucker's event has stated very clearly; "Americans are pissed, truckers are pissed, and our legislators are operating unconstitutionally.
If the federal government or their fascist partners in corporate trucking think they can stop any trucker or citizen from participating in this national event, then they are in for a big surprise. I would LOVE to see the DHS sort out who in the big traffic jams across America is a protestor or simply stuck in traffic. Washington DC will merely be symbolic and a photo opportunity in our nation's capital — as far as I am concerned, we don't even need Washington DC or those corrupt politicians to even run this country (they run it into the dirt is all they do).
I am calling upon every single American in every city with every vehicle to get out on the road in support of out truckers & the U.S. Constitution. Let's show these bastards who runs this place — they will NEVER be able to control a nationwide protest.
We are demanding that Congress follow the US Constitution immediately; Comply with our lawful demands, or their refusal will cause a shutdown. They either follow along with the plan by October 11th or they will be personally responsible for shutting our system down — they have a choice, but one of them is not to continue to operate lawlessly after October 11th. We have one shot at doing this peacefully, lawfully and constitutionally, but if we do NOT rise up, the alternative is a horrifying collapse and a violent revolution."
The Following Article From WND:
In less than two weeks, thousands of truckers will descend on Washington, D.C., driving their big-rigs and calling for the restoration of a constitutional republic – but now their plan has taken a new twist: Their friends and families will simultaneously join other Americans rallying on overpasses across the nation for Obama's impeachment.
The Truckers' Ride for the Constitution movement has a new ally in their protest against what organizers say is corruption in government and a trashing of the Constitution. The group is teaming up with Overpasses for Obama's Impeachment to line the routes into Washington with flags during the Oct. 11-13 event.
Both Houses of Congress are tentatively scheduled to be in session Oct. 11.
Truckers Ride for the Constitution leader and organizer Zeeda Andrews, a country singer and former truck driver, said Overpasses Founder James Neighbors reached out to her, suggesting the two groups form an alliance. Neighbors said the partnership is a "natural" merger for a common cause.
"Thousands of truckers have seen us across America," he said. "We've gotten emails from them, thanking us for waking them up. The biker ride in D.C. happened. Then, the next thing you know, the trucker thing did, and we got even more emails from truckers across the country, thanking us."
He added, "We are going to be out on the overpasses and at truck stops, encouraging the truckers to head to D.C., to join in with the others. They, in exchange, are encouraging their families who are at home to join us on the overpasses."
Read the details of Obama's actions and how they don't align with the Constitution, in "Impeachable Offenses," by Aaron Klein and Brenda J. Elliott.
Facebook tries to shut truckers down:
On Sept. 22, Facebook removed the truckers' Facebook page, "Truckers to Shutdown America," which had accumulated 86,000 "likes" within days of its launch.
"Political opponents attacked the Truckers to Shutdown America page within days, and they exploited a little known (to the public) feature on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter called 'community standards' flagging, which allows them to instantaneously shut down an account on these social media platforms," the truckers group explained in a press release.
"[A]n administrator of the page offended someone by saying, 'God bless you, and God bless America."
Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif.
According to the group, radio talk-host Pete Santelli, of "The Pete Santelli Show," has indicated that he "intends to take legal action against YouTube and Twitter on behalf of all truckers, their supporters, as well as other members of the public who are similarly harmed by these unconstitutional 'community standards.'"
While the truckers' group says it has made numerous attempts to appeal Facebook's decision, the page remains unpublished.
Now the group is planning a special delivery to Facebook's corporate headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on the same day of the Washington, D.C., convoy.
"Ride for the Constitution will now organize a convoy to Facebook corporate headquarters … to coincide with the ride to Washington, D.C.," the group explained. "We fully intend to arrive on corporate America's doorstep with our original 'community standards' guideline in hand – the U.S. Constitution."
The truckers also launched their website, RideForTheConstitution.org, and created a second Facebook page called, "Truckers Ride for the Constitution."
'Wake up the sleeping giant'
What do they intend to accomplish with a convoy into Washington and nationwide rallies on overpasses?
Neighbors explained, "The goal is to wake up the sleeping giant, the people of America."
Truckers co-organizer Benn Pam said the rally will be quite a patriotic scene.
"I think it's great," he said. "There are going to be thousands of trucks on the highways, flying flags. There are all of those people who are in the Overpasses campaign flying flags. Between the two groups, we may be covering a good part of the national highway network."
Andrews said more organizations are expected to join the rally, and she has "two other huge groups that will give me a conformation."
But this event isn't just another political rally. The joint venture has clear objectives. Neighbors said one goal is to pressure Congress to begin the impeachment process.
"In doing so, the people can force Congress to act to begin by removing Obama from office," he explained.
He said his group will also protest "RINOs and progressive Democrats" before the 2014 midterm elections.
Andrews said she believes connecting with the Overpasses group will help achieve her group's aims.
"We both want to see an end to the unconstitutional laws in this country," she said.
By joining forces, she said, both groups will get more publicity and video footage of the event.
However, the group's short-term goal is to see a three-day cessation of business. Organizers are asking Americans to pre-purchase food and other necessities before Oct. 11 to send a message to Congress.
"We want to see the dollar stop circulating for three days," Andrews said. "What we also want to see is deregulation for the truckers and our Constitution restored. We want to get rid of unconstitutional laws like the National Defense Authorization Act and the Patriot Act."
Andrews also said she has a list of grievances she plans to present to every member of Congress before the trucks leave Washington.
Time to rally, contact lawmakers
Overpasses for Obama's Impeachment national coordinator and co-founder Rick Halle said he's hopeful that the event will get Congress to remember its commitment to the Constitution.
"The ultimate result would be for our representatives to start taking their oath to protect and defend the Constitution seriously," he said. "At the very least, we will get the message out to others who believe, as we do, that government corruption is rampant and that they are not alone."
However, Halle admitted that Congress will only feel pressure if enough people rally in the streets and make their voices heard by calling their lawmakers.
"We believe that we will also wake some people up so they start paying attention," he said. "If enough people wake up and start contacting their representatives, then we believe that they will have no choice but to take notice."
Some critics in the trucking industry have taken to Facebook to condemn the upcoming protest.
American Trucking Associations spokesman Sean McNally said his group opposes Andrews' activities.
"The American Trucking Associations is not a sponsor of this 'strike' nor do we endorse or condone the activities of these few individuals," McNally said. "ATA and the vast majority of America's truck drivers will continue to deliver the nation's most essential goods unabated even while we continue to work through whatever policy disagreements we have with Congress and the administration."
But Andrews is undeterred.
She said, "I have the truckers that I need."


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We regularly fear living in an echo chamber (this is especially true for us because our blog serves as a feedback forum from regular participants, even if many of the inputs driving its content originate from industries unrelated to marketing). In fact, the foolish, mutual reassurance of ad folks is one of the most common criticisms of our industry. But recently a study came out that got me to reexamine the so-called echo chamber.
The report was authored by Sinan Aral (NYU, Stern School of Business) and Marshall Van Alstyne (Boston University, School of Management) and ran in the American Journal of Sociology. It can be downloaded here.
The historical thinking around how one gets new, diverse information via their networks has placed a tremendous amount of emphasis on "weak ties," those people you don't know very well and don't speak to very often. The most often cited study in this work is by Mark Granovetter and was done in 1973, before the invention of the web and digital social networks. Letting an outdated study drive our thinking in this space is an issue, as it assumes technology is simply facilitating what was previously true about relationships, rather than evolving it.
What's more modern and practical about Aral and Van Alstyne's study is that it accounts for bandwidth. In a world of unprecedented connectivity and content generation, the format of information shared (say 140 characters of text) and the frequency with which it's consumed have to be accounted for. It seems ridiculous this day and age to think the depth of my relationship with people is the determining factor of getting new information from them. Aral and Van Alstyne ask a more contemporary question than simply where new information comes from. They ask "where does one find the most novel information per unit time?" In other words, they're accounting for bandwidth. You talk to closer ties more often and distant ties less often, a critical issue neglected in the previous thinking about the value of weak ties. Bandwidth is simply too important a factor to ignore in a world where contact across miles, economic classes, and belief systems is easier than ever—especially when said contact is frequently asynchronous.
Aral and Van Alstyne also discuss a point about strong ties I found interesting: those who know you well know what type of information is novel for you. That's a filtering mechanism we know most readers of this blog employ regularly (just glance at how community members caveat and source what they share back to us as the managers of the blog).
This natural filtering is what's really the heart of the matter because it addresses homophily (the idea that we surround ourselves with like-minded people, or more colloquially, "birds of a feather flock together"). People who think like us, seek out our blog. We do the same, following twitter accounts, listening to speakers, taking meetings with those we think are similar to us. Thus, the echo chamber, right? We all just tell each other what we want to hear, limiting our new thinking.
Wait a minute. As someone who has a core job responsibility of innovation (i.e., "the introduction of something new"—in this case to BBH), I should fear an echo chamber more than anyone. Instead, I've found this supposed echo chamber is inhabited by people that are my most efficient means of learning something new. When I find time to be in the stream, I'm inundated with novel information. That's partially because I'm forced to filter people based on how frequently I expect to be engaged ("I want to hear anything she says, but she says so much I have to tune her out"—efficiency decisions relating to bandwidth). Simultaneously, the very people I choose to listen to are filtering for people like them (or should I say "us"?), wanting to avoid saying something they can only assume I know—otherwise I may just have to filter them.
It may be an echo chamber. But at its core is a virtuous circle.


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We will find professionals on our site that have years of experience in fighting for the protection of their clients and will see to it that your case is resolved quickly and favorably. The United States was founded on principles of freedom and equality, and that is precisely what we seek to uphold. If you were singled out because of your status or color of your skin, our featured immigration attorney will file a case for you and help you obtain compensation for the discrimination you were forced to endure.
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Model: HP Photosmart 100 Printer, HP Photosmart 1315 Printer
Operating System: Windows 2000 (Note: might work with other versions of this os.)
File: 3511_deu_w2k_xp_release.exe
Download and Installation Instructions:
1)Download file to your hard drive.
2)Go to the file and double-click it. Choose "unzip."
3)With the printer disconnected from the system,select "Install hp photosmart printer series software" and follow the onscreen instructions.
This driver incorporates fixes for the C++ runtime error associated with Windows ME, enables installation of the printer driver when an Iomega zip drive is installed, and resolves the issue of white lines or bands in the photos when printing with software other than the HP Photo Imaging software which shipped with your printer.


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Easy ratatouille with poached eggs
Nutrition and extra info
- Can be frozen without eggs
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
- Healthy
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal190
- fat11g
- saturates2g
- carbs13g
- sugars10g
- fibre5g
- protein12g
- salt0.36g
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 1 large onion, chopped
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 1 red or orange pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
Also known as capsicums, bell peppers, sweet peppers or by their colours, for example red and…
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
Rosemary's intense, fragrant aroma has traditionally been paired with lamb, chicken and game…
- 1 aubergine, diced
Although it's technically a fruit (a berry, to be exact), the aubergine is used as a…
- 2 courgettes, diced
The courgette is a variety of cucurbit, which means it's from the same family as cucumber,…
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegarbal-sam-ick vin-ee-gah
True Balsamic vinegar is an artisan product from Modena, in Emilia Romagna, Italy, and is made…
- 4 large eggs
The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition packed with protein and a…
- handful basil leaves
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, pepper, garlic and rosemary, then cook for 5 mins, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened. Add the aubergine and courgettes, then cook for 2 mins more.
Add the tomatoes, then fill the can with water, swirl it around and tip into the pan. Bring to the boil, cover, then simmer for 40 mins, uncovering after 20 mins, until reduced and pulpy.
Stir the vinegar into the ratatouille, then make 4 spaces for the eggs. Crack an egg into each hole and season with black pepper. Cover, then cook for 2-5 mins until set as softly or firmly as you like. Scatter over the basil and serve with some crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Recipe Tip
Get aheadCook until the end of step 2, then gently reheat and crack in the eggs.


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Un pacte avec le Diable ?
A Pact with the Devil ? Elite Alliances as Bases of Violent Religious Conflicts
vendredi 5 décembre 2008 par Alexander De Juan
This article aims at explaining religious conflicts on the basis of an elite-centered theoretical model. Violent movements can only pertain on the long run if political elites organize and coordinate them centrally. The same holds true for the religious dimension of many conflicts. Religious elites have to persuade the believers of the religious nature of their struggle. Hence, in many cases religious conflicts can be traced back to alliances of religious and political elites. The first try to protect their religious communities and hope to expand their religious influence. The latter try to use religion as a resource for mobilization.
Affiliation : University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
Published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism, Volume 31, Issue 12 December 2008 , pages 1120 - 1135
Subjects : Military & Strategic Studies ; Terrorism ;
Accueil du site | Contact | Plan du site | En résumé | Espace privé | Statistiques | visites : 274675


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2020's hottest home-based business opportunities - Register now!
Reformatting your Energetic Architecture using Essential Oils
By Mindy Green, MS, RA, RH (AHG)
Aromatic plants have been used throughout time in medicine, cosmetic care, spiritual practices and ritual ceremonies. For nearly a century, modern science has known that the chemical constituents found in essential oils have therapeutic value, and that essential oils offer a multitude of chemical constituents that are effective against a wide variety of pathogens.
Recent photographic technology that magnifies plant secretory cells gives us an intimate look at the amazing structures that produce these remarkable essential oils.1 The biological activities of these components have been well researched and are potential healing adjuncts in holistic and integrative medicine as well as conventional palliative care. Through their scientific analysis and obvious efficacy in treating different disorders, it is reasonable to view them as potent healing agents for the physical body. There are various applications and implications of these functional fragrances in wide ranging therapies from traditional medicine to spa application, and they are being effectively used throughout the world in medical facilities that have open-minded health policies.
This information is useful and progressive from the perspective of today's need to revamp most medical models, but healing the physical body is only one aspect of true healing. With the new millennium's foray into quantum healing and psychoneuroimmunology, science has proven what many ancient healing traditions have inherently known – that dis-ease begins with emotional/spiritual disharmony that later manifests as physical symptoms. Essential oils offer us more than the physicality of their biological activity. These same chemical constituents and their aromas offer the opportunity to create a deeper wholeness through balancing body, mind and spirit, thus allowing us the opportunity to achieve true and lasting health. Essential oils can heal at both a cellular and spiritual level, weaving the two into a wholeness that is undeniable and inseparable.
Human beings all share a biological familiarity with plants. Our physical bodies have evolved over countless generations with plant allies as food, medicine and spiritual partners. Our cells are encrypted to recognize the chemical constituents in plants and utilize them in the most efficacious ways. Though we may have strayed in the last hundred years or so through the use of newly developed chemical food substitutes and pharmaceuticals, we are still inherently programmed to distinguish these compounds, and it benefits us greatly to consume and utilize them in a variety of ways.
Dis-ease, at its most basic core (the emotional level), occurs through the perception of separation from Spirit. This is the deepest misconception that humans buy into, and it is arguably the thing that ultimately makes us ill. Many researchers in the field of quantum healing have proven that we need not be victims of our DNA and that we have the ability to heal ourselves at the deepest levels (see Bruce Lipton, The Biology of Belief). I believe that plant scents have a vital role in this arena. Every culture with a long history of traditional healing has one thing in common: that of breath practices. It is commonly acknowledged that this is the doorway to prana, chi, and life force. The word "inspire" means to breathe in, but also to possess and emanate passion. In the Greek language, spirit and wind are the same word. We all share inspiration, our breath, and it hangs in the ethers. Aroma is the link between spirit and matter, between what is physical and what is unseen. It taps our deepest emotions and carries us to our oldest memories. Through the aroma of plants we are offered something less concrete but just as real – the opportunity to connect to nature and our own Source Energy, and the reminder that we are whole at our truest level. It is here that we create our own spiritual wholeness and 'Wellth.'
When we consider that the process of olfaction occurs in the limbic brain, it makes sense; this primitive brain, which is often referred to as the reptilian brain, processes memory and emotion. We unconsciously monitor the air around us with every breath we take, sniffing out the possibilities that affect our very survival – food, danger, mating and more. Modern day physicians acknowledge that mood is most effectively and quickly changed through the sense of smell. Pleasant aromas can uplift the spirit and reduce stress which accounts for up to 90% of medical visits. Stress reduction is the first step in finding peace within, and it is waiting for us with every fragrant breath at our disposal when we are among plants.
Emotional pain, the precursor to physical imbalance, resides in the cellular memory of our bodies. Many aspects of quantum healing show us that it is possible to reformat the energetic patterns that create imbalances. Scent is a communication system that holds information; given the right aromas, this communication system has the ability to unravel false beliefs about ourselves that keep us separate from our impeccable and perfect uniqueness. These aromas have the ability to recreate the fractal blueprint that allows us to find balance and reinforce the knowledge that we are all perfect reflections of Spirit and that we are worthy of echoing that knowledge in our daily lives with every inhalation (inspiration).
The Ancients have associated certain plant fragrances with being able to link us more effectively with the body of knowledge that lies within us all – that which is our birthright as living souls in physical form. One might be so bold as to connect this portion of the mind with the link to All Knowledge, or as we were told in Star Wars, The Force. Some of these recognized sacred scents in history include rose (Rosa damascena), frankincense (Boswellia cateri), sandalwood (Santalum album), palo santo (Bursera graveolens), cedar (Cedrus atlantica) and countless others, depending upon what plants are native to specific cultural regions. Even the most common essential oils — such as lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) or ylang ylang (Cananga odorata) — can have spiritual connotations, especially if they are aromas that you find appealing, connecting and comforting.
Whatever scents you choose, utilizing them in a way that helps you calm, center and breathe more deeply will help you to listen to your own inner voice, the place with all the answers you will ever need. We are living in a time of transformation which will rebirth us into a more enlightened era. This new cycle of creativity is calling forth ways in which we can become fundamentally more of who we are meant to be. It requires a great deal of letting go of old routines and philosophies, ushering in new dynamics of presence and being open to new experiences. Regardless of your spiritual or relaxation practices, I encourage everyone to breathe in essential oils, still yourself, listen and be inspired.
1 Secretory Structures of Aromatic and Medicinal Plants: A Review and Atlas of Micrographs, Katerina P. Svobada and Tomas G. Svoboda, 2000
This article was originally published in the ARC (Aromatherapy Registration Council) March 2012 Newsletter and republished in the NAHA newsletter with permission from the author.
Mindy Green is an esthetician, nationally certified Registered Aromatherapist and professional member of the American Herbalists Guild. An active educator and consultant, her vast credentials and positions in botany, aromatherapy and skin care include her current role as committee chair for botanicals in cosmetics for the American Herbal Products Association and as an advisory board member for the American Botanical Council, publishers of HerbalGram magazine. From 2003-2009 Mindy worked in the botanical research division of Aveda's Research and Development department as their clinical aromatherapist. She enjoys writing and is the author of three books and 55 published articles. To learn more about Mindy, please visit her website: http://www.greenscentsations.com/
Click here to purchase Mindy's Teleconference Presentation: 'Aromatic Medicine in a Clinical Setting'.
Click here to purchase Mindy's Teleconference Presentation: 'Graceful Aging – A Holistic Approach'.
Click here to purchase Mindy's book co-authored with Kathi Keville: Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Arts.
Would you like to contribute an article for a future NAHA E-newsletter? Click here to download the Writer's Guidelines.


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Healthy fish & chips with tartare sauce
Nutrition and extra info
- Healthy
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal373
- fat9g
- saturates1g
- carbs41g
- sugars0g
- fibre3g
- protein35g
- salt0.96g
- 450g potatoes, peeled and cut into chips
The world's favourite root vegetable, the potato comes in innumerable varieties. A member of…
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for brushing
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 2 white fish fillets about 140g/5oz each
- grated zest and juice 1 lemon
Oval in shape with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile…
- small handful of parsley leaves, chopped
One of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and…
- 1 tbsp capers, chopped
Capers are the small flower buds of the Capparis shrub that grows in the Mediterranean. As they…
- 2 heaped tbsp 0% Greek yogurt
Yogurt is made by adding a number of types of harmless bacteria to milk, causing it to ferment.…
- lemon wedge, to serve
Oval in shape with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile…
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Toss chips in oil. Spread over a baking sheet in an even layer, bake for 40 mins until browned and crisp. Put the fish in a shallow dish, brush lightly with oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half the lemon juice, bake for 12-15 mins. After 10 mins sprinkle over a little parsley and lemon zest to finish cooking.
Meanwhile, mix the capers, yogurt, remaining parsley and lemon juice together, set aside and season if you wish. To serve, divide the chips between plates, lift the fish onto the plates and serve with a spoonful of yogurt mix.
Recipe Tip
Making it againSwap the potatoes for sweet potatoes for a more exotic flavour. Or use turkey or skinless chicken fillets instead of fish if you prefer - simply bake 10 mins extra.


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These are the thoughts and observations of me — a woman of a certain age. (Oh, my, God, I'm 60!) I'm single. I'm successful enough (independent, self supporting). I live in the burbs and work in the city (Chicago, the best city in the world). I'm an aunt, a friend and a colleague. I feel that voices like mine are rather underrepresented online or in print. So here I am. If my musings resonate with you, please visit my blog again sometime.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wake up & smell the karma
Posted by The Gal Herself at 5/18/2011 08:32:00 PM
Labels: movies
1 comment:
Sorry about adding Comment Moderation, folks. But look at the bright side, at least I've gotten rid of word verification!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Learn about food allergies and the foods that cause them at this Children's Museum of New Hampshire and Hannaford Supermarket sponsored workshop. You'll learn about alternative foods for allergy sufferers and get some great recipes too! Registered dietician Katy Magoon from Hannaford Supermarkets will be making Bananas in Blankets, among other tasty snacks for you to try!
This is the third year that Hannaford has offered "FoodWorks" programs at the Children's Museum of NH. At the upcoming Food Allergies workshop, Hannaford dietician Katy Magoon, RD, will be sharing recipes, answering questions and presenting ideas on food substitutions that can be made if a child is allergic to dairy or gluten. There will be dairy-free milks to sample, as well as gluten-free products. Katy will also be serving up two healthy snack samples: bananas in a blanket and fudgy no-bake treats.


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Market Samurai is celebrating its first birthday!
It's certainly been a busy year!
Every month, thousands more people begin using Market Samurai – adding to the tens-of-thousands of people who open Market Samurai and use daily in their internet marketing.
But this is just the beginning…
The Last 365 Days – And Into the Future
Every day worked, Market Samurai gets a little bit better…
Something new is developed…
Something good is improved…
Something is innovated, or discovered for the first time…
Or something "impossible" is solved…
Just as an example, we recently partnered with WineBaskets, and now have a great gift for just about every occasion. Be sure to check it out!
And every day, all of us who use Market Samurai see the fruits of this. We get better results in our online marketing because Market Samurai keeps pushing the boundaries of improvement.
But It Doesn't Happen By Itself…
Countless of people deserve our thanks for helping to shape Market Samurai into what it is today.
Since it's the 1st birthday of Market Samurai, let me share them and their contributions with you…
1) The 9 Noble Samurai
These are the people who eat, sleep and breathe Market Samurai every day.
Clockwise from left-to-right: Michael (developer), Arlen (developer), Andrew (developer), Mark (marketing), Eugene (mad scientist), Brent (marketing), Ben (marketing), Warwick (support), Miriam (support).
Thank-you for everything you've done.
From the early days when you were sleeping in corners of the office just to keep up with demand, to the hard work and long hours you put in daily, to the fact that you often work after hours and weekends – your dedication doesn't go unnoticed…
Through Market Samurai, you've made a difference in tens-of-thousands of peoples lives.
2) The Specialists
While they're not a daily part of the Market Samurai team, these people have all contributed their unique skills to the team at critical times.
Pictured above (left-to-right): Ben Stickland, Aaron, Terry, David, Nick, Chris.
Not Pictured: Levi, Anna, Andrea, Robert
Thank-you for being there at the times that we needed you the most.
Your help has meant we were able to combat some difficult problems at important moments in our growth – and Market Samurai wouldn't be where it is today without you.
3) And, Most Importantly… YOU!
Thousands of people have helped to shape Market Samurai…
But none more than the people who use Market Samurai.
You're Market Samurai's biggest advisers, biggest advocates, and biggest contributors.
Because you shared your feedback with us – we were able to use your ideas, feedback and frustrations to create cool new features, and solve big online marketing problems inside Market Samurai.
- Because you shared Market Samurai with your friends – Market Samurai went from being relatively unknown, to the "must-have" tool for anyone who is serious about having a profitable online business.
- Because you shared your tips and tricks for using Market Samurai with others – thousands of new Market Samurai users were, for the first time, able to grasp important marketing concepts, and make profitable marketing decisions.
Thank-you to you all.
You continue to be the biggest source of inspiration for new Market Samurai features, the biggest contributors of information into the Market Samurai community, and the biggest referrers of new users into the Market Samurai community.
Every day, when we act on your advice and feedback to make Market Samurai even better, it's because you chose to be a part of our team.
So once again – thank-you.
We wouldn't be here today without you.


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Music Department Events
May 11
Viola Recital: Patricia Commins '19
Saturday, May 11th, 2019
2:00 – 3:00 pm / Applebaum Recital Hall
Patricia Commins '19 performs selections from Walton's Viola Sonata, Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata, Rebecca Clarke's Viola Sonata, and others.
Sponsored by Music. Contact: Holly Streekstra, x4475
Students, Faculty, Staff, General Public, Alumni, Prospective Students, Families, New Students, Faculty Emeriti


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Late again! It's the beginning of July and I'm just posting March's update and I have April, May and June still to go! Keep an eye out because I'm going to catch up on the CD Scavenger Hunts before I post other things. March was a good month for shopping, lots of new releases and great sale prices so here's what I bought…..
Newbury Comics
Epica – Requiem For The Indifferent (2012) – $10
Beggars & Thieves – We Are The Brokenhearted (2012) – $14
Fastway – Trick Or Treat (1987) – $7 used
Freedom Call – Land Of The Crimson Dawn (2CD Ltd Ed) (2012) – $12
Adrenaline Mob – Omerta – $13
Alice Cooper – Brutally Live DVD/CD (2003 reissue) – $6
Jack Blades – Rock 'n' Roll Ride (2012) – $14
Overkill – Electric Age (2012) – $12
3 Inches Of Blood – Long Live Heavy Metal (2012) – $10
Quiet Riot – Live At The US Festival 1983 (2012) – $10
Iron Maiden – En Vivo! DVD (2012) – $14
Iron Maiden – En Vivo! CD (2012) – $18
KISS – Instant Live (Mansfield, MA – 7/16/2004) – $15 used
Falconer – Sceptre Of Deception (2003) – $3 used
Vivian Campbell – Two Sides Of If… (2005) – $3 used
War & Peace – Light At The End Of The Tunnel (2001) – $3 used
Geezer – Plastic Planet (1995) – $3 used
I made a few trips to Newbury Comics in both North Attleboro, MA (my usual stop) and Warwick, RI in March to grab some new releases and scour the used bins for bargains. The Warwick location used to be my main stop for many years because they were the only location closest to me and they had great selection but the North Attleboro store is closest to my house now so that's where I stop for new releases on Tuesdays. As you can tell by the list above, I picked up a ton of new releases including the new Iron Maiden CD & DVD, the new Epica, Freedom Call, Overkill, 3 Inches Of Blood, Jack Blades and more. I was able to preview a few of these thanks to the labels sending me a promotional download but I still like the physical product and I picked uome solid records at great prices.
What made the trips to Newbury Comics worth it were the used bargains…..nothing is better than cheap CDs! The Fastway – TRICK OR TREAT CD I thought I owned already but I actually didn't, I still have a dubbed cassette from back in the day and I own the movie of course! That was a good purchase as was the Alice Cooper – BRUTALLY LIVE DVD/CD reissue for $6. There's a cut mark on the UPC but that doesn't bother me…..I passed on this twice (2000 & 2003) but I couldn't pass up buying it for $6. The KISS Instant Live disc is one I used to own and sold on Ebay years ago when I needed the money. I was at this show back in 2004 and bought the CD there but I ended up trading for every show as the tour went on so I sold this original and a few others I grabbed for a lot of cash. Even though I had a CDR of this show, I wanted the Instant Live disc again and I found it technically as a used disc but it's brand new to my eyes. The rest of the used CDs basically padded the collection with names I already own but were missing these records.
Best Buy
Rush – Fly By Night (1975) – $5
Rush – 2112 (1976) – $5
Rush – A Farewell To Kings (1977) – $5
Rush – Hemispheres (1978) – $5
Rush – Permanent Waves (1980) – $5
I went to my local Best Buy to look for a CD rack and to check out some Playstation 3 and Wii games and I took my quick walk through the ever-shrinking CD section and I noticed that the section was actually smaller compared to the last time I was there! No big surprise there but what was a surprise was the round plexiglass bins filled with $5 CDs! Most of the CDs are compilations but I did some digging and found almost the entire Rush catalog. I couldn't remember which ones I owned already so I took a guess and bought just a few. All of these discs were brand new and sealed and all are a part of the Rush remaster series from 1997/1998. Can't beat $5 a CD for a great band…..I'll be filling the Ruch collection at Best Buy in the coming months.
Crazy Lixx – New Religion (2010) – $11
Autograph – That's The Stuff (1985) (original blue cover) – $21 used
Laurence Archer – LA (1986) – $23 used
Just a few Ebay buys this month…..the Crazy Lixx disc replaces the promo download I received from the label and was nice & cheap for a brand new CD. I already own THAT'S THE STUFF with the red cover but I always wanted the blue cover, after years of searching I grabbed this one cheap at auction. I also already own LA by Laurence Archer on vinyl (Japanese pressing) but I never play it because it's rare so I found a couple of copies being sold by a seller I've done business with over the years so I grabbed this just under a regular import price. The LA CD is the original European pressing on Music For Nations so it's not the ultra-rare and highly sought after Japanese pressing but it's cool to have it finally on CD and in mint condition.
Total = $247
Total (year) = $658
Average Price (per item) = $8.77
Total CDs (year) = 70
Total DVDs (year) = 4
Total Blu-Rays (year) = 1


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Garden Swing SeatsGarden Swing Seats | Garden Hammocks | Contemporary Outdoor Seating
Garden Swing Seats
Not everyone can boast to have a big garden, especially in London. In Italy it is much more common, and gardens are also more "used" because of the nice weather. Therefore, Italian designers pay a lot of attention to caring and creating amazing products for the garden. Together with the more traditional sun loungers, in fact, we do sell the swing seats, which are perfect if you need some time for yourself, reading a book or simply closing your eyes and appreciating your spare time. There is nothing like feeling the sun and a light Italian breeze on your cheeks, and we do know that if you do it while rocking on a swing seat, you'll appreciate even more. Our philosophy includes, together with the importance of high-quality, chic and reliable products, also the importance of valuing our spare time. Therefore, we do really recommend you to have a close look at our swing seats catalogue.
Our supplier is Scab Design, which is specialised in designing beautiful, practical and eco-friendly products for the garden. The first swing seat that we want to show you has a significant name: it is called Happy. It is a three seats hammock with a metal finish with epoxy coated stainless steel. The cushion is filled with high density memory foam, that helps you sit comfortable on the metal frame. It is available in beautiful, original colours such as Pavia, Bordeaux, Hunter and Charcoal. We also really like Scirocco, still by Scab, which is a three seats hammock as well and is made 100% of Resin. It is available in white and Hunter green, and it has a very simple but chic and smart design. It can be left outside in all weathers and, because of the lack of the cushion, it is more practical than the other two swing seats we sell.
If you have a very big family or you like to have guests, we do really recommend you to have a look at the interesting and beautiful Lord by Scab. It has a significant name, because it is so big and comfortable it probably suits a lord or a sir. It also has the drink holder attached, so it is probably the best place to have in your garden if you want to enjoy a Margarita or anything while lying in your garden. This hammock is made of coated steel and is available in green and grey, beautiful colours that may be perfect for you garden according to your tastes and needs. This can be left outside in all weathers.
We know how important it is to have it good when you finally have some spare time to spend by yourself. We are not life coaches and therefore cannot really help you suggesting what is the best thing for you to do during your spare time, but we are pretty much convinced that sitting on our swing seats set could be a nice way to relax and have a good day. If you have any question or request about our products, don't hesitate to let us know and we will do anything we can to help you.


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Elly Blue (@ellyblue) is a feminist cyclist and author of the zine, Taking the Lane. bicycling, economics, feminism, and other cultural commentary.
She recently inspired, Zöe Leverant (@iamhelsabot) to start the blog out of Portland, Oregon, dealing with similar subject matter.
Here's a sample:
Elly Blue is a feminist writer and cyclist […]


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|TFO Deer Creek
14' 7/8 4-piece Two-handed Rod *
|This Deer Creek 14' 7/8 rod has been used
once and customer returned it to upgrade to a Sage X. We know
customer and he takes meticulous care of his gear. Have inspected
it and you are receiving essentially a new rod.
|While some might argue that properly executed Spey casts are the highest form of fly casting, we would probably all agree that these casts are visually compelling, personally gratifying and a wonderful way to present a fly to a fish. For a collective 65 years, two Pacific Northwest Spey casters, Mike Kinney and Bob Meiser have perfected this art and have shared their knowledge through guiding, teaching, and perhaps most importantly, by designing a new line of Spey rods, the Deer Creek series of two-handed rods. The Deer Creek Series rods have casting properties that marry perfectly with modern Spey lines. They have a unique progressive-regressive traditional action making them ideal for executing all types of Spey and Skagit casts. These blanks are a beautiful translucent dark amethyst color with fittings and components selected by Mike and Bob. For 2015, the Deer Creek rods were upgraded with a full burl cork grip for added durability and performance./td>


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BRUSSELS - Less than a year after Mali's military was heavily criticized for seizing power in a coup, it will now start receiving advice from European experts on how to maintain control of its vast territory.
On Monday, the European Union officially launched a training mission to the African nation. Its goal is to make the disparaged Malian army good enough to patrol the whole country, including its huge northern region, where French and African troops are fighting to unseat Islamist rebels who used the coup's chaos to grab control there.
The mission will "support stability in Mali and the Sahel, both now and in the future. Respect for human rights and the protection of civilians will be an important part of the training program," said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.
Critics have accused the new Malian military government of being undemocratic and abusive. Still, the European Union ministers felt they has no choice but to offer support and oversight because of fears that - if left alone - northern Mali could turn into a new Afghanistan, with Islamist groups given free rein to hatch deadly plots carried out around the world.
The 27-nation bloc was so eager to help that it sent the first 70 advisers to Mali 10 days ago so they could hit the ground running when the decision was made. More EU military experts will begin arriving in Bamako, Mali's capital, next month and the training will begin in April.
The decision by the bloc's 27 foreign ministers who were meeting in Brussels authorizes the deployment of about 500 people to Mali for 15 months at an estimated cost of (EURO)12.3 million ($16.4 million).
About 20 EU countries will participate in the mission, which officials say will not be involved in any combat.
The Sahel is the semiarid area of North Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The region shared by several countries, often poorly policed and home to organizations that claim affiliation with the al-Qaida terrorist group.
Some of those groups have imposed a harsh version of Islamic law, executing violators and performing punitive amputations on thieves.
Greatly concerned, international officials, including those in the EU, have turned to the enemy of those militants - Mali's military government in Bamako, a former pariah.
That military's record over the past year has drawn little praise. It ostensibly handed power back to civilians, but then in December it arrested the prime minister, who announced his resignation on state television at 4 a.m., hours after soldiers had stormed his house.
Human Rights Watch's senior researcher for West Africa, Corinne Dufka, said those events fit the pattern of abuse by Malian soldiers since the coup in March 2012.
"They've arrested, beaten and intimidated journalists; tortured and disappeared military rivals; and now, apparently, arbitrarily detained the prime minister. None of these incidents have been investigated and those responsible appear to have been emboldened by the shameful lack of accountability," Dufka said at the time.
As the rebels drew nearer to Bamako, the government there grew increasingly desperate, and the international community increasingly concerned. In January, France, Mali's former colonial master, intervened at Mali's request and began to drive the rebels back. Forces from other African countries joined the fight.
And the EU, too, was eager to help - but, as a condition, it successfully pressed the government to draw up a plan for holding elections this year and to ensure that a civilian government has control over the military.
In the wake of the coup, the EU, the World Bank and the African Development Bank all suspended aid to Mali. That aid has begun to flow again. Monday's statement by the EU foreign ministers welcomed the resumption of development funds.
Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission, said Monday after a meeting with Diango Cissoko, the Malian prime minister, that the EU would organize a donors conference for Mali in May.
The goal now, EU officials say, is create an army not only capable of holding the retaken territory but willing to respect international law and civilian control. The aim, said Gen. Patrick de Rousiers, chairman of the EU Military Committee, is to train four battalions.
"It's building a new army," Rousiers said Monday, but he did acknowledge the mission faced risks, including that of terrorist attacks.