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- 4 Beds
- 3 Full, 1 3/4 Baths
Property TypeResidential – Single Family
SubdivisionBerry Creek Ranch Filing #2
Listing Date07/09/19
Year Built1997
Lot Size0.29 Acres (12,632 SqFt)
Parking2 Car Garage
Property Description
Rare 1-level living in this single-family home with open floorplan. Main floor includes master suite, 2nd bedroom with full bath, and laundry/mud room. Floor-to-ceiling windows and vaulted ceilings in the family room overlooking the golf course. Incredible views from Game Creek Bowl to Arrowhead, great patio space and mature landscaping. Large master suite, spacious family room, separate den and office, formal dining room, and oversized 2-car garage. Plenty of guest rooms for family and friends.
Presented By
- Golf Course
- Golf Course
- Mountains
- Ski Slopes
- South Facing
- Community Center
- Fitness Center
- Golf Membership Option
- Health Club Membership
- Hiking/Pedestrian Trail
- Pets
- Deck
- Fireplace - Wood
- Jetted Bathtub
- Multi-Level
- Patio
- Vaulted Ceilings
- Clubhouse
- Fitness Center
- Pets
- Cable TV
- District Sewer
- District Water
- Electricity Avail.
- Natural Gas Avail.
- Phone Available
- Satellite
- Snow Removal
- Trash Pickup
- Natural Gas
- Radiant
- Ceiling Fan
- Dryer - Electric
- Dryer - Gas
Financial Information
About Singletree
Singletree is the perfect example of a community that embraces its natural surroundings. With a landscape of sage brush, on the sun-soaked northern side of Interstate 70, Singletree has large home sites, duplexes and single-family homes, many of which feature a Southwestern style of architecture that fits in with the surroundings. The 18-hole Sonnenalp Golf Club is one of the valley's most challenging and scenic courses, with a clubhouse that features a pool and restaurant. As you drive up the hill from the Edwards exit, it's hard to find a Singletree home without a view of something beautiful, be it the Sawatch Range, the valley below or ski runs in the distance. This community truly has something for everyone, all within a short distance to everything the entire Vail Valley has to offer.
Area Market Data
4 Beds 4 Baths
5 Beds 5 Baths
4 Beds 5 Baths
4 Beds 5 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
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Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2020 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Slifer Smith & Frampton/Bridge


text: 자료를 가져오고 있습니다. 잠시만 기다려 주세요. The Yonsei Annals Home Login Register facebook twitter RSS The Annals Current Staff Notice Board Last Edit : 2020.6.15 MON 14:39 Cover Story Campus Reporting World Affairs Culture Photo Regular Features Free Column PDF 검색 Cover Story Briefing Campus Issue Wallposter Campus Insider Today's Affairs Society Worldwide Culture Review It-selection Photo Essay Focus Around Us Special Report Career Take a Break Enquete People/Yonseian Voice on Campus Behind the Scenes Travel Diary Lightbulb Opinion Article List (Total 88) [Cover Story] The Cost of Becoming Comfortable in Your Own Skin [새창] Kwon Do-in 2020-06-14 [Cover Story] My Life is Not Your Porn [새창] Kim Chae-yoon, Kwon Kyu-hee 2020-05-02 [Cover Story] In the Absence: Remembering the Sinking of Sewol Ferry [새창] Noh Ruby 2020-04-04 [Cover Story] The Dwindling Crowd [새창] Oho Yun-seo 2020-03-13 [Cover Story] The Coronavirus Outbreak [새창] Ko Young-gyun, Nam Hyun-Jin 2020-03-13 [Cover Story] A Global Public Health Emergency [새창] Kwon Kyu-hee 2020-03-13 [Cover Story] "We are all Actors Living in his World" [새창] Jo Beom-su, Lee Chae-wan 2019-12-02 [Cover Story] Resurfacing Memories of Murder [새창] Cho Seung-wan, Jo Beom-su 2019-11-02 [Cover Story] The Pub of our Twenties [새창] Yang Soung-hyun 2019-10-06 [Cover Story] Collective City [새창] Nguyen Thi Lan Phuong 2019-10-06 [Cover Story] The YouTube New Wave: Film Critiquing in The YouTube Era [새창] Kwon Do-in 2019-10-06 [Cover Story] Training on Ice [새창] Nam Hyun-jin 2019-09-04 [Cover Story] Dribbling the Globe on the Tips of his Feet [새창] Noh Ruby 2019-09-04 [Cover Story] "My Child is Gay" [새창] Lee Chae-wan 2019-06-02 [Cover Story] An Chi-hwan: A Voice to Remember [새창] Lee So-jung, Yang Ji-weon 2019-05-07 [Cover Story] The Human Cost of Fast Deliveries [새창] Jo Beom-su, Lee Chae-wan 2019-04-04 [Cover Story] A Global Platform for a Sustainable Future: [새창] Park Jae-ha, Yang Ji-weon 2019-03-06 [Cover Story] What Made Yonseians Smile in 2018? [새창] Yoon Young-seo 2018-12-02 [Cover Story] Yonsei and Google Books: A Step Towards the Digital Future [새창] Yang Ji-weon 2018-11-04 [Cover Story] Yonsei, Leading the Way to the Digitized Future [새창] Kwon Young-sau 2018-11-04 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 The Annals RSS Mobile Privacy Policy Youth Protection Policy Rejection of Email Collection Reception Report The Yonsei Annals, Student Union Building G106, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea | TEL 82-2-2123-3366~7 | FAX 82-2-2123-4898 | Youth Protection Manager : Kim Myung Jong Copyright © 2013 The Yonsei Annals. All rights reserved. mail to firstname.lastname@example.com ND Soft RSS HOME BACK TOP

subset: commoncrawl


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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored the fewest touchdowns in the NFL last season en route to a 4-12 record.
They may or may not be more adept on the field in 2014, but at the very least they're hoping to look better. The team unveiled its new uniform design on Monday -- one that includes more of its trademark old-school orange and a "more menacing" Jolly Roger on the helmet.
The team said the new unis, which were more than two years in the making, pay homage to the team's past, but with a modern design.
Here are some of the highlights:
The base uniform color has a richer pewter color with a brighter "Buccaneer Red" and the aforementioned "Bay Orange" color that harkens back to the early days of the Bucs' franchise.
The team said the new Nike jerseys also include a reflective chrome border around the numbers which is supposed to increase readability and give the numbers a unique glow.
And it's the numbers themselves that have caused quite a stir on social media. The new font is supposed to be "inspired by historical Buccaneer blade carvings." But some see it a bit differently.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' new uniform, because nothing says pirates of the high seas like a 1980's alarm clock. http://t.co/u3qvj7nVHM — Benjamin L. Haas (@delohaas) March 3, 2014
While some mocked, others found the new number font somewhat pleasing.
The new Buccaneers uniforms send a mixed message. I like the weird digital font on the numbers, though. — Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman) March 3, 2014
Darren Rovell, of course, has been polling the masses. The results so far:
POLL RESULTS: 61% say they hate the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniforms http://t.co/NeiOdmctDT — darren rovell (@darrenrovell) March 3, 2014


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Oscar nominations for soccer fanatics Nick Hornby and Colin Firth came just after the pair had sunk into sports despair in Hornby's kitchen following a devastating loss by their beloved Arsenal to arch-rival Manchester United.
"You just presume you got thumped at home by Manchester United so what do we have with Oscar nominations? You were in the mindset that you lose everything," Hornby told Popcorn Biz. "We were just really p---- off about the football."
Hornby got a screenwriting nod for the brilliant coming of age flick "An Education," and Firth snagged a best actor nomination for his performance in the highly acclaimed "A Single Man." The pair worked together on the original "Fever Pitch." While a remake starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore was about a diehard Boston Red Sox fan, the original version was about an Arsenal devotee. Hornby wrote the book and first screenplay from personal experience.
U.S. & World
Firth, Hornby and Hornby's wife Amanda Posey, an Arsenal fan and "An Education" producer, were together in the Hornbys' London kitchen commiserating over the 3-1 loss Jan. 30, just before they got word of the nominations.
"I don't think I'll ever have three Oscar nominees in my kitchen again ever," laughed Hornby.


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Tuesday, Dec 3, 2013, 7:34 pm
Case of 'Forced C-section' May Not Be What It Seems
The U.S. press is buzzing about an Italian woman who was forced to undergo a Cesarean section while she was hospitalized for a mental breakdown in the United Kingdom. The child was placed in foster care after the local social service agency determined that she was too sick to return to Italy with her baby. In February, a judge decided that the child should be put up for adoption.
This sad case raises a number of ethical and legal issues, and shoddy journalism has muddied all of them. Last week, The Telegraph broke the news under the sensational headline, 'Operate on this mother so that we can take her baby." The headline was set off with quotation marks, giving the misleading impression that anyone (besides the editors of the Telegraph) said anything of the kind.
The Telegraph reporter, Christopher Booker, claimed that the woman was hospitalized after she suffered "something of a panic attack" on a business trip to London, which makes her affliction sound like the psychiatric equivalent of the sniffles. In fact, the woman was committed under Section 3 of the Mental Health Act, a process reserved for very sick patients. Two doctors would have had to certify that her mental illness was so severe that she had to be hospitalized to protect herself or others. The woman's name is being withheld to protect her privacy. In fact, very few details been made public about the woman's medical history or the evidence presented to the courts regarding her fitness to parent.
On the night of her breakdown, the woman called the police, who spoke to her mother in Italy. The mother confirmed that her daughter has bipolar disorder and sometimes fails to take her medication.
The woman was then taken to a psychiatric hospital. She had been in the hospital for five weeks when the local Health Trust sought a court order to deliver her baby by C-section. It's unclear whether the authorities consulted with the woman's family about the decision. It's also unclear why the doctors thought a C-section was necessary. The Essex council said in a statement that the decision was motivated by concerns about unspecified "risks to mother and child."
According to court documents, the woman suffers from paranoid delusions when she doesn't take her medication. Like all Section 3 patients, she was committed because her doctors believed that she posed a danger to herself or others. She was in no position to make decisions about her own medical care. Her autonomy was constrained because of her psychiatric symptoms, not because of her pregnancy, per se.
The Telegraph and other media outlets have spun the C-section as a nefarious bid by the local authorities to take her child away. So far, no one has come right out and accused the authorities of ordering an unnecessary section to prevent the woman from "absconding" to Italy with her fetus, but that's the insinuation that's hanging in the air. If that's what happened, that would be a grave human rights violation.
Indeed, it is possible that the local council had ulterior motives, but we have no evidence of that. There are also legitimate, and far more plausible, reasons why a pregnant woman in the midst of a mental health crisis might need to deliver surgically. Perhaps she needed drugs that would have posed a risk to her fetus. Maybe she was suicidal. Like any pregnant woman, she might have developed a medical condition that made a C-section the safest option. Or, maybe she was simply nearing her due date and someone had to decide how she would deliver her baby. It's not obvious that putting a delusional woman through a natural labor would have been a more humane solution.
The local social authorities then decided that the woman was too sick to take care of her daughter. In February of 2013, a Chelmsford County judge determined that the woman was still not well enough to care for her child. Judge Roderick Newton said he was moved by the woman's pleas to keep her daughter and acknowledged that she had been taking her medication. But, on balance, he felt the baby would be better off in an open adoption. The woman has been hospitalized multiple times and has a history of going off her medication. Additionally, the woman's mother is already raising her daughter's two older children because Italian authorities deemed the daughter unfit to care for them.
Newton decided that there was also no one in the woman's wider family who could look after the little girl. The woman and her lawyers argued that the baby's biological father would be a fit parent, but the judge disagreed. The woman's ex-husband, who is not related to "baby P," argued that the baby should be sent to live with his sister in the United States, but Judge Newton rejected that option as well.
In the United States, there is a legal movement afoot to diminish the rights of pregnant women in order to give society more power to control their behavior for the ostensible benefit of their fetuses. Here in the States, women of sound mind have been forced into unwanted C-sections and, in some cases, even punished when authorities blamed their delayed consent for bad outcomes for their babies. Understandably, some U.S. commentators have interpreted this case in this context—but that interpretation is not yet supported by the evidence.
Lindsay Beyerstein
Lindsay Beyerstein is an award-winning investigative journalist and In These Times staff writer who writes the blog Duly Noted. Her stories have appeared in Newsweek, Salon, Slate, The Nation, Ms. Magazine, and other publications. Her photographs have been published in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times' City Room. She also blogs at The Hillman Blog (http://www.hillmanfoundation.org/hillmanblog), a publication of the Sidney Hillman Foundation, a non-profit that honors journalism in the public interest.


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Walking among the towering condos and well-groomed brick façades of Portland's Pearl District, it's hard to imagine that just a few years ago this trendy neighborhood was nothing more than a heap of abandoned warehouses and industrial concrete lots. But nearly a decade later, this area in northwest Portland shines like a diamond in the rough, attracting some of the city's most innovative restaurants, cafés and bars. Start your morning by queuing up at award-winning barista Billy Wilson's Barista coffeehouse, where coffee drinkers have the rare opportunity to choose between several different roasters and brewing methods for their morning cuppa.
Continue to build your appetite by straying a half-block west onto N.W. Flanders St. to Rogue Distillery & Public House, where award-winning beers and spirits make appearances not only behind the bar, but on the food menu as well. (Try the hazelnut cheesecake made with their Hazelnut Spiced Rum!)
Back on N.W. 13th Ave., favorite lunch spot Bluehour satisfies suits and tourists alike with its $20 prix fixe lunch menu, inexpensive by-the-glass wine list and mile-long selection of single-malt scotches and small-batch bourbons. From here, stray off of N.W. 13th Ave. onto N.W. Everett St. for cocktails at Teardrop Cocktail Lounge, where bartenders use fresh-squeezed juices and housemade tinctures and bitters in seasonally changing cocktails (like the Sophia Loren, featured in the May/June 2009 issue).
If beer is more your speed, you'll find plenty of options within a few blocks: Henry's 12th Street Tavern boasts one of the biggest beer lists in the city with seasonal favorites and hard-to-find imports being poured from among their 100 taps while a stop at Deschutes Brewery get you a taste of several pub-exclusive Deschutes beers that never make it to the bottling line.
For dinner, reserve a table at Ten 01 where the 40-page wine list includes options that range from budget-friendly (like a $25 Oregon Pinot Gris) to extravagant ($1,200 for a bottle of 1996 Pétrus). Ten 01's wine program shares the stage with expertly crafted cocktails and a food menu that garner national recognition. Cap off the night with a performance at the historic Gerding Theatre at the Armory (whose bar always features Pacific Northwest wines and beers), located just around the corner from Ten 01, or step across the street to browse the aisles at the massive Powell's City of Books, where a million-book inventory is studded with hundreds of new and out-of-print cookbooks and bartender guides and coffee from World Cup Coffee & Tea.
Of course, this is just one possible route to take through the Pearl. There are plenty of other great options for the intrepid explorer. Rogue and Deschutes aren't the only local breweries in the neighborhood: BridgePort's outpost on the northern edge of the neighborhood is a popular spot for craft brews and weekly trivia nights. Heading back from BridgePort on 13th, you'll see Paragon, where you can slurp oysters on the half shell and enjoy creative cocktails like the Laissez les Bons Temps Roulez (rye whiskey, Cherry Heering, Domaine de Canton, Marteau absinthe and orange bitters); the outdoor balcony is prime seating during warm weather. And for some indoor fun, try Tea Zone, which serves both tea and cocktails and hosts a series of movies and live music.
From TeaZone you can also head three blocks east, where you'll find the venerable Park Kitchen, a perfect place to experience Portland' seasonal cuisine and cocktails, and another quarter of a mile east will land you at Gilt Club, a fantastic spot for well-crafted classic and contemporary cocktails. Alternatively, if you cross Burnside and head toward the southern edge of the Pearl District (i.e., into downtown), you'll discover a whole different range of options. During daylight hours, it's worth checking out the food carts at S.W. Alder and Ninth, where you can sample everything from burritos to Croatian fare; be sure to check out Spella Caffe for quality espresso or scrumptious affogato. Or head indoors to the Stumptown Coffee at the Ace Hotel. Ready for a cocktail? Next to the Ace is Clyde Common, with its long list of whiskeys and cocktails both original and classic, not to mention delicious meals made with local produce. Afterward, across the street and check out an art-house film at Living Room Theaters. Movie theaters serving beer and wine are a proud Portland tradition, but Living Room distinguishes itself by offering a full bar as well, plus a food menu that goes far beyond the typical pizza and popcorn.
For more Pearl District destinations, check out explorethepearl.com.
From tattooed hipsters to 30-something yuppies, Southeast Portland's Belmont neighborhood is home to all walks—and it has the coffee shops, teahouses and bars to match. Sip pu-erh, kombucha or oolong tea in the Zen-like setting of the granddaddy of Portland teahouses, the Tao of Tea, or shop from packaged loose-leaf teas and imported teaware next door in their Leaf Room. For more of a coffee jolt, look no further than Stumptown Coffee Roasters, whose Belmont location opened in 2001 and is just two doors down from the Annex, where pour-over coffee and bags of fresh-roasted beans are arranged in a flash, and without the line that oftentimes forms at the café.
Sandwiched between Stumptown and its Annex is the Aalto Lounge (3356 S.E. Belmont St.; 503-235-6041), which gives a nod to Scandinavian designer Alvar Aalto not only in name, but also in its cool, minimalist décor, modest but well-chosen beer and wine list, and simple but tasty cocktails (if the weather's nice, take your drinks out back to the patio). Just another stone's throw west down Belmont, Opposable Thumb Gallery + Café (3312 S.E. Belmont St., 503-235-0146) offers perfectly extracted espresso from local roaster Ristretto, free wifi and a solid sandwich and salad menu (not to mention cool local art hanging on the walls).
If you happen to be on bike instead of foot, head about 10 blocks down Belmont to Portland's original beer mecca, the Horse Brass Pub, where for more than 30 years the legendary Don Younger has managed to snag the most obscure and delicious of microbrews to serve to thirsty patrons. And if you've made it all the way there, you might as well stop by beer shop extraordinaire Belmont Station, some four blocks north, to shop for a few local bottles to take home with you.
Alternatively, six blocks south will take you to S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., where you can grab an expertly crafted coffee or espresso at Albina Press (no website, 5012 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd., 503- 282-5214) before heading a few blocks down to Apizza Scholls for some of the city's best pies and a killer beer list. Farther west down Hawthorne you'll find more delicious brews at the Fresh Pot coffeehouse, as well as at BridgePort Alehouse (bridgeportbrew.com), where happy hour gets you one of their cask-conditioned ales and a natural, grass-fed burger for a mere $10. For those wanting a more sophisticated dinner, a reservation at Belly Timber, a few blocks west of BridgePort, is a good bet. Situated in a classic Victorian house, this restaurant pairs savory dishes like Coho salmon and roasted quail with inventive cocktails like the Papillon (with green Chartreuse, Cognac and homemade cinnamon tincture) and the Tamarind Daisy (with gin, tamarind juice and rhubarb bitters). Castagna offers another great dinner option farther down Hawthorne, with one the best burgers in Portland, not to mention fresh, seasonal cocktails and a well-chosen wine list.
Most people will suggest visiting Alberta Street on the last Thursday of the month, when the Northeast-quadrant neighborhood gives itself over to street performers and sidewalk vendors, and the thoroughfare's many galleries and boutiques stay open late and offer special sales. But the truth is that Alberta is worth a visit any day of the month. Spanning some 20 blocks, this ever-evolving commercial district seem sprawling, but if you've got comfortable shoes and a day to wander around, the stretch between 10th and 30th avenues offers plenty of places to refresh yourself before heading farther down the street.
Starting at 10th, stop by the Bye and Bye (no website, 1011 N.E. Alberta St., 503-281-0537), where you can enjoy a quintessentially Portland combo: vegan food and Belgian beer. Or for more traditional bar food, grab a microbrew and some fried calamari at the multilevel Radio Room, a casual and frequently crowded spot that often gets overrun by members of Recess Time, a local recreational league that celebrates sports like bowling and kickball. For a more sedate experience, keep walking another four blocks to Every Day Wine, a cozy little wine shop and tasting room where most bottles stay in the $10–15 range and a sleepy black Lab is frequently napping in one armchair. Owner Beth Boston hosts Friday wine flights where $12 gets you five pours of thematically arranged wines, and since she doesn't serve food, she encourages customers to bring their own.
Can't decide between coffee and cocktails? Have both at Random Order. Free wifi is a major lure for locals at this small coffee shop, but we recommend stopping by for the freshly baked pies in an ever-changing spectrum of seasonal flavors (on our last visit, those included rhubarb-cardamom and peach-raspberry with Amaretto). As for cocktails, check out their Iced Irish Coffee, featuring cold-pressed coffee and Irish whiskey, or Peg Leg, with ginger-infused rum, bitters, ginger ale and lime. More coffee and sweet treats beckon a few doors down at the airy Petite Provence, and tucked between these two caffeinated gems is a small, subtle storefront marked Zilla. Enter its dark wooden interior and you'll encounter one of the city's more unusual bars, specializing almost entirely in sake. This is the place to taste between nigori and nama, or between ginjo and daiginjo. They also serve some tasty sushi.
Keep ambling down the street and you'll spot the Hilt (no website, 1934 N.E. Alberta St., 971-255-1793), a newly opened bar with indie punk music and 10 taps behind the bar, most devoted to local microbrews. For more great local beer, keep walking to 22nd Ave. and turn right, where the spacious and often raucous Mash Tun Brewpub (no website, 2204 N.E. Alberta St., Ste 101, 503-548-4491) offers a rotating selection of housemade brews, as well as a half-dozen visiting microbrews.
At this point, you might be in need of a little detoxification, so cross to the other side of Alberta and enter the zen-like oasis Townshend's. In fact, this tea shop even offers a custom herbal infusion called Detox, made with fenugreek, burdock, anise and dandelion root. Or maybe you're hungry: Try Ciao Vito for reasonably priced Italian-inspired fare, as well as an impressive list of primarily Italian wines and grappas, plus cocktails like the La Firenza, which combines bourbon with myrtleberry liqueur. Bonus points for a happy hour that runs from 4 to 8 p.m. on weeknights.
You'll pass plenty of bars and restaurants along the next few blocks. Each has its strengths: Francis is known for its "build your own Bloody Mary" option (try it with locally made aquavit); Peruvian restaurant Del Inti is the place for Pisco Sours and a seat by the outdoor fire pit, Siam Society offers Asian-inspired cocktails and delicious Thai food; Binks (no website, 2715 N.E. Alberta St., 503-493-4430) is the place to go for super-casual socializing of the pizza'n'beer variety.
But it's in the last block of major commercial development—between 29th and 30th avenues—that Alberta really overwhelms a casual stroller with options. Hit the secluded back deck of Bernie's Southern Bistro for a Southern spin on the Sidecar (made with bourbon instead of Cognac). Nearby is the newly opened Branch Whiskey Bar (no website, 2926 N.E. Alberta St., 503-284-9600), where there's plenty of the namesake spirit on hand, as well as expertly m
ade classic cocktails and a few intriguing originals, like the Give Me Three Steps, which marries imported Mexican Coca-Cola with whiskey that's been infused with smoke from Cabernet wine barrels. At the far corner stands the bright and cheerful Lolo, where classic tapas are paired with a thoughtful selection of mostly Spanish wines. Check out the beer list, too: It's small, but always has at least one surprising option, like the Brazilian black beer, Xingu.
So far, we've stuck with the southern side of the block, but across the street, an array of other options await. Tour de Crêpes (no website or phone, 2921 N.E. Alberta St.) is one of those cheerfully DIY-style places that gives Portland so much of its character; it's essentially a food cart with a brightly painted, one-room cabin stuck in front of it for a dining area. No liquor license, but the Lemonade Nojito (mint-infused lemonade and Perrier) makes for a nice palate-cleanser.
The sign above Concordia Coffee House just says "COFFEE," and that's what you smell, rich and comforting, as you walk in the door of this mellow and unpretentious neighborhood joint. The beans come from Stumptown, and the baristas do them justice. Once you're properly refreshed, it's time for one last stop to buy a few souvenirs of your time on Alberta, so head to Cork . The placard outside boasts of the store's 100 wines, all priced at under $20 a bottle, but Cork is more than a wine shop. One corner is devoted to gourmet chocolates (including delectable truffles from local chocolatier Alma), while another is given over to a selection of large-format rare beers like Urthel Hop-It and Mikkeller Not Just Another Wit. Gourmet finishing salts, preserves and pickles round out the offerings, making this the perfect pre-party stop for a hostess gift.
Ready to go home? Not so fast: We've saved a little local secret for you at the end. Most tourists get to 30th Ave. and assume they've seen all this district has to offer, but if you turn left and head a few blocks north, you'll discover a small slice of foodie heaven located at the intersection of 30th and N.E. Killingsworth St. (This is another fine Portland tradition: unlikely locations becoming culinary hubs.) You can't go wrong with any of Micah Camden's projects—it's more a question of what you're in the mood for, be it modern pan-Asian and sake at Yakuza, communal multi-course dining at Beast, or ultra-intimate Italian (you enter through the kitchen) at D.O.C., where you can end your meal with vacuum-pot coffee brewed tableside. And for coffee sans dinner, try Extracto.
Finally, for toasting your friends with Portland's drink of choice—namely, local beer—walk a few blocks around the corner to the Kennedy School, one of many enterprises run by local brewers the McMenamin Brothers. These two local boys have been converting historic properties into brewpubs and entertainment venues for years. The Kennedy School (which, yes, used to be a school) boasts the requisite brewpub and restaurant featuring McMenamins beers but also holds a movie theater, event space, soaking pool and 35-room hotel. And, hey, after the walk you just took, you could probably use a place to sleep!
Not long ago, the Mississippi District, centered around Mississippi Ave. and Failing St., was considered a rough, undeveloped part of town. In the past few years, however, a thriving retail district has sprung up in this North Portland neighborhood—one that's filled with casual, funky and often inexpensive places to eat and drink.
Starting at the southern end of the strip at N. Fremont St., grab a pint of housemade hibiscus juice and a soft taco filled with locally sourced pork from Por Qué No Taqueria. The tiny eatery fills up fast, but a generous helping of sidewalk seating makes it easier to snag a table. Next, grab a local brew and catch some live music next door at Mississippi Pizza Pub, or keep strolling north to the large, tent-covered patio of Amnesia Brewing (no website, 832 N. Beech St., 503-281-7708) and enjoy freshly brewed beers (we love the chocolaty Slow Train Porter) along with grilled sausages and a casual, laid-back vibe. (Amnesia's also a prime example of Portland's dog-friendly ethos—expect to share your picnic table with at least one canine companion on most visits.)
If wine's more your thing, switch to the opposite side of Mississippi Ave., where two good options await: Lorenzo's and Lupa. The former is the better option if you're really hungry—this casual (there's that word again) Italian bistro turns out homey and authentic plates of fresh pasta, most for under $12. Their ravioli of the day is always worth ordering, and the wine list is carefully limited to a dozen Italian options, all available by the glass. While you're there, duck into the tiny storefront a few doors south called The Meadow, which specializes in fresh flowers and a tantalizing array of gourmet chocolates, salts, spices and wines. Lupa, meanwhile, is the place to go for serious wine-tasting. Bottles line one wall of this narrow bar, all of which can be purchased to go or opened at the bar. The by-the-glass selection is always changing based on what owner Amanda Prock has recently sampled and enjoyed.
For high-end beer in a low-key atmosphere, the willfully divey Crow Bar has a list that's far more ambitious than the décor would suggest, and for carryout beer, try the newly opened bottle shop Bridgetown Beerhouse, whose small environs is packed full of specialty microbrews like Ninkasi and Lagunitas. At this point, you're probably ready for a little caffeine. And you're in luck: Just across Shaver is the Fresh Pot, a relaxing coffeehouse with award-winning baristas. When it's open, check out the aqua-colored vintage RV trailer next door: Moxie Rx serves up some of the best breakfast biscuits in town, as well as wholesome smoothies and, on occasion, addictive iced Mexican Coffee. Moxie is part of a citywide culture of great food being served from carts, trailers and small shacks: For another example, walk a few blocks north to the endearing Junior Ambassador's, a wooden shed serving inventive ice cream flavors like Maple Strip Tease (with real bacon in it) and Strawberry Chipotle. On your way there, you'll pass the Albina Press (no website, 4637 N. Albina Ave., 503-282-5214), another terrific spot for espresso. You'll also pass two great options for dinner: tapas restaurant Casa Naranja and the always-crowded Lovely Hula Hands.
Amazingly, all of what we've described so far is contained within an eight-block walk. If you have energy to explore farther, backtrack to Failing (one block south of Shaver) and walk east about a third of a mile until you cross Vancouver. There you'll find outposts of two very different Portland mini-chains sitting side by side. The Fifth Quadrant is part of the Old Lompoc group of brewpubs, serving their trademark microbrews along with burgers and other pub fare. And then there's Pix Pattisserie, whose founding concept is so brilliant that it's hard to believe it isn't replicated more often: a bar serving dessert (or, viewed another way, a French bakery that serves dessert-friendly beverages like Cognac, Port and Belgian beers). Ever wanted to try an ice cream float with lambic? Pix has one on the menu. Or, if you prefer your beer unadorned, Lompoc just opened its tasting room, Sidebar, where they serve special limited-release and barrel-aged beers unavailable in the main pub.
Meanwhile, just across the street is Ristretto, where you can pick up a pound of locally roasted coffee and grab an expertly pulled version of their namesake shot, while you're at it. And for a delicious dinner and small but lovely list of seasonal cocktails, head next door to Lincoln, where you can wind down with a Sterling Cooper cocktail combining gin, lime juice, basil syrup, yellow Chartreuse and soda water.
Finally, we have one last place to suggest in the Mississippi District. Remember where you started, at Mississippi and Fremont? Go south instead of north for one short block, past what looks to be an abandoned lot, and then turn right onto Cook St. There, you'll see a bright-pink wooden house with a wide porchfront. That's Liberty Glass (no website, 938 N. Cook St., 503-517-9931), an antler-bedecked eatery that feels like sitting in your granddad's living room. All cocktails are served in plain glass tumblers—we like to pair the Romanza (gin, Campari, grapefruit juice) with a savory cheese-and-sausage plate, though the mac'n'cheese is highly recommended if you're hungry enough to do it justice. Alternatively, you could just sip Whiskey Sours on the porch and congratulate yourself for having discovered a hidden example of Portland's easygoing charm.


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"A man walking alone on a deserted beach, brandishing a lantern in his outstretched hand, might be a fool. But, for a ship that went astray on a stormy night, he might be the savior."
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Live and Let Live
I never ever imagined that there will come the day when I would have to stand up and fight for the right of homosexuals to be what they have chosen to be. I don't condone their outlook on life, I don't concur with their preferences, I don't truly understand their choice but this is how far I go. My personal judgment and bias should not blind me from seeing that they exist and that I have to shut the fuck up and abide by their freedom of choice.
How can we stop ourselves from repudiating all forms of nonconformity? Should we start cleaning our society (as if our society is clean to start with) from homosexuals and then relentlessly go down the list. Let us clearly identify the next targets (victims) of this moral crusade.
Atheists, adulterers, drinkers, un-hijabed women, un-bearded men, lovers, nightclub patrons, beach bums, hot chicks, artists, poets, communists, irreverent writers, people who look funny… free bloggers. Alas, it is a desperately long and all-encompassing list.
Where do the dimwits intend to stop?
What are they to do with all these non-conformists? Leave it to these religious tartuffes and they are likely to replace us with a bunch of brainwashed zealots, ardent celibates, devout cretins, faithful crusaders, pious robots and godly agitators who will teach those who are left of us how to live. What to do and what not to say. How to look down and how not to laugh. Why we die and why we should lead austere lives all the way to the grave.
Thanks but no thanks. The fanatics, the fomenters, the hypocrites, the bigots, the knaves gave me no choice but to defend a Syria of multiplicity and to protect my own freedom of choice.
Live and let live.
in November of 2008 I wrote Secular Shivers and Religious Fever and I was partially blamed for seeing the Syrian Blogsphere in Black and White. How do you like them colors now?
|What do you think?
73 comments:
- Dubai Jazz said...
Totally agree with you. Looks like our friends are on a kind of a crusade. But we probably have to communicate with them in Arabic in order to get better results. What do you think Abu Fares? Let's see how it goes.
- Unknown said...
Hello my friend.
You might be right but I'm too old for this shit (pardon the expression). It has to be somebody who believe that such effort is not an exercise in futility.
I watch in wonder where our melting pot of cultures seems to be heading (yes Syria has always been such a melting pot a long time before the discovery of the new world).
Traditionally it has been the role of governments in the Middle East to abuse and suffocate freedom. They eased some "personal and social" restrictions and the first immediate result is the mushrooming equivalent of the detestable "Moral Majority". Their only interpretation of freedom is derived, conveniently enough, from divine text. How can you argue with a person who believes at best that he is a personal friend of God or as is more often the case a servant whose mission in life is to rid the world of the queer and vermin.
- Dubai Jazz said...
Walla yehmak Abu Fares, this might sound a bit eccentric but I love arguing about this shit! Probably because at one point I used to agree with them (with reservations), and now I can see all the flaws in my earlier thinking.
I've already brought a bag of popcorn after I posted a comment in Arabic on Mohammad's blog (awaiting moderation). I think it's going to be fun!
In support of everything you say Abufares, nothing to add but live and let live, not just in Syria but everywhere.
I read a bit of the person at the origin of this crusade though your link, although I'm not sure I know exactly to whom he is referring, and was increasingly stunned the more I scrolled and read. I've seen enough, and he's not even clever or interesting.
I wish these people had as much courage in fighting the real ills of society, those which really affect us and which can damage more than precious sensibilities. Fight for the real enemies of civilization, people, nations.
Such intolerance is simply intolerable.
Dubai Jazz, let us know how it goes, I salute your patience and appreciate your explanation!
- KJ said...
there's so much i can add - especially on the psychology part - but it is more or less a lost cause. I am a live and let live person - and love while you're doing that too.
What people do in bed is their business.
How boring would life be if everyone were the same!
Frankly I don't understand this crazy preoccupation with homosexuality. I mean, who cares?Live and let live as you say, Abu Fares. And I agree with Razan, if people put all this energy they spend on protesting against homosexuality toward something that really matters - and there are many worthwhile battles to be won out there for humanity, including the fight against discrimination - the world might be a better place. For instance, there's some kook, Fred Phelps (a Baptist church minister), in the states who pickets funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq...not because he's against the war in Iraq but because he believes they are dying because America gave rights to "fags". (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps) Like WTF? To us reasonable folks this hate monger is clearly wacko...but often its the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. And he has followers. But anyway, your voice in support of human rights is an important one, Abu Fares, and I really like them colours! Isobel
- Karin said...
Agreed - 100%!! I am not surprised to discover for the umpth-time, we share ONE ideology, ONE philosophy of life ... TO LIVE AND LET LIVE!
It would never occur to me to judge someone after his or her sexual or any other orientation as much as I would never accept anyone else tell me what or what not to do or say or how to think!
I LOVE diversity, in every aspect ... that's what makes it all interesting! Imagine we were all the same ... a terrifying thought!! And if folks decide for homosexual or lesbian life style - so be it. In my eyes they are not an iota "inferior" to others even though, like you, I do not share nor condone their preferences nor choices. It is THEIR decision .. and that's good enough for me. Besides ... science discovered there MIGHT be more to it - it might be genetically predispositioned ... in that case the whole discrimination-idea would become even more the figment of wicked imagination of some VERY sick minds!
Thanks Abufares ... I always thoroughly enjoy reading your posts!!
Best regards to Maha!
- MJ said...
let me put it in a different way as to my comment on chaos's blog, a person's freedom ends when other peoples' freedom starts. We cannot pretend that we as humans can live normal lives without rules and laws, thats how everything in this universe runs, so why are we an exception?
I agree with KJ that what people do in bed is their business, but once that goes out on to the streets then its everyone's business, and that gives people the right to discuss these things.
- saint said...
I do not appreciate the mixing of national affair and social affair from some blogger. Still beating any taboo is useful.
I think the guy who is running the campaign has two sides, he is a wonderful honest person but his extremism takes him to uncharted territories, such to incite hate and extremism. He does not fully understand the freedom of expression which he himself uses and claims that he defends. Like when he says:
الهدف الثاني هو الدفاع عن حقنا أيضاً في وقوفنا ضد هذه الأفكار و ذاك الشذوذ المرضي.
He is saying that he is defending his right in standing against such ideas and the homosexuality. He did not realize that he fell into the hypocrisy of what he is defending, the freedom of expression, and he started a campaign against freedom of expression. I wish he at least gave them the chance to defend themselves, but he want to shut them up and make them disappear.
Anyway, there is no such thing as bad publicity, it is a good thing, so let them start TALKING, about everything and anything, may be they will be bitten by the bug of freedom of speech. Syrian bloggers like an old man in his 60s and suddenly doctors operated on him and opened his sealed lips and started to TALK.
Cheers abu Fars, )
- Unknown said...
I told you so:-)arguing with the proscriptive mindset is like "tilting at windmills".
They will continue to regurgitate their torpid logic for as long as they can. If and when they rid the world of homosexuals and other "sick" people they will turn against each other. Ah, if only they learn from history.
Luckily for the rest of humanity their reasoning is fizzling and no matter how loud they shout... nobody will be there to listen.
- Unknown said...
"Such intolerance is simply intolerable".
Perfect as usual.
What do you mean fight for the real ills of society. Do you really expect as much of them. While we're casually and freely exchanging ideas, Arab Tartuffes and Totalitarians are in bed together, experimenting on more sadistic ways to repress freedom of speech and expression.
- Unknown said...
I wish that when I was your age I knew what you seem to know very well already.
It is indeed a lost cause and apparently they never contemplated "how boring life would be if everyone were the same."
I really don't know what is more offensive in an abstract sense, homosexuals or homoweddings (wedding parties attended only by men or only by women for those who have no idea that such things exist).
- Unknown said...
Unfortunately we have more than our fair share of Fred Phelpses.
The tragic common trait of these cleansing campaigns is their relentless effort to eliminate the other. Over the centuries they have caused loss of life and limb but they never prevailed.
They never will.
- Unknown said...
Diversity is the most precious characteristic of any society. In the West it's often unknown that Syria, the cradle of civilizations, is also the crib of divergence.
How can anyone claim today to represent the majority? There is no fucking majority (pardon my French). We are neither an Islamic nor a Christian country, we are not only Arabs and we are not only Mediterraneans. AND NO NOT ALL OF US AGREE THAT HOMOSEXUALS ARE SICK PEOPLE.
I do, however, believe that those who lead supposedly pious lives to the very end in the hope of finding little boys in heaven are SICK.
- Unknown said...
I have to thank you for always caring to engage in dialogue.
But just out of curiosity what are you willing to tolerate on the streets? Let's, for the sake of argument, ban any explicit display of homosexuality in the streets (BTW it's banned in all Arab countries). What next?
Would you accept a heterosexual couple kissing, holding hands, leaning on each other?
Would you allow miniskirts (for women) and shorts (for men). Would you approve of an open cafe where people (men and women) can have a cold beer or a Diet Coke and laugh out loud. Would you tolerate nightclubs. Would you condone bikinis on public beaches?
Don't you think it's much easier to turn your head the other way when you happen to see something you don't like instead of regulating every single aspect of behavioral diversity.
This is what I'm forced to choose from my friend, being a conformist or siding with homosexuals.
I didn't even give it a second thought.
- Unknown said...
I frankly don't see anything wonderful or honest about this and other persons with a similar disposition.
As far as I'm concerned they are the direct descendants of the Christian Crusaders who wreaked havoc on the Levant, of the Zionist Jews who raped Palestine and of the Muslim terrorists who killed innocent bystanders in the trains of Madrid.
Their words and weapons might vary but they follow the same theme.
- poshlemon said...
Nothing to add to what has been said above other than I love this post and I am glad to read it.
- MJ said...
Yea of course it is very much possible to look the other way, but do you think that everyone thinks that way?!
Sarkozy in France is luanching a campaign to slowly rid the french society from excessive alcoholic consumption; in the early 1900's alcoholic beverages were considered illegal in the USA.
Women wearing clothes that expose most of their bodies does them more harm then benefit, and what is the point for a women to wear a miniskirt other than to arouse the sexual instinct of men?
Not everything the west does is good, and mind you most of the things done in the west is driven by sexual desires..
It is always an argument between islamic tradition and western modernity, unfortunately islamic traditions are usually mixed with local traditions (for example women driving in saudi and honor killings in syria) and when the western world is moving towards post-modern societies we in our societies are making up arguments to move towards modern societies which the west is abandoning.
in my opinion its really unfortunate.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for being here. I'm even gladder you loved this post.
- Unknown said...
I disagree with you completely but you are of course very welcome to express your opinion.
"Women wearing clothes that expose most of their bodies does them more harm then benefit, and what is the point for a women to wear a miniskirt other than to arouse the sexual instinct of men?"
So! What's wrong with that? They want to arouse the sexual instinct of men. Who are we, you and I, to stop them???
"when the western world is moving towards post-modern societies we in our societies are making up arguments to move towards modern societies which the west is abandoning".
Where did that come from? Who in the west is abandoning freedom of expression???
Aren't the words "Islamic tradition" similar in vanity to Christian tradition and Jewish tradition??? Who are we, you and I, to decide which is better if indeed there is a better one out of the three mentioned.
- Yazan said...
My dear Abu Fares,
Your post betkaffi w zeyadeh!
@ Jabi: "most of the things done in the west is driven by sexual desires." Like technology? Education? Science? Medical breakthroughs? That's mostly driven by sexual desires? Well, then long live sexual desire.
In honor of the subject of this post, I should also point out that some women wear a miniskirt to arouse the sexual instinct of ... women.
- MJ said...
Rime I was talking in regards to society, not science and technology.
Abufares what I meant by Islamic tradition is the actual teachings of the Quran and Hadith. If you want to know which one is better look at which one when applied produced a civilization that was great.
Well when those women get rapped do not wonder why they did..
- Unknown said...
Thanks man.
I always suspected that the main cultural division in our part of the world is between Religious Conformists and Non-Conformists. There's less and less social interaction between these 2 main broad groups. There's less intermarriage, less friendship, less camaraderie, less tolerance and less affinity between them.
Every time I travel in Syria I see this divide widening further and soon enough everyone will notice that we are living in the same country but have very little in common.
I guess we have to thank religion(s) for this wonderful achievement.
- Unknown said...
"A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself from within."
Will Durant
Even the "great" Islamic Civilization carried its own seeds of destruction from within the stagnant pond of its arrested development.
You are going to get most women (and many men) angry at you with that artless remark about rape. But I won't go into that. Instead and just as a suggestion, have you ever considered that you and your ecclesiastical doctrines might not be 100% right. If you haven't then it will be virtually impossible for you to engage in any type of open discussion because you would be unable to admit that you are or even might be wrong.
- Dania said...
And again it all goes back to the Secular Shivers and Religious Fever.
it's funny how people can pretend using "freedom of expression" to attack the "freedom of existence" to people who differe from the "GODDESS" majorty.
- Shadi HIJAZI said...
"I never ever imagined that there will come the day when I would have to stand up and fight for the right of homosexuals to be what they have chosen to be. I don't condone their outlook on life, I don't concur with their preferences, I don't truly understand their choice but this is how far I go. My personal judgment and bias should not blind me from seeing that they exist and that I have to shut the fuck up and abide by their freedom of choice."
Very well said Abu Fares, as usual!
Totally agree with you, this blog brought to me an old saying that my grandmother was saying all the time:
"كل مين على دينو الله يعينو" which summarizes the folk wisdom in the "melting pot" we live in, the color rich Levant...
I think the next step be for these "moral crusaders" would be painting and purifying the poetry and the tales of the "Islamic Era"!
- Unknown said...
Hello my friend
It is indeed "the tyranny of the masses".
- Dubai Jazz said...
"most of the things done in the west are driven by sexual desire"
Let me rewind that statement for you, one way or the other, most things done in the weast AND the east are driven by sexual desires. The most basic and primeval force in human history, the instinct to survive, mate and give birth to offspring and then take care of them until they're on their own. Your holier-than-thou attitude may not admit it, because the Shiekhs had put my penis on the top list of their priority and made it their own business to control. ...Anyway, I've posted about this here, where I almost jizzed in my pants.
p.s. sorry for the shameless plug Abu Fares!!
- Unknown said...
Yeslam Hal Tem
I really don't understand those who insist on changing others to conform with their own code of ethics. When they can't find a valid reason for their aggressive behavior, and there is no reason, they bring the SCRIPTURES (in one of its different and somehow contradictory forms) forward.
Can't they really grasp that "faith" is a very intimate and personal matter?
OK, they can't.
Can't they comprehend that not all people agree with the SCRIPTURES?
No, they can't.
Gone are the days when you could shove religion down the throat of INFIDELS either by physical threat or financial burdens.
It's funny how the 3 monotheist religions have very contradictory theological notions. However, they agree completely on one point: The need to repress sexual desire. They have gone out of their way just to stress this point, the regulation of sex. This is a very thorny point for religion as it insists that basic human nature (FITRA) dictates conformist sexual pattern, preferences and behavior. If it's basic human nature (FITRA) then why did it waste so much time, energy and space on trying to teach us what is right and what is wrong.
- Unknown said...
Long Live the Penguins :-)
I want everyone to read your hilarious post on your blog:
Thank you for "flashing" yourself here.
- Syrian in London said...
Abufares, it has been an honour to translate this post, thanks for allowing me to do so
I can only add what I told you earlier today, I'm deeply disturbed by the extent of the polarization trend sweeping the Syrian society these days. Over the last few years I was away from home every time I travel back I feel saddened by what my beloved Damascus is changing. And as you said, who's next on the list?
@Jabi: "Well when those women get rapped do not wonder why they did.."
You have a great misconception about rape and I feel its important to address it. When a woman is raped, the problem is not with the woman but rather with the man who raped her. A woman's choice of clothing has no bearing on whether she would be raped. The reason for rape has nothing to do with sex but is about controlling and/or injuring the victim. Your statement, although an unfortunate common one, is careless and offensive.
Do some reading: http://living.oneindia.in/men/he/why-men-rape-psychology.html
- Yazan said...
I'm afraid your comment about rape is not simply offensive to women, it is equally offensive to men. I don't appreciate being viewed as a sex freak who can not control his penis and who has to force himself on anything that arouses his sexual instincts. I am not like that and I presume most of my fellow humans are not like that.
And that's that.
- Unknown said...
@Syrian in London
thank you for taking the time and putting in the effort of translating my post on your blog.
Because I know you personally, I am honored to say that you are a perfect example of a rare breed of young women in Syria who fully understand and live by the fact that religion is a very personal matter without going over and falling into the bottomless valley of extremism.
If the present tragic trend continues there will come the time when 2 people (like you and me) can never be in the same place at the same time to enjoy and appreciate each other's company on a level unknown and unexperienced by these hypocrites.
- Gabriela said...
Hello Abufares:
I use to say that a lot of courage is needed in order to "get out of the closet". Being different is not, and has never been, an easy task.
Live and let live... easier to be said than to be done. And yet, tolerance is the key word here.
Saludos desde Lima.
- The Syrian Brit said...
My dear Abu Fares,
I said it on this Blog before, and, with your permission, I say it again:
"Je ne suis pas d'accord avec ce que vous dites, mais je me battrai pour que vous ayez le droit de le dire."
(I do not agree with what you say, but I will fight for your right to say it.)
If only we could learn!...
As you quite rightly point out, once the thin end of the wedge of 'moral cleansing' is firmly in place, who knows what will it lead to??.. Before you know it, those self-styled defenders of morality will be targeting anything and anyone who is simply not to their liking, never mind those who do not conform to the self-righteous, vacant and hypocritical standards that those bigots want to impose upon us all..
I must admit, some of the comments on the blog launching this rabid campaign make depressing reading... the venom that some commentators have been spewing out was just shocking...
But rest assured, as long as there are open-minded and enlightened people like you and your readers, this kind of intolerance will not prevail...
- Haifaa said...
Abu Fares,
This has nothing to do with tolerance. Tolerate what? This has to do with humanity. I am so proud of you for posting this, Abu Fares.
I hope all of us can be with the one we love.
- Unknown said...
The way I see it is that bigots who don't approve of people coming out of closets should find a hole in the ground and hide in it until they realize that the world is dynamic and ever changing. That it's not centered around them personally or about their beliefs. And that they'd better accept it and live and let live.
- Unknown said...
@The Syrian Brit
We can't be as eloquent as Voltaire or half as wise.
It is indeed shocking that these fossils quite believe that they hold the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Arguing with people who start with this premise could lead nowhere. I find it very amusing when religious leaders from different faiths get together and discuss immorality. In principle, they don't agree on the basic foundations of theology. As a matter of fact every single one of these religions is exclusive of the other on the most basic level. But give them SEX as a topic, anything even remotely related to sex or women, and they would agree in an instant and later kiss each other's stinky beard (or ass).
- Unknown said...
@Az3ar's Fan
Ever so precise and unwasteful of words.
I hope your wish come true and that we can all be with the one we love indeed. This in my opinion is the major role of GOD.
- Lujayn said...
Shit, I missed this entire post and conversation!! Great one, Abu Fares, and love the discussion!
- Unknown said...
Ever since you got married... well obviously you have less time for the rest of us :-) But your late entry is always fashionable.
This entire post, in my opinion, would've been totally unnecessary if we didn't have the fossilized remains of homo erectus amongst us in this age and place.
- Lujayn said...
Not true, Abu Fares. Its not the husband, its facebook. He's complaining too, poor thing! :)
The problem with me is I usually read relatively-like-minded blogs, and it kind of insulates me from the neanderthals like the guy that set off this long discussion. I shouldnt forget they exist, and in large numbers, which I tend to do. His reasoning, or lack of, assumes that he and his ilk are the keepers of the truth, and the rest of us are just misguided and in need of being brought back to the straight path, pardon the pun.
Its quite disturbing and sad. They live tied up in knots about shoulds and shouldnts, for themselves and for others.
In my opinion those "...bunch of brainwashed zealots, ardent celibates, devout cretins, faithful crusaders, pious robots and godly agitators..." usually have something personal to hide and that is why they stand behind their zealot believes!
Futile to try to open their hearts and narrow minds.
- Unknown said...
I am like you in the sense that I have completely stopped visiting the (self-righteous) blogs and only a very few very well written Arabic ones.
But every once in a while we get hit smack in the face by some wise ass on Syplanet (for instance) advertising himself (like an old dirty flasher) and exposing his genital mind.
Now so there will be no misunderstanding, everybody is entitled to their opinion by writing about whatever they choose. But to be rude to the point of promoting a campaign against others is totally unacceptable. If you, I and everybody else started hate campaigns in an effort to make those we hate less hateful to us (i.e. acceptable) then we would have really, as a culture, sunk down to the lowest level of animality.
We would be even more despicable if we believe that we represent Islam (for instance) while those who approve of the homosexuals' right to live by their choice are not real Muslims (for instance).
They consider that the Quran and the Hadith have been fully interpreted and the door closed once and for all. Or at best, they will argue that no one can criticize either even when it sounds archaic and outdated. They refuse to accept that somethings are no longer valid and if anyone dares say so then he/she is not a Muslim (infidel is a popular adjective).
Well, as a person who normally doesn't interfere in the business of others I'm quite offended when they stick their noses up anybody's ass and start complaining about the stink. And the stink is always and will forever stay in their heads.
- Unknown said...
But of course they have something to hide. Many things as a matter of fact. They are hiding their cowardice in being afraid to question authority. They are hiding their inability to think on their own. They are hiding their dependency on the supernatural because they can't face the natural world. They are hiding their mental impotency. They are hiding their inability to love and be loved.
Is that enough???
Now that I talked to you, I feel much better:-)
- MJ said...
whats so offensive about that? people get rapped, some are sexually molested, others choose to be gay or lesbian, all people at some time in their lives are straight, some people are prostitutes. This is reality, if every time people are going to be sensitive and angry about such little but significant issues then we will never get anywhere. and now i know why Arab countries are still struggling to catch up with the west.. some of you need to watch a question-and-answer session in parliament with Gordon Brown and David Cameron, and see what i mean.
As much as i hate to say this but yea I do believe that my beliefs are right, not because i think they are 'divine' but because it is common sense, in this case since there are men and women and men are naturally meant to have sex with women, then naturally a man having sex with another man is not right, it is not natural, otherwise we would have been asexual species and there wont be a need to have two genders. Simple. and that's it. God created adam and eve.. not adam and steve..
Or for the people who refuse to admit that there is a God then it can be said that 'humans evolved into adam and eve...'etc
same as above. But i dont understand why you guys get angry because I said women get rapped because of what they wear, the fact is that men are sexually stimulated visually while women are not. Unfortunately I dont have a link for you to read. however there are anthropological research done on that.
i was sure that someone will understand it that way, all i was trying to say is that women are not doing themselves any favor by wearing revealing clothes, and thats exactly what i said in my previous comment..
Anyhow seems you guys are a sensitive bunch today.. :)
good day..
- Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem) said...
Abu Fares,
This homophobic campaign has left me so disgusted that I considered moving my blog to a more tolerant "Planet". But we should not yeild to the push of intolerant fanatics. Thanks for pushing back. Once I have a moment, I will have my two cents to say about this as well.
- Unknown said...
I will of course reply to my part of your comment and will try to make it brief. Suffonsifisms & Yazan are more than welcome to reply to theirs.
Jabi, have you considered a non-confrontational approach to life in general? Why is there always something in others that you need to change? What common sense are you talking about? Despite the abundance of scientific evidence supporting evolution for instance you still refuse it completely and entertain us with Adam and Steve.
I think you should try love for a change, that is to love someone and to be loved back. Life is too short to waste without love:-)
One final statement, although I promised to only answer my part. I'm certain that Suffonsifisms would not leave that strangest thought of you unanswered but I couldn't resist.
"the fact is that men are sexually stimulated visually while women are not."
Are you out of your mind? Do you really believe that women are not visually stimulated? Hahaha, I have a BIG surprise for you, women go nuts with visual stimuli. They love us as much as we love them and enjoy every little tiny bit (and the big one of course) of our masculine anatomy as much as we enjoy the inherent beauty of their butts, boobs, legs and all of their exquisite contours.
- Unknown said...
@Abu Kareem
You can't move my friend. We are as much a part of SYRIA as they are. They might be louder, more organized and certainly more aggressive but that's how far they go. We are much more fun:-)
Looking forward reading your two cents.
- Yazan said...
You know what struck me the most, your reasoning is identical to those who blame a freedom fighter for his suffering or a prisoner of conscience for his captivity.
So it is the sexy writings of Michel Kilo which sent the regime "jizzing in its pants" and sticking him behind bars for 3 years, not the actual brutality of such a regime.
You know what, people have the right to expect to be safe and how they dress, or look like should be irrelevant.
Oh and one thing else, you were not "simply" stating a "fact" you were hinting that women are the ones responsible for themselves getting raped, rather than the monster who committed the act, and that is offensive no matter what angle you look at it from.
- Lujayn said...
I need to ask you a question. Is the only thing that comes between you personally raping a woman what she is wearing? Your argument basically is that every man including your father, grandfathers, brothers, male cousins and male neighbors, is a born rapist, but the fact that your mother, grandmothers, sisters, female cousins and female neighbors cover up prevents them from carrying out their urges, right? I find that insulting to all the men around you, as well as to the women. I would think the thing that prevents the men in your life from raping women is their conviction that they have no right to violate another human being, regardless of what that human being is wearing or acting or saying. Needless to say, many women who are veiled are raped anyways, seeing as rape is rampant even in conservative societies such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan.
- Dubai Jazz said...
Look, I don't want to sound like I am just taking another 'Jab' at you after Abu Fares, Lujayn, and Yazan. As far as I am concerned you sound like an intelligent person and you could probably detect the flaw in your own reasoning. I am especially amused by your statements:
and now i know why Arab countries are still struggling to catch up with the west.. some of you need to watch a question-and-answer session in parliament with Gordon Brown and David Cameron, and see what i mean.
I couldn't tell if you're kidding or not ?? I mean, I watch these grueling sessions in the House of Commons every now and then and it's as you said, quite open and 'no holds barred'. But please be honest with yourself and tell me, would you accept this kind of questioning of your own beliefs? I mean, do you not agree that within the House of Commons there is no taboos? Everything is open for discussion, again: 'no holds barred' . Leave your religious beliefs at the door and please come on in and let's have some fun. I wonder if any of the Turbaned-Heads would survive 5 minutes in that room without declaring everyone who disagrees an infidel?
Besides, let's not forget that the kind of discourse at the House of Commons that you seem to like too much, is pretty much the product of separation of church and state (or mosque and state in our case).
Jabi, you are not only certain that your beliefs are right, you are certain that at no point in the future there will come a time when you will pause to examine them, even for a little while. And that, my friend, is very sad indeed.
- MJ said...
lol I agree, let me rephrase, men are 'more' visually stimulated than women. Do we agree? :)
We choose who we want to be right? I don't blame a freedom fighter for his suffering, but that is what he/she chose to be, and they knew that they will suffer. There are those who will leave and decide not to fight and those who will fight and accept that they will suffer.. these people know the consequences of their actions.
I donno how this discussion went into women who expose themselves, seems everytime I discuss someting on abufares's blog (whom I thank for allowing this discussion to take place) I end up talking about women in miniskirts. anyways women who wear indecent clothing must know the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately they don't and neither do many of you acknowledge the fact that there are consequence even if they were infinitesimal consequences, I still stick to the point that indecently clothed women might get themselves rapped. I understand why many of you find it insulting but I was hoping that you would actually understand that comment without me having to explain it in detail. I am not saying that a man will rape a woman instantly but then again a man constantly viewing half naked women will lead to sexual frustration and the way that person releases that frustration will vary, and rape is one of them. Now this is what I believe unless someone can prove it wrong, someone who knows a psychologist or something ask them if there is anything wrong with this argument please and let me know.
Lujayn: same as above
Dubai Jazz:
A person who stops examining his/her beliefs is a person that does not think. What am I doing here other than debating my beliefs? atleast that is what I am doing, I donno if taking a 'Jab' is similar to debating. Unlike those who had a problem with the person (mohammad online) and his campaign who went and thrashed his beliefs, and him personally and didn't even bother to discuss it with him (except DJ) and wrote it in another language that that person might not understand. Let me just say that I am not here to ridicule your beliefs, neither can I or anyone else force you to live the way we see as acceptable. However i do think that the majority of syrians will have the opinion that homosexuality is not acceptable in our society.
I have personally, always questioned my beliefs, since january I have attended 5 talks, and 2 debates regarding islam and Christianity and faith in general. I havn't been always a person who believed in religion the way I do today, 5 years ago I was doubting if there was a god, but its the experiences that we go through that make us who we are right? and alhamdullah I am where I am and I am very much more comfortable with my beliefs and the way I am living my life.
I don't understand why this attack on muslim shiekhs or as you refer to them as Turbaned-Heads. I have personally had a couple of talks with sheikhs and other dua'at (du3at) or preachers to islam and they were more than welcoming in answering our questions, on the other hand I once was questioning a christian preacher and all he did was talk over me and didnt let me speak and then left claiming that he had to go somewhere (must admit it was late). You live in dubai why not go and talk to the sheikh of your local mosque? if that is too much, there are alot of videos on youtube you can watch as well.
It is either that you have the same misconceptions and stereotypes that are present in hollywood movies or you havnt really questioned your religious beliefs before. And one last thing regarding this matter, why should they leave their beliefs behind while you don't leave yours behind? are you assuming that your beliefs are right and theirs are wrong thats why they have to leave their beliefs behind?
I was saying that my beliefs (regarding this matter) are right, not because they are divine but because they are common sense.
Non of you presented me with information (suffonsifisms provided reasons for rape but not whether or not my comment was true or not unless I am to talk his/her word as a fact? in which case i will have to look up myself) that I can say that hey you know what, this person has a solid argument against my opinion. All you guys were doing was insulting my beliefs and my understanding of things and then saying how insulted or offended you were because i said "women get rapped".
Why do we have a system that bases its policies and regulations on sharia'a in syria? Are we ruled by the Mufti of Syria? Is Bashar Al Assad a religious figure?
interested in reading the replies to this comment :)..
- MJ said...
wow.. didnt notice it was that long.. sorry Abufares!
- Kano said...
Abou Firas
Thank you very much for allowing this great discussion on your blog. I am not a blog writer or even a blog reader to that regard. It is only I have a big exam tomorrow and naturally I am looking for ways to "waste time".
I will have to say i was shocked and disgusted when I came across this hate campaign we are discussing. I wasn't shocked that a bigot somewhere in Syria started this. I came across loads of these "Talibanic" types through the years. My shock was to the amount of support he had, and from who? From Bloggers! These are supposidly the educated, open-minded, young voice of the new Syria. I would have never imagined there is that much hatred and bigotted views in our socity.
May be because I lived in London for almost 6 years now I stopped seeing the true Syrian society. I come home for Holidays and move and meet a small sector of the society. I only see this part of Syria with thier open-minded views thier aspiration to make it a better place. I didn't see the big devide in our society.
Anyway I'll stop talking. Just want to say, thank you Abou Firas and everybody who wrote on this page.
Keep up the good work guys.
"Live and let live"
If you do believe that homosexuality is such an offensive sin, then you have to realize that those who are gay or lesbian didn't "choose" or be open about their sexuality without realizing the harsh consequences they may face in every day life. Then why do you think restrictions or persecution will change their behavior or preference? Why not leave it for God to judge? For if their actions are as offensive as you believe, then their punishment will be more righteous and harsh than anything you can inflict in life. Meanwhile, let them live their life.
For if you raise your children correctly, then why should you worry about homosexuality or sexual temptation, for your children should be strong enough to resist.
(Having trouble posting on Blogger so if this response appears twice or my earlier post magically appears after I post this one, please forgive me)
- Dubai Jazz said...
I am glad that you found the answers in Islam. I am very happy for you. And I support your right to believe and live your life the way you want, as much as I support the right of others (gays, lesbians, left-handed, dyslexics, cock-eyed, fat, argelih smokers, atheists) to believe and live the life they desire. This is 'live and let live' for you, and it's really that simple...
It was a little hasty conclusion on your part to conclude I am not a Muslim. Why can't I be a Muslim? do I need to love the mashaykh to become a Muslim? I actually hold little respect for most of them whom I've met in my life. The reason being-- and please don't take this as an attack on your own believes because it's not-- that for the most part they are fear-mongers and hate inciter. There were occasions where I was told I have to hate Jews and distrust Christians. Atheists? don't even think about it, illa jahnam wa be'sa al maseer. And since your soul will be resurrected with those it loves at the day of judgement, you are advised strictly not to have any non-muslim friends. Maybe if you brush by an atheist and you like him/her, your soul will be chained to them and you're doomed. Fear mongering man. The relentless search for purity through conformity and total adherence and complete excommunication of any one who deviate a little. And this is not only within the Muslim clergy; Christians, Jews..etc.. they all hold the same polarized views about the others. Because this is the nature of the preacher, he need to sow fear to reap allegiance. No thanks. I am happy to be a muslim without having to ask anybody AT ALL to think on my behalf or interpret life and scripture for me. And this is exactly the reason I detest mixing politics, statesmanship or governance with religion. I like me a secular state, where your religious beliefs (and mine) are as important before the state as the brand of your mobile phone. (come to think of it, why should I bother if you own Nokia or Mottorlla? at the end of the day it's all personal matters, I'd only start caring when you become obsessive and start excessively brandishing and showing off your mobile phone in front me, I'd then say "please put that away or keep it to yourself").
But I salute your courage to talk from the point of view of common sense, let me ask you then; from a common sense point of view, why is homosexuality bad for your envisioned society?
- Lujayn said...
Rape, my dear Jabi, has little to do with sexual frustrations or sex, altogether, and everything to do with controlling, dominating, degrading and inflicting pain on its victims (men, women and children). The release of a bit of semen doesn't cure the rapist of his need to violate another person because the problem isn't in his penis, it's in his brain. The victim (and what they're wearing) is irrelevant. If, however, you mean horny teenagers, then no amount of clothing is going to come between them and their erections. I'm sure you were a teenager once. It's a natural phase and passes when boys mature. Rapists are not horny teenagers.
As for the religious debate, your belief system isn't right because its common sense. I can assure you, billions around the world think your belief system is as far removed from common sense as possible. That doesn't make them right, because common sense isn't a basis for right or wrong. Hell, I don't even know what common sense means or covers. My common sense says not to go bungee jumping but my husband thinks its great fun. Everyone's common sense is different. Your belief system is right for you only because you believe it to be so. Only. My belief system isn't common sense. It's a belief system that I choose to accept and live by.
I don't get your inference about the Shari'a basis for Syrian legislation. Are you saying that its justified (common sense) because even the current secular regime concurs it?
- Unknown said...
You're very welcome. BTW, my name is Abu Fares not Abu Firas.
Firas is the neighbors' kids but I swear I have nothing to do with him, lol.
You're right. When you visit Syria you are more and more likely going to meet people on your side of the religiosity divide. With every return, those on the other side will be even more distant and in due time you will forget that they exist at all.
This is the way we're heading unfortunately. Until we mature as a culture, there's very little space for improvement.
- Unknown said...
I don't think you were addressing your comment to me because the only sin I believe in is hurting others intentionally. And, I do agree with your point of view.
Welcome to my humble home.
- Unknown said...
I need to answer another of your points of yours. Problem is you tackle so many different topics in each attempt it's hard to keep up with you.
I have made a second attempt to read this guy's blog and the ensuing comments after you made a point about us criticizing him without actually involving ourselves in a dialogue. Jabi, you must be kidding me. Listen I'm not better than anyone out there but this guy and the rest of his band leave no place at the bottom for worst. Did you actually read the comments, the replies and the counter-comments. I don't think any self-respecting person can tolerate that atmosphere even if he agrees with their thesis to start with. DJ's noble effort was a thankless one. There is no point.
As for writing in Arabic rather than English you might have a point there but it's not going to be me. I might be a benevolent man over all but I'm not going to waste my time and effort on self-righteous people regardless of who they are.
I have to give you this. You are trying to bridge the gap in a way but I personally think that you should be more lenient with others and harsher on yourself. Give it a try. It might do you some good.
I just hope that life treats you well and that no one in YOUR "correct and common sense" family gets raped, be it female or male. It would be a real tragedy to see you treat that person as your common sense seems to dictate and judge.
Jabi:I heard some stories from Syria,Women raped men?!!!!!
Although they didn't wear shorts or they were naked?!! Is it true?
And, half of Saudis are gays and lesbians?
Please anyone has any idea!
- Nour said...
Many of the claims and arguments you presented are simply put, false and baseless. However, there are two main ones that I think are important to respond to.
1. Being visually attracted to a woman does not lead to rape and has nothing to do with rape. Women in the western world commonly and regularly where clothing that you would consider inappropriate. If your postulation were true, then women should be getting raped automatically everyday.
2. God created neither Adam and Eve nor Adam and Steve. Life evolved into various different life forms, one of which is humans. Generally, humans, along with other animals, are sexual beings that reproduce through sexual intercourse by opposite sexes. This, however, does not mean that individuals cannot be born with traits that are not in conformity with the general natural trend.
As a Pagan - I find this so hard to understand. For us, as part of a spiritual and not a religious, following - we have but one creed. Do what you will but harm none.
So simple ... yet so difficult to implement.
- Unknown said...
Pagans should have no serious issues with the sexual behavior and preferences of others. It's only those who believe that God whispered the absolute truth in their ears who consider themselves on a higher plateau of morality.
- JiimSiin جيم سين said...
Abu Fares,
I'm landing here too late, may be. I sometimes follow the principle of:
يطعمك الحج و الناس راجعة
Just to say: I support your post. People should be what they are.
I ventured into a discussion with one of the "leaders" of the so-called campaign against homosexuality. It's here:
Frankly, it's becoming more and more difficult to reason with those blokes, but I keep trying.
- Unknown said...
Welcome anytime. Better late than never.
I think, and this might be too harsh on my part, that even arguing and commenting on these blogs give them unwarranted credibility.
Any ideology, philosophy, social or political ideal and, ehem... religion which refuses the existence of others or tries to change them despite themselves is not to be taken seriously, if it is to be taken at all.
Am I contradicting myself here? Not really. I believe that they exist. I believe that they have the right to exist. I just don't like them.
Cheers to you
- Unknown said...
Thank you for dropping by. It's always my pleasure to be visited by Tartoussis.
Apparently my choice of words was not as good as it could have been when I talked about the "choice" homosexuals made.
I have better understanding now perhaps. Some men like women the normal way. Some like them a lot and the extent of our love is evidently not a matter of choice. Under this light I can see the preferences of homosexuals as something which they do not have control over.
I might have needed the stupidity, bigotry and chauvinism of certain Syrian bloggers and the writing of this article and the associated comments to further realize a few facts of life about homosexuality but I'm happy I finally did.
Bringing religion into this argument is not different than bringing it into any other. It's totally senseless and meaningless.
The most important safeguard for any society is a set of laws which does not rely on religion in its first and foremost reason: Civil Rights to all on equal basis. Religion makes equal only those who believe and adhere to it and even then to varying degrees as far as gender is concerned. It defeats its own claim at universality and absolute truth simply by starting with bigoted assumptions.
Again, thank you for being here and I look forward reading more of your comments.
can you explain the picture more?


text:
Openeurope.org.uk has put together a paper of the most blatant half-truths, propaganda, and outright lies, abused by Europe not only over the past month, but also over the past 10 years, for the entire duration of the now rapidly collapsing eurozone experiment. As the paper notes: "More than ten years since the euro was launched, and with the single currency facing its greatest ever crisis, the parameters have radically changed. Amid all the uncertainty, one thing has become painfully clear: the EU elite simply got it wrong on the euro." The authors demand for "a call for greater honesty about the future of European cooperation and a reminder of the urgent need to find a new model that is both politically and economically sustainable" is just as valid in Europe as it is in the US: any system based on lies and opacity is doomed to failure. Europe found this out the hard way. We will too unless somehow we restore the basic truths like transparency, honesty and integrity, instead of merely campaign promises and teleprompter soundbites.
A sampling of the best quotes:
"The Community shall not be liable for or assume the commitments of central governments, regional, local or other public authorities, other bodies governed by public law, or public undertakings of any Member State, without prejudice to mutual financial guarantees for the joint execution of a specific project".
- Article 104b, Maastricht Treaty, 1992.
"We have a Treaty under which there is no possibility of paying to bailout states in difficulty".
- German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, 1 March 20101.
"[Greek Prime Minister] Papandreou has said that he didn't want one cent. The German government will not give one cent, anyway".
- German Economy Minister, Rainer Brüderle, 5 March 2010.
"The single currency, far from being an agent of continental style corporatism, is probably the greatest export vehicle of Anglo-Saxon economics. The euro has done more to enforce budgetary discipline, to promote privatisation and force through labour and product market liberalisation in the rest of Europe than any number of exhortations from the IMF, the OECD, or the editors of The Economist".
- Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, 2002.
"The reality of the euro has exposed the absurdity of many anti-European scares while increasing the public thirst for information. Public opinion is already changing […] as people can see the success of the new currency on the mainland and the alarming fall in inward investment into Britain as international companies show an increasing reluctance to locate here".
- Kenneth Clarke MP, 2002.
"The euro has been a rock of stability, as illustrated by the contrasting fortunes of Iceland and Ireland. Joining the single currency would be a major step".
- Former Labour MEP Richard Corbett, 2009.
"We must enter the euro with a clean sheet on all the criteria".
- Then Greek Finance Minister, Yannis Papantoniou, 1999.
"The thrust of the spirit and of the letter of the Treaty is that everything is done to construct the euro area as an optimum currency area. First by ensuring that it incorporates economies that have already proved being convergent in the fiscal field as well as in the monetary and financial fields".
- Then Governor of the Bank of France, Jean-Claude Trichet, 1997.
"It is sometimes said that while the single monetary policy may be 'right' for the euro area as a whole, it is 'wrong' for many individual countries within the area. I disagree with this view. First, it overlooks the fact that within a single currency area adjustment can occur via prices and wages".
- Then President of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, 1999.
"Solidarity is possible, [and] will exist. A bailout is not possible and will not exist".
- Then EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs, Joaquín Almunia, 29 January 2010.
"I will defend European Central Bank's independence under any circumstance and with all my strength".
- ECB President, Jean-Claude Trichet, 2007.
"The euro is a protection shield against the crisis".
- European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, 5 February 2010.
What they said then
"The euro is like a breastplate that will become more and more resistant. The stability of the currencies within its area is without question".
- Then Commissioner for Monetary Affairs, Yves Thibault de Silguy, 1998.
"The decision to launch the single currency is the first step and marks the turning point for Europe, marks stability and growth and is crucial to high levels of growth and employment".
- Then UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, 199834.
"The euro is a protection shield against the crisis".
- European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, 5 February 2010.
"The people should note that the Euro will not only be just as stable as the D-Mark, but also a lot more capable".
- Then German Economy Minister Hermann Müller, 1999.
"I am certain the success story of the Deutschmark will continue with the success of the euro".
- Then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, 1998.
"The euro area now represents a pole of stability for those countries participating in it by protecting them from speculation and financial turmoil. It is strengthening the internal market and contributing to the maintenance of healthy fundamental figures, fostering sustainable growth".
- European Council conclusions, 2001.
"The Maastricht treaty obliges the European Central Bank to pursue price stability and the ECB is more likely to overfulfil its treaty target than to ignore it. As long as this is the case, there is not the slightest danger of a break-up of the Eurozone […] On the contrary, I expect the Eurozone to be exceptionally stable in the long run […] Make no mistake, the Eurozone is here to stay".
- FT columnist Wolfgang Munchau, 200639.
"The euro area: How big will it be? My own prediction is that by the year 2002 the European monetary Union will include its current 11 members plus Greece (which is already committed to join), Sweden, Denmark, and Britain. By 2005, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Estonia will also be in. And by 2010, assuming all goes well and the monetary union is prosperous, no country in Europe will want to, or be able to, afford to stay out. Thus, Slovakia, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, and Bulgaria will all join the monetary union".
- Nobel Prize winning economist Robert Mundell, sometimes described as 'the father of the Euro', 1999.
What they say now
"Euroland, burned down. A continent on the way to bankruptcy".
- Front page of Der Spiegel, 5 May 2010.
"We cannot allow the bankruptcy of a euro member State like Greece to turn into a second Lehman Brothers […] The consequences of a national bankruptcy would be incalculable. Greece is just as systemically important as a major bank".
- German Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, 18 April 2010.
"Every one of us can see that the current euro crisis is the hardest challenge Europe has to meet since the Treaty of Rome was signed. It's an existential challenge, and we must rise up to it".
- German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, 19 May 2010.
"There is a grave threat of contagion effects for other member States in the monetary union and increasing negative feedback loop effects".
- Bundesbank Chief, Axel Weber, 5 May 2010.
"Whichever scenario you choose, the euro is going to be weak. Even if the Eurozone were to allow more serious slippage in budgetary consolidation than I have suggested, that would probably not help the euro either, as markets would start to doubt the longevity of the currency union for political reasons".
- FT columnist, Wolfgang Munchau, 7 March 2010.
"We should not knock this [bailout] deal from Athens. The Eurozone might not have survived otherwise [...] On my estimate, the total size of a liquidity backstop for Greece, Portugal, Spain, Ireland and possibly Italy could add up to somewhere between €500bn ($665bn, £435bn) and €1,000bn. All those countries are facing increases in interest rates at a time when they are either in recession or just limping out of one. The private sector in some of those countries is simply not viable at those higher rates".
- FT columnist, Wolfgang Munchau, 2 May 2010.
Full paper from openeurope.org.uk: