text:
Given the fact that I rarely make it out to the movies nowadays, I'm not going to try to make anything resembling a prediction about who's going to win what. But I do have a few words to say about one film that got shut out. And another at the film on the business end of a progressive backlash.
-Yes, I know it stiffed at the box office. And yes, I know people had trouble with the shifting tones and the overlapping multiple narratives.
But Goddamn it, Oscar. Nothing for "Cloud Atlas"? Not even a few bones thrown to the techincal credits? Not even a best score nod? (BTW. I'm listening to the soundtrack while writing this so I'm getting a fresh wiff of outrage.)
At first glance, "Cloud Atlas", a film that intercuts between six different stories, sounds like it would be unapproachable, experimental mess. But in the viewing, it goes down smooth like chilled chocolate milk. Yes, the construction being musical in nature as opposed to literary seems odd at first. But then you realize that the construction is bound up in the film's theme of interconnectedness and all is joy and wonder.
You got to hand it to the Wachowski's. After making "Speed Racer", a film widely derided for it's visual excesses, (Not by me. I think it's vastly underrated.) they turn around and make a film even more willfully experimental. Well, we need to give them their own private Kickstarter page so they can keep making willfully experimental films until the world stops spinning.
So they don't get any Oscar nominations. They'll just have to content themselves to hear people tell them for the next twenty years that they were robbed .
-I'm wary about wading into the whole Bigelow being snubbed for "Zero Dark Thirty" thing simply because I haven't seen it yet. But after being swamped by pieces written by smart, well meaning progressives complaining about it's supposed Pro-Torture bias, I would like to add as counterpoint, Devin Faraci's passionate defense of the film via Badass Digest.
The film's first images are of a protracted, brutal torture scene. Interestingly, that isn't how the film opens – it opens on a black screen over which is played horrifying, upsetting 911 calls from the Twin Towers. These voices of panic and doom propel you right back to what it felt like in the days after 9/11, and it avoids the imagery of the day, which at this point has been so saturated in our consciousness that it's almost meaningless. We've all seen that footage of a plane slamming into the tower again and again and again. It's lost all impact, become just a shot overused in History Channel docs.
It's a fascinating juxtaposition, because the voices of the victims remind you of the righteous anger you felt on 9/12, and maybe for a moment you're okay with torturing the hell out of some son of a bitch who, in any small way, helped make those attacks happen. But that first torture scene goes on. And on. And on. Some have complained about the length of the sequence, but the length is where the sequence gets its power. We, like the detainee, are worn down.
The torture goes on, and as Kenny points out, there's no doubt that cinematically we're on the side of the detainee. The visual language of the film presents this guy as helpless, hurting, at the mercy of his captors. And when he's about to break – as they stuff him in a tiny box – he suddenly stops himself. He's on the verge of giving his interrogators actionable intelligence, telling them what day an attack will happen, but at the last moment he's gripped with fortitude and he begins screaming every day of the week at them. "MONDAY! TUESDAY! THURSDAY!"
It's kind of inspiring. It's a moment of human courage, a moment of a guy who will not break. In a different movie this is a William Wallace moment. You have to respect that, especially after his tormentors have matter of factly informed him that everyone breaks. "It's biology, bro," he's told.
But here's the real rub: because the torturers could not break him, they do not get the intelligence they need and there is a massacre in Saudi Arabia. The film shows – starkly and without a doubt – that torture does not extract information that saves lives. Period.
I insist that you follow the link and read the whole thing. It offers a perspective about how cinematic storytelling works that has been sadly missing from this conversation.
And to my film geek friends who are angry and confused about the reaction to the film, let me try to offer this by way of explanation.
One of the great black marks against Obama is the fact that we never had a thorough accounting of the CIA run torture programs. And as I've said before, his seeming protection of Bush and Cheney from prosecution is going to come back and bite us on our collective ass.
And sadly, because we re-elected him, we are now complicit with that cover up. Yes, I'm aware that Romney would have been much worse and there was internal discussion within his campaign about bringing back enhanced interrogation.
But, you know what? That doesn't let either Obama or us off the hook.
And that fact continues to fester in the heart of every progressive who voted for him.
So the fact is that is that we are punishing Bigelow for our own failures for not bringing Bush and Cheney to justice. Like denying her an Oscar will make up for our collective failure to throw the real villains into the Hague.
We are shooting the messenger because we lack the courage to point the metaphorical gun at ourselves.
Again, I haven't seen the movie yet myself. And when I do, I may expand and revise my remarks. And who knows, I might wind up thinking that Devin is full of shit.
But my gut is telling me that we're the ones full of shit.
-Other then that, the Oscars are the Oscars. They only predictions I feel safe in making is that the show will be too long and all the pretty young actresses in their lovely frocks will make me long for a misspent youth I never had.
In short, same as it ever was.


text:
Edward O. Wilson
Photo: © J.D. Sloan
About the Author
Edward O. Wilson is the author of two Pulitzer Prize-winning books, On Human Nature (1978) and The Ants (1990, with Bert Hölldobler), as well as many other groundbreaking works, including Consilience, Naturalist, and Sociobiology. A recipient of many of the world's leading prizes in science and conservation, he is currently Pellegrino University Research Professor and Honorary Curator in Entomology of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. He lives in Lexington, Massachusetts, with his wife, Renee.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
By Walter Geiger
Pursuant to an open records request from The Herald-Gazette, the Spalding County sheriff's office has released an incident report and three officer narratives stemming from a June 12 altercation in which an off-duty Griffin police officer was shot.
The report confirmed the off-duty officer was Chad Moxon as reported here since shortly after the incident.
[Full Story »]


text:
Japanese problem: an abandoned shrimping boat is found adrift near Canada, displaced by last year's tsunami disaster. American solution: let's sink that motherfucker.
The BBC reports our Coast Guard is currently following the empty Ryou-Un Maru—which has clearly seen better days, and is only one large chunk in an enormous stream of storm-washed crap emptied out into the sea. Apparently the floating rust monument is "a danger to other ships," and will be terminated with extreme prejudice:
The gunnery ship will use a 25mm cannon on board the Anacapa to scuttle the ghost ship, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow told the BBC.
Sayonara, Ryou-Un Maru! You thought you could just mosey on up to Canada for a little post-tsunami retirement, but we are about to scuttle you hard. Forget giving you back your owner—your owner doesn't even want you back! And forget the fact that you're carrying 2,113 gallons of diesel fuel that'll just spill into the ocean—that's nothing. See you in boat hell. [BBC]


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There are many beer holidays scattered throughout the year that give us reason to drink heartily but today is unlike any other because today we celebrate Saint Arnold, the patron saint of brewers, the guy who gave people a legit excuse to drink beer.
Saint Arnold is not one person. There are at least three people known by this name who all carry similar legends. What should be recognized is the fact that Saint Arnold brought beer to the masses and we pay homage to the home brewers who are actively doing the same thing. There is no official, church-recognized Saint Arnold's Day, but it is generally accepted that it is July 18.
Read Also: Broward's Homebrew Craft Beer Scene: Can Brewers Turn a Hobby Into a Business?
In Medieval times, food and beverage sanitation was not widely practiced, thus food-borne sickness was very common. Along came Arnold of Metz who preached to local peasants to drink beer rather than water because it was boiled, thus rendering the liquid safe from any pathogens (and because boiled water is just no fun to drink).
Legend has it that he ended a plague after he dipped his crucifix into a brew kettle and told people to drink only from the "blessed" kettle.
A similar story is told of Arnold of Soissons, who came at least 400 years after Arnold of Metz, although the former is typically depicted with a mash rake in hand. Arnold of Soissons is more typically associated as the patron saint of hop-pickers. He is also said to have improved the process of brewing by using straw cones as a filter to clarify beer.
Then there is a third Saint Arnold that, depending on the source, could be distinguished from the previous two. Arnou of Oudenaarde was known to multiply beer into vast quantities through blessing and prayer. According to legend, he once successfully appealed to God to bring cold beer for the soldiers to drink during a 11th century battle in Flanders, Belgium.
In recognition of dear Saint Arnold, we pay homage here to our own homebrewers - those who do it purely for the love of beer and those who hope to go pro.
8. Fort Lauderdale Area Brewers
Fort Lauderdale Area Brewers, better known simply as FLAB, are some of Broward's OGs of brewing. A friendly rivalry, this group competes every year against the Miami Area Society of Homebrewers for the Coconut Cup title held in March. Their brews have won several awards from the American Homebrewers Assocation. Interested in joining FLAB? They meet the second Wednesday of every month at Geronimos in Davie at 7 p.m.
Opus Ales have been showing up around the South Florida beer scene, pouring their Latin American-inspired beers such as Sin Verguenza, or "shameless". They know that South Floridians are becoming spoiled with great craft beer, that's why they brew great stuff. Keep tabs on their Facebook page to see where and when they are pouring next.
This group of homebrewers in West Palm Beach are already making themselves known in the scene. They've won several awards for their beers, including a silver medal for their Belgian tripel at Miami's local Coconut Cup homebrew competition and two bronze medals for their imperial Stout and American dark lager at the Hogtown Brewers brewing competition. They also have a company in the works.
5. Invasive Species Brewing Club
A home-brewing club coming straight out of Hollywood, they derive their inspiration from the various non-native species invading our land. They aren't a company, but brew for the pure love of craft beer. They don't brew any beer from invasive species (not yet anyway), but they did brew a cucumber and black pepper saison while in Austria.
Dylan Block works at his family's textile distribution company in the Wynwood District in Miami, but brews craft beer along with his brother at the Blockhead Brewery in Cooper City in their spare time. With their setup, they brew beers like White Thai affair, a Belgian white with Thai basil, spearmint, tangerine, and Indian coriander.
Ross Allen and AJ Guerra named their group after--you guessed it--the 90s rap phenomenon, 2 Live Crew. They have no scruples about what they put in their mash: donuts, oreos, graham crackers, etc. They also cloned a Gonzo Imperial Porter from Flying Dog Brewery (and by the way, happy b-day Mr. Thompson). They definitely push the limits of the beer category, but whatever it takes for delicious brew. Uncle Luke would be so proud!
Firefighters by day and brewers by night, Mark Fee, Eric Guerrero, Jeff Evans of Angry Union won the Paul and Young Ron homebrewing competition back in May with a Belgian strong ale with cherry and coriander notes. Angry Union, too, has formed a brewing company. They have been slowly taking over the world, spreading their logo all across the globe. Angry Union is everywhere.
It looks like Boca Raton will get to see another brewery once Lagerhead Brewing is up and running. Brothers Steve and Tim Dornblaser, along with Daniel Paulus and Frank Conrad comprise Lagerhead Brewing and have been pouring at beer festivals across South Florida. They were recently at the Palm Beach Craft Beer Festival and will also be pouring at the Palm Beach Summer Beer Fest on July 20 at the South Florida Fairgrounds. If you're not too busy, try their coffee pot porter.
Happy Saint Arnold's Day and be sure to thank your local craft brewer for bringing awesome beer to the masses.
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text:
News - April 2013 - Portland State University
|April 2013
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Monday, April 1, 2013
»The Oregonian: Hillsboro's Job Training Opportunity Program offers work experience to bilingual speakers
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
»The Oregonian: Cully community invited to forum to combat gentrification, displacement in Northeast Portland
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Monday, April 8, 2013
»Melissa Appleyard and Erica Wagner, School of Business Administration faculty, co-authored the paper "Fostering Resilient Community Innovation: How Boundary Organizations Balance Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation," which was presented at the Strategic Ma
»Sue Taylor, Art and Design faculty, contributed an essay on ceramicist Hal Riegger's 1974 Planet Pot to the Portland Museum of Contemporary Craft's online exhibition catalogue for "Object Focus: The Bowl," March 7 – Sept. 21.
»Cynthia-Lou Coleman, Communication faculty, presented a public seminar titled "The Extermination of Kennewick Man's Authenticity through Discourse" at the invitation of the Newberry Library in Chicago on March 6. Coleman's research on the discourse surrou
»Eva Thanheiser, Mathematics and Statistics faculty, along with graduate students Jodi Fasteen, Briana Mills, and Krista Strand, co-authored the article "Preservice-Teacher Interviews: A Tool for Motivating Mathematics Learning" in Mathematics Teacher Educ
»Joan Petit, Library Faculty, co-led the webinar "Free Online Technologies for Teaching and Learning," which was sponsored by ELIME-21, a grant-funded program with the aim of educating librarians in the Middle East and North Africa.
»Kristi Yuthas authored the article "Rural Microfinance and Client Retention: Evidence from Malawi" in the Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, March.
»Rachel Samuelson presented "Building Bridges: Creating an Interfaith Friendly Campus Culture" and "Fostering Spiritual Development: Prayer and Meditation Spaces" at the National Association for Student Affairs Administrators annual conference in Orlando,
»Kristi Yuthas authored the article "Rural Microfinance and Client Retention: Evidence from Malawi" in the Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, March.
»Christof Teuscher, Engineering and Computer Science faculty, was the keynote speaker for the Ellis L. and Jennie Mae Krause Lecture in Science held at Marietta College, Ohio, March 27.
»Masami Nishishiba, Public Administration faculty, presented "Power of Partnership-Collaboration between Clackamas County Urban Green and Nature in Neighborhood" at the American Society of Public Administration Annual Conference, New Orleans, March 18.
»Nora Wendl, Architecture faculty, presented "An Ecology from Absence: In Place of Pruitt-Igoe," at New Ecologies, New Constellations, Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture's 101st National Annual Conference in San Francisco, March 21-24. The p
»Cliff Allen, Business Administration faculty, co-authored an article titled "International Outsourcing of Research and Development: A Model of Leadership and Culture" which appeared in the current issue of Operations and Supply Chain Management: An Intern
»Nicole Rigelman, Education faculty, authored "Becoming a Mathematical Problem Solver," published in Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, Vol. 18, No. 7.
»Roberto De Anda, Chicano/Latino Studies faculty, authored the article "Ernesto Galarza and Mexican Children's Literature in the United States," published in Camino Real: Estudios de las Hispanidades Norteamericanas, Vol. 7, No. 4.
»Grant Farr, Emeritus Sociology faculty, has written the new book The Shaping of Iran Today, published by Cognella Press.
»Lauren Beitelspacher, Business Administration faculty, co-authored the article "Antecedents and Consequences of Consumers' Comparative Value Assessments Across the Relationship Life Cycle," which appeared in the Journal of Business Research's April issue.
»Suwako Watanabe, World Languages and Literatures faculty, gave the presentation "Developing Advanced-Level Speaking: Application of OPI," at the Spring Conference of American Association of Teachers of Japanese in San Diego, March 21.
»Jill Emery, Library faculty, co-authored "Techniques for Electronic Resource Management," published in Library Technology Reports, February/March 2013, Vol. 49, No. 2.
»Meredith Farkas, Library faculty, authored "Web Conferencing Software," published in Association of College and Research Libraries, Winter issue, in the Tips and Trends, Instruction section of the journal.
»Ken Ruoff authored "Nationalistic Movements to Restore Cultural Symbols of the Monarchy," published in Critical Readings on the Emperors of Japan, Vol. 4, Leiden: Brill.
»Karen Gibson, Urban Studies and Planning faculty, and Leanne Serbulo, University Studies faculty, authored "Black and Blue: Police-Community Relations in Portland's Albina District, 19641985," published in the Oregon Historical Quarterly. In the article,
»Sean S. Kohles, Materials and Mechanical Engineering and Biology faculty, co-authored the paper "The Stationary Configuration of the Knee," published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association.
»Amy Hofer, Library faculty, and her co-authors won the Association of College and Research Libraries Instruction Section Ilene F. Rockman Publication of the Year Award for the article "Threshold Concepts and Information Literacy," published in 2011 by por
»John Hall, Economics faculty, authored a review of the book "Latin American Economic Development," which was published in the Journal of Economic Issues, Vol. XLVII, No. 1, March.
»Sergio Palleroni and Margarette Leite, Architecture faculty, along with Master of Architecture student Matt Sedor and Architecture alumna Caty Head-Skoland, were awarded a Social Economic Environmental Design Award for Excellence in Public Interest Design
»Tom Hastings, Conflict Resolution faculty, and alumni Rhea DuMont and Emiko Noma, co-edited the compilation Conflict Transformation: Essays on Methods of Nonviolence, McFarland, Jefferson N.C. The compilation includes chapters by Conflict Resolution facul
»Mary Vance won the Esther Matthews award from the Oregon Career Development Association in March for leadership and professional commitment to the career development field.
»Eva Nunez, World Languages and Literatures faculty, authored the article "Fundaments of Morphological-Syntactical Ergativity," published in the Journal of Language for Specific Purposes, Vol. 18.
»Shelby Anderson, Anthropology faculty, presented "Challenges in the Study of Hunter-Gatherer Ceramics: a Case Study from Northern Alaska" at the Alaska Anthropological Association Meeting on March 15.
»Timm Menke, World Languages and Literatures faculty, authored a review of Christian Stein's Primat der Sprache: Leitmotivik und Topologie des Subjekts bei Arno Schmidt in Bargfelder Bote: Materialien zum Werk Arno Schmidts, April.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
»The Oregonian: PSU students find lack of public restrooms in Portland for homeless population, city residents
»Alumni in the News: Deseret News: Bingham High School hires Viking Jake Schroeder as boys basketball coach
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
»Amy Greenstadt, English faculty, presented a paper, "Unknown Sovereignty: Performative Chastity in Measure for Measure," at the Shakespeare Association of America Conference on March 28.
»G.L.A. Harris and Theresa Julnes Keleka Kaimanu, Public Administration faculty, delivered a paper and presentation titled "The Dumbing Down and Privatization of Higher Education: Are They Mutually Exclusive?" at the American Society for Public Administrat
»Melinda Hutson and Alex Ruzicka, Geology faculty, and student Ryan Brown presented a poster, "A Pyroxene-Enriched Shock Melt Dike in the Buck Mountains 005 (L6) Chondrite," and Ruzicka and Hutson and alumna Niina Jamsja gave an oral presentation titled "A
»Sheila Martin, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, presented "Improving the Flow of Information through Technology Networks: A Case Study of Policy in Slovenia" at the International Atlantic Economic Conference in Vienna, Austria, April 6.
»Meg Merrick, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, presented her paper "Defining, Tracking, and Displaying Regional Equity Conditions: Two Approaches from the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Region" at the 43rd Conference of the Urban Affairs Associ
»Carl Abbott, Urban Studies and Planning emeritus faculty, authored a chapter on North America in The Oxford Handbook of Cities in World History, 2013.
»Ralph Bunch, Political Science emeritus faculty, authored a book, Universal Suffrage: A Gift From Oregon To America's Future, published by Odin Ink.
»Anita Bright, Education faculty, presented the workshop "Taking On Mathematics: How the Common Core State Standards Can Work for English Learners" with graduate students Angela Vargas and Dulce Nash at the Annual Convention of the Teachers of English to S
»Jill Emery, Library faculty, authored "The Role of the Modern Intermediary and What Constitutes Value in the Library of 2012" published in Against the Grain, Vol. 25 No. 1 February 2013.
»Dustin Morrow, Theater and Film faculty, wrote and directed, Everything Went Down, a feature-length musical shot entirely in the Pacific Northwest. The movie screens at the Portland Museum of Art's Whitsell Auditorium on Thursday, May 2, at 7 p.m. as part
»Gerry Sussman, Urban Studies and Planning faculty, wrote the prologue for the book Managing Democracy, Managing Dissent published by Corporate Watch, London.
»Hiro Ito, Economics faculty, co-authored "China and Global Imbalances from a View of Sectorial Reforms," published in Review of International Economics, Vol. 21, Issue 1, February 2013.
»Sarah Tinkler and James Woods, Economics faculty, authored "The Readability of Principles of Macroeconomics Textbooks" published in The Journal of Economic Education, Vol. 44, No. 2.
»Andrew Giarelli, University Studies faculty, has been appointed as an American Studies peer reviewer for the Fulbright Scholars program for a three-year term. He has also been appointed as visiting senior lecturer in the American Studies department at Cha
»Sharon Carstens, Anthropology faculty, presented "The New Generation of Trilingual Chinese Malaysians" at the Annual Meetings of the Association for Asia Studies, San Diego, March 23.
»Leni Zumas, English faculty, was selected for GOOD Magazine's List of "100 People Pushing the World Forward." Created in 2009, the GOOD 100 was designed to identify and honor people who drive change in their communities in creative and inspiring ways.
»Shelby Anderson, Anthropology faculty, presented "Climate Change and Archaeology in Northwest Alaska," and, with graduate student Dianna Woolsey, presented "Challenges in the Study of Hunter-Gatherer Ceramics: A Northern Alaskan Case Study" at the Northwe
»Christine Cress, Educational Leadership and Policy faculty, presented the invited keynote "A Promising Connection: Increasing Educational Success through Civic Engagement" at the Faculty Professional Development Conference, Eastern Washington University,
»Jeremy Spoon, Anthropology faculty, presented "Deities Bring Foreigners to See Mount Everest: Tourism, Everyday Buddhism, and Environmental Sustainability in the World's Highest Ecosystem" at the Everyday Religion and Sustainable Environments in the Himal
»The Dalles Chronicle: Groups Put Invasive Quagga And Zebra Mussel Response Plan To The Test In Oregon
»Mau Nam Nguyen, Mathematics and Statistics faculty, presented a talk, "Subgradients of Minimal Time Functions and Applications to Set Facility Location," at the Department of Mathematics, University of Padova, Italy, March 26.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
»Alumni in the News: msn.com: Pat Cooney '96 Joins UTi Worldwide as APAC Regional Sales Vice President
»Students United for Nonviolence Event * Healing and Rebuilding Our Community * The African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI) of the Friends Peace Teams
Friday, April 19, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
»Paul Collins, English faculty, wrote "Monkey Business" published in Lapham's Quarterly's Spring issue.
»Tom Fisher, English faculty, authored "Making Sense: Jacques Rancière and the Language Poets" published in the Journal of Modern Literature, Vol. 36, No. 2.
»Sheila A. Martin and Elizabeth Morehead, Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, authored "Regional Indicators as Civic Governance: Using Measurement to Identify and Act Upon Community Priorities" published in National Civic Review, Vol. 102, No. 1.
»John Spence and Vikki Vandiver, Social Work faculty, wrote a book chapter titled "Tribal Best Practices: A Native American Horsemanship Program for Indian Youth" published in Best Practices in Community Mental Health: A Pocket Guide, edited by Vandiver, L
»Marcia Klotz, English faculty, received a fellowship award from the University of Chicago to participate in a summer research program with the university's Eric Santner, chair of Germanic Studies.
»Anita Bright, Curriculum and Instruction faculty, was quoted in the Colorín Colorado blog on the topic of common core math for English learners.
»Susan Kirtley, English faculty, has had her book Lynda Barry: Girlhood Through the Looking Glass nominated for an Eisner Award in the Best Educational/Academic Work category. The Eisners are known as the "Oscars of Comics."
»Hiro Ito, Economics faculty, presented his paper, "Asian Development Review Conference," at the Asian Development Review Conference in Manila, Philippines, on March 25-26. Asian Development Bank organized the session.
»Amy Borden, Theatre and Film faculty, presented "Get Me G.P. Lathrop: Thomas Edison and Modern Consumer Culture" at the Society for Cinema and Media Studies International Conference, Chicago, March 15.
»Junghee Lee, Art and Design faculty, presented a paper titled "Pictorial Tile and Clay Buddhist Sculptures of the Paekche Kingdom, Korea" in the panel "Works in Clay in Early Korean and Japanese Buddhism," which she organized for the Annual Conference of
»Scott Burns, Geology faculty, presented a paper, "Seven Factors of Wine Terroir - The Winemaker Just Might Be the Most Important; Case History from the Cube Project in Oregon and California," at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographer
»Sharon Carstens, Anthropology faculty, authored "New Questions, New Directions in Malaysian Chinese Studies" published in the Proceedings of the First Biennial Conference of Malaysian Chinese Studies, Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies, Kuala Lumpur, Ma
»Jill Emery, Library faculty, presented "Developing TERMS: Techniques for Electronic Resource Management" at the Electronic Resources & Libraries Conference, Austin, Texas, March 18.
»Craig Epplin, World Languages and Literatures faculty, presented an invited talk titled "Cinematic Sound and Space: Ray Charles in Buenos Aires" at Lawrence University on March 28, as well as "Sound and Space in La Hora de los Hornos" at the conference of
»Jason Jurjevich, Population Research Center and Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies and Urban Studies and Planning faculty, presented "Where Young People Go to Retire? Amenities, Employment Opportunity and Migration Patterns of the Young and Colleg
»Anoop Mirpuri, English faculty, presented a paper, "The Neoliberal State and the Vicissitudes of Civilian Life," as part of a panel titled "The Lives of Empire: Oak Creek, Racialization, and Violence" at the annual meeting of the Association for Asian Ame
»Swapna Mukhopadhyay, Curriculum and Instruction faculty, gave the plenary talk "Mathematical Practices of Those without Power" at the Seventh International Conference on Mathematics Education and Society, Cape Town, South Africa, April 3.
»Jeremy Spoon, Anthropology faculty, and graduate student Brian Lefler presented "Mountain Homes and Overgrown Gardens: Nuwuvi (Southern Paiute) Perceptions of Fire Suppression on Southern Nevada Public Lands" at the Society for Applied Anthropology Annual
»Frodo Okulam, Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies faculty, presented "Earth Reconnect: Ecofeminist Spirituality and Relational Sustainability" at Divining Meaning: Meditations on Gender and Religion, the 32nd Annual Gender Studies Symposium, Lewis & Clark
»Shelby Anderson, Anthropology faculty, presented "Challenges in the Study of Hunter-Gatherer Ceramics: A Northern Alaskan Case Study" in an invited session at the Society for American Archaeology Meetings, April 3-7.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
»Students United for Nonviolence Event: 4/30 7p.m -9 p.m Crossing Lines and Doing Time - Rosalie Riegle
»Kenneth Stedman, Biology faculty, and student Geoffrey Deimer won the seventh annual research award from publisher Biomed Central for their article "A Novel Virus Genome Discovered in an Extreme Environment Suggests Recombination Between Unrelated Groups
»Randall Bluffstone, Economics faculty, presented a co-authored paper, "Community Controlled Forests, Carbon Sequestration and REDD+: Some Evidence from Ethiopia" at the Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty at the World Bank in Washington, D.C.
»Sue Brower, Theater and Film faculty, represented Portland State on a panel for the In Other Words Feminist Community Center screening of the film Miss Representation in Portland, April 24.
»Sherril Gelmon, Public Administration faculty, and student Paige Hatcher presented "Teaching Improvement to Resident Physicians: Application of Theory in Clinical Settings" at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Healthcare in London on April
»Ulrich H. Hardt, Education emeritus faculty, will chair the 29th annual Oregon Writing Festival at Portland State on Saturday, May 4. The festival, co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Education and the Oregon Council of Teachers of English, brings up t
»Marie Lo, English faculty, presented a paper, "Sovereign Terrains: Plenary Power and Chinese Exclusion," at the Asian American Studies Association Conference in Seattle.
»Nicole Rigelman, Education faculty, presented three papers at the Annual Conference of the National Conference of Teachers of Mathematics, Denver, in April. They papers are "Building Mathematics Learning Communities with NCTM Reflection Guides," "Is it Tr
»Sean Schumacher, Art and Design faculty, presented a talk titled "The Territory Is Not The Map" along with the project "An Unexplored Region" at the Strange Utility: Architecture Toward Other Ends symposium, Portland State University, April 27.
»Suwako Watanabe, World Languages and Literatures faculty, gave an invited lecture titled "'How Can I Communicate in Japanese Naturally?: A View from a Discourse Perspective" at Soka University, Aliso Viejo, Calif., April 15.
»Angela Zagarella, World Languages and Literature faculty, presented her paper "Migration and Multiculturalism in the Mediterranean" at the 33rd Conference of American Association Italian Studies in Eugene.
»Jennifer Allen, Institute for Sustainable Solutions and Public Administration faculty, authored "The Wicked Problem of Chemicals Policy: Opportunities for Innovation," published in the Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, April 2013.
»Sharon Carstens, Anthropology faculty, authored a review of Strangers at Home: History and Subjectivity among the Chinese Communities of West Kalimantan, Indonesia, published in the Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 72, No. 1.
»Annabelle Dolidon, World Languages and Literatures faculty, authored "The Postmodern Farmer and the Production of Rural France in The Girl from Paris" published in The French Review, Vol. 86, No. 5, April 2013.
»Charles Klein, Anthropology faculty, authored "Online Activities for Enhancing Sex Education Curricula: Preliminary Evidence on the Effectiveness of the Abstinence and Contraception Education Storehouse" published online in the Journal of HIV/AIDS and Soc
»Swapna Mukhopadhyay, Curriculum and Instruction faculty, authored "Mathematical Practices of Those without Power" published in the Proceedings of the Seventh International Mathematics Education and Society Conference, Vol. 1.
»Billie Sandberg, Public Administration faculty, authored "The Road to Market" published in the journal Administrative Theory & Praxis, Vol. 35, No. 1, March 2013.
»Jeremy Spoon, Anthropology faculty, authored "From Yaks to Tourists: Sherpa Livelihood Adaptations in Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) National Park and Buffer Zone, Nepal" published in Continuity and Change in Cultural Adaptation to Mountain Environments, Stud
»Leni Zumas, English faculty, interviewed writer Joy Williams and the resulting article was published in Always Apprentices: The Believer Presents Twenty-two Conversations Between Writers, A McSweeney's anthology, March 2013.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013


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Know your bonito from your unagi: sushi and sashimi explained
Once comfortably perched at the sushi counter, it's not uncommon to at times, find yourself staring curiously at shiny rotating mini plates wondering which choice best suits your tastebuds.
To alleviate food decision fatigue, we run through some of the most popular types of sushi and sashimi dishes and common ingredients found in Australia, and explain what to expect when chopstick hits mouth - it's always a variation of delicious, but sometimes you just need to know what you're signing up for.
Respect your roll
Not all sushi rolls are made the same way. There are a variety of popular types of sushi, and decoding them will elevate your sushi status from everyday dabbler to expert aficionado.
The fish sits on top of a bed of sushi rice. Usually there is no seaweed, just seafood (cooked or raw). This is a great choice for seafood enthusiasts who want to relish in focused fish flavours
One of the most common types of sushi, maki is sushi rice and filling rolled in seaweed. Sometimes the sliced maki are topped with a sauce.
Another one for hard-core seafood lovers, sashimi is raw fish or shellfish sans rice.
A variation of maki, here the rice is on the outside of the roll (sometimes with dustings of topping on the outside or top) and the seaweed wraps around the filling inside.
Temaki or hand roll
Great for lunch or a single serve snack, these are sushi rice and filling wrapped in seaweed in a large cone shape.
Sushi and sashimi terminology
California roll - makizushi sushi roll with crab meat, avocado, cucumber and toasted sesame seeds.
Aburi - fish that is grilled ever so slightly on the top using a blowtorch. This gives the fish a smokey flavour. A great choice for anyone with an aversion to the raw sushi varieties.
Ebi - prawn
Unagi – eel
Kanikama – crab sticks
Nori – dried seaweed
Roe - fish eggs
Wasabi – paste of wasabi root. Wasabi is spicy, but unlike chilli the heat on your palette is short lived.
Gari - young pickled ginger
Yuzu – fragrant citrus fruit very popular in Japan.
Tempura – deep fried vegetables or seafood.
Karage – meat (usually chicken) coated in potato starch or flour and fried.
Hoki salad – creamy seafood salad
Bonito – dark fish similar to tuna. Dried bonito flakes are also often used on other popular Japanese dishes and have a strong fishy flavour.


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Exclusive: Daniel Kim Stepping Down as Nexon America CEO
After three years running Nexon's U.S. office, Daniel Kim is stepping down as CEO to join his family in Korea.
Nexon confirms to AllThingsD that effective Sept. 1, Min Kim, Nexon's SVP of live games, will be replacing Daniel Kim. The announcement was made in front of the company's 200 U.S. employees this afternoon.
A spokesman says Daniel Kim will continue working with the company from the Korea office in a yet-to-be-determined role, and is looking forward to being back with his family after commuting between the two continents since 2009.
"It's been part of a long-term plan," Min Kim said, in an exclusive interview. "This has been overdue. He's done a great job and has positioned it well for growth. After three years here, he'll be back with family and make up for lost time."
Min Kim joined Nexon in 2003, and moved to Los Angeles in 2005 to help open the U.S. office.
In his new role, he will oversee the company's free-to-play PC games, including MapleStory, Dragon Nest and Combat Arms. The games, which are monetized through virtual goods, are available directly from the company's Web site, and more recently, through the Steam platform. As part of the role, Min Kim will not be managing the company's social and mobile game efforts, which are based out of the company's Korea offices.
Awareness about the Japanese company has increased dramatically over the past year after it raised $1.2 billion in an IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange just days before Zynga went public, raising a similar amount.
Min Kim said the company has come a long way since first launching operations in the U.S. At the time, he said free-to-play was a "freaky thing going on in Asia, and was never going to happen here." He said the company had to work hard to prove that not only would customers be willing to play games online, but they would also be willing to pay for virtual items. In 2007, Min Kim spearheaded the effort to develop gift cards that enabled online payments to be made more easily.
Even though North America has made a lot of progress, it makes up only 7 percent of the company's overall revenue. For the full year 2011, the North American division reported total revenue of $80 million, which is up 50 percent since 2008.
Min Kim said he sees a big opportunity lying ahead in the traditional games space, where people play games for years at a time and for long stretches every month. As a younger gaming demographic grows up, and moves on from other experiences, such as Disney's Club Penguin, "we'll be in the sweet spot," he said.


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IQinVision offers Mega pixel Digital PTZ Network Cameras
IQinVision's mega pixel digital PTZ network camera the IQeye303 offers three Mega pixel images with the option of a PC card slot. The IQeye303 supports wireless and
on-camera storage using FLASH cards or micro drives. The camera offers IQ librarian a recording and playback system that supports storage.
For more information, call IQinVision at 949-369-8100 or visit www.1qeye.com.
Product Category:


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As a small business owner or one just starting out, adding one more item to your to-do list might seem overwhelming. Yet most understand that the time has come to get online and that it's the right thing to do for a successful, modern business. Like most things, taking the process one step at a time will make it more manageable.
Let's address some of the main concerns that small business owners have about establishing an online presence:
"I don't have time"
The majority of small businesses in the U.S. are operated by one person or fewer than four employees. These lean numbers put a lot of pressure on business owners to prioritize just how and where they spend their time. Being so busy, it's tempting to delay a project that doesn't seem as urgent as day-to-day business.
However, building a business website or online presence can take as little as an hour. There are several online resources that make selecting and purchasing a domain name, setting up a website, and choosing a hosting partner quick and easy.
"My products and services are not available for purchase online."
Several surveys and our most recent Verisign small business survey found that an overwhelming majority of consumers search for local products and services online. Consumers also reported feeling more confident and comfortable with businesses that have a professional online presence with a website and branded email. Many people today choose to communicate through email, texting, or instant messaging.
So getting your business online is taking action that will benefit you, help your customers, and set your business up for the future.
"I'm not technical"
Like the time issue, the technical requirements to use a domain name for branding your email, redirecting your social media page, or creating a business website are probably far less than you imagine. There are many registrar (companies who register your domain name) and website hosting companies that have designed sites that make the process simple, quick, and inexpensive. You don't need to know any computer programming or be a "techie" to have a website.
"I'm doing fine not being online"
If you have a successful local business and you are not online today, you might resist the pressure to get online by thinking, "I'm fine without it." But what you may not be aware of is all the business you are missing or all the conveniences you could be offering your customers. You need to make sure your business is ready to interact with your customers the way they want and in their natural stream of gathering information.
People find local businesses using the Internet. Consider that 91% of consumers use the internet to research products and services in their local area1. They use search engines like Google and Bing, read review websites like Yelp or Angie's List, or ask for recommendations via their social networks.
So getting your business online is taking action that will benefit you, help your customers, and set your business up for the future.
1 Verisign. 5 Reasons Every Small Business Needs a Website.


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NEC M350X Portable LCD Projector
Get great performance while saving the environment with the NEC M350XG, a value-driven, eco-friendly portable projector ideal for education and small-to-medium-sized business environments. This 3500-lumen model features enhanced technologies such as DICOM simulation, which allows medical school teachers to display accurate diagnostic images during lessons, and variable audio-out input for connecting to an external speaker or sound system and controlling both through the projector's remote. It was designed with the environment in mind with a carbon savings meter, extended lamp and filter life, and energy-saving features such as quick startup and direct power off. Whether in the classroom or boardroom, the M350XG's multitude of advanced technologies allows you to start up in seconds, connect with your audience and shut down with ease.
- Variable audio-out allows the remote control to adjust the volume of self-powered external speakers connected to the projector
- Auto ECO ModeTM technology helps extend lamp life and lowers power consumption
- Integrated active lens cover mutes audio and video while lowering the lamp power to 25% to conserve energy
- Integrated RJ-45 and/or wireless LAN (optional) quickly connects to the LAN for control or image transmission
- Dual computer inputs ensure quick switching between presentations
- Virtually maintenance-free design includes improved 6000-hour filter life
- Auto Power ON/OFF
- Carbon Savings Meter
- DICOM Simulation
- Direct Power-Off Function
- Now with 5 year warranty


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Top flight deals to Bogota (BOG)*
Fly to Bogota with KLM
Together with our global network, we as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offer flights to Bogotá (or Bogotá, Distrito Capital), serving El Dorado International Airport (BOG). Customer service is at the heart of everything we do, so if there's anything we can do to make your flight more comfortable or enjoyable, don't hesitate to let us know. We're happy to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on Facebook, Messenger, Twitter and WhatsApp.
Top Bogotá attractions
- Iglesia de San Francisco: 16th-century Roman Catholic Church.
- Museo de Arte del Banco de la República: a museum holding one of the largest collections of Latin American art.
- Mount Monserrate: climb to the top of the mountain to see the old church and shrine that stands there.
- Biblioteca Pública Virgilio Barco: a beautiful public library with amazing architecture.
- Jardin Botánico de Bogotá Jose Celestino Mutis: Colombia's biggest botanical garden and research centre.
For more inspiration on the top sites to see and attractions to visit in Bogotá, don't miss our travel guide, filled with all the insider tips you could possibly need!
What's the best way to get around Bogotá?
There are two types of buses you can use to navigate the city: rapid buses have their own express traffic lane to cut journey time while regular buses run on normal roads. The express buses have specific stops you will need to use; you can flag down a regular bus from wherever you are. Bus schedules can be a bit chaotic so many people choose to use taxis instead. Taxis are plentiful and affordable. From central Bogotá you can walk to most destinations and may not need to use taxis or buses, depending on your location.
What's the weather in Bogotá?
The temperature in Bogotá stays fairly constant year-round, averaging between 12°C (54°F) and 15°C (59°F). The only real change in Bogotá's climate is the amount of rainfall. If you're looking to stay dry on your trip to Bogotá, plan your trip for December or January. If you're travelling at any other time of the year, you will need your waterproofs - May is the wettest month, averaging 22 rainy days!
Weather in Bogota
Powered by: OpenWeatherMap.org
13 °CWednesday12/08/2020
14 °CThursday13/08/2020
17 °CFriday14/08/2020
18 °CSaturday15/08/2020
17 °CSunday16/08/2020
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18 °CTuesday18/08/2020
*All amounts are in USD. Taxes and surcharges are included. No booking fee is applicable, but a payment surcharge may apply. Prices shown may vary depending on fare availability. You will see the final amount when selecting your payment method.


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I recently found out that I have the BRCA1 genetic mutation. And even though I've recently gone through a hell of a year of intense treatment for widespread gynecologic cancer, I am now facing the fact that I am at very high risk for breast cancer. Like really high risk. I'm told that there is an 87 percent chance that I'll contract breast cancer in my lifetime. And although at age 45, I've already lived through part of my lifetime risk, those odds are still uncomfortably high.
According to the National Cancer Institute, prophylactic mastectomy in high-risk women may reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by 90 percent. As I see it, I didn't go through 3 surgeries, 24 rounds of aggressive chemotherapy, and a year of fighting my way back to health just to have another form of cancer come in the back door and take me out. Fuck that. This is why, when told that I could voluntarily remove my healthy breasts in order to save my life, I didn't hesitate to say "I will."
Now, there's certainly some grief wrapped up in this decision, and I do not take it lightly. In the days and weeks since I received the news, I notice that I'm looking at and thinking about my breasts with a bit of melancholy. These breasts have been with me for 45 years after all. And we've been through a lot together. And as much as I may have griped about their size or placement or perkiness over the years, I've grown quite fond of them (as has my husband).
They were there when I let the first boy go to second base in the front seat of his car in my parents' driveway (sorry, Mom and Dad). They've been through multiple relationships and given me great pleasure along the way. They helped me learn what I like sexually. They've been with me through my experimental phases. They've enhanced countless outfits; they've been sprinkled with glitter and slathered with shimmery oils and lotions. They've been pushed up with bustiers and displayed on nude beaches. They've baked in the sun and been burned and tanned and freckled.
They've endured hundreds of self-exams and dozens of less than pleasant mammograms. They've been pushed and prodded and biopsied, but always come through like champs.
They've ached with my periods and been swollen and full of milk.
They fed my daughter, until I had to start chemotherapy and stop breastfeeding.
So now I (and my husband) will say goodbye to them. But I don't feel sorry for myself. Not even a little bit. Because all of us who have been touched by cancer know that we'll do whatever it takes to live.
I have met and heard the stories of many fellow sojourners who have lost their breasts and more and kept on going. In addition to breasts, they've lost arms and legs and hands and feet. They've lost their eyes and they've lost their voices. They've lost their reproductive organs. They've lost their testicles. But they have adapted and moved on. And thrived.
They are bad-asses, and they are my heroes. Because of them, I do not hesitate to do the next right thing. To do whatever it takes.
If you learned you had the cancer gene, what would YOU do?
Images top to bottom: TipsTimes/Flickr; MoveTheClouds/Flickr


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Shop by Inspiration
Many shoppers prefer to see how others have used products under consideration. After all, this is the main driving force behind magazine and web sites in fashion, travel, design, interior décor and cooking. In this section you may filter and review some installations. Drilling down into any one of them allow you to review an X-ray Illustration, which reveal products used.
Every space requires artwork to look wholesome and complete, which is why our picture hanging systems are a quintessential must-have for you. Each system is extremely convenient and highly versatile way to hang your artwork in any format – be it a gallery wall, a statement feature, an office arrangement or anything else that you can think up! Gone are the days when you had to work a million nails into your precious walls with a hammer.
Our sleek, easy-to-use and flexible systems provide exactly the kind of next-generation convenience that you've been looking for. Some of them work invisibly behind-the-scenes while others are more apparent for the sake of aesthetic. Whether you choose a picture hanging rail system, a picture wire hanging system, or something else entirely, know that you'll be investing in a long-lasting visual harmony of your homes.
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ericsson uncorked
it's just wine!
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About Magnus
About the blog
Seppeltsfield No 9
April 12, 2011
April 12, 2011
magnus ericsson
Australias liquid gold – the "stickies"
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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."
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
On Minarets and Spires
|What do you think?
49 comments:
- Shadi HIJAZI said...
Always a privilege reading you Abu Fares, thank you!
I would like to add my favorite place in -and evidence of - historical cosmopolitan Syria. This is of course Dura-Europos!
It had a special room in the national museum in Damascus which is always my favorite place there (I couldnt find it in my latest visit to there last spring, may be because of renovation works)!
The synagogue frescoes are still there and they are just great (and deserve their special room) and the fact of finding so many temples in such a small area is just wonderful!
(( Avec l'afflux d'habitants de toutes origines, de nombreuses divinités sémitiques sont introduites à Doura-Europos et associées aux dieux grecs : Zeus Megistos à Arsu, Artémis à Nanaia. Les diverses communautés élèvent des temples dans lesquels elles se reconnaissent : temples de Bêl – dont l'un découvert récemment – d'Aphlad-Haddad, d'Azzanathkona-Artémis, d'Atargatis – fille de Haddad et sœur-épouse d'Adonis – des Gaddé – fortunes de Séleucos Ier et de la ville – de Zeus Théos-Bêl, de Zeus Kyrios-Baal-Shamin ou d'Adonis. Le culte était célébré sur un ou plusieurs autels à degrés, face à l'entrée du temple où dans une cour particulière. Parfois, une salle à gradins servait à l'organisation de cérémonies réservées aux initiés. Tous ces temples se conforment à un même type paraissant relever d'une tradition mésopotamienne préhellénistique réélaborée.
also on wikipedia:
This is very important article,I'll forward it to my swiss friends.
Thank you Abufares.
- Unknown said...
Yislam timmak Abufares. A number of the voices crying out "racism", "xenophobia" and "ignorance" fail to put themselves against the same standard.
I have learned much about Ebla through this post. You have intrigued me about the history of the ancient literature that came out of our beloved Syria.
- Philip I said...
There is more logic and humanity in this little post than in all the world religions combined! OK I exaggerate a little but am very glad that there are still people on this planet who think like you do.
- Isobel said...
Fantastic post, Abufares. You make very compelling arguments. Frankly I think all symbols of religion should be banned and I wish that were the motive behind the Swiss vote. Obviously that is not the case.
I found what you wrote about the history of religion fascinating to read. Although I knew bits and pieces of it separately, I have never seen it all in one place. It really hits home. Thank you for broadening my knowledge...again! :)
- Gabriela said...
You made me look at this issue from a completely different perspective. Thank you for that.
I guess it's true that saying: it all depends on the point of view.
Once again, a wonderful post.
¡Saludos AbuFares!
- saint said...
I do respect the people decision even if I don't like it. The other thing is that minaret is not essential part of practicing or even building a mosque, a lot places around the world have mosque without one. A lot of places have ordinance that does not allow for high building and all respect that. Recently a large group of Muslims bought big warehouse in our area and turn it to Mosque. The whole city welcomed them and the authority visited them. The Arab and Muslim world in general showing great interest in the west local issues while people inside this world have no say in all matters of their lives and even can not voice condemnation for killing their own people, it is great plan of exporting steam.
- Yazan said...
Abu Fares,
While I completely respect Swiss democracy and the right that a majority holds to create a social system to its own liking. I find it very difficult not to think of this ban as bigoted.
I did not like your comparison, simply because one does not compare to the lesser standard. Saudi Arabia, Egypt and whole host of countries have dragged the rights of Arab Christians through the gutter, true. But is that an excuse for a country that is built upon the value of diversity to stifle such diversity, and target a single minority community? I certainly think not. And the Swiss ought to be condemned for it. And condemnation is as far as I can go.
Your comparison is akin to the excuse everyone here finds very handy when one criticizes the political establishment in our country, and they point you towards ones that are even worse off. It doesn't work like that.
The decision was not one of architecture, nor of convenience (Minarets do not broadcast the call to prayer), it was, as evident in every poster I had the chance to see and in the very written statements of their sponsors, a symbolic gesture to the Muslim community, You are not welcome here. And I find such use of democracy repugnant.
How would you feel if an Islamic majority in our dear Syria ruled against the public selling of Arak?
- Karin said...
Very logical, compassionate and convincing Abufares .. as always, brilliant! My own humble opinion? Knowing the Swiss rather well (they are lovely folks indeed but not necesarily known for their openmindedness) I would probably have fallen from the chair had they agreed! It would have been so TOTALLY opposite to the way I know them ... and again - I love'em dearly!! I just think to allow the building of two minarets would not have been SUCH a great deal for them (nor turned Switzerland into an Islamic country!) - but for Muslims living there to experience acceptance and more openness. I am always for reaching out ...
Then again - you are absolutely correct with your reasoning concerning the Arab world ...
I do accept the decison of the Swiss people ... even though I find it a bit unfortunate to say the least.
- BuJ said...
God Bless Syria.
Very well-written.
- BuJ said...
PS: on a historical note.. the first mosques in Islam built the Prophet had no minarets. Muslims should not allow a simple minaret to define their faith.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for pointing out another jewel of Mesopotamia (Syria).
Dura Europos (303BC - 256AD) is an exquisite example of coexistence, hard to find even today in the heart of modern democracy.
I think any learned European must feel humbled that the name of his continent was given to this tiny archaeological site on the bank of the Euphrates river (in the middle of nowhere today) over 2,000 years ago.
- Unknown said...
You're more than welcome.
- KJ said...
Abufares, comparing Saudi Arabia's tolerance of Christianity to the Swiss tolerance of minarets is like comparing apples with beavers.
KSA holds the reputation of intolerance to everything, whether it be other faiths or the role of women as human beings, while the Swiss operate on a different level of values, a country that is politically neutral and floating on pots of gold.
Though they have the right to do anything they want in their country should they disregard outside influence, their decision to ban minarets, seemingly bigoted as it is, also defeats the purpose of having the country holding a globally neutral position.
As for the second part of your article, indeed, we are the product of our cumulative past, but you're probably aware that this generation is too focused on the present, and it only takes older or more mature people to appreciate the past
- Unknown said...
Ebla is the most significant archeological discovery of all times once the full scope of the findings is exposed and understood. Ebla was originally discovered by Italian archaeologist Paolo Matthiae in 1964. In the early 1980's when initial translations were leaked out the Vatican, Israel and Saudi Arabia combined their pressures (and incentives) to conceal the real meaning of Eblaite literature. The Syrian government shifted the focus toward the commercial importance of this historical city rather than let the true impact on the 3 monotheist religions become household knowledge. Yet most scholars know the truth and it is there for everyone to see in the Damascus National Museum (if we look hard for it). There is not a single account of originality in the old testament. Even those stories, plays and fables that were not conjured in Ebla itself were footnoted with proper credit in the Eblaite archives.
Instead of proudly saying we made it all up we chose to abide by the rules of the game imposed by the superpowers and those who obscurely hold the strings in the background.
Before Syria became the cradle of heavenly religions, as we now advertise, she was the cradle of earthly literature.
Only when we fully grasp the gravity of inventing the Alphabet would we be able to realize that literature first then "heavenly" religions were the natural outcome.
- Unknown said...
@Philip I
Thank you so much for your exaggeration. There are so many of us but unfortunately we tend to be too quiet for our own good.
- Unknown said...
That was my point exactly. If given the choice I might probably vote against all public display of religious symbols, in a democratic way of course.
That was obviously not the motive behind the Swiss vote. They made their choice based on xenophobic preferences.
You should, when you have the time, dig deeper into Mesopotamian history. You will find that monotheist religions were a manifestation of social evolution and that secularism is the next step in the ladder of human development.
There is no more pleasure than seeing you here, always.
- Unknown said...
You see my friend... that I made you look from another vantage point was and is always my main intention.
Thank you for your kind words.
- Unknown said...
That's all there is to say. Their country, their choice.
I've never been to Switzerland. However, I do realize that people who inhabit a landlocked and mountainous country tend to harbor isolationist tendencies.
I think I should close my Swiss bank account and bring their economy down to its knees :-)
My point is Swiss banks are full of "Muslim" money. Instead of verbally objecting, threatening and making this big commotion a simple boycott would've been much more effective.
- Unknown said...
It was not intended to be a comparison at all. It's not fair to compare Saudi Arabia to any other country in the world. What I'm saying is that those Muslims who accept Saudi Arabia's policy shouldn't even get into the argument for or against the Swiss. And you know my friend that there are many of these around.
That the Swiss vote was a bigoted one could very much be the truth but I don't find myself compelled to either agree or disagree with it. My opinion in this case is similar to an American arguing for or against the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan while always maintaining that the safety of the "boys" is the most important point to consider.
Americans have no right whatsoever to agree with their government decision to invade those two countries. By the same token, I have no right to butt in the Swiss vote.
That it singled out an Islamic symbol is proof of xenophobia but this is as far as I would go.
I'm home in Syria and the moral majority is already infringing on my meager rights. When they ban Arak it will be time for me to leave :-)
- Unknown said...
Thank you for your comment. I can use it as my own reply to those who disagree with me. The way I personally evaluate an issue doesn't necessarily impel me to always voice an opinion. I disagree with so many things around me for personal reasons. If I choose to follow a course where I actively seek to point out my grievances I wouldn't have time to enjoy myself with the few remaining things that I like.
Had I been living in Switzerland with the right to vote I would've opposed this bigoted decision. But my concerns about how the 3 major religions are negatively affecting my life today are more real to me. Wasn't the Swiss vote driven by Christian fervor??? Well so were the cannibalistic Crusaders.
Wasn't the creation of Israel and the organized murder and extinction of Palestinians masterminded by Jewish fanaticism? So is the constant and perpetual threat to any American president who dares offend Israel.
Wasn't the invasion of Spain the result of Islamic self-righteousness?
So were the Madrid bombings of 2004.
The second part of my article is about what concerns me more as an individual. Meanwhile, I will refrain from eating any Swiss cheese in retaliation.
- Unknown said...
Thank you for your comment. The first mosques in Islam were more in line with the original message. One of the most enlightening facts about Islam is the absence of a clergy. It is this new and parasitic class which imitates Christians and Jews with illusions of grandeur. The larger the mosque the more imposing, the higher the minaret the more powerful. There is an ongoing competition in Muslim countries to build humongous and extravagant mosques. I wonder if it is to glorify God or the names of those who build them.
- Unknown said...
Well as I said my comparison was intended only to make a point about certain people who are arguing against the Swiss vote for the wrong reason.
The shortsightedness of this (Islamic) generation is a result of my generation's failing to deliver anything of cultural value. This generation is also hostage to a global policy of manipulation. Who is financing Neo-Islam but Saudi Arabia? Who is setting the Saudis loose to spread their mutated form of Islam but the US? Who is pulling most of the strings in Congress but Israel? Who is so dumb to embrace this game and turn the whole world against us but this generation?
Catch 22!
- The Cilician Dragoman said...
Great post Abufares, as enlightened and insightful as ever! Being myself a Syrian living in Switzerland I volunteer to give you the view from within. Most of the Swiss I know in major cities, and most of Switzerland's political parties opposed this initiative, even the Swiss government did. But what can you do when the moral majority is composed of those living in far flung villages and who know nothing about Islam except for what they see on their TV screens? they are the ones who cast the vote thinking Muslims are coming to eat them alive, like the Crusaders once did in our beloved Levant, as you rightly mentioned. (By the way, the Crusade was used as an example in one poster campaign opposing the vote)
I was delighted to read what you had to say about Ebla (but to me it does sound like a conspiracy teory to claim that the Vatican, Israel and Saudi Arabia joined forces to keep a lid on it, any demonstrable proof of that?), and to follow the thought you've developed. Indeed we come from a land where most of the premises of our modern civilisation were born, and yet we stop at a decaying moral code that hinders our society from reclaiming the inventive character it once enjoyed. Unless we come to put Human Rights above everything else morally, we cannot give any lectures to any other country, and certainly not to Switzerland.
What this stupid vote falls into is a mere battle of the extremes. Pity those fools, but let's keep working on enlightening our peoples.
- BuJ said...
Abu Fares.. ya3teek alf 3afye!
must be tiring to type all these replies.
men make religion bad and intolerant, but if you look at the true message of all religions they are all the same. love. honesty. fairness. being good. etc.
hence.. i am a lover of all religions but a hater of all clergymen!
- أنا سوري said...
I wonder if the swiss did what they did to Judism and their temples and synagogues...what would've happened? France and other countries want to ban head scrafs and Hijab, what would've happened if they tried to ban yamakas and orthodox jews dress code? The whole world would've turned upside down and anti-semitism chants would've filled the news and streets. Europe and the USA for that matter, have begun noticing that we DO NOT CARE and they're starting to act accordingly. You don't have to be religious or a zealous muslim to know this is wrong. It represents the top of bigotry and intolerence. I agree with Yazan, and very shocked at your opinion my friend. This all became possible because we do not react when we are insulted, we just keep going like nothing happened. I wish we fought for our causes like the Israelis and Jews do. Fighting for your principals is not carrying a weapon and killing innocent people, it's letting your voice be heard with reason and whatever economic and diplomatic power you have. Many Arab countries have that, but they will never excercise it to defend an attack on their principals. Shame.
- Unknown said...
@The Cilician Dragoman
Thank you for your comment and for the inside look at Swiss society which I frankly was not aware of.
There is no claim of a conspiracy theory on my part. The significance of Ebla was very well documented in the early 1980's in various articles and papers. The one that stirred the controversy was written by a member of the Italian team who claimed that they were under tremendous pressure from the Vatican to keep a significant part of the discoveries unpublished and that Syria received collective "guarantees and pressures" from the United States and Israel and economic incentives from Saudi Arabia to shift the emphasis from "religious" significance to "commercial" and more broadly "historic importance. This claim was common knowledge among historians and archeologists in Syria at the time. To rebuff these common ideas several articles were published, of which I remember one in particular in Time Magazine where it was argued without success that "au contraire" Ebla proves that the old testament is authentic and briefly mentions that the resulting tension of the discoveries in Ebla were due to political reasons since they do not coincide with either Israel's or Syria's point of view regarding their historical conflict.
Apparently the Israelis did not like the fact that Ibrahim turned out to be a Syrian rather than a Jew.
Be that as it may, one has to wonder, even if we assume that it did not occur within a literary context, how was this knowledge of events, names, dates and places documented in Ebla prior to Judaism and what does that directly imply regarding the Old Testament being the word of God.
Genesis, a cornerstone of "heavenly religions" was another story from Ebla, along with other mythologies, fables and histories.
- Unknown said...
Oh, but I fully agree with you. The true message of religion (all of them) is one of Goodness. I am not disputing that at all. But like you, I think monotheist religions were mutated by the clergy and politicized for their own advantage.
- Unknown said...
@Ana Sourie
I don't think that the Swiss or any other Western country dare to flirt with the idea of banning or controlling anything remotely related to Judaism.
The Swiss vote is wrong from our point of view as Muslims (even secular Muslims in case some people wonder whether we exist or not), I fully agree. But, is it not their right to decide on this matter? This is what I am arguing only. Sure they are acting as bigots but who am I to deny them their right to be so? I have also already suggested in a previous comment that if all Muslims who have significant deposits in Swiss banks and who felt offended by this vote withdraw their money it would have been much more productive than directly butting in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.
I never considered the Swiss vote as an insult to me, neither the ban on Hijab in France, to be honest with you. What I find insulting and demeaning is that they don't dare do it to the Jews.
If given a choice I'd rather live in a place where all public manifestations of religious symbolism is strictly controlled, certainly not that of Islam alone.
Thank you for your comment, always great to read your thoughts.
- The Cilician Dragoman said...
Abufares, thanks for the references on the Ebla issue, they do shoe clearly that's it's not a theory, but an actual conspiracy.
Ana Souri, please note that the ban on the hijab in France was not specifically a ban on Islamic religious signs, but it included all religious affiliations including christian crosses and jewish yarmulkas.
This is a tough one for me. I am not one to get into these debates. I find words often fail me.
I lived in Switzerland for 4 years. I think it's easy on the outside to see this the way you have written but there is a hugely different issue here that, you may not truly understand.
In my years there I found the Swiss to be one of the most open minded and wonderful people. In fact they love to be neutral it's really apart of who they are. Yes, Churches exist - but more as a part of a historic past, like museums. Few Swiss practice. As I recall there was one priest that had to "manage" 12 villages in a cycle because there simply aren't any more pastors.
The issue, already in existence when I was there, was in precisely having a choice now to speak up as a people. Swiss don't like religion. Period. They haven't built new churches, or any other type of place of worship in a long time. Land is too prescious for that.
They banned the ringing of church bells in he town I lived in - and many if not most other villages and cities followed.
I am sorry - but I think they did the right thing. I know I'll get flack for that - but I do. I see what has happened in France, with entire areas that can't and will not tolerate anyone other than Muslims being created inside the cities. It's a terrifying thing to watch. Not to mention the auditory invasion of the call to prayers for those that do not practice. This isn't once on Sunday we are talking about here.
Where I am the towers above mosques exist - but there is no call to prayer allowed, and only the old Cathedral on occasion rings it's bells for weddings - and you have to pay for that, to pay the city for the "disturbance".
So bells and towers ... have lost their purpose in a world that respectfully requests you don't wake citizens - that as a majority is atheist - up at all hours with a call to prayer - in any religion. It's not needed - so why build it?
As for the history … I learned much in this post. I always found Africa and Greece to be the cradles of civilization … so I am surprised.
- Rabi Tawil (AKA Abu Kareem) said...
Abu Fares,
What happened in Switzerland is pure xenophobia fanned by bigots. There is no way of softpedalling that fact. For me it is especially painful as, at least genetically, I am half-Swiss.
On the other hand, I agree with you that we tend, collectively, to become outraged by others' misdeeds while ignoring the putrid smells emanating from our own back yard.
- Unknown said...
@Abu Kareem
You may be right but I still don't have any particularly strong feeling toward their decision. I really think it's none of my business.
Unfortunately, a significant part of us has willfully or not been moving backward in time. I hope they keep their regression cause if they go back far enough they will reach a more advanced state than the whole world is at right now.
- Unknown said...
I'm not into debates at all, not of this type or any other. However, if you noticed that the first part of my article was in a way an introduction to what I consider the real subject. I started with a clear statement:
"That I agree or disagree with the Swiss' vote to stop the building of minarets in their country is beyond the point of this article."
Yet even this non-committal position proved debatable. Many of my friends and regular readers did not like my attitude toward the Swiss but what can I do? I really don't feel strongly for or against their vote. I repeat that it is their business only.
As for the second part of my article which is a short introduction to Ebla (I would like to write more about it in the future) you must realize that Greece was the gate between East and West and is the cradle of Western civilization. However, it borrowed heavily from Mesopotamian successive cultures. Even the Greek Gods are all incarnations of older Syrian Gods.
Three independent civilizations rose roughly simultaneously. Ancient Egypt, China and Mesopotamia. Each left it's unique mark on our collective human history. That of Mesopotamia, Syria, My Land, is responsible for what I consider the most significant achievement of the human imagination: The Alphabet. With this linguistic dexterity Syrians (of old) created poetry, prose and finally the concept of a monotheist religion itself. The Western Civilization dependence and reverence to NUMBERS and TEXT to this date owes its origin to Syria. While Damascus and Aleppo brought the first spreadsheet to the world, Ugarit (near Lattakia) and Amrit (near Tartous) gave us all the first beautifully written love story.
- Unknown said...
Dear Readers
I rarely delete comments unless they are outright racist, chauvinistic and bigoted and unfortunately I had to do just that with a commentator who insisted to display all 3 traits. Religion is an explosive issue. That I am a self-proclaimed Secular does not imply that I tolerate venomous attacks on what people hold dear.
Anybody is welcome to comment here but within the bounds of good taste and manners.
There is a fine line I drew myself for this blog and in rare cases I don't give a damn about freedom of speech. Human courtesy, respect and tolerance always take precedence.
I don't delete comments because they disagree with me. I delete them because they are disrespectful and sick.
First, I would like to say thanks for taking this explosive subject to task. We as people seem only to want one side or view of a subject presented (our own). That tolerance is an ever precious commodity becoming more precious as the days go by. If one wants to have their own views taken in a serious manner, one must also be open to other views, though they may differ from what you personally believe in. The fact that the Swiss voted down allowing the building of "religious symbol(s)" does not give the right for others to decry that as unfair oppression when in fact they commit the same oppressive acts themselves. That I agree or disagree with their decision is unimportant…all I am trying to say is that a little tolerance and respect from all would be a welcomed breath of fresh air. That religion was/is the root cause for most of the world's conflicts…Well one just has to wonder – what if ? I could go on but will stop here and just say I enjoyed the post (one of your best) and look forward to reading more. Peace my dear friend:-))
- Unknown said...
Glad you're back and happy that we agree.
Before I announced my non-committal point of view I gave myself a mental test. If I had the opportunity to vote on what is to be constructed in my neighborhood, will I vote against certain "public" buildings?
And the answer was YES!
I can't blame the Swiss, nor do I have the right to. Whether I agree or disagree with them is totally irrelevant.
- Bubidu said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- Dubai Jazz said...
Abu Fares,
Great post. I find the story on Ebla (and the script of Adam and Eave) most fascinating....
On the issue of minarets, I am agreeing with Abu Kareem: this is a classic case of xenophobia and bigotry. It's none of my business to interfere, protest or burn effigies, but I can still have an opinion.
On the other hand, I think the collective reaction of Muslims around the world is much better and more mature this time around than it was towards the Danish cartoon debacle.
Probably because this was a popular vote, and Muslims needed to stop and ask themselves: "why are they wary of us? why do they feel threatened by our religious symbols?"..etc..
But in any case, we need to work hard on accepting others and allowing them their freedoms before we expect them to treat us like-wise.
Dare we also demand more freedom of thought for intellectuals in the Arab world? with all due respect to Muslims in Switzerland, what pisses me off more than their minarets getting banned is the fact that an Arab thinker like Sayed Elqimni is harassed (and threatened) day and night for what the clergy deem as apostatical writings and research.
Personally, I wish they'd just STFU and mind their own business. And if they can't, somebody should make them.
(sorry for the long comment and the little off-topic)
I agree with the swiss vote, there should be no bells no minarets, times had changed , one can use the cell phone , or his micro ,
there are so many important things to save than to discuss religion, bringing back to life the EUFRATES, is more important than all the humanity together,all religions, the time will come when humans will realise that one drop of fresh water is beter than all civilizatins togethe,
ps. since it is forbiden to make cherchs in arebia saudita, I think it is more than fair for the swiss to vote against the minarets,
- Unknown said...
When you single out one of the 3 monotheist religions and describe it as the "worst" then go on insulting a symbol held so dear by billions of people you are being a racist, a chauvinist and a bigot.
My knowledge of these 3 religions is extensive and equal. I did not choose to become a secular person for lack of alternatives or learning. These 3 religions share the same basic core of "goodness" and the same logical "failings".
I cannot allow the word "worst" describing Judaism, Christianity or Islam on my blog. Yet I accept any criticism to religious or secular thoughts.
That you harbor racist, chauvinist and bigoted feelings toward "one of these 3 religions" is your own business. But I won't allow it on my blog. And I hope this is the end of it as I'm not going to go any further into this debate. You have to at least accept and respect that not only we do not agree but that we have different ideas of appropriateness (not political correctness) but human courtesy. I could be wrong but I have the right to be so on MY blog.
Thank you for visiting my blog but let's put an end to this, now.
- Unknown said...
@Dubai Jazz
The story of Ebla was supposed to be the main idea behind the post. I guess I have failed to make this point clear enough as most of the comments were concerned with the causal prelude.
I agree with your assessment in general. The only point I made and seemed to attract criticism is my lack of "feelings" toward the Swiss vote.
To a degree we all possess some xenophobic tendencies and perhaps this made me not only indifferent but tolerant and accepting to the right of others to decide what they deem right on their own turf.
The rest of your comment was not off the point at all. It was very enlightening indeed.
- Unknown said...
One drop of water is indeed more important than all human ideologies put together. Our planet is under a lot of pressure. While the Euphrates is suffering from decades of human abuse and shortsightedness many coastal rivers in Tartous and Lattakia have completely vanished. The olive trees, the citrus orchards, the natural habitat of several species are disappearing. Even within cities, architecture and taste were dealt a deadly blow as Syrian cities are turning more and more into urban slums with no character at all. The small mosques built in Damascus and Aleppo during the Ottoman era are much more beautiful and in harmony with their surroundings than the new giant lavish mosques being built by the "nouveau riche" of Syria to immortalize their misbegotten names.
a good example is DUBAI, it is an artificial city it will become a fantasma city, no way , it is not a place where humans can live.
when will we undertand that ?
- Bubidu said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- jimmy said...
hi abu fares,
i think the swiss are myopic. their vote is a pathetic act of xenophobia against a reality that they cannot change and which they refuse to comprehend. instead of banning minarets, they should embrace the reality and the diversity within their country. swiss muslims are as swiss as swiss atheists or swiss catholics. also, in my opinion, a vote is an unfair way to address the social debate about minarets. a democratic ballot is unfair towards minorities. the state and the judiciary system should have acted to protect the minorities. referring to a vote is coward.
i strongly agree with you about the comparison with saudi arabia. every person who condemns the swiss vote should also equally condemn the revolting situation in saudi arabia and other countries who discriminate against certain religious groups. any dissociation of the comparison between switzerland's and saudi arabia's attitude towards religious diversity is a relativist fallacy.
again, i think there is only one way out of this, it's called humanism. and there is only one weapon, it's called tolerance.
- Unknown said...
@ j i m m y
Thank you for your comment.
I really have very little to add to what you said. Your last words about Humanism and Tolerance summed it all.


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Michael Guerra at crossroads
San Antonio accordian ace celebrates debut album
Michael Guerra is standing at the crossroads.
The Tex-Mex accordionist celebrates his self-produced debut, the 11-song "Michael Guerra Band," with a CD release party Friday at Augie's Barbed Wire Smokehouse BBQ.
Recorded at Joe Treviño's Blue Cat Studio in Southtown, the album shows off Guerra's range with stabs at country, conjunto, '50s balladry, Santana-esque Latin rock and pop.
But here's the rub for the Los Angeles native who first became known around these parts with Los TexManiacs and Shawn Sahm's Tex-Mex Experience.
Guerra's also a recent member of the reunited (and recording and touring) Mavericks. For the last couple of years, Guerra has been touring with Mavericks' frontman Raul Malo and "Latin-ifying the whole thing."
"It's totally a different level," Guerra acknowledged.
"Just the exposure is so huge. I've got to further my thing, but I don't want to get too heavy into my thing because the Mavericks is about to take off. I pretty much have to balance it."
More Information
Indeed, the solo release was delayed, in part, because of Guerra's busy schedule and other related issues.
"He's walking a tightrope," said close friend and songwriting partner David Pedrazine, whose lush production "Break Away" is one of the new CD's highlights.
"Scheduling is the biggest thing, getting (solo) gigs while the Mavericks are getting ready to go on tour, you know.
"When he went to the Mavericks, his status rose considerably. Now, he's at a point (where he has to make some career choices). I do see the struggles that he has — breaking out on his own. But being with the Mavericks is just a huge thing for him."
Guerra's main band includes guitarist Robert Bertman, bassist Ramon "Junior" Jasso and drummer Danny Martinez.
An array of guest musicians — Henry Gomez, Bobby Flores, Joe Reyes, Ed Gough, Christian Maldonado, Alfredo Rabago, Jose Vaca, Eric Casillas and Chepe Solis — contribute additional San Antonio flavor.
Guerra loves those moments in the spotlight as the leader. He doesn't mind the extra responsibility.
"You gotta call the shots. You're the one doing everything. You're not just the back-up and waiting for your turn to play," he said. "This is all me. It's totally different.
"It's more of an accomplishment. This is my first record and I'm pretty much ready to do it on my own now. It's an accomplishment for me, being out in front, man. It's pretty cool."


text:
In a genre traditionally dominated by male artists, Marcia Griffiths is arguably the best-known and most influential woman in the history of reggae. Griffiths first made a name for herself when the music was still evolving from its roots in ska and rocksteady, and she later became an ally of reggae's signature artist, Bob Marley, before embracing the electronic-based sounds of dancehall and funk in the 1980s.
Marcia Llyneth Griffiths was born in Kingston, Jamaica on November 23, 1949 (though Griffiths has sometimes told journalists she was born in 1953). She displayed an interest in music early on, singing in the church choir and regularly taking part in musical presentations at school, and she made her first steps toward a professional career when she was 15. Griffiths was singing at a friend's party when she was overheard by Phillip "Boasie" James, a member of the vocal group the Blues Busters, who was visiting his girlfriend next door. James was impressed with Griffiths' talent, and arranged for her to take part in an upcoming talent competition. Griffiths wowed the audience and was immediately invited to perform on a television variety show the same evening. After this successful debut, she became a singer with Byron Lee & the Dragonaires, one of Jamaica's most popular ska outfits, and was signed to a record deal with Studio One, the pioneering label founded by producer Clement "Coxsone" Dodd.
Griffiths scored her first major hit with the 1967 single "Feel Like Jumping," a rocksteady number that charted in Jamaica and Great Britain, and she would also enjoy chart success with the tunes "Melody Life" and "Truly" before cutting her first album, Marcia Griffiths at Studio One. In 1969, she first teamed up with Bob Andy of the Paragons as a duet partner, and when she moved from Studio One to the Trojan-affiliated Harry J label (run by musician and producer Harry Johnson), Andy followed suit, and their interpretation of Nina Simone's "Young, Gifted and Black" became a major international hit in 1970. Bob and Marcia hit the charts again in 1971 with "The Pied Piper," but in 1974 the duo parted ways and Griffiths released her second solo album, Sweet Bitter Love.
In 1974, after Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston left the Wailers, Bob Marley wanted to fill out the vocal sound of the group, and added a trio of female singers to the Wailers' lineup. Griffiths became a member of the I-Threes alongside Rita Marley and Judy Mowatt, and after making their debut with Marley on the groundbreaking album Natty Dread, they were an integral part of the Wailers on-stage and in the studio until Marley's death in 1981. The I-Threes also cut a pair of albums on their own after Marley's passing, 1983's Beginning and 1995's Songs of Bob Marley. Griffiths continued to record as a solo artist during her down time from the Wailers, cutting a pair of albums with producer Sonia Pottinger, 1978's Naturally and 1979's Steppin'.
In 1982, Griffiths cut an uptempo dance tune, "Electric Boogie," which quickly became a major hit in Jamaica. The song gained an unexpected second life in 1989, when a disc jockey in Washington D.C. began spinning the record on a regular basis; the seven-year-old track jumped into the American charts, boosted by radio airplay as well as the growing popularity of a dance inspired by the song, the Electric Slide. ("Electric Boogie" also popped up on an album released by Island in America in 1990, Carousel.) As the Electric Slide became a regular feature at weddings and family get-togethers, "Electric Boogie" became a perennial favorite and established Griffiths in the United States. Through the '90s and into the 21st century, Griffiths has continued to record and tour internationally on a regular basis, releasing albums that run the gamut from polished love songs to roots reggae to fiery dancehall sides (dueting with the likes of Shaggy, Buju Banton, and Cutty Ranks); she also reunited with Bob Andy for a pair of duet albums, Really Together in 1990 and Sweet Memories in 1997. ~ Mark Deming
Background Vocalist
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text:
Beşiktaş beat Partizan 2-1 in the Europa League Group C with both the home sides goals coming from Demba Ba.
Slaven Bilic started with a defensively minded 4-2-3-1 setup, which was a surprise considering Beşiktaş beat Partizan 4-0 in Serbia.
Atiba Hutchinson and Veli Kavlak were deployed to sweep up in front of the back four while Oğuzhan Özyakup pulled the strings in midfield.
Gökhan Töre and Olcay Şahan started wide while Demba Ba started upfront. Left-back Ramon Motta was given license to roam forwards while İsmail Koybaşı played a more defensive role on the right. Beşiktaş dominated from the get go and controlled 58 percent possession throughout the game.
Partizan were content to sit back and try to soak up the pressure but they were exploited on the wings with the Beşiktaş fullbacks bombing forwards and doubling up with Töre and Şahan. Tomas Sivok had a goal disallowed mid-way through the first half but by that stage it was looking like a case of when Beşiktaş will score not if.
The opening goal came as a result of Töre winning a penalty on 57 minutes which Ba converted.
Partizan tried to push forwards in search for the equaliser but Beşiktaş showed just how dangerous they can be on the counter attack.
Özyakup received the ball in his own half and showed great vision and passing technique to spot Töres forward run. The Turkish international winger burst forwards and assisted Ba with his second of the evening. Töre and Ba both former Chelsea players combined for both Beşiktaşs goals.
Ba broke a record in the process, becoming the first Beşiktaş player to score seven goals in European competition in one season. The Senegalese international has a total of nine goals and two assists in all competitions this season.
Töre had an outstanding game, playing a key role in both goals and completing the highest number of successful dribbles in the game (5).
Beşiktaş were made to pay for taking their foot off the gas late on when Markovic found space outside the penalty area and put the ball past goalkeeper Cenk with a powerful effort. Partizan gave the Black Eagles a few nervy moments in the last few minutes of the game and forced Cenk to make a terrific save just before the final whistle. The win saw Beşiktaş take their point tally up to 8 points, level with Tottenham who beat Asteras 2-1, at the top of Group C.


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I have this working completely in my game, the only problem is mouse actions don't do anything.
I used the gui from the documentation as an example just to try with creating my own model for the gui object and all that the text is supposed to change to hello world u know that one?
Well when the mouse interacts with the object the button changes states to being pressed but the text doesnt change furthermore when i load up the options dialog i cant interact with anything the crosshair shows up as designed but no drop down menu or anything like that shows


text:
As you know, her chart was quite large, so printing it up took quite a bit of time and paper. You also wanted me to have it notarized, so I had to drag it down to Local Bank and wait in line.
Then postage was a fortune, since you wanted it sent certified.
Anyway, because it took some time and effort, I enclosed a cover letter asking for $50 payment. Your office manager was kind enough to send me a check for $50 last month to cover this, on the same day she received the packet.
So it was quite a surprise to get a personal note from you yesterday, saying that you felt the $50 was excessive. You did some calculations in your letter, and said that (based on state law) you only owed me $27.45, instead of the $50 I'd previously asked for (and received).
But it was still nice of you to send a check for $27.45 attached to your letter, paying me what you thought was "reasonable, and more than fair" for Mrs. Jones' records.
I've deposited both checks, and thank you and your law firm for having paid me a total of $77.45 for a chart I'd only asked $50 for in the first place. Extra money around the holidays is always nice.
Yours truly,
Ibee Grumpy, M.D.


text:
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