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An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it's up for debate as to what a daily dose of aspirin can actually do for your heart health.
There are varying opinions from the medical community about the benefits and risks from taking the simple, over-the-counter regimen. One of the leading medical institutions in the U.S. said aspirin is definitely beneficial, while a major U.K. study released just over a year ago says an aspirin a day may do more harm than good in some cases, and no good at all in others.
According a staff-written feature on MayoClinic.com, a tablet of aspirin should only be considered for people who've had a heart attack or a stroke, or are in a high-risk group that could lead to the potentially deadly ailments. People at risk include those who smoke tobacco; have high blood pressure; or have a total cholesterol level of more than 240 mg/dL, a level of low-density lipoprotein (also known as LDL or "bad") cholesterol level of 130 mg/dL or higher or have diabetes.
Other people in the at-risk group include those with high levels of stress or who have a family history of stroke or heart attack. Men who have more than two alcoholic drinks or women who have more than one drink a day are also considered at risk, the Mayo Clinic said.
Traditionally, of course, aspirin is used to alleviate headaches and body aches. But in relation to people who are at risk for heart attack or stroke, the Mayo Clinic said, aspirin -- which interferes with your blood's clotting action -- can prevent a blood clot from blocking the blood flow to a person's heart or brain and possibly prevent them from suffering a heart attack or stroke.
Some studies claim that aspirin does no good at all when it comes to certain at-risk groups. Researchers at the University of Dundee in Scotland posted their findings in the October 2008 British Medical Journal, following an eight-year study where it placed 1,276 participants on aspirin, an antioxidant or a placebo. The researchers targeted one of the highest at-risk groups -- diabetics, though the participants showed no initial symptoms of heart disease -- and found that the aspirin or antioxidant did no better than a placebo in reducing the risk of heart disease.
However, the researchers stopped short of panning the aspirin regimen for everyone. They said that in people who had previously suffered a heart attack or stroke, the use of aspirin reduced the further chances of either happening again by 25 percent.
In general, the study said, aspirin may potentially cause other conditions within the body. The study noted that aspirin could causes ulcers and bleeding in the stomach, and that one of the most common causes for hospitalization in Scotland was gastrointestinal bleeding.
Concurring with both the Mayo and Scotland researchers, the American Heart Association recommended aspirin for patients who have previously suffered a heart attack or stroke, as well as those with unstable angina and others who have suffered transient ischemic attacks -- TIAs or "little strokes." The AHA said its recommendation for aspirin use is based on "sound evidence from clinical trials" for secondary prevention for previous sufferers and for primary prevention of events "from occurring in people at high risk."
If you feel that taking aspirin daily -- in many cases, a tablet of baby aspirin is considered a strong enough dose -- is the right course of action if you are at risk for a heart attack or stroke, the Mayo Clinic advises that you only start the regimen with their approval. The clinic said that the regimen is not recommended to those with a bleeding or clotting disorder, asthma, stomach ulcers or heart failure.


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Richmond Tigers AFL Bed Socks
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Jump into bed and get ready to witness your favourite AFL team put the competition away with these Richmond Tigers AFL Bed Socks. Featuring a nylon-elastane construction, these socks are built for lasting comfort and warmth to last you through the night. With a knitted construction for maximum comfort, the striped team colours proudly display your team colours in the comfort of your own home. Complete with a woven club logo tag, you'll want to jump on the bed and sky over the defenders with these Richmond Tigers AFL Bed Socks


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Posted by Editor on 12/15/03
2003 Canadian Cyclist of the Year Awards
We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2003 Canadian Cyclist of the Year Awards. This year is the seventh annual presentation of these awards, and the competition was one of the closest ever. After thousands of ballots, the voting closed on December 12th. We then tallied the ballots for the three categories - Male Canadian Cyclist, Female Canadian Cyclist, and Best Individual Performance of the Year. We have also decided upon the winners for two other categories - Roger Sumner Award (Best Newcomer) and Worst Luck Award.
And the winners are...
Canadian Cyclist of the Year - Female
Marie-Hélène Premont - Chateau Richer, QC
The 26 year old Premont graduated to the highest level of international mountain biking this year, winning the national championships in Whistler, after literally riding away from top stars Alison Sydor and Chrissy Redden (both former CC Award winners). She finished third in the World Cup Final, fourth overall in the World Cup series and fifth at the World Championships, as well as an incredible 4th at the Grouse Mountain World Cup after suffering two punctures. Three-time World Champion Alison Sydor predicts that she will be Canada's next world Champion.
However, Premont's win was not easy. She and road star Lyne Bessette were separated by only two votes with one week to go, and Sydor and Genevieve Jeanson were also close - less than 2% behind. At the end, the final tally was Premont 27.4%, Lyne Bessette 24.6%, Alison Sydor 22.7%, Genevieve Jeanson 18.9% and Sue Palmer-Komar 6.4% .
Marie-Helene sent this response to the announcement of her win:
"Je suis très contente de recevoir ce prix. J'aimerais d'abord remercier tous ceux qui ont voté pour moi. J'aimerais aussi féliciter toutes les personnes qui ont été mise en nomination. Les performances des canadiens l'été passée, autant sur la route qu'en vélo de montagne, prouvent que le canada fait partie des meilleurs pays au monde et c'est grâce au travail de chacun. J'ai connu une excellente saison l'été passée avec mon premier podium en coupe du monde, une quatrième place au cumulatif de la Coupe du monde et une cinquième position au Championnat du monde. J'espère que l'année 2004 sera aussi fructueuse, d'autant plus que c'est une année Olympique. Mon objectif majeure pour 2004 est de me sélectionner pour Athène alors mes efforts seront mis en ce sens.  Passe un bel hiver et on se voit l'été prochain."
A rough translation "I am very happy to receive this award. I would initially like to thank all those which voted for me. I would also like to congratulate all those who were also nominated. The performances of Canadians this past summer, on the road and mountain, proves that Canada is one of the best countries in the world ,thanks to the work of everyone. I had an excellent season this year with my first world cup podium, a fourth place World cup overall and a fifth place at the World Championships. I hope that the year 2004 will be also profitable, especially as it is an Olympic year. My major objective for 2004 is to be selected for Athens and all my efforts will be to that end. Wishing everyone a wonderful winter and see you all next summer."
Canadian Cyclist of the Year - Male
Eric Wohlberg - Levack, Ontario
Eric Wohlberg is one of Canada's most consistent riders. In 2003 he took his eighth consecutive national time trial title, was the top Canadian in the time trial at the Road World Championships (25th), won stages at major races in the USA, Australia and New Zealand, and finished 5th overall in Canada's largest stage race, the GP Cycliste de Beauce. Eric is a previous winner of the Canadian Cyclist of the Year Award, back in 1998.
During the one month of voting, the lead swapped back and forth between Wohlberg and Michael Barry several times, but Wohlberg finished with 33.5% of ballots cast to Barry's 31.1%. Mountain bike pro Ryder Hesjedal was third with 24.4%, and Junior Max Plaxton took 11% of the votes. He responded to news of his win with the following statement:
"I'm very honoured to have received the Canadian Male Cyclist of the Year award. For me, there's no greater honor to have my efforts recognized by my peers. I really try my best to encourage everyone to ride their bikes and experience this sport at any level. I would also like to recognize the rest of the nominees (in every category). I know first-hand, that all of us who have the privilege to wear a National Team Jersey do so with honour. Thanks to everyone who took part in the survey and to those who voted for me.
My 2003 season was one of my best. I was very happy to be part of the Saturn Team for a third year. Our goal was to win the NRC, and to do so we had to take full advantage of the heavy Spring Calendar. Our 03 success was attributed to solid team riding. I was happy with my performances up to and including National Championships, however, right after Nationals, I was struck by a motorist, and incurred a wrist injury that plagued me for the rest of the season.
I was proud to be part of the World Champs team in Hamilton and really appreciated all the support we got from the crowd. I still cannot believe the ride Michael (Barry) pulled off. He really rose to the occasion, showing the heart that Canadians have. Thanks to all of those who encouraged us as we competed. While my World Championships didn't go as well as I hoped, I was able to finish off the season on a high note with good success Down Under in The Sun Tour and the Tour Of Queensland.
My plans for 2004 include a full US NRC schedule with the Chico, Ca-based Sierra Nevada Cycling Team. Sierra Nevada has always been a strong force in Northern California. As one of the new additions to the team, my role will be to bolster the horsepower and bring some more experience to the squad. We've a great mix of riders, staff and sponsors that will keep the team running on eight cylinders. Our focus is to become a force on the North American race scene.
I am also hoping to represent Canada in Athens. I have already met the Olympic Qualification Criteria. However, the battle is far from over. Us Canadian riders will have to keep Canada ranked within the top 30 Countries on UCI points. Such an ranking will allow us to send 3 riders to the Games. I hope to contribute to our tally early on in 2004, as I will be part of a strong Canadian team for The Wellington Tour (New Zealand), and The Tour De Langkawi (Malaysia).
Canadians have raced very well at UCI sanctioned events here in North America, but the bulk of the races we do (regardless of the difficulty) do not receive recognition. Due to this circumstance, our World Championship and Olympic quota suffers. Canada's UCI ranking does not truly represent Canadian talent. Gone is the Olympic spirit where a country can send it's best, regardless of where they compete.
As for further down the road, I can't say. Cycling is a pretty volatile sport, and can be difficult for all involved. I have always dreamed of being a full time athlete, and am glad that cycling has provided me this opportunity. Few are as fortunate as myself to have a profession that they really enjoy. As long as I look forward to the training, racing ,travel and am competitive, I intend to compete. When I no longer can satisfy those requirements, I'll back out of elite level competition. I do wish to stay involved in sport and try to provide others with the same opportunities and experiences I have enjoyed.
Thanks again to everyone who has supports Canadian Cycling, and has wished
me well."
Canadian Cyclist of the Year - Best Individual Performance
Michael Barry - Toronto, Ontario
Michael Barry was the runaway victor in this category, for his remarkable seventh place finish in the Elite Men's Road race at the Road World Championships in Hamilton, Ontario, on October 12th. Barry's seventh place, against the top professionals in the world, is the best Canadian result since Steve Bauer finished third in 1984. His result vaulted him into the top 200 riders in World rankings.
Barry took 42.3% of ballots cast, well ahead of second place Marie-Helene Premont with 13.9% of the vote for her fourth place at the Grouse Mountain World Cup in Vancouver. Alison Sydor finished third, with 12.9% of voters choosing her silver medal finish at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Lugano, Switzerland.
Michael Barry sent the following statement from his home in Colorado:
"I would like to thank the Canadian cycling community for the support they have given me since I started racing as a child. In Hamilton the World saw how strong and solid this community is and it was truly inspiring to race in front of such a crowd on home soil, in one of the best organized races I have competed in.
The Worlds also left me extremely motivated for next season. I will begin the year with stage races in Spain and Portugal and then move north as the season progresses. I would like to give a few of the classics a good run. After having raced for two years in the European peloton I am begining to figure out what my strengths are and what races suit my abilities. We have a very solid team next year, an expanded team, that can be competitive throughout the racing calendar.
The Olympics and Worlds are two big goals for the season. It is always good to get back with the Canadians again as I have grown racing with many of them and not only are they teammates but good friends."
Canadian Cyclist of the Year - Roger Sumner Award
Kevin Lacombe - Amos, Quebec
The Roger Sumner Award, for the Best Newcomer, is named after long time cycling coach, manager and supporter of Canadian cycling Roger Sumner, who passed away in December of 2000, after being hit by a car while cycling.
This year the Roger Sumner Award goes to Junior road racer Kevin Lacombe, who exploded onto the cycling scene, coming from hockey, where he plays Junior A for Drummondville. He wore the leader's jersey at the Tour de l'Abitibi until the final stage, when a crash put him out of contention. He also took the Bronze medal at the Track Nationals in the Sprint, was a member of the Quebec gold medal Team Pursuit and Team Sprint squads, won the gold in the Individual Pursuit, and represented Canada at the Junior Track Worlds. On the road, he won the National time trial championship, and finished second in the road race. At the Road Worlds, he finished 50th in the time trial, and crashed badly in the road race, requiring hospitalization for a few days.
Canadian Cyclist of the Year - Worst Luck Award
Roland Green - Victoria, BC
This is a new award, prompted by the bad luck suffered by a number of Canadian Riders this year. This is the award, that no one wants to win...
Our nominees are:
Roland Green - after an excellent start to the year, with the Climber's Jersey at the Tour de Langkawi and the overall win at Sea Otter, Green appeared to be well on his way to a third consecutive world title. Unfortunately, at the Tour of Georgia, his front wheel caught in a crack in the road and he suffered a fairly serious shoulder injury, which hindered him through the early rounds of the World Cup. He seemed to be coming back for the Mountain Bike Worlds, when he came down an infection after being exposed to shingles! This put paid to his chances of winning the world title in Lugano, Switzerland, and also resulted in his withdrawal from the Road Worlds, where he was scheduled to represent Canada in the time trial.
Kevin Lacombe - Lacombe is a newcomer to cyclist, who actually had a strong enough season to win our Roger Sumner Award (see above). However, he also fell down a number of times, in the Tour de l'Abitibi, which he was leading until a last stage crash, at a training project in Italy prior to the Road Worlds, and at the Road Worlds in the Road Race - a serious first lap crash that put him in hospital with a serious concussion and a broken orbital bone.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Cheri Moehling at 57 has sent out more résumés – six a week – and has responded to more job ads since being laid off in January than ever before in her working life.
The Woodstock resident, who is creeping toward an age where other baby boomers start honing retirement plans, realizes her age plays a major factor in a job search that seemingly has no end. It's something she has accepted since the housing bubble popped and the economy receded in the late 2000s.
Moehling had worked at a Crystal Lake car company for seven years, until downsizing forced her to be laid off, she said. Moehling then found work at a construction company in Woodstock around the time of the economic recession, but a slow housing market ultimately forced the company to cut back late last year.
"All the time, I've worked my whole life, I never knew of being laid off or being fired," Moehling said. "You worked until you decided to move on, but in the last 10 years, you've seen more of that with companies. They just can't keep people on. This was my second time to be laid off."
As baby boomers approach retirement age – the oldest of the generation began turning 65 in 2011 – various organizations and scholars have set out to determine the boomers' effect on the workforce and their plans for their golden years.
"With seniors living longer and more active lives, and with more than 77 million baby boomers turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 per day, the United States is experiencing historic growth in the 65-plus demographic," according to the United States of Aging Survey conducted last year. "The ultimate question is: Are we as individuals and communities ready for an aging population?"
Displaced boomers
The baby boomers might not be ready themselves.
Moehling agreed that times have changed for a baby boomer generation accustomed to job security. Her plan was to stay at the construction company long enough to receive Social Security and then join her husband, Melvin, who retired seven years ago after building custom homes at one construction company for 35 years.
Those plans have changed, as Melvin's retirement income now is the sole source of revenue for the couple.
His hobby of running a Christmas tree farm during the winter in Woodstock has become more of a priority for the couple, who also have financial "nest eggs" to carry them through Moehling's unemployment, she said.
The savings and planning likely means Moehling won't have to work past retirement age, but the unexpected layoff has forced the couple to readjust their way of life.
That's common for many boomers. The aging survey – which was created by the National Council on Aging, UnitedHealthcare and USA Today – found that many American seniors age 60 and older are on solid financial ground now, but they are less confident about the future.
About 24 percent aren't confident their income will meet their monthly expenses over the next five to 10 years, and 23 percent aren't confident in or don't have a financial retirement plan, according to the survey.
That could be because in some cases, their income has shrunk. In 1990, the real median income for those 45 to 54 was $67,795 (in 2010 dollars) and peaked at $74,457 in 1999, according to a September 2012 report from the National Center for Policy Analysis. It has since fallen to $62,485, in correlation with the start of the recession.
For baby boomers, retirement is no longer a magical day on which they will stop working, get a gold watch and live a life of leisure, said Catherine Collinson, president of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.
More than 60 percent plan to work past age 65 or not retire at all, she said.
"It's not their parents' retirement," Collinson said. "Baby boomers plan and expect to work longer, delay retirement and transition into retirement in a way that involves at least working part time."
Most baby boomers, Collinson said, are delaying retirement out of necessity as they try to repair damage done to their finances by the Great Recession, she said.
"One of the most really tragic aspects of the last five years is the number of workers who were displaced due to layoffs," Collinson said, noting that many had to dip into their retirement savings while looking for work.
A 2012 study by the Urban Institute found that while layoffs during the recession were less common among older workers, it took them longer to find work again when they were unemployed. And if they did find jobs, they did so for less money. Median monthly earnings declined 23 percent after an unemployment spell for re-employed workers ages 50 to 61, compared with 11 percent for those ages 25 to 34.
Moehling's search for work as she nears retirement age involves finding a full-time job that better suits her personal interests.
She contemplated retraining programs, but instead opted to volunteer at Centegra Hospital – McHenry and the Senior Services Associates Inc., of McHenry County in hopes of landing a job working with seniors.
But the uncertainty over work lingers for Moehling, going on eight months of unemployment with no interviews imminent.
"We've tried to stay within our means," she said. "We are comfortable, but you still want to work. I still have that urge. I just don't want to be at home."


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versión impresa ISSN 0102-6909
MACHADO, Paula Sandrine. Intersexuality and the "Chicago Consensus": the vicissitudes of nomenclature and their regulatory implications.Traducido porEduardo Marques. Rev. bras. ciênc. soc. [online]. 2008, vol.4Selected edition, pp. 0-0. ISSN 0102-6909.
The aim of this article is to analyze the composition and meaning of the "Chicago Consensus," published in two medical journals in August 2006. The "Consensus" recommends the use of the nomenclature "Disorders of Sex Development" (DSD) instead of the former classification of the "Intersexual States." Also, it suggests conducts related to diagnostic and intervention in these situations. The analysis points to the appearance of new terminologies, in which a medical specialty (genetics) is emphasized, and to the effort towards a classification progressively based on more "technical" terms and with very complex and specific codes. The "Consensus" reaffirms, thus, the fundamental role played by genetics and molecular biology in the discussion and production of knowledge inside the biologic and medical field of the "sexual determination and differentiation," as well as in research and interventions related to intersexuality. In this context, the emergence of the "sexcode" - a sex "revealed" in the microscopic level of the body - is highlighted.
Palabras clave : Intersexuality; Chicago Consensus; Medical classifications; Anthropology of science; Sex-code.


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Busch Gardens announced Friday morning that it will offer a $30 "Fun Card" for Christmas Town this year.
No Twitter deals will be available.
In addition, an announcement was made in September that annual pass members can purchase a Christmas Town pass add-on for $30. This also offers unlimited admission and gives pass members access to their year-round benefits, such as free parking and in-park discounts.
So here's the question many will ask me today: What am I doing for my family's tickets?
My family of four does not currently have annual pass memberships to Busch Gardens -- the main reason being that my children are too young to take advantage of such a large purchase. (Annual pass memberships cost $120 for visitors 3 and older).
That means, for me, a trip to Christmas Town will cost $120 for my family -- a price that is too steep even for my favorite local holiday tradition.
But I see what Busch Gardens is doing here.
When Twitter and other drastically limited-time deals have been offered in years past, it has, without fail, caused jubilation for some customers and turmoil for others. Last year, shoppers stormed and crashed the website, causing a two-day debacle. Busch Gardens offered supreme customer service throughout, but, to an outsider, it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth.
Then there were the annual pass member complaints. They should get extra perks during Christmas Town, access to the best deals, they argued. And they were right.
So, here we are in 2013, and Busch Gardens says the pass add-on is the best deal available. But they are careful to say that it is the best deal available for active pass members.
This leads me to believe that there will be some -- maybe light -- discounts available on single-day admission tickets. I will be looking to LivingSocial and Groupon for those deals. Local visitor centers and grocery stores may offer coupon discounts off single-day tickets.
UPDATE: A press release from Busch Gardens added these discount opportunities for single-day tickets: Coupons for $5 off single-day tickets (making them $25) are available at Farm Fresh, Papa John's Pizza, and Chick-fil-A. Wendy's restaurants in the Washington DC and Maryland area will offer coupons for $10 off (or $20 off using an online promo code) for a multi-day flex ticket.
Waiting to see if something pops up doesn't hurt a non-pass-member like me, because the Fun Card will be available all season. I can wait for a deal, and if I don't get one, there's a Fun Card to fall back on (or, in my case, we will find another Christmas activity).
But the fact is, Christmas Town is not suffering a lack of visitors, and Busch Gardens is working a long-term strategy, here. For the past several years, single-day admission tickets have continued to raise in price while annual pass memberships have stayed the same. The park gains much more from locals by encouraging them to buy annual memberships, and they are going to make them as attractive as possible.
My prediction for next year? Annual pass memberships will increase in price to $150 a person, and Christmas Town will be included.
The rest of us will have to scrounge around for the hope of a small discount coupon.


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Statements by Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama on Friday's jobs report from the Labor Department. In a sign that the economy is hurtling toward a deep recession, employers slashed payrolls by 159,000 in September, the most in more than five years.
McCain's Statement:
Today's report of another 159,000 lost jobs confirms what America's working men and women have understood for months: Our nation's economy is on the wrong track. It is imperative that Congress act to address the financial crisis while protecting taxpayers and being good stewards of their dollars. But we must do more.
America's middle class needs help from a government that is truly standing on their side and not in their way. I am committed to getting to the roots of this crisis — reforming Washington and cleaning up the mess created by the greed and crony capitalism of government-backed mortgage giants — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. I will reverse out-of-control spending, end the wasteful and corrupting practice of earmarks, and get the government budget back to balance. I will reform health care to control costs and better serve American families, open markets around the globe for our products, cut taxes, and expand domestic production of energy to eliminate the ability of international oil markets to hold our economy hostage. I will create jobs and get the economy on the right track.
Unlike Sen. Obama, I do not believe we will create one single American job by increasing taxes, going on a massive spending binge, and closing off markets. Our nation cannot afford Sen. Obama's higher taxes. — John McCain
Obama's Statement:
Today, Americans woke up to the sad news that 159,000 jobs were lost last month alone, making September the ninth straight month of job loss. With three-quarters of a million jobs lost this year, and millions of families struggling to pay the bills and stay in their homes, this country can't afford Sen. McCain's plan to give America four more years of the same policies that have devastated our middle-class and our economy for the last eight.
Instead of Sen. McCain's plan to give tax breaks to CEOs and companies that ship jobs overseas, I will rebuild the middle-class and create millions of new jobs by investing in infrastructure and renewable energy that will reduce our dependence on oil from the Middle East. I also call on Congress to pass an immediate rescue plan for our middle-class that will provide tax relief, save 1 million jobs, and save our local communities from harmful budget cuts and painful tax increases. — Barack Obama.
- McCain campaign: http://www.johnmccain.com/
- Obama campaign: http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
Filed under: Tennessee | Tagged: AFL, banks collapse, Barack Obama, Central Banks, CEO's get severence, close the income gap, crime soars in US, depression of 2010 to 2025, economic depression, economic recession, Election 2008, even pay, fair pay for work, Federal Reserve, fight for workers, golden parachutes, income gap, job losses mount in US, life, living wage, McCain, most job loss in 5 years, Obama, organized labor will save America, Politics, pray for labor organization, retirements loss, second great depression begins, stock market crashes, unemployment, US job loss, US needs Labor Unions, US suicide rate skyrockets, Wobblies, worker's rights, workers lose retirements | 3 Comments »


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Grandma's Thornless Boysenberries
We picked our first boysenberries today!
I've picked my fair share of blackberries and boysenberries but I've never grown them before. As a kid we used to pick blackberries by the gallon in a huge vacant lot near our cabin in Monte Rio, California. The plastic buckets hung from strings around our necks so that we could pick with both hands.
The berry patch was massive with tunnels and rows made from old planks that were smashed down over the vines. It was hot and humid. Our hands were purple, itchy, and sticky by the time we finished. We kept wet washcloths in the car for afterward.
At Phipp's Country Store and Farm near Pescadero, CA, you can pick olallieberries and strawberries then cap it off with a day at the beach.
Our Thornless Boysenberries berries were given to us by Grandma Rita who lives with Grandpa Ed up in Washington. She occasionally brings us goodies. The lillies she gave us are just beginning to bloom.
A couple years ago she brought a hunk of thornless boysenberries from her wonderful garden. It was in a one-gallon can. We didn't have a place to put it at the time, so I proceeded to abuse the poor plant. I moved the can around the garden and often forgot to water it. That berry plant died and came back to life many times before we finally planted it.
Eventually, we bought a trellis at Costco and set it up in the garden. I split the vine in two and planted one on each side of the trellis.
We don't have the room to plant the berries in the "proper" manner, namely a one or two-wire trellis row as outlined below. Given this year's production, I'm not too worried about it. Our thornless boysenberries are watered regularly and get VF-11 plant food weekly during the growing season.
To properly maintain boysenberries, you need to learn two new words: primocane and floracane. Primocanes are the new stems that grow this year. They do not produce berries in year one. The Floracanes are last year's growth and produce this year's flowers and berries.
1. After fruiting in the summer, cut floracanes down to the ground.
2. Tie this year's primocanes onto trellis and prune to 6-8 ft.
3. Thin semi-upright varieties to 4-8 canes.
4. In early Spring, cut side branches back to 12 inches.
More blackberry tips: Pruning and Training Thornless Blackberries
Tags: berries, blackberries, boysenberries, Costco, country store, drip irrigation, farm, floracane, garden, lillies, Monte Rio, olallieberries, Pescadero, phipps, phipps country store, phipps farm, photo, Plant food, plant mix, potting soil, primocane, prune, pruning, soil, square foot gardening, strawberries, thornless boysenberries, trellis, u-pick, VF-11, vine


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Implementation Plan for National Strategy for the Arctic Region
On 30 January 2014 the Obama Administration released the Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for the Arctic Region (Implementation Plan). This plan sets forth the methodology, process, and approach for executing the National Strategy for the Arctic Region (Strategy), which the Obama Administration released on 10 May 2013. (For more information about the Strategy, see: "White House Announces National Strategy for the Arctic Region" in Witness the Arctic -Spring 2013).
According to its overview, the Implementation Plan complements and builds upon existing initiatives by Federal, State, local, and tribal authorities, the private sector, and international partners. It upholds national interests in safety, security, and environmental protection and it works with international partners to pursue global objectives of addressing climatic changes.
According to the White House press release, "While the Implementation Plan is designed to guide the activities of Federal Departments and Agencies, successful implementation will depend upon active engagement and coordination with Alaska Natives and the State of Alaska." The Implementation Plan will be reviewed on an annual basis. Progress on implementation actions by Federal Departments and Agencies will be provided through an annual report to the President.
The full Implementation Plan for the National Strategy for the Arctic Region can be found here.
For further information about the National Strategy for the Arctic Region and source material for this article, see the White House press release.


text: Put your youngster on Cannondale's Trail 16 Single-Speed and watch them turn into a burgeoning cyclist. A lightweight aluminum frame rolls on strong 16-inch wheels with grippy Cannondale tires. A singlespeed drivetrain eliminates the complication of shifting gears and minimizes maintenance, while the rear coaster brake helps your child maintain control and the durable training wheels will help your child learn. This bike will be around for their younger siblings, friends, or neighbors too.


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Posts Tagged 'Public Citizen'
Abbreviated Encounter
It's time to ban all abbreviations. Sometimes the abbreviation takes longer to say than the actual words. Stephen Fry pointed out that World Wide Web contains less syllables than "double-you double-you double-you". Then there are the short words that are abbreviated. What's the point of using @ instead of "at"? It still means you have […]
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Flash: Berkeley Couple Victorious in Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that the sponsors of Proposition 8 had no standing, or legal authority, to appeal a trial court ruling that struck down the statewide ban on same-sex marriage.
The 5-4 ruling has the effect of reinstating a 2010 decision in which now-retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker of San Francisco ruled in favor of two couples who challenged the 2008 voter initiative in a federal civil rights lawsuit.
The two couples who challenged the measure in a federal lawsuit in 2009 at Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier of Berkeley and Paul Katami and Jeffrey Zarrillo of Burbank. -more-


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William and his wife Mary were crowned joint monarchs of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1689. Their accession, known as the 'Glorious Revolution', marked an important transition towards parliamentary rule as we know it today. William's ousting of his predecessor, the Catholic James II, ensured the primacy of the Protestant faith in Britain. His decisive victory over James at the Battle of the Boyne is celebrated annually in Northern Ireland on 12 July. In Europe, William was successful in his lifelong struggle to contain the military ambitions of Louis XIV, the Catholic king of France. In part to help finance his wars with Louis, William founded the Bank of England.
Image: William of Orange (William III) by Sir Godfrey Kneller (Bridgeman Art Library)
William III dies on 8 March 1702 following a riding accident at Hampton Court Palace.
William III dies on 8 March 1702 following a riding accident at Hampton Court Palace. Historian Maureen Waller looks back at the final years of William and Mary.
William of Orange is crowned King of England, Scotland and Ireland.
James II flees William's invasion force. William and Mary are crowned King & Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland.
William of Orange is alarmed when James II's wife gives birth to a Catholic heir.
William of Orange is alarmed when James II's wife gives birth to a Catholic heir. William's wife Mary (James's daughter) is no longer next in line to the English throne.
Jim McDowell visits The Hague and the childhood home of William of Orange.
Jim McDowell visits The Hague and the childhood home of William of Orange. Jim learns about William's ill health from historian Dr. Wout Troost.
Jim McDowell contrasts the popular image of William of Orange with the real man.
Jim McDowell takes a light hearted look at the gloriously heroic image of William of Orange as opposed to the frailties of the real man.
Early years
William was born on 4 November 1650 in The Hague. It was not an auspicious entry into the world. His father, William II of Orange, had just died of smallpox and his English mother, Mary, had her bedchamber swathed in black to mourn him. Mary's father and William's grandfather, Charles I, had been brutally beheaded in London only the previous year. Mary in turn died of smallpox when William was 10 years old. BBC Northern Ireland's 'You Thought You Knew King Billy' explores William's childhood home.
The young William was groomed to lead the powerful House of Orange and to become a 'Stadtholder', or head of state of the Dutch Republic. He learned to be astute and distrustful from an early age.
A Protestant champion
William became a hero to his people in 1673 when he drove the invading Catholic forces of Louis XIV of France out of most of the Dutch Republic. 'Timewatch, Vision of a Conqueror' describes the aftermath of William's victory and the start of his lifelong rivalry with Louis.
William the autocrat
Brought up to believe he was an instrument of God, William could be impatient with others. This trait is evidenced by his behaviour in the chambers of the Dutch government.
William and Mary
In 1677, William married his cousin Mary. It was his 27th birthday. Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, who was the brother of Charles II and heir to the English throne. James was a convert to Catholicism and had married a Catholic princess from Italy. Protestants worried that any son born to the couple would eventually become a Catholic king.
The marriage of William and Mary had been encouraged by Charles II, Mary's uncle and James's brother. By encouraging James's Protestant daughter Mary to marry William of Orange, it raised the prospect of a Protestant heir to the throne. Through this, Charles II hoped to allay concerns that James would establish a Catholic dynasty. BBC Northern Ireland's 'You Thought You Knew King Billy' attempts to encapsulate a complex situation.
William had his own reasons for marrying Mary. He hoped their union would cement an Anglo-Dutch alliance against Louis XIV and bring another important ally into his struggle with the French king.
James II
Charles II died in 1685 and James became King James II. Many in Protestant England were deeply suspicious of the new Catholic monarch. When his wife gave birth to a son in the summer of 1688 it confirmed their worst fears of a Catholic succession.Dr. Eamon Duffy (Magdalene College, Cambridge) explains the 17th century Protestant terror of Catholics.
This meant that James II's Protestant daughter, Mary, wife of William of Orange, was no longer next in line to the throne. Alarmed by the situation, a group of James's Protestant opponents secretly invited William to invade England and oust his father-in-law. BBC Northern Ireland's 'You Thought You Knew King Billy' sums up the situation from William's perspective.
William's mighty invasion force landed in Devon in November 1688.
Many Englishmen supported William and, after some prominent English nobles defected to the invader, James II chose not to fight. He was subsequently captured and then allowed to escape to exile in France.
The Glorious Revolution
Early in 1689, the English Parliament formally offered William and Mary the throne as joint monarchs, an event known as the 'Glorious Revolution'.
William III of Orange was now William III of England and Ireland, and William II of Scotland.
The new monarchs could not rule with the same direct power as their predecessors. They accepted Parliament's 'Declaration of Rights', later called 'Bill of Rights'. This restricted the king's power and marked an important transition towards the system of parliamentary rule that exists to this day.
BBC Northern Ireland's 'You Thought You Knew King Billy' describes the extraordinary events that brought William to the throne.
After their coronation, William and Mary moved into Hampton Court Palace. Historian Maureen Waller describes the couple's comfortable living arrangements.
Their initial mismatch seems to have made for a happy marriage.
Battle of the Boyne
In March 1689, James landed in Ireland with French troops supplied by William of Orange's sworn enemy, Louis XIV. James planned to use Ireland as a base from which to invade England and recover his throne.
In response William raised a huge invasion force, the largest Ireland had ever seen. In July 1690 he decisively defeated James at the Battle of the Boyne. James fled once again to France.
The victory is still commemorated every year in Northern Ireland on 12 July by the Orange Order, named for William of Orange.
The Grand Alliance
Defeating Louis XIV of France remained William's focus throughout his life. In 1689 he had brought Britain into the League of Augsburg against France, transforming it into the 'Grand Alliance'. For the next eight years he was often away fighting, leaving his wife to rule in his absence.
In 1694 William set up the Bank of England in order to fund his war against Louis XIV.
Under William's leadership, the diverse Grand Alliance held together and in 1697 Louis XIV relinquished much of the territory he had won by conquest.
Felled by a mole
In 1694 William's wife Mary died of smallpox. Inconsolable with grief, he fainted at her bedside.
He continued to rule alone. Then in February 1702, William's horse stumbled on a molehill at Hampton Court and he was thrown, breaking his collarbone. His health, which had never been strong, deteriorated rapidly. He died on 8 March.
When courtiers undressed the king they found he was wearing Mary's wedding ring and a lock of her hair close to his heart.
William had no heir and his death brought an end to the House of Orange.
The supporters of James II, who had died in exile the year before, did not mourn him and toasted the mole who made his horse trip as 'the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat'.
'You Thought You Knew King Billy' reflects on William's final years and sums up the legacy of a man almost forgotten in his Dutch home, but whose image lives on in Northern Ireland.


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Arts & Events
The Big Picture Opens at the Elmwood, November 16
The Big Picture is an engrossing film. Actually, thanks to director Eric Lartigau, it is two magnificent films in one smooth 115-minute package. The original title of this French masterwork (first released in 2011 but only now reaching the US) was L'homme qui voulait vivre sa vie ("The Man Who Wished to Live His Life"). It was, in turn, based on The Big Picture, a 1998 novel by American author Douglas Kennedy.
The first half of the story takes place in Paris, where our hero Paul Exben (Romain Duris) has buried his free-spirited dreams of becoming a world-class photographer to work as a partner in a top-flight legal firm. He is a doting father with a young son and newborn baby. But, in addition to his regrets over a lost chance at an artistic career, Paul has another cause for anxiety: his marriage has suddenly started to tumble out of control. Sarah (Marina Foïs) is tense. Everything he says annoys or offends her. Paul begins to suspect Sarah is seeing a neighbor named Grégoire Kremer, a tall, ruggedly handsome chap who, to Paul's profound annoyance, presents himself as a working photographer, trying (without success) to score an assignment with National Geographic.
Paralyzed by increasing suspicion, confusion and misery, Paul stumbles through appointments and dinner parties, acting badly and making a worse muck of things.
This, then, is the first film—a tragedy of manners.
But halfway through this well-crafted tale of love and loss, tragedy turns to violence and Paul's life is upended.
Leaving Paris far behind, Paul is forced to abandon his career, his wife and his children. Standing on a bluff overlooking the sea, Paul watches the sun sink into the ocean. Never has a sunset radiated such a sense of loss—of children who will grow old but never be seen again; of lives, loves, homes, friends and memories slipping away forever.
Over ocean waters, through mountain tunnels, dusted by snowstorms, Paul Exben is a man in desperate flight, torn from everyone he once loved. But as Exben exits the confines of the French capital, a marvelous cinematic transformation follows. The dreary background of urban life gives way to a world of awesome natural vistas aglow with color and light. Exben, traveling incognito, blazes a path east to the Balkans, heading toward a rendezvous with a certain place in time.
In the rugged wilds of Yugoslavia, Exben revisits a lake he remembers from his youth—the backdrop for an amazing photograph he once captured when he was foot-loose, single and free to "just live his life."
Everywhere the camera turns, the screen becomes an Adriatic postcard. Freed from his past, Paul takes the plunge. The first plunge is a symbolic leap into the lake; the next plunge takes him to a local camera store, where he acquires a 35-mm single lens reflex camera, a case of lenses and all the equipment needed to set up his own darkroom in an isolated home atop the nexus of a windswept valley.
This "second movie" becomes a tense—and intriguingly contradictory—combination of self-discovery and hide-and-seek. Paul blossoms as an artist, falls in with some colorful local characters, and begins to fall in love with a kind, local woman.
But when his photos are chosen for a prestigious international exhibition, Paul discovers how celebrity can turn into a horror-house of psychological terror for a man on the run. Exben discovers the peculiar agony of his unusual fate: "You can't make a name for yourself when you're running from your own identity."
The Big Picture ends with a third mini-movie as Exben exits Yugoslavia, once more caught between a past he needs to outrun and a future he can't imagine. Armed only with one last possession, his camera, he witnesses the unwatchable. Breaking the photojournalist's cardinal rule, he cries out against the crimes he's photographed and his life is suddenly on the line.
French actor Romain Duris owns this picture. Although some US viewers may be put off by his mid-movie resemblance to red-meat comic Dennis Miller, it is hard to take your eyes off Duris' eyes and his increasingly harried and tormented face.
It comes as a blessing that the last we see of Paul Exben there is a hint of transcendence. He has been stripped of all worldly goods, recognition and identity but, as he turns away from the screen to face an unknowable future, something strange registers on his face. A smile.


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Events Listings
Museums-East Bay Through June 27
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND LIBRARY AT OAKLAND The Oakland Public Library's museum is designed to discover, preserve, interpret and share the cultural and historical experiences of African Americans in California and the West. In addition, a three-panel mural is on permanent display.
Free. Tuesday-Saturday, noon-5:30 p.m. 659 14th St., Oakland. (510) 637-0200, www.oaklandlibrary.org.<
ALAMEDA MUSEUM The museum offers permanent displays of Alameda history, the only rotating gallery showcasing local Alameda artists and student artwork, as well as souvenirs, books and videos about the rich history of the Island City.
Free. Wednesday-Friday and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 2324 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1233, www.alamedamuseum.org.<
BADE MUSEUM AT THE PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION The museum's collections include the Tell en-Nasbeh Collection, consisting of artifacts excavated from Tell en-Nasbeh in Palestine in 1926 and 1935 by William Badh, and the Howell Bible Collection, featuring approximately 300 rare books (primarily Bibles) dating from the 15th through the 18th centuries.
"Tell en-Nasbeh," This exhibit is the "heart and soul" of the Bade Museum. It displays a wealth of finds from the excavations at Tell en-Nasbeh, Palestine whose objects span from the Early Bronze Age (3100-2200 BC) through the Iron Age (1200-586 BC) and into the Roman and Hellenistic periods. Highlights of the exhibit include "Tools of the Trade" featuring real archaeological tools used by Badh and his team, an oil lamp typology, a Second Temple period (586 BC-70 AD) limestone ossuary, and a selection of painted Greek pottery.
"William Frederic Bade: Theologian, Naturalist, and Archaeologist," This exhibit highlights one of PSR's premier educators and innovative scholars. The collection of material on display was chosen with the hopes of representing the truly dynamic and multifaceted character of William F. Badh. He was a family man, a dedicated teacher, a loving friend, and an innovative and passionate archaeologist.
Free. Tuesday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Holbrook Hall, Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Ave., Berkeley. (510) 848-0528, www.bade.psr.edu/bade.<
"Thom Faulders: BAMscape," through Nov. 30. This commissioned work, a hybrid of sculpture, furniture, and stage, is the new centerpiece of Gallery B, BAM's expansive central atrium. It is part of a new vision of the gallery as a space for interaction, performance, and improvised experiences.
"Nature into Action: Hans Hofmann," through June 30. This installation drawn from BAM's extensive Hans Hofmann collection reveals the relationship between nature as source and action as method in the great abstract painter's work.
"What's It All Mean: William T. Wiley in Retrospect," through July 18. This retrospective surveys the witty, idiosyncratic, and introspective work of William T. Wiley, a beloved Bay Area artist and "a national treasure'' (Wall Street Journal). Layered with ambiguous ideas and allusions, autobiographical narrative and sociopolitical commentary, Wiley's art is rich in self-deprecating humor and absurdist insight.
"Perpetual and furious refrain / MATRIX 232," through Sept. 12. Exhibition features works by Brent Green.
CLOSING -- "No Right Angles: The 40th Annual University of California Berkeley Master of Fine Arts Graduate Exhibition," through June 20. Exhibition features work by UC Berkeley's graduating M.F.A. students.
"Marisa Olson: Double Bind," through Aug. 31. With a pair of provocative YouTube videos, Olson unravels the promise and pitfalls of online participatory culture.
"Himalayan Pilgrimage," through Dec. 19. Exhibition features sculpture and painting dating from the ninth to the eighteenth centuries and drawn from a private collection on long-term loan to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
2626 Bancroft Way, Berkeley. <
AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM -- The museum's permanent exhibition of internationally renowned automobiles dated from 1897 to the 1980s. The cars are displayed as works of art with room to walk completely around each car to admire the workmanship. On long-term loan from the Smithsonian Institution is a Long Steam Tricycle; an 1893-94 Duryea, the first Duryea built by the Duryea brothers; and a 1948 Tucker, number 39 of the 51 Tuckers built, which is a Model 48 "Torpedo'' four-door sedan.
"International Automotive Treasures," An ever-changing exhibit featuring over 90 automobiles.
"A Journey on Common Ground," An exhibit of moving photographs, video and art objects from around the world exploring the causes of disability and the efforts of the Wheelchair Foundation to provide a wheelchair for every person in need who cannot afford one.
Free Public Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Docent-led guided tours of the museum's exhibitions.
$5-$8; free for children ages 6 and under. Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. (925) 736-2280, (925) 736-2277, www.blackhawkmuseum.org.<
HISTORY WALKABOUTS -- A series of walking tours that explore the history, lore and architecture of California with veteran tour guide Gary Holloway. Walks are given on specific weekends. There is a different meeting place for each weekend and walks take place rain or shine so dress for the weather. Reservations and prepayment required. Meeting place will be given with confirmation of tour reservation. Call for details.
678 Mission St., San Francisco. (415) 357-1848, www.californiahistoricalsociety.org.<
CHABOT SPACE AND SCIENCE CENTER State-of-the-art facility unifying science education activities around astronomy. Enjoy interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, indoor stargazing, outdoor telescope viewing and films.
"Beyond Blastoff: Surviving in Space," An interactive exhibit that allows you to immerse yourself into the life of an astronaut to experience the mixture of exhilaration, adventure and confinement that is living and working in space.
"Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars," Explore the history of the Chabot observatories and how its historic telescopes are used today. Daytime visitors can virtually operate a telescope, experiment with mirrors and lenses to understand how telescopes create images of distant objects and travel through more than a century of Chabot's history via multimedia kiosks, historical images and artifact displays.
"Daytime Telescope Viewing," Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. View the sun, the moon and the planets through the telescopes during the day. Free with general admission.
"Galaxy Explorers Hands-On Fun," Saturday, noon-4 p.m. The Galaxy Explorers lead a variety of fun, hands-on activities, such as examining real spacesuits, creating galaxy flipbooks, learning about telescopes, minerals and skulls and making your own comet. Free with general admission.
"Live Daytime Planetarium Show," Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Ride through real-time constellations, stars and planets with Chabot's full-dome digital projection system.
Center Admission: $14.95; $10.95 children 3-12; free children under 3; $3 discount for seniors and students. Telescope viewing only: free. Wednesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Also open on Tuesdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. after June 29. 10000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. (510) 336-7300, www.chabotspace.org.<
HABITOT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM A museum especially for children ages 7 and under. Highlights include "WaterWorks,'' an area with some unusual water toys, an Infant Tree for babies, a garden especially for toddlers, a child-scale grocery store and cafe, and a costume shop and stage for junior thespians. The museum also features a toy lending library.
$6-$7. Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday. 2065 Kittredge St., Berkeley. (510) 647-1111, www.habitot.org.<
HAYWARD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM The museum is located in a former post office and displays memorabilia of early Hayward and southern Alameda County. Some of the features include a restored 1923 Seagrave fire engine and a hand pumper from the Hayward Fire Department, founded in 1865; a Hayward Police Department exhibit; information on city founder William Hayward; and pictures of the old Hayward Hotel. The museum also alternates three exhibits per year, including a Christmas Toys exhibit and a 1950s lifestyle exhibit.
50 cents-$1. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 22701 Main St., Hayward. (510) 581-0223, www.haywardareahistory.org.<
JUDAH L. MAGNES MUSEUM The museum's permanent collection includes objects of Jewish importance including ceremonial art, film and video, folk art and fine art, paintings, sculptures and prints by contemporary and historical artists.
"Projections," Multimedia works from the museum's extensive collections of archival, documentary and experimental films. Located at 2911 Russell Street.
$4-$6; free for children under age 12. Sunday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. CLOSED APRIL 3-4 AND 9-10; MAY 23-24 AND 28; JULY 4; SEPT. 3, 13 AND 27; OCT. 4; NOV. 22; DEC. 24-25 AND 31. 2911 Russell St., Berkeley. (510) 549-6950, www.magnes.org.<
"Scream Machines -- The Science of Roller Coasters, through Jan. 2. This head-spinning, stomach-churning exhibition for thrill-seekers features interactive exhibits, artifacts and images to explore.
"Summer Fun Days," through Aug. 18. Become a raptor expert, learn the science of the trapeze, engineer the perfect boat or test the ice cream that you yourself make.
$6-$12; free children ages 2 and under. Daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. University of California, Centennial Drive, Berkeley. (510) 642-5132, www.lawrencehallofscience.org.<
LINDSAY WILDLIFE MUSEUM This is the oldest and largest wildlife rehabilitation center in America, taking in 6,000 injured and orphaned animals yearly and returning 40 percent of them to the wild. The museum offers a wide range of educational programs using non-releasable wild animals to teach children and adults respect for the balance of nature. The museum includes a state-of-the art wildlife hospital which features a permanent exhibit, titled "Living with Nature,'' which houses 75 non-releasable wild animals in learning environments; a 5,000-square-foot Wildlife Hospital complete with treatment rooms, intensive care, quarantine and laboratory facilities; a 1-acre Nature Garden featuring the region's native landscaping and wildlife; and an "Especially For Children'' exhibit.
WILDLIFE HOSPITAL -- September-March: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hospital is open daily including holidays to receive injured and orphaned animals. There is no charge for treatment of native wild animals and there are no public viewing areas in the hospital.
$5-$7; free children under age 2. Wednesdays-Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. (925) 935-1978, www.wildlife-museum.org.<
MEYERS HOUSE AND GARDEN MUSEUM The Meyers House, erected in 1897, is an example of Colonial Revival, an architectural style popular around the turn of the century. Designed by Henry H. Meyers,the house was built by his father, Jacob Meyers, at a cost of $4000.00.
$3. Fourth Saturday of every month. 2021 Alameda Ave., Alameda. (510) 521-1247, www.alamedamuseum.org/meyers.html.<
MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE VILLAGE A science museum with an African-American focus promoting science education and awareness for the underrepresented. The science village chronicles the technical achievements of people of African descent from ancient ties to present. There are computer classes at the Internet Cafi, science education activities and seminars. There is also a resource library with a collection of books, periodicals and videotapes.
$4-$6. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. 630 20th St., Oakland. (510) 893-6426, www.ncalifblackengineers.org.<
MUSEUM OF CHILDREN'S ART A museum of art for and by children, with activities for children to participate in making their own art.
ART CAMPS -- Hands-on activities and engaging curriculum for children of different ages, led by professional artists and staff. $60 per day.
CLASSES -- A Sunday series of classes for children ages 8 to 12, led by Mocha artists. Sundays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
OPEN STUDIOS -- Drop-in art play activities with new themes each week.
"Big Studio." Guided art projects for children age 6 and older with a Mocha artist. Tuesday through Friday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. $5.
"Little Studio." A hands-on experience that lets young artists age 18 months to 5 years see, touch and manipulate a variety of media. Children can get messy. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $5.
"Family Weekend Studios." Drop-in art activities for the whole family. All ages welcome. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. $5 per child.
FAMILY EXTRAVAGANZAS -- Special weekend workshops for the entire family.
"Sunday Workshops with Illustrators," Sundays, 1 p.m. See the artwork and meet the artists who create children's book illustrations. Free.
"Saturday Stories," 1 p.m. For children ages 2-5. Free.
"What the World Needs Now." through July 15. Exhibition features artwork by Bay Area children in grades K-12 on themes of social justice, community awareness and world peace, selected by a jury of artists, professionals and community leaders.
Free gallery admission. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. 538 Ninth St., Oakland. (510) 465-8770, www.mocha.org.<
"Art a la Carte," Wednesdays, 12:30 p.m. Art docents offer a variety of specialized tours focusing on one aspect of the museum's permanent collection. Free with museum admission.
"Online Museum," Thursdays, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Explore the museum's collection on videodisks in the History Department Library.
Docent Gallery Tours, Saturday and Sunday, 1:30 p.m.
"Explore our New Gallery," through Dec. 2. The new Gallery of California Art showcases more than 800 works from OMCA's collection-one of the largest and most comprehensive holdings of California art in the world.
"Gallery of California History," through Dec. 2. This new gallery is based on the theme of Coming to California.
"Mini Okubo: Citizen 13660," through Aug. 1. Curated by Senior Curator of Art Karen Tsujimoto, this small exhibition of Okubo's poignant works on paper from the Museum's collection charts Okubo's odyssey.
$5-$8; free for children ages 5 and under; free to all on the second Sunday of the month. Special events are free with museum admission unless noted otherwise. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 1000 Oak St., Oakland. (510) 238-2200, www.museumca.org.<
"Pinball Fantasies," through June 30. Exhibition features works by Shane Pickerill.
1510 Webster St., Alameda. www.pacificpinball.org.<
PARDEE HOME MUSEUM The historic Pardee Mansion, a three-story Italianate villa built in 1868, was home to three generations of the Pardee family who were instrumental in the civic and cultural development of California and Oakland. The home includes the house, grounds, water tower and barn. Reservations recommended.
$5; free children ages 12 and under. House Tours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sundays by appointment. 672 11th St., Oakland. (510) 444-2187, www.pardeehome.org.<
SAN LEANDRO HISTORY MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY The museum showcases local and regional history and serves as a centerpiece for community cultural activity. There are exhibits on Ohlone settlements, farms of early settlers, and contributions of Portuguese and other immigrants. There will also be exhibits of the city's agricultural past and the industrial development of the 19th century.
"Yema/Po Archeological Site at Lake Chabot," An exhibit highlighting artifacts uncovered from a work camp of Chinese laborers, featuring photomurals, cutouts and historical photographs.
Free. Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 320 West Estudillo Ave., San Leandro. (510) 577-3990, www.ci.sanleandro. ca.us/sllibrarymuseum.html.<
SHADELANDS RANCH HISTORICAL MUSEUM Built by Walnut Creek pioneer Hiram Penniman, this 1903 redwood-framed house is a showcase for numerous historical artifacts, many of which belonged to the Pennimans. It also houses a rich archive of Contra Costa and Walnut Creek history in its collections of old newspapers, photographs and government records.
$1-$3; free-children under age 6. Wednesday and Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Closed in January. 2660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. (925) 935-7871, www.ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.<
SMITH MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, HAYWARD The museum houses significant collections of archaeological and ethnographic specimens from Africa, Asia and North America and small collections from Central and South America. The museum offers opportunities and materials for student research and internships in archaeology and ethnology.
Free. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Meiklejohn Hall, Fourth Floor, 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd., Hayward. (510) 885-3104, (510) 885-7414, www.isis.csuhayward.edu/cesmith/acesmith.html.<
"Native California Cultures," This is an exhibit of some 500 artifacts from the museum's California collections, the largest and most comprehensive collections in the world devoted to California Indian cultures. The exhibit includes a section about Ishi, the famous Indian who lived and worked with the museum, Yana tribal baskets and a 17-foot Yurok canoe carved from a single redwood.
"Recent Acquisitions," The collection includes Yoruba masks and carvings from Africa, early-20th-century Taiwanese hand puppets, textiles from the Americas and 19th- and 20th-century Tibetan artifacts.
"From the Maker's Hand: Selections from the Permanent Collection," This exhibit explores human ingenuity in the living and historical cultures of China, Africa, Egypt, Peru, North America and the Meditteranean.
$1-$4; free for children ages 12 and under; free to all on Thursdays. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m. 103 Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way and College Avenue, Berkeley. (510) 643-7648, www.hearstmuseum.berkeley.edu.<
"Tyrannosaurus Rex," A 20-foot-tall, 40-foot-long replica of the fearsome dinosaur. The replica is made from casts of bones of the most complete T. Rex skeleton yet excavated. When unearthed in Montana, the bones were all lying in place with only a small piece of the tailbone missing.
"Pteranodon," A suspended skeleton of a flying reptile with a wingspan of 22 to 23 feet. The Pteranodon lived at the same time as the dinosaurs.
"California Fossils Exhibit," An exhibit of some of the fossils that have been excavated in California.
Free. During semester sessions, hours generally are: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-10 p.m. Hours vary during summer and holidays. Lobby, 1101 Valley Life Sciences Building, #4780, University of California, Berkeley. (510) 642-1821, www.ucmp.berkeley.edu.<
USS HORNET MUSEUM Come aboard this World War II aircraft carrier that has been converted into a floating museum. The Hornet, launched in 1943, is 899 feet long and 27 stories high. During World War II she was never hit by an enemy strike or plane and holds the Navy record for number of enemy planes shot down in a week. In 1969 the Hornet recovered the Apollo 11 space capsule containing the first men to walk on the moon, and later recovered Apollo 12. In 1991 the Hornet was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now docked at the same pier she sailed from in 1944. Today, visitors can tour the massive ship, view World War II-era warplanes and experience a simulated aircraft launch from the carrier's deck. Exhibits are being added on an ongoing basis. Allow two to three hours for a visit. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to climb steep stairs or ladders. Dress in layers as the ship can be cold. Arrive no later than 2 p.m. to sign up for the engine room and other docent-led tours. Children under age 12 are not allowed in the Engine Room or the Combat Information Center.
"Limited Access Day," Due to ship maintenance, tours of the navigation bridge and the engine room are not available. Tuesdays.
"Flight Deck Fun," A former Landing Signal Officer will show children how to bring in a fighter plane for a landing on the deck then let them try the signals themselves. Times vary. Free with regular Museum admission.
"Protestant Divine Services," Hornet chaplain John Berger conducts church services aboard The Hornet in the Wardroom Lounge. Everyone is welcome and refreshments are served immediately following the service. Sundays, 11 a.m.
SPECIAL EVENTS -- Closed on New Year's Day.
"Living Ship Day," Experience an aircraft carrier in action, with simulated flight operations as aircraft are lifted to the flight deck and placed in launch position. Some former crewmembers will be on hand.
"Flashlight Tour," Receive a special tour of areas aboard the ship that have not yet been opened to the public or that have limited access during the day.
"Family Day," Discounted admission for families of four with a further discount for additional family members. Access to some of the areas may be limited due to ship maintenance. Every Tuesday. $20 for family of four; $5 for each additional family member.
$6-$14; free children age 4 and under with a paying adult. Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Pier 3 (enter on Atlantic Avenue), Alameda Point, Alameda. (510) 521-8448, www.uss-hornet.org.<


text:
[ Ref. 5208B ]
Auxiliary belt tensioner tool for Ford Durotorq engines 2.0 | 2.2 TDDI | TDCI fitted to Mondeo.
Tensioning tool or use on Ford Mondeo 2.0 | 2.3 TDDI | TDCI engines.
Engine Codes: D5BA | D6BA | HJBA | B | HJBC | FMBA | B | N7BA | QJBB | QJBA.
Manufactured from Selected steel.
Essential service tool.
OEM Tool 303-676
[ Ref. 3096A ]
This took kit enables the engine timing position to be held when replacing the timing belt on Ford engines including the Zetec engine.
Suitable for Fiesta, Puma, Escort, Focus, Courier, Mondeo, Tourneo, Transit, Transit Connect 1.8/2.0
Also suitable for Mazda 121.
Includes camshaft locking strap 303-376/21-162B
Crankshaft Locking screw OEM 303-574/21-163
Crankshaft TDC Locking Screw OEM 303-507/21-210
[ Ref. 1866B ]
The Diesel Timing Kit is a set of essential tools for setting and locking the camshaft and crankshaft when changing the timing belt on Ford 1.6 | 1.8 and 2.5 litre diesel engines. The kit also forms a part of the Laser Engine Timing & Locking Kit 2246 and the comprehensive Laser Diesel Engine and Fuel Pump Timing & Locking Kit 2688. includes - 6mm setting pin & washer, 6mm setting pin, 8mm setting screw, 9.5mm setting pin, 10mm setting pin, 12.7mm setting pin, TDC setting screw & setting bracket
Includes - 6mm setting pin & washer.
6mm setting pin, 8mm setting screw, 9.5mm setting.
Also includes TDC setting screw & setting bracket.
Essential tool for setting and locking the camshaft.
Suitable for Ford 1.6ƹ.8 and 2.5 litre diesel engines.
[ Ref. 1868B ]
The Laser Diesel Timing Kit 1868 is a set of essential tools for setting and locking the camshaft and crankshaft when changing the timing belt on Audi | Seat | Volvo and Volkswagen and Ford Galaxy diesel engines.
Set includes setting spigot OEM ref 23-047/2064.
Setting bracket OEM ref 21-105/2065A.
For use on VAG models.
Also Ford Galaxy 1.9 Tdi (95-00).
Made in Sheffield
[ Ref. 4773 ]
Fiat 1.3 JTD | Vauxhall Opel 1.3 CDTi | Ford 1.3 TDCi | Suzuki Z13DT engines. This set of tools allows the user to check and adjust the Camshaft timing, remove and replace the Cam chain and perform complete engine rebuilds whilst maintaining the correct alignment
Includes: Flange Holding Wrench | 3 bolts 1/2"D OEM Ref: 1 871 000 200 303-1469 | KM 661-C.
Timing Chain Tensioner lever + 2 bolts 1 870 900 400.
Camshaft Locking Tool (2) 1 871 000 900 | 1 860 985 000, 303-1472 09917 68610, EN 46781.
Flywheel Alignment Pin & Spring 09912 38300, EN 46785.
Tensioning Pin KM6130 & Crankshaft Timing Position Tool 1 870 900 300.
[ Ref. 3773A ]
Allows removal and replacement of timing belts/chains on the Ford Duratorq engines
A special 5 piece kit containing the necessary special pins for 2Ƹ and 2Ƽ litre chain driven engines
For 1.4 TDCi Fiesta and Fusion 2002-2009)
Also 2.0 TDCi Mondeo chain engine, 2.2 TDCi Mondeo (04-07)
Plus 2.0 TDCi Tdi Transit (00-08)
2.4 Tdi Transit (00-08)
[ Ref. 3574B ]
This timing tool kit covers most engines in the Ford range pre 2007 including both petrol and diesel and the Zetec engine. Supplied in foam tray with full OEM codes and application list included
Full list of components with OEM reference provided.
Guidance notes on components.
Metal case also available Part No 4536.
Some components are used on later Ford engines.
Made in Sheffield.
[ Ref. 4517A ]
A pair of locking pins designed specifically for the later Ford TDCi engine ranges
Includes a crankshaft/camshaft timing pin (OEM 21-263/303-735)
Flywheel timing pin ( OEM 303-1059)
For Ford Focus C-Max 1.6 2003-2008 with engine code HXDA
Supplementary kit
[ Ref. 4275A ]
This flywheel locking tool is now available with 2 extra adaptors allowing use on a larger model group in the Ford range in both petrol and diesel engines. Flywheel locking tool – OEM 303-393. Adaptors – OEM 303-393-01/-02
For Ford diesel and petrol engines
3 Piece
Flywheel Locking tool OEM 21-168/303-393
Flywheel Locking tool adaptor (01) 303-393-01
Flywheel Locking tool adaptor (01) 303-393-02
[ Ref. 3575C ]
This timing tool kit covers most engines in the Ford range pre 2007 including both petrol and diesel and the Zetec engine. Supplied in foam tray with full OEM codes and application list included
This tool is required on engines where the flywheel and crankshaft must be held at the correct timing position.
After attaching the flywheel locking plate, the toothed profile is adjusted and locked after being fully engaged in the flywheel ring gear.
OEM No 303-393/21-168.
APPLICATIONS: Fiesta 1.8D Turbo, Focus 1.8D Turbo Engine Code: C9DC - F9DA/B – C9DA/B – BHDA/B Year: 1998-2002
Further adaptors are included in 4275.
[ Ref. 4306A ]
This tool is specific to those Ford DuraTorq engines fitted with common rail fuel injection. OEM No 303-698 (21-251)
Specific to those Ford DuraTorq engines fitted wit
OEM No 303-698 (21-251)
For locking the flywheel which changing the cam be
Specialist engine timing tool
Packaged in a poly bag with label
[ Ref. 4086A ]
A practical kit allowing the locking of the camshaft and crankshaft for replacement of the timing belt on the Ford range of 1.8 TDDi, TDCi and turbo diesel engines. Used on the Ford diesel engine where the diesel pump is driven by a separate chain drive.
A set of engine timing locking tools for the Ford TDDi/TDCi 1.8 engine
Engine codes C9DC, F9DA/B, C9DA/B, BHDA/BBHPA, HCPA.
Includes locking strap, flywheel locking tool, TDC setting screw and camshaft sprocket puller
Supplied in storage case
For setting the timing chain see Part No 4173
[ Ref. 4066B ]
Timing Tool Kit for Ford Duratorq engines including Timing Pump removal and installation tools for 2.0/2.4 TDCi
Timing Tool Kit for Ford Duratorq engines including Timing Pump removal and installation tools for 2.0/2.4
For engines built from 2002-2010
Includes camshaft/crankshaft sprocket alignment pin, Chain tensioner, Fuel pump cover removal tool and fuel injection pump sprocket locking tool
Supplied in foam tray
Metal case available Part No 4536
[ Ref. 4409A ]
A neat solution, designed to allow the locking of vital timed components on the 1.6 Ti-VCT engines from Ford Also required Flywheel Locking Tool and adaptors (OEM 303-393/303-393-02) Laser Part No 4275
This five piece set is essential for replacing the Cam belt on Ford Focus/Cmax 1.6 Ti-VCT with engine code HXDA (2003-2007) plus 2.0 TDCi with engine codes G6DA, G6DB, G6DC 2003-2007.
Set includes Camshaft Sprocket Holding Tool (OEM 303-1097),
Tensioner Pulley Locking Pin ( OEM 303-1054)
Flywheel Timing Pin (OEM 303-1059), Crankshaft timing pin (OEM 303-748),
Camshaft Sprocket Locking Tool (OEM 303-735).
Contains a blend of surfactants and natural citrus solvent
Designed to be an effective hand cleanser, whilst also gentle and pleasant to use
The perlite abrasive works to loosen ground-in dirt and grime effectively


text:
Hello guys!
I've always been a huge fan of the Marathon games for years and thought it was time to revisit them.
I'd like a little help from you if possible. I've just beaten Marathon 1 and am starting Marathon 2, but both games have crashed significantly while changing levels. In the first game, at least the game crashed, but then, I tried again and it worked, I was playing the next level. But now, in Marathon 2, I'm at the end of the third level, getting myself to the terminal that leads to the fourth level and the screen goes black! I hear the sound which accompanies the title of the next chapter, Volunteers, I guess, but the screen is black and it stays like that for a couple of second and the game crashes. I've tried like 5 or 6 times already and the game always crashes at that part.
I'm using a MacBook Intel Core i7 and am playing the game with the classic graphics (no OpenGL or anything like that) and 1280x800 pixel resolution. Latest Aleph One version as far as I'm concerned.
Anything that I might be doing wrong? Could you guys help me? I'd appreciate it.


text:
"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."
Friday, November 05, 2010
"Wla... We invented the Alphabet, Wla!" Abufares
I stood on my rock by the sea watching the ship getting closer to shore. I evaded the boisterous throng and the pompous dignitaries and floated in my euphoric solitude. On the afternoon of Saturday, October 23rd 2010, Phoenicia returned home.
Phoenicia is a faithful replica of the Phoenician vessels that sailed across the Mediterranean and beyond in the 6th century BC. She was conceived and captained by Philip Beale, a former Royal Navy officer based in South Dorset in the UK and built by master shipwright Khalid Hammoud of Arwad, Syria. The ship completed her epic voyage to Arwad then Tartous after covering 20,000 miles in 26 months around the African continent. She set sail from Arwad with a volunteer crew on board in August 2008 to Port Said (Egypt) heading south through the Suez Canal, across the Red Sea to Port Sudan, Yemen, Oman, the Horn of Africa, off the Somali coast (to avoid pirates) all the way to Mayotte in the Comoros Islands, Birea (Mozambique), Richard's Bay, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town (South Africa), St. Helena, Ascension Island, Azores, Gibraltar, Carthage (Tunisia), Malta, Sidon, Beirut, Tripoli (Lebanon) and back to Arwad then Tartous (Syria). The main purpose behind this enterprise, assuming a once in a lifetime adventure needs justification, was to prove that the Phoenicians were in fact the first to circumnavigate Africa 2,600 years ago in their single square-sailed vessels. The only historical record regarding this seemingly impossible feat is that of the Greek historian Herodotus. In 440 BC he wrote that he believed the Phoenician accounts to be true but was uncertain about one particular geographic discrepancy. The mariners' claim that the sun was to starboard (right side) as they headed West did not make sense to Herodotus. However, it was a true observation, one which could only be made in the southern hemisphere. The Phoenicians were there 2,100 years before the Portuguese under Vasco da Gama (1497-1499).
Captain Beale is no stranger to the sea. In 2003 he led the Borobudur Ship Expedition and piloted the Samudraraksa (Defender of the Seas) along the ancient trading seaways between Indonesia and East Africa. He is also a consummate naval history researcher. Based on archeological evidence, mainly the Jules Verne 7 and M'agan Michael wrecks off the coast of Southern France, Greek pottery and Phoenician coins, the basic design and the building method of the era were established. Khalid Hammoud an accomplished shipwright was chosen from a list of candidates due to his exceptional skills and to the fact that he works in his yard in the Syrian island of Arwad. The Arwadites were on the forefront of naval construction technology in the 6th century BC and the unrivaled masters of the sea. It is more than likely that the original Phoenician ships to sail around Africa were built in that tiny island, 3 km off the coast of Tartous.
I was invited by a dear friend later in the evening to attend a gala dinner in honor of Phoenicia and her crew. Captain Beale's account of the voyage and his revealing presentation were captivating. I found myself lost in a daydream of my land and sea in better times although one nagging contention distracted me well into the night. Unfortunately I did not have the chance to inquire privately with Philip. The reference to the Suez Canal pricked my better rationality. I think that it would have been easier for the Phoenicians to sail west across the Mediterranean, head south to the Cape of Good Hope, north toward the Red Sea all the way to Sinai then retrace their own outbound passage back to the shores of the Levant rather than commence their sea passage from coastal Egypt off the Red Sea. The Canal itself was not built until 1869 and even to this date many modern vessels follow the long way around Africa to avoid the high canal crossing fees. It would have been more intuitive and much simpler for the Phoenicians to start their maiden journey from their own Levantine shores rather than transport pine lumber from Aleppo and olive timber across the Sinai desert. It is likely that the Phoenicians circumnavigated Africa regularly (the way Phoenicia did) but it is only logical that the first voyage they embarked on followed a shuttle path across the Mediterranean through Gibraltar. They could have later put a number of ships on segments of that route permanently if it were commercially feasible.
Despite the commendable efforts of all parties involved in the Phoenicia project I strongly believe that on the official level Syria is doing a lousy job in promoting her heritage to others and in instilling pride in her own young generations as far as her ancient roots are concerned. Our school curriculum emphasizes recent Islamic and Arab yesterdays while treating our venerable pre-monotheist history too casually. We were here before them all, before the Jews, the Christians and the Muslims. We invented the Alphabet on these very shores; the ALPHABET without which they could have never invented their accounts and stories of parting the sea and rising from the dead and riding winged horses. Syria is the first home of Judaism and has been conquered by the Christian Crusaders and the Arab Muslims but she predates them all. We sailed near and far with the emergence of civilization. The rise of monotheist religion in all of its major manifestations, obscure sects and Sufi cults is consequential to our identity. With the invention of the Alphabet, anything became subsequently possible. Phoenicia's voyage should remind us of the way we were and the way we could be if we dig deep enough into our true identity. It was Syria that made them all great never the other way around.
Wla... We invented the Alphabet, Wla!
Many thanks to my dear friend Aziza for providing me with vital literature for the writing of this post.
|What do you think?
17 comments:
- Isobel said...
Wow! This is a fascinating story, Abufares! How exciting to see a true replica of a Phoenician ship and to know that it was sea worthy and traveled so far successfully. This is a piece of history worth hanging onto and promoting. I'm glad you took the time to tell the world about it - or at least your faithful readers. :) Thank you! Oh! And thanks also to your ancestors that I can read this post and write a comment!!
'Syria is doing a lousy job in not just promoting her heritage to others...'
Too true! Maybe it says something of my own ignorance and what it's like to grow up in semi-rural Australia that I hadn't even heard of Syria until I was about 20, but I do often wonder why the ancient cultures and monuments of Egypt and Jordan are so well-known and well-publicised, but Syria remains so obscure to most people.
I'm getting a bit off-topic here, but it probably doesn't help that almost every Syrian restaurant in the West calls itself 'Lebanese'. I knew a little about Lebanon from a very young age, mainly because I liked Lebanese food so much. The very, very best 'Lebanese' restaurant in London (al Waha) is totally Syrian owned and run, by the way ;-)
All I can say is WOW! This is really something and like you and I talked about in this forum, the history of Syria is so neglected in comparison to the other countries in that region of the world. Yes, you would think that the folks in leadership would want to promote this seemingly wonder- ful and sadly often misunderstood land. Through your Blog I have learned more about your country in the few short months that I have been a loyal reader than through my entire schooling in the USA. As you have pointed out, the early contributions well surpass contributions credited to the "other" countries in the Eastern Mediterranean. Your account of the Phoenicia is truly remarkable. Someday I hope to experience that special place near "Your Rock" and be able to see this wonderful vessel for myself.
Best Wishes BIL
- Gabriela said...
Even at the risk of being sound repetitive, WOW! This summary of the history of your beloved land is awesome. Chapeau!
And I share with you that a once in a lifetime adventure needs needs no justification at all.
As usual, masterfully written.
- Fantasia Lillith said...
Amazing! I love when you can SEE history ... touch it, smell it ... feel it beneath your feet.
It is sad that Syria is not using it's ancient history to promote tourism and knowledge of where "it" all came from. Like Egypt, Greece or Italy do ...
- Unknown said...
You well know how enamored I am with words. The possibility that one of my ancestors, a distant Abufares, contributed with a single letter to the first alphabet fills me with an internal revelry I am incapable of describing. Any letter would do really but the letter "I" has a special place in my own alphabet. It's the EYE I see with, it's ME and it's the first letter of your beautiful name :-)
Thank you!
- Unknown said...
You're not getting off the topic at all. The Lebanese are excellent promoters. The Syrians are lousy ones.
If I am to indicate the most significant cultural difference between Lebanese and Syrians it is that the Lebanese are outspoken and the Syrians are introvert. It is possible that the political chaos in Lebanon and docility in Syria (since their independence)caused this recent behavioral discrepancy.
The new trend by the wealthy in Syria to flaunt their riches for instance is looked at with disdain while it's an integral part of the Lebanese character, rich or poor to parade what they have or don't have.
I'm not being judgmental but simply making an observation.
- Unknown said...
I always get a deep sense of satisfaction after reading your comments. That I was able to bring you a small bit of information makes me very happy. While I never intended my blog to be a reference point about Syria it has, along with other blogs, partially fulfilled this role due to the mediocre official promotion on the international level.
- Unknown said...
WOW to YOU :-)
I was thinking about you only yesterday. Every time I read one of your comments I get the urge and the premonition that I am having a nice dinner with you on the oceanfront in Lima.
PS We were not alone on the table. There were 4 of us.
- Unknown said...
You reminded me of back when I was a kid. I used to hate history because it was told the wrong way. The emphasis was on remembering dates, numbers and certain events rather than recounting it as the wonderful story it is.
Please check this link on the Phoenicia website: http://phoenicia.org.uk/educating-phoenicia-in-schools.htm
I think this is the way it should be done.
Syria needs a few more loudmouths like me to yell their lungs out louder than the Egyptians, Greeks and Italians:-)
- Ammoontie said...
This is a bit off topic from your beautiful post.
But I would like to tell you that I saw a documentary on our local TV channel recently, on Allepo.
Its so beautiful and made me wish to be able to visit it some day.
As always I have always enjoyed reading your blog!
- KJ said...
I shall use your closing quote in my favourite Quotes list!
Thank you for this brief trip in history. Always a pleasure reading your blog :)
- Unknown said...
Hi there, how are you?
Aleppo is nice indeed. Probably this is the best time of year to visit.
Come again, always.
- Unknown said...
You know I thought I should perhaps copyright this quote of mine :-)
I'm usually critical of my own writing but to tell you the truth I like: "Wla... We invented the Alphabet, Wla" so much I'm thinking of turning it into a song.
Melhem Barakat's Wawawowawawaw is along what I had in mind.
Always a pleasure having you here.
- Joseph said...
Well done Abufares. Truly captivating.
I didn't know what to comment. The following is testimony to too much sugar intake! :-)
Close to the water's edge and deep; "with arrows, fire and flowers"
breaching and patching the waves as she skims the seas in a spray of kisses and tears, just like regions, as they unite.
She educates, she navigates, flaunted, her colorful sails, impregnated by immaculate conception, aromas, sea salt and amber. She returns.
Ultimately, she arrives in search of you, Abufares, and not very far from you, she sleeps.
- Unknown said...
What can I say?
I don't mind getting addicted to sugar if writing such as yours is a side effect.
Thank you for the lovely comment :-)
- Joseph said...
Tislam, Abufares.


text:
Strawberry & white chocolate mousse cake
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal737
- fat59g
- saturates35g
- carbs47g
- sugars35g
- fibre2g
- protein8g
- salt0.89g
- 175g digestive biscuits
- 75g /2½ oz butter, melted
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
- 400g white chocolate
White chocolatewhy-t chok-lit
To purists, this is not chocolate because it is made only from the fat or butter of the cacao…
- 400g strawberries
Once available in Britain for just a brief period during the summer, strawberries are now a year…
- 300g tub full-fat soft cheese
- 200ml double cream
Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin to fine crumbs, add the melted butter and mix well. Tip the mix into a 20cm lined, loose-bottomed cake tin, smooth with the back of a spoon and put in the fridge for 30 mins.
Melt 375g of the chocolate in a microwave or glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, then allow to cool slightly.
Take out 6 nice-looking strawberries and set aside. Blitz the remaining strawberries in a food processor until smooth, then add them to a bowl with the soft cheese and cream. Beat until really smooth and thick, then stir in the melted white chocolate. Pour on top of the biscuit base and smooth the top. Place in the fridge and chill overnight.
Halve the reserved strawberries and place on top of the cheesecake. Melt the remaining 25g chocolate and drizzle over the top, then keep chilled until ready to serve.
Recipe Tip
Frozen cheesecakeThe texture of this cake is softer, lighter and more moussey than a cheesecake, so make sure it's well set in the fridge before cutting. It can also be frozen and served straight from the freezer as a frozen cheesecake on a hot day.


text:
Illinois Cyberstalking Law
by Susan Basko, esq.
Illinois has laws about stalking and harassment and you can read about those here:
The following law is the Illinois Cyberstalking Law:
Sec. 12-7.5.
(a) A person commits cyberstalking when he or she engages in a course of conduct using electronic communication directed at a specific person, and he or she knows or should know that would cause a reasonable person to:
(1) fear for his or her safety or the safety of a
(2) suffer other emotional distress.
(a-3) A person commits cyberstalking when he or she, knowingly and without lawful justification, on at least 2 separate occasions, harasses another person through the use of electronic communication and:
(1) at any time transmits a threat of immediate or
(2) places that person or a family member of that
(3) at any time knowingly solicits the commission of
(a-5) A person commits cyberstalking when he or she, knowingly and without lawful justification, creates and maintains an Internet website or webpage which is accessible to one or more third parties for a period of at least 24 hours, and which contains statements harassing another person and:
(1) which communicates a threat of immediate or
(2) which places that person or a family member of
(3) which knowingly solicits the commission of an act
(b) Sentence. Cyberstalking is a Class 4 felony; a second or subsequent conviction is a Class 3 felony.
(c) For purposes of this Section:
(1) "Course of conduct" means 2 or more acts,
(2) "Electronic communication" means any transfer of
(3) "Emotional distress" means significant mental
(4) "Harass" means to engage in a knowing and willful
(5) "Non-consensual contact" means any contact with
(6) "Reasonable person" means a person in the
(7) "Third party" means any person other than the
(d) Telecommunications carriers, commercial mobile service providers, and providers of information services, including, but not limited to, Internet service providers and hosting service providers, are not liable under this Section, except for willful and wanton misconduct, by virtue of the transmission, storage, or caching of electronic communications or messages of others or by virtue of the provision of other related telecommunications, commercial mobile services, or information services used by others in violation of this Section.
(e) A defendant who directed the actions of a third party to violate this Section, under the principles of accountability set forth in Article 5 of this Code, is guilty of violating this Section as if the same had been personally done by the defendant, without regard to the mental state of the third party acting at the direction of the defendant.
(Source: P.A. 96-328, eff. 8-11-09; 96-686, eff. 1-1-10; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11; 97-303, eff. 8-11-11; 97-311, eff. 8-11-11; 97-1109, eff. 1-1-13.)