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Here are some news items of interest in preservation and history from around Virginia and beyond that appeared during the latter half of December and this month. Also, in case you missed it, on December 17, DHR approved 12 new historical highway markers (press release) and listing 15 new sites to the Virginia Landmarks Register (press release). Some of the stories below highlight these new markers and VLR listings.
In other news, DHR has posted online a PDF of the most recent copy of Notes on Virginia (No. 53, 2009/2010). The magazine will not be printed, and is available only online. Please be aware the PDF is a large file (about 9 MB) and may take some time to download.
And in other . . .
DHR News:
Save the Date: April 17-18: Virginia Battlefield Preservation Conference, Manassas: "Taking the Lead in Battlefield Preservation: Tools, Resources, and Strategies for Virginia." This conference, sponsored by Prince William County, DHR, and the National Park Service, is geared for local officials with stewardship responsibilities for Virginia's nationally significant battlefields; land conservation advocates and battlefield friends groups; owners and managers of battlefield land; local and regional planning commissioners and local preservation commissioners; local committees for Virginia's Sesquicentennial Civil War Anniversary Commemoration; citizens who want to put battlefields to work for tourism, education and sustainable development. To encourage local government participation, stipends to cover lodging and registration costs will be available to one official from every Virginia Certified Local Government and to one offical from every Virginia jurisdiction with a nationally significant Civil War battlefield. To find out if your locality may qualify for a stipend, contact Ann Andrus at DHR (804.367-2323, ext. 133).
News from Around Virginia:
Tidewater and Eastern Shore:
Newport News: USS Monitor's steam engine a marvel of its day: Last month conservators at the USS Monitor Center drained the 35,000-gallon solution in which the massive engine was submerged. Working slowly and carefully, they stripped off more than two tons of encrustation and gradually revealed the details of a naval milestone that had not been seen since the historic Union ironclad sank in December 1862. "This is a technological marvel," said conservation project manager Dave Krop. L. A. Times
Eastville, Northampton Co.: Effort to save two historic jails underway: The Northampton Branch Preservation Virginia has established a fund to raise $119,000 for the preservation of the 1899 and 1914 jails on Eastville's Court Green. To date, $33,000 has been raised. DelmarvaNow
Hog Island, Eastern Shore: Former resident recalls a lost way of life: Short video includes many historic photos. Virginian-Pilot
Bacon's Castle, Surry: Preservation Virginia closes site for programming and maintenance projects: Elizabeth Kostelny, PV's executive director describes the temporary closure as "a fulfillment of our role as steward of such a unique site, a rare surviving example of Jacobean architecture in America." "Our vision is to create at Bacon's Castle a distinct heritage tourism destination and a community asset as a place where residents and visitors alike come to learn and reflect." Bacon's Castle dates from 1665. Daily Press / Virginia Gazette
Jamestown: 400-years old pipes unearthed: The white clay pipes—actually, castoffs likely rejected during manufacturing—were crafted between 1608 and 1610 and bear the names of English politicians, social leaders, explorers, officers of the Virginia Company that financed the settlement and governors of the Virginia colony. Archeologists also found equipment used to make the pipes. Associated Press
Hampton Roads: 3 new historical markers approved: Virginian-Pilot
Northern Region & Shenandoah Valley:
"Wilderness" Walmart, Orange Co.: Company withdraws from proposed site: Walmart issued a statement saying it would buy the parcel it had hoped to build on, but would not develop it. The company said it would reimburse Orange County for all of its administrative costs and legal fees and begin looking for another parcel along the Route 3 corridor in the eastern part of the county on which to build the store. Free Lance-Star
"Wilderness" Walmart #2: Preservationist formidable foes?: The case looks to be the latest proof that when big-box stores take on preservationists in Virginia, they face formidable foes. . . One industry analyst said that said it is rare for Walmart to back away from a store once it has researched a location and chosen a site. Free Lance-Star
Fredericksburg: Op-ed: Slavery museum plans: "Let's call it a bitter- sweet confirmation of what we already knew. Nowhere in Sunday's lengthy New York Times report on 'The Thorny Path to a National Black Museum' was there any mention of the project that was to rise in Fredericksburg's Celebrate Virginia." Free Lance-Star
Patsy Cline House, Winchester: Foundation will restore and open house: Celebrating Patsy Cline announced it has raised the $100,000 needed to begin work on the late singer's childhood home and eventually open it to the public. Cline lived in the house with her siblings and mother, Hilda Hensley, from 1948 to 1957. NV Daily
Arlington Cemetery: Historic urns to be returned: The owner of a pair of towering decorative urns that were originally part of Arlington National Cemetery's Memorial Amphitheater told Army officials that he would return them, saying they belong at the nation's most revered burial ground, not on the auction block. Washington Post
Arlington Co., Lyon Park: Rehabilitating the 1930s-era community center: Residents have been working on the community center's building plan for more than a year. It includes new bathrooms, widened doorways and a sunroom, all accessible for people with disabilities. "Arlington is a very interesting community. The neighborhood pride is very strong," said Michael Leventhal, who helped the Lyon Park residents work historic preservation of the old building into their renovation plans. "Despite it being a small county, there are no municipalities within the county. The neighborhoods take on an interesting sense of importance." WashingtonPost
Arlington Co.: Winslow House added to VLR: The home was designed by architect Kenton Hamaker and built by Ira Henry for Earle and Blanche Winslow, and "successfully fuses the elements of the remarkably popular Colonial Revival style with those of the distinctive Streamline Moderne" and features an interior "remarkably intact in plan, design and materials." Sun Gazette
Fairfax Co.: Drops to second place in tourism: Although Fairfax County remains one of Virginia's top tourism destinations, it no longer holds the state title for generating revenues after being supplanted by neighboring Arlington County. Fairfax officials don't plan on being second for long. Washington Post
Mount Vernon: Historian Mary Thompson: When Mount Vernon's event planners decided to re-enact Washington's 1899 funeral, Thompson dug up the details so the event was historically accurate. When visitors see Martha's famous Christmas cake on the dining room table, it is Thompson who supplies the recipe. For the last three years, winter visitors have delighted in "George Washington's camel," thanks to Thompson. She learned 25 years ago that Washington paid a man to bring a camel to Mount Vernon at Christmas and she suggested to program managers that a camel would be something new and fun for the holidays. Mount Vernon Patch
Loudoun Co.: Crednal added to VLR: Crednal's John Armistead Carter was a lawyer who served in the state legislature from 1842 to 1877. Acting as one of Loudoun's two delegates to the State Conventions, he voted against secession. Among the visitors to the property noted in the nomination packet were John Marshall, John Mosby, and Gen. J.E.B. Stuart, who reportedly camped on the property with his officers during the Battle of Unison. Leesburg Today More here: Middleburg Life
Frederick Co.: High Banks House added to VLR: High Banks survived the Civil War and represents a "vanishing" architectural style. NV Daily
Clarke Co.: BOS resolution supports CW sesquicentennial: Civil War commemoration activities are planned to run from 2011 through 2015. Much of Clarke County's participation will be coordinated with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District. Clarke County is one of the eight constituent counties in the district determined by Congress to promote and commemorate this important historic milestone. Clarke Daily News
Front Royal: Rezoning endorsed to preserve McKay house site: The Warren County Planning Commission has endorsed a rezoning proposal from town and county officials that seeks to preserve land containing remains of the historic Robert McKay Jr. house and make the rest of the property eligible for commercial development. The McKay house, which had been recognized as the oldest home in Warren County, was destroyed by a fire and is a total loss. NV Daily
Front Royal #2: New highway marker approved: The sign will highlight Warren County's place in the history of public school desegregation. The marker memorializes events at the former Warren County High School during Virginia's Massive Resistance era. NV Daily
Capital & Central Region:
Richmond: Developer Justin French pleads guilty in historic rehabilitation tax credit case: "The Department of Historic Resources profoundly regrets that an individual schemed to commit fraud," said DHR Director Kathleen S. Kilpatrick. "I am proud that this agency identified a problem that went unnoticed by some pretty heavy duty companies and agencies and brought it to the attention of law enforcement." Kilpatrick said DHR first alerted law enforcement close to two years ago that something was fishy about French. "It became a concern that things didn't add up," Kilpatrick said. Richmond BizSense
Richmond, Slave Burial Ground: Gov. McDonnell supports transferring property from VCU to city: The African burial ground beneath a Virginia Commonwealth University parking lot should be preserved to tell the story of Richmond's role as a slave center for the Civil War sesquicentennial, Gov. Bob McDonnell said last month in announcing a budget amendment that would transfer the property to the city. Times-Dispatch
St. John's Church, Richmond: African-American spirituality: It took root among a people who were enduring the "horrific experience lived on a daily basis" that was slavery. But they had faith that one day they would live as free people, "and if they didn't see it their children would," Lauranett Lee, curator of African-American history for the Virginia Historical Society, told a group gathered one Sunday evening at St. John's Church. Lee noted that her talk was on the 225th anniversary of Virginia's religious-freedom statute, "the most radical result of the American Revolution." RTD
Virginia Randolph Museum, Henrico Co.: BOS taking control: The Henrico County Board of Supervisors plans to preserve the historic property. Virginia Randolph, a pioneer educator who worked in Henrico County for 57 years, was a daughter of slaves. WDBJ
Henricus Historical Park, Chesterfield Co.: Anniversary year: Throughout 2011, Henricus Historical Park will celebrate 400 years of history in the Richmond Region as the site of North America's second successful English settlement. TravelVideoNews
Lynchburg Area: New additions to VLR: WDBJ
Western Region and Southside:
Bristol: Plans underway to renovate historic warehouse: Architect Bill Huber made a lengthy presentation, showing concepts for rehabilitating the two-story Bristol Builder's Supply-Central Warehouse into office space for school division administrators, work areas for part of school maintenance operations and a new space for board meetings. Herald Courier
Wise Co.: Group works to restore Wise Inn: For the past 100 years, the Wise Inn has been a landmark for Southwest Virginia residents, but in the last 20 years has fallen into disrepair. A series of private owners proved unable to peel back the layers of time on the building, and the Wise County Industrial Development Authority purchased the building in December 2007. Herald Courier
Roanoke, Old Heironimus Warehouse: Gets new life despite unexpected structural problems: By the time the project is finished in June or July, the renovation costs could be upward of $500,000. It's only working financially because a previous owner won recognition for the building on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Those designations qualify the rehab project for historic tax credits. Roanoke Times
Roanoke: Firetrucks from 1950s through 1970s: Nice photos and information about various models of firetrucks that served City of Roanoke. Va Fire News
Historic Henry Co. Courthouse: Re-purposed: The former Henry County courthouse in uptown Martinsville is now home to the Martinsville-Henry County Historical Society. The courthouse, the oldest part of which was built in 1824, was restored to its 1929 appearance using $93,000 from The Harvest Foundation and $98,000 from Save America's Treasures, as well as private contributions. Martinsville Bulletin. See this DHR slide show about the courthouse.
Danville, Dan River Inc. Personnel Building: Listed on Virginia Landmarks Register: The Dan River mill owners used the building to provide child care, a health clinic and meeting space for employees. GoDanRiver NBC12
Blacksburg, Yellow Sulphur Springs: Jim Crow-era resort served blacks: In the late 1920s, during the days of segregation that legally separated white and black communities, Yellow Sulphur Springs was operated by and for African-Americans as a resort. However, until the recent discoveries of a VT professor this fact was virtually unknown. Roanoke Times
Coal Heritage Trail: Plan progresses: A corridor management plan is complete for the 325-mile driving route, with detailed descriptions of some of the places and things that might appeal to visitors and help tell the region's history. Herald Courier
Chesapeake Bay: New map charts shipwrecks: Commissioned by National Geographic, Don Shomette, who's written volumes about nautical history, was tasked with culling the 7,000 known shipwrecks to the 2,200 featured ones on the map. Based on predictive modeling, he said between 10,000 and 12,000 wrecks are believed to lie on or beneath the sea floor. USA Today
Better Ideas for Growth: Op-ed: "Urban planners, elected officials and all others who care about preserving the scenic wonder and great places of Virginia, will want to get a copy of an insightful new book: Better Models for Development in the Shenandoah Valley 2010." Times Dispatch
Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory: New book by Daniel Bluestone: Bluestone chronicles historic preservation in the United States through 10 case studies that look at preservation from the early days of the new nation, when French general and American Revolutionary supporter Marquis de Lafayette toured the U.S. in 1824 and 1825, to the restoration and preservation of lands that were once toxic landscapes, which provides a more broad and more diverse understanding of our world today. UVa Today
Virginia Landmarks Register: 15 new sites added in December: Virginian-Pilot
Beyond Virginia:
Calder Loth's "Classicist Blog": Ionic of the Erechtheum: DHR's senior architectural historian Calder Loth (now part-time with DHR) contributes to a monthly blog on the website of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America. His most recent illustrated posting examines the Ionic of the Erechtheum, "commonly acknowledged to be the most beautiful of the Greek Ionic orders." Classicist Blog
Robert E. Lee: 150 Years After Civil War/NPR's Talk of Nation: NPR's Neal Conan spoke with historian Noah Andre Trudeau, reporter Mary Hadar, and Joseph Riley, mayor of Charleston, S.C., about how and why we mark the anniversary of the Civil War. NPR
National Building Museum: "Palladio and His Legacy: A Transatlantic Journey": Why has Roman classicism been so pervasive for 2,000 years? And why, during the past two centuries, did many European and American architects rebel against classicism's aesthetic dominance and stylistic constraints? In the rejection of classicism, has something been lost? Some answers to these questions can be found at the NBM's exhibition. WashPost
Wench: Novel explores relationship between slave owners and slave mistresses: Dolen Perkins-Valdez was reading a biography of W.E.B. DuBois when she came across the small aside. It was piece of history she hadn't known, and couldn't stop thinking about. The land for Ohio's Wilberforce University, the nation's oldest private historically black college, where DuBois had once taught, at one time had been part of a resort–a place called Tawawa House, where wealthy Southern slaveholders would take their slave mistresses for open-air "vacations." Washington Post


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Shobhana's edit
Getting banks to lend will be a challenge for Vinod Rai
It is ironic that Vinod Rai, the former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), should be talking of getting banks to start lending again. As chairman of the Bank Board Bureau, he has said the board's first priority is to kick-start lending activity among state-run banks without fearing any bureaucratic overhang. But in his earlier role as the CAG—together, the CAG office, the CVC and the CBI comprise the dreaded 3Cs of India's public sector world—Rai would have been entirely focussed on scrutinising these very loans to check whether they had been disbursed properly or whether the rules had been bent. Unfortunately, these probes, the accusatory tone of the conclusions drawn from them, together with the recent noise over defaults by Vijay Mallya and some other industrialists has created an impression that public sector banks in general are an irresponsible and corrupt lot. This has damaged the psyche of lenders, causing them to become over-cautious.
State-owned lenders have always operated under pressure, primarily from the powers that be; it is no secret that politicians over the years have used the banks to serve their own interests, which is why Indira Gandhi's move to nationalise banks in 1971 was met with so much criticism. While it is easy to point fingers and accuse lenders of not having stood up to these pressures, it must be accepted that they are middle-class men and women and, like everyone else, would put their careers and families above everything else—if anything, the investigation has to be of the politicians who put pressure on banks to lend to certain industrialists. More importantly, and this is where the media has failed miserably, some lending decisions are bound to go wrong; in an economic downturn as sharp as the current one, it is not surprising that assumptions and estimates have gone awry. So, while it may appear banks have over-lent in many instances—and to be sure, they have—it is not always the case as is made out in the debased public discourse on NPAs and defaulters. The problem with bankers being subject to the scrutiny of CAG/CBI/CVC is that this will leave them scared and unwilling to take decisions. That will hurt corporate borrowers and, consequently, the economy. Those chastising the banks have not thought it important enough to point out that the legal system is skewed towards borrowers and that recovery mechanisms such as the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) and Sarfaesi Act have failed abysmally—in FY14, DRTs passed orders on just R30,590 crore of the R236,600 crore that banks sought to recover. Had the DRTs not been so slow, no one would have been pointing fingers at banks today. If banks are to be able to lend, their decisions cannot be subject to casual review by the 3Cs—there has to be a rigorous scrutiny by a committee of top bankers before any inquiry is even contemplated. The finance minister is right in saying there needs to be a political and economic environment for banks to be able to recover dues, and he is also right in pointing out that settlements with borrowers should not to be viewed with suspicion. Similarly, if banks are to start lending again, it can only happen in an environment that doesn't scare or scar them.

subset: commoncrawl


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Being a parent is so hard.
I have realized that the secret to raising happy, compassionate, responsible, polite children is not what you do to your kids to train them or whatever, it's based on the example you set as a person.
This thought scares me quite a bit. I mean it's easy to read parenting books, to do this or don't do that, and to judge other parents based on their choices. But it sure is harder to turn around and look at yourself. It's way harder to hold yourself responsible for the example you set.
I've been doing some heavy reading and I've decided my goals as a parent (and as a human being) are to have compassion, show kindness, have humility, quiet strength, and self discipline.
I read that in the Bible. Apparently the Bible is an excellent parenting resource, though not in the way most people automatically think. Not in relation to those out of context verses about rods people are always quoting, oh no. That kind of parenting is *really* not for me. I'm talking about words of wisdom.
It's so hard. Did I mention that? I am not automatically compassionate. I am not gentle enough. I am not cheerful no matter what. I don't even really know how to be those things. I guess the first step is realizing that I need to work on it.
One night I was flipping through pages in the Message Bible (on my iPad, old religion meet new fangled technology) and I read that the wrath of man doesn't bring forth the righteousness of God. That could mean a lot of things when applied to different situations, I know. But it makes me think of parenting, and it makes me think that getting angry with my kids does not make them behave the way I want them to. When I get angry I make my kids angry, and anger is nothing but destructive.
Then coincidentally I later read this in another book, the Duggar's book…extremely weird how I'd never had this thought before then suddenly read it in a second place on the same night. Michelle Duggar goes on to elaborate noting that "A soft answer turns away wrath."
Um…well…that's practically genius. I am a yeller. Oh send help, my neighbors probably hear me yelling all the time. I just can't help it. And my kids know it too. If I yell they are like, yeah whatever mom. Tyler does not yell and on the occasion he does the kids both are shocked and burst into tears. Michelle Duggar writes that she whispers instead of yelling and that gets her childrens' attention. I keep trying this but then Rosie says, "What? I can't hear you. Why are you whispering mom?"
Oh well.
Maybe if I keep doing it enough it will work. At least making myself whisper is calming and makes me reign in any angry emotions instantly. You have to be mindful to whisper. It's much easier to automatically yell.
This Bible, what a ridiculous book. Every time Christianity is mentioned so many people roll their eyes then up and run away as fast as they can. I know it's because 99.9% of the world's Christians are idiots, believe me. I was forced to attend church my entire childhood. I could write you a book, but it's not worth it the wasted emotion. I honestly do not know why people flock to church and sit in multimillion dollar buildings while praying for poor people. I will never be able to get over that.
I think that pretty much sums up why I don't go to a brick and mortar church. I could write you a long list of well thought out reasons in addition, but that one sentence summary pretty much covers it.
The human race is quite flawed, isn't it?
But back to parenting/being a role model of who you want your child to be:
Another night I was absent-mindedly flipping through the Bible on my iPad–I just love how you can flick the pages across the screen–while musing about parenting woes and this one passage literally LEAPT off of the page. My eyes just happened to fall on it or whatever.
Parts of it said:
"Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense."
Dude. How many times as a mother have I sat at home and stewed over how I am always second place to everyone else's needs? How much have I let that ruin my mood, my day, or my attitude towards my family? How many moments have I wasted getting angry in my mind over something stupid my husband has done? How many times have I just out of the blue snapped and started yelling instead of being even-tempered…
"And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic all-purpose garment. Never be without it." (Colossians 3:12-14)
Did I say this is hard? I already said that a few times, right?
I mean, my kids are ok. They are great, actually. They are fairly well behaved. They're especially well behaved for other people. It's not like I am a failure or something.
I just need to work on myself. That is overwhelming.
I've got good inspiration though. Whenever I feel like giving up, I think of little eyes watching me and learning. What if I give them a negative, whining outlook they will carry with them the rest of their lives? I don't want to teach them to yell or hit their children in the future. I don't want to teach them to be super uptight or judgmental (of themselves or others.)
It's a lot of responsibility, being a parent.


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Goats in a tree
When visiting the wild animal park as a kid, I remember we stopped our tour to check out some animals. The guide pointed across the way - See them there? In the tree? Goats....
Hold on. GOATS? IN THE TREE?? GOATS CAN'T CLIMB TREES. They have four skinny legs with hooves at the ends. Goats don't climb trees. That's ridiculous. They don't have prehensile tails or even claws?! They have hooves! That makes no sense. Goats can't climb trees.
But there they were. Standing in a fucking tree. Like a waking dream. Standing and looking and blinking.
And we kept on with the tour.
Thinking back on that over the years, I've had to double check my memory. Is that real? Do goats really climb trees and just hang out?
They do. All the time. It's perfectly normal for them.
I'm so happy my inner "voice of reason" (voice that wants to protect me from scrutiny/humiliation) is wrong about this.
I'm sure I am wrong about many more things.
I hope the world corrects me as gently as those blinking, standing, magical average goats, corrected me.


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|low graphics version | feedback | help
|You are in: UK
Thursday, 8 June, 2000, 09:47 GMT 10:47 UK
Fresh look at Holocaust
The UK's first permanent national Holocaust exhibition opens this week, exploring both the horror of the concentration camps and the everyday humiliations the Jews, gypsies and homosexuals suffered at the hands of the Nazis.
The exhibition opens to the public on Wednesday at London's Imperial War Museum, 55 years after the end of World War II.
"This has just come in time because we are getting older and we are old, we are the only witnesses that can say it really happened," says concentration camp survivor Ruth Foster, a German Jew, who appears in the exhibition's audio-visual displays.
Ranged amongst the grainy photographs of hollow-eyed internees and archive footage of Adolf Hitler - "They say we're a bunch of anti-Semitic rowdies - so we are, we want to stir up a storm" - are artefacts from the Nazis' time in power.
There is a box of hair swatches and glass eyes, used by race scientists to test for Aryan characteristics.
A marble table bears testament to grisly experiments in euthanasia which were carried out on psychiatric patients.
There is a scrawled letter to a lover, thrown from a cattle wagon en route to Auschwitz in the hope a railway worker would post it.
Atrocities of war
As Ruth Foster recounts her harrowing experiences during the Nazis' time in power, her voice shakes, her eyes clamp shut with grief and horror.
"I lost over 40 members of my family, they were all taken away.
"They have no graves, they have no resting-place. I don't know where they are, but they were definitely brutally killed," she says.
Ruth was 10 when the Nazis took power in 1933, and her life of comfort and happiness became a struggle for survival: "Life was very difficult, very hard - people were afraid to talk to us."
In December 1941, her family was deported to Latvia and boarded a train to the Riga ghetto.
She recalls: "We had no food, no water. The further east we came, the colder it got. The windows froze over, the toilets were frozen and everything flowed over.
"People died, babies died, people committed suicide."
On reaching their destination, the German soldiers forced them to march four miles (6km) to the ghetto in -30°C and howling winds.
Those that could not walk were loaded onto lorries and gassed.
Ruth says: "When the commandant came to the ghetto, he would at random take people off the streets and shoot them against the wall of the cemetery."
'My poor father'
In May 1942, a fellow labourer gave Ruth's father a few extra hunks of bread. The German guards found the bread, and marched her father back to the ghetto in handcuffs.
"The commandant killed him with a Hess revolver, shot him in the back. That was the end of my poor father."
The Germans also prevented the women from falling pregnant, she says, and those who did were forced to have abortions or emergency caesareans in unsanitary surgeries.
"One mother carried her baby for nine months and this baby was born in the ghetto. She called him Ben Ghetto - son of the ghetto.
"When the SS found out that she had borne a child, she was called to the headquarters. She had to kill her own child by pressing in the soft part of the baby's head which closes after nine months."
The Germans closed the ghetto in November 1943 and sent the survivors to work in labour camps.
Ruth Foster's voice breaks as she describes how the SS played God, deciding who would live and who would die.
"I lost my mother because her working group had come back to the barracks before mine. When I went to her bed, I saw that she wasn't in there.
"I presumed that she had been taken - I tried to either get her out of the group or join her, but I was too late.
"I was beaten by SS, who had surrounded the yard, with rifle butts and I still bear the scars on my back where they had maltreated me. But I couldn't rescue my mother."
"When I was liberated, I weighed just over three stone - not quite 40kg. A body that goes to that has lived through a lot."
Allied forces
Visitors to the exhibition can also examine wartime documents in which the Allies debated how to stop the genocide.
Yet many of the servicemen fighting in Europe had little idea of what they would find when the German forces pulled out.
Jim Wheeler, 81, served with the 11 Light Field Ambulance, which helped clear Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945.
The retreating Germans had requested help to prevent the Jews with typhus from leaving the area - his unit was sent in at dawn.
"It was a lovely morning - the sun was shining, we had the Germans on the run, and then we came across this big red sign in the road with 'typhus' written across it.
"We didn't know what to expect. We found thousands of dead, thousands of emaciated people all over the place."
His 200-strong regiment spent six weeks burying the dead, and treating and feeding the survivors.
"I guess the one image I will never forget is seeing bodies bulldozed into pits."
See also:
16 May 00 | UK
Dunkirk survivors' final reunion
02 Jun 00 | Europe
New delay hits Nazi slave victims
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I have a 97 Corolla sedan with what I think is the original radio cassette. It's just about dead now and I want a new unit to slot in. Trying to google which adaptor I need is a nightmare. Could anyone point me in the right direction please.
Also are the door speakers standard sizes or do I need adaptors for those as well.
Not looking for anything flashy just a reasonable clear sound as I mainly just listen to radio in the car.


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text: Our 2010 Crappie Forecast October 04, 2010 Find out what the experts have to say about the state of crappie fishing across South Carolina. (February 2010) By Phillip Gentry In days gone by, crappie fishing was a springtime-only event. Crappie would move into the shallows to spawn and anglers would fill their livewells and freezers for a couple of months of the year, and then resume other activities. With the advances in technology and a better understanding of crappie patterns throughout the year, anglers now fish for crappie 12 months a year using advanced sonar and fishing tactics that leave crappie few hiding places. Amidst fears of overharvest, South Carolina followed the example of several other Southern states last summer by imposing minimum harvest sizes (and a reduced creel limit specifically for Lake Murray). Many anglers applaud the move as a step in the right direction and would like to see more conservation efforts on the state's other crappie venues. A survey of state fisheries biologists and local anglers revealed some surprising and some not so surprising comments about the current and future status of crappie fishing in South Carolina. Here's what the experts had to say: REGION 1Covering the Savannah chain of lakes as well as lakes Keowee and Greenwood, regional biologist Dan Rankin has some of the best crappie waters in the state under his jurisdiction.In Lake Keowee, just north of Seneca, the number of crappie in the lake have steadily declined over the years because of the unauthorized introduction of spotted bass in the deep, clear reservoir. "Keowee has never been considered much of a crappie lake," said Rankin. "It doesn't have a lot of nutrients coming into the lake, and the fertility has declined since it was impounded. The crappie that are there are more abundant in the upper tributaries like Cane Creek, Stamp Creek, Little River and Crowe Creek. The good news is that what crappie are there are typically bigger fish that exceed 10 inches.""Most people don't think of Keowee as a crappie lake," said Alex Orr, a state park ranger at Oconee State Park and avid crappie angler, "but there's some really good crappie in Keowee if you know where to find them and how to catch them."During the summer of 2009, South Carolina emerged from a three-year drought that severely affected upstate lakes on the Savannah chain. Fortunately, the lake levels on Russell were kept relatively constant because of the height of the water intake at the Russell dam. "We would expect a little better spawning success on Russell because the water levels didn't go as low as they did on Hartwell or Thurmond," said Rankin. "In fact, water levels were coming up during the spring on all those lakes, which is much better for them than a declining level. Hopefully, the levels will remain high for 2010, and I would expect that spawning success would be really good given the grasses and shrubs that grew up in the shallows while the lakes were down."Always a solid crappie fishery, Lake Greenwood was last sampled during 2009 and biologists are still digesting that data. According to Rankin, there is much angler concern about overharvest given the popularity of Greenwood."Greenwood definitely gets more crappie angling pressure in angler hours per acre than any lake in the state," said Rankin. "This is one lake where angler harvest exceeds natural mortality, and ideally we'd like to see some adjustments in regulations to reduce the creel limit and have a minimum harvest size.""This past year was the best crappie fishing I've ever seen at Lake Greenwood," said local angler and Fish Stalker Lures owner Tom Mundy. "I look for it to be that much better this year in both size and numbers of crappie, but I'm afraid that drop in the creel limit at Murray is going to bring a lot of guys up here that want those 10 more fish. I wish the DNR would put the same limits on Greenwood and all these other lakes that get fished so hard as they have on Murray." According to the last data collected by the DNR, numbers and size of crappie are up on Clarks Hill/Thurmond. The angling pressure there is not as great as on Greenwood, and the lake's size is much larger, which helps crappie survive. "We've found the tributary arms are more productive, and there are a number of those on both sides of the lake," said Rankin. "It's not located very close to a major residential area, so Thurmond doesn't see the pressure that Greenwood does, and that fact shows up in our surveys. That allows these fish the time and space to grow.""My average size on Clarks Hill is probably a pound or better with a lot of those fish going a pound and a half," said Dereck Fulton, a Clarks Hill crappie guide and B'n'M Poles pro staff member. "But there are bigger fish in there. Two and a half pounds is a good fish and are pretty common, although I catch more of those sized fish in the late winter to early spring. That's when I expect to catch a 2 1/2 pound fish, but you never know about this lake, it can be good year 'round."One Piedmont lake that gets little press is Lake Secession, located between Abbeville and Anderson counties. This 1,450-acre lake is heavily fished for its size but still produces decent crappie. "I would put it up toward the top, it's definitely one of the better lakes in the Piedmont," said Rankin, "although recreational boat traffic in the spring and summer are very high. Despite a rupture in the dam at Broadway Lake upstream last year, there was never any danger to Secession." For Greenville and Spartanburg anglers looking to find good numbers of crappie close to home, there are six water district lakes spread out across the Upstate from Greer to Chesnee. From east to west, they are Robinson, Cunningham, Lyman, Cooley, Bowen and Blalock and range in size from a little over 300 acres to 1,600 acres. Most of the lakes have boat and motor size restrictions and all require the purchase of special use permits."We last surveyed these lakes in 2000," said Rankin. "They were very high in angler usage, but all have better than average crappie populations and good catch rates. Our findings were that the crappie in these essentially clear reservoirs were slow growing, which results in big numbers of small fish. The weights per crappie averaged 1/3 to 1/2 pound which puts them in the 8- to 9-inch range."REGION 2Including territory from Lake Wylie down to the Coastal Plain near Myrtle Beach, Florence-based Region 2 fisheries biologist Liz Osier also covers the Catawba chain of lakes, which include such crappie factories as Wateree, Fishing Creek and Stumpy Pond. "We sampled Lake Wylie during the winters of 2005, 2006 and 2007 and found that we were not getting the young-of-the-year crappie that they would like to see from our trap net surveys. It's unclear why this might occur, but we've also gotten reports of reduced catch rates from local anglers."Those sentiments are reflected by Will Hinson, a frequent tournament angler from Kershaw County who bears the title of "first man" of crappie fishing, courtesy of his wife Melissa, who is the president of the Southern Crappie Tournament Trail."There's still plenty of crappie in Wylie," he said, "but I have seen a downturn from what we used to catch. Now you don't get the numbers that you used to, but the size is better -- fish average from 1 1/4 pounds up to 2 pounds." According to Osier, the DNR has not sampled Lake Wateree, which lies some 15 miles northeast of Camden, in over five years, but they receive a lot of reports from anglers and understand that the fishing pressure has increased tremendously on this highly popular Catawba River impoundment. "Last year was poor by normal tournament standards," said Will Hinson. "We had less fish weighed in, and the weights were down. I've fished Wateree for the last 25 years and you used to get a limit of fish in two to three hours. Now it takes a full day of hard fishing to get 30 keepers. I like what they've done at Murray with the new regulations and they need to do that here. You can go to any boat ramp on Wateree just about any day of the year and see 10 to 15 crappie rigs in the lot. There are a lot of good fishermen who catch a lot of fish, and if we don't change our laws like they've done up in North Carolina, we're going to see a lot more lakes in decline."Osier said her department manages several state lakes in Region 2 and suggests that several of these may have some untapped crappie fishing. She did point out however, that crappie don't grow very large in small ponds, where their numbers tend to overpopulate quickly and a lot of crappie have their growth stunted because of food availability. "There's Dargan's Pond in Darlington County, which is open from March to the end of September. We've heard that lake's crappie fishery was on an upswing this past year. Lake Wallace down near Bennettsville has had some good angler reports as well this past season. Our biggest challenge with these lakes is the proliferation of undesirable species like golden shiners and pumpkinseed bream that consume a lot of the food chain but do not benefit the local anglers."REGION 3As reported, the biggest news from the crappie world in South Carolina is Lake Murray. Murray is the only major reservoir in Region 3 that is overseen by biologist Hal Beard. He was hopeful for a positive impact on Murray's crappie fishery after the announcement was made that as of July 1, 2009, an 8-inch minimum size limit and 20 fish per day creel limit went into effect."Currently, this is the only site-specific size and limit regulation for crappie in the state," said Beard. "We've had complaints about overharvest, plus you have to factor in that Murray is losing fishery habitat due to development along much of its shoreline and that can have a negative impact on crappie species."Beard was also quick to point out that they had seen a strong year-class in 2007, and those fish should be a good size for the current year. He reported that the upper third of Lake Murray was most conducive to supporting crappie species, 99 percent of which are black crappie. "We do maintain 24 fish-attractor sites on Lake Murray in an attempt to help replenish the loss of habitat and also concentrate crappie for the anglers," he said.REGION 4Working the coast for Region 4 is biologist Scott Lamprecht. He presides over the Santee Cooper lakes as well as most of the Coastal Plain. He admits the last 10 years have been hard on the once immensely popular world-class crappie fishing in the two Santee Cooper lakes."Our crappie populations are just not in good shape," said Lamprecht, reporting from his office in Bonneau. "The last 10 years have been tough due to low water and low water inflows into our lakes. A lot of anglers want to blame the catfish, but there are fewer catfish mouths to feed than there have been in several years. Combine that with the fact that our predominant catfish species are blue catfish, which just aren't equipped to tackle healthy live fish. In truth, our lakes are extremely fertile, and we have some of the fastest growth rates in the country. We also have some of the highest natural mortality." Lamprecht said his department was at a loss to explain the high natural mortality at Santee-Cooper, but explained that a minimal water level drop in the two lakes meant acres of lost spawning habitat in the relatively shallow lakes, especially in their upper reaches. Combine the loss of recruitment with the decrease in natural aquatic vegetation lost in the fight against hydrilla, and some of the pieces begin to form an explanation."We lost more than 50 percent of Lake Marion's surface area above I-95 during the last drought," he said. "The good news, since the water is back up and the hydrilla is gone in the lower lake, is that native aquatic plants such as eel grass and water willow are making a strong comeback and providing more shelter and spawning cover. I'm optimistic that with our tremendous growth rates and our long growing season and plenty of forage to eat, our crappie stocks will make a comeback.""I tell people to go someplace else," said pro crappie angler Whitey Outlaw from St. Matthews. "Between the catfish and the cormorants and losing all the vegetation and no water, this place has been sorry. But I think things will start to turn around if we can get some fish to grow at Santee. What we need to do is to put a 12-inch size limit on here and cut the creel limit in half."The biologists have some suggestions for crappie anglers looking for alternative crappie holes in the Lowcountry. The first of which was the Bushy Park area off the Cooper River. Bushy Park is a potential freshwater source for the Charleston area and encompasses a backwater area of the Cooper River, which is connected by Durham Creek."There's a fresh and a saltwater side to Bushy Park," said Lamprecht. "The landscape is pretty wild -- old plantations and marsh lands. During the early spring and late winter, there is a mixture of tannic and freshwater that infiltrates from the Cooper. Crappie can grow to good sizes there with the fertile waters and long growing season."Goose Creek Reservoir, located between Goose Creek and Hanahan, is another water source lake with decent crappie populations. Despite an ongoing weed problem and the typical high fishing pressure associated with proximity to a major metropolitan area, local anglers report good crappie success rates from the phosphate-rich, highly fertile waters.Lamprecht suggests not overlooking the multitude of Coastal Plain ponds that are widespread across his region. Many of these ponds are borrow pits where backfill was needed to create road embankments. Still others may be old oxbows from major rivers like the Savannah, Edisto, Santee, Black or Pee Dee. These waters are characterized as shallow, fertile, and with a few exceptions, mostly black water. Many hold untouched populations of black crappie, which often thrive in these environments. One such public waterway is at Wee Tee State Forest in Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. Two public lakes, Wee Tee and Ferry Lake, are open for public fishing on Wednesdays and Saturdays and offer excellent fish habitat. These areas have a public launch facility and are restricted to electric motors only. The area was acquired in 2004 from a private hunt club and is locally known for its good crappie fishing. From the mountains to the sea, South Carolina has a multitude of crappie fishing venues to choose from. Whether you're wetting a line in a clear mountain lake, an expansive Piedmont reservoir or a black water oxbow, crappie are a renewable resource but not an unlimited resource. How we as anglers choose to steward over this resource will affect whether or not future generations, our children and our grandchildren, get to enjoy it the same way we have in the past and hope to do in the future. Get Your Fish On. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here. GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing. Sign Me Up


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|Greenhouse cultivation
The system is priced at 2,000 million yen for a 50,000-square-meter greenhouse. For farmers without a plant, the company will market a model complete with a gas engine with an output of 1,000 kW for the purpose of utilizing power and heat created by the gas engine. The gas engine emits 0.5 ton of carbon dioxide per hour. However, in the case of a 50,000-square-meter greenhouse, vegetables being grown absorb all carbon dioxide emitted from the gas engine. Production cost of vegetables can be reduced by 30% because of increased shipments and decreased labor cost. The initial investment can be recouped in seven to eight years. The company is also working on a regional model that recovers carbon dioxide from an industrial park and sends it to farmlands in a region using pipes.
The image of a new system
developed by JFE Engineering


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Welcome to Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge #12! We hope you will join us for a fun sketch challenge this week (sketch designed by Mary Giles). We're also still sponsoring 365 Cards this week, so their challenge today is Girl, Green, and Glitter.
In Mary's honor, the team is doing a special farewell blog hop as this is Mary's final month as a SCRS design team member. Mary, we are sorry to see you go and will miss your wonderful creations.. I hope that our paths will cross again in our papercrafting journeys! This is also Risa West's last day with us. Thank you, Risa, for being our fabulous September Guest Designer!
Paper: Basic Grey Kioshi
Stamps: Sparkle Creations, sentiment is Amuse
Nestabilities, Copics, Prima Flowers, PTI Buttons, and Rhinestones
I've had the privilege to work with Mary for the past couple of years between The Greeting Farm and here with my team. I will greatly miss having her on the team, but I'm so happy to have met and made yet another wonderful cyber friend! I really do wish Mary the best!
Paper: Basic Grey Olivia
Stamps: Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps, sentiment is PTI
Prima Flowers, PTI Buttons, Twine, Crystal Stickles, Copics, and EK Success Border Punch
In other Sparkle Creations news, Kim Yu will be joining our Design Team! We will begin peeks for our October release on 10/4 and Piali Biswas will be our Guest Designer! Welcome, ladies!
Please visit all of the designers and leave some cyber hugs for Mary as she rounds out our hop!
Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps blog
Sparkle - You are here


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Sheppard/Dex thematic fic index >> Angst
A Long and winding Road by
John is Ronon and Teyla's slave. He's taking it better than they do.
A Way Of Holding On by
John and Ronon give Rodney one last time with them before he fades away completely.
Again by
When John was little, he dreamed of having wings and flying. He never realized that having one would mean losing the other.
All Good by
Sheppard has a Swiss cheese memory. Ronon wonders
why he's been forgotten.
Ask Me No Questions, I'll Tell You No Lies by
DADT is an issue John doesn't want to talk about, but the IOA seems to have other ideas.
Being a Girl by
Ancient tech turns Ronon into a woman.
Bittersweet by
Ronon remembers.
Blood In the Water by
Snippet adjunct to the Alpha Centauri series.
Comment fic - what happened after John talked to his brother at their father's funeral? by
Sequel to this comment fic. WARNING: Incest
Damaged Goods by
Ronon's immune to the wraith. Detective John Sheppard doesn't die in the Las Vegas desert. It would probably be easier if the opposites of both were true.
Forgiven by
Part 3 of the Flight Cycle verse (Part 1, Part 2).
Gift of the Ancestors by
This isn't wise, but it's necessary.
Hello. Don't Go. by
John returns. Ronon still has doubts.
I Am The Weapon by
Short John/Ronon centric episode tags for all SGA episodes starting with "Runner".
Influences by
Ronon has to learn that being still doesn't always bring death, doesn't always mean he's given up, that and he has a hallucination or a ghost, he's not quite sure.
Last Kiss by
John and Ronon's last kiss.
Lover, Lay Down by
John's had a rough day. Ronon tries to make it better.
Maya by
John listens to Ronon talk about his past.
Medicate by
Sequel to Being A Girl. Just because Ronon's been turned back into a man doesn't mean that his problems are over.
Never Let Me Down Again by
The fallout from "Reunion".
Not Alone by
On missions when they had to stay a night off-world, Sheppard positioned himself like he was desperately trying to protect everyone, even in sleep.
Primal by WIP
Chapter two (not linked within story). Unfinished WiP.
Push Until It Holds by
Ronon has known all his life that the three pillars of victory are honor, loyalty, and unity. He's been a member of Sheppard's team for two years when the team to which he owes his first loyalty finds him again, during a time when Ronon must question whether his loyalty to Atlantis is returned. Torn, he chooses the team he believes needs him the most, but the price is more than just the home he's come to love, and the reward may be betrayal and death, or worse.
Small Comfort by
John, with Ronon in tow, meets up with an old friend with connections he couldn't imagine.
Some After Effects Are Normal by
Remix of Side Effects May Vary.
Staring at the Sun by
A look at the darwinian adaptations of sex pollen.
Strangers When We Meet by
One day, a group of explorers from the city of the Ancestors arrive at Sateda. As military commander, it's Ronon Dex's job to deal with them.
Surrender By Conquest by WIP
Links to all chapters: HERE (not linked within story).
The Fallen by
John and Ronon have a talk in the aftermath of 'Broken Ties'.
There Is A Crack In Everything by
John and Ronon have their own way of working things out.
This Time by
John and Ronon take comfort in each other.
Together, Alone by
After Carson's funeral, Lorne finds comfort in an unexpected place (Dex/Lorne/Sheppard, Dex/Sheppard est. relationship).
Weighty Ghost by
Written for hc_bingo prompt "Sensory Deprivation."
What It's Made by
Ronon has been on tour with the Satedan acting troupe for months. His friends celebrate his return with a party.
When God Left the Ground by
Ronon thought his world had ended in the outbreaks, but then he was sent to Atlantis Academy.
You Know You're No Better by
John Sheppard is a Sentinel, Evan is his Guide, and Ronon is his Lover.
comment fic by


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Join us for events we are hosting and monthly for our PVP event live during the last 30 minutes of our show on the first Thursday of the month. Prizes awarded each month for players that come to the city of Kahli and kill us.
We love our listeners, so feel free to visit during live broadcasts. We will be out and about in the world of Shroud of the Avatar.
Live show broadcast Thursdays 1am to 3am NBT/CST


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Monday, October 13, 2008
Resources - Groups that can help cancer survivor Part 2
Patient Advocate Foundation
Toll free: 1.800.532.5274
Patient Advocate Foundation can work with you to settle insurance, employment and debt matters resulting from your diagnosis. A case manager will work together with you, your doctor and/or your employer to help with these issues.
Sister Network, Inc.
Toll free: 1.866.781.1808
Sister Network provides individual and group support, education, advocacy and research for the African-American woman's fight against breast cancer.
Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network
Toll free: 1.800.808.7866
Us TOO International provides men and their families with fellowship, peer counseling and timely, personalized, unbiased and reliable information about prostate cancer. They also offer community awareness volunteer training for minority and undeserved populations.
Monday, September 29, 2008
MY CANCER – MY BLESSING by Marissa Nerida
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Resources - Groups that can help cancer survivor
American Pain Foundation
Toll free: 1.888.615.7246
The American Pain Foundation (AFP) provides information and education about pain and pain management through free publications, a website an online pain community, emails and toll free calls. AFP supports research and advocacy, bringing the voices of people with pain to healthcare providers and government agencies.
LiveStrong Survivor Care
Toll free: 1.888.235.7205
LiveStrong Survivor Care will provide you with information, education, counselling services and referrals to other resources. You can also speak with a professional oncology social worker.
National Cancer Institute - Cancer Information Service
Toll free: 1.800.4.CANCER (1.800.422.6237)
You can speak with caring staff who can explain medical information in easy to understand terms. They answer calls in English and Spanish
More groups on my next postings...
Monday, September 15, 2008
A New Life... After Cancer Treatment
Panibagong buhay.. na naman!By Rolyn G. Sarmiento
Have I been too preoccupied with the things in this world that I became so complacent with almost everything? Did I completely forget the blessings that led me to where I am now? Not long ago, I begged the Lord for mercy, to spare my life and restore my health. When He gave that all to me, it made me think that I was somewhat invincible. But then the Lord had to tell me that I was wrong. That He was God, and He made me realize that I was nothing without Him. . When you are stricken with cancer, you are reminded of your mortality. You grieve, you bargain, you do all the possible things in your power to reverse your condition. I was scared to death when I was first diagnosed at age 18.. It was even frightening when the scans, the blood works and the palpable signs indicate the recurrence at 37…
I prayed fervently. Once again I begged the Lord for mercy… He did not disappoint me. I was referred by my internist to a Radiation Oncologist last April 2008. Surgery was also an option but I chose radiation. Immediately, CT planning was done. I had 33 radiation sessions. Two weeks after, there was a residual on the right side of my neck. So I had three more radiation treatments. During the entire session, my throat hurts…It was very difficult to swallow. I developed ulcers in my mouth and throat because it was near the target areas of radiation. I can't eat anything. It was so painful that even liquids, I can't tolerate…Di nyo alam kung gaano ako kasabik sa pagkain! I was so tired and depressed. I almost gave up… my husband Nilo was always there for me. My parents and my children were my sources of strength. My sister, Kitte comforted me even if we were miles away from each other. My friends and relatives stormed the heavens with prayers. Ang bait ng Diyos! Online, I received words of support and encouragement. The Lord gave all that I needed… and more. I received the last dose of radiation June 4, 2008. A month after the treatment, the cancer marker in my blood dropped….. I know in my heart that the Lord was healing me slowly, but surely …I was giddy with the surge of blessings. All the tests and treatments done to me yielded favorable results. I was back!
I know that having Cancer does not put anyone near the grave. I could have died just being hit by a car or even in my sleep. I know, the Lord has bigger plans for me. I'll never get tired of sharing this miracle. The Lord is always faithful to His promises… I plan to stay a little longer, In Jesus name!
..sa lahat ng nagdasal at patuloy na nagdarasal para sa akin, maraming salamat… alam kong higit pa ang pagdurusa at paghihirap ng iba …


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The Palestinian cartoonist Mohammad Saba'aneh kicked off his book tour in New York last night in an appearance at which he said he had no choice but to become a political artist.
Below is video of his appearance, titled "Life & Prison in Palestine: A Cartoonist's Eye." It begins with an excellent speech by Seth Tobocman (introduced by Ben Katchor).
Saba'aneh says that Palestinian speakers usually begin in the Muslim tradition by praising Allah. But:
I should start in the name of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, they are on hunger strike in Israeli prisons… Karim Younis is the oldest Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jail, and Shadi Farah, the youngest prisoner…. His age is 13 years old now.. And that's why I should start with them.
Saba'aneh told his story last night. As a boy in Kuwait, he drew pictures of his homeland, Palestine. He later moved to Palestine to go to school, and when Ariel Sharon visited the Haram-al-Sharif in September 2000, the school shut down and Saba'aneh saw violence for the first time.
When we arrived to the checkpoint, the Israeli bullet separated us all the students. My friend Zachariah started joking with me that I was born in Kuwait and I was not used to face Israeli soldiers and see this clashes.
His friend Zachariah was killed that day.
Saba'aneh began a daily cartoon as a form of resistance. He would draw portraits of Palestinian martyrs to be held by their families at funerals. It disturbed him when a boy asked him to draw his picture and two weeks later he learned that he had been killed.
He started using his cartoons as a form of journalism, to describe what was happening in Palestine. In 2013, he was arrested by Israeli soldiers. And thus he realized that he had become the subject of his own cartoons; he was a prisoner of Israel. His five months of imprisonment included two weeks of isolation, in a dungeon-like cell. He resolved then to do cartoons about Palestinian prisoners, and made notes on a shred of paper he had managed to steal from his interrogator.
"To be an artist under occupation is not something easy," he said.
For seven years Saba'aneh worked without making money for his cartoons.
He explained the artistic conceit of drawings like the one below: When he saw pictures of people in Gaza, frightened by attacks, he could see the effects of oppression on their faces; to capture that, he drew them "without eyes without mouths, maybe with ugly faces because of the effects of the oppressor on them."
He began to travel internationally, and he caught the attention of KAL of the Economist and Abdeen Jabara, who encouraged him to do a book.
When Saba'aneh came back from Jordan two months ago, Israeli soldiers searched all his suitcases and found his sketchbook and saw a drawing of an Israeli soldier.
They asked me, Why are you drawing Israeli soldiers?
I told him, What do you see around? What are around me is Israeli soldiers.
Here's Saba'aneh's book, White and Black, just published by Just World Books (yes, a Mondo advertiser).
Here is the schedule of Saba'aneh's book tour in the U.S.: You can catch him Friday night in Brooklyn, Saturday night in Clifton, New Jersey, and Monday in Long Island.
And next week, on May 3, Saba'aneh will be speaking at PEN America's World Voices Festival. Notice that this year the Israeli government will not be among the sponsors of the PEN World Voices Festival. This is surely due to the pressure by Adalah-NY– which in correspondence with PEN president Suzanne Nossel stressed Israel's "documented records of repressing freedom of expression and violating human rights."
At 43:00 in the video above, Saba'aneh explains his boycott of Israeli artists. He will meet with them here but not over there:
"I have no connection with Israeli. For me it's part of my boycott of Israel. I can't make connection with Israeli cartoonists while he is in Israel…. I tried to translate all their cartoons; there is no one criticized his government because his government killed Palestinians. Why I should make a connection to him?"
Thanks to Annie Robbins.


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The KRMC is bouncing back!!!
It has been a few years since we had any updates, and most of the Chapters seem to have wandered off. Well, I am back on a bike and spinning things up again. This site is no longer the Chapter 1 site, but the Club Gateway site. To see the Chapter 1 Site, follow the links below or go to http://www.aloofhosting.com/krmc/
If you wish to get your chapter going again, or add a new chapter, send e-mail to David Eaton. I will be putting up a page on requesting a chapter eventually, so for now just send me e-mail to get things started at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Quick Chapter Links


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Teapot part 2
Part 1
I was silent for a while before she asked me, out of the blue, if I was going to participate in some company games. I said no, curious about why she asked me that. A few weeks later, I had some reason to ask her for stuff. Later on, on a whim, I just asked her out. We met, and then had a steamboat dinner. We were originally going to catch a movie after that, but since that movie was "500 Days of Summer", where the guy gets dumped in the end, I was happy not to watch it. We had our first good talk. But she did ask me a few uncomfortable questions which seemed to hint to me that I might not be what she's looking for. But it went well, and she even talked about me giving her piano lessons.
We thought about going to the cinema afterwards, but in the end, we just said goodbye. I walked her home. She was in a good mood that night, and was humming to herself on the way home. Because of that I was in a good mood too. However it was a Wednesday, and I had foregone doing something that I normally do on Wednesdays, in order to make it on time for a date with her. I went right back to office to get it done.
After that, I thought about how our lives were drastically different. She was somebody who moved around people the way a fish moves around water. Her life was centred around people, and she just hung around as many people as she possibly could. I, on the other hand, had a few pet projects to do, and I'll do my life's work (or at least I'll try to do it) during my own time. I appreciate the people who pass through my life, but that's not the main thing. We have very different priorities.
Funny thing was that the piano she had in mind was in her office building, even though it was a secluded part of the office building. I thought it was weird. But it was weird that we had to date, possibly in view of the other people in her office watching. Then again, it must have seemed even more weird to her that 2 people in the same company were going out, and we had to be secretive about it.
I can't remember much of the exchanges that took place around that time. Later on, we went on another date. This time, we talked about going for a simple movie. It was "Astro Boy", and I agreed to go, even though I didn't like the movie. Unfortunately, the day before the date, I stayed up late. First, there was tennis at night, and after that, I was messing around with the main computer that my household shared. To my consternation, it crashed. I stayed up, trying to make it work again, I succeeded, but not before sleeping at 2. The next day, I was yawning throughout the movie, must have seemed really obnoxious to her, especially if it was clear that I didn't enjoy it. I could tell that things weren't going well that night.
Of course, the thinking about what to say to her took mental effort, even though I should have been wary: I'm not cloistered around a small area. I live in a relatively large world. I read many books, I've seen quite a few things. And same goes for her. And if 2 people who live in such large worlds don't have anything to say to each other, then what hope is there? That's the problem with our world today. It's become so large, that people can just live in their niches and pass through each other like ships in then night. It's not like the old days where people all had to have common lives, common interests that they may not completely like, even though it gives them something to talk about to each other.
You had to think of her life, and what she valued. She valued her friendships, her relations with her department. I hardly knew them. It was going to be awkward in any case. Ultimately the odds were stacked too heavily against me.
There were a few conversations that stood out. Like how she said that she was always busy. I said, well, OK. Good people are busy. Then she asked me if I thought that I wasn't a good person. Why the hell would I not be a good person? Was she fobbing me off now? I bored her. That was when I suspected that it was not going to work out.
Impulsively, I told her that I liked her a lot. That was very cold of me. It's like saying, "you either continue going out with me, or we can end this friendship right now." It's my way of slamming the door on her. But in the end my motives were suspect. Why did I go after her when I wasn't sure I wanted her as a friend? When a girl wants you as a friend, it is a way of allowing herself to not feel so bad about rejecting you. But I didn't want that. We should just go back to being strangers.
I felt upset for 2 weeks after that but I got over it quickly, as far as I can tell. It's easy to say that you're OK, and easy to say that you've forgotten her, but these things leave their traces behind, in the form of the attitudes that you take in the future. Maybe you're not going to be as enthusiastic the next time around. Maybe when you meet the next one you will just want her to suffer a little bit more. Anyway the sting was nowhere as long and as deep as it had been on a certain previous occasion.
As I mentioned earlier, I'm still not sure who I should be going after. Maybe in a way I've never been in love, or never got past that drug hit of being in love for the first time, to the more solid footing of a steady relationship. The way I put it to myself after leaving codfish was "it's just like being a drug addict isn't it? It's just needing her all the time, the way you need drugs all the time." It was just something shameful and degrading.
OK, I called her "teapot" because she was short and stout. But also because she's hot. I suppose it was somewhat superficial why I went after her. I wasn't really thinking of her as a girlfriend. But she was approachable, which was probably the main reason why I made an attempt. I didn't think we were especially compatible. What was attractive was that she seemed so normal, seemed to have a social life. She was possibly the sanest person that I was attracted to (although she's a little too emotionally involved to be working for my company). There are some ladies who would remark that I'm too nerdy. True enough, but a lot of the times the girls would be not nerdy enough. Where's the geek talk about philosophy, movies, politics? Geeks have standards too.
I don't see her much after that. But at least I found out if things were going to work out. (They weren't.)
Labels: episodes


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Contact Eric on Twitter for the fastest response!
Co-host of Double Feature. Exec Producer of Rob Zombie's film '31' & the Adam Rifkin / Penn Jillette film 'Director's Cut.'
Joined October 2008
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- Insurance
- About Coverfox
- Claims
The Aviator was Honda's third product in its Indian scooter lineup, after the Activa and the Dio. Produced and marketed squarely for the male riders, owing to its tallish looks and the 'Live your Style' tagline.
This bike represented the third foray in the scooter segment in the market.
Recently refreshed in 2015, the Aviator is offered in two variants – standard (STD) and deluxe (DLX). The only difference between these two variants is the presence of front disc brakes on the DLX, while the STD comes with basic drum brakes, both on the front and rear.
|109 cc
|8 bhp
|9 Nm
|Automatic Chain Drive
|11 seconds
|Fuel Economy (kmpl)
|50 kmpl
This series of motorcycle has three models with each having their versions.
This series of scooters has 4 models with each having Standard and/or Deluxe version.
This series of motorcycle has 6 models with each having their own versions with different engine type, manual transmission and offered at different ex-showroom price.
This scooter has Standard version with 109 cc engine.
This series of motorcycle has Disc Self version with 125 cc engine and manual transmission.
This series has 3 models with each having different version.
This series has one Standard version with 1312 cc engine and manual transmission.
This series has DCT version with 1237 cc engine and manual transmission.
This series has two versions Standard and Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) ex-showroom price.
Coverage for any damages/losses caused to a third party.
Comprehensive coverage for your own two-wheeler.
Coverage upto the insured declared value in case of theft or
Benefits of cashless transactions through network garages.
My Honda bike insurance has already expired. Is vehicle inspection mandatory?
Yes it is mandatory- Fix up an appointment for the inspection of your Honda bike. Do note; this can invite a nominal fee. If the insurance company chooses to offer you the coverage, you can make the payment and get the policy in hand. However, if you are lucky enough, inspection may not be mandatory.
How does NCB work in case I buy a second-hand bike? Will I get No-Claim Bonus?
As a new owner it's your obligation to get the existing two-wheeler insurance transferred in your name within the specified period from the date of transfer of RC. If you fail to do so and if you require raising a claim, the same will not be honored. For a favorable claim, the title on the RC of the two-wheeler and the insurance documents has to match. Also, please understand that the current owner can carry forward his existing No Claim Bonus (NCB) with him. He can use it to seek the premium discount if he purchases a new bike in future. Likewise, as a new owner, you will have to earn this bonus with each claim-free year. You can win a maximum of 50% discount on your own-damage premium with NCB.
Is an online policy valid?
Yes-an online policy is very much valid. You can also renew your Honda bike insurance policy with a debit/credit biked or even through net banking. Although, for expired policies you will have to contact us for an offline renewal process.
Should I opt for a single year insurance plan or a long-term insurance plan?
Will I get reminder for policy renewals if I buy from Coverfox.com?
Yes, you will receive reminders via SMS and email on renewals if you have bought the policy from Coverfox.com.
How is third-party insurance different from comprehensive two-wheeler insurance?
The third party bike insurance only covers your legal liability for any loss and damages to third party because of your bike. It will not cover you or your bike for any damages suffered. Whereas, a comprehensive bike insurance will cover your bike from instances of theft, fire and vandalism. It also protects from natural disasters such as cyclone, floods, earthquakes, or from civil disturbances such as riots, which damages your bike. A list of what perils are covered will be provided in the policy document. Make sure you go through the list to understand the protection being offered. Along with this, it also covers any legal liability arising due to the damages caused to any third party triggered by your bike.


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This morning the Lord has really been showing me His love and how much I truly need and want Him to lead my life. The morning started out rough because I have been under an attack spiritually. My emotions were running rampant and I could fuss, cry or anything else at the drop of a hat. I was reminded of last nights' awesome church service, which was full of peace. I realized that I needed a good ole filling from the God's precious Word. I opened up my Bible and I said "Father you know what I need," He let me open to Psalm 118 but first the bookmark that was there caught my attention. It said "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plan to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Both scriptures were much needed for me this morning because I know God is good, He loves me, His mercy and loving-kindness endures forever and He has plans to prosper me and give me hope and a future. I am believing for big things that will only come to pass by Him and through Him. I was also impressed to come back to my blog and share more of what I am thankful for. I hope that this blog blesses and encourages you, remember "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!" Psalm 118:1
51) The Word, that is alive and changing my life
52) Having heat, this morning it is cold outside.
53) Revelation Journey at church, lives were changed 🙂
54) Our Hallelujah Festival, we had over 130 people there!
55) Another year with my Daddy, today is his birthday.
56) That my older sister will be home soon
57) That Dustin got finished with his book report
58) That we know the enemy has nothing good for us (John 10:10)
59) Phone calls from Joe when he's at break and lunch
60) That God always meets every need we have
61) For our Grandparents
62) Family time
63) Our recent trip to the pumpkin patch, it was free and the kids had fun!
64) Pierce loving books
65) Amelia's artistic side
66) Dustin's 11th birthday that's coming up
67) The Book, "One Month to Live," Thirty days to a no-regrets life.
68) Sunday school
68) Bible Quest, I am learning so much from these expeditions
69) For my husband sense of humor
70) That God lets me be Joe's wife and that he loves me
71) For the flowers that he brought me home
72) For him remembering that Amelia likes flowers too and bringing her home some.
73) For knowing that this too shall pass, when a problem comes our way
74) For family and friends to share this journey of life with
75) For children that need and want their Mommy/Mama.
76) Our warm bed
77) The full bed, full of all 3 kids plus us 🙂
78) Family traditions
79) Big families
80) That God hasn't given up on me!
81) That Pierce is talking more and more
82) cookies/brownies with milk
83) Peace that passes all understanding
84) Making the bus on mornings when we are running a little behind
85)For our health
86) friends that you can count on when needed
87) For being able to share my blessings with others
88) The people that shared Jesus with me
89) for Flylady (not that I have it all figured out)
90) The privilege to pray for others
91) Dustin is doing better in school
92) facebook
93) Kids that are playing peacefully together
94) School breaks
95) Knowing that it all goes back to God, without Him my life would be pointless
96) for restoration
97) for the testimony I heard from Geronimo Aguilar on Focus on the Family
98) That God calls me His daughter, I truly am a princess to Him
99) That I'm learning and growing
100) For the Ladies ministry at church


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I pulled this one out whilst looking through my 10" singles and realized that it was now 10 years old. It's hardly a lost classic though, but it is notable for the fact that one of the tracks – I Need a Gun, became the Gorillaz song Dirty Harry. Democrazy is a bunch of demos recorded by Albarn on the Blur tour of the U.S. after the release of the awesome Think Tank (2003) album. Released on Albarn's own Honest Jons (sic) label, it's a bit of a vanity project but in hindsight it can be seen as a record store day release years before the concept was born. Only 5000 copies were made of this double 10" coloured vinyl record – total RSD fodder.
All the tracks are totally low-fi and sound like they were recorded late at night in hotel rooms after Albarn retired from the bar. I Need a Gun is Gorillaz style Casio funk – you can hear why it developed into Dirty Harry. Reedz is an atmospheric keyboard instrumental. Half a Song is one of the most fully formed tracks, with plaintive double tracked vocals over acoustic guitar. Five Star Life is a meditation on the pressures of modern pop life complete with a doorbell rhythm and funky bass line.
The rest of the album follows the same path – short woozy demos using minimal instrumentation. Albarn gets his harmonium out for Sub Species, in which he sings "Drunken in the evening, running during the day." It sounds like it! The last track – End of Democrazy, has saucepan like percussion sounds as he laments "I stay up every night singing when I should be sleeping." There are a few of these lyrical insights into Albarn's on tour state of mind. No doubt he was still sad about the departure of Graham Coxon, making Democrazy a kind of sketchy and frazzled tour diary. If you think of it like that then it makes more sense, otherwise the album comes across as a little self – indulgent.
I don't believe that Albarn had meant to make some great artistic statement with Democrazy. It comes across as a deliberately made collectable curio that gives some insight into the creative process and Blur/Albarn fans something to lust after. The packaging is really something, with a cutout cover that folds around from the back. The artwork looks like it's by Albarn's own hand. Inside he references the great Fela Kuti – "Democrazy is a Fela Kuti concept," which makes me think that the album title is a play on the word democracy. Housed inside are the two 10" records, one white vinyl and the other a picture-disc featuring a peace dinosaur. Makes sense to me. If you want one of these then you can still buy it on Amazon for about 45 pounds. I'm sure there's some on E-bay, but I can't look – I've banned myself due to the risk of spending too much money!
You can listen to the entire album here.