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|Song title
|Artist name
|The Gumby Show
|Howdy Doody
|Huckleberry Hound
|Kukla, Fran, and Ollie
|Lassie (The Secret of the Silent Hills)
|Mighty Mouse
|Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
|Quick Draw McGraw
|Ruff and Reddy
|The Alvin Show
|The Archies
|The Archies (Sugar, Sugar)
|Astro Boy
|The Atom Ant Show
|The Banana Splits Adventure Hour
|Beany and Cecil
|The Big World of Little Adam
|This Is It (Bugs Bunny, Overture)
|Cool McCool
|Dastardly & Mutley in Their Flying Machine
|Fireball XL-5
|The Flintstones
|Open Up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In
|George of the Jungle
|Go Go Gophers
|Hong Kong Phooey
|H.R. Pufnstuff
|The Jetsons
|Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah
|King Leonardo & His Short Subjects
|Magilla Gorilla
|The Mighty Hercules
|Road Runner
|Roger Ramjet
|Scooby Doo, Where Are You?
|Secret Squirrel
|Sesame Street
|Speed Racer
|Super Chicken
|Tennessee Tuxedo
|Tom Slick
|Top Cat
|Wally Gator
|Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
|The World of Commander McBragg
|Yogi Bear
|The Bugaloos
|The Electric Company
|Fat Albert
|Groovy Ghoulies
|Josie and the Pussycats
|Land of the Lost
|The Muppet Show
|Pebbles and Bamm Bamm Show
|Sigmund and the Seamonsters
|Friends (Sigmund and the Seamonsters
|Chip & Dales Rescue Rangers
|Duck Tales
|Disney Afternoon Theme
|Fraggle Rock
|Gummi Bears
|Muppet Babies
|Pee Wee's Playhouse
|Small Wonder
|Barney (Opening)
|Barney (Closing)
|Bananas in Pyjamas
|Darkwing Duck
|Earthworm Jim
|Muppets Tonight
|Pinky and the Brain
|Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain
|Power Rangers
|Road Rovers
|Tale Spin
|Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?


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Dear all,
I want to setup either Zimbra, qmail or sendmail. i have no idea of these three Mail Server(i am new to these mail servers AND trying to learn)but give me the suggestion and compare that which one is better in case of security, fast routing the messages, scalibility and portability and cost. Please share me your experience...
Best Regards
Zahoor Ahmad

subset: commoncrawl


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The Office of Communications facilitates all of the College's internal and external communications. This includes helping faculty and staff members and students publicize events; creating publications such as brochures, newsletters, and invitations; providing photography; and working with the news media. The communications team also produces The Grinnell Magazine quarterly and manages content on the Grinnell College website.
How "career dating" is helping Trang Nguyen '17 clear up her post-Grinnell plans.


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You've probably heard plenty about how to maximize your HVAC system by repairing air leaks. This is indeed sound advice, in terms of both reducing your carbon footprint and saving money on your utility bills. However, if you are like many homeowners these days, you have only a limited amount of time to devote to home upkeep.
Flabby arms? Say bye-bye to arm fat with these effective tricep toners.
Rosie O'Donnell has filed for divorce from wife Michelle Rounds,
Well, that was quick.After tweeting on Tuesday that she was thinking about leaving
Missouri police identified 36-year-old Joseph Jesse Aldridge as the gunman who allegedly shot and killed eight people in several residences within a 3-mile radius in rural Tyrone, Missouri, overnight before turning the gun on himself.
He said he'd be back, and now he is: Craig Ferguson has landed the lead role in ABC's new comedy...
Awkward's main on-and-off couple might be off at the moment, but will they get back together before the...
Banksy recently released a documentary about some murals he painted in the Gaza Strip. The work was political, provocative, typically Banksian: kids swinging from guard towers, veiled women crying. But in one bombed out neighborhood in Beit Hanoun,...
A look at the bookings in the Feb. 27, 2015, edition of the Siskiyou Daily News.
- Events Calendar


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Is the venture capital model broken? We've heard that question debated before, and discussed at length here on GeekWire.
And the discussion popped up again Wednesday as longtime Seattle angel and venture capitalist Bill Bryant asked a group of VCs at the TechNW conference in Seattle what's wrong with an industry where returns "rival T-bills" and an estimated 75 percent of portfolio companies fail.
Bob Abbott, a general partner at Norwest Venture Partners, a Silicon Valley firm with $3.7 billion under management, noted that it has been a "tough decade" for venture capital firms despite the fact that a number of important startups continue to thrive.
"One of the challenges that we had at the beginning of the millennia was that there is too much money in the system, and I think that's reconciling itself over time. It takes a long time … for the industry to right-size itself, and we are still going through that. When you have a lot of capital in system, it drive prices up; it funds a lot of competitors; and that hurts everybody in the end — whether it's entrepreneurs or VC's. I think we are starting to come out of that cycle, if you will. These are cycles, and they take time to get through, but I am still very optimistic that venture will be funding the next engines of growth in the economy and will continue. Yes, there are going to be failures. There are always failures, but people learn from it and they get better and so I don't think the system is broken. It is definitely tough. It's not easy. But I think that you will still see great returns, and companies being formed and created."
Compared to 10 years ago, Abbott said that it is so easy to start a new software or Internet company, requiring minimal amounts of capital. That led Bryant, who moderated the panel, to ask if venture capital is really needed in this era.
Of course, the VCs aren't going to talk themselves out of a job. Neil Sequeira, managing director at General Catalyst Partners, noted that the landscape has changed with a huge group of angel investors who are now bankrolling startups.
"We actually think that's a great thing for the market. We try to get to know them earlier. We try to get to know those angels. We try to get to know the companies that are getting funded," said Sequeira. "And it is a different dynamic where you sometimes go in super early, and spend a lot of hard work to build these companies…. I do think there's still a place for venture capital, and I think it is a great time to be an entrepreneur because you find different sources of capital, at an earlier stage."
Ray Bradford of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers added that money is increasingly becoming a commodity, noting that VCs need to put on the table additional services such as recruiting and business development.
Nonetheless, new tech accelerators such as TechStars and Y Combinator are changing the venture capital dynamic. However, the panelists agreed that they are a good thing, largely because they are helping young and smart entrepreneurs start new businesses. Same goes for Kickstarter, which the panelists agreed was doing innovative stuff in terms of helping new ventures get off the ground.
Previous coverage from TechNW: Game experts debate: Is Microsoft Kinect a passing fad or here to stay?…Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff sounds off on the JOBS Act, calls it a 'step backwards'… Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff: Startups that try to disrupt real estate commissions are doomed to fail…Live from TechNW: The future of e-commerce
GeekWire staff reporter Taylor Soper contributed to this report.


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(based on 1 review)
Celebrate special occasions and seasons while welcoming guests! Ten silkscreened festive symbols hook onto a wooden "Welcome" sign: 11 1⁄2" x 16 1⁄2" overall, plus chain hanger. The name or saying you specify is custom-etched.
Occasion symbols included:
Specify up to 18 characters, including "The", if desired.
Submit a review


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Home > Sports Memorabilia > NCAA Team Gear & Collectibles > University of Nebraska > Round Table Cover—Nebraska
Round Table Cover—Nebraska
All-season protection that's the pride of your patio.
Table covers with a giant 5-foot logo of your favorite college! Show friends and rivals your school spirit while defeating rain, snow, UV rays, dirt and debris. Our College Round Table Cover protects outdoor furniture for years with heavy-duty toughness and a special vent design to help prevent mold and mildew.
Off-season storage with game day spirit.
• 70" h x 70" w x 25" d for a great fit on many tables
• Rugged synthetic fabric with weather-resistant coating
• Official logo of your selected college
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• Unique pocket vent design keeps dirt and water out while letting air and moisture escape
Show your school pride in a way that can't be topped. Order your College Round Table Cover from Brookstone today!
Round Table Cover—Nebraska
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Montenegro - Black Pearl of the Balkans
Montenegro, Trek & Walk, 8 days - from £795 (land only) - from €1,115 (land only) - from $1,300 (land only)
Country Profile
Sandwiched between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania, Montenegro is a small 'Balkan' country with a beautiful coastline on the Adriatic. Pretty much the whole of the country is mountainous, with limestone peaks rising above 2000 metres in many locations - the country's biggest peak is Bobotov Kuk (2522m) in the Durmitor National Park. A narrow coastal plain, just a few kilometres in extent, stops abruptly in the north, where rugged mountains plunge into the inlet of the Bay of Kotor.
Time Zone
Montenegro time zone is GMT + 1hr. They do have DST (Daylight Saving Time) in the summer.
In Montenegro the speak Serbian, Albanian, Bosnian and Croatian.
Montenegro has a Mediterranean climate on the coast, with alpine conditions in the mountains. The average summer coastal temperature is 27°C.
The unit of currency is the Euro. For up to date exchange rates visit: www.xe.com.
Visa Requirements
You will need a valid passport. Nationals of the EU, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia do not require visas to visit Montenegro as tourists. Nationals of other countries should check the visa requirement with the relevant embassy in their own countries.
You should attend your own doctor and dentist for a check-up. No special vaccinations are required.


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This delicious vegetable and salmon stew is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Buy this ingredient
1. Bring marinara, tomatoes, wine, broth and Italian seasoning to a boil.2. Reduce heat, add salmon, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes.3. Add vegetable blend and return to a boil.4. Reduce heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
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An Easy Guide To Watch The Olympics
I found the easiest guide on the internet to follow the Olympics on t.v. I've been searching everywhere for when the times are and for when a certain sport is played since the games started. It's really confusing to be honest with you as there are so many sports to keep track of


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HOME Nebraska Cornhuskers Gear Nebraska Cornhuskers Mens Nebraska Cornhuskers Mens T-Shirts Nebraska Cornhuskers Mens T-Shirts Short Sleeved (257 items) Product ID: 775111
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This item ships within two business days.
$4.99 flat rate shipping. See other shipping options.
When the Huskers and Gamecocks go head to head on January 2, 2012 at the Citrus Bowl stadium in Orlando, Florida, make sure you're properly representing your team with this Dueling tee. It features both team names around a Capital One Bowl graphic at the left chest, while the back features the bowl name and location over both teams' helmets and scripted "Football In Paradise" lettering. It's a surefire way to get you pumped up for the head to head gridiron matchup.
- 90% Cotton/10% Polyester
- Imported
- Lightweight ribbed T-shirt
- Officially licensed collegiate product
- Rib-knit collar
- Screen print graphics on front and back
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Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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Try making your own gift jars this year, because one of the nicest presents you can give is a gift of food from your own kitchen.
Spend a little time and dress up your pickles or preserves as a special gift at Christmastime.
- There are many easy ways to cover those little metal tops. Start with a circle of colored paper or fabric that is two inches larger than the jar top.
- Secure it with several turns of fine gold cord and knot the cord, leaving an inch or so hanging below the knot.
- Secure the knot with sealing wax for a special touch. Or tie on a frilly fabric or paper doily, using a fancy ribbon and a small bouquet of dried or paper flowers.
- Traditional checked gingham gives your gifts a country look; use pinking shears to cut the circles. Or glue lace onto fabric for another look.
- For a delightful touch, draw and cut out appropriate stencils (a strawberry for strawberry jam), and apply them to muslin with fabric paint.
Illustrated by Margo Letourneau


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"We are philosophers, artists, and athletes . . . musicians, soldiers, and writers . . . adventurers and students. We've traveled from around the world and just down the street. As members of the Honors College, we come to discuss, experiment, discover, and learn. From Greeks to university senators . . . band to rugby . . . debates to poetry . . . we are a community of scholars, and we invite you to discover us."
If you can't make it to the Honors College for a visit during the week, then our weekend open houses are for you. The open house is a great way to get to know the Cook Honors College with other prospective students. Open houses run from early Friday evening until Saturday afternoon.
At an open house you will:
Register for an Open House
If you have any questions, please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com or call 800-487-9122.
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General Fiasco are an indie rock group from Bellaghy, Northern Ireland. Since their formation in 2006, they have toured with Fighting With Wire, The Wombats, One Night Only, The Pigeon Detectives, The Enemy, Jet and Kids In Glass Houses. They released their debut album, Buildings, on 22 March 2010.
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(Top Row)Iris Moon 4004-9CStone Mason Gray 4008-1CBluer Than Blue 4006-8CAqua Glow 5007-9B
(Bottom Row)Nocturnal Green 5011-1Fluorescent Lime 6007-9CSable Evening 5006-2CRoasted Pumpkin 2005-3A
Be sure to try your color choices on the wall before you paint the whole room. We make it easy with Valspar® Paint Samples. Choose from thousands of colors available in convenient 8-ounce cans. - Sue Kim, Color Strategist
Computer screens and printers vary in how colors are displayed. Colors which display on
the screen and printed colors may not match the paint's actual color.


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User Tip: If you're unsure of your vehicle type, you may skip the machine type selection box.
Select type, make, model and year above
"Customer service is priority #1 at Rocky Mountain ATV/MC. We value our customers and strive to be the best shopping experience- when you buy from us, you are buying lifetime service."
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We take pride in offering no hassle returns. In the event of a return, please call, email or chat with us to receive a solution to the problem. For apparel that doesn't fit quite right, Click here to see our Fit Guaranteed Program.
We will stand behind all products we sell with regards to manufacturing defects in workmanship and material. Most products are limited to the manufacturer's warranty. However, we will do everything in our power to take care of the problem.
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Comments On Apr 09, 2014:If you do your own work its a must have. Makes seating shock head so much easier!
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Comments On Jan 02, 2014:I use this tool 100% of the time when working on the internals of my suspension. Built to last and work properly.
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Comments On Oct 16, 2012:very helpful on shock rebuild. no worries about tearing seal.
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Comments On Oct 30, 2007:this makes shock disassembly easier by allowing you to push the seal head into the shock straight so you can remove the holding clip. If you plan on rebuilding your rear shock - get it. very handy!
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Nb: infants must be under the age of 2 and
children must be under the age of 12 at the time of
This small, friendly, unpretentious hotel has a reputation for its good food and hospitality. Situated in downtown Jasper the Astoria is owned and run by the third generation of the long established Andrew family and is Jasper's favourite meeting place for locals and visitors.There is an aquatic centre nearby where you can use hot tubs and a swimming pool for a small charge.
35 rooms. Rooms have cable TV, hairdryer and mini-fridge and bathroom with bath/shower and WC.
Standard twin rooms - sleep 2: With either two single or one queen bed.(shower only)Hotel rooms for 2 - sleep 2: With either one king or queen bed. (shower only)Hotel rooms for 4 - sleep 2-4: With two double beds or one double bed and a double sofa bed. (bath only)Single bedrooms - sleep 1: With one single bed. (shower only)
Please Note- no lift
Iglu acts as a travel agent for disclosed principals/tour operators, further details
of which will be made available at the time of booking. Your holiday contract will
be bound by the tour operators terms and conditions.
Prices are shown for a basic room or unit, can be subject to change and are indicative
until time of booking. Please call on 020 8544 7114 for prices for other travel
and room options for this property.
Prices shown are per person per week based on maximum occupancy. Descriptions and
quality ratings are provided by the Tour Operator (or one of the Tour Operators
where similar holidays are offered by more than one supplier). We reserve the right
to make minor adjustments to the description or rating based on staff and customer
feedback. For payments by credit card, a 2.5% credit card charge (4% for AMEX) will
be added to your invoice. If you pay by a UK issued debit card, there is no charge.
All bookings are subject to a £5 per person Passenger Admin Fee charged by Iglu.com.


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posters, zinfandel posters, winery posters, wine posters, red posters, bottle posters, corks posters, dragon posters, toasted head posters, chardonnay posters, cabernet posters
All prints ship in durable cardboard tubes.
Fine Art America is one of the largest, most-respected giclee printing companies in the world with over 40 years of experience producing museum-quality posters and prints. All of our posters are produced on state-of-the-art, professional-grade Epson printers.
We use acid-free paper with archival inks to guarantee that your posters last a lifetime without fading or loss of color. All posters include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting, if desired.
Posters ship within 3 - 4 business days in durable cardboard tubes.
I am so honored that Adobe Elements chose one of my images to print on their Blankets of Love for the Needy - They chose my Butterfly! I am also Honored that Digital Arts Of California has Chosen my Hair image for their 2013 exhibit True Colors 2 link http://www.digitalartscalifornia.com/?cat=16 I have also sold art work to ABC /Disney for the Set Of The Neighbors season 2 Television Show I was born and raised in Auburn, California I enjoy acrylic painting, wood burning and many other art forms Photography is one of my chosen forms of art, I love pushing the boundaries to learn new skills, and techniques in photo shop and digital art too,..........As A child I remember the only thing I asked for one year for Christmas...
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on FineArtAmerica.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Fine Art America does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Fine Art America sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee.
If you've hesitated to purchase artwork online in the past, why not give us a try? You have nothing to lose!
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hello, I'm currently nearing the end of my research for a biology practical project, which has been fairly challenging. We had three weeks to research the project of which two weeks are left; however as I knew what I wanted to do I've been researching for about two/two and a half months. The project involves isolation of a membrane protein, specifically OmpC from Escherichia coli K-12. The membrane porin is an antibiotic binding site and is involved in the binding of outer membrane (OM) vesicles carrying leukotoxin to human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes; at least in virulent strains of the bacteria. OmpC is also part of the Omp super family present in numerous gram negative species. My project is based (loosely) on two papers: one of which reports on how osmotic stress induces Kanamycin resistance in E. coli, because of the proliferation of OmpC (in favour of OmpF) in high osmotic pressure environments. Whilst the other paper, notes a similar effect only the other way around and with resistance to T4 coliphage infection I.e, E. coli in a low osmolarity environment show reduced susceptibility to phage infection.
I want to determine if OmpC does act as the adsorption ligand of the T4 phage to the K-12 cell. To do this I need to isolate the protein, I've found and ordered the bacteria and phage, researched which buffers, proteases/phosphatase inhibitors I need, and the centrifugation protocol I'm going to use.
However, I understand that I need to use chromatography to isolate the protein to a reasonable purity. I've been trying to learn about the process but "as I'm sure your aware" it involves investigating all the proteins in the final OM fraction after ultra-centrifugation, and finding the unique properties such as charge, iso-electric point e.c.t and I don't have time to research it properly before the project is due to start, I've spoken with academics at local university's and they basically think I should abandon the idea, I've spent to much time and money to do that yet though. Additionally, I've realised that I probably don't need it to be 99.9% pure, just free of anything that might interfere with the adsorption process, for example I can't claim with any degree of certainty that OmpC is the phage target if the protein sample contains 50% OmpF.
So this is the part I need advice on, can any one think which chromatograph media I can use to separate the protein from other outer membrane proteins. I'll be using low pressure column chromatography, I know affinity chromatography is especially useful for this kind of thing, but the column packing media is really specific and expensive. the best I've come up with is 'Sephacryl S-100, Concanvalin A Sepharose and what I think is probably the best, Sephadex G-25' from GE life sciences and sigma aldrich; these two media were chosen using OmpC's molecular weight of 38.073kDa but I'm not sure if there right. Also is there any other means of separating specific proteins, such as isopycnic centrifugation (I have access to some one with an ultracentrifuge) or precipitation????
Any suggestion regarding a protocol, chromatography media, information-resources and general advice on procedure or where to look and books to buy, will be massively appreciated!!!!!! I've attached a word file containing some info obtained from the Scripps institute protein calculator, which predicts the features of a protein based on it amino acid sequence this is about the best I've got on any unique features which could be used to isolate the molecule. If there is any more info you require please ask me.


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New census data show that the Great Recession and its aftermath have battered virtually every state in the nation—and that some of the heaviest blows have landed on states that may loom the largest in the 2012 presidential election.
From National Journal:
PICTURES: Victories and Challenges of Planned Parenthood
New Virus Catches CDC's Eye
U.S.-Born Al-Qaida Cleric Killed
Iraqi Journalism Faces Government Crackdown
Will Obama pull a W.?
Figures from the U.S. Census Bureau's annual American Community Survey, released in late September, reveal not only how deeply but also how broadly the economic downturn has scarred the nation. The new numbers on income, poverty, and access to health insurance capture how the past two years have both deepened the distress of metal-bending states such as Michigan and Ohio (which have long struggled with the decline of traditional manufacturing) and humbled many of the past decade's highest fliers (Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and Florida) where growth had long fed on itself in what looked like a cycle of perpetual prosperity.
Indeed, the starkest message may be that, with the partial exception of a few energy producers, practically no state has avoided serious pain. Median family income has declined in every state except North Dakota since 2008. "Everyone is under some type of water at this point," says Chris Christopher, a senior principal economist for the consulting firm IHS Global Insight.
It puts "into play states that he didn't expect to have to defend." --Republican pollster Glen Bolger
But while virtually all states have lost ground since 2008, a National Journal analysis of the census survey found that many of the swing states likely to decide the 2012 election have suffered the heaviest losses. The nine states that switched from voting for George W. Bush in 2004 to Barack Obama in 2008 experienced a greater decline in their median family income than did the nation overall. It's the same story in the partially overlapping list of 14 states in which Obama attracted between 45 and 55 percent of the vote last time. Both groups, according to separate employment figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, have also lost a higher percentage of their jobs since 2008 than the nation overall.
GRAPHIC: Continent-Sized Storm
That's because the economic crisis did much of its deepest damage in the Rust Belt, which includes many of American politics' traditional battlegrounds, and in the Sun Belt, which contains many of the newly emerging swing states. This concentration compounds President Obama's political challenge as he works to assemble a 270-vote Electoral College majority. "It will force him to play defense and put into play states that he didn't expect to have to defend," Republican pollster Glen Bolger says.
The president still has some time for the economy to show more signs of life—and a potential case to make even if it doesn't. Across the country, the pain under Obama's watch is a continuation of the crisis that began late in George W. Bush's presidency. But, even so, the census results suggest that in essentially no state could the president feel safe asking voters the question that Ronald Reagan made famous: Are you better off than you were four years ago?
The census numbers portray the Great Recession and its grueling aftermath as a storm that has stretched from coast to coast and border to border. On every key measure, the damage has been not only deep but also broad. "The whole private economy has been hammered, really," says Mark Muro, a senior fellow and the director of policy at the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program.
National Journal analyzed the American Community Survey data to assess the economic trajectory of the states during Obama's presidency. The annual ACS reports on about 3 million households and provides the most detailed data on economic and social conditions below the national level. In each case, NJ compared the findings for 2010, the latest available, to the results from 2008, the Bush administration's last year. To complete the picture, National Journal also used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Housing Finance Agency to track the trajectory of state-level trends in employment and housing prices from 2008 until now.
No state avoided losses on at least one of the three major census measures that NJ analyzed: median family income, poverty, and access to health insurance. The pictures on income and poverty are especially sobering. From 2008 through 2010, the median family income, measured in inflation-adjusted dollars, declined in every state except North Dakota, which enjoyed a 5 percent increase thanks to an oil and natural-gas boom.
Twenty states saw their median family incomes plummet at least a dizzying 5 percent over those two years. The largest losses were clustered in the twin poles of Sun Belt and Rust Belt states: on the one hand, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Alabama, North Carolina, California, and South Carolina; on the other, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. (Oregon was the only state among the dozen largest losers that is not in either the Sun Belt or the Rust Belt.) A more diverse list of 17 other states lost between 3 and 5 percent of median family income.
This article appears in the October 1, 2011 edition of National Journal Magazine.


text:
Description:HP NC112T PCI-E Gigabit Server AdapterPart Number(s)Option Part# 503746-B21Spare Part# 503827-001
Overview:The HP NC112T is a low-priced Gigabit Ethernet server adapter that features single-port copper single lane (x1) PCI Express capability with 32KB onboard memory that provides 10/100/1000T auto-negotiated speed and duplex. It makes use of the Intel 82574L silicon and is suitable for both standard and low profile slots.
CategoryProliant Option
Sub-CategoryProliant Network Adapter
GenerationPCI-E 1 Gbps
Part Number503746-B21
Products ID455576
Device TypeNetwork Adapter
Device TypePCI Express x1 Low Profile
Data Transfer Rate1GB/s
[ Manufacturers Specs ]


text:
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text:
Historically, the relationship between Americans and nature has been complex. For Native Americans, reverence for the spirit of the land is deeply embedded in the culture. For the first European settlers, survival meant claiming, taming, and cultivating the land around them. For subsequent generations, the American continent became a place for discovery, for new beginnings, for economic expansion and harvesting vast natural resources. More recently, we've come to regard natural settings as places for play, respite, renewal, and conservation. However, a tension persists, even today, between enjoyment and exploitation of the American landscape.
Painters, too, have responded to America's scenery in different ways, influenced by current events, technological advancements, and artistic traditions. This exhibition of 48 paintings from the outstanding collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston provides an overview of the history of landscape painting in the United States and intriguing views of the country's natural beauty. While the exhibition focuses on historical views of the American landscape, it also offers an opportunity to consider how we can protect and preserve it for future generations.
See how great artists have
celebrated the beauty of nature
and captured its essential role in
the American experience.
Featured are the works of many of America's greatest painters—Thomas Cole, Albert Bierstadt, Martin Johnson Heade, George Inness, Winslow Homer, Arthur Dove, Georgia O'Keeffe, and others.
Spanning eras
In the early 19th century, the unique beauty of the American land became associated by artists with the hope and promise of the new nation in political, economic, and cultural terms. The unspoiled wilderness was seen as a paradise—untouched by civilization, a fresh start for humankind. Painters of the Hudson River School, led by Thomas Cole, believed that nature could provide a spiritual experience or convey allegorical themes. These beautiful images celebrate distinct natural features, weather, and light, but they also allude to the artists' ambivalence about encroaching settlements, rising tourism, and the impact of these on native cultures.
In the late 19th century, American painters became less focused on specificity of place in favor of experimenting with new approaches. George Inness emphasized mood while exploring color and light. In his mature work, Winslow Homer investigated the struggles of man with nature and the power of nature itself. Other painters absorbed the lessons of the French Impressionists. Childe Hassam and Willard Metcalf combined the brilliant color and light, loose brushstrokes, and informal subject matter with traditional training in figure drawing to create a distinctly American Impressionism. As the 20th century began, Impressionism dominated American painting, but many artists continued to explore innovative styles. Marsden Hartley and Georgia O'Keeffe, for instance, pushed Modernism towards new levels of abstraction. In addition to its unique physical attributes, the rich and complicated range of issues involving American landscape continued to challenge and inspire artists. Each painter adapted the subject to suit individual ends—be it stylistic, iconographic, scientific, or a combination. From the celebration of its natural wonders to a vehicle with which to explore abstraction, the American landscape has provided rewarding material for artists for more than two centuries.
This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
[su_spoiler title="Winslow Homer"]
In the painting Driftwood, a hunched seaman in the foreground labors to maneuver a large, fallen tree trunk, back to shore using a rope.
The artist, Winslow Homer, has given viewers several clues that would suggest that the sea will prevail and that the figure will ultimately loose out in his struggle against nature. The grim odds that the man faces are made evident by the dominance of the sea, which fills most of the composition. Homer emphasizes the expansiveness of the powerful ocean by alternating diagonal lines with light and dark pigments that lead your eye to the horizon. Here, he has placed a tiny ship in the far left background, indicating just how far into the distance the water extends. A seagull tucked in the upper right side of the scene gives another point for scale. Notice, too, how the mammoth log dominates the painting's foreground. In facing the challenge of lifting this massive, fallen tree, the man's physical strength and virility are called into question.
A 73-year-old Homer painted Driftwood at the conclusion of a successful and prolific career. It was the last canvas that he completed and there is much evidence to suggest that he conceived it as his final work of art, certain that he would never paint again. Like the driftwood, Homer and his lone seaman have been tossed about by life's heavy waves and seem at the mercy of a great power. Neither the tree nor the man stand tall any longer – suggesting the artist's contemplation of his own mortality.
Upon listening to Ludwig von Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (1801), one of the composer's students proclaimed:
"It is a nocturnal scene, in which a mournful ghostly voice sounds from the distance…."The parallels between Beethoven's haunting composition and this evocative landscape scene that emerged from Blakelock's imagination can be traced to the painter's exploration of music leading up to this work. During the 1880s, the artist established a residence in East Orange, New Jersey. He befriended a local church organist named Albert Schoch, who Blakelock described "a musician of unusual ability." During one of their many evenings together in Schoch's living room, Blakelock listened to him play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The artist then arose from a rigid pose of fascination and rushed across the street to his own home, to put to canvas his first moonlight picture. Blakelock proudly shared Moonlight Sonata with his friend – not even waiting for the paint to dry before doing so.
Inspired by his encounters with Shoch, Blakelock traded several of his paintings for a piano of his own and began taking lessons. He believed in the synthesis of music, emotion, and color, telling a critic he wanted the colors in his paintings "to flow upon the senses like a melody."
Americans in the early nineteenth century held some of the same environmental concerns that we have today. In the 1830s, the encroachment of the railroad into previously untouched landscapes pitted the desires of the businessmen against those who cherished America's natural lands. Among the many people who voiced their concerns about industry's impact on the environment was painter Thomas Cole.River in the Catskills, painted by Cole in 1843, is a seemingly tranquil view of a pastoral vista in the Hudson River Valley of New York. While very subtle to viewers today, two aspects of Cole's painting would have stood out to his contemporaries.
A number of trees in the foreground have been cut down, a woodsman standing with his axe to one side. Secondly, the railroad, which benefited from such tree clearing, is represented by the locomotive that moves through the landscape in the distance, trailing smoke in its wake. This is reportedly the first time in American art that a train was depicted in a painting, and its presence would have stood out.
The presence of a train in this particular location is telling. Initiated in 1831, the building of the Canajoharie and Catskill Railroad was problematic for both the environment and the local finances of the town of Catskill, where Cole lived. From the beginning, opponents of the Railroad clashed with its supporters, objecting to its physical disruption of the landscape. Cole made public his own feelings about the railroad and industry in general's devastating impact on the landscape in an 1836 essay: "The ravages of the axe are daily increasing—the most noble scenes are made destitute, and oftentimes with a wantonness and barbarism scarcely credible in a civilized nation."
After going forward despite the outcry, and after operating its rail cars for only three years, the Canajoharie and Catskill went bankrupt, pulling up their tracks. Many who invested lost their money – including members of Cole's own family.
Albert Bierstadt
The Buffalo Trail (detail), c. 1867
Oil on canvas
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Gift of Martha C. Karolik for the M. and M. Karolik Collection of American Paintings, 1815–1865
Admission for Masterpieces of American Landscape Painting
GRAM Members: FREE
Adult: $15.00
Senior (ages 62+): $13.00
Students (w/ID): $13.00
Youth (ages 6-17): $5.00
Children (ages 5 and under): Free
Marquee Sponsor:
Wege Foundation
Exhibition Lead Sponsor:
Meijer Foundation
Contributing Sponsors:
Gregory and Rajene Betz
Judy and James DeLapa
LaFontsee Galleries
Donald Battjes, Jr.


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WWE is ready to bring us their November tradition, Survivor Series.
This is an awkward show to talk about. Those of you that followed my live coverage of Raw going into this night know I've been pretty down on this pay per view build. WWE feels like they're booking on the fly and really not giving us sound, consistent stories that mean something. The title matches feel very soft to me also.
That all said, WWE might just pull a rabbit out of the hat and end up giving us a hot show that we'll all be sorry if we missed it. Then again, maybe not.
You've seen Drew's predictions, so now it's my turn.


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Nashville's music scene was ready for its close-up on Tuesday night as the documentary "For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville" held a sneak peek screening at the Nashville Film Festival.
The new film produced by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation calls on local stars from all corners of the musical map to help tell the 130+ year story of Music City. Featured artists include The Black Keys, Charlie Daniels, Emmylou Harris, Eric Church, Kellie Pickler, Kings of Leon, Kris Kristofferson, Martina McBride, Michael W. Smith, Peter Frampton and Vince Gill.
Also a member of that star-studded cast: Country Music Hall of Famer Bill Anderson, though he joked to the Tennessean that he might have ended up on the cutting room floor.
"I've been here for 50-plus years, and I was able to share a bit of my perspective of (Nashville) over that long of a period of time," he says. "I'm just anxious to see it. I know I'll learn a lot from watching it."
It didn't mark Anderson's first film role, but it's been a minute since he was on the silver screen.
"I did a few grade-B movies back in the 1960s when that was kind of a new thing. This is a long way from being in 'Forty Acre Feud' and 'Hillbillies in a Haunted House' (laughs)."
On second thought, Anderson didn't believe he was in the latter film (but perhaps that was for the best).
Sarah Darling, on the other hand, is making her big-screen debut with the film, which caught up the rising country star last year as she prepared to perform on the "Grand Ole Opry." They've had her back some thirty times since then.
"I couldn't be more excited, because I feel like the doors are wide open for all kinds of musicians," she said. "If you have a passion for music, you should be here."
The film's executive producer - NCVC president and CEO Butch Spyridon - said that as Nashville's music community earns more international attention, it's important to remember its roots. The screening came at a fitting time, as Nashville is celebrating several new additions to the concert landscape, including the spiritual return of the "Dancin' in the District" concert series as "Nashville Dancin'."
"It's been a really good week," Spyridon says. "The more music we can put in Music City, the more undeniable our brand and our destination becomes."


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Focus on Faculty
- Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
- Arts and Sciences
- Business
- Ecology
- Education
- Environment and Design
- Faculty of Engineering
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Forestry and Natural Resources
- Graduate School
- Journalism and Mass Communication
- Law
- Pharmacy
- Public and International Affairs
- Public Health
- Social Work
- Veterinary Medicine
Maria Navarro
Maria Navarro, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has worked in many countries on projects related to hunger and poverty and brings this international experience to her UGA classes.
Rob Shewfelt
Rob Shewfelt, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor of Food Science and Technology, wants his students to be able to apply class concepts to real-world situations in the food industry.
David Berle
David Berle, an associate professor of horticulture, won the 2011 Scholarship of Engagement Award for his public service and outreach work and the service-learning opportunities he has provided to students.
Ron Walcott
Through his teaching, research and outreach, professor of plant pathology Ron Walcott aims to inspire students to be part of the solution to producing the food required to feed the world's growing population.
Peggy Ozias-Akins
Peggy Ozias-Akins, professor in the College of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences and director of UGA's Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, works to inspire students to be inquisitive and seek reliable information to guide their thinking.
Michael Strand
Regents Professor Michael Strand says a big part of teaching for him, particularly at the graduate level, is helping individuals become good scientists for the future.
Franklin West
Franklin West, an assistant professor in the animal and dairy science department, wants to help students recapture their love and enthusiasm for science.


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the Yucatan & Casa Hamaca
Mural, Mural on the Wall.....
Friday, January 11, 2008, 02:36 PM
How to Design and Create Original Murals on the Walls of Your Own Home.
A view of one of the murals in the Main Salon of Casa Hamaca.
As early as I can remember, I always wanted to be an artist. When I was about 5 years old, the local newspaper in Great Falls, Montana, wanted to reproduce some of my drawings, but the technology was just not in place. I grew up in Great Falls surrounded by paintings by Charles Russell, the Western artist of note. One of the town saloons held works by Russell that he had traded to the saloons proprietor for drinks. As I grew older my interest in art waxed and waned. At one point I studied Fine Art and Illustration at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and finally recognized that I did not have the talent or the desire to be a fine artist. So I changed direction and studied Industrial Design at Parsons School of Design (now part of the New School), also in NYC. That was a much better direction for me but it took me away from Art with a capital A.
How the previous mural was grided before the image was painted on the wall.
Before I ever came to Mexico, I was entranced with Mexican muralists and painters. They were some of the best in the world. When I came to the Yucatan and saw the murals in Merida and Valladolid, that opinion was validated. Raw, powerful images that changed my consciousness of the Mayan World.
One of my goals at Casa Hamaca was to teach and inform and educate visitors. Educate them about the Mayan people and their culture. To have them experience Mayan food, Mayan people, Mayan healing and Mayan culture.
And one day, BANG, the two ideas came together. I could have Mexican murals on the many walls of Casa Hamaca that visualized various aspects of Mayan culture images that taught and informed and educated.
The mural in the Ka'ab Na Suite after a popular image in Yucatan elementary school books.
I am too old to climb scaffolding and paint entire walls so I needed a solution that would put murals on my walls without the need of me actually doing the painting.
The solution I came up with is a very simple one that can be applied by almost anyone with a smooth-surfaced wall, a computer, a printer and some photo-editing software.
The original photograph from which the mural was made.
The completed mural.
The Image:
From various source material including original photographs, books and Internet swipe, I found a number of images that I would like to have on my walls. I scanned the images from books and saved them along with the swipe and the original photos. I selected images of Mayan ruins, carvings, plant photographs and schoolbook illustrations that were very graphic in natural. But almost any image could be used. Line drawings, simple computer-generated illustrations, Pop-Art (like Andy Warhol), etchings and engravings, Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints), comic illustrations and high-contrast black and white photos make life easier and make the transfer of the image much, much simpler.
The Wall:
I took approximate dimensions of the wall spaces that I had to work with. I did this in the metric system since working with that system is much easier than dealing with inches and fractions of inches. Some walls (by their proportions) lent themselves to an image covering the entire wall, others to just a part of the wall.
Matching the Wall to the Image:
I worked with Photoshop to crop the images to match the proportions of the wall. In some cases, I actually took photos of the wall and layered the Mayan-themed image over the wall to see how it would look. When I was satisfied that the image fitted the wall, I used the Grid options in Photoshop to overlay a grid on the image. I had to go to Preferences to adjust the Grid options to correspond with the metric system that I was going to use. After creating a new layer in Photoshop, I used the Line tool to draw over the electronic grid, selected the Fit to Media option in the Print command and printed a couple of copies of the images, now girded with thin black lines.
The mural in the Chac Na Suite in process.
The Chc Na Suite mural completed.
Grid the Walls:
Using a metric rule (and starting from the upper left hand corner of the wall or of where you want your image to begin) a plumb-bob, a level and a chalk-line, begin laying out the wall, marking off 50 centimeter sections both vertically and horizontally. Then snap lines so that you end up with a wall filled with a grid made up of many 50-centimeter squares.
the Process:
Now you have a wall filled with a grid pattern of squares and a piece of paper with a corresponding grid pattern of squares. Using a pencil, transfer the image, square by square, to the wall. If a particular section of the image is very complicated, break that square down further into smaller squares on both the wall and on the paper. Once you have completed the pencil image for the entire wall, just fill in the blanks with color (paint). An alternative method (if you are sure-handed) is to draw the image directly in paint. If you are dealing with an image that has tonal variations (like a photograph) or naturalistic rendering of objects, use the Posterize command in Photoshop to simplify the colors. Play around with the command until you arrive at an image that you like... and that has a number of different colors that you can work with. Using this method, your painting (once you have the outlines drawn on the wall) will be just like the old-fashioned Paint-By-Number kits. In fact, you can number your colors (limiting the number of colors makes the job simpler, expanding the colors makes the final product more naturalistic) and lightly number the corresponding spaces so that you do not put the wrong color in a space. Use regular water-based interior wall paint. Water-based paint makes clean up so much easier. If your mural in outdoors, were sure it is not exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods or it will fade and use exterior paint.
My very first attempt was a reproduction of a rollout of an antique Mayan vase with a complicated image from Mayan mythology. After much trial and error, I selected an image that more or less fit the wall I had in mind. I then Posterized the image in Photoshop to end up with and image composted of eight (8) colors. Using the Eyedropper tool, I selected these colors, placed them all into another document and printed that document on the brightest, whitest paper I had on hand. I took that piece of paper to the paint store and made the best color match I could for the eight colors. The process worked extremely well however my choice of images did not work as well as I had hoped. So we painted over it with another image that was simpler in execution as well as in design.
The original of the vase rollout used for one of the Salon walls.
The finished mural on the wall. Note: this mural has been painted over and is no longer visible.
Further image selection focused much more on the actual content (what the image represented) as well as on the style of the image: i.e.: painterly, graphic, naturalistic, etc. The result has been a mural in every guest room at Casa Hamaca. Some of them are truly full-wall filling the entire wall from floor to ceiling and from wall to wall. Others are smaller (although still very large) and fill most of a wall.
Certain public spaces also have large images.
A full-wall mural in the Tun Nich Na (or Stone Suite) after stone carvings at Palenque.
The mural seen in setting with furnishings
The Artists:
The first artist I hired was in his early 20s and had done a little sign painting, I believe. But in no sense of the word was he a trained artist. But he followed my instructions and became confident in his abilities and often painted directly into the squares without first making a pencil drawing. But he gave up on a very complicated drawing (after Catherwood) that filled a very large wall. So I found a pair of young men (perhaps 16 years old?) who show up every day after school and all day Saturday to paint. They have tackled some very difficult images with very fine results. And they both learn as they go so that their most recent efforts are cleaner and faster than their older ones.
There are lots more murals that I have not pictured. If you want to see then, you must come visit in Valladolid.
One of the artists working on the large mural on the second floor, fronting the atrium.
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Oh my God, what did I just eat?
Monday, September 3, 2007, 05:09 PM
Cochinita Pibil and Tepezcuintle Tacos
Yesterday we were invited to share a meal with a family in the small village of Honuku. A visiting
from Queretero was in residence at the Casa Hamaca and last week Sofi (our housekeeper and cook) brought her daughter-in-law (Miñela), granddaughter (Sarahi) and the babys other grandmother (Ofelia) to the Casa Hamaca because the baby was sick. Alma, the
, worked with the baby on two or three different occasions during the week. The baby seemed to be feeling better and did not exhibit the symptoms that she previously had exhibited. When the grandmother asked how much it cost for the visits, Alma responded that there was no charge. So grandmother Ofelia invited us to a Sunday meal. Sofi, who has Sundays off, offered to come to Casa Hamaca early on Sunday and guide us to the village of Hunuku.
As I have mentioned before in these notes, I am a slow learner. And I had forgotten that when Sofi is in the back seat giving driving directions, it becomes another slap-stick episode since Sofi (who will turn 40 years old this month) doesnt know her left from her right and gives directions with hand movements only. That means that when we come to a fork in the road or a cross-road, I must remember to look in the rear-view mirror or actually turn around so that I can see better which way Sofi is gesturing all the while looking out for speeding taxis (the only way into and out of these small villages for most of the people) unused to visiting gringos on a Sunday afternoon; stray turkeys with their little ones (also unused to visiting gringos on a Sunday afternoon or any other time for that matter) looking for something to eat in the middle of the road; the
(speed bumps) that can rattle your teeth if you fail to slow down for them; the normal bicycles, tricycles and foot-traffic of the Yucatan; a sow and her piglets trotting across the road at an unmarked Hog Crossing; little children running across the little-used road without looking; Sunday drunks weaving down and across the road on their way to the next beer; dogs sleeping in the middle of the sun-warmed road or just wandering around looking for the next best place to take a nap. The small roads between villages are one lane, winding ones, with no shoulders and limited visibility since the jungle grows right to the edge of the road, overhanging it and in some places almost making a tunnel of vegetation. In other words, a normal Sunday ride in the country.
Aside from the traffic problems, add in that Sofi always travels in a taxi, by bicycle or on foot and so does not really pay attention to turn-offs and crossroads and forks and such. If she is in a taxi, the driver knows his way if she is on a bicycle or on foot, things pass by slowly enough to draw her to the correct turn. What that really means, is that Sofi often cannot remember where a turn-off is or which fork to take at a decision point.
Now dont get me wrong; Sofi is not dumb. She is uneducated in Western ways and almost illiterate in regard to books and book learning. She is suspicious and fearful of many "modern" things. If she must answer the cordless phone in the kitchen, she holds it as if it were a live, withering, poisonous snake. But she is very wise and knowledgeable in the things that are important to her and her family in normal village life. Plus she speaks two languages. It is only when she is removed from her normal village surroundings does it become apparent that her education was very different from mine. But when we are in her habitat, my ignorance becomes so frequently and so obviously apparent that good-humored laughter often greets my clumsy attempts to do or say the simplest things.
Ofelia' house
Sofi, Alma and Ofelia in the kitchen
With no mishaps, we arrived at the traditional thatched-roof house (or
, in Yucatec Mayan) of Ofelia and her family. The
was huge 8 meters by 5 meters (about 26 feet by 16.5 feet) a single room built in the ancient manner with lashed joints and palm leaf thatching. At one end was the kitchen three stones on the floor defining where the fire was; a normal-height table mostly covered with dish rack and a five gallon bucket holding drinking water; a low, round table on which to make
tortillas a mano
(by hand); and another small, low rectangular table at which meals were eaten. A series of low stools (
) were stacked along one wall of the
. Other than a couple of rickety folding chairs brought out for visitors, these
and the hammocks were the only places to sit in the entire house.
A traditional stool or
were modern ones, made from machine-sawed, wooded boards. These modern
have replaced the older, traditional style carved from a single log. Some of the older types are very simple and basic; others have more style, artistry and comfort. Many of the rooms (both guest rooms and common areas) at Casa Hamaca are furnished with traditional
As an aside, the word
is interesting. The last part of the word,
, means tree or wood or plant. No problems there. But to my ears, the Mayan words
sound exactly the same. So
translates as wooden snake or serpent or viper; while
translates as wooden hammock. Im told that the word for the stool really is
and not the other. I found that too bad since I like the idea of the word or concept for the wooden seat being that of a "wooden hammock". So, alas, the word actually translates as "wooden serpent". And the word Cancun aptly is frequently translated as "Vipers Nest" (
=Serpent or Viper plus
=Nest) a fitting description of the Sin City Cancun has become. Cancun, in my opinion, ranks right up there with Miami and Las Vegas (along with what was once called Macau in China) as world-class hedonistic magnets. But back to the small village of Hunuku.
The exposed-thatch ceiling above the fireplace was blackened with smoke. When I asked how old the house was, Don Martin, the husband, told me it was built a year before Hurricane Gilberto (1988) and survived that storm and all of the subsequent ones with no damage. A single light bulb hung from the ceiling beams. On a table at the opposite end of the
was a television, tuned to an afternoon
(soccer) game. A few simple shelves held all of the belongings of the family.
tortillas a mano
Cooking the tortillas on the
Sofi making the salsa
After we had been greeted, Ofelia stated making
tortillas a mano
on the small round table (many of the guestrooms at Casa Hamaca are furnished with these traditional tortilla tables) and then flipping the tortillas onto the
to cook. Sofi ground chilies and lime juice in a
(more or less a mortar and pestle) to make a rich and flavorful condiment for the meal to come. When Sofi was finished with the chilies, she sat at one of the small tables and separated meat from bones and placed the meat in a small bowl. No one had told us what the main course would be but I had seen a still-warm
(in-ground fire pit) in the backyard.
Cochinita pibil
? Or maybe
Relleno Negro
While we were waiting for Sofi and Ofelia to finish preparations for the meal, Don Martin and I chatted. About his
(garden) and the
(community-owned land on which any of the villagers could farm). Don Martin said that since almost 75% of the local men now work outside of the village during the week, he really had his choice of where he wanted to farm. He only cultivates about 2 hectares (about 5 five acres) at a time. He does it the traditional way. He prepares the area by first cutting down all of the shrubs and trees, letting them dry and then burning them. This re-nourishes the soil as well as gets rid of any weeds so that he can grow corn for another two or three years before he must prepare another field in the same manner.
Don Martin showing some of his antler collection
We spoke of the
(see previous notes for more on the
) and of the hurricanes (Hurricane Felix had just been upgraded to a Category 2 on its way to becoming a Category 5 hurricane) and of building houses and of copal incense (
) and of the deer in the forests and jungle. Don Martin proudly showed off his collection of deer antlers. I did not diminish his pride by telling him that the antlers he showed me would be humiliating to show in Montana or North Dakota or Minnesota or even New Jersey since they were so small, with so few points. We spoke of how cool his house was during the heat of the summer. I did my best to explain that even the coolest nights in his village were still very warm to someone from the north. That doors were not left wide open during the day, year around, in the north. That walls were thick and roofs were not thatch. That it was so cold that water turned to ice and snow. Now that was stretching things a little since that kind of experience is out of their realm of reality. I further compounded their incredulity with stories of ice fishing and driving cars and trucks out on to the ice. I believe they think that I was just telling tall tails to amuse them before dinner.
When all was ready, Alma (the
) and I were invited to eat first (after all, we were the guests of honor); when we almost finished the adults of the family (including the women) joined us to eat their meal followed by the younger members of the family when the adults were finished. There were no children other than the infant so we could not see how other children might fit into the eating hierarchy. Before we sat down, we were offered a bucket of water in which to wash our hands.
Alma and I were seated at the small round table. On the table were a stack of freshly made tortillas; two shallow bowls, each filled with a different shredded meat; and a small bowl of the chili sauce that Sofi had just made. One of the shallow bowls held
cochinita pibil
, a traditional Sunday meal in the Yucatan.
Cochinita pibil
is pork meat that has been rubbed with achiote paste, wrapped in banana leaves to keep the meat moist, and then buried in the fire pit to bake. It is, in my experience, always tender and delicious. Gringos like me are sometimes served cochinita light just the meat without the flavorful
(or fat) or the baked liver.
is traditionally served with raw chopped onions and, of course, chilies.
Alma, Don Martin, Ofelia, Sofi and Carlos seated on modern
The bowl in the center of the round table holds the mystery meat.
The other bowl held shredded meat that looked a little like chicken. The meat was mixed with chopped radish, cilantro and chili. When I asked what kind of meat this was, I was told it was
. Now that helped a lot! What was its Spanish name?
is the only name it is called they responded. How big is a
? About this high, indicating with his hands, and about this long ??? Since Don Martin was making these hand gestures over the table, I was not sure if the height was from the table to his hands or from the floor to his hands. When I asked if it were the size of a dog, he laughed and said "No smaller". Bigger than a rabbit? I asked. Oh, yes, bigger than a rabbit. Maybe up to 10 kilos or so (about 22 pounds). It only comes out at night and lives in a cave in the ground. It eats vegetables and fruits and plants and roots, Martin offered before I could ask. All I could picture was something like a muskrat. Yuck! Where did this one come from? I got it yesterday evening on the road Road kill??? I shot it with my shotgun. What good luck it was to get it for company, verdad? And, no, you cannot buy this meat at a market. It is against the law.
OK, I said to myself, I am here for the experience. If I didnt eat it, I would never know what it tasted like. After all, I ate pressed and fried guinea pig in Peru and was not the worse from the experience how much different could this be even if it were muskrat?
Oops! Another meal with no utensils. I waited for Alma to start, watching her out of the corner of my eye. Right! Now I remember. Tear a tortilla, like you would cut a pizza. Take about a quarter of the triangle-shaped tortilla and use it to grasp and hold some meat and then pop it right in your mouth.
I first tried the
since I knew I would like that. And I did...it was delicious.
Then I took a piece of the tortilla and grabbed some of the other white meat. By this time Sofi, recognizing that I was not used to eating without utensils, brought a spoon for the salsa and spoons for the meat. So I was able to add a little chili to the meat before eating. It wasnt quite like
sabor de pollo
(tastes like chicken) that even the locals use to describe some meats not usually on the dinner plate. It was, perhaps, a little like mutton (without the fat) or goat without the gamey taste that some wild meats have. So I had another. Ofelia served orange soda in plastic cups. I drank mine quickly since I saw that the flies were as interested in the soda as I was. Later I noticed that the adults covered their cups with a tortilla to keep out the flies. Tortillas were also used as napkins to clean fingers, faces and mouths.
After the meal we were given a tour of the grounds and shown a small pen with two young pigs. We were invited to help eat one of them as part of a
relleno negro
in November for their Day of the Dead observance.
Sofis husband, Carlos, had joined us for the meal by riding his bicycle from his village of Yalcoba to Hunuku. Since I was driving a minivan, I asked him if he would like to put the bike in the back and ride with us when we took Sofi home. But, of course! It took us about 10 minutes to go from Hunuku through another nameless village to Yalcoba. Carlos told us it takes him about an hour to ride the same route and Sofi added that it took her over an hour and a half to walk the same distance.
Alma treating the new bride
We went to the house of Carlos parents. Five of seven kids of Carlos and Sofi were there as well as Carlos mother and the new bride of one of Sofis sons. Alma worked with/on the grandmother as well as a couple of the kids attempting to cure their ills. She tried to determine if the new bride is pregnant yet but could not make a definite determination as yet. The bride is late, but it is still to soon to tell. We were asked if we would like some
made with fresh green corn rather than the dried corn that is usually used.
, as drunk by the Maya, is a thick mixture of water and
or ground corn. It can be comsumed warm, room-temperature or cold and it can be sweetened or spiced with cinnamon or chilies. It is a staple of the farmers while working their
. Why not? I had already put my delicate gringo stomach at risk, why not go the whole way. I always tell visitors to Mexico NOT to drink the water that is, to always drink only bottled, purified water. I was sure that the
had not been made with purified water, but I said OK. Yes, I would like to try the
. The taste was different. A cleaner, greener, fresher taste with some natural sweetness to it. We took our leave and returned to Valladolid.
The paca, paka, agouti,
Cute, isn't he?
The first thing I did upon arrival was to try to identify the strange meat
. Now I cannot pronounce that word let along spell it. After numerous failed attempts at Googling the word, an alternate spelling gave me the information that we ate a paca or an agouti, a rodent with a range from Mexico to the tip of South America that is commonly eaten. In Mexico, it called
, also spelled
while the Mayan name is
When I finally lay down in my hammock, I tried to listen to my body to see if any of the food or liquid I had ingested was going to cause me a problem. My body told me everything was OK and not to worry so I dropped off to sleep for over 10 hours. Maybe
could be marketed as a remedy for insomnia.
Quien sabé
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The Ups and Downs of Living in the Yucatan...
Saturday, August 25, 2007, 09:55 AM
What Pyramids and Cenotes Have In Common
I was born in North Dakota and raised in Montana, so I am used to being able to see a big sky and flat land. When driving through eastern North Dakota, I used to joke as we crossed an overpass that This is the highest point in North Dakota. It certainly seemed that way; you could see all the way to the unbroken horizon. Almost like being on the ocean, the expanse was so vast it seemed to go on forever. The very- low rolling hills flattened out with distance so that North Dakota seemed flat as a pancake.
When I first visited the Yucatan, I felt the same I even made the same jokes as we drove an overpass This must be the highest point in the Yucatan.
View from the summit of the main pyramid at Cobá
The view from the top of a pyramid is even more impressive. Flat. Absolutely flat! Without a hill or even a ripple. So flat that when it rains there is no down hill for the water to run, so the water sits in large puddles until it slowly drains into the earth or evaporates from the blazing sun. When walking through pre-Hispanic ruins, almost every time the very same revelation strikes me (Im a slow learner, after all). That mound over there covered with trees and shrubs and looks like a hill is NOT a hill. There are no hills here. Dah! That is an as-yet unexcavated Mayan ruin.
What go me to thinking about the flatness of the Yucatan was all of the climbing that I have recently been doing. Climbing up and then returning down; climbing down and then back up. Ive had some recent visitors that I took sightseeing. And almost all of the sights involve climbing both up and down (pyramids) or down and up (cenotes or caves) steps or stairs or ladders or ramps or paths.
The main pyramid at Cobá
Doesn't look like such a big deal, does it?
Let's add some people in to give it some perspective.
The main pyramid at Cobá with people
Pyramids are obvious. They stick up out of the ground and you can make an estimate of how high they are, how steep they are, how many steps have to be climbed (both up and then back down). Most people can make a semi-informed guesstimate, based upon past experiences, if they make it up and back down without a helicopter being called in to extract them from the top of a pyramid. The main pyramids of both Uxmal and Chichen Itza are now off-limits to climbing (and probably will remain that way). So, if you have already climbed one of them, you will have bragging rights with your grandchildren someday. If youve climbed both, you can start your bragging immediately.
But the main pyramids at both Ek Balam and Cobá are still open to climbers. The largest Ek Balam pyramid is higher than the Castillo at Chichen Itza, has a narrower width of steps than the Castillo and has no safety rope. Im not sure of the pitch of the steps, but it seems to me that Ek Balam is steeper than the Castillo as well. The lack of the safety rope (or guide rope) is not bad going up. After all, your eyes are looking directly at the steps that your feet will be on in just a few seconds.
Guide Rope at Cobá
Just before my first ascent of a pyramid, some kind soul told me to walk up (and down) in a zigzag pattern. Because the treads are generally narrower (less deep) than the code-approved steps that most of us are used to in the gringo north AND because the risers (the vertical distance between the steps) are so much higher than those to which we are accustomed, walking up or down using a zig-zag pattern allows us almost our normal gait or stride. Dont believe me? Try it.
I have asked a couple of professional archaeologists why the Maya, who are generally shorter in stature, constructed their steps in this manner. The best answer I received was this method produced the tallest structure with the least amount of stone (read: work). That made sense to me. The reason to build the structures in the first place was to re-create a mountain top where you (or the priest) could be closer to God, Dios, Chac or whom/whatever other divinity you might be searching for. The height was the main objective not the comfort level of the steps. So it made great economic sense for them to build as high as possible with the least amount of work possible. On the other hand, the steps leading to the viewing area at the main ball court at Cobá are built for people to actually use without any major strain. The risers are almost a standard height and the treads are spacious.
Coming back down from the top of a pyramid is another story. At least for me it is, and from my observations of other climbers over the years, a fair number of other people as well. At Chichen Itzas Castillo, most people just walked up, sometimes using their hands to reach up a few steps to help pull themselves up as they got closer to the top. Some people needed the guide rope to get up. Watching people come down was almost like viewing an old slapstick silent-film. Some of the younger ones ran down the steps (without the zigzag pattern), others strode majestically down, hardly ever looking at their feet. Still others cautiously advanced the same foot forward and downward, sometimes with the use of one or both hands to steady themselves. Some slide down on their butts, bump by bump. Many used the guide rope bisecting the steps. Some walked down, lightly staying in contact with the rope. Others came down backward holding on to the rope for dear-life. Yesterday I was at the main pyramid of Cobá. I had just descended and was sitting on a bench at the bottom waiting for a friend when the skies opened up with a brief, but drenching, rain shower. The stone steps suddenly became slick with the moisture and very slippery. The people caught on the steps hurried down as fast as they were able without their feet sliding out from under them. Not a good place to be caught if lightning started.
It's a long way down!
Heights do strange things to people. At Ek Balam, I watched a man, on his way back down; freeze about ten feet from the top of the pyramid. He could not move. His wife could not help him in any way. There was no guide rope to aid him. He sat there for at least 15 minutes before working up his courage enough to make his way down a few steps using a technique somewhere between the butt-sliding method and a hands-behind-the-back crab-walking one. I had to leave before he made his next move, but I am sure that it took him a long, long time to make his descent.
I watched him because I knew how close I had been many times to the same paralyzing fear. The fear starts at the bottom of the ascent because I realize then that I will have to come back down. The fear grows are I ascend. The higher I go, the greater the fear until I reach the top. Then I must go as far away as possible from any edge, preferably with my back against some solid structure. I check out the view but I cannot really enjoy it, as others seem to because all I can concentrate on is the descent. Because many of the pyramids are so steep, you cannot actually see the steps until you are very close to the edge. The lack of visual clues such as a banister or railing doesnt help either. Looking down, my stomach lurches and sweat breaks out over my entire body. There is nothing I can do about it, the fear has been there my entire life and will remain with me to my dying day. That first step down, almost always a side step, seems endless. A lifetime until my toe touches the top of that first step. The already overly high riser seems even higher than it actually is. I must stretch to reach the next step. If I look straight out, all I see is jungle. And if I look down, all I see is myself falling, bouncing, and rolling down the steps only to end up dead and spread-eagled on the ground at the base of the pyramid. Somehow I get down, vowing never to subject myself to the same humiliation again. Vowing to never again climb another pyramid, never go on the roof of my house, never even climb another ladder.
But then, I go and do it again.
Cenote Zaci in Valladolid
Balankanche Caves
The sightseeing adventures over the past few days have included three cenotes and one cave. All underground. All with long (and sometimes steep and slippery) descents. All had some sort of guide rope or handrail. Two of the cenotes and the cave (obviously, otherwise they would call it something else) had artificial lights of some kind. The third cenote was partially open to the sky and had ample natural light. Here the descents were less difficult. I often could not actually see the bottom of the stairs since they faded into darkness as well as sometimes twisted and turned around a bend. If I looked straight ahead, I was looking into a solid rock faces, sometimes inches from my eyes. I had to be careful not to bump my head on the uneven rock surface of the ceiling during the descent. And I could use my hands, both to grip the rope as well as to guide me down by following the rock walls by touch. A very tactile experience. Because of the touch I felt connected with the earth and, even though the steps were as steep (sometimes steeper) than those of a pyramid and the vertical distances were almost exactly the same (plus or minus 30 meters above ground level and below ground level I wonder if anyone has studied the relative heights of pyramids vs. cenotes as a basis for their thesis? After all, the ceiba tree has roots as deep as the branches are tall, verdad?), I did not experience the vertigo that I experience while descending a pyramid. I had the concern of slipping on moist stone steps, but not the fear of falling to the bottom.
Underground Ceremonial Site at the Balankanche Caves
In the cave where the only source of light was artificial, I experienced momentary claustrophobia, thinking of the tons of rock above my head and seeing the broken fragments of rock that had already fallen from the ceiling of the cave. How would I ever find my way out if the lights went out? I cursed myself for not bringing a pocket flashlight. And I thought of the miners in Utah and in China who, at the time this was written, were trapped in mine cave-ins, perhaps struggling for their lives at that very moment. Perhaps already dead.
And again was able to put my life and my fears in perspective.
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The toe bones connected to the foot bone ..
Friday, July 6, 2007, 06:17 PM
Theres more to dirt than meets the eye CSI in the Yucatan
A few weeks ago I touched on the rumor that my property might have been inhabited before the Spanish colonials showed up. Because of it location on a high piece of ground, there might have been a dwelling or even a more permanent site of some sort. Perhaps a clue showed up yesterday.
If youve bothered to read my previous posts, you will have read that I have found shards in many, many places in north, south and central America. And Im not the only one. I had a friend with whom I attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. During the 1960s he and his family moved to the state of Puebla in Mexico. He lived and painted there for over 9 years before returning to the US. When he returned, he told me that virtually every time someone dug a well or excavated for a house foundation they came across clay shards and figurines. He showed me a cigar box full of clay figures, heads and small animals.
A friend of mine from Argentina, knowing that I have an interest in pre-Hispanic cultures gave me a painted clay object that had been found on her familys ranch in NW Argentina. Im not at all sure what it is kind of looks like a bottle stopper to me. Perhaps that is what it was a stopper for a ceramic jug or jar.
I was in Peru, just south of Lima and still on the coast. A friend was showing me an ancient adobe city that was almost completely eroded. An archaeological dig was going on right along-side the road, at a low area. My driver stopped the car and hunkered down in the shade of the car to wait for us at least 10 meters away from the dig. I wandered over to the dig and begin to question the man in charge. Im not quite sure how I knew he was the man in charge, but he was. I was asking and he was answering in Spanish not great Spanish on either side. He looked Asian and since there are many Asians in the Lima area I just assumed he was Japanese. When I finally asked him where he was from and he replied Southern Illinois University, we both laughed and switched to English as it was more comfortable for both of us. After a brief chat, I returned to the car and as we dove off, the driver showed me what he had found in the dirt near the car. Two kernels of corn one almost black, the other yellow, both very dry. A shell. And a broken piece of bone about 4 inches long it looked to me to be a human rib bone. All of this just lying there in the dirt.
When I was a boy in Montana, I often found Indian arrowheads and traces of early European settlers.. The point being that anywhere people have been before us, they might have left traces of themselves.
Yesterday as my workers and I were sitting down to lunch, one of the workers pointed out an object sitting on the window ledge and asked me what it was. I had never seen it before. Nor had anyone else, except Sofia, the housekeeper. She said that it had been in the same place since she had been working for us. There had been a lot of changeover in the workers around the property over the past three or four months so no one said I found it and put it there.
One of the workers identified it as a tooth, but when I looked at it, I thought not. It looked more like a bone to me. A finger bone! At lunch we joked about where the object came from. Everyone showed their spread fingers to demonstrate all their fingers were intact and it was not their bone. After lunch I referenced my copy of Frank Netters Atlas of Human Anatomy. I first looked up the finger bones and then the toe bones. And there on Plate 505 was a match. The Proximal Phalange of the right big toe or the biggest bone in the big toe. Now, Im not an anatomist nor a pathologist nor a surgeon, but the match looked right to me. But Im certainly open to correction if someone can identify it.
Then the questions arose, whose toe was it? Where did it come from? How old is it? Mayan or Spanish? Did an animal bring the bone here from a burial site? Or is this the burial site itself? Did someone chop off a toe with a machete while cutting wood? Is there a tomb on the property? A relic from the Caste War?
Obviously more questions than answers. Anyone with any thoughts about this?
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Apocalypto, Mel Gibson and the Yucatan
Sunday, July 1, 2007, 10:54 AM
Last night I read a number of reviews of the film Apocalypto, directed by Mel Gibson, on iTunes. There were over 250 reviews (some of which I skimmed and some of which I read every word) of the movie. The dialogue of the movie is entirely in Yucatec Maya the language of the entire northern portion of the peninsula of Yucatan. And that is unique. The reviews ranged from it ok movie but Mel Gibson is semistic (sic) so it ruins the movie to many who said that it was the best movie of 2006. Many people commented on Mel Gibson rather than on the movie. Many took one side or the other on historical accuracy. So I felt I had to get my two cents in.
I live in Valladolid, Yucatan, less than 25 miles from the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. I eat Mayan food every day. And I hear Yucatec Mayan spoken every day. So that must make me an expert on all things Mayan, right? OK listen up!
First of all, I found a copy of the original shooting script for Apocalypto. Here it is.
The top of the Sacrificatorio is broken and ruined, but there is no doubt that it once supported an altar for those sacrifices of human victims which struck even the Spanish with horror. It was barely large enough for the altar and officiating priests, and the idol to whom the sacrifice was offered. The whole was in full view of the people at the foot.
The barbarous ministers carried up the victim entirely naked, pointed out the idol to which the sacrifice was made, that people might pay their adorations, and then extended him upon the altar. This had a convex surface, and the body of the victim lay arched, with the trunk elevated and the head and feet depressed. Four priests held the legs and arms, and another kept his head firm with a wooden instrument made in the form of a coiled serpent, so that he was prevented from making the least movement. The head priest then approached, and with a knife made of flint cut an aperture in the breast, and tore out the heart, which, yet palpitating, he offered to the sun, and then threw it at the feet of the idol.
If the victim was a prisoner of war, as soon as he was sacrificed they cut off his head to preserve the scull (sic), and threw the body down the steps, where it was taken up by the officer or soldier to whom the prisoner belonged, and carried to his house to be dressed and served up as entertainment for his friends
This was written by John L. Stephens in his book, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, Vol. II, Dover Edition, Copyright 1969, about the ruins at Santa Cruz del Quiché in Guatemala, originally written in 1840 and first published in 1841.
Secondly, I thought it was great that the film was shot in Yucatec Maya (even though most of the actors, if not all of them, had to learn their lines in Mayan). I showed the film to Sofia, a Mayan friend who only speaks Spanish with gringos like me; at home, in the streets or at the market she speaks Yucatec Maya (as do approximately one and one half million other people on the Yucatan peninsula). She had trouble understanding the movie. Im not sure if it was because the actors didnt do such a great job, if they had bad accents or if Sofia just wasnt used to hearing the Mayan language coming out of speakers.
Almost all of the people with whom I am in contact on any given day are Maya and speak Mayan. Many still live in houses like the ones shown in the village scenes. If you want to experience the Mayan culture, come on down. It still exists. The descendents of the people who built the pyramids are still alive and well.
Most of Mexico was quickly conquered by the Spanish and their Indian allies. But they never really conquered the Mayans. The last Mayan Rebellion (War of the Castes) was not officially over until 1913. And I have heard skirmishes still occurred into the 1930s. But now the Mayans are friendly and welcoming. Climbing one of their pyramids after seeing the film puts a whole new light on things. As does cutting through their jungle with a steel machete.
I cant comment on the accuracy of any part of the film except for one thing: If the sighting of the Spanish ship was supposed to be the first interaction between the Spanish and the mainland Amerindians, there was a slight problem with geography. The first recorded meeting took place in the Yucatan (in what is now the state of Quintana Roo). The Yucatan peninsula is, for the most part, flat as a pancake. There are no hills, no mountains, no rivers and no waterfalls. One would have to go a long way south to Belize or southwest to Chiapas or Guatemala to find such terrain. Far enough away so that, even if you ran really, really hard, you couldnt make it back in time to save you wife and children from drowning. Other than that, I thought everything was immensely interesting and detailed.
Bottom line: I liked the movie and I am sure that I will see it numerous times.
I gave it 5 Stars.
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text:
24 March 2011
Posted in Dr. Dare's Lab
In the 1950's Stanley Miller was experimenting with what might have caused inorganic compounds to tease themselves together into the amino acids and proteins needed to spark life on a new and uninhabited Earth billions of years ago.
Miller created samples of 'primordial soup' and tested them for the ingredients needed to create small, uncomplicated, single-celled organisms. Some of his samples got shelved as unproductive - these are the samples being revisited in this study. And it turns out Miller accomplished a lot more than he thought.
More details at: www.sciencedaily.com.
Stephanie is a Science Interpreter at the Science Center and often is found in DinoDigs or Careers for Life. Paleontology, Anthropology and Anatomy are her passion and jumps at every opportunity to talk about it. Stop in and say Hello!