text:
Pages 273-284
Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 17, 1621-1623. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1911.
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April 1622
|April 1.
|390. GIROLAMO LANDO, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|The king returned to London not altogether free from his, indisposition, but much relieved. He honoured me by giving me audience in his bedchamber, for about an hour, when he listened and spoke very graciously. I began by congratulating him on his recovery, and told him what I was instructed about the engagement of Mansfelt. The king said he was very glad of this, as he feared that the count inclined to disband his troops, chiefly owing to the negotiations to take place at Brussels. He now hoped this would infuse him with fresh vigour and serve the general interests. I coupled this with the office passed with me about his son-in-law by saying that I thought it would serve for the ends desired by his Majesty, as your Serenity joined his interests with your own, and it was desirable that every one should likewise do his part. I also reminded him of the heavy expenses incurred by the republic. The king admitted the truth of this and said he was much beholden, and he seemed completely satisfied by my arguments and to claim no more, and what he had written and caused to be said to me was the result of the frequent pressure brought to bear upon him. As the reply of the republic might arrive while he was away from London he begged me to consign it to the Secretary Calvert.
|I afterwards enlarged upon various points in the letters I hold, that I had on good authority from various sources and would not refrain from communicating to him in confidence, that although in appearance the Spaniards did not agree with the emperor about the Palatinate, yet their action and aims concurred in not making restitution, and the only difference was in the means. Cæsar wished to confer it entire upon Bavaria, with the title of Electoral Prince, and the Spaniards wanted to keep the Lower part for themselves. Seeing that he listened attentively and was impressed, I thought the moment favourable to go further, saying how closely one ought to watch their good as well as their evil action, so that the former may not be converted to evil uses. I proceeded to communicate the important advices from Rome with that modest liberty of speaking which this monarch now and then enjoys, not making the office expressly in the name of your Excellencies, but saying that I thought I should fail in my duty if I did not tell him of a matter that concerned his interests so nearly, adding that the republic and her ministers were not accustomed to report mere imaginings, but acted with sincerity and purity of motive, and I felt sure this would meet with a response from his Mafesty. Your Serenity desires the restitution of the Palatinate as much as he does, and even if the Spanish marriage takes place it would make no difference and would not cool the affection the Doge has always shown, which is rooted in such firm foundations, and I would assure his Majesty that everything I told him was solely intended for his interest and advantage.
|The king embraced me and expressed cordial esteem for your Serenity, and his assurance of your sincerity. He wished to impress upon his memory the name of Cardinal Fresia and seemed to attach great importance to the document promising the interposition of some prince about the emperor's decision to confer the electoral vote upon Bavaria. He seemed anxious to know specifically what prince had interposed, so if the letters had been a little fuller they would have produced a greater effect.
|With regard to the idea of marrying Leopold, he said they had first arranged the marriage with the emperor's son; they profess to have broken it off at my request. But what about this? I shall keep a sharp look out to see if these things are true, since all the advices which we princes receive are not infallible. This is indeed important and calculated to excite amazement. If I am deceived it is a huge trick; neither I nor my son will suffer it, we shall become perpetual enemies of the whole house of Austria and shall pursue our revenge to the death.
|As regards the marriage, they have shown me letters written by the Catholic to the pope praying for the dispensation; that Father Maestro wrote from Rome to the Spanish ambassador, telling him that the matter was adjusted, but the arrival of the news of the disturbances in parliament about religion and a war against the Spaniards upset everything. If all these things are fictions, one can only say that they are the biggest rascals in the world. A private gentleman would disdain and blush to do such things, for he would be breaking his word; how much more a great prince, whose interests also require this marriage, and that is why I have believed it more readily and built more strongly upon it.
|I touched on the advantages they derive from delay, their object to drag the matter on for ever, their habit and facility of colouring their delays, their interest in the negotiations lasting a long while, the artifice with which they proceed in all the items of news to which they give birth, the number of instruments captured by them in such a sorry way, whom they employ everywhere, and similar things, ending by saying that if his Majesty's inveterate prudence was not more capable of divining this than the tongue or brain of any one else soever, I should not have passed the limits dictated by modesty and respect.
|The king remarked, As regards the Palatinate they have shown me letters written by the Catholic to the emperor, professing peculiar anxiety to satisfy me. But indicating by a gesture that he feared for the electoral vote in particular and Cæsar's harshness, he said: The emperor's ambassador is at Brussels. I will try to have the matter despatched in the shortest way possible; in fine if there is any artifice I shall declare myself, and as it is, they have gone so far that I must see what steps to take.
|I am sending Digby to Spain and charged him to show all diligence, and I was amazed to find when I arrived here that he had not started. But he may leave any moment. I have charged him to bring the negotiations to an end, because I must and will know everything, and I can have no more delay about the Palatinate. Orders for arming are already issued, for which I have a great weight on my back, as 800,000 crowns have already been spent in making provisions of munitions or something similar, and with that, he shrugged his shoulders in a very expressive manner. I will do everything in my power and I hope God will help me, and if I find that I have been deceived I will use my teeth and nails. He said this with great warmth.
|At this point I suggested that the events in the Grisons might serve as an example, and we could also see the result of the negotiations in Germany. Instead of restoring the Valtelline, the Spaniards had subdued those people and the country. He answered that the Swiss and Grisons had also been much to blame, his Agent Wake, everyone else and even the book recently published at the Hague called Cancellaria Hispanica (fn. 1) admitted as much. I also admitted that those people, in their desperation, had not acted wisely, and had not hearkened to the advice of their good friends.
|But I said that their desperation was only caused by the delays of the Governor of Milan and President Dole, and the postponement in fulfilling the promises so solemnly made in Spain, while, with their usual artifices and powerful means, they excited impatience and tried to stir up the people in order to avail themselves of the pretext and do what they have done to the loss of those poor people and the community. So it was perfectly clear where the principal fault lay. I then spoke of the last new treaty made at Milan (fn. 2) when the Grison ambassadors said they did not know what they had signed and swore that they had not discussed or agreed to many of the articles, telling him that various persons in the communes were not satisfied and had sent to France.
|The king seemed anxious that they should not be satisfied and deplored the wretched state of that affair, calling it the most prejudicial blow suffered by Christendom for many years past. He said that the new treaty was a filthy thing, a loathsome and base compact (un sporchezzo, un impiastro stomacoso, indegno), and when they showed it to him he refused to read it, thinking it shameful to show and speak about it. But he said: I cannot embroil myself in so many things. I will tell you what I have done in the matter. I have ordered my Ambassador Doncaster to return to France one of these days, aud to do all in his power to bring about peace in that kingdom and to urge that king to force the fulfilment of the promises. He is going to Lyons as you will have heard. He professes that he can effect both, but I laugh at it and do not believe he can manage so much; unless he makes peace with his subjects what can he attend to elsewhere.
|His Majesty thus gave me to understand that he could not go any further for the sake of those interests, although he is equally sensible of the need, because he has so great a burden on his shoulders, and unless the Most Christian, the republic and the Duke of Savoy (who would do better to apply himself to the Grisons than in exciting alarm in Geneva and the Pays du Vaud, as he told the person (fn. 3) who acts as a kind of agent for the duke here) quite fail to play their part together, he hoped all would turn out well in the end, and that great prejudice would be removed; while he will do what he can for the Palatinate.
|I replied as instructed, more for the purpose of showing confidence than of acquainting him precisely with the facts, and that it might serve as an example for the Palatinate, to which it is so closely related, not to press him or embarrass him further. A mutual understanding about affairs was the only salve for the wounds. Mansfeld had gone to Alsace and the Governor of Milan immediately sent troops to cut him off, though in the dead of winter, availing himself of the newly acquired pass. I referred to your Serenity's offices with the Duke of Savoy about the Bernese and the good effect produced. This pleased the king greatly and I understand that he immediately told his physician Mayerne, their agent here. He told me that he also had written strongly to his Highness on the subject, and doubtless the towns of Zurich and Berne will always be perfectly ready. He then repeated that he meant to finish his negotiations by the short way; he will assist the interests of Rhetia with his good offices to the extent of his powers and if everyone does his share he hopes, with God's help that any deceit will be exposed and remedied. I urged that all delays should be cut short and praised his Majesty's prudence and good intentions, assuring him repeatedly of the resolution and disposition of your Excellencies towards whom he again shewed the utmost graciousness both in word and deed.
|To avoid fatiguing your Excellencies I will reserve all other news for future despatches. I will simply add that the Ambassadors of the States have resumed their negotiations with his Majesty, who referred them once more in gracious terms to the Commissioners of the Council, and now they are very hopeful of securing an adjustment satisfactory to both parties.
|I have received the letters of the 18th February, which escaped from the rifling. I do not know if there was anything from your Serenity in the despatch of the 25th, but as the letters to the Secretary Surian at the Hague have come straight to me by mistake, I expect mine have gone to him. I have sent them to him immediately as there might be something of importance.
|London, the 1st April, 1622.
|[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.]
|April 2.
|391. ZORZI GIUSTINIAN, Venetian Ambassador at Constantinople, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|I had audience of the Captain Pasha and urged him to punish the pirates, telling him of the pirates who took refuge under Navarino, and of the news from Scios which has just reached me in letters of the 21st ult. of the capture by six bertons of Barbary under the pirate Sanson of the ship Martinella, with the English Ambassador on board, showing him how necessary it was to hunt down these pirates and chastise them.
|The Vigne of Pera, the 2nd April, 1622.
|[Italian; deciphered.]
|April 2.
|392. RANIER ZEN, Venetian Ambassador at Rome, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|His Holiness's brother (fn. 4) visited me three days ago. In the course of the conversation I pointed out to him that the Spaniards never desire anything but negotiations, and they never concluded anything. I instanced the marriage negotiation with England, wherein they were inwardly quite determined to do nothing, as the cardinal his son knew full well from his share in the commission thereupon, their only object being to prevent that king from helping the Palatine. We must never trust the promises of the Spaniards, and be well on our guard about their negotiations.
|Rome, the 2nd April, 1622.
|April 2.
Misc. Cod.
No. 61.
|393. MARC ANTONIO PADAVIN, Venetian Ambassador in Germany, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|They find themselves unable to fortify Moscheniz for lack of money. In the Court here an English knight named Eliata has been staying for a long time. He is one of those who came with the ship with munitions to Trieste in the time of Osuna, who employed him, and who was sent several times to Spain and here to induce the emperor to get the Spanish to enter the Gulf and make a diversion. I think your Excellencies are well informed about him owing to the diligence of the Secretary Spinelli. He is a man of a restless and turbulent disposition and strongly prejudiced against the most serene republic. He has sounded all the ports, rocks and shoals of Istria, Dalmatia and Albania and claims a thorough acquaintance with the whole of that coast. He has visited it on numerous occasions guided by Vicenzo Griglianovich, the man who murdered the most Illustrious Veniero, (fn. 5) to make these soundings, especially in the port of Pola and the rocks of Veruda. He proposed a raid upon Pola, saying that if the Spanish fleet had it they could stop all Venetian shipping, and that they should besiege Peschiera by land; he offered himself to command at sea, being very skilful. Such were his plans, and in part they listened to them, but peace came. Yet he has persisted in the same ideas and stayed on here in order to obtain something from his Majesty, in which he succeeded though he did not get much. He has now left and gone to Flanders to marry. (fn. 6) I understand that he will proceed to Spain or Italy to propose the same ideas, but I have not yet been able to discover to which he will go first, but I will endeavour to send word at the earliest opportunity.
|Vienna, the 2nd April, 1622.
|April 4.
Signori Stati.
|394. CHRISTOFFORO SURIAN, Venetian Secretary in the Netherlands, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|I have received your Serenity's letters with instructions of the answer to be given to the king here, the English ambassador and the Prince of Orange. I performed the office with the first two yesterday evening. The king expressed his thanks and praised your Serenity's action in the Valtelline. The ambassador also thanked me and seemed to appreciate the reply given to Wotton, whose proposals may have been a good preparation for the request made in his king's letters. I simply kept to the things already said, endeavouring to prevent a renewal of the requests. The ambassador then praised your Serenity's conduct about the Valtelline, but he seemed doubtful about France and whether they would settle down there.
|Early last week the Palatine sent his horses and baggage towards Germany, and he set out this morning before daybreak. The English ambassador told me that he had gone to Brill to embark, but as the wind is contrary I feel sure he will return to the Hague this evening. In his study the ambassador showed me the journey on a map, either by Hamburg or Bremen, and added in his usual confidential manner, perhaps he will go there, pointing to England, to meet the king incognito. He said he told me all this in confidence and asked me to keep it secret. I thanked the ambassador and said I wished his Majesty a most pleasant journey.
|The ambassador also told me that he had as much money with him as he could take for the Duke of Brunswick, and he would find more in the Palatinate, but as regards the requirements of the Count of Mansfeld, he shrugged his shoulders and said he knew nothing about it.
|The English ambassador has arrived at Brussels, but we have not heard anything of his proposals, the last letters thence not even stating whether he had yet had audience of the Infanta.
|The Hague, the 4th April, 1622.
|[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.]
|April 7.
|395. PIERO GRITTI, late Venetian Ambassador in Germany, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|I arrived at Monaco on Thursday last and had an interview with the duke. Among other things he remarked, Since his imperial Majesty proposed to the King of England a congress at Brussels to be attended by ambassadors of all the powers concerned, to settle their differences, they have gone no further. No one knows whether this step pleases the King of England, and although he has had plenty of time to declare his wishes and answer the emperor's proposals so far we all remain in the dark. I answered that I heard from Spain that the Catholic favoured the cause of the Palatine and so England might prefer to have the negotiations there. The duke said, I have heard from England that Digby has left for Spain, which confirms what you say, but I do not know if Cæsar has given the Catholic power to treat in his name and still less if the Palatine has referred his affairs to England.
|Augsburg, the 7th April, 1622. Copy.
|April 8.
|396. To the Ambassador in France and the like to the other Courts except Rome.
|The count of Monterei, Ambassador Extraordinary of his Catholic Majesty to the pope, at his recent public audience at Rome gave instructions that all the cardinals should be invited except the French and Venetian. This caused a grave scandal at the Court. The excluded cardinals decided not to receive private visits from the Ambassador, and Cardinal Valiero carried this out.
|Ayes, 137.
|Noes, 1.
|Neutral, 5.
|The like to:
|Spain, England, the Hague, Milan, Savoy, Naples, Florence, Vienna, Zurich.
|April 8.
|397. GIROLAMO LANDO, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|Digby left recently for his embassy to Spain, but we have not yet heard of his embarking, as he goes by sea. Before he left he went about saying that he was neither French nor Spanish, that so long as the king seemed desirous of standing well with Spain he directed his offices to that end, and even now he is labouring with all zeal to bring the marriage to completion, but, if he perceives that the Spaniards are not proceeding with steadfast tread, he will at once send word frankly, they will remove the mask and if his Majesty changes he will be the first to second him. He told me further that he would rather marry the prince, who is of the right age and who cannot wait long because he is the sole heir to the throne, to any princess whatsoever in a month than wait a year for the Spaniard.
|His instructions are specious and wide (larghe), more restricted for the Palatinate, but for the marriage he has liberty to stipulate the contract for his Highness in his own person and together with the ordinary Ambassador Aston he is to endeavour to obtain some binding promise in writing from the king, such as they claim to have had from his father.
|Gondomar announces a fresh confirmation of his leave or order to return to Spain in about twenty days. This is thought to be due to Digby leaving before he expected and from the assurance that he is really going to oppose any more delays in the negotiations. He recently expressed great displeasure to a familiar, as other things also are not proceeding altogether to his satisfaction; because his Majesty is so much upset at the announcement that Dominis is departing hence, being sent to do some service to religion, saying that such an idea although untrue might easily take root by its mere expression, and in short this business could not harm him at Rome or elsewhere. After having laboured much to obtain the leave to depart, he told one who complained in his Majesty's name because he had tried to get Dominis away from here, you ought to thank me for ridding you of such a rogue. He was not solicited by me, but it was he who solicited me, and so I tried to bring him to such a point that his inconstancy, ambition and avarice might be recognised as well as the motives which guide him, and which prevail with him above all considerations of religion. If his Majesty has him hanged I shall not mind, let him do what he pleases.
|The ambassador thus dexterously avoids giving greater offence to the king, and in any event achieves his intent. Dominis considers himself deluded in this manner, and agitated for some days (perhaps still, I do not know) by uncertainty about his retreat, has been much moved and curbing his tongue humbly submitted himself to his Majesty these last days and expressed his desire to throw himself again into his arms. Notwithstanding this it was announced that the king desired to give him the leave which he requested so earnestly. But actually in the assembly of the prelates here, after hearing their opinions and after a third signed declaration from Dominis that there was never any question of sending him to Rome for the said purpose, suggested by or to the king or any of the councillors or others in any way soever, they decided to expel him altogether from these realms, after a definite time, sending on word to Italy, while detaining him here, although deprived of all his benefices, in order to make his deceit manifest to the world in this way and show the emptiness of the said report, and for that purpose they have written to Wotton and to Wake at Turin.
|They have appointed an ambassador for the negotiations at Brussels, Mr. Weston, a new councillor, who was in Germany a little while ago. They hear that Cæsar, who has arrived there for the same business, complains of his delay in going thither. And yet it is probable that he has no less intention of dragging out the time than President Dole had for the affair of the Grisons. Accordingly the king is urging on Weston's departure, but in the stir of such an imperial embassy there seems no other liberty for the moment than to make a conditional armistice. Some say that the king does not incline thereto, but it is perfectly clear that he asked for it at Brussels through his agent a while ago, and this same Digby told me that he feared they would find points among the conditions difficult to overcome, and whatever they were they would certainly be pernicious for Mansfelt's forces and Brunswick's and for the levies which are not yet even made. Accordingly the Palatine will not readily consent thereto; but on this side I believe they would incline to one without much reluctance in the constant hope of facilitating the restitution by such means, and still more owing to the ever increasing difficulty of recovering what has been lost by force and to shirk the burden, as they have no means of raising money adequate for the crisis, and owing to its scarcity Chichester and everyone else who is ready to start has to put it off.
|The Queen of Bohemia has written to the Infanta at Brussels recommending the interests of her husband and these negotiations. The reply was courteous and friendly, though they do not say here whether it was written or verbal, calling her Countess Palatine, and merely expressing the hope of enjoying the same friendship and confidence with her as with her mother Queen Anne.
|Last week the prince was formally declared a Councillor, the king employing him in the affairs of the government in a remarkable manner. (fn. 7)
|The Ambassador Doncaster, being pressed as he declares by the Most Christian to return, is trying to get the deputies of la Rochelle to leave the kingdom, in order to facilitate his negotiations with that monarch. The Ambassador Trilliers has also asked for this saying it is not possible for his master to incline to any negotiations while they remain here. Accordingly they have secretly advised them to go, and they are about to leave. They presented a paper to his Majesty showing by examples what little reason they had to trust any promises. He sent a reply that he could not tell them everything but that they may rely upon him and be of good hope.
|London, the 8th April, 1622.
|Postscript.—News has just arrived that the emperor's ambassador has started on his way hither from Brussels. Accordingly Weston's departure is postponed and they are preparing to receive the other with great honour.
|[Italian; the part in italics deciphered.]
|April 8.
|398. GIROLAMO LANDO, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|From what his Majesty said to one of his leading ministers after my last audience, relating some particulars of my office and showing how much he valued the advices, it seems clear that the participation of such matters will prove helpful, provided they are weighty and actual, and that one is free to use them at favourable opportunities without affectation and without the necessity of asking for frequent audiences.
|Moreover this has coincided with the confirmation, published generally in letters from Rome, that the Spaniards while making a show of soliciting the dispensation are really trying to postpone it, as by means of delay they expect to derive greater advantages here than hitherto. This and other proceedings which appear on every hand, together with the rumour of a proposed league against the Protestants supply them with material for reflection.
|In addition to this there is another matter, although they profess not to believe it, notwithstanding that they have some confirmation. A certain Scottish gentleman (fn. 8) has come post from Spain, leaving behind his property there, a Catholic who has been absent for many years, to advise the king, who heard him privately with great attention, to stand on his guard and not to trust the Spaniards too much, affirming that the large fleet which they are preparing, is certainly intended to strike a blow at these realms, saying he will be content to go to prison and be hanged if it is not so, and if it had not already been discussed by the Council there. But in that case the report alone would suffice to divert it, and the present time might not be very suitable, although great disorder and corruption prevail here and they are very ill provided. Some of the Protestant leaders have also observed that for some days past the Catholics have been making an extraordinarily extensive purchase of horses.
|The ambassadors of the States, on the strength of the latest instructions from the Hague, have shown more disposition to give satisfaction. At their audience of the king they received a most favourable reply and their negotiations seem to be in good train. They seem to depend more upon the style to be adopted in the Indies henceforward than upon past events. When they asked the king to withdraw his commission to the earl of Oxford to arrest their ships, they obtained his promise, but the fulfilment being delayed either through forgetfulness or intentional dilatoriness on the part of ministers, it happened that the Vice Admiral of the fleet having with him three ships to serve for Digby's voyage, fell in with one of the Dutch returning from the East and arrested it without a fight, as it was rather in confusion than armed, and brought it into the Downs. (fn. 9) It was announced to be worth 200,000l., but actually the value does not exceed 20,000l. His Majesty immediately sent Edmondes, the Secretary of the Council, to express his sorrow to the ambassadors at the event, adding that it must not upset the negotiations, the commissioners shall attend first to giving them satisfaction, the order has been immediately withdrawn and such mistakes shall not occur again. The ambassadors confined themselves to speaking to the commissioners, expressing their regret, and saying that they could not continue any negotiations until the ship was released. The commissioners expressed their willingness to continue the negotiations but the ambassadors absolutely refused and pressed for a fresh audience of his Majesty which they had this morning resulting in the release of the ship. They have just informed me that the king spoke to them in the most friendly manner and said he would not abandon them and would attend to anything else they might desire. I will reserve a more exact report of this for my next despatch as I have not had time to learn more. I may add that at the first audience, when they pointed out the ascendency of Spain and of all the house of Austria, and how it demanded attention, and if his Majesty abandoned them they could no longer resist, which would eventually result in grave prejudice to these realms and to the general peace. He answered by assuring them that he desires and always has desired their preservation, that he has more reason to distrust the Spaniards than they have and loved them no more than the Dutch, but he did not proceed to any more binding obligations. Such expressions and still more the action recorded above show very clearly that his Majesty never really meant to have a quarrel with them, but merely made a show which he may have thought would help the negotiations in hand, as I have frequently written, and with the object of providing food also for Rome and the Spaniards, although the latter, for their own purposes, have greatly exaggerated the reports.
|London, the 8th April, 1622.
|[Italian; the parts in italics deciphered.]
|April 8.
Consiglio di X.
Lettere di
|399. GIROLAMO LANDO, Venetian Ambassador in England, to the heads of the Council of Ten.
|While acknowledging the receipt of your Excellencies' letter of the 6th February, I have to add to what I wrote to you on the 11th and 18th ult., and to what I wrote to the Senate last week about Dominis, the idea that in going to Rome he will broach the subjects mentioned these last days is much weakened, although it seems certain that the design was actually prepared. It may have disappeared because if the aspect of affairs has changed he might not consider it to be for his own advantage to trouble the republic at present, even if we did not entertain any doubt about his present altered behaviour being merely feigned. The Spanish ambassador, since the strong feeling shown by the king upon the subject, beyond what he imagined, says that it is enough for him to have exposed Dominis as a rogue who turns with the wind of ambition or avarice, and professes to have given him up altogether, but possibly in order to have him chased hence more readily. This will occur and the decision on the subject has been drawn up, although not yet imparted to him owing to the king's indisposition and it remains secret. The said ambassador may either intend to interest himself further in the matter, without appearing to do so, or, in order not to injure himself here, get the whole thing placed in the pope's hands and depend solely upon his Holiness, at whose feet the said Dominis (in the confusion that has made him contradict himself on more than one occasion, just as I believe it has made him change his plan of asking for passports of the other ambassadors and of me) said he would go and throw himself, without asking for any guarantees, confessing his errors and asking for mercy, trusting to the pity and compassion of his Holiness. If the correspondence between him and the said Spaniard was a fact, the latter might have taken from him the letters and other things which he had and consequently squeezed the juice out of him, and might then desire no more than his complete ruin. If I can discover something further from the French ambassador, as your Excellencies suggest, I will not fail to do so but knowing him as I do I feel sure that either he will tell me nothing more, or else not without concerting with others, so that it is not likely to serve any good purpose; but after the departure hence of this man, which cannot, I think, be long delayed, I shall be able to extend my observations elsewhere and then this can be done.
|London, the 8th April, 1622.
|[Italian; deciphered.]
|April 8.
Consiglio di X.
|400. In the Council of Ten.
|That Antonio Foscarini, knight, son of the late Nicolo, accused of having secretly and frequently conferred with strangers by day and night, in their own residences and elsewhere, in this city and on the main, in disguise and in his ordinary clothes, and of having revealed the closest secrets of the republic to them by word of mouth and in writing, and of receiving money from them, be arrested, and should it not be possible to capture him, that notice be left at his house charging him to present himself at the prison of the chiefs of this Council within the next three days to defend himself against the aforesaid charges, as otherwise, on the expiration of that period legal proceedings will be instituted despite his absence. In the event of his presenting himself or being seized, that he be made over to our Inquisitors of State, with all the usual and accustomed clauses.
|Ayes, 15.
|Noes, 0.
|Neutral, 1.
|April 9.
Misc. Cod.
No. 61.
|401. MARC ANTONIO PADAVIN, Venetian Secretary in Germany, to the DOGE and SENATE.
|They are now considering the choice of the commissioners to go to Brussels. On their own behalf and for Bavaria they will agree to an armistice in the Palatinate, if Bavaria retains what he has, and if England will promise for Mansfelt. Bavaria will agree to this the more readily from his fear that Mansfelt may invade his own duchy.
|Vienna, the 9th April, 1622. Copy.


text:
Georgia Mae Gaiser, 93, of Fenelton, died Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at her home.
Born June 4, 1924 in Butler, she was a daughter of the late George Fischer and Josephine Weiland Fischer.
Georgia along with her husband Richard were owners of Gaiser Truck Stop in Fenelton. She was a member of St. John Roman Catholic Church in Coylesville, had enjoyed crocheting, was an excellent baker and also enjoyed going to their river house in Adrian.
Surviving are her 5 children: Pearl Mae (William) Katsko of Fenelton, Beverly (John) Gettys of Alabama, Richard H. (Linda) Gaiser, Jr. of Fenelton, Patricia Rumburg of Worthington and Janet Tack of Butler.
9 grandchildren: Richard (Melissa) Katsko, Lisa (Scott) Lynn, Richard H. (Sandra) Gaiser, III, Annette (Anthony) Iarrapino, Rebecca (Thomas) Kelly, Tyler (Melissa) Mahood, Diane (Earl) Collins, Amber (Brian) Miller and Autumn Tack.
22 great grandchildren.
1 sister, Mary Louise Hougg of Butler.
Her dog Gabby.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Richard H. Gaiser, Sr., whom she married May 26, 1943, he died February 26, 2001; a grandson, Robert Gaiser; 1 sister, Wilda Alvey; 3 brothers Carl, John and James Fischer.
Friends will be received at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 East Cunningham Street, Butler, from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Friday. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, at 10:00 a.m., at St. John Roman Catholic Church in Coylesville. EVERYONE PLEASE MEET AT THE CHURCH. The Rev. Matt McClain, Pastor, will officiate. Internment will follow in St. John's Parish Cemetery.
Memorial Donations may be made to St. Jude's Childrens Research Hospital or to the Charity of the donors choice.

subset: commoncrawl


text: The impulsive growth and utility of Internet has put senior citizens, especially those above 40 at unease who continue to prefer traditional means. However, the dependency over internet is such, that no individual can absolutely do away with it. This combined with lack of awareness, makes senior citizens easy target. Through its various programs like e-Raksha, Cyebr Security Helpline, iSafe Alliance, etc. Cyber Peace Foundation seeks to empower the senior citizens to harness the Internet to its full potential while sensitising them about how to stay safe in the cyber space.


text:
TBILISI, DFWatch--A Stalin monument in Telavi, Georgia, has been dismantled. The same day as it was installed in September, 2013, the statue was paint bombed by unknown persons, who also painted other Stalin monuments in other Georgian villages, erected after the change
Stalin monument dismantled in Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 31, 2013
Georgia's chief prosecutor resignsby DFWatch staff | December 31, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Chief Prosecutor of Georgia has resigned, nearly a week after he was targeted by the National Movement party for a robbery conviction in Germany in 2001. Otar Partskhaladze Monday evening issued a statement saying that due to the questions which
EU integration main goal of Georgia's governing coalitionby DFWatch staff | December 31, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's parliament speaker said Monday that the country's main political priority is signing the Association Agreement with the EU and that all the other issues are subordinate to this priority. Summing up the year 2013 at a press conference, Davit
Georgia starts work on new constitutionby DFWatch staff | December 31, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--In Georgia, a new Constitution Commission is preparing a draft of constitutional amendments that will balance the branches of power. It will start work in the second half of January, 2014. Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili said this on Monday
Georgia moves plan for new airport closer to Abkhaziaby DFWatch staff | December 30, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia plans to build an international airport in Anaklia, a beach resort on the Black Sea next to the breakaway region Abkhazia. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Minister of Economy, said at a briefing December 25 that a plan developed by the previous
Tbilisi mayor plans to mortgage house to pay USD 30 000 bailby DFWatch staff | December 30, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava plans to mortgage his house in order to pay the bail money in a corruption case. Ugulava was last week suspended by Tbilisi City Court. The mayor is charged with embezzlement of Tbilisi City Hall money and using it to
Georgia's foreign trade Jan-Nov grew 4%by DFWatch staff | December 30, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's foreign trade turnover in January-November 2013 was USD 9 681 million. This is four percent more than in the same period last year. USD 2 618 of this was export – 20 percent more than in 2012. Import amounted to USD 7 064 million
Georgian president to get a modest pay riseby DFWatch staff | December 30, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--President Giorgi Margvelashvili will get increased salary next year, but the increase is less than previously planned. The president's salary will go up from 4 720 to 6 900 lari (USD 3 900), according to new draft, which parliament is reviewing.
Language barrier prevents minorities from going into politicsby DFWatch staff | December 30, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Participants at a round table discussion organized by DF Watch said lack of language skills is preventing ethnic minorities from engaging in politics in Georgia. The discussion was held on December 28, and the topic was what obstacles there are
National Movement demonstrated against mayor's suspensionby DFWatch staff | December 28, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The National Movement on Saturday mobilized thousands of its supporters to protest the removal from office of the Tbilisi mayor. UNM members believe that democracy is in danger in Georgia. Apart from being against the suspension of Ugulava, who is
Georgian ombudsman reports mistreatment in prisonby DFWatch staff | December 28, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's Public Defender claims his staff witnessed mistreatment of a prisoner. Ucha Nanuashvili on Friday appealed to the Prosecutor's Office to start investigation of Prison No 8 in Gldani. The Ombudsman's statement says employees visited the
Saakashvili era official charged with Abu Ghraib-style abuseby Rusiko Machaidze | December 27, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A former official in the Saakashvili regime has been charged in a case involving Abu Ghraib-style sexually degrading treatment of detainees. Megis Kardava, who has held several positions at law enforcement bodies in Georgia, has been out of the country
Tbilisi mayor loses appealby DFWatch staff | December 27, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A decision by the city court to suspend Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava pending a corruption trial has been upheld in the Appeals Court. Both the Prosecutor's Office and Ugulava's defense lawyers appealed the city court's decision. The Prosecutor's
National Movement demands chief prosecutor's suspensionby DFWatch staff | December 25, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The National Movement Party in Georgia has exposed that the Chief Prosecutor was convicted of robbery in Germany in 2001. Otar Partskhaladze confirms that he had certain incident with police in Germany, but claims that he was not subject to coercive
Saakashvili barred from entering Ukraineby DFWatch staff | December 25, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Ukrainian government has barred former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvil from entering the country after he visited the protesters in Kyiv. Saakashvili's name appears along with 29 Georgians on a list published by the Ukrainian foreign
Rough debate about rough interrogation methodsby DFWatch staff | December 24, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A lawmaker from the National Movement party in Georgia has threatened to sue her colleague from the Georgian Dream coalition for defamation during a debate about rough interrogation methods. The quarrel broke out during a session of the parliamentary
Ivanishvili tells Forbes he won't return to politicsby DFWatch staff | December 24, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Former Georgian prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili told Forbes he is sure he won't return to politics. In an interview with the Russian edition of the publication, he explained that he would keep his promise to stay out of politics. "I guarantee
Georgian PM to visit US in first half of 2014by DFWatch staff | December 23, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian prime minister Irakli Gharibashvili plans to visit the US in the first half of 2014, according to the country's foreign affairs minister. Maia Panjikidze announced the visit while summing up events the last year on Monday, but did not
National Movement reacts to mayor's suspensionby DFWatch staff | December 23, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The National Movement party went on the offensive on Sunday and demanded an investigation into claims that the Prosecutor's Office pressured two judges in a corruption case against Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava. Ugulava was Saturday night suspended from
Vice mayor takes over as acting Tbilisi mayorby DFWatch staff | December 23, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Vice Mayor Sevdia Ugrekhelidze will take over as acting mayor of Tbilisi, after a decision by Tbilisi City Court to suspend Mayor Gigi Ugulava. Gigi Ugulava said on Sunday that this follows by law. "According to Georgian law, the first vice mayor
National Movement party resumes work in parliamentby DFWatch staff | December 23, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The National Movement party will resume work in the Georgian parliament on Monday after being absent since December 11. The party's delegates went on a boycott after a scuffle between one of their MPs and one from the Georgian Dream coalition, which
Group criticizes Georgia for handling of religious conflictsby Londa Beria | December 23, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--After a year of religious conflict in three Georgian villages, neither Christians nor Muslims are fully satisfied with the way the problem was solved. The Christians do not exclude that conflict might erupt again, while the Muslims still have no
Georgian Dream leaders are most trustedby DFWatch staff | December 22, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A new poll shows that the top people in the Georgian Dream coalition are the most trusted public figures in Georgia, after the patriarch. The results are part of a wider survey of public attitudes organized by a US agency that builds democracy
Tbilisi mayor removed from office pending corruption trialby DFWatch staff | December 22, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava was Saturday night stripped of his authority by the city court. Ugulava was informed about the court's decision at 1 am Sunday. The decision was made without a hearing and came hours after the court had issued him bail
Saakashvili to teach governance at Tufts Universityby DFWatch staff | December 21, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The former president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili will join Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the US from January. He will hold lectures about European governance and other contemporary international and regional issues,
EU moves forward signing of agreement with Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 21, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--EU is willing to move forward the signing of the Association Agreement with Georgia and Moldova to August 2014 or earlier. This is the content of a statement by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, published December 20, 2013. "This
Anti-Russia demonstrators detained in Tbilisiby DFWatch staff | December 21, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Four members of the organization Free Zone were detained on Friday during a protest against a meeting at Hotel Vere-Palace in Tbilisi dedicated to closer relations between Georgia and Russia. Demonstrators blocked the road as they blew whistles and
National Movement boycotting parliamentby DFWatch staff | December 20, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The minority National Movement party has been boycotting parliament for more than a week and refuses to continue work in the assembly. The party's delegates left the session hall as a sign of protest when a scuffle broke out between MP Giorgi
Asian Development Bank funds infrastructure in Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 20, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia on Thursday signed agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) about financing infrastructure projects. According to the Ministry of Finance, Minister Nodar Khaduri and Klaus Gerhaeusser, ADB's General Director, signed the agreement,
What is being discussed at the Geneva talks?by Rusiko Machaidze | December 20, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The talks between the parties in the 2008 Georgia-Russia war will meet in Geneva for another round of talks on March 25-26. It is known that the OSCE heads of the meeting this time will be from Switzerland. The last round of Geneva talks was held
A thousand prisoners are on hunger strike in Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 20, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--1 032 prisoners are now on hunger strike in several prisons in Georgia, according to the Prison Ministry. This is the most recent information as of 19:00 on December 19, and the majority – 946 prisoners – are on hunger strike at Geguti No
Georgia becomes member of UNESCO committeeby DFWatch staff | December 20, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia has been elected as member of the Hague Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the election was held on December 17 at UNESCO headquarters during the 5th
Poll: Georgians think country is getting more democraticby DFWatch staff | December 19, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--54 percent of Georgians say their country has democracy now, while 35 percent say there is no democracy in Georgia, according to a poll by National Democratic Institute (NDI). These numbers show a clear upward trend; in September, 44 percent said
Poll: 66% of Georgian want athletes to participate in Sochiby DFWatch staff | December 19, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--66 percent of Georgians approve of the decision by the government that Georgian athletes will participate in the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics, while 17 percent disapprove of this decision. 16 percent didn't answer. In September 2013, 76 percent supported this
Two former Tbilisi officials released on bailby DFWatch staff | December 19, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The former gamgebeli of Old Tbilisi and his deputy were Wednesday released on 400 000 lari (USD 234 000) bail each. Prosecutors wanted to keep them in detention, but Tbilisi City Hall disagreed. Defense lawyers for Lasha Purtskhvanidze and Koba
Seeing Georgia plainby Paul A. Goble | December 19, 2013
Almost two centuries ago, the Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote in an oft-cited verse "And would some Power the small gift give us/To see ourselves as others see us! /It would from many a blunder free us, /And foolish notion:/What airs in dress and gait would leave us, /And even devotion!"
Former interior minister says he was threatened by prosecutorby DFWatch staff | December 18, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili accuses Chief Prosecutor of harassing him. The National Movement party asks to have the case investigated and that the responsible officials are dismissed. The government claims Merabishvili's accusations
Georgia introduces law against discriminationby DFWatch staff | December 18, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Georgian Ministry of Justice has prepared a draft law on anti-discrimination. The proposal aims at eliminating all forms of discrimination, Justice Minister Thea Tsulukiani explained as she met human rights organizations, representatives of
Georgian president pardons 75 prisonersby DFWatch staff | December 18, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--President Giorgi Margvelashvili signed his first decree to pardon 75 prisoners on Wednesday. According to the head of the president's administration Lasha Abashidze, 54 of the prisoners were released, 14 got their sentence reduced to half, while
Tbilisi mayor questioned in embezzlement caseby DFWatch staff | December 18, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Mayor of Tbilisi Gigi Ugulava was on Wednesday questioned at the Prosecutor's Office in case about embezzlement of City Hall money by employees. The Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday explained charges to the mayor which may lead to him being
Georgia to invest in Shah Denizby DFWatch staff | December 18, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia plans to invest USD 400-700 million in the Shah Deniz project in Azerbaijan, according to Energy Minister Kakhi Kaladze. Kaladze was in Azerbaijan December 16-17 along with a delegation from the Georgian government who signed a resolution
Georgian lawmaker fined for defamation of Imedi investorby DFWatch staff | December 17, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A member of parliament from the National Movement party was fined 50 000 lari (USD 30 000) on Monday for defamation of businessman Joseph Kay. Kay is the investor who took over the control of Imedi TV after the owner, Badri Patarkatsishvili, died
Saakashvili is living in New Yorkby DFWatch staff | December 17, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A month after leaving office as president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili has revealed that he is currently living in New York and working on reform programs with several major US universities. Appearing on Ukrainian TV 112, Saakashvili said he is
Power cuts continue in Georgia ten days after snowfallby DFWatch staff | December 17, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Ten days after snow fell in the eastern Adjara region of Georgia, frustration is growing as there are still problems with supply of electricity, natural gas and water. December 13, people demonstrated in Batumi against what they feel is a lack of
Two detained for money laundering in Tbilisiby DFWatch staff | December 17, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--In Georgia, two former officials in the city administration in Old Tbilisi were detained on Monday. The detained are the former gamgebeli of Old Tbilisi and his deputy. They are charged with illegal participation in industrial activity and money laundering. The charges are that they manipulated the prices of trees and plants for green areas in Tbilisi through a company called Greenservice Ltd. Investigators say Lasha Purtskhvanadze and Koba Kharshiladze employed a creative redistribution of shares and used the company for money laundering. Both risk from nine to twelve years in jail.
Georgia creates crisis management centersby DFWatch staff | December 16, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The government in Georgia on Sunday created two new bodies to address urgent problems. The first one is a temporary center for crisis management to deal with the problems caused by bad weather and earthquakes. The second state body is a center to
Georgian PM on visit to Azerbaijanby DFWatch staff | December 16, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili on Monday began an official visit to neighboring Azerbaijan. Gharibashvili will meet President Ilham Aliyev, and December 17 participate in a conference about the financing of the second phase of Shah
EU funds education reform in Georgia with €27 millby DFWatch staff | December 16, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia will receive 27 million euros from the EU which is to be spent on reforms in education, professional training and employment. The EU will allocate 35 million euros for Moldova and 25 million euros for Armenia. According to Štefan Füle,
Activists in Georgia demand to have justice restoredby DFWatch staff | December 15, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Activists on Sunday gathered in front of the old parliament building in Tbilisi demanding the creation of a committee to go through miscarriages of justice during former President Saakashvili. The demonstration was organized by the organization
Former Defense Ministry official detainedby DFWatch staff | December 15, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Police in Georgia Saturday detained a former official in the Defense Ministry and charged him with illegally owning and keeping a weapon. Alexandre Ninua, former head of the purchasing department at the ministry, was placed in pre-trial detention the same day.
Pardon commission approves 54 applicationsby DFWatch staff | December 15, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The president's pardon commission gave a positive recommendation in 54 of recent applications from prisoners. The commission which is one of two such bodies, the other one part of the government, was recently staffed by the
Parliament asks to investigate violations during Saakashviliby DFWatch staff | December 14, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--In Georgia, the parliament has asked the government to investigate crimes committed during the Saakashvili regime. The bureau of parliament on Friday recommended the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor's Office
British, German and Hungarian pharma to enter Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 14, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Foreign pharmaceutical companies are preparing to enter the Georgian market, according to the Health Ministry. Health Minister Davit Sergeenko said on Friday that foreign pharmaceutical companies plan to start operating in Georgia and negotiations
Prisoners in Georgia overcoming isolation by making handicraftby DFWatch staff | December 13, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--An exhibition of handicraft art made by prisoners at the women's facility is open for visitors until December 15 at the Europe House in Tbilisi, Freedom Square. More than 250 pictures crafted from felt is on a display, as well as accessories like
86 schools closed in Georgia due to snowby DFWatch staff | December 13, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--86 schools in Georgia are closed due to bad weather, according to the Education Ministry. 69 of them is in the Adjara region – Keda, Shuakhevi and Khelvachauri. Four schools are closed in Guria, six in Imereti, four in Svaneti, one school in Kakheti, one in
Georgia gets new governors in nine regionsby DFWatch staff | December 13, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili on Friday appointed new governors in nine of the country's regions. The new governors are Irakli Shiolashvili, lawyer, in Kakheti, Zaza Meparishvili, engineer and lawyer, in Imereti, Zurab Rusishvili,
Skating arena collapses in Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 13, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--An ice skating arena in Batumi, Georgia, collapsed Thursday due to heavy snowfall. The last five days there has been an electricity problem in Batumi, in the Adjara region, as transmission lines and poles were damaged due to the amount of snow in recent
Georgia signs on to many new EU programsby DFWatch staff | December 13, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia Thursday signed a protocol with the EU about participating in several programs within health care, science, culture and business. The signing took place in Brussels and was carried out by Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius and
Georgia to spend more on health and education in 2014by DFWatch staff | December 12, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The new Georgian government has presented a 9 billion lari (about USD 5 billion) budget for 2014 which prioritizes health care and education. The budget bill was approved by 86 votes against 0 at a plenary session on Wednesday. Members of the
150 000 households still without electricity in Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 12, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Batumi, one of the largest cities in Georgia, has been without electricity and heating four days due to a snow storm. There is still more than one and half meter snow cover in Batumi and the rest of the mountainous Adjara region. Some streets
Georgians rallied in support of Kyiv protestersby DFWatch staff | December 12, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Hundreds of people demonstrated in the streets of Tbilisi Wednesday to support the protesters in Kyiv. Georgians, as well as Ukrainians living in Georgia, gathered in the evening outside Tbilisi concert hall, waving the flags of Ukraine, EU and Georgia,
Georgian parliament declares support for Ukrainian peopleby DFWatch staff | December 12, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The parliament in Georgia Wednesday passed a statement supporting the demonstrations in the Ukrainian capital. "The Georgian parliament declares its complete solidarity with the Ukrainian people in its struggle for freedom of choice. It expresses
UNICEF report exposes weak child protection in Georgiaby Londa Beria | December 12, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--UNICEF Georgia claims that since 2005, the government has made significant progress in reforming the child care system, but important challenges remain, such as child poverty, violence against children and weak child protection. Currently, there are
Scuffle breaks out in Georgian parliamentby DFWatch staff | December 11, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A physical scuffle broke out in the Georgian parliament on Wednesday. Soso Jachvliani, MP from the Georgian Dream coalition, scolded Giorgi Baramidze from the National Movement. His microphone was switched off. This lead to a physical confrontation
Georgia charges two more for prison deathby DFWatch staff | December 11, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Prosecutors in Georgia have charged two more persons with causing the death of a prisoner last May. December 11, the Prosecutor's Office charged Nugzar Bechuadze and Shota Sinauridze in connection with the death of Levan Kortava. Bechuadze is
Georgia increases the president's salaryby DFWatch staff | December 11, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The government in Georgia has decided to raise the president's salary by 2 500 lari (USD 1 450). There has been talk about increasing the president's pay for the last week and on Tuesday the governing Georgian Dream coalition asked parliament
Georgia appoints seven new ambassadorsby DFWatch staff | December 11, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia has seven new ambassadors abroad, after President Giorgi Margvelashvili last week signed their appointment. The new ambassadors are the ones to Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Germany, Japan, China, Iran and Jordan. According to the Foreign Affairs Ministry,
Local government reform modified after criticism from patriarchby DFWatch staff | December 11, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili has managed to convince the government to amend a disputed passage in a draft bill about local government reform, as promised. The government prepared a draft law to regulate the country's territorial
Investments in Georgia up 20% in Q3 year-on-yearby DFWatch staff | December 10, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The amount of direct foreign investments in the third quarter of 2013 was USD 239 million, up three percent from the second quarter. Investments in third quarter of 2013 was 20 percent more than the same period last year. Foreign investments
Georgia cleaning up prison mafia in wake of inmate deathby DFWatch staff | December 10, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Prosecutor's Office in Georgia has charged prisoners and prison administration employees with causing the death of Levan Kortava, who was allegedly killed by the so-called thieves in law inside prison. Kortava died May 23, 2013, at the prison hospital,
The revolving doors of Georgia's politics and businessby Londa Beria | December 10, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Business and politics are tightly connected in Georgia, according to a new report by Transparency International. The organization claims that some wealthy businessmen have been elected to the Georgian parliament and some members of the executive
Two die as greenhouse collapses near Batumiby DFWatch staff | December 10, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Two persons have died after a roof of a greenhouse collapsed in Georgia because of bad weather. The accident happened Monday evening in the village Salibauri in the Adjara region and was caused by strong wind and heavy snowfall. Two women, aged 35
Access to cemetery discussed at SO border meetingby DFWatch staff | December 10, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The parties in the 2008 Russia-Georgia war Monday discussed the installation of warning signs and fences in the villages Ghogheti and Bershueti on the border to the breakaway region South Ossetia. This was the 40th meeting of the Incident Prevention
Direct flights between Tbilisi and Sochi during Olympicsby DFWatch staff | December 9, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian Airways will offer direct flights between Tbilisi and the Olympic village Sochi from February 4, 2014, in connection with the upcoming Winter Games. There will be flights between Tbilisi and Sochi every Tuesday and Thursday until May. The
Snow storm causes electricity blackout in Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 9, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--155 000 households are left without electricity in Georgia, according to the Energy Ministry. Deputy Energy Minister Irakli Khmaladze said at a briefing that the bad weather has created problems mainly in the regions in the west of Georgia, and that the damage is caused by snow and blizzard.
Supporters of Ukraine's protesters gathered in Tbilisiby DFWatch staff | December 9, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Supporters of the protesters in Ukraine gathered Sunday in Tbilisi to support a mass mobilization in the Ukrainian capital. The gathering outside the former parliament building started at 14:00, the same time as the demonstration in Ukraine. Georgians
NGOs call for new impact assessment of gigantic power damby Rusiko Machaidze | December 9, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Georgia ask the government for answers about the construction of Khudoni hydro power station. There are many questions regarding environmental and social issues. Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and an
Former deputy prosecutor placed in pre-trial detentionby DFWatch staff | December 9, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Tbilisi City Court has placed a former deputy chief prosecutor in pre-trial detention. Davit Chkhatarashvili, the former deputy of former Chief Prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava, was December 7 detained and charged with organizing staged torture videos
Prison Ministry asks inmates to end hunger strikeby DFWatch staff | December 8, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Prison Ministry in Georgia Saturday called on prisoners to put an end to a hunger strike that has been joined by 146 prisoners all across Georgia. In Prison No 6 in Rustavi, 20 km away from the capital, about a hundred
Saakashvili addressed Ukrainian pro-EU demonstratorsby DFWatch staff | December 8, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili on Saturday addressed the protesters gathered in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. His speech to the movement which started two weeks ago, when President Viktor Yanukovich refused to sign an Association Agreement with the
Increasing discrimination of religious minorities in Georgiaby Londa Beria | December 8, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--A human rights group claims there has been an increase in discrimination of religious minorities in Georgia in 2013. On November 15, Jehovah's Witnesses' Kingdom Hall, located in Upper Etseri, Samegrelo, West Georgia, was shot at twice.
Georgia charges former deputy prosecutor with staging tortureby DFWatch staff | December 7, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Police in Georgia have detained a former deputy prosecutor and charged him with participating in filming videos of staged torture at a prison in Tbilisi. The Prosecutor's Office charges Davit Chkhatarashvili, the former first deputy of ex-Chief
Georgia to not send officials, only athletes to Sochi Olympicsby DFWatch staff | December 7, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian athletes will participate in the Sochi Winter Olympics, but the country will not send an official government delegation. Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili said a few days ago in an interview with Russia Today that only Georgian athletes
Georgian wine-making technique listed as world heritageby DFWatch staff | December 7, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia's age-old method for making wine is now listed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. On its eighth session, UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Non-Material Cultural Heritage decided to list Georgia's traditional
Georgia to hold local elections in June 2014by DFWatch staff | December 6, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The local elections in Georgia will be held in June 2014, instead of May, the parliamentary majority says. The last local elections were held on May 30, 2010. Davit Berdzenishvili from the Georgian Dream coalition said on Friday that the local
Tender announced to dismantle Stalin statueby DFWatch staff | December 6, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The local government in Telavi, a town in the Kakheti region, has announced a tender for the dismantling of a statue of Joseph Stalin. According to Information Center of Kakheti, the local government allocated 1 121 lari (USD 660) for the dismantling
Georgian patriarch against local government reformby DFWatch staff | December 6, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Georgian parliament has postponed the adoption of a landmark bill that will drastically change local government, after the draft Self-Governance Code was harshly criticized by the influential head of the Georgian Church. The bill should have been
Two fined for interrupting Hanukkah celebration in Tbilisiby DFWatch staff | December 6, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Tbilisi City Court has fined two persons who tore down posters announcing Hanukkah. Wednesday night, two people tore down the posters and damaged the tribune that had been prepared for the Jewish holiday Hanukkah. They were fined 100 lari (USD 60)
Georgian gov't sets out goals for improving democracyby DFWatch staff | December 6, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The government of Georgia will two months from now approve a strategy of protecting human rights. The document will be complex aiming to establish a high standard of democracy. This is one of the results of a human rights conference in Tbilisi
23 % more visitors to Georgia in Jan-Novby DFWatch staff | December 5, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--4 973 632 people visited Georgia in January-November, 2013 according to the Interior Ministry. This is 22.6 percent more than the same period last year, and 12.3 period more than the total number of visitors in 2012. The highest number of visitors
NATO top: Georgia can seek membership and be friends with Russiaby DFWatch staff | December 5, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says it is possible for Georgia to have good relations with Russia and at the same time move towards NATO membership. Rasmussen said there are examples of nations that are member of NATO and
Georgian president says Russia cannot stop moves towards EUby DFWatch staff | December 5, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili says Russia has no means of influence that could divert Georgia from its course toward integration with Europe and interrupt the signing of the Association Agreement next year. In a TV interview on Tuesday,
Bacho Akhalaia acquitted in abuse case, two others convictedby DFWatch staff | December 4, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Appeals Court in Georgia has acquitted former Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaia, but sentenced the others who were charged in the same case to 3 years and nine months in jail. Bacho Akhalaia, Giorgi Kalandadze, former head of Joint Staff and Zurab
Georgians defy frosty weather to support Ukraineby DFWatch staff | December 4, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--People gathered in Tbilisi again on Tuesday to show support for Ukraine despite the frosty temperatures and cold wind. About 50 people showed up outside the old parliament building carrying Ukrainian flags to express support for the Ukrainian people,
Georgia gets worse ranking on corruption indexby DFWatch staff | December 4, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgia has slightly worsened its ranking on Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index - from 51st to 55th place. In 2012, Georgia ranked 51st among 176 countries, but in 2013 it is in 55th place among 177 countries. The organization
Futuristic service center damaged by storm in Tbilisiby DFWatch staff | December 4, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The House of Justice in Tbilisi was Tuesday evacuated as a result of high winds which damaged the roof of the building. No-one was injured, but the building remained evacuated throughout the day. The roof was damaged at the entrance of the building,
Inquest into Georgia's cooperation with Chechen rebels progressingby DFWatch staff | December 3, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Public Defender in Georgia says an independent inquest into a border skirmish in 2012 has revealed many interesting details. But ombudsman Ucha Nanuashvili refrained from saying specifically what has been revealed and says this will be published
Bad weather in Georgia, power cuts, road closureby DFWatch staff | December 3, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--More than 70 000 households in Georgia are left without electricity due to strong wind and snow according to the utility company Energo-Pro Georgia. Electricity was switched off as the lines are damaged and technical crews are now working to rectify
GUAM countries support EU's Eastern Partnershipby DFWatch staff | December 3, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Parliamentary Assembly of GUAM adopted a document during the sixth session in Tbilisi, which reflects major aspirations and goals, which the countries of the union have. The document also focuses on supporting the EU's Eastern Partnership. The sixth
Ukrainian MP breaks off Georgia trip due to political crisisby DFWatch staff | December 3, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Ukrainian opposition MP, Ruslan Koshulinski, who is deputy speaker of parliament, broke off his visit to Georgia due to the protests in Kyiv. Koshulinski visited Georgia in order to attend the sixth session of the parliamentary assembly of GUAM;
Pro-Ukraine rally in Tbilisi again Mondayby DFWatch staff | December 3, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--People rallied in Tbilisi again Monday in support of the Ukrainian people. As on Sunday, they gathered in front of the old parliament building, and vowed to continue protesting and also hold support rallies in other parts of Georgia. Participants
Anti-Putin protests in Yerevanby DFWatch staff | December 2, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Armenians protested on Liberty Square in Yerevan Monday against Russia's President Vladimir Putin, who is visiting. Blognews Armenia informs that the protesters brought posters reading 'Stop Russia', 'Serzh the Betrayer' and shouted 'Stop Russia'
Georgian premier blasts former ruling party on RTby DFWatch staff | December 2, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili has strongly criticized the former ruling party, the National Movement, in an interview on Russia Today, the state-owned Russian television station. It's a bit difficult to understand the opposition, they
Putin visiting Armeniaby DFWatch staff | December 2, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Yerevan today for the first time in five years. Russian media report that during his visit, Putin will meet with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan. There will also be held a Russia-Armenia regional
South Ossetia spokesperson: 'Razor wire will be dismantled'by DFWatch staff | December 2, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The razor wire bundles along the de facto border will eventually be changed into wire-mesh fences, a spokesperson for the South Ossetian KGB's press service told the online news service Caucasian Knot. According to Wikipedia, razor wire blades are
Rally in Tbilisi in solidarity with the Ukrainian peopleby DFWatch staff | December 2, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Tens of people gathered on Sunday in Tbilisi wearing yellow and blue to support people in Ukraine and express solidarity with them after a violent dispersal in Kyiv. "Our Ukrainian friends need support, they mustn't be alone facing impudent violence,"
Council of Europe imposes sanctions against Georgiaby DFWatch staff | December 1, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has imposed sanctions against Georgia after a Russian election observer was denied entry before the presidential election a month ago. The organization has decided not to hold any committee
GUAM to meet in Tbilisi on Mondayby DFWatch staff | December 1, 2013
TBILISI, DFWatch--Representatives from the GUAM countries will meet in Tbilisi on Monday. The occasion is the sixth session of the Parliamentary Assembly of GUAM, a cooperation between Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova. Zurab Abashidze, chairman of the


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WASHINGTON — Washington.--When an organization's need to preserve itself begins to compete with its mission goals, it's time either to rethink the mission or reconsider whether the effort is worth it.
Such is the predicament facing the venerable National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the nation's oldest civil-rights organization. The organization is struggling for funds, losing touch with a less patient generation of black Americans, and quarreling with its own executive director, the Rev. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., about the direction it should take.
Mr. Chavis ends his first year as the NAACP's executive director embroiled in controversy over his failure to consult the board before staging an outreach meeting earlier this month that included such controversial figures as Angela Davis, Kwame Toure (formerly Stokely Carmichael), Sister Souljah, the Rev. Al Sharpton and Maulana Ron Karenga, the founder of Kwanzaa.


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College offers support, counseling
May 8, 2015
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Stress, depression and other mental illnesses can be college-long battle for some students. With programs like STEP UP Ohlone and mental counseling available by appointment, though, there is help; students just need to know about it.
"We take a holistic approach that our students emotional, mental, and physical health all depend on how they're feeling and how they're doing in school," said Sally Bratton, director of the Student Health Center.
Bratton started the health center in January 1996, and more funding and services have become available over the years. Some of the services include primary and urgent care, TB testing, physicals, immunizations, over-the-counter medications, community health referrals, and smoking cessation.
In 2004, Rosemarie O'Neill was hired as the mental health counselor and life coach.
She is a licensed marriage and family therapist who ran her own practice before she joined Ohlone's staff. She's been a practitioner for more than 25 years. O'Neill now specializes in addressing student relationships and coping with life issues.
"We wouldn't really have suicide if people felt they could get help," she said. "But I think there's that stigma of 'oh, there's something wrong with me.'"
Students can be embarrassed or ashamed to address mental health issues, and this is a leading factor in why some people will never discuss their emotional issues or address the true problems at hand.
For those who do, though, the results can be remarkable.
"The mental health program helped me tremendously after bouts of depression and an anxiety attack," student Khalil Iqbal said. "Rosemary, my therapist and life coach, was able to provide me with the tools to proactively deal with depression and anxiety through nutrition, exercise, self-exploration and creative expression. By implementing these tools diligently in my life I was able to change my perspective on various stresses of life and strategies for dealing with them."
Studies show that when students are addressed with stressful life issues, they have a tendency to let their schoolwork and personal life falter.
"When I first came to Ohlone and met Dr. Sally and her staff, it was after the worst time in my life," student Jenn Shue said. "They were the first people I felt I could really open up to and get the help I needed. … Outside of Ohlone there wasn't a lot of help, and it wasn't designed for students."
O'Neill offers students up to six counseling sessions per semester. The student health center is available to all students with or without current medical insurance for only $19 per semester.
Entering college can be a tough time in a young adult's life, especially if he or she has decided to leave home in order to do so. O'Neill helps students learn all of the basics of living in the real world, coping skills for dealing with the stresses of life.
"It's good to talk about problems," she said. "There's stress in our lives. We're a busy culture. We have so much going on. There's no reason to think we have to hold that inside and on our shoulders."
Ohlone also has an outreach program, STEP Up Ohlone that has been hosting numerous events around campus to raise awareness about mental health and invite student and faculty participation.
"That's our big campaign to educate people about mental health and to try really sincerely to break the stigma that it means there's something wrong with us if we have an emotional problem," O'Neill said.
For more information, go to http://stepupohlone.org. To see a personal counselor, or visit a primary care provider for a check up, call 510-659-6258 to make an appointment, visit the third floor of Building 7 or go to www.ohlone.edu/org/healthcenter.
Staff writers Albert Rebosura, Maria Garcia-Hernandez, Martha Nunez and Mitchell Walther contributed to this report.


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Why I Will Never, Ever, EVER Get a Tattoo
Would I have to start planning outfits around the tattoo like I plan for weather?
Keanu was one of my earliest crushes (you know who my first was…) when I saw him playing lucky lucky Martha Plimpton's adorable slacker boyfriend in Parenthood. Then of course there were the Bill and Ted films, followed by a creditable attempt at Shakespeare in Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing, Point Break, Bram Stoker's Dracula and My Own Private Idaho. You see I prefer mid-90s Keanu with the floppy hair and baggy jeans to Speed/Matrix Keanu.
Oh Keanu....
Keanu stickers jostled for space with Eric Cantona ones on my pencil case and posters of him looking all puppy-dog-eyed adorned my bedroom walls. He seemed sweet and kind of goofy – perfect crush material.
I love that after the whole 'sad Keanu' meme thing, so many people came forward with anecdotes about his kindness and generosity, proving that the rumours that he is one of the nicest guys in Hollywood are true. Oh and Cheer Up Keanu day is June 15 - MY BIRTHDAY!
Picture Credit: Rex Features


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According to People Magazine, JLO and Marc Anthony have "bought" a new apartment at ICON Brickell. I find it very hard to believe that they would actually spend money to live in a complex with 1,800 people. I can't wait to see the tax roll come up.
So far there has only been about 30 units closed in the massive project. The developer has been leasing out units. On the bright side, they probably won't see anyone in the complex for years to come.
It is well-known that when JLO and Marc Anthony come to town that they stay at the guest estate of JR and Loren Ridinger on North Bay Road.
Keep up on Miami Beach Real Estate on Facebook


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Reuters Staff
1 Min Read
Jan 9 (Reuters) - First Credit Finance Group Ltd:
* FIRST CREDIT FINANCE GROUP LTD - WONG KAI LUN AND LI SIN HUNG MAXIM APPOINTED AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:
All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays.
© 2018 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.


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Abuse of Natural Resources
Factors Involved in Conservation
Water Conservation
Soil Conservation
Wildlife Conservation
Forest Conservation
Among the most valuable of nature's resources are forests. They play a key role in the maintenance of the watersheds that are essential to water and soil conservation. They shelter many forms of wildlife. They supply lumber for construction, cordwood for fuel, and pulp for paper. Forests also provide the raw materials used in many synthetic products considered essential for modern life, including fibers, plastics, and medicines.
Fire can be a major scourge of a…


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Womens Football
The Etobicoke Kangaroos Australian Football Club has a Women's team competing in the women's league of AFL Ontario.
The Etobicoke Lady Roos provides a great opportunity for women to experience and play Australian Football competitively in Toronto, Canada.
The Etobicoke Lady Roos first competed in the AFL Ontario Women's Division in 2011 and have found continued growth and success on and off the field, thanks to the continual hard work of coach Kent Billing and the commitment shown by the girls, who are a testament the excitement and enjoyment that can be experienced playing Australian Football.
Those interested in giving Australian Football a go, no matter what your fitness or sporting background, Contact team co-ordinator, Terri Iwaskow via e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Lets Go Lady Roos!


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Kwesé TV to bring the Rugby Africa Gold Cup 2018 live, via streaming and its free television model...
MIAMI, US: Latam's jury of advertisers, media specialists and advertising experts has deliberated over work from 44 agencies across 11 countries in Latin America - covering entries from 77 brands in total. A shortlist of 45 entries has been announced.
22 Oct 2010
ATLANTA, US: CNN has announced the launch of a new initiative for journalism students, called CNN iReport University, linked to iReport, the network's user-generated news community.
16 Sep 2010


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After reading the entry on Delgo's failure, Paul Teolis pointed me to this 2005 article from Fast Company on the "Baby Pixars." The companies profiled are Threshold (Food Fight), Vanguard (Happily N'Ever After, Space Chimps), IDT (Yankee Irving - renamed Everyone's Hero), and Laika (Coraline).
The success of the Pixar and DreamWorks cgi feature started something of a gold rush into feature animation, but as the above list shows, the success rate was disappointing. Food Fight has yet to be released. Happily N'Ever After and Space Chimps opened but neither set the box office on fire. Happily earned approximately $16 million and Space Chimps earned approximately $30 million in North America. Everyone's Hero earned approximately $14 million and IDT sold off their animation business to Liberty Media. Coraline has yet to be released.
While everyone tries to be the new Pixar, not enough people remember that Pixar started off making shorts and TV commercials before their first feature. For reasons that can only be described as pure ego, producers think that they can enter the market at the top. This is the equivalent of a newbie golfer assuming that he can challenge Tiger Woods the first time he tees up or an expansion team in a league sport assuming that it will make the playoffs in its first year. Nobody in professional sports would take either of those situations seriously, yet somehow, people with more money than brains think they can make huge profits the first time they make an animated movie.
The producers of Delgo, Everyone's Hero and Food Fight fall into that category. While John Williams has more experience than they do, he moves to a new studio for each successive feature, never allowing expertise to accumulate. In sports terms, that's the equivalent of firing the entire team at the end of the season and starting from scratch the next year. How many times has that produced a winner?
Of the four companies mentioned in the article, Laika has the best chance of success. Laika is the former Will Vinton Productions. That company made features, TV specials, series and commercials, so the crew has experience working together on large projects. They're also starting with a story by best-selling author Neil Gaiman and it's directed by Henry Selick, who has directed three features.
Within the sports analogy, they're doing it right. You can hire great players, but it's still going to take time to meld them into a team. Along the way, there will be losses and missteps. The problem with hiring a fresh crew to make an animated feature is that those losses and missteps become part of the movie. Happily N'Ever After ended up using multiple studios to finish the film, and there we have a case where the players were never on the field at the same time. That makes it tough to execute plays.
The economics of maintaining an animation crew have always been daunting and they've gotten worse. But we now have evidence that when it comes to animation, you can't start at the top. Few, if any, of the "Baby Pixars" will grow to adulthood. If we see a new large studio emerge (and we may not), most likely it will be a studio that started on small projects, built an organization, and made its mistakes on low risk projects before attempting to compete in features. In other words, an expansion team that loses a lot of games while figuring out how to win.


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When I first started getting serious about my faith, I thought I had the whole picture figured out. I saw my upcoming journey as a gradual climb in my level of faith – a clean graph with an exponentially increasing slope. I knew it would be smooth, because why would I ever weaken in my faith or ibadah, right? I was so wrong; if I only knew. This journey is just like any other journey. It isn't a constant rise; it isn't clean; it isn't smooth. But what I never foresaw in the beginning is how bad it could get at certain points. Sometimes I feel like I am on a never-ending decline that I don't know how to stop. Some days I feel like I am an awful excuse for a Muslim – with a spotless exterior holding a rotten, hardened heart at the core. A heart that sometimes gets so attached to this world, to things and people, that it would rather spend all of its time doing nothing, thinking nothing…than to indulge in ibadah and ponder over the afterlife.
In life, there are things you want and there are things you need. If you are a practicing Muslim, oftentimes the two do not coincide – especially if you are at an early stage of faith. And sometimes it gets extremely difficult to accept the fact that what you need is so different from what you want; to accept that you aren't being able to fully want what you should be wanting. I'm writing this random rant because right now I'm going through one of the most severe cases of that feeling in my life so far. It's a feeling of helplessness – to realize you have no control over the things you desire and crave. The cynic in you might constantly tell you that it's unnatural to force yourself to not have what you want – is it even worth it? Why are you even doing this? You deserve good things in life! – it keeps whispering and then shouting and then screeching at an unbearable pitch until you really start doubting yourself.
But wait, could I say that to a diabetic patient when they crave sweets? Would I tell them, "If it's what you want, why not just have it? Stop being so stuck up, it's just sweets. You deserve good things in life, you deserve the sweetest of sweets. Stop holding yourself back, that's just unnatural!" Would I have said that to my 4 year old brother when he wanted to jump off the window ledge to reveal his flying skills?
Between being a 4 year old kid trying to fly and a 60 year old diabetic wanting sweets, we humans never really change. Deep inside, we are still the comfortably irrational beings who are at a constant conflict between wanting the right thing and wanting the fun thing. Swinging between being an "instant gratification monkey" and a seeker of eternal happiness – most days I have a hard time accepting my own thoughts. One of my favorite ayahs in the Quran is this profound statement by prophet Yusuf (AS):
"And I do not declare myself free (from blame). Indeed, the soul constantly commands to evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
– Surah Yusuf, 12:53
Basically, as a human, I'll never be able to NOT want what I shouldn't, *unless* Allah SWT shows mercy on me and guides my heart to rise above. Which also means, I cannot stay away from evil or immorality by sheer willpower: it just isn't enough. I need to constantly ask Allah for help as well.
This is comforting and scary at the same time. Comforting because now I know that my difficulty in always wanting or doing the right thing is actually natural, that's how the soul is supposed to act – it inclines towards evil. And the fact that my Lord is always there to help me through it, that He will keep being Merciful and forgiving, as long as I ask Him, is the most comforting thing ever. Why scary? Because despite knowing this, I'm not praying enough to Allah, I'm not pouring out my heart in dua to ask Him for guidance. I'm still relying too much on myself, and disregarding the only way out – Allah's mercy.
We're either too confident that we are already guided enough, that we don't need help (which is ironic, because an arrogant person cannot enter Jannah), or we are too convinced that it's too big of a task to change for the better, to become more practicing, to get more regular and sincere in ibadah. We are constantly so busy either overestimating or underestimating our souls – that we forget the biggest piece of the puzzle – Allah's power to change our state. Do we realize how narcissistic we are? We are practically placing our state of mind over the power of Allah SWT. Maybe we humans just really like to stay in a rut, even when we know the way out.
Five times a day, we are supposed to forget everything else and sincerely say to Allah – "ihdinaa as-Siraat al-mustaqeem" – Guide us to the straight path! The most important thing in life we could ask for, and we skim through it as if it's nothing. In fact, most times we don't even mean it when we say it. Heck, we don't even REALIZE that we're saying it. How do I expect to be guided if I'm deliberately skipping my chance to ask Allah for guidance, day after day, every single time? Do we really think we don't need His mercy and guidance? If this isn't the worst sort of arrogance, I don't know what is.
Anyhow, back to where I started: ups and downs in the faith-graph. There is one hadith that gives me hope about this hopeless state:
Sahih Muslim Book 037, Hadith Number 6623:
If we want to keep our faith up, we gotta give regular time to prayer, and to think, and converse about the deen – about Paradise and Hell-fire, about our Lord. We need to attend halaqas, discussions, lectures, whatever we can find, or maybe at least watch videos and read things – Hadith, Tafsir, books, articles (apart from the regular Quran reading of course). Because you know what? Iman doesn't appear magically in the heart, neither does it stay there magically once it arrives. It is hard to find and easy to lose. We have to set away time for our souls – call it soul workouts if you may. Because if we lose our faith, nothing else we achieve on earth would mean a thing. And we can't afford to lose it all, not when we know and realize the consequences; not when we've been given the blessing to understand.
And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not the understand?
– Surah Anam, 6:32


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From ink to App?
In the May 24th edition of Newsweek, Jacob Weisberg takes a look at how Apple's latest Grail may affect the publishing industry, which, as a whole, has yet to find a viable strategy for dealing with the invasion e-readers that has already hit the shores. Weisberg has concluded that the industry's main concern is with the monolithic nature of Apple's power and the shadow it casts over all the content providers scrambling to find a place at the right hand of Jobs (the religious metaphors are Weisberg's; I'm just playing along). Here are the issues that he has hit upon:


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Barcelo Praha Five
Praha (Prague), Czech Republic (PRG)
Hotel Specials
Package Specials
Package Specials
Superior Room
- One King Bed or
- Two Twin Beds
Executive Room
Superior Room - Advance Purchase
- One King Bed or
- Two Twin Beds
Make yourself at home in one of the 134 air-conditioned rooms featuring minibars and flat-screen televisions. Windows open to city and garden views. Complimentary wired and wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming provides entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature handheld showerheads and makeup/shaving mirrors.
Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities
Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities including a sauna and a fitness facility. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, babysitting/childcare (surcharge), and a television in the lobby.
Satisfy your appetite at the hotel's restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge.
Business, Other Amenities
Featured amenities include complimentary high-speed (wired) Internet access, a business center, and an Internet point. Planning an event in Prague? This hotel has 732 square feet (68 square meters) of space consisting of banquet facilities and a meeting/conference room. For a surcharge, guests may use a roundtrip airport shuttle (available 24 hours) or park nearby.
Satisfy your appetite at the hotel's restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge.
Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna and a fitness facility.
The preferred airport for Barcelo Praha Five is Prague (PRG-Vaclav Havel) - 10.8 km / 6.7 mi.
Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property's location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance.
Distances are displayed to the nearest 0.1 mile and kilometre.
Know Before You Go
- This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply). Guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.
- Children 11 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.
- The property has connecting/adjoining rooms, which are subject to availability and can be requested by contacting the property using the number on the booking confirmation.
The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
- Breakfast fee: EUR 12 per person (approximately)
- Airport shuttle fee: EUR 30 per room (one way)
- Self parking fee: EUR 25 per day
- Pet fee: EUR 20 per pet, per night
- Late check-out fee: EUR 20
- Babysitting/childcare fee: EUR 20 per hour, per child
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 25 per night
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
Mandatory Fees and Taxes
Unless otherwise indicated, the charges below are not included in the overall room price. If not included in the overall room price, they will be charged by the property at check-in or check-out. Charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book. This property told us they will charge you for the following:
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 0.6 per person, per night
We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.
- Breakfast Room
- Cafe
- Concierge Desk
- Conference Rooms
- Free Wi-Fi
- Wake-Up Service
- Wireless Internet
(*) = Free, some restrictions may apply


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At Brock Bottom, Lancashire
Susan and Andy had their pre-wedding photoshoot at Brock Bottoms, near Beacon Fell in Lancashire. We had arranged to meet late one afternoon, and it was surprisingly chilly down in the valley of Brock Bottoms. This, however, didn't stop us from getting some great photos and enjoying a walk through the tree lined waterside path.
Brock Bottoms is a place Andy and Susan enjoy taking their dog for walks, and often come to spend time here. I too have been to Brock Bottoms on more than one occasion, and knew a few places for great backgrounds to the photos.
Despite the cold weather, and fact it was also quite dark as Brock Bottoms sits in a deep valley, we got some photos I am really pleased with, and that Andy and Susan love.