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Senate leaders groped for a last-minute compromise Saturday to avoid middle-class tax increases and possibly prevent deep spending cuts at the dawn of the new year as President Barack Obama warned that failure could mean a "self-inflicted wound to the economy."
Obama chastised lawmakers in his weekly radio and Internet address for waiting until the last minute to try and avoid a "fiscal cliff," yet said there was still time for an agreement. "We cannot let Washington politics get in the way of America's progress," he said as the hurry-up negotiations unfolded.
For all the recent expressions of urgency, bargaining took place by phone, email and paper in a Capitol nearly empty except for tourists. Alone among top lawmakers, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell spent the day in his office.
In the Republicans' weekly address, Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri cited a readiness to compromise. "Divided government is a good time to solve hard problems — and in the next few days, leaders in Washington have an important responsibility to work together and do just that," he said.
Even so, there was no guarantee of success, and a dispute over the federal tax on large estates emerged as yet another key sticking point alongside personal income tax rates.
In a blunt challenge to Republicans, Obama said that barring a bipartisan agreement, he expected both houses to vote on his own proposal to block tax increases on all but the wealthy and simultaneously preserve expiring unemployment benefits.
Political calculations mattered as much as deep-seated differences over the issues, as divided government struggled with its first big challenge since the November elections.
Speaker John Boehner remained at arms-length, juggling a desire to avoid the fiscal cliff with his goal of winning another term as speaker when a new Congress convenes next Thursday. Any compromise legislation is certain to include higher tax rates on the wealthy, and the House GOP rank and file rejected the idea when he presented it to them as part of a final attempt to strike a more sweeping agreement with Obama.
Lawmakers have until the new Congress convenes to pass any compromise, and even the calendar mattered. Democrats said they had been told House Republicans might reject a deal until after Jan. 1, to avoid a vote to raise taxes before they had technically gone up and then vote to cut taxes after they had risen.
Nor was any taxpayer likely to feel any adverse impact if legislation is signed and passed into law in the first two or three days of 2013 instead of the final hours of 2012.
Gone was the talk of a grand bargain of spending cuts and additional tax revenue in which the two parties would agree to slash deficits by trillions of dollars over a decade.
Now negotiators had a more cramped goal of preventing additional damage to the economy in the form of higher taxes across the board — with some families facing increases measured in the thousands of dollars — as well as cuts aimed at the Pentagon and hundreds of domestic programs.
Republicans said they were willing to bow to Obama's call for higher taxes on the wealthy as part of a deal to prevent them from rising on those less well-off.
Democrats said Obama was sticking to his campaign call for tax increases above $250,000 in annual income, even though he said in recent negotiations he said he could accept $400,000. There was no evidence of agreement even at the higher level.
There were indications from Republicans that estate taxes might hold more significance for them than the possibility of higher rates on income.
One senior Republican, Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, said late Friday he was "totally dead set" against Obama's estate tax proposal, and as if to reinforce the point, Blunt mentioned the issue before any other in his broadcast remarks. "Small businesses and farm families don't know how to deal with the unfair death tax_a tax that the president and congressional leaders have threatened to expand to include even more family farms and even more small businesses," he said.
Several officials said Republicans want to leave the tax at 35 percent after exempting the first $5 million in estate value. Officials said the White House wants a 45 percent tax after a $3.5 million exemption. Without any action by Congress, it would climb to a 55 percent tax after a $1 million exemption on Jan. 1.
Democrats stressed their unwillingness to make concessions on both income taxes and the estate tax, and said they hoped Republicans would choose which mattered more to them.
Officials said any compromise was likely to ease the impact of the alternative minimum tax, originally designed to make sure that millionaires did not escape taxation. If left unchanged, it could hit an estimated 28 million households for the first time in 2013, with an average increase of more than $3,000.
Taxes on dividends and capital gains are also involved in the talks, as well as a series of breaks for businesses and others due to expire at the first of the year.
Obama and congressional Democrats are insisting on an extension of long-term unemployment benefits that are expiring for about 2 million jobless individuals.
Leaders in both parties also hope to prevent a 27 percent fee cut from taking effect on Jan. 1 for doctors who treat Medicare patients.
There was also discussion of a short-term extension of expiring farm programs, in part to prevent a spike in milk prices at the first of the year. It wasn't clear if that was a parallel effort to the cliff talks or had become wrapped into them.
Across-the-board spending cuts that comprise part of the cliff were a different matter.
Republicans say Boehner will insist that they will begin to take effect unless negotiators agreed to offset them with specified savings elsewhere.
That would set the stage for the next round of brinkmanship — a struggle over Republican calls for savings from Medicare, Medicaid and other federal benefit programs.
The Treasury's ability to borrow is expected to expire in late winter or early spring, and without an increase in the $16.4 trillion limit, the government would face its first-ever default. Republicans have said they will use administration requests for an extension as leverage to win cuts in spending.
Ironically, it was just such a maneuver more than a year ago that set the stage for the current crisis talks over the fiscal cliff.


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A collection of activists — from labor unions to immigrant rights groups — are planning protests across the country tomorrow to mark May Day.
Of course, the highest profile organization is Occupy Wall Street, which has called for a "general strike" and says events are planned in 135 U.S. cities.
Here's how the movement describes its plans on its website:
"Building on the international celebration of May Day, past General Strikes in U.S. cities like Seattle and Oakland, the recent May 1st Day Without An Immigrant demonstrations, the national general strikes in Spain this year, and the on-going student strike in Quebec, the Occupy Movement has called for 'A Day Without the 99%' on May 1st, 2012. This in and of itself is a tremendous victory. For the first time, workers, students, immigrants, and the unemployed from 135 U.S. cities will stand together for economic justice."
While it's unclear how big these protests will be, it is clear that this is a big test for the Occupy movement, which made headlines last year and is billing this protest as its spring renaissance.
Organizers told The Daily Beast that thousands and perhaps tens of thousands are expected in Manhattan, where the movement was born.
"If the protests end up being as large as organizers say, it would be Occupy's single largest demonstration since protesters were driven from their encampment at Zuccotti Park by the New York Police last November," The Daily Beast reports. "While smaller protests have continued through the winter and early spring, the day of action called for on May 1 is a bid to regain the national spotlight just as the presidential election campaign kicks into high gear — the question is whether in this heated environment, the Occupy movement can carry as much political weight as it did last fall."
CBS News reports that while there are lots of marches planned, there are also plans to disrupt traffic and public transportion. Authorities, reports CBS, are preparing accordingly.
It reports:
"In New York, the NYPD reportedly engaged in training exercises over the weekend, though officials aren't commenting on the details; NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne told CBS News that "[t]he NYPD accommodates lawful protest, and arrests those who break the law." In a number of cities, police are setting up barriers to control crowds and are receiving training on how best to deal with potentially aggressive protesters."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

subset: commoncrawl


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In the year 1993 the Orthodox world was shocked by a tragic event, which had happened in Optina Hermitage: three inhabitants of the monastery were brutally murdered on Easter night. They were Hieromonk Vasily (Roslyakov), Monk Ferapont (Pushkarev) and Monk Trophim (Tatarinov). According to the investigator, the murderer Nikolay Averin inflicted the injuries with unusual professionalism, "deliberately—they were not too deep—to make the victim bleed to death over a long time." The knife was double-edged, five centimeters wide, and resembled a sword. It was engraved on its blade with "666" and "satan."
This is a narrative about three martyrs from the Optina Pustyn monastery in Central Russia. All three monks were killed by a satanist on Easter night in 1993. We would like to pay homage to the memory of these three remarkable people, hoping their story will serve to strengthen the spirit of many Christians, who sincerely embrace the Faith.
Hieromonk Vasily (Igor Roslyakov)
The first person we'd like to tell you about is Muscovite Igor Roslyakov, one of those who began the process of this revival.
Three months prior to his arrival at the monastery, Igor wrote in his diary: "March 12th, 1988. Morning. Mother finds my small cross. I am 27. I first put this cross on after I had been christened, 27 years ago. An obvious sign from the Lord, reminiscent of Christ's words: '...pick up your cross and follow me...' "
A few words at this point about the hand of the Lord in Igor Roslyakov's destiny.
When in 1984, upon embracing the Faith, he started going to church regularly, one pilgrim, casting a glance in his direction, said: "A monk is praying." At the time, Igor never even dreamt of monkhood. He could always be seen in one and the same spot at the Epiphany Cathedral, in one of Moscow's central districts. A long time ago, a village by the name of Yelohovo used to be situated here—the home place of Moscow's great saint—St.Basil the Blessed.
When inside the church, Igor invariably stood near the icon of St.Basil the Blessed. If you stand in exactly this spot, then you will find yourself facing, in the iconostasis, the large icon of Archangel Michael and above it—the icon of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin. Years later, Igor shall take the habit and receive the name of Vasily, or Basil, in honor of Basil the Blessed. Later, on the day in memory of Archangel Michael, Basil was ordained at the monastery church, consecrated in honor of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin. However, back then in 1984, Igor Roslyakov had no way of seeing that far into the future.
On June 21, 1988, Igor Roslyakov became an inhabitant of the Optina Pustyn, which then lay in ruins. Together with the then far from numerous brethren, he faced the daunting task of rebuilding the holy site.
Upon entering the monastery, Igor Roslyakov presented the Father Superior with his autobiography. "My name is Igor Roslyakov," the autobiography said. "I was born in Moscow on December 23, 1960. Studied at secondary school No. 466 in Volgograd district of the capital. After finishing school, I spent a year working at an automobile factory. In 1980 I entered the department of Journalism of Moscow State University. In 1985 I graduated from the University as a qualified newspaper journalist. As a member of the University's water-polo team I appeared at All-Union and International competitions; got a Master's degree in sports. Was married. Then signed my divorce papers at the Volgograd district Department of Civic Affairs. I have no children. Since 1985 have been working as sports instructor at the Trade Union Sports Society."
The brethren at the monastery knew nothing about this autobiography, since it is generally not the custom to ask about another's past or offer details about yourself. It was only several years later that somebody brought an old copy of "Izvestiya" newspaper to the Monastery, sporting a faded snapshot of Igor Roslyakov holding a Champions' Cup. That's when they learned that at the University he'd been Captain of the Water polo team, and later, sports instructor.
The first to suspect that Igor Roslyakov was a former athlete were youngsters from the Vocational College, at the time still housed on the compound of Optina Pustyn. These troublesome students were more than a handful for the monks. No sooner had the latter restored some wall or another, than these fellows would be there, writing rude words on it, with no respect for the work that had gone into it. First, they were reasoned with and patiently admonished, yet to no avail. Then Igor Roslyakov took it upon himself to approach the hooligans. Lifting a couple of the fellows up bodily, and holding then aloft by the scruffs of their necks, he then sent them hurtling through the tall grass. This had a remarkable effect on the students, who lost no time in spreading the rumor that all the monks were one-time athletes. This instilled admiration and respect immediately, and put an effective end to all the trouble and pranks. From then on, peace reigned at the Monastery.
Hegumen Melkhisedek recalls how he was once christening one Irina, and lay-brother Igor Roslyakov was helping him:
"I conducted the christening itself, while Igor was holding Irina by the hand, just in case, since the christening was done in a deep holy natural spring. After the third submersion, Igor saw that rays of light were emanating from Irina's eyes." Grace is experienced at every christening ceremony, yet Igor was blessed with a God-given ability to not only sense it, but actually see it.
He generally possessed a keen sensibility for and perception of grace. This became particularly evident at Easter. He felt the spirit of Easter so strongly, there would be tears in his shining eyes. He would be lost in a timeless space. He could stand through two lengthy liturgies in succession, unable to tear himself away from the Easter benevolence and grace, pervading the very atmosphere. Easter was, for him, a sacrament, wherein the Spirit hears the call of the world to come. It seemed he was able to hear this call.
Here are some entries from his diary: "April 10, 1988. Easter. My third Easter... Time is such a mystical entity. I ask myself: was there a Lent or not? Was there a service? One day, I shall thus have to ask about my life. What exists in reality? The Spirit. Pure of sin, or smeared with it."
" 'Exult now and rejoice, Zion...' Yes, rejoice! This is a state of the spirit, for it is an inner manifestation, not provisional."
"April 30, 1989. Easter. The Lord's grace is granted gratis, but we should bring the Lord all we have."
He was already Hieromonk Basil, when the believers asked him: "Father, do you have a special, sacred wish?" "Yes," he replied, "I would like to die at Easter, to the chiming of bells." His wish was granted in 1993.
Father Basil was a profoundly Russian person, with the typical for our people inner guilt for all happening around us. This feeling is characteristic of people, who are endowed with a force of sacrificial, elevated love.
Here are more entries from Father Basil's diary:
"Love your neighbor as you love thyself, pray for him, as for thyself, only to see that the sins of your neighbor are YOUR sins, and go down to hell with these sins for the saving of your neighbor. Lord, You gave me love, changed me completely, and now I cannot do otherwise, but to embrace suffering willingly for the sake of my neighbor. I weep, I lament, but cannot do otherwise, for Your love leads me, and I do not want to part with it, for in it I find hope for Salvation, and despair not, seeing it within myself."
One of the monks of Optina Pustyn shares some recollections of Father Basil:
"Prior to Easter, I twice confessed to Father Basil, and was in a state of profound shock afterwards. Already at the confession I had the suspicion that Father Basil has the audacity to take upon himself other people's sins. On the morning of Holy Saturday Father Basil read the sermon. I was doing my novitiate in the church at the time; was entering and exiting the church, so could not listen to the sermon in its entirety. But what I did hear made me suspect that, indeed, Father Basil was taking upon himself our sins, as his own. Just the night before that I had read of one Elder, who had died a true martyrs' death, for he had willingly accumulated many sins of others. So I thought of Father Basil, wondering how he would die if he was taking on so many of our sins?"
Only great Optina Elders and ascetics of olden times had the audacity to accept sins of others and avert them by prayer. Father Basil did not see himself as an ascetic. It really came down to forced means: Russian monkhood was led to heroic deeds in unexampled conditions, when Monasteries were only just rising from the rubble. His was a period when there was a shortage of clergymen, and the young hieromonks were suffering undue stress and overwork, resulting in early graying hair.
The father of one monk, who fought the German fascists in the Patriotic war of 1941-1945, said of the monks of the end of the 1980s and early 1990s:
"This is similar to what we had in 1941. Young, totally inexperienced, just off the train and—straight into battle. You crawl towards a tank clutching a bottle of incendiary, paralyzed with fear, yet knowing full well somebody has to do it." This is a remarkable comparison: monks of the end of the 20th century and soldiers of the Second World War. True, the monks of the end of the 20th century, just like their fathers of the war years, had to experience hell, to save their neighbors.
Here is another testimony of Father Basil. This time, contributed by a worker, who took part in the restoration of the Monastery:
"A dreadful thing happened to me—in a moment of desperate weakness I felt a strong urge to commit suicide, to hang myself. There I was, going to work at the Optina Monastery, and crying all the way. Archdeacon Vladimir, upon learning what was the matter with me, said: 'You had better immediately go to see Father Basil!' And led me to his cell. Father Basil had been washing his robes, and was wearing faded patched jeans and a threadbare old mohair sweater. We spoke some fifteen minutes. I recall how Father Basil said to me: 'If you can—forgive, if you can't—leave.' He prayed. And I remember leaving him in extremely good spirits. There I stood outside his cell—laughing! If someone had told me fifteen minutes before that I would be laughing and rejoicing in life, I would never have believed it possible! Yet, here I was! From that moment on, Father Basil became like a true Father, a blood relative to me. In the 40 years of my life, I have never met another person like him, with such a beautiful soul. I regularly went to confess to him, even decided to plead for permission to become his spiritual child. However, while I was summoning the courage, Father Basil passed away. For a month and a half afterwards I wept with grief, couldn't force myself to go to the Monastery."
Father Basil was so totally devoid of the desire to please, to win accolades and praise that many of the inhabitants of the Monastery and pilgrims to Optina Pustyn discovered for themselves this silent clergyman only some time before his death.
He was destined to experience the rank of clergyman but for two and a half years. To begin with only visitors went to confess to the beginning clergyman. And these were few, for as it transpired, his monumental, imposing figure was seen as fearsome by many. Youths called him "the monument" behind his back. Indeed, there was some truth in this simile, for he could stand for hours immobile at the lectern. When accepting people's confessions, he never seated himself, but preferred to stand. During Lent, he could stand his way through some 18 hours a day. He had little to say to those who came to confess, silently listening to what they had to impart. After his death, it was discovered from his diaries that not only did Father Basil hear every word, spoken in the confessional, but pleaded to God for each one of them, with sincere love: "Tis I, Lord, who sins, forgive ME!.."
They say that Father Basil made a note of all the names of those, who came to confession to him, or whom he christened. Afterwards, back in the privacy of his cell, he bowed low, praying for all of them to the Lord.
A nun by the name of Varvara, who used to confess to him, said that Father Basil said not a word, as was his custom, during confession, yet one always left him with an amazing sense of relief, as though one had been absolved from all sin.
One of the pilgrims recalls how he went to confess to Father Basil: "I felt such compassion emanating from Father Basil, it was as though we had one pain and sorrow between the two of us." It is known that later this pilgrim went on to become a monk himself.
Father Basil had a large wooden cross that he'd been given as a gift, featuring an image of the Savior, a cross he preciously guarded. Russian pilgrims had carried this cross when entering Jerusalem, walking along the Calvary to the Lord's Tomb, where they had it sanctified. It is often recalled how Father Basil would say that the most important thing in life was to carry one's cross to the end, never stumbling on the rise upwards before meeting our Maker. This is why this cross, that had been carried through Jerusalem, along the Calvary, and sanctified at the Lord's Tomb, had so special a significance for him, occupying pride of place in his small cell.
Not long before his death, Father Basil took this cross and went with it to the icon workshop, where two monks — icon-painters were working. One of them was celebrating his Name day. Father Basil congratulated him, and presented him with his cross, saying: "I should like you to keep it with you for a while. Let's go find a place for it together." The cross was hung on the wall near the Icon corner. Later it transpired that Father Basil had brought this Calvary cross to the place of his own private Calvary: he was killed near the icon workshop, falling down right opposite the cross.
On August 9, 1993, holy chrism was seen to appear on this cross, on the left side, under the Savior's ribs. The drops were large and didn't dry for two weeks. It seemed as if the cross was miracle-working!
Monk Trophim (Alexei Tatarnikov)
Another monk, who died tragically on Easter night in 1993 at the age of 39, Trofim, came to Optina Pustyn in August of 1990. Outside the monastery walls his name had been Alexei Tatarnikov. He was born on February 4, 1954.
This young man came to the monastery with the strong determination to become a monk. He possessed enviable looks, which invariably drew people's glances to him like a magnet. One artist, busy sketching on the grounds of Optina Pustyn, upon seeing him, exclaimed: "Look, a Viking! What a typecast image!"
Indeed, the simile was not without grounds: he was blue-eyed and blond, with powerful arms and legs, which carried him with firm, steady tread. His was the strength that could enable him to tie a poker into knots, or, just for the fun of it, twist a thick nail, held nonchalantly between his fingers, into a spiral.
Trofim had mastered many a trade. After finishing secondary school studies in his native village, he served in the army, after which he spent five years on fishing trawlers in the Russian Far East. As a rule, the fishermen would go off for half a year at a time. Upon coming ashore, as was the sailors' custom, they'd make a beeline for the restaurant. Trofim was the heart and soul of the company, clever at keeping up his end of the conversation, and when he set his mind to dancing, nobody could keep still. As a rule, everyone quite forgot about the drinking, returning home sober, yet light-hearted. For this remarkable ability to ignite revelry without undue intoxication, Trofim was heartily invited to diverse sailors' company and weddings. Everyone could be certain of a grand old time, without drunken debauchery. Trofim was a quick hand at carpentry, a tractor-driver, baker, and many other trades. This is why other people were constantly approaching him for help and guidance. He, in turn, never turned anyone down. His help was always gratis and sincere.
For Trofim, everything he said was as good as done. If he'd promised something, you could be sure he'd see it through. He was remarkably hard-working, a quality that was destined to come in quite handy later at the monastery.
Friar Trofim had such a profound love for people, and dispersed it so generously, that each person saw him as his best friend. One of the clergymen who was acquainted with him, said that he had been "brother, friend, helpmeet and relative to each and every one." Incidentally, this last quality at times led him to rebel against monastery rules and instructions. Here is an example. There was only one tractor at the monastery, and a great deal of work set out for it. So there was something of a list of priorities: first, the plots of monastery workers were ploughed, and only afterwards those of other civilians, from the locals, who approached the monastery for help. Thus, when Trofim would be instructed to carry out the ploughing, he'd dutifully set off, yet the noise of his tractor inevitably drew forth an impressive turnout of elderly, feeble women from the villages. Seeing them, tears would well up in Trofim's eyes. Each old woman would beg with him to plough up her bit of land, or do some other chores. Some of these were lonely old souls, others had but sorry excuses for husbands, pitiful drunkards, while their offspring had moved, and couldn't be relied upon to help. How could he turn these poor souls down? He never did. He helped as much as he could, frequently turning up late at the monastery, and receiving punishment for this. The latter he stoically endured, for he was profoundly aware of the importance of monastic obedience.
The village women, in turn, adored Trofim, and he loved them like a son. He would receive a money transfer from home, only to go and spend it on scarves for his grannies, simple white cotton kerchiefs, edged with color. The old ladies, in turn, treasured these "trophies" more than anything else, all the more so since Trofim would apply them to the sacred relics at the monastery prior to presenting them as gifts.
Once, Trofim was busy loading wood for the monastery. Upon hearing that in the neighboring village an old woman lay ill in a cold cottage, without any wood for the stove, he immediately made a detour. Trofim brought her wood and stoked up a fire. He was already on his way back to the monastery when he heard the distant chiming of bells; there were just 15 minutes till Vespers. It was obvious he was going to be late for service, since there was at least another half-hour's drive to the Monastery. Trofim set his tractor straight off the road, and he drove recklessly across the terrain, nose-diving and stumbling. Sitting in the cabin with Trofim was icon-artist Olga, who was quite terrified: not of the breakneck speed or the rugged terrain, but of the look on Trofim's face. As a rule he wore an easy smile, but was now quite transformed. The man sitting next to her was sullen and aloof. She was struck by the sudden impression that he wasn't really there, so distant were his thoughts, deep in prayer. A miracle happened and they reached the monastery in time for Vespers.
Nobody was loved as much as Trofim at the monastery. However, probably, nobody was as often reprimanded. This is what he had to say about it: "To begin with, through my pride, I wanted to do everything my way. However, once you've trained yourself to be obedient, peace settles on your soul."
Translated from Greek, Trofim means "disciple." He was, indeed, a pupil, a disciple of Optina Pustyn, a beloved child, endowed with the rare for our proud century gift of being the ideal disciple. He knew how to learn from mistakes. And always dutifully accepted meted out punishment. Here is one example:
- They say that when the Monastery turned out its first bread, Trofim was the baker! What day it was: such joy ... the very first bread baked at their Monastery! Half of Optina Pustyn assembled at the bakery to try it... The bread was so delicious and warm, that without the blessing of the Monastery hierarchs, half the batch was eaten there and then. The baker was accordingly punished for this misdemeanor. Trofim had to pray to God with genuflection at length. Yet, Trofim accepted this, as all other penances, as nothing short of the Lord's blessing, preceding Doomsday. Once, a Bishop, head of the Diocese, was visiting at the Monastery. Upon seeing how readily the monk Trofim was fulfilling penance, he pronounced respectfully: "What a good monk!"
Trofim's brother, Gennady, says:
- "When my other brother, Sanya, and I came to Optina Pustyn to visit our brother Trofim, we began by asking him why on earth he'd decided to be a monk?! Trofim told us that not long before his leaving for the Monastery he'd had sign—a radiance had been emanating from one of the icons, and he heard a voice, that said something to him, two or three times. Alas, at the time Sanya and I didn't have much faith in such miracles, so we didn't remember what it was exactly that had been said by the 'voice.' What could we possibly know at the time if all we were capable of was pleading with our brother to come back home with us. 'How can I leave,' Trofim said at the time, 'if every time I enter the church each one of the icons speaks to me.' "
Pilgrim Victor Prokuronov recalls:
"When I think of Trofim, I immediately conjure up a vision of him driving the tractor back from the fields. Children, dogs—all rush towards him, eager for a sign of affection from him, while the horses stretch out their necks, for a pat from him..."
Children adored Trofim. He knew the behavioral patterns of animals, bird voices, had a way with horses. Prior to entering the monastery, he had worked for a while at a stud farm, riding the thoroughbred horses. So, he would be flying across the field on horseback while the monastery folk would stop to watch him admiringly. The vision was just like out of a movie. He sat a horse beautifully! Once, somebody asked him if he were a Cossack. "Of course I'm a Cossack!"
He was a jolly soul, and some over-the-top serious pilgrims reproached him for extreme childishness. However few were privileged to know of his secret ascetic deeds. Only after his death did many discover what a wise and courageous man he'd been, with so spiritually charged an existence. One of the pilgrims recalls:
"Trofim was the quintessential monk—keeping everything to himself; Outwardly, he didn't manifest any assumed, hypocritical God-fearing attitudes. It always amazed me, how deeply Trofim loved God and people! All people!!! There was no such thing as 'bad' people for him! Anyone could turn to him for help, any time of the day or night!"
One more episode, characterizing monk Trofim:
- In the autumn of 1992, the weather was so rainy, that gathering the potato harvest became a nightmare! Rain came pouring down, our boots were full of water... Every one returned to the Monastery long after dark, so exhausted, there was no strength to go to church service. One of the hieromonks decided to shame the others for not showing up for midnight service:
- 'What have things come to? The church is empty while each one of you has an excuse: "We have returned so late from the fields!" You should follow the example of monk Trofim—yesterday he was the last out of the field, and the first to arrive for midnight service.' "
To this I might add that after midnight service, Trofim read all the allotted him prayers, taking up quite a lot of time, then lit the fire to hang up the other brothers' wet clothes and boots for drying for the next day's work. After this, he mended those boots of his brothers', which desperately needed it. To top it off, one of the lay brothers showed up in the middle of the night with the words: "Imagine, I've misplaced my rosary! Can't find it anywhere... I shall be in trouble if anyone notices its absence!" So, Trofim made him a new rosary that night out of some braid. Trofim didn't get any sleep that time. In the morning, he was off to harvest the potatoes again.
One of the brothers from the monastery recalled:
- "I complained to Trofim that I usually sit so long pouring over a book, that afterwards I oversleep and miss midnight service. 'As for me,' he says, 'if I sit up too long reading, I never bother to go to bed. I stand on my knees before the bed, and cushion my head on my arms. This way, the arms soon start to tingle, and you certainly won't fall asleep—you'll be sure to spring up with the first chime of the bells...' "
Muscovite Evgenya Protokina noted that monk Trofim was always brief in his speech, yet graphic: one of her acquaintance suffered from despondency. Trofim said to him: "Read the Psalm book. Sometimes the sky is overcast, and your spirits are down, yet once you begin reading, a sun ray bursts through, and such joy kindles your spirit! I've experienced it personally! Believe me!"
Once, Trofim admitted: "I am with God, constantly, in body and soul! I live only for Him!"
When, after his death, people started to gather recollections of him, other people's impressions, it transpired he'd never conducted any mundane conversations with anyone. His thoughts were always addressed to God. One man, who'd come out of prison, told Trofim of some of the horrors experienced there. Trofim said: "Prison is the Monastery of the devil. It's all just like a Monastery, only the other way around—we are taught humility, while there they cultivate pride."
It is said that there were no pests in the village plots that Trofim had ploughed with his tractor, though the neighboring ones were invaded by them. Village folk would even come to Optina Pustyn to ask monk Trofim what prayer he'd said to ward off the bugs. While he would reply: "I read only one prayer: 'O Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on thy sinner.' "
After monk Trofim's death, some of the locals took earth from his grave, diluted it with water, and then sprinkled their vegetable plots with it, firm in the belief the new martyr Trofim would help them fight the pests, plaguing their crops. There are testimonies that this, indeed, served its purpose.
And here are some excerpts from monk Trofim's last letter to his relatives in Siberia:
- "This is the epitome—to live a life of the spirit! Money and all such (food and rags)—are nothing but the seeds of the devil, worldly rubbish we've all become obsessed with God preserve you from all that. Try to step on the brakes more often when driving past the church, go and confess your sins. This is the principal thing in life. Have Sasha and the boys gone to church to receive the Eucharist after christening? If not, let them hurry. Every day is worth its weight in gold. The world, as we know, is rushing headlong towards disaster... May the Lord help you see this clearly. I'll try to remember you all in my prayers as often as possible. You may let me know the names of all our distant ancestors on mother's and father's side—I shall pray for them.
- "I do not write to anyone simply because I am studying to be a monk. If you take holidays, or have relatives come visiting, nothing will come of it. Experience of others has proved the truth of this. A monk must live in a Monastery, in secrecy. He must seek solitude. Monos—means 'alone.' A Monastery implies life of solitude and prayer for everyone. This is very difficult.
- "I wish you all spiritual joy... Pray for one another. Forgive one another. All the rest is but triviality that one can do without. You need to comprehend this fully. Let it sink in. May God help you make the right choices in life. Forgive me. Love. Unworthy monk Trofim."
Trofim had been ringing the bells, summoning all for Easter midnight service when the satanist by the name of Nikolay Averin struck him in the back with a ritual knife. Thus ended the almost three-year-long monkhood of Trofim.
Monk Ferapont (Vladimir Pushkariov)
Monk Ferapont was the third victim of the horrendous act by a satanist on Easter night in 1993. He lived to be but 35 years, 7 months old. In secular life his name was Vladimir Pushkariov.
Hierdeacon Serafim, who personally knew Monk Ferapont, recalled: "Ferapont lived exclusively for God, and was so far removed from all earthly cares, even from among the brethren at the Monastery there were few who knew him."
Indeed, even those, who shared the same cell with him, knew very little about him. For example, the bell-ringer Andrei Suslov. When after the monk's death this man was asked to say something about Father Ferapont, he replied: "What is there to say? He would be praying assiduously the whole time in his corner, behind the curtain. He prayed and he prayed, that's all there is to tell."
When details were required for the newspaper obituary, it transpired there were but two papers in Monk Ferapont's personal file: an autobiography, written by him upon entering the Monastery, and his death certificate. His autobiography, dated September 13, 1990, reads as follows:
- "I, Pushkariov Vladimir Leonidovich, was born on September 17, 1955 in the village of Kandaurovo, Kolyvansky district of the Novosibirsk region. I lived and worked in the Krasnoyarsk region. Served in the Soviet Army from 1975 until 1977, and from 1977 'til 1980—joined service on re-engagement. Until 1982 I worked as carpenter at the Building office No. 97. Then came studies at the forestry technical college—until 1984. After completing studies I worked in my profession as forestry technician at Lake Baikal, the Buryat Autonomous Socialist republic. From 1987 until 1990 I lived in the town of Rostov-on-the-Don. I was employed as yard-keeper at the Rostov Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Virgin. Presently am free of all worldly affairs. My mother lives in the Krasnoyarsk region with her children. My elder sister is married, has two children; the youngest sister goes to school."
Vladimir Pushkariov was enrolled in the brotherhood of the monastery a year after he had joined it, on March 22, 1991. This was the day of memory of forty Orthodox martyrs. That day, Father Vasily, one of the new martyrs we have already told you about, read the following sermon during service:
- "The blood of martyrs is still being spilt for our sins. The demons cannot bear to see the blood of martyrs, for it gleams brighter than sun and stars, scorching the demons. Presently, the martyrs are helping us, and come Doomsday they shall convict us, for to the consummation of ages there operates the law of blood: give blood and accept the Spirit. ... Each of our committed sins should be washed away with blood."
Listening eagerly to that sermon had been the future new martyr Ferapont, who later was known to say: "True, our sins can be cleansed only with blood..."
Gathering material about the life of monk Ferapont, those who tackled the task visited his native places in Siberia, met with his relatives, living in a distant, back-of-the-beyond woodland settlement. Here is what they gleaned from his sister Natalia:
- "... I recollect how, after serving altogether some five years in the army in Vladivostok, Volodya then worked with a team of builders in our own village, besides driving the workers' bus. He was never prone to drink, didn't smoke, and generally enjoyed respect. To this day everyone says in our native village: 'Why did he join the Monastery? He was a saint anyway!' "
Volodya's friend Sergey narrated the following incident. "At the time Volodya was living in Rostov-on-the-Don and working at the church. Well, Sergey suddenly saw him right here in our village: apparently this was a vision of Volodya, come to warn Sergey of the danger threatening his child. Sergey did not heed his warning, alas, and the child was hit by a car and died."
It turned out that Vladimir first felt summoned by God when he was working in the Buryat Forestry on Lake Baikal. Those gathering details of his biography came across a curious incident, recounted by pilgrims from the region of Lake Baikal. The story relates that Vladimir once had an encounter with an old magician, there in the taiga woods, who offered him books on magic. The old fellow told him to study the magic books carefully and to come and meet him at the same spot in a year's time. Vladimir did not like magicians, and he did not show up for the meeting. However, he had apparently read the books. Since he did not treat magic seriously, he made use of what he had learned to amuse the local village girls. He would send them off to a neighboring cottage, instructing them to write notes, which he then proceeded to mind-read. Gifted from birth, yet knowing nothing of God, Vladimir had no notion of the dangerous forces he was playing games with.
The game almost ended in tragedy. According to his friend Sergey, Vladimir experienced his own death. His soul had separated from his body and found itself in the kingdom of terror. He was dying. Then the Lord's angel came to him and said he would return him to earth if he would go to church after that. Immediately after this, Vladimir left the forestry office and moved to Rostov-on-the-Don, where he was christened and took on the job of sweeper at the cathedral there. Why did he not stay on in his native places? Simply because one could reach the nearest church only by plane, flying a distance of hundreds of kilometers, though sects and magicians there were in abundance! Already from Rostov-on-the-Don he wrote to his relatives in Siberia: "Where there is no Church, there is no life," and called on them to come and join him in Rostov. His sister Natalia was to grieve afterwards, and lament this decision of theirs against the move.
It also came to be known that in the army Vladimir studied the martial arts of the Orient for five years, discovering later that they were all linked with the occult evils. One hieromonk recollects how, soon after entering the monastery, Vladimir, then a lay-brother, said with bitterness: "I was wielding a sword in my thoughts again," Monk Makarius Pavlov remembers how once the wood-carvers, of whom Vladimir was one, were sharing details of how each one of them had come to embrace the Faith, while working at what they were doing. Vladimir, already monk Ferapont, listened to his brethren in silence, then told them how, after he had embraced Orthodoxy, the demons had plagued and harassed him: appearing to him, attacking and throttling him, just like in the narratives of the lives of the ancient Christians, described in the holy books.
Monk Ferapont responded to the Lord's love with all-consuming love for God in return. He gave himself to God without reserve. Immediately upon addressing God, he chose for himself the path of asceticism, rejecting all worldly cares. From now on he lived with God and had but one desire: to be with God. Throughout his brief monkhood, he prayed to the Lord for redemption of sins. The exploit of his life is the exploit of repentance.
Hieromonk Phillip recalls:
- Once, monk Ferapont and I were busy doing building work at the farm yard. To begin with, due to lack of building materials, we weren't making much progress, but towards evening things started to go so well, it seemed like a pity to break off. However, at that point the bell for evening service chimed. Since it was a week day, I suggested to Ferapont: "Why don't we get some more done?" While he said to me: "What, you've repented all your sins already?" And straight away set off for church."
Witnesses say the monk Ferapont went to confession daily. At times he would even confess twice a day. All of his monkhood passed in this tireless work of repentance.
Icon from here |
Pilgrim Alexander Gerasimenko, who would work at Optina Pustyn for long spells, and who was acquainted with monk Ferapont, recalls:
- At one time I was overly serious and portentous. I remember, when at Optina Pustyn, coming out of the hermitage, I loved to turn to its gates and cross myself self-consciously and then genuflect, hopefully before a group of tourists, thinking: let them marvel at how pious our youth are! Ferapont would sigh upon witnessing my show of piety, and later said to me: "Sasha, why do you pray like a Pharisee? You should pray unseen, so that nobody behold you..."
Monk Ferapont himself had not a whit of pretense in him, nor pharisaism. His devotion to God was sincere and complete.
One of the women, a pilgrim by the name of Lidya, said of him: "He was not a man of this world, so pure—like crystal. He lived by the Bible laws, and in our day—this is martyrdom."
Monk Ferapont had notes in his cell, where he put down excerpts from the works by the Holy Fathers of Orthodoxy. He would write out that, of which he later said with conviction: "This has to be lived out in deed." The walls of his cell were covered with pages featuring quotations from the Holy Fathers, and he would often reread them, trying to implement all their commandments.
As an example, here is a quotation from the Holy Gregory of Nisso:
- "Perfection lies in removing oneself from wanton life not out of fear of punishment, or doing good in anticipation of rewards, thus trading ones' virtuous life and arguing the conditions, but rather in seeing only one terror—that of losing God's friendship, and coveting only one priceless gift—that of becoming God's friend. Therein, I believe, lies the perfection to aspire to in life."
Another quote, copied out by monk Ferapont, from the teachings of the Blessed Diadochius:
- "Rather like the doors of a steam bath which, if often opened, let out the steam and warmth, thus the spirit, if it is consumed by a desire to speak often, albeit to speak good, loses warmth through the 'door' of the tongue."
Another quotation from Father Isaac the Syrian: "Silence is the secret of life of the future century."
The world inevitably cultivates a pre-conceived notion of monastic life, and can have an oppressive influence on the monastery. In newspaper publications one is immediately confronted with their groundwork thesis: the monks are useful to society since they take care of the needy and sick and take gifts to foster homes. Of course, all this is a part of the routine at Optina Pustyn. Still, to assess the value of monkhood by deeds of charity is akin to assessing the merits of a microscope for cracking nuts. This is a debate that goes way back when—on the social merits and Christian love. The archives of great Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky contain a letter by violinist of the Imperial theatre, who censured Christ for not having turned stones into bread. The violinist wrote with indignation that one should first feed humanity and only then talk of Love and Christ. In a reply letter Fyodor Dostoevsky roughly outlined a picture of sated humankind, without any belief in God, and asked if we would not then be in danger of turning into overfed swine, unable to raise our heads to the heavens? And then prophesied: "bread shall then be turned to stone."
As for monk Ferapont, he strove for the principal monastic deed: prayer for oneself and all of mankind. He particularly liked to pray in solitude, in one of the small chambers of the church, where the relics of one of the Optina elders were kept. Church service would be over, yet monk Ferapont would still be there in front of the relics, praying.
At one time, one of the visitors approached the person on duty in the church, and told him he had found himself there quite by accident, that he had always had serious doubts about God's existence. "Now I know, God exists!" he said in great agitation to the one on duty, "I saw one monk praying here. I saw what could only have been the face of an angel, talking to God! Do you know you have angels here amongst you?" "What angels?" the confused person queried. The visitor pointed to monk Ferapont, who was just leaving the church.
One of the monastery brethren witnessed something similar. Monk Ferapont was praying at the relics in the empty church, convinced nobody could see him. The brother quietly came out from behind the altar and chanced to throw a glance at the glowing, angel-like face of monk Ferapont. He was so shaken, he hurried away.
"Prayer should be the principal deed of a monk," wrote Holy Ignatius Bryanchaninov. Monk Ferapont had such a thirst for prayer, even the lengthy church services could not alleviate it. His cell-mates recollect how he would pray and genuflect at night, too. Just as it is so difficult for us sometimes to go and pray, so it was incredibly hard for the monk Ferapont to cease prayer.
Now, looking back, one can see that monk Ferapont saw the approach of his own death. Not long before he died, he started to give away his warm clothes with the words: "I shall not be needing this any more." Right on the eve of Easter, he distributed his carpentry tools among the brethren.
On the eve of Easter, monk Ferapont was in a state of radiant joy, obviously having received from the Lord the gift of enlightenment and foresight. In any case, some of the monks testified that he could read their minds, while one young lay-brother admitted Ferapont had told him his future.
On Easter night, before the murder, monk Ferapont was standing in church, not in his usual place, but near the table, where services for the repose of the souls are usually conducted. He stood, as if immobile, head bowed in prayer and sorrow. There were a great many people in the church. He was being shoved and crowded, yet he seemed to notice nothing. Then, he set off for the last confession of his life. A satanist struck him with a ritual knife when, together with monk Trofim, he was chiming the bells.
- Tatyana Shvetsova. New Martyrs of the Optina Pustyn, Voice of Russia, 05-04-2007.
External link
- Orthodoxy and the World, Russian Orthodox Church. New Russian Martyrs: Optyna martyrs June 21, 2006.


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By Admin1 (admin) (ppp-70-249-83-12.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 184.108.40.206) on Sunday, September 10, 2006 - 9:44 am: Edit Post |
Carol Bellamy to speak at Global Risk Conference in Boston
XL Capital Ltd today revealed the speaker program for its global risk conference, XL Congress scheduled to be held on October 4-5 in Boston, Massachussets. Speakers addressing XL Congress delegates include Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF (1995-2005. Carol Bellamy was the first returned Volunteer (Guatemala 1963�65) to be confirmed by the Senate as director of the Peace Corps.
Carol Bellamy to speak at Global Risk Conference in Boston
XL Capital Ltd Announces Speaker Program for Global Risk Conference in Boston
HAMILTON, Bermuda, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- XL Capital Ltd (NYSE: XL) ("XL") today revealed the speaker program for its global risk conference, XL Congress, scheduled to be held on October 4-5 in Boston, Massachussets.
Speakers addressing XL Congress delegates include Richard Clarke, National Security Advisor (1992-2003); Mike Moore, Director of the World Trade Organization (1999-2002) and Prime Minister of New Zealand (1990); Steve Forbes, President and CEO of Forbes Inc., Editor-in-Chief Forbes Magazine; Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF (1995-2005) and President and CEO of World Learning; Jerry Linenger, NASA Astronaut (1992-1998); Jeremy Siegel, Professor of Finance, Wharton School of Business (1976-present); and Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan (1998-1990, 1993-1996).
Other speakers include Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric (1981-2001). A panel discussion titled "Capital -- Borderless -- The Risks and Rewards" will also feature Paul A. McCulley, Managing Director -- Pacific Investment Management Company LLC ("PIMCO"); Laurence D. Fink, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer -- Blackrock; Jonathon S. Jacobson, Co-Founder -- Highfields Capital Management; and Daniel J. Fuss, Vice Chairman -- Loomis, Sayles & Company, L.P.
The conference theme is "One World Without Borders" and will follow the same format as the XL Congress held in Berlin, Germany, in May 2006. The event will use thought-provoking international speakers to critically examine major economic, political and social issues to give delegates a better understanding of the changing face of risk and its evolving impact on the world. The two Congresses, invitation-only events for clients and brokers, are among the commemorative celebrations which XL has held this year to mark its 20th anniversary.
More information about the XL Congresses is available at http://www.xlcapital.com.
XL Capital Ltd, through its operating subsidiaries, is a leading provider of insurance and reinsurance coverages and financial products and services to industrial, commercial and professional service firms, insurance companies and other enterprises on a worldwide basis. As of June 30, 2006, XL Capital Ltd had consolidated assets of approximately $58.5 billion and consolidated shareholders' equity of $8.5 billion. More information about XL Capital Ltd is available at http://www.xlcapital.com.
When this story was posted in September 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:Read the stories and leave your comments.
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director
Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.
The Peace Corps Library
The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.
Chris Shays Shifts to Favor an Iraq Timetable
In a policy shift, RPCV Congressman Chris Shays, long a staunch advocate of the Bush administration's position in Iraq, is now proposing a timetable for a withdrawal of American troops. How Mr. Shays came to this change of heart is, he says, a matter of a newfound substantive belief that Iraqis need to be prodded into taking greater control of their own destiny under the country�s newly formed government. As Chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on national security, he plans to draft a timetable for a phased withdrawal and then push for its adoption. A conscientious objector during the Vietnam War who said that if drafted he would not serve, Chris Shays has made 14 trips to Iraq and was the first Congressman to enter the country after the war - against the wishes of the Department of Defense.
Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance
The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.
Gates charity races to spend billions
Warren E. Buffett�s gift of $31 billion to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation means that for tax reasons, starting in 2009, the foundation must distribute $3 billion annually, or a little more than twice what it distributed last year.
PCOL Comment: The Foundation says that "preventing the spread of HIV is the most durable long-term solution to the AIDS epidemic, and a top priority for the foundation." Peace Corps Volunteers and Returned Volunteers have been doing just that in AIDS Education for the past 15 years. Why not consider a $100M annual contribution to the Peace Corps to put 2,500 additional volunteers in the field to expand AIDS education worldwide?
RPCV Ron Tschetter to head Peace Corps
President Bush has nominated Ron Tschetter to serve as Director of the Peace Corps. Tschetter, 64, is the president of an investment firm based in Montana. He volunteered with his wife to work as family planning advisers in India and is a former Chairman of the National Peace Corps Association.
PCOL Comment: Congratulations to the Bush administration for an inspired choice for Peace Corps Director. Ron Tschetter is not only an RPCV but was Chairman of the NPCA. Best wishes to Mr. Tschetter on his future tenure as Director of the Peace Corps.
Latest: How Ron Tschetter was selected as Peace Corps Director.
The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again
The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.
Support the US-Peruvian Trade Pact
Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, the Peace Corps President, has been lobbying both Democratic and Republican legislators to support the US-Peruvian trade pact before July 28, when his term ends and a US congressional recess begins. If President Bush fails to get approval before Congress goes on recess, it will be a case study proving that the United States does not reward its friends. Please call your representatives.
Changing the Face of Hunger
In his new book, Former Congressman Tony Hall (RPCV Thailand) says humanitarian aid is the most potent weapon the United States can deploy against terrorism. An evangelical Christian, he is a big believer in faith-based organizations in the fight against hunger. Members of Congress have recently recommended that Hall be appointed special envoy to Sudan to focus on ending the genocide in Darfur.
PC will not return to East Timor in 2006
Volunteers serving in East Timor have safely left the country as a result of the recent civil unrest and government instability. Latest: The Peace Corps has informed us that at this time, the Peace Corps has no plans to re-enter the country in 2006. The Peace Corps recently sent a letter offering eligible volunteers the opportunity to reinstate their service in another country.
Chris Dodd considers run for the White House
Senator Chris Dodd plans to spend the next six to eight months raising money and reaching out to Democrats around the country to gauge his viability as a candidate. Just how far Dodd can go depends largely on his ability to reach Democrats looking for an alternative to Hillary Clinton. PCOL Comment: Dodd served as a Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and has been one of the strongest supporters of the Peace Corps in Congress.
First Amendment Watch
Maine Web Report hit with Federal Lawsuit
Website wins trademark suit against Jerry Falwell
Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request
The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position � on March 2 � the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.
PCOL readership increases 100%
Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.
History of the Peace Corps
PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.
RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps
Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.
Military Option sparks concerns
The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program
Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger
When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.


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Chanterelle - Daffodil
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Creamy petals and a wide yellow split corona (mid).
Aspect: Full sun to semi shade
Growing Zones: Zones 1, 2, 3 (refer to Climate Map)
Flowers: Aug;Sep
Product Type: Daffodils - Cups and Trumpets
Product code: chanterelle-daffodil
Scientific Name: Narcissus tazetta
Supplied as: Dry Bulbs
Water Wise: No
Colour: White, Yellow
Planting Time: Mar;Apr;May
End Use: Pots;Rockery;Garden;Naturalising
Frost Hardy: Yes
Height: 40-60cm
Narcissus (Daffodils): (Zones 1,2,3) - See also General Bulb Growing Instructions
Narcissus are excellent naturalisers and can be enjoyed in all climates except subtropical. They are very hardy and don't mind being a little moist in their dormant period. In warmer areas, deep planting, mulching or shade in summer will protect them in the ground. Flowers are very long lasting. Fertilise with blood and bone at planting in March - June, flowers through summer. Plant 15cm deep and 15cm apart.


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Maroon second, Saints third in IAC wrestling tourney
The St. Stephen's / St. Agnes wrestling team turned in a third-place finish at Monday's Interstate Athletic Conference tournament, led by senior Tyler Haley's first place honors at the 130-pound level.
The Saints finished behind first-place Georgetown Prep and second-place Episcopal, with whom they also tied for second during the regular season. Junior Anthony Jacobsen came in second at the 215-pound weight class, while Shaw Whitley (112 pounds), Greg Voorhees (125), Jonathan Herrera (140), Erik Romanin (160) and Matt Brinckerhoff (171) all finished third.
Episcopal had three individual winners, with Adam Lynne (171), Henry Eshelman (215) and Alex Henry (275) topping their weight classes. The Saints and Maroon are scheduled to begin the Virginia Independent Schools tournament Friday.
Alexandria's Swift joins Tennessee sports royalty
The Renaissance Hotel in Nashville is nearly 700 miles from Old Town, but surely both places will be on the mind of Alexandria native and basketball legend Harley "Skeeter" Swift Friday night when he is immortalized in the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
That night, Swift and 10 others will join the likes of Pat Summitt, Steve Spurrier and Reggie White in the state's sports pantheon.
Swift, now 63 and living about halfway between Nashville and Northern Virginia in Kingsport, Tenn., starred at the former George Washington High School where he was a two-year all-state selection and an All-American his senior season.
After high school, the sharpshooter played four years at East Tennessee State University, earning conference Player of the Year honors as a senior and later moving on to play in the ABA and NBA.
"This is a huge affair and I'm thankful and humble," Swift said of the enshrinement, which is also accompanied by a joint proclamation from both houses of the Tennessee legislature.
During his years of success on and around the hardwood as a player and later a coach, Swift had to overcome several off-court obstacles a rough childhood, bipolar disorder and, just recently, a bout with lymphoma but he remains irrepressibly positive.
"These two awards are very special and I am so thankful to so many that made it possible for me to reach my goal," he said. Swift lauded several Alexandria institutions for their help along the way, including the Boys and Girls Club, the city's recreation department, the Alexandria Sportsman's Club and "too many more to list."
Sportsman's Club names top athletes for February
The Alexandria Sportsman's Club honored their latest Athletes of the Month on Tuesday night, awarding the prize to Bishop Ireton swimmer Angus MacDonald and Episcopal sprinter Shantell Bingham.
Last weekend at the Virginia Independent Schools state championship, Bingham finished second in the 55-meter dash and won the 55-meter hurdles to lead the Maroon to third place overall.
MacDonald, the swim and dive team captain, has set school records in the freestyle and backstroke and won the gold medal in the 100-yard butterfly at the Catholic National championships earlier month. He plans to continue his swimming career next fall at the Air Force Academy.
Postseason basketball
After wholesale postponements dating back to February 4, the basketball postseason for public and private schools are planned to tip off this weekend. For the T.C. Williams boys and girls, the Patriot District playoffs start this Friday with games at the highest seed. The semifinals and finals, to be played at T.C., are slated for Saturday and Monday, respectively.
In the Interstate Athletic Conference, the Episcopal (No. 3) and St. Stephen's (No. 4) boys tip off action Saturday night at the higher seeds. The girls, in the Independent School League, begin their tournament next week.
T.C. crew pushes off this weekend
A break in the snow means it's finally time for ACPS students in grades eight through 12 to sign up for the T.C. Williams crew team. Returning female rowers should report to the T.C. boathouse today at 4 p.m. Returning boys should report to the boathouse at the same time on Friday. Newcomers to T.C. crew should plan to be at the T.C. boathouse at 8 a.m. Saturday with their parents.


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Oscar-nominated writer-director Paul Mazursky dies at 84
Paul Mazursky, the innovative and versatile director who showed the absurdity of modern life in such movies as "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" and "An Unmarried Woman," has died. He was 84.
The filmmaker died of pulmonary cardiac arrest Monday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said Nancy Willen, Mazursky's spokeswoman.
As a talented writer, actor and producer as well as director, Mazursky racked up five Oscar nominations, mostly for writing such films as "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" and "Enemies, A Love Story." He also created memorable roles for the likes of Art Carney, Jill Clayburgh and Natalie Wood. Later in life, Mazursky acted in in such TV series as "The Sopranos," ''Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Once and Again."
He was born Irwin Mazursky in 1930, in Brooklyn, N.Y. During the Depression, the family lived on the small wages his father earned as a laborer for the federal Works Progress Administration. When Mazursky graduated from high school, he changed his name from Irwin, which had hated, to Paul.
Mazursky had always dreamed of becoming an actor, and he appeared in student plays at Brooklyn College. With the school's permission, he flew to California to act in "Fear and Desire," director Stanley Kubrick's first film. When he received bad reviews, Mazursky buckled down to studying acting with a variety of teachers, including Lee Strasberg. But he found the most success behind the camera.
Mazursky and his writing partner Larry Tucker first triumphed with the script for "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," a clever takeoff on the emerging sexual freedom of the late 1960s. Warner Bros. turned it down for fear of its racy subject, but Columbia scooped it up and accepted Mazursky's proviso that he would direct the film.
Natalie Wood and Robert Culp portrayed Carol and Bob, a well-off couple who seek open lives. Dyan Cannon and Elliott Gould played Alice and Ted, who hesitate but acquiesce in Carol and Bob's invitation to wife-swapping. In the end, the quartet bow to the old morality and the wife-swapping remains unconsummated.
"Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" was a success at the box office and set up Mazursky as rising director of the new school. His next film was "Alex in Wonderland," which was also co-written by Tucker, starring Donald Sutherland as a young director who, like Mazursky, had a hit first movie and mulled about what to make for his second. It was scorned by critics.
Mazursky ended his relationship with Tucker and spent six months with his family in Rome and London, recovering from his failure. He later returned to filmmaking, continuing with his socially adept films, many of which he wrote, produced, directed and acted in, including the autobiographical "Next Stop, Greenwich Village," ''An Unmarried Woman," ''Tempest," ''Moscow on the Hudson" and "Down and Out in Beverly Hills."
"I know there are some wonderful filmmakers with really tragic views of life," Mazursky told The Atlantic magazine. "But for me absurdity is just around the corner. I see it all the time."
Over the years, he was nominated four times for screenplay Oscars: 1969's "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice," 1974's "Harry and Tonto," 1978's "An Unmarried Woman" and 1989's "Enemies, A Love Story." As a co-producer, he also shared in the best picture nomination for "An Unmarried Woman."
Mazursky returned to semi-autobiography in his poorly received 1993 film "The Pickle," about an aging movie director grappling with professional and personal stumbles. In an Associated Press interview, he objected to the notion someone had expressed to him that the film's hero, played by Danny Aiello, was despicable.
"Every director I've met who was involved with a movie is self-centered," he said. "Directors are not walking around like Mahatma Gandhi saying, 'Oh, don't worry about the movie.' They're worried about their movie! They're crazed!"
He is survived by his wife, daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchild.


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The family and living rooms also feature fireplaces facing the windows, including a floor-to-ceiling brick mantel in the family room.
At the top of the wooden stairs, the living room adjoins the kitchen, with its updated appliances and a glass door leading to the deck. Behind the kitchen, two bedrooms share a hallway bath while the master suite features an adjoining bath and a skylight.
Hardwood floors continue through the living room, the hallway and the three upper story bedrooms. Berber carpeting appears in the family room. Slate floors form the main-floor patio and entrance hall, while the two tiled rear bedrooms on this level share a full bath.
The home thus demonstrates both the open, flowing floor plan and the indoor-outdoor living that are the hallmark of the contemporary style. The front eave encourages winter heating and summer cooling, as an example of passive solar design.
The exciting contemporary exterior features walls of windows facing towering trees for an unforgettable view. Those windows line both the living room on the main floor and the family room downstairs.


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Join the funnest sport there is. Find out how to get involved by visiting www.swimtoday.org. Please contact our team! |
Getting involved with swiming is easy
Here you'll find all the tools and resources you need to get started, regardless of your level.
Enroll your child in swimming lessons and help them stay safe in the water.
Learn More Swimming is a skill that can save your child's life. Every child should learn to swim with a professional instructor, which will reduce the risk of drowning and open the door to a world of water and fitness activities.USA Swimming recommends that kids learn to swim as soon as they are potty-trained, and always with a professional instructor. While all children learn at different rates, it will typically take a minimum of 8 lessons for a child to learn to swim.
Five Tips for Keeping Children Safe In and Around Water
1. Teach children to swim. It's the best way to be safer in the water.
2. Make sure a responsible adult is watching the water at all times.
3. Remind kids to always obey the rules of the pool, not to jump on or dunk other swimmers, and not to jump or dive unless they know how deep the water is.
4. Require kids to always swim with a buddy.
5. Remember, you don't have to be at a pool to drown. Lakes, rivers, large puddles and any other bodies of water also require caution. Find a place to learn to swim today.
Join a USA Swim Club to experience the fun and excitment of racing.
Learn More Competitive swim clubs are a great place for friends, fitness and fun. If your 5-12 year-old can swim at least 24 yards using freestyle (breathing to the side) and backstroke, he or she is ready to enter the fun and exciting world of club swimming. Children 13 and older should be able to swim at least 50 yards of each stroke.Swimming is an outstanding activity for people of all ages. It promotes fitness and endurance, goal-setting and time management. Also, as both an individual and a team sport, swimming offers kids the chance to learn to function as a member of a team, make friends and most importantly, have fun.
Swimming teaches the life lessons of sport and sportsmanship which include learning to be a good winner and a good loser, taking direction from coaches, practicing discipline and commitment.
Another thing you may not know about swimming is that it is relatively injury free in comparison to other youth sports. Swimming is low impact, a great outlet for kids with energy to burn, and a fantastic full-body workout.
So what should your goals be for your child? You may think we're talking about medals and ribbons. We're not. The most important things your child can learn as a swimmer are:
- Did he/she improve, becoming both stronger and safer in the water?
- Did he/she learn to exhibit initiative, wanting to come to the pool to practice?
- Did he/she learn something about teamwork?
- Did he/she child benefit from the competitive experience, learning how to be a good winner and gracious loser?
- Did he/she learn dedication, self-improvement and work ethic?
In a few years, the medals and ribbons will be laid aside and best times will be a hazy memory. The friendships that will develop and the life skills learned will carry on for a lifetime.
If you want your child to experience all the benefits of competitive swimming, just click on the "Contact" tab and get started with our swim club today!
Join a USA Swim Club to experience the fun and excitment of racing.
Learn More Swimming can help you get fit and improve your fitness whether you are 18 or 81. USA Swimming and Speedo offer resources to help get you started.USA Swimming offers both in-water and dryland training videos that can help you get on the road to fitness. Visit www.usaswimming.org/tipsandtraining.
Always swim with a buddy. Or 300,000 of them.
Welcome to America's Swim Team, a group of strong, competitive, tight-knit and occasionally quirky folks who are more at home underwater than on land. Whether you are racing your first 50 yards or standing on the podium, here you'll find everything you need to connect with people who are as crazy for swimming as you are:
• Download the "Swimmers' Creed" and post it on your wall/locker/door.
• Join the team of 300,000 on Facebook and be a part of it all.
• Put yourself in the America's Swim Team video!


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A Dutch virologist is considering his full range of legal options if his government refuses to lift the restrictions it has put on his controversial bird flu research, and matters could quickly come to a head after a meeting next Monday that will be attended by U. S. observers.
The meeting will come just after Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, issued a statement on Friday saying that he and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services believe this bird flu research, and a similar study done at the University of Wisconsin, should be published fully:"This information has clear value to national and international public health preparedness efforts and must be shared with those who are poised to realize the benefits of this research."
Ron Fouchier, of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, made headlines last year with the news that he had created mutant forms of the H5N1 bird flu virus which, unlike the original, could spread through the air between lab animals.
The work was part of an effort to understand how animal flu viruses can change and jump into humans and cause pandemics. But critics charge that the mutant viruses could be dangerous if they escaped the lab or fell into the wrong hands.
And the Dutch government has restricted Fouchier's ability to talk publicly about his results, using legal controls that apply to the export of technology that could be used for weapons.
On Monday, April 23, the Dutch government is holding a meeting in The Hague to discuss the issue. It's unclear when government officials will make any formal decision, but Fouchier hopes to have enough information after that meeting to plan the next move.
"This choice is not only up to me," Fouchier said in an email to NPR, explaining that he plans to speak with his research team and the board of his medical center on Tuesday to try to reach agreement on how to act.
Fouchier maintains that the export law should not apply to his lab's work, because the law contains an exemption for basic scientific research which is routinely shared internationally. In his view, the government's actions amount to censorship.
One possibility is that the government will simply lift the export control restriction and Fouchier can submit the latest version of his manuscript to the journal Science.
After all, a committee that advises the U.S. government on potentially dangerous biology recently reviewed that manuscript, with special permission from the Dutch government. A majority of the committee recommended that it be published openly. They made the same recommendation for similar research done at the University of Wisconsin by the lab of Yoshihiro Kawaoka, who was then able to publicly discuss his work at a meeting in London.
But if the Dutch government refuses to lift the export control, Fouchier could submit his paper to the journal without applying for permission and face the consequences.
Fouchier says if the export control is not lifted, that would be his preferred response. "For me personally, this is a matter of principle," he wrote in the email, explaining that he is against any form of government censorship.
A spokesperson for the publisher of Science, which is based in Washington, D.C., told NPR that their legal advisors are considering all possible scenarios and have made no decisions.
Science will have a representative at the Dutch government's meeting. And the U.S. government was invited to send observers. According to a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), four government officials are going: Nancy Cox, director of the influenza division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jimmy Kolker, deputy director of the office of global affairs at HHS, Chris Park of the Department of State, and Larry Kerr of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
In his statement supporting full publication of both bird flu papers, NIH director Collins noted the Dutch government's review of the work and said: "We respect that process and value the dialogue we have with Dutch authorities toward our common goals of encouraging scientific inquiry, advancing global health, and protecting the safety and security of our populations and the wider global community."
Fouchier and his team do have other options if the Dutch government won't budge.
One possibility is that they could apply for an export control permit, but at the same time file a protest so that the case would end up in court and determine whether this would be needed in the future, according to Fouchier, who says the Dutch government has indicated that he should prepare to do that.
Another option is to bring the case to court to try to resolve matters before submitting his revised paper to the journal.
"That would mean that it will take another year before the paper gets published," Fouchier noted. He said the journal Nature would probably then go ahead and publish a manuscript describing the University of Wisconsin experiments rather than waiting to coordinate publication of the two papers together.
Fouchier points out that if the export control law truly applies to his work, "we can already be prosecuted."
After all, he spoke about his work at a conference in Malta last September, and submitted an earlier draft of his paper to Science in August, before the implications of the research started making headlines around the world and export controls were clamped down.
That means Science already has his data and could publish if they wanted to, wrote Fouchier, adding that "asking for an export permit to submit data that have already been submitted seems like a senseless enterprise to me."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is planning a hearing on April 26th that will look at biological security and the risk posed by legitimate biological research that could be misused.
Both bird flu studies, in Wisconsin and the Netherlands, received funding from the National Institutes of Health, raising concerns about how federally funded research proposals get reviewed. Last month, the government put a new policy in place to ensure that the risks of potentially worrisome research are assessed before studies go forward.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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No, the filter cannot be rinsed in anything but water. Washing your filter will allow the soap to seep into the pores and this cannot be removed, making the filter unusable and unsafe for your pet.
The filter is not required for normal operation of the fountain, but it does significantly improve the overall cleanliness and taste of the water for your pets. The filter removes bad tastes and odours to improve the taste of the water and catches hair and small particles to keep the water cleaner.
The charcoal filter removes bad tastes and odours from the water and catches large particles and debris from re-circulating back into the water. The filters do not purify the water. Change them every 2-4 weeks, depending on how many pets use the fountain, to keep the fountain water fresh and clean.
The charcoal filter should be changed every 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the number of pets using the fountain. If you have more pets or notice more debris, a slimy feel, or decreased water flow in your fountain, you should clean it more often. Pre-filters can usually be changed less frequently.
This black stuff is loose charcoal from the filter and is completely harmless for your pet to drink. The charcoal filter is made of organic coconut shells. Rinse the filter in cold water before placing it in the fountain to prevent this. Some filters may shed more charcoal than others due to differing consistency of charcoal in each batch of filters, so don't be surprised if some filters leave behind more charcoal dust than others.
These filters are similar to the ones used in fish tanks. They are safe to use with your pet's drinking water. The organic charcoal used in the filters is made of coconut shells.
The charcoal filter removes bad tastes and odors from the water and catches large particles and debris from re-circulating back into the water. Over time, debris gets stuck in the outer fabric of the filter, making it more difficult for the water to pass through it. The inner part of the filter contains granulated carbon with hundreds or thousands of microscopic holes, which bind to impurities in the water that cause bad tastes and smells. This binding prevents impurities them from returning to the water. Eventually, the holes become clogged and can no longer remove impurities.
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Institutional Repositories
From Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki
Contents |
Success Stories
- Hagerdorn, Kat Looking for Pearls of Information. Research Information (March/April 2005).
- Misek, Marla, "eScholars of the World, Unite! The University of California Revolutionizes Publishing Paradigm" EContent (March 2004).
Repositories in LIS
Repositories of pre-prints, Open Access, conference papers and other materials in LIS
- dLIST
- Archives SIC (French archive in Communication and Information Sciences)
- Librarians Digital Library
- CDSware - CERN Document Server Software from Switzerland published under the GPL.
- DSpace - a digital repository system developed by MIT and HP that is in use at many institutions.
- Fedora - repository software developed Cornell University and the University of Virginia.
- GNU EPrints - online archival software published under the GPL.
- DoKS software - DOcument and Knowledge Sharing application.
Commercial Software
- Digital Commons- by Bepress.
- Digital Media Archive Technology - by Sirsi.
- Digitool - by Ex Libris.
- Symposia - by Innovative Interfaces
Great Examples
- University of California's eScholarship Repository
- Cornell University Library Technical Reports and Papers
- MIT's own DSpace implementation
- SMARTech at Georgia Tech
- RIT's DSpace implementation- still in the works]
- ScholarWorks at Boise State University
- SIT Study Abroad/SIT Graduate Institute's DigitalCollections@SIT - using BePress's Digital Commons
- University of Nebraska's Digital Commons repository
Blogs/Websites to Watch
- Open Access News: news from the Open Access movement. The most complete blog about OA, edited by Peter Suber.
- D-Lib Magazine: An impressive electronic journal about digital library development.
- Sherpa: A project to set up institutional repositories in the UK
Specific Blog Posts/Articles to Check Out
- Vol.33, no. 3 (2005) issue of "Reference Services Review," will be a special issue about "the role of the reference librarian in the development, management, dissemination, and sustainability of institutional repositories." Read a pre-print of Charles W. Bailey's "The role of reference librarians in institutional repositories"
- Institutional Repositories: Essential Infrastructure for Scholarship in the Digital Age by Clifford Lynch.
- Where Do We Go From Here? The Next Decade for Digital Libraries by Clifford Lynch in D-Lib Magazine, July/August 2005.
- Understanding Faculty to Improve Content Recruitment for Institutional Repositories by Nancy Fried Foster and Susan Gibbons, University of Rochester. In D-Lib Magazine, January 2005.
- Institutional Repositories: Hidden Treasures by Miriam A. Drake in Searcher Magazine, May 2004.


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Official language: English
Time zone: UTC+1
Currency: Pound sterling (GBP)
Edinburgh public transport is very well developed. In 2014 a 13 km tram line was opened. It connects the city center (York Palace) with the airport.
Although the author of the Harry Potter's stories doesn't come from Edinburgh, it's here that her most popular children's book was written (but not only!).
If you're passionate about the history, we have great news for you – Edinburgh museums are free! Visit the National Museum of Scotland and see the exhibition entirely devoted to mammoths.
It's the city full of greenery and harmony, where history is felt on every step. There are also many festivals with tens of thousands artists performing their shows.
Edinburgh is Scotland's second largest city and its capital since the 15th century. The oldest council is the Old Town, forming the city center together with the New Town. Both areas are separated by the Princes Street Gardens. There are four universities there – the University of Edinburgh is the most prestigious and recognizable one with around 40 thousands of students per year.
Edinburgh has very restrictive rules regarding public spaces. Thanks to this you won't find any places where huge skyscrapers intertwine with charming tenants. Streets are wide, neat, and full of beautiful buildings – you could feel like you're in a fairy tale there!
Do you want to admire the city panorama in all its splendor? Go to one of the most famous spots in Edinburg – the monument built in honor of Sir Walter Scott. You will pay 4 pounds to get to the top of it, but the view you'll see is definitely worth it.
Cowgate and Grassmarket are very popular sites too. You'll find here a plenty of bars and restaurants. For British-style lunch, you may go to the Grain Store at 30 Victoria Street. If you prefer French cuisine, pay attention to Petit Paris restaurant at 38-40 Grassmarket. Do you want to eat on the run, but with a great taste? Visit Oink – as its name indicates, you can order a delicious burger there. It's located at 34 Victoria Street.
The Edinburgh Festival takes place every year in the city. This is the name for seven events that last from July to September. Among the most popular one is the Fringe festival – the world's largest art festival with thousands of artists participating (in 2016 there were more than 50 thousands artists!). The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is yet another interesting event where military bands present their skills, but mainly the British Army orchestra.