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There is a reason conservatives dream of cutting funding for Big Bird, but it has nothing to do with Sesame Street or the best friend of Mr. Snuffleupagus. Behind the big yellow fowl is a fantasy: the idea that the federal budget can be balanced by doing away with wasteful ephemera that no one really needs. "I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you too," Romney said at the first debate to Jim Lehrer, the moderator. "But I'm not gonna keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for it."
And there is a reason the Obama campaign is latching onto Big Bird at this late moment in the campaign, after nearly a year of Romney using his Sesame Street line on the stump. Democrats imagine the President's disastrous debate performance can be salvaged to drive the message that Mitt Romney is Rich "Uncle" Pennybags, the rapacious capitalist who wants to bulldoze Sesame Street, replace it with an equestrian park and send the neighborhood kids to a sweatshop in China, where they can make little Big Bird dolls for half the cost.
Here's the ad, which may be pulled soon, because the bird is not happy about being a political pawn:
Romney and Obama are hoping to use the feathery creature — a creation of one of America's greatest artistic minds — to deliver their distorted messages. As the Hollywood Reporter tells us, the Bird can cut through the clutter. According to TiVo, which is apparently tracking everything its customers do,* "more TiVo users rewound and rewatched that moment than any other in the debate." In other words, Big Bird crosses the blood-brain barrier faster than tax rates and entitlement debates. It has become the preferred political delivery vehicle of the day.
What about the substance? Well, there are a few things to point out. First of all, the red fantasy is just that. The only way to balance the budget over the long term, absent a remarkable rise in GDP growth all politicians promise but rarely deliver, is to raise taxes or cut spending on entitlements and defense, which make up most of the federal budget. Big Bird and his Public Broadcasting empire is less than peanuts, or about one-hundreth of one percent of the federal budget. It costs about $1.35 per American per year. Cut Big Bird tomorrow, and all the federal funding to public broadcasting — and the federal budget deficit, which is running at $1.33 trillion this year, or about 5% of the nation's entire GDP — would remain unchanged in any meaningful way.
To put it another way, if you stopped borrowing $445 million a year to pay for PBS, you would succeed in reducing the 2012 budget deficit by 0.03%. It's certainly more than nothing, but it would be far more meaningful if Romney spoke about other things he would do to close the budget deficit.
Of course, Romney benefits from the fact that most Americans don't know the numbers. According to a CNN poll last year, just 27% of Americans know that the public-broadcasting tab is less than 1% of government spending. Seven percent of the country actually told pollsters that the public-broadcasting tab was more than half of the federal budget. Sit with that fact a moment.
As for the Obama ad, it's kind of funny, which is basically what it has going for it. Beyond that, it's self parody, the kind of attack ad the Colbert PAC would run. Is the Obama campaign claiming that one can't both oppose funding for PBS and support regulation of Wall Street? The implication here is that Romney has only so much bandwidth. My guess is, even Elmo would find fault with that line of thinking.
Maybe there can be a silver lining to all of this. Maybe the great Big Bird distraction can be used for some good. Maybe that good can be as simple as the following: Read this post by Ezra Klein analyzing the least TiVoed moments from the first debate.
*UPDATE Oct. 10: A spokesman for TiVo contacted me to make clear that TiVo does not keep data on individual viewing habits, but rather aggregate data of viewer habits that is collected anonymously. I never said otherwise, but didn't want to leave the wrong impression with my "everything its customers do" crack.


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PTViewer L2 is a version basing on the original PTViewer Java applet (version 2.5) with many improvements added by Fulvio Senore. Some of them are: sharper image, faster panning, progressive image loading and an integrated toolbar. The latest version of this fork is 2.8.

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A New Life
Bella and Edward's wedding was in August. It is now October. They are hit with challenges and other stuff that just gets in there way. Bella is now pregnant and they don't know what to do or really how to deal with it. Now they are on the journey of there life. The Cullens will do everything to keep Bella and the now baby alive. Jake is back from his "trip" but Bella hasn't seen him yet or told him. I know you all are probably wondering where in the next chapter. I'm trying really hard. Sorry for the wait but I think you'll love the next two chapters. Just wait patiently and they will be out soon. Sorry for the long wait.Chapter Six: Planning is coming soon...Chapter Seven: Flight is coming soon...
Okay so this is my first story that I have put up on the site. So please tell me what you think and if you have any questions e-mail me at email@example.com thanks.
1. Chapter 1: The sickness
Rating 4.5/5 Word Count 1665 Review this Chapter
1. The Sickness
I woke up that morning to a very sick stomach. Edward was there like always and he looked at me and smiled but then his face turned to worry as I got up and hurried to the bathroom.
I puked and puked. I stayed there for a second and I could tell Edward was at the door wondering what happened. "Come in." I said in a horse voice. I got up and flushed the toilet and wiped my mouth with a towel.
"Are you okay Bella?" Edward asked me and I just nodded.
"I'm fine Edward, just a little sick." I said and I grabbed my tooth brush and tooth paste and brushed my teeth. Edward stood there smiling at me the whole time. I spit out the tooth paste and smiled at him. "So what are we doing today?" I asked him as I walked out of the bathroom to our bedroom in the Cullen House. I had decided that one year of college wouldn't kill me so me. So Edward and I were going to go to the college up in Alaska so just in case if we needed to he could change me and we would already be isolated.
Edward followed me and put his arms around me from behind and I smiled. I leaned into him and sighed. "Well I was thinking maybe we could just stay here. If that's okay with you?" He asked me and I laughed. 'Why wouldn't I want to stay here with Edward? He's got to be crazy to think I wouldn't stay here with him' I thought but I just smiled.
"Yes that is completely fine Edward. I'm up to do anything you want to do." I said.
"Okay," He said and his arms vanished from around me to. The next thing I knew his arms were under my legs, I was being carried in his arms. I just laughed when I saw him and he did the same.
I looked around when he stopped, we were in the living room down stairs and he set me down on the couch. "I love you." I said to him and he sat down next to me and pulled me up to him and we lied there for a little bit.
For the next month I kept walking and getting sick. Edward was getting very worried and so was I. I was wondering why I would be puking my guts out every morning and then it hit me. I sat straight up in bed. I'm pregnant! No how could I? Vampires aren't suppose to be able to have children. We have had sex but I never thought I'd get pregnant but I do remember not getting my annual visit of the month these last 3 months.
I looked over at Edward who had a look of confusion on his face and I could tell he was trying to figure out what I was thinking. I tired to smile but it didn't come out all the way. "What the matter Bella?" He asked and he sat up and scooted closer to me and put an arm around me. "You look scared." He said and then he froze. I looked at him and he was still frozen.
"Edward?" I asked him and then he got up and left. "Edward!" I yelled and I got up and I followed him and I tired to run to keep up but you know me. I feel. "Ouch!" I said and got up and walked down stairs where I could see Alice jumping up and down and Edward staring at her.
I froze and my face went pale. Alice had a vision that I was pregnant. Edward knows. Damn Alice's visions. I scowled her but I was still froze. "Alice," I said.
"Yes Bella!" She chimed and she came over to me and gave me a hug. "I know all about it. Congrats!" She said and I sighed.
"Alice, I didn't know till about 3 minutes ago and neither did Edward." I whispered to her and she froze. And she drew back and she looked at me then Edward. Edward looked mad, but I think he was mad at Alice.
"Uh oh," She said and she started to walk away but Edward grabbed her.
"Alice..." He trailed and I looked at him.
"Edward, what she saw was true. I'm pregnant." I said in a low voice and I touched his arm and at first tensed and then he soothed back out. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just figured it out. That's why I have been getting sick these past months." I said. Edward looked at me in confusion and he let Alice go and he came over to me and he hugged me tightly.
"But how could this happen? Vampires aren't suppose to be able to have children. But I'm happy none the less." He said and I could see out the corner of my eye that Alice was bouncing up and down again.
I sighed. "Well I'm telling you this for sure that the baby is yours, I'm positive." I said and I hugged him back.
He pulled back and looked at me. "I know that, but that's still very interesting that this happened." He said. "Well we better go tell the others." He said and he grabbed my hand.
I paused and he looked at me. "Edward, I-I-I don't know how I can tell them." She said and she knew this was going to be hard news to give to her father.
He smiled. "Yes you can Bella. It won't be that bad. Come on. Well tell Charlie last okay." He said and kissed me on the forehead and grabbed my hand and me and him started walking outside where all the Cullen's were. Except for Alice and Edward of course. They were out a little ways away playing baseball so Edward had me climb on his back and Edward and Alice started running.
We finally got there and he set me down. Carlisle smiled at us and so did Esme. I looked up at Edward and I smiled. "Its going to be okay." He said and smiled.
"You sure?" I asked. He just nodded. Him and Alice both joined the game while I sat there thinking about everything. I didn't know that I wasn't paying attention that much until I felt an impact to my side by my stomach. I yelled out in pain and fell down on my knees grabbing my side.
"Bella!" Edward yelled and he was by me in an instant. He tired to pick me up.
I looked at him fury on my face. "Don't you dare!" I yelled at him and I was crying too. "What happened?" I asked in a small voice that was cracked and I noticed everyone was around me now. I looked up and Emmett looked very sad. 'Why was he so sad?' I asked myself. Edward looked mad.
"I hit the ball and it didn't go forward but came back and hit you." Emmett said and now I knew why he was sad.
"That's okay Emmett." I said and I tired to smile but it didn't show a smile. I tried to get up and I felt a pain in my side once again and I fell. Edward grabbed me before I hit the ground.
"Bella let me see." He said and I nodded and I was still crying some what.
Edward lifted up my shirt and sighed. "Bella I think you have a couple of broken ribs." He said and put my shirt back down.
I sighed. "Ugh, why now?" I said aloud not meaning too and cried a little bit more.
"What do you mean 'why now'?" Carlisle asked me. I looked at Edward and he nodded.
I shook my head, I didn't want to tell them I wanted Edward to tell them. Edward knew what I wanted and he nodded again. "Well Bella's pregnant." He said and smiled. I watched all the Cullen's and there mouths dropped open except for Edward's and Alice's but Alice was jumping up and down.
"H-H-How?" Emmett asked and I just laughed as best as I could.
"Well Emmett when two people really like each other..." I said and looked at him and then I saw his face get mad.
"Bella I know how but I didn't think that vampires could have children." He said.
"Well neither do I but I'm pregnant and the only person I have slept with is Edward so I guess vampires can." I said and I could tell I was getting a little mad.
"Bella I wasn't implying that but I was just stating." Emmett said.
I sighed. "I know," I said and looked at Edward. "I don't want to move." I pleaded.
"Bella you have to. We have to take you to the hospital. Carlisle can't fix this one here." Edward said and he turned his topaz eyes on me. 'No fair' I thought but he knew I couldn't say no to him.
"Fine." I said and pouted. I was still crying but not as much. Edward just smiled.
"Well we'll talk about this after you get back honey." Esme said and came over and kissed me on the cheek.
"Thanks Esme." I said and I looked at everyone and Rose looked fine. She didn't look angry. 'Maybe she's starting to like me?' I thought and I tired to smile at her. I turned to look at Edward and he just smiled. "So are we going or what?" I asked him and he nodded and picked me up. I clenched my fists and tired my best not to scream. "Hurry up Edward." I said in a low stretched voice still trying not to scream at the pain.
- Author
- Sami Jo
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- 11 Jan 08
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- 02 Feb 08
- Status
- In Progress


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Guantánamo parole hearings limit observer access
Some prisoners at Guantánamo are getting an opportunity to plead for their release, but journalists and observers from human rights groups won't get to hear them in what critics say is a break from past practice at the U.S. base in Cuba.
The Department of Defense is restricting access to a hearing Tuesday, requiring reporters and observers from non-governmental organizations to view the proceedings only by video link from Washington. They also will not be able to listen when prisoners held for more than a decade without charge address a committee known as the Periodic Review Board that will decide whether they can be sent back to their homeland or another country.
The Pentagon, which says it must impose restrictions for security reasons, says it will release a transcript of what the prisoner tells the board after the hearing. But, in a recently released memo, it notes that the transcript may be redacted or altered.
Neither observers, nor prisoners, will be permitted to hear the classified portion of the session.
Lawyers for human rights groups and media organizations, including The Miami Herald and Associated Press, have been pressing for complete access to the non-classified portion, arguing that barring outside observers undermines the credibility of the proceedings.
"The detainee explaining why he doesn't pose a risk, why he should go home, that seems to be the whole point of the proceeding and we won't get to see it," said Andrea Prasow, an attorney with Human Rights Watch. "I think that's pretty outrageous."
A Pentagon spokesman, Army Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, says the government decided not to allow the media and NGOs to view the proceedings at Guantánamo because of the cost and logistical complexities of bringing outsiders to the base in southeast Cuba. The restriction on listening to prisoners speak is to maintain "reasonable security," and prevent sensitive information from getting out.
"The department is trying to provide maximum transparency and public accountability," Breasseale said.
Critics note that outside observers were allowed to hear what prisoners had to say during Bush-era military review boards convened in both Afghanistan and Guantánamo. At the base in Cuba, men appearing at hearings and before the war crimes tribunals over the years have proclaimed their innocence, denounced their detention and alleged abuse by their captors.
"It's a significant new restriction on the level of transparency that has been allowed until now," said David A. Schulz, a lawyer for a coalition of 14 media organizations. "You could argue that because of the extraordinary nature of the situation that it's even more important that there be maximum transparency."
Another issue raised by critics is how much the six-member Periodic Review Board will rely on information that will never be disclosed to the public. "If the bulk of the evidence against the detainee is classified, then there won't be much to see and we're all in a position, once again, of being asked to trust the government that it's doing the right thing," said Daphne Eviatar, an attorney with Human Rights First.
The board, whose members include representatives of six U.S. government agencies — including the State Department and Homeland Security — will also be in Washington, though in a separate location from journalists and NGO observers. They will determine whether prisoners designated for indefinite detention at Guantánamo can now join the list of about 80 prisoners awaiting transfer to their homeland or another country. Congress has barred sending any of the men to the United States.
The review board is a component of President Barack Obama's effort to close Guantánamo, which opened in January 2002 to hold detainees suspected of terrorism or links to al-Qaida and the Taliban, and now holds 155 prisoners.
A task force set up to review the status of all prisoners concluded in January 2010 that 48 of the 240 prisoners held at the time were too dangerous to release but could not be prosecuted either because of a lack of evidence or for some other reason. These men were to be held indefinitely but receive periodic review to determine if circumstances had changed.
The number of prisoners eligible to receive a review has fluctuated. Of the original 48, two have died. Court rulings in the U.S., meanwhile, have reduced the number of prisoners who can be prosecuted by military tribunal so around 70 are now being held indefinitely and are expected to qualify for a re-evaluation at some point.
Amid a renewed Obama administration effort to close Guantanamo, the first PRB was held in November for a prisoner from Yemen, Mahmud Mujahid. No journalist was allowed to attend because the government had not resolved logistical issues, Breasseale said. The Pentagon announced Jan. 9 that the board determined the prisoner no longer posed enough of a threat to warrant keeping him at Guantánamo.
That doesn't mean he will be free anytime soon. The Obama administration has balked at sending Yemenis to their homeland because of instability there. More than 50 men from Yemen being held at Guantanamo have been cleared for transfer but are waiting for the U.S. to decide that conditions are safe enough to return them, or find a third country willing to accept them.
The next PRB, the first in which outside observers will be allowed, is Tuesday, and will be for Abdel Malil Wahab al Rahabi, a Yemeni who was among about 30 Arab fighters detained on suspicion of serving as bodyguards to Osama bin Laden.
His case will be followed by Ghaleb Nasser, also from Yemen. His attorney, Pardiss Kebriaei of the Center for Constitutional Rights, said she is hopeful he will be cleared for transfer, but also wary because of the hold up in sending Yemenis to their homeland. "For the process to be truly meaningful there needs to be much more transparency, they need to pick up the pace, and clearance has to mean transfer out," Kebriaei said. "It does no one any good to add to the pile of people who are cleared and not transferred."


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Saturday, April 04, 2009
General Quarters Zips Five Furlongs at Churchill Downs in Prep for Toyota Blue Grass
LOUISVILLE, KY. (April 4, 2009) – Owner-trainer Thomas McCarthy's General Quarters, winner of the Sam F. Davis (Grade III) at Tampa Bay Downs, turned in a sizzling five-furlong workout on Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for a run in next week's Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland.
Exercise rider Julie Sheets was in the saddle as the gray son of Sky Mesa zipped five furlongs in :58.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 over a "fast" track. The work by General Quarters was easily the fastest of 17 moves at the distance.
"I really wanted a 1:01 or right in that vicinity, he said, "but he did it on his own and she just sat on him. He's got to be ready for something."
McCarthy hopes that "something" will be a big effort in next week's $750,000-added Toyota Blue Grass, the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prep run over the synthetic Polytrack surface at the Lexington track. General Quarters burst onto the Kentucky Derby landscape in February with an upset victory in the Sam F. Davis, but is coming off a troubled fifth-place run behind Musket Man in his most recent outing in the March 14 Tampa Bay Derby (GIII).
"He got in a lot of trouble and he got cut-up pretty bad, but he's doing fine now and he loves it here," said McCarthy. "I'm just hoping he holds his condition and he'll do good in the Blue Grass. He likes Polytrack."
McCarthy, who claimed General Quarters for $20,000 out of the colt's career debut in late May of last year at Churchill Downs – said the colt's mission is clear if he is to earn a start in the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on May 2 at his hometown track.
"He's got to hit the board in the Blue Grass – if he hits the board we'll go on to the Derby," said McCarthy. "When you've seen as many Derbies and Blue Grasses that I have, every single year, it's just fantastic to think that I would have a horse in it. I've tried for so many years and failed, but now I'm just lucky."
General Quarters has a record of 2-3-1 in 10 races and has earned $176,735. His earnings total in graded stakes races is $130,645.
Also on Saturday, Dogwood Stable's Rushaway runner-up Ziegfeld breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 for trainer Dale Romans.
Dogwood Stable President Cot Campbell said earlier this week that the son of Elusive Quality would make his next start in either the Toyota Blue Grass or the Arkansas Derby (GII) at Oaklawn Park. Both races are scheduled to be run next Saturday, April 14.
Ziegfeld has one win in three career starts and earnings of $40,750 – but he has earnings in graded stakes races.
BARN TALK – Veteran Grade I stakes winner Brass Hat breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40 for trainer William "Buff" Bradley. … Sam P., ninth in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, breezed three furlongs in :37.80. … Seaspeak breezed a half-mile in :47.60.
Read more articles in the Churchill Downs category.


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Not many tattoo parlors can claim Billy Idol tattoed in their shop.
Stephen Crome, owner of Laguna Tattoo, which just celebrated its 30th anniversary, remembers the story of the rock icon tattooing his autograph on the rear-end of an excited female fan in '88.
Unfortunately, Crome wasn't there to witness Idol's moment as an artist, even if it was only for an hour.
Crome, 58, started at the parlor 23 years ago and bought it from its previous owner Pati Pavlik three years later. He said he was drawn to its atypical location at 656 S. Coast Hwy.
"We were used to going to shops in the slums of Philadelphia and Chinatown," he said. He got to know the community and didn't mind the ocean views.
The small white cottage — nestled beneath artsy bungalows and a stone's throw from Taco Loco — has an airy, open vibe.
What tattoo artists call "flash" adorns the walls and ceiling, images of tattoo art that Crome admires and has collected over the years — mostly comprised of 1940s and '50s traditional American artwork.
Brian Taylor, 28, has been tattooing at the shop for the past five years.
"I like the history of the shop," he said. "Lots of great artists have passed through here over the years."
Leo Zuluetta tattooed at the shop in the late '80s and early '90s; he's known as a pioneer in tribal tattooing in the U.S., Crome said.
"We get people from all walks of life," Crome said. "We get people 18 to 80, in every profession."
He recalls one interesting client at the shop, an 85-year-old woman. She was legally blind and carried an oxygen tank, he said, and her husband had just passed away.
The woman told the artist that her husband was always against tattoos and now she thought it was time to get one, even though she couldn't see it herself. She got a butterfly.
"I think it symbolized evolution for her, a new life," he said.
While they've had every type of request over the years, Crome said they don't say yes to everything.
He says the shops ethics' — such as refusing to do racist or offensive content — and friendly atmosphere has kept them in business as tattoo shops started popping up over the years.
"Sorry we don't do stuff like that," he tells customer's with those requests. "We do art here."
For more information, visit lagunatattoo.com.
Twitter: @joannaclay


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services tag
3 result(s) displayed for services (1 - 3 of 3):
The Monetization of Mobile Apps
By: Nora Maene, Digital Media Solutions Marketing Director, Alcatel-Lucent
Global mobile traffic has increased with a factor of 30 in 5 years time; 6 billion mobile apps have been downloaded in 2010. Besides being a challenge, this explosive growth also presents an opportunity for communication service providers (CSPs) to engage in new ecosystems and business models – embracing cloud services and working with over-the-top players to transform application and content value chains.
Today, a large portion of the return for mobile applications comes from the mobile data revenues that they drive (growing from $260 billion in 2010 to $500 billion in 2015). Given that mobile data revenue is more than a 100-fold the revenues from mobile apps purchases, it is clear that stimulating mobile data consumption is the primary monetization vehicle for service providers.
With a need to increase mobile data usage - and changing market dynamics – it is clear that CSPs have to launch new application services in their markets as soon as possible to monetize the mobile application opportunity.


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Carolyn Meyer
For every artist there is a growth cycle of mastery and discovery. Instinct, passion, education, long hours in the studio coupled with a quest for a new way to describe the world in which we live can lead to a specific focus, perhaps even an obsession. With Carolyn Meyer, this is evident in the extensive progression of her work that bridges the gap between realism and abstraction. Her paintings directly refer to her visual relationship with urban landscape specifically San Francisco, New York and the fields of Italy or Napa. The surfaces reveal a surplus of barely controlled oil paint that somehow represents places we know. Her direct relationship with these places infused with her passion for Jazz music is the source behind what drives her to create work. This is the world she lives in, is inspired by and continues to thrive.
Carolyn has a MFA in painting from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Here, too, she is Director of the School of Painting for both undergraduate and graduate programs. She teaches classes in abstract and landscape painting exclusively and teaches during summer in Florence, Italy. Her work is in many collections worldwide.
Solo Exhibitions
2015 ArtHaus, San Francisco-New York (Non Stop), San Francisco
2014 Atilier Gallery, SF+NYC, San Francisco
Hang Gallery, Optimum Propensity, San Francisco
2013 ArtHaus, Metropolis, Oct-Dec, San Francisco
Hang Gallery, Speed Up, Slow Down, May
2012 ArtHaus, Italy, May- July
Hang Gallery, New Work, May
2011 ArtHaus, Tale of Two Cities, San Francisco
Hang Gallery, New Work, San Francisco
2010 Wendt Gallery, New York City, Laguna Beach
Arthaus-Bank of America, Summer in Italy, San Francisco
2009 ArtHaus, Black and White, April-June, San Francisco
Hang Gallery, Time Lapse, San Francisco
Millinium Towers, Icons of Design, SanFrancisco
TransAmerica, Tales of Two Cities, San Francisco
2008 ArtHaus, City Lights, April-June, San Francisco
2008 Hang Gallery, Syncopated Cakewalk, June, San Francisco
2007-9 Bank of America Plaza, Tales of Two Cities, December-March, San Francisco
2006 ArtHaus, Destinations, Jan-April, San Francisco
Hang Gallery, Overdrive, March, San Francisco
William Lester Gallery, New Work, November, Point Reyes Station, CA
San Francisco Decorator Showcase (courtesy of ArtHaus)
2004 William Lester Gallery, Point Reyes Station, CA
2003 Hang Gallery, Variable High Cloudiness, San Francisco
2002 Hang Gallery, Palo Alto, CA, July
Bank of Marin, Ignacio, CA
American Abstract Artist


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Lagos Uncovered! brings you everything you need to know about holidays in Lagos, Portugal. Useful Algarve information, beaches, accommodation, map, restaurants, bars, things to do and in fact, all things Lagos Uncovered!
Lagos is a fantastic town in the western Algarve that can certainly be enjoyed by all age groups. It is full of historical interest with it's origins dating as far back as 2000 years BC when it was known as Lacobriga. Lagos has always had a seafaring connection, originally visited by Phoenicians and Carthaginians and then, during the 15th century, was the base for the 'voyages of the Discoveries' instigated by Henry the Navigator when trade between Africa and Portugal brought a great deal of wealth into the town.
The older part of Lagos is still circled by the city walls that were constructed during the 16th century when it was the residence of the governors of the Algarve and the fort, Ponta da Bandeira, by Batata beach is part of the 17th century fortifications that were added to protect the town. Behind it (on the opposite side of the road) is the Porta de São Gonçalo (St.Gonçalo's gate) with a watchtower on either side and just to the right of this is the Governors' Castle (of Arab construction).
The square next to the Governors' castle is the Praça Infante Dom Henrique with a statue of Prince Henry looking out to sea. To the left of the square at the back is Igreja da Santa Maria. The facade of this church is 15/16th century but it was rebuilt in the 18/19th centuries.
Walk along the cobbled street at the back of the square just past Santa Maria church and you will come to the famous Lagos 'golden church' of St. Anthony which was rebuilt in 1769 - entrance to this church is through the museum at the side and both the museum and the church are well worth visiting. On the opposite side to the churches is the 'Slave Market' from the 15th century, where slaves brought back from the discovery voyages were sold. There is another church, St. Sebastian, dating from 14th to 16th century, which is on a hill just behind the fish market with fantastic views over Lagos bay.
Lagos is certainly full of history, but it is also a vibrant town with lots going on - the next square along, in the middle of town, is Praça de Gil Eanes and this is often the setting for evening entertainment throughout the year - a comical unicyclist, live music or a medieval fair are just some of the events we have enjoyed. If Portugal are playing football, or there is a major competition on, the cafes will have the big screens up in the square and everyone joins in the excitement (very good naturedly as well).
There are several streets leading off Praça de Gil Eanes, with restaurants to suit all tastes! The centre of Lagos really isn't very big, but it can be a bit confusing! There are so many little streets criss-crossing that it is quite easy to loose your bearings, but to be honest, as long as you head down hill you are sure to get back to the centre! There are loads of bars that stay open until the early hours and in the summer time the centre of town is alive with people of all ages enjoying themselves. There are always touts from the different bars offering a free drink or 'shot' at 'their' bar, but it can be a useful way to find them as they are often tucked away down one of the many little side streets.
To explore a little further, carry on along the Avenida dos Descobrimentos (avenue of the Discoveries) which runs along the water front and you will come to the very modern, Lagos Marina. There is a footbridge over the Bensafrim river to the marina which, on one of Lagos' windy days, can be a very blowy walk, but you do get a lovely view of the town and the 'boats' in the marina!
The 450+ berth marina, which has both the Euromarina Anchor Award and the Blue Flag award, has a variety of shops, bars and restaurants to enjoy, all with a great view of the 'boats'!
There is normally some music in the bars and if you want to watch your favourite football team, they screen the big matches and various sports events!
Lagos train station is behind the marina and the road that runs past the station takes you to the beginning of Meia Praia beach - a 4km stretch of golden sand with several beach bars along it's length (some of which stay open all year round).
On the right hand side, just over the marina bridge, is the dock area for the fishing boats and several places selling the freshly caught fish (some also have small restaurants upstairs).
If you ask for directions in Lagos you will almost certainly be directed by way of the various roundabouts! The first one at the entrance to Lagos is very obviously the 'Ship' roundabout (the tourist office is nearby). The 'Ball' roundabout (a very large black ball) is at the top of the hill at the far end of the Avenida dos Descobrimentos, past the fire station - on the way to Dona Ana, Ponta da Piedade and Porto de Mos. The third 'landmark' is 'The Chairs' (7 large perspex chairs that light up at night!), this is up the hill past the Lidl supermarket at the opposite side of town to the 'Ball'.
While we are on the subject of supermarkets - Lagos is very well provided for - check our Useful Information for location and opening hours of the main supermarkets. There are lots of mini-mercados dotted around and they stock a very wide range of products, fresh breads, meats, milk etc, just the same as the large supermarkets, and for the vegetarians - a lot now stock some soya and tofu products.
There is a local Lagos market on Saturday mornings in a building near the bus station (opposite the marina footbridge) - it has all the fresh fruits and vegetables, olives, honey, figs, almonds and much more. It's quite a small market, but very popular and cheap! If you decide to go, try and get there early and take 'small change' with you (euros and 50 cents should do!).
There is also a daily market in the recently renovated fish market nearer to town - all the fresh fish and seafood is downstairs and upstairs are market stalls full of fruit, vegetables, dried fruits and preserves and also fresh bread. The top floor has a restaurant and a fantastic view across Lagos bay.
Lagos has some stunning views, it has to be said! From the Ponte da Piedade (in front of the lighthouse) you get a fantastic view of the sweeping sands of Lagos bay with the Monchique hills as a backdrop, and you can see all the way to Sagres to the west and past Albufeira to the east.
Thank you for visiting LagosUncovered.com and we hope you enjoy our website!
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Lebanon, country located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea; it consists of a narrow strip of territory and is one of the world's smaller sovereign states. The capital is Beirut.
Though Lebanon, particularly its coastal region, was the site of some of the oldest human settlements in the world—the Phoenician ports of Tyre (modern Ṣūr), Sidon (Ṣaydā), and Byblos (Jubayl) were dominant centres of trade and culture in the 3rd millennium bce—it was not until 1920 that the contemporary state came into being. In that year France, which administered Lebanon as a League of Nations mandate, established the state of Greater Lebanon. Lebanon then became a republic in 1926 and achieved independence in 1943.
Lebanon shares many of the cultural characteristics of the Arab world, yet it has attributes that differentiate it from many of its Arab neighbours. Its rugged, mountainous terrain has served throughout history as an asylum for diverse religious and ethnic groups and for political dissidents. Lebanon is one of the most densely populated countries in the Mediterranean area and has a high rate of literacy. Notwithstanding its meagre natural resources, Lebanon long managed to serve as a busy commercial and cultural centre for the Middle East.
This outward image of vitality and growth nevertheless disguised serious problems. Not only did Lebanon have to grapple with internal problems of social and economic organization, but it also had to struggle to define its position in relation to Israel, to its Arab neighbours, and to Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon. The delicate balance of Lebanese confessionalism (the proportional sharing of power between the country's religious communities) was eroded under the pressures of this struggle; communal rivalries over political power, exacerbated by the complex issues that arose from the question of Palestinian presence and from a growing "state within a state," led to the outbreak of an extremely damaging civil war in 1975 and a breakdown of the governmental system. After the end of the civil war in 1990, Lebanon gradually reclaimed a degree of relative socioeconomic and political stability; because of the continued problems of external intervention and troubled confessional relations, however, many of Lebanon's challenges persisted into the early 21st century.
Lebanon is bounded to the north and east by Syria, to the south by Israel, and to the west by the Mediterranean Sea.
As in any mountainous region, the physical geography of Lebanon is extremely complex and varied. Landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation undergo some sharp and striking changes within short distances. Four distinct physiographic regions may be distinguished: a narrow coastal plain along the Mediterranean Sea, the Lebanon Mountains (Jabal Lubnān), Al-Biqāʿ (Bekaa) valley, and the Anti-Lebanon and Hermon ranges running parallel to the Lebanese Mountains.
The coastal plain is narrow and discontinuous, almost disappearing in places. It is formed of river-deposited alluvium and marine sediments, which alternate suddenly with rocky beaches and sandy bays, and is generally fertile. In the far north it expands to form the ʿAkkār Plain.
The snowcapped Lebanon Mountains are one of the most prominent features of the country's landscape. The range, rising steeply from the coast, forms a ridge of limestone and sandstone, cut by narrow and deep gorges. It is approximately 100 miles (160 km) long and varies in width from 6 to 35 miles (10 to 56 km). Its maximum elevation is at Qurnat al-Sawdāʾ (10,131 feet [3,088 metres]) in the north, where the renowned cedars of Lebanon grow in the shadow of the peak. The range then gradually slopes to the south, rising again to a second peak, Jabal Ṣannīn (8,842 feet [2,695 metres]), northeast of Beirut. To the south the range branches westward to form the Shūf Mountains and at its southern reaches gives way to the hills of Galilee, which are lower.
Al-Biqāʿ valley lies between the Lebanon Mountains in the west and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains in the east; its fertile soils consist of alluvial deposits from the mountains on either side. The valley, approximately 110 miles (180 km) long and from 6 to 16 miles (10 to 26 km) wide, is part of the great East African Rift System. In the south Al-Biqāʿ becomes hilly and rugged, blending into the foothills of Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Shaykh) to form the upper Jordan Valley.
The Anti-Lebanon range (Al-Jabal al-Sharqī) starts with a high peak in the north and slopes southward until it is interrupted by Mount Hermon (9,232 feet [2,814 metres]).
Lebanese rivers, though numerous, are mostly winter torrents, draining the western slopes of the Lebanon Mountains. The only exception is the Līṭānī River (90 miles [145 km] long), which rises near the famed ruins of Baalbek (Baʿlabakk) and flows southward in Al-Biqāʿ to empty into the Mediterranean near historic Tyre. The two other important rivers are the Orontes (Nahr al-ʿĀṣī), which rises in the north of Al-Biqāʿ and flows northward, and the Kabīr.
Soil quality and makeup in Lebanon vary by region. The shallow limestone soil of the mountains provides a relatively poor topsoil. The lower and middle slopes, however, are intensively cultivated, the terraced hills standing as a scenic relic of the ingenious tillers of the past. On the coast and in the northern mountains, reddish topsoils with a high clay content retain moisture and provide fertile land for agriculture, although they are subject to considerable erosion.
There are sharp local contrasts in the country's climatic conditions. Lebanon is included in the Mediterranean climatic region, which extends westward to the Atlantic Ocean. Winter storms formed over the ocean move eastward through the Mediterranean, bringing precipitation at that season; in summer, however, the Mediterranean receives little or no precipitation. The climate of Lebanon is generally subtropical and is characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, humid winters. Mean daily maximum temperatures range from the low 90s F (low 30s C) in July to the low 60s F (mid-10s C) on the coast and low 50s F (low 10s C) in Al-Biqāʿ in January. Mean minimum temperatures in January are in the low 50s F on the coast and the mid-30s F (about 2 °C) in Al-Biqāʿ. At 5,000 feet (1,524 metres), the elevation of the highest settlements, these are reduced by about 15 °F (8 °C).
Nearly all precipitation falls in winter, averaging 30 to 40 inches (750 to 1,000 mm) on the coast and rising to more than 50 inches (1,270 mm) in higher altitudes. Al-Biqāʿ is drier and receives 15 to 25 inches (380 to 640 mm). On the higher mountaintops, this precipitation falls as heavy snow that remains until early summer.
Plant and animal life
Lebanon was heavily forested in ancient and medieval times, and its timber—particularly its famed cedar—was exported for building and shipbuilding. The natural vegetation, however, has been grazed, burned, and cut for so long that little of it is regenerated. What survives is a wild Mediterranean vegetation of brush and low trees, mostly oaks, pines, cypresses, firs, junipers, and carobs.
Few large wild animals survive in Lebanon, though bears are occasionally seen in the mountains. Among the smaller animals, deer, wildcats, hedgehogs, squirrels, martens, dormice, and hares are found. Numerous migratory birds from Africa and Europe visit Lebanon. Flamingos, pelicans, cormorants, ducks, herons, and snipes frequent the marshes; eagles, buzzards, kites, falcons, and hawks inhabit the mountains; and owls, kingfishers, cuckoos, and woodpeckers are common.
Although Lebanon's diverse and abundant plant and animal life suffered a heavy toll during the country's lengthy civil war and subsequent conflicts, the post-civil war period was marked by the rise of fledgling environmental groups and movements that worked toward the creation of protected areas and parks in Lebanon's sensitive ecological areas.
Ethnic and linguistic composition
Lebanon has a heterogeneous society composed of numerous ethnic, religious, and kinship groups. Long-standing attachments and local communalism antedate the creation of the present territorial and political entity and continue to survive with remarkable tenacity. Ethnically, the Lebanese compose a mixture in which Phoenician, Greek, Armenian, and Arab elements are discernible. Within the larger Lebanese community, ethnic minorities including Armenian and Kurdish populations are also present. Arabic is the official language, although smaller proportions of the population are Armenian- or Kurdish-speaking; French and English are also spoken. Syriac is used in some of the churches of the Maronites (Roman Catholics following an Eastern rite).
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Lebanon's social structure is its varied religious composition. Since the 7th century Lebanon has served as a refuge for persecuted Christian and Muslim sects. As religion and government in Lebanon are deeply and formally intertwined, the relative proportions of the country's religious communities is a highly sensitive matter. There has not been an official census since 1932, however, and the data depicting Lebanon's confessional composition are variable. In general terms, Muslims are the most numerous group overall. Among the three Muslim denominations, the Shīʿites and the Sunnis are the largest, and the Druze constitute a small percentage. Among Lebanon's Christian population, the Maronites, which form the largest of the Catholic groups, are the largest Christian community overall. The Greek Orthodox community, the largest of the Orthodox groups, is the second largest Christian group overall. There is also a very small Jewish minority.
Settlement patterns
Most of the population live on the coastal plain, and progressively fewer people are found farther inland. Rural villages are sited according to water supply and the availability of land, frequently including terraced agriculture in the mountains. Northern villages are relatively prosperous and have some modern architecture. Villages in the south have been generally poorer and less stable: local agricultural land is less fertile, and, because of their proximity to Israel, many villages have been subject to frequent dislocation, invasion, and destruction since 1975. Most cities are located on the coast; they have been inundated by migrants and displaced persons, and numerous, often poor, suburbs have been created as a result. Before 1975 many villages and cities were composed of several different religious groups, usually living together in harmony, and rural architecture reflected a unity of style irrespective of religious identity. Since the civil war began, a realignment has moved thousands of Christians north of Beirut along the coast and thousands of Muslims south or east of Beirut; thus, settlement patterns reflect the chasms separating sections of the Lebanese people from each other.
Demographic trends
Lebanon's birth rate is slightly below the world's average, while its death rate is roughly half the global average. About one-fourth of the population is under age 15, with more than one-half under age 30. Life expectancy in Lebanon is higher than both the regional and world averages. One of the most salient demographic features of Lebanon is the uneven distribution of its population. The country's overall density varies regionally and is on the whole much lower than that of Beirut and the surrounding area but much higher than that of the most sparsely populated Al-Biqāʿ valley.
Before the civil war began, the movement of people from rural areas was a major factor in the country's soaring rate of urbanization. Most of the internal migration was to Beirut, which accounted for the great majority of Lebanon's urban population. The civil war led to a substantial return of people to their villages and to a large migration abroad, primarily to the United States, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and parts of the Middle East; within Lebanon, it also led to a process of population dispersal and exchange in many areas that had previously been characterized by the coexistence of Christians and Muslims, and postwar efforts to reverse this process through programs meant to resettle the displaced were not immediately successful. Following the warfare between Hezbollah (Lebanese Shīʿite militia group and political party) and Israeli armed forces in 2006, many more Lebanese citizens—an estimated one million residents, particularly those living in the country's south—were displaced from their homes.
Geopolitical factors in recent decades have placed significant strain on the economy of Lebanon, which had enjoyed status as a regional and commercial centre. The Lebanese economy was characterized by a minimum of government intervention in private enterprise combined with an income- and profit-tax-free environment. Although imports far outstripped exports, elements such as tourism and remittances from labourers working abroad helped balance the trade deficit. Income was generally on the rise, and Lebanese products were finding a place on the international market.
A long-lasting civil war (1975–90) created long-term consequences for the economy. For the first 10 years of the civil war, the Lebanese economy proved remarkably resilient; after the mid-1980s, however, the value of the Lebanese pound plummeted as the continued destruction of the country's infrastructure took its toll. After the civil war, Lebanon embarked on an ambitious program of social and economic reconstruction that entailed extensive renovation of the country's flagging infrastructure. Initiated by Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri in the 1990s, it aimed to revive Beirut as a regional financial and commercial centre. Beirut's reconstruction program made considerable progress in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, albeit at the expense of an increasing internal and external governmental debt load: much of the rebuilding program was financed through internal borrowing, which led to the emergence of both budget deficits and a growing public debt. Yet, to attract and encourage investment, tax rates were reduced. This led to severe budgetary austerity, resulting in only limited investment in Lebanon's social infrastructure and a growing reliance on regressive indirect taxation to meet budgetary shortfalls. Hence, while a fraction of Lebanese became very rich in postwar Lebanon, at the beginning of the 21st century some one-third of the Lebanese population lived below the poverty line.
Despite Lebanon's uneasy economic recovery, its economy remained resilient in the face of the 2008 global economic recession. Increased domestic security contributed to investment and growth, while its small export base insulated the economy from the global downturn. From 2007–10, gross domestic product (GDP) growth averaged eight percent.
Lebanon's fortunes turned in 2011, however, with the uprising in Syria and the subsequent civil war there. With Lebanon dependent on Syria's economy and also having to deal with a massive influx of refugees, GDP growth in Lebanon slowed to less than two percent from 2011 to 2017. In 2018 a financial crisis loomed as the debt-to-GDP ratio exceeded 150 percent. Political wrangling after elections in May prevented the formation of a government able to manage the crisis, leading to a substantial loss in consumer and investor confidence.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
Arable land is scarce, but the climate and the relatively abundant water supply from springs favour the intensive cultivation of a variety of crops on mountain slopes and in the coastal region. On the irrigated coastal plain, market vegetables, bananas, and citrus crops are grown. In the foothills the principal crops are olives, grapes, tobacco, figs, and almonds. At higher elevations (about 1,500 feet [460 metres]), peaches, apricots, plums, and cherries are planted, while apples and pears thrive at an elevation of about 3,000 feet (900 metres). Sugar beets, cereals, and vegetables are the main crops cultivated in Al-Biqāʿ. Poultry is a major source of agricultural income, and goats, sheep, and cattle are also raised.
As a result of the continued violence through 2006, many small farmers lost their livestock, and there was a noticeable decrease in the production of many agricultural crops. The production of hemp, the source of hashish, has flourished in Al-Biqāʿ valley, however, and the hashish is exported illegally through ports along the coast. Already the third largest producer of cannabis in the world, the government in 2018 considered legalizing cannabis production in order to boost its economy.
Resources and power
The mineral resources of Lebanon are few. There are deposits of high-grade iron ore and lignite; building-stone quarries; high-quality sand, suitable for glass manufacture; and lime. The Līṭānī River hydroelectric project generates electricity and has increased the amount of irrigated land for agriculture. Lebanon's power networks and facilities were damaged during the country's civil war and by Israeli air strikes carried out during the periodic warfare of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Leading industries in Lebanon include the manufacture of food products; cement, bricks, and ceramics; wood and wood products; and textiles. Many of the country's industries were harmed by the civil war, and its effects on the textile industry were especially severe. Although some of the country's large complexes were unharmed, Beirut's industrial belt was razed; in addition, Israel's occupation of the Lebanese south led to an influx of Israeli goods that also harmed Lebanese industries. The construction industry initially played a significant role in the postwar reconstruction that began in the early 1990s; recurrent violence in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, however, caused further damage to Lebanese industry and infrastructure.
During the first 10 years of the civil war, the finance sector of Lebanon's economy, including banking and insurance, showed an impressive expansion, and the monetary reserves of Lebanon continued to rise despite political uncertainties. The strength of the Lebanese pound and of the balance-of-payments position reflected large inflows of capital, mostly from Lebanese living abroad (whose numbers rose considerably during and after the civil war) and from the high level of liquidity of commercial banks. By 1983, however, inflows from Lebanese living abroad had begun to decrease, and the value of the Lebanese pound fell dramatically.
As a result, two major challenges for post-civil war Lebanon were to secure enough capital to finance its reconstruction program and to reestablish the value of the Lebanese pound through a program of economic stabilization. Lebanon was forced to rely on capital-bond issues in the European market as well as domestic borrowing through the issue of treasury bills, which resulted in a rise in the level of both domestic and international indebtedness. By 2018 Lebanon had the third largest debt-to-GDP ratio in the world.
Beirut's seaport and airport and the country's free economic and foreign-exchange systems, favourable interest rates, and banking secrecy law (modeled upon that of Switzerland) all contributed to Lebanon's preeminence of trade and services, particularly before the outset of the country's civil war.
During the civil war, however, widespread smuggling, covert foreign aid to armed groups, and illegal drug production combined to disguise the country's pattern of trade. Exports, chiefly vegetable products, textiles, and nonprecious metals, are sent mainly to Middle Eastern countries. Imports such as consumer goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, and food come largely from European countries, China, and the United States. A huge trade deficit has been partly covered by "invisible" items such as foreign remittances and government loans. A series of economic and trade agreements signed with Syria after the end of Lebanon's civil war resulted in a considerable degree of economic and commercial integration between the two countries, and their economic relationship remained close even after popular protests in 2005 forced the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon. Thus, even though Lebanon experienced economic growth during the global economic crisis of 2008, its economy finally soured when the Syrian Civil War broke out a few years later.
Before Lebanon's civil war, the growth of the service sector—which generated the overwhelming proportion of national income and employed the largest proportion of the labour force—was related mainly to international transport and trade and to the position of Beirut as a centre of international banking and tourism. The abundance of natural scenery, historic sites, hotels, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, seaside and mountain resorts, outdoor sports facilities, and international cultural festivals in Lebanon traditionally helped maintain tourism as one of the country's most important year-round industries.
Although all economic sectors were affected by the warfare, the detriment to the service sector was among the most profound. Following the end of the civil war in 1990, extensive reconstruction programs aimed to return Beirut to its status as a hub of finance and tourism, although progress was disrupted by periods of ongoing violence in Lebanon and the region in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Labour and taxation
Large-scale unemployment and the emigration of many skilled labourers during the Lebanese civil war had a devastating effect on the country's workforce. As a result, numerous sectors were greatly hindered during the civil war period, with industry, construction, and transport and communications suffering the most significant contractions in workforce populations.
Lebanon has a comparatively well-developed labour movement. Although faced with significant challenges, including government interference and restrictions, trade unions have secured some tangible gains, such as fringe benefits, collective bargaining contracts, and better working conditions. During the civil war, divisions in many of the trade unions weakened their normal functions, and many of their members joined the warring factions; many others emigrated. The end of the civil war saw the revival of Lebanon's trade union movement, which became an active participant in Lebanon's postwar civil society and demonstrated against the rising cost of living in the country and the increase in indirect taxes on such items as gasoline and oil. Lebanon's trade unions are organized into confederations, including the General Confederation of Lebanese Workers (Confédération Générale des Travailleurs du Liban).
A minimum wage is set by the Labour Code, and legislation provides for cost-of-living increases, such as those that occurred prior to, during, and after the civil war, mainly because of a substantial rise in the cost of housing, education, food, and petroleum products. Tax revenues are an important source of income for the Lebanese government, among which domestic taxes on goods and services and income tax are the most significant.
As in antiquity, Lebanon's location makes it a vital crossroads between East and West. The road network traversing Lebanon includes international highways, which form part of major land routes connecting Europe with the Arab countries and the East. There are also national highways, paved secondary roads, and unpaved roads.
Numerous ports lie along the seacoast. Berths for oil tankers have been built offshore at Tripoli and at Al-Zahrānī, near Sidon, where pipeline terminals and refineries also are located. The principal cargo and passenger port is that of Beirut, which has a free zone and storage facilities for transit shipments. The port has been expanded and deepened, and a large storage silo (for wheat and other grains) has been built, but port facilities were severely damaged during the civil war and the postwar fighting. The harbour at Jūniyah has grown in importance.
Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (until 2005, known as Beirut International Airport) was one of the busiest airports in the Middle East before the civil war. Its runways were built to handle the largest jet airplanes in service, and a number of international airlines used Beirut regularly. After 1990, renovations to Beirut's airport were undertaken to facilitate a return to its prewar importance. An expansion project was announced in 2017 to deal with passenger traffic exceeding the airport's capacity.
At the end of the civil war, Lebanon's transportation infrastructure on the whole required significant reconstruction; many roads were rebuilt, including a highway along the coast from Tripoli to Sidon. Although some repairs were undertaken in 2004, Lebanon's railway system—which included lines along the coast and up Al-Biqāʿ valley, as well as a cog railway across the Lebanon Mountains—remained out of service in the years following the civil war. Many transport facilities—including the airport, ports, and major highways—were damaged anew during the warfare between Israel and Hezbollah in mid-2006.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles:
education: Colonialism and its consequencesIn Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria, educational policy reflected French interests. In Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq, British policy prevailed. Both colonial powers shared similar goals: to preserve the status quo,…
Islamic arts: The diaspora…these writers came from Christian Lebanese families. A feeling of nostalgia often led them to form literary circles or launch magazines or newspapers. (The Arabic-language newspaper
Al-Hudā[or Al-Hoda, "The Guidance"], established in 1898, was published in New York City as Al-Hudā al-jadīdah[ Al-Hoda Aljadidah; "The New Al-Hoda," or "The…
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East…Hama, Aleppo, al-Lādhiqīyah, and as-Suwaydā), Lebanon (Beirut, Tripoli, al-Ḥadath, Ḥalbā, Zaḥlah, and Marj ʿUyūn), and Baghdad; several new episcopal sees have been established in North and South America and in Australia. The principal liturgical language is now Arabic, though Greek is still used, and English has been adopted in the…
flag of Lebanon…1920, the state of Greater Lebanon, with French military administration, was proclaimed under a flag derived from French and biblical symbols. The cedar tree was pictured on the white central stripe of the French Tricolor, although earlier it had been emblazoned on a plain flag carried by Christian troops in…
Chaldean Catholic Church…prevalent in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon, united with the Roman Catholic Church since 1830, and intermittently from 1551.…
More About Lebanon7 references found in Britannica articles
Assorted References
- education
- emigré literature
- flag history
- physical geography
- population and demography
- Chaldean Catholic Church
- Greek Orthodox Patriarchate


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LA Auto Show: The Green Car Of The Year Is The 2013 Ford Fusion
Nope, it's not the Tesla Model S, lauded as CAR of the year (not just green) by everyone from Motor Trend to…many more. The award for Green Car of the Year came with a few caveats-primarily sales volume. Green Car Journal Editor Ron Cogan was adamant that this award be given to the car likely to get the most wheels to the ground. Sales volume matters a lot when determining which car will have the most significant impact in reducing CO2.Read more


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Beyonce & Jay-Z's Baby Name — The Meaning Behind Blue Ivy!
Find out why the superstar baby's name is filled with symbolism!
On Jan. 7, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z checked into Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City to welcome a new baby girl! We love the name Blue Ivy Carter, but what's the meaning behind it?
'Blue' is significant, as Jay-Z, 42, has released a series of popular and critically acclaimed albums in his Blueprint series. He's often said that blue is his favorite color, as in songs like "Go Crazy" remix, he rhymes that, "My favorite hue is Jay-Z blue."
As for 'Ivy,' it isn't a coincidence that the name and Roman number IV are so alike — and a huge part of Beyonce and Jay-Z's life. The number four is dear to the celebrity couple: Beyonce was born on September 4, Jay-Z was born on December 4, and the two wed on April 4th, 2008! Beyonce's latest album — her fourth — was even called 4!
Do YOU like Blue Ivy for a baby name?
— Kaitlyn Monteiro
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S Amdt 3989 - Debit Card Fee Regulations - National Key Vote
Related Legislation
- S Amdt 3826 - Consumer Financial Protection Division Within The FDIC
- S Amdt 3839 - Termination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorships
- S Amdt 3938 - Study on Ending the Conservatorships of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
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Issues Related to S Amdt 3989
Stage Details
Amendment -
Amendment Adopted
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May 13, 2010(Key vote)
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Title: Debit Card Fee Regulations
Vote Result
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Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote to adopt an amendment to S 3217 that requires the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, no later than 9 months after the date of enactment, to establish rules regulating transaction fees that an issuer or payment card network may charge with regards to electronic debit transactions.
- Requires the amount of any electronic debit transaction fee that an issuer may charge to be "reasonable and proportional" to the actual cost incurred by the issuer or payment card network with respect to the transaction (Sec. 1077).
- Exempts issuers that, together with affiliates, have assets of less than $10 billion (Sec. 1077).
- Prohibits payment card networks from inhibiting the ability of any individual to do the following (Sec. 1077):
- Provide a discount or in-kind incentive for payment through use of a card or device of another payment card network;
- Provide a discount or in-kind incentive for payment by the use of cash, check, debit card, or credit card; or
- Establish a minimum or maximum dollar value for any form of payment.
Amendment - Introduced (Senate) - May 12, 2010
Title: Debit Card Fee Regulations


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Every now and then you run into a product you are so impressed with you just have to share. The ISTAR Mini Network Media Tank is one of those products. By all accounts the product is another media extender set top box that you plug into your TV that plays video, music and photos from an attached hard drive or home network.
There are lots of these products on the market. Some are cheaper and some are more expensive, but no matter how you cut it, most of them are lacking in some way.
- Playback Specifications follow
- IStarHD
The ISTAR is no exception, so it also has its limitations, but its simplicity and expansive format support have won me over. The HDMI implementation is better than most I have used and if you have a new HDMI receiver I am sure you want to use it.
Before continuing, let me explain what a Network Media Tank is, and define a few more terms that can be confusing. Network Media Tank is an Operating System and Software distribution (no different than MS windows with Media Center or MAC OS X with iTunes) that is placed on hardware like the ISTAR. A Media Server is something that has a hard drive that has media files on it (combination Hardware/Software). A Media Streamer is something that accesses a Media Server over the network and plays files on an Audio or Video system (combination Hardware/Software). A Media Extender is a fancy media streamer that only works with Microsoft Media Center (Combination Hardware/Software). Network Media Tank is software made by Syabas to be placed on hardware made by multiple vendors (like ISTAR) to turn their hardware into a media server and streamer.
What an ugly little box. Really! It is light, made out of rough metal and plastic and doesn't even have a power light to tell you when it is on. You don't get much. On the front there is a physical power button and an IR receiver. The back has the gamut of IO connections including HDMI (1.1. in this case but there is another version with HDMI 1.3), VGA, Ethernet, spdif (coax and optical) composite video, stereo RCAs, and a USB port. There is a SATA/eSATA connector on the side.
The ISTAR was well packaged and contained most of the cables you need to get started. To be truthful the cables were fancier looking than the unit itself. The remote is really basic, and almost all the buttons are the same size (I hate that) and no backlight.
By all accounts, this product is not up to the same standards I usually expect from my Home Theater hardware. I like amps that weigh 100 pounds and processors with copper plates on the bottom that add weight and the perception of good build quality (whether or not true). However, I had to give the little unit a chance.
For the technical geeks out there, the version of the ISTAR that I have uses the Sigma Design SMP8635 rev C multimedia processor, has 32MB of Flash RAM, 100Mbit Ethernet.
Getting started
To begin, you just turn the power switch on, then hit the power button on the remote and the unit comes to life (as long as you have it plugged into some form of display, otherwise you wouldn't have a clue if it was on or off). It takes a minute or so for start up (boot if you want to call it that) to complete. During your wait-time, you are presented with an "ISTAR loading" screen.
Once the unit has booted, it has a very simple menu structure. Going into the setup allows choice of what resolution you want to output to your display (ranging from NTSC to 1080p including 24fps, 30fps and PAL based frequencies). The composite video stays active, outputting 480i all the time regardless of what output resolution you have chosen for the HDMI/VGA jack. You can choose default sub-title and languages for audio-tracks, provided the source you are playing supports that (it did work with the ripped/archived DVDs I tried).
The same setup menu allows you to choose, if you want, to send audio over HDMI and to select what to do with sound encoding like AC-3 or DTS (convert to LPCM or send bit stream). It is important to note this particular unit can only output DTS via bit stream, but I believe the newer version will decode it to LPCM and also support Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio via bit stream.
You can set up the unit to get files from just about anywhere on the network and support just about every network file sharing method I can think of, including SMB (or Windows file sharing), Bonjour Service (MAC), FTP, NFS (Standard UNIX flavors), etc. Each location you set up, from which to get files, shows up as a media source from the top menu. Any device plugged into the device via SATA or USB also shows up as a media source.
In Use
The entire user experience is driven by choosing a media source first and then selecting what type of media you would like to play from that source. Choosing the source then presents the user with an option to play Videos, Music, Pictures, or Web Content. Choosing any of these options presents the user with the file structure of that media source, allowing the user to navigate to media files. Clicking on the file (or folder, in the case of an archived DVD) plays the media. In the case of clicking on an archived DVD, the system supports the full DVD menu structure, selection of different audio tracks, subtitles and even the FBI Warnings. This is completely backwards to 90% of the other media extenders and HTPC front ends which present you with the media type first then the navigation of the media sources. Honestly, it doesn't matter which way it works because you end up with the same result.
Browsing the media sources is somewhat slow. It takes a few seconds everytime you click on a new directory or media source.
Picture browsing is about the same as any other media extender, but you cannot edit files like you can using Vista Media Center (VMC) or some of the other HTPC front ends. The Music option is also pretty simple, but has all the basic requirements.
File Formats
This thing will play just about anything. Here is a list of specs from ISTAR:
You can basically play any sort of SD/HD content available today with this. Samsung's CEO even stated that Blu-ray has a life of about 5 years, only, so units like this may be the future of how you watch movies in your home.
Playback Specifications
Support Media Containers:
- MPEG1/2/4 Elementary (M1V, M2V, M4V)
- MPEG2 Transport Stream (TS, TP, TRP, M2T, M2TS, MTS)
- Matroska (MKV)
Supported Video Codecs:
- [email protected]
- [email protected], 720p, 1-point GMC
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
- [email protected]
Supported Audio Codecs:
- MPEG audio (MP1, MP2, MP3, MPA)
Supported Surround Sound Containers:
Supported Picture Formats:
Other supported Formats:
Supported Subtitles:
So what's so great?
By now you have to be asking what is so great about this little box. The simple fact is it works. And it works really, really well. I have used HTPCs and other media extenders for years. For the most part they meet my needs, but I am continually tweaking them trying to get them to deal with different file formats properly, or properly send audio to my processor. I don't mind, but I am pretty technically adept to such processes. Other people are not and they struggle to get HTPCs working properly, or if they buy a media extender set top box end up discovering it won't play half the file formats they have.
An engineer in my office recently sold off his Blu-ray HTPC to buy a standalone Blu-ray player as he was sick and tired of the problems he was having trying to get it to work seamlessly with HDMI. While the ISTAR is not a Blu-ray player it does show that it is possible to make a unit that plays all the formats we need in a simple box.
The ISTAR just works. Every file I clicked on with the exception of lossless MWA played without a problem. Even .mkv files played without falter. This is very important as it allows the user to re-encode a DVD as an .mkv file and keep the DTS and AC-3 audio track, which is next to impossible with other media containers. .mkv files are not supported by very many media extenders at this time so it is refreshing to finally see someone implement it properly.
Web Media Sources
You might be wondering why there was an option to play web content from the media source. What is interesting is that the ISTAR can also play video and media directly from the Internet (or off a connected drive). It has options to browse YouTube and Google Videos, MetaCafe, etc. This basically brings some of the fun stuff on the Internet directly to your TV or Theater and can be a great way to pass some time while people are gathering before the movie starts.
File Sharing
The system can also function as a NAS (Network Accessed Storage) on your home network. Users can backup their files to the ISTAR or place media on the drive from another computer that may not be set up for file sharing.
Assuming you have a hard drive connected to the unit the ISTAR can also be a Bittorrent client. There are many legal and illegal ways to use Bittorrent so I leave the user to their own scruples on that feature. I don't use Bittorrent myself so I didn't try this functionality.
Software and Firmware Updates
In today's world it seems like everyone is in a rush to get products to market. In some cases (as we have seen with Blu-ray players) the software can be quite buggy when the hardware slips out the door, with the promise from the manufacturer of updating the software or hardware at a later date (when they get the kinks worked out). If the product has a good growth in the market, most manufacturers continue development on the firmware, and over time, the software usually lives up to the hardware's potential.
Something that makes the ISTAR unique, is the fact it is not unique at all. It shares the exact some chipset and underlying operating system as several other media extenders. A company called Syabas actually makes the OS. One other hardware platform that is quite popular is Popcorn Hour. Since multiple products use the same underlying chipsets and OS, it means new firmware is released on a regular basis for the ISTAR and the other vendors.
I upgraded the firmware to the newest version when I received the unit. The process was painless. I basically copied the firmware to a USB stick, plugged it into the ISTAR, chose the USB stick as the media source, selected the Web Content media option, clicked on the file and told it to upgrade, then waited for the unit as it re-booted with the new firmware. It was simple and painless.
What is not to like?
Nothing is perfect. As mentioned above, the unit isn't as fast as I would like. The current firmware only allows me to fast-forward at 8x(this may be fixed by the time this has been published), and as I mentioned before, it isn't pretty. The remote is not as friendly as others but a universal remote like a Harmony will take care of that. Overall a minor set of gripes.
At $169, the ISTAR is a steal. There is a $215 dollar version that support HDMI 1.3 (and sending TrueHD and DTS-MA over HDMI), if you need those functions. I am sure the interface will get prettier and faster as new firmware is released. For now I would say this is one of the simplest most complete media extenders on the market.
If you are thinking about trying one, just go order it. The re-sale value of these units on eBay is almost the same as the retail price, and whether you buy the ISTAR or the Popcorn Hour, I am sure you would be able to sell them if for some reason you were not happy. The Popcorn Hour unit is a little prettier so if you care about looks, that might be the way to go.


text:
Incredible drama, dire moments, euphoria.
All of it clings to a Game 7, and for Kings forward Justin Williams so does another pattern.
A goal, an assist, a victory.
In the Kings' 5-4 Western Conference finals overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks Sunday night at the United Center, Williams took his reputation as "Mr. Game 7" to a level reserved for children's bedtime storybooks.
After setting up teammate Alec Martinez's game-winning goal 5 minutes, 47 seconds into overtime, Williams is now 7-0 in Game 7s, with seven goals and seven assists.
We're not making this up.
"The legend continues," Kings center Jarret Stoll said of Williams, smiling. "We were giving it to him pretty good already.
"He's just a special player, rises to the occasion every big game … I can't say enough about the kid."
Sunday, his team sunk to its deepest abyss by falling behind 2-0 in the first period of a riveting series in which last year's Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks won Games 5 and 6 and had more than 20,000 fans ruining their vocal cords.
"Games have their own storylines — every single game, every series does," Williams said. "Obviously, we're looking around after being down 2-0, saying this wasn't it for us, it wasn't going to end this way.
"Heck, we've battled back so many times this year, so many times so far in these playoffs. We said, 'Why not again today?'
Every single guy gave everything they got."
Williams watched teammate Jeff Carter score with 3:29 left in the first period, then tied it himself 51 seconds later off a pass from defenseman Slava Voynov.
When Chicago's Patrick Sharp answered with two goals, the Kings found themselves less than eight minutes from elimination.
"The series, it was up and down, it was emphatic, it was very emotional," Williams said, praising captain Dustin Brown for his tenaciousness around the net.
A Brown shot, with 7:17 left in the third, was followed by a goal from forward Marian Gaborik, who now has 12 playoff goals.
"You need everybody when you get to Game 7," Kings Coach Darryl Sutter said. "There's always guys that score big goals and make big plays, but you need everybody in your lineup."
Williams had an assist in the Kings' Game 7 win over San Jose in the first round, then had a goal and assist in the Game 7 second-round victory over the Ducks.
"Justin Williams is one of the best players on our team," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "A lot of people don't realize all the things he does, but when he has the puck, he makes things happen with it, and he did it once again tonight. He's unbelievable."
On the winner, Williams, from the rear side of Chicago's goal, sent the puck to Martinez in front of it, where the defenseman saw traffic and didn't even know it was in the net until he saw Stoll going nuts.
Past Game 7 heroics and Sunday's earlier goal "really wouldn't have meant anything if we didn't come out with a victory," Williams said as the 2012-champion Kings return to the Stanley Cup finals beginning Wednesday night against the New York Rangers at Staples Center.
Kings center Anze Kopitar said he's stumped to explain how Williams continues to find a way in Game 7s.
"I don't know," Kopitar said, "but I want to get in on the program, whatever he's doing."


text:
New 2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante for Sale - Stock #A781M
2012 Aston Martin Virage Volante
Rolls Royce Arctica White Exterior Color
Baltic Blue Interior
Baltic Blue Interior
6.0 Liter DOHC 48-Valve V12 Engine
6 Speed Touchtronic Automatic Transmission
6 Speed Touchtronic Automatic Transmission
Stock # A781M
71 Miles
Seller Information
Palm Beach Motorcars
915 South Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
Call (888) 763-9153
Don't let a dealers location prevent you from buying the car of your dreams.
Most dealers are prepared to ship anywhere in the country. Contact the dealer and inquire about shipping.
Or have some fun. Fly in and drive your new car home, you might save enough money on the price to pay for your vacation.
Contact the dealer about automotive financing that might be available or contact your bank to find out about their vehicle financing options.
Related Terms
Similar Cars for Sale
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe
Black Exterior
Kestrel Tan Interior
6 Speed Manual / 4.3 Liter DOHC 32V VVT V8
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6 Speed Sportshift Automatic / 4.7 Liter DOHC 32-Valve VVT V8
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Arancio Atlas (Orange) Exterior
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All data is provided for informational purposes only, is subject to change without notice, and should be verified with the seller before purchase. All listed prices do not include any applicable state, federal or local tax, registration, title, destination, dealer documentary fees, emissions testing fees, insurance or finance fees.


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Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. Just Got Hotter Since Beating Miguel Cotto – Hunk of the Day
The internet was a buzz this weekend with the name Floyd Mayweather Jr., the crazy ripped boxer who beat Miguel Cotto in the ring and got to hang out with Justin Bieber. We had no idea the Biebs was into this kind of sport, but it's a good thing he is 'cause his hot boxing friend would have fallen from our limelight.
For those non-boxing fans (us included) who don't fully get the whole appeal, apparently this weekend's match was a pretty big deal. Not to mention that Mayweather is still undefeated. But hey, what do you expect when you have people like Bieber, 50 Cent and Lil Wayne rooting for you? Yeah, that's right. He's got friends in high places.
Check out the stud below.


text:
C/E-Series Classic MFD compatibility with legacy Pathfinder scanners
I would like to upgrade my existing Pathfinder radar display to a C-Series or E-Series Classic Multifunction Display. Is my existing Pathfinder radar scanner compatible with the C-Series or E-Series Classic Multifunction Display?
Many existing Pathfinder radome and open-array radar scanners can be used with C-Series Classic and E-Series Classic Multifunction Displays (MFDs). C-Series Widescreen MFDs and E-Series Widescreen MFDs are not compatible with Pathfinder radome and open array radar scanners. Some older scanners, will not be compatible and will need to be replaced. All existing open-array scanners will need an interunit cable split adapter to function with C-Series Classic or E-Series Classic MFDs.
You can use the serial number on your radar scanner to determine whether or not it is compatible with C-Series Classic MFDs or E-Series Classic MFD according to the following table:
Understanding Raymarine Serial Numbers
Every Pathfinder series radar scanner has a serial number associated with it. In most instances, the serial number will be printed on a white decal attached to the internal electronics core of the scanner. The serial number may also be located on warranty registration card in your scanner Owner's handbook, or on the UPC bar code attached to the scanner's original shipping box. The serial number consists of two parts:
The first three digits of the build-date sequence number contains the month and year the scanner was manufactured. The remaining four digits represent the sequence number of your scanner within all scanners produced during that month. For example, lets say we have a scanner with serial number M92650 0530299. It would decode like this: