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Sign up now to stream Gugure! Kokkuri-san, subs, tons of dubs, OVA's, simulcasts, plus the all new Dubcast℠ editions and more!
When Inugami and Shigaraki decide to ignore Kokkuri-san's note on a bottle of rejuvenating water in the fridge, they learn a hard lesson.
Kohina Ichimatsu's cup noodle filled days as a self-proclaimed doll come to halt when she decides to play Kokkuri-san!
Kokkuri-san starts helping Kohina make progress in leading a normal life, but then Inugami shows disrupting the household even more!
Inugami is proving to be way more difficult to live with than Kohina and Kokkuri-san had initially thought.
As if Inugami wasn't enough to deal with, now there's the tanuki ghost Shigaraki! Can Kokkuri-san protect Kohina from the misfortune the new ghost brings?
Kohina can't seem to find peace and quiet anywhere she goes, including school! She now finds herself the victim of bullying and Kokkuri-san just can't seem to stay away.
Much to the dismay of Kokkuri-san, Kohina is now able to see spirits! What makes things worse is she refuses to listen to his warnings and befriends one.
The cat god Tama has an exceptional love for dolls and she wants to add Kohina to her collection! Can Kokkuri-san and the others foil Tama's plans?
Though Shigaraki is very happy with Kokkuri-san's new form he agrees to help his old friend return to normal… or so he claims.
Kokkuri-san faces the reality of going bald and is unable to do so gracefully. He goes to some extraordinary lengths to keep his fluff.
Kohina and Kokkuri-san discover a girl named Kureha beneath a maple tree. She asks them to help her find the person she is waiting for.
When Inugami and Shigaraki decide to ignore Kokkuri-san's note on a bottle of rejuvenating water in the fridge, they learn a hard lesson.
The holidays should be a peaceful time, but that's not the case for Kohina and friends. Even simple house cleaning turns into a disaster. Will the group even see the New Year?


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December 10 marked the 64th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which has become a universal standard for defending and promoting human rights. Each year, Human Rights Day presents an opportunity to celebrate human rights, highlight a specific issue, and advocate for the full enjoyment of human rights by all people.
Every year on 10 December, Human Rights Day marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration. It is celebrated around the globe that "All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms". This year's Human Rights Day theme was Inclusion and the right to participate in public life. Everybody has the right to have their voice heard and to have a role in making the decisions that shape their communities. Each one of us should be able to choose those people who will represent us in all governance institutions, to stand for public office, and to vote on the fundamental questions that shape our individual and collective destinies.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, released a statement on Human Rights Day:
Millions of people have gone on to the streets over the past few years, in countries all across the world, emboldened by what is happening elsewhere, some demanding civil and political rights, others demanding economic, social and cultural rights.
This groundswell is not simply a question of people demanding freedom of expression and freedom to say what they think and make clear what they want.
They are asking for much more than that. They are asking for an end to a situation where governments simply decide what is best for their populations without even consulting them. They are asking for their right to participate fully in the important decisions and policies affecting their daily lives, at the international, national and the local levels. Many people in many countries have been making it clear they are fed up with their leaders treating them with disdain and ignoring their needs, ambitions, fears and desires.
They have been, in effect, asking for what has been, for more than sixty years, under international law, rightfully theirs.
This year, the spotlight is on the rights of all people — women, youth, minorities, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, the poor and marginalized — to make their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making.
These human rights — the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, to peaceful assembly and association, and to take part in government (articles 19, 20 and 21 of the Universal Declaration) have been at the center of the historic changes in the Arab world over the past two years, in which millions have taken to the streets to demand change. In other parts of the world, the "99%" made their voices heard through the global Occupy movement protesting economic, political and social inequality.
This year, in celebration of Human Rights Day, add your voice to the conversation!

subset: commoncrawl


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I think it's always best to look at our experience as children when looking for toys that will make lasting gifts. Most of us has fond memories of plastic blocks (I won't use any brand names, since the particular brand doesn't matter). I've even heard stories from my high school students about how they still bust them out once in a while with their friends.
Here are some of the winners from my childhood and toys that my own boys still play with even though they've had them a couple of years:
1. Plastic blocks. For the relatively low cost of small new sets add novelty and renew interest. My son is really into that red movie car, so he'll be getting a small set blocks based on the movie.
2. Wooden railroad sets. Again, both name brand and non-branded ones are available. When the kids are older, you can even make or buy some wooden projects that could go nicely with them.
3. Art supplies. I'm a big fan of buying these when they are on sale--last year's hot product tie-in can usually be had for less than the non-branded ones at clearance time. We have a big bin of odds-n-ends that we sporadically restock.
4. Tactile learning puzzles. Tangrams, sliding car puzzles or the like, marble mazes, and the like can be found at teacher-supply shops and entertain my kids for hours. Most good ones can be added on to by buying new puzzle cards or pieces, stretching the life of the initial purpose. Like other toys, the boys interest in them comes and goes, but I find that when they are interested, it's for a pretty intense few days.


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Lebanon Tender News. Search Latest Lebanon Tender News Online - Tendersinfo is the Most reliable Portal to Get all Latest Updates, developments, Tender and Procurement News in Lebanon for various States, Cities, industries, Sectors, Government and Private organization from 1000s of Lebanon Tender and Procurement News Portals, Newspapers and other Sources.
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Tendersinfo is an essential source of information for Lebanon Tender and Procurement News for anyone looking to stay updated on the latest developments in Lebanon. Whether you're a business owner, investor, or just someone who is interested in keeping track of the latest trends and happenings in the Government or private sector in Lebanon, staying informed about Tender and Procurement news is crucial.
Get Latest Tender and Procurement news for various markets in Lebanon, Get all updates on the latest economic indicators, such as GDP growth, and inflation. You might also want to keep an eye on news related to specific industries, such as tech, retail, Services or manufacturing, to get a sense of how these sectors are performing and what trends are driving their growth or decline in Lebanon.


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Latest Updates
July 26, 2012
The July 2012 "Save Vernazza Newsletter" is available!
June 15, 2012
The June 2012 "Save Vernazza Newsletter" is available! Our first edition!
Click to view the June 2012 Save Vernazza Newsletter
June 5, 2012
A picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look back on May 2012.
Check out our June Five for 5 Fundraiser where your donation can win you a Vernazza experience.
Want to see photos from recent hikes we've done and/or read stories of experiences we've had lately? See our Save Vernazza blog.
Coming soon: The Save Vernazza Newsletter. Subscribe today!
Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter
May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers past & present from the 3 moms that make up Save Vernazza, aiming to rebuild, restore & preserve this exceptional village for our children, our children's children and onward.
The first run of our Benefit Art Auction was such a success we have decided to extend the sale for another 10 days. Select artworks are available for purchase until May 21. See the Benefit Art Auction page to view the works and link to the eBay auctions.
Also, we have recently published the Save Vernazza Forum page to allow for the exchange of information & discussions amongst our followers. Visit today, create a topic and/or post a reply!
And, as always, up to date photos, trail info, the status of businesses in town & trip planning information can be found at our Travel Advisor section.
May 2, 2012
The Benefit Art Auction
Artist Anna Russo is the motivational force behind the latest Save Vernazza fundraising initiative. In tribute to Anna's husband Giuseppe "Pino" Gianonni, whose life was cut short when swept away by the flood of October 25, 2011, 22 local artists (including Anna & son Valentino of Valentino's story) have generously donated 34 beautiful works of art.
The auction runs from May 1-11. All artworks can be viewed at the Benefit Art Auction page. Click on the photos to link to the eBay auctions.Visit, view and bid your favorite piece today!
Six months have passed and the transformation continues. Vernazza is moving from "emergency to prevention" mode as noted by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano during his recent visit, and the town is open for business. Albeit one store, bar, restaurant at a time. The "unofficial" start to the tourist season arrived the weekend before Easter and Vernazza has been welcoming more and more people every day since.
What's new in & about Vernazza?
To see what Vernazza looks like now visit our Travel Advisor Photos & Videos page.
- Beach clean up has commenced and many meters of dirt have been removed from the beach.
- Bus service has been reinstated for routes to/from Vernazza, to/from the upper parking area and to/from the hamlets of San Bernadino & Fornacchi.
- Many reconstruction projects for storefronts along Via Roma have been delayed due to humidity within. The cold and moist winter weather had not allowed the walls to thoroughly dry since the flooding and now as the weather is warming and properties drying, projects can restart. The majority of shops in Vernazza are expected to open by June.
On April 25, 2012…
…we had the pleasure of spending the day with Rick Steves and showing him around town, the remarkable progress made in the past 6 months and the work still yet to do. As if we didn't love Rick enough already for the way he feels about Vernazza, we couldn't help but love him even more as he shed some tears for the old gal upon seeing her for the first time since October 25, 2011. We are incredibly grateful to Rick and his organization for their continued support and coverage of Vernazza's recovery efforts. We look forward to Rick's return this summer as he and crew come back to film a new Cinque Terre travel special. To read about Rick's day in Vernazza see his "Report from the Cinque Terre".
Nashville on eBay
Long time and frequent visitor to Vernazza, Lisa McLaughlin, is also a concert merchandise manager for various popular music artists. Lisa reached out to the artists she supports and they answered her call by generously donating many autographed items and additional memorabilia to Save Vernazza.
Artists include Garth Brooks, Peter Frampton, Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Joby Saad and Terri Clark. The auctions are ongoing from April to October, with a different artists/item featured every 10 days through October 2012.
Visit the Nashville auction page to view this week's featured artist & item and link to the eBay auction.
What to do in Vernazza?
Get off the beaten path & discover hidden treasures. Download Save Vernazza's trail map & suggested itineraries and find up to date information at our Trail Updates page.
And, read Michele Lilley's blog about hiking trail 7 from Vernazza to San Bernadino & see photos of the hike at our newly created Save Vernazza Blog page.
For all your planning needs: Travel Advisor
Want to know if your favorite restaurant in Vernazza is open for business? Curious to see what shops will be open when in town? Looking for a place to stay in Vernazza? Go to Travel Advisor.
Rick Steves Tours & Save Vernazza
We are proud to announce that Save Vernazza has arranged to work with select Rick Steves tour groups this season in leading educational walking tours in Vernazza in the effort to promote sustainable tourism through educating visitors on Vernazza's territory and cultural heritage.
The first such tour was hosted on April 15, 2012. Ironically, one of our February 2012 "With Love, From Vernazza" fundraising contest winners (the prize, a tour) was with the Rick Steves group and winner Karan was kind enough to share her time & tour with the group. Ruth Manfredi of Save Vernazza said about the tour ,"it is a special time to be visiting Vernazza. Our group was able to see first hand the devastation of the October 25 floods and hear Michele recount her narrow escape from her shop…it was a delight for us to share our enthusiasm for our cause and for Vernazza, especially to be in the company of such a lovely group of people who enjoyed the tour as much as we loved giving it."
Read more from Ruth about what it feels like in Vernazza these days at our new Save Vernazza blog page.
Yana Pietras had been visiting the beautiful Cinque Terre villages for 12 years and after arriving in Florence for a semester abroad she understood there was much curiosity amongst the many international students regarding what happened on October 25th. Yana did her best to communicate news and discovered that many students wanted to help but didn't know exactly how to do so.
With some help from Save Vernazza and a few friends, S5T (Students for Cinque Terre) was founded. S5T was founded to be an expression of student support for the villages in Cinque Terre that were devastated, striving to create awareness and to help rebuild and restore the Cinque Terre and preserve its territory for future generations.
S5T started off with the idea of selling buttons bearing the number "5" which represents the 5 towns in Cinque Terre. It is the hope of S5T that many more student oriented events and volunteering will bloom from the initial ideas.
Visit S5T on Facebook, and tell the student in your life about this new forum for students to share ideas about possible ways to get involved in rebuilding & restoring the Cinque Terre.
March 27, 2012
The President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano, visited Vernazza on Wednesday, March 21. President Napolitano toured the town, had lunch and then spoke at a meeting held in the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia in Vernazza's Piazza Marconi. The focus of the discussion was on moving from "emergency to prevention" with Napolitano stating the goals as two fold: first, applauding Vernazza's mobilization efforts in the face of such adversity and second, to focus on the very important issue of preservation of the territory.
Napolitano was visibly moved by his time spent in Vernazza. He graciously thanked Vernazza's citizens, Vernazza's Mayor Vincenzo Resasco and the President of the Region of Liguria, Claudio Burlando, for the opportunity to see the destruction first hand. He concluded his speech by saying that the visit helped him to understand that "what for (the people of Vernazza) is great hope, for us is great responsibility."
Vernazza prepared for President Napolitano's visit by laying new stone to the center of Vernazza's main street, Via Roma, as well as finishing the temporary asphalting along the sides of the street (the asphalting is temporary as next winter it will be dug up again to run Vernazza's TV, telephone, electrical, etc. cables underground).
For a look at Vernazza as of March 24, 2012 please visit our Travel Advisor Photos & Videos page.
And, as always, please visit our Travel Advisor page for update to date information on business openings in Vernazza.
"From this angle, it's like nothing ever happened," was a statement overheard this past Saturday by a local sitting on a bench in Piazza Marconi. And to my surprise, I found it to be true. Parts of Vernazza are looking more "normal" every day and certain images are tributes to what one Save Vernazza donor refers to as her "okay-ness".
Children are playing in the square and some older residents are coming home to live. Tourists are walking the streets, restaurants are opening and today the weekly street market returned. Vernazza is moving forward…and forward with a new focus.
As President Napolitano stated, preservation of the territory is of utmost importance for the future of Vernazza and Save Vernazza is proud to be aligned with such beliefs. This weekend, we prepare to move forward with a pilot project that will consist of clean up and restoration efforts to trail number 8 (from Vernazza to the Sanctuary Madonna di Reggio). In anticipation of a successful outing, we look forward to future opportunities involving volunteers as we work to Rebuild, Restore and Preserve Vernazza.
"If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values…" Martin Luther King Jr.
March 9, 2012
Stepping onto the terrace, I became mesmerized by sights and smells. After a long, seemingly endless winter, I was once again in Vernazza, an exceptional place where even after the events of last October, much remains the same: the church bells and rhythmic waves; the green of the hillsides; the blue of the water and the pastels of the buildings contrasting and yet complimenting one another.
I came to Vernazza this morning for a public meeting, hosted by Mayor Vincenzo Resasco, detailing Vernazza's strategic plan for reconstruction, updates on the progress made thus far and how Vernazza is preparing itself for the reopening of its tourist season.
An announcement made at the meeting, and one that Save Vernazza is pleased to have helped facilitate, is that architect and urbanist Richard Rogers will be providing his expertise in the rebuilding of Vernazza by overseeing Vernazza's "urban regeneration" project. Lord Rogers is the 2007 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, recipient of the 1985 RIBA Gold Medal and the 2006 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement (La Biennale di Venezia). Over the course of his successful career, Richard Rogers has made a major impact on contemporary architecture, with key projects such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Lloyd's of London and Terminal 4 in Madrid Barajas Airport.
On a personal note, Richard has a great affection for Vernazza and has been a frequent visitor for years. He believes that the reconstruction should be elegant in its simplicity in order to preserve Vernazza's unique character as an authentic small town for both inhabitants as well as tourists. We are honored and excited to have the guidance of such a well known and respected professional and Vernazza will most certainly benefit from Mr. Rogers' involvement.
Other topics of discussion at the meeting included the status of emergency projects currently underway:
- Sewage: completed
- Canal: includes roadwork as well as enlargement of the canal itself. This enlargement is necessary for what has been referred to as "200 year security" (enabling the canal to withstand future storms such as that of October 25, estimated to occur once every 200 years)
- Landslides: project focuses on securing the slides that directly impact the canal and reconstruction of the canal banks and bed in such a way as to decrease the velocity of the water.
- Water: continuing on schedule, approximately 90% of all homes with running water
- Aqueduct: continuing on schedule
- Electricity: continuing on schedule
- Via Roma: This week, temporary asphalting of Vernazza's main street Via Roma will be underway. Next winter the road will be dug up once again and all of Vernazza's electrical, telephone, TV, etc. cables will be run underground. Final work along Via Roma is expected to be completed in early 2013.
- Gas: By the end of June 2012, a temporary methane gas containment system will be in place to provide methane gas to Vernazza. Over the next 2 years, permanent pipeline will be laid to transport methane gas to Vernazza from the village of Volastra, a project costing approximately 2.2 million Euro and funded by the Protezione Civile.
For up to date images of the reconstruction effort visit our Travel Advisor Photos & Videos page. And, for information on the status of commercial activities, please visit Travel Advisor Home Page.
Additionally, the town is organizing for the beach & harbor clean-up effort in which a group of volunteer scuba divers will assist and dredging of the sea bottom will be necessary. The estimated cost for this effort is 700,000 – 800,000 Euro, approximately 150,000 Euro already pledged by STL (Sistema Turistico Locale) of Liguria.
Also included in Vernazza's strategic plan was a focus on sustainable environmental and social/economic development, specifically with regards to renewable energy, garbage & recycling, sewage, sustainable tourism and education & promotion of Vernazza's territory.
The importance of safeguarding Vernazza's territory was discussed at length and recognized as the key to sustainability for Vernazza, both environmentally as well as economically. Going forward it will be of great importance to Vernazza to attract the kind of travelers who create a relationship with the town, make a connection with the place, its people and its territory, thus understanding and respecting its culture, environment and heritage.
In keeping with this discussion and in alignment with our projects, Save Vernazza will be meeting next week with Vernazza's key technical advisers to map out the best way to collaborate on and move forward with projects that educate through programs and volunteer efforts, assist in the rebuild of trails and focus on the reconstruction of the "muretti a secco", the dry stone walls that integral to the terracing of Vernazza's hillsides. Details of and updates on Save Vernazza's projects can be found at our Rebuild, Restore, Preserve Vernazza page.
At the end of the meeting, I was asked to speak to the audience of residents about Save Vernazza. But in addition to speaking about the details of our projects, I felt the desire to also express my deep appreciation of and respect for Vernazza, its people and territory. This brought about within me an overwhelming mix of emotions by thinking of the October tragedy and the town's courageous work to rebuild. I knew I had to do my best to keep from becoming emotional, so I focused on the faces in front of me. The faces that for the last 4 months have been dirtied with mud, stained with tears, and lined with smiles and laughter. The faces now giving me the strength to keep it together. The faces forever filled with determination and hope.
The weather is warming and the coming of spring gives way to a new hope. Less than 5 months ago the unimaginable happened, and no one at that time would have predicted all that has been accomplished in the time that has passed since. And yet, even after the unimaginable, much remains the same. The waves, the bells, the blues, the greens…the constants that made Vernazza recognizable even when she wasn't..
Now as we slowly return to normal, the "newness" of Vernazza brought about by that tragic day is impossible to overlook. It is a blinding reminder that change is vital to Vernazza's future.
In order to sustain the uniqueness and beauty that is Vernazza, tourism and territory must go hand in hand, for there is no future for one without the other. Vernazza now stands at a crossroads and years from now we hope to look back and take pride in the example she has set for the rest of the world, one of harmony and balance created by the coming together of the two in such a way one cannot imagine it ever being otherwise.
Ruth Manfredi, Save Vernazza
February 11, 2012
Travel Advisor: Visiting Vernazza 2012
Save Vernazza has created a new Travel Advisor page to reflect the current state of affairs regarding Vernazza's commercial activities, in the effort to best prepare the Vernazza bound traveler. Additionally, a corresponding page of current photos & videos of Vernazza has been created at Travel Advisor Photos & Videos. Both pages will be maintained and updated regularly as information is received so please keep checking back.
Vernazza needs your patronage more than ever this year, and the people of Vernazza are looking forward to welcoming visitors. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work toward rebuilding this exceptional village.
Vernazza will one day shine again as the crown jewel of the Cinque Terre, but we are still on the long and costly road to recovery. We have done much in the past 3.5 months, yet there is still much to do. Your donation can make a difference.
Donate Through PayPal
Thank you for your continued support in the campaign to Save Vernazza!
January 24, 2012
"You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note." Doug Floyd
Vernazza has recently been described as a town where "the stores are closed and wounds still open," where "the emergency is over, but the rebirth is far off." According to the January 12, 2012 article by local newspaper La Nazione, "the 'emergency' is over, but not in the mind of some Vernazzesi. The President of the Region of Liguria, Claudio Burlando, has declared the town open to visitors. And Vernazza's Mayor Vincenzo Resasco has stated that Trenitalia (the train system) has received the official orders to allow any and all persons access to the village.
According to La Nazione "some in town are perplexed by these decisions and statements." One Vernazza resident notes, while walking down Via Roma, that the excavations to repair the sewage system have just begun. The repairs are expected to take two months, but some wonder why the town is allowing people to visit now "in these conditions." Questions and statements such as these are being born from the harsh reality that Vernazza is still a work in progress. Vernazza has one storefront open (the pharmacy), one restaurant, and one coffee bar. Work to secure the canal is ongoing. Today, Via Roma is a shell of its former self and one is unable to tell the difference between what was, prior to October 25, 2011, a storefront versus an old wine cellar. Work permits are being submitted and approved to continue the reconstruction to storefronts along Via Roma and we are cautiously optimistic that the majority of commercial activities will be operable by the spring.
To read the entire La Nazione article, as translated to English, as well as the original Italian version click here.
For photos and videos of how Vernazza looks as of January 21, 2012 click here.
With various articles in circulation claiming Vernazza's state of emergency to be over, Save Vernazza posed the question to Mayor Vincenzo Resasco in our meeting with Town Council members last week. The official statement from Mayor Resasco is that Vernazza is in fact "still under a state of emergency and continues to be under evacuation orders." Yes, the emergency crews (the national guard and fire department) have pulled out but the urgent projects are now contracted to private firms. In our meeting, we discussed and gathered details regarding the projects involved in repairing the 108 million Euro worth of damages caused to Vernazza on October 25, 2011, when torrential rains and over 100 mudslides left the town buried in over 4 meters / 13+ feet of mud and debris.
Despite the difficulties of its current situation, the town of Vernazza is proceeding to contract new projects worth approximately 9.3 million Euro to secure the town, according to a "Work in Progress" document recently released by the town. These projects funded by money received from the Region of Liguria, in a few months time are expected to result in the lifting of the evacuation orders that will allow Vernazza's residents to return home as well as place Vernazza in a better state to welcome visitors. Additionally, funds received by the Cinque Terre National Park will go toward the repair of hiking trail #2, from Monterosso to Vernazza, Vernazza to Corniglia.
For additional project details and to read the entire "Vernazza: Work in Progress" document click here.
Save Vernazza is now moving forward to evaluate and fund projects that focus on both the immediate and long term needs of Vernazza's residents and visitors. Some examples include: Benches for Vernazza's streets and squares. Reconstruction of Vernazza's Parco Giocchi (Playground) Solicitation of company donation(s) specific to paint, paint supplies and resurfacing materials for work along Vernazza's main street, from Fontanavecchia down to the square. Reparation to trail #8 (from Vernazza to the Sanctuary Madonna di Reggio) and trail #8a (from Madonna di Reggio to San Bernardino), to include funding for repairs to effected "muri a secco" (dry stone walls, a key factor in UNESCO's decision to grant Vernazza its World Heritage Site status). For photos of damage to trails #8 and 8a click here. Volunteer Coordination: In lieu of Vernazza's ability to accept volunteer's at this time we are gathering contact information on our volunteer page that will allow us to alert interested parties as initiatives come available. To submit your information, click here.
Within the next weeks we will be adding to our website further details of the "Save Vernazza" projects, their estimated costs, time-lines and any applicable fundraising initiatives. Please stay tuned and check back to our
Rebuild Vernazza page for that information.
Some events over the past weeks include:
European Union Commissioner, Johannes Hahn, along with the President of the Region of Liguria, Claudio Burlando, visit Vernazza.
Having trouble viewing the video?
Click here.
The communities of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Groppo & Volastra donate car to Vernazza.
On January 14, 2012, the communities of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Groppo & Volastra donated a new 4×4 extra cab pick-up truck to the community of Vernazza.
Fiat donates 4 new cars to Vernazza for Vernazza's "car sharing" program.
On January 20, 2012, Fiat Group Automobiles donated 4 new 4×4 Fiats to Vernazza for use in their "car sharing program". The majority of Vernazza's residents lost their vehicles in the flooding and mudslides of October 25, 2011.
Vernazza's First Store Re-Opens
On January 21, 2012 Vernazza's Farmacia (Pharmacy) reopens. By Italian law, the pharmacy is allowed no more than 90 days closure and thereafter the proprietor loses his/her license. Therefore, the work to restore the pharmacy has been completed, The walls may be empty and there is only a table, chair & pharmacist, but the pharmacy in Vernazza is operable once again.
Vernazza's First Restaurant Re-Opens
On January 23, 2012 the restaurant Belforte re-opens. The Belforte is above water level, along Vernazza's waterfront, and therefore suffered no damages (other than to services) on October 25, 2011. Since the departure a few weeks back of the military cooks that provided meals for crews and volunteers, Vernazza has been without such a service. Finally, workers have a place to go for a hot meal and break from the tiresome workdays.
This past Saturday morning when walking down Vernazza's main street, a train pulled up and some tourists got off. As they descended the stairs it was evident by their expressions they had no knowledge of what happened in Vernazza on October 25, 2011. With no information center available, we decided to create one ourselves. Some printed materials, an old bookshelf, a piece of plywood and a curtain later we established the first Save Vernazza Information Center. Albeit rough and hastily put together, it fit with the ambiance of Vernazza these days.
Later in the afternoon a group of American students studying abroad for a semester at the University of Florence arrived. They asked, I explained, I cried, they cried. Here is an email from one of them we received the day after:
I am currently in Firenze as an Interior Design Study Abroad Student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA. On January 21st 2012, a group of fellow students and I planned our first trip to Cinque Terre without any knowledge of the recent disaster that swept through the town of Vernazza.
As we traveled, we learned more about the tragic event but nothing prepared us for the sight we saw as we stepped off the train in Vernazza. I immediately was overwhelmed with sadness for those involved and lost, yet felt the warmth and beauty the town still radiated. In that moment I fell in love with Vernazza.
As we were waiting for our next train, a Save Vernazza table was set up and the woman began to share the stories of Oct 25th, those of which I will never forget. Again, in that moment I was forever changed and my journey to Italy had a deeper meaning.
I would be honored to give my services in any way that I can. You all are in my prayers, God Bless.
The stories of what happened in Vernazza on October 25, 2011 are just a part of what make people care and want to be involved in the campaign to Save Vernazza. Jordan and his friends fell in love with her for the beauty she still radiates today, despite her "open wounds". For those unable to come see her, we will continue to keep you updated on her recovery. For those planning a trip to the area this year, keep the Cinque Terre in your travel plans.
When inquiring for accommodations in Vernazza, you may find room owners slow to respond and/or hesitant to confirm reservations at this time. Be willing to wait. Take the chance on her. But, be prepared to see her changed by the events of October 25, 2011.
A very well traveled and wise man once said about Vernazza that she is "exceptional…(and) deserves a special dignity." Rick Steves
With your help we can rebuild this exceptional village.
"Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success." Henry Ford"
Coming Together, Keeping Together, Working Together We Can Make A Difference.
January 9, 2012
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir
The other day I hiked the Number 2 trail from Vernazza to Corniglia, following the sentiment from our November 21, 2011 update to "see the aftermath with my own eyes….the time had come to face (this) beast". As I came upon one of the many landslides causing great destruction to this beautiful footpath, I was forced to make a decision that symbolizes where we are and how we will move forward with the campaign to Save Vernazza.
I could assess the situation, plan my course wisely and move forward with confidence. Or, I could allow myself to be intimidated by the enormity of the destruction, turn around and give up on the conquest. "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." (Maori Proverb). I chose to turn my face to the sun. I arrived in Corniglia 2 hours later. Click here to see photos & videos of the hike.
We at Save Vernazza believe in our mission to rebuild, restore and preserve the town of Vernazza. We know it is possible and we have your support. Many believe that Vernazza will be "even more beautiful than before."
The town of Vernazza plans to open its doors to visitors late spring of 2012. Work to stabilize the hillsides and secure the canal is underway and over the next months repairs to utilities and commercial activities along Via Roma will be ongoing. She may not be how you remember her to be, you may find her a bit "rough around the edges", for the road to complete restoration will be long and costly. But she will be there to welcome you. Keep the Cinque Terre (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso) in your travel plans and visit the region this year to see how far we've come. Finally, please continue to show your support in the campaign to Save Vernazza.
Within the next week Save Vernazza will meet with Vernazza's Mayor Resasco and the Town Council to discuss specific projects, their budgets and timelines. Additionally, we will outline opportunities for volunteers, campaign drives and other initiatives to bring attention, resources and donations to the Save Vernazza campaign. Please stayed tuned for announcements within our forthcoming updates and changes to our "Rebuild Vernazza" project page, including specific information on how your donations will be used in the efforts to rebuild, restore and preserve Vernazza.
Some of the past week's highlights include: January 3, 2012: New York Times article "In Liguria's Coastal Hills, a Storm's Fury Brings a Struggle for Restoration" is published, in which Save Vernazza is featured.
January 3, 2012: Save Vernazza does a three part interview with Lise Betram of Cheo Vineyards, Vernazza's only commercial wine producer. Lise discusses with us the damage done to their vineyards as a result of the over 100 landslides of October 25, 2011.
For additional photos and to view the three-part series of short films click here.
January 3, 2012: Save Vernazza's Michele Sherman is interviewed for the Canadian Broadcast Company's "As It Happens" feature "Italy Landslide Restoration". To listen to the broadcast click here.
January 6, 2012: Local and international artists gathered for what has been called "Un arcobaleno di solidarietà per Vernazza" (a rainbow of solidarity for Vernazza). The painters decorated the temporary doors along Via Roma's commercial businesses with beautiful murals.
For more photos and videos of the "arcobaleno" event click here.
January 6, 2012: Vernazza celebrated with our friends from Riomaggiore the "festa della Befana", the Feast of the Epiphany, a public holiday in Italy. The Befana is an old woman, dressed like a witch, who delivers gifts to children for "La Festa dell'Epifania" (Feast of the Epiphany). The event included construction of lanterns to release into the night sky, a "spettacolo" (performance) and the arrival by sea of the "Befana" with gift giving following thereafter.
January 7, 2012: Vernazza says goodbye to the Navy cooks who have been present since just days after the events of October 25, 2011 feeding Vernazza's volunteers hot meals twice a day, as well as the residents for the occasional "festa" (party) under the tent. The parting is bittersweet, a necessary step toward the rebirth of Vernazza. But these hard working men have also become good friends and they will be missed, for their service went well beyond food. Thank you for your kindness, your encouragement, your smiles, laughter and tears. Grazie ai nostri cuochi amici della marina!
With each crew that pulls out, each truckload of dirt that passes by and each brick unearthed, Vernazza becomes familiar yet again. With every paint stroke and pressure hose we catch a glimpse of her former beauty. She will no doubt reclaim her place in this world as the "jewel of the Cinque Terre" and inevitably along the way will be painful reminders of that fateful day.
December 31, 2011
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and it first chapter is New Year's Day." Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Today we bid farewell to a year that many Vernazzese may prefer to forget. But if we forget, we learn nothing. Therefore, we will move forward into this new year and take the lessons from the past into our future.
Spending time in Vernazza these days is both joyful and painful. Days are filled with highs and lows. On December 23, Vernazza laid to rest Pina, Sauro and Pina, the three residents killed in the flooding and mudslides of October 25, 2011. In the afternoon, volunteers from town and Save Vernazza organized a Christmas celebration for the children of Vernazza. Santa Claus paid a visit, with presents in tow and a gang of clowns to entertain with games, balloon animals and face paints. Cards and small gifts were sent from children of the Condit Elementary School of Bellaire, Texas and the West University Methodist Church of Houston, Texas, to Vernazza's young to make for a brighter Christmas.
The children, as children tend to be, were mostly unphased by their surroundings, content to be together again at home. Though one conversation overheard amongst them occurred as they gazed toward Vernazza's beach, their former warm weather playground where they spend days with nets in hand catching fish and crabs, that playground now a deposit for mud and debris. "Are the crabs still alive underneath all that?" they wondered…We wonder that ourselves at times…
On Christmas Eve, a dinner was hosted in the square under the tent. "I nostri fratelli" (our brothers) from Riomaggiore and Manarola were invited and graciously thanked for their continual support of the people of Vernazza and their ongoing efforts to assist in the recovery.
Christmas day itself was eerily quiet in Vernazza with few people in town. However, even on Christmas, the hum of the diggers could be heard as work on the canal will continue until it no longer poses a threat to Vernazza.
In the afternoon of December 28th, Mayor Vincenzo Resasco called a town meeting in the square for Vernazza's residents, to discuss the state of affairs and provide information on projects planned for the forthcoming weeks. The details of that meeting are as follows:
The money already made available by the regional and provincial governments to Vernazza has been allocated to the following projects: €900,000 to excavate the canal and €600,000 to secure the mountainsides against future slides. This work will require much more funding since the use of helicopters, micro probes and skilled personnel will be required. €3.5 million to secure the canal and landslides in the unstable zone around Vernazzola. After year end, weather permitting, the work will begin to restore essential services such as water, sewage, telephone lines and electricity along Via Roma and Via Visconti.
In mid-January, the following private works projects will commence: Reconstruction and/or stabilization of supporting structures and retaining walls. Coordination of work permit requests by private citizens and business/property owners. Rebuilding of vital commercial activities (ie: bakery, pharmacy, food market).
Additionally, during the excavations over the next weeks, gas pipelines will be extended and sites will be appraised for the installation of the town gas tank. At the same time, an evaluation of the long term use of methane gas as an alternate fuel source will be underway. Also being considered by Regional representatives and engineers is the feasibility to install solar panels for the local energy supply and/or the use of biomass and hydraulic power.
In the meantime, while waiting for finances from the National Park, projects are being prepared to restore trails #2, 8, 6D, 7A and 7B.
After the town meeting a "stoccafisso" dinner was held in the square under the tent (stoccafisso is a typical Ligurian dish of dried cod that is soaked and then prepared with olives, potatoes, swiss chard, olive oil and pine nuts). It was a night of good food and great company, wrapping up with Father Don Giovanni, accompanied by many in attendance, singing into the night. For a brief time, many were able to forget the reality that existed outside the tent.
Unfortunately, this reality will be all the more evident on January 7 when the Navy emergency camp kitchen and crew pull out of Vernazza. Gone will be the days of lunches and dinners together under the tent.
Instead, the few that will remain in Vernazza will have to fend for themselves. However, the one restaurant in the square that sustained very little damage "Taverna di Capitano" will look to re-open soon to provide not only hot meals for those in need but a warm place to get together after a long day's work.
Tonight the people of Vernazza will toast a farewell to 2011. Mayor Resasco posted the follow notice around town yesterday: "2011 is coming to a finish and we approach a new year. Even though we are in a moment of difficulty we will celebrate together under the tent. After many sad days and hard work we will enjoy a night of joy and happiness. We take this opportunity to wish a happy new year to all Vernazza's citizens, all who have come to help and continue to do so, and all that love Vernazza…we know there are many. We wish you all a Happy 2012."
Save Vernazza would like to take this opportunity to thank our donors,
friends and followers and wish you all the very best for 2012. We would like to share with you that as of December 25, 2011 we have surpassed €100,000 in donations received. Although it is merely a "drop in the bucket" toward the over €100 million required to rebuild Vernazza, we are very proud of this accomplishment and have you all to thank. We look forward to continuing our efforts in 2012, working together to make a difference…to bring the life and beauty back to our Vernazza. Tanti Auguri e Buon Anno Nuovo!
"Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was." Dag Hammarskjold
December 22, 2011
Tomorrow Vernazza will lay to rest its 3 residents that were killed in the flooding and mudslides that occurred on October 25, 2011. The funeral for Giuseppe "Pino" Giannoni, 60 years old (of Valentino's Story), Sauro Picconcelli, 55 years old, and Giuseppina "Pina" Carro, 81 years old, will take place at 11,00 in Vernazza's Church of Santa Margherita d'Antioch.
According to French law, as the 3 deceased washed ashore in early November near St. Tropez, France, a DNA analysis was required to officially identify and release the bodies. Now Pino, Sauro and Pina can come home. And, the people of Vernazza can come together tomorrow to mourn the loss of their fellow Vernazzese.
Riposate nella pace i nostri cari amici. Siete sempre nei nostri cuori.
Tomorrow will be the day that many Vernazzese of the older generations will see the destruction for the first time. Their desire to return sooner, if only for a visit, has been great although not feasible with state of the town and evacuation orders Vernazza has been under since October 25th.
Few have lived anywhere other than Vernazza. Most were born in their homes. On October 26 and the days following the disaster, the elderly were of the first of Vernazza's residents to be evacuated. Some were brought down on ladders from 2nd and 3rd story windows, carried on the backs of emergency crews, down the land filled streets on stretchers to the boats awaiting them. There were those that went willingly, others reluctantly, stating they would rather die in Vernazza than leave their home. Many had relatives elsewhere to go to. Others have been placed in nursing homes, and those in ill health are said to be 'holding on' for their desire to return home and be amongst their people in their final hours.
They were bombed and sent running to the hillsides to avoid the German army. They survived a war. And yet, many older Vernazzese describe the events of October 25, 2011 as they worst they've live through to date.
"A man's age is something impressive, it sums up his life: maturity reached slowly and against many obstacles, illnesses cured, grieves and despairs overcome, and unconscious risks taken: maturity formed through so many desires, hopes, regrets, forgotten things, loves. A man's age represents a fine cargo of experiences and memories". Antione de Saint-Exupéry, Wartime Writings (as translated from French).
Happy to share their stories, whether or not you understood their language, seen walking arm in arm on the way to mass, doting on the children of residents and visitors alike, Vernazza's elderly are the window to Vernazza's past. They gave their hearts and souls to make Vernazza what it is today. They were the fine touches to the magnificent home that was Vernazza. And today Vernazza is all the more silent without them.
"When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree" Vietnamese Proverb
The dying language that is their dialect is heard less on the streets now. For the younger generations, those strange words and phrases that don't quite sound Italian, are used mostly when speaking with their elders. Many of the children of Vernazza do not even understand the dialect. In honor of these people and those that came before them, included below is a Vernazza dialect song (with the chorus translated to English).
Quàndu mé svéggiu â matìn, quàndu sciuìssce 'n ti ciàn
guàrdu lazzù 'r Begaìn, guàrdu 'n ti scòggi i gabbiàn
e sètte sbìri chi gìan, pâ chi se bullàn in mâ
quéllu veccéttu 'n ser mö, cu l'è lì férmu a pescâ
Bèllu 'r mé vècciu paìse
te pòrtu sémpre cùn mé
fìnna se gîu tüttu 'r mùndu
mé rèstu sémpre cùn tè
bèllu 'r mé vècciu paìse
te séntu dréntu de mé
(Beautiful are you my old village
I will take you always with me
Even if I travel all the world
You remain always with me
Beautiful are you my old village
I feel you within me)
Pénsu a quand'éa piccenìn, trà argàn, tàne e barchétte
zugàmu cû remuìn, o 'ndàmu a dâ e scignuétte
ma sé dê vôte a matìn, i scaregàvan l'aéna
sùrve quâ tòa piccenìn, g'andàmu a fâ l'artaléna
Bèllu 'r mé vècciu paìse
tê sémpre dréntu de mé
pòssu giâ tüttu 'r mùndu
ma pàrlu sémpre de té
bèllu 'r mé vècciu paìse
te pòrtu sémpre cùn mé
(Beautiful are you my old village
You are always within of me
I can travel all the world
But speak always of you
Beautiful are you my old village
You remain always with me)
For more information on Vernazza's "Ê PAÒLLE DÎ VÈCCI", "Le Parole dei Vecchi" (words of the old) including dictionary with sound bites, compilation of music and more please visit www.dialettu.it
"Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." Oliver Wendell Holmes
Help make Vernazza safe again to welcome her residents and visitors.
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December 16, 2011
"Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness." Chinese proverb
Andrea Leonardini of Vernazza and Linda Mazzi of La Spezia wed this past Saturday in the Church of Santa Margherita d'Antiochia, in Piazza Marconi, Vernazza. The decorations were minimal and the church crowded with hundreds of boxes of food and supplies, but it was a day of happiness in an otherwise somber Vernazza.
In spite of the fact that their village was devastated on October 25, 2011, Andrea and Linda did not deter from their plans to marry in Vernazza. A friend of Andrea's said, "This marriage is significant in providing a well needed moment of happiness during these tough times and is also symbolic of Vernazza's commitment to moving forward."
Since the events of October 25, Andrea has been working with his fellow citizens in freeing the town from tons of mud and debris. On Saturday he took a moment of pause and invited his his friends and family to celebrate in the square, the mountain of debris in the background that still occupies the beach did not detract from the day's festivities.
Auguri a Andrea e Linda. Vi auguriamo una vita insieme con tanta felicità.
While it brings us joy to see the beauty slowly returning to Vernazza and progress being made in the long road to recovery, we must keep in mind that the journey will lead us uphill. Until made safe, Vernazza's residents and visitors will be unable to return. There is much work to be done to ensure this safety. Yes, Vernazza's streets are cleaner. Her wounds becoming less visible every day. But we must not concentrate only on her "face" for she is in dire need of rehabilitation elsewhere. Immediate funds are needed and your contributions critical. Vernazza is a place people dream about and together we can keep this dream alive. Your donation will go directly to our efforts to rebuild this magical village, to ensure that you, your family and friends, along with Vernazza's 500+ evacuated residents, will be able to return to enjoy Vernazza one day. Working together we can make a difference.
December 14, 2011
It has been a busy week with much to update you on.
On Wednesday, December 7, Save Vernazza founders Michele Lilley, Ruth Manfredi and Michele Sherman spent the day in Vernazza with a CBS reporter. Interviews with Save Vernazza, Mayor Vincenzo Resasco and Valentino Giannoni were had, as well as a ride up into the hillsides with CBS to view the damage done by 100+ landslides of October 25.
On Thursday, December 8, Save Vernazza was proud to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Vernazza with the Town Council and its citizens. Ruth, Michele and Michele brought their own children to share in this "first homecoming" with friends. For the occasion, Save Vernazza made T-shirts for all of the town's children with the message "I miracoli si possono fare" (miracles can happen).
Our dear friend Valentino captured the spirit of the day: "The vision of the children running from the train station down the street was a symbolic moment of healing for Vernazza. It was like the main artery of the village receiving fresh oxygen and energy again through the pure love of the children."
The idea to celebrate December 8 with the whole town came to Mayor Resasco on the day after the floods of October 25. He promised that the townspeople of Vernazza would celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Vernazza, free of mud. To the people who were forced to walk through Vernazza at the height of the second story windows, over 4 meters / 13+ feet of mud and debris, it seemed that only a miracle would make it possible. In fact, the following day, the townspeople were evacuated.
On the morning of December 8, with the "asado" barbeque slowly cooking over the coals in Piazza Marconi, the trains arrived from La Spezia and Levanto, filled with families, elderly couples and children: Vernazzesi. As the T-shirts were passed out to all the children, one felt the electricity in the air. The voices of the children canceled the silence of Vernazza's streets and the volunteers, , in their orange work suits or yellow overalls, lining both sides of the street below the train station, began a long and touching applause as the children & townspeople came down the stairs. For many, this was their first time back. The children immediately felt at home, running and playing, even though Vernazza still showed its visible wounds. The elderly, many of whom had never previously lived anywhere else, walked around with tear-filled eyes, marveling at how much had been accomplished in such a short time. The volunteers were filled with pride at their role in giving so much joy to this community. The day was filled with friendship, hugging, laughter, tears and sharing stories. Talk of hope filled the air, as people began to envision a renewed Vernazza.
The core of volunteers who never leave Vernazza were able to share one day of "normalcy" with the sounds of children running through the piazza and the camaraderie of the townspeople. As late as December 7, the volunteers spent the day washing the cobblestone streets so that the children could return. They worked at hanging new plywood temporary "doors" to give some semblance of normalcy to the gaping holes that represent the shops and restaurants of Vernazza. All of this work so that Vernazza could again receive her people.
On December 8th people talked fondly about how Vernazza was and began to dream about how it will be again. On behalf of the community of Vernazza we thank you for the donations and messages that have been arriving to Save Vernazza from all of our supporters around the world. With your continued generosity, we feel hopeful that we will meet our goals to rebuild Vernazza.
Stayed tuned for our next update where we will report on a wedding of one of Vernazza's own, that occurred in town on December 10, 2011.
December 12, 2011
Visit Save Vernazza's You Tube Channel to see a series of videos from December 9, 2011. A walk up the trail to Sanctuary Madonna di Reggio and down the road into Vernazza, showing the numerous landslides and destruction done to the mountainsides and roads as a result of October 25, 2011.
The journey starts and ends with the two videos below. Stay tuned for more updates about Save Vernazza's progress over the past week.
December 3, 2011
The only thing 'normal' in Vernazza these days is the train schedule. She is a town without her people. Even more so now, as this afternoon all (volunteers and emergency crews) were evacuated due to heavy rains.
Imagine Vernazza without a single soul in it. If she were a person I'd say she's lonely. Feeling abandoned. And I often think of her this way. Like a living being. She has a life, a soul, a vibrance, a presence like no other place I've been. I find myself feeling sorry for her a lot of the time. Is this strange? Somehow I don't think I'm alone in my feelings.
She has the company of the cats and ducks now. Has she wondered where we all went and why? Would she have wanted us to leave to keep us out of harm? Does she know how much we all want to return to her and help return her to what she once was? Does she know how loved she is?
She is without her family and will continue to be until she is well enough to accept us back. Yes, the weather will let up and the volunteers and emergency crews will return. But where are the children that ran her streets? The men and women who sat her benches, walked her passageways, took her photos and marveled in her beauty? When will they return to her?
The way back to her is complicated and costly. Would she understand if we couldn't afford to fix her? Would she be forgiving if we weren't able to return?
If I could talk to her I would tell her we are doing our best. I would tell her there are people all around the world thinking of her, wishing her well and supporting her recovery. I would tell her that she is loved and that we will not give up on her.
"If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking." Buddist saying
The estimated cost to repair Vernazza to the point where she will be safe enough for her residents to return is 50 million euro. Vernazza is still without gas and drinking water, continually under a state of emergency and as of today evacuated of volunteers and emergency crews. The situation is bleak but not impossible. Together we can make her healthy again. Together we make the difference.
Latest Updates Page 2


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Risks remain from uranium mining near the Grand Canyon
By Heather Hansen, Red Lodge Clearing House
When the 20-year withdrawal of nearly one million acres of public land from uranium development near the Grand Canyon was finalized last month, reaction was mixed. Conservationists, who'd been warning of contamination of surface and groundwater flowing into the Colorado River from mining activity, mostly exhaled in relief. (Never mind the current GOP effort to reverse the decision) Mining enthusiasts complained of lost opportunities for revenue and employment.
Uranium development peaked here in the 1980s but fell off after demand for the ore dropped. When the price of uranium soared in 2006, and continued its climb the next year, a Bush administration policy fostered thousands of new claims on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service in the Grand Canyon watershed. Fearing the environmental impact of the bonanza, the Department of the Interior suspended new claims in 2009, pending environmental review.
There are over 5,000 active uranium claims within those one million acres. The withdrawal goes a long way toward protecting the watersheds, seeps and springs, sacred sites and critical wildlife habitat in the area because the only claims that can now be mined would have had to establish "valid existing rights," before the 2009 moratorium. Yet even with these protections, the mines with existing rights -- the ones allowed to operate despite the moratorium -- may still have a significant negative impact on the Grand Canyon environment
Claims with valid existing rights within the withdrawal can be mined, or re-mined, which is the case here. There are four uranium mines in the withdrawal area, all built in the 1980s and all owned by Denison Mines, a Canadian/Korean mining firm. The Canyon Mine is south of the Grand Canyon in the Kaibab National Forest and the Pinenut, Kanab North and Arizona 1 mines are north of the canyon on the Arizona Strip.
The uranium in this area is concentrated in columns, called Breccia Pipes, and the ore is generally one-third of a mile or more beneath the ponderosa and pinyon pine forests. It's accessed by excavating vertical and horizontal shafts, and the ore and waste rock is then piled up outside the mine until it can be hauled 300 miles to a mill near Blanding, Utah. Once on the surface, the uranium is vulnerable to wind and water, giving it the potential to affect the aquifers in the area.
Conservationists have been told by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality that the agency has no record of contaminant dispersion at any of the un-remediated mine sites in the area. If that's true, they seemed to have missed a few major studies the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has released recently, in which they compared radioactivity at sites with similar geology, some that had been mined and others that had not been. In mined watersheds they found concentrations of uranium, and other undesirable substances, in soil and water far above the EPA standards. (This is important because industry hides behind the fact that uranium and other elements do occur naturally at some level in groundwater in the area.) The quantities and extent of contamination are far above normal.
An investigative report done recently by the Arizona
RepublicDaily Star found that the Arizona 1 mine, which lies about 20 miles north of the Grand Canyon's rim, has been "largely left to regulate itself." The ADEQ did their first inspection of the site in September 2010, roughly nine months after it had already re-opened. At that time, while they took a look at the ground level operations only, never inspecting the 1,252-foot-deep mine, they noted four "major violations." These violations included a pipe sticking through a "lined" holding pond intended to prevent groundwater contamination, and the fact that no test to measure the permeability of the rock in the mine had been done at the site.
In addition to the ADEQ violations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued violations to Denison for failing to notify the agency that it planned to resume mining at Arizona 1, and for not securing federal approval before testing emissions or ventilating the mine.
And the environmental assessments and plans of operation for these mines -- the reports that warn of possible mining impacts and dictate how the mine will run -- were written in the 1980s and have never been updated. Given what we've learned about the environmental impact of the mines since they were last in operation, these are clearly inadequate.
The BLM is hindered in protecting public health, in part, by its adherence to what appears to be an inadequate plan of operations at Kanab North -- a plan which, unbelievably enough, does not address ore waste pile removal or dust mitigation at the site.
The USGS report looking specifically at the Kanab North site paints a grim picture of what has happened in the decades the mine has been in calculated limbo. "Mined waste rock, uranium ore, pond sludge, and local wind- and water-dispersed fine particles on the un-reclaimed mine site (all of which contained high concentrations of uranium and other trace element constituents such as arsenic) were exposed to the ambient environment for about 20 years at the Kanab North partially mined site."
The field study goes on to explain that, judging by soil samples, wind-blown contaminants made it beyond the fencing around the mine site, in concentrations 10 times higher than baseline measurements for the area. This particulate matter is worrisome for anything with lungs—like endangered California condors, bighorn sheep, and millions of tourists per year (4.5 million of them to the Grand Canyon in 2010). And anything with gills, including the endangered and/or threatened Humpback chub and Razorback sucker.
Perhaps more troubling than the ADEQ's blind-eye, or ignorance, to the USGS's findings, is what BLM appears to be sweeping under the rug. FOIA requests have yielded hand-written BLM inspection notes from the 1980s and 90s. One from 1982 notes that "many cubic yards of loose fill" were dumped in a drainage within 50 feet of Kanab Creek's rim. It says that the contaminated fill is "slumping closer and closer" to the canyon's rim and would likely be washed into the canyon during a storm event. In 1984, a flash flood roared through the area, carrying unknown quantities of high-grade uranium down Kanab Creek and into the national park. Although no remediation action was taken by the mining company after that time (it's doubtful it was even requested) another BLM inspection report from 1991 says that the Kanab North site had been "reclaimed" and "looks pretty good."
It's clear there has to be a standardized approach to regulating the remaining mines near the Grand Canyon in order to protect public health. More comprehensive baseline studies of water and soil are needed to help identify mining-derived sources of contamination. This includes both testing more wells in the region to understand how the groundwater moves there, and sampling Colorado River (and its tributaries) sediment, which could identify the sources and mobility of uranium and other contaminants.
Operations should be suspended at the Arizona 1 mine until an EIS from this century is done. If Denison plans to re-activate the Kanab North, Pinenut or Canyon mines in the near future, new EISs must be done for those. If it plans not to mine them again immediately, then remediation plans that address the present contamination must be made, and that work must be done right away.
Essays in the Range blog are not written by High Country News. The authors are solely responsible for the content.
Heather Hansen is an environmental journalist working with the Red Lodge Clearinghouse /Natural Resources Law Center at CU Boulder, to help raise awareness of natural resource issues.
Image of Arizona 1 Kanab North mine site courtesy the USGS


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Odor Removal
At some point, odors cannot be ignored.
Whether the lingering smell is from pet accidents, trash, chemicals, smoke, or coming from your sink or garbage disposal, Rainbow Restoration is here to help. By identifying the cause of the odor and determining the conditions in which it exists, the odor can often be removed without a trace.
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"Happily. Even after."
I had Rainbow out to my house earlier today. Very Professional and Courteous to my wife and kids while they were there!
Wesley P.
Related Odor Removal Services
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By working with us, your home or business gets the benefit of the most advanced odor removal equipment, innovative technologies and a built-in accountability system that sets us apart.
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There's a Rainbow on the Other Side
Odor elimination services from the certified experts at Rainbow Restoration can be the difference between living with odors and breathing easy. When you choose Rainbow, you're working with a company that has more than 30 years of experience helping customers just like yourself.
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"Happily. Even after."


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Florida East Coast Travels
The East Coast of Florida for us started when we would leave the island of Key West and ended around Fernandina Beach. We have drove this stretch of the coast several times and I am sorry to say I have not taken as many photographs as I should have. Now that we have moved to the Florida East Coast I can devote more time to covering these points of interest.Read More


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AT Awareness Video Series
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Psalms 98:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
Years ago, a young sailor went to sea for the first time. Not long after setting sail his ship encountered a heavy storm and the sailor was commanded to go aloft and trim the sails. About three-quarters of the way up, the young sailor made the mistake of looking down. The roll of the ship combined with the tossing of the waves made for a frightening experience. The young man started to lose his balance. At that moment, an older sailor underneath him shouted, "Look up, son! Look up!" The young sailor did as he said — he looked up, and regained his balance.
Similarly, when our focus is on the circumstances that we face, the waves of life, we can easily lose our balance and our direction. But when we change our focus and simply "look up", our internal spiritual compass fixed on the Lord will restore our stability, and enable us to finish the assignments we've been given and get to the top!
Are you feeling unstable today? Look up! The Lord will steady you. Heaven is your goal and God will provide the power and direction to bring you safely there!


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Island Time
Taken in Maui, this clock face ironically displays 2 different times, supporting the position that when on vacation, time does not matter!
1/3200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400, 130mm
Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Buidling in New York remains one of the most identifiable members of the skyline. The black and white capture depicted here brought out the architectural details of the structure.
1/20 sec at f/22, ISO 100, 130mm
Mount Ranier
The beauty of Mt. Rainer seems endless. At any time of day, the details of this sleeping volcano are gorgeous. Note the rocky north face (right) contrasting with the glacier covered east face.
1/200 sec at f/20, ISO 800, 60mm
Walking along a limb of the Rhein river near Ingelheim, we came across this deadwood at the top of a gentle slope. In places, the wood had been water-sanded, and in others, remained in a raw bark state. The contrast is brought out in black and white.
1/125 sec at f/16, ISO 800, 150mm
Eiffel Tower
The park below the tower offers so many vistas from which to view! 1/60 sec at f/20, ISO 160, 18mm. Nikon D7000 and Nikkor 18-200 DX.
Sitting atop Montmartre is Sacre Coeur. The climb up offers the best view in Paris! This shot was taken from the Eiffel Tower. 1/2000 sec at f/6.3, ISO 800, 200mm. Nikon D7000 and Nikkor 18-200 DX.
One World Trade Center
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of yesteryear, One World Trade Center redefines the New York City Skyline. It is an embodiment of the spirit of our nation, and the people of New York.
1/400 sec at f/6.3, ISO 100, 18mm
Taj Mahal
Built by Shah Jahan in the 1600s, this white marble mausoleum is a tribute to the Shah's wife Mumtaz. Few sights brought a tear to my eye at first glance...
1/200 sec at f/16, ISO 400, 26mm
Schloss Schönbrunn
Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna has a number of topiaries and pathways surrounding it. Here, in infrared, this natural tunnel has a surreal appearance. Taken as an HDR. (For color, see "Travelscapes")
f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm
Aspen Forest
After fresh snow, this Aspen Forest has been coated with a thin layer of the white and fluffy stuff. Backlit by a clouded sun, the depth of the forest can be appreciated.
1/320 sec at f/14, ISO 400, 22mm
Sacre Coeur
At the top of Montmartre sits this beautiful white piece of architecture. Climb to the top! 1/8000 sec at f/3.5, ISO 400, 18mm. Nikon D7000 and Nikkor 18-200 DX.
The dead branches on this tree at 12,000 feet extend out as sinister tentacles. 1/640 sec at f/8.0, ISO 200, 35mm.
Cadet Chapel
Located on the grounds of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, this futuristic structure houses the collective areas of worship for the campus. 1/6400 sec at f/1.4, ISO 100, 35mm
Deception Pass Bridge
This bridge has stairs so that you can cross the street under the bridge. Gives great photo ops! 1/100 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100, 35mm
Reflections of Sunset
This series was taken mid-lake with moderate zoom and the aperture stopped down. I kept shooting, and didn't realize until I saw these on my screen how lovely they were! Each reflection of the setting sun has its very own starburst! 1/1000 sec at f/22, ISO 100, 175mm
Giant Ferris Wheel
Although it has some of the best views of the city, the architechture is also spectacular! 1/2000 sec at f/5.3, ISO 400, 105mm. Nikon D7000 and Nikkor 18-200.
The thing I like best about this photo is that the sea and sky are silky from the long exposure while the container ship was amazingly still!
Black Church Under Black Clouds
Ominous appearing, with a hint of a sunset behind. Minimalist. And moreso in B&W. 1/125s at f/8, ISO 64, 24mm.
Black Church at Búðir
The mountains in the backgroud reveal a glimpse into this incredible landscape. 1/40s at f/8, ISO 64, 24mm
I love how the snowflakes came out in this one. Gives a sense of peace. I can't decide if I like this better in color or B&W. 1/640s at f/8, ISO 160, 35mm
I am still amazed by the beauty of this abandoned farm. The snow has highlighted the roof edge in a dramatic way. 1/100s at f/11, ISO 64, 14mm.
Ansel Adams?
A lonely farmhouse at the base of a mountain. Ansel Adams eat (or cut) your heart out. 1/1000s at f/8, ISO 200, 70mm
0.5s at f/11, ISO 64, 14mm. Sometimes you just gotta go B&W
This town sits on the edge of this glacial river with incredible black sand deltas. 1/50s at f/11, ISO 64 52mm
The long road ahead takes us to the signature glacier of Iceland! This peak is called Hvannadalshnúkur, 1/100s at f/11, ISO 64, 70mm. From the center of the road!!


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New IRS Chief Calls Budget Crunch Toughest Challenge
John Koskinen promises transparency to Congress, support for agency workforce.
Hours after a ceremonial swearing-in before hundreds of his employees, new Internal Revenue Commissioner John Koskinen on Monday named the tax agency's tightened budget as "the most intractable problem" he faces, also expressing hope the hard work staff have spent redacting and submitting documents to Congress as part of an ongoing investigation is nearly complete.
Koskinen, a private-sector turnaround specialist and alumnus of the Clinton administration Office of Management and Budget, laid out his top five priorities and praised the "experience and professionalism" of IRS employees during a sit-down with reporters in his office suite.
Having been officially sworn in on Dec. 23, Koskinen said he is in the process of visiting some 25 IRS offices to meet 50,000 or 60,000 of the agency's nearly 100,000 employees. He also praised his predecessor, acting IRS chief Danny Werfel, for his "outstanding job staying focused on the agency's core agenda" while handling the management problems that surfaced last May in the controversy over the singling out of primarily conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status.
In response to congressional demands, the IRS has turned over half a million redacted pages of documents from its Exempt Organizations division and has 150 staffers working full-time on the response, Koskinen said. "A big chunk of those are lawyers who joined because they're interested in tax law, but instead are doing discovery. But it is important to provide Congress the information they need and respond as quickly as we can," he added. "It's important for all investigations to be completed and in everyone's interest to get it done. The Senate Finance Committee should finish soon, but the House [investigation] is ongoing and there are follow-up questions," he said. "I hope we're in the home stretch."
IRS's current key challenges, the commissioner said, are the new filing season, which "as the new kid" he plans to handle by staying out of the way, followed by "restoring trust" in the wake of the political controversies at the Exempt Organizations division. Other top priorities are improving tax compliance, particularly refund fraud due to identity theft, and international compliance. Another big challenge facing the IRS is improving taxpayer service, which includes implementing the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Agency executives have assured him that is going well, Koskinen said.
The IRS also is working on addressing the poor morale of federal employees after years of pay freezes and October's government shutdown. "We won't turn that around overnight," said Koskinen, "but we will do enough to assure our employees have the leadership, systems and training they need to succeed."
Koskinen would like to leave as "one legacy, putting the agency funding on a solid basis." He noted that the current budget of $11.2 billion has left IRS's enforcement operations with 11,000 fewer employees than in 2010. "This is no way to run a railroad," he said, though he conceded that he has no magic answer to how OMB and congressional appropriators might deliver all or part of President Obama's requested 2014 budget of $12.9 billion by cutting spending elsewhere.
Budget cuts affect both enforcement capabilities and the agency's ability to make it easy for taxpayers to make the payments they owe, Koskinen said. "They're intertwined."
Though some Republican lawmakers remain critical of IRS, with some even calling for its elimination, the agency "is not in need of great restructuring," Koskinen said. "There are management challenges, but the procedures and process are appropriate for getting the work done. Employees are not the problem" as long as the system, resources and leadership are provided and there is free flow of information, he said.
He promised to rebuild the IRS using the same "transparency" he has relied on in all his previous government and private-sector jobs. "My rule in life is to listen to everyone," Koskinen said. "It took a little while to dig this hole, and it will take a while to dig out of it. The proof will be in the pudding."
NEXT STORY: 'House of Cards' Season 2 Trailer Power Rankings


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Industry Pundits Vocal About Manufacturing Renaissance
The manufacturing industry is starting to become a bit more vocal about the reality of its renaissance here in the U.S. In order to protect these green shoots, and its investment dollars, many in the industry are openly opposing any increase in liquefied natural gas exports. Instead, the industry sees vast potential to turn our natural gas resources into value-added products that it believes would be worth far more on the export market than simply selling our natural gas to the highest bidder.
At issue here is the fact that low-cost sources of natural gas form a competitive advantage to heavy users, an advantage that until recently was found outside our borders. Natural gas isn't just a fuel source for these companies, it's an important feedstock to a multitude of industries. While the petrochemical industry has been the most vocal, the expanded use of natural gas has the potential to create thousands of manufacturing jobs as companies invest to expand operations. Just last month the manufacturing industry added 29,000 jobs, more than double the rate from the past two months. It sees the potential for more jobs as its renaissance kicks into high gear.
Source: America's Energy Advantage
One of the most vocal opponents of increasing the availability of natural gas exports is Dow Chemical . According to CEO Andrew Liveris: "Rushing to sell natural gas to Europe and Asia risks damage to the U.S. economy." His company has $4 billion in planned investments on the U.S. Gulf Coast geared toward consuming low-cost natural gas with more likely in the future. Dow's fears are that as these projects come online between 2015 and 2017 too much natural gas will be making its way out of the country, which will increase the cost of the gas that flows into new plants.
Natural gas is critically important to Dow as a feedstock to make the basic building blocks for plastics. As you might imagine, plastics have an array of uses, and as the largest consumer of plastics in the world, there are a lot of synergies to be gained by producing more of them within our borders. Not only that, but these value-added products can later be exported at a higher net economic benefit, which is very good for Dow's bottom line and our economy as a whole. That's why the company is not alone in its quest to put a limit on how much gas can be exported.
Huntsman CEO Peter Huntsman has warned that we can't allow "our nation's natural gas advantage to be stripped and sent overseas to build a new manufacturing base that would otherwise be built here in the U.S." Instead he says that "real, sustained and broad-based growth in the U.S. economy will come from a balanced approach that considers the needs of American manufactures and consumers." In his view "completely unfettered U.S. exports many enrich a few LNG exporters in the short term." So, while his company recently committed $150 million to new capital projects aimed at taking advantage of low-cost natural gas supplies, there is enough caution weighing as the company evaluates additional opportunities worth another $250 million more.
According to Huntsman: "Four years ago, 90% of our discretionary growth capital was spent outside the U.S. ... Today, 70% is being spent within the U.S., just because of gas. That is the same with virtually any company." In fact, industrywide there are at least 50 projects representing $40 billion of invested capital all devoted to taking advantage of the growth of shale gas. That, however, is just part of the equation with the overall manufacturing sector looking at upwards of $95 billion in capital being spent to take advantage of our cheap shale gas resources.
As important as natural gas is to the petrochemical industry, that's but one of its many uses as an industrial feedstock. It's also used in fertilizer production. CF Industries for example, uses natural gas to produce nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen is important for growing corn. Because of the importance of natural gas in the process, and its low cost, the company is spending $3.8 billion to expand its nitrogen capacity.
Source: CF Industries Investor Presentation (expansion projects in yellow)
Not only will these expansion projects drive future profits for CF Industry but it'll help cut our nitrogen fertilizer imports, which represented 54% of the nitrogen fertilizer we used in 2011.
The trickle-down effect is even greater. One of the many examples is that all this gas needs to be transported from the production basins to these new manufacturing facilities. This takes pipelines like the ones Enterprise Product Partner's builds and operates, as well as the steel that is a major input costs for those pipes. Enterprise has already built $8 billion in infrastructure to move our energy, and the company has another $7 billion in projects under construction. One of the many examples is its recent announcement of the development of a new 270-mile pipeline system for the U.S. Gulf Coast petrochemical industry. This project will directly create 1,500 jobs during its construction as well as indirect jobs in a variety of industries, including steel.
Which is why steel manufacturers, as you might imagine, are big beneficiaries of the shale gas boom. Not only are the pipes used to provide a secure path for the gas to arrive to the surface, but the pipes are also used by companies like Enterprise to transport the gas around the country. This is a huge opportunity for struggling steelmakers like U.S. Steel whose tubular segment provides a variety of products and services to the energy industry. Most recently the company entered into a joint venture to provide tubular services to the facet of the energy industry operating specifically in the Permian Basin. As you can see, our natural gas advantage touches all sectors of manufacturing creating thousands of jobs along the way.
Natural gas is a game changer for our economy. However, its greatest benefits still haven't been felt, as we're still in the very early stages of this manufacturing renaissance. The worry is that this renaissance gets derailed because the price of natural gas rises too high because of the expanded use of exports. That's why its no surprise to see major manufacturers stepping up efforts to make sure this doesn't happen.
The investment opportunities are endless thanks to the growing production of natural gas from hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling. Because gas is flooding the North American market and resulting in record-low prices for natural gas we're seeing this amazing manufacturing renaissance. One of the companies leading the way to transport the gas to manufacturers is Enterprise Products Partners. Thanks to its superior integrated asset base, it can profit from the massive bottlenecks in takeaway capacity by taking on large-scale projects. To help investors decide whether Enterprise Products Partners is a buy or a sell today, click here now to check out The Motley Fool's brand new premium research report on the company.
The article Industry Pundits Vocal About Manufacturing Renaissance originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Matt DiLallo owns shares of Enterprise Products Partners L.P. The Motley Fool recommends Enterprise Products Partners L.P. The Motley Fool owns shares of CF Industries Holdings. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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It seems the uncertainty about Copenhagen is growing. When Al baby pulls the plug, you know it's hosed.
From Berlingske: Al Gore cancels lecture during COP15
Former U.S. vice president has canceled his event, more than 3,000 Danes have purchased a ticket. Photo: JOSE MENDEZ
Looks like they will get a refund though. Might be worth more as a collectors item in ten years though.
I wonder how many people have shelled out $1200 to shake Al's hand? Maybe not enough and he couldn't cover the expenses for his private jet?
From the Washington Post:
"Have you ever shaken hands with an American vice president? If not, now is your chance. Meet Al Gore in Copenhagen during the UN Climate Change Conference," notes the Danish tourism commission, which is helping Mr. Gore promote "Our Choice," his newest book about global warming in all its alarming modalities.
"Tickets are available in different price ranges for the event. If you want it all, you can purchase a VIP ticket, where you get a chance to shake hands with Al Gore, get a copy of Our Choice and have your picture taken with him. The VIP event costs DKK 5,999 and includes drinks and a light snack."
Wait, what? How much is that in American dollars? The currency conversion says it all, too: 5,999 Danish kroners is equivalent to $1,209.
"If you do not want to spend that much money, but still want to hear Al Gore speak about his latest book about climate challenges, you can purchase general tickets, ranging in price from DKK 199-1,499 depending on where in the room you want to sit," the practical Danes advise. "There will be large screens, so that everyone will get a good view."
Yah, such a deal.
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Prescription for a broken system
A missing ingredient in the U.S. health care system: coordination
The United States has the best-trained doctors, the best-equipped hospitals and rehabilitation centers. It has access to the best medicinal and diagnostic technologies and pays three times as much for health care per capita than any other country. Yet we rank last in health care among industrialized nations and somewhere between 37th and 48th overall in various international surveys.
One of the reasons the United States has the lowest-ranked health care system of the modern industrialized world is its lack of health care coordination.
As a primary care physician, I see an enormous variety of health-related problems daily. Making the diagnoses and determining the treatments is often the easier part of my job. The real challenge begins after that. Each health care plan has its own set of formularies. If I prescribe a medication that is not on that patient's formulary, it may cost the patient tens to hundreds of dollars more. Since I tend to prescribe generic medications first, I find that not all generic medications are covered. That could make the difference between the patient taking the medication or not.
The same principle applies to other parts of health care as well. Certain insurances will allow access only to specific laboratories for blood draws. Some specialty care doctors are only contracted with some insurance companies and not with others. Rehabilitation facilities, short- and long-term care facilities, mental health counseling and social services counselors all require time and special consideration(s) before the patient can implement the prescribed treatment.
Many patients need help even before they get to the doctor's office. Transportation problems and insurance coverage are two of the most common reasons that most patients cancel their doctor's appointments at the last minute.
Doctors' offices are not the only places where health care coordination is needed. Quite a few patients miss their recommended follow-up from a hospital stay or emergency room visit for precisely the same reasons that they are unable to follow up from their primary care physician – a lack of health care coordination. Most emergency departments are good at instructing patients about what they need for follow up, but they lack the expertise and personnel to show patients how to follow up.
The absence of health care coordination means that much of the work done in doctors' offices, hospitals, emergency rooms and long- and short-term care facilities is lost. It is one of the reasons that there are so many readmissions, and it greatly adds to the cost of medical care. Private insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid would all save significant sums of money if they actually paid to coordinate patient health care.
Here in New Hampshire, our local hospitals and health clinics have made some inroads in an attempt to coordinate health care, but by definition, they work only within their own system.
They lack the scope and depth needed to access resources on a statewide or regional scale to meet the needs of our patchwork health care system that often requires resources outside a local community.
Ironically, the few health care coordinating organizations that exist are underused precisely because each hospital, insurance organization and health clinic tries to set up its own system within its own network. One such organization, SeaCare, has lacked both recognition and funding, despite saving Seacoast residents millions of dollars in readmissions and lost follow-up visits.
When we take the steps needed to see that patients actually get the medication their doctor has prescribed, have access to the healthy foods recommended by their health care team, or have access to the therapy or specialty care referrals, the quality of health care in the community improves while the overall cost decreases.
For more information, I would invite you to go to the SeaCare website, Seacarehealthservices.org, or call them at 772-8119.
Dr. James Fieseher of Portsmouth is a member of SeaCare's board of directors.


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DEEP PURPLE silver ring with large amethyst. A delicious cocktail ring. Designed with three powerful chlorines that hold the faceted large amethyst in place.
Material: amethyst (measures approx. 19 x 25 mm), sterling silver (925), nickel free
Are you unsure about your ring size? See two simple ways to measure your ring size – read more here
There are a number of different measurement systems around the world in terms of ring sizes. In Sweden, the ring size is usually measured as internal diameter (such as size 16, 17, etc.). Truly Me Jewelry Design manufactures rings mainly according to the US / CAN measurement system, ie ring sizes 6, 7, 8, etc. If you want to translate our ring sizes – from the US / CAN to the diameter system – see the conversion table for dimensions / ring sizes.
DEEP PURPLE silver ring with large amethyst is designed by Heléne Wetterskog (Truly Me Jewelry Design).
Always a jewelry box on the purchase
When buying one or more Truly Me jewelry, we will always ship with the popular Truly Me jewelry box (value 395 kr). One box per purchase opportunity. A perfect storage of your silver jewelry … especially when you're on the move.
Open purchase 14 days
Please note that you always have an open purchase when you buy jewelry from us, ie the size of the ring will not fit and you will always be able to change it or make a refund if it does not match your expectations.
Warranty 1 year
When you shop with us, you always have a one-year warranty on manufacturing and material defects. However, the warranty does not cover wear, carefree handling or injury due to an accident. Read more – Terms and Info.
Clean the silver jewelry
Genuine silver jewelery can always be clean, unlike imitation jewelry (ie bijouterie). There are a variety of silver powders on the market, but we can recommend a more environmentally friendly alternative – read more here – how easy you can clean your silver jewelry at home, for example, the baking soda method.
For questions, you can always contact Truly Me's customer service at firstname.lastname@example.com or if you have the roads past the Truly Me store at Odengatan 36 in Stockholm.


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Type of handles
stow-away handles
Handle jerk test
The purpose is to evaluate the strength and resistance of the handles and straps. After the product is loaded, it is closed and its handle/strap is fixed to the test machine's "J-hook" and subjected to numerous stresses.
Mileage test
This allows for the evaluation of the product's structural integrity and its resistance at the attachment points: wheels, handles and parts that are subject to impact. The loaded product is closed and then runs a 32km course of short and long obstacles along a transport belt.
Oxidatio test
Establishes the propensity of oxidation of the metallic surfaces due to contact with skin or water. No oxidation is permitted.
Colourfastness to water / to perspiration test
Serves to determine the product's colourfastness upon contact with water and perspiration. The fabrics used in clothing are checked for any colour transfer.
Tumble test
Simulation of an airplane trip: from check-in to retrieval. The product is filled, closed and placed in a freezer at -12°C for 4 hours in order to reproduce baggage conditions in the cargo hold. It is then placed in the tumbler and subjected to 50 drop cycles.
Cross cut test
The resistance of the metal accessory's finish is evaluation by simulating normal deterioration. An incision is made using a cutter and the behaviour of the finish is noted.
Salt spray test
It establishes the tendency of metallic surfaces towards oxidation or damage to the finish due to salt spray (spray at 47°C - test duration: 24h). No oxidation is permitted.
Straight drop test
The fully loaded suitcase is dropped on corners (25 drops from a height of 60 cm with the product at a temperature of -12°C) to test the bag's structural resistance.
Technical specifications
- weight 3.204 g
- measures 46,00 x 69,00 x 27,00 (cm)
- Number of dividers 1
- Type of construction rigid
- Additional information about construction vertical
- Thickness of the article with gusset
- Trolley system double telescopic handlee
- Closure single
- Type of lock TSA lock
- Material polycarbonate
- Number of handles 2
- Type of handles stow-away handles
- Utility pocket fixed
- Capacity 66
- Wheel cover
- Animal hide origin No Leather
- Secondary fabric composition 100% Poliyester
- Warranty 10