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The 11th edition of the Volvo Ocean Race was tipped to be the closest ever, and it did not disappoint. To coincide with the Leg 9 documentary, we take a look back at all the action.
For the first time in the race's 39-year-history four boats were still in with a realistic chance of winning with a matter of days remaining. The high-tech third generation Volvo Open 70s made offshore racing appear like match racing and time and again thousands of miles of ocean racing came down to minutes and seconds at the finish line.
The sailors pushed themselves and their yachts to the absolute brink, breaking bones, boats and records, while taking on hurricane force winds, mountainous seas and extreme temperatures.
Groupama sailing team claimed an overall victory in their maiden appearance in the world's longest and toughest sporting event. CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand fought back to finish second and PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG rounded out the podium in third.
Team Telefónica enjoyed months at the head of the leaderboard thanks to victories in the opening three legs only for the crack of a second rudder breaking to sound the end of their chances on Leg 8 from Lisbon, Portugal to Lorient, France.
On the Leg 9 race to the finish at Galway, the podium places remained up for grabs, with PUMA, CAMPER and Telefónica all in with a shot.
Tensions mounted to fever pitch as the compressed fleet rounded Fastnet Rock with barely a moment to take in the iconic sailing landmark, but soon the finish order became clear.
"It's a very happy moment for us and for all the team," 39-year-old skipper Franck Cammas said to the roars of tens of thousands of fans who came out to welcome Groupama in Galway. "I didn't think we could win. This is my dream."
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing placed fifth overall after winning three in-port races and one offshore leg and Team Sanya, the only second generation Volvo Open 70, rounded out the fleet in sixth place.
PUMA skipper Ken Read reflected on the accomplishment of finishing the Volvo Ocean Race.
"As athletes in a high-profile sport like this we cherish the opportunity to race against the best and that's what we've all done here for nine months,'' he said. "There's always a winner, there's always a loser, but at the same time there's the accomplishment of actually finishing this race."
Here's how it all panned out:
Leg 1 – 6,500 nautical miles from Alicante, Spain to Cape Town, South Africa
The opening leg of the epic ocean marathon was a test of resolve on water and a logistical nightmare on shore. In the first 24 hours Sanya and Abu Dhabi were forced out with hull damage and a broken mast respectively. PUMA had to retire later as well, having broken their mast and being forced to take refuge on the world's smallest inhabited island group at Tristan da Cunha. Telefónica surged to victory, followed by CAMPER and Groupama sailing team.
Leg 2 – 5,430 nautical miles from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi
Expect the unexpected was the catch phrase of the second leg, which was split into two by race management to counter the threat of piracy in the Indian Ocean. Telefónica won the first stage by just 57 seconds over CAMPER. In a devastating blow, Sanya were again forced to retire this time taking haven at Madagascar with rigging damage. The yachts were loaded onto a ship and transported from a secret location to the second start at Sharjah. Despite the scare of discovering a gash in their hull, Groupama raced through to victory in Stage 2, overhauling Telefónica with 10 miles to go.
Leg 3 – 4,600 nautical miles from Abu Dhabi to Sanya, China
Telefónica again claimed victory, but nothing else about Leg 3 was run of the mill. Again the leg was split in two and the boats loaded onto a container ship. Abu Dhabi snatched an unexpected victory within hundreds of metres of the first stage finish; despite Telefónica leading from the get go. Stage 2 saw the lead change several times as the fleet raced in the treacherous South China Sea. Telefónica busted their vital code zero sail, PUMA damaged their daggerboard after a collision with a tree trunk and CAMPER's Aussie skipper Chris Nicholson marked Australia Day by claiming the lead. But, Telefónica surged back to win, followed by Groupama, CAMPER, PUMA, Abu Dhabi and Team Sanya.
Leg 4 – 5,220 nautical miles from Sanya to Auckland, New Zealand
After race management delayed the start because of a threatening storm, the fleet got underway in a bruising race that saw Groupama claim their first leg win. The fleet took a dramatic split with Telefónica, CAMPER and Sanya choosing to go west through the Solomon Islands, but it wasn't enough. Despite damaging their bow and taking on hundreds of litres of seawater, which prompted the famous quote from Media Crew Member Yann Riou, "If we don't sink, we win", the French team cruised to victory. It was a dream finish into Auckland for the team's Kiwi bowman Brad Marsh. PUMA finished second, followed by Telefónica, CAMPER, Abu Dhabi and Team Sanya.
Leg 5 – 6,705 nautical miles from Auckland to Itajaí, South America
The Southern Ocean leg lived up to expectations, forcing all except one of the six boats to stop for repairs – or worse – in the race for survival. Team Sanya were forced to retire with rudder damage in the opening 24 hours, having to ship their yacht to Savannah for repairs before rejoining the fleet in Miami. Abu Dhabi were also forced to return to port with a damaged hull, but returned to racing. Meanwhile the fleet endured well in excess of 60-knot winds, but worse still was the sea state, which resulted in one of the greatest attrition rates in the history of the race. Teams were forced to throttle back as the reality of the situation set in. Abu Dhabi and CAMPER were both forced to Puerto Montt in Chile to rendezvous with shore crew for repairs, and Telefónica stopped at Cabo de Hornos National Park to repair their damage and unload injured bowman Antonio Cuervas-Mons. PUMA and Groupama continued unscathed, until Groupama devastatingly broke their mast and were forced to stop at Punta del Este to set up a jury rig. Meanwhile, in in what threatened to be one of the greatest ever comebacks, Telefónica surged back to contention, but it wasn't enough to topple PUMA who claimed their first leg win. Telefónica were second, followed by Groupama and CAMPER. Abu Dhabi shipped to Itajaí.
Leg 6 – 4,800 nautical miles from Itajaí to Miami, USA
PUMA claimed back-to-back leg wins, racing to a dream hometown victory in Miami. From fast reaching, to frustrating lulls, the climb up the coast of South America packed it all. CAMPER finished second, Groupama third and Telefónica fourth, creating a "mirror-image" on water of the overall leaderboard that resulted in just 17 points separating the top four teams overall. Abu Dhabi finished fifth, while Sanya continued en route via ship to Savannah for repairs.
Leg 7 – 3,590 nautical miles from Miami to Lisbon, Portugal
Alberto, the first tropical storm of the 2012 hurricane season, had everyone talking. The opening night was brutal, but the fleet survived to punch into the North Atlantic sleigh ride in an easterly moving depression. But it was Abu Dhabi who played the mix-and-match weather best to race to their first leg victory, although Groupama threatened to upset them at the end, closing to within one mile in the Tagus River. Groupama finished second and jumped into the overall lead. PUMA took third, Telefónica fourth, CAMPER fifth and Sanya sixth. With the top four teams split by just 21 points, the stage was set for the closest Volvo Ocean Race finish in its 39-year history.
Leg 8 – 1,940 nautical miles from Lisbon to Lorient, France
It was short, but far from sweet. From drifting in the Azores to racing into the eye of a storm, where record-breaking speeds and heartbreaking boat damage resulted, the shortest leg of the race yet didn't fall short of drama. The peak of the action came when the teams reached top speeds in the North Atlantic, where CAMPER notched 565.84 nautical miles to set the race record 24-hour distance. As the fleet balanced risk versus reward in a massive storm, Telefónica suffered a heartbreaking fate, breaking both their rudders and limping to the finish knowing full well their chance of an overall race victory were shattered. Meanwhile, Groupama raced to a dream home victory, followed by CAMPER, PUMA, Abu Dhabi, Telefónica and Sanya.
Leg 9 – 550 nautical miles from Lorient to Galway, Ireland
The final leg was more a long in-port sprint than a short offshore race. Sleep was unthinkable as everything was left to play for. CAMPER were penalised early for an incident on the start line, but fought back with just six minutes separating PUMA, Telefónica, Groupama and CAMPER around Fastnet Rock. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi suffered keel problems that slowed the black boat to about 90 per cent and Sanya struggled to keep up in their second hand boat. As the breeze off the Irish coast eased, tensions mounted, and CAMPER edged into the lead with 10 miles remaining to claim their first offshore win. Groupama finished second, securing overall victory, PUMA finished third, Telefónica fourth, Sanya fifth and Abu Dhabi sixth. With just the Discover Ireland In-Port Race left to sail Groupama were confirmed as overall race winners, with CAMPER needing only to finish the in-port to secure second place, ahead of third placed PUMA.
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Polaris is offering farmers and ranchers new ways to traverse the countryside by adding two new members to its family of all-terrain vehicles — the Polaris Ranger 2×4 and Polaris Ranger 4×4. Along with the 6×6 model, the Polaris Ranger family has been engineered to be the world's best vehicle for the world's worst terrain, the company says.
The Polaris Ranger line of vehicles is built tough to serve the agriculture industry in a wide variety of capacities. It has the strength to tow up to 1,500 pounds and can help chores get finished in a flash.
The Polaris Ranger line boasts several features that make it an ideal group of vehicles for farms and ranches. With true four- and six-wheel-drive and a set of all-terrain tires, a trek across rough or bumpy terrain is effortless. If the foliage on that terrain is a little too high, front brush guards help keep the Polaris Ranger moving forward without trouble. And on the other hand, radiator rock guards come in handy if the ground is dry and rocky.
All three Polaris Ranger models offer accessories to help make any job a little easier. A front mount winch is the perfect tool to pull virtually anything, and a power cargo box lift makes hauling and unloading a breeze.
"We're excited to introduce our new Polaris Rangers to all of America, but particularly to farmers and ranchers across the country," said Mitchell Johnson, ATV general manager. "Our 6×6 is an undisputed powerhouse, and the new 2×4 and 4×4 models offer the perfect amount of vehicle for the money. And all three Polaris Rangers are engineered for power and maneuverability — qualities that should make them a farmer's best friend."
In 1998, Polaris introduced the Polaris Ranger 6×6, a serious machine built for real world utility work. This six-wheel workhorse immediately became a favorite among farmers, ranchers, hunters and outdoorsmen.
"The response we received when we developed the 6×6 prompted us to begin designing new Polaris Rangers almost immediately," Johnson said. "We're confident the new 2×4 and 4×4 models will round out the Polaris Ranger family perfectly."

subset: commoncrawl


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Researchers discover major diabetes susceptibility gene
September 26, 2000
First success for positional cloning of a gene affecting susceptibility to a common disorder
September 26, 2000
In a finding that provides an enormous boost for scientists interested in either diabetes or genetics, researchers from the University of Chicago, the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, and several supporting centers have identified the major susceptibility gene for type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in Mexican Americans. The gene also plays a role in at least two separate European populations.
The discovery, published in the October 2000 issue of Nature Genetics, pinpoints a new and unexpected biochemical pathway leading to diabetes and suggests novel approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Identifying this new diabetes gene is also a major coup for genetics. This is the first time that a genome-wide approach has successfully led to the identification of a susceptibility gene responsible for a common, genetically complex disorder.
"Bell and colleagues' accomplishment is a 'tour-de-force'," said Allen Spiegel, MD, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. "Actually identifying susceptibility genes for diseases such as diabetes with 'complex' as opposed to simple Mendelian inheritance has proved exceedingly difficult."
"Moreover," added Dr. Spiegel, "identification of this gene--one that would not have leaped to mind as an obvious candidate--is exciting because it should lead to greater understanding of the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and possibly to new forms of treatment."
"Finding this gene finally allows us to go after diabetes treatment strategies that address the underlying molecular defects rather than the symptoms," said research team leader Graeme Bell, PhD, Louis Block Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and of Medicine and an investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of Chicago.
"At the same time," Bell adds, "our unexpected success, and the techniques we developed along the way, should restore faith in the power of genetic approaches and provide the tools to identify the genes for other common genetically complex disorders, such as hypertension, obesity, psychiatric diseases or asthma."
Type 2 diabetes, or NIDDM, affects an estimated 135 million people worldwide, including more than 15 million Americans, almost six percent of the U.S. population and 18.4 percent of those over 65. Nearly 2,200 new cases are diagnosed every day in the U.S., for a total of 798,000 each year. That rate is steadily increasing. Diabetes is the seventh leading killer in the U.S., where the cost of the disease is estimated to exceed $98 billion each year.
In type 2 diabetes, the body either cannot produce enough insulin or does not use it effectively. If this goes untreated, glucose--a form of sugar--accumulates in the blood, slowly damaging the cardiovascular system, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. It is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, and blindness, and the leading cause of amputations and kidney failure.
The disease is even more common in particular ethnic groups, affecting 10.6 percent of all Mexican Americans, 10.8 percent of African Americans and as many as 50 percent the Pima Indians, a Native American tribe based in Arizona.
Finding the genes responsible for type 2 diabetes has been unusually difficult because diabetes is not a single disease but a group of related disorders with similar symptoms. Although some unusual forms of diabetes are caused by specific single-gene mutations, the more common forms result from the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors, including obesity and lack of exercise.
Moreover, since the disease not only reduces life span but also is typically diagnosed after age 40, it has been difficult to gather the large multi-generation families normally used for genetic studies.
But by joining forces with Craig Hanis, PhD, from the Human Genetics Center at the University of Texas at Houston, Bell's team was able to bypass the need for multi-generation families.
Hanis and U.T. Houston colleagues have spent nearly two decades studying and working with a community of Mexican Americans in Starr County, Texas, a group with very high rates of diabetes. Hanis's team was able to provide extensive family histories, clinical data and DNA samples from 330 pairs of brothers and sisters affected with diabetes.
In 1996, a team led by Bell and Hanis was able to demonstrate linkage between an increased risk of diabetes in these Mexican Americans and an unknown gene located near one end of chromosome 2, which they called NIDDM1.
However, no one studying a complex disease had ever been able to take the next step, to identify the specific gene that had originally been localized by linkage.
"People kept telling us it was impossible," recalls Bell. But working with the Texas samples, Bell and colleague, statistical geneticist Nancy Cox, PhD, associate professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago, developed several new analytic techniques that enabled them to zero in on NIDDM1.
This statistical approach, along with increasingly detailed sequencing of multiple DNA samples to confirm or rule out candidate genes, led the authors to one minuscule variation within a previously unknown gene on chromosome 2 that neatly segregated with disease susceptibility.
The gene they tagged as NIDDM1 codes for a new protein, calpain 10.
The calpains are proteases--substances that regulate the function of other proteins by snipping off pieces, rendering the altered protein either more or less active.
Calpains are found in all human cells and throughout the animal kingdom. The researchers found some form of calpain 10 in every human adult or fetal tissue examined.
The calpain 10 gene consists of 15 functional segments, called exons. By splicing together these 15 pieces of the protein in slightly different patterns the body makes at least eight different versions of this protein. Different forms of the protein were found in different tissue types, including one form found only in the insulin-producing pancreatic islets.
The precise functions of most of the calpains remain unknown. Mutations of one of them--known as calpain 3--has been linked to a rare disorder called limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.
But Bell's team discovered a much subtler, and more surprising, variation. They found overwhelming evidence that the susceptibility-causing abnormality in the calpain 10 gene occurs not in one of the 15 exons that provide the blueprint for the different forms of calpain 10, but in an intron--a piece of non-coding DNA, sometimes referred to as 'junk DNA'--that separates the exons. This non-functional genetic matter is spliced out when the DNA is transcribed into RNA.
The tiny genetic change that can cause susceptibility to diabetes is located in intron 3, at a location dubbed UCSNP-43 (for University of Chicago Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-43). It is an alternative version of a single building block of DNA, shifting an adenine (A) to a guanine (G), changing just one of the three billion base pairs that make up the human genome. This minute alteration of the DNA acts in a recessive manner; individuals who inherit two copies of the "G" version have increased risk for diabetes.
"Finding a significant mutation in an intron is almost, but not entirely, unheard of," noted Bell. There are other examples. One was found in fruit flies, in the gene for an enzyme that breaks down alcohol. More recently a human intron variant has been discovered that is associated with decreased bone density.
Susceptibility to diabetes, however, turns out to be still more complex. In confirming the role of SNP-43, the researchers subsequently realized that two other genetic variations within the same gene--UCSNP-19 (in intron 6) and UCSNP-63 (intron 13)--act together with UCSNP-43 to affect risk. Two copies of the "G" allele at UCSNP-43 were required, but patients most at risk also had two different versions of the gene at sites 19 and 63.
With two slightly different versions of the gene at three sites, there are eight possible combinations; the researchers found only four in patients tested. If the two versions at each site are labeled "1" and "2," the most common combination in Mexican Americans was 112 on one chromosome and 121 on the other. The 112/121 combination was associated with a three-fold increased risk of diabetes. The 112/111 combination had no effect on risk. The 112/221 combination decreased risk.
The researchers suspect that these genetic variations work together to alter the way the gene is expressed in different tissues. They propose a "two-hit" model, where one allele of the high-risk version alters calpain 10 expression in the insulin-producing Beta cells of the pancreas, and the other allele alters expression in muscle or fat cells, tissues that either use or store glucose.
Because the discovery was so surprising and the techniques so innovative, the referees for Nature Genetics requested a series of supporting studies to help verify the finding, delaying publication by nearly 18 months.
One of those studies, a related paper to be published in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, demonstrates the effect of the gene variation in a different ethnic group at extremely high risk for diabetes--the Pima Indians. Working with Bell's team, Leslie Baier, PhD, of the Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, looked at the effects of calpain 10 in Pima Indians, who have the world's highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes.
They found that Pima Indians, without diabetes but with two copies of the "G" version of UCSNP-43, produced 53 percent less messenger RNA for calpain 10 in muscle cells. They also found that these not-yet-diabetic subjects have a series of metabolic abnormalities, including lower metabolism and increased insulin resistance, that resemble mild diabetes.
These metabolic effects are strikingly consistent with a 30-year-old theory that certain ethnic groups have evolved "thrifty" genes, which have historically protected them in times of famine but may endanger them in the current environment of nutritional overabundance. Pimas with the "G" version of the calpain 10 gene demonstrate many of the characteristics associated with a more frugal energy balance, such as decreased sleeping metabolic rate and a tendency to hoard rather than 'burn' glucose.
The genetic variation does not cause diabetes by itself, the authors emphasize. The calpain 10 gene interacts with lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise and other genes, particularly one on chromosome 15, to cause diabetes. The combination, "is not the whole story of genetic liability," said Bell, "but we think it accounts for about 14 percent of the 'population attributable risk' in Mexican Americans and about four percent in Europeans." If the Mexican American population lacked this diabetes gene, the prevalence of diabetes would be 14 percent lower.
Calpain 10 is just one member of this large family of similar genes. Bell's team is currently searching for other calpains that may play roles in disease susceptibility.
Understanding the mechanism of these subtle genetic tendencies should eventually provide targets for new medications, suggests Bell. Until then, the genetics of diabetes risk should help physicians discover which healthy young adults are most susceptible and begin to intervene.
"As with all disease genes," added NIDDK's Dr. Spiegel, "identification offers the prospect of genetic diagnosis, so those at increased risk can be identified early and prevention measures, such as appropriate diet and exercise, instituted."
Additional authors of the Nature Genetics paper include, from the University of Chicago: co-first authors (with Nancy Cox) Yukio Horikawa and Naohisa Oda, as well as Xiangquan Li, Manami Hara, Yoshinori Hinokio, Tom Lindner, Hirosata Mashima, Peter Schwartz, Laura del Bosque-Plata, Yohko Horikawa, Yukie Oda, Issei Yoshiuchi, Susan Colilla, and Kenneth Polonsky (now at Washington University); from the Virginia Mason Research Center in Seattle, Washington: Pat Concannon and Shan Wei; from Tokyo Women's Medical University: Naoka Iwasaki; from NIDDK, Phoenix: Leslie Baier and Clifton Bogardus; from the University of Lund: Sweden, Marju Orho-Melander and Leif Groop; from Technical University, Germany: Jan Schulze; and from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston: Eric Boerwinkle.
Authors of the Pima-phenotype paper include Bell, Cox, Horikawa and N. Oda from Chicago, and Leslie Baier, Paskasari Permana, Gong-Qing Shen, Xiaolin Yang, William Knowler, Richard Pratley, Robert Hanson, David Mott and Clifton Bogardus from NIDDK.
The Bell lab has a long history of finding diabetes genes. In 1990, they mapped MODY1, the gene responsible for an unusual form of early-onset diabetes, to a small region on chromosome 20. In 1992 they found MODY2, demonstrating that mutations of the gene for the enzyme glucokinase caused a different form of this early-onset diabetes. In 1997, the Bell lab found that patients from MODY3 families had one of several different mutations in the gene for hepatocyte nuclear factor 1alpha (HNF-1alpha). Finding MODY3 led to the rapid discovery of MODY1, a functionally related gene known as HNF-4alpha.
The NIDDK, the American Diabetes Association, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, the State of Texas, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Blum-Kovler Foundation, an unrestricted grant for cardiovascular and metabolic research from Bristol-Meyers Squibb, and others provided support for this project.
For the first time, a genome-wide approach has identified a susceptibility gene for a common, genetically complex disorder. The researchers have identified the major susceptibility gene for type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans, revealing an unexpected biochemical pathway leading to diabetes. This suggests novel approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.


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Things were so heated at Tuesday's Board of Public Safety meeting that the police chief was ready to escort a lawyer, representing residents seeking to end outdoor entertainment at Chelo's on the waterfront, out of the room.
Emotions ran high during the almost three-hour meeting when it was proposed the board alter the license allowing a DJ only, a move Glenn Chelo argued would be a death sentence for the family-run restaurant.
In the end, in an action rarely seen at municipal meetings, residents caucused to provide a compromise that will enable Chelo's to offer live music on a far reduced schedule.
Chelo's came prepared to address complaints that have continued in spite of nearly $40,000 spent to contain and control noise. At the outset, attorney K. Joseph Shekarchi said Chelo's would not contract two particular bands: World Première and Those Guys. Those bands drew large audiences that had patrons parking in nearby neighborhoods and, residents said, created littering and urinating in their yards. The board also heard from a 10-year-old girl who said she saw a couple fornicating in a car during a concert.
While Chelo's has been licensed for indoor and outdoor live entertainment for the past 17 years, noise complaints have steadily increased in the past two years, not only from neighbors in Cowesett but from across the water in Arnold's Neck, Cedar Tree Point and, more than a mile away, Buttonwoods. Complaints haven't gone unheeded. Armed with noise meters, police took decibel readings to determine whether ordinances had been violated and the restaurant built a shed for bands and installed its own sound system that it, not the bands, control.
Further, the board reviewed Chelo's performance, only granting the restaurant an extended schedule after assessing progress to contain noise and deal with traffic.
Despite those measures and Shekarchi's statement that Chelo's Warwick restaurants employ 200 and paid $2.7 million in taxes since 2004, the residents represented by attorneys Brian Goldblatt and Jeff Gladstone wanted guarantees they could enjoy the peace of their homes and neighborhoods.
"There have been an unbelievable amount of complaints," Shekarchi said of last summer, "and no violations were found." He said Chelo's would provide free valet parking and police details.
It wasn't enough. And when board chairwoman Leslie Walaska Baxter said the events of prior summers had no bearing going forward – that the board had heard those complaints and last summer "seemed pretty good" – the audience of about 40 gave a collective "no."
It also set the stage for a heated exchange between Gladstone and the board. He charged that the award of a license was a "done deal"; that Chelo's had a cozy relationship with the city and hadn't been required to follow zoning and building codes; and that the board was turning a blind eye to its responsibility to protect the health, safety and welfare of citizens.
"That's not true," Baxter fired back, asking Gladstone where he had heard that issuance of a license was a done deal. Further, she said the board would not consider the testimony of Dr. Tariq Malik, a medical doctor, as that of an expert since that is not his level of expertise. Gladstone took that to mean the board would prevent residents from speaking.
Gladstone cited what he saw as a litany of violations from parking to absence of a special use permit and Coastal Resources Management approval. His voice rising, he demanded, "This board has to establish limits." Then, looking at Glenn Chelo, he said, "This guy is laughing; he's saying, 'I've got this board in my pocket.'"
Chelo protested, as did Shekarchi.
As Gladstone became more boisterous counsel for the board, Diana Pearson banged her hand on the table, demanding order. Col. Stephen McCartney told Gladstone if his outbursts continued he would be escorted from the room.
Goldblatt reported that the situation was improved early last summer but deteriorated with the booking of World Premiere and Those Guys. Reports of people urinating and the instance of fornication were new to the board, and Baxter questioned if those situations had been reported to police.
One after another, residents told the board of being bothered by the noise. Goldblatt's 17-year-old daughter, Dena, said she no longer feels safe in her neighborhood. And a poised 10-year-old Sana Iqbal said she had witnessed "inappropriate behavior." McCartney spoke privately with the girl to get details of the incident and follow up.
Councilman Steve Merolla attributed the heightened complaints to the type of bands and the audience they attract. He also pointed to the efforts taken by Chelo's to deal with the situation.
But some residents, citing persistent problems, didn't see it that way. Some accused Chelo of being concerned only with the bottom line and greedy. Glenn Chelo and his brother, Craig, were outraged. They stood at the allocations.
"It's not just about the bottom line; we're not a greedy family," Glenn Chelo retorted.
Nonetheless, board member Dr. Joseph Spinale had reservations.
"The establishment has to fit into the fabric of the neighborhood…I don't think they have fit into the fabric," he said, explaining he would vote against an outdoor entertainment license. Baxter and the third board member, Thomas McGovern, conferred even as residents continued to register their protests.
Baxter asked if a permit for a DJ would be acceptable. The Chelo brothers collectively shook their heads.
"If it's a DJ, we're done," said Glenn.
Shekarchi suggested a vote be postponed so that Chelo's could examine options and come up with a proposal. Baxter wouldn't allow it. She said residents had come to enough meetings and the matter needed to be resolved.
Resident William Russo suggested that there might be a "reasonable accommodate and compromise."
Baxter looked to the audience. Gladstone and Goldblatt conferred briefly and then asked for a recess. Residents rose and gathered in the entryway to police headquarters. Merolla outlined the issues.
Fifteen minutes later the group returned. A plan was offered whereby Chelo's would be permitted to have live outdoor music from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. They also asked for the volume to be reduced below the limits set by city ordinance.
Baxter turned to the Chelo brothers and Shekarchi. Shekarchi asked for 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as bands and personnel must be paid for a minimum of four hours. Baxter said the residents were already giving more than the board would have done in approving a DJ.
Baxter arranged for Chelo's to appear before the board on June 26 to review the outcome.
"Then let's see if we can push it to 10 and 11 [p.m.]," she said.
The board unanimously approved the license.
The board also approved a one-day license so that Ocean State Theatre Co. can hold a kickoff celebration this Saturday at the Jefferson Boulevard building it aims to convert into a theater and arts education space. And the board approved liquor and food licenses for a family Italian-style restaurant, Venezia, that is to open in the former Bugaboo Creek on Jefferson Boulevard this spring.
Poor little rich people.......Always complaining.....
there is no need to have out side bands and this places should have to keep the decibles to a respectable level with inside bands
you shouldnt have to put up with the noise a half mile away chelos just doesnt respect its neighbors
Poor little rich people that employ over 800 people in this state. A restaurant that has been providing jobs for Rhode Islanders for close to 60 years.
How do you know there is no need to have outside bands? What gives you any insight into this? Chelo's had ZERO noise violations last year. You can't even hear the music from Dock E AT THE MARINA! Thousands of people enjoy having dinner, some cocktails, and listening to the great outdoor music in a nice atmosphere. There are countless families on the lawn every weekend. Over a hundred young adults working hard to make money that won't have a job this summer. Chelo's spent TENS OF THOUSANDS of their hard earned dollars to build sound proofing and other volume controls just to respect their neighbors, even after having ZERO violations. But hey, why listen to the facts when you can post your own irrational thoughts, right?
Agree with Commonsense wholeheartedly !


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The Pre$ident Performs At The Car Show /Houston, TX At Reliant Stadium! (Claims 1's White House Chain In All Diamonds) [Labe Submitted]
"New Artist to watch in 2011 @Thepresidentny The Pre$ident Night Life Tour throughout NYC/Atl/Tx check with promoters for details."
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WASHINGTON -- More than 56 million Social Security recipients will find out Tuesday how much their monthly payments will go up next year.
The increase is tied to a government measure of inflation being released Tuesday morning. Preliminary figures indicate the increase will be between 1 percent and 2 percent, which would be among the lowest since automatic annual adjustments were adopted in 1975.
The small increase reflects relatively low inflation over the past year. This year's increase was 3.6 percent.
Social Security payments for retired workers average $1,237 a month, or about $14,800 a year.
About 8 million people who receive Supplemental Security Income will also receive the increase, meaning the announcement will affect about one in five U.S. residents.


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Program's First Year Provides Assistance to 12 Communities
BOSTON- Monday, April 28, 2014- Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Secretary and CEO Richard A. Davey today announced the beginning of a new Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Awareness and Enforcement Program to reduce the number of crashes involving bicycles and pedestrians and enhance safe travel.
The program in the first year will provide a total of $461,851 in federal highway safety funding to support partnerships with Regional Planning Agencies, local officials and police departments in 12 communities statewide, with additional communities to be included in future years. The initial 12 communities were identified based upon several factors, including the highest number of reported non-motorist crashes per capita and high proportion of trips made by bicycles and walking.
This initiative responds to MassDOT's 2013 Healthy Transportation Policy Directive to dramatically increase transportation by walking, cycling, and public transit and the State Highway Safety Plan goal of reducing fatalities and injuries by 20% in five years.
"We have made safe travel regardless of transportation mode a priority, and we have work to do on many fronts," said Secretary Davey. "We seek greater awareness among the traveling public to create a share-the-road approach and heightened enforcement of the rules of the road, and we must invest strategically in smart infrastructure choices that improve safety. This program will combine these efforts in coordination with our state, regional and local partners."
The Bicycle and Safety Awareness and Enforcement Program will provide funds for stepped-up enforcement and increased involvement with police departments regarding pedestrian and bicycle issues. Citations and warnings issued to drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians would be used to increase safe travel and to gather important information and feedback about local infrastructure issues. Examples could include using feedback from traffic stops, citations and warnings to identify trouble spots, such as poor lighting at intersections or lack of pedestrian or bicycle crosswalk protection.
The program will include a comprehensive awareness campaign targeted at all motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. Outreach will be provided about changes in transportation infrastructure and policy, such as the introduction of sharrows, bike boxes, bike lanes, and pedestrian countdowns. Police and local officials will distribute "Sharing the Road" guides, along with additional training materials developed by the state Department of Public Health working with MassBike and WalkBoston. Awareness materials will include information on rules of the road, new signs, signals and other equipment related to bicycles and pedestrians, safety tips, and health benefits of walking and biking. MassDOT's Safe Routes to Schools program will include bicycle and pedestrian safety awareness and training in schools, in addition to a video competition aimed at the high school age students.
Feedback from enforcement and awareness will allow for identification of infrastructure improvements that are needed to improve safe travel for all modes in each community. MassDOT will assist local communities to make the infrastructure improvements in future years.
The 12 communities participating in the program this year include the following:
Fall River
New Bedford
In 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was created to unify the state's various transportation agencies. MassDOT now includes the Highway Division, the MBTA and Rail Transit Division, the Aeronautics Division, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles. MassDOT is committed to providing a safe and reliable transportation system to all those who travel in the Commonwealth and works to deliver excellent customer service. MassDOT has been nationally recognized for its innovative approach to transportation, including the Accelerated Bridge Program, the "Where's My Bus and Train?" apps and "Fast 14" work. For more information, visit MassDOT at our website: www.mass.gov/massdot blog: http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/, or follow MassDOT on twitter at https://twitter.com/MassDOT and Facebook at www.facebook.com/massdotinfo.


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- Premier League
Szczesny: Arsenal are confident again
Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has claimed the cloud of despair that had been hanging over the Gunners dressing room during the last month has now gone, following Saturday's 5-2 win against Tottenham.
Szczesny, 22, made his first appearance in more than two months in the North London derby after managing to shake off a persistent ankle problem.
The Poland international believes the nervousness that has undermined Arsenal's performances of late has been replaced with an eagerness to get back onto the field for Wednesday night's Champions League clash with Montpellier.
"We have had a couple of poor results recently, but we're back on track," Szczesny told the official Arsenal website. "I know that the fans might have been frustrated over the last few weeks and we understand that completely, but we are buzzing now.
"I think the team and the fans work as a unit, and they were fantastic, they helped us to get a boost before the game and helped keep us going. The fans deserve a lot of credit for the result as well. We're certainly hoping that they can keep it the same and help us to win all the fixtures coming up.
"We can't wait to play our next game against Montpellier. We want to make sure we do the job properly and qualify."
The confidence oozing from Szczesny is not entirely echoed by manager Arsene Wenger, who admits he still has concerns about the lack of self-belief that has cost his side dearly during a run that has seen them falter in the Champions League and on home soil.
"You could sense the nervousness in the team, even when we had a strong position against a Tottenham side playing with ten men," Wenger said. "We still lack some stability in this team and it is something we need to work on. Confidence can come as quickly as it goes and hopefully the 5-2 win can help us get to the next level in our belief.
"There is something special in this team and I am sure it will come out when they play with complete confidence. We will gain some belief and confidence from this result against Tottenham and we have to try and transfer that into our next game and show the same performance."
Meanwhile, Wenger has insisted he has no concerns about his side's defensive frailties ahead of their clash with Montpellier, even though Arsenal have now conceded 16 times in their last five fixtures.
"I believe it is always easier to correct the defensive side than getting your team to score goals," he added. "When you score goals you always have a chance. I am confident the defence will be sound once everybody is used to playing with each other."


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The world of the roofer is changing quickly. Only a year or so ago, customers blamed the roofer for ice damming and wet-attic problems.
The solution was simply to add attic ventilation, in many cases beyond building code requirements. Why? Because it was the roofer's only choice. In order to provide the homeowner with a full manufacturer's warranty, ventilation had to be installed according to the requirements of the local building code: typically 1 ft sq. of ventilation for every 300 ft sq. of insulated attic space, and twice that amount for low- slope roofs.
Unknowingly, the roofing industry was making the wet-attic situation worse. How? They were following the correct procedure for ventilation, but solving only part of the problem instead of the whole problem. Ventilating a previously unventilated attic has the effect of making the attic colder. If nothing is done to stop warm, moist air from entering the attic space from the living space, condensation on the now-cooler surfaces is a certainty. Mold, mildew, and eventually leakage into the living space will probably follow. Insulation contractors, armed with the same lack of information about attics as the roofers, have caused similar problems. Insulating the attic floor makes the attic colder in the same way as adding ventilation. But, if contractors don't seal as well as insulate, they don't stop warm, moist air from entering the attic and causing big problems.
Now, thanks to public debate, reeducation, and the publication of Attic Venting, Moisture and Ice Dams, a report by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), roofers know much more about what's happening, why, and what to do about it.
Wet attics are a continent wide problem. This problem has been identified and verified by the Institute for Home and Building Safety in Boston, an insurance-funded group that investigates, advises, and demonstrates curative and preventive measures for any potentially catastrophic loss. Of $50 million worth of claims received by insurers in southwest Ontario during a January 1999 storm, much of the property damage involved ice damming and seepage, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. A recent article in Canadian Roofing Contractor & Design asked the question: "Who's responsible for snow or ice falling from the roof?" (and injuring or killing innocent passersby). Insurers, like roofers, were unaware, until recently, that ventilation was not the solution to the problem.
CMHC's new report is the strongest official document to date that puts attic ventilation in proper perspective. Ventilation is needed to keep attics dry in spring, but in a growing number of cases it cannot cope with the moisture load coming from inside the house. This load can be reduced by preventive measures. According to CMHC and William B. Rose of the Building Research Council, University of Illinois, the number one priority in coping with attic moisture problems—including ice damming and condensation—is to stop the air in the attic from becoming warm and moist from internal sources.
Spores of mold and mildew are showing up far too often in too many homes, sometimes in houses not yet two years old. Small children, elderly people, and people with allergies or respiratory problems are especially at risk. Asthma levels in Canada have increased three-fold in the last 20 years; this is blamed largely on the increase in bacteria, mold, and chemicals in the attic atmosphere. Health, comfort, durability, asset value, and energy costs are all affected by wet-attic problems.
The new understanding of why these problems happen, and of the real role of attic ventilation, is good news for roofers. By bringing in experts help to prevent recurrence, the roofer can provide better service, reduce callbacks, and better protect the product warranty. It also means extra business for the home performance specialist, since roofers, in general, do not want their workers performing weatherization services in attics.
Cause and Effect
Ice damming and attic condensation, or wet attics, are symptoms of similar problem conditions in the home. They can be blamed on a whole range of usual suspects—inappropriate design, poor construction techniques and workmanship, poor communication between trades, location of heating and air conditioning ducts, and botched renovations. In addition, many people crowded into one living space—all of them taking showers, cooking, and drying clothes indoors—can send indoor moisture levels soaring. There may be no single cause. An indoor relative humidity of 50% can cause problems in an attic with major bypasses, while a humidity level greater than 65% can move through small cracks and create damage.
Solutions center on isolating the attic in cold and moderate climates, making it completely separate from the rest of the house. This will ensure that warm, moist air in the living space cannot get into the non-conditioned space in the attic. Keeping the attic sealed off from the living area (using air leakage control measures to seal holes, cracks, gaps) is key. It is important to add insulation as appropriate to keep the attic cold, but insulation without sealing can make matters worse.
Southern climates—particularly those with high outdoor humidity— may be approached differently, of course. And isolating attics with ductwork and mechanical equipment is more complicated, because it is harder to define the thermal boundary of the living space. Nevertheless, the rule remains: Prevent warm, moist air from finding its way to condensing surfaces.
One-Step Cure and Prevention
CanAm Building Envelope Specialists Incorporated, a private firm near Toronto, Canada, has created a residential comfort-contracting division to work with its local roofing, insurance, and home inspection communicates to solve wet-attic problems. As a referred or consulted contractor, the division, known as Zerodraft, usually arrives on the scene once the "educated" roofer has discovered the problem. If rotting, moldy, or mildewed wood has been found, cleanup and possibly replacement may be required before the comfort contractor can start work.
After a blower door test, visual inspection, or both have been completed, the remedial work begins. All the typical sites for potential leaks must be checked and corrected, if needed. Zerodraft crews have learned to watch out for unusual air bypasses to the attic that have been created by the enterprising contractor or homeowner, including laundry chutes, retractable projection equipment, huge wall cavities, bulkheads, skylights, furnaces, and air conditioning equipment
The Zerodraft-trained two-operator crew use a specially formulated two-component polyurethane foam attic sealing spray as their primary air sealing system. The spray is pressurized and blows away dirt as it is applied. The crew wear complete safety gear whenever they are working in an attic. This includes a disposable Tyvek suit with a hood, gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator designed to cope with organic vapors. The two cylinders of foam are placed near the center of the attic, usual") across two beams for extra support. With a 30-ft hose assembly, it is often possible to reach almost every corner in the attic without moving the cylinders. If the existing insulation smells bad or makes i impossible to perform the remedial measures, it may need to be remove and replaced with new insulation.
Individual crews have their own preferences about how to divide the work, depending on accessibility and the type of roof. Common sense suggests that the attic be divided into manageable sections. In each section, the first operator exposes top plates at the perimeter and interior walls by clearing any blown insulation and lifting batt or other insulation away from the area to be sealed. The second operator follows behind and lays one or more continuous beads of foam from the attic-sealing kit to seal the leaks. As soon as the foam cures—a 30-second process— the second operator lays the existing insulation back on top of the seal. Soffit vents are added or improved, taking into account homeowner preferences for exterior aesthetics.
For kneewalls, the top plates and joist cavities under the half-story are sealed with foam, and the vertical wall is insulated using mineral fiber bats- . Ventilation requirements are frequently coordinated with the roofer.
As the operators move along the top plates, they deal with any electrical or plumbing penetrations. For recessed light fixtures, a drywall box can be built and foamed to seal the edges.
Heating ducts in attic spaces cause many roof problems . In homes that have recently been converted from electric to gas heating and have suddenly started experiencing roof problems, ducts should be the first suspect. In general, ducts are frequently damaged, have leaky joints, and are poorly insulated. They are nearly always guilty of bringing warm, humid air into the attic. All ducts need to be sealed and insulated to at least R-25. The Zerodraft crew encapsulate the ducts completely and seal everything to the air barrier plane.
Once all cracks, gaps, holes, and leaks have been satisfactorily sealed according to the experienced judgment of the crew, it is time to insulate. If the space is sealed thoroughly, blown cellulose is the recommended insulation, because of its superior air-tightening capabilities.
Before the operators leave the attic, they weatherstrip the entry hatch, using Zerodraft C-fold polyethylene-clad foam compression seal. Then they insulate to R-30 with three 2-inch slabs of extruded polystyrene foam cut to the exact size of the hatch. The hatch door is latched with a hook and eye to hold it down firmly. Prefabricated airtight insulated metal assemblies can also be used for hatches or kneewall entryways.
The last, but very important, step is to address the source of the moisture. This is generally associated with lifestyle—a lot of teenagers taking showers, for example—but it could be a below-grade problem such as a crawl- space with an earth floor. Mechanical ventilation is essential in both cases. For the crawlspace, one should lay a moisture barrier consisting of a layer of 6-mil polyethylene on top of the earth and hold it in position at the perimeter walls with two-component foam. Also, one should spray the walls with 2 inches of foam or use extruded polystyrene foam board and seal the joints with sprayed foam. Sprayed foam will also effectively seal the rim joist.
It is important to check the existing exhaust fans. Most of these are improperly installed; sometimes they are found to be exhausting directly into the attic. In 20 years of home contracting, Zerodraft has rarely seen an exhaust fan box that was properly sealed. This must be done as part of the remedial measures.
Comfort Problem Solving
In the home performance contracting industry, what homeowners want, what they need, and what they will buy is foremost in the mind of the business owner and the marketing people. For the policymakers, energy and environmental performance ranks number one. Fortunately, there are participants in this fledgling market who believe that both issues are critical.
Wet attics, ice damming and other moisture-related problems are extending the business opportunity for the comfort contractor. Why? Because other trades and interests are becoming aware of the risks and benefits that these problems entail for their business.
Roofers, of course, do not want to be blamed for problems they did not cause. They also see the added value of providing a service that meets a customer's need. Home inspectors have been caught unawares, and now realize that they need to know more about potential moisture problems_ For instance, in Toronto last winter a home inspector was sued for issuing a certificate without even going up into the attic. The same is true for insurance companies, who face claims from homeowners for expensive repairs.
There's more. Energy efficiency guidelines, wherever you do your research, indicate the potential energy savings to be realized from controlling air leakage. It's a side benefit, but one that appeals to policymakers, marketers, and homeowners alike. However you want to characterize your business—comfort provider, energy saver, performance specialist, problemsolver it's good to know there are still new opportunities for growth, profit, and job satisfaction.
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General Care Projects in Argentina by Bianca Alvarado
After traveling for more than 20 hours with connecting flights, I finally landed in Argentina. I couldn't even begin to wrap my head around all the emotions I felt within to be in a country millions of miles away from the comfort zone I never stepped out of until now. Shortly after getting my luggage that weighed a ton, I headed to meet the Projects Abroad faculty member that was waiting to take me to my host family.
I was a little nervous because I couldn't find him at first but I quickly ran into another volunteer who would also be traveling with me to my home. Agustin arrived and we took a taxicab to my host family. In the car ride there I was so amazed to see how beautiful Argentina was with a lot of similarities to my mother's homeland, Honduras. After about 20 minutes of travel time we finally arrived to the place where I'd be living.
Just picture living in the middle of New York City and that's exactly how my new home for the next month looked. Cordoba city was amazing! My home was a huge skyscraper building with lots of people walking around and corner stores everywhere. We were greeted by my host mom. We took the elevator to the 10th floor and quickly settled in. The welcoming host family made it easy to get accustomed to this new journey in my life. I was ready!
My Care Placement
The following Monday after my arrival I met with my placement coordinator whom I would meet with regularly to check on progress at my placement. Her name was Candelira. She was super sweet and helpful with whatever I needed and made sure to clarify what was expected of me at the placement. CeCam was an all-girls correctional facility with girls from ages 13-17 whom were in there for various crimes. Listening to this at first was a little scary but later that certainly changed.
That day I wasn't scheduled to work, I just met the head director of the correctional facility and was shown by Candelira how to get to work. It was pretty awesome walking to work and enjoying the scenery of the busy city of Cordoba. My first day working at the placement, I met with another volunteer who had already been working there for some time. Since I was told that CeCam was one of the most challenging placements I was very nervous. However, little did I know that the very first day I would receive a very special moment with one of the girls.
Our job was to be interactive with the girls like a friend, we would plan arts and crafts activities, games, we would also part take in their gym classes and talk to the girls as well. That particular day all of the girls were playing, joking, and laughing except for one. I noticed that she was very sad and alone in the corner. I decided to talk to her and ask her if she was alright. She told me she wanted to leave so bad and was having a hard time. I felt very sad to see this young girl in so much pain. "Do you believe in God?" I asked. "Yes! Of course!" "Well did you know that God will never put you through a situation which you cannot handle or a burden on your back which you cannot carry. I can only imagine how hard your situation must be but this shows how strong you are and I admire that!" I said.
She quickly began to cry and hugged me tightly. "Thank you so much! No one had ever gave me such encouraging words!" My eyes filled with tears and from that moment on I can say that Argentina changed my life! It was on my last day at the placement that I realized how much the girls really did love me when they signed a shirt for me and even gave me a little handmade present.
My Free Time
My free time in Argentina was of course spent exploring what the lovely country had to offer. I had quickly made a new best friend, Annelou! She was a sweet girl from Holland who I would literally go everywhere with! We went to La Cumbre where we got to see the El Cristo and also got to go horseback riding in the mountains. This was by far my favorite trip of all while at Argentina. We also went to La Falda to a tango festival.
Two weeks before my departure back to the states I finally got a roommate! Alex was just as sweet as Annelou and was also from the U.S. We traveled to Alta Garcia where Che Guevara was born. We got to visit the house he lived in as a child. Aside from traveling, Stephanie the social coordinator scheduled weekly socials where all the volunteers could go to get to know each other and make new friends. This is an amazing way to meet other volunteers to get the best of your trip!
I must say that I miss Argentina so much! It is such a welcoming place and I definitely plan to go back in the future!
Bianca Alvarado
Esta anécdota podría incluir referencias al trabajo con o en orfanatos. Encuentra más información sobre la posición actual de Projects Abroad sobre el voluntariado en orfanatos y nuestro enfoque en cuidado comunitario para niños.
Esta es la experiencia personal de un voluntario en el proyecto y es el panorama de un momento específico. Tu experiencia puede variar, pues nuestros proyectos se adaptan constantemente a las necesidades locales y a los logros obtenidos. Los cambios climáticos estacionales también pueden tener un gran impacto. Contáctanos para obtener más información sobre lo que puedes esperar de este proyecto.


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The beauty of the software from the folks at Blurb is that you don't have to know how to write code, or even have a background in layout design, to join in the immediate gratification of bookmaking. My experience with print production goes back to my early twenties, when I learned how to set type on keyboards that evolved into desktop publishing computers. Bottom line, I love typography and I love the process of assembling images and words into books. Eating Clean was my first formal bookmaking project, but that was in 2002, before the wide popularity of print-on-demand, not to mention digital book formats. There are no wholesale rates for the books made on Blurb, but if you're not interested in the expense of inventory and relinquishing storage space to boxes of books-that-are-yet-unsold, the 1-by-1 pricing might just work for you. For now, that suits me just fine. I can keep playing and doing, which is where the joy in POD is for me. Have you tried an online POD bookmaking service? Love to hear about it and hear your thoughts.
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Days after shooting, 'Virunga' premiers at Tribeca
NEW YORK (AP) — Days after the director of Africa's oldest national park was shot by gunmen, a documentary about those who protect Virunga National Park from armed poachers and encroaching oil interests premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
The debut Thursday night of "Virunga," named after the eastern Congo park, followed the shooting Tuesday of Emmanuel de Merode, the chief warden of Virunga. He is in serious but stable condition after being attacked by three gunmen while driving through the park.
De Merode, a Belgian royal, appears extensively in the documentary, which provides a striking portrait of the violent interests surrounding the majestic park and its dauntless defenders.
Directed by British filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel, "Virunga" depicts the desperate struggle by de Merode and the park rangers to protect the park and its wildlife from armed militias, rebels and an oil company.
"It's obviously very tragic what's happened, but a lot of people have taken interest in this. It's helped to magnify things," said von Einsiedel, who has been in frequent contact with De Merode while he recovers from gunshot wounds to his abdomen.
"Emmanuel is very conscious of that, too. He's like, 'I'm getting better. Now let's go make a lot of noise about what's happening,'" von Einsiedel said.
The Congolese government has authorized oil exploration in the park by London-based SOCO, following the discovery of oil in 2010. The World Wildlife Fund has protested the legality of that decision. Virunga is a World Heritage site listed by UNESCO as "in danger."
The park is best known as home to about a quarter of the world's estimated 800 remaining mountain gorillas. It's the only place on Earth were one can see all three African great apes. The park includes the snowcapped Rwenzoria mountains, seven volcanoes, a lake and plains filled with wildlife.
"This is a British company operating illegally in a World Heritage site," said von Einsiedel. "There's like .05 percent of the world's surface is a World Heritage site. If we can't protect those, what does it say for the Great Barrier Reef, for Yellowstone, for Yosemite?"
In meetings filmed with hidden cameras, "Virunga" shows local SOCO supporters attempting to bribe park workers to circumvent de Merode, arguing that "he's the one hindering the process."
French freelance journalist Melanie Gouby captures a French SOCO operations manager saying the best solution is to "recolonize these countries." Another encounter shows a security contractor for SOCO paying out a bribe.
In an interview hours before the film premiered at Tribeca, von Einsiedel was plainly nervous that SOCO could interfere with the release of the film.
"They are an incredibly powerful company," he said. "We stand by our journalism on this film. We are small filmmakers; they are a billion dollar oil company. On a personal level, that concerns us. Of course, we're much more concerned about what they're doing in the region."
SOCO has condemned the attack on de Merode.
Human Rights Watch on Thursday called for Congolese authorities to "take immediate steps to ensure a safe environment for those seeking to uphold the law, protect the park and peacefully express their views."
"It makes it real for all of us how high the stakes are and how much people are taking risks to defend that park," said Gouby, a former reporter for The Associated Press.
Park spokeswoman Joanna Natasegara said Wednesday that more than 140 rangers have been killed on the job in the past 10 years. "Virunga" is dedicated to them.
The documentary includes combat footage with heavy shelling when a rebel group overruns the villages near the park. Yet de Merode mostly lives in nothing more protective than a tent. While making the film, von Einsiedel lived a few tents down from the warden. "You don't really have a choice, to be honest," said von Einsiedel, laughing.
The film will hope to pick up a distribution deal at Tribeca, but that's a smaller goal for "Virunga."
"Right now, it's about making noise and sharing this story with the world and exposing what's happening there," von Einsidel said. "It's a campaign film. It's part of a much bigger campaign."
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jake_coyle


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Ten years ago, my first byline appeared in The Walton Sun.
That initial journalistic foray consisted of a rather lengthy annuity diatribe. In those days, annuities were abominations from the pits of hell, but I was wrong. In some instances, annuities, especially immediate annuities are perfect fits, and everyone in retirement should consider � not purchase but evaluate � if an annuity is appropriate. Many fee-only, fiduciary financial planners abhor immediate annuities simply because an annuity purchase means fewer assets to charge asset management fees.
I know what they say when the camera�s turned off.
Since the first of the year, we�ve had several clients show up with variable or equity index annuity statements in hand and a vague understanding of what they own.
The guaranteed income option (rider) confuses many clients. Yes, the guaranteed income rider is wonderful but, far from free, very expensive. We had a case where the benefit increased $5,000 annually but cost over $3,500. Sounds like a good deal but here�s the catch. The guaranteed income rider was for the wife and if she predeceased her husband then he would inherit the greater of the death benefit or account value but not the guaranteed income piece.
Yes, it�s confusing. Bottom line: The income rider often applies to one life not two. You can reduce your costs, for many, it�s an option worth exploring. Don�t expect your agent to be unbiased; lower costs for you mean lower fees for them.
We had a case where the owner was paying for an income rider but with no named beneficiary. Until we fixed it, the owner was paying for a benefit he would never use. Working with the new agent of record (I�m not insurance licensed), we increased the stock allocation in the annuity. If the market continues higher the guaranteed locks in at the higher level, if the market goes down we have the guarantee. We offset the additional risk by making the rest of the portfolio less aggressive. If you have a lemon, you make lemonade. Some annuities are like the baby � so ugly it�s cute.
Don�t run out and dump your annuity like many a fiduciary planner recommends. Some older annuities have a 3 percent or 4 percent guaranteed investment option. Years ago, interest rates were higher and 3 or 4 percent looked cheap, not today. For the fixed income slice of their overall portfolio, clients utilizing these fixed options are at the top of the mountain. Absent surrender charges, they have the equivalent of a 3 percent or 4 percent investment grade bond with money market liquidity.
Older variable annuities use the now out-of-date life expectancy table so if annuitization is on the horizon an older annuity provides more income. You have an ironclad contract with the insurance company based on shorter life expectancy. Invest less aggressively as you get closer to annuitzation.
No one should put an entire 401(k) or IRA in an annuity; only a portion of your assets should go into one. At our shop no one has bought an annuity in over four years but we have the discussion with everyone over age 60. We put clients first. Some talk the talk; others walk the walk.
Let me thank Gwen Break for giving me a break (little b) and Lefty Frizzell for the �Long Black Veil."
Buz Livingston, CFP offers hourly financial planning and fee-only investment management to clients along Florida�s Emerald Coast. Contact him at 267-1068, firstname.lastname@example.com or www.LivingstonFinancial.net.


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Topic of the Week: Reflection
What are some examples of things you've strongly believed in the past but don't currently, actions or protests you once thought were effective, or moments that changed the course of your political/anti-political growth or somehow informed the way you view or approach things today? What caused you to change or move away from your former views, methods, assumptions, etc.? Has a negative experience ever proven useful for provoking some sort of personal turning point? Has someone else's failures, negative experience, writing, report-back, feedback, advice, criticism, or even trolling affected you in ways that caused you to grow out of or move away from a certain tendency? How is your anarchism informed by failure? How has failure strengthened your views? Do you have any ideas of how you will continue forward in the face of future failures, or if your current trajectory is fruitless or proves to be counter-productive somehow? What's your most embarrassing moment as an anarchist?
verified or
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 09:54
I used to believe in smashing
I used to believe in smashing windows and throwing newspaper boxes in the street. But then I grew up. I no longer believe in protests of any kind because protesting is ostensibly about communicating a message to the government (or a corporation). Who are we protesting to? What is our message? It's all merely a public spectacle. The very institutions we are protesting are my enemy. I don't want to send a message to them, I want to destroy them.
Protesting is allowed precisely because it is ineffective. If protests changed anything they would be quickly made illegal. They are entertaining though.
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 10:58
"Who are we protesting to?"
"Who are we protesting to?"
To the deity called "State".
"If protests changed anything they would be quickly made illegal."
That catch sentence reflects a dumb reasoning that is also untrue. There are many courses of action that are legal and yet can influence those in charge. It's just that they're not socially accessible, due to separation and exclusion dynamics. The anti-marxist idiots here will suddenly get butthurt about these words, but I challenge them to go stir things up on a BoD of Enbridge or Raytheon after taking over majority shares.
verified or
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 12:30
No one needs to be in charge
As an anarchist, I don't want to "influence those in charge", I want to get rid of those in charge. .
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 12:57
verified or
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 14:01
Agreed. I'd like to see that
Agreed. I'd like to see that happening more too.
(As an aside, whenever I see the word 'Orly', it reminds me of an old Coke/Pepsi challenge radio commerical that ran in Canada during the 1970s, in which an ordinary man-on-the-street named Orly Dunston was convinced he preferred Coke over Pepsi in a blind taste test. But when his preference turned out to actually be Pepsi, Orly Dunston couldn't believe it. The announcer finally says, "There seems to be a little confusion here, Orly", a catch-phrase that became a big meme in Canada for years after.)
A Munrican in Paris (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 16:45
Everytime I hear "Orly" it
Everytime I hear "Orly" it reminds me of beautiful romantic PARIS, where every summer I'm shaking my yuppie hipster ass on the Rive Gauche!
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 23:03
Hey there I'll be coming
Hey there I'll be coming through in November where can I get a decent hamburger?
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 23:56
And if i don't want "change",
And if i don't want "change", what then? Change is just a slight difference in a system that in its entirety i have so little want off i rather have a fucking apocalypse. If that isn't telling why i'm not going to invest time doing boring, stagnated shit like protests or organizing i don't know what is. In EU you have a better chance of instigating change through the electoral party politics, if the far right has proven anything it's precisely this; any moron with time on their hands can gain state power and bring change! I rather embrace the gray parts of society, milk it like a leech, while doing shit that has meaning to you. I might occasionally join you in your egalitarian, borderline religious indulgences but for the most part, surfs up!
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 11:40
I used to believe in the
I used to believe in the anarchist "movement" as being a force that can change the world, until the anti-globalization movement came to an abrupt halt with the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Later on the same process repeated itself, but in half the time, when the Occupy movement fizzled out and was replaced with the effort to get Obama re-elected in 2012.
I used to believe in the anarchist "scene" as being a place for healthy supportive relationships, until various big controversies erupted all across the country at different times and places over the last decade or so. The nastiness, bitterness and vindictive nature that surrounded these controversies dispelled any illusions that solidarity and comradery are things that one can reasonably expect among anarchists.
I still hold onto a belief that anarchy is a possibility between human beings, I just now think that it is not bloody likely.
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 12:05
"until the anti-globalization
"until the anti-globalization movement came to an abrupt halt with the 9/11 terrorist attacks"
In what dimension were you back then? In mine, there was the Summit of Americas, several G7-8-20s, Davos, and to a lesser extent Montebello 2007 (which is probably the point where the movement really stopped). There's been 2-3 other counter-summits of importance afterwards in the West, but they were both heavily-repressed and undercrowded. By 2007-08 the momentum was gone.
Then December 2008 happened in Greece, and everything has moved in a different direction.
Anonymous (not verified)
Sat, 04/22/2017 - 04:42
In which direction?
What did December 2008 change? It didn't last like any other great insurrectionary event
Anonymous (not verified)
Sat, 04/22/2017 - 10:35
A shift of paradigm back
A shift of paradigm back towards insurrecto anarchy, after several years of intense pacification of the global anarchist and radical Left movements. Among the capitalist establishment, a breaking up of the old liberal democratic pretenses, underlined by the 2007-08 financial "crisis".
Anonymous (not verified)
Sun, 04/23/2017 - 12:37
I agree that it did inspire
I agree that it did inspire hope and perhaps a renewed belief in insurrectionary tactics within the movement, but it also lead to a massive sense of disappointment and hopelessness among antiauthoritarians when people realized that the momentum never lasts. My Greek friends still talk about December 2008 as some kind of revolutionary bubble they'll never get back.
On the wall in Exarcheia where Alexis was shot in 2008, there's also a photo of the Turkish boy who's death inspired the uprising in Gezi park in 2013. The story is the same so many places, but the will to fight dies out.
Anonymous (not verified)
Sun, 04/23/2017 - 13:46
Yes of course. And this was
Yes of course. And this was like France one year ago, and Quebec five years ago, at about the same period. In Greece it was vastly watered down by the stupid holidays, in Quebec and France by even worse Summer break, where all the schools empty out and youngsters go work for another sector of the capitalist machine, or just do whatever where nobody cares.
Many insurgents didn't get that, at least in a Western mass society, the soft part of the State -its social institutions which insure the seamless dynamics of subservience and power in daily life- is the most dangerous.
The State was not on its last leg, to paraphrase a text from the CCF from a few years back. The State is not like a chair, it has no legs, but tentacles; the State is an octopus! It hs soft, pervasive, invasive, far-reaching limbs that suck on people and trap them in its embrace.
UnderHILL will agree with me that, like in a famous scene everybody knows, the only way to at least release ourselves from its clutches is the "Boromir Approach to Insurgency".... ;-)
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/24/2017 - 23:30
Exactly. Escaping seems impossible most of the time.
Exactly. Escaping seems impossible most of the time. But did the December revolt in Greece stand out in any way then? I'm asking because I've had this discussion many times before and to be honest I don't know the answer. Perhaps because there isn't just one.
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/24/2017 - 23:50
It stood out as a "pivot"
It stood out as a "pivot" moment, like Seattle 1999, the Watts rebellion of 1965...
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 12:27
Anarchy is an actuality
It simply must be found in the apolitical temporal now.
embarrassing? (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 13:36
rejecting the hierarchal imposition of reality
could put quotations around "the", instead of around scene and movement...
belief's in the action, not an institution.
whether a team, culture, family, ethic, spirit, whatever; all of it,
magic, -non-thingness-.
a common-conditional suffering binds us, together; for Team Love, unconditionally(in anarchy) !
Anonymous (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 14:51
please don't generalize
physical constitution is a relative judgement whereas abstract being's a flux-dynamo.
worldly institution is death. freedom lies in surrender to The infinité.
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 17:56
Professor rat (not verified)
Mon, 04/17/2017 - 18:42
Lets reflect on the anarchic internet
Lets reflect on an anarchic network that barely existed 10 years ago - can you believe that, before 2005, a majority of net users were stupid Americans! - lets reflect on quantum & encryption technological advances that are making the net exponentially MORE anarchistic. Finally lets reflect on the possibilities for a global Spain 36 today aided and abetted by this great gift we have been given by enlightenment-driven-science.
Lets choose life, live and globalized anarchist revolution!
Anonymous (not verified)
Thu, 04/20/2017 - 19:43
anarchic internet? spain '36
anarchic internet? spain '36? what planet do you live on?
i (and others) have explained exactly how the internet is NOT ANARCHIC, it is absolutely hierarchical, technically speaking. from dns to the owners of the hardware, there is nothing anarchic about internet technology.
spain? come on, do you NOT remember how many anarchists were killed by your hated commies? get a lesson from mr. grumpy, one of the most learned experts on the spanish civil war (used to border on obsession, years ago) i have ever come across.
Ghostbird (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 06:51
I used to believe in going to protests, demos, etc. and was a part of an activist scene where I used to live. After being there a couple of years, the ineffectiveness of these methods seemed clear but I still had one foot in the activist world. I think I changed from a political to an anti-political stance from being in the activist world and reading Nihilist Communism, I think that book was the shock to the system I needed. I have no idea of how to continue forward, I still consider myself an anarchist but since moving from where I used to live, I have not put my body back in those spaces, mainly kept up with actions, writings, etc. through the internet while have a rather mundane day to day. A land project has been floated around among some friends but as of now has now moved beyond being a vague idea.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:18
Is this … satire? Or did you
Is this … satire? Or did you just typify how disempowering nihilism is?
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:21
Empowering is disempowering.
Empowering is disempowering.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:28
You've gone full zen
You've gone full zen platitude ziggy … sound like a cheesy pickup line at a music festival.
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:46
Yes full zen
The very opposite of full retard.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:48
Yes, to pick up gay crusty
Yes, to pick up gay crusty hippies who do bad drugs who like to kiss their dogs on the lips. You know... these people.
Ghostbird (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 13:55
This isn't satire, the point
This isn't satire, the point is politics and activism, whatever you want to call it and whatever stripe of it, is disempowering.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 14:57
There's other options besides
There's other options besides activism and nihilism
Anonymous (not verified)
Thu, 04/20/2017 - 19:49
like creating your own life
like creating your own life as you see fit!!!! placing your own desires above those of some spooky "society" is neither activism (though i guess your desires could take you down that path) nor nihilism. i won't call it egoism, because that is just another ideology/ism, and i don't know what that ego is, anyway.
if you truly can see no alternatives to activism or nihilism, you are wearing some pretty high-functioning blinders.
Anonymous (not verified)
Thu, 04/20/2017 - 20:11
I think it can be aptly
I think it can be aptly called "autonomy". Yet this word has been abused by both maoists and neoliberal capitalists aplenty, and also the socio-democrat communitarians.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 09:43
Although I used to think the
Although I used to think the opposite, I have taken on some millenarian beliefs. I think that think that things have to get so bad before any revolutionary change can happen. Protests and Demonstrations do very little to pull people over to more radical politics. It will be out of desperation and hate that people fight back against the state and capital. A little taste of salvage communism.
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 10:52
Stop thinking eschatologically
Anarchy is already an unstoppable aspect of physical existence, it's really just a matter of finding the right relational intercourse and living it. Anarchy will always be the default in time. Better and worse conditions is irrelevant. State and capital is a belief first and foremost.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:26
Only if you have relative
Only if you have relative wealth and privilege (and/or autism) …for many of us, those are external, often hostile forces of oppression, as real as a boot on your neck or the daily anxiety and deprivation of abject poverty.
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:45
I work a shitty service sector job
I do have the autism thing to some degree but I view that as a neuroatypical advantage against sublimating socialization as I have written about before. http://sireinzige.blogspot.ca/2017/02/neuroatypical-as-apolitical.html
Some people have that Bartlebyan to carry on and not take existence to personally and occasionally make things interesting.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:50
Gay sex on speed in a smelly
Gay sex on speed in a smelly backstreet sounds to me like waaayyyy neuroatypical. Or in the sewers why not.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 11:47
I agree with you, but I don't
I agree with you, but I don't think the poor and dispossessed necessarily do. I'm speaking from the context of the United States. I think it will have to get far worse than it already is for poor people and reduce the standard of living for the so called "privileged" few to get people to rise up. In other words, put on your Marxist hats! Crisis! Crisis! Crisis!
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 12:00
I agree with you on a discriptive level
As I have said before it would take a volcanic meteoric tragedy terrestrial scale tragedy like a younger dryas 2 to potentially return humans to more simplified existence. This is nothing you can configure or prefigure however. If we look at the collapse of Rome in the West a lot of Roman habits including exchange continued even though there was a catabolic breakdown. There was no formative level edenic rebirth. The same things would happen if this proto global civilization collapses. From all this politics really does not make any sense. If one is going to be attached or justify existence in anyway it really should only be personal and aesthetic. Always remember that suicide and thoughts of it are that friend on hand that can end things at anytime.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 12:40
geez ziggy … I wouldn't have
geez ziggy … I wouldn't have any problem with you if you didn't spend 90% of your time here giving some of the worst advice ever
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 14:11
It's good advice
For anarchy:)
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 14:58
All we know for sure is that
All we know for sure is that you're self-assured
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 20:58
nah, but we do know anon
nah, but we do know anon trolls love to throw boxes on everyone.
the paternalistic are uncomfortable when the illusions that are boundary maintenance are not only disobeyed but when some are busy actualizing anarchistic experience and never knew the invisible lines were to be believed in and taken as more real than reality in the first place.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 23:16
I come here to read comments
I come here to read comments such as this
Anonymous (not verified)
Wed, 04/19/2017 - 10:09
yes, I'm just "uncomfortable"
yes, I'm just "uncomfortable" and "throwing boxes". That's a totally valid characterization, not self-serving at all ...
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 23:24
I don't see how you miss the
I don't see how you miss the charm.
victor scourge (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 21:43
my moment
i remember it so well. a freshly filled pothole with a bag of sludge i bought at ace hardware. seeing the first few cars pass over it smoothly was one of the most liberating moments i can remember. i felt alive, as if something unknown in me had awakened. my comrades and i, dressed in our silly getup, had conquered something real. people would see. anarchy had won one small intersection here in the heart of leviathan.
later, i look back on these adventures as a precursor to something more. the city maintenance crew had a job opening. and so i could turn my DIY life into a job. i make 25,000 a year now (with benefits) - now that's growing up!
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 04/18/2017 - 23:14
Are you the one that really
Are you the one that really wants to believe but can't, or the one that believes too much but has to pretend not to?
Anonymous (not verified)
Sun, 04/23/2017 - 22:06
"anarchy had won one small intersection here in the heart of leviathan"
Man, you just pwned badly, Victor Scourge.
Anonymous (not verified)
Wed, 04/19/2017 - 16:25
I used to be into unions
I used to be into unions until I realized that I don't want to work.
Tommy Cant (not verified)
Wed, 04/19/2017 - 23:38
A Tale of Two Sisyphi
The revolutionary dreamed of a better world. He truly believed in it, more than anything. He longed for the adventure it would bring, the play it would provide, and the death of the roles that crushed him. With the right perturbations, enough protests and education of the public, perhaps the change necessary to create this world could be brought about? Alas, the trajectories of history did not appear as so. The revolutionary spirit of the proletariat was but a fading ghost --- a projection of a memory, perhaps a false one, of an era long before his time. The People had made their choices, and their choices were not, and could not be, his own. The sorrow this knowledge brought him left him feeling hollow. The emptiness in any action he may take echoed inside him, reverberating in his soul. What was one to do with a life without hope? What was one to do in the face of the absurd?
Ah, yes of course. The Absurd. The answer was so clear now. There was only one thing that could bring joy, or meaning, however ephemeral: Rebellion.
No Revolution could create that which he truly desired. Therefore, he decided with resolution he had so longed for, he shall rebel in the face of all that would seek to quash his desires, irrespective to how futile this rebellion may be. And in this futile rebellion, he will find joy, in his role as the great Sisyphus: doomed forever to roll the weight of stone against the forces of nature, but forever in gleeful rebellion against the Leviathan that places it. Ignore his enemies? Face them head on? It mattered little, so long as he knew his desires, and sought them regardless.
The boy dreamed of the girl. He gazed longingly, across the room at her perfection. To know the sweetness of her company, the softness of her words... They briefly locked eyes, but both quickly look away, pretending that no fleeting connection had been made. Could it be that there was something more? That with the right words, at the right time, she could be his? No, better to reject such false hopes. The bell rang, and the pupils emptied the class, their eyes regaining focus. As he wandered from one hellish circle of the middle school to another, he pondered the futility of his unrequited love.
"Dude, stop staring at her." Ah, so your erstwhile companion had noticed. "Seriously, it's fucking creepy."
The boy only managed a shrug.
"You know barely anything about her, but you know she has a boyfriend. So give it a damn rest."
Images of the churlish brute with her filled his mind, mixing his sorrow with swirls of rage at the caricature of a man she placated herself with. "That guy's a dick," the boy opined.
"No, he's not. But even if he was, she likes him more than you."
Again, the boy simply mustered the energy to shrug. Such simple minds couldn't be expected to understand the depths of his emotions.
Weeks later, the boy found himself at a soirée, where the girl was also present. Standing with his "friend", he again found himself enveloped in the silent melancholy that came so easily to him.
But his friend grew wearisome of his troubled behavior. "Just go fucking talk to her. Maybe you'll finally get some god damned perspective and stop acting like an emo bitch."
Oh, how little his companion could comprehend of the oceans that comprised the boy's wishes and desires. But perhaps there was some truth to the simplistic observation. Why not come to see what Icarus may observe in his climactic flight? Steeling himself for the arduous journey, the boy began to walk.
With so little room left, and his resolve beginning to falter, the girl noticed his approach. Her face lit, like the brightness of the sun. "Hey! I've been meaning to talk to you!"
What cruelty or greatness have the fates put forth? He is frozen, cast in ice where he stands.
He manages to let the word escape from his lips.
"So you seem like a cool person, and I'd like to hang out with you more." The sun beat down upon the boy's face, the heat thawing the ice that contained him. "But I just wanted to make sure we were clear with where we stand. I'm in a relationship, and I'm really happy with it. So I would definitely want us to just be friends. Okay?"
And so the wax of his wings have melted. He finds himself crashed amongst the rocks. "I completely understand. You've got your thing going, and it wouldn't make sense for you to mess that up."
But even the rocks provide no respite, as he continued tumbling into the depths, where Hades await.
"Cool! I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, you know?"
And what may he find with him, but one of the rocks that had also fallen, placed along the bottom of a hill.
"Oh, totally. You have no romantic interest in me, even though I'm madly in love with you."
Her face blanched, a sickly pallor falling upon her skin. "What?"
She did not understand. But this was fine, for the boy could explain. "You can keep living your pleasant life, and I will just keep ceaselessly trying to convince you that we are perfect for each other, and should be together."
"Please don't do that," the girl quickly replied.
"These efforts will, of course, be to no avail, but they will be the only solace that I find."
"No. I... No. How about you just-"
"I will roll my rock up this hill in Hades, and every day it will come crashing down. But still, I will carry on with my task."
"Holy shit."
"I will see those around me, flesh torn from their writhing bodies, and know that there is no justice in these worlds, but that I must continue to mercilessly fight the die I have been cast."
"What the hell is wrong with you? Please stop."
"For I know that there is truly no other, neither for me nor for you, who can bring the completion that we together can have."
"My dad has a shotgun."
"I will sow such seeds in your mind, seeds that I know cannot be reaped, but seeds all the same."
"He knows how to use it, and I know where the keys are too. Just so you know."
"And perhaps one day, a day too late, you will see, that all along, I was right."
And with little fanfare, she is gone. The boy's "friend" stands within earshot, his head hanging firmly in hands, like the weeping angels of the Missionary grave yards, where the converted Primitives lie. The boy wonders at such odd sobbing.
Anonymous (not verified)
Thu, 04/20/2017 - 21:00
are you talking about me? cuz
are you talking about me? cuz if you are, you got me all wrong.
Tommy Cant (not verified)
Fri, 04/21/2017 - 08:26
It goes without saying that
It goes without saying that you're nothing like the other boys.
verified or
Sun, 04/23/2017 - 19:36
I used to read emile's
I used to read emile's comments. But then I discovered cat videos on youtube.
Mon, 04/24/2017 - 00:50
I watch cat videos
(see Robin Seplut) AND read emile's comments.