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By Ed Harris
The students at DePaolo Middle School spent the last week organizing and conducting numerous fundraisers to help aid the children affected in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
Last week the students gathered loose change in a large water jug, donated a small fee to wear a hat on hat day and held a bake sale with items donated from student's families. The staff and faculty at the school also made a donation to take part in dress down Friday.
"I think it made an impact on them," DePaolo Asst. Principal Chris Palmieri said of the Newtown killings. "They wanted to give back and help out the community. I'm proud of our kids."
On Friday, Dec. 14, a heavily armed gunman entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown and killed 26 people, including 20 children, before turning the gun on himself. The killings shocked the state and the nation and people from all over have stepped up asking what they could do to help.
One of those people was 12-year-old DePaolo student Kirsten Gersbeck. Following the tragedy, Kirsten decided that she wanted to do something to help the surviving children, their friends and siblings. To do this, she established a teddy bear drive in her neighborhood.
On Friday, Kirsten put together a flyer and went door to door asking her neighbors to donate a teddy bear or stuffed animal to the children of Newtown. She asked that everyone leave their donation in a plastic bag on their front porch for pickup the next day. On Sunday morning, her parents drove her around to collect the bags.
In all, Kirsten was able to collect over 250 teddy bears and stuffed animals.
"I felt so bad about what had happened and I wanted to help," Kirsten said. "I had heard that they were looking for teddy bears and I thought I could start a collection in my neighborhood."
Kirsten said her neighbor's reaction to her drive was supportive and thankful. She said the community thought it was a great idea and some enclosed thank you notes with their donations.
Following the successful weekend drive, Kirsten, along with her parents, brought the idea to school officials at DePaolo. The school officials embraced the idea and implemented the various drives at the school last week.
Palmieri said the fundraisers were all organized and run by a student committee at the school and that students in all the grades participated.
"I am very proud of my daughter and I am very proud to live in a community that is so willing to show its love and support for others in any way possible," said Kirsten's mother Karen.
Both Kirsten and Palmieri said the atmosphere in the school last week was somber, yet respectful.
"Everyone was wearing green and white in honor of Sandy Hook even though it was not an organized event," Kirsten said. "There was extra security and kids were talking about what happened, but no one seemed afraid."


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May 11, 2005
LOS ANGELES - In a gala event held Monday, May 2, 2005 at the Beverly Regent Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, UCLA Anderson School of Management honored Sherry Lansing, former chairman, Motion Picture Group, Paramount Pictures, with the 2005 Exemplary Leadership in Management (ELM) Award. The ELM Award is the highest honor UCLA Anderson bestows upon individuals and reflects the school's steadfast commitment to excellence, to the highest ethical standards and to the belief that outstanding business leadership is essential to the well being of the economy and society as a whole.
Ms. Lansing joined a prestigious roster of ELM Award recipients, including Kent Kresa, former chairman, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Eli Broad, chairman, SunAmerica, Inc.; Craig Barrett, president and CEO of Intel Corporation; William Gross, '71, chief investment officer, founder and managing director of Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO); Michael Eisner, chairman and CEO, Disney; Jill Barad, former chairman and CEO of Mattel, Inc.; Scott McNealy, chairman and CEO of Sun Microsystems; and Herb Kelleher, chairman, Southwest Airlines.
"I'm overwhelmed and so touched," Lansing told the guests, including past winners Eli Broad and Kent Kresa, her husband, the director Bill Friedken, actor Jon Voight, UCLA Chancellor Albert Carnesale and numerous UCLA Anderson Board of Visitors members, faculty and friends. "I'm humbled to be in such great company with people like Eli Broad and Kent Kresa "It means so much because the award carries the name of the Andersons. I'm very lucky to live next door to John and Marion (Anderson). The walks I take with them mean everything as John and Marion embody integrity."
Inside the Anderson Studio
In the evening's featured event, Lansing spoke openly in a live interview with Hollywood Reporter publisher and editor Robert Dowling. Asked what advice she would give UCLA Anderson students considering a career in the film industry, she replied, "How would I guide today's business students? They better love what the do, business can be wonderful but unpredictable, things might not always go well, so never give up. Enjoy the process, then the end results will come.
"The most important thing in any business is passion. From the time I was a child, I dreamed of being in the movie industry. No matter what business your in, if you don't love it, you won't succeed."
Ms. Lansing headed her own production company, Lansing Productions, which produced Paramount Pictures' "Indecent Proposal." Prior to that, during her partnership with Stanley Jaffe, formed in 1983, Jaffe/Lansing Productions produced a variety of films for Paramount, among them "The Accused," "Black Rain," "Fatal Attraction," "Racing With the Moon" and "School Ties." From 1980 to 1983, Ms. Lansing served as president of Production at 20th Century Fox. She was the first woman to hold that position in the motion picture industry. Prior to joining Fox, Ms. Lansing served as senior vice president at Columbia Pictures.
A member of the University of California Board of Regents, Ms. Lansing was named the 1996 Pioneer of the Year by the Foundation of the Motion Picture Pioneers. In 1996, she became the first woman studio head to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Over the years, Ms. Lansing has received numerous honors for her talent and achievements, including the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship, the Milestone Award from the Producers Guild of America, the Overcoming Obstacles Achievement Award for Business, the YWCA Silver Achievement Award, the Outstanding Woman in Business Award from the Women's Equity Action League, the Distinguished Community Service Award from Brandeis University and the Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. Memorial Award. She also received an honorary doctorate in fine arts from the American Film Institute.
UCLA Anderson's Board of Visitors established the ELM Award in 1989 out of a unyielding belief that outstanding business leadership is essential to the well-being of the economy and, indeed, to society as a whole. Through the award, the school aims to recognize business leaders for their exemplary achievements and to preserve their accomplishments as a standard for tomorrow's leaders.
About UCLA Anderson School of Management
UCLA Anderson School of Management is perennially ranked among the top-tier business schools in the world. Award-winning faculty renowned for their research and teaching, highly selective admissions, successful alumni and world-class facilities combine to provide an extraordinary learning environment. UCLA Anderson constituents are part of a culture that values individual vision, intellectual discipline and a sense of teamwork and collegiality.
Established in 1935, UCLA Anderson School of Management provides management education to more than 1,400 students enrolled in MBA and doctoral programs, and some 2,000 executives and managers enrolled annually in executive education programs. Recognizing that the school offers unparalleled expertise in management education, the world's business community turns to UCLA Anderson School of Management as a center of influence for the ideas, innovations, strategies and talent that will shape the future.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sheldon in "The Romance Resonance" Episode 6 of Season 7
Sheldon's major scientific breakthrough makes him feel like a fraud. Meanwhile, Howard's (romantic gesture to Bernadette causes Penny to step up her game with Leonard, on THE BIG BANG THEORY, Thursday, Oct. 24 (8:00 – 8:31 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured left to right: Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons Photo: Michael Yarish/Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. ©2013 WBEI. All rights reserved.


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[Downbeat Award Ceremony]
Description: Photograph of the Progressive Jazz Orchestra at Downbeat Award ceremony. June Christy (with husband Bob Cooper) is presented the Downbeat Award by the magazine's West Coast editor Charles Emge. Center photos: Mexican singer Paco who also performed on this live KLAC telecast at the Hollywood Palladium.
Date: February 21, 1951
Item Type: Refine your search to only Photograph
Partner: UNT Music Library


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The Salvation Army administers many programs and services designed to restore broken lives, to build healthy relationships, and to develop and encourage people of all ages.
The Salvation Army, across the US, is more than just the bell-ringers that you see at Christmas, more than the family stores that you see around town. We also offer programs such as:
We are always looking for new ways to get involved in the community life. If you see a need in your community that isn't being met, we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us.


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Santiago Church
Contact details
Plaza Mayor, s/n.
32660 Allariz, Ourense (Galicia)
Pre-Romanesque church with a single nave, a presbytery with a straight section and a semicircular apse. The north door of the church is 12th century. Outside, the sanctuary has a semicircular apse built in the 13th century. Inside, the nave is covered with a wooden roof. A pointed triumphal arch supported on columns is preserved. The presbytery area is covered with a barrel vault and the apse with a quarter of a sphere.
- Construction: Church
- Artistic period: Romanesque
- Historic period: 13th century, 12th century
Practical information
Hours of worship.


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Meenakshi Amman Temple
|Meenakshi Amman Temple
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Location in Tamil Nadu
|Other names
|Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Tiru-aalavai
|Proper name
|மதுரை மீனாட்சி சுந்தரேசுவரர் கோயில்
|9°55′10″N 78°07′10″E / 9.91944°N 78.11944°ECoordinates: 9°55′10″N 78°07′10″E / 9.91944°N 78.11944°E
|Tamil Nadu
|Primary deity
|Meenakshi (Parvati)
|Sundareswarar (Shiva)
|Temple tank
|Potramarai Kulam
|Important festivals
|Chithirai Thiruvizha
|Architectural styles
|Tamizhan architecture
|Number of temples
|History and governance
Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River[2] in the temple city[3] of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva, here named Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2,500-year-old city[4] of Madurai and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature. Though most of the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE.[5][6][7] It is said that the temple was originally built in the 6th century BC by survivors of the Kumari Kandam. In the 14th century, the Sultanate Muslim Commander Malik Kafur plundered the temple and looted it of its valuables. It was rebuilt by the Nayak ruler Vishwanatha Nayakar around the 16th century. It was Vishwanatha Nayak who rebuilt the temple in accordance to shilpa shastra. It houses 14 gopurams (gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, 51.9 metres (170 ft) high,[5] and two golden sculptured vimanas, the shrines over the garbhagrihas (sanctums) of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays,[8] and receives an annual revenue of ₹ 60 million. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple.[8] It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city.[9] The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.[10]
Meenakshi (IAST Mīnākṣī Tamil மீனாட்சி) is a form of the Hindu goddess Parvati - the consort of Shiva,[11] one of the few Hindu female deities to have a major temple devoted to her. The name "Mīnachchi" means fish-eyed and is derived from the words "mīna" meaning fish and "akṣi" meaning eyes. The goddess Meenakshi is the principal deity of the temple, not Sundareswarar, unlike most Shiva temples in South India where Shiva is the principal deity.[3] According to Hindu legend, in order to answer the prayers of the second Pandya king Malayadwaja Pandya and his wife Kanchanamalai, Parvati appeared out of the holy fire of the Putra Kameshti Yagna (sacrifice for childhood) performed by the king.[12] According to another legend, the goddess herself gave notice to Kanchanamalai in one of her previous births that Kanchanamalai would have the privilege of mothering the goddess. The girl who came out of the holy fire had three breasts. A voice from the heavens told the king not to worry about the abnormality and added that the third breast would vanish as soon as the girl met her future husband.[6] The happy king named the girl "Tadaatagai"[13] and as the heir to the throne, Tadaatagai was trained carefully in all the 64 sastras, the fields of science .
As the time came for Tadaatagai's coronation, she had to wage war in three worlds encompassing eight directions. After conquering Brahma's Abode, Sathyaloka, Vishnu's Abode, Vaikunta, and Devas' abode Amaravati, she advanced to Shiva's Abode Kailasha.[5] She easily defeated the bhoota ganas (IAST: Bhūtagana, meaning Shiva's army) and Nandi, the celestial bull of Shiva, and headed to attack and conquer Shiva. The moment she looked at Shiva, she was unable to fight and bowed her head down in shyness, and her third breast vanished immediately.[5] Tadaatagai realized that Shiva was her destined husband. She also realized that she was the incarnation of Parvati. Both Shiva and Tadaatagai returned to Madurai and the king arranged the coronation ceremony of his daughter, followed by her marriage to Shiva.
The marriage was to be the biggest event on earth, with the whole earth gathering near Madurai. Vishnu, the brother of Meenakshi, prepared to travel from his holy abode at Vaikuntam to preside over the marriage. Due to a divine prank, he was tricked by the Deva, Indra and was delayed on the way. After the marriage, the pair ruled over Madurai for a long time and then assumed divine forms as Sundareswarar and Meenakshi, the presiding deities of the temple.[14] Following the tradition, every evening, before closing the temple, a ritual procession led by drummers and a brass ensemble carries the image of Sundareswarar to Meenakshi's bedroom to consummate the union, to be taken back the next morning in dawn.[6] The marriage is celebrated annually as Chithirai Thiruvizha in Madurai. During the period of Nayakar rule in Madurai, the ruler Thirumalai Nayakar linked the festival.
Legend has it that the Meenakshi temple was founded by Indra (king of Deva celestial deities). While he was on a pilgrimage to atone for his misdeeds. Indra felt his burden lifting as he neared the swayambu lingam (self formed lingam, a representation of Shiva used for worship in temples)[15] of Madurai. He ascribed this miracle to the lingam and constructed the temple to enshrine it. Indra worshipped Shiva, who, in his grace, caused golden lotuses to appear in the nearby pool.[16] Tamil literature speaks of the temple over the last two millennia. Thirugnanasambandar, the famous Hindu saint of Saiva philosophy, mentioned this temple as early as the 7th century, and described the deity as Aalavai Iraivan. [17] The initiative for some changes to the structure was taken first by Nayak king of Madurai, Viswanatha Nayak (1559–1600) under the supervision of Ariyanatha Mudaliar, the prime minister of the Nayak Dynasty and the founder of the Poligar System.[18]
The original design by Vishwanatha Nayak in 1560 was substantially expanded to the current structure during the reign of Thirumalai Nayak (1623–55).[5] Thirumalai Nayak took considerable interest in erecting many complexes inside the temple. His major contributions are the Vasantha Mandapam for celebrating Vasanthorsavam (spring festival) and Kilikoondu Mandapam (corridor of parrots). The corridors of the temple tank and Meenatchi Nayakar Mandapam were built by Rani Mangammal.
During the period of early Pandian kings, the monarchy taxed the people for constructing this temple. People paid taxes and donations in the form of gold and silver. But the king wanted contributions as low as a bag of rice, which would help in feeding the masons who constructed the temple. So the kings also collected one handful of rice daily from each house. Thus, people from all sectors of life contributed in building the temple, and every family in Madurai has an emotional attachment to the temple.
Rous Peter (1786–1828), the Collector of Madurai in 1812, was nicknamed 'Peter Pandian' as he respected and treated people of all faiths equally. He donated a set of golden stirrups studded with diamonds and red stones to the temple. Goddess Meenatchi is believed to have saved Rous Peter from a fatal incident. He also wished that after his death, his body be buried in a position that would enable his eyes to face the temple.[19]
Destruction by Muslim invaders
Early in the 14th century, disputes arose over the succession to the Pandya throne. Taking notice of these events, Ala-ud-din of Delhi, dispatched his general, Malik Kafur, in 1310 to invade the weakened kingdom. Malik Kafur marched south, ransacking kingdoms on the way and causing enormous changes to the political configuration of central and Southern India. He marched into Madurai, sacking the town, paralysing trade, suppressing public worship, and making civilian life miserable. The great Meenakshi temple with its fourteen towers was pulled down, destroying the nearby streets and buildings, and leaving only the two shrines of Sundaresvara and Meenakshi intact. The events are controversial: as another account describes them,
...the Deccan was soon to feel the force of Islam, which was already the master of Northern India. In the reign of the able Sultan of Delhi, Ala-ud-din Khalji (1296—1315 AD), a series of brilliant raids, led by the eunuch general Malik Kafur, a converted Hindu, crushed the Deccan kingdoms, and for a time a sultanate was set up even in Madurai, in the extreme south.[20]
The destruction of the temple created a religious vacuum and paved the way for the spread of Islam among the Madurai's inhabitants. The temple was rebuilt by Viswanatha Nayak (1559–1600), the first Nayak king of Madurai.[21]
The temple
The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai and one of the largest temple complexes in Tamil Nadu. The temple complex is divided into a number of concentric quadrangular enclosures contained by high masonry walls. It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four directions. Vishwantha Nayaka allegedly redesigned the city of Madurai in accordance with the principles laid down by the Shilpa Shastras (Sanskrit: śilpa śāstra, also anglicized as silpa sastra meaning the rules of architecture) relevant to urban planning. The city was laid out in the shape of square with a series of concentric streets culminating from the temple. These squares continue to retain their traditional names, Aadi, Chittirai, Avani-moola and Masi streets, corresponding to Tamil month names.[7] Ancient Tamil classics mention that the temple was the center of the city and the streets happened to be radiating out like a lotus and its petals. The temple prakarams (outer precincts of a temple) and streets accommodate an elaborate festival calendar in which dramatic processions circumambulate the shrines. The vehicles used in the processions are progressively more massive the further they travel from the centre.[22]
The temple is surrounded by gopurams (gateway tower),[6] - There are 14 gopuram the tallest of which, the famous southern tower, rises to over 170 ft (52 m) and was built in 1559. The oldest gopuram is the eastern one, built by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan during 1216-1238[23] Each gopuram is a multi-storeyed structure, covered with thousands of stone figures of animals, gods and demons painted in bright hues.[6] The outer gopuram presents steeply pyramidal tower encrusted with plaster figures, while the inner gopuram serves as the entrance to the inner enclosure of Sundareswarar shrine.
The central shrine of Meenakshi Amman temple and her consort Sundareswarar are surrounded by three enclosures and each of these are protected by four minor towers at the four points of the compass, the outer tower growing larger and reaching higher to the corresponding inner one.[24] The Meenakshi shrine has the emerald-hued black stone image of Meenakshi.[23] The Sundareswarar shrine lies at the centre of the complex, suggesting that the ritual dominance of the goddess developed later. Both the Meenakshi and Sundareswarar shrines have gold plated Vimanam (tower over sanctum). The golden top can be seen from a great distance in the west through the apertures of two successive towers. The area covered by the shrine of Sundareswarar is exactly one fourth of the area of the temple and that of Meenakshi is one fourth that of Sundareswarar.[25]
The tall sculpture of Ganesh carved of single stone located outside the Sundareswarar shrine in the path from Meenashi shrine is called the Mukuruny Vinayakar. A large measure of rice measuring 3 kurini (a measure) is shaped into a big ball of sacrifice[26] and hence the Ganesh is called Mukkurni Vinayagar (three kurinis).[23] This deity is believed to be found during a 17th-century excavation process to dig the Mariamman temple tank.[27]
Temple tank and surrounding portico
The sacred temple tank Porthamarai Kulam ("Pond with the golden lotus"), is 165 ft (50 m) by 120 ft (37 m) in size. [28] In the Tamil legends, the lake is supposed to judge the worth of a new piece of literature. Authors place their works here and the poorly written works are supposed to sink and the scholastic ones are supposed to float, Tirukkural by Tiruvalluvar was one such work.[23]
Only a fraction of 17th and 18th century paintings of Nayak period survives and one such portion is found in the small portico on the western side of the tank. It depicts the marriage of Sundareswarar and Meenkashi attended by Vijayaranga Chokkanatha and Rani Mangammal. The painting is executed on a vivid red background, with delicate black linework and large areas of white, green and ochre. The celestial couple is seated inside an architectural frame with a flowering tree in the background.[29]
The corridor surrounding the sanctum the Meenakshi is called kilikoondu Mandapam ("bird cage corridor"). The space was once used to keep green parrots that were trained to utter the name of Meenakshi. There are two large cages full of squawking green parrots.[27]
The Kambatadi Mandapam ("Hall of temple tree") with its seated Nandi (sacred bull) has various manifestations of Shiva carved and also contains the famous "Marriage of Meenakshi" sculpture.[23] Sculptures of Shiva and Kali trying to out-dance one another are pelted with balls of ghee by devotees. A golden flagstaff with 32 sections symbolizes the human backbone and is surrounded by various gods, including Durga and Siddar.[27]
The Puthu Mandapam ("new hall") constructed by Tirumala Nayak contains large number of sculptures.[23] It is situated opposite to the east gopuram.
The Ashta Shakthi Mandapam ("Hall of eight goddess") is the first hall in the entrance of Meenakshi shrine tower near to East Tower. Ashta indicates eight and Shakthi refers to goddess - the hall has statues of eight goddesses. The gopurams (towers) can be viewed from this hall.[30] The passage was named for eight forms of goddess Shakti carved on its pillars. Other sculptures and paintings depict the Tiruvilayadal (holy games of Shiva).[27] The sculptures of heroes of Mahabharata, the Pancha pandavas can be seen in the Pancha Pandava Mandapam (Hall of Pandavas).[27]
The Viravasantharaya Mandapam is a large hall with huge corridors.[27] To the south of this hall is the kalyana mandapam, to the south of the pillared hall, is where the marriage of Shiva and Parvati is celebrated every year during the Chithirai Festival in mid-April. The golden images of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are carried into the 16th century oonjal mandapam (swing corridor) and placed on the swing every Friday at 5:30 p.m. The shrine has a 3-storied gopuram guarded by two stern dwarapalakas (guardians) and supported by golden, rectangular columns that bear lotus markings. Along the perimeter of the chamber, granite panels of the divine couple are present.[27] The hall is situated in the western bank of the temple tank.
The Mudali Pillai Mandapam or Iruttu Mandapam (Dark hall) is a wide and long hall built by Muthu Pillai during 1613. On the pillars of the halls, there are fine sculptures depicting the story of Shiva taking the form of Bikshadanar to teach the sages a lesson.[31]
The Mangayarkarasi mandapam is a newly built hall situated opposite to the marriage halls and bears the name of saindy queen, Mangayarkarasi who contributed to Saivism and Tamil language.[32] To the south of Mangayarkarasi mandapam lies the Servaikarar Mandapam, a hall built by Marudu brothers in 1795.[33] The Nagara mandapam (Hall of beating drums) lies opposite to Sundareswarar shrine was built by Achaya Rayar, the minister of Rani Mangammal in 1635.[34] The Kolu Mandapam is a hall for displaying dolls during the Navarathri festival celebrated during September–October.[35] This hall is situated in the second corridor of the Meenakshi shrine at the western side.
Hall of Thousand Pillars
The Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam ("Hall of 1000 pillars") has two rows of pillars carved with images of yali (mythological beast with body of lion and head of an elephant), commonly used as the symbol of Nayak power.[27] It is situated to the north of Sundareswarar flag staff hall. The Thousand Pillar Hall contains 985 (instead of 1000) carved pillars.[14][6] The hall was built by Ariyanatha Mudaliar in 1569 and blends engineering skill and artistic vision.[23] Ariyanatha Mudaliar was prime minister and general of Viswanatha Nayak, the first Nayaka of Madurai (1559–1600). He was also the founder of Poligar System, the quasi-feudal organization of the country dividing it into multiple palayams or small provinces in which each palayam was ruled by a palayakkarar or a petty chief. At the entrance of the hall is the statue of Ariyanatha Mudaliar seated on a horse-back, flanking one side of the entrance to the temple. The statue is periodically garlanded by worshippers. Each pillar in the hall is a carved monument of the Dravidian sculpture. The more prominent among the carved figures are those of Rati (wife of Kama), Karthikeya, Ganesha, Shiva as a wandering mendicant and endless number of yalis (mythical figures of lions).[23] There is a Temple Art Museum in the hall where icons, photographs, drawings, and other exhibits of the 1200 years old history of the temple are displayed.[23] Just outside this hall, towards the west, are the Musical Pillars. Each pillar, when struck, produces a different musical note.[23]
Pancha Sabhai Sthalangal
The temples where Lord Shiva is believed to have performed the Cosmic Dance[36]
|Vada aaranyeswarar Temple
|Thiruvalangadu, Chennai
|Natarajar Temple
|Meenakshi Amman Temple
|Nellaiappar Temple
|Kutralanathar Temple
Religious significance of the temple
A distinct feature of Meenakshi in terms of iconography is the presence of parrot in her right hand. The parrot is generally associated with the Vaishnava azhwar saint Andal.[37] "Pancha Sabhai" refers to the five royal courts of Nataraja (dancing form of Shiva)[38] where he performed cosmic dance.[39] The Tamil word velli means silver and ambalam means stage or altar.[40] This massive Nataraja sculpture is enclosed in a huge silver altar and hence called "Velli Ambalam" (silver abode). This is a special figure of Natarja which usually differs from Chola bronzes; in the Chola images, Nataraja is shown dancing with his left leg raised, but this sculpture has the right leg raised.[23]According to the Tiruvilayaadal Puranam (Shiva's sacred games), this is on the request of Rajasekara Pandya, who was a sincere devotee of Shiva. He requested the deity to change his position, as he felt that keeping the same foot raised would put enormous strain and got a graceful acquiescence from the divine master.[23]
There are close to 50 priests in the temple who perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to Shivaite to the Adishaivas, a Brahmin sub-caste. The priests live in a closed area north of the temple. The temple has a six time pooja calendar everyday, each comprising four rituals namely abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), neivethanam (food offerings) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both Meenakshi and Sundareswarar.[41] The puja (worship) ceremonies are held amidst music with nadhaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the Vedas by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast.[8] The common practise is to worship Meenakshi before Sundareswarar. Margazhi (December–January) ritual is prominent one for winning a perfect, god-like husband - it is Meenakshi's ennai kappu festival.[42] Aligned with the cardinal points, the street plans forms a giant mandala (group) whose sacred properties are believed to be activated during the mass clockwise circumambulation of the central temple.
The most important festival associated with the temple is the "Meenakshi Thirukalyanam" (the divine marriage of Meenakshi) that is celebrated in April every year.[15] The wedding of the divine couple is regarded as a classic instance of south Indian female-dominated marriage, an arrangement referred as "Madurai marriage". The male dominated marriage is called "Chidambaram marriage", referring to Shiva's uncontested dominance, ritual and mythic, at the famous Shiva temple of Chidhambaram.[43] The marriage brings together rural and urban people, deities and mortals, Saivas (those who worship Shiva) and Vaishnavas (those who worship Vishnu) in order to celebrate Meenakshi as the royal monarch.[44] During the one-month period, there are a number of events including the "Ther Thiruvizhah" (chariot festival) and "Theppa Thiruvizhah" (float festival). Major Hindu festivals like Navrathri and Shivrathri are celebrated in the temple. Like most Shakti temples in Tamil Nadu, the Fridays during the Tamil months of Aadi (July–August) and Thai (January–February) are celebrated in the temple by thousands of devotees. "Avani Moola Utsavam" is a 10-day festival mainly devoted to Sundareswarar describes his various Thiruvilayadal meaning Shiva's sacred games.
Literary mention
Down the centuries, the temple has been a centre of education of Tamil culture, literature, art, music and dance.[4] All three assemblies of Tamil language, the Tamil Sangam (about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE), were held at Madurai.[45] Tamil poets of different epochs participated in these assemblies and their composition is called Sangam literature.[14] During the third Tamil sangam, the comparative merit of the poets was decided by letting the works float in the lotus tank of the temple. It was believed that a divine force would cause the work of superior merit to float on the surface while the inferior literary work would sink.[4][46] Tevaram, the 7th-8th century Tamil canonoical work on Shiva, are works by the three prominent Nayanars (Saivites) namely Appar,[47] Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandar.[48][49] The temple has been glorified by the hymns of Tevaram by all the three poets. Different hymns of Sambandar on the temple mention the queen of Pandya Nadu, his desire to defeat Jains in debate, the miracles performed by him curing the king's fever, the Jains' provocation of Sambandar by burning his house and challenging him to debate, and Sambandar's eventual victory over them.[13][50] A poem from the Third Tirumurai by Sambandar is as under –
"Lady who has eyes that are comparable to the startled eyes of the deer!
There are a few poets in Tamil history who sang about the goddess Parvati. Notable among them is Kumaraguruparar, a 17th-century Tamil poet, who composed Meenakshi Pillaitamil on the goddess of this temple.[52] King Tirumalai Nayak's patronage of the poet Kumaraguruparar has an important place in the history of pillaitamil (a genre of Tamil literature). Kumaraguruparar visited a lot of temples and when he visited this temple, he composed Meenakshi pillaitamil dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi.[53] Legend has it that the goddess appeared in the dreams of King Tirumalai Nayak, directing him to arrange the recital of Kumaraguruparar before a learned assembly. The king made elaborate arrangements for the poetry event. We are told that Meenakshi impersonated herself, in the form of a small girl, and enjoyed the poetic recital. As Kumaraguruparar explained in the 61st verse, the goddess expressed her pleasure by garlanding the poet with a string of pearls, after which she disappeared.[54]
- ↑ V. 1904, p. 13.
- ↑ Editors of Time Out 2010, p. 194.
- 1 2 Knott 2000.
- 1 2 3 National Geographic 2008, p. 155.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sajnani 2001, pp. 307–308.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Brockman 2011, pp. 326–327.
- 1 2 King 2005, p. 72.
- 1 2 3 Abram 2011, pp. 996–1002.
- ↑ Gopal 1990, p. 181.
- ↑ Madhavan, Chitra. "The artist who designed the State emblem". Madras Musings. 21 (6).
- ↑ "Madurai Meenakshi Kovil". Tamilnadu.com. 20 December 2012.
- ↑ Harman 1992, p. 44.
- 1 2 Harman 1992, p. 24.
- 1 2 3 Bandopadhyay 2010, pp. 93–96.
- 1 2 Bansal 2008, p. 123.
- ↑ Verma 2007, p. 20.
- ↑ Cotterell 2011, p. 190.
- ↑ V. 1995, p. 115.
- ↑ http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/12/01/stories/2007120150380300.htm
- ↑ Basham, A.L.. The Wonder That Was India : a survey of the culture of the Indian sub-continent before the coming of the Muslims (New York : Grove Press, 1959 c1954) page 76.
- ↑ http://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/travel/the-most-sacred-sri-meenakshi-amman-temple-madurai
- ↑ Selby 2008, p. 149.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 V.K. 2003, pp. 96–98.
- ↑ Anon 1991, p. 68.
- ↑ Anon 1991, p. 70.
- ↑ Compiled 2008, p. 174.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Let's Go, Inc 2004, p. 615.
- ↑ Temple theertham 2012.
- ↑ Michell 1995, p. 241.
- ↑ Nicholson 1997, pp. 279–280.
- ↑ Ki 1963, p. 93.
- ↑ Awakened India 2007, p. 49.
- ↑ Iyer 1987, p. 43.
- ↑ Ki 1963, p. 76.
- ↑ Awakened India & 2007, p. 47.
- ↑ R.K.K. Rajarajan. "Dancing Halls Five". academia.edu. doi:10.1558/rosa.v8i2.197. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
- ↑ Pal 1988, p. 291.
- ↑ Kumar 2001, p. 184.
- ↑ Smith 1996, pp. 10–48.
- ↑ Soundara Rajan 2001, p. 51.
- ↑ Fuller 2004, p. 67.
- ↑ Fuller 2004, p. 200.
- ↑ Harman 1992, p. 65.
- ↑ Harman 1992, p. 66.
- ↑ Soundara Rajan 2001, p. 55.
- ↑ Ramaswamy 2007, p. 271.
- ↑ Appar Tirumurai 6 2004, pp. 44–47.
- ↑ Campantar Tirumurai 1 2004, p. 61.
- ↑ Campantar Tirumurai 3 2004, pp. 56–58.
- ↑ Prentiss 1999, p. 43.
- ↑ Moondram Thirumurai Translation 2012.
- ↑ Datta 2005, p. 1626.
- ↑ Kinsley 1998, p. 227.
- ↑ Richman 1997, pp. 82–83.
- "Moondram Thirumurai Translation". Thevaaram.org. 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- "Temple theertham". Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Thirukoil. 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
- Campantar (2004). "Campantar Tirumurai 1" (PDF). Online: Project Madurai.
- Campantar (2004). "Campantar Tirumurai 3" (PDF). Online: Project Madurai.
- Thirunavukkarasar (2004), Appar Tirumurai 6 (PDF), Online: Project Madurai
- Abram, David; Nick Edwards; Mike Ford; Daniel Jacobs; Shafik Meghji; Devdan Sen; Gavin Thomas (2011), The Rough guide to India, Rough Guides, ISBN 978-1-84836-563-6.
- Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam, ed. India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.
- Anon, Thomas Higginbotham & Co (1991), Madura, a tourist's guide, New Jersey: Asian Educational Services, ISBN 81-206-0706-6.
- Awakened India (2007), Awakened India, Volume 112, Prabuddha bharata office.
- Bandopadhyay, Manohar (2010), Tourist destinations in India, Delhi: Oriental Books, ISBN 978-93-8094-400-5.
- Bansal, Sunita Pant (2008), Hindu Pilgrimage: A Journey Through the Holy Places of Hindus All Over India, Delhi: Hindology Books, ISBN 978-81-223-0997-3.
- Brockman, Norbert C. (2011), Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, California: ABC-CLIO, LLC, ISBN 978-1-59884-655-3.
- Compiled (2008), Symbolism In Hinduism, Mumbai: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, ISBN 978-81-7597-149-3.
- Cotterell, Arthur (2011), Asia: A Concise History, Delhi: John Wiley & Sons(Asia) Pte. Ltd., ISBN 978-0-470-82958-5.
- Datta, Amaresh (2005), The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Volume Two) (Devraj To Jyoti), Volume 2, New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, ISBN 81-260-1194-7.
- Editors of Time Out (2010), Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction, London: Time Out Guides Ltd., ISBN 978-1-84670-164-1.
- Fuller, Christopher John (2004), The camphor flame: popular Hinduism and society in India, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, ISBN 978-0-691-12048-5.
- Harman, William P. (1992), The sacred marriage of a Hindu goddess, Delhi: Indiana University Press, ISBN 978-1-59884-655-3.
- Iyer, T. G. S. Balaram; T. R. Rajagopalan (1987), History & description of Sri Meenakshi Temple, Sri Karthik Agency.
- Ki, Palaniyappan (1963), The Great Temple of Madurai: English version of the book Koilmanagar.
- King, Anthony D. (2005), Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, Taylor & Francis e-library, ISBN 0-203-48075-9.
- Kinsley, David (1998), Hindu goddesses: visions of the divine feminine in the Hindu religious tradition By David Kinsley, Delhi: The Regents of the University of California, ISBN 81-208-0394-9.
- Knott, Kim (2000), Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192853872.
- Kumar, Sehdev (2001), A thousand petalled lotus: Jain temples of Rajasthan : architecture & iconography, New Delhi: Indra Gandhi National Centre of Arts, ISBN 81-7017-348-5.
- Let's Go, Inc (2004), Let's go: India & Nepal, 2004, New York: Martin's Press, ISBN 0-312-32006-X.
- Michell, George (1995), Architecture and art of southern India: Vijayanagara and, Volume 1, Issue 6, New York: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-44110-2.
- National Geographic (2008), Sacred Places of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Most Peaceful and Powerful Destinations, United States: National Geographic Society, ISBN 978-1-4262-0336-7.
- Nicholson, Louise (1997), National Geographic Traveler: India, 3rd Edition, USA: National Geographic Society, ISBN 978-1-4262-0595-8.
- Pal, Pratapaditya (1988), Indian Sculpture, Volume 2, Los Angeles: Museum Associates, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, ISBN 0-87587-129-1.
- Prentiss, Karen Pechilis (1999), The embodiment of bhakti, New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-512813-3.
- Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2007), Historical dictionary of the Tamils, United States: Scarecrow Press, INC., ISBN 978-0-470-82958-5.
- Richman, Paul (1997), Extraordinary child: poems from a South Indian devotional genre By Paula Richman, United States: Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data, ISBN 0-8248-1063-5.
- Sajnani, Dr. Manohar (2001), Encyclopedia of tourism resources in India, Volume 2, Delhi: Kalpaz Publications, ISBN 81-7835-014-9.
- Selby, Martha Ann; Indira Viswanathan Peterson (2008), Tamil geographies: cultural constructions of space and place in South India, New York: State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-7245-3.
- Smith, David (1996), The Dance of Siva: Religion, Art and Poetry in South India By David, United Kingdom: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, ISBN 0-521-48234-8.
- Soundara Rajan, Kodayanallur Vanamamalai (2001), Concise classified dictionary of Hinduism By Kodayanallur Vanamamalai Soundara Rajan, New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company, ISBN 81-7022-857-3.
- V., Kanakasabhai (1904), The Tamils 1800 years ago, Madras and Bangalore: Higgingbotham & Co.
- V.K., Subramanian (2003), Art shrines of ancient India, New Delhi: Abhinav Publications, ISBN 81-7017-431-7.
- Verma, Manish (2007), Fasts and Festivals of India, New Delhi: Adarsh Printers, ISBN 81-7182-076-X.
- V., Vriddhagirisan (1995), Nayaks of Tanjore, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services, ISBN 81-206-0996-4.
External links
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Madurai Meenakshi temple.
- "Madurai Meenakshi Temple 360 View" on Dinamalar.com


text: Process of bottling of clear water or fresh beer at plant for drinking. Many empty and transparent bottles moving on a conveyor belt. Work of automatic manufacture with robotic tooling and huge number of row with clean bottles for alcohol or milk. Machinery system with electric tool for automated equipment closeup. Modern automation with cnc


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Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
|Scientists have created a virtual arm that monkeys can move with their thoughts--and the arm can send information back to the brain about the textures of what it touches. Neuroscientist Miguel Nicolelis talks about how this may lead to a full-body suit that helps paralyzed people move and walk again.


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Trainer walks five German Shepherds without leash
September 19, 2017
Augusto Deoliveira grew up without television, Internet, or access to a cell phone. He grew up on a farm in Brazil and spent most of his time training dogs and tending to the land. At the age of 12, he apprenticed for a professional dog trainer, mostly handling German Shepherds. As a result, Deoliveira learned to love the breed. When he moved to the United States at the age of 18, he started his own dog training business.
It didn't take long for people to notice him, he explains on his Facebook page. Videos of Deoliveira and his German Shepherds walking in unison drew plenty of attention, and before long he was making appearances on television and working with clients all over the country. Below, check out the video that seems to have put Deoliveira on the map. It's been viewed over 13 million times.
§ Augusto Deoliveira and Facebook
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EP379: Concussion
By David Glen Larson
Read by Mat Weller
Discuss on our forums.
For a list of all Escape Pod stories by this author or narrator, visit our sortable Wikipedia page
Rated 13+ for mild language
Special thanks to users costaipsa, iankath, mario1298 and DJ Chronos at FreeSound.org who created and/or recorded the sound effects used in this episode!
By David Glen Larson
He scrambled from the fire that was snaking through the corridor when another explosion jolted the ship, and just like that he was dead again. A moment later he was someone else, gazing down with another's eyes at the mangled green body he'd left behind.
Never before had Tyler experienced such terror. Sure, he'd been afraid—afraid his knee would give out again, sidelining him for the big game; afraid he'd let down his teammates and make a fool of himself—but he'd never been terrified of being incinerated in an alien system countless light-years from the home world he was forced to flee. Not until now.
Staring up at the night sky, the stars were dim under the glare of the stadium lights. Which star was theirs? He caught himself and shook his aching head. It was only a dream, after all. The frog people weren't real.
The doctor shined a penlight into each pupil. "Any headache, nausea, or dizziness?"
"What do you think? I was just hit by a freight train." Good old Number 32—the biggest, meanest linebacker in the NFL.
"You may have a concussion."
Coach Landis spit tobacco juice on the grass only inches from Tyler's head. "We're down 22-27 in the fourth quarter with under a minute to go. Montoya's out, Casper's out, and now you're saying I'm out my third string too? Uh-uh, Doc. I need Harden in the game."
"If he takes another hit—"
"A few aches and pains go with the territory," said the coach.
"Forget aches and pains. I'm talking stroke or death. Those go with the territory?"
"Ordinarily no, but this is the Super Bowl and I'm out of quarterbacks."
"I can play, Coach." Tyler rolled onto his knees and wobbled to his feet with a groan. Lights flashed and popped behind his eyes, some internal wiring knocked loose, but he didn't let on. "I'm fine."
Tyler teetered backward, but the coach steadied him, pretending to pat him on the back.
"That a boy. See, Doc? It was just a tap."
"All right, but I'll need to check his cognitive function after every play."
"Whatever you say," said the coach.
"I'm going to ask you to remember a list of five words. If you can't repeat them back to me, you're a NO-GO."
"Apple, wrench, sombrero, parrot, porcupine," Tyler said with confidence.
"But I didn't give you the words yet."
"Sure you did. Last season against the Colts. It was the only time I played. Number 24 clocked me from behind on our 15."
"Well I'm glad to see your long-term memory isn't impaired, but it's your short-term memory that concerns me."
"Fine, but make it quick. I have a qweetah to win."
"Beg your pardon?"
"I said, make it quick. I have a game to win." (Continue Reading…)


text:
Mass Effect 2 (Xbox 360) review
"If Im struggling to record my thoughts on Mass Effect 2 its because it excels on so many fronts and does so many things right that its hard to settle on just one thing. So Ill ramble in a word document instead, talk about a few things that caught in my mind and then reveal that Ive hardly scratched the surface."
Staff review by Gary Hartley (February 24, 2011)
Gary Hartley arbitrarily arrives, leaves a review for a game no one has heard of, then retreats to his 17th century castle in rural England to feed whatever lives in the moat and complain about you.
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If you enjoyed this Mass Effect 2 review, you're encouraged to discuss it with the author and with other members of the site's community. If you don't already have an HonestGamers account, you can sign up for one in a snap. Thank you for reading!
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It didn't seem possible that it would happen again.
It didn't seem possible that, in the middle of a national holiday, NBC would be so self-serving that it would risk infuriating millions of viewers by tape-delaying one of the most popular events at the Winter Olympics--the Men's Downhill.
But it's not only possible. It's fact.
As of 2:15 ET, the Men's Downhill is underway in Vancouver, as NBC's web site, NBCOlympics.com proudly proclaims. But there's no live coverage. Not on NBC's web site, and not on NBC's TV networks, not anywhere NBC controls.
Why not?
Presumably, because, as usual, NBC wants to maximize its revenue by delaying the event until the most people will watch it: This evening in primetime. The live finals of the figure-skating pairs competition and other events presumably weren't enough to ensure the massive audience NBC needs to lose less of its shirt on these Games.
So the eager audience who tuned in to watch the Men's Downhill live, like the eager audience that tuned in to watch the French Open and Wimbledon and other sporting events that NBC buys the rights to so it can ruin, are instead left to curse a network that is now actively preventing them from watching the event until it's long over and all the drama is gone.
Someday, perhaps, the NBC Sports brass will understand that the world has changed in the past 25 years. Within an hour or two, the name of the winner of the Men's Downhill will be everywhere--on the radio, on other TV stations, on the Internet, on news sites. Even people who want to play along with NBC's self-serving little game will have a hard time avoiding the news. Thus, for most of them, the most exciting event at the games will be ruined.
In a few years, thankfully, technology will have advanced to the point where it is pretty much impossible for a network to come between fans and an event, the way NBC is now. In the meantime, however, Americans who don't want to arrange a proxy server and watch the event on another country's Internet broadcast instead of their HD TVs, will be forced to wait until they know the winner to watch tonight in NBC's primetime.
So, once again, on behalf of sports fans everywhere, we have a message for Jeff Zucker, Dick Ebersol, and the rest of the people in charge of NBC Sports:
Thanks, guys!


text:
Lance Armstrong doping lost endorsements nike anheuser-busch, For years, Lance Armstrong carried a growing burden of doping accusations up increasingly steep hills, accumulating fans, wealth and respect along the way.
On Wednesday, he crashed.
In one day, the renowned cyclist and cancer survivor lost a major endorsement deal with Nike -- once worth millions of dollars -- and the chairmanship of the cancer charity he founded 15 years ago.
While stepping down as chairman of Livestrong was Armstrong's idea, losing Nike's support wasn't.
Opinion: 'U.S. Postal doping predates Armstrong'
Nike, which initially stood by Armstrong, dropped him Wednesday with a terse statement citing what it called "seemingly insurmountable evidence" that he participated in doping.
Hours later, brewery giant Anheuser-Busch followed suit, saying it will let Armstrong's contract expire at the end of the year. Nike and Anheuser-Busch said they still plan to support Livestrong and its initiatives.
The American Cancer Society, which has had a long relationship with Armstrong, said only that it would continue to collaborate with Livestrong.
Armstrong walked away as chairman of the Livestrong cancer charity "to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career," according to a statement posted to the group's website.
He will remain on the charity's board of directors, but he will turn over the reins to founding chairman Jeff Garvey.
LIVESTRONG supporter: 'Conflicted' about my wristband
The move comes a week after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency detailed what it called "overwhelming" evidence of Armstrong's involvement as a professional cyclist in "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program."
The seven-time Tour de France winner has consistently denied the claims, and legions of fans and corporate supporters had backed him -- until now.
Armstrong founded the Livestrong charity in 1997 after his own successful treatment for testicular cancer that had spread to his brain and lungs. He came back from the disease seemingly stronger than ever, winning the first of his seven Tour de France titles less than three years after he was diagnosed in 1996.
His success inspired cancer patients worldwide, spreading his reach far beyond the insular world of cycling and cementing his place in celebrity culture. He became rich, dated a rock star and appeared in movies. The bright yellow "LIVESTRONG" wristbands distributed by his charity became a potent symbol for perseverance in the face of adversity.
People should look to that legacy in assessing Armstrong, Livestrong's president said.
Read more: Evidence of Armstrong doping 'overwhelming,' agency says
"Lance's devotion to serving others whose lives were irrevocably changed by cancer, as his was, is unsurpassable," Doug Ulman said in a statement issued after Wednesday's announcement. "We are incredibly proud of his record as an advocate and philanthropist and are deeply grateful that Lance and his family will continue to be actively involved with the Foundation's advocacy and service work."
But a long chain of accusations has trailed Armstrong.
In 2002, a 21-month investigation into allegations that Armstrong's team used banned substances during the 2000 Tour de France closed after finding no evidence of illegal drug use.
He later sued the author of a book that accused him of having used performance-enhancing drugs and the International Cycling Union cleared him of 1999 doping allegations in a 2006 report.
In 2010, former teammate Floyd Landis accused him of doping. Federal prosecutors also looked into the allegations but closed their case in Feburary without pressing charges.
That's when USADA began its investigation.
In its report, released last week, the anti-doping agency made public testimony from Armstrong's teammates and others who said Armstrong was among team members who used banned performance-enhancing substances and tried to hide it from testing officials.
The report is part of USADA's request to international cycling officials to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles. The International Olympic Committee is also reviewing the evidence and could consider revoking Armstrong's bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney games. Armstrong is already banned from competing in events sanctioned by U.S. Olympic governing bodies.
Armstrong has said he never has failed a drug test and has consistently denied participating in any banned practices. Armstrong's lawyer, Tim Herman, called the report last week a "one-sided hatchet job" and a "government-funded witch hunt." He did not return a call on Wednesday.
Opinion: With Armstrong's disgrace, will anything change?
So far, Armstrong's woes haven't affected the charity's ability to raise money, according to Livestrong spokeswoman Katherine McClane. Donations to the charity have actually boomed since August, when Armstrong announced he was ending his legal fight to stop USADA's investigation, she said last week.
That's because, according to McClane, the charity's main audience -- cancer patients and their families -- isn't troubled by Armstrong's woes.
"The last thing that's going to enter your mind is news from the cycling world," McClain said Wednesday.
According to Livestrong, Armstrong has helped raise nearly $500 million, including $6.5 million of his own, for cancer research, treatment and support in his role as Livestrong founder and has helped "dispel the stigma and misconceptions about the disease."
Read more: Highlights of the Armstrong report
Livestrong will need to find a new way to present itself to the world without Armstrong as its face, said Eric Martin, a partner with Boost Partners, a Richmond, Virginia, strategic consulting firm.
How? Focus on "real-world heroes who have faced down cancer while loving a sport more than the spotlight," Martin said.
"At this point, what they need to do is re-establish the authenticity of their cause and the way to do that, in my opinion, is to reconnect with what people really admire in their heroes," Martin said.
Howard Bragman, an expert in crisis communications and vice chairman of Reputation.com, an online reputation management company in Los Angeles, said the future of Livestrong is uncertain.
"I personally hope that Livestrong is stronger than Lance Armstrong because they have done -- and continue to do -- amazing work for people with cancer," he told CNN in a telephone interview.
But he said he had little doubt that the impact on Armstrong would be devasating. "It doesn't get any worse than this, OK?" he told CNN in a telephone interview. "Imagine losing the prestige of all your Tour de France titles, millions in endorsements, stepping down from the organization he loves and founded, that's been his public mission -- and, possibly the worst thing of all, which is public humiliation."


text:
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Visari is gone, but the war is far from over. Helghast forces have mounted a devastating counter-attack, prompting the ISA evacuation of planet Helghan. As new Helghast battalions appear with more powerful weapons, ISA forces find themselves outmanned, outgunned and surrounded.
Rated 9.0 out of 10 by Game Informer.


text:
Charges mounting in Lisbon man's domestic violence case
Daniel Candales, accused of fleeing from Stonington police with a 9-year-old girl in his car on New Year's Eve, has been arrested twice since Monday and is being held in lieu of a $1.5 million cash bond.
The 42-year-old Lisbon man, who owns a landscaping and snowplowing business, was awaiting sentencing on several domestic violence charges involving his ex-wife when he was charged with taking off with his girlfriend's daughter as he was dropping off the child he shares with his ex-wife on Dec. 31.
Police said they arrested him after chasing him into Rhode Island and back. He posted a $160,000 bond and was placed on home confinement and GPS monitoring pending a court appearance on Thursday.
On Monday, state police charged him with criminal possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order after probation officers found a rifle in the attic during an unannounced visit to his home at 187 Rose Hill Road. Candales said he had turned over his guns years ago and that the rifle belongs to his ex-wife, according to his attorney, Anthony R. Basilica.
Candales posted an additional $20,000 bond following Monday's arrest. On Wednesday, police served Candales with a warrant charging him with violation of a protective order. Judge Kevin P. McMahon signed the warrant and set a $1 million cash bond, he said, after receiving a call from a state's attorney who told him Candales had made a statement to his probation officer that indicated he was going to "abscond."
McMahon, who is now assigned to Superior Court in Norwich, went to the Broad Street courthouse in New London to preside over Candales' court appearance Thursday. Both Candales' ex-wife and his current girlfriend were in court, along with the ex-wife's attorney, domestic violence victim advocates, a probation officer and several lawyers.
"This started off in the normal way the domestic violence court operates," McMahon said. When he left New London for Norwich in September, he thought the case was resolved, McMahon said, adding that the case had lingered too long.
"To the degree I am culpable on that, I say, 'Shame on me,''' McMahon said.
Candales had pleaded no contest in January 2012 to five counts of violation of a protective order and one count of third-degree assault. He was participating in the domestic violence diversion program that may have enabled him to resolve his cases with a suspended prison sentence. In the meantime, Candales picked up additional charges, and McMahon and prosecutor Kevin Dunn, who was handling the case, were assigned elsewhere.
One of the conditions of Candales' participation in the diversionary program was that he obey the law. As a result of the new arrests, he now faces up to eight years in prison on the charges to which he pleaded no contest. McMahon warned Candales he is exposed to additional prison time based on the new charges.
Candales told the judge he is hiring the law office of John Williams of New Haven. It was unclear whether Basilica would remain in the case as well. Basilica requested a five-week continuance, saying Williams would need time to go through all of Candales' files. Candales will not be posting bond and will remain incarcerated, he said.
Prosecutor Mary Jean Kanabis asked for a short continuance for sentencing, noting that Candales pleaded guilty months ago. The judge continued the case to Feb. 20 and said he wants to have a "meaningful pretrial discussion" of the case on that day or proceed to sentencing.
Lamont would ease 'debt diet' in final push for highway tolls
Republicans criticize minority lawmakers as 'far-left,' chastise Trump for 'over the line' tweets
House condemns Trump 'racist' tweets in extraordinary rebuke


text:
Crews are working seven days a week to finish renovations to Spec Martin Memorial Stadium in time next month for Stetson University's first football game in 57 years.
DELAND — With near daily rainstorms slowing progress, construction crews are working seven days a week to finish renovations to Spec Martin Memorial Stadium in time next month for Stetson University's first football game in 57 years.
"It's slowed us down a little bit, but I don't think it's significant," said city Parks and Recreation Director Rick Hall. "It's going to be down to the wire, but everyone is confident."
Workers have been making more than $3.1 million in renovations to the municipal stadium since last December. Since then, it's been a race against the clock to prepare the stadium for Aug. 31, when the Stetson Hatters play their first football game since 1956.
Though crews are up against a contract completion date of Aug. 19, Hall said they may continue working on the stadium on Aug. 30, or even later. The stadium will be "functional" by Stetson's first game — against Warner University of Lake Wales — even if crews are still finishing cosmetic touches, such as fixing painting or tiles.
"Certainly, (the players) can play on the field. That won't be a problem," said City Manager Michael Pleus.
The city of DeLand is upgrading the municipal stadium with newly refurbished locker rooms, a training facility, a three-story press box and other improvements.
Under a worst-case scenario, work may not be finished on the new press box by Aug. 31 and people who would use it could be seated somewhere else, Pleus said.
David Trindade, project manager with The Collage Companies, the Lake Mary firm handling the construction, said he's confident the project will be done in time for kickoff.
"We're fighting the weather, but it's going good," he said. "We'll get it done."
Workers are mostly focused on interior work at this point, according to Trindade. The crews are working seven days a week, whenever there isn't lightning.
As of Monday, Hall said installation of a new $445,700 LED video scoreboard and improvements to the locker rooms are about 80 percent complete. Work on the new three-story press box is about 70 percent complete, he said.
Ricky Hazel, assistant athletic director for communications at Stetson, said while the delays are concerning, he's "certainly hopeful" the stadium will be ready for kickoff.
"We're taking a group out today to see where we're at," Hazel said Tuesday.
Stetson's football players are set to report for preseason camp Aug. 2.
If you go
WHAT: Spec Martin Stadium grand opening ceremony
WHERE: Spec Martin Stadium, 260 E. Euclid Ave., DeLand
WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m.
WHY: Ribbon-cutting for newly renovated stadium, including public tours. First game is on Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. against Warner University. Visit gohatters.com for more information.


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I applaud the commentary "When Governments Kill" (by Richard Viguerie, July 2009), as an American who used to support the death penalty. I did so until I heard the case of Tommy Zeigler, a Florida Christian on death row for the past 33 years for a crime he did not commit.
How can American Christians sleep when such appalling miscarriages of justice occur to our fellow citizens? Tommy's case is, sadly, not unique. How is it that the majority of executions occur in the Bible Belt states? What does this say of our fellow Christians' compassion, to say nothing of their knowledge of Christ's words: "It was said 'An eye for an eye ....' But I say to you ...."
We forget that we join China, Pakistan, and Iran as the countries with the highest numbers of executions of their own citizens. May God help us!
Vicki Harley Holland, Bowdon, Cheshire, England


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Victims No Longer: Men Recovering from Incest and Other Sexual Child Abuse
Cedar, 1993 - Adult child sexual abuse victims - 325 pages
Written by an American psychotherapist and group therapy leader, this book offers advice to men who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse. It aims to help them to identify and validate their childhood experiences; explore strategies of survival and healing; work through issues such as trust, intimacy and sexuality; establish a support network for continued personal recovery; and set goals for the future.
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Unlike some free adult dating sites, our list of naughty dating sites in Jersey have been researched and reviewed to ensure you get to choose from the best Jersey sex dating sites!
There are many sex dating sites working just like the common online dating sites, the key difference being the end goal, Jersey men and women are not looking for long term relationships, but quick access to sex contacts.
Sex contact sites in Jersey are widely available and we've found that most of the naughty dating sites are creating genuine hookups. That is not to say there aren't a few rogue sites around, but our list is compiled of the best and most trusted adult dating sites in Jersey.
Jersey adult dating services have been used by me and women for many years, long before the internet thrust these sites into the mainstream of possibilities. These days there are plenty to choose from, so many of single men and women turn to these local sites to fulfil their desire for sex dates and erotic experiences.
With the privacy and anonymity that casual dating sites offer, it is clear to see why so many people in Jersey are using them. And, this isn't just a case of being part of the Men Only club, Women are joining and enjoying casual dating just as much as their male counterparts.
Our online dating experts, have gone thorough and tested the most popular sex and adult dating sites that Jersey has to offer, with so many winners we've listed our favourites here:
Quick and Easy to Join. No Strings Dating is a Proven Adult Dating Site. Meet Single Women Looking For Casual Sex. One of the longest running adult dating sites in the UK, NoStringsDating.net offers one of the largest member databases we've come across. Built on years of hard work they have everything you could possible need to get the most out of your adult dating experience.


text: The ionizing spectrum has the obvious effect of creating ionization in the gas. But it also can influence the heating and cooling via Compton scattering if the gas is highly ionized. The standard ionizing spectrum options apply to all the energies in the grid. Therefore if, for example, an power law is chosen the temperature in Compton equilibrium will be kT= , and power law indeces which are greater (or less) than 1 will be influenced even more strongly by the choice of minimum (or maximum) energy. It is likely that the choice we have made in designing the code will not be the choice which is physically appropriate for the situation of interest, so the user is encouraged to input the spectral model from a file, with the appropriate cutoffs built in, in situations where power law spectra and Compton heating/cooling are important.


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When I made the decision to go reflective in my family room, I knew that it wouldn't stop with the table. I already had plans to replace my huge, rustic pine armoire with a sleeker, fancier version. My search lead me to this:
So here's how it went down...
1. Grabbed the handy Zinsser All-in-One primer and primed every inch. As I've said in previous posts, Zinsser primer means no sanding, and no sanding means no sweating, and no sweating means I'm a happy girl. As much as I enjoy the effort of building furniture and stuff I can't stand breaking a sweat. Weird, I know.
The armoire looked like this after she was primed...
After the priming, I did a coat of the same grey paint I've used on a bench, a console table, and coffee table (that can of paint definitely got more than it's money's worth; especially since I bought it from the sample rack). Once the paint dried, I followed up with my silver glaze. I was so excited with the way it was turning out that I forgot to take pictures of that step. With all the painting done, it was time to put her all together. I did a row of little mirrors on top like this:
The mirror cutting shop that cut the free bathroom mirror for the coffee table also cut and glued on some thinner mirrors for the armoire for $6 each. I could have left the doors with just the mirrors, but I noticed in the Bassett version that there were some X embellishments, so of course I had to add that. I found some kind of twisted silver wire from Lowe's and glass marbles from Michael's and went to town adding the fancy to the mirrors...
I used Glue Dots, but they didn't hold once the doors were vertical, so I'm going to try Crazy Glue. I was hoping the Glue Dots would work since they're not permanent. But, I guess I have to commit.
The doors were ready to be hung back on after the embellishing:
And here's a view with the mirrored armoire and matching mirrored coffee table:
I think I still may add mirrors to the sides to completely "mirror" the Bassett version, but I'm already so happy with it just the way it is! Up next, mirrored lamp shades, and then I promise my obsession with mirrors will be done. I think.
Total cost: $143.00. I saved $2,487 (that's my record best so far)!


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World Entertainment News Network
Actor Doug Hutchison has reportedly split from his teenage wife, Courtney Stodden, after less than three years of marriage.
The Green Mile star wed the blonde model and aspiring singer when she was just 16 and he was 51, but sources tell RadarOnline.com they have since parted ways.
The insider says, "Courtney has called it quits on her marriage. She is done with him and he's totally heartbroken.
"Doug knew he was taking a risk with the marriage, but he genuinely fell in love with Courtney and didn't realize how much his life would be changed after they got married. She is branching out and doing her own thing and Doug is getting left behind."
The couple has yet to comment on the split reports, which emerged just weeks after Stodden, now 19, appeared on U.K. reality show Celebrity Big Brother.
Stodden and Hutchison previously admitted to trouble in their marriage by taking part in U.S. TV series Couples Therapy to receive on-air relationship counseling.


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Pinterest is full of these very cool images of colored smoke in the landscape. I've pulled together a sampling by a few different photographers. Later today, I plan to post a beautiful video I hope you'll watch.
Thomas Couderc + Clement Vauchez
M O R E p h o t o g r a p h y on my Pinterest boards


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WASHINGTON � The blame game is a dreary and generally unproductive exercise. But as Washington slouches toward the self-inflicted wound of the budget sequester, Republicans� determined effort to rewrite the history of debt reduction requires correcting.
My short version of apportioning blame for the current mess is this: The Obama administration is guilty of bad negotiating in pursuit of sensible policy. Congressional Republicans are guilty of exploiting the president�s bad negotiating in pursuit of terrible policy.
Let�s quickly dispense with the sideshow of the sequester�s parentage. It makes no difference, no matter how many times Republicans decry �the president�s sequester.�
First, the Obama administration came up with the mechanism precisely because Republicans deemed unacceptable a sequester that included automatic increases in tax revenue.
The underlying concept, from Democrats� view, was never to implement the $1.2 trillion through spending cuts alone. Rather, the threat of sequester was to be leverage for a blend of spending cuts and tax increases. Sequester is happening because Republicans in the supercommittee balked at raising adequate revenue.
Second, no matter whose brainchild it was, Republicans voted for a deal that included the sequester as the enforcement mechanism. They can�t now disown their vote by insisting it was the other guy�s idea.
So how did we arrive at sequester�s doorstep?
Republicans� truncated version of history would have time begin with last year�s deal on the �fiscal cliff.� In this account, Republicans gave in on tax revenue then, agreeing to raise rates on the tiniest sliver of taxpayers: households making more than $450,000 a year in exchange for making the Bush tax cuts permanent for everyone else.
The bottom line, compared to extending the tax cuts in their entirety, is another $620 billion in revenue over 10 years, $737 billion when interest savings on the lower debt are taken into account. This concession is now deemed to be the end of the tax affair.
�The tax debate is now closed,� House Speaker John Boehner proclaimed in The Wall Street Journal.
But why? The deal that Boehner asserts closed the tax debate involved less revenue than the $800 billion he was willing to ante up as part of the debt-ceiling negotiations in 2011. It involved less revenue than the $1 trillion he was offering last December in the cliff talks. By way of comparison, the original Simpson-Bowles plan called for more than $2 trillion in new revenue.
For Republicans to now claim that the $620 billion agreement was the final word on taxes is like my daughters arguing that, because they finished some of their homework before going to the mall, they don�t need to complete the rest of the assignment. The homework debate, ladies, is not closed.
The Republican argument � we gave on taxes; now it�s time for spending cuts � also ignores the full history of spending cuts. The debt-ceiling deal � the one that created the supercommittee and sequester � also locked in $917 billion in spending cuts.
When Republicans argue that the additional $1.2 trillion in savings must come entirely from spending, with no new revenue, they conveniently forget the cuts already enacted.
The Obama administration�s argument that the next $1.2 trillion-plus should come from a mix of spending cuts and new revenue looks a lot more reasonable when you recognize that the majority of debt reduction has already occurred on the spending side.
Which brings me to the administration�s fault in this mess: squandering its leverage on taxes when it accepted the cliff deal. In the administration�s imagining, this money was just chapter one; the second wave would come with another $600 billion or so through tax reform.
Except the White House seems to have forgotten to ask Republicans about whether they were up for more. The threat of sequester has turned out to be less scary than the hammer of tax increases for all. That crisis averted, and the GOP base unhappy with the increases already passed, Republicans� incentive to cough up more revenue has evaporated.
White House officials argue that this assessment fails to take into account the parallel achievement of dealing with the debt ceiling. But Republicans never wanted to rerun that risky play. The White House also predicts that Republicans, having capitulated on the debt ceiling and on tax rates, will capitulate a third time, on additional revenue.
I hope to be proved wrong. But I see no indication from Republicans that such a shift, however wise, is in the cards.
Ruth Marcus writes for the Washington Post Writers Group. Send email to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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The thread below talks about losing the first bar after 52k miles (in UK).
What is the largest # of miles someone drove before losing a bar in the US ? Has anyone driven 52k miles without losing a bar ?
ps : Select 20,000 if you lost the bar between 20,000 and 30,000.


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Monday, September 15, 2014
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Among lectures on Calculus I,II and III, ( Introduction to ) Linear Algebra and ( Introduction to ) Differential Equations from the UCCS ( ...
Problem: We want to calculate the sum of the elements of a list of numbers. Suppose this list is named l and has been assigned the value {1,...
Today I started to read the Ramanujan biography ( The e-book version, of course. ) The book looks promising. What was it like to communicate...
I found a set of video lectures on Abstract Algebra. MATH E-222 Abstract Algebra - http://www.extension.harvard.edu/openlearning/math222/ E...
Ramanujan's genius (r) was discovered by Hardy (l) At a very young age Ramanujan designed the following formula for a 3 by 3 magic sq...
Welcome to The Bridge
Mathematics: is it the fabric of MEST?
This is my voyage
My continuous mission
To uncover hidden structures
To create new theorems and proofs
To boldly go where no man has gone before
(Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion, colloquially aka Raumpatrouille Orion was the first German science fiction television series. Its seven episodes were broadcast by ARD beginning September 17, 1966. The series has since acquired cult status in Germany. Broadcast six years before Star Trek first aired in West Germany (in 1972), it became a huge success.)


text: The "Modern Family" matriarch got her start acting for a much smaller audience — her family and friends when she put on plays in her back yard. She majored in Italian Renaissance studies at Brown University while maintaining a busy slate of school productions as well. After studying abroad for a year and becoming fluent in Italian, she took a role in an indie film called "Five Spot Jewel" and in 1993 did two TV projects. They were forgettable, but gave her the confidence to head west and more television followed immediately ("Acapulco H.E.A.T.," "Runaway Daughters," "Party Of Five"). She then moved on to film, appearing in 1996's "Happy Gilmore" and "Multiplicity" and 1997's "An American Werewolf in Paris." She spent the next decade in recurring roles on "ER," "Ed" (2000-04), "Lost," "Weeds" and "Boston Legal" before stepping into the shoes that would win her two Emmys. She also has nabbed four cast SAG awards for her work as Claire Dunphy on "Modern Family." She has been happily married offscreen as well since 2004 to software developer Scott Phillips. They have three sons, Oliver and twins John and Gus.


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Greece: the new poor
Date created : Latest update :
The assorted Greek bailouts have all come with drastic austerity measures. Thousands of middle class Greeks have suddenly found themselves living below the poverty line. Our correspondents in Athens draw us a portrait of Greece today.
Four years after the start of the crisis in Greece, we wanted to show the consequences of the austerity plans. Our goal was to show the distress but at the same time the dignity of the Greeks, and their desire to get by despite sometimes impossible situations.
Indeed, the austerity measures – be it cuts in salaries, pensions reduced four times in three years, or tax hikes on an almost daily basis – are stifling most of the country's inhabitants.
We wanted to show that this crisis is not just economic but social, societal and even humanitarian. All levels of Greek society are directly or indirectly affected. Austerity spares no one.
Bled dry and backed into a corner, the Greeks are battling to make ends meet. Some parents are handing their children over to orphanages, in the hope this is only a temporary measure. Many families can no longer afford to pay for heating or food. In the middle of winter, they look for wood in order to have some heat. Many people pick up food and clothing handed out by the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. Its popularity is on the rise.


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Let day camp at the Y inspire your child this summer through friendship, accomplishment and belonging. Kids grow up so fast today. At the Y, we encourage kids to be kids and give them the freedom to dream and explore their potential. This is the magic of summer day camp at the Y. Kids let loose, discover new
talents, gain skills and make friends. We hope to see your camper this summer!
Looking for more information about Summer Day Camp at the Y? Check out our website >> https://www.ymcacharlotte.org/summerdaycamp


text:
1. "Watch Over Me" - NCIS New Orleans S1 E7
The NCIS team investigates the murder of a Navy Officer with the highest level top secret clearance who was recently assigned as a tech liaison with a private developer. Also, Pride transforms the carport into an auto shop as he works on the first car he ever gave his wife, on NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, Tuesday, Nov. 11 (9:00-10:01, ET/PT), on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Ron Flagge as Mr. Voodoo Photo: Skip Bolen/CBS ©2014 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserve


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Every year I write a recap of my Étape Du Tour. The Étape is an annual citizen's race held on one of the most difficult stages the Tour de France covers that year and is put on by the Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), the organizers of the Tour. This year's Étape featured over 10,000 feet of climbing and included two incredibly tough hors-catégorie climbs: the Col du Tourmalet and the Hautacam. As usual, it was a day to remember.
The alarm went off at 4:10. Breakfast at 4:30. Everyone on the bus at 5:00, with the exception of two people who arrived at 5:04 (but who is really keeping track?). A one-hour drive to the city of Pau and Trek Travel drops us off at a parking lot with our bikes ready to go. The big issue of the day is weather. The forecast is terrible. Showers at the start: 50% chance. Rain on the Tourmalet: 70% chance. Afternoon thunderstorms on the Hautacam: 90% chance. The best decision I made all day was to bring everything. I went with booties to keep my socks and shoes dry, arm warmers, leg warmers, a light jacket, and a heavy GORE-TEX jacket. Toss in full finger gloves for good measure. I used them all.
12,000 people start the ride and we're in the first group. No rain at the start. We start FAST. Three fast, tight, turns in the first 300 yards, and then a screaming downhill. We're having fun. We ride for 79 kilometers until the first rest stop. All is good so far. We are way ahead of schedule, and not a drop of rain. We hit the first big climb of the day, the Col du Tourmalet. The Tourmelet is 17 kilometers in length, climbing 3,000 vertical feet with an average grade of 7%. It is a big climb. Almost as soon as we start, the rain starts to fall. We move up the climb at a good pace. By now, we call ourselves the Gang of 4. My lovely wife Tania, Mark Joslyn who is in charge of the Awesome Bus (human resources) at Trek, and Pat Sullivan (Sully). Sully has been at Trek for 30 years. I invited him on the trip because his best work in his thirty-year career at Trek has been his last three. He has made a BIG difference in his 30 years at The Bicycle Company.
All good as we approach the summit where Trek Travel has set up a rest stop one kilometer before the top. The only problem; it is raining harder and it's getting COLD. Cold enough to see your breath. We pull into the rest stop, which had the bags we packed with extra clothes in case it rained. Well…..it rained and most of the group with one exception decided to change clothes. The one person who passed figured he was soaking wet in the pouring rain and if he were to change clothes, he would be soaking wet again in a matter of minutes. As I sat around during the change of clothes I was getting colder, so I told the group I would meet them at the summit. Then the temperature dipped again. We meet at the summit and Sully seems a bit disoriented. I give him a mental health check and he is all good.
The descent off the Tourmalet on a regular day is scary: 14% grade, switchback turns, no guard rails. Add pouring rain, and cold temperatures and it is absolutely brutal. We go down slowly, as does everyone else. We get about two kilometers down the climb and Tania is freezing. Her hands are cold when it's 80 degrees so 40 degrees and pouring only made them worse. She is shaking on the bike so we pull over to give her hands a rest. As we re-group and start to move, I notice a guy off of his bike just sitting off the road with his head down. He looks really bad. I walk over and ask him, "Are you OK?" He answers, "No." He looks to me like he is suffering from hypothermia. "Can you get on your bike?" "No." Finally I said to him, "We are going to get you up and we need to start moving. If you don't move, we have another problem." The guy could barely move as I picked him up and got him on his feet. It is pouring rain and completely miserable. This guy is the walking dead; incoherent, cold, and lost. I gave his bike to Sully and I put my bike in my right hand and I hugged my friend, (whose name I still didn't know) with my left arm. Typically I'm not a hugger. I'm more the warm-and-hearty hand shake guy. Yet here I am hugging a guy whose name I don't know trying to warm him up in any way I can as we walk down the mountain.
There is no help in site, so I ask Mark to go find the police while we walk down. Mark finds the French police and the answer is the same with four different guys. "We are full, there is nothing we can do." We walk three kilometers down the mountain just Sully, our new friend, and myself. He is a nice guy, still mostly incoherent, but I start asking him questions to get his mind working. We start to have bits and pieces of a conversation. We are making progress. We finally get down to a building, which is locked, but it does provide some shelter from the wind and rain. We stay there for five minutes and realize that our friend needs more help. We move on to another building 500 meters away. When we get there, we find another group of French police. This time after politely asking a couple of times, they take our friend into their van and turn on the heat. I stay in the van and massage my friend's legs to help him warm up. After ten minutes there is a knock on the window, it is Mark Joslyn. MJ is an Eagle Scout Extraordinaire, he has a cup of coffee and a hot chocolate. Our friend is coming back to life and is very happy to have a warm cup of coffee in his hands. I stay with him, get his contact info, and tell him that I will take care of his bike. I ask for his name and his phone number. One problem, I am shaking so bad that it takes me ten minutes to type his name and phone number into my phone. I tell him not to worry; I have his bike taken care of and will get it back to London for him. "I have friends in the business."
I get out of the van and Mark takes me behind a building to where a pizza place is hidden from sight. The same place he got the coffee. I give the owner 20 euros and ask him to take the bike. He is happy to do it. Tania calls Trek Travel and says if you have a chance, pick up the bike. As long as we are in the warm pizza place, we order hot chocolates before we are back on the bike. There is a time limit and we just spent 90 minutes on our humanitarian aid program. At this point, I did not think we would finish.
We get on the bikes and it is still pouring, still cold, but we could see sunlight at the bottom of the Tourmalet. We started the fast descent with another 25 kilometers to get to the base. We were back in the game. I did the math in my head and figured we could make it. Before we reach the next rest stop at the base of Hautacam, my wife, still shaking, asks me if she should continue. I told her, "NO." Five years ago, Étape finished on top of Hautacam and it was cold and rainy just like today. Tania had turned bright white at the finish that year, and then had to descend the mountain to get to the village. That proved to be the hardest part of the ride that day; getting her off the mountain. I said, "We have seen this movie before, don't do it." While I was dispensing this advice, I already knew what the answer was going to be. Tania grew up with four brothers and has what we call the "I want to play too syndrome". When she was younger she always wanted to play with the boys and sometimes the answer was "no." When that happened, her response was always the same: "I want to play too." And so, while she was making a decision, I already knew what the result would be. She was going to go up the mountain. She confirmed it with, "I am going to go up the mountain and if it gets really bad, I will turn around." To which the cynical JB replied, "let me get this straight, if we get to within 5 kilometers and it is really cold and pouring, you are going to turn around?" No answer. And so up we went. The Hautacam is a bear at 17.3 kilometers and a 7% grade. The weather turned out to be better than we thought, no rain until the last 3K. Tania made it to the top and never rang the bell. We made it up the mountain and finished l'Étape in just under 10 hours.
We return to the Trek Travel area to trade war stories with the rest of the group. It was an amazing day. This was our ninth straight Étape. Everyone has a different story with this race and this year was no different. I ask Zack from Trek Travel at the finish whether he picked up the gentleman's bike. "Yep, and you wouldn't believe it. After he warmed up, the police put him in the pizza place so I brought him down the mountain and two of his friends along with his bike."


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text: A few years ago, John Jeremiah Sullivan wrote a feature for GQ that was either a profile of Axl Rose as seen through the prism of Indiana or a profile of Indiana as seen through the prism of Axl Rose. In any case, it was great. The mug shot here is one of two Sullivan wheedled out of the Lafayette police department — "American masterpieces of the saddest, crappiest kind," he writes now. [Paris Review]


text: jeff Posted September 22, 2008 With apologies for the late start this month, I thought we should use the last 10 days or so of September to discuss new bourbons that appeared on the scene during the Bourbon Festival this year. One of note was the Mariage from Four Roses. What new releases did you have the opportunity to taste/purchase, and what do you think of the latest crop of premium bourbons?:893drillsergeant-thSound off:893drillsergeant-th Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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[Gay Kepple from Millane Nursery, tagging the tented Hamamelis Pallida for a planting area on the High Line]
Sierra Bainbridge and Maura Rockcastle at Field Operations, the landscape architecture firm leading the High Line design team, have been traveling to plant nurseries around the east coast in search of native plants for the High Line. Planting is projected to begin this spring. Sierra explains what the trips are all about:
"We're scouring native plant nurseries throughout the region, searching for many of the native trees and shrubs proposed for the High Line. Some of the native material we have found is a little smaller than planned, which only means it will have more time to naturalize and grow into its new environment.
Our first tagging trip was on February 28, to the north fork of Long Island. There we tagged the first tree for the High Line, the Koelreuteria paniculata (Goldenrain tree) for the area around the stair entrance to the High Line at 14th street. Because the planting beds have very shallow depths, we are planting lots of smaller trees and shrubs so that they will fit and acclimatize to the conditions on the High Line as they grow. We measured a few pre-dug Koelreuteria rootballs to ensure they would fit into the shallow depths of their planting bed, but we ended up choosing trees that are still in the field. We saw a lot of other great plants that day, but we went only for the lovely Koelreuteria."
[Sierra, left, tagging the first tree for the High Line, with Annette Wilkus from SiteWorks, the planting contract manager. ]
[Tagging the Koelreuteria paniculata]
[Measuring the rootballs]
"Since then, we have visited Hopewell and Moon nurseries, both on March 3rd. There we found some lovely birch for the 10th Avenue Overlook area, near 17th Street. We kept track of each number and took photos of each tree, so that we can indicate where we want each tree to go on the line, depending on size or form. We also found some lovely sassafras (this plant has three different shaped leaves, depending on its age, and some leaves are shaped like mittens, giving it the nickname "the mitten leaf tree"). We saw also saw and tagged some Cercis Canadensis (Eastern Redbud), Chaenomeles speciosa (Flowering quince), and some more, smaller Koelreuteria (Goldenrain tree)."
[Sassafras growing in the field]
[Tagging the sassafras for its location on the High Line]
"On March 11th we visited Millane Nursery in Connecticut to tag Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry) and a few 10′-12′ tall Cercis Canadensis (Eastern Redbud). We found a wild patch of Rhus (Sumac) along the wooded edges of the nursery and Millane was kind enough to agree to dig them for us. Rhus is one of the original pioneer species found on the High Line prior to construction. The nursery folks watched patiently as we scrambled through their woods flagging clusters of wild Rhus, perfect for the "preserve" area of the High Line, near 14th Street. Most of their plant stock was still covered for the winter and we plan to visit them again in early April to look at Cornus sanguinea (Bloodtwig Dogwood), Cotinus coggygria (Smokebush), and Ilex verticillata (Common winterberry) amongst others."
[Gay Kepple with Cercis Canadensis (Eastern Redbud)]
[Wild Rhus (Sumac) in the field]
"On March 19th we flew to Schichtel's Nursery south of snow-covered Buffalo in search of some large (20′-22′ tall) and some small (8′-10′) multi-stem Betula populifolia (Gray Birch), more Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry) and Pinus sylvestris (Pitch pine). All of these trees will be located near the Gansevoort St. entry stair, the densest area of trees on the line. The young birches had a smooth light brown bark that will turn a whitish-gray with age. We were lucky to also find Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak) at Schichtel's, which will be located near 18th Street, where the High Line begins to straighten out and run through Chelsea."
[Bob Smith from Schichtel's Nursery with the large Gray Birch for the Gansevoort Street entry]
[Tom Ryan, Field Operations construction consultant, with the small multi-stem Gray Birch]
[Pinus sylvestrius (Pitch pine) for near the Gansevoort Street entry]
[Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak)]
Filed under: Design | Tagged: Design, Field Operations, planting |