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|2012-07-27, 12:50
|Link #1
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: East Cupcake
Gundam Age - Character Discussion - Fram Nara
The purpose of this thread is to provide a place to discuss all things Fram Nara related.
To keep the discussion enjoyable for all Gundam fans, please follow the guidelines below and stay on-topic!
Note: Please don't use this for the specifics (i.e. episode, chapter, game, etc. discussion) there are other threads for that stuff.Thread Guidelines
|2012-07-27, 21:09
|Link #2
Puppet Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Behind You
I guess I'll break the ice.
Do you guys think her motivations for fighting in this war are shallow or selfish when compared to other characters like Flit, Asemu, and Zeheart for example?
Spoiler for ep41:
Btw, am I the only one who sees some similarities between Fram and young Flit from gen 1?
|2012-07-27, 21:17
|Link #3
Goat Herder
Join Date: Jun 2008
Age: 31
Personally, I think her goal was influenced by the fact she's an X-Rounder. Have you noticed that ALL of the X-Rounders, except for two exceptions (and even the bigger of the two has his moments) tend to make really bad decisions?
Desil? Total monster, irresponsible with lives and make stupid mistakes like calling off an attack on the Gundam when it was outmatched because he got bored.
Flit? Gets genocidal thoughts due to one incident that sends him over the edge, thoughts he hasn't let go of in fifty years.
The Magicians 8? Way too out of control concerning their feelings--take Mink for example, who kept flipping out every time one of her team got his ass shot down to the point where even her commanding officers couldn't control her.
Ezelcant? Loses kid, starts a huge social darwin-fueled war to create a superior race to inherit the Earth that's just not going to happen because he's only creating people like Flit instead.
Kio? Massive cases of severe recklessness, like chasing after a traitor instead of defending the ship and the base to try and "bring her back"? Getting to the safety of the ship only to dive right back into the situation that nearly got him kidnapped moments earlier? Running off with the Gundam to make one last visit to a friend when his father is trying to rescue him?
Fram? Ignoring the cause of the war for a (admittedly somewhat honorable) course of action to take out someone if he proves himself to be completely irresponsible with his men. Admirable, yes, but still fueled by a less-than-rational mind.
Is it really any wonder that Ezelcant views the X-Rounder thing as a regression in humanity? IIRC, the novel goes further into the aspect.
|2012-07-27, 21:31
|Link #4
Dark Energy
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: United States
Well, on the subject of X-Rounders being more emotive as a whole, that might have to do with them having those predictions of theirs. Rather than acting analytically in a situation, they're much more intuitive since they don't really need to develop the skills necessary to think ahead when their powers do it for them.
Bringing it back to the topic at hand, Fram acted pretty emotionally when she had that vision of Zeheart dying, and from the conversation with the man afterwards her original goal for being there (testing Zeheart) was over. More likely than not, she was a bit lost as to what to do next, since the Vagan cause (as Vagan believes it to be, not what Ezelcant's plan really is) seemed like a backburner concern for her next to discerning for herself whether or not her brother died for nothing.
Yeah, she called out Kio on how she believed his plan was wasting the sacrifices that had already been made so far, but chances are she was talking specifically about her brother, who sacrificed himself for Zeheart's cause, and now she seems ready to do the same. Which is a bit of a shame, given how much talent she has, but at least Zeheart isn't about to use her like Desil used Yurin. Of course, I guess it's better than her stepping into the battlefield without any clue as to why she's fighting.
|2012-07-27, 22:09
|Link #5
Puppet Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Behind You
|2012-07-27, 22:21
|Link #6
Goat Herder
Join Date: Jun 2008
Age: 31
|2012-07-27, 23:24
|Link #7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Age: 24
What's "Zeheart's cause" that Dole mentioned, exactly? Fighting for the freedom of the Vagan? Isn't that what all the Vagan believe Ezelcant's goal is?
Anyway, aside from sparing Asemu countless times and not being such a good pilot as he was made out to be, I'd say Zeheart is a pretty good commander. He follows through with Ezelcant's orders, and is always thinking ahead and not acting rashly.
|2012-07-27, 23:46
|Link #8
Puppet Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Behind You
|2012-07-28, 09:42
|Link #10
Join Date: Sep 2009
Age: 24
|2012-07-28, 14:16
|Link #12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Tennessee
Age: 31
|2012-07-28, 17:48
|Link #14
Dark Energy
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: United States
Alright, before this thread gets derailed into a Yurin thread, let's get back on topic.
At the present moment, the best enemy for Fram to fight might actually be Flit himself. Apart from messing with Flit's head over piloting an upgraded version of the suit his precious Yurin was wearing when she died horribly, if Fram really has decided to follow Zeheart like it was speculated a few posts ago then her ideology (especially about not wasting the sacrifices that had been made to get this far, which would most certainly include Yurin's, ironically enough) is the perfect one to stand in the way of Flit's kill-all-Vagan-leave-no-survivors mentality.
|2012-07-28, 19:12
|Link #15
Puppet Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Behind You
Does she have what it takes to be Flit's nemesis though?
Her resolve and X-Rounder abilities might be enough to overpower a wishy-washy Kio, but Flit is on a whole different level. He's fueled by hatred and vengeance, which alone make anyone a difficult enemy, he's got loads of combat experience and he's a top class X-Rounder.
I'd say Fram is at a severe disadvantage against Flit.
|2012-07-28, 19:17
|Link #16
Dark Energy
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: United States
|2012-07-28, 19:34
|Link #17
Goat Herder
Join Date: Jun 2008
Age: 31
I'm curious as to why everyone thinks that Fram's Fawn Farsia will make Flit pause in battle. We've really been given no hint that he's got PSTD concerning a machine of that make--I don't really think Fram being a girl or piloting the same kind of machine Yurin did will bother him. Her being Vagan will probably be enough to get Flit to try and kill her.
Yurin was one thing for Flit, since she wasn't really controlling the machine and didn't want to hurt him, so he merely had to focus on Desil and stop him if he wanted to save Yurin. That Flit is long gone, too, so chances are there isn't going to be any kind of handicap that Fram could take advantage of if she goes up against Flit.
|2012-07-28, 19:41
|Link #18
Dark Energy
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: United States
That being said, again, the only advantage I can see Flit having here is experience which Fram, by her own admission, lacks. Kio's not exactly a novice in MS combat either, and he's not what anyone would call a weak X-Rounder, so I wouldn't discredit Fram here solely on the basis of her opponent being Flit.
|2012-07-28, 20:17
|Link #19
Puppet Master
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Behind You
The thing is X-Rounder abilities isn't the end all be all of ms combat in AGE. Asemu has shown that skill, and sometimes trickery, go a long way in determining who wins. So even if Flit is not nowhere near Kio and Fram, he's still a pretty high level X-Rounder and he can make up the difference with his decades worth of piloting experiencing.
|2012-07-28, 21:15
|Link #20
Dark Energy
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: United States
New discussion topic, since this one is going in circles: Should we take the lack of common family name between Dole Frost and Fram Nara to mean they're only half-siblings?
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To answer your questions:~ the stone was heated for over one hour at 500~ this is a gas oven, not self-cleaning, so no way to increase the temp~ the broiler is a separate door underneath the oven door, I tried putting one pizza on top of the broiler pan to brown it and it nearly went up in flames in a matter of seconds! yikes!~ the tiles are on the lower oven rack as low as it will go~ I get the pizza on the stone as quickly as I can w/o losing it or ending up with an "accordion" pie~ I did not open the door at all while the pie was baking~ the room temp when rising was about 72-75I think Mr. Pete-zza wins the prize: I think the dough was overfermented. When I opened the bag after an 8 hr. rise, I had one of those big, gross bubbles that appeared in another photo somewhere here. Also, I used 2 TB starter instead of the 1 1/2TB previously and I used 1/4 t. yeast instead of a pinch - sometimes I get lazy/in a hurry/absentminded or all three at once.In my first use of this dough, I was able to come home at lunch and reform the dough into a ball, then put it back in the plastic bag to rise some more. Yesterday I couldn't get home during lunch, so it had a real long undisturbed rise, resulting in the big bubble.But hey! didn't I have gorgeous voids this time? I await with bated pepperoni breath your new formulation for a long room temp rise, Pete-zza!pyegal

subset: commoncrawl


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1:4 barsa
|Julio Baptista
|Nacho Monreal
|Sergi Roberto
1:4 barsa
@LesChiffre You are a fool to make that comment about bad officiating . Anti Barca that's what you are and you will continue to have heart attack in any Barca game.
agree with WS predction: 1-3 and we will watching EL CLASSICO! :)
pedro- dani pique-inesta iniesta-cesc
Thanks :)
Can anyone tell me who assisted for Pedro, Pique & Iniesta's goals?
this is the first game ina long time that barca acted as though they were actually trying. it was a great team performance allaround. malagas goals were bullshit, results of a handball and an awful no call when cesc got stomped on.
Barca -1 handicap
Barça will bring the big guns now, Alba-Iniesta on the left Messi-Cesc going deep and Xavi-Busquest controlling the game.
@LeChiffre, also speaking of Malaga's defensive record, although it has been impressive, you need to note that in their last 6 home games, they conceded 8 goals, overall it is good, but when it comes to big teams, they will concede, question is how much less goals they will concede is the key. Still I think Barca will be all out attack, and angry, this will make them more focused and definitely more lethal.
Malaga 2: 0 barcelona
Malaga will beat Barcelona at home that 3-1 loss was a fluke . Malaga has the best defensive record at home in la liga and getting a result in Barcelona will make them confident. Only way Malaga would lose is through bad officiating ( which wouldn't shock me)


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This is the fourth straight season five or more Big 12 teams have earned bids to the NCAA postseason event. The league has sent at least five teams to the tournament in all but one season. Overall, the Big 12 has earned 102 bids in 17 years of competition. The Conference is 155-95 in NCAA postseason play, a winning mark of .620. The Big 12 is 72-22 in the first round of NCAA action.
The Longhorns (23-4), who are set to host one of four regionals, will face Patriot League winner Colgate (17-13) in Austin on Thursday. Should Texas, which is 25-0 in first round competition, advance, they will face the winner of NC State-Texas A&M.
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Oklahoma meets Arizona State (20-13) in Provo, Utah, for first round action. The Sooners will face either BYU or New Mexico State should they advance to the second round.
Texas (No. 3), Iowa State (No. 18), Kansas (No. 20) and Kansas State (No. 25) are all ranked in the AVCA top 25.
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Thursday, Nov. 29
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IP Fort Wayne at No. 15 Iowa State, 7:30 p.m. - Ames, Iowa - Berkeley Regional
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Oklahoma vs. Arizona State, 6:00 p.m. - Provo, Utah - Omaha Regional
Cleveland State at No. 11 Kansas, 6:30 p.m. - Lawrence, Kan. - Austin Regional
Times are listed in CT.
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Setting the stage for tomorrow's VP debate: The pressure is on… Biden's challenge vs. Ryan's challenge… Today's main event: Issa's hearing on the attack in Libya… Romney's statement on abortion… New NBC/WSJ/Marist polls of FL, OH, and VA to come out tomorrow morning… Team Obama's tactical ad-buying advantage over Team Romney… This week's 10 hottest advertising markets… And Obama's new TV ad combining "47%" and Medicare.
Susan Walsh / AP
Vice President Joseph Biden speaks at the Mine Resistance Ambush Protected Program transition ceremony, Monday, Oct. 1, 2012.
*** The pressure is on: While vice-presidential debates typically don't have much bearing on the presidential contest, tomorrow night's Joe Biden-vs.-Paul Ryan showdown has put pressure on both sides. Team Obama NEEDS a strong performance from Biden to make up for last week and change the subject; another bad outing by a member of the ticket and the Democratic handwringing could turn into a full-fledged panic. Meanwhile, Team Romney needs a solid outing from Ryan to keep up the momentum. As we wrote last week, consider tomorrow night Game 2 of a baseball playoff series. After ace Romney beat ace Obama in Game 1, Democrats are looking for their No. 2 starter, Biden, to even the score. And Republicans are looking to go 2-0. That's what at stake Thursday, and that's why there's more pressure on Biden than on Ryan.
Robert Gibbs, a top adviser to the Obama campaign, spoke to TODAY's Matt Lauer about the latest Big Bird ad and how the campaign hopes to slow Mitt Romney's momentum with the race tightening in Ohio according to some polls, since the first debate.
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*** Ryan's challenge: Meanwhile, Paul Ryan's challenge is potentially more daunting: He has to defend BOTH his record and also Mitt Romney's. And as we've seen over the past few weeks, Ryan's record and budget plan have diverged from Romney's. Examples: While Romney has criticized the health-care law's $716 billion in Medicare savings, Ryan's own budget assumes those same savings; while Romney maintained at last week's debate that "I'm not going to cut education funding," Ryan's budget leads to long-term spending reductions in education; while Romney opposed the auto bailout, Ryan voted for it; while Romney has hit Obama for the looming defense cuts, Ryan voted for the Budget Control Act of 2011 that contains them; and while Romney has blasted Obama for not embracing Simpson-Bowles, Ryan voted against the Simpson-Bowles recommendations. Also, Romney certainly lowered debate expectations for his running mate yesterday, when he told CNN: "This is, I think, Paul's first debate. I may be wrong. He may have done something in high school, I don't know." Did Romney really say "high school"? Not exactly the best way to help the young Ryan look presidential (or vice-presidential).
Top Talkers: President Obama is leading Mitt Romney in Ohio, but Romney has closed the gap somewhat, a new CNN/ORC poll shows. The Morning Joe panel – including Donny Deutsch, the Huffington Post's Sam Stein and Mike Barnicle – discusses the tightening of the polls just four weeks before the election.
*** Issa's hearing on Libya: So the vice-presidential debate is tomorrow's big political story. But what is shaping up to be today's is Darrell Issa's House Oversight and Government Reform hearing on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya. How concerned is the Obama administration about today's hearing, which starts at noon ET? Concerned enough that the State Department -- after weeks of near-silence -- yesterday gave a tick-tock of what happened in Libya, and that tick-tock doesn't even remotely match what UN Ambassador Susan Rice said in the days after the attack (that it was sparked by that anti-Islam video and that it wasn't premeditated). Of course, the Obama administration has since revised its story, and it's better to be late than never. But there's no doubt that today's hearing is going to be – at the very least -- a headache for the White House. An example: Today's Washington Post report on the State Department concluding, back in July, "that the risk of violence to diplomats and other Americans in Libya was high and that the weak U.S.-backed government in Tripoli could do little about it." Just askin', but where is Secretary of State Hillary Clinton? Why isn't the administration sending her out to help explain what happened? Isn't this her turf? Also, did the intelligence community really let Susan Rice go out FIVE DAYS after the attack and say what she said? They didn't know FIVE DAYS LATER that there was not a single protest at all in Benghazi?
*** Romney's statement on abortion: Speaking of headaches, this could be one for Mitt Romney. In an interview yesterday with the Des Moines Register's editorial board, Romney said: "There's no legislation with regards to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda." That statement could very well surprise many of his conservative supporters. And Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul emailed this response to National Review: "Gov. Romney would of course support legislation aimed at providing greater protections for life." Saul gave this other statement to NBC News: "Mitt Romney is proudly pro-life, and he will be a pro-life president." We imagine that conservative commentators will be biting their tongues over Romney's statement to the Des Moines Register. But it's pretty remarkable – in today's day and age – for a GOP presidential nominee to say there's no abortion-related legislation that would become part of his agenda. By the way, you know Romney's doing well when social conservatives bite their collective tongue.
*** New NBC/WSJ/Marist polls of FL, OH, VA: Just how big was Romney's bounce after the debate? And did it continue beyond the immediate days afterward? We'll be releasing new NBC/WSJ/Marist polls tomorrow morning that will give us a good answer. Before last week's debate, we measured the contests of Florida (where it was Obama 47% Romney 46%), Ohio (Obama 51% Romney 43%), and Virginia (Obama 48% Romney 46%). Well, after the debate, we went back into the field in those same three states. Stay tuned for the results.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) responds to the recent Big Bird ad released by the Obama campaign saying it's a fun thing to talk about, but ultimately, it reveals the economy is still in bad shape and the president can't run on his record.
*** Team Obama's tactical advantage over Team Romney: If Obama ends up winning the presidential contest, it could very well come down to this: Team Obama has a tactical advantage over Team Romney, and that's especially true when it comes to advertising strategy. Politico has this example: "Voters in Columbus, Ohio, saw 30-second television ads for both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney while watching 'Wheel of Fortune' on their CBS affiliate over three days in September. For Obama's team, the order per spot cost $500. For Romney's, the price tag on the order was more than five times steeper at $2,800 per ad." What's going on here? Politico explains, "Romney places his commercials on a week-to-week basis, rather than booking time well in advance, and typically pays more so that his ads don't get preempted and to spare his campaign the hassle of haggling over time as prices rise." Folks, this is the equivalent of an NFL team -- in terms of tactics and ad-buying strategy -- going up against a high school team. And here's another example we've heard: For weeks, the Obama campaign has been hammering Romney on the "Big 10 Network." Only until recently has the Romney campaign also decided to advertise on the channel, about five weeks AFTER the start of football season. In a close race, the little things matter.
*** This week's 10 hottest markets: And by the way, here are this week's 10 hottest advertising markets in the presidential contest (in terms of advertising points from Oct. 8-14):
1. Orlando, FL (Obama/1600, Romney/1600, ROF/775, Priorities/630, ROF/215)
2. Norfolk VA (Romney/1500, Obama/1300, ROF/1200, Priorities/350, NRA/300)
3. Cleveland, OH (Romney/1500, Obama/1500, AmCrossroads/1200, Priorities/400)
4. Denver, CO (Romney/1500, Obama/1500, AmCrossroads/1200, Priorities/300)
5. Toledo, OH (Romney/1500, Obama/1500, AmCrossroads/1100, Priorities/300, NRA/250)
6. Des Moines, IA (Romney/1500, Obama/1300, ROF/1000, Priorities/350, American Future Fund/360)
7. Roanoke, VA (Romney/1500, ROF/1500, Obama/750, Priorities/300, NRA/400)
8. Cedar Rapids, IA (Romney/1500, Obama/1300, ROF/780, American Future Fund/415, Priorities/400)
9. Green Bay, WI (Romney/1500, ROF/1500, Obama/500, Priorities/500, NRA/400)
10. Tampa, FL (Romney/1,500, Obama/1500, ROF/675, NRA/250)
*** Combing with "47%" and Medicare: And speaking of ads, the Obama campaign is out with a new TV spot that combines Romney's "47%" remark with the Ryan budget plan for Medicare. The ad concludes, "You're no victim. You earned your benefits. Don't let Mitt Romney take them away."
*** Polling update: Latest polls: Gallup switched its tracking poll to likely voters and now has Romney leading 49-47%. Among registered voters, Obama leads 49-46%. In the states: OH: CNN/ORC has Obama up 51-47% among likely voters and up 53-43% among registered voters; NH: WMUR/University of New Hampshire has Obama up 47-41%, but Obama lead has shrunk from 15 points in the poll 10 days ago; PA: Siena has Obama up 43-40%.
*** On the trail: Romney spends another day in Ohio, hitting a town hall (with Chris Christie) in Mt. Vernon at 11:35 am ET, a restaurant visit in Delaware at 2:25 pm, and a rally in Sidney at 6:45 pm.
Countdown to VP debate: 1 day
Countdown to 2nd presidential debate: 6 days
Countdown to 3rd presidential debate: 12 days
Countdown to Election Day: 27 days
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Now it can be said: The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is for the birds. Make that the Angry Birds.
The attraction has just opened Angry Birds Space Encounter, which brings the fowl characters from the digital-gaming world to real life in hopes of increasing young people's interest in science.
Yes, there are slingshots, as in the game, which launches birds of different feathers at intergalactic targets. The KSC versions are about 4 feet high, and the birds are stuffed dolls fired at a wall in a minute-long competition called Eggsteroids Slingshot.
"Everyone really wants to play the game in the physical sense. So, of course, we have to have some massive slingshots and be able to knock stuff down," says Dan Mitchell, director of location-based entertainment for Rovio Entertainment, the Finland-based creator of the Angry Birds franchise.
The Birds are branching out beyond the games, which have been downloaded more than 1.7 billion times since debuting in December 2009. Finland's Sarkanniemi amusement park last year opened Angry Birds Land, an area that includes Angry-themed rides, stores and playgrounds. The company has an emphasis on "activities parks," Mitchell says.
"It's all about moving — maybe not so much waiting in line as it is getting up and doing it," he says.
Kennedy Space Center, located in Brevard County, also features touch screens that let guests design Angry Bird characters, solve sliding puzzles and play a round of the Angry Birds Space game. Other activities are the Danger Zone, a mirrored maze, and the Red Planet Lazer Challenge, a "Mission: Impossible"-esque obstacle course.
The maze was more elaborate and disorienting than I anticipated, with lighting effects and, for freaked-out folks, emergency exits. There are surprises that reminded me of mazes at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights — but without gore. And in great Central Florida style, the maze dumps into a gift shop, stocked with T-shirts and other souvenirs.
The slingshot area is decidedly low-tech. After each round, workers must gather up the fallen dolls before the next competition can start. There's netting on the sides in case of ricochet. When older kids got ahold of the slingshots, they discovered that pulling way back resulted in big-time rebounds.
At least they learned a few things about trajectory. That's science, right?
Angry Birds Space Encounter is fun, but it's a small step compared with other projects at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Opening this summer is the $100-million Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, which will present the orbiter at a unique angle along with interactive displays.
Already in place is a remodeled, modernized front gate that includes a fountain, ticketing booths, self-service kiosks and a round retail shop. That project also includes a restaurant inside and comes with a new traffic flow that immediately introduces guests to the attraction's Rocket Garden, a dramatic display of genuine, retired spacecraft.
In previous years guests enjoyed the Rocket Garden, but not everyone found it, says Bill Moore, chief operating officer.
"Today, you walk in and you get it," Moore says. "You understand why you're here, and you're sort of inspired to go learn a little bit more."
email@example.com or 407-420-5477
Angry Birds Space Encounter
Where: State Road 405, between Range Road and East Avenue SW, in Brevard County
When: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Cost: $50 ($40 ages 3-11)
Phone: 877-313-2610
Online: KennedySpaceCenter.com


text:
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text:
My third day in China was very busy. We visited the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and Kunming Lake. Let me see, so far I have been frisked by a security guard in Vancouver, saw 2 people being whisked away in the Beijing airport to awaiting medical tents and medical personnel, got lost in the Beijing airport, was contacted by CNN for an interview, conquered my fear of flying and climbed the Great Wall of China, what a frigging adventure!!!
Our first stop was the gardens surrounding The Temple Of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven was constructed from 1406 to 1420 and visited annually by Emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for good harvests. Music and activities were everywhere.
I love traditional Chinese music, love the tones and shapes of their instruments, I recorded some musical shorts on video and posted it at the end of this post.
Along with the music there was Chinese Shuttlecock,
and Tai Chi going on.
One of my goals, besides viewing the eclipse, climbing the Great wall, oh yeah and seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors was to get me and a friend fake Rolex Watches, as well as pick me up a "I Climbed The Great Wall" t shirt, well I got my shirt the day before and the Rolex watches that day and had my first experience with the local street vendors, they are everywhere and there are some good deals to be had if you know how to barter.
Since you can't actually go inside the Temple I leaned over the railing to get a shot of the beautiful ceiling work.
After the temple it was off to Tiananmen Square, the largest urban square in the world.
I gotta say our tour guide was very knowledgeable, a walking wikipedia on the history of Beijing, mention anything he always had a answer that usually went on and on and on so much so my brain started to hurt with way too much information,Temple this, Dynasty that, but mention..."Tank Man"..................................................................................................................................
......................................................................ribbit............................................................., silence fell, now from what I've been told, there have been major advancements in the personal freedoms and choices of the Chinese peoples over the last several years but there is still one major topic or taboo that no one is allowed to talk about and that is the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
Our tour guide either skirted or changed the subject every time I brought it up, there is no information on the subject over there, for some strange reason I thought there would be an X marking the spot or some kind of monument, seems the government is trying to either delete or re-write that part of their history. When I asked "can you at least point to the approximate area where it happened?" he hesitated then slowly pointed straight ahead down by the trees and and lamp posts on the image below. The avenue it occurred on, and you can see cars in the image below traveling on it is called Chang'an, it runs between Tiananmen Square and the entrance to the Forbidden City. Even today Freight trucks are not allowed to use the road and no commercial advertising is allowed within 100 metres of the street.
The government blocked twitter, blogger and even hotmail due to the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, control the information flow, control the people.
That night I was watching the BBC news in my hotel room, they were reporting on a group of teenage students that were just quarantined at the Beijing Hospital, the reporter was saying the hospital was taking good care of them and that they were all having a great time, as he was reporting the camera was zooming in on the group about 30 or so yards away from the camera, behind a shoulder length chain link fence they were waving and smiling away to the reporters......., just kind of seemed a little staged, maybe not, maybe they were having a great time....behind the chain link fence.
This whole H1N1 thing brings up another question, the "F" word, what do the locals do if they feel a fever coming on? Do they sweat it out in hopes it's nothing too serious or do they pack their bags and expect to be away for a couple weeks? I asked the guide about this as well, he just laughed and said no problem, stay at home til better. The person sitting next to me on the plane was heading to Beijing from Vancouver to visit his family. I asked him how he felt about the virus and the quarantine, he said, China was a big place , lots of people and the government had to be careful.... that was it, then he went back to playing video games, he brought his laptop and was playing some cool space shooting game, and was actually very good, I dropped some hints about taking a turn, I even fixed his adapter for him so he could run it off the plane's electricity and said things like "cool game", and "how many lives do you have left", "I have a PS3" but he didn't take the hints, so I went back to watching "The Man From Planet X".
From Tiananmen square we entered The Forbidden City, 980 buildings and 8,700 rooms.
The Forbidden City was the imperial palace to the Ming and Qing dynasties, was built between 1406 and 1420 and was called forbidden because no one was allowed to enter or leave without the Emperor's permission. Such a huge place with magnificent buildings, again we did a lot of walking around, they kept it very clean, as we were waiting the hour it took for our guide to get through the lines to get tickets I got a picture of a cleaner and his cool witch type broom.
Kunming lake and the Summer Palace were our last stops that day. Once a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi, (Qing Dynasty) it is now a beautiful resort and lake for all to enjoy.
We also took a boat ride across the lake.
and saw some kites.
I'll leave you now with a video of some musical shorts, first a musical selection from the Tang Dynasty show I saw in Xian, then a quick change mask artist, some music from the park, a short of a singer from our Beijing hotel lobby and to end it off an actor from a play I saw, "The Legend Of Kung Fu" hitting a fish drum, fish never close their eyes, well they can't, therefore they are a symbol to monks to remain ever vigilant like them, next stop the Terracotta Warriors.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Tank Man and The "F" Word
64 comments:
- Astro-Nuts said...
Good post. Lots of good info. I don't think I'll ever get over to China, so this is good to read and see the pictures. If you haven't, you should check out my latest two posts. I finally got lucky with the camera and the Moon.
I'm ramping up for the RASC annual star party at Cypress Hills next week, so I'm hoping for big things from that. I'll keep you posted.
Anyway, talk to you soon.
- August 7, 2009 at 12:42 PM
- Anna said...
Oh Bob I don't know how you do it, after such a intense travel, did you ever got some sleep back home, lol, you wrote so much detail about your trip, and did the tour guide liked you on the end, lol. BTW I like oriental music too, every time my friends would go back to China, I asked for it, I used to use it for tai-chi training, it was fun. Hey excellent post again. Anna :)
- August 7, 2009 at 2:42 PM
- Texas Travelers said...
Great post.
I love history, current events, and great photography. You had all threee.
Thanks for sharing the adventure and letting me ride along. Almost like being there without the risk of H1N1.
Thanks for the visit and glad you liked the panorama. Blogger downsized my photo. I guess it was too amny pixels wide.
- August 7, 2009 at 3:30 PM
- Moonshadow said...
What a wonderful post, Bob. I really liked your video. Keep the reports coming. :)
- August 7, 2009 at 6:44 PM
- Swubird said...
Your trip to China was truly the adventure of a lifetime. Thank you so much for sharing it in your comprehensive posts. Really something. And I liked the video. Having one of those T-shirts is like having a Vegas ball cap the casinos used to give if you got a Royal Flush. I have one and I guard it with my life.
Keep posting the good news. Love it all.
Happy trails.
happy trails.
- August 7, 2009 at 6:54 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Hey Colin thanks, and great shots in your last posts, good luck with the weather for the star party, hope you can get some good milkyway shots, maybe a meteor or two as well.\m/\m/
- August 7, 2009 at 7:14 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Anna, lol, I think the guide still liked me, he got annoyed at times though.
Just starting to catch up on my sleep, amazing how traveling saps you of your energy. The music was very cool there, interesting to see how many people are involved in it, much more then here.\m/\m/
- August 7, 2009 at 7:18 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Troy, I am going to look into doing some panoramas, with the milky way especially.\m/\m/
- August 7, 2009 at 7:19 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Moonshadow, I have a few more to do, kind of hard to let go,lol, had a great time and made some new friends.\m/\m/
- August 7, 2009 at 7:20 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks swubird, lol about your cap, I treasure the shirt, won't be picking up another one probably in my lifetime.\m/\m/
- August 7, 2009 at 7:22 PM
- Peter said...
Hi! Awe inspiring to say the least! What memories to have and to keep! Yes, I'm green with envy.
Did the fake Rolex watch get through customs? No need to answer that one!
As for the man in Tiananmen Square, perhaps the listening devices put him off somewhat!
As a lad I remember coming across similar music as in your video on an old AM radio. Thought it was quite odd then, only now do I appreciate it and the multitude of centuries behind it all.
Take Care,
- August 7, 2009 at 7:34 PM
- John Maslowski said...
Your travels to China must have been an experience of a lifetime. Fascinating images, I just love the architecture. Excellent captures, truly amazing compositions.
- August 7, 2009 at 9:24 PM
- Mike Golch said...
Great posting.
- August 7, 2009 at 9:45 PM
- Stephanie B said...
I absolutely love history and spent some time last year reading through some fascinating segments of Chinese history (I prefer older history to what's happened the past 100 years or so). I think it's so cool you've walked through areas I've read about.
I'm so happy for you.
Some gamers are so selfish...
- August 7, 2009 at 10:12 PM
- kRiZ cPEc said...
Well, thanks for sharing, the info and the shots. Have a nice weekend.
- August 7, 2009 at 11:55 PM
- Shinade aka Jackie said...
Bob this is just a trip of a life time!
Your photos and your accounts are so vivid I can actually feel the excitement jumping right out of my monitor!
Wow CNN really? i watch CNN all the time. I do so hope you do the interview.
Your entire trip has been so exciting that I mentioned you in my post for today.
A little birdie also whispered that you have a birthday some time soon. I hope I haven't missed.
Happy Birthday and I hope it was or will be a fantastic day!
Happy weekend!
- August 8, 2009 at 5:38 AM
- Dr. Lauren said...
What a great tour Bob. You know, terracotta warriors are so fascinating to me. There is so much mystery to them.
- August 8, 2009 at 10:09 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Peter, yes the watches got through customs,lol, actually I don't think my bags were checked at all. The Chinese music I also remember for my early days and also thought how odd it was compared to the Beatles,lol.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:34 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks a lot John, China leads itself to photography, I'd like to see what you would have done with the older images in HD.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:35 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks a lot Mike, and thanks for dropping by.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:36 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Stephanie, me too, like real old history, always been fascinated with the older dynasties, the fact there were so many and their walls, seemed every city had a protective wall around it.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:37 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks kRiZ, you have a great weekend too.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:38 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Jackie, I did the interview with CNN the day of, was great and another experience that was just too cool for school.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:39 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Dr. Lauren, the Terracotta army is almost classified as the 8th wonder of the world, so much history and the amount of work that went into building them is remarkable.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 10:40 AM
- Will said...
Those medical inspections caught a whole plane load of our local kids who went on a cultural exchange trip to China last month. A few tested positive for the Swine Flu and the whole group was quarantined for weeks. They never did get to do their trip as they were secluded in a hotel if they were healthy, and in a clinic/hospital if they tested positive. Most are home now, but what an ordeal it was for them!
- August 8, 2009 at 12:29 PM
- betchai said...
wow, love the details of the trip you shared, and the pictures. probably i too would buy the t-shirt that says i climbed the great wall if i were there :) i would love to wear it too haha!
haha, i love going to chinatown when in SF, i can do some bargaining when i buy my trinkets :) i don't know if i would be able to do some bargaining in China since i don't speak Chinese, but i would love to go there someday.
- August 8, 2009 at 4:22 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Wow Will, but I bet they had a great time,lol.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 5:16 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks betchai, most of the vendors can speak a little english, enough for you to bargin with them, they know all the tricks but still a person can get some great deals.\m/\m/
- August 8, 2009 at 5:19 PM
- PJ said...
great information that you have given here. i have learned a lot just from your post. very well written with great photos. sounds like a wonderful adventure indeed.
- August 8, 2009 at 7:21 PM
- Carole said...
Wow Bob, how lucky to get to China. You must've had a great time. Lovely set of images documenting your stay there. I particularly like the litter sweepers.. LOL love the brush they are using.
- August 9, 2009 at 4:08 AM
- Lynda Lehmann said...
An amazing journey and post, Bob, chock full of stuff most of us have never seen. I don't know how you managed to absorb it all, and you kept your sense of humor throughout!
Sure was a monumental week for you. If it were me, I would have been so excited i wouldn't have slept a wink!
Just leave it to you to be the guy who asks the questions! I'm glad your guide didn't overreact. After all, he could be arrested if he says the wrong thing. :(
Too bad the guy on the plane didn't let you in on the video game. Your account of this is very funny!
Thank you, Mr. Johnson, for a great post.
- August 9, 2009 at 10:19 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks PJ, it was a wonderful adventure indeed,\m/\m/
- August 9, 2009 at 10:41 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Carole,lol, I loved the brooms they used over there too, they seemed to work very well, oh and I liked their hats too.\m/\m/
- August 9, 2009 at 10:43 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Lynda, I hardly slept at all while I was over there, just like Christmas morning every time I woke up, had to keep your sense of humor, so many incidences happening all the time, at least for me,lol.\m/\m/
- August 9, 2009 at 10:46 AM
- Swubird said...
I just stopped by Lynda's site. She is excited about her new telescope that you gave her. She calls it her Bobascope. LOL. She also said it was your birthday, so happy B-day! Live long and prosper and keep on truckin'.
Happy trails.
- August 9, 2009 at 12:54 PM
- Acadia said...
That was enough information for 10 posts - congrats on having the opportunity to take the trip!
- August 9, 2009 at 2:37 PM
- Cashmere said...
Hey Bob! Thanks for letting us in on your experience.. Would love to visit the places you did too..
Swubird mentioned it's your birthday? Is it true? If so, Happy Belated to you!
p/s: Did you experience any culture shock? I heard the Chinese people love to spit everywhere.. =\
- August 9, 2009 at 4:23 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Lol swubird, love the Bobascope name, yes I saw her post, was very kind of her, thanks for the Happy Birthday as well.\m/\m/
- August 9, 2009 at 5:11 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Acadia, it turned out to be quite the adventure.\m/\m/
- August 9, 2009 at 5:12 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Cashmere, culture shock big time, didn't notice the spitting but every one smoked and the amount of traffic and the way they never use signal lights, just honk and push their way in, takes a while to get used to.\m/\m/
- August 9, 2009 at 5:14 PM
- AngelBaby said...
Wonderful, just wonderful. I have really enjoyed seeing China through your eyes. You have done a marvelous job of showing all of us what it was like there. I am glad you had such an awesome experience.
Love and Blessings,
- August 10, 2009 at 12:14 AM
- sexy legs and body said...
Fantastic post, love it, beautiful pics Bob.
Thanks also for visiting and commenting on my site, really appreciate your input.
- August 10, 2009 at 3:09 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks AngelBaby, I did have a super time in China and like sharing this once in a lifetime experience.\m/\m/
- August 10, 2009 at 8:27 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Hey Colin thanks and I like commenting on other peoples blogs that make me laugh, in a good way,lol.\m/\m/
- August 10, 2009 at 8:27 AM
- Max Coutinho said...
Hey Bob :D!
Whoa, you were frisked at Vancouver? Why? Do you think it was LS who told them to do it? LOL LOL LOL ;)...
Music, good harvests and activities are an excellent reason to go to the temple...I love the history of the Chinese Empire: it is so rich and powerful!
Me too: I love traditional Chinese music...it is so soothing! And their opera is also very good. I won't even mention their ballet corps which is very very good!
Ah, Tai Chi...did you know that I practice it? Did you join this group, Bob?
Oh China, China...the day they allow people to freely talk about Tiananmen and free Tibet: I will stop admiring the Chinese Empire only and begin to respect Modern China *nodding*.
Well, Lord of the Astrostuff, I tried to listen to the video...but no sound (for the second time): I don't know if it is on my end or what :(...
Anyway, superb post: I had loads of fun :D!
Have a great week!
- August 10, 2009 at 10:33 AM
- Shinade aka Jackie said...
Every time I come in for a visit I am just blown away at this incredible adventure.
It's hard for me to even imagine. I love history and this is definitely a dream trip for me.
Thanks for hosting my card today and I hope you have a wonderful week Bob!!:-)
- August 10, 2009 at 6:45 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Max, I didn't know you practiced Tai Chi, very cool, I know a few moves, lol.
Yes I love their traditional music, did you know they have a few punkers in Beijing, hasn't quite caught on yet, but it shows the government is loosening up where music is concerned a little. They also are excellent in acrobatics, saw a show while I was there. Too bad about the audio, that of course is the main part, you may want to try firefox if you haven't already, I never could get IE to work with youtube, thanks for dropping by Max and have a great week.\m/\m/
- August 10, 2009 at 8:55 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Jackie, it was a trip of a lifetime, and the blog is a great way to share and document it before I forget, as I have a tendency to do,forget that is,lol.\m/\m/
- August 10, 2009 at 8:58 PM
- Dorothy said...
Wow my husband bicycled China with 50 others in 1991 (he's an ultra marathon cyclist)and I'm fascinated by your trip I'd be scared to go there. However your site is incredible and I'm going to share it with my grandson Noah when he comes this weekend.
Dorothy from grammology
- August 11, 2009 at 6:51 AM
- Mike said...
Hey Bob,
Thanks for the continued posts on your trip to China - the next best thing to being there. I enjoyed the post and great photos.
- August 11, 2009 at 7:29 AM
- Don said...
Amazing stories and thoughts! I have been out of blog world, but Ruth has been keeping me up with your happenings. You have so many great photos and anecdotes. You may need to write a book!
- August 11, 2009 at 12:13 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Dorothy, cool your husband cycled China that would really be something and thanks for wanting to share my site with Noah!\m/\m/
- August 11, 2009 at 5:10 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Mike, I'm finding it's a good way to document the trip.\m/\m/
- August 11, 2009 at 5:11 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Don, glad you like the write up, it was unforgettable but just in case I do forget which I have a tendency to do I'm writing everything down while it's fresh in my memory.\m/\m/
- August 11, 2009 at 5:15 PM
- kml said...
You certainly have had an experience of a lifetime, and you captured some great photos too! I have enjoyed your posts, and waited to read them until I had to time to really enjoy them. I didn't want to miss a word - I felt like I was there too!
Thanks for sharing all your stories - I love them!
- August 12, 2009 at 6:25 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Kathy, glad you like the posts, thanks for taking the time to stop by and read them.\m/\m/
- August 12, 2009 at 9:17 PM
- Priyank said...
Hi Bob, This is the closest I've been to China. Surprisingly, none of my the travel bloggers I know have written about China, so your information is nice to know. I saw a documentary about the T-square, it was very sad and very brutal. I hate communism. :)
- August 13, 2009 at 4:19 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Thanks Priyank, Yes communism sucks, too much power for the government, the ability to curtail people's freedoms and say in an instant, like with the internet, and the ability to re write history as in the Tiananmen square protests, or at least try to.\m/\m/
- August 13, 2009 at 8:47 PM
- Marvin the Martian said...
I'm glad you got to see so much without getting arrested for some political infraction! Wonderful pix Bob .
- August 18, 2009 at 9:11 AM
- Bob Johnson said...
Lol, thanks Marvin, well my wife gave me explicit instructions not to get arrested, so I didn't.\m/\m/
- August 20, 2009 at 8:54 AM
- Genie said...
Beautiful, amazing! What fantastic experiences you had! I'm only sorry I haven't kept up more. Wow, Bob, you're the man!
- August 21, 2009 at 2:54 PM
- Bob Johnson said...
Hey thanks Genie!\m/\m/
- August 26, 2009 at 8:47 AM
- Logo said...
Just starting to catch up on my sleep, amazing how traveling saps you of your energy. The music was very cool there, interesting to see how many people are involved in it, much more then
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- May 24, 2010 at 1:22 AM
- Web 2.0 Design said...
Wow, seems you had an awesome experience....
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- July 16, 2010 at 7:32 AM


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Shown in Dark Bronze Finish and Maple Blades -
Around 1800, Greek architecture as seen through the medium of etchings and engravings gave new impetus to Neoclassicism, now called the Greek revival. Although at first look this reintroduction of classic forms seems reactionary, it was really a response to the excess of Rococo and should be seen as a precedent to the modern era. It was a search for the ideal of Greek purity among the cacophony of nineteen-century design. In American architecture, Neoclassicism was one expression of the American Renaissance movement, ca 1880-1917. One of the pioneers of this style was Benjamin Henry Latrobe, who is often noted as Americas first professional architect and the father of American architecture. The Baltimore Basilica, the first Roman Catholic cathedral in America, is considered by many experts to be Latrobes masterpiece. The last manifestation of this American classic style was in Beaux-Arts architecture and its large public projects were the familiar Lincoln Memorial, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the American Museum of Natural Historys Roosevelt Memorial. The Greeks did not have ceiling fans but turn-of-the-century Neo-classic and the earlier antebellum architecture should have. Period Arts Fan Company offers the Flute fan as the perfect solution for your Renaissance interior.
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Zootopia Streaming In HDMovie Zootopia Movie with duration 120 Min and released on 2016-03-04 and MPAA rating is 5.
- Original Title : Zootopia
- Movie title in your country : Zootopia
- Year of movie : 2016
- Genres of movie : Comedy, Animation, Action, Adventure, Family,
- Status of movie : In Production
- Release date of movie : 2016-03-04
- Companies of movie : Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios,
- Countries of movie : United States of America,
- Language of movie : English,
- Durationof movie : 120 Min
- Average vote of movie : 4.2
- Youtube ID of movie : UPJGR8mFCUg
- Translation of movie : FR,EN,ES,DE,HU,HE,NL,PT,EL,
- Actors of movie :
- Ginnifer Goodwin ( Lieutenant Judy Hopps (voice) )
- Jason Bateman ( Nick Wilde (voice) )
- Shakira ( Gazelle (voice) )
- Idris Elba ( Chief Bogo (voice) )
- Octavia Spencer ( Mrs. Otterson (voice) )
- J.K. Simmons ( Mayor Lionheart (voice) )
- Alan Tudyk ( Duke Weaselton )
- Jenny Slate ( Bellwether )
- Bonnie Hunt ( Bonnie Hopps )
- Alan Tudyk ( Duke Weaselton (voice) )
- Jenny Slate ( Bellwether (voice) )
- Bonnie Hunt ( Bonnie Hopps (voice) )
- Tommy Lister ( Finnick (voice) )
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Zootopia Synopsis:
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- This event has passed.
Maple's Sweet Story
March 10, 2018 @ 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm
An event every week that begins at 12:00pm on Sunday and Saturday, repeating until March 31, 2018
Events Navigation
Take a guided walk through the farm's sugar bush. Learn how to pick the right tree, then watch how maple trees are tapped and sap is collected. Stop by the French and Native camps to hear and see how these techniques have changed through the years. Be sure to visit the sugar shack to see and smell the sap being boiled down into maple sugar. Taste a sample of maple syrup at the end of the tour. Maple sugar products will be available for purchase. The Farmhouse Grille will have pancakes available to purchase as well. Tours begin every half hour, last approximately one hour and are entirely outdoors. Dress for the weather.
Time: 12 – 3 p.m.
Cost: $5 adult, $3 child
Location: Kensington Farm Center – Map Me
- Phone: (248) 684-8632
- E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
A Metroparks vehicle entry permit is required to enter any Metropark and is only $35 annually for regular admission, $24 annually for seniors or $10 daily.


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Course Description
These 2 day tutorials offers stereotactic neurosurgeons and psychiatrists the opportunity to expand their knowledge in the application of DBS for the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
The tutorials combine theoretical learning and hands-on experience.
Target Audience
Stereotactic neurosurgeons with at least 2 or more years of experience and psychiatrists with:
- Interest in the use of DBS as an alternative treatment for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Wish to learn the practical aspects of the therapy
- Interest to improve and expand their knowledge on implant techniques
Learning Objectives
At the end of this training participants will:
- Treat OCD according to the Current treatment options for OCD
- Select patients for DBS according to the psychiatric and neurosurgical selection criteria
- Master neuroimaging and neuroanatomy
- Implant and program neurostimulator
- Manage post-implant patients
- Evaluate acute postsurgical patients
This training program was granted 12 European CME credits with UEMS/EACCME. Event code 8452.
- Open the Event Status page (requires event code)


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The Railway Man cast and crew mourn the death of writer Eric Lomax
Eric Lomax's memoirs about working on the so-called 'death railway' in Thailand after he was captured by Japanese troops have been adapted into a new movie, starring the Oscar winners.
Lomax's book was published in 1995.
He died early on Monday (08Oct12).
Lomax was captured and held at at the infamous Changi jail before he was relocated to Kanchanaburi, where he worked on the railway link to Burma.
The real-life struggle was chronicled in David Lean's 1957 film The Bridge On The River Kwai.
Lomax returned to Kanchanaburi in the early 1990s to meet the interpreter who had interrogated him while he was tortured.
Andy Paterson, the producer of the film adaptation of his book, tells the BBC, "The cast and crew of The Railway Man are deeply saddened to hear of Eric Lomax's death. All our thoughts today are with his family.
"Whilst we are heartbroken that he will not be with us at the premiere, he lived long enough to see some early images from the film and to share our hopes that this new version of his story will help ensure that the men who suffered with him - and the families who had to cope with the legacy - would never be forgotten."


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Difference between revisions of "Jericho"
Revision as of 03:44, 12 May 2011
Jericho (Arabic أريحا Arīḥā Hebrew יריחו Yəriḥo) [1], the "City of Palms", is a small city within the Palestinian Territories and Israeli-occupied West Bank, close to the northern end of Dead Sea and some 55 km (34 miles) from Jerusalem. A relatively tranquil town, Jericho's recent reputation for calm and lack of security incidents in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have made it a natural target for visitors to areas administered by the Palestinian National Authority. Jericho is touted as the world's oldest city. Jericho is believed to be 10,000 years old
The modern town of Jericho includes the ancient mound known as Tell es-Sultan, the accumulated remains of cities that have existed on the site for some 9,000 years - the Neolithic period. Archaeology reveals that Jericho is one of the oldest human settlements in the Middle East.
Jericho, of course, is probably best known for its Biblical associations: (song) "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho - and the walls came tumbling down!"
Get in
The best way to get to Jericho from Jerusalem is to take bus 36 or 63 from the Arab bus station nearby Damascus gate; it costs 7 NIS. Ask for Jericho and the driver will drop you off at Al Ezariya where you can get a shared taxi to the center of Jericho for 10 NIS.
There are also buses from the bus stations Bethlehem and Ramallah. The "shrut" van from the bottom floor of the Bethlehem bus station takes around an hour to get to the central square of Jericho (20 NIS one way). The return trip could require you to transfer through another town to get back to Bethlehem, and this other route will cost around 22 NIS.
Get around
There are Bedouins selling a variety of goods in Jericho, but the prices for them aren't much cheaper than other places. Food, however, is significantly cheaper in Jericho.
Near the Central Square, there are many places for quick bites, especially in the direction of the Sycamore Tree or Hisham's Palace.
It worth a visit to Qurantal mountain where Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights after the devil's temptation to him, where you will find a very nice restaurant at the bottom of the mountain, you will have your lunch in front of an amazing panaromic birds eye view of Jericho city ,the mountains of Jordan and the Dead Sea.
You can reach this restuarant by using the Cable Car of Jericho, it costs ( ~$15 )55 NIS / Person for a 7 mintues trip of about 1.35 Km.
Jericho is famous for it's tasty fruits, especially banannas!!
The town is pretty much alcohol free.
Jericho Resort Village
Built in the last 1990s the Jericho Resort Village is a 4 star hotel boasting multiple swimming pools, fine dining, poolside bungalows and a rooftop spa. The hotel also has a small conference centers and a poolside bar.
A 5 star hotel and casino located right after the Palestinian checkpoint at the entrance to Jericho. The hotel was built before the second intifada and is one of the nicest in Palestine and also the tallest building in Jericho giving each beautifully appointed room views for miles. The hotel boast 3 swimming pool, a water slide and a pool with dead sea water.
Since the outbreak of the second intifada the casino has been closed, though it has been rumored it will reopen soon
Get out


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An intensive search continues in north Shawnee as a heartbroken family searches for their missing and beloved pet — an 11-month-old kangaroo named Lucy Sparkles.
An intensive search continues in north Shawnee as a heartbroken family searches for their missing and beloved pet — an 11-month-old kangaroo named Lucy Sparkles.
The Menhusen family is offering a $500 reward for Lucy, their gray pet kangaroo.
What began as a lovely Thanksgiving quickly turned sad when the family realized Lucy was gone, likely spooked by all the commotion and company over for the holiday meal.
Shayla Menhusen said they believe Lucy wandered off and was likely spooked by all the children outside as kangaroos can be sensitive to noises.
"We're certainly heartbroken and sad — we just want her to come home," Menhusen said.
The family searched for Lucy Thursday night and again on Friday, but she hasn't been found, leaving the family both worried and heartbroken. Lucy became part of the family in June, Menhusen said, and 4-year-old Layla named her Lucy Sparkles.
"She is just like a dog — she hops around the yard with the kids," Menhusen said. "She's very gentle and very sweet."
Lucy, when standing, is about 2 feet tall, she said, and weighs about 30 pounds, so she's like a medium-sized dog.
While Menhusen said people may think kangaroos are aggressive, they're not.
She has her own pen with a house and a pouch where she sleeps at night for her safety, although she wanders in the fenced yard with the family during the day.
"She hops around the yard and lays on the porch like a dog," she said. "She is so cute."
Lucy typically goes to her pen at dark, but Thursday, she wasn't there.
The family lives on 5 acres about four miles north of Shawnee Mall and a mile to the west, so there's lot of woodland in that area.
Lucy typically wears a GPS collar, Menhusen said, but it broke several days ago and they've been awaiting arrival of a new one on order.
Without the GPS, there's no telling where — or how far — Lucy could have wandered, but Menhusen hopes she's bedded down somewhere close and is waiting to be found or will return home on her own..
Lucy typically will respond to her name or a whistle, but the family hasn't had any luck, especially with all the wind.
"I don't think she could hear us," she said.
For Menhusen, a plea on Facebook has led to many showing up to help them search for their pet, including total strangers.
Menhusen said her husband, Larry, wanted to get a kangaroo earlier this year and researched it thoroughly before they obtained Lucy from a kangaroo breeder and veterinarian in Texas, so she's had all the required immunizations.
The couple has three children — Layla, who named Lucy, along with a 16-month-old and a 4-week-old. While the younger two aren't sure what's happened, Menhusen said Layla seems concerned about Lucy being gone, although she's certain Lucy is out somewhere eating grass.
While the family is worried about her safety, they're also worried about coyotes trying to get Lucy, or are scared she might been seen by hunters or approach someone who believes she's a danger or a threat.
Menhusen said Lucy is gentle and likes to be held, and she especially likes to eat Cheetos.
"If you do see her, she's friendly," Menhusen said. Lucy, if she's scared, might shake, but is used to being held and petted, Menhusen said. Anyone trying to pick her up to cuddle her must support her weight by scooping their hand under her rear-end when picking her up, Menhusen said, and if someone finds her, she should stay inside a fenced yard.
In addition to the family and all those searching for Lucy, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office, Shawnee police and animal control, and the game warden have all been notified and are on the lookout for the kangaroo, she said.
The family's neighbors also have been notified.
"We feel like she's close," Menhusen said, hopeful Lucy will find her way back home or be found safe. "She's the only pet we have."
The vet where they obtained Lucy said she's had lost kangaroos go missing up to a week before returning on their own, Menhusen said, which gives them hope.
Menhusen said they're thankful to all those spreading the word on Facebook and those who've shown up to help with the search.
Anyone with information can call Shayla Menhusen at 405-990-4867.


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His jersey number, therefore, takes on an enlarged importance. It's splashed across his chest, his back, his shoulders, so every fan watching can use it to pick him out on the field, out of the crowd of identically-dressed men wearing the same helmets.
Any Packer fan worth her salt knows the numbers. 14. 3. 15. 66. 92. Numbers than have become so identified with one man that the team has decided nobody will ever wear it again (even if there are a few glitches from time to time).
Paul Hornung's number 5 has been kept off the field (except for 1987, when it was given to a player who later decided he didn't like the comparison). #4 is currently on the shelf, waiting for enough time to pass to heal the wounds between the Packers and Brett Favre.
"King of the hill, top of the heap, A-number-one," if you listen to Old Blue Eyes.
One is, as the old song has it, the loneliest number. Everybody wants to collectively cheer "We're #1!", but few Packers have ever been personally associated with the number.
Packers fans rarely ever see the number 1 on a jersey, save annually in April at Rockefeller Center, where it is held aloft by a smiling freshly-minted young millionaire overflowing with confidence and promise.
The Packers have also occasionally used #1 for other special events:
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez MonsivaisBut how about on the field?
That player was none other than Curly Lambeau.
Here's the beginning of Maxymuk's entry on the number. As he notes, Lambeau went on to wear #14 in 1927, #42 in 1928 and #20 in 1929 and 1930:
Technically, Maxymuk is right. No other player has worn the number 1 jersey. But we shouldn't be interpreted to mean that the digit hasn't been associated with anyone else in the organization. I can think of at least one other notable man who proudly wore the digit:
There it is, on the cap of Vince Lombardi. Where other men had their jersey numbers, Lombardi's gear was emblazoned with a proud number one. Truly "number one in their hearts".
It seems to me that the Packers have an unusual opportunity here. There is a uniform number that hasn't been worn in ninety years. It has only ever been identified with two men, both towering figures not only in Green Bay Packer history but the very history of the sport.
I propose that the team continues to keep the number out of circulation until August 2019, a mere seven ½ years away—it's lasted this long, why not?—and then retire it. If Lombardi and Lambeau both wore #1, I'm pretty sure no other Packer ever should.


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My lawn's 160 square meters. Half of that is flat out the back. 1/4 is on a slight slope on the front to the street, enough to be annoying but easy to mow. 1/4 is behind the front fence and is flat. I have hoses, sprinklers, and timers that will irrigate on any schedule I choose. There's decent drainage in the lawn.
I've applied roundup to my lawn, it's pretty much dead, other than a few weeds that I'll dig out. It's got a super hard surface given all the sun and lack of rain. Our plan is to plough (plow for Americans) it down to 10cm, as it has good topsoil there but dead grass on top, and it's clay from 20cm down. Once it's ploughed you're meant to wait a couple of weeks for the weeds to come up, then roundup them, to avoid the weed seeds in the lawn germinating with the grass. You can just let the weeds grow and pull them out later, which we might do because we're getting close to winter.
Grass grows well in March, quite well in April, but by May it's pretty chilly and grass doesn't grow as well. So getting things done soon is reasonably important to avoid having a big dirt patch all winter.
My main question is should I hire a plough and a roller myself from hirequip ($250 delivered plus two days hard work for myself and a couple of friends), or should I pay a trusted landscaper $900 to do it for me? How hard and time consuming is ploughing and rolling? I have 2/3 of a weekend free next weekend, about a day and a half, other than that my weekends are pretty full. The extra $650 wouldn't be particularly significant to me, I work as an IT contractor, but I don't like to waste money either.
Once the soil's prepared we'll probably use hydroseed. It grew well last time, it costs more than seed but it grows faster with fewer spots that don't take.
Happy to hear other thoughts :)


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Selecting your vehicle's make, model, and year allows us to display only parts and items specific to your car's model and year.
Part# M980012
Mfg# 2904
Be the First to Review
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Part Type: (P) High Performance, designed to improve performance
Years: 1978-1988
Sold As: EACH
2018 Monte Carlo Catalog Page: 263
Designed for competition 396-502 V8's. Part# M980011 is for rectangular port heads, while part# M980012 is for oval port heads. The "Victor Jr." is designed to optimize the flow characteristics of the 850 CFM carb. These manifolds are made for better 60-foot times and max power from 3000-7500 rpm. Available with a satin aluminum finish.


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Alright guys, if any of you wants a new avatar or just wants to try out something different, I would happily make you a new one. Just PM me for specs like size or with your name or something like that
NOTE: Almost all art from avatars is not mine! Credit goes to respective authors!
Here are a few examples:


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This is a tale of two troopers, not seen at their best.
One got what she deserved, I think, and no more. The other looks more like a scapegoat.
Highway Patrol veteran Trooper Kristi Menzies is the main character in her own non-action-packed recording at a non-fatal accident scene on Wauchula Road in Manatee County, one without serious injury.
The audio displays Menzies calling names and being needlessly rude to some unharmed passengers who were young men returning from a hog hunt. They had done no wrong whatsoever.
The trooper then made a coercive threat to their friend, the somewhat injured driver, when he politely invoked his right not to talk to the grouchy Menzies.
"If you don't make a comment, I'm going to tow your vehicle," Menzies replied, one of her few sentences that did not include an insult of the sort my editors won't print.
She charged him with the accident.
Right or not about that, Menzies had already shown every sign of jumping to conclusions, and her words have become evidence for defense claims that her investigation was biased from the start.
The FHP suspended Menzies, who has been a trooper longer than the 23-year-old hog hunting driver has been alive. The FHP ruled her behavior "conduct unbecoming an officer," as it certainly was.
That seems a measured response, appropriate to the offense. If the lesson is learned, her long career will remain intact. And she seemed to need some time off.
But things went another way for a trooper in North Florida, who got into the news after he stopped a state legislator driving to Tallahassee on Interstate 10.
Trooper Charles Swindle said a radar gun had the lawmaker doing 87 mph, which normally calls for a speeding ticket and $280 fine.
Swindle says he gave the legislator a break, as he says is often done for lawmakers. He wrote only a $10 ticket for failing to have proof of insurance. But instead of being grateful, and quiet, the lawmaker -- Charles McBurney, a former prosecutor from Jacksonville -- filed a complaint.
He said that A) he had his cruise control set at 75, and B) his proof of insurance was in his wallet, and he was never asked for it.
After an investigation, Trooper Swindle wasn't suspended. The six-year veteran was fired.
The FHP letter explaining why his behavior was deemed unbecoming, and says Swindle "displayed poor judgment and circumvented the legal process."
Swindle wants his job back. He is arguing he just followed unofficial FHP policy taught to him on the job, and during training, and says most FHP troopers do the same. They are advised, Swindle says, that since lawmakers control the FHP budget and trooper salaries, it is better to make them grateful than angry.
However pervasive that unfair practice may or may not be, count me as one who does not believe Swindle is making it up. It looks as if he has been made a scapegoat by agency administrators dodging a far bigger issue they prefer to pretend is an absurd fiction.
What we need is an honest investigation into whether Swindle is right, and how right, no matter how embarrassing that will be for the FHP, and for less-forthcoming lawmakers who had no complaint when they got similarly tiny tickets or none at all.
None were actually speeding, I'm sure.
Any tradition that lets lawmakers dodge the same fines they decree to be deserved by other speeders has got to go. As is, FHP leadership committed its own unbecoming behavior by pretending Swindle invented this practice.
Swindle's real sin was angering a lawmaker, no matter how accidentally. If the gripe came from some young hog hunter in a pickup truck, Swindle would still be employed.
On the other hand, when Trooper Menzies' directed colorful and uncalled-for insults at some innocent passengers, good thing none turned out to be state legislators sneakily dressed in red-neck hunter garb.
If so, Menzies' crash investigation days might be over. Who you insult is just as important as who gets a break.
Tom Lyons can be contacted at email@example.com or (941) 361-4964.
Troopers, not seen in the best of lights
This is a tale of two troopers, not seen at their best.