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Saturday, 28 January 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
Dear Sarah... #2
Sarah Colbourne is General- Secretary of the PSC
Dear Sarah
I wrote to you in November expressing my concerns about the direction PSC is taking under your leadership. I pointed out that the latest (at the time) victims of your witch-hunt were Francis Clark-Lowes and Gill Kaffash - surely two of the most dedicated and committed solidarity activists to be found. I also pointed out that those who were urging you to purge PSC of these activists were on the one hand, open and honestly Zionist outlets such as Harry's Place and the Jewish Chronicle but on the other hand, seemingly pro-Palestinian individuals such as Tony Greenstein, Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi and groups such as Jews against Zionism etc.
But why, when I refer to the solidarity instincts of these people, do I say (and italicise) 'seemingly'? After all, these people have been involved in Palestinian solidarity for many years and have been relentless in their opposition to Israel and to Zionism.
Both these groups of Jews emerged from the deep quandary so many Jews faced when they left the ghetto - both the real one and the religious one in their heads. The question they asked themselves was "Who do I worship now that I've rejected God?" For Zionists it was themselves that is, the Jewish People and for Marxists well, despite all the worthy Revolutionary Messianism it was in the end.... much the same.
Tony Greenstein comes from a long line of Marxist Jews. You remember them, those wonderful people who brought you the Cheka, the Holodomor and the Gulag - just read Jewish historian Yuri Sklezine. From their ranks came such luminaries as Sverdlov, Kaganovich and Ilya Ehrenburg. And yes, they do want to end the Jewish state and yes, they do want Palestine to be for Palestinians - just like they want America to be for the Americans (as long as they run it) Britain to be for the British (so long as they run it) and PSC to be for Palestinian supporters (you know what I'm going to say). And, as for the integrity of their opposition to Zionism, remember what Lenin said. "Zionists with sea-sickness', he called them.
Ask them what kind of Palestine they envisage? How do they answer? Do they answer as I and perhaps you might, that it is for Palestinians and only Palestinians to decide? Or, perhaps they don't need to ask the question because they already know what kind of state Palestinians want - exactly the same kind of state they want i.e. a secular, democraticPalestine - truly a state for all its citizens.
Well, we all love democracy and we all want to be free to worship where and how we want. But I tell you Sarah, while it's true that in that secular, democratic utopia that these Jews-for-this and Jews-for-that so love, every person will be equal before the law, every person will have one vote and every person will be free to worship as they choose but .....on every street corner there will be a Commissar who just happens to be Jewish and who just happens to know exactly how you should think, what you may believe and how you must live your life. And, if you don't agree with him, he will have tried and tested methods of helping you along. Just like in PSC.
As far as Marxism is concerned I like all the sharing and brotherhood of man stuff though I don't much like the set-piece sloganising, the think-what-I-tell-you-and-do-as-your-told stuff. But there might be important differences between Marxist ideology and Jewish Marxist ideology. Horrible though it is to contemplate, and despite your ever increasingly desperate protestations to the contrary, there are legitimate notions of Jewish identity and, though of course incredibly complex and nuanced and with many exceptions and qualifications, every self-identifying secular Jewish identity (including my own) does, by definition, involve to some degree, attitudes and tendencies which, if overly empowered and unchecked, can lead to what happened in Gaza in 2008 and also what happened at Conway Hall last Saturday.
But Sarah, hold on a sec. A little birdie has told me that you and your close circle in PSC have some important and heartfelt political connections of your own? Is that true? Have I been wasting my time...again?
Sunday, 22 January 2012
From the outside looking in...The PSC AGM
I was never a very good PSC member. Never much of an activist, all that leafleting and politburo-style meetings, never did much for me. And since DYR and I were the very first casualties in the ongoing and current PSC witch-hunt, to stand outside the PSC AGM was something I viewed with eager anticipation but also trepidation.
My reasons for attending were four-fold:
1. To support Francis Clark-Lowes in his appeal against expulsion and Gill Kaffash in her motion to bring some sanity to this increasingly nonsensical 'racist/anti-racist' debate.
2. To hand out leaflets and badges about Deir Yassin and its remembrance
3. To witness for myself the progress of PSC's descent into complete subservience to Jewish power.
4. To show my face after a five year absence.
I needn't have worried. PSC members are every bit as lovely as I recall and those members of the Executive Council I saw and who saw me were also polite, if a little downcast. Sarah Colbourne pretended she didn't see me but Betty Hunter did manage a strangled gurgle when asked cheerily why she wasn't wearing her "Remember Deir Yassin' badge. And the that little Jews-only trio – Abe and Ros Hayeem and Deborah Maccoby - though visibly paling at the sight of me, had the good grace to shuffle hastily past. Even friend and brother Tony Greenstein managed to refrain from his usual foul and abusive behaviour as, shifty and alone he entered the building.
But the PSC rank-and-file were as the PSC rank-and-file always are – open, friendly and one hundred-and ten per-cent committed to the Palestinian people. .
But the PSC rank-and-file were as the PSC rank-and-file always are – open, friendly and one hundred-and ten per-cent committed to the Palestinian people. .
I began to leaflet. For years, I was a market trader – not the money markets or commodity markets - but the real, get-your-gums-round-my-plums, markets - so I know a thing or two about shifting gear- and believe me, the principles of shifting gear on a market are much the same as pushing fliers at a PSC AGM – Pile 'em high and make 'em cheap (in this case, free), never crowd the punter and, above all, keep going. Everyone loves a free badge so I gave out a lot. And there's no doubt that Deir Yassin carries a lot of resonance for a lot of people– all the more so for the five year absence.
I didn't see Francis make his speech but I read it beforehand. Honest, thoughtful and beautifully crafted, I can only assume it was as inspiring to hear as it was to read and I know it was received with modest but determined and warm applause. He lost of course but what did we expect?
And Gill's motion? Well, Gill's motion wasn't called. It seems the AGM just ran out of time. And before all you conspiracy theorists get busy, Gill's motion was not the only one not called. Course it wasn't. If I was engaged in shady practices to ensure unpalatable ideas didn't reach my membership, I too would make sure that Gill's motion wasn't the only one not called.
And finally, what of those critical 'anti-racism' motions? The ones that deal with all those pesky anti-Semites and Holocaust deniers. Well, the EC decided to ensure the future of its Star Chamber by hitching its motion with its childlike 'building' this and 'the masses' that firmly to Jews-only motion number 9. This one proposed by Tony Greenstein and Naomi Idrissi-Wimbourne was my favourite.
Firmly Marxist in its rhetoric, this motion, above all, set out to protect and to excuse Jews from their crimes in Palestine. Like the EC motion it called for the witch-hunt against 'anti-Semitism' and 'Holocaust denial' to be intensified. But it also called for 'a series of forums' to 'build understanding' of 'Israel as a settler-colonial, apartheid state (So where is the Mother Country - World Jewry perhaps?) and 'Educational materials' to 'develop understanding' of 'Israel's status as a client state of US imperialism' (So, it's all the Goyishe Americans' fault) and 'the non-Jewish origins and Jewish opposition to Zionism' (You see, it's nothing to do with us). Yaakov Sverdlov and Pol Pot would both have loved it.
They passed of course just like we knew they would. .
Yes, PSC has hitched itself firmly to the Jewish supremacists - the 'anti-Zionist' variety this time but it won't be long before dear old PSC is an open and full-blown hasbara mouthpiece.
But one thing I know. People aren't so stupid and PSC activists certainly aren't. So one question remains: Now the PSC has joined in oppressing precisely those people it was supposed to liberate, where will all those 'open, friendly, one hundred-and-ten-per-cent committed and thoroughly decent' PSC activists go?
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Mario Savio and the Palestinian People
A lawsuit over, yes you guessed it, anti-Semitism has been dismissed. On December 22 US District judge Richard Seborg threw out the claim that the University of California had allowed an "anti-Semitic climate" to develop.
The complaint, made by Jessica Felber and Brian Maiss, both members of the university's Zionist student organization Tikvah, (it means 'hope' would you believe) was that Palestinian solidarity students "threaten and endanger the health and safety of the University of California's Jewish Students."
The flashpoint of the claim was that a pro-Palestinian student rammed Jessica Felber with a shopping cart on the campus' well-known protest area, Sproul Plaza, during "Israeli Peace and Diversity Week."
Well, I don't know if Ms Felber was rammed with a shopping cart but if she was, she probably had it coming. An "Israeli Peace and Diversity Week" would drive anyone to violence and I'm sure that the Tikvah attack-dogs are every bit as horrible as our own well-orchestrated and Israeli-embassy funded Union of Jewish Students (UJS) that make the lives of Palestinian and Muslim students such a misery in this country.
But the real point for me is that the incident took place at the Sproul Plaza and, being an old sixties geezer, this really set the bells ringing. Because it was in that self-same Sproul Plaza, nearly 50 years ago on December 2nd 1964 that Mario Savio delivered his famous 'You've got to put your bodies upon the gears" speech. That was about free speech too - and you can watch it here .
Monday, 2 January 2012
Racist Tales
A Confession and a Family Story
A Confession and a Family Story
First the confession. Some time ago I was traveling on the London Underground. Opposite me was a black woman. Having lived in inner
But this black woman was like no black woman I had ever seen. I don't know where she was from,
I suppose, but her ethnicity was one that I had never before come across - her
features were completely and utterly unfamiliar to me.
Her colour was a blue-black of an intensity and depth I had never before encountered and her facial bone structure was of no type that I had ever seen before. And when I looked at her eyes they were to me expressionless and impenetrable. At that moment I could not and did not have any idea what she might be thinking or feeling. If I had spoken to her she might have answered me in clear and understandable English (the only language I understand) and I would have learned so much about her and I am also sure that had she smiled or expressed anger or sorrow I would have at once seen all her humanity. But she did none of these things and I tell you, at that moment, sitting alone on that tube train with this woman – a stranger to me in every way - I could not for the life of me see her as human in quite the way that I see myself as human.
Did I seriously doubt this woman's humanity? Of course I did not. Did I see her as less than me? I don't think so. Did I wish her any harm? God forbid. Am I a racist? You decide.
Now the family story: My wife had an elderly relative who lived in the Lancashire town of
Her name was Auntie Eva. I had never met Auntie Eva until, some years ago
myself, my wife and our children journeyed up north to visit Auntie Eva. She
was just delightful - a clever, funny, unassuming sparrow of a woman who, now
widowed, lived quietly and alone in the same little two-up-two-down in the
same tiny little cobbled street in which she had lived devotedly for years with
her husband. Rochdale
Auntie Eva loved her little house and she loved her little street which was now filled, without exception, with Bangladeshis. The people were Bangladeshi, the language was Bangladeshi , the food was Bangladeshi , the shops were Bangladeshi – Auntie Eva was the only Englishwoman in a thriving and lively Bangladeshi community – in a sense Auntie Eva was a stranger in her own home. I don't know if Auntie Eva minded but whether she did or she didn't, she seemed to view her neighbours in exactly the same spirit with which she viewed the rest of the world and her place in it – with gentle but chirpy contentment.
At lunch, suddenly during our conversation Auntie Eva referred to her neighbours as 'the Pakis'. Well, I looked at my wife and my wife looked at me and we both looked at both our children and both our children looked at both of us – and we all shifted uncomfortably and tried to focus. But Auntie Eva carried on referring to her Bangladeshi neighbours as 'the Pakis' and she continued to do this easily and naturally with the same quiet grace with which she made all her utterances, and with not a breath of malice. Was Auntie Eva a racist?
Some time later, we again made the journey to
Rochdale and again because of Auntie Eva – but this time it
was to attend her funeral. As the small funeral cortege drew up outside the
tiny little terraced house to take Auntie Eva to her final resting place, all
of Auntie Eva's Bangladeshi neighbours came out of their houses – the men, the
women and the children - to accompany Auntie Eva to her final resting place.
The simple truth was that Auntie Eva loved the Pakis and the Pakis loved Auntie
Was Auntie Eva a racist? You decide.
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Good bars in Lincoln Park on St. Patty's Day
I'm trying to find out the best bars to go to during the day next weekend in the Lincoln Park area. I know there are plenty of bars in the area but I'd like to get some suggestions as to people's favorite spots for the holiday. Not really looking for a place with a 35$ cover and a buffet or anything like that. Also, don't really want a place that has a band playing all day. After awhile it gets difficult to shout over the live music.
Check this site out: http://www.chicagohappyhour.com/stpat...
FYI St Patty's Pub Crawl 2007 is the only thing I know that's up to date on my friend's website. He always organized a group of us for St. Patty's... so he finally just added it to a website and we've been doing this pub crawl for the past 4 years. He tweaks it up each year based on our previous year's experience.
As far as I can remember... no cover at these places. If you want to join - great! but if not... just take a look at the list and get an idea.
re: chitowneats
Actually, pretty much all LP bars are "Irish".
Wow. Did you finally come back to look at responses to your question NINE DAYS after St. Patrick's Day? That is one helluva hangover!
Retrospectively - this year St. Patrick's day was on a Saturday, and pretty much every bar we passed during the day was a zoo - lines out the door and crazy busy. All bars, Irish themed or not, had green trimmings up, lots of beer flowing, party hats, etc. So probably, the best bet would have been to go where you normally hang out, or a bar that had decided not to get crazy with the holiday and just be normal. So that being said, I'd recommend the Charleston any time. It's a quiet neighborhood place AND was the first bar to go non-smoking in Chicago (before the law was in place). They don't have food, but they are fine with people bringing in or ordering takeout from local places (Honey 1 is only a few blocks away). Technically it's not in Lincoln Park, but it's not far from there, easy to take the Armitage or Fullerton bus across and walk over.
2076 N. Hoyne Ave.

subset: commoncrawl


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comments sponsored by
9th Circuit, John Roberts, Lawyer of the Day, Rudeness, SCOTUS, Supreme Court
There's nothing a lawyer likes better than winning a case — especially a case that's been argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. It's basically the crowning achievement of a successful career in the law. That being said, even the most gracious SCOTUS victor is entitled to do some gloating (even if the subject matter was particularly snooze-worthy, like qualified immunity).
But sometimes lawyers can go a little overboard with their victory dances. Sometimes lawyers will think up some really outside-the-box ways to shame the losing litigant — and, in the process, themselves.
And with that, allow us introduce you to our Lawyer of the Day, a man who decided it would be a great idea to write a letter to his opponent with the suggestion that he read the SCOTUS opinion "eternally from hell"….
Our Lawyer of the Day is Steve Filarsky, the attorney who was at the center of the Supreme Court case of Filarksky v. Delia. The issue before SCOTUS was whether or not Filarsky was entitled to qualified immunity for performing work on a contract basis for a city government. The Ninth Circuit held that Filarsky was not entitled to immunity, so he appealed to One First Street. Filarsky received vindication on April 17, 2012, in a 9-0 opinion penned by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, reversing the decision.
Did you have a nice nap? We'll awaken you from your slumber with a tip that we received about the case:
I'm not sure if this is something you'd be interested in, but I know that you frequently publish articles involving attorney meltdowns that reach the level of being newsworthy. I believe this is one of those cases.
An attorney meltdown, you say? You betcha, and it's a doozy. Filarsky was so excited that he prevailed that he wrote a letter to Delia the same day the Supreme Court opinion was released. Apparently he didn't think Delia had much of a case — Filarsky was mad as hell, and he wasn't going to take it anymore.
We've got a picture of the meltdown in question, and yes, it's real:
Short. Sweet. Scandalous. Just the way we like it.
Filarsky v. Delia [SCOTUSblog]
Filarsky v. Delia [U.S. Supreme Court]
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text:
You must earn 10,000 points to post other members' whiteboard
Thank you for your comments,the best to
you in 2014.Gerry
A BIG CONGRATS on reaching that 2.5M mark and your nice new red big truck! : ) Wow! Truly awesome! You've done great here on GasBuddy! Keep going another million or two! You're one of only 1,803 of more than 8,000,000 GBs that have accumulated at least 2,500,000 points! Many of the GBs ahead of you have already retired! You're doing great, so keep going! Don't give up now, like so many of the GBs that reached 1M and 2M, then retired! Continued persistence and dedication will get you to the 3M and 4M milestones and beyond! Only 829 GBs have continued and made it to 3M, so keep going like a PRO Alabama GasBuddy leading the way for others in GasBuddyland to follow! Have a nice weekend! Thanks buddy! YB Ron
Congratulations on posting for 800 consecutive
days, that's real commitment. Happy New Year to you and your family. .YB.
Congratulations on having the dedication to post for 800 consecutive days. Have a Wonderful 2014! Warren :)
Welcome aboard buddy, have a nice week..
Noticed your nice avatar on our mutual buddy Warrens profile. What model is it? Congratulations on posting for 700 consecutive days, That's dedication. Lets be buddies also. Thanks .Shep
Good bye
Apparently you don't want to be buds. Will drop my request in a week. David
Do you get 20 pts. x 4 for your copy pastes on the same subject? just sayin


text:
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Freshman Elinor Purrier (Montgomery, Vt.) of the University of New Hampshire women's cross country team was named the America East Women's Cross Country Performer of the Week, as announced by the conference Tuesday.
At the New England Championships Saturday, Purrier led the Wildcats as she finished third overall of 283 runners with her fastest time of the season, 17:33, through the 5K course. At the event, New Hampshire took home the NEC title, trumping all other teams with just 50 points.
The team returns to the course on Friday, Oct. 25, as they will travel to Stanley Park in New Britain, Conn. for the Central Connecticut State University Mini Meet. The race begins at 3:30 p.m.


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The Web Files' host, Kristyn Burtt, interviews the crew of "The Crew" -- a comedy web series that's been called "The Office" on a space ship. Conceived by show creator, Brett Register, The Crew just wrapped Season One on Koldcast.tv. Special Thanks to the Hollywood Wax Museum for our shoot location www.hollywoodwax.com. For more behind the scenes info on this interview: http://bit.ly/GF2jm
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text:
Posted at: 02/18/2013 7:13 AM
SEATTLE (AP) - A new study suggests that changing the channel from violent TV shows to education TV can improve the behavior of preschoolers.
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(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Lady Gaga Cooks A Chicken And Performs On Alan Carr
Only Lady Gaga can look glamorously couture while cooking a chicken and making jokes with British television personality Alan Carr. The ostentatious star also performed an acoustic version of "Marry The Night" with a huge pink bow on her head. [Idolator]
Lulu Gainsbourg Honors Late Father Serge With A Collaborative Album
A 16-track album, produced by daughter of the late Serge Gainsbourg, Lulu, is set to be released on November 29 featuring covers by Iggy Pop, Rufus Wainwright, The Pogues' Shane MacGowan, and Johnny Depp. [Consequence Of Sound]
Spotify Announces Global Press Conference
Music streaming service Spotify announced a global press conference to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 12 p.m. EST. While it's unclear what the conference will cover, it has been confirmed that Spotify CEO Daniel Ek will be joined by "special guests" and that the event will be streamed live. [Prefix]
Spin Releases A Great, Detailed Infographic Of The Hip Hop World
If you're trying to figure out the state of the hip hop landscape today, Spin have it all worked out for you with this interesting, at times giggle inducing, infographic. You've done well, Spin! [Spin]
[Photo: Getty Images]


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SEARHC honors National Health Center Week: National Health Center Week is Aug. 5-11 this year, with the theme is Celebrating America's Health Centers: Powering Healthier Communities." SEARHC operates 12 federally recognized community health centers located in the Southeast Alaska communities of Angoon, Haines, Hoonah, Hydaburg, Kake, Kasaan, Klawock, Klukwan, Pelican, Tenakee Springs, Thorne Bay and Juneau (Front Street Clinic, which provides health care for the homeless). In addition to receiving Indian Health Service funds, these clinics also receive funding from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) because they operate in medically underserved areas. This additional funding has allowed us to increase services to our Native patients and also to provide health care to non-Native residents of these communities who might have no other access to care (non-Natives pay for services based on a sliding fee schedule based on family income). For more information about National Health Center Week, please contact Patricia Atkinson at 966-8662 or Sydney Evenson at 966-8939, or go to http://www.healthcenterweek.org/.
SEARHC Elders Council member Jessie Johnnie passes on: Longtime SEARHC Elders Council member Jessie Johnnie passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at her home in Sitka. Jessie was 79 years old. She was born Dec. 14, 1932, in Hoonah to James Clark Johnnie and Lily (Houston) Johnnie. Jessie had three Tlingít names — Shgati, Kaach Kink and Sikawulgeen. Jessie moved to Sitka in 1950 when she was traditionally married to John Andrew Young Jr. at age 16, then moved to Spokane, Wash., in 1966 after her husband died. She attended Mt. Edgecumbe High School, Gonzaga University and Spokane Community College. Jessie held a variety of jobs over the years, working at several nursing homes and schools, working in the Excursion Inlet cannery, being a cook aboard one of her husband's fishing boats, and working as a traditional substance abuse treatment counselor and Tlingít language instructor. She also served on many committees, including the SEARHC Elders Council, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska's Kayaaní Commission (she was commissioner emeritus), Alaska Native Brotherhood and Skagway Traditional Council. She took great joy in sharing her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and herbs. With the SEARHC Elders Council, Jessie helped with just about all of the SEARHC Memorials since they started in the early 1990s. She also served on the committees that named the Gunaanastí Bill Brady Healing Center's Yeesdooseigu Xáay (New Breath Sweat Lodge) and initial ceremony, and was a strong resource for the most recent SEARHC Memorial and the Yee Éek Kwa Néix kootéeyaa (You Are Going To Get Well totem pole). She also helped with the devil's club definition that is located in all the SEARHC buildings. SEARHC President Emeritus Ethel Lund said Jessie had been on the SEARHC Elders Council for eight years and Ethel relied heavily on Jessie's knowledge of Tlingít traditions and culture. Ethel said Jessie was very well trained and schooled in the traditions, culture and customs of Tlingít people, and she always provided positive input.
SEARHC Juneau Behavioral Health to host a Recovery Walk on Sept. 15: National Recovery Month is in September, and the SEARHC Juneau Behavioral Health office is hosting its second annual Recovery Walk on Saturday, Sept. 15. People should meet at 1 p.m. at Marine Park for a walk to Sandy Beach in Douglas, where there will be food, drumming and singing from 1-6 p.m. Some people will meet at noon at Sandy Beach to get the grills going and start preparing food, but most will meet at Marine Park for the walk at 1 p.m. This is a potluck-style picnic, so people are encouraged to bring a favorite dish and/or alcohol-free beverages. Since September is National Recovery Month, we want to acknowledge chemical dependency and mental illnesses. We will be honoring people who struggle with both of these issues, and we want to acknowledge that people can and do recover. To learn more, contact Community Family Service Worker III Toni Weber at 463-6670. This is just one of many community events that will take place in September for National Recovery Month. Schedules still are being developed, but in Juneau there will be a Recovery Film Festival Sept. 5, 12 and 19 at GoldTown Nickelodeon theater; FASD Awareness Day events at various restaurants on Sept. 9; a Swing Into Recovery dance on Sept. 21 at Rockwell; and a Recovery Poetry Jam at a place TBA on Sept. 28. In Sitka, there will be a canoe journey and talking circle on either Sept. 1 or 9, and a recovery potlatch on Sept. 29. We will have more details as schedules are confirmed, so watch the News Releases section our website, http://www.searhc.org/, for more information.
Special clinic dates with nurse practitioner Michele Susie scheduled for Tenakee Springs: Michele Susie, SEARHC's Klukwan-based family nurse practitioner, will travel to Tenakee Springs to see patients on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 5-6, at the Genevieve Soboleff Clinic. Michele will take appointments for physical exams, well-child exams, well-woman exams, and chronic health issues, with fasting lab blood-draws scheduled for Thursday morning (no food or drinks besides water should be taken in the 12 hours prior to the lab). To schedule an appointment, contact Jessie Grant at 766-6324 at the SEARHC Haines Health Center.
Fall 2012 mobile mammogram van schedule announced: The SEARHC WISEWOMAN Women's Health Program and Bartlett Regional Hospital have announced the Fall 2012 schedule for the mobile mammogram program. The mobile mammography van will visit Hoonah on Aug. 20-24, Haines on Aug. 27-Sept. 10, Skagway on Sept. 11-14, Klawock on Sept. 19-28 and Oct. 3-9, Craig on Oct. 1-2, and Metlakatla on Oct. 11-19 (no weekend or holiday appointments). Women are encouraged to contact their local clinics prior to the scheduled visit because they will need to receive a clinical breast exam before they can get their mammograms. The mobile mammography program is run through a partnership between Bartlett Regional Hospital and the SEARHC WISEWOMAN Women's Health Program. It makes regular mammography screening services available to women who live in communities where they aren't available year round. The SEARHC WISEWOMAN Women's Health Program provides free clinical breast exams, mammograms, Pap tests and cardiovascular screenings for all women ages 40 and older who meet income and insurance guidelines. For more information, contact your local clinic, call the SEARHC WISEWOMAN Women's Health Program in Sitka at 966-8782 (or 1-888-388-8782, toll-free in Alaska), or send e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com. For more information about services available through the SEARHC WISEWOMAN Women's Health Program, go to http://www.searhc.org/womenshealth/.
SEARHC patient advocates serve as customer liaisons: SEARHC has three patient advocate positions in Southeast Alaska — Bryan Whitson (Sitka), Cyndi Reeves (POW), and Debra Graceland (Juneau) — who serve as customer service liaisons between patients and SEARHC, and help patients navigate their way through SEARHC's health system. In addition, the Alaska Native Medical Center provides Anchorage-based patient advocates who serve patients from around the state receiving care at the Alaska Native Medical Center. Patients living in Sitka, Angoon, Kake, Pelican, Tenakee Springs, Yakutat, Petersburg and Wrangell should contact Bryan Whitson at 966-8860. Patients in Klawock, Craig, Hydaburg, Kasaan, Thorne Bay and other POW communities should contact Cyndi Reeves at 755-4983 (965-0040, cell). Patients in Juneau, Haines, Skagway, Klukwan and Hoonah should contact Debra Graceland (463-6656). Patients traveling to Anchorage for care should contact the ANMC patient advocates at 729-3990.
SEARHC hosts 24/7 crisis help line, toll-free at 1-877-294-0074: A personal or family crisis doesn't always happen during clinic hours, so the SEARHC Behavioral Health Division has contracted with a crisis call center to provide help for Southeast Alaska residents when they need it most. The SEARHC Help Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it will be staffed with a team of master's-degree-level mental health therapists who will listen and provide effective, compassionate care. This line provides confidential telephone counseling for people during a time of mental health crisis, and it is not just an answering service. The counselors will assess the situation and provide appropriate intervention using protocols developed with SEARHC Behavioral Health. Follow-up calls from SEARHC Behavioral Health or our partner agencies will be made the next business day. For more information, contact SEARHC Behavioral Health/Suicide Prevention Program Manager Wilbur Brown at 966-8753.
SEARHC provides 24/7 on-call travel coordinators for patients traveling for care: SEARHC has a 24/7 on-call travel coordinator to assist patients needing after-hours help while traveling for a medical appointment. The on-call staff person helps patients find new connections when a plane is diverted by weather, or assists with late-night housing. For assistance, call 1-800-916-8566 (toll-free in Alaska) or 1-907-966-8345 in Sitka, and then follow the prompts. To help us better help you, please call as soon as you know your travel schedule has been changed. For patients needing assistance from the Community Resources Program (contract health), such as emergency health care while traveling, call 1-866-966-8316 (toll-free).
Charles Clement SEARHC President/CEO


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Has Bruno Dumont been discussed here?
La Vie de Jesus
Twentynine Palms
Raw, difficult films, some more successful than others. And I would offer, a master at landscape. (Twentynine Palms seemed to me ill-conceived, and a failure, but each of the others intrigues, particularly his first two.) Bresson has been evoked as an influence (non-actors; Dostoyevsky etc.). But I think more of the young Bellocchio …
Can we talk about them all?
I've only seen LA VIE DE JESUS, and that very recently (when the Masters of Cinema DVD came out, in fact), but that impressed me enough to trigger a mental note to track down the others when I get a moment. The Bresson comparison seems spot on – it would make a perfect (if somewhat wrist-slittingly depressing) double bill with MOUCHETTE.
I just watched Twentynine Palms (first film I've seen by him). I could not take away my eyes from the screen at any one point in time. I was completely mesmerized. The performances in the film feel felt so real that I felt like I was the main character. There was so much truth to this film. Completely stripped down. I can't wait to watch it again and take notes! Though many of the reviews and talks about this film revolve around the ending sequence I think the film as a whole is completely amazing and that was not even the element that most stood out to me. Twentynine Palms should be in the auteurs! I just added La Vie de Jesus to the top of my queue. I plan on watching the rest of his films very very soon. I recently dwelled into the world of Bresson as well and completely fell in love with L'argent and Mouchette. I also just recently saw Love and Anger and Bellochio's segment was the perfect way to end it. I can't believe the performances that these non trained actors can give. It truly blows me away. The performances in all these films I just mentioned are one of the most amazing factors in them. It seems that actors are so trained that they do not how to act real, they can't be real humans just actors.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the similarities between L'Humanite and La Vie De Jesus?
^Does anyone have any thoughts on the similarities between L'Humanite and La Vie De Jesus?*
Jesus was grounded in a very insular space/time continuum, leading everybody to think that Dumont was the new Bresson. But then L'Humainte begins to break this by having his protagonist (from the inside) participate in an investigation of his community from the outside. Twenty-Nine Palms uses profesional actors in a setting which Dumont is an alien in. And then I stopped watching Dumont films.
"And then I stopped watching Dumont films."
You should start again. You've been missing out.
My favourite from Dumont is Twentynine Palms. I think it's the kind of movie that either you really like it or you hate it. The overall feeling of the movie is haunting and that's why I really appreciated it. I liked La vie de Jesus. I like his use of really interesting looking actors. I didn't get Flandres at all. Hadewijch was alright, the end wasn't really satisfying.
I first learned about Dumont when I was digging through the new french extremity (the reason why I saw Twentynine Palms first). Maybe that's why I didn't like the softer Flandres and Hadewijch.
I still have to see l'Humanité.
I agree with Marc Twentynine Palms is chilling. The framing of the landscape makes the environment feel incredibly hostile the hole way through and Dumont does a great job of transfering this unease to the viewer.
Have to get my hands on the rest of his films soon.
I've only discovered him over the past couple of years, but I think he's brilliant. i wouldn't be surprised if he had some sort of Haneke-style breakthrough eventually. He seems to be ridiculously underrated/under-seen.
L'Humanite blew me away when I saw it. I'm amazed by directors who can make 'nothing' so compelling. Just utterly gripping the whole way through. Amazing performances (and extremely committed for 'amateurs'- I don't think many stars would go to the same lengths as these actors do). The ending is devastating, and once you notice something minor, very disturbing.
Flanders and Twentynine Palms were very good, although I can kinda see Jerry Johnson's point about filmmakers entering into alien settings.
One of the interviews with him on the extras says his style of filmmaking is derived from his work as a director of industrial videos, and it completely makes sense. Very odd though.
His new film Hors Satan is showing at the London Film Festival, so i'll try and get to that.
The only film of his i've seen is Hadewijch which i liked but didn't love. How representative of his style is it? It's less 'extreme' than his earlier work i take it?
I really want to see L'Humanite.
I echo the sentiment of Bruno being ridiculously underrated and underseen. One of the secret gems of modern cinema.
Typically wouldn't put Hadewijch as the first film you should see if you hadn't seen any before. Content wise it's fairly similar, but I wouldn't say it's a great representation of his work as a whole. If you want a clear idea, then watch L'Humanite.
I've seen all except for Outside Satan. I'd place them in this order of appreciation:
Camile Claudel, 1915
The Life of Jesus
Twenty Nine Palms
Easily my favorite director working now.
Thanks Baravelli!
It's less 'extreme' than his earlier work i take it?
Dumont is good for one explicit fuck scene per film, but with the exception of Twenty Nine Palms, there's nothing that "extreme" about his work. Definitely check out Life of Jesus.
^^Will do M, thanks.
I'm going to watch L'Humanite first though.
heh – the one to watch first is Twenty Nine Palms.
I'm sure every one would disagree, but it is, stylistically, his seminal mature work.
From that perspective, the rest make more sense in their degree of extremity.
I keep meaning to dive into this dude's catalogue. Twentynine Palms it is :)
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In the latest human disaster news, Charlie Sheen is citing Train's "Drops of Jupiter" as the impetus for the crazy attack he committed against wife Brooke Mueller on Christmas 2009. According to Sheen, Mueller became jealous of his relationship with his daughter, which included loving Train's 2001 hit single and using "two tracking telescopes… so they could both look at the same point in the universe at the same time, as a way of staying connected." Let's hope his daughter was looking up at the sky; if not, she may have caught a glimpse of her father's career spiraling toward the ground in flames.
Mueller was supposedly enraged by the two's close bond; Sheen quotes her as saying "You have a song with you share with your daughter, but not one with me?", provoking both of them to "slap" at "each others' hands or wrists." We could not make this foolishness up if we tried. Seriously though, this is a great tactical move for Sheen. Most people agree that nothing makes you look less like a crazy monster person than explaining how a cheesy pop song incited you to manhandle your girlfriend. "Well, Your Honor, you see, I had a telescope and that Train song was playing and one thing lead to another…you know how it is. May I leave jail now?" Of course we know how it is! We can't tell you how many times we've just been hanging out, looking through our telescopes and being total nutter-butters, when all of a sudden we committed a horrible crime against another person! Happens to the best of us! Oh no, sorry, we meant "the worst of us." It happens to the worst of us. [Photo: Getty Images]


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Top 5 Kids' Cases
Tablet users are getting younger and younger, it seems, and with good reason. As the 21st century marches on, the demand for schoolchildren to have knowledge of electronic media has created an entire generation which learns on a tablet PC first. Of course, parents entrusting an expensive Apple new iPad or other tablet to children will have certain factors in mind – for the younger the child is, the more potential damage can be done to the tablet without a suitable kids case .


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Carmel Wine Tasting
Interested in literally tasting the jaw-dropping scenery of the Carmel/Monterey coastline—from rugged mountains to wave-caressed coves? Savor one of Monterey County's world-class wines: The flavor springs from the landscape, concocted out of the region's one-of-a-kind terroir. Our romantic Carmel hotels are just steps away from some great wine.
Jump to wine tasting rooms and create your own tour.
Carmel Valley - a Premier Wine Destination
A mild Mediterranean climate—blessed with equal shares of warm sun and cooling marine fog—explains much of the diversity and productivity of Monterey County's vineyards. Since the 1960s, vintners have reveled in the ideal grape-growing conditions in the coastal hills. Today, an impressive eight American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) pepper the area—reflective of the varied microenvironments here—and scores of growers produce 42 varietals from 40,000 acres of vineyards.
With that sort of production, it's no surprise Monterey County has become a globally renowned wine-growing and wine-tourism hub. In 2013, Wine Enthusiast Magazine even ranked the county one of the top 10 travel destinations on the planet for wine lovers.
Visiting Carmel and Monterey Wineries
Each Monterey County winery is its own magical embodiment of the physical setting. As an example, consider the stunningly beautiful Chateau Julien Wine Estate, exquisitely set in the hills along Carmel Valley Road about five miles from Carmel-by-the-Sea. You'll be amazed by the elegance of Bob and Patty Brower's 16 acres, anchored by the grand Chateau itself—complete with a roaring fireplace and an 18-foot tasting table fashioned from mahogany. Chateau Julien offers daily tastings and also accommodates private events.
Visiting multiple wineries is a pleasant way to spend a day in the Monterey countryside; it's also an ideal means of surveying the full breadth of the region's growing zones and terroir patterns.
Annual Wine Festivals
Beyond dropping by individual wineries for tastings, Monterey County hosts organized large-scale viticultural events. In early June, the Monterey Wine Festival—the oldest in the state—showcases the full array of the region's wines as well as plenty of fantastic cuisine produced by regional chefs. Later in the summer is the Winemakers' Celebration, which features more opportunities to interface directly with local vintners while sipping their vintages.
All in all, our coast is an absolute wine hotspot—why not drink in the scenery in more ways than one?
Create Your Own Carmel Wine Tasting Tour
Create your own Carmel wine tasting tours. View the map below. Take a walk into town and taste local and international wines. Below the map, you can read descriptions of the local Carmel shops that provide wine tasting amonst their other goodies.
View Carmel Wine Tasting Rooms in a larger map
There are several wine tasting rooms in Carmel-by-the-Sea. View each location's map or create your own Carmel wine tasting rooms tour.
Southern Latitudes Wines
On Lincoln Street between Ocean and 6th
Visit website | View map
Southern Latitudes features wines from Australia, Aregentina, Chili, and South Africa. The owners were inspired to open a shop after falling in love with local wine on a trip to Australia.
Caraccioli Cellars
On Dolores Street between Ocean and 7th
Visit website | View map
The Caraccioli family were influenced by the love of wine and wine making of their Swiss-Italian grandfather. Gary, brother Phil, and their Uncle Jim began the successful winery in 2006 with the vision of creating unique wines that were not being produced in the area. Currently, the vintners produce Brut Cuvee, Brut Rose, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Scheid Vineyards Tasting Room
7th and San Carlos
Visit website | View map
Another family-owned winery, Scheid Vineyeards has been making wine in the area since 1972. First known as the Monterey Farming Corporation, Al Scheid has been active in wine grape growing in California since the early 70s. He was a founder of the California Association of Wine Grape Growers (1974) and the Monterey Country Vintner and Grower's Association (1975). The winery produces a solid range of wines including reds, whites, reserve and dessert wines.
Galante Vineyards Tasting Room
Ocean Ave & 7th Ave
Visit website | View map
The Galante family's roots stretch back to the very beginnings of the town of Carmel. J.F. Devendorf, Jack Galante's grandfather, was the founder of the town of Carmel. In the early 60s, the family were cattle ranchers in Carmel Valley and in 1983 started growing premium grapes while continuing the ranching operation. In '94, Jack Galante built the winery, producing premium estate wines. The winery has become a respected and leading producer of Cabernet Sauvignon in Monterey County and California.
Tudor Wines Tasting Room
Mission Street between Ocean & 7th (in the Court of the Fountains behind Anton and Michel's)
Visit website | View map
Tudor Wines is a family owned and operated vineyard that uses traditional methods to make fine wines. Small-batch fermentations are hand-mixed and aged in French barrels. The Tudor family has been making wine in California since the early 1900s. The family's roots in wine making are in Croatia, where they made wine for hundreds of years.
Chateau Julien Wine Estate
8940 Carmel Valley Road. Just a short drive from Carmel.
Visit the website for wine tasting and winery tour hours.
Visit website | View map
Bob and Patty Brower began the winery in 1982. The winery's first releases were Chardonnay and Merlot. Merlot has become the star varietal of the vintner's production. Visit Chateau Julien for tours and tasting and don't forget to visit their online store.
Trio Carmel
On Dolores at 7th Avenue
Visit website | View map
This quaint little shop and gallery offers a variety of Monterey County wines and other delectables including infused balsamic vinegar and premium extra-virgin olive oils. The shop's gallery of fine art exhibits the works of local and international artists. Visit the tasting table and check out their gift packs – take some memories of Carmel and Monterey back home.
The Cheese Shop
At Ocean and Junipero in Carmel Plaza on the lower level.
Visit website | View map
If you enjoy cheese and wine, you won't find a better stop to quench your thirst and hunger than The Cheese Shop. The store carries local and international cheeses and wine. Walking into the shop and seeing the cheeses is like walking into the past. Tasty rounds and wedges and rich aromas that make the mouth water await you. Other great gifts and tasty snacks such as sauces, caviars, crackers, jams, coffees, teas and chocolate, make this shop a must see (and taste) stop while you are visiting Carmel.
Silvestri Vineyards Tasting Room
On 7th Avenue between Dolores and San Carlos
Visit website | View map
Silvestri Vineyards is owned and operated by Alan and Sandra Silvestri. They began planting the vineyards in 1998 and the first grapes were harvested in 2003. The vineyard now produces an array of fine wines for many tastes including Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah, Rose, and Barbera. Visit their online store and be sure to stop by their Carmel tasting room.
Puma Road Wines Tasting Room (Ray Franscioni Wines)
On Dolores between Ocean and 7th Street
Visit website | View map
Ray Fransciosi is a third-generation Monterey County wine grape grower and vintner. Not only does the vineyard provide grapes to leading industry producers, it also produces its own releases: Puma Road, Pedegral, and Lilia. Visit the website to buy wine online, or drop by the Carmel


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Collection and Recovery
12 Jan 2012
Many companies these days in doing their day to day business offer credit and accept credit or installment payments from clients and customers who would find it often convenient. Honestly I have seen many customers, of one popular store in the country, which was turned off when they found out that the store's branch in the new mall does not accept credit card payments still.
Collections and recovery of debt is one serious matters that any business must face when their clients and customers at one point in time may become delinquent in paying their due accounts. For any company, debt recovery is important when faced with late payments and bad debts from those so called delinquent customers and clients who the business will eventually encounter. A company may opt for a debt collection agent which can be a last resort to handle all the hassles of the debt collection process but not to the extent of hiring unscrupulous debt recovery specialists and agencies that will ruin your company image. Still it remains any company's goal to be able to keep up with collection and recovery of what they have already earned yet still has to be collected from delinquent customers.
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20th April 2011
Irritating Welshmen and Changes To The Newsletter
I almost choked on my coffee last week when a www.andrewshearer.com newsletter subscriber suggested that I'm not very busy at the moment. It's true that I've lost a few days through illness this year but otherwise I've been writing, rehearsing and trying to catch up on the numerous non-creative aspects of this venture. I guess many of these things are "under the bonnet" and so perhaps it's unsurprising that people might think I've either dried, died or given up. However the subscriber's comments were a little surprising as they were after what generally seems to be a well received account of me "dying" on stage a few weeks back. The Welshman's (subtle clue for those that used to work with me) comments have however prompted me to question the purpose of the www.andrewshearer.com newsletter.
The original idea was that the newsletter would only cover significant news and perhaps include a quarterly summary. This was because I didn't want to irritate subscribers by inundating them with newsletter emails. Anyone who was interested in less significant updates could follow via the social networking sites (Twitter,FaceBook, MySpace, ReverbNation etc). However I'm becoming increasingly aware that some of our fans / followers etc via the social networking sites are missing notifications just because they are not logged on at the apposite times. Furthermore, newsletter subscribers might be interested in some of the gig reports and blogs that now occur which are only currently notified via the social networking sites.
The simplest way to resolve this it seems is to increase the functionality of the newsletter so that it mirrors our use of the social network sites. This will mean that newsletter subscribers will receive notifications of all updates on the site. For those subscribers that would still prefer to only get newsletters for very significant news this does not present a problem: either resubscribe with the "lite" option (you don't need to unsubscribe first) or just let us know here and we shall put you on a "newsletter - lite" list which will function exactly as it does now. Hopefully in this way we'll be able to keep everybody at the level of "updatedness" which they prefer and stop those that originate from the western part of this wonderful island being irritating. If anyone can see a problem or is unhappy about the changes, please let me know.
Anyway, what of this quarter's newsletter?
What's Occurring?
(See what I did there?)
If you haven't visited www.andrewshearer.com recently, there' are a few things that maybe of interest:
1. The aforementioned "dying" on stage a couple weeks back. Apparently some people found this funny. I had hoped to be "resurrected" (hey, topical) last Wednesday but food poisoning prevented me from being too far from a toilet, so tonight hopefully shall go much better. (That's not meant to infer I'm performing next a toilet!)
2. An account of my ill-advised first "real" music performance playing American Pie to a captive audience of approximately 200 13 year-olds when I was a teacher.
3. Learning of a film (Finding Joe) which is closely associated with our song You've Got The Magic Back. (There was a point that I was hopeful that Magic Back might have been included in the film but alas it didn't happen. The director said he liked the song though, which was great. But how cool would that have been to have got included in the film? It'd have uniquely summed up what "following your bliss" is all about.)
new section has been added: At The Water's Edge, which is self explanatory
when you visit it but a little neglected as other work has taken precedence.
5. A piece that I wrote based loosely around questioning if we are becoming obsessed with preserving the "moment", due to the better technology that is available, and as a consequence not enjoying it as much.
As I say, I've been doing a lot of writing, not only lyrics but some stories and articles etc. It took a while to get back to being "writing fit" again but I'm rising early again now and feel like I'm back in similar sort of "writing" shape before all the technical problems started on At The Water's Edge; likewise for the singing and playing, which had also been neglected. The plan now is to do what I wanted to do two years ago and travel around a bit and play.
Help For Heroes
That's it really. However I'd like to draw your attention to a sponsored mountain marathon (Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon in under 24 hours) that my friend and ex-telecom colleague Bruce Leslie is doing for Help For Heroes, the charity that supports the UK's injured servicemen and women and their families. I'm not usually one to talk about charities and prefer it to be a private matter. However, though I haven't personally been affected by the loss or injury of a loved one through the services, I have become more aware recently of the very high price paid by some who choose to do a job that I would've have been too much of a coward to do. I don't think anything can really compensate our service men and women and their families for their losses but perhaps they can be made to be a little more bearable and I think Help For Heroes provides an effective interface to help in that regard. Good Luck to Bruce and his friends as they continue their training
And finally, those of you that have bought At The Water's Edge, thanks! I hope you liked it. And of course thanks for your continued support and interest via this newsletter and Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, ReverbNation etc.
iTunes and Ping
Actually, there is one last thing: if you're an iTunes user, you can now also follow us on Ping.
That's it!
Have a great Easter,


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<Ben Burchfield, the productions manager for the Distance MBA program, has been named the university's Ambassador of the Month for July.>
"Ben has aided me in becoming a better student and worker," wrote student Jesse Bunch.
Student Jody Kincaid wrote that Burchfield goes "above and beyond to help all he comes in contact with."
Burchfield has been with the university since June 2010.
Ambassador nomination forms are available from TTU's Human Resource Services or by visiting tntech.edu/hr.


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Weather Stokes Northern California Wildfires
Updated: 08/31/2014 - The U.S. Forest Service says a pair of wildfires sparked by lightning nearly three weeks ago continues to grow while threatening as many as 250 homes in far Northern California.
Updated: 08/31/2014 - The U.S. Forest Service says a pair of wildfires sparked by lightning nearly three weeks ago continues to grow while threatening as many as 250 homes in far Northern California.
Posted: 08/30/2014 - A former veteran instructor at Humboldt State University has been arrested on child pornography charges following a months-long investigation.
Posted: 08/30/2014 - A Southern California woman arrested with a trash bin containing her former boyfriend's body parts has been convicted of first-degree murder.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - California Gov. Jerry Brown has filed an appeal of a court ruling that struck down tenure and other job protections for the state's teachers.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - A judge has blocked a marijuana farmers market in Los Angeles and ordered organizers to shut down their business.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - Judges would be able to temporarily take firearms from people who show signs that they could harm themselves or others under a bill headed to Gov. Jerry Brown.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - The advocacy group for the adult film industry has called for an industrywide production moratorium after a performer tested positive for HIV.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - The U.S. Geological Survey has registered a minor earthquake struck near the town of Alturas in Modoc County.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - Officials say two Shasta County sheriff's deputies shot a man to death after responding to reports a suicidal person was inside a residence in Redding.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - Fire officials battling a vast blaze in a forest in far Northern California say air crews should be able to get going earlier than they have over previous days.
Posted: 08/29/2014 - Federal officials say a pair of giant water diversion tunnels proposed for Northern California could violate the federal Clean Water Act and harm endangered fish.
Posted: 08/28/2014 - Authorities say a Northern California woman was killed when her own SUV ran over her.
Posted: 08/28/2014 - State lawmakers have passed a bill that would make California the first state to define when "yes means yes" while investigating sexual assaults on college campuses.
Posted: 08/28/2014 - State officials say more planning is needed on a $25 billion proposal to build two massive water tunnels in Northern California.
Posted: 08/28/2014 - A lightning-sparked wildfire in a Northern California forest is forcing people from their homes.
Posted: 08/28/2014 - A bill headed to Gov. Jerry Brown would crack down on paparazzi deploying drones as they chase celebrities.
Updated: 08/28/2014 - The state Assembly has approved legislation that would impose the nation's first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags.
Posted: 08/27/2014 - The U.S. Forest Service has decided to allow logging on nearly 52 square miles of the Sierra Nevada burned last year in a massive California wildfire, a move contested by environmentalists.
Posted: 08/27/2014 - Police say one person was shot when gunfire erupted between two groups on Market Street in San Francisco.
Posted: 08/27/2014 - U.S. Forest Service officials say they're ready to unveil a plan Wednesday for what to do with millions of trees killed in California's Rim Fire that stand at the center of a conflict between environmentalists and loggers.
Posted: 08/27/2014 - A federal judge in Sacramento has overturned the death sentence of a transient convicted of fatally stabbing a man more than 30 years ago.
Posted: 08/27/2014 - A terrorism suspect from Central California says in a jailhouse interview that he never intended to carry out attacks in the United States.
Posted: 08/27/2014 - Truckee police say remains of a man found in July have been identified as a man missing since March 2014.
Updated: 08/26/2014 - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto was greeted by dozens of protesters in Sacramento, California, criticizing his country's detention of a U.S. Marine.
Posted: 08/26/2014 - A federal judge has overturned part of a California law requiring a 10-day waiting period for gun buyers, ruling that it does not apply to those who already own firearms.


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Topic: Events
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This Week… starting April 04, 2011
Municipal Fiestas This Week
Timucuy Fiesta: April 10 through April 15
Timucuy is a small municipality on the southeast border of the Municipality of Merida. It is between Merida and Acanceh, north of Tecoh. This is a traditional "county fair" complete with vaquerias and popular dances. The people of Timucuy love their music and you can expect to see traditional Yucateca jarana music and dancing, plus loads of trova and bolero music. The artisans in Timucuy make hammocks and, if you've been looking for cross-stitch emboidery, this is the place you will find it. Since this is an agricultural municipality, expect good country cooking to be available at this fair.
In the City of Merida
Monday (Lunes) April 04, 2011
Check the ongoing events page for events on Monday
Tuesday (Martes) April 05, 2011
Concert: Lenny Sanchez – Contraste de mi Tierra
We never see enough of this lady!
Preview Lenny Sanchez
Location: Teatro Daniel Ayala, Calle 60 x 61
Time: 9:00 PM Tuesday
Admission: Free
Children's Photography Show and Sale
The event is called "Mirada de Angeles" and it is an exhibition of photos taken by children ages 4, 6, 7, 10 and 16. The photos are on sale to raise money for "Sueños de Ángel" A.C. This organization is integral in supporting children with cancer. Please attend this event. These children are deserving of our time, attention and support.
Location: Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 8:00 PM Tuesday
Admission: Free
Café Peña K'aay T'aan: A Concert
Grupo Roxane
Location: Café Peña K'aay T'aan in Casa de la Cultura del Mayab, Calle 63 x 64
Time: 8:30 PM Tuesday
Admission: Free
Tuesday of Trova: Trio Despertar
This is a presentation of the music that is on the new CD: El Despertar de una Nueva Trova. The performance is under the direction of Fabian Cano.
Location: Auditorio del Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 8:30 PM Tuesday
Admission: Free
Wednesday (Miercoles) April 06, 2011
Concert: Cony Ancona – Tribute to Brazil
Come out and hear music that includes jazz, rumba, bossanova and contemporary Brazilian music. We would love to see more of this kind of music!
Preview Cony Ancona
Location: Teatro Daniel Ayala, Calle 60 x 61
Time: 9:00 PM Wednesday
Admission: Free
Wednesday at the Museum: Sendero Folklore
Latin American Music
Location: Museum of the City of Merida, Calle 65 x 56
Time: 8:00 PM Wednesday
Admission: Free
Concert: Trio Vendaval – Latinoamerica Canta
This is a wonderful trio. If you haven't heard them, now's the time.
Preview Trio Vendaval
Location: Teatro Cesareo Chan Blanco in Centro Cultural Ricardo Lopez Mendez, across from Liverpool
Time: 8:00 PM Wednesday
Admission: Free
Thursday (Jueves) April 07, 2011
Check the MAAG for updates on this event
Location: LA 68, Calle 68 at Calle 55, Centro
Time: Thursday, 9:00 PM
Admission: $30 pesos, $15 pesos students.
Concert: Concepcion Garma – Tres y una Voz
This lady is one of Yucatan's best loved songwriters. The music of love, peace and liberty are waiting for you here.
Location: Teatro Daniel Ayala, Calle 60 x 61
Time: 9:00 PM Thursday
Admission: Free
Talented Bitches Comedy Show: Mel and Blossom
This comedy show is in English. Blossom, a shameless Boston terrier, has been known to wriggle out of her custom-made skirts and strapless evening gowns for a cheap laugh. You have been warned.
Location: El Templo Bar, Calle 59 #438 x 50 y 52, Col. Centro, Parque de Mejorada
Time: Doors open: 8:00 PM, Show starts: 8:30 PM
Admission: $50 pesos cover, one free Sol, Margarita or Tequila with paid cover
Spring Concert: Coro (Choir) Polifonico del ICY
This performance is under the direction of Manuel Rubio. Never miss a chance to hear the wonderful choirs in Yucatan.
Location: Casa de la Cultura del Mayab, Calle 64 x 63
Time: 8:00 PM Thursday
Admission: Free
Concert: Choir Presentation: Rondalla of Escuela Preparatoria 2 at UADY
These young voices are the stars of tomorrow and we hope everyone comes out to let them know what a fine job they are doing.
Location: Auditorium of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 8:00 PM Thursday
Admission: Free
Friday (Viernes) April 08, 2011
Concert: Trio Kukulkan
This trio is a member of the Pepe Dominguez Zaldivar Union de Trovadores
Location: Centro Cultural Ricardo Lopez Mendez, Across from Liverpool
Time: 8:00 PM Friday
Admission: Free
Check the MAAG for updates on this event
Location: LA 68, Calle 68 at Calle 55, Centro
Time: Friday, 9:00 PM
Admission: $30 pesos, $15 pesos students.
Saturday (Sabado) April 09, 2011
Music / Alternative / Anime: Grupo Ragnarok – Anime Game Music
This group is composed of Carlos Milan, Piano, Eduardo Aguilar, guitar; Edgar Sulu, violinist; Cristian Alcocer, drums, all of Yucatan. The concert is for gamers and fans of anime, who are often left out of mainstream cultural activities. Soundtracks are also included in this concert.
Location: Teatro Dr. Joaquin Jimenez Trava del IMSS, next to T1 Hospital
Time: 7:00 PM Saturday
Admission: Free
Happy Hour: Danny & Frank of Sol Survivor
Snowbirds have gone home, but the event will continue.
Location: Hotel Yakunah in Progreso
Time: 6:00 PM
Admission: No cover
Check the MAAG for updates on this event
Location: LA 68, Calle 68 at Calle 55, Centro
Time: 9:00 PM Saturday
Admission: $30 pesos, $15 pesos students.
Habla: Visual Arts Workshop for Kids: April 2 – June 11
This is the second week of this workshop, but they might be willing to squeeze in another member of the class. The theme is The Myth of the Alebrijes. Children from 7 to 11 will hear stories of myth and legend from several countries and will even get to create their own imaginary character, in the tradition of the Mexican Alebrijes.
Location: Habla, Calle 26 No. 99 Bx 19 y 21 Col. México
Time: 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Saturdays(no classes April 23 and 30).
Admission: $1,200 pesos for the entire course
Movie: Annie Hall
(U.S. 1977) Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. Neurotic New York comedian Alvy Singer falls in love with the ditsy Annie Hall. This movie defined an era… why not go relive it for old times sake? Or learn about it if you missed it the first time around.
Location: Videosala of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM Saturday
Admission: Free
Classical Concert: Coro de la Asociacion Koreana en Yucatan, A.C.
We have never had the opportunity to hear this choir, but are certain that this will be one of the best performances of the evening, as well as of the week.
Location: Teatro Daniel Ayala, Calle 60 x 61
Time: 8:00 PM Saturday
Admission: Free
Sunday (Domingo) April 10, 2011
Symphony Orchestra of Yucatan
This performance is under the direction of Juan Carlos Lomonaco and features Roman Revueltas as Guest Director, along with violinist Pawel Blaszowski, Tonight's performance includes: Obertura Rienzi (Wagner), Concierto de Violin No. 5 (Mozart) and Sinfonia No. 7 Op 92 (Beethoven).
Location: Teatro Armando Manzanero, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 12:00 PM Sunday
Admission: Tickets available at the box office
Documentary: Hunters – Wild Hound
Location: Museum of Natural History, Calle 59 next to the zoo
Time: 12:00 PM Sunday
Admission: Free
Movie: Manhattan
(US 1979) Woody Allen and Diane Keaton. A divorced New Yorker currently dating a high-schooler brings himself to look for love in the mistress of his best friend instead. The neurotic actor-director at his best.
Location: Videosala of the Olimpo, Calle 62 x 61
Time: 11:00 AM Sunday
Admission: Free
Music and Dance in Progreso
This event is sponsored by the Municipality of Progreso and Casa Cultura.
Location: In front of the Palacio, in Parque Independencia
Time: 8:00 PM all Sundays
Admission: Free
Coming Soon
Hotel Zamna: Grand Easter Luncheon: April 24, 2011
Welcome drink of your choice on arrival, 6 course Easter Luncheon
Served with unlimited Red or White Wine. Easter Prize Quiz
Location: Hotel Zamna, Calle 53 # 547, Barrio de Santiago.
Merida Centro. Tel….999 924 0103.
Time: 3:00 PM, Sunday
Admission: $300 pesos (limited to 28 guests)
More Information: Tickets available from hotel reception
Semana Santa
April 17: Palm Sunday – Domingo de Ramos
April 21: Holy Thursday
Cathedral 6:00 PM Symbolic washing of 12 parishoners' feet
April 22: Good Friday
Passion Plays: Cathedral, Santiago, Acanceh, Mani
April 24: Resurrection Day / Easter Sunday –Día de Gloria
Chelem Christmas Dreams Garage/ Bake Sale – April 30
Its time for Spring Cleaning and wardrobe reassessment. In fact, a whole house clean-out is a good idea! When you're finished, bake a dozen or so of your favorite cookies or muffins and bring it all to the Chelem Christmas Dreams Garage / Bake Sale in Chelem's main square on April 30. This year, they hope to have enough surplus funds to branch out and tackle other projects, such as trash containers for Chelem Centro or maybe even a defibrillator (AED). These items would be of benefit to everyone who lives in the Chelem area or visits there.
Progreso: 1st Annual Capital of Rock Festival: May 13, 14 & 15
For updates and great maps to the locations, please visit the Progreso Capital of Rock website.
Friday (May 13): 60's Rock
Location: Plaza"Hombre caídos en el mar" (at the end of Calle 29)
Time: 6:00 PM,
Admission: Free
Saturday (May 14): Rock & Pop
Location: Terraza de la "Pista de canotaje," at the entrance to Puerto de Progreso
Time: 12:00 PM, Admission: Free
Saturday (May 14): Alternative Rock
Location: Area adjacent to the beach "El Playon," (next to Hotel CTM)
Time: 5:00 PM, Admission: Free
Sunday (May 15): Pop Rock (new bands)
Location: Terrenos del Campo Deportivo"Víctor Cervera Pacheco" on the road to
Chicxulub Puerto, at the Glorieta del Corchito.
Time: 12:00 PM,
Admission: Free
Sunday (May 15): Rock (all types): Best Band
Location: Progreso Malecon; Parque Chazaro Perez
Time: 12:00 PM,
Admission: Free
Alejandro Pinzon Conducts the Chamber Orchestra of the City
Mark your calendars for the following dates. Alejandro Pinzon, a native of Merida, is currently leading the Coro Latino-Americano Pittsburgh and has a very busy Spring ahead of him. On May 14, he will lead El Coro (short for Coro Latino-Americano Pittsburgh) in a performance in Pittsburgh – then hop a plane to Merida and practice, practice, practice for three performances during the last week in May. Following those performances, he will have a few days to indulge in a bit of the local tango scene before he flies back to Pittsburgh for another performance by El Coro in Pittsburgh on June 12. His three performances in Merida include:
May 22 -Comisaria Cholul
May 26 -Olimpo Theatre
May 29 –Iglesia San Sebastian
We will add further details as we get them.
Note: We are pressing for Michele and all of the Latino-Americano Pittsburgh members to come and spend a week in Merida. With luck, they will and we will be able to forge a cultural exchange and build a long-lasting friendship between El Coro and some of the choirs we have in Merida. So – El Coro… come on down!
2011 FIBA Americas U16 Women's Championship: June 13 – 18
Participants: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, United States and Venezuela, with two countries from the Central American and Caribbean sub-zone also to be announced later in the Spring. The top three placed teams from both championships will qualify for the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championships in France. What is FIBA? FIBA (www.fiba.com) is the world governing body for basketball – an independent association formed by 213 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognized as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Location: Ciudad de la Paz Stadium
Time: TBA
Admission: TBA
Summer Arts School for Kids: July 11 – Aug. 4
This is a four-week international bilingual program for local and international students ages 8-13. The summer course will be taught in both English and Spanish by an array of educators and teaching artists from the United States and Mexico. This extraordinary team of teachers will offer the students a multi-disciplinary exploration of the theme of "Beneath the Surface" through the visual arts, music, dance, theater, and creative writing. Students will read a variety of books–in Spanish and English–and will create public performances and exhibits each week of the program.
Location: Habla, Calle 26 No. 99 B x 19 y 21 Col. México
Time: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Admission: TBA
More Information: Contact Habla at contact [at] habla [dot] org
Boxing For Women
Monique says: "Taught by the inimitable Lilia Valencia. Stick and move, Straight right, Upper cut, Peek a boo. Its all about the hips, she says. Express yourself!!!"
Location: Monique's Bakery: Calle 31 #70 x Calle 12 in Colonia Chuburna de Hidalgo, on the brink of Colonia Malaga
Time: TBA
Admission: TBA
More Information: moniqueduval[at]aol.com
Have an event you want us to publicize? Just email the information to: info [at] yucatanliving [dot] com. We publish every Monday night.
For Merida Month-at-a-glance Calendar, click here
For ongoing events and classes in Merida,
please click here for our Ongoing Events Calendar!


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The Blog
The Murdered Fathers Club
Washington's allies in Beirut are now bowing to Damascus.
9:00 PM, Dec 19, 2009 • By DAVID SCHENKER
On Saturday, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri traveled to Damascus for a meeting with Syrian president Bashar Asad, the man widely believed to have ordered the assassination of his father, former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri. The 2005 murder sparked the Cedar Revolution, a mass protest movement that resulted in the end of the thirty-year Syrian military occupation of Lebanon, and swept the pro-West March 14th coalition to power. Although March 14 again triumphed over the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hizballah-led opposition in elections this past June, Washington's allies in Beirut are now facing a crisis. Hariri's trip to Damascus represents the return of Syrian influence to Lebanon, and perhaps, the end of the Cedar Revolution.
Six months ago, March 14 appeared to be in good shape. The underdog coalition had defeated Hizballah at the polls, and seemed well positioned to form a government. But the process dragged out for months as the opposition held out for preponderant influence in the cabinet. In the end, facing the specter of Hizballah violence, Hariri ultimately succumbed to pressure and acceded to opposition demands.
The composition of the cabinet--in which Hizballah wields veto power over government initiatives--was a political defeat for Hariri. Worse, facing continued pressure from Hizballah and its allies, Hariri was compelled to make an equally loathsome concession on the Ministerial Statement, the policy guidance for his incoming administration. In contravention to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701--which stipulates the "disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon"--Hariri was forced to accept compromise language legitimating Hizballah's weapons.
Even more damaging, during the process of forming the government, Hariri was forced to accept the condition that he would travel to Damascus to meet Asad.
Pilgrimage to Damascus has long been a prerequisite for incoming senior Lebanese officials. During Syria's thirty-year occupation of Lebanon, Lebanese politicians--typically appointed by the Asad regime--would travel to Damascus to receive orders and to demonstrate fealty. More recently, since 2005 and the end of the Syrian occupation, the optics of a visit symbolically serve to reaffirm the power dynamic between Damascus and Beirut.
Years ago, it would have been unimaginable that Saad Hariri would meet with Bashar Asad. In 2005, Saad's father, Rafiq Hariri was assassinated in Beirut, and Syria--and its ally Hizballah according to Der Spiegel--remains the leading suspect in the case. Moreover, during an interview two years after his father's murder, Hariri claimed Damascus was responsible for the assassination of six parliamentarians in his March 14 bloc. "We all know that the Syrian regime is doing this," he said. "Action must be taken against Syria, like isolation, to make the Syrians understand that killing members of [Lebanon's] Parliament will have consequences for them."
A United Nations-mandated Special Tribunal for Lebanon was established in 2005 to prosecute Rafiq Hariri's assassins, and is currently preparing indictments. Given the sensitivities involved, it's obvious that if he had his way, Hariri would wait for indictments to be issued prior to visiting Damascus. Hariri has little inclination to meet with Asad, the man presumed to have ordered the killing of his father.
He is going under duress. In October, Hariri's chief Arab backer, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, travelled to Syria--the first such meeting in Damascus since 2005--and reportedly reached an agreement with President Asad to allow the formation of a Lebanese Government. Although Syria and its Lebanese allies had nearly all their cabinet demands met--as Syrian Ambassador to Washingon Imad Moustapha recently quipped, "It is exactly the sort of government we think should rule Lebanon"--the Asad regime wanted one additional concession: a Hariri visit to Damascus. As a peace offering, Saudi Arabia acceded.
But Hariri isn't the only March 14 politician slated to make the pilgrimage. Hariri will be followed closely by Walid Jumblatt, the enigmatic Druze leader, whose anti-Syrian views routinely made headlines from 2005-2008. During a speech to the Washington Institute for Near East policy in 2007, for example, Jumblatt warned U.S. policymakers as to the nature of the Asad regime. "Let nobody be fooled that the [Syrian] killing machine will stop," he said. Given the absence of effective sanctions against the regime, Jumblatt offered his own recommendation as to an effective course of action, opining, "If you could send some car bombs to Damascus, why not?"


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6 Comments
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LAKE PLACID - A report released this week says officials from the village of Lake Placid were grossly overpaid for work they never performed.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli blasted Lake Placid village government Wednesday following the completion of an audit that found employees were paid nearly $111,000 for unapproved or totally unearned leave time accruals.
In a verbal smack-down, DiNapoli said the village board was guilty of brash negligence when it dolled out over $93,000 in unearned or unauthorized leave accrual payments between August 2008 and October 2009.
"Lake Placid has to get its fiscal house in order and fast," DiNapoli said.
"Local governments must be more vigilant than ever in exercising their financial responsibilities to protect taxpayer resources from abuse and errors."
The audit found Village Clerk Kathryn "Kook" McKillip received a whopping $38,000 in unauthorized leave accrual payments over the 14 month period, including $22,774 which she never actually earned.
DiNapoli also found the village paid seven department heads over $40,000 in unauthorized leave payments.
The audit states Lake Placid spent about $18,000 on dental and health insurance for employees who are no longer eligible.
Lake Placid Village Mayor Craig Randall said his administration started noticing discrepancies in the village books shortly after he took office - and shortly before the Comptroller's Office began the investigation.
He said the time in question was during a brief period when the village clerk was also handling the treasurer's duties.
Randall says the temporary lack of segregation of duties may have caused a problem.
"When I spoke to the ladies downstairs, I got answers which were inconsistent with the work they were doing, which is accounting work," he said. "If you read municipal law, it gives the treasurer absolute control of the village. She's accountable to the mayor, but the law specifies exactly what the treasurer can do and what a clerk can do."
DiNapoli is calling for a segregation of the village's payroll duties and increased oversight from the village board.
Randall said the board will be wading through the audit's fallout for months.
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Undergraduate Academic Catalog 2012-2013
EDG 4111 Advanced Surface Modeling
Prerequisites: EDG 1212
This course covers surface modeling in 3D CAD, combining surface modeling, solid modeling and creating master models. The student is introduced to complex solid modeling, free form surface modeling and surface analysis. Splines, curves and three-dimensional sketches are used in conjunction with surfacing techniques to create shapes common to the automotive or aircraft industry. The shapes are analyzed for surface continuity to optimize designs.
Catalog Links