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Religion and Politics in Israel and Palestine
1. Brief Introduction
1. Brief Introduction to Religion and Politics in Israel and Palestine
Israel has a population of nearly 7.5 million, with a population growth rate of 1.6% (July 2011 est). It had a 2010 HDI ranking of #15 and a 2010 CPI ranking of 6.1. The 2011 CIA Factbook divides Palestine into Gaza Strip (1.66 million, with a 3.2% growth rate) and West Bank (2.57 million with a 2.1% growth rate) entries. Based on 2004 data, it lists Israel as 76.4% Jewish, 16% Muslim, 1.7% Arab Christian, .4% other Christian, 1.6% Druze, and 3.9% unspecified. It gives the following ethnic background: 76.4% Jewish (of which 67.1% are Israeli-born, 22.6% U.S. or European-born, 5.9% African-born, and 4.2% Asian-born); and 23.6% mostly Arab non-Jewish. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict retains a primary significance throughout the Jewish and Muslim worlds, from Jakarta to New York, so that this global symbolic importance supersedes any political calculus based on population, size of economy, armed forces, or other. The CIA Factbook lists the West Bank as 75% Muslim, 17% Jewish, 8% Christian and Other.
After the British withdrew from their mandate for Palestine following World War II, the U.N. partitioned the region into Arab and Jewish states. The Arabs rejected the arrangement, but Israelis successfully defended the establishment of their state. In 1956 Israel joined with France and Britain in attacking Nasser's Egypt, but the three withdrew under pressure from the Soviet Union and the United States. In 1967 Israel won a great victory in the Six-Day War which resulted in Israel occupying the West Bank, the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights. In 1969 Yasir Arafat, leader of the al-Fatah guerrillas, became head of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which had been founded five years earlier. In 1974 the Arab League recognized the PLO as the "sole and legitimate representative" of the Palestinian people, and Arafat gradually succeeded in building recognition of a Palestine national identity in world opinion. In 1973 Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel in the Sinai and Golan Heights. The fighting was inconclusive. In 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon and remained in southern Lebanon until withdrawing in May 2000.
In September 1993 Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Rabin shook hands on the White House lawn and signed the "Declaration of Principles" (aka "Oslo Accords"). This series of negotiations, which raised hopes worldwide, came very close to leading to peace, but ultimately failed in summer 2000-winter 2001. The victory of Ariel Sharon over Ehud Barak as Israeli prime minister in February 2001 finally ended the process. An indication of how much the world wanted Oslo Process to succeed can be seen in Pope John Paul II's trip to Holy Land in March 2000 in which he visited both a Palestinian refugee camp and the Holocaust museum. Throughout the Oslo Process, both domestic politics and foreign policy considerations loomed large. Each time that a suicide bombing took place, it helped politically both the more militant Hamas among the Palestinians and the Israeli hardline Likud Party. The assassination of Rabin by a Jewish militant also hurt the process, as did the razor thin victory of Likud's Netanyahu over Labor's Peres after a February 1996 bombing.
How can we finally explain the failure of the Oslo Process? U.S. lead negotiator Dennis Ross said that his biggest realization was how closely the negotiations were tied to "the reality on the ground." From 1992 to 2001, Israeli settlement population had increased by eighty thousand, the Palestinian standard of living had decreased by twenty percent, and the PLO had become more corrupt. And Hamas was always ready to oppose the Accords. After Camp David, negotiations continued until they met in Taba, Egypt, in January 2001. Negotiators stated that none of the three big outstanding issues (Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees, and Jewish settlements and future borders) were "deal breakers" at Taba, but that they ran out of time. And the basic national and international environment had changed.
The PLO began the Al Aksa intifada [resistence] in September 2000. Hamas increased its suicide bombings and other violent acts. Prime Minister Sharon responded with multiple army incursions into Palestine Authority territory and for a while surrounded Arafat in his Ramallah headquarters. This second intifada had become a second nakba [catasphophe] for both Palestinians and Israelis. Sharon, building a separating wall throughout the region, then began a strategy of unilateral withdrawal to a defendable Jewish-majority state. Israel left the Gaza Strip in August 2005. To accomplish this plan, Sharon formed a new political party Kadima out of the old Likud and some centrist elements. When Sharon suffered a stroke in January 2006, Ehud Olmert took over the party and the strategy. Kadima won the plurality of seats (29 of 120) in the March parliamentary elections, but needed four parties to form a government. Arafat died in November 2004, and Mahmoud Abbas took over the PLO. Abbas was elected president in January 2005, but Hamas won the parliamentary elections in January 2006, thus splitting the government. Hamas refuses to recognize Israel and a two-state solution. Kadima received electoral support for unilateral withdrawals, but Olmert's policy seemed to fail in the Hezbollah and Israeli fighting of summer 2006. This second Lebanese war for Israel ended after 34 days in a U.N.-mandated cease fire with no clear victory. The next serious secret negotiation took place December 2006-September 2008 between Olmert and Abbas (see NYT Magazine article of February 11, 2011 in short introduction for content and result).
In February 2009, new parliamentary (120-seats) elections resulted in the following five parties with the largest representation: 28 Kadima, 27 Likud, 15 Yisrael Beiteinu, 13 Labor, and 11 Shas. Likud leader Netanyahu put together a hardline coalition of all these parties but Kadima, plus smaller parties, albeit with Labor divided. See recent articles for impact on international politics, including relations with Obama administration. In 2011, the Arab Spring influenced both sides, leading up to PLO decisions about whether or not to reconcile with Hamas, push for a United Nations recognition of Palestinian statehood, and/or reenter negotiations without Israeli suspension of settlements. Netanyahu's visit to Washington in May showed that he was reluctant to take any major initiatives and that he distrusted Obama. In July Israeli protests began over living standards and the concentration of wealth. See all recent articles below.
Hanson (2006) discusses "Judaism and the Diaspora" (pp. 95-98); "Israeli Politics: Jewish Identity and the Israeli State" (pp. 228-31); and "Palestinian Politics: PLO Versus Hamas" (pp. 231-35).
2. A Short Introductory Course to Religion and Politics in Israel and Palestine
Halpern and Reinharz discuss the various Zionist currents than led to the foundation of Israel under the largely secular and Ashkenazi Labor Party. Friedman sets up the background for Israeli-Palestinian relations in his very readable book. Gopin is a Jewish conflict resolution specialist who explains the religious and local popular reasons that the Oslo Process did not succeed. Wald summarizes the impact of religious ideology and organization on the two great divisions within the Israeli political process: the "culture war" over Jewish political-religious identity; and the debate about whether in what manner Israel should trade land for peace. For the Olmert-Abbas negotiations, please read the Avishai article. Then read the most recent articles to bring everything up to date.
Halpern, Ben, and Reinharz, Jehuda. Zionism and the Creation of a New Society. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Friedman, Thomas L. From Beirut to Jerusalem, updated with a new chapter. New York: Anchor Books, 1995.
Wald, Kenneth D. "The Religious Dimensions of Israeli Political Life," in Jelen and Wilcox, Comparative Politics (2002).
Avishai, Bernard, "A Separate Peace," New York Times Magazine, February 11, 2011. The security negotiatios were largely successful ("the file was closed"), and discussions on the borders and refugees reached agreement on principle, but not on numbers. By the end Olmert had been weakened by corruption charges, Hamas-led Gaza was heating up, and both sides needed "bridging proposals" from the United States. The talks were suspended in January 2009, and Al Jazeera later leaked some of the documents.
3. Other Key Resource Materials for Religion and Politics in Israel and Palestine
America (August 13-20, 2007). Entire issue devoted to Jerusalem, 1967-2007.
Faith and International Affairs (Winter 2007). Entire issue devoted to "Evangelicals and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict."
Gilsenan, Michael. Recognizing Islam: Religion and Society in the Modern Middle East. London: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 1992.
Gopin, Marc, "Judaism and Peacebuilding in the Context of Middle Eastern Conflict," in Johnston, Douglas, Faith-Based Diplomacy: Trumping Realpolitik (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003), 91-121. Appendix: "Peacemaking Qualities of Judaism as Revealed in Sacred Scripture."
Johnson, Paul. A History of the Jews. London: Weidenfield and Nicolson, 1987.
Morris, Benny. Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001, with a new final chapter. New York: Vintage, 2001.
Schneer, Jonathan. The Balfour Declaration: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. New York: Random House, 2010.
Shlaim, Avi. The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World. New York: W.W. Norton, 2001.
4. Recent Articles on Israel and Palestine (a. Politics; b. Religion; c. Religion and Politics; d. Economy and Society; e. Foreign Policy):
a. Politics
"Isreali Ready for Peace Talks if Palestinians Disarm Hamas," New York Times, January 18, 2006. Sharon had stroke on January 4, so Ehud Olmert, new acting prime minister, says he is ready for negotiations if Hamas disarmed. Earlier in week Palestinian President Abbas had said he is ready "without preconditions." Palestinian elections later in January and Israeli elections in March.
"Acting Israeli Leader Backs a Palestinian State and Giving Up Parts of West Bank," New York Times, January 25, 2006. Olmert says Israel must choose Jewish-majority state and to follow the road map.
"Palestinians Set for Vote And Big Shift," New York Times, January 25, 2006. Good description of strengths and weaknesses of Mahmoud Abbas on election eve. Hamas won 74 of 132 seats in a stunning upset, meaning Abbas lost political gamble.
"Hamas and Abbas Clash Over Path for Palestinians," New York Times, February 19, 2006. Abbas addresses first meeting of parliament.
"Long on Outskirts of Power, Olmert Looks to Lead Israel," New York Times, March 27, 2006. Background of acting prime minister.
"Palestinian parliament endorses Hamas-led Cabinet," San Jose Mercury News, March 29, 2006. Cabinet formed by Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, plus independents, takes control. Secular-nationalist Fatah would not participate, since Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh would not recognize Israel or commit to two-state solution. Also opposes unilateral Israeli demarcation of border.
"Not With a Bang but a Pop," New York Times, March 30, 2006. Kadima wins, but not with a mandate for Olmert. Election results for 120 seats in parliament: Kadima 29, Labor 19, Shas 12, Israael Beitenu 12, Likud 11, Arab Parties 10, National Union/Religious 9, Pensioners 7, Torah Judaism 6, Meretz 4.
"His Coalition in Place, Olmert Turns to Setting Israeli Borders," New York Times, May 5, 2006. Coalition of Kadima, Labor, Shas, Pensioners. What to leave in and out of new borders. Iran as concern.
"Abbas Says Hamas Must Accept Peace Plan or Face Referendum," New York Times, May 26, 2006. President says he will call a referendum within ten days on Palestinian state that would recognize Israel if Hamas will not accept.
"Is Hamas Ready to Deal?" New York Times op-ed by Scott Atran, August 17, 2006. Analysis of political situation following Israeli-Hezbollah conflict. Unilaterial solution dead. Prime Minister Haniya vs. Meshal (militia, Iran, Hezbollah connections) for control of Hamas. Impact of continued fighting on radicalization of global Islam.
"Israeli Premier Reaches Out To Far Right," New York Times, October 24, 2006. Prime Minister Olmert brings in Israel Beiteinu ["Israel is Our Home"] with its eleven seats, raising coalition to 78 of 120 seats in Knesset. Israel Beiteinu, led by Soviet immigrant Avigdor Lieberman, calls for annexing Jewish settlements in West Bank and transferring most of Arab Israeli citizens to Palestinian state.
"After Deadly Clashes in Gaza, Leaders Appeal for Calm," New York Times, December 18, 2006. After long negotiations with Hamas, President Abbas calls for new parliamentary elections. Armed clashes between Fatah and Hamas controlled security forces.
"Preacher criticizes Hamas and is slain moments later," San Jose Mercury News, January 6, 2007. Mosque preacher Adel Nassar is slain in Gaza after he criticized the killing of top Fatah security official, Col. Mohammed Ghayeb, and six bodyguards. Wife and children wounded.
"In a Divided Israel, Angry Words or No Words at All," and "Palestinian Asks Dissolution of Hamas's Military Police," New York Times, January 7, 2007. Side-by-side articles demonstrate dysfunctional fragmentation of both political systems. For Israel, it is Prime Minister Ehud Olmert versus Defense Minister Peretz, with an independent military and security apparatus, plus fights within their respective Kadima and Labor parties. For Palestine, it is President Abbas of Fatah versus Prime Minister Haniya, with security forces on both sides battling at intervals.
"Ex-Premier of Israel Takes Helm of Labor Party, New York Times, June 14, 2007. Ehud Barak's comeback.
"Abbas Swears In Emergency Palestinian Government," New York Times, June 18, 2007. Growing rift between Fatah and Hamas leads to separate governments.
"Gaza Under Hamas: Quiet, Cut Off and Digging In," New York Times, September 8, 2007. Political control and economic isolation. Hamas forbids outdoors Friday prayer protests from Fatah supporters.
"For Ultra-Orthodox of Israel, A Modern Marketplace Grows," New York Times, November 2, 2007. 800,000 Ultra-Orthodox of 5.4 million Jews in 7.1 million Israelis, large enough population to create a separate market, e.g., kosher cell phones which do not connect to Internet, take pictures, or send text messages. More than 50 percent of Ultra-Orthodox live below the poverty line and get state allowances. They live in tight communities, have large families, and do not watch television, so advertising relies much more on personal connections. Illustrations of how large Israeli companies approach the market.
"Israeli-Arab Land Fight Is a Cat-and-Mouse Game," New York Times, December 8, 2007. Story of attempts by settlers to expand settlements in the West Bank.
"Cynicism and a Grain of Hope for Olmert's Peace Effort," New York Times, May 23, 2008. Contrast between recent Israeli peace efforts with Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinians and Olmert's continuing troubles with corruption probe.
"Palestinian President Seeks Renewed Talks With Hamas," New York Times, June 5, 2008. Abbas calls for renewed talks with Hamas, as Palestinians express disappointment over continued building of Israeli settlements.
"A Year Reshaptes Hamas and Gaza," New York Times, June 15, 2008. Analysis of changes in Gaza, e.g., Shariah law (always more "poor and pious" than West Bank) and more order ("strong and brutal, but good at governing"), after one year of Hamas control following taking power from Fatah.
"Olmert To Resign After Party Vote This September," New York Times, July 31, 2008. Due to corruption investigation, Olmert announced he would resign after the Kadima Party chooses a new leader in September. The ballot is set for September 17, with a possible run-off on the 24th. Kadima and its coalition partners hope to avoid a general election until it must take place in 2010.
"Israel's Foreign Minister Claims a Party Victory," New York Times, September 18, 2008. Tzipi Livni narrowly defeats hawkish former general Shaul Mofaz to succeed Olmert. Olmert resigned three days later while remaining the caretaker.
"Radical Settlers Take On Israel to Thwart Possible Ouster From West Bank," New York Times, September 26, 2008. The radicalization of the settlers movements, leading to clashes with police and army. See New York Times, October 24, 2008, for settlers movement to restore Joseph's tomb in the middle of Palestinian Nablus.
"Israeli Party Leader Asks for Early Elections, Predicting Victory," New York Times, October 27, 2008. Analysis of failure of negotiations to establish new coalition government. Livni would not give the Shas Party everything it wanted. Old coalition was Kadima, Labor, Pensioners Party, and Shas. See also New York Times, October 25, 2008.
"Crisis Imperils 2-State Plan," New York Times, January 12, 2009. Images of Gaza conflict inflaming Arab world and making difficult two-state solution. Impact on Egypt and Jordan.
"Israel's Elder Statesman, Now With Renewed Clout," New York Times, June 27, 2009. Shimon Peres and recent influence.
"Security and Economic Revival Raises Hopes in the West Bank," New York Times, July 17, 2009. Recent security and economic progress.
"The New Israeli Lobby," New York Times Magazine (September 13, 2009): 38-57. Article by James Traub on J Street, the new Israeli lobby.
"Mideast Realities Defy Obama's Hopes," New York Times, September 19, 2009. After a week of shuttle diplomacy by George Mitchell, no agreement on freezing construction of Jewish settlements and fresh signs of differences on the basis of peace negotiations.
"Furor Sends Palestinians Into Shift on U.N. Report," New York Times, October 8, 2009. Palestinian anger forces leadership to endorse a Security Council debate on a U.N. report accusing Israel of possible war crimes in Gaza. Leadership had responded to American pressure by dropping issue for six months in hope to revive peace talks.
"The Painful Truth in Mideast Talks: Force Has Trumped Diplomacy," New York Times, October 20, 2009. Comparison of the efficacy of force versus diplomacy at present time.
"Palestinians Now Have Voting Date, But No Unity," New York Times, October 24, 2009. Citing failure of Egyptian-mediated talkes between Fatah and Hamas, Abbas calls presidential and parliamentary elections for January 24. Hamas objects strongly.
"In Gaza, Opportunities Fade As Feeling of Isolation Grows," New York Times, October 27, 2009. Near universal literacy, but no economy, except smuggling, with embargo. Professionals dislike Hamas government, but voted for it because of Fatah's corruption. Now would not.
"Cheer, Then Gloom, on Mideast Talks," New York Times, July 15, 2010. Netanyahu and Obama express hopes for private proximity talks, but Palestinian pessimistic. Saeb Erekat says that no response to full position. Direct talks would probably follow Hilary Clinton's formula: "the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state, based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps, and the Israeli gloal of a Jewish state with secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet Israeli security requirements." Olmert made a far-reaching proposal in late 2008, but came up against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Argument over whether Abbas responded.
"Palestinian Negotiator Says Agreement Is 'Doable,'" New York Times, August 24, 2010. Saeb Erekat describes new talks, sponsored by the Obama Administration, as difficult, but possible, as had Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Background on the coming to the Palestinians to direct talks through statement of the "quartet" of Middle East peacemakers (U.S., U.N., E.U., and Russia). See also August 27th op-ed by Martin Indyk on four reasons for optimism: violence is down, settlement activity has slowed, publics support two-state solution, and almost all of the issues have been negotiated before. Now is time for political will. See also August 30 in Religion and Politics.
"Israeli Defense Minister Forms New Faction Within Coalition," New York Times, January 18, 2011. Barak and four others break off from Labor, leaving eight members.
"Rival Leaders Agree to Hold Gaza Meeting," New York Times, March 17, 2011. Abbas of Fatah and Haniya of Hamas agree to consider reconcilation, although the content is different for each. Response to public pressure for unity.
"East Jerusalem Is Approved For Building Of New Homes," New York Times, August 12, 2011. Approval of 1600-apartment Ramat Shlomo complex. Israeli Peace Now calls it a "cynical use" of housing crisis. Government also says it will soon approve 2700 more housing units.
b. Religion
"Unusual Partners Study Divisive Jerusalem Site," New York Times, November 15, 2009. Article on rare joint Jewish-Palestinian book on history of Jerusalem's holy places.
c. Religion and Politics
"For Evangelicals, Supporting Israel Is 'God's Foreign Policy,'" New York Times, November 14, 2006. Christians United For Israel and other rightist organizations. Importance of Iranian situation to these groups.
"Find of Ancient city Could Alter Notions of Biblical David," New York Times, October 30, 2008. New site supports importance of David's kingdom, and the various contemporary political uses of the find.
"From an Israeli Settlement, a Rabbi's Unorthodox Plan for Peace," New York Times, December 6, 2008. Menachem Froman, chief rabbi of the Takoa settlement and a founding member of Gush Emunim, has engaged in many dialogues with Arafat, Muslim sheiks, and even Sheik Ahmed Yassin of Hamas.
"In Pope's Journey Across Middle East, Modest Successes and Missed Chances," New York Times, May 17, 2009. See May 9 (visit to Jordan's royal family), 12, 14, 16 for politics of individual events. Also see John Allen in May 6 National Catholic Reporter for possible themes. Compare with visit of John Paul II in 2000. See also America, May 25-June 1.
"Israeli Court Spuirs Protest With Ruling About School," New York Times, June 18, 2010. Supreme Court rules against segregating Ashkenazi and Sephardic children, both from ultra-Orthodox traditions. Hasidic Ashkenazi rally in support of those jailed for refusing integration, claiming that their religious understanding is more strict than the Sephardi.
"Israel Tries to Defuse Crisis Over Conversions," New York Times, July 24, 2010. Netanyahu delays action on conversion law that "could tear apart the Jewish people" by alienating American Jews. Dispute reflects three factors: 1. arrival of hundreds of thousands of Russian-speaking immigrants who are not yet considered Jews; 2. the chief rabbinate has passed from Orthodox Zionist parties to non-Zionist ultra-Orthodox; and 3. increasing discomfort of American Jews for current Israeli policy.
"Actors' Protest and Rabbi's Sermon Stoke Tensions in Israel Ahead of Peace Talks," New York Times, August 30, 2010. Israeli actors refuse to perform in West Bank, thus reigniting debate over legitimacy of Israeli settlements. Ovadia Yosef, 89, spiritual head of Shas, calls Abbas "evil" and prays that God will strike "these Ishmaelites and Palestinians with a plague." Political leader of Shas, Interior Minister Eli Yishai, has no comment, but Netanyahu states that statements do not reflect his views. Palestinian leaders like negotiator Erekat record one-minute video clips, paid for by U.S. government, for Jewish audiences.
"Israel's Support of Torah Study Ruptures Anew," New York Times, December 29, 2010. Societal discussion of the fact that more than 60 percent of ultra-Orthodox men do not work. Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi Chaim Amsellem suggests subsidies and military exemptions should be reserved to those who have promise of becoming Torah scholars.
d. Economy and Society
"Warm and Fuzzy TV, Brought to You by Hamas," New York Times, January 18, 2006. Hamas's Gaza TV station, Al Aksa TV, modeled on Hezbollah's Al Manar TV. Children's show to broadcast Palestinian rights to Al Aksa Mosque, etc., with plush animals.
"The Kibbutz Sheds Socialism And Regains Lost Popularity," New York Times, August 27, 2007. The third period in the history of Kibbutz in which most seek a "subtler balance between collective responsibility and individual freedom, with an emphasis on community and values." About 30 percent have stuck to their socialist values, and they too are flourishing.
"For Ultra-Orthodox of Israel, A Modern Marketplace Grows," New York Times, November 2, 2007. 800,000 Ultra-Orthodox of 5.4 million Jews in 7.1 million Israelis, large enough population to create a separate market, e.g., kosher cell phones which do not connect to Internet, take pictures, or send text messages. More than 50 percent of Ultra-Orthodox live below the poverty line and get state allowances. They live in tight communities, have large families, and do not watch television, so advertising relies much more on personal connections. Illustrations of how large Israeli companies approach the market.
"Before a Diplomatic Showdown, a Budget Crisis Saps Palestinians' Confidence," New York Times, July 28, 2011. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad faces crisis, halves some salaries. Arab and Western government use aid as bargaining chip.
"Israelis Feel Tug of Protests, Reviving the Left's Spirits," New York Times, August 1, 2011.
"Protests Force Israel to Confront Wealth Gap," New York Times, August 12, 2011. 1980s and 1990s privitization concentrated wealth.
e. Foreign Policy
"U.N. Is Gradually Becoming More Hospitable to Israel," New York Times, October 11, 2005. Kofi Annan has reduced marginalization in last eighteen months.
"Lebanese Army Sets Up in Hezbollah's Territory," and "With Guns Silent, Wartime Unity Unravels in Israel Amid Fierce Criticism of War Effort," New York Times, August 18, 2006. Elaborate dance in relationship of Lebanese Army and Hezbollah. Fierce criticism of war leadership of Prime Minister Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Chief of Staff Let.Gen Dan Halutz. Israelis overwhelmingly supported response after July 12 raid that killed three soldiers and captured two.
"Poland and Israel share more than just a painful history," San Jose Mercury News, March 5, 2007. Despite long history of painful Polish-Jewish relations, current Polish-Israeli relations very good. Koret Foundation sponsors exchanges.
"Cynicism and a Grain of Hope for Olmert's Peace Effort," New York Times, May 23, 2008. Contrast between recent Israeli peace efforts with Syria, Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinians and Olmert's continuing troubles with corruption probe.
"Israel Seems to Make Progress in Talks," New York Times, June 17, 2008. Progress possible in all three negotiations: Hezbollah, Syria, Hamas. Iran is principal enemy.
"Prisoner Deal Reopens an Israeli Wound," New York Times, July 16, 2008. Repatriation of most notorious prisoner, Lebanese Druse Samir Kuntar, reminds Israelis and Lebanese of 1979 attack, stirs old wounds.
"In Israel, Time For Peace Offer May Run Out," New York Times, April 3, 2011. Growing UN support for Palestinian state.
"Turning Point For Two Leaders With Mistrust," New York Times, May 20 and 21, 2011. Six articles on Netanyahu's visit to Washington and Obama's speech of U.S. policy.
"As U.S. Steps Back, Europe Takes a Bigger Role in Mideast Peace Push," New York Times, July 21, 2011. Role of Quartet and coming UN vote.
"Israel's Lost Chance," New York Times, July 30, 2011, op-ed by Aluf Benn (Haaretz).
"Aid to Gaza Is Imperiled By Hamas, U.S. Warns," New York Times, August 12, 2011. Hamas threat to audit Gaza NGOs raises American and Norwegian protests.
August 18, 2011.


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Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder addresses the House during his annual State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 at the State Capitol Building in Lansing, Mich. / JARRAD HENDERSON/Detroit Free Press
It wasn't until the closing, rhetorical flourishes of his State of the State address that Gov. Rick Snyder dropped a bombshell that made me wish I could see the faces of Republican leaders in the Michigan House and Senate.
In an unusually impassioned recitation of what motivates him to lead this state, Snyder said his measure of whether others in Lansing were finally ready to start rebuilding would be how they responded to his proposal to raise $1 billion in new road funds through driver registration fees.
Snyder said it was simple math. Right now, we don't spend enough to maintain the state's roads, so we spend more on repairs and other mishaps.
"It's a no-brainer," he said. A family faced with the same decision would raise the money in the short-term to avoid bigger costs down the road.
Yes. A Republican governor wants to raise taxes and says it's an investment.
If this is the framework for Snyder's last two years, I have two reactions: hallelujah; and, uh-oh.
This is what Democrats and independents who supported Snyder have been waiting for -- the common ground they found with his campaign message about moving Michigan forward through resource prioritization. But it also probably made a lot of GOP lawmakers want to choke Snyder with the necktie he so rarely wears.
Indeed, much of Snyder's speech was about the need for Michigan to consider more investment -- in human capital through education and job training, in infrastructure through roads and energy, and in our natural resources through land use and more aggressive preservation of the Great Lakes.
He wasn't terribly specific during his address, but now he clearly seems ready to start spending money on initiatives he believes will help speed the state's economic and social recovery. He touched on education, saying it's time to expand pre-kindergarten options for Michigan children, whose opportunities now lag behind far too many other states. He said he will convene summits on the Great Lakes and land strategy and economic development, all with an eye toward how to build on talent and maximize state resources.
He unleashed some mind-blowing stats about how badly Michigan has fallen, saying one chart in his office tracks what percentage of the national economy is generated here in Michigan -- and that the trend line has fallen pretty steadily since 1965. Back then, Michigan made up 5% of the U.S. economy; today, it's just 2.5%.
The culprit? Look in the mirror, he said.
"We are our greatest challenge," Snyder said. He said back in 1982, when he graduated from the University of Michigan, the state was in a cyclical downturn, and political leadership was talking about doing many of the things Snyder is trying to do now.
"What happened?" he asked rhetorically. He also referred to the 2000s as Michigan's "lost decade," a phrase I've never heard him invoke before.
Snyder's tone was edgier than usual, and his passion was clear. He pointed to his family, seated in the House chamber, as the reason he's proposing these ideas. He was clearly asking everyone in the state to think of their own families.
It could work, and the state could really benefit. But it will require far more political strategy and capital than Snyder has had to use, or has demonstrated he even has, to date.

subset: commoncrawl


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The ceremony was held at the theatre of the Tokyo Anime Center in Akihabara. It was no accident that it was scheduled for the week after the Academy Awards. Awards were for performances in 2006.
Paku Romi won the best female lead award, for her portrayal of rocker Nana in the smash hit NANA. Best male lead was Fukuyama Jun, for his role of Lelouch in Code Geass.
Because of the difficulty of deciding, according to promoters of the event, two names were chosen in each category apart from these two top categories.
Best supporting females were Koshimizu Ami, for Karen in Code Geass; and Gotou Yuuko, for Mikuru in Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu. Best supporting males were Ishida Akira, for Athrun Zala in Gundam Seed Destiny; and Miyata Kouki, for Yoshinaga Kazumi in The Gargoyle of the Yoshinagas.
Best new females were Hirano Aya, for Suzumiya Haruhi; and Kano Yui, for Momoko in Sumomo mo Momo mo. Best new males were Kakihara Tetsuya, for Mikoto in Princess Princess; and Morita Masakazu, for Ichigo in Bleach. "New" seiyuu means anyone who debuted within the past five years. Aaya just made it, being 19 and having debuted at the age of 14.
Solid: Ishida, Mizuki, Paku.
Dubious: Morita, Asano, Gotou.
The fix is in: Miyata, Kakihara, Kano.
Too bad: Sugita, Miyano, Sawashiro. (i.e., should have won)
Too old: Horie, Tamura, Matsuoka.
Paku Romi is older than any of those last three, so that's wrong. But I would have given the award to Sugita Tomokazu rather than Fukuyama Jun; I find Lelouch wooden, and the only thing amazing about the performance is that it is such an unusual role for Fukuyama-san.
And Kano Yui seems a strange choice, when she has only really done two shows, and doesn't seem to have that flexible a voice.
I'd have given it to Makino Yui, for Misaki in NHK, although she hasn't done any more shows, really. But Kano's voice is totally unique, for sure, and I can just about see her edging out Saitou Momoko, Kobayashi Yu, et al. A 2channel poster said: "I'm a fan of Yui's, but she didn't deserve to win." I agreed at first, but going over the nominees, I can almost see it.
Paku Romi, Kuwashima Houko, and Tanaka Rie would all have been worthy winners of the lead female award.
I hope it is significant that Paku Romi, who is of Korean ancestry, was selected over other equally worthy competitors. Romi's grandparents and great-grandparents emigrated from Korea. She was born in Tokyo and attended college in Japan, but did language study in Korea and is fluent in Korean.
Here are some reports from the event in Japanese, with more photos: Anime! Anime!, Akiba Kakaku, and AV Watch.
Here is a list of the nominees.
I can't identify everyone in the group shot above. Please e-mail me with corrections or more identifications if you know them. The fact that the new seiyuu are in the front row is interesting. 2channel and I both suspect that their looks had something to do with that. I would add that Hirano Aya's short skirt might have been a further factor.
Group photo: (front row, l-r) Morita Masakazu, Hirano Aya, Fukuyama Jun, official, Paku Romi, Kano Yui,
EDIT: I have no info about who was on the jury, although I do know that they worked from a list of the public's votes. However, here is some info from 2channel about the organizing committee for the whole process: the chairman is from the seiyuus' association but works for the 81 Produce agency, which represents two of the winners. The vice-chair works for the Tokyo Anime Center (on whose radio show Miyata is a personality) and for Shogakkan publishers. Other members are from: Kadokawa (which publishes Suzumiya Haruhi), Bunka Broadcasting (which broadcasts Asano Masumi's show), Tokyo University of Technology (2), Tokyo Anime Center (3), and one more each from Bunka, Kadokawa, and 81 Produce.
The dance of corporate back-patting was probably involved, but I think they balanced it fairly well with straight merit. Many people associated with all those organizations did not win, too. And I don't see a rep of Aoni, the agency that had three winners.
EDIT: Masumin's radio show broadcast from the ceremony and had comments from all the winners, which are printed here. Most of the comments were fairly predictable. Morita did mention that he was older than the other "new seiyuu," but had not actually been in the business that long. Aaya thanked staff and cast for past and future support and said the award marked ten years in the entertainment industry for her. Kano Yui said she would work hard to live up to the award.
Asano Masumi herself, however, among other things lived up to her reputation for saying the unexpected. She said that she had worked hard on the radio show, once even going so far as to announce to the world the shape and color of her nipples. It was very embarrassing, she said, but obviously it had an effect, so she's glad she did it.


text:
Mississippi Cemetery Code
A private question was asked about access and maintenance of old cemeteries in Mississippi, and I answered the person, but thought it would also be of benefit to people who have ancestors buried in old private, village, and church cemeteries no longer maintained, anywhere they are located in Mississippi.
There are laws in Mississippi Code that do not allow "landowners" to descecrate a family cemetery, which is often excepted from a deed when land was sold "way back when" anyway, and the same laws require Boards of Supervisors to maintain abandoned private or public cemeteries if they are old and/or "historic". The laws are MS Code 47-5-441 and MS Code 39-5-19. There are others that may also apply. You can find these under "Mississippi Code" on the Mississippi Supreme Court home page on line and print them out (once there, type in such key words as "cemetery", "restoration", and "historic").
The current owner cannot keep you as a descendant from accessing the cemetery, and you may be able to get a deed from him for some small price, since he cannot do anything with the cemetery without violating state law and county ordinances. A trip to the county courthouse and looking at the old historic deeds on the property may reveal that the cemetery was actually excepted from the deed when it was sold by the family, which means that new landowner does not now nor ever has owned the cemetery. Hinds County has a number of abandoned family, church, and village cemeteries, as does every county in this state, and all are subject to being maintained by the counties in which they are located. In reality, this seldom happens unless formal letters specifying the correct information are mailed to the county Board of Supervisors, and/or to the Mississippi Dept of Archives and History. Then, these letters of request need following up on to be sure that action is taken. Most of the time, also specified by law, county inmates do the cleaning and maintenance work. In Jasper County, MS, the Jasper Greys Civil War organization is doing more family and church historic cemetery maintenance than their Board of
Supervisors is.
Mary Collins Landin


text:
DBX Men's Shorty Wetsuit
Product Information:
For ultimate warmth and protection, try the DBX® Men's Shorty Spring Wetsuit. Made from the highest quality 3mm nylon jersey neoprene in the body and legs and 2mm neoprene in the side panels, this suit is both durable and comfortable. To prevent neck chafing, this springsuit features a smoothskin-lined, flatlock-seamed collar and wide arm gussets. The super-stretchy fabric allows you plenty of freedom of movement.
- High quality 3mm neoprene in body and legs, 2mm neoprene in side panels
- Super stretch
- Collar with flatlock seams for comfort
- Short zip back entry with pull cord leash
- Velcro® neck closure
- Smoothskin-lined collar
- Anatomically cut
- Hidden key pocket
- Style: WTB00175
Country of Origin: ImportedWeb ID: 12925487
Customer Reviews:
Rated 4.4 out of 5�by 108 reviewers.
Rated 5 out of 5�by Sky Scuba Diving wet suit It is excellent warm wetsuit and the price is good. October 15, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5�by AlwaysBusy Exactly what I needed I needed something to keep myself warm in the pool as the pool temperature is on the cool side. This does it job. Is a big snug, so do recommend getting the next size up. September 23, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5�by vincent well made this is made well and has very nice side panels to September 23, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5�by C3jacks Like it. Ordered the wrong size online. Returned for the correct size. Liked it enough to buy a second one. September 22, 2015
Rated 2 out of 5�by diver runs 1 size small No dressing room to try on, suits run one size too small. September 22, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5�by RJ2549 Great Insulation when duck huntjng I wear these under my waders and coat, and no cold can stop me! September 22, 2015
Rated 5 out of 5�by c3jacks Good deal. Got this on sale at a great price. Fits nice. Only worn it once so far but did its job as well as other well known name brands. September 22, 2015
Rated 3 out of 5�by st64 Runs extremely small! This wetsuit seems ok in quality, cheaply made in China, but hey, it was only $30 on special, so I'd say worth the money. Be aware, however, that it runs extremely small. I'm 6'2" 165# and ordered a large and it was still too small...a little tight and short in the crotch. I returned it and ordered an XL. September 17, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5�by Osc Short suit Works great, shorty works. Dose the job keeps my core warm. September 15, 2015
Rated 4 out of 5�by Johnny Fit info I am usually XL. I ordered XXXL (3 x's) and found it to be a bit too big. I think one size over normal is right. I imagine that some buyers don't know that a tight fit is important for good insulation. Otherwise, a good wetsuit for the price. September 13, 2015


text:
Talk:PicOfTheDay/20 January
Back to template | < Template talk:PicOfTheDay
39,362pages on
this wiki
this wiki
To quote the guidelines: "Consider what day the picture is placed on, like {{PicOfTheDay/11 October}}, but this is the least important consideration. The picture chosen should be interesting on any day. Picture of the Day is about the pictures more than it is about the days. Also, it's more important to make a Trek-universe connection to a day than a real universe one." This is not an interesting-on-any-day picture. It is also not an in-universe day-connection. --bp 21:56, January 20, 2010 (UTC)


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ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 05: Matt Holliday #7 and Pete Kozma #38 of the St. Louis Cardinals react after the ball hits the grass as the infield fly rule is called in the eighth inning on a ball hit by Andrelton Simmons #19 of the Atlanta Braves during the National League Wild Card playoff game at Turner Field on October 5, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 153611885 ORIG FILE ID: 153464029 / Scott Cunningham Getty Images
View the full article on USATODAY.com.
Copyright 2015 USATODAY.com
Read the original story: More MLB rules that should hit the road


text:
Start Date: Aug 13, 2010
End Date: Sep 30, 2012
Objective 1-accumulate fumigant emissions data from ambient air around three large fields treated by broadcast shank fumigation in Ventura County. The test system will use methods preferred by California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) for assessing potential chloropicrin and 1,3-dichloropropene emissions from field applications. Objective 2-Fumigant concentration changes and movement in soil profile will be monitored throughout the study. A total of four soil-gas sampling probes will be installed in each field: two at the shank line and two between shank lines. Objective 3-Soil samples for residual fumigants by the time of tarp-cutting will be collected for evaluation of fumigant fate. Soil water content and temperature will be measured in the soil samples to facilitate required concentration calculations. Objective 4-The mass transfer coefficient (MTC) will be determined for the TIF using the standardized method (Papiernik et al. 2001; Yates et al., 2008). This method uses static sealed cells, where fumigant vapor is spiked to one side of the film and the concentrations on both side of the film are monitored until equilibrium, or, in the case of very-low-permeability films, at least until valid regression curves can be estimated based on adequate sampling at various pre-determined intervals.


text:
- Filed Under
Mississippi residents are invited to nominate family caregivers - including themselves - for the opportunity to win a free, four-night, five-day cruise.
Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network, is sponsoring the cruise for one lucky caregiving hero and guest.
The Caregiver Cruise is scheduled for Feb. 3-7, 2014, on the Royal Caribbean ...


text:
The Pavilion (map it)
113 N Ithan Ave
Villanova, PA 19085
Year Opened: 1986
Capacity: 6,500
There are no tickets available at this time.
Official Review by Josh Adams, Stadium Journey Special Correspondent
With all the talk about the �Catholic 7� leaving the Big East Conference, a lot of history and conference rivalries will be leaving with them. Teams like Georgetown and Marquette have storied histories with bigger than life coaches (John Thompson, Sr. and Al McGuire) that brought championships and national attention to small, basketball only schools. Of the seven schools leaving, Villanova leaves the Big East with its own piece of history. In 1985, as an eight-seed in the NCAA tournament, the Wildcats played the Patrick Ewing-led Georgetown Hoyas in the national championship game. Villanova shot 79% from the field that night, and defeated Georgetown 66-64 in what many consider the greatest upset in tournament history. There was also another history-making event that happened to the Wildcats in 1985. Construction began on The Pavilion, an on-campus field house that would serve as the home of the basketball program. Seating 6,500, it dwarfed the capacity of the old Villanova Field House and would be an appropriate venue for a national champion.
Initially, the Pavillion was named the �John Eleuthere du Pont Pavilion�, after its chief benefactor. That name was changed to just �The Pavilion�, after du Pont was convicted of murdering Dave Schultz, an Olympic Gold Medal winning wrestler. It was built with a distinct hyperbolic paraboloid roof, which sets it apart from the gothic buildings on Villanova�s campus. While the Wildcats play the bulk of their schedule on campus, the team plays rival opponents like Syracuse and Georgetown at the Philadelphia 76ers home arena, The Wells Fargo Center. The Pavilion offers a great intimate atmosphere to watch quality Division 1 basketball, and the student section behind one of the baskets is loud and proud. While the arena might be showing a little age, it has character and good sightlines. Let�s take a closer look at what makes The Pavilion a big home court advantage for the Wildcats.
The FANFARE scale is our metric device for rating each stadium experience. It covers the following:
Each area is rated from 0 to 5 stars with 5 being the best. The overall composite score is the "FANFARE Score".
Ah, Philadelphia. It is the land of cheesesteaks, crab fries and Italian meats. When I visited Villanova Stadium earlier this year, the standout food items came from an Italian catering company called Luigi and Giovanni. Luckily for the basketball fan, the same company has a stand inside The Pavilion. They serve Italian hoagies, fried mozzarella, eggplant parmesan and cannolis. The items are priced from $5 to $8 dollars, and are some of the best stadium food on the east coast. There are also regular concessions available, all reasonably priced at $3 and under. Give Villanova credit -- it doesn't seem as though they are trying to fleece the fan at the stadium or arena. Alcohol is not served at The Pavilion unless you're a high roller. There is a spot in a curtained-off area where it appeared the alcohol was freely flowing.
I'm a sucker for college basketball. It's my favorite spectator sport to watch. One of the many reasons why I enjoy it so much is the intensity the students bring to the games. I certainly wasn't disappointed by Villanova's student section. They occupy a giant set of bleachers under one of the baskets. They chant and yell and try to distract the opposition. The main seats are filled with alumni and families wearing Wildcats hats and shirts. While the Pavilion doesn't have a replay screen, it does have an in-house DJ that spins tunes during timeouts and halftime. The crowd truly loves their Wildcats, and they are not afraid to turn up the noise when the team needs them.
Villanova is located on the Main Line in Philadelphia. Picture where the Duke Brothers lived in Trading Places and you have a good idea on how ritzy an area it is (there is a Ferrari/Maserati dealership almost right across the street from the campus). My buddy and I stopped in Kelly's Taproom before the game, which is located a few blocks off campus. They had an excellent beer selection (try Yards, a local microbrew) and we polished off some good wings and nachos. The Taproom has sort of a hunting lodge motif to it, and the NFL package was displayed on a number of flat screens. There are several other college bars located on Lancaster Avenue just outside of campus.
The student section was packed for a non-conference game against Delaware. It seemed as though the team and the students fed off each other's enthusiasm, which I think can only be seen at an on-campus field house. While the student section is located on one half of the arena, the other sections were rather silent. One of the unusual things about the Pavilion is the disjointed layout. The building is actually pretty massive, and has a full Olympic track. Because of the layout and the roof, sections are pretty far apart from each other and it can be quite complicated to get to the opposite side of the arena. There is an ample security presence, but it seemed as though you could move down to a better seat after halftime.
Villanova is very easy to find either by car or by public transportation. If you're driving on I-76 (the Schuylkill Expressway aka "The Sure-Kill"), look for signs directing you to the university. There is an ample parking lot located right across the street from the football stadium and the cost to park is $5. If you're taking public transportation, you can take the SEPTA train from 30th Street Station in downtown Philadelphia to the on-campus Villanova stop for about $4.
There is a flat $23 cost for a ticket at the Pavilion. This is a very intimate facility, so you're guaranteed a good seat almost anywhere. There is one problem with the section located behind the opposite basket from the student section, however. People continuously walk in front of you due to the configuration of the access tunnels to the section. If you're on the lower level, you're extremely close to the court. All in all, this is not a bad price to see one of the finer programs in the country.
There is a nice photographic mural of the 1985 Villanova National Championship team in the lobby of the Pavilion.
Located across the street from the Pavillion is the basketball building, which displays all the hardware that the Wildcats have won throughout the years. My visit was the first time I've ever seen a national championship trophy that close. There is also a nice audiovisual display of Villanova's basketball history in the building.
There is a minimal scoreboard presence inside the Pavilion. All the crowd noise that is generated is organic, and not prompted by a Jumbotron. While the display is not optimal for watching replays, it is kind of nostalgic not to have a giant screen in your face. This makes it easier to concentrate on the game.
It is understandable why Villanova plays their big opponents at the Wells Fargo Center. The Pavilion may be a bit too small for a game against Syracuse or a non-conference opponent like Duke. What the bigger venue can't duplicate is the intimacy that an on-campus arena can offer. Whichever conference becomes Villanova's new home, they can count on the support of the student body and alumni at the Pavilion to provide a great home-court advantage.
You must be a Stadium Journey member to post a comment.
Member Review by BucketList on May 31, 2012
An odd shaped structure with a multi-angled roofline that results in many seats with obstructed views. It reminds me some of Jadwin Gym at Princeton. The student section is generally vocal but the adult alumni tend not to get into the atmosphere even in close contests.
Due to seating restrictions imposed by their township during construction there are no tickets available except those being resold by season ticket holders.
There was ample free parking nearby across Lancaster Ave however there are rumors of a major construction effort there to create more campus housing so this may change. For public transportation busses run right by the campus on Lancaster Avenue and the Norristown High Speed line's Villanova stop is just behind those current parking lots.
The Septa Paoli line Villanova station is a long walk from the Pavillion and unless you know where you are going in advance I wouldn't recommend it.
Casual fans or those on the season ticket waiting list can always get seats for many of the games at the (currently named) Wells Fargo Arena at the professional stadium complex in South Philadelphia.
1107 East Lancaster Ave
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 520-9344
There are no local entertainment entries. Help us build with your expertise!
2628 South St
Philadelphia, PA 19146
(215) 219-2682
(610) 520-9344
Stadium Journey
SJ Community


text:
Student financial aid fund failingComment on this story
Johannesburg - In a week when nearly 3 000 poor University of Johannesburg (UJ) students faced the spectre of financial exclusions, the Department of Higher Education and Training admitted it was battling to keep up with demand for funds.
With university fees increasing by above-inflation figures, the wheels at the government's National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) appear to be coming off.
Just last Saturday President Jacob Zuma told the nation at the launch of the ANC's 2014 election manifesto the ruling party was still committed to introducing free education at all levels.
Meanwhile, the scheme threatens to exclude thousands of poor students – the majority of whom are poverty-stricken and black.
The 2 909 UJ students all qualify for NSFAS, but the university hasn't received enough funds from the government to enrol them. "UJ can't accommodate all qualifying NSFAS applications solely because the grant we received is insufficient," Jaco van Schoor, the deputy vice-chancellor for finance, told The Sunday Independent.
He said they estimated that "we will require additional funding of approximately R149 million".
More than 1 700 of the students are supposed to start their first year. Some 790 are senior students and 390 are in their final year.
NSFAS is battling to keep up despite its funds for loans and bursaries having jumped from R2.6 billion in 2012 to R3.9bn this year, as pointed out by the department's chief director of higher education policy Chief Mabizela. "However, one of the key reasons why poor but academically deserving students are unable to access higher education is that funding falls far short of the demand."
In fact, the 2010 Ministerial Review Report on the NSFAS indicated that the scheme required three times its budget to meet the demand for financial aid by qualifying applicants, he said. But the department's allocations from the Treasury were still not enough to allow it to fund all students who qualified.
Treasury's budget allocation to education is made against other competing demands, said Mabizela.
"This means that the education sector may not be allocated all the funding it requires."
NSFAS was funding 205 000 students at 23 universities and 215 000 at the 50 FET colleges this year, said Mabizela.
Van Schoor revealed that NSFAS still owed UJ approximately 42 percent or R198m, in real terms, of money the university claimed last year.
This was also a contributing factor to the university's inability to enrol the 2 909 students.
Prins Nevhutalu, vice-chancellor of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), said NSFAS's incommensurate funds left the institution with debt each year.
"…It turns out that the government student financial aid scheme is not sufficient to cover all the costs," he said.
"Furthermore, government subsidies do not take the economic status of students into consideration. As a result, CPUT has a large student debt which unfortunately has to be written off annually."
But CPUT's council had resolved to come to the rescue of students whose fees had not been paid, in that "any academic excelling student admitted to CPUT shall not be turned away", said Nevhutalu.
"CPUT believes it is making a major contribution to breaking the cycle of poverty by giving a lifetime opportunity and empowering the poorest of the disadvantaged communities," he said.
"On the other hand, it is time for the government to seriously consider incorporating the economic status of the student body in the subsidy.
"We need to find a way of sharing the burden of poverty with all the other institutions."
Mabizela said the department "notes" its increased NSFAS funds "may be nominal and result in real increases thus not meeting the demands and needs of universities".
But the department "cannot arbitrarily implement measures to curb fee hikes in a context where there is no additional funding and there are increasing expenses".
He said the department "would like to believe that universities' fee increases are arrived at scientifically and that evidence exists to support their decisions".
Mabizela argued that though the cost of public higher education was becoming increasingly unaffordable, fees were still low. "In comparison to model C school fees, private FET college fees and private higher education and training, the fees at university are relatively low."
Sunday Independent
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text:
A pair of tigers rest Friday following a rehearsal under the big top at the annual Twin Lakes Shriner Club Circus just south of the the Baxter County Fairgrounds. Show times today are 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the circus are $10 for adults and $5 for children.
- Filed Under


text:
ENB - Region 8 Notices 3/14/2012
Public Notice
Notice of Final Request for Proposals (RFP)
Notice is hereby given, that sealed proposals are sought and requested by the County of Monroe, New York for the performance of the following contract, according to terms of the final RFP:
Proposal for the Operation and Maintenance of the Monroe County Recycling Center and Program
Monroe County, New York is soliciting proposals for the Operation and Maintenance of the County Recycling Center and Program for a Contract with a minimum term of approximately six (6) years, unless Respondents can justify a longer-term Contract, such as by capital investment, up to a maximum of twenty-five (25) years. These operations include the receiving, processing, marketing and residual disposal associated with residential-generated recyclables collected by private and public haulers. Prospective Respondents must offer a proposal that will meet the scope of services, qualifications and general description of work activities identified in the final Request for Proposals (RFP).
A draft RFP was issued on December 30, 2011 pursuant to the provisions of New York General Municipal Law (NY GML) § 120-w. All comments and questions regarding the draft RFP from prospective Respondents and the public will be incorporated as appropriate into the final RFP, or filed with the final RFP, as set forth in the RFP document.
The final RFP will be released on March 16, 2012 in accordance with the timeline and regulations set forth in New York General Municipal Law (NY GML) § 120-w. The final RFP will be available for download from the Monroe County website, at: http://www.monroecounty.gov/bid/rfps. Individuals must register through the Monroe County website to obtain the PDF version of the final RFP. In addition, the final RFP will be on file at the Monroe County Clerk's Office, 39 West Main Street, Room 101, Rochester, NY, 14614, and at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14604.
Monroe County is soliciting proposals by 3:00 p.m. EST on April 6, 2012. Any verbal or other communication sent or made to anyone other than to the RFP Coordinator will not be considered and may be cause for rejection of the Respondent's proposal. Respondents' proposals are due to the RFP Coordinator in accordance with the timeline and proposal requirements listed in the final RFP at the Monroe County Division of Purchasing and Central Services, 39 West Main Street, Room 200, Rochester, NY, 14614.
Contact: Thomas D. Goodwin, Monroe County, City Place, Suite 8100, 50 West Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614, Phone: (585) 753-2032, Fax: (585) 753-2028, E-mail: email@example.com.
Notice of Acceptance of Final GEIS
Monroe County - Thomas S. Richards, Mayor, as lead agency, has accepted a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Port of Rochester Public Marina & Mixed Use Development Project. The Final EIS is available from the following:
1) http://www.cityofrochester.gov/marina/
2) During business hours (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) at the Rochester City Clerk's Office (Room #300A) and in the Department of Environmental Services (Room 300B), City Hall, 30 Church Street, Rochester, NY 14614.
3) During Rochester Public Library hours at the Central Library, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604; and Charlotte Library, 3615 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY, 14612.
The action involves the enactment of a new form based zoning code; creation of new parkland which will feature a marina basin and perimeter promenade within the Port site; installation of new and realignment of existing streets and infrastructure; demolition and relocation of the Ontario Beach Park Labor Center; relocation of the public boat launch; sale of publicly owned lands for private mixed use development; alienation of parkland; creation of a scenic overlook; and new public access to the Genesee Charlotte Historic Lighthouse.
The project is located within the area bound by Ontario Beach Park, the Genesee River, (and along the riverfront to Latta Road), and by Lake Avenue (and along Lake Avenue at 4576 and 4580 Lake Avenue) in the City of Rochester, New York.
Contact: Mark Gregor, City of Rochester, Room 300 B, City Hall, 30 Church Street, Rochester, NY 14614


text:
July 29, 2008
Brian Anderson
Aaron McCord made his commitment to the Central Michigan Chippewas last night. After a busy summer on the camp circuit, the defensive tackle from Detroit (Mich.) Crockett High School decided CMU was the place for him. ...More... To continue reading this article you must be a member. Sign Up Now!
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Food Nutrition Stair Project
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A comment for Food Nutrition Stair Project
The concept is a good one to reach the intended target audience and the interactive nature of the lesson is ideal for this...
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The concept is a good one to reach the intended target audience and the interactive nature of the lesson is ideal for this population. Use of various combinations of text and graphics helps to engage the learner of this age and to keep their attention. I only wish that I was able to experience the actual interactive components but unfortunately the links weren't working for me.
Melissa Brown (Faculty)
Date Added:
Jun 18, 2015
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Used in course: yes
A comment for Food Nutrition Stair Project
This powerpoint presentation was excellent! I found the lesson's interactive style to be extremely engaging. Students were...
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This powerpoint presentation was excellent! I found the lesson's interactive style to be extremely engaging. Students were given so much control over what they were learning at each step, providing them a level of autonomy. While there was direct instruction it did not feel like a lecture style presentation. I also enjoyed all the visual representations, it made the presentation feel alive. My favorite part of this presentation was the manner in which the quizzes were presented. During the lesson students were given the opportunity to practice their knowledge before the final test at the end, giving extra opportunity to check their understanding. But the author also provided specific feedback for the student based upon their answers to these questions. When a student answers the question incorrectly they are given specific information reminding them of the lesson and why the answer is wrong. I feel that students can gain a lot from this lesson without much more teacher provided support, which gives students accountability for their learning in a way that blends guidance and independence beautifully.
Angela Engardio (Teacher (K-12))
Date Added:
Mar 04, 2011
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A comment for Food Nutrition Stair Project
I really enjoyed your Stair. You kept the content uncomplicated and to the point. Nice clean graphics with bright colors. I...
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I really enjoyed your Stair. You kept the content uncomplicated and to the point. Nice clean graphics with bright colors. I only have one question, and I'm not a health teacher so I may be off on this, but didn't the government redesign the food pyramid? It took me a little under 10 minutes to complete the powerpoint, without doing the meal design activities. You might consider placing links on the meal design pages to a template that stuents could work off of, and links back to each catagory of nutrient. Other than that really nice job.
Laura Chamberlain (Teacher (K-12))
Date Added:
Mar 03, 2011
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A comment for Food Nutrition Stair Project
This is an outstanding StAIR. Great topic.
Melissa White (Faculty)
Date Added:
Mar 01, 2011
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Get Involved!
Communities can take action to manage storm water and improve water quality. WMEAC wants to help West Michigan communities take this step by providing low-cost rain barrels and workshops on how to set up those rain barrels.
Rain barrels have been proven an effective and easy strategy for managing community storm water issues and improving water quality. Through its rain barrel education programs, WMEAC provides low-cost rain barrels to the West Michigan community as a means of addressing water conservation and pollution issues in West Michigan.
All workshops includes everything you need to set up your barrel and take around 45 minutes. To get a rain barrel through our program, you must attend a workshop. We look forward to seeing you out there!
Rain Barrel Instructions
DIY rain barrel instructions are available from WMEAC for download here. We do not sell any of the materials outside of our workshops.
For more information on how rain barrels can help protect water quality and detailed DIY instructions watch the instructional video below prepared for WMEAC by the Grand Valley State University School of Communications.


text: DraftExpressProfile: Jeff Pendergraph, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook Loading NBA Mock Drafts 2016 NBA Mock Draft 2017 NBA Mock Draft Complete Draft History My Mock Draft 2015 Early Entry List 2015 Extended NBA Mock Draft Rankings Top 100 Prospects NCAA Seniors NCAA Juniors NCAA Sophomores NCAA Freshmen International 1994 International 1995 International 1996 International 1997 NBA Draft Eligible Features DX T-Shirts Complete Draft History Measurements History NBA Player Salaries NBA Contract Calculator Player Agents Listings NBA Agent/Agency Affiliations RSCI Early Entry List Team Clubhouses Draft Pick Transactions DraftExpress Podcast NBA Draft Lottery History Videos Scouting Reports Group Interviews Highlights Interview & Highlights Interviews NBA Draft Workouts Newest Popular Practice Footage Slow Motion Dunks Stats NCAA Stats NBA Stats Euroleague Stats EuroCup Stats Spanish ACB Stats Italian A1 Stats French Pro A Stats Adriatic Stats Greek Stats D-league Stats Team Stats Stats by Team Articles Archives NCAA Draft Prospects International Draft Prospects High School NCAA Commentary International Commentary General Draft Commentary NBA Pre-Draft Camp D-League NBA NBA Summer Leagues NBA Team Needs Interviews Humor Mailbag Site Announcements Sections DX T-Shirts DX Home NCAA Home International Home NBA Home High School Home D-League Home Columnists Jonathan Givony Matt Kamalsky Mike Schmitz Kyle Nelson Derek Bodner Josh Riddell Jim Hlavac E Weiss Jacob Eisenberg DraftExpress User Menu Edit Profile Log In Log Out DraftExpress DX T-Shirts About Us Contact Us Opportunities Privacy Policy Our RSS Feeds Jeff PendergraphSTRENGTHS:- Efficiency- Executes offensively- Off-ball movement- Setting screens- Energy/Intensity- Role-player potential- Understands limitations- Work ethic- Ability to finish around basketWEAKNESSES:- Offensive creativity- Ability to create own shot- Ability to put ball on floor- Limited upside?- Mechanical player- Average size- Decent athlete- Average rebounderTop 25s - Full List RankCategoryTotal 2TS%70 5eFG%66 1Pts/Pos1.37 5FG%66 24PF/g3.1 24PF104 24Reb/g9.1 24Reb/40p11.9 5ORB/g3.9 5ORB/40p5.2 Team: Pacers College Team: Idaho PhysicalsPositionsRankings SalaryMisc H: 6' 10" W: 240 lbs Bday: 04/29/1987 (28 Years Old) Current: PF/C NBA: PF Possible: PF RSCI: 125Agent: Mitch FrankelCurrent Salary:$1,828,750 High School: Etiwanda Hometown: Etiwanda, CA Drafted: Pick 31 in 2009 by Kings Best Case: Fabricio Oberto Worst Case: Jordi Trias Predraft Measurements YearSourceHeight w/o ShoesHeight w/shoesWeightWingspanStanding ReachBody FatNo Step VertMax Vert 2009NBA Draft Combine6' 8.75"6' 10"2407' 1"8' 11"5.531.035.0Basic Per Game Statistics - Comprehensive Stats - Statistical Top 25s YearLeagueNameGPMinPtsFGFGAFG%2Pt2PtA2P%3Pt3PtA3P%FTMFTAFT%OffDefTOTAstsStlsBlksTOsPFs 2015/16DLEAGUEJeff Pendergraph7184.108.40.2060.153.55.39.4184.108.40.2060.04.14.7818.104.22.168.02.40.70.62.03.9 Player Page  | Player Stats | Mock Draft History | Related Articles  | Add to My Draft Express  Workout Schedule: HereRelated Articles:Situational Statistics: This Years Power Forward Crop 2009-2010 D-League Preview / Power Rankings (Part Two) Just By the Numbers: This Year's Power Forward Crop Breaking Down the NBA Draft Historically by Position, Class and Year Has the High School Class of 05 Doomed the 2009 NBA Draft? Word on the Street, June 2nd NBA Draft Roundup, May 15th Situational Statistics: This Year's Power Forward Crop Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, Day One 2009 Portsmouth Invitational: Official Rosters and Preview Blogging Through the NCAA Tournament (Day Two) 08/09 NCAA Postseason All-Conference Awards The Week(end) Ahead: What to Watch in College Basketball 3/7-3/8 Suggested Rosters, 2009 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament The Week Ahead: What to Watch in College Basketball (2/21-2/27) College Road Report: Arizona State vs. UCLA & USC The Week Ahead: What to Watch in College Basketball (2/14-2/20) The Week Ahead: What to Watch in College Basketball (1/16-1/23) Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Pac-10 (Part One: #1-5) Blogging through Championship Week (Part Three) 07/08 NCAA Postseason All-Conference Awards NCAA Weekly Performers, 3/6/08-- Part Two BRACKET EXPRESS PROJECTIONS: Monday January 21st BRACKET EXPRESS PROJECTIONS: Monday, January 7th BX Pac Ten Conference Preview Wooden Award Announces 2007-08 Preseason Top 50 Candidates Top NBA Draft Prospects in the Pac-10 (Part Two: #11-#15) Say No Classic - LA's Collegiate Summer League DX Indvividual Awards: Pac-10 Saturday Quick Shots Holiday Catch-Up: The Pac-10 Weekly NCAA Performers, 1/17/07, Part One Pac-10 Conference Preview (Part One) Misc. LinksESPN Profile+StatsArizona State Profile © 2015 DraftExpress LLC All rights reserved.


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Scotch Whisky: Do You Decant?
When it comes to imbibing fine whiskey, a handful of questions need answering. On the rocks? Scotch or Irish? A wee drop of water? The connoisseur knows it almost always comes down to personal taste.
Then there's the issue of whether to keep your prized whiskey in the original bottle or decant it—pouring it into a crystal carafe and tossing that bottle into the recycling bin. Scottish distillery Macallan hopes at least one serious whiskey drinker wants to decant in style. At the end of November in New York, it will seek bids for a 64-year old Macallan—the Scottish distillery's oldest release—sealed in a specially designed decanter from French crystalware firm Lalique. The decanter was created using the traditional and now-rare technique of cire perdue, meaning "lost wax," and is shaped with a flat bottom, like the decanters used on board ships in the 1820s. Its design features depictions of the Macallan estate in northeast Scotland.
The decanter and its contents are being auctioned at Sotheby's after a world tour with stops in cities including Los Angeles, Seoul, Osaka, Taipei, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Along the way, Macallan is auctioning off miniature taster bottles of the 64-year-old Scotch, and has already raised between $6,000 and $9,000 in Paris, London and Moscow. All of the funds generated by the auctions—including the sale of the Lalique decanter—will be donated to "charity: water," a non-profit group that aims to bring safe drinking water to developing nations.
"It would be great to sell it for a world record and then give all the money away to charity," said Ken Grier, director of malts with the Edrington Group, which owns Macallan.
But the question remains for the rest of us: to decant or not to decant? Mr. Grier spoke by telephone with Duncan Mavin. The following interview has been edited:
WSJ: Decant or not decant?
Mr. Grier: Whiskey matures as long as it is in a wooden cask. Fifty percent of the flavor comes from the barrel the whiskey is aged in and the rest comes from the way you make it. We would tend to put it in a bottle and then leave it in there.
WSJ: Will keeping scotch in a decanter impact the taste?
Mr. Grier: Its quality will not really deteriorate. It's pretty stable because of the higher alcohol content. Remember, Scotch whisky has a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume, whereas wine is typically more like 12% to 13%. The higher alcohol content keeps the scotch stable even once you've opened the bottle.
WSJ: How do you serve scotch at home?
Mr. Grier: When I serve whiskey, I pour it from the bottle. But that's just personal preference.
WSJ: What should I look for when I choose a decanter?
Mr. Grier: Look for a great-quality manufacturer who is using high-quality materials. Shape doesn't really matter. We're going with the ship decanter, which is designed for long journeys at sea, for this Lalique tie-up. It's got a stable bottom so that it won't tip over and smash and you won't lose the precious drink. But the shape you choose really just comes down to your own aesthetic taste.
WSJ: How much interest in scotch are you seeing in Asia?
Mr. Grier: Fifty-two percent of Macallan sales are in Asia. It's a very important region for us. People really get the authenticity of the brand here.
Write to Duncan Mavin at firstname.lastname@example.com


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im selling my white mk3 diamond white fiesta classic
its a 1996 p reg
50,400 miles
mot and tax til end of april
SI bumpers
4 inch exhaust and stubby aerial
please contact me on 07919 096 326 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
ps pics can be sent if needed
fiesta mk3 for sale slightly modded
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For anyone who enjoys winter outdoor sports like ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing or ice skating, the tiny warming hut is a blessing in cold and snowy weather. Used all over the world, warming huts are small structures that can be both temporary or permanent and usually contain a place to hang up wet gear, seating and sometimes a wonderful wood stove or fireplace where you can warm your freezing fingers. Warming huts are also a great place to break out a small stove to heat up some food or a cup of hot chocolate.
Over the past few years, warming huts have bloomed into an interesting architecture. Innovative designs have popped up near frozen lakes, near cross-country trails and in the middle of mountainous forests for use by snowbound travelers on their way to a cabin or campsite. Many of these huts utilize passive solar design, raised platforms, creative heating elements and unusual materials. Continue reading


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h/t Richard D. Cushing:
But you'd never know that from reading the story in the Chicago Tribune. The name "Barack Obama" appears nowhere in this story reporting on the sentence received by one of the key figures in Obama's life – a man who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for his state senate and US senate runs, who introduced him to movers and shakers in the shadowy world of big money real estate wheelers and dealers, and who befriended him on numerous occassions, including the favor he did him when he purchased the lot next door to his current home.
Will anyone even ask Obama for a statement on the fate that has befallen his former friend?
~ In typical Chicago thug mentality and Obama induced, ol' Tony argues for time served…
Antoin "Tony" Rezko will finally be sentenced today, more than three years after his conviction for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme while serving as a top adviser and fundraiser to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Rezko opted to enter jail after his June 2008 conviction, but his sentencing was delayed because of the possibility that federal prosecutors would call him as a witness at other key trials connected to the probe of the Blagojevich administration, including the former governor's retrial over the summer.
Rezko was never called to testify, but the years he stood ready to do so have become a key point of debate between his attorneys and prosecutors in recent court filings.
Rezko's attorneys are asking he be sentenced to time served, while prosecutors are seeking a prison term of 11 to 15 years.
Rezko was convicted by a federal jury of extorting millions of dollars from firms seeking state business or regulatory approval while he was a Blagojevich confidant. More than two years later, in October 2010, he pleaded guilty to wire fraud over the bogus sale of his pizza restaurants. He still faces sentencing for that conviction as well.
~ Turn back the time capsule, when the Alan Keyes campaign was trying to insure Obama did not win the senate…
In sharp contrast to his tough talk about ethics reform in government, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., approached a well-known Illinois political fixer under active federal investigation, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, for "advice" as he sought to find a way to buy a house shortly after being elected to the United States Senate.
The parcel included an adjacent lot which Obama told the Chicago Tribune he could not afford because "it was already a stretch to buy the house."
On the same day Obama closed on his house, Rezko's wife bought the adjacent empty lot, meeting the condition of the seller who wanted to sell both properties at the same time.


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Tag Archives: Fresherized Foods
Telling the Youth
Product size and packaging can be just as important as taste when marketing to kids in the produce section. Continue reading
Beefing Up the Backyard Barbeque
Retailers offering a wide variety of items covering all price points will be best equipped to meet consumers' grilling needs. Continue reading
The trail less traveled
Grocery Headquarters congratulates the produce companies that are forging forward with its 2015 Produce Trailblazer Awards. Continue reading
Scoring with Super Bowl sales
Super Bowl XLIX is fast approaching. It is time for grocers to draw up a winning game plan to capitalize on the opportunity. Continue reading
Fresh options from PMA Fresh Summit
For many in the produce industry, the PMA Fresh Summit marks the finale of a busy year. Grocery Headquarters celebrates the show's brightest innovations and takes a peek at what is to come. Continue reading
Wholly Guacamole Encourages Fans to "Guac it Forward"
This September 16, the makers of Wholly Guacamole brand, America's No. 1 selling branded pre-made guacamole, will celebrate National Guacamole Day by giving back … Continue reading
A value proposition
Produce companies are helping consumers eat healthy and quickly with value-added products and snacks. Cooking dinner for a family each evening is a harder … Continue reading
Produce's big top performance
This year's Southern Exposure event promises to be "the greatest produce show on earth." No longer is an apple just an apple or a … Continue reading
The star of the party
With football season nearing its grand finale, retailers have one last shot at tackling game day sales. Teaming up with produce companies is the winning play. Continue reading
Scaling the summit
Produce insiders are packing their Mardi Gras masks and heading to The Big Easy for the industry's "big show"—the annual PMA Fresh Summit. Continue reading
Honing in on healthy snacks
With innovations in flavor, packaging and brand appeal, produce companies are winning over the snacking category. It seems almost weekly a new snack item … Continue reading
Wholly Guacamole Responds to Customer Demand with New Easy-Open Packaging
Fresherized Foods, maker of one of the top selling refrigerated guacamole in America, Wholly Guacamole, has announced a new peel and serve tray package, for … Continue reading
Join the club
More consumers are choosing a retail outlet based on the quality and value of fresh foods and club stores are making a strong statement. Continue reading
Northward bound
Produce growers and companies are geared up for CPMA with promotions and products for the Canadian market. Continue reading


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Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch Remembered on 'MCA Day' in Brooklyn
Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch Remembered on 'MCA Day' in Brooklyn
"Gratitude" was the motto of the second-annual "MCA Day" in Brooklyn yesterday, and a constant procession of fans came to pay their respects to late Beastie Boys co-founder Adam Yauch on the one-year anniversary of his death from cancer of the salivary glands.
Two street signs quoting Yauch's best-known lines about the borough met those approaching the industrial Littlefield art space, a 20-minute walk from the newly-minted Adam Yauch Park in the rapper's native Brooklyn Heights. "Born and bred in Brooklyn, U.S.A., they call me Adam Yauch but I'm MCA," one read. A super-fly Cadillac parked out front sported a paintjob of classic Beasties snapshots and "RIP MCA" written across the trunk (a sign asked Instagram users to hashtag #MCADay). And to honor his commitment to Tibetan Freedom, prayer flags were strung in the cherry blossom trees. Inside, the word "gratitude" was emblazed on stickers, posters, T-shirts and more.
Adam Yauch Park Dedicated in Brooklyn
The all-day event was packed for five hours straight, and offered fans the chance to see early Beasties photos by Glen E. Friedman and Sunny Bak – the Boys at the 1964 World's Fair Unisphere in Queens, the Boys partying at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood. DJs spun Beasties classics and other early New York City hip-hop, and organizers and those close to the trio and Yauch delivered funny, heartfelt and at times tear-jerking speeches.
Longtime band confidant and mix-master DJ Hurricane took the stage to remember Yauch's goofy side: "At this show back in 1987 the opening band, Murphy's Law, couldn't make it. So we dressed up in suits and mustaches, like the 'Sabotage' video. Adam shoves this banana in his pants and it fell down during the show. I had to be the lead singer, so I grabbed two mics and just screamed. It was a mess," he said, chuckling. He told another tale about "Sure Shot," which he wrote for 1994's landmark Ill Communication. "I was away DJing and the [Beastie Boys] were back in L.A. They called and said, 'Hey, how'd the chorus go for that song? ' So I had to sing the chorus over the phone – I was half asleep! But they had it recorded when I got back."
"MCA Day is official," he added. "And it looks like it's gonna get bigger and bigger."
House of Pain's Danny Boy O'Connor also dropped by to pay his respects: "Just imagine getting picked up in that [Cadillac] at the airport," he cracked. He recalled a tour with the Boys when he was just 21. "'Jump Around' was Number One on the charts. We were ready to go buck wild. But [the Beastie Boys] were all, 'We're into the Dalai Lama now.'" He added, "I'm their number one fan. I wanted to be them so bad it hurt."
The mood was one of constant gratitude for Yauch the Beastie Boy, father, artist, philanthropist and Brooklyn native, who grew from a snot-nosed punk to a socially conscious Buddhist, all in view of his fans. Screens projected rare concert footage and photos of Yauch, from high school to his final years. Shirts saying "New Yauch City" abounded. A photo screen of the Brooklyn Bridge, emblazed with the word "Sabotage" offered a backdrop for photo ops with glasses and fake mustaches.
One fan rapped MCA verses to the bartender, while another took video footage of his girlfriend reciting the entirety of "Paul Revere" after throwing back shots. The bar was also well stocked with juice boxes for the many tots, who painted "Intergalactic"-style robots and created other MCA pictures and Play-Doh art. As Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz said Friday at the park-naming ceremony, "Like the Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys is for the children."


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GRANADA—One or two freak showers at the beginning of the dry season is normal. Three or four unseasonable rains in late December is curious. But repeated cloudbursts at the end of January—nearly three months after the rainy season has supposedly ended—smells like climate change.
At least that's the theory that Nicaraguan meteorologists are sniffing out as they tally and analyze national precipitation data after a weirdly wet January.
"This is not very normal for us," says Marcio Baca, director of meteorology at the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies.
Baca explained that 2012 is a "La Niña" year, when El Niño's evil twin sister cackles into town with a period of rain and cold fronts. But the weather in Nicaragua these days is fickle even by her eccentric standards, Baca said.
"The climatic variability suggests there is a perturbation in La Niña," he said.
Baca says that it's normal for there to be rainfall in January in the boscage of the North and South Atlantic Autonomous Regions (RAAN and RAAS, respectively), but it shouldn't still be raining on the Pacific coast, where "summer" has supposedly sprung.
"The climate swings are becoming more extreme," Baca said. "It either rains too much or not enough."
Baca says 2012 is not the first time on record it has rained on the Pacific coast in January, but this year the rains are falling with increased frequency and intensity, which is why INETER is now tallying month-end data to compare with precipitation levels from previous years.
The weather is also affecting crop cycles and harvests, especially for red beans and coffee.
Beans need a lot of water when they are planted, but dry conditions for harvest. If rains continue during the harvest season, weed growth can often strangle the bean harvest and reduce the yield.
Last year's bean harvest, which came during a dry "El Niño" year, was larger than normal. That's why there is a current glut on the market, prompting bean growers to bicker over exportation rights as domestic prices tumble. The expected troubles from this year's bean harvest won't be felt until the beginning of 2013, when this year's crop goes to market.
The coffee market, however, is already getting wet and upset.
Unseasonable rains last December caused a premature bloom of coffee cherries, forcing Nicaragua coffee producers to scramble last month to hire seasonal pickers several weeks before the normal coffee-picking season, at risk of losing the harvest.
But the rush to the fields meant Nicaraguan coffee farmers had to hike their wages nearly 40% to convince season coffee pickers to stay in town for the local harvest rather than emigrate to Costa Rica or Honduras to pick coffee there for a higher price, according to José Angel Buitrago, president of Association of Nicaragua Coffee Exporters (EXCAN).
In addition to the late rains and early harvests, La Niña's cold front has Nicaraguans up north rummaging in the closet for their only sweater.
"It's cold up in Matagalpa; cold for us, at least," Buitrago told The Nicaragua Dispatch. "This is definitely climate change. And the only ones who are winning are the coffee pickers."


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HINDMAN, Ky (WYMT) - When fans walk through the doors and pay admission at the WYMT Whayne Supply Mountain Basketball Classic, they are helping send eastern Kentucky students to college.
Shivani Pampati is one very deserving scholarship recipient who tells WYMT she plans to use her scholarship to go far.
At first glance, Pampati, who is a senior at Hazard High School, looks like your average student. But she will be the first to tell you there is more to her than meets the eye.
"Everyone would be like 'Where do you want to go, Shivani' like jokingly of course and I would be like 'Stanford' and then as I got older it became more real that I actually wanted to go there," said Pampati.
An eastern Kentuckian with dreams outside the mountains, some might call her aspirations rare. But she argues not so fast.
"It does feel awesome to like bring a new perspective to eastern Kentucky and be like I am from eastern Kentucky. I was born here. I was raised here. And I completely defy all your stereotypes of what people from here are supposed to be like," said Pampati.
She is getting a little help in the form of a one thousand dollar scholarship from the Mountain Classic to be exact.
"For me, when things start rolling I feel like they just keep rolling. So once I got that, okay, I am ready, like I cannot wait. I am really excited. I feel like good things are coming my way," said Pampati.
She was right. She just recently found out she has been accepted to Stanford.
"The reason I accomplished it is because I grew up in Hazard because there are so many things that they were so interested in that I could only get if I was in Hazard," said Pampati.
Shivani Pampati said she has not decided exactly what she will study at Stanford but she hopes to combine her interest in law and business.
The Mountain Classic scholarship awards banquet, originally scheduled for Monday, will be held Thursday night at six.


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ThinkGeek offers iAXE USB guitar
updated 03:25 pm EST, Wed November 15, 2006
ThinkGeek iAXE USB Guitar
ThinkGeek today started carrying the iAXE USB Guitar for aspiring computer musicians. The instrument relies solely on the computer's sound output when connected through USB, allowing the guitar to mimic virtually any instrument and saving the need for a conventional amplifier. ThinkGeek ships the Mac- and Windows-compatible guitar with Audacity software for multi-track song recording and Guitar Combos for emulating many real-world amplifiers and guitars. The guitar itself is designed to match many conventional guitars with a maple neck, three single-coil pickups, and 5-way switching; it can also work as a more traditional instrument when attached to an amplifier. The store currently stocks the iAXE for $100.


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