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- Welcome
- Soul Of The Southern Renaissance: Andalusia
- Daughter Of The Caspian
- The Distant Near
- A Taste From The Deep: Turbot
- Jewel in a Valley AMASYA
- The Eyes Of Kadiköy, Land Of The Blind
- Between The Old World And The New Piri Reis
- Ottoman Splendor In Washington
- Robin Sharma Wisdom In Istanbul
- Malta Larger Than Life
- Orhan Kemal Anatolia's Splendid Adventure
- Spring Film Marathon
- Art Comes Home
- From Anatolia to California
- Europe In Moscow!
- Sultans Of Calligraphy
- Ankara Exclusive
- The Two Shores of the Black Sea
- Ready, Set, Go!!!
- Mysterious Power That Flows From A Brush: Illumination
- For Animation Buffs
- Calling All Nature Lovers
- Happy Birthday, Jazz!
- An English Istanbulophile
- At The Peak Of Civilization
- Cahit Arf, Mathematicial Genius
- A Visit To The Other Hemisphere
- Young And Bursting With Histor
- Ireland In Your Bag!
- Once In A Hundred Years
- İlhan Erşahin's New York
- Turkey Through The Eyes Of Travelers
- Guest Country Turkey In London
Soul Of The Southern Renaissance: Andalusia
Andalusia Is one of the most popular tourist destinations In the world. It enjoys beautiful weather, splendid architecture and a rich history.
One cannot deny that the economic downturn has been felt very acutely here, especially after the 'brick bubble' burst, exposing out-of-control building schemes as well as the banks. But the region still relies on tourism as its main source of income. And there is an older kind of brick that still sparks the visitor's interest. Every year, millions of people come to stroll through the sultan's palaces, to admire the grand mosques and to breathe the air of old Al Andalus. But what lies behind such beautiful and seemingly exotic structures such as the Alhambra Palace, the Cordoba Mosque and the Giralda Tower?
When I was a kid, going to primary school in Barcelona during the 70's and 80's, the imprint and inertia of forty years of Francisco Franco's was still palpable in our education. And when it came to studying Muslim Spain, eight centuries of our history were reduced to little more than a paragraph in our textbooks. The story went like this: eight thousand Arabs arrived in Tarifa in 711, taking over Spain within three years and ruling sizable territories of the peninsula, and then the Catholic Kings, Fernando and Isabel, led the Crusades and reconquered the lands, causing the fall of Granada and forcing Sultan Boabdil to hand over the keys to the city in 1492. This rather theatrical account of events is known by some historians as the myth of the Moorish cavalry. But it overlooks an important point, namely, how long did it take the Roman war machine to take over Iberia? Two hundred years! It makes you wonder how a few thousand Berbers from North Africa were able to conquer the peninsula in a mere three years!
Ignacio Olagüe was perhaps the first Spanish historian who began to uncover a different picture in his book The Islamic Revolution in the West. He wrote it during Franco's time, and despite his being a strong Catholic and a proponent of the regime, he revealed surprising facts about the expansion of Islam in Hispania. His main thesis is that most people here were in fact Unitarian Christians (in other words, Christians who reject the concept of the Trinity). So, for these Iberians, who believed in the oneness of God, it was an easier and more rational leap to embrace Islam, with its simple understanding of Divine Unity, than to accept the more foreign and complicated belief system of the Catholic Church. Olagüe's book was first published in France and re-named The Arabs Never Invaded Spain. It was not until 1974 that the book came out in Spain under its original title.
Other accounts of the 'Al Andalus miracle' may be found in more political explanations like taxation. While the people here were widely oppressed by the heavy taxes levied by Christian kings and feudal lords, the Muslim rulers established a single tax, the zakat, abolishing most other levies. But Emilio Gonzalez Ferrín, following the in footsteps of Olagüe, also describes a culturally unified North Africa and Iberian Peninsula. According to his research and vision, both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar shared a common reality, there were regular migrations between them, and their peoples embraced Islam by conviction as a natural progression from their beliefs and world views. He also argues that Al Andalus is an essential component in the configuration of Islam as a civilization. And it is interesting to note that the four schools of Islamic jurisprudence did not even exist at the time, since in 711 the first of their founding scholars, Imam Malik, was not even born.
Andalusia is intrinsic to the very establishment of Muslim civilization, just as it is also an undisputed part of Europe's development. The period of the Caliphate, for example, is regarded as a golden age in European history. Cordoba, with a population of about half a million, eventually surpassed Constantinople as the largest and most prosperous city on the continent. It was one of the leading cultural centers and had by far the most advanced agricultural sector.
The work of its most important philosophers and scientists, like Abu al-Qassim and Ibn Rushd, had a major impact on the intellectual life of medieval Europe. Many scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, came from abroad to study in the famous libraries and universities of Al Andalus after the fall of Toledo in 1085. One of them was Michael Scot (1175 - 1235), who took the works of Ibn Rushd (Averroes) and Ibn Sina (Avicenna) to Italy.
As Prince Charles explained in his 1993 speech at Oxford, "The contribution of Muslim Spain to the preservation of classical learning during the Dark Ages, and to the first flowerings of the Renaissance, has long been recognized. But Islamic Spain was much more than a mere larder where Hellenistic knowledge was stored for later consumption by the emerging modern Western world. Not only did Muslim Spain gather and preserve the intellectual content of ancient Greek and Roman civilization, it also interpreted and expanded upon that civilization, and made a vital contribution of its own in many fields of human endeavor."
Visiting Andalusia today is an exuberant experience of the senses, but it can also pose provocative questions for the discerning traveler: The architectural style of the Alhambra, for example, is a distinctly western phenomenon. The Cordoba Mosque may have originally been built by Christians. The Giralda was designed by Ahmad Ibn Basso, a Muslim architect of northern European descent. And this year, the first mosque in Granada after five hundred years, built by native Spanish Muslims in the Albaycin, a beautiful building facing the Alhambra, reaches its 10th anniversary. So there is no rise and fall of the curtain in Muslim Spain, but rather the complex, continuous and organic process called history.
The brilliant Islamic civilization of Andalusia represents one of the pinnacles of universal knowledge, thought and art. At the same time, it was one of the main components in the liberation of the West from the dark age of medieval Scholasticism. As the renowned historian John William Draper put it, "[in London and Paris] whoever stepped over his threshold on a rainy day stepped up to his ankles in mud", whereas in Cordoba "… After sunset a man might walk through its solidly paved streets in a straight line for ten miles by the light of public lamps." Young people keen to acquaint themselves with the sources of universal culture were flocking to Andalusia from the various cities of Europe.
Enriched by the commentaries of Averroes (Ibn Rushd), Arabic versions of the works of Plato and Aristotle were being translated into Latin, Hebrew and the local languages in Andalusia and Sicily, and in a short time became the texts used by professors in the universities of Paris and London. Under the influence of the great Islamic scholars Averroes and Avicenna (Ibn Sina), European intellectuals joined forces as Averroists and Avicennists despite pressure from the Church and the Establishment and lit the fuse that sparked the Renaissance.
Andalusia was born when the Muslims, led by the great commander Tariq ibn Ziyad, crossed into Spain, in other words, Europe, in the wake of Uqba ibn Nafi's African conquests. A local Berber, Tariq ibn Ziyad was at the same time a great soldier and strategist. And the most crucial of his strategies was, after crossing to Spain by ship, to burn those ships, which meant there was no turning back. Even today this region, Gibralter, takes its name from Jabal-i Tariq, meaning Mountain of Tariq in Arabic. This rock is Great Britain's last colony on the continent. There are some points worth noting in the conquest of Andalusia. One of them is that the Visigoths were here. The Visigoth King Rodric was defeated by Tariq, and the Iberian Peninsula was conquered in its entirety with the exception of Galicia in the north and Catalonia in the northeast. The Muslims founded new cities here as well as developing the existing ones. Prominent among those they developed are Toledo, Valencia and Sevilla. Agriculture and architecture flourished here under the Muslims. Along with the Muslim Arabs and Berbers, Spain in this period also acquired a large Jewish population. One of the most important phases in the history of Jewish culture was experienced in Andalusia, a development that was made possible by an approach that protected and preserved the new atmosphere of tolerance and cosmopolitanism introduced by the Muslims.
The Alhambra Palace is one of the most refined examples of the poetic synergy of water and stone ever produced by human hands. And the motto, "La galibe illallah/There is no victor but God", of the Nasrid Dynasty, creator of the Alhambra, is imprinted thousands of times on its walls. Lines from more than fifty poems and several different verses of the Quran adorn the walls and columns of the palace. But the manifestations of this civilization that developed in Spain are not limited merely to its architecture. Producing valuable works in almost all the contemporary branches of learning including astronomy, physics, medicine, geography and mathematics, it prepared the way for the European Renaissance.
Thin-crust pizza with seafood and a thick layer of cheese offers a tasty alternative and an enjoyable meal.
Malaga Automotive Museum impresses with its extensive collection of classic cars, all with a story to tell.
A selection of herbal teas and yummy cookies is available at the tea houses of Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla.
Turkish Airlines is Istanbul-Malaga-Istanbul flights, which are currently five days a week, to seven days a week on June 24.
What to Eat?
Spain offers a rich menu of abundant, fresh and cheap seafood. As well as traditional tapas, paellas with seafood and red meat a la Latin America, it's no problem finding the finest examples of world cuisine either.
Cordoba Mosque is one Andalusian Umayyad masterpiece that has managed to survive, in part at least, to our day. The interior, entered through a spacious courtyard bursting with bitter orange trees, is magical! Weaving between the hundreds of columns and graceful curving arches towards the mihrab, you will revere the memory of the great masters of the past when you behold its inscriptions and illumination.
The minaret of the Cordoba Mosque is one of the city's icons. Visible from many points around the city, this monumental minaret bears silent witness to history. Cordoba's narrow, flower-filled lanes open onto the square where this mammoth mosque and its minaret stand.
But it is the Alhambra Palace without a doubt that is the most prominent representative of the Andalusian culture heritage in Granada. With its delicate columns and arches, its 12-lion fountain and the engineering genius displayed in its use of water in the living areas, the Alhambra is an absolute masterpiece! Traces of the past in venues large and small exist side by side with modern culture in the city, and that is precisely the soul of Andalusia!
The Strait and Rock of Gibralter (Jabal Tariq in Arabic) mark the spot where the European and African continents are in closest proximity to each other. This point, from which the Muslim forces of Tariq ibn Ziyad first set foot on the Iberian Peninsula, is known today by the name of that renowned commander.
Starting from the coast where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet, Andalusia is a region of several cities and hundreds of settlements large and small. It is linked to Morocco by ship and fast ferry from Tarifa and Algeciras. Traveling inland northwards from the coast through olive orchards and emerald green mountains, one comes to the historic medieval towns. Ronda is one of the best-known of these mountain settlements. Like a veritable eagle's eyrie with its matchless landscape and monumental bridge, this town is one of Andalusia's must-see places.
Sevilla is Andalusia's largest city. And the Alcazar Palace is one of the most striking and vibrant examples of Andalusian architecture in this town perched on the banks of the Guadalquivir River. As you tour the halls of this palace, an extraordinary fusion of the Islamic and Gothic styles, you will feel as if you are strolling through the corridors of history. Alcazar is a monument that combines flawless examples of geometry and proportion in an outstanding, sophisticated style. And the colossal bell tower, La Giralda, is the minaret of Sevilla Great Mosque today.
The streets of Sevilla are lively and bustling. The venues here are a riot of color with cafes, bookstores, and souvenir and authentic sweets shops. Andalusia's traditional music and architecture make themselves felt in modern life as well. And with its summer festivals, Sevilla is inundated with tourists from all over the world, especially from Europe.


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Edition: 1st
Author(s): Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Institute of Science & Public Affairs, Florida State University
ISBN: 9780960670864 / Nonspecific Binding / 8/1/2011
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This video was Hakeem training in Westchester with Tyson last year and the premise of this authors article is that Hakeem's big man camp is overrated and not worth the high price of admission for most players. In Tyson's case I agree, he would be better served learning a simple jump hook with either hand or practicing that short jumper until it became automatic and not complicate his offensive game with a whole arsenal of low post moves especially at his age.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
With a dazzling array of spins, fakes, and graceful footwork, Hakeem Olajuwon was as unique as any player in league history. Though we still see bits and pieces of his game today � Kobe Bryant�s footwork and fadeaways, Rajon Rondo�s ball fakes � no one has ever come close to completely replicating Olajuwon�s shot-making genius. The former Houston great has leveraged his one-of-a-kind talent into a second-act career as a post-play guru. More and more often, NBA stars � from Bryant to the Lopez twins to Rudy Gay two weeks ago � are taking time out of their summers to make a pilgrimage to Houston to learn from the Dream (who [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] about what his influence could do for other stars).
The message from Olajuwon, the coach, seems pretty straightforward for every one of his pupils: These are my moves � take them, use them, and (hopefully) experience the success that I had. As great as this sounds in theory, the reality of the situation is that this may not be the right approach for every player who travels to Olajuwon�s ranch looking to expand his game.
It�s important to point out that Olajuwon was one of the most uniquely gifted athletes to ever put on an NBA jersey. Olajuwon played soccer as a youth in Nigeria, developing coordination, balance, agility, and impeccable footwork. This is why no big man in today�s NBA, most of whom solely play basketball from an early age, looks even remotely as fluid as Olajuwon once did.
Yet instead of tailoring his program to a player�s size, skill set, athleticism, and, maybe most importantly, the role he occupies on a team, Olajuwon attempts to teach only his signature post moves.
Take this video of Tyson Chandler for instance. In it, Olajuwon is working with the Knicks big man on a rip-through, one-dribble spin counter sequence that ends with a turnaround jumper.
Before we go any further into this analysis, let�s review some facts about Chandler:
� He will be 31 this October (and was 30 in the video).
� He plays on the same team as Carmelo Anthony and Amar�e Stoudemire, the former possessing a usage rate (a metric used to track the number of possessions a player uses) of 32.2 last season while the latter�s was 22.8.
� According to Synergy Sports, he had just 18 post-up attempts last season.
This complicated move has value if you�re a high-volume scorer like Anthony, someone who by necessity may need a lot of moves, given the number of times he attacks a defense in a game. On some team (read: a bad one), Chandler may have been counted on to have a more varied offensive game, but on his current team, taking the time to install such a move seems wasteful � especially given how well the 7-foot-1 center manipulates opposing defenses by diving toward the rim after setting screens and moving off dribble penetration.
At this point, Chandler essentially is who he is. He won�t be asked to control games from the low block. Olajuwon should take that into account and adjust accordingly. The time spent learning complicated footwork sequences could be better used to focus more of his training on things that can directly benefit Chandler�s game, like pick-and-roll finishes that aren�t just dunks � something that will be increasingly vital if and when the Knicks big man can no longer finish athletically at the rim.
Chandler isn�t the only one being taught to play like Olajuwon (even if he doesn�t need it). Scroll through the video list and there are clips of Stoudemire and JaVale McGee working the Dream Shake into a jumper. Even in his prime, Stoudemire has always been somewhat mechanical with his movement and relied heavily on linear, explosive moves to dominate in isolation. Trying to have him copy moves originated by one of the most agile big men ever doesn�t seem like an approach that will ever yield great results.
In McGee�s case, teaching a complex array of moves and countermoves is recipe for disaster. This is a player with a long, documented history of poor on-court decision-making. With a wingspan of 7-6 and a standing reach of 9-6, McGee, like Chandler, doesn�t really need a lot of diversity other than simple jump hooks and counters. Simplicity keeps him out of trouble.
Expansive post repertoires like the ones Olajuwon, Kevin McHale, and even Luis Scola utilize(d) get romanticized, but players without a utility belt full of tricky post moves can do just fine. Al Jefferson and LaMarcus Aldridge have been two of the more effective, high-volume post players over the past few seasons, all by traditionally sticking to basically one move. For Jefferson, it�s turning over his left shoulder for a right-handed jump hook, while Aldridge prefers the turnaround jumper over either shoulder the vast majority of the time.
When Olajuwon played, the NBA was much more of a one-on-one league. The illegal defense rules in place during his era led to far more isolation play against [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] defenses. (Ethan Strauss of HoopSpeak has a [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] of how post play in that era was different.) Creativity was a little more vital because the games called for one player to try to beat his opponent, on an island, over and over again.
It was an era that stands in stark contrast to the current NBA. Teams rely more heavily on pick-and-rolls and ball movement on offense, while defenses deter isolation play with more aggressive schemes. Just this past year, the Spurs virtually ignored Tony Allen to shadow the Grizzlies big men in the Western Conference finals. A year before that, the Heat frustrated New York�s Anthony to no end by fronting him with aggressive weakside shading in a first-round playoff exit. The defensive three-second rule didn�t just change how teams attack opposing defenses, but it has made it harder for players to even operate in isolation.
Here�s an example from 2011 with LeBron James that shows why this topic matters in relation to Olajuwon�s training methods.
Transitioning this move to live action wouldn�t mesh well given the way defenses gear up to stop James. In today�s game, as soon as James reached that spot the entire defense would likely load up to his side of the floor. At the very least, there would be a help defender on the right elbow looking to clog up middle penetration, and a big man likely in or flashing across the lane to dissuade a drive baseline, forcing James to choose between a long jumper or skip pass across the paint. That just isn�t a defense Olajuwon ever saw in his playing days and, at least in this case, he�s not accounting for it when he�s teaching.
Now on a small scale, such an oversight only fails to completely maximize a training session, which happens even with the best of coaches. The worry is that a consistent disregard of such an issue ingrains a bad habit in James, Bryant, or whomever else is trying to expand their game when working with Olajuwon. In the offensive efficiency�obsessed culture of the league, the smallest of flaws are being picked apart by front-office staffs and passed along to coaches to give their teams a competitive advantage. Now that he�s a skills trainer, Olajuwon�s instructions should probably change with the times. Some slick moves look cool, but the new emphasis for NBA teams is having players create as many efficient looks as possible.
With such an accomplished career, Olajuwon has earned enormous credibility when it comes to basketball knowledge. It is perhaps why so many players come back as true believers in his methods after spending time working with him. [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] has been on record praising his time with Olajuwon, which happened to coincide with the unveiling of a new (and since improved) post game. At the very least, Olajuwon is making his students feel like they�ve gotten better or gained insight during their time with him. Such a response certainly has value.
Still, it�s hard to find tangible evidence as to what exactly players receive when they (or their teams) fork over some serious cash � rumor says it�s anywhere from $15,000 a week to $100,000 a month � to learn the nuances operating in the post from an NBA legend. Simply put, being a transcendent player doesn�t automatically translate into being astute in all aspects surrounding the game.


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I don't exactly remember when it was that I discovered I was pretty. Sure I received lots of attention when I was a 3-year-old blonde, blue-eyed girl; everyone at that age is adorable. But then I hit the awkward stage when I became 13. I was one of those unfortunate ones who developed bad acne. Not simply a zit or two, but for at least one full year my face was ravaged by those horrible little red bumps. I remember running from the girls locker room in tears, screaming that I would never take gym again even if it meant I would never get past the eighth grade, just so I wouldn't hear those taunts about my pizza face.
By the time I got to high school, nature had calmed itself down and given me just the occasional pimple or two that popped up at important events like the spring recital or the freshman prom when you wanted to look your best. But I was starting to become pretty. However, all I saw was that 13-year-old face whenever I looked in the mirror. Apparently my classmates did too because I never became the popular pretty cheerleader or homecoming queen. When I started receiving attention from boys it was from outside the school system. They didn't know me in eighth grade. Then I got to start anew when I entered college, a fresh playing field.
So that's exactly how I became pretty. I turned 18, wore make-up, and hung out in bars. It was like unleashing a caged animal. Men were buying me drinks, taking me out to fancy dinners, and I was lapping it all up. During the sexual freedom of the '70s, long before AIDS, I was lured into many a bed. Most of the time I was too drunk to notice what was going on. I was using my looks to be wined and dined with lobster dinners, first-class hotel rooms with breath-taking views, theatre tickets, and shopping sprees; the list went on and on.
However, I still did not feel pretty. It didn't matter that I had men desiring me wherever I went. I became like a drug addict, craving the attention. So I used men; I gave them my body to be worshipped over while I myself received no pleasure, no passion. I was an actress, playing out love scenes in my head. And while men were making love to me, I was picturing what I looked like, forever glancing surreptitiously into any available mirror to assure myself that my hair was tousled just so, my lips moist, my face flushed but not too red. I had to glisten, not sweat. I had to keep vigil over the positions my body was in lest one put a wrinkle here, an unflattering bulge there.
Then I discovered that being pretty can be learned because as I got older, I became prettier. I went through my 20s with youth on my side, but as I entered my 30s, I knew the benefit of hard work. I worked hard at being pretty because I was older and that meant grueling hours at the gym, the long blonde (from a bottle) hair, nightly eye creams, the subtle, barely there make-up with a hint of blush. I was told I had never looked more beautiful. But I had never felt more deceitful because I was deceiving myself. Underneath all the elegance I tried to attain in my 30s, I still felt 13.
Most people think that women who constantly need to look at themselves in the mirror are vain and conceited. Perhaps some of them are but sometimes it is the opposite. They are so unsure of themselves, so concerned that someone will see them as they see themselves. I had to keep looking in the mirror to convince myself that the 13-year-old face was gone forever, that face that I still see whenever I look in a mirror. I need to know that she will never return. I need to know that every hour of every day.
This is not an original story. The pretty blondes of the world have had their say over the dumb blonde jokes, over and over again ad nauseum. I will not talk about the intellectual woman I became, the straight A's I received in my master's degree, the awards I won in my career from sheer brainpower. I won't punish the world with my "love me for my brains not my beauty" banners. I will never garnish much empathy from other women. I don't blame them so I won't ask for it. Cosmopolitan still sells, and I buy it along with Statistical Analysis For Researchers Digest.


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text: Thanks, Booth. That was great. Well, I'd like to thank the Board of Directors in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for inducting me, and I want to say hello to Mohammed Ali. I'd like to thank a couple of people who are here tonight, who helped me out a great deal coming up. Little Richard, who's sitting over there; I don't think I would have even started out without listening to Little Richard. And Alan Lomax, who is over there somewhere to, that I spent many nights in his apartment house, visiting and meeting all kinds of folk music people, which I never would have come in contact with. And I want to thank Mike Love for not mentioning me. And I play a lot of dates every year too, and peace, love, and harmony is greatly important indeed, but so is forgiveness, and we gotta have that too. So thanks.


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Gold and Silver Shimmer
The same shimmery decor that looks great on your tabletop will look great elsewhere in your party as well!
• Line buffets and drink displays with decorative metallic garlands and metallic votive candle holders.
• Fill bowls or oversize glass vases with gold and silver ball ornaments. Wrap vases with band of wide glittery ribbon (available at most craft or fabric stores).
• Use metallic gold or silver gift wrap as table runners.
• Dust bowls of pinecones or modern potpourri decorative balls with gold glitter.


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See images from Himawari-8 in the new satellite viewer
This demonstration product is most suitable for people
with fast internet connection and high data allowance.
Low-definition satellite images
Satellite View Selection
19:30 AEST on Tuesday 28 June 2016 | Cloud/surface composite, Australia
Infrared image courtesy of the Japan Meteorological Agency. Blue Marble surface image courtesy of NASA.
IDY28000 Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology Bureau National Operations Centre Satellite Notes for the 0000UTC Chart on 29 June 2016 Issued at 11:00 am EST Wednesday on 29 June 2016 Thunderstorm activity is evident off the NSW coast in the cold airmass behind a cold front that is moving through the Tasman Sea and is located near New Zealand. A cold front and associated cloud band lies over southwest WA and extends south wrapping around a low pressure system located south of the Great Australian Bight. Some mid to high level cloud over Tasmania produced by a weakened cold front. The rest of the country remains clear due to the large high pressure system centred over NSW.


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Quick View
Tomme Chevre AydiusDon't bid us adieu until you've tasted this complex and peppery goat tomme from the town that sounds like goodbye. Similar to its popular regional neighbor, Pyrenees Brebis, but offering a uniquely goaty tang and a sweet, musty departure. Read More
Cave Aged
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Sainte-Maure de TouraineOh lovely lemony log, how I delight in your goaty goodness. How I exalt your herbal essence. How I adore your careful Murrays-aging of 2-4 weeks. Read More
Quick View
Cypress Grove
Humboldt FogYou may be expecting a cheesecake, but it's really one of the most famous American chevres. Mary Keehn from Humboldt County, CA, makes this tangy treat with a beautiful bloomy rind and a line of vegetable ash bisecting each wheel. 2011 American Cheese Society Winner Read More


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Sam Alex
Sam Alex has always been a big fan of country music -- he's worked for country stations across the nation and never misses his favorite acts when they come to town. He's been on red carpets for many different awards shows and interviewed some of your favorite celebrities, like Will Ferrell and Taylor Swift. Originally from the Chicago area, Sam now lives in Nashville, where he hosts the Taste of Country Nights radio show. If you ever see him on lower Broadway, get him a pina colada and some BBQ chicken pizza ... they're his favorites!


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The Principals Pie Eating Contest was one of the highlights of the Spring Festival at the Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library on Saturday, May 4 in Odessa.
The contest featured principals from local schools devouring chocolate cream pies, cheered on by students, parents, and community residents.
The winner was Don Davis, Co-Principal of Old State Elementary.
The event helped draw a large crowd to the Spring Festival, which was a fundraiser for the library's Summer Reading Program.
See the photo gallery from the contest on the homepage under "Our Photos."
Location, ST | website.com


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Who Wants One?
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Who Wants One?Posted byMay 11, 2011Filed under:1672
My favorite Lupe song is by far "Superstar" because of its underlined story and it's the first song I've ever heard by him. Ever since I loved all of his music, but that one always gets me eveytime it comes on.
I don't have my own apartment to put one up yet but I'll keep it and post it on my wall in the future. I would say my favorite track on Lasers is "Words I Never Said" because it gave me drive to write a poem of my own about war: I call it "War What For?": War what for? Fight till the other can fight no more. Is that what were fighting for? Day after day, night after night we plot and think of ways to kill the other man. Is it worth lives, when a child dies from a bad case of the hives? What are we fighting for? Crips and bloods, war what for? The days leave bodies dropped and egos sore. Our rights they wrongly stole. But we still control our soul. Yet the war breaks it down and takes a toll. War what for? Chances should be taken. Opportunities are lost when you leave your dreams waitin. Immediate action, stop hesitatin. Such positive moves leave the haters quakin. War What for? Why not love? The easiest emotion to posses. Free of fear, worry and stress. Yet I digress. Gil Scott Heron inspired your music just how your music inspires alot of people, and I'm defiantly one of them. #PositiveIfluence
Hey, I'm Nana & the only thing you need to know about me is that I'm obsessed with Lupe Fiasco. I can honestly say that he is the realest rapper out here to date. I mean, every time I listen to one of his songs, my heart cries out. I understand him & his lyrics are so deep, his songs just make me want to change...make me want to me the best ME possible. He just takes hip hop to another level, the level that excludes all the unnecessary video hos, trash talk, & everything else. I can honestly tell that Lupe Fiasco is a Genuine person...I wish i had the words to describe him, that would take me my whole life though. Man, I'm so thankful that God made him...he sees the world for what it truly is and he has no problem expressing his self & his feelings. The show goes on is my favorite song of all time! Even my little brother loves it, every time i hear it, I just want to run outside and sing it to my whole neighbor. I just want everyone to get the message! You can be whatever you want to be no matter where you come from, the things you have done in your life...good, or bad, & basically just don't let no one hold you back! Do you, and only you. The only other artists that have touched my heart like Lupe has are Tupac Shakur, Micheal Jackson, & Selena...Man, I can go on & on but there isn't enough hours in the day, I just love him so much!!
My favorite song is "Words I Never Said" because the first time I listened to the lyrics my mind exploded, never has a song connected with me as that song did. It made me feel like I'm not the only one aware of how our world is, how we stand with our noses in the air and act like our way of livins best. But its not and we need to open our eyes; it hurts how we shove our ideas of religion down peoples throats but for money we'll easily conduct a genocide. We are hypocrites in our own ways, everyone wants the lime light and be the hero but no one wants to speak up. I don't blame 'em. Society's made them that way. But in just about 4 minutes Lupe expressed this and so much more killing every other song out there that was so keen on expressing killing and getting famous. Thats why it's my favorite song. :)
"beautiful lasers" it shows how rap should be and gives music a purpose. When looking at the lyrics it honestly does not look like a song it looks like a poem. Hundreds of years from now people will be studying meanful artist like Lupe's songs just like how we study greek mythology. And I believe Lupe is setting the precedence.
Im stuck in between im beamin and words i never said. both songs are powerful and they come straight from his heart. I am so glad to have found a mainstream conscious artist!!!!!
My favorite song is "And He Gets The Girl". I love this song so much for the simple reason that he able to express himself towards a girl that he likes with out derogatory words referring to her appearance. Instead he simply states that hes shy and just goes for it and knowing that hes a nerd ("i shouldn't have wore my glasses took my shirt up out of my pants but now its all over and i wont get another chance"). I'm sure most people can relate to this song also expresses his inner-geek saying referring to Linkin Park and Hates Final Fantasy. I can play this song over and over until times ends and I still never get tired of this song. Its Amazing.
"Theme Music to a Drive-by" is my favorite Lupe Fiasco song. This song is the reason why I became a Lupe fan and why I'll be a fan for life. It's the most original and lyrical songs I've ever heard. I love Lupe... "'cause no one does it better."
My favorite is All Black Everything b/c it tells of Lupe havimg a dream where everything is black (racially). And I thnk lupe is sayingwe all can be diff races and still be united. The definition of the color black is-The absorbtion of all color, so what it means to say "All Black Everything" is all races unite together.
My favorite is Kick Push, great lyrics and it tells a story at the same time. The beat is great and overall the song is a master piece. I was luck to see lupe perform it live at Albany, NY last month.
My favorite Lupe song is He Say, She Say. Every lyric defines how difficult my struggle was with my father's battle with lung and brain cancer. Some days it can't be sunny. My mom tells me she never saw him happier than when he spent his time coaching and teaching me. I couldn't let him leave even though he already did. This caused me to spiral downward. Ended up getting picked up on a DUI the same way my grandfather had died. Thank God I didn't hurt anyone. I proceeded to go to jail after breathalizing daily for almost a year. After that, I was able to be "normal" again. Women, Black outs, Cocaine, too much Mary Jane lead to a break from reality. I had been afraid to listen to this song for so long because of the emotions it brings back. This song truly helped me break out of the cave that my mind had made. I don't want to write anymore. Thank you Lupe Fiasco. I truly appreciate all you've done for me.
It's hard to pick a favorite, so I'll go with something that was my first fav: Kick/Push. So, in the diluted world of rhymes and themes, hip hop lost its way to the sell-out artists on the radio waves. In "selling out" I mean that they left art behind them and just rhymed with what they thought we wanted to hear. Violence and misogyny; hate and stalled ideologies. In saying that, Biggie Smalls is still the illest. A slight return is Kick/Push. Thematically, it isn't violent, and about young love, however, in the same stylings of Notorious B.I.G. Lupe hits us with some storytelling with thought provoking rhyme schemes. The words just flow so well.
Favourite Lupe Fiasco song is Out Of My Head feat. Trey Songz off the Lasers album because it's a unique track with sick beats and the vocal and rap are amazing. It has been on repeat millions of times cos it can't get old.
My favorite Lupe Fiasco song is Daydreamin from Food & Liquor because of the imagery in the song and the all around sound of it. Using a robot to so vividly portray the struggles in this world is beyond creative.
FAVORITE LUPE SONG: TOUCH THE SKY with KANYE! This song is my motivation! From the Album has to be WORDS I NEVER SAID, as an artist I can relate to this and its alot I wanted to say myself but I'm glad someone better did it with a much greater audience! http://listentotga.blogspot.com/ CHECK THESE DUDES OUT THEYR NASTY!!!
Day Dreamin' First song I ever heard by Lupe, I know every single word. Its really clever and still gets me pumped up when I hear it. It was especially awesome live. Speaking of live I really loved "Scream" such a good song. Really well done, favorite live song.
"Words i Never Said' First reason i like the song because not many hip hop artist can have such a meaningful and lyrical rhyme on a rock/punk beat. Lupe Fiasco is the TRUTH because of his ability to connect and compare to so many diverse audiences. I can express enough how "Words i Never Said' meant to me personally as a young male of this world. To me its saying that in these times we cant go on with our words unheard. The people of the world cant continue to make steps and decisions based off selfishness and stupidity. We as a people cant afford to live with regret and reasons of why we had the opportunity to impact change and didn't. All i have left to say is Lupe is the movement and I'm a faithful rebel with a cause on the bandwagon!!!!
Fighters Just this one song can change the wqy i look at the day and the week ahead of me. Such a great song to plan on a monday to prepare yourself for the week with an open mind
Little Weapon This song not only has a sick beat, drum sounds, and lyrics but the message is great. Little weapon shows what's wrong with war in third world countries today. Kids in war are getting younger and yonger and violence in general is getting out of hand. What's up with people taking guns to school? Why can't we just learn like Lu wants us to? Every word Lu raps is real and he means it, you can tell. The part about video games blows my mind because it's so true. Kids are sitting around killin people from their couch, so it makes them think it's not that bad. Little Weapon teaches the ultimate lesson of peace.
hi , i'm french and i really like you're new album , i really like "worlds I never said" because you say in this song that the others singer don't say , I like you're engagement in you're song , we can see a real man with reals ideas , you make a other kind of raop , like NERD , you're different and I really like the difference continue what you do sorry if you don't understand all , but i'm french and i'm just 16 so i speak just quit well english
My favourite Lu song is 'The Coolest'. The reason being the mood,beat & story never fails to evoke emotion in me. Lupe's lyrics paint the perfect pictures and I get completely engulfed by the song as soon as I throw my headphones on and hear the piano intro. I love that it's metaphorically complex too because I get my head around them after each listen kind of see things from Michael Young's perspective. I've been listening to it since 'The Cool' was released and will continue to because,to me,it's one of those classic songs i'll never get sick of. In addition,I feel a tad cooler listening to this when walking to school which doesn't hurt,haha!
"He Say She Say" because it is so clever how Lupe tells the story from the mother's point of view and then the son's point of view with nearly the same exact lyrics, yet each verse has such a different feel to it. This song is personal to me because my father left me when i was a little boy and I know what it is like for the character in the song to go through what he goes though.
Words i never said, because he really speaks his mind and the lyrics are incredible. Whenever I hear it it makes me want to stand up for what i believe in. GREAT SONG!
theres a lot to choose from but ill probably go with "dumb it down" cuz exactly how ive felt about the rap game for years and it helped inspire me to be more real in life and in my music choices, and it helped me look at music as more of art than ever before.
My favourite song is The Show Goes On, and it's because it is one of the most inspirational songs i've ever heard in my life. Every single word that Lupe raps inspires me to always stay strong, and I can't help being uplifted every single time I hear it. The song is delivered with so much passion and energy that I get the shakes every single time I hear it, It's perfect
My favorite song is Words i Never Said. The lyrics hit real hard. The truth hurts and i love it. I feel the song speaks nothing but the truth; just like everything else Lupe says. I LOVE it. With all the hate in the world, and the crazy havoc people wreak, atleast somebodys still fighting for peace. People can say that when you're fighting for peace you're still fighting, which isn't peaceful. But were not the ones causing the fights, its a simple way to symbolize how hard the fight for peace is, always will be, but also how much it doesn't matter cause we'll fight on when it comes to peace amongst ourselves. Stay true Lupe, mad love to your movement!!


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Rayne, now that you know I can SORT OF play guitar and I know how to record, how about we make a concept hip-hop EP about a bunch of Christmas hats attacking PokeDream Forum posters and taking it over for themselves. I'm not sure how but I could probably sample everything into FL Studio and make it work together or if that fails you could probably do it on Bandcamp? Seeing as your exams are over I assume you have nothing but free time so why not.
I was thinking it could be a five-song thing:
Act 1:
1. Your usual PD day
Act 2:
2. Invasion of the Christmas hats!!!
3. Computer monitors soaked with blood
Act 3:
4. Rebellion
5. Totalitarian PD


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Here's the vision: You, at a little cottage on a cliff overlooking the sea. Or no, wait, make that the south of France. Or maybe a townhouse in Greenwich Village. You rise early (but not too early), waft still half-dreaming to your charming antique desk (did we mention that you're thin in this fantasy?), and give yourself over to a morning of inspired creativity, your brilliant novel pouring out of you.
Then, lunch with your editor, an afternoon sifting through fan mail and negotiating movie deals, and, as night falls, you enjoy a large martini with a handsome, admiring companion named Raoul.
O.K., the Raoul part I made up, but the rest of it is pretty much what life is like for a novelist. Or at least believing it can be like that is one fiction most novelists share.
How can you too live the dream life of a famous novelist? The first and most important step, I'm sorry to inform you, is to write a novel. The good news is that writing a novel is a lot easier than getting thin or finding a guy like Raoul.
Here are the eight essential steps to getting started:
1. Don't wait for a great idea. Among the most common and most crippling of misconceptions about writing a novel is that you need a Big, High Concept Idea before you get started. And that, if you were thunderstruck by such an idea, the novel would then write itself.
Rather, you can launch a novel with as little as an image, a snatch of conversation, a vision of a character. The magic isn't in the idea or its relative strength, but in how you build on it.
2. Don't wait for inspiration. Ever feel like you want to write a novel, but you're just not inspired? Me too! Four and a half days out of five! Inspiration is real, but it's also rare and unpredictable, and waiting till it hits to write is like waiting until you're wild with desire to have sex.
3. Don't do the laundry. People who want to be writers often ask me how I discipline myself to get work done at home, and I tell them I have one very simple rule: Never do the laundry. Not during your work hours. Don't just throw in a quick load. Don't put it in the dryer, because otherwise it's going to start smelling moldy. Just don't do it. Once you let yourself do a little laundry when you're supposed to be writing, it's a slippery slope. If you have any doubt as to the effectiveness of this advice, consider that it's the kind of thing no successful male writer needs to be told.
4. Write every day. Unless you're already living unencumbered in that cottage by the sea, you probably don't have time to write. You have to make time. And it's better to make a little bit of time, even half an hour, every day than to try and write all day Saturday.
Why? Because your characters and your story will stay more vivid in your head. That will make it easier for you to continue thinking about your writing during all the time you're not writing. Because your skills will stay more limber. And because, if you only give yourself half an hour, you won't be tempted to fill 15 minutes of it with laundry.
5. Forget reality. I'm amazed by how many people — educated, literate people — don't know the difference between fiction and nonfiction. When I tell them I write novels, they pause for a moment, then ask, "Is that fiction?" Many would-be writers are similarly confused. They think that writing a novel will be easier if they start with real events, if they create characters based on real people, if they write what they know instead of going to the bother of making stuff up. I'm here to tell you: Not only is fiction by definition made up, it's easier to write that way. Easier to write about an old lady you created off the top of your head than about your grandmother, easier to write about a marriage spun from thin air than about one just like your own. So stop looking to reality for your inspiration, and start inventing.
6. Start with your characters.Where do you start inventing? With your characters. Whether your initial idea is a movie-worthy elevator pitch or a wisp of creative film, you start at the same place, by figuring out who the people are who are going to try to kidnap the president or repair their relationship. Begin with their names. Then move on, one by one, to their hair color, and what they eat for breakfast, and who they call when they wake up scared at 3 a.m, and what they're scared about. Keep going until you're not sure whether you made them up or knew them in college. Until your fiction is realer than reality.
7. Know your title.This is a tip stolen from Elmore Leonard: Before you begin, think of a perfect title. A title that not only makes you want to write the book to go with it, but that you can see on the book jacket, that you can imagine will make millions of people want to read it.
8. Know your ending. You may not have to have every detail of your plot worked out before you start writing, but you need to know where your characters are heading and where they're going to end up. Otherwise, it's like taking off on a road trip without having any idea whether you're aiming for California or Florida. You'll end up driving around in circles.
Is that all there is to writing a novel? Well, no. But it's a good start. For further tips, read Elizabeth George's Write Away. Take a class. Join a writing group, but don't give them too much power.
But mostly, step away from the washing machine, sit in front of your computer, and start by imagining you're in a cottage, maybe by the sea.
Buy Pamela Redmond Satran's book here [3]
Pamela Redmond Satran is also the author of the humor book How Not To Act Old [4] and the novel Younger [5].


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- Date submitted: 1 Nov 2011
- Stakeholder type: Member State
- Name: Nepal
- Submission Document: Download
Full SubmissionSUBMISSION TO RIO+20 BY THE GOVERNMENT OF NEPAL I. Introduction This document follows the guidance note of the Co-chairs of the UNCSD Bureau and is based on the outcome of discussions and deliberations with representatives from civil society, government and non-governmental organisations, communities and parliamentarians. A Steering Committee chaired by the Vice-Chair of National Planning Commission (NPC), Government of Nepal, with representation of 11 secretaries from line ministries, development partners, INGOs, NGOs, CBOs, experts and other stakeholders was formed for the preparation of Rio+20 Country Status Paper. The Steering Committee formed a Task Force Committee (TFC) under the Chairpersonship Secretary at the NPC, with seven Joint Secretaries of key ministries to facilitate and coordinate the process. An expert panel backed up the whole preparatory process in consultation with parliamentarians, government agencies, and technical partners, NGOs, CBOs, media and youth. Twenty-five representatives from major stakeholder groups, government agencies and technical partner attended the first meeting of the TFC (23rd Sept 2011) and finalised the process, scope, methodology and timelines for document preparation. Based on the TFC guidelines, an expert group prepared the first draft during September and October 2011 that was reviewed by the TFC, Steering Committee members, and national experts. The second draft was shared at the national expert group meeting to ensure that all the three pillars of sustainable development ? economic, social and environmental were adequately addressed. A National Multi-stakeholder Consultation workshop (20 October 2011) was attended by more than 100 representatives of different stakeholders groups which included parliamentarians, former ministers and high level policy makers, government secretaries, senior government officials, the resident representative of the UNDP, ICIMOD and representatives of media, youth, I/NGOs, CBOs, the business community, independent experts, and major groups. The workshop discussed the key questions in the "General Content" of the Guidance Note as well as the specific aspects of least developed and mountainous countries. It also dwelt on the issues and themes under the "Specific Elements" of Guidance Note. The following sections summarise key messages from Nepal to Rio+20 Conference. II. General Content 1. What are the expectations for the outcome of Rio+20, and what are the concrete proposals in this regard, including views on a possible structure of the Outcome document? Nepal?s main expectation from Rio+20 is a renewed commitment of Member States for preserving the Rio principles and fostering implementable consensus for fulfilling the implementation gaps in the Rio declaration and other associated commitments, and addressing new and emerging challenges in a fair and equitable manner based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR). Nepal also expects a clear articulation of the objective of Rio+20 to ensure a balanced and integrated approach for addressing all the three pillars of sustainable development with poverty alleviation and inter-generational human wellbeing at the centre of the Rio+20 commitments. Nepal?s position on the two themes of Rio+20 and other components are elaborated below. A. ON GREEN ECONOMY i. The ?green economy? should be an instrument, or a means to an end for sustainable development, poverty reduction and inclusive and equitable economic growth. Economic growth must be sustainable supported by well-functioning markets, and preferential access to green products at prices that reflect the scarcity value of natural resources; and property rights must be clearly defined to enable and encourage true stakeholders to utilize natural resources sustainably - both individually and collectively. ii. There must be a provision for technology adaptation and transfer, easy finance, capacity building and favorable terms of trade and transit facilities to LDCs for the economic transformation and ultimately contributing to sustainable development. iii. The proven people-centred, sustainable, and green development interventions should consider the rights of indigenous people and local communities to land and other natural resources. This would also require national commitments to enacting appropriate legal and policy frameworks. iv. Developing countries in general and mountainous LDCs in particular need support for adopting and customising policies and strategies that need to be provided through special provisions for meeting the additional financial resources, technology and capacity building requirements. v. There is a need to radically change unsustainable consumption patterns, particularly in developed countries that is also gradually catching up in urban centres of developing countries. vi. Green economy should encourage the formulation and implementation of policies and mechanisms that are conducive to engaging the government, private sector and the civil society to work together to support green enterprises. Training and targeted interventions including financing and credit facilities can help increase the participation and enable the poor, women and socially excluded groups so as to promote gender and social equity in education, skills and entrepreneurship development, health care, child welfare and social security. vii. The LDCs and mountainous countries have very low capacity to control and manage expanding ecological footprints of economic globalisation. There is a need for special safeguard measures, and global commitment to ensure the protection of environmental resources of the environmentally vulnerable countries, and safeguard the livelihoods of these countries from the pressures of economic globalisation and global climate change. B. ON INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT i. There is an emerging consensus to build coherence, coordination and improved service delivery systems into multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), intergovernmental bodies, the UN system and other international organisations. There is a realisation that the environmental pillar is relatively weaker among the three pillars of sustainable development, because of its fragmented governance structure. In this regard, Nepal considers the importance and relevance of creating a specialised agency, a World Environment Organisation, as global technical arm of the UN system. This agency could focus its attention on the implementation of multi-lateral environmental agreements, building in-country capacity for addressing existing and emerging threats of environmental degradation, and promote sustainable means for poverty reduction. The proposed global agency should have presence at both the regional and country levels. Nepal also believes on ?one UN approach? and calls for a coordinated and efficient working systems and mechanism at all levels. ii. Most of the green technologies in developed countries are in the private domain and come under the Intellectual Property Right (IPR) regime generally making the technologies costs prohibitive. In this regard, an appropriate mechanism is urgently required for ensuing affordable access to appropriate technologies to developing countries, and for providing necessary technical and financial support for establishing technology research and development centres in LDCs for developing, adapting and transferring technologies suitable to their contexts, priorities and needs. C. ON ADDRESSING NEW AND EMERGING CHALLENGES For addressing new and emerging challenges, there is a need to agree on a framework of action by Rio+20 participants which could include, among others, a timeline for implementing more robust and sustainable development commitments and a set of action oriented goals. Some of the actions recommended are as follows: i. The poor and mountainous countries, although contribute least to global warming, are the most vulnerable to climate change and erratic weather patterns, and have least capacity to address the problems. Therefore, the global communities should specially support most vulnerable countries to effectively address the adverse impacts of climate change and utilize the opportunities created from it to improve livelihoods and achieve climate-resilient physical, social and economic development. ii. The ability to address financial, food and energy crises in a least developed and mountainous, countries are limited; there should be a mechanism to help these countries to come out of the crises and improve their future resilience. In this regard, Nepal calls for proper and effective integration of Istanbul Program of Action for the LDCs into the global sustainable agenda. iii. While utilizing natural resources (such as hydropower generation and biodiversity conservation) for economic benefits, the fair and equitable benefit sharing should be ensured for the local communities and indigenous people, whose life and livelihoods are directly or indirectly dependent on these resources or ecosystem services. iv. For addressing income inequality and poverty reduction in a sustainable manner, it is crucial to democratize ownership, control and decision making over productive resources and assets which are mostly in the domain of natural resources. We should move towards an appropriate mix of more community-based, democratic and inclusive modes such as cooperative, collective and community‐based and driven approaches, public?private joint venture types of ownership to ensure that economic activities generated provides Sustainable livelihoods and meets the developmental goals of the community and society. v. LDCs such as Nepal should be supported to strengthen national innovation capacity to generate appropriate technologies, enhance extension services and improve market infrastructure to increase the productivity of agriculture and natural resources. It is also necessary to develop the adaptive and resilient agricultural technologies that meet the need of poor, women and excluded groups and communities in less-favored regions such as wet and dry hills and mountains. vi. Recognizing the role of formal and informal sector, the farm and non-farm linkages should be strengthened by improving connectivity, creating post-harvest infrastructures and facilities, promoting value adding small and micro enterprises (SMEs) and increasing marketing and distribution efficiency. vii. Despite many constraints, Nepal has made progress in the implementation of programs related to natural resources management, renewable energy, health and education and poverty reduction. Nepal has comparative advantage in developing sustainable agriculture, tourism, water resources, renewable energy, non-timber forest products, community forestry and biodiversity conservation. For sustaining the achievements and scaling up successful interventions in these and other potential areas, the country needs additional support in terms of financing, technology transfer and capacity building. 2. What are the comments, if any, on existing proposals: e.g., a green economy roadmap, framework for action, sustainable development goals, a revitalized global partnership for sustainable development, or others? i. A green economy should offer new trade opportunities to all countries, and not become a pretext for ?green protectionism?. This should be used as an opportunity to promote and enhance the technical and institutional capacity in LDCs to pursue a green-growth-based development agenda. ii. The transition process to a greener economy has to be gradual and inclusive of all stakeholders, and that the unavoidable employment and social costs of the transition should be shared by all in the spirit of "just transition". iii. National accounting systems need to measure the significant human welfare benefits, or true value of ecosystem services that benefits national, regional and global economy and environment. Valuation of environmental services though difficult, is a precondition for establishing payment for environmental services. iv. Considering the increasing importance of mountain ecosystems for downstream communities, the high incidence of poverty and unequal access to resources in mountain areas, the growing vulnerability of both upstream and downstream populations, and the threats to the availability of mountain ecosystem services, all global stakeholders should agree on updating the mountain agenda in Chapter 13 of the Agenda 21. v. The international community is called upon to support enhanced policies, institutional structures, funding mechanisms and support systems that recognise upstream- downstream interdependency, and promote multi-stakeholder involvement in the management of trans-boundary resources for the benefits of both upland and low-land communities. vi. The contribution of mountain ecosystems needs better recognition in terms of ecosystem services they provide, and this would require greater attention on the livelihood issues of mountain communities and on maintaining/enhancing the ecosystem services. The concerns of the mountain regions, particularly those of the developing and LDCs, remain to be addressed by the existing framework of the green economy. This omission needs to be corrected by, a. Recognising the direct and indirect benefits derived from the Himalayan mountains by national and regional plans and policies; b. Incorporating the value of ecosystem services in national development planning, GDP accounting and decision making; c. Establishing global, regional, national, and local mechanisms to compensate and reward Himalayan mountain communities for the services they provide; d. Establishing favourable conditions for improving markets for mountain ecosystem goods and services; and for inclusion of equity concerns in the green economy in hills and mountains; and e. Ensuring access to resources and property rights for mountain communities especially women, indigenous communities, and marginalised groups. vii. The efforts of mountain communities needs to be complemented to ensure a continued availability of the fresh water, biodiversity (including agro biodiversity), cultural diversity, and space for tourism, recreation, and spiritual renewal, as well as for coping with the consequences of climate and environmental changes. viii. Nepal?s experience in promoting community-based resources management approaches and instruments, such as community forestry, are considered to be appropriate models for improving both the livelihoods of mountain communities and mitigating and adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change. These can be further enhanced to promote low-carbon socio-economic development by creating green jobs and environmental services related businesses such as REDD+ and Payment for Ecosystem Services. 3. What are the views on implementation and on how to close the implementation gap, which relevant actors are envisaged as being involved (Governments, specific Major Groups, UN system, IFIs, etc.); i. The LDCs are lagging behind in sustainable development as the international support measures are not fully effective and adequate in terms of scale, scope and quality. The progress of these countries has slowed down due to the lack of the proper and timely implementation of the commitments made by the international community in the earlier summits, including in Stockholm (1972), Rio de Janeiro (1992) and Johannesburg (2002). The LDCs have been experiencing high difficulty in their development mainly due to capacity constraints, inadequate as well as poor access to financial support, partial fulfillment of ODA commitment, constant marginalization in the international trading system, lack of substantial debt relief measures, negligible FDI inflows, and lack of holistic approach to development. Commitments from the North in the form of adequate financing (according to common but differentiated responsibility), appropriate technology cooperation, and need-based capacity building are of utmost importance to support developing countries to make a just transition to sustainable development pathways. ii. There is a critical need to fulfill all the previous commitments made by the developed countries, particularly the ODA commitment of providing the 0.15-0.20 per cent of their Gross National Income (GNI) to the LDCs. The LDCs need to be given due priority in allocating necessary funds as well as devising innovative programs. iii. It is necessary to promote community-driven green enterprises such as organic farming, bio-gas and solar energy; and seed-banking, watershed management and on-farm improvement of crop varieties and animal breeds through collective and GESI sensitive value chain approaches. iv. We support the call on the renewed commitment and political will of the international community to support financing for development and national capacity-building efforts, in particular for least developed countries (LDCs) and predominantly mountain countries. All the stakeholders should be made accountable towards fulfilling their commitments. Partnerships and collaboration with all Major Groups and financial institutions should be strengthened. 4. What specific cooperation mechanisms, partnership arrangements or other implementation tools are envisaged and what is the relevant time frame for the proposed decisions to be reached and actions to be implemented? i. In order to fill the implementation gaps and meet the new and emerging challenges, there is a need for more coordinated, integrated, and results-oriented efforts at both national and international levels for arranging adequate finances, ensuring appropriate technology generation and transfer, supporting capacity building, promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns ? where the developed countries should take the lead. ii. It is necessary to promote sharing of good practices, information and knowledge and experiences for replicating and scaling up of successful models; for empowering women; and enhancing scientific and technological cooperation with participation of scientists from LDCs for collaborative research and studies. iii. The developed countries must take concrete steps to reduce and cancel debt, remove trade barriers and open up their markets, and build capacity in the LDCs. iv. A global mechanism needs to be developed to assess the impacts of new technologies on health, biodiversity and environment. Such mechanism should provide resources for building capacity of countries and communities, especially LDCs, for assessing and monitoring the impacts of new technologies. v. Climate-smart policies need to be adopted for promoting economic development, reducing the vulnerability, and financing the transition to low-carbon growth paths. vi. Sizeable investment will need to flow into the green sectors as well as for ?greening? of all possible sectors in LDCs. While domestic resource mobilisation will play a key role, enhanced access to international finance as well as to new and additional resources, will be crucial. There is also an urgent need for greater synergy and complementarities between financing for climate change and sustainable development. vii. There has been an increased remittance inflow in developing countries such as Nepal, which can be mobilised through improved investment policies and rural enterprise development programmes that provide incentives to migrants and attract investment in the productive sectors. This requires more political commitment at the national level and capacity building, training and infrastructure and basic services at the local level. Nepal?s new development vision incorporates these elements and can complement the anticipated international support for attaining the sustainable development goals. III. Specific Elements Objective of the Conference: To secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assessing the progress to date and remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development and addressing new and emerging challenges, Nepal?s sectoral priorities based on good practices and lesson learned are:, hydro and renewable energy, food security and sustainable agriculture, community-based forest resources management, sustainable tourism, water resources management, sustainable urbanization including greening of transportation and urban waste management sectors, disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation and value chains that contribute to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development. ? In green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, we propose that concrete mechanisms, tailor-made for LDCs must be promoted at the global, national, and local levels to reward and compensate communities for conservation and provision of ecosystem services. ? It is necessary to create incentive mechanism and provide support for market-driven investments and flow of financial resources (including remittances) for sustainable development. ? International organisations, intergovernmental organisations, and the private sector should contribute to the promotion of niche products and services of LDCs through mechanisms such as value chains, branding, labeling, and standards. ? Traditional knowledge and practices need to be documented, evaluated, and built upon to solve local problems and conserve and develop ecosystem services. 1. Institutional framework for sustainable development: Priorities and proposals for strengthening individual pillars of sustainable development, as well as those for strengthening integration of the three pillars, at multiple levels local, national, regional and international. Nepal strongly feels that the three pillars of sustainable development should be further strengthened as well as fully integrated and a proper balance among them is properly maintained. IFSD in the context of the LDCs should aim to identify the actors at national, regional and global levels and set out the functions of institutions for achieving better coherence and coordination among agencies implementing sustainable development programs, especially in vulnerable and low-capacity regions. A. Economic pillar i. Nepal's experience is somewhat similar to the global experience. Whereas it has made good progress in terms of poverty reduction and achieving most of the time-bound MDGs, there is a long way to make the development sustainable as the economic pillar is facing new and emerging challenges. ii. The focus of Nepal during the last 20 years remained on economic development and poverty reduction. For the first 15 years, the policy and legislations attempted to create environment for the free market economy with some shallow social protection measures for disadvantaged groups. During these years, private sector investments came in hydropower, transportation, education, health, telecommunication, civil aviation, banking and financial institutions, telecommunication and mass communication. However, social conflict, growing inflation, food shortages, and high transportation and energy costs have depressed the national economic growth rate as well as increased income inequality. iii. Multi-dimensionality of poverty and its complexities should be taken into account for initiating future poverty alleviation measures. Reinvigorating rural agriculture and financial sectors, universal access to safe and nutritious food, water, health and energy services, education, and sanitation in urban areas are necessary for improving the quality of life of the poor and marginalized groups. Hence, there is a need of focused approach in these sectors by creating more investment friendly environment and promotion of public-private partnership. B. Social pillar i. An integrated and GESI sensitive value chain approaches promoting in collaboration with the government, private sector, NGOs and CBOs with adequate resources, targeted activities, well trained and oriented human resources on both technical and social aspects, enhancing coordination and collaboration with all relevant actors can help increase their participation and improve benefits accrued from the natural resources. ii. Social inclusion was considered as one of the pillars of Poverty Reduction Strategy and Program since Nepal?s Tenth Plan (2002-07). After the second ??People?s Movement? in 2006, issues of social and geographical inclusion and gender equality have gained further prominence in public discourse and state policies of Nepal. Various social movements gained momentum, giving rise to interests of excluded and marginalized groups. The political commitment has gained momentum and systematic attempts were made to inject gender equality and social inclusion into economic and environmental policies and plans. iii. We call for promotion of good governance and decentralization with concrete policies, plans and programs that can benefit and reach women, socially and geographically excluded groups and indigenous people. iv. Potential small green enterprises where Nepal has the comparative advantages are: promotion of collective organic farming ? vegetables, vegetable seeds, spices, cash crops etc. through contract/ leasehold and cooperative farming; production of organic essential oils such as chamomile, grass and natural fibers; tourism ? rural/home-based/eco-tourism with training and investments on diversifying the tourism products; in the urban areas ? recycling of urban wastes. C. Environment pillar i. The Tenth Plan (2002-2007) internalized the SDAN strategies for sustainable development. Adhering to the SDAN commitment, Government of Nepal adopted people-centric Forest Act. (1993) and forest regulations (1995), Buffer Zone Regulation (1996), which led to Community and Leasehold Forestry Policy Guidelines, 2003; Collaborative Forest Management Guidelines, 2003 - 2004; and revised the Water Resource Policy, 2003. Government established Climate Change Council 2009; announced Climate Change Policy 2010, approved National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) 2010 and also incorporated climate resilient planning in current Three Year Plan (2010/11-2012/13), which are policy commitments for sustainable dvelopment. All of these policies and guidelines focus on community participation, resource sharing, sustainable use of resource and privatization of services, good governance and transparency. The Environment Protection Act (1997) and Environment Protection Rules (1997) were adopted for incorporating environmental concerns in development and the sustainable management of natural resources. ii. Nepal has some proven environmental conservation models such as community forestry, conservation and Buffer Zone area management; farmer managed irrigation and integrated watershed management. iii. High dependency of majority of people on natural resources in a developing country like Nepal has been creating a vicious cycle of poverty and destruction of environmental resources such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, land degradation and scarcity of water etc. In order to pursue green economic path, global communities specially developed countries must help developing countries in developing alternative livelihood opportunities and appropriate technologies which help reduce dependency of poor people on natural resources. The programme like climate resilient planning, poverty-environment initiative and disaster risk reduction should be strengthened so that developing countries like Nepal can shift towards green development path by breaking the vicious cycle of poverty-environmental degradation and maximizing social benefits to the majority of the people. Global communities can invest in creating `green infrastructures? including forest conservation and watershed management and water storage development that can create alternative livelihood opportunities and help reduce dependency of poor people on natural resources. 2. Any proposals for refinement of the two themes. Recall that Resolution 64/236 describes the focus of the Conference: "The focus of the Conference will include the following themes to be discussed and refined during the preparatory process: a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication and the institutional framework for sustainable development". i. In the advent of global commercialization of environmental goods and services, resource management policies should take into consideration of controlling unsustainable commercial exploitation of ecosystems services in the name of promoting green economy. ii. Sound environmental and climate resilient policies should be formulated by coordinating and harmonizing the provisions of various Conventions. It should facilitate to develop environmental standards and mainstream environmental issues to various developmental activities, monitor environmental compliance, and conduct research, training and awareness raising programs. iii. Topography and climatic regime make the mountainous country like Nepal particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climatic change, such as glacial lake outburst, floods and landslides. Similarly, LDCs have also least internal capacity to cope with these vulnerabilities. The new sustainable development paradigms should take into account of these situations and devise policies which help vulnerable countries and regions to access required funding mechanism, technology, skills and promote south-south and north-south collaboration in managing such risks. Thank you


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March 23 Public Record
Published: Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, March 22, 2013 at 7:08 p.m.
The following people were arrested on felony charges by law enforcement agencies in Davidson County, and, unless noted otherwise, were either placed in the Davidson County Detention Center or released from custody and are scheduled to appear in Lexington District Court on the date given:
• Sharon Poindexter Martin, 48, of 1849 Eller Road, Lot 20, was charged with felony breaking and entering and felony larceny, $10,000 secured bond, April 25.
The following larcenies more than $1,000 were reported to the Davidson County Sheriff's Office and the Lexington Police Department:
• A ring, $83 in cash, clothing, shoes, hair dryer and 30 video games valued at $1,778 were reported stolen from a home on Hunt Road between Dec. 31, 2012, and 8:08 p.m. Thursday.
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Pecan Goody Cups RecipeRead Reviews Be the first to add a review
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 48 pecan halves
- In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour, beating until mixture forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. For filling, in a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, eggs and butter.
- Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Press onto the bottoms and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. Spoon filling into cups; top each with a pecan half.
- Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 2-3 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 4 dozen.
Reviews for Pecan Goody Cups
"These are great and although not easy I certainly don't consider them hard to make. They freeze well so they can easily be shipped. I've even cheated and used store bought pie crust , chopped pecans to quicken the process and they are always great."
"I've been making these for many yrs..our family calls them pecan tassies & its a traditional Xmas cookie in our home. Vanilla is a must for filling ! I have had times when the tarts have stuck but I lightly spray my pans & it works great ! If u haven't tried these try them with an open mind because they can be addicting!"
"I am mystified by the negative comments! I have been making these, aka Pecan Dainties, since 1968. My recipe makes more filling (2.25 C packed brown sugar, 4 eggs, 3 T butter, melted, AND 1 T vanilla extract), and calls for finely chopped pecans rather than one whole pecan. I sprinkle a teaspoon of chopped pecans (or walnuts) in the bottom of each FROZEN cup, then fill each cup 3/4 full with filling, and top with another teaspoon or so of chopped nuts. I allow the dainties to cool completely in the pan, which helps with the removal issue mentioned by some. If the filling has overflowed onto the top of the pan, gently run a sharp knife under the cooked filling, and then in between the dainty and the pan. Properly cooked, the crust will be golden brown, the filling delightfully caramelized, and after a day, many will be yummy chewy. Please don't let the negative remarks scare you away from these. If making for the first time, it might be beneficial to make some with the whole nut, and some with the chopped nuts; then decide which appeals to you the most."
"Great it is yummy"
"I have made these little cups of happiness every year since the recipe came out. Everyone loves them, I do add a teaspoon of Vanilla Extract to the filling and I toast the pecans it gives them that little bit of extra flavor"