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The Hill in History
Hamilton's rich historic legacy provides much of the 21st-century College's strength and vision. It also comprises a wealth of fascinating stories that illuminate the College's changing place in the region, the nation and the world. "The Hill in History" shares some of those stories in a regular column.
Elihu Root's Nobel Prize: Peace pioneer in the face of war
By Charlotte Hough '14
His likeness portrayed in life size in the foyer of Buttrick Hall, Elihu Root, Class of 1864, stands contemplative. A deep crease sits between two brown eyebrows, and his lips arc almost downward in a frown. One might wonder what he was thinking as the French artist Théobald Chartran rendered his portrait in 1903.
Root had yet to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, but was already building the extensive portfolio in international relations that would lead to the prize a few years later. As secretary of war under presidents McKinley and Roosevelt, he had created a plan to return Cuba to the Cubans, he had written a democratic charter for the governance of the Philippines, and he had directed far-reaching internal changes to the War Department and military education in the U.S.
Though awarded the 1912 Peace Prize, Root was not nominated for it and did not receive it until 1913, sharing the spotlight with the winner for that year — Belgian lawyer and internationalist Henri La Fontaine. Due to a decision on the part of the prize committee, none of the original 64 nominees for 1912 had been selected that year; the Nobel Foundation's rules allow for such a deferred award if the committee does not think the nominations it receives are worthy. So Alfred Harmann Fried, who was a journalist as well as the founder of the German Peace Society, nominated Root for the 1912 prize in 1913, when it was up for consideration again.
The unusual circumstances surrounding Root's Peace Prize didn't stop there. After the award was belatedly bestowed upon Root, he was scheduled to give an acceptance speech in Oslo on Sept. 8, 1914. But the outbreak of World War I six weeks earlier prevented him from doing so. What might have become Root's most dramatic platform from which to share his ideas about the pursuit of a world at peace was, ironically, undone by what would come to be known as the War to End All Wars.
Evolving stance on global law
Root's award was the twelfth given since the Peace Prize's inception in 1901, following the death of Alfred Nobel in 1896. Nobel had stipulated in his will that most of his great wealth should be used for five prizes, which included one for peace. It would be awarded yearly to the person who "shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding of peace congresses." A committee within the Norwegian Storting (Parliament) was to select the winner each year — a system different from that for the other Nobel prizes, which are awarded by specialized academies in Sweden — and it is unclear exactly why Nobel wanted it this way. Scholars believe that Nobel may have been familiar with the Storting's and Norway's strong interest in peaceful solutions to international disputes during the 1890s.
Until his nomination, Root had led varied, successful careers: as a corporate lawyer, as President McKinley's secretary of war, as President Theodore Roosevelt's secretary of state and as a New York senator. It may have been a combination of his ideas on peace and the way he instituted them that convinced Fried that Root was worthy of the nomination, and the committee that he deserved the prize.
Root's ideas about peace and how to achieve it, in turn, surely were shaped by his opinions on human nature. In the text for the Nobel speech that he never gave, he wrote that "civilization is a partial, incomplete, and, to a great extent, superficial modification of barbarism." To achieve peace, Root was intent on discovering exactly what "urges nations to the point where the war passion seizes upon them." In practical terms, he believed in developing an international court and international law, but none that would infringe too greatly upon the individual rights of nations.
Root served as the first president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, founded in 1910 by his close friend Andrew Carnegie — himself, coincidentally, a nominee for the belated 1912 Peace Prize — and the second president of the Carnegie Corporation. He also declined overtures to seek the Republican nomination for the presidency in 1916.
In 1918 — having both received his Peace Prize and been shaken by the devastation of World War I — Root revisited the idea of enforcing standards of peace across nations, writing to Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy advisor Colonel House on these principles. He still believed in creating "an agreement upon someone or some group whose duty it will be to speak for the whole community in calling upon any two nations who appear to be about to fight to submit their claims." But he now also wondered "how far that agreement should go." He concluded that over the past two years, the world had come closer to being willing to submit to a stronger and more binding agreement. At the creation of the League of Nations, Root fought and negotiated for U.S. ratification, which ultimately failed because the U.S. still deemed the international agreement too binding.
Root's ideas about peace may not seem revolutionary today. Indeed, many figures in his own time had voiced similar positions. In his definitive biography of the statesman, Philip Jessup '18 notes this, writing: "Root was not the originator of any new school of political or social philosophy, but he was wise in advice, skilled in advocacy and successful in administration."
In a more general sense, Jessup argues that Root's greatness in law and politics showed itself in his "wise adaptation of past experience," adding that "he was a great conciliator and would have been an outstanding figure in the American Constitutional Convention of 1787, where vital compromises had to be thought out and carried to adoption."
Training to become 'a vital force'
To help spread ideals of peace within an international system, Root highlighted in his Nobel lecture the importance of instructing students in international law. This brings forth the question of what exactly in Root's own life experiences prepared him for international politics. President McKinley said that he wanted Root for his secretary of war because he needed a lawyer for the job, and Root was one of the most successful lawyers of his day.
How well did Root's education prepare him for international relations? Though Hamilton had no formal Government Department at the time, the College catalogue of 1861 suggests that Root could have taken courses in political economy, philosophy and modern history once he reached his junior and senior years, classes that surely would have helped prepare him for the careers ahead. Hamilton did have a Law Department that offered courses in the law of contracts and real estate. After finishing a regular course of study at the College, any student "of good moral character" could join the department for a year and graduate with a Bachelor of Laws.
But as T.F. Jessup, Class of 1864, a distant relative to biographer Philip Jessup, wrote in the Class of 1864's Half-Century Annalist's letter, there may have been other facets of Root's education that prepared him for a life in government. With tongue perhaps half in cheek, the annalist recalled a German course with a tutor known to be "excessive in his demands in the classroom" and with a "manifest disregard for propriety." A committee from the class was sent to negotiate with the offending tutor, and, that effort failing, with the full faculty — which, alas, remained "blind to the injustice and unbearableness of the situation."
The class dreaded war.… A principle however was at stake, righteousness was in jeopardy, mild measures had failed, justice had been outraged, arbitration was out of the question and the faculty having rejected their ultimatum, the class rebelled!
Root, of course, played an important role in this "German Rebellion," the annalist recalled, and it was surely a résumé booster for him later in life: "It seems that President McKinley … knew about the bravery, the strategy and perseverance displayed by Elihu Root in connection with the rebellion, and he naturally concluded that Root was just the man to be in his Cabinet." What Jessup no doubt glossed over in the quest for a good laugh was the fact that Root's commitment to negotiation and arbitration almost certainly would have led him to that option over any open rebellion.
Root also received more serious praise. On his performance as Secretary of War for President McKinley, Henry L. Stimson said that "no such intelligent, constructive and vital force" had occupied the position in American history. Later, Roosevelt reportedly called him "the greatest man that has arisen on either side of the Atlantic in my lifetime." The statesman from the family that has helped build Hamilton College across so many generations was himself a builder on a grand scale, of the first international foundations for a world without war.
John G. Webb: The pioneer who went south
By Stewart Pollock '54
A graduate of the Class of 1844, John G. Webb is today an unknown entity on College Hill. Travel south to the west coast of Florida, however, and Webb is revered as a leading pioneer, someone who helped to settle and civilize a wild frontier.
Born in Adams, N.Y., in 1824, Webb entered Hamilton in 1841 as one of 28 sophomores, having demonstrated that his knowledge of English, Greek and Latin grammar was sufficient for him to skip his freshman year. In addition to tuition of $21, he paid $7 for that "advanced standing."
After graduating, Webb began a varied and challenging career. Finding teaching to be "hard work" with meager compensation, he turned to a dual career in the Utica area as a farmer and druggist — selling, according to an advertisement of the time, "90 percent alcohol and burning fluid," "wines and liquors for medicinal use," "garden and field seeds" and Fairbanks Scales.
He and his wife, Eliza Graves Webb, would raise five children, but Eliza's asthma led the Webb family to a radical change of life in 1867 — a long and arduous sea journey to Florida's Gulf Coast, a virtual wilderness at the time, with a Bible, furniture, farm tools and a pen of chickens.
They settled on a peninsula they named Spanish Point — today an historic site —and advanced from subsistence farming and hunting to raising sugar cane and oranges before eventually founding a winter resort. Webb also found time to serve as county commissioner, county judge and the region's first postmaster, and he was a regular contributor of scientific materials to the Smithsonian Institution.
By 1879, the Hamilton Literary Monthly would salute Webb as "one of the most active and highly respected citizens of the Gulf Coast…. Beginning miles away from any settlers, twelve years ago, with a large family and very little money, he has literally hewed out his fortune." His range of interests and talents and his pioneering spirit make him a true exemplar of a Hamilton liberal arts education.
Stewart Pollock '54 has been a lawyer for more than a half-century and served on the New Jersey Supreme Court for 20 years. He received an honorary LL.D. from Hamilton in 1995 and is currently of counsel to Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti in Morristown, N.J. He is grateful to the staff at Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, Fla., to Alumni Review Editor Emeritus Frank Lorenz, and to Janet Snyder Matthews, author of Edge of Wilderness: A Settlement History of Manatee River and Sarasota Bay, for providing valuable research assistance and historical information. Read his full profile of John Webb in the Alumni Review's new "Seldom-Told Tales" gallery of alumni profiles at www.hamilton.edu/seldom-told-tales.


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GSA & Smart Buildings
GSA is implementing a smart building strategy and working aggressively to modernize existing buildings and establish new standards for design and construction in order to achieve department and administration goals of energy efficiency and sustainability while still providing superior workplaces for federal customer agencies at good economies to the American taxpayer. The strategy will build on a solid history, enable staff and existing plans to take a holistic view of buildings including building systems, occupants, the environment, energy sources, operating policy, and capital and operating expenses. The strategy will be applied to existing inventory or buildings and projects but also specifically address projects and planning related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA 2009).

subset: commoncrawl


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Vernon Reid
Guitarist Vernon Reid is probably best known for founding the groundbreaking rock group, Living Colour and piloting the band through a remarkable career. Not only a rock musician, Reid has extended virtually every musical genre- playing with artists ranging from Mariah Care to Public Enemy, Mic Jagger to jazz guitarist, Bill Frisell. His musical journeys and eclectic musical vision make him one of the most innovative songwriters, composers, and band leaders of all time.
Oteil Burbridge
Oteil Burbridge is a two time Grammy Award-winning multi-instrumentalist specializing on the bass guitar. He has spent over three decades in the music business touring and recording. He is a founding member of the legendary band Aquarium Rescue Unit, member of the Allman Brothers Band, and has collaborated with musicians such as Trey Anatasio, Bill Kreutzmann, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, Jerry Goodman, Bob Moses, Bela Fleck, Jimmy Herring (solo), and Victor Wooten. Burbridge, always been in demand as a session and live sideman, continuously adds a precise musicianship and virtuosity to any project he is involved with.
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Unparalleled musician, composer, performer and recording artist, Dr. Lonnie Smith is an authentic master and guru of the Hammond B-3 organ for over five decades. He has been featured on over seventy albums and hailed a "Legend" and "Living Musical Icon." Jazz Times magazine describes him as "a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a turban!"
Col. Bruce Hampton
To say that Col. Bruce has an impressive resume would be a huge understatement. Over the years, he has formed several bands including Aquarium Rescue Unit and The Codetalkers, and helped start the 90's rock H.O.R.D.E tour. Whether he's playing guitar, mandolin, chazoid, or singing, Col. Bruce Hampton is truly an inspiration and the opportunity to learn from this genuine master is a true honor.
Grant Green Jr.
Masters of Groove jazz guitarist, Grant Green Jr. is a guitarist, vocalist and entertainer extraordinar. Son of legendary jazz guitarist Grant Green, Grant Green Jr. was exposed to exceptional musicianship and superb guitar playing at a very early age- influenced by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and the Four Tops. His ability to blend funky grooves with melodic soul-jazz and blues makes him a true musician's musician and Jazz Master.
Mike Clark
Master Jazz Drummer, Mike Clark is one of America's foremost jazz and funk drummers. A major innovator through his incisive playing with Herbie Hacock's group garnered him an international cult following. He has performed with greats such as Chet Baker, Tony Bennett, Larry Coryell, Charlie Hunter, Robert Walter, to Les Claypool, George Porter, and many other illuminating etceteras too numerous to list. His group, Prescription Renewal electrified audiences and obliterated musical barriers. A true original, Mike's work continues to delight and astound his fans around the world.
Guest Masters
John Medeski
John Medeski says "Music is about creating a vibration, an energy. It's healing and transformative." As the keyboardist in the trailblazing instrumental trio Medeski Martin & Wood, solo performer, leader of his own project the Itch, film composer, and producer, collaborator and sideman with countless other artists, Medeski has channeled this transformative force with uncanny power and imagination. A skilled composer and whirling-dervish improviser, he consistently wrings sonic revelations from acoustic and electric piano, Hammond organ, Clavinet, Mellotron, assorted synthesizers and other instruments.
George Porter, Jr.
George Porter Jr. is the bassist and singer of The Meters and recognized as one of the progenitors of funk. During the course of a career spanning more than four decades, Porter has not only made a deep impression with his work in the Meters, but he's notched session work with artists as diverse as Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle, Robbie Robertson, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, Ryan Montbleau and live performances with Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Warren Haynes, John Scofield, Steve Kimock, Eric Krasno (and including recent studio releases with Warren Haynes and Bill Kreutzmann) just to name a few. Porter has proven to be capable of the ultimate fusion of rock, funk and R&B, and has gained recognition as one of the industry's elite bass players. He continues to be not only an in demand performing artist but an accomplished studio musician and producer.
Robert Randolph
Robert Randolph is the acclaimed pedal steel guitarist for the funk and sould band, Robert Randolph and the Family Band. He is a master of arguably one of the most complex instruments in the world developing a unique voice that is equal parts street-corner, church and Bonnaroo. Randolph teamed up with John Medeski and the North Mississippi Allstars resulting in the formation of the band The Word. Randolph has played with the likes of Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, Leon Russell, Trombone Shorty, Carlos Santana and many others.
Steve Kimock
A master of improvisation, Steve Kimock has been inspiring music fans with his transcendent guitar speak, voiced through electric, acoustic, lap and pedal steel guitars. While one can say that his genre is rock, no one niche has ever confined him. Instead, through the years, he's explored various sounds and styles based on what's moved him at the time, whether it's blues or jazz; funk or folk; psychedelic or boogie; gypsy or prog-rock traditional American or world fusion. His passion and devotion to performing live is matchless, and his unparalleled ability to embrace and capture his audiences musically is the stuff of legends.
Ike Stubblefield
Ike is the quintessential "musician's musician," a true master of the Hammond B3 and mini-Moog. He helped to form the sound of MoTown legends such as Marvin Gaye and Temptations before later collaborating with rockers such as Eric Clapton, Jerry Garcia, and Boz Scaggs. Today, Ike continues to stay busy and and push the musical envelope in any setting that he performs.


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Detectives in the Gallery for grades 1-4
Category: Kids
Location: Curtis Gallery
Artist and Art Educator, Mary Moross, leads two classes in investigating the paintings of Artist Elinore Schnurr in the Curtis Gallery. After their detecting, students will create some art of their own.
Grades 1 & 2 meet 4:15-5:00 PM
Grades 3 & 4 meet 5:15-6:00 PM
Please call to register 203-594-5002


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0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
What brand/kind of cheeses did you use on the pizza in the picture? It looks fantastic! If you deliver I'll take a large just like the picture please. lolThank youMike
Thanks Steve for the info. I found out Stella cheese is made by Saputo cheese company, a big cheese maker. What did you think of the taste and flavor of Stella?Thanks Mike


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Funding uncertain for road project
LINCOLN – The Alcona County Road Commission is trying to speed up the repair of a section of Black River Road in order to make sure the funding doesn't disappear, an official said.
"We need to get the money obligated by the state by Sept. 15 and construction must be completed by July 2014," Jesse Campbell, general manager for Alcona County Road Commission, said about a 2.17 mile stretch of pavement between US-23 and F-41.
"It looked like they were going to pull the funding for this," Campbell said. "The asphalt road, put down in 1984, is too narrow and is deteriorating. It's exceeded its life span dramatically."
Before new asphalt can be put down, drainage issues at the road's intersection with US-23 will have to be resolved. The first step is to get the engineering design completed and submitted, he said. The initial project estimate is around $400,000. Construction could take place in the fall, but weather is difficult to predict at that time of year.
Tackling another troublesome stretch of road, the road commission accepted a bid of $375,000 from Huron Engineering and Surveying to rebuild an 0.89-mile section of Bamfield Road west of Au Sable Road. In five years, the hilly, curving segment has been the scene of nine accidents, including one that caused debilitating injuries, Campbell said.
"Bamfield Hill is so steep in icy conditions that you can't slow down," Campbell said.
A misalignment of curves also causes motorists to lose control.
The project is being funded in part by a special high-risk road grant, and improvements will include a realignment, new pavement, culverts, a side rail and better signage, Campbell said. Curtis Township will also contribute to the cost of improvements.
The Alcona County road commissioners also accepted a bid from J&J Contracting of Ithaca to install steel guardrails for $17,901 on the new timber bridge that crosses Sucker Creek west of US-23. The bridge was installed this winter and has been open.
Nine out of 11 Alcona County townships assess a property tax millage for road maintenance and improvements, he said.
"If it wasn't for the township millages it wouldn't be possible to complete what we had planned," Campbell said.
Betsy Lehndorff can be reached via email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at 358-5693. Follow Betsy on Twitter @bl_alpenanews.


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Baked Chile Rellenos with Corn and Crema Recipe
Your source for quick recipe every single week day.
- Yield:4 people
- Active time: 45 minutes
- Total time:1 hour
- Rated:
On paper, this looks like a simple dish with no real twist. It just happens that I'm a sucker for a good chile relleno. I especially like this variation where the chiles are baked instead of fried because they're easier to make at home. (Believe me, I like the fried ones, too). I found the recipe in Lourdes Castro's Simply Mexican—it turned out to be one of the tastiest dishes I've made in weeks.
The smoky charred chiles were the perfect vessel for the filling, adding just enough spice to make your lips tingle. Instead of heavy and fatty, the corn adds natural sweetness to balance out the dairy. All told, if you're looking for an intro chile relleno recipe, this is an excellent place to start.
- 6 poblano chiles
- 5 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, or other Mexican melting cheese
- ½ cup Mexican crema
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and preheat oven to 375°.
Meanwhile, if you have a gas stove, turn heat to high on one of the burners, and set as many of the poblanos as will fit on the grate. Cook, flipping and moving the chiles often with a pair of tongs, until blackened on all sides. If you don't have a gas stove, turn on broiler to high. Place chiles on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and place underneath the broiler. Cook, flipping occasionally with a pair of tongs, until blacked on all sides.
When chiles are blackened, transfer to a plastic bag and seal. Let them steam for at least five minutes. When done, peel off the blackened skins. Cut a slit down the side of each, starting under the stem and continuing down to the tip. Carefully remove the seeds, being careful not to tear the chile.
Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the corn cobs. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add the onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent, about two minutes. Add the corn, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until corn turns golden brown, about five minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
Carefully stuff each chile with a layer of ½ cup of the sauteed corn mixture, ¼ cup of the shredded cheese, and 1 ½ tablespoons of the crema. Finally, add a 1 ½ tablespoon of cheese on top of each slit. When stuffed, place each chile slit side up on a baking dish.
Transfer baking dish to the upper middle rack in the oven and cook for ten minutes. Turn on the broiler to high, and cook until the cheese is golden brown, about five minutes. Serve immediately.


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Skip to comments.Red Dawn Remake Finally Gets A Release Date
Posted on 11/25/2011 7:52:42 AM PST by Iron Munro
The long stagnating Red Dawn remake looks set to finally see the light of day, with a designated release date on the horizon. According to Box Office Mojo, the film will hit screens on November 2, 2012 three years after filming wrapped.
A big black cloud has been hanging over Red Dawn in the form of the MGM bankruptcy saga, but, as reported here in September, independent distributor FilmDistrict struck a deal to finally get the film into cinemas, not matter how long it takes.
The film is the first foray into directing by former stuntman Dan Bradley, who once donned the hockey mask to play Jason Voorhees in Jason Lives: Friday The 13th: Part VI.
The movie is, of course, a remake of that cult classic from 1984 starring the late, great Patrick Swayze and a more innocent-looking Charlie Sheen (in his film debut) as the leaders of a bunch of teenagers who fight back when their small town in Colorado is taken over by Communist troops from the Soviet Union and Cuba.
It was made when the world braced for all-out warfare between the US and the USSR, at the height of the Cold War when such an invasion on American soil didnt seem that ludicrous. Nowadays it is a different story.
While the Red Dawn remake will follow very closely in the footsteps of the original, this time around it is the North Koreans doing the invading of the only genuine superpower left on the planet after filmmakers had originally slated the Chinese as the villains of the piece, but changed their minds in order to give the movie more appeal in the increasingly lucrative market of China.
The likes of Thor himself Chris Hemsworth (taking on Swayzes role), Adrianne Palicki (briefly, Wonder Woman), Josh Peck, Isabel Lucas and Josh Hutcherson will be doing the retaliating as the American teens.
Upon release on November 2, 2012, Red Dawn will be pitted against the comedy My Mothers Curse and Pixars animated Wreck-It Ralph.
Time will tell if Red Dawn is worth the wait. But at least its not yet another alien invasion movie. Right?
This is all I needed to know.
Will China then play the role of the Soviet Union in the original movie, who supported the Cubans? So China would be the power behind the N. Koreans.
Nothing else would make sense.
So the North Koreans invade the United States? They should have stuck with the Chinese.
It's going to be one hell of a stretch for a North Korean invasion to be credible. At least you could rationalize a Chinese one as they are getting to superpower status. North Korea can't even feed itself.
You heard it here first, the movie will be a Box office failure
Agreed, it will not be "worth the wait."
The first was was just a so-so movie, why would I watch a remake?
Now bow down to your Chinese overlords, Hollywood!
I see all the ethnic casting boxes have been checked off. Is there a gay couple?
As if the invasion by the Soviets in the first awful flick wasn't much of a stretch? The original was laughable.
The real enemy should be obama and his czars, appointees, and any friend he has. They are committed to the destruction of the country and seemingly are winning the battle.
Red Dawn, more like Red Yawn.
Multicultural cast, wonder who is the homosexual? Love the original, but this looks bad.
Another hollywood movie remake?
It would be better IF the kids were in South Korea and US dependents of soldiers stationed in SK that all got killed in a surprise attack by the North. Now that would be interesting.
I think they should have went down the terrorist road. Having sleeper cells activate all at once being aided by Iran.
I know that we can't have anything that puts Islam in a bad light.
Agreed. A US civil war movie with the libs and conservatives forming their own Countries would be more believable.
Why use the North Koreans as villains when Hollywood could have just used the Real Mexican Invasion that is occurring right now???
They could have called it Roja Dawn...
Three words that would have made the original Red Dawn not only plausible, but inevitable: President Ted Kennedy.
I don't know if someone went around and made corrections for this photo or not... But if not, I give kudos to these actors for at least keeping their fingers outside of the trigger guards of their weapons. That is normally considered a "muscle memory" position learned from having been properly taught on the range. No one is being "swept" with a muzzle, either. It's nice to see a photo in which getting the gun up in front of the camera (that is why you used to see the star put his handgun up next to his/her face in the close-ups - it had nothing to do with tactics) was less important than demonstrating proper safety and technique...
At least they had the dorks keep their fingers off the triggers. I wonder who got to them and told them that?
This is a mis-characterization. China has an annual quota of 20 American movies a year. Red Dawn will not make that quota - its villain, North Korea, is an ally the party characterizes as being as close to China as lips and teeth (in the quaint Chinese phraseology). I'd say MGM is recasting the villain so that its other movies (including the James Bond franchise) aren't permanently excluded from China's annual quota of American movies.
Why not make the movie 100% Hollywood politically-correct, totally ridiculous, and a total box-office failure by making the invaders a group of Christian-fundamentalist survivalists hiding out in the back woods of Idaho?
Two comments.
First, the original was one of the most moving motion pictures I've ever seen. I walked a mile back from the theater to my house, with my grown daughter who had seen it with me. Neither of us could say a word.
Second, in my experience remakes are never as good as the original. I'll probably not bother to see this one, unless I see some really spectacular reviews. The mere fact that the producers would avoid a real adversary, like China, in the interests of making money, tells me all I need to know about them and the movie.
...I.'m sure the North Korean Army is well fed and well equipped.
...Sleep tight!
The NorKs invading? Riiiiight.
If this one is anything like the original, it's going to make the liberals' heads explode.
My eyes! Myyy eeeyyyeeesss!!!
Oh wait, sorry...that's a news item, not a movie plot. :)
Your evil knows no bounds...
As if the invasion by the Soviets in the first awful flick wasn't much of a stretch ...
Yes, but at least the logistics were there - The Russians poured across the Bering Strait by the millions & it was several latin american communist countries that flooded into South USA via Mexico.
North Korea?? Now THATS a joke
The executive discussion probably went along these lines:
"Who should the enemy be? Muslim hordes?"
"No, can't afford to put our lives at risk"
"Red Chinese?"
"No, can't afford to write off the Chinese market. Too much money there."
"I know? How about Tea Party Patriots?"
"Yeah! That's the ticket."
I'm wondering why it didn't play out like that.
In 1984 the premise was at least plausible as Americans perceived the Soviets were stronger than they were. But the NOKOs? Really?
How about this. Teenage children of investment bankers from the Manhattan are forced to use Krugerrands to buy toothbrushes as Chine.. err.. Asian bankers take over Wall Street in the new blockbuster: Red Debt.
At least the writers could have made a more plausible script than this piece of crap.
You folks here are right though this movie will be in the discount bin quick.
While the Red Dawn remake will follow very closely in the footsteps of the original, this time around it is the North Koreans doing the invading of the only genuine superpower left on the planet after filmmakers had originally slated the Chinese as the villains of the piece, but changed their minds in order to give the movie more appeal in the increasingly lucrative market of China.
This is all I needed to know.
In the original film the Chinese were our allies in the fight while the Europeans sat it out.
How realistic was that in the original?
I suspect that just like the original there will be some historical explanations about why the N. Koreans were invading. For example, a link with a new Islamic superstate that holds most of the oil supplies working with a united Korea and a newly reformed Soviet-bloc.
China stays neutral due to Korean nuclear weapons on their doorstep and the importance of US-China economic ties.
Maybe even Mexico is now controlled by drug lords and they've been promised California, Arizona and Nevada if the invasion is successful.
Something like that.
That was roughly the premise of the Jericho TV series, though the network killed it just as it was getting interesting.
The Judy Garland remake of "A Star is Born" was pretty darn good. Ditto "The Magnificent Seven" which was a remake of "The Seven Samurai."
Tell you what, go see and tell us how great or stupid is was. I will not be going.
If you call 50s era technology well equipped, I suppose so. They really don't have much in the way of modern equipment, and they don't have the funds for much training.
Yeah, I noticed and appreciated that too.
ABSURD premise: North Korea has its hands full already with invading ITSELF.It can only threaten the rest of the world with its nukes, if anything,
and that doesn't constitute an "invasion". China, also is not about to physically invade the USA: the real danger with China is that they can do pretty much what they want in the world, especially with us, because we "owe them".
The real danger as everyone knows unmistakably for the last decade at least, is Radical Islam. This movie may have some fanciful notions that it will be taken as a "parable", with N. Korea 'sitting in' for Islam, but I can't see how they could even make that believable, since they're starting from a chicken**it premise, and hence are showing a major failure of artistic and political nerve from the get-go.
"I see all the ethnic casting boxes have been checked off."
They've got it pretty much covered, except for the Chinese Karate expert girl with the large American fake boobs.
There will most assuredly be a gay message somewhere in the movie. Bet on it.
Think I'll save my money and wait until I find the DVD at a yard sale for a buck.
Oh, almost forgot something. The black guy will be killed while saving the life of the redneck white racist.
Ok, so who is helping the norks in the remake? In the original, the cubans invaded with nukes, navy, advisors, and air support from the soviets.
the Norks, just as the cubans, don't have what it takes to pull something like this off all by themselves. Lets just make a list of possible allies(excluding china)
I can't think of any others. I don't see any on the list with a navy capable of getting it done.
Alright, how about a scenario? We're gonna need a perfect storm kind of a situation. Our military will need to be decimated in the blink of an eye. Lets say we have a massive troop buildup (over and above what we already have) in the middle east to do something with iran and syria and pakistan. Then they use a coordinated nuke attack on their own soil to wipe out our troops. This leaves us in a weakened state and the norks decide to take advantage. more nukes are launched on america and then a ground invasion.
there's still the problem of our navy. There's still the problem of our own nukes. Nobody on that list has enough nukes to take out all of our nukes.
Ok, cyber war. after the coordinated nuke attack on our forces in the asia/middle east, there is a massive cyber war waged that knocks out our satellites and most all of our communications. THEN the norks begin a massive ground invasion.
Its kinda tenuous but I guess it will work in a movie.
By the time modern day hollywood gets done re-writing it, it's going to be about armed Christian tea-parters attacking minorities, and the OWS protesters will be cast as the heroes defending the minorities.
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Ossian c. Third Century
A warrior-bard who plays a role in Celtic myth and oral tradition, Ossian was reinvented in 1760 by James Macpherson (1736-96) with the publication of his translation entitled Fragments of Ancient Poetry Collected in the Highlands of Scotland (1760). That collection was followed by the epics Fingal (1762) and Temora (1763), also presented to the reading public as translations of Ossian's works. Macpherson claimed that in these works he translated ancient Gaelic poetry originally composed by Ossian ostensibly in the third century. Furthermore, while tradition held that Ossian's origins were Irish, Macpherson asserted that Ossian was Scottish. Although Macpherson's editions were soon found to be spurious—not composed by Ossian and not dating to an earlier period, but rather the work of Macpherson himself—they nevertheless gained worldwide popularity, significantly influenced the burgeoning Romantic movement, and revitalized interest in Celtic poetry and Scottish national literature. Most modern critics agree that Macpherson's Ossianic poetry did draw material from ballads that had been preserved for centuries in the oral literature of the Scottish highlands, but that Macpherson pieced the epics together by interweaving that material with his own poetry.
By the mid-eighteenth century Scotland was ready for the so-called discovery of the Ossianic epics. In 1707, the Treaty of Union dissolved Scotland's Parliament by merging it with the English Parliament. The critic Neil Grobman has noted that Scottish culture then began to be heavily influenced by the English, resulting in a literary backlash against this trend. A Scottish literary renaissance had begun and included "a search for ancient Scottish bardic models in Homer's mode." David Hume, an Edinburgh intellectual and fervent Scottish nationalist, became active in promoting Scottish poetry. Among other authors, Hume endorsed the efforts of Scottish poet John Home, who had met Macpherson in 1759. Home encouraged Macpherson in the translation of Gaelic verse into English. One year later, Fragments was published, with Macpherson claiming their authenticity as remains of an ancient epic poem. After being financially supported by such prominent literary critics as Hugh Blair and Hume, Macpherson was persuaded to return to the Highlands of Scotland in search of even more Gaelic poetry. The venture resulted in the publication of Fingal and later, Temora, with Macpherson vouching that the poems were translations of the Gaelic epic works of Ossian.
After the publication of the works, Hume grew skeptical of their authenticity and in 1775-76 published a tract which
publicized his concerns. While Scotland remained supportive of Macpherson's claims, the national rivalry between England and Scotland, combined with attacks by Samuel Johnson on Ossian's authenticity, resulted in a rather cool English reception of the poems. Critic Susan Manning has noted that Johnson's main argument was that the language which Macpherson claimed to have translated was never a written language, and that the poems Macpherson said he had translated had never been set down in writing at all.
Despite the growing controversy surrounding the authenticity of the Ossianic poems, their popularity and influence escalated worldwide. J. S. Smart has attributed much of this popularity to the fact that Ossian embodied the ideals of the Romantic movement, which was just beginning to take root throughout Europe. The movement, led by Jean Jacques Rousseau, rejected rigid classical principles and embraced nature and primitive cultures. Ossian's poems were quickly translated into most European languages and were known to have influenced Johann Gottfried von Herder and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; Napoleon Bonaparte also owned a copy of the works, which he carried with him.
While the popularity of Ossian grew throughout Europe, the outrage of those who doubted Ossian's authenticity resulted in further attacks. In addition to Hume and Johnson, other contemporaries of Macpherson who criticised him included Malcolm Laing and the Highland Society of Scotland. In 1800 Laing presented a thorough and scholarly argument against Ossian's authenticity. The main thrust of his analysis focused on the names used in the poems: Laing examined the names of heroes in the Ossianic poems and found that one of the names "was indisputably of eighteenth-century origin." The Highland Society of Scotland also noted that there were no materials to prove that the poems published by Macpherson represented ancient texts. The scholar Anja Gunderloch has reviewed the conclusions of the Highland Society, finding that the Society had determined that the poems were "for the most part [Macpherson's] own invention while at the same time containing passages taken from genuine Gaelic ballad texts."
Yet Ossian was not without early defenders. Blair published the first extensive defense of Ossian in 1765. Blair was followed in 1807 by Patrick Graham, who attempted to answer arguments raised by Laing, and in 1870 by Archibald Clerk. Yet the evidence presented by the early 1800s caused considerable doubt in the minds of the English, while many Scottish still clung to the belief in Ossian as the "Scottish Homer." The controversy was extended into the nineteenth century due to the national antagonism between England and Scotland.
By the beginning of the twentieth century, critics generally accepted that Macpherson's Ossian was a fraud. Modern scholars have echoed their eighteenth-and nineteenth-century predecessors, and have commented that the style, content, and form of the poems indicate that the works were created by Macpherson himself, who drew to some degree on original Gaelic ballads. W. E. Walsh has discussed the style of the Ossianic poems, arguing that "no one who is familiar with the tales of the Heroic Age in Ireland could mistake [the Ossianic poems] for early Celtic." Derick Thomson has acknowledged the Gaelic sources from which Macpherson drew in composing Fingal, noting that the sources were used primarily for "hints for his plot," and has suggested that most other elements in the poem were Macpherson's own creation. Other modern critics have attempted to explain why Macpherson's Ossian was popular and accepted as authentic despite evidence to the contrary. Many have focused on the effects of Scottish nationalism on the acceptance of Ossian; viewed as ancient Scottish epics, the poems favorably displayed the Scottish literary genius and so fostered a strong tendency to be viewed as genuine and to admit Ossian into the literary canon.
Although Macpherson's Ossian has been decisively exposed as fraudulent, the merits and influence of the poetry have been attested to by critics as well. Matthew Arnold stated in 1867 that even when all traces of the modern and the forged are removed from Ossian, the poetry still contains "the very soul of Celtic genius." George Sainstbury observed that although Macpherson was a "faker", he was also a Highlander who effectively captured the local color. Walsh has commented on the influence of Ossian on Romantic poets, especially on George Gordon, Lord Byron, and has conceded that "without Macpherson's work, and the hue and cry it created, the Scottish revival would not have taken place." Similarly, Manning has evaluated the influence of Macpherson on Sir Walter Scott and has credited Macpherson's Ossianic poetry with the popularization of Highland subjects, which were a significant part of Scott's work. Frederic Carpenter has explored Ossian's effect on American writers, and has maintained that Ossian influenced the poetry of Walt Whitman even a century after the appearance of Macpherson's translation. Carpenter has argued that "it is probable that Macpherson's choice of a rhythmic prose for his 'translations' had much to do with the genesis of Whitman's new type of free verse." While perpetrating a major literary fraud, Macpherson nevertheless appears to have left an indelible mark on the literary world.
*Principal English Editions
Fragments of Ancient Poetry Collected in the Highlands of Scotland 1760
Fingal, an Ancient Poem, in Six Books 1762
Temora, an Ancient Epic Poem, in Eight Books 1763
The Poems of Ossian 1765
The Works of Ossian 1775
*All of these editions were compiled by James Macpherson.
Hugh Blair (essay date 1765)
SOURCE: A Critical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian, the Son of Fingal, Garland Publishing, Inc., 1765.
[In the following excerpt from the first major examination of Ossian's authenticity, Blair defends Ossian's works as genuine.]
Among the monuments remaining of the ancient state of nations, few are more valuable than their poems or songs. History, when it treats of remote and dark ages, is seldom very instructive. The beginnings of society, in every country, are involved in fabulous confusion; and though they were not, they would furnish few events worth recording. But, in every period of society, human manners are a curious spectacle; and the most natural...
(The entire section is 12326 words.)
Professor Richardson (essay date 1807)
SOURCE: "Section I.," in Essay on the Authenticity of the Poems of Ossian, Peter Hill, Archibald Constable and Co., 1807, pp. 2-15.
[In the following essay, Richardson answers some objections previously raised regarding the authenticity of Ossian, and asserts that there is no internal evidence which invalidates the authenticity of the poems.]
The period which has been generally assigned as the æra of Ossian, is the beginning of the third century. It is admitted, that this deduction can be made only from the internal evidence of the poems which have been ascribed to him. In a case like this, we can expect no collateral evidence from the contemporary writers of Greece...
(The entire section is 2108 words.)
Matthew Arnold (essay date 1867)
SOURCE: On the Study of Celtic Literature, Smith, Elder, and Co., 1867, pp. 151-54.
[Below, Arnold maintains that even when Macpherson's Ossian is stripped of all forgery and modernity, he still contains "the very soul of Celtic genius. "]
… [If,] by attending to the Germanism in us English and to its works, one has come to doubt whether we, too, are not thorough Germans by genius and with the German deadness to style, one has only to repeat to oneself a line of Milton,—a poet intoxicated with the passion for style as much as Taliesin or Pindar,—to see that we have another side to our genius beside the German one. Whence do we get it? The Normans may have brought...
(The entire section is 790 words.)
Archibald Clerk (essay date 1870)
SOURCE: "Dissertation," in The Poems of Ossian, William Blackwood and Sons, 1870, pp. i-xlvi.
[In the following excerpt, Clerk offers a detailed defense of Ossian's authenticity and antiquity, discussing both internal and external "evidence."]
It has often been brought as a reproach against the Galel that any knowledge of Gaelic literature possessed by the world is due to the labour of strangers; that the people themselves were indifferent to the subject. And it must be admitted that the reproach is in a great degree deserved. I am glad, however, to be able to show that the first known proposal to make the English public acquainted with the poetical treasures long...
(The entire section is 22176 words.)
W. D. Howells (essay date 1895)
SOURCE: "Ossian," in My Literary Passions, Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1895, pp. 66-8.
[In the following essay, Howells briefly conveys his impressions of Ossian, stating that early on, he "gave the pretensions of Macpherson an unquestioning faith."]
Very likely the reading of Ossian had something to do with my morbid anxieties. I had read Byron's imitation of him before that, and admired it prodigiously, and when my father got me the book—as usual I did not know where or how he got it—not all the tall forms that moved before the eyes of haunted bards in the dusky vale of autumn could have kept me from it. There were certain outline illustrations in it, which...
(The entire section is 642 words.)
J. S. Smart (essay date 1905)
SOURCE: "The Age and the Race," in James Mac Pher-son: An Episode in Literature, David Nutt, 1905, pp. 1-32.
[Below, Smart reviews the literary climate of the mid-eighteenth century, outlining the rise of Romanticism as both a rejection of Classicism and an embracing of nature. Smart maintains that Ossian's works were seen as the epitome of the ideals of the new Romantic movement, but that by the mid-nineteenth century the works were viewed as fraudulent.]
James Macpherson is a poet whose fame in his own epoch now astonishes posterity. He appeared at a time of transition; an old school was going out, a new one coming in; and the new school...
(The entire section is 7689 words.)
George Saintsbury (essay date 1916)
SOURCE: "The Fugitives from the Happy Valley," in The Peace of the Augustans: A Survey of Eighteenth-Century Literature as a Place of Rest and Refreshment, G. Bell and Sons, Ltd., 1916, pp. 281-328.
[In the following excerpt, Saintsbury argues that although Macpherson's Ossian was a fraud, Macpherson nevertheless succeeded in portraying Highland local color effectively and originally.]
… [It may be] difficult to get the modern reader to tackle Ossian. … But few people can be unaware that no such difficulty was felt by original readers of that singular compilation, which, if not real poetry itself, inspired poetry in two generations at least (the second of...
(The entire section is 1542 words.)
Frederick I. Carpenter (essay date 1931)
SOURCE: "The Vogue of Ossian in America: A Study in Taste," in American Literature, Vol. 2, No. 4, January, 1931, pp. 405-17.
[In the essay below, Carpenter analyzes the reaction of Americans to the works of Ossian, asserting that a century after the poems first appeared, they influenced in a positive way the poetry of Walt Whitman.]
It has been said so often as almost to become a truism that American literary taste has followed slowly after European literary taste at an interval of from twenty to fifty years.1 For instance, in the eighteenth century English literary circles developed a love for wit and elegance, and, after...
(The entire section is 4554 words.)
W. E. Walsh (essay date 1938)
SOURCE: "MacPherson's Ossian," in Queen's Quarterly, Vol. XLV, No. 3, Autumn, 1938, pp. 366-76.
[In the following essay, Walsh reviews the critical controversy over Ossian's authenticity, highlighting the findings of the Highland Society of Scotland as well as the internal stylistic evidence against Macpherson's claim.]
Macpherson's imposture is probably unique in the annals of literature. If he had looked forward and deliberately planned it, realizing the publicity it would receive, it is doubtful that he would ever have attempted it; but he was drawn into it in the first place by a tempting and unlooked-for opportunity, and once he was committed his stubborn pride...
(The entire section is 4052 words.)
Derick S. Thomson (essay date 1973)
SOURCE: "Fingal: The Garbh mac Stáirn and Magnus Ballads," in The Gaelic Sources of MacPherson's 'Ossian,' Folcroft Library Editions, 1973, pp. 13-20.
[Here, Thomson surveys the Gaelic sources he believes Macpherson used in composing Fingal. Thomson maintains that Macpherson drew on twelve identifiable passages for "hints for his plot" in Fingal, but that in the case of Temora, which suffers from an almost non-existent plot, Macpherson appears to have drawn on only one Gaelic passage.]
Fingal is probably to be regarded as Macpherson's magnum opus. Some of the shorter pieces may claim a greater felicity, and indeed the lack of...
(The entire section is 9191 words.)
Neil R. Grobman (essay date 1980)
SOURCE: "James MacPherson, Ossian, and the Revival of Interest in Oral Bardic Traditions in Eighteenth-Century Scotland," in Midwestern Journal of Language and Folklore, Vol. VI, No. 1-2, Spring / Fall, 1980, pp. 51-5.
[In the following essay, Grobman discusses the eighteenth-century rise in interest in Scottish oral tradition and notes that this focus helped to ensure the initial popularity of Macpherson's Ossianic poetry.]
When Scotland lost its own Parliament by merging with the English Parliament on May 1, 1707, with the Treaty of Union, Scottish culture succumbed steadily to English influences. Scottish poets and musicians continued to leave for English cities, a...
(The entire section is 2229 words.)
Susan Manning (essay date 1982)
SOURCE: "Ossian, Scott, and Nineteenth-Century Scottish Literary Nationalism," in Studies in Scottish Literature, Vol, XVII, 1982, pp. 39-54.
[Below, Manning contends that the controversy over the authenticity of Ossian "was artificially maintained into the nineteenth century," when literary issues were confused with the "contemporary national antagonism between England and Scotland."]
The "Celtic Revival" of the later eighteenth century formed part of the wider European movement away from literary neoclassicism towards a primitivist stance which looked to the barbarous past of "uncivilised" nations as the true wellspring of untutored inspiration and poetic truth....
(The entire section is 5346 words.)
John Valdimir Price (essay date 1991)
SOURCE: "Ossian and the Canon in the Scottish Enlightenment," in Ossian Revisited, edited by Howard Gaskill, Edinburgh University Press, 1991, pp. 109-28.
[In the following essay, Price studies the factors that propelled the works of Macpherson's Ossian temporarily into the canon of English literature.]
The publication of Fragments of Ancient Poetry, Collected in the Highlands of Scotland (1760), Fingal (1762), and Temora (1763) illustrates a concerted, if an unusual, attempt to expand the literary canon: concerted in that there seems in retrospect to have been a conspiracy among some of the Scottish literati to force the poem into the canon, and...
(The entire section is 8840 words.)
Howard D. Weinbrot (essay date 1994)
SOURCE: "Celts, Greeks, and Germans: Macpherson's Ossian and the Celtic Epic," in 1650-1850: Ideas, Aesthetics, and Inquiries in the Early Modern Era, Vol. 1, edited by Kevin J. Cope, AMS Press, 1994, pp. 3-22.
[Here, Weinbrot argues that eighteenth-century British readers assessed their Greek, German, and Celtic cultural inheritances in the light of defining their national identity. Weinbrot states that during this time, when both Greek and German literature were being re-evaluated and found too violent, Macpherson's Ossian presented a more appealing literary hero.]
In 1787 John Pinkerton laments that "this may be called the Celtic Century, for all Europe has been...
(The entire section is 7708 words.)
Anja Gunderloch (essay date 1996)
SOURCE: "Eighteenth-Century Fraud and Oral Tradition: The 'Real' Ossian," in Orality, Literacy, and Modern Media, edited by Dietrich Scheunemann, Camden House, 1996, pp. 44-61.
[In the following essay, Gunderloch examines the manner in which Macpherson, under the guise of Ossian, approached and appropriated Scottish oral traditions, and explores the tension that exists between the genuine Scottish oral materials and Macpherson's literary treatment of them.]
The Gaelic literary tradition which flourished in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in the second half of the eighteenth century was almost exclusively oral in character and only a small amount of this material...
(The entire section is 8278 words.)
Further Reading
Cristea, S. N. "Ossian v. Homer: An Eighteenth-Century Controversy; Melchior Cesarotti and the Struggle for Literary Freedom." Italian Studies XXIV (1969): 93-111.
Discusses the first extensive translation, sold in book form, of Ossian's poetry. The translator was an Italian, Melchior Cesarotti, who, Cristea explains, used the poems of Ossian to attack Homer.
Edmunds, Kathryn. "'der Gesang soll deinen Namen erhalten': Ossian, Werther, and Texts of / for Mourning." Goethe Yearbook VIII (1996): 44-65.
Examines the influence of Ossian on Goethe's Werther.
Krause, David. "The Hidden Oisín." In The Profane Book of Irish...
(The entire section is 402 words.)


text:
Maintenance of Ruby 2.0.0 ended on February 24, 2016. Read more
Timeout long-running blocks
require 'timeout' status = Timeout::timeout(5) { # Something that should be interrupted if it takes more than 5 seconds... }
Timeout provides a way to auto-terminate a potentially long-running operation if it hasn't finished in a fixed amount of time.
Previous versions didn't use a module for namespacing, however timeout is provided for backwards compatibility. You should prefer Timeout#timeout instead.
(C) 2000 Network Applied Communication Laboratory, Inc.
(C) 2000 Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan
Perform an operation in a block, raising an error if it takes longer than
sec seconds to complete.
Number of seconds to wait for the block to terminate. Any number may be
used, including Floats to specify fractional seconds. A value of 0 or
nil will execute the block without any timeout.
Exception Class to raise if the block fails to terminate in
sec seconds. Omitting will use the default, Timeout::Error
Returns the result of the block if the block completed
sec seconds, otherwise throws an exception, based on
the value of
Note that this is both a method of module Timeout, so you can
include Timeout
into your classes so they have a timeout method, as well as a module
method, so you can call it directly as ::timeout.
# File timeout.rb, line 51 def timeout(sec, klass = nil) #:yield: +sec+ return yield(sec) if sec == nil or sec.zero? exception = klass || Class.new(ExitException) begin begin x = Thread.current y = Thread.start { begin sleep sec rescue => e x.raise e else x.raise exception, "execution expired" end } return yield(sec) ensure if y y.kill y.join # make sure y is dead. end end rescue exception => e rej = /\A#{Regexp.quote(__FILE__)}:#{__LINE__-4}\z/o (bt = e.backtrace).reject! {|m| rej =~ m} level = -caller(CALLER_OFFSET).size while THIS_FILE =~ bt[level] bt.delete_at(level) level += 1 end raise if klass # if exception class is specified, it # would be expected outside. raise Error, e.message, e.backtrace end end
Commenting is here to help enhance the documentation. For example, code samples, or clarification of the documentation.
If you have questions about Ruby or the documentation, please post to one of the Ruby mailing lists. You will get better, faster, help that way.
If you wish to post a correction of the docs, please do so, but also file bug report so that it can be corrected for the next release. Thank you.
If you want to help improve the Ruby documentation, please visit Documenting-ruby.org.


text:
GIRLS' HOCKEY STATE TOURNAMENT: Top-ranked Warriors too much for Eagles
ST. PAUL – The odds were definitely not in New Ulm's favor prior to Wednesday's Class A Girls State Hockey Tournament game against Warroad at Xcel Energy Center.
The Eagles were up against the No. 1 seed in the tournament and the No. 1 team in the latest Class A poll. The top-ranked Warriors also boasted two players who are going to play Division I hockey next year and they entered tournament play allowing only 26 goals in 27 games.
On Wednesday, the Warriors showed exactly why they are the team to beat as they won convincingly 9-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class A State Tournament. The loss means New Ulm (14-12-1) will play against Hibbing/Chisholm at 12 p.m. today at Ridder Arena in the consolation bracket.
The Warriors featured Division 1 recruits Kayla Gardner and Lisa Marvin, who will both play hockey at the University of North Dakota next year. Marvin finished the game with four goals and Sierra Hanowski had three assists and a goal for the Warriors.
The Eagles played a competitive first half of the game, allowing only two goals for the first 30 minutes of the game. But after that, it was all Warroad.
"To me, especially starting out that first period, I was expecting more of that dominant Warroad team that we're used to seeing, that really smooth, quick-passing team," New Ulm coach Angie Zeig said. "Our kids made it very difficult for them to get into that rhythm really until late in the second period."
The Warriors scored four goals in about a three-minute span to break the game wide open, grabbing a 6-0 lead after the second period. The third period was played with running time because of the six-goal advantage.
"I think that short span of about three minutes really put a downer on the run that we had going," Zeig said. "I was really proud of the girls and they held their own and we were getting some offensive chances on our end as well."
The four-goal outburst wasn't totally a surprise for Zeig. She's seen the Warriors do it before in previous state tournament games.
"Watching them over the last five years, you know that once they get in that rhythm, they can just keep going," Zeig said.
Warroad's Demi Gardner scored the first goal of the game at the 4:38 mark off of a rebound when she flicked it past New Ulm goalie Julia Schaefer.
Marvin later scored at 10:22 when her shot flipped off the stick of Schaefer and into the net.
It took a long time for the Warriors to add to the lead in the second period, but they finally did when Kayla Gardner scored on a back-hand shot to make it 3-0 at 13:12.
That seemed to break the game open for the Warriors. Thirty two seconds later, Marvin added her second goal of the game when she scored an unassisted goal.
Demi Gardner scored her second goal of the game at 14:36 to put the Warriors up 5-0 and Astrup added a goal less than a minute later, suddenly making it 6-0.
Hanowski and Marvin added goals early in the third period to put the Warriors up 8-0. Marvin later added her fourth goal of the game with 8:22 left.
Schaefer stopped 24 Warroad shots and Bailey Landreville made two saves for the Eagles.
Warroad 2 4 3 – 9
New Ulm 0 0 0 – 0
First period: War: Demi Gardner (A. Willmer, M. Gardner) 4:38; War: Lisa Marvin (Hanowski, Bethune) 10:22.
Second period: War: Kayla Gardner (Hanowski) 13:12; War: Marvin (unast.) 13:44; War: Demi Gardner (Astrup) 14:36; War: Astrup (Bethune, Demi Gardner) 15:11.
Third period: War: Hanowski (L. Marvin) :57; War: Marvin (Hanowski) 4:00; War: Marvin (Huerd) 7:49.


text:
Bourbon Street Buffalo Wings
- For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon ancho pepper, finely chopped
- 8 ounces chili sauce
- 8 ounces barbecue sauce
- 3 ounces wing sauce
- For the wings:
- Oil, for frying
- 50 chicken wings
- Blue cheese dressing, for serving
- Bourbon, for serving
DirectionsWatch how to make this recipe. For the sauce:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the shallot and garlic cloves and saute, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the bourbon, brown sugar and the honey to heat through, 1 minute. Next add the ancho pepper, chili sauce, barbeque sauce, and wing sauce and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
For the chicken wings:
Heat oil in a deep-fryer. As you make the sauce, drop chicken wings, in batches (the amount you drop in at 1 time will depend on the size of your fryer) into the deep-fryer. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove the wings from the oil and drain.
Add the wings to a large mixing bowl and toss in the sauce, coating each wing.
Serve blue cheese dressing and 1/2 shots of bourbon, on the side, for adults to sip.
Recipe courtesy of Drew Cerza, The Wing King
CATEGORIES:View All
Cooking Tips
More Recipes and Ideas
Bourbon Street Balls with Pecans
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray
Buffalo Wing Hummus
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen


text:
I hope this doesn't come across as picky, but I don't understand what is meant by "morally outdated." Could you explain?
Even though the first breed of smartphones based on Windows Phone 7.5 "Mango" operating system will feature morally outdated system-on-chip devices and will lack support of high-speed wireless Internet, eventually they will catch up with flagship models based on other platforms, Microsoft Corp. claims.
The explanation why the brand new smartphones with the brand new OS will lack modern system-on-chips with two general purpose ARM cores, improved graphics performance and faster data transfers is rather simple: there are no WP-programs that can take advantage of two cores, but those cores will be power consumers; 4G/LTE communication chips consume a lot of energy and also do not provide benefits everywhere. Moreover, Microsoft believes that even with single-core SoCs Windows Phone 7.5 "Mango" handsets will provide better experience than Google Android-based dual-core smartphones due to better software optimization and the fact that Andoid uses virtual Java machines to run programs..
"The [first Windows Phone 7.5 smartphones] are all single-core, but I suspect that they will be faster in usage than any dual-core phone that you put against it, and that's the point," said Andy Lees, president of Microsoft's Windows Phone division, in an interview with AllThingsD.
The high-ranking executive insisted that Microsoft was not opposed to dual-core SoC chips for mobile phones, but wanted to wait until the software was more ready to take advantage of multiple cores. It looks like at present neither Windows Phone nor the programs designed for it can take advantage of two ARM general purpose cores, which is why it makes no sense to install them into devices.
"The first LTE phones were big and big (users) of the battery, and I think it's possible to do it in a way that is far more efficient, and that's what we will be doing," said Mr. Lees without elaborating when 4G/LTE technology hits the Windows Phone platform.
On the other hand, once powerful SoCs land into smartphones, software developers will start to take advantage of them immediately (since they will not be afraid of losing Windows Phone 7 customers as their number is very limited) and older phones become obsolete, which will naturally hit the reputation of the platform. On the other hand, since all Microsoft Windows Phone 7.5 "Mango"-based devices will lag behind Apple iPhone 4S as well as expensive Google Android-powered smartphones in terms of general-purpose and graphics performance in the coming quarters, the quality and feature-set of of third-party programs for iOS and Android will be better than on the WP.
Despite of very uncomfortable position on the market, Microsoft remains optimistic and hopes to eventually leapfrog its rivals.
"So, I think that what our strategy is to put things in place that allow us to leapfrog, and I think that's how we've gone from worse browser to the best browser, and I think the same is true with hardware," said Mr. Lees.
For Microsoft, the success of Windows Phone 7.5 "Mango" is critical. Based on recent findings from Gartner market research firm, the share of Microsoft Windows Phone- and Windows Mobile-based smartphones decreased to 1.6% in Q2 2011, down from 4.9% a year before. In fact, WP and WM handsets are currently behind Samsung's proprietary Bada (1.9%), RIM's Blackberry (11.7%) and Apple's iOS (18.2%) despite of the fact that they are available from numerous vendors.
Tags: Microsoft, Windows, Windows Phone


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Helenium are North American natives with prolific flowering. A good backbone plant for the late summer and fall border. Drought resistant and carefree. Great for cutting and attractive to butterflies. Plant it and enjoy the show.
Does not usually need staking. Best in a moist soil, but will tolerate short periods of dry. Plants may be pinched or cut back in early spring to encourage branching. Disease and pest free. Easy to divide in spring or fall every 3-4 years.
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iHerb Customer Reviews
Savings of: $0.00 (0% off)
Hormone health is everything...
Posted by Reviewer1910467 on Sep 24, 2013
Lots of great info, here - even for someone who's familiar with the benefits of taking bio-identical hormones. Understanding how oxytocin works and how it gets depleted by stress helps explain why we spiral down - physically and emotionally - if we don't know how to replenish our supplies. I'm only halfway through the book, but I recommend it.
Definitely worth buying!
Posted by Supplementsdiy on Nov 17, 2013
This is yet another great book by John Gray, the author of 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'. In today's world, the roles of men and women are much closer than before and are interchanged at times. It is easy to forget how men and women view and handle these roles differently and this book helps to explain how our hormones are often the causes for the differences. The book is written in simple English and comes with very good example for each of the differences so we can understand. There is nothing technical regarding the hormones etc. There are also very practical examples how to best handle each situation. Since this is written from both male and female perspective, it is best to be read by the couples. Even if you are single, it helps a lot since you get to rediscover yourself too and see how you have unknowingly behave in a certain way. The book also introduced many superfoods and herbs that can increase our life, libido and vitality. Pricewise, it is pretty cheap and it's hard cover too. Check out my page for more reviews!
An awesome book!
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I highly recommended it.
Super clear explenation of how men and women need totally different things to relax
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I loved it. Priceless information.
Interesting read
Posted by Revron on Jan 08, 2014
For me this was not very informative (guess it will not be very informative for professionals in the health field)but a very interesting read. Absolutely recommended. A few interesting tips that are valuable. Thank you iHerb for the excellent service.
Love it!
Posted by 4789064205407156085 on Oct 23, 2013
Amazing book! Would recommend it to everyone!
great read
Posted by 4639514307386809184 on Nov 05, 2013
very interesting book
Posted by 5179443802091224627 on Nov 28, 2013
reading this at present haven't finished it yet...so far so good
Interesting reading
Posted by Reviewer2029065 on Dec 01, 2013
interesting reading
nice book
Posted by 5089031652257863920 on Oct 07, 2013


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Key Findings Report: 2013 ANA Real-Time Marketing Survey
March 7, 2014
This report covers the key findings from the 2013 ANA Real-Time Marketing Survey. The objective of this survey was to gain critical insights into how marketers define real-time marketing, how they are using real-time marketing, how they measure success, how they structure their organizations for real-time marketing, and what barriers to adoption they have experienced.
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Skip to comments.Rush Limbough May Be Right:
Posted on 12/13/2012 3:05:23 PM PST by Vinylly
Rush was saying, the Republican Congressmen should just walk out when asked to yield to O'bummer's budgit demand and tax hikes. Ater all, when the d'RAT's were in control of Congress, they didn't have a budgit. They are going to get blamed for everything that goes wrong with this country anyway, no matter what happens. Nancy Polocy is aready blaming the Repubicans for stealing Christmas from the Christians, jews, and whatever. Michael Moore is going around saying this country would be better off if all Republicans were dead (Merry Christmas to you too, Big ass butt Moore, -and the same to you.) So, you Republican Congressmen, just walk out. It then will all be on O'bummer's shoulder's come hell or high water.
Merry Christmas Bro !
Just wondering - - do you happen to be a government school teacher?
If you can't spell "Limbaugh," "budget" or "Pelosi," don't expect me to read the rest of your rant.
They could stay and start defunding the Obama Regime one agency at a time.
Now, now..
I have a heck of a time trying to type out a post or reply on FR after drinking a Vesper Martini and a few beers...
(And I'm starting to get a wee bit thirsty right now)
While your spelling is lacking, at least your heart is in the right place.........
They should follow Obama's lead and vote "Present".
Make him own this poop sandwich.
Give him a break.....I thought this site was about ideas, not spelling proficiency......
Limbaugh is boring ... his schtick is old, tired, and repetitive. He's had a good run .... stick a fork in him.
No, its about speling profishency home, exspeshully when it comes to vaniteis.
You seem to be orthographically challenged.
Den don't clik on vaniteis, simple as dat......but u new dat.
Just gotta get ur 2 cents in doncha Lancey..........
Sorry but..if you can't spell Limbaugh's name right....I've little interest in what you have to say.
Who do you like to listen to?
This might have worked had Bonhead not been so visible on TV.
Everywhere u look, Bonehead is out front negoiating with himself.
As a result, Bonehead is the one Americans will blame, because
he is the ONLY person they see on TV. He has been over exposed.
So I was invited to a lot of Watch Rush parties. Had a few interesting conversations.
At least they could spell 'Limbaugh'.
I would add, . . . and your thoughts display a helluva lot more common sense than is seen coming out of Washington these days. Boner keeps slobbering all over himself everyday now in his ridiculous and pitiful news conferences where he is seen pleading and begging Obumer to throw him some crumbs. He is a totally worthless political crony.
I don't think Rush is quite right.
Yes, they should resist any temptation to 'negotiate' with Obama. Obama won't budge on taxes and will instead extract a hike from them. Meanwhile, with control of the House, the GOP can stop any spending they want—that doesn't need to be negotiated.
The one additional thing they need to do, since Romney lost, is take the half a loaf on extending the Bush tax cuts by agreeing to extend them for those making less than $250K. Otherwise, Obama will rightly be able to tag the GOP with having raised taxes on the middle class that he and Dems wanted to stop from happening.
Thus, they 1) need to not agree to any tax increases, 2) agree to the only tax cuts that they can get, and 3) use their power with the control of the House to cut spending.
You are welcome to stop listening to him, just as we are welcome to stop listening to you.
And anyone on the American Freedom Network.
Welcome to the new age FreeRepublic where Freepers eat their own...
I'm pretty sure Rush is Right about 99.76% of the time
This is the first time in a long time that I have no opinion over a matter of such magnitude. Probably just give it to Obama and let him own it.
What the hell are you doing bringing me into this? 'Spelling Nazi'? Well, if you can't spell, you can't be taken seriously.
I'm almost beginning to think it might be a good idea "to walk away" from the budget demands and tax hikes.
All the Republican Senators and Congressmen should vote "Present" on the legislation. Then Obama and the Dems will truly "own it."
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." - Napoleon Bonaparte
Riiiight and I suppose you speak from experience...You should try it some time before you get diarrhea of the keyboard.
Nice try.
Nice try.
Unfortunately conservatives have been out flanked by psy-ops played on us now for several years.
When we failed to answer the question of "Was it really all Bush's fault?" it was the beginning of the end.its been down hill from there and it only got worse. Than we had the war on Hispanics, women, Mitts dog,class warfare and most here know the rest.
Unanswered charges real or mythical have been used by the regime to destroy us for little or no reason at all other than we were outplayed and they were able to use the media to create fairy tales.
Agreed, Rodguy.
Facing reality there's no more than a partial extension of the Bush tax cuts now possible—but spending cuts are again within the power of the GOP if they'd just grow a pair. Absolutely no need to cave on taxes for them either.
We have been played. No matter what we do right, wrong, concede to the left,we lose. We need to meet these bastards on their own playing field and we have refused to do so.
We can start by realizing that the only decision they ever make is the politics of the situation. Any situation. Nothing else matters. That's how you win elections.It's who you destroy a country.
Added to that, the President and Democrats even refuse to cut such programs as giving monkeys meth to see what happens (ASPCA anyone?) insist on borrowing money from the Chinese to give grants for said monkeys to be forced to ingest meth, so no way am I going to vote in favor of giving the IRS the authority to raise taxes on anyone to pay for such abominations and I don't think the folk that vote for me want me to do that.
Then, sit at home and watch the liberals vote to raise taxes and the President claim he's all a out protecting the little guy while sticking it to the "rich to keep from going over the fiscal cliff" when what he's demanding is that I and other conservatives are all for "ruining this country" because we won't vote to continue "abusing monkeys with meth" along with him and his fellow liberals!
Vinylly one thing for sure is you are a heck of a speller!
Heh, heh, seems you already did.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Permit needs stall H'town retaining wall project
SARANAC LAKE – More than two years after the surging floodwaters of the Saranac River undermined a retaining wall behind the Harrietstown Town Hall, the town is still struggling to get all the necessary permits to replace it.
At a board meeting Thursday night, town officials said they'd been saddled with yet another permitting requirement, this one from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
"We've already spent $37,019.52 on permits, and we don't have a stone in the water yet," said town Supervisor Bob Bevilacqua. "And now the state is looking for a hydraulic study. It seems frivolous to ask us to do this extensive study when we've already spent 2 percent of our budget on permits."
"Are they saying that if we don't do the hydraulic study we're not going to get the permit?" asked Councilwoman Nichole Meyette.
"In so many words, yes," said town Code Enforcement Officer Ed Randig.
Town officials said they're planning to meet with DEC Region 5 Director Robert Stegemann to discuss the need for the study. Councilman Jim Murnane suggested they also reach out to the town's state representatives.
"It seems like it's an undue burden on the town and the taxpayers of Harrietstown to have to go through this," Bevilacqua said.
The river, fueled by a combination of heavy rains and snowmelt, climbed over its banks in late April 2011 and eroded portions of the existing stone and concrete retaining wall. The town plans to replace it with a 118-foot retaining wall made of stone riprap and segmented blocks.
Randig said after the meeting the $37,019 spent so far has been for engineering costs related to the project. He said the town has secured permits from the Army Corps of Engineers, the state Adirondack Park Agency, the state Department of Transportation and a separate permit from DEC's Region 5 office in Ray Brook.
Randig said he wasn't sure what the hydraulic study could cost. He said he didn't know it was going to be required until he received a phone call from DEC's Warrensburg office on Wednesday.
"They're concerned about the elevation of flood plain level, and the water velocity as it continues down the river," he said. "If we built the retaining wall, is that going to create additional velocity of water that's going to impact properties adjacent to ours or further downstream?"
The existing retaining wall has been in place since 1927, Randig said. He noted that even during the spring 2011 floods, the water never went over the top of the wall.
"We don't feel (the hydraulic study) is relevant at this point," Randig said.
Replacing the retaining wall is expected to cost roughly $330,000. Randig said the town will likely have to borrow money to pay for it as it only received a "miniscule" amount of disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after the flooding.
If the town had all its permits now, construction could start in August and take six to eight weeks to complete, Randig said. If the hydraulic study has to be done, the project will likely be pushed back to next year, he said.
The town has been working with Saranac Lake-based North Woods Engineering on the project. The board voted unanimously Thursday to pay the company an additional $5,700 for work associated with securing the DOT permits.
Contact Chris Knight at 891-2600 ext. 24 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Moderators: peeker643, swerb, mswerb
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If Teddy's was still around I'd buy ya a Manhatten...How about a Grasshopper at Mountain Jack's or at Ye Olde Stagecoachin Brecksville?If Minnie Pearl's was still around I'd get ya some chicken... The hotdogs at the Grant's lunch counter are first choice or a basket of fries w/ gravy from Baron's How bout a Fried Bologna 'n Busch Light at The Copper Penny???Let's grab some stale 25 cent peanuts and a Carlings Black Label at the Midtown Tavern
Happy Birthday Schintzius.
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Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade 1 User
About this item
The best entertainment experience on your PC.
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos and music. You can even watch, pause and rewind TV or record it to watch whenever and wherever you want. For the best entertainment experience on your PC, choose Windows 7 Home Premium.
Getting things done is easier. With the new taskbar and navigation features, it's easier to compare two windows side-by-side, and JumpLists put files you use often just two clicks away. Home Group makes it easy to create a home network and connect your PCs running Windows 7 to a printer. Find virtually anything on your PC - from documents to songs to e-mail - just by typing a word or two with Windows Search.
Windows 7 Upgrade System Requirements:
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Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware; visit http://windows.microsoft.com/products/windows-7/system-requirements/
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Learn about the jobs, equipment, DAWs, and training you need to get started down an audio learning path.
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Interested in a career in music? Learn everything you need to know about working with digital audio, including the digital signal path, compression, DAWs, MIDI, and mixing.
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About COBRA
Federal law requires that most group health plans (including this Plan) give employees and their families the opportunity to continue their health care coverage when there is a "qualifying event" that would result in a loss of coverage under an employer's plan.
Depending on the type of qualifying event, "qualified beneficiaries" can include the employee (or retired employee) covered under the group health plan, the covered employee's spouse, and the dependent children of the covered employee.
More information can be found at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-consumer-cobra.html and mybenefits.wageworks.com.
COBRA rates
The University maintains this rate sheet and updates it annually.
Initial COBRA notification
A letter is automatically mailed to all new plan participants notifying them that they are eligible.
Model COBRA continuation coverage election notice
This letter is automatically mailed to plan participants when they are no longer eligible for group insurance.


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Off-Season Solution - Page 2
Get the Right Gear
Your only big expense will be a good pair of snowshoes, which range from $200 to $400 (we'll review several top models in the February 2009 issue of Trail Runner). While all snowshoes spread your bodyweight over a larger surface area, allowing you to "float" over the snow, running-specific snowshoes are narrower and smaller, have tapered tails that don't knock your ankles and are made of lightweight but durable aluminum and/or titanium.
A front crampon under your toe and parallel teeth under the decking below the heel provide traction, but the most important feature is an adjustable binding that cinches snugly around your running shoe. (Women with small feet may have trouble finding bindings that fit tightly enough.)
In wet snow, wear wool socks and gaiters to keep your feet dry and warm, and opt for trail-running shoes with a GORE-TEX, eVent or similar waterproof-breathable membrane. Nylon pants prevent kicked-up snow from sticking to your backside. Layer on sweat-wicking clothing, but don't overdress, as you'll quickly warm up.
No Lessons Required
If you can run, you can run in snowshoes—with a few adjustments. The primary difference is taking higher steps. "People try too hard when they should use a natural stride," says Ballengee. "Use the hip flexors to lift the foot rather than pushing off with the lower leg."
Your pace on snow will be slower than it is on trails because of the snowshoes' added weight (typically 15 ounces per shoe) and the snow's resistance. Realize too, that, the deeper the snow, the tougher the workout (see sidebar).
While learning, stick to packed trails. Many Nordic centers have groomed trails specifically for snowshoeing. Focus on balance by using the core muscles to stabilize your weight, especially when you move onto deep, ungroomed snow, where you must pull your foot straight up out of each sinkhole to avoid tripping.
To ascend hills, shift your weight forward onto your toes to engage the front crampon. On steep slopes, kick your toe into the snow to create steps. When descending packed snow, keep your weight centered over the shoe, but in deep snow, relax and lean back, letting the snowshoe slide over the snow like a ski.


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Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's … waters
I first learned of the court decision regarding navigation rights via an email from John Warren of the Adirondack Almanack, which read simply, "Explorer Wins Paddler's Rights Case."
His note offered, "FYI, Adirondack Explorer Editor Phil Brown did not commit trespass in 2009 when he canoed over a waterway through private land, because that waterway was legally open to the public, a state Supreme Court justice ruled in a decision released today."
Brown, a Saranac Lake resident, was in court because the Brandreth Park Association and Friends of Thayer Lake had sued him for trespassing after he paddled on waters surrounded by their lands. The case stems from May 2009, when Brown paddled Mud Pond and Shingle Shanty Brook as part of a multi-day trip from Little Tupper Lake to Lake Lila, which connect through a series of streams, ponds and canoe carries.
Most of the trip is in the state-owned William C. Whitney Wilderness, and there is a canoe carry on state land around the waters in question.
A lawsuit was filed in November 2010 after Brown wrote about his experiences in the Explorer.
I expect most defenders of wild places would consider it contrary for an environmental advocate to lobby for a law that allowed unlimited public access, and unrestricted commercial use of some of the most pristine waters and remote wild lands in the Adirondacks.
It would appear even more unlikely that a responsible advocate for wilderness preservation and biological integrity would want the public tramping and paddling unfettered through lands and waters that, as a result of private stewardship, have remained relatively untouched by the hand of man for over a century and a half.
It would seem even more irresponsible if the same advocate realized that public access could result in an unlimited number of commercial outfitters guiding large groups of paddlers through a privately protected corridor that had been donated for scientific research.
Even more astounding, would be the audacity of an advocacy group to photograph, publicize and publish a map that illustrated an actual route of trespass over private lands.
At first glance, it would seem incredible. However, a second glance would reveal the effort was a copycat criminal attempt.
The original effort, a test case organized by paddling advocates and backed by The Sierra Club occurred in 1991, on a section of the South Branch of the Moose River that ran through a remote parcel of the private Adirondack League Club, near Old Forge.
Sierra Club sued the paddlers, and despite a lengthy trial, the case was left unsettled for years due to an unresolved definition of a legal term used to define waterways as being "navigable in fact."
Finally, after seven years, the court did affirm that paddlers had the right to navigate rivers and lakes that pass through private lands, as long as the route begins and ends on public lands. The case also established the public's right to cross over private lands to carry over, around or through any man-made or natural obstacles, such as low bridges, rapids or waterfalls.
The decision in the Moose River case was essentially a non-decision, as the term 'navigable in fact' was left ill-defined. The definition remained in a state of flux, until another test case was initiated by Brown.
In the most definitive case to date, Brown chose to trespass on a route that took him through a section of Shingle Shanty Brook, which is encompassed within the sprawling 100,000-acre private Brandreth Park near Raquette Lake.
Brandreth Park has been in the hands of the same family since 1848. In recent years, they had purchased the Shingle Shanty Brook parcel, which encompasses about 14,000 acres. The new parcel was intended to serve as a buffer between the private park and the state's new Whitney Wilderness.
Following the purchase, the property was donated to create the Shingle Shanty Preserve, which has been dedicated as a biological research station to monitor the effects of climate change on the pristine environments of the Adirondacks.
I asked Brown if he believed it was within his journalistic license to trespass on such pristine private lands and waters in order to get a story.
"As far as the legal consequences, I didn't think I would get sued. I thought I had a right to do a story," Brown said. "I wanted to find out if it was navigable, and it was a Catch-22, since you have to paddle it to see if it can be done."
Brown paddled the route in the spring when the water was still high, but he was forced to carry around a short section of rapids. He could have avoided the rapids and private lands in general if he had taken a designated public route that the state Department of Environmental Conservation has established in the area.
When I asked him if the private route was shorter or easier than the designated public route, Brown explained, "I've never done the (public) route, so I don't know, but it includes a long carry."
I wondered how Brown could gauge which route provided the easiest passage of travel, after he admitted he had never traveled over the state carry. But before I could ask, he continued, "I went down there with the intention to cover the (private) route. I didn't think I was trespassing. I knew it was private land. I wasn't looking to be arrested or sued, it wasn't my intention. It was not intended as a test case."
I questioned his intent, asking, "You really didn't think it was private land? You had a photographer in tow."
"No, I thought I had a right to do a story," he explained. "Who decides who's right? The judges said I had a right. I went down there as a journalist to write about the issue."
In his Explorer article, there is a photo of a rope spanning the channel of Shingle Shanty Brook. Hanging prominently from the line, are two "No Trespassing" signs.
After several days of testimony in the Brandreth Park lawsuit against Brown, the court decided in favor of the public's right to paddle (i.e. trespass) through private property.
If the Brandreth v. Brown decision is upheld on appeal, the law may open up a variety of private rivers, lakes and ponds that connect historic routes of travel that had once been utilized for commercial purposes.
The decision may also redefine the definition of commercial use to include activities such as trapping, hunting, fishing or even guided recreational pursuits.
With the potential for several vast tracts of paddling lands soon to be added to the Adirondack Forest Preserve, we should question the need for paddlers to trespass on private lands, especially when the majority of large landowners have proven to be excellent stewards of the lands and waters in question.
Who will be the best caretakers? The private owners or the numerous packs of yahoos who may soon be traveling through?
The issue isn't really about access. Paddlers have easy access to a wide variety of waters, with nearly 2,000 miles of rivers and streams in the Park.
To me, the effort indicates a lack of common courtesy and a profound disrespect for fellow outdoors men and women, and the families that have kept the private lands pristine.
With public access, there will be no way to prevent the introduction of bass, trash, invasive species and whatever else public travelers care to leave behind.
Collectively, I hope paddler rights enthusiasts reconsider what they have wished for. It'll be interesting to see what the formerly protected places look like in 10 or 20 years from now.
Very few folks willingly trash their own land, but far too many believe it's all right to do so on state land, or anybody else's.
I expect there will be some very heated discussions between landowners and paddlers in the near future, and I certainly don't care to be involved in such meetings.