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The title of this essay identifies a series of verbal scuffles—or "rhetorical conflicts"—that developed in the fall of 2006 within Spain's larger culture wars. The political skirmishes coalesced around an announcement by the Popular Party (PP) to champion a class of regional festivals for U.N. designation as indispensible elements of "human patrimony." The war of words stemmed from the PP's politicization of cultural designations, but the celebrations in question—the
On Friday, 13 October 2006, Eduardo Zaplana made an announcement that—on the surface, at least—would seem relatively straightforward and cause for excitement and even celebration. In his role as official spokesman for the Popular Party (PP), one of Spain's two main political organizations, Zaplana announced that the PP would present a non-binding resolution (
However, in raising that question, Zaplana implicitly acknowledged that there were people who
In his 13 October press conference, Zaplana did not address either of those possibilities but instead tried to shift attention away from questions regarding the role of Muslims and Islam in Spain's changing social realities. He attempted to present his adversaries as the problem, painting them as threats to the collective spirit engendered in the festivals as well as impediments to the
Although the disputes beginning in October 2006 about the Moors and Christians festivals followed a familiar pattern—and turned out to be relatively short-lived—the context of the debates nevertheless differed from the past. That environment—the particular landscape of the conflict—serves as the focus of this essay. The oppositional language with which I have outlined the topography of events clarifies the first meaning of the title of this essay. Most immediately, I outline here the war of words—the wrangling through rhetoric—that entangled the festivals at the time. In doing so, another connotation of the title quickly arises: Not only did the debates about the Moors and Christians festivals amount to rhetorical conflicts; the controversy also unfolded around a public discourse centered on notions of geopolitical contestation. More specifically, "civilizational" rhetoric—consistent with Samuel Huntington's famous thesis about a post-Cold War "clash of civilizations"—resonated deeply. With the arrival of the fifth anniversary of the events of 11 September, 2001 and only two-and-a-half years after deadly bombings on commuter trains outside of Madrid, considerations in Spain—as elsewhere in Europe and across the Atlantic—swirled around the figure of "Islam" and questions about its fundamental nature and the extent of its reach. Despite important and deep differences of opinion, the collective conversation in Spain advanced on a common ground where "Islam" and "the West" represented two distinct and oppositional entities vying for global power.
In this regard, the dispute in late 2006 over the candidacy of the festivals for "human patrimony" designation serves as only part of a longer series of skirmishes in Spain's ongoing culture wars. The public disagreements about the
In that way, the essay's title carries yet-another implication. While the debates played out around a discourse of "culture clash," the
In his press conference on 13 October 2006 explaining the Popular Party's intentions to bring the non-binding resolution to the Congress of Deputies in support of inclusion of the Moors and Christians festivals on UNESCO's list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, Eduardo Zaplana framed the announcement as a necessary political response to recent criticisms of the
The PP's unprecedented endeavor generated the second point of surprise. Why was the PP pushing for a new legislative measure when, in fact, the drive to secure UNESCO recognition of the Moors and Christians celebrations already had been underway for at least two years? In June of 2004, La Unión Nacional de Entidades Festeras [The National Union of Festival Entities]—commonly known by the acronym UNDEF—announced the organization's commitment "to initiate the opportune labors to secure the declaration of the
The commission, led by its two coordinators, subsequently spent the following years in active pursuit of UNDEF's declared goal. The group did so in the expected and familiar manner, working closely with governmental agencies and U.N. deputies to develop a case and to navigate the application process. As October of 2006 arrived, the commission pointed to a tangible result of their months and months of hard work: some outstanding representatives of the Moors and Christians festivals—a selection from the Alicante town of Alcoy's neighborhood associations—had been invited to march in New York's Hispanic Heritage and Columbus Day Parade [
Like many others, the members of UNDEF also understood that—should the campaign achieve its goal—the achievement would culminate a process that began in earnest in the 1990s. During that decade, Spain joined a number of other nations with formal initiatives to establish national and international mechanisms for celebrating and protecting important—and potentially vulnerable—forms and sites of cultural expression. In fact, the Spanish government played a critical role leading to the Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO's Director-General in 2001, successfully presenting the Mystery Play of Elche that year as one of the first candidates for recognition [
More broadly, Spanish diplomats spearheaded efforts to expand and to systematize "intangible heritage" mechanisms at both the domestic and international levels. Spain's delegation was instrumental in UNESCO's 2003 draft of a Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage [
This brief review of the development of the international "intangible heritage" movement—and of the particular location of the Moors and Christians festivals within that history—clarifies the reasons why the Popular Party's announcement on 13 October 2006 caused surprise and also why the PP would make that move. Simply put, "world heritage" designations depend on a complex, often tense process carried out across various arenas of domestic and international politics. Much is at stake in those labels as well as for those who get credit for their success
Eduardo Zaplana—and the political organization for which he spoke—clearly understood these high stakes when he announced the Popular Party's unexpected attempt to carry the issue of the "human patrimony" of the Moors and Christians festivals through the doors of the Congress of Deputies and, thus, to politicize the issue explicitly. But why would the Popular Party make that move when it did, presenting these
While popular studies of the Moors and Christians festivals—including frequents exposés by travel writers and for the benefit of tourists—are extensive, scholarly analysis is more limited
While the common narrative that structures each of the Festivals of Moors and Christians is basic—Moorish invasion followed by the Christians' eventual recovery—the celebrations are, invariably, far from simple. In fact, complexity of detail—or, more precisely, comprehensive spectacularity—functions as the essential characteristic of the festivals, regardless of its scale or duration. The process of amplification begins with the founding historical narratives themselves. As noted earlier, the heaviest concentration of festivals, including the largest and most renowned observances, lies along the coast and in the near-interior of Alicante, Valencia's southernmost province (
These historiographic justifications often comprise intricate chronicles constructed, preserved and perpetuated by an association of local societies
A squadron of Moors enters the city. Town of El Campello, Alicante province, 2006.
Photo by Bereber. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [
The Moors "disembark". Town of Villajoyosa, Alicante province.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [
The battle for the castle. Town of Petrer, Alicante province.
Image provided by Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos [
The "Basque Christians" advance, seeking "reconquest". Town of Alcoy, Alicante province, 2006.
Photo by Popezz. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [
The domain of Moors and Christians: Alicante province, Valencia Community, Spain.
Note: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons [
Sample of shields of association "squadrons" from San Blas neighborhood, city of Alicante.
Images provided Asociación de Moros y Cristianos de San Blas [
However, these invocations and re-enactments of historical events expose a central tension in the festivals between socio-historical ideals and realities. Most immediately, the
Precisely because of such disparities between the archetypal narrative summoned by the Moors and Christians festivals and their underlying historical actualities, the
Nevertheless, as Guss reminds us in delineating conflicting forces at work in certain twentieth-century Venezuelan celebrations, surface appearances matter tremendously in the festive realm. Popular festivals operate with the immediate purpose of conveying and reinforcing specific ideals, even if those principles begin to unsettle upon closer examination or from competing perspectives. Whether employed deliberately or not, public festivities serve as strategic elements in the inevitable politics of culture. The human patrimony debates that arose around the Moors and Christians celebrations indicates the extent to which the cultural politics embedded in this particular set of festivals connects directly with Spain's long-running tradition of struggles over historical memory. How is the past represented? Where, and by whom? Those questions have led especially to recurring public tussles about conceptions of Iberia's medieval past
Indeed, as Max Harris explains in his comprehensive account of the parallel development of Moors and Christians observances in Spain and in Mexico, the festivals probably originated in the late 1500s at the instigation of King Felipe (Philip) II, who famously revised and promoted a variety of traditional celebrations in order to assert Spain's imperial glory ([
The origins of the festivals more than four centuries ago as instruments of imperial propaganda provide an important reminder of the ostensible function of current versions of the celebrations. While they no longer serve to mythologize Felipe II's empire, the
As 2006 moved toward its conclusion, notions of profound culture clash circulated not only in the Festivals of Moors and Christians but also in public discussion on all sides, and that reality brings me to some of the central concerns of this special issue of
In a now-familiar set of developments, Huntington first floated the idea—in the form of a question—in "The Clash of Civilizations?", an article published in the summer 1993 issue of the journal the beginnings of dramatic changes in peoples' identities and the symbols of those identities. Global politics began to be reconfigured along cultural lines. […] In the post-Cold War world flags count and so do other symbols of cultural identity, including crosses, crescents and even head coverings, because culture counts, and cultural identity is what is most meaningful to most people. People are discovering new but often old identities and marching under new but often old flags which lead to wars with new but often old enemies.
the beginnings of dramatic changes in peoples' identities and the symbols of those identities. Global politics began to be reconfigured along cultural lines. […] In the post-Cold War world flags count and so do other symbols of cultural identity, including crosses, crescents and even head coverings, because culture counts, and cultural identity is what is most meaningful to most people. People are discovering new but often old identities and marching under new but often old flags which lead to wars with new but often old enemies.
Based on this analysis, Huntington concluded that "the post-Cold War world is a world of seven or eight major civilizations. […] The key issues on the international agenda involve differences among civilizations. Power is shifting from the long predominant West to non-Western civilizations. Global politics has become multipolar and multicivilizational" ([
If Huntington's paradigm generated widespread debate in 1993 and the years following, those discussions now look like mild compared to the interest in his self-described "civilizational approach" almost a decade after. Following the events of 11 September 2001, 11 March 2004 and other acts of terrorism, commentators on both sides of the Atlantic and in many spheres of public discourse praised Huntington as prescient and adopted the "civilizational" perspective as an explanatory model for a variety of developments. Still, in all of its iterations and adaptions, proponents built on Huntington's basic assumptions: most immediately, that "the West" and "Islam" represent distinct historical formations guided by fundamentally different—and irresoluble—worldviews currently engaged in a "clash of civilizations" and, in turn, that such "clashes of civilizations are the greatest threat to world peace" and must be diffused by some means or another ([
Five years after 11 September, 2001, civilizational rhetoric continued to resonate deeply on both sides of the Atlantic. The year began with ongoing and sometimes-deadly protests over cartoon depictions of Muhammad in Denmark's leading newspaper, and the year included a number of other serious episodes stemming from controversial representations of Islam. As 2006 extended into September, many people took the year's developments as clear evidence that a "clash of civilizations" indeed was underway. In a show of respect—but also certainly out of fear for potential backlash—many municipalities in Spain already had altered festive traditions in the wake of the Danish cartoon controversy [
Despite the pontiff's final invocation of a "dialogue of cultures," it was Benedict's initial discussion of Manuel II's text that garnered widespread attention and incited a global controversy. In setting his agenda, the Pope explained that he "would like to discuss only one point—itself rather marginal to [ addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness, a brusqueness that we find unacceptable, on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: 'Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.' The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable.
addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness, a brusqueness that we find unacceptable, on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: 'Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.' The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable.
The consequences of Benedict's move, of his decision to include verbatim the evidence of Manuel II's "startling brusqueness," are now well known. The citation made news around the world and provoked fierce reactions. Upon hearing the Byzantine emperor's words uttered by the Holy Father, many people decried the statement as the Pope's unequivocal, general indictment of an inherent violence in Islamic thought and practice. Alongside discussions and debates across the globe about Benedict's intentions, large and heated protests developed at various sites in Turkey, India, Pakistan, Gaza, and elsewhere. By the end of the same week, Benedict felt compelled to offer a public apology and explanation as part of his regular Sunday address: "I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims," Benedict stated. "These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought. I hope this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with mutual respect" (as quoted in [
Indeed, a broad view of Benedict's remarks reveal his emphasis on dialogue and partnership, as demonstrated in his concluding invocations of Manuel's text and in other passages quoted above. Elsewhere in the speech—and even in the same paragraph, when he quotes sura 2:256 of the Qur'an ("There is no compulsion in religion.")—the Pope tries to qualify and to temper the "startling brusqueness" of the Byzantine's remarks. Nevertheless, the wider look at Benedict's speech also makes clear his effort to delineate a clear and deep-seated distinction between Christianity and Islam in order to celebrate the "profound encounter between faith and reason" that occurred during the peculiar engagement of Christian theology with classical Greek thought. Building on a critical observation made by Théodore Khoury, the respected editor of and commentator on
Pope Benedict's September 12th speech set the stage for the events that developed in Spain over the following month. As in most places, a flood of opinions—from many social, religious, and cultural sectors and across the political spectrum—moved through the peninsula in waves in the days and weeks that followed. Notably, the debates carried out publicly in the media, in the halls of government, among religious communities, and elsewhere quickly shifted from the question of the Pope's intentions—or used that issue as springboard—toward the issue of Islam's essential nature and its implications in the contemporary world. In Spain, as in most places, the discussions centered on the inclusion of those contentious words about the "evil and inhuman" consequences of Muhammad's staggering legacy despite the Vatican's continued insistence that the words were the relic of a medieval text rather than the true sentiments of the pontiff. The focus on that single line suggests that most commentators probably did not bother to read Benedict's fuller statement. And, even if they did, many probably remained confused or underwhelmed by his comparative reflections on the intricacies of Christian and Islamic theological development.
Still, the general disregard for the context of the Pope's citation and the pervasive preoccupation with its ostensible indictment of Islam reveals a curious convergence of perspectives. Lending further credence to Samuel Huntington's prediction that the metanarrative of a "clash of civilizations" would predominate public discourse in the early twenty-first century, the discussion in Spain of the Pope's speech unfolded around the same assumption that structured the lecture itself, namely, that "Islam" and "the West" represented two fundamentally distinct and conflicting ideological entities vying for global influence and power. That symmetry of viewpoints serves as a vivid reminder that, while unique interests and apprehensions in Spanish society would refract public discussion of the Pope's speech in certain directions, the conversations formed part of a spectrum of common concerns in Europe and elsewhere about the nature of Islam and its role in the contemporary world.
Those questions, as they related to Spain and its specific role on the geopolitical stage, surfaced explicitly ten days after the Pope delivered his talk in Regensburg and five days after his public apology for any offense the speech had caused. José Maria Aznar, one of the towering figures in the Popular Party as Spain's former longstanding Prime Minister (1996 to 2004), raised the issues—and added a new dimension to the ongoing debates—while offering some brief remarks at the opening reception of a conference on "Global Threats, Atlantic Structures" sponsored by the Washington, D.C.-based policy think tank, The Hudson Institute
In that context, Aznar took about fifteen minutes to provide some general reflections on the conference's broad theme. He emphasized the need for the U.S., Spain, and other long-standing allies to recommit, even after the end of the Cold War, to "the Atlantic alliance" formalized after World War II in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as a means to confront Soviet power. NATO remained essential, Aznar asserted. While it was still needed to contain post-Soviet Russian influence, the Atlantic states now faced another, even more nefarious threat: "radical Islam." Aznar delineated the current state of global affairs as a matter of stark contrasts. He identified "the West" as civilizations stemming from western European culture and, therefore, rooted in Christianity. ("It's impossible to explain Europe without Christian roots," he insisted again and again [
Despite their "startling brusqueness"—to borrow Benedict's description in the Regensburg talk of the words of another, much earlier critic of Islam—Aznar's comments came as little surprise. Both during and after his tenure as Prime Minister, Aznar had been one of President Bush's most vocal supporters in the so-called "War on Terror." Despite the opposition of a majority of his compatriots, he had committed Spanish troops and material support to efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Moreover, many observers attributed Aznar's political undoing to an Al-Queda-linked terrorist cell that, through a series of coordinated explosions on March 11, 2004 along one of Madrid's commuter train lines, killed 191 people and wounded around 1800 more. The attacks occurred three days before the general elections that voted Aznar's party out of office amid a swirl of questions and suspicions about his government's handling of the situation.
Still, in the midst of the debates already taking place about the Pope's Regensburg speech, Aznar was bound to draw attention for his austere view of Islam and its "war" on "the West." Even so, his biting comments did not end with his prepared remarks. Upon finishing them, he took a number of questions from his audience. One woman asked him to speak more specifically about "Spain's views of Islam" today in light of its long historical presence in and deep influence on the Iberian Peninsula, beginning with the successful military campaigns of North African "Moors" in the early 700s until Ferdinand and Isabella's takeover of Granada in 1492. Aznar acknowledged that history, but added: "It is interesting to note that, while a lot of people in the world are asking the Pope to apologize for his speech, I have never heard a Muslim say sorry for having conquered Spain and occupying it for eight centuries" [
Aznar's unwavering endorsement of Ferdinand and Isabella—in a speech on global security, no less—pulls the Festivals of Moors and Christians back into view. After all, the festivals dramatize and commemorate precisely that history of Moorish "conquest" and Christian "reconquest" invoked by Aznar. And, just as a whole slew of questions circle around the implications of the festivals and their grandiloquent representations of Spain's medieval past, a flood of responses and interpretations followed Aznar's declaration that present threats to global security connected directly with Iberia's historical "clash of cultures."
Yet, despite the efforts of various commentators to isolate Aznar's views as idiosyncratic
At first glance, Aznar's immediate dismissal of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative set in motion by Zapatero as sheer "stupidity" reveals the former prime minister's deep political and ideological antipathies toward his successor
Against the critical backdrop of the developments of the preceding weeks, we can return to where we started—October of 2006—and see more clearly how the Moors and Christians festivals surfaced at that moment as a flashpoint in Spanish public discourse. With continued coverage in the press about Aznar's comments and the reactions they provoked, the
But, of course, the timing of the imam's criticism of the festivals was not accidental. Building on the long-running efforts of UNDEF and of Spain's diplomatic mission, La Asociación San Jordi [The Association of St. George], which oversees the town of Alcoy's renowned Moors and Christians celebrations, had spent months preparing to send representatives to New York to march as Moorish and Christian "squadrons" in the upcoming Columbus Day and Hispanic Heritage parade. Imam Herrero was well aware of the mission's intentions to apply for human-patrimony recognition. And there too his intervention proved effective. On October 6, the organizers from Alcoy, which hosts one of the oldest, largest, and most elaborate celebrations each year, decided at the last minute to break with their long-running and much-cherished tradition by changing their plans for the parade in New York. The group decided that the Christian regiments would march alone, without the squadrons of Moors (
Despite these explanations, many supporters of the festivals took issue with the decision to abandon the Moors. The debate about the
'No more Moors!' A Christian squadron from Alcoy (province of Alicante) marches alone, without traditional Moorish counterparts, down Fifth Avenue in New York's Hispanic Heritage and Columbus Day Parade, 9 October 2006.
Photo by Miguel Rajmil/EFE [
The Popular Party's move complicated the ongoing public discussion of the festivals. Although the party took up the cause of promoting the Moors and Christians celebrations for UNESCO designation, local representatives of the festivals strongly criticized the initiative. UNDEF should coordinate the effort, they noted, not some political organization. As one member of the UNDEF commission put it, the process of applying for international recognition "should be separate from any opportunistic and electoral maneuver … to confuse our respected celebration with politics" [
Although the political showdowns over the Moors and Christians festivals finished with more whimper than bang—and also proved, after all, fairly short-lived—the episode demands a bit more consideration. In the concluding portion of this essay, I want to return briefly to one of the climactic moments in the series of developments that played out in the wake of Pope Benedict's Regensburg speech. As noted earlier, the announcement on October 6 that the Alcoy representatives in New York would march without squadrons of Moors marked a critical moment in the public debates that had developed in Spain about Islam and its place in the history and culture of the Iberian Peninsula. The decision not only sparked widespread discussion but also provoked the Popular Party's legislative initiative.
Upon closer examination, the explanations offered by Javier Moreno and Amparo Ferrando—two of the officials responsible for the decision quoted earlier—are similarly provocative. Whether or not Moreno and Ferrando really believed what they said—namely, that political pressures did not play, or should not have played, a part in the decision to keep the Moor squadrons out of the New York parade—a sense of understandable uncertainty and defensiveness inhabits their explanations. As primary spokespeople for Alcoy participants, both speakers acknowledged that their traditions were under public fire, shrouded by suspicions of prejudice. The inclusion of Moorish squadrons might "wound some sensibilities," Moreno admitted, although Ferrando emphasized that the festivals are "
That critical turn is productive since, as it happens, the showdown between "Moors" and "Christians" in the
In "Playing Guest and Host," Flesler pursues this idea even further. She too underscores the point that the role-playing on which the festivals depend arises from the desire to celebrate Spain's Moorish legacy and, more immediately, to claim it as a unique and foundational component of Spanish culture and identity. However, Flesler follows her deconstructionist intuitions—already figured in the title of the essay—and argues that such assertions of identity belie uncertainties about who "belongs" in Spain and, in turn, to whom the land "belongs." Who is "guest," and who is "host"? Drawing on Jacques Derrida's and Sarah Ahmed's considerations of those categories to illuminate the roles acted out in the festivals, Flesler shows how "the efforts to delimit clear spaces of separation fail. Moors and Christians become simultaneously guests and hosts in what Homi Bhabha calls a 'third space' that is neither one of complete separation nor one of homogenization" ([
In this way, Flesler looks beyond immediate appearances. As already noted in my initial description of the festivals, everything about them conveys the sense of encounter between distinct cultures. Again, to describe the celebrations in Huntington's terms, they dramatize the spectacular "clash of civilizations." As Flesler summarizes, "the true protagonist of these celebrations is the excess that permeates all the festive rituals at both the discursive and performative levels" ([
Furthermore, by locating the apprehension at the heart of the process of "delimiting" that the festivals attempt to enact, Flesler stresses how the efforts to establish those limits ultimately fail. The boundaries of distinction, so clearly marked in every aspect of the performance, constantly break down as the roles of Moors and Christians continually flip back and forth. As Flesler summarizes,
within the many rituals of separation between the two sides that make up the festivals, there are traces that reveal how the official discourse making the Christians as hosts is only intelligible if one notes their position as guests in that same territory. During the celebrations, each one of the groups takes turns at occupying the position of host, [serving alternately as victors and victims, possessing and losing the castle,] with an awareness of the transitory nature of this role, aware that both in the festival and in the history of the area, both Moors and Christians are guests.
within the many rituals of separation between the two sides that make up the festivals, there are traces that reveal how the official discourse making the Christians as hosts is only intelligible if one notes their position as guests in that same territory. During the celebrations, each one of the groups takes turns at occupying the position of host, [serving alternately as victors and victims, possessing and losing the castle,] with an awareness of the transitory nature of this role, aware that both in the festival and in the history of the area, both Moors and Christians are guests.
Despite the spectacular mechanisms employed in the festivals to delimit roles and to distinguish "Moors" from "Christians," the collapse of those boundaries occurs not only in fleeting moments but also in obvious ways at critical junctures of the proceedings. For instance, the climax of every Moors and Christians
The conclusion of the 2012 celebration in the San Blas neighborhood of Alicante offers an outstanding example
After the "reconquest," the Moor emir pleads for mercy from the Christian queen. San Blas neighborhood, Alicante city, 9 July 2012.
Photo by author.
While the words and details may differ from festival to festival and place to place, San Blas's 2012 iteration portrays a now-familiar scene. In almost every case, the final encounter follows the same general script: the lamentations of the Moor leader of the impending
In this way, the different rhetorics of the festivals—their overarching clarity countered by the palpable uncertainties—conflict. When all is said and done, the overriding carnivalesque quality of the
A viable catalog of answers to those questions, much less feasible analysis of responses, falls beyond the scope of the present essay. Nevertheless, the queries pull our attention back to the primary topic at hand. The image of the Alcoy contingents in New York's Columbus Day parade comes back into view, and it is striking (see
In that light, the final image captures the tremendous irony of the situation. The "Christian" squadrons—the victorious "hosts" at the
On that day if the Alcoy marchers had kept going, past Lady Liberty and straight across the Atlantic, they would have arrived back on Iberian soil where Spaniards continued to invoke, to reflect on, and to debate those various histories. What passed through the Alcoyanos' minds as they processed through midtown Manhattan without any "Moors," strangers in a strange land and spectacularly outfitted as the triumphant denizens of an earlier epoch? Did they too appreciate the paradoxes arising out of that odd scene, with their "squadron" surrounded on all sides by a multitude of posters and banners? The signs included inscriptions—in English, in Spanish, or more often in both idioms—of the theme of the day's celebration. The phrase provided clear indication of why the "Christians" always depended upon the "Moors" in their
Many thanks to Todd Green for initial encouragement and subsequent support of this project, first as a presentation at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion and then as a contribution to this special issue of
The author declares no conflicts of interest.
For data and analysis related to the increase of Muslims in Spain, see [
For more on the history and politics of "human patrimony" movements related to Spain, see [
Below I discuss some good examples of travel writing on the festivals, including [
Hundreds of villages and towns in eastern, southern, and central Spain (in the regions of Valencia, Andalusia and Castile-La Mancha, respectively) hold annual celebrations, and Festivals of Moors and Christians are still common in parts of Mexico and the Philippines. In [
The castle may be an actual historic monument (cf.
See [
The familiar term "Moor" encapsulates the incongruities between popular conceptions of competing "civilizations" and the historical realities of Iberian culture. The word, derived from Roman designations for a particular North African province (in present-day Libya) as "Mauretania" and its Berber natives as "Mauri" (implying a "dark" hue), assumed more generic meanings in medieval romance languages. By the eleventh century, "Moor" circulated through the Iberian Peninsula in reference, alternatively, to anyone from the north of Africa, to a person of dark complexion and of seemingly African origin, or to any Muslim. Thus, "Moor" became a monolithic (albeit shifting) category for a variety of individuals and groups who made their way into the peninsula over the course of many centuries. In [
There are too many examples to mention of disputes in Spain over historical representation, just as the critical literature focused on the politics of memory is too vast and rich to review here. The debates leading up to and following congressional approval of Spain's Ley de Memoria Histórica (Historical Memory Law) on 31 October 2007 serves as only one obvious and recent example to emerge from the broader socio-political context discussed in this essay. That legislation, sponsored by the Socialist Party and including formal condemnation of measures used by the Franco regime, most specifically addresses issues of public recognition of victims of and participants in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and during the subsequent four decades of Francisco Franco's rule. [
My references to "mythologies" here draw upon Henry Kamen's discussion of "the myths of Spain" in [
The Vatican's website provides further contextual details as well as the full transcript of the Pope's speech [
The Hudson Institute website provides summary details about the conference [
A cursory review of the Spanish press in the days following Aznar's speech indicates the abundance and passion of reactions to Aznar's statement from various perspectives. For the week beginning on 23 September 2006—the first day of the news cycle in Spain following Aznar's speech—virtually every major Spanish media outlet, including the state-run RTVE, private radio and television networks, and the country's most widely read dailies and weeklies, featured multiple stories on Aznar's comments and of the diversity of responses to them. For instance,
Even Mariano Rajoy, Aznar's successor as head of the Popular Party, tried to distance himself and the party from his predecessor's comments. When asked to react to Aznar's statements, he said: "I am not responsible for the past, neither Franco nor of the invasion of the Arabs. I take care of the future" [
See [
The opening of the statement reads: "The Secretary-General is pleased to announce the launch of an initiative for an "Alliance of Civilizations". The initiative is intended to respond to the need for a committed effort by the international community—both at the institutional and civil society levels—to bridge divides and overcome prejudice, misconceptions, misperceptions, and polarization which potentially threaten world peace. The Alliance will aim to address emerging threats emanating from hostile perceptions that foment violence, and to bring about cooperation among various efforts to heal such divisions." [
Zapatero's idea for the Alliance of Civilization, and the contrast of his positions from Aznar's assertions about Spain as "Christian," developed in part from his active and ongoing relations with communities of Muslims in Spain, especially groups of Spanish converts to Islam. For more on these developments, see [
See, for example, [
In September 2012, the Popular Party tried to initiate the process for UNESCO certification once again [
In fact, the Moors and Christians
Flesler's chapter is based on [
All descriptions, images, and transcriptions of the 2012 festival in San Blas derive from materials produced by the author at the event.
I recognize my limited discussion in this essay of Muslims' participation in and perspectives on the


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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The city of Houston, Texas, which took in many of the evacuees from New Orleans, has been served with its own evacuation order ahead of the storm.
The BBC News website spoke to two families now enduring their second upheaval in less than a month.
Eric Falkins moved with his mother, his sister and her one-year-old baby from the Reliant Park convention centre in Houston to a house in the city two days ago.
He is now afraid the family, who were among the thousands trapped for days in the New Orleans Superdome, may be stranded in the path of another hurricane.
"We are still in Houston," he said. "We don't have no transport. We'll have to find a bus. We are worried - we don't want to move again.
"They haven't given us no help, so my mother left. We don't want to keep moving, we want to go back to New Orleans."
Mr Falkins said he had been watching warnings about Hurricane Rita on television but had been given no practical advice on how to get out of Houston.
All his family have to carry with them are two television sets and some clothes.
He said: "When the first hurricane came, Katrina, everybody thought it was a joke. It might happen the same way this time. I'm worried about it - I have no transportation.
"In New Orleans we could hear the roof coming in over our heads. We don't want to have that experience again. The Superdome was hell.
"We don't want to go back to another shelter - you don't get treated right in the shelters."
Peaches White, from the 7th district of New Orleans, left the Reliant Park convention centre two days ago.
When the authorities told the Katrina evacuees they had to move again, most people opted to climb on a bus to Arkansas, she said.
However, she decided to head for Jackson, Mississippi, because it is closer to her beloved home city.
"I've just brought my two nephews. One of them is 16 and the other 17," she said.
But she is concerned for her two daughters. They have opted to stay behind in Houston despite the hurricane warnings because they have been given houses there.
Mrs White is considering buying another bus ticket to take her on to Atlanta, where she hopes more housing may be available.
"We keep moving but everybody is nice with their hospitality," she said. "People have helped us with stuff."


text: 7/18/14 7/18/14 POPSUGAR Celebrity Kids' Choice Sports Awards Celebrities at the Kids' Choice Sports Awards 2014 Pictures Here's What David Beckham and His Sons Would Look Like as Trophies July 18, 2014 by Brittney Stephens 92 Shares Chat with us on Facebook Messenger. Learn what's trending across POPSUGAR. View on One Page Photo 7 of 44 Start Slideshow ADVERTISEMENT () Share This Link Copy What's Your Reaction? Thanks for your reaction Don't forget to share this with your friends! ← Use Arrows Keys → 7 Previous Next Kids' Choice Sports Awards


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Northumberland County Council said about £190,000 has been spent on CCTV systems around schools to protect them during the evenings and in holidays.
The survey found it had saved school budgets tens of thousands of pounds.
Footage captured by the cameras is passed on to police to use for detection and prosecutions.
At Bedlingtonshire High School the cameras cut incidents by a third. In the year up to installation, there were 92 incidents recorded but 33 in the following 12 months.
Radical effect
Head teacher Ian Towson said: "Since installation in September 2002 there have been far fewer incidents. This is a remarkable achievement.
"Police have also used CCTV footage in crime detection while staff and students feel much safer around the site."
Council executive member for health and wellbeing councillor Tony Reid said: "The cost of criminal damage and broken windows hikes up insurance premiums and eats at precious budget resources which should be spent on books and computers.
"CCTV cameras have had a radical effect in keeping hooligans away from schools and we are committed to providing cover where it is needed."


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Journey Through Many Lifetimes
|by David Tenneson
|e ISBN: 9781864760323
|Publisher: Trans4mind
The Journey touches on this life on Earth and nine other known past lives from the time of Atlantis through to America and England. Messages are transcribed and faithfully recorded from mediums and spirit communicators over a period of ten years. Eight of the past lives recorded are each with the soul mate of the author.
The colours of the planes and the rays, the beings and their amazing work are brought to life in these unique recordings.
"David Tenneson has delivered a book on spiritual healing that has been faithfully recorded from his vast spiritual experience throughout his life of 70 years in this form." ~ Greg Wilson
Also Available at:
|Other Trans4mind eBook Titles
|Comments & Reviews
- Thank you for supporting our authors.


text:
"Sweet Cherry" Wood Sole Shoes
I love anything involving cherries! These will be great for the summer.
Totally adorable pink t-bar sandal with gold and little red cherries, sling back flats. Summer is calling! I want!!!Added 9 Years Ago from Brownsfashion
shoes! irregular choice makes the comfy-est shoes ever.
Sometimes Mary Jane goes goth. But she's always got a little bit of a sweet cherry side.
These flats are only $20 and they have free shipping. The cherries look irresistible. hungry???Tags: shoes, flats, cute, cherries, slip-on, summer shoes, white flats, cherries on flatsAdded 9 Years Ago from ShoeMall.com


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|Andrew Morton <andrewm@xxxxxxxxxx>
|Re: Zeroing interface stats?
|jamal <hadi@xxxxxxxxxx>
|Mon, 5 Mar 2001 22:02:38 -0500 (EST)
|Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <netdev@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <linux-net@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Andrew Morton wrote: > Jeff Garzik wrote: > > > > Just spotted this code in acenic.c. Should it be carried over to other > > net drivers? > > > > static int ace_open(struct net_device *dev) > > { > > [...] > > /* > > * Zero the stats when restarting the interface... > > */ > > memset(&ap->stats, 0, sizeof(ap->stats)); > > > > It's a philosophical thing... Do we want the stats > to tell us what's happened since the interface was > created, of so we want them to tell us what's > happened since the interface was opened? > > I think I prefer the former: tell me what has > happened since day one. > Infact i think what the acenic is doing is illegal. These stats are used by SNMP. IIRC, if you have to zero the stats you also must reset the ifindex. Someone double check the SNMP RFCs. I think this removes any ambiguity since the ifindex was received at boot time. OTOH, while i am almost agreeing with you with the proposal below i think it is dangerous because people will write proggies to use it. It is useful for debugging etc > If we require the ability to zero out the stats > then this can be done at a higher level > > case SIOCZAPSTATS: > if (dev->get_stats) { > struct net_device_stats *stats = dev->get_stats(dev); > if (stats) > memset(stats, 0, sizeof(*stats)); > } > > No? > cheers, jamal
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Tim Sammut's Articles
NCSAM Tip #2: Keeping Your Software Up-to-Date
As software manufacturers fix security vulnerabilities they will often release new versions of their software for their users. This is a good thing and aims to protect us from manyRead More
Where in the World is xn--mgberp4a5d4ar?
The deployment of Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) reached the root of the DNS infrastructure in recent weeks with the creation of four internationalized Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs). MentionedRead More
Interesting From Many Angles: The Apache Software Foundation Compromise
The Cyber Risk Report this week contained a short mention of the attacks against the Apache Software Foundation (ASF). These attacks were documented last week in fantastic detail by PhilipRead More
September 2009 Cisco IOS Software Security Advisory Bundle Released
Today we announced the September 2009 bundle of Cisco IOS Software Security Advisories. In line with our previous announcements, this grouping of advisories discloses security vulnerabilities in Cisco IOS Software.InformationRead More
Cisco Security Advisory Lingo Demystified
It is almost that time of year again. Our Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is readying the release of the next bundle of security advisories for Cisco IOS. AsRead More
Why Out-of-Cycle Cisco IOS Security Advisories Are a Good Thing
In the first part of 2008 we announced that we would be following a new disclosure schedule for Cisco IOS Security Advisories. This was done in response to customer feedbackRead More


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The Triumph of the Human…BB Gun?
Posted on David Pierce | NO COMMENTS
Lighter Side
This weekend, I think we should all try and go do something adventurous. Something you've never done, or maybe tried and failed before.
This, though, may not be the best idea of choices. It worked for Kent Couch, but I'm not sure you should try and replicate it.
Kent Couch flew in a lawn chair, with filled balloons, 200+ miles into a field in Idaho. He used a BB gun to bring himself down, and apparently everything went well. Though I do wonder- you shoot a BB, break a balloon, you're bound to fall sorta fast…
Here's my favorite line of the article about it- "When ever Kent couch went up over 30,000 feet he would shoot a balloon and come down to a more breathable level." I mean, I do that when I get up that high too. It's not a big deal.
The article about the whole thing is pretty great. It's here, and definitely not the brightest thing in the world. But hey, it worked for him. Have a great weekend!


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Hello, I've big problems to install Vista Ultimat on my Toshiba M40 (Centrino
M730, 1.6 Ghz, 80 GB Disk. Ati x600/128 MB). After the system is prepared for
it's first run. The system hangs in the boot screen. The upgradadvisor scan
the hardware all ok. I tried also a upgrade installation, same result. After
safe-mod boot the system hangs at windows\system32\drivers\cdc....
Can anybody give me advice??


text:
Civic Friendship
- First Online:
- Citations
- 237 Downloads
This paper seeks to examine the plausibility of the concept of 'Civic Friendship' as a philosophical model for a conceptualisation of 'belonging'. Such a concept, would hold enormous interest for educators in enabling the identification of particular virtues, attitudes and values that would need to be taught and nurtured to enable the civic relationship to be passed on from generation to generation. I consider both of the standard arguments for civic friendship: that it can be understood within the Aristotelian typology as either a form of utility friendship or as a form of virtue friendship. I argue that civic friendship may not be the most appropriate model and that attempts to resolve the problems through looking on it as a political metaphor leave it unable to fulfil the function for which it was originally designed in Ancient Greece. Finally, I emphasize the need to carefully consider which particular metaphors we choose for civic relationships and how we subsequently use them.


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|Hearts Without Homes
Exhibit shows portraits of children waiting for adoption
|Patti Sells | News-Telegram Feature Editor
Oct. 14, 2005 -- It's one thing to talk about the thousands and thousands of unwanted children in the United States waiting to be adopted. It's another when someone puts a face on the problem.
While their smiles reveal hope, their eyes often expose heartbreak and a deep desire for a family to call their own. By using the power of photography, the Heart Gallery of East Texas presents a unique and creative approach for finding homes for area foster children by using a stirring compilation of photographs on display at First United Methodist Church, 301 Church St., through Sunday, Oct. 16.
�Every child deserves a family,� said Patty Osborn, information specialist for Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a partner in the exhibit. �These children desperately need and want to find their �forever family.��
�Heart Gallery exhibitions focus on older and minority children and sibling groups, considered to be �harder to place,� according to Osborn.�
Statistics show that nearly 130,000 children in the U.S. public system are waiting to be adopted. Most of them are 8 years old or older. Figures indicate that a boy over the age of 9 has about an 80 percent chance of spending the rest of his childhood (until age 18) in foster care, while girls after the age of 11 reach that same percentage. Reports go on to state that 19,000 children "age-out" of the system every year without ever being adopted.
In 2001, an adoption recruiter in New Mexico, Diane Granito, had become displeased with these staggering numbers and the process by which foster children's pictures were taken and presented to prospective parents, saying that, "all the children looked the same."
She single-handedly took on the task of changing that process. She contacted every photographer she heard of and asked them if they would be willing to volunteer their expertise in helping capture the spirit and personality of each individual child in hopes of giving potential families a true sense of the child they were considering for adoption.
Since that time, with the help and creativity of volunteer photographers both professional and amateur from across the nation, as well as the generous support of individuals and organizations, the Heart Gallery exhibits have resulted in thousands of requests for information. Adoptions among these "hard to place" children has shown a significant increase by proving successful in dozens of cities and states, including Connecticut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Washington, Florida and more recently, Texas.
The Heart Gallery's unique strategy for finding homes for America's foster children has been featured in People magazine and The New York Times, and on MSNBC, CNN, ABC World News Tonight and the Today Show.
�We�re not marketing children,� stated Granito in an article. �We�re marketing adoption as a positive alternative for families.�
��The more information we can give families through videos, photographs and articles that we write about these kids, the better chance they have to get to know them, and the less likely they are to take home the wrong child,� said Denice Grugle, who has been instrumental in organizing and bringing the Heart Gallery to East Texas.�
Grugle, who was raised with an adopted big sister, is the publisher of the East Texas magazines "Bride and Beyond" and "As They Grow ... "
�She said when she first heard about the Heart Gallery while snow skiing in New Mexico in January, she immediately felt a pressing desire to become involved with the program and bring it to East Texas where she lives and works.�
�It�s something that I had to do,� she said. �This was just kind of my calling. Some people say they get that calling from God to be in ministry. This is my ministry. This is my calling. �
�Grugle said once she became aware of Heart Gallery, its purpose and what it involved, she realized she already knew how to do everything it would take to organize a successful Heart Gallery of East Texas.�
�It�s almost like I have been trained specifically for this,� Grugle explained. �I know all the right people and photographers. I know how to do everything it takes to pull this off. And I think it�s everybody�s duty to help if they can, whether it is to help hurricane victims, foster children or whatever.�
�Grugle knows from personal experience what blessings adoption can bring to entire families.�
�I can�t imagine my life without my sister,� she said. �She has taught me so much, and everything I do amazes her. She�s my cheerleader.�
�Since becoming involved with the Heart Gallery, Grugle, who has two children of her own, says she and her husband plan to take parenting classes and training courses that will allow them to foster and adopt a child.�
�There are too many homeless kids out there who need families,� she said.�
According to both Grugle and Osborn, adoption is easier and less expensive than people imagine. And in most cases, it takes the same amount of time as a full-term pregnancy -- without all the discomfort and medical expense.
�It does take approximately nine months to go through the process,� explained Osborn. �But it is really not difficult to adopt. And as for the question of how much does it cost, the answer is �nothing.���
Families interested in adopting or fostering a child would start by attending informational meetings, or orientations, that discuss the scope and requirements of being a foster or adoptive parent.
The next step is to choose an agency, either private or the state.
�Private agencies do it a little different, but we all have basically the same guidelines to follow,� Osborn explained. �These agencies would then talk to families to make sure they have the type of child they are looking for.�
�After orientation, information packets are sent out, as well as forms to sign up for the parenting classes and training course. If those are returned, letters are then sent out inviting them to various classes.�
�All foster and adoptive families go through mandatory training classes that take 30 hours to complete,� said Osborn, who added that faith-based programs are offered through churches that can be done in less time, but continue into other phases of the process.�
�The state does everything up front, then you�re through with it,� Osborn said.
�The training classes are meant to teach families more about the children they have available, and assess parents� strengths and weaknesses in caring for abused and neglected children. According to Grugle, the longer a child has been in foster care, the more emotional needs they are likely to have.�
�You�re dealing with sometimes physical, but more often, emotional and behavioral problems,� explained Osborn, whose own parents have fostered 29 children. �The longer a child has been in care, the more moves they likely have made, and that�s just so unsettling. Consequently, they are not going to be very good at trusting.�
�The fourth step in the process is a home study. Background checks will be done, and a caseworker will visit the home. The purpose is to discuss personal history, family interests and lifestyle, child-care experiences, the types of children the applicants feel would best fit in their home, and their strengths and skills in meeting the children�s needs. Basic requirements and policies are covered in a 25-page booklet that asks lots of questions, according to Osborn.�
�There is no fee until you hire an attorney,� explained Grugle. �And then you get that back. There is virtually no expense when dealing with the state. Everything is covered.�
�According to Osborn, foster parents get reimbursed for expenses, and adoptive families of �hard to place� children are eligible for subsidies, which means a monetary monthly payment to help families with extra expenses, Medicaid and an amount up to $1,500 for �non-reccurring expenses,� (attorney�s fees, in other words). Even tuition costs at state colleges are waived for adopted children who fall into the category of �hard to place.��
�Adoption is a commitment of your time and love,� said Osborn. �We want good families for our kids. With these older children it is a bit different. They need someone who can be their friend, and give them the guidance they need. They desperately want a family to call their own.�
�Just like all kids, these children need to learn love, ethics and morals,� said Grugle. �And forgive me, but I�m sorry, I just don�t think the state, as their parents, can give them those things. I believe there is a perfect family out there for every child, and the perfect child is out there for every family. If we can keep the Heart Gallery unique, abstract and off the wall, we�re going to be able to keep the media�s and public�s interest. And that means the more homes we are going to find for these children.�
For more information about the Heart Gallery of East Texas, log on to:
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Looking for News-Telegram Sports and News Archives for January 2004 - November 2008


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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate students from the Department of City and Regional Planning received guidance and expertise from several HSRC researchers during the Fall 2005 semester. The Center took on the pedestrian planning class, which included topics such as conforming to Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines and engineering improvements.
Dr. Doug Robertson, HSRC's director, served as the luncheon speaker for the 2005 North Carolina School Bus Safety Conference.
Speaking to a group of transportation directors, assistant superintendents and others responsible for student safety, Robertson presented research from The Relative Risks of School Travel: A National Perspective and Guidance for Local Community Assessment.
"Children are at far more risk traveling to and from school in private passenger vehicles — especially if a teen-age driver is involved — than in school buses," said Robertson.
According to the study, an average of 800 children died and 152,000 children were injured yearly during school travel between 1991and 1999. Passenger vehicle crashes were responsible for 75 percent of those deaths and 84 percent of the injuries, and bicycle and pedestrian crashes represented 22 percent of deaths and 11percent of injuries. School bus travel was the safest form of travel studied, with crashes involving school buses accounting for only 2 percent of deaths and 4 percent of injuries.
The most risky form of school travel is in cars driven by teenagers. While cars with teen drivers accounted for only 14 percent of student school trips, teens were at the wheel when over half of the injuries and fatalities occurred. Fourteen and fifteen year-olds were most likely to be hurt or killed as passengers in cars operated by a teenage driver.
The report was produced by a committee of school transportation experts convened by the National Academies' Transportation Research Board and was sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Robertson served as chair of this committee.
It is estimated that between 1.5 million and 3 million crashes occur annually as a result of distracted drivers, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that drivers aged 16 to 20 are four times as like to be involved in a distraction related crash.
To obtain a better understanding of the North Carolina teen's perspective on distracted driving, the North Carolina Executive Committee for Highway Safety (ECHS) will conduct a series of discussions with teens from across the state. As a part of the Keeping Drivers Alert working group, these discussions will serve as a springboard for an integrated outreach campaign to reduce fatalities and injuries caused by distracted driving. HSRC Director Doug Robertson, Associate Director for Social and Behavior Research Jane Stutts and Public Relations Manager Katy Jones serve on this working group.
The ECHS "strives to identify, prioritize, promote and support all emphasis areas in the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (ASSHTO) Strategic Highway Safety Plan as well as emphasis areas not included in the AASHTO Plan for the coordinated North Carolina highway safety effort to save lives and reduce injuries."
The University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center
730 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Suite 300 | Campus Box 3430 | Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3430
Phone: 919.962.2203 | Fax: 919.962.8710


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Note: This message is displayed if (1) your browser is not standards-compliant or (2) you have you disabled CSS. Read our Policies for more information.
The DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife is reviewing and compiling your ideas on fishing, hunting, trapping and other fish-and-wildlife-related regulations in Indiana, including special permits entered in the Got INput online form. A summary of all comments will be available on this page at a later date.
After May 15, the Division of Fish & Wildlife staff will evaluate all comments and seek approval on rule changes to present to the Natural Resources Commission for preliminary adoption. No rule proposals would take effect this year.


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Bullet is a drop dead gorgeous QH gelding. Bred old school cutter he is a very athletic gelding$7,500
Playgirl is a daughter of PLAYDOX (NCHA - $52,887.95, $2+ Million Dollar Sire ) out of a daughter of MR SAN PEPPY. She is very sweet and laid back. Playgirl…SOLD
Futurity Prospect Deluxe!!! Super Quiet and gentle youth colt. Moose is a gorgeous own son of Cougarand (NCHA $3950.06 NCHA COA. 1996 NTCHA $3000 Novice…SOLD
Playgirl looks just like her sire Playdox (NCHA - $52,887.95, NCHA Futurity Open Finalist, $2+ Million Dollar Sire). She is broke to ride and very consistent…SOLD
Buttermilk is a gorgeous buttermilk dunskin grandson of Peptos Stylish Oak (NCHA - $5,680 2 million dollar sire) and Playdox (NCHA $52,887.95). He has…SOLD


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Return to Index
New XMV Tune Kit adds up to 80 fps to Ruger Air Hawk
July 1 2012 at 12:33 PM
Stephen Archer
Archer Airguns has introduced a new tune kit for Ruger Air Hawk and Blackhawk air rifles.
This kit enables the owner to eliminate the well-known problem of low muzzle velocity caused by incorrectly-fitting breech seals. In many of these guns, there is actually no contact at all between the breech seal and the front of the compression chamber - the result is that air leaks at the unsealed compression chamber/barrel interface, causing low muzzle velocity. In these cases, the XMV Tune Kit can easily add 80 fps to the muzzle velocity of these guns. In the case of our primary test gun, the muzzle velocity increased from 806 fps to 886 fps by using the XMV Tune Kit - even with the same pellets.
The tune kit comprises high precision shims and breech seals that far exceed the standard factory seals in consistency and leak prevention. Also included are comprehensive instructions that detail how to install the kit as applicable to your individual gun.
You can see the new XMV Tune Kit at
Another new kit includes the contents of the XMV Tune Kit and combines it with a tin of precision Stoeger X-Speed lead-free pellets. Using these pellets in conjunction with the new shims and seals leads to an increase in muzzle velocity of around 350fps compared to the same gun in factory condition shooting average lead pellets! Our test gun was shooting 1153 fps with these pellets and the XMV Tune Kit in place!
Unlike many lead-free pellets that I've tested, the Stoeger X-Speed pellets are accurate - even at ranges of 40-50 yards - and still have a good, flat trajectory.
You can see the new XMV Tune Kits at:
Of course, the XMV Tune Kits also fit other air rifles with a similar breech seal configurations, including the Ruger Air Hawk Elite, Ruger Air Magnum, RWS 34, Xisico XS25 family and XS28M.
For the first time, there is now a kit that enables a professional, predictable and precise solution to this long-standing issue at low cost
If you're interested in the background data collection, testing and theory of this simple yet effective Archer Airguns up-grade, you can read my ebook at
Stephen Archer
Archer Airguns Inc.
Online stores
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It was like witnessing the last two weeks of the life of a blind and toothless dog you knew the vet was just itching to destroy.
The mechanisms for enforcing the rules are toothless and totally unsuited for the task at hand.
But he will still hold sway over the newspapers under their toothless grip.
This man, the man of the left, says in private 'the toothless,' proud of his quip.
The interview was so toothless, it felt more like eavesdropping on two patrons having lunch at the Sizzler.
The aged face, the sunken, toothless mouth are his distinguishing marks.
Then smiling a wide, toothless smile, she laid her finger on her lips.
We have already gone far on a course that leads to the coming of a toothless age in future generations.
Across the face, like a gash, the toothless, grinning mouth.
Large spectacles of high magnifying power distorted the eyes, and the toothless mouth was absurdly small.


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Jan. 19, 2010, Las Vegas – Energy efficiency retrofits—like installing programmable thermostats, beefing up insulation, and sealing ducts—are keys to upselling customers on other remodeling projects in this depressed housing market, New Jersey remodeler Bill Asdal told attendees at the International Builders' Show.
During a session on energy-efficient upgrades and programs, the owner of Asdal Builders said professional builders and remodelers can immediately profit from offering energy efficiency testing services, because they are in demand and because "people are offering testing services that don't know anything about building."
Still, most important is building confidence with clients. Once the pro builds a relationship and gains the homeowners' trust, he can sell them on additional services. "The epicenter of the housing industry is relationships," Asdal said. "You can make people do things because of relationships. We need to preserve relationships."
"Give them good information ... and keep on serving them well, and they will keep trusting you," said Asdal, a National Association of Home Builders Remodeler of the Year. "If they trust you, you can upsell them."
Lew Pratsch, of the Building Technologies Program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), said during the panel discussion that energy retrofits are paying off handsomely for some pros. For example, he noted that one Oregon firm, Neil Kelly Design/Build, anticipates that 60 percent of its jobs in 2010 will be energy retrofits.
Asdal said there are three ways to reduce a home's energy costs:
1. Influence consumer behavior.
2. Suppress energy consumption with a range of low-cost solutions.
3. Install advanced technologies.
He further commented that persuading homeowners to use compact fluorescent bulbs or install a programmable thermostat is relatively easy. "Everyone should have a programmable thermostat," Asdal said, noting that the payback in utility savings is only 1.3 years.
But, the remodeler said, sometimes it's difficult to influence some consumer behaviors. For example, one client refused to give up her 1977 top-mount refrigerator even after Asdal offered to pay for a new one.
Meanwhile, convincing homeowners to install advanced technologies—such as photovoltaic panels or geothermal heat pumps—is difficult because of the high initial costs. But, he continued, pros should focus on the energy savings and health benefits to the home's occupants, and not the return on investment.
In order to upsell clients, Asdal advised, the pro should discover what criteria are most important to them, including initial cost, life cycle cost, social responsibility, contractor and peer pressure (keeping up with the Joneses), and warranties. And although homeowners may have other ideas, he said pros' energy upgrade priorities should be, in order:
1. Pre- and post-testing
2. Air sealing
3. Beefing up insulation
4. Mechanical upgrades
5. Appliance upgrades
6. Envelope enhancements
7. Electrical control upgrades
8. Mechanical redesigns (solar hot water and photovoltaic and wind technologies)
One contractor in the audience asked if Asdal felt there was a conflict of interest—real or perceived—for doing energy audits and then performing the retrofit work. Asdal replied "no," because pre- and post-testing services are still so new.
Also during the session, Pratsch said pros aren't doing enough to promote energy retrofits—and thus boost their bottom lines. "You've got to go out and speak about the benefits," he said. "Sales and marketing are very important."
Pratsch concluded his comments by saying that green retrofits are "the best growth opportunity in the housing industry," but added, "we don't know how to do it to scale." He said that there are about 25,000 whole-house energy retrofits completed annually, but that 1 million homes per year need upgrades before the United States witnesses significant nationwide energy savings.
"It needs to be done on a production builder basis," he said.
Jean Dimeo is chief editor, online, for EcoHome.


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Reunion Between Firefighter and Rescued Toddlers; 58 Years LaterAt just 2 and 3 years old, a brother and sister's lives were saved when they were pulled from their family's burning home by firefighters.
Md. Firefighter Fights To Get Kids Back From Wife Who Fled CountryA firefighter has been fighting to get his two young children back after his estranged wife took them out of the country.
Newly Found Blood Vials Allow for Funeral of 9/11 Fire ChiefThousands gather to remember firefighter who died in the Sept. 11 attacks.
Former Volunteer Firefighter Gets 7 Years In Arson CaseA former volunteer firefighter has been sentenced to seven years in prison for setting fires.
D.C. Firefighter Dies In The Line Of Duty D.C. firefighter Lieutenant Kevin McRae has died after fighting a large apartment fire.
Fallen Firefighter Laid To Rest After Harford County AccidentFinal farewell. Hundreds gather for a funeral of a Bel Air volunteer firefighter who died trying to help someone else.
Community Honoring Paramedic Killed While On The JobBlack flags are flying at fire stations across Harford County after an EMT and volunteer firefighter is tragically killed trying to help a patient. WJZ"s Rochelle Ritchie has the details.
Volunteer Firefighter Charged In Several ArsonsAuthorities say a volunteer firefighter from Cumberland has been charged with setting several fires in the city.
Baltimore Fire Lieutenant Who Died In Line Of Duty HonoredFallen hero, laid to rest. Firefighters from across the country turn out to honor Baltimore fire lieutenant James Bethea, who died in the line of duty earlier this month.
Actions Of Dispatcher May Have Kept Fallen City Firefighter From Being Found SoonerNew information on the death of a Baltimore City firefighter found dead in a vacant home hours after being dispatched to a scene.
Firefighter Injured After Falling From Roof Of Vacant BuildingA firefighter is hurt responding to a call in Southwest Baltimore.
Firefighter Injured Battling Baltimore House FireA Baltimore firefighter has been injured while battling a house fire.


text: The Rookie-level Pioneer League is always a tricky league to evaluate, as it's somewhat of a tweener circuit. The Diamondbacks and Rockies don't have complex-based teams so their PL club serves as their lowest-level U.S. affiliate. By contrast, the other six organizations in the league don't have teams in the New-York Penn or Northwest leagues, so their PL clubs are their highest-level half-season affiliates. The dichotomy creates an interesting mix of talent in the hitter-friendly league, with players ranging from raw Latin American prospects to much more polished college draft picks.


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Here's a red band trailer for No Strings Attached, the Ashton Kutcher-Natalie Portman comedy which Paramount Pictures releases January 21.
Hot Red Band Trailer: 'No Strings Attached'
40 Comments
The Friends With Benefits movie with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake looks soooo much better.
OMG. Stupidest F-ing movie ever. And that's just the trailer. AK has got to be the worst psuedo star on the planet. Poor Natalie.
Poor Natalie? Please. Nobody forced her to make this crap. I'm sure she's crying all the way to the bank.
Painful with a capital P.
There goes Natalie's OSCAR !! – didn't a terrible "Eddie Murphy" release right at Oscar time put the kabootz on that one?
You're thinking of Norbit, I think. This isn't quite as embarrassing as that, and Portman's so good in Black Swan this might not matter. But pretty awkward timing.
this looks so unfunny for a studio comedy…
Oh no, Natalie's pulling a Norbit…
I can't wait to see this. Sucker for this type of film.
Kids, this pic looks like a real stinker.
Read this script, the BL draft called "Fuckbuddies" by Liz Meriweather. I'm not partial to female writers (not cos I'm misogynist – I just DON'T like them) but this was fucking hilarious. Irreverent (not gross-out) humor from the page 1 debate on why it's called being fuckbuddies up until the final sequence. Sure, the pacing was a bit off, the second act dragged on a little long, but when I read a comedy I look for laughs. And this script had me laughing out loud for 120 pages. I don't know what they turned that script into when cameras rolled, but seriously, this script was a home-run for someone who's predisposed to hate it.
Actually, you are a misogynist.
"I'm not a misogynist- I just DON'T like them…" The definition of a misogynist is that you don't like women. If you generalize a statement that you don't like female writers, you make the false assumption that women writers are all the same or that they all share the same sensibilities, like we all write romantic comedies all the time.
It's like saying I'm not a racist, I just don't like black people.
Nice one, Chris.
The lady doth protest too much, "Chris."
So is this Natalie Portman's Boat Trip/Catwoman etc?
The question is are Portman and Kevin Klein slumming, or is Ashton Kutcher finally in a half decent movie? The consensus seems to be the former.
Saying is this Natalie's "Catwoman" compares her to Halle Berry. Natalie Portman is NO Halle Berry.
the question is, who's a worse actor in this?
Agree with the first post.. The Friends With Benefits movie looks 1000% more interesting and better than this. Desperation to release a redband trailer 2 weeks before the film is supposed to hit theaters. I never even heard of this film until today. Now I know why.
Yo, numbskulls, Ivan Reitman directed that. Respect, please. It doesn't look "painful" or "OMG, stupidest movie ever, sincerely, super bitch bag." It looks… enjoyable. Not bad. Not terrible. Not great either. Just enjoyable. Chill out. And, oh, yeah, Ashton Kutcher is still in movies because he should be. He has very little range, but he's good at what he does.
Hey genius, Ivan Reitman also directed My Super Ex-Girlfriend and hasn't made a decent film since the Clinton administration. You're the one who needs to chill. It's not our fault you have no taste in movies and enthusiastically consume whatever slop is served up to you.
This is such a miss.
Men won't want to see it because it looks like a boring relationship movie.
Women won't want to see it because it doesn't look romantic.
Don't you people realize that this is brilliant it was written by a hot female blogger how can you not see the genius of it? You also overlook the comedic directorial mastery of Ivan Reitman. Shame on all of you, apologize immediately for your stupidity.
Not a very high standard for what constitutes a "hot" trailer, huh?
Hmmm… you guys are so negative!
I just watched this and thought it looked really funny. I like Ashton and Portman and it looks like they have some good chemistry together. Definitely had some funny lines, I'm going to check it out.
I am confused why one of these movies hasn't moved. The Timberlake movie is the same thing, and comes out weeks after.
And frankly I want to see neither of them.
Another twenty-something romantic angst movie, chock full o' the word 'fuck' as a comedic device.
If the trailer shows the 'best' scenes, I can't imagine how bad the others play. C'mon Hollywood. Stop trying to clone Apatow pictures and write some original, witty dialogue. I actually felt sorry for Natalie when she dropped the 'F' bomb in the restaurant scene.
I'm sorry but I really don't mean to sound like a hater which most posters do on this site just to spite popular opinion whether its negative or positive…but this really does look like canned-wannabe provactive shit.
For one thing I am so sick and tired of self conscious actors and their no nudity clauses. Sexy lite doesn't interest me in the least bit. We get shots of her back and Ashton strategically covering the sides of her breast with his palms. What the hell?! You're not 12 years old anymore. And most importantly I don't buy these people. Which the death knell for any rom-com. Good luck. The Timberlake-Kunis movie looks waaaaaaay better.
I won't see it mostly because I abhor Ashton Kutcher. He is just not likable. This could of been a hit if say anyone else had Kutchers role in this.
It looks like all those dead birds are right, we're doomed. More like
"fucking" doomed.
"He has very little range, but he's good at what he does." is the best quote since "the food is so bad and the portions are so small!"
Love all the haters declaring this an awful movie.
They would have said the exact same thing about Something About Mary.
As Richard Dawson used to say, "Survey Says…" The Box Office will tell the tale.
Funny trailer, several laugh lines, Natalie Portman is hot, Kutcher doing what he does best.
R-Rated romcom WIN.
Good for Paramount. They finally made a romantic comedy not directed by Nancy Meyers and starring Kate Hudson.
Whoops. Richard Dawson. Not Bob Barker.
Need coffee.


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Winter Benefit: 'The Need for Chocolate' - Celebrating Susan Cheever - Hudson Valley Writer's Center (HVWC)
Hours: 4:30pm
Ages: TE,AD
Price: $50
300 Riverside Drive - 914-332-5953
Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591
Description: Celebrate the work of poet, writer, artist, and teacher Mary Cheever at the Slapering Hol Press Winter Benefit, "The Need for Chocolate." This event will benefit the SHP and will include readings from Cheever's "The Need for Chocolate." Reservations are $50 (fully tax deductible) and will include champagne, hors d'oeuves, and of course, chocolate. RSVP by December 12.


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The impressive 60-metre luxury yacht Lyana was photographed this summer cruising the beautiful Mediterranean destination of the Aeolian Islands of Sicily. The photos show Lyana superyacht near one of the seven islands and a popular yacht charter destination, Panarea.
Motor yacht Lyana, previously known as Sofia, was launched in 2011 by the well known and prestigious luxury yacht builder Benetti Yachts, under the project name FB248. Measuring 60 metres in length, this spectacular vessel offers her guests beautiful and elegant interior, designed by Francois Zuretti Design. Her exterior lines, on the other hand, are a result of outstanding work by Stefano Natucci.
Stylish accommodation aboard Lyana yacht is provided in six staterooms to a maximum number of 12 guests, including four double cabins, two twin and one convertible cabin.
Some of the most important features of motor yacht LYANA include the zero-speed stabilisers for comfortable stay on board. Furthermore her guests can relax in an eight-person hot tub on her sundeck, a gymnasium with a rowing machine and a treadmill, unwind thanks to an onboard masseuse, a beach club off the stern; and when the sun goes down, there is the professional-quality discotheque setup on the top deck. Other features are the high-speed satellite communication system and the big-screen projector on the aft deck.
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- Additional photos of the 134m SERENE yacht on the French Riviera
- Photos of the 119m Blohm+Voss mega yacht 'A' on the French Riviera
- Charter special for the 43m CRN luxury motor yacht HANA in the Western Mediterranean


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BERLIN (AP) Barack Obama's speech to a huge Berlin crowd sent a "positive signal" to Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Friday, praising the presidential candidate's focus on working with America's partners.
Obama addressed more than 200,000 people at the capital's Victory Column on Thursday evening after meeting Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the first leg of a three-country European tour.
"From the point of view of the chancellor and the government, the speech is a positive signal for Europe and to Europe," spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm told reporters. Obama "underlined the fact that the challenges of the 21st century can only be tackled together, only in international cooperation -- that corresponds with the German government's position."
Wilhelm said the priorities Obama named matched those of Germany.
"A common resolution of international conflicts, a common fight against climate change, a clear initiative on the question of disarmament, dealing with the challenges of international terrorism -- all these questions can no longer be resolved by one country alone, but only in close international cooperation that also involves international organization," Wilhelm said.
Still, the Democratic candidate's speech also pointed to possible trans-Atlantic tensions over missions in Afghanistan and elsewhere under the next U.S. president. He declared that "Americans and Europeans alike will be required to do more -- not less" on security.
Germany has more than 3,000 soldiers in Afghanistan, mostly in the relatively peaceful north. Although it plans to increase its contingent and has taken over a quick reaction force in the north, it has repeatedly resisted pressure from its NATO partners to send troops to the volatile south.
"We have repeatedly made clear that ... we are doing what we can with the means we have," Wilhelm said. "I see no shortcomings as far as Germany's commitment is concerned."
Steinmeier arrived in Afghanistan Friday on an unannounced four-day visit to the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Stefan Bredohl said. He was discussing reconstruction in the western city of Herat on his first stop.
Obama's speech was lauded by German newspapers.
"Prince America embraces Berlin," screamed the headline in the capital's B-Z tabloid across a full page photo of Obama.
"He was celebrated like a pop star," said the top-selling Bild.
Obama was set to fly to Paris later Friday where he will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and take part in a joint news conference. Afterward he was to fly to London before heading back to the U.S.
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High Energy Theory Seminar - IAS - Joe Polchinski, KITP, University of California, Santa Barbara - Black Holes: Complementarity or Firewalls?
I argue that the following three widely believed statements cannot all be true: (i) Hawking radiation is in a pure state, (ii) the information carried by the radiation is emitted from the region near the horizon, with low energy effective field theory valid beyond some microscopic distance from the horizon, and (iii) the infalling observer encounters nothing unusual at the horizon. Perhaps the most conservative resolution is that the infalling observer burns up at the horizon. Alternatives would seem to require novel dynamics that nevertheless cause notable violations of semiclassical physics at macroscopic distances from the horizon.
Location: Bloomberg Lecture Hall - Institute for Advanced Study
Date/Time: 12/10/12 at 2:30 pm - 12/10/12 at 3:30 pm
Category: High Energy Theory Seminar
Department: Physics


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Rumor Alert: Has MTV Canceled "The City"?
Oh noes, Whitney Port and Olivia Palermo might have lost their fake jobs! Fashionista.com is reporting that MTV is canceling "The City" after this season. Rumor has it, MTV is booting Palermo off the network because she was cutting into Snooki's pickle budget. Just kidding! We don't know why "The City" would be canceled or if the rumor is even true. Frankly, we're surprised the "Hills" spin-off lasted this long: Whitney Port has always been très boring, non? The only character we'll miss is Kelly Cutrone, the People's Revolution fashion PR girl. Thankfully, Kelly's got her own show, "Kell On Earth," on Bravo — but considering she's one of Whitney Eve's biggest advocates, this won't be the last we've seen of Whitney yet. Palermo, however, can crawl back from whence she came. [Fashionista]


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Remedy can work within existing provider network arrangements or create entirely new contractual networks for managing bundled payment programs. Remedy's approach is customized to the unique characteristics of each local health care market. We rely on engaging providers in new ways of working together to closely manage transitions of care and create a successful care team around each patient. Our services can be the Complete Outsourced Solution or payers can utilize elements of Remedy's Products + Services to achieve targeted outcomes.
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Bundled Payments can be integrated into the benefit designs of self funded employers, to encourage employees and their dependents to take a more active role in managing health care spending. Benefit designs can provide rewards to employees for utilizing Bundled Payment Care Teams who have agreed to deliver a range of services for a pre-determined price. The team at Remedy has also helped design benefit structures that use Episode Allowances, a sort of 'budget' inside your benefit plan for certain episodes of care. This creates a powerful incentive for employees to utilize Bundled Payment Care Teams.
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General Activities:
1. Use KWL charts (columns of "what do you know," "what do you want to learn," and "what have you learned") to direct the learning.
2. Pupils color the Nebraska Trailblazer picture, "Making Camp On the Trail: Along the Platte River," pupils write a short story describing an experience they might have had at that time. Use Resource Sheet 1 for an overhead transparency or to make coloring page copies for your students.
3. Pupils pretend to be a family in Indiana trying to decide whether or not to journey West to make a new home. What are some things that the family might consider before making the move?
4. Using the Oregon Trail diary excerpts from the Resource Sheet 2, pupils make shadow boxes to interpret the experience of travelers on the Oregon Trail.
5. Pupils can make papier mache' models of Chimney Rock, Courthouse Rock, and Scotts Bluff.
6. If available, pupils could make use of the "Oregon Trail" computer program.
Map Activities:
1. On the Nebraska Trailblazer map entitled "Places You Can Visit on the Oregon Trail," pupils can illustrate the following landmarks found in the Nebraska Trailblazer:
Chimney Rock
Courthouse Rock
Scotts Bluff
Ash Hollow
Rock Creek Station
Research Activities:
1. Pupils could research, illustrate, and write reports on the following topics:
Fort Laramie
Fort Kearny
Rock Creek Station
Nebraska City
Mormon Handcarts
Scotts Bluff
Chimney Rock
Courthouse Rock
Ash Hollow
O'Fallon's Bluff
Prairie Schooner
Mormon Trail
Oregon Trail
2. Using the same topics, pupils could pretend they were traveling on the Oregon Trail and keep a journal or diary of their experiences. Pupils may examine pages from an actual diary using Resource Sheet 3 and write on paper styled from that period using Resource Sheet 4.
Field Trips:
1. Visit an Oregon Trail site near you!


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Mysterious Death Of Broward Toddler Under Investigation
A 2-year-old boy is dead and cops are trying to figure out why.
The Broward Sheriff's Office says it received a call just before 1:30 a.m. advising that an unresponsive baby, who had been transported to Florida Medical Center by the mother, was pronounced dead.
BSO is at the family's home in Oakland Park investigating.
credit Broward Sheriff's Office