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Notes on surface brightness
Posted 27 March 2013 - 06:32 PM
This told me that a flat surface will have a surface brightness equal to that of the mean surface brightness of the hemisphere it faces, multiplied by that surface's albedo.
If we take the paper's reflectance as 85%, the surface brightness should be 0.85 times the averaged surface brightness of the sky and any objects protruding higher than the horizon (including me). I forget the numbers, but indeed the paper reading was a bit dimmer than the sky readings by about the expected degree.
By extension, if the light source does not occupy a full hemisphere, the surface brightness on a surface facing it scales as the ratio of the solid angle of the source to the area of a hemisphere. An example.
The Sun has a diameter of 1/2 degree and a surface brightness of -10.6 magnitudes per square arcsecond. What is the surface brightness of a tropical beach having an albedo of 0.45, under the midday sun?
Because of the small angle, we can calculate the Sun's angular area in the usual way, obtaining 0.196 deg^2. And we can use the area of a hemisphere in degrees, which is ~20,000 deg^2. We see that the Sun occupies 0.196 / 20,000 = 0.0000098 of the sky. The beach has a surface brightness fainter than that of the Sun by a factor of 0.0000098 * 0.45 = 0.0000044. In magnitudes, this is 2.5 * LOG (0.0000044) = 13.39. And so the beach has a surface brightness of -10.6 + 13.4 = 2.8 magnitudes per square arcsecond.
Another problem. What is the contribution to surface brightness at the ground when a -8m Iridium flare occurs?
We can integrate the light over a hemisphere. 20,000 deg^2 is 20,000 * 12,960,000 = 2.592 * 10^11 arcsec^2. With the light of a -8m point source spraed over the whole sky, one square arcsecond would be 2.592 * 10^11 times fainter, or 2.5 LOG ( 2.592 * 10^11) = 28.5 magnitudes fainter. The surface brightness contribution from a -8m Iridium flare would be -8 + 28.5 = 20.5 magnitudes per square arcsecond.
If we are concerned with the *relative* contribution to ground illumination, albedo need not be considered. Suppose the sky's average brightness was 20.5 MPSAS. The contribution from it and the -8m flare would then be equal. This means the ground will become twice as bright, and shadows will be seen.
But suppose the sky's mean brightness was 19 MPSAS. The flare's light is 1.5 magnitudes, or 4X fainter. Compared to the 19 MPSAS shadow, the ground outside is the combination of the 19 sky and the 20.5 flare, which is 25% brighter. Shadows should still be seen, but not easily.
A final problem, involving an angularly large source. This is illustrate the concept of solid angle.
What is the surface brightness of a surface having an albedo of 0.45 (same as our beach earlier), but when the Sun is only 0.01 AU distant?
Naively, we would say it's 10,000X brighter because we're 100X nearer to the Sun. But we shall encounter a divergence...
From a distance of 0.01 AU the Sun subtends an angular diameter of 55 degrees (not the 50 degrees perhaps at first assumed, due to the viewing geometry). Because of the large angular size, we must calculate the solid angle, for the source behaves as a section of a sphere occupying a not considerable fraction of a hemisphere. The solid angle of the 55 degree wide (27.5 degree radius) Sun in steradians (sr) is
2 Pi SIN^2 (27.5) = 1.34 sr
A hemisphere occupies 2 Pi, or 6.28 sr. We see the Sun occupies 1.34 / 6.28 = 0.21 of a hemisphere, and so the surface brightness of our surface is 0.21 * 0.45 = 0.095 times as bright as the Sun's surface. This is 2.5 * LOG (0.095) = 2.6 magnitudes fainter, making our surface -10.6 + 2.6 = -8 MPSAS.
How much brighter is our surface when 100X closer to the Sun? This scales directly as the solid angle of the solar surface. As we've seen, at 0.01 AU, the solid angle is 1.34 sr. From 1 AU, the 1/2 degree disk occupies 0.00012 sr, an area ratio of 12,000 (not the 10,000 based on the 100X distance ratio.) The surface has this got 12,000 times brighter when placed 100X nearer to the Sun.
Can you think of other problems to solve with these tools?
Posted 27 March 2013 - 08:11 PM
Posted 27 March 2013 - 10:24 PM
Posted 28 March 2013 - 06:08 AM
Posted 28 March 2013 - 06:12 AM
I tried this little experiment several years ago, with my then brand new Sky Quality Meter. Under the fairly dark sky at Starfest, I laid a sheet of white paper on the ground. I crouched so as to block the smallest amount of sky, and pointed the meter down at the paper. I got a reading that was pretty close to the average of a number of sky readings.
Interesting! That makes perfect sense, though I suspect it depends a good deal on the paper. Better with matte than glossy. This seems like an inexpensive way to convert the narrow-field SQM-L to a wide-field averaging SQM.
Posted 28 March 2013 - 03:13 PM
"The Light of the Night Sky" by F. E. Roach, Janet L. Gordon (1973); but also to an earlier paper one of the authors wrote on the same subject: "The Light of the Night Sky: Astronomical, Interplanetary and Geophysical" by F. E. Roach, Space Science Reviews, Volume 3, Issue 4, pp.512-540:
One problem - it uses units called "S10" not MPSAS (there is an notational convention for MPSAS by the way: mag/(")^2).
How to convert?
Perusing a whole list of on-line references fails to find many that have this notion of converting these astronomical brightness units, and most units conversion resources seem to disdain photometry.
An S10 also called an S10vis or S10(vis) is defined as 10th Stellar Magnitudes/square degree, it is however a linear, not a logarithmic scale.
Let us recall the relationships between magnitude (an inverse logarithmic scale) and luminous intensity (a normal non-logarithmic physical scale):
(m1 - mref) = -2.5*log(I1/Iref)
[magnitude differences are equal to the logarithm of the intensity ratio multiplied by the conversion factor -2.5; used so that that an intensity ratio of 100 equals a 5 magnitude difference]
(I1/Iref) = 10^(-0.4*(m1 - mref))
[simply the converse of the above; converting from the magnitude difference to the intensity ratio]
Since we have
1 S10 = Mag. 10/deg^2
The S10 unit covers an solid arc (3600)^2 times larger than the MPSAS, also the scale is with reference to a dim magnitude 10 source, while the mag/(")^2 scale implicitly references a 0th magnitude which is 100*100=10000 times brighter. So the S10 is 1/10000 as much light spread over an area (3600)^2 larger so the intensity is 1/(100000*3600^2) = 7.716*10^-12 times dimmer.
That is:
10^(-0.4*(10 - 0))/(3600^2) = 7.71604938272*10^-12
m1 - mref = -2.5*log(10^(-0.4*(10 - 0))/(3600^2))
= -2.5*log(1/(10000*3600^2)) = 27.7815125038
And we can now write:
MPSAS = -(log(S10)*2.5 - 27.78)
See also:
Posted 28 March 2013 - 06:39 PM
How about working the conversions and supply a short list of the contributors to sky glow in mag/arcsec\^2? Thanks!
Posted 28 March 2013 - 11:24 PM
Good info! I've long wanted that book, but it's pricey.
How about working the conversions and supply a short list of the contributors to sky glow in mag/arcsec\^2? Thanks!
I am working on that very thing.
I am also inspired to do a write-up on photometry units - introducing them from first principles and providing a grand view of how they all inter-relate and how to convert them. There are a passel of units new, old (and very olde) and the literature is confusing. Bigger project though.
Posted 29 March 2013 - 09:52 AM
Skiff writes, "The main contributions to the natural skyglow are: the zodiacal light, the night-airglow ("permanent aurora"), and scattered starlight in the atmosphere. There are also contributions from such things as scattered extragalactic "cosmic" light, but these are so small that even now their actual values are known only as upper limits." The darkest professional observatory sites on the planet have natural night sky brightness of about 22 magnitudes per square arcsecond, which amateur observers can experience by visiting star parties hosted at true dark sky sites in the western U.S. and other locations around the world. To experience a significantly darker "night" sky would require billions of dollars and, literally, a team of rocket scientists. As Skiff writes, "To escape these major effects completely you'd have to go into space well out of the plane of the solar system. Just going into Earth orbit doesn't gain you much as far as dark sky since the zodiacal light is still there."
As observers, we are also interested in how much light from celestial objects is lost or absorbed before it reaches our eyes, binoculars and telescopes. This is called extinction and the primary contributors are Rayleigh scattering (scattering light by the atmosphere) and absorption of light by the ozone layer. The baseline absorption for Rayleigh scattering plus ozone extinction varies by the elevation of your site. At sea level, the figure is about 0.25 magnitude per airmass. At 2000 meters, baseline extinction is reduced to about 0.11 magnitude per airmass. Add to this baseline the extinction caused by aerosols (dust, volcanic ash, chemicals and other human pollutants), which can vary seasonally and is, of course, sporadically impacted by natural and human-caused events.
In addition to the Roach and Gordon book, Skiff cites several relevant publications in the scientific literature. Those articles include calculations anyone can use to accurately predict sky brightness for any site based on natural and artificial factors.
Bill in Flag
Posted 29 March 2013 - 01:20 PM
Scattered starlight must necessarily take a back seat to scattered airglow and scattered zodiacal light. Whatever source which most contributes to sky glow must be the primary source of atmospheric scatter. Scattered starlight is a minor contributor.


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Building on an initial assessment of constraints to development in Myanmar (Volume 1), this second volume provides analysis and policy recommendations in three key areas: structural transformation, education and skills, and financing development.
It finds that Myanmar faces a crucial few years to shape growth towards a higher, more sustainable and equitable trajectory. To succeed, it will require a transformation of the economy from an agrarian base reliant on small-scale agriculture at present towards a broad range of modern activities. Building up the right skills in the workforce will be essential to support this structural transformation.
Myanmar's transformation will also depend upon how effectively the country can mobilise and allocate the financial resources needed to support its development, which could amount to as much as an additional 5-10% of GDP on average over the next two decades.
Chapter 1. Assessment and recommendations
Chapter 2. Structural transformation towards a modern economy: Upgrading agriculture, manufacturing and services
Chapter 3. Filling the skills gap in Myanmar
Chapter 4. Providing the financial resources to support development
Full English publication / Full Burmese publication
Pocket Edition: English version / Burmese version
Press Release: English version / Burmese version / French version
Myanmar's success in achieving stable and sustainable growth will depend vitally on its ability to develop the institutional and social capital necessary to maintain macroeconomic and financial stability, to ensure the rule of law, to achieve environmentally sustainable development and to create an enabling environment for the private sector. To be sustainable, growth also needs to be more equitable and inclusive. Seizing the momentum created by the country's opening and internal peace process will be imperative.
Moreover, Myanmar's increasing population provides a demographic dividend which needs to be reaped in the next couple of decades to boost the potential of the economy. After that, the population will begin ageing and Myanmar risks getting old before the incomes and living standards of its people can significantly improve.
Read online:
Chapter 1. Myanmar at a crossroad
Chapter 2. Achieving stable and sustainable development
Chapter 3. For more inclusive growth and equitable opportunitiesFull publication Pocket Edition
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subset: commoncrawl


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May 27, 2016
Your next Consumers Energy bill will be a little lower.
The utility is issuing refunds to its natural gas customers.
Consumers has to refund more than $10 million because it hiked up rates from November 2009 through May of 2010 that were more than what was approved by the state public service commission.
Customers on average will see a refund of about $4.73 on their January bill.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or email@example.com.


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May 27, 2016
LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Twenty-eight new lawmakers are joining the GOP-controlled Michigan Legislature on the first day of the next two-year session.
The new House members were sworn in shortly after noon Wednesday along with those re-elected to the 110-member chamber. Senators are in the middle of their four-year terms.
Opening day is filled with pomp, smiles and excitement of choosing new seats before the real work begins weeks down the line. But acrimony over the GOP's passage of a right-to-work law in December lingered as hundreds of union demonstrators protested outside the Capitol.
Republican Jase Bolger is expected to be chosen to lead the House again.
Republican Gov. Rick Snyder will outline his agenda in next week's State of the State address. He will propose a budget in late January or early February.
Click Here to access the online Public Inspection File
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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|START Conference Manager
(Submission #15)
Today, the World Wide Web contains a vast collection of multimedia information sources which are mainly created and published by individuals. Image and video sharing services such as Flickr and YouTube pose new challenges in multimedia information indexing and retrieval and demand dynamic sets of solutions. Individuals are not just users but creators and indexers of multimedia information sources through activities such as tagging. Taxonomies and folksonomies based on user generated tags and descriptions of images are gaining popularity. Therefore, how to incorporate users tags into the process of indexing and retrieval needs urgent attention. Presenters on this panel will report results from various studies on image tagging and descriptions by people and provide recommendations for improving image indexing and retrieval system design.
|START Conference Manager (V2.54.4)
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This Is England
|Release Date: July 27, 2007
|Running Time: 98 mins.
|MPAA Rating: None
|Box Office: $327,919.00
|Genre: Biopic, Drama, Foreign, Period
Vicky McClure
Stephen Graham
Jack O'Connell
Thomas Turgoose
All Cast & Crew >>
Summary:It's 1983 and school is out. Twelve-year-old Shaun is a lonely boy growing up in a grim coastal town in northern England, whose father died fighting in the Falklands War. Over the course of the summer holiday he befriends a group of local skinheads. With his pent-up rage and frustration, Shaun finds exactly what he needs in the gang--mischief, mayhem and brotherhood. He also meets the volatile and boorish Combo, an older skinhead who sees himself in Shaun. Adopting Shaun as his protégé, Combo leads the gang down a hate spewing path that culminates in an irreversible act of violence.


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Budget is signed, but voters to get say
5 ballot measures will need approval
SACRAMENTO Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a budget plan yesterday that requires Californians to pay more for fewer services to avert what was widely considered to be a looming fiscal calamity for the state.
The legislation will launch sweeping tax increases, historic spending cuts and borrowing that amounts to more than 10 percent of the state's general fund to close a $42 billion deficit.
The governor made some final line-item vetoes yesterday totaling $1.3 billion. Most notably, the governor cut $400 million from the prison system and reduced budgets for other state constitutional officers by at least 10 percent.
Those officials had refused to comply with Schwarzenegger's order to furlough state workers two days each month. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a Democratic candidate for governor next year and a vocal critic of the budget cuts, took the biggest hit – a 62 percent reduction in his office budget.
Schwarzenegger and the state's legislative leaders spent more than three months – and one final, agonizing week – to find a compromise to address the budget crisis.
As painful as that process was, they now face a potentially tougher challenge: persuading voters to agree with their solution.
The budget compromise requires voter approval of five ballot measures during a May 19 special election.
The measures would set a cap on state spending and institute a rainy-day fund, authorize the state to sell bonds based on future lottery revenue, shift money from certain social programs and guarantee billions more for schools.
A sixth measure, placed on the ballot as part of last-minute deal-making to secure the final Republican vote, would be a constitutional amendment to freeze lawmakers' pay when the state runs a deficit.
Another constitutional amendment, planned for June 2010, would create an open-primary election system allowing voters to cross party lines and cast ballots for any candidate. The governor and other supporters say that change would bring more political moderates to a Legislature dominated by ideologues on the left and right.
The Republican governor said this week that it will be important to start campaigning and raising money for the budget-related measures immediately, with just three months until voters head to the polls. He said the spending cap and rainy-day fund, in particular, will improve the state's future fiscal health.
"We will continue to work with our most important partners – the people of our great state – to ensure we never again face the kind of catastrophic budget scenario we experienced this year," Schwarzenegger said in a statement released by his office.
But some critics contend the spending cap has loopholes and won't work as planned.
Schwarzenegger signed the package of 34 bills yesterday afternoon, but the event was not open to reporters – only photographers – and he made no public comments.
The budget-balancing plan reduces the state's general fund spending by $13 billion for the rest of this fiscal year and approves a $96.3 billion general fund budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.
Asking the electorate to approve essential elements of the budget is "a giant wild card," said Mark Baldassare, president of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Public Policy Institute of California.
Baldassare said Schwarzenegger and lawmakers have their work cut out for them trying to sell their agenda to voters, who are worried about their jobs, houses and savings, and are fed up with political deadlock and partisan sniping.
Rejection of any of the revenue-related ballot measures would require lawmakers to plug that fiscal hole later in the year.
"The voters are in a very sour mood, a negative mood, about the direction of the state and the performance of both the Legislature and the governor around budget issues," Baldassare said.


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A solemn recognition ceremony was held this Veterans Day weekend, to honor the families of 5 military members who gave their lives.
5 Gold Star families were recognized this evening by the group Honor and Remember at the Greenville Hilton.
Republican Congressman Walter Jones was the keynote speaker.
Gold Star families are those that have lost a loved one as a result of active duty service.
Honored were the families of Sgt. Lee Wilson, Technical Sergeant Phillip Meyers, Sgt. Howard Pittman Junior, Master Sgt. Scott Badgley, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Bruce Winter.
"America needs to do more of this, and I'm pleased with the crowd here tonight," said Rep. Jones, "It certainly is solemn when you look at the film on the wall and it shows the faces of the young men who didn't come home, some did come home, but they were so wounded both mentally and physically, that they had a tough time adjusting to life."
A silent auction was also held to benefit Honor & Remember.
For more information visit honorandremember.org.


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Dean Geyer! Where have you been all my life? And by all my life, I mean the past few months when we've barely seen you around town.
The Glee star was spotted in West Hollywood yesterday (March 24) doing some shopping at Top Shop. Seriously, how excited is everyone that LA finally has a Top Shop! Now enough about clothes, let's talk about Dean!
Specifically, how hot he is! Honestly, all of him was really working wonders yesterday. I gotta say, I'm more into Dean in his summer look than in a bundled up winter look. Well, that's only half true, as I'm into Dean no matter what he wears. Or doesn't wear. Now, you know how I know that Dean is a gem?
Because despite being on his day off and doing some personal shopping, he still took time out of his day to pose for photographs with fans. Love it! Those girls are gonna be so cool when they Instagram that photo. They'll just be the talk of the town!
Launch the gallery to check out all the super sexy and adorable Dean Geyer photos. Yup, he has the ability to be both at the same time. How much would you love to run into Dean? Or do you prefer another Glee cast member? Let us know in the comments!


text:
Rachel Schnold
O, Heavenly doctor! Who heals all hurts, give us good health in plenty, give us renewed strength!
Buying chickens for atonement.
The end's already nigh to sorrow, grief and every sigh; God is smoothing the way with good wishes and flowers.
Be blessed, our children! In the coming New Year, you will be the crowning glory of our people, you are the flag bearers!
Leshanah tovah tikatevu: "May you be inscribed for a Happy New Year." This Hebrew blessing, often heard at Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, was prevalent in writing as early as the 14th century. At that time, Rabbi Jacob HaLevi ben Moses Moellin proposed adding the words to every letter sent before the New Year, throughout the month of Elul (August-September) - a custom which has been perpetuated now for hundreds of years. Since the first half of the 19th century, people have been sending greeting cards for the New Year, but the practice existed in other forms even earlier.
Postal cards were first issued in Vienna on October 1, 1869, but only when picture postcards appeared in Germany around 1889, did they become widely popular. This popularity stemmed primarily from a reduction in postage - mailing a postcard cost about half as much as a stamp for a letter - and it was also influenced by the development of new photographic processes. The circulation of postcards reached its peak between 1898 and 1918, when the postcard craze swept across Europe.
The first postcards issued with the Jewish public in mind were unillustrated greeting cards for Rosh Hashanah, printed in Germany around 1879. When picture postcards specifically geared to the Jewish market appeared in about 1897, their use became widespread. This was also due to the vast waves of emigration to America by east European Jews. Even then, postcards were more than just a means of communication; collecting them became a hobby, and special albums were sold in which to arrange and keep them.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Warsaw was the hub of the Hebrew printing and publishing industry in Poland and Russia. Numerous Jewish publishing houses were in operation, including Jehudia, Altneuland, Lebanon, Sinai, Central and S. Resnik. The growing demand for postcards aroused keen competition among the publishers, and this generated a broad array of postcards, diverse in style and content. Many publishers - chiefly in eastern Europe - maintained an attachment to Jewish tradition and culture. In the German-speaking countries, the style and content of the postcards were less specifically Jewish in nature, and they depicted, among other things, inventions and innovations, like the airplane or zeppelin.
Postcards were inexpensive and accessible to all and, from the 1890s until the late 1930s, were an important means of communication, especially between family members who remained in eastern Europe and those who had emigrated to distant lands. Undoubtedly, the postcards, which were also circulated in America, made the new immigrants nostalgic for the old world and for the towns of their birth. They were also a source of education, pleasure and entertainment, and occasionally served as a voice of propaganda, at a time when illustrated newspapers were still in the embryonic stage and picture albums were not easily obtainable.
Most of the postcards that illustrate this article were printed by Jehudia Publishers in Warsaw between 1912-1918. They were originally part of a unique album of 249 postcards, discovered during construction work in the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto. The album is now preserved in the collection of the National Library in Warsaw. Many of the postcards are signed by the artist Hayyim Goldberg, who perished in the Holocaust. These greeting postcards - staged photographs - portray the Jewish way of life in the early 20th century, combining an attachment to Jewish tradition with the message of Zionism. Many of the postcards depict the actual sending of the greetings, and a number express the ideals of the Zionist movement as well as emigration to America - subjects which engrossed the Jewish people during that period. Some of the postcards have a humorous slant; some, a romantic air. A dominant subject is the yearly Jewish life-cycle; others depict scenes of everyday life or illustrate typical Jewish occupations and livelihoods.
Staging the photograph was the first step in preparing a postcard. The "actors" were posed in a studio setting that reproduced the interior of a Jewish home; the artist completed the picture by drawing in additional elements and retouching the photo. Finally, a short verse of Yiddish greetings was appended. Generally, the postcards were issued in three versions: colour, sepia, and black and white.
With their staged studio photographs and added drawn-in elements, the postcards help us become acquainted with the Jewish way of life in Poland. The photographs on the cards have a distinct documentary value and they are singular because they represent a type of popular art that was very prevalent among Jews and yet depended, to a great extent, on the mass production methods of the time. They offer us a glimpse of how Jews lived in Poland, as seen through the eyes of their contemporaries: the fashions and manner of dress, the mood of the people and their cultural tastes, the artists and prominent figures held in high regard by the general public and whose works and portraits were chosen to decorate the walls of the Jewish home.
By the turn of the century, some religious circles in Germany and Poland levelled criticism against the adoption of "foreign" fashions, primarily against the waste of money that this enterprise represented. Yet the extensive circulation of these postcards and the variety of styles attest to the large segments of the Jewish population, traditional and secular alike, who sent and enjoyed them. Today, all too often the postcards are the only documentation of a work of art that was lost or of a building that was destroyed during World War II.


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Haiti: Information on conditions in Haitian prisons and treatment of criminal deportees (2nd Response)
|United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
|Resource Information Cneter
|Publication Date
|12 February 2002
|Citation / Document Symbol
|Cite as
|United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Haiti: Information on conditions in Haitian prisons and treatment of criminal deportees (2nd Response), 12 February 2002, HTI02001.ASM, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3dec98224.html [accessed 25 May 2016]
|This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
What are conditions like in Haitian prisons and detention centers? What happens to criminal deportees who are returned to Haiti?
Conditions in Haitian prisons and detention centers are extremely poor, and do not meet either national or international standards fixed by law. On November 15, 2001, a riot erupted in the National Penitentiary after a prison guard beat to death a prisoner who complained about the conditions. Though this was the first documented case involving murder of an inmate, it was preceded by an earlier case in which prison authorities allegedly punished prisoners for complaining about poor treatment. Criminal deportees who are returned to Haiti after completing their sentences in other countries are routinely imprisoned. If a close family member in Haiti agrees to take responsibility, a criminal deportee may be released within three months. Otherwise, deportees are detained for indefinite periods of time. As of early February 2002, 15 deportees had been incarcerated for more than three months. Of these, three had been held for more than 10 months.
Following the return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in September 1994, prison conditions in Haiti underwent a brief period of improvement. Following the overthrow of the military government, which ran the prison system as an extension of the armed forces, the Aristide administration created the National Penitentiary Administration (Administration Pénitentiare Nationale, APENA) in June 1995. Two years later, in April 1997, it was incorporated by presidential decree into the Haitian National Police, as the Direction of Penitentiary Administration (Direction de l'Administration Pénitentiaire, DAP). (Amnesty International 2000)
During President René Préval's administration, however, conditions deteriorated following disputes between the government and the opposition that led to severe cutbacks in international aid. In March 2000, Amnesty International reported that "overcrowding coupled with outdated facilities and lack of resources has created conditions that are far below the level required by the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and in some instances constitute cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment." By early 2001, Jean-Paul Lupien, a Canadian who consults for the UN Development Program (UNDP), proclaimed Haitian prisons the worst he has ever seen and in a state of impending crisis (Colon March 2001).
The Miami Herald reported that inmates in Haitian prisons complained that guards beat them, often with impunity. Citing a study by Lupien, the Herald also reported that prisons and jails did not provide enough food to sustain life, so detainees may slowly starve to death. According to the Herald, "in one month this year [2001], 11 inmates died in the Pénitencier National," some from malnutrition and lack of sunlight, the rest from tuberculosis and AIDS (Colon March 2001).
The prison population nearly tripled between 1995 and August 2000, from 1,500 to 4,219. Yet the prison budget remained fixed at 1995 levels, because of the economic crisis. Overcrowding has meant that juveniles are occasionally mixed with adult prisoners (Amnesty International 2000, US DOS 2001).
Most adult male prisoners are held in the National Penitentiary (Pénitencier National) in Port-au-Prince, which held slightly over half the total prison population in November 2000 (UN Commission on Human Rights 2001). Women and children are generally held in Fort National (Colon April 2001). There is also a system of holding cells in police stations nationwide.
According to former Justice Minister Camille Leblanc, "Prison here is not sweet. We can only afford to feed our prisoners 1,300 calories per day, while someone needs 2,000 a day. When you get into jail here...you don't know how you're going to come out" (Colon Jan 2001).
A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross found that 18 percent of prisoners in the National Penitentiary were suffering from malnutrition (US DOS 2000). Many prisons served only one meal a day, instead of the required two meals. Even where two meals were served, the food typically lacked the minimum nutrients set by international standards. In one month alone November 2000 at least five prisoners died of malnutrition (US DOS 2001).
According to the US Department of State,
"Police mistreatment of suspects at both the time of arrest and during detention remains pervasive in all parts of the country. Beating with fists, sticks, and belts is by far the most common form of abuse. However, international organizations documented other forms of mistreatment, such as burning with cigarettes, choking, hooding, and kalot marassa (severe boxing of the ears, which can result in eardrum damage). Those who reported such abuse often had visible injuries consistent with the alleged maltreatment. There were also isolated allegations of torture by electric shock. Mistreatment also takes the form of withholding medical treatment from injured jail inmates. Police almost never are prosecuted for the abuse of detainees" (US DOS 2001).
Conditions in police holding cells are even worse than those in the prisons. According to journalist Mara Delt,
"Conditions in the jails are horrifying. A reporter visiting the holding cell at the Anti-Gang headquarters in downtown Port-au-Prince last week saw a scene reminiscent of a slave ship. In a twelve by fifteen foot cement cell, about forty men sat one behind the other in tight rows, knees to chins. There is no toilet, no sink, and no room to lie down. In the Pétion-Ville jail, conditions are so crowded that prisoners must devise slings with their clothing to suspend themselves from the ceiling. The cells are sometimes pitch black, the air thick with the stench of human sweat and waste, and temperatures inside can reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit" (Delt 2000).
Michelle Karshan, a Haiti-based US citizen who is founder and executive director of Chans Alternativ (Alternative Chance), an advocacy organization for criminal deportees, wrote the following description of police holding cells in August 2000:
"A cell approximately 10 ft by 11 ft typically holds 20 people... These holding cells have no toilets and no sinks. Usually those wishing to use a toilet must use a bag to defecate in or they urinate in a communal bucket which stays inside the cell... There is typically no fan available as most police stations have little or no electricity. My estimation is that these cells range in temperature from 80-105 degrees during the day. There is no light provided and in one place I visited the CDs [criminal deportees] are packed in an extremely hot cell which is dark at all times. The CDs are not provided any chairs, beds or mats to sleep on or sit on and are therefore sleeping altogether directly on cement floors... In some of the cells when it rains the cell is flooded and the CDs must get up from the cement floor and use their own clothes to mop up the floor. It is then impossible to sleep given the flooding conditions of the cells... While in these holding cells no food is provided to the CDs and they must depend on a family member to bring them food. Unfortunately, many of the CDs have no relatives in Haiti... While in these holding cells, the CDs are only provided access to tap water. The water is contaminated and is extremely high risk to everyone. Unless boiled for a period of 20 minutes, tap water can typically transmit typhoid fever, hepatitis, parasites, amoebas. The CDs have no possibility to boil water... CDs must wash their clothes (often without soap) and hang them in the cell to dry although there may be no ventilation in the cell. Problems of properly washing clothes contribute to fungus infections or parasite infestations which quickly become open and infected sores... There is no medical care for CDs held in police station holding cells. There are no doctors available to diagnose or treat sick CDs. There is no medicine available to treat CDs in holding cells" (Karshan 2000).
Though Karshan reports that the practice of holding criminal deportees in holding cells was discontinued in early 2001, the description of conditions in the cells continues to be valid (Karshan 2001).
Because of the inability of the Haitian justice system to process cases in a timely manner, an estimated 80 percent of all prison inmates were in pretrial detention in 2000. About a third of them had been held for over a year (HRW Dec 2000, AI 2000). MICIVIH uncovered some truly shocking cases. One man had been held in the National Penitentiary since 1996 awaiting trial for the theft of a portable tape recorder; another had been held just as long on suspicion of stealing a pair of pants (US DOS 2000). On April 24, 2001, Prime Minister Jean-Marie Chérestal ordered the release of some 50 men who had spent more than two years in the National Penitentiary awaiting trial for minor crimes (Colon April 2001). Without the possibility of bail, and with a slow and inefficient judicial system, detainees are often held for years in jail, frequently for offenses that would have only brought maximum sentences of 30 days (Colon March 2001).
Many prisoners continue to be held despite valid orders for their release issued by judges (US DOS 2001) .
According to the US Department of State, "International human rights observers and prison officials admit that there are instances of abuse by prison personnel against prisoners; however, no statistics were available at year's end. Prison officials report that prisoners did not file any official complaints against prison personnel during the year. However, they also admitted that they are aware that abuse occurs because they have heard oral reports from prisoners. However, the prisoners are afraid to file an official complaint because they fear that the abuse may worsen as a result" (US DOS 2001).
Abysmal prison conditions sparked a riot that left five prisoners dead and thirteen wounded on November 15, 2001. According to a report by the National Coalition for Haitian Rights, the riot originated after a prison guard beat to death a prisoner (Max Ambroise) who complained he was hungry. Parts of the prison were set ablaze. Prisoners reported that the CIMO police who restored order made then lie on the ground and stepped on them with their boots. The investigative team, composed of members of National Coalition for Haitian Rights (NCHR), the Platform of Haitian Human Rights Organizations (POHDH), and the Lawyers' Committee for Respect for Individual Liberties (CARLI), concluded that the riot had been caused by inhumane treatment that violated the internal regulations of the National Penitentiary, which call for a minimum of two balanced meals a day. They also noted a violation of the Constitutional requirement that persons who have merely been accused of crimes not be held with convicted criminals (Coalition Nationale pour les Droits des Haïtiens 2001).
Though the murder of Max Ambroise was the first documented case involving the killing of a prisoner, it was by no means the first case of retaliation by the authorities for complaints about prison conditions. The NCHR investigated conditions following an incident that occurred on 10 September 2000, at the National Penitentiary:
"CIMO (crowd control unit) officers reportedly ruthlessly manhandled protestors in reprisal for acts of violence they allegedly committed against Penitentiary staff. Since those incidents, the deportees have been victims of discriminatory measures such as the cancellation of visits and recreation. Some have reportedly been placed in isolation" (AHP-FBIS 2000).
Since March 24, 2000, criminal deportees from other countries who have already served their sentences abroad have been kept in indefinite detention. According to the US Department of State, "criminal deportees who already have served sentences outside the country are kept in jail, with no timetable for their eventual release." Prosecutor August Brutus characterized these detentions as "preventive measures" to keep returning "bandits" from further contributing to the country's high levels of crime (US DOS 2001).
Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) is required to deport criminal aliens as soon as possible after conviction (Sec. 701). The range of crimes subject to deportation was expanded by Congress in 1996, with passage of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, to include drug offenses and violation of moral turpitude laws, for crimes "for which a sentence of one year or longer may be imposed" (Sec. 435). That provision applies even when the actual sentence imposed is of a lesser duration, including probation. With the exception of persons convicted of nonviolent crimes who may be released earlier at the discretion of the Attorney General or relevant state authority, alien convicts serve their sentences in US prisons prior to being deported (Sec. 438).
During the Préval administration, deportees were frequently held at police stations around Port-au-Prince, but that practice was discontinued following the return of Jean-Bertrand Aristide to the presidency in early 2001. Deportees are now sent directly to the National Penitentiary, known in French as Pénitencier National (Karshan Nov 2001).
US Deportees are held indefinitely, with the exception of those for whom family or friends are willing to claim responsibility. In those cases, it typically takes about three months to secure their release (Karshan Nov 2001). According to Michelle Karshan, Director of Alternative Chance (Chans Alternativ), an advocacy group for the rights of criminal deportees,
"Criminal deportees are released from the National Penitentiary after a close family member presents proof of identification as well as proof of relationship to the deportee and must swear in writing that they will take responsibility for the deportee upon release and further, that they agree that in the event that the deportee is alleged to commit a crime, and is not apprehended, the responsible person will be subject to arrest until such a time that the deportee is apprehended. In 2001, 4-5 families have been subjected to arrest, with one family member imprisoned for three months until the police were able to arrest the deportee. This deters some families from coming forward or following through with the process for releasing their loved one from detention when first deported to Haiti."
"I was told that an aunt or uncle is not a 'close' family member and that they would have to produce an affidavit from closer relatives, for example, a mother who may be in the US. There is an expectation that if there is no close family member in Haiti the family abroad should come to Haiti to undergo the process for release. However, given the US immigration laws and the questionable status of many immigrants in the US, more often than not immigrants are unable to travel abroad for fear they will not be able to reenter the US. This coupled with financial restraints and work and parenting obligations makes it impossible for most families to travel to Haiti."
"In the event that the deportee has no family member in Haiti or cannot contact them, they stay indefinitely in detention. They currently have at least 3 criminal deportees who have been in the National Penitentiary for 10 months and at least 1 who has been in the Penitentiary for 9 months because they could not contact family members or do not have family in Haiti ."
"In summary the period of time criminal deportees are detained upon arrival can range from a short period of time to an indefinite period of time depending on the above-mentioned conditions. Currently there are at least 15 criminal deportees who have been detained for more than three months" (Karshan 2002).
Imprisonment of criminal deportees is a violation of international human rights law, according to a UN-appointed independent expert:
"As the independent expert reported to the General Assembly, this situation constitutes a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, article 14, paragraph 7 of which states : 'No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an offence for which he has already been finally convicted or acquitted in accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country'" (UN Commission on Human Rights 2001).
Michael Lucius, the police official in charge of reviewing criminal deportees, admits that "it may be illegal detention but what can we do? With all the instability and crime here we can't just turn these guys out on the streets with no visible means of support. It's not as if they are choirboys. We've got to protect our own population" (Ash 2000). Haiti is not alone in fearing the impact of criminal deportees on its precarious social structure. As Trinidad and Tobago Foreign Affairs Minister Ralph Maraj said to Caribbean Week, "If these people are uncontrollable in the large US system, with its level of resources and sophistication, are they likely to be controlled by small Caribbean States?" (Ali 1997). Similarly, former MICIVIH director Colin Granderson pointed out to onzeWereld [oneWorld, an international network which promotes human rights and sustainable development] that "On the one hand, the United States is worried about the stability of Haiti, but at the same time they burden the country with derailed people who have no place in Haitian society" (Muskens 1998).
Though some of the returnees are no doubt hardened criminals, others are not. Often unable to speak Creole, with no friends or relatives to provide support, little hope of due process, little or no immunity from Haiti's tropical diseases and parasitic ailments, and forced to endure appalling conditions in jail, they are extraordinarily vulnerable.
--Thomas Christopher O'Toole Sylvain was born in Brooklyn in 1978 to a Haitian father and Irish-American mother. After serving a prison sentence in Florida, he was deported to Haiti, even though he had shown his passport and birth certificate to immigration officials as proof of citizenship. After just a month in Haiti, he became seriously ill. Following a lot of negative publicity in the Miami Herald and the intervention of two members of Congress, Sylvain was allowed to return to the US, where he died shortly after his arrival in July 1999 (Colon May and July 1999).
--Ernest Rampanal, Jr., a 26-year-old from Brooklyn, was sent back to Haiti after completing an eight-year sentence for drug dealing. Upon arrival in July 2000, he was placed in a 10'x10' cell in the anti-gang unit of police headquarters in downtown Port-au-Prince. The cell holds between one and three dozen inmates, and reeks of urine and excrement (Ash 2000).
--Claudette Etienne, 44, fled Haiti more than two decades ago, to escape the terror of the Ton-tons Macoutes under dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier. As a legal resident in Florida, she picked fruit and sold cheap jewelry. She had two young sons, both US citizens, by her common-law husband. Then she was found guilty of a nonviolent drug offense, and sentenced to a year's probation, so that she could continue to care for her children and husband. But on a visit to her probation officer, she was seized and placed in the INS Krome Detention Center, from where she wrote a pleading letter to a deportation officer: "The drug crime was because I needed the money for my children. I made some bad mistakes and I won't do them again. I'm sorry. Please reconsider my custody. I miss my children terribly." Etienne was deported on September 6, 2000. Upon arrival in Port-au-Prince, she was assigned to a police holding cell in the Delmas 62 police substation. Forced to sleep on a cold cement floor and having to drink tap water containing parasites to which she had lost immunity, she became ill with agonizing stomach pains. She died shortly after transfer to a hospital on September 10. Three months after her death, Etienne's corpse remained unclaimed in the morgue, bearing a telltale classification: "family abroad" (Ash 7 Dec 2000, Balmaseda 19 Dec 2000).
--Joseph Mondestin, moved to the United States when he was one year old. He spent the next 41 years in the US, growing up in a Maryland suburb of Washington, DC. Following a drug conviction, he spent six months in jail before being turned over to the INS and deported to Haiti, where he was assigned to an anti-gang holding cell. For Mondestin, who has no memory of Haiti and does not speak the language, Haiti is in effect an alien country (Wardenburg-Ferdinand 2000).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RIC within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
AHP. "Haitian Human Rights Group Protests Treatment of Deportees" (Port-au-Prince, 30 October 2000) - as reported by the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS).
Ali, Ken. "Criminals Causing Concern," CARIBBEAN WEEK (12-25 April 1997), p. 8.
ANTITERRORISM AND EFFECTIVE DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1996. URL: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/lawsregs/amendina.htm. [Accessed 14 January 2002].
Amnesty International. HAITI: UNFINISHED BUSINESS: JUSTICE AND LIBERTIES AT RISK (London: AMR 36/01/00, March 2000).
Ash, Lucy. "Criminals, Go Home," THE TIMES (London: 7 December 2000).
Balmaseda, Liz. "For Woman, U.S. Law Has Fatal Impact," MIAMI HERALD (18 December 2000), p. 1B.
Coalition Nationale pour les Droits des Haïtiens (NCHR). RAPPORT DE LA VISITE EFFECTUEE AU PENITENCIER NATIONAL SUITE AUX EVENEMENTS DU 15 NOVEMBRE 2001 (Port-au-Prince : 27 November 2001). 4 p.
Colon, Yves. "Citizen-Claimant Sent to Haiti Still Very Ill," MIAMI HERALD (4 May 1999), p. 1B.
Colon, Yves. "Sylvain, Deported by Mistake, Dies. U.S.-Born Man's Health Deteriorated while in Haiti," MIAMI HERALD (16 July 1999).
Colon, Yves. "Haiti Opens Up to US Drug War," MIAMI HERALD (13 January 2001).
Colon, Yves. "Fifty Haitian Prisoners Ordered Released," MIAMI HERALD (26 April 2001).
Colon, Yves. "Haiti's Prisons: Inside the Gates of Hell," MIAMI HERALD (25 March 2001), p. 1L.
Delt, Mara. "Mother of Two, Deported to Haiti, Dies in Haitian Jail," HAÏTI PROGRÈS, (New York: Vol. 18, No. 28, 27 September 2000).
Human Rights Watch. "Haiti," WORLD REPORT 2001 (New York: December 2000).
IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT of 1986. URL: http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/lawsregs/amendina.htm. [Accessed 14 January 2002].
Karshan, Michelle. Letter to Olivia Cassin, Staff Attorney, The Legal Aid Society, 90 Church Street, New York, 30 August 2000.
Karshan, Michelle. E-mail communication. 12 November 2001.
Karshan, Michelle. E-mail communication. 31 January 2002.
Muskens, Roeland. "Enkele Reis Vagevuur," ONZEWERELD (March 1998), p. 8-12.
UN Commission on Human Rights. REPORT ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN HAITI prepared by Mr. Adama Dieng, independent expert, in accordance with Commission resolution 2000/78, para. 21 (Geneva: E/CN.4/2001/106, 30 January 2001), para. #21, #22.
US Department of State. "Haiti," COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 1999 (Washington, DC: February 2000). URL: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/1999/391.htm.
US Department of State. "Haiti," COUNTRY REPORTS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES FOR 2000 (Washington, DC: February 2001). URL: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/wha/795.htm. [Accessed 1 March 2001].
Wardenburg-Ferdinand, Anna. "Haitians Are Jailed in Haiti after Serving Sentence in the U.S.," THE HAITIAN TIMES (20 September 2000).


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Hi, Glenovic! Great job for your first map, it's got some interesting landshapes and really nice colors. There are a couple of things that could be improved, but they should all be quite easy:
Your mountains are all identical. It's good that you used them at different sizes, but they need some more variation. Also, a large amount of them are in the sea
Your tree symbols are way to big, in my opinion. Forests look more dense and intimidating if you use more, smaller trees. That also makes the mountains appear larger.
The texture in (what I assume is) the desert in the north is, like the mountains, quite repetitive. Here I'm not sure what to do about it though, as I'm not really a texture user, but someone else will probably be able to help.
Most of your rivers look plausible, but some of them split in ways that wouldn't happen. Again not my field of expertise (as if I have one!), so I recommend taking a look at the "How to get your rivers in the right places" (or something like that) thread in the tutorials section.
And finally, the outline of the landmasses doesn't follow the landmass in all places. In Photoshop, you can use Edit>Stroke to get an even line around a selection. Do it in a separate layer so you can add filters (a small Gaussian blur is always nice to blend elements together) and play around with the color and opacity.
Sorry, that became quite a lot! But I want to stress that it's a really good map for your first try. Please take all the above as suggestions based on my own taste and very limited experience


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WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- It's a story that's captured headlines for days: hackers linked to China, breaking into the cyber-systems of virtually every institution in Washington. Some security experts say those hackers could have gotten their hands on enough information to map out how power is exercised in Washington. Even the outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says cyber-terrorism is a huge emerging threat.
Casey O'Brien, the director of CyberWatch at Prince George's Community College, talked to us about the threat, how much we should worry, and how to fight the cyberwar.


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Salinas family loses home to fireUPDATED 7:15 PM PST Nov 04, 2013
A young couple and their toddler son were awakened by thick black smoke and flames.Video Transcript
RESIDENTIAL FIRE IN SALINAS THAT INJURED THREE, AND LEFT DOZENS HOMELESS... FIREFIGHTERS SAY AN OVERLOADED ELECTRICAL OUTLET CAUSED YESTERDAY MORNING'S BLAZE AT THE LAKE HOTEL ON EAST LAKE STREET. IT STARTED IN A SECOND FLOOR UNIT, AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO NEIGHBORING ROOMS. THIS IS VIDEO CAPTURED BY A PASSER- BY WHO TOLD ACTION NEWS, SENIOR CITIZENS AND FAMILIES WERE RUNNING OUT OF THE BUILDING. WE GET MORE TONIGHT FROM ACTION NEWS REPORTER MAY CHOW.### NATS angel 17:09-17:17: "i just grabbed my son, covered him, covered his face, told my fiancee we gotta leave right now." ON MONDAY MORNING, ANGEL OCHOA AND HIS FIANCEE RETURNED TO WHAT WAS THEIR HOME FOR THE PAST YEAR AND HALF. THE YOUNG COUPLE AND THEIR TODDLER SON WERE AWAKENED BY THICK BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES INSIDE THE LAKE HOTEL. WITH ONLY SECONDS TO EVACUATE, THEY LEFT WITH NOTHING BUT THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACKS. JESSICA 10:20-10:32: "it was terrifying to wake up yesterday morning and just hearing, fire, fire, run out of house, my phone, lifeline to mom, family." THE THREE SPENT THE NIGHT AT THE TRAVEL INN, ALONG WITH DOZENS OF THEIR NEIGHBORS, WHO WERE DISPLACED AFTER AN OVERLOADED ELECTRICAL OUTLET SPARKED THE FAST-MOVING BLAZE. ANGEL 14:54-15:02: "too messed up, that's not right, my son, do one deserves what happened, what happened." DANIEL CLARK 19:25-19:37: "this is what you're able to grab? What's inside? tv,vcr, movies, books and other stuff." THE TWO MEN AND A WOMAN WHO WERE INSIDE THE ROOM WHERE THE FIRE STARTED WERE WOMAN WHO WERE INSIDE THE ROOM WHERE THE FIRE STARTED WERE INJURED, BUT BATTALION CHIEF BRETT LOOMIS SAYS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SERIOUS INJURIES AND MULTIPLE FATALIES HAD THERE NOT BEEN WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS. BRETT 2:43-2:54: "something as simple as batteries powered required by law in single, family development, apartments and hotels, made significant difference here between life and death." THE RED CROSS HELPED OCHOA AND HIS FAMILY, AND THE 22 OTHER TENANTS WHO WERE DISPLACED...WITH HOTEL VOUCHERS. BUT AFTER MONDAY NIGHT, THEY'LL HAVE TO FIND THEIR OWN HOUSING. THE TENANTS SAY THE FIRE IS DEVASTATING, SINCE THOSE STAYING IN THE RESIDENTIAL HOTEL ARE ALREADY HOMELESS OR LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES. JESSICA 13:10-13:16: "it's scary, knowing we don't have anything else, that all of our stuff is damaged." ANGEL 14:19-14:28: "i feel down and out, because of what happened, it happened unexpectedly." REPORTING IN SALINAS MAY CHOW KSBW ACTION NEWS EIGHT.### WE'RE LEARNING MORE
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"I've always been around it (music), of course, however, I started writing and rapping about 4 1/2 years ago," Lil Eazy-E, first son of legendary Gangsta rap pioneer, Eric 'Eazy E' Wright, remembers. Continuing angrily, "One day I just finally got fed up with the lack of respect my father wasn't getting, so I decided to properly rep my pops and bring the West Coast back the way it needed to be brought back."
Sadly, Eric Jr's father isn't around to see his son fulfill these wishes. Last March 26th marked a decade since the untimely passing of Eazy E due to complications from the A.I.D.S. virus. "It (His death) was a huge impact (on me). Losing your parent is difficult no matter how you look at it," Lil E says, reminiscing about his pops. Reflecting on happier times E adds, "I've got a lot of good memories of him just being a good dad- Us hanging out, him picking me up from school, going to Disneyland, birthday parties and all that stuff. My dad is a legend and a hip hop pioneer. He was also a good business-man and I look forward to reaching his level of entrepreneurship (that) he had."
Lil E, the oldest of Eazy's nine children, grew up in the same household that reared his father, and was raised by the elder E's mother. As a child, Lil Eric, like his dad before him, turned to, first, gangbanging and now music -- literally retracing Eazy E Sr's path, literally, every step of the way. "I inherited a legacy, so it's only right that I keep it moving and rep my pops with a Lil E twist," the self proclaimed Prince of Compton reasons. Further explaining "Nah, I don't feel any pressure (because of who my father was/is), I was (just) born into this and am proud to represent West Coast Gangsta rap."
Lil E does, however, feel that in light of his dad's groundbreaking accomplishments, the general public hasn't necessarily treated, nor embraced, his passing the same way they have with other fallen musical icons. "That is really frustrating for me, because his legacy has not been respected the way it should have been all these years," Lil Eazy replies, sounding very upset. Reiterating, "However, I'm here to keep that going. I think part of it was because the word A.I.D.S. was attached to his death."
Lil Eazy-E, who cites, of course, his father, N.W.A. alum, Ice Cube, as well as West Coast rap in general, and the Ruthless Records' roster, as his biggest musical influences, recently aligned his company, Kings Of L.A., co-owned by his manager, Bruce 'Bruiser' Bible, with Virgin Records, and is gearing up for the release of his, appropriately titled, introspective debut opus, Prince Of Compton. "I bumped into (Vice President of A&R at Virgin) Pete Farmer in Compton, we chopped it up, and worked out the details and made it happen," Lil E mentions of this newfound union. Elaborating, "(The title of my album represents) royalty. My pops was the king of Compton, so I'm next in line to carry on the legacy."
Prince Of Compton features a who's who of hip-hop's top shelf producers, and A-list emcees. Ice Cube, The DOC, Bone Thugs & Harmony, Dr. Dre prot


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Avera Behavioral Health Center focuses on the treatment and healing of patients with a variety of behavioral health conditions. Our expert staff and state-of-the-art facility focuses on behavioral health treatment for child/adolescent, adults and seniors.
If a mental health problem is suspected, call the Avera Behavioral Health Assessment line at1-800-691-4336.
We will work closely with you and your child to help identify stressors that may be causing difficulties. We teach a variety of coping skills to help your child deal more appropriately with situations that have previously been a source of distress. Common reasons for children and adolescents to need behavioral health services:
Family meetings are an integral part of our program. A clinician assigned by your child's doctor will facilitate these meetings. This is an opportunity to be updated on the progress of your child's treatment and to discuss important family issues.
To ensure your child doesn't fall behind, he or she will attend educational programming while receiving treatment. We will partner with your child's school. Please bring in school books as soon as possible to ensure that your child remains caught up with his or her studies.
Both programs utilize positive reinforcement systems to build confidence and produce change.
Inpatient treatment adult programs are designed to assess, evaluate, and treat behavioral health conditions and to provide education and recommendations to patients and their loved ones.
The most common reasons adults of all ages seek behavioral health services on Adult A include:
On the Adult A Program, special considerations are implemented for patient safety and comfort. A variety of therapeutic activities are provided under the direction of a psychiatrist.
The most common reasons adults of all ages seek behavioral health services on Adult B include:
On the Adult B Program we provide three treatment tracks based on the needs of the individual and determined by their psychiatrist. Tracks include:
The Senior Program at Avera Behavioral Health Center focuses on the comprehensive evaluation of symptoms. Areas of emphasis include: depression, anxiety, delirium, dementia, bipolar disorder, psychotic symptoms of hallucinations, delusional beliefs and disorganized thought process, and other behavioral difficulties.
A welcoming, calming and healing environment exists within a brightly lit day area. Special considerations are implemented for patient safety and comfort.
Our goal is to alleviate the behavioral and psychological symptoms while trying to minimize adverse reactions to available treatment options. Families and patients are involved in education and development of the treatment plan.
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Carroll secures state district seat
PITTSTON - For the second straight election, state Rep. Mike Carroll, D-Avoca, defeated Republican challenger Terrence O'Connor in the 118th District.
"I think it's a ringing endorsement of not only my legislative record but also my commitment to the communities of the district," said Carroll, 50, from his casual victory party at the Red Mill in Pittston on Tuesday night.
As of 11 p.m., Carroll had received 15,638 votes to O'Connor's 8,352, with 167 out of 189 precincts reporting in Luzerne County and eight out of 16 reporting in Monroe County.
Carroll defeated O'Connor in the 2010 election vote count 9,312 to 6,060.
The 118th District is a wide one, covering parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties and stretches from Avoca in the north all the way to Brodheadville to the south.
The challenger, a 49-year-old Chestnuthill Township attorney and member of a tea party group in Stroudsburg, commended the incumbent on running a clean and respectful race.
"There are some good people in politics and I think Mike Carroll is in that category," O'Connor said. "Obviously the people of the district like his representation and that's that. The people have spoken."
Carroll has long been a vocal proponent of improving the infrastructure in the state and has advocated tax increases to do so.
Though O'Connor was running for a seat in the state government, his platform revolved around what he says is a federal government that is too big and overstepping its constitutional boundaries. O'Connor has continually said it's up to the states to stand up to the feds.
570-821-2110, @cvpetercameron
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Lambert: Things will go our way if we keep playing like that
Paul Lambert insists there will be no sulking after the draw at Everton.
Despite seeing a two-goal lead slip, Lambert was delighted with the drive, desire and determination on display at Goodison Park.
Lambert was gutted with the late equaliser for the home side but he believes his team have more than enough attacking impetus to climb the league table.
He said: "We will take a lot of credit from that and a lot of heart.
"If we continue to play like that then hopefully we'll start to get results.
"We always looked dangerous on the counter attack. We always looked a threat.
"I think the three of them are playing well at the moment - Gabby, Andi and Christian. We look good going forward.
"I think if we can keep going then we'll win more than not, that's for sure.
"If we can get through this period, we'll kick on. Things will go our way if we play like that because hard work always pays dividends eventually."
On the late leveller, he added: "It really frustrates you, but the way we played coming here, I don't think anybody gave us an earthly.
"I'm not one to feel sorry for myself. We're fighting like hell to get out of it and if we keep playing like that then we'll win more games than not.
"In the West Brom and Newcastle games I thought we played well in halves, but against Everton I thought we sustained it - and we looked a threat going forward.
"If we keep that drive then hopefully we can get out of it."
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Big Brother 11: A Rotten Rat
August 06, 2009 07:34 PM by Ryan Haidet
With the rat trap ready to snap on Ronnie, he made one of the most despicable final plea speeches I've ever seen. His true colors certainly came out as he called one of his houseguests the worst human being he's ever met. Wow. But that's not all that came from tonight's episode of Big Brother 11. The identity of the person who won the new power — the Coup D'Etat — was revealed.
Russell Vs. Chima
Before Ronnie spewed his hatred, Russell seemed to start getting paranoid. He told Michele in the HOH bedroom that he was uncomfortable about all the chatter going on behind his back. That's when Michele unloaded a bombshell — she told him that Chima had targeted him in the past. After Michele left the HOH bedroom, Russell went to Jessie for some reassurance. "All I know is when I talk to her, she has never once uttered your name," Jessie said of Chima.
Russell then brought the two people at the center of the accusations together. Michele totally denied the comment she had made toward Russell, which brought a great reaction. He looked completely stunned that she would sit there and act like she didn't say anything about Chima being a backstabber. In a confessional, Michele said that she felt the information they shared with one another was going to be kept between them — not with the entire house.
When Russell got fired up over the situation, it backfired on him — Chima exploded. The two started a shouting match and even bumped chests as they argued over the situation. Chima was not happy and wanted Russell out of the house at the next possible opportunity.
Jeff Takes The Power
More than 12 million votes were cast within the last week as America was picking one houseguest to award the power of Coup D'Etat. As many fans were hoping, Jeff was the proud recipient. In secret, he learned about his victory and new power in the Diary Room. He was truly thankful and excited with America's vote.
Now we know that both he and Jordan will be in the house for at least one more week.
Moments before the live voting was set to start, Julie Chen offered Jeff (without revealing his identity to the rest of the house) the chance to use his new power in which he could change one or both of the nominees. Jeff sat still as eyes darted around the living room waiting to see what was about to happen. With Jeff holding his power for one more week, the nominations of Ronnie and Lydia stayed intact.
Rat's Rally
As is customary, each of the two nominees had the chance to plead their case before the final vote. Lydia's statements were worthless and boring, but Ronnie really tried to shake up the house with his final statements. As he thanked Big Brother for putting him in the game, he got quite emotional and fought back tears as he spoke. He also thanked Jessie for helping him lose 20 pounds so far this summer.
Then the crap hit the fan.
He said that his wife has always told him to see the best in people, but he couldn't refrain from turning something positive into something horrid. "There is so much good in all of you — except for you Michele," Ronnie said as he pointed a finger in her direction. But he didn't stop there. He continued by saying she is "the worst human being I have ever had the misfortune of meeting and I absolutely feel sorry for you."
Allow me to interject. This simply sounds like a case of sour grapes to me. Michele outplayed you, bud. Sorry. I know she didn't save you this week with her Power Of Veto — but maybe it's because you had lied and deceived her several times in the game up to that point. It's gameplay, and you were served up some rat poison that you couldn't swallow like an honorable player. You took the game and made it personal, which showed you truly are a sore loser. Get over it! You lost. It's a game. You loved to dish out the drama when you had the power to do so, but when it was your turn to face elimination, you couldn't handle it.
Michele may not be the best player to grace the Big Brother screen, but you certainly couldn't beat her. So go down in a blaze of glory, huh? Make yourself look even worse than you already do? Unbelieveable.
Eviction Time
Enough of my ranting for the moment — there is still an eviction to talk about. Each of the houseguests entered the Diary Room and submitted their vocal ballot. Nearly split down the middle, Ronnie was able to get three votes on his side from Natalie, Chima and Jessie. But it wasn't enough — four votes fell against him and he became the fourth player evicted.
Ronnie walked around and gave his goodbye hugs saying, "It's just a game." SCREEECH! Hold on just one second! It's just a game?!?!?! Then why are you hating Michele so much and turning things against her personally? Five minutes ago you ripped her apart on live television saying how horrible of a person she is, but now you're saying it's just a game. Contradict yourself much? Seriously? I thought you were bad before, but after tonight you honestly could be the biggest jerk on reality television ever.
As he walked out of the house, Michele said that she never had anything against him. It seemed like a gesture to try and make amends, because Michele truly looked stunned by his remarks. But instead of trying to be polite and end things on a good note, Ronnie told her to be quiet and scampered out of the house in true ratty style.
But it gets better.
When he sat down for his elimination chat with Julie, she asked him why he was so harsh in his final statements. Ronnie claimed he felt that way about Michele because she had no true loyalties to anybody in the house. Should I reiterate? It's just a game. Why make it personal? Call her out for being a terrible human being on live television because she held no loyalties in a reality show? She's a bad person because she's playing a certain strategy her own way? That makes a whole lot of sense.
As his chat with Julie continues, she pointed out that it's possible the same thing could be said about his gameplay in the house since he lied to virtually everybody. Thanks, Julie!
So I'm going to sum up my rant (honestly this time). Ronnie, you delivered some great fights and drama in the house, which as a fan, I truly appreciate. I wish you the best, because when you get home and read all of the things people are saying about you online, I'm sure it will be tough to handle. I bet you're a cool person outside of the house, but in the game you certainly lived up to your label — a rat.
Advice From Viewers
Last night, Kevin found a button in the backyard and when he pushed it, the voices of viewers erupted. From that moment, they were hearing advice from Big Brother fans who were singing and cracking jokes. But it was more than just fun and games — those remarks were crucial to the HOH competition.
After the series of questions were asked about the viewer comments, Chima won HOH. Her new enemy — Russell — was forced to hand off the power, which could signify the start of his demise in the game. Chima has made it clear she wants him out of the house, but maybe Jeff will decide to use his new power to save Russell if she does in fact nominate him for eviction.
It sure is getting interesting.
Images provided by CBS.
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Reality TV Magazine is your source for Big Brother 11 news. Discuss the Big Brother cast and events in the house on our Big Brother message board. For other great Big Brother 11 news, you can check our SirLinksAlot: Big Brother 11.
Check out more information on all the Big Brother 11 contestants.
Topics: Big Brother, CBS Reality TV Shows |
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A pregnant Nicole Polizzi, aka Snooki, visited Apple Seeds indoor playground in New York City this afternoon, along with her boyfriend, Jionni LaValle, and father, Andy Polizzi. You could barely make out Snooki's baby bump under short black dress.
Was Snooki doing some pre-birth scouting for the little tyke? The Apple Seeds children's center is a little pricey; parents spend up to $1,475 per year to send their youngsters.
The reality star recently spoke with White Plains Patch about her pregnancy. The self-proclaimed "meatball" said that other than her book tour, she has been taking it easy on the work-front.
"[I've been] Just trying to take care of myself and relax for the health of my child," she said.
As for the pregnancy cravings? "I crave a lot of cold things like pineapple and Italian Ices," said Polizzi. "I'm just trying to eat very healthy for the baby."
We wish Snooki and the baby all the best of luck.


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- Community Images
Thin leather straps on the KEEN Women's Naples Sandal add around-town style while a side buckle makes getting in and out super quick. Slip into this sandal and let your foot slide over the smooth, burnished-leather footbed. The Naples pair well with slacks, casual skirts, and jeans.
- Reviews
What do you think about this product?
Have questions about this product?
Love Them!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
I've worn Keens for many years and had been wishing there was an open-toed model when I came across this shoe. These are great everyday shoes for walking to and from work, hanging out with my kids, long city walks up and down hills, going to museums. Love that my toes get to breathe and that this model is a bit less clunky that my closed-toe Keens, which I still love. The small piece of elastic on the side provides some extra give. The buckle looks nice, but I would prefer a strong velcro closing .....I teach dance and yoga classes and take my shoes off and on several times a day. The straps across the ball of the foot area occasionally get squished together and hurt the top of my foot, but can be adjusted for instant comfort. I am on my feet all the time and my feet are often sore, and I have bunions....these shoes are perfect for these conditions and are alwasy a comfort to wear! I will be buying another pair!
Great Sandals
I love these Keens because they are sooooo comfortable to walk/hike in.
new favorite best thing ever
The first day I wore these, I hiked for an hour and a half on a pretty hilly trail. My feet felt great. They are unbelievably comfortable. The buffalo color is a lighter brown than I expected, but I actually like it better than the dark brown I was expecting. I've also worn them to work on Casual Friday and wish I could wear them every day.
The photos don't show it, but on the big-toe-side of the toe-straps, there's a break in the leather and an elastic insert, which (as long as it's durable) is genius, and the real reason these are so comfortable.
great sandals except a bit boaty for narrow feet
Bought them for a three week non-stop 4-country work trip to so-east asia. very light, comfortable - traditional buckle in black, Dressy enough for most meetings. so while I shouldn't, I slip them on over the back heel. with narrow feet, I can get away with it. not great for rainy season travel, but the footbed is very comfortable.
Keen Naples
I love these sandals but...my feet are too narrow in the depth and these are not adjustable. These kinds of sandals would be much better suited with adjustable straps. Also, the buckle was not easy to use and took forever to secure.
So, had to return them.
Buckle in black
Hay tres clases de personas: las que saben contar y las que no.
Buckle in Bison
It is metal, not plastic as shown, plastic is what?....LAME!
Love these sandals!
I absolutely LOVE these sandals. I bought them to go to Mexico on vacation. They are more dressy than most Keens and look great with a skirt. I wore them to dinner in the evening and they looked great and super comfortable - the best of both worlds as far as I'm concerned. I got the Bison color and they are a nice light brown color that goes with everything.
good but 4TH or 5TH best to chacos...
1st, 2nd, AND 3rd best are all taken by chacos...and that's what i would recommend, however, these are more for casual. got a pair in men's but they must be too old that they dont carry em anymore. comfy. and actually look better than most keen shoes.
Love these Keens
Soo comfortable and cute. These Keens fit me really well and are terrific for walking, traveling etc. I have many pairs of Keen sandals including Keen Catalina. The Naples is a bit more dressy and the leather footbed is comfortable. My only comment is I wish that they would come with the snap buckle as the Catalina's. Otherwise they are great.
Prefect for work
I love keen shoes and was looking for something that I could get away with wearing at work. These are so great! They look great and are sooooo comfortable. I am buying a second pair in black!
exactly what I wanted
I actually tried these on when visiting my mom in DC. I loved them but didn't want to pay the $$$. I ordered them here, saved money and got exactly the sandles I wanted.
These are very comfortable and perfect for work!!
Love these sandals!
These sandals are very comfortable. It seems the left is slightly smaller than the right though, not a huge deal. I would have preferred the new version with the quick release buckle instead of the traditional buckle (I'm mostly a slip on shoe kind of gal, so the easier the better). I have naturally have poor shock absorption in my feet so a good shoe/sandal is a must. These are great so far. I haven't walked long distances or long days in them though. So far I would definitely recommend them.
I see you added pics showing a traditional...
I see you added pics showing a traditional metal buckle. Why is the main pic of the sandal different, showing a plastic buckle? Which is it???
Write your question here...Hi I was wondering...
Write your question here...Hi I was wondering if these shoes could be worn in the water?
I suppose they could be, but they are leather, so not sure how fast they would dry. I would recommend for non-water use.


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The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Fred von Lohmann's been reading all the submissions to the Copyright Office on exemptions to the DMCA, and he's found this beauty: Apple is trying to ban jailbreaking iPhones:
Jailbreaking an iPhone constitutes copyright infringement and a DMCA violation, says Apple in comments filed with the Copyright Office as part of the 2009 DMCA triennial rulemaking. This marks the first formal public statement by Apple about its legal stance on iPhone jailbreaking.Apple's iPhone, now the best-selling cellular phone in the U.S., has been designed with restrictions that prevent owners from running applications obtained from sources other than Apple's own iTunes App Store. "Jailbreaking" is the term used for removing these restrictions, thereby liberating your phone from Apple's software "jail." Estimates put the number of iPhone owners who have jailbroken their phones in the hundreds of thousands.
[phpbay]apple iphone, 5, "", ""[/phpbay]
Related Posts: On this day...
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- Tea Party Inc. Founder, Judson Phillips: "I Want To Make Millions From This Movement" - 2010
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- Foxtrot learns about music piracy - 2009
- Toshiba to pull the plug on HD-DVD - 2008


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The Splendid, sandy beach of Aghia Marina is situated in front of Hotel Rachel in distance of hardly 20 meters and it is ideal for children and adults who can enjoy swimming and sun.
The Port and a lot of Cafe, Bars, Clubs, Restaurants and Traditional Taverns as well as the shops of the region like mini markets, bakeries, souvenirs shops etc, are found in a distance of a few meters from the Hotel and very easy to get to them.
Many monuments and sights such as The Temple of Afea and Agios Nektarios Monastery are in a small distance from our Hotel Rachel and it is easy to get to them.
Our Guests can also take a boat from the Port of Aegina and make a small trip to the others Saronic Islands around and near Aegina Island discovering their unique beauty. Our visitors can also make a small boat trip and get to Athens in order to visit great and historic monuments, Olympic Stadium and many more.


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04 November 2011
Video Interview
MOSCOW, RUSSIA: Petra Kvitova, the world No. 2, reflects on her breakthrough season and talks about Czech Republic's chances in their clash with Russia in the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Final.
04 Nov 2011
The draw for the Fed Cup Final between Russia and Czech Republic took place on Friday with Maria Kirilenko and Petra Kvitova drawn to play in the first rubber
Petra Kvitova is announced as the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award winner for her semifinal performance
Russian dominance in women's tennis, the life of a court tester and Petr Pala's tonguetwister are just some of the topics in today's blog
Czech Republic
5 Nov 2011 - 6 Nov 2011
View details
Czech Republic
Petra KVITOVA (CZE)
Olympic Stadium, Moscow, Russia
Full details
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This blog contains Digital Photography, designs and fabric art created using graphics programs, Corel Draw, Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop Elements 11. I shall share my thoughts and ideas about creativity in the hope that this will spur me on to greater things. I am quite technically minded and like to know how things work.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Digital relaxation
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Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comment. I do try to answer all comments, but if I can't for some reason, I do appreciate them very much. Diolch yn fawr.
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Celebrity Moms & Babies
This '90s Leading Lady and Her New Husband Are Considering Adoption
Shannen Doherty's life may seem charmed but the actress admits there's one part missing: children. The 43-year-old settled down with photographer Kurt Iswarienko back in October 2011 and now she says they're gearing up to tackle the brand new challenge of becoming parents!
"Kurt and I want kids," Shannen tells In Touch. "We may adopt."
Shannen, who played Prue Halliwell on Charmed and Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210, was known for living life in the fast lane during her early years in Hollywood. Several stints in Playboy, a 2001 drunk driving conviction, and two failed marriages earned Shannen a less than squeaky clean reputation, which was made all the juicier thanks to her start as innocence personified on Little House on the Prairie at just 11 years old.
But Shannen made it through her many ups and downs and now is looking ahead to a bright future with her husband.
"He's a good guy," Shannen says, adding she knows he'll make a great dad. "He finds me funny and I'm so not funny! That's when you know you're in love."
We're so happy to hear things are going well for Shannen! Can't wait to meet those little Doherty-Iswarienkos if you all do adopt.
Source: In Touch


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Discussion content should not be viewed as an endorsement of the views of Tulsa City County Library. TCCL reserves the right to edit or refuse to post any material, in whole or in part, that does not meet these guidelines. TCCL reserves the right to make changes to the guidelines at any time.
See the Comment Guidelines for more information.
Being a Government Documents Librarian (and gov info junky) I was wide awake when on my morning radio news I heard mention of the Consumer Price Index and a desire to change how it's calculated resulting in a shift of the health of our economy.
While the Book Club won't meet in December, there is a book that your adult learner can begin reading for the next meeting in January (it's a little longer than our typical books, hence two months to read it). The book for January's meeting is Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. This is the second installment of Collins' Huger Games series, and follows our heroine Katniss Everdeen after she won The Hunger Games, and now finds herself the unwitting spokesperson of a potential rebellion against the Capitol. We ha
No one knows for sure how the Fiscal Cliff will play out or how it will affect nonprofits. However, proposed reductions to government grants and charitable tax benefits could be a troubling mix for charitable organizations.
These resources explore what the Fiscal Cliff could mean for nonprofits and how nonprofits are pushing back and preparing:
Last weekend, Wendell Berry received the Tulsa Library Trust's 2012 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author award in front of a standing-room-only crowd. Peggy Helmerich has made the award, given annually to internationally acclaimed authors who have written a distinguished body of work and made a major contribution to the field of literature, possible since 1985. Before Peggy V.
This may be true, but it's also incredibly sweet to win. That's why I couldn't be happier that Louise Erdrich's latest novel The Round House is this year's recipient of the National Book Award for fiction. Erdrich is a storyteller of remarkable skill who can create a tone that is at once heartbreaking and tragic. Using lush, poetic language, she describes settings that few
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More Information
Local chefs explore the extraordinary flavors of antioxidant powerhouse
Published: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at 4:08 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, September 2, 2014 at 4:08 p.m.
For a fruit that's been part of North Carolina's history for nearly 500 years, the muscadine grape has a hard time getting any respect. But while some critics revel in any opportunity to turn up their noses – often quite vocally – at the sweet wines the grapes produce, area cooks haven't been deterred from finding clever ways to work the thick-hulled orbs into their menus.
A vine Time
If you've ever had a desire to recreate Lucille Ball's famous, grape-flavored wrestling match, September's your chance. Southeastern North Carolina is home to at least three festivals featuring the state's official fruit – the Scuppernong variety of the Vitis rotundifolia grape family – with multiple opportunities to test your stomping skills.
Purple Feet Festival: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 6. Silver Coast Winery at 6680 Barbeque Road in Ocean Isle Beach doesn't make wine from its small vineyard of muscadines, but the winery does use the fruit in a grape stomp paired with a Lucy look-alike contest. Car show, vendors, a 5K race and live music round out the party. Admission is $5. Details at www.SilverCoastWinery.com.
Grape Stomp Festival: 5-9 p.m. Sept. 13. Duplin Winery at 505 N. Sycamore St. in Rose Hill hosts its 38th annual shindig complete with music, a wine tasting and a vineyard tour. Admission is $20. Details www.DuplinWinery.com
2014 North Carolina Muscadine Harvest Festival: 5-9 p.m. Sept. 26 and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 27. There's no stomping at this event, mainly because the bash falls after harvest is over. But the cooking and wine-making contests, along with a full slate of live music, arts and crafts vendors and a shag dance contest are sure to make a drive to Kenansville's Duplin County Events Center at 195 Fairgrounds Drive worth the road trip. Tickets are $10 Friday, $25 Saturday or $30 for both. Details at www.MuscadineHarvestFestival.com.
For Karel Blaas, owner of Wilmington ice cream shop Velvet Freeze, a little extra sugar doesn't hurt at dessert time.
"There are sexier grapes for wine making, but it's a locally grown food that makes a great product," Blaas, who has been busy expanding his outfit to include sandwiches and hot items since sushi purveyors Mega Maki left the space their businesses shared at 10 N. Front St., said.
When September rolls around – peak production time for the state's crop – Blaas begins transforming the fruit into two different products that have won fans with their bold flavors and vivid color thanks to the grapes' deep purple skins, which also happen to be nutritionally beneficial. Leading the way is a grape-based Italian ice, followed closely by a PB&J ice cream complete with a swirl of muscadine grapes.
"It's a nice extra thing," Blass said. "They can come in and get an Italian ice with a boost of antioxidants."
At Sealevel City Gourmet, chef and owner Nikki Spears puts both red and white – commonly called Scuppernong – muscadine grapes to use in savory and sweet applications. A longtime North Carolina cook and resident, Spears has a few tricks up her sleeve when it comes to the state's official fruit.
"We use them in compotes to go with our desserts, and muscadine grape molasses will be on some fall menu items," Spears said.
She also works the grapes into a chilled tea, steeping and then straining the fruit into an intensely purple beverage.
There's something of a cultural divide between the grapes and cloth napkin establishments – likely guilt by association with the wine – but Manna sous chef Trevor Gilbride sees the grapes' culinary potential through different eyes. A New York native raised in far-flung parts of the world, including a childhood spent in Germany, he'd like to subject the ancient fruit to modern techniques, namely peeling and compressing the fruit in a Cryovac package to force other aromatic components into its already complex flavor.
Among the more interesting uses for muscadine grapes is an old-timey pie made from the hulls, which are normally discarded, a tradition derived from Southern thrift. An example is on the menu at Duplin Winery's Bistro menu, and Chapel Hill-based cookbook author Nancie McDermott included a recipe in her 2010 book "Southern Pies" (see recipe, 1E).
"This pie's sweet flavor is memorable and pure," McDermott writes in the book. "This is a pie from the past that belongs in the present and future."
Pastry for a double-crust pie (use store-bought or your favorite recipe)
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups muscadine grapes (about 2 pounds), rinsed
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie pan with crust, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate the remaining dough.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt, and stir with a fork to mix well. Set out a medium bowl and a medium saucepan.
Squeeze the grapes over the saucepan, dropping the pulpy, seed-filled grapes into the pan and placing their thick, sturdy skins or hulls into the medium bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the saucepan and place it over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil and cook the grape pulp until softened and shiny, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked grape pulp to a strainer and place it over the bowl of grape hulls. Press the grapes through the strainer, pushing the softened pulp into the pan with the hulls while extracting the large, round seeds. Use the back of a large spoon to get as much pulp as possible. Discard the seeds and transfer the hulls and pulp back to the saucepan. Cook them over medium heat to soften the hulls, about 5 minutes more.
Add the sugar mixture and lemon juice to the grapes and stir to mix everything well. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Sprinkle the small bits of butter over the grape filling, distributing it evenly. Wet the rim of the bottom pie crust to help seal it.
Roll the remaining dough into a 10-inch circle and cover the filling. Trim away the extra pastry extending beyond the rim of the pie pan. Crimp the edges firmly, or press them down with the back of a fork, working your way around the edge of the pie to seal the crust well. Use a sharp knife to cut eight slits in the top crust, to allow steam to escape and fruit juices to bubble up as the pie cooks.
Source: www.NancieMcDermott.com
Paul Stephen: 343-2041
On Twitter: @pauljstephen
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Exotic animals seized from homes more common than you may think
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Two tiger cubs are settling into their new home at Out of Africa after wildlife officials found them being kept in Valley backyards as pets.
Arizona Game and Fish officials transferred the cubs to the wildlife park in Camp Verde on Tuesday.
But before they ended up there, they went to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center to get checked out.
The non-profit center rehabilitates many exotic animals rescued form people's homes and injured animals from the wild.
It houses leopards, mountain lions and bobcats that all came from people's homes.
This is where they come for a second chance. Founder and executive director Linda Searles says some people take their fascination with wild animals too far.
"They think, it would just be so cool to have a mountain lion on the couch. Yeah, it's not, it's not. It's dangerous. It's not fair to the animal, and it's not fair to your neighbors," Searles said.
There are usually 250-300 animals here at a time. And just recently, they had two special visitors-- the tiger cubs.
"I was expecting a very quiet New Year's Eve, and we ended up unloading a tiger that night," Searles said.
The tiger cubs, both from the same litter, were held in two different Valley backyards.
They were reunited under her watch.
"We just kind of introduced them slowly, and it was very cute. They just went up to each other and started to tuff and rub on each other. And they just were so happy to be back together," Searles said.
After captivity, many animals can't go back into the wild because they're socialized to humans. They're often defanged and declawed.
But at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, they're loved and cared for.
"We give them a home for life. Those that can't be placed, we keep them and give them a home for life," Searles said.
Searles says federal laws against breeding exotic animals need to be strengthened, so people will stop trying to keep them as pets.
She says you can find tigers and lions for sale in just minutes online.
If you'd like to see some of these rescued animals yourself, and other wild animals, you can call to set up a tour at their Scottsdale facility.


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Man seriously hurt in fall at Chippenham factory (From This Is Wiltshire)
Man seriously hurt in fall at Chippenham factory
Updated 4:19pm Thursday 16th January 2014 in By Julie Armstrong, Senior reporter
The Health and Safety Executive attended Siemens Rail Automation in Chippenham yesterday after an accident in which a man was seriously injured.
The man is reported to have fallen from a flatbed lorry and hit his head on the concrete ground about five feet below.
The 62-year-old, who works for a concrete company believed to have been delivering lintels to Siemens, was taken to Frenchay Hospital near Bristol by road ambulance.
The accident happened at 9.45am at the former Westinghouse and Invensys Rail on Langley Park industrial estate.
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