text:
Swallowed by the jungle
Mountain rainforests and giant flowers, carpets of moss and magical groves – a hike through the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda is like a fantasy film expedition.
The Rwenzori Mountains, as the legendary "Mountains of the Moon" are officially called, extend far into western Uganda, into the area bordering the Congo. Some days earlier: We begin our hike at the foot of the mountains. The Rwenzori Mountaineering Service, a local association of mountain guides, has its base camp in the village of Ibanda. In the blazing heat, we distribute our baggage among a team of bearers, most of them Bakonjos, who are native to the region. They pack food and cooking utensils, roll mattresses into sacks, and stow the ropes, ice axes, crampons and harnesses we will need on the glacier.
Our group of six is planning to devote a whole week to hiking the Rwenzori National Park, where we will spend the nights in huts or tents, and finally climb Mount Stanley and its summit – the 5109-meter-high Margherita Peak – which is the third-highest elevation on the contintent after Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Kenya. Unlike the two highest peaks, however, Rwenzori is not volcanic in origin; it's a mountain range, and Africa's highest. Among mountaineers, our project is considered difficult and relatively challenging given the fairly inaccessible paths that will take us over rocks, roots, and marshland, and the steady rain and cold that test the limits of even experienced mountain climbers. But awaiting those who conquer the glacial peaks of the Mountains of the Moon are not only one of the most wondrous forests, but also dream gorges and fairy-tale highland panoramas. Legend has it that even the source of the White Nile is somewhere up there.
The trail first passes through banana groves and coffee plantations. A few women dressed in traditional, colorful robes and scarves on their head, giggle and wave from the roadside. Children yell "wazungu, wazungu" after us, "white strangers." Men buzz by on mopeds loud as circular saws. Then suddenly, behind the gates at the entrance to the national park, the jungle opens its maw and we are swallowed up. The human hubbub falls silent. All we hear is the sound of a mountain river plunging full throttle into the valley. A sweetish-warm fragrance fills our nostrils. The vegetation forms a canopy above our heads so that now the path resembles a green, ever-ascending tunnel. After eight hours and roughly seven kilometers of hard walking through the mountain rainforest, we reach the first waypoint on our hike, Nybitaba Hut, 2650 meters up. Any secret hopes we may have had of spending the night in an idyllic lodge overlooking the slopes are disappointed here: It's just a ramshackle cabin in the middle of the forest with small, dark rooms, homemade bunk beds up against bare timber walls, and an entrance hall dominated by a long table of coarse wood and two bare benches. Headlamps supply all the light there is. This is as cozy as it gets.
Day two brings rain. Our first rain shower arrives at breakfast time. We sit it out in the hut, then stoically march out into the lush, dripping greenery. Streaks of mist billow above dark-green mountain slopes. On the trees, pale outcrops of old man's beard flutter like pennants in the wind that drives heaps of clouds our way at regular intervals. Then the heavens open and it buckets down. The mountains certainly do justice to their name, Rwenzori, which means "rainmaker" in one Ugandan language. There are more than 300 days of rainfall a year here, and most of the time, the mountaintops are obscured by towering cloud. That's why even into the late 19th century, no European was aware of the existence of the Rwenzori Mountains. Although the scholars of Ancient Greece suspected that the Nile was fed by a giant snowy massif in the south, all proof remained hidden – and the theory was forgotten until the year 1889, when Sir Henry Morton Stanley, the British-American Africa explorer, happened to pass by on one of those rare days when the massif is not swathed in cloud.
The Mountains of the Moon are inscrutable and do not surrender their secrets lightly, our Ugandan mountain guides tell us. The higher we climb, the better we understand what these local Bakonjo men mean. The rain and the constantly high humidity here create ideal conditions for some wondrous vegetation: intertwined tree heather with balls of moss resembling cotton batting running riot on their stems, lobelia cactuses, and senecios, in Germany well known as dainty flowering succulents, but here growing several meters tall.
We reach the heights at which first signs of altitude sickness can appear. The bearers hurry on ahead of us, slender figures balancing as much as 20 kilograms on their brow bands as they traverse marshy ground and mountaintops with admirable grace. From day three onward, it is so wet that we can only continue our trek in gumboots. Miss the planking in the bog and we end up calf-deep in mud. On this particular afternoon, the clouds have once again brewed up a murky soup over Lake Bujuku, the largest of the area's four glacial lakes. I am glad to say that our guide, Patrick Marah, has not strayed from my side since base camp. I ask him where the waters of the Nile come from. He points first to the Bujuku and then to the cloud front up ahead before giving a dismissive wave of the hand and muttering something about a storm on the way and also something like, "You'll see." Then he hurries on. Not two minutes later, the first hailstones come pelting down. We have reached the alpine zone.
The days grow even wetter; the paths, steeper; the nights, colder. All we have in the mountain huts is hot tea and our sleeping bags. Some people cough themselves to sleep. The air up here is so rare that our exertions sap our energy and fray our nerves. It's a real effort to peel yourself out of your sleeping bag in temperatures below zero, and it's particularly tough at the Elena Hut, our temporary camp just below the summit. Slowly I count to five, take a deep breath, open my sleeping bag and slip into my clammy clothes. It's three in the morning and pitch-black outside. Before us likes the final stage of our climb, the ascent to Margherita Peak. An icy wind lashes our faces, each breath is painful. We trudge off, step after step up icy ledges in the beam of our headlamps. I listen to my rasping breath interrupted only by the crunch of the snow beneath my feet. Our bodies have long since been concentrating on the essentials: walking, breathing, walking. Roped together and with crampons beneath our soles, we stomp across the Stanley Glacier, which resembles an elephant's gigantic back. My lungs burn. We take enforced rests.
The first rays of the sun are just appearing as we reach the edge of the Margherita Glacier, a meter-thick carapace of aquamarine ice and snow. Once we have put that behind us, we have reached our destination. Exhausted, I flop down onto a ledge and stare up at the glacier's icy tongue, shimmering before my eyes. I spot Patrick, who waves me over. He points his ax toward a rivulet welling up from beneath the ice. "Nile water," he says with a grin. And then I suddenly notice the dripping, burbling sounds of water all around – glacial ice more than 10 000 years old melting faster than ever before due to climate change. It trickles down the rocks, collects in glacial lakes and plunges down through rugged gorges to the plains below; it pours into the large lakes of the Ugandan savannah and from there makes its way to the Nile. It is a fantastic sight.
We climb the final 200 meters to the summit. The climb is truly intoxicating! Three of us make it to the top of Margherita Peak and pause for a few moments, proud and enraptured. Then we head right back down again, rushing valleyward, breathing in the air as it finally becomes less and less rare and richer in oxygen. We leave behind the blue-green Kitandara glacial lakes and Freshfield Pass with its vegetation resembling a garden of oversized cactuses. We attempt to keep pace with our bearers – and naturally have no chance of catching up with them. We pass through the vegetation zones of the Rwenzori: the lobelia cactus jungle, the meters-high tree heather and bamboo groves, the mountain rainforest, moss, ferns, streaks of mist and white waters everywhere. And then the gates of the national park spit us back out into civilization again.
This story first appeared in Lufthansa Exclusive, the frequent traveller magazine. For more information about Lufthansa Miles & More offers, please click here.
Kirsten Milhahn
Kirsten Milhahn lives and works in Nairobi, Kenya as a freelance correspondent for Africa. What made her leave Hamburg and move to Africa? She loves the wildness and wide open spaces in that part of the world, people's spontaneity, their warmth and talent for improvisation – and living life on the edge. Africa is a continent in transition. Many African countries are currently undergoing change, and centuries-old traditions exist side-by-side with a younger generation living a modern life in the big cities. These constrasts are what inspire her as a photographer and author. In images and text, she documents the current situation and shows her deep admiration for the creativity, courage and hope shown by so many brave people, often in the face of great hardship.


text:
| 19.5°C Dublin
FELIX Baumgartner, the skydiver who made headlines around the world last month after jumping from a balloon near the edge of space, will try to overturn an assault conviction next week, saying he acted in self-defence, his lawyer said today
The 43-year-old Austrian was fined €1,500 by a lower court for battery after he punched a Greek truck driver in the face during a 2010 altercation that broke our during a traffic jam near Salzburg.
He parachuted from a balloon above the Earth last month, setting a record for the highest skydive and breaking the sound barrier in the process.
But in Austria, the apparent road rage incident has generated less welcome publicity on the ground.
A three-judge appeals court in Salzburg is set to hear the case on Tuesday. "We contend the judge made a mistake here and didn't take into account the self-defence justification," Severin Irsigler, Baumgartner's attorney, said.
"During the quarrel the Greek truck driver launched a kick at Mr. Baumgartner that he was able to parry. It was so intensive that his shoe flew off. In defending himself he pushed the driver away and struck his face while doing so."
The Oesterreich newspaper quoted the driver, whom it identified only as Dimitrios P, as saying he had given Baumgartner only a slight push and had got a fist in the face in return. "He is no hero," the driver said.
Baumgartner will not appear in person on Tuesday, Irsigler said.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Transcendent City is a gorgeous short film by Bartlett School of Architecture graduate Richard Hardy about an artificial intelligence network that coexists with its ecosystem. It's a welcome break from the presupposition that AI overlords would scorch the Earth.
In this film, machines are able to do what us meatbags can't — achieve perfect equilibrium with the environment. Says Hardy about this project:
The concept of a future sustainable city is developed for a society that is currently not responding effectively to environmental dangers. "Transcendence" in this case referring to a point when artificial intelligence has reached or surpassed that of the human.
The Transcendent City is an autonomous artificial machine that extends across the earth adapting to the natural eco-systems it encounters while deriving its energy from the renewable resources available at each particular site. The systems desire is to maintain homeostasis within itself whilst maintaining homeostasis within the greater system, Gaia. Its processes are engineered on the molecular scale by nano technologies controlled by molecular computers that monitor and analyse the environment
You can check out more images from Hardy's project here.
[via BLDGBLOG]


text:
Red & Peach Roses Half Crown
Product DescriptionNothing completes a whimsical look more than a flower crown, these will never go out of style. Its the perfect way to complete your outfit for that special occasion.
Ideal for brides and bridesmaids, they are a great way to celebrate a theme and colour scheme.
All flower crowns are made with synthetic flowers.
Flower crowns can be made to order with a choice of your flower, mail us for more info and custom made orders: firstname.lastname@example.com
Product Details
- Product Type: Flower Crown
- Brand: Blackeyed Susan
- Collection: Accessories


text:
Pagan Community Notes is a companion to my usual Pagan News of Note series, more focused on news originating from within the Pagan community. I want to reinforce the idea that what happens to and within our organizations, groups, and events is news, and news-worthy. My hope is that more individuals, especially those working within Pagan organizations, get into the habit of sharing their news with the world. So lets get started!
Isaac Bonewits Memorial DVD Controversy: Back in August of 2010 Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF) held a special memorial service at the Summerland Gathering in Ohio for their founding Archdruid Isaac Bonewits who passed away on August 12th. The memorial service was captured on video, and placed on Youtube so those who couldn't be there could see it. Since then, the ADF has made a DVD of that video footage available for purchase, a move that has upset Bonewit's ex-wife Deborah Lipp and their child Arthur.
"You can say, Isaac wanted to give money to ADF and therefore it's acceptable, or you can say, Isaac placed what was right and proper and honorable before profit, always, and therefore it's utterly unacceptable. I knew him very well, and I can hear him saying "tacky" quite clearly in my ear, but I recognize the subjectivity of that. In the end, I can only speak to what I feel is right, and respectful, and kind. To commodify the death of a great man is not respectful. To do so at an event where he was being honored is not right. To do so when his only son was at that event was not kind."
The ADF responded by saying that they are only charging for the DVD "to recoup a fraction of the costs associated with their creation," and that the DVD was only made so that those without broadband Internet access could see the footage. Lipp responded by calling the production of a DVD "tasteless, disrespectful, undignified, and uncompassionate to those for whom this loss is personal." Shortly after Lipp's open letter started circulating Phaedra Bonewits, Isaac's widow, posted her own thoughts on the matter, her opinions veered sharply from the idea that the ADF were "uncompassionate" in their move to sell a DVD.
"Bottom line, I do not want anyone to think that the opinions of Ms. Lipp, Isaac's ex wife, represent my feelings, or the sentiments of any other member of Isaac's family other than those of her son, Arthur Lipp-Bonewits. They are entitled to feel what they feel, but their feelings are not representative of the rest of us. I can't presume to speak for Isaac, not really. But he did put his legacy in my hands because he loved and trusted me, as I loved and trusted him. Thus, I want to state unequivocally that I do not find the videotaping of the memorial, nor the distribution of the DVDs at nominal cost to be in any way disrespectful or exploitative of his memory. I completely support ADF in this situation, as do his siblings and his own mother."
This is obviously an emotionally intense subject, and I'm only reporting on this now because all parties involved have decided to make public their positions in the matter. I know from firsthand experience that the loss of a loved one is never easy, and the initial months, even years, after their passing can be fraught with unknown obstacles and a unique liminality brought on by grief. To lose someone who was a beloved public figure, who many people feel a sense of connection to, is no doubt even more complex and trying an experience. To paraphrase our nation's president, I think it's above my pay-grade to make a judgment call on this situation. It is what it is, a difference of opinion regarding what actions were proper and respectful. I wish all involved every blessing, and would guess that Isaac himself would relish engaging in the question at hand, though we are now all bereft of his direct insight in the matter.
Temple of the River in Minnesota Closes its Doors: Yesterday PNC-Minnesota reported that Temple of the River, an Irish Cottage Temple in NE Minneapolis, was closing its doors and that the religious community sponsoring it, The Old Belief Society, is disbanding. Temple of the River's priest, Drew Jacob, made waves across the Pagan community recently with an article titled "Why I'm not Pagan." Cara Schulz of PNC-Minnesota conducted an exclusive interview with Jacob about the move, and what the future holds for its priest.
"To put it simply, it's not helping enough people change their lives. We have a large community and terrific events, but the Temple isn't making the impact I want to see it make. As a priest, I've witnessed a significant shift in people's spiritual needs. The needs that Temple of the River was designed to fulfill—a place for community, and accurate knowledge about historic practices—simply aren't as badly needed now as they were ten years ago.
Instead I see people searching for a way to take charge of their lives. That has to be the priority, because the world is changing, and people feel lost, or stuck. The economy, technology and culture are all shifting. 20th century strategies for life don't work well anymore, so there are a lot of people out there who aren't happy with their lives. What I want to teach people is how to change that. How to live boldly and lead a life of victory. I want to empower people."
Jacob now says he'll devote his time to the Heroic Life, "a new spirituality for the 21st century" that's "based on bravery and adventure." Temple of the River will hold one last event on Midsummer's Eve, and a final meditation session the week before.
Hutton Responds to Whitmore, Explains His Process: Chas Clifton reports that the The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies has posted a freely accessible article by British historian Ronald Hutton (author of "The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft") entitled "Writing the History of Witchcraft: A Personal View." In the piece Hutton discusses the course his work has taken, situates it within a larger body of scholarly work, and proposes three possible futures for the writing and reception of Pagan history by "practitioners outside the academy." He also directly addresses the book-length critique of his work, "Trials of the Moon: Reopening the Case for Historical Witchcraft," written by Ben Whitmore.
"It [Trials of the Moon] is devoted entirely to my own work. Although he allows that I have some virtues, at the opening and the end, these concessions seem very hollow in view of everything in between. He sums up the message of Triumph as being that modern Pagan witch-craft is "entirely a new invention, cobbled together by a few eccentrics," with no link to any earlier form of "Pagan spirituality." This is of course a travesty of its intended message. The whole purpose of his own bookis to destroy my reputation as an authority upon the history of Paganism and witchcraft, at least among Pagans, and especially belief in the argu-ments of Triumph. He has carried out very little research into primary source material. What he employs instead is a number of secondary texts of varying quality and drawn from a wide span of time. Whenever he finds a passage in these which apparently contradicts me, he proclaims that I am proved wrong. He also examines some of the works from which I have quoted myself and claims that I have misrepresented them. Nobody who believes his assertions can be left with anything other than the impression that I am an unscrupulous and deceitful individual motivated by a concealed hostility to Paganism. Most of the use that I make of source material is passed over in silence: only the apparent faults are highlighted. Where I address properly in later publications matters that he accuses me of neglecting in Triumph, this is taken as confirmation of my earlier guilt rather than a negation of it. By the same tactic, aspects of earlier work of mine to which he takes exception, and which are differently handled in Triumph, are still made to stand as examples of my turpitude. He criticises me for not defining terms like "witchcraft" with absolute precision, but then makes no attempt to do so himself, keeping them as fluid as possible so that they can fit a range of different meanings. He likewise makes no attempt to construct an alternative history of witchcraft and Paganism to my own: his whole purpose is simply to undermine confidence in me, so that—presumably—Pagan witches can go back to believing whatever they did before I wrote. Most of the points on which he tries to fault me are of detail, often trivial, and his hope is clearly that if he can put enough small cuts into my reputation for reliability, then faith in it will leak away."
There's much more, so those interested in this debate should download and read the whole thing. I must say that I share Hutton's dream of a consensual picture of Pagan history based on primary sources, made in conjunction with Pagan writers and outside scholars, rather than "a number of mutually hostile sects, with different versions of history centered on rival writers," or generational-based "acrimonious division." Here's hoping that our future is one of cooperation and collaboration instead of deepening divisions or impassible generational shibboleths. For even more on this topic, The Pomegranate also features a formal review of Whitemore's book by Peg Aloi, and Chas Clifton tackles yet another "grandmother story." For all of my coverage of Whitmore's work, click here.
Other Community Notes:
- A very happy 25th wedding/handfasting anniversary to Selena Fox and her husband Dennis from Circle Sanctuary. They had a private ceremony at Circle on June 7, 1986, followed by a public ceremony on June 21, 1986, during Pagan Spirit Gathering.
- Speaking of Pagan Spirit Gathering, registration for the week-long outdoor festival has been extended through June 13th. There's going to be a dedicated Pagan media camp this year, full of great folks!
- Nels Linde at PNC-Minnesota interviewed Skot 'Skewb' Person and Leslie Ravenhair of the Kansas City Drum Tribe (Katumba) while attending the Heartland Spirit Festival.
That's all I have for now, have a great day!


text:
I am very excited to announce that we added a new member to the family today. Meet Ruby:
Ruby is roughly three years old and some combination of Lab and Beagle according to the shelter we adopted her from.
So far I don't think we could have hoped for a better choice of dogs. Ruby is sweet, playful, and very social. So social she climbed right up on my chest for an afternoon nap. Unfortunately for me she weighs in at a stout 61 pounds which made breathing a bit of a challenge.
Admittedly our cats are less than thrilled about their new housemate but hopefully in the next few days they will learn to ignore the dog and get back to their normal routine.


text:
The beauty of this bread is in its simplicity—mixing, kneading, even part of the rising are all done in a food processor. The end result is like a warm, crusty slice of Paris.
- Yield
- Makes two 17-inch loaves
- Active Time
- 30 min
- Total Time
- 3 1/2 hr
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package)
- 1 2/3 cups warm water (105-115°F)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 razor blade or very sharp knife
- Special Equipment
- 2 (17-inch-long) French bread pans (preferably dark nonstick); a razor blade or very sharp knife
- Pulse flour, salt, and vinegar in a food processor to combine.
- Stir together yeast and 1/3 cup water in a small bowl until yeast is dissolved, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) With motor running, pour yeast mixture and remaining 1 1/3 cups warm water into flour mixture in processor, blending until dough forms a ball and pulls away from side of processor bowl, about 1 minute.
- Cover processor feed tube and let dough rise until it fills bowl, about 1 hour. Pulse several times to deflate dough.
- Generously oil bread pans with olive oil.
- Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide in half (dough will be very soft). Press 1 half into a 10- by 8-inch rectangle and fold in the 2 short outer sides to meet in the middle, pinching edges together. Turn over (seam side down), then roll and stretch into a 15-inch-long irregular loaf. Put loaf, seam side up, in bread pan and turn to coat with oil, leaving loaf seam side down.
- Repeat procedure with remaining dough. Let loaves rise, uncovered, in a warm draft-free place 30 minutes.
- Put oven rack in upper third of oven, then put a large roasting pan with 1 inch of water in it on bottom of gas oven or on lowest rack of electric oven. Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Make 3 shallow diagonal slashes down length of each loaf with razor. Bake loaves 30 minutes, then carefully remove pan of water from oven. Remove bread from pans and turn upside down on upper oven rack, then bake until golden and crusty all over, about 5 minutes more. Cool loaves on a rack.


text:
Saturday, March 28, 2015
EARTH HOUR : I am switching OFF. Are you ?????
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
RWABhagidari is the largest network of Resident Welfare Associations - RWAs of Delhi for regularly raising various Social & Civic issues, concerning the general public, on different platforms. You can view more at : www.RWABhagidari.com / www.RWABhagidari.blogspot.in / For Free News Letter Subscription, please mail us at : firstname.lastname@example.com :We don't vouch the views expressed by our visitors.


text:
Collins John has signed a multi-year deal with the Chicago Fire after the two sides came to terms on a contract late Wednesday night.
Talks between the former Fulham striker and the club appeared stalled earlier this week, with sources indicating that had John not come to terms with the Fire, he would have resumed his professional career in Europe.
But Fire officials confirmed Thursday that John and the team have agreed to terms, and the club officially announced the acquisition on Friday morning.
"We are very excited to have Collins join the Chicago Fire," Fire technical director Frank Klopas said in a statement. "Collins is a talented player and he will be a great addition to the club. He is a quick and powerful forward with a nose for goal and we believe he will be a good fit to the attacking style we will play this season."
The 25-year-old Dutch international's form has dipped in recent seasons. Last year, while on loan at Belgian side KSV Roeselare, John was demoted to the reserve squad for disciplinary reasons and subsequently released.
Financial details of John's contract were not revealed, but fellow forward Patrick Nyarko is slated to come off the Generation Adidas list next season with a salary that will make a sizeable dent in the team salary cap. Nyarko proved to be a vital cog last season, appearing in all 30 matches and earning 22 starts up top.
John and Fire forward Brian McBride teamed together at Fulham for large portions of the 2004-08 seasons, and combined for 21 league goals at the peak of their collective success during 2005-06. John eventually fell out of favor at Craven Cottage and bounced around the EPL on loan deals, but the duo's success together surely caught the attention of the Fire brass during the offseason.
John joined Chicago in February and has scored three goals this preseason.


text:
We would like to place cookies on your computer to help us make this website better.
For more information, including how to turn cookies off, see more about cookies.
Or simply continue below:
This is affecting us all at work and at home. We're working hard to keep services running and will focus our efforts on the most critical elements. In doing so disruption to many services is likely.
Do it online
Find the services you need
Is there anything wrong with this page?


text:
FreeUP Mobile is an MVNO offering prepaid cell phone plans and was founded in 2017. FreeUP Mobile coverage is the same as you would expect with any of the big 4, as they are powered the AT&T 4G LTE network.
FreeUP Mobile plans can be customized on your data usage, so you no longer have to waste money on data you don't use. Their cheap cell phone plans offer huge savings in comparison to an unlimited data plan from any of the big 4.
You can use our phone plan savings calculator to see exactly how much you save by switching carriers. It's always worth reading FreeUP Mobile user reviews and comparing cell phone plans before deciding on your new carrier.
When you switch, you can either bring your own phone to FreeUP Mobile and change the APN Settings, or buy an unlocked smartphone.


text:
With the successful landing of the rover "Curiousity" on Mars this past week, my thoughts have turned to Space and the Space program, and that naturally led me to think of Ron Howard's "Apollo 13".
With an emphasis on authenticity and cast laden with Oscar winners and nominees, "Apollo 13" brings to life the nerve-wracking true tale of determination, ingenuity and courage that occurred on the 13th mission of the Apollo program.
"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important in the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish."
President John F Kennedy
In 1970, the Apollo Program was approaching a full decade in existence. Conceived at the end of the Eisenhower administration, the program received funding and began in earnest during the first term of the presidency of John F. Kennedy. When Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space on April 12, 1961, Kennedy became determined that the United States be the first country to reach the moon. On May 25th, 1961, six weeks after Gagarin's flight, Kennedy delivered his famous address to Congress, asking for the committment to go to the moon.
The "Space Race" was underway.
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
Neil Armstrong
"There's something about the story of getting back home, which is one of the seven great stories of literature. How do you get back home? And that's what this is." – Tom Hanks
Ron Howard clearly recalled the mission and the enormous amount of tension surrounding it, so when the project was put before him, he leapt at the chance. He also found an enthusiastic partner in Tom Hanks, who "always wanted to be an astronaut". He claims to have been saying for years that he wanted to be part of a movie about the mission. At that moment, Hanks was coming off back to back Best Actor Oscars for "Philadelphia" ('93) and "Forrest Gump" ('94). Having him attached to the film immediately gave the project a higher profile.
Howard's intention was to make the film as technically accurate as possible. He received an extraordinary level of cooperation from NASA, and was able to reference transcripts, recordings and archival footage. They even offered Howard the use of the actual mission control, though Howard decided to construct a replica set. He also had access to members of the Apollo program, including Lovell himself, so the consulting work on this film is unparalleled. They took painstaking efforts to duplicate things exactly and to adhere to the highest standard of factual accuracy. They were tempted initially to use actual archival footage from the liftoff, but chose modern special effects techniques instead due to the disparity in quality between sources.
Their efforts led them to take unprecedented steps, namely shooting in actual zero gravity. The weightless scenes were created by constructing a set inside NASA's KC-135, a plane which is used to create zero gravity environments by flying in a parabolic arc. Each pass would give the crew approximately 25 seconds of weightlessness. Eventually, close to four hours of footage was shot in this manner, over the course of 612 flights. Shots where the astronauts entire body is shown floating were filmed in zero G. If there were close-ups required, the cast mimed bobbing about while shooting in a more traditional studio set.
Their dedication and faithfulness paid off. "Apollo 13" is a film of unmatched authenticity. It faithfully and realistically recreates the events, equipment, and environments involved. But it also captures the intensity of the human drama.
The movie opens referencing Apollo 1 and Apollo 11, reminding audiences of both the mortal risks involved (the crew of Apollo 1 perished in a tragic fire) and the incredible promise of the program. Lovell (Hanks) and the rest of the backup crew, plus their families, are having a party to watch Neil Armstrong set foot on moon on tv. It establishes the stakes and gives the audience an anchor for their empathy… the family. Although the television networks of America considered the mission routine and initially didn't cover it, the families were completely invested emotionally from start to finish.
The film's story begins with the crew's mission specific training, shows the painful moment when Ken Mattingly was scratched at the last-minute for medical reasons, and then shows the successful launch. After a brief celebratory period once the crew reaches space, things get deadly serious in a hurry when the oxygen tanks get stirred and the malfunction occurs.
Houston, we have a problem.
Once the command module is damaged, the lunar landing is aborted and the mission becomes the safe return of the crew. The film's intensity skyrockets. The mission control team (led by Ed Harris as Gene Kranz) shifts into high gear attempting to resolve issues as they arise. Frantic calculations are made, and by hand, this being the era of slide rules, pencils and chalkboards. Ken Mattingly is roused from his sleep and brought back in to the simulator to work last-minute procedures.
They faced the challenges of a dissipating oxygen supply, how to steer from the LEM, a power shortfall, the need to make course corrections, how to filter carbon dioxide, and worries over whether the heat shield was still intact and whether or not the parachutes would fire. Through it all, the mission crew and ground crew demonstrate incredible tenacity, nerves of steel, and even physical fortitude. But above all, unshakable resolve and incredible bravery.
And in the end, they were triumphant.
When I first was working on it, I really thought of it as, you know, the story of the guys on the capsule. It still is very much, but, one of the first things that we did once we committed to making the movie was go to Houston, see Mission control, and I realized just how intense it was. How personally they took it. And I began to try to find ways to tell their story, too. – Ron Howard
The film features a tremendous job by cast. Hank's Jim Lovell has to watch his dreams of stepping on the moon slip through his fingers, and Hanks shows that pain plainly. Kevin Bacon's Jim Swigert yearns to prove his mettle to the rest of the crew, and Bill Paxton's Fred Haise demonstrates the physical rigours of the ordeal as he falls ill. On the ground, Harris, Sinise, and others convey the diligent efforts of scores of people who was necessary to safely return the crew. Kathleen Quinlan provides the emotionally chorus as Marilyn Lovell (she and Harris received Academy Award noms for their work here). The cast is backed by exceptional direction by Howard, and a stirring score by James Horner.
It's a story that contains intense drama inherently, so the filmmakers wisely kept it free of Hollywood histrionics. Instead, they simply tried to portray the actual ordeal that took place from April 11 through April 17, 1970, when the eyes of the world turned to the heavens and prayed for the safe return of the Apollo crew. Three brave explorers who risked their lives and left the safety of Earth in order to go where few had ever been, for the benefit of all mankind.
It's a story that doesn't need to be dramatized. "Apollo 13" perfectly captures both the nail biting anxiety of the mission, and the incredible human spirit involved in safely returning Lovell, Swigert and Haise back home.
It's definitely a "Movie That Everyone Should See".


text:
Forget rankings and coin tosses. A psychic pig is the latest tool European soccer tournament organizers intend to use to predict who wins matches, Reuters reported.
Those behind the Euro 2012 championships said they had found "a unique oracle hog, a real Ukrainian pig and a psychic which knows the mysteries of football" to deliver daily predictions during the games come June, according to Reuters.
The pig follows in the tentacle-steps of Paul, the now-dead octopus employed to predict results of World Cup 2010 matches.
A statement by city officials in Kiev, Ukraine — where many of the Euro 2012 matches will take place — said the pig would predict the winner of the upcoming match every day at 4 p.m., Reuters noted.
They said they hoped the animal would drum up public interest in the games in the same way Paul did two years ago.
Ukraine has been under international pressure leading into the games over its treatment of imprisoned opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko.


text:
During the first week of July, investors changed their tune on where central-bank policymaking is heading and poured nearly $6 billion into equity funds and over $2 billion into bond funds, according to the EPFR Global.
This was quite a turn for fund flows, which had seen nearly $58 billion in redemptions from bond-funds alone over the past four weeks, according to EPFR Global, which released its latest report on Friday. (The research firm tracks almost 50,000 funds and $19.6 trillion in assets worldwide.)
Investors seemed to be responding to remarks made by central bankers in the Europe, which reflected comments made by members of the Federal Reserve concerning the less-than-imminent death of quantitative easing.
U.S.- and Europe-based funds accounted for most inflows with investors positioning themselves ahead of an earnings season that, at least for exporters, should be a good one, the research group says.
While Canada and Australia continued to experience record outflows, Germany, Switzerland and UK equity funds took in over $100 million; funds focused on Italy, Spain and Sweden also recording solid inflows. "Investors largely shrugged off data showing unemployment in the European Union holding at record levels and fears the Portuguese government will collapse, taking its commitment to austerity measures with it, with daily data only turning negative on July 3," EPFR explained.
In Japan, equity funds hit a six-week high. With renewed turmoil in Egypt, dropping oil production in Mexico, Venezuela and Nigeria, energy-sector funds saw inflows top $2 billion for the first time since early 2011.
"Seven of the other 10 major groups tracked by EPFR Global also posted inflows as receding fears about the pace of monetary tightening and a focus on the upcoming 2Q13 earnings season attracted some fresh money," the group shared.
Emerging-markets bond funds, however, suffered net redemptions for the sixth-straight week, though the level of outflows was just a-fifth of the previous week's record-setting amount.
Emerging-market corporate bond funds, though, had outflows hit their highest weekly total since the start of the current financial crisis.
Bullish on U.S. Investments
In late June, an online survey of investors found that most, 63%, are bullish about the prospects for domestic stocks in the third quarter of 2013, according to the Tokyo-based Monex Group. This is up from 57% in March and 43% in December 2012.
"This surprising result flies in the face of broad pessimism about the outlook for global equities, as well as clear concern about how growing budget deficits and other structural problems could affect the U.S. economy going forward," the online brokerage group explained in a press release.
Also, some 53% of investors using Monex' broker-dealer said they are bullish about the U.S. dollar vs. 49% in March and 35% in December.
U.S. investors, however, are still downbeat about global equities, with 40% predicting they would decline in the third quarter of 2013.
"The survey results suggest that concerns about global economic challenges haven't dampened U.S. investors' expectations for domestic stocks and the U.S. dollar," said Salomon Sredni, CEO of TradeStation Group, Inc. and COO of Monex Group, in a press release.
For direct insights on the role of ETFs in client portfolios from multiple experts—including Rick Ferri, Ron Delegge, Skip Schweiss and more—we invite you to register for AdvisorOne's premiere advisorcentric Virtual ETF Summit, which starts July 23 (and get multiple hours of CFP Board CE).


text:
An excerpt:
Researcher Seth Wenger, the paper's lead author, said cutthroat could see a 58 percent decline in suitable habitat due to warming rivers, altered streamflows and competition from nonnative species.
The study, published in the science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also predicts a decline in introduced brook trout populations by as much as 77 percent, while rainbow and brown trout populations could also decline by an estimated 35 percent and 48 percent, respectively.
The decline of cutthroat trout is of particular significance, Wenger said, because it is the only trout native to much of the West, and is a keystone species in the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. The westslope cutthroat trout — a subspecies included in the study— is Montana's state fish and the focus of numerous conservation efforts.
The 11 researchers who contributed to the study are from Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado State University, and the University of Washington.
Wenger said the paper was based on data collected from nearly 10,000 fish surveys conducted in the western half of Montana, as well as the western parts of Colorado and Wyoming, eastern and northern Idaho, and Utah. The data was used to build statistical models that forecast the decline in total suitable habitat.
The range of cutthroat habitat has already shrunk by more than 85 percent due to competition from introduced species like rainbow trout and brook trout, and two subspecies have already gone extinct.
Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-a ... z2LRlSZ5xY


text:
. . . to the descendants of our families who bravely crossed the Northern Appalachians into Somerset, Allegheny, and surrounding counties in Western Pennsylvania after surviving weeks at sea on their way from Europe. Oh, be sure that some began their American experience living for a time in the eastern portion of Penn's Woods, and we refer to that often, but our mission as "Teller of the tales of the tribe" is primarily to share their stories of life on the early frontier farther west.
May we emphasize two things: First, this site is always UNDER CONTRUCTION; and second, this is not a blog! What you see is researched and documented and presented in as scholarly a manner as possible. We like to think of this site as a repository of family trees and original narratives, a library for the spirits of our ancestors, archives for our descendants.
Two more things: we are always open for comments, corrections, and additions; and this site is highly interactive. We offer an alphabetical listing of surname links that will take you to family trees, which in turn are linked to other family trees, each of which offers a rich Table of Contents for your perusal. Download, save, print, and share whatever you like, but don't forget to check back for new additions. Comments are always welcome and may be made under "Leave a Reply" at the bottom of each page or directly to me via e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Larry Pearce


text:
Find Your Way to Play!
Step into Brilliant Sky Toys & Books and discover something different. You will find a retail experience unlike any other, with a focus on enrichment, enlightenment, and enjoyment.
Explore an unparalleled spectrum of the finest, most developmentally sound playthings that the world has to offer. Interact with people whose sole mission is not just to satisfy our customers, but delight them. Enjoy our passion for play, our commitment to fun, and our dedication to helping every visitor find their way to play.
Discover, experience, explore, interact, and enjoy. That's the Brilliant Sky way, and it's the way to play.


text:
Summer Author Series scheduled for June at The Register Citizen
TORRINGTON >> Four area authors will be reading from their recent books this summer as The Register Citizen hosts its first Summer Author Series in June.
First up is Marie Bostwick, of Thomaston, who will read from and discuss her new book "Between Heaven and Texas" on Thursday, June 6. Bostwick is a New York Times best-selling author and her previous books include "Fields of Gold," "River's Edge," "Snow Angels" and "A Single Thread," among many others. Read more about her work here: http://mariebostwick.com.
On the path to becoming a novelist, Marie Bostwick worked in the bean fields of Oregon, sang and danced in musical productions, acted in TV commercials, taught religion to deaf children, ran an event-planning business, worked as the scheduler for a U.S. Senator and directed women's ministries for a large church, according to her biographical information on her website.
Coming up on Thursday, June 13, will be Harwinton author Jack Sheedy, who will read from his book "Sting of the Heat Bug." In this memoir, Sheedy touches on his crisis of faith after his slightly older sister Peggy dies from complications due to diabetes. The story brings the reader on a journey through post-war Connecticut and touches on things like poverty, friendship and family struggles.
Sheedy is a former reporter for The Hartford Courant, a news editor of The Catholic transcript and a correspondent at The Register Citizen. For more details, visit http://jacksheedy.homestead.com.
Litchfield County residents and husband-and-wife team Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick, who write as Jan Coffey, will read from their recent Young Adult novel "Aquarian" on Thursday, June 20. The book follows a swimmer whose fantasy and reality suddenly collide, as she keeps searching for the truth of her family's past. Jan Coffey have published several award-winning books, including "The Deadliest Strain," "The Project" and "Five In a Row." Several of the books take place in a fictional town in Litchfield County loosely based on Litchfield. For more, visit http://www.nikooandjim.com.
Rounding out the summer author series on Thursday, June 27, will be Susan Schoenberger. Schoenberger, who began her career as an education reporter at The Register Citizen in Torrington many years ago, will read from her debut novel, "A Watershed Year." The book follows a Lucy McVie, a woman who loses a dear friend but finds strength in messages he left behind for her, which guide her into a new life role. For more, visit http://susanschoenberger.com.
All events are free and start at 6 p.m. in The Register Citizen Newsroom Café Classroom and will feature a reading and brief discussion. Light refreshments will be served. To register your interest in one or all of the events, please email firstname.lastname@example.com or call (860) 489-3121, ext. 357. The Register Citizen is located at 59 Field St., Torrington.


text:
Presented by Crown Archetype with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®
Promise Me is now available in bookstores everywhere! Paperback editions will be available on September 13, 2011. For more details and purchasing information, visit: www.promisemebynancygbrinker.com
Crown Archetype is proud to publish Promise Me, the powerful and inspiring memoir by Nancy G. Brinker, founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
Growing up, Nancy and her sister Suzy were inseparable, with the elegant, socially poised Suzy serving as younger sister Nancy's best friend and role model. Then in 1977, at the age of thirty-three, Suzy was stricken with breast cancer. Three years later, having endured an uninformed doctor, surgeries that left her feeling mutilated and stripped of her sexuality, and fighting through several grueling courses of chemotherapy and radiation, Susan G. Komen lay dying. Toward the end, she begged her sister to do something, anything, to make sure that other women with breast cancer would not have to suffer as she had from the ravages of this deadly disease.
"Promise me, Nanny," she said. "Promise me you won't let it go on like this."
Her heart broken, Nancy promised: "I swear, Suzy. Even if it takes the rest of my life."
At that moment, Susan G. Komen for the Cure was born.
Promise Me is the story of how that vow launched Nancy on a thirty-year-long mission to change the way the world thought of, spoke of, and treated breast cancer. Brinker's unparalleled success at turning $200 and a list of would-be donors into a movement that has saved the lives of millions of women was recognized by President Obama in August 2009, when he awarded Brinker the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "In the months after making that promise," the President noted, "Nancy lay awake at night wondering if one person can really make a difference. Nancy's life is the answer."
By sharing Promise Me with your own sister or your loved one, together you can join the global movement to end breast cancer forever
Order your copy of Promise Me.
Read an excerpt from Promise Me.
"In this deeply thoughtful, assertive, sensitive memoir of the sisters' growing up and devotion to each other in life and death, Brinker chronicles the long path she trod to create Susan G. Komen for the Cure."— Publishers Weekly"These stories of joy, fear, love and heartache are told in a captivating voice that brings a highly personal dimension to [Susan G. Komen for the Cure] and to the subject of breast cancer in general…. A touching, inspiring look behind the scenes at the founding of one of the most famous nonprofit organizations in the world."— Kirkus Reviews"More than twenty-five years ago, Nancy's love for her cherished sister sparked a promise to fight breast cancer. Today that promise has launched a global movement to end breast cancer, and Nancy is fulfilling her promise to women all around the world. Promise Me is an inspiring tribute to a sister's love and a must-read for all who know the pink ribbon." — LAURA BUSH, former First Lady and author of Spoken from the Heart
"Promise Me emotionally and elegantly chronicles how sisterly love changed the course of modern medicine by catalyzing women around the world to battle breast cancer."— MEHMET OZ, M.D., host, The Dr. Oz Show and professor and vice-chair of surgery, New York Presbyterian/Columbia
"This is the story of what happens when a big heart meets an iron will. Nancy Brinker will make you sit back in wonder." —KELLY CORRIGAN, bestselling author of Lift and The Middle Place
"Susan G. Komen for the Cure has become a brand name in the fight against breast cancer, thanks to the tireless devotion of Nancy Brinker. In Promise Me we learn about the remarkable work of that organization, and also finally get to know the woman behind the name—Suzy Goodman Komen's sense of fun and family comes through these pages as a bright light leading her sister through trials and triumphs."— COKIE ROBERTS, news analyst and author of We Are Our Mothers' Daughters and Founding Mothers
"This is three beautiful books rolled into one: a poignant memoir, a guide to running an entrepreneurial foundation, and a set of inspiring stories about the struggle against breast cancer. When her beloved sister, Suzy, died, Nancy Brinker's life's work began. This book is about the meaning of life. It will move and enlighten you." — WALTER ISAACSON, bestselling author of Einstein: His Life and Universe and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Find out how you can get involved at www.komen.org.
Subscribe to receive general news, information and updates from Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
Please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com for more information about Promise Me, or to learn how your organization can get involved in the book campaign.
Rachel RokickiCrown Archetype email@example.com
Tammy BlakeCrown Archetype firstname.lastname@example.com
Andrea RaderSusan G. Komen for the Cure®email@example.com
Promise Me by Nancy G. Brinker On Sale: September 14, 2010Price: $25.99Format: Hardcover, ebookPublisher: Broadway Books
Hardcover ISBN: 978-0-307-71812-9 Ebook ISBN: 978-0-307-71814-3


text:
Victoria was the daughter of Andrew Przybylski and Frances Rochowiak. She was born December 18, 1882 and baptized at St. Anthony's on December 19, 1882.
Frank Sieja was born September 28, 1883 to Valentine and Mary Sieja and was baptized at St. Anthony's on September 30, 1883.
Before their marriage, Victoria was employed as a sorter for H. Rosen, a junk dealer on Erie Street in Toledo — somewhat remarkably for a 15-year-old, she was listed in the 1897 Polk Directory for Toledo with her employment and as a border of Frances Przybylski (wid Andrew) at 1637 Vance Street.
Frank and Victoria were married in St. Anthony's parish on September 25, 1905. Their marriage produced 10 children:
- Roman, born 1907
- Chester, born 1908
- Andrew, born 1909
- Daniel, born 1911
- Irene, born 1912
- Martha, born 1914
- Edmund, born 1916
- Alice, born 1919
- Leonard, born 1922
- Norman, born 1925
I was unable to locate Norman's baptismal data.
Irene had married Clemence Plenzler. Clemence was the son of Martin Plenzler and Minnie Machowiak. My mother worked with Irene at the F. W. Woolworth department store in downtown Toledo for many years.
Daniel had married Edna Plenzler. Edna was the daughter of Martin Plenzler and Minnie Machowiak. Coincidentally, Edna and Daniel were born just days apart — Edna on April 16, 1911 and Daniel on April 18, 1911 — and they were baptized on the same day.
Leonard did not survive childhood and passed away due to infantile paralysis on August 3, 1927. His interment record through St. Anthony's parish is transcribed below:
Date of death and burial: Aug. 3 – Aug. 5 1927
Name of person interred: Leonard Sieja
Place of birth: Toledo
Age: 5
Disease: Paralysis
Priest: F. S. Legowski
Cemetery: Calvary
Leonard's burial record from Calvary Cemetery is transcribed below:
No. 28654
Name: Leonard Sieja
Residence: 1451 Avondale
Age: 4
Cause of death: Infantile paralysis
Date of interment: Aug. 5
Grave: 1560
Range or Lot: 13
Grave: 30
Undertaker: F. J. Czelgosz
The Sieja family lived at 1465 Belmont per the 1910 census and 1920 census.
Per the 1930 census, the family was living at 1451 Avondale. Son Roman was married and living with the family with his wife and daughter.
Victoria passed away October 20, 1937 due to a cerebral hemorrhage. She was buried through St. Anthony's parish on October 23, 1937. Her burial record through the parish is transcribed below:
Date of death and burial: Oct. 20, Oct. 23
Name of person interred: Victoria Sieja
Place of birth: Toledo
Age: 55
Priest: F. S. Legowski
Cemetery: Calvary
Remarks: Stroke
Victoria was buried at Calvary Cemetery. Her burial record is transcribed below:
No. 38021
Name: Victoria Sieja
Residence: 1451 Avondale
Age: 53
Cause of death: Apoplexy
Date of interment: Oct. 23
Grave: 414
Range or lot: 5
Section: 40
Undertaker: F. J. Czologosz
Frank Sieja passed away May 29, 1958 at home and was buried through Nativity parish. From the notation on the church's burial record, it appears Frank re-married after Victoria's death. Frank's burial record from Nativity is transcribed below:
No. 13
Name of deceased: Frank Sieja
Residence: 1050 Indiana
Age: 75
Parents, Wife or Husband: Wife
Date of death: May 29, 1958
Sacraments: At home.
Priest: A. J. Lakizciski (sp?)
Place and date of burial: May 31, 1958, Calvary
Remarks: Jadgozinski
Frank was buried at Calvary Cemetery. His burial record is transcribed below:
No. 59279
Name: Frank Sieja
Residence: 1050 Indiana
Age: 73
Cause of death: Pending
Date of interment: May 31
Grave: 413
Lot or range: 5
Section: 40
Funeral director: A.A. Jadgozinski
Remarks: R669


text:
I am finding that, though yesterday's disastrous vote on gay "marriage" is obviously of more contemporary relevance, I am today more fascinated and stirred by another story entirely: the fact that scientists at the University of Leicester (as it happens an alma mater of mine) have stated that beyond any reasonable doubt the skeleton recently found there is indeed that of Richard III, the last Plantagenet King of England. Based on the skull, a facial reconstruction has now been made; it's very like the famous portrait, but better looking. Our idea of him is, of course, now probably beyond recall, formed by Shakespeare's evil monster, the supposed murderer of the princes in the tower. But Shakespeare's version was based on Tudor propaganda, that is, on Holinshed, whose account is in turn based on the narrative cooked up by one John Morton, who was, wait for it, Henry Tudor's Archbishop of Canterbury, an open enemy of Richard III who conspired against him and spent some time in captivity in Brecknock Castle: he was released and promoted by Henry VII. Richard almost certainly did not murder the princes (there was no contemporary accusation that he did, even from Henry Tudor himself). The best reconstruction of what happened is in Josephine Tey's Daughter of Time, which is also one of the best discussions of how history can be fabricated for propaganda purposes: she discusses also, as a modern example, the scurrilous lie, still widely believed, that Winston Churchill ordered troops to fire on miners in Tonypandy, killing many (he actually refused to send in troops, restoring order by means of unarmed Metropolitan policemen, who killed nobody).
Early in Richard's reign, Thomas Langton, Bishop of St David's, accompanied Richard on a royal progress through his kingdom, and wrote to a friend that "He contents the people where he goes best that ever did prince; for many a poor man that hath suffered wrong many days have been relieved and helped by him and his commands in his progress. And in many great cities and towns were great sums of money been given him which he has refused. On my truth I liked never the conditions of any prince so well as his; God has sent him to us for the weal of us all". There were more critical accounts of course; there always are. But Richard was not the monster we have supposed.
Whatever he was, he was England's anointed king: and he was of course a Catholic. He was, in fact, austerely religious, a public benefactor and protector of the Church, a founder of charities, who throughout his life upheld a strict code of sexual morality, in marked contrast to many of his fellow courtiers. Had he not been toppled by the wretched Henry Tudor, there would have been no Henry VIII and no consequent apostasy of the Ecclesia Anglicana: we might still be a Catholic country, with a Catholic monarchy. His burial took place without any funeral rites at all: he was just shoved in a hole by the impious Henry. All this makes it surely unthinkable that he should be given a Protestant funeral service and buried in a Protestant cathedral. But that is what is now proposed: Leicester Cathedral is a post-reformation Cathedral. Richard himself wanted to be buried in York Minster, and that would be fine, as long as the funeral is a Catholic Requiem Mass. The historian Andrew Roberts thinks not only that "the bones of the last British [sic] monarch to die in battle now must be treated with dignity and venerated properly, as is only right for a former head of state", but that like monarchs before and after him, Richard III deserves a burial ceremony in accordance with his former status. That means, he says, Westminster Abbey, where 17 English kings and queens are buried. He points out that Richard was anointed and crowned King at a grand, solemn and very well-attended ceremony at Westminster Abbey on July 6 1483, and thinks that he should be buried there with all the proper honours this summer, 530 years later.
I agree with all that. But the funeral service itself must surely be one he would not himself indignantly have repudiated. It must be a Catholic Mass, preferably conducted according to the Sarum Rite: the same rite, that is, accorded to most of the other Kings buried there.
That is the essential. As long as it's not in Leicester Cathedral (close by the site of his final humiliation), I don't mind where it happens. But for the last Plantagenet King of England to be buried as though he had been a Protestant would be an utterly offensive travesty of our history, and something English Catholics should simply not accept without vigorous protest: it is surely now time for our bishops, and especially the Archbishop of Westminster, to speak. Will they?
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.


text:
EuCAP is supported by top level world-wide associations on Antennas and Propagation, and provides a forum on the major challenges faced by these communities. Contributions from colleagues from European and non-European industries, universities, research centres and other institutions are most welcome. The conference will provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in Antennas, Propagation and Measurements topics, highlighting the latest developments and innovations required for future applications.
Please visit http://www.eucap2016.org/ for further information.
IMST antenna engineers will contribute to the conference with oral and poster presentations. The new EMPIRE XPU version 7.04 will be presented at the IMST booth.


text:
Anna Nakamura and Tajyo Jinno of the Japanese practice EASTERN Design Office have realised this elevated, single-storey building located in Gojo, Kyoto Prefecture. Designed to accommodate a local craftsman, the MON Factory/House features a perforated, overlapping façade and encompasses both work and living spaces, two courtyards as well as a small shop situated at the front of the house.
About the project:
'The site is located in Gojo, Kyoto. It is in a block of the typical division of a traditional residential area in Kyoto. The site faces the busy street of 4m in width on the west side. The backside of the high-rise buildings of 45m line up on the east side of the site. The neighbor houses are closely built in the south and the north of the site. The arrangement of the spaces from the street side to the back is in such an order as "inside – outside – inside – outside – inside". This clear arrangement works mutually and intermediately to unify the whole architecture. '
'The street front space is the workshop for the crest making. The middle space is the living room. And the backspace is the bedroom. The gaps between those three spaces are designed as "void".
People circulate around those two voids. Many circular holes are made for the place where people wander. The light passes through 26 holes which are lined up on a cross shape. The workshop area and the living area are separated and also connected, it is quiet, and also busy. '
view EASTERN Design Office's profile on Architonic


text:
[TD="align: center"]Are the Prophets equal?
I help teach a group of girls about Islam once a week. This past week, one of the girls asked me the following question. To which, I was not able to reply and I told her that I would look it up or ask someone. The question was: Are all the prophets considered equal? If so, then why is it that the there is a prophet on each level of heaven, with Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) in the highest (seventh heaven)?
Praise be to Allaah.
All people were created by Allaah and are His slaves; His is the power and command from eternity to eternity. The wisdom of Allaah decreed that He should select some of His angels and prefer them over others, such as Jibreel, Mika'eel, Israafeel, Maalik, Radwaan et al., who have a higher status than others. And His wisdom and justice decreed that He should select some of the children of Adam and prefer some of them over others, so that they have a higher status and better position. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah chooses Messengers from angels and from men. Verily, Allaah is All‑Hearer, All‑Seer" [al-Hajj 22:75]
"Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allaah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour)" [al-Baqarah 2:253]
Allaah tells us that He chose and selected these Messengers from among mankind. After mentioning some of the Prophets and Messengers, He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren, We chose them, and We guided them to the Straight Path" [al-An'aam 6:87].
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Allaah has preferred some of you above others in wealth and properties" [al-Nahl 16:71].
His wisdom decreed that Adam (peace be upon him) should be the father of mankind, and His wisdom, mercy and justice decreed that from among Adam's progeny He should select an elite of Messengers and Prophets – may peace and blessings be upon them and upon our Prophet. Among those whom He chose and preferred over others were the Messengers of strong will [Uloo'l-'Azm, see al-Ahqaaf 46:35], namely, Muhammad, Ibraaheem, Nooh, Moosa and 'Eesaa ibn Maryam, may the best of blessings and peace be upon them. And He chose and favoured above them all their leader, the final Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad ibn 'Abd-Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He is indeed the leader of the sons of Adam, with no boast. He will carry the banner and will be granted the power of intercession [on the Day of Resurrection]. He is the one who will attain al-maqaam al-mahmood (the Praised Position) in Paradise, which will be given to one person only, and that person will be our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Hence Allaah took the covenant and pledge from all the Prophets that if Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent during the lifetime of any one of them, they would be obliged to follow him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to leave behind what they had brought and follow what our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when Allaah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: 'Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allaah), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.' Allaah said: 'Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?' They said: 'We agree.' He said: 'Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this).' Then whoever turns away after this, they are the Faasiqoon (rebellious: those who turn away from Allaah's obedience)" [Aal-Imraan 3:81-82]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him): "By Allaah, if my brother Moosa were alive, he would have no choice but to follow me."
And when the Messiah 'Eesaa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) comes down at the end of time, he will come to rule in accordance with the sharee'ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he will follow him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
All of the above refers to their status before Allaah. With regard to their religion, it is one religion, for they all called people to believe in One God, Allaah (Tawheed) and to devote worship sincerely to Him Alone. With regard to laws, each of them had his own law which was for his people alone. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way" [al-Maa'idah 5:48]. But the way (sharee'ah) of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the most perfect, the best, the most complete and the most beloved to Allaah; it abrogates all laws that came before it. Undoubtedly the Prophets differ in status, and they are at varying levels. The best of them, as stated above, are the five Messengers of strong will (Uloo'l-'Azm), and the best of them all is the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
With regard to the saheeh ahaadeeth, "Do not prefer me over Yoonus ibn Mattaa" and "By the One Who chose Moosa over all of creation" – these all indicate the immense humility of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when speaking of his brothers the Messengers. But he is undoubtedly the best of them all, for he led them in prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) on the night of the Israa'. He will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and he is the only one among all the Messengers who will be granted the power of intercession on that Day. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the one who said: "From among the sons of Adam, Allaah chose Quraysh; from among Quraysh He chose Kinaanah; from among Kinaanah He chose Bani Haashim; and from among Bani Haashim He chose me." He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Chosen One (al-Mustafaa) from among all of mankind.
And Allaah knows best.
From www.islam-qa.com by Sheikh al-Munnajjid


text:
Greg Smith was a walk-on to the Ohio State football team in 1988 after graduating. Greg earned a scholarship at Ohio State in 1990 and started at nose tackle during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. He was an Academic All-American in 1992. Smith earned All-Big Ten honors in 1992. Greg Smith played for the Ohio State Buckeyes between 1988 and 1992.
Greg Smith lives in a small city in Indiana.
] []


text:
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bret Bielema has spent much of the off week trying to find solutions for a program mired in a five-game losing streak.
FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas coach Bret Bielema has spent much of the off week trying to find solutions for a program mired in a five-game losing streak.
But his time wasn't solely devoted to sifting through schemes, personnel and formations to find ways to cure the Razorbacks' immediate problems. He and the rest of the Arkansas staff also spent time on the future, working to convince prospects they can help Arkansas emerge from the funk in 2014 and beyond.
In fact, Bielema brought a flier to Thursday's news conference to highlight the message to prospects as they put together their first full class since arriving.
"Greatness is happening. Are you going to be the next freshman to have a role in the season?" Bielema said, referring to the flier. "It basically lists 18 guys that are either true freshmen or redshirt freshmen that are having immediate impact on our program. We've got, probably … I was notified the other day, probably five, maybe six, seven guys, depending on how the next four games go, guys that could be either freshmen All-Americans or for sure freshmen All-SEC players.
"Whether that's something you want or not, it's definitely something that encourages you and gets you excited about what we're doing."
It's true Arkansas has leaned on youth at several positions this season. Freshmen Dan Skipper and Denver Kirkland are starting on Arkansas' offensive line as first-year players. Running back Alex Collins leads the Razorbacks in rushing, while tight end Hunter Henry ranks second in receiving.
There are redshirt freshmen playing key roles as well, highlighted by defensive tackle Darius Philon, cornerback Jared Collins and defensive end Deatrich Wise.
Arkansas has 17 players who have made verbal commitments to the program, including four-star quarterback Rafe Peavey, defensive tackle Bijohn Jackson and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor. But Bielema said it's clear the Razorbacks need immediate help at several positions like linebacker, defensive back and wide receiver, so Arkansas will continue to recruit players to fit.
"I really have taken the last two or three weeks to get a good accord of what I see, what we have and what we need to do," Bielema said. "I originally planned probably just to sign two or three junior-college players. That may grow by one or two.
"I think we probably — unless we find the right high school kid — need a junior-college linebacker, maybe a junior-college (defensive back) that we weren't planning on signing and the possibility of maybe a transfer or a junior-college player or two on offense as well."
Coaches were on the road during the early portion of the week and again this weekend. They're not permitted to visit with prospects during this recruiting period, but the staff was busy evaluating players and talking to coaches.
Arkansas defensive coordinator Chris Ash said the message has not changed.
"Coach Bielema's got a great plan in place and how we're going to run things here, how we're going to operate and how we're going to deal with each other and we're selling that vision," Ash said after the 52-7 loss to South Carolina. "That hasn't changed from when we got here. I don't care what our record is right now.
"What we were selling recruits when we got here is no different than it is right now. It won't be any different two or three years down the road."
Bielema said earlier this week he'll be out watching junior college games today while his current team enjoys its first off week of the season. He said being on the road earlier this week was a refreshing change of pace after spending much of his off week on X's and O's, trying to solve Arkansas' immediate issues.
Bielema said the reception from coaches Arkansas visited was "exceptional."
"Everywhere we have been it has been extremely positive with the coaches," Bielema said. "It was beneficial for me to get out on the road and get refreshed a little bit and hear some positive things."
He's also spent time on the phone with players verbally committed to the program, feeling it was important because of what has happened on the field.
Bielema wanted to make sure they knew where the program was headed despite the recent struggles. And despite what others say to try and lure them elsewhere.
"At other places when things are in a difficult road, you get sharks in the water and everybody smells blood, and we're going to have our opponents coming after our kids, our kids that are committed to us," Bielema said. "That's when you really rely on hopefully you've recruited the right type of kid. A kid that wants to be a Razorback for all the right reasons. He's the kid that you hopefully get here next Saturday and he sees a crowd that's going to support the Hogs no matter what."
Bielema outlined everything Arkansas is looking for in a prospect and specifically listed three criteria: Players who love the game, love to win, and believe in Arkansas' core values of academic, athletic and social success.
Bielema believes Arkansas got off to a good start with the 2013 class, many of which are working to help the Razorbacks end their five-game slide against No. 11 Auburn on Nov. 2. But defensive line coach Charlie Partridge said Arkansas' growth will rely on how many more difference makers Arkansas can add for 2014 and beyond.
"We're working to build a program," Partridge said about the message to recruits after the South Carolina loss. "We did not come in here with any intent of a quick fix. We're working to build from the ground up and build from inside out. … So I think the message to them is, stay the course. We're going to stay the course."
Irwin-Hill Makes Ray Guy Watch List
Arkansas punter Sam Irwin-Hill was named to the watch list for the Ray Guy Award on Friday. The award honors the nation's top punter.
Irwin-Hill has averaged 43.8 yards a punt this season to rank seventh in the Southeastern Conference and 22nd nationally in punting average. He has placed 12 punts inside the 20-yard line.
He's among 85 punters named to the watch list that will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists on Nov. 8. Three finalists will be named on Nov. 25 and the winner will be presented with the award on Dec. 12.


text:
Civilian casualties will likely go up:
And this is only one scenario, under the Law of Unintended Consequences. What would happen to our reputation in the area is up for grabs. What would Israel do if we bomb Syria? would they jump in? what would happen then? what would Iran do? What would al Quaeda do? what would happen to Americans at home and abroad?
President Obama should defer to the international community on these issues, not to mention the American people (I hesitate to suggest that he consult with the craziness that is our Congress).


text:
I came across an interesting story in alacroblog.com, and am including an excerpt. I would like to hear your feedback:
Henry Blodget of Silicon Alley Insider, Barry Ritholtz of FusionIQ, Nouriel Roubini of RGE Monitor and Jonathan Glick of Gerson Lehrman Group were on a Money:Tech panel chaired by Paul Kedrosky called Blogs, Analysts and the Future of Equity Research. Part of the discussion was about the value of research being largely related to how much trust a reader will place in a writer. Years ago it was believed you could only trust the recommendations of an analyst employed by a well-known sell-side shop. Now a blogger can established a track record as a knowledgeable analyst and can develop trust and an audience. And Gerson Lehrman will connect a trusted blogger, who has a specific area of expertise, with a hedge fund or private equity investor for private consultation.
The last few minutes of the session focused on research monetization and it struck me that the sell-side research business is displaying a number of similarities to the music business. Leaving aside the fact that both are/were "hits" businesses - Institutional Investor rankings and Grammys tend to drive revenue of the analyst, artist and their "label" - it seems as if sell-side firms and majors labels can no longer monetize their investment in equity research and artist promotion as they have in the past - through commissions, deal flow or CD sales. Bloggers (independent research producers) and increasingly independent musicians monetize their product/talent through page views, subscriptions to special services and through public or private appearances.


text:
Nativity Sets Bring Home the Miracle of Christ's Birth
On a starlit night, over 2,000 years ago, we were given the most precious gift of all, the birth of the Baby Jesus. Today, our beautiful and exclusive Nativity sets bring the wonder of that miraculous night to life, reminding us to keep faith in our hearts and to share the story Christmas with all. What better way to bring the spirit of Christmas into your home?
The Bradford Exchange is proud to present a spectacular selection of Nativity sets, each specially designed to convey the beauty of the First Noel, and yet reflect a fascinating range of inspirations, styles, and traditions. You'll discover a magnificent angel Nativity sculpture that glows with light and also features a classic recorded recitation of "Away in a Manger" by Thomas Kinkade. There are sculptural Nativity sets that reinvent the striking beauty of Vincent Van Gogh's masterpiece, "Starry Night," or showcase the elaborate traditional patterns of Polish stoneware.
Light Up Every Room with Innovative Nativity Sets Like No Others
And while our beautiful, traditional Nativity sets are sure to be a centerpiece in your holiday decor, we also offer unique and innovative ways to bring the wonder of the Nativity into your home. From illuminated Nativity garland displays that will set your fireplace mantel aglow, to dazzling Christmas tree and Nativity sets, you're sure to find the perfect expression of your Christmas spirit. You'll even find Nativity sets that reverently unite the beloved character of Santa Claus with exquisite Nativity scenes, glowing lights, the artistry of Thomas Kinkade, and more. Don't delay, discover all the ways our Nativity sets can help you make the true meaning of Christmas the heart of your holiday celebrations. Shop now!


text:
Watch Rihanna's 'Cheers (I'll Drink to That)' Music Video
Rihanna's camp dropped the music video for her single 'Cheers (I'll Drink to That),' a reggae-inspired track that borrows its hook from Avril Lavigne's 2002 hit 'I'm With You.' Ms. Lavigne herself cameos in the video, which is a montage of Rihanna performing live and blowing off steam backstage and on the town.
True to the song's title, the pop diva gets a few rounds in, then sings karaoke and even cuts open a coconut at a bar. Is it just us or would Rihanna make an awesome drinking buddy?
[via PopCrush]


text:
New Research from Bravo Reveals Effective Ways Marketers Can Leverage the Surge in Multi-Screen Usage to Convert Challenge into Opportunity
NEW YORK -- Oct. 22, 2012 -- The relationship between technology and television is constantly evolving, but viewers' rapidly increasing usage of computer and mobile devices while watching television has presented a new set of scenarios for consumers and advertisers alike. Today, Bravo Media in partnership with strategic insights company Latitude Research released findings from "Deconstructing the Multi-Screener," a large-scale two-part research study which takes a deep dive into the role that second screen usage plays in television viewing. The study included a qualitative element of real-time viewer labs that observed unique behaviors that consumers exhibit when using multiple screens simultaneously, while also measuring the impact on advertising effectiveness, and a quantitative survey exploring how today's digitally-savvy viewers migrate across screens and how that varies based on the type of content being viewed. For more information, visit http://www.affluencers.com/research/.
The qualitative phase uncovered insights from three groups of viewers, based on their usage of DVRs and companion screens while watching TV. Comparing the viewing behaviors of these groups can help marketers unravel an increasingly modern way of consuming television, and thus identify the approaches needed to stay relevant and drive reach and impact with multi-tasking audiences.
"We worked to decode the multi-screener to understand who these people are, what makes them tick and their characteristics when watching TV - so instead of purely measuring eyeballs, we also needed to capture new media metrics like attention shifts and device checks and pullbacks," said Dave Kaplan, VP of research at Bravo Media. "We executed all of our research through the lens of today's marketers, with a focus on how they can optimize messaging in an environment where the majority of TV viewers are now making use of more than one platform at the same time."
Susan Malfa, SVP Cable Advertising Sales for Bravo, Oxygen, Style, Sprout and Women At NBCU added, "This research identified several key insights that will help brand advertisers stay ahead of the curve and more effectively resonate with today's multi-screen viewer. We're in the process of sharing these results with our clients and collaborating on innovative ways we can partner on these opportunities."
Research Findings:
More Screens Bust TV Ad Skipping: A total of 73 percent of all qualitative study participants agreed that having other devices with them while watching TV shows made them less likely to fast forward through ads. In fact, in the viewing labs, when consumers had both a smartphone and a tablet/laptop ("tri-screeners"), they were observed to fast-forward at the start of just 40% of ad breaks, compared to smartphone-only viewers ("dual-screeners") who skipped ads 51% of the time. This data indicates that multi-screening can provide a renewed opportunity to engage consumers to receive a brand message on television.
Importance of Audio Cues is Amplified: It seems that certain verbal elements within ad executions increase the likelihood that a distracted multi-screener will then engage with a TV spot. Participating viewers were 21-36% more likely to point to audio rather than visual components of TV ad executions when asked to identify those creatives that "grabbed" their attention during the viewing session. In fact, viewers were observed to "pullback" to what was on the TV screen 42% more often when a custom vignette - which incorporated relevant show talent and/or footage alongside brand messaging - was airing, as opposed to a traditional TV ad.
Rise of Productive Distractions: The increase in multi-screening during programming indicates that an advertiser has more opportunities than ever before to reach this audience and make an impression. Tri-screeners were observed to have over 13 attention shifts away from the TV - mostly to other screens - while the actual show was airing, and dual-screeners had over 7 attention shifts away from TV. Multi-screeners were found to be viewing mostly ad-friendly content on their companion screens, with participants spending the greatest share of their time on websites and apps - often related to the program currently airing.
"TV viewers today are device-happy to say the least" added Kaplan. "But rather than thinking of these as empty distractions, our research suggests these very well may be productive opportunities to reach viewers while the actual program is airing. There is typically no competing brand messaging on TV, and instead these viewers are seeking out their digital screens - and about 1/5th of the time, it was related to the show they were watching."
360-Degree Advertising Counteracts DVR Effects: Previous case study research by Bravo has demonstrated that advertising on a T V network's website can actually build reach, by compensating for audiences on TV that were simply missed due to commercial skipping. This current research also showed that a multi-screen presence can counteract diminished ad effectiveness due to DVR usage. According to the quantitative study, 45% of multi-screeners say they are more likely to remember brands if they see their ads on more than one screen versus just TV alone. The qualitative phase supported the same finding: Ad Awareness lift for brands embedded within the viewing session improved among viewers who had cross-screen ad exposure, helping to almost entirely overcome any effectiveness shortfall resulting from DVR-enabled ad avoidance.
Where Devices Meet Desires: Quantitative research also revealed that consumers have varied needs with regard to second-screen content, depending on the genre of the TV program they are watching, and both programmers and advertisers can therefore not rely on a "one size fits all" approach to engage multi-screeners. For example, when watching Sitcoms, viewers were found to seek "laughter" and "relaxation" not just from the primary TV screen but from their second screen as well, while Reality food competition viewers expressed an interest in "learning" from the content on both the TV and second screen. Conversely, when watching Dramas, viewers tended to seek "thought-provoking" material from the TV program itself, but relied on their second screen to offer something more lighthearted in nature. The study also found viewers were 21 percent more likely to seek show-related content on other devices while watching Reality programs, versus Scripted fare.
How the Research Was Conducted
A two-phased study was conducted in partnership with Latitude Research in July-August 2012. For the qualitative phase, 112 participants in the Boston and Los Angeles areas were divided into three groups based on their natural viewing tendencies: Dual-Screeners (Live), viewers who watched a TV program without time-shifting capabilities while accompanied by their smartphone; Dual-Screeners (DVR), viewers who watched a TV program with time-shifting capabilities while accompanied by their smartphone; and Tri-Screeners (DVR), viewers who watched a TV program with time-shifting capabilities while accompanied by their smartphone and tablet or laptop. Each participant viewed 45 minutes of the most recent episode of a Bravo program ("The Real Housewives of New York City" or "Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles") which included 17 advertisers during commercial breaks. A subset of participants was also directed to visit related Bravo web/mobile sites and apps which contained some of the same advertisers as those appearing on TV. The study used passive observational techniques to monitor participants in viewing labs that simulated a natural living room environment. A total of 4,500 minutes of collected viewing footage was then reviewed and coded across 30+ behaviors/attributes. Participants also completed a short survey pre- and post- viewing session in order to gauge changes in brand metrics for advertisers appearing within the viewing session.
For the quantitative phase, over 1,000 multi-screening consumers ages 18-54 completed an online survey about attitudes, motivations and usage related to TV and other devices. Rather than serving as a general assessment of multi-screening, the survey was specially designed to understand these behaviors in the context of specific programming genres viewed (e.g., scripted vs. reality) and device types used.
Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.


text:
All the talk about controlling medical costs has spawned a new sort of adventure story, the quest to understand health insurance.
All the talk about controlling medical costs has spawned a new sort of adventure story, the quest to understand health insurance.
A column in The New York Times last week took the reader on a dizzying ride to determine the best way for the writer to cover the costs of medication to control his blood cancer. As Frank Lalli explained, he had a long career as a business journalist, "But I've never faced a more confounding reporting challenge than the one I'm engaged in now: What will I pay next year ... ?"
Martha Bebinger, a reporter for WBUR in Boston, told a similar twisting tale this week on the Kaiser Health News site (kaiserhealthnews.org). She was trying to determine the cost of a doctor-recommended MRI to find out what causes her migraine headaches.
Her advice to anybody seeking similar answers: "Be ready for a long journey that will take some patience."
Those stories and other similar ones should be required reading for anybody who says that we need to get patients more involved in determining the best procedures to cure what ails them at the lowest possible costs. And even when things work out well, as they did in the tale I'm about to tell, the uncertainty can be enough to start your heart racing.
Which is where my story starts. One day when I was in my mid-20s, my heart started beating double time for a while, then went back to normal. After examining me, my doctor told me, in essence: These things happen, it probably would not kill me, I should try to get an electrocardiogram the next time it started.
That rapid heartbeat came and went for about 40 years, never lasting very long and never getting the scrutiny of the EKG. Then, when I was in my early 60s, the beat went on and I finally got that test. The cardiologist who looked at it knew immediately what was wrong. I had, to put it in non-medical terms, a short circuit in the wiring that controls the heartbeat. Doctors prefer to call it atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.
Medication might control it, although it didn't in my case. So they decided to snake a tube into my heart and burn out the short. They call that cardiac ablation.
All this diagnosis and treatment was done locally with great care and precision. I spent a quiet morning under mild sedation while they zapped the unnecessary circuits, then sent me home in time for an early dinner.
I had been assured that my cost would be $65, the copayment my insurance company required for such a hospital procedure. For that $65, I learned when the bill arrived, I got a day of treatment that cost $97,000 for the hospital and doctors. It was bargained down to about $50,000 under the various contracts they negotiated.
I'm glad I didn't see those estimates before the procedure. I doubt if my heart could have taken it.


text:
Portland State University's Annual Clery Crime & Fire Safety Report is now available. This report is required by federal law and contains policy statements and crime statistics for the school. The policy statements address the school's policies, procedures and programs concerning safety and security, for example, policies for responding to emergency situations and sexual offenses. Three years' worth of statistics are included for certain types of crimes that were reported to have occurred on campus, in or off campus buildings and property owned or controlled by the school and on public property within or immediately adjacent to the campus.
This report is available online at http://www.pdx.edu/cpso/clery-act. You may also request a paper copy from the Campus Public Safety Office, Shattuck Hall, room 148.