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New Year, New Hope
Part One
The Hogwarts Express chugged steadily northward under a cloudless blue sky, passing snow-covered rolling hills and quaint little villages still dressed in holiday finery. Inside the train, the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry visited each others' compartments, talking eagerly of their Christmas presents and what they had done during holiday. Moreover, there was a sense of anticipation for what the coming term would hold.
In the last compartment, though, Ginny Weasley stood staring out the window. The other occupants, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom, were all napping or reading, so it almost seemed to Ginny that she was alone. It was rather a peaceful moment for her and, she let her mind wander over the events of the last month and how her life had changed.
Ever since that first weekend in December when Harry and Hermione had accompanied her and Ron home, things had been more intense between Ginny and Harry. The trust that began building between the two of them in the Room of Requirement in November had blossomed into a real closeness which, in turn, had become more passionate after Ginny had found the courage to tell Harry how she really felt about him. He'd surprised her by actually returning those feelings in the weeks leading up to Christmas and, when he had joined the Weasleys at the Burrow for the holiday, his first ever there, the two of them had managed to find some alone time every day. It had been fun walking hand in hand through the orchard or sitting snuggled together on one of the garden benches, talking. Ginny had found that Harry was at his most relaxed in front of the fire, though, and they had often cuddled up on the lounge's hearth rug toasting marshmallows and discussing in hushed voices the events of the previous June.
Ginny now knew just how important a role she was playing for Harry. As his confidante, she was the sole keeper of Harry's big "secret," the one that had Hermione and Ron pestering her at regular intervals since she had accidentally let it slip that there was something more bothering Harry. So many things could go wrong if she were to tell someone outright, even if it was only Ron and Hermione; the first of which would be a breech of the trust Harry had in her. Secondly, it was imperative that nothing was leaked to Voldemort if Harry wanted to live to see his eighteenth birthday. Ginny knew her feelings for Harry were such that she would do all in her power to keep him safely out of Voldemort's clutches. He was that important to her and, it seemed, he valued her the same way.
The other part of her role had come almost as a complete surprise. On Christmas Eve, while snuggled under a blanket together watching the fairies flit amongst the branches of the Christmas tree and discussing which boxes held what presents for whom, Harry had revealed that no one had ever told him they loved him. Before she could stop herself, Ginny had taken his hand in hers and revealed that she indeed did love him. Harry's response would always be a wonderful memory to her; he had reached up and tenderly kissed her on the lips murmuring that she was the first to say, "I love you, Harry."
His gift to her the next morning had been shyly handed over with a stammered, "I—I l-love you, too, Ginny. You're the first person I've ever said that to." She had gaped at him for several seconds as his words sank in. Then, at his urging, she had opened the tiny box with trembling fingers to find a note and another box inside. The note had simply said, "Happy Christmas, Ginny. Thank you. Love, Harry." Inside the second box was a beautiful emerald pendant with earrings to match. There was a ring as well. Ginny had stared at the expensive present, not daring to believe he had given her a gift of such significance until she remembered the afternoon she had given him the box to hold his Pensieve. All the emotions of that day came flooding back, and she had flung her arms around his waist, burying her face in the hollow of his chest. When they broke apart at last, Harry had awkwardly hung the pendant around her neck saying, "You mean the world to me, Ginny. I wanted you to have something just as precious."
Needless to say, Ginny couldn't remember much more about the rest of the day.
Now, as the train sped ever northward, Ginny toyed with the pendant as she contemplated the rest of their stay at The Burrow. Not much had happened, really. The good news was that Harry actually had almost a week's worth of full nights' sleep, and though he was dozing now, he looked more rested than he had in six months.
As for Ron's reaction to Harry's gift to Ginny, well, that had been typical.
"Oi, Ginny...where did you get the jewellery?" he had inquired two days after Christmas.
Ginny had smiled shyly as she answered, "Harry. It was his gift to me on Christmas morning."
"Harry? Since when do you rate gifts like that from him? I thought you were still going out with Dean!"
"You know Dean and I are just friends, Ron. And it's none of your business that Harry wanted to give his girlfriend an expensive gift. I didn't pry into what you gave Hermione."
"G-g-girlfriend? That prat! He didn't ask my permission to go out with you! Besides, you're too young to be his girlfriend!"
"Oh, stuff it, Ron," Ginny had said irritably. "I seem to remember that you hinted pretty hard on the train last June that the only boy you'd approve of being my boyfriend was Harry. Now you have your wish, so quit bothering us."
"You've got me there, Gin," Ron had admitted, then added, "Congrats, little sister. Be good to my best mate, will you?"
Ginny had smiled at her brother then. "You can count on it."
A particularly loud snore from Harry brought Ginny's thoughts back to the present. She wrenched her gaze from the passing scenery to let it rest on the boy who meant so much to her. At the moment, he looked rather peaceful in his somewhat uncomfortable position, his head resting on the back of the seat. Ginny sat down next to him and pulled a textbook from her bag before gently guiding his head onto her shoulder. Harry sighed contentedly and snaked an arm around her waist as he made himself comfortable.
Ginny smiled and looked out the window again, this time thinking of their one and only kiss on Christmas Eve. Since then, for all the hand holding and cuddling together that they'd done, they had never exchanged a passionate snog again. Of course, Ginny had felt Harry brush his lips on the top of her head or on her forehead, but no other kiss had been directly aimed at her mouth! Ginny sensed that Harry was holding himself back for some reason. She suspected that it had to do with some of the secrets he was keeping from her and Ron and Hermione and that Harry was still afraid to let himself completely love her for some reason. She knew that Sirius' death had taken the one adult from Harry that he had probably loved like a parent; maybe he was afraid to love someone completely because he was afraid to lose them, too. Oh, it was so complicated this psychoanalysis stuff. It made her more tired to think about it than revising for her O.W.L.s!
The view from the window was now almost completely dark, and as the lamps in the compartment flickered to life Ginny finally opened the book which rested on her lap. She was a little surprised to find that she had pulled out her Potions book, but opened it anyway to a random page which turned out to be the entry about hellebore. As she read about the plant's uses in potion-making and its effect upon the mixtures it was used in, something began to surface from the depths of her mind. Finally, at the bottom of the page, a list of potions containing even the smallest amount of hellebore caught her attention and sent her mind wandering again, for at the top of the list was the Draught of Peace.
Ginny remembered that the Draught of Peace was the first potion her class had been set to brew their first day back at Hogwarts in September. She had been proud that she had eventually managed to receive an "A" for her attempt at this fiddly potion. Several others in her class hadn't been so lucky. Colin Creevey had received a particularly nasty detention from Professor Snape when he had upset his cauldron and accidentally caught the teacher's robes on fire. Luna Lovegood had also encountered Professor Snape's wrath later in the day for being more interested in watching the steam patterns issuing from her cauldron than stirring her mixture the correct number of times one way or another for a specific amount of time.
Thinking back, there was something that Professor Snape had said about the potion that now made Ginny flip to the index in search of more information. Turning to the new page, Ginny read about the potion itself and began to grin as her eyes flew over the page. The words "calms anxiety" and "sooths agitation" interspersed with her own ideas: nightmares, depression, and grief.
This is it, she thought. This potion could possibly help Harry!
What had made her so hopeful was the description of the potion's effects: "The Draught of Peace is used to calm the nerves and quiet agitation," she read. The excerpt gave a list of ingredients as well as confirmed that brewing time was exactly an hour and a half. Ginny knew she had copied the exact quantities of ingredients and the method into her notes after she had turned in her flask to Professor Snape; all she needed to do was a little more research on the effects of the potion. She resolved to go to the library before bed that night to get the missing information.
The train began to slow as it approached Hogsmeade Station. "Harry, wake up sweety," Ginny whispered and began playing with fringe covering his forehead, an action which Harry had admitted felt rather nice to wake up to. "We're almost home. Ron and Hermione will be back shortly to get their trunks."
"Mmmm, fi' mo' m'nts," Harry mumbled, now burrowing his forehead into her neck.
Ginny giggled. "Sorry, love. There isn't time. Besides, we're due for our usual visit from Malfoy, and he's certain to turn up since we've not seen him the entire trip."
That got Harry's attention. He jerked his head up from her shoulder and looked around the compartment a little dazed and slightly confused. "Where's Malfoy?" he asked shaking the last vestiges of sleep from his head.
"Not here, thank goodness," came Neville's relieved observation from across the compartment. Looking directly at Harry, he commented, "I didn't see him on the platform. I don't think he went home for Christmas this year. Or if he did, he didn't take the train back to school."
"Well, no matter. It's been a rather pleasant journey without him."
The others agreed and began gathering their belongings as Hogsmeade station came into view.
Harry and Ginny stepped out of the train onto the snowy platform and followed the crowd that was shuffling its way toward the path to the coaches. Ginny could see Hermione and Ron up ahead helping some of the younger students with their belongings and showing them the correct path to take, even though there was a steady stream of students going in one particular direction.
The cold air felt good to Ginny after the sleepy confines of the coach compartment. She breathed in deeply, savoring the faint pine scent that drifted from the surrounding pine trees. As much as she loved going home, she decided, it was always a thrill to be once again gazing upon the towers and battlements of Hogwarts Castle.
The peace of the afternoon was suddenly shattered by a drawling voice which could only belong to Draco Malfoy. "Well, if it isn't Potty and the Weasle-ette."
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry spat, but didn't stop walking.
Malfoy followed Harry and Ginny. "I've heard rumors, Potter, that you stayed with this Mudblood-lover's family in their shack during the holiday," the other boy drawled.
"Shut it, Malfoy," Harry said fiercely as Ginny put a restraining hand on his arm.
"Easy, Harry. Ignore him," she whispered. She could feel him tense up for Malfoy's next barrage of insults.
"Oh, I think not. It's funny that you can't find some place better, Potter. Where did you have to sleep? The pigsty?" Malfoy asked.
"Of course not. He slept in the guest room like a proper guest," Ginny chimed in airily trying to dispel the tension. It didn't work as Malfoy continued to follow them. "Come on, Harry," she whispered. "Let's find someplace to sit." She led the way toward the nearest empty coach. "Tell me Malfoy," she said, turning at the door to look over her shoulder at their tormenter, "Where are Crabbe and Goyle? And how come you weren't on the train?"
"None of your damn business," the Slytherin spat at her. He turned his attention back to Harry. "I find it incredibly funny that the dog pound closed its doors last June. Maybe you could have spent the holiday there playing with all the dogs."
Harry turned to look at Malfoy. The allusion to Sirius had clearly gotten to him. "I wouldn't know," he said, the rage in his voice barely controlled. Ginny could feel something radiating from Harry that seemed to shimmer through the air. She watched in trepidation as he walked toward the horseless end of the coach and reached out a hand, making a patting motion. It seemed to calm him a bit. "My room at the Weasley's probably had a much better view and accommodations than the prison cell you slept in."
Malfoy stiffened, his face twisting angrily at Harry's words. "What exactly are you hinting at?" he asked.
"I should think it's obvious, don't you?" Harry said his voice dangerously level.
Suddenly, Ginny heard the unmistakable sound of harness traces being undone. The coach shuddered. Malfoy must have heard the sound as well because his attention swivelled from Harry toward the coach. The Thestrals! Ginny sucked in her breath as she watched both Harry and Malfoy. Both boys were riveted on the seemingly empty space between Harry and the coach now; Malfoy looked mildly alarmed, Harry grinned shrewdly.
What happened next was anybody's guess except Harry's. Ginny, and several others who had stopped to watch the exchange between Harry and Malfoy, looked on in fascination as the sleeve of Malfoy's robes was torn from shoulder to wrist in one fluid motion. For a split second, the piece of material dangled in mid-air after which it was dropped abruptly onto the snowy ground. The next instant, Malfoy was flying through the air, landing unceremoniously on his backside in a snow drift. The crowd burst into raucous laughter as Malfoy picked himself up, grabbed the piece of his sleeve, and stomped away muttering threats under his breath.
Only then, did Ginny turn back to Harry. He seemed to be leaning against a Thestral's neck talking to it in a whisper. Walking closer, she heard a faint whinny before Harry seemed to lead the horse back to the coach. Again, there was the rattle of harness traces as the coach swayed slightly. Harry gave the Thestrals one last pat and joined Ginny as she climbed inside the coach.
"That was interesting," she commented as he sat down. "What's with the Thestrals?"
Harry shook his head. "I think the two pulling this coach were part of our transport to London last June. They both nuzzled me when I walked up to them. I think they recognized me."
"They did more than that, Harry. I think they were defending you!"
"What makes you say that?"
"Well...did they...or did you unhitch them from the coach?"
"You mean magically?"
"You did use a spell, didn't you?"
"N-no. Why do you ask?"
"I felt something, Harry. Something powerful. I think the Thestrals felt it, too. Maybe that's why they acted the way they did."
Before Harry could reply, Ron and Hermione entered the coach along with Neville and Luna.
"What's wrong with Malfoy?" Ron asked. "He looked like he could use a trip to Madam Malkin's."
Harry smiled wickedly. "The Thestrals don't like him."
Ron grinned. "So it's true, then. He really did end up as a horse's snack. I wonder if he'll sue."
Hermione shook her head. "I don't think he will. Malfoy hates to admit he's done anything wrong, the arrogant git."
Everyone stared at Hermione for a moment, and then burst out laughing. The good mood from earlier was back and Ginny and the rest of the coach's occupants filled the rest of the journey with talk of something other than the malicious Slytherin.
After dinner, Ginny bade the others good night at the Portrait Hole and headed for her dormitory to organize her books for the next morning's lessons. It was still early, and since there was time, she was going to slip away to the library before curfew at nine o'clock. She shoved her Potions notebook into her rucksack and headed for the door.
When she reached the bottom of the Girl's staircase she paused to look for her brother and his friends. She spotted them at Hermione's favourite table; Ron and Harry were absorbed in a fierce battle across the chess board, Hermione had her nose in a book with Crookshanks curled comfortably in her lap. None of them noticed as she quietly left the common room and headed for the library where she found a private table near the Potions section.
Taking out her notebook, she scanned her entries for her notes concerning the Draught of Peace. In addition to the formula and method, she'd made detailed observations in the margins about vapour colour, stirring direction and duration, the consistency of the liquid, and other addendums to what she had copied from Professor Snape's board. What she didn't have was the history of use, a more detailed description of the potion's effects on the body, or suggestions for use. A quick search of the potions section revealed little by way of medicinal uses for the potion. Sighing heavily, she walked over to Madam Pince's desk to ask for her assistance.
"May I help you?" the librarian asked as Ginny walked up.
"Yes. I need what Muggles would call medicinal information about several potions including dosage, suggestions for use, and the effects on the body," Ginny told her a little nervously.
Madam Pince's eyes bore into Ginny's. "Any specific potion, or do you want a broader search?"
Ginny thought for a moment. "General information is mostly what I need right now. I can start there and organize my essay from what I find," she said, crossing her fingers behind her back.
Madam Pince stepped out from behind the desk. "Very well. Follow me," she requested crisply and led the way back to the section Ginny had just left. "Medicinal Potions are on the top two shelves. Use the stepladder," she pointed down the stack, "to reach the books you want. Do not use levitation charms on these books. Some of them have been rather badly damaged by students dropping them. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Madam Pince nodded and went to investigate some muffled noises issuing from the next row over.
Ginny stood on tip toe to see the titles of the books; there were several she wanted to check out. She retrieved the stepladder and took down two heavy volumes which she laid next to her notebook before going to get two more that she was interested in. With a glance at the library clock, Ginny sat down and began leafing through the first book, Common Medicinal Potions for the Household.
The Table of Contents seemed helpful, even mentioning the Draught of Peace. However, when she turned to the entry, all she found was the exact recipe she had copied from Snape's board. She wondered whether the Potions Master had taken the directions from this book verbatim. Ginny closed the book with a soft thump and reached for the next book. It, too, only gave the recipe as did the next four she chose to look in. With a sigh, Ginny rose from her table and mounted the ladder. It was going to be a long night...
As closing time neared, Ginny wearily climbed the ladder for the seventeenth time that evening. The books were surprisingly heavy the higher she climbed and she wondered why the librarian insisted this section be placed so high out of reach. She reshelved her latest load and scanned the next few books for promising titles. A small, thin volume, Uncommon Uses for Everyday Potions, caught her attention, so she plucked it from between the two huge tomes which flanked it and began turning the fragile pages.
What she found fascinated her. Not only did this book give the exact information for the Draught of Peace she needed, it also included detailed methods of changing the potion to suit the exact use: happiness restorative, solace of the mind, comfort for the soul, relaxation, nightmares, insomnia. There were several others listed, but Ginny had stopped reading. A smile played at the corners of her mouth as she climbed down and took her place at the table to peruse the book more thoroughly.
She flipped through the pages, eagerly looking for other common recipes that could be changed to suit her purpose. Eventually, she found and made a list of the variations on teas, tinctures, elixirs, and decoctions which produced a variety of calming effects, insomnia cures, nerve tonics and body balance restoratives. I've found it, she thought happily as she cleared her table. All I need now are the ingredients.
Madam Pince frowned at Ginny as she brought her book up to the desk. "The library closed ten minutes ago," she said bruskly.
"I was putting away the books I was using as you requested: no magic," Ginny told her evenly.
The librarian harrumphed. "I see you found the most dangerous book in the section," she observed as she completed the check-out procedure. "Don't get any ideas on attempting any of the variations to these potions without plenty of caution and extra research. Otherwise, you'll end up poisoning whoever ingests your concoction."
Taken aback, Ginny asked, "How do you know?"
Madam Pince's eyes bore into Ginny's as she said, "Just go ask Madam Pomfrey about the number of poisoning cases she's treated which have resulted from the use of this book."
Ginny rose to the challenge. "All right, I will. And why, may I ask, isn't this book in the restricted section?"
Madam Pince smiled slyly. "It usually is, my dear. However, there's something about that book that causes it to migrate between sections at random. It somehow senses the seeker's need for it and appears when least expected. That book contains an immense amount of knowledge which conforms itself to the reader's needs. I will check this book out to you on the condition that only you read it, for the information contained herein has matched itself to your desires. Do I make myself clear?"
Ginny gulped as she reached for the book. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you and good night." With that, Ginny jammed Uncommon Uses for Everyday Potions in her book bag and fled, Madam Pince's warning ringing in her ears.


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Friday, May 13, 2011
1 comments: to " Friday Funny "
Elizabeth J. Neal
August 3, 2013 at 10:37 PM
I had taken it down a while ago because I simply couldn't compete with the resellers. They seem to be gone for the most part, so I'm back in business! eco friendly carrier bags
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Posts Tagged 'yellow curry chicken'
Bánh Mì in SLC – Oh Mai Vietnamese Sandwich Kitchen, Part Deux
How soon is too soon to write an update? The next day?
I hope not. We enjoyed our food so much that we decided it was dinner tonight, too. At first I figured I'd go with the same S1, but found the the flavors were impressive enough that I wanted to see what other magic they might have in store.
We got a V1, a bun or vermicelli noodle salad with honey-glazed pork. The flavor of the meat was just subtly sweet, enough to compliment the natural sweetness of pork. It was perfectly cooked and has some nicely crispy, caramelized ends. The salad came with a really tasty chili-lime fish sauce vinaigrette to put over the cold noodles and veggies. Really great dish.
We also got two sandwiches. The first, the S3, is a yellow curry chicken cooked with coconut milk. This was a bit of a departure for me from the usual porky land of the traditional bánh mì, but the seductively spicy chicken was a great match with all of the usual pickled vegetation. I can see revisiting this neighborhood again for sure.
How to Make a Clown Cry:
Step 1: Order an Egg McMuffin from McDonald's
Step 2: Order the S10 Sunny Side Up Egg sandwich from Oh Mai
Step 3: Place them next to each other, noting that the Oh Mai sandwich is at least twice as large and contains two eggs and generous helpings of pickled carrot and daikon as well as caramelized onions
Step 4: Compare the prices of the two, noting that the Oh Mai Sandwich is currently two cents cheaper
Step 5: Taste
I ordered this sandwich mostly out of curiosity and because of the very low price. I am a believer now. I also noted that they offer to add a sunny side up egg to any sandwich for less than a buck. That will be happening soon.


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I have Adobe Illustrator 5 on Mac. Everything was normal before but now some document level transformation settings have changed.
Arrow keys don't work as they should. When I move selected object right it moves up and same different behavior for other keys.
When I write text it's by default 90 degrees.
Any idea which option has messed things up?


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Vancouver Police Pipe Band off to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle
Pipers will be first non-military pipe band in changing of the guard
In its 350-year history, the changing of the guard ceremony in England has never included a non-military pipe band — until now, says the Vancouver Police Department.
This June, the force's 34-member pipe band will accompany members of the Household Division, British soldiers who guard the Queen, during ceremonies at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
Pipe Sgt. Bob Murphie said Monday the trip has been about two years in the making and is meant to celebrate the band's centennial year.
"It's very significant," said Murphie. "We're going to London in the first instance to perform in the changing of the Queen's guard."
"That's been done by the military for 350 years, the military and the Commonwealth, so Commonwealth regiments from around the world have gone to participate in it. But it's always been done by the military, so we're the first, the very first, non-military band to do this."
The band is scheduled to participate in four daily ceremonies at Buckingham Palace and two at Windsor Castle, starting June 16.
It will also play at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, a residence for retired army pensioners, and take part in a ceremony known as the beating retreat at a parade ground near Buckingham Palace.
The beating retreat is a historic military tradition, which saw drums beaten, camp gates closed and flags lowered at the end of the day.
Practice makes perfect
Murphie said all the band's current members are sworn members of the police department and have done a lot of work getting ready for the trip.
He said the British military regiments that guard the Queen are the best in the world at what they do, are phenomenal in drill, are wonderful musicians and are the epitome of perfection.
"So we've had to raise the standard of our band in terms of drill and deportment and music as well."
The pipe band was formed in 1914 under the authorization of then Chief Const. Malcolm MacLennan.
Current Deputy Chief Const. Warren Lemcke said most of the 10 constables who gathered in 1914 to form the band had no experience with the pipes and drums.
The band has since played around the globe -- including in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, the United States and Switzerland — and for royalty, heads of state and dignitaries.
The department says it's the oldest non-military pipe band in British Columbia and the longest continually serving police pipe band in the world.


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A hermit thrush, first to arrive in the spring and last to leave in the fall, is caught in a the mist net at the Maplewood Nature Center. Each year worldwide, millions of birds are safely captured, banded, and released unharmed.
Dwight Wilcox will present a program on the Legend of Perseus during the campfire program at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve.
The Lake Elmo Rotary Club will host its annual gold plate dinner at the Lake Elmo Event Center located at 3712 Layton Ave., Lake Elmo, on Sept. 15. At 6 p.m. the evening will begin with fellowship and fun, including games with cash prizes.
Maplewood Nature Center & Neighborhood Preserves, 2659 East Seventh Street in Maplewood offers these events: Unless otherwise noted, to register for any of the events below go to maplewoodnaturecenter.com and click on the Register Online Go bu
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Fashion accessories are a collection of various fashion items that every lady should have in her closet. Accessories are lovely as they can make you look extremely beautiful and get heads turned in your direction. Based on personal preferences, some might not exactly like them but you cannot deny that they can move your look from zero to extra. Not only that, they also give your outfit the right kind of completeness and perfection that it needs. One of the most popular kinds of accessories are women's belts. They are very important to the extent that you will rarely find a lady who doesn't have a belt. Women's belts have different functions and different styles or designs. Some could be used to hold your clothing to give you a better fitting. On the other hand, some are just fashionable and are aimed at giving you a stylish, stunning and attractive look. You can find different kinds of belts for women based on the what you intend to use them. Whichever the case might be, there is no doubt that the right kind of belt could be the best thing to happen to your outfit on a normal day or on a big day. They can be worn on gowns, skirts, trousers and even more.
Although belts are a must-have for a lot of women, there is a need to know a few things on how to style them perfectly. It is not enough to wear a belt, you certainly want to wear a belt that would stand you out and give you that pretty look you want.
1. Consider your shoes (for formal occasions)
Allowing your belts to match your shoes could be an arbitrary rule but it is not limited to that. It goes beyond that. Your belts matching your shoes would give you look confident and charming.
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You can achieve a glamorous look by wearing different accessories which complement each other perfectly. Thinking of wearing a belt? You should consider complementing it with other accessories that you would be wearing as well. It could be your bag or clutch purse or your jewellery.


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DNI releases more documents to justify NSA surveillance
- NSA spying authorized in the wake of the 9/11 attacks%2C James Clapper says
- Release says the agency applied %22additional internal constraints%22 on authorized activities
- White House expected to reveal tweaks to NSA program in January
WASHINGTON — In the face of growing skepticism over the National Security Agency's practice of collecting bulk phone and Internet records, the director of national intelligence on Saturday declassified several documents detailing the program.
The latest declassification of documents comes during a week in which a federal judge ruled the NSA's bulk collection was likely unconstitutional and a White House task force questioned the effectiveness of the program.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement announcing the release that President George W. Bush first authorized the spying in October 2001, as part of the Terrorist Surveillance Program, weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks.
"President Bush issued authorizations approximately every 30-60 days," Clapper said. "Although the precise terms changed over time, each presidential authorization required the minimization of information collected concerning American citizens to the extent consistent with the effective accomplishment of the mission of detection and prevention of acts of terrorism within the United States. NSA also applied additional internal constraints on the presidentially authorized activities."
Approval for the bulk collection was eventually shifted to the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Court, a secret court that considers government requests for electronic surveillance for intelligence-gathering purposes.
The documents released include legal arguments by two former national intelligence directors under Bush — Dennis Blair and Mike McConnell — who state their legal case for why it was essential to keep secret the practice of bulk data collection. The unclassified documents are part of an ongoing court case that was filed in 2006.
"These are among the most important intelligence tools the NSA uses, and they have never been officially confirmed or denied by the United States," McConnell offers in his argument. "Disclosing or confirming these activities would seriously undermine an essential tool for tracking possible terrorist plots and would help foreign adversaries evade detection."
But in recent days, both advisers of President Obama and a Bush appointed federal judge have offered very different assessments about the utility and legality of the practice.
U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled on Monday on a lawsuit brought by conservative activist Larry Klayman that the legal challenge to the massive surveillance program — disclosed in full earlier this year by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden — would likely succeed.
"The court concludes that plaintiffs have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the government's bulk collection and querying of phone record metadata, that they have demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of their Fourth Amendment claim (of unlawful search and seizure), and that they will suffer irreparable harm absent…relief,'' wrote Leon, who was appointed to the bench by Bush.
The task force Obama appointed in August to review the NSA surveillance program and recommend changes concluded in their report — which was made public on Wednesday — that the data collection program was "not essential to preventing attacks."
Before leaving for his two-week Hawaii vacation on Friday, Obama said he and his aides were evaluating all of the recommendations by the five-member panel, and that he would offer a response to their suggestions in January. He hinted that that changes to the bulk data collections could be coming.
"The question we're going to have to ask is can we accomplish the same goals that this program is intended to accomplish in ways that give the public more confidence that, in fact, the NSA is doing what it's supposed to be doing," Obama said. "I have confidence in the fact that the NSA is not engaging in domestic surveillance or snooping around, but I also recognize that as technologies change and people can start running algorithms and programs that map out all the information that we're downloading on a daily basis into our telephones and our computers."
The president added, "We may have to refine this further to give people more confidence."


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international auxiliary language designed by Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof
|This theme article is a stub. You can help Wikiquote by expanding it.
Esperanto is the most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language in the world.
- Esperanto was a very useful language, because wherever you went, you found someone to speak with. -- George Soros
- Asked about what impresses her most about Esperanto conferences:
- With Esperanto conferences, it was the level of fluency. I sort of thought it would be like watching a video of "Chapter 1 Dialogue" in a language class, like "Where is the library?" But it was very fluid, like watching someone speak Spanish. So seeing that happen convinced me that it's a real language; it's not people playing dress-up with a different vocabulary.
- Arika Okrent Author of "In the Land of Invented Languages" May 2009, Random House. From a Time Online interview By M.J. STEPHEY Monday, May. 18, 2009


text: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 First Formal Guidelines on Cancer Survivorship Stress Importance of Physical Activity Getting adequate physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a healthy diet can reduce the chance of recurrence of many cancers and increase the likelihood of disease-free survival after a diagnosis, say new guidelines from the American Cancer Society. The guidelines encourage survivors to aim to exercise for at least 150 minutes per week, and to include strength training exercises at least 2 days per week. The society has issued previous reports outlining the evidence on the effect of nutrition and physical activity on cancer recurrence and survival. However, this is the first time the evidence has been strong enough to release formal guidelines for survivorship. For this report, a group of experts in nutrition, physical activity, and cancer survivorship evaluated the scientific evidence and best clinical practices related to optimal nutrition and physical activity after the diagnosis of cancer. Among the review's conclusions: Evidence strongly suggests that exercise is not only safe and feasible during cancer treatment, but that it can also improve physical functioning, fatigue, multiple aspects of quality of life, and may even increase the rate of completion of chemotherapy. Physical activity after cancer diagnosis is associated with a reduced risk of cancer recurrence and improved overall mortality among multiple cancer survivor groups, including breast, colorectal, prostate, and ovarian cancer. Among breast cancer survivors, physical activity after diagnosis has consistently been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer-specific mortality. The recommendations also include specific guidance for people diagnosed with breast, colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, lung, prostate, head and neck, and hematologic cancers. It also includes a section with answers to common questions about alcohol, organic foods, sugar, supplements, and several other areas of interest. Free, full text of Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Cancer Survivors is available online in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Comments thank you..... I work in home health and this is very helpful. personally as well, as my spouse & father are prostate cancer survivors, and my sister just completed her first year of living with/fighting breast cancer. Posted by Constance Dinner on 5/4/2012 11:27 PM


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Sanja Long Necklace - Rose Quartz
In stock
Deriving from the Croatian language, Sanja means "dream". A well-chosen name for this cylindric necklace that will make you sparkle. Modern and unique, this long necklace will enhance your daily outfits.
This necklace is handmade with 18K gold-plated brass and set with a rose quartz. Necklace lenght: 62cm + 4,5cm adjustable.
Available in several colors.
Each stone is unique, its color may vary.


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Interested in a Northeastern University Scholarship?
Valerie Shelley, Vice President and Secretary, Orchard Gardens Resident Association
Tenant leaders from multiple BHA communities came together recently for the Boston Housing Authority's annual Resident Empowerment Coalition (REC) conference at Roxbury Community College.
BHA public housing and section 8 residents welcome to attend
Copyright Boston Housing Authority 2014. All Rights Reserved. Site Designed by Planeteria Web Design


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Jeremy Irons Gossip
Jeremy Irons gossip, latest news, photos, and video.
Nearly Naked Tom Hiddleston
A new trailer for Tom Hiddleston's next film, High Rise, came out yesterday and it expands on the previous glimpse of Nearly Naked Sunbathing Tom Hiddleston with Nearly Naked Standing & Talking Tom Hiddleston. This is what I mean about this movie baiting the super enthusiastic internet fandom surrounding Hiddleston—how long am I going to have to spend on Tumblr before finding a GIF of Nearly Naked Tom Hiddleston? Point-two seconds? (Literally the first search result Full Story
Keri Russell: Pregnancy Glow at Sundance
Again, was never a huge fan of Felicity, therefore rather indifferent, but having met her yesterday, I now understand why her supporters are so loyal. Keri is a doll. First the girly details – the big plus is that she doesn't, like so many of her peers, lie about her height. She is listed at 5 ft 4 and she is indeed 5 ft 4. Full Story
La Lohan for Le Pivert
I don't often long for my 20s. Sure, sure…to you I might sound like a bitter aging bitch but to me, 30+ has been fun. More than fun. It's been the best fun. Because if you're able to exercise some moderation with sun and drugs during your 20s, you arrive at 30 still looking decent and most importantly, THINKING more than decent. Full Story


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Today marks a continued shift by Dell to downplay the guts 'n' going-ons inside their machines while focusing instead on image.
The company has formed alliances with both the Major League Baseball association and OPI — an international nail polish and fashion company — and has put together a collection of 300 designs from various artists.
It's all part of the Dell Design Studio, which will allow you to deck your laptop out with original art, logos from your favorite baseball teams or liquidy designs that change with the seasonal trends in nail polish.
Absent from Dell's press conference? One mention of a processor, hard drive size, or graphics card — we weren't treated to even a single spec. What we did get, however, was a look at the snake-like string of Swarovski crystals you see on the lid of the laptop above.
It was all about the look and we think Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI executive VP and artistic director, just about summed it up: "You can match your nails to your emails!" Check out more of Dell's design-heavy push in the gallery on Dvice.com.
For more gadget news, check out DVICE.com.


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The Kathmandu Post, 1 September 2008
Dipak Gyawali, former Minister of Water Resources, heads Nepal Water Conservation Foundation. He has been working on water resources for the past two decades. He has written several books on water. He claims that Nepal is not the second richest country in hydropower but has adequate energy to meet its demand.
For this week's Interview, The Kathmandu Post caught Dipak G at his office and discussed about the breach of Koshi embankment and consequent man-made disaster that has swept four VDCs in Nepal and the entire north Bihar bordering Nepal.
DipakG spoke with Puran P Bista and Ghanashyam Ojha of The Kathmandu Post.
Q: Why did the Koshi breach its embankment? Who was responsible for the repair work— India or Nepal?
DipakG: It is important to step back a bit to realize that this catastrophe happened because of the unholy confluence of three things: wrong technological choice for this kind of a hydro-ecological regime, wrong institutional arrangements resulting from the Koshi Treaty that are not right for managing this kind of a trans-boundary river system, and wrong conduct in public service over the last half-century, which includes aspects of corruption as well as what people in Delhi like to deride as "Bihari politics", but has been an intrinsic part of Independent India. After all, when the British left India, Bihar was one of the most advanced states of India, Patna University one of the top universities (which helped found Tribhuwan University), and when my grandmother was ill in Taulihawa, my father and grandfather took her, not to Lucknow nearby or Delhi but to Patna for treatment because the hospital there was the best. Today can we say the same for Independent India's Bihar? I argue that this decline in Bihar's prosperity absolutely matches the rise in "Bihari politics" brought about in no small measure by the Koshi project.
But let us start with the technological aspect, when the lateral, left-bank embankment (not the barrage across the river) collapsed on 18th August: it was not a natural disaster, but a man-made tragedy. The river flow at the time was lower than the minimum average flow for the month of August, and hence not even close to a normal flood, which had not even begun during this monsoon. In the Koshi, it generally occurs from mid-August to mid-September, and when this natural stress is added to a man-made tragedy, together they have all the potential to become a major calamity of a generation.
Q: Why is this project the wrong technological choice?
DipakG: Koshi is one of the most violent rivers in the world because it is not just a river with water in it but also a massive conveyor belt of sediment from the Himalaya to the Bay of Bengal. This is a natural geological process that is responsible for creating not just Bangladesh but also much of Bihar out of the ancient Tethys Sea. Some one hundred million cubic meters of gravel, sand and mud flow out of Chatara every year. Lest we forget, all the collected water and matter brought by Tamor, Arun and Sun Kosi rivers, all the way from Kanchenjunga in the east, through Makalu and Everest to Langtang in the west have to pass through this one gorge at Chatara. And as the river slows down in the flat Tarai plains, the sediment settles down raising the river bed and forcing the river to overflow its bank before finding a new course.
This process has essentially created the inland delta over which the Koshi has swung from Supaul in the west to Katihar in the east, like a pendulum suspended at Chatara. In the last half century, this process has been arrested by "jacketing" the Koshi within embankments at the western extreme of the delta; but this has only forced the river to deposit all the sediment within this narrow "jacket", raised the river bed, perching the river some four meters above the surrounding land. It was a recipe ripe for this kind of catastrophe to eventually happen, as it has now.
You have to be extremely careful when you start fooling around with such awesome forces of nature. What happens when you do so without proper understanding can be easily studied on the Tinau, south of Butwal: in 1961, India built the Hattisunde barrage on the Tinau's inland delta to supply irrigation water to Marchawar in the south, but the river changed course in the following year and the barrage has been standing high and dry since then, a tribute to man's stupidity, and an equally great tribute to his incapacity to learn from mistakes. You don't build such hydro-technical structures on an unstable delta fan, and the Koshi today is just Tinau repeated at a more massive scale.
Q: What do we know of the science behind these things?
DipakG: We have been studying the Tinau and its problems since the mid-1990s, which is just the same as the Koshi except at a much smaller scale. For the Koshi, the best example is the comparison of current river flow conditions of the lower Ganga with the map prepared in 1779 by Colonel Rennel for Governor General Warren Hastings. His map shows us that the Koshi actually joined the Mechi-Mahananda, which joined the Teesta. While the Koshi has swung west, the Teesta itself has swung east to meet the Brahmaputra, while the Brahmaputra has swung from meeting the Megna to meeting the Ganga. This shows how extremely volatile the dynamically shifting pattern of this region's hydro-ecological is.
This disaster was waiting to happen because the intervention into the natural regime through the Koshi project was bad science that ignored the problem of sediment in the river. As regards science, we should also remember that deforestation has really no significant linkage with Koshi sedimentation: we have more forest cover in the Koshi catchment today, thanks also to community forestry, than we ever did in our past history; and the Myth of Himalayan Degradation (that floods in Bangladesh are due to poor farmers in Nepal cutting trees) has been scientifically debunked over two decades ago. It is Himalayan geo-tectonics coupled with the monsoon regime that is the cause of Koshi sedimentation and floods, and that cannot be battled against with bad science and even worse policy prescriptions of indiscriminate embankment building following from such bad science.
Q: Can we repair the breach once the monsoon is over?
DipakG: I doubt it, simply because the breach now is no longer a rupture in the side embankment that can be plugged once the water level goes down and the Koshi starts flowing along its original main channel. What we are seeing is the main stem of the river itself flowing through it, capturing centuries' old channel and changing its course. To change it back is like damming the Koshi anew with a new barrage, in addition to making the river do a "high jump" of at least four meters to flow along its recently abandoned bed. Believe me, it won't be too happy doing that now or in the coming years, and will find some way to continuously breach the embankment in other weak spots, and no engineer can guarantee that this won't happen, although they will have lots of fun playing with all kinds of expensive toys "to tame the Koshi".
The problem now is no longer just the breach at Kusaha in Nepal: it is totally uncertain where the new Koshi channel will be in the middle and lower delta in Bihar. Currently, satellite pictures show that it might be moving along the Supaul channel; but I think this might just be a massive ponding that is occurring with Koshi filling every depression, canal, old oxbow lake or the space between the indiscriminately built embankments. Since the land naturally slopes eastwards, depending upon whether the coming September floods are a four lakh cusecs flood or a nine lakh one (as happened in 1968) the new Koshi could be as far east as Katihar. Even if it does not go that far this year, it is inevitable it will do so in the years to come. This river morphology dynamics has to be looked at before any new embankments or repairs of old ones can be considered.
Q: What might be correct technology then?
DipakG: First, let us put to rest another wrong technology, a high dam on the Koshi. It is wrong because it would take two or more decades to construct, thus failing to address problems of current and immediate future concerns, is extremely expensive, does not address the primary problem of sedimentation (the reservoir will fill up too soon with Himalayan muck), has no convincing answer regarding the cost of attending to high seismicity in the region as well as diversion of peak instantaneous flood during construction (it is a major engineering challenge with no easy solution), and will create more social problems when indigenous population in Nepal have to be evicted from their ancestral homes. A Koshi high dam would be tantamount to Nepal importing downstream seasonal floods as permanent features of its landscape for questionable benefits to it. I think neither India nor Nepal is in a position to afford the technical, economic and social costs associated with it.
The immediate requirements of Nepal and Bihar (and by immediate I mean from now till ten or so years) will have to be met by new and alternative technologies suited to an unstable but very fertile flood plain. Such adaptive technologies with strong social components have been traditionally used by people in the form of houses on stilts and building villages with raised plinth levels that keep life and property safe but allow the flood to easily pass by leaving fertile silt behind. It will also call into serious question the current design practices in the transportation, housing, agriculture and other sectors, forcing the adopting of new approaches that look not so much to the watershed but to the 'problemshed' for answers. There is nothing called a permanent solution (how 'permanent' is a permanent concrete dam, after all?); but building houses on stilts is a cheaper, more 'doable' and thus a better solution.
Q: Why do you say that the current management setup of the Koshi barrage and embankments was a wrong institutional arrangement?
DipakG: The answer to that question can come from looking at the highly undiplomatic and breathtakingly ill-informed statement that came out from the Indian embassy in the immediate aftermath of the breach by blaming Nepal for it. When forcing the Koshi Treaty on Nepal in the 1950s, India took upon itself all responsibility for design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Koshi project, leaving Nepal absolutely no room to do anything except allow India to quarry all the boulders they like (which incidentally are rarely used in the Koshi but find themselves black marketed to all the aggregate crushers from Muzzafferpur to Siliguri!!)
The Koshi Treaty has been criticized very often for many reasons, but the reason some of us from the socio-environmental solidarity to criticize it is because of the neo-colonial mode that is built into its institutional make-up. Instead of a proper bi-national management arrangement, Nepal can only be a by-stander even for matters within its own territory: it can't order the opening of gates during floods or the supply of irrigation waters to its fields during the dry season. Everything is in the hands of the Delhi hydrocracy, which has conveniently (and to my mind, illegitimately) washed its hands off it by hiving it off to the Bihar hydrocracy. There is institutional irresponsibility built into the treaty at every level, which was seen at the time of its signing as a "construction" treaty rather than a management one, hence you can never get sustainable and scientific management out of it. In a tragic and perverse way, the current catastrophe has washed away the very foundations of that treaty and calls for revisiting the management of the Koshi in a more sane and equitable manner.
Q: What exactly did you mean by "bad conduct", then?
DipakG: Even if you had a wrong institutional arrangement, right conduct could have still got things done more than semi-right. What happened here was that the entire Koshi project has become a synonym for the corruption that goes by the name of Bihari politics, which "New Nepal" seems to be importing with glee. Consider the following quote from an Indian scholar studying the problem.
Such is the racket of breaches that out of the 2.5 to 3 billion rupees spent annually by the Bihar government on construction and repair works, as much as 60 percent used to be pocketed by the politician-contractors-engineers nexus. There is a perfect system of percentages in which there is a share for everyone who matters, right from the minister to the junior engineer. The actual expenditure never exceeds 30 percent of the budgeted cost and after doling out the fixed percentages, the contractors are able to pocket as much as 25 percent of the sanctioned amount. A part of this they use to finance the political activities of their pet politicians and to get further projects sanctioned. Thus the cycle goes on. [The result is that...] the contractor's bills are paid without verifying them. The same lot for boulders and craters are shown as freshly purchased year after year and the government exchequer is duped of tens of millions. Many of the desiltation and repair and maintenance works shown to have been completed are never done at all and yet payments are made....So much is the income of the engineers from the percentages that the engineers do not bother to collect their salaries.
(Fighting the Irrigation Mafia in Bihar, by Indu Bharati in the Economic and Political Weekly from Bombay in 1991, quoted by Dipak Gyawali in his book Water in Nepal/Rivers, Technology and Society, Zed Books, London and Himal Books, Kathmandu, 2001.)
This is what I mean by "wrong conduct". My understanding, based on information filtering out of Saptari and Sunsari and on local FM channels, is that local cadres of ruling political parties got wise to the corruption practiced from across the border and began to demand a share, which was difficult for the Bihari contractors to agree to because of the high rake-in demanded by their traditional political and civil servant bosses in Patna and higher up. There were, it seems, tough negotiations going on before the start of the monsoon season, but no agreement could be reached. No formal approach was made by the Koshi officials to the most India-friendly government in power in Nepal because the issue to be resolved was not doing the work but sharing the booty. Which is why the complaint that the contractors had come on August 8 to strengthen the embankment but were not allowed to, itself begs the question: how come you come to do the repair works (if that is what you wanted to do) in the middle of the monsoon and not in January?
Q: What should be the priority now?
DipakG: There are three things needed to be done on a war footing in order of priority:
First, this is a major humanitarian tragedy of global proportions, and it should be attended to with an open heart, generous pockets and caring hands. If Biharis are coming into Nepal because that is where the only high ground is, they should be welcomed, all relief should be provided to them too, but a record should be kept and they must be handed over to the Indian government soon after the monsoon. It must be recognized that the displaced fifty thousand or so Nepalis are in all probability permanently displaced (over their village, the new Koshi probably runs and will do so for the forseeable future) and need to be housed in camps before a permanent settlement is found. Perhaps the now emptying Bhutanese refugee camps should be used for the purpose.
Second, a bridge should be constructed over the Koshi at Chatara on a war footing and the traffic along the Mahendra highway restored to connect east Nepal with the rest of the country as soon as possible. The current Kosi barrage bridge will in all probability remain as the Hattisunde barrage on the Tinau, a defunct monument of interest to future archaeologists; but even if restored, we will need a ferry system over the new Koshi channel before we can get to it.
Third, a serious public review and debate must ensue over the Koshi project and the treaty that brought about this catastrophe. The investigations and debate must be conducted jointly by civic movements in Nepal and India so that a sane path forward can be charted. Hydrocracies of both countries can contribute to this exercise, but their judgment and legitimacy are now in question, as is their hitherto unchallenged policy hegemony.
[Dipak Gyawali, former Minister of Water Resources, heads Nepal Water Conservation Foundation. He has been working on water resources for the past two decades. He has written several books on water. He claims that Nepal is not the second richest country in hydropower but has adequate energy to meet its demand.]


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Clash Of Clans MOD v7.200.19 Apk
Clash Of Clans MOD v7.200.19 Apk From rage-filled Barbarians with glorious mustaches to pyromaniac wizards, raise your own army and lead your clan to victory! Build your village to fend off raiders, battle against millions of players worldwide, and forge a powerful clan with others to destroy enemy clans. PLEASE NOTE! Clash of Clans is free to download… Read More »


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Come along to our free drop-in support service for Greater Manchester residents who've been diagnosed with hearing loss in the last 12 months.
Run by Action on Hearing Loss staff and trained volunteers, our friendly Community Navigator service provides:
- information about hearing loss and how to manage it
- details of other organisations and local community groups that can provide more in-depth support if you feel this is needed
- the opportunity to meet other people who have recently been diagnosed with hearing loss.
Drop in to one of our sessions in Bury – no appointment necessary.
Third Tuesday of the month
For more information about our Community Navigator service, or to register your interest as a volunteer or supporting organisation, please contact us:
Diane Whitehead: 07741 328087
Kate Tempest: 07741 329234
You can also get in touch by email at email@example.com


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The Arizona law contained an immigration status check provision that required local law enforcement to check with ICE to determine a person's status where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien and is unlawfully present in the United States after a person has been the subject of "a lawful stop, detention or arrest." This was the only provision of the Arizona law that the Court upheld today, noting that Arizona's law provided that law enforcement officers were prohibited from considering the person's race or national origin in enforcing it. Under existing agreements with state and local governments, ICE officials already agree to check a person's immigration status after they are taken into the legal custody of state or local law enforcement officials. If ICE determines that further action is warranted, it will request the state or local law enforcement agency to place a hold on the individual's release in order for custody of such detained persons to be transferred to ICE officials for further processing in accordance with federal law, a process that is supposed to occur within 48 hours. No sooner had today's decision been handed down than the Department of Homeland Security signaled that it would no longer honor its 287(g) agreement with Arizona officials, a move that could render that provision of the law meaningless.
Federal preemption in the area of immigration enforcement resulted in the Court striking down three major provisions of Arizona's law as unconstitutional, including:
- A provision making it a crime not to carry valid immigration documents establishing a person's lawful presence in the country.
- A provision making it a crime to apply for a job in Arizona unless a person has valid documents establishing their right to accept employment in the United States.
- A provision allowing warrantless arrests of persons who state and local law enforcement officials have probable cause to believe has committed an offense that would cause the person to be removable from the country.
Last year, the Supreme Court upheld a separate Arizona law that requires employers within the state to participate in E-Verify, a program that allows the federal government to confirm that a person applying to accept employment is legally authorized to do so. That state law penalizes non-complying businesses with the loss of business licenses. Indiana's immigration enforcement law subjects Indiana employers to tax penalties if they employ aliens lacking employment authorization unless the employers utilize E-Verify to determine the employee's status. Indiana's law also requires all state and local government agencies to utilize E-Verify, as well as businesses that contract with state or local agencies. Indiana's law also created new crimes for false identity statements and for persons engaged in trafficking of illegal aliens. The fate of these provisions of Indiana's immigration enforcement law is less clear after today's sweeping ruling recognizing federal preemption in immigration enforcement.


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On Thickness and Thinness in Cinema
It is a long acknowledged axiom, vividly demonstrated as early as the films of the Lumières in the late nineteenth century, that the documentary element of cinema is a crucially important source of its power. "Every film," Godard said famously, "is a documentary of its actors." But the significance of the documentary qualities of fiction films goes beyond actors, indeed beyond human beings photographed by the camera. Places, landscapes, cities, dwellings, objects, clothes, animals – the unimaginably rich and varied non-human world – form a wonderful source and resource not only of images, but also of knowledge. Fiction films can acquire special, unique value when they draw from this resource, when they build into their images and sounds the details of the physical reality of the world at large.
When I was in India recently, I sought out a new thriller-drama that's been getting a lot of national attention: Kahaani, directed by Sujoy Ghosh. One key reason why it has been praised as something special is that it was shot mostly on location in the streets of Kolkata, taking place in various neighborhoods of this remarkable city that have rarely been captured in a fiction film. To put it in perspective, the geographic diversities of cities like New York, Paris, London and Hong Kong have been vastly better represented in cinema, and Kolkata is undoubtedly in their league both in terms of size and its urban, architectural and human richness. So, for me, a film such as Kahaani represents a rare and wonderful opportunity. In addition to working as a genre film, it strives to give us a great variety of little-seen images of one of the world's most vibrant cities.
But Kahaani – which does not exist in isolation but is part of a trend in filmmaking today – disappoints deeply on this count, for one reason: its maddeningly quick editing. A shot rarely lasts more than a couple of seconds, and no sooner than we get a bare sense of a fresh, intriguing urban image, the film cuts to a different shot – for no discernible rhyme or reason except the terror of allowing the audience to concentrate on the image, of giving it time to think. I'm not being hyperbolic here. An interview with the editor of the film confirms that the objective of the editing was to keep the audience from solving the narrative mystery on its own, and thus to rush it from one image to the next in order to guarantee a surprise ending.
Kahaani's rapid editing and its close framings (especially in dialogue scenes) are very much in keeping with the practice that David Bordwell has named "intensified continuity." But what do we lose of cinema's documentary value – despite the extensive presence of actual locations – with the use of fast cutting?
One way to begin thinking about this question can be found in Lesley Stern's terrific new monograph-book, Dead and Alive: The Body as Cinematic Thing. The book is devoted to the depiction of dead bodies in cinema – specifically, in three films: The Reckless Moment (Max Ophüls, 1949), Japanese Story (Sue Brooks, 2003) and Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985). She analyzes in detail the scenes in which a dead body appears in each film, and captures the effects that this body has upon the temporality of the film. For Stern, when life escapes from the body, a certain kind of time enters the body – and the film. Diegetically, the characters are dead, but their bodies persist, often in extended scenes. Due to their presence, and because of the films' use of duration, these shots and scenes slowly "fill up" with time.
The problem with Kahaani is that, by using quick cuts, the film does the opposite: it thins out the profilmic reality of Kolkata. Shots are never allowed to build up a 'documentary strength', to fill up with time, to thicken.
The enormously successful Slumdog Millionaire (2009) suffers from a similar problem. The horrific (but complex) reality of Dharavi, the large slum that served as a key location and setting for the film, is thinned out not just by fast editing but also the use of hand-held camera, which produces an unstable image, making it impossible for the viewer to absorb its full detail in the brief instant for which the image appears. The documentary feebleness of the images that results from this fast and restless shooting style is only reinforced when accompanied by A.R. Rahman's effervescent music. These formal qualities are absolutely of a piece with the other problems of the film, including its valorizing of individualism and chance, and its lack of interest in hinting at any larger, structural reasons for the material inequalities of the world in which it is set. (Mitu Sengupta's pieces are essential reading for those interested in the film.)
When films such as Kahaani and Slumdog Millionaire tout their 'realism' of setting, it comes off as opportunism, especially when everything about the style of these films actively works against the viewer's full registration of their onscreen reality. Such films squander the immanent power of this reality, reducing it to thin and weak documentary decoration.
Any thoughts or suggestions on fiction films in contemporary cinema that strongly capture a sense of place? I'd love to hear them.
Some links:
-- FYI, a couple of my pieces have appeared online since my last post: Sam Roggen interviewed me on the topic of cinephilia at the Photogénie website run by the Flemish Film Culture Service; Dennis Lim invited me to contribute to the Museum of the Moving Image "moments of the year" collection (part one; and part two); and I wrote my first long-form essay for LOLA – on the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2012. All of LOLA 3 is now up.
-- Adrian Martin's essay on teen movies kicks off Teen Movie Week at the Spanish cinema magazine Transit. Pieces will be appearing throughout the week, in both Spanish and English versions.
-- (via Joe McElhaney) A 2007 Cahiers du cinéma list of the 100 essential films for an "ideal cinema library".
-- (via Ehsan Khoshbakht) A great tribute to the way the sky has been rendered in cinema, at the blog Matte Shot, which is devoted to the work of matte painters of the Classic Hollywood era.
-- Ignatiy Vishnevetsky on "workflow" in contemporary filmmaking.
-- Several new posts at Zach Campbell's blog Elusive Lucidity.
-- Jonathan Rosenbaum on Michael Roemer, "the best Jewish director you've never heard of". Also: Jonathan's DVDs and Blu-rays of the year. Finally: Serge Daney's 1982 text "Too Early, Too Late," translated by him.
-- A couple of dozen critics construct their fantasy double bills at MUBI.
-- Richard Brody: "The December issue of Cahiers du Cinéma has a terrific dossier in which a group of critics sketch out "the ten pitfalls of the auteur cinema." It's a fun read and a trenchant—and, for the most part, well-aimed—critique."
-- De Filmkrant's Slow Criticism 2013 dossier, including pieces by Adrian Martin, Richard Porton, Dana Linssen, and others.
-- At Photogénie, Tom Paulus' piece "Olivier Assayas: Global Cinephilia and Operational Aesthetics".
-- David Bordwell rounds up some of the books he's read recently.


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Dr Anil Budania
Celebrity Cruises - Millennium
Miami, Florida
"Dr Anil Budania"
Got opportunity to sail one of the best cruises in the world, Cruise-Celebrity Reflection from Rome. Covered Rome, Mykonos, Ephesus, Athens & back in Rome for 7 nights 8 days. Pics will speak for its own. Must Experience once in life time. It was my 2nd Cruise on last 3 years. Free Food, coffees, ice creams round the clock make it even more interesting??


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New iPhone on schedule for June launch! | iPhone News Updated - 0 views
shared by thanaads Thanaads Noo on 09 Apr 09 - Cached
thanaads Thanaads Noo on 09 Apr 09It's almost an accepted fact that Apple will be launching the new iPhone, possibly two new iPhones, this June or July. Given Apple's short history with iPhone launches, it makes sense.


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By Christine Hinrichs
In the months between the end of winter and the beginning of spring, I start to break out of my winter blues. Even with the occasional spring snowfall, there is still that hint of spring that makes you smile and dream about the days of lighter jackets and packing away those big sweaters. But from a food perspective, these months also mean the beginning of maple syrup season. When I was younger, my class would take trips to the local nature center to see the maple trees tapped for syrup and we would enjoy some homemade maple syrup candy. These days I don't have the time to tap my own tree and boil down the sap for syrup, so I make it work by buying some local maple syrup and cooking up some delicious syrup-themed dishes.
Here are two great recipes that feature maple syrup — one for breakfast and one for dinner. They are easy and oh-so delicious!
Maple Pecan Sticky Rolls
adapted from Barefoot Contessa and Epicurious
makes 12 sticky rolls
1 package (2 sheets) of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 tablespoon melted butter
For filling:
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
For sticky syrup:
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Mix together the ingredients for the filling in a bowl, making sure the raisins aren't stuck together.
Unfold your puff pastry sheets and brush each one with melted butter. Top one of the sheets with half of the filling mixture, leaving about a one-inch border on the sides. Pat the filling down with your hands. Roll up the dough carefully and seal the edge. Repeat on the second puff pastry sheet. Cut each roll into six equal pieces.
In the microwave, melt the stick of butter in a medium, microwave safe bowl. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and mix together. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a 13'x9′ pan, and sprinkle the mixture with the chopped pecans. Place the rolls on top of the mixture, cut-side down, with space in between each one. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the rolls have browned.
Let the sticky rolls cool for 5 minutes, then place a serving dish or baking sheet covered in parchment paper on top of the baking dish and flip, allowing the sticky buns to fall onto the sheet. Don't wait too long to complete this step — the syrup mixture gets very sticky!!
Serve warm and enjoy!
Maple Roasted Vegetables
serves 2-3 as a side dish
1 cup of carrots, peeled and diced (about 2-3 medium-sized carrots)
1 medium-sized yam, peeled and chopped into equal pieces
2 cups brussel sprouts, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoons salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large baking dish, combine the vegetables, olive oil, and the salt & pepper. Put into the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes until the veggies are softened and the brussel sprouts are browned on the edges. Shake the pan or stir the veggies every so often. Take the veggies out and add the syrup. Toss to coat. Put back in the oven for about five minutes. Stir again before serving.
Christine Hinrichs is a vegetarian who loves everything related to food. She daydreams about recipes, frequents the local farmers' markets, and reads cookbooks before bed. When not preoccupied with food, she enjoys running the lakes and trails in the Twin Cities and helps rescue stray animals from local shelters. Read about her food adventures at ruminationsonfood.blogspot.com.
Maple syrup stinks.
Take it outside.
It only stinks when you are next to it.
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(CNN) -- Pilots of the Air France flight that crashed in 2009 and plummeted 38,000 feet in just three minutes and 30 seconds, lost vital speed data, France's Bureau of Investigation and Analysis (BEA) said Friday.
The pilots got conflicting air speeds in the minutes leading up to the crash, the interim reports states. The aircraft climbed to 38,000 feet when "the stall warning was triggered and the airplane stalled," the report says.
Aviation experts are asking why the pilots responded to the stall by pulling the nose up instead of pushing it down to recover.
Miles O'Brien, a pilot and aviation analyst, said: "You push down on the wheel to gain air speed, perhaps they (pilots) were getting information that the air speed was too high. Pulling the nose up will exacerbate an aerodynamic stall."
The speed displayed on the left primary flight display were "inconsistent" with those on the integrated standby instrument system (ISIS), the report says.
The aircraft experienced some "rolling" before stalling and then descending rapidly into the ocean. The descent lasted 3 minutes and 30 seconds and the engines remained operational, said the report. It plunged at 10,912 feet (3,300 meters) per minute.
At the time of the descent, the two co-pilots and captain were in the aircraft cockpit.
How aircraft speed sensors work
Richard Quest, CNN's aviation expert, said: "For whatever reason the aircraft speed sensors failed and the A330 went into a high altitude stall. The pilot's actions were unable to recover the aircraft and some might say, made the bad situation worse.
"The actual falling from the sky will have been horrific. This plane fell out of the sky."
All 228 people aboard the Airbus A330 Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris were killed on June 1, 2009.
The pilots lost contact with air traffic controllers while flying across an area of the Atlantic Ocean known for constant bands of severe turbulence.
Air crash investigators at the Paris-based BEA have been working on the theory that the speed sensors, known as pitot tubes or probes, malfunctioned because of ice at high altitude.
Since the accident, Air France has replaced the pitots on its Airbus fleet with a newer model, Agence-France Presse reports.
The report quotes the pilots -- who were not named -- and reveals that they were aware of the storm ahead.
In tech's golden age, why can't black boxes do more?
Four hours and six minutes into the flight, one of the co-pilots, referred to as PF, called the cabin crew, telling them that: "In two minutes we should enter an area where it'll move about a bit more than at the moment, you should watch out... I'll call you back as soon as we're out of it."
The report said that four hours and 10 minutes into the flight: "The autopilot [and] then [the] auto-thrust disengaged," and co-pilot PF said: "I have the controls." The report said the stall warning sounded twice in a row.
A short time later the other co-pilot, referred to as PNF said: "So, we've lost the speeds." A second later the stall warnings sounded again the report said.
At about this time, "The speed displayed on the left side increased sharply," the report said. The aircraft was then at an altitude of about 37,500 feet.
The report said that at this time co-pilot PNF tried several times to call the captain back to the cockpit.
The aircraft then climbed to 38,000 feet and at around four hours 11 minutes and 40 seconds into the flight, the captain re-entered the cockpit. During the following seconds all of the recorded speeds became invalid and the stall warning stopped, the report said.
Co-pilot PF said: "I don't have any more indications," and the co-pilot PNF said "we have no valid indications."
About a minute later co-pilot PF said: "We're going to arrive at level one hundred." This is a height of 10,000 feet. About fifteen seconds later, the data recorder indicate "simultaneous inputs by both pilots on the sidesticks."
The recordings stopped at four hours 14 minutes and 28 seconds into the flight. A full investigation into the crash is expected next year.
Air France said in a written statement: "It appears... that the initial problem was the failure of the speed probes which led to the disconnection of the autopilot and the loss of the associated piloting protection systems. The crew demonstrated a totally professional attitude and were committed to carrying out their task to the very end and Air France wishes to pay tribute to them."
Airbus, manufacturers of the A330, said: "The BEA's work constitutes a significant step towards the identification of the complete chain of events that led to the tragic accident. Airbus is committed to continuing to provide support to the BEA investigation with the objective of identifying all potential lessons to be learnt," according to the Press Association.
Earlier this week French air crash investigators said they would be able to identify two bodies recovered this month from the crash site. The recovery team is now working on retrieving all the bodies, French officials have said.
In early May search teams found the crucial "data recorders" from the wreck site, estimated to lie at a depth of between 2,000 to 4,000 meters (6,562 to 13,124 feet).


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Half A World Away
On this page we'll describe some of the interesting and fun activities our organization sponsors. Here are examples of the
format we might use.
Recent Events
Upcoming Events
December 15, 2001Casino Night Fund Raiser
This fund raiser will be held in the Methodist Church basement at 47 Main Street. Bring lots of spending money!
We hope to update this page often with new photos.
To sign up or volunteer for an event, see our "Contact Us" page.