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Thursday, May 13, 2010
Happy Free-Day (and new blog)
There was a time that on this date, May 13th, we'd congratulate each other with a "happy birthday", and of course, move around with anticipation of the big date, event, overflowing ecstasy to celebrate the birthday of the one we considered our "guru", our spiritual master, our best friend, the one who knew our soul and loved us unconditionally, even beyond death.
Plenty of times I heard RS state the entire world would celebrate his 80th birthday. The UN would one day be singing bhajans in his honour and sing him happy birthday. In fact, coincidentally, when he turns 50, the AoL turns 25 - silver and gold jubilee - he made it a point to highlight this fact, as if it was some Divine planning and we, somehow, brain-dead, gasped in surprise and fascination.
Back then, brain-washed, brain-dead, enchanted and fooled by this "package of promises and apparent perfection", we did not question the self-centeredness and absolute narcissism of the matter. Today, when I look back, I puke in disgust at the thought of it all. How did I not figure out earlier this was about a highly self-centered man who is too enamored by his own image and whose libido depends on abusing and extracting at the expense of innocent souls? The ones manipulable because of their idealistic nature and love for serving humankind, and the ones with some degree of psychological instability, vulnerability and need? It is all about him and he rejoices in it. I guess when he talks about "stop thinking about me me me", he actually means, "only think of him him him" - from "me" to "Him" (Ravishankar "HIM") lies the key of AoL joy. The more devotion people pour on him, the more power he seems to get. He even seems bigger! And even bigger in India where crowds are larger. "Vampirism" is a term that comes to mind.
Today is a day I ponder on my own mistakes as I still struggle with the ghosts of my past and the sporadic traumatic flashbacks that hit here and there. As much as I'd love to erase those many years of cult abuse in a just a magic touch, since there is no magic that can undo that, I choose to live it with responsibility, the courage to face each challenge step by step, and the loneliness this entails. Little acts like learning to trust in people again, remembering not everyone I meet will be such psychotic "asses", learning to discern again between good and bad and trust my own intuition, trusting I won't make the same mistakes again, deleting all the psychological abuses RS himself and company churned in my mind, may be insignificant to the average person, but a leap of faith of huge distances for someone like me. I guess, above all, understanding that if one failed once, if one was fooled once, one will not fail and be fooled again. In fact, I am of the opinion that it is those who manage to make the painful exit of cult abuse that are strong. Succumbing to it is the weakness he and the system need in order to succeed.
May 13th is a date I unfortunately probably will never forget because of what it represents in my life - the deception, the abuse, the lies, the manipulation, the psychosis, the sociopathy, my years of innocence, idealism, fanaticism, brain-washing, irrationality ... mere stupidity. Thus, I also have chosen to make this my day of freedom.
I recently heard someone say, "Without freedom of expression there is no evolution."
May I, you, we never forget the beauty and value of freedom of the soul, freedom of expression, freedom of the mind, freedom of living, and to, first and foremost, value and trust ourselves. If God and one are ONE then growth, evolution, spirituality is within and does not, should not ever depend on anyone else, and even less, giving our power away. Cherish and love yourself. We were once deceived not because we were stupid or had "bad karma". We were innocent and idealist souls. Let's humbly learn from our mistakes and cultivate that mind and heart that once inspired us to find a spiritual path and selflessly serve others. Learning from my mistakes and having the courage of admitting them is a wealth that I can proudly call mine. Let's pave our path with awareness, self-love, trust, and knowledge founded in our hearts, with precious care, critical thinking and responsible freedom.
Happy Free-Day to you all! And a true "Victory to the Guru that dwells inside you", that guru which is you and only you.
And as a perfect birthday present, check out the new blog: www. aolfree.wordpress.com and, though numbers don't matter, in a sarcastic note, please note that this is the only related to AoL thing that is truly what it is and not manipulated information by anyone: "Confessions of a Guruholic" has reached more than 100,000 hits in less than 6 months. "Celebrate in silence"? ;)
54 comments:
Dear Klim,
Yes, a very Happy Free-day to you & all ex-teachers.Thanks for this beautiful sharing & wonderful re a new blog.
I celebrate every day the fact that I am also free of this sick, narcissist, megalomaniac & psychopath "guru", who preys on the innocence of the spiritual seekers & their inner desire for service.
What a conman, charging others to go & celebrate his birthday in Europe & fill up his coffers. What true spiritual teacher would give so much importance to his birthday?
The word conman will never come close to describe him. I have more respect for a common criminal or conman, at least they don't pretend they are spiritual gurus & lecture others about Human values!
What would RS know about human values? The only thing he knows as a psychopath is how to use other people's deep-seated human values to fill up his coffers & deceive the general public out there.
Klim, I would like to, once again publicly, thank you for the enormous service you have done to bring so much healing & understanding to so many of us.
You brought us a platform to voice our truth, to tell people about the culture of abuse within AOL & originating from Ravi Shankar himself. When I say culture of abuse, I mean all kinds of abuse & wrong-doings, legally, morally , ethically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially,......the list goes on.
Klim you took the first step & I think you know by now ,that even though your blog may have started as an attempt for self-healing, but in the process, it has healed thousands & will continue to do the same for thousands more, if not millions. Your blog, was an answer to prayers of many who were hurt & suffering in isolation from culture of abuse of RS/AOL, with no one to turn to. Your blog gave a voice to them. Our voices will be strong together.
Divine worked through you & gave you the idea, energy, strength & time to start this blog. And many more will come out & will talk about the reality of RS /AOL, not the facade he & his lackeys try to portray.
My friend, this work is Divine's work. You listened to the Divine within your heart, your soul, your conscience & this blog came to life. It will continue , as it is meant to. Time is up for RS & his lackeys & they know it & their pathetic counter blogs is not going to stop the torrent of truth getting out, but only to speed it up!
Klim, you have done an awesome job. I salute you for that. This work is not going to die. More people who come out & speak up, the faster RS goes down as another fake guru & his empire of deceit will crash on his own head. Hope he will enjoy his next b'day with Nithyanand in jail! We all owe it to ourselves & to others to come forward & tell the truth about RS/AOL, so no more innocent person falls into this trap or gets hurt by it.
- May 13, 2010 at 5:08 PM
Just to clarify, did you mean 100,000 hits daily?
- May 13, 2010 at 11:19 PM
~~~~scratch~~~~scratch~~~~scratch~~~go KLIM, go KLIM, it's your birthday, it's your birthday, go KLIM, go KLIM...~~~scratch~~~scratch~~~stoooop. That was an attempt to create a DJ mix if you were wondering :P
A hundred thousand hits...boy, am I happy for you! Hope it'll be 10 times as much soon. Let people know the truth! Can't wait for you to publish RS's letters of threats n other crap. We love you KLIM! [big hug] Chris
- May 13, 2010 at 11:34 PM
Her is some news on Sahaj teacher Rhea Pillai:
She fleeced her former husband even when she was with her current beau Leander. She shopped for her love child with tennis ace Leander Paes using credit card of her former husband actor Sanjay Dutt. Read the complete story at
posted by Jack Roberts
- May 14, 2010 at 12:35 AM
This blog is an excellent service for the sake of truth and real spirituality which is the search for truth. I have seen that in my college once this blog became popular aol folks toned down their rubbish claims. it is having an effect on them. even ravi ravi has changed his speech to some extent. little less on megalomania in his public speeches now. but old habits die hard. I hope ravi ravi becomes enlightened through this blog. clearly he got struck in his spiritual journey with all those blind devotees and consinously treated like a king. has lost touch with reality. thats whay happens to most cult gurus and ravi ravi is no exception and is indeed a clear case study.
- May 14, 2010 at 1:27 AM
Hi KLIM,
Happy free-day to you and all ex-teachers and ex-followers. Your blog is creating wonders.
Some of my colleagues [AOL activity members] planned AOL Workshop on behalf of guruji's birthday in my area. We got notice for that. Eventually, I forwarded this blog for reference to concerned department to validate the necessity of the workshop. And guess what - the workshop is canceled due to 'uncertain reasons'.
Change is here!!
- May 14, 2010 at 1:50 AM
I have gone through the blog. However I would definitely like to know in simple terms as to why you left AOL i.e. the exact reasons. In fact if you could put this clearly it would be useful to the readers. Thanks
- May 14, 2010 at 3:17 AM
Yesterday I saw live Sri Sris birthday online. And I realise kult and falsch there, where I was many times as devotee in last 9 years...Again nothing new, agitation for Arosa(expencive kourse in Alps), agitation for programm Yes we can, elementary indian songs, and less "wisdom"...
- May 14, 2010 at 3:32 AM
Dear Klim
Someone pointed me to your blog, and I read through and understand your sentiments.
What you write about here is your perception of AOL being a cult with a psychotic cult leader, and brainwashed followers.
If you dare to look beyond this veil, you will find deep truths in the knowledge explained through the discourses on Ashtavakra Gita, Patanjali Yoga Sutras, and Shiva Sutras. Look at the health benefits for millions of people who regularly practice the yoga and kriya techniques taught. It is an undeniable fact that there are measurable and definite benefits to health, state of mind and quality of life.
Don't judge the whole organization by the actions of a few fringe elements. In an organization of this size there are bound to be all sorts of people.
I am not here to try to convince you about anything. I am just sharing my side of the story. I'm not even a teacher, but an active volunteer who helps organize the basic and advanced courses. I do it not because I am brainwashed by Guruji or due to peer pressure, but because I have seen the benefits of this practice of yoga and kriya for the past 10 years.
Best regards
- May 14, 2010 at 4:44 AM
Dear Klim,
What a great idea to celebrate Free-Day!
According to www.dictionary.com one of the definitions of the slavery is: "The condition of being subject or addicted to a specified influence." AOL is built on this addiction; hence, people involved into it are slaves. They may not know about it, like, for example, SDC, who said "I do it not because I am brainwashed by Guruji ". But deep inside there is always this doubt, this desire of the Soul to be free. Spiritual slavery… what can be worse?
Congratulations to all AOL ex-victims, who managed to find their way out the slavery. Let's look at AOL and its leader, as obstacles on our spiritual path, or rather, as immunization that helped us grow and made our Spirit stronger. May be, that's what we, people, have to go through not to fall into the trap of fake "ushers to God" in the future.
Below are some quotes of famous people about Freedom. Enjoy!
Bondage is of the mind; freedom too is of the mind. If you say 'I am a free soul. I am a son of God who can bind me' free you shall be.
Albert Einstein
Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind
Abraham Lincoln
Freedom is the last, best hope of earth.
Freedom is the right to live as we wish.
Kahlil Gibran
Life without liberty is like a body without spirit
Patricia Sampson
Self-reliance is the only road to true freedom, and being one's own person is its ultimate reward.
Benjamin Franklin
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Jean-Paul Sartre
Once freedom lights its beacon in a man's heart, the gods are powerless against him.
- May 14, 2010 at 2:22 PM
- KLIM and CO. said...
Dear SDC, many of us were involved for more than 10 years with the organization and many of us taught the "wonderful" techniques and knowledge you mention. Believe me, we have looked beyond it all and it is due to our experiences and observations that we have concluded and confirm our belief it is all a hoax that not only is deceiving people financially but also spiritually, with practices that affect people physically and mentally in the long-term. Many of us have suffered the consequences. We urge people like you to look beyond.
- May 14, 2010 at 3:45 PM
Rhea Pillai had flings with Vijay Mallaya, some of
the senior teachers have personally witnessed them
checking into hotels and spending nights together.These are the kind of people who impart precious knowledge like
the Sahaj to the herds who are taken in by the glamour if the teacher - morality and good values doesn't matter anymore.
- May 14, 2010 at 4:20 PM
We should celebrate May 13 as "Free Free Day" ;)
- May 15, 2010 at 12:14 AM
@ Svetana
many thanks for those great quotes re freedom.
I particularly liked:
"Once freedom lights its beacon in a man's heart, the gods are powerless against him."Jean-Paul Sartre
I am sure Jean-Paul Sartre
wouldn't mind if I borrow his phrase and say:
Once freedom lights its beacon in a man's heart, the guru & his lackeys & his bloggers (artoflivingfreefree & artoflivingvalues) are powerless against him!
- May 15, 2010 at 12:18 AM
@ SDC said...
"I read through and understand your sentiments. "
then why do you still deceiving innocent people & recruiting them for RS/AOL through those courses?
"If you dare to look beyond this veil,"
Jesus!! you are daring us to look beyond this veil? What do you think we have been doing last 20 years? We did look behind the veil & that is what we are now sharing with others. There are plenty good yoga courses, breathing courses, educational courses out there that teach people with full integrity & don't give the credit for any healing the people experience through their own practices to a megalomaniac Psychopath or forcefeed the picture of the "guru" to the subconscious of students at every turn!
And what pathetic excuse to justify deceiving people & enrolling them to the service of a fake guru & a fraud organisation due to some fancy knowledge.
My friend open your eyes & see the knowledge is everywhere around us. There is no need for people to get trapped to the web of a conman, with the lure of knowledge & some breathing techniques.
This happened to us & we are warning people to get the knowledge from internet, books, honest yoga teachers, etc. Nothing RS teaches is his own anyway.
And I love it when RS' lackey try to blame all the problems of the
organisation on few fringe elements!(You sound like Jim from artoflivingvalues blog!)
Don't judge the whole organization by the actions of a few fringe elements. In an organization of this size there are bound to be all sorts of people. "
Could you please enlighten us, who you are referring to as fringe elements? And which actions of these finge elements you are referring to? I much rather to know about these that your empty, PR lectures. Remember you are talking to ex-AOL teachers here, not the new recruits from street!
- May 15, 2010 at 12:39 AM
So, let me understand this. Even after 20 years, you are still unable to go beyond the personal aura and the organization, to understand what he is really talking about? After reading all these, You got too much caught up, got suffocated and got out. And now starting a blog to educate others :)
I'm not a teacher, hasn't done any of those courses you did.. But for me, the take away is the valuable knowledge of the self I gained, and the awareness I'm experiencing from that. That doesn't need another proof.
And Klim, you still think 'enlightenment' is a fluke? :)
- May 15, 2010 at 11:36 PM
@Anon May 15, 11:36 PM
Point is not that the knowledge is defective. Point is that RS misuses his position as guru in an abusive and exploitative manner.
The knowledge is valid, but AOL does not walk the talk - especially when it comes to integrity.
If you understand dharma then you know that speaking out is the right thing to do. It takes guts, and real spirituality to become a whistleblowe and speak the truth when you know it is going to cost you - but you do it anyway, because it is the right thing to do.
So stop blaming the people behind this blog. And start talking in facts rather than opinions.
- May 16, 2010 at 9:45 AM
yesterday a friend of mine called me and told me that our local AOL teacher abused her on the phone. Teacher called my friend as being a 'spiritual zero' coz she is not into seva at all.
My friend simply put the phone down, although I would have told the teacher to mind her own business and look after her own spiritual index.
I cannot understand why so many AOl teachers are abusive, misuse their so-called power (who the hell know these people- apart from the aol clan?). They turn into money-mongering maniacs only thinking numbers. All that they learnt in their own organization is lost on them! I actually feel sorry for them.
Anyway, I had politely declined the local teacher's invite to attend Guruji's birthday function since I am staying away from ALL AOL activities (else I will be sending mixed messages to these people).
My friend, who was going to attend the long kriya session on Guruji's birthday function, finally DID NOT GO since she was hopping mad at this wonderful (sic) lady teacher...
- May 17, 2010 at 2:10 AM
- suresh said...
The knowledge is all around us ? well for something as beautiful as the knowledge and experience that this body mind called me is just a bubble in the consciousness..the true glimpse of freedom that i am not this body mind..a realization that even cant be spoken but so liberating ....first came during the ashtavakra session for me. This is so freeing that even if it came from a charlatan, it would be just a happening and it would be a waste of the freedom to focus all your energies to mudsling . I would happen to eternally feel grateful to that being who gave me that freedom. I think the adulation for Sri sri comes from that space and not from an idea that he is a "perfect human being".
can you possibly deny that those knowledge sessions didnt help you ?
i dont have access to internals of aol. But it has been personally so transformative for me . I think every organization/every human being has flaws and you guys are magnifying stuff here.
i could be wrong but i dont care. Again thanks to the knowledge above.
- May 17, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Yesterday I met a very humble Kriya Yoga guru. He doesn't charge anything and was very down to earth.
I mentioned to him that I have been doing Sudarshan Kriya for many years now.
He said Sudarshan Kriya is not Kriya Yoga.
(As you may be knowing SK is an invention of RS 25yrs ago. It is not part of the ancient yoga system, nor is it 1 of the traditional Kriya yogas. It is not a time tested technique like the ancient pranayamas and yoga. So no one really knows the effects of SK and while AoL is busy doing research on the benefits, no one is doing research on the cases coming up with the negative side effects. There are many including the people I have taught, and when I ask a senior teacher or even Guruji, they are brushed aside. There can never be any harmful effects of SK, something is wrong with that person.)
He said so many AoL teachers are coming to him now and other people who have been practicing for many years, who have had negative side effects. He said SK can de-carbonate you (lack of Co2).
Then he said something like "it's (AoL) a business..." and stopped short. I could make out he did not want to go further.
I learnt the basic pranayamas and meditation yesterday from him and will be initiated to the Kriya yoga after practicing for a few months. Kriya yoga is an ancient yoga - also mentioned in Patajali, so I am glad at least now I have learnt something authentic, ancient and time tested.
- May 17, 2010 at 4:45 PM
Happy FREE day. All the best to you, KLIM and Co.
With your writing skills and soft yet firm (not a doormat) style, you should write a book! It's important not to judge oneself for being fooled once because that's where the knowledge lies. You are now a powerhouse of healing and information for others.
I liked Skywalker's new post "It's Okay For Victims to Feel Victimized"
She says:
"That is like telling a rape victim that "you probably asked for it yourself."
Women have come a long way in educating people about abuse so many people realize it's no longer okay to hold this ignorant attitude. But, I don't think most people understand cult abuse well. They ask "why do you call it spiritual rape?". It's just not something one can explain well to someone who hasn't experienced it. But, you've done a great job relaying your experiences.
May you be free.
May all beings be free.
- May 17, 2010 at 7:05 PM
@Suresh & Anon 11:36 PM
It doesn't fail to amuse me how boring RS's lackeys are & what defective logics they use.
As if a piece of knowledge (in case of SriSri all stolen from other organisations) or any spiritual experience or insight is a good excuse for anyone to become enslaved to a psychopath guru!
Read my recent posts in http://aolfree.wordpress.com/ ,just in case there is even a slight chance of anyone as brainwashed as you can free himself from all that trite dogma, regurgitated & propagated a million times by RS & his lackeys.
Also I wonder why all the RS PR agents frequent this blog all the time, rather than spending their time furthering their studies in that precious knowledge they talk about all the time. And they should share all their experiences & gratitude to RS in http://artoflivingvalues.blogspot.com/ or http://artoflivingfreefree.blogspot.com/ counter-blogs. Both blogs look as good as dead to me & need all the support they can get! AOL US president even sent an email to US teachers telling them about artoflivingvalues blog & begging them to support it, to contribute to it & share it. Even after that presidential order the blog has stalled at 6 posts & the same board members & their lackeys had to write all the posts & comments. Don't tell me all AOL teachers too busy to read Klim & Skywalkers blogs & ignoring RS' counter blogs!!
And don't you find amusing all the AOL PR agents who visit this site insist that they are not AOL teachers or insiders, but then they claim that they know more than us (the ex-AOL teachers) & even go on to preach us (So passionately too!!) about how wonderful AOL & RS' knowledge are!!! Such pathetic liars !
- May 17, 2010 at 7:38 PM
Meaning of "JAIGURUDEV" aka JGD
Is this to announce Iam part of the club (lowerlevel inner circle) ?
Or is there another buzzword in the true inner circle like "Abracadbra" aka ABCD ?My question is because I don't see the senior teachers using this freely just the passionate bottom volunteers.
I assume "Jai" means victory, is this victory to Gurudev (RS)?
How is this different from "Hail Hitler" ?
One of the AOL PR lackeys made a comment that it was victory of the little mind over the big mind.They just don't translate that way in any language. Amazing spin
What is the scoop on this?
- May 18, 2010 at 1:48 AM
I was present live when Ashtavakra and Shiva Sutra was discoursed by Ravishankar in the 90s. I could easily find that he was influenced by Osho. During the time of the Shiva Sutra discourses which Ravishankar used to give in Vyakti Vikas Kendra center in Jaynagar 4th T block bangalore in 1993, I even chanced to see books of Osho and Venkateshanada in Ravishankar's room while I was cleaning it. We could predict every word he would say in this great new(?) discourse series. However I agree knowledge and insights can be uplifiting. But Ravishankar is a marketing genius who created an ashtavakra course out of these discourses by charging a huge amount. The ashtavakra CDs are now available in the shops but heavily priced at 3000 rupees. How ridiculous if his real aim is to spread knowledge he could have put these on youtube or he could have priced them like how Ramdev or Osho folks price their CDs at say 50 or 100 rupees per CD almost at cost price. If there is any thing really worth in the knowledge he talks about it will stand or fall by itself. But unfortunately Ravishankar knows it better, he knows how to create hype and mystery so that he can sell well. I personally feel that there are far more insightful masters like Nisargadatta and Eckhart tolle who can give an experience of non dual conciousness without all the guru, grace and cult hype.
- May 18, 2010 at 2:05 AM
Ravi Ravi's art of living values values blog has not taken off primarily because they do not have any stuff to tell or counter this blog. All they have is a few devotees with devotion ($$) to Ravi Ravi's placebo grace cooking up their usual guru miracle stories. The members in the values values site are AOL teachers who make a living out of this scam scam. They want to save their business & livelihood from the threat this blog poses to them. Sudarshan kriya and their cult indoctrination have made them unthinking robots and they do not have anything logical or creative to write. Forget about vitarka and tarka and kutarka these people do not have plan logic or even common sense. Their harping on the guru's grace and writing silly made up guru stories will not help counter anything in this blog. Maybe they will now start hiring some professional writers.
- May 18, 2010 at 2:19 AM
happy free day . i am following your blog for last five months and i am sure this blog will definitely be able to clear the doubt from the minds of confused aolites. being ex teacher myself i believe that course content is good enough to calm a distressed mind.
Now that more than 25 yrs of patenting the sudershan kriya is over i urge you all to create your own sudershan kriya. i am sure it will not be violating patent laws of your country
- May 18, 2010 at 8:24 AM
Here is my experience with the organization
AOL is nothing but guru, grace and cult hype.
Follow the technique, teachings to spiritual growth and enlightenment
and not blind faith in a guru to bail one out.
Stop laughing to silly jokes because people around you are laughing or that you want to be hollow and literally empty.Now reevaluate when given the same message over and again and ask to donate over and again in innovative ways. AOL knowledge today is like playing the same old scrached tape.
SK wears out or practically has very little effect overtime.For the new comer it is a new experience before value fades out.
After that faith is what will make one do SK.By then intellect stops working and the mind is on spreading the knowledge (hounding down relatives,friends,coworkers), by then the karma, grace and guru stories and the manipulation of the local teachers will keep the idiot going for many years.
What to watch out for ?
There is usuually one main local teacher who maintains all the high level contacts with the center, board and keeps tab of everyone. Stay away from this guy and stop sharing anything personal. And also watch out for new teachers who would getting direction from this guy to manipulate every volunteer to his agenda.
Never expect to make any true friends from AOL in outside world.
It is either a Jaigurudev party or it is not. One just pays a ultra premium for the jaigurudev party.
- May 18, 2010 at 12:30 PM
I was making the same point raised by You. He has copied others in Knowledge, mostly Osho. I have heard few examples given by RS in Osho books.
Ashtavakra Geeta discourses given by Osho at the time when he was at his best. These are available for free download on Osho site.
Today if want knowledge, listen Osho, wants Yoga & Ayurveda go to Ramdev. But, want to throw your money and time, welcome to Art of Living.
- May 19, 2010 at 1:06 AM
regarding Ashtavakra CDs/DVDs -
forget 3000 Rupees, earlier they were only available to teachers (up to 2005) then they came for sale @"Divine Shops" for 7000 Rupees and in European Divine Shops for 700 Euros (2 Volumes - each 350 Euros) and now they are priced at 500 Euros (2 Volumes - 250 Euros each!!!!) and respective prices in US - $$$...
so almost 10 times more outside india...
- May 19, 2010 at 2:48 AM
Interesting abt VVM at Jaynagar 4th Block. I used to frequent RSVK (Rishi Samskruthi Vidya Kendra) started by Rishi Prabhakar around the same time as SSRS, and 2 or so roads down. In fact, both were erstwhile devotees of MM Yogi. IMO the Siddha Samadhi Yoga was way more genuine. AOL shared several similarities with SSY, though was watered down (atleast in the U.S).
Just memories - thought of sharing.
- May 19, 2010 at 11:22 AM
Signup for MBA
From: Resha D
Dear One,
Jai Gurudev! You are requested to please introduce the launch of the 'Sri sri University's Sri Sri Institute of Management studies' at satsangs, knowledge sessions etc. Please read below for details and PFA the write up on the business school which can be circulated among devotees and put up on blogs.
The Sri Sri University- Sri Sri Institute of Management Studies
On this auspicious day of our beloved Gurudev's birthday, the Sri Sri University takes pride in introducing the Full Time Post Graduate Program in Management to be offered under the aegis of Sri Sri Institute of Management Studies (the first session to start in June 2011).
One of the cornerstones of SSIMS will be the integration of Art of Living leadership and self-development programs that will create socially conscious, ethical, dynamic and resilient managers. By leveraging our strong industry network, the rigorous two year program will open doors to new opportunities and challenges for students.
Vision Statement: A global centre of learning that creates exceptional Business Leaders of Character.
Program design:
· 22 month program.
· First session starting- June 2011.
· 1st year for compulsory core courses to create a functional foundation
· 2nd year for elective courses and dual/single specializations
· Batch size of 120 students only
Message to be communicated:
· Gurudev's vision- to revive India as a seat for learning, SSU will be a university along the lines of Nalanda, Taksh-shila
· SSU situated in Bhubaneswar, Orissa. SSIMS will be the first cell of the SSU to be launched
· World class campus spread over 185 acres, being designed by the best architects of the world
· Grand project for which Gurudev would like all His Devotees to come together and participate- could be as a prospective Student, Faculty, Recruiter, Donor or Employee staff (general management and administrative staff)
· Is this different from our Goa b - school? SSU-SSIMS is one of the schools at SSU, Bhubaneswar. Going forward, we may design a way to link the two programs (i.e SSIMS, Goa and SSU-SSIMS)
· What's different about SSIMS? Besides the regular offerings of a Business school such as a well networked placement cell, a strong alumni base etc, the program will add value to each stakeholder of the school i.e. the Students, Faculty, Recruiters, Board Members & Donors, Employee staff and the Society
· To know more please connect with the SSU-SSIMS core team at email@example.com
Warm regards,
(On behalf of the SSU- SSIMS core team)
Resha Desai,
International Website Administration
The Art Of Living
21st Km Kanakpura Road
- May 19, 2010 at 11:57 AM
Sri Sri should seriously improve the quality of his teachers. Any if his lackneys reading this comment please advise him that it is not the numbers that matter but the quality. The TTC applicant should have some strong educational background. We have illiterates who cannot read or write but who are dishing out higher knowledge. Anyone can be an AOL teacher, if you can afford to pay the ttc fee in U S $ you have fulfilled the requirements.
I attended the TTC in Bali last year and all the hundreds
who attended became teachers . There were applicants who had just competed their basic course and were accepted for the TTC. Amongst my course mates were hawkers, odd job workers, hairdressers etc. I am glad that I attended the TTC as it opened my eyes to what a scam AOL is, I have since then left the organisation after wasting five years of my life doing Seva for an organisation which is only interested in money and fame.
If Sri Sri continues churning out sub standard teachers he is just expediating the demise of his organisation.
- May 19, 2010 at 5:01 PM
I did my basic course in 2009, the kriya used to make me dizzy so I left. Now I see one of my ex-classmates from less than a year ago has become a part-1 teacher.
I've known this guy well for 9 years and I still meet him every few days. He's always been a very angry, frustrated and depressed person, and still is. We used to meet for beers every Friday evening and he'd talk about his unhappy marriage, mother in law "pest" and his two sons who've turned out to be spoit brats thanks to mom in law.
I was shocked when he called me a couple of weeks ago and asked me to help (volunteer) with the logistics for a part-1 course. His marriage was already on the rocks, and now he's spending even less time with the family and all weekends at AoL.
He now plans to take a 6-month hiatus from work and spend his time at the Bangalore ashram. This will surely push the family to separation.
It looks to me like many AoL teachers get in as an escape route from life. They can live in their fantasy world, with adoring students, power over others, and a fantasy life goal created by a schizophrenic guru. It sure is the case with my friend.
- May 20, 2010 at 1:27 AM
Talking about Ashtavakra Gita -
RS will be giving Hindi commentary on Ashtavakra Gita starting 19may to 19 june in banglore ahsram.
A very well marketted and advertized event that too month long..a fairly good money churning event...for the first time ever ashtavakra in hindi.Stay for one whole month in ashram / resorts around ashram wow and one can go for panchkarma treatments during the days...wow..how enlightening..blah blah
I wonder who are these people who can take a month long break from work / studies...n all this so often cos anyway AOL keeps coming up with event after event like risikesh then bali then germany/arosa then this one followed by summer break for yes+ followed by navaratris sometime in october...n most of the people who attend this are same...
talk about people who have nothing to do in life or are so rich that all they can do is travel for fake knowledge.
The starting packing for this ashtavakra was Rs 15000 , this would escalate to Rs 20000 after a certain date and eventually the mail was circulated all seats are booked but luckily they got one more accomodation some hotel or something for this package you pay Rs 300000.
Okie Great going..it sounded as if it was a jam packed event...people dying to attend.
And then suddely a day or wo back a new mail come-
Dear ones,
Much awaited Ashtavakra Gita discourse by Guruji (in Hindi) will happen from May 20th at Yagnashala, Art of Living international center during Satsangs from 7.30 PM onwards.
To make this event a grand success, Ashram team has come up with some Guidelines.
Request please circulate in your satsang groups, email groups & followup centre.
1. All Art of living teachers will be allowed inside the venue with Valid teacher's id card provided by VVKI.
2. For others, entry pass will be issued at ashram information center ( 200 numbers per day on first come first serve basis)
3. All participants are requested to be seated 15 minutes before Guruji's arrival
4. No one will be allowed to enter & exit Yagyashala once the session starts
5. All Mobiles are to be switched off during the discourse, All types of Recording devices i.e digital / handy cameras & mobile phones are Strictly Prohibited inside Yagyashala
We solicit your help and complete support to make this event comfortable for all
Look forward to hosting you at ashram!
|| Jai Guru Dev ||
Team Ashram
So possibily
1.it had too many ppl still wanting to attend and so they decided 200 lucky ones wil get pass..but do they get the pass for free.
2. teachers go in with their id cards but wat about those teachers who paid n registered to attend..neway who cares its all bout donations.
3.again number crunching - no. of heads more more ppl more n more money. after all it wil be recorded and no. of heads wil be mentioned so as to advertize the popularity n mass following
OR there werent as many ppl as they expected so now its open for many more
- May 20, 2010 at 3:00 AM
AOL and family do not go together.
This has been seen time and again.
AOL is about getting headcount for events at the fastest rate.
I can only imagine the plight of the suffering wife and children for this AOL teacher friend of yours.
AOL will decimate the family fabric and accelerate the breakup unless the couple have met through AOL marriage bureau.
- May 20, 2010 at 1:21 PM
The sage ashtavakra had eight physical abnormalities. The young ashtavakra was even stopped in into entering the court of King Janaka because of his awkward physique, but after his erudition and realization became clear he was let in. The essence of ashtavakra Gita is a deconstruction of all the obstacles which prevents self realization.
It takes a crook like Ravi Ravi to use a freely avaialable enlightening scripture and make truck loads of money. I wonder if Ravi Ravi has understood ashtavakra at all. Just repeating empty words for entertaining fools.
There is a story by Khalil Gibran on how jesus returns to a church after twently centuries and he is not let in by the priest. If the sage ashtavakra comes in to Ravishankar's ashram he would not even pass the first gate security check unless of course he coughs up the Rs Rs $$ to AOL's heavy coffers.
- May 21, 2010 at 2:06 AM
I am from India. I attended a DSN course of art of living. I have never been involved deeply into the art of living courses, but took the DSN course at a whim. I was shocked and appalled by it, and searched for anyone else online who had a similar experience and reached u. Let me leave personal experiences aside, I want an answer to a few questions, if u can guide me.
1) How can i get the financial statement of the organisation of last year. It has been given NGO status in India, and I am sure NGO's have to file financial statements. In the DSN course i was attending, the participants pledged around 40-50 lakh rupees, which is approx 100000 dollars, in a couple of hours. And the thing that shocked me was, they accept cash! There is not any NGO i know of, which accepts cash.
2) How can I get details of the charity programs that are going on in AOL? can u provide me with any email address which will give me a decent reply?
3) The DSN teacher was boasting a lot abt a one week cruise to alaska etc that was sponsored by devotees. Can i get details of any other such events that u know of?
You are doing a wonderful job. I still do not believe that Sri Sri is a conman, but there are large scale financial irregularities extending upto billions of rupees just in India. Someone told me a DSN course made around 1500 million rupees in an hour.
3) Please keep my email address confidential. The clout that these guys seem to have, i do not want to land up in trouble, esp in India, where every third person seems to be a devotee.
- May 21, 2010 at 7:44 AM
So, Next Time when Devotees goes to Banglore Ashram, he/she will be given the 'Divine Opportunity' to buy (sorry, donate) 'Greatest Knowledge on Earth' given by 'Greatest Living Being (RS) on this Planet" -
30 CDs Set - Cost Rs. 10000.00+ (In India) Rs. 50000.00+(In dollars value)
Precautions -
1. Don't Share the CDs. Because you know money from Divine Shop is used for our Rural Development project - we have adopted more than 50000 villages in India - you should know that (How dare you to ask the names and details of work undertaken?)
2. Don't even think to copy, you can be in deep trouble. (Physically, emotionally, financially etc. You should know that few people have tried to copy Sudarshan Kriya secretely during Basic Course, you should know how they are suffering. Hey, who is here, Is it KLIM & Co., why you always take doubt about Our Guruji is full of Compassion and love? He is full of Love but, he must punish the guilty, else everyone will copy our Kriya, then I have to quit this good job at Ashram and work as waiter in some hotel at Banglore, will you give me good tip? I don't think so, Atleast think of me, dear)
3.It should be listened by person who is doing daily Sadhana for preceding 45/60 days.(Dont sleep while listening.)
4. If you don't understand what is being said, just keep quite. Your Prana Energy is very Low. You should do Sudarshan Kriya daily. You should attend 10 more Advanced Course and 4 DSN, 2 Blessing Courses, 1 Gurupuja Course and All other future Courses we will launch in meantime. Its better if you get the Management Degree from our Newly Formed Institute. We want Divine Corporate World.
5. For Teachers - If someone is comparing this with OSHO Ashtavakra Geeta -, throw him out He is full of Negative Energy and Bad Karma. If you find some similarities between these two analysis, You should know that OSHO must have copied our Dear Guruji. (How dare you to think that Osho given this discourses in late 70s. Our Guruji is Avtar and he can be in any period in any form, you should know that)
Also after each Basic Course, advertise about this material, you should able to sell atleast 4 Sets in One Course. (Don't worry, if you do not get what Ashtavakra is saying, who cares, else All world would have been enlightened)
With Love
- May 21, 2010 at 9:53 AM
Klim, what is your opinion about Sri Sri Yoga. I was told that it is the most powerful and purest discipline of yoga as there is more focus on the knowledge than on asanas.
I have been a yoga practitioner for almost a decade, it took me four years to complete my teachers training in Hatha and ashtanga yoga. What perplexes me is how one can complete the yoga ttc in 10days,is given a manual and can start teaching. The requirement is only one basic course, the aol teacher in my area has been persuading me to go for this TTC but when I heard about the requirement I could not believe my ears. This local AOL teacher who btw is also a certified SSY teacher is so fat with a huge belly he can hardly sit on the floor. Isn't this mockery of authentic yoga?
I would really appreciate your views on this.
- May 21, 2010 at 11:47 AM
- KLIM and CO. said...
Sri Sri Yoga is the imitation of another school of yoga. Apparently even the manual was copied verbatim. Anyone can become a teacher and in just 15 days of training! Most teachers in AoL should not even be teaching yoga but actually start to learn real yoga. I myself am embarrassed I even led yoga for so many years in the courses! But of course, AoL always declares everything about them is "the best", "the highest", etc.
- May 21, 2010 at 12:26 PM
- KLIM and CO. said...
It is a scam. We have all been requesting for reports and even the ones we see do not make sense. All your observations are accurate.
- May 21, 2010 at 12:28 PM
Anon 11:47 AM;
I was also told that it was a more powerful yoga than others because of the emphasis on higher practices rather than asanas. I've been doing yoga since I was a kid and didn't believe it. Seemed arrogant to me. I love asanas!
I was told by another person that other forms of yoga he was taught are no longer "good for him and not his style". Like this one is so superior or something? The impression he gave me was that any yoga other than AOL is seriously inferior. It made me feel uncomfortable. He seemed fanatical about this type of yoga and I don't like to teach in that way.
- May 21, 2010 at 4:38 PM
Sri Sri Yoga was started quite late as a result of getting more market cap. It has the regular suryanamaskara followed by standing, sitting and lying postures. It is no different or purer than other popular yoga seqences. In my experience most of the SSY teachers have no clue about teaching postures and have hardly any experience in practicisng them. Like all AOL things these are hyped beyond realistic proportions. Sri Sri Yoga and pranayama is now available in DVDs. Ravishankar had to do this because he was losing out due to the influx of too many yoga cds and dvds. AOL could not afford to keep their practices secret and had to release these poorly shot CDs and DVDs.
- May 22, 2010 at 2:57 AM
Regarding 40-50 lakhs collection (donation commitments) during your DSN...
in india there is a law called RTI
here you could request regarding your question...
"but there are large scale financial irregularities extending upto billions of rupees just in India"...
I also request KLIM and CO and group together to file a suit to get information out through Indian Law system. RTI law is very effective and has been working fine since it's in action.
- May 22, 2010 at 4:57 AM
There is course for Children 8-14 age group. There is some different version of Sudarshan Kriya, not on tape but taught by Teacher directly. Its like two small breath in and two small breath out.
Is there Any Story attached to this Version of Sudarshan Kriya?
- May 22, 2010 at 7:16 AM
- KLIM and CO. said...
SK for children: hmm hmm (2 inhalations), haah haah (2 exhalations), hmm hmm (2 inhalations), hooh hooh (2 exhalations) for 1 to 3 minutes, opened or closed eyes. Whatever it is, it is scarier to think of children getting involved at such young age in a sect where brain-washing, trance induction, manipulation, corrupted values, abuses, go on in the name of higher cause and higher knowledge. SK for teens: 10 minute SK. All tranced out and ready for easy brain-wash, plus, not to mention, hyperventilated at a young age. I am not that young and I am still suffering the consequences of over a decade of hyperventilation in the name of a little bit of relaxation, present moment and peace in the world, and meditation that only tranced me out. Scarier even is the new course they have created for parenting children. What can SS really contribute for a good parenting if he does not even care nor take care of his devotees, unless they bring money and numbers? (or until they do so, actually) Bad example, bad role model, bad idea. It is nice to raise children in spirituality and if you find a path where to raise the children, even better. But raising children in a sect and a path of lies, deceit and abuse, imagine the models they will grow up with, when corruption is seen as "greater cause", and where everything if it justifies the end? Raising children in a world of psychopaths but call it "unconditional love". Sinister.
- May 22, 2010 at 8:40 AM
The other thing that bothered me was a lot of crap that goes on in the name of medicine and by taking pills of ayurveda... It is seriously harming the devotees, since they believe that their ailments will be cured by kriya, and do not take proper medications. They even went to the extent of claiming that a photo of sri sri in a dentists clinic alleviated the pain completely of a patient... Not even qualified ayurvedic practitioners claim that. I am the same anon@744am. If u do have an email address, please forward it to me.
The DSN teacher made the claim that Sri Sri had told him that Nostradamus has foreseen that in 2016, India shall become a superpower, and the main person leading India will be a gentleman from South India wearing white robes! They r going to organise an event in 2011, which will supposedly invite 25 million people. The whole thrust is on making new teachers, and they are saying like george bush, "either u r with us, or against us!!"
- May 22, 2010 at 8:42 AM
- KLIM and CO. said...
Hi Doc, yes, a lot of blablabla. He himself said to me Nostrodamus predicted that and he is that person who will be bringing about the spiritual revolution. Humble enough to be a so-called enlightened spiritual master! I wonder if Galileo Galilei was such a prick boasting about his revolutionary discoveries! He also told me once about a specific country, that it would be corruption free after 2009 because AoL would take over politics. I won't mention the country but it is known that corruption escalated three-fold there! He's also been saying for ever that India will be THE super power of the world and take over (and many people, even back in the 90s, started investing in India - property, rupees, etc.) ... come to think about it, maybe it was just a way to encourage donations and purchase of lands in India for him? Why not? Well, the world is taking wild turns, and India has surprised us with its fast progress, but before that happens, they need to beat China, and even Brazil. Everything about AoL is they are the best, they hold the best, that is part of their marketing schemes. Also, being an AoL teacher will be the most respectable profession in the future times (he said in the 90s), "people will fight to become AoL teachers". Well, yes, AoL teachers fight, but about everything except something good. He just has a little issue with his ego. Maybe it is so big he does not know where to fit it.
- May 22, 2010 at 8:52 AM
SDC, don't even try talking to these people. They are so utterly lost. They do not want to engage in any sort of reasoned discourse. They had no spiritual discernment when they were in AOL because they suppressed all their doubt and now they have flopped to the exact opposite side and deny any sort of benefit or value from their involvement in AOL. I just feel bad for people who stumble upon this blog and think this has anything to do with SSRS or the AOL. I assure you, it doesn't! These people, almost all of them refusing to accept responsibility for themselves, portraying themselves as victims of big mean AOL have, amazingly, learned nothing. Professional victims claiming to be trying to help others. Ridiculous. Be very suspicious of people who think in simplistic, black and white terms. Their ego ideal was not fulfilled in AOL and now they are trashing it instead of simply moving on to something else. They will do the exact same thing with any other spiritual teacher they get involved with. They will love him/her for a while and then when any sort of conflict occurs it will be repressed until it explodes and then they will trash the teacher just like they are doing here. Notice how they will respond to this post, it will reveal volumes!
- May 22, 2010 at 3:55 PM
You're quite correct that Dollar Ravi has stolen from many sources, predominantly from Mahesh Yogi, Osho and from Rishi Prabhakar. You see, Rishi P himself learnt a few tricks from the TM guys while he was living in Canada and married to a Canadian woman. In the late 80s,they separated and Rishi P began cultivating a small meditation group around him. I stayed with him at my cousin's house in Houston sometime around 1988 and during that time he was all dressed up exactly like Sri Sri is now. He was espousing some incoherent Kriya philosophy, meditation etc. In the early 90s, Dollar Ravi became pals with Rishi at Rishi's Jayanagar, Bangalore and slowly began establishing his small outfit, entirely modeled after Rishi's ideas. They eventually split and Dollar RAvi took the Dollar route to Enlightenment, while Rishi stayed a bit low key and started SSY. I tell you that this Dollar Ravi is a leech, who can suck money out of anybody any which way he can. This "secret" Ashtavakra Gita business is just another scam that he's peddling.
- May 23, 2010 at 12:09 PM
- Hari said...
@Anon May 22, 2010 4:57 AM
"I also request KLIM and CO and group together to file a suit to get information out through Indian Law system. RTI law is very effective and has been working fine since it's in action."
RTI, as you mentioned has been very effective , but unfortunately it can only be used for obtaining information from Government bodies. In case if the body is an NGO, it should be directly or indirectly financed by the government.
Hence,I think it may not be possible to gather information about AOL activities, using RTI.
Anyways this is my opinion, but a good RTI activist can help interpret the law better.
- May 24, 2010 at 5:48 AM
Dear Klim
This may interest you
(In this state of shock coz of the unfortunate mishap, AOL is always ahead in providing trauma relief & respite from Depression)
Mangalore, May 23 (IANS)
The "young" cabin crew of Air India is so traumatised after Saturday's plane crash, in which 158 people were killed, that volunteers from Art of Living have been sought to counsel them, Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav said Sunday.
"Our cabin crew is very young, they are in the age group of 19-25. And they have never seen a tragedy, a situation like this before. They are traumatised. That is why we have roped in doctors and counsellors of the Art of Living to counsel them," Jadhav said. Art of Living is a voluntary socio-spiritual organisation, headed by Sri Sri Ravishankar.
"The counselling centres will not just be in Mangalore, but also in Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi and wherever we have our offices," he added. The counselling will also be done for the rest of the staff.Jadhav said that a foreign agency's assistance has been sought on emergency response and disaster management.
"The team will come here and also counsel the relatives of the deceased. We are counselling the families too," he said.He announced that an aircraft has been kept on standby for the families and relatives of the victims in Mumbai."We are keeping an aircraft on standby for the families of the victims who need to travel to Cochin, Kozhikode. As and when there is a demand, the aircraft will fly them," he said.
" Words are too small to convey the truth, yet they can trigger the Flames of Wisdom, Shower comfort on the Intense Longing, raise Cheers of Joy and make you know..... I Treasure your Love for me. Unknown, Unheard, Unseen, in the silent chamber of Heart, I am in you as You and you are in me as Me"....... H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar !
- May 24, 2010 at 6:33 AM
No-one can doubt how clever with words and sentiments SriSri is. I wouldn't be surprised if he has done black magic spells in order to give himself more articulateness and charisma.
But lordy, what a scam artist he is! He is the King of liars and hypocrisy. He makes Enron executives look honest. Yes, Happy Free day every one. It is thanks to this blog that I realised how I'd been fooled by AOL and their conman of a master. My thanks to Klim, Whistleblower, Humble witness and the many others who have contributed so wonderfully to this blog.
This stuff about SSRS predicting (hoping) India would be the world's Superpower is interesting. I know he has said publicly that India should be nuclear. He has said some puerile nonsense about how once nations become strong they become peaceful. As we say in New Zealand, "Yeah, right". The USA is so peaceful it has invaded or attacked another country for just about every year since WW2!!! It is continually on the offensive!(Korea, forged coups in Iran, Chile, Guatemala, Honduras, invaded Vietnam, Panama, Iraq, attacked Libya, Afghanistan, etc.) It is so peaceful it spends 40% of its GDP or something on armaments. So I guess this is what this Godman of peace and love wants for India....totally weaponised, its own military-industrial complex, threatening other countries. Truly he is a megalomaniac.
India has a much more beautiful and peaceful side to it....the heritage of Gandhi, of ahimsa. I am not saying India should not have an army etc. but Superpower equals imperialism equals violence and exploitation. Why would India want to do that? India should aim to be a superpower of peace, of love, of integrity. Not to be a high tech military power, another imperialist state. ~New Zealand ex-AOLite "Victor".
- May 24, 2010 at 6:26 PM
@anon 6:26pm
Why would India want to do that?--who said you that???please don't bring India into this nonsense...
- May 31, 2010 at 1:27 AM


text:
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text:
Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts walked into the media room at Moda Center on Thursday afternoon and smiled.
It seemed like we had more (people here) when we came back from two wins, Stotts said.
Stotts, however, did not look like a coach who had just dropped a close-out game in the NBA playoffs. He did not even look like a man who had just gotten off a long plane on a flight from Houston to Portland.
Yes, the Blazers lost Game 5 to the Houston Rockets 108-98 on Wednesday night. Yes, Portland now leads the best-of-seven first round playoff series just three games to two.
But these are the playoffs, and Stotts is enjoying them.
I love playoff basketball, he said. This is fun. This is what you go through 82 games for.
The next time the Blazers get on a plane, they will be going back to Texas. The question is whether they will be going for Game 7 against Houston or traveling to play the San Antonio Spurs or the Dallas Mavericks in the second round.
On the flight back from Portland on Thursday, Stotts said there was a certain amount of fatigue from his team.
They were tired on the plane, he said. Were disappointed with not getting the win in Houston, but this team is always ready to compete, and were ready for Game 6.
"They (the Blazers) dont get too high or too low. Weve been pretty centered in our approach. After our wins, we had a good level approach. Theyre certainly upset after losses, but they keep an even keel.
Stotts spent much of the flight home watching video of Game 5. The biggest thing he saw was what was obvious to him on the floor on Wednesday Game 5 was the worst the Blazers have played this series. But Portland still had a chance to win.
We can play better, and it was still a two-point game (in the fourth quarter), he said. Its a tough-fought series. I know Houston didnt think they played well in their losses and we didnt play particularly well last game, but we were still in position to win.
The biggest storyline out of Game 5 was that Portland power forward LaMarcus Aldridge was held in check. After looking like an all-world player in the first four games, averaging 35.3 points, Aldridge was a nonfactor in Game 5, scoring just eight points.
Aldridges struggles scoring came first because he got into early foul trouble. Also, the Rockets double-teamed him with centers Dwight Howard and Omer Asik as soon as he got the ball.
Stotts said he was not overly concerned about Aldridge stepping up in Game 6 on Friday night. And Stotts said the Houston double-team will open other things for Portland.
We had 98 points with 3 1/2 minutes to go, he said. Theyre doubling 'LA'. Theyre looking to double him more than before. That opens up other things to take advantage of.
The biggest disparity in team stats in Game 5 was Houston out-rebounding Portland 48-34 and the Rockets stinging Portland with 14 offensive rebounds.
The defensive rebounding is my No. 1 concern, Stotts said. The rebounding has been the over-riding factor in the series so far. Theyve done a very good job of getting offensive rebounds. We certainly have to do a better job of containing them.
Stotts said the Blazers need to be better in every aspect of rebounding in Game 6.
Its going to be a little bit of everything, Stotts said. Going after the balls a little bit harder, keeping an eye on (Houston point guard Patrick) Beverley. Guards arent necessarily used to their man crashing the boards. They (the Rockets) are big, but if we can control penetration a little better, that keeps our defense out of help position, which helps.
The thing the Blazers have done well throughout the series is keep Houston All-Star guard James Harden off balance. That did not change in Game 5, when Harden scored 17 points on 5-of-15 shooting. However, Harden did make a slashing reverse layup and hit a 3-pointer in the closing minutes on Wednesday. And Stotts knows Portland cannot forget how dangerous Harden can be.
We havent forgotten about him, Stotts said. Hes on the top of the list. Its a team effort. Wes (Matthews) has done a good job on him, Nic (Batum) has done a good job on him. Were very well aware he can get going. We havent really had any letdown on him. I dont anticipate one either.
In Game 6, Portland would like to see more production out of its bench. In Game 5, Dorell Wright scored one point and Mo Williams had four.
We need Mo and Dorell to contribute some points, Stotts said. Our bench is important. Sometimes its defined by scoring, sometimes its not.
Stotts said that after Thursday's media session he was going to go to his office, do some busy work and then go home and watch some of the other playoff games on TV. On Friday, it will be Stotts and the Blazers who everyone else is watching.
Stott said he does not believe Game 6 is a must-win outing for Portland.
Whenever you get a chance to close out a team, you want to, Stotts said. Tomorrow isnt a do-or-die game, but I would love to close out the series at home in front of the fans.
Stotts had an idea of how special a moment that would be for the city. When he was done watching video on the plane, he watched some of Game 6 of the 1977 NBA finals, when the Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers to win their only NBA championship.
With this week's death of Jack Ramsay, coach of the 1977 team, Stotts would love nothing more than to win Game 6 on Friday and set off a similar celebration.
I just watched a little bit of Game 6 in 1977 closing it out, Stotts said. In light of whats happened (with Ramsay), it would be fun to close this Game 6 out.


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On Friday night (May 4th), someone broke the side-window of my car and took my Kites and the board out. If you find any hints, please let me know!!
Airush 127 X-Pact Board (blue one with a face on the back).
Slingshot 7m, Turbo II (yellow, orange, blue). There is the name of the previous owner (Ross) and his phone nb. on it.
RRD 9m, Obsession 2010 (yellow, orange, white). AAAH I loved this one.
Please call me or write me!
Gerd (510 292 1483)


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First things first, wishing you dads out there a Happy Father's Day.
I'd especially like to say hi to my dad, who introduced me to baseball, and nurtured my love for the sport as somebody who'd play catch with me in the back yard, take me to the Indians games and hit grounders to me as my Little League coach.
Baseball, to this day, has always been a common denominator in our lives. Even when we argued, as fathers and sons do, baseball was something we could always talk about.
Later, I brought him down to spring training with me and that was a wonderful, special time, one I'll always be grateful for having experienced.
I love my dad and always will for the things he taught and gave me, and one of those things was baseball.
Thanks dad.


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Korea captain Kim Sa-Nee: "Our attacks went well tonight and that's why we could win."
Korea player Yeon-Koung Kim: "I'm very happy to win tonight. But it is not only about winning, but entertaining the spectators and having them enjoy the match."
Korea player Youn-Joo Hwang: "I am overwhelmed with the result tonight. We want to continue this trend."
China coach Yu Juemin: "We tried our best. I don't think it was anything technical. Korea played perfect tips and won the long rallies. I take full responsibility for the loss."
China captain Wei Qiuyue: "Tonight's game was all bad. Our defense didn't work. We want to adjust for the next match."
China player Xue Ming: "We wanted to do our very best, but we couldn't perform well. I believe it was all mental."


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New River Adventure
The delightfully lovely New River, viewed from our campsite.
Our pals the Heeters in Fayetteville, WV invited us along on a river float/camping adventure on the New River. We know Geoff and Kyle from The New River Birding Festival, of which Geoff is a co-founder. They are old hands at whitewater rafting, having both migrated to the area, famous for its wild rivers, to become rafting guides. This trip would be on relatively calm waters—two days of rafting with a night of camping thrown in. Julie was busy with an illustration project, so the kids and I loaded up the van and headed south to the hills.
We caught a minor league baseball game in Charleston on Sunday night—more about that (possibly) in a future post—and stayed overnight on the Heeters' farm after the game. The two young Heeters and the two young Thompsons (boys and girls the same age) get along famously. It's nice when you can let the village raise your children.
Monday morning, instead of heading off to work, we loaded rafts and life jackets and coolers and tents and far too much other stuff into two vehicles and headed off to the river. Along the way we picked up some other friends' kids and one other adult, Katie, and began the long, complicated process of changing from land-based to water-borne creatures.
The rafts are large, heavy plastic or rubber crafts, designed to float high and to withstand the rocks and beaches of a sometimes-angry river. We ran several rapids during the two days, but the New was low and clear, so we did not encounter anything that was truly scary.
In the New River Gorge you are often far from civilization—or at least civilization and its comforts are not easily within reach. No cell signals. Too wet for the laptop. If you bring a camera it needs to travel in a dry bag or in a water-tight case.
Geoff talked me out of bringing my binoculars.
"When was the last time you spent a day without binoculars?" he asked me.
I had to think. It's been a long time.
It was a big relief to have no expensive gear to worry over. I did take my pocket digital camera.
Did I miss the binocs? Only twice—when distant birds were not ID-able with the naked eye. Otherwise, I enjoyed a more "whole-istic" view of the river and the gorge.
Floating down the river was true bliss. We told stories, jokes, sang goofy songs, and also spent a fair amount of time (kids included!) just "being"—sitting in quiet contemplation. The river's motion and sounds have that effect.
Phoebe and Liam surprised me with their willingness to raft or swim through rapids, to jump off of rocks into the water, and to revert to being nature creatures, released from the grip of Webkinz and TV and e-mail.
We slept on a sandy beach in our tent. We ate hobo-style meals squatting around a fire. We fished (both kids loved that)!
It was a really nice change of channel. Thanks Kyle & Geoff!
Some photographic evidence:
Labels: birding in WV, New River Birding Festival, rafting on the New River


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The future for corals does not look bright. That's the message from the first in-depth analysis of 2005's widespread coral bleaching in the Caribbean
Exceptionally warm water temperatures, combined with the effects of hurricanes, devastated a huge number of coral reefs in the Caribbean in 2005.
In a report launched today outlining the damage caused, scientists warn that the same thing will undoubtedly reoccur, with catastrophic effects.
"Sadly for coral reefs, it's highly likely extreme warming will happen again," says Carl Gustaf Lundin, Head of IUCN's Global Marine Programme. "When it does, the impacts will be even more severe. If we don't do something about climate change, the reefs won't be with us for much longer."
Among the worst hit regions of the Caribbean was the area stretching from Florida through to the French West Indies and the Cayman Islands, where in August 2005 severe bleaching affected between 50% and 95% of coral colonies and killed more than half, particularly in the Lesser Antilles.
The report warns that the only way for corals on reefs around the world to survive is to manage direct pressures, such as fishing and pollution, then hope that some coral species are able to adapt to a warmer environment.
Not only are coral reefs a vital part of the marine ecosystem, they also bring in huge amounts of money. Caribbean coral reefs provide an estimated US$3.1 billion to $4.6 billion per year from fisheries, dive tourism and shoreline protection services.
"This is a pivotal moment for coral reefs," say the report's authors Clive Wilkinson and David Souter. "A dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the next 20 years will be critical to control further warming and dangerously high CO2 levels that will reduce the robustness of corals."
The report marks the beginning of the International Year of the Reef 2008, a worldwide campaign to raise awareness about the value of coral reefs and the threats they face. It also aims to motivate people to take action to protect them.
Notes to editors
For an executive summary of the full report, Status of Caribbean Coral Reefs after Bleaching and Hurricanes in 2005, please view: PDF
For more information contact:
Sarah Halls, IUCN Global Communications, mobile +41792472926,Brian Thomson, IUCN Global Communications, mobile +417972182326,
e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Materials for the Media:
Audio Interview: Carl Gustaf Lundin is Director og IUCN's Global Marine Programme
He explains what is the thrust of this report?
Why are corals so important to the economy in the Caribbean?
We saw what happened during the coral bleaching event of 2005, will things get worse in the future?
What are you recommending be done to minimize stress upon coral reefs?English [mp3]
About the World Conservation Union (IUCN)
Created in 1948, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) brings together 83 States, 111 government agencies, 800 plus NGOs, and some 10,000 scientists and experts from 148 countries in a unique worldwide partnership. The Union's mission is to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. The Union is the world's largest environmental knowledge network and has helped over 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation and biodiversity strategies. The Union is a multicultural, multilingual organization with 1,000 staff located in 62 countries. Its headquarters are in Gland, Switzerland. More information can be found at www.iucn.org
About International Year of the Reef
Ten years ago, 1997 was declared the International Year of the Reef (IYOR). The first IYOR campaign was initiated in response to the increasing threats and loss of coral reefs and associated ecosystems, like mangroves and sea grasses. IYOR 97 was a global effort to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, and support conservation, research and management efforts.
Recognizing that 10 years after IYOR 97 there continues to be an urgent need to increase awareness and understanding of coral reefs, and to further conserve and manage valuable coral reef and associated ecosystems, the International Coral Reef Initiative designated 2008 as the International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2008).
IYOR 2008, launched on Thursday, 24 January, will:
- Strengthen awareness about the ecological, economic, social and cultural value of coral reefs and associated ecosystems
- Improve understanding of the critical threats to coral reefs and generate both practical and innovative solutions to reduce these threats
- Generate urgent action at all levels to develop and implement effective management strategies for conservation and sustainable use of these ecosystems.
IUCN is one of the Organization Focal Points for IYOR 2008
To find out more, please visit the website: www.iyor.org


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Microsoft Project Server 2010 workflows are built from Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 Site Workflows which are built from Windows Workflow Foundation, which in turn is built from Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5. The workflows are made up of workflow activities that are objects that have code within them.
The Project Workflow Settings page designates the Workflow Proxy User account so that the Project Server Interface (PSI) calls in a workflow can be performed. By default, all PSI calls in a workflow are made under the context of the Workflow Proxy User Account. For these PSI calls to be successful, the Workflow Proxy User Account should have appropriate permissions in Project Server 2010. Therefore the only item to be set on this page is to make sure that the Workflow Proxy User account text box contains a logon account that has sufficient permissions.


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Say I have a polynomial $F$ of degree $n$ with coefficients in $Z_m$ and I wish to find $x$ such that $F(x)=0$ (mod $m$). For instance if $F(x)=x^{2}-a$ the solution would be the modulo $m$ squareroot of $a$ (if there is a solution).
I'm primarily interested in solving the general case. We can assume $F$ and $m$ may be factored "easily."
One method similar to Hensel lifting I've already roughly considered would involve factoring $m=p_0^{a_0}\cdots p_k^{a_k}$ and brute forcing $x$ (mod $p_i$) for each $i$ and lifting them to solutions mod $p_i^{a_i}$. This would be problematic if $m$ conatins a large prime power however.
So any of the following would be very useful:
- Fast algorithms for when $m=p^k$ is large
- Methods to prove there are no solutions
- Any proofs or conjectures that would indicate efficient algorithms cannot exist
- Any relevant research


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Mass. Maritime ship, T.S. Kennedy, is being deployed to New York to help with Hurricane Sandy relief
The Massachusetts Maritime Academy's training ship, the T. S. Kennedy, is being sent to New York City to serve as a "no-frills hotel'' for first responders helping the region recover from Hurricane Sandy.
The 540-foot Kennedy, originally built in 1967, was retrofitted to serve as a floating classroom in 2009, and can accommodate up to 710 people.
The federal government activated the Kennedy to help with hurricane relief efforts today, Admiral Richard Gurnon, school president, said in a telephone interview. The Kennedy produces its own electricity and its own fresh water, which means it will not be a drain on strained resources where millions are without power.
"This will be a no-frills floating hotel,'' Gurnon said. "It will be able to provide hot showers, light, safety, good food, and clean beds.''
He said the vessel is expected to be used by first responders, utility workers, National Guardsmen and others rushing into the heavily damaged region. He said 600 of the bunks are similar to sleeping cars on trains where each person has a bed with a curtain to draw closed for privacy. About 100 people will live in single or double state rooms, Gurnon said.
The vessel is owned by the US Maritime Administration, which used its authority to bring the ship into federal service today, Gurnon said.
The ship is already in use as a dormitory for 60 seniors at the academy. Gurnon said that the seniors will be housed in area hotels for the next month. The costs of the deployment and hotel costs will be paid for by the federal government.
Gurnon said the professional mariners who staff the vessel have already begun turning on systems on the ship, a process that can take several days. He expects the Kennedy to sail from Bourne on Sunday and to arrive in New York on Monday.
A crew of 30 academy personnel, which includes food services workers, will be on board. He said he expects the deployment to last about a month, and that the vessel will be back in time for the school's annual Sea Term set for next January.
Cadets will not participate because they can not afford to lose a month of classroom time, Gurnon said.
"It's a great opportunity for us to help and try to alleviate the suffering that has stricken New York and New Jersey,'' Gurnon said.
The T.S. Empire State, the training vessel for the State University of New York's maritime school is also being pressed into service, Gurnon said.
Training ships were also used in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, but not the T.S. Kennedy because the ship was then undergoing repairs.


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The wind-down of local redevelopment threatens to undo an agreement to bring the Museum of Neon Art from downtown Los Angeles to Glendale, which could leave the venerable curator of all things neon without a home.
MONA had shut down its Los Angeles space last year after the Glendale City Council, acting in its dual role as the now-defunct Redevelopment Agency, approved spending $5.2 million to move the museum into a renovated property across from the Americana at Brand.
But that could all be undone as officials decide which past agreements to drop, and which ones to keep, a process that has unnerved museum officials.
"We put all our eggs in this basket," Kim Koga, MONA's executive director, said.
Under the deal inked in 2011, MONA would get two years worth of free rent. After that, the museum's monthly rent would increase over time from $2,500 to $5,000, plus a portion of revenues more than $600,000.
About $2.7 million has already been spent on acquisition and design, but the project could fall victim to the unraveling of redevelopment obligations to comply with a state mandate to redirect redevelopment project property tax revenues to Sacramento to help plug a massive budget hole.
[For the Record 5:05 p.m.: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the $2.7 million spent so far included construction when it should been acquisition.]
If that happens, Koga said there is no Plan B and the museum will be left without a home.
An oversight board composed of officials from Glendale Unified, Los Angeles County and Glendale that has the power to kill or amend deals made by the former redevelopment agency met behind closed doors on Wednesday to discuss the MONA contract, but no decision was made.
The oversight board must decide if the museum deal is the best way to use redevelopment money, which would otherwise go to the agencies they represent.
"The city's interests and this board's interests are not always in alignment," said Charles Green, the board's attorney.
The outcome could put Glendale in a tough spot, since the museum could sue over a breach of contract. The oversight board, which was set up by the state but consists of local representatives, is immune from litigation, leaving Glendale exposed to any legal costs.
The museum was slated to move in about halfway through next year, but Koga said that plan has since been put on hold. All the delays have made it difficult to raise funds, and not having a secure home intensifies the challenge, she added.
But it hasn't stopped museum officials from interacting with the community. They have already done one tour of neon signs in Glendale and are planning another.
"Tourists flock to neon," said Eric Lynxwiler, who's worked with the museum for 14 years. "Really, it's a moth-to-the-flame kind of thing."
On Wednesday, the museum's attorney, Jean-Jacques Dupré, warned of litigation should the oversight board decide to terminate the contract. And if the city is sued and loses, that would take a bite out of the leftover redevelopment money otherwise slated for the county and school district.
"It's a messy, messy situation," Green said.
The oversight board is scheduled to continue the discussion behind closed doors next week, but it's unknown when a decision will be reached.
The uncertainty has left MONA officials nervous.
"The longer our museum is closed, the more vague its future plans are," Koga said.
Follow Brittany Levine on Google+ or Twitter: @brittanylevine


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Heroes & Generals is a new Free2Play Massive Online FPS with a Strategic Multiplayer Campaign, set in the midst of World War II Europe, where Axis and Allies fight for control.
The game uniquely merges epic first-person shooter action with a rich strategic layer, where your decisions have the power to turn the tide in a battle among thousands of online players.
Players can choose to play as 'Heroes', fighting in the trenches, flying planes, commandeering tanks and other vehicles, or take control of the Battlefield as 'Generals', determining the strategic direction of the war and supporting fellow players by managing battlefield assets, army units and reinforcements.
Tear up the WWII frontlines, manage resources and engage thousands of online players in a persistent war campaign built for shooter and strategy fans.
Developed by Reto-Moto


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Europe Forced into Bank Rescues as Crisis SpreadsBy Reuters - | Posted 2008-09-29 Print
In the biggest European bank bailout since the credit crisis began, the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments took a 49 percent stake in Fortis with a 11.2 billion euro ($16.4 billion) injection. The rescue of Fortis, the biggest private employer in Belgium, followed emergency talks with European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet on Sunday. The bank employs 85,000 staff globally.
BRUSSELS/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - European governments scrambled to shore up banks on Monday, carving up firms and committing billions of euros as the credit crisis tore through Germany, Britain, Belgium and beyond.
The moves came as $700 billion bailout plan for U.S. financial firms faced a vote by the House of Representatives on Monday and Citigroup said it would buy the bulk of fourth-largest U.S. bank, Wachovia Corp.
Lawmakers hope to unfreeze global markets gripped by the worst crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
In the biggest European bank bailout since the credit crisis began, the Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments took a 49 percent stake in Fortis with a 11.2 billion euro ($16.4 billion) injection.
The rescue of Fortis, the biggest private employer in Belgium, followed emergency talks with European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet on Sunday. The bank employs 85,000 staff globally.
"The question was whether Fortis would have survived on Monday," Dutch Finance Minister Wouter Bos told reporters. The firm's chairman, Maurice Lippens, resigned.
The German government and a consortium of banks said they would provide 35 billion euros ($51.2 billion) in credit guarantees to lender Hypo Real Estate, whose shares plunged more than 60 percent in morning trade.
"The purpose of the whole operation is to allow an orderly winding down of Hypo Real Estate," a German finance ministry spokesman said.
In Britain, the government was forced to buy up the 50 billion pounds of loans, mostly mortgages, held by Bradford & Bingley. The government brokered a takeover of lender HBOS earlier this month and nationalized Northern Rock in February.
B&B's 200 branches and deposit portfolio were bought up by Spain's Santander for some 400 million pounds.
Iceland was also forced into action as emergency measures to cope with the credit crisis spread across Europe, forcing the government to take a 75 percent stake in third-biggest bank Glitnir in a move that sent the Icelandic crown to a fresh record low against the euro.
World stock markets fell, with the MSCI main world equity index down 2 percent to its weakest in more than a week. In Europe, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top companies was down 3 percent while bank stocks shed 5.4 percent.
U.S. futures indicated a sharply lower opening. Shares of Wachovia sank 60 percent in early electronic trading on concerns about its portfolio of illiquid assets and ahead of the Citi announcement.
Despite the European Central Bank injecting extra billions hoping to spur lending, banks continued to hoard cash but not lend, sending the interbank rate for borrowing euros for three months to a lifetime high.
The euro fell nearly 2 percent at one point while the dollar and safe-haven government bonds surged.
The Fortis deal followed failed efforts to sell a stake to French bank BNP Paribas, a source said.
Fortis will sell the parts of Dutch bank ABN AMRO it bought last year to ING in a deal expected to be finalized within two weeks, sources familiar with discussions told Reuters. ING declined comment.
The problems at Fortis, whose shares dropped by a third last week, were partly blamed on its taking a slice of year's 70 billion euro purchase of ABN with partners Royal Bank of Scotland and Santander.
"Integrating ABN AMRO was a step too far for this company to do," Fortis CEO Filip Dierckx told a conference call.
The European Commission said Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes was consulted on the Fortis rescue.
"We will look at any state aid involved as a matter of urgency," EU spokesman Jonathan Todd said. Under EU rules, rescue aid must be limited to six months and to the minimum required to ensure the company's survival.
The involvement of Trichet, who as ECB head is responsible for safeguarding financial stability in the euro zone, was unprecedented in a commercial bank rescue and underlined the concern for the integrity of the banking system.
Chinese insurer Ping An, a 5 percent stakeholder in Fortis, fell nearly 10 percent.
(Additional reporting by Paul Carrel in Berlin, Natsuko Waki and Sumeet Desai in London, Mark John, Marcin Grajewski and Antonia Van De Velde in Brussels, Matthieu Protard in Paris, Michele Sinner in Luxembourg; Writing by Jason Neely and Paul Taylor; Editing by Andrew Callus)
© Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
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The City of Hawkinsville, a wooden-hulled paddlewheel steamboat, was first constructed for the Hawkinsville (Georgia) Deepwater Boat Lines in 1886. It was sold 14 years later to the Gulf Transportation Company of Tampa which used it to transport cargo on the Suwannee River. The City of Hawkinsville was especially important to the growth of the lumber industry in the region. However, as railroads in the area started to increase in popularity, steamships became obsolete. In an ironic twist, the City of Hawkinsville transported materials for the construction of a railroad bridge across the Suwannee River at Old Town, thus assisting in the development of the railroads in the region. In 1922, the City of Hawkinsville's captain, Mr. Currie, abandoned the vessel in the middle of the Suwannee River as the steamboat was no longer profitable.
The wreck's port side is only three feet under the surface, while its starboard edge is at a depth of 20 feet. The 141-foot long by 30-foot wide vessel is in a remarkable state of preservation, and the hull is almost entirely intact including the stem post, the deck planking, exterior planking, boiler room and internal framing. The main propulsion system and the steam piping are still in place. The excellent condition of this vessel is due to the freshwater environment of the Suwannee. The City of Hawkinsville has reached a state of equilibrium with its surroundings and has stabilized.
The City of Hawkinsville is located on a ledge in the middle of the Suwannee River on the Dixie County side about 100 yards south of the railroad trestle at Old Town. The City of Hawkinsville lies in a dynamic river environment with limited underwater visibility and requires divers with advanced open water certification. Penetration of the hull is not allowed and diving is not recommended for novices or when there is high water. Mooring buoys have been placed at the wreck site to protect it from anchor damage. The shipwreck has been designated a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve, and a laminated underwater guide is available from local dive shops. The preserve is open to the public year round, free of charge.
Florida's Shipwrecks: 300 Years of Maritime History features a Teaching with Historic Places online lesson plan, The Spanish Treasure Fleets of 1715 and 1733: Disasters Strike at Sea. This lesson plan has been produced by the National Park Service's Teaching with Historic Places program, which offers a series of online classroom-ready lesson plans on registered historic places. To learn more, visit the Teaching with Historic Places home page.
Florida Shipwrecks Home | List of Sites | Maps | Learn More | Itineraries | NR Home | Next Site


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Montana's Minimum Wage Climbs To $7.35
If there seems to be a little bit more change in your pocket, it might be because Montana's minimum wage climbed to $7.35 an hour on January first. That's an increase of ten cents, which translates to $32 per month for the average worker.
Montanans earning minimum wage will get a boost in their paychecks now that the state's minimum wage increased by 10 cents.
The Jan. 1 wage increase to $7.35 is part of Initiative 151, which was enacted in 2006, making the state's minimum wage greater than the current state or federal minimum wage. The initiative also includes a cost-of-living adjustment.
via Montana's minimum wage climbs to $7.35 - Billings Gazette


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in 2001, Wu Town protected east the development east the grid project the grid scenic area official opening to the outside world, an issue of scenic area the approximately 0.46 square kilometer, protected the floor space nearly 60,000 square meters, by its original taste and flavor region of rivers and lakes style and deep cultural inside story, as soon as leapt into the Chinese famous old town tourist attraction. Since the opening, Wu Town has attracted more than 200 ten thousand everywhere tourists to come every year to go sightseeing the tour, becomes the Zhejiang Province year to receive foreign guest quantity most single scenic spots. Has succeeded has received Jiang Zemin, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Qian Qichen, Li Lanqing, Qiao Shi, Li Ruihuan, Li Peng and so on numerous party and state leaders and the APEC conference honored guest. Period is evaluated one of national first batch AAAA level scenic areas, and obtained the United Nations to issue "in 2003 the Asian and Pacific area inheritance protection outstanding achievement award", was the year three years enters "the nation key tourist scenic zone tour information fixed point to disseminate news the unit" continuously the system.
Zhejiang Province for a China's province, is situated at south the Chinese southeast coast Yangtse Delta the wing, east is near East China Sea, south meets Fujian, west and Jiangxi, Anhui are connected, north with Shanghai, Jiangsu borders on. Within the boundaries biggest rivers Qiantang River, because the river current is winding, calls the river, also calls Zhejiang, the province by river, the abbreviation ?Zhejiang?. Provincial capital Hangzhou. The Zhejiang Province thing and the north and south straight distance is about 450 kilometers, the land territory area 101,800 square kilometers, are the nation 1.06%, is one of Chinese area smallest provinces. Next governs Hangzhou, the Ningbo 2 vice-provincial level cities, Wenzhou, Shaoxing, Huzhou, Jiaxing, Jinhua, Chu chou, Taizhou, Lishui, the Zhoushan 9 locally administered levels, altogether 11 municipalities. Zhejiang Province located at the Chinese southeast coast, is situated between the north latitude 27 ' 12 '' - 31 degrees 31 point and between the longtitude 118 E - 123 degrees, east is close to East China Sea, notogaea Fujian, west and Jiangxi, Anhui are connected, north and Shanghai, Jiangsu is a neighbour. The thing and the north and south straight distance is 450 kilometers, the land territory area 101,800 square kilometers. Within the boundaries biggest rivers Qiantang River, because the river current is winding, also calls Zhejiang, the province by river, Jian Chengwei Zhejiang. The entire province has critical terrain feature landscape more than 800, waters landscape more than 200, biological landscape more than 100, humanities landscape more than 100; Has Xihu, the Fuchunjiang River - Xin'an river, Yandangshan, Moganshan, the Putuo, Mt. Tiantai, Nanxijiang, the shengsi archipelago, Shuanglongdong, the dwelling place of celestial beings, the Xuedou, the Huanjiang - Wuxie, Mt. Jianglang, the dwelling place of celestial beings and so on 14 state-level key scenic spot area, Dongqian Lake, the big Buddhist temple, Fang Yan, Mt. Lanke and so on 42 provincial level scenic spot area; Has Hangzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing, Chu chou, near the sea 5 state-level historical city, provincial level historical city 12; Has nation key Cultural relic preservation organ 134, provincial level key Cultural relic preservation organ 279; Has state-level nature protection area 7, country forest park 20.


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Prices, promotions, styles, and availability may vary. Our local stores do not honor online pricing. Prices and availability of products and services are subject to change without notice. Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted.
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If the Unexpected Happens, You're Covered
With a Lowe's Protection Plan, you'll be covered when those unexpected failures catch you off guard. There are no deductibles and no third parties to talk to. Lowe's is here to provide you with labor and parts coverage above and beyond what most manufacturers offer, including additional benefits and services, for an extended period of time after your original manufacturer's warranty has ended. Lowe's Replacement Plans are only eligible for products that retail for less than $300 after all discounts have been applied, excluding major appliances and water heaters.
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For complete details about these benefits including exclusions and limitations, refer to Terms and Conditions.
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