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Young HSPers play footy and waterski
Posted - December 2012 in Living with HSP - Management & Treatment News
The benefits of therapy and activity
William Bell from Victoria
A 10-year-old boy from Victoria has realised his dream of playing football with his friends despite having HSP. Here is his story from the local newspaper, the Wyndham Weekly.
Footy fanatic: William Bell has finally realised his dream of playing Auskick.
THERE'S no wiping the smile off William Bell's face. The Wyndham Vale boy, 10, has always wanted to play Auskick with his friends, but until four months ago it was an impossible dream.
William has spastic paraparesis, a rare neurological condition that causes difficulties with the control and power of his legs, similar to the effects of cerebral palsy, and requires the assistance of crutches to walk.
William's battle was first featured in this newspaper in 2007, when his mother Donna Strong appealed for the community to help raise money to install a pool in their backyard to allow William to get swimming therapy. Wyndham residents opened their hearts and $10,500 was donated.
In the past five years, William has undergone countless hours of therapy in the pool and had surgery in 2010 to extend his muscles and remove the tightness in his legs.
In April, he finally started playing Auskick at Werribee Football Club with his friends. Until then, the avid Richmond fan had been making do with throwing a football around his backyard with his mum because he couldn't let go of his walking frame to kick the ball.
Ms Strong said being able to play was a dream come true for William.
"He still can't pick the ball up and kick it but he kicks it along the ground. He just loves it."
William also had the chance to take to the field with his teammates at half-time of last month's North Melbourne-Carlton clash at Etihad Stadium.
http://www.wyndhamweekly.com.au/story/295222/william-finally-gets-his-football-fix/
By Laura Little
Connor Aguilar-Poggetto of Carmichael, California
Carmichael teen excels in disabled waterskiing
By Corrie Pelc Valley Community Newspapers writer [email protected]
If Nike needs a new spokesperson for their "Just Do It" campaign, they should look no further than 15-year-old Carmichael resident Connor Aguilar-Poggetto.
Connor waterskiing
That's because when not in class as a sophomore at Rio Americano High School, Connor is on the water perfecting his 360s, 720s, wake fronts and wake backs as a competitive disabled water-skier.
"Water is my nirvana – once I'm around a boat or on the water, I'm calm," Connor said. "All I think about is what's on the water right now and what I'm going to go do."
According to his mother, Dianna Poggetto, at the age of 4 Connor was diagnosed with a rare disease called hereditary spastic paraparesis (HSP), which normally effects people in their 40s and 50s. "Primarily what that means is that the brain doesn't know Connor has any muscles from the knees down – it's not sending the proper signal," Poggetto explains.
Poggetto says because the disease affected Connor as a child, he has had a number of skeletal issues causing him to have numerous surgeries throughout the years. "There were years where he was sitting in the hospital for a good month just with different body parts broken in order to just straighten out his skeletal system," she says.
Right now although Connor mainly uses a wheelchair, he does have some mobility. For instance, Poggetto says he can put his wheelchair in their car and walk around it. However, being HSP is a degenerative and progressive disease, some days Connor loses the ability to walk even that short a distance, and at some point he may become completely paralyzed. "As he's gotten older, we've accepted the fact that you're going to have different challenges with your body and that's where we are right now," Poggetto says.
Finding a Passion
Despite her son's obvious challenges, Poggetto does what she can to give him and her family a sense of normalcy. "Life goes on – he still has chores, he still has the responsibilities of living in a household," she explains.
Connor also began getting involved in something most kids do – sports. Connor says he first began waterskiing when he was about 6 years old. At first it was just for fun, but about two years ago he started to take it more seriously when he began to train for competition. "I actually said OK, this is what I'm going to do and I'm going to go out and do this," he adds.
Connor's specialty is trick skiing, which in competition does not allow repeat tricks. "You have to have a big repertoire of tricks," he says. Some of Connor's favorite tricks are the wake 360 where he goes up on a wake, does a 360 in the air and lands. He also enjoys 720s, wake backs and wake fronts.
Rather than standing on his skis, Connor stays in a seated position and uses a standard wakeboard mounted with a special cage that he can sit in. From there, Connor says the tricks are all about a lot of handgrip and body positioning. "If you can hold on to it and you hold your body in the right position, you're going to land a trick," he says.
A Winning Spirit
This past August, Connor competed against 26 other skiers from across the United States in the 2012 Disabled Waterski Championships held in Elk Grove, and came in second in his division.
During the Championships, Connor was awarded the Royce Andes Award, which Poggetto says is given every two years to an up-and-coming skier "who really symbolizes what disabled skiing is all about."
"That is given to the best youngest national skier who has the most potential to go all the way, so that in itself is a huge honor to get," Connor says.
She explains the award is named for Royce Andes, a former barefoot water-skier who broke his neck and became a quadriplegic, and who created disabled waterskiing. "He lives up in the Live Oak area and so he has seen Connor ski from when he was 6 and actually built him a smaller cage," she says. "So to receive that award meant more just because we have known Royce through the years."
And if that wasn't enough, at the end of the Championships Connor was named one of 11 members of the 2013 US Disabled Waterski Team, which will compete in Milan, Italy, July 1-7, 2013, making him one of the youngest athletes to be named to the team. "I was speechless – it hasn't even really set in yet for me," Connor says about being named to the world team.
For the world competition, Connor says he will be ramping up his training – literally – as he'll be working on jumps and tackling the back flip. "If I can land a back flip pretty quick, then I'll do a back flip to revert, which is doing a back flip and landing backwards, so I'm super excited to start doing that," he says.
Learning tricks like this will take patience, which Connor says is something he's learned quite a bit about through his competitive waterskiing. "If I rush a trick, I probably am going to mess up on that trick, so smooth and methodical is faster," he explains. "I've brought that into a lot of aspects of my life – doing homework, doing schoolwork in school, doing things around the house. The smoother and easier you flow, the faster you're going to go."
Looking to the future, Connor plans to continue to water-ski and study sports medicine once he graduates high school. He plans to just go for it, which is also a message he hopes to give others afraid of trying new things. "Sometimes you have to overcome your fears – just go for it and you can create something out of nothing," he says.
http://www.valcomnews.com/?p=8783
Aquatic therapy for HSP
Summer activities for HSPers
Enjoying the great outdoors


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Disneyland: The Way We Were
Last week I was lucky enough to attend a talk given by former and long-time Disney Archives chief, Dave Smith. He showed photos taken when the park was built and told stories about what it was like in those days.
One of the stories he told was about how Walt hired Stanford Research (now called SRI) to find a location for Disneyland. They came up with a few locations but determined the Anaheim location would be ideal because the new freeway under construction (the Santa Ana "The 5" freeway) would act as an important artery for traffic to the park.
One of the discarded locations was next to the Disney corporate headquarters in Burbank. Below is a fuzzy picture of concept drawing. They ultimately decided against this location because there wasn't enough space. You can read more about how SRI determined the location that became the Happiest Place on Earth here.
Once the location of the park was determined, Disney had to get 17 property owners to sell their land. Ultimately they all sold, but Dave told us that it wasn't easy.
Here's a photo of the Jungle Cruise while it was being built - this is the waterfall where you can see the fabulous "back side of water."
Dave told us that Walt modeled the Castle after european castles with one big difference. European castles were made big to impress and intimidate. Walt wanted his castle to make people feel welcome so he made it smaller. Dave suggested that making it smaller might have also been a little easier on the Disneyland budget.
The photo below is of the bottom of the Mark Twain Boat as it was being built.
And here is the rest of the boat in process...
Disneyland used to have a stage coach ride with real horses and a Mule Train ride with real mules. The Stage Coach was removed after a horse was spooked by a train whistle and dumped the attached stage coach. The mules were removed later because they were sometimes uncooperative and unpredictable.
This photo is the start of the Mad Tea Cups. As you can see it's a Hidden Mickey.
Here is the Matterhorn. Seems a little odd that the started at the top and worked their way down.
Here's the Matterhorn today:
It was a great talk and I was glad I was able to attend.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


As expected Nifty continued on its bullish ways and encountered some profit taking on Friday.However internals look weaker. Midcaps sold off much more than Nifty which itself was supported by some select scrips.
Possibility 01, suggests that the upmove with much volatility, to continue this truncated week also.There could be a gap down on Monday due to global factors, but Nifty is expected to recover some more.As per Neowave, we are in wave b of wave f, which could terminate soon, possibly on August 01.Thereafter, wave c should commence as a down move..It could gather force once it crosses 7750-7730.
Another possibility is that we are in wave g of wave F which could move up some more and terminate wave F. Thereafter larger wave G should commence. This possibility can be confirmed only when the down move crosses 7422 convincingly on the downside.
These two charts above are daily charts.
we see that wave b has enough complexity.
Here are the Fibo levels..
This is only after Nifty reverses decisively..
How does the weekly chart look with respect to Gann Angles?
We see that the previous significant low happened when the cycles phases shortened from 20 to 9 cycles.In the expansion phase, we are in the fourth phase..which is a final phase.Normal amplitude is 13 weeks and we have already completed 12 weeks. So a significant toip seems to be round the corner..
July 25, 02.30 am, Sun is conjunct Jupiter. Which means Jupiter is conjunct. Crest should form soon. Specific date July 30- Outer date August 08 2014.
July 28: Moon Apogee at 09.05 a.m.
July 29: Mercury enters Cancer at 04.31 a.m. Sun and Mercury will then be in the same sign. This means reduction in bullishness going forward in the immediate future.
August 01: Venus forms a waxing square with Uranus. Trough formation within 9 days.
August 01: Same day, Mars squares Jupiter. Trough formation within 10 days.
August 07: Mars waning trine with Neptune reversals within 5 to 7 days. Both trough and crests possible.
August 08: Sun conjuncts Mercury. On July 28th, the combust zone begins.
August 08: Same day Sun and Mercury are in waxing trine to Uranus.
Summation of what I expect to happen is shown in the chart below. But then Iam still evolving this indicator. So use it with caution. Anyway, no trading without stop losses or on anticipation, right?
we expect Nifty to continue its up move this truncated week. There may be a down move on Monday which can be bought into.From August 04, Nifty is expected to reverse.
That could be either the final leg of wave f of F or wave g completion. If so we need to confirm if the move takes Nifty effortlessly beyond 7722.Personally I think one more upmove is pending in Nifty, the final wave g of F.
So trade carefully and enjoy the effort!
Thank you for being my beloved readers..
How deep the fall can be after g of F?
I expect wave G to commence then.That should be another 11 to 13 month affair and take Nifty to 6400-6500 levels.Of course with big rallies and correction.That should end the diametric correction which began in January 2008.Post this diametric I expect we will have the mother of all bull markets, truly impulsive whose first wave will top out in 2016.
Vidyut these are expectations..God alone knows what Nifty will do.As she reveals her intentions little by little we will modify our Navigation!


In Excel, PROPER function is used to capitalize the first letter of every word in a given string. That means, all letters that do not follow any other letter are set to uppercase and the rest to lowercase. The function is very useful to change the case irregularities to make the data look good.... In this video, we'll look at three functions that allow you to easily change case of text in Excel: upper, lower, and proper. In this worksheet, we have two columns that contain names. Column B contains last names in uppercase text, and column C contains first names with the first letter capitalized.
Place your cursor near a word, and click the red dot on the tool bar, or Macro>Start Recording. Use the ctrl + shift + ← (left arrow key), to select the whole word Make it lowercase ( ctrl + u ). how to change team limit csgo In Excel, PROPER function is used to capitalize the first letter of every word in a given string. That means, all letters that do not follow any other letter are set to uppercase and the rest to lowercase. The function is very useful to change the case irregularities to make the data look good.
=upper will change to all uppercase =lower will change to all lowercase Note: After copying the formula all the way down, there will be two columns, one in CAPS and another in Proper.
Toggle between uppercase, lowercase, and mixed case. In this case, there's nothing better than trying with an example: type a word in lowercase (don't press the spacebar to avoid having Word auto-capitalize the first letter).
Change Text to Upper- or Proper Case When using a built-in Excel function is impractical, you can use a custom macro to change any existing text to uppercase or proper case. Excel already has two functions that change text to uppercase (all caps), or proper case (capitalizing the first letter of every word).
Proper case functions used on large data sets can be an art form. Always test and browse the results before writing the changes back into a database. Always test and browse the results before writing the changes back into a database.


Please pray for my daughter. She is living on the streets. Please pray for Jesus to come into her heart.
I ask for prayers for my 21 year old Daughter, Rachel, who suffers from very severe depression and social anxiety, which keeps her from working or interacting with others. Please pray God will send Christian friends into her life. Thank you sincerely for your precious prayers.
Please pray for me. I just lost my job. I desperately need a new one, with health benefits. My current health benefits will run out quickly. My former boss is trying to make it so they don't right away, and is going to try and help me find a new job within the organization. I am very low on funds. I don't know what to do. I will try applying for as many places as I can starting tomorrow, but I need something that starts within the next couple of weeks, or I may lose everything.
Sometimes I feel that God wants me to suffer for some reason and that he does not hear my cries and prayers and my broken heart. I feel so hopeless and defeated and low right now. I sometimes just want to give up on everything but at the same time God whispers to me to continue standing for my marriage and fighting. God please please please please! How long must I continue in this storm and battle with my husband my marriage? I am trying my best God I really am! Please help me and show me what I am doing wrong! My husband had been home for 6 nights in a row the past couple of days and then boom out of no where he ignores my calls and texts and he didn't come home last night. So I know he was with the other woman obviously. This has really tore me down and broke me down. God help me and our children! We feel so hopeless. Should I just not allow him back in if he tries again to come back and to reach back out to me? What do I do?
Please pray for my daughter as she is struggling with major anxiety, living with a man that does not have the same beliefs, help her heal mentally, physically and spiritually.
Please pray for my physical and mental healing. Help me to know what to do and move forward.
Prayers please for me! I am asking God for strength, peace, love, joy, happiness right now during this difficult time in my life. My husband is still yet struggling with being torn between keeping other woman happy and keeping me as his wife happy. We had a deep conversation last night and he advised and expressed that he wished the affair with the other woman never happened and also that she never got pregnant. I wish the devil would just leave my husband and my marriage and our family alone once and for all. My husband also expressed he feels bad for the other woman having to go through the last months of her pregnancy alone and also feels bad because she fell in love with him. I can tell my husband has feelings for her and honestly I think he is in love with here and loves her. I can only trust God for a miracle to turn things around in my favor. I have been dealing with this other woman since around October of 2017. The baby is due 12/4/18 and I don't know how things are about to turn out and how things are about to go. I wake up everyday praying and hoping that will be the day that things turn in my favor and my husband has a change of heart and choosing to stay in his marriage and keep his family together and stay with this wife. This time in my life is by far the most heartbreaking and most difficult so far. My husband says one minute he feels this way and the next minute he feels that way. I know the back and forth mixed emotions he is feeling and going through and battling is nothing but coming from the Satan the Enemy. In my heart I know God is able to do all things for those that believe and have faith though. I am choosing to not divorce my husband and wait thing thing out and wait on God. I just want God's will to be done in my life, with my husband, with our family, and with our marriage in his own way and on timing. I know God loves marriages and hates divorce. I am choosing to stand on his promising words from the Bible. They give me my hope and strength to not give up on my Husband and to pray on his behalf instead. I have cried so much over this last year that it seems like the norm now for me. My heart breaks. Lord God please work this thing out! My husband and I have been together almost 15 years and married 6 years as of October 23rd of this year. I don't want to spend my anniversary alone and I most definitely don't want my husband with the other woman on our anniversary. God please step in and perform a miraculous miracle.
Please pray for my son who is young and in the military. He is still growing and maturing and is facing some struggles. He has a big meeting tomorrow and will receive news. i'm praying the result will be great news that he can learn from and move forward in order to have an opportunity to show them who he really is and all the good that he has to offer. I'm praying for leniency and mercy for and on him while he goes through this process. He is a beautiful child of God and am praying they will give him the opportunity I know God wants him to have. while all of this is happening he also has come down with MONO and is still healing from that. Its been one low after another and I am praying the highs are coming for him.
Our mediation session yesterday, went very well.
I fully understand that my husband has the freedom to choose between what is right and what is wrong.
Divorce isn't what God wants. So continue to pray for me as we head down this path of divorce. That God will intervene, if that is His plan.
Please pray for complete healing for my church brother David's grandson Aaron, who is 4.5 year old. Aaron has a disease called metachromatic leukocystrophy. Children with this condition normally die at age 5. Aaron's parents are Christians. Please for them as well.
Please continue to pray for me as I near our mediation day on October 9 for divorce from my husband who has been unfaithful with me for the last four years. If the Lord doesn't want us to get a divorce, than He needs to change my husband's heart. Yesterday when I went to open my Bible app, it opened to Mark 10, which speaks of divorce. Than also yesterday, my Praying for Your Husband was about divorce. And that God hates it and to make 3 marriage commitment. Now, I'm not sure what to do. But I suppose, don't need to know. All I need is to trust God to open and close doors.
Next week Tuesday, my husband & I go through mediation for our divorce. Please pray that my husband & I will be able to be reasonable in what needs to be discussed.
Please pray that I have the strength to go through this.
Eighteen months ago, I was diagnosed with an extremely aggressive, often fatal form of Breast (and Lymph Node) Cancer. I went through surgery and many months of a very toxic form of chemotherapy. I was then free of cancer for eleven months. But in less than a year, it has returned. My Oncologist told me this is very concerning, as this means it's more aggressive than they even initially thought. She also told me this is the most aggressive, fastest growing cancer she has ever seen in her career and my Breast Surgeon concurs. I am now facing a radical mastectomy, eight more rounds of chemotherapy and weeks of radiation. And I am not a candidate for a breast implant due to other health problems with healing. Please pray that my cancer will not metastasize to any other organ, because if it does, all Medical Research says there is a 100% chance I will die. There is NO earthly treatment which is effective against Triple-Negative breast cancer that metastasizes to any other organ or body system outside the breast and lymph nodes. I just turned 62 and have a 21 year old Daughter who needs me in her life, as well as my Husband. Please also pray that I will draw close to God. I know He healed me (along with giving my Doctors the wisdom to properly treat me) the first time, but when it came back, I've had a hard time drawing close to Him. I'm unsure why. I need to stay close to Jesus but my relationship with him has suffered, as of late. Please pray that whatever is keeping me away from my Lord and His Word is removed so that I can be close to Jesus during all my upcoming treatment. I need Him desperately! And that God will burn the cancer completely out of me! Thank you so much for praying for me. I know well, the power of prayer by the Righteous! God bless you for caring about me!
Well we are all moved into our new place me and the boys. I am praying that we can find some living room furniture and dining room furniture that is decent and affordable soon. Right now we only have furniture in our bedrooms. Also my marriage and my husband only seems to be getting worse and not any better. In my opinion he staying gone for days and weeks a time is not a sign of getting better. Then out of nowhere he will contact me and the boys and stay with us a day or two or a few days then he is missing and with the pregnant other woman again. My heart breaks. I don't understand why God won't fix thing. I cried all night last night. I cried myself to sleep last night. I woke up this morning to get the kids ready for school and me ready for work and cried the whole time. On the way to work and while at work so far today I have done nothing but cry and I have not been able to do any work at all. I cannot stay focused at my desk. I just want to give up sometimes! Help me God!
Thank you for the prayers. I may not know who you are but God does.
God gave me the courage to make it to the Celebrate Recovery group. Made friends and look forward to going again this Monday.
Please pray with me still for God to intervene on my husband to repent and return to Him.
Please pray that I keep my eyes focused on our Sweet Loving Father and not on the storm around me. Especially as we move closer to our divorce in 2 weeks.
Lastly, I would like to have you join me in inviting one more person to our Prayer Wall each week.
Pray for Billy & the Team who keeps this whole program going.
This is actually a PRISE REPORT. Yesterday, I was so nervous to go to a new church. During worship, I had thoughts of going to the rest room and leaving. But I didn't. Our God is such a loving God, where truly our cups over flow.
In the huge church, that couple that sat behind me, knew & loved my parents. It's been hard moving forward without my mom. She was a pillar. Last night, could only be orchestrated by God. I felt my mom there in our prayer session.
Walter & Tessi, is the Amazing couple (angels) that God sent into my life to encourage me.
Tomorrow I start, a Christian group named Celebrate Recovery. Please pray for me that I don't chicken out and not go. This group deals with hurts, habits & hang-ups.


Unfortunately, stocks go down -- often faster than they go up. Stocks frequently decrease for reasons tied to performance, but stocks also decrease for reasons unknown or unrelated to a company's business. Smaller public companies with lower liquidity are particularly susceptible to this volatility.
"Not based on news from the company": Reiterate to investors that the decrease in the stock price is "not based on any news from the company": Investors will appreciate assurance that there is no news or information that they are missing.
Align with the investor: Reiterate that you too are a shareholder. This has a way of shifting the tone of the discussion when investors are reassured when their interest, and management's, align.
Focus the conversation on the business whenever possible: Bring the conversation around to what you have most control over — business performance and strategy. "Building value" in the business will contribute to a higher stock price.
Don't over promise: Human nature is to try to appease the other party and this can lead to over promising. Don't. Keep your dialogue consistent with previous messaging, of course within the guardrails of Regulation FD, and communicate that the Company is focused on its stated strategies and initiatives. The stock will ultimately recover if management executes.
Buy stock: Investors sell stocks for many reasons, but they buy stock for only one reason – because they believe that it will be higher in the future. Share purchases by members of management are an irrefutable indicator of confidence in the long term performance of the business.


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3 More Raiders Defenders Who Need To Step Up On Saturday
It's safe to say this year's Las Vegas Raiders' defense is much better than what we've seen in the past. That may not be saying much, but even with some shortcomings, the unit has been impressive. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that this defense is one of, if not the main reason, the Raiders find themselves in the playoffs. Nevertheless, here are three Raiders' defenders who must play well if Las Vegas wants to advance.
No. 1 Yannick Ngakoue
The Bengals' offensive line is suspect at best. The Bengals have allowed the most sacks of any team this year and have struggled with opposing pass rushers throughout the year.
Joe Burrow and his receiving corps have been exceptional this year, but only when he's had time to throw the ball. There's no doubt that Maxx Crosby will command attention from the Bengals' offensive line. All that attention, though, could offer some opportunities for Ngakoue. He'll need to have a big game to help keep Cincinnati's passing attack contained.
No. 2 Brandon Facyson
Facyson has had somewhat of an off-and-on season. There have been times when his penalties have really hurt the Raiders. One of those cases came on a Chargers touchdown drive last week, in which he was beaten by Mike Williams and had to commit a penalty down the field to avoid giving up a big catch. That play was on third down, and he's had some similar drive-extending penalties this year.
Regardless, it would be unfair to dismiss how Brandon has helped this team. After being brought in by Gus Bradley early this year, Facyson has done more than enough to earn his respect. He's held his own against receivers for the most part throughout the year.
He'll be forced to hold his own against a talented Bengals' receiving core. The unit features Ja'Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Tee Higgins, among others. Facyson is going to be tasked with guarding at least one of them throughout the game, and the Raiders will need him to be successful.
No. 3 KJ Wright
KJ Wright has gone somewhat unnoticed this year, but he's been one of the most crucial parts of this defense. The last time these two teams played each other, Joe Mixon ran for over 100 yards. The Bengals' passing attack took a backseat to their run game, and it allowed them to control the clock and the game. Wright has been excellent in both pass and run defense, but his run defense will be needed most by Las Vegas this week.
There's no easy way to stop this dominant Bengals' offense, especially with the hot streak they've been on. Still, the Raiders were able to contain them and keep the game close in their matchup earlier this season. If these three players can step up this week, this should be a great game.
Furthest the Raiders advance in playoffs? - Powered By PickUp
*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal
January 14, 2022 January 14, 2022 Jake BrockhoffCincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders, Latest Raiders news
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On Thursday, the Lady Braves were at Northern Lights in New Town to play in the Region 8 Girls Basketball tournament against the New Town Eagles in the championship game.
In the beginning of the game, the Lady Braves started slow and the Lady Eagles took off. There were struggles for rebounds that lasted through the game. The Lady Eagles can run and they made quick work of the first quarter. It ended with the Lady Eagles 22 and Lady Braves 9. In the second quarter the Lady Eagles were able to turn several steals into points. The half ended with the Lady Braves behind by 18 points, Lady Eagles 39 and lady Braves 21.


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🏀 The Tradition Continues | #1 Tyon Grant-Foster
Tyon Grant-Foster | No. 1
As Kansas Basketball begins to turn its attention to the 2020-21 season, it's time to meet the new faces that will be joining the Jayhawks in the near future. Today, we welcome Tyon Grant-Foster, one of the top junior college players in the country, who originally hails from Kansas City, Kansas.
Grant-Foster will wear No. 1 for the Jayhawks next season. He will be the just the seventh KU player to wear the number, which most recently belonged to Devon Dotson, who donned it last year as a sophomore before departing for the NBA. Other Jayhawks to have worn No. 1 under Bill Self include Dedric Lawson (2018-19), Wayne Selden Jr. (2014-16) and Xavier Henry (2009-10).
Jayhawks to Wear No. 24
Tyon Grant-Foster (2020-)
Devon Dotson (2019-20)
Dedric Lawson (2018-19)
Wayne Selden Jr. (2014-16)
Xavier Henry (2009-10)
Jeff Hawkins (2003-06)
Mario Kinsey (2000-01)
"I chose No. 1 to honor my brother (Domo) who passed away last summer."
Tyon Grant-Foster
TYON GRANT-FOSTER (Jr., G, 6-7, 195, Kansas City, Kan., Schlagle HS, Indian Hills CC [Iowa])
Tyon Grant-Foster earned National Junior College Athletic Association All-American Honorable Mention honors in 2019-20 at Indian Hills (Iowa) Community College.
He led Indian Hills in scoring average at 16.5 points per game. Included was a 35-point effort against State Fair Community College on Nov. 9.
Had 11 games of 20 or more points, including 29 in what would end up being the season finale against Dawson CC on March 5.
Grant-Foster also averaged 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocked shots and made 1.7 3-pointers per game his sophomore season as Indian Hills went 30-3 prior to the pandemic. His 48 blocks led the team.
As a freshman, Grant-Foster averaged 8.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for Indian Hills in 2018-19.
Prior to Indian Hills, Grant-Foster played at Schlagle High School in Kansas City, Kan.


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Home > News > EvergreenHealth Names Christopher Bredeson Chief Operating Officer
EvergreenHealth Monroe Employee Recognized with Living Our Values Award
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EvergreenHealth Names Christopher Bredeson Chief Operating Officer
Kirkland, Wash. – EvergreenHealth announced today that Christopher Bredeson has been named the health system's chief operating officer (COO). Following a nationwide search, Bredeson was selected for his proven leadership skills and dedication as a health care executive in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the country.
"Chris' career has provided him exceptional leadership experience across many sectors of the health care industry. His passion and expertise are a valuable addition to our health system," said EvergreenHealth CEO Jeff Tomlin, MD. "Chris' commitment to collaboration and innovative solutions will complement our leadership team as we work together to serve our patients and community with exceptional high-quality care and service."
Bredeson, a Pacific Northwest native, most recently served as president and COO of MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital, a 375-bed, full-service community hospital in Puyallup, Washington. Under his leadership, the hospital expanded oncology services in partnership with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance; increased provider engagement by 6%; realized improved safety and quality outcomes; and completed a $5 million capital campaign one year ahead of schedule, among many other notable accomplishments.
Prior to leading Good Samaritan, Bredeson was a senior administrator at MultiCare Regional Cancer Center & Oncology Service Line, a comprehensive cancer program in Tacoma, Washington. There, he helped to establish a partnership with MultiCare Institute for Research and Innovation for NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), resulting in a multi-million-dollar grant; and achieved accreditation for the Center by the American College of Surgeons Integrated Network Cancer Program.
Previously, Bredeson served in executive management positions at L.G. Steck Memorial Clinics, PS, in Chehalis, Washington, and Cogent Healthcare/Applied Medical Solutions, PhyAmerica Physician Services and Columbia/HCA in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Bredeson's efforts have led to numerous accolades from health care organizations including the American Heart & Stroke Association's Target Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus (2018), Sight Life Vision Award for cornea donations (2017), President's Award for Antimicrobial Stewardship (2017), and Achieving Best Care Award from the Washington State Hospital Association (2016).
Bredeson holds a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from the University of Washington and a Master of Business Administration/Healthcare Administration from City University of Seattle. He is also a board member of Diagnostic Imaging Northwest and the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce.
For more information about EvergreenHealth and its leadership team, visit www.evergreenhealth.com.
About EvergreenHealth
EvergreenHealth is an integrated health care system serving nearly one million residents in King and Snohomish counties with a breadth of services and programs that are among the most comprehensive in the region. Formed as a public hospital district in 1972, EvergreenHealth includes a 318-bed acute care medical center in Kirkland and a 72-bed hospital, EvergreenHealth Monroe, which is an accredited, full-service public hospital district established in 1960 in Monroe, Washington. The system also includes a network of 12 primary care practices, six urgent care centers, more than two dozen specialty care practices, extensive home care and hospice services, and 24/7 emergency care from its Kirkland, Monroe and Redmond locations.
EvergreenHealth remains committed to its purpose to enrich the health and well-being of the community by providing clinical excellence in more than 80 specialties and through extensive community health outreach and education programs, anchored by the 24/7 EvergreenHealth Nurse Navigator & Healthline.
The health system is consistently named as one of Healthgrades America's 100 Best Hospitals and it is one of only 407 hospitals nationwide to hold a 5-Star Overall Rating from the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS).
Kayse Dahl
KLDahl@evergreenhealthcare.org
Kristi Herriott
Firmani + Associates Inc.
kristi@firmani.com


Set of 9 beautiful vector decorative snowflake templates for your winter and Christmas designs. Format: Ai/Tif stock vector clip art. Free for download.
Theme: vector snowflakes, Christmas elements, winter designs.
Posted on 28/11/2011, in Free Vector Graphics | Tags: Christmas, elements, snow, winter.


Inter Milan are crowned Serie A champions, whilst arch rival Milan miss out on the UEFA Champions League.
In a thrilling finale to the Serie A, Inter Milan powered by Zlatan Ibrahimovic claimed the Scudetto by beating Parma.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the hero of the day. Still recovering from a knee injury, he came off of the bench to score the two goals that won the league.
Whilst Inter were celebrating, Parma were in tears as the defeat signalled their relegation from Serie A.
Roma who were trailing Inter in the league by just one point, needed to better Milan's result to win the Scudetto and started perfectly when Mirko Vucinic put Roma ahead after just 8 minutes with a superb sole effort.
However, once news filtered through that Inter Milan had broken the deadlock at Parma, they seemed to take their foot off of the pedal and Catania equalised through Jorge Martinez on 85 minutes. The draw ensured Catania top flight football next season.
Fiorentina also left it late to secure Champions League qualification. Argentine born Pablo Daniel Osvaldo scored the all important winner on 76 and boy was it a cracking overhead kick. Fiorentina's win rendered Milan's result redundant.
Milan new that they must win this one and hope Fiorentina dropped ppoints to climb above them and squeeze into the Champions League spot, it wasn't to be and AC Milan will now compete in the UEFA Cup. They did go out in style though, going a goal down just after half an hour they fought back with goals from youngster Alexandre Pato (48), and then the veterans; Filippo Inzaghi (59), Cafu (79) and Clarence Seedorf (88).
Due to Catania's late equaliser against Roma, Empoli's win was not enough to avoid the drop. Knowing they must win to have any chance of protecting their Seria A status, Empoli got off to the perfect start. Antonio Busce socre after just 10 minutes, then on 55 minutes Luca Saudati doubled the lead for Empoli. Alessandro Diamanti got one back for Livorno seven minutes from time, to test Empoli's nerves, but the result made no difference in the end.
With nothing to play for but fans pride, Sergio Floccari put the home side ahead on 32 minutes. Things got easier for Atalanta when Genoa went first down to 10 men as Danilo Sacramento saw red on 65, then on 78 Omar Milanetto joined him for an early bath. Atalanta made sure of the points with seconds to go, substitute Michele Marconi getting the second goal.
Again neither side had anything at stake here, both sides having secured their league status in the last round. It was perhaps a fitting scoreline, with goals from Larrivey 18, putting Cagliari ahead. Nicola Amoruso got things level on 55, then Cagliari went ahead again courtesy of Bianco before the veteran striker known as 'Dynamite', Amoruso got his second from the spot with 4 minutes to go.
A drab end of season game saw Lazio take the points in what looks to be coach Delio Rossi's last game at the helm of Lazio. Tommaso Rocchi put Lazio ahead on 14 minutes and then Fabio Firmani doubled up on 71 minutes. Maurizio Domizzi got the consolation on 82 minutes.
Siena beat their Serie A points record with a respectable haul of 43 points with this draw. Middlebrough flop Massimo Maccarone got the first and last goal for Siena, but Palermo replied first from Serb Bosko Jankovic and the second from Fabrizio Miccoli.


was the Tsar (Emperor) of Russia from March 2, 1855 until his assassination in 1881. He was also the Grand Duke of Finland. Alexander succeeded to the throne upon the death of his father in 1855. The first year of his reign was devoted to the prosecution of the Crimean War, and after the fall of Sevastopol to negotiations for peace, led by his trusted counselor, Prince Gorchakov. Then he began a period of radical reforms, encouraged by public opinion but carried out with autocratic power.


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Dragons: Race to the Edge – Season 2 (2015)
Animation, Kids & Family, New on Netflix Canada, TV Show
Released on Sunday, January 10, 2016
Dagur the Deranged escapes from prison and ventures in the uncharted territories to build an armada against Hiccup and his Dragon Riders. Coming across a cylinder (christened "Dragon Eye") that provides information on the uncharted territories, Hiccup and his quirky team search the region looking for both Dagur and hitherto unknown species of dragons, eventually leaving Berk to build for themselves a new and distant base of operations called Dragon's Edge.
Dragons: Race to the Edge (2015–2018)
22 min|Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy|26 Jun 2015
8.3Rating: 8.3 / 10 from 3,740 usersMetascore: N/A
Unlock the secrets of the Dragon Eye and come face to face with more dragons than anyone has ever imagined as Hiccup, Toothless and the Dragon Riders soar to the edge of adventure.
Actors: Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Zack Pearlman, Christopher Mintz-Plasse


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Take crystal clear calls from your speaker with the touch of a button thanks to the noise and echo-canceling speakerphone.


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Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny is the Western trump-card against Russia
Home / News / Turkish court sentence 20 Saudis for Khashoggi murder
Turkish court sentence 20 Saudis for Khashoggi murder
The Levant Jul 3, 2020	News, Saudi Arabia, Turkey Leave a comment
A Turkish court put 20 Saudi officials on trial in absentia on Friday for the gruesome killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi which sparked international outrage and tarnished the image of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.
Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 when he went there seeking papers for his marriage. Some Western governments, as well as the CIA, said they believed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the hit – an accusation Saudi officials denied.
Khashoggi's fiancee Hatice Cengiz waited unknowing outside the consulate while, according to prosecutors, he was suffocated and his body was dismembered.
The indictment accuses two top Saudi officials, former deputy head of Saudi Arabia's general intelligence Ahmed al-Asiri and former royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani, of instigating "premeditated murder with monstrous intent".
It says 18 other defendants were flown to Turkey to kill Khashoggi, a prominent and well-connected journalist who had grown increasingly critical of the crown prince.
The defendants are being tried in absentia and are unlikely ever to be handed over by Saudi Arabia, which has accused Turkey of failing to cooperate with a separate, largely secretive, trial in Riyadh last year.
In December a Saudi court sentenced five people to death and three to jail for the killing, but Khashoggi's family later said they forgave his murderers, effectively granting them a formal reprieve under Saudi law.
Rights campaigners hope that the Istanbul trial will throw a fresh spotlight on the case and strengthen the argument for sanctions against Riyadh or the use of universal jurisdiction, which could lead to the suspects' arrest if they travel abroad.
"Justice in these complex environments is not delivered overnight," Agnes Callamard, U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, told Reuters on the eve of the trial.
"But a good process here can build up (evidence for) what can happen in five years, in 10 years, whenever the circumstances are stronger."
Cengiz told Reuters this week she hoped the trial would reveal fresh evidence about her husband's killing, in particular over how his body was disposed of. Turkish officials have said the killers may have tried to burn his remains or dissolve them in acid.
Zeki Demir, a local technician who worked for the consulate, told the court on Friday he had been called to the consul's residence, close to the consulate itself, on the day of the killing.
"There were five to six people there… They asked me to light up the tandoor (oven). There was an air of panic," he said.
According to the indictment Demir also reported seeing many skewers of meat, and noticed that the marble slabs around the oven appeared to have changed colour as if they had been cleaned with a chemical.
Tags assassination freedom of speech Mihammad bin Salman
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According to mobile app analytics and marketing firm Localytics, which tracked sales of the Galaxy S3 for four months since its launch, sales jumped in the wake of the ruling ordering SEC to pay over US$1bn in damages to Apple and Apple's launch of the new iPhone 5.
In particular, sales growth peaked the week when a jury awarded Apple US $1bn in damages. The flood of post-litigation press coverage gave the impression that SEC devices were comparable to iPhones, rather than just a copycat.
Looks like that of the billion fine, we should deduct a part in publicity.


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Budget Travel › Explore › NEWS
Travel News: Airbnb Experiences for Music Lovers
By Maya Stanton
Courtesy Airbnb
Tap into your inner Mick Jagger—or Ariana Grande—to realize your rockstar dreams.
You might sound good singing in the shower or rocking the mic at karaoke, but now you can take your show on the road—no tour dates required. With enthusiastic hosts in destinations near and far, Airbnb Experiences (airbnb.com/experiences) gives travelers the opportunity to dig deep into local cultures with interest-specific adventures, and if you're looking to put your musical chops to the test, there are plenty of options available. Spend time in a Los Angeles recording studio, create your own beats with a DJ in Brooklyn, or try something farther afield—the ancient art of taiko drumming in Tokyo, perhaps, or flamenco guitar lessons in Sevilla? Whether your interest lies in performing, songwriting, or making the instruments themselves, the home-sharing platform is encouraging aspiring entertainers to take center stage.
Dreaming of bringing a stadium of fans to their knees? Channel those air-guitar skills and step into the studio. In Burbank, you can book time with an award-winning producer to write, arrange, and record your own song, and you'll come away with an MP3 of the finished product, as well as a deeper understanding of how the recording magic happens. To get a feel for the operational side of things, look to Nashville's fabled Music Row, where you can schedule a songwriting session with a professional or learn the ropes at a working studio. Can't get enough K-Pop? Head to Korea, where you can train with a vocal coach and record your tune. You'll walk away with a short music video and your song on CD—a guaranteed chart-topper, naturally.
DJ Dreams
If getting behind the turntables is more your speed, DJs from coast to coast can help. Talk shop with a Grammy-winning producer in L.A. who will lead you through DJing 101 and send you home with a record from his stacks, or go vinyl shopping with a Brooklyn DJ who will show you how to create a sample and produce your own beat. Overseas, you can become a mix-master in Paris or pick up the tricks of the house-DJ trade in Medellín, to say nothing of the scenes you can experience in London, Berlin, and Havana while you're there.
Go Off-Book
To see how the sausage—errr, music—gets made, tour a ukulele factory in Honolulu, where you'll lay hands on the instruments and watch the craftspeople at work; for a truly immersive experience, check out a three-day itinerary with a historic violin maker in Paris, which includes an introduction to the city's musical heritage, time in the workshop for a peek at the process, and a demonstration of the finished product, plus a concert outing to cap things off. From harp lessons, taiko drumming, and traditional dragon flute in Tokyo to the seven-string guqin in Chengdu to Indian finger drumming in New York, there's a world of instruments just waiting to be played.
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Cathedral of Notre-Dame Burns
The travel community is responding with disbelief at the news that a fire broke out on the medieval wooden roof of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, in Paris, on Monday evening. FIREFIGHTERS STRUGGLE TO SAVE THE CATHEDRAL The New York Times and other news sources report that part of the cathedral's iconic 315-foot spire has collapsed. A spokesman for the cathedral told the Times that as of this evening no injuries were reported, and Parisian fire department officials confirmed that report. The fire may have been caused by an ongoing construction and restoration project, but that has not been confirmed. More than 400 firefighters worked into the night to stop the blaze and save the cathedral from further damage. Hours after the fire began, fire department officials announced that the most significant works of art, and religious relics such as the crown of thorns, inside the cathedral had been saved and that the main structure and two towers at the front of the building had been saved. UNESCO released a statement of support, saying it stands by France "to safeguard and restore this invaluable heritage." French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted, "Thinking of all the Catholics and all the French people. Like all of our countrymen, I am sad tonight to see part of us burning." FOLLOW #NOTREDAMEFIRE ON TWITTER TO LEARN MORE For travelers with memories of visiting the City of Light and its 850-year-old cathedral (which attracts 14 million annual visitors), the damage to the roof, spire, and church interior is, of course, especially heartbreaking. The fire struck the storied church, which has survived centuries of warfare, plague, and civil unrest, at the start of Holy Week, when liturgical events such as Holy Thursday and Good Friday commemorate the Last Supper and the Passion, culminating in the celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. For further updates from the BBC, CNN, and other news organizations on the ground in Paris, we suggest following the hashtag #notredamefire on Twitter.
Travel News: JetBlue Will Fly to London
If you happen to hear us cheering here in New York City today, it's because JetBlue—one of our favorite airlines for reasonable fares, TV at every seat, free "Fly-Fi," and more legroom in coach than other U.S. carriers—just announced its first-ever transatlantic flights. Fly JetBlue to London in 2021 Don't start packing just yet: JetBlue intends to begin multiple daily flights from New York City and Boston to London in 2021. The airline is currently evaluating London airports before it decides which one it will fly to. So you've got a little time to brush up on how to do London on budget and assemble your list of the U.K. capital's ancient, medieval, Victorian, and modern must-sees. "Twenty years ago, our founders had a simple formula for choosing a new market – it had to be overpriced, underserved, or both," said Joanna Geraghty, president and chief operating officer, JetBlue. "London is the largest metro area JetBlue doesn't yet serve from both Boston and New York, and we could not be more thrilled to be changing that in the years ahead. The fares being charged today by airlines on these routes, specifically on the premium end, are enough to make you blush." What to Expect JetBlue's new routes to London will carry passengers on an Airbus A321LR, a single-aisle aircraft that will offer the airline's Mint premium experience, essentially an accessible reinvention of business-class amenities. What Will It Cost? Although it's too soon to say what a basic fare from NYC or Boston to London will cost in 2021, JetBlue has made it clear that it is committed to opening up European airports to smaller American airlines and offering reasonable fares plus an array of amenities at no extra cost. "The big airlines will tell you that competition has never been more robust, but the smaller airlines have never found it harder to get access," said Geraghty. "It's time for regulators here in the U.S. and across Europe to create conditions where smaller carriers and new entrants can thrive, instead of letting the giant airlines get even bigger through joint ventures. Given a chance to compete, JetBlue can have a tremendous effect on lowering fares and stimulating traffic." If you just can't wait to stroll through London's Hyde Park, peruse the jaw-dropping antiquities at the British Museum, shop Portobello Road, tuck into a meat pie washed down with a pint of brown ale, then rest your head in an elegant-but-affordable hotel—we've basically planned at least one perfect day in London for you right there!—we suggest you sign up for JetBlue's e-newsletters and follow the airline on social media to get the inside scoop on its flight routes and fares as they are announced. (And we'll be doing the same.)
Travel News: TSA Warns You May Not Have the Right ID for Your Next Flight, Wakanda Tops the List of Fictional Travel Destinations, and NYC's Coolest Opera Festival Starts April 29
From knowing what kind of ID you need to board your next flight (including domestic flights that used to just require a driver's license) to the most-searched fictional destination on earth (plus a real-life alternative) to a mind-blowingly original opera festival in New York City this spring, this week's travel news is all about surprises. TSA Warns You May Not Have the Right ID for Your Next Flight It's one of our biggest travel nightmares, and it has been happening to far too many of us lately: You get to the airport and learn that you don't have adequate ID to board a flight. In some cases, it's because your passport is set to expire in less than three months and the country you want to fly to requires a more up-to-date passport. But even domestic flights within the U.S. have become more complicated: Beginning October 1, 2020, every traveler must present a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or another acceptable form of identification to fly within the U.S. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the impending deadline and empower travelers to get up to speed. "TSA is doing everything we can to prepare our partners and the traveling public for the REAL ID deadline next year," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. "The security requirements of the REAL ID Act will dramatically enhance and improve commercial aviation security." For more information, visit tsa.gov/real-id. Wakanda Tops the List of Fictional Travel Destinations On April Fools Day, we had some fun publishing New Airline Will Fly You to Hogwarts, Narnia, and Other Out-of-This-World Destinations with tongue firmly in cheek. But thanks to the folks at On The Go Tours, we've recently learned that hundreds of thousands of travel enthusiasts actually do spend time online searching for fictional travel destinations from film, TV, and literature. From Oz's Emerald City to Harry Potter's Diagon Alley, from Peter Pan's Never Never Land to Superman's Metropolis, people apparently really wish they could visit these (sadly) nonexistent spots. On The Go Tours analyzed Google search volume and determined that Wakanda, from Black Panther, is the most-searched fictional destination in the world. So, if Wakanda can't actually be found on a map (and, trust us, it can't), where should you go instead? On The Go suggests Cape Town, South Africa, one of Budget Travel's favorite budget international destinations, with great beaches, mountains, a vibrant cultural and culinary scene, and a short distance from iconic African wildlife including lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes. NYC's Coolest Opera Festival Starts April 29 New York Opera Alliance (NYOA) will present its fourth annual New York Opera Fest starting April 29 and running through June. More than 20 NYC-based opera companies will put on more than 25 events around the city ranging from traditional theaters and concert halls to bars and museum galleries. Expect the unexpected—think beyond spear-carrying Valkyries, doomed sopranos, and mischievous Spanish barbers—from such noteworthy productions as Heartbeat Opera and Opera Lafayette's adaption of the biblical story of Susanna; Rhymes With Opera's treatment of the life of Eleanor Roosevelt; The Stonewall Operas, four premiers performed at the Stonewall Inn, in Greenwich Village, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising; and many more.
Travel News: WorldPride 2019 in NYC, London Is the Best Destination in the World, and the Plane That Flew in the Wrong Direction
From New York City's biggest LGBTQ celebration ever to London's new position atop TripAdvisor's annual awards, plus the truly bizarre story of a plane that took passengers where they did not expect to go, this week's travel news is all about looking at the world in a new way. WorldPride 2019 in NYC New York City is consistently the leading LGBTQ destination in the U.S. because, well, it's New York City (as Taylor Swift sings, "It's been waiting for you"), with a centuries-old tradition of welcoming newcomers of all backgrounds, genders, and ages. In that spirit, NYC & Company, the city's official destination marketing organization, has declared 2019 the "Year of Pride," with the epicenter coming up in June when the city celebrates WorldPride (June 25 to 30) and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising (June 28). "We have declared 2019 the Year of Pride, to not only celebrate WorldPride and Stonewall 50 but to acknowledge the perpetual spirit of New York City's vibrant LGBTQ community," said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company. "In addition to the iconic events in June, the city is brimming with a yearlong roster of cultural activity." Events and exhibitions include: "Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50" at the New York Public Library in Bryant Park through July 14, commemorating the riots that broke out at Greenwich Village's Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, in response to a police raid; "Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now," at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum through January 5, 2020, a retrospective of Robert Mapplethorpe's breathtaking collages and photographs; pride parades in all five NYC boroughs, with the Manhattan parade set for June 30, including the Stonewall Inn on its route; and dozens of other exceptional offerings all over town. To learn more about NYC's Year of Pride, visit NYCGo.com. London Is the Best Destination in the World Sure, as noted above, we love New York. But congrats to London for topping TripAdvisor's 2019 Traveler's Choice Awards as the top-rated destination in the world, unseating last year's winner, Paris. Based on millions of user ratings and reviews over the past 12 months, the award reflects worldwide enthusiasm for visiting the U.K. capital, largely fueled by the buzz around Harry and Meghan's 2018 royal wedding. Of course, we recommend London as a destination anytime, with airfares to Europe from the U.S. at a three-year low and a plethora of amazing museums with free admission. Here, TripAdvisor's top 10 destinations for 2019: London, U.K.Paris, France Rome, Italy Crete, Greece Bali, Indonesia Phuket, Thailand Barcelona, Spain Istanbul, Turkey Marrakech, Morocco Dubai, United Arab Emirates The Plane That Flew the Wrong Way In yesterday's lively Budget Travel Twitter Chat about affordable U.S. Road Trips, we asked, "What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you on a road trip?" One participant admitted to accidentally driving 200 miles in the wrong direction while on vacation. Oops. But as funny-not-funny as that incident may have been, we've got a piece of news that is even weirder: A British Airways flight that was supposed to take passengers to Dusseldorf, Germany, instead flew to Edinburgh, Scotland, due to a mistake in the flight plan filed before takeoff. Um…


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Dear Angela
President Ahmadinejad has written to Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, thoughtfully offering her solidarity in the struggle to liberate Germany from the tyranny of the you-know-who's. Harry's Place has highlights and an appropriate link.
Labels: Cyrus, Germany, Iran
Making a wilderness and calling it victory
Alan Johnson of the BBC surveys the fate of the former Israeli settlements in Gaza. It's a sorry tale and of course, Alan Johnson of the BBC being Alan Johnson of the BBC, it's largely the Israelis' fault. If only they'd stop overreacting to those 'crudely-made' rockets that only 'rarely' kill anybody... They should realize that it's their responsibility to fix it so that the Palestinians can play with rockets to their hearts' content and have a viable economy.
Reading the article, it dawned on me that there was something missing. If land which was illegally occupied has been vacated, what would you expect to happen to it? Surely it should be restored to its rightful owners. But it seems that's not on the agenda at all. Why not? Could it possibly be that before the settlers came this land was so unproductive that nobody ever thought of staking a claim to it?
Can the BBC settle this point, on which I am genuinely in ignorance? The evidence on offer is circumstantial at best, and I strongly suspect that that is in itself a clue to the answer. Here's a settler speaking last August:-
'"When we got to Gush Katif in the 1970s, there was nothing; just sand dunes 15 metres high," he says.
'"It was desert all around, with a smattering of Bedouins who worked with us. We didn't occupy anything. We developed these farmlands. From the sand, we created a paradise."'
(the article from which this comes is an eye-opener on the PA's determination to cut its nose off to spite its face: some settlers were willing to sell their farms as going concerns, but the PA were refusing to pay even if someone else gave them the cash)
On the other hand, a PA employee who, also last August, wrote a diary for the BBC website (balance, you see), had this to say:-
'Now we are looking to what happens afterwards. Once military control has ended there will be a special court appointed by the Palestinian authorities.
'It will ask people who owned land near or inside the settlements to prove their ownership with papers, then they will get it back.'
So how's the special court coming along a year later? Our correspondent Alan Johnson is on the line from Gaza. Over to you, Alan...
Maybe there is a parallel universe in which the settlers were invited to stay on and help kickstart the Gazan economy. Having consented, they are buying goods and services from Palestinian businesses and paying taxes to the Palestinian authorities. Meanwhile the rockets have stopped in reciprocation for the Israeli withdrawal, and exports flow freely across Gaza's borders.
In our universe, of course, the settlers had to go - not because they were thieves, but because they were Jews in a place where all political factions agree that no Jews are wanted. Something to bear in mind next time you hear that Israel is a racist apartheid state.
Or to put it another way: what do you call someone who doesn't want any Arabs living next door? A racist. What do you call an Arab who doesn't want any Jews living next door? An anti-imperialist resistance fighter. They're a laugh a minute, the anti-Zionist left.
Labels: Anti-Semitism, BBC, Cyrus, Israel, major posts, settlements
Christians: Israel didn't finish the job
An Australian newspaper report offers a corrective to the claim (often made, one suspects, by people who really want it to be true) that the Israelis have succeeded in turning everyone in Lebanon into Hezbollah supporters. (via Stephen Pollard)
Labels: Christians and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Christians in Middle East, Cyrus, Lebanon
Underlying causes
Back at Christian Aid, meanwhile, head of propaganda - sorry, 'advocacy officer' - William Bell congratulates himself that 'We have impressed upon government ministers the importance of dealing with the underlying causes of conflict and poverty in the region'. These comprising:-
1. the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian Territories
2. corruption within the Palestinian Authority
3. the existential threat to Israel from terrorist organizations with racist ideologies.
Only kidding. I made up no. 3. It really has become very difficult to find anything in CA 'advocacy' to which Hamas could object. I can only hope Tony Blair's chat with Dr Mukarji was a little more enlightening - if not, the PM must have wondered why he bothered.
To reprise a point I've made before, when Mr Bell does his twisting of elected politicians' arms, he does so on behalf of an organization subsidized by the UK taxpayer to the tune of over £8 million a year (source).
Labels: Christian Aid, Christians and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Cyrus, Israel
The Mufti and the crossing of the line
Harry's Place has a clip from German TV showing the Mufti of Jerusalem being welcomed by Hitler and reviewing SS troops.
Here's one of the comments on the post, signed 'SueC':-
'Gene, is it not possible that Arab antipathy towards Jews in Palestine both before and during WW2 had something to do with the purchase of land by the Jewish National Fund from absentee Arab landowners and the disposession of Arab tenant farmers? You constantly seek to represent such anti-Jewish feeling as solely attributable to inherent Arab anti-semitism (please, would all posters spare me the relevant quotations from the Koran and Hadith, I know them already) but is it not at least possible that it was grounded in simple economics? Before the zionist movement got going, Arab and Jew in Palestine seemed to rub along reasonably aimicably; once it became clear, however, that an increasing number of Jews in Palestine meant Arabs were losing their land, then anti-Jewish sentiments grew.'
This takes the outlook of the 'anti-Zionist' left so far into the realm of self-parody that one might question whether SueC is for real. I fear, however, that she is both real and all too representative in her inability to draw the most fumdamental of moral distinctions: that between shit and genocide.
Shit is the thing that proverbially happens (translation for the pious: we are sinners living in a fallen world). It has unquestionably happened to the Palestinans, as it has happened to many peoples at many times throughout history. For instance, the Germans in 1918 and after.
Your landlord sells out to people who want to farm the land themselves? Bad luck! But maybe you can get one of the new jobs which are being created in the booming local economy (booming at least partly due to the influx of Jewish immigrants).
Whereas genocide is the thing that, above all other things, simply must not happen. She who makes shit an excuse for supporting genocide - whether those excused are German or Palestinian - crosses the line beyond which all moral judgments dissolve into emotionalism and relativism.
Posted by Cyrus at 5:48 pm 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Anti-Semitism, Cyrus, Mufti of Jerusalem
Multiculturalism and the alienation of young Muslims
'Finally, there are the grievances. Some of these are genuine enough, but the complaint often boils down to the position that it is always right to intervene where Muslims are victims (as in Bosnia or Kosovo), and always wrong when they may be the oppressors or terrorists (as with the Taliban or in Iraq), even when their victims are also mainly Muslims.
'Given the world view that has given rise to such grievances, there can never be sufficient appeasement, and new demands will continue to be made.'
- Michael Nazir-Ali, Bishop of Rochester, who as a convert from Islam knoweth whereof he speaketh, argues that multiculturalist policies have unwittingly encouraged Islamic radicalism in Britain. He concludes:-
'Values, however, are not free-standing; they are deeply rooted in a vision of society. Whether we like it or not, characteristic British values arise out of the Christian faith and its vision of personal and common good. These were clarified by the Enlightenment and became the bed-rock of our modern political arrangements. The Enlightenment, however, by consigning Christianity to the private sphere, also removed the basis and justification for these values in the public sphere.
'It is this basis and justification that needs to be recovered if our values are to be secure, and if they are to help inculcate the virtues of generosity, loyalty, moderation and love that lead to personal fulfilment and social wellbeing.'
It's worth reading it all.
Labels: Anglicans, Cyrus, Islamists, multiculturalism
Meet the Christian conspiracy theorists
In the churches as in the secular world, it's a busy time at the liberal-moonbat interface...
A book recently published in America accuses the Bush administration of engineering 9/11. Nothing very unusual about that - it's the Land of the Free, after all - but it is perhaps slightly surprising that the publisher is an agency of the Presbyterian Church (USA) . Only slightly surprising, because this is, after all, the church in which the Trinity may now be addressed as 'the Mother, the Child and the Womb'. Scratch a Goddess-worshipping tree-hugger and you'll find a jihadi-hugger as often as not - a phenomenon dissected by Sarah Baxter in a deservedly much-linked-to piece in last weekend's Sunday Times.
Somehow there are never any hugs to spare for the Israelis, though...
'Israel's assault on Lebanon was planned even before Hizbullah attacked and was aimed at driving a wedge between the different faiths that have been living in harmony in the country, a delegation from the World Council of Churches said on their return from a visit to Beirut and Jerusalem.' (from via)
Planned as in 'Britain and France had been planning for years to wage war against Germany, and they just needed the invasion of Poland to give them a pretext'.
More on Israel's diabolical war aims from Jean-Arnold de Clermont, president of the Conference of European Churches:
'De Clermont, who spoke for the two other delegation members who joined him at a news conference in the world council's headquarters, said Israel would not want the existence of a democratic Lebanon where Jews, Christians and Muslims were peacefully living side by side, because it does not want to see its neighbor state succeeding in what Israel is unsuccessfully trying to achieve.
'De Clermont said Hizbullah was a scapegoat.'
So now we know who the innocent victims are too. Jews, Christians and Muslims living side by side: hmmm, isn't it just a little late for that? Did M de Clermont meet a lot of Jews while he was in Beirut?
Labels: Christians and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Cyrus, moonbats (Christian)
Al-Grauniad reader reality check
Tony Blair may have criminally made Britain a target for terrorism by refusing to bring the troops home and hand Iraq over to the insurgents, but I'm all right, Jack. I'm sitting pretty here in Germany. Right?
Labels: Cyrus, Germany, Islamists
Angry and alive
'A surprising number of British people - especially the super-creepy British Jews who recently signed a treacherous letter to the press distancing themselves from Israel's actions - seem to think Israel should exist not as a real, imperfect country full of real, imperfect people led by real, imperfect leaders, but as some sort of collective kosher Mater Dolorosa, there to provide a selfless, suffering example to the rest of us.
'Personally, I'd far prefer the Jews to be angry, aggressive and alive than meek, mild and dead - and that's what makes me and a minority like me feel so much like strangers in our own country, now more than ever. I've always loved being a hack, but now even that feels weird, as though I'm living among a bunch of snatched-body zombies who look like journalists but believe and say the most inhuman, evil things.'
- Julie Burchill writing for Haaretz - read it all (via)
Labels: Anti-Semitism, Cyrus, Israel
Auntie explains
'Since the start of the current violence in Lebanon, the United States' position has remained consistent: it is only sensible to have an Israeli ceasefire when it can be a sustainable one.
'In other words, when Hezbollah has been sufficiently weakened to no longer pose a threat.
'That is a view that has been at odds with many European nations, who have argued for an immediate Israeli ceasefire.
'The reasons for that difference in emphasis are complex but many people point to the power of the Israel lobby in the United States as a key factor.'
- a perfect encapsulation of the BBC mindset (no, I won't use the 'b' word) from a piece by the Nick Miles on Friday.
For a start, it's mildly amusing that this appeared a matter of hours before John Bolton joined the rest of the Security Council in voting for, er, a ceasefire resolution - in a situation where Hezbollah had not exactly ceased to pose a threat.
The last sentence sets the tone for the rest of the article. Note Mr Miles' evasive 'many people point ...', not explicitly associating himself with the many people but not actually distancing himself from them either. It is a fact that a significant subset of the many people go further and point to this as evidence for the authenticity of the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, but naturally it is not the impartial Beeb's job to pass judgment on such views.
What I find most revealing is that, having established the difference between American and European attitudes, Mr Miles makes the reflex assumption that what stands in need of an explanation is America's bizarre, irrational and inhuman support for Israel. And the rest of the article then provides that explanation, focussing, surprise, surprise, on (Jewish) ethnic egotism and (evangelical) religious fanaticism.
Some people - perhaps even many people - might be wondering why, when a pro-Western democracy fights back against aggression from a fundamentalist and racist terrorist organization committed to wiping it off the map, so many Europeans react with outrage rather than solidarity. But no explanation is on offer from Mr Miles. Evidently such people are not his, or the Beeb's, kind of many people.
Labels: BBC, Cyrus, the Lobby
Fisking Fisk
Sorry about the light posting, I have no more credible excuse than writer's block pure and simple. I've got about fifty posts buzzing around in my head, but the little buggers just won't come out.
Fortunately others are showing unimpaired creativity. Here, for instance is Scott of the Ablution fisking the increasingly deranged Fisk (I use the word 'increasingly' advisedly, extraordinary though it may seem):-
'So now we know. In the extremely unlikely event that the terror plot ("Terror what, I asked myself?") is real, the motive lies with the "violent problems and injustice and suffering" in Pakistan, Britain and the Caribbean, and not in the least with any religious basis. And all of us - especially the Metropolitan Police, who are busily dealing death there instead of arresting Israeli generals as they should be doing - are to blame. For Robert Fisk tells us so.'
Read it all - magnificent stuff.
Labels: Cyrus, Fisk, Independent, Islamists
Three letters to the Guardian
'All democratically elected governments have both the right and the obligation to defend its citizens. At least one-third of Israel's citizens have lived in bomb shelters for more than three weeks and face the threat of indiscriminate rocket attack from Hizbullah. Many Israelis have died as a result of these attacks.
'Actions that may be justifiable, may not always be wise. We ask the government of Israel and the IDF to ensure that, in pursuit of the right to defend Israelis, the loss of innocent lives is truly kept to a minimum so there will be no repetition of the Qana disaster.
'We also urge the application of as much fervour and intensity to finding a diplomatic solution to the Lebanese crisis, if not even more so, as is being applied in the pursuit of a military one.'
- from Peace Now-UK's letter to the Guardian. Spot on. Compare and contrast with the preceding letter, with its revoltingly hypocritical victim pornography. Recall that the writers apparently had no problem with 'We are Hizbollah' placards being waved on the 'peace' march which they organized. 'We are Hizbollah' = 'We like to murder Jewish children'. It's not only Jews who agree with the writer of the third letter who are 'clear and very angry'.
Labels: Cyrus, Israel, Lebanon
Brief Lives
'In the early years of the war she joined the National Socialist Party, according to Alan Jefferson's punctilious but at times contentious biography of her. It caused a considerable stir when it was published in 1996 and certainly did not please its subject. Schwarzkopf appeared in a handful of propaganda films under Goebbels' banner and sang too in a single performance of Die Fledermaus in Paris in 1941 put on for the benefit of the German occupying forces.
'These moves were purely pragmatic. Schwarzkopf was determined to get to the top and was not inclined to go looking for obstacles.
'During 1946 Schwarzkopf, in common with other prominent musicians including Furtwängler and Karajan, came under the scrutiny of the Allied Denazification Bureau.'
- from the Times' obituary of Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Not exactly a flattering picture. But what does the Grauniad say?
'At this time [1942], the singer reportedly had connections with the Nazis, revealed in a controversial biography that appeared in 1996. The revelations, denied by her, caused a considerable stir. The truth is that as an attractive and impressionable young singer, she inevitably sought favour with the powers that be. The political affiliation probably went no further than that. At war's end she was active in Vienna, apparently with no stain on her character.'
So that's all right, then. It was inevitable. What else was an impressionable 26-year-old girl to do?
And the battling Independent, ever the scourge of oppression and hypocrisy?
'She made her début in 1938 at the Berlin Städtische Oper as a Flower Maiden in Parsifal and then sang coloratura roles such as Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Musetta in La Bohème and Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos. When she moved to the Vienna State Opera in 1942, it was as Zerbinetta that she made her Viennese début.
'For a while she continued in the coloratura repertory, with Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviolia and Constanze in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail among her most successful parts; by 1947, when she first appeared at the Salzburg Festival, as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, she had become a lyric soprano.'
On the other hand, here's the Telegraph making the Thunderer look timid:-
'After the war she made her Covent Garden debut as Donna Elvira in 1947. She was lucky to be allowed to perform in Britain at all, for her involvement with the Nazi party had been at least as intimate as those of Karajan and Furtwängler. Its full extent was revealed in Jefferson's controversial 1996 biography, which made extensive use of the 200-page file on Schwarzkopf kept by the Nazis. From this it appears that she applied to join the party in 1938 and quickly attracted the attention of Goebbels; she also acted, sang and played the piano in propaganda films. When she was questioned by Allied authorities in Austria about her party membership, she produced a succession of lies and half-truths. These were swiftly uncovered, and Jefferson finds it strange that someone as intelligent as Schwarzkopf should have resorted to such "clumsy methods of fudging her past". He speculates that she was attempting to hide more than NSDAP membership: there were rumours that she was the lover of a senior Nazi.'
So there you have it. If you want a paper that calls a Nazi a Nazi and doesn't make excuses for her, the order of preference is not quite what you might have expected. But perhaps it shouldn't be altogether surprising that the papers which do best are those least likely to be found making excuses for Ahmadinejad the Holocaust-denier and his sidekicks.
Labels: Cyrus, Germany, media
Some massacres you may have missed
'Seventeen civilians who had taken shelter in a school died on Thursday after it was hit by shells.'
- mentioned in passing half way down a BBC report. Why so reticent? Because it happened in Sri Lanka.
'The army and the Tigers have blamed each other for the incident.'
Whoever it was, I suspect they may not have given a warning first. But who gives a monkey's, anyway? There's not much chance of blaming this one on the Israelis.
Oh yes, and then there's the Taliban. When they kill kids it's rarely accidental. But you can't be too fussy when you're resisting imperialism, can you?
Labels: Afghanistan, Cyrus
Christian Aid and its strange bedfellows
Writing my last post, I had 31 July and 1 August in my head, and what came out was 31 August. One of those early warning signs of approaching senility, I expect. So anyway, normal service is resumed earlier than advertised.
I must say that I return to my topic with a heavy heart. Irrespective of the rights and wrongs, the death and destruction on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border is appalling (as, of course, it is in other conflicts of infinitely less interest to the media). There's fine writing at the usual locations on my blogroll: notably from Norman Geras, Harry's Place, Mick Hartley, Melanie Phillips and Stephen Pollard. Shuggy supports the charge that Israel's actions are disproportionate without giving any quarter to the Hezbollah apologists. Even if I don't wholly agree with him, it's a lucid and brave post. Engage, meanwhile, is keeping tabs on the global anti-Semitic backlash.
So there's plenty to read without my adding my contribution. A longer and more philosophical post is in the pipeline. For now, a word on Christian Aid.
CA have joined forces with other NGOs to demand an immediate ceasefire, i.e. for Hezbollah to hang on to both its illegally acquired hostages and its illegal apparatus of terror. That's not just my interpretation. An open letter to Tony Blair makes rather explicit the concern that Hezbollah should not lose the war it started:-
'The present policy looks in danger of placing the UK Government in the uncomfortable position of only calling for a ceasefire once one side in the conflict has achieved its military objectives.'
I don't imagine that it looks particularly uncomfortable viewed from Haifa.
It's curious that a 'call for an immediate ceasfire by all warring parties in the Middle East' makes no mention of Iraq - part of the Middle East, if my atlas is to be believed - where, of course, the insurgents have deliberately murdered not hundreds but many thousands of innocent civilians (and, yes, some of the occupying forces have done their bit too). Is the prospect of the insurgency being forestalled in achieving its military objectives perhaps rather less comforting than is the case where Israel is concerned?
CA's co-signatories include War On Want, once headed by George Galloway and still apparently dancing as much to the gorgeous one's political tune as their charitable status will allow (matches on 'Darfur' on WOW website: 1; matches on 'Palestine': 148). Also, remarkably, the Muslim Council of Britain. This 'moderate' outfit's equivocal (to put it kindly) line on terrorist attacks on Israel is by now notorious. Their website is currently headlining a statement by Salma Yaqoob who, when not busy on the MCB's Central Working Committee, is a leading light in Respect and thus committed to uncritical support for the Hezbollah 'resistance'. She is, I believe, tipped to succeed Respect's current leader (yes, him again), who has gone a step or two beyond uncritical:-
'I glorify the Hizbollah national resistance movement, and I glorify the leader of Hizbollah, Sheikh Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah'
Can you imagine CA issuing a joint statement with a Jewish organization which had comparably extreme connections?
One other thought. Responding to a call from the Pope, the monks whose hospitality I was enjoying prayed for peace in the Middle East every day last week - and rightly so. They did not (at least not when I was around) pray for peace in Darfur, Kashmir, Chechnya, Sri Lanka or the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I'm not for one moment suggesting any form of bad faith or prejudice on their part. The point is the media's power to shape our perception of reality, from which even their, dare I say cloistered, world is not exempt. Is Lebanon far and away the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today? Of course - for every reporter or cameraman in Darfur there are dozens, probably hundreds, covering Lebanon. I am on TV, therefore I am... As Hezbollah understand very well.
Posted by Cyrus at 10:31 pm No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Christian Aid, Christians and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Cyrus, Islamists, Israel, Lebanon, major posts
Multiculturalism and the alienation of young Musli...