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Three Dimensions
Posted on October 28, 2017 by mcohen15
Architecture, sculpture, installations can all be found in Jerusalem and always the unexpected. There is always something new to see or experience and much that stays the same. That's easy to do when you are in a place that's been around for many thousands of years. Our final day included a visit to the Israel Museum, where sculptures abound.
Strange creatures in the shopping center, no idea who the artist is.
When walls are taken down the individual stones are numbered so when the wall is reconstructed they can be installed in the proper place.
Right in the center of town on the pedestrian mall is this giant radio whose dial can be changed to deliver whatever kind of music you might be like from classical to jazz to rock and roll. Lots of fun and people really get into it.
At the Tower of David Museum several walls had these red elements meant to simulate the prayers people fold up and try to tuck into the crevices of the Kotel (Western Wall, holiest site for Jews).
A concrete piano in the center of town. This particular "poser" didn't make such a great impression with his musical talent but we passed by this often and heard some very good piano playing.
Rodin in the foreground, Ai Wei Wei iron trees in the middle ground and Shrine of the Book (containing the Dead Sea Scrolls) in the background.
Ai Wei Wei iron trees (more about this in another post)
Contrast is striking between one of the retaining walls of the sculpture garden, a minimalist sculpture of tile (not sure who the artist is) and the remainder of one of the Starn Twin "Big Bambu" works
Zadok Ben David, "Horse Power", 1999
Kids on a field trip with their teacher, "shaking" down the olives from the olive tree It's quite an operation you don't think about when you eat olives. It's a fitting way to end a trip to Israel, where olives are a symbol of peace we are always hopeful will come to this part of the world and soon!
Posted in Italy, September 2013	Leave a comment
Ai Wei Wei: Maybe Maybe Not
I've followed the work of Ai Wei Wei for a number of years and had the great fortune to see his installation exhibition at Alcatraz a few years ago. It was amazing to find an exhibition of his work at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. One question I've had about his work is, would his work be as meaningful or would he have as much attention for it if he had not been a Chinese dissident and imprisoned for speaking out against the injustices he sees. This show confirmed for me that his work is probably among the most powerful and potentially effective means of communicating injustice around the world and maybe even making change. It certainly makes you think- first step on the road. I have chosen to include excerpts from the caption panels that appeared with each work as it helps you understand his thought processes and about his personal struggles.
"Sunflower seeds, 2010, porcelain" (detail) In China as in Israel, sunflower seeds are a popular snack, sold in the streets and symbolizing leisure and summertime.
In China there is another connotation. During Mao's regime the communist leader likened himself to the sun and his citizens to sunflowers, bound to him by total loyalty just as sunflowers are bound to the sun and turn to follow it across the sky. Evoking the artist's youth in the streets of Beijing after his family's return from exile but also the bitter taste of Mao's rule.
It took 2 years for over 1600 artists in the town of Jingdezhen to sculpt and hand paint the 23 tons pf porcelain seeds that compose this installation. Jingdezhen is one of the oldest sites for the production of porcelain and by the 14th century it had become a flourishing porcelain center, with the finest pieces reserved for the imperial family and the rest sent for export. Until the 19th century, the production of porcelain remained a well kept secret restricted to China, hense the name china when referring to porcelain. Today the Chinese government encourages its citizens to give up traditional crafts in favor of modernity and economic development.
"Finger 2014, printed wallpaper" At first glance this wallpaper seems to be covered in innocuous decorative motifs, but on closer inspection a repeated pattern of severed arms with raised middle finger is revealed Interestingly, the artist has chosen to complete the arm with an ear rather than a shoulder, so that the offensive gestures seems to symbolize the response of oppressed people to what they hear. The middle finger gesture is a recurring motif in A's work. Though distinct in their specific features, all the wallpapers in the exhibit share the idea of concealment, alluding to the covering up mechanism of powerful and oppressive bodies.
Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, 2016, LEGO bricks Three mosaic images made of Lego bricks document an art performance carried out by Ai in 1995: The artist took a 2000 year old Han dynasty vase and sent it crashing to the ground symbolically referring to Mao's destruction of China's historical tradition during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), when temples and antiquities were systematically annihilated as part of the communist leader's war against bourgeois society. Ai reapproriates this ancient tradition, becoming a link in its long chain and acting to preserve the Han dynasty, at the cost of breaking one of its antique urns. Ai's choice of material, Lego bricks is also significant In 2015 the artist planned to create a work in Lego bricks but to his surprise the company wrote to inform him that they refused to sell him the materials because they were unwilling to collaborate in a political artwork. He reponded by posting their letter on his Instagram page, and as a result was flooded with Lego bricks sent to him by supporters from all over the world. His choice of this material alludes to the idea of small pieces combining to form a greater whole, as well as to the integration of high and popular culture but after the Lego Company's letter it also becoame a political act. According to Ai, censorship though more overt in China, is also present in the West where the power concentrated in the hands of big corporations actively undermines individual freedom.
"Trees 2010-2016, wood and steel/Rocks 2009-11, porcelain" Ai started working on his "Trees" series in 2009. Each tree is composed of readymade pats of dead trees gathered from the mountainous region of southern China and sold in the market of Jingdenzen.
"IOU Printed Wallpaper, 2011-13" In 2011 as he was on his way to an exhibition of his work in Taipei, Ai was arrested at the Beijing airport and brought to a secret detention facility, where he was kept in solitary confinement for 81 days, watched around the clock by two guards who were forbidden to talk to him. After his release he was accused of tax evasion and fined 2.4 million dollars through his company Beijing Fake Cultural Development, Ltd. which he was ordered to pay within 15 days. The police barred him from appearing in court for this appeal which was rejected. Supporters from all walks of life throughout China rallied to help him pay his fine, raising 1.3 million dollars in the day. Ai issued an IOU acknowledging his debt for each one of the loans, 3366 of which constitute the wallpaper in this gallery. Each IOU is headed by a term such as Equality, Justice, Fairness, or Freedom of Expression. And the amount of the loan appears in colorful stamps. The details of the lenders were inscribed in calligraphic script by a team of volunteers who wished to contribute to Ai's just battle against the authorities
With this act he reconstructed in his imagination as and in ours- the trees that were, infusing their parts with new life To consolidate the sculptures he added nuts and bolts that emphasize the tension between the natural and the artificial. The artist's construction can be seen as alluding to the modern "Republic of China" which was created by combining disparate geographical and cultural entities into a unified nation in a policy aimed at promoting China's territorial sovereignty and integrity.
In a process that lasted several months, the artist, assisted by carpenters, combined these disparate parts- trunks, branches, and roots- into whole trees through a traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon method, in which the joints are hidden and no glue is used.
The "rocks" placed between the trees like stepping stones, endow the whole installation with the appearance of a Zen garden, symbolizing the cycle of birth, maturation, waning, and death followed by rebirth. Ai's porcelain rocks were made in Jingdezhen using the traditional technique.
"Soft Ground, 2009, carpet" The idea for this work originates from when Ai was invited to present an exhibition at the Haus der Kunst in Munich in 2009. The venue is charged with historical meaning: built during the Third Reich, it was inaugurated in 1937 to house the "Great German Art Exhibition" aimed at displaying lofty German art and emphasizing the purity and superiority of the Aryan race. One day after it opened, a pendant exhibition devoted to "Degenerate Art" was opened, featuring works by such Modernist artists as Nolde, Kirchner, Freundlich, and Kandinsky.
Ai decided to create a work that would connect this low point in Western history with the present. He photographed the 969 tiles that cover the floor in the Haus der Kunst and sent the photographs to a carpet factory in Hebei province in China, where he had the workers weave a carpet that was an exact replica of those tiles.
Photographs of the process involved in making the carpet.
Detail of photograph showing the process
Photograph showing the process
The result was so good that some of the visitors to the 2009 exhibition were not aware that part of the floor they were walking on was actually a carpet. The carpet was made using a traditional artisanal technique developed under a tyrannical regime from Imperial China, highlighting the dissonance evinced by cultural masterpieces created in such dark regimes.
The work's title refers to the coating- usually beeswax- with which the plate is covered in the etching technique, and indeed the carpet can be seen as an impression of the floor. This representation of the original floor- complete with the marks and blemishes accrued since 1937- is now displayed in Jerusalem, where it becomes charged with new historical significance. Whereas in Munich Ai played with the visitors' eyes, alluding to those that covered their eyes in order not to see the surrounding reality, here he displays the carpet against a starkly distinguished background, highlighting the absurdity of the idea of a race superior to all others.
"Odyssey, 2106, printed wallpaper" In the winter of 2015, Ai opened a studio on the Greek island of Lesbos, an entry point into Europe for Syrian, Afghan, and Iraqi refugees fleeing their war torn homelands. Feeling compelled as an artist to engage with humanitarian issues and to raise awareness of the ongoing refugee crisis, Ai initiated a number of projects on the island, together with his studio assistants from China and Germany. Drawing on research into both contemporary and historical global migration, he created a wallpaper adorned with motifs from the lives of the refugees, including a sense of warfare, the destruction of ancient cultural sites, the journey across both land and sea, squalid camp sites, and demonstration.
Ai chose here to address burning political issues about militarism, migration, and displacement in a style reminiscent of ancient Greek pottery, with its decorative black-and-red graphic figures. The way in which Ai's wallpaper is divided into strips each densely filled with repeated motifs, conveys the sense that the violence and terror can go on forever. In an ironic twist, whereas ancient Greek decorated pottery mostly celebrated scenes of heroism and glory, AI's work depicts the shameful actions and inaction that characterize the contemporary moment.
"Chicken Cups, 2014, porcelain" The 25 cups are copies of 15th century Ming dynasty cups decorated with roosters, hens, and chickens. The original cups of which only 16 are extant, are part of a series that is considered among the rarest and most precious Chinese antiquities in existence, and therefore fetch extremely high prices. The series made the headlines when art collector Liu Yiquin acquired one of the cups at a Sotheby's auction for $36 million. By replicating these cups, Ai makes a comment about the commercialization of culture and history. Mocking the hallowed notion of the "original" Ai's "fake" cups change the object's status, since it is no longer rare, and hence devalues it. With this work Ai puts the spotlight on the privatization of cultural masterpieces that should rightfully belong to all.
"Cosmetics, 2014, jade" Cosmetics was carved out of jade- a precious material used in ancient China to fashion commonplace as well as ceremonial objects, from buttons and calligraphic tools to ritual figurines and imperial burial suits. Cosmetics also go a long way back in the history of Chinese society. In ancient China, especially during the Tang dynasty (618-907), makeup, nail polish, and perfume indicated a high social rank. In contrast, during Mao's regime (1949-76), women exposed their skin to the sun and shed their "capitalistic complexion". With this modern Western cosmetics set sculpted in jade, Ai brings together the past and the present.
Handcuffs 2011, jade Sex Toy, 2014 jade Handcuffs evokes Ai's illegal 81-day incarceration in 2011 during which he was handcuffed to a chair and interrogated over 50 times. The work was carved from jade, a precious material with deep roots in Chinese culture, associated with the soul and immortality, and therefore contrasting starkly with the motif of the handcuffs and what it represents- violence, oppression, and the violation of human rights. Sex Toy, also crafted from jade unlike handcuffs, sex toys are primarily used in contexts of pleasure and fun. While sex toys such as these are common, they are not usually displayed in public. Ai subversively carves the phallic object from jade and removes it from the realm of the private and intimate. In doing so he is protesting against the limitations imposed on sexual content and on the definition of normative sex.
"I-Phone Cut out, 2015, jade" By displaying this common technological commodity in a stylized museum showcase, Ai turns it into something rare and precious. Communication technology and the social media are the basic tools in Ai's political and artistic practice, and he uses a wide variety of digital platforms to reach his supporters in China and around the world. In 2009, following the publication of his blog of the names of 5,196 victims- mainly schoolchildren- who perished in the Sichuan earthquake, the authorities shut down Ai's blog, and he has since moved to Twitter and Instagram to conduct public discussions. I-Phone Cutout is carved out from a Neolithic period jade axe, displaying an interesting tension between its contemporary silhouette and ancient material. The Neolithic jade axe was a ceremonial object (jade not being a suitable material for a practical axe), though its precise function is unknown. With this piece, Ai uses the same material to create another tool that has no clear function
"Set of Spouts, 2015 porcelain" In the mid-1990s Ai began to amass a vast quantity of ancient Chinese objects and fragments of objects that were discarded as a result of acellerated industrialization and urbanization, incorporating them in his work. These included Neolithic implements such as stone axes and sculpting tools and Buddhist ritual objects such as jade figurines and fragments of sculptures from the 4th to 8th centuries. By displaying them as contemporary works of art, Ai gives these objects a new lease on life.
Set of Spouts is a porcelain cast of teapot spouts from the Song dynasty (960-1279)- just a small sample of the 40,000 Ai has assembled until now and displayed elsewhere as a carpet covering the gallery floor. The spouts, recalling human bones, raise questions relating to the authenticity and cultural value of archaeological objects.
"Remains, 2015, porcelain" One of the most disturbing of Ai's works, "Remains" consists of porcelain replicas of human bones-skulls, pelvises, ribs, and tibias. The precision of the sculpting and coloring of these objects makes them appear uncannily real. The original bones were excavated at the site of a labor camp to which people considered dissidents and enemies of the state were exiled during Mao's Cultural Revolution. The conditions in these camps were extremely harsh and many of the detainees lost their lives due to famine or disease. Ai employs porcelain, a material closely associated with Chinese culture and identity, to represent the horrors of these historic events. This work also has an autobiographical dimension: in 1958, during the Anti-Rightist movement Ai's father the renowned poet Ai Qing, was denounced as part of Mao's campaign against intellectuals who dared criticize his regime. The Ai family was exiled to labor camps, first in the northeast and later in the northwest of China, where they lived in abject conditions. Ai's father was made to clean public toilets and as a result his health suffered and he lost his vision in one eye. Only in 1976, following Mao's death, was the family allowed to return to Beijing. These formative years in Ai's life had a tremendous influence on his development, shaping his identity as an activist and his lifelong engagement against social and political injustice
"Rui, 2012, porcelain" In ancient China, a ruyi (as you wish) was a scepter symbolizing the ruler's authority. Later it became a talisman for good fortune and longevity, and was often used in imperial ceremonies. Its curved shape combined the forms of immortality emblems such as the lingzhi fungus, dragon, phoenix, and lotus flower. The ruyi was generally made of gold, crystal, jade, and other precious materials. By making the object in porcelain and designing it in the shape of human organs- a heart, arteries, lungs, liver and intestines- Ai invests his ruyi with new meaning. The internal organs combine to form an oddly terrifying mythical creature that embodies the tension between power and physical vulnerability.
"Suitcase for Bachelors, 1987 suitcase, soap, toothbrush tube of toothpaste" Made while Ai was residing in New York, this early work incorporating everyday objects clearly references Dada founder Marcel Duchamp, who Ai discovered at that time. Ai affixed the tools of our daily routine- reflecting his life in those years. He arrived in the US at the age of 24 with just $30 in his pocket, surviving from odd jobs and by playing blackjack in Atlantic City. He was constantly on the move in NY, changing apartments ten times in those years, all of which became meeting places for Chinese avant-garde artists. Ai remained in the US until 1993, when her returned to Beijing to care for his ailing father.
"Bicycle Basket with flowers, 2015, porcelain" In 2011 Ai was arrested and held in detention without trial for 81 days. After he was released, the government refused to return his passport, de facto restricting his freedom of movement. This sculpture was created as a result of the artist's fight to regain his passport: every day for 600 days- the time it took him to retrieve his passport- Ai placed a fresh bouquet of flowers in the basket of a bicycle parked outside his studio, documenting it on social media. The fresh bouquet of flowers may be seen as a multicultural symbol representing the artist's right to life, which the Chinese government claims from its citizens at a whim, as well as that essence which makes life worthwhile and to which we all aspire.
"Free Speech Puzzle, 2105, porcelain" Shaped like a map of China, this puzzle is divided into pieces reflecting the different regions and ethnic groups that compose modern China. Each piece is inscribed with the slogan "Free Speech". The porcelain pieces are inspired by traditional pendants bearing the wearer's name, which serve as a talisman. These pendants could be made from a wide range of materials such as jade, porcelain, or wood and thus also indicate the wearer's social status.
"Blue and White Porcelain Model of Descending Light, 2014, porcelain" The stack of blue and white vessels, reminiscent of traditional Chinese porcelain, is a variation on an earlier work by the artist, Descending Light (2007) a monumental spiral chandelier that looks as if it just fell on the floor. Both works seem to "freeze" the moment in time before the object's imminent fall and its aftermath. The original piece is red, a color symbolizing both imperial and Communist China. In the new piece Ai gives the chandelier a blue and white glaze associated with the high-quality porcelain that was reserved for the Emperor in ancient times. Today, chandeliers are a standard feature of the interior design of luxury hotels and restaurants in China, connoting grandeur and affluence. All this political and economic power is about to come crashing down in Ai's piece. Light and chandeliers are also highly symbolic in the West, signifying enlightenment, truth, and knowledge. The work's title seems to express the hope that the light will shine and the truth will come out- but to reveal what exactly? The question remains open….
"Wave plate, 2012, porcelain" Ai has always been fascinated by the motif of waves, and here he incorporates it in the design of a porcelain bowl- an object closely associated with the material culture of traditional China. Allying the past with the present, the work draws on a number of sources: a water lily that appeared to the artist in a dream two weeks before the great 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami; painting s from the period of the Yuan dynasty ((1271-1368), in which the motif of water featured prominently; and Japanese prints- especially Hokusai's "Great Wave" (1832). The choice of porcelain to embody water posed an obvious challenge because of the contrast between the hard, brittle texture of the material, and the liquid, flowing nature of the motif. Together with craftsmen from the city of Jingdezhen, Ai made repeated trials until he reached the dynamic example seen here. Its gray-green celadon finish, developed in China during the 9th century, recalls the luminous aesthetic qualities of jade.
"Illumination, 2009 printed wallpaper" In August 2009, Ai traveled to Chengdu, China to testify on behalf of Tan Zuoren, an activist arrested and charged for his activities in researching the student deaths from the Sichuan earthquake, Ai was in his hotel room when police officers forced their way in and beat him, thus preventing him from attending the trial and from testifying. He complained of pain from the beating he had endured and the police allowed him to go to the hospital. On his way out of the hotel, Ai noticed the mirrored surface of the elevator and quickly snapped a photograph on his cell phone. This image would later be shared online, alerting Ai's supporters to what had transpired in Chengdu. Unlike regular selfies, which people usually post on social networks to share their presence at a party or in an enjoyable moment, Ai's selfie serves as a political tool documenting and illuminating acts that the Chinese government would rather keep secret.
"Illumination, 2009 printed wallpaper" In August 2009, Ai traveled to Chengdu, China to testify on behalf of Tan Zuoren, an activist arrested and charged for his activities in researching the student deaths from the Sichuan earthquake, Ai was in his hotel room when police officers forced their way in and beat him, thus preventing him from attending the trial and from testifying. He complained of pain from the beating he had endured and the police allowed him to go to the hospital.
On his way out of the hotel, Ai noticed the mirrored surface of the elevator and quickly snapped a photograph on his cell phone. This image would later be shared online, alerting Ai's supporters to what had transpired in Chengdu. Unlike regular selfies, which people usually post on social networks to share their presence at a party or in an enjoyable moment, Ai's selfie serves as a political tool documenting and illuminating acts that the Chinese government would rather keep secret.
"Laziz, 2017, color video with sound (14 min)" In May 2016, Ai and his team traveled to Gaza to film part of a documentary he was making about refugees around the world. Ai visited the Khan Younis Zoo, in which only 15 out of the 100s of animals it had previously housed had survived, all in a state of neglect and near starvation. Among then was Laziz, a 10-year old tiger who was brought from Egypt to Gaza in 2007. Laziz, the last surviving tiger in the zoo became a symbol for the conflict tearing apart the region. Because of war, financial difficulties, and extreme weather conditions, most of the animals in the zoo had died, and the zoo itself, instead of being a source of joy for the coildren of Gaza, became known as "the worst zoo in the world." In a region where daily life is a struggle for human beings, animals cannot be kept in decent conditions. Ten months after Ai filmed Laziz in his cage Four Paws, an international animal welfare organization joined with officials in Gaza and Israel to rescue the 15 surviving animals, moving them to zoos in Israel and around the world where their needs could be provided for. Laziz was flown to Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary, a nature reserve in South Africa, where, for the first time in his life, he could have a taste of freedom.
"Three Clothes Hangers as a Star, 1987-88, metal hangers in wood frame" While he was residing in the United States, Ai discovered the work of Dada founder Marcel Duchamp and was enthralled by his witty approach to art and his use of the readymade. Duchamp became a major source of influence on Ai's artistic practice and on his conception of the artist's role. He employs the mundane clothes hanger as Duchamp might. Unlike Duchamp, who used arbitrary combinations of objects, Ai bends the hangers to form a five-pointed star, the symbol of Community China. The viewer's eye follows the intersecting lines in an attempt to distinguish the individual hangers. This Ai's work implies a criticism of the way Communism has eradicated individual identity, enforcing on China a collectivism that ultimately brought about the destruction of its economy and society.
"Hanging Man, 1989, metal hanger in wood frame" One of Ai's earliest works, is an homage to Duchamp, referencing the latter's use of coat hangers in his works. Ai bends the hanger to look like a line drawing of Duchamp's profile.
"The Animal that Looks Like a Llama but is Really an Alpaca, 2015 printed wallpaper" From afar, this decorative wallpaper evoking a rococo design seems to belong in a place rather than a museum. Only from up close can we see that the gilt ornaments are made up of surveillance cameras surrounding a Twitter bird as well as other birds, chains, handcuffs, and alpacas. Ever since the government installed a battery of surveillance cameras around Ai Wei Wei's home, these have become a recurring motif in his work he sculpts surveillance cameras, photographs them, and uses them as an ornament in his wallpapers. The wallpaper, which covers, and thus conceals the wall, is a cynical allusion to the elegant way in which tyrannical powers cover up their repressive acts and spy on other citizen. The enigmatic title relates to the Chinese word for "alpaca", which can also sound like an insult. It has become a popular slogan against the authorities as it is used to circumvent governmental censure, and is also widely used in campaigns for freedom of speech and against online censorship. The alpaca has become a symbol of protest.
"Untitled, 2005-2006, Tieli wood ornaments from a dismantled temple of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and found metal chairs" This work- a sculpted beam connecting two metal chairs may seem puzzling at first, but to the Chinese its parts are both meaningful and topical: the chairs are similar to those used in police interrogations and the beam was recovered from the remains of a dismantled Qing dynasty temple.
With this work- as with most of his artistic activity especially since his return to China in 1993- Ai protests against the way the Chinese government places its citizens under surveillance and interrogates them. Here the roles are reversed; it is no longer the citizens that are scrutinized but rather the authorities, represented by remains of the temples they destroy in the name of progress and development. The fragments symbolize not only the destroyed temples but also the eradication of China's cultural past.
Detail of Qing Temple element
"Kippe, 2008, Tieli wood from dismantled temples of the Qing dynasty and iron parallel bars" Under Mao's regime, Ai Wei Wei's father, the poet Ai Qing, was exiled with this family to a labor camp in Shihezi, where they lived for eighteen years. One of Ai's salient childhood memories is the chopped wood for heating that his father would pile up in a highly aesthetic stack by the side of their house, drawing the admiration of passers-by
Kippe consists of 6000 pieces of wood that Ai gathered from temples that were destroyed by the Chinese authorities in order to make way for a surge of new development. The wood is framed by a pair of parallel bars evoking a branch of athletics that was commonplace in Chinese schools. The traditional Chinese method of working with wood, wherein the pieces are held together without any use of nails, joints, or glue, relies on the carpenter's profound understanding of the qualities of the wood. In creating this work Ai was assisted by two expert Chinese carpenters, who assembled its pieces in a process reminiscent of the making of a giant three-dimensional puzzle. The aesthetic result combines the artist's poignant childhood memories with remains from China's glorious past.
Posted in Normandy Jerusalem	1 Comment
Secrets of the Museum
Another small gallery is given over to an exhibit of works in the museum's collections that doesn't usually see the light of day. This time the exhibit is entitled "No Thing Dies" and is composed of collages by Lilit Azoulay, combining disparate works of art and the tools and detritus of the museum itself. I apologize for the poor quality of the images. I usually try to find the images online without the glare of glass, etc. but these works are not available so you'll at least get an idea of how interesting this is. The artist asks the questions, how does an object become a valuable collectible, how does this affect art history and contemporary artistic practice, and can contemporary art offer ways in which the objects may be reused and redefined? Collages are put together as webs of cross-cultural and cross-historical possibilities, allowing the objects themselves to generate narratives both historical and fictional. These large scale collages appear dimensional but are all flat.
For an unknown reason, the place they took empty.
On the most beautiful thing in the world.
Caption of photo: Other children come to play with Eli and Anat and Saul. Anat looks over the wall- what a vast country, and so much sand. Title of work: Cover Story
All sorts of sights went wrong like a great catastrophe in storeroom for glass.
Imagine that only one person can see the merriness of things.
The life in her is limited to that side only.
The return of things that are no more
Remember from that journey was only this.
Under the surface only the merriness of things could be seen.
New head: when he made the wrong movement he didn't know what harmony he tore.
Posted in Normandy Jerusalem	Leave a comment
One of my all time favorite museums in the world is the Israel Museum, which holds one of the largest collections of antiquities in the world, the original copy of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, outstanding modern art, and I have never visited there without seeing something amazing. This time I am going to talk about three exhibitions in three separate blogs. If you are one of my students there is something for everyone in these three postings so enjoy. The first is from a small gallery that always has a surprising gem of antiquity to share. Those of you in Art Appreciation are just starting to explore ancient art and those of you in Ancient Art History just completed your look at Greece and Rome so you will appreciate this too.
The gallery showed exquisite original Roman gold coins and in the center had a 360 degree option to look at these coins on both sides.
Coins dating 211-294 CE, the portraits are less delicate and more rugged perhaps to emphasize that these emperors were soldiers as well as rulers and some did not come from "high society" either. We even can detect variety ethnicity since most of these emperors were not of Roman or even Italian origin.
These coins date from 294-335 CE show that individual realistic portraits were replaced with a standardized one. The large faces are meant to have a pensive upward gaze that still invokes a sense of power and superiority.
3rd Century CE was a turbulent period with those seeking to seize control striking coins bearing their image and circulating them widely as an attempt to project independence. They often portrayed themselves as soldiers. Since these usurpers didn't last their coins are very rare as not many were made.
Roman emperors also placed their family members on coins meant to convey to the empire how women were supposed to appear and behave. Sometimes they even depicted their ancestors as gods which would make them sons of gods.
Life Within the Walls
We visited a small museum in an old house in the Old City built 500 years ago and typical of architecture in the Mediterranean with an internal courtyard, small and cramped rooms, with the courtyard serving as the center for family activities. Cooking was not done in the house because of ventilation problems, and each family had their own corner in the courtyard for that purpose. Although living conditions in Jerusalem remained unchanged for generation, and the Old City was quite inhospitable, at the turn of the century progress had been made for affluent residents though not for the majority. During the British Mandate (1917-1948) electricity came to Jerusalem and wealthier families could hook up to the grid.
The museum is set up to simulate one of these buildings. One unique thing is that the room that simulates the synagogue is the room where the Ari was born. The "Ari" which means lion is the name given to Isaac Luria, a famous rabbi and mystic, considered the father of Kabbalah. While he may have been born here his main following and attention (including a famous synagogue with his name and location of his burial) are in Safed in the north of Israel.
The Isaac Kaplan Old Yishuv (community) Court Museum, Jewish Quarter
Up to the 19th century most of Jerusalem's Jewish residents were ancestors of those who fled Spain during the Inquisition. The population in 1840 was around 13,000 of whom 5,000 were Jews. The poorer families had one sparsely furnished room and had to move from place to place almost yearly.
You can see this is the room of a more affluent family, perhaps one from Western Europe.
Tea from the samovar, mirrored glass in the armoire, let's you know the status of this family although unsanitary conditions and disease were right outside the door.
Electricity made it possible to have a phonograph and other conveniences.
The inner courtyard, heart of the building with every room facing on to it. Cooking, washing, playing all happened here.
Photograph of mother and two small children performing their daily tasks
Some of the tools needed for daily life.
A model of the Hurva Synagogue from 19th century (you can see inside, looks almost as it did then)
Torah scrolls: Sephardi style standing up. The Sephardim are the Jews from Spain, Portugal, and Arabic speaking countries.
The Ari synagogue which is also Sephardic in arrangement with seats along three walls and the prayer stand in the center. The Ari was apparently born in this exact room.
History on a Mountain
Jerusalem is very hilly and one of the largest hills is called Har Ha'Zikaron (Remembrance Mountain). At the bottom of the mountain is the Valley of the Communities, a stone labyrinth laid out in the shape of Eastern and Western Europe. The canyon created by the stones has the names of all the communities (big and small) lost during the Holocaust in geographical order. One wanders through to find the one that is meaningful to them. It's powerful. Next up the hill is Yad Va'Shem, the Holocaust Museum, then higher on the hill are graves of soldiers, too many of course. Above that are the graves of the leaders of Israel through time and on the very top is the grave of Theodore Herzl, founder of the nation. It's a sad place but a very beautiful one and scattered throughout are memorials (not graves) of various significant events in Israel's history. They are the subject of this blog posting.
Valley of the Communities from above
The section of the Valley that includes Warsaw
Memorial to the Ethiopians who walked to Jerusalem from 1970 to the early 1990s and died on the road. It includes the names on the diagonal slabs, models of the types of huts they lived in in Ethiopia, and rock piles to simulate the graves where they were buried on the road.
Memorial to the Last Descendants is a memorial to Holocaust survivors who were the last in their family left alive. They managed to get to Israel in 1948, and died fighting in the War of Independence. Their memorial is an inverted house stuck in the ground with the roof at the bottom.
The names are carved on a slab that looks like the side that is missing off the top with the entrance empty. The stones you see are left by people who visit.
Memorial to those killed in terrorism attacks. Each black plaque is engraved with the names of those killed over a period of 10 years at a time. Unfortunately, it makes it possible to learn which periods of time have been the most deadly. The corner element "holding it together" is a damaged structure leaning to the side.
Memorial for people who died at sea trying to get to Israel. Their names are inscribed on the bottom of the pool.
Jews throughout Eastern Europe by serving in the Red Army helped defeat the Nazis. They are memorialized here, and it looks like a Soviet style memorial.
Memorial to the Dakar, a submarine purchased by Israel from England in 1968 that vanished enroute in the Mediterranean. There were 69 people aboard and it was not found until 1999. It is unknown what happened to it. It was one of four submarines lost that year- the others were French, Soviet, and American.
A salvaged portion of the submarine at one end of the memorial.
The memorial is below ground, as if you are descending into the submarine. There is a plaque for each of those lost.
This memorial is for those last fighters in the Old City in 1948. I believe there are 35 plaques.
You can see that it replicates one of the alleys of the Old City with plaques on either side. The actual bodies are buried in a common grave elsewhere in the cemetery. This group is called the Lamed Heh (the letters stand for the number 35).
The youngest one memorialized is Nassim Gini who was 9-1/2. He wasn't in the army but was a runner back and forth in the days before high tech communication.
Hurva (Ruined) Synagogue
This seems like an odd name for a synagogue, especially one so beautiful and large in the center of the Jewish Quarter. It was established in the early 18th century and then destroyed by Muslims in 1721. It lay in ruins for 140 years so it became known as the "hurry", the ruin. It was rebuilt in 1864 only to be blown up by the Arab Legion when they took the Old City in 1948 during the War of Independence. In 1977 a commemorative arch was erected that is the exact size of one of the large arches you see on each side of the building and then a newly built synagogue modeling the original one was dedicated in 2010.
Photograph of the Hurva Synagogue in 1864
Arch erected after 1967 war to commemorate where the synagogue stood
The rebuilt Hurva Synagogue
The fresco over the door is of the Babylonian exile (586 BCE).
Every project in this country has to have an archaeological research to determine if there was something there worth preserving. In this case they unearthed part of the Roman Cardo (main road in town). This dates to Byzantine times, 6th century.
This shows you what is planned to take visitors along the route of the Cardo (Roman boulevard through the center of town)
A ritual bath was also found from a private residence (1st century BCE to 1st century CE).
The ark and main sanctuary of the synagogue rebuilt to look as close to possible the original designs. Notice part of the wall was original from the "ruins".
Medallions of holy sites on the four corners below the dome. This one of the "machpela", burial place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah
This medallion shows the grave of Rachel (second wife of Jacob)
View from on the rim of the dome- el Aksa Mosque
View toward Dome of the Rock
Armenians and Jews
I've always been fascinated with the Armenians who live in the Old City. The tall hats in the shape of Mt. Ararat, particularly appropriate this week since we just read the story of Noah on Saturday and the secrecy about their quarter in the Old City. I should explain that I am here partly for a reunion for my very first trip to Israel when I came two weeks after the 1967 War (6 Day War) when I was 16 years old. One of the participants moved to Israel and is a tour guide so he guided our group for a few days to some interesting sites, some of which are a bit off the usual track. This is part of one of them. Getting back to the Armenians, they are believed to have first settled in Jerusalem in the 4th century. Their numbers swelled after the genocide in the early 20th century though their numbers have declined steadily and are at about 2000 today. The Jewish quarter is also today inhabited by about 2000 people though the Jewish community is thriving more than the Armenians. Inhabitants of both quarters are for the most part very religious though the Armenians are much more private and secretive. They do not let visitors enter their section. Both communities within the Old City were lively areas in the 19th century and unfortunately the Jewish Quarter was decimated in the War of Independence in 1948, only allowed to return after 1967 when Israel retook the Old City from Jordan.
The relationship Israel has with Armenia is troubled because while it should recognize the Genocide that occurred in the early 20th century it needs to maintain relations with Turkey. It's a difficult path they are taking. Genocide is something else Jews and Armenians share in their history.
If you look up in the Armenian Quarter you will see solid walls topped by additional walls with shards of glass. They are serious about keeping everyone out of their quarter.
And of course, everywhere you look you see surveillance cameras, to be expected in this part of the world.
The sign for the Menachem Zion Synagogue for a community that came to Jerusalem in the 19th century from Italy. They struggled once their leader died since he was the main fundraiser as well as leader. The Ottomans were not happy about not getting their "cut" so destroyed the community completely. What is left of it is a small synagogue behind this sign.
Portions left from the destruction of the small community are mainly the synagogue which is still functional today.
Domes everywhere….
From King David to the Ottomans
The Citadel of David, just inside the Jaffa Gate of the Old City has a wonderful historical museum about the origins and development of the Citadel and the entire Old City. Just as Mesopotamia was conquered and reconquered over centuries, so was the location of the Old City of Jerusalem. The amazing this is that one conquerer did not dispose of what was already there, rather added to it. Excavations in the Old City are controversial to say the least so there is likely quite a bit that is unknown and probably will never be known about the earliest times of this city.
Model of the City of David for which there is some evidence starting in 4500 BCE though this is speculation since very little remains from the original settlement. You can see how strategically going up the hill was the main impetus for locating a settlement here and the spring at the bottom.
The spring was developed by King Hezekiah to bring water to the settlement., built approximately 8th century BCE.
This model of the Citadel of David shows many different levels of development mostly starting with Herod.
Model of what First Temple may have looked like. Also called the Temple of Solomon it was probably built in the 7th century BCE and destroyed in 586, that resulted in the first exile to Babylonia.
To those of you who are taking "Ancient Art History" these recreated reliefs will look familiar to you with what looks like the Ishtar Gate and an Assyrian type of register.
This may document the exile to Babylonia (a reconstruction)
Remains of Herod's palace inside the Citadel, dating 1st century BCE.
The Second Temple was built in 516 BCE and then destroyed in 70 CE by the Romans ahead of the second exile. Notice the Temple Mount came to be during this time and you can see the Temple in the center.
This is the temple where Jesus is said to have spent time and these steps/arch are called Robinson's Arch. It was part of an expansion of the Second Temple by Herod.
This is what remains of Robinson's Arch, named for the Biblical scholar who identified it.
This is a replica from the inside of the Arch of Titus in Rome that depicts the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the people.
After the destruction of the Second Temple the Temple Mount is still there but there is nothing built there. That makes "room" for the Dome of the Rock completed in 691.
Skipping ahead to the Middle Ages, the Mamluks (meaning slaves) were a group of Turkish, Balkan, and Circassians who took power in Egypt and eventually made their way to Jerusalem.
Mamluk style of architecture is what we often associate with the Moorish style of two toned Islamic art including the muqarna (stalagmite type of ornamentation we see in the Alhambra in Spain and the Mesquita in Cordoba)
Finally to the Ottomans who occupied Jerusalem from 1517-1917 when they were thrown out by the British. They neglected the city so badly that it was a nightmarish place for people to live. That's why in the late 19th century people began venturing out of the city to live.
The interior of the Citadel of David showing the various levels of habitation there and a beautiful glass installation by Dale Chihuly. (the green glass "growing" in the foreground). He filled the entire interior in the year 2000 so it's nice to see they left something from that exhibition.
Model of the Old City at the Israel Museum in the new part of Jerusalem. At the front you can see the walls which are actually a late edition in the 16th century by Sultan Suleiman.
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Views of Jerusalem
There is always lots to look at in Jerusalem and whenever you have to good fortune to get a "view" it's amazing what you can see. It confirms that this city is unique in the world in many ways and I do believe those who say it is exactly the center point of the world. So many revere this place and so many come to experience it.
View from our hotel, always a different view, this time towards the Old City and East Jerusalem
The most famous view of the Old City shows the Dome of the Rock and one end of the Temple Mount
Looking towards the Christian Quarter with the tower of the Lutheran Church visible
In the distance you can see the Mount of Olives cemetery where many important Jewish scholars are buried along with Oskar Schindler and others important to Jewish history. Just a little left of center in front of the cemetery can be seen the dark gray dome of Al Aksa Mosque which is located on the opposite end of the Temple Mount from The Dome of the Rock.
The two bluish/gray domes are the domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was supposedly buried and then rose to heaven. In the foreground is the Armenian Quarter and it is totally closed off from the rest of the Old City. The Armenians do not mingle with anyone and you can't visit the quarter. Look down into the closed in section that looks like a courtyard ringed with fortified dwellings.
To the far distance you can see the hills of Jordan.
Church of Mary Magdalene to the left and a minaret almost next to it gives you a sense of how close all of this is to each other. It's a bit hard to tell where one quarter ends and the other begins.
The white dome of the Hurva Synagogue in the Jewish quarter (more on this in another posting).
A view of the modern city to the West. In the lower left corner the red rooms are the Yemin Moshe neighborhood, the first neighborhood outside the walls of the Old City first inhabited in the late 19th century. Before that everyone lived inside the walls of the city.


We're very excited to reveal the line-up for our first ever Insta-POOCH at the All About Dogs Show Newbury!
Join us in the Village Green where our Insta-POOCH Red Carpet will connect the UK's Doggy Stars of Instagram with their BIGGEST fans.
Come meet, cuddle and snap a selfie with some of the big 'Stars of Instagram' as they take part in interviews, share their top Instagram tips and interact with their fans.


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Катарина Зец (Београд, 19. март 1997) српска је кошаркашица која игра на позицији бека. Игра за репрезентацију Србије.

Каријера

Рођена је у Београду. Игра на позицији бека. У Србији је наступала за београдску Црвену звезду, до сезоне 2015/16, и са којом је освојила Куп Србије. Касније је играла у Сједињеним Америчким Државама за екипу УТЕП, Тексас универзитет Ел Пасо. Потом се вратила у Србију, и у сезони 2020/21, наступала за ЖКК Арт Баскет.

У сезони 2021/22. потписала је уговор за шпански тим Араски АЕС.

Играла је за млађе категорије селекције Србије. Касније је постала део сениорске репрезентације Србије. Уврштена је у састав репрезентације Србије за Светско првенство 2022. године у Аустралији.

Референце

Спољашње везе
 Катарина Зец на сајту fiba.com
 Катарина Зец на Твитеру

Рођени 1997.
Спортисти из Београда
Српске кошаркашице
Кошаркашице Црвене звезде
Бек шутери

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You are here: Home / United Nations News / 'Well-being of two million' in Gaza at stake as emergency fuel runs dry: UN humanitarian coordinator
'Well-being of two million' in Gaza at stake as emergency fuel runs dry: UN humanitarian coordinator
August 9, 2018 by United Nations Leave a Comment
UNSCO
Jamie McGoldrick (2nd left), the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, receives a briefing at the Kerem Shalom crossing point into Gaza on July 17th.
To avert hospital closures and raw sewage overflowing onto the streets of Gaza, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator on Wednesday called on Israeli authorities to allow UN-purchased emergency fuel back across the border of the Palestinian enclave.
"Restricting the entry of emergency fuel to Gaza is a dangerous practice, with grave consequences on the rights of people in Gaza," Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Palestine said in a statement.
"The well-being of 2 million people, half of whom are children, is at stake. It is unacceptable that Palestinians in Gaza are repeatedly deprived of the most basic elements of a dignified life," he added.
In the context of tightened import and export restrictions, Israel has prohibited fuel into the Gaza Strip since 2 August – following an earlier restriction that lasted from 16–24 July. According to the Israeli authorities, the intensified measures were in response to the continuing launch of incendiary kites launched from Gaza into Israel, which have sparked multiple fires.
Meanwhile, the fuel, which is being held up at the Israeli border, is urgently needed to power back-up generators which are in huge demand due to Gaza's chronic energy crisis.
To ensure that hospitals, water and sanitation services function properly over the next four days, the respective humanitarian partners have indicated that at least 60,000 litres of emergency fuel must be delivered as soon as possible, to some 46 facilities across the strip.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), around 40 of Gaza's 132 water and sanitation facilities have enough fuel for between one and two days – leaving 1.2 million Palestinians at imminent risk of sewage overflow.
To avoid sewage flooding into populated areas, Gaza City has reportedly had to direct the equivalent of four Olympic-sized swimming pools of sewage each day towards a storm water lagoon in the city's north, placing those surrounding communities at risk of overflow.
Gaza City sewage treatment has also reduced solid waste collection, leaving around 15,000 tons of garbage accumulating in the streets and increasing the risks of waterborne disease.
Hospitals and other health services are reducing operations, with five hospitals in danger of closing, placing more than 2,000 patients who rely on electrical devices at highest risk.
Moreover, medical services for over 1.6 million others may suffer at Gaza's main health facilities.
Compounding the situation, emergency fuel funding will run out for all critical facilities in mid-August, with $4.5 million required to keep a minimum level of essential services running through the end of the year.
"Gaza desperately needs longer-term solutions so we can move past this cycle of repeated or worsening crises, including that Palestinian authorities prioritize provision of fuel for essential services," said Mr. McGoldrick.
"Until that happens, Israel must reverse the recent restrictions, including on the entry of emergency fuel, and donors must step in and fund emergency fuel, in order to avoid a disease outbreak or other major public health concern," he concluded.
Filed Under: United Nations News Tagged With: Gaza, OCHA, The European Sting, The Sting, United Nations
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Senate votes to extend state of emergency in St James
Loop News Created : 27 July 2018 Jamaica News
The Senate on Friday voted to extend the state of emergency in St James for another three months until November 1. All 15 senators present voted yes while six were absent.
The Senate vote followed a similar extension approved by the House of Representatives last week Tuesday.
Senator Pearnel Charles Jr, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in moving the resolution for the extension, highlighted that much was accomplished but stressed that more needs to be done.
Pointing to statistics, the junior minister noted that up to July 21, some 55 people were murdered in St James. This is a reduction of 113 when compared with the similar period in 2017 when 168 people were killed in the parish. At the same time, there has been a 56.6 per cent reduction in shootings, while up to July 15 there was a 32.4 per cent reduction in robberies and a 38.1 per cent reduction in reported cases of rape in the parish.
Charles Jr also pointed out that, up to June 30, of the 2,729 people detained in St James since the imposition of the state of emergency on January 18, some 175 were charged for various crimes. Of that number, 25 were charged with murder, 27 for shooting with intent, 13 with robbery, 10 for rape, 28 for other sexual offences and 72 for "other charges". Twenty persons have either been detained or charged for being gang leaders or members of criminal gangs while 46 illegal firearms were seized.
"This substantial progress in the fight against crime Mr President was achieved to a large extent by the enhanced security measures implemented in St James…measures which were, and continue to be necessary and critical if we are to succeed together as a nation in taking a stand against criminals and criminal activity," said Charles Jr.
However, Opposition Senator Lambert Brown, in his contribution to the debate, warned against complacency when the crime statistics, in particular those relating to murder are presented. Brown pointed out that up to July 21, some 728 murders had been committed islandwide, an average of 3.6 per day "which takes us on a track of over 1,300 murders at the end of this year," he said.
"I urge the Government, as you embrace the public relations, don't lead this country into a sense of complacency. We recognise that crime is so rampant it has become common place, we have become numb to it…we have a far way to go," said Brown.
In the meantime, while 1,616 is the figure that has been widely reported as being the murder total for 2017, Senator Brown pointed to a Planning Institute of Jamaica publication that lists the total as 1,644. It is the third bloodiest year on record.
Lambert Brown
Pearnel Charles Jr
Phillips questions value of St James state of emergency
No fallout in GSAT results from state of emergency, ZOSO
Gun, ammo haul in St James and St Catherine North


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Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, she appeared in stage productions and television series, before signing with Jive Records in 1997.
#Pop*****
2013: ''Britney Jean'' listen full album
2011: ''Femme Fatale'' listen full album
2008: ''Circus''
2007: ''Blackout'' listen full album
2003: ''In the Zone'' listen full album
2001: ''Britney''
2000: ''Oops!...I Did It Again'' listen full album
1999: ''...Baby One More Time'' listen full album
Patrick Hernandez
Korgis
Iggy Azalea & Rita Ora
Four Non Blondes


Considering the increasing acceptance of online money transfers among today's users, mobile wallet service MobiKwik has introduced its mobile money transfer service which allows registered users to transfer money directly from their wallet to another's.
To ensure the security of the W2W service a One Time Password (OTP) is generated before each wallet money transfer is made.
MobiKwik, with its 8 million user base, after introducing the wallet to wallet (W2W) service, claims over INR 1 Crore exchanged through 1.5 lakh transactions in the past two months. These transactions could be anywhere between Rs.1 to Rs.5000 in a single transaction.
MobiKwik, whose wallet download had touched one million mobile downloads on Android Play Store, notes that regular W2W transactions include people splitting bills, students and working professionals transferring money for bill payments, and friends exchanging money for group gift purchases. The service also has a 'Request Money' feature which provides users a simple method of alerting others of any pending payments.
With mobile commerce space booming in India, companies like MobiKwik, Freecharge, Paytm and Oxigen have announced major plans to launch more mobile based online services in the country.


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Fire-damaged buildings down and coming down
Ray Kisonas
Two long-standing buildings on N. Monroe St. that were damaged heavily by fire last year have been torn down or are in the process of demolition.
Crews and heavy machinery are tearing down the remains of the old North Monroe Greenhouse that was destroyed by a fast-moving fire in the early-morning hours of Oct. 4.
The building has been at 1818 N. Monroe St. for 75 years.
And the old Betrus family market at N. Monroe and E. Lorain Sts. is just a memory now.
Frenchtown Township Supervisor Jim McDevitt said all but two walls of the North Monroe Greenhouse building are expected to be torn down. He believes the owner intends to build something on the site.
?We really haven?t heard,? Mr. McDevitt said. ?It?ll probably take some time.?
The florist business, meanwhile, moved about a mile down the road to 602 N. Monroe St. at W. Grove St. and is called North Monroe Floral Boutique.
It opened in December and manager Cathy Dobberstein said the new building, which used to be a tanning spa, works well.
?We?re really excited,? Ms. Dobberstein said. ?Business has been really good. This is going to work out really nicely for us.?
The cause of the fire may never be known, said Frenchtown Township Fire Inspector Josh Maddox. He said the fire was determined to be accidental.
?We eliminated suspicion,? Mr. Maddox said. ?The cause is undetermined. Unfortunately a lot of fires end up like that. The heat was so intense we could not pinpoint a point of origin.?
The ruins of the other fire have been demolished and removed.
The building at 476 N. Monroe St, which was started as a market by the Betrus family in the 1930s, is now gone.
Also demolished was the duplex behind it at 14 E. Lorain, leaving behind two empty spaces.
In June, a fire spread to both buildings and left up to seven people without homes. It also displaced a consignment shop, Then and Now, which opened up only about a week before the fire occurred.
The owner of that business, Diane Lankford, has moved to downtown Monroe at 48 S. Monroe St.
She said it was not easy recovering from the effects of the devastating fire.
?It took a while because I lost a lot of stuff,? Ms. Lankford said. ?I?m finally settled here.?
Monroe city officials said a property management firm in Newport owned both buildings. There are no announced plans to rebuild at either sight anytime soon, officials said.


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APAC Indian Excellence Awards 2018
5 APAC / 2018 Indian Excellence Awards , 2 Automation Anywhere Increases Investment in India Automation Anywhere expects India to become the world's automation hub and is set to capitalize on its rich talent pool, with 700 employees expected by end of 2018. Automation Anywhere, the largest enterprise software provider in robotic process automation (RPA), has announced it is expanding operations in India by opening a new facility in Bengaluru. After outgrowing its previous location in Bengaluru, the new center is focused on serving the increasing demand for Automation Anywhere's Intelligent Digital Workforce Platform. The company also has offices in Baroda and Mumbai, with a total of 385 employees as of today across the three locations with plans to hire over 300 new engineering and operations experts in India this year alone to support the growing demand. India has been one of Automation Anywhere's core growth markets and the company will continue to aggressively hire people responsible for partner success, sales, solutions architecture, training, support, customer service and marketing at the new Bengaluru facility. The company has not only identified India as a leading growth market, but also as the country possessing the largest engineering talent pool to serve global customers. Demand for RPA solutions in India has increased exponentially over the last few years due to significant adoption by GICs, financial institutions, telecom service providers, technology and manufacturing companies. Automation Anywhere expects its extraordinary growth momentum to continue as it invests in a technology ecosystem which has a rich talent pool, robust training programs and a strong partner network. "We are witnessing India emerging as the automation hub for the world similar to the explosive evolution of IT which took place over the last few decades. The market potential in the country is immense, from both a business growth and talent perspective," said Ankur Kothari, Chief Revenue Office and Co-Founder of Automation Anywhere. The country has witnessed enormous economic progress in the last decade, transforming Indian enterprises to world class levels. MNCs worldwide view India as an automation center where the available talent is second to none. "As Robotic Process Automation continues its rapid adoption at enterprise organizations, we see India driving this trend worldwide. India is already the largest development center for us and we expect this to only accelerate through 2020." Automation Anywhere is the robotic process automation market leader with over 1,000 enterprise customers worldwide. Its exponential growth over the past 12 months is the result of the significant investments it has made in their global customer success program, product innovation, market education and a large partner network with more than 100 global advisories, resellers and system integrators. The company gained 396 new enterprise customers in 2017, resulting in an upsell growth rate of 411 percent in total business in the second half of 2017 compared with the second half of 2016.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTY1MjI4


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The second opening song for the anime Samurai Flamenco by FLOW, titled " Ai Ai Ai ni Utarete Bye Bye Bye". You are be able to find this song from their single release (2014.02.26) and also from their latest album "26 a GO GO GO!!!" (2014.03.26).


Since 1972, LEVEL HOME SERVICES is your best choice for repair, installation, and service in homes and buildings just like yours in the Central Maryland. We take special pride in the craftsmen we train and employ--a fact you'll see in the reviews below. It's also noticeable immediately in the attitude and integrity our technicians bring to your job site. Our entire company works hard to make your experience with us hassle-free and enjoyable. You can also be assured that LEVEL HOME SERVICES stands behind the work we do as well as complies with all local codes. This is why, as you can see by the map and reviews below, we are rated so highly for Furnace and Air Conditioning Repair in Dundalk, MD. Call us today at (410) 939-0110!
Tyler was honest, courteous and knowledgeable.
Rob was extremely helpful with all questions I had and was very elaborate with his answers and explanations I feel more knowledgeable now about my system than I did before he got here !
Yearly service on carrier air conditioner.


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Montroy is een gemeente in het Franse departement Charente-Maritime (regio Nouvelle-Aquitaine) en telt 654 inwoners (2008). De plaats maakt deel uit van het arrondissement La Rochelle.

Geografie
De oppervlakte van Montroy bedraagt 3,99 km², de bevolkingsdichtheid is 164 inwoners per km².

Demografie
Onderstaande figuur toont het verloop van het inwonertal (bron: INSEE-tellingen).

Externe links

Gemeente in Charente-Maritime


text:
Best picture: 'Spotlight'
Best director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 'The Revenant'
Best actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, 'The Revenant'
Best actress: Brie Larson, 'Room'
Best supporting actor: Mark Rylance, 'Bridge of Spies'
Best supporting actress: Alicia Vikander, 'The Danish Girl'
Best original screenplay: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, 'Spotlight'
Best adapted screenplay: Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, 'The Big Short'
Best animated feature: 'Inside Out'
Best documentary feature: 'Amy'
Best foreign-language film: 'Son of Saul'
Best original song: 'Writing's on the Wall,' from 'Spectre'
Best original score: 'The Hateful Eight'
Best cinematography: 'The Revenant'
Best film editing: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
Best production design: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
Best sound editing: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
Best sound mixing: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
Best visual effects: 'Ex Machina'
Best costume design: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
Best makeup and hairstyling: 'Mad Max: Fury Road'
Best animated short film: 'Bear Story'
Best live-action short film: 'Stutterer'
Best documentary short subject: 'A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness'


You continue to blow me away, friend. I think my favorite bit, just for the humorous relatability (this may not be an actual word…) is "Gifted kids are, in reality, kids. They get excited about stuff like Minecraft, princesses, farts, and candy." Thank you for this!
I want the secret handshake!
Bah ha ha ha ha! Totally!
Thank you so much for writing and sharing such an accurate and passionate article! I am a gifted specialist and your words and thoughts are spot on. Thanks for sharing.
Oh goodness, thank you so much for this!
Hi can I contact you?
I cannot even begin to count the number of times I've been asked by other parents if our son is autistic or, in the case of a few momentarily-brazen souls, I've actually been TOLD by other parents that he is. We have had him evaluated for that possibility—twice, actually, because as a first time parent, I worried that I was misreading him. But people just cannot seem to stop themselves.
Sigh…I wish everyone would read this and recognize their own assumptions in it.
Goodness I relate to your frustration. Parents see and worry over their kids more than anyone – believe us when we say we've noticed behaviors long before anyone else!
And yeah, it's not a threat. He's a sweet little boy.
Good luck to you, and to all of us! Great article, Jen.
Great read thank you! I've got four sons and three so far tested in HG and PG range. And all sooooo different!!
Another amazing piece! I love you! I love that I have someone like you who is on my side! Someone to live this life with, someone who can relate with how I feel, someone who is so spot on and puts all the feels so beautifully into words! Thank you!
Whoa. This is so perfect. Exactly right on, my friend! I'm the mother of three highly gifted kiddos, and as mentioned before, three UNIQUELY different kiddos, at that! In fact, my eldest asked me if our middle was autistic, because she is "different" than he is. I even questioned myself at that point. So, we ask the doctor at the next visit if this is likely, and he looks at me like I'm crazy! And says, she is "different" than he is, different doesn't mean autistic. Bam!
I love this line: gifted kids are one of the most underserved populations in schools, often dismissed as having no real needs or being "smart enough" to adapt themselves that they can be sent to a corner with a book and a high five.
We have experienced this soooo much! It's hard on the child!
It really is! I'm so sorry this has been your experience.
I feel your pain. I love love this article written by someone who really gets my reality. Thank you Jen, this is what I needed today.
I have 2 under my roof and there are nights when watching CM or TBBT or even Bones occasionally, that my hubby and I look at one another and go 'we could totally see one of them doing that'. Sometimes we kid that watching Reid, Sheldon, Hodgins, and Bones is great note taking time for knowing what to head off at the pass later. (We have a blossoming Hodgins I'm almost certain).
But I've had people (teachers) tell me my child shouldn't get special treatment, that I shouldn't tell anyone he is gifted, that he just needs to learn to be bored and not disruptive. I homeschool now so they can self pace and people tell me to stop pushing them so hard, like I'm hot housing them instead of the reality where school books get locked away only for both of them to get blank paper and make their own worksheets.
So few people know what it's really like to raise these kids, yet so many have opinions about them! I homeschool my middle one now, and it's been an amazing change. Oh, and I've never watched Bones or TBBT? I always say the Sheldons I have are enough! Hahahaha!
This article really resonated… I can remember back to the days when other parents would comment in some surprise about my now-18-year-old, "she's so normal even though she's so smart!" — I never knew quite how to respond to that.
I miss that brain. :). And the other one, too. Thank you for advocating in such a huge way. Gifted kids deserve it.
None of it would be possible without you!
Very good! Except the socially and emotionally a little behind. Not true.
Absolute perfection! You found the perfect words to describe my zany life. My child and I both thank you!
Thanks for the wonderful post, Jen. I love it. I have two of those adorable, gifted creatures and life is a real adventure with them. I wouldn't want them any other way, even if I'm knackered by the evening. They bring so much bubbly joy to our family, and I absolutely admire them for how they master childhood trying every day to blend in with the other kids. However, to me, they will always stand out!
I am a gifted consultant who has worked with and for gifted kiddos and their families for 25 years and counting. As I read your piece I found myself thinking, I wish I'd written this. Thank you for your thoughtful, witty, insightful writing.
You make so many important points, but one that stands out to me is " … they're kids. Not threats. They don't need to be taken down a notch or knocked off any pedestals." Thank you for reminding folks that crushing one child's ego isn't the way to build their child's or their own.
Thank you so much, Cathy. It always shocks me how people react to these kids, though I'm sure by now you've seen it all! Thank you for the work you do!
Wow. I think may be the best thing I have ever read about how to relate to a gifted kid. It's like you reached into my brain and pulled out my thoughts.
Thank you Jen. Our daughter was identified as gifted 5 years ago (she is now 11) and then ADHD and Asperger. Reading your article and I am nodding my head with, yes this is so true. This year she has had a teacher who has nearly destroyed her self esteem and she started doubting her ability. We have pulled her out of the formal classroom environment and next year she will be doing distance education at home. She is amazing, intense and so sensitive. She is loved by younger children because she takes the time to listen to their imaginations and helps them to understand some of the things they are learning at school. Older kids love to include her in their discussions and adults enjoy her company. She is learning how to manage her own age group who find her 'abnormal and weird' (their words). Once again, thank you, I needed to read your article today and it has put a smile on my face.
Hilarious and so true! Thanks!
Can I have your permission to translate this into Dutch? I'll write your name as the source ofcourse.
Absolutely! And I'd love to see it in Dutch, thank you!!!
Thank you! My daughter is gifted and such a joy! I've been very Carey's d aware as to support her exploring and adventurous nature! I am gifted but did not have that support and years later my self confidence is so shaky. I don't want that for her! Thank you again!
I'm a college student who is admittedly behind the curve when it comes to "real life stuff". I've been to therapists where my uniqueness was passed over and broadly applied to others. It wouldn't be until I'd tell them I'm a Mensa member that they would detract from their constant attempts to alter my ego and knock me down a peg, and even still, called "over-ambitious" when I would share my goals, ambitions, and genuine hopes for my life and future despite being twice exceptional, when in fact, it was more the case of me wanting potential to meet opportunity and possibility. I don't see this therapist anymore.
I've had numerous people tell me I'm "off", "not quite right"… and one student just last semester, during a group assignment in a grief counseling course I'm taking (I'm going for a Human Services/Psych degree), flat out told me — "I thought you were autistic". The reason for this: the information I was able to spit out in class.
I'm memorizing this whole thing so that I can kindly rebut the oft-wrong stated to my face assumptions about me. I don't go around "bragging" or "showing off". In fact, except if stimulated and engaged, I'm quite quiet and shy.
That is enormously frustrating, Samuel. I'm so, so glad you're advocating for yourself and being YOU.
I am an old (71) genius from a screwed-up childhood. There are endless reports describing the experiences of the gifted child as reported by parents and teachers. Does anyone know of research reports on how the world looks from the gifted child's point of view in the early years, 4-7 years of age?
Interesting! I'll ask my gifted community!
Hi, it´s my third attempt to leave a comment, hopefully it will work this time :).
I'm really impressed by your guide. I'm so enthusiastic that I've translated it (freely) into Dutch, so more people can get to know about our gifted children. I hope you are okay with that?
Of course I mention you and your website in the subscription.
Thanx for your inspiring post.


Oh, LinkFrogging how I've missed you.
My schedule has been erratic of late and its started to affect my GonzoGeek output. I'm going to fix that starting with today's entry.
I've got some reviews coming. I've got some Meandering to write about. In other words, I've got content to get out to you.
Until then, we've got a good batch of links for you. Chris comes through with a mad stack and I add a few of my own for a full course of internet goodness.
And, of course, we've got cheesecake.
Please say hello to Keria Knightley.
Ms. Knightley has done the honors for us before and she's back this week thanks to her role in the new Disney movie, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
I have no idea what this movie is about or why they decided to recast The Nutcracker as some kind of fantasy-action movie.
The reviews are middling, but Ms. Knightley looks great, even if her accent is indecipherable.
She still looks good though and that's what matter for our purposes.
Space joint watching us all??
Weed sells, and Canadians are buying!
Somebody just got more time to MAGA!


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Alison Millington
5 things you need to know this week
Google taking on a new look and Listerine giving blind people the chance to see a smile were among the top stories of the week in the world of marketing.
How Samsung is using rugby to become a 'meaningful' brand
Samsung is on a mission to become a "meaningful brand" as it launches a new rugby campaign in an effort to tap into the passion surrounding sport in the UK.
4 Sep 2015 8:00 am
Public Health England gets personal for biggest Stoptober campaign
Public Health England is hoping to balance the "serious communication" surrounding the upcoming "Smoking in Vehicles" legislation with a humourous approach to its £3.2m Stoptober campaign, the event's biggest ever marketing push that will focus on content, social and digital.
3 Sep 2015 12:01 am
Burberry launches personalised digital campaign to promote 'scarf bar'
Burberry is launching digital ads that respond to consumer interaction as part of an effort to promote its new online and in-store scarf personalisation service.
How Dr. Martens is using personalisation to move away from 'batch and blast' marketing
Dr. Martens is looking to improve its approach to e-commerce and increase customer retention by using data to personalise its email marketing efforts.
Debenhams looks to make fashion 'less intimidating' with e-commerce push
Debenhams' campaign for the autumn/winter 2015 season will seek to 'make the new season less intimidating' through a focus on outfit-building tools, personal shopper recommendations and an e-commerce push.
How brands can benefit from personalised mail marketing
Mail that is personally relevant to consumers creates the most value for advertisers, according to a new report from Royal Mail's MarketReach unit.
How PG tips will make its brand 'relevant' in the face of declining tea sales
PG tips is launching a "disruptive" £5m campaign supporting its recent packaging refresh in an effort to address declining tea sales in the UK.
Why Heineken is moving away from its 'one size fits all' sponsorship approach
Heineken's Amstel brand is looking to reach local and regional audiences in Europe through its sponsorship of the UEFA Europa League.
Five things you need to know this week
Rugby, spas and the McWhopper that never was: Marketing Week rounds up the top stories in the industry this week.
Consumer confidence continues to build as retail sales grow
Consumer confidence has maintained its momentum with a three-point increase for August, according to the latest consumer index figures from GfK.
Discover the key drivers of growth in today's marketing landscape
A study has been launched that will seek to determine how successful marketers and brands drive growth in today's constantly changing and customer-centric marketing world.
CMOs adding specialist agencies due to concerns over the future of digital
CMOs are seeking additional agencies to address challenges around using data and exploring new channels and devices as their confidence in managing the future of digital drops.
Duracell uses Rugby World Cup sponsorship to push 'statement of intent' ahead of completion of sell-off
Duracell is looking to make a statement of intent with its first ever global sports sponsorship to demonstrate the "power and longevity" of its brand, one of a number of marketing campaigns it has planned ahead of becoming a standalone company.
The Marketing Society's new Fellows on how marketing leaders of tomorrow will succeed
Marketing leaders of tomorrow will have to be more agile and have broader experience to adapt to changing technologies and consumer behaviours, according to top CMOs speaking as they were honoured with Fellowships from The Marketing Society.


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On June 24, 1992, a shooting at El Grande Market in South Tucson, Arizona left three men dead – the store manager, his uncle, and a clerk. For several months, no one was arrested for the crime.
On September 2, police arrested 20-year-old Christopher McCrimmon and 21-year-old Andre Minnitt for robbing Mariano's Pizza. Prosecutors suspected McCrimmon and Minnitt of involvement with the El Grande murders, but had no evidence.
Then they discovered Keith Woods, a friend of McCrimmon's. Woods had been released from prison on August 21, only to be arrested for possessing cocaine a few days later — a parole violation that subjected him to a prison sentence of 25 years to life. In interviews with detectives, Woods said that McCrimmon and Minnitt told him they had committed the murders with a 17-year-old named Martin Soto-Fong. McCrimmon, Minnitt and Fong were arrested and charged with the crimes. Police did not pursue parole violation charges against Woods.
McCrimmon and Minnitt were tried together in 1993 in Pima County Superior Court. Apart from Woods's testimony, there was little evidence connecting the two men to the murders. At trial, prosecutor Kenneth Peasley attempted to enhance Woods's credibility, claiming that police knew nothing about the three defendants until Woods offered information about them, and that Woods knew things that he "could get only from those people who were directly involved" in the murders.
On November 29, 1993, both men were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. However, after the verdict had been read, the judge conducted a customary polling of the jury, asking each if he or she agreed with the verdict. When one juror wavered, the judge questioned him further and he finally agreed to the guilty verdict.
In 1996, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that this juror had been coerced by the judge, and remanded the case for retrial.
McCrimmon and Minnitt were retried separately in 1997. At McCrimmon's trial, which took place a few days after Minnitt's, the defense attorney proved that a police investigator had given perjured testimony and that Peasley had been aware of it.
Peasley's claim that investigators knew nothing about McCrimmon and Minnitt until they interviewed Woods was discredited by transcripts of the interviews, in which the suspects are first mentioned not by Woods, but by the police. After just 45 minutes of deliberation, McCrimmon was acquitted in September, 1997. He remained in prison on unrelated charges.
Minnitt's 1997 trial ended in a hung jury. In 1999, he was again convicted and sentenced to death, but in 2002, the Arizona Supreme Court threw out the conviction based on evidence that, during Minnitt's first trial, Peasley had intentionally elicited false testimony. The Court ruled that another trial would violate Minnitt's constitutional protection against double jeopardy. At the time, Minnitt remained in prison for unrelated charges.
Soto-Fong was convicted in 1993 and sentenced to death, but he was later removed from death row because he was a juvenile at the time of the crime. McCrimmon's defense attorney, Rick Lougee, filed a formal complaint against Peasley, and on May 28, 2004, Peasley was disbarred.


Purpose of Committee: The East Elementary Accountability Committee is comprised of parents, community leaders, principals and teachers who meet to discuss topics of vital importance to their individual school. The E.E.A.C. makes a recommendation to the principal regarding how the school should spend money, engage parents, create strategies for success, and any other areas or issues that affect the function of the school and the success of its students.


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News / Local Authority Faith Inclusion Workshops
Local Authority Faith Inclusion Workshops
The Faith & Belief Forum have been working in Barking & Dagenham since 2018, when funding from London Borough of Barking & Dagenham was used to set up the pioneering Faith in Barking & Dagenham project.
The borough of Barking & Dagenham is very diverse in terms of faith and belief, with 75% of residents identifying with a religion or faith. There is also a rich and vibrant faith sector, with 128 faith-based organisations in the borough including a former royal monastery, a beacon mosque, a gurdwara that serves the East London Sikh community, and a temple that serves the Nichiren Shu community for the whole of Northern Europe.
On the other hand, as the 7th most deprived borough in London, Barking & Dagenham faces major challenges in health, housing, education and skills. The combination of a rising growing population levels and reduction in funding from central government, means the Council must face these challenges with reduced resources. Reported hate crimes against ethnic and religious minorities have risen, raising fears that extremist groups may use social tension to further divide communities.
Since 2018, we have been working in close partnership with the Barking & Dagenham Faith Forum (B&D Faith Forum) to deliver a number of community interventions with residents of different ages, faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds, including: school workshops, a leadership programme for young adults, arts workshops, and production of a 'Faith Builds Community: Working Together in Barking & Dagenham' document in collaboration with the Council and local communities.
Throughout May, the Faith & Belief Forum worked with the Council to deliver six 90-minute online Faith Inclusion workshops to 50 LBBD staff members. The aim of the sessions was to build participants' knowledge and confidence for working with and supporting residents from different faith and belief backgrounds. Our workshop involved participants sharing personal experience working with diverse local residents and reflecting on F&BF's research about experiences of people of faith in the borough. All participants received a handout of guidance and an action plan to fill in for their future work with residents of different faiths, beliefs and backgrounds.
Attendees from the Local Authority staff worked in diverse teams from across the Council, including Employment and Skills, Sheltered Housing Team, Community Enterprise, Enabling Independence, Older Peoples Community Mental Health Team and Universal Lifecycle (Community Solutions) amongst others. In evaluation, over 92% of attendees felt the workshop was relevant to their role and tailored specifically to the local context. This is just one example of the unique approach F&BF have towards our local authority projects.
Our interactive online workshops explored questions such as:
what are the opportunities and challenges of working with residents with a wide range of faiths, beliefs and backgrounds?
How can we best support the people we work with to ensure their faith-based needs are met?
How can we communicate sensitively and effectively about issues related to faith and belief, without causing offence?
Some feedback from workshop participants:
"I have come to understand things that I never knew before – it was an eye opener for me"
"It helped to think about language and think about changing some words used when engaging with families"
"I wish it had been longer. It has made me want to educate myself more around different faiths and cultures"
"As a result of this workshop I will think about my language and also think about planning ahead before visits with different cultures that I am unfamiliar with"
"As a result of this workshop I will educate myself around the different faiths so that I can be more respectful, accommodating, and understanding
"This workshop has reminded me of the need to take faith and spirituality into account in my work"


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Silver Taps
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'Captive State' a bad film
By Keagan Miller @KeaganMlr
"Captive State" has a hugely promising premise but is a giant swing-and-miss when it comes to execution.
When I first read the synopsis for this film, I was excited. Taking place ten years after an alien invasion toppled all governments and installed a worldwide oligarchy of alien "legislators," the film could have been a truly interesting exercise in world-building. Most movies involving malevolent alien overlords focus on stopping the aliens from ever taking over in the first place, but "Captive State" chooses instead to jump right into a world where the aliens have not only won but are accepted and even loved by many. This brave and unconventional setting provided the film with the chance to do what not many have done before: to show the classic "War of the Worlds" story that we've been telling for decades from the other end of the conflict, ten years down the road. But what the film delivers instead is nothing short of disappointing.
The majority of the film is procedural. Instead of taking the time to focus on individual characters and the emotions they feel as a result of living under what amounts to a totalitarian alien regime, the movie chooses to spend most of its time showing in meticulous detail the preparations for an assassination/terror attack designed to spark a revolution and inspire humans around the world to rise up against the alien leaders they'd come to accept. And when I say meticulous detail, I mean painfully meticulous.
A good two-thirds to half of the film is taken up by an extended sequence involving the secret chain of communication the resistance uses to coordinate their attack. The camera takes bored audiences from carrier pigeon to encoded newspaper ad, to a special song played on the radio, to dog barks. The sequence is not only boring, but frustrating as well, because very little of it actually makes sense. While watching it, one gets the impression the writers were quite pleased with themselves for creating such a complex communication system. They definitely shouldn't have been. It was absolutely unnecessary to include in the film, and only served to bore and confuse me.
Even outside the excruciatingly long procedural scenes, the film had no real character development. Everyone on screen, including the main characters, felt emotionless, faceless and dull. I felt more attached to the carrier pigeon than I did to any of the characters, and in a film with such potential for emotion, that's a real shame. Not even John Goodman could save this film, and as much as I love him, his character was just as uninteresting as the rest. Honestly, I thought the battle of Chicago scene in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" did a better job with the alien invasion after-the-fact premise than "Captive State" did, and that's really saying something.
"Captive State" commits two of the cardinal sins of filmmaking. It allows human emotion to take a backseat to plot, and it's downright boring. Director Rupert Wyatt wasted a great idea on this film. He took the story in completely the wrong direction, and turned what could have been an emotional tale into a movie about watching mail being sent via pigeon. Do not watch this film. You'll regret wasting your time and money if you do.
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Published at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
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U.S. Forests Are Being Clear-Cut to Supply Biomass Energy Industry, Report Finds
A section of forested wetland in North Carolina, which was cut for wood that was made into pellets for fuel. NRDC
Forests in the U.S. Southeast are being devastated by demand for wood pellets to power biomass energy plants in Europe and Japan, according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Dogwood Alliance, and the Southern Environmental Law Center.
According to the report, mature, native hardwood forests in places like North Carolina, Virginia, and along the Gulf Coast are being clear-cut, with whole trees and other large-diameter wood then trucked to processing mills run by Enviva, the world's largest wood pellet producer. These pellets, the report said, are then being shipped to power plants such as Drax Power Station in the United Kingdom, Ørsted biomass facilities in Denmark, and increasingly to generating stations in Japan. Forests in the U.S. Southeast are being logged at four times the rate as those in the Amazon, according to the UN's biodiversity report released last month.
In a statement, Enviva said the environmental groups' report was "full of outdated and outright false assertions, as well as information presented without context in order to intentionally mislead."
Many industrialized nations — including the U.S., the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Japan — have classified biomass a carbon-neutral source of energy, and have incorporated it as key part of their strategies to reduce emissions and combat climate change. Wood pellets are typically advertised to be made from low-grade wood such as branches and sawdust and other timber scraps. But the environmental groups said their investigators followed trucks carrying whole trees to Enviva facilities, "mature trees that have been locking up carbon for decades or more. Burning them spews that carbon into the atmosphere, worsening our climate crisis," the groups noted in a press release.
Enviva said in its statement that not all of the material from the tract cited in the report came to Enviva. The company said it took "the low-quality wood that was generated as a by-product of this traditional sawmill harvest," which amounted to about 30 percent of the wood harvested on the tract.
But the environmental groups criticized the practice of using wood pellets as a biomass fuel for power plants. "No one can look at these horrific images and conclude that slashing forests and burning the wood for electricity is a viable solution to our climate crisis," said Rita Frost, campaigns director at Dogwood Alliance.
For more on the debate over biomass, click here.
June 20, 2019: This article has been updated to include a response from Enviva.
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Published at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies