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David Forrest June 29, 2017 6 Comments
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: THE BLACK BANDS OF '78
As a Scottish schoolboy who was in love with goal nets and the prospect of Scotland becoming world champions, the Argentina World Cup in 1978 couldn't have seared more had I been sirloin scorched on the parilla.
While I'd never experienced anything like the disappointment of Scotland failing in their opening game against Peru, equally, I'd never seen anything like the goals installed uniformly at the tournament stadia.
The nets were stunning. Brilliant white and pulled taut at the seams into squared corners as if draped over the stanchion of an A-frame. Suspended by L-supports which I recognised from Scotland's televised friendly against Brazil at the Maracana the previous summer, they were framed by elliptical hardware with–get this—black bands painted on the bottom of the posts.
The white nets were beautiful, alluring even as Cubillas rocket-shot from 25 yards billowed behind Alan Rough for 2-1 Peru. But it was the black bands at the base of the posts that were the TV eye-candy. They drew the eye magnetically each time the goals came into camera shot. I found myself unable to look away from the TV at exactly the time that the Scottish nation was switching off.
The black bands drew the eye but they also drew questions: the initial, thrilling "What?" subsiding to a curious "Why?" I knew that this would itch till I scratched.
It itched for nearly 40 years. By that time I had waded through a library of unsatisfactory books and TV documentaries that just missed the point. That was until I found myself accompanying my wife on her PhD research trip to Buenos Aires. There I met the man who painted the posts black—and who explained why.
Unknown to my 10-year old self, in June 1978 Argentina was ruled by a murderous military junta. By the time of the World Cup finals, the junta had "disappeared" thousands of Argentines, many into clandestine torture centres. I accompanied my wife as she researched the social memory of the junta's violence and I visited the sites of many of these centres.
I was struck by the fact each centre I visited was sited in a high-density urban area. One such clandestine torture centre was Club Atletico, so named because of its proximity to Club Atletico Boca Juniors stadium—La Bombonera. Although this centre was demolished when a highway overpass was built over it and the site is now being excavated, what is most striking about Club Atletico was its location in Buenos Aires CBD. It was anything but clandestine. If the plan was to hide the torture centres, they were hidden in plain sight.
I took respite from the horror in either the rightly-famous Don Julio parilla or the Plaza Italia book market, both in Palermo, which is a leafy suburb in Buenos Aires north. On one occasion I visited both on the same day.
I was in the parilla pulling on a bottle of Quilmes while perusing the vintage full-colour picture book of the 1978 finals I'd manage to score at the market when the waiter approached. Not for my order but instead jutting out his chin in the universal code for, 'What are you reading?'
I showed him the photo I was looking at. It was a full-page picture of French goalkeeper Jean-Paul Bertrand-Demanes lying injured at the base of the post in les Bleus group game against the hosts. The waiter—a tall, straight-backed elderly gentleman with a crooked smile—looked at the picture then looked at me and asked, in Spanish, "Are you French?"
I shook my head and explained, in my appalling Spanish, that the crumpled goalkeeper wasn't my interest in the photo—the base of the post, painted black, was. He raised his eyebrows. Then, and was there a glint in his eye as he proceeded to take my order, he advised me that if 1978 was my thing, I should be sure to visit Estadio Monumental, site of the World Cup final.
I went to the Monumental a week later to watch River vs. Boca, the Superclasico: big noise, big colour and big spectacle. The game itself was a grinding, low quality 0-0 which gave me plenty of time to ruminate how little the now-dilapidated stadium had changed since the 1978 World Cup final. The goal nets were now standard box-nets, same as the world over, and the black bands on the posts were long gone. Yet still, it would have been no surprise to see an Adidas Tango football drop from the sky and an apparition of Rob Rensenbrink appear near the six-yard line, stretching out a leg to divert the ball towards goal…
Next day, an Argentine friend arranged for a stadium tour. When we walked on the pitch we roused the groundstaff who were languishing in the autumnal sunshine. I had managed slalom through the Dutch defence and was Mario Kempes bearing down on goal for 2-1 in the World Cup final when a burly, surly, slow moving middle-aged groundsman approached, waving his hands. Like stadium staff everywhere he wanted us off the grass.
I had a South American jag for the movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," so, standing in front of the goal I jabbed a thumb and channeled Paul Newman, asking, "What happened to the old goal nets? They were beautiful."
The groundsman scratched his stomach and belched.
"Those old nets were a pain in the ass. They were puta to hang."
I stood looking at the goal where the globally generic box nets hung in place of nets that were once a work of art. Nets that had blown the mind of a 10-year old who lived thousands of miles and nearly four decades away and considered all we'd lost. My Spanish failed me. "A small price to pay for beauty," I whispered.
A nudge in the back signalled it was time to go. I turned away from the goal then paused, drawing from the groundsman a sharp look that turned into a lazy shrug when I asked, "What about the black bands at the bottom of the posts?"
"A brush and black paint," he answered impatiently, the firm hand at the base of my spine pushed me away from goal like the ghost of Daniel Passarella marking Johnny Rep in '78.
At this point I dug my heels in—literally dug my heels into the Monumental turf—and said, "Not how you painted the black bands. Why?"
After a deep sigh he looked at me, the fight ebbing out of him as he realised I'd travelled too far and obsessed over this question for too long to be pushed away.
He escorted my friend and I to the grounds office, a poky, yellowed room that reeked of stale cigarettes and gestured to the line of black and white photographs on the wall. I was, by now, accustomed to the collage of black and white portraits by which those who were disappeared by the junta in the 1970's were remembered.
The line of monochrome head shots on the stadium office wall looked no different, so I approached the photos as a wall of remembrance when I noticed in one picture a familiar crooked smile and glint of eye. Still channelling Butch and Sundance, I pointed to the photos and asked, "Who are these guys?"
The groundsman shook a Marlboro out of a pack of 20 and explained that the men in the photos were the groundstaff who worked with the 1978 World Cup organising committee. "If you want to know why they painted the posts black, you'd have to ask these guys."
I moved in close up to the portrait that I was somehow familiar with, my heart beating in my ears. I concluded that, yes, the man in the photo was nearly forty years younger with a wild, 1970's Leopoldo Luque hairstyle but the smile, the eyes…for sure, this was the waiter at the Don Julio parrilla!
I pointed at the photo and asked his name. The groundsman blew a smoke ring and said, "Ezequiel Valentini."
It was over a week later when I returned to Don Julio's. When I pushed on the door and entered, Ezequiel was pouring wine at table. He turned to look at me, recognition entering his eyes as a smile formed at the corners of his mouth, a quick nod communicating that he knew why I'd returned.
At his afternoon break we sat at a table in the back, the sun angling in through the high window as Ezequiel sipped on a Pepsi and told me why they had painted the base of the posts black in 1978.
"You have to understand," he said in a low voice. "We had a big problem." I edged closer as he explained that while the groundstaff had a job to do, they were appalled at the idea of the junta exploiting the World Cup finals for political purposes and horrified by the disappearance of thousands of their compatriots.
"You knew about the disappeared?" I asked.
"By mid-1978 everybody knew," he said. "The staff, the players, everyone had the same problem. How can we do our best knowing that the generals will benefit?"
I remembered then the old tale of the Argentine manager Cesar Luis Menotti guiding his confused players through this moral maze prior to the World Cup final, advising them not to win for the junta but to win for the metal workers, the butchers, the bakers and the taxi drivers who filled the stadium.
"Already the goal nets, or rather, the method by which we were to suspend the goal nets, had caused a lot of problems," Ezequiel continued, saying FIFA had only two requests: that there be no stanchions or hardware behind the goal and that the method they employed to suspend the nets should be uniform throughout the six stadia that were to host the games.
"We knew the goal nets would be on display for the whole world to see," Ezequiel said. "It was important the method used to suspend the nets represented the people of Argentina."
Both of FIFA's requests were to prove difficult. Prior to 1978 many Argentine stadia suspended the goal nets with English-style A-frames. Each region of the country had a different design of A-frame and, even at club level, you'd find the A-frames at La Bombonera were different to those at the Monumental, even though both stadia were within Buenos Aires.
"The stanchions were a part of regional or club identity," Ezequiel said, "so replacing them was not going to be straightforward."
And what were the stanchions to be replaced with?
Ezequiel leaned in, smiled his crooked smile and said, "You know us Argentines consider ourselves more European than South American?" I'd heard this often, that as Simon Bolivar had not liberated Argentina from the Spanish, they were different to the other countries of Latin America. "So, naturally, we wanted a European method of suspending the nets.
The staff was keen on the Continental D's, or triangular elbows that had been so prominent at Euro '76 in Yugoslavia.
Though it was a decision for the staff—"the junta knew nothing about football"—someone nonetheless caught the ear of an influential general and persuaded him that goal nets in South America had traditionally been suspended by L-supports, as seen at the World Cup in Brazil in 1950.
Ezequiel shook his head at the absurd memory. "The junta was very keen on tradition. Whoever sold them the idea of Brazilian L-supports for a World Cup in Argentina knew exactly what buttons to press."
The uniformity requested by FIFA—that the nets in all six stadia should be suspended in the same manner so, anyone watching the tournament on TV anywhere in the world would know they were watching Argentina '78—caused great anxiety.
"We're just not a uniform people," Ezequiel said, looking out the window and musing that if the Argentines were indeed European, they were southern European—Italian maybe, not German.
As an example he cited the local staff in Mendoza who defied both FIFA and the junta to install 'European' Continental D supports to suspend the nets for the first match there, which was between Holland and Iran. Ezequiel shrugged, like, what can you do? "We're just not a uniform people," he repeated.
And what of the black bands at the base of the posts? Ezequiel touched his bicep and at once I realized: "They were black armbands? They were a protest against the disappearances?"
They were not a protest Ezequiel was quick to point out. Rather, they were a form of remembrance.
"Everyone knew someone who knew someone that had been disappeared. The staff all wanted to protest. By now the Mothers were marching in Plaza de Mayo and we knew the world was watching. We discussed cutting a message into the grass, or painting a message on the advertising hoardings, something the TV cameras would see."
The ideas were discarded. Publicly protesting against the junta in front of the world was akin to committing suicide. Ezequiel looked me in the eye. "I wasn't scared for myself. The terror worked in such a way that made you scared for your family and friends."
With no safe opportunity to help the country protest, it was a colleague of Ezequiel's who first mooted the idea that they help the country mourn.
"Every single player on each team at the World Cup should have publicly worn a black armband to remember the Argentine dead," Ezequiel said, jabbing the table with his finger.
The connivance of the international community added to the terror in Argentina ensured that idea would never happen. Ezequiel and his colleagues decided the goalposts would be the public bearer of the black armband instead. First they had to present the idea to the generals.
"They asked what the black bands were for. We told them it was tradition." Ezequiel chuckled at the memory. "They were clueless about football."
I mentioned that I'd puzzled over the black bands at the base of the posts for nearly 40 years. Were they worried that no one would know their exact purpose? Ezequiel shook his head. "Thousands were disappeared, presumed dead. Even today it is not possible to say exactly who and how many were killed by the junta. It was enough that they were remembered publicly."
I lean forward to press the point but Ezequiel is on a roll. "The junta sited their so-called clandestine torture centres in full view of the public. We remembered our dead in full view of the world. Like those centres, our act of remembrance was hidden in plain sight."
The sun had long dipped behind the building opposite and dusk had fallen on the Palermo streets outside. Ezequiel had to get back to work.
I thanked him for his time then signed my vintage Argentina '78 picture book and presented it to him as a memento of our time together.
We shook hands and I got up to go.
Ezequiel shouted, "Wait."
I turned, confused. Did I forget something?
Ezequiel cracked a warm, crooked smile and said, "Don't you want to know if the Argentina v Peru match was fixed?"
By David Forrest. David is author of The History of Goal Nets.
Header image credit goes fully to @sebastian1906.
MARTIN PALERMO: THE OPTIMIST GOALSCORER
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Ben Spratt June 29, 2017


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"Artists are here to disturb the peace."—James Baldwin
Everybody Can Go To Hell
January 12, 2010 January 12, 2010 - Uncategorized
Villains in literature we love!
For the first time in four years I now live in an apartment with cable. I spent a solid hour perusing the channels and came across some kind of Tori Spelling related documentary. I am fascinated with rich people and thus left it on while the cat stared at me like, "Dude, really?"
I explained to the cat that Murakami, for example, tells this story about the first time he decided he would write a book. He was watching television and he said to himself out loud, "I think I could write a book."
So I'm watching this thing and Aaron Spelling was talking about some late night soap opera and he said and I quote, "Villains get the best lines." This got me thinking. Are villains cooler than the good guys?
As I often talk about with anyone who will listen my quintessential good guy character is a kid named Angus Bethune who was first featured in a short story by American Author Chris Crutcher which was later made into my favorite movie of all time called "Angus." Green Day is on the soundtrack by the way. Read and see "Angus." Best good guy. Probably the character I have related to the most in my entire life in literature. Conversely, the only example I have because it occurs to me I like bad guys in writing.
Let's take Scarlet O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind" for example. What a sociopathic spoiled girl she was. Beautiful, cold, self-centered.
Let's take Satan in Milton's "Paradise Lost." Tell me that not bowing down speech wasn't tops and I'll call you a liar.
Who are some villains you love and why?
Why I Wear Makeup to Readings
Charles Burns's Hubris
10th Anniversary Flash Fiction Contest!
"If trouble comes when you least expect it then maybe the thing to do is to always expect it."
"Art hurts. Art urges voyages."
"I don't believe less is more. I believe that more is more. I believe that less is less, fat fat, thin thin, and enough is enough."
"Literature is that which denounces and slashes apart the repressing machine at the level of the signified."
19 thoughts on "Everybody Can Go To Hell"
Greg Gerke says:
The Judge and Iago because the words that come out of their mouth seduce me into wanting to be with them forever.
John Dermot Woods says:
I love the bad guy from ANGUS, because he's James Vanderbeek.
(And I love that Ash song on the soundtrack.)
Richard Jeffrey Newman says:
Zahhak, the first evil king in Shahnameh, Iran's national epic: He is cursed by Eblis (or Iblis), that epic's Satan, with a serpent growing out of each shoulder, and he needs to feed each of them one human brain per night, which was how Iblis intended to empty the world of people–an excruciatingly slow, painful and emotionally tortuous, final solution. Zahhak is a really evil bad guy who is really interesting symbolically, and (shameless plug) if you're at all interested in the current political situation in Iran, here is a post on my blog, with a partial translation of Zahhak's story, that comments on what's going on there.
Ryan W. Bradley says:
i always root for mobsters in mob movies. like Public Enemies. it was hard to watch it knowing that it wasn't going to end well for Johnny Depp. i root for the bandits in westerns. that may just be my genetics making me toe the line.
nikkorpon says:
I think The Saint of Killers from the PREACHER series is the baddest dude ever. I mean, he called out God and then killed him. Too, Stringer Bell from THE WIRE is one of my tops. That he's not overtly bad makes him that much more evil.
ce. says:
I'm going to be the guy who comes out swinging all Captain Obvious with Ledger's Joker in The Dark Night–just to get it out of the way. (Even in Burton's Batman, everyone quotes Nicholson's, "This town needs and enema!" and "Ever dance with the devil in a pale of moonlight?"
Beyond that, on a literary level, the jungle got the best lines in Heart of Darkness.
John Huston – Chinatown 'Mr. Gittes – Mr. Gittes, you may think you know what you're dealing with, but believe me, you don't.'
Nicolle Elizabeth says:
these are all so good. you i lived in bmore for 4 months and can tell you the wire is an exact accurate description. what about the classic misfit in a.g.i.h.t.f? he sucked but he got the grandma to repent. is there something to that or am i evil?
more bad guys
I think you're right about the Misfit, Nicolle. O'Connor often said of her stories that the devil acted as an "unwilling instrument of grace."
that should be i can tell you i live in bmore
b'lieve, hon! as they say
i am so bad at this sorry
people are talking movies you know what i just thought of from the movie "quiz show" which i think is one of the best contemp movies written. so the professor character was kinda a bad guy to his son a lot but he had such a choice bit when he goes, "don quixote is life" and the students go, "huh?" and he goes, "if you want to be a knight act like a knight."
I totally disagree the professor was the bad guy. He was the one that prods his son to admit the truth.
BTW, I have no sympathy for McGwire's tears or Bonds or Clemens or anybody of that fallen sport I loved so much as a child. They had countless chances to become clean. It's a ridiculous spectacle.
dude, i think they should all be banned for life. everyone who ever used steroids. people have gotten banned for what i think are much more minor transgressions. steroid users fucking up my favorite sport makes me angry.
I'm totally with you, banned in this lifetime and the next.
JosephScapellato says:
The villains I like the best are the ones who seem semi-aware– on some level, whether winking or not– of their role as-a-villain. They know they're the villain. It is a role they are playing. They are acting-well-their-part. They can't help it. So they relish it. The reader/viewer relishes it along with them.
Ledger's the Joker is definitely this way.
Some of Dostoevsky's characters might qualify, too.
My personal favorites, though, are all from mythology or mythology-influenced literature: any unfortunate giant or dwarf smashed by Thor in Kevin Crossley-Holland's "Norse Myths" for the former (a great translation!), and Gardner's Grendel for the latter.
@ the sports guys: all yankees players are bad guys in a bad way. they are the good looking wealthy popular bully in high school. go red sox (when we were losing i liked us better)
JS: i have a copy of it with the orig 1981 cover. it is indeed a great translation, and i think looking to myth is never, ever a bad way to go.
also @ gg: could the prof have been a bad guy who got his son to do the right thing as in oconnor?
i totally agree. i hate the yankees with a venomous passion. they make me ill. derek jeter's face makes me angry.
i'm an Oakland A's diehard, but i do root for the red sox when they aren't playing the a's because the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
But what is bad about him? And what O'Connor?
Susan Sontag on Art, Writing, Literature, and More
Big Other Anthology 2020
From the Archives: Five Poems, by Nik De Dominic
Most Anticipated Small Press Releases: January 2021
Leon Forrest on Writing, Literature, Creativity, and More
BIG OTHER is an online arts and culture magazine, published since 2009. It features fiction, poetry, art, hybrid works, reviews, essays, interviews, a podcast, and more. BIG OTHER is edited and managed by John Madera.
© 2009-2019 Big Other. All Rights Reserved.

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Benidorm Apartment In Rincón de Loix Area With Beautiful Sea Views.
Apartment for sale in Benidorm, located in the Rincón de Loix area, in a quiet and impeccable urbanization, built in 2007, consisting of swimming pool, large gardens, paddle tennis court and gym.
The apartment has 70 m2 with 2 double bedrooms with wardrobes, living room leading to a large glazed terrace, American style kitchen and 2 full bathrooms, one with shower and one bath. From the living room and bedrooms one has access to the terrace. One of the bathrooms is en suite to the master bedroom.
The flat is in perfect condition. It has air conditioning, electric shutters and awnings. It is located on the 19th floor, and offers great views over the marvelous sky line of Benidorm and the sea. The price includes parking and storage.
The apartment is in an elevated position but a short walk to the main resort area and New town. Levante beach is within walking distance. A great opportunity to buy a modern apartment in the resort of Benidorm.


My feline friend Mr. Kat crossed the Rainbow Bridge Friday night, after a relatively short – and noble – fight with cancer. He died relatively peacefully at our sides, on his favorite spot on the bed at the age of 12, battered by rounds of chemo and with one missing eye which had been removed in a last ditch attempt to somehow preserve his remaining quality of life.
Our family did everything we could do to diagnose his condition, find the right treatment and ultimately keep him out of pain. After all, he was our "first baby" who we found – when he was less than four weeks old – on vacation in the most remote place in Brazil. When we found him we nursed him with goat milk through a straw to save him from the brink of newborn kitten death and invited him into our home even though at first I was allergic to cats.
Over the next twelve years he served as the center of our household, bringing us many laughs, snuggles, antics, adventures, and cat hugs not only to our immediate family but to all of our friends and neighbors. He moved houses several times and even countries which brought him more adventures and frequent flier miles than most people.
More than anything Mr. Kat was a friend who taught me some key life lessons that I think can be applicable to many, even if you are not a "Cat Person." Ironically, when I first found Mr. Kat I wasn't a cat person either.
Mr. Kat was dealt a raw hand to start. He was left for garbage at the foot of a bar before he was weaned from his Mother. Luckily, we stumbled upon him on vacation on New Year's Day in 2001, snuck him into our hotel, nursed him back to health and brought him into our family. Mr. Kat, in fact, spent three weeks traveling with us on vacation as we toured the remotest places of Northeast Brasil. Once his condition stabilized on vacation with us, he discovered fish, papaya, and other great foods which quickly helped him get stronger. We brought him to the beach, protected him from the occasional monkey that threatened him and wrapped him up every day in a towel to give him the milk he so needed to get stronger and stronger.
After this tough start, Mr. Kat did not look back. He integrated quickly into our home in the Southeast of Brazil and became friends with everyone who met him. With the help of our friends, we adopted another cat (Midnight) who stayed at his side until the very end. Even a fall from the fifth floor from our apartment building did not stop Mr. Kat. Luckily, our housekeeper was caring and persistent enough to know that something was wrong when the usually friendly Mr. Kat did not greet her at the door. She found him curled up at the bottom of the building, and in the makings of a small town movie, she sprinted to our trusted Vet to save his life.
Luckily, Mr. Kat emerged from this traumatic fall with only a broken jaw. He went on to move with us to Chicago, live in three different homes and easily made friends everywhere he went.
As Mr. Kat was recuperating from his fall and Midnight was dealing with a bout of pneumonia, they had a litter together. I never imagined how quickly this could or would happen especially with two super young and sick cats! I learned my lesson which is why I now passionately support the Spay and Neuter movement and several great organizations committed to helping unwanted pets find homes.
Mr. Kat loved his cat family, taking care of his cat children and Midnight, always snuggling them tight in a cat pile. He was affectionate around my children – even though he didn't really get who they were when they first came home as newborns. Mr. Kat quickly set the tone – that this home welcomes all – and he quickly became the friend of most who came to visit.
Mr. Kat, unlike many people, knew what happiness meant to him. He appreciated a snuggle, a cat nap at the window no matter whether it was rainy or shining outside and exploring. He loved his "Cat Condo" (my Husband ordered it on the Internet…think about a place in Palm Beach for Cats, only in the backyard!) He also was a fan of late night TV and relished a snuggle together with our kids or us in our respective beds. He loved to play games, cherished cat nip and of course the occasionally-served tuna fish.
This week my daughter read to her class for the first time from a book she wrote. On one page she said, "My cat, Mr. Kat, is sick. He has one eye and he needs medicine. I love my cat. He makes me happy." I welled up as she read that.
Two days later Mr. Kat passed. He passed away after giving "carinho" (kisses and hugs) to Midnight and his children. He died giving his last breath to Daniel and I. He will be missed and always will be loved.


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Balanced Wildcat Effort Traps Pocahontas County 66-27
Nataley Hedrick looks for an open cutter during the Wildcats' big win over the Warriors. Photo courtesy of Robin Alt.
After a nearly three-week layoff due to inclement weather, one might expect a little rust from the Pendleton County girls' squad. Their performance against Pocahontas County, however, showed that the Wildcats remained ready to give a solid performance despite the time off.
The Wildcats took the opening tip. In the opening seconds, Ana Young snagged an offensive rebound and laid the ball in for the team's first bucket. Shortly afterward, Gabby DePue took a pass from Young and drilled a 15-foot bucket from the foul line extended.
Lizzie Alt then took over the game for the next minute. On two consecutive Warrior possessions, she stole the ball, drove coast to coast, scored layups, and drew fouls, helping her team to build a 9-0 lead only a minute and 50 seconds into the game. Ten seconds later, Avery Townsend found Young down low for another Wildcat layup.
Pendleton County opened the game with a suffocating full court trapping press. Exasperated Pocahontas County players felt pressured into taking the first open shot for the first half of the first quarter. By the end of the quarter, Warrior players started using the passing game to avoid the traps and find open shots, but made baskets still proved elusive.
Scoring closed in the quarter as Young and Jameigh Miller executed a pick and roll off the left wing, leading to a Miller layup that put Pendleton County up 22-5.
The Wildcats continued to make big plays on offense, moving the ball effectively against the Warrior defense. Nataley Hedrick used a Jenna Smith pick on the right wing at the 5:37 mark in the second quarter to find an open Young on the left post, who completed the play with a layup to extend the lead to 26-7.
Midway through the second quarter, Coach Micah Bailey called off the press and pulled the defense back mostly inside the three-point line. This gave the Warriors an opportunity to run their motion offense around the perimeter. They could not, however, make the Wildcats pay for conceding some outside shots, creating the same clock-eating effect as if Pendleton County ran the four corners play.
Pocahontas County continued to fight, tracking down several offensive rebounds in the last two minutes of the half, but for the most part, failing to convert. The Wildcats put them on the line with one second left. Their free throw conversion made the halftime score 34-8.
The second half saw the Wildcats substituting liberally, but continuing to make big plays on both ends of the court. Midway through the quarter, Baylee Beachler wrestled an offensive rebound away from a defender and scored a layup. Less than a minute later, Young found Beachler streaking toward the basket, delivering a perfect pass leading to a layup to put the Wildcats up 44-13.
Townsend ran the offense efficiently from her point guard position, finding Young on a cross court pass for a layup, then taking a steal in for her own score with less than a minute to play. With 30 seconds left, Miller stole the ball, drove to the basket, and tried to find Young with a lob to the opposite post. The lob was errant, but Young tracked it down, then turned around and nailed a three-pointer from the left corner to close scoring in the quarter at 54-18.
Fourth quarter scoring opened with a Smith three-pointer off of a Kiera Heavener assist. Pocahontas County answered on their next possession by banking in a 17-foot shot. With 4:14 left in the game, Madison Arbaugh took a free throw miss, rebounded the ball, and delivered a layup to push the lead to 59-22. Arbaugh then took the ball from Pocahontas County on their next possession.
After a Warrior 17-foot shot with 3:07 left, Heavener responded by burying a left wing three-pointer. Pocahontas County found a player underneath for a layup with 2:13 left. The Wildcats followed that with another score when Julia Mongold dribbled to the post, then dished to Arbaugh who completed the layup despite being somewhat body checked on the shot.
With 1:20 left, Arbaugh scored another layup off of a precise pass by Hedrick. A Heavener steal ended Pocahontas County's offensive play for the night as Coach Bailey put his team in four corners to run out the clock.
The Wildcats travel to East Hardy tonight. Game starts at 6 p.m. They host Doddridge County beginning at 6:15 Saturday.
Feisty Harman Squad Downed By Pendleton County 86-35
Franklin Town Council Holds Bond and Ordinance Readings, Discusses Sewer Plant Damage in First Meeting of the Year


Get started with waterfront home search and find your dream home.
View currently listed waterfront properties in the Richland Chambers area.
Welcome to your local source for Richland Chambers Lake Real Estate. Using this website you will be able to view homes for sale on and around Richland Chambers Lake, as well as Corsicana and all of Navarro and Freestone Counties.
As a local real estate professional we can guide you through the process of buying or selling property and walking beside you through the entire transaction process. We look forward to helping you with all of your real estate needs.
Richland Chambers Lake is the best kept secret in Texas! Check out the beauty and nature of the 3rd largest lake in Texas!
Ever heard of Matterport 3D?


Brown velvet sofa and loveseat in mint condition.
For sale is this lightly used bar style stool. Stool is in great condition with NO rips or tears in the leather. Reason for selling is that it is surplus to our needs. No holds .
Decorative table...Has shelf underneath making it very sturdy....Navy color cloth, a gold color cloth, white lace topper and glass top included. Has two extra round glass tops as well for an additional $10, if needed.


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Inna Kitaychik |
Companies looking to lower their environmental impact and carbon footprint are turning to sustainability initiatives such as Zero Waste to significantly improve their environmental stewardship, corporate responsibility profile, and ESG rankings. To help you communicate how you reduce, recycle and re-use your waste, the SCS Zero Waste Project Standard provides a basis for certification of municipal solid waste diversion from landfills for a time-bound, place-bound project.
Certification can be used to communicate your company's efforts to reduce waste on your projects. The standard is tailored for companies that do work at facilities or offices but are not owners or managers of the spaces in which the project takes place. For example, your company manages construction, landscaping, interior design, cleanup, or remodeling projects on behalf of clients. It is also tailored for companies that contract such projects at their facilities but want to keep waste reduction efforts achieved in these projects separate from the day-to-day waste streams at those facilities.
Projects demonstrating at least 75% waste diversion can be recognized under this SCS standard.
Why Choose SCS?
SCS certifies the diversion achieved for each project starting at 75% diversion. In this way, the standard allows for a company to certify a snapshot of activities that take place at a facility when it is not feasible or practical to certify the entire range of activities at a facility. Compost, recycling, reuse, reclamation, and e-waste are counted towards overall waste diversion. Further, diversion of hazardous waste can count towards overall diversion, on a case-by-case basis. Waste-to-energy for up to 25% of the total stream is counted towards diversion without further review. Waste-to-energy up to 50% of total waste is also allowed, on a case-by-case basis.
Ready to Get Certified?
FAQs Benefits Process Program Documents
Q: What is the purpose of Zero Waste?
A: Zero Waste is a corporate/business/lifestyle philosophy that seeks to reduce the amount of waste generated by businesses, governments, and individuals by seeking methods of reusing existing materials, ensuring proper stewardship of materials designated as wastes, and preventing materials from entering the waste stream in the first place.
Q: How is the SCS Zero Waste Project Certification program different from others, such as GBCI TRUE certification or NSF Landfill Free certification?
A: GBCI TRUE certification or NSF Landfill Free certifications do not offer project-level standards. Both standards are facility-level standards. The SCS equivalent is the SCS Zero Waste Facility Standard.
Q: What types of projects can be certified?
A: Any projects whose management or operations are distinct from that of the facility in which the project takes place can be considered for certification. Projects include, but are not limited to, construction projects, landscaping projects, interior design renovation projects, clean-up projects, and remodeling projects.
Q: Do my projects have to achieve 99% waste diversion in order to be certified by SCS?
A: No; companies need to achieve a minimum of 75% waste diversion for the duration of the project to be considered for certification.
Q: Does my Project require an on-site audit to be certified Zero Waste?
A: Yes; as each project is unique and cannot be supported with the existence of on-site infrastructure; every project would require an on-site component for the audit.
Q: What does a Zero Waste Project certificate include?
A: The SCS Zero Waste certificate includes a transparent overview of the company's zero waste achievements, including the following required information:
The percent of waste diversion the project has achieved. Percentage is calculated as: (diverted waste - residuals) / (total waste)
Each method of diversion used (e.g., recycling, composting, waste-to-energy) as well as the percentage diverted using each method
Percent of waste sent to landfill
The duration of the project (Ex: June to August 2020)
The location of the project
Project parameters and notable project exclusions
Q: How is waste diversion calculated?
A: A project's diversion percentage is a calculation of the amount of materials defined as wastes disposed of in an environmentally beneficial manner using the following methods: recycling, composting, re-use, reclamation, e-waste, waste-to-energy. The diversion percentage is calculated using the following formula: (diverted waste – residuals) / (total waste).
Q: Do you have a list of Zero Waste definitions?
A: Yes, below is a list of the most common types of waste and measurements that are being assessed as part of a Zero Waste audit and certification:
Ash: Includes 'fly ash' which is the airborne ash collected after incineration and 'incinerator bottom ash' which is the heavy ash found in the bottom of an incinerator post burning.
Composted Material: Materials organic in nature that are sent to a compost facility where they are allowed to decay to form a relatively homogeneous and stable humus-like substance [ISO 14021].
Construction and Demolition Debris: Materials resulting from the construction and demolition (C&D) of buildings and other structures, including materials such as metals, wood, gypsum, asphalt shingles, roofing, concrete, rocks, rubble, soil, paper, plastics, and glass, but excluding putrescible wastes (SWANA Technical Policies, Attachment B).
Diverted Waste: Internally processed waste and/or non-landfill-bound waste sent for external processing.
E-Waste: Consumer and business electronic equipment that is near or at the end of its useful life (such as computers, televisions, and cell phones)
Hazardous Waste: A waste listed by EPA; or a waste that is characterized by being ignitable, reactive, corrosive, or extraction procedure toxic (USDA Agricultural Resource Service).
Re-claimed Material: Material that would have otherwise been disposed of as waste or used for energy recovery, but has instead been collected and recovered [reclaimed] as a "NEW" material input, in lieu of new primary material, for a recycling or a manufacturing process [ISO 14021].
Recycled material: Material sent to a recycling facility to be shredded, pelletized, or chemically altered to be remade into objects or substances for commercial use. Common materials include glass, metal, cardboard, and plastics, but may apply to other materials, as well.
Re-used Material: Material that would have otherwise been disposed of as waste or used for energy recovery, but has instead been collected at the end of the process to be used again for its initial purpose.
Residuals: Waste material that remains after processing has taken place. Residuals percentages are specific to the type of recycling facility as well as to the state or city (depending on available data). Operator is responsible for obtaining these percentages in an affidavit from the facilities used for processing. Average Residual Percentages may be used if affidavits from facilities cannot be provided. See Average Residual Percentages above.
Sold Waste Material: Material defined as waste within the bounds of the project, which is sold as input into another Manufacturer's Process towards production of a good. Donated Material would also count under this category.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE): Energy recovered from material that would have been disposed of as waste but instead has been collected through managed processes [ISO 14021]. This method includes incineration, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion where the main purpose and output of the process is to create energy.
Q: What other Zero Waste certifications does SCS offer?
A: SCS offers a Zero Waste Facility Certification as well as a Zero Waste Event Certification.
Q: What is the difference between the Zero Waste Facility Standard and the Zero Waste Project Standard?
A: The SCS Zero Waste Facility Standard covers all waste generated at a facility which is then prevented, diverted, or sent to landfills over the course of a 12-month period. All waste generated at the facility must be taken into account. A facility must demonstrate at least 50% diversion to participate in the standard. The Zero Waste Project Standard covers waste generated at a facility only over the duration of the project (which could be less or more than ten years). A project must demonstrate 75% diversion in order to participate in the standard. Only waste generated by the project is taken into consideration. A facility-level standard requires yearly re-certification to re-validate the diversion claim at the facility. The project-level standard is meant for activities that generally take place once and would not need to be recertified.
Q: What other environmental certifications does SCS offer?
A: Zero Waste certification is just one of many certifications a company can achieve as part of its ongoing sustainability journey. SCS offers more than 100 certification and validation programs for a wide variety of products and processes to help companies as they grow towards being more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Such measures ultimately help companies achieve better ESG ratings from the many corporate rating companies, which in turn positions the company well from an ESG investment and institutional investor perspective. For a complete listing of all SCS certifications and validations, visit: http://www.scsglobalservices.com/services
Participation: Other standards do not allow for certification of projects. The SCS Zero Waste Project Standard allows for more companies to participate in certification and communicate their commitment to waste reduction through third-party certification.
Brand Strengthening: Certification provides the opportunity for companies to build upon their ESG brand equity and reputation by showcasing their commitment to diverting waste from landfills.
Transparency: SCS certificates show how diversion rates are achieved. This helps you clearly define and communicate your goals and achievements and avoid assertions of greenwashing.
Hazardous Waste Allowance: Diversion of hazardous waste from landfills can count towards diversion, on a case-by-case basis (following analysis).
Waste to Energy: The standard allows for the use of waste-to-energy as a diversion method for up to 25% of total diversion, without further review; it allows for more than 25% of total diversion, on a case-by-case basis following review.
Residual Rates: The standard allows for default industry/regional residual rates to be applied when calculating diversion rates if data from haulers/third-party waste collection services is not available. Other standards require hauler affidavits.
The steps to Zero Waste Project Certification include the following:
Application Process and Onboarding: Company submits a Zero Waste application to SCS. SCS scopes the company to check that facilities meet the minimum requirements for participation in the standard. If yes, then a work order is sent. Once signed, next steps are discussed, and audit dates are set.
Document Review Audit: Auditor reviews management program documents, waste diversion calculator, internal audit, traceability documents (supporting evidence such as invoices, bills of lading, affidavits), and evidence of trainings.
On-Site Audit: Auditor interviews staff implementing zero waste and checks waste management infrastructure. Findings are disclosed to Company.
Report Issuance and Corrective Action: Auditor submits report to SCS for technical review. SCS submits final report documents to Company. Company submits action plan and evidence to close any issued non-conformities.
Certification: Once non-conformities are closed and technical review is complete, SCS will issue a certificate thereby certifying the diversion percentage achievement of the project.
Certification Standard for Zero Waste Event English
Certification Standard for Zero Waste Project English
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Is your Shih Tzu eating the right food? It is a big concern for every owner, after all, this is how they will get properly nourished. So, if you are not sure about their diet and that, in turn, is reflecting on their growth, here is a list of foods that are dangerous for your Shih Tzu.
These are good for humans but not for your Shih Tzu. Why? Because it is difficult for them to break these foods down and can cause some serious kidney damage. So, it is best to keep them away from this kind of food.
Do you know what allergic reactions can happen from macadamia nuts? It can be serious and pretty severe. Dogs, especially Shih Tzu are quite sensitive, so to avoid these nuts is a must or else they can suffer from muscle tremors and in some cases paralysis too.
Chocolate can help to raise your mood, not your dog's. Chocolate contains the bromine which is a cardiac stimulant. This will make your dog hyperactive, pass urine in a lot of amounts, suffer from dehydration and diarrhea and make them really sick.
The other thing that can happen from chocolate is pancreas attack as there is a high fat contain. So, this is why chocolate is a dangerous food for your Shih Tzu or dog.


Berlin — In the first known meeting of Tibetan and Chinese athletes since 1959, women from the two countries will gather alongside football teams from a variety of nations in the Discover Football International Women's Football Cultural Festival, in Berlin, Germany. However, due to the festival's format, the two contingents could find themselves playing alongside each other, rather than on opposing teams.
The Discover Football Festival is a late June 28th through July 5th event that seeks to be more than an athletic competition. On its website, the host organization (Discover Football) bills itself as "the world's leading network that use football as a tool to advocate for a world in which girls and women can do sports without being discriminated against for any reason." It strives to reach across the board on issues related to international women's athletic competitions. Thus, Discover Football simultaneously "challenges gender roles by increasing diverse images of strong women in the media," while it also "creates a powerful international network" of women football players and leaders.
As one manifestation of the official theme, "Beyond Borders," the Festival adopts a unique approach to the competition itself: the players from each nation are divided, and new teams assemble. The result is a tournament in which players find themselves working together with women from myriad international backgrounds in their on-field efforts. This represents a shift from the traditional relationship between Tibet and China, which has remained extremely contentious over more than 50 years. Indeed, governments and international organizations from around the globe continue to denounce the Chinese Government for its ongoing human rights abuses in Tibet.
The Tibetan delegation consists of seven Tibetan players, their coach Gompo Dorjee, and Cassie Childers from the United States. Childers currently kickstarted Tibet Women's Football in 2011, and now serves as the program manager. The players are Phuntsok Dolma (team captain), Sherab Dolma, Yandan Lhamo, Tenzin Norzom, Tenzin Dasel, Sonam Palyang, and Tenzin Yangzom. Due to tight Chinese control of Tibet, Tibet Women's Football bases itself in the India-based Tibetan refugee community, through which it recruits its players.
The Discover Football Festival also marks the first time in known history that female Tibetan athletes have traveled abroad to represent Tibet at a sporting event, sources report. In order to prepare for the occasion, the team has worked both on and off the pitch. The seven women have trained in public speaking and communication, in order to maximize this opportunity for sports diplomacy.
The Tibet Women's Football mission – even though only a few years old – is one which seeks "to inspire in the girls and women of the Tibetan refugee community a new sense of pride in themselves and hope for their futures." The organization recognizes football is a means to something more: "Soccer (football) is simply the tool by which we frame and deliver lessons and experience focused on these themes."
The players, coach, and manager are all available for press comments via email: teamtibet(at)hotmail(dot)com.


Spécial Magazine | Pimple alert!
One zit can ruin our week! How can we cure and hide this hideous pimple?
In the evening, we get rid of all impurities and in the morning we wake up the skin with a fresh morning toilet.
For dry skins, prefer milks, oils and thermal waters.
For sensitive skins, opt for milk without rinsing.
For mixed or oily skins, avoid milk and nourishing creams.
For an efficient cleaning of the skin, add to your daily routine a gentle exfoliation per week and a purifying mask every two weeks.
Never touch your zit! We can't repeat this enough, but most of us will eventually give in... Dry the pimple by applying a convenient product twice a day. If you have yielded to the temptation and decided to get rid of this enormous pimple, at least be sure to have clean hands and use a tissue to avoid spreading bacteria which will only worsen the situation.
Until this hideous thing disappears, cosmetics offered us beautiful little magic tricks. Just apply a little concealer to hide the red spot. If the pimple is truly catastrophic and nothing seems to work, it's time to take the big measures: the redness corrector stick with a green tint which you will apply before your concealer. For a successful camouflage, finish with some foundation and a little powder for a matte complexion.


Wanna dine with a theme around? Than just head to India's 1st and only Casino theme Resto Bar situated at Malad (west) Mumbai. Believe me its just amazingly mindblogging!!
I recently visited Kasino Bar a lovely place and believe me it really goes with its name totally!! There are Card layouts on the roof and walls and different card suits on the tables really is prefect and goes with its name "Kasino Bar".
Talking about music yes this place has the bestest Bollywood hits DJs which will surely make you dance to its tunes!! It even has a huge dance floor where one can enjoy and dance madly!! Just loved the music and the dance floor!
The food here is just mouthwatering. Its fusion food with an Indian twist. I tried many dishes and this is my experience on whatever i tried. And believe me you will surely come here again and again as it serves amazing food with mesmerizing ambience!
Papas ala saif: fried potato discs , topped with yellow pepper cheese sauce & black olives. Chef saif ^ signature dish. Was a very good dish.
Tiny potato cheese lolllypop: It had Spicy mayo, mini mashed potato cheese balls mixed with shallots , parmesan cheese, garlic powder , black pepper , stuffed with mozzarella cheese , coated with breadcrumb n fried . Served with spicy mayo made with mayonnaise, chipotle & gochujang( Korean hot pepper paste ).
The lollypop was soft and crispy from inside. It has nice garlicky taste.
Spicy chipotle mushroom: button mushrooms tossed in olive oil with onion , garlic, in spicy chipotle pesto sauce ( chipotle pesto is made of chipotle chill,, parmesan cheese , almonds, red bell peppers , garlic, black pepper, olive oil , tinge of tomato) The icing on the cake was surely the pesto sauce. It was just marvellous!!
Sambal cottage cheese: Cottage cheese cubes , tossed with onion, garlic, bell peppers, in spicy sambal sauce tipped with green onion n cilantro. It had superb Asian flavours which was very tasty.
Harumaki: Japanese spring roll stuffed with bean sprouts , mushroom , carrots, cellophane noodles tossed in sesame oil with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, black pepper, pinch sugar , sake ( sake _ pronubciation saa_ kay, is a Japanese rice wine. It was not a typical spring rolls but something very very unique.
Fried fatayer: middle eastern pie or samosa _ generally it's baked but here they fried, samosa dough stuffed with spinach, feta cheese , parsley,sumac , zatar, served with tahina mayo ( tahina is made of sesame ). As i dont like much fried i liked this dish a little less.
Korean cheese nachos: Spinach flavoured tortillas, topped with gochujang spiced cheese sauce ( gochujang is a Korean hit pepper paste ) , bell peppers, green onion , black olives, coriander, mozzarella, cheddar n parmesan cheese.
Vegan over loaded cheese nachos: Crisp tortillas layered with vegan chipotle cheese sauce( made of cashwenut , almond , almond milk , chipotle chill,) topped with spicy refried beans, chill beans , jalapeno, scallions, cherry tomato , served with tomato salsa. I liked this much more than Korean nachos.
Casado: Casado means married man in Spanish. Casado is Costa Rican meal , consists of beans , tortillas , fried plantains, salad , sauteed veggies , grilled cottage cheese steak in the form of protein in tomato basil sauce. It was an truely eye catching dish in presentation and simply yummy.
Vegan crunchy cake: Fried vegan cake made of chickpeas, hearts of palm, mixed with old bay seasoning ,( old bay seasoning is made of bay leaf paprika , dry mustard black pepper , celery salt , ginger powder,all spice , clove powder , nutmeg , cardamom , cinnamon , mace , sweet paprika ) coated with Panko breadcrumbs,(Panko is a Japanese white flaky breadcrumb) served with vegan mayo n tomato salsa. I didnt enjoyed the dish overall.
Umm ali: It Means ali'mither. It's an Egyptian dessert. Croissants layered with milk, topped with double cream, dry fruits like raisins , pistachios , almonds , coconut flakes, layered again the same way but in the second layer the cream is layered on top n baked in the oven. It was yummy and delicious in taste.
U can call umm ali a puff pastry pudding/ bread pudding.
Umm ali was the first wife of of the Egyptian ruler from Ayyubid dynasty , she was killed by the ruler'•s second wife shagaret el dorr, who became furious about whose son would succeed the sultan after his death. When the sultan died , she hatched a conspiracy n got ali's mother killed in the bathroom by her maids with her slippers . So to celebrate the death of umm ali . She asked her cools to come up with the most delicious dessert n this is how umm ali came to fore.
Dragon fruit mojito: It was amazingly colourful drink. It loved the overall presentation of the drink. The drink was about Muddled Dragon fruit skin, mint, lemon, topped with crushed ice,sprite , Dragon fruit meat & mini balls. It was just fantastic i loved it.
Jalapeno punch: This one was really spicy. Yes guys you heard it right SPICY. It was blended with fresh corainder, pineapple, cilantro, jalapeno, pineapple juice and a bit of tangy taste coming from lime juice.
Ying yang martini ( non alcoholic ): It was a mix of chocolate syrup, vanilla ice cream with whipped cream, superbly garnished with shaved chocolate & m& m. Loved it as i love chocolate.
Basil mojito: It was simple and basic with muddled basil & lime crushed ice and topped with ginger ale. I found this mocktail a little ok ok.
Pepper black: This was mix of black currant crush , grape juice , lemon juice , black salt and white pepper. I found it little spicy.
Chocochip chip cookie shake: This was Nicely Blended chocochip cookie , with some whipped cream ,vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup , milk , topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream , chocochip cookie and vanilla ice cream sandwich chocolate swirl, garnished with broken broken chocochip cookie. I truely loved it as again a total chocolate buff so. It was truely yummy.
Oreo2 cookie shake: This was also good in taste crumbled oreo , milk , whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce , chocolate ganach , topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, oreo cookie, garnished with crumbled oreo. Kids loved it.
Vodka captain Morgan: Malibu, blue Curacao, sour mix, absinthe , pineapple juice , topped with ice cubes n dry ice. Was overall decent.
Cocktail _ SCANDAL : RED wine , whiskey , orange juice , ginger ale. As basic and simple.
Cocktail _ pokemon evoo_ lution: Vodka , kahlua , Bailey's, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, topped with oreo cookie. I liked it was good in taste.
Flaming Lamborghini: kahlua, Bailey's, blue Curacao, flambeed with Sambuca on a tower. This was my fav.
So overall an outstanding experience i had. Kasino Bar is really a good place to hang out with your bunch of friends. Had an superb experience and will definately visit again and even suggest everyone to go try it out. Believe me friends just dont miss this sensational place!!


Remobi is a service centers which provides a wide range of technical services. Our specialists have a broad experience in digital electronics repair. Using the latest equipment and tools our technicians precisely diagnose the problem of your device and eliminate it. The cognizance of our personnel affords them reconditioning of any type of electronics with the most challenging problems and defects. MSI Laptops are not an exception. As all the laptops in general are similar they usually have typical and common damages. We are committed to quality and use only genuine components and consumables for the repair.
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M 5.8 in Australia on 16 Dec 2018 14:26 UTC
A surge in earthquakes could be a sign of a disaster yet to come
Thu, 20 Dec 2018 05:17:00 +0100dailymail (en)
Although there has been no significant quake from the Darling Fault recorded, it doesn't mean there never will be. Hugh Glanville, a senior seismologist at Geoscience Australia , has warned there is still a chance a deadly quake could still happen. 'The Darling Fault near Perth is quite a large fault....
1000km fault line could destroy Aussie city
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 20:45:00 +0100qt (en)
WESTERN Australia - home of the quokka, beach camels and most of the country's outback. And it's also home to one of the biggest fault lines in the world. Starting in Albany and stretching 1000km to the north is the Darling Fault, one of the longest and most significant fault lines on Earth, formed....
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 14:43:00 +0100news_com_au (en)
Starting in Albany and stretching 1000km to the north is the Darling Fault, one of the longest and most significant fault lines on Earth, formed when India and Australia broke apart millions of years ago. While a significant earthquake is yet to occur specifically on the Darling Fault, the lengthy....
Putting quakes on spatial maps
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 04:10:00 +0100JakartaPost (en)
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake that wrought devastation in Central Sulawesi on Sept. 28 was a scientific prophecy that came true. Armed with evidence of similar catastrophes in the area more than a century ago, scientists had warned of a potential tectonic calamity years before the monstrous quake struck, triggering a tsunami and land liquefaction.
Indonesia's Soputan volcano erupts, ejecting thick ash
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 16:09:00 +0100phys (en)
Mount Soputan, located on the northern part of Sulawesi island, erupted twice Sunday morning, according to the national disaster agency's spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said in anticipation of hot ash and lava sliding down the slope of the volcano, local residents have been urged to avoid activities near the volcano.
Principales catástrofes naturales en el mundo en 2018
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 22:54:00 +0100elpais-cr (es)
Incendios forestales en el mundo y los más importantes de EEUU. 27 febrero-6 marzo.- Arden alrededor de 20.000 hectáreas de bosque de galería y sabana seco en el incendio que se origina en el Parque Nacional El Tuparro, en el Vichada (Colombia). 3-13 abril.- Un incendio que se inicia por una quema agrícola calcina al menos 5.
Registrado un terremoto de magnitud 5,6 cerca de la costa de Australia
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 05:13:00 +0100diariosigloxxi (es)
MADRID, 16 (EUROPA PRESS) Un terremoto de magnitud aproximada 5,6 ha sido registrado este domingo cerca de la costa oeste de Australia , según ha informado el Instituto Geológico de Estados Unidos. El seísmo ha ocurrido a unos 200 kilómetros de Carnarvon, un pueblo costero ubicado en la costa....
'The dog was going crazy': Houses rattled as one of Australia's biggest quakes strikes off WA coast
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 02:07:00 +0100abc-au (en)
A large swathe of Western Australia has been shaken by the second-largest earthquake to be felt in Australia in the past 20 years. Hundreds of people reported their houses rattling and the ground wobbling after the magnitude-5.9 quake struck about 100 kilometres off the coast of Coral Bay, in the state's north, at 10:26pm.
Australia's second-largest earthquake in 20 years just struck off the WA coast
Strong 6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Area Near Australia's Perth – USGS
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 19:18:00 +0100trendnews-az (en)
. The US Geological Survey reported an earthquake struck around 633.8 miles northwest of the western Australia n city of Perth. Тhe centre of the seismic activity was located at a depth of about 20 miles, reports according to the USGS. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damages.
Strong 6.1 earthquake strikes off the coast of Australia
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 18:01:00 +0100dailystar (en)
POWERFUL: The earthquake struck off the coast of Perth, Western Australia (Pic: USGS) The US Geological Service said the quake struck 1,020km off Perth, with a depth of 33km. It hit at 10.26pm local time, with people across Perth feeling the tremor. One wrote on Twitter: "Was that another....
BREAKING: Huge 6.1 earthquake strikes off the coast of Australia
Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes 1,000 km off Perth, Australia -USGS
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 16:25:00 +0100trust (en)
LONDON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck around 1,000 km north-northwest of the Australia n city of Perth, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Sunday. The quake occurred at a depth of 33.0 km, USGS said. (Reporting by Catherine Evans; editing by David Evans) Our Standards: Our....
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 16:24:00 +0100teinteresa (es)
Un terremoto de magnitud aproximada 5,6 ha sido registrado este domingo cerca de la costa oeste de Australia , según ha informado el Instituto Geológico de Estados Unidos. El seísmo ha ocurrido a unos 200 kilómetros de Carnarvon, un pueblo costero ubicado en la costa noroeste del estado australiano....
Magnitude 5.6 quake strikes off Carnarvon
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 16:18:00 +0100yahoo-au (en)
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake has struck off Western Australia at a depth of 10km, the US Geological Survey says. The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre says there is no threat of a tsunami from the quake which struck at 10.26pm on Sunday. The tremor struck 203km northwest of Carnarvon in the state's northwest.
REUTERS - Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes 1,000 km off Perth, Australia -USGS
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 16:14:00 +0100nampa (en)
Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes 1,000 km off Perth, Australia -USGS. Contributed by NAMPA / Reuters. LONDON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck around 1,000 km north-northwest of the Australian city of Perth, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Sunday. The quake occurred at a depth of 33.


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URC 'committed to the format' after challenging week
Updated / Saturday, 4 Dec 2021 12:37
Munster returned to Ireland on Wednesday, though some players and staff are still in South Africa
The United Rugby Championship says it is committed to the competition's format and to playing all postponed matches despite enduring a challenging week that saw four of its sides stranded in South Africa.
Cardiff, Munster, the Scarlets and Zebre Parma had all been due to play two rounds of fixtures in the country over this weekend and last - the competition's first matches in South Africa in its inaugural season.
However, news of the imposition of fresh travel restrictions in the wake of the discovery of a new coronavirus variant threw those plans into disarray.
The Scarlets and Zebre made it out of South Africa last Sunday, but Munster and Cardiff saw their returns delayed by positive Covid-19 tests.
Munster travelled to Ireland on Wednesday without 14 players and staff who had returned positive tests, while Cardiff - who have six confirmed cases - flew out of Cape Town at the fourth attempt on Friday.
Zebre have returned to some training and Munster's players and staff are isolating at their chosen locations, but the Scarlets are holed up at a quarantine hotel outside Belfast and Cardiff have just begun 10 days of isolation in London.
European Professional Club Rugby has suggested that postponements will not be an option for the teams' Champions Cup and Challenge Cup campaigns, which get under way next weekend, but the URC - which worked with relevant government departments to repatriate the touring sides - is determined that all of its matches will be played by the end of the season.
A league statement read: "After a successful beginning to the inaugural URC campaign, the league remains committed to the format and ensuring all games are played.
"Work has already begun on rescheduling the games postponed in R6 and R7 but it must be made clear that the welfare of our teams and players must come first."
Munster players and staff arrive back in Ireland


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Zeitgeist to Obsolete: Rewinding the Walkman's Inverted Cinderella Story
November 12, 2017 • By Carissa Stolting
Personal Stereo
Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow
IT'S 1989. You're in the middle seat of a Chevrolet Astro minivan, flanked on either side by your screaming siblings. Dad is driving. Oh god, he's air-drumming on the wheel to "Smoke on the Water." Again. You look down and see your backpack and your heart swells just a little because a device in that bag is your ticket out of here. Janine K gave you a mixtape of songs by The Cure and said they would change your life. The cassette is already in the Walkman deck. You pop on headphones, press play, and crank up the volume. Hello, freedom.
It's hard to remember a time before we had the option to curate the playlist of our own minds. We are simply accustomed now to experiencing music in this deeply personal, albeit solitary, way. We disappear into headphones, stream a song via smartphone from the intangible, infinite web, creating a sonic landscape that mirrors our mood. We walk around the grocery store in Beyoncé-land.
But that wasn't always the case. In her new book Personal Stereo, Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow analyzes two major shifts in perspective associated with the 1979 birth of the first solo listening device, the Walkman. First, music becomes a personal experience, and second, music becomes immersive, a means to override — or even negate — the sounds of one's immediate environment. Listening to music in private was not a new concept, of course, nor was the ability to take music on the road (à la the boom box). However, the idea of making the private experience of music a public phenomenon was groundbreaking. In that sense, the Walkman redefined music: it was a revolutionary tool that offered listeners a new kind of freedom. Music technology today still riffs on the basic concept of the Walkman, only now we have digital access to nearly every recorded song.
To set the stage for the Walkman's rise, Tuhus-Dubrow takes us to postwar Japan, in a ramshackle office with a leaking roof. Two men are working with umbrellas over their desks. Their names are Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, the founders of Sony and eventual fathers of the Walkman. Personal Stereo is the wild story of the ingenious brotherhood of Ibuka and Morita, of Japan's ascent from financial ruin to the second largest economy in the world, and of the subsequent pushback from the United States against Japanese-made products. It's also the story of the "Me Generation" of the 1970s, as well as the exercise craze of the '80s, and all the anxiety and nostalgia implicit in the beginning and end of an era.
Personal Stereo is the latest entry in Bloomsbury's Object Lessons series, which focuses on the hidden lives of ordinary things. The short book is divided into three chapters — "Novelty," "Norm," and "Nostalgia" — which together trace a narrative arc that mirrors the lifespan of a zeitgeist technology turned obsolete. Sub-sections within each chapter have evocative titles like "Trapping sound," "Remember Pearl Harbor," and — my personal favorite — "Home taping is killing music." (One can almost hear record label executives in the age of digital streaming laughing out loud at that last title.) Tuhus-Dubrow illuminates a web of stories connected to the Walkman, her references as ubiquitous as its users. She takes us to a mountain in wintry Switzerland where Andreas Pavel, who would later win a lawsuit against Sony, played music for his lover on his jerry-rigged personal stereo while the snow fell silently around them. She quotes Tom Wolfe and Allan Bloom, along with her own buddy who had his Walkman stolen. After finishing Personal Stereo, I found myself wondering about the secret lives of every object around me, as if each device were whispering, "Oh, I am much so more than meets the eye."
The most haunting theme Tuhus-Dubrow treats is contemporary nostalgia for analog technology. In 2015, the National Audio Company reported the best year of cassette sales since 1969. Thurston Moore, formerly of Sonic Youth, claims he only listens to music on cassette, and many artists today elect to release music exclusively on tape. Questioning her own nostalgia, Tuhus-Dubrow tackles the murky issue of why consumers would hold on to this outdated technology. Why commemorate an obsolete device? Tuhus-Dubrow suggests we are nostalgic for the Walkman not because it reminds us of a particular time and place, or an early taste of freedom, nor because it was pivotal in defining the spirit of an age, but because we may secretly long for boundaries in a world of limitless access. Perhaps we crave the singular focus that the Walkman's simplicity forced on us: listen to this one Pearl Jam tape all the way home, because that's all you've got. Tuhus-Dubrow speculates that we miss the time when we could actually touch music — when we had to fumble with a wonky device through a maze of fast-forwarding, rewinding, fast-forwarding again until the click: that sweet spot somewhere mid-tape, the beginning of our favorite song.
As with most generation-defining forms of technology, consumers had conflicting opinions about the Walkman. Because of the newfound personal freedom it offered, the Walkman was considered a threat, antisocial and amoral. "Walkman's Oblivion" was likened to the escape of taking drugs or dissociating into a film-like hyper-reality. People who chose to withdraw into the private world of their personal stereos, hips gyrating down the street to invisible music, were labeled selfish, hermetic, or just plain crazy. "The history of technology," Tuhus-Dubrow writes, "is in part the story of normal people starting to do things that used to be considered signs of insanity." The Walkman's origin story is as curious as the slew of contradictions surrounding its reception. This little device was seen as simultaneously a quintessential symbol of the United States and everything that's wrong with the country, a tool both of laziness and of hyper-productivity (think: exercise craze), as well as a ubiquitous symbol of style and status.
Tuhus-Dubrow is a master researcher and synthesizer. It would appear that she has left no Walkman-related stone unturned. That said, if I could request a hidden bonus track to Personal Stereo, I would wish for more of her insightful musings on the mixtape, a phenomenon responsible for more excited swooning, long-shot lyrical (mis)interpretations, and make-out sessions than any other music delivery mechanism. Surely there is a connection to be made between the Walkman's redefinition of music as personal and the art of curating a music mix specifically for your crush. If the Walkman had never come into being, would it have occurred to us to select and organize songs with such uniquely personal intention? Tuhus-Dubrow does touch on a mix of her own creation, including a stellar lineup of R.E.M. and Beat Happening, but it would be fascinating to read more of her thoughts on the subject. Then again, maybe I'm just feeling nostalgic for Janine K's mix of The Cure, the one that truly set me free.
In July 2012, for approximately 45 seconds, I erroneously believed that I owned New York City. This brief moment accompanied a runner's high, as I jogged alone along the Hudson, earbuds blasting "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Sure, the exercise-induced endorphin rush contributed to my delusion, but the truth is I couldn't have approached that moment of ecstasy had it not been for the ability to disappear into my personal stereo. At the time, I never would have credited the Walkman for my elation, but thanks to Tuhus-Dubrow, an elegant, engaging storyteller who unpacks complex social and political concepts with clarity and panache, I know better now. Personal Stereo is a joy to read.
Carissa Stolting is the founder of Left Bank Artists, an artist management company based in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a contributing poet to the podcast Versify, a publication of PRX, The Porch Writers' Collective, and Nashville Public Radio.
Carissa Stolting
Carissa Stolting is the founder of Left Bank Artists, an artist management company supporting musicians with global reach and a humanitarian message. She has spoken on panels at South by Southwest, IndieGrrl, and the Big Ears Festival about her work with deeply creative, unconventional artists. Carissa is a contributing poet to the podcast Versify, a publication of PRX, the Porch Writers' Collective, and Nashville Public Radio. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Where to see African Wild Dogs
Satara Lumb
Are you looking for the best places to see African Wild Dogs? We collected everything on "Where to see African Wild Dogs"!
African Wild dogs are admired all around the world for their beautiful colours and their exceptional hunting techniques. These dogs are very special to see in the wild, if you'd like to learn more about these amazing dogs, you're in the right place!
The below headings will guide you through specific detailed information- like where to see African Wild dogs, otherwise just enjoy they whole blog in its entirety. Also, feel free to comment below what you thought or your own experiences with African Wild dogs.
Hunting and Diet
10 interesting facts about Painted Wolves
Wild Dogs are known to be quite social and very intelligent dogs. African Wild dogs live in packs averaging from seven to 15 members and sometimes even up to 40 dogs. Before the recent population decline, packs of up to 100 were recorded.
Within the pack, these canines have a very unique social structure. They cooperate in taking care of the wounded and sick members, there is a general lack of aggression exhibited between members of the pack, and there is little to no intimidation among the social hierarchy. Scientists have learnt that every hunting pack has a dominant pair.
All other members of the pack play a subordinate role to the alpha pair. This pair is usually the only pair that remains monogamous for life. Wild dogs also have a large range of vocalisations that include a short bark of alarm, a rallying howl, and a bell-like contact call that can be heard over very long distances. Elaborate greeting rituals are accompanied by sweet twittering and whining.
Wild dogs are high-stamina hunters, capable of maintaining a 40km/h pace over five kilometres and increasing this to bursts of more than 60km/h for short distances. The pack splits up during the hunt, with some dogs trying to drive the fleeing prey in a circle towards the others.
If this fails, they press on with determination, taking it in relays to increase the pace, nipping and tearing at the fleeing victim each time it slows down. They literally run their quarry to exhaustion. Once the animal collapses, the dogs immediately begin feeding, even before their prey has died from loss of blood.
Unlike hyena, which feast noisily and chaotically, wild dogs are restrained and orderly at the kill. The young feed first, followed by the subordinate males and females, with the alpha pair eating at any time. Each dog awaits its turn, and if there is not enough food to go round, the hunt begins again.
Subordinate females support nursing wild dog females who remain at the den. They will stuff themselves with food and then go back to the den to regurgitate the remains for the mother and her young to eat.
A list of the top five places to see African Wild dogs follow as they are scattered fairly widely over Africa, being found predominantly in savannah-like terrain.
If you/re interested in visiting African Wild dogs, take a look at the operators below who could help you in this quest.
Wild Dog Safaris
Rock Jumper Wildlife Tours
African Overland Tours
The Kruger National Park
South Africa has been revolutionary in its African wild dog conservation efforts. A hugely successful reintroduction programme was implemented in the late 1990s following the realisation that the only place left in the country with a viable population of the animals was Kruger National Park. A 20-year effort saw African wild dogs reintroduced to multiple game reserves and national parks across South Africa and a tripling of the country's population of this intriguing species.
Reintroductions continue to date, but sometimes the original is best. Home to the highest population of African wild dogs anywhere in the country, the south of Kruger National Park (and surrounding game reserves such as Thornybush) is still the best place to see African wild dogs in South Africa.
2. Okavango Delta, Botswana
We really don't think we need to give you another excuse to visit the Okavango Delta, what with its wild, lush landscapes and huge diversity of animals… but this UNESCO world heritage site is home to one of the highest African wild dog populations anywhere in the world and is considered to be the last stronghold of this species. So, taking a safari around Moremi Game Reserve, Khwai or even heading out to Linyanti will give you pretty good odds of sneaking a peak of a pack.
3. Ruaha National Park, Tanzania
Ruaha National Park is one of Africa's last remaining wildernesses, perfect for African wild dogs which need a very large area to roam around in and don't really like to come into contact with humans all that much. Ruaha is not only home to the third largest population of African wild dogs in the world but it also home to 10% of the global African lion population. So now you have at least two excuses to make it your next safari destination.
4. Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique
Despite being late to the party, Gorongosa National Park is showing signs of becoming an important outpost for the species. As part of the Carr Foundation's 20-year plan to bring Gorongosa back to the spectacular wilderness it once was, 14 wild dogs were introduced to this protected area earlier this year and there are a lot of plans afoot for future reintroductions. With all the exciting upcoming plans, you should start planning your trip now before everyone finds out about this incredible spot.
5. Mana Pools, Zimbabwe
And finally, Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. We couldn't leave this one out as the Dynasties episode was actually filmed here, you might even spot one of the stars of the show! And if you really want to get close to the action, you could stay at Vundu Camp where the BBC team were based during filming.
Seeing African wild dogs from a vehicle is one thing, but at Mana Pools you also have the opportunity to trek on foot with some of the best walking guides on the continent, in search of these elusive creatures. If you ever wanted to feel a deep connection to nature, we're certain you'll find it here!
So, there you have it, our thoughts on the best places to see African wild dogs in southern and eastern Africa. We really believe that the more people who see these carnivores and support their conservation the better – so next time your safari guide asks you "what would you like to see today?", maybe skip the Big 5 and put a request in for these beautiful animals instead.
Painted wolves (African wild dogs) are not as well known as Africa's other predators, and certainly misunderstood. For starters, they are not dogs, or wolves. They are critically endangered, with only about 5,000 to 6,000 adults left in the wild, and sightings of these graceful predators are rare outside of specific areas.
1. Unique physique
Their scientific name, Lycaon pictus, literally means painted wolf, referencing their mottled fur with black, brown, yellow and white colourings. Every individual's coat has a unique pattern, which helps with identification.
They have an extremely powerful bite – with specialised molars for shearing meat and breaking bone – and exceptionally keen senses of sight, smell and particularly hearing. Large rounded ears lined with numerous muscles allow them to swivel like radar dishes, picking up the minutest of sounds. Long legs, a lean build and rapid muscle recovery all assist in making this animal a formidable endurance hunter.
2. Close social structures and strong pack hierarchy
The social structure of a painted wolf pack is a fascinating, almost altruistic system. Like other pack animals there is a strict hierarchy – the pack is dominated by the matriarch, and usually the alpha pair are the only ones to breed. When a litter of pups is born, they take priority over even the alphas.
At first pups are fed by pack members that regurgitate fresh meat after returning from a hunt, but once old enough, they are taken to the kill and given first choice over the spoils. Adult pack members patiently wait on the side lines, standing guard until their turn to feed.
3. Females rule
The alpha female is the core of the pack – leading her pack from its formation until she dies. She is the leader, general, decision maker and caring mother. Once she dies the pack splits, with the males and females heading in different directions to form new packs.
4. Nomadic nature
Painted wolves are nomadic animals and can traverse 50km in a single day. As a result, their territories can range between 400 and 1500 square kilometres. They only remain in one area when denning.
5. Coordinated when hunting
The 80% success rate in painted wolf hunts can be attributed mainly to the coordinated nature of the pack. Communication is key and the pack members constantly let one another know both their location and that of the prey. Their high intelligence and teamwork allows them to adapt to changing scenarios during a hunt.
6. Enemies – man and beast
Humans are easily the largest threat to the painted wolfs' survival. For a very long time they were viewed as 'pests', even by conservation authorities, and exterminated in large numbers (read the next paragraph below). They have been recorded killing livestock if no other prey is available, but there exists no recorded incident of painted wolves attacking humans. Painted wolves are regularly killed by livestock farmers, and they also fall prey to snares and poison set for other wildlife.
Many painted wolves die from diseases such as rabies, usually contracted from domestic dogs. Because of their highly social nature one rabid painted wolf will quickly infect the rest of the pack, often wiping the entire pack out. In the wild, lions are the painted wolf's main threat. Usually areas with high lion populations have low population of painted wolves. Other predators such as hyena, leopard and python also kill painted wolves, especially young ones.
7. Exterminated in the name of conservation
Generous bounties were historically offered by colonial administrations for each painted wolf's death and visitors were even allowed to shoot them on sight in many of Africa's protected parks. In Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), they were considered a 'problem animal' right up until 1977. In 1975 alone, 3,404 painted wolves were destroyed in vermin control operations.
8. Relationship values
The dominant pair is monogamous and would usually be the only ones in the pack to breed, though a beta pair does sometimes produce pups as well, which are then either killed or adopted by the alpha pair. Each litter can have between four and 12 pups. Unlike most other pack animals, male painted wolves tend to stay within their pack's territory once reaching sexual maturity, whereas the females will travel long distances to find a mate and start or join a new pack. This behaviour is a good countermeasure against inbreeding
9. Interesting genetics
Painted wolves used to be found across the African continent, but are now limited to countries in the south and east of Africa, the main strongholds being in Botswana's Okavango Delta and the Tanzania's Selous Game Reserve. East African painted wolves are slightly smaller than their counterparts in the south.
There are five subspecies of painted wolf; the Cape, East African, West African, Chadian and Somali, though the genetic diversity of these subdivisions is under debate. Although painted wolves do share a common ancestor with wolves from a few million years ago, they are not genetically compatible, so interbreeding with any other canids isn't possible. The selective breeding applied to domesticated dogs which formed the different breeds could never work with painted wolves.
10. They cannot be domesticated
People have attempted to tame painted wolves, but never successfully. They are naturally distrusting of humans or indeed any animal outside of their own pack. When humans have domesticated dogs in the past, it was due to certain character traits prevalent in canines that could be amplified through breeding. One of these traits was a willingness to be touched by humans. This, combined with traits of curiosity and opportunism, paved the way for humanity's greatest symbiotic relationship with an animal affectionately named "man's best friend." Painted wolves have never displayed these traits and it is unlikely they ever will.
Major threats to the survival of wild dogs include accidental and targeted killings by humans, viral diseases like rabies and distemper, habitat loss and competition with larger predators like lions.
Conflicts occur when wild dogs come in contact with people whose livelihoods rest largely on livestock and agriculture. Problems arise when expanding human activities decrease the habitat for available prey for wild dogs.
Sadly, according to the IUCN Red List, these dogs have been reported as endangered. As mentioned above, packs used to be near almost 100 dogs, now packs average around 15 dogs per pack. And with only 6600 individuals left in the wild, they are also one of Africa's most endangered species.
Summary on Where to see African Wild Dogs
Clearly, these stunning animals are in danger and are worth protecting at all costs. Finding out where to see African wild dogs, could be key to their survival in the future.
If you enjoyed reading this blog, perhaps read other blogs of ours including: Visit Africa for a trip of a lifetime, all about the safari parks in Afrika and Cheetahs.
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