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MAY, 2019 – V.I.P NEWS
BREAKING NEWS 5/30/2019
[Scumbagged is working directly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other unnamed law enforcement jurisdictions into a corruption probe pertaining to Portage County. This will usher in a new article that will be featured shortly that show's an Ex-Commander having taking pictures of an undercover ATF Agent, missing money from evidence rooms, burning of confidential informant information and a letter from a Portage County Drug Task Force officer who witnessed paperwork trails being destroyed. We're connecting the dots with a huge amount of tips and official documentation and evidence that has been provided. Exclusive coming soon.
The Akron Fire Department Chief sent us a letter commanding us to redact an article. In his letter he rebuffed several statements that were made on the site and called them "false" – also within the same letter he contradicts himself and admits to the facts that we divulged. Exclusive coming soon.
A Northeast Ohio Police Chief (active) is in some serious trouble. We can't speak too much on it yet, but we have the inside scoop on the situation. The chief liked sexual favors in exchange for letting women off the hook and even instructed his officers that they were "off limits". This will be a good one, unfortunately due to the underlying investigation we can't run with this story yet. Look forward to this potentially sometime in July.
A Judge in Summit County is investigating the accusations made against Lawyer Eric E. Jones. There's other women that have contacted us about inappropriate actions taking place as well. Justice is coming for the woman that was accosted and sexually assaulted as well as the numerous (that we presume are out there) that have been subjected to his unwanted sexual advances. Follow up coming soon.]
Contest currently available to win prizes (30 day Netflix Account, Scumbagged T-Shirt and free V.I.P). Entry form found on this page. Ends 6/5/2019 (MONTHLY VIP ONLY).
Bonus content added.
Featured Galleries with redacted images added (MONTHLY VIP ONLY).
Over 100 individual videos, screenshots, documents, audio recordings are censored for VIP members only access.
VIP Chat added.
Privileged Information, Classified Information & Restricted Content Locator added.
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Possible private investigation being thrown around pertaining to abnormal property evaluations in North Ridgeville. Some homes in excess of $45,000+ surplus in one year with zero documentation provided by the city with several individuals. 5/10/2019
Information pertaining to submissions yet published & what you can expect to see in the coming days or weeks on Scumbagged.com!
Want to submit your own article? Click here.
Don't want to submit? Use our 24/7 Tip Line: (330) 915-7483
Working in conjunction with Lorain County Sex Offenders to bring a Sex Offender portion of the site to life. 5/02/2019
Scumbagged.com owns the exclusive to a pending class action lawsuit that stemmed out of the Lorain County Jail. The suit effects hundreds of thousands of inmates recently released and has been making it's way through the courts for 2 years. Should be ending soon, when it does we will have it here first (and you can then watch every other local news outlet and some national ones piggy back off of us). 5/08/2019
Pending exclusives into massive overdose deaths taking place in Summit County. Scumbagged has several insiders in law enforcement and paramedic positions. Code Blue's have been called all over the region to rehabs and other correctional facilities. All of which has been swept under the rug. Story will break soon. 5/10/2019
A member of law enforcement (high ranking) who has been in position of power for more than 20 years is in big time trouble. We are working hand in hand with a female individual who is also currently involved in law enforcement that provided sexual favors to the other individual in law enforcement in exchange for leniency with police interaction, etc. We are gathering evidence, trying to schedule meetings to create video and audio of the setting so the masses don't cry "fake". This is the method we always try to take when running exclusives. 5/10/2019
There is an exclusive that will be breaking soon regarding rehabs in Medina county, the specifics aren't quite lined up yet, but it's on par with Primary Purpose and the Hope house articles. This one has interviews that will be conducted with individuals and provide insider details and specifics. Just waiting on everything to come to fruition. 5/10/2019
We have pending submissions on the following officers from North Ridgeville in explicit detail with dates, names, times and locations of events. Officer Larkin, Officer Gorski and Officer Petek. One had an affair with a North Ridgeville bus driver while on duty and left his car running in the street. Another beat up his girlfriend at the time who was holed up at the Super Motel 8 in Ridgeville with another man, when she called the cops, they advised her for hours upon hours not to press charges on him (as he was drunk at the time). And lastly, another one had an affair on his wife and a woman suddenly died. All of these will be breaking throughout 2019 and 2020, no rush on them. 5/10/2019
Pending submissions related to Mayor Gillock committing perjury on the stand, exposes on the North Ridgeville Spotlight Forum, North Ridgeville Forum and several other individuals in the North Ridgeville government. 5/10/2019
Listen to recordings we've had with the F.B.I and see other behind the scenes stuff that we don't really tend to publicize to the mainstream.
See a lawsuit we won against IUIC.
(V.I.P Release Date: 5/16/2019)
Listen to a private investigator reaching out to Scumbagged for assistance.
See communications we've had with a co-founder of Facebook who reached out to us.
(V.I.P Release Date: 6/1/2019)
See a pending lawsuit threat against Scumbagged.
See a pending lawsuit against Scumbagged.
Listen to the F.B.I calling Scumbagged for assistance in a Terrorist related incident.
Content that has been restricted and is only accessible to V.I.P members across Scumbagged.com.
Link: A Serial Predator, A Coverup & A Mayor (North Ridgeville, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Four damning text messages sent from Charlie Gillock to his victim.
Link: Cuyahoga County Jail Imploding: Internal Documents Leaked (Cleveland, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Four emails sent from the Warden and 30 internally leaked documents from Corrections Officers / internal employees.
Link: David vs. Goliath: Scumbagged.com Sued By Nik Richie & TheDirty.com (Cleveland, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Scumbagged.com's official response to Nik Richie & TheDirty.
Link: Sheffield Lake Police Chief Exposed: Police Will Draw Guns During Minor Traffic Stops (Sheffield Lake, Ohio)
Restriction(s): A 13:31 secret recording of the Police Chief defending his department's use of drawing guns on innocent individuals for not coming to complete stops at stop signs.
Link: Nik Richie Exposed: TheDirty.com Engaging in Blackmail & Extortion (USA)
Restriction(s): Three incriminating emails where Reputation Stars (a service that TheDirty uses) attempted to make cash donations / extortion payments to Scumbagged for removal of articles.
Link: Pierre Zarokian Exposed: ReputationStars.com Owner Engages In Extortion Practices (USA)
Restriction(s): Same emails restricted as notated in the article above.
Link: Senator Tom Patton Exposed – Corruption, Bribery, Kickbacks & His Bid For Congress (Strongsville, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Phone (cell) number, home address & email address. 12 legal .pdf files & one audio/radio recording.
Link: The Harbor Light Saga – Flooding, Misconduct & Torture (Cleveland, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Fire & Flooding footage on video.
Link: IUIC Racist African Americans Invade Downtown (Cleveland, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Brief confrontational video of the IUIC Racist Religious group in action in Downtown Cleveland.
Link: Scumbagged Exclusive: North Ridgeville Officer Groped Me When I was 16 [RECORDING] (North Ridgeville, OH)
Restriction(s): Full audio recording of an admission where Officer West of the North Ridgeville Police Department allegedly groped a 16 year old boy.
Link: Theft Of The Elderly Disabled – Catie Fawn Sagges (Elyria, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Video footage of Catelynn Sagges in court.
Link: Woman Who Gets Sober From Heroin Sentenced To 30 Days In Jail (Elyria, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Two audio recordings. One of the probation officer and one of the woman that was sentenced.
Link: Sheffield Lake Mayor Intimidates Protesters (Kelly Miller Circus)
Restriction(s): Video of the victims while on the scene.
Link: State Representative Tom Patton & The Largest Meth Raid In History (Strongsville, Ohio)
Restriction(s): 46 second audio of Tom Patton making sexist comments on air.
Link: Dr. Biswajit Das Exposed: Drugs, Prostitution & Forged Prescriptions (Cleveland, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Footage of the Dr. at the Lorain County Jail trying to see one of his prostitutes.
Link: WATCH: Lorain Tax Nightmare – City Hall Gets Berated, Treasurer Exposed (Lorain, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Raw footage of an insane situation where thousands of Lorain residents stood in a line that wrapped around 3 streets and stretched for almost a mile.
Link: Ken Mills Exposed: Cronyism, Contract-Steering & Abuse of Power (Cuyahoga County, Ohio)
Restriction(s): 14 minute video of the council berating Ken Mills (before he was fired).
Link: Hell On Earth: A Jail Operated By Demons That Compounds Evil (Cleveland, Ohio)
Restriction(s): 30 leaked documents (internal and used in a subsequent Scumbagged article).
Link: Video: Cookeville Tennessee Man Sets Up Friend & Gets Him 8 Years In Prison (Cookeville, Tennessee)
Restriction(s): Video footage that came from a motion of discovery during trial showing one man's best friend wearing a wire on him and netting him in big big trouble with the law as a result.
Link: Lorain County Judges Exposed: Intimidation, Threats, A Murder & More (Elyria, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Cellphone screenshots of the absurd "mafialistic" conversation between the two judges.
Link: The Beatdown Caught On Tape – Imari Maldonado Get's Whooped (Lorain, Ohio)
Restriction(s): A Lorain woman get's beat down on video. Interestingly enough, she was bragging about how she won this very same fight on Facebook just an hour or so after this footage surfaced.
Link: #BOYCOTT Brian Griffith & Sheffield Automotive Sales: The Racist Cokehead Convict (Elyria, Ohio)
Restriction(s): Racist audio recording accidentally left on a customers voicemail.
Link: Road to Hope Men's Director Exposed: Steve Campana – Requesting Drugs from Residents Girlfriend (Elyria, OH)
Restriction(s): Screenshots of the Men's Director requesting crack cocaine and talking about his addiction with one of his residents girlfriends.
Link: The Rubicon: Cuyahoga County Jail's Eric Ivey Has A Fellow Officer As His Mistress & Owes $30,000+ in Taxes (Cleveland, OH)
Restriction(s): Two .pdf's that document back taxes owed as well as two FlipBooks that document information. Also, Warden Eric Ivey's personal home address and information.
Link: Tony Lance Exposed – A Confidential Informant with An Active Warrant – CAUGHT ON RECORDING (North Ridgeville, OH)
Restriction(s): Listen to a secret audio recording obtained where Lance admit's to working with the North Ridgeville Police Department in order to get out of potential jail time. Also see another recording where the Judge issues a warrant for his arrest.
Link: Kody Sherman – A Woman Beater, Deadbeat Father & Manipulative Liar (Tiffin, OH)
Restriction(s): 5 Screenshots that show physical abuse in it's worst form. Black eye, busted lip, teeth through lips & so on.
Link: Coming Soon…
Restriction(s): Coming Soon…
Link: Scumbagged Girls
Restriction(s): Women that have been posted to Scumbagged in one way or another, some of which never made the cut, many of which did, some of the images may have been restricted due to editorial decisions (too much skin), etc. MUST BE VIP 30 DAY ACCOUNT.
Link: Scumbagged Guys
Restriction(s): Images that depict that vast majority (if not all) of the male submissions contained on Scumbagged. These images, just as with the girls, do not contain mugshots. MUST BE VIP 30 DAY ACCOUNT.
Link: Area51
Restriction(s): Sensitive information pertaining to upcoming submissions, investigations, ongoing behind the scenes events (lawsuits, FBI/Local Jurisdiction contacts), contests, events, VIP chat, freebies and more!
Content featured here is content that was at one time published or was in the process of being published but for some reason or another was revoked or withheld.
VIP NOTE: Some of the VIP videos and content is hosted on YouTube. These links are private, they are not indexed, found via search or any other means. The only way any of the censored content can be found is if a direct link is provided. Moving forward all videos will continue to be hosted on the Scumbagged server.
The Impersonating Officer
An officer (on recording) impersonated another officer. He did this because he was having an affair with a woman when the story broke. Below is the video of officer Ajay Johnson impersonating another officer as well as a variety of screenshots pertaining to the situation. It was removed out of the user's personal request.
Dan'elle Laurent had an affair with Officer Ajay Johnson.
Officer Ajay Johnson allegedly impersonates another officer.
Dan'elle trying to get pills via text.
Scumbagged.com Girls
Scumbagged.com Guys
Breaking Stories & The Results
Interested in sharing your story? Want to report a scumbag today? Use the Article Submit feature now! Below are the end results of some previous user submitted articles. Granted, these are only some that we've selected, there is just so many things that have gone on as a result of our articles. We've been investigating the Mayor of Lorain as a prime example, he knows it, we've told him as much. Then he goes and resigns, alas. The Mayor of North Ridgeville felt the heat for the Mosque on Center Ridge Rd.,. that plot failed. On and on we can go with the success stories from out publishers!
Mike Freeman of North Ridgeville, Ohio was exposed for misconduct and a variety of issues putting the North Ridgeville Police Chief in the hot seat once again. July 12, 2017 See The Article
The Mayors grandson, Charlie Gillock, was exposed for being a 2 time sex offender while in high school and the Mayor was also exposed for concealing his behavior. July 20, 2017 See The Article
As a result of several articles that were submitted, Scumbagged.com received it's first ever death threat, several more threats quickly followed. July 22, 2017 See The Article
Detective John Graves of the Cleveland Police Department was exposed for his alleged corrupt behavior that has spanned almost 2 decades, shedding light into a serious issue with the nations law enforcement. July 22, 2017 See The Article
Life Care Ambulance Inc. based in Elyria Ohio was exposed for underpaying their overworked workers. A Pay Raise Ensued. August 4, 2017 See The Article
Sheffield Lake Mayor Dennis Bring was exposed for antagonizing and intimidating peaceful protesters. This put the Mayors re-election up in the air. August 5, 2017 See The Article
Walmart was in the national news for an alleged display showing a back to school gun sign. Scumbagged was the first outlet that the sign was debunked on and several major news sources referenced your article helping to clear up Walmarts name. Ausut 11, 2017 See The Article
North Ridgeville Police once again find themselves exposed this time featuring several officers prompting an internal investigation into the police department. August 26, 2017 See The Article
Harbor Light in Downtown Cleveland is exposed with multiple videos (and subsequent articles) that expose corruption from within. Gave various familes an outlet to reach to, since none others were made available. August 30, 2017 See The Article
Lucky Bezak of Aces Bar & Grille in North Ridgeville is exposed for various levels of corruption. He was forced out of Aces as a result. August 30, 2017 See The Article
Several user submission put extensive pressure on Senator Tom Patton and exposed him from everything from bribery to misappropriation of funds to belittling female opponents. Tom Patton folded his bid for congress. September 2, 2017 See The Article
A user submission allegedly exposed Nik Richie and TheDirty.com for accepting payments in order to take down published listings. Nik Richie & co. sued Scumbagged.com in return. February 10, 2018 See The Article
The city of Lorain was exposed for using compromised radio frequency water meters. This prompted hundreds of residents to reach out and file a lawsuit against the city. February 9, 2018 See The Article
Several articles were submitted, leaked documents and recorded officers shedding light into various violations down at the county jail. Things are getting interesting down at the jail from this one. February 12, 2018 See The Article
Anthony Campo, the Sheffield Lake Police Chief was exposed through a private investigation that was launched from one user. Investigation revealed questionable gun sales to unknown individuals. February 26, 2018 See The Article
Sheriff Clifford Pinkney is exposed for a host of issues stemming from his ineffective management of his department to pulling in favors for "certain" Sheriff's. This launched an internal investigation into the Sheriff and pushed him into divulging additional details about internal staff. February, 20th 2018 See The Article
Warden Eric Ivey is exposed again, this time for alleged assaults on inmates, one in particular. In this instance, the Warden and the Cuyahoga County Jail are already being investigated by the city Council and the FBI, unbeknownst to the media and themselves. March 8th, 2018 See The Article
Brian Griffith of Sheffield Automotive Sales accidentally left one of his potential clients a racist voicemail. Scumbagged broke the news and it was ultimately featured on the local news 3 days later. March 9th, 2018 See The Article
Elyria Municipal Court is found (once again) to be publicizing social security numbers on random court dockets. Scumbagged spoke with the lead tech at the city and they ran a search to remove all social security numbers listed, Common pleas still has some showing though as of 5/10/2019. March 20th, 2018 See The Article
Kristi Fitch was exposed on Scumbagged for not being arrested after a deadly crash that saw her kill someone in an opposing car. The family (and her) erupted on social media proclaiming she was innocent. She was arrested a short time later on vehicular manslaughter charges. April 27th, 2018 See The Article
An article broke regarding crack kits (stems, chore boy, etc.) as well as prostitution taking place at Gas Stations all across Lorain County. Investigations netted hefty fines into all locations. North Ridgeville's have since ceased selling them. The same cannot be said for Elyria or Lorain however.. August 2nd, 2018 See The Article
Sheffield & Avon Lake have a major cancer issue. Again, this stems from illegal dumping that took place with highly toxic chemicals in the 40's, 50's and 60's. Now homes reside directly on top of these locations or right next door. In addition, other streets were directly in line with highly toxic and carcinogenic companies. This article went extremely viral and also lead to the sensitive Government Investigation into ATSDR. August 4th, 2018 See The Article
Multiple Sclerosis article broke regarding companies that utilized compounds that have been linked to cluster zones around the world. The article went viral and made Wellington the talk of town once again for it's MS cluster. In addition, a month later sensitive documentation regarding a potential cover-up with MS in the area was submitted. August 5th, 2018 See The Article
Dr. Biswajit Das from the Case Western Reserve University. A leading researcher in the cure for Aids is discovered to be paying for sex, providing drugs and prescriptions to women across Lorain County. He is caught on video attempting to visit one of the women he frequented while she was locked up. Approximately a month later, after feeling the pressure, Dr. Biswajit Das moved out of the country and went back home to India where he belongs. August 16th, 2018 See The Article
Scumbagged.com received a tip of some unusual activity taking place in Downtown Lorain. Upon arrival, we pulled out our camera and began interviewing the masses. We also confronted the workers inside and berated them for the insanity that had deliberately caused. Three hours after Scumbagged.com's article, FOX8 News arrived on the scene and covered the story. August 17th, 2018 See The Article
The ATSDR Government Investigation report is submitted to Scumbagged related to the Multiple Sclerosis and Cancer Cluster articles. Inside it details prolific skewing of data and extreme indifference to the cluster zones in Ohio and elsewhere. September 5th, 2018 See The Article
After dozens of emails and repetitive harassment from Matthew Berdyck – a psychopathic environmental activist, he took it to the next level and outlined a sinister plot to destroy a Northeast Ohio power plant. Approximately 3-6 hours after our article broke, Berdyck was detained by authorities en-route to Ohio. October 14th, 2018 See The Article
A massive cockroach infestation was discovered at an apartment complex in Lorain and the owner was discovered as being a blatant slumlord. In response the health inspector paid a visit. October 18th, 2018 See The Article
Bridget Dorsey was exposed for allegedly doing a vast amount of illegal behavior, including working for a dentist and receiving illegal scripts from the place of business. Scumbagged received word from the dentist that Bridget didn't work there. Yet, in 2019 she was arrested for forged documents related to prescription drugs. Who would have guessed? October 18th, 2018 See The Article
Laura Lester & Matthew Powell were exposed for having one strange, sick and twisted relationship after his girlfriend died the day before (who was her best friend). Interestingly enough, Powell was arrested on drug related charges shortly after this story broke. October 19th, 2018 See The Article
Another Lorain slumlord graced the front cover of Scumbagged, this time an owned with almost 20 properties in the city and one notoriously known for renting out horrific homes. In the end she wound up being submitted numerous times and now has multiple cases against her in the court of law. October 23rd, 2018 See The Article
In a leaked letter by a high ranking Cuyahoga County Correctional Officer, a sick, twisted and scary picture is painted. One that divulges life threatening issues to both the officers and the inmates. IThis letter only expedited the process that was ongoing down at the C.C.J, the urgency was really apparent to the investigators and council members. December 19th, 2018 See The Article
After numerous articles ran on Lucky Bezak and Aces Bar & Grille, enough was finally enough. Scumbagged broke the story that sealed the fate of Aces, it's permanent closure. The Aces articles fetched upwards of 350,000 unique views in all – more than the entire population of Lorain County. January 3rd, 2019 See The Article
A user submitted post related to a missing or dead dog that transpired at an Elyria pet boarding facility turned out to be a total nightmare for the dog's owner. It was discovered that the dog had died, shortly after the Scumbagged article ran, local & Cleveland based news stations arrived on the scene. An arrest was also made and the boutique has since been shut down. February 12th, 2019 See The Article
The Primary Purpose housing facility for men and women is exposed. It's owner is discovered being a multi-felon who is a womanizer amongst many other things. It's placed a lot of heat on Chuck Craft and a subsequent article ran exposing him again for blatantly lying. He's also been submitted since by multiple women for many things (like taking urine tests in parking lots, having sex in exchange for rent). Stay tuned on this one, we're not done. February 16th, 2019 See The Article
A dagger in the heart for the Warden. Based off of a tip Scumbagged received it was determined that the Warden had both a mistress at the Cuyahoga County Jail as well as a huge sum of delinquent taxes. 30 days later a major news station covered our story. It was only a few days afterwards that the Warden was indicted and thrown into the very same jail that he used to be in charge of, the irony. February 17th, 2019 See The Article
An H&R Block computer bug is discovered that is costing upwards of $1,000 or more on individuals tax returns. It caused H&R to have to revisit hundreds of thousands of tax returns and make amendments, as well as fixing the bug in their system. All because of a Scumbagged user submission out of North Ridgeville's office. February 27th, 2019 See The Article
Attorney Eric E. Jones out of Summit County was exposed for groping and sexually assaulting a client. It turns out he is also married to Judge Jones out of the same courts. Investigation is currently underway with more than 2 women coming forward as having been approached sexually by Mr. Jones while he represented them. March 19th, 2019 See The Article
Bryon Meshew, the Chief of Police for the city of Creston is exposed for his inappropriate sexting and avid sexually based discussions pertaining to someone who was in recovery (a heroin addict at the time). He was married as well and conducted the conversations while on tax payer dollars. It's still in it's infancy, but we can only imagine what's going on with IA. April 19th, 2019 See The Article
A North Ridgeville Police Officer, Pat West, is exposed for allegedly groping a 16 year old boy. This isn't the first time that Officer West has been submitted for suspect behavior. A user submitted information regarding him about a year prior. Who knows what else may turn up during the next 365 days – it's too soon to tell. May 5th, 2019 See The Article
The men's director for Road to Hope housing – Steve Campana is exposed for contacting one of his residents girlfriends in an attempt to purchase crack cocaine. In the span of 60 minutes after being told he would be exposed, Campana no longer had a job and disappeared off of our radar. May 6th, 2019 See The Article


We are an adoption social network that connects expectant mothers and families considering adoption.
Offers information and resources to help women make informed decisions during pregnancy.
Years of Congressional overextension significantly degraded the CIAs HUMINT capability and overreliance on Technical Intelligence contributed to significant intelligence failures in the 21st century.
Is Russian Counterintelligence a Threat to the United States?
Russia's robust intelligence capabilities and counterintelligence services poses a significant threat to the national security of the United States and continues to increase its human intelligence collection targeting the United States.
This research closely examines the history of the U.S. led War on Drugs, its drug control policies throughout successive presidencies and its overall effectiveness across the globe and the andes.
The President and DOD have aligned and synced strategies to defeat transnational organized crime at home and abroad, specifically due to the growing narcotics trade.
Jihadist homegrown terrorism presents a complex and dangerous threat to U.S. National Security. Jihadist homegrown extremism continues to be a major threat as Al Qaeda seeks to rally support.
Analysis of cocaine smuggling from the 1940's through the 1970's.
Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has strived to define their place within the international economy and security environment as globalization emerges and expands economic competitiveness across the world.
Re-focusing the U.S. Intelligence efforts on the atmospherics of the environment rather than solely on the enemy situation can effectively aide the counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan.
The Sinaloa Mexican Drug Cartel has emerged as one of the most prevalent and "powerful drug trafficking organizations in the Western Hemisphere" (InSight Crime).


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STANT LITORE
Time-traveler. SF/F author. Dead languages enthusiast. Colosseums for tyrannosaurs. Living a life of unstoppable hope.
INARA'S STORY
The Story of Inara
Explore the Books:
Dear Doomsday Predictors…
Dear Doomsday Predictors,
I will tell you a story.
In the Year of Our Lord Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine, on December 31 of the old calendar and shortly after dusk, men and women climbed up onto their rooftops throughout western Europe to look at the sky. They were waiting for the heavens to roll back like a scroll and for the apocalypse to start, as various officials in the Church had announced that it would do during the first minute of the Year 1000. The watchers on the roofs had, regretfully, a long and dreary and rather cold night. They went to bed extremely late (those who went to bed at all) and were exceedingly tired and grouchy the next morning (and no, Europe did not have coffee yet).
Some were also now rather broke, as they had, in the final months of the autumn, given many of their earthly possessions to the Church so that the poor and the ill could be cared for and could face the apocalypse fed and clothed. After the apocalypse failed to occur on schedule, the general disillusionment (and some sense of having been robbed) led to a growing distrust of the Church over the next few generations. That distrust helped foment the great schism and the War Between the Two Popes, which one of the Popes resolved rather efficiently by declaring the First Crusade and sending most of the armed men of Europe to a country 2,000 miles away. Which also made the Church, for the next two and a half centuries, the wealthiest temporal power in Europe, because marching 2,000 miles to invade the Holy Land is incredibly expensive and the armed men of Europe had to mortgage their lands and titles to the Church in order to afford weaponry, horses, servants, and provisions for the journey — and as most of them never returned, the coin from widespread sales of worldly possessions (far more coin than the working classes had been able to part with in 999 AD in expectation of apocalypse) remained within church coffers.
But I digress. What I want to point out is that since the debacle of 12:01 am, January 1, 1000 AD, neither the Roman Catholic Church nor any of the reformer churches that later splintered from it have been very keen on officially backing scheduled apocalypses. That makes sound sense and is also good theology, as the New Testament asserts that not even Jesus, let alone any human being past or present, knows the day or the hour of the End Times. (There is also a rather pointed instruction in the sacred text to be ready but not to worry about it.)
So why do we, year after year after weary year, have a steady stream of crackpots, quacks, charlatans, and highwaymen establishing specific dates and times for an apocalypse, venturing again and again where even the world's largest and wealthiest religious institutions fear to tread? And if, every year, these crackpots are actually serious about their predictions of timely and imminent doom, why don't they at least do as the Church in Rome did in 999 AD, and found orphanages and hospitals, clothe and feed the poor, and put all that cash, media attention, and zeal to some good use in the world? That way, if they prove right and the apocalypse happens at the predicted minute, they are found ready in the midst of their work, like the wise virgins, rather than dozing and daydreaming like the foolish virgins in the story? And that way, if they prove wrong, they will at least have accomplished something and carried out a few of the Lord's commands along the way.
Better yet, does ANYONE read history anymore? I mean, you all have been making this mistake since 999 AD, people. That's rather a long time. My ancestors had this old saying: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me six hundred and seventy-two times, shame on me."
Celebrating 4 Powerful Years
"Taking the Absurd and the Sacred and Stabbing You in the Heart with It"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The aerial survey of the destruction of Mt. Kenya, Imenti and Ngare Ndare forests was undertaken to provide a rapid systematic assessment and monitorable baseline information on these forests, as a sample to represent the other forests in the country. It was specifically carried-out in response to requests to Kenya Wildlife Service by various institutions, NGOs, including the Kenya Forests Working Group, conservationists and community groups.


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These Are the Most Popular Jewish Baby Names of 2017
By Lior Zaltzman May 11, 2018
Once again, it's that time of the year! The Social Security Administration just released the most popular baby names of 2017.
Many of the top names seem very much inspired by today's celebrity culture, including the number-one girls' name, Emma, possibly after Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone. Also super popular: Ava, after famous movie director Ava Duvarnay (Selma and A Wrinke in Time) and the top boys' name, Liam, which, as Time posits, could be after either the One Direction singer Liam Payne, actor Liam Neeson, or actor and extremely good-looking Australian Liam Hemsworth (AKA Thor's brother and Miley Cyrus's boyfriend).
I can't say that there are any big surprises on this list, but as a mom-to-be who is just a few weeks away from her due date, I was definitely surprised to see none of my chosen names high up on the list. Not that there's anything wrong giving your kid an unpopular (or, rather, unique) name!
Culling the Jewish names from the Social Security Administration's list, it's clear that Jewish boys' names are a lot more popular than Jewish girls' names, with a lot of them making it into the Top 20.
So without further ado, here are the top Jewish baby names of last year:
Girls' Names:
1. Ava (#3) is a version of "Eve," which means "life" in Hebrew.
2. Charlotte (#7), though not strictly Jewish, was a very popular name among Jewish immigrants. It means "free."
3. Abigail (#10) is a Hebrew name meaning "my father is joy."
4. Elizabeth (#13) is a Hebrew name meaning "God is my oath."
5. Ella (#16) means "goddess" in Hebrew.
6. Hannah (#32) is a biblical name. Hannah was the mother of the prophet Samuel.
7. Leah (#40) is a biblical name. Leah was one of the four matriarchs.
Boys' Names:
1. Noah (#2) is a Hebrew name meaning "comfort."
2. Benjamin (#6) is a Hebrew name meaning "Son of Right Hand."
3. Elijah (#8) is a Hebrew name meaning "The Lord is My God."
4. Jacob (#10) is a Hebrew name meaning "to follow."
5. Michael (#12) is a Hebrew name meaning "who is like God."
6. Daniel (#15) is a Hebrew name meaning "God is my judge."
7. Joseph (#19) is a Hebrew name meaning "increase."


District 12 represents UMWA members in the Midwestern part of the United States. District 12 includes many of the founding areas of the United Mine Workers of America. Today, UMWA members in District 12 come from throughout western Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
District 12 members' pensions and health care are on the line with the recent bankruptcies of Patriot Coal. Click here to find out how you can join with your District 12 brothers and sisters to pressure the government to Keep the Promise to UMWA retirees.


Most Freeview Approved devices update automatically for Daylight Savings, so you won't need to do a thing.
If you've changed the time settings on your TV, box or recorder or if you're using an older set top box or recorder, such as the Zinwell/DSE satellite receiver, you need to manually set your clock to daylight savings time.
If you don't, the actual on-air times for programmes on your TV will not line up with what's showing on your programme guide; or if you want to record something, it may not start at the right time as the clock is out of sync.
Go to Menu (or Settings) > System Configuration > System Setting > Time then change "Summer" to ON or OFF.
Note: The instructions above are general guidelines, though most device menu structures are similar, it's always best to refer to your product manual for device-specific instructions if required. You can search for the brand of your TV, box or recorder here to find support contacts.


Whether they're man-made or all natural, lakes are generally among the most popular places for outdoor recreation. Lakes offer everything from swimming, fishing, kayaking/canoeing, and sailing to camping, hiking, and watching birds and other forms of wildlife.
The largest lakes in the world– including the vast Great Lakes of North America– look more like oceans, with water stretching as far as the eyes can see. But even the smallest lakes have their own appeal.
Green Global Travel co-founder Bret Love has written about his childhood spending summers on Lake Hartwell, Georgia numerous times. Even now, he and his wife Mary spend 3-4 days a week at Lake Allatoona when they're not traveling, enjoying relaxing "staycations" close to home.
The truth is that lakes– landlocked bodies of water that are unattached to oceans, but are instead fed and drained by their own rivers and streams– come in a diverse array of forms. Some lakes have been formed naturally by glaciers, tectonic shifts, volcanic craters, and landslides. Others have been man-made by dams for hydro-electric power, recreational use, and agricultural irrigation.
Most of us commonly associate lakes with fresh water, but many of the world's most famous lakes are not. They can occur almost anywhere: The lowest lake on the planet is the Dead Sea of Israel and Jordan, which is located some 1371 feet below sea level. The highest lake—Ojos del Salado, which is located on the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile—is over 20,000 feet above sea level.
Canada and Finland are considered to be the countries with the most lakes. Finland recognizes over 180,000 lakes located above 5,400 square feet, while Canada claims some 31,000 lakes of over 32,000 square feet in size. That's a lot of lakes!
Lakes are virtually everywhere you travel, in nearly every country and on every continent. So here's a look at the some of the biggest lakes in the world, filled with facts and detailed information in case you're a water-lover looking for inspiration on where to take your next trip.
Typically considered the second largest freshwater lake in the world (by surface area), Lake Victoria is undisputedly the largest lake in Africa in terms of size. It measures over 26,000 square miles, straddling both sides of the equator, which also gives it the sole title of the world's biggest tropical lake.
Lake Victoria is primarily split between Uganda and Tanzania, with a small percentage of it (a mere 1,600 square miles) in Kenya. It's relatively shallow, with a maximum depth of just over 275 feet. So while it's Africa's biggest lake by size, it's not the biggest in terms of sheer volume.
Lake Victoria has thousands of inflowing streams from Kenya, its most important water source. But it's most recognized for its outflowing water, which feeds into the Nile River. The Nile exits the lake in Uganda, making Lake Victoria the principal source for the longest stretch of the world's longest river.
Like most bodies of water these days, Lake Victoria faces some environmental issues. The introduction of Nile perch into the lake in the 1950s-60s has all but destroyed the lake's native ecosystem, with only a handful of more than 350 endemic species remaining.
Sewage and industrial runoff have polluted the lake and caused a massive invasion of water hyacinth. Yet fisheries are still overfishing its waters.
Known as the longest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika is Africa's second largest lake by surface area, with about 12,700 square miles to behold.
At nearly 5,000 feet deep, it also the world's second deepest lake. From end to end, the lake stretches 410 miles, which is about 20 miles more than the distance between Washington D.C. and Boston.
For most of its long, narrow stretch, Lake Tanganyika acts as a boundary between the Democratic Republic of Conga and Tanzania. It also forms a border between the DRC and Burundi, as well as between Tanzania and Zambia.
It's located in the southern reaches of the Western Rift Valley, where it is fed by several rivers. These include the Kalambo, which has one of the world's bigest waterfalls, Kalambo Falls (over 700 feet high). The Lukuga River is the lake's outlet.
In addition to acting as a border between countries, Lake Tanganyika also divides floral regions of Africa. It's also home to plenty of hippos and crocodiles, as well as a variety of beautiful birds.
Also recognized as Lake Nyasa, Lake Malawi is Africa's third largest lake, measuring somewhere between 350 and 360 miles long and up to 47 miles wide.
It covers about 11,400 square miles and ranks as the ninth largest in the world in terms of surface area. It's also the second deepest lake in Africa, reaching depths of over 2,300 feet, which makes it the fifth largest lake in the world by volume.
Lake Malawi has three distinct and separate layers of water, resulting from different densities caused by different temperatures at different depths. This makes it a meromictic lake. Most lakes are holomictic, with surface and deep water mixing at least once a year. But that doesn't happen in Lake Malawi.
At the southern end of the lake you'll find Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake also has two inhabited islands. It's a huge draw for tourists interested in snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, skiing, and various other water-based activities.
Additionally, Lake Malawi has a tremendous wealth of wildlife. The lake is home to hippos and Nile crocs, while monkeys, baboons, and antelopes live on its shores.
It also has more fish than any other lake, with around 1000 species of cichlids alone. In terms of the study of evolution, its importance has been compared to the Galapagos Islands.
Formed by the Zambezi River, Lake Kariba is the largest man-made lake in the world by volume. It covers over 2,000 square miles and reaches over 300 feet deep.
The lake was formed by the Kariba Dam, which filled the Kariiba Gorge in the early 1960s. The lake is almost 140 miles long and located between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Like other African lakes, Lake Kariba is replete with wildlife despite being man-made. Many commercial fish have been introduced to it, and Nile crocodiles and hippos have found their ways onto the scene. Lions, buffalo, elephants and rhinos are all known to drink from its waters and roam along its shores.
Consequently, the section of the lake located in Zimbabwe has been deemed a recreational park, overseen by the Zimbabwe Park & Wildlife Management Authority. This park service has evolved over time into one of the world's leading wildlife management institutes.
Just for the sake of mentioning it, the Volta Reservoir in Ghana is actually the biggest man-made lake in the world in terms of surface area. It encompasses over 3,200 square miles, but doesn't account for quite as much volume as Kariba.
Lake Vostok used to be on the surface, but it's now buried by more than two miles of ice, making it one of the largest subglacial lakes on the planet. According to biologists, it's been covered for about 15 million years now. Nevertheless, it qualifies as the largest lake in Antarctica.
Technically, Lake Vostok ranks among the biggest lakes in the world. It's over 140 miles long, over 30 miles wide, and over 2,500 feet deep.
Despite its vastness, it wasn't detected until the 1960s, when a Russian pilot noticed a large, smooth patch of ice over it. Radar ultimately confirmed the suspicion in the mid-1990s. Now, due to its size, it's considered one of the easier subglacial lakes (of which there are over 400 in Antarctica) to detect.
Researchers have mapped out the lake using seismic techniques and advanced radar. The age of the lake's water is still undetermined, but it is known that its current water supply comes from meltwater.
Despite the water temperature being below freezing, the lake doesn't turn to ice because of the pressure of the ice atop it. Amazingly, scientists have discovered living organisms still surviving in the lake.
Obviously, Lake Vostok would only make the "bucket list" of a very specific and peculiar type of traveler. But it's simply too big a curiosity to leave it off of this list.
The world's largest lake is called the Caspian Sea. This saltwater lake has a surface area of over 143,000 miles and reaches depths over 3,300 feet. In short, it dwarfs all other lakes on the planet. It's located 72 feet below sea level on the border dividing Europe and Asia, with over 4,200 miles of coastline.
The lake is endorheic, meaning that it has no outlet, which allows the rain (or lack thereof) to adjust its water level significantly. Its primary source of water is the Volga River, which is Europe's longest, and it is also fed by the Ural River and the Kura River. The freshwater from the rivers make the northern waters considerably less saline than the southern tides.
The Caspian is a remnant of an ancient sea that was part of an extinct ocean, the Tethys Ocean, that was around 50 to 60 million years ago. It once connected the Atlantic and Pacific.
But when continental plates shifted, it lost connection with other oceans and gradually began to evaporate. The Caspian Sea, the Black Sea, and the Aral Sea now remain, and maintain the former ocean's salinity.
Technically, the lake has three regions. The northern area (bordered by Kazakhstan and Russia) is surrounded by hot, humid coastal plains, with shallow water prone to freezing in winter.
The Middle Caspian (bordered by the aforementioned countries, plus Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan) begins getting deeper, and has hilly shorelines. The Southern Caspian (bordered by Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Iran) dives deep, with coastal cliffs perfectly evolved for wealthy residents' homes.
Lake Baikal of Russia is the largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and it isn't even a contest. The lake holds over 5,500 cubic miles of water, with the next biggest (Africa's Tanganyika) holding about 20% less. It is also the world's deepest freshwater lake, reaching down about a mile into the earth.
Around one-fifth of the world's fresh water is contained in Lake Baikal, which is also the oldest freshwater lake at 20-25 million years. To this day it remains clear and pure, fed by 300-plus streams and rivers, which all eventually flow out in the form of the Angara River.
The water of the enormous lake creates microclimates around its shores. That makes it home to many unique species, such as freshwater seals and vibrant sponges. In fact, more than 50% of the species that live in Lake Baikal are endemic to its waters. The Baikal epischura, a microscopic crustacean, is the most copious of the lake's animals.
Despite being located in Eastern Siberia, the lake is also a renowned vacation spot. The Great Baikal Trail is a series of paths winding their way around the lake.
There are unique coastal villages, hot springs, and Buddhist (that's right, this is Russia's center of Buddhism) temples. There is even a railway there that is part of the famed Trans-Siberian Express run!
Lake Urmia was once the second largest lake in the Middle East (after the Caspian Sea). For that reason alone, it gets an honorable mention here. Unfortunately, its former size– about 2,000 square miles– has been reduced by nearly 80% over the last three decades.
Once a haven for birds, Lake Urmia is a UNESCO-protected Biosphere Reserve. However, its copious population of water fowl— including flamingos, pelicans, ducks, and egrets— has largely disappeared. Unfortunately, the salinity of the lake has increased dramatically as its size has diminished.
The "turquoise solitaire of Azerbaijan," which used to be a huge draw for tourists, has largely lost that popularity as well. The waters have turned from blue to red due to algae blooms. The picturesque piers now lead out to nowhere.
The lake's scenic shores have turned into salt flats, its refreshingly cool breezes into salty dust storms. The lake is now several times more saline than the ocean.
But still Lake Urmia deserves a place on this list. It was once a beautiful natural wonder, which has suffered at the mercilessness effect of humanity on nature.
Spanning over 16,500 square miles, Issyk-Kul Lake is a huge presence in Central Asia, in Kyrgyztan's mountainous region of Tien-Shan.
In fact, it's the second largest high-altitude lake in the world, measuring over 100 miles long, nearly 40 miles across, and some 2,000-plus feet deep. It's also the tenth biggest lake in the world by volume, and the second largest saltwater lake.
Consequently, Issyk-Kul Lake has also been deemed a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Its size and location make it home to many endemic species of flora and fauna, including over 300 types of animals.
Another interesting aspect of the lake is that, despite being a high-altitude lake in the middle of a typically cold continent, its waters never freeze.
This is due to a bit of salinity, the extent of its depth, and warm water sources that prevent it from icing over even in the winter. Issyk-Kul is fed by over 100 rivers and streams, as well as many hot springs, and has no outlet.
Issyk-Kul Lake was a huge travel destination during the glory days of the Soviet era, but tourism has suffered since the USSR fell. It is, however, being revitalized as a vacation spot once again.
Qinghai Lake encompasses just under 1,800 square miles, making it China's largest (saltwater) lake. It never reaches 100 feet deep, but it's over 10,000 feet above sea level, located on the Tibetan plateau.
Despite being fed by over 20 different water sources, the lake is an endorheic basin, with no outlet other than evaporation for the water that enters it. This has made its size fluctuate noticeably over the years, but it has been increasing in size for over a decade now.
The lake isn't particularly populated with aquatic life. Only five species of fish swim in its waters, but it does have an abundance of naked carp (an edible fish). Lake Qinghai had more species when it shared the waters of the Yellow River, but they have been separated for many millennia now.
But, above all else, the lake is especially well-regarded for being sparsely populated with people and stuffed with serenity and solitude.
Unsurprisingly, the largest lake in Australia– a particularly dry continent with salinity issues due to the evaporation in its deserts– is a saltwater lake.
It's actually composed of two lakes, Lake Eyre North and Lake Eyre South, which are joined by the Goyder Channel. Together, they are about 90 miles long and nearly 50 miles wide.
Lake Eyre, in addition to being the largest lake in Australia, is also the lowest point on the mainland, sinking almost 50 feet below sea level. It actually floods every few years, rising about five feet, and fills to about 13 feet every decade. The lake only reaches its full capacity around four times every century.
The lake is reached via a road trip along the rugged Oodnadatta Track, a famous off-road route through the outback. From there, the lake can be accessed in three different areas. The lake is also part of the Lake Eyre Kati Thanda National Park.
Russia is home to both the longest river in Europe, the Volga, and the largest lake, Lake Ladoga.
Lake Ladoga is located near St. Petersburg. In addition to being the largest lake in Europe, it is the 14th largest in the world in terms of surface area (over 6,700 square miles), and the 15th largest by volume (over 200 cubic miles).
Lagoda is a freshwater lake with more than 650 islands, including the culturally rich Valaam Archipelago. It was once part of the Baltic Lake Ice, a freshwater transition into the Baltic Sea.
The lake and the sea separated about 10,000 years ago, but were connected by a small straight until the Middle Ages, when the parting finally reached its sweet sorrow.
Lake Lagoda contains just under 50 species of fish. Half of those are of significant commercial value, and 11 of them are fished for mass commercial use. Unfortunately, the lake has been overfished, so now it is heavily restricted in order to protect its ecosystem.
Sweden has nearly 100,000 lakes, and the biggest one of all is Lake Vänern (which is also considered the largest lake in the European Union). It encompasses over 2,180 square miles, making it the third largest lake in Europe, after Russia's Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega.
Lake Vänern is a fishy sort of place. It has all of the common species of freshwater fish, including trout, zander, and several varieties of whitefish.
The lake is also home to a unique type of salmon– appropriately named the Vänern salmon– which never venues out to the sea. These fish undergo their entire life cycle in the lake, as they have done for nearly 10,000 years.
Another claim to fame for Lake Vänern is that many people believe it features in the literary masterpiece, Beowulf. The Battle on the Ice of Lake Vänern is recounted in ancient Norse sagas, and appears in Beowulf as the site where Eadgils slays Onela to become the King of Sweden.
The smallest of the lakes on this list is actually considered the largest lake in Central Europe. It is located in France and Switzerland, and occupies an area of about 225 square miles. It's also over 1,000 feet deep in parts. It is by far the biggest lake in Switzerland and the Alps.
Lake Geneva has three parts– the Upper Lake (Haut Lac), Large Lake (Grand Lac), and Small Lake (Petit Lac). The Upper Lake contains the Rhône estuary. The aptly named Large Lake is the biggest part, both deepest and widest. And the Small Lake is a narrow strip at the southwest end, ultimately leading to its exit at Geneva.
The lake has been explored by submarines, and it has a fleet of eight paddleboat steamers that regularly cruise its waters (and have for over a century). Lake Geneva is also used for shipping between the various villages and settlements along its shores.
Like much of the Swiss and French Alps, Lake Geneva is a world-renowned travel destination. It has been beloved for centuries for its idyllic natural vistas juxtaposed with the beautiful old-world architecture of Europe, including ancient castles.
There's a plethora of hotels around the lake and amazing continental cuisine to sample, as well as water sports, winter sports, beaches, and hot-air balloon rides.
Arguably the largest freshwater lake in the world by area, Lake Superior is one of the five Great Lakes sprawled around the US-Canada border. It encompasses 31,700 square miles, making it bigger than the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts combined.
By volume, it contains more water than all the other Great Lakes combined. It is third only to Lake Baikal and Lake Tanganyika in terms of the largest freshwater lake in world by volume.
At its deepest point, Lake Superior is 1,300 feet. It's around 350 miles long and 160 wide, with over 400 islands in it (including Isle Royal National Park) and 300 streams and rivers feeding into it.
Though its mammoth size may suggest otherwise, Lake Superior is actually rather young. Geologically speaking, it's a babe of just 10,000 years, formed by the last glacial retreat.
It has both the thickest and thinnest section of the earth's crust in the entirety of North America. And some of the world's oldest rocks (around 2.7 billion years old) are found on its shores.
It's also an amazing spot for flora and fauna. Lake Superior's basin has 58 different species of orchids, which is second only to Florida in all of North America. It also has giant sturgeon, massive pike, and 86 other species of fish. Migrating birds of prey hunt along its shores annually, with thousands passing through daily during peak parts of the year.
The debate as to whether Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world hinges on a technicality. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are counted as a single mutant version of the two great lakes referred to as Lake Michigan-Huron. Together, they measure over 45,000 square miles.
The argument is built on the fact that these two lakes are connected by the Straights of Mackinac. The connection keeps the water levels of the lakes about the same and deems them one continuous body of water. Thus, some people like to consider them one lake, with a relatively shallow (120 feet) and narrow (5 miles or less) connecting section.
In the more widely accepted scale of things, Lake Huron is still the fourth largest lake in the world at approximately 23,000 square miles, while Lake Michigan is the fifth largest at around 22,000 square miles.
Due to the Caspian Sea being a saltwater lake, they rank as the third and fourth largest freshwater lakes, behind Superior and Victoria.
In Canada, the biggest lake completely within its borders is known as Great Bear Lake. It is the eighth largest in the world, measuring in at over 12,000 square miles and reaching nearly 1,500 feet deep.
The Great Bear Lake is located in the country's remote Northwest Territories, where the human population thins out significantly. Part of it actually lies above the Arctic Circle.
The lake consists of five separate arms– Dease, McTavish, McVicar, Keith, and Smith. It is fed by the Dease, Camsell, and Johnny Hoe Rivers, and flows into the Great Bear River.
Due to its climatic conditions and lack of nutrients, the lake supports very little life, whether fish nor plant. It only has 16 different species of fish– the least of any lake in Canada. Of those, some are unique to their respective arms of the lake, as they don't migrate around the Great Bear.
That being said, the area surrounding the Great Bear Lake has historical importance to indigenous people. It has long been a favorite hunting ground for caribou and muskoxen. The fast-moving drainage into the Great Bear River prevents the lake from freezing, making it a great year-round fishing spot.
All Canadians also have a stake in the lake's preservation because it is one of the earliest locations for a game of hockey in the country.
Lake Nicaragua has several superlatives attached to it. It's the largest lake in Central America, the second largest in Latin America, and the 19th largest in the world. It spreads over 3,000 square miles, runs 100 miles long, but never gets down to 100 feet deep.
Believed to have once been a bay attached to the Pacific Ocean, Lake Nicaragua may have been created by volcanic eruptions sectioning it off from the sea. Now it has a curious collection of animals, including freshwater sharks, which may have been trapped by the lava flow.
There are around 350 islands in the lake, with Isla de Ometepe arguably the most famous. The island was created by two volcanoes, Maderas and Conception, the latter of which is still active. Ometepe is a beloved spot for ecotourism, with plenty of hiking, climbing, biking, and kayaking on offer, as well as first-class vistas.
Lake Nicaragua has gotten a lot of press lately because, in conjunction with the San Juan River, it is part of a passageway possibly being built between the Atlantic and Pacific. This would compete with the Panama Canal, allowing ships to go from one ocean to the other without circumnavigating the Americas.
Located on the border between Bolivia and Peru, over two miles above sea level, Lake Titicaca is the largest freshwater lake in South America.
Its surface area is over 3,200 square miles. Its longest section measures just under 120 miles, and the widest part is about 50 miles. At its deepest, the lake starts flirting with 1000 feet (922 to be exact).
But Lake Titicaca is much more than sheer size. It is considered a sacred part of Inca culture. They believed that their entire civilization began at the lake, and that Manco Capac (the first king of the Incas) was born from the sun god at Titicaca. Its shorelines and islands are still packed with indigenous settlements, ancient ruins, and native folklore.
Additionally, Lake Titicaca is a tremendously special place for animals. Nearly 90% of the fish found in the lake are endemic, and there are over 500 different aquatic species. There are several endangered species, such as the Titicaca water frog and the Titicaca grebe, that are more or less restricted to the lake. There are also two dozen species of snails.
Titicaca is also recognized as the highest commercially navigable lake. It has a number of US-made (as well as European) steamships on it that are still in operation in some form or fashion.
Lake Titicaca competes with Lake Maracaibo of Venezuela for the honor of largest lake in South America.
In terms of sheer size, the competition is decided easily, as Maracaibo is nearly 2,000 square miles larger than Titicaca. However, some people consider Maracaibo, which is a brackish body of water, to be a bay rather than a lake because much of its water comes from the sea tides.
That said, the lake is fed by rivers, the most significant of which is the Catatumbo, which is integral to transporting goods from further inland.
Due to the rivers, much of the southern portion of the lake is freshwater, with the salinity rising as it nears the sea. It actually took a significant amount of dredging and engineering to make the mouth of the lake passable for ships.
Nowadays, the lake is best known for its large petroleum reserves. Maracaibo's basin provides about 65% of the country's oil.
The oil wells were originally developed by foreign companies, particularly the US, Britain, and Netherlands. But the industry was nationalized in the 1970s. The Venezuelan oil industry has since become infamously controversial.


Richard Le Manz es un fotógrafo español nacido en Toledo y afincado en León desde hace más de dos décadas, cuyo trabajo gira alrededor de contar historias reales e imaginadas. Reales tejiendo historias de los lugares, paisajes y culturas más extraordinarias; e imaginadas utilizando la fotografía para explorar e indagar en la relación humana con la naturaleza, a medio camino entre la visión y la creatividad.
Aficionado a la pintura en su adolescencia, ingeniero de formación y apasionado de los viajes; Richard tiene su primer contacto con la fotografía en 2013 y retoma su dormida faceta artística de sensibilidad y percepción visual. Inicia una carrera de rápido aprendizaje y evolución convirtiéndose pronto en un fotógrafo emergente inspirador, en palabras de prestigiosas personalidades de la industria fotográfica. En su corta andadura Richard a recibido numerosos premios nacionales e internacionales por su trabajo.
Richard ha viajado por más de 30 países, comenzando su carrera con el frenesí e impulso de la curiosidad del descubrimiento, de los viajes, de otras culturas, de nuevas experiencias, de paisajes sublimes, y en este frenesí el llevar la cámara consigo traslada al artista a una implicación mucho mayor con esos lugares, con esas gentes, con esas experiencias a las que de forma mágica la cámara hace de alguna manera inmortal.
Durante este camino, Richard ha tratado de ir más allá de la mera representación, modular la distracción contemplativa buscando un poco más dentro de el mismo, incorporando a su trabajo la imaginación y la creatividad, sumando a su trayectoria la exploración y libertad de las propias ideas.
Richard progresivamente ha ido trasladando la fascinación por la naturaleza, por sus paisajes, por sus inmensidades, por sus elementos, modulando esa visión romántica e idealizada para construir una nueva visión a medio camino entre el romanticismo y la búsqueda de nuevos lenguajes, nuevas técnicas. Ver hacia fuera, pero también hacia dentro, visión y creatividad, para construir imágenes atemporales que se asomen a la belleza y al sentimiento.
Richard incorpora a su trabajo toda su creatividad incluyendo también los objetos, buscando en ellos las respuestas a sus propias preguntas. Este nuevo estilo bautizado por algún autor como "filografía" (philography), "filo" de filosofía y "grafía" de fotografía, busca hacer filosofar sobre lo que hay detrás de cada imagen, busca conmover y mover al ser humano que cada uno llevamos dentro. Así nace su primer gran proyecto que sigue en evolución "Hábitat, más allá de la fotografía" introduciendo un nuevo significado a elementos internos de los motores de explosión.
Actualmente disfruta y se encuentra a medio camino entre la visión romántica de nuestro planeta, tratando de mostrar lo increíblemente bello, diverso, frágil, y armónico que es nuestro mundo, y la búsqueda de nuevos lenguajes para en ambos casos expresar, trasmitir sentimientos de respecto y preservación por nuestros hábitats. Mezclando la fotografía de paisaje y la conceptual para tejer historias reales o imaginarias.
En el plano más solidario, Richard es principal impulsor del proyecto solidario ww.nepalwillriseagain.com donde se unió la solidaridad y fotografía en un gran proyecto de ayuda a las víctimas del terremoto ocurrido en Nepal en 2015. Numerosas actividades tuvieron lugar en el año 2015 y 2016.
Richard Le Manz is a Spanish photographer; whose work revolves around telling real and imaginary stories. Real ones, weaving stories of the most extraordinary places, cultures and sceneries; and imaginary, using photography to explore and look into human relationship with nature, halfway between vision and creativity.
Painting enthusiast in his teenage years, with a background in engineering and a passion for traveling; Richard has his first contact with photography in 2013 and resumes his sleeping artistic facet of sensitivity and visual perception. He began a fast learning and evolution career path, soon becoming an inspiring emerging photographer, as described by prestigious personalities within the photographic industry. In his short career Richard has received numerous national and international awards for his work.
Richard began his journey around 30 countries, starting his career with the frenzy and impulse of the curiosity about discovery, travel, other cultures, new experiences, sublime sceneries, and in this craze, taking the camera along with him led the artist to a much greater involvement in those places, people and experiences that somehow magically make the camera immortal.
During this journey Richard has tried to go beyond mere representation, to modulate the contemplative distraction, looking a little deeper than oneself, incorporating his imagination and creativity into his work, adding to his path the exploration and freedom of the his own ideas.
Richard has been taking the fascination for nature, for its landscapes, for its immensities, for its elements, modulating that romantic and idealized vision, to build a new vision halfway between romanticism and the search for new languages, new techniques. Seeing outward, but also inward, vision and creativity, to build timeless images that showcase beauty and feeling.
Richard incorporates all his creativity into his work, including the objects, searching within them the answers to his own questions. This new style, called by some author "philography", "philo" as in philosophy and "graphy" as in photography, seeks to philosophize about what is behind each picture, to touch and move the human being that each one of us holds within. This is how his first great project came about. This project that is still evolving "Habitat, beyond photography" introduces a new meaning to internal elements of the combustion engines.
He currently enjoys and is halfway between the romantic vision of our planet, trying to show how incredibly beautiful, diverse, fragile, and harmonious our world is, and the search for new languages to at the same time express, transmit feelings of respect and preservation towards our habitats. Mixing landscape photography and conceptual photography to weave real or imaginary stories.
In a more humanitarian plane, Richard is the main promoter of the support project ww.nepalwillriseagain.com where solidarity and photography joined together in a large project to help the victims of the earthquake that took place in Nepal in 2015.


The partnership between RIZIN and Bellator continues to be a fruitful one as RIZIN 15 will provide us with yet another cross-promotional title bout.
The two promotions have already had fighters fight between each other in the past, but it wasn't until RIZIN 14 when things got very interesting.
For RIZIN's inaugural bantamweight title bout, they had their top star Kyoji Horiguchi take on Bellator's current 135-pound champion, Darrion 'The Wolf' Caldwell.
Now, for the upcoming RIZIN 15 in April, they'll send over yet another one of their fighters to try and claim gold as Muhammad 'King Mo' Lawal rematches with Jiri Prochazka for the inaugural RIZIN light heavyweight title.
King Mo is actually the last man to defeat Prochazka who rides a fantastic seven-fight winning streak.
Bellator President Scott Coker loves the partnership between the promotions and has much more planned for the future.
The relationship isn't a one-way street either as Coker has gotten Mirko Crop Cop to come to Bellator for his next fight when he rematches Roy Nelson at Bellator 216 on February 17.
As for the rest of RIZIN 15 on April 21, here's how it currently stacks up.


text:
St. Rita School for the Deaf is an independent Roman Catholic school located in the village of Evendale, near Cincinnati, Ohio.

History

Challenged by Archbishop Henry Moeller, Father Henry J. Waldhaus, with the help of the Knights of De l'Epee and the Saints Mary and Joseph Society, was able to raise the funds necessary to purchase the land for St. Rita School.  The school opened in 1915 and became the first accredited high school for the deaf in Ohio. In 2016, Sr. Marianne Van Vurst SC was named as interim Executive Director of the school.

Approach and languages used

Currently, their philosophy is "comprehensive communication" — essentially Total Communication with a different name. The school's deaf and hearing teachers use ASL as a method of instruction, but the majority use is Simultaneous Communication.

Academics and programs

While based in the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, St. Rita School works to meet the needs of Deaf and hard of hearing and students with special communication needs. Students come from all over Cincinnati in addition to students from northern Kentucky and other parts of Ohio.

St. Rita's is one of the first schools in the country to develop a program for dyspraxic children, sometimes referred to as "global" apraxia.  The program teaches to the students communication disabilities (oral-buccofacial apraxia) and encompasses each student's global dyspraxic apraxia disabilities that affect the student's fine and gross motor skills with their motor planning; sequencing and motor- processing abilities (which include but is not limited to ideomotor, ideation, limb-kinetic and ocular motor apraxias).

The school's Montessori pre-school program is designed to meet the development needs of hearing and deaf children, starting at 3 years of age. The school also features an elementary, high school, and Career Plus programs.

Athletics
St. Rita's competes with area schools in basketball and volleyball. In 1962, the high school division petitioned the Greater Catholic League to compete in football at the reserve level. Later, the high school became a member of the Girls Greater Cincinnati League. Due to small class sizes, in 2017/2018 the school switched to intramural sports and did not compete competitively.

Fundraising

Like many Greater Cincinnati Catholic parishes, major funding comes from annual festivals. The St. Rita Fest  began in 1916 but stopped in 2016 It was one of the area's largest. The school still holds a Grand Raffle and a scholarship benefit dinner.

References

External links
 Official website

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Schools for the deaf in the United States
Private schools in Cincinnati
Catholic secondary schools in Ohio
Educational institutions established in 1915
Private middle schools in Ohio
Private K-12 schools in the United States
Private elementary schools in Ohio
1915 establishments in Ohio

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Texas Traditional style in Steiner Ranch. This beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home features a gourmet kitchen that includes granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. Hilltop location offers lake and hill country views from the front balcony. The gourmet kitchen features stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and an island. The master bedroom is a great space to relax in your separate sitting area and enjoy the fireplace.


My favorite preacher, Art Katz, has been such a blessing in my life over the years. His story is absolutely incredible and his writings are so eloquent. I wanted to share a special expert he wrote in 1978 that I have always loved.
In the 70's after Art turned to Christ he went to live in basically a christian commune in Minnesota. Here is one of his stories from the farm.
This, from a Brooklyn Jew who came to Minnesota not knowing which end of a shovel to dig with! Stretching barbed wire?! A profound mystery!
Well, at one of our convocations, we wanted to experience something of what it was like to slaughter a lamb, Passover-style, and a pig – supposedly in the way the Temple was desecrated in the Second Century by Antiochus Epiphanes, who ordered the same kind of sacrifice in every village and city in Israel.
And then, we were going to skewer them on a spit and roast them – primarily because we had to feed three-hundred people who were attending the convocation that summer.
What a ghoulish, horrific experience that turned out to be for someone who only saw raw meat in the display cases with assorted cuts that were always cleanly packaged in the supermarket. But, isn't this our condition today? Our life is nicely pre-packaged and wrapped in cellophane, a life of excess and ease. Well, God is bringing us into ruthlessly honest kinds of experience as part of the process in producing Joseph's and Paul's and Elijah's. And, it's authentically messy, as we learned that day up in Minnesota.
Everyone else was thinking it, but the Lord had her in his sights as she was confronted with a new kind of intimacy with him. She and everybody else were brought to a deep acknowledgement of the reality of the Lamb of God's own sacrifice that was long avoided by her. When she blurted out that it wasn't 'fair,' it was an admission that she and everyone else have distanced themselves from the whole notion of sacrifice, the shedding of innocent blood, and death. Without those components, there can be no 'life' because the life is in the blood.
But, we weren't through yet. The killing of the pig was next – and it was MY turn!
There are no pigs in Brooklyn, and when we got to Minnesota I finally understood what disgusting creatures they are when it's feeding time. What an object lesson in appreciating what it is to be kosher. Pigs stink! They're repulsive with their shrill squealing and filthy grunts – and such a clear picture of greediness. At feeding time, when you bring them their food, you can't even get close to the trough. They practically knock you over, and if you slip and fall into the mud and excrement, you're in more danger of being killed yourself. They stand in the trough with their filthy feet, jostling and knocking each other around. What a picture that never gets across as you peer into the butcher's meat case with everything packaged perfectly.
And, I used to think to myself that the pig was the perfect container for the maximum amount of protein wrapped up and having the minimum of brains and muscle. But, an Iowa farmer took me aside one time and showed me different. They can be very intelligent animals, making their behavior at feeding-time the more repugnant.
I often stand before congregations that show these very same unseemly, barnyard characteristics.
There are many lessons I learned from that pig. The first one was so primal, so desperate in its all-out tenacity for survival. There were four men wrestling that animal to the ground, each one of them finally gripping a leg as it fought and squealed in terror.
How different from the lamb in that the pig refused to lay down its life. Even with a foot on its neck, it writhed and struggled. Then, one of the men gave me the knife, and showed me where to plunge it in.
But I couldn't. Suddenly, I could see something else as it fought those men. Such desperation. Every ounce of strength focused on surviving, kicking ferociously with its legs, trying to get its neck out from under that boot.
I saw something equally clear and fearful. I saw myself. I saw Art Katz. As plain and as recognizable as could be.
When they finished butchering and took out the heart and all its intestines, I saw where that knife was perfectly inserted into the heart. But still, I remember how that pig took a long time to die, fighting until it seemed all its blood had drained out, squealing in panic right up until the end.
And, I saw myself – and the rest of us – smug, complacent Christians, sitting in our pews with self-confident smiles on our faces, tithing, giving token offerings to support our missionaries, diligently taking our tape-recorders to Bible studies, racking up perfect church attendance.
But, how much like that pig we all are, dedicated to our own lives, our own survival, feeding and fighting greedily to sustain our flesh, and God with his foot on our necks. And even then – we will not cease to struggle!
Are you ready to stand by the spirit in front of your mirrors? Are you ready to see what is looking back at you? Will it be the pig? Or the lamb?


text:
Q: how to instantiate a singleton class in Startup.cs and then use in net core? I am creating an object from an object created in my appsetting.json, I add it through singleton but then I don't know how to access those values.
My class:
public class UserConfiguration
{
    public string Username { get; set; }
    public string Password { get; set; }
    public string SecretKey{ get; set; }
}

In my startup.cs
 var userCfg = Configuration.GetSection("UserConfig").Get<UserConfiguration>(); //.> success i've values
 services.AddSingleton(userCfg);

 services.AddControllers();

and i want use this class and I call this class from my controller api.
public class UserService : BaseService
{
    public UserService(IConfiguration config): base(configuration)
    {

    }

    public string GetData()
    {
        var userConfg = new UserConfiguration();
        var key = user.SecretKey;  //--> null but a instance is empty

        return "ok"
    }
}

but I don't know how to rescue the values of the singleton that I loaded in the Startup.cs

A: Since you're registering UserConfiguration as Singleton with DI container, you can inject this object UserService constructor:
public class UserService : BaseService
{
    private UserConfiguration _userConfiguration;
    public UserService(IConfiguration config, UserConfiguration userConfiguration): base(configuration)
    {
        _userConfiguration = userConfiguration; //Injected in constructor by DI container
    }

    public string GetData()
    {
        var key = _userConfiguration .SecretKey;

        return "ok"
    }
}

However recommended approach to pass application configuration information to services is by using the Options pattern

services.Configure<UserConfiguration>(Configuration.GetSection("UserConfig"));

services.AddControllers();

Add then access the configuration option:
public class UserService : BaseService
{
    private UserConfiguration _userConfiguration;
    public UserService(IConfiguration config, IOptions<UserConfiguration> userConfiguration): base(configuration)
    {
        _userConfiguration = userConfiguration.Value; //Injected in constructor by DI container
    }

    public string GetData()
    {
        var key = _userConfiguration .SecretKey;

        return "ok"
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Irreville és un municipi francès situat al departament de l'Eure i a la regió de Normandia. L'any 2007 tenia 399 habitants.

Demografia

Població
El 2007 la població de fet d'Irreville era de 399 persones. Hi havia 140 famílies, de les quals 24 eren unipersonals (16 homes vivint sols i 8 dones vivint soles), 32 parelles sense fills, 76 parelles amb fills i 8 famílies monoparentals amb fills.

La població ha evolucionat segons el següent gràfic:

Habitants censats

Habitatges
El 2007 hi havia 148 habitatges, 139 eren l'habitatge principal de la família, 5 eren segones residències i 4 estaven desocupats. 147 eren cases i 1 era un apartament. Dels 139 habitatges principals, 121 estaven ocupats pels seus propietaris, 15 estaven llogats i ocupats pels llogaters i 3 estaven cedits a títol gratuït; 1 tenia una cambra, 3 en tenien dues, 9 en tenien tres, 38 en tenien quatre i 88 en tenien cinc o més. 113 habitatges disposaven pel capbaix d'una plaça de pàrquing. A 46 habitatges hi havia un automòbil i a 92 n'hi havia dos o més.

Piràmide de població
La piràmide de població per edats i sexe el 2009 era:

Economia
El 2007 la població en edat de treballar era de 274 persones, 214 eren actives i 60 eren inactives. De les 214 persones actives 201 estaven ocupades (103 homes i 98 dones) i 13 estaven aturades (9 homes i 4 dones). De les 60 persones inactives 20 estaven jubilades, 31 estaven estudiant i 9 estaven classificades com a «altres inactius».

Ingressos
El 2009 a Irreville hi havia 144 unitats fiscals que integraven 423 persones, la mediana anual d'ingressos fiscals per persona era de 20.585 €.

Activitats econòmiques
Dels 6 establiments que hi havia el 2007, 1 era d'una empresa de construcció, 1 d'una empresa immobiliària, 3 d'empreses de serveis i 1 d'una entitat de l'administració pública.

L'únic servei als particulars que hi havia el 2009 era un paleta.

L'any 2000 a Irreville hi havia 7 explotacions agrícoles que ocupaven un total de 396 hectàrees.

Poblacions més properes
El següent diagrama mostra les poblacions més properes.

Referències

 Résumé statistique Fitxa resum de dades estadístiques d'Irreville a l'INSEE.
 Évolution et structure de la population Fitxa amb el detall de dades d'Irreville a l'INSEE
 France par commune  Dades detallades de tots els municipis de França accessibles a partir del mapa.

Municipis de l'Eure


The seasonal residents of Sarasota County are only present to enjoy their homes beautiful Florida landscape a portion of the year. The excitement of visiting their home in sunny Florida can be dampened when they return to an unkempt lawn when they have been paying for service for the past year. Reliability and community presence are key qualities for a landscape company used for seasonal residents. Customer service is also important, as to keep the client informed of everything going on even if they are a thousand miles away.
Arbor Landscapes prides itself on serving seasonal clients in Sarasota County. Arbor Landscapes communicates regularly with seasonal clients to keep them informed on their Florida home and will immediately let the owner know if there is anything out of the ordinary. The reliability, customer service and reputation in the community make Arbor Landscapes the perfect landscape maintenance company for seasonal residents.
Newer PostWhat plants are best for Sarasota island home landscaping?
Older PostAt what height should I maintain my grass?


Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee with the awesome Muhammad Ali Collection – brilliant boxing gear that pay homage to the great one.
Everlast seems to have outdone themselves for sure with this range. It consists of a medicine ball, hand wrap, head gear and boxing gloves. Upon inspection you will soon realise that they are premium quality products that will last you a very long time. The gloves are lightweight and are fantastic for sparring competition or hitting the bag. The wraps will give your hands that added support to prevent injury. The headgear cushion the blows remarkably so you do not take unnecessary punishment.
Even if you do not train in boxing, you should buy the Muhammad Ali Collection as it is a tribute to the greatest boxer that ever graced God's green earth. The collection has the Muhammad Ali signature and it has his sayings printed on it. Get your hands on this fantastic collection and become the envy of your friends.


text:
Interview Words : Peter Moore | 25 August
Frank Wild: The Antarctic's unsung hero
Polar historian and author Angie Butler on her quest to discover the greatest Antarctic explorer you've never heard of
What first drew you to Frank Wild?
Initially I was just drawn to anyone who liked adventure, people who liked pitting themselves against danger. So naturally I was drawn to the heroes of polar history – Shackleton and Scott and all those great characters. Seven or eight years ago I was reading about Shackleton and came across Frank Wild. As someone who was born in South Africa, I was fascinated that he had gone out to South Africa and spent the last 16 years of his life out there. I wanted to know what took him there and what happened once he got to South Africa.
What did you discover?
I picked up quite quickly that the view in the UK was that Frank Wild had gone out to South Africa in 1923 and everything had gone wrong for him. He'd spent 16 years drifting around the country, he was penniless and he was an alcoholic and friendless. It seemed such a sad ending for this extraordinary man who had gone down to Antarctica on five separate occasions.
During my research, I discovered that yes, he had a difficult time in South Africa, but it was the 30s and the middle of the Great Depression. And he did drink. He wasn't the kind of guy who would knock back a bottle of whisky a day, but he did have benders, and he loved parties. But he was hugely popular in South Africa.
It's true he moved from job to job. He initially went out to South Africa as a farmer. He was trying to grow cotton in Zululand. But there were droughts and there were floods and many farmers, Frank Wild included, had to just walk away from their farms. After that he hopped from one job to another. He was always looking for work and he worked quite a lot in the mining industry.
Overall, though he was very highly respected in South Africa, very popular. People admired him for his toughness. People just loved him when they met him. Journalists always want to beef up stories. It's a much better story that Frank Wild died an alcoholic. But that is not a fair characterisation of this great man.
Tell us a bit more about Frank Wild. We all know about Shackleton and Scott, but he seems to be largely overlooked.
When he was going down to Antarctica on these expeditions, Frank Wild was very highly sought after. He'd come back to the UK and tour around giving lectures. He wined and dined with the great and the good. But as the years went by, and a lot of these great men died, they disappeared into obscurity. Until 10 or 15 years ago people didn't really know that much about Shackleton. In the mists of time, Frank Wild just disappeared off the history pages.
People who are into polar history know about Frank Wild, but the general public don't know anything about him. I think that reflects very much his character. He was very much a lieutenant, not a leader. He did lead some expeditions and he led them very well. But he was always considered Shackleton's right hand man. It was said that Shackleton wouldn't make a decision without Frank Wild. But people haven't heard of him. Hopefully my book will change all that.
What would you say his greatest achievement was?
There are moments on each of the five expeditions he went on, but I think the greatest thing he managed to do was on the Endurance expedition, which was the one where the ship was crushed in the ice and they had to take to three small boats to get to Elephant Island.
Shackleton went to look for help, crossing the Weddell Sea in the tiny 22 feet boat. He left Frank Wild on Elephant Island to look after the 21 men and they were there for nearly four months in terrible circumstances. Some of them were losing their minds. Some had extreme cases of frostbite. They had very little to eat. But Shackleton knew that the only man who could keep these people alive until he got back was Frank Wild.
What was interesting about Frank Wild was that he was kind and he was passionate but he was very, very strict. He suspected one of the crew stranded on Elephant Island of squirreling away food and told him he would shoot him if he continued to do it. Someone else on Elephant Island wrote that Frank Wild could carry out that threat.
What kind of man was Frank Wild?
He was very tough. Yet one of the things he found most difficult throughout all his expeditions was killing the seals and penguins for food. Or having to shoot the dogs, the huskies. He took his favourite pony, Socks, on the Nimrod expedition, which was the first one he went on with Shackleton. And Socks actually fell down a crevice, never to be seen again and he was very hurt by that. So he was this great mixture. But he was tough. There was no doubt about that.
Do you think Frank Wild is less well-known because he didn't have a tragic polar death?
Wild had much more experience in Antarctica than anyone else. He went on five expeditions. Scott only went on two. Shackleton went on three. When you think what Frank Wild went through, how close to death he came so many times, it's extraordinary to think he died peacefully in his bed in South Africa. I suspect it's also why he didn't get the glory the others did.
Recently you made a brass plaque to commemorate Frank Wild that has been put up in South Georgia.
Yes. There is a plaque in the UK commemorating Frank Wild. It's in a village called Evershot in Bedfordshire. That was put up by his brother in the 70s. But I felt very strongly that there should be something to remember Frank Wild on South Georgia.
So I raised the money, and created a plaque with my husband, a very well respected sculptor. We modeled it on a very iconic picture of Frank Wild with his pipe, and inscribed the dates of his five expeditions. A bronze foundry in the UK cast it.
I also run a small tour company called Ice Tracks Expeditions, that takes people up to the Arctic and down to Antarctica. So on one of our voyages we took the plaque down to South Georgia and along with the passengers, had a very nice service in the church at Grytviken and set the plaque on the wall there.
It's a beautiful little wooden church which was set up for the whalers and built by the Norwegians. It's where Shackleton had his funeral. Frank Wild would have gone into that little church and prayed. He wasn't a hugely religious man, but he would have spent time in that church. There are other plaques in there and a lot of commemorative memorabilia for these polar explorers.
After that you went in search of Frank Wild's remains
The story was that he was buried Brixton cemetery in Johannesburg. There was hardly anyone at the funeral and a lone sea cadet played The Last Post. It sounded like this awful desultory affair.
But very early on in my research I discovered that he didn't have a ceremony at Brixton cemetery. He was cremated and his funeral took place at Braamfontein cemetery, which is very near by. His wife had had him cremated, not buried, so his ashes could go to South Georgia. But that was as far as I could get with my research.
I kept going though, for several years. And a number of times I felt that I was getting very close to discovering what had happened to his ashes. But the thing was, the Second World War broke out about a week after he had died and the trail went cold.
Then I found an old paper cutting that had been written in 1966 that said Frank Wild's ashes were kept in an old chapel. It didn't say which chapel, but I just knew that it was the chapel in Braamfontein cemetery. Both my parents are buried in the cemetery right next to it.
So on New Years Eve I flew back to Johannesburg, purely on a hunch. The chapel was a crematorium chapel, so there wasn't much to it. This wonderful chap who works there, an African gentleman called Chunky, took me into this vault under the chapel that nobody knew about. It hasn't been used for something like 40 years. And from floor to ceiling there were niches with boxes and urns full of ashes.
As I stood there I had this strong feeling that the ashes were still there. I started looking but I couldn't reach the boxes and urns at the top. There were hundreds. After a while poor Chunky had to get back to his post and I had to fly back to the UK without checking them all.
When I got back I phoned a friend in Johannesburg and asked if he could go and look through the rest of them for me. And he found them. They were there the whole time.
They were in a wooden box, quite banged and scraped, so it looks like it has travelled around a bit. It hasn't just been sitting on the shelf. It's a greeny-gold colour that has been stippled and a little bronze plaque with his name and date of birth and death. So it's definitely him.
So what's the plan? Take them down to South Georgia?
I went back to South Africa in May, and with the permission of Frank Wild's descendants, who are mainly in Australia, I brought the ashes back to the UK. I have since got permission from the governor of the Falklands, Nigel Hayward, to take the ashes back to South Georgia. They are going to be buried next to Shackleton in this little graveyard, up on the hill in Grytviken, surrounded by a small white picket fence.
So on 20 November, I will be leading an 18-day voyage with Ice Tracks to take Frank Wild's remains back to South Georgia. We will be stopping at the Falklands to pick up his memorial stone and the Reverend Heinz, who is going to conduct the service. We'll arrive in South Georgia four days later and on the 27th we'll have a ceremony. We're taking Alexander Shackleton and six of Frank Wild's descendants. We're also taking the man who has Frank Wild's polar medal. So we've got a great throng of people going with us.
Angie Butler's book The Quest for Frank Wild traces the life of this extraordinary man and includes his original memoirs. It is available on Amazon now. There are also a limited number of places on her historic expedition returning Frank Wild's ashes to South Georgia. For more details visit the Ice Tracks website.
For more in-depth views from the world's leading travellers, visit our interviews pages. For the latest on exploring the polar regions yourself, check out the resources below.
World According to Angie Butler | Interviews... More
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands travel guide | Destinations... More
South Georgia: In Shackleton's footsteps | Interviews... More


text:
Die Utah National Guard des US-Bundesstaates Utah  besteht seit 1896 und ist Teil der im Jahr 1903 aufgestellten Nationalgarde der Vereinigten Staaten (akronymisiert USNG) und somit auch Teil der zweiten Ebene der militärischen Reserve der Streitkräfte der Vereinigten Staaten.

Organisation

Die Mitglieder der Nationalgarde sind freiwillig Dienst leistende Milizsoldaten, die dem Gouverneur von Utah, Spencer Cox, unterstehen. Bei Einsätzen auf Bundesebene ist der Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten Commander-in-Chief. Adjutant General of Utah  ist seit 2019 Brigadier General (UT) Michael J. Turley. Die Bundesebene kann (unter bestimmten Umständen mit Einverständnis des Kongresses) auf die Nationalgarde zurückgreifen. Davon zu trennen ist die Staatsgarde, die Utah State Defense Force (z. Z. nur ein kleiner Kader von 30 Offizieren), die allein dem Bundesstaat verpflichtet ist.

Die Utah National Guard besteht aus den beiden Teilstreitkraftgattungen des Heeres und der Luftstreitkräfte, namentlich der Army National Guard und der Air National Guard. Die Utah Army National Guard hatte 2017 eine Personalstärke von 5372, die Utah Air National Guard eine von 1373, was eine Personalstärke von gesamt 6745 ergibt.

Geschichte

Zur Zeit der Besiedlung Utahs durch die Mormonen verwendeten die "Deseret Miliz" und die "Utah Territorial Miliz" den Namen der Nauvoo Legion, die auch einen großen Teil der Milizen stellte. Diese Milizionäre waren am Mountain-Meadows-Massaker am 11. September 1857 beteiligt. Die Miliz wurde auch im nachfolgenden Utah-Krieg gegen die in Utah einmarschierenden Bundestruppen im Rahmen der "Utah-Expedition" von 1857–1858 eingesetzt. Die Nauvoo Legion wurde 1887 durch das Edmunds-Tucker-Gesetz endgültig aufgelöst. Im Vorfeld der Anerkennung als Bundesstaat wurde am 26. März 1894 die Utah National Guard als offizielle staatliche Miliz Utahs organisiert. Die Nationalgarden der Bundesstaaten sind seit 1903 bundesgesetzlich und institutionell eng mit der regulären Armee verbunden. Am 18. November 1946 entstand die erste Einheit der Utah Air National Guard, die 191st Fighter Squadron.

Aktive Einheiten

 Utah Army National Guard
 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
 65th Field Artillery Brigade
 85th WMD CST
 97th Troop Command
 115th Engineer Group (CBT)
 204th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
 211th Aviation Group
 300th MI Brigade (Linguist)
 640th Regiment (RTI)
 145th Field Artillery Group
 1457th Engineer Combat Battalion
 Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF)

 Utah Air National Guard
 101st Information Warfare Flight
 109th Air Control Squadron
 130th Engineering Installation Squadron
 151st Air Refueling Wing
 191st Air Refueling Squadron
 169th Intelligence Squadron
 299th Range Control Squadron

Weblinks

 Offizielle Webpräsenz der US-Nationalgarde (englisch)
 Offizielle Webpräsenz der Utah National Guard (englisch)

Einzelnachweise

Militärische Reserve (Vereinigte Staaten)
Gegründet 1894
Organisation (Utah)