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Hitchhikers Guide to Inerrancy and Preaching
Posted on January 18, 2016 by Dennis Swanson
There has been more written about Biblical inerrancy over the last 150 years than any other theological topic. Condensing it all into a coherent and precise article probably, as George Washington noted when he became Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, "requires more ability than I am master of." But since Ford Prefect is tied up with the Galaxy part, I'll do my best to guide you through the current terrain of Inerrancy.
Why, is this important, you ask? Well, because many of you preach (or listen to preaching) every week and preaching and inerrancy are intractably linked.
Evangelical Christianity rather uniquely applies preaching as the means to understand the text on which "all things pertaining to life and godliness" are based (2 Pet 1:3–4). If you examine other religions or subsets of Protestantism (normally referred to as "cults") you will not find anything like a regular practice of exposition of their seminal texts; their sermons are generally sprinkled with "proof texts" or general allusions to their foundational writings.
Within Christianity (taken in its widest sense) there are five distinct ways in which the Bible is viewed.
View of Scripture Description
Inerrantist Views Scripture as inspired by God and thus is entirely without error.
Maximalist Views Scripture as entirely reliable on matters of faith and practice, and largely reliable on ancillary subjects such as history. Errors of history or science are to be expected and are outside of the scope of the original writers purpose anyway.
Minimalist Views Scripture as generally reliable in matters of faith and practice; although even in these matters it can be culturally dated or biased. Scripture cannot be considered as a primary source in history or ancillary subjects.
Mythologist Views Scripture as simply another ancient religious text. It has no more or less uniqueness or authority than other mythological texts. More aggressive scholars in this group often view Scripture as propagandist or manipulative literature.
The key thing to remember is that the debate over inerrancy is almost totally confined to the first two groups: Inerrantists and Maximalists. Minimalists don't care at all about the subject; it's not even worth their consideration. While a Minimalist might consider themself to be within the "Christian tradition" a Mythologist's connection to Christianity is reserved for weddings, funerals, and perhaps a holiday concert. It should be noted that while Catholicism (and Orthodoxy for that matter) officially affirm inerrancy. In 1893 Pope Leo XIII called inerrancy "the ancient and unchanging faith of the Church," since the Church retains authority over the interpretation of Scripture as well as the formation of the canon itself, for all practical purposes inerrancy is rendered a non-issue in Catholicism.
However, it is a significant issue within Evangelicalism and get a little more complicated because within the Inerrantist camp there are five discernible positions.
Type of Inerrantist Description
Classic Based on the arguments of A. A. Hodge and B. B. Warfield, these are the classic statements of a "verbal plenary inspiration" position generally articulated in the Princeton tradition.
Evidentialist Views inerrancy as defensible on the basis of "proof." Opponents to inerrancy would collapse under the weight of evidence supporting Biblical statements on History and Science.
Chicagoan Beginning with the formation of ETS and culminating in the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, sought to define and affirm inerrancy in a manner that crossed theological (Calvinist-Arminian) and hermeneutical boundaries, although hermeneutics naturally starts with the grammatical-historical position.
Hermeneutical Views inerrancy as bound together with the Grammatical-Historical (or some close variation) method of hermeneutics. The overlay of any other method onto Scripture is a de facto denial of inerrancy. Ipsissima Verba, particularly in Gospel studies, is usually affirmed.
Critical Views inerrancy as independent of hermeneutical method. Literary critical methodologies are legitimate to assist in interpretation, but are illegitimate when employed to determine authenticity. Ipsissima Vox, particularly in Gospel studies, is usually affirmed.
The listing here is something of a spectrum with the Chicagoan position currently acting as a fulcrum. Created in the late 1960's The International Council on Biblical Inerrancy created two key documents. The first is the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978) followed by the Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics (1982). These documents are often wrongly conflated. While they are obviously linked, there are signers of the Inerrancy statement who did not sign the Hermeneutics statement. Since 2004, the Evangelical Theological Society officially refers to the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (CSBI) as the society's "intent and meaning of the reference to biblical inerrancy." While some institutions affirming inerrancy make reference to the CSBI, it has not been widely adopted at the official level.[1] However, the Hermeneutics statement is now little mentioned, lacking even have a Wikipedia entry, even though the key debates on inerrancy are now bound more up in this statement than the CSBI.
The Zondervan Counterpoint series book, Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy (2013) complicated the issue by not having clear categories (my five or any other) for the contributors to present and respond too. It wasn't five inerrantists coming at the issue from different perspectives; it was a combination of inerrantists and maximalists.[2] In terms of clarifying the debate it was a thoroughly unhelpful book. Another rather unhelpful book was Thy Word is Still Truth: Essential Writings on the Doctrine of Scripture from the Reformation to Today (Presbyterian and Reformed, 2013). You can see my more complete review here but the editors seemed intent on making the case that the true concept of inerrancy is only to be found in a "Reformed view of Scripture," focusing more on the Warfield-Hodge tradition while, essentially ignoring the CSBI and the larger hermeneutical issues. If this debate again begins to be presented and defended along the old Calvinist-Arminian lines, which the founders of ETS sought to avoid, it is likely doomed to more confusion.
The nature of the inerrancy debate is often mirrored in the nature of preaching today. As MacArthur points out, "the only logical response to inerrant scripture, then, is to preach it expositionally."[3] This is unquestionably true; however, many models have seemingly reduced "expository preaching" to the singular concept of "verse-by-verse" book study. Preaching is seemingly becoming more atomistic, preachers taking five to ten years to preach through a single book of the Bible. This is particularly problematic since the average tenure of a pastor in the United States right now is less than five years (it would be interesting to know how many unfinished sermon series there are in a given year). It reminds me of a note Spurgeon made about a multiple volume commentary on Hebrews originally based on a sermon series. He stated it was, "one of those great expository works with which the Scotch ministry has so frequently enriched the church." But then concludes by remarking, "We wonder if any one ever read this excellent exposition through; we should not like to be sentenced to do so."[4]
If one does not preach verse-by-verse in the current environment they run the risk of being accused of not really believing in inerrancy. But that should not be the case, as my good friend Dr. Irv Busenitz wrote, "just as verse-by-verse preaching is not necessarily expository, preaching that is not verse-by-verse is not necessarily non-expository. Granted some topical approaches are not expository, but such need not and certainly should not be the case." There is a wider spectrum of expository preaching available than simply drilling down deeper into the exegetical and lexical bits and pieces in a verse-by-verse fashion. The temptation seems to be proving ones inerrancy bona fides by preaching more and more detail.[5] The more atomistic preaching becomes, the more prone one is to the exegetical fallacies that D. A. Carson so ably warns about.[6]
The chief protagonist of Warfield and Hodge in the "original" inerrancy debate was Charles A. Briggs. He was a maximalist and certainly not a liberal by todays standard, and was probably more correct than he realized when he said:
Verbal inspiration is doubtless a more precise and emphatic definition, than plenary inspiration; but this very emphasis and precision imperil the doctrine of Inspiration itself by bringing it into conflict with a vast array of objections along the whole line of Scripture and History, which must be met and overcome in incessant warfare, where both sides may count on doubtful victories, but where the weak, ignorant, and hesitating stumble and fall into divers temptations and may make shipwreck of their faith.[7]
The balancing act is to affirm the fundamental truth of "verbal-plenary" (all of the words and every word) inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible without reducing preaching to an exercise of simply reading an exegetical-lexical summary. In any literature, including the Bible, words are obviously important; however, words, in and of themselves, convey no real finality of thought. Nor do clauses, or even sentences. The basic "unit of thought" is the paragraph; the paragraph as one of my favorite detectives Nero Wolfe, noted reflects the "depth of the soul."[8] That's where, in my experience, preaching needs to focus, avoiding the trees to keep a clear view of the forest: preach paragraphs.
Hitchhiking through the current evangelical church inerrancy debate can be complex and seems to be heading to a new directions; probably with attempts to revise or make wholesale changes to the Chicago Inerrancy and Hermeneutics statements or perhaps more narrowing efforts at entirely new statements. All of that will make news and pastors need to be conversant and constant in guiding their congregations with solid biblical leadership, teaching, and preaching.
The best expression of preaching an inerrant Scripture is to use the full spectrum of expositional options, preaching the developed thoughts of the Biblical writers and not just their words.
[1] For example, neither Dallas Theological Seminary nor The Master's Seminary have ever officially adopted the CSBI as a definitional document on inerrancy.
[2] Reactions to the book illustrate the current tensions, as several assert that of the five contributors only Al Mohler is really an inerrantist. Peter Enns doesn't claim to be an inerrantist, so that's simple. And who really knows what John Franke believes, especially about the Bible? Michael Bird was an odd choice as a contributor as he wrongly asserts that the debate is only an "American" issue. His article contributed little of substance; although even Mohler seemed convinced he is an inerrantist. But to me questioning whether Kevin Vanhoozer is an inerrantist is a fools errand.
[3] MacArthur, "The Mandate of Biblical Inerrancy" in Rediscovering Expository Preaching (Dallas: Word, 1992). 23.
[4] Spurgeon, "Commenting and Commentaries" in Lectures to My Students (Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim Publishing, nd), 189.
[5] Computer Bible programs are eminently helpful to do things faster, but the by-product of all of that information is a tendency for preachers to include what is pointedly worthless information. For instance, how many times a word or form of a word is used in the all or some portion of the Bible is a detail that sounds impressive but it signifies nothing.
[6] D. A. Carson, Exegetical Fallacies Second Edition (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1996). This is a book that should be on the annual read and reread list for every preacher and Bible teacher.
[7] C. A. Briggs, "Critical Theories of the Sacred Scriptures in Relation to their Inspiration." The Presbyterian Review, 2, no. 7 (July 1881): 551–52. [emphasis in original].
[8] Rex Stout, Plot It Yourself (New York: Viking Press, 1959), 26.
This entry was posted in Bible Interpretation, Pastoral Ministry, Preaching, Theology by Dennis Swanson. Bookmark the permalink.
About Dennis Swanson
Dr. Dennis M. Swanson is currently the Dean of Libraries at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Formerly was the VP of The Master's Seminary Library, Accreditation, and Operations for 24 years. He also oversaw the production of The Master's Seminary Journal, and is an experienced writer and editor. Prior to the he was an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.
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Harsu & the Werestoat: Q&A with Barbara Else
Posted April 2, 2019 by Gecko Press
Barbara Else is one of New Zealand's most successful writers, for adults and children. Her Tales of Fontania series—including The Travelling Restaurant—has been published around the world and her 2018 release Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women is a bestseller. Else is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to literature, and has worked as a university tutor, editor and freelance writer. She lives in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Harsu & the Werestoat, released in April 2019, is a novel for middle readers—part fairytale, part time-travel, all adventure.
How did Harsu's story first take root and become a story you wanted to write?
It happened in a roundabout way. In the ancient story of Beowulf, the hero kills a dreadful monster then discovers that the monster's mother is a thousand times worse. I've often thought, if his mother was so terrible, what chance did the poor monster ever have to grow up normal and nice? My own story became one of a boy who manages to choose the right way to live.
What makes Harsu a hero for you?
He loves his mother and admires a lot about her. But she becomes more and more outrageous and he has to decide where his loyalty should lie. He shows that he is a true hero and has real strength because he is patient and kind to others.
Tell us about the character of Daama
In one way Daama is like any mother, me included! She wants to be proud of her child and for people to tell her she's a marvellous parent. Some of what she says can come out of the mouth of any mother. But Daama takes it all to extremes because she really cares only about herself. She's terrible-comical, or comical-terrible. After all, she's so proud of being a descendant of one of the nine thousand descendants of the Wind God! Why is that so special, when there must be so many of them? She thinks she's logical but—no.
When you read your books to children and hold workshops, what kinds of things do you find they're interested in / what do they pick up on?
That junior to intermediate level loves stories where a character has to make difficult decisions. Children that age are also intrigued by how things fit together. They love realising how one bit of a plot causes something else to happen. When I give workshops in shaping a story, they really get into it and can't write their own ideas down fast enough.
What was your favourite book when you were 10?
I loved books of all kind—true stories from history, gritty fairy tales like E Nesbit's, school stories by Enid Blyton, a book called Into the Happy Glade by Trevor Dudley Smith that made me roll on the floor laughing every single time I read it. I especially adored C S Lewis's Tales of Narnia. My favourite was The Magician's Nephew — the one that explains how the world of Narnia began. Between all the worlds lies a wood of slender trees and quiet ponds. If you sink into a pond it will take you to a new world. That is a gorgeous image of what happens when we read—we sink into a story and find ourselves in extraordinary places.
We are pleased to invite you to the release of the book:
Thursday 4 April in Wellington: 6pm — 7.30pm at The Children's Bookshop at Shop 26 Kilbirnie Plaza.
RSVP: [email protected]
Tuesday 16 April in Dunedin: 5.30pm — 7pm at the University Bookshop, 378 Great King Street. Refreshments will be served.
Harsu & the Werestoat and other books by Barbara Else
filed under: Curiously Good Book Club

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The Story Behind Flight Plan
For over twenty years, we've been developing the Flight Plan curriculum at Presbyterian Day School (PDS), an all-boys elementary school in Memphis, Tennessee. It started as an optional Bible study, but it quickly grew to a full-school curriculum centered on the seven virtues of manhood.
In 2004, Lee Burns, then PDS' headmaster, and Chris Hill, then PDS' chaplain, wrote the first draft of Flight Plan. Hundreds of boys went through this curriculum, and the first Flight Plan book expanded in 2009 by Lee Burns and Braxton Brady (who first added the analogies between a boy's journey to manhood and a pilot's plan for success).
Since then, a team of mentors has been sharing this curriculum with our fifth- and sixth-grade boys at PDS. Every week, small groups of boys meet to answer and discuss questions with their mentors and classmates. But this curriculum isn't limited to the school. We believe families play an essential role in discipling their sons, so our mentors partner with dads to help boys live as true men.
People outside of our school started asking to use it in their own homes, schools, and churches, and we realized our curriculum could help a lot of boys and dads around the country. We went back to the Flight Plan manuscript for another rewrite, and we also started working on The 7 Virtues of Manhood. Steve Hancock, the headmaster of PDS, partnered with PDS' former chaplain Braxton Brady and the Useful Group to write a book focused on helping boys apply these seven virtues to their daily lives.
We pray Flight Plan and The 7 Virtues of Manhood help many boys grow into godly young men. If you have a story about these books' impact in your family or community, we would love to hear it!


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Please ANY help/guidance will be MUCH appreciated.
P.S oh yes ! it HAS to be a PIC. i am not using Atmel or AVR.
Please just put me in a right direction.
> Please ANY help/guidance will be MUCH appreciated.
> P.S oh yes ! it HAS to be a PIC. i am not using Atmel or AVR.
> Please just put me in a right direction.
First YOU should learn the difference between USB HOST and USB SLAVE.
The PIC24FJ64GA004 is fine, but it does not have any USB support.
If not, buying a pre-assembled PIC board would be a good idea.
good luck, let us know if you get this done in time.
> through a PIC microcontroller acting as a USB host.
serious processor.  PICs generally aren't.
Is that qualified to be a USB _host_?
Be careful you don't put yourself on an impossible mission there.
when data extraction is required.
>> through a PIC microcontroller acting as a USB host.
> serious processor.  PICs generally aren't.
memory requirements for example), I still think that will not be viable.
> Is that qualified to be a USB _host_?
A quick look on the Microchip website would seem to suggest no.
>> P.S oh yes ! it HAS to be a PIC. i am not using Atmel or AVR.
> Be careful you don't put yourself on an impossible mission there.
will find more headroom with a PIC32MX ?
>when data extraction is required.
>memory requirements for example), I still think that will not be viable.
>will find more headroom with a PIC32MX ?
>The PIC24FJ64GA004 is fine, but it does not have any USB support.
PIC24FJ256GB110, this supports USB OTG capability.
>If not, buying a pre-assembled PIC board would be a good idea.
Example ? Are you talking about Explorer 16 Dev Board ?
If you could just tell me that i could use the dev board without PICkit 2.
>good luck, let us know if you get this done in time.
Btw you guys really put me in a right direction.
>>when data extraction is required.
>>memory requirements for example), I still think that will not be viable.
> PIC24FJ256GB004 has OTG capability.
I see in your other response you have chosen another PIC24.
read it from the device ?
stack as part of your project ?
>>will find more headroom with a PIC32MX ?
> for the previous reply.
my todo list, I have not done anything with it yet.
On Mar 25, 9:46=A0am, "peenukimaa"
> >when data extraction is required.
> >memory requirements for example), I still think that will not be viable.
> >will find more headroom with a PIC32MX ?
for PIC32, simple because i don't see much savings in PIC24.


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Can I use a list to populate the X and Y axis in graph builder when scripting?
I have a list of X and Y values that the user selects. I want those list values to populate the x and y axis in graph builder. Is this possible.? I continually get an error that the column names cannot be found?
I want the x axis to be the x_values and the y axis to be the y_values. This changes by how the user selects though so the values cannot be hardcoded.
Re: Can I use a list to populate the X and Y axis in graph builder when scripting?
Trying to parse operand for "-" operator.
I also am not not trying to put multiple y variables on the same axis. I want each of the y variables to be its own graph sorted by the same x values. I just need the y axis in graph builder to be able to change based on what is in the y_variables list (this list is options that the user selects).
but im not able to pass the string "400" by script becasue the char " "


text:
NC has clout in Congress
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 17, 2017
By Post Opinion
By Rob Christensen
Raleigh News & Observer
In the new Republican-dominated Washington, North Carolina will have one of its most influential congressional delegations in recent memory.
The Tar Heel delegation is heavily Republican (12 of 15), very conservative, many with Tea Party connections and heavy on the testosterone, with only two women. The delegation includes chairmen of key committees, members of the leadership and congressmen in a position to influence the debate.
The state's two U.S. senators, Republicans Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, are well-known, having both emerged from recent statewide elections. Burr is chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, while Tillis serves on several committees including the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold confirmation hearings on U.S. Supreme Court nominees, and the Senate armed services and veterans committee, which should take up important issues.
Less well-known is the rise of North Carolina's House Republicans. They have been aided by stable House districts — ensured by legislative gerrymandering — which has enabled them to climb to positions of power without having to face strong competition.
Not since the Democrats controlled the congressional delegation during the period of one-party control nearly a half-century ago, and the seniority system still ruled supreme, has North Carolina had so many lawmakers in key positions.
North Carolina's congressional clout should in theory benefit the state in GOP-controlled Washington, where on Friday a Republican administration will join a Republican Congress. But many in the delegation are small-government conservatives who may be reluctant to seek funding for local projects.
Consider some of the influential players:
• Patrick McHenry, 41, of Cherryville, is now the House Republican chief deputy whip, making him a leading vote counter in the House and one of a handful of House leaders who meet to make key decisions. The former N.C. State University student rose as a young political operative through the College Republicans, then worked for the likes of Elaine Chao and Karl Rove before serving a term in the legislature and winning election as the youngest member of Congress in 2004. Among the GOP leaders who have previously held his position are former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, former House majority leader Eric Cantor and House majority leader Kevin McCarthy. McHenry is on a career path to become a future House speaker.
• Mark Walker, a 47-year old pastor from Greensboro, is chairman of the Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus that includes 172 House members. Walker is only beginning his second term in the House. The group was started in 1973 by conservatives who thought the House GOP leadership was too moderate. The group pushes for budget cuts, except for defense, for socially conservative legislation and for free trade, and publishes an alternative budget. Among its past chairs are Mike Pence, Tom Price, Phil Crane, and North Carolina's Sue Myrick.
• Virginia Foxx, a 73-year old former community college president and state legislator from Banner Elk, is the new chairwoman of the House Education and Workforce Committee. The seven-term House member told Politico she hopes to repeal President Barack Obama's education legacy. Among other goals, she wants to divert the billions of dollars in federal aid awarded under Title 1 for poor students and use it for school vouchers. She is a strong supporter of President-elect Donald Trump's $20 billion school-choice plan that emphasizes vouchers. She wants to re-examine the emphasis on transgender rights in the Education Department's civil rights division. She wants to shift college loan programs back to banks and reverse regulations targeting for-profit colleges that cut off financial aid to programs that leave students with high debt and poor job prospects.
• Mark Meadows, a 57-year old real-estate developer from Highlands, is chairman of the 31-member House Freedom Caucus. The conservative group threatened a government shutdown in 2013 over defunding Obamacare and helped push out House Speaker John Boehner.
• Robert Pittenger, 68, a real-estate investor from Charlotte, is chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare and has met with leaders around the world. He is in his third term.
• Richard Hudson, 45 of Concord, is chairman of the House Subcommittee on Transportation and brings savvy, having worked as an aide to four congressmen and a staffer for the state Republican Party. The third-term congressman was behind a letter, signed by eight other Tar Heel Republicans this week, that called on the Obama administration to block Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper's proposal to join the other 32 states that have expanded Medicaid insurance to the working poor.
There are Republicans in the delegation who do not chair committees but bring their own strengths. Both David Rouzer of Benson and George Holding of Raleigh are former congressional staffers. Farmville Rep. Walter Jones' skepticism about the Iraq war and opposition to illegal immigration aligns with Trump.
The three Democrats also bring a wealth of experience. David Price of Chapel Hill is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and has played a major role over the years in helping obtain funding for Triangle universities and for research. G.K. Butterfield of Wilson recently stepped down as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and was a close ally of Obama. Alma Adams of Greensboro is a veteran state legislator.
Rarely has there been a congressional group from North Carolina as likely to make an imprint on the national debate.
Rob Christensen has covered politics for The News & Observer of Raleigh for nearly four decades. Write to him at rchristensen@newsobserver.com.
Letters to the editor: Jan. 31
Renee Scheidt: Diamond, Silk left mark on political world
Francis Koster: What if your kid said, 'I believe it's not dangerous if I can't see it'


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Tommy Gerlado: INSANE LOS flying - Pilot Oka Nakafumi - Quadcopter Freestyle GOD!
INSANE LOS flying - Pilot Oka Nakafumi - Quadcopter Freestyle GOD!
This is a video by Boohwan Jeon of the Japanese pilot Oka Nakafumi showing what I think is the first real heli style LOS flight with a quadcopter.


Recently at Suwannee High School all juniors were required to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test despite some parents' view that the test should only be optional. For several parents, and apparently several students who hid out on testing day Nov. 17, full junior class test participation became a major issue.
The ASVAB "is a timed multi-aptitude test, which is given at over 14,000 schools and Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) nationwide and is developed and maintained by the Department of Defense," according to the armed services Web site www.military.com.
The site suggests that anyone serious about joining the military should take the ASVAB.
Donna Odom, the parent of an 11th grade student, spoke recently with the Democrat about issues she has with the exam and the way it is administered at the school.
Although juniors are required to take the ASVAB at SHS, the option to withhold personal information, including social security numbers, from recruiters is available, but left to the school's discretion.
Read more in the Suwannee Democrat.


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In the last post I showed you (dear reader) the bird-like art of a local sculptor at the new arts center. But wait, there is more in the bird art category on view at another business in town.
How about a giant chicken (readily recognizable as poultry) perched atop a saloon, right on a major thoroughfare. Surrounded by artificial palm trees (sadly, palms do not grow here naturally), the chicken is master of all it surveys.
Or perhaps a flamingo is more to your taste?
Instead of rusting, enigmatic, possibly industrial art, one can admire a rusting 100+ year old cast iron stove here.
And how is this different from art that one would have to pay millions to possess? Other than not being for display and sale in a fancy gallery by a big name artist. (The city did make the owners take down car henge, a previous artwork, which was made using cars instead of standing blue stones).
So instead of just a weird face, this place has the entire figure! Yes, a giant fiberglass cowboy, complete with an enormous fiberglass beer. Just to let one know what is on offer at this location. It is the art of the pour, rather than the visual arts. And this artwork is just as striking as the expensive stuff at the arts center.
The local state university is quite near my house. And just like the universe itself, the university is expanding. The most recent building is an arts center, and what is an arts center without art? They have plonked down a number of large pieces of art, in a sort of random accumulation, so that one can tell that this is, in fact, an arts center.
The giant chicken roadrunner bird-like thing was made by a local sculptor some years ago. It used to be at his house, until the neighbors complained about tourists showing up to look at all his art (there was a bunch of these). So now it sits here in splendor (and it really is lovely).
This is another one of his pieces, and it moves in the breeze. So on this day, that was the way the wind was blowing.
And here is yet another piece from the same artist, he made a lot of these things. (And now you can see that the wind has changed direction too).
This one is not so attractive. It looks like some sort of abandoned industrial by-product or fallen space junk, rusting away into oblivion.
This one is made of neon and at night, whatever they are supposed to be lights up, one after another. I thought that they looked vaguely like roses, and I was immediately put in mind of Four Roses brand whiskey (the choice of skid row alcoholics everywhere). And yes I do realize that there are five whatevers, but it's hard to count them when one is just driving by after dark.
And then there is this bit, a collaborative effort of the artist and the grounds keepers.
I'm not sure how all of these pieces go together in any kind of artistic harmony, but I'm sure for the artists the best part is that they are displayed (and they got paid for it!).
Our local art museum is a tiny facility. It used to be even smaller until a past CEO went on an expansion binge before moving on. So now there are big spaces to fill. And one doesn't want to crowd the artwork together, they have to have room to breathe (or something).
I was there for another free day, but it wasn't the art that caught my eye, it was the shadows. I just love gallery lighting, it makes the ordinary more interesting and unexpected.
There is nothing special about a branch (except that someone sold it to this museum), but the multiple overlapping repeats of the image give the piece some interest.
This piece is a mildly famous work by a feminist artist, one of those 60's things. The art seems rather trite to me now, but I love, love the shadows.
But this one is the king of the shadows (note the crown).
I like the #5 definition in my dictionary (I know, how retro to use a physical dictionary): a delusive image or semblance: anything unreal or unsubstantial. Or #6, a phantom, ghost or shade. And that is why I like to capture them.


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A compact receiver system for simultaneous measurements of mesospheric CO and O3
Journal article, 2016
During the last decades, ground-based microwave radiometry has matured into an established remote sensing technique for measuring vertical profiles of a number of gases in the stratosphere and the mesosphere. Microwave radiometry is the only ground-based technique that can provide vertical profiles of gases in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere both day and night, and even during cloudy conditions. Except for microwave instruments placed at high-altitude sites, or at sites with dry atmospheric conditions, only molecules with significant emission lines below 150 GHz, such as CO, H2O, and O3, can be observed. Vertical profiles of these molecules can give important information about chemistry and dynamics in the middle atmosphere. Today these measurements are performed at relatively few sites; more simple and reliable instrument solutions are required to make the measurement technique more widely spread. This need is urgent today as the number of satellite sensors observing the middle atmosphere is about to decrease drastically. In this study a compact double-sideband frequency-switched radiometer system for simultaneous observations of mesospheric CO at 115.27 GHz and O3 at 110.84 GHz is presented. The radiometer, its calibration scheme, and its observation method are presented. The retrieval procedure, including compensation of the different tropospheric attenuations at the two frequencies and error characterization, are also described. The first measurement series from October 2014 until April 2015 taken at the Onsala Space Observatory, OSO (57° N, 12° E), is analysed. The retrieved vertical profiles are compared with co-located CO and O3 data from the MLS instrument on the Aura satellite. The data sets from the instruments agree well with each other. The main differences are the higher OSO volume mixing ratios of O3 in the upper mesosphere during the winter nights and the higher OSO volume mixing ratios of CO in the mesosphere during the winter. The low bias of mesospheric winter values of CO from MLS compared to ground-based instruments was reported earlier.
Remote-sensing
mesosphere
ground-based
Peter Forkman
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Global Environmental Measurements and Modelling
Chalmers, Earth and Space Sciences, Onsala Space Observatory
Other publications Research
Ole Martin Christensen
Patrick Eriksson
Bhushan Billade
Vessen Vassilev
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Microwave Electronics
GigaHertz Centre
Valery Shulga
National Academy of Sciences in Ukraine
Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems
2193-0856 (ISSN) 2193-0864 (eISSN)
Vol. 2016 5 27-44
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
10.5194/gi-5-27-2016
Publication data connected to DOI


An US Navy SEAL was killed Tuesday by ISIS forces that broke through Kurdish defenses in northern Iraq — the third US combat death at the hands of the terror group, officials said.
The special warfare operator was an enlisted petty officer first class whose identity and hometown were withheld pending family notification.
He was killed about 9:30 a.m. near Mosul, which has been under the control of the jihadists since they captured large swaths of northern and western Iraq two years ago, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said. A Kurdish official said the SEAL died as he was being transported out of the area.
"It was an orchestrated attack with shots and multiple IEDs (bombs) going off," a US defense official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A US military official in Iraq said the SEAL was killed by "direct fire" while fulfilling his duties as an adviser to the Kurdish peshmerga troops, whose forward line was penetrated near Irbil. The SEAL was about three miles behind the front line, the official added.
He cited the combat risks the roughly 5,000 American troops in Iraq still face even though they are officially there only to train, advise and assist.
"It shows you it's a serious fight that we have to wage in Iraq," he said, ABC News reported.
A defense official told ABC News that the ISIS attack was repelled by 23 airstrikes carried out by F-15 jets and drones supporting the coalition and Kurdish forces.
A Kurdish official said the SEAL was killed in an attack that involved "truck bombs supported by infantry" after the jihadists breached peshmerga lines about 20 miles north of Mosul, the Washington Post reported.
The extremists fired mortars and cannons about 90 minutes before hundreds of the ISIS fighters broke through, Kurdish and Iraqi Christian militia commanders said.
"American special forces came to rescue us with four vehicles," he told the paper, adding that one badly injured US service member was evacuated by chopper. "They opened the way for us to retreat then one of their vehicles was hit" with a rocket-propelled grenade.
The Kurdistan Region Security Council said more than 80 militants were killed. At least 10 peshmerga fighters also died in the fighting, according to a Kurdish official who posted pictures of the victims on Twitter, Reuters reported.
"This sad news is a reminder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face everyday in the ongoing fight to destroy ISIL and end the threat the group poses to the United States and the rest of the world," Cook said in a statement, using another acronym for ISIS.
US Army Special Ops troops operate across peshmerga lines to gather information about the jihadists and to help coordinate airstrikes between peshmerga and the joint command centers in Baghdad and Irbil, the administrative center of the Kurdish area in northern Iraq.
Special forces are playing a key role in the US campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, where the commandos are training and advising local forces fighting the jihadists.
The SEAL was the third US combat death in Iraq since American forces returned in June 2014 to lead a coalition seeking to "degrade and destroy" the jihadist group.
In mid-April, the US announced plans to send an additional 217 troops to Iraq to be deployed closer to the front lines, where they are advising Iraqi forces in the anti-ISIS campaign.
Thirteen non-hostile deaths occurred in Iraq and in the areas associated with the campaign.
On March 19, 27-year-old Marine Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin was killed by ISIS rocket fire near Makhmour in northern Iraq, where Iraqi troops are building up for a future Mosul offensive. Some 200 US Marines are stationed less than 10 miles from the front line near Makhmour.
On Oct. 22, Army Master Sgt. Josh Wheeler, 39, was killed in a raid in northern Iraq that rescued 70 Iraqi hostages taken by ISIS extremists. The elite Delta Force warrior, who was assisting Kurdish forces who carried out the raid, was caught in a crossfire.


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The 12 best national parks in Africa
Southern African Travel Blogs
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Home > Blog > Southern African Travel Blogs > The 12 best national parks in Africa
About iGO Travel
iGO Africa is a team of professional and innovative travel agents that combines internet and communications technology, with dedicated personal service and destination management expertise in order to offer you the best in travel coordination and planning. With offices in Durban and Johannesburg, iGO Africa offers more than just inbound travel to Africa. We also specialise in schools, sports & groups travel arrangements, as well as leisure and corporate travel.
Whether you're a wide-eyed first-timer or an old safari hand, Africa never fails to get under your skin. Understandably so, as this magnificent continent has few peers when it comes to natural beauty or wildlife. As we all like to say, "There is something special about Africa that touches the soul."
Much of the magic happens within the national parks, where there's a breathtaking mix of thrilling wildlife encounters, magnificent scenery and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Each of the following national parks is unique and offers something different to the next whether it's canoeing past crocodiles, gorilla treks or leopard sightings. I suppose the only real question is; which one are you going to go to?
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Wildlife zebra and elephant in Etosha National Park Namibia
One of the largest national parks in the world, Etosha lies in the north of Namibia and has a 5,000 km² pan that was once an ancient inland sea. The strikingly beautiful setting of Etosha is ideal for spotting wildlife at watering holes, given the open and arid landscape.
Intense fight between two male Gemsbok on the dusty plains of Etosha
Etosha is home to some rare and unusual wild animals, as well as the Big 5, boasting the tallest elephants on the continent. The park is home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds and reptiles, including several threatened and endangered species such as the black rhinoceros.
Zebras roaming in Etosha National Park Namibia
Winter (April to October) is the ideal time to go game viewing, as the vegetation is sparse, animals congregate at the watering holes, and the weather is more accommodating.
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
The Wildebeest migration Serengeti Tanzania
Stretching across 1.5 million hectares of land, the Serengeti National Park is famous for its astounding amount of wildlife, endless plains and, of course, the annual Great Wildebeest Migration.
The name "Serengeti" comes from the word used by the Maasai to describe the area, siringet, which means "the place where the land runs on forever." The endless plains of the Serengeti National Park happen to boast the oldest eco-system on the planet.
Black Maned Lion
The Serengeti is ideal big cat country. Lions are everywhere – the Serengeti is considered to have Africa's largest population. Cheetahs are very common on the southeastern plains, while leopards can often be found lazing in one of the big trees along the Seronera River.
Serengeti activities game drive migration Tanzania
Much action can be seen near rivers and waterholes where the wildlife assembles. As well as being home to countless hippo pods and crocodiles, the water's edge is the prime position from which to watch nature unfold—whether it's simply to see elephants escaping the midday heat or lions and crocodiles compete over food sources.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Malamala game reserve game drive
Lying in the north of South Africa, the Kruger is one of the world's great national parks and the largest and oldest national park in South Africa. Stretching over 20,000 square kms, it is bigger than Wales.
Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge Elephant
The diversity, density and sheer numbers of animals is almost unparalleled, and all of Africa's iconic safari species thrive here along with 137 other mammals and over 500 varieties of bird. It's also regarded as the best place in the world to see a leopard.
Dining area in the wilderness Lion Sands Sabi Sand
It's the lodges in the Kruger that really send the experience over the top. Highly-qualified guides, fine cuisine and exceptional service are hallmarks of the Kruger lodges. Think private bush dinners under a starry night sky, romantic chalets with private plunge pools, luxury sleepout decks in trees and every possible whim catered for.
Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania
Greystoke Mahale Wildlife Chimpanzees
Located in the far west of Tanzania on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, Mahale boasts the best chimpanzee viewing in Africa – about 1,700 chimpanzees live in the area. The focal point for visitors is the 60-strong 'M' group, which has been the subject of research for more than four decades. Interestingly, Mahale is also the only place in the world where chimpanzees and lions live alongside one another.
Greystoke Mahale Exteriors Lodge
In addition to the up-close encounters with chimpanzees, Mahale is absolutely stunning. Forested mountains cascade down to the lake shore, the mist-covered peak of Mount Nkungwe rises up in the background and crystal-clear waters teeming with fish lap against white sand coves.
Relaxing chimpanzee
Another unusual feature of the park is that it is one of the very few in Africa that must be experienced by foot. There are no roads or other infrastructure within the park boundaries, and the only way in and out of the park is via boat on the lake.
Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Herd of Elephants
Covering one-third of the Okavango Delta, Moremi is one of the finest wildlife reserves in Africa. It consists of a network of waterways surrounding two large islands; the iconic Chiefs Island in the west and Mopane Tongue in the east. In 2008, it was voted the 'best game reserve in Africa' by the African Travel and Tourism Association and was the first reserve in Africa that was established by local residents.
The reserve's startlingly unique landscape – ranging from riverine forests and marshlands to savannahs and wetlands flecked with palm islands – provide visitors with an awe-inspiring vista. The local BaSarwa bushmen also reside in the area, offering visitors an intimate look into their traditional way of life.
In the Delta
The Delta's meandering waterways are a highlight of Moremi's experience and offer boat safaris and traditional mokoro rides, while guests can explore the land either by safari vehicle or on foot with a guide.
South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Mfuwe Lodge Wildlife Elephants
The South Luangwa National Park lies in eastern Zambia, in the Luangwa Valley at the tail end of Africa's Great Rift Valley. Its remote location and the relatively small number of visitors means it provides an unspoilt haven for wildlife and game viewing, far more exclusive than some of southern Africa's more famous reserves.
The Bush-camp Company Activities Walking Safari
South Luangwa is the home of walking safaris and is the ultimate way to experience the African bush. On walking safaris you're accompanied by an expert guide through the bush, encountering wild animals along the way. You can choose from a one-day trail to a week-long trek, sleeping under the stars at mobile camps each night and makes for one of Africa's most thrilling experiences!
The bush-camp company activities game drive
For scenery, variety and density of animals, South Luangwa National Park is right up there with the best in Africa. Impalas, pukus, waterbucks, giraffes and buffaloes wander on the wide-open plains, leopards hunt in the dense woodlands, herds of elephants wade through the marshes, and hippos munch serenely on Nile cabbage. The bird life is also tremendous: about 400 species have been recorded.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Baby gorilla sitting next to her mother Rwanda
Home to almost half of the world's surviving mountain gorillas, the World Heritage-listed Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Africa's special places. Set in improbably steep mountain rainforest, the park is home to an estimated 360 critically endangered gorillas.
Gorilla walking through the forest
The Impenetrable Forest is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth and one of Africa's most ancient habitats, since it thrived right through the last Ice Age when most of Africa's other forests disappeared.
Creek through dense jungle
It contains 120 species of mammal – more than any of Uganda's other national parks – though sightings are less common due to the dense forest. Lucky visitors might see forest elephants, 11 species of primate, duiker, bushbuck, African golden cats and the rare giant forest hog.
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Elephant in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro
Amboseli grants its visitors one of the most iconic sights in Africa – big-tusked elephants set against the backdrop of Africa's best views of Mt Kilimanjaro. The world's tallest freestanding mountain actually rises just across the border in Tanzania but Amboseli has a postcard-perfect view of its snow-capped peaks.
Elephants with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background
The name "Amboseli" comes from a Maasai word meaning "salty dust", and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli, wetlands with sulphur springs, the savannah and woodlands. They can also visit the local Maasai community who live around the park and experience their authentic culture.
Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
Aerial view Mana pools
Mana Pools National Park is the real deal. If you're looking to go off the beaten track and find an authentic experience of untouched Africa, then this is the place for you. It's raw, it's beautiful and it's not for the faint-hearted.
Elephant climbing tree for food in Mana pools Zimbabwe
Mana Pools attracts many large animals in search of water, making it one of Africa's most renowned game-viewing regions. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has Zimbabwe's biggest concentration of hippos and crocodiles as well as large dry season populations of elephant and buffalo. Canoe safaris down the Zambezi are one of the best ways to see the wildlife here.
Canoe Rides
Other animals can regularly be seen on the river terraces such as eland, impala, waterbuck, baboons, monkeys, zebra and warthog. These animals come out to eat the fallen Albida fruit, a tree that is synonymous with Mana Pools.
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar
Meditating lemurs on roof
Like nowhere else on earth, the magic of Madagascar leaves a vivid impression on all those who visit. It's the world's oldest island and 5% of all known animal and plant species can be found here, and here alone. It's like another planet – home to strange, bulbous trees and enchanting, dancing animals. Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is the best place to see Madagascar's fascinating wildlife and its most famous residents, the lemurs.
Chameleon Madagascar Andasibe
The Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is Madagascar's most accessible rainforest park. It's famous for the Indri, the world's largest lemur and the star of the park. Due to the park's small size, most of it can be covered in short walks, including to two small lakes, Lac Vert (Green Lake) and Lac Rouge (Red Lake).
Conspiracy of lemurs huddling Mantadia national park madagascar
The best time for seeing indris is early in the morning, from 7am to 11am. The park is also known for its biodiversity of other lemur species (there are 11 other species), birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda
Chimpanzee looking up at Kibale National Park Uganda
Kibale Forest National Park is a lush tropical rainforest in southern Uganda, with the highest density of primates in Africa. It's also the second best place in the world, after Mahale, to track wild chimpanzees, with five groups habituated to human contact. It's home to 13 primate species, with the endangered red colobus monkey and the rare L'Hoest's monkey the other highlights.
Beautiful Leopard in tree
A large wildlife corridor links Kibale to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where herds of African elephants roam freely between both sanctuaries. While the park's plethora of primates is undoubtedly its main draw, Kibale is also home to other animals such as leopard, buffalo, duiker, and bushpig.
Close up of baby Chimpanzee Uganda
Bird lovers will be mesmerised by the park's 325 recorded bird species and a hard day exploring is best topped off with a cup of coffee made from the park's wild Robusta coffee tree. There are also an incredible 250 species of butterfly that live here.
Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Three wild dogs in an African field
Hwange National Park is the biggest, and some say best, wildlife reserve in Zimbabwe. Its sheer size means that it's an exceptionally diverse park with terrain ranging from the semi-desert scrub in the south, to forests, granite hills and valleys of mopane woodlands in the north.
Walking safaris Hwange national park Zimbabwe
Hwange National Park, pronounced 'Wang-ee', is brimming with wildlife and is home to over 100 mammal species, including lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dogs and rhino.
Patrolling baby Elephant
Hwange is best known for its elephants and has one of the world's largest populations of around 40,000 tuskers. The highest numbers of animals are spotted in the dry season (August to October) when the wildlife congregates around the shrunken water holes.
Filed under: Southern African Travel Blogs
Tags: africa, best city, south africa, tips, travel, visit
ABOUT AMANDA SAMPAIO
A bit about me: I am Rhodesian born, grew up in Zululand, South Africa. Post matriculation, I studied a 3 year Travel & Tourism National Diploma; I then spent 7.5 years (during the mid-90's) working in various operational roles for SAA at the old Durban Airport; My husband, son & I then moved to the UK and lived in south-west London (Worcester Park) for 10.5 years – I worked for 3.5 years in Local Government (at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council) and then for 7 years for QANTAS as part of the Cabin Crew Ground Management Team based at Heathrow and later with Qantas Corporate Sales based in their London Hammersmith office. My family and I have been back in South Africa for almost 3 years now (having missed too much of our family, SA sunshine and braai's) and during our time back, we are also delighted to have welcomed our 17 month old baby girl into our family! Travel is definitely my passion and is in my 'blood' as I am firmly back in the travel seat with my current role within Sales and Marketing at iGo Travel and look after this for our newly launched brand 'iGO Africa'.
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December holiday events announced for City of Hastings
Hastings lit up the buildings of its downtown, but the event was about more than just ringing in the holiday season.(KASEY MINTZ, KSNB)
By Mason Kern
HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - Over the course of December, departments across the City of Hastings will host several holiday events.
The Hastings Public Library is organizing the following:
Dec. 1: Tales for Tails Winter Reading Program runs from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31.
Dec. 4: Family Gingerbread Day to kick off the Winter Reading Program at 2 p.m.
Dec. 15: Book Club meeting for "The Christmas Shoes" by Donna Vanliere at 4 p.m.
Dec. 18: Harry Potter Yule Ball with festive snacks, games, crafts and more, starting at 3 p.m.
PIXLab and craft events require prior registration at www.cityofhastings.org/departments/library.
The Parks and Recreation Department is organizing the following:
Dec. 3: Holiday Lights Contest Deadline – Sign up to show off your holiday lights and compete for a prize at https://www.cityofhastings.org/parks/holiday-lights-contest.html. Judging will take place between Dec. 13-19.
Dec. 4: Kids Candy Cane Hunt at Chautauqua Park at 2 p.m.
Dec. 7 & 9: Santa Calls from 6-7 p.m. both days. Sign your child up for a call at https://www.cityofhastings.org/parks/santa-calls.html.
Dec. 18: Merry Market at the City Auditorium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sign up for a booth at https://www.cityofhastings.org/parks/merry-market.html.
The Hastings Museum is organizing the following:
Nov. 19 – Jan. 2: Season of Light Holiday Planetarium Show that combines astronomy with holiday traditions. The shows run at 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, and is free with admission.
Nov. 21 – Jan. 2: Festival of Trees – Come tour the holiday trees that were decorated by local nonprofit youth and adult clubs and learn more about them!
Dec. 11: Holiday Fun Day with games, crafts and photos with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $3 for members, and $9-11 for non-members. Tickets include a free showing of "The Year Without a Santa."
Hastings Fire and Rescue is organizing the following:
Dec. 1 – 17: Present Patrol returns for another year at Station 1 and 2. Drop off new, unwrapped gifts for children at either location to help make the holidays bright!
The Hastings Police Department is organizing the following:
Dec. 1 – 17: The Police Department is also participating in Present Patrol this year. Drop off new, unwrapped gifts for children at the Hastings Police Department to participate.
Dec. 16: Shop with a Cop – Selected children will get the chance to go Christmas shopping with officers in this annual tradition. Monetary donations can be made to the Hastings Police Foundation and dropped off at the Hastings Police Department.
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So I'm back from the most FABULOUS vacation ever...did you miss me?
Last week I went to Costa Rica with 6 of my friends from college. Sigal's family just finished building a house on the Pacific Coast near Uvita, so when she sent out the email invite "SB 1.o" (Summer Break 2010) I was in. (We all know each other from Ski Team - go BUSki!) We arrived at Villa Mayana (aka the H. family's personal paradise on top of a mountain) very late Friday night. The sleepyness that had infected us towards the end of the 3-hour drive was immediately banished by the excitement of vacation.
Count to ten, and we were bathing-suits-on-and-jumped-in-the-pool. Within a half-hour we were well established in the hot tub, just wondering what sights morning light would bring.
And of course, every day involved extensive pool and gazebo time.
We went on a zip line rain forest canopy tour. It was AWESOME. Sitting in the back of a truck, we bumped our way up a mountain, holding on for dear life (best upper body workout I've had in a while!). We were strapped into harnesses (in varying degrees of comfort depending on our respective levels of sunburn...), and told to jump off platforms high in the trees of the rain forest. Ok, if you say so!
One afternoon we went to a cove beach with caves. The caves were cool, reaching through the mountain and to the ocean on the other side. But I'm not a cave fan...so after poking my head in, ventured on to explore the rocks. I tentatively tiptoed through the tidepools, trying to tread lightly but inevitably sending squillions of crabs skittering away in terror with my every footfall. Then into the waves we went - diving and shrieking and body surfing in the spray of crashing whitewater, wondering if this was the beach where pirates landed, or if the next wave's whitewater was holding a shark... Being myself, I did a bit of running as well. Pool running that is. I usually dislike pooling, but doing it in an infinity pool overlooking the Whale's Tail surrounded by widlflowers and butterflies (did you know that there are more butterfly species in Costa Rica than in all of Africa?) and listening to country music on the outdoor speaker system isn't half bad.
We saw a bit of wildlife as well. A bajazillion crabs all over the beaches, and this lovely guy when I reached for a cereal bowl one morning. Yikes! Bowls = taken. (That is my just-woke-up, slightly panicked face. You're welcome.) My three library travel books came in handy - Parc National Manuel Antonio did not dissapoint (though if you're going, do not park at the first place they tell you to! Wait until you see the park gates!). Within 5 minutes we saw our first sloth, and Scott's life was complete.
As we ventured deeper into the uncharted wilderness (or along the well-maintained path, as the case may be), our vulnerable group of 4 was set upon by a tribe of viscious monkeys.
First the mother with her baby on her back lured us into her trap. Then she called in the re-inforcements and they tried to block our path! Luckily we put up a brave fight and were able to break through their defences and continue on our way, shaken but unscathed.
Basically it was a week of relaxing awesomeness. Ping-pong battles to napping (sometimes at the same time - take a lesson from Alison!).
Hiking and surfing and just playing around. And we all made it back in one piece.
Including the H. family, there were 11 members of our elite extreme vacation squad. We came from all over: Boston, Israel, London, Shanghai, San Diego, Philadelphia, and DC of course! Like Survivor, our group shrunk as the week progressed. The first to go were Jess and Seth - one to work and one to law school. The next day we dropped Sean off at the Quepos airstrip on our way to Parc Manuel Antonio (another lost to the pursuit of a law degree). On Thursday, Ron's plane took off. And alas, on Friday it was time for Scott, Allison and I to say goodbye to the most luxurious vacation we had ever known.
Not to get all cheesy on you, but I am soooo lucky to have such awesome friends (not because they have fabulous houses, but because I love spending time with them!). Ahhhh, vacation!


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Bankers Arming Themselves, Preparing for Populace Retribution
by Mac Slavo | Dec 2, 2009 | Headline News | 17 comments
The Black Friday panic of 1869 saw mobs of angry Americans drag bankers from their offices and hang them in the streets. From a recent Bloomberg story, we learn that bankers on Wall Street are preparing themselves in an effort to avoid a similar fate.
"I just wrote my first reference for a gun permit," said a friend, who told me of swearing to the good character of a Goldman Sachs Group Inc. banker who applied to the local police for a permit to buy a pistol. The banker had told this friend of mine that senior Goldman people have loaded up on firearms and are now equipped to defend themselves if there is a populist uprising against the bank.
I called Goldman Sachs spokesman Lucas van Praag to ask whether it's true that Goldman partners feel they need handguns to protect themselves from the angry proletariat. He didn't call me back. The New York Police Department has told me that "as a preliminary matter" it believes some of the bankers I inquired about do have pistol permits. The NYPD also said it will be a while before it can name names.
While the guns may be used for self defense at home, New York State gun laws are very strict in allowing individuals other than police and security personal to conceal-and-carry weapons. So, as Karl Denninger of Market Ticker has pointed out, a banker may be able to protect himself in his home, but out on the streets they would still be an unarmed target for mobs looking for retribution if another "Black Friday" event were to occur.
It is probably just a matter of time before the high-dollar bankers use some of those taxpayer funded bonuses to hire personal security teams from the Blackwater Corporation.
Inquiring minds are asking why a banker would find it necessary to arm himself all of a sudden. He must be quite terrified that some hungry zombie prole will come banging down his door for some payback. Do some of these bankers know something that we don't know? Perhaps some of them are in so deep that they realize the system itself is unstable and it is only a matter of time before it comes crashing down under the pressure of hyperinflation or hyperdeflation.
Watch the Bloomberg interview here…
Hunter on December 2, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Just hang all of those bastards on the street light posts. Let them hang as a Hannukah decoration. 😉
Hobbe's Crystal on December 2, 2009 at 2:06 pm
google Mt Weather and related underground protection facilities.  The rich thieving folk will be long gone- overseas or undergournd- when the nukes strike and the gangs hit the streets.  With ignoramuses rampaging through THEIR OWN neighborhoods instead of 5th Avenue, Park and Rodeo Drive- whats to worry over? Look to the past herds' behavior to see the future.
jr on December 2, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Good. N0w when you kill a banker you get a free gun too.Â
good on December 2, 2009 at 3:07 pm
They forget, we're all armed, as well. And more than willing to toss a rope over any nearby tree branch and HANG THEM when the time comes, right next to the congress bastards who gave them the power to SCREW US ALL IN THE ASS, DRY!
Fred on December 2, 2009 at 3:24 pm
mens rea, of guilty mind……..
Patrick on December 2, 2009 at 3:53 pm
IMO, it's all about self preservation. Â I'm reminded of a line from one of my favorite movies, Pulp Fiction.
Winston Wolf speaking: Â "… if self preservation is an instinct you possess, you'd better f***in' do it and do it quick. I'm here to help. If my help's not appreciated, lotsa luck gentlemen."
I'd say if anyone were to know of something coming in the near future, it would be the banksters. Â Maybe this whole thing is coincidence, or maybe it portends something coming down the road in the near future.
Colonel X on December 2, 2009 at 3:57 pm
They had better get ready…we're comin' to get 'em.
Troy on December 2, 2009 at 5:08 pm
IMHO bankers should be looted, locked up and have the ROOM thrown away! These criminal bastards and their ways should be tollerated NO MORE! Not everyone knows, when you go in and open a bank account, the card they have you sign…ain't just a signature card…no,!
It's YOUR agreement to the contract which you have not yet read and could not agree with (called a contract of adhesion). Whereby you agree never to take the bank to court and certainly not a trial by JURY, cause they know who wins in that one YOU!
I found this out when my former bank stole money from me to cover a check I deposited that they CASHED without looking into if the account even existed!
My new bank has a comforter and pillow on top of it…and it's stayin that way!
It is I only on December 2, 2009 at 5:39 pm
& they start wearing brown pants as well!!
ShakingMyHead on December 2, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Think about their mindset. They know that HUGE bonuses are coming their way…they KNOW that these bonuses are not deserved. They are obviously so big that they feel GUILTY about them. If they felt that the bonuses were justified and in line with what they truley deserved,they wouldn't feel threatened by receiving them.
 BUT…., never the less,they will risk their lives and the lives of their families to reap these bonuses.
 I can't understand how morally bankrupt you would have to be to even consider such a thing. It must be an addiction or some mental condition that would make you do such a thing.
 I know one thing….if I went to work tomorrow and my boss said "you have a choice…..I can give you a million dollar bonus but there's going to be a chance you and your family may be in danger…..or I'll give you a turkey and a case of beer….your choice" You can bet your ass I'm eating turkey.
NetRanger on December 2, 2009 at 8:00 pm
"While the guns may be used for self defense at home, New York State gun laws are very strict in allowing individuals other than police and security personal to conceal-and-carry weapons."
Oh, really? So do you think a guy making millions by screwing the nation is going to give even one little tiny damn about a gun law? …and do you think the cop that makes 40 or 50k is going to arrest the guy that could buy him, his squad car and all his equipment with whats in his checking account? Its assinine to think that the law would apply to them. None of the other laws do. No. They'll carry but they'll still die unless they hire people to protect them.
admin on December 2, 2009 at 8:52 pm
NR, tell us how you really feel! LOL.
If I felt I was in danger, i could care less about what the conceal-and-carry laws were, so I think you make a solid point.
ew_keane on December 2, 2009 at 11:07 pm
I wonder how many will drop to their knees and beg for mercy?
I wonder how many will be moved by a bankers plea?
In a world filled with super crimnals, where is james bond at?
Stewart on December 3, 2009 at 12:08 am
I advise the really bright ones to retire immediately, move into modest quarters, and try to get a job bartending, truck-driving, or cab driving, none of which require manual labor. A phony ID might be advisable. Letting the beard grow a bit, and buying a new wardrobe at Goodwill Industries is a good idea. Those failing to follow my advice might think of this when their day of reckoning comes.
Jim Lorenz on December 3, 2009 at 12:18 am
Comments….. Your local banker may also be a criminal, but is probably merely a pawn to the invisible people far away who have those contracts of adhesion written, and whose grandparents and great-grandparents designed the Federal Reserve Act, many years after their ancestors designed the Bank of England with fractional reserve banking & fiat currency that pays the families interest in perpetuity.
To understand this and to hang the truly guilty, please read, "The New Babylon—Those Who Reign Supreme…Inside The Rothschild Empire," by Michael Colins Piper (2009) AmericanFreePress.net
The French revolution is not a good model as many decent and honest people were beheaded on mere accusations. That uncontrolled bloodshed set up the scene for Napoleon Bonaparte, one of the modern world's mass murderers and author of wars of aggression.
robertsgt40 on December 3, 2009 at 7:46 am
They're going to need a lot more than a handgun to fend off the millions they greedy bastards have screwed into the ground. Better get a Blackwater Humvee complete with turret.
rudya on December 3, 2009 at 1:46 pm
As was said in the movie, The Gangs of New York, "the rich can always hire half of the poor to kill the other half".


The most valuable lesson I learned from my family in the early years was to help one another, no matter who that person was, always help your neighbor in need. As I was walking in the door of police headquarters for my background investigation with Sergeant Neil O'Leary, some icons of the Waterbury Police Department were walking out, like Superintendent William Lamb, Chief Inspector Bob Deely and Detective John "Pudgy" Maia to name a few. Their prosperous careers were ending here in Waterbury as mine was beginning. I remember it like yesterday and I remember one common theme I was told by all of these men, that was to treat the job and the city right, and it would take care of me. Well boy that could not have been better advice.
As hard work and a little help would play a role, I have enjoyed a very fulfilling career here at the Waterbury Police Department. I have had the opportunity to work with, be mentored by, looked out for, scolded by (when I needed it) and all in all supported by some of the best law enforcement professionals in the business, hands down. Like these men here retired Superintendent Ed Flaherty, retired Chief Neil O'Leary, retired Chief Mike Gugliotti and retired Chief Vernon Riddick. Men, thank you for your guidance and support in leading me down this road of opportunity. Many more members of the police department both past and present are here tonight, and I am honored to have your continued support.
Through my career I have had some wonderful opportunities at the police department and in this City. I have worked in many different divisions within the department learning all facets of what it takes to run a great organization like the Waterbury Police Department. I have made some incredible lasting friendships both in the police department and in our community. From Bunker Hill to East Mountain, from Bucks Hill to the South End and all the neighborhoods in between I have learned about the rich, diverseness of our City and the strength of our community. This is what drives me every day to come into work charged up and ready to go. I love this city and all that it represents.
I believe in partnerships, face to face personal communication, transparency and always having the welcome shingle out. This will be the foundation that we will continue to build our police department's community relations efforts on. We have done a great job with community relations through the years and I know we can do better. We will focus on community outreach and providing service to our citizens outside the boundaries of traditional police work. We will hone our skills as a multi-faceted social service resource. We will accomplish this by regular meetings with all community leaders and unfettered access to police leadership. We will meet collectively and in open forum for all to participate and bring issues or concerns to the table. We will continue to work in partnership with our city's youth.
PAL, our nationally recognized youth servicing program reorganized by Chief O'Leary in 2006 and now serving 4400 members through 30 plus different programs… what an accomplishment. PAL will continue as our flagship program and will be the catalyst for change in our community reaching deep into our neighborhoods as part of revitalization and support for all children and their families focusing on our most at risk youth.
I am very excited to go to work tomorrow morning.
• I want to thank all the speakers here tonight, It is high praise for me to have you take the time to attend and address this event. I am honored and I thank you.
• I want to thank our State delegation for your continued support and I look forward to working with you to address some of the more serious issues that are currently impacting our community.
• To our local elected officials, you have been very supportive of me and I am happy to serve our great city alongside you.
• To my fellow Department Heads I thank you all for you years of support and I look forward to working in partnership with you to provide the best available services to our community.
• To our religious leaders, especially our police chaplain Father Ronald Ferrero, thank you all so much for your guidance, your assistance and for helping me with my faith. You are all truly motivational influences in my life.
• I want to thank our corporate community represented very strongly here tonight. In support of each other we will work to make downtown and this great city the place to be.
• To the men and women of the state and local law enforcement community that are here tonight. I thank you for your guidance, your partnership and your support. I am excited to continue to grow our relationships.
• I want to recognize Mr. John Durham our United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut and his staff that is here tonight. These men and women provide unwavering support to our city in an effort to make it a safer and better place to live.
• There are two police officers here tonight that are distinct and deserving. Retired Sergeant Domenic Moffo who is one of the oldest members of our department. Serg, thank you for being here and for always being there for me. And Sergeant Harry Moore of the Lisbon Maine Police Department. Lisbon is where I was a police officer for a short time prior to joining the department here in Waterbury. Sergeant Moore has been a mentor and a true friend for 30 plus years. Harry, thank you for being here tonight.
• States attorney Gail Hardy taught me how important testifying in criminal cases is. As an assistant Waterbury State's Attorney Gail and I spent hours preparing for cases and Gail prepared me for the distinct privilege of being recognized by the court as an expert witness in narcotics investigations. Gail thank you for your years of guidance.
• Waterbury States Attorney Maureen Platt and her entire office of staff thank you for your daily support of our department and this administration. Your assistance in community support and outreach is so valuable to our mission.
• And to the men and women of the Waterbury Police Department. From the cadets to my command staff, you put your best foot forward every single day for this city and for me. Tonight would be impossible for me if not for your support. I recognize and thank you for that. I also recognize the demands of a law enforcement career. The long hours away from family, the high stress climate and the risk we take each and every day. I ask you all to work hard with me to police this city in an open minded, thoughtful, compassionate manner in order to protect our community and make it a place for all to enjoy. I want to recognize my aide Sergeant Daniel Ferrucci and administrative staff Charlotte Williams and Lisa Fernandes for the days of excellent work planning and preparing for this event tonight. You did it and I am so proud and grateful to you all.
• Mayor O'Leary, It's been a challenging and rewarding road. I know that a tenant for you in measuring leadership is to look at the success of the people surrounding that leader. Sir, I am honored to be part of your team and I thank you for the confidence and for the position you have selected me for. I will be a positive factor in the measurement of your leadership.
• I have some extended family here tonight. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Russo, their daughter Marcy and her two children. They have been a rock for me. They have been by my side in good times and in bad times never once looking for anything but to provide love and support. I am most grateful to have you all in my life. My second mother is in the audience tonight Georgiana Depausqualle. I have known her since I was small child and she has been a maternal figure for me all my life. Thank you for always being there for me especially tonight.
• Lastly my three children. Joseph, Meaghan and young William, You are my inspiration, you are my world, you are the foundation of my happiness and all that I achieve in my life. I love with all my heart and cherish you for eternity.
This city and its people have taken care of me all my adult life. You all have my word that I will do my best to take care of them now. Thank you all, goodnight.