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Aleppo, called Halab in Arabic, is Syria's second-largest city and has been a thriving caravan stop for centuries.
The tradition remains evident today in the Old City's souks (bazaars), which are the most atmospheric in the country. The vaulted stone ceilings and narrow passageways impart an ancient, biblical atmosphere compared with the souks in Damascus, which lies 220 mi/355 km south. They may be dark, gritty and terribly congested, but they're a sight not to be missed.
Start your tour of the Old City at Bab Antakiya (Antioch Gate) in the western wall. The main street, which runs approximately 0.5 mi/0.8 km to the citadel at the other end, branches off into smaller streets on both sides, each one specializing in a different item—such as textiles, carpets, gold jewelry, herbs, soap and metal goods.
Shopping and sightseeing opportunities commingle in the Old City. The most impressive buildings there were built for either religious or commercial purposes. The Great Mosque of Aleppo was founded during the Umayyad dynasty in the early eighth century, but it has been altered many times over the years. It is less impressive than the more ornate Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, but it's still worth a visit. (The tourist entrance is at the northwest corner.)
You should also make a visit to the Khusrawiyya Mosque and the Adiliyya Mosque (both built during the Ottoman period), as well as the Sultaniyya Madrasa—it has a beautiful mihrab (prayer niche). One of the best buildings in Aleppo is the Bimaristan Arghun, a former asylum for the insane.
Several khans (rest houses), such as Khan al Gumruk, Khan al Wazir and Sabun Khan, are also worth seeing. There are signs pointing to most of the main sites in the Old City, but it is easy to get turned around and lost in the maze of streets.
The medieval citadel is located just outside the western end of the souk. Perched on a steep mound, it's the city's most famous landmark. Purchase a ticket inside the tower near the southern base of the mound (to the right as you leave the souk) and make your way to the top. There are two mosques and a palace at the summit, though they're mostly ruins. The throne room has been restored, and the amphitheater is entirely modern. The best feature is the wonderful panoramic view of Aleppo, with its dozens of domed mosques and tall minarets. It's a nice experience after you've been in the enclosed and crowded bazaars.
Near the southern base of the citadel mound is one of the grandest bathhouses in Syria, the Hammam Yalbugha al Nasiri. It's open to men and women on alternating days. If its schedule doesn't mesh with yours, there are plenty of others to choose from, although none are as impressive. The spa treatment is basic, but the atmosphere and prices are unbeatable. For just a few dollars, you can have your hair washed and receive a thorough scrub and a brief massage.
A few blocks north of the Old City is the Jedeideh district, traditionally the city's Christian quarter. The entire district is very well-preserved—complete with several churches of various denominations and many private courtyard houses that have been restored and converted into small hotels or restaurants. You'll find some of Aleppo's best restaurants and nightspots in Jedeideh. The Museum of Popular Tradition is housed in Beit Ashiqbash, which is worth a visit for the decorative architecture.
If you're interested in archaeology, visit the National Museum (northwest of the Old City, near Bab al Faraj). It displays antiquities—prehistoric to classical—from sites in Syria. There's also the Baron Hotel, which hosted a long list of famous people in the early 1900s, including T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia), Charles Lindbergh and Agatha Christie. Its glory has faded, but have a look (or a drink on the terrace) if you're in the neighborhood.
Possible day trips from Aleppo include the Basilica of St. Simeon at Qalaat Samaan and the Dead Cities—ruins that date to late-Roman and Byzantine times. Plan at least two nights in Aleppo, three if you're taking a day trip.
Invigorate Travel
Email: mbruno@invigoratetravel.com
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The problem with most electric cars isn't the range, it's the time it takes to charge the batteries. Toyota, BMW's technical partner in hybrid technology, is aiming to solve that problem with new solid state battery technology.
According to Reuters (and Chunichi Shimbun Daily) Toyota is set to employ solid state battery technology that, coupled with an all-new platform, will allow for a full recharge in just a fe miniutes.
Currently most EVs (which use Lithium Ion batteries) need 30-60 minutes to recharge fully on the fastest chargers available. Our recent experience with the BMW i3 was similar – almost an hour to charge on the fastest charger available.
If true this could represent a giant leap in electric car experience.
What does this mean for MINI and BMW? Given that Toyota is a current technical partner it's conceivable that there could be some type of technology sharing under a new collaboration agreement. It's also interesting to note that MINI executives have made mention of a new battery technology coming online in 2019 which will allow for a much better charger experience a reality. Could this be solid state batteries? We'll know soon.


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Tag: joy
Give Thanks (Artful Devotion)
July 30, 2019 August 6, 2019 Victoria Emily JonesLeave a comment
Kirsten Van Mourick, Eucharist, 2014. Oil on canvas, 72 × 72 in.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble . . .
For he satisfies the longing soul,
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
—Excerpts from Psalm 107
SONG: "Oh Give Thanks (Psalm 107)" by Wendell Kimbrough, on Psalms We Sing Together (2016) | CCLI #7064726
For a video tutorial by the songwriter on how to play "Oh Give Thanks" on the guitar, click here.
To view all the Revised Common Lectionary scripture readings for Proper 13, cycle C, click here.
Roundup: Too much religion; the single story; fore-edge paintings; choral evensong; and more
June 25, 2019 June 25, 2019 Victoria Emily Jones2 Comments
EXHIBITION REVIEW: "Overstating the religious?" by Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times: Michael Wright brought to my attention an old review of the 2003 LACMA exhibition "The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art," in which art critic Christopher Knight harshly faults the curators for using religion as the organizing principle . . . of an exhibition of religious art. He says it's "bizarre" and "inappropriate" that
traditional artistic concerns of art museum exhibitions – style, historical context, connoisseurship, artist biography, etc. – play no part in [the objects'] presentation. Instead, LACMA's galleries unfold as the articulation and embodiment of a religious philosophy. . . . You will leave this exhibition having not a clue who these artists were . . . and how (or if) their imagery evolved. Instead, the reason for the art's inclusion is to instruct us in various aspects of the embodiment of perfect compassion – that is, to provide experience with critical theological nuances of "the Middle Way."
Mandala of the Buddhist deity Chakrasamvara, Nepal, 1490. Mineral pigments on cotton cloth, 46 × 34 5/8 in. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California.
The review itself struck me as bizarre—that Knight decries the exhibition's focus on the religious meaning of these Tantric paintings, which he considers secondary to their aesthetic qualities and altogether outside the purview of an art institution to comment on. I was glad to see that several readers responded in letters, such as Andy Serrano, who wrote that "up until recent centuries, people did not make art for art's sake. People who made religious art made it in order to enhance the religious experience in one way or another. Separating religious art without the context of religion is like trying to swim without getting wet." Phil Cooke chimed in, "The fact that Knight sees no legitimate connection between art and the religious faith that inspired it is at once outrageous and yet sadly typical of current critical assumptions." [HT: Still Life]
A decade and a half after this exhibition closed, I've observed that curators, critics, and art historians oftentimes still struggle to discern or articulate (or else they simply neglect) the theological content and/or devotional purposes of religious art, as they preoccupy themselves instead with the "traditional artistic concerns" Knight mentions. But I do feel that the situation is improving overall, with wider-spread recognition that evaluating certain works of art through the primary lens of religion—if that's the context in and for which they were created—is not only permissible but essential.
TED TALK: "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The single story, says Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, is when one story (about a person, place, or ethnicity) becomes the only story, creating stereotypes, or a flattened perspective. Adichie admits to having had a single story of her household servant growing up ("poverty"), and later on, of Mexicans ("the abject immigrant"). Many Americans have a single story of Africa. But the problem is, we are all formed by many stories, no single one more definitive than another—and we need to talk about them all. [HT: Sarah Quezada]
ESSAY: "And God Said to Pastors: Use More Sermon Puns and Plan More Parties" by W. David O. Taylor, Christianity Today: Taylor gives three reasons to practice levity and humor in public worship, quoting Augustine, Chesterton, Lewis, Barth, Capon, Buechner, Ratzinger, and Eugene Peterson along the way. I especially like his first point about grace and hyper-abundance.
ESSAY: "In Defense of Owning Too Many Books" by Daniel Melvill Jones, The Curator: I relate to this author's tottering stacks of books throughout his house—having exhausted my shelf space, I also have them in closets, hutches, and chests. I'm a bibliophile, what can I say. Probably about a third of the books in my personal library I haven't read yet, which, I affirm with Daniel M. Jones, is both humbling and tantalizing, a "promise of ideas to explore."
Potential is not in the books you've read but in those that remain unread. Therefore, you ought to expand the rows of what you do not know as much as your resources allow, and expect them to keep growing as you get older and accumulate more knowledge.
The books you surround yourself with "will feed [your] life and output in unseen ways." So stock up!
FORE-EDGE PAINTINGS: The Boston Public Library has one of the world's finest collections of fore-edge paintings, an art form originating around the tenth century but popularized in the eighteenth, utilizing as a surface the edge of a book opposite its spine. Over time, the content of these paintings evolved from decorative or heraldic designs to landscapes and narrative scenes, like these two from volumes 1 and 2 of a Bible printed in Edinburgh in 1803. [HT: Public Domain Review]
The Annunciation after Fra Lippo Lippi, painted on the fore-edge of a Bible (vol. 1 of 2) printed in Edinburgh in 1803. Collection of Boston Public Library.
The Last Supper after Leonardo da Vinci, painted on the fore-edge of a Bible (vol. 2 of 2) printed in Edinburgh in 1803. Collection of Boston Public Library.
Great Big Story recently featured contemporary fore-edge painter Martin Frost, who specializes in the vanishing variety. Cool!
MUSIC DOCUMENTARY: "Elizabeth I's Battle for God's Music," presented by Lucy Worsley: Aired in October 2017 on BBC Four, this hourlong program presents a history of choral evensong, the Protestant church service of music and prayer born out of the English Reformation and still performed today. Worsley moves through the Tudor monarchs, discussing their relationship to sacred music—from Henry VIII, who broke away from the Catholic Church but didn't want to abandon the Latin mass, and who thus hired Thomas Tallis to compose in a more austere style in which the words of the liturgy could be more easily understood; to his son Edward VI, who, in his dislike of elaborate music, ordered the disbanding of choirs and the destruction of organs, but also supported the creation of the first complete English prayer-book (Thomas Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer) and John Marbeck's musical guide to it; to Mary I, who returned England to Catholicism, with its high-church music, all in Latin; and finally Elizabeth I, a moderate Protestant whose compromising spirit led to the reinstatement of English evensong but with much leeway given as to how it is set, whether in monophony, homophony, or polyphony. Elizabeth's patronage and legal protections of church music made possible the glorious compositions of, among others, William Byrd, and ensured the survival of choral evensong. [HT: Global Christian Worship]
Choral evensong is a continuing tradition, and Worsley concludes by highlighting its new possibilities, such as the Oxford Blues Service by Roderick Williams. Listen to an excerpt on the SoundCloud player below.
"As the bridegroom rejoices over his bride . . ." (Artful Devotion)
Marc Chagall (Russian French, 1887–1985), Les mariés de la tour Eiffel (The Bride and Groom of the Eiffel Tower), 1938–39. Oil on canvas, 150 × 136.5 cm. Centre Pompidou, Paris. Photo: Jim Forest.
Regarding Zion, I can't keep my mouth shut,
regarding Jerusalem, I can't hold my tongue,
Until her righteousness blazes down like the sun
and her salvation flames up like a torch.
Foreign countries will see your righteousness,
and world leaders your glory.
You'll get a brand-new name
straight from the mouth of GOD.
You'll be a stunning crown in the palm of GOD's hand,
a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your GOD.
No more will anyone call you Rejected,
and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You'll be called Hephzibah (My Delight),
and your land Beulah (Married),
Because GOD delights in you
and your land will be like a wedding celebration.
For as a young man marries his virgin bride,
so your builder marries you,
And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride,
so your GOD is happy with you.
—Isaiah 62:1–5 (The Message)
SONG: "Fairland" by The Hollands!, on ashes to beauty (2011)
The lyrics of "Fairland" are adapted from the poem "The Little Beach-Bird" by Richard Henry Dana (1787–1879), with the bridge referencing Jesus's words to his disciples in John 14:1–3: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." These are the words of a bridegroom to his bride.
Thou little bird, thou dweller by the sea,
Why takest thou so melancholy,
And with that boding cry
Along the breaker fly?
O rather, bird, with me
Through the fair land rejoice!
Come and go with me
Back to my Father's house
To my Father's house
It is not difficult to see, . . . in his dreamlike images of adorned and beautiful Jewish brides, Chagall's aspiration for the redeemed daughter of Zion.
—David Lyle Jeffrey, In the Beauty of Holiness, p. 347
To view all the Revised Common Lectionary scripture readings for the Second Sunday after Epiphany, cycle C, click here.
Rejoice Greatly, Daughter! (Artful Devotion)
December 11, 2018 Victoria Emily Jones2 Comments
The Third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday, from the Latin word for rejoice. Churches and families all over the world will be lighting the joy candle of their Advent wreath—traditionally rose-pink instead of purple like the other three—and worshipping with gusto in anticipation of the great joy to come at Christmas.
Gill Sakakini (British), Éclat, 2015. Acrylic on board, 120 × 90 cm.
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
"Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
Behold, at that time I will deal
with all your oppressors.
And I will save the lame
and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you in,
at the time when I gather you together;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes," says the LORD.
—Zephaniah 3:14–20
SONG: "Rejoice" | Adapted from the soprano air "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion" from Handel's Messiah | Performed by the Broadway cast of Mamma Mia, feat. Jenn Noth, Felicity Claire, Gerard Salvador, and Albert Guerzon, on Broadway's Carols for a Cure, vol. 15 (2013)
[Listen on Spotify] [Listen on YouTube]
(I was unable to find the name of the adapter/arranger of this song. If you know, please notify me.)
This song is a setting of Zechariah 9:9a:
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is he . . .
Though this verse is not an assigned lectionary reading for this week, its sentiments are echoed in the Zephaniah passage.
The title of Gill Sakakini's painting pictured above is Éclat, a French word meaning brilliance, glow, glory, or a burst. Sakakini discusses it in an interview with Mark Byford in the book The Annunciation: A Pilgrim's Quest (274). The painting captures a post-Annunciation moment, she says: Mary, alone in her room, responding to Gabriel's news "through a bursting, embodied YES!" A bold, botanic wallpaper design forms the backcloth, emphasizing openness and fecundity; "the 'garden,' like creation itself, shares the immediacy of her joy through the shape of wide open, fully ripe petals which reinforce the openness of her limbs in this accepting gesture." Sakakini says she's aware that Mary almost surely cycled through other natural responses to the unexpected news of her pregnancy, like shock and fear, but that her ultimate posture was one of joyful acceptance, of celebration of what God was doing through her. "I'm not denying there were other stages, but this is the fruit of all those other interior conversations. . . . This is when she's finally arrived."
Jucundare, filia Sion,
exsulta satis filia Jerusalem, alleluia.
Daughter Sion, be glad!
Dance, dance, daughter Jerusalem! Alleluia.
—from the monastic liturgy (Antiphonale Monasticum)
To view all the Revised Common Lectionary scripture readings for the Third Sunday of Advent, cycle C, click here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


British lager drinkers may be going soft.
As sales of some of the UK's best-selling strong pilsners fell last year, a sea change may be taking place among the country's lager drinkers.
So much so, the big brewers have raced to catch up with a new range of weaker brews.
Could Britain's notoriously boisterous relationship with lager be calming down?
A visit to any UK city centre on a Friday or Saturday night tells you all you need to know about Britain's drinking habits.
The raucous crowds of very drunk young adults suggest that moderation is not the order of the day.
While most of our continental neighbours seem able to politely sip on their alcoholic beverage of choice, UK drinkers appear to appreciate two things - speed and quantity.
Nowhere is this more noticeable than in our relationship with Britain's favourite alcoholic drink - beer.
Be it bitter or lager, British drinkers like to guzzle their pints.
For this very reason, UK beer has historically been generally much weaker than that of our fellow Europeans.
While the Germans have always liked their lagers around 5% alcohol by volume, or above, most British beers have historically been around 4% or lower - at least 20% weaker.
This was so much the case, that when lagers first became popular in the UK after World War II, they were brewed specially weaker than on the continent to take into account the British propensity to drink a lot more pints in one sitting.
However, things changed in the 1980s, when all the big brewers raced to introduce premium 5% lagers, which become immediately popular.
Yet with British lager drinkers still drinking as fast, and as much as ever, it was perhaps not surprising that the phrase "lager lout" began to enter common vocabulary.
Our national propensity for binge drinking can simply seem to make such strong lagers rather problematic.
This may finally be dawning on the current generations of UK lager fans, with some of the best-known strong brands seeing a fall in sales last year, while those of weaker lagers have increased.
Take Stella Artois, for example, the UK's best-selling lager, and at a hefty 5.2% alcohol never one for the faint hearted.
Its sales fell 5.7% last year, while those of Carling, the most popular 4% or "normal strength" lager, rose by 6.7%.
While two statistics on their own cannot confirm a marked shift, what perhaps can is the fact that most of the multinational brewers have rushed to launch new weaker lagers during the past 12 months.
The Belgian-Brazilian giant InBev has released lower alcohol versions of its Stella Artois and Becks brands, called Peeterman Artois and Becks Vier respectively, while US giant Anheuser-Busch has brought out Bud Silver. All are around 4% alcohol by volume.
Coors, the American owner of Carling has gone even further, and produced a 2% version of Carling, called C2.
In each case, the firms say that the beer tastes as good as its original sibling, just weaker. And remember, the weaker the beer, the more a drinker may be able to consume, and the more the brewer can earn.
Carling for example, says that C2 will enable drinkers to enjoy "more pub time".
"We understand that people are busier and therefore need to fit socialising in with other activities," says Coors sales director John Holberry.
"This means that the beers on offer are not always the appropriate strengths.
"Carling C2 is pioneering the mid-strength category, allowing consumers to enjoy a great tasting 2% lager from the nation's biggest lager brand, and landlords to increase their profits by opening up new drinking occasions and extending existing ones."
Max Hastings from the British Beer and Pub Association said his members welcomed the trend towards weaker lagers.
"What is really positive is that drinkers are getting an increasing range of beers to choose from," he says.
"Britain has always had a tradition of weaker beers than the continent and this is somewhat of a return to that.
"However, 5% lagers will of course remain popular."
A spokesman for Alcohol Concern says that while the organisation welcomed the weaker lagers, it still urged drinkers not to be complacent.
"Our concern is that people shouldn't see the weaker lagers as consequence-free drinking," he says.
"We urge consumers to look through the hype and realise that in the end lower strength beers are still alcoholic, and you will still get drunk if you drink enough."


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War and Peace: A Buddhist Perspective
In the century preceding the birth of the Buddha, northeast India underwent sweeping transformations that profoundly reshaped the region's geopolitics. The older tribal states gave way to monarchies ruled by ambitious kings who competed for dominance, leaving behind trails of blood and tears. The Buddha's native land, the Sakyan state, became a tributary of the kingdom of Kosala, and late in the Buddha's life the cruel King Vidudabha, rogue ruler of Kosala, massacred the Sakyans, leaving few survivors. The state of Magadha, with its capital at Rajagaha, became the nucleus of a new empire.
The Buddha's discourses give us glimpses into the tumultuous tide of the era. They tell how "men take up swords and shields, buckle on bows and quivers, and charge into battle… where they are wounded by arrows and spears, and their heads are cut off by swords… and they are splashed with boiling liquids and crushed under heavy weights" (MN 13:12–13). We read of battlefields marked by "clouds of dust, the crests of the standards, the clamor, and the blows" (AN 5:75). Rulers obsessed by lust for power executed their rivals, imprisoned them, confiscated their property, and condemned them to exile (AN 3:69).
Against this backdrop of social chaos and personal disorientation, the Buddha propounded an ethic of harmlessness that rejected violence in all its forms, from its collective manifestation in armed conflict to its subtle stirrings as anger and ill will. He rested this ethic on the appeal to empathy, the ability to imagine oneself in the place of others: "All beings fear violence, all fear death. Using oneself as a criterion, one should not kill or cause death" (Dhammapada v. 129). The First Precept and first course of wholesome action call for abstinence from the destruction of life. The earnest follower "puts down the rod and weapon and dwells compassionate toward all living beings" (MN 41:12). Right Intention, the second factor of the Eightfold Path, calls for noninjury. The practitioner is advised to develop a mind of lovingkindness toward all beings, like a mother toward her only child (Snp 149).
But while the ethic of harmlessness may have served well as a guide to personal conduct, the governance of a state presented a moral quandary, with which the texts occasionally grapple. In a short sutta (SN 4:20) the Buddha ponders the intriguing question: Is it possible to rule a country righteously—without killing and instigating others to kill, without confiscating the property of others, without causing sorrow? No sooner does the question occur to him than Mara the Tempter appears and begs the Buddha to give up his monastic vocation in order to rule. The Buddha spurns Mara's proposal with a statement on the misery of sensual pleasures: "Even a mountain of gold would not be enough for one." Yet, strangely, the sutta does not answer the question with which it began. Perhaps the question was deliberately left hanging because the Buddha (or the compilers) did not think an unambiguous answer was possible. Yet the omission leaves us with this dilemma: What happens to our commitment to harmlessness when the evil of war seems necessary to deter a greater and more destructive evil?
The suttas, it must be clearly stated, do not admit any moral justification for war. Thus, if we take the texts as issuing moral absolutes, one would have to conclude that war can never be morally justified. One short sutta even declares categorically that a warrior who dies in battle will be reborn in hell, which implies that participation in war is essentially immoral (SN 42:3). This decree, however, seems inconsistent with our present-day norms, which recognize conditions under which the resort to arms is permissible. Are such norms mistaken, then, just further proof of human ignorance and moral fallibility?
The early Buddhist texts are not unaware of the potential clash between the need to prevent the triumph of evil and the duty to observe nonviolence. The solution they propose, however, always endorses nonviolence even in the face of evil. A case in point is SN 11:4, which relates the story of a battle between the gods, ruled by Sakka, and the titans, ruled by Vepacitti. In the battle, the gods win, capture Vepacitti and bring him to their city. Sakka's servant Matali urges his master to punish his old foe, but Sakka insists that patience and forgiveness must prevail: "One who repays an angry man with anger makes things worse for himself; not retaliating, one wins a battle hard to win." The Jataka stories, too, endorse strict adherence to the law of nonviolence, even for a ruler threatened by a foe. The Mahasilava Jataka tells the story of a king who was determined never to shed blood, even though this required surrendering his kingdom and becoming a prisoner of his enemy. Through the power of lovingkindness the king managed to win release, transform his captor into a friend and regain his kingdom.
In the real world, however, heads of state are hardly likely to adopt lovingkindness meditation as their principal means of deterring aggressors bent on territorial expansion or global domination. The question then returns: While adhering to nonviolence as an ideal, how should a government address real threats to its population? And how is the international community to deal with a nation determined to impose its will by force? While absolute nonviolence may be the rule when no contrary circumstances are apparent, specific situations can be morally complex, entailing contrary moral claims. The task of moral reflection is to help us negotiate between these claims while curbing the tendency to act from self-interested expediency.
Governments obtain their legitimacy in part from their ability to protect their citizens from ruthless aggressors bent on conquering their territory and subjugating their populations. The global community as well, through conventions and the mediation of international bodies, seeks to preserve a relative state of peace—however imperfect—from those who would use force to fulfill their lust for power or impose an ideological agenda. When a nation violates the rules of peaceful coexistence, the obligation to restrain aggression may trump the obligation to avoid violence. Thus the UN Charter sees physical force as a last resort but condones its use when allowing the transgressor to proceed unchecked would have more disastrous consequences.
The moral tensions we encounter in real life should caution us against interpreting Buddhist ethical prescriptions as unqualified absolutes. And yet the texts of early Buddhism themselves never recognize circumstances that might soften the universality of a basic precept or moral value. To resolve the dissonance between the moral idealism of the texts and the pragmatic demands of everyday life, I would posit two frameworks for shaping moral decisions. I will call one the liberative framework, the other the pragmatic karmic framework.
The liberative framework applies to those who seek to advance undeterred as rapidly as possible toward the final goal of the Dharma, the extinction of suffering. Within this framework—which proceeds through the threefold training of moral conduct, concentration, and wisdom—refraining from intentionally inflicting harm on living beings (especially human beings) is a strict obligation not to be transgressed through any "door of action," body, speech or mind. A strict regimen of nonharming is inviolable. If one is subject to conscription, one must become a conscientious objector or even go to prison when there is no alternative. If one is confronted with the choice between sacrificing one's own life and taking the life of another, one must be willing to sacrifice one's own life, confident this act of renunciation will expedite one's progress.
The pragmatic karmic framework serves as a matrix of moral reflection for those committed to Buddhist ethical values who seek to advance toward final liberation gradually, over a series of lives, rather than directly. Its emphasis is on cultivating wholesome qualities to further one's progress within the cycle of rebirths while allowing one to pursue one's worldly vocation. In this framework the moral prescriptions of the teaching have presumptive rather than peremptory validity. One who adopts this framework would recognize that the duties of daily life occasionally call for compromises with the strict obligations of the Buddhist moral code. While still esteeming the highest moral standards as an ideal, such a practitioner would be ready to make occasional concessions as a practical necessity. The test of integrity here is not unwavering obedience to moral rules but a refusal to subordinate them to narrow self-interest.
In time of war, I would argue, the karmic framework can justify enlisting in the military and serving as a combatant, providing one sincerely believes the reason for fighting is to disable a dangerous aggressor and protect one's country and its citizens. Any acts of killing that such a choice might require would certainly be regrettable as a violation of the First Precept. But a mitigating factor would be the Buddha's psychological understanding of karma as intention, whereby the moral quality of the motive determines the ethical value of the action. Since a nation's purposes in resorting to arms may vary widely—just like a person's motives for participating in war—this opens up a spectrum of moral valuations. When the motive is territorial expansion, material wealth or national glory, the resort to war would be morally blameworthy. When the motive is genuine national defense or to prevent a rogue nation from disrupting global peace, moral evaluation would have to reflect these intentions.
Nevertheless, if one relies solely on canonical statements, the volition of harming others would always be considered "wrong intention" and all acts of destroying life classed as unwholesome. But what moral judgment are we to make when citizens participate in a defensive war to protect their country and fellow citizens, or other peaceful nations, from attack by a vicious aggressor? Suppose we are living in the 1940s when Hitler is pursuing his quest for global domination. If I join a combat unit, is my participation in this war to be considered morally reprehensible though my purpose is to block the murderous campaign of a ruthless tyrant? Can we say that fidelity to the Dharma obliges us to remain passive in the face of brute aggression, or to pursue negotiations when it's plain these will not work? Wouldn't we maintain that in this situation military action to stop the aggressor is laudable, even obligatory, and that a soldier's actions can be judged morally commendable? By the same token, if a policeman, in pursuit of his duty, is compelled to shoot a killer to spare the lives of innocent people, would we not consider his action commendable rather than blameworthy?
Hesitantly, I would have to adopt this latter position. In doing so, I must add that I am not seeking to condone any of the wars in which the U.S. is currently involved under the pretext of "defending our freedom," or to excuse the often brutal behavior of our hypermilitarized police force. Taking life is always the last choice, and a most regrettable one. But it seems to me that in a morally complex world, our choices and judgments must reflect the morally knotty texture of the situations that confront us.
I admit that I can't justify my standpoint by appeal to Buddhist texts, whether canonical or commentarial. It thus seems to me that the ethics of early Buddhism simply do not cover all the predicaments of the human situation. Perhaps that was never their intention. Perhaps their intention is to serve as guidelines rather than as moral absolutes, to posit ideals even for those who cannot perfectly fulfill them. Nevertheless, the complexity of the human condition inevitably presents us with circumstances where moral obligations run at crosscurrents. In such cases, I believe, we must simply do our best to navigate between them, rigorously examining our own motives and aspiring to reduce harm and suffering for the greatest number of those at risk.
(Abbreviations: AN = Anguttara Nikaya; MN = Majjhima Nikaya; SN = Samyutta Nikaya; Snp = Suttanipata)
© 2014 Bhikkhu Bodhi
First Precept, Harmlessness, History, Karma/Kamma, Military, Morality, Nonviolence, Politics, Right Intention, Suttas, Violence, War
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi is the founder and chairman of Buddhist Global Relief. He has been a Theravāda Buddhist monk since 1972 and served as longtime editor for the Buddhist Publication Society in Kandy, Sri Lanka. A translator of the Pāli Nikāyas, he lives and teaches at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, New York. Excerpts from Ven. Bodhi's translations of the Pāli Canon are available at www.wisdompubs.org under "Teachings of the Buddha" in Wisdom's Academics collection.


text:
Pilot Watch: Guys with Kids
Introducing my new favourite character: Ernie!
Dalton Ross and the rest of the folks who do EW's Inside TV Podcast (which I generally adore) think Guys with Kids is terrible. They went after it really hard and basically came to the conclusion that if it's not canceled early it'll be all because NBC's beloved Jimmy Fallon is the producer. So I wasn't expecting much. But I love when that happens, because low expectations allowed me to be pleasantly surprised by Guys with Kids, the pilot anyway.
Technically, it could use a lot of work. Many of the jokes seem jammed instead of built into the scene, and I spotted more than a few continuity errors in the editing. The writing could be sharper, the characters more fleshed out, and the direction generally just more competent, but I do like the foundation of the show. Anthony Anderson and Zach Cregger are both incredibly likable with standout comic timing and Jesse Bradford- as a recent divorce with a controlling ex-wife and the Cutest Baby Ever- is a strong and easy leading man. This sounds odd, but the baby casting is also really good. I can't speak to all of them, since there are 7 kids in total, most of whom haven't had much screen time, but the baby -or babies, twins I'm assuming- playing Ernie (the son of Bradford's Chris and Erinn Hayes' Sheila) is Amazing (he makes amusing faces, has bizarrely good timing, and isn't a well-behaved robot like most showbabies). The funniest part of the pilot episode comes at the big resolution to the problem of the day (Chris wants to go on a date, Sheila won't let him hire a babysitter- hijinks ensue) when Ernie starts randomly pulling on Bradford's lip while he's trying to finish his lines. Bradford takes it like a champ and just laughs through it, which is exactly what a parent would do. You're trying to discuss the idealogical divide that's dictating electoral conditions and whoops, there's a baby finger in your nose. It happens. It's funny every time. And I liked that Bradford didn't yell "cut" and the show didn't choose a different take. That's what I like best about Guys with Kids. The three guys at its centre not only feel like real friends, they feel like real parents, which is supposed to be the point, after all.
For the record, two of the three also feel like real husbands. Cregger's wife is played by the daughter of Tony Soprano and Anderson's by the daughter of Cosby (or rather Heathcliffe Huxtable- doesn't it bother you people that no one in The Cosby Show was named Cosby? Why didn't they just call it "The Huxtables" or the characters the Cosbys?). Tempestt Bledsoe (who played Vanessa on The Huxtables) is the only actor on the show who's still a bit stiff, but she's great with Anderson and I like their "4 kids and a broken TV" premise. But my favourite parents on the show are definitely Cregger's Nick and his wife Emily (Jamie-Lynn Sigler), mostly because they're cute together, amusingly exhausted ("okay, I'm chasing you" he says, while determinedly not chasing his daughter) and he's the funniest of the three guys. I also loved his makeshift Titanic evening at the end of the episode (and particularly when he undercut it by pointing out that "the biggest diamond in the world' also contains lipgloss). Erinn Hayes doesn't have much to work with yet beyond a shrewish plot-moving character who's mostly there to cause trouble for Chris. But there's too much good intention behind her craziness in the pilot episode for her to stay in shrew territory long.
I'm hoping for the best with Guys with Kids. I love Fallon and I, surprisingly, really like his show. Here's hoping it not only survives but actually keeps getting better to the point where Dalton and his pals will be glad it did.
Written by: Kelly Bedard
Published: Tuesday, 2012/09/18 - 18:04


Fully CGI Image for Air Canada's enRoute Magazine. State of the art fluid simulation, sculpting and rendering.
Photographed by Chris Buck. CGI Inhalers and retouch by JCKSN.
Photography by Hasnain Dattu. CGI and retouch by JCKSN.
What happens when JCKSN collaborates with one of the worlds best photographers. Beautiful photography and fully CGI environments and set design.
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JCKSN full production – photography, cgi skull & smoke, retouch.


For our first issue as editors of Frogpond, we asked for feedback on our many changes to layout and design and readers reacted much like diners at a favorite restaurant that had undergone a renovation. Most found the new look exciting, but a few missed the old decor. Others suggested even more modifications and for this, our second issue, we acted on many of these ideas.
On the title page, we added color and a logo for Frogpond, which we hope you'll like. As well, we eliminated all of the divider pages plus added four extra pages to make more room for poems, haibun, articles, reviews and the various kinds of linked verses. Finally, we put haiku and senryu together instead of keeping them in separate sections. By doing this, we reverted to what Frogpond editors did before 1990, thus allowing readers to decide for themselves which form is which.
We have also made two alterations to the submissions policy. The first involves e-mail submissions—that they note "place" of residence. The second concerns acceptances—they will now be sent only at the end of each submission period. This change will enable us to make sure we pick the best work available for each issue.
We hope that you find this issue as exciting as we did when putting it together.
Please give us your feedback on 31:3. We are always searching for ways to make improvements.


text:
[![Build Status](https://api.travis-ci.com/realityforge/redfish.svg?branch=master)](http://travis-ci.com/realityforge/redfish)

Redfish is a lightweight ruby library for configuring GlassFish or Payara servers.

# TODO

Note: Items marked with (C) are required to convert chef infrastructure over, (L) required to
replace setup.sh infrastructure, (D) for docker integration.

* Enhance Json DSL
    * Add tests for domain interpretation - create phase as well as restart_if_required (C), (D), (L)
    * Raise an exception if any unprocessed data unless attribute starts with \_
    * Allow global ordering of items across elements. Make priority a string with two numbers? "10:10" (C), (D), (L)

* Enable reload of applications under conditions such as;
  - underlying resources updated that are used by application. Do this by extra listeners that use additional rules. (C)

* Add integration level tests (C)

* When tmpfs support is improved for osx clients talking to Linux servers add something like the following for
  all builds.

    --tmpfs /tmp:rw,noexec,nosuid,size=65536k --tmpfs /srv/glassfish:rw,noexec,nosuid,size=65536k --read-only

* Disable writing the shared memory mapped files for performance counters via `-XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem`

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Why doesn't my program take input inspite of the fgets part? Any other suggestions are welcome It is a program to find out number of vowels, consonants, digits and whitespaces in a string to be input by the user. After compilation and during running fgets part is skipped. When I use scanf, the program works fine except that I can't input whitespace. Where does the problem lie? Please explain elaborately ( I am a newbie :-P) and possible remedies.
#include<stdio.h>
#include<string.h>
void main()
{
/*Getting the input*/
printf("How much long is your string?: ");
int n;
scanf("%d",&n);
int i,j,vowels=0,consonants=0,spaces=0,digits=0,actual_length;
char k, str[n+1];
printf("Please enter your string: ");
fgets(str,n+1,stdin);
actual_length=strlen(str);
/*Actual computation*/
for(i=0;i<actual_length;i++)
 {
  if(str[i]=='A'||str[i]=='E'||str[i]=='I'||str[i]=='O'||str[i]=='U')
  vowels++;
  if(str[i]=='a'||str[i]=='e'||str[i]=='i'||str[i]=='o'||str[i]=='u')
  vowels++;
  if(str[i]==32)
  spaces++;
  for(j='0';j<='9';j++)
   {
    if(str[i]==j)
    digits++;
   }
  for(k='A';k<='Z';k++)
   {
    if(k!='A'&&k!='E'&&k!='I'&&k!='O'&&k!='U')
     {
      if(str[i]==k)
      consonants++;
     }
   }
   for(k='a';k<='z';k++)
   {
    if(k!='a'&&k!='e'&&k!='i'&&k!='o'&&k!='u')
     {
      if(str[i]==k)
      consonants++;
     }
   }
 }
printf("The number of vowels are %d, number of consonants are %d, number of digits are %d and number of white spaces are %d\n",vowels,consonants,digits,spaces);
}

A: Your problem is that when you say
scanf("%d",&n);

it reads the number but not the newline.
Then, when you call fgets, it reads the newline, and it thinks it's an empty line, and it never gets to the real string you wanted to read (that is, from the next line).
The general rule is, don't try to have a mixture of calls to scanf and fgets in one program like this -- you will always get tangled up in newlines, and it's a huge and pointless nuisance to try to untangle them.
One way of fixing the problem is to use fscanf to read the number, too:
printf("How much long is your string?: ");
char tmp_n_str[15];
fgets(tmp_n_str, sizeof(tmp_n_str), stdin);
int n = atoi(tmp_n_str);

The other way, which someone else will probably suggest, is to "flush the input" to get rid of the extra newline.  You can do that, too, and it's certainly a popular technique, although personally I don't like it, for a number of reasons which I won't go in to here.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Lesson 3 - Investment In Unit Trust
The Role of Regulator
The Securities Commission Act 1993 provides that the Securities Commission (SC) is responsible for regulating all matters relating to unit trust schemes.
The SC has drawn up a set of Guidelines on Unit Trust Funds (Guidelines) to ensure a fair and consistent application of policies in considering proposals by management companies of unit trust funds.
The Guidelines are formulated with the objective of providing a regulatory framework that would protect the interests of the investing public and facilitate an orderly development of the unit trust industry. The requirements of the Guidelines are to be complied with by all parties involved in a unit trust scheme.
In addition to the above Act and Guidelines, all unit trust management companies must comply with the Companies (Amendments) Act 1997, the Securities Industry Act 1983 and Trustee Act 1949.
The Role Of The Trustee
Whatever may happen to their performance over time, unit trust managers have a reputation for the stability of their funds that is second to none. Much of this is due the legal framework in which they operate. The government lays down strict rules that unit trusts have to follow and the machinery for ensuring that this is done. Every individual fund has its own independent trustee, although for administrative simplicity, it is not unusual for unit trust management companies to engage one trustee for all funds. The trustee can be the Public Trustee of Malaysia or any independent trustee of Malaysia or any independent trustee companies.
The trustee's primary role is to see that the terms of the fund's deed are adhered to. The deed is a set of rules under which the trust is run, setting out such things as the investment scope of the fund.
The funds' assets are always in the custody of the trustee. Although the manager makes the decisions about the management of those assets, when to buy and sell, he cannot get his hands on them directly. This system ensures that the funds will not be used for fraudulent purposes. The manager has to deal via the trustee who will ensure that the day-to-day work of running the trust, the funds' accounts, valuations and calculations of unit prices are carried out properly and in accordance with both the deed and the rules laid down by the SC.
The trustee is also responsible for seeing that all the relevant paperwork is carried out. The trustee takes responsibility for overseeing the creation and cancellation (release) of units in the fund. The Guidelines also stipulate that unit trust managers have to produce semi annual and annual reports to its unitholders.
Where Would The Trust In Units Be Without The Trustee ?
Guidelines On Unit Trust Funds
In addition to the regulatory and safeguarding roles of the Regulator and Trustee respectively, the Guidelines provide additional safety features to protect the interest of the investing public. The Guidelines describe the characteristics of the investments permitted as opposed to prescribing the investments (which was previously investment in authorised Malaysian assets only) Furthermore, the Guidelines also reinforce the safety net by ensuring the funds are not overly exposed to high risk stocks and any single group of companies.
The Guidelines are subject to review by the Securities Commission as and when it deems fit and necessary to protect and ensure the growth of the industry.
The Federation of Malaysian Unit Trust Managers (FMUTM)
The first unit trust fund in Malaysia was launched in 1959. Who would then have imagined that years later there would be billions of ringgit in funds under management?
The rapid growth of the industry in recent years has led to the formation of the Federation of Malaysian Unit Trust Managers on 7 August 1993.
The Federation was set up with four objectives :
a. To promote the industry
b. To agree on standards of practice for the protection of the interests of unitholders.
c. To maintain the good name of the industry
d. To improve regulations, tax and other rules affecting the sales of unit trusts.
The Federation is represented by most of the unit trust managers in the Industry.
Posted by Editor at 10:52 AM
Labels: FMUTM, Lesson, Regulator, Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), Trustee


Purchasing an investment property is one of the biggest financial decisions you will make. Whether this is your first investment property or you are an experienced investor, this decision must be made carefully. There are so many factors to consider. Appreciation and cash flow go hand in hand for many investors.


text:
La naumachia (in latino naumachia, dal greco antico ναυμαχία/naumachía, letteralmente «combattimento navale») indica nel mondo romano sia uno spettacolo rappresentante una battaglia navale, sia il bacino, o in senso lato l'edificio in cui si tenevano.

Storia

Le prime naumachie
La prima naumachia conosciuta è quella organizzata da Giulio Cesare a Roma nel 46 a.C. per il suo quadruplice trionfo. Dopo aver fatto scavare un ampio bacino vicino al Tevere, nel Campo Marzio, capace di contenere vere biremi, triremi e quadriremi, ingaggiò tra i prigionieri di guerra 2000 combattenti e 4000 rematori. Nel 2 a.C., per l'inaugurazione del tempio di Marte Ultore (Marte Vendicatore), Augusto diede una naumachia che riproduceva fedelmente quella di Cesare. Come ricorda egli stesso nelle Res gestæ, fece scavare sulla riva destra del Tevere, nel luogo denominato "bosco dei cesari" (nemus Caesarum), un bacino dove s'affrontarono 3000 uomini, senza contare i rematori, su 30 vascelli con rostri, e molte unità più piccole.

Claudio nel 52 diede una naumachia su un vasto specchio d'acqua naturale, il lago Fucino, per inaugurarne i lavori di prosciugamento attraverso l'apertura dei cunicoli di Claudio. I combattenti erano dei condannati a morte. Si sa in particolare da Svetonio che i naumachiarii (combattenti nella naumachia) prima della battaglia salutarono l'imperatore con una frase divenuta famosa: Morituri te salutant. Una tradizione erronea se n'è appropriata per farne una frase rituale dei gladiatori all'imperatore, mentre in realtà viene attestata solo in questa occasione.

La naumachia era quindi uno spettacolo più micidiale di quello dei gladiatori: quest'ultimo impegnava degli effettivi meno importanti, le battaglie non terminavano sistematicamente con la morte dei vinti. L'apparizione delle naumachie è strettamente legata a quella, leggermente anteriore, d'un altro spettacolo, il « combattimento fra truppe » che non ingaggiava dei combattenti a coppie, ma due piccole armate. Proprio in queste ultime i combattenti erano più sovente dei condannati senza allenamento specifico rispetto ai veri gladiatori. Cesare, creatore della naumachia, traspose semplicemente in un ambiente navale il principio delle formazioni di battaglia terrestre.

Tuttavia, in rapporto ai combattimenti fra truppe, le naumachie avevano la peculiarità di sviluppare dei temi storici o pseudo-storici: ogni flotta che s'affrontava incarnava un popolo celebre per la sua potenza marittima nella Grecia classica o l'Oriente ellenistico: Egizi e Fenici per la naumachia di Cesare, Persiani ed Ateniesi per quella augustea, Siculi e Rodii per quella di Claudio. Inoltre, abbisognava di mezzi considerevoli, superiori persino a quelli dei più grandi combattimenti con truppe. Questo fattore rendeva la naumachia uno spettacolo riservato ad occasioni eccezionali, strettamente legato a celebrazioni dell'imperatore, sue vittorie e suoi monumenti. L'irriducibile specificità dello spettacolo e dei suoi temi tratti dalla storia del mondo greco ne spiega l'origine del termine: una trascrizione fonetica della parola greca indicante una battaglia navale (ναυμαχία / naumakhía), indicante in seguito anche i vasti bacini artificiali ad essa dedicata.

La fine delle naumachie antiche
L'introduzione di tecnologie nuove inizialmente portò all'incremento delle naumachie. Le prime tre naumachie si tennero a circa 50 anni di distanza; le sei seguenti, la maggior parte delle quali ha avuto luogo in anfiteatri, si tennero a distanza di 30 anni. Meno care in termini materiali e umani, poterono tenersi con maggior frequenza. Meno grandiose, diventavano una caratteristica dei giochi, ma non potrebbero essere considerate eccezionali. Anche le iconografie testimoniano questa moda delle naumachie. Delle circa venti rappresentazioni di naumachie nell'arte romana, quasi tutte sono del quarto stile pompeiano, all'epoca di Nerone e dei Flavi.

Dopo il periodo dei Flavi, le naumachie scompaiono dai testi quasi del tutto. Ad eccezione di una menzione nella Historia Augusta, una fonte tarda di limitata attendibilità, leggiamo di un'altra naumachia solamente nel calendario dei Fasti (fastia) di Ostia, grazie al quale sappiamo che Traiano inaugura nel 109 un bacino destinato alle battaglie navali. Questo luogo è stato scoperto nel XVIII secolo nel territorio della Città del Vaticano, dietro Castel Sant'Angelo. Scavi successivi ne hanno rivelato la planimetria. La costruzione aveva tribune scoperte e la superficie era di circa un sesto la naumachia augustea. In assenza di qualsiasi testo, bisogna supporre che sia stato usato solamente al tempo di Traiano.

Nondimeno, se le fonti dell'ultimo Impero Romano e la persistenza nel medioevo in termini di toponimia di naumachia e dalmachia nel luogo sono portate in considerazione, esisteva ancora nel V secolo. Inoltre, la presenza di gradinate sul suo perimetro indica chiaramente che in quel luogo si tenevano spettacoli abitualmente. Considerando che, secondo i Fasti di Ostia, lo spettacolo di inaugurazione della costruzione coinvolse 127 coppie di gladiatori, ciò fa pensare che come accadde con l'anfiteatro, il limitato spazio disponibile nel bacino di Traiano portò a semplificare lo scenario navale, pur insistendo sulla qualità dei singoli combattimenti, fatti da veri gladiatori e non da una massa di prigionieri senza addestramento.
Sotto questa forma, e disponendo ormai di un sito apposito, le naumachie poterono esistere per molti secoli senza che le nostre fonti sugli spettacoli, peraltro meno numerose a partire dall'epoca antoniniana, li giudichino degni di menzione: avevano perso il loro carattere eccezionale ed impressionante.

Nelle province, l'influenza della naumachia romana è facilmente percepibile, ma limitata e ridotta a locali ed innocui giochi navali e ricostruzioni. Una competizione che andava sotto il nome di naumaciva era parte dei Giochi Panatenaici tra efebi ateniesi dal periodo dei flavi in avanti. Venne a rimpiazzare le regate che erano celebrate precedentemente come preludio a queste celebrazioni. Se si tiene conto di Decimo Magno Ausonio, una naumachia era tenuta sul fiume Moselle dalla gioventù locale.

Naumachie moderne

La caduta dell'impero romano non determina la fine delle naumachie. In effetti, ne ebbero luogo delle altre nel corso dei secoli successivi, particolarmente nel 1550 a Rouen per il re Enrico II di Francia o nel 1807 a Milano per l'imperatore Napoleone I.

Nel 1690 in occasione delle nozze del figlio Odoardo II Farnese con Dorotea Sofia di Neuburg, il duca Ranuccio II Farnese fece scavare una grande peschiera al termine dell'ampio viale centrale del parco ducale di Parma, al fine di rappresentarvi una spettacolare naumachia.

Edifici

Naumachia di Cesare
La naumachia di Cesare (naumachia Caesaris) fu una semplice fossa, scavata in more cochleae, ossia con andamento spiraliforme, con una profondità che dovette raggiungere gli 11 o 12 m, in modo da consentire all'acqua di filtrare dal terreno. Sappiamo che si trovava nel Campo Marzio, probabilmente in corrispondenza della depressione centrale dove era presente la Palus Caprae e dove più tardi venne sistemato lo stagnum Agrippae ("stagno di Agrippa"). Non potendo essere svuotata, se ne decise il riempimento nel 43 a.C..

Naumachia di Augusto

La naumachia d'Augusto (naumachia Augusti) è più conosciuta: nelle Res Gestæ, Augusto medesimo indica che il bacino misurava 1800 piedi romani su 1200 (circa 533 x 355 m). Plinio afferma che al centro del bacino, molto probabilmente di forma rettangolare, si trovava un'isola collegata all'argine con un ponte. Il bacino era rifornito dall'acquedotto dellAqua Alsietina, appositamente costruito da Augusto per la sua alimentazione, poteva riempirlo in 15 giorni. Un canale navigabile permetteva l'accesso alle navi provenienti dal Tevere, oltrepassato da un ponte mobile (pons naumachiarius).

Naumachia di Claudio
Non fu così per la naumachia di Claudio. Le due flotte contavano ognuna 50 vascelli, corrispondente alle unità di ciascuna delle due flotte militari con base a Miseno ed a Ravenna. Grazie all'ampia superficie del lago Fucino, di cui solo una parte, circoscritta da pontili, fu usata per l'occasione, le navi poterono procedere con varie manovre d'avvicinamento e speronaggio. La naumachia di Claudio riproduceva realmente una battaglia navale.

Luoghi dedicati alle naumachie
Una larga conduttura scoperta sulle pendici del Gianicolo al di sopra della chiesa di San Cosimato costituisce la prima testimonianza archeologica sulla localizzazione della naumachia, dell'acquedotto come anche del bosco dei Cesari. Un'altra ipotesi sulla localizzazione esatta del monumento lo situa tra la via Aurelia a nord e la chiesa di San Francesco a Ripa a sud-est, in corrispondenza di un'ansa del Tevere. Il viadotto repubblicano sulla via Aurelia vicino a San Crisogono potrebbe essere servito da canale di scarico per l'invaso..

Il bacino augusteo rimase attivo per poco: fu circondato ed in parte rimpiazzato già durante il regno d'Augusto dal nemus Cæsarum (bosco sacro ai Cesari), più avanti ribattezzato in onore dei nipoti di Augusto, nemus Gaii et Luci ("bosco di Gaio e Lucio"). Restaurato sotto Tiberio, vi si tennero spettacoli sotto gli imperatori Nerone e Tito. La zona fu probabilmente invasa da costruzioni fin dalla fine del I secolo e la naumachia era certamente abbandonata all'epoca di Alessandro Severo.

Naumachie di Domiziano e di Traiano
Da Svetonio sappiamo che un edificio per i combattimenti navali venne realizzato da Domiziano, avendo scavato un bacino presso il Tevere. Successivamente pietre provenienti dall'edificio furono riutilizzate per il restauro del Circo Massimo, danneggiato da un incendio sotto Traiano.

Una naumachia venne inaugurata da Traiano nel 109, forse identificabile con una citata nei Cataloghi regionari come esistente nell'Ager Vaticanus e forse restaurata da Filippo l'Arabo nel 247.

Acqua negli anfiteatri
L'immissione d'acqua negli anfiteatri solleva numerose domande. Innanzi tutto, questi luoghi non servivano esclusivamente per le naumachie e dovevano essere disponibili per cacce e lotte tra gladiatori. L'alternanza rapida tra spettacoli terrestri ed acquatici sembra essere stata la principale attrazione di quest'innovazione. Cassio Dione lo sottolinea quando si riferisce alla naumachia di Nerone; Marziale fa lo stesso parlando di quella di Tito nel Colosseo. Lo studio delle sole fonti scritte non fornisce alcuna informazione sulle modalità pratiche di questa prestazione.

L'archeologia non fornisce nessun indizio su come il seminterrato del Colosseo da allora è stato modificato. Solamente due edifici provinciali, quelli a Verona e a Mérida, in Spagna, sono capaci di fornire prove tecniche.

La fossa centrale dell'anfiteatro di Verona era più profonda delle stanze normalmente trovate sotto l'arena, e serviva come bacino. Era collegato a due condutture assiali. Uno, circolando sotto la galleria ovest dell'arena non era stata collegata al sistema di drenaggio ed ha dovuto essere collegata ad un acquedotto per riempire il bacino. Il condotto est, che circolava più profondamente, doveva essere destinato ad evacuare le acque verso l'Adige. Il bacino dell'anfiteatro di Mérida ha rivelato un fosso ancora meno profondo di quello di Verona: 1,50 m. Poiché è così poco profondo - meno dell'altezza di un uomo in posizione eretta - non può essere confuso con una camera di servizio sotterranea. Questo bacino inoltre era fornito di scale e coperto di un rivestimento in stagno simile a quello delle piscine delle terme. Aveva anche due condotti assiali. Il condotto occidentale doveva essere collegato ad un acquedotto che passava non lontano dal monumento (acquedotto San Lazaro).

Le dimensioni dei due bacini escludono tuttavia che si siano mai tenute naumachie, anche semplificate: quello di Mérida misura solo 18.5 x 3.7 metri. Solamente il più modesto di spettacoli d'acqua potrebbe avere avuto luogo qui. Di conseguenza, anche supponendo che il Colosseo abbia posseduto un bacino simile prima della realizzazione dell'ipogeo, occorre ammettere che per realizzare le naumachie, si faceva leggermente straripare per dare l'illusione di uno strato d'acqua che copriva tutta la superficie dell'arena attorno alle navi, che in questo caso erano solo due, dato che la superficie disponibile era relativamente più piccola rispetto a quella dei grandi bacini.

Note

Bibliografia
 F. Coarelli, Aedes Fortis Fortunae, Naumachia Augusti, Castra Ravennatium: la Via Campana Portuensis e alcuni edifici nella Pianta Marmorea Severiana, Ostraka 1, 1992, 39-54.
 L. Cordischi, Note in margine di topografia romana: « Codeta, minor Codeta » e « Naumachia Caesaris », Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica comunale di Roma, 1999, 100, 53-62.
  K. M. Coleman, Launching into history: aquatic displays in the Early Empire, Journal of Roman Studies 83, 1993, 48-74.
  J.-Cl. Golvin, L'amphithéâtre romain. Essai sur la théorisation de sa forme et de ses fonctions, Paris, 1988, 50-51, 59-61.
  J.-Cl. Golvin, Ch. Landes, Amphithéâtres et gladiateurs, Paris, 1990, 96.
 A. M. Liberati, s. v. Naumachia Augusti, in E. Steinby (éd.), Lexicon topographicum urbis Romae, III, 1996, 337.
  L. Richardson, A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, Baltimore-Londres, 1992, 265-266, 292.
  L. Haselberger (dir.), Mapping Augustan Rome, Journal of Roman Archaeology Supplementary Series 50, Portsmouth (Rhode Island), 2002, 179.
  R. Taylor, Torrent or trickle ? The Aqua Alsietina, the Naumachia Augusti, and the Transtiberim, American Journal of Archaeology 101, 1997, 465-492.

Voci correlate
 Luigi Canonica#L'Arena Civica
 Teatro latino

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Usi e costumi dell'antica Roma

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Home › Jeff Johnson
Jeff Johnson Apologizes For Not Condemning Fabolous [EXCLUSIVE]
@Jeffsnation
Jeff Johnson has contributed commentary and analysis about issues related to race, politics, popular culture and socio-economics for a litany of top tier media outlets that include CNN, Fox News, BET and The Dr. Phil Show. He continues to provide weekly commentary on the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show tackling issues on politics, entertainment and social policy issues for its 8 million listeners. As an award-winning journalist, social activist, political commentator, and author Jeff began his journey to "playing a great part in the world" as a student/leader at the University of Toledo; serving as the President of Student Government and the Black Student Union. Early in his professional career Jeff ascended to national leadership positions, becoming the National Director for the NAACP's Youth and College Division, as well as Vice President of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network. It was in these capacities that Johnson began to develop and cultivate his passion for politics and social activism and laid the groundwork for a career that exemplifies service and awareness. Johnson's dedication and superb work ethic garnered the attention of African American cable network BET and in 2003 Johnson began a 5-year engagement as the resident cultural and political affairs commentator of the popular music show, Rap City. Additional work with the network included The Jeff Johnson Chronicles as well as the weekly news show, The Truth with Jeff Johnson. In 2008 Johnson received the NABJ Salute to Excellence Award for BET's "Life & Death in Darfur, Jeff Johnson Reports" series. Johnson ended his tenure with BET known as the "conscience voice" of the network and still values the experience as a defining point in his personal and professional path. In 2009 Johnson published his first book, "Everything I'm Not Made Me Everything I Am; Discovering Your Personal Best." This empowering strategic guide for manifesting and achieving your personal BEST showcases Johnson's unique blend of political consciousness and street-smart inspiration. Publishing this book enabled the world to see his multi- faceted appeal and approach to a wide variety of topics. A powerful and uplifting book with wide range appeal, "Everything I'm Not Made Me Everything I am" offers practical guidance for learning how to unplug from the programmed expectations of family and society in order to discover and fulfill your unique life's mission. Johnson continues to be a catalyst for conversation on topics that define the culture of today. From his celebrated dialogue with marquee world figures, who include the Presidents of the Republic of Liberia and Sudan, President Obama, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to his grass-roots trench work to help create a better society, Jeff continues to be a trailblazing social entrepreneur and authentic voice for change. His ability to fluidly shift momentum to accommodate his audience and the overall topic necessity make Johnson a pivotal component to a litany of social conversations. Johnson consistently helps communities, corporations, and institutions to create innovative solutions and develop multi-level partnerships to resolve historic and systemic social imbalances and inequalities. Johnson resides in Baltimore, MD with his wife Jacqueline and loves to be called dad by Madison, Myles, and Malcolm. To learn more about Jeff Johnson, please visit www.jeffijohnson.com. @Jeffsnation
Follow @Jeffsnation
Fabolous has been making the news a lot lately after allegedly abusing his girlfriend, Emily B. Jeff Johnson spoke about it the other day and a lot of people didn't like what he said. He apologized on air because he was sad about the video, but also the fact that Emily B had to embarrass herself again.
Not only speaking about the abuse but showing pictures because people wanted proof. It's not fair and is traumatic. Jeff also spoke about a school in North Carolina and them teaching young kids about White privilege.
Listen to "The Rickey Smiley Morning Show" 6am ET.
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Fabolous & Emily B.'s Fabulous Hip-Hop Family [PHOTOS]
abuse Emily B Fabolous Jeff Johnson


MONGOL: Directed by Sergei Bodrov. Written by Bodrov and Arif Aliyev. Cinematography, Sergey Trofimov and Rogier Stoffers. Music, Tuomas Kantelinen. Starring Tadanobu Asano, Honglei Sun, Khulan Chuluun and Odnyam Odsuren. Picturehouse, 2008. R. 126 minutes.
Russian director Sergei Bodrov's sweeping, gorgeous Mongol is enough to make a person want to take a vacation to the Mongolian steppe, which appears, in the film, to contain multitudes — of landscapes. From the frozen lake into which young Temudjin (Odnyam Odsuren) falls (never mind how he gets back out; he just does) to the rocky shrine of the lord of the skies to which he wanders, head and hands in a wooden yoke (never mind how he gets out; he just does), this late 12th century Mongolia is an absolutely beautiful place. It's also populated by strikingly beautiful people: Odsuren as the young boy whose future title we all know, Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano as his adult self and Mongolian former student Khulan Chuluun as his beloved Borte all seem to wear their features with a certain graveness, a stillness and confidence that suits the story of a legend.
But even a legendary story requires thoughtful telling. Mongol begins with the future Genghis Khan a nine-year-old boy in search of a wife and moves gradually though the years to his first major battle. Unfortunately, this gradual progression is less than graceful. Time after time, Bodrov cuts away from moments that need explaining and more than once lets his story rest on a crutch worthy of a Bond villain: Enemies who want to kill Temudjin simply don't. He escapes in that damned heavy yoke not once but twice; neither freezing water nor arrows in the back can kill this man. When a former friend takes him as a slave, Temudjin is immediately sold, a decision which makes little sense unless you read the director's comments on how several years in Genghis Khan's life are unaccounted for. Here, he spends those years sitting in a cell in a distant city, on display as a failure until Borte, in a sequence that pushes even harder at one's strained suspension of disbelief, comes for him.
Mongol tries to aim for both the heart and the gut; vibrant gouts of spouting red blood trade screen time with scenes in which Temudjin and Borte look longingly at each other. They're a striking pair, but as with so many other epic, meant-to-be relationships, we've no real reason to believe in this one. We've even less reason to be interested in it when the film suggests (fairly enough) that Temudjin is to be praised for choosing to claim Borte's children, fathered by different men, as his own — but gives no consideration to how being kidnapped (and clearly raped) by enemies or selling herself to a merchant for passage might have affected the nearly saintly Borte, whose conversations with Temudjin tend to consist of little more than concern for his well-being.
Still, the film's greatest hiccup is when it leaps from Temudjin's imprisonment to the massed army with which he will fight a defining battle. How he built this army — how this wandering boy with seemingly countless enemies, all of whom can find him on the steppe whenever they feel like it, ever rallied men to his banner — is utterly ignored. We know what happens to this man; we know he's going to conquer half the world, as the film helpfully reminds us at its close. But what drives a story like this is the how of the thing. Mongol gives us pieces of the story in flashes and starts, in mentions of strife between clans, the beliefs which drove Temudjin and a handful of discussions of what a Mongol is or isn't. But it's always in a hurry to get to the next battle or windswept vista, the next lingering shot of Borte's lovely cheekbones or the speeding legs of elegant horses. All make for a vivid portrait of a land rarely seen on Western screens — but not, alas, for a compelling take on the mythic figure at the center of this tale.
Mongol opens Friday at the Bijou.


Suing a governmental entity or agency in a personal injury case is generally allowed under the law. Governmental entities hold themselves immune from liability, with some exceptions.
Sometimes such lawsuits are allowed in case of negligent road repair or maintenance, for example, that resulted in a car accident with personal injury and/or property damage.
And if you were injured or have significant property damage on government property, it may well pay to look into filing a claim. It costs nothing to notify the government with a formal claim, as is required before a lawsuit can go forward.
If the negligence in the repair or maintenance of a road was egregious or gross, in other words very negligent, an exception can be made. And the government in question can allow a person injured in an accident on a public road to bring a lawsuit.
Despite immunity, government agencies allow exceptions so people who are injured can recoup their medical bills, lost wages and be compensated for pain and suffering and loss of consortium with a spouse.
Sometimes municipalities or states will allow such lawsuits only if they have the type of insurance that covers damages so taxpayers won't have to foot the bill. Rather, the government agency's insurance company will pay.
When you sue a government agency, you first have to file a special claim (called an 'administrative claim') with the government office or agency before you file in court. You have to use the government's form to file the claim.
The statute of limitations for government claims can be complicated to figure out. Talk to a lawyer if you have any doubts about how much time you have. Click for help finding a lawyer. Your court's self-help resources may also be able to help you find out more about the statute of limitations in your case. Click to find help from your court.
The key is to hire a good lawyer so he can file a notice to bring a lawsuit within the short time frame allowed under state law: six months in case of personal injury, wrongful death or damage to personal property.
You can sue if a government employee acts negligently, for example an accident with injuries caused by a speeding or intoxicated city worker or bus driver.
You can sue if public property is in bad repair or has not been maintained properly. For example, you could sue if a road washes out, there are no warning signs or lights and you crash and get injured. Or you can sue if you are walking and get injured because a sidewalk is in bad repair.
You can also sue a school district for negligent employee behavior that results in injury to your school-age child or another employee of the district.
Even so, the government may still not be liable and may be immune to any claims against it. This is true often when it concerns failure to supervise activities on government property. Also, the government may be immune if did not become aware of a maintenance problem or damage to a roadway in time to correct it, for example.
The best course of action with any personal injury is to consult a lawyer. Attorneys know how to bring lawsuits private persons or public employees, companies, government agencies or other types of organizations. It can be a lot more difficult to bring a claim against a government, but an experienced, skilled attorney knows exactly how to proceed.
Before bringing a lawsuit, it's important to determine who was responsible for the bad road conditions. Potholes, missing guard rails, erosion and even bad road design can cause accidents. It is a complicated matter deciding who may and may not be sued.
Cities, counties and states maintain public roadways. Sometimes they maintain them as a joint venture. A city might be the one that does the de-icing and plowing of snow; while the state might be the one responsible for paving the roadway and filling pot holes.
A good attorney figures out which agency should be held to account with a lawsuit in court, and further if they can be sued at all.
What do you have to prove to win a lawsuit?
If you are injured because of road conditions, you will have to prove that it was the road condition that caused your injuries, damage to your vehicle, or even the death of a close relative. Beyond that, you must prove that the agency or company you are suing was responsible for maintaining the road was negligent. It did not provide a safe road to drive on. Or, you would need to show that they did not give adequate warning of a potential hazard.
In addition, the person bringing the lawsuit, known as the plaintiff, has to show that the bad road condition caused the injury to him or his passengers or damage to the car. This can be difficult to prove, especially if you're suing over damage to the car.
Sometimes, a pothole or debris in the roadway causes damage to a car that isn't noticed right away. It can be difficult to go back over your route to show exactly what damaged your car.
If you don't have a police report, photos, or witnesses to the accident, it will be your testimony alone in court. The government agency could argue that it was your bad driving that caused the damage to your vehicle. Or they could claim it was bad weather that caused the accident.
You must submit a written claim detailing your damages to any state, county or city that you sue before you file a lawsuit. This is different than if you were to bring an action against a private person, company or organization.
Give the mailing address where the government should send notice of the claim.
A list of damages, including those mentioned above: medical expenses, loss of wages from work, etc. Do not go into a lot of detail with this. Describe your injuries in general terms, such as "neck and head injuries" or "leg injury." Say you have lost income from work but don't go into how much you earn or how much time you missed. Save that for later. Also, give a short description of damage to your vehicle or other property.
Give the name of the government employee who caused the accident if you know it. If you don't know, don't worry about it. Just say you don't know. You can still bring a claim if you don't know the identity of the person who caused the accident.
State how much compensation you expect to receive but state a higher amount than you anticipate your expenses to be. If you think your damages will amount to around $5,000, say you are seeking $25,000. This is legal. It is just an opening bid, and the number will likely change as you begin to negotiate.
You may file your claim with the governing board, such as a city council or county commission, or with the county or city clerk. If you have a claim against the state, file it with the California Department of General Services (DGS), Office of Risk Management. The agency may even have a claim form that you can fill out.
Of course, it would be better if a good personal injury attorney did this paperwork and got the legal claim started. The attorneys and staff at Krasney Law have experience in bringing lawsuits against both governmental and private entities. We will do everything exactly according to law to enhance your chances of getting a settlement or winning a lawsuit.
The agency has 45 days after receiving your claim to take action. The agency will typically conduct an investigation of your claim.
If the agency takes no action within 45 days, the claim is deemed denied and you may sue the agency in court. Under California Government Code 945.6, you must sue within 6 months from the date of the postmark or personal delivery of your right to sue letter. If the agency does not provide any written notice rejecting your claim, you have two years from the date of injury or damage.
If the governmental entity corrects the conditions or practices, then injury or property damage is less likely to happen to other people.
Even if you don't hire us to shepherd you through your entire case, at least consider hiring us to review your settlement documents with you. Sometimes you can realize a better settlement than the insurance company's first offer. We posted a blog about how unscrupulous insurance adjusters can be.
If you were injured in an automobile or other type of accident that involved a government employee or happened on government roads or property, contact us today for a complimentary consultation.


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Due to the impact of COVID-19, you are recommended to check travel restrictions from your government sources and contact local venues to verify any new rules
World Travel Guide > Guides > Europe > Spain > Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
Introducing Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
About Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport
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About Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport is the largest airport in Spain and one of Europe's busiest. It serves the Spanish capital, Madrid, which is southwest of the facility. Our guide to the airport includes information regarding terminal facilities, transportation options and nearby hotels.
Madrid-Barajas Airport has more than 20 information counters, located throughout the terminals, and touchscreen kiosks in Terminal 4. More than 100 staff members are also on hand to assist passengers.
Tourist information counters can be found in the arrival areas of Terminals 1 and 2 and the baggage hall of Terminal 4.
http://www.aena.es
From the M40 (ring road) encircling central Madrid, head onto the A2 eastbound (in the direction of Barcelona) and take the exit at junction 10 to the M14, which leads directly to the airport. The total drive time from central Madrid to the airport is approximately 20 minutes.
Transfer between terminals:
A free, 24-hour shuttle bus transfers passengers between the terminals and the long-term car park. Terminal 4 is linked to its satellite building (T4S) by a monorail. A free shuttle bus also connects Terminal 4 with the other terminals.
Avenida de la Hispanidad
Madrid-Barajas Airport is located 12km (8 miles) northeast of Madrid.
No. of terminals:
Central European Time
GMT +0100
Public transport road:
Bus: EMT (Madrid Municipal Transport Company) (tel: +914 06 88 10; www.emtmadrid.es) runs regular services between Madrid-Barajas Airport (Terminals 1, 2 and 4) and central Madrid. Bus 200 connects to Avenida de América station (journey time: 30 minutes; fare: €1.50), while the Línea Exprés 23 operates to Atocha station (journey time: 40 minutes; fare: €5). Several intercity bus and coach services also serve the airport.
Taxi: Taxis are available from outside all terminals (journey time to the city centre: 20-30 minutes; fixed fare: €30). Passengers should make sure the meter is turned on at the beginning of the journey and they are advised not to accept any offers of taxis inside the terminal building – official taxis are white in colour with a red stripe. AeroCity-Ares Mobile (tel: +34 902 15 16 54) provides chauffeur-driven cars.
Public transport rail:
Rail: RENFE (tel: +34 90 232 0320; www.renfe.com) trains operate along the C1 route between Madrid Barajas Airport Terminal 4 and Prínicipe Pio station in the city centre (fare: €2.60; journey time: 40 minutes). The service also stops en route at Atocha (journey time: 25 minutes) and Chamartín (journey time: 11 minutes). There are RENFE offices in the arrivals area of Terminals 1 and 4, which provide information and ticketing services for the national rail network.
Metro: Madrid Metro (tel: +917 796 399; www.metromadrid.es) line 8 connects Madrid Barajas Airport with Nuevos Ministerios in the heart of Madrid's financial district (journey time: 15 minutes; fare: from €4.50). Trains leave from the underground stations at Terminals 2 and 4. The metro also provides links to stations on the Spanish railway network.
Terminal facilities
Money:
Madrid-Barajas Airport has two banks, one in Terminal 2 and another in Terminal 4. There are also currency exchange services and ATMs dotted throughout the airport.
There are more than 30 cafés, bars and restaurants at Madrid-Barajas Airport distributed throughout the terminals.
A selection of more than 100 shops can be found at the airport, including duty-free for passengers leaving the European Union. Items available will range from local produce and souvenirs to jewelry and electronics.
Lost property offices are situated in terminals 1 (tel: +34 91 393 6119) and 4 (tel: +34 91 746 6439), while left-luggage facilities (tel: +34 917 466 065) can be found in terminals 1, 2 and 4.
There are nurseries in terminals 2 and 4 and a children's playground in Terminal 2. Pharmacies are located in terminals 1, 2 and 4, while first aid stations are in Terminals 2 and 4. Madrid-Barajas Airport also has chapels in terminals 1, 2 and 4 and travel agencies and tour operators in the arrivals areas of the terminals.
Conference and business:
Seven meeting rooms are available for hire (tel: +34 91 393 6519), and there are VIP lounges in all terminals.
Madrid's IFEMA Exhibition and Convention Centre (tel: +34 91 722 3000;www.ifema.es) is situated just a short drive away from the airport.
Sercotel Madrid Aeropuerto (tel: +34 915 645 906;www.sercotelhoteles.com), one of the closer hotels to the airport, also houses a business centre and a number of meeting rooms.
Communication Facilities:
Free Wi-Fi access is available throughout the airport. Additionally, there are almost 100 Internet areas positioned within the terminals, along with several mobile phone charging points. A post office is located on the ground floor of Terminal 1.
Disabled facilities:
The airport is fully accessible to wheelchair users. Airlines can provide wheelchairs upon request, however, passengers should request this service prior to travel. There are reserved car parking spaces for disabled travellers in the airport car parks.
Car parking:
Long and short-stay car parking is provided within six public parking areas. Short-term options include the outdoor P1 car park in front of the terminal building, the indoor P2 car park, which has direct access to terminals T2 and T3, and a 'parking express' facility for stays of less than 30 minutes at Terminal 2. Long-term parking is available at a remote car park, and	a free shuttle bus operates between this area and the terminals. Additional services include VIP car parks near each terminal. Parking can be pre-booked via the airport's website.
Car rental:
Car hire companies represented at Madrid-Barajas Airport include Avis, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt. Car hire desks are located in terminals 1, 2 and 4.
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Wieprznica (dawniej Biebrznica; dodatkowa nazwa w j. kaszub. Wiéprznica; niem. Bebernitz) – wieś kaszubska na Pojezierzu Kaszubskim w Polsce położona w województwie pomorskim, w powiecie kościerskim, w gminie Kościerzyna nad jeziorem Wieprznickim. Wieś jest siedzibą sołectwa Wieprznica w którego skład wchodzą również miejscowości Garczyn, Czarne Pustkowie i Owśnice. Nazwa miejscowości wywodzi się od nazwy ssaka - bobra. Porównaj nazwę rzeki - Biebrza.

W latach 1975–1998 miejscowość administracyjnie należała do województwa gdańskiego.

Przypisy

Linki zewnętrzne

Zobacz też
 Fingrowa Huta
 Gostomie

Kościerzyna (gmina wiejska)


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Big Apple Buddy Concierge Connects U.S. Tech Retailers With Global Shoppers	Featured
Written by Glenn Taylor
Published in Retail Success Stories
International shoppers often have to wait weeks or even months to purchase the hottest technology products recently released in the U.S. Personal shipping concierge service Big Apple Buddy is carving out a service niche by both expediting and personalizing the process. Through partnerships with FedEx, DHL and UPS, each shipment takes approximately two to four business days to ship to global consumers.
The service also addresses shopper concerns about buying counterfeit products, purchasing only from reputable retailers to guarantee product quality and authenticity. Since launching in 2014, the New York City-based service has expanded its shipping to more than 75 countries, and doubling its sales in 2015.
Big Apple Buddy charges a minimum fee of $50 per order, which covers every step of the expediting process — from buying the product to having it shipped to the client's doorstep. To begin the process, shoppers fill out a form online to share details of their desired tech product. They receive a quote from a Big Apple Buddy representative within 24 hours. The concierge will the find the gadget at the best price, purchase it from a reputable store and ship it, via courier, directly to the shopper's home.
Tech Requests Spawn Bright Idea
Phillis Chan's inspiration to launch Big Apple Buddy came after she left a legal career in Australia to move to New York City a few years ago. Upon moving, she started to get requests from family members and friends, asking her to ship over new tech toys that were difficult to find and purchase outside the U.S.
"Initially we started off helping people buy anything and everything," said Chan in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. "We found our footing in tech products, because many of them get released in the U.S. before anywhere else in the world, and we found that people around the world were willing to pay premiums to get them early. The common theme, whether they live in Australia or South Africa, is that they want their products quickly; they want them now."
Chan noted that the service's target audience strongly reflects the immediacy theme: the majority of the site's consumers are tech-enthusiast male professionals in their 30s and 40s who would likely stand outside a store in a line for hours just to be first to own a new iPad or iPhone.
Simplifying Cross-Border Shipping
The introduction of global shipping concierge services into the retail space is fitting: total cross-border shipping is expected to amount to $330 billion by 2020, according to the UPS Global Pulse Of The Online Shopper Study. With global shoppers indicating that they make 24% of their purchases with online retailers located outside their own country, it's clear that international shipping processes will need to be made easier, quicker and more secure to accommodate growing consumer needs.
The service aims to make cross-border commerce easier by breaking down the barrier for shoppers who want to purchase goods from retailers that only ship to specific countries. While many U.S. retailers may only ship to limited countries for various reasons, Big Apple Buddy can serve as a middleman for consumers in a wide range of locations.
With product authenticity as another potential cross-border commerce barrier, the shipping concierge may ease the worries of consumers who don't want to purchase from larger marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon, due to the unknown nature of these products' origins.
"With eBay, you don't always know who you're dealing with, and are often buying from random people," Chan stated. "You can't really guarantee the authenticity of the goods. That's how we differentiate ourselves from those marketplace services. We get our products directly from retailers, identify where the product came from and guarantee the quality and authenticity of the goods."
Latest from Glenn Taylor
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Holy crap, we're making a movie!
One day Geoff and I were writing a treatment, next thing I know we're starting production.
Today we're on day 5 of production. Some of us have gotten very little sleep.
From the support of friends and fans, we were able to reach our US Artists goal. We have a terrific cast and crew on board whose talents have been showcased in Cannes, Sundance, and SXSW. Trieste Kelly Dunn (Cold Weather, Canterbury's Law) is playing our flawed heroine and Francisco Barreiro (We Are What We Are) as our loveable knight in hipster armor.
So besides being the co-writer and general extra hand on set, I'm also handling all the social media and PR for the film. If you have a moment, please check out our Tumblr page which we will update with photos, videos, and fun stories about independent filmmaking. Same with our Facebook page. I also finally set up an Instagram page which I'm having so much fun with!
This is very exciting! Good luck with this.
that is so CRAZY! aaah very cool.
Amazing… I am sooo happy at your happiness… and you know, that kind of stuff is contagious, so I hope I catch what you have..!
Congrats. It's very exciting to know your hard work is paying off!!!


This entry was posted on jueves, agosto 16th, 2007 at 6:37 pm	and is filed under Hoteles en Granada. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.


Dream: I am in a space ship helping out with odd things. I am transported to earth only to find myself running from Cyborgs who wish to turn me into a Cyborg. (Automaton-like aliens). They catch me and try to turn me into a Cyborg, but just as I am about to give in to becoming one, I feel human again except that I have a Cyborg body. After a while I find my way home where everyone is preparing to evacuate earth. They are afraid of me until they realize I am not a proper Cyborg. I help them prepare to evacuate. Just before I wake up I ask my dad where we are going. Once he tells me I have a feeling that I have been used by the Cyborgs to find out where they are going.
Personal concerns/issues: My parents have been nagging me to get a job for a while and i have felt a little guilty about not being able to find one.
Identifying characteristics: Aliens frequently highlight the territory in life from which we feel alienated, or different from others.
This dream dramatizes the subjective discomfort you have probably felt when trying to make yourself fit into a mold that does not suit you. From the outside, everything in life seems to urge you to �join the collective� and become a well-adjusted drone. But internally there is a quite strong feeling of becoming half-alive, or of sacrificing the spark that makes you unique.
Right now you are struggling with two agendas: the need to find a new position and the secret mission to avoid doing so, these opposing forces are represented by the �Borg� and the human race. But dividing your desires into polar opposites will only keep you trapped in this war zone. Instead, your deeper task is to search for work that will allow your personality and interests to be included and tapped as you work. do not accept that you either must become a zombie or be unemployed. If you reject that presumption, and keep an open mind, you will find yourself finding a job that is unlike anything you have ever done before which will open doors to your deeper interests and talents.