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Home Forums USA Major League Soccer MLS: General
MLS Needs to do better media in NON MLS Cities
Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by msmallwood, Oct 18, 2004.
msmallwood New Member
#1 msmallwood, Oct 18, 2004
I live in an NFL , but non MLS city, and there is no coverage to speak of the MLS Here.
Our NFL Team gets 9 pages a day year round in our sports page, The only MLS Coverage is on the Last Page of the paper and its a Standings box only.
If it was not for ESPN or the Internet, Id never know there was a game on or a league for that matter . There is More Mexican League promotions on our Spanish Channel then MLS on our English Networks.
There is no news coverage at all on tv news sports.And talk radio is like why do we want to talk about Soccer its for non Americans.
I don`t think the league is doing much to win over Non MLS markets to support the league in general.
When i speak to my friends back in England about the new teams, after they stop laughing , yes by the way they think RSL Is a Joke.
They go on to tell me how most of Europe thinks that the MLS is a joke of a league and it`s talent is no better then English 3rd Division includeing Freddy Adu.
I really have no information to support a challange to them, when the only thing we get is a weekend match and little else.
I want to be a fan of the league, but it is very hard when the MLS is not provideing Information out in Mass to Non-MLS Cities, well at least my city, I can`t say it`s the same way in all Non-MLS Cities .
Crewbasher Member
The Enemy Base
#2 Crewbasher, Oct 18, 2004
msmallwood said:
Just out of curiosity, in which city do you live?
By the way, your English friends are ignorant. Tell 'em I said that. And tell them to bugger off.
astabooty Member
#3 astabooty, Oct 18, 2004
i agree, but mls doesnt have much that they can do now. they will have better options when their contract with espn is up i guess.
with goltv and fox soccer channel (in the works i believe) there will be competition and it would be great if they could get shared rights to mls so lets say 75% of the games could be shown on tv, besides local media, ppv, and the internet.
maybe if espn deportes gets on more program lists then they could pick up some games too.
when the majority of the country can see MLS games pretty easily or for just a few bucks a month, media coverage will pick up i am sure.
plus there is expansion.
Crewbasher said:
I live in Nashville, and on a side note I can`t tell my English Friends to Bugger off, cuz I am 1/2 English and 1/2 Irish so i`d be telling myself to bugger off .
And Telling me as a new member of this board to tell my own Heritage to bugger off , does not help me want to be a fan of the MLS and I did say that I want to be a fan of the league .
There reason for saying the MLS is nothing more then a 3rd Division is valid, as they point out that the age of the league , the MLS teams can not match up with upper Divisions teams.
When our teams are able to win the Copa Cups or reach the finals year after year , i think the league will be looked on more highly.
And top Internationals still in their youth and prime will choose the MLS over Europe.
For astabo0t
Do they offer more MLS Matches on Dishnetwork systems ?
seadonkey Member
#5 seadonkey, Oct 18, 2004
I am not sure where you can check out the history/results of MLS teams vs. Euro teams but we hold our own against them. Perhaps that would help influence MLS' credibility?
PaulGascoigne Member
Aotearoa/NZ
#6 PaulGascoigne, Oct 18, 2004
seadonkey said:
Hey, I hate to hijack the thread, but MLS marketing sucks *IN* MLS towns as well. You would hardly know Dallas had a team unless you paid a lot of attention to Spanish-language media. It seems that the mainstream media coverage has gotten WORSE, at least according to folks who live in Dallas. Soccer might as well be baseketball to people here in Nashville.
MLS teams have victories against a lot of good clubs, but I'll focus on our favorite whipping boys:
MLS vs. EPL All-Time Record
(7 Wins, 4 Draws, O Losses)*
*=one of the wins came on PK's
07/20/99 Derby County (ENG) W 1-0 Chicago, IL
05/14/97 Leeds United (ENG) W 2-1 Columbus, OH
07/26/00 Newcastle United (ENG) D 2-2 Columbus, OH
07/22/00 Newcastle United (ENG) W 3-1 Washington, DC
10/16/02 Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) W 1-0 London, UK
05/14/03 Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) W 1-0 Washington, DC
07/23/03 Blackburn Rovers (ENG) D 1-1 Washington, DC (won PKs)
05/21/97 Aston Villa (ENG) D 1-1 Pasadena, CA
05/13/97 Aston Villa (ENG) D 1-1 San Jose, CA
Miami Fusion (defunct)
07/12/00 Nottingham Forest (ENG 1) W 3-2 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Tampa Bay (defunct)
05/20/98 Leicester City (ENG) D 0-0 Tampa, FL
Minnman Member+
#7 Minnman, Oct 18, 2004
First, just how can MLS "do better media in non-MLS cities." The league can't force papers in some MLS cities to provide adequate coverage, much less influence papers in cities without a franchise. I've tired of beating my head against this wall. If it happens, it happens. Just because the local TV stations here in Columbus don't seem to know the Crew exists doesn't invalidate sellouts for the last two Crew games. Screw the media.
Now, re: your friends, you just go ahead and tell them that, yes, MLS is a joke. Nationwide quality at best. Portugal thought much of the same back in 2002.
If European soccer fans insist on looking down their noses at the way the game is played in the States then they're setting themselves up for another round of surprises in the next WC. Just which Americans do your your friends think were playing Germany in that round of eight WC match two years ago? Most of those guys were either MLS-based or at lest started their careers here. No one, by which I mean no one of any intelligence, boasts that MLS is one of the world's great leagues, but the league IS producing some rather fine young talent and we're blessed with a national team head coach who knows how to take these players and develop them into a team that needs to be reckoned with.
If your friends assume that silly club nicknames in MLS = crappy football, then they're fools.
It`s not the names that they feel make the league crap, its the system its self. Bare in mind , they are traditionalist who think any league with out Promotion n Relegation is not the right way a league should be run.
I did not start this thread as a league bashing, I was asking about the media coverage its not very good .
I do agree that RSL is not the best name in the World. Having our best 24 do well in the world cup does not mean that our league is at the same level as those 24 players.
USA Soccer is creating some great new stars, who some are leaving the MLS for Europe, maybe more so do to Income then league play.
Greece has won the Euro cup , but when was the last Champions league won by a Greek League team. having a strong world cup squad does not mean that top to bottom every player in the MLS is just that strong, but we are growing as a league.
The EPL may or may not be the best league in the world, but look at the English and other British National teams records, they are not very strong as of late. Still top to Bottom the league right now is better then ours. Thanks to having 116 yrs of pro league play to build on.
I would like to see the MLS become a better run version of the NASL one day, with the best players in the World thinking MLS first and Europe Second.
As far as MLS Records what is our CONCACAF RECORD vs The first team rosters of those opponents, and the games vs the EPL were the EPL useing their first team Rosters against us, these are things that my friends will respect is first team on first team records and Titles.
Some of you have said that it is not the MLS fault that media does not cover the league better, but it is. If you look at how the NFL markets it`s league its every where. There is no reason for the MLS Not to have a major TV deal on one of the National networks , not just ESPN 2Games on the same day and time as NFL Games are going on And Jerseys and Kits are no where to be found in the malls, but i see football, basketball, baseball and hockey in bulk.
In my town we had a game between a Mexican League team and the Galaxy this year and 26,000 were there with very little promotion of it.
More Media will bring in more viewers and more fans and converts from other leagues like me and instead of looseing $300 million we could grow like the J-league who is about to have its 3rd Division in 06 or 07 and only 4 yrs older then the MLS.
Lithium858 Member
#9 Lithium858, Oct 18, 2004
Try picking up a copy of the San Diego Union-Tribune sometime.
NattyBo Member+
#10 NattyBo, Oct 18, 2004
You might want to tell your friend that MLS is undefeated against all English clubs.. DC beat Nottingham Forest this year too (on PKs)
DC United was the best team in the Western Hempisphere in 1998, it could be argued..best in the CONCACAF region, and beat Vasco de Gama in the Intercontinental Championship with CONMEBOL..so saying MLS teams cant hang with lower division teams is just bunk...hell, thats why most of our good players are taken to play in those leagues. They have also beaten Newcastle, Leeds and Tottenham..
IF your friends can figure out a way that promotion and relegation can work in a country 40 times bigger than theirs, Id like to hear it.
In conclusion, your friends can stuff it.
Not that MLS doesnt need better media coverage, but I hate people who think MLS is utter crap without looking in to it.
Buzz Killington Member+
Kansas City Wizards
#11 Buzz Killington, Oct 19, 2004
I will again say it is not MLS's fault, you say that they need to do a better job of promoting, you say that the NFL market is everywhere, that's because the NFL is the biggest league in the US right now, it's pretty much the most popular sport in the US now, and it therefore appeals to more people then MLS does. MLS can't force networks to carry games, just because 2 of the 4 major networks have football, that doesn't mean the other two would get a contract with MLS to show games. By the way, MLS technically has a deal with a major network, ABC, problem is ABC only shows like 3-4 games a year. MLS and soccer as a whole is still not taken very seriously by people in the US, and this could be because the US isn't the top league in the sport, which it is in the other 4 major sports.
#12 msmallwood, Oct 19, 2004
NattyBo said:
That is very easy.
First the current MLS 12 becomes the Premier Division.
Take the next 12 major Cities who wish to enter the MLS , and Become MLS2
Then its the last place team in Each Conference or the last 2 overall in points Relegated down and the MLS 2 team with the best overall points at the end of the season gets automatic promotion. And the second team would come from the playoff finalist.
The A-League teams could enter MLS 2 , by promotion , with a rule of having 3 yrs to put together a plan for an SSS Stadium or an agreement to play in a bigger Stadium .
Its not very hard to do, if the powers that be would think outside the box.
If many of us, me included can edit Championship Manager Leagues or Football Manager Leagues to create MLS and A-League to Promote and Relegate then the powers with the income can 2.
The Japanese J-League has a stadium rule of 15,000 to enter the J-League , that could be a starting point for teams wishing to enter the MLS .
Nashville drew 26,000 for an International Game this year , we have a 68,000 seat stadium.
Their are stadiums in the States to do it, and as your boards on Expansion show there is cities that want the MLS so it can be done . That is if you want to break away from being just like every other USA league.
That is just one way that it could be done.
ButlerBob Moderator
#13 ButlerBob, Oct 19, 2004
msmallwood welcome to BigSoccer. You make some very good points that have been discussed extensively. In some cases beyond the dead horse phase. For example the topic of Promotion/Relegation is now just a pile of stinky bones. You can do a search on BigSoccer to view all of the past discussions on the subject.
Again you brought up some very good points, but here's a couple of reasons why it's not that easy.
Media - For the most part it's the chicken or the egg stage. For the most part in this country, the media won't cover something until it get's big.
Ownership/Expansion - There are plenty of cities that want to have teams. However there aren't plenty of owners stepping forward to by teams. You still have a league that is losing money and a few owners owning most of the teams. Also, adding promotion/relegation would probably reduce that small number. How many people want to spend the $10 mil for a MLS franchise and end up with a $1 mil A-League franchise.
Again thanks for posting.
AndyMead Homo Sapien
Seat 12A
#14 AndyMead, Oct 19, 2004
PaulGascoigne said:
Hey, I hate to hijack the thread, but MLS marketing sucks *IN* MLS towns as well.
Marketing and Media are two completely seperate things. One can influence the other, but that's another discussion.
MLS can't force media - anywhere - to provide coverage. "Payola" is considered an illegal influence over the media in the U.S. The way MLS will eventually get covered in non-MLS cities is to continue to grow and become more relevant to American sports culture. We're not talking next year - or probably even the next 10 years.
As to MLS marketing efforts in non-MLS cities: I can't think of a single reason for MLS to spend the money necessary to market the league for "mindshare" reasons in non-MLS cities or cities not targetted for MLS expansion. MLS is still running in the red, and properly done marketing is not cheap.
So, last year - you would've relegate the MetroStars and promoted the Charleston Battery.
Please explain how the league would operate without a team in the NYC area, and explain how Charleston, a team with a 5,000 seat stadium and a couple million dollar budget could afford to operate at MLS levels.
I'm not talking about "inside the box", I'm talking about the "financial and geographical realities of the United States."
If Arsenal, Tottenham, and Chelsea were relegated and Gillingham, Millwall and Preston North End promoted to the EPL, London would still be covered - and teams like Gillingham could rent out White Hart Lane if necessary. Those are the realities of soccer in Europe.
They are not the realities of professional soccer in the United States - nor will they ever be.
denver_mugwamp New Member
#16 denver_mugwamp, Oct 19, 2004
Video games are not the same thing as reality. Put down the controller and step away from the PC. You've been online a little too long and need a short rest. The folks in the white coats will be by in a little while but in the meantime, try to stay calm and keep away from sharp onjects.
kumazou Member
#17 kumazou, Oct 19, 2004
I hope that MLS and whoever holds the tv rights in the future can take advantage of MLS playing during the summer. I recently moved to Chile and thought for sure that ESPN or ESPN+ would show some MLS matches while Europe and Argentina were on break, but was greeted with a lot of beach soccer and other crap. Puting my bias aside, I would much rather watch a growing league that is producing decent talent than beach soccer or fishing. I think it would help the league gain some international respect if there was more exposure. Most of the people I talk to here ridicule MLS, but NO ONE has ever seen a match. The schedule of the league, while a pain for transfer windows and the like, has some advantages. It seems like a win-win situation if ESPN already owns the rights to MLS to show it when the other leagues are on break. Is it different for international broadcasts?
ButlerBob said:
msmallwood welcome to BigSoccer.
Bob thanks for the kind welcome, well this post started out as about the lack of media coverage. Then it wen to bashing my English Heritage and my Friends back in England .
I see both yours and my points as valid, it could be done if planed right, but going back to your points the planing, the image the media and marketing is just not there for it.
And we could argue who is at fault over this, but why do so we have no power over this.
But if i play owner here for a moment, first of all my mind set as being MLS Owner would be to make the MLS the biggest league in the World, not just the USA.
Media blitz would be one thing, to create an image that would support multi divisions you would have to incoporate all the leagues under the MLS name.
Then create an image that A-League cities are just as important as MLS Cities.
Take the A-League cities for the most part they are in NFL Markets, that right there gives you a big city image to build from. Its all about image if you want to make multi divisions work then you have to create and image of value overall. Maybe a fully owned MLS system
Oh what I left out was that MLS 2 Teams would not drop to the A-league , instead the A-league would be like the Japans JFL .Teams that want to join the MLS 2 would meet a set of conditions over 3 years then join the MLS 2.
Again everything goes back to the powers that be wanting to be creative.
I have tried to watch this league but it is not easy to keep interest when i know that there is nothing to loose if my team has a bad year .
Like my NFL Titans it looks like we are going to have a bad year, the only thing that i have to look forward to is next years draft . The same for MLS you do bad its well there is next years draft.
Were as in Scotland i am living and dieing each week with Inverness battle to stay in the Scottish Premier League, there is a lot to be said in watching your team make the rise up and fight it out with the big boys on the block.
kumazou said:
Thank you for saying what I have been trying to get across, it is hard to get locked into a league when there is very few games on TV each week.Why not have some prime time games at night when college or NFL is not on
ThreeApples Member+
Smurf Village
#20 ThreeApples, Oct 19, 2004
You mean like the prime time games on Fox Sports World every Saturday? And the additional prime time games you can get on the Direct Kick package?
Noah Elliott said:
In fact, MLS broadcasts a far higher percentage of its games than any other league.
138 of 150 regular season games were broadcast and available to those with DirectKick and HDNet. Of the 12 that weren't shown, one (COL @ DC on 6/12) was supposed to be broadcast on both CSN-DC and FSW, but was bounced by a rescheduled Baltimore Orioles game.
I have 136 of the 138 recorded on DVD - many with two or three seperate broadcasts.
I don`t have those service , guess i would have to get a Dish Network to see our Domestic League.
humstein New Member
#23 humstein, Oct 19, 2004
With deep respect to all those who have added their thoughtful opinions to this thread.
This topic is like many others on Big Soccer. The answer is fundamentally the same. Soccer is a new sport on the professional level in the US. It is growing at a wonderful rate, bringing in many people including girls and women.
With time and further growth the media will pay greater attention to soccer. The growth must come before the greater media attention. Keep up the good work and soccer with prosper in all its glory in this hemisphere.
Perry Mark
Most digital cable systems offer Fox Sports World and MLS Direct Kick. If your local company does not, Dish Network and DirecTV do, and the satellite services are in many cases more affordable than cable.
Even ignoring MLS, if you're a fan of English soccer and do not have Fox Sports World, you are way behind the times.
Over the air:
3 games on ABC
Basic cable/satellite service:
One game per week on espn2
Extended cable/satellite service:
1 game per week in English/Spanish on FSW/FSE
If you have a settop box that decodes HD signals and get HDNet
1 game per week in 1080i HD!
DirectKick - available via cable, DirecTV and DISH Network for only $69
over 100 out of market MLS games - including those on over-the-air local channels
Sports Pack - Regional Sports Package available on DirecTV and DISH Network:
Numerous non-blacked out MLS rebroadcasts on various local RSNs allowing you to see virtually every game every week with only one receiver.
Free viewing of most games via Yahoo!
http://sports.yahoo.com/s/soccerpass?p=mls
Anyone that "can't see" MLS is actively trying to avoid it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Halloween is for irony. New Year's is for cynics. Groundhog's Day is inherently hilarious. But Mother's Day? Mother's Day is all about the sincere, the sweet, and the sentimental. She's your mom — say thank you (and also, for the last time, could you please wipe your feet before coming inside?).
But what do the pros do when it comes to showing their own moms a little love, we wondered? So we asked our team to show us the best gifts they'd ever given their moms. What was their process? And — even more importantly — what did their moms think of the finished results?
Did we maybe shed a few tears at the stories we got back? Maybe. It is definitely possible that happened.
So if you're looking for some last-minute M-day inspiration, look no further. Mother's Day is not a competition, but if it were, this is how you'd win.
I found a bunch of old pictures stashed away and spent hours scanning and cropping the images with hopes it would turn out semi decent. I wasn't expecting much but I was blown away at the quality of the very large (60×80 fleece) blanket, especially since all the images used were scanned! My mom cried when she got the blanket and displays it proudly on her bed for all guest to come see. I think this blanket is extra special to her because a lot of the family members in the pictures have passed away. This will be one of those items that gets passed on for generations.
My grandfather passed away 4.5 years ago and for mother's day I decided to create a pillow for my grandmother. It is huggable, loveable, and full of the memories from the 55+ years they were together. I know she's going to love opening it on Mother's Day and will love it for years to come. Whenever she misses him, she can squeeze the pillow and remember all of the awesome memories they created together.
March 18, 2019 Personalized gifts for Hobbyists!


text:
Tales and Travel
Adventure, fun — and food!
Tag: Hiking
My Take on Costa Rica
I may be one of few who is not overwhelmed with Costa Rica. I did not dislike the beautiful country. The beaches are grand. The people are delightful. The food is good. But, I have been to too many other places that are more "me." I had hopes of sighting interesting critters in the jungle on "safari" treks. I spotted few.
Beach near Manuel Antonio park
The critters are there. I suspect too many tourists have been tromping through the jungle, following guides with telescopes, sending the animals deep into the bush in search of peace and quiet.
While husband Bob spent two weeks with his daughter Kellie who has a holiday home in Costa Rica, I toured – on my own but with pre-arranged transportation between destinations. I joined guided tours through parks and to noteworthy sights during my visit last January
Too many tourists ?
The Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica's most popular national park and where I joined my first guided hike. Groups like ours, all dutifully following a guide with a large telescope on a tripod, crowded the trails. Word spread quickly of a sighting. Instantly more guides, telescopes and tourists appeared.
Souvenir cell phone photo thanks to guide's telescope.
Excitement was high at the sighting of a sloth hidden high in dense tree foliage. With the naked eye it was impossible to see anything but leaves. Those with gigantic zoom lenses (there were many) did manage to spot the creature. The rest of us relied on the guide's telescope. Yet, even with high powered vision, all I could see was a tuft of fur.
This ritual was repeated time after time. The guide, with trained eyes and jungle experience, would spot a creature– various kinds of birds, lizards, sloths – camouflaged in the dense growth. Each of her followers then had a turn for a telescope view. And then, a keepsake photo with their cell phone camera which the guide placed, one by one, on the telescope.
Find the sloth.
It was steamy humid. I grew impatient and bored. I kept thinking of Africa where majestic creatures are often easy to spot. The tour ended on a beach where hundreds of monkeys frolicked. Monkeys may not be exotic, but they are fun and easy to see. I loved them.
More monkeys, iguanas, a rare lizard, all kind of birds, a deer – I saw them all on the grounds of the Posada Jungle Hotel adjacent to Manuel Antonio park where I spent four nights. This was better than a guided safari, and at my doorstep. The beach near the hotel was fabulous, for swimming and sunset viewing. I spent several evenings aiming for the perfect sunset shot while sipping a mojito.
Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano is a stunning sight. I was lucky. It is often hidden in clouds, but I saw it in all its glory. There have been no regular volcano eruptions since 2010. The surrounding region is popular for hiking and all sorts of rugged,extreme adventure. I opted for gentle adventure, a hanging bridge hike and another hike near the volcano.
Hanging bridges are common in the Costa Rican jungle. I was intrigued. It is exciting, even a tinge scary, to walk high above gorges on these structures which gently sway as you cross.
After the near-the-volcano hike, we set off to the Tobacon Hot Springs, a jungle wonderland of hot springs, pools, waterfalls, streams – all a bit kitschy, but crazy fun.
Rio Frio near the Nicaraguan border
Birds were the star attraction during my relaxing boat tour of the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge near the Nicaraguan border. The guide entertained us with interesting facts about Costa Rica, as well as river wildlife, as we
drifted past lush rainforest and wetlands. In addition to the birds, we saw bats, a few crocodiles, a lizard… but nothing that thrilled me. I am spoiled. It's hard to beat being up close and personal with mountain gorillas. (See previous post, "Gorillas in our Mist" Dec. 2015)
I was underwhelmed – and freezing – on the Monteverde Cloud Forest guided hike. This time it was cold and rainy. We learned a lot about various kinds of trees and vines, but – even with the telescope – spotted no exciting wildlife.
The van rides from one destination on my itinerary to the next were often long. The scenery, sometimes spectacular, and chatting with other passengers made the trips interesting. I met folks from the US, Canada, Scotland, England and Israel, including several young female backpackers en route to yoga retreats. Costa Rica is big with the yoga set. There were serious hikers and surfers. Costa Rica is also popular with surfers.
However, I did not come to Costa Rica to surf, nor to soothe my soul during a yoga retreat. Unfortunately I am too old for zip lining and canyoning. Spotting an illusive creature through a telescope did not thrill me. Granted, the beaches are super, but I do not need to travel so far for a fabulous beach
So, Costa Rica does not rank among my favorites, yet I am glad I experienced the country. And, tasted Costa Rican ceviche – a memorable culinary delight. Kellie shared her recipe. Click on photo top right.
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See below for more Costa Rica.
Church at La Fortuna with cloud-covered Arenal.
This sloth was spotted in a roadside tree by a van driver. We stopped for photos.
Author leahlarkinPosted on October 11, 2019 October 11, 2019 Categories Animal safari, Animals, Arenal Volcano, Beaches, Beaches, Ceviche, Costa Rica, Hiking, Manuel Antonio National Park, Safari, Travel, UncategorizedTags Animals, Beach, Costa Rica, Food, Hiking, travel, vacation24 Comments on My Take on Costa Rica
Gorillas in our midst
In my next life, I want to be Dian Fossey. Well, not quite. I'd rather not be mysteriously murdered as she was in the jungles of Rwanda where she studied and lived with mountain gorillas.
After observing, photographing and admiring these magnificent beasts in the dense bamboo forests high in the mountains of Rwanda, I was smitten. It is easy to understand Fossey's fascination with the human-like gorillas which share 98 percent of our DNA.
Children romp and play, chasing one another through the thick brush. Toddlers cling to mothers, often piggy-back. Mothers nurse babies. And Big Daddy, the awesome silverback, keeps a vigilant eye over all.
"Watch out! One coming on your left….Look up, one in the tree… Be careful. The silverback is just ahead."
They were in our midst, the 22 member Kwitonaa gorilla family. One youngster raced by and grabbed the hand of a member of our trekking group. Another trekker was punched – lightly — by a teenager whose path he accidentally blocked. I was captivated by a nursing mother, no more than a foot in front of me. I could have easily touched her, but I dare not. We had been warned not to get closer than 10 feet to the beasts. Impossible. They were all around us, up close, and obviously accustomed to this parade of curious creatures who snapped away with all manner of cameras.
Mountain gorillas are "about as dangerous as pet lambs," Fossey once told Alfred Hitchcock, apparently to his disappointment.
Mama occasionally cast me a stern glance as if to say, "Oh no, you guys again." Not far behind her, higher up on an incline, sat the silverback, a picture of majestic power, like a king with his subjects at his feet. He seemed disinterested, but weighing in at close to 400 pounds; I did not want to upset him.
The Virunga Massif, volcanic peaks usually shrouded in mist along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are home to 10 gorilla families visited regularly by tourists.
Treks to observe the gorillas are strictly controlled and organized by officials in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park. Eager tourists arrive at park headquarters at 7 a.m. where they are divided into groups of eight, supposedly according to the difficulty of the hike ahead. Each group (a maximum of 10 groups or 80 tourists per day) is accompanied by a guide, trackers carrying machetes to blaze a trail, a gun-toting guard (in case of attack by Cape buffalo) and porters. Guides are in radio contact with other trackers stationed in the mountains who monitor the gorillas and advise them of the various gorilla family locations.
No longer young and fit, we asked to be in an "easy" trekking group since we had heard the hikes to locate the gorillas can take up to four hours, one way, over difficult terrain. I had been very nervous, not certain we were up to the challenge. My fears were assuaged when I met the others in our party: Fran (66) and John (76), seasoned hikers from Scotland; Selma (72) and Barry (a bit older) from D.C., and a mother- son couple from Germany. Annette, who appeared to be in her 70s, was on her fifth gorilla trek. "I'm addicted," she said.
Selma announced to the guide that she had had two knee replacements and could only hike if the terrain was flat. She explained that a woman in her hotel had seen the gorillas the previous day after an easy, 37-minute hike. She expected the same.
Poor Selma…close to three hours later, soaked to the bone, we finally found our gorillas. The hike started out as a pleasant walk in sunshine through farm fields. The sun soon disappeared and we started to climb, over rugged, rocky, slippery terrain. Up and up. Steeper and steeper. We were at an elevation of 8,500 feet. I was frequently out of breath, but there were rest stops.
Porters help with the ascent.
Fortunately I had hired a porter, Peragie, a tiny woman half my size but my savior. I had little to carry, just a small backpack with a water bottle and my camera. But, for only $10 (the standard charge for a porter), I figured it might be useful. She could hold my camera if I wanted to take photos with the phone and vice versa.
This mini power house did far more. On the steep sections, she took my hand and literally pulled me up. When the rains came, soon into the trek, she wiped my face and glasses. She tucked my pants into my boots – to keep the red ants away. She spoke no English, but I learned that she was 30 years old, a widow and mother of two young children. Her calm, gentle, caring demeanor was an inspiration and kept me going.
"My knees are wobbly. I can' go any farther. I won't make it," announced Selma, not far into the hike. Our guide assured her she could – would – make it. When we came to a high rock wall separating the fields from the forest, several porters lifted her over the obstacle. We charged on, but the going in the tangle of jungle vines, roots and branches was a challenge. Rain did not help. "How much farther?" Selma asked time and time again. However, we all were beginning to wonder if we would ever find the gorillas.
Over and over, guide Ignacie assured us they were not far ahead. "They've been here," he explained as he surveyed the terrain. Of course, they were not waiting for us, but continually on the move, higher and higher, searching for more tasty bamboo.
Playful baby
At last – a big patch of black lumbering through the jungle green ahead. We stopped. We could hear bamboo branches breaking. Suddenly more masses of matted black fur, on the right, left, ahead –all in motion. We were awestruck. After the grueling trek, it seemed miraculous.
Ignacie told us the youngest member of the family was a seven-day old baby. We came up behind the mother, cradling the infant in her arms. Unfortunately the 22-year-old silverback was ahead and she moved on to dutifully follow him before I could get a photo. The kids – all ages – were frolicking all around. Two teenagers got into a spat. "They are drunk," Ignacie said. Apparently overdosing on bamboo has the same effect as too much booze.
The rain stopped. We moved about, each of us zeroing in on different family members for close up photos. It was thrilling, amazing, and beyond our expectations to be so close to these intriguing creatures.
Trekkers are supposed to spend no more than one hour observing the gorillas. Perhaps because our journey had been so long and arduous, Ignacie was generous. We were with them a bit longer, but not long enough. You cannot get bored watching gorillas.
The trek down was worse than the ascent. It started to pour. This was the rainy season, and these rains were like no others I have known. The trackers decided to find a shorter route back through even denser jungle growth. The lead man thrashed a path with his machete. If it hadn't been for my guardian angel, I surely would have slipped or tripped.
Selma survived. "I am glad it's over," she said as we reached the end. Had Ignacie not insisted, she obviously would have quit. We later learned that rather than sending a participant back, the guides call for a stretcher. Trekkers are carried to the gorillas at an extra cost of $200. And, it is not uncommon for handicapped tourists to hire porters with a stretcher to take them to marvel at this wonder of nature.
Group photo while we waited for Selma and Barry who were far behind.
The gorilla experience is costly, $750 per person for the required permit. This includes the guide, trackers, guard, but not the porters. There is no shortage of visitors, however. Since 2004, the number of gorilla customers has almost tripled: 20,000 in 2014. Much of the revenue helps fight poachers, as well as contributes to the country's efforts to develop a high end tourist industry and continue its recovery from the horrific genocide of 1994.
Back in the early '80s when Fossey came to Rwanda, there were only about 240 mountain gorillas in the wild. They cannot survive in captivity. Today the number is estimated at about 900, with some 300 in the Volcanoes National Park.
Annette, our intrepid trekker from Germany, was planning to set off again the next day for another gorilla trek – her 6th. She said she had never been so close to the gorillas as she had on our trek, nor had she ever been on such a difficult trek.
Finding the Kwitonaa family did take far longer than anticipated, but only Selma complained. It is very rare that guides do not find the gorillas. If that happens, trekkers are offered the chance to try again the next day. Prosper Uwengeli, the park's chief warden, told a New York Times reporter that in more than 30 years, guides have never had to shoot a gorilla and no visitor has ever been harmed by one.
In a research report, Fossey wrote that mountain gorillas are "dignified, highly social, gentle giants with individual personalities and strong family relationships." Like Fossey and countless others who have watched them in the wild, I am enamored of these gentle giants and, if it weren't so costly, would gladly endure another trek for another visit.
Gorilla visitors can show up at the park at 7 a.m. with hopes of buying a permit for a trek that day, but that is risky as permits may be sold out. Most tourists book a package tour which includes the gorilla trek. We booked a 3-day package with Africa Adventure Safaris, an African company which also organizes tours in Uganda. Total for both of us was $3,250 which included a full-time driver/guide, three nights lodging and most meals, the gorilla permits, a permit and trek to visit endangered golden monkeys the day after the gorillas, city tour of Kigali and airport transfers. We were more than satisfied. www.rwandagorillassafari.com
Bad – very bad — hair day
From Rwanda, BB and I traveled south for more Adventure Africa: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Future posts will highlight our amazing experiences. But first, a bit more on Rwanda. Coming soon, "Rwanda — More than Gorillas."
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It's time for a hearty soup. East German Soljanka, a recipe from my friend and food writer Sharon Hudgins, is perfect to warm both body and soul. See Today's Taste, column at right.
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Author leahlarkinPosted on December 8, 2015 February 22, 2016 Categories Africa, Africa, Animals, Gorillas, Gorillas, Rwanda, Travel, travel., UncategorizedTags Africa, Gorillas, Hiking, Rwanda, travel, vacation16 Comments on Gorillas in our midst
Cannes: Far from the Madding crowd
The crowds are fierce in this Riviera hot spot in August. And, of course during its famous film festival when the world focuses on all the stars who pose on the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals.
Cannes viewed from the ferry
But, you can escape the masses and find tranquility amidst Mediterranean splendor just a short boat ride (20 minutes) away. We visited Cannes again this year to watch outstanding fireworks which are part of an international competition held every summer in Cannes. Fireworks are shot from numerous boats in the harbor and synchronized to music. Worth a trip!
So too is a visit to the off shore islands (Îsles de Lérins): Île Sainte Marquerite and Île Saint Honorat. Last summer we hiked around Ste. Marquerite, the larger island, and savored an excellent lunch on the shore. This time, Saint Honorat, the monks' island.
Splendid. The tiny island has no cars, no hotels, just one restaurant, two shops –and monks. In 410 AD, Honoratus, a Roman noble who became saintly and sought isolation, is said to have chosen the island, then full of snakes and scorpions and thought to be haunted, as an ideal retreat. Visitors followed. A monastic order was established.
11th century fortress was connected to the original abbey by a tunnel.
The monastery grew to become one of the most powerful in Christendom. Alas, peace and quiet did not last. Raids by Saracens and pirates in the 8th century took their toll, then later attacks by Spaniards. The monastery was closed in 1788, but reborn in 1859 when Cistercians took it over.
Today 20 monks live on Saint Honorat. In addition to praying, they cultivate grapes, eight hectares of vineyards, five for red wine, and three for white.
Monastery grapes are looking good.
We followed the mostly shaded trail along the island's craggy coastline, past rocky coves, ancient chapel ruins, an 11th century fortress and cannonball ovens. These curious structures were used in the 18th century to heat cannonballs so they would wreck further destruction on the ships they hit.
VR inspects a cannonball oven.
Signs along the way remind you to keep quiet and to respect the religious ambience – no bare chests. Mediterranean vegetation – pines, herbs, eucalyptus – borders the trail and makes for interesting photos. Other paths lead through the island interior, past the vineyards.
Respect the monks and their silence. Be decently attired. T-shirts and shorts obligatory.
It is truly another world: beautiful, peaceful and quiet. It was hard to fathom that those noisy masses on La Croisette, Cannes renowned boulevard, were not far away.
We stopped to visit the current abbey church and the shop which sold mainly wine. According to a brochure on the island wine, it is "full of spirituality." All the vintages are named after saints, but you will pay dearly for spiritual wine. The cheapest we found was 26 euro, but most were far more expensive.
No wine bargains here.
At La Tonnelle , the island restaurant, we each ordered a glass of the monk's brew to accompany our lunch. A glass of Sainte Cesaire (Chardonnay) for me at 8 euro; a glass of Saint Honorat (Syrah) for VR at 11.80 euro. I found my wine too oaky and too Chardonnay. Vino Roberto's was good, very robust. To take a bottle home: 33 euro. VR reasoned he could buy several good bottles back in the Luberon for that amount.
The lunch (we each ordered fish) was delicious. People watching at this seaside eatery also gets high marks. Pleasure boats cast anchor off shore. A tender ferries passengers to the restaurant, a constant parade of the yachting crowd.
Trip Advisor led me to the Hotel l'Olivier in Cannes, a small, family-run (22 rooms) hotel on a hillside overlooking the Med. Our room was tiny, but our terrace with a superb view was perfect. The hotel personnel were all very warm, welcoming and helpful. It was a bit of a walk to the town center, but good exercise. The hotel has a small pool, flowered terrace for al fresco breakfast, and it's quiet – a great escape from the chaos of La Croisette. A beach is also nearby. http://www.hotelolivier.com
Beach near the hotel
Another Trip Advisor find, the Bistrot Saint-Sauveur in Le Cannet, a town above Cannes, where we had an excellent lunch. www.bistrotsaintsauveur.fr
La Tonnelle, restaurant on the island, www.tonnelle-abbayedelerins.com
A leisurely saunter around the island takes about 1 ½ hours. Boats to both islands run about every hour during summer months. Round-trip ticket to Saint Honorat, 14 euro (price for seniors). More information www.cannes-ilesdelerins.com
Island olive tree
Don't miss Today's Taste in column at right: DILLY POTATO SALAD, my favorite potato salad.
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Author leahlarkinPosted on August 20, 2015 August 21, 2015 Categories Cannes, Food, France, Monk's vintages on Saint Honorat, Potato Salad, Reanch Riviera, Saint Honorat island, WineTags Cannes, France, French Riviera, Hiking, Saint Honorat island, travel, vacation, wine8 Comments on Cannes: Far from the Madding crowd
Meet Les Rosiers Renters 2014
Luberon weather during summer 2014 was not the stuff those vacationers from the north expect. The glorious sun that normally blazes every day in July and August, and most days in June, was too often on holiday, taking a rest behind massive clouds. Nonetheless those who rented the apartment at Les Rosiers, our home, did not complain. When the sun appeared, they were happy to plunge into the pool. They also hiked, biked, explored the region and discovered interesting sights. The season got off to an early start with our first renters who arrived in late April for a week, a young French family: Anne, Armand and precious Clement, a veritable model baby. We never heard a whimper. We rarely saw them as they set off early each morning and returned in the evening after a full day of sightseeing. Clement was no problem, his mother told me, as he was accustomed to being in the car for long periods. Amazing! Back for the fifth season, Austrians Klaus and Eva again spent four weeks with us, from early June to early July. Eva is a legal secretary, so Klaus, who is retired, arrives for the first week with his car and roof rack packed to the brim with beer and Austrian delicacies. He always presents us with generous gifts of the latter. Eva flies in for the middle two weeks. They lounge poolside, read, walk in the countryside, revisit favorite places and friends. Klaus also likes to do battle with those nasty wasps that like to drink from the pool and zap you with a painful sting if you are in the way. While in the water, he often walks around, fly swatter in hand, striking the enemies with vengeance. And, he loves to grill. He treated us to a fabulous meal of his specials one evening. Before leaving, he gave me a list of items needed in the apartment, something he has done in the past. This time he said we needed a fire extinguisher, salad spinner, and quality clothes hangers. He showed me one of the metal hangers from the apartment closet. "These are Alcatraz hangers," he announced, and then explained that at home they use wooden hangers. Rest assured Klaus, all have been purchased. No more Alcatraz hangers. Machteld and John from the Netherlands arrived for three weeks in July. They were content to rest and relax poolside. Machteld came with 20 books. She read 16. John was often on his computer, or photographing butterflies. They raved about Bacchus, a restaurant in nearby Pierrevert that John had found on Trip Advisor. It was so good, they went three times. And, they shopped. Machteld loves to cook. She went home with a car full of French goodies, including plenty of wine. "We love France, the food, the wine, the people," she said. They spend a summer holiday in a different part of France each summer. This was their first time in the Luberon. Fortunately, they and the other summer renters like cats. We have three, as well as many feline visitors. Machteld showed me photos of her two, one a Maine Coon, and we shared cat stories. Marco and Mireille from Alsace joined us for two August weeks. Marco was smitten with Filippo, a feisty feline who amuses with his antics, often chasing imaginary butterflies. A DJ in the evening, by day Marco manages his clothing stores. In his younger days he was a ski instructor at Val d'Isere. We had some serious ski talk. Mireille works with the elderly in a hospital. Their passion: hiking. They drove to different areas each day from where they set off on long, long treks. Wynand and Evelyn, another Dutch couple, began everyday with a poolside breakfast and swim. They were lucky — there was morning sun. Then, on to the bikes, which they had brought with them, for cycle excursions. "We enjoyed having a coffee everyday at the Reillanne (our village) cafes," Evelyn said. They also vacation in France every year, but usually camp near Mont Ventoux, the legendary mountain Wynand has conquered on his bicycle five times. Stef, Ninon and adorable Lise, 1 1/2 years old, came from Lyon where Ninon works as a "chef de cuisine" in a restaurant and Stef is in the communications industry. They did not venture too far, but did walk into Reillanne almost every day, about a 25-minute jaunt, at first up a very steep hill on a bumpy road. Stef pushed Lise in her baby carriage. She was another model infant — always smiling or laughing, a joy to admire. "Thank you for the welcome, the cats for their company, the flowers for their colors, the pool for its freshness and the road for its sweat, " Ninon wrote in our guest book.
If you'd like more information about the rental apartment, see http://www.les-rosiers.com
Like my blog? Please let me know. Feedback is most welcome. Leave a Reply below. Coming soon: Incredible Iceland. Don't miss it. Sign up to become a Tales and Travel follower, upper right. And, see Today's Taste for the latest recipe.
Author leahlarkinPosted on October 7, 2014 October 13, 2014 Categories B&B, Cats, Food, France, Luberon B&B, Luberon Vacation Rental, Provence, Provence Vacation Rental, Travel, Vacatin RentalTags Food, France, Hiking, Luberon, Provence, travel, vacation, Vacation Rental8 Comments on Meet Les Rosiers Renters 2014
Italy's German Accent: Sud Tyrol
Signs advertising "Speck" everywhere we looked: along the roads, in shop windows, at street stands. "Speck" is German for bacon, but we had just come down the mountains from Switzerland into Italy, not Germany.
This was northern Italy, known as Sud Tyrol in German and Alto Adige in Italian. The majority of the population speaks German – and obviously eats plenty of Speck. Ordinary bacon this regional specialty is not, nor should it be confused with Italian prosciutto (ham). Speck is rubbed with herbs, spices and berries, smoked for different lengths of time with different hardwoods, and air dried in the area's mountain climate. This makes it distinct, unique – the echt expression of the region.
Speckmantel gebratener Ziegenkase auf gedunsten Feldsalt (Goat cheese enveloped in Speck — yummy)
I was on my annual trip to research articles for the magazine German Life, with BB as my chauffeur, Sherpa and trusty companion. After a few days in Leukerbad, a Swiss spa town in the Alps, followed by a visit to Davos, we proceeded to this intriguing part of Italy.
Since German predominates here, I'll call it Sud Tyrol. Our travels took us to Merano, Bolzano, Brixen, and lovely spots in between. We found it all enticing and enjoyed two fascinating museums, picturesque hikes, the charming towns, some excellent meals and a wonderful hotel. BB, who sadly does not do much biking these days but is passionate about wine, was thrilled with the local vintages. I may have to change his name from Bicycle Bob (BB) to Vino Roberto (VR). Which shall it be?
Merano (Meran) is a marvel, a beauty of a town on the banks of the frisky Passirio River with fanciful flower beds, an arcaded shopping street and a spa center, all surrounded by mountains. The riverside summer and winter promenades (passeggiate d'Inverno and passeggiate d'Estate) – paths through woods, past flowers and tropical plants, with the sounds of the rambunctious river tumbling over rocks, are glorious. We stopped to watch a kayaker practice on surging rapids.
"North and south meet here. It's the best of two worlds," said our Bolzano city guide, Luciano Rech, who filled us in on the region's history. Sud Tyrol was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire until World War I during which Italy initially remained neutral. In 1915, as an incentive to enter on their side, the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria and Hungary) offered Italy a chunk of land, all territories south of the Alpine water divide regardless of the ethnic makeup of the regions. At the time, 92.2 per cent of the population was said to be ethnic Germans. In 1919 the territory was annexed by Italy, and has been Italian ever since, with the exception of the years 1943-1945 when it was de facto annexed to the German Reich until the fall of Germany. Both German and Italian are considered official languages.
It has not always been a peaceful co-existence, marred at times by repression and terrorism. During the 1930s and again in the 1950s Italians were forcibly resettled to the region. According to the 2011 census, German speakers make up 61.5 percent of the population, Italian speakers, 23.1 percent, and 4 percent speak Ladin, an ancient language derived from Latin. All seems peaceful, and the region has a significant degree of autonomy. However, there are still some who resent being under the yoke of Rome and argue for independence.
"I'm Tyrolean" announces Rech. "I don't feel we are the same as people from Naples, Rome." Many others I spoke too echoed his sentiments.Bolzano (Bozen), a bustling city and the capital of Sud Tyrol, is the home of Ötzi, the mummy of an Iceman discovered in
Recreation of Otzi
1991 in the mountains at the edge of a melting glacier. The museum where he is preserved behind glass is a must with enlightening exhibits of garb and objects that were found with him. And, extensive documentation, including videos, on the sensational find and what has been learned from and about Ötzi. He died 5,300 years ago after having been shot by an arrow, presumably murdered.
Famous mountain climber Reinhold Messner (first solo ascent of Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen) has created the Messner Mountain Museum outside of town on the slopes of a mountain and in the ruins of a castle. It's a genuine mountain experience, with lots of steps (I felt we were back in Myanmar), skinny walkways, metal ladders and fabulous views. Follow the itinerary in and out of buildings, up slopes and towers, across bridges, past exhibits on his climbs, mountain terrain, Himalayan artifacts and more. Messner, who is a native of Brixen in Sud Tyrol, has established four other mountain museums in the province.
En route to Bolzano we stopped for an overnight so we could take a hike in the hills and soak in the scenery. We trekked amongst grape vines and apple orchards, and stumbled upon some sexy snakes. We had a wonderful lunch at an eatery under an arbor of grape vines with gorgeous views. The food, especially the apple strudel, was definitely more Germanic than Italian. The proprietors also sell wine, so of course we tasted and bought.
Unfortunately we did not make it to the mighty Dolomites which are part of the province for some real mountain hiking. After Bolzano we spent two nights at an inn, the Ansitz Zehentner, in the town of Lajen (Laion) where a rollicking fest was underway when we arrived. Women in dirndls. Men in trachten (traditional costume). Plenty of beer. And, blasen music (wind instruments). We could have been back in Germany.
Frau Schenk, proprietor of the inn which dates back to 1358, suggested a hike through fields and forests to a well-known hotel and restaurant , Gasthof Ansitz Fonteklaus. Sitting outside under mammoth trees amidst the mountain scenery was perfect — and so was the food.
Our travels ended in Brixen (Bressanone), another gem of a town, where we splurged and spent a night at the classy Elephant Hotel with an excellent dinner in the hotel's noted restaurant. The 450-year old hotel has been run by the same family since 1773. It was named after the pachyderm which was sent by Suleiman I to Archduke Maximilan as a gift in 1551. The elephant had a long journey from India, to Portugal, then Genoa and onto the Alps where it rested at the inn in Brixen, causing a sensation among the locals who had never seen such a beast, en route to Vienna. The elephant fresco on the hotel's façade was painted many, many years later by someone who had never seen an elephant but based his rendering on descriptions. What happened to the well-traveled elephant? I learned that after the epic journey it only survived another two years.
Before heading back to France I stopped at a butcher shop and loaded up on some very savory sausage — and Speck.
Bolzano: www.bolzano-bozen.it
Ötzi : www.iceman.it
Messner Mountain Museum: www.messner-mountain-museum.it
Excellent central hotel in Bolzano (Stadt Hotel Citta): www.hotelcitta.info
Ansitz Zehentner: www.zehentnerhof.com
Hotel Elephant: www.hotelelephant.com
Comments welcome and appreciated. Today's Taste features a recipe for Rhubarb Streusel Pie. If you like rhubarb, you'll love this. See "Today's Taste" at the top of this post. While you are up there, sign up to become a Tales and Travel follower.
Trip finale — dinner in the romantic Hotel Elephant dining room.
Author leahlarkinPosted on June 20, 2014 June 25, 2014 Categories Food, Hiking, Iceman, Italy, Italy, Museums, Reinhold Messner, Speck, Sud Tyrol, Travel, UncategorizedTags Food, Hiking, Italy, Museums, Sud Tyrol, travel8 Comments on Italy's German Accent: Sud Tyrol
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TODAY'S TASTE: Click on title for recipe and scroll down for more recipes.
COSTA RICAN CEVICHE
1. APPETIZERS
BASIL AIOLI
CHEVRE AU GRATIN (Baked Goat Cheese)
GOAT CHEESE MOUSSE WITH MINT PESTO
SPICY PEANUT DIP
2. SOUPS
BAKED GARLIC AND ONION CREAM SOUP
BLACK BEAN AND PUMPKIN SOUP
CHILLED AVOCADO SOUP TOPPED WITH CRAB
CURRIED PEANUT AND TOMATO SOUP
EAST GERMAN SOLJANKA
GINGERED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH SPICY PECAN CREAM
GREAT GAZPACHO
HARVEST BISQUE
MOROCCAN SPICED COLD TOMATO SOUP
SUGAR MILL CURRIED BANANA SOUP
3. SALADS
CHOPPED SALAD WITH FETA, GREEN ONIONS AND PINE NUTS
CURRIED SHRIMP SALAD
DILLY POTATO SALAD
GRAPE SALAD (Minnesota?)
MELON SALAD WITH FETA AND PINE NUTS
SUPER SLAW
WATERMELON SALAD WITH FETA AND MINT
4. FISH & SEAFOOD
BAKED SALMON FILLETS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND CORIANDER
GRILLED SCALLOPS WIH MELON-AVOCADO SALSA
LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP, TOMATOES AND FETA SABRAW
PASTA WITH SMOKED SALMON
POACHED TROUT WITH LIME MAYONNAISE
SCALLOPS WITH APPLE CURRY SAUCE
SHRIMP QUICHE LORRAINE
5. POULTRY
CHICKEN MAFE
CHICKEN TAGINE
CHICKEN YASSA
DUCK BREASTS IN BALSAMIC VINEGAR
MAFE (CHICKEN AND VEGGIES IN PEANUT SAUCE)
MALAYSIAN-STYLE CHICKEN CURRY
POACHED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ARUGULA PESTO SAUCE
SRI LANKAN CHICKEN CURRY
STEVE'S TAGINE
THAI GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO DIPPING SAUCE
6. VEGGIE SPECIALS
BELGIAN ENDIVE GRATIN
BROCCOLI PARMESAN GRATIN
ENDIVES AU GORGONZOLA
HELEN'S BRANDIED SWEET POTATOES
LECSO (Hungarian Ratatouille)
LEEKS AU GRATIN WITH ROQUEFORT
PEPERONI AL FORNO CON GORGONZOLA
SOUTHEAST ASIAN SQUASH CURRY
SPAGHETTI SQUASH GRATIN
SPINACH RISOTTO
SQUASH RONAY
THAI GREEN BEANS
TWO CHEESE SPINACH AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE
8. MEAT & MAINS
ENCHILADA PIE
GRILLED LEG OF LAMB
GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE
GRILLED SPICE-RUBBED PORK WITH TOMATO GARLIC SAUCE
HOLIDAY PORK ROAST
SHAKSHUKA WITH FETA
SLOWLY BRAISED LAMB
THAI-STYLE BEEF AND ASPARAGUS CURRY
9. DESSERTS
ALMOND PEAR CLAFOUTI
BERRY TART WITH MASCARPONE CREAM
BLACKBERRY COBBLER MAQUIRE
CHILLED MELON WITH LIME AND GINGER
HELEN'S DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE
HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE
HSIN'S STRAWBERRY CAKE
LEMON GINGER POUND CAKE
LEMONY LEMON BROWNIES
MEG'S BAKLAVA
PALANCHINA (CROATIAN CREPES)
PUMPKIN GINGERSNAP TIRAMISU
RASPBERRY CREME FRAICHE TART
RHUBARB STREUSEL PIE
RUM CAKE (JANE'S BIRTHDAY)
STRAWBERRY SUPER PIE
TOMATO TARTE TATIN
BORDERLAND CORN BREAD
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES WITH MAPLE SYRUP APPLES
COOKIES: GREEK CRESCENTS
PUFFED APPLE PANCAKE
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This is an antique Japanese military sake cup, decorated with a flag, a badge of the Order of Rising Sun, and some cherry blossoms. The words are "Temporary Korea Dispatch Commemoration" and on the back "60th Infantry Regiment" and the soldier's name Hashigawa. This cup refers to an early intervention from Japan - probably at the 1st Sino Japanese War of 1895.


Two houseboats were destroyed and a family was left without a home when a fire tore through a marina in the Manorhaven section of Port Washington early Monday morning.
The flames broke out at around 2 a.m. inside a houseboat located at Haven Marina off Matinecock Avenue.
George Martin and Pia Haselbach, owners of the houseboat, say the fire apparently started in a closet that had no electricity, so they're unsure how it started. They woke up to the crackling noise of the fire and escaped safely, but they lost their possessions and their four cats, who are believed to have perished in the fire.
The flames spread to a nearby house boat that was in the process of being rebuilt after sustaining major damage during Superstorm Sandy. The owners had spent a lot of time, money and effort to restore it and were planning on moving in soon, according to neighbors. Four other boats sustained varying levels of damage in the fire, officials say.
It took the Port Washington Fire Department about an hour and a half to get the fire under control. Crews said the narrow, ice-covered docks hampered their operations.
The Nassau fire marshal will investigate the cause of the fire, but it will take some time because the house boat sunk after the fire.
Martin and Haselbach say they are grateful for the donations that have been coming in through their church, the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Port Washington. Just a few hours after the fire, several thousand dollars had already come in.
The church says it is accepting donations to pass along to them.


text:
Women staged a flash protest outside the courthouse where Harvey Weinstein is being tried
"It's not my fault — not where I was, not how I dress," a female flash mob chanted outside a Manhattan criminal court on Friday.
Inspired by protests against sexual violence that emerged last year in Chile, dozens of women, clad in black with glints of red, gathered outside the courthouse where former film producer Harvey Weinstein is being tried for allegedly raping a woman in 2013 and sexually assaulting another woman in 2006.
"And the rapist is you!" they chanted, before going on to point fingers at police, courts, judges and President Donald Trump for contributing to a culture in which sexual assault survivors feel their voices are don't matter.
Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to two counts of predatory sexual assault, two counts of rape and one count of a criminal sexual act. The trial is still in the jury selection phase.
'Un Violador en Tu Camino'
Friday's demonstration in New York was inspired by a Chilean protest chant that went viral around the world.
In Spanish, the chant is titled "Un Violador en Tu Camino," which translates to "A Rapist in Your Path."
Lastesis, an all-female art collective from Valparaíso, Chile, posted videos on its Instagram page of massive groups of women chanting the protest anthem on Chilean streets in late November and early December.
When hundreds of women performed the chant in the streets of the Chilean capital of Santiago, it caught the eye of New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who tweeted in solidarity with the protesters.
At the New York courthouse on Friday, in choreographed motion to a driving drum beat, the women chanted in both English and Spanish.
Patriarchy is our judge that imprisons us at our birth
And our punishment is the violence you don't see
They repurposed the Chilean chant for an American audience, protesting the man whose alleged transgressions helped launch the #MeToo movement and an international reckoning about issues related to sexual assault.
"We're at this location today because it's very symbolic of everything that's happening in our justice system," said one of the protesters in a video interview obtained by CNN.
She goes on to say that "Harvey Weinstein and what he represents is so indicative of powerful men who feel like they can do anything that they want."
Leaders are gathering in Jerusalem for the Auschwitz anniversary. Poland's president won't be there
Wuhan coronavirus death toll rises to nine with 471 infected says China, sparking fears of wider spread


text:
Stelco suitor shown the door by U.S. Steel Canada, sources say
The pool of suitors for the former Stelco has been cut to two.
Sources confirm the board of directors of U.S. Steel Canada has rejected a bid for the troubled company from Essar Global, the India-based conglomerate that owns Essar Steel Algoma in Sault St. Marie.
USSC spokesperson Trevor Harris said in an email exchange: "We continue to respect the integrity of the process and the (non-disclosure agreements) so won't discuss the identity or number of participants currently involved in the process.
"However, I can confirm that certain parties previously involved are no longer involved in the sales and investor solicitation process, following a conclusion that they would not be able to complete a qualified bid that could result in a going-concern solution."
Sources familiar with the Stelco sales process and its bidders say the eliminated company is Essar Global. Its bid was rejected, sources say, because USSC and its advisers were concerned the company lacks the financial wherewithal to complete a purchase.
That's the same reason given by Algoma and its advisers for bouncing the Indian company from the bidding for the Soo's largest employer.
The decision leaves only two investment funds in the bidding for Stelco: KPS Capital and Bedrock Industries, both of New York City.
KPS was recently chosen as the preferred bid for Algoma, but its offer is conditional on getting a new collective agreement with the United Steelworkers and the "support" of the Ontario government.
Getting the union's support hangs on how the hedge funds plan to settle $1.3 billion in pension shortfalls between the companies. To date, KPS has said it will not pick up the deficit but will make annual payments to the Algoma fund and contribute a share of annual profits.
The company has made no statement about its approach to the Stelco fund, but union leaders say they expect a similar attitude here. They have also expressed support for Essar's bids for both companies because it promised to settle pension shortfalls.
Gary Howe, president of USW Local 1005 in Hamilton, said the union remains devoted to its "holy trinity" of issues — jobs, pensions and health benefits for retirees — and will oppose any bid that doesn't address those questions.
"We are obviously not very happy with this development and will have strong feelings if that's what happens," Howe said. "We don't think either one of them has any interest in picking up the pensions."
Sources familiar with the bids, who asked for anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly, said both offers are for the entire companies.
Howe said union leaders have met with executives of both hedge funds and neither provided the comfort workers sought.
"KPS talked about putting in a fixed amount and share of profits," he said. "The man from Bedrock seemed like a serious guy, but he doesn't see himself putting pensions on the balance sheet."
Sources also say Essar is not to be counted out yet and may find a way back into the bidding process.
One such effort in Algoma had the union go to court with an unsuccessful motion asking that Algoma be required to consider the Indian company's bid.
"Essar is still working very closely with the union," one source said. "By no means is it pens down at Essar yet.
"The union has a trump card here and they're not going to sign off on any deal until they get close to what they want," the source added.
McMaster University business professor Marvin Ryder warned it's still possible U.S. Steel, owner of the former Stelco and its largest secured creditor, could refuse to accept any bid for the Hamilton company and push for its liquidation.
That's a fact, he said, that should tell union leaders it's time to compromise.
"I still think a possible decision is 'no go' on either of them," he said.
"The union is looking for a best-of-everything solution, but I'm just not sure the best of everything is on the table."


text:
Q: BeautifulSoup remove special characters of contents of tag I want to compare a string with the contents of a html page. But the special characters in the HTML page makes this comparison harder. So I want to remove all the special characters and white spaces from the HTML page before comparison. But all the tags must remain the same.
that is

 Hai ! this is first inner div;

 "this is second div... "

this should be converted to

Haithisisfirstinnerdiv

thisisseconddiv

How this can be done?

A: Find all the leaf tags and change their strings.
alphabet = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrtsuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ'

def replace(soup):
    for child in soup.children:
        if child.string:
            child.string = ''.join([ch for ch in child.string if ch in alphabet])
        else:
            replace(child)

from bs4 import BeautifulSoup

orig_string = """

 Hai ! this is first inner div;

 "this is second div... "

 """

soup = BeautifulSoup(orig_string)
print soup.prettify() # original HTML
replace(soup)
print
print soup.prettify() # new HTML

Output:

    Hai ! this is first inner div;

    "this is second div... "

    Haithisisfirstinnerdiv

    thisisseconddiv

A: First off, BeautifulSoup already fixes up some broken HTML when calling BeautifulSoup() So:

Goes to

Here's how to get rid of the whitespace and special characters:
>>> from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
>>> html = """

 Hai ! this is first inner div;

 "this is second div... "

"""
>>> soup = BeautifulSoup(html)
>>> for divtag in soup.findAll('div'):
...     if 'inner' in divtag['class'][0]:
...         divtag.string = ''.join(i for i in divtag.string if i.isalnum())
>>> print soup

Haithisisfirstinnerdiv

thisisseconddiv

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Police have identified Jacob Robert Rauguth, 19, of Pittsfield Township, as the victim of the fatal crash in York Township Sunday.
A 19-year-old Saline man is dead following a two-car collision at the intersection of Moon and Bemis roads in York Township.
A 59-year-old Ypsilanti woman is accused of stealing from a Saline woman who hired her to prepare her home while she recovered.
A drunk 30-year-old Saline man resisted arrest by Saline police officers June 10.
Saline Police Department personnel were honored for professionalism and heroism at the May 15 Saline City Council meeting.
Two people were transported to hospital following a crash in Lodi Township Thursday afternoon.
A couple of young animals were killed in a horse barn fire in York Township Friday afternoon.
Residents are invited for breakfast at the Saline Area Fire Department Friday morning.
Saline Police are asking for the public's help to identify a suspect who damaged a veteran's wheelchair.
Two employees of JAC Products called police to report someone broke into their vehicles and stole items April 13.
The Washtenaw County Prosecutor's Office has authorized a complaint against a 50-year-old Clark Street man accused of indecent exposure.
Saline resident Shawn Andrew Macomber, 43, was killed in a crash Sunday evening in Augusta Township.


After being cooped up for the past week and not being able to ride due to the rain and cold I decided to go out on this beautiful first day of no rain.
It was a perfect day for a ride BUT I should have stuck to riding on the road instead of the trails.
But all in all I was out doors on a bike and had a blast.


The little man at the center of the spasmodically funny and bleak love story "Big Fan" doesn't come with a halo slung over his head. His speeches are written in ballpoint with a heavy hand and delivered with bleats and bellows on the radio. (The words are so deeply inscribed on the page you could read them by touch.) He doesn't come with a fanfare and, to judge by the square, squat cut of his jib, he's an unlikely contender. He's a regular guy or as close to regular as any 35-year-old can possibly be who sleeps under a poster of his favorite football star while tucked under a coverlet imprinted with the names of N.F.L. teams.
As its title suggests, "Big Fan" is about the love that speaks its name, though also often shrieks it in rock arenas, sports stadiums and other public places of worship. That love can be a beautiful, touching thing: I still remember John Belushi kindly taking the time to sign an autograph that I soon threw away. I just wanted the contact with someone I adored (and being a teenager, I had no idea of its possible market value). There's a kind of grace in that kind of exchange, as the idol recognizes the supplicant and, if only during the seconds it takes to scrawl a name on a scrap of paper, comes down to earth with the rest of us.
An inability to recognize that love gives "Big Fan" its igniting moment. One evening while chowing down on pizza in Staten Island, two friends, Paul (Patton Oswalt) and Sal (Kevin Corrigan), notice Paul's favorite Giants player, the fictional Quantrell Bishop (Jonathan Hamm), gassing up his S.U.V. Giddy with excitement, the friends start tailing Bishop. They spend much of their days and most of their solitary nights obsessing about the Giants, swapping stories about the team's triumphs and defeats like war veterans, so following him seems natural, even if it means entering unknown territory like Manhattan. (Where, an incredulous Paul marvels, there are no parking spaces.) Then Bishop discovers he's been shadowed and flies into a rage, unleashing all the furious energy that makes him so magnificent on the field.
Paul ends up in the hospital, his head wrapped in bandages. Much of what ensues involves his coming to painful terms with the horror of that violent night, a reckoning that upends his life and a favorite late-evening ritual: his calls into a local sports radio show. These broadcast interludes are the high point of his day, week, perhaps life, giving "Paul from Staten Island," as he's called, the chance to advocate on behalf of the Giants while trash-talking the competition. Reading from a notepad and pouring all his libidinal energy into the task, he drops statistics, predicts plays and taunts the enemy, his voice alive with swagger and heat. More than an enthusiast, he is a defender of the faith.
Mr. Oswalt, a standup comic who also voiced Remy the rat in the Pixar animation "Ratatouille," seems to expand physically during these scenes, almost as if his love for his team made him a giant too. He puffs out his chest and rocks a bit, his voice ebbing and flowing with oratory grandiloquence. There's no one around, save for his mother (Marcia Jean Kurtz) in the bedroom next door who, borrowing a favorite strategy from Rupert Pupkin's mom, occasionally yells at him to shut up. But Paul has an audience, including the admiring Sal, who alone in his own apartment, takes visible, somewhat baffled pride in his friend's radio performances, smiling along to every beat. Being a big fan also makes Paul into something of a celebrity.
The writer Robert Siegel, here making his debut as a director, doesn't push the analogy. One of the pleasures of this agreeably low-key and modest film is that he isn't selling a message or trying to wring a grand metaphor out of his humble material: he's created a somewhat simple story about a man who turns out to be rather less simple than he first appears. Unlike his script for "The Wrestler," with its embarrassment of clichés and bucket of tears, the screenplay for "Big Fan" avoids sentimentality without abandoning sentiment. Paul might make you squirm, but Mr. Siegel refuses to sell him out so you can feel more comfortable with his eccentricities, no small thing in contemporary independent cinema.
Working with the cinematographer Michael Simmonds, Mr. Siegel finds a suitably grubby visual look for the film, which employs handheld camerawork that alternately puts Paul at an analytical distance and draws him close. (Only when Paul dreams of Bishop do the colors pop.) The unremarkable settings include the gloomy parking lot where Paul works and the much larger stadium parking lot where he and Sal watch Giant games on a TV run off a car engine. Like Paul's bedroom, these emptied-out, liminal spaces in which other people are forever coming and going can seem terribly lonely, even sad. But to feel sorry for him is to miss the point of "Big Fan," which is that a life filled with so much generous love needs no pity.
"Big Fan" is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Salty language and self-love.
Written and directed by Robert Siegel; director of photography, Michael Simmonds; edited by Joshua Trank; music by Philip Watts; production designer, Sharoz Makarechi; produced by Jean Kouremetis and Elan Bogarin; released by First Independent Pictures. In Manhattan at the Angelika Film Center, Mercer and Houston Streets, Greenwich Village. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes.
WITH: Patton Oswalt (Paul Aufiero), Kevin Corrigan (Sal), Michael Rapaport (Philadelphia Phil), Marcia Jean Kurtz (Theresa Aufiero), Matt Servitto (Detective Velardi), Gino Cafarelli (Jeff Aufiero), Serafina Fiore (Gina Aufiero), Polly Humphreys (Christine), Jonathan Hamm (Quantrell Bishop) and Scott Ferrall (Sports Dogg).


Mutterings from BJ Kerry: Clichés. Don't you just love em?
"He's as gay as two planks" she said.
I mean I can understand the phrase thick as two planks.
wasn't it wouldn't be much use and its stiff and unyielding.
as you (NACAY) to compare them to two (not one) sturdy pieces of timber.
Not at all wooden, or oaken, they may be sturdy but they are not stiff.
So I begin to wonder about my friend, does she belong to the NACAY crowd.
Did I want to be seen hanging around with her?
After all birds of a feather are known by the company they keep.
Or is she just tired? Was she burning the midnight oil at both ends?
Is she not the sharpest tool in the basket?
Also, best non-cliche, cliche ever is: He's as camp as a row of pink tents'.


The series is about an open-source client-side framework, called NX. During the series, I explain the main difficulties I had to overcome while writing the framework. If you are interested in NX please visit the home page.
The most common eval() alternative is complete re-implementation - a two-step process, which consists of parsing and interpreting the passed string. First the parser creates an abstract syntax tree, then the interpreter walks the tree and interprets it as code inside a sandbox.
This is a widely used solution, but it is arguably too heavy for such a simple thing. Rewriting everything from scratch instead of patching eval() introduces a lot of bug opportunities and it requires frequent modifications to follow the latest language updates as well.
This section will progressively introduce these features and use them to explain the nx-compile code evaluation library. The library has a function called compileCode(), which works like below.
By the end of this article, we will implement the compileCode() function in less than 20 lines.
The Function constructor is an alternative to eval(). new Function(...args, 'funcBody') evaluates the passed 'funcBody' string as code and returns a new function that executes that code. It differs from eval() in two major ways.
It evaluates the passed code just once. Calling the returned function will run the code without re-evaluating it.
It doesn't have access to local closure variables, however, it can still access the global scope.
new Function() is a better alternative to eval() for our use case. It has superior performance and security, but global scope access still has to be prevented to make it viable.
The with statement extends the scope chain for a statement.
with uses the in operator internally. For every variable access inside the block, it evaluates the variable in sandbox condition. If the condition is truthy, it retrieves the variable from the sandbox. Otherwise, it looks for the variable in the global scope. By fooling with to always evaluate variable in sandbox as truthy, we could prevent it from accessing the global scope.
The Proxy object is used to define custom behavior for fundamental operations like property lookup or assignment.
An ES6 Proxy wraps an object and defines trap functions, which may intercept fundamental operations on that object. Trap functions are invoked when an operation occurs. By wrapping the sandbox object in a Proxy and defining a has trap, we can overwrite the default behavior of the in operator.
The above code fools the with block. variable in sandbox will always evaluate to true because the has trap always returns true. The code inside the with block will never try to access the global object.
A symbol is a unique and immutable data type and may be used as an identifier for object properties.
The Symbol.unscopables well-known symbol is used to specify an object value of whose own and inherited property names are excluded from the 'with' environment bindings.
Symbol.unscopables defines the unscopable properties of an object. Unscopable properties are never retrieved from the sandbox object in with statements, instead they are retrieved straight from the closure or global scope. Symbol.unscopables is a very rarely used feature. You can read about the reason it was introduced on this page.
We can fix above issue by defining a get trap on the sandbox Proxy, which intercepts Symbol.unscopables retrieval and always returns undefined. This will fool the with block into thinking that our sandbox object has no unscopable properties.
The code is now secure, but its performance can be still upgraded, since it creates a new Proxy on every invocation of the returned function. This can be prevented by caching and using the same Proxy for every function call with the same sandbox object.
A proxy belongs to a sandbox object, so we could simply add the proxy to the sandbox object as a property. However, this would expose our implementation details to the public, and it wouldn't work in case of an immutable sandbox object frozen with Object.freeze(). Using a WeakMap is a better alternative in this case.
The WeakMap object is a collection of key/value pairs in which the keys are weakly referenced. The keys must be objects, and the values can be arbitrary values.
A WeakMap can be used to attach data to an object without directly extending it with properties. We can use WeakMaps to indirectly add the cached Proxies to the sandbox objects.
This way only one Proxy will be created per sandbox object.
The above compileCode() example is a working sandboxed code evaluator in just 19 lines of code. If you would like to see the full source code of the nx-compile library, you can find it in this Github repository.
Apart from explaining code evaluation, the goal of this chapter was to show how new ES6 features can be used to alter the existing ones, instead of re-inventing them. I tried to demonstrate the full power of Proxies and Symbols through the examples.
I hope you found this a good read, see you next time when I'll discuss data binding!
If you have any thoughts on the topic, please share them in the comments.


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Q: CSS Drop Menu Issue (IE Only) Having a bit of an issue with a CSS drop menu showing up strangely in IE 7 & 8. Basically, the styling is coming across, but there is a delay that looks related to the positioning of the child menus. At initial hover, the child menu is positioned incorrectly.
Then, once I honestly just jiggle the mouse around, it sets itself in the correct place.
Once I have done that, the other menu items fall in line, but with a slight delay. Any ideas as to what the deal is here?
The site working is http://new.layrenewal.com
Could the following scripts be conflicting: (PIE & IE.js)?

A: if you remove the position:relative from #dropmenu ?


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Hugh Leach
Hugh Leach, OBE, an Arabist, spent most of his thirty-six-year career as a soldier and diplomat in the Middle East. His last four years were spent in making a seminal study of contemporary trends in Islam. After retiring, he became interested in exploring regions of Central Asia, especially the sources of the Oxus and Jaxartes, and had led several expeditions of young people into the mountainous regions of northern Pakistan. He was Historian of the Royal Society of Asian Affairs (formerly the Royal Central Asian Society) and author of its centennial history, Strolling about on the Roof of the World.
Leach died at 81 in November 2015.
Books by Hugh Leach
Seen in the Yemen


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