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Home/Bookshelf/"Longmire" Solves Sturgis Mystery
Craig Johnson and his 1996 BMW R1100GS
"Longmire" Solves Sturgis Mystery
September 10, 2016	Comments Off on "Longmire" Solves Sturgis Mystery
Craig Johnson is a best-selling author and a motorcycle enthusiast. His "Longmire" mysteries about a Wyoming sheriff have sold more than 1.5 million copies and been turned into a television series that shifts from the A&E cable network to the Netflix streaming service this month.
A new novel, "An Obvious Fact," gets published Tuesday and uses the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally as a backdrop. That gave RIDE-CT & RIDE-NewEngland a good reason to ask Johnson a few questions this week in advance of a book tour visit to New England. He will be at the Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth, N.H. at 7 p.m. Wednesday for a Q&A and book signing:
Bud Wilkinson: Let me start by admitting to being a newcomer to Longmire. Going on the assumption that I'm not alone (although I may be) and that the setting for "An Obvious Fact" will likely introduce new readers/riders to Sheriff Walt Longmire, how did the character, the supporting players and the entire series of mysteries originate back in 2004?
Craig Johnson: The "Longmire" series started as a response to all the CSI stuff that was out there in both television and books. It seemed to me that technology was robbing the stories of their humanity, so I started thinking what if you did a procedural that took place in the least populated county in the least populated state in the country – that would force you to focus more on character and place, and that's where the best writing is done. "An Obvious Fact" is the twelfth novel in the series along with two novellas and a collection of short stories. We've been on the New York Times Bestseller's list for the last seven years and they've made a television show that's on Netflix with a new season debuting September 23rd, so I guess it was a successful gamble.
BW: You're a motorcyclist. Why so long to incorporate your two-wheeled passion into a major part of a Longmire plot? Were you consciously trying to expand your audience into the riding community or was it just that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally offered an irresistible, chaotic setting?
CJ: Well, the books are set in the contemporary West and in my part of the west, Sturgis is a big deal. I like having Walt dealing with the things that actual western sheriffs deal with and not chasing Al-Qaida in Crook County or on a cruise ship. I've always had motorcycles and really like them, whereas Walt doesn't. I've done Sturgis, and it's quite the circus.
BW: "An Obvious Fact" contains lots of historical nuggets, such as how the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally got started and some Indian history. Is this a one-off situation or is it always your goal that readers come away maybe having learned something from your novels?
CJ: I think you have a responsibility to the reader to inform them about a place, but especially if it's a place you love. My ranch is here on the high plains at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains on the Wyoming/Montana border and it's a beautiful place to ride. I think history provides a context for the reader and it's fun for me to dig up those bits of history that might not make it into the textbooks.
BW: Your bio notes that you own three motorcycles; a 2009 Harley-Davidson Softail Cross Bones, a 1996 BMW R1100GS and a Kawasaki KDX 400. How did you get introduced to riding? With a Cross Bones and a GS, am I correct in assuming that you like all types of riding? In "An Obvious Fact," Henry Standing Bear competes in a hill climb. Have you ever tried it? And what's your most vivid riding memory?
CJ: Four, actually, (the fourth being a 2000 Harley-Davidson Sportster)… I'm a fan of all types of riding with a collection of on-road and off-road bikes. You have to remember that there are ten thousand miles of unpaved roads in the state and that's the place my novels usually take place. One of my favorite things to do is pack up a lunch and take off on one of the bikes for a day trip and do a little research… I raced motocross when I was young and almost lost an eye, but that's a long story.
BW: Is the Sturgis Rally an event you partake of, or do you avoid it like the plague? For riders here in the East who have never made the trek, does it need to be on every rider's bucket list?
CJ: I think you have to try everything once and the Sturgis Rally has to be on the list, it's like Las Vegas and you just need to surrender yourself to the excess and embrace it.
BW: Is there a motorcycle adventure yet to be checked off on your bucket list?
CJ: I'd like to ride to Alaska or Tierra Del Fuego, but I'd also like to run 61 from Memphis to New Orleans, then I've got a French translator and her boyfriend who want to run the entire length of Route 66… The road is calling.
BW: It's safe to say that riding is most always fun. What about writing? A chore? Or a pleasurable word exercise? Do you have a routine?
CJ: I love writing and it's a part of every day. I get up, get things straightened away on the ranch and then sit down and write. It's my life.
Robert Taylor plays Sheriff Walt Longmire on the TV series
BW: For Longmire fans, no background is necessary. But what do first-time readers need to know about Sheriff Walt Longmire, Henry Standing Bear and the others?
CJ: Walt and Henry are emblematic of the two major cultures in the contemporary American West, non-Native and Native. Walt's jurisdiction is alongside the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and these two men sometimes find themselves at odds, but they always remain friends. There's a lot of humor in the books, which is surprising to people, but anybody whose ever had a difficult job knows that keeping your sense of humor is imperative.
BW: One of the main characters in "An Obvious Fact" is an inanimate object – an MRAP. Ever driven one and are they really as complex and intimidating to operate as the novel suggests?
CJ: Nope, I've never driven one, but I kept seeing all these articles about sheriff and police department picking the things up and thought it would be fun to have one in a town of 396.
BW: Are you like many other riders, always on the lookout for another bike? Is there one model that you'd like to own someday?
CJ: I need a British bike to round things out, maybe a Triumph T100. Of course, if somebody were to offer me a '40-4 Indian like Henry's, I wouldn't turn it down.
BW: Having started on A&E, the "Longmire" television series wraps up a five-season run this season on Netflix, with the premiere scheduled for Sept. 23. Any thoughts on its final season and the TV adaptation in general?
CJ: Well, first off we hope it isn't the final season, we're trending on Netflix practically every night and we're all hoping the show runs for another ten years. I'm actually friends with the cast and crew and they come up to Buffalo, Wyoming for Longmire Days, along with about twenty thousand of their closest friends… It's a great show, a little different from the books, but that's to be expected – it's two different art forms, books and TV.
BW: Finally, you live on a ranch on the outskirts of Ucross, Wyoming, population 25. Sounds awfully quiet…
CJ: It's a little off the beaten path, but I love it here. I built my own ranch, pouring the concrete and stacking the logs and it gives me the focus I need to write the novels, and go for a ride or two…
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CHICAGO (June 11, 2012) – The recent completion of a $52 million project to rid Roxana Marsh of contaminated sediment will speed the recovery of Indiana's Grand Calumet River, marking a step forward for one of the Great Lakes' most complex Area of Concern cleanups. Representatives from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Indiana were joined by Congressman Pete Visclosky to discuss the project's impact at an event today in East Chicago, Indiana.
More than 575,000 cubic yards of sediment contaminated with PCBs and PAHs (polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), heavy metals and pesticides were removed or isolated from the marsh and the river. Fish consumption advisories, loss of habitat and other environmental problems in the Grand Calumet have largely been caused by contaminated sediment.
The federal government contributed 65 percent or $33.8 million to this GLRI Legacy Act project. Indiana used $18.2 million from its Natural Resources Damage Assessment Fund for the required 35 percent match. In the 1980s, the U.S. and Canada identified 43 highly degraded shoreline areas along the Great Lakes. Today there are 30 AOCs wholly in the U.S. or shared with Canada.
The Grand Calumet River originates in the east end of Gary, Indiana, and flows through the heavily industrialized cities of Gary, East Chicago and Hammond. The majority of the river's flow drains into Lake Michigan via the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, sending about one billion gallons of water into the lake per day. The Area of Concern begins 15 miles south of downtown Chicago and includes the east branch of the river, a small segment of the west branch and the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal.
The Great Lakes provide more than 30 million Americans with drinking water and underpin a multi-billion dollar economy. In February 2009, President Obama proposed the GLRI, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in two decades.
• Cleaning up toxics and toxic hot spot areas of concern.
• Promoting near-shore health by protecting watersheds from polluted runoff.
• Restoring wetlands and other habitats.
• Raising public awareness, tracking progress and working with partners.
The plan also ensures accountability by establishing measures of progress and benchmarks for success.
For more on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, see www.glri.us.
For more on this project and the GLRI Legacy Act, visit www.epa.gov/glla.


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Meet ACS Energy Letters Editor-in-Chief Prashant Kamat
Author: Jennifer Pavlick
Dr. Prashant Kamat
ACS is proud to announce the launch of a new journal, ACS Energy Letters, dedicated to showcasing the latest findings in energy conversion and storage from a variety of chemistry disciplines. Leading this exciting new journal is Dr. Prashant Kamat, principal scientist at the University of Notre Dame's Radiation Laboratory.
What are your goals as Editor-in-Chief?
Energy research has recently emerged as a new discipline, drawing attention from diverse areas. Given the urgency to communicate new advances within the scientific community, there is a need to publish new scientific advances rapidly and effectively. This journal will fill the void for rapid communication of significant findings in energy conversion and storage. We want to make ACS Energy Letters the go-to place for authors and readers to obtain the latest developments in the energy field. By creating a trustworthy publication platform for disseminating high-quality scientific research, we expect to build a premier journal in the discipline.
What is the intended impact of this journal?
As a vibrant new journal in the ACS family, ACS Energy Letters will attract authors and readers from many energy subdisciplines by presenting sound science and breakthrough research. By covering a broad range of topics in fundamental and applied research, the journal will appeal to theoretical chemists, experimentalists, and energy device makers who want to gain insights into new energy advances. Multimedia and social media will play an important role in publicizing these research articles, allowing our authors to further increase the impact of their published work.
What are the biggest challenges facing this field? How will this journal meet them?
As the field of energy research grows, we need to communicate quickly. Our first goal is to use a rapid publication platform to promote ACS Energy Letters to researchers across various disciplines (e.g., energy materials, photosynthesis, and energy conversion and storage).
Perspectives and Reviews of selected topics will broadcast emerging research areas. Senior editors who are practicing scientists will process manuscripts within hours of submission. Pagination of ASAP articles will allow our authors to cite their articles at first sight. Direct communication with our authors and readers will further allow our editorial team to establish well-trusted partnerships with researchers.
Who should submit? Who should read?
ACS Energy Letters will publish new scientific advances that deal with all aspects of energy conversion and storage. Today, energy research is led by a diverse group of chemists, materials scientists, physicists, and engineers. They are actively engaged in pursuits such as the design of new molecules, nanomaterials, solar cells, solar fuels, energy materials, catalysis, photosynthesis, biofuels, fuel cells, storage batteries, display devices, and energy efficiency.
Researchers who have an interest in advancing the fundamental understanding of new light harvesting assemblies, solar cells, solar fuels, biofuels, fuel cells, storage batteries, and designing efficient devices will find the journal extremely useful.
Why did you want to be the EIC of this journal? What are you most looking forward to about this new position?
For more than three decades, I have been actively involved in research related to light energy conversion and the storage aspects of nanomaterials. With this experience, I am now in a position to lead ACS Energy Letters and reach out to the research community to provide them with a platform to discuss emerging topics and issues related to energy. I am excited to be part of this venture.
It is an exciting time to lead a journal that is devoted to energy research. Our goal is to raise the bar for energy journals and make our authors aware of the salient features of our new journal. Rapid communication of scientific results will remain a major attraction. I'm also looking forward to seeking Perspectives articles from prominent researchers, which will enable us to further strengthen the visibility (and hence the impact) of ACS Energy Letters. In addition, we will offer multimedia features for our authors to communicate their findings through videos and LiveSlides.
How did you first become interested in your journal's area of focus?
Even in childhood, I was fascinated with nature's ability to capture the sun's rays and store energy in the form of food (carbohydrates). This passion led me to study photoelectrochemical light energy conversion during my graduate research in late 1970s. For more than three decades, I have been actively involved in various aspects of energy research, working with students, postdoctoral research associates, and collaborators.
The decision to introduce a journal devoted to new advances in energy research is timely. I hope it energizes young researchers to tackle clean energy challenges. I am thankful to the ACS governing board and ACS Publications for giving me this opportunity to lead ACS Energy Letters. I am delighted to lead this journal now and offer my services to the scientific community.
How does research in your journal's area affect people's everyday lives?
Today, most everyone is aware of the importance of renewable energy in meeting our demand for clean energy. The harvesting of solar and wind energy is growing globally by more than 10% annually. Such energy conversion systems need to be matched with storage devices. Advances made in storage batteries can directly improve the performance of devices we have come to rely on in our day-to-day lives, such as cell phones and automobiles.
ACS Energy Letters will rapidly become the premier scientific journal to publish major scientific energy advances, and the research it publishes will ultimately influence people's everyday lives.
Be among the first to receive the inaugural issue of ACS Energy Letters and other journal announcements. Sign up now.
Learn more about the journal and submit your best research.
Originally Published on March 1, 2016 in ACS Axial and written by Renee John.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


As the nutritional market continues to grow across all ages and demographics, and nutritional medicine expands into mainstream medicine, its important to understand certain nuances that exist. Recognizing market trends, demographics, different levels of regulation and certification, as well as different characteristics of natural supplements including bio-availability, purity, and stability. In this CE we will also cover the differences, nuances, and dosages of the top 11 supplements in the market.


Well, the end of 2016 was the end of my first full season – although the thing I wanted to do as a kid is still far from over.
I think I've come on a long way but am fully aware there's still a huge jump to be made to get me consistently inside the top 10, and THEN I'll still have to find something more to get in with the top boys!
I have the confidence in the car and my abilities to be able to push the limits, but still have to be conscious that it's Glenn's car and he'll be the one doing 95% of the work to fix anything I break!
Testing would be a huge bonus, but my budget won't really allow for that, so any progress I've made in 2016 has had to be done at very high risk in qualifying and in the races. This really becomes apparent with our wet set-up, at the moment, and I'd love to be able to get on track to be able to play around with suspension settings a lot more.
That said, I've consistently been the fastest or one of the fastest at a new track out of those who haven't tested or raced there before, so I must be doing something right!
I may also try and brush up on my set-up understanding and knowledge by using computer games, so I can give Glenn even better feedback and try and find something big there.
I'm loving my little on track rivalries, and it's been good seeing rookies come in the series and watching how they've developed, too.
I need to make sure I'm watching my footage back between races, as it's no good identifying something I was doing wrong once I'm back at home and won't be back at that track for a year or more.
We've had some problems over Winter that were looking like Glenn wouldn't be able to even look at a race car, let alone prep it for racing, but recently we seem to be back on again. We both seem pretty confident that we can make the grid this year – which if you'd asked me a month ago wouldn't have been the case.
This has meant the search for sponsorship has taken a huge knock, but I believe UK action/dash camera company JooVuu will be in partnership with us again in 2017, and we have another few exciting things in the pipeline with others. I realise we've missed the main window for getting the deals done, but it's not over yet – and if you're reading this and would like to find out what we can do for each other then please get in touch.
2017 should see the Ray out as well as the Sheane at some point, and hopefully the multi-championship winning Scarab will be out in either rolling or running form, too. Glenn will be having a look at remounting the front shock absorbers on the Sheane, and finding more power from the new engine.
It is becoming a bit more obvious that I've missed out on the years of karting or other racing/trackdays that most others on the grid have, and my learning potential is definitely limited by it. It's hard to know how to claw back some of this disadvantage – but that will be the focus of this year. If I have the budget and opportunity I'd like to have a crack at drifting, some off-road/rally stuff, and some karting, as well as continuing to ask questions, research everything I can, and listen to other drivers.
If I can improve on the 6th place overall in Class B, that will be good, but I have no doubt the competition will be even more fierce this season!
There do seem to be a lot of new tracks on the calendar for 2017, which is bad as I can't compare my performance to the last time, but good in that it knocks out the advantage some others may have. And I have done a few track days at some tracks on two wheels, so should at least know where they go and which corners I can get my knee down on!
I'll look forward to seeing everyone back out there again, and let's hope everyone has a great year!


We are delighted to host FRUM at G! Festival for the very first time in 2018. The Faroese Artist has impressed with 4 singles to date. FRUM's Art is born in her own natural curiosity, and the questioning and understanding of the space around her. Basing creations on components from old traditions and modern life, FRUM leads the audience into an alternate universe, where the questions of existence are asked, and not necessarily answered.
Creating music that is not only catchy, but leading the listener on a sonic journey with her strong visual sense. An appreciation and understanding of tradition from the Islands, have shaped FRUMs expression. Growing up so close to breaking waves and green mountains shape FRUMs vision.


A glamorous appearance is guaranteed, no matter what is the occasion. This totally unique piece combines the elements of handmade beadwork that surrounds the upper body at the front and back to the hips and sleeves and the highest quality of the skin-friendly fabric the dress is made of. The lining consists of undershirt, shorts, and mini skirt.


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Wandering rascals are obliged to own something; at times they would prefer to fly away like birds, but they cannot do so without abandoning the means of earning a livelihood. They of necessity possess boxes of tools and instruments of labor, whatever their errant trade may be.
4.0 out of 5 based on 22 ratings.


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Forum Settings
Anime Discussion
It's 2020. Avatar is an anime....
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It's 2020. Avatar is an anime.
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GamerDLM
Breadwinnerr said:
GamerDLM said:
rommelcedric said:
On this topic, if the show is American produced by animated by a Japanese animation studio, is it or is it not anime?
The definition of anime is: "Anime (US: /ˈænəˌmeɪ/, UK: /ˈænɪˌmeɪ/)[1] (Japanese: アニメ Hepburn: anime, [aɲime] (About this soundlisten), plural: anime)[a] is hand-drawn and computer animation originating from or associated with Japan." By this definition, Avatar would qualify as an anime since it's largely associated with Japan🤣🤔
On my question then, an American produced animation that's animated by a Japanese animation studio is anime by that definition then.
As long as a significant portion of the work is done in Japan then yes. Some examples of what you described could be The Big O season 2 and FLCL seasons 2 and 3 were all co-produced between Japanese studios and Adult Swim/Cartoon Network.
Unless you mean the animation was primarily done in America and then outsourced portions to Japan in which case the answer gets really sketchy but would again fall under the amount of Japanese involvement. If the Japanese studio was just say doing clean up work or in-between animation frames the answer would likely be no, but if they handled like key animations or entire episodes that would be different.
Granted the phrase "American produced animation" doesn't really make sense in the context. Because produced is a very loose term.
Okay, but it would be unreasonable for one to expect the average anime fan to go research and find out who had the most involvement: Americans or Japanese people?
Then you can reference sites like anidb or this site which has a definitive criteria for what counts as significant involvement and presumably people who are actually interested in researching staff involvement.
In general staff involvement is not that in depth of a research topic because all it requires would be reading the credits which can be cross referenced to catch all sites like wikipedia.
But it's no more unreasonable than every fan deciding arbitrarily what counts as anime because they're using a subjective measure such as style which is not a consistent thing in anime (unless you just want to pretend like several decades of anime don't exist).
-Lofn-
Does it matter? Anime is practically a coined term for Japanese animation, which gained prominence rather being called cartoon in any other countries. Avatar was inspired by Japanese animation, like how Panty and Stocking is inspired by Western cartoon, are we to call Panty and Stocking a cartoon now? Semantically, they are just both animations, just with derivatives, and it should stay like that. Not like being an anime or cartoon can be interpreted as superior, it's simply a placeholder, so I don't understand the pointless buzz.


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Rogue State Israeli Policies
by Stephen Lendman	 24 Mar 2014
Israel is no democracy. Right-wing ideologues govern. They're militantly over-the-top. They represent Israel's lunatic fringe.
They abhor peace. They endorse war. They threaten regional security. Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon ordered Israel's military to prepare war plans on Iran.
Nearly $3 billion was allocated. It's around one-firth of Israel's budget. Both officials want Iran's nuclear facilities targeted. They want them eliminated.
Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan warned earlier. Attacking Iran assures blowback. Iran will counterattack.
Hundreds of missiles will strike Israeli cities and strategic facilities. Dimona and other Israeli nuclear facilities will be targeted.
Regional conflict may escalate beyond what stoppable. The entire region may be embroiled. So will America.
Attacking Iran is madness. Lunatics don't consider consequences. In March 2012, The New York Times headlined, "US War Game Sees Perils of Israeli Strike Against Iran," saying:
A "classified war simulation held this month" assessed significant repercussions of Israel attacking Iran. Doing so means regional war. America could get embroiled. Hundreds of US casualties would follow.
US Central Command's war game tested communication and coordination between its Tampa, FL headquarters and Persian Gulf forces.
Exercises were held. Then Central Command head General James Mattis was especially troubled. He told aides that "an Israeli first strike would be likely to have dire consequences across the region and for United States forces there."
Attacking Iran's nuclear facilities could affect millions catastrophically. If retaliatory Tehran strikes seriously damage or destroy Dimona and other Israeli nuclear sites, radiation will contaminate large parts of the region.
War games can't predict how nations will respond. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned earlier that Iran will retaliate if attacked. "(W)e will attack them at the same level as they attack us," he said.
Netanyahu wants ongoing Iranian nuclear attacks subverted. He called last November's Geneva agreement a "historic mistake."
At the time, Saudi Arabia called it "West(ern) treachery." An Israeli/Saudi alliance formed to subvert it. Doing so could serve as pretext for conflict.
Bottom line US/Israeli strategy hasn't changed. Both countries want Iranian governance they control. How achieved is optional.
Hawks in both countries urge war. Attack plans were readied years ago. They can be implemented straightaway if ordered.
False flag deception may precipitate it. Duplicity is longstanding US/Israeli tradition. Trustworthiness isn't their long suit.
Deals they offer aren't worth the paper they're written on. Anti-Iranian sentiment is decades old. Obama and Netanyahu prioritize war. They deplore peace.
Rapprochement with Tehran faces long odds. Israeli and US saber rattling show what Iranians face.
George Clemenceau once said America is the only nation that went "from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization." The same applies to Israel.
Threats risk becoming policy. The IDF got direct orders from Netanyahu and Ya'alon. Prepare to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. Ignore ongoing P5+1 talks.
Netanyahu rejects last November's interim nuclear agreement. He's not bound by it, he said.
"…I believe that letting Iran enrich uranium would open up the floodgates," he said. "That must not happen. And we will make sure it does not happen."
"Letting the worst terrorist regime on the planet get atomic bombs would endanger everyone," he added.
He repeatedly repeats the Big Lie about Iran openly "call(ing) for our destruction." Claiming it wore thin years ago. It doesn't stop endless regurgitation.
Ya'alon added: "Weakness certainly does not pay in the world.
No one can replace the US as the world's policeman. I hope the US will come to its senses."
"We think that the United States should be the one leading the campaign against Iran."
"But the US has entered talks with them and unfortunately, in the haggling in the Persian bazaar, the Iranians were better."
"Therefore, on this matter, we have to behave as though we have nobody to look out for us but ourselves."
Iran remains hopeful about achieving a final agreement around mid-year. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Vienna talks this week made substantial progress.
"Today the other side has finally grasped what we had been trying to say, especially when it comes to the practical needs of having a nuclear program which is logical and peaceful. And this by itself is a major progress."
Discussions about major issues were clarified, he added. They include enrichment, sanctions, international peaceful nuclear cooperation and Iran's Arak reactor.
Dismantling parts of Tehran's nuclear program isn't being considered. "(W)e are not at the stage yet to draft a statement to predict how big the differences still are," Zarif said.
Reports suggest major ones remain. A senior US official called this week's Vienna talks "intense."
On January 20, multiple rounds began. They're expected to continue until July 20. Final resolution remains elusive.
Iran won't relinquish its nuclear rights. They fully comply with NPT provisions. No military component exists.
Iran is between a rock and a hard place. Eighty-three senators wrote Obama. They laid out "core principles."
They lied claiming "Iran has no inherent right to enrichment under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty." Tehran calls doing so fundamental. It won't sacrifice its legitimate rights.
Washington wants Fordow enrichment facility and Arak's heavy water reactor abandoned. Iran has no intention of doing either.
President Hassan Rohani said Iran won't relinquish its legal rights.
"The world has admitted that Iran is, and will be, among the countries which have nuclear technology, including enrichment, and there is no doubt about this for anyone."
He urges equitable resolution. It's long overdue. Whether possible given hardline US/Israeli policy remains to be seen. An unnamed US official in Vienna said:
Talks were serious. They were civil. "Everybody (was) very professional, very focused, no histrionics, no walking out, no yelling and screaming."
"People understand the stakes are pretty profound; there is a sense of the tremendous responsibility on people's shoulders."
Ukrainian tensions were temporarily ignored. How much longer remains uncertain.
P5+1 and Iranian nuclear experts will meet in Vienna from April 3 - 5. Negotiators will conduct more talks from from April 7 - 9.
Iran's main goal is "normalizing (its) case similar to every other member state of the NPT," Zarif stressed.
Tehran's fundamental rights won't be sacrificed. Israel wants Iran having none. Washington may add new demands not yet revealed.
Final resolution remains elusive. Netanyahu plans making it impossible. Key is whether Obama agrees.
A Final Comment
Israeli rogue state policies are multifaceted. Fundamental rule of law principles are systematically violated. Human and civil rights don't matter.
Palestinians have none whatever. Conditions go from bad to worse. Militarized occupation harshness bears full responsibility.
A new Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) is disturbing. It discusses "The Likelihood, Consequences and Policy Implications of PA Collapse or Dissolution."
Financial and political pressures may precipitate it. PSR envisions three possible scenarios:
(1) Israel and/or Washington may impose "severe or crippling financial and political sanctions."
(2) PLO leadership may abandon a two-state solution. Achieving it on Israeli terms is impossible. Hundreds of thousands of settlers on stolen Palestinian land alone does so. Rights sought may be sought other ways.
(3) Economic, financial and political crises may be inevitable. Public outrage may follow. Perhaps a third Intifada. Fundamental demands unable to be met may cause PA collapse.
PSR got opinions from 30 experts. Dozens of others were involved. They represent finance, economics, internal security, law enforcement, health, education, communications, judicial affairs, local government, water, electricity, civil and domestic political affairs, as well as whether or not a two-state solution remains feasible.
For sure not on Israeli terms. PSR director Khalil Shikaki conducted the study. Palestinians require PA help, he said.
They depend on it for "financial well being, social and political status in society, and there are circles that depend on their relation to PA," he said.
"Anything that happens to the PA will take all of that away from them. These could be organizations, business interests or individuals who have positions of power that allow them to reward sympathizers."
"If they could call the shots, they would do their best to prevent (the PA's collapse)."
"But even those who have a vested interest in satisfying Israel, for the sake of preserving the PA, cannot do it for too long."
Palestinians get painfully little help. At the same time, they rely on whatever is forthcoming. It's better than nothing.
"People do not want to see themselves without a central authority that prevents chaos and anarchy in the streets, even if they have a lot of criticism of the PA and its functioning," said Shikaki.
"But the Palestinians are willing to risk it collapsing completely, if it happens in the midst of a struggle for a change in the status quo."
"If there is a good reason for it to collapse, then (Palestinians say) let it be."
Public discontent began years ago. Over time, it intensified. PA officials are Israeli enforcers. In over 20 years, they failed. They haven't achieved fundamental goals.
Things are much worse now than then. Economic and financial conditions alone cause horrific harm. Exploitation substitutes for social justice. Political rights don't exist.
PSR's " 'Day After' Final Report" is troubling. PA collapse may be inevitable. At the same time, "(a)ll Palestinians who participated in the discussion shared the view that Israel and the PA have a common interest in keeping the PA functioning," said Shikaki.
"Palestinian society in general understands that the PA is able to exist as long as Israel is happy with it, and as long as Palestinians find it useful to them."
Study participants assumed that "at all levels there will be an attempt to prevent collapse."
At the same time, both sides believe "they can do a lot of harm to the other without risking" it. In other words, Israel will save the day if necessary.
If PA officials voluntarily decide to dismantle, "Palestinians might seek to force Israel to either deepen its occupation, reverting to the situation that prevailed before 1994, or change its policies by seriously negotiating the end of its occupation, or unilaterally withdraw from most of the West Bank."
Impending collapse "might force Israel to re-examine its options."
Avoiding it requires PA officials abandoning counterproductive policies. They include poor planning, lack of transparency, excessive centralization, conflicting interests, rampant corruption, and benefitting Israel at the expense of their own people.
Hamas would benefit greatly from PA collapse. Israel's likely response would be another matter entirely.
Palestinians suffered injustice for decades. Nothing ahead suggests achieving their liberating struggle. It continues unresolved.
His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html


Maria took in Payal Singhal's show wearing a sari from the designer's lable at the Lakme Fashion Week 2017. Wearing her hair down, she completed the look with a golden handbag. The hair felt too plain and underwhelming though she wore her sari really well. I am all up for experimenting with saris and that is what made me like the look as here the drape and the pairing with kurta looked really effortless and interesting!


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Anesthesia is administered before and during your surgical procedure so you do not feel pain. Some anesthetics induce sleep, while others cause drowsiness and/or numbness.
Some minor surgical procedures at the Raleigh Orthopedic Surgery Center only require the use of numbing medications and do not require the placement of an intravenous line or use of any sedating medications. If this is an option for your surgical procedure, your surgeon will discuss this with you during your preoperative visit. For this type of anesthetic, your surgeon will administer the local anesthetic in the operating room immediately before your surgery.
General Anesthesia is an anesthetic technique in which the anesthesia care team gives you medications to keep the you from feeling surgical pain and completely unconscious and unaware of your surroundings. It may be used as the only anesthetic or in combination with a regional anesthetic based on the surgeon or the patient's preference.
On arrival to the pre-op area of the Raleigh Orthopedic Surgery Center, in addition to meeting the nurses of the center, you will also meet the members of the anesthesia care team – the physician anesthesiologist and a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). The risks and benefits of the anesthesia will be discussed with you before you sign your consent.
Once the surgeon, operating room (OR) and OR team are ready, the OR nurse and CRNA will take you to the operating room. You will often receive some sedation through your intravenous prior to your transfer to the OR, which will help you relax prior to arriving in the OR. Once in the OR, you will be asked to move onto the operating room table. Next, standard monitors will be attached to measure your vital signs while you are asleep. These include a blood pressure cuff placed on your arm, a sensor to measure your blood oxygen level attached to your finger, and EKG leads that are placed on your chest.
Once the monitors are applied, a member of the anesthesia care team will ask you to breathe some oxygen and then inject some medication in the intravenous that will quickly start the general anesthetic. As this medication enters your vein, it may have a brief warm or slight burning sensation at the intravenous site – this is normal. (Children less than the ages of 10 may not have an intravenous started before the OR and will instead go to sleep by breathing anesthetic gases through a mask). Once you are completely asleep, a member of the anesthesia team may insert a breathing device into your mouth to enable the team to easily assist your breathing while you are asleep. The general anesthesia will then be continued with either anesthetic gases you breathe into your lungs or intravenous medications. A member of the anesthesia team will continually monitor your vital signs throughout the anesthetic to assure your safety.
Once the surgery is done, the breathing device will be removed and the anesthetic gases shut off.
The OR and anesthesia team will then transport you to the Post -Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) where you will be cared for by PACU nurses as you continue to wake up from the general anesthetic. What patients remember of the experience can vary. Some patients may remember waking up in the OR at the end of the surgery, others won't remember anything until the PACU or even later because of the tendency of general anesthetics to produce temporary amnesia.
Any anesthetic has some potential risk. Serious complications are rare, and your anesthesia team and PACU nurses are vigilant and ready to address and treat any potential complications that may arise.
A Regional Anesthetic is a form of anesthesia in which a part of the body is made numb using a local anesthetic (numbing medicine). This technique is often called a "nerve block". Because our orthopedic surgeons often operate on part of the patient's arm or leg, nerve blocks are frequently a recommended type of anesthetic for surgery at the Raleigh Orthopedic Surgery Center (ROSC). A significant advantage of nerve blocks for outpatient orthopedic surgery is that they provide the patient with excellent pain relief for many hours after the surgery. Nerve blocks may also reduce the amount of traditional narcotic pain medications that a patient may need to have during or after surgery. Because narcotics can sometimes cause nausea and excessive drowsiness, using nerve block techniques can sometimes help reduce the chance that patients will experience these symptoms. Compared to those patients who have had a general anesthetic without a nerve block, patients who have had a nerve block will often feel more awake immediately after surgery and will be able to go home sooner from the surgery center. Many of the ROSC surgeons will discuss regional anesthesia options with you during your pre-op visit.
If regional anesthesia is an option for your surgical procedure, the anesthesiologist will discuss this technique with you on the day of surgery. On the basis of your medical history, the anesthesiologist will decide if you are an appropriate candidate to undergo a nerve block procedure. He / she will discuss the expected benefits and possible risks of regional anesthesia (nerve blocks), and the alternative forms of anesthesia. You will have the opportunity to discuss concerns and ask questions about the proposed nerve block with your anesthesiologist before signing your consent for anesthesia.
If you are to have a nerve block for your surgery, your preoperative team (nurse and anesthesiologist) will perform this block in the ROSC prep area prior to you going to the operating room. You will receive intravenous sedating medications (see Intravenous Sedation) before the block, and you will be monitored with an EKG monitor on your chest, blood pressure cuff on your arm, and an oxygen saturation sensor on your finger during the procedure. Although you are not completely asleep, you will be relaxed and very comfortable for this short nerve block procedure.
Once you go back to the operating room for your surgery, members of the anesthesia care team will typically combine your nerve block anesthetic with intravenous sedation (see MAC anesthesia below) or a light general anesthetic to make sure that you are completely relaxed and comfortable during your surgical procedure.
Other than cases that use local anesthesia only (see Local Anesthesia), a part of all other anesthetics is the use of sedating medications. The purpose of using these medications is to provide the patient with a pleasant, comfortable, and anxiety free experience.
For the patient undergoing a nerve block (see Regional Anesthesia), intravenous sedatives will be given to the patient before the block to alleviate the minor discomfort of a block procedure and to relieve any anxiety about having the procedure.
Many surgical procedures do not require a general anesthetic. One option for some minor orthopedic surgeries is for the anesthesia team to administer sedating medications through the intravenous line and then the surgeon injects local anesthetic under the skin to numb the surgical area. This is sometimes referred to a Monitored Anesthesia Care or "MAC" anesthetic technique.
Patients are often concerned about whether they will "remember" something during the surgery. When the anesthesia team uses sedation (rather than general anesthesia), what the patient may remember about their operation will vary from patient to patient. When a technique of light sedation is used, the patient may remember much of their operation and in the case of deep sedation they will likely remember very little. The goal is to keep the patient extremely comfortable, pain free, and anxiety free in all cases. Once patients realize this fact, they are often much less concerned about whether they will remember anything during the surgery.


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Adventure Games Enhance Your Imagination
Adventure Games Enhance Your Imagination?
An adventure game is a text or video form pastime in which the person playing it takes up the position of a character in an interactive invented story. This story is based on puzzle-solving and joy.
Yes, Adventure Games Enhance Your Imagination. An adventure game is a text or video form pastime in which the person playing it takes up the position of a character in an interactive invented story. This story is based on puzzle-solving and journey as an alternative to physical challenges. An Adventure game includes a broad diversity of fictional genres, such as science fiction, fantasy, horror mystery, and comedy.
Fantasy is a type that makes use of the supernatural and other magical modes as the basic constituent of the story, setting, or theme. Generally, fantasy adventure games have a background of imaginary planets or places where the supernatural is ordinary. Comparatively a mystery adventure game is generally linked with stories based on detectives in which an officer, a licensed or an amateur, explores and resolves a crime.
The majority of the adventure games are usually in the shape of computer games even though it is likely that one may come across versions of console-based nowadays. Thus what are the other themes and genres that attract the players in? Well, among the most familiar characteristics of adventure games is the theme of "fetch-quests". For a player to progress in this theme; he or she has to assist an imaginary character so to achieve a significant thing or information. For example, in a usual setting the person playing the game needs medicine to be healed, he is required to get hold of the ingredients desired to formulate the powerful healing medicine. In cases such as these, the player usually has to carry out acts of kindness or unselfishness – like releasing captives or animals through which he can find or win the reward of those elements needed for the potion. At other times the players are required to divert certain characters to rob their rewards.
Even though adventure games were extremely well-liked in the 1980'sPsychology Articles, this fame rapidly weakened at the start of the '90s as the Action games turned out to be the craze. Therefore it was not economically secure to manufacture and advertise adventure games when people lost their interest. The arrival of MMORPG and console games has not improved the situation. Yet prevalent adventure games such as "Syberia" have been created both for the Xbox and the PC.
The most recent expansion is that free-of-charge online adventure games are currently attained on the best internet portals even without a plug-in or the prerequisite to download. Majority of the game lovers are at the present diverting their focus to the internet not simply for enjoying games but for mingling with other people too. Maybe this is the latest method through which adventure games are likely to be played. For a player to be successful while playing an adventure game he must utilize problem-solving ability to go forward. It was and even now is a wonderful method to encourage extensive thinking whereas at the same time generates an enjoyable experience.


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Kościół świętego Józefa Oblubieńca – rzymskokatolicki kościół parafialny należący do dekanatu Nisko diecezji sandomierskiej.

Budowa świątyni została rozpoczęta w 1892 roku i zakończona w 1896 roku. W dniu 16 października 1896 roku świątynia została oddana do użytku wiernych. W dniu 10 czerwca 1901 roku biskup Karol Fischer uroczyście poświęcił świątynię. Była ona jednak nadal kościołem filialnym parafii w Racławicach, jednakże Kuria Biskupia w Przemyślu wydało pismo z dnia 8 marca 1907 roku upoważniające księdza ekspozyta w Nisku do wykonywania wszystkich czynności parafialnych dla mieszkańców Niska. Po wybuchu I wojny światowej w dniu 18 września 1914 roku podczas ostrzeliwania Niska świątynia spłonęła. Odbudowa została rozpoczęta w 1919 roku i zakończona została w 1922 roku według projektu inżyniera Majerskiego z Przemyśla. Wczesną wiosną 1923 roku świątynia została ponownie uroczyście poświęcona. W dniu 27 września 1927 roku dekretem wydanym przez biskupa Anatola Nowaka świątynia została mianowana samodzielnym kościołem parafialnym. Podczas II wojny światowej kościół utracił cztery dzwony zarekwirowane przez Niemców na cele wojenne. Nowe dzwony zostały zamontowane w 1950 roku. Ołtarze boczne powstały w 1953 roku. W latach 1974-78 świątynia została wyremontowana. Zostały odnowione malowidła sufitu, dach został pokryty blachą cynkową, natomiast ściany otrzymały nowe tynki.

Przypisy

Świątynie pod wezwaniem św. Józefa
Zabytkowe kościoły w powiecie niżańskim
Kościoły rzymskokatolickie w Nisku
Architektura neoromańska w województwie podkarpackim

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Casperia erebipennis is the only species in the  monotypic moth genus Casperia of the family Erebidae. It is known from Colombia. Both the genus and the species were first described by Francis Walker in 1867.

References

Hypeninae


Advance reservations required for all group tours. Minimum of 20 adults.
Tour length: The adult guided tour is approximately 30 to 45 minutes; expect your total visit to take approximately 90 minutes. However, feel free to take pictures, shop and stay as long as you would like.
Wagon ride: Tour groups will be able to take a 15 to 20-minute tractor driven wagon ride. The wagon ride has a loading ramp enabling easy access for the handicapped. The ride includes an audio commentary of the history of The Flower Fields® for our visitors' enjoyment. Group tours and wagon rides must be booked in advance!
Group tour reservations are required. Please call: (760) 930-9123 ext. 118.


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Holocaust survivor, 112, believed to be world's oldest man
Aholocaust survivor in Haifa is believed to be the oldest man in the world.
Yisrael Kristal, 112, achieved that status this week after Yasutaro Koide of Japan, also 112, died, Haaretz reported Thursday.
Kristal's grandson, Oren, received an email this week from the Gerontology Research Group, an international organization that tracks the world's over-110 set, alerting him that the Polish-born Auschwitz survivor was up for the honor.
Upon hearing the news, Kristal said in Yiddish: "The joy of my old age."
To be officially certified as the oldest living man, Kristal must present documentation from the first 20 years of his life. However, Haaretz reported, the earliest official document Kristal possesses is from when he was 25.
Born on September 15, 1903, in the town of Zarnow, Kristal moved to Lodz in 1920 to work in his family's candy business. He continued operating the business after the Nazis forced the city's Jews into a ghetto, where Kristal's two children died. In 1944, he was deported to Auschwitz, where his wife, whom he had married at age 25, was killed.
In 1950, he moved to Haifa with his second wife and their son, working again as a confectioner.
Kristal's daughter Shula Kuperstoch told The Jerusalem Post that he has been religiously observant his whole life and continues to lay tefillin each morning.
"The Holocaust did not affect his beliefs," Kuperstoch said. "He believes he was saved because that's what God wanted. He is not an angry person, he is not someone who seeks to an accounting, he believes everything has a reason in the world."
"His attitude to life is everything in moderation," she added. "He eats and sleeps moderately, and says that a person should always be in control of their own life and not have their life control them, as far as this is possible."
Interviewed by Haaretz in 2012, at the comparatively youthful age of 109, Kristal declined to offer a theory for his longevity, instead saying, "It's no great bargain. Everyone has their own good fortune. It's from heaven. There are no secrets."
Asked if his diet was responsible for his long life, he said, "In the camps there wasn't always anything to eat. What they gave me, I ate. I eat to live; I don't live to eat. I don't need too much. Anything that's too much is no good."
tagPlaceholderTags: to, s, Instant, News, Israel, Holocaust, survivor, 112, believed, be, world, oldest, man


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Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project
Glen Park Women
Covering Zip Codes 94112, 94127, and 94131
Glen Park Glen Canyon Park Sunnyside
Fairmount Heights Diamond Heights
The GPNHP is fiscally sponsored by Independent Arts & Media, a California non-profit corporation.
A Product of "Arrested Development":
History of Diamond Heights
Images of Diamond Heights
Early History of the Three Hills
The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Declares "Blight"
Urban Renewal of Redevelopment Area B Begins
Red Rock Hill National Architectural Competition
Also see GPNHP Advisory Councl member and architectural historian Hannah Simon's master's thesis, Modern Diamond Heights: Dwell-ification and the Challenges of Preserving Modernist, Redevelopment Resources in Diamond Heights, San Francisco.
View Hannah Simonson's presentation at the Environmental Design Archives at UC-Berkeley, February 11, 2020.
Unlike its older neighbors to the south, namely Glen Park, the Fairmount Tract, and Sunnyside, Diamond Heights could be considered the "new kid on the block." But don't be fooled by its apparent youth as this neighborhood holds much historic significance.
Residents of Diamond Heights enjoy spectacular views, overlooking 70 acres of open space in Glen Canyon to the southwest, Mt. Davidson and the Pacific Ocean to the west, and sweeping views of San Francisco Bay from north to south. On its summits and slopes you'll find "California-modern" homes and condominium complexes, a shopping center, three churches, five parks (four with playgrounds), schools, a fire station, and even the San Francisco Police Academy. Unlike most neighborhoods before 1950 in the City, this clustering of conveniences was the result of community planning.
Between 1949 and 1973, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency embarked on nine redevelopment projects. "Redevelopment Area B" was the largest by acreage, covering 332 acres among three hills immediately south of Twin Peaks: Red Rock Hill (elevation 690 feet), Gold Mine Hill (elevation 680 feet), and Fairmount Hill (elevation 540 feet). [Historic Note: Though not identified by the Redevelopment Agency, the designated area also includes Billy Goat Hill, part of Fairmount Hill, elevation 500 feet.] The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency named the area "Diamond Heights" because:
"Diamond Street, south from Clipper, climbs the eastern slopes of these hills, and, when extended, will lead into the central portion of the area. Because Diamond Street is one of the principle arteries serving Area B, it is proposed that the area be called 'Diamond Heights.'"
Riding in Glen Canyon
It wasn't that long ago that you could still gallop along the slopes above Islais Creek. No date but likely around 1950. Courtesy San Francisco Public Library, AAD-2715.
Diamond Heights Today
In this view looking northwest from O'Shaughnessy Blvd, California-modern homes by Eichler, Galli, Fisher Friedman, and others follow the contours of Red Rock Hill on the left, and Gold Mine Hill on the right. Image provided by Evelyn Rose. 2015.
Future Diamond Heights
The "saddle" between Red Rock (center, left) and Gold Mine (right) Hills was filled in for the shopping center. May 3, 1954. From the San Francisco Public Library, AAB-8362.
Mouse over the lower border of the image to see a description, or click on the image to see full view.
In a request to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1950 to set aside land for the purposes of redevelopment under Section 33 of the Community Redevelopment Act of California, the Redevelopment Agency defined the boundaries for Area B: "… on the north, Clipper Street Extension and Portola Drive; on the west, O'Shaughnessy Boulevard; along the southern boundary, Bosworth, Elk, Sussex, Castro and Laidley Streets; along the eastern boundary, Laidley, Thirtieth, Castro, Valley, Diamond, Twenty-eighth and Douglass Streets." In other words, in addition to the three hills, the designated area included 70 acres of open space in Glen Canyon, the northern edge of Glen Park, and a good portion of the upper reaches of the Fairmount Tract.
Reflecting a truly rural history, much of the area had been used for cow pasturage and "milk farming" since at least 1861, and likely as early as the late 1700s during the Spanish Mission period. The Good Brothers Dairy in Glen Canyon, near today's Glenridge Cooperative Nursery School in the Silver Tree Building, was active until it burned down in the 1930s. Grazing cows belonging to future mayor George Christopher's Christopher Dairy could be seen along the flanks of O'Shaughnessy Boulevard, as well. [Historic Note: Ronald Reagan's favorite milk came from Christopher Dairy cows.] Riding the slopes of the canyon on horseback was another activity into the mid-20th century, based on clothing in an undated image from the San Francisco Public Library.
The area to become known as Redevelopment Area B was first subdivided in 1863 when the Horner's Addition was extended from the Mission up to the summits of Gold Mine and Red Rock Hills. The Fairmount Tract, along the eastern slopes of the proposed Diamond Heights neighborhood, was recorded in 1861. Even though the area was full of the "breathing spots" so important to residents living in a growing and ever more crowded metropolis, sales of lots were sluggish over the subsequent decades, possibly due to the steep grades of the hills. The streets had been laid in a "gridiron" pattern, ignoring the contours of the slopes. Many went straight uphill over rugged terrain, sometimes at grades of 20% to 35%. Even the best available horsepower, whether equine or later by horseless carriage, would struggle to make their way up the hill.
Several vintage maps of San Francisco display streets and neighborhoods that today are purely fictional, a vision for anticipated development rather than a guide for the crosstown traveler. A Langley map from 1877 shows 30th street running west straight over the top of Gold Mine Hill to the banks of Islais Creek. At that point, 30th intersected with a Bellevue Street that run north over Red Rock Hill to the old Ocean Road, today's Portola Drive. Faust's Map of the City and County of San Francisco in 1900 shows the entire designated area, including Glen Canyon up to and over the summits of Red Rock and Gold Mine Hills, laid out in the same grid pattern all the way to Stanford Heights on the slopes of Mt. Davidson, today's Miraloma Park neighborhood. The only speck of greenery on the map is a tiny island called Sunnyside Park. If it existed today, it would be near Teresita Boulevard in Miraloma Park.
In the early 20th century, Daniel Burnham, a master designer of the City Beautiful movement at the turn of the 20th century, developed a community plan for San Francisco at the request of former mayor James D. Phelan, president of the Association of the Improvement and Adornment of San Francisco. The City Beautiful aesthetic was based on the premise that architectural beauty and order would promote civic pride. From his perch atop Twin Peaks, Burnham developed a grand plan for the entire City that he believed would enable transformation from metropolis to cosmopolis, much like Paris, France or Vienna, Austria. He mapped out grand boulevards to encircle and transect the city, interspersed with parks, theatres, and museums. He designed streets for Diamond Heights and the surrounding neighborhoods that took advantage of the contours of the hills. His City Beautiful plan for San Francisco was published in 1905 and he predicted it would take 50 years to complete. One year later, however, San Francisco was devastated by the Great Earthquake and Fire. The City was in a hurry to rebuild and Burnham's plan was never carried out. If it had, San Francisco would be a very different place today.
By the late 1800s, the quarrying of red rock had become active in the area. Franciscan chert, ubiquitous along the slopes of the San Miguel Range, was used for ships' ballast, street paving, construction, and bay fill. The Gray Brothers Quarry blasted chunks out of several hills around the City in the late 1800s and early 1900s, most famously on Telegraph Hill and Corona Heights. Their devil may care attitude, intentional ignorance of property rights, and outright disregard for the general safety of residents in the immediate blasting area made them despised scoundrels for decades.
The Gray Brothers had two quarries in the future area of Diamond Heights: at 26th and Douglass, and at 29th and Castro on Billy Goat Hill. While on the site of the Billy Goat Hill quarry in 1914, George Gray was shot and killed by a destitute employee who had been refused payment of back wages. The employee was later found not guilty by reason of insanity. By the time the Redevelopment Agency had designated the area as Diamond Heights in 1950, two small quarries were still in operation. The Fay Improvement Company and the Rosenberg Brothers, both independent paving contractors, quarried about an acre each on Red Rock Hill.
The San Francisco Redevelopment Agency Declares "Blight"
The hubris is apparent in their own words: "The Redevelopment Agency knows that to make neighborhoods pleasant places to live it is essential that they be well-designed." The Agency made it clear in their 1950 assessment of Redevelopment Area B, delivered to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1950, that only they knew how it could be done.
The Agency noted that, "Most of the Diamond Heights area is still open land." Sixty percent of the gross area was already public lands, of which 25% was streets, 24% blocks, 3% State property and 8% owned by the San Francisco Housing Authority. The Agency claimed that less than 10% (about 32 acres) of the designated land contained structures. Four hundred fifty of these were dwellings, most situated along the "fringe area" (within 400 feet of the redevelopment boundary). The Agency noted that over half of the homes had been constructed prior to 1919, and 80% were more than 13 years old. They also documented that three independent contractors at that time were considering development on small parcels of land. On Fairmount Hill, Thomas Valerga had started developing about five acres, and on Gold Mine Hill, Atlas Realty and the Crocker Estate Company were expressing interest in the development of four acres and 22 acres, respectively. They further noted that within the area there were two truck storage yards which the Redevelopment Agency determined were illegal, not to mention that, "… the dangers and unpleasantness of large trucks driving through residential areas" was undesirable. A transmitter for radio station KWBR-FM was located on Red Rock Hill, and throughout the entire 332 acres, there was only one corner grocery. [In the 1948-1949 Polk-Langley Directory of San Francisco, a grocery operated by Joseph Scialabba was located at 1600 Diamond at 28th Street on Gold Mine Hill.]
Taking all of this into account, along with the gridiron street plans, and despite "… many years of real estate activity …" with subdivision and resubdivision, and "… parcels of land having changed hands countless times," the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency in consultation with the Department of City Planning declared that:
"…the use of redevelopment powers in certain types of vacant areas is authorized in Section 2 of the Community Redevelopment Act. In particular, subsection 2(b) declares an area to be blighted when there exists an economic dislocation or disuse as a result of faulty planning, lots laid out in disregard of the contours, or inadequate streets and utilities … that in many such instances the private assembly of the lands in blighted areas for purposes of redevelopment is so difficult and costly that it is uneconomic and as a practical matter impossible for individual owners independently or collectively to undertake to remedy such conditions …; that the remedying of such conditions may require the public acquisition at fair prices of adequate areas, the clearance of the areas through demolition of existing obsolete, inadequate, unsafe and unsanitary buildings and the redevelopment of the areas suffering from such conditions under proper supervision, with appropriate planning, and continuing land use and construction policies.
"With a platted street pattern entirely unsuited to the steep grades, a great diversity of ownership and a lack of building development in spite of nearly a century of real estate activity, the Diamond Heights area clearly qualifies under these provisions … In land hungry, house hungry San Francisco very little other vacant land remains. It seems apparent, then, that the Diamond Heights area is one of 'arrested development.'"
Another contemporary observer similarly characterized Diamond Heights as, "… forgotten … barren, and useless while other sections of San Francisco, and of the Bay Area as a whole, for that matter, have grown around it."
Blighted? Obsolete? Suffering? Useless? According to Brandi, residents of this pastoral setting, primarily the same type of blue collar workers who also lived in Glen Park, Sunnyside, and the Fairmount Tract beyond the designated boundaries, were in full disagreement. In their opinion, there was no blight, they did not want to lose the rural character, the boundaries of the designated land had been arbitrarily drawn, too many dwellings were included in the area, and most importantly, homeowners were concerned they would not receive a fair price for their land and structures. Ultimately, however, the project would be approved.
To remedy the perceived blight, the Redevelopment Agency proposed the following to the Board of Supervisors:
"1. A Canyon Drive on the east side of Glen Canyon connecting Portola Drive and Bosworth Street, providing access … and separating these sections from the proposed park in Glen Canyon.
2. Other secondary thoroughfares, such as the extension of Diamond Street, to provide ready access to all parts of the City.
3. Local streets with reasonable grades fitted to the steep hillsides … to discourage fast through traffic.
4. Two new schools …
5. To small conveniently located shopping centers …
6. Sites for a wide range of residential building types, many of them with superb views."
They estimated the new community would have up to 2,500 to 3,000 new homes with "spectacular sites," and Glen Canyon would be kept in its "natural, rugged state." The Agency recommended that buildings be, "… scientifically oriented to get plenty of sun and little wind. The climate of the area is one of San Francisco's best, with little fog. Thus, contemporary indoor-outdoor living would be possible and enjoyable." The planned neighborhood would mostly include "moderate income families" along with a few "luxury" and "perhaps some low rent public housing." The types of dwellings constructed would be "appropriate" to place. As an example, the Agency suggested that, "… the pleasant home-like character of Glen Park could be continued in the new development area where it merges with the new built-up section. The hillside houses overlooking Mission Valley, with their old trees and their well laid-out gardens, would have neighbors that also have trees and gardens. There would be no sudden break in the character of the neighborhood as one passes into the redeveloped area; the new homes would harmonize with those already built."
The final plan was approved by the Supervisors in 1952. Yet, a larger than anticipated scope, interdepartmental negotiations, disagreement over the fair price of the lands, and challenges over the legality of the Redevelopment Act's definition of blight would stall the project for four years. Then, by 1959, the Redevelopment Agency had purchased half of the privately held land in Diamond Heights, with the other half being condemned under eminent domain. The summits of Red Rock Hill and Gold Mine Hill were leveled off, and the dirt – 2 million cubic yards of it – was pushed into the saddle between the two hills, where the Diamond Heights Shopping Center and Christopher Playground stand today.
Despite project delays, Vernon DeMars, a faculty member in the Department of Architecture at U.C. Berkeley, provided designs for Diamond Heights in 1951. Following in the footsteps of Burnham by "working with the topography," he designed streets that followed the contours of the hills so that, according to Brandi, "enabled each house or townhouse to have street access and opportunity for views." Dwellings would include high-rise towers, single or multi-story row houses, and apartment or condominium complexes. The height of structures would "step-down" the slopes so that no single view would be obstructed. He designed the primary path of transit through the neighborhood, Diamond Heights Boulevard, as a four-lane artery that began at Clipper and made its way around the hills before descending into Glen Park.
In 1961, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency announced a national architectural competition for proposed designs for Red Rock Hill Towers, with the top ten finalists each receiving $1,000 (about $7,800 today). The purpose of the competition was "… to elevate the urban design consequences of the redevelopment process to a higher level than is likely to result without special attention to the esthetics of the ultimate construction." Entrants were to submit plans within the Agency's specifications: 22 acres of land, height up to 135 feet at the summit (equivalent to about 12 stories), no more than 3,960 total rooms comprised of 90 efficiency units (400-500 sq ft), 180 one-bedroom (600-700 sq ft) and 360 each of two- and three-bedroom units (800-900, and 1000-1150 sq ft, respectively), inclusive of covered parking for each unit.
Of the ten finalists, the Agency narrowed the final selection down to four. The developer who ultimately purchased the land, San Francisco Redevelopers, was required to select one of these four designs to build on the site. They soon chose the plan submitted by Cohen and Levorsen of San Francisco that included a total of 650 apartments in five high-rise towers ranging up to 15 stories and connected, as Brandi describes, in "undulating chains." An additional 340 units in low-rise structures with covered parking areas were to be connected in the same manner, reminiscent of a "sophisticated" San Francisco row house.
Eventually, financial issues caused the Red Rock Hill project and the adjacent shopping complex to be halted in 1964. By that time, the townhomes were about 60% complete and the towers had yet to be started. San Francisco Redevelopers sold their interests for the complex and shopping center to General Electric, who was involved in the redevelopment project as the provider of all-electric homes. After taking over, General Electric reduced the number of towers first to two, then to one. By 1968, only the townhouses along Diamond Heights Boulevard near Clipper were complete, and the towers were never built. Imagine what the silhouette of Red Rock Hill would look like today with apartment towers looming atop its summit! It would have changed the balance and character of the San Francisco skyline entirely.
A down-scaled alternative was developed and what would become known as Diamond Heights Village, a complex of two- to three-story buildings designed by Gensler and Esherick, was completed by the Ring Brothers in 1972. In addition, St. Adian's Episcopal Church was completed in 1963, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church opened in 1964, the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church (now the New Life Chinese Lutheran Church), the Diamond Heights Shopping Center, and Diamond Heights Elementary School on Amber Drive (now the San Francisco Police Academy) all opened in 1965. Station 26 of the San Francisco Fire Department opened on Digby in 1968, and Eugene McAteer High School, today the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, opened in 1972 at the intersection of O'Shaughnessy Boulevard and Portola Drive.
Many of the older homes that predated Redevelopment Area B along the southern and eastern boundaries of the project were maintained by The Redevelopment Agency. Many single lots were sold to individuals who then hired their own architect to design a modern home for them. In addition, 500 units of lower-income housing were constructed by private developers under loans from the Federal Housing Administration rather than the San Francisco Public Housing Agency. The homes were to be rented or sold at below-market rates to those with moderate income for private housing, and not as public housing for welfare recipients. The first of these was the Glenridge Cooperative on the southern slopes of Gold Mine Hill in 1969. Buyers enjoyed affordable monthly payments but were not allowed to sell their home for profit for the first 20 years. The Diamond View Apartments (Fairmount Hill) were completed in 1972, and Vista del Monte (Gold Mine Hill) in 1975. Much of the impetus for lower income housing was to accommodate residents of the Western Addition who had been displaced by the Agency's earlier project, Redevelopment Plan A-1.
New residences for higher income families throughout the Diamond Heights area were constructed by several developers. In addition to Diamond Heights Village on Red Rock Hill (by Gensler and Esherick), other condominium complexes were designed by Fisher Friedman and Associates (Red Rock and Gold Mine Hills), and Beverly Willis (Fairmount Hill). Many single-family homes were designed by prominent architects Ray F. Galli (Red Rock and Gold Mine Hills), and Joseph Eichler (Red Rock Hill), among others.
Eichler had been building homes in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1950. A modernist by design, he is responsible for the construction of 11,000 "California-modern" homes in the Bay Area, from San Francisco north to Lucas Valley and San Rafael, eastward to Oakland, Walnut Creek, and south to Castro Valley and San Jose. Diamond Heights was particularly adapted to Eichler's basic approach: open floor plans with floor-to-ceiling glass. In other words, much like Frank Lloyd Wright had done at the turn of the 20th century, Eichler was bringing the outside world in, and allowing the interior of the home to go outside.
Diamond Heights was Eichler's first project in a redevelopment program. Working with architect Claude Oakland, Eichler Homes built 100 split-level or two-story family homes in Diamond Heights on Amethyst, Amber, and Cameo Way between 1962 and 1964. The sale price was based on one of six floor plans, each with three or four bedrooms and ranging from $34,950 to $46,500. According to a real estate agency that specializes in Eichler Homes throughout the Bay Area, property turnover of Eichler homes in Diamond Heights is only 3% to 5% annually, which speaks volumes not only to the quality of these homes but to the neighborhood, as well.
The entire Diamond Heights project, with approximately 2,350 units constructed, was determined closed on September 27, 1978. It was a major undertaking that garnered local and national attention. A success under the parameters of redevelopment, it is not as well recognized today as other redevelopment projects in the City, and is generally not considered a destination.
Brandi reflects that DeMars' design of Diamond Heights Boulevard as the main thoroughfare for residents is one reason. DeMars intentionally avoided direct intersection with major crossroads connecting to downtown and other neighborhoods. This has restricted traffic through the area, just as DeMars planned.
Additionally, while visitors from across the City visit Glen Canyon, the main entrance is through Glen Park. Moreover, the three hills of Diamond Heights lack open space at their summits for non-residents to ascend and enjoy the view. Brandi believes that, had the Redevelopment Agency not declared the area blighted, proponents of the growing environmental movement in the 1960s would have likely ensured the preservation of the summits as open space. This was the case for Twin Peaks, Mt. Davidson, Mt. Sutro, Bernal Heights, and other areas in the City.
Now a half-century old, Diamond Heights maintains its "California-modern" flare and mid-century historical significance. As a planned community embracing the topography of the eastern slopes of the San Miguel Range, nothing else in San Francisco compares.
© 2015 - 2021. The Glen Park Neighborhoods History Project is fiscally sponsored
by Independent Arts & Media, a California non-profit corporation.


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Governor Tony Evers signs statewide order prohibiting mass gatherings of more than 10 People
Posted by Staff | Mar 17, 2020 | Articles, COVID-19 |
Governor Tony Evers directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm on March 17 to issue an agency order prohibiting mass gatherings of 10 people or more statewide, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The measure came hours after Governor Evers declared a health emergency by Executive Order #72 to restrict groups of 50, which took effect on Tuesday, March 17 at 12:01 a.m. The new order superseded the original total of 50 with the reduced amount of 10. It will also remain in effect for the duration, and includes any gatherings at locations such as public or private schools, theaters, museums, stadiums, conference rooms, meeting halls, taverns, health and fitness centers, and places of worship.
Critical infrastructure and services such as grocery stores, food pantries, childcare centers, pharmacies, and hospitals are exempt from this order. Restaurants and bars are required to operate at less than 10 percent capacity or have fewer than 10 people, whichever is less.
"While it was a difficult decision knowing the impacts on communities, families, workers, and businesses across our state, I believe limiting gatherings to less than 10 people is another critical step we can take in slowing and reducing the spread of COVID-19," said Governor Evers. "Keeping folks safe and healthy has to be our top priority during this crisis."
On March 12, the governor signed an executive order that directs DHS to take all necessary and appropriate measures to prevent and respond to incidences of COVID-19. It allowed DHS to purchase, store, or distribute appropriate medications, regardless of insurance or other health coverage, as needed to respond to the emergency. It also authorizes state funds to support local health departments with costs related to isolation and quarantine, as well as the use of the Wisconsin National Guard.
"Our top priority at this time is to keep Wisconsinites safe and healthy by reducing the spread of COVID-19, especially for those who are considered high-risk. With limited tests available nationwide and continued community spread, we have to take every precaution to protect ourselves, our families, and our neighbors," added Governor Evers. "I know what this means for our small business owners and the struggles they and their workers will face in the coming weeks, but we are committed to working with our federal partners, state officials, and stakeholders to ensure we are doing everything we can to assist during these uncertain times."
Lee Matz
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With various editorial projects in our production pipeline, this is our general attribution for credit when a single individual is not specifically attached by name. It is a catch-all author, used when several staff collaborate to report the single news story.
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Photo Essay: Free-falling with the Golden Knights Demonstration Team


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Leduc County Circles Wagons
Apr. 5, 2013 8:00 a.m.
by Lorna Lowe
Leduc County Mayor John Whaley took a hard stance during the County's response to the annexation plans by the City of Edmonton.
In a firm response to Edmonton's annexation application County Mayor John Whaley says the Capital City needs to set aside it's proposal to take 38,000 acres of Leduc County land and return to the table for discussion.
In a public statement regarding the annexation Mayor Whaley spoke to media saying, "Our stance is clear. Leduc County does not want annexation. And I want to be very clear on this; I have tremendous respect for Mayor Mandel and the City of Edmonton but we should both be working for the benefit of the capital region, and I don't think this is the way to do it."
Mayor Whaley spoke of how "heavy-handed and arbitrary proposals" such as this could impede growth within Leduc County. He talked of how this creates uncertainty in residents and the business community and seriously impact the County's ability to attract new business to the area. "Why would a business consider the factors in Leduc County when the City might just decide to change it's borders?"
The County cited the Provincial Government's policy on both regional collaboration and containing urban sprawl.
"Those 38,000 acres contain our Crown Jewels." said Mayor Whaley. For a city (Edmonton) already struggling with low density and a high cost of services the annexation represents a gigantic new sprawl.
Mayor Whaley admitted that annexation had been talked about for almost the entire time he has been on council. "We knew it was just a matter of where and when it would eventually happen. The extent and size of it." But he continued to avow that there was no reason to walk away from the existing process and also no rationale to propose annexation at this time.
Leduc County has repeatedly requested information regarding the lands that the City of Edmonton already has in reserve for growth but the City has continued to ignore those requests.
"Leduc County has a proud history of being a good neighbour, working well with our regional partners. Our six guns are not out! We know how to do things right for the benefit of the entire region. So I say let's get back to business."
By press time there had been no public response from the City of Edmonton.
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Detail of mantle fragment created in block color style. Wool plain-weave with stem-stitch embroidery. Peruvian (Paracas). Denman Waldo Ross Collection (21.2556). Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
In the absence of any written texts, woven and embroidered fabrics and ceramic pottery are all that remain of Paracas civilization. It has been a privilege to look closely at textiles in our collection that miraculously survived for nearly two millennia; ritually buried with their dead in the arid sands of the Paracas Peninsula, protected from the vicissitudes of light and moisture. Exploring the intriguing Paracas embroideries of ancient Peru has made me familiar with some of the theories and interpretations about how these textiles may have functioned within the culture. The piecing together of actual details is difficult, but the stories that I find most interesting are those that weave themselves into textile structure itself for clues.
A comparison of two formally and iconographically different embroidery styles is one way of understanding the ways these textiles transmitted discrete knowledge within the society. In my blog post A Hidden Order, I wrote about the distinctive block color embroidery–a highly expressive, flexible, and pictorially detailed style of fashioning images onto cloth (see images above and below). Here, embroidery is worked in stem stitch to both outline and fill in the negative spaces of compositional details such as arms, legs, eyes, mouth, costume elements, wings, appendages, and the backgrounds of borders. Figures embroidered along borders and on the woven field portray humans in costume, supernatural beings, animals and anthropomorphic figures in vivid colors, allowing for the depiction of real, physical objects from direct observation.
Border fragment, wood plain weave with stem stitch embroidery in block color style. Peruvian (Paracas) Seth K. Sweetzer Fund (31.901). Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Another style called "linear" embroidery (see image below) is conceptually and visually divergent from block color style. Whereas block color embroidery is characterized by freehand, curvilinear stitches to identify realistic shapes and figures, linear embroidery stitches faithfully follow the warp and weft pathways of the woven ground, resulting in figures and patterns that are geometric. In the linear style, the background is created first with a series of parallel-running stem stitches. Images emerge as negative spaces that are then outlined with contrasting colored yarns. In this manner, both figure and ground are built up simultaneously, and distinctions between the two are more subtle.
CURRENTLY ON VIEW in Gallery LG33. Detail of mantle created in linear style embroidery, Peruvian (Paracas). Camelid plain weave with stem-stitch embroidery; fringe. . John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund (1972.353). Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Poncho embroidered in the linear style. Peruvian (Paracas). Camelid plain weave, embroidered. Mary Woodman Fund (31.496). Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Border fragment, Peruvian (Paracas). Plain weave with stem-stitch embroidery worked in linear style. Samuel Putnam Avery Fund (35.1125). Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Detail of stem-stitch embroidery in linear style. John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund (1972.353). Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.


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Home » Lifestyle » Sicily
Giorgio Armani's cruise through the Aeolian islands
Italian fashion designers seem to have a soft spot for the Aeolian islands off the coast of Sicily; after Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana who spent part of their summer holidays in the archipelago, it's now the turn of…
Summer in Italy: Aeolian islands, haunt of the rich and famous
Every year the amazing Aeolian islands off the coast of Sicily attract thousands of tourists - especially the rich and famous who arrive in the archipelago in droves; from former English Prime Minister Tony Blair and American designer Tom Ford…
Luxury holidays in Sicily: Grand Hotel Mazzarò Sea Palace, Taormina
Located in the beautiful town of Taormina, the luxury Grand Hotel Mazzarò overlooks the sea (it's one of its major attractions); from its windows guests can in fact enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the Mediterranean sea and breathe in its…
Easter in Sicily: packages to Syracuse
Syracuse is on the world heritage list and looking at this photo you can see why. The Sicilian town is one of the main attractions of Sicily, with its Neapolis greek architecture and Ortigia being two gems to visit.The archaeological…
Luxury hotels in Sicily: Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa near Ragusa
Last July not far from the beautiful city of Ragusa and near the major tourist attractions in the area (i.e. the necropolis of Camarina and the enchanting cathedral of Noto) they inaugurated a luxury spa hotel which features a private…
Claudio Baglioni and Gigi d'Alessio "Avrai" duet for Baglioni world tour
Gigi d'Alessio and Claudio Baglioni perform a duet as part of Baglioni's world tour, "Un solo mondo", which started on March 6th in Atlantic City. The Italian singer's tour is already sold out, but if you're lucky enough to have…
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes to spend their summer holidays in Sicily
Tom Cruise and his wife Katie Holmes, one of the most talked about couples in showbiz , are planning to spend their summer holidays in Sicily and its surroundings. The news, of course, did not surprise me at all! Sicily…
Holidays in Sicily: the Costa Tirrenica from Palermo
If you're looking for an alternative holiday destination in Italy, in both winter and summer, you could considere the Costa Tirrenica in Sicily. For accommodation in Sicily, one of the best sites is Siciliae.com, which is a portal to all…
Holidays in Italy: Valley of The Temples in Sicily
Sicily is a corner of paradise and every year thousands of tourists from across the world visit the Island seeking peace and beauty. The place is a treasure trove of astonishing works of art. Beautiful cities like Syracuse, Monreale Trapani,…
Naomi Campbell rumoured to get married in Italy
A strong buzz is making rounds that supermodel Naomi Campbell and her Russian billionaire lover Vladimir Doronin are making preparations to get married in Sicily. There are rumours afoot that the wedding will take place on one of the Aeolian…
Sicily: the Alcantara Park
The fluvial park of the Alcantara river is a rural area in Sicily. Beautiful in any season the park is famous for its river, woodlands and wild animals. An Idyllic place where the more traditional willows trees sit alongside trees…
Summer holidays in Sicily: Falconara resort near Ragusa
If you are planning to spend your summer holidays in Sicily, the Falconara resort (near the beautiful Falconara castle which was built in the Middle Ages as a defence against the Moors ) could be what you are looking for,…
Giorgio Armani's luxury holiday on the island of Pantelleria
Italian designer Giorgio Armani is enjoying a long cruise in the Mediterranean. His luxury Main Armani yacht has visited several ports and places including the island of Pantelleria where a few years ago the king of fashion bought a beautiful…
Adventure sports in Italy: canyoning in Sicily
Italy may not be the most likely destination for an adventure sports holiday, but it has some excellent options and could be great for people wanting to combine culture and sport in their travels. A nice glass of red wine…
Video: How to make arancini di riso alla catanese
For today's cooking show we give you these videos on how to make arancini. Arancini are a Sicilian speciality and have that great get-your-hands-dirty cooking style. I once had an Italian chef say that the best tool in the kitchen…
The most dangerous jobs in Italy: taxi driver in Palermo
If you need to take a taxi in Italy you will probably be picked up by a Fiat Multipla; these cars are all the rage with taxi drivers here n Italy, maybe this preference depends on the fact that this…
Holidays in Sicily: Mafia boss's farmhouse opens as a hotel and restaurant
If you're planning to visit Sicily, you may be interested to know that there's a very special hotel that you can stay at; though, to be frank, the place is causing quite a stir here in Italy. The stone farmhouse,…
Marco Carta's new single "Quello Che Dai" from "Il Cuore Muove"
Marco Carta's new album Il Cuore Muove or The Heart Moves will hit stores on 25 May.According to our sources, the album contains a mysterious duet with a famous female singer whose identity is still top secret (some suggest Alessandra…
Italy's best beaches: top ten for 2011 summer in Italy
Summer in Italy spoils us for choice over the best Italian beaches from the north to the south, including some beautiful secluded spots on Italy's islands. While August often seems like a bum's rush to get your spot on the…
Packages to Sicily to visit the Norman cathedral of Monreale
Monreale is one of Sicily's most famous tourist destinations, for this stunning Norman cathedral built in 1174. The Duomo and the cloisters, built a few centuries apart from each other, are some of the most spectacular constructions to be seen…
Early autumn sunshine breaks in Italy: Plage Resort, Taormina
In Sicily is still high summer, so if you feel like soaking up the sun, the Plage resort in Taormina is the place to be; surrounded by huge pine trees and with a spectacular view over the enchanting Isola Bella,…
Luxury holidays in Sicily: Therasia Resort, Vulcano island
Situated on Vulcano, one of the most beautiful islands off the coast of Sicily, the Theresia hotel is second to none when it comes to luxury accommodations and high quality service (it's a great favourite with the rich and famous…


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HTC Sells Back Part of Stake in Headphones Company Beats
By Michael Kan
HTC has sold back about half its majority stake in Beats Electronics, signaling according to analysts that its investment in the U.S. headphones provider may have fallen short of its expectations.
The Taiwanese phone maker said in a Taiwan Stock Exchange filing on Sunday that by selling back the stake, it would retain about 25 percent ownership of Beats, with the remainder about 75 percent stake back in the hands of Beats.
It said in an email that the deal would "provide Beats with more flexibility for global expansion," but also continue to give HTC exclusivity in using Beats' audio products in mobile devices. "HTC and Beats will continue to work closely, including a joint global marketing campaign later this year," the company added.
HTC announced its investment of about US$300 million in Beats last August, as part of a move to improve the audio on its smartphones. Beats is a company rap artist Dr. Dre helped found, and sells higher-end headphones. The company is selling back its part of the stake for US$150 million.
Following the deal, HTC began bundling Beats headphones with certain smartphones, while also integrating Beats audio technology into the devices.
While HTC said the deal helped create progress in sound innovation, and brand awareness, the partnership between the two companies likely didn't work out, said Teck Zhung Wong, an analyst with research firm IDC.
"I think Beats wants to get back control of their fate, and indeed, HTC is thinking about changing their phone strategy," he said.
Integrating Beats technology into the smartphones added an additional selling point for HTC's phones. But the partnership was not enough to improve HTC's competitiveness against other rival smartphone providers, Wong said.
"Other handsets vendors are focusing more on content and services. I think this is a little more important than just equipment," he said. "Not everyone may have wanted that particular kind of headphone."
Financially, HTC has reported net profit declines for the last three quarters. The company has partly attributed this to intense competition with Samsung and Apple. To add to its woes, HTC's newest handset was delayed in the U.S. earlier this year, the result of its patent battles with Apple.