Armageddon Games Forums > Zelda Classic > ZC Discussion > If you were to send Link anywhere..
View Full Version : If you were to send Link anywhere..
OK. Suppose you wanted to see Link go somewhere. Anywhere at all. Under a waterfall and into Zora's Domain, .. or even hop aboard a starship and go exploring with Zelda. Whatever you want. Where would you send him? And Why?
I would like to see Link take on Bill Gates in a battle of wits for the ownership of Microsquash. Then I'd like to see Link do a hostile takeover of Sony and create a new fashion line. After that I'd like to see him write his own video game where you get to take control of all the world's video game players and cause them to die a million horrible deaths trying to convert the world to open source.
Then I'd like to see him making my burger at McDonald's.
:laughing: Heh. Well... I kinda had more "natural" locations in mind, like a gem mine, or on top of a moon or something like that.
I dunno. I mean, Link's already been sailing, time warping, shifting between worlds, shitfing between seasons, AND hiking across huge tracts of land. Where else is there to go?
Maybe sailing through different time periods of two worlds with control of seasons?
Link at the Hyrulian amusement park?
Link inside a computer!! That would be one interesting game!
I was thinking something more.. natural. Stop living in the world of technology, and start to see the many worlds of TLOZ!
Key items would be Iron Boots of course, Double Air Tank, bow = harpoon gun..
Hmm sounds a little farfetched but ...yeah.
Um.. . alright. Suppose a giant portal opened up in Link's house, and he stepped through. Where would he end up?
Personally, I'd like to send Link to the Mushroom Kingdom...too bad side-scroll is so limited in ZC...I've always wanted to make a game somewhere between SMB and LoZ.
I'd like to see him go down the toilet and explore... like in Mad Monster Mansion of Banjo-Kazooie.
I'd like to send Link to a retirement home, or to the grave.
I'd send him to the bahammas on a "Quest for the Perfect Tan". The goal of the quest would be to find the suntan lotions (Rings) which instead of changing the color of his clothes slightly darkens his skin. He would start pale and have a golden tan by the end of the game! That would be funny.
The Far Future..like 2340 Where Link must kill Ganon's descendant.
He takes his master sword and is able to deflect lasers with it. That rogue enemy moblins carry. And octorock shoot grenades.
Since when was Metroid a platformer? There are no jumping challenges in Metroid even remotely akin to SMB.


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Home > News > RTL plots European VoD service
RTL plots European VoD service
Bert Habets at RTL Group's Management Summit
Media giant RTL Group has unveiled plans to create a pan-European VoD service and has called on its broadcasters to work more closely with its production outfit, Fremantle.
RTL is planning to create a joint tech platform that will see streamers belonging to its broadcasters in France, Germany and the Netherlands – such as M6, RTL Television and RTL respectively – migrating to it.
The Luxembourg-based group already operates streamers including TV Now Plus in Germany and Videoland in the Netherlands, which will use the shared platform.
Detailed plans will be unveiled in March next year, but RTL added that it also wants Fremantle to work more closely with its sibling broadcasters to support the move.
The producer will also continue its push into high-end drama series in territories such as the US, Germany, the UK, Australia, Italy, France and the Nordics, RTL said following RTL Group's Management Summit 2018.
Fremantle recently struck a first-look production deal with Natalie Dormer, star of its hit period drama Picnic at Hanging Rock, while its slate also includes The Young Pope and Aussie drama Wentworth.
Bert Habets, CEO of RTL Group, said "rapidly changing consumer behaviour and the emergence of global tech giants" had influenced the shift in strategy and created a move "from a local to a global competitive landscape."
"This is why we have started a comprehensive, group-wide transformation journey. More than ever before, we will focus on fostering creativity, being close to our audiences, taking more risks and forging more cooperation within RTL Group."
Habets said he wanted to "build local streaming champions in the markets where we have strong families of channels" and added that "higher investments into content production, creative storytelling and closer collaboration" would support the aim of creating more IP within RTL.
RTL Group's broadcast assets include RTL Television in Germany, M6 in France, the RTL channels in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Croatia and Hungary, and Antena 3 in Spain.
Fremantle, Dormer strike first-look deal
MipTV 2018 preview
Nuñez sets out CBSSI stall
Talking EITF 2017 – day two

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Discord. JS bot not starting properly I'm trying to code a Discord bot using discord js. However, when I start it up, there are no error message, only just stays at this screen.

sequelize deprecated String based operators are now deprecated. Please use Symbol based operators for better security, read more at http://docs.sequelizejs.com/manual/tutorial/querying.html#operators node_modules/discord-leveling/node_modules/sequelize/lib/sequelize.js:245:13
═[Discord-Leveling Database Loaded -V1.1.0]═[Support server: https://discord.gg/eBFKDbx]=

I haven't been able to get any help from the internet or from other support servers, so if anybody could help me out it would be much appreciated.
This is my startup code.
client.once('ready', () => {
  (async function(){
  const storedBalances = await Users.findAll();
  storedBalances.forEach(b => currency.set(b.user_id, b));

  console.log('Nintendo Musicians Bot is online!');
  client.user.setActivity('with your mind', {type: 'PLAYING'}).catch(console.error);
});

client.on('message', async message =>{
  client.guilds.cache.get('701787671244046366').emojis.cache.forEach(emoji => console.log(emoji.animated ? '<a:' + emoji.name + ':' + emoji.id + '>' : '<:' + emoji.name + ':' + emoji.id + '>'));
  if (message.author.bot) return;
  currency.add(message.author.id, 1);

   const args = message.content.slice(prefix.length).trim().split(/ +/);
   const command = args.shift().toLowerCase();

   const input = message.content.slice(prefix.length).trim().split(' ');
   const commandArgs = input.join(' ');

A: If you installed the last version of discord js update your node js to the last version, discord.js v13 just run with node 16+

A: looks like you are using Discord.JS v11. This version is no longer supported

A: You are not using v13. Discord no longer supports queries such as message.author.id instead use interaction.user.id. Read the discord js slash command docs and you should be fine.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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All Posts in #racial injustice
'The Metaphysics of American Urban Violence'
Monday, November 9, 2020, By Lily Datz
Danielle Smith, professor of African American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Renée Crown University Honors Program, wrote an op-ed for LA Progressive titled "The Metaphysics of American Urban Violence." Smith, who studies issues…
"Black Lives Matter movement reveals divides among Asian-American community."
Monday, June 15, 2020, By Lily Datz
Yingyi Ma, an Associate Professor of Sociology in the Maxwell School, was interviewed by The South China Morning Post for the story, "Black Lives Matter movement reveals divides among Asian-American community." The Black Lives Matter movement has shown a range…
Anti-Asian Racism is on the Rise: What Can be Done to Stop It?
Thursday, May 7, 2020, By Hailey Womer
Mary Szto, teaching professor in the College of Law, wrote a commentary for syracuse.com entitled "Businesses must act to stop COVID-19 anti-Asian racism." In the article, Szto discusses the recent rise in racist incidents towards those apart of the Asian…
New York State Bar to Admit Syracuse's First Black Law Graduate
Friday, October 18, 2019, By Hailey Womer
Paula Johnson, Professor in the College of Law and Co-Director of the Cold Case Justice Initiative, wrote a commentary called "NYS Bar to admit Syracuse's first black law graduate, correcting century-old injustice." The Syracuse.com article highlights the racial injustice faced…


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While our Lord was preaching, a woman in the crowd cried out, "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee and the breasts which Thou hast sucked" (Luke 11). Our Lord assents, but instead of dwelling on the good words of this woman, He goes on to say something further. He speaks of a greater blessedness. "Yea," He says, "but blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it." Now these words of our Lord require notice, if it were only for this reason, because there are many persons nowadays who think they are said in depreciation of the glory and blessedness of the Most Holy Virgin Mary; as if our Lord had said, "My Mother is blessed, but my true servants are more blessed than she is." I shall say some words then on this passage ... .
Now a very few words will be sufficient to show that our Lord's words are no disparagement to the dignity and glory of His Mother, as the first of creatures and the Queen of all Saints. For consider, He says that it is a more blessed thing to keep His commandments than to be His Mother, and do you think that the Most Holy Mother of God did not keep the commandments of God? Of course no one, no Protestant even—no one will deny she did. Well, if so, what our Lord says is that the Blessed Virgin was more blessed in that she kept His commandments than because she was His Mother. And what Catholic denies this? On the contrary we all confess it. All Catholics confess it. The Holy Fathers of the Church tell us again and again that our Lady was more blessed in doing God's will than in being His Mother. She was blessed in two ways. She was blessed in being His Mother; she was blessed in being filled with the spirit of faith and obedience. And the latter blessedness was the greater. I say the Holy Fathers say so expressly. St. Augustine says, "More blessed was Mary in receiving the faith of Christ, than in receiving the flesh of Christ." In like manner St. Elizabeth says to her at the Visitation, "Beata es quae credidisti, Blessed art thou who didst believe"; and St. Chrysostom goes so far as to say that she would not have been blessed, even though she had borne Christ in the body, unless she had heard the word of God and kept it.


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The top cities for starting something new: Tel Aviv | Courier
The top cities for starting something new: Tel Aviv
Why you should consider relocating to this Israeli city in 2021.
Why you should consider it:
Tel Aviv is undoubtedly the Middle East's tech, financial and startup hub.
Who it's good for:
The laid-back who want to secure a foothold in the Middle East.
Why now:
Its business culture is more open and accessible than ever.
This seafront metropolis has beaches and 300 annual days of sunshine. On top of that, it has the highest number of startups per capita in the world: in 1990, there were just 500 startups; today there are more than 5,000.
There are also hundreds of venture capital funds and acceleration programmes. What's more, it's a great place to start your own business: not only are there plenty of like-minded founders and a support structure already in place, but the city offers political stability not found in many other places in the region. Restaurants, cafes, bars – and plenty of and co-working spaces, too – are spread across the city's 20 square miles.
A fertile ground for startups
Kobi Marenko, founder of Arbe Robotics 'Tel Aviv was built in the spirit of an international city,' says Kobi Marenko, CEO of Arbe Robotics, whose 4D high-resolution radar for vehicle sensors hit the market last year.
'You can find an incredible amount of talent here, especially in engineering.' Arbe is Kobi's third startup, and has raised $55m since launching in 2015. Although he hails from Tel Aviv, he could not have chosen a better location for his company were he not.
In contrast to the political-religious focus of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv has flourished as Israel's seat of regional stability and international business. There's an emphasis on tech, too, that stems from the country's stress on scientific education – Israel spends 4.9% of its GDP on scientific R&D, the highest in the world.
Such prospects – plus the chance of getting a foothold in the Middle East – have attracted startups from around the world, plus all the accoutrements that come with them, such as VCs. 'In Israel, there are more VCs per square metre than anywhere in the world,' says Kobi. Tel Aviv has become fertile ground for launching prototypes, thanks to the low operational costs and salaries relative to, say, San Francisco.
There are challenges, of course: while homegrown talent is rife, Kobi notes a shortage of international skill in certain areas, and the government has laws that make hiring from abroad difficult. But find the right team and it's smooth sailing. 'You can launch a prototype in no time.'
Find more of the top cities for starting something new in 2021.
This article was first published in Courier Issue 37, October/November 2020. To purchase the full issue or become a subscriber, head to our webshop.
How one couple opened a micro hotel on the Sri Lankan coast


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ESC fund awards two scholarships
Two local students -- Evan Hambrick and Paige Emnett, both graduates of Wheelersburg High School -- received scholarships from the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center, in New Boston, during the Scioto Foundation Scholarship Luncheon on June 13 at the SOMC Friends Center.
Hambrick will attend Miami University, where he will be earning his degree in computer science.
"I felt elated to hear that I had gotten the scholarship, especially considering that there were other highly eligible candidates for it as well," he said.
Emnett will attend The University of Findlay, where she will be earning her degree as an Intervention Specialist with the hopes of also attending grad school to be an Occupational Therapist.
"It's an honor to receive this scholarship and I'm grateful that I was chosen. Every dollar counts when paying for college and it all chips away at tuition rates," she said.
The ESC Scholarship Fund was created nearly five years ago as an added benefit to ESC staff to help their children pay for college. Employees of the ESC can make voluntary, tax-deductible contributions into an endowment fund at The Scioto Foundation. Recipients of the scholarship are chosen each year by the Scioto Foundation's Scholarship Committee.
Andy Riehl, ESC treasurer, said the real mission of the program is to offer as much as it can to ESC employees. If six students apply, he said, they would love to be able to offer a scholarship to all six of them. But as the number of applicants grows, so too does the need for employee contributions.
"We now have about 225 full-time employees that work for us, and if everybody contributed $1 per pay that would be almost $6,000 a year in contributions. That would be huge," Riehl said.
For more information about the ESC, visit online at www.scoesc.org, or follow the ESC on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.


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America's Sunflower
The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. And driving through Kansas in summertime, you can see how this flower has become a mainstay of this area's farmers.
First domesticated in Mesoamerica (present day Mexico) by at least 2600 BC, sunflowers are an annual plant native to the Americas. They're named after its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun.
Many indigenous American peoples used the sunflower as the symbol of their solar diety, including the Aztecs and the Otomi of Mexico and the Incas in South America. Several Native American groups planted sunflowers on the north edges of their gardens as a "fourth sister" to the better known three sisters combination of corn, beans and squash.
Sunflower seeds were brought to Europe in the 16th century, where, along with sunflower oil, they became a widespread cooking ingredient. Leaves of the sunflower can be used as cattle feed, while the stems contain a fibre which may be used in paper production.In the mid-western US, wild (perennial) species often found in corn and soybean fields are considered a weed.
Sunflowers fascinated Van Gogh who painted a series of this flower. The photo accompanying this article epitomizes his most familiar painting of the series.
My favorite story about sunflowers is contained in this quote from My Antonia by Willa Cather.
"Fuchs told me that the sunflowers were introduced into that country by the Mormons; that at the time of the persecution, when they left Missouri and struck out into the wilderness to find a place where they could worship God in their own way, the members of the first exploring party, crossing the plains to Utah, scattered sunflower seed as they went. The next summer, when the long trains of wagons came through with all the women and children, they had the sunflower trail to follow.
I believe that botanists do not confirm Fuchs's story, but insist that the sunflower was native to those plains. Nevertheless, that legend has stuck in my mind, and sunflower-bordered roads always seem to me the roads to freedom."
Only a legend, but the sunflower has established its place in mid-American history.
Coat Rack or Clothes Tree
Thomas Jefferson is believed to be the inventor of the first coat hanger, the precursor of the ubiquitous coat rack. They take up very minimal space and can be moved anywhere within the home. From holding coats to holding other types of things to free up space, a coat rack is most definitely a very handy piece of furniture.
I discovered the one pictured above many years ago while browsing a junk store outside of Fayetteville, AR. At first my husband objected to its purchase, saying we wouldn't be able to get it inside the car for the drive home. But everyone knows a determined woman will always find a way. It has proved extremely useful in our small house. Our bedroom has only one closet, a bare four-feet square. Predictably, my husband claimed it which led to the purchase of an inexpensive free-standing storage unit for my hanging clothes.
Because they need very minimal space, they can be easily place in the corner of the home that would most times be unused space. My clothes hanger stands in my bedroom corner where it is in daily use for sleepwear and other clothes.
Wikipedia has given the term coatrack a whole new meaning. Just as the coats hanging from the rack hide the rack—in a Wikipedia coatrack article, the subject gets hidden behind the sheer volume words relating to a biased point of view. If interested, you can read more details by going to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Coatrack#History
But back to the focus of my piece. Because of their ease of use and versatility, coat racks are making a comeback. They are ideal for small spaces, such as the studio apartment, and are much more versatile than built-in closets. Freestanding coat racks offer the option of inexpensive storage with easy mobility, and you can change locations as often as you need to.
When I went online to search for the history of this item, a passel of websites that sold this item popped up. From traditional to contemporary, for children and adults, you can find a style to suit your tastes. Search out a local flea market, junk store, and even an upscale home boutique to find one to suit your home's style.
Monument to Past Glory
Drive west on Interstate 20 about seventy miles from Ft. Worth's city limits and you might be distracted by the sudden appearance of a brick smokestack jutting 126 feet above a few crumbling foundations. This is all that remains of a once-thriving community called Thurber.
Thurber, Texas once claimed to be the largest town between Fort Worth and El Paso. It began in 1886 with a coal mine started by the Johnson brothers, Harvey and William. Workers were recruited from eighteen nations, including Italy, Poland, Britain and Ireland. The whole town's existence was devoted to the mining of coal and, to a lesser degree, the manufacture of brick. Manufacture of brick began in 1897 and eventually the plant was making 80,000 bricks daily.
The Texas & Pacific Coal Company owned the resulting town; it is believed to be the first city with totally unionized industries. The Opera House was the center of the city's cultural life. Audiences of up to 655 would enjoy traveling plays and operas. The 9.1 acre cemetery has three distinct sections; the African-American, the Catholic, and the White Protestant.
During the first quarter of the twentieth century, railroads changed from coal to oil as fuel, diminishing the markets for coal. When the company moved its corporate location to Fort Worth in the thirties, that spelled the demise of Thurber and it became little more than a ghost town. When Thurber was torn down in the early 1930s, Miners' Houses sold for $50, New York Hill Houses $250.
Atop New York Hill, a large brass plaque shows location of structures from when Thurber thrived. The restored 100-year-old St. Barbara's Church, Thurber Cemetery, a furnished miner's house, and an authentic Italian bocci ball court give a glimpse into the town's past. In 1995, eight State Historical Plaques were dedicated to mark significant sites in Thurber.
Beside that smokestack visible from the highway, only a handful of buildings mark the site where once 10,000 residents claimed Thurber 'home'. Historical markers and deeply-planted memories are all that remains of the once-bustling town of Thurber but every Fourth of July since 1907, a large number of former residents return for a reunion. Thurber was their home town.
Mother Wore Blue Velevet
We were cleaning out the family home--dismantling it in preparation for sale. Now I found myself in my father's bedroom, dreading the task at hand. I sat at my mother's dressing table with its double set of large drawers connected by a low shelf that supported a broad, round mirror, its forties styling dating the piece. Upon opening one of the pair of drawers, I began placing items on the nearby shelf. My fingers reached into its depth and curled about a swatch of fabric. When I drew it out, I recognized what it was--a fragment of my mother's wedding gown of blue velvet.
The feel of that smooth piece of material brought a black-and-white photograph to mind. Myself as a four-year-old, standing on our home's front stoop. My over-large eyeglasses dominated a narrow face which was framed with shoulder-length brown hair. I looked into the camera, my hand reaching up to touch my face as I ducked my head to one side. The photograph was taken to commemorate the special dress I wore--short puffed sleeves and gathered skit that ended at my knees--made of dark blue velvet. I recall my mother's explanation of having made matching dresses for my sister and I from her wedding gown.
Which brought a second photo to mind--my parents' wedding picture. A not-so-young couple that stood side-by-side, solemn expressions on both their faces. They stood midway on a flight of concrete steps leading to a church's pair of carved wooden doors. He stood ram-rod in a severely-cut black suit with she stood close but not touching, wearing a long-sleeved blue gown whose hem swept the ground. That picture was taken November 25th, 1936.
Over the years, each time I came across that photo, I had questions. How did they meet? Where was the picture taken? Why were they the only people in the wedding party picture?
Thinking about the wedding picture, I wonder again why did they stand beside each other as strangers and why such solemn expressions on their faces. From that seemingly distant relationship came a family of eight living children and a marriage that lasted over fifty years.
Although I am the oldest living sibling, there was a daughter born before me who lived but a few days. In years past, I've flipped the pages of the baby book my mother made of her first child's short existence. I look for answers to questions I cannot ask.
As I grew older, I especially wondered if there was significance in my mother's choice of color for her wedding dress. Why blue velvet rather than the traditional white. Growing up I sensed my parents felt trapped in their relationship yet we children were nurtured in an atmosphere of commitment, mutual respect and a kind of love that grew with the years.
I finger the scrap of blue velvet and can't help wondering why my mother kept it all these years.So many questions I never dared to ask went unanswered. And now there is no one to supply the answers--I can only speculate.
Fragments of Lost Memories
I came across these battered, sepia-toned photographs some time after my father died. We were cleaning out the family home in preparation for its sale.
I know they pertain to my father because I found them nestled at the bottom of a bedroom bureau drawer he used. But that is all I know about them; and there is no one alive I can ask for identification or information.
These people, probably related in some way, had meaning for my father. I'm especially intrigued by a missing piece from the one showing an elderly gentleman holding a new-born baby, the jagged edges indicate it was torn apart. As if, my imagination prompts, another individual's image had been deleted at some time. My guess is that the child is the newest member of the family, possibly a first grand-child.
There are other clues hidden in the pictures. I know my father grew up in Quebec, Canada and from the heavy outerwear, my guess is the group picture was taken there. From the formal attire the people are wearing, I surmise the occasion was an auspicious day. The preponderance of black-colored clothing leads me to believe they may have gathered for a funeral, but perhaps not.
I met my father's father and his third wife only one time. I was a child of about eight at the time, so wasn't old enough to make definitive connections of all the family members I met at the time. My recollection of that meeting is vivid. I recall my mother taking my hand to lead to where my grandfather and his wife sat in straight-back kitchen chairs before a wall in some large room. There were other people seated.around the edge of the room. I don't remember what was said; I imagine my mother introduced me as her first-born child. Shortly afterward, I was allowed to join my siblings where they were playing in another area.
I hold onto these two pictures as a reminder of the fragility of memories and as a reminder to take the time to write down my memories for those who will come along after I'm no longer here to supply answers to questions.
One Seed's Potential
Rummaging about in the barn's upper level, I came across a forgotten picnic basket. Inside were several dried gourds, leftover from a long-ago crafting project. When I shook one, I heard the rattle of seeds inside.
Seeds! A promise of life! Can't resist the urge to plant.
I center a four-foot circular wire cage in an open garden bed and nestle seeds, two by two, around its circumference.
Within weeks, tender plants are extending leaves and long tendrils, reaching and clinging to the supporting wire frame. In no time at all it seems, I need to add a second cage as the plants spurt for the sky.
Six weeks later, the vines have obliterated any sign of its wire tower. And still, it continues to grow. One day, I find a vine stretching across open space, reaching for a nearby tree branch. Another time, the vines are creeping across the stump left behind when a tree was cut down.
I peek beneath the leafy foliage and am delighted to spot several gourds in various stages of growth. I look forward to a plentiful harvest—all from a handful of seeds.
As I go about my daily life, I think about all this. I, too, should remember to plant seeds—seeds of kindness and of hope; seeds of acceptance and of encouragement. I don't have to question the harvest…only remember to do the planting.
A Puzzle Tree
Across the road from my home's driveway stands this aged tree. It's been there since long before we moved here over thirty years ago. In this picture, it gives the impression of solid growth and stability.
Circle around to its back side and this is what you will see. Only three sections of outer tree trunk now supply life to itsspread of healthy branches and leaves.
Over the years, the center of the tree has eroded and all that now remains is a shell of a tree, its inner substance confined to just a suggestion of what it once was.
This tree constantly reminds me of something. I need to remember this tree each time I look at people, be they strangers I pass or friends I meet. I need to remind myself not to be influenced by what is visible to my eye. Time may have eroded the perfection of their outer image, but it is the inner core, strong and vital, that really defines who they are.
All over the sixteen acres of our property, mature trees have been stripped of their leaves and green growth by last year's severe drought. They now stand as skeletons etched against the sky. With every strong wind, more and more of their dead branches break and drop to the ground.
Yet this shell of a tree remains green and growing.
Why do you think that is so? What makes the difference between trees that have succumbed to stressful times and another that has maintained its vitality even when much of its original existence has been eaten away?
A relative posted this picture of a double rainbow on Facebook recently. What ignited my attention was the shape of the homes in her part of the country. She lives in Wisconsin and homes there, like all across the northern states, are square, upright and compact.
So different from southern states where older-built homes tend to sprawl and hug the ground. I'm certain architects could give me a practical explanation for this difference. When one begins to meditate on the different conformations a home can take, it boggles the mind.
In the writing of my novel, Twist of Fate, I found it necessary to research what resources were available to those hardy newcomers who first settled the western plains. They emigrated from the eastern part of our country where an abundance of building materials such as rocks and trees were readily available.
But on the grassy open plains, they found themselves at a loss as to what could be used to build a shelter. If fortunate enough to locate a rise in land sufficient, their first habitat usually was a dugout—they dug into the side of the hill and created a man-made cave. Most began their adventure in a sod house; it was the only material available in abundance to create a dwelling. Cutting blocks of sod and stacking them to build walls, it still took a few tree trunks to act as support for the sod blocks that became the roof.
How far we have come from those early days. Now, newer communities continue to sprout their towering, space-eating buildings that nudge one another and have barely space to pass between. From one extreme to another, it seems to me.
Ocean Beach Memories
Each time I travel back to my childhood environs, I promise myself a day at Ocean Beach Park. Even the name conjures up sun, sand and surf. In its heyday, the airwaves reverberated with the sound of abandoned fun. Now the carnival has moved to warmer climes, the carousel, its glitter tarnished, has been dismantled and the harsh buzzes and loud noises of mechanical games replace the penny arcade. Within the cool interior of its now-abandoned roller skating rink, my errant footsteps echo through the building's emptiness.
Later as I step onto the boardwalk, I can see the distant shoreline lying calm and I'm greeted by the whisper of gentle waves. I seat myself on a nearby empty bench and settle down to indulge in my favorite pastime - people watching. The hat that shades my face from the dazzle of unaccustomed sunlight bestows anonymity.
I follow the path of a youngster as he churns the sand, his speedy steps taking him to a sleeping body stretched out on a blanket. He stops to share his excitement, all the while his suit of water dripping on the unappreciative adult. Innocent act of annoyance completed, he turns and races back to the enticing water.
Close by, a group of young adults fling themselves into a vigorous game of volleyball, clinging wet sand glistening on lean, sun-bronzed bodies. With bare skin covered in the skinniest of bikinis, these young girls are aggressive in their enjoyment of the moment.
An older generation shares the boardwalk with me. They move at a slower pace, appreciative of the visual delights and solid platform for their walk. The couple stroll side by side, their aches of arthritic joints responding to the sun's penetrating warmth. Another woman seated close by cautiously raises her skirt to the knees, exposing white shins.
Such are the images I impress on my memory. Later, in my land-locked home, though winter days of sun-less hours and frigid winds take away my breath, I will snuggle in my recliner and revisit these moments, returning once again to this pleasurable time.
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Revealed Treasure
A long-forgotten box…a heart-stopping letter and Marion learns the truth.
Why Mr. Manning!
Celeste thought she knew who she was. Then came that letter from a lawyer.
The Basement's Secret
Just an old trunk in her basement…but who knew the story its contents would speak?
About Me -www.gayingram.webs.com
Not Bound By Blood
Miriam's goal: Olympic gold. Blanche wants world-wide recognitions.
Walking In His Shoes
Glimpses of my Dad living with Alzheimer's
Beginning of Tomorrow
A new position…a new home…can Mariam Morgan start her life over?


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Governor declares state of emergency for South Carolina, closes Lancaster and Kershaw schools
The governor declared a state of emergency in South Carolina due to coronavirus concerns.
Author: WLTX
Published: 1:44 PM CDT March 13, 2020
Updated: 5:56 PM CDT March 14, 2020
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency in South Carolina because of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
This response comes hours after President Trump declared a national emergency.
RELATED: President Trump declares national emergency on coronavirus
Gov. McMaster announced the state of emergency during a media availability at 5 p.m. to enhance the state's response to COVID-19 in South Carolina.
Gov. McMaster also closed schools in Lancaster County for a period of 14 days due to community spread.
The governor has already closed Kershaw County School District schools for two weeks, including all school-related activities. Starting Monday, students will do classwork online through eLearning.
RELATED: Midlands schools modify schedules due amid coronoavirus concerns
The governor's order also directed the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to consult with the state's Superintendent of Education and local school district leadership to provide guidance on if and when remaining school districts should decide to close schools and for what period of time.
State government offices will remain open, visitation at state and local correctional facilities will be suspended immediately throughout South Carolina, DHEC will immediately restrict visitation to nursing homes ans assisted living facilities, state price gouging laws will go into effect immediately in the state, and The State Emergency Management Plan will be activated in South Carolina.
Dr. Linda Bell encouraged citizens to not take closures lightly.
Dr. Bell said that DHEC is working to move from containment to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
"We are monitoring the status of virus in South Carolina to make informed decisions about large gatherings. We have no evidence that the cancellation of schools and events outside of Lancaster and Kershaw Counties is needed at this time," Bell said.
DHEC is following CDC recommendations to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Anyone who has any symptoms of illness is encouraged to stay home.
As of Friday, The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) says it has tested a total of 123 individuals for COVID-19, which includes the seven presumptive positive cases and six confirmed cases. DHEC officials say they will update the public as soon as the confirmatory test results from the CDC or other reference laboratories that are now testing are available, and as other new information is known.
There is a total of 13 cases, presumed and confirmed in South Carolina, according to DHEC. Nine cases are in Kershaw County, two are in Lancaster County, one is in Charleston County, and one is in Spartanburg County.
The newest possible case is a woman in Kershaw County. According to DHEC, the cases in Lancaster and Kershaw Counties do have a connection.
Schools in the Midlands have started to take precautions like canceling after-school actives and implementing extra cleaning.
The state's Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said during the press conference they they are doing everything possible to keep schools open and making sure that districts have plans to conduct education virtually if needed.
"This is certainly a tough situation, there will be dislocations, there will be more, but we'll get through it," said Gov. McMaster.
RELATED: Richland One taking precautions due to coronavirus concerns
RELATED: Sumter School District cancels travel, after-school events due to coronavirus concerns
Universities and colleges in South Carolina have extended breaks and have plans to hold virtual classes.
RELATED: South Carolina colleges, universities take precautions for coronavirus
McMaster also granted state agencies the ability to allow their older or at risk employees to work from home.
On Saturday, McMaster has also asked utility companies to not suspend or disconnect services for nonpayment during the State of Emergency.
Conaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause respiratory infections ranging from the common cold to more serious diseases such as pneumonia. DHEC is working with CDC to identify all those who might have been in contact with these individuals. These people will be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms.
People can help to prevent the spread of the virus in the following ways:
wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. And, always wash your hands with soap and water if they are visibly dirty.
avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
stay home when you're sick.
cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue and put it in the trash immediately.
clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
get the influenza vaccine.
For general questions about COVID-19 residents should visit the DHEC website at scdhec.gov/COVID19 or the CDC website here.
For residents concerned about their own personal health or are showing symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, please call your personal doctor or healthcare provider. DHEC has launched its Care Line. If residents have general questions about COVID-19, the DHEC Care Line is here to help. Call 1-855-472-3432. Staff are answering calls from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call volume has been high. Callers are urged to be patient if they receive a busy signal and try their call at a later time.
Why do some vaccines last longer than others?


The data coming through indicates generally that the pickup in the economy is continuing and MSCI is having to face yet again the annual question of whether or not to include the Chinese A-shares in its global indices. One can only imagine the pressure they are under to do it, just do it. Would it be the right decision? To force billions and billions of dollars in index tracking funds to buy into a market that is so, how shall we put this, different in its fundamentals from other major world markets? The MSCI guys are fully aware of both sides of this discussion. But just think of the pressure. Our sympathies are with them.
But it's the US where the short-term future of the world is being decided right now. As we go to press with this commentary of infinitesimal importance, the pressure is on the US Congress to pass Trumpcare. And the representatives in both houses are wondering how this plays out for them in the mid-term elections next year. "Pass it or else," is an interesting line for the negotiator-in-chief to take. It still feels to us like an unsustainable situation, with a healthy degree of emetic potential. Cheers!


The BDS Eagles were topped by the Giltner Hornets 47-34 in boys basketball Friday, Jan. 7 at Giltner as the Eagles shot just 30 percent from the field.
Giltner stands at 11-0 and is state rated No. 1 in D-2.
The Eagles fell behind 13-3 after the first quarter, but advantages of 9-7 and 10-7 in the second and third quarters sliced the deficit to only 27-22 going into the final period.
The BDS season mark fell to 7-3.
BDS connected on 5 of 16 three-point attempts and made 5 of 7 free throw attempts. The Eagles sank 7 of 23 field goals, while Giltner was 13 of 29 from the field. Giltner hit 0 of 5 three-pointers and connected on 13 of 21 free throw tries.
Scoring- Tegtmeier 18, Holeman 5, Houchin 4, Christensen 4, Swartzendruber 2, Ahrens 1. Rebounds- Houchin 6. Assists- Tegtmeier 3. Steals- Tegtmeier 2.
Team rebounds-- BDS-25, Giltner-27. Team fouls-- BDS-21, Giltner-9.


Red tide has continued to persist on Florida's West Coast and Panhandle, according to the weekly report by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The state agency takes water samples up the west and east coasts to monitor the number of karenia brevis algae, or red tide, in different areas.
The agency found high concentrations from Pinellas to Collier counties, as well as Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Gulf counties in the Panhandle. The sample also showed that much of Florida's east coast is now free of red tide.
The red tide had begun to diminish after Hurricane Michael swept up the Gulf of Mexico and landed in the Panhandle, but last week it seemed to roar back. Fish kills were reported in nine Florida counties, and beachgoers reported respiratory issues in the impacted counties.
Nick Shay, an oceanographer at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, told the Miami Herald that Hurricane Michael might have fueled the most recent rise in red tide.
"I kept hearing this argument, 'Yeah, let's bring a hurricane and that'll flush everything out.' But not necessarily," Shay told the paper.
Shay said that Hurricane Irma last year flushed out red tide in the Keys and Ten Thousand Islands, causing an increase in the fish population. But Michael may have had just the opposite effect. It may have pushed water containing red tide algae into shore, causing the latest surge.
The red tide has persisted since October 2017, when scientists from Mote Marine Laboratory first identified it. Last summer, red tides stopped boating, fishing and visits to beaches along much of Florida's Gulf Coast, from Tampa down to Naples. Fish kills became common, with marine animals like manatees, sea turtles and dolphins found dead on the shore.
Rick Stumpf, an oceanographer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told the paper that regular seasonal fronts need to arrive in January and February to flush the red tide algae away from shore. That did not happen last year.
"We had this nondescript, probably gorgeous weather and the wind not going in any direction," said Stumpf.
The red tide in Tampa has taken a toll on waterfront businesses. Scientists expect it to spread, rather than dissipate.


Figure 5-5. - A cutaway view of a double-tank automatic dishwasher.
grades and viscosities of the oil used, the levels at which the oil is to be maintained, and the places to be oiled. All damaged or missing lubrication fittings should be replaced. The grease cups on the drive end, connecting rod, and the rinse lever should be turned once each quarter and be refilled when empty. Also, the revolving wash arms and valve stems should have a few drops of light oil applied to them about once each quarter.
Be sure to turn off the power before lubricating the equipment.
Repair or replace the torn or worn curtains.
Straighten the warped pans so they stay flat in the machine.
Replace the packing with new material of the same type and size. Do not overpack the packing gland because this condition causes binding of the shaft.
Replace the broken or damaged thermometers. Check the accuracy of the thermometer by measuring the water temperature with a high-grade thermometer and comparing results with a thermostat setting. The thermostat should be set for a wash water temperature between 138F to 145F and rinse water for a temperature of 180F or above.
Defective conveyors should be properly adjusted or replaced. Check the nylon covering of steel parts and replace the coverings when they are worn or torn.
The inspection doors of wash and rinse compartments should be kept tight at all times.
Straighten or replace bent or loose doors.
Check the chains and pulleys of counterbalanced doors. Apply oil regularly to moving parts.
Check the dish racks for bent or warped surfaces and replace broken parts.


Adapted and edited by Al Sabz'ali'an from: Al Wijd'an, "The Role of Islamic Art in the Inter-Cultural Dialogue".
Islamic art and architecture developed soon after the advent of Islam and its primary expression was in the sacred design and structure of the mosque. While pre-Islamic art forms influenced the construction of initial mosques, it was not long before Islamic architecture developed a unique aesthetic inspired by its own principles. This article traces the development of Islamic art and architecture as seen in the early mosques of the seventh and eighth centuries. It concludes with a discussion on the relation between Islam and Europe, and the role of art in this relationship.
Keywords: Islamic art and architecture, masjid, Dome of the Rock, Great Mosque of Damascus, Great Mosque of Samarra, Great Mosque of Cordoba, Relations - Islam and Europe.
The incredible pace with which Islam spread throughout the Near East and North Africa remains one of the most astonishing phenomena in world history. In two generations, the new faith conquered a larger territory and a greater number of believers than Christianity had in many centuries. How was it possible for a group of "semi-¬civilized" desert tribes to suddenly burst forth from the Arabian Peninsula and to exert their political and religious dominance on populations far superior to them both in numbers and wealth? And how did Islamic art, which had no explicit scriptural foundations, come to possess its own distinctive character in a short span of time?
What began as a "triumph of force" soon turned into a spiritual victory as Islam gained the allegiance of millions of converts. The early Muslims, though few in numbers, were never in danger of being absorbed by the dominant religion or culture of the areas they ruled. Instead, through Divine grace, and the goodwill and benevolence of the Muslims, many of the conquered subjects became the most prominent architects through which the character of the new religion would be sculptured.
Islamic art was born soon after the advent of Islam and concurred with the rapid expansion of Islam into Asia and Africa, which took place within the first 150 years after the death of the Prophet (S). Although pre-Islamic Arabia was exposed to Hellenistic, Byzantine, Sassanid, Mesopotamian, Coptic and even Indian and Chinese forms of art – largely through trade – it was only after the early conquests that Muslims found themselves face to face with the artistic legacies of these civilizations. Moreover, as Islam spread into neighboring territories, Muslims came into contact with other artistic traditions such as those of the Berbers, Africans, Slavs, Turks and Goths.
Pre-Islamic Arabia had no monumental architecture itself, and its sculptured icons of local deities fell under Islam's ban against idolatry. Since its outset, Islamic art followed a selective process that favored certain motifs and styles over others. The artists undertook this process themselves, many of whom were converts to the new religion. They drew their inspirations from the spiritual and ethical principles of Islam, thus establishing the aesthetic criteria of this new form of art in a practical manner.
From the outset, Islam laid special emphasis on the worship of God, and hence it is not surprising that the mosque or masjid (lit. "place of prostration") became the focus of Islamic art and architecture. During the first fifty years after the death of the Prophet (S), the Muslim place of prayer could be an abandoned church, a Persian columned hall, or even a rectangular field surrounded by a fence or a ditch. The one element that these improvised "mosques" had in common was the marking of the qibla, the side facing toward Mecca, which had to be emphasized either by a colonnade or by placing the entrance on the opposite side.
At the end of seventh century, however, the Muslim rulers, who were now firmly established in the conquered regions, began to erect mosques on a large scale as visible symbols of their power intending to outdo all pre-Islamic structures both in size and splendor. Therefore, it was within the domain of the sacred that Islamic art first expressed its genius for its ability to take pre-existing artistic traditions and adapt them based on its own criteria. For the most part, these early monuments of Muslim architecture have not survived in their original form.
What we know of their design and decoration shows that they were produced by craftsmen gathered from Egypt, Syria, Persia, and even Byzantium, who continued to practice the styles in which they had been trained. It was only in the course of the eighth century that a distinctive Islamic artistic and architectural tradition crystallized. The best examples of the early type of integration are the Dome of the Rock (688-692) in Jerusalem and the Umayyad Great Mosque in Damascus (706-716).
It is upon this historical sight in Jerusalem (al-Quds) that the first monument in Islam, the Dome of the Rock Mosque, was constructed. It was located on the same precincts as Masjid al-Aqsa, which was the first qiblah and the third holiest shrine after the ones in Mecca and Medina.
The Dome of the Rock brought together elements of Islam's past and charted a course for its future. The mosque, which was built by a diverse group of Byzantine and Muslim architects, was the amalgamation of the region's classical Greek influence and the rising ingenuity and fervor of Islamic art. The Byzantine style – favored in Palestine, Jordan, and Syria – also drew inspiration from the Persian Sassanid and the Egyptian Coptic styles. The usage of the various artistic traditions in a religious building attests to the tolerance of Islam not only in embracing peoples of diverse cultures within one civilization, but more importantly, in accepting the good within their traditions – whether artistic or otherwise – without diminishing these elements in any way.
The very structure of the Dome of the Rock is a physical manifestation of these noble attributes found within Islam. Moreover, in addition to being a symbol of the forbearance of Islam, the Dome of the Rock indicates the beginning of a new cultural age, representing in a most impressive and grand manner, the dawn of an all-encompassing new civilization.
In the aftermath of Alexander the Great's conquests, Damascus, which had been a geographically strategic location for the Greeks, soon became an important hub that bridged Europe with Asia. After the spread of Islam, the Umayyad Caliph Mu'awiya ibn Abu Sufyan (661-680) decided to make Damascus the center of his political power, thereby replacing Kufa in Iraq as the political capital of the Islamic world. To demonstrate the power and superiority of Islam, Caliph Waleed ibn 'Abd al-Malik (705-715) built the Great Mosque of Damascus (706-716) on the site of a church that was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, and whose location was previously a place of worship for Roman and Byzantine pagan gods. To further emphasize the Islamic ingenuity, the Umayyads introduced four new additions to the structure of mosque architecture: the mihraab (niche in the wall indicating the direction of Qibla), the minbar (pulpit), the minaara (minaret) and the maqsura (enclosure near the mihraab).
Influenced by its predecessors, the Umayyads installed Byzantine styled glass mosaics within the Great Mosque of Damascus. When the Byzantium artists, along with Muslim craftsmen, were hired to execute intricate and beautiful mosaic patterns for the Great Umayyad Mosque, a new concept developed in the decorations of the Mosque, whereby architectural forms and the world of plants became the main subject of the composition. The excellent workmanship quality of these early Islamic glass mosaics surpassed any similar Roman, Hellenistic or Byzantine works and is consider among the greatest mosaics to survive. The appearance of calligraphic inscription in the Great Umayyad Mosque for decorative purposes represented continuity from the Dome of the Rock that was later passed on to all Muslim monuments.
The first two religious monuments – in Jerusalem and Damascus – served as a means of communication intended to propagate the new faith. They were symbols, not only of a willingness to embrace other customs and traditions within the Islamic paradigm, but also of the supremacy of the new faith of Islam. The latter, of course, was also utilized by the ruling elite to exert their authority in their newly acquired territories.
A striking example of the architectural enterprises of the early caliphs, which were built on an immense scale at incredible speed, is the Great Mosque at Samarra located in Iraq. The mosque was commissioned in 848 and completed within four years by the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil (847-861), who reigned from the city of Samarra itself. The Great Mosque of Samarra was at its time the largest mosque in the world – its minaret, the Malwiya Tower, was a vast snail-shaped cone, 52 meters high and 33 meters wide, with a spiral ramp to the top.
The basic features of the plan were typical of the mosques of this period: a rectangular courtyard with its main axis pointing south to Mecca; surrounding it were aisles that extended toward the qibla, the center of which was marked by a small niche, the mihrab; across it lay the minaret, a tower from which the faithful were summoned to prayer. The floor area of the Great Mosque at Samarra was measured to be almost ten acres, of which five and a half were covered by a wooden roof resting on 464 supports. The mosque had 17 aisles and its walls were paneled with mosaics of dark blue glass (which have disappeared now, along with the mosaics that once covered the walls).
The most spectacular aspect of the building was the minaret, linked with the mosque by a ramp. Its bold and unusual design, with a spiral staircase leading to the platform at the top, reflected the ziggurats of ancient Mesopotamia, such as the famed Tower of Babel.
As the influence of Islam spread from Spain to the Philippines, the newly developed modes of artistic expression were adopted in various parts of the world. The new styles provided a basic aesthetic unity within the Muslim world, without suppressing, prohibiting, or undermining regional variations.
The meeting of the Muslim-Islamic mind with classical and local traditions spawned new artistic modes and styles in Islamic art. However, this type of kinship did not last long, and soon Islamic art shed its borrowed norms to create its own – ones based on its inner paradigms and principles. With the passage of time, definite patterns and styles developed and distinctive art forms were created. Eventually, all foreign influences were discarded, and Islamic art emerged with its own individual characteristics.
A hundred and fifty years after the coming of Islam, Islamic art operated under its own aesthetics. For example, the Great Mosque of Cordoba (785) in al-Andalus and the Ibn Tulun Mosque (879) in Egypt no longer represented phases in a tentative evolution, but were unsurpassable masterpieces, brandishing their very own rules and aesthetics. The Great Mosque of Cordoba was considered a wonder of the medieval world both by Muslims and Christians. Built on a Visigothic site, which was probably the site of an earlier Roman temple, the Great Mosque of Cordoba was begun around 785 during the reign of 'Abd al-Rahmaan I.
The mosque's hypostyle plan (a classical building with a roof resting on a series of columns), which consisted of a rectangular prayer hall and an enclosed courtyard, followed a tradition established in the Umayyad and Abbasid mosques of Syria and Iraq. However, the dramatic articulation of the interior of the prayer hall was unprecedented. The system of columns, used to support the double arcades of piers and arches, was a unique technique to create a striking visual effect, while at the same time, structurally allowing for greater height within the hall. The use of alternating red and white beveled stone arches, which are usually associated with Umayyad monuments such as the Great Mosque of Damascus and the Dome of the Rock, managed to create a stunningly original visual composition.
Despite its diverse cultural expressions, Islam was accepted as a unified religion in Syria, Egypt, Persia and North Africa only within 150 years after its inception. In fact, any nation the Muslims came in contact with, even briefly such as China and India, recognized the superiority of this civilization. The different cultural encounters that were synthesized within the Muslim consciousness left their mark on Islamic art and created its most distinctive trait. The ease of mobility between most Muslim regions was instrumental in the spread of early artistic modes. Architectural techniques such as the Iranian Ewan (a vaulted hall walled on three sides with one end entirely open) were transported to Syria, Sassanid decorative designs such as the muqarnas (three-dimensional architectural designs composed of niche-like elements arranged in tiers) surfaced in North Africa, while the use of stucco became a universal decorative technique. This mobility was sustained in later periods and can be regarded as a first and lasting step towards the universality of Islamic art.
The mobility of people within and outside of the Islamic Empire made the middle classes often geographically transitory, so that the migration of artists and artisans helped in spreading and circulating artistic ideas and styles. Besides the voluntary movement of people, there was also the involuntary migration of refugees, conscripts, craftsmen and artists, who were taken to foreign capitals by coercion. An example was the Mongol Timur (1370-1405) who, during his invasions, took back to his capital in Samarkand the best artists from Iran and elsewhere in the region. Rulers who went into exile also helped in dispersing artistic propensities and norms through their interest in and patronage of the arts. Among such examples were the Umayyad 'Abd al-Rahman I ( 756-788), who took flight from Syria to establish a dynasty in al-Andalus, and the Mughal Emperor Humayun (1530-1556), who was exiled from India to Persia.
Widespread commercial activities within the Islamic Empire and travel to Mecca for the Îajj from all over the Muslim world facilitated the widest artistic interaction. It made possible the exchange and introduction of goods, as well as the spread of ideas, styles and techniques belonging to diverse crafts. The Muslim world, over the ensuing centuries, maintained this symbiotic relationship with the cultures preceding or surrounding it. Until the 18th century, the Islam world remained the only major civilization that was in physical contact with nearly every other center of civilization and life in Asia, Africa and Europe, with the intensity of the contacts varying from place to place and century to century. Islamic civilization in general and Islamic art in particular played an important role in advocating Islam and Muslim rulers.
If Islamic art was able to act as a means of communication for the Muslims throughout history, why has it not been able to continue this task with the West? To answer such a polemic, one has to go back into history.
In the 9th and 10th centuries, when the Muslim centers of Baghdad, Cairo and Cordoba were at their apogee, the only intellectual centers in the West were massive bastions, inhabited by semi-barbaric lords who prided themselves on their inability to read. When a few enlightened minds in Europe felt the need to shake off the oppressive mantle of ignorance that weighed down upon them, they referred to the Muslims who were the only erudite masters of their day.
Knowledge in all its branches penetrated into Europe through al-Andalus and Sicily in southern Italy which were all under Muslim jurisdiction. Outside of the Eastern Islamic world and North Africa, the part of Spain occupied by the Muslims was the only place where study was then possible at all. Until the 15th century, it is hard to quote the name of an author whose work consisted of anything but a reformulation of Islamic thought. Roger Bacon, Leonard of Pisa, Arnaud de Villeneuve, Saint Thomas, Albert the Great, Alfonso of Castile and many others were either disciples or copiers of Muslim and Muslim savants. The influence of various Islamic arts in Europe, including innovations in textiles, ceramics, glass, woodwork, and metalwork, is too well known to be recounted here. The same is true of Islamic architecture. One has only to look at a Gothic cathedral or go to Venice to realize the effect Islamic architecture had on Europe even before the Renaissance. Yet the question persists: If there was so much intellectual borrowing and so many artistic exchanges, why then the animosity between Western culture and its Islamic counterpart? What is the reason that Islamic arts failed in creating a cultural and intellectual dialogue between the two civilizations?
During the Middle Ages, Europeans considered the Islamic Empire as a military, cultural and religious threat that endangered not only Europe but also Christendom. Prophet Muhammad (S) was ridiculed in the most deleterious manner. Gerald of Wales wrote in the 12th century that the Prophet's teachings were focused solely on lust, thus particularly suitable for Orientals who lived in a naturally hot climate. The spread of such ideas, which was transmitted from one generation to the other, was the result of projecting a negative image on an alien culture due to ignorance of and prejudice against that culture, which was a characteristic feature of medieval Europe at the time.
The first face-to-face encounter between Islam and the West on a grand scale was when the Muslim armies crossed into Spain in 711, fought the Goths and conquered the Iberian Peninsula (al-Andalus). The second grand encounter was during the First Crusade, launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II who declared war against Islam. Their "altruistic" aim was to save Eastern Christendom from the Muslims, but when the Mamluks defeated the Crusaders in 1291, all Eastern Christians came under Muslim rule. Ironically many converted to Islam because of the persecutions they had faced at the hand of their fellow Catholic Christians.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, a new phase developed in the relations between the two sides as Islam gradually became more accepted in Europe. The religious wars had ended, trade relations increased between the two sides (in particular between the Venetians and the Genoese), translations of the Quran appeared for the first time in the West, and with the coming of the Reformation, the Pope replaced Prophet Muhammad (S) as Anti-Christ in the eyes of many Protestants. At the same time, the military power of the Ottoman Empire forced the West to review its attitude towards the Muslims. Though the animosity did not diminish between the two sides, a degree of admiration – born out of fear as well as respect for the feats of the Ottomans – developed within Europe. The attitude of Europe towards the three great empires of the 16th and 17th centuries – that is, the Ottoman (1281-1924), the Safavid (1501-1732) and the Mughal (1526- 1858) empires – was one based on equality where both sides enjoyed peaceful diplomatic and trade relations.
By the 18th century, however, the three empires showed visible signs of decline thus allowing Europe to lose a great deal of its fear and interim respect towards the Muslims and their civilization. The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century marked the rise of Western technological superiority followed by the engulfing wave of colonialism. This superiority brought about the unwavering belief in the supremacy of Western civilization over Islamic civilization. Thus, England took on "the white man's burden" and France the "mission civilisatrice" with the belief that they would confer on the East some of the advantages of their civilization. These included the idea of good government and the superiority of Christianity. It was not long before Western powers directly encroached into the East with their armies, missionaries, civil servants, and mining and trading companies.
Having summarized the relations between Islam and the West from a western point of view, one should understand the same relations from the Muslim position. Because of the superiority of Islamic civilization from the 9th to the 16th centuries, the Muslims generally did not deem it worthwhile to study Europe. In fact, in the eyes of the Muslims all Europeans were lumped together as Franks. Even when the Muslims were relatively close to Europe, such as in al-Andalus, and had contacts with them on different levels, they studied Greek and Roman classical thought but not French or German literature. When the Ottomans occupied countries in the Balkans and Central Europe, they transmitted their architecture and art to them but never carried out an extensive cultural study of their new subjects. This indifference cannot be attributed to ignorance on the part of the Muslims but to the inferiority of Western culture. Muslims simply did not find it useful to study its art and literature.
The scene changed in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Western culture began to be imposed onto the East, especially in countries that came under French rule. In this way, the Islamic world changed places with the West, and instead of being the "producer", ended up on the receiving end. From the point of view of Europe, it was the superior culture, and hence did not deem it worthwhile to get to know better the culture of the peoples under its rule. Hence, when Europe first encroached onto Islamic territory after Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798, it treated the various forms of Islamic art (with the exception of architecture) as indigenous "folk craft", for the simple reason that it could not accept an art that did not conform to its own criteria and aesthetics.
Until today, pieces of Iznik and Nishapur ceramics and other masterpieces are part of the collections of the Folk Art Museum in Frankfurt, the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg, the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Museum of Applied Art in Belgrade.
However, through further exposure to Islamic culture, Islamic art has come to be better appreciated on its own terms and not simply as "folk craft". In fact, today, special wings are designated for Islamic art in institutions such as the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.


Shopping for guy friends' birthday presents can be tricky. Unlike with boyfriends, I typically don't know my guy friends quite as well, and I don't want to give something too cute or bordering on romantic. Being a poor college student, I also don't have much money to splurge on expensive video games or gadgets.
Guys can never have enough underwear, so I've been told. One more pair of boxers means one more day they can put off their laundry. If you want to have fun with it, pick out some with designs that he'll find funny or a pattern that would match his personality.
Drinks are expensive. If your friend likes going out, he'll love a flask to bring his alcohol in. Surprisingly, flasks start at about $5.00 when you order them from Amazon. For an added (but expensive) touch, get his name engraved.
Most college guys don't have many ties in their closet. This might not be the coolest present, but the guy will definitely thank you later when he needs a tie for his internship interview or a formal event.
What's your go-to gift for guys?
Lovely gift ideas, especially the mancakes, haha!
I got my sister's boyfriend a cookie monster MANcake from the Cake Boss for his bday and he loved it; it even had a miniature chocolate chip cookie in it's mouth!
I'll be celebrating my birthday this coming April 7. Aside from birthday cards I hope I can have a good gift from my parents. I really want to have that Ipad 2 in my hands!


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Cars, Trucks, Buses, Farming & Military vehicles
N Vehicles for 'Solsbury Hill'
steam-driven boy
The current state of my collection, to be employed on my layout as progress allows
When I started this collection in '05 there was very little available to truly sit well with a modern British outline layout. There were - and still are - poorly proportioned white-metal and resin examples from a number of suppliers aimed at the British market, and offerings from mainland Europe which although being much more acceptable in looks and time period are produced to the smaller 1/160 scale.
The Japanese came to the rescue with quality models of modern vehicles made to 1/150 scale, very acceptable both in looks and compatibility with 1/148 railway models. They do, naturally, represent Japanese prototypes but I'm happy in this scale that differences are not too terribly obvious, and with globalisation not only are there many of those on British and European roads, but in styling vehicles from almost anywhere in the world today follow similar trends. I have a couple of Mercedes vans by Busch; DHL and FedEx branded for my underground parcels depot which will help disguise their underscale nature, even the inevitable generic Chinese are pretty acceptable, although they too will mostly serve partly hidden away in a multi-storey car park and on the lower deck of some Cartic-4 NGS wagons on my 'to do' list.
In my photo you'll see examples from Tomytec, Bandai and now Fujimoto Hobby, supported by my original Intertrans 148 lorries and the more recent Oxford FX4 taxi massed ranks and those Chinese cars.
I also have a very few kits which will be useful, but I will be in need of a goodly number of quality modern British busses, double and single deck, and there's nothing of that nature even promised yet.
The future looks to be shaping up quite well, if only with the prospect of better British prototypes from earlier periods than I'm looking for announced so far from both Bachmann and Oxford - some of those are very tempting, but I would have to include some kind of transport museum to justify buying them for the layout.
While Bachmann and Dapol vie with each other to get the latest livery on Class 66's onto the market, and we have other very modern railway models, it's frustrating to see that the intended new road vehicle models hardly scrape into the last couple of decades.
If the Japanese ever see this as an 'open goal'...
Regards, Gerry.
N_Vehicles.JPG
... being a bear of very little brain...
My N Project: 'Solsbury Hill' Track Plan
N Vehicles For 'Solsbury Hill' Solsbury Hill N Gauge WB
· Chief mouser
Hi Gerry
That's a fairly impressive collection, and a good assortment.
There is a company that produce modern british buses in resin, they're solid but are actually quite good mouldings, unfortunately I can't remember who they are!
Herpa also do some nice modern trucks, which although to the smaller scale represent some of the largest vehicles currently on the roads - with judicious positioning you could probably get away with them.
[SIZE=10pt]Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]A Penguin is for life - not just elevenses[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10pt]Dave Saffery[/SIZE]
Haine Road
Nether Sennett
sto243
Very impressive collection!
And neatly lined up too.
It reminds me of a picture I saw of a British Army Armoured Division lined up on the hard-standing in Germany... just substitute Challeneger II tanks and Warrior APCs for cars and taxis...
QUOTE (BRITHO @ 7 Apr 2010, 12:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There is a company that produce modern british buses in resin, they're solid but are actually quite good mouldings, unfortunately I can't remember who they are!
Thanks. Yeh, if you mean the Graham Avis range then you're right about the quality of the mouldings, but - there was always going to be at least one.. - if you take a look at this:
On my layout thread some time ago there is/was a printed bus partially in one image. The print is from a scanned Corgi 1/76 scaled down to 1/148, supporting it is a Graham Avis Atlantean 'style' bus (although it's really before my timeframe, and Bachmann will be doing one soon-ish). The KMB bus in the foreground is 1/150 and when they're side-by-side the scan matches - apart from the length, of course
Now, unless people were a lot smaller when the Atlantean was in service... There is an Optare and a Hoppa which may be better, but I'd need to have them to hand to be sure - I'll probably have a look at the next show I get to. There's still the problem with the 'solid' aspect to them as well.
QUOTE (sto243 @ 7 Apr 2010, 13:18) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It reminds me of a picture I saw of a British Army Armoured Division lined up on the hard-standing in Germany... just substitute Challeneger II tanks and Warrior APCs for cars and taxis...
I've seen a few military vehicle/aircraft line-ups like that, it seemed the best way to show them for now, must resume work on the layout...
There are some very nice military vehicles for N, P G Models for example - some of their stuff will find it's way onto an MOD train sometime (although Challenger II's would be a tad outside the loading gauge, APC's and stuff though...)
N_Bus.jpg
Hi again Gerry,
As a matter of fact buses have grown dramatically in the last 40 years, the modern stuff is huge when compared to the likes of the Atlantean.
I guess it's fair to use the NGS shop list description as "Atlantean style", but it's almost 6mm too short for the original 1956, and 7.5mm for the 1972 short wheelbase version.
Adding to the steadily increasing number of vehicles, and in this case intended for a little conversion work rather than a 'just-plonk-on-the-layout' item, is this Tomytec foam/water tender:
It's reviewed in the current NGS Journal, and although it's suggested there as a basis for conversion to a car recovery vehicle it's very close to this:
http://www.mywarrington.me.uk/fire_station...pilsbury_04.jpg
Used at oil and petrol spills it seems.
Fabricating the foam delivery system behind the cab should make it more interesting, and adding the extra lockers between front and rear wheels, Fire Service logo's and changing the lights should all be fairly readily do-able even for me - although the time-scale for getting it done, as usual, will probably be unnecessarily protracted
FireFoamTender_smll.jpg
upnick
Hi Gerry,
You have a good basis for the fire vechile there ............. look forward to seeing it take shape
UPNICK.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a busy man. I have a railroad to build.
''Building America''
I've already cited Gerry Anderson's early Supermarionation Supercar and Fireball XL5 for my pre-ordering a Class 58 in Railfreight 'Red Stripe' livery - despite the fact they were filmed in good old black and white (the spin-off comics provided the colour back then, there's a colorized Fireball XL5 launch on YouTube now). I reckon he's also responsible for my interest in specialised rescue vehicles - I can hear Virgil's "opening pod door, now!" and still recall my anticipation at what might trundle down that ramp for the first time, often on Tamiya's Tiger Tank running gear*.
I've ordered some Crafty Computer decal paper to have a play with, there will be a fair bit of use for it on number of other road vehicles if it works well on this
*To quote Joni Mitchell - Song for Sharon, Hejira:
He asked me to be patient
Well I failed
"Grow up!" I cried
And as, the smoke was clearing he said
"Give me one good reason why!"
Correct quote, correct album - won't listen to various tracks as I write the actual post in future
A Strange Boy is the track but, heck, you should be listening to the whole album anyhow, just like I was...
I've also had a little play with some graphics to try with the decal paper:
Based on my two favourite fictional purveyors of culinary dubiousness: CMOT Dibbler of Terry Pratchett's Discworld, and Mrs Miggins of Blackadder fame.
There is the Mill Lane Sidings printed sides available to go on a Graham Avis trailer, but I wanted a more specific design for vehicles belonging to the large cold storage facility that will be on my layout. My source for the name is from a favourite Fred Pohl story 'The Day The Icicle Works Closed'.
They are destined for some Tomytec box vans I have, there are some more details to add but I think the trick will be not to make it too complex
Regards, Gerry (drafted with the aid of natural birdsong!).
Dib_MigVan.jpg
theicicleworksVan.jpg
QUOTE (steam-driven boy @ 27 Apr 2010, 13:04) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> View attachment 1791
Surely if you're celebrating "Throat" that van should be purveying slightly dubious, and certainly infamous "Sausage inna bun" (some of which are of course manufactured from identifiable parts of the pig)
Drafted to the happy sound of two tone sirens.....
QUOTE (BRITHO @ 27 Apr 2010, 13:36) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Surely if you're celebrating "Throat" that van should be purveying slightly dubious, and certainly infamous "Sausage inna bun" (some of which are of course manufactured from identifiable parts of the pig)
Absolutely, I couldn't find a graphic clipart s-i-b that I was happy matched the award-winning pies - the notion of that with Mrs Miggins reputation was too good to pass up, but I've adapted a photo which I am happy with and this will be the combined image I'll have a go with:
Perhaps an odd seeming detail to be finicky about given the eventual impact it'll make on the layout, but it sort of makes sense to me
s_i_b_pies.jpg
There have been very few individual additions to my collection since the group photo, but Tomytec Car Collection Vol.12 arrived this morning, having winged it's way from Japan in just a week - including three days at the local sorting office!
Nearest camera - Toyota Crown Sedan (despite the seemingly dated 'boxy' style apparently currently the main taxi type in Japan)
Next row - Nissan AD Estate
Then - Toyota Prius
And finally - Nissan Paramedic
I have yet to decide on the Crown and they may either be repainted or sold on, but the Prius is obviously fine as it is and the AD is very welcome indeed even as a generic estate type.
As mentioned in my recent layout ramblings the ambulances were tempting as once reliveried, with my fire engine fleet I will be able to model in low relief the adjacent ambulance and fire station buildings on the Bristol Road in Brum (located near Birmingham Uni - coincidence I'm sure!) with vehicles parked up on the frontage.
I would imagine these may well be available closer to home soon enough as has been the case with previous releases, but the carton will probably show a saving even if I can't live with the yellow taxi version
TMYTC_N.jpg
The little yellow taxis are now on their way to a much more suitable location, a Japanese layout so that excellent decoration on them won't have to be messed about with. I've noticed that the cars from 'Vol. 12' are now becoming available seperately.
Unpacking continues and I've happened upon some of the 'few' mentioned in my previous post - boxes are rarely labelled when I move
Lexus LS460's and Nissan Teana - at least as they are known in Japan - from Tomytec Car Collection Vol. 10, but purchased individually as the others in that pack are of no interest to me and I didn't want to become another ebay distributor for them.
The unpacking continues...
LexusLS460_NissanTeana.jpg
Starting with a correction, the 'Lexus LS460s' in my previous post I'm reminded are in fact Toyota Crowns. My Bad, as Shakespeare once sonneted
Resistance was futile, and I have been assimilated into the Oxford Die-Cast collecting fraternity, apart from the FX4 Taxis I'm trying to restrict myself to the railway related products - and even then relevant to my specific interests:
Examples of Southern, Great Western and British Railways. So there will now be a display of vintage railway vehicles by the upper level parcels office
Mostly of little interest to me, but there are new photo's of the newest Tomytec 'Collections' here. The cars - Vol.13 -are indicated as mid-'70s so may be of use to those modelling that period - the trucks do look more useful so I will await their availability as individual items.
On that site you can also see the new issues in the buses and trucks, but if you were to click on the 'Other Tomytec' button you would see the new 'Construction' set.
I've been looking for a mobile crane in this scale - or near enough - but the only decent one I've been aware of has been this from Littke-Modelle, very fine too but the price tag has been impossible to justify to myself. Again, I hope this will satisfy my requirement when singles become available
OxfdD_Cst.jpg
Discussion Starter · #16 · Feb 19, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)
I've had an email from one of my Japan based suppliers showing the February Tomytec releases are now available there, so we should see them coming through to the usual sellers here fairly soon - that same supplier is showing 'Sold Out' on them there.
Better news on the British manufacturer/vehicle front, Oxford Die-Cast are showing a modern coach - a National Express liveried Plaxton Elite ('flick' to page 36) - as a Q3 item. It's great to see not only a vehicle in period for my needs, but being released in 'our' scale first
I shall be having some for my layout.
I hope this will lead the way to an expasion of what will be on offer from them, they already do have a small number of significant vehicles I'd like from their 1:76 range - the same could just as easily be said for those modelling preceding decades
I've now received the light trucks from the Tomytec Car Collection Vol.13:
A couple of Toyotas and a Mitsubishi,
I also took a shine to these heavier examples of Isuzu vehicles
The Vol.14 cars are scheduled for June, more current types than the last, and the Vol.2 Construction vehicles set is now available so I hope the individual items will be offered before long - in particular that mobile crane I referred to a couple of posts back
Tmytc300311_1.jpg
An email newsletter last Friday, from Germany this time, met with a predictably prompt response, so...
The theoretical saving over the Littke-Modelle one inevitably meant I'd succumb to an order for both versions...
Some 'Vogon Construction' branding, mudflaps and weathering - oh! and a layout and they'll do just fine for me
TmytcMblCrns.jpg
They look really good Jerry, especially as they're so small.
Vogon Construction..........What would the Dentrassi say?
QUOTE (7113 @ 15 Apr 2011, 13:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>What would the Dentrassi say?
"Who's doing your catering?" - they will also feature
steam-driven boy Jul 23, 2012