Oil platform P-51 off the Brazilian coast is a semi-submersible platform.
Other notable early submerged drilling activities occurred on the Canadian side of Lake Erie in the 1900s and Caddo Lake in Louisiana in the 1910s. Shortly thereafter, wells were drilled in tidal zones along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana. The Goose Creek field near Baytown, Texas is one such example. In the 1920s, drilling was done from concrete platforms in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.
In the early 1930s, the Texas Company developed the first mobile steel barges for drilling in the brackish coastal areas of the gulf.
In 1937, Pure Oil Company (now part of Chevron Corporation) and its partner Superior Oil Company (now part of ExxonMobil Corporation) used a fixed platform to develop a field in 14 feet (4.3 m) of water, one mile (1.6 km) offshore of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.
In 1946, Magnolia Petroleum Company (now part of ExxonMobil) erected a drilling platform in 18 ft (5.5 m) of water, 18 miles[vague] off the coast of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.
In early 1947, Superior Oil erected a drilling/production platform in 20 ft (6.1 m) of water some 18 miles[vague] off Vermilion Parish, Louisiana. But it was Kerr-McGee Oil Industries (now Anadarko Petroleum Corporation), as operator for partners Phillips Petroleum (ConocoPhillips) and Stanolind Oil & Gas (BP), that completed its historic Ship Shoal Block 32 well in October 1947, months before Superior actually drilled a discovery from their Vermilion platform farther offshore. In any case, that made Kerr-McGee's well the first oil discovery drilled out of sight of land.
The British Maunsell Forts constructed during World War II are considered the direct predecessors of modern offshore platforms. Having been pre-constructed in a very short time, they were then floated to their location and placed on the shallow bottom of the Thames and the Mersey estuary.
Larger lake- and sea-based offshore platforms and drilling rig for oil.
1, 2) conventional fixed platforms; 3) compliant tower; 4, 5) vertically moored tension leg and mini-tension leg platform; 6) spar; 7,8) semi-submersibles; 9) floating production, storage, and offloading facility; 10) sub-sea completion and tie-back to host facility.
These platforms are built on concrete or steel legs, or both, anchored directly onto the seabed, supporting a deck with space for drilling rigs, production facilities and crew quarters. Such platforms are, by virtue of their immobility, designed for very long term use (for instance the Hibernia platform). Various types of structure are used: steel jacket, concrete caisson, floating steel, and even floating concrete. Steel jackets are vertical sections made of tubular steel members, and are usually piled into the seabed. To see more details regarding Design, construction and installation of such platforms refer to: and.
Concrete caisson structures, pioneered by the Condeep concept, often have in-built oil storage in tanks below the sea surface and these tanks were often used as a flotation capability, allowing them to be built close to shore (Norwegian fjords and Scottish firths are popular because they are sheltered and deep enough) and then floated to their final position where they are sunk to the seabed. Fixed platforms are economically feasible for installation in water depths up to about 520 m (1,710 ft).
These platforms consist of slender, flexible towers and a pile foundation supporting a conventional deck for drilling and production operations. Compliant towers are designed to sustain significant lateral deflections and forces, and are typically used in water depths ranging from 370 to 910 metres (1,210 to 2,990 ft).
These platforms have hulls (columns and pontoons) of sufficient buoyancy to cause the structure to float, but of weight sufficient to keep the structure upright. Semi-submersible platforms can be moved from place to place and can be ballasted up or down by altering the amount of flooding in buoyancy tanks. They are generally anchored by combinations of chain, wire rope or polyester rope, or both, during drilling and/or production operations, though they can also be kept in place by the use of dynamic positioning. Semi-submersibles can be used in water depths from 60 to 3,000 metres (200 to 10,000 ft).
Jack-up Mobile Drilling Units (or jack-ups), as the name suggests, are rigs that can be jacked up above the sea using legs that can be lowered, much like jacks. These MODUs (Mobile Offshore Drilling Units) are typically used in water depths up to 120 metres (390 ft), although some designs can go to 170 m (560 ft) depth. They are designed to move from place to place, and then anchor themselves by deploying the legs to the ocean bottom using a rack and pinion gear system on each leg.
A drillship is a maritime vessel that has been fitted with drilling apparatus. It is most often used for exploratory drilling of new oil or gas wells in deep water but can also be used for scientific drilling. Early versions were built on a modified tanker hull, but purpose-built designs are used today. Most drillships are outfitted with a dynamic positioning system to maintain position over the well. They can drill in water depths up to 3,700 m (12,100 ft).
The main types of floating production systems are FPSO (floating production, storage, and offloading system). FPSOs consist of large monohull structures, generally (but not always) shipshaped, equipped with processing facilities. These platforms are moored to a location for extended periods, and do not actually drill for oil or gas. Some variants of these applications, called FSO (floating storage and offloading system) or FSU (floating storage unit), are used exclusively for storage purposes, and host very little process equipment. This is one of the best sources for having floating production.
The world's first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility is currently under development. See the section on particularly large examples below.
TLPs are floating platforms tethered to the seabed in a manner that eliminates most vertical movement of the structure. TLPs are used in water depths up to about 2,000 meters (6,600 feet). The "conventional" TLP is a 4-column design which looks similar to a semisubmersible. Proprietary versions include the Seastar and MOSES mini TLPs; they are relatively low cost, used in water depths between 180 and 1,300 metres (590 and 4,270 ft). Mini TLPs can also be used as utility, satellite or early production platforms for larger deepwater discoveries.
A GBS can either be steel or concrete and is usually anchored directly onto the seabed. Steel GBS are predominantly used when there is no or limited availability of crane barges to install a conventional fixed offshore platform, for example in the Caspian Sea. There are several steel GBS in the world today (e.g. offshore Turkmenistan Waters (Caspian Sea) and offshore New Zealand). Steel GBS do not usually provide hydrocarbon storage capability. It is mainly installed by pulling it off the yard, by either wet-tow or/and dry-tow, and self-installing by controlled ballasting of the compartments with sea water. To position the GBS during installation, the GBS may be connected to either a transportation barge or any other barge (provided it is large enough to support the GBS) using strand jacks. The jacks shall be released gradually whilst the GBS is ballasted to ensure that the GBS does not sway too much from target location.
Spars are moored to the seabed like TLPs, but whereas a TLP has vertical tension tethers, a spar has more conventional mooring lines. Spars have to-date been designed in three configurations: the "conventional" one-piece cylindrical hull; the "truss spar", in which the midsection is composed of truss elements connecting the upper buoyant hull (called a hard tank) with the bottom soft tank containing permanent ballast; and the "cell spar", which is built from multiple vertical cylinders. The spar has more inherent stability than a TLP since it has a large counterweight at the bottom and does not depend on the mooring to hold it upright. It also has the ability, by adjusting the mooring line tensions (using chain-jacks attached to the mooring lines), to move horizontally and to position itself over wells at some distance from the main platform location. The first production spar was Kerr-McGee's Neptune, anchored in 590 m (1,940 ft) in the Gulf of Mexico; however, spars (such as Brent Spar) were previously used as FSOs.
Eni's Devil's Tower located in 1,710 m (5,610 ft) of water in the Gulf of Mexico, was the world's deepest spar until 2010. The world's deepest platform is currently the Perdido spar in the Gulf of Mexico, floating in 2,438 metres of water. It is operated by Royal Dutch Shell and was built at a cost of $3 billion.
These installations, sometimes called toadstools, are small platforms, consisting of little more than a well bay, helipad and emergency shelter. They are designed to be operated remotely under normal conditions, only to be visited occasionally for routine maintenance or well work.
These installations, also known as satellite platforms, are small unmanned platforms consisting of little more than a well bay and a small process plant. They are designed to operate in conjunction with a static production platform which is connected to the platform by flow lines or by umbilical cable, or both.
A 'Statfjord' gravity-based structure under construction in Norway. Almost all of the structure will end up submerged.
The Petronius Platform is a compliant tower in the Gulf of Mexico modeled after the Hess Baldpate platform, which stands 2,000 feet (610 m) above the ocean floor. It is one of the world's tallest structures.
The Hibernia platform in Canada is the world's largest (in terms of weight) offshore platform, located on the Jeanne D'Arc Basin, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland. This gravity base structure (GBS), which sits on the ocean floor, is 111 metres (364 ft) high and has storage capacity for 1.3 million barrels (210,000 m3) of crude oil in its 85-metre (279 ft) high caisson. The platform acts as a small concrete island with serrated outer edges designed to withstand the impact of an iceberg. The GBS contains production storage tanks and the remainder of the void space is filled with ballast with the entire structure weighing in at 1.2 million tons.
Royal Dutch Shell is currently developing the first Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) facility, which will be situated approximately 200 km off the coast of Western Australia and is due for completion around 2017. When finished, it will be the largest floating offshore facility. It is expected to be approximately 488m long and 74m wide with displacement of around 600,000t when fully ballasted.
A typical oil production platform is self-sufficient in energy and water needs, housing electrical generation, water desalinators and all of the equipment necessary to process oil and gas such that it can be either delivered directly onshore by pipeline or to a floating platform or tanker loading facility, or both. Elements in the oil/gas production process include wellhead, production manifold, production separator, glycol process to dry gas, gas compressors, water injection pumps, oil/gas export metering and main oil line pumps.
Larger platforms assisted by smaller ESVs (emergency support vessels) like the British Iolair that are summoned when something has gone wrong, e.g. when a search and rescue operation is required. During normal operations, PSVs (platform supply vessels) keep the platforms provisioned and supplied, and AHTS vessels can also supply them, as well as tow them to location and serve as standby rescue and firefighting vessels.
maintenance technicians (instrument, electrical or mechanical).
Radio operator to operate all radio communications.
For fuller discussion, see United States offshore drilling debate.
The nature of their operation — extraction of volatile substances sometimes under extreme pressure in a hostile environment — means risk; accidents and tragedies occur regularly. The U.S. Minerals Management Service reported 69 offshore deaths, 1,349 injuries, and 858 fires and explosions on offshore rigs in the Gulf of Mexico from 2001 to 2010. On July 6, 1988, 167 people died when Occidental Petroleum's Piper Alpha offshore production platform, on the Piper field in the UK sector of the North Sea, exploded after a gas leak. The resulting investigation conducted by Lord Cullen and publicized in the first Cullen Report was highly critical of a number of areas, including, but not limited to, management within the company, the design of the structure, and the Permit to Work System. The report was commissioned in 1988, and was delivered November 1990. The accident greatly accelerated the practice of providing living accommodations on separate platforms, away from those used for extraction.
The offshore can be in itself a hazardous environment. In March 1980, the 'flotel' (floating hotel) platform Alexander L. Kielland capsized in a storm in the North Sea with the loss of 123 lives.
In 2001, Petrobras 36 in Brazil exploded and sank five days later, killing 11 people.
Given the number of grievances and conspiracy theories that involve the oil business, and the importance of gas/oil platforms to the economy, platforms in the United States are believed to be potential terrorist targets. Agencies and military units responsible for maritime counter-terrorism in the US (Coast Guard, Navy SEALs, Marine Recon) often train for platform raids.
On April 21, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon platform, 52 miles off-shore of Venice, Louisiana, (property of Transocean and leased to BP) exploded, killing 11 people, and sank two days later. The resulting undersea gusher, conservatively estimated to exceed 20 million US gallons (76,000 m3) as of early June, 2010, became the worst oil spill in US history, eclipsing the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
In British waters, the cost of removing all platform rig structures entirely was estimated in 2013 at £30 billion.
Aquatic organisms invariably attach themselves to the undersea portions of oil platforms, turning them into artificial reefs. In the Gulf of Mexico and offshore California, the waters around oil platforms are popular destinations for sports and commercial fishermen, because of the greater numbers of fish near the platforms. The United States and Brunei have active Rigs-to-Reefs programs, in which former oil platforms are left in the sea, either in place or towed to new locations, as permanent artificial reefs. In the US Gulf of Mexico, as of September 2012, 420 former oil platforms, about 10 percent of decommissioned platforms, have been converted to permanent reefs.
On the US Pacific coast, marine biologist Milton Love has proposed that oil platforms off California be retained as artificial reefs, instead of being dismantled (at great cost), because he has found them to be havens for many of the species of fish which are otherwise declining in the region, in the course of 11 years of research. Love is funded mainly by government agencies, but also in small part by the California Artificial Reef Enhancement Program. Divers have been used to assess the fish populations surrounding the platforms.
The world's deepest oil platform is the floating Perdido, which is a spar platform in the Gulf of Mexico in a water depth of 2,438 metres (7,999 ft).
↑ Fahey, Jonathan, Associated Press, "Deep Gulf drilling thrives 18 mos. after BP spill", Japan Times, 4 January 2012, p. 11; "The offshore drilling life: cramped and dangerous", 1 January 2012.
↑ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Gulf decomissioning and Rigs-to-Reefs, FAQs, 2012.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oil platform.
This page was last modified on 12 January 2016, at 12:16.


text:
Galaxy S 2
Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Note to Receive Android 4 in Q1 2012
Written by Stan Schroeder
Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets will receive an upgrade to Android 4 or Ice Cream Sandwich in early 2012, the company has announced. The first two devices (as previously announced) to receive the upgrade will be Samsung Galaxy S II a...
Samsung Galaxy S II Channel Sales Reach 10 Million
Samsung has sold 10 million Galaxy S II smartphones globally, the company has announced. Samsung Galaxy S II was launched in April. In July, Samsung announced it sold 5 million units. Reaching the 10 million milestone in such a short time span is qui...
Microsoft Wants $15 for Each Android Handset Samsung Sells
Microsoft is reportedly asking for as much as $15 for each Android -- not Windows Phone 7 -- device that Samsung sells. Although Android is Google's mobile platform, Microsoft holds a number of patents that are used in Android. Microsoft already has ...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
//
// This file is licensed under the MIT X11 open source license.
// http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php
//
// Authors: Aaron Bockover <abockover@novell.com>
//
// Copyright 2009 Novell, Inc.
//

#ifndef _MMP_SCRIPT_H
#define _MMP_SCRIPT_H

#include <glib.h>
#ifdef HAVE_NPFUNCTIONS_H
#include <npfunctions.h>
#else
#include <npupp.h>
#endif

G_BEGIN_DECLS

NPObject * mmp_script_get_window                  (NPP npp);
gboolean   mmp_script_get_document                (NPP npp, NPObject *window, NPVariant *document);
gboolean   mmp_script_element_get_property_object (NPP npp, NPVariant *element,
                                                   const gchar *property_name, NPVariant *property_object);
gboolean   mmp_script_element_set_property_string (NPP npp, NPVariant *element,
                                                   const gchar *property_name, const gchar *property_value);
gboolean   mmp_script_document_create_element     (NPP npp, NPVariant *document,
                                                   const gchar *element_name, NPVariant *element);
gboolean   mmp_script_document_create_text_node   (NPP npp, NPVariant *document,
                                                   const gchar *text_data, NPVariant *element);
gboolean   mmp_script_document_get_element_by_id  (NPP npp, NPVariant *document,
                                                   const gchar *id, NPVariant *element);
gboolean   mmp_script_element_append_child        (NPP npp, NPVariant *element, NPVariant *child);
gboolean   mmp_script_evaluate                    (NPP npp, const gchar *code);

G_END_DECLS

#endif /* _MMP_SCRIPT_H */

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


This report addresses the growing demand for quantitative evidence on social well-being and its trends. It covers 25 social indicators and features a special chapter on the NEET challenge and what can be done for jobless and disengaged youth.
Effective social policy protects individuals and their families and helps them lead a fulfilling life. The role of the OECD in this area is to identify policies which help individuals and their families and make societies and economies work more effectively.
Families are the cornerstone of society. They play a central economic role, are a crucial engine of solidarity, and provide protection and insurance against hardship. Families offer identity, love, care and development to their members and form the core of many social networks.
The OECD's gender website provides details of the current and ongoing work on gender and gender equality, plus internationally comparable data on gender inequalities in three key areas – education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
The OECD examines the trends and patterns in inequality and poverty for OECD and emerging countries. Its work analyses the multiple causes linked to growing inequalities, such as globalisation, technological change and changes in redistribution and policy fashion.
Ensuring a social balance between generations in the context of population ageing is one of the most important challenges facing OECD and many emerging countries. Pension systems need reforming and many countries have been taking policy action in this area. A key part of the solution will be to extend working lives.
The OECD Tax-Benefit models are part of the OECD's database on tax-benefit policies, which monitors redistribution policies, income adequacy and benefit generosity for working-age people and their families over time and across countries.
The OECD carries out work on social data and indicators to improve international comparisons and economic analyses of social policies.


Star Trek: Asterisk "Night Terrors"
While the rest of the Enterprise can't dream and are stuck in a binary star system, Troi saves the day by flying through green clouds and taking care of a wedgie.
While flying through deep space, the Enterprise comes upon a binary star system in which the U.S.S. Brittain has been stuck for the past few days. They have no idea why, only that they sent out a distress signal, and when they scan the ship, there are not a whole lot in the way of life signs. Troi uses her built-in natural sensors and senses... something... so she requests to be put on the away team. When the away team gets there, they find everyone dead by what seems to have been their own hands, except for one quivering mass of a male Betazoid hiding in a closet. He's speechless, and not just because Troi's there.
Back on the Enterprise, Troi tries to get the Betazoid to talk. He's so catatonic that they can only really communicate telepathically, but even then he seems to be speaking nonsense. "Double," "Eyes in the dark," "One moon circles," crazy, disconnected stuff like that which couldn't possibly point to the binary star system they were in. Meanwhile, Crusher reports back to Picard that the crew of the Brittain did, in fact, go crazy and kill themselves, but she can't figure out why. They weren't drugged, they weren't under the influence of a parasite, or anything like that, but records show that the captain was getting extremely paranoid near the end. *sigh* And then there are Troi's nightmares.
As you can see, she's hanging (not floating, hanging) in the air, surrounded by some green smoke and staring at two bright lights that she somehow still doesn't connect with the binary star system. She's also listening to some freaky alien voices trying to tell her something, but their phrases are just about as disconnected as the other Betazoid's. In any case, it's just a nightmare, right? So, she disregards it and goes back to work. The thing is, that's when strange stuff starts happening. A bright young ensign that looks like Once Upon a Time's Peter Pan starts hearing things in the Brittain after all the bodies were cleared out. O'Brien suspects Keiko of cheating on him. Chief Gillespie tells O'Brien in 10 Forward about reports he'd been hearing of people seeing ghosts. Picard himself hears his door chime ring several times with no one there. Finally, someone knocks on his door, and it's Crusher. She says people are starting to go crazy on the Enterprise just like the Brittain, so they better get out now.
Shouldn't be a problem. The Brittain's engines don't seem to be working, even though Geordi's sure they're fine, but, whatever, we can tractor beam it away. Only one problem... the Enterprise is stuck now, too... Data reports that they're stuck in a Tyken's Rift. Might as well be a fly trap, for all I understand about it, but what's important is they need an explosion to get free of it. Data and Geordi plan just such a thing to shoot out of the... the, uh... oh, the deflector dish, and the meeting is over. Picard, meanwhile, tells Riker to take a break and sleep off some of the craziness. But, in the turbolift, Picard encounters more crazy when he perceives the ceiling to be crushing down on him. How embarrassing for him when the turbolift doors open to the bridge while he's curled up on the floor and screaming.
Riker's not immune to the crazies either. When he goes to his quarters, he hears noises like someone's there with him. Then he gets in bed and thinks there are snakes slithering around his legs. Even Beverly, when she goes to examine the dead bodies, hallucinates that they sit up. The only one who is immune, is Data, so Picard entrusts the android to take over command if need be. Meanwhile, Crusher reports to Picard with a theory: She notes that since they've arrived in the binary star system, no one has had any dreams. No one except for Troi. This is an indication that, while they may be sleeping, they're not entering REM sleep, which is basically like a defrag cycle for the brain. The less we get of it, the crazier we become. She's unsure why Troi isn't affected, but she suspects it has something to do with being a Betazoid. This is no comfort, though, since the only other Betazoid around is still catatonic and telepathically spouting nonsense.
In any case, they better get out of there soon because Chief Gillespie is starting to get paranoid in 10 Forward and wanting to start a riot against Picard. So they shoot their load out of the deflector dish and... nothing happens. The same energy that's keeping them there eats up the beam. Distraught and frightened, Worf runs off to his room and attempts to ceremoniously kill himself, but Troi stops him. Then she goes to the other Betazoid to see if she can find out anything else, and then she finally makes a connection. The things he's been saying are the same things she was hearing in her nightmares. They've been having the same dreams... so maybe they're not dreams... maybe they're a message!
Oooohhhh, eyes in the dark! I get it now!
With that in mind, she reports to the senior staff and they all come up with the theory that alien beings on the other side of the rift are sending messages through telepathic channels that are screwing with human REM patterns. They deduce that these messages are meant to tell the Enterprise what they need to do in order to help both of them escape. After looking through some of the possibilities, Troi spots a hydrogen atom, or "One Moon Circles," and understands what must be done. Data helps her conclude that the aliens need hydrogen to set off an explosion that'll break the rift and they'll be free. So Troi goes to sleep to find the aliens again and tell them what's up. It's none too soon, too, because Guinan has to break out her Pimp Gun to stop Chief Gillespie's riot in 10 Forward, and Picard is barely alert enough to give any orders. Taking over command, Data sends the hydrogen through the rift, it explodes and the Enterprise, along with the alien ship, is freed. Data's final command as Acting Captain: get some sleep.
Ya know, it doesn't sound all that bad when written out, does it? Unfortunately, this episode suffers from excruciating pacing issues and an unforgivable "special" effect of Troi floating. On top of that, there was really just too much other stuff going on which made it a little convoluted. This is like the Plan Nine from Outer Space of Star Trek episodes. A great idea, but terrible execution.


Due to a couple of late cancellations, a couple of places have become available on this trip.
Total cost for accommodation, breakfasts and packed lunches (3 nights): £42 plus you would need to join CLOG: £15 (annual fee) if you are not already a member. If you join CLOG you can also book on future trips - we have around 20 weekend and longer trips away each year - and come on unlimited numbers of our day walks and cycle rides. For more information about CLOG see our website.
If you are interested in a place on this trip, email me and I will let you know where or not these places are still available and if they are how to book.
CLOG's Spring weekend away will be over the first May Bank Holiday weekend.
We're staying at Stonecroft Lodge in Llanwrtyd Wells, mid Wales.
Arriving Friday 28th April and departing Monday 1st May, we have 3 nights' sole use of the hostel.
We'll be self-catering breakfasts and packed lunches as usual, and eating out at local pubs in the evenings.We are next door to the Stonecroft Inn, and this "smallest town in Britain" has a selection of pubs and shops including the Neuadd Arms Hotel with its own Heart of Wales Brewery.
There are 25 places on the trip.
What does this area of mid Wales have to offer ?
Well you could try an eight-mile run, two lengths of a60-yard peat bog trench and a 12-mile mountain bike ride. Yes, this is the home of the World Bog Snorkelling Championships, red kites and prolific breweries, surrounded by landscapes made for walking and cycling.
Llanwrtyd Wells straddles the River Irfon, an upper tributary of the River Wye, and lies at the heart of one of the largest remaining great wilderness areas in Great Britain, gateway to the Cambrian Region and positioned slap in the centre of Wales, making it the perfect base for our weekend.
A landscape of forests, mountains and hidden valleys with circular walks from the hostel, using the Heart of Wales line to nearby stops or cars.
Bike hire is available locally - it's on a sustrans route and there's a wealth of mountain bike trails in the area. Also you can explore the area on horseback with short or day long treks available. If you book on the trip, let me know if you're interested in either of these options.
LLanwrtyd Wells station is just 7 mins walk from the hostel.There are two possible routes if coming by train, though there don't seem to be a great number of trains available on each route.
1) Trains from Paddington to Swansea, then changing onto the Heart of Wales Line, which runs between Swansea and Shrewsbury.
2)Trains from Euston to Crewe, then changing onto the Heart of Wales Line, down to LLanwrtyd Wells.
Advance fares have jcome available though don't seem to be any cheaper than the current super off peak returns at £82.
There will be the usual car sharing options though lifts can't be guaranteed as it'll be dependent on any drivers who book on the trip. Once drivers have booked on the trip it's helpful if they can then let the group know if they can offer lifts and when they might be leaving London.
The cost will be £42.00 which covers 3 nights' accommodation, bedding (but bring your own towel), self-catered breakfasts and packed lunches plus CLOG membership fee £15 if you are not already a member.


To obtain a copy of Journey to a Mountain, please visit http://www.grbooks.com or see Shop on this website. Details also on home page.
These presentations will be lively, full of interesting information and great photos, interactive questions answered and will have amusing moments where appropriate.
Workshops for extended discussions are also an option.
1. Bicentennial of the Birth of the Bab (2019): The establishment of the Shrine of the Bab was a major priority of the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, Baha'u'llah, of 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi. It remains so for the Universal House of Justice. Why?
2.The material made spiritual: The Shrine of the Bab.
3. Exciting findings from the research that led to Journey to a Mountain and Coronation on Carmel and Volume 3 (about the Terraces project) available in April, 2019.
4. A beacon of peace in a region of conflict: the Shrine of the Bab, how it was built and what it stands for in today's world.
5. The story of the Shrine of the Bab (1850-2011).
6. Key people involved in the story of the Shrine of the Bab (1850-2011).
1. The historian as detective-- finding the clues to tell the story of the Shrine of the Bab.
2. Heroes: the builders of the Shrine; youth building a world community.
1. The exciting story of the Shrine of the Bab.
Topics can be requested, including combinations of those listed above.


Jared C. was a helpful and knowledgeable professional during his time at my home. He was prompt and very thorough in the work he completed. Jared was also personable and easy to talk to about the issue at hand. I was very happy with the Mattioni company and I would use their service again.
Very professional and competent. Paul and Tim were hospitable, thorough, and very skilled mechanics. The completed project was a work of art. When I first called the woman who answered the phone gave me the feeling that this is the right place. Glad I chose Mattioni.
Rich did an excellent job, he came out to inspect out HVAC system and he is very detailed and he does not leave until his work is done correctly and successfully.
Very professional service from Wendell. I was quite impressed with his customer-oriented service.
Great company! Transparent business and came right away to fix my central air.
It was a pleasure doing business with Mattioni Plumbing and Jared Colligan. Professional, efficient, thorough, and respectful of our home. We couldn't be happier.
I've been using Mattioni for a number of years, mostly maintenance for HVAC and plumbing. They have always showed up on time with friendly, knowledgeable, and courteous technicians. Jarod was no exception. He did the work efficiently and answered any questions. Seemed sincerely interested in completing the task as thoroughly as possible. I'll continue to use Mattioni for any work around my home.
Excellent workmanship on the water heater install and they did not make a mess of my home.
I would recommend Mattioni's Plumbing to all my friends and family. They have fast and reliable service. Mattioni's have become my go to for all my plumbing needs. I have had several of their Plumbers at my home and they have solved all my plumbing issues in a timely manner. They explained everything and gave me all my options. They had the jobs done in a relatively good time. Always clean up and they make sure your satisfied with the work. They stand behind all they do.Thank you Mattioni's for being there when needed.
Very prompt, professional and courteous service provided by everyone associated with the repair. Jared C. described what he would need to do to solve our problem. Very neat and clean in completing the work. Great Job by everyone involved.
Jared C was phenomenal! He and his colleague Derrik were knowledgeable and did a fantastic job with the work on our shower, and toilet. They also performed a thorough inspection of our home's plumbing and made a number of recommendations to help us improve it in the future! I would highly recommend Jared C for any plumbing work needed.
Jared was very professional, on time, and honest. I didn't feel like he was trying to upsell the way that Horizon does. I will continue to use Mattioni.
We needed a leaking hot water heater replaced. We received prompt and courteous service; the work is excellent---Jared and Derek respected our home (no mess, no damage) and worked quickly and efficiently; I would have no hesitation recommending Mattioni Plumbing, Heating & Cooling.
Jared and Derrik did a great job with our home plumbing needs. They were professional, helpful, tidy, answered all questions. Highly recommend. They deserve a bonus!
Great company with incredible personnel! Jared, Derrick & John M. were very knowledgeable and explained everything so that I understood what was needed. Work was done in timely fashion and areas where worked were cleaner than when they started. Thank so much!
Jared and Brian C. Did a fantastic job. On time and respected our home. Jared explained in detail what they were going to do to complete the job. Replaced water treatment system with new neutralizer, softener and well water pressure tank. Professional, courteous and the final bill matched what Jared had priced for us to the tee, no surprises. When work completed Jared explained how the system operated in great detail and answered all of our questions. Both Brian C. And Jared were a pleasure to deal with! We recommend them and Mattioni. Joe M.
Jared C. Was wonderful. Thorough, knowledgable, professional, and courteous. Would recommend Jared and Mattioni Plumbing to anyone!!! Well pleased.
Jared installed a new water conditioner for us today. As with other work both major and minor Mattioni has done for us over several years it was completed efficiently, all questions answered and the work area was clean when he left. A reliable contractor you can feel good about recommending to others.
Michelle, Adam and Jared all did an outstanding job taking care of my plumbing problems last week. They were all great to deal with and understood my issues and took the appropriate action to solve them quickly. Always great service from Mattioni Plumbing, Heating and Cooling and I have been a satisfied customer for over 20 years.
Jared C. from Mattioni came to our condo to help with a leaking valve that we couldn't repair on our own. He was polite, courteous and showed us some pointers on saving on our water bill after doing a stellar replacement and operational check of the equipment needing the water supply.


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Q: Is there something similar to Lagrange multipliers, but to get critical points of an $f$ on $g \leq m$ instead of on $g = m$? I have $$f,g:\mathbb{R^n} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}, m \in \mathbb{R}$$
Under any conditions of 'goodness' of the functions, is there a way to get the critical points of $f$ on $D = \{ g \leq m \}$
(Suppose $g \geq 0$)
Lagrange multipliers gives us a method for when there is an equality in $D$.
Something more: what I really want is to get the maximum over the integer points of $D$, but this is a good start.
I don't really know if this problem is solvable. There are some tools for when $g$ is linear, though.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I've just posted my Dirty Harry on Kijiji. I've listed it for $4,100 and will take $4,000.
The game is in exceptional shape. When I bought it from the previous owner it hadn't been played it a few years. It had no wear on the hole or kick out hole which is rare. As well, the left ramp is perfect with no cracks. Often the left ramp has a crack.
Working 100% and ready to play.
I'm about 10 mins from the Ottawa Pinball Show. It won't be at the show, but we can make arrangements if you want to see it. I've pulled my hamstring and I physically cann't move and set up a game right now. At home, I have tools and help to take it apart.
Last edited by TwilightZone on Mon Sep 24, 2018 1:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I have played this game and it plays exceptionally well and is in excellent shape.
Sold. Now relocated to North Star in Montreal. Thanks, Adam, for an easy transaction. I can add packing a pinball in the dark to my list of pinball experiences.


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Home Innovation AI & Robotics
Amazon's re:Mars serves up AI inspiration
The burgeoning world of AI has generated a whole host of serious challenges, as well as skepticism about its business value, but Amazon's new conference serves as a reminder of why it generates so much excitement.
Written by Stephanie Condon, Senior Writer on June 4, 2019
Amazon's inaugural re:Mars conference kicked off Tuesday night with what you could call an anti-keynote: While your typical keynote is jam-packed with product announcements, there were basically none on the Las Vegas stage at re:Mars.
executive guide
What is AI? Everything you need to know about Artificial Intelligence
A guide to artificial intelligence, from machine learning and general AI to neural networks.
In fact, a portion of the keynote was devoted to innovations in robotics that have no apparent business application -- the development of animatronic stunt performers by scientists at Walt Disney Imagineering.
At Disney, "'super cool' is the business case," Morgan Pope, Associate Research Scientist at Walt Disney Imagineering, said on stage. Their team, he said, gets "to do things that maybe aren't feasible in the field for a while, but I hope they are at least inspirational."
Along with scientists from Disney, the opening night of re:Mars featured appearances from actor Robert Downey, Jr. and Boston Dynamics' robot Spot.
At re:Mars, Amazon is effectively reminding its partners and potential customers why they're investing in AI -- its untapped potential. In between sessions about leveraging machine learning tools and services, re:Mars attendees can watch robots battle or hear about how AI will enable space colonization.
Also: Managing AI in the enterprise
"Now more than ever, the gap is narrowing between builders and dreamers," Dave Limp, SVP of Amazon Devices & Services, said in the Tuesday night keynote address. "And if we imagine it, we can actually build it... We really do believe we can solve the most interesting and challenging problems facing us today using AI."
Artificial intelligence promises to transform industries, tackle some of humanity's biggest problems and fundamentally change the way people live. Yet as AI applications get off the ground, their users and creators have been confronted with a thicket of problems: How do we ensure AI algorithms don't propagate human biases? Can governments and corporations leverage smart tools without invading our privacy? What happens to global workforces when everything is automated?
These problems have yet to damper the enthusiasm in the enterprise for AI and machine learning, according to a recent survey by ZDNet's premium sister site, Tech Pro Research. Still, they're certainly not going to help drive AI adoption. The challenges presented by AI are drawing more scrutiny, and all the while, business leaders remain uncertain about its business value.
Amazon field tests an autonomous delivery robot named Scout
How iRobot used data science, cloud, and DevOps to design its next-gen smart home robots
Attendees of the inaugural re:Mars conference include "astronauts and CEOs, artists and engineers, PhDs and politicians," Limp said, "and of course, business leaders of all types."
The conference, he said, should inspire people, but also provide "the right content, learning opportunities and the right leaders to help you innovate in your own day-to-day careers."
Attendees at the conference seem to be embracing the mix of practical and inspirational programming.
Katie Kelly of North Richland Hills, Texas said she was attending "to try to figure out not just how to do a lot of machine learning, but also the right kinds of business problems to take to it." When applied to user experience, her area of expertise, Kelly said machine learning is like "putting rocket fuel on those interactions" -- it can go really wrong, or really right.
While the enterprise side of machine learning offers her plenty to think about, Kelly said, "I'm probably going to miss half a dozen machine learning sessions to jump to the space ones. The nerd in me is having a wonderful day."
Best gifts for co-workers under $50 on Amazon
Trade in your old devices for Amazon gift cards. Here's how
Two unsung ways Amazon Echos are actually pretty consumer-friendly
Amazon Fire Stick vs Roku Streaming Stick: Which is right for you?
Best kids' tablets
Microsoft quietly revealed a new type of AI (it may quietly petrify you)


Hello! It's my favorite time of year again!! We had a sweet Thanksgiving last week and yesterday was my birthday! I'm writing this as a mature, sophisticated 33 year old. I feel so much wiser already. Also, I just did the math to make sure I turned 33. Aging can get confusing. Anyway, today I have a quick little crafty Christmas countdown advent "calendar" to show you.
A few years ago I made some countdown cards and displayed them in a frame. This year I wanted something a little more neutral and simple looking so here's what I did.
I picked up 2 sheets of thick cardstock, some clothes pins, and number stickers.
I cut the card stock into 25 small rectangles.
I labeled each square with the number stickers from 1-25. I could have done this by hand but I wanted them to be nice and uniform so stickers was the answer.
Now, this isn't a Christmas countdown from 25 to 0 because I'm not keeping track of that... again with the math... This is a December 1st gets the card with the 1 and so on...Plus that makes it easier for the girls, too...that's what I'll tell myself.
Call a family member and tell them you love them.
Dance around to a Christmas song.
Bake Christmas cookies and share them with neighbors.
Donate food to a food drive.
Go look at Christmas lights.
So you get the idea. Low cost, quick activities for our family to remember what's most important.
To hang the cards, I used jute we already had, tied and knot at the top. I made a loop large enough to be removed from the display.
I just pinned the card to the string. I tried to get the numbers to face out but they'll move around. It's not that serious.
I layered a couple rows to give it more of a wall hanging kinda look.
I also had to pair a few numbers up because, you know what? If you're buying clothes pins to do a Christmas countdown, a pack of 20 doesn't cut it. Duh, Jessica. But have no fear. I'd never spend 2 MORE dollars on another pack. Just double up!
As December goes on, the look of it will change until all that's left is the 25th! P.S. I made this before the rest of our Christmas stuff was out so, sorry for the simple, non glitzy pics.
I like it, though! The one we had was just fine, but this was a nice change. A (maybe) $4 change. And I love that our family gets reminded to think outside of ourselves in a season that can easily get overwhelmed with things..
Come back next week for a post about this year's Christmas tree and another for our Christmas home tour! It's gonna be good!


95000 Teacher Recruitment 2019 State Government is giving opportunity to B.ED Candidates who are TET Passed recently they can now apply for 95000 Teacher Upcoming vacancies in Uttar Pradesh. From 1 September joining letter distributed by CM Adityanath Yogi and Its Basic Shiksha Parishad Department. So good news of 95444 Teacher recruitment declared by One of CM attached officer and he said without telling about 95444 Recruitment in December.
IndusInd Foundation Scholarship IndusInd Foundation Scholarship application form should be invited to the desirous students of Availing the IndusInd Scholarship Scheme to 12th Pass Candidates. Candidates first of all should be meritorious and application related to SHGC IndusInd Scholarship typically based on backward class economic society. There are many scholarships we have written on 12th bass but 90% Foundation prefers to give scholarship to younger students of 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Class.
RRB Group D 17th September Syllabus 2018 Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) on 31st August available the 17th September written exam date syllabus of RRB Group D. RRB included example of Model Papers on official website of Railway board. Students who are eager to know about RRB 62907 Exam Date & Its Group D ka syllabus the we remind you that RRB 17TH September syllabus is here available in link and words.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Innovation scheme has been launched For Making Indian Educational Institute to be found in World Top 100 College and University. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Led Central Government has made a panel to select those college, Institute who falls in Atal Ranking of Education Institute on Achievement. The Atal innovation scheme more details can be found below with outer cutting news in Hindi.
Republic Day Scholarship 2019 Uttar Pradesh Samaj Kalyan Vibhag has decided to distribute scholarship fund on Republic Day (Gadtant Divas). UP Social welfare department said in a press meeting to further delivery of scholarship in all 75+ districts in Uttar Pradesh at 26th January Republic Day 2019.
Atul Maheshwari Scholarship Last Date: - Many Students, Guardian and Principal have demanded to extend the last date of Atul Maheshwari scholarship which is now becomes 9th September 2018 (Sunday). Previous Atul Maheshwari scholarship last date was 31st August 2018 but due to huge demand and interest in Atul maheshwari scholarship, amar ujala scholarship department clears the extension of last date.


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South Yemen, the Cuba of the Arab World
South Yemen, 1972
During the liberation struggle two organisations, the FLOSSY and the NLF, were fighting against the British occupation troops. Mainly the petit bourgeoisie and trade unionists from the Crown Colony of Aden supported the FLOSSY. The leadership of the NLF came from the rural areas and had the support of the peasants and the tribes. Although the NLF had liberated large tracts of the country, it did not seem to stand a chance in the decisive battle for Aden. However, the NLF won and took over the administration in the areas that had been formerly occupied by England. The film is about this revolution. lt shows how land reforms were implemented and describes the effort to find an economically self-supporting and politically independent system. Later, South Yemen came totally under the control of the Soviet Union. The German Democratic Republic was in charge of the political police and the dream of an independent revolution evaporated – as it did in Cuba.
a film by Gordian Troeller and Marie-Claude Deffarge
original title: Südjemen, das Kuba der arabischen Welt
in cooperation with Rosy Rouleau
camera: Gordian Troeller
This film only exists in a French version.
Download the film
The Early Works
A War Report from Mediaeval Times
The Forgotten Genocide
The Siege of Sana'a
The Uprising of the Slaves
The Revolution in Year One
The Revolutionary Church in Latin America
The Middle Ages resist — North Yemen after the Civil War
Jews in North Yemen
The Land of 1001 Oil Rigs
South Sudan – Another Biafra?
The Age of Mercenaries
The Sultanate of Oman
Algiers, Capital of the Revolutionaries
Communists since a Thousand Years
The Revolution of the Common Man
The Angry Corsicans
← Back to: Movies


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Sundance: Breaking Down Terror with '78/52′ and 'Oklahoma City'
Courtesy of Sundance Institute. Photo by Robert Muratore.
One of the coolest movies at Sundance this year has to be Alexandre O. Philippe's 78/52, a gloriously nerdy deep-dive into the infamous shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Philippe continues a recent trend of somewhat experimental Sundance docs looking into elements of film history and filmmaking: Past entries in this subgenre include Stevan Riley's Listen to Me Marlon and Rodney Ascher's unforgettable Room 237.
The oddly-named 78/52 (the title refers to the number of set-ups and shots in the shower scene) is more straightforward. But that's what makes it so daring. Over an hour and a half, a wide variety of talking heads — 39 editors, authors, directors, actors, scholars, sound engineers — talk about the shower scene: How it was done, how it works, why it works, and why it's important — what makes it so seismic in the history of cinema and American culture.
Their observations run from the particular to the mythic. Editors like Bob Murawski (Spider-Man, Army of Darkness) and Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now) get into the minutiae of the scene's edits and effects. We learn about the 27 varieties of melons that were tested to find the right sound of a knife ripping into flesh. (It's cassavas, for the record.) Meanwhile, writers like Steven Rebello talk about how Psycho foreshadowed the political violence of the 1960s. Peter Bogdanovich observes that "It was the first time in the history of movies where it wasn't safe to be in a movie theater." Dust Devil director Richard Stanley compares the swirling water in the shower's drain to the "pointless spiraling of the universe." Along the way, we also find out about the fascinating history of the very symbolic painting that Norman Bates uses to cover up his peephole.
It could have been a mess, frankly. But Philippe has put the film together smartly, taking us from the general to the particular: "I structurally wanted the film to be a mirror image of Psycho," the director told me in an interview. "In the sense that you spend the first forty or so minutes setting up that scene, and what it did for culture, and then right around the forty-minute mark, which is where the shower scene happens in Psycho, you essentially get into the deconstruction of it." The results are hypnotic.
Philippe has also included some subtle stylistic nods to Hitchcock's film, green-screening his interview subjects into a space that looks not unlike the Bates Motel. "I wanted to create this illusion that they were trapped there on the property." He also regularly intercuts to shots of his interview subjects just watching the shower scene, to heighten the sense of voyeurism.
One of the key interviews — and the person whose experiences form its backbone — is Marli Renfro, Janet Leigh's Psycho body double. It's actually Renfro whose body we're seeing for much of the scene. "I don't think she got her due after that film, and she's kind of the hidden hero," the director says. He also notes that there are a lot of urban legends around Renfro: "I think if you go on IMDb it says that she died, and there are a lot of people who believe in this myth that she was murdered." That made it especially rewarding, he says, to bring her to the festival.
Philippe discovered during his interviews a suprising diversity of opinions and attitudes — from the broad, almost mythic interpretations of people like Bret Easton Ellis and Richard Stanley to the more playful observations of people like Murawski. "We had numerous interviews with great editors, from Walter Murch to Chris Innis to Jeff Ford, Bob Murawski, Amy Duddleston. At any given point, during those interviews they would all at some point go, 'This is the greatest cut I've ever seen!' and each person was talking about a different cut. They all revere the scene for very unique and different reasons."
The director says he's not done with Psycho yet. "After three years of working on this film, I feel like I'm just getting to scratch the surface about the shower scene. I've actually started conducting interviews now beyond the scope of the film… I want to talk to architects, I want to talk to psychologists and psychiatrists, and cultural experts. You can talk to so many people, and they will show you something that you had never considered before. It's endless what you can discover about it."
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in April of 1995. Courtesy Sundance Institute.
For my money, the scariest film playing at Sundance is the documentary Oklahoma City, which chronicles the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, still the biggest act of domestic terrorism in United States history. Director Barak Goodman offers a ground-level, you-are-there account of the bombing and its aftermath, but he also jumps back to chart the rise of the forces that directly led to this tragedy.
It is impossible to tell the story of Oklahoma City without talking about the emergence of extremist white nationalist groups in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Goodman's approach to his material isn't so much alarmist as clinical: He introduces people like Richard G. Butler, founder of the Aryan Nations movement, and Bob Matthews, who founded the roving band of racist criminals known as The Order. Along the way, he gives a sober accounting of the controversial standoff at Ruby Ridge, when Federal agents shot and killed survivalist Randy Weaver's son and wife, and the disastrous siege of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, which left 76 dead. He shows how these tragedies spurred the radicalization of others — including a disillusioned young vet named Timothy McVeigh, who would later deem the Oklahoma City bombing not the start of a war but "a counter-attack."
Goodman doesn't have to editorialize much to convey the monstrousness of these people and their actions. Their words and their beliefs, plus the facts on the ground, are damning enough. Oklahoma City saves its compassion for the victims of this story: the men, women, and children who were killed or wounded during the Murrah bombing. The archival footage and interviews with first responders, parents, and officials are harrowing and heartbreaking. McVeigh's fertilizer bomb was placed not far from a day care center in the building, so we hear stories of parents digging into the rubble to find their kids, and chambers below ground where one interviewee saw coagulated pools of blood on the ceiling, each a person dead on the floor above.
Goodman also doesn't state overtly why the story of the Oklahoma City bombing is so relevant today. He doesn't have to. His methodical recounting of the rise of white nationalism and fringe movements reverberates with today's world, in which racist violence and conspiracist lunacy has been emboldened and brought troublingly into the mainstream. Oklahoma City, the movie, may end sometime around McVeigh's execution in 2001, but anyone with a brain knows that the ensuing chapters of this American horror story are being written as we speak.
More:Film and TVFilm Reviews


SFI 45.1 Approved rollcage padding to fit 38mm (1 1/2") roll bar tubing. This will also stretch around a 45mm tube. It has a self-adhesive strip for easy application to the tube. 19mm Think and 910mm in length.


Made of outside quality nylon and finished with canvas header and brass grommets.
Imported Basque flag. Made of economy polyester that is more of indoor wall display. Finished with header and two small grommets. 3' X 5' size only.
Our American made Basque flags are made of quality material for outdoor durability. Finished with reinforced canvas header and two brass grommets. Comes in 2'x3' and 3'x5' sizes.
Our General Freemont flag or Pathfinder flag as some refer to is Made of quality Nylon. Flag has screen printed field and sewn stripes. 3'x5' size only.
Made of Quality Nylon. Finished with canvas header and two brass grommets.
100% made in America. Made of quality outdoor SolarMax nyjon and finished with canvas header and two brass grommets. 3'x5' only.
Soviet Union and Old Russia sizes are 4" x 6" Silk like rayon on 10" black staff with gold spear top, and 3' x 5'outdoor nylon. These are the only two sizes made at this time.


I went a bit crazy this week but I have my reasons! I placed a Book Outlet order and I went to a book signing (on top of normal buying habits I should add).
First my Book Outlet order. This site is both awesome and dangerous.
And today I got Hollow City because Ransom Riggs was in the Chicago area! Look for that event recap tomorrow.
And of course I just had to buy some other books! I got my replacement copy of Before Jamaica Lane, since Amazon sent me a beat up copy, and I picked up some more books because I had a 25% coupon at Anderson's and couldn't pass up that offer.
What did you get this week?! Have you read any of these yet?


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Sadly, an eye for an eye continues to rule the day in Israel and Palestine …
I am working on Part 3 of my Ramadan:An Outsider's Perspective series of posts, but had to take a moment to address current events in Israel and Palestine.
If you haven't noticed yet the news from the Middle East on most web-based new services is chock full of reports of Palestinian attacks in Southern Israel that left 7 dead and others wounded. These attacks targeted civilians on a tour bus, a military vehicle, and a private car. First I have to say in no uncertain terms that any attack targeting civilians is deplorable, heinous, and is inexcusable. This kind of activity does nothing to further Palestinian political causes and is a detriment to any attempt at a peace process. And it is a war crime, plain and simple.
That said … so are the 13 air attacks by Israel against Gaza in July and August of 2011 up to this date. The latest two days ago on August 16th killed one and wounded 7 – some civilians as well. These amount to a collective punishment on a civilian population and is akin to the US gov't repeatedly bombing LA in an effort to curb gang violence. One attack this August included the shelling of the Al-Zaytouna neighborhood where I lived when I visited Gaza back in the 90s. I don't know about now, but back then this was just a residential neighborhood with no obvious military presence.
Of course these bombing runs on the part of Israel are well-known to be in response for Palestinian mortar attacks on Southern Israel from within Gaza. This is something like attacking flies with a bazooka. The most famous retribution on Israel's part for these mortar attacks was Operation Cast Lead in January of 2009. In the 5- year period before this Israeli military operation 1000s of mortars had been launched into Southern Israel, remarkably only resulting in 19 deaths. In retaliation for those deaths over 5 years Israel launched a month-long bombardment of Gaza that claimed nearly 1400 lives including over 700 civilians and over 300 children. (source for all of these stats B'Tselem: the Israeli Center for Human Rights)
Just like in kindergarten 2 wrongs do not make a right. Nor do 100s or 1000s of wrongs by both sides over the last 5 decades and more.
Like I said – the attacks in Israel today were deplorable. But they do not exist in a vacuum – if Palestinians are responsible for them. This of course seems likely. But all the news so far is from Israeli government sources that would not likely say otherwise, nor are they likely to provide any evidence or follow-up investigation if past incidents are any indication. Israeli Gov't sources say that the attackers came from Gaza, into Sinai, and into Israel. Apparently they have "very, very specific information" that indicates this. What that info is we will never know. The attack was apparently followed by skirmishing across the Israeli-Egyptian border. This appears to have been with armed militants that Israel reports are part of Hamas. However, both Hamas and Egypt deny any involvement in the attacks. So far we just have Israel's say-so on who was behind the attacks.
Eqypt has recently sent 1000s of troops into the Sinai to strengthen security there due to rumors of al-Qaeda stirrings in the Sinai. I have written elsewhere about al-Qaeda co-opting the Palestinian struggle for its own ignoble purposes. It would not surprise me if this attack today was their handiwork and not that of any true Palestinian group. Unfortunately ordinary Gazans will bear the brunt of today's attack. I am certain Israel will retaliate with airstrikes and it is likely that more civilians will die in this grotesque game of an eye-for-an-eye being played out on the world stage.
How much innocent blood must be spilled before both sides can lay down their "right" to revenge and agree that for future generations that enough is enough?
(My heart goes out to the families of innocent victims on both sides of the conflict. I cannot for a moment begin to understand the pain and agony of your loss, but my prayer is that in the midst of that pain a path for a better tomorrow can somehow, miraculously, be realized.)
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Gaza, innocent victims of conflict, israel, palestine, peace, political violence, terror attacks, Violence |	1 Comment »
The haunting of Gaza
Posted on January 8, 2009 by BC
We sipped cappuccino this morning as images of violence and shattered lives flickered across the screen of the large flat panel TV. We had met friends for an impromptu study session at a Euro-style cafe in Amman. Waves of memories flooded me as correspondents from Al-Jazeera stood in front of the Gaza skyline that I remember well from the late 90s. A couple of dark plumes of smoke rose from recent attacks, but otherwise the scene was eerily quiet for this bustling Middle Eastern metropolis. Like a ghost town. I'm not much of a believer in ghosts, but the events of the last week and a half will haunt many for years to come.
Consider the families of those who perished while taking refuge in a UN school building on Tuesday (article here). Israel alleges militants firing rockets from the school and using those seeking refuge as human shields. Palestinians and the UN say that there is no evidence that there were any militants at the school. And the world will probably never know. Of course everyone has an opinion and you can read them in the comment streams of any online article covering the tragedy. Those predisposed to believe the Israeli story are outraged that Hamas would use human shields. Those predisposed to believe the UN or Palestinians are outraged that Israel would target an obviously civilian target killing innocents.
And we all sit back and enjoy our cappuccinos and go on and on about something we really know nothing about.
The UN has called for an independent inquiry into the attack, the single worst of the current campaign in Gaza. And most deadly for Palestinian civilians. But will it really matter what the investigation turns up? If it's reported that there were militants at the school Palestinian supporters will say its a lie. If it's found that there were only civilians at the school Israeli supporters will say it is a lie. We will probably never know that part of the truth. But we do know that today families mourn the loss of their loved ones and wonder why they had to die this way and wonder when it will all end.
Over 600 Palestinians dead at latest count including at least 150 civilians, maybe more. At least 10 Israelis dead including 3 civilians. Each life precious to their family and to God,whether they were civilians or soldiers. World leaders are scrambling to try once again to resolve an age-old conflict, and convince both sides to put down their weapons. Meanwhile everyday people like you and me go to bed at night wondering if it will be the last time they lay next to their loved ones and wonder when they wake up if they will make it through the day.
From a secular perspective one might say, "survival of the fittest." From here it looks more like de-evolution of the species. For those of us from a more religious perspective – did God create us so we could kill each other? Where are the Dietrich Bonhoeffers, Mahatma Ghandis, Martin Luther Kings, and Nelson Mandelas? Those who would make a radical stand for peace in the face of physical violence? Those who would echo what prophet/rabbi/messiah Isa/Yeshua/Jesus said:
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great . . . Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Many will dismiss this as sentimental thinking. But you must remember that Jesus grew up under the brutal military occupation of the Roman Empire. When he said people should love their enemies and be merciful as God is merciful he was talking about taking a radical stand for peace in the face of physical violence.
Can you imagine being a parent in Gaza right now? What do you tell your children? Can you imagine being a soldier on either side? How do you decide to pull the trigger or push the button that end's another's life. The haunting of Gaza will last for years after the current conflict ends. And I'm not talking about ghosts, but rather images of war permanently seared into young minds and the blood stains of family members and the blood stains of enemies on the hands of both sides.
I've got to say that my cappuccino tasted a bit sour this morning and it wasn't the fault of the barista.
Filed under: Gaza, war | Tagged: diplomacy, Gaza, innocent victims of conflict, israel, Midde East, palestine, political violence, war |	2 Comments »
Jordanians rally in support of Gaza
Here are a few way in which Jordanians have expressed their support of those suffering in Gaza:
Food and clothing drive – update: MommaBean reports that 25-30 tons were collected at the 7iber/Action Committee/Aramex aid drive near Cozmo the other day. 7iber also reports along with pictures of the sorting effort at the Aramex warehouse.
Sending a military plan to pick up 40 wounded from Egypt, however due to problems in Egypt they only retrieved 8
Businessmen raised 520,000 JD ($738,400) to provide humanitarian assistance, most of it will be administered by the Jordanian government's official humanitarian arm which has been authorized to provide aid in Gaza.
Doctors and nurses staged sit-ins to protest the wounding of Palestinian doctors and medics in the line of duty
50 Doctors have volunteered to go to Gaza to provide medical assistance if authorized to do so.
Thousands have participated in predominately peaceful protests.
One protest was apparently controlled by tear gas as police stood firm to prevent protesters getting too close to the Israeli embassy here in Amman.
30,000 protesters gathered in a sports stadium. Many chanted for the repeal of Jordan's peace treaty with Israel
An Arab friend gave me an important vocab lesson – masireh (peaceful protest) vs. muDHahareh (riot). So far the protests we have heard of here have been in the first category.
I've been itching to go to one of the protests, but have been warned by a handful of local friends to be careful (not just at the protests, but in general) as anti-American sentiments are on the rise. I blend in well enough if I don't open my mouth. But how likely is that? I must say however, that we have kept to our usual routines and really have to seek out information on the unrest.
I have had several conversations with locals over the past week about the situation in Gaza. The same things usually come out:
Outrage over the civilian deaths in Gaza, especially the children. Latest estimates place deaths around 400, about 10% of which have been kids. I can't emphasize enough how much this is upsetting to people here. It's not just a sound bite on the evening news. It's not just collateral damage that can be justified by some larger goal. People are really upset about this. And the question of what about Israeli casualties does not fly – only 4 or 5 reported so far and I don't think any of them have been kids.
Questions about what Israel is really hoping to accomplish. How will this end in peace when so many lives are being shattered?
Questions about why the US backs Israel seemingly carte blanche.
Anger towards George W. Bush.
I haven't heard much about this on the street, but in the press there are growing questions about Obama's ability to step into this mess in a helpful way. His selection of staunch Israel supporter Rahm Emmanuel has fueled these concerns.
It's a bit surreal. A couple of weeks ago I relished the questions "Min wayn?" or "Ayya baladak?" (Where are you from? What is your country?) These used to seem like great conversation starters. But now I flinch a little internally, and have a few handy things to say in my back pocket if the conversation turns towards anything negative. People are usually surprised to find out that I have actually lived in Gaza and that helps salvage conversation. A lot of taxi drivers have been listening to the news more this week. A number of times George W. Bush has come on condemning the Hamas rocket attacks as acts of terror. This is usually not received favorably, not so much because people support Hamas, but because they can't understand why the one (mostly ineffective) attack is classified as an act of terror and the other (much deadlier) is a justified act of war.
I guess I wonder too. How many more civilians have to die?
Responding in English would be difficult enough, let alone in Arabic.
Just a taste of what I've been wrestling with.
Breaking News . . .
As I sit here typing, I just recieved news that ground troops have entered Gaza. Officially to focus on the Hamas rocket positions. We shall see. Ominously, Iranian officials have warned that a land invasion will be a huge mistake on the part of Israel. Hamas has apparently said that the Israeli army is walking into their planned trap. (AP report here) I wonder what stories will be told when dawn breaks 7 or 8 hours from now. It's going to be a very restless night in Gaza.
Please pray and act for peace.
Filed under: Gaza, human rights, war | Tagged: community action, deadly semantics, diplomacy, Gaza, human rights, innocent victims of conflict, Jordan, Midde East, palestine, political violence, question, war |	3 Comments »
Jordan Collects Aid for Gaza
Posted on December 31, 2008 by BC
Street approaching the donation drop-off and Cozmo supermarket blocked with traffic
Humanitarian Aid Collected in Jordan
Cars jammed the street leading up to the Gaza relief drop-off point neat Cozmo in Amman, Jordan Tuesday night. Bumper-to-bumper traffic barely crept along, prompting some Good Samaritans to hop out and carry their boxes of food, clothes, and blankets the final dozens of meters. Police were on hand, including some in riot gear, but everything was peaceful as the pile of donated goods grew and grew. A line of volunteers passed donations along a human chain to fill waiting delivery trucks. Inside the store it was obvious who was shopping for Gaza. Both Jordanians and ex-pats were pulling stacks of canned goods and large sacks of rice off the shelves and filling carts. Store employees were giving directions to some shoppers, advising them on what could and could not be included in the shipments.
People in Jordan donating and loading a truck with relief aid for Gaza
Humanitarian Aid Boat Rammed by Israeli's
As I dropped off a meager donation I wondered if anyone would ever benefit from it. Both the Israelis and Egyptians have been notorious for not allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza – even during the ceasefire. What about now, during what Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak described as "all out war" ? Just this week a civilian boat carrying humanitarian aid from Cyprus to Gaza was shot at and rammed by an Israeli military vessel. The AP reported that, "Israel's navy on Tuesday turned back a boat of pro-Palestinian protesters who had hoped to enter Gaza to demonstrate against the Israeli blockade." The Reuters article that accompanied the photo below gave a different story, "Cyprus state radio said the Cypriot government would seek explanations from Israel over the incident. The vessel was carrying medical aid donated by Cyprus and there were at least three Cypriots on board, including a parliamentarian." The boat was apparently escorted by a Lebanese naval vessel to the port of Tyre. Hmmm . . . now Lebanon is involved.
Free Gaza aid boat that was rammed by an Israeli military vessel (Reuters photo)
Will this shipment of aid from Jordan ever make it? Let's pray it does. And when it does, let's pray it goes to help those who really need it.
Gazan Family Mourns the Loss of 5 Daughters
Like the Balousha family of Jabalia refugee camp who lost 5 of their daughters this week when an Israeli bomb destroyed a mosque and several surrounding buildings in the crowded camp, including the Balousha's three-room cinder block house (Guardian UK article here). The girls were sleeping in one of the rooms and had no chance. They were ages 17, 15, 13, 8, and 4. Their mother and father lay sleeping with the families two youngest in the next room. All were injured, but survived as did one other sister who miraculously was pulled from the ruins of the room where her 5 sisters had died. Can you even imagine? Innocent victims of a sickening conflict that has potential to engulf the entire region.
Funeral procession for 5 girls who died in one family as a result of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza (Guardian UK photo)
How will this end? The current conflict is not simply a sound bite on the 5 o'clock news. It doesn't just fill a space between the first weather forecast and the local sports scores. It's been fomenting for centuries and is unlikely to subside anytime soon. All the major political players will at least pay lip service to trying to fix things. There will be lots of posturing and statements made in the world press. But the most important ones will not come from politicians or generals. I wonder if anyone will pay attention to the anguished statements of men like Anwar Balousha who is described here:
…He was pale and still suffering from serious injuries to his head, his shoulder and his hands. But like many other patients in Gaza he had been made to leave an overcrowded hospital to make way for the dying. Yesterday his house was a pile of rubble: collapsed walls and the occasional piece of furniture exposed to the sky. He spoke bitterly of his daughters' deaths. "We are civilians. I don't belong to any faction, I don't support Fatah or Hamas, I'm just a Palestinian. They are punishing us all, civilians and militants. What is the guilt of the civilian?" Like many men in Gaza, Anwar has no job, and like all in the camp he relies on food handouts from the UN and other charity support to survive.
And still the Balousha family, and those like them will mourn the lives shattered because politicians and power-men couldn't put down their egoes and their weapons.
Filed under: Gaza, human rights | Tagged: community action, diplomacy, Gaza, human rights, innocent victims of conflict, Jordan, Middle East diplomacy, palestine, peace, political violence |	1 Comment »
Ways Folks in Jordan can help Gaza
I guess most of the people who read my blog are stateside, but I know there are a few people reading on this side of the pond too. A variety of people have been organizing ways for people in Jordan to be of some assistance, including blood, food, and clothing drives. Canned goods (no meat products, or anything likely to leak) and clothing (esp. jackets and blankets) canned be dropped off:
Near Cozmo (7th circle)
More details on this and other ways to help can be found over at Black Iris or at 7iber.
The bombardment of Gaza continued last night with more civilian targets being hit. One such target was the Islamic University of Gaza (IUG). I took a tour there back in the late 90s. Dr. Akram Habeeb is a Fullbright scholar and professor of American literature at IUG. Today he gave his first hand account of the nightmare in Gaza:
Why would Israel bomb a university? Israel did not only target my university last night. It also bombed mosques, pharmacies and homes. In Jabaliya refugee camp Israeli bombs killed four little girls, sisters from the Balousha family. In Rafah they killed three brothers, aged 6, 12 and 14. They also killed a mother, along with her one-year-old child from the Kishko family in Gaza City.
His full account (and others) can be found at electronic intifada.
According to the Israeli military this assault is far from over. In it's fourth day the attacks have claimed the lives of at least 360 Palestinians (39 children) and injured over 1,600. Hamas rocket fire has accounted for 4 Israeli deaths in the same time period. Defense Minister Ehud Barak described the operation as "all-out war" and a Deputy Defense minister said that the operation could last for weeks. Ground troops are prepared to be sent in (article here).
If you are able to donate some food or clothes or blood that would be great! If not, please continue to pray for peace. Prayer is not a last resort, but the foundation for any lasting peace!
Filed under: Gaza, links | Tagged: community action, diplomacy, Gaza, innocent victims of conflict, links, Midde East, political violence |	2 Comments »
Not just another round of violence in Gaza
It's the holidays. The lull between Christmas and New Years when so many of us have a little time off from work and spend extra hours enjoying the company of loved ones. A time of peace, joy, and celebration. A time to be thankful for the blessings of the past and consider what possibilities the future may hold.
Not so in Gaza over the last two days. Israel has pounded the Palestinian territory with precision air strikes causing over 250 deaths and over 600 injuries. Casualty statistics vary according to source, but all are climbing in the wake of some of the worst single-day violence in recent years of the conflict. The airstrikes come on the heels of a tenuous months-long cease fire that was punctuated by mostly ineffective Hamas sponsored rocket fire from Gaza into Israel. Reaction in the Arab world has been quick and vocal.
At least one Saudi cleric has issued a fatwa condemning Israel and calling for attack on Israeli targets anywhere. The cleric does not appear to have any "official" standing – but I am sure more and more of these edicts will begin to roll out from clerics of varying degrees of stature
Libyan president Muammar Qaddafi has called upon the Arab League to end all attempts at its peace initiative with Israel
The Arab League (not in response to Libya) postponed a regularly scheduled meeting to be held over the weekend to meet later this week reportedly to establish an official response to the airstrikes
Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khameini (Ahmadinejad's boss) said, ""The Zionist regime should be punished by Muslim states. This usurping regime's leaders should also go on trial and be punished for this crime. All Palestinian Mujahids (fighters) and believers in the Islamic world are required to defend in any way they can the defenseless women, children and people of Gaza."
Protests broke out in leading cities from Iran to Syria to Lebanon to Morocco to Spain to England
There were even protests here in Jordan. My wife called from the grocery store with the news, "Something's up – people are all gathered around televisions sets and it looks like buildings are on fire and there are people protesting." As it turned out the fireswere in Gaza and the protests were here in Amman. An hour later she was stuck in traffic being held up by the army while a protest wound it's way through the old city of Amman (see picture below). My wife called and said she could see the protesters were waving green flags. I guess they could have been Amman Municpality flags, but I was fairly certain that they were Hamas flags (which they were). According to the Jordan Times some protestors "expressed allegiance to Hamas" and chanted, "We will avenge you, we sacrifice our blood and souls for you Gaza." I would have tried to find a safe vantage point to observe but everyone in our house has been sick of late, so I stuck at home and watched a little news coverage. Today a friend and I exchanged typical greetings with a Muslim neighbor. Instead of the usual stock answers he said he was terrible "because of Gaza." Seems this latest attack has really struck a chord here.
Jordanians protesting Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Dec 27th 2008 (photo from Jordan Times)
I'm afraid this is not just another deadly tit-for-tat in the ongoing struggle between Palestine and Israel. Both popular and political reactions were swift. It might just be saber rattling on the part of leaders like Khameini or Qaddafi. But I'mnot sure how much longer the man in the street willput up with the situation in Gaza. The situation has gone from bad to so much worse in the last 24-months. Under American pressure premature elections were held resulting in Hamas legally (and democratically) winning power. Of course democracy is only a good thing when the people "we" want to win actually do. This unexpected (??really?? kinda like the Shiites winning in Iraq, right?) outcome has resulted in a civil war between Fatah and Hamas in Gaza (some in the western media allege this was partially funded and equipped by the US), a fracturing of the Palestinian government, and a prolonged siege of Gaza. For the past 18-months Israel has blocked shipments in and out of Gaza – including humanitarian aid. Airstrikes have knowcked out power supplies and conditions on the ground are worse than they have ever been before.
Add to this some fresh post-Christmas, pre-New Years blood shed.
The initial barrage reportedly started right around the same time school children leave for home after the mornign shift at school and lasted for about 3 hours. 40 targets were reported, including mostly police stations, smuggling tunnels, and "Hamas related" posts. Yeah, that makes sense. Knock out the police stations. Then let's see how fast they can restore order. Despite the official list of targets, missiles were reported as hitting near playgrounds, vegetable markets, the headquarters of a major charity organization, and near the entrance to the largest hospital in Gaza (where a friend of mine used to work). Refugee camps were hit. Camps where I've walked the main streets and stretched both arms out to touch the cinder block buildings on either side. Camps where no amount of precision computer controlled targeting is going to keep civilians from being injured. At least 20 children have been reported dead so far as a result of the strikes.
Of course, the Palestinians and, yes, the world should have seen it coming.
Back in February I mentioned that a Deputy Israeli Defense Minister made waves by saying, "The more Qassam (rocket) fire intensifies and the rockets reach a longer range, they (the Palestinians) will bring upon themselves a bigger 'shoah' because we will use all our might to defend ourselves." The big stir was over the use of the term "shoah" which Israelis primarily reserve to refer to the holocaust.
But that's not the only reason why the world should have seen this brutal attack coming. On Christmas Day Ehud Olmert was interviewed by Al-Arabiya (a Dubai based news agency). He gave this ominous warning:
Israel withdrew from Gaza approximately three years ago not in order to return to it. I appeal to the residents of Gaza: I speak to you as a father and grandfather and I know that there is nothing I want less than to put my children and grandchildren in danger. Is it the spirit of Islam to kill innocent children? To shoot rockets at kindergartens and at civilians? I do not think that this is the spirit of Islam. Hamas, which does this against the spirit of Islam, is the main reason for your suffering – for all of ours.
I say to you in a last-minute call, stop it. Stop it. You the citizens of Gaza, you can stop it. I know how much you want to get up in the morning to quiet, to take your children to kindergarten or school, the way we do, the way they want to in Sderot and Netivot.
Hamas is the enemy of the residents – not only in Israel but in Gaza. We want to live as good neighbors with Gaza. We do not want to harm you. We will not allow a humanitarian crisis and that you should suffer from a lack of food or medicines. We do not want to fight the Palestinian people but we will not allow Hamas to strike our children. We have very great and destructive strength – which we do not wish to use. I think of the tens of thousands of children and innocents who will be in danger as a result of Hamas's actions. Do not let the murderers of Hamas, which is acting against the values of Islam, put you in danger.
Could I allow more missiles against the residents of Israel? More strikes at children and civilians and do nothing? Certainly not. Hamas is firing at us and at the power station that is supposed to supply electricity to Gaza. Stop them. Stop your enemies and ours. Tell them to stop shooting at innocents.
I did not come here to declare war. I have said in the past – as long as I am Prime Minister, I intend to reach peace with, not fight, the Palestinians. But Hamas must be stopped – and so it will be. I will not hesitate to use Israel's strength to strike at Hamas and Islamic Jihad. How? I do not wish to go into details here.
2 days later the world found out. Merry Christmas.
What I find most galling in Olmert's statement is his outright lies about his desire not to harm the civilians of Gaza or cause a humanitarian crisis. Way too late for that – the humanitarian crisis started several months ago because of Israel's blockade of Gaza. It's interesting that he addresses the exact same issues that the Deputy Defense Minister did back in February – the rocket attacks in southern Israel and the fact that Israel has a lot of power and can use it if they want.
Did you catch what he said in the interview, "the tens of thousands of children and innocents who will be in danger . . . " What's he talking about? So far only a couple of hundred have died. Is he alluding to some far greater, far more destructive attack? Let's pray that this is not the case! However electronic intifada reparted,
As Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi, the Israeli occupation forces Chief of Staff, said this morning, "This is only the beginning."
Only the beginning? Of what?
Olmert's appeal to the citizens of Gaza might seem reasonable on the face of it – after all they elected Hamas, presumably the citiznery could do something about it. But, really? When have you or I ever really held sway over a duly elected official in the peace-loving United States? Now what is the average Joe Gazan going to do? Sidle up to the rocket launchers and say, "Look I know we elected you a couple of years back, but it seems like you're making matters worse than better, could you maybe stop with the rockets for a little bit?" It like asking the people of LA or Southern California to take on the gangs and the Mexican drug lords. Its rubbish.
It's at this point that we all should start wringing our hands and say, "there's no easy answer. There's innocent blood on the hands of both sides. I'm just one person, what difference can I make?"
But now, more than ever we need to pray for peace. And work for it in whatever small ways we can. In the spheres of influence that we have. Maybe your circle has nothing to do with Israel and Palestine, but I'm sure there is conflict, and I am sure there is a way of peace that can be pursued. Don't take the easy way out and just ignore it. Bad things don't go away when we ignore them they just get worse.
Until someday we all have innocent blood on our hands. Let's pray it's not too late.
Filed under: human rights, Social Justice | Tagged: Amman, diplomacy, Gaza, genocide, human rights, innocent victims of conflict, Midde East, Middle East diplomacy, nonviolent protest, palestine, political violence, Social Justice |	5 Comments »
Jordan Weekend Headlines #6
Posted on October 27, 2008 by BC
I've been on a bit of hiatus from headlines over the last couple of weeks due to studies and an out-of-town trip to Wadi Rum (will post more on that later this week). But, here is a quick look at this weekend's headlines as published in the Jordan Times (the only English paper I know of here).
Top Headline: "Jordan signs 11 deals with Brazil"– the king seems to be traveling a lot since I got here. I don't know if this is normal or just because I'm here. Anyways, HM King Abdullah and some of his advisors spent some time firming up Jordan's relationship with Brazil and a broader alliance of South American countries. Three things I found interesting:
Brazil will be helping Jordan with processing oil shale as a means of alternative energy. Jordan has no natural petroleum reserves, except in the form of oil shale, which apparently it has good quantities of.
HM King Abdullah highlighted Brazil's support of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis.
There are 12 million Arabs in Brazil, which accounts for about 6% of the population
I wonder what a king-for-life thinks when he's flying around the world talking to elected leaders who are only going to be on the political scene for a relatively short amount of time.
Another Headline: "Gov't to guarantee bank deposits till 2009 end" – This is with no JD limit. All deposits in all amounts will be guaranteed till next year. An official is quoted as saying that no Jordanian depositer has ever lost any money. Of course I am not sure what time period we are talking about. And I am pretty sure that most people have very small deposits in the bank. This is one of many articles recently stressing Jordan's overall financial health. The subtext is that there is no lending/banking/morgage crisis as in the states. Perhaps coorporate greed has not infected this corner of the globe yet.
Most Interesting Sidebar: "Jordan to play Palestine in Ram" This probably means nothing to most people, but has huge significance hear. Ram is a town outside of Jerusalem and home to the Palestinian national soccer stadium (Faisal Hussein Stadium). No international football match has been played on Palestinian soil since Palestine joined FIFA way back in 1998. Until this past weekend! The Palestinian national team has had many hurdles to overcome including the difficulty of everyday life under military occupation, civil war, and travel restrictions imposed by Israel. For example, 18 officials and players who live in Gaza were denied travel by Israel to the World Cup qualifiers in Singapore earlier this year. The Israeli overnment also delayed the Jordanian national teams border crossing into Palestine this past weekend.
Here is a YouTube Video highlighting a bit about the Palestinian Team:
Despite travel difficulties the match did go on this weekend, with FIFA president Jospeh Blatter on hand for the historic event. Our Palestinian taxi driver was excited to tell us about the game this morning. I asked him who he had wanted to win. He paused – a difficult question. Ethnically he is Palestinian – but he was born and lived his entire life in Jordan. He admitted that he didn't really care which team won – and it didn't matter in the end as it was a tied game: 1-to-1. For Palestinians this match was an importan symbol of peace and normalcy.
Below is a clip of the Palestinian goal – take a moment to listen to the cheers and watch the excitement of the players and fans. You would think this was a winning goal in a World Cup. But, no, it was simply a goal by the 180th ranked team in the world (out of 207?). Their first goal ever on native soil. It seems to me that they are celebrating not just a goal in a soccer match, but in some small way celebrating this taste of freedom and self-determination (as fleeting as it may be).
Filed under: news, Sports | Tagged: Faisal Hussein Stadium, Football, innocent victims of conflict, Jordan, Jordan Headlines, King Abdullah, news, Palestine Popular Culture, Palestine vs. Jordan, Soccer, Sport, Sports, YouTube Video |	2 Comments »


text:
Q: Processing Rotating lines I am trying to make the following using processing but the spacing between two lines are uneven
Sample Image
I used the following code
void setup(){
size(300,300);
rectMode(CENTER);
background(0);
translate(150,150);
for(int i=0;i<360;i+=15){
    rect(0,100,5,50);

    rotate(i);
    }
}

but i am getting the following result
sample Output

A: OK. So what is happening here is:
You are using rotate(i), where i is in degrees.  rotate() takes radians.
To fix this, use rotate(radians(i)) which converts i to radians from degrees, then rotates.
And also: rotations are cumulative. It rotates by 0 the first time through.  Then by 15 degrees second time.  Then it adds 30 degrees for the third time, now at 45.
So it looks like this:
i=0: 0
i=1: 0
i=2: 15
i=3: 45
i=4: 90
i=5: 150
i=6: 225
i=7: 315
i=8: 420
i=9: 540
i=10: 675
i=11: 825
i=12: 990

As you can see, the spacing increases every iteration through the loop. To fix this, you have multiple options for the loop:
for(int i=0;i<360;i+=15){
    rotate(radians(i));//do rotation to apply to the rectangle, converting i to radians
    rect(0,100,5,50);//draw rectangle
    rotate(radians(-i));//undo rotation for next iteration, converting i to radians
}

Or:
for(int i=0;i<360;i+=15){
    pushMatrix();//store current translation and rotation and start rotations/translations from default coordinate system
    translate(150,150);//redo the translation that pushMatrix() put away
    rotate(radians(i));//do the rotation, converting i to radians
    rect(0,100,5,50);//draw the rectangle
    popMatrix();//pop the matrix, now all the translations we just did are forgotten and the translation before pushMatrix() outside of the loop is kept.
    // but the rectangle we drew keeps the translations.
}

A: Other answers/comments are good, though you can do this...
void setup(){
  size(300, 300);
  translate(150, 150);
  int count = 12;               //you can change this to any integer
  for(int i=0;i<count;i++){
    rect(0,100,5,50);
    rotate(radians(360/count));
  }
}


To support the growing demand for gear assemblies from automotive suppliers throughout North America, IMS: GEAR Virginia relocated from a 34,000 square-foot facility to a new 112,000 square-foot facility in Virginia Beach VA. The move into the new building was part of the German company's 35.5 million dollar expansion of its manufacturing operations in Hampton Roads.
The Miller Group, designed and built the new Virginia Beach headquarters and leased it to IMS: GEAR.
Several relocation options were evaluated, including renovation of older, existing spaces but in the end, the build-to-suit was a win-win for both IMS: GEAR and The Miller Group.


text:
Meghan Markle's Favorite Footwear Brand Just Launched Sustainable Sneakers
By Pia Velasco
At HelloGiggles, we're big fans of sustainable fashion. From eco-friendly sneakers and sustainable bags to swimwear made of recycled materials and secondhand clothing, we give these products all our money. Additionally, we have a serious crush on Meghan Markle's style, so when sustainability and royalty-approved fashion mix together, you can bet that we have our wallets ready. Our newest obsession? Rothy's Lace-Up sustainable sneaker.
The shoes were made from repurposed water bottles, bio-based TPU (a type of plastic), and algae foam to make for a super-comfy fit, and they come in five colors: vanilla, lilac, bright white, spearmint, and navy. Like Rothy's other shoes, the Lace-Up is 3D knit to shape, which creates less waste than other manufacturing techniques used to make shoes.
Shop it! $165, rothys.com
This is Rothy's first real sneaker (the other is a Vans-type slip-on), so this launch is really exciting for the brand and its loyal following. In the past year, Rothy's launched sustainable (and machine-washable!) bags, princess-worthy Mary Jane shoes, and most recently, washable sandals that are perfect for the summer. Rothy's Lace-Up sneakers help complete the collection, and they're shoes that you'll be able to wear year-round, too.
We know that Markle is a supporter of the brand for the many times she's worn its pieces, so we kind of expect to see her strutting around Los Angeles with these eco-friendly kicks, but we wouldn't be surprised if the likes of Katie Holmes, Jameela Jamil, and Chanel Iman (they're super-fans of the brand) started sporting them as well. We love seeing that eco-conscious fashion is becoming more accessible, and while these sneakers may be a little pricier than your average shoe, they're super long-lasting.
fashion • shopping