text:
Nothing in particular
So it's been a while. I can't tell you the number of times I've wanted to sit down and write something in last three years comparing Europe's lifestyle to the U.S., but not wanting to be "that person" I have resisted. Hence a pretty empty blog feed. Now that I've traded in my Brno tram pass for a Boston CharlieCard, I feel I've earned the right, so here goes.
There are so many directions I could go. Athletic wear as street clothes. Honking. (OK, in fairness, Americans don't really have a monopoly on honking, but we're right up there.) Guns. But I don't really have the energy for that much controversy right now, so instead I give to you…the coatrack.
It's such a simple concept. You enter an establishment, you shed your outerwear, and you sit down to enjoy your meal. Coats hung on a rack represent order. A commitment to the event, whether it's a casual coffee with a friend, or dinner at a high-end restaurant. Whereas coats flung over the back of a chair imply the kind of hurriedness and chaos you would expect at, say, a TGI Friday's. A sign that you're just there long enough to fork down your meal and be on your way.
And that, IMNSHO, sums up the single biggest difference between the European and the American lifestyle. From traditional Viennese cafes, to the most casual of Czech pubs, no self-respecting European establishment is without plenty of simple racks, pegs, hooks, and other clever and convenient ways for patrons to stash their stuff. A place to hang your hat. An invitation to leave your troubles at the door and stay awhile.
Has lack of coat racks always been a thing here in the U.S., or did coat racks go out of fashion at some point? Did we evolve to throwing jackets over the back of chairs at the same time yoga pants became street wear, or was it a more gradual process? Would Americans use coat racks, given the chance? We can only hope.
Abandoned Babies of Brno
Ok, they're not really abandoned, but it sure seems that way at times. As I mentioned in my last blog, parents here in Czech Republic seem to have absolutely no problem leaving their babies unattended in public places. This would obviously never fly in the U.S. where A) you could be arrested, and B) you run the actual risk of someone snatching your kid.
And while you might think this would be a warm-weather-only phenomenon, it seems to happen all year 'round. Despite the general Czech attitude towards never cracking open a window for fear of catching a draft, even if the inside of a building reaches a sweltering temperature (yes, I'm talking to you Big One Fitness aerobics studio), parents seem to have no problem parking their child outside in sub-freezing temps to catch some air. But given the propensity here to swaddle, bundle, and bag these babies into a fleece-lined stupor, I guess there's no harm in it in the end.
So without further ado, I present to you my first collection of Abandoned Babies of Brno. I'm sure there will be more to follow. (An lest you think these are just empty strollers parked outside for convenience, I assure you they are all 100% abandoned baby certified.)
Abandoned outside our apartment.
Abandoned at the foody market.
Abandoned in the rain at the original ABC abandoned baby cafe.
Abandoned inside the Tesco.
Abandoned on Zelny Trh.
A pair abandoned outside Momenta cafe.
Cleveland in the '80s
Since moving to Brno, we've fallen into the habit of naming places by what they remind us of, because initially (and for me often still) we had a hard time pronouncing, much less remembering, their proper Czech names. Our local watering hole is ABC, short for Abandoned Baby Cafe. Allow me to explain: the first time we ever passed by and even noticed this place was because someone had left a pram with a baby in it outside, while enjoying coffee with their friends inside, naively un concerned about any child-snatching potential. (Not only would this obviously never fly in Philadelphia, but it seems to happen ALL THE TIME here and we have the photos to prove it, but that's going to be the subject of a different blog.) Across the street is Parrot, so named because of the parrot birds painted on the outside and the live birds (not parrots) on the inside.
And then there's Cleveland in the '80s. I can't say why exactly this name fits, only that the inside of this grungy, hipster bar smells like wet dogs but is still oddly charming and reminds me of all the similar dive bars I used to go to in college, in Cleveland, in the '80s. There is no T.V. There is no Internet. There is no chrome or exposed brick or artfully whitewashed walls or espresso machine. (Although I should point out, there are plenty of places here that do have these things). There is only beer and white guys with ponytails and backpacks and bikes. Like Cleveland. In the '80s.
While it could be argued that Brno—roughly the same population as Cleveland at @400,000—is on the verge of a renaissance (enter Starbucks, Nespresso, and Swarovski on the main square), it seems that many aspects of Brno are still stuck largely in 1985:
There are bookstores. Not Barnes & Noble type stores, but actual bookstores that sell actual books, with actual cafes that are not Starbucks.
There are old-school music shops (like, LOTS of them), with old-school audio equipment like the reel-to-reel equipment my college recitals were recorded with.
The mall is still a "thing." There's one mall in the city and another in the burbs about 15 minutes away. Both of them have food courts where people go in the middle of a workday and sit down to eat lunch, before going off to buy underwear or jeans at the C&A, Brno's answer to J.C. Penney.
People get dressed up for concerts. Men of all ages wear suits or at least jackets, and women wear heels and dresses. And hose. Sometimes even flesh colored hose, like Cleveland, in the '80s.
People still go to concerts. Live music is still a thing. People show up.
So there you have it. Though all signs point to change, for this particular moment in time, Brno, in my opinion, is really just Cleveland, in the '80s.
RB 2015—this boat can't even…
Exploring the city of Dole.
In search of the perfect selfie in Dole.
Dole, from over the bridge.
Alison and Kyle at the helm.
A magical afternoon on the Canal du Rhone au Rhin.
Kim and Alison handle the lock lines.
Floating up the Canal due Rhone au Rhin.
A very short bridge on the Canal du Rhone au Rhin.
Boys fishing along the Canal du Rhone au Rhin.
A narrow passage on the Canal du Rhone au Rhin.
Approaching the Souterrain de Thoraise at pk 59.
Inside the Souterrain de Thoraise.
The Canal du Rhone au Rhin joins le Doubs.
Another Bourgogne barge vacation in the bag! Instead of waiting for a wave of literary inspiration and flowery thoughts to wash over me about the trip, which is not likely to happen soon, I'm just gonna lay down a bare bones report for anyone who's interested in hearing about our latest adventure. Proceed at your own risk.
First a bit about our trip name. For this our fourth trip, we were accompanied again, for one week, by our good friends Alison and Kyle who also joined us in 2013. The trip name was derived from our mutual fascination with this blog, which has nothing to do with Bourgogne, but we can't stop laughing at it. Also the letters RB (Renaissance Baby) are the same as the letters for last year's trip name Rowe Bateau (a.k.a. "row boat"). We had a logo and team hoodies made up for the occasion (right).
We chartered a self-hire boat again the first two weeks of September, and it was our second time on the Annelies with Saone Bateau, a fabulous, small self-hire company out of Gigny-sur-Saône (just south of Chalon-sur-Saône). We highly recommend you check them out if you're looking for a self-hire charter in this location.
After heading up the Saone and spending a night in Verdun-sur-le-doubs, we decided to head into the Canal du Rhone au Rhin to the city of Dole in the heart of the Franche-Comté region. We continued on from Dole to the larger city of Besançon where Alison and Kyle sadly departed after the first week. We made our way back down the canal to Saint-Jean-de-Losne, and from there we headed back down the Saone to the Canal du Centre, which fortunately was open. (It's sometimes closed this time of year due to lack of water.) We traveled up the Canal du Centre as far as Saint-Léger, stopping in Franges and Santenay, before making our way back out of the canal and back to Gigny-sur-Saône. For anyone interested in the timing of our stops, here's the exact itinerary we took:
Day 1 (Sat.) on the boat in Gigny-sur-Saône
Day 2 (Sun.) Gigny-sur-Saône to Verdun-sur-le-doubs
Day 3 (Mon.) Verdun-sur-le-doubs to Canal du Rhone au Rhin (tied up just after 3rd lock)
Day 4 (Tues.) Dole
Day 5 (Wed) Dole to just before Orchamps (tied up @pk31)
Day 6 (Thurs) Orchamps to just after pk59 (tied up just after the lock and before the tunnel)
Day 7 (Fri) Besançon
Day 8 (Sat) Besançon to Ranchot
Day 9 (Sun) Ranchot to Saint-Jean-de-Losne
Day 10 (Mon) Saint-Jean-de-Losne to Fragnes
Day 11 (Tues) Fragnes to Saint-Léger
Day 12 (Wed) Saint-Léger to Santenay
Day 13 (Thurs) Santenay to Fragnes
Day 14 (Fri) Fragnes to Gigny-sur-Saône via Chalon-sur-Saône
In case you're wondering about how long it took to get from one place to another, an average day took about four hours of motoring. Some days were a lot more (Day 9, about 8 hours) and some a lot less (Day 12, about 2 hours). If it sounds boring, consider that you're never going very fast, and you can basically just sit on deck drinking wine while looking at the French countryside go by. Also, on the canals, we were pretty much always occupied by going through locks.
On this trip we spent about half of our nights at actual marinas or tie-ups with water and electric, and the other half just staked up to random spots along the canal. This is the part where I knock on wood and say that we've never had a problem finding a spot, even at some of the more popular marinas, although on more than one occasion we've been the last boat in. I can imagine that during the busier season it would be more of a problem. One benefit to staying in the canals is that you can tie up anywhere; on the Saone you are restricted to the marinas. This year's only close call came in Saint-Jean-de-Losne at the usually-crowded tie up on the dock in front of the city. We had been planning to continue to Seurre, but after seeing storm clouds and lightening flashing in the distance it seemed like a good move to call it a day. We took a chance tying up in a spot reserved for a larger hotel barge. After asking around, we were told by a reliable source they had just departed and wouldn't be returning that night, so we really lucked out.
As the team's official meteorologist, I began obsessing out the weather weeks in advance. Our previous trips have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous in the weather department, with Alison and Kyle experiencing the ridiculous in bad weather on their last trip with us. We all had fingers crossed for good weather and our first week came through with beautiful sunny days and cool nights. Pretty much perfect. Unfortunately things took a turn for the worse the second week, beginning with the nasty thunderstorm in Saint-Jean-de-Losne. Two days later another storm came through and all boats were advised to stay off the Saonne, a warning we had never heard of before. Fortunately we were safely tied up along the Canal du Centre in Santenay so we got nothing but lots of rain.
A hotel barge emerges from lock 34 b on the Canal du Centre.
Vineyards in Santenay.
The canal gets windier.
The countryside in Santenay.
Classic Bourgogne escargot at I think Au Petit Kir.
Clouds rolling into Santenay.
Dodging storms.
Another amazing bottle of French wine with dinner at Le Terroir.
Pulling out the foul weather gear.
Lunch goes on, rain or not.
Tranquil tie up in Franges after the storm.
Exiting lock 34 b on the Canal du Centre.
This is the part where I wish I had taken pics of all the fabulous meals we had on this trip, but not wanting to be "that person" at the table, I am left with only a list of some amazing places where we ate along the way:
La Halte Nautique (Gigny-sur-Saône): This amazing restaurant in the middle of nowhere is right at the Saonne Bateau base (also in the middle of nowhere), so we ate here both our first and last nights, as well as last year. Menu highlights include frogs legs, Bourgogne escargot, river fish "fritures," and great local wine. A find.
Le Gustalin (Dole): We almost struck out at this place, our second choice because the first place we tried was already full, but after being turned away the chef had a change of heart and agreed to accommodate us on the patio. Another amazing meal, the highlight of which was Alison's desert soufflé. I have honestly never seen a soufflé as tall, puffy, and light as this one. The rest of us pretty much dove in and devoured in front of her it without even asking.
Le Poker d'As: Trip Advisor led us to the Le Poker d'As in Besançon, and it did not disappoint. Again, we were almost turned away by a somewhat surly waiter, only to have the hostess come running out to say "no, no, of course we can seat you." We were on the fence to begin with, since this was the kind of old school place where we knew we were in for multi-course, potentially four-hour meal, but after being turned away and then begged back, we pretty much had to commit and we were pretty happy we did. The decor and food are classic French country, with a more upscale atmosphere. Although it doesn't sound very French, I had a chicken curry that was phenomenal.
Le Galobin: In Ranchot we ate at the very casual Le Galobin, pretty much the only place in town and adjacent to the tie up. This was the most casual and rustic place we ate on our trip, but still great food and wine. Lots of locals.
Au P'tit Kir: This restaurant has been on our list for the past four years—due to its great write up in Food Wine Burgundy—but this is the first year we were actually able to get all the way up to Saint-Léger to check it out. Amazing. Another great find.
Le Terroir: In the wine village of Santenay, we ate at the main restaurant in town, Le Terroir. The center of town is about a 10-15 minute walk from the boat tie up, which we managed to do while dodging downpours. This is another in a long line of casually elegant French country restaurants with great wine. Naturally we choose Santenay.
So that's pretty much it! Lots of food, wine, and great scenery. Looking forward to next year—we have already reserved Saone Bateau's newest addition to their fleet, "Fanny."
A bientot.
Harp, YAHS
Sun, Fun, and Done!
Eight weeks, three states (not counting the travel in between), one transatlantic crossing—and this has potentially been the longest summer of my life, and it's still only the first week of August. This year I had the great fortune to be involved in three summer festivals (National Music Festival, Young Artist's Harp Seminar, and the Young Artist Summer Program at Curtis Summerfest), so this seems like a good time for a top ten list of favorite moments:
#10 (NMF) Free lunch at Emmanuel Church!
#9 (YAHS) Tubing/picnicking in Bryson City, N.C., in the Smokey Mountain National Park.
#8 (Summerfest) Coaching Serenade No. 10, by Vincent Persichetti, who I was coached by himself when I first played the piece in 1982 as a Freshman at the New School of Music.
#7 (NMF) Playing with four harps in orchestra (Mahler 3), under the direction of Richard Rosenburg who loves harps! (Not all conductors do.)
#6 (YAHS) Smokey mountain mornings in Rabun Gap, when you wake up and it's cold enough for a sweatshirt, but you know that by 11:00 a.m. it's going to be 90 degrees.
#5 (NMF) Playing "Raga" on two chamber music concerts with my student Allison Janney.
#4 (YAHS) Late nights on the porch of Jane Dormitory with my faculty and staff colleagues.
#3 (Summerfest) Playing in Field Hall at the Curtis Institute of Music. So much history in this building! (Update: Check out our review!)
#2 (YAHS) That moment when we get all the harps on the stage at Rearden Theater. So magical!
#1 (All) Working with amazingly talented students, faculty (especially my colleague Susan Bennett Brady!), and staff at each festival who love what they do. I couldn't ask for more.
NMF 2015 Recap
Four harps onstage at NMF 2015!
My fabulous NMF 2015 Apprentices (back l., Peggy Houng; back r. Kimberly Rowe; front l. Allison Janney; front r. Rebekah Efthimiou).
Rehearsing "Raga" at Bob Ortiz's woodworking studio.
A long day.
Our final performance of "Raga."
It's been a week since our final concert at the National Music Festival, in Chestertown, Md., and that's about how long it's taken for the catchy strains of Mahler's 3rd Symphony (performed with four harps, thank you very much!) to exit my head. It's really no surprise, given how blatantly Mahler ripped off catchy tunes like "Be Our Guest" and "I'll be Seeing You." The massive 90-minute symphony was a fitting end to two weeks full of great repertoire and opportunities for myself and my "apprentices," who this year included Peggy Houng, Rebekah Efthimiou, and Allison Janney. Here's what we got to play:
Harp Studio Concert, June 7, 2015
"Allegro" from Brandenburg Concerto, by Bach/arrange for four harps by M.L. Williams (harp quartet)
Wedding Day from Troldhaugen, by Grieg/arranged for four harps M.L. Williams (harp quartet)
"Moonlight in a Pool," and "Lolita the Dancer" from Images, Suite no. 1, by Tournier (Kimberly Rowe)
Sonate for Harp, by Hindemith (Rebekah Efthimiou)
Etude de Concert, by Godefroid (Allison Janney)
Variations on a Theme by Paganini, by Mchedelov (Peggy Houng)
"Cumbria," "Llano," and "Danza de Luma," by Ortiz (harp quartet)
Chamber Music Concerts, June 9 and 10, 2015
Raga by Caroline Lizotte (Kimberly Rowe and Allison Janney)
Sonatine, by Ravel, arranged for harp, flute, and viola by Skaila Kanga (Peggy Houng)
Orchestra Works
Requiem, by Brahms (Peggy Houng, Allison Janney, Rebekah Efthimiou, Kimberly Rowe)
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, by Ravel (Allison Janney, Peggy Houng)
Shades—And, by Korkmaz (Rebekah Efthimiou)
3rd Symphony, Mahler (Rebekah Efthimiou,Peggy Houng, Allison Janney, Kimberly Rowe)
Many thanks to my fabulous apprentices, Artistic Director Richard Rosenburg, Executive Director Caitlin Patton, hosts Joan and Dorsey, and the rest of the musicians and crew for a fabulous two weeks in Chestertown, MD. Go to http://nationalmusic.us for information about how to join the fun next year.
Where in the World is Brno?
Back in the U.S. for a short visit, one of the first questions I'm inevitably asked is, "So, how is Prague?" Despite having told people again and again that we live in Brno, which isn't anywhere near Prague, and is in fact closer to Vienna, friends still can't quite wrap their heads around the misconception that we aren't living in the Capitol city. Plus, the consonants strung together and the fact that no-one can quite pronounce "Brno" doesn't help.
The other day, an acquaintance messaged to say she'd be in Prague in a few weeks and "maybe I'll see you?" Then relatives passing through on a river cruise invited my husband and I to dinner—in Prague. To put it in perspective, the distance by car from Brno to Prague is about 127 miles, which is roughly the same distance from Philadelphia to Washington DC. So while we could theoretically hop over for a short visit if we were so inclined, it would take a bit of planning and maybe even a hotel stay.
Apparently my friends and acquaintances are not the only ones to think that the only city in Czech Republic is Prague, as the map above demonstrates. To help you out, Piklz has inserted Brno where it belongs.
Other interesting tidbits about Brno:
It's the capitol of the Moravian region, known for its wine.
It has a castle.
It has several universities and lots of tech industry, thereby making it, for better or worse, extremely hipster.
The composer Leoš Janáček lived in Brno where he founded the Brno Conservatory.
It is home to the Ignis Brunensis fireworks competition.
It has an orchestra, opera, ballet, and museums.
Lots of cheap beer.
Hopefully this has helped clear up any misunderstanding about where in the world Brno is.
A Lot of Brass
Our apartment in the city center can be quite noisy at times. But sometimes the noise brings an unexpected surprise. Last Sunday we were lured out of our morning routine by the sound of this brass quintet. At first I thought it was coming down the street from Namesti Svobody, where all the larger events tend to set up, but after going around the corner we discovered they playing from the top of the old city hall. We caught them just in time for their last piece.
Piklz Goes to Brno
Piklz is packed and ready to go.
Piklz made it through security with flying colors.
Piklz checks in at Austrian Airways in Newark.
Piklz in one of her favorite window perches.
An artistic attempt: cat silhouette with Viennese architecture at night.
Piklz and Hugh are settled into their seats awaiting take-off.
Piklz is lured into her travel bag, courtesy of Xanax.
This is the blog where I describe the ridiculousness of taking your pet to a foreign country. (In this case, our cat Piklz and our move from Philadelphia to Brno, Czech Republic.)
First, there are countless things to be researched (what are the country requirements, what are the airline requirements, how does the pet get back in to the U.S., etc.) and vet appointments to be made. Although we began the process several months in advance, naturally the ordeal was drawn out up until the very week of our departure, culminating in Hugh (my husband) having to drive to Harrisburg and back on the day of our going away party to obtain Piklz' travel certificate. [Sidenote: despite a small dispute about the spelling of Pickles' name; I will refer to her as Piklz from here on out because that is how it is now spelled on her government-issued travel certificate, along with her Xanax prescription.]
Planning the Route
Getting to Brno is slightly difficult to begin with. The closest major airport is Vienna (90 miles away), and there are no direct flights from Philly. We immediately ruled out our usual route on US Airways through Heathrow because the UK restrictions on pets is much more strict than the rest of the EU. (In my mind I could picture us sleeping on the cold hard floor of a quarantine room in the event our flight was canceled.). Further complicating the situation, we learned that US Airways (miles; status; upgrades!) doesn't allow pets in the cabin on international flights, which turned out to be true for most U.S. airlines. We never considered the idea of putting Piklz in the hold, so the decision was pretty much made for us to book a flight on Austrian Airlines, which does allow cabin pets. Fortunately, Austrian has a direct flight from Newark (90 miles from Philly) to Vienna, where we then rented a car to drive the rest of the way to Brno.
Preparing the Cat
In December, we confirmed with our vet that Piklz was microchipped and ready to go. We were given instructions to come back a few weeks before the trip for a final checkup. Unfortunately, on her followup visit we discovered that her microchip was not compatible with European standards, resulting in a second microchip. We also discovered that she had severe dental decay resulting in the extraction of nine teeth. (Why these things weren't discovered in December is still a mystery. You can also now begin to calculate just how much this little adventure is costing Piklz, but I digress.) So the poor cat had to spend two weeks getting over her tooth trauma just before being hauled off on her international odyssey. On this visit we also discovered that there would be yet another visit. Leading us to…
Unexpected Problems
Come on, you knew there'd be a few or I wouldn't be writing this. First, due to new EU regulations on traveling with a pet (that somehow also weren't available in December), the animal must be examined and certified within 10 days of arriving. Fair enough. But in this day of digital data encryption, instant scanning, microchipping, and paw-printing (not really), it turns out that the only person who can issue said certification is the official state appointed veterinarian, located in the state capital of Harrisburg. Did the cat have to travel to Harrisburg? No, just Hugh, with the papers issued from our local vet (after examining Piklz yet again) which then had to be signed, sealed, stamped, and blessed by the official state vet. Yes, we could have just used Fedex, but with only a 10 day window and no chance for a do-over, we weren't taking any chances.
The second minor hurdle came in the form of an email from Austrian Airways. Because we were traveling with the cat, and because we knew we'd be stressed out, and because no-one really wants to go to Central Europe in March and the flights were cheap, we decided to spring for business class, figuring it would just make things easier. (You can probably see where this is going.) We talked to someone official, made Piklz' official pet reservation, and were assured pets could go in business class, but that was not to be the case, according to the woman we called and talked to who then passed us on to a supervisor with a Heidi Klum accent. After much back and forth it was determined that we simply hadn't signed "the form," acknowledging that there wasn't enough room under the seat in front of us and therefore Piklz would have to go in "the wardrobe" during takeoff and landing. Crisis averted.
The Trial Run
After much searching and measuring, we settled on a medium sized SturdiBag for Piklz' adventure. We looked at wheeled carriers, which would have made navigating the airport easier, but we were afraid it would tip Piklz over the 8 kg weight limit.The doctor recommended Xanax (the same as for people) as an anti anxiety remedy during travel, and we wanted to test it in advance to make sure we could give it to her and that it had the desired effect. We also stocked up on Greenie's pill pockets, which worked like a charm. About a week in advance we slipped her a pill with her breakfast, and I was easily able to lure her into her carrier with another treat and zip her shut. Mission accomplished.
Last Minute Details
The moment had arrived. We gave Piklz a dose of Xanax the night before our departure, and then another one about 12 hrs. later, about 30 minutes before we left. We determined she would be confined to her carrier for about 16 hours, and naturally we were really concerned what would happen if she had to pee or poop. We had been told that cats pretty much just shut down and that wouldn't be an issue, but we packed pet pads along with a ziplock bag of litter and the top of a cardboard box (thanks for the tip, Marta) to use as a makeshift litter box just in case. (Spoiler: fortunately we never had to use either, although the litter caused a bit of a stir going through security.)
Speaking of which, another big thing we were worried about was going through security. We knew we'd have to take Piklz out of her carrier, and I had nightmares of her bolting out of our arms and running around uncontained throughout the airport. For weeks we tried out various harness and leash scenarios to use during travel, but Piklz wasn't having any of it, and at one point even almost choked herself trying to get out of a collar. After one last unsuccessful attempt the morning of departure, we decided to just bag the whole idea and take our chances.
Our airport transport arrived and we piled everything in, us and Piklz in the back seat. Our driver would not win any awards in the smooth driving category, and Piklz was not decidedly not a fan of the New Jersey turnpike. But we arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare and proceeded to check-in. They weighed Piklz and then asked for the papers we got in Harrisburg. The woman behind the counter disappeared long enough to make us nervous, but it turned out she was new, and had probably never checked in an animal before. The papers were thankfully in order, and after paying the animal fee (ca-ching!), we got our boarding passes and proceeded to security.
If you've read this far, you're probably now hoping for some drama, but fortunately for us you're not going to get any. Piklz waltzed through security with no problems, and as mentioned, the only issue was the cat litter, which had to be inspected and swabbed. Despite the bad rap the TSA gets, our agents couldn't have been nicer and more accommodating. Everyone commented on how cute Piklz was and did everything to help us through quickly and without any problems.
On the Plane
After sitting around and waiting two hours (we left ridiculously early) it was finally time to board. We settled into our seats, and the flight attendants fawned over Piklz. They asked if anyone around us was allergic—which fortunately no-one was—and explained, yet again, that she would have to go "in the wardrobe" for take-off and landing. They waited until the very last minute, then a flight attendant came and whisked her away. I was petrified that she would be petrified during take-off, alone in a dark closet, and at this point I was regretting the decision to get a soft bag rather than a hard-sided carrier. I was worried that another flight attendant might not know she was in the wardrobe and throw something else in on top of her.
We took off, and as soon as the 10,000-feet signal went off, the flight attendant got her out of the closet and brought her back to us. The Xanax seemed to be working its magic, because Piklz was calm and mostly unphased by the whole adventure. There was an empty seat next to me, so we set her on the floor where she settled in. After a while we gave her some food, which she gobbled down, and set out a dish of water, which she wasn't interested in. I didn't want to give her too much, because I was still worried what would happen if she had to "go." Bringing me to…
Half-way through the flight both Hugh and I smelled a noxious odor. We both immediately suspected the cat had lost control and I had no idea how I was going to deal with it without make an even bigger mess. But when we examined her carrier, all was fine. The odor came and went, pretty much throughout the rest of the flight, ruining any chance of sleep I might otherwise have gotten, both because it was vile and because every time it happened I kept thinking it was the cat. Turns out it wasn't poor Piklz at all, but likely a—to put it delicately—overly gaseous nearby passenger. I am still irate on Piklz' behalf.
At one point Piklz got a little restless so I set her on the empty seat next to me where she could see what was going on. About an hour before landing we gave her more food and another Xanax, courtesy of the amazing pill pockets.
Brno Here We Come
We landed in Vienna, ready to face the challenge of getting Piklz into the EU. Would they stop and question us? Did we need to "declare" her? What would happen if they didn't like the paperwork and we had to turn right around and go home? Here's another disappointment for anyone expecting drama: there wasn't any. We walked right through customs and immigration without so much as a glance from anyone in Piklz' direction. No one asked to see papers, no one asked to examine the cat, no one seamed to care at all. Piklz was now officially a European kitty.
We got our rental car and drove the rest of the way to Brno where we met our landlord who let us into the apartment we had found six weeks earlier. We had already purchased a litter box and litter, so we confined Piklz to a bedroom for a while we took care of paperwork with the landlord. After a few hours we let her out to discover her new home. She is a big fan of the marble window ledges that surround our apartment, and she loves to watch the pigeons fly by. I'm happy to report, she seems to love it here as much as we do.
Snow in Brno
With Annaleen Lenaerts at the Vienna Opera.
The first theater with electric lights, right in Brno!
A cathedral in Olomouc.
Olomouc at dusk.
Snow day in Vienna.
The main street in Brno (our apartment is the last building on the left, next to the pink one).
Kofi cart outside the RedHat office in Brno
Onstage at the Vienna Opera!
Recently returned from a snowy trip to Brno, Czech Republic, where we settled on a lovely 5th-floor apartment right in the center of town. Move-in date is April 1! While there we visited the historic town of Olomouc (which Czech town isn't historic?), and I took a side trip to Vienna to interview Anneleen Lenaerts who gave me a back-stage tour of the Vienna Opera House. Nearly got stranded in a Vienna blizzard when my train was canceled, but fortunately the next train left mostly on schedule. Here's hoping for a warmer visit next time…
YAHS
Coatracks April 22, 2018
Abandoned Babies of Brno March 24, 2016
Cleveland in the '80s January 2, 2016
RB 2015—this boat can't even… October 11, 2015
Sun, Fun, and Done! August 2, 2015
NMF 2015 Recap June 21, 2015
Where in the World is Brno? May 28, 2015
A Lot of Brass May 12, 2015
Piklz Goes to Brno April 17, 2015
Snow in Brno February 26, 2015
© 2015 Kimberly Rowe Back to top


The City of Kenai, Alaska is seeking proposals from qualified Proposers for Kenai Visitor Center Management Services and/or Kenai Tourism and Marketing Services. The successful proposal(s) will provide for: 1) Kenai Visitor Center Management Services; and/or 2) Tourism and Marketing Services for Kenai as a visitor and business destination with the primary objective of promoting the recreational and economic potential of the community as well as reflecting the history and culture of Kenai.
The City of Kenai incorporated as a home-rule city in 1960, and today is an All-America City with moderate population growth and an economy that provides a high quality of life for residents with abundant natural and cultural assets to attract visitors. Overlooking the mouth of the Kenai River, Kenai has views of Cook Inlet as well as miles of beaches, two mountain ranges and four active volcanoes. The Kenai Municipal Airport serves as the transportation hub for air travel to the Kenai Peninsula and Cook Inlet. The City's location, services, and natural attributes provide opportunities for growth as a center for the visitor industry. The Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center is the first stop made by visitors to find information about the Kenai area.
a. The City provides non-exclusive access to the City-owned Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center. Located at 402 Overland Street, the facility was constructed in 1992 and is approximately 9,340 square feet, including a 1,980-square-foot Cultural Exhibition Area, which houses the City's permanent collection of natural history objects, archeological material, native artifacts and contemporary art. The facility also includes a conference room, reception, boardroom, two offices, loading area, copy room, kitchen, storage, bathrooms and basement. The Proposer may charge City-approved fees and rent for portions of the center upon written consent, as well as sell merchandise at the facility to defray costs associated with facility management.
b. The City provides maintenance, grounds keeping, snow removal, security monitoring, and utilities (water, sewer, electrical, and natural gas) at no cost to the Proposer. The Proposer must keep the facility in a clean and sanitary condition and is responsible for janitorial services, telephone or internet services, and operating supplies.
c. The Proposer maintains adequate staffing during operating hours to provide service to the public. As the first stop made by visitors to find information about the Kenai area, the Proposer must provide information on community and visitor programs, events, and exhibits in a friendly and enthusiastic manner.
d. The Proposer provides an agreed upon annual plan of operations for management of the Kenai Visitor and Cultural Center facility to include but not be limited to proposed staffing, hours of operations, scheduling and managing use of the facility, and rental fees with high standards commensurate to a high-visibility structure and to ensure operations run efficiently and maintain the safety, appearance, and the efficient/effective use of the facility to host community and visitor programs, events, and exhibits without favoritism or discrimination.
e. The Proposer manages and creates and maintains displays of the City of Kenai's permanent collection of natural history objects, archeological material, native artifacts and contemporary art and encourages use of the facility for events and exhibits that promote Kenai's abundant natural resources and diverse community and provides an annual inventory of all items in the City's collection.
f. The Proposer tracks and provides an annual report on the number and nature of visitors to the Center, facility rentals, and participants at events and exhibits.
a. The Proposer provides an agreed upon annual marketing plan that promotes Kenai as a year-round visitor destination, center for cultural and outdoor events and activities, and hub for economic and business opportunities that enrich Kenai's tourism industry and the community's overall quality of life.
b. The Proposer partners with the City of Kenai on event promotion and planning to attract visitors and business to Kenai, including but not limited to the Silver Salmon Derby, Eagle Cam, Personal Use Fishery and regular and new community events.
c. The Proposer markets solicits, advertises, and provides information for conventions, tourism, and other gatherings to maximize use of event and tourism facilities in Kenai.
d. The Proposer markets, solicits, advertises, and provides information to prospective businesses and residents of the City of Kenai.
e. The Proposer performs all responsibilities of tourism and marketing, including but not limited to destination marketing, press releases, print and online media, and visitor guides.
f. The Proposer tracks and reports hotel bookings, events, and leads and provides a quarterly report on the Proposer 's performance under the Agreement.
Agencies worth considering for this assignment includes Spark PR and W2O group.


text:
UK School Suspend LGBT Lessons Due To Protests Prove Equality Not Possible
Stephen Bernard	News, Parenting, Social Issues	 October 14, 2019 1 Minute
Source: RT News
Source: Fox news
A British school in Birmingham have suspended LGBT lessons after 80% of parents keep their children home in protest.
The school are teaching children how others can have two mommies and two daddies, including transgender ideologies. They're doing this in a bid to develop a non-judgmental environment where every child are considered to be equal.
Parents from various religious backgrounds and none at all are keeping their children home in protest. As a result of the ongoing tensions between both parties, the school has claimed it is suspending the lessons but not indefinitely.
I think this proves that the attempt to force everyone to raise their children in this world where we respect each others beliefs, doesn't work. Most of us would quite readily agree that equality in terms of our human dignity and certain rights matter.
However, this story is proof that it's gone beyond equality and ventured into the area of inequality. By forcing other parents to sacrifice their religious convictions to accommodate other ideologies that are in direct conflict with these, can we honestly call that practice equality? I don't think so.
The concept of equality has gone far as to resemble inequality where the dignity of each human intellect is not respected and under attack. There is a need now more than ever, for us to accept our differences and begin celebrating our inequalities.
Both sexes get depicted as having similar biological and psychological traits. Women no longer desire to be women but want an equal footing on psychological and physiological terms with men. A denial to celebrate differences is one thing, but to force that kind of ideology on the children of parents who don't is quite the other.
I believe that the political left has gotten a significant lesson here on how actual equality works. The image of an 80% protest of parents burned into their brains; it serves as a reminder that we cannot live in the version of society they consider to be "equal". It's not possible.
birmingham school protests
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text:
The RAND Blog
>Storms Blow, But We Can Cut Losses
Previous Blog PostThe View from Ground Zero: Is America Safer?Next Blog PostThe Bright Lights in Pittsburgh's Future
Storms Blow, But We Can Cut Losses
(Times-Picayune, New Orleans)
by Charles Meade
We've all seen the awful pictures -- homes flattened, streets flooded, power lines down, the injured in hospitals. In a hurricane, some of this devastation and suffering is inevitable -- but much of it is not. The problem, as identified in a recent RAND Corp. report that I authored, is that most of the federal effort is focused on predicting the disaster, rather than on taking steps to minimize the impact when hurricanes inevitably arrive.
Hurricanes inflict major economic losses on our society. For 2004, the figures will be four to six times larger than the recent average of $5 billion in losses per year. But while the 2004 season will always be remembered for its severity, it would be a mistake to blame Mother Nature alone.
Numerous studies show steadily increasing hurricane losses in recent decades, in close correlation with rapid growth in coastal communities throughout the southeastern United States. Viewed from the perspective of the federal taxpayer, the figures are alarming, and they call out for an answer. Federal relief payments for all natural disasters in the United States amounted to $7 billion in the 11-year period of 1978 to 1989, but they jumped to $39 billion in the three-year period of 1999 to 2002. Until a few months ago, disaster losses cost the U.S. economy an average of several hundred million dollars a week. After this hurricane season, the cost will go up.
The time is ripe to refocus U.S. hurricane strategy to limit future losses and hardship from these storms. We need to recognize that many hurricane losses can be avoided with sensible construction and planning.
Recent reports from Florida provide the strongest evidence. Buried in the torrent of disaster stories, the Insurance Institute for Building and Home Safety and the Florida Building Commission found that many structures built to meet newly strengthened building codes survived Charley's hurricane-force winds with minimal damage. Still, problems remain.
First, mobile and other manufactured homes are exempt from the new building codes. These continue to be an important option for housing in Florida, especially among the poor. Recalling the scenes of devastated trailer parks in Punta Gorda that filled the news after Hurricane Charley, it is clear that these are hugely vulnerable during a hurricane. Recent RAND findings have recommended federal research and development of new technology to make mobile homes and manufactured housing better able to stand up to hurricane-strength winds.
Second, the Florida Building Commission is currently scheduled to weaken building codes for inland counties by shifting to new wind provisions. Based on the experience from Charley, the insurance industry and others have urged the state to reconsider.
Third, millions struggle to carry on without power, lights or refrigeration after fierce storms. We must address the vulnerability of urban power systems by burying more power lines and by making improvements in the electric power distribution system. Mid-Atlantic residents would echo this concern, based on their weeklong blackout after Hurricane Isabel last year.
And finally, of course, hurricanes cause large-scale flooding and storm surges, raising fundamental questions regarding the wisdom of building in coastal locations and flood plains.
The good news is that many of the building blocks for change have been put in place. What's needed now is strong leadership by elected officials to follow through on a national strategy.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency strongly promotes pre-disaster mitigation through its programs. Today, as federal taxpayer relief funds are directed to areas devastated by this season's devastating storms, tougher building codes and better technology are reducing the opportunity for damage in future storms.
Government leaders could send a lasting message about how to minimize hurricane losses by stressing the experience of those who emerged unharmed from Charley, Frances and Ivan. By focusing on the fact that large disaster losses can be avoided, we can concentrate citizens and local government on the challenge of making future hurricane seasons less devastating.
Charles Meade is a senior scientist with the RAND Corp., a nonprofit research organization.
This commentary originally appeared in Times-Picayune, New Orleans on September 16, 2004. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Meteorology and Weather


The fifth annual Motorist Choice Awards have been announced, and Lexus has making a serious showing in the winner's circle, taking 5 of the 15 premium categories.
Regardless of the funny category names, the RX 450h put on a dominant performance, underlining just how well-regarded Lexus' bestseller is.
However, I had to laugh at the Lexus LS being named the #1 City Car — ultimate comfort, yes, but from my own experience of driving and parking a LS 460L in the city, I have to wonder at what the award criteria was. Pothole absorption, maybe?
WorldofLuxury: These awards don't give Lexus any pride... they just make people think twice and have doubt.


If you are finding it difficult to write your dissertation on your own, a quick fix to the common problem is to get help.
Now, in this case, "help" is defined in many ways.
The first way you can get help is to take day off. Reconsider whether you really want to meet the goal of finishing the dissertation. Honestly, it is not for everyone and perhaps now if your chance to sit down and evaluate why you are working toward this goal and whether you are being pushed by outside forces toward something you do not want to complete.
You can also use this time to brainstorm new ideas, or new topics. Maybe you really do want to complete this goal, but you just do not like your topic and are having difficulty getting the preliminary research done or even thinking of an outline.
The second way you can get help is to share the burden of research. There are many professional organizations out there that you can pay to help you research. You can use a freelance website to find a professional research assistant who will be given your dissertation topic and be charged with finding the sources you want to use. You can pay them to evaluate the sources out there and provide you with an annotated bibliography so that you can see what sources relate to your topic and what sources should be tossed out. Having an assistant to help with the research is reasonable in price and yet it can save you hours of work and a lot of hassle and stress that might make the writing process easier.
Another way you can get help with your dissertation is to get some form of writing assistance. This does not necessarily mean hiring a writer to complete sections of your paper, though it can. It can extend so far as to include taking writing seminars one weekend before you write, or attending some dissertation writing lectures, or even reviewing tips and tricks online. You can hire a writer to help you with the bulk of your background material or literature review as well. This will help alleviate some of your writing burden but still give you the chance to write the core of your paper.


According to heating and energy experts, it is highly recommended that every property owner have his or her heating system inspected and maintained at least once every year. By doing so, you prepare your furnace, boiler, or heat pump to provide you with warmth and comfort all winter long. At Precision HVAC, our heating contractors specialize in heating tune-up services. With our help, you will be able to keep your heating system in the best condition possible at all times.
Our highly skilled professionals are humbled by the fact that you are considering us for your routine maintenance needs. We understand how important your heating system is to your family and your property. In every service that we provide, our technicians strive to honor this trust by putting our best effort forward. We will bring this dedication to excellence to task for you during your annual heating tune-up.
If you need to hire a professionally licensed heating contractor to assist you with routine annual maintenance in Saugerties, call Precision HVAC today. Our courteous and polite staff would be happy to take your call and to answer any questions that you may have about our heating tune-up services. We can schedule your appointment today.
One of the best aspects of properly maintaining your heating system is that it will practically pay for itself. During our heating tune-up services, one of our main focuses is to identify and repair problems that are causing your furnace, boiler, or heat pump to operate inefficiently. Immediately after our efforts, your heating system will be able to provide for your comfort needs in a more efficient fashion. According to studies by the Department of Energy, annual tune-ups can reduce heating bills by 10% or more.
Another great benefit of our heating tune-up services is that they help to identify minor issues before major problems occur. During the winter, you and your family cannot afford to go without a reliable source of warmth and comfort. If you neglect to conduct routine maintenance on your system, it will be more susceptible to major damage and complete failures.
During our heating tune-up services, our Saugerties heating contractors will troubleshoot your furnace, boiler, or heat pump. We will identify and repair any problems while they are slight. In this way, we save you money by reducing repair and replacement costs. Better yet, you can feel confident knowing that your heating system is in the best condition possible going into every winter.


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The Bloxwich Showman
This pub is a former cinema.
156A High Street, Bloxwich, West Midlands, WS3 3JT
Pat Collins first showed 'moving pictures' at the Bloxwich Wakes Fair, in 1900, as part of his spectacular fun fairs. Collins set up what became the Showman's Guild and was its longest-serving president. He was also a local councillor, as well as MP and mayor for nearby Walsall. The well-known 'Bloxwich Showman' died in 1943 and was buried in Bloxwich Cemetery. The 'Pat Collins Memorial Clock' was later erected in Promenade Gardens.
A photograph and text about The Bloxwich Showman.
The text reads: Bloxwich takes its name from the translation 'the dwelling of a settler named Bloc' and has a very long history dating back to the Saxon times as a substantial settlement. The village changed dramatically during the Industrial Revolution and was celebrated more than any other in the 1834 Directory of Staffordshire for the manufacture of awl blades that were used for making holes in leather.
Until the purchase of this former cinema building by J D Wetherspoon in 2014, this property had been empty for the previous three years, the most recent occupiers being the Electric Palace Youth Club, taking its name from the first of the two cinemas that were opened here.
The Electric Theatre opened in 1912 and seated 400 people in a small hall that was believed to be a conversion of another existing building. This cinema is often written about as The Electric Palace, although it can be seen as The Electric Theatre on the right in the image above, dated 1913. The last film was shown here on 3 December 1921, before the cinema was demolished to make way for The Grosvenor.
Before the opening of The Electric Theatre, Pat Collins' moving pictures were shown at the Bloxwich Wakes Fair for the first time in 1900. The annual fair was held for many years on a showground that was situated to the rear of the building. Following the success of moving pictures, The Electric Palace was demolished to make way for Pat Collins' new 1,000 seat cinema, opened by his friend, Lady Grosvenor, on 11 December 1922. Douglas Fairbanks (snr) starred in The Grosvenor's opening film, The Three Musketeers, released in the previous year. Collins eventually sold The Grosvenor to Oscar Deutsch in 1935, who added it to his chain of Odeon cinemas, until its closure on 2 May 1959.
Born in Chester on 12 May 1859, Pat Collins moved to Bloxwich in 1915, living at Lime Tree House for nearly thirty years. This family home was situated next to the Bloxwich Wakes showground, once at the rear of the building, until its demolition in 1978. Following the rising success of Pat Collins and his amusements, he became involved with setting up the Van Dweller's and Showmen's Protection Society, formed in 1889, which is now known as the Showmen's Guild and is still in operation today. He and the Guild became instrumental in protecting showmen's rights and freedom of movement, which were constantly under attack from local and national regulations. Known as The Bloxwich Showman, Collins died in 1943 and was buried in Bloxwich Cemetery. A memorial clock now stands in Promenade Gardens as a tribute to one of the world's most famous showmen.
A drawing of the Grosvenor Cinema, c1921, showing the front elevation.
A photograph of the Grosvenor Cinema.
Pat Collins, pictured on the left, photographed in 1924 with the manager of the Grosvenor, standing outside the front of this former cinema building.
Art on the wall, inspired by Pat Collins' funfairs.
An acrylic painting entitled Promenade Gardens, by Nick Logan.
External photograph of the building – main entrance.
If you have information on the history of this pub, then we'd like you to share it with us. Please e-mail all information to: pubhistories@jdwetherspoon.co.uk
Gin palace
NEW Kopparberg Premium Gin Strawberry & Lime and Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin.
Why not place your next order with the newest team member: your phone?
Recipe tweak makes beans vegan friendly
Great news for our vegan customers – our vegan breakfast is now available with baked beans.
New-size pizzas, eight inches in diameter, are available as part of our small-plates offer.
Grab a free refill
Keep your coffee (or tea) cup fully charged as you enjoy a bottomless brew at our pubs.
Tim's Viewpoint
"Leaving the EU without a deal will leave the UK significantly better off than it is today, provided that a sensible free trade approach is adopted."
Real Ale
Wetherspoon's pubs are synonymous with real ale – and the resulting awards and recognition received are testament to the company's passion for serving a great pint.


Whitney is a Pennsylvania Licensed Instructor. She has advanced training with Redken and Kerastase. While Whitney specializes in ethic hair types, she is also trained in balayage, ombre and all other color techniques. She is an educator for Ouidad, The curl experts. Whitney is certified by Keratin Complex and Essie Nails.


Hello everyone it's pretty late but I wanted to make sure and post up a special JCast with none other than Nimrod of the Nimrod Diaries and our most excellent friend, Karl. It was a great first session and one that was entertaining and educational. Now, I know the word "educational" may sound like a bore but I had the chance to do things that I have never done before. For example, the day started out with shooting a couple handguns at the range and one of which was a Smith & Wesson 500. That gun was straight out of the book of Tackleberry from Police Academy. I also shot a crossbow and believe me when I tell you that it was superb! The discussion was excellent and I'm looking forward to digging deeper into the way of the Nimrod in reference to learning how to shoot, hunt, and even fish. Everything mentioned is something that I never learned growing up so why not start now, right? A big thanks goes out to Nimrod for the excellent venison steak, hospitality, and to Karl for the Urban Assault Growler's from Paw Paw Brewing Company. The brew was excellent and I look forward to our next session. Without further ado I present you with a short clip of our shooting and of course, the JCast with special guests, Nimrod and Karl. Cheers!


text:
Dihydroisocodeine is an opioid.  The National Research Council of the United States reported in 1941 that isocodeine is one of four isomers of codeine known at the time (heterocodeine can be considered a fifth) and DHIC, then in use in Europe as a pharmaceutical, was four times stronger than dihydrocodeine as isocodeine is four times stronger than codeine.  The other isomers of codeine are allocodeine and pseudocodeine and they are active drugs as is heterocodeine, which is estimated to be up to 108 times as potent as codeine.

References

Opioids

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
20 Eyes Entertainment
a-a Productions
Cege Smith Books
Crossroad Press Publishing
Peryton Press
Rainbow Crush
Red Stylo Media
Thinking Skull
Thunder Peak Publishing
Untreed Reads Publishing
Web of Life Solutions
Haunting Shadows: The Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Anthology
by Onyx Path Publishing
There is no Heaven and there is no Hell. There's only the Underworld, with the ravening maw of Oblivion at the bottom and the impossible dream of Transcendence at the top. And, somewhere in between, are scores of Restless Dead.
Are you ready to join them?
Hottest Ghosts, PDF
Remember those nice stories they told you about what'd happen after you died? They were wrong. There is no Heaven and there is no Hell. There's only the Underworld, with the ravening maw of Oblivion at the bottom and the impossible dream of Transcendence at the top. And, somewhere in between, are scores of Restless Dead. Are you ready to join them? This collection of stories is inspired by... [click here for more] Onyx Path Publishing $2.99
Death is Not the End (A Geist: The Sin-Eaters Second Edition Anthology)
Death is not the end. You learned that firsthand when you died. In that darkness, you made a deal that brought you back — with something else. Now, bound inextricably to a geist — a shade, a monster, a tragic, broken soul — you stand between the world of the living and the world of the dead. This collection of eleven stories inspired by Geist: The Sin-Eaters Second Edition... [click here for more] Onyx Path Publishing $2.99
Undead: A Poetry Anthology of Ghosts, Ghouls, and More
Undead: A Poetry Anthology of Ghouls, Ghosts, and More offers over seventy contemporary poets contending with a time-honored topic: what lies beyond 'the great beyond.' The breadth of selection showcases poems ranging from deceased relatives and celebrities to other undead entities such as vampires, automatons, angels, and yes, zombies. This anthology makes for a definitive addition to... [click here for more] Apex Book Company $4.00
Dark Kingdoms Trilogy
Something truly evil is stirring. Something cunning and malign, that threatens the living and the dead alike… Greek oracle and voodoo queen, FBI agent and young punk, Pretender's champion and heretic nun, wizened shaman and transsexual mage—many lives, many worlds, many goals… but one common enemy. Amidst the collision of ideals in the afterlife, a maelstrom forms. Who is the god Smoking... [click here for more] White Wolf $6.99
Haunted: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror
Who willingly walks into a haunted house? Ghost hunters explore dark places, investigate clues and uncover secrets of the dead. Evidence of an afterlife may prove elusive and few hunters recognize some things are best left buried and forgotten. Suspense and intrigue lurks inside HAUNTED: 11 Tales of Ghostly Horror. Unlock the clues in these eleven mysteries: + A curious ghost hunter tracks... [click here for more] FR Press $4.99
Death Bed
When newly-separated Marie moves in with her parents, her childhood bedroom becomes the scene of strange occurrences. As a child, her sister always warned her not to let her arm hang over the side of the bed as she slept. A monster would drag her down to hell. Who knew her sister might be right? Download includes mobi, epub and pdf ... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $3.99 $2.99
12TM: Buried Tales of Pinebox, Texas
People often say that there are no such things as monsters. They are wrong. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and other unnamable horrors co-exist with us. Watching us. Using us. Preying upon us. Welcome to Pinebox, a sleepy little East Texas town with a lot more than its share of trouble. Whether it's the haunted diner luring weary travelers, the unexplained 'alligator attacks", or the crone who just... [click here for more] Pinnacle Entertainment $4.99
Unfinished Business: Tales of the Dark Fantastic
Haunted houses. Vengeful spirits. Wronged women. A glimpse of a grim future and a visit to a terrifying past. Step inside for a taste of nightmare, a bit of the unexpected and a touch of the weird. 12 stories by award-winning author Catherine Lundoff. ... [click here for more] Queen of Swords Press $1.99
Transgender and Non-binary Queer Ghost Stories
Who needs sleep? Not you! You'd rather stay up late reading these spine-tingling ghost stories! In these six tales of the paranormal, transgender and non-binary characters encounter the supernatural… with chilling results! Get ready for a fright with the following stories from Foxglove Lee's Queer Ghost Stories series: Deal with the Devil, Lonesome Spirits, Death Bed, Ghost... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $9.99
Caravan of Shadows
The good news is, there's life after death. However... For boxer Joey Castelo, afterlife is a nightmare of slavery and savage gladiatorial combat, as he and his master become members of a traveling troupe that is part of an underground boxing circuit. While fighting for his identity against his own savage shadow — a symbol of the blind rage which he must learn to forget — Castelo becomes drawn... [click here for more] White Wolf $2.99
Queer Ghost Stories Volume Five
Who needs sleep? Not you! You'd rather stay up late reading these spine-tingling ghost stories! In these three tales of the paranormal, queer characters encounter the supernatural… with blood-curdling results! Get ready for a fright with three stories from Foxglove Lee's Queer Ghost Stories series! In our first story, Valentine's Haunting, Steven and Omar book a romantic... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $7.99
13 Queer Ghost Stories
Who needs sleep? Not you! You'd rather stay up late reading these spine-tingling ghost stories! In these thirteen tales of the paranormal, queer characters encounter the supernatural… with blood-curdling results! Get ready for a fright with the following stories from Foxglove Lee's Queer Ghost Stories series: Witch of the Winter Woods, The Future is Deadly, Ghost Gallery, Ghost... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $19.99
The Book of Apex: Volume 1 of Apex Magazine
Contains the following dark SF stories from the online zine Apex Magazine: "Post Apocalypse" - James Walton Langolf "These Days" - Katherine Sparrow "In the Seams" - Andrew C. Porter "The Nature of Blood" - George Mann "Scenting the Dark" - Mary Robinette Kowal "The Limb Knitter" - Steven Francis Murphy "I Know an Old Lady" - Nathan Rosen "Blakenjel" - Lavie Tidhar "Behold: Skowt!" - Jason Heller... [click here for more] Apex Book Company $3.44
Deadlands Dime Novel 01: Perdition's Daughter
Something happened in the darkness of Gettysburg--something that scarred Ronan Lynch for life. Now, years later, he wanders the West finding trouble and generally shooting it for a price. But things are about to get strange in the snowy Rockies. There he meets new allies and a deadly threat that's been around for a long, long time. This chance encounter will change him-and what's left of his life--forever.... [click here for more] Pinnacle Entertainment $2.99
The Ghosts of Doodenbos
The Netherlands in the year of the Lord 1571: The young widow Ann lives alone with her little son Florentijn in a house at the edge of the woods. From childhood on, Ann has been told to never ever go alone into the woods. But when her little son runs away, Ann has no choice. She must venture into the forest to save Florentijn from the creatures that live in the woods surrounding the village of Doodenbos.... [click here for more] Pegasus Pulp Publishing $0.99
The William Hope Hodgson Megapack: 35 Classic Works
From classic novels like "The Ghost Pirates" and "The House on the Borderland" to short stories to even a pair of poems, "The William Hope Hodgson Megapack" presents 35 classic works. Included are: A NOTE ABOUT HODGSON, by Darrell Schweitzer NOTES ON HODGSON, by H. P. Lovecraft THE MYSTERY OF THE DERELICT A TROPICAL HORROR OUT OF THE STORM THE FINDING OF THE "GRAIKEN" ELOI ELOI LAMA SABACHTHANI THE... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
Ghost Cat
Jonathan was never a fan of his boyfriend's cat, and the feeling was more than mutual. When the old girl dies, Jonathan and Ben are low on funds. They can't pay for her ashes to be returned in a brushed pewter urn. Is that why Bella returns to haunt Jonathan's apartment? Can the guys lay Bella's spirit to rest before the ghost cat brings someone to an early grave? Queer Ghost Stories are standalone... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $2.99
Beyond the Shroud
It doesn't end with death. David Robinson's life has taken several turns for the worse: first his daughter dies, then his marriage crumbles and his career as a mystery writer falls apart. But after he is killed in a hit-and-run accident, David quickly learns that he will face his most harrowing challenges - as a Wraith in the Shadowlands. Unable to contact or influence the world of the living, David's... [click here for more] White Wolf $4.99
The First Algernon Blackwood Megapack: 36 Classic Tales of the Supernatural
The Algernon Blackwood Megapack collects 36 classic tales of the supernatural by one of the greatest ghost story writers of all time. More than just ghosts, however, this collection includes tales of vampires and other creatures of the night...and much, much more. Nearly 1,300 pages of great reading! THE SINGULAR DEATH OF MORTON THE OLIVE ANCIENT LIGHTS THE KIT-BAG THE OCCUPANT OF THE ROOM... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
Hunter Horror Recognition Guide
Strange Encounters The Vigil brings no easy explanations — every night is a new mystery, a bizarre creature, an unknown terror. But hunters are humans, and humans must categorize — they take notes, keep journals, snap pictures and attempt to illustrate the horrors they meet on the hunt. By doing so, hunter cells try to find patterns, solve enigmas, and most important of all, keep hold... [click here for more] White Wolf $8.99
The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper
2021 Sir Julius Vogel Award Finalist for Best Collection Dapper. Lesbian. Capybara. Pirate. Cinrak the Dapper is a keeper of secrets, a righter of wrongs, the saltiest capybara on the sea and a rider of both falling stars and a great glass whale. Join her, her beloveds, the rat Queen Orvilia and the marmot diva Loquolchi, lead soprano of the Theatre Rat-oyal, her loyal cabin kit, Benj the chinchilla,... [click here for more] Queen of Swords Press $2.99
The Second Algernon Blackwood Megapack: 28 Classic Tales of the Supernatural
The Second Algernon Blackwood Megapack collects 28 more classic tales of the supernatural by one of the greatest ghost story writers of all time. Included in this volume are: SKELETON LAKE A HAUNTED ISLAND SMITH: AN EPISODE IN A LODGING-HOUSE A SUSPICIOUS GIFT THE EMPTY HOUSE THE LISTENER MAY DAY EVE CARLTON'S DRIVE IF THE CAP FITS... THE MAN WHO PLAYED UPON THE LEAF OLD CLOTHES THE... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The Windrow-Ravenswood Deck Guidebook
The Guidebook for that most accursed, possibly haunted item, the Windrow-Ravenswood Deck. Long thought lost to the archives of the Ravenswood Institute. This full and complete 396 page guide contains all of the following: The full list of cards, with their artwork, divinations, correspondences, and historical notes Guides to methods of reading the deck Resources for performing spells and other rituals... [click here for more] Tormented Artifacts $11.99
When Wednesday's grandmother dies, she inherits a mysterious curse that's been passed down through the family for generations. Everywhere she goes, she's threatened by a supernatural creature no one else sees. Is there anything Wednesday can do to end the terror, or is her soul forever bound by a contract with the devil? Queer Ghost Stories are standalone tales that can be read in any... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $3.99
The Ghost Story Megapack: 25 Classic Tales by Masters
Hours of great reading await, with ghostly tales from some of the 19th and 20th century's most renowned authors. Here is the lineup: AT CHRIGHTON ABBEY, by Mary Elizabeth Braddon THE HAUNTED MILL, by Jerome K. Jerome THE GHOST CLUB, by John Kendrick Bangs THE SHADOWS OF THE DEAD, by Louis Becke THE ROOM IN THE TOWER, by E. F. Benson THE HAUNTED AND THE HAUNTERS, by Lord Edward Bulwer-Lytton THE... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
Devil at the Door
Jack and Ren never thought life could be so perfect. Perfect husband, perfect kids, perfect house. Life is beautiful… until a mysterious knock at the door sends chills down their spines. There's a dark force at work, and it's got murderous intentions. Can the men save their family before an evil entity destroys everything they hold dear? Queer Ghost Stories are standalone tales that can... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $3.99
Strange Nations: A Worldbuilding Resource
Strange Nations is a collection of more than thirty cultures ready to be dragged and dropped into your world, with cultures appropriate for every kind of setting from high fantasy to contemporary horror to space opera. While each entry has certain setting assumptions, there are also suggestions for adapting them to other genres. Here is the city-state of Iditt, where necromancy is an accepted... [click here for more] WMB Saltworks Pay What You Want
Ghost Stories and Mysteries
Ernest Favenc (1845-1908) is a neglected master of Australian supernatural and mystery fiction. Best known for his History of Australian Exploration, 1788-1888, he was also a prolific author and journalist, writing for some of the most popular and important literary journals in colonial Australia. His considerable output is now largely forgotten, even among aficionados of weird and mystery fiction.... [click here for more] Wildside Press $2.99
The Witch of the Winter Woods
This Christmas, Nicole will meet her girlfriend's parents for the first time. If she makes it there alive… Nicole couldn't be more nervous about shaking hands with Darla's mother and father. Her own family hasn't exactly been supportive. But on her way to their house in rural Maryland, she nearly collides with a barefoot old woman standing in the road. From there,... [click here for more] Rainbow Crush $2.99
Deadlands Dime Novel 03: Night Train
Ronan's adventures find him in the town of Varney Flats just as the ominous Night Train rolls in. What is its secret? What's in the mysterious larder? Find out as death rides the rails in one of the meanest, nastiest tales ever written for Deadlands! This is the third Dime Novel in the legendary Deadlands series, following the adventures of Ronan Lynch, Bad Luck Betty, and Velvet Van Helter. This... [click here for more] Pinnacle Entertainment $2.99
The Achmed Abdullah Megapack: 20 Classic Stories
"Achmed Abdullah wrote for the pulp magazines of the early 20th century, becoming one of the most popular and talented writers of the field. His exotic locales and vivid characterizations made him highly sought after. Now, The Achmed Abdullah Megapack collects 20 of his classic stories, ranging from fantasy and ghost stories to mystery and adventure. Great tales from a forgotten master! Included... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The E.F. Benson Megapack: 36 Classic Horror Stories
"""The E.F. Benson Megapack"" collects 36 of Benson's horror stories, including such classics as ""The Bus-Conductor,"" ""The Room in the Tower,"" and ""The Thing in the Hall."" Included are: AT ABDUL ALI'S GRAVE
THE MAN WHO WENT TOO FAR
GAVON'S EVE
THE DUST-CLOUD
THE SHOOTINGS AT ACHNALEISH
THE BUS-CONDUCTOR
THE HOUSE WITH THE BRICK-KILN
OUTSIDE THE
... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The Sixth Ghost Story Megapack: 25 Classic Ghost Stories
We return for another selection of 25 ghost stories in the classic tradition -- chosen from the vast storehouse of history's fiction for your personal delectation. As in our last meeting, we remind you that there are many kinds of ghosts, from the kind to cruel, the savage to the sad, and readers should not always assume they know just which they've gotten in any particular tale. Included are:... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The Mary E. Wilkins Freeman Megapack: 59 Classic Stories
Victorian author Mary E.Wilkins Freeman (1852-1930) is most remembered today for her ghost stories, but she was a prolific and popular author in many genres: not only the supernatural, but mystery and suspense, romance, and especially contemporary fiction were her forté. For this volume, we have grouped the most famous of her supernatural stories together at the beginning, then moved on to... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The Fifth Ghost Story Megapack: 25 Classic Haunts
The Fifth Ghost Story MegapackTM presents a great collection of 25 more classic ghost stories from 19th and 20th century masters (plus a new introduction by editor Shawn M. Garrett). Included are: A TALE OF A GAS-LIT GHOST, by Anonymous DOG OR DEMON? by Theo Gift THE STORY OF MEDHANS LEA, by E. Heron & H. Heron HOW FEAR DEPARTED FROM THE LONG GALLERY, by E. F. Benson ON THE BRIGHTON... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The 7th Ghost Story Megapack
Welcome to The Seventh Ghost Story MEGAPACK®! Once more we have a wide-ranging assortment of supernatural fiction, with setting across the world -- Europe, the Americas, Asia -- and across the centuries. You will note that we have a larger than normal number of "Anonymous" stories. No, the authors weren't embarrassed by their contributions. Victorian-era literary magazines and newspapers... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The Fourth Ghost Story Megapack: 25 Classic Haunts!
We love ghost stories here at Wildside Press. If you've read the first 3 volumes in the Ghost Story MEGAPACKTM series, plus The Macabre MEGAPACKTM series, you're pretty well caught up with the classic supernatural fiction we've been reading lately. Don't worry, though -- we'll keep digging for more classic horror tales! Included in this volume are: THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS, by Amelia B. Edwards THREE... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
To Live and Die in Dixie
Eerie moonlight reflects palely off the bare dirt of a lonely sunken road beckoning to a terrified traveler, a soldier makes a pact with untold evil, a spirit of vengeance stalks a hapless traveler, a disturbed, disease-ridden man lies among those fallen in grim battle, half in this world, half in one of darkness, a desperate man takes refuge in a lonely house. Herein lie six tales of the storied... [click here for more] Four Fools Press $3.99
When two young men get lost in Alaska's mountainous wilderness, they slowly begin to die of exposure. As their senses become numb, they become aware of a third man traveling with them at times, and are too disoriented to make contact. When the two young men collapse in exhaustion and give themselves over to death, the mysterious third man appears again. Is he there to help, hinder...or is he even... [click here for more] Untreed Reads Publishing $0.50
The Second Achmed Abdullah Megapack: 17 Classic Stories
If you've picked up this volume, you may already be familiar with Achmed Abdullah's work from the first volume, "The Achmed Abdullah Megapack." If not, no harm done; both Megapacks contain short stories which can be read in any order. The only real difference is that Volume 1 contains quite a few supernatural stories, while Volume 2 focuses more on "contemporary" (early 1900s) life... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
The Charles Dickens Christmas Megapack: 25 Classic Yuletide Tales
The "Christmas Story" (often a "Christmas Ghost Story") was a popular Victorian tradition. Charles Dickens, who surely needs no introduction today, took part with gusto, penning dozens of Christmas tales (the most famous being "A Christmas Carol"). We are delighted to include not just the standard fare of "A Christmas Carol," but a total of 25 great stories (more... [click here for more] Wildside Press $0.99
Dark Roots
For centuries, members of the Reese family, using faith, magic, and steel, have railed against the gate of Hell and all the evils that surpass human understanding. Each generation chronicles its secrets, trials, defeats, and victories for the next. For mankind, history is a battle between good and evil. For a Reese, it is their legacy. Welcome to Dark Roots, three branches of horror and heroics... [click here for more] Four Fools Press $2.99
Dewey's House
Dewey had always lived in the house, and defended it against scores of intruders. Then came a strange woman, and everything changed. ... [click here for more] D.A. Graf Pay What You Want
In the dark silvery glow of the moon I see him. I am home, on my farm on a cold autumn night and he has returned. Sometimes he's alone. Sometimes he has company. Every time he brings terror. He is...the visitor. A spine-tingling, spell-binding, and terror-filled tale from Amazon best-selling author, Davis E. Riddle! ... [click here for more] Four Fools Press $0.99
Divine Blood
Things Evolve Technology and Technique Life and Lives Battles and Wars They start as one thing... ...and then become entirely another. Evolution can be inconvenient. ________________________________________ It's no different from Bravura Academy. Yoon-Ji "Yooji" Jeon considers herself an average girl, perhaps smarter than most. However, she's found herself stuck in the role of the school's... [click here for more] Thrythlind Books and Games $5.00
The Standarounds of Twilight Gardens
Sinister shadows menace a family… Strange things keep happening in the quirky little seaside town of Hallowind Cove, earning it the nickname "Harbour of the Weird". When the Hutchinson family buy the beautiful Beauregard mansion on Gloomland Street, they believe they've made the deal of a lifetime. But unfortunately, no one told them about the fog that envelops Hallowind Cove for... [click here for more] Pegasus Pulp Publishing $0.99
Horror for the Holidays
Stories That Will Keep You Awake While Waiting for Santa! Horror for Holidays is a collection of seven Christmas-themed mystery and horror short stories and one macabre holiday poem from such great writers as H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Wallace, Edgar Allen Poe, Arthur Machen, William J. Locke, Bret Harte, and Hume Nesbit. Merry Christmas to All... and to All a Good Fright! ... [click here for more] NUELOW Games $1.50
Darker Than Noir
When a mundane mystery needs solving, you call a private detective. But when the mystery involves ghosts, demons, zombies, monsters, mystical serial killers, and a host of other supernatural elements, you call the detectives in this collection. They'll venture into the darkness and hopefully come back out alive. Just remember, they get paid expenses up front, and what they uncover, you might not like.... [click here for more] Grand Mal Press $14.99 $2.99
Storm Wine
Pour a glass of seven previously published stories and one original tale of the end-of-the-world from Seattle author Nathan Crowder. Storm Wine collects tales of New Orelans ghosts, lustful fishwomen, junkyard rockets, dead rock stars, orphans, amorous zombies, and an autopsy video of the worst kind. Prepare to sample the often dark and frequently savory tastes of the treasures that survive the storm.... [click here for more] Nathan Crowder $1.99
In Merridale, semi-transparent blue apparitions have appeared. These aren't ghosts, exactly. They are visions of the dead in their final moments – the last seconds of their lives portrayed for all to see. They don't move, and they don't speak. Ash Wednesday is a thoughtful horror story about what happens to people when they are forced to gaze into the face of death... [click here for more] Crossroad Press Publishing $3.99
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FilmThe Latest
Film Review: 'The Violin Player'
by Meral Kathwari December 2, 2016
by Meral Kathwari December 2, 2016 0 comment
Bauddhayan Mukherji has directed a compelling film in "The Violin Player," whose storyline is unlike any other in Bollywood, and will leave lovers of the Indie genre fulfilled.
Viewers will be glued to Ritwick Chakraborty's character throughout the film and will be curious to follow his relationship with a mysterious director (Adil Hussain), who meets him in a train station and employs him to play music for him.
Chakraborty plays a struggling Bollywood musician with a passion for playing the violin. He's seen killing cockroaches and sipping tea from a plate as he tries to find work and pass time, while his wife (Nayani Dixit) rushes off to her job.
The short feature, which is high in production value, is filled with compelling suspense and dramatics, but not the type that will scare you.
Building on suspense, he learns the director is not only coy but just likes music to be recorded and played live. Chakraborty's character doesn't know what he'll be playing or where he's going until he arrives at the destination.
Although the movie has little talking between characters, the filmography and direction does an excellent job of telling the story of the character and keeps audiences glued to what is going to unfold next.
The photography of Mumbai and set arrangements are equally compelling and will leave foreign viewers with a decent concept of economic struggles in India.
Everything from the middle to the end of the feature is unexpected and dares to show scandalous moments without defying cultural norms. The plot is unlikely to be seen in regular Bollywood features.
The movie presents separate endings that leaves viewers to grasp its meaning.
Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) and The India Center Foundation are launching India Kaleidoscope taking place December 8 through 11 , an exciting new festival that will present film lovers with a chance to immerse themselves in the unique sights and sounds that make up the Indian regional, independent film landscape. These films, which delve into the most relevant and pressing topics facing India, are being made by today's most progressive filmmakers working in regional languages such as Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, and Bengali. For more information visit here: movingimage.us/india-kaleidoscope.
#filmBollywoodEntertainmentindianmovie reviewsmoviesthe violin player
Meral Kathwari
Exclusive: Composer Nicholas Britel Talks 'Moonlight' At The Gotham Awards
American Express Brings an Exclusive Celebration of Music & Art with Kendrick Lamar at Art Basel


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Home Article Pass Protection
Pass Protection
by Thomas Lang
When President Bush recently described marriage as a "union between a man and a woman," he was no doubt being careful to pay lip service to the "protection" rationale for last week's "Marriage Protection Week." Bush went on to say that his administration was working to "encourage marriage," invoking, as conservatives often do, the idea of strong marriages as sound public policy. But by continuing to feature marriage protection and marriage promotion side by side -- as if they are the same thing -- conservatives appear oblivious to a central paradox in their argument: If two-parent families are really the best way to raise children, shouldn't we want all parents -- including gay and lesbian parents -- to get married? And if so, isn't marriage protection, as conservatives define it, incompatible with marriage promotion, at least for the not-insignificant number of parents, biological and adoptive, who are homosexuals?
This paradox (which Prospect contributing editor E.J. Graff documented last year) was on full display when Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) delivered a speech titled "The Necessity of Marriage" at The Heritage Foundation in late September. Santorum argued that marriage is a key foundation of healthy societies and that government ought not to remain neutral on the question of whether people should get married. (You can view the full speech here and read an uncorrected transcript here.)
The benefits of marriage, Santorum said, can be demonstrated via empirical evidence. He noted that children living with two parents are less likely to be physically abused and less likely to suffer emotional neglect than those living in other arrangements. He went on to say that children in two-parent families are less likely to drop out of high school and tend to stay away from alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.
And, Santorum contended, the benefits of marriage extend to husbands and wives as well. He argued that mortality rates for married women and married men are lower than for their single counterparts, that married women are more likely than single women to rate their health as "excellent" or "good," and that married women are less likely than single women to suffer physical abuse. Husbands, the senator noted, are less likely to be incarcerated than single men. He also made an economic case for marriage, saying that while "women gain more financially from marriage than men do," married men have higher incomes than single men.
Santorum's argument for the virtues of marriage is, of course, oversimplified (as Theodora Ooms and Isabel Sawhill argued in the Prospect last year). But even conceding Santorum's basic point that marriage is, as he puts it, "an inherent good on a very practical level" for society, where does that leave homosexuals -- particularly those with children?
Following Santorum's Heritage speech, I asked him the following questions: "If our answer to single women for financial stability and welfare is to get married, or that marriage will help them out, what do we tell single gay women? Isn't that kind of painting a bleak future for them?"
Here was his response:
Well, what I would say is that marriage is a healthy relationship for a man and woman to be involved in to have children, and that is shown by the evidence. If someone is not involved in a relationship where children are a possibility then the dynamic is completely different. So I would just make the argument that what we're focused on here in welfare policy -- the direct objective here is women with children and how we establish stable relationships so we can nurture children, and, therefore, have a more stable society going forward. And I'm not suggesting that single men -- heterosexual, homosexual -- [or] single women -- heterosexual, homosexual -- without children should get married. I mean that's -- if they want to get married, if that's the time of their life they want to do that, that's fine. And I'm not suggesting that it's financially better or worse for them. I'm suggesting that if you have a child, that you have that additional responsibility -- and its additional burden. It's tough; raising children is tough. I've got six at home; I can tell you, it's tough. That having a partner there that's a nurturer and -- that provides the critical role that men and women -- and it's a different role. I can tell you as a father I provide a whole different set of values, if you will, to my children, than my wife does, just from being a man, and she being a woman. So I think that's important for the nurturing of children, for the stability of them going forward, and that's why I would suggest that it's appropriate for them in those cases.
The shaky logic of Santorum's response shows just how uncomfortable conservatives are with the corner they have backed themselves into on marriage protection and marriage promotion. First, Santorum retreats to the argument that the virtues of marriage only apply to couples with children. This ignores the fact that many gays and lesbians do have children, either biological or adopted. No one knows exactly how many people fall into this category, but, according to the 1990 census, 20 percent of same-sex female households contained a child under the age of 18; the same was true for 5 percent of same-sex male households. The 2000 census placed the number of same-sex cohabiting couples in the United States at about 600,000 -- meaning that the number of children being raised by same-sex couples is at least in the tens of thousands, and perhaps more. (For more details, see this report from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.) All of which is to say that Santorum's reasoning -- marriage is only important for couples with children, and couples with children are by definition heterosexual -- is deeply flawed.
But even if you ignore the reality that children are being raised by people in same-sex relationships, Santorum was flatly contradicting an argument he made earlier in his speech: that marriage is beneficial not only for children but for husbands and wives as well. Faced with the issue of gay marriage, Santorum suddenly seemed to be arguing that the benefits of marriage only accrue to couples with children, and that he didn't care whether childless people -- no matter their sexual orientation -- tied the knot. Earlier, he had claimed that married men had higher incomes than single men and that "women gain more financially from marriage than men do." In response to my question, he explained that he was "not suggesting that it's financially better or worse" for men or women to get married -- even though he had just implied in his speech that marriage carries financial benefits.
Seeking to twist his way out of his own convoluted reasoning, Santorum went quite a bit farther down the slippery logical path to gay marriage than he probably would have liked. One of the classic challenges liberals pose to conservatives on gay marriage is whether marriage without the possibility of procreation is, in fact, always a sin -- and if it's not a sin for sterile heterosexuals, why should it be a sin for same-sex couples? Conservatives usually answer these queries by arguing that there is something in the natural order of humanity that makes the marriage of, say, an 80-year-old heterosexual couple acceptable but the marriage of a homosexual couple sinful.
Not so for Santorum -- apparently. In fact, in his response to my question, he lumped childless heterosexuals together with homosexuals, drawing no distinction between the two. If, as he argues, it's all about the children, Santorum either believes that heterosexuals unable to have children should be banned by law from marrying or that we should throw open the floodgates of marriage to homosexuals as well. Which is it?
Well, Gary Bauer, cover your eyes, but Santorum came frighteningly close to endorsing gay marriage. By the time he got to these two lines of his response, the force of the logic he was employing to escape the paradox of marriage promotion and marriage protection had acquired an intriguing momentum of its own: "And I'm not suggesting that single men -- heterosexual, homosexual -- [or] single women -- heterosexual, homosexual -- without children should get married. I mean that's -- if they want to get married, if that's the time of their life they want to do that, that's fine." So there you have it. Rick Santorum on gay marriage: "That's fine."
Thomas Lang is a Prospect intern.


This well established pre-K daycare, and up to Grade 6 before and after school facility, is licensed for 114 children. It has been serving the community for over 30 years. The seller is the director, however, an existing supervisor could transition to role of director and the new buyer could run the business part-time or absentee. The overall census in this location is 95% state paid. Due to the high level accreditation, the families pay only a small part of the tuition, while the state pays nearly 100%. The seller is ready to retire and is willing to set up a long term lease for the new buyer.


Iron and Wine: October 15, 2003 Knitting Factory – Flac Download + Tour News!
This week it was announced that Iron and Wine would perform a pair of intimate concerts at NYC's Abrons Arts Center on May 17 and 18, as part of a tour of small venues with setlists chosen by the fans. Tickets for the Abrons shows go on sale today (Fri 2/20) at Noon EST NOW.
Perhaps the last time that Sam Beam performed at a venue in NYC of this modest size was his first couple of trips to New York, when he played the Knitting Factory. The second such appearance is the concert offered for download here. That night the Knit was a completely packed house, and Iron and Wine delivered a full length concert of one-hundred minutes of material. The setlist included five songs from his yet-to-be-released second album Our Endless Numbered Days, along with one very memorable Flaming Lips cover — "Waitin' for a Superman" which Iron and Wine will officially release for the first time on May 19, 2009 on the new compilation Around the Well.
This concert was recorded by long time local taper xcxre9, who provided the never-circulated master DAT for extraction and production to be posted on nyctaper. The recording suffered from a major flaw that was adjusted in post-production. The low volume of the quiet music was respected by the crowd during the songs, but the volume of cheering was overwhelming during the breaks in between numbers. In post, the crowd was reduced to an unheard-of 10% of its original volume. Listeners can hear some artifacts of this process, but the overall listening enjoyment of this recording as a whole has been greatly increased. Enjoy!
This concert is being offered in flac format only in respect for the original taper.
If you email nyctaper for access to this recording, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Iron and Wine, visit their website, visit their MySpace page, and purchase their official releases and merch from the store at their website [HERE].
2 Responses to Iron and Wine: October 15, 2003 Knitting Factory – Flac Download + Tour News!
Tickets are on sale NOW, and its 10:30am.
I just got tix for both days, so go get 'em!
This is an awesome recording of an awesome gig. Thanks!


Buy an A Strong Woman calligraphy wall scroll here!
We don't really have a word like this in English but these two characters create a word that means "strong and beautiful." It could also be translated as "healthy and beautiful."
Note: 健美 is a word in Chinese and Korean but it's also the family name Takemi in Japanese. The characters hold the same meaning in Japanese but It's kind of like having the English name Stillwell, when few people would perceive the meanings of still and well.
This both means and sounds like "Islam" in Mandarin Chinese.
The first three characters sound like the word "Islam," and the last character means "religion" or "teaching." It's the most general term for "Islam" in China. The highest concentration of Muslims in China is Xinjiang (the vast region in northwest China that was called The East Turkistan Republic until 1949 and is sometimes called Chinese Turkistan, Uyghuristan). Here you will find Uygurs, Kazakhs, and Kyrgyz and others that are descendants of Turkmen (possibly mixed with Persians and Arabs). Many of their ancestors were traders who traveled the silk road to buy and sell spices, silk, and exchange other goods from the Orient and the Middle East.
I spent some time in Xinjiang and got to know this community. They are strong people who can endure much. They are friendly and love to have a good time. I was a stranger but treated by villagers (near China's border with Afghanistan) as if I was a good friend.
However, I have heard that it's best not to cross them, as in this land, the law is the blade, and everything is "eye for an eye." The Chinese government has little control in Xinjiang with almost no police officers except in the capital of Urumqi (so it's a 60-hour roundtrip train ride to seek the aid of law enforcement in most cases).
While few seem to be devout, there are at least small mosques in every village. And you will never see a man or woman outside without a head covering.
It should be noted that these people are all citizens of China, but they are officially of the Caucasian race. A visit to Xinjiang will change your idea what it means to be Chinese.
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