Mumbai's Marine Drive is the city's best known image on a postcard.
In bygone days (and to a lesser extent today), when skyscrapers implicitly meant modernity, this giant arc of reclaimed land bordering the sea and backed by stacks of Mumbai high rises was the city's signature view. At night, lit by the city's electric lights and the headlights of passing traffic, it became ` Queen's Necklace,' the other name by which Marine Drive is famous. Mumbai's romance with skyscrapers continues. But like in humanity's romance with the automobile, a tall building is no more indisputable modernity. The idea of modernity has become more textured.
The road along Marine Drive is approximately three kilometres long. Cars and bikes zip on it. Between the road and the Arabian Sea is a paved area spanning almost the entire length of the arc. Over the years, it has become the postcard view of Mumbai-running. Early morning and evening, the paved area fetches walkers and runners. During weekends, their numbers rise, some of them running to Marine Drive from distant suburbs. Best known of these rituals is probably the monthly Bandra-NCPA run, happening the first Sunday of every month.
A late evening in 2009, a young man from Shikarpur in West Bengal's Bardhaman district, stood on Marine Drive. He was born into a poor family. He studied only till the sixth standard. His father worked as a farm labourer and his earnings were too little for family of six – parents; two sons, two daughters. Although his elder brother managed to become a post graduate, our young man had to stop studies by the sixth standard to free up money to educate his sisters. The compulsion to find work struck early.
Many from Shikarpur ended up as gold workers in India's jewellery business. The young man moved so, first to Sidhpur in north Gujarat where he worked for two years on a monthly salary of Rs 2000-2500. Then he shifted to Mumbai, joining a unit where he learnt to polish gold jewellery.
Days were tough. Working hours were long. As a youngster learning the ropes, he often ended up fetching water and cooking for 12-15 people. That late evening in 2009, Abbas Sheikh was out on a stroll with friends after yet another long day polishing gold. Going to Marine Drive after work had become a regular practice and it was on one such visit that Abbas noticed Mumbai's runners on Queen's Necklace.
His daily life was classic Mumbai (minus perhaps extensive commute for he stayed with other gold workers in town). It was clock-work, in tune with the timings and hours of the industry he worked for. It was a routine. From all over India, people reach Mumbai for such industrial routine. They find one and cling to it, till the human being's natural restlessness rebels and seeks expression. Often, you don't know you are restless within, you don't know what you want till a hint of something different from the regular, passes you by. Abbas watched the runners pass by. Why not run like them? – He thought. " Mujhe kuch bhi pata nahi tha running ke bare me (I didn't know anything about running),'' Abbas said recalling that Marine Drive-moment. Back then, inspired to run, he spent some money from his frugal earnings to buy track pants and a pair of ordinary sports shoes. " I was too embarrassed to run in shorts,'' Abbas said laughing.
Abbas Sheikh is now among Mumbai's best known ultra marathon runners.
Shivaji Park in Dadar is one of the city's active lifestyle zones. People play, exercise, walk, run – it is also venue for an ultra marathon, a 12 hour endurance-run that Abbas had participated in. We met Abbas near his work place in Sewri. The local Udipi restaurant was crowded, not to mention – you don't get to sit for long in such busy eateries. And as it happens sometimes, both journalists went blank in the head when it came to recalling an alternative suitable joint nearby. The search for a place to sit and chat over coffee brought us all the way to Shivaji Park. We took a taxi; then walked. Unlike journalist shaped to slouch by typing, Abbas walked confidently. He has a light frame, emphasized further by the spring in his runner's legs. Marine Drive and thoughts about how to get into running – that was long ago. Abbas now wore Mizuno shoes. We sat down at a cafe to hear his story.
Not long after that Marine Drive-evening, in his initial phase of running in Mumbai, the daily runs were avenue to discover both running and runners. Abbas was intrigued by the urban idea of running for running sake. He does not recall anything by way of running in Shikarpur. In his narrative, the village came across as nothing more than home; the starting point of his life transforming from nondescript to engaging with the advent of running. People running for the love of it, was for him, a totally Mumbai phenomenon. There was one thing in this craziness that he couldn't comprehend – the distances people ran. They seemed to run and vanish. Over time, he had come to recognize the regular runners on Marine Drive. But unlike him confined to the length of Queen's Necklace, their running didn't seem to have an end. They rarely returned the same way. Once he chased after a couple of runners and tracked their progress, realizing in the process the existence of a concept called distance running. Emulating them, Abbas also increased his daily mileage. He began running long distances but had no idea of how to assess the distance. He thought he was doing 6-7 kilometres, when in reality he was running three to four times as much, sometimes more. Slowly he too was recognized as a regular and included into their fold by a group of runners. According to him, it was runners Dev Raman and Purvi Sheth who introduced him to the well known coach, Savio D'Souza. The improvement in his performance since has been remarkable. At the 2013 Bangalore Ultra, he won the 75 kilometre-run. In 2014, Abbas ended up winner in the 100 kilometre-run at the same event. He has also won the Mumbai Road Runners Runner of the Year (Male) award for the year 2013 and 2014.
The journey was not without its ups and downs.
" In the early days, I used to get frequently injured,'' Abbas said. It was the typical learning curve of the self taught and self made. But his biggest injury had nothing to do with running. It happened ahead of what would have been his first Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM), the 2011 edition. One day he slipped and fell at the place he resided with fellow workers. " I was in a very bad shape,'' Abbas said. The first hospital he went to, the X-ray machine wasn't working. So his friends took him to St George hospital near Mumbai's CST railway terminus. There, X-ray done, the injury revealed itself as a broken femur. The doctors said he required surgery; a rod had to be inserted to hold the broken section together. Fearing the cost of hospitalization in Mumbai, Abbas and a relative took the next train to Bardhaman. He endured the journey. The required operation was done in West Bengal. He was advised six months of absolute rest and recuperation. Abbas was back in Mumbai after three months. Slowly, he resumed his running, inching his way back to form by himself. The rod and screws are still there in his leg.
In December 2011 he ran the full marathon at the Pune International Marathon. It was his first time at a running event and he was completely new to the experience. " I ran without any strategy. Whenever I heard loud music, which was played here and there on the course, I ran fast and slowed down later. I thought music meant you should run faster. Then, halfway through, I felt very tired. I happened to see a guava fruit seller. I bought a guava from him and sat on the sidewalk to eat it. I resumed running when I saw some fast-paced runners go by,'' he said. By the end of the Pune Marathon, Abbas had learnt an important lesson about long distance running – you don't run at a blistering pace; you have to plan your run and train in a systematic manner, hydrate well. Soon thereafter, he became a regular at many major running events. Among them – SCMM, Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon, Hyderabad Marathon, Goa River Marathon, Satara Hill Marathon and the Bangalore Ultra.
Currently, every morning at 5AM, Abbas leaves his quarters and heads to Marine Drive. Most days, he runs 10-15 kilometres, some days, he puts in 30 kilometres. On an average he does 80-90 kilometres per week. " He is good. He has good endurance,'' Savio said. According to him, the rod and screws don't interfere with Abbas' running. Being with Savio's group – Savio Stars – has helped Abbas address some of his needs in running gear. He also helps Savio with his coaching work.
Although he has run other distances, Abbas said, his preferred discipline is the ultra marathon. He plans to try the 24 hour-run at the 2015 Bangalore Ultra. His participation in events is limited by availability of resources; he doesn't have much money to spare. For instance, he said, he would like to try the long distance running events in Ladakh. But Ladakh is a high altitude destination and anything at altitude entails considerable expense given the lengthy stay for acclimatization that is required. There is however a faint possibility that one of these years, he may get to participate in South Africa's Comrades Marathon, the world's oldest and largest ultra marathon. " I hope so,'' said the man from Shikarpur, who now calls Mumbai home because it is in this city that he gets to run.
" I love running,'' Abbas said in Bengali accented Hindi.
Abbas Sheikh on the podium after winning the stadium-run in Bengaluru, August 2015.
UPDATE: Abbas Sheikh was the winner at the 12 hour-stadium run at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore, early August 2015.
According to him, he did 266 loops of 400 meters each covering a distance of 106.5 kilometres in the assigned time.
" It was quite a difficult run because we had to run in a loop of 400 meters. Loop running can be very tough. At one point I wanted to quit,'' he said.
Abbas had a fall right at the start of the run. For the last three and a half hours he chose to go barefoot. " The ground had become hot. At the end of the day I can say I learnt to endure loop running although I prefer linear running any day,'' he said.
In November 2015, at the Performax Bangalore Ultra, Abbas finished second in the open category for men, covering 151 km in 24 hours.
" This is all I have. Make sure you don't lose anything,'' Savio said, handing us a small file.
It contained old issues of Mid-Day, Sportsweek and The Daily plus a plastic sleeve with a few photos stained by age.
The former national champion in the marathon used to have more photos from his life in running.
The file opened a window to a Mumbai no more there.
Sixty one years old, Savio D'Souza, is today a busy coach, training runners in a city that has become India's running capital thanks to the iconic Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM). That would seem a fine situation to be in except for two points Savio made in his characteristic in-your-face fashion. The SCMM started in 2004. While the annual marathon got many people into running, those latching on to the sport from Mumbai largely belonged to the 30 plus age group. Because of it, Savio said, there were no timings significant to Indian athletics, to report from the Mumbai lot. In 2015, the women's national record in the marathon was broken by Kerala's O.P. Jaisha at SCMM. But timings by runners from Mumbai were nothing significant. On the one hand, running had become a movement in Mumbai. On the other hand, it was far from being cutting edge performance by any Mumbaikar. " We have a large body of recreational runners. But where are the real athletes? There was a time when Mumbai and Maharashtra produced great track and field athletes. Now the city doesn't feature anywhere in that department. States like Kerala, Manipur – they have all gone ahead,'' Savio said. And paradoxically, none of the states which overtook Mumbai and Maharashtra to prominence in athletics have an event comparable to SCMM in size or such a large body of recreational runners around.
The paper clippings in Savio's file dated to the early and mid-1980s. As fragments of media from the past they told a story. There was a report from November 24, 1986, about Savio winning the Pune International Marathon, beating Stephen Marwa of Tanzania to second place. Marwa had been winner of the event in 1984. The 1984 Pune International Marathon (the second edition) had been Savio's first major marathon, wherein he finished first at the national level and third internationally (Marwa was first). In his second marathon – the Singapore International Marathon – Savio finished 18th, reducing his timing by a wide margin. Later at the Hong Kong International Marathon, he was placed 13th (profiles on the Internet say he placed ninth in Hong Kong at the 1986 edition of the event). Savio had his beginnings in the 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m disciplines. He said his best timing to date for the full marathon is around 2:25. That would make him at his peak the equivalent of being sixth among Indian full marathon runners at the 2015 SCMM. And 2015 is around 30 years since Savio's heydays. " That's what I am telling you – that many years ago with much less money and facilities in Mumbai, we had timings in long distance running that matches the timings reported today or were better,'' Savio said. Indeed the late Shivnath Singh's national record in the men's marathon – 2:12:00 – set way back in 1978, still ruled at the time of writing this article, almost 37 years after the timing was reported.
The Mumbai athletics ecosystem of Savio's time seems to have been different.
From his file, a November 1983 edition of Sportsweek reported on the Runathon, a 12 km-run through Central Mumbai, won by Savio. Other reports spoke of the annual Sportsweek Road Races, five in number, with an overall winner at the end of the series. If media be window to given times, it is interesting to note that most of these reports are detailed and although cricket is dominant news by a wide margin, athletics gets a fair amount of space. Uniquely, unlike contemporary news reports on running which tend to be event-focussed, highlighting the spectacle of event, these old reports dwell more on athletes and less the event. There is an intimacy in the reportage. Savio was national champion from 1984-1988. According to him, in addition to Sportsweek lending its name to running events, many of Mumbai's private and public sector companies maintained teams in athletics. Mafatlal – the company Savio worked for – had teams in football, cricket and athletics. The city had several athletic meets in a calendar year and each of those races saw the best turn up. Mumbai had a fine share of India's best for the local ecosystem was breeding and grooming talent. Athletics saw the city's senior officials arrive to encourage and support. Shashi Kumar Nair, former athlete who is now a senior government counsellor and lawyer at the city's High Court, recalls S.K. Wankhede (former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India), O.V. Kuruvilla (former chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes) and R.R. Chari (former commissioner of Income Tax) as among those who regularly visited the University Ground to support athletic events. On its part, the public turned up to cheer for they knew they were in for a treat as Mumbai had good athletes. All that community engagement either dried up or similar events continue but without the overall social interest. " Now we don't have good long distance runners. Maybe some in Pune and Nashik, but Mumbai – no,'' Savio said.
Two fantastic sports clubs, committed coaches, an accessible track to train on and roads shut down for people to run – these seem to have been old Mumbai's magic potion to create athletes. For Edward Sequeira aka Eddie, the centre piece of old Mumbai's infrastructure for athletics was the track at the Bombay University Sports Pavilion, popularly called University Ground. Essentially a track and field facility in the city belonging to the local university, this ground in South Mumbai was where Mumbai's athletes – from state level to Olympian – converged to train. University Ground had a 400m-oval shaped track, two curves and two straights. " This is the standard track,'' Eddie said. The convergence of athletes here was courtesy two sports clubs possessing an evangelical fervour for promoting athletics – Tracktrotters (that is how the name is written) and Juhu Sports Club. Eddie – he is an Olympian, Arjuna Award winner, former Asian record holder in the 1500m and former national record holder in the 1500m, 5000m and the mile – is one of the founding members of Tracktrotters. Both clubs were near similar in what they wished to do and did, although some people cited a distinction by economic flavour with Tracktrotters being very middle class and Juhu Sports Club having a relatively well to do crowd.
Tracktrotters' origin goes back to the late 1950s, to a group of senior athletes training together at the St Xavier's Gymkhana, Parel. In 1962, they became Tracktrotters. The club charged nothing for its coaching. Parents brought their children for prospective training or youngsters approached on their own. " We would sometimes test the candidate. That was all,'' Eddie, 75, said. From 1969 onward, Tracktrotters' regular training was at the University Ground. Although neither the two clubs nor all their trainees belonged to the university, the authorities supported their endeavour. Both clubs maintained boxes on the premises to store gear and equipment. Their coaches, training free of cost, were passionate and committed about what they did. Tracktrotters coaches included Eddie, Mervyn Jacobie, Alex Silveira, Philip Silveira, Vasant Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor and Peter Rodrigues. The best known from Juhu Sports Club was Bala Govind, who now works in Nashik. He confirmed, training at the Juhu Sports Club also happened free of cost. " Those days, the concept of charging money wasn't there,'' he said. And they produced results – many of Mumbai's leading athletes from the period had links to these clubs and University Ground; among them – Eddie and Savio. A friendly competition prevailed between Tracktrotters and Juhu Sports Club. This was the athletics ecosystem then. " Those are the days I will never forget,'' Eddie said.
Mervyn Jacobie is remembered as a great coach by many. An evening in April 2015, at the playgrounds of Five Garden, Wadala, we met Ashok Shetty, an official at the Mumbai Port Trust and former state champion in the 400m, 800m and 1500m. Born into a poor family residing in Parel, his ability in sports was first spotted by Oliver Andrade, a well known coach in the city those years. Ashok's first rendezvous with competition earned him no podium finish. With a friend who fared better in athletics, the boy landed up at Tracktrotters. At that time, the club practised at the premises of Khalsa College. " Anyone could join for training. It was free. The first thing Mervyn did was catch me by the ear, tell me to cut my long hair short and report for training regularly,'' Ashok recalled.
By all accounts Mervyn's methods won't sustain in today's environment. Back then, it delivered results. He was a man of medium size, very strict, insisting on punctuality and completely committed to his work as coach. On Sunday, he took a break from coaching to attend church. Mervyn worked with Central Excise; he retired as Superintendent. In due course, Tracktrotters shifted from Khalsa College premises to the University Ground. Every evening, training began at 5PM and went on till 7.30PM. As coach, Mervyn was hard to please. Those who trained under him got whacked – that seems to have been a Mervyn trademark. Once, Savio, on winning a race, went up to Mervyn to share his glee. " I got a whack and was asked: why did you look back and run? He told me, you could have run faster had you not looked back, '' Savio said. Ashok, after a victory went to Mervyn with trophy and some youngsters inspired to join Tracktrotters. Another whack and pointed advice on how to improve. " I picked up the trophy, which had fallen from my hands and looked around for the youngsters. They had all disappeared!'' Ashok said laughing. But Mervyn wasn't this strict perfectionist alone. Unable to afford a railway pass, Ashok used to walk from Parel to University Ground when Tracktrotters first shifted to the South Mumbai ground for practice. An angry Mervyn would whack Ashok for repeated late arrival. Then he learnt that the boy didn't have money for the daily commute. Mervyn got him a railway pass. When the pass expired, he gave him money to renew it. Similarly, every Saturday, the whole Tracktrotters team assembled at Santa Cruz and travelled to Juhu to run on the beach. The cost of everyone's travel was borne by Mervyn. " For Mervyn, coaching was his life,'' Ashok, 59, said.
Major Shashi Tiwari, 50, served with the Indian Army's Bihar Regiment. He now works with Tata Power. Years ago, he was the national junior champion in 800m and 1500m; he was an athlete at Tracktrotters. " I spent nine years of my life there,'' he said. According to him, the main benefit of being at Tracktrotters was that it took anybody in and then put that person through the coaching of a dedicated individual like Mervyn. " People like Mervyn are hard to find in today's world,'' he said. Incidentally, that old Tracktrotters souvenir concluded with a " list of members – past and present.'' They numbered around 352. Of them, 239 – that is 68 per cent – had won medals at regional, state or national levels or been participant at international level competitions. Some of them qualified for all four levels of honour.
According to Eddie, the decline in Mumbai athletics started about twenty years ago when the university refused permission for outsiders, including the clubs and their wards, to train at University Ground. The exact reason for this development is unclear. Eddie loved this ground, which had built him into the sportsman he came to be. In 1982, after the Asian Games in New Delhi, Mumbai's University Ground had also been venue for a six nation-athletic meet organized by Tracktrotters. So in 2011, when India's decision to host the cricket World Cup saw its organizers seek space to expand the Wankhede Stadium and think of encroaching on the nearby University Ground, Eddie put his foot down. He and Shashi Kumar Nair drummed up enough support to prevent any such move. Today the ground survives. It even has a new synthetic track. Access however isn't as free as before (an official at the office adjacent to the stadium said that the ground is mainly meant for university students; others get to use it if their application is approved). Besides, a new road leading to the cricket stadium has allegedly eaten into what used to be the old athletes' warm-up area.
Can a giant city's position in athletics decline simply because a ground shut its doors to the public? Eddie explained it. The question is not the ground per se but what it did and how it worked in combination with the two clubs. The University Ground is perfectly located. Although in South Mumbai, it is accessible by road and rail. It had the city's only good running track years ago; it has a new synthetic track now. What it did as part of the matrix offered by the clubs and their training, qualified the years gone by. In those years, Mumbai was catching its athletes young. Unlike most games, athletics is an individual sport. Physically demanding, you peak early in it. " You can be a national champion at 16 or 18 years of age. That is why you have to catch them young,'' he said. Old Mumbai was interested in sports; it scouted for young talent and found it. Still restoring a ground to regular public use is only part of the panacea. If you want a revival in athletics, the issues to address are several.
To start with, today's children – including Mumbai's children – lead lives dramatically different from the children of the 1960s, 70s and 80s. Thanks to contemporary lifestyle, interest in the active life has dipped. A procession of distractions exists – particularly the mobile phone. " When we trained, we were not allowed to speak to each other or have any distractions,'' Major Tiwari said. According to him, people from economically challenged backdrops and those hailing from rural areas may still have that required discipline. " Mumbai has lost it,'' Major Tiwari said. Veteran coach, Bala Govind, 73, felt that once motivated adequately, today's children are good. But there is the issue of distraction and how naturally motivated children are toward sports. " Those years – 30 to 40 years ago that is – were totally different. The children of that time were motivated differently. They saw sports as fun and once motivated, they had no distractions,'' he said. Currently, even if a child managed to be in sports despite distractions, a major hurdle looms by tenth standard. Studies squeeze out sports. " In competitive sport, you take a break and come back, your contemporaries have surged ahead,'' Savio said.
With studies stifling sports, another old trait also began drying up.
Savio was born in Goa in 1953. After finishing his SSC, he moved to Mumbai in 1972. He was a footballer but didn't enjoy it. He used to train at the University Ground and got admission at Maharashtra College near Byculla in the city, on the strength of his performance in sports. By 1976, he was representing Bombay University in the 5000m and 10,000m. " I was noticed. Those days we had talent scouts and a system that provided sustenance to dedicated sportspersons,'' Savio said. Schools and colleges looked around for good talent. Scholarships were provided. If your athletic abilities earned you a seat at college, your continued performance was noticed by companies who gave you employment. " Such employment matters. I used to be away seven to eight months a year, training and competing. But my employers gave me a regular monthly salary,'' Eddie said of Tata Steel. According to him, as per an old estimation of 1982, the Tata Group had in its fold then, six world champions, five medal winners at the Olympic Games, four Commonwealth Games medal winners, 36 Asian Games medal winners, 33 Asian Championship medal winners, 41 Arjuna Award winners, 51 Olympians, 57 sportspersons who had participated in the Asian Games, 54 people who had participated in the Asian Championships, one Padma Bhushan and 11 Padma Sri recipients for contribution in sports. He also said that in those days, Tata companies recruited a sportsperson once every two years.
" The required change has to happen from school level onward. Without it there is no chance,'' Savio said. He felt, the system of coaching at schools must be changed with sportspersons taking over the task. " If the coach is a sportsperson, then he or she will make sports happen no matter what the challenge, because they enjoy sports,'' he said. An interesting aside here is that when Eddie got his first job as a mechanical apprentice at Central Railways, sports was compulsory for railway employees. According to him, a Mumbai revival in athletics could start with training the resident coaches properly; send them abroad so that they get to know what good coaching is and bring it back to the city. He pointed out that unlike the salaried government coaches of today, the city's old coaches – the ones who blazed a trail at Tracktrotters and Juhu Sports club – were devoted to sports and coaching for the love of it. They charged nothing. And they produced results if Mumbai's past in athletics is anything to go by. Such passion must return to the city. There has to be more athletic meets. " Bring back the old road races. Rain or no rain, the Oval Maidan is there; the University Ground is there, Marine Drive is there. Don't have just one meet in a year – of what use is that?'' Eddie asked. Finally " forget about seniors; focus on juniors.'' He wanted corporate sponsors for junior teams. " My suggestion is that every big company should have at least one athletics meet for juniors,'' he said, emphasizing alongside that the habit of pushing in over aged persons into junior categories to win prizes, should stop. According to Eddie and Shashi Kumar Nair, Tracktrotters is hoping to make a comeback. The club held a general body meeting in this regard attended by 50-60 old members. " From the club's side, we are giving the commitment that we will return the old glory to Mumbai athletics,'' Nair, vice president, said.
A name given by young climbers, it speaks much about the older gentleman whose name features in it.
Like all of us, Franco Linhares is inevitably growing old in life. But as he does so he is getting younger in climbing. You see him every evening at the small climbing wall at Podar College, first showing youngsters new to the sport the basics of climbing and then, doing some hard routes with the seasoned addicts. On weekends he turns up at Belapur, where the house of Abhijit Burman (aka Bong) has long been assembling point for climbers heading to the nearby crags. At 65 years of age, Franco is Mumbai's most consistently active rock climber. He has been climbing for over three decades. That boulder in Belapur was aptly named. Warm-up is a sign of things to come and Franco in climbing is proving to be a bit of a Benjamin Button.
In the early 1950s, Franco's father was stationed at Abadan in Iran, location then to one of the world's biggest oil refineries. Franco was born in Abadan in 1950. The refinery belonged to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC). In 1951, Iran nationalized oil properties. Refining ground to a halt at Abadan and riots broke out (a settlement was reached in 1954, which lasted till 1973 when the National Iranian Oil Company [NIOC] took over all facilities. The period from 1951 to 1954 is called The Abadan Crisis). Franco's family moved to Mumbai and onward to Seria in North Borneo, South East Asia, where the oil company, Shell, had a refinery. Seria became Franco's next home. In 1960, given his father's desire that the children be educated in India, Franco shifted to Mumbai with his sister.
The Linhares family hails from Goa. Among Indian communities, Goans are noted for their love of sports. Franco attended the St Sebastian Goan High School at Girgaum in South Mumbai. His days there were filled with sports and games. " My love for sports came from this school. Those were my formative years,'' Franco said. Later he majored in Microbiology from Mumbai's St Xavier's College. By 1967, his family was also back in Mumbai for good. To keep himself occupied, his father worked at the United Services Club in Colaba, at the Archbishop's House and eventually served a long stint at the Victoria Church in Mahim handling administrative matters. While looking for a job after graduation, Franco chanced to do a course at Bharat Laboratories in laboratory testing procedures. Course done, he commenced working for the company. He kept applying for jobs alongside; ` medical representative' being much fancied those years. In 1973, Franco found long term employment at Hoechst Pharmaceuticals with a job in their quality control department. Every evening after work, he played hockey. This was on the road in front of his house in Mahim. Roads then were relatively free of traffic. They were playgrounds at hand. He also played for Hoechst in the company's hockey and football teams, playing up to the senior division in hockey.
Purists in climbing and hiking, look down their nose at commercial trips. Yet it is through such visits that many Indians begin their engagement with the great outdoors. In 1979, Franco reached Kashmir as a tourist on a trip arranged by the Mumbai based-Lala Tours and Travels. On return he realized one thing – he visited Kashmir, yes; he saw nothing of its high mountains and wilderness. So the following year he went on a trek to western Sikkim. His companion on the journey was the late Roque D'Souza, a maths major from St Xavier's working at Ciba-Geigy (subsequently merged with Sandoz to form Novartis) and a regular at the evening hockey matches. Franco's first Himalayan trek was initially challenging. On the first day he had a tough time adjusting to the altitude. Then everything was fine. In 1981, he went to Chanderkhani Pass in Himachal Pradesh. The next year, he trekked to Sandakphu. On this trek, most of the camp leaders were from the Mumbai based-club, Girivihar. They used to discuss climbing. It was Franco's introduction to both the subject of climbing and the club he would eventually come to be identified with. Girivihar is Mumbai's oldest mountaineering club. Soon afterwards, Franco trekked to Matheran and Kalsubai (at 5400ft, Maharashtra's highest peak) in the Western Ghats (Sahyadri), with Vijay Athawale, a colleague at Hoechst.
Vijay quickly became Franco's partner in outdoor adventures. Their friendship, strong to this date, can be gauged from Vijay's recollection of events past, starting with " 1st September, 1977'' – the date he met Franco for the first time at the Quality Control Lab of Hoechst. Mumbai and Hoechst were new worlds for Vijay, hailing from a distant place, educated in the vernacular language and not even fully done with his degree course. He wrote in, " I was obviously afraid of everything around. Franco was my role-model. Calm, soft spoken, a thorough gentleman and at the same time, mischievous, ready to participate in all sorts of picnics and parties! Our chemistry matched from day one.'' According to Vijay, one of Franco's friends pulled Franco out on a monsoon outing and Franco in turn, pulled Vijay in. That's how their partnership began. The outdoor bug got them and then, others at office. " What started as monsoon outings, slowly changed to one day treks and later to overnight hikes,'' he recalled. Vijay had heard of the annual rock climbing camp conducted by Girivihar, wherein rock climbing skills were taught. Franco and Vijay attended the camp held at Kanheri Caves inside the Borivali national park. It lasted three to four days. From then on, for several years, Vijay and Franco went for every trek and climb organized by Girivihar. " We just liked it. It was great to be out,'' Franco said. With Harish Kapadia's guidebook for trekking in these ranges available in the market, the Sahyadri became playground for Mumbai's outdoor enthusiasts.
Given their regular attendance at club activities, Franco and Vijay were quickly co-opted into Girivihar's management. Vijay was made secretary straight away. " I was in the management committee as a sort of assistant secretary to Vijay,'' Franco said. Those were the days of cyclostyle; the days preceding email. The schedule of outdoor activity for a specific period of time would be drawn up. It would be cyclostyled and posted to club members. Franco recalls doing this after his daily work at Hoechst. The Girivihar rock climbing camp had been Franco's initiation into climbing. Besides Borivali national park, the other climbing crags in the Mumbai region then were at Mumbra and Kalwa. Unlike today, very few people had climbing shoes. Climbing was mostly done in `Hunter' shoes, a model of canvas shoe with ankle guard and rubber soles made popular by Indian shoe companies. Occasionally, a climber or two seeking better grip on rock, pasted a strip of high friction rubber to the soles. Climbers set out early in the morning and climbed as much as they could.
The club's climbing itinerary was mixed – it also included ascents of pinnacles, a pursuit that enjoyed considerable popularity in Maharashtra, where the Western Ghats are enmeshed in local history. Much of the climbing happened on weekends. That meant, major Girivihar climbs like the first ascent of the Khada Parsi pinnacle near Nane Ghat, took the club a few weekends to accomplish. The climbing style on rock was trad, that too within the limits of available climbing equipment. Right up to the early 1990s, India was a protected economy. Good climbing gear was hard to obtain and expensive. This did not impede the climbers of those days from choosing bold objectives. Their approach to climbing was however different from today; in particular, you read a route keeping in mind one's competence and available equipment, before you climbed. Some of the pinnacle-climbs were personal projects. The club had a published itinerary of activity but was open to the private initiatives of its members.
In 1984, Franco was part of a team of friends who trekked to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal. " We went self supported, carting along 40 kilos of stuff only to find that everything was available along the way,'' he said. In 1985, he got into his first Himalayan mountaineering expedition with a seat aboard Girivihar's trip to climb Swargarohini and Black Peak in Garhwal. He hadn't yet done his mountaineering course but he was taken along as he had been regular at rock climbing in Mumbai. Black Peak was assigned as potential climbing objective for the club's ` junior team,' while the seniors attempted Swargarohini I and III. On this trip, Franco and two others climbed Ruinsara. He had until then never held an ice axe, never worn a plastic mountaineering boot. However, he didn't find the transition from climbing on rock to climbing on snow difficult. An engagement with the outdoors, begun in the fallout of a commercial trip to Kashmir in 1979, was now assuming serious proportions.
In October 2013, I chanced to witness a climbing competition at the Podar College-wall (for details please visit https://shyamgopan.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/bouldering-competition-at-podar-college/), organized by Girivihar. Quietly standing by, watching the proceedings was Pio Linhares. During a brief conversation at his house in Mahim, Pio, 93, recalled some of his own old adventures – among them travelling with a convoy of trucks during the beginning of World War II, from Mumbai to North East India and across the border through Myanmar and Thailand to Singapore. That was when he worked for the Ford Motor Company's Mumbai office. The Abadan years were after this phase. I asked him what he thought of his son's affection for climbing and the outdoors. Was he prepared for the dimensions it acquired? " I allowed him to do what he wanted. I did not hold him back. It is when you restrict somebody that they get frustrated and you need to worry,'' Pio said.
In 1986, Girivihar decided to attempt Kamet (7756m). Franco couldn't find the required leave to join the team. He helped reach the expedition's gear all the way to Malari and then returned to Mumbai. Away in the Himalaya, on the Kamet trip, the idea of another expedition was born – an attempt on Kanchenjunga (8586m), the world's third highest peak. According to Franco, Kanchenjunga wasn't the first choice. The club's first choice was Everest (8850m). Everest via its normal route was already booked and the available opportunity was a climb via one of the harder faces. That's how Kanchenjunga entered the frame. The club's junior team was told clearly – they needed to do their basic mountaineering course. By now the `junior team' – it had the likes of Franco, Vijay, Sanjay Chowgule and Amod Khopkar – had been climbing regularly. In 1986, Franco did his basic course from the mountaineering institute in Manali then called the Western Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (WHMI). Attempting a big mountain like Kanchenjunga requires preparation. The club's junior team was told to select a peak and plan an expedition. They decided on Hanuman Tibba (5900m) in Himachal Pradesh. The team led by Vidyadhar Joshi, included Franco, Amod and Milind Bhide. But it turned out to be a challenging trip with the team's progress halted by heavy snowing. Eventually Vidyadhar climbed Friendship peak nearby as a consolation. " Eighty per cent of my trips to the high mountains ended up living in inhospitable conditions and then coming back,'' Franco said.
The Kanchenjunga expedition happened in 1988. Having secured from Hoechst the needed leave of three and a half months, Franco went with an advance party to the mountain's Base Camp in Nepal. Their role – carry in the expedition's gear and supplies. The advance party had 300 porters or so. The rest of the team flew to Taplejung and proceeded to Base Camp. Franco's trek began from Hille, ahead of Taplejung and entailed 14-15 days walk to reach Base Camp at around 18,000ft. This included a three day-walk on the glacier ahead of camp. After reaching Base Camp, the team set out to establish Camp I. Kanchenjunga was a powerful influence on Franco. That expedition shaped the reputation he would subsequently have at Girivihar. He went up to Camp 4, at around 24,000ft on the mountain. He spent two nights there. There were suggestions that he proceed further up. He declined the offer. Didn't a potential shot at the summit interest you? – I asked him. After all, the summit is where every mountaineer wants to be. " I was completely exhausted and hyperventilating like mad. I was at the end of my tether. Saying no wasn't a difficult decision for me,'' Franco said. Girivihar's Kanchenjunga expedition – it was the first Indian civilian expedition to an 8000m-peak – failed by a thin margin. It saw two climbers – Charuhas Joshi and Uday Kolwankar – reach above 8000m. It also saw the tragic demise of a team member, the expedition's deputy leader Sanjay Borole.
Amid this, Franco ended up spending 28 days above Base Camp on the mountain, a significant altitude for someone to stay that long at a stretch. When the expedition was wound up, he volunteered to go with the party carrying down the body of the deceased member and proceed onward to Mumbai. This trip included another duty en route – he was deputed to meet Elizabeth Hawley, the legendary American journalist who kept a record of expeditions and climbs in the Nepal Himalaya. He also spent some time wandering about Kathmandu with his newly gained mountain-look. One of Franco's memories of Kanchenjunga is the huge beard he acquired during the expedition. He roamed all around Thamel sporting the beard and kept it on till he got back to Mumbai. Franco considers the Kanchenjunga expedition as having been very important for Girivihar's junior climbers like him. They climbed high on Kanchenjunga, spent much time on the mountain and worked in several camps. He recalled the case of Shantanu Pandit, who was also an upcoming climber like him at that time. Shantanu became one of those who worked the most, having walked in with the advance party and leaving only after expedition's wrap-up. Vijay had accompanied the expedition's film crew to Base Camp. " It was a three month-long strenuous, tragic expedition and very few team members returned home in sound mental and physical condition like Franco did,'' he said. The very next year after Kanchenjunga, four club members including Franco, went to attempt Menthosa (6440m) in Himachal Pradesh. They reached Camp II pretty quickly and could have gone for the summit, except – there was heavy snowfall. The team stayed put at Camp II for three days and then returned. In a second attempt on the peak, some years later, Franco would reach only till Camp I.
For Franco, the Himalaya was an on-off affair. " I used to come off the Himalaya saying – no more of this. But after about a month of being in Mumbai, I would start planning the next trip,'' he said. In that stage of his life, Franco had an expedition almost every year. Over time however, the zest began dipping. His problems were two – the cold and the altitude. Twice he experienced chilblains. His capacity to acclimatize smoothly also seemed to progressively fade. On an expedition to Shivling (6543m), he had his first bout of nausea at Tapovan (4463m) itself. During another trip to Kang Yatze (6400m) in Ladakh, he chose to halt his ascent short of the summit as he felt exhausted. In comparison, the Western Ghats of Maharashtra (called Sahyadri locally) stayed playground. " I have been to many places, many times in the Western Ghats and yet enjoyed it every time. I never had that attitude of wanting to visit a place just for the heck of saying I was there. For me, every venture into the outdoors is different even if it be a repeat visit to the same place,'' Franco said.
Shyam Sanap, 32, is a talented climber. At his peak, he was often called the best boulderer in Mumbai. He has known Franco for at least 15 years. According to him, Franco's climbing has steadily improved. At 65, he is doing some of his best climbing. " At the wall and at the crags, Franco not only does his share of climbing, he also attempts problems being tried by stronger climbers, much younger to him in age. He does not waste any opportunity to climb that comes his way,'' Shyam said. Aniruddha Biswas (Aniruddh) reached Girivihar through RC-32. Franco credits Aniruddh for much of the improvement in his climbing that happened in his later years. Time spent in the US saw Aniruddh's climbing improve dramatically. " Aniruddh used to keep on encouraging me. I now climb hard. I try to play tag with all the youngsters around. I enjoy it. I don't care if I can't do the hard stuff they do. Just attempting it makes me happy. Over time I have realized that I can also do it,'' Franco said. At the Podar College-wall, I suspect there is more to the young company Franco finds himself in these days, than meets the eye. It speaks of his adaptability. In 2003 Vijay moved to Goa. As they aged, the climbers of Franco's generation faded, transformed to being organizers or became high priests and commentators of the sport. Franco soldiered on, climbing. Long ago, it was the old black and white photo from Matheran; later – Girivihar's classic climbing years, today – the Podar College-wall and Belapur's crags. The one constant has been climbing and the outdoors; connections with visitors to life built around these experiences. As the clock ticks, the crowd around him has been getting younger. The Podar College-wall is the deep end of such youth. " It is awesome what he is doing at this age,'' Anuj Naik, 28, climbing since the past one year at the Podar College-wall, said. Besides many years spent climbing around Mumbai, Franco has climbed rock in various places in India – from Badami, Hampi and Yana in Karnataka, to Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh and the Miyar Nallah area in Himachal Pradesh. He has also climbed in Sicily, Italy. " Now I am thinking of a climbing trip to Greece,'' he said. Along the way he took voluntary retirement (VRS) from Hoechst, served as president of Girivihar and stayed a bachelor. He is also a devout Catholic who likes his periodic visits to the church.
" I hope I can climb as long as the body permits. I just want to climb rock. I have always loved rock climbing. With all the modern climbing that has taken off, I wish to lead a 7a someday. That is my goal. As regards big mountains, I find altitude and cold challenging. So that is a bit difficult,'' he said. In the pantheon of climbing grades, 7a is arguably the beginning of truly difficult, demanding climbs. This author is a very average – probably bad – climber. The hardest route he ever led was a 6b or near about. Stand in the author's shoes, add Franco's age and say lead climbing – 7a acquires a different hue; it is an engaging challenge. It may seem a bit puzzling – this courting of climbing as pure physicality (which is the image sport climbing evokes) after beholding climbing on a much larger canvas in the Himalaya. In disciplines like bouldering for example, the equivalent of a whole mountain at altitude to tackle, will be a tricky move or two, utterly strenuous but rarely exceeding 20ft in height. Compared to bouldering, bolted sport routes are longer but as predetermined, pre-protected routes they can be said to be partial to highlighting the physicality and edginess of climbing than the art of figuring out an ascent. Franco concedes this. On the other hand, he avers, he has a high tolerance for pure action, physicality and game formats thanks to his old school days. He doesn't mind the perceived loss of thought and grandeur when world reduces to action filled-sport climbing in finite space. Is there something of a life simplified, a return to old days and St Sebastian Goan High School in erstwhile mountaineer hanging out at the Podar College-wall or dreaming 7a at 65? One wonders.
When I first met Franco in the late 1990s, he had just acquired a pair of green classic climbing shoes called Kamet, his first pair. Then a black and purple Boreal Laser was added to the collection. Thereafter as climbing acquired intensity among the devout in Mumbai, climbers – Franco among them – burnt rubber fast. Now he carries an Evolv Pontas, a Five Ten Galelio amd Anasazi to the crags. I asked Franco if he had set out to be a climber. " I think the story of my life is that I just drifted. I kept doing things, meandered to wherever the current took me, stopped where the current stopped and then, carried on again from there,'' he said. In Franco's case this would seem to have become a unique strength. Unlike the average rock climber / mountaineer who bristles with achievement or loves to add arrows to his / her quiver of achievements, Franco has remained a very approachable person. With three decades of climbing under his belt, he has memories and stories. But the way he recollects – akin to taking out an old volume from the shelves and blowing the dust off it – you get the impression that he lives in the now and here. Those who have climbed will agree – that's one of the experiential imprints of climbing, especially its increasingly young, action filled-genres like sport climbing. At Mumbai's crags, at the Podar College-wall – that is how people and Franco are. It is a celebration of one move, the next move and the now in both. Along the way, in the many hours accumulated climbing, you notice a passing number – 65.


text:
PUFFED UP.
January 21, 2010 by languagehat 32 Comments
I know I blog about Russian stuff a lot, doubtless too much for some readers, and I apologize in advance for the nature of this post, since unless you actually know Russian it won't be of interest, but it's such a surprising and satisfying etymology to me I can't resist passing it on. I'm getting toward the end of the penultimate chapter of Bely's Peterburg (the novel known in English as Petersburg), and I just got around to checking out a word I'd noted earlier in the chapter—it looked like a misprint (my copy is riddled with them), but I wasn't sure. Well, it turns out it wasn't a misprint, just an unusual word. In the course of one of the lyrical passages sprinkled throughout the book, the свистопляска (svistoplyaska 'pandemonium,' literally 'whistle-dance') sweeping over Russia is said to "надмеваться оскаленной цифрою," 'nadmevat'sya like a numeral baring its teeth.' Now, nadmevat'sya looks like it should consist of the prefix nad- plus a verb mevat'sya, but there is no such verb (in fact, no word in Russian starts with the letters mev). I finally looked up nadmevat'sya in Dahl, where I found that the prefix was not nad- but na-, and the root verb was дмить (dmit') 'to blow,' first person дму (dmu); furthermore, it was from this verb that the common adjective надменный (nadmenny) 'haughty, arrogant' is derived! Again, I'd always assumed the adjective contained the nad- prefix, meaning 'over,' but no, the obsolete na-dmit', like the related and still common na-dut', means 'to blow up, puff up,' and nadmenny is etymologically 'puffed up,' which makes perfect sense. And the phrase from Bely that started me off means 'to be puffed up like a numeral baring its teeth,' or (in the here overinterpreted and misleading but generally serviceable translation of David McDuff) "to lord it like a grinning cipher."
Dan Milton says:
"To be puffed up like a numeral baring its teeth".
Okay, what does that mean, if anything?
The McDuff translation makes sense, taking "cipher" in its figurative sense "a nobody", but I don't think it could be a legitimate translation of the Russian where, so far as I know, 'tsifra' is not a synonym of 'nul' '.
Sashura says:
Oh I think McDuff's translation is very good. It's a very long sentence in the original. 'To lord it like a grinning cipher' refers to black and white striped mile markers jumping out from the roadside at the traveler to remind him of the 'homelessness and endlessness' of his journey. So it does makes sense if you take cipher as a sign in digits, a coded monogramme on the marker.
It is indeed surprising etymology. I'd think it was a neologism, alliterating издеваться (izdevat'sya – humiliate) and насмехаться (nasmekhat'sya – mock, ridicule). A fine example of Bely's mastery of words.
John Baptist says:
Interesting. Cognates exist in Czech as dmout and nadmout. The related adjectival participle (if that's the right term), nadutý, has a secondary meaning as "conceited," or "swollen-headed," which makes sense, actually.
So it does makes sense if you take cipher as a sign in digits, a coded monogramme on the marker.
Quite right, and I hadn't thought of that; tsifra can indeed mean 'code' or 'cipher' (or could when Bely was writing—I think it's now obsolete?). My apologies to Mr. McDuff, except that I think most English-speakers would, like me and Dan Milton, take "cipher" as "zero" and thus figuratively "a nobody", which is not at all what the Russian means.
I would bet he was influenced by the similarity of the two words; it's very, very hard to avoid the seductiveness of faux amis when translating.
most English-speakers would, like me and Dan Milton, take "cipher" as "zero"
The "zero" meaning would never have occurred to me. A cipher to me is a number, and sounds more like a comment on the impersonal nature of twentieth century life, where people are regarded as nothing more than numbers in a computer. Secondarily it would be something encoded, as in cryptography, and even more remotely refer to studying mathematics, as someone in Mark Twain's era might "larn" cyphering. None of those meanings make sense in the context, "zero" even less. (Although if you look up "cipher" you do find it is cognate with Arabic صفر sifr, "zero".)
unless you actually know Russian it won't be of interest
Like other non-Russian speaking readers who have remarked on this on other threads, I enjoy the Russian posts, in part because it's always interesting to see a subject through the eyes of someone who really enjoys it, and in part because of the interesting people who turn up to comment. And of course, the inevitable derailments.
CL says:
I don't think I actually knew cipher could mean 'zero'. I'm used to the 'digit' and 'code' meanings, though.
As an amateur speaker of Russian with a Russian husband and in-laws and as a certified language nerd, I think your Russian posts (especially the etymology ones) are a lot of fun. Thanks for another good one!
Dear Hat —
To puff up" and "bare one's teeth like an animal" indicate to me hostility, not arrogance. Think of a wolverine raising its hackles and snarling at you… Truly frightening. Now, why a numeral would do this, I have no idea.
Is there anything in the context of the phrase that precludes "aggressive snarling" in favor of "arrogant grinning"?
Hello Hat,
I love the close readings of individual words! You are the close reader every writer writes for. Belyi needs nothing if not a magnifying glass (and a full set of encyclopedias!). I tend to agree with Cherie that this sounds more threatening (or like the reaction of a threatened animal) – and actually this fits fully in with a major trope of early Soviet lit in general, the idea of "things coming to life" – numbers coming to life, in this case – as one symptom of the general craziness of russia immediately pre-WWI.
No, the Russian verb is used in both contexts.
Now, why a numeral would do this, I have no idea.
Scary numbers are a recurring theme in the novel; one of the villains is a quintillion. And like Annie says, "things coming to life" was a popular trope.
this sounds more threatening (or like the reaction of a threatened animal)
no-no-no, it's perfectly fine! 'Oskalenny', 'oskalit'sya' and 'skalitsya' can also mean 'laugh with one's mouth wide open'. I've just looked it up in my Ozhegov. He gives this phrase to illustrate: "У человека неприятность, а ты зубы скалишь" – 'The man's in trouble, and you're grinning' (literally: baring your teeth).
'Oskal, oskalenny' can mean threat, agression, especially with 'zveriny' (animal, beastly), and this meaning has become stronger because of its use in agitprop: 'звериный оскал капитализма' – 'beastly snarl of capitalism'.
it's very, very hard to avoid the seductiveness of faux amis when translating.
It is! I agree, especially when a bit of lexi-flexi allows the translator to avoid outright error.
By the way, much as I enjoy Hat's Russian posts, myself a Russian I find posts on other languages interesting to me too. You pick up gems where us, others, just glide past.
A. J. P. Crown says:
Pick up germs? Oh, I need my glasses.
Better scrub them with disinfectant first.
Steven Lubman says:
Thank you, very interesting etimology of the word надменный. Now, the verb "дмить" must have the same root as "дым", Vasmer has a word "надымать" – "blow up".
No, actually дым is related to Lithuanian dūmai, Sanskrit dhūmas, Latin fūmus, Greek thūmos, and Old High German toum, whereas дмить is related to Lithuanian dumti and Sanskrit dhamati.
Do you think Humpty Dumpty is related to Lithuanian dumti?
Sashchen says:
no, Humpty is from Kipling's How A.J.P. Camel Got His Hump and Dumpty is based on Dumpkopff, a character in Strugatsky's Inhabited Island.
Are the Strugatskys any good? I just googled them, but I couldn't tell.
They are, if you like sort of high-end sci-fi with a philosophical twist. They are sometimes into philosophy and sometimes into satire, often both. Tarkovsky's film Stalker is based on one of their novels.
A. J. P. "Just say no to teabags!" says:
I'll give it a whirl, then. Thanks.
A. J. P. Crine says:
I put this link here only because it's a Russian topic. I think we recently mentioned Lenin's wife; here is an article in the Guardian about Krupskaya chocolate. I prefer the "before" label.
I like the end of the article: "It is an oddity yet to be explained that someone who was famously renowned as the symbol of sour-faced Soviet womanhood should be remembered as one of capitalism's most pleasurable indulgences." Very true; Nadezhda Konstantinovna was a very unpleasant person, and her name would be more appropriate on bottles of castor oil.
A.J.P. Curlers says:
Yes. I'd never thought of chocolate being inherently capitalist before, though. If it is, it's still possible that she was, paradoxically, addicted to it.
It was on Krupskaya's initiative that Chukovsky's much loved children's poem 'Krokodil' was banned on counter-revolutionary grounds around 1928. Poor Chuk was on the verge of suicide. Gorky intervened and the ban was lifted.
But don't you see the tongue-in-cheek in Leningraders' request? Munching and licking chocolate Krupskaya? Grigory Oster has 'chocolate girls' in his children's 'Maneater's Cookbook'.
Baron A. J. P. Cohen says:
It does sound like she was pretty awful. The irony or tongue-in-cheek didn't occur to me, so thanks for that. Grigory Oster doesn't seem to have been translated into English, unfortunately.
bruessel says:
According to this website http://www.elkost.com/grigory_oster/books/best_childrens_books_in_the_wo.html one of Grigory Oster's stories has been published in English in the anthology Best Children's Books in the World: A Treasury of Illustrated Stories. It appears to be out of print, but there are used copies for sale via Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Q: Varying initializer in a 'for loop' in C++ int i = 0;
for(; i<size-1; i++) {
    int temp = arr[i];
    arr[i] = arr[i+1];
    arr[i+1] = temp;
}

Here I started with the fist position of array. What if after the loop I need to execute the for loop again where the for loop starts with the next position of array.
Like for first for loop starts from: Array[0]
Second iteration: Array[1]
Third iteration: Array[2]
Example:
For array: 1 2 3 4 5
for i=0: 2 1 3 4 5, 2 3 1 4 5, 2 3 4 1 5, 2 3 4 5 1
for i=1: 1 3 2 4 5, 1 3 4 2 5, 1 3 4 5 2 so on.

A: You can nest loops inside each other, including the ability for the inner loop to access the iterator value of the outer loop. Thus:
for(int start = 0; start < size-1; start++) {
    for(int i = start; i < size-1; i++) {
        // Inner code on 'i'
    }
}

Would repeat your loop with an increasing start value, thus repeating with a higher initial value for i until you're gone through your list.

A: Suppose you have a routine to generate all possible permutations of the array elements for a given length n. Suppose the routine, after processing all n! permutations, leaves the n items of the array in their initial order.
Question: how can we build a routine to make all possible permutations of an array with (n+1) elements?
Answer:
Generate all permutations of the initial n elements, each time process the whole array; this way we have processed all n! permutations with the same last item.
Now, swap the (n+1)-st item with one of those n and repeat permuting n elements – we get another n! permutations with a new last item.
The n elements are left in their previous order, so put that last item back into its initial place and choose another one to put at the end of an array. Reiterate permuting n items.
And so on.
Remember, after each call the routine leaves the n-items array in its initial order. To retain this property at n+1 we need to make sure the same element gets finally placed at the end of an array after the (n+1)-st iteration of n! permutations.
This is how you can do that:
void ProcessAllPermutations(int arr[], int arrLen, int permLen)
{
    if(permLen == 1)
        ProcessThePermutation(arr, arrLen);         // print the permutation
    else
    {
        int lastpos = permLen - 1;                  // last item position for swaps

        for(int pos = lastpos; pos >= 0; pos--)     // pos of item to swap with the last
        {
            swap(arr[pos], arr[lastpos]);           // put the chosen item at the end
            ProcessAllPermutations(arr, arrLen, permLen - 1);
            swap(arr[pos], arr[lastpos]);           // put the chosen item back at pos
        }
    }
}

and here is an example of the routine running: https://ideone.com/sXp35O
Note, however, that this approach is highly ineffective:

*

*It may work in a reasonable time for very small input size only. The number of permutations is a factorial function of the array length, and it grows faster than exponentially, which makes really BIG number of tests.

*The routine has no short return. Even if the first or second permutation is the correct result, the routine will perform all the rest of n! unnecessary tests, too. Of course one can add a return path to break iteration, but that would make the code somewhat ugly. And it would bring no significant gain, because the routine will have to make n!/2 test on average.

*Each generated permutation appears deep in the last level of the recursion. Testing for a correct result requires making a call to ProcessThePermutation from within ProcessAllPermutations, so it is difficult to replace the callee with some other function. The caller function must be modified each time you need another method of testing / procesing / whatever. Or one would have to provide a pointer to a processing function (a 'callback') and push it down through all the recursion, down to the place where the call will happen. This might be done indirectly by a virtual function in some context object, so it would look quite nice – but the overhead of passing additional data down the recursive calls can not be avoided.

*The routine has yet another interesting property: it does not rely on the data values. Elements of the array are never compared. This may sometimes be an advantage: the routine can permute any kind of objects, even if they are not comparable. On the other hand it can not detect duplicates, so in case of equal items it will make repeated results. In a degenerate case of all n equal items the result will be n! equal sequences.

So if you ask how to generate all permutations to detect a sorted one, I must answer: DON'T.
Do learn effective sorting algorithms instead.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Where running heads are consistent throughout a chapter or section, it is usually more convenient to relate them to the chapter or section, e.g. by use of the rend attribute. The fw element is intended for cases where the running head changes from page to page, or where details of page layout and the internal structure of the running heads are of paramount importance.


Welcome to our exclusive selection of Growers Champagnes. There's nothing like a bottle of Champagne to add a touch of sparkle to your celebrations! The epitome of luxury and style, only wines grown, fermented and bottled in the famous Champagne region of north-eastern France enjoy this prestigious title. Carefully selected from the region's finest growers, our exclusive range delivers the complex flavours and outstanding quality you expect from Champagne and includes Organic Champagne, Biodynamic and Vegan products. Whether you're looking for something to get the party started or a gift for someone special, you'll find the perfect Champagne for any occasion in our online shop.


The Foundation funds research projects and the publication of their results, organizes calls for applications on varying research themes and hosts the biennial Think INK innovation competition. The Foundation also supports endowed professorships, gives out dissertation and student grants and provides scholarships and travel grants to those in the field. The Foundation itself can also participate in projects. The Foundation's operations are based on capital income and donated funds.


TAQA is a prime example of a high-performing multinational organisation that values, thrives on and actively promotes cultural diversity. To improve cross-cultural communication and teamwork TAQA engaged Pearn Kandola to run a 'Cultural Intelligence' workshop for its senior management.
The initiative comes at a time of rapid expansion for TAQA. It currently operates in nine countries, and employs 2,300 people from 38 different nations. In one year alone the company made strategic acquisitions in Scotland, the Netherlands, the USA and Canada.
Every leadership team at TAQA is taking part in the workshop, which mixes theory and practice. Managers learn how people's different attitudes, expectations and assumptions show themselves, and how these impact on working practices, relationships, and communication. Although the workshop exercises are fun to do, they have a serious point. They raise awareness of each person's own cultural biases and increase their sensitivity to other cultures. Through case studies managers also explore practical solutions to issues that can affect business efficiency, such as virtual team work, dealing with conflict and building relationships.
"The Pearn Kandola workshop is very comprehensive and people's response has been positive. We're now building on this momentum to make cultural intelligence part of our DNA," concluded Peter Barker-Homek.


Requirement 1. Become familiar with the freshwater fishing laws, regulations, and license requirements for your state.
a. Using a map of your state, designate where the different varieties of water are located, such as warm fresh water, cold fresh water (include tail waters), brackish water, and salt water.
b. On the map, note the most popular game fish found in each spot you marked.
c. On the map, note any protected fish species found in your state.
Requirement 3. Develop a personal ethical code for fishing. List a variety of potential ethical situations where choices may have to be made and describe how you plan to make decisions for those situations.
Requirement 4. List at least 10 potential safety situations that you could encounter while fishing in your area and what precautions you should take to protect yourself and your fishing partners.
Requirement 5. For two different species of game fish found in your state, learn where they are in the food chain, the types of waters they can be found in, and the type of underwater structure and temperature they might be most likely to be found in during the fall, winter, spring, and summer. Identify any special habitat requirements for spawning and/or juvenile growth.
a. Plan or assist with a National Fishing Week or National Hunting and Fishing Day event (see www.gofishing.org and www.nhfday.org).
b. Assist with a Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs program (see www.hofnod.com).
c. Organize and lead a fishing trip or event to introduce other youth to fishing.
Requirement 7. Make a tabletop display or presentation for your crew, another crew, a Cub or Boy Scout group, or another youth group on what you have learned about fishing.
1. Catch two different species of fish using spinning, spin-casting, and/or bait casting outfits.
2. Learn the proper technique to release fish and release at least one fish, ensuring that it will recover, and safely swim away.
3. Catch another fish, which you will clean, cook, and eat. Study and note several cleaning and cooking options.
4. Present to the youth in your crew, another Scouting unit, or a youth group your experience in releasing fish and the cleaning and cooking of fish. Discuss the contrasting experiences.
1. Explain the difference between a spin-casting outfit, a spinning outfit, and a bait-casting outfit. Describe the benefits of each type and where and how one might be better for certain fishing situations.
2. Study and explain how a reel drag should be used. Teach the proper use and function of drag settings.
3. Teach how to properly play a fish under several situations.
Tie each knot with ease and explain how it is used.
5. Show how to cast two of the three types of outfits. With each, demonstrate two ways to make effective casts using targets. Learn safety measures needed to ensure safe casting.
1. Build a fishing rod of your choice.
2. Design and make your own fishing lure and explain the fish attracting principle of the lure.
3. With approval of the proper agency, plan and implement a fishery conservation project. Contact the local district biologist at your state fish and wildlife agency, go to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Web site at www.iafwa.org and click on "Download State Directors Directory." Document your project with pictures and/or acknowledgment from the agency managing the waterway.
1. Catch two different species of fish using a fly-fishing outfit.
1. Explain the difference between a dry fly, wet fly, streamer, nymph, and bass bugs or poppers. Describe the benefits of each type and where and how one might be better for certain fishing situations.
2. Study and explain how to match rod, reel, line, and leader to develop a balanced outfit. Explain how to select the right outfit for various fishing situations. Understand the makeup of fly lines and teach the advantages of weight-forward lines versus double-taper lines. Identify and explain the various types of lines and their advantages (floating, sink-tip, and sinking lines).
3. Teach how to properly play a fish under several situations, recognizing that fish exhaustion is critical to catch-and-release survival.
5. Show how to cast. Demonstrate casting skills, explaining proper grip, casting arc, how to "load" the rod, and how to present the fly. Demonstrate various ways to make effective casts using targets. Learn safety measures needed to ensure safe casting.
1. Build a fly rod of your choice.
2. Tie SIX flies (nymph, wet fly, dry fly, and/or streamer) and explain how each pattern is used to imitate what fish eat.
1. Catch two different species of fish by surf fishing, casting from a boat, and/or trolling, using proper equipment.
1. Explain the difference between surf fishing, casting from a boat, and trolling from a boat. Describe the benefits of each type and where and how one might be better for certain fishing situations.
Requirement 9. If you live in a coastal state, become familiar with the saltwater fishing laws, regulations, and license requirements for your state. If you live in an inland state, become familiar with the saltwater fishing laws, regulations, and license requirements for a coastal state of your choice.
a. Build a fishing rod of your choice.
b. Design and make several fishing lures and explain the fish attracting principle of each lure.
c. With approval of the proper agency, plan and implement a fishery conservation project. Contact the local district biologist at your state fish and wildlife agency, go to the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Web site at www.iafwa.org and click on "Download State Directors Directory." Document your project with pictures and/or acknowledgment from the agency managing the waterway.


Adventure is waiting for you about an hour off the Southern California coast on Catalina Island. Book your adventures online more than seven days in advance and receive 15% off. Just select the Online 7+ Days Advance Purchase Price in the booking window.
Explore Catalina's historic charm and pristine wilderness on our exciting land tours, including TripAdvisor's top-rated Zip Line Eco Tour, the challenging Catalina Aerial Adventure, and biofuel Hummer expeditions into Catalina bison country.
Our many ocean tours, including Undersea Expedition, Ocean Expedition, and Glass Bottom Boat, offer guests the opportunity to see dolphins, sea lions and other aquatic life that inhabits Catalina's world-renowned marine environment.
Active adventurers can explore Catalina on more than 150 miles of hiking and biking trails that crisscross the island's interior. Catalina Island Golf Course, the oldest course west of the Mississippi, offers nine challenging holes with spectacular views. Avalon's Golf Gardens Mini Golf has been a family favorite for nearly 50 years.
If you want to explore Catalina's west end, hop aboard the Cyclone power boat and Discover Two Harbors, where you can rent kayaks, mountain bikes, stand-up paddleboards, snorkel gear and more at the Dive & Recreation Center.
Whatever activities and adventures you choose, we hope you enjoy your experience on Catalina, California's Island EscapeTM.
View our Catalina Island Activities Brochure.


Bruxism, Braces, and Night Guards - Platinum Dental . If you can imagine the pain in your jaw, mouth, and muscles from constant chewing, those who suffer from bruxism (teeth grinding) have it worse.
· Teeth grinding is primarily caused by misaligned teeth. That is often genetic in nature, although acquired sores or lesions in the mouth can result in a similar phenomenon.
· A guide to Bruxism. ... As you would imagine, ... regular and persistent teeth grinding can cause pain and discomfort in your jaw and it can wear down your teeth.
The following signs may be your only clue that you are teeth-clenching or grinding, unless you grind your teeth and have a sleep-partner who can hear it.
Imagine the desk-worker, thinking hard to solve a problem, ... Why Do We Grind Our Teeth? By admin on March 23, 2017 in Blog | 0 Comments. What is teeth grinding?
Shoulder Replacement and Teeth Grinding. Reach Out. Imagine living with arm and shoulder pain day and night, relying on narcotics to take the edge off.
Are you a nighttime teeth grinder? For non-grinders to understand the effects of teeth grinding, imagine chewing gum for 8-9 hours a day without stopping.
CUSTOM Flexible SUPER Hard Dental Night Guard. Protect your mouth from teeth grinding with this guard. ... and I can't imagine living without them.
User Stories & Experiences. ... so it is worth trying regardless of the reason you grind your teeth. Imagine if you actually get cured of your teeth grinding!
Jul 04, 2014· It has semicircular teeth, ... I can't imagine grinding lead. I'm seeing a grinding stone clogging up to a smooth lead coating in about a second or so.
Teeth grinding is a surprisingly common occurrence and often happens whilst asleep. ... Grinding Appliances ... Imagine chewing hard but with no food in your mouth.
Convincing them that they are grinding their teeth is often pointless. ... Imagine manually manipulating the jaw to allow the teeth to slide against each other.
Grinding teeth. Tooth GrindingTeeth grinding is a surprisingly common occurrence and often happens whilst asleep. ... Imagine chewing hard but with no food in your mouth.
If you've ever heard the awful gnashing sound of someone grinding his teeth while he's sleeping, you can imagine how bad it might be for his teeth.
What are the causes of teeth grinding and snoring in Kids? ... Teeth Grinding and Reasons for Snoring in Kids. ... You can imagine how distressing this is for a child.
How Can I Stop Grinding My Teeth? ... Imagine you are breathing in from the soles of your feet. 2. As you inhale, relax your jaw, but keep your mouth closed. 3.
The No-Boil dental night guard for teeth from SleepRight offers affordable help for people who have trouble with grinding their teeth at night.


While ubiquitous in nature, melanin, which provides the coloring found in hair, skin, eyes, feathers, scales, etc., is an especially important substance as far as the human condition is concerned. After all, melanin's role in determining skin color makes it the primary physiological basis for racial differentiation among humans. Entire civilizations, no doubt, have risen and fallen due to their conceptions (and misconceptions) about this pigment's effects on human behavior, to the point that the very notion of humanness itself has been called into question depending on how little or how much melanin a body possessed.
It is for this reason that melanin's lesser known, functional properties should be considered more closely. In fact, being more pigmented, i.e. darker skinned, or put oppositely, being less de-pigmented, may confer a unique set of health benefits which over the course of human history have been repressed or intentionally misrepresented in order to fuel the sociopolitical construct of race.
If the authors are correct, a longstanding assumption that animals are incapable of utilizing light energy directly is thrown out the window. In other words, melanized tissue within our body may be capable of "ingesting" sunlight, and not unlike plants, using the "harvested" light in biologically useful ways.
In order to compensate for the lower availability of sunlight, the body rapidly adjusted, essentially requiring the removal of the natural "sunscreen" melanin from the skin, which interferes with vitamin D production; vitamin D, of course, is involved in the regulation of over 2,000 genes, and therefore is more like a hormone, without which our entire genetic infrastructure becomes destabilized.
While a life-saving adaptation, the loss of melanin likely has adverse health effects, which include losing the ability to convert sunlight into metabolic energy, increased prevalence of Parkinson's disease (which involves de-melanization of the substantia nigra and disproportionately affects those of Caucasian descent), and others effects which have yet been investigated in any detail.
For now, it is important to point out that within the span of only 60,000 years (a nanosecond in biological time), many of the skin "color" differences among the world's human inhabitants reflect how heavily genetically-conserved was the ability of the human body to produce vitamin D. Furthermore, the trade-off involved in maintaining the ability create enough vitamin D within a sunlight-deprived clime by sacrificing melanin may have had adverse health effects that are only now being investigated.
Because UVA light does not provide any additional photoprotection and is far more toxic to cellular DNA, it is important to maximize exposure to the UVB wavelengths which predominate around solar noon (approximately 12 o' clock), tapering off in intensity several hours before and after. It is within this window of time that vitamin D production also happens to be at its greatest, as UVB radiation is responsible for stimulating its synthesis as well.


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Solar Learning Center > Solar Rebates & Incentives > Solar Rebates by State > Wisconsin Solar Incentives and Benefits
By Patrick Crowley | Apr 21, 2017
On the surface, solar energy and Wisconsin may seem to be an odd couple, but they're actually a near-perfect match. Wisconsin has shown and still shows, efforts to reduce the cost of solar for homeowners in order to increase the number of homeowners who go solar. With an average electric rate higher than the national average, there is a large financial benefit to producing your own electricity. Let's dive deep into Wisconsin's solar policy so you, the Wisconsin homeowner, can evaluate your needs and see if solar makes sense for you.
Net metering is where individual solar systems are connected to the public utility grid, sending excess energy the solar system produces to the grid in exchange for credits to be used when the solar system is not producing power (i.e. at night). In the end, the homeowner only pays for the net amount of energy he or she uses. This is a fundamental aspect of grid-tied solar systems.
Wisconsin requires all investor-owned and municipal utilities to have a net metering program, however, there is no such requirement for
electric cooperatives. This is generally good news for Wisconsin homeowners, as a large majority of the population falls in investor-owned and municipal utility coverage areas. For more detail on net metering policy in Wisconsin, see the full policy here.
Focus on Energy Program
Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program is a state rebate program where you can lower the total cost of your solar system. The incentive reduces the total cost of your solar system by 12%, up to $2,000. The magic number is ~$16,667 for reaching that $2,000 cap. If your system costs less than that, you'll receive whatever 12% of that cost is in a solar rebate. If your system costs more, you'll reach the incentive cap and receive $2,000 in a solar rebate.
The Focus on Energy program has a yearly budget of funds they can give out to homeowners. Therefore, it's better to evaluate your solar needs sooner rather than later so you can be sure to take advantage of this incentive. To see full details of the program and updated funding status, visit the Focus on Energy site here.
The Federal Tax Credit
The Federal ITC (Investment Tax Credit) is available to all homeowners with a federal tax liability who install a solar system, provided they are not leasing the system. The tax credit is for 30% off the total cost of your solar system. In Wisconsin's case, the Focus on Energy rebate would first be deducted from the cost of the system, then the Federal ITC applied.
For example, if the gross cost of your solar system was $20,000, you would first apply the Focus on Energy rebate of $2,000, reducing the total system cost to $18,000 (12% of $20,000 is $2,400, so the rebate would be capped at $2,000). Then you'd reduce the $18,000 cost by 30% for a net system cost of $12,600. Make sure to check with your tax professional to be sure you are eligible for the Federal ITC. Assuming you are, you can see how the combination of incentives can really lower the cost of solar for you.
Check this video to find more details on Federal Solar Tax Credit.
A Look at the Past and Toward the Future
Wisconsin is no stranger to promoting solar adoption. The state set a goal of 10% of its energy to come from renewables by 2015. Wisconsin met this goal in 2013. Of course, another RPS policy with a higher goal, which would lead to more and stronger incentives for homeowners, would be best, but having the policy at all and meeting it as quickly as Wisconsin did, shows a commitment toward not just solar, but all renewable energy.
If you're considering solar or battery backup in Wisconsin, check in with Solar.com Our marketplace ensures you'll receive the best possible bids in your region. With a third-party advocate, you can also rest assured that you're receiving the care you need through the process and that all of your expectations are met. You can call Solar.com at (888) 454-9979 to talk to a solar expert today. We look forward to learning about your goals for energy independence in Wisconsin.
There's no sugarcoating what happened in Nevada late last year. State regulators slashed rates for supplying solar energy to the grid, rates that homeowners expect...


Lemon has long been known as one of the best food ingredients for detoxing your body . It really helps to cleanse your system, primarily with your liver, kidneys, and gallbladder, not to mention helping to restart your entire body.
Tea consumption in Ireland remains strong despite the growing popularity of coffee among the urban middle classes of Ireland. This is because of the country's strong cultural association with tea that transcends the ordinary.
Even a diligent dieter can be derailed in his or her effort to avoid sugar and salt , too much of which can lead to obesity , diabetes and heart disease. Fortunately, you don't have to choose between tastiness and health.


text:
Кейро () — місто () в США, в окрузі Грейді штату Джорджія. Населення —  осіб (2010). Окружний центр округу Грейді.

Географія
Кейро розташоване за координатами  (30.879251, -84.204924).  За даними Бюро перепису населення США в 2010 році місто мало площу 25,44 км², з яких 25,09 км² — суходіл та 0,35 км² — водойми.

Клімат

Демографія

Згідно з переписом 2010 року, у місті мешкало  осіб у  домогосподарствах у складі  родин. Густота населення становила 378 осіб/км².  Було 4032 помешкання (159/км²).

Расовий склад населення:

До двох чи більше рас належало 2,1 %. Частка іспаномовних становила 14,4 % від усіх жителів.

За віковим діапазоном населення розподілялося таким чином: 27,0 % — особи молодші 18 років, 59,4 % — особи у віці 18—64 років, 13,6 % — особи у віці 65 років та старші. Медіана віку мешканця становила 34,5 року. На 100 осіб жіночої статі у місті припадало 89,1 чоловіків;  на 100 жінок у віці від 18 років та старших — 86,8 чоловіків також старших 18 років.

Середній дохід на одне домашнє господарство  становив  доларів США (медіана — ), а середній дохід на одну сім'ю —  доларів (медіана — ). Медіана доходів становила  доларів для чоловіків та  доларів для жінок. За межею бідності перебувало 42,6 % осіб, у тому числі 73,2 % дітей у віці до 18 років та 14,9 % осіб у віці 65 років та старших.

Цивільне працевлаштоване населення становило  осіб. Основні галузі зайнятості: освіта, охорона здоров'я та соціальна допомога — 24,3 %, роздрібна торгівля — 11,9 %, виробництво — 11,9 %.

Примітки

Джерела

Міста Джорджії
Населені пункти округу Грейді (Джорджія)
Окружні центри Джорджії

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This entry was posted on October 25, 2007 at 9:23 pm and is filed under The Cyclemaster Museum.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


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Clare Robert "CR" Jackson
April 17, 1929 - September 13, 2014
. . . 45 year plus tradition of cooking, what became known as, "Bob's Sunday Brunch"
Visitation:
2:00 - 4:00, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Blessed Sacrament Church, Andover
Clare Robert "CR" Jackson, 85, passed away on Saturday (Sept. 13, 2014) at Hart Comfort House of Allegany County, surrounded by family.
Mr. Jackson was born on April 17, 1929 in Wellsville to Clare Lynn and Anna Louise (Cronk) Jackson. He was a 1946 graduate of Andover Central School. He served in the U.S. Army from 1946-48 and again from 1950-51, the latter term in combat overseas in Korea during the conflict. On April 28, 1953, he married Elizabeth J. Childs, who predeceased him on Jan. 17, 2009.
"CR" was a 38 year veteran of the New York State Police, retiring as a senior investigator in 1989.
Bob is survived by two sons, Michael R. (Cheryl) Jackson of Andover and Robert J. (Yvonne) Jackson of Canton, Ohio; two daughters, Marcella J. (Bradley) Bledsoe of Andover and Patricia A. Jackson (Mary Lynn Howe) of Fair Haven; one brother, Clyde W. Jackson of Whiting, N.J.; eight grandchildren, Katy (Steve) Willard, Matthew Jackson, Colin Bledsoe, Molly (Burt) Turner, Daniel (Danielle) Jackson, Joseph (Lauren) Jackson, Melanie Jackson and John Jackson; twelve great-grandchildren, Emma Terhune, Grady Terhune, Gabrielle Terhune, Elden Terhune, Nolan Willard, Maureen Willard, Kylen Jackson, Maeve Turner, Josey Turner, Cal Turner, Wes Urbano and Emmerson Jackson; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was predeceased by one sister, Margaret I. Jackson and one brother, James H. Jackson.
"CR" was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was fascinated with the details of war history. Anytime there was a local Andover sporting event, he was there to cheer on the home team, especially if one of his children or grand children were on the team. Bob was very proud of his 45 year plus tradition of cooking what became known as "Bob's Sunday Brunch."
Bob was a longtime member of Allegheny Mountain Chapter of the Association of Former New York State Troopers, Inc., the American Association of State Troopers, the Frank B. Church VFW Post 2530, the Andover Lynch-Burgett Post # 397 American Legion, the 40 & 8, the Wellsville Elks Lodge #1495 and the AMVETS Post #1
Visiting hours will be on Monday evening from 6-9 p.m. and on Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. at the Baker-Swan Funeral Home in Andover. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church in Andover on Wednesday at 11 a.m. with Rev. Sean DiMaria as celebrant. Burial with full military honors will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Memorial contributions in Bob's name may be made to Hart Comfort House of Allegany County, 141 East State St., Wellsville, NY 14895.


In keeping with our expanded vision to serve those with epilepsy and "associated psychiatric disorders," staff members from ROW and OWP attended the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting in New York.
The APA Annual Meeting is the largest psychiatric meeting held annually, with over 16,000 anticipated attendees from around the globe, most of whom are physicians from psychiatric and other mental health disciplines, social workers and nurses … In addition to the more than 400 scientific sessions, over 200 APA committee meetings and allied group meetings were held.
ROW and OWP shared a booth in the exhibit hall. We presented our model and projects with psychiatrists and students, almost half of whom were international members. ROW staff attended the Africa Discussion Group organized by advisory board member Sam Okpaku. Attendees discussed how to address the lack of treatment options for patients and the need for professional training; areas where ROW could be involved in funding.
OWP sponsored a dinner for the psychiatry section of the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, with Scott Boyer as a featured speaker. We currently partner with a CMDA member neurologist on our projects in Kenya and Haiti.
We had the privilege of sharing some of our epilepsy projects with various doctors. One from Mexico got very excited about what we are doing in Haiti. His reaction was: "You hear about organizations doing amazing work like this, but you don't usually get to meet the people involved in it." He was very excited and encouraged ROW to attend the World Psychiatric Association annual meeting. He offered to introduce us to psychiatrists working in under-resourced areas in Latin America. As word of our work gets out, more opportunities like this are opening to us!


Florida Southern College is committed to educational excellence and is a selective, comprehensive, private, United Methodist college with a strong liberal arts core and signature programs. The College enrolls a talented student body and includes an accomplished faculty who are dedicated to teaching excellence. Outstanding opportunities for engaged learning, student-faculty collaborative research and performance, service learning, study abroad, and honors study are distinctive features of the academic program at Florida Southern. The college offers exceptional student life programs, including a championship athletic program. FSC has a long-standing relationship with the Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church.


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Jerod Mayo receives 2011 Ron Burton Community Service Award
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Patriots All-Pro linebacker and defensive captain Jerod Mayo was recognized as the 2011 New England Patriots Ron Burton Community Service Award winner at the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation's Annual Kickoff Gala on Tuesday evening in the Putnam Club at Gillette Stadium.
Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft presented Mayo with the award, which is named in honor of the late Ron Burton, the first player drafted by the team who, through his widespread charitable work, was a model for how a Patriots player can make an impact in the community.
"In his three short years in New England, Jerod has made large contributions both on and off the field," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "Both in uniform and and as an active volunteer in the community, he has done everything asked of him and more. He continually makes us proud to have drafted him in 2008. He is a most deserving recipient of the Ron Burton Award."
Mayo is one of the most consistent participants in Patriots Charitable Foundation activities, particularly those that benefit children.
"If it helps kids, he's there," said Patriots Executive Director of Community Affairs Andre Tippett of Mayo. "We know him to always roll up his sleeves while getting involved in creative ways, including leading art projects, serving children dinner and playing interactive games. It is clear that he wants to use his experience as a father to make a difference in the lives of each child he meets."
In 2010, Mayo launched The Mayo Bowl, an annual celebrity bowling event to raise funds for Pitching in for Kids, a charity that provides earmarked grants to improve the lives of children in New England. He has also been actively involved in Patriots Kids Cafes, which provide hot meals for youth who may not receive them at home, and has participated in the Patriots annual Children's Holiday Party. Last season, Mayo made several visits to local hospitals as part of the Patriots' "Kick Cancer" initiative.
Super Bowl Preview: Patriots at Falcons
The Patriots will play the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium in Houston on Sunday, February 5, 2017.
Edwin McCain takes in singing at AFC Championship
Singer Edwin McCain was more than excited to get a chance to sing at his favorite team's AFC Championship game.
News Blitz 1/24: Focus on Falcons
A roundup of Patriots news.
The New England Patriots Drive for 5 Bus rolls out this Wednesday
Fans will have an opportunity to follow the team's Drive for 5 bus on its 5-day, 16-state journey to Houston for Super Bowl LI.
Patriots earn record-breaking ninth Super Bowl berth; Grab second highest rating for Non-Super Bowl game in team history
The Patriots ninth conference championship victory captured an impressive ratings haul, making it the second highest household rating ever in team history for a non-Super Bowl performance.
Nitpicks and Nitwits: NE's true stars, and thank you Mr. Commish?
The Patriots' real stars are often underappreciated...and JR's off his rocker, but "Thank you, Mr. Goodell?"
Tom Brady e Chris Hogan brilharam numa noite histórica
Devido ao seu historial, os Patriots estabelecem novos recordes sempre que jogam mais um desafio nos play-offs. E isso tornou a acontecer frente aos Steelers, numa noite em que Tom Brady e Chris Hogan, entre outros, estiveram em grande destaque.
Infographic: Breaking down the win over the Steelers
We break down the important stats and milestones from the Patriots 36-17 win over the Steelers in this week's infographic.
Sie sind zurück! Brady und die Patriots gewinnen die AFC Championship mit 36:17 Sieg über die Steelers
JetBlue Adds Flights So Football Fans Can Touch Down in Houston at The Big Game
JetBlue today announced a win for football fans traveling from Boston and Providence to Houston on game day weekend. Customers on all JetBlue flights enjoy live TV, complimentary Fly-Fi, unlimited snacks and special beverage offerings on game day.
Famous fans celebrate Patriots big win on social media
From Elizabeth Banks to Deion Branch, the Patriots had a lot of support from their celebrity fans Sunday night.
Game day recipe: Best Buffalo Chicken Dip Eva!
What's a game day party without some buffalo chicken dip? Nutrition Chef Valerie Cogswell brings us this healthy twist on a game day staple.