Chefchaouen was founded in 1471, and by 1920, only THREE strangers had visited the town. It has now become more of a tourist attraction, even if slightly off the beaten path...
Photos via Wonderaday. Edited by Dee & Duke.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Town Painted Blue
I just heard of a very interesting place: Chefchaouen, located in the North-East of Morocco. Houses and public places are regularly painted in various shades of blue, and it makes an impressive sight. So, on my quest to find other color-coded towns of the world (Remember this?), I can now add the town painted blue...
Chefchaouen was founded in 1471, and by 1920, only THREE strangers had visited the town. It has now become more of a tourist attraction, even if slightly off the beaten path...
Photos via Wonderaday. Edited by Dee & Duke.
Chefchaouen was founded in 1471, and by 1920, only THREE strangers had visited the town. It has now become more of a tourist attraction, even if slightly off the beaten path...
Photos via Wonderaday. Edited by Dee & Duke.
Aldous Taylor for President...?
Thanks to a Corrente writer, I have learned that there is another Democrat on the New Hampshire ballot for president: Aldous Taylor. Here's his page. I like what I see -- on that page.
Looking a little closer at the guy, I...well, I'm not sure what to think! He doesn't seem ever to have held elective office -- in fact, he has spent much of his adult life working for Kinkos. If you say "So what?" -- remember that, back in 2008, we scored Obama for his inexperience.
At any rate, he seems to be a reasonably well-spoken chubby, long-haired pagan. His birth name was Christopher Anton Cloyd. "Anton" was the rather puckish choice of a friend of his mother's -- and yes, he was named after none other than Anton LaVey! But we can hardly hold that against him. As for his chosen name (he legally changed it in 2008), "Aldous" means "elvish" (or so he says here) and "Tyler" is a term derived from Freemasonry. Cool by me, though I'm not sure all of this will go over very well in the south.
I like this guy. I can even see myself voting for him -- for something a bit lower down on the political hierarchy. Nothing wrong with starting with the state legislature, is there...?
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"
A friend of mine was telling me a story about Newt Gingrich today (not the story surrounding the quote you just read), and in his story Newt's behavior and actions were so low down and dirty that I had a hard time believing that even Newt was capable of such behavior. He said it is well documented and that one of Newt's former aides even wrote about it in a book.
As soon as I got home I started researching the story, and.....
"Kip Carter, his former campaign treasurer, was walking Newt's daughters back from a football game one day and cut across a driveway where he saw a car. "As I got to the car, I saw Newt in the passenger seat and one of the guys' wives with her head in his lap going up and down. Newt kind of turned and gave me this little-boy smile. Fortunately, Jackie Sue and Kathy were a lot younger and shorter then."
You might want to Google that name, Kip Carter, when you get a chance.
Of course there is more; Newt is quite the hell raiser. My man makes Herman Cain look like the guy William Harrison was writing about back in the day.
No wonder Herman feels like folks are picking on him. Newt must feel like that vain Emperor these days. He called himself a celebrity today, and in his mind, I am sure that he is.
Finally, I have to blog about another guy who might make even Newt look good.
"Every civil servant wants to experience his or her legacy firsthand--but not the way that onetime Arapahoe Sheriff Patrick J. Sullivan Jr. has. Sullivan, a nationally renowned law enforcement leader, was arrested on drug charges and is now being detained in the Denver area jail that bears his name.
Sullivan, who in 2001 was named the National Sheriff Association's "Sheriff of the Year," was arrested on suspicion of trafficking methamphetamines.
Local news station CBS4 began an investigation of Sullivan last month on a tip that he had agreed to meet a male informant, providing drugs in exchange for sex. He was subsequently arrested by the South Metro Drug Task Force and is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.
And in an incredible twist of fate, Sullivan now cooling his heels at The Patrick J. Sullivan Jr. Detention Facility, named in his honor.
"The allegations of criminal behavior involving Pat Sullivan are extraordinarily disturbing," said Grayson Robinson, Arapahoe County's current sheriff. "While the arrest of the former sheriff is very troubling, no one, and particularly a former peace officer, is above the law. This is the most shocking thing I've ever been involved with."
Sullivan, 68, has been retired for nine years, but had been serving as director of safety and security for Cherry Creek Schools.
"This is a very sad time for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and our community," Robinson said. The CBS4 report also found that for several years Sullivan has posted bond for multiple suspects held in drug cases at jail facilities across the state.
As recently as 2008, Sullivan was an active participant in state and local methamphetamine task forces, helping Colorado draft a plan to deal with the surge in meth-related crime." [Source] h/t to my man Dan for this story.
I guess if you are going to go to jail you might as well go to a jail that was named after you. *shaking head* Penn State. Syracuse. I swear you just can't trust anything anymore in A-merry-ca.
OWS: Here's the REAL bad news
Occupation protesters were kicked out of their encampments in L.A. and Philly today. That's bad news, but not THE bad news. Here's the truly bad news, by way of CNN:
Sorry, but there is no way to spin this or to dismiss this or to rationalize this. Please don't kid yourselves, and don't try to kid me.
The media's ongoing smear campaign -- which has been relentless and ruthlessly unfair -- has worked. When OWS commanded 50% support, politicians wanted to identify themselves with the movement. If only 29% support the movement, any association with the ideas driving OWS will be seen as politically poisonous.
The comparison to the Tea Party is instructive. It now seems that none of the tea-stained GOP presidential candidates will get the nomination. Romney -- unbeloved and uninspiring, but not a dweller on the fringe -- will probably win the nomination. Even in 2010, when the Tea Party was fresher and somewhat more popular, the most robustly tea-flavored candidates -- Sharron Angle, Carl Paladino, Joe Miller, Christine O'Donnell -- could not attain victories in their races. Angle lost even though she ran against a weakened Harry Reid, who probably could have been bested by my dog Bella.
Some will argue: "The Occupy movement is about changing consciousness, not about electoral politics." Yeah, yeah. I've heard the rap. First: In a democracy, everything ultimately comes down to electoral politics. Second: If you're losing support, if nearly twice as many people hate you as admire you, then you're not changing the way people think. So just what is it that you hope to accomplish?
OWS needs a new strategy, and quick. My suggestion: Books and videos -- lots of them. Occupy YouTube. And do not fear the emergence of articulate and engaging leaders. New faces, preferably.
Both the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party movements identify with the values of just under a third of the country, according to a survey released Thursday.
Twenty-nine percent of Americans say the Occupy Wall Street movement shares their values, the same proportion who say Tea Party shares their values, the survey found.
Fifty-seven percent of respondents said the the Tea Party does not share their values, compared to a statistically equal 56% of respondents who indicated the same about the Occupy movement.Not long ago, over half of the country thought highly of the Occupy movement.
Sorry, but there is no way to spin this or to dismiss this or to rationalize this. Please don't kid yourselves, and don't try to kid me.
The media's ongoing smear campaign -- which has been relentless and ruthlessly unfair -- has worked. When OWS commanded 50% support, politicians wanted to identify themselves with the movement. If only 29% support the movement, any association with the ideas driving OWS will be seen as politically poisonous.
The comparison to the Tea Party is instructive. It now seems that none of the tea-stained GOP presidential candidates will get the nomination. Romney -- unbeloved and uninspiring, but not a dweller on the fringe -- will probably win the nomination. Even in 2010, when the Tea Party was fresher and somewhat more popular, the most robustly tea-flavored candidates -- Sharron Angle, Carl Paladino, Joe Miller, Christine O'Donnell -- could not attain victories in their races. Angle lost even though she ran against a weakened Harry Reid, who probably could have been bested by my dog Bella.
Some will argue: "The Occupy movement is about changing consciousness, not about electoral politics." Yeah, yeah. I've heard the rap. First: In a democracy, everything ultimately comes down to electoral politics. Second: If you're losing support, if nearly twice as many people hate you as admire you, then you're not changing the way people think. So just what is it that you hope to accomplish?
OWS needs a new strategy, and quick. My suggestion: Books and videos -- lots of them. Occupy YouTube. And do not fear the emergence of articulate and engaging leaders. New faces, preferably.
Coffee helping cellulite reduction
Caffeine was at first used only in Persia nations, until the Fifteenth hundred years. Java is a psychotropic substance which is found in various plants such as tea simply simply leaves, java pinto coffee beans, soda pop, guarana fruit and chocolates pinto coffee beans. These are the most used plants for eradication of coffee. Based on how it is used or consumed, coffee is useful, but in a regular amount.
Most of us use coffee every night for giving us power to begin the day with the look on our experience. Most individuals eat it during the day also, in tea or soda pop way of thinking. People found that coffee brings down the cancer developed by high UV light and skin pores and skin concerns on subjects.
Guidelines For Freezing climate conditions Epidermis Care
Although winter period season provides trip center it also provides its own discuss of cosmetic problems. Epidermis normally products out when people leave the cold outside the house and trip inside to a heated room. It doesn't take long, though, to see how skin can turn dry swiftly at all.
Below are some tips to help make this winter period go easier and keep skin looking good from head to toe.
Showering and Bathing:
Although the attract will be there to turn up the heated bring the heated variety down to heated. The hotter the water is the more water is cut from the skin.
MOVIE THE MONK (LE MOINE) - DOMINIK MOLL - 2011
Spain, 17th century. As a capuchin monk, Ambrosio has devoted his life to serving the Lord. As admired for his fervor as he is feared for the intransigence he shows in his sermons, no one doubts his devotion and unbreakable morale. At least until the arrival of a maiden disturbs him indescribably. Is the Devil himself behind this temptation or is it the manifestation of Ambrosio’s own inner demons? Published in 1796, “The Monk” is considered one of the high points of gothic literature, and won Matthew G. Lewis fiery accusations on immorality. Now, Dominik Moll and Vincent Cassel are in charge of transporting its dark essence to the screen.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Memorable Meals: The White Truffle
In 2009, my boyfriend’s dad asked me if I had ever tasted white truffle. Well, no, I had most definitely not. Considering the price of such an ingredient, especially in Canada, it was a little over my reach, to say the least. He declared nobody should live without having tasted white truffle and vowed he would bring me to the place where he had eaten it a few times: the beautiful little town of Barbaresco, in the Piemonte region of Italy.
He called days in advance to reserve the truffle. He talked prices and weight with the little eatery’s owner over the phone. We then took the hour and a half drive from Milan on a Sunday. I have to specify that Barbaresco is much more famous for its red wine than for the truffles. My boyfriend’s dad thought it would allow him to have me taste the wine at the same time. He had shaken his head in disbelief when I answered him no, I had never drank Barbaresco. Yeah. He’s like that.
The meal consisted of various services: the antipasto, the primi piatti (traditional tajarin pasta and risotto) and the secondo piatto (a beautiful beef tartar). The truffle is put on the table at the beginning of the meal, with a shaver. Every dish is then to be eaten with a dusting of truffle shavings. Yes. It’s good. It’s sooooooo good! I want to go back. Tomorrow.
Photo via Time Out.
The doctor, the racist, and the robe.
Man you black folks are hard on each other. That's what I overheard some black dude telling another one in the crowded CJC (Criminal Justice Center) lobby today while I waited for an elevator. Everyone within earshot, like me, probably heard them, but everyone pretended not to. Some things are not even cool to think about.
Anyway, I read that the good doctor is suicidal; apparently his lawyers didn't do a good enough job of preparing him for the worse. The Judge sure didn't seem to like Doctor Murray very much.
"The judge was relentless in his bashing of the 58-year-old Murray, saying he lied repeatedly and had not shown remorse for his actions in the treatment of Jackson. Pastor also said Murray's heavy use of the powerful anesthetic propofol to help Jackson battle insomnia violated his sworn obligation.
"It should be made very clear that experimental medicine is not going to be tolerated, and Mr. Jackson was an experiment," Pastor said. "Dr. Murray was intrigued by the prospect and he engaged in this money for medicine madness that is simply not going to be tolerated by me."
Pastor also said Murray has "absolutely no sense of fault, and is and remains dangerous" to the community.
The judge said.one of the most disturbing aspects of Murray's case was a slurred recording of Jackson recovered from the doctor's cell phone."
I didn't like the cell phone recording, either. But four years (two for sure in the County) seemed a bit harsh. I don't think the good Doctor is a danger to anyone but himself right about now.
Finally, as most of you know, I am a notorious racism chaser. But I am also a huge advocate of free speech, so every now and then I become conflicted when I have to choose between the big R being offensive and the big R having the right to offend.
This latest case in England is a great example.
In case you all haven't heard the story or seen the latest video which has gone viral, this white lady in London did what a lot of you white folks would love to do while taking public transportation; she allowed her inner klan to flow.
"A woman in South London was arrested after she was caught on tape unleashing a racist tirade on an unsuspecting train car full of passengers.
A two-minute clip went viral across the internet of the rant late Sunday, with many horrified viewers and celebrities tweeting to help find the woman.
“BREAKING: The woman in the #MyTramExperience video has just been arrested. Excellent. See how vocal she is in a police cell,” British-born talk show host Piers Morgan tweeted.
The woman, in the clip, can be heard telling people "you ain't English, you ain't English either - go back to your own f--- country."
She also demands that black people on the train go back to their own country, which she claims is "Nicaragua".
When another passenger asks her to watch her language because of the children on board, she replies, "Yes fine, I have a little kid here."
A small child in her lap remains silent, playing with what appears to be a toy dinosaur, throughout the disturbing rant.
At one point, the video shows, she tells a woman, "You ain't British - you're black." [Story]
That's just precious. Isn't it nice when racists can pass on their ignorance to their children?
Still, I have news for you; this lady should not have been arrested. It's not like she started a riot or anything. (Although I suppose that you could make an argument that she might have started one.) If she wants to make a fool of herself in public (with her child present no less) by all means let her go. No one was hurt, so it's all good as far as I am concerned. Having to live with herself is punishment enough for this poor woman.
BTW, speaking of displaying ignorance; I see where the Smithsonian's new section for us Negroes will be displaying some recently donated klan robes. Again, I am fine with that. The klan is as A-merry-can as apple pie, and every A-merry-can should be able to see and read about their long "rich" history.
Voting in the Congo.
On the Newshour, it was reported that people in the Congo walked for miles in the rain to vote, and when their names did not show up at the polling place, they walked for more miles from place to place to vote.
How can one not admire the Women of The Congo?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/world/africa/congo-election-board-may-annul-tens-of-thousands-of-votes.html?_r=1
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/1129/A-brief-history-of-Congo-s-wars
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5226772.stm
The atrocious violence in the congo is just about the worst:
more HERE:
http://marysbeagooddogblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/congo-rape-and-theuninvolved-un.html
http://marysbeagooddogblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/npr-interview-congo-mass-rape-and.html
http://marysbeagooddogblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/rape-in-congo-womans-body-is-worth-less.html
Marcus Bleasdale: (and Orchestra in Congo HERE)
How can one not admire the Women of The Congo?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/world/africa/congo-election-board-may-annul-tens-of-thousands-of-votes.html?_r=1
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/1129/A-brief-history-of-Congo-s-warshttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5226772.stm
The atrocious violence in the congo is just about the worst:
more HERE:
http://marysbeagooddogblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/congo-rape-and-theuninvolved-un.html
http://marysbeagooddogblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/npr-interview-congo-mass-rape-and.html
http://marysbeagooddogblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/rape-in-congo-womans-body-is-worth-less.html
photo from http://congowomen.org/tour/
"The Women of the Democratic Republic of Congo
have shown incredible bravery in the face of unbelievable atrocities, as evidenced by the photographs assembled in this exhibition. These women, along with their families, have survived a litany of atrocities: oppressive dictators; the violent passage to democracy; economic crises; and an ongoing struggle of regional and tribal warfare which has found its end far too slowly and with far too much bloodshed. These challenges have been accompanied by a devastating lack of both general and reproductive healthcare, HIV/AIDS, and the common occurrence of rape and extreme sexual violence against women and girls of all ages. For those who survive, support is often unavailable..." the tour HEREMarcus Bleasdale: (and Orchestra in Congo HERE)
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