tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44369265041518904352024-03-14T06:19:57.853-04:00تخت ساراUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-40578725863090148902016-03-06T22:00:00.000-05:002016-03-23T00:36:28.285-04:00In Awe of the Oculus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jutting into the blue sky and reflected into the wavy blue glass of the modern skyscrapers surrounding it shines the brilliant white spine of the Oculus. Somehow, the structure manages to appear part T-Rex, part whale, part dove, and all sci-fi, while being truly magnificent. It isn't the set for a new Transformers movie though - it's the new transit hub at the World Trade Center designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava for the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/03/nyregion/the-4-billion-train-station-at-the-world-trade-center.html">bargain price of $3.7 <i>billion</i></a> (that's right, billion, with a "b").</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Oculus under construction.<br />Source: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/nyregion/as-oculus-at-world-trade-center-opens-so-does-a-neighborhood.html?_r=0">New York Times</a></td></tr>
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Although the area around the Oculus is still under construction, the Oculus officially opened in early March 2016. Eventually, the Oculus will function as part of a massive transit hub that connects One World Trade Center to the PATH trains (to New Jersey). lower Manhattan subway lines, and the new MTA station at Fulton Street. For now, it's <a href="http://ny.curbed.com/2016/3/3/11157142/the-wtc-transportation-hub-is-open-tour-calatrava-s-creation-in">an Instagrammer's paradise</a> (you have to admit though that <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/12483-the-50-best-images-of-nyc-s-massive-new-oculus-train-station">some of these shots</a> are really, really cool). After seeing a friend's post of the structure, I decided to go downtown and see what the big deal was. My verdict: it might have cost a pretty penny (or $3.7 billion dollars' worth of pretty pennies), but the Oculus is a damn cool piece of architecture. Here are some of my shots from my first trip - I love the black and white contrasts within the structure.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reflections of the Oculus in the Millennium Hotel across the street.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see Freedom Tower through the Oculus' retractable skylight.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buildings surrounding the Oculus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the Oculus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ceiling above the MTA entrance. <br />The shadows look like a whale's fluke moving through the water.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite shot. In the West Concourse.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-54803224466051093822015-07-05T16:45:00.000-04:002015-07-20T16:50:33.186-04:00Fresh Water & Fireworks<div style="text-align: justify;">
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For the Fourth of July weekend this year, I returned to the land of the greatest of lakes. Although I've traveled to a lot of cool places, there really is not anything that can compare to a day on a clean, sandy Lake Michigan beach. <br />
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Spending time on the water kayaking was relaxing as always. The water was so still and clear that I was able to see the shattered wooden remnants of an old boat wreck several hundred yards off the shoreline (no pictures because I thought I might drop my phone in the water). However, in Michigan there is always a catch - water that still and clear is usually <i>c-o-l-d</i> and the water temperature was about 52 degrees Fahrenheit (about 11 degrees Celsius). I dove under anyway but popped out pretty quickly and decided that in-water activity was best in the kayak.<br />
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As the day ended, I tried my hand at another Lake Michigan sunset time lapse. I've got to be more patient and not move the camera halfway through the shot, but otherwise it definitely turned out better than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bhv0xholDUw">my first attempt last autumn</a>. It would be great to luck out with a clear sky and try again sometime.<br />
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Once the sun dipped behind the haze, I headed back to the city just in time to catch some fireworks with friends. The show started just as I was finished passing through buildings along the way to our spot. The echos between the buildings on the empty street were so intense it felt like the explosions were happening right next to us. <br />
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I still had my camera and tripod with me so I experimented with shooting fireworks for the first time. I read <a href="http://www.diyphotography.net/our-best-tips-for-photographing-fireworks/">this post from DIYPhotography</a> on the way from the lake, but <a href="http://digital-photography-school.com/15-tips-for-successful-fireworks-photography/">this post</a> and <a href="http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-fireworks/">this post</a> are also helpful. As always, <a href="http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/photographing-fireworks/">National Geographic has amazing photos and tips</a> as well. I used Manual Focus, shutter speed of 6 seconds for the fireworks show (13-15 seconds for sparklers in the woods), and an aperture of about F8 (I think). For a first attempt, I was pleased with the shots.<br />
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I also played around with some shots with longer exposures in the woods at night with some sparklers. The designs also turned out pretty cool, and I'm looking forward to playing around more with these types of shots. All in all, a wonderful relaxing day. I hope you enjoyed the holiday too!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-22039657607494984422015-06-20T18:42:00.000-04:002015-07-20T18:43:27.895-04:00Inti Raymi 2015: The Andean Sun Comes to D.C.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Ecuador">working in Ecuador</a>, one of my most memorable trips with coworkers was to <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2013/06/cotacachi-y-cuicocha.html">visit Cotacachi and Cuicocha</a>, a couple hours north of Quito in the province of Ibarra. The area is beautiful, and our trip was made especially memorable because we happened to arrive in the town during <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inti_Raymi">Inti Raymi</a> - the Inca festival of the sun. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lago Cuicocha, Ibarra, Ecuador, 2013</td></tr>
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Inti Raymi is a celebration of the winter solstice throughout many Andean communities across Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador (remember, it's the Southern Hemisphere so their winter solstice is the northern's summer solstice). Taking place on the shortest day of the year, the festival is a celebration of the sun, longer days, planting, and the harvest to follow. Although the festival itself is widely celebrated, each community has its own unique expression.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inti Raymi Dancers, Cotacachi, Ecuador, 2013</td></tr>
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On the day that we arrived, the festival was celebrated with groups of men in sheepskin chaps, tall hats, and metal whips whistling and dancing in circles, weaving their way through the town (with riot police on standby in case any dancer became overzealous). The trip was a lot of fun, even with the gambles that come from eating street food and hitch hiking nighttime buses back to Quito. </div>
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In Washington, D.C., the <a href="http://www.nmai.si.edu/">Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian</a> hosted its own version of Inti Raymi this year. You can see <a href="https://www.flickr.com//photos/smithsoniannmai/sets/72157652369379773/show/">Smithsonian's pictures</a> from the event <a href="https://www.flickr.com//photos/smithsoniannmai/sets/72157652369379773/show/">here</a>. The festivities began with an opening ritual for the fertility of Pachamama (mother earth) in the tradition of the town of Macha, in the northern Bolivian province of Potosí. The festival incorporates both pre-Columbian and Christian elements. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tinku Pachamama Ritual</td></tr>
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Then the dances began! It's hard to capture here how amazing these dancers were. They performed three performances with only a half hour break between each, but never lost any energy. The beat pulsed through the museum with each unfaltering step. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bolivian Dancer</td></tr>
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The first set of dances were the zapateados, dances that showcase the performers' footwork and focus on rhythm. The next set of dances were the Huaylas, a dance from the highlands in which the dancers imitate the movements they perform in the fields while sowing potatoes. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huaylas Highland Dance</td></tr>
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My favorite dance was the Tinku, variations of which are performed in parades. This dance was the most energetic, with the dancers spinning and jumping, keeping pace with a quick rhythm. The skill of the individual dancers, and the dancers as a whole, unparalleled with this dance.</div>
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The audience even got involved too!</div>
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The dancing, music, and colors were beautiful. The festival as celebrated in D.C. had more Bolivian and Peruvian influences, but it was really cool to see how a festival with similar roots was celebrated by these communities in the United States as compared to the festival I observed in a small Ecuadorian town. </div>
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I thanked one of the Bolivian dancers after the show for sharing her performance, and her emotional reply left an impression with me: "I have lived in this country for 28 years and have never felt more Bolivian than I do today. To perform in the Inti Raymi festival, in the nation's capital, here in <i>this museum </i>is a tremendous honor for me."</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancer with Andean Indigenous Movement flag</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-33559819937130577692015-05-25T01:33:00.001-04:002015-05-25T12:11:12.588-04:00A (Free) Ticket to Paradise at the Smithsonian's Hawaiian Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend, the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian brought a little piece of paradise to Washington, D.C., with the <a href="http://newsdesk.si.edu/releases/hawaiian-cultural-festival-national-museum-american-indian">2015 Hawaiian Cultural Festival</a>. The festival, lasting May 16 & 17, brought together artists of all sorts to share hula, chanting, storytelling, traditional and contemporary Hawaiian music, food, traditional artists to celebrate Pele and Hi'iaka with D.C. residents and visitors.</div>
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Pele and Hi'iaka are Hawaiian deities that figure prominently in indigenous culture. Pele is the goddess of fire, volcanoes, and maker of lands, and Hi'iaka is her brave and clever youngest sister. Because Pele is the goddess of fire and volcanoes, she is honored by the color red. Pele holds such a special place in Hawaiian culture that there is a custom in her honor as a volcano erupts. It is said that as a volcano erupts and its lava flows down, a family should clean their home and set out a meal before leaving. If they do this, it will be seen as a sign of welcoming and respect for Pele and her lava's path will part around the family's home, leaving it unscathed by her wrath. </div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMzqG_umQgU">As shared by the Smithsonian</a>, the epic journey of Pele and Hi'iaka (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi%CA%BBiaka">the abridged version</a>; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMzqG_umQgU">click here to watch the full story</a> being told) goes like this:</div>
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Pele was driven out of the island of Kahiki (an island far from the Hawaiian islands) by her older sister Namaka. Pele, the Fire Goddess and maker of lands, bids farewell to Kahiki knowing she can never return. One majestic canoe carries her family across the vast ocean. A favorite uncle and keeper of the sacred fire sticks travels with Pele, and she is led across the oceans by her brother Kamohoali'i. After several battles with Namaka, Pele finally settles on the Big Island of Hawaii, where she occassionally spars with the goddess of snow and ice, Poli'ahu. </blockquote>
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Once, while in a deep dream, Pele travels to the island of Kauai and falls in love with a prince Lohi'au, an Ali'i (royal) of the island. When her youngest sister Hi'iaka awakens her, Pele finds that she is far too weak to travel and begs Hi'iaka t travel and fetch Lohi'au for her. Hi'iaka reluctantly agrees, as long as Pele takes care of Hi'iaka's sacred Lehua grove (a flowering tree unique to the islands) while Hi'iaka is on her journey. Pele gives Hi'iaka a magic skirt of lei, and with it, Hi'iaka embarks upon an epic quest. Along her journey, Hi'iaka battles fierce dragon-like monsters, the Mo'o clan and their leader Mo'olau. Hi'iaka rescues Lohi'au from the monsters and brings him back to the impatient Pele, only to find that Pele, in her despair, had destroyed Hi'iaka's beloved Lehua grove.</blockquote>
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This epic story was brought to life through the talented storytellers (and ukulele players) Taryn Lelea'e Wong, Moses William Goods III, and Kealoha Kelekolio. These storytellers are <i>phenomenal</i>. Thankfully, the Smithsonian recorded and webcast their tale, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMzqG_umQgU">you can watch it here</a>! </div>
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In addition to talented storytellers, the rhythm of the Islands filled the museum's atrium with performances by hula dancers to music by <a href="http://www.alohaboys.com/">the Aloha Boys</a>. The dancers, dressed in red to honor Pele, brought to life traditional Hawaiian dances as well as showing newer forms of Hawaiian dance blended with contemporary Hawaiian music. </div>
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Many of the dances were reminiscent of the ocean's waves, but the dancers evoked an especially fiery energy while dancing as Mo'o (fierce dragon-like monsters of Hawaiian legend). </div>
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There were also several talented craftsmen and women showcasing traditional Hawaiian arts to visitors. They showed eager viewers techniques involved and explained the significance of each item in Hawaiian culture. </div>
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Here, William Char demonstrates traditional lei making with different leaves, plants, and flowers found on the Hawaiian islands. The red lei represents Pele, and the white lei to the left represents the ice of Poli'ahu, the Snow Goddess.</div>
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Above, Taryn Lelea'e Wong demonstrates traditional feather leis that served a unique role in Hawaiian culture. Because Hawaii produces no natural gemstones, feather leis were a sign of royalty and high social status. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This black and red lei took approximately 80 hours to make. <br />
Its black feathers are the naturally colored feathers of a mallard, and the red feathers are dyed goose feathers.</td></tr>
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The feathers are either a natural color or dyed, and are incredibly time-intensive to make. Because of the detail and time required to make a feather lei, they are expensive and thus reserved for those who could afford to pay. </div>
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Unlike other markers of royalty in traditional cultures, Ms. Lelea'e Wong explained, different colors did not necessarily connote higher class or royalty standing - just being able to own and wear a feather lei in itself indicated royalty.</div>
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I gained a deeper insight to Hawaiian culture and history and hope to someday experience the islands first-hand. I am looking forward to Smithsonian and the National Museum of the American Indian's <a href="http://nmai.si.edu/calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Dseries%26seriesid%3D1205256">next big cultural festival </a>- the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2013/06/cotacachi-y-cuicocha.html">Inti Raymi</a> Andean summer solstice festival in Washington, D.C., and New York City. I had the chance to see this festival <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Ecuador">while working in Ecuador in 2013</a> and am excited to participate in the Washington, D.C., celebrations. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-53302801352594285362015-05-18T20:30:00.000-04:002015-05-25T14:24:02.357-04:00The Adventure of Archaeology with Indiana Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As a kid growing up, no one made archaeology or adventure cooler than Indiana Jones. On a random day off from work, I took a walk just past the main business thoroughfare of Washington, D.C., to visit the <a href="http://events.nationalgeographic.com/exhibits/2015/05/14/indiana-jones-and-adventure-archaeology-2/">National Geographic Museum</a> to check out their brand new exhibit: <a href="http://www.indianajonestheexhibition.com/">Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology</a>.<br />
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The exhibit is a traveling exhibit in partnership between National Geographic and LucasFilms, Ltd., among others, and will be at the National Geographic Museum until January 3, 2016. <br />
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The exhibit was a really cool combination of behind-the-scenes from the four Indiana Jones films and a look at some of the real archaeological achievements among scientists who inspired Indy.</div>
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The exhibit opens with the first film, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/?ref_=nv_sr_1">Raiders of the Lost Ark</a></i>. The process behind the opening temple scene where Indy is almost crushed by a giant boulder is revealed - the boulder is made of fiberglass and its sound effects were produced by driving a jeep over large rocks, then slowing down the sound and amplifying the bass.<br />
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The golden Chachapoyan fertility idol from the film was also decoded. The amazing thing to me was the level of research that went into these key film props. Although the Chachapoyans were a real indigenous group in the South American rain forests, the idol itself is a fake created by the filmmakers influenced by fertility idols across many ancient civilizations.</div>
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Even the pendant from the bar in Nepal that Indiana Jones used to find the location of the Ark has historical influences. The falcon symbol and the sun are representations of the Egyptian god Ra and the text around the falcon is a Phonetician script. </div>
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Between sections about the films, the exhibits also walked you through significant discoveries and concepts in the field of archaeology. For example, a shell necklace and a diamond ring demonstrate different societies' conceptions of value - that what makes an item precious is the value that we assign to it. With the seashell necklace, the shells are commonly found but were used as currency and indicated high social status when used as jewelry; a diamond is simply compressed carbon, one of the most common elements, that is cut and polished.</div>
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The exhibit also showed the significance of early forms of writing and public records keeping through a merchant's shipping list found on a common clay tablet and the oldest map depicting an area of a city taken over by the government. The clay tablet is from the Mesopotamian city of Nippur and is thought to date back to 1500-1155 BC.</div>
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Around every corner, there were ancient artifacts intermingled with history and pieces about the films.</div>
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The next Indiana Jones cinematic adventure, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087469/?ref_=tt_rec_tt">The Temple of Doom</a></i>, featured an intricate cocktail dress made of beads and sequins from the 1920s. When the dress was torn on set, the costume designer had to fly in to repair it with the few remaining original beads and sequins left.</div>
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The behind the scenes look at the mine cart sequence was particularly cool. Miniature figurines in carts on a mini-track were filmed for the long shots of the cart. Close-ups were shot by making a full-size track with two rail lines - one for the actors and one for the cameras to follow. The camera shots were so shaky that crew members were concerned the shots might be worthless, but director Steven Spielberg loved them for the real effect they created. The cast and crew even closed down a Disney park for a day to record the audio riding on roller coasters. The film also has a unique place in motion picture history as it was the reason a PG-13 rating was created due to the nature of the scenes with the Thuggies' cult (which was a real cult outlawed in India).</div>
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While navigating toward <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097576/?ref_=tt_rec_tt">The Last Crusade</a></i>, the museum also merged a cool piece of National Geographic and archaeological history. In 1911 & 1912, <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1913/04/machu-picchu/bingham-text">Hiram Bingham found the Machu Picchu ruins</a>, previously known only to Peruvian locals, and spent time extensively photographing the ruins of the lost Inca city. National Geographic partially funded the expedition and published his photographs in their magazine, making the city known to the rest of the world. You can read more about the history of this discovery and <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/1913/04/machu-picchu/bingham-text">the original 1913 National Geographic Magazine article here</a>.</div>
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Accompanying the expose on Bingham's work was a small example of how archaeologists can date a site and the people who lived there by the dates of artifacts found at varying levels through the excavation. The exhibit used pottery from ancient Persia as an example.</div>
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Technological advancements have also allowed archaeologists to delve deeper into the history of lost empires. Angkor Wat in Cambodia was an ancient abandoned metropolis that, with the use of a special radar developed by NASA called AIRSAR, was discovered to have extended even further than previously thought. </div>
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Although the city was abandoned and is now overrun by jungle, scientists were able to use the radar to discover that the city was sustained by innovative irrigation channels. The <a href="http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/videos/a-digital-reconstruction-of-angkor-wat/20077">Smithsonian Channel has a really cool 3D imaging</a> of what the city used to look like. <br />
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While the extensive channels brought life to the ancient metropolis, they also were likely the reason for its decline. Once the networks became too unwieldy to manage causing the inhabitants to abandon the kingdom, returning the site to the jungle.<br />
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While the Rosetta Stone is famous for being the artifact that cracked Egyptian hieroglyphics, Tatiana Proskouriakoff's work on the Mayan glyphs at Piedras Negras ("Black Rocks") in Guatemala unlocked the code to the complex Mayan symbols. Due to her work, some of the glyphs can even be read out loud.<br />
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Moving from Proskouriakoff's work, <i>The Last Crusade</i> was unveiled. Although the film's iconic Cross of Coronado is a prop made especially for the film's opening scene ("That belongs in a museum!"), it draws upon several accurate religious influences. <br />
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The film also draws heavily on the Crusades history of the real Knights of Templar.<br />
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Science and cinema even merge at the end of the film to show Indiana Jones' methodology in selecting the real Grail cup. <br />
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Indiana uses clues about Jesus' life as a poor carpenter to determine that a cup truly belonging to him would be simply made with low technical skill and easily accessible material.<br />
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Another fun fact from the film is that Sean Connery's costume was designed based on the costume designer's grandfather. However, Connery's glasses were especially designed to be rimless so that the frames would not obscure his face. Because rimless frames were not available at the time the film was made, the costume designer custom-made them uniquely for the film.<br />
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The archaeological science ended with Nazca (Nasca) pottery from Peru, real Peruvian artifacts whose fictionalized history of which appeared in the final Indiana Jones flick, <i>The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull</i>. <br />
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The <i>Crystal Skull</i> exhibit even discussed a bit about the popular culture intersections between ancient civilizations and the possibility of extra-terrestrial involvement in their creation.<br />
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The exhibit was so much fun, and the information and extra videos contained in the free audio guide (included in the price of admission) was extremely helpful in illuminating all the artifacts, cinematic and historical. <br />
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With a little adventure, there's no better way to spend a day off from work.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-28489180361129787272015-04-12T18:30:00.000-04:002015-05-25T12:25:43.830-04:00Washington, D.C., Cherry Blossom Festival 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every year between mid-March and mid-April, the Tidal Basin area of Washington, D.C., is bathed in soft white blossoms of the cherry trees. The cherry trees were a gift from the Japanese mayor of Tokyo Yukio Ozaki to the city of Washington, D.C., in 1912 to honor the relationship between the two countries. </div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">To achieve the beauty Tidal Basin experiences every spring since 1912 was not a simple endeavor. The idea to plant the cherry trees along the banks of the Potomac River was first proposed by socialite Eliza Scidmore, the first female board member of the National Geographic Society and fundraiser for the cherry tree initiative. First Lady Helen Taft had lived in Japan while her husband, President William Howard Taft, was the president of the Philippine Commission. First Lady Taft knew the beauty of the cherry trees and supported Ms. Scidmore's idea. Once the Japanese consul in New York learned of the first lady's interest, the office suggested making a gift of the trees to the U.S. government from the city of Tokyo. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First batch of trees in 1910 that had to be destroyed due to disease.<br />
Image courtesy of the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/17589684">BBC</a>.</td></tr>
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The first shipment of 2,000 cherry trees arrived in 1910, but had become diseased en route and had to be destroyed. However, with additional coordination between the Japanese and American governments and the efforts of Dr. Jokichi Takamine (famous chemist and founder of Sankyo Co., Ltd., today known as Daiichi Sankyo), Dr. David Fairchild of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Ms. Scidmore, and First Lady Taft, more than 3,000 new, healthy cherry trees arrived in 1912. On March 27, 1912, First Lady Taft and the wife of the Japanese ambassador (Viscountess Chinda) planted the first two trees on the north bank of Tidal Basin along the Potomac River.</div>
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The cherry trees and their gorgeous white blossoms became popular among D.C. residents and visitors, and in 1934, the city commissioners sponsored a 3-day festival of the blossoming trees. This later grew into the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. The trees remain an important symbol of the relationship between the United States and Japan. In 1915, the U.S. government reciprocated the gift by sending Japan flowering dogwood trees. After World War II, cuttings from Washington,, D.C.'s cherry trees were sent back to Japan to restore the Tokyo cherry trees that were destroyed by American bombing campaigns during the war. In 1981, more cherry tree cuttings were given to Japanese horticulturists to help replace some of the cherry trees destroyed by a flood in Japan. Today, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival spans four weekends between mid-March and mid-April and more than 1.5 million visitors come to view the results of the gift from a century before. For more information on the history of the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C,, check out the <a href="http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/about/history/">Festival's official webpage</a> and the <a href="http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-cherry-trees-planted-along-the-potomac">History Channel's profile</a>.</div>
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Although the festival takes place over several spring weekends, the blooming of the delicate blossoms can be fickle and difficult to predict. To help out with timing a visit, the National Parks Service even has the <a href="http://www.earthcam.com/usa/dc/cherryblossoms/?cam=washdc">"Blossom Cam,"</a> a camera of the Tidal Basin area where you can check in on the blossoms' progress blooming.</div>
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Today however, the blossoms were definitely in their peak. Along with some friends from law school, I joined the crowds along Tidal Basin to walk beneath the shade of the cherry trees and marvel at their soft white blossoms filtering the sunlight.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-70458474074524519582014-10-11T20:59:00.000-04:002014-10-11T20:59:00.302-04:00Art Prize 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Rapids Skyline</td></tr>
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ArtPrize is BACK! And back with a vengeance. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Bridge in Grand Rapids</td></tr>
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In the past years, it seemed that some of the pieces that got the most attention were the ones on a gigantic scale, regardless of the actual artistry involved in several other pieces of smaller physical dimensions (see <a href="http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2010/11/artprizes_steampig_will_remain_in_bob_parking_lot_until_spring.html">"The Pig" at the BOB</a> from previous years). ArtPrize can be a great venue for exposure for less famous and up-and-coming artists of all kinds, and it's cool to see <a href="http://www.artprize.org/blog/where-are-they-now">where past ArtPrize pieces and their creators are now</a>. The voting is a bit different this year, which could account for some of the changes, so be sure to <a href="http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2014/09/artprize_2014_no_seconds_no_thirds_no_more_top_10_prizes_in_artprize.html">check out this article explaining the new system</a> before heading to downtown Grand Rapids to get your ArtPrize on!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ArtPrize 2014</td></tr>
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This year, I was able to see a fair amount (although it is never possible to see it all), and there were so many magnificent pieces. It is fun too to speak with the artists and learn more about their inspiration for the pieces and how they went about making the painting, photograph, sculpture, etc. I went a couple different days, but going on Wednesday evening when the festival officially started was a great idea because you could beat a lot of the crowds and had more time to enjoy the pieces and chat with the artists. But even though there were less people on that first day than on the weekends, it was still a busy opening day! Check out the <a href="http://videos.mlive.com/mlive/2014/09/time-lapse_see_opening_hour_of.html">time lapse of that opening hour</a> at some hot spots for ArtPrize 2014 <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEwa1FkBcJ8">here</a>.</div>
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My favorite piece from ArtPrize 2014 is Anila Quayyum Agha's <i>Intersections</i>, displayed in the Grand Rapids Art Museum and one of the grand prize winners! <br />
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I knew this one would be a strong favorite - everyone loves it and is amazed to see it when first walking into the room, and it is in the perfect venue. From the artist:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Proxima Nova', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;">In the ‘Intersections’ project, the geometrical patterning in Islamic sacred spaces, associated with certitude is explored in a way that reveals it fluidity. The viewer is invited to confront the contradictory nature of all intersections, while simultaneously exploring boundaries. My goal is to explore the binaries of public and private, light and shadow, and static and dynamic by relying on the purity and inner symmetry of geometric design, and the interpretation of the cast shadows. The form of the design and its layered, multidimensional variations will depend both on the space in which it is installed, the arrangement of the installation, and the various paths that individuals take while experiencing the space. The Intersections project takes the seminal experience of exclusion as a woman from a space of community and creativity such as a Mosque and translates the complex expressions of both wonder and exclusion that have been my experience while growing up in Pakistan. The wooden frieze emulates a pattern from the Alhambra, which was poised at the intersection of history, culture and art and was a place where Islamic and Western discourses, met and co-existed in harmony and served as a testament to the symbiosis of difference. For me the familiarity of the space visited at the Alhambra Palace and the memories of another time and place from my past, coalesced in creating this project. My intent with this installation was to give substance to mutualism, exploring the binaries of public and private, light and shadow, and static and dynamic. This installation project relies on the purity and inner symmetry of geometric design, the interpretation of the cast shadows and the viewer’s presence within a public space.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></blockquote>
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But as always, there are so many fantastic artists and pieces displayed for the first time at ArtPrize that you can have a favorite around every corner. With all of the venues downtown and around the city, it makes for an exciting, busy time at the festival trying to see as much as you can and voting for the pieces that speak the most to you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q_EQ1D9T2I/VDlarEfaPLI/AAAAAAAAB_M/sIyF8Wdwito/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(293).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Q_EQ1D9T2I/VDlarEfaPLI/AAAAAAAAB_M/sIyF8Wdwito/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(293).JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Hair Craft Project</i> by Sonya Clark</td></tr>
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Check out the <a href="http://www.artprize.org/lists/list/18652">list of top 20 public votes</a> here, and the <a href="http://www.artprize.org/blog/2014-jurors-shortlist">jurors' top 20 shortlist</a> here. And check out the 2014 Grand Prize Winners list <a href="http://www.artprize.org/blog/2014-artprize-awards-announcement">here</a>, <a href="http://woodtv.com/2014/10/10/artprize-awards-night-on-wood-tv8/">here</a>, and <a href="http://interactives.woodtv.com/photomojo/gallery/14634/1/">here</a>!<br />
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This is the announcement for the Grand Prize ArtPrize 2014 winners:<br />
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From Sonya Clark and "The Hair Craft Project," a tied Grand Prize Winner...<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: proxima-nova, 'Proxima Nova', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; text-align: start;">In a 1997 review of my work, Bill Gaskins wrote, “Hairdressing is the primordial fiber art.” I began the Hair Craft Project with his words in mind. Hairdressers are my heroes. The poetry and politics of Black hair care specialists are central to my work as an artist. Rooted in a rich legacy, their hands embody an ability to map a head with a comb and manipulate the fiber we grow into complex form. I reframed the mastery of these artists in a new context, the gallery. Each was supplied with my head of hair and a canvas hand stitched with silk thread. Their challenge was to demonstrate their expertise in a familiar medium, hair, and translate it into a less familiar one, thread on canvas. For the span of the project, I became a walking art gallery donning glorious hairstyles. The photographs document those hairstyles created specifically for the project while the canvases provide a permanent example of the craft. The collaborating stylists are Kamala Bhagat, Dionne James Eggleston, Marsha Johnson, Chaunda King, Anita Hill Moses, Nasirah Muhammad, Jameika and Jasmine Pollard, Ingrid Riley, Ife Robinson, Natasha Superville, and Jamilah Williams.</span></blockquote>
There were so many great artists and entries of all different kinds around the city. Here are some of my favorites from this year. Enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8TtiInnGzk/VDlcjrusmDI/AAAAAAAACDI/ocMnAAsjPrM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(19).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8TtiInnGzk/VDlcjrusmDI/AAAAAAAACDI/ocMnAAsjPrM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(19).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Projecting Buddha</i> by Eric Souther</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CKJsTEoFP8I/VDlc9iI3htI/AAAAAAAACH4/gfl21XXCb0U/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(337).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CKJsTEoFP8I/VDlc9iI3htI/AAAAAAAACH4/gfl21XXCb0U/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(337).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Passion</i> by Paul Cassidy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PW-XI0diskU/VDlc9JAuGoI/AAAAAAAACHs/6ZCb-AlTtk0/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(336).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PW-XI0diskU/VDlc9JAuGoI/AAAAAAAACHs/6ZCb-AlTtk0/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(336).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Passion</i> by Paul Cassidy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yl9J4yrktmU/VDlcewMJ4zI/AAAAAAAACCQ/FMTzr8l8tFE/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(169).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yl9J4yrktmU/VDlcewMJ4zI/AAAAAAAACCQ/FMTzr8l8tFE/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(169).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now</i> by Tonya Nielsen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqD1ZAfQris/VDld54Fa3DI/AAAAAAAACJY/qmFe7zs5lRw/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(168).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rqD1ZAfQris/VDld54Fa3DI/AAAAAAAACJY/qmFe7zs5lRw/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(168).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Now</i> by Tonya Nielsen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2dTsZleBHo/VDlc6gZxGEI/AAAAAAAACHQ/ZlMYIXkhvp4/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(326).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2dTsZleBHo/VDlc6gZxGEI/AAAAAAAACHQ/ZlMYIXkhvp4/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(326).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dawn of Chimes</i> by Stanley Skopek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLRd5XLaoz0/VDlc7ek-qmI/AAAAAAAACHY/N1-CFlduVjc/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(327).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLRd5XLaoz0/VDlc7ek-qmI/AAAAAAAACHY/N1-CFlduVjc/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(327).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dawn of Chimes</i> by Stanley Skopek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xGjmKdRxDU/VDlc3kiQfxI/AAAAAAAACGw/BP1w7gHtZD8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(320).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xGjmKdRxDU/VDlc3kiQfxI/AAAAAAAACGw/BP1w7gHtZD8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(320).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Engulfed in Glass </i>by Jilly Barnes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A1q0xDmNVEg/VDlc4WT6vcI/AAAAAAAACG4/Ii1iM5cv7HI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(321).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A1q0xDmNVEg/VDlc4WT6vcI/AAAAAAAACG4/Ii1iM5cv7HI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(321).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Engulfed in Glass</i> by Jilly Barnes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7vjpQx2Kgk/VDlcizHHcsI/AAAAAAAACDA/0k2b741yGqY/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(184).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_7vjpQx2Kgk/VDlcizHHcsI/AAAAAAAACDA/0k2b741yGqY/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(184).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Life Lessons</i> by Dennis Webb</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGo0h8ZnKok/VDlc8ByWteI/AAAAAAAACHc/NU7txJ0LkRg/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(329).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGo0h8ZnKok/VDlc8ByWteI/AAAAAAAACHc/NU7txJ0LkRg/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(329).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eagle, A Series of Handmade Japanese Paper Cut Sculptures</i> by Solo + Kojima</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9rzFV8SEMD8/VDlc5Hd0GGI/AAAAAAAACHA/Z3SphbA0Y5c/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(322).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9rzFV8SEMD8/VDlc5Hd0GGI/AAAAAAAACHA/Z3SphbA0Y5c/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(322).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Leopard, A Series of Handmade Japanese Paper Cut Sculptures</i> by Solo + Kojima</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZOGKZysy9M/VDlc5mAyipI/AAAAAAAACHE/bi9PLV_nOtg/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(325).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZOGKZysy9M/VDlc5mAyipI/AAAAAAAACHE/bi9PLV_nOtg/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(325).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Eagle, A Series of Handmade Japanese Paper Cut Sculptures</i> by Solo + Kojima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RmESOxPmiDk/VDlc2KYIzCI/AAAAAAAACGg/G7TzXWbmq6I/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(317).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RmESOxPmiDk/VDlc2KYIzCI/AAAAAAAACGg/G7TzXWbmq6I/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(317).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Polar Bear, A Series of Handmade Japanese Paper Cut Sculptures</i> by Solo + Kojima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wKVTFfjC2Wo/VDlc2tQH-SI/AAAAAAAACGo/pVXuQiOdqBI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(319).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wKVTFfjC2Wo/VDlc2tQH-SI/AAAAAAAACGo/pVXuQiOdqBI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(319).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Polar Bear, A Series of Handmade Japanese Paper Cut Sculptures</i> by Solo + Kojima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NaUKwaLklK4/VDlcfk9Zc6I/AAAAAAAACCU/_fJGoeXjv-8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(171).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NaUKwaLklK4/VDlcfk9Zc6I/AAAAAAAACCU/_fJGoeXjv-8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(171).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gravity</i> by Dean Kugler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HIUzFClSVwM/VDlcgOtg0xI/AAAAAAAACCg/Ykm5KbxxTwQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(173).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HIUzFClSVwM/VDlcgOtg0xI/AAAAAAAACCg/Ykm5KbxxTwQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(173).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gravity</i> by Dean Kugler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZdpb8TyLYE/VDlcgyYAd8I/AAAAAAAACCk/agnxy10KnUk/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(177).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZdpb8TyLYE/VDlcgyYAd8I/AAAAAAAACCk/agnxy10KnUk/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(177).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gravity</i> by Dean Kugler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ROLx9flRI20/VDlckL8cH7I/AAAAAAAACDM/aQAixhF7Vn8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(193).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ROLx9flRI20/VDlckL8cH7I/AAAAAAAACDM/aQAixhF7Vn8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(193).JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gravity</i> by Dean Kugler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFIsFp4VCno/VDlchqe-xyI/AAAAAAAACCw/kg4Ix7qoPzo/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(178).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YFIsFp4VCno/VDlchqe-xyI/AAAAAAAACCw/kg4Ix7qoPzo/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(178).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rounding the Mark </i>by Ken Mioduch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIsiHHgAjzY/VDlciC7JZKI/AAAAAAAACC4/QBW7ZgZ07_E/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(181).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uIsiHHgAjzY/VDlciC7JZKI/AAAAAAAACC4/QBW7ZgZ07_E/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(181).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Rounding the Mark </i>by Ken Mioduch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-1GG9ZYV2E/VDlc-Oqtw_I/AAAAAAAACH8/0gEiQxTiYBM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(338).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4-1GG9ZYV2E/VDlc-Oqtw_I/AAAAAAAACH8/0gEiQxTiYBM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(338).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/pamela-alderman/2014/the-scarlet-cord"><i>The Scarlet Cord </i> by Pamela Alderman</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CE4UIrklelM/VDlc-9gjSwI/AAAAAAAACII/I4CSDjzfQis/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(340).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CE4UIrklelM/VDlc-9gjSwI/AAAAAAAACII/I4CSDjzfQis/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(340).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/pamela-alderman/2014/the-scarlet-cord"><i>The Scarlet Cord</i> by Pamela Alderman</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cz7hryBKLGM/VDlccLx_6tI/AAAAAAAACBs/pf-MQT0_DqM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(154).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cz7hryBKLGM/VDlccLx_6tI/AAAAAAAACBs/pf-MQT0_DqM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(154).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grand River Fish Petroglyph</i> by Kevin Sudeith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fs6RYhm3JyI/VDlccA4N5VI/AAAAAAAACBo/J363uH3SbWw/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(157).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fs6RYhm3JyI/VDlccA4N5VI/AAAAAAAACBo/J363uH3SbWw/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(157).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grand River Fish Petroglyph</i> by Kevin Sudeith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VL-iptRWqAg/VDlcc_77j_I/AAAAAAAACB0/kN6_8aPMkRM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(160).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VL-iptRWqAg/VDlcc_77j_I/AAAAAAAACB0/kN6_8aPMkRM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(160).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grand River Fish Petroglyph</i> by Kevin Sudeith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwYqTHJP_Gs/VDlcdtY1uAI/AAAAAAAACCA/kBPb0tjaQJM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(161).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zwYqTHJP_Gs/VDlcdtY1uAI/AAAAAAAACCA/kBPb0tjaQJM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(161).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grand River Fish Petroglyph</i> by Kevin Sudeith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-owXyGsVP0T8/VDlc_r7gqsI/AAAAAAAACIQ/JXuFLVTxbb0/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(344).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-owXyGsVP0T8/VDlc_r7gqsI/AAAAAAAACIQ/JXuFLVTxbb0/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(344).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Weave Peace</i> by Michele Miller-Hansen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-e8HmHWDGk/VDldAZpRk-I/AAAAAAAACIU/ztBgr7-npjs/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(345).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1-e8HmHWDGk/VDldAZpRk-I/AAAAAAAACIU/ztBgr7-npjs/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(345).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Weave Peace</i> by Michele Miller-Hansen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ImHQ7oQYNI/VDlcefIYvOI/AAAAAAAACCE/cWpTixnxYm8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(166).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ImHQ7oQYNI/VDlcefIYvOI/AAAAAAAACCE/cWpTixnxYm8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(166).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Shimmer</i> by Phillip Lynch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3XXwhFRZYE/VDlcZPhOjDI/AAAAAAAACBA/c5ffkMBghKQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(141).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3XXwhFRZYE/VDlcZPhOjDI/AAAAAAAACBA/c5ffkMBghKQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(141).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Wind</i> by Gil Bruvel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGnQAOqeAAg/VDlcafFihDI/AAAAAAAACBU/p4pQjelJc34/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(147).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGnQAOqeAAg/VDlcafFihDI/AAAAAAAACBU/p4pQjelJc34/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(147).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Wind</i> by Gil Bruvel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klKK0ZIcHE0/VDlcZnEPrDI/AAAAAAAACBM/UU8roK8Rr3s/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(144).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klKK0ZIcHE0/VDlcZnEPrDI/AAAAAAAACBM/UU8roK8Rr3s/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(144).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Wind</i> by Gil Bruvel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iK7D9PEGA38/VDlcbFmuiOI/AAAAAAAACBg/k_4xdTspTKQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(152).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iK7D9PEGA38/VDlcbFmuiOI/AAAAAAAACBg/k_4xdTspTKQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(152).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Circle Series</i> by Robert Henderson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/O9Qtjjpv8ZQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CN49dnOBqls/VDldEMsYPDI/AAAAAAAACJM/wpf5TcfSSOA/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CN49dnOBqls/VDldEMsYPDI/AAAAAAAACJM/wpf5TcfSSOA/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/salvador-jimenezflores/2014/i-am-not-who-you-think-i-amno-soy-quien-crees-que-soy">I Am Not Who You Think I Am (No Soy Quien Crees Que Soy)by Salvador Jiménez-Flores</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Wl5jUJkhE8/VDlcz1UED6I/AAAAAAAACGE/OdedzdgwZII/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(296).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Wl5jUJkhE8/VDlcz1UED6I/AAAAAAAACGE/OdedzdgwZII/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(296).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Capitalism Works for Me</i> by Steve Lambert</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2mcmdKbOwY/VDlcsjE8N0I/AAAAAAAACEw/RX7bQ4NbaKo/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(258).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2mcmdKbOwY/VDlcsjE8N0I/AAAAAAAACEw/RX7bQ4NbaKo/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(258).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Take Note </i>by TALENT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-II_1wNRdNbc/VDlcte48YnI/AAAAAAAACE4/MrKUAzz7J5g/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(266).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-II_1wNRdNbc/VDlcte48YnI/AAAAAAAACE4/MrKUAzz7J5g/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(266).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>MacEgan Castle</i> by Terryl Sperlich</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUN5oQ-FwOE/VDlcwsgByCI/AAAAAAAACFg/namuUN-zjbQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(273).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUN5oQ-FwOE/VDlcwsgByCI/AAAAAAAACFg/namuUN-zjbQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(273).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Three Fish</i> by Two Lucky Guys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nAqYwy1tw7Y/VDlcoDZwX4I/AAAAAAAACD4/IOxS4DmJmEM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(208).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nAqYwy1tw7Y/VDlcoDZwX4I/AAAAAAAACD4/IOxS4DmJmEM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(208).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Into the Autumn Woods</i> by Sandra Bryant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XqGO_mPq6r8/VDlcova3PwI/AAAAAAAACEA/IJIWYgFwI8Q/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(218).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XqGO_mPq6r8/VDlcova3PwI/AAAAAAAACEA/IJIWYgFwI8Q/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(218).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/andrew-j-woodstock/2014/brothers-in-arms"><i>Brothers in Arms</i> by Andrew J. Woodstock</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CJYNWXpfzr8/VDlcqPC-hcI/AAAAAAAACEQ/kurL9_6uvZ8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(229)%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CJYNWXpfzr8/VDlcqPC-hcI/AAAAAAAACEQ/kurL9_6uvZ8/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(229)%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" height="121" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/shawn-michael-warren/2014/axiom-trial-error-presentation-ascendance"><i>Axiom: Trial & Error, Presentation & Ascendance</i> by Shawn Michael Warren</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEwZoWItJTY/VDlcpUWfNwI/AAAAAAAACEE/ZOY51-RC2Pc/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(227).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEwZoWItJTY/VDlcpUWfNwI/AAAAAAAACEE/ZOY51-RC2Pc/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(227).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/shawn-michael-warren/2014/axiom-trial-error-presentation-ascendance"><i>Axiom: Trial & Error, Presentation & Ascendance</i> by Shawn Michael Warren</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP_W6T35Zms/VDlcurXDRTI/AAAAAAAACFI/inlBcKvnYQ0/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(269).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KP_W6T35Zms/VDlcurXDRTI/AAAAAAAACFI/inlBcKvnYQ0/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(269).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Caribbean Reef Sharks</i> by Alan Feldmesser</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgN9TQN8CRY/VDlcqoF9jOI/AAAAAAAACEY/O3ppwIRGt84/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(231).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JgN9TQN8CRY/VDlcqoF9jOI/AAAAAAAACEY/O3ppwIRGt84/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(231).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black Crane</i> by Taichiro Ishii</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cPPGfV18s9Q/VDldBa0ZqJI/AAAAAAAACIo/l2AfIlCmPZM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(351).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cPPGfV18s9Q/VDldBa0ZqJI/AAAAAAAACIo/l2AfIlCmPZM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(351).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Synchronicity</i> by Alex Ubatuba</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wagGn_rxLdM/VDlcY4K3gCI/AAAAAAAACA8/_W02uv6nQPQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(138).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wagGn_rxLdM/VDlcY4K3gCI/AAAAAAAACA8/_W02uv6nQPQ/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(138).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kamryn</i> by Jesse Meyer</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgwi3SC1fNs/VDlcYn9KrII/AAAAAAAACA4/PIhHRJrD2ZU/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(132).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgwi3SC1fNs/VDlcYn9KrII/AAAAAAAACA4/PIhHRJrD2ZU/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(132).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/kathy-wise/2014/wild-horses"><i>Wild Horses</i> by Kathy Wise</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_am3Ljj6kJU/VDlcWgxIVoI/AAAAAAAACAc/be_ssm1yzRs/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(127).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_am3Ljj6kJU/VDlcWgxIVoI/AAAAAAAACAc/be_ssm1yzRs/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(127).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/kathy-wise/2014/wild-horses"><i>Wild Horses</i> by Kathy Wise</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1hUFywb4_sA/VDlcVhNTDWI/AAAAAAAACAY/elbnXRm3K38/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(125).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1hUFywb4_sA/VDlcVhNTDWI/AAAAAAAACAY/elbnXRm3K38/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(125).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/kathy-wise/2014/wild-horses"><i>Wild Horses</i> by Kathy Wise</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdfHpXQ1jSY/VDlcVN7D6uI/AAAAAAAACAM/gyBIwnzrPyM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(119).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdfHpXQ1jSY/VDlcVN7D6uI/AAAAAAAACAM/gyBIwnzrPyM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(119).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfT-FRdpmAY/VDlcRk9pBqI/AAAAAAAAB_c/-ThHoLfVlEE/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(102).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vfT-FRdpmAY/VDlcRk9pBqI/AAAAAAAAB_c/-ThHoLfVlEE/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(102).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/roger-wermers/2014/teepee-at-the-bob"><i>Teepee at the BOB</i> by Roger Wermers</a></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U3bP7FBF9Xo/VDlcRvTKEHI/AAAAAAAAB_g/1U_CbtATGTI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(103).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U3bP7FBF9Xo/VDlcRvTKEHI/AAAAAAAAB_g/1U_CbtATGTI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(103).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/roger-wermers/2014/teepee-at-the-bob"><i>Teepee at the BOB</i> by Roger Wermers</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EC9XEcF-Fzk/VDlcS4C8paI/AAAAAAAAB_w/v4_tX0fP3oE/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(105).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EC9XEcF-Fzk/VDlcS4C8paI/AAAAAAAAB_w/v4_tX0fP3oE/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(105).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artprize.org/roger-wermers/2014/teepee-at-the-bob"><i>Teepee at the BOB</i> by Roger Wermers</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nw2LNmyNbRo/VDlcTot2MUI/AAAAAAAAB_4/uN10gtZOlqI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(108).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nw2LNmyNbRo/VDlcTot2MUI/AAAAAAAAB_4/uN10gtZOlqI/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(108).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Poseidon's Paradise</i> by Dan Heffron</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9avK5g6sZk/VDlcT2tNj7I/AAAAAAAAB_8/6egCITWK2Yk/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(114).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N9avK5g6sZk/VDlcT2tNj7I/AAAAAAAAB_8/6egCITWK2Yk/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(114).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Poseidon's Paradise</i> by Dan Heffron</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdfHpXQ1jSY/VDlcVN7D6uI/AAAAAAAACAM/gyBIwnzrPyM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(119).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LdfHpXQ1jSY/VDlcVN7D6uI/AAAAAAAACAM/gyBIwnzrPyM/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(119).JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>View Detroit</i> by Brie Norton, Erica Kimber, and Kevin Walby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FeUX4f_qQFo/VDldDVSh6mI/AAAAAAAACJA/2QCoUNOCKuo/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(96).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FeUX4f_qQFo/VDldDVSh6mI/AAAAAAAACJA/2QCoUNOCKuo/s1600/Art%2BPrize%2B2014%2B(96).JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Breathe</i> by Dave MacKenzie</td></tr>
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Until next year!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-68999314993489236632014-10-08T00:06:00.001-04:002014-10-11T20:59:40.017-04:00World Buddies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/12092991293_f557471802_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/12092991293_f557471802_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After spending time working in Geneva among international organizations and observing the United Nations system, specifically during its sessions during the 2014 Human Rights Council, one of the challenges encountered was reconciling the apparent disconnect between what happens at a very broad, high-level general assembly/HRC session translating into real, positive changes for people on the ground experiencing actual human rights violations and suffering. Seeing the discussions happening in Geneva, surrounded by the type of politics that accompany such exchanges and knowing <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2013/07/refugee-law-in-ecuador.html">some of the problems faced by real people in other countries</a>, is disconcerting and tough to account for. <i>The Daily Show</i> did an excellent job in this segment capturing some of these feelings that many exposed to the system experience, and in doing so, hopefully challenged citizens and their diplomats around the globe to work better and smarter together for a greater, common good.</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:thedailyshow.com:2c1e7bcd-a3bd-416e-9b92-f22169d8c5d1" width="512"></iframe></div>
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<b><a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/">The Daily Show</a></b></div>
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Get More: <a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a>,<a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos">Daily Show Video Archive</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-90295409898877905042014-10-05T11:37:00.000-04:002014-10-05T11:55:02.204-04:00Early Autumn in the Midwest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3935/15261444329_de0f4cd097_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3935/15261444329_de0f4cd097_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pickerel Lake at the Fred Meijer Nature Preserve</td></tr>
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Fall is finally here! </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-44sxahJontc/VDFhEFcyX8I/AAAAAAAAB9I/skJviA6GfYs/s1600/IMG_0910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-44sxahJontc/VDFhEFcyX8I/AAAAAAAAB9I/skJviA6GfYs/s1600/IMG_0910.JPG" height="200" width="126" /></a></div>
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And while for many, this means too much talk of the infamous PSL (pumpkin spice latte), it also means some beautiful <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Pure%20Michigan">Pure Michigan</a> moments. Last year, I had the chance to experience the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2013/10/pure-michigan-fall-break-in-great-upper.html">Upper Peninsula</a> at the peak of its fall color glory. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/10639320183_e6214d16a5_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/10639320183_e6214d16a5_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake of the Clouds</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/10639080965_f25c1040fb_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3801/10639080965_f25c1040fb_b.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Tahquamenon Falls</td></tr>
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With <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Art%20Prize">ArtPrize</a> (<a href="http://www.artprize.org/">official site</a>) happening in West Michigan at the moment, I decided to make it over for the festival as well as to see a bit of fall color around that part of the state (check out <a href="http://www.experiencegr.com/blog/fall-colors-grand-rapids/">this link </a>for more places to see fall colors around western Michigan). Although the week I chose happened to be grey and rainy, it still made for some beautiful shots. And what's autumn in Michigan without a bit of crisp, cool rain anyway?</div>
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<a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15261615698_c04e45397b_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3927/15261615698_c04e45397b_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3934/15447865902_fa369fc2d8_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3934/15447865902_fa369fc2d8_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15448218175_d6cc3a76ac_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3929/15448218175_d6cc3a76ac_b.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tree is so cool against the sky.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3928/15448218015_1124cfb6e8_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3928/15448218015_1124cfb6e8_b.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that reflection in the water.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5600/15261444059_a926d2360e_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5600/15261444059_a926d2360e_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love this one. That tree is so cool.</td></tr>
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In addition to Pickerel Lake, I made it out to the <i>greatest </i>lake, Lake Michigan, to experiment with my first time lapse shot. It's nothing really fancy or long, and just before I got to the lake, the sun dipped behind some storm clouds so most of the color was obscured, but it was still pretty cool. Next time, I'll be sure to pick a better day and to stay longer and/or slow down the rate of frames per second for a better effect. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Ever Time Lapse shot!</td></tr>
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This is the time lapse shot on YouTube (if the format is better than the gif). </div>
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And some stills... (although every time that I hear the name "Big Red Lighthouse," it makes me think of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kxUTtZ_jH0">this scene from <i>The Office</i></a>).</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Red Lighthouse</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite shot, I think.</td></tr>
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With a bit more exploring around Lake Michigan and at Blandford Nature Center, it's a beautiful time to enjoy the best of the Midwest.</div>
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Enjoy the colors of the season!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-22162056104840113432014-07-06T16:41:00.000-04:002014-10-11T21:00:17.062-04:00Nearing the End of the Bar Exam<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Story of My Life.</td></tr>
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The Bar Exam is ALMOST OVER.<br />
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There's three clips that keep running through my head.<br />
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(Start at 0:24)</div>
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And then sometimes, I feel a little like Kanye West is shouting at me every time I review my practice test answers...<br />
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But Kanye can be helpful too sometimes. The USA Today published a <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/exp/kanye/kanye.html">Kanye West Self-Confidence Generator</a> in case you're feeling down. Check it out <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/exp/kanye/kanye.html">here</a>.<br />
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Also, Kid President makes lots of things better.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3MtfGMR7LFQ/VAn3aKoAvPI/AAAAAAAAB8A/QIRwEYdzgXk/s1600/The%2BOffice%2BKelly%2BSmart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3MtfGMR7LFQ/VAn3aKoAvPI/AAAAAAAAB8A/QIRwEYdzgXk/s1600/The%2BOffice%2BKelly%2BSmart.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">In terms of a fresh perspective on a few things I've studied so far, a la the </span><a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/06/brief-update.html" style="text-align: justify;">brief update I posted involving civil procedure and depositions</a><span style="text-align: justify;">, I came up with a good analogy for describing the difference between contract defenses and contract excuses. In contract defenses, you're talking about situations that prevent a legally binding contract from ever being formed in the first place (there is </span><i style="text-align: justify;">no</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> contract), but excuses are for situations where there clearly is a valid contract, but something just came up that makes it really difficult or impossible for one side to perform (there </span><i style="text-align: justify;">is</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> a contract though). Sort of like </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO0pcWxcROI" style="text-align: justify;">this clip from <i>The Matrix</i></a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><br />
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In other positive news, and on a more serious note, I received this email the other day from the <a href="http://savetibet.org/">International Campaign for Tibet</a> regarding HH XIV Dalai Lama's 79th birthday on July 6th. You can send your pledge to keep your mind and heart more compassionate <a href="http://action.savetibet.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=10025">here</a>. Also, the Dalai Lama's laugh is just pure contagious happiness.</div>
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Aaaand, I thought of a much better summer song than what I've been playing. Can't go wrong with this.<br />
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<i>Kodachrome! </i><br />
<i>Give us those nice bright colors</i><br />
<i>That give us the greens of summers</i><br />
<i>Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/LtIA0BP-A7w" width="640"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-83258888783939703862014-06-26T15:21:00.000-04:002014-06-26T16:25:37.362-04:00Pure Michigan Week<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta love that view!</td></tr>
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This must just be a great week to be in Michigan. After several days of thunderstorms and lots of rain, I was able to get outside for a bit and enjoy <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdFLtLlW_c8/U6r14zMba0I/AAAAAAAAB20/j0qDQG6fLSk/s1600/Pure+Michigan+(3).JPG">some of the sights</a> I wrote about in <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/06/brief-update.html">my last brief update</a>. Today was another great day to be moving around to study because I was able to go to one of my favorite local lakes and sit with a lakeside view to study.</div>
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I CANNOT WAIT to be out <i>on</i> that water <b>kayaking</b> again!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#nofilter</td></tr>
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In the meantime, enjoy some #PureMichigan goodness.</div>
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I'm also feeling good I guess because I got the score back for my third graded essay for the Bar Review course, and I did pretty well. Now I have an objective chart telling me that I am, at least for now, "above average." Nerdy, but nice.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-kmmHrXaaM/U6yBUVRHbJI/AAAAAAAAB7E/ClAoNZzyL90/s1600/Above+Average+Self+Esteem+Boost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-kmmHrXaaM/U6yBUVRHbJI/AAAAAAAAB7E/ClAoNZzyL90/s1600/Above+Average+Self+Esteem+Boost.jpg" height="231" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Hint: I'm the green line that is all the way turnt up)</td></tr>
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<br />
And some summer tunes!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/McEoTIqoRKk" width="560"></iframe><br />
(yes, I know I posted this same song before, but they just keep p-l-a-y-i-n-g it on the radio every day...it's gonna become a #summer2014 #nofilter anthem whether anyone likes it or not)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-66133491238079424602014-06-25T12:52:00.003-04:002014-06-25T16:00:27.319-04:00Brief Update<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdFLtLlW_c8/U6r14zMba0I/AAAAAAAAB20/j0qDQG6fLSk/s1600/Pure+Michigan+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdFLtLlW_c8/U6r14zMba0I/AAAAAAAAB20/j0qDQG6fLSk/s1600/Pure+Michigan+(3).JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful summer fields in Michigan</td></tr>
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Just like the past several weeks, this week is no different with more and more intense studying and catching up with more studying on the bar exam. But just a brief update with that and other things happening in the world. My goal with these bar exam updates is to start with something positive, acknowledge a bit of stress (because this is real life), and then end on a positive note. </div>
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First, the good stuff happening. Although I am not able to enjoy as much of the summer right now as I would like, I have been able to take advantage of some nice things. A walk yesterday evening revealed that beautiful shot above of the rolling summery fields and a bright blue sky. It's pretty peaceful. In a related nature note, I also helped a turtle cross the road the other day.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cMy-tykgQA/U6r196NhzMI/AAAAAAAAB3o/UUFtueSJYYE/s1600/Turtle+X-ing+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4cMy-tykgQA/U6r196NhzMI/AAAAAAAAB3o/UUFtueSJYYE/s1600/Turtle+X-ing+%25282%2529.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have also been exploring new study spots in the city because I think I get too stir-crazy if studying in the same place all the time. So, I've been able to hit up one of my favorite bookstores ever, <a href="http://www.schulerbooks.com/">Schuler Books</a>, and I also made it to the <a href="http://www.meijergardens.org/">Frederik Meijer Gardens</a> to study before an intense thunderstorm. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sH5waL3K5CY/U6r19aWxZOI/AAAAAAAAB3k/cn7h6OkVXyk/s1600/Studying+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sH5waL3K5CY/U6r19aWxZOI/AAAAAAAAB3k/cn7h6OkVXyk/s1600/Studying+%25281%2529.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Meijer Gardens has a beautiful botanical garden inside with several different rooms that always have something cool happening, whether it's the "Christmas around the World" in the winter (focusing on holiday celebrations around the world in December, and also including celebrations from other religions, despite the name) or the butterfly exhibit in the spring where the tropical gardens are filled with beautiful butterflies that will land on your outstretched fingers. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-13HKyP-VbBk/U6r18hgncCI/AAAAAAAAB3M/2yHObUxkD0Q/s1600/Meijer+Gardens+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-13HKyP-VbBk/U6r18hgncCI/AAAAAAAAB3M/2yHObUxkD0Q/s1600/Meijer+Gardens+%25285%2529.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-njBlQf2c-vs/U6r18b6py4I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/gOiWvFNo50g/s1600/Meijer+Gardens+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-njBlQf2c-vs/U6r18b6py4I/AAAAAAAAB3Y/gOiWvFNo50g/s1600/Meijer+Gardens+%25283%2529.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Meijer Gardens also has a <a href="http://www.meijergardens.org/attractions/sculpture-collection/">beautiful outdoor sculpture park</a>, with an amphitheater for some excellent outdoor summer concerts. The Gardens is especially famous for the American Horse, a gigantic bronze statue made in 1999 by Nina Akamu modeled off of Leonardo da Vinci's horse for the Duke of Milan in the late 15th century. There were two 24-foot horses cast in 1999, one for the Meijer Gardens and one for Milan (side note: I cannot believe that <i>I totally forgot about the Horse in Milan!!! I was in Milan!!! I could have seen it!</i>). There are so many other cool sculptures outside though, that anything you see, including the cute children's park, is bound to impress.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIjLf_vRRF4/U6r17zkkzJI/AAAAAAAAB3E/rm0mx5hColc/s1600/Meijer+Gardens+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIjLf_vRRF4/U6r17zkkzJI/AAAAAAAAB3E/rm0mx5hColc/s1600/Meijer+Gardens+%25281%2529.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Also, Iran and Bosnia play in the World Cup today for the final game for Group F. Hopefully Iran advances!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Iran" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/537e234669bedd6024ea91b5-1200/iran.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="212" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Iran!</td></tr>
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<img alt="Bosnia and Herzegovina" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/537e23476bb3f77779ea91b3-1200/bosnia-and-herzegovina.jpg" height="200" width="133" /><br />
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[Update: Iran lost that game 3-1, so now Iran and Bosnia are both out, and Nigeria and Argentina advance to the next round. It's too bad that Iran lost that game, but look at how Team Melli came together and scored <a href="http://www.espnfc.com/video/highlights/114/video/1912334/ghoochannejhad-pulls-one-back-for-iran">this sweet goal!</a>]<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">In other news now, the bar exam. Enough said.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GK1vXL2tvXg/U6r8egVcToI/AAAAAAAAB30/t47RR3nU4T8/s1600/Well-Informed+v+Sane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GK1vXL2tvXg/U6r8egVcToI/AAAAAAAAB30/t47RR3nU4T8/s1600/Well-Informed+v+Sane.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qHyeRYa0rJM/U6r9EeVmgeI/AAAAAAAAB6c/L_zqw0Ygj1U/s1600/Wonka+Suspense.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qHyeRYa0rJM/U6r9EeVmgeI/AAAAAAAAB6c/L_zqw0Ygj1U/s1600/Wonka+Suspense.gif" height="186" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willy Wonka is a condescending meanie.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-tRU6zuIro/U6r8wvh_C_I/AAAAAAAAB4U/LkDDk3zs_nc/s1600/Brain+is+Crying.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-tRU6zuIro/U6r8wvh_C_I/AAAAAAAAB4U/LkDDk3zs_nc/s1600/Brain+is+Crying.gif" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OByfK4byGFc/U6r8w2syADI/AAAAAAAAB4g/L47bgpuc3pw/s1600/Broke+Depressed+Emotionally+Vacant.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OByfK4byGFc/U6r8w2syADI/AAAAAAAAB4g/L47bgpuc3pw/s1600/Broke+Depressed+Emotionally+Vacant.gif" height="181" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_BmmvPbN4s/U6r8xMPVwsI/AAAAAAAAB4k/6UVQYN4z0Mk/s1600/Crying+Leo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X_BmmvPbN4s/U6r8xMPVwsI/AAAAAAAAB4k/6UVQYN4z0Mk/s1600/Crying+Leo.gif" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-srdoLmmKfTs/U6r80KRPurI/AAAAAAAAB5g/j_YX20adQ6Y/s1600/Kevin+Hart+Help.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-srdoLmmKfTs/U6r80KRPurI/AAAAAAAAB5g/j_YX20adQ6Y/s1600/Kevin+Hart+Help.gif" height="174" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AP_koLSKdIA/U6r8zH4GikI/AAAAAAAAB5E/Vj7l8d0puUA/s1600/Hedgehog+Not+so+Adventurous.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AP_koLSKdIA/U6r8zH4GikI/AAAAAAAAB5E/Vj7l8d0puUA/s1600/Hedgehog+Not+so+Adventurous.gif" height="134" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GbDcSsLU5MU/U6r9B6xkrnI/AAAAAAAAB6A/uZOZr_8FYeU/s1600/Octopus+Nope+Nope.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GbDcSsLU5MU/U6r9B6xkrnI/AAAAAAAAB6A/uZOZr_8FYeU/s1600/Octopus+Nope+Nope.gif" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
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Normally, I try to live by this motto:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FxNWlQWQz6U/U6r9AesCQhI/AAAAAAAAB5s/P8rkxEwyHRQ/s1600/Leslie+Knope+-+encouragement+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FxNWlQWQz6U/U6r9AesCQhI/AAAAAAAAB5s/P8rkxEwyHRQ/s1600/Leslie+Knope+-+encouragement+2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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But even the amazing Leslie Knope has her moments...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1SBthQY4I0/U6r9BOFcOlI/AAAAAAAAB50/78Xen272vso/s1600/Leslie+Knope+Nervous+Breakdown.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1SBthQY4I0/U6r9BOFcOlI/AAAAAAAAB50/78Xen272vso/s1600/Leslie+Knope+Nervous+Breakdown.gif" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X-UlnutEFHo/U6r9BTQOcGI/AAAAAAAAB58/wbj5BHOFNBQ/s1600/Leslie+Knope+Angry.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X-UlnutEFHo/U6r9BTQOcGI/AAAAAAAAB58/wbj5BHOFNBQ/s1600/Leslie+Knope+Angry.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">But ending with POSITIVITY.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9GwNxdcoYo/U6r9EQcEBQI/AAAAAAAAB6o/8IUOdyxbJRU/s1600/Parks+and+Rec+Leslie+Message+to+Self.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9GwNxdcoYo/U6r9EQcEBQI/AAAAAAAAB6o/8IUOdyxbJRU/s1600/Parks+and+Rec+Leslie+Message+to+Self.gif" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uhWvB5Tt164/U6r9DQpwlWI/AAAAAAAAB6U/HhWcjHS0_4Q/s1600/Parks+and+Rec+Leslie+Message+to+Self+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uhWvB5Tt164/U6r9DQpwlWI/AAAAAAAAB6U/HhWcjHS0_4Q/s1600/Parks+and+Rec+Leslie+Message+to+Self+2.gif" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JyB4zYlDl8/U6r9Estf3MI/AAAAAAAAB6k/kXFrhpK-m_Y/s1600/Woody+Youll+be+Fine.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6JyB4zYlDl8/U6r9Estf3MI/AAAAAAAAB6k/kXFrhpK-m_Y/s1600/Woody+Youll+be+Fine.gif" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tZNgJ1NvKAE/U6r9Cyfu7HI/AAAAAAAAB6I/8ONCxzHlz2s/s1600/Suffer+Now+Live+Life+as+a+Champ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tZNgJ1NvKAE/U6r9Cyfu7HI/AAAAAAAAB6I/8ONCxzHlz2s/s1600/Suffer+Now+Live+Life+as+a+Champ.jpg" /></a></div>
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Back to positive things. And even better, these positive things are actually related to the bar exam *gasp.* In studying all of the federal civil procedure stuff, I remembered that this also includes the crazy, crazy process that is a deposition. Which reminded me about some of the crazy videos of depositions that are out there. Enjoy.</div>
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1. Tupac's 1995 deposition. Start at about 4:30 for this exchange:<br />
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“Do you remember what year you started receiving fan mail?”<br />
“No, I don’t.”<br />
“And do you also get unfavorable mail?”<br />
“Oh yeah, like this.
I get a lot of unfavorable mail from y’all.”<br />
“From fans?”<br />
“No. From
y’all. Y’all. You guys. The lawyers, the law students.”</blockquote>
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Then skip to the 6:30 mark for more...<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Were you trying to provoke people to do things?”<br />
“Yes.”<br />
“Could you tell us what?”<br />
"Think. Use your head."</blockquote>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zNYz0GG8gZM" width="420"></iframe><br />
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2. The Justin Bieber Destroying his Own Career Deposition. Only watch this portion of the video though because possibly any longer would be detrimental to one's health and best interests. Start at the 3:27 mark to listen to the Biebs admit, under oath, "I think that I was detrimental to my own career." We all agree.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/99Rnfl2mxc8" width="560"></iframe>
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...But perhaps one of my all-time favorites...</div>
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3. TEXAS STYLE DEPOSITION! I told you I would end on a positive note. This is ridiculous and hilarious and no matter how many times I watch this video, it is still so funny. Enjoy the glory of the American legal system.</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ISW3_KT5PeY" width="420"></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-76643142994025921002014-06-19T17:06:00.001-04:002014-06-19T17:14:06.758-04:00[I'm Definitely Not] Watching the World Cup [during the Bar Exam]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1320/5110168408_8442db6ea2_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1320/5110168408_8442db6ea2_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebration in Madrid when Spain won the 2010 South Africa World Cup</td></tr>
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Since last week Thursday, the whole world has basically been obsessed with one thing: soccer. More specifically, the World Cup being held in Brazil right now. Soccer can actually be pretty cool on multiple levels, despite what most Americans think.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fsNgOXa0cUw/U6NFgk8YTeI/AAAAAAAAB2U/eUTLVtlHO2A/s1600/Soccer+Explained.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fsNgOXa0cUw/U6NFgk8YTeI/AAAAAAAAB2U/eUTLVtlHO2A/s1600/Soccer+Explained.gif" height="162" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's just a liiiiittle bit better</td></tr>
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In one of my favorite reads from undergrad, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Soccer-Explains-World-Globalization/dp/0061978051/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1403131999&sr=1-1&keywords=how+soccer+explains+the+world">How Soccer Explains the World</a></i> shows how soccer represents globalization in practice, as "an expression of the social, economic, political, and racial composition of the communities that host both the teams and their throngs of enthusiastic fans."</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zpgvDQ3BFsk/U6NIFmPGwmI/AAAAAAAAB2k/DWM5LOxamwc/s1600/Onion+Soccer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zpgvDQ3BFsk/U6NIFmPGwmI/AAAAAAAAB2k/DWM5LOxamwc/s1600/Onion+Soccer.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soccer, as explained by <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/onion-sports-introduction-to-world-cup-soccer,36260/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=LinkPreview:1:Default">The Onion</a>.</td></tr>
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But more importantly, I remember how much fun I had in <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Spain">Spain</a> and what it felt like to be in the middle of everything when a country wins the World Cup. In 2010, I was in Madrid, watching the final match between Spain and the Netherlands in the center of the city when <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2010/07/waka-waka-win.html">Spain scored the winning goal</a> and the entire country went crazy - people jumped into the street and started waving flags as if they were matadors and cars played along, honking loudly, pretending to be bulls - and then celebrated again the next day after the president declared a 36 hour national holiday. Millions packed the streets of Madrid to greet the national team as it returned victorious the next day (a Monday) from South Africa to a huge area over by Principe Pio to host the concerts and celebrations with Spanish pop star David Bisbal and several dancing Pulpo Pauls (the octopus that can predict the outcome of the World Cup matches).</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8e0fTXM0_dc/U6NFfXdvGfI/AAAAAAAAB2I/PUs31J7jcqQ/s1600/Beauty+%2526+the+Beast+Picture+book.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8e0fTXM0_dc/U6NFfXdvGfI/AAAAAAAAB2I/PUs31J7jcqQ/s1600/Beauty+%2526+the+Beast+Picture+book.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually, a legitimate question re: Bar prep outlines...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KnfTxt4_CzM/U6NFhBpqboI/AAAAAAAAB2c/5GnuEix5Z0U/s1600/read+with+swag.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KnfTxt4_CzM/U6NFhBpqboI/AAAAAAAAB2c/5GnuEix5Z0U/s1600/read+with+swag.gif" height="173" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If only, if only....</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, studying for the bar exam pretty much consumes my time now, but thanks to Tivo and the internets, I can catch bits and pieces of it now and then. Iran qualified this year and I'm hoping they win (or make it really far), and unfortunately querida España has already been eliminated after some harsh losses, including to the Netherlands (obviously seeking revenge for 2010).</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yavC9SHmg4g/U6NFde-y2SI/AAAAAAAAB1w/Xv7wtWynx6s/s1600/Nap.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yavC9SHmg4g/U6NFde-y2SI/AAAAAAAAB1w/Xv7wtWynx6s/s1600/Nap.gif" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-855-3ArW89U/U6NFdynsYeI/AAAAAAAAB10/EjAb9yxj8P8/s1600/Naptime.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-855-3ArW89U/U6NFdynsYeI/AAAAAAAAB10/EjAb9yxj8P8/s1600/Naptime.gif" height="170" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zx7tiYf2Avc/U6NFfUB-chI/AAAAAAAAB2M/lrCv5P_yQuE/s1600/Nightmare.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zx7tiYf2Avc/U6NFfUB-chI/AAAAAAAAB2M/lrCv5P_yQuE/s1600/Nightmare.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the meantime, these are some of the highlights and things that I've found amusing over the last week or so about the 2014 World Cup. If you want to watch the matches, you can find the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2014/06/09/2014-world-cup-preview-tv-listings-and-game-schedule/">schedule </a>with dates, times, and channels <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/soccer-insider/wp/2014/06/09/2014-world-cup-preview-tv-listings-and-game-schedule/">here</a>.</div>
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First up, FIFA hired a Brazilian artist to make posters for each team that will play in the first round. The posters are really cool for each team and are definitely worth taking a look at all the way through. Find them <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/espn-brazil-world-cup-posters-2014-5?op=1">here</a> or <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/29/world-cup-posters_n_5411428.html">here</a>. Some favorites below:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="espn" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1824332/thumbs/o-ESPN-570.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iran - Team Melli (تیم ملی)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="espn" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1824387/thumbs/o-ESPN-570.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spain - La Furia Roja</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="espn" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1824301/thumbs/o-ESPN-570.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ecuador</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="espn" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1824392/thumbs/o-ESPN-570.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Switzerland</td></tr>
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(and even though I didn't live there...)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="espn" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1824338/thumbs/o-ESPN-570.jpg" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="213" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italy - Azzurri</td></tr>
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But FIFA is not without its criticism in the past couple weeks either. Satirist John Oliver dives deep into the organization to explain all its shady, SHADY shenanigans to Americans, in the way only a British guy living in the US and analyzing US politics on HBO latenight can. And he kills it.</div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DlJEt2KU33I" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
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Another Daily Show alumn, Stephen Colbert, contributed some vital World Cup analysis with guest Hans Beinholtz - the <i>fictional</i> (yet highly convincing) German ambassador to the United Nations who has made numerous appearences on the Colbert Report. Here, he gives a "positive" spin on Team USA's chances in Stephen Colbert's Sport Report (all "T's" are silent).</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:colbertnation.com:c3783f49-c989-4e4e-a85d-770571f8cb7d" width="512"></iframe><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;">
<b><a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/">The Colbert Report</a></b><br />
Get More: <a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/indecision">Indecision Political Humor</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thecolbertreport">The Colbert Report on Facebook</a></div>
</div>
</div>
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Now, for the good stuff - the highlights from some of the games until now.<br />
<br />
<b>Iran v. Nigeria</b><br />
Team Melli up against Nigeria in a tough game that resulted in the first draw of the tournament (<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/attack-minded-nigeria-held-0-194933129--sow.html">read more here</a>). Each team gets one point, so hopefully Iran will do well in its next two matches (and comparatively, the rest of the teams in Group F will do poorly - sorry guys) so that Iran can advance to the next bracket. Check out those sweet jerseys too. Check out <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=intl:1886825">ESPN's video here</a>. You can also catch the <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/iran-nigeria-7380/">play-by-play report</a> from Yahoo Sports <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/iran-nigeria-7380/">here</a>. Looking forward to Iran's match against Argentina. Should be another tough game. Check out <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=intl:1893055">ESPN's video here</a>.<br />
<script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=B4a3E63GKeEtO92XK7NI067ak980&width=576&height=324&externalId=intl:1886825"></script>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Spain v. Everyone</b><br />
Unfortunately, Spain eliminated from the World Cup pretty quickly this year. Check out <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=intl:1893507">ESPN's video here</a>.<br />
<script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=B4a3E63GKeEtO92XK7NI067ak980&width=576&height=324&externalId=intl:1893507"></script>
And just in case you need to express your frustration and sadness, BuzzFeed gives you some advice on what your World Cup watching posture should be <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/nathanwpyle/world-cup-watching-positions">here</a>.<br />
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<img src="http://s3-ec.buzzfed.com/static/2014-06/16/15/enhanced/webdr06/enhanced-24399-1402945267-1.png" height="293" width="400" /></div>
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<br />
<b>USA v. Ghana</b><br />
I've never really been into USA soccer but apparently this was a good game between two good teams. And also Ghana has some sweet white away jerseys. <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=intl:1887887">ESPN's video here</a>. Yahoo's <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/ghana-usa-7382/">play-by-play here</a>.<br />
<script src="http://player.espn.com/player.js?pcode=B4a3E63GKeEtO92XK7NI067ak980&width=576&height=324&externalId=intl:1887887"></script>
Colbert coverage on USA win:<br />
<div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;">
<div style="padding: 4px;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:colbertnation.com:1a1fdd35-fcf9-4b99-ac7b-c9d054f78513" width="512"></iframe><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;">
<b><a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/">The Colbert Report</a></b><br />
Get More: <a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/indecision">Indecision Political Humor</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thecolbertreport">The Colbert Report on Facebook</a></div>
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</div>
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Finally, just because this is so completely ridiculous and so amusingly American, ABC News actually took time to make this an official thing on its website for the World Cup - a <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/fullpage/world-cup-2014-hottest-player-bracket-challenge-23828820">bracket of the "hottest players"</a> from some of the teams. Such an insane waste of time. Good job, ABC. </div>
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<br />
And just for fun, Stephen Colbert's Foam Foot Sign Off (no hands in soccer).<br />
<div style="background-color: black; width: 520px;">
<div style="padding: 4px;">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:colbertnation.com:7fd3ab75-f47b-4abe-8a3f-a44bca1fb2a1" width="512"></iframe><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 4px; padding: 4px; text-align: left;">
<b><a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/">The Colbert Report</a></b><br />
Get More: <a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.comedycentral.com/indecision">Indecision Political Humor</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thecolbertreport">The Colbert Report on Facebook</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-63981028450484580062014-06-04T17:00:00.000-04:002014-06-05T16:01:21.817-04:00Work a Little, Bar a LOT <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cwd7DBTLmfM/U49CPcTlGoI/AAAAAAAABvc/O1XIl2wtRxQ/s1600/Atlas+-+Rockefeller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cwd7DBTLmfM/U49CPcTlGoI/AAAAAAAABvc/O1XIl2wtRxQ/s1600/Atlas+-+Rockefeller.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>"I am Atlas at this, manage to balance massive masses upon<br />my back without tiltin' my glasses" ~ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVX8ogVBQM" target="_blank">Lupe Fiasco</a></i></td></tr>
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Since <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/graduation.html" target="_blank">graduation</a> in May, I've taken a break from jetsetting, travels, and <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Geneva" target="_blank">beautiful Geneva</a> to take on the beast that is bar exam studying. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gX2_i7DEzh0/U49CkYd6T7I/AAAAAAAABv4/s6aSAiioccU/s1600/Wambulance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gX2_i7DEzh0/U49CkYd6T7I/AAAAAAAABv4/s6aSAiioccU/s1600/Wambulance.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(no wonder Stephen Colbert says bears<br />
are the #1 threat to America)</td></tr>
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Basically, going through the bar review course means lots of reading, video lectures, and learning all the stuff that I learned and forgot since <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/1L" target="_blank">1L year</a>. But, at this point, it's all about just pushing through the material with purpose and focus...</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xgcDLx1p7YA/U49CTIacRsI/AAAAAAAABvs/z9eyveLwSms/s1600/Ballard+Street+-+Purpose.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xgcDLx1p7YA/U49CTIacRsI/AAAAAAAABvs/z9eyveLwSms/s1600/Ballard+Street+-+Purpose.gif" height="320" width="258" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qMrv6Upj6h4/U49CTB04lWI/AAAAAAAABvw/MrtlSMVKWwA/s1600/Ballard+Street+-+Focus.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qMrv6Upj6h4/U49CTB04lWI/AAAAAAAABvw/MrtlSMVKWwA/s1600/Ballard+Street+-+Focus.gif" height="320" width="258" /></a></div>
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...With some Chris Trager-like positivity...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr7YIt4kkuA/U49ClCQytzI/AAAAAAAABwE/wFa2K_d2GoM/s1600/Chris+Trager+Dead.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr7YIt4kkuA/U49ClCQytzI/AAAAAAAABwE/wFa2K_d2GoM/s1600/Chris+Trager+Dead.gif" height="153" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux_q2_i1gQI/U49Clqa2jRI/AAAAAAAABwQ/FqGAU85LqUw/s1600/Chris+Trager+Good+Job.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ux_q2_i1gQI/U49Clqa2jRI/AAAAAAAABwQ/FqGAU85LqUw/s1600/Chris+Trager+Good+Job.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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And a dash of that Tom Haverford sparkle and Leslie Knope excellence.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zN4V5-6Af5s/U49ClmO3HyI/AAAAAAAABwM/tL7F1Lseejw/s1600/Work+a+Little%252C+Ball+Lots.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zN4V5-6Af5s/U49ClmO3HyI/AAAAAAAABwM/tL7F1Lseejw/s1600/Work+a+Little%252C+Ball+Lots.gif" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6ASkM5BmDhQ/U49Ea-cd2yI/AAAAAAAABwY/bCkBApY96Dk/s1600/Leslie+Knope+-+encouragement+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6ASkM5BmDhQ/U49Ea-cd2yI/AAAAAAAABwY/bCkBApY96Dk/s1600/Leslie+Knope+-+encouragement+2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>We just might be okay, after all, sun goin' shine on this day! ~<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtVX8ogVBQM" target="_blank">Lupe Fiasco</a></i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-17487893287947678002014-06-04T12:57:00.004-04:002014-06-04T12:57:50.449-04:00Why Learning Languages is Great<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olyn6BNCVaA/U49G2T2uJ3I/AAAAAAAABwk/TQhNLWjZYyc/s1600/Keep+Calm+-+Multilingual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-olyn6BNCVaA/U49G2T2uJ3I/AAAAAAAABwk/TQhNLWjZYyc/s1600/Keep+Calm+-+Multilingual.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Americans talk </span><i style="text-align: start;">a lot </i><span style="text-align: start;">(and <i>loudly</i>).</span><span style="text-align: start;"> But around the world, people are still surprised to meet Americans that speak more than one language. Even though more and more people are not as surprised to meet Americans might know a bit of Spanish, I've had a lot of conversations where people in other countries were surprised to meet an American who speaks Spanish (or another language) </span><i style="text-align: start;">well</i><span style="text-align: start;">.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBw0wN0GtcM/U49G3irHcjI/AAAAAAAABxI/M6O32p1qPeQ/s1600/Understand+Nothing.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBw0wN0GtcM/U49G3irHcjI/AAAAAAAABxI/M6O32p1qPeQ/s1600/Understand+Nothing.gif" height="146" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Muy bien, Miguel.</td></tr>
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We're also notoriously bad at geography.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnXIoKSY6FA/U49G312_toI/AAAAAAAABxE/xTUCDdsP-Gc/s1600/Up+South+America.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pnXIoKSY6FA/U49G312_toI/AAAAAAAABxE/xTUCDdsP-Gc/s1600/Up+South+America.gif" height="175" width="320" /></a></div>
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But, we also love to travel, and with more and more universities expanding their study abroad programs, now we can (one of the best things I think a student can do - I spent mine in Madrid, <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/search/label/Spain" target="_blank">Spain</a> in 2010). Americans also speak languages other than English with increasing fluency. <a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acs-22.pdf" target="_blank">According to the most recent US census</a>, the percentage of the total population who speak Spanish increased from 2005 to 2011.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="CBOX_BlattLanguage_1" src="http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/05/CBOX_BlattLanguage_1.jpg.CROP.original-original.jpg" height="263" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/05/language_map_what_s_the_most_popular_language_in_your_state.html">click here</a>.</td></tr>
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And it's not just English and Spanish that are becoming popular. Look at these maps from <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/05/language_map_what_s_the_most_popular_language_in_your_state.html">Slate.com</a> that show the popularity of languages spoken across the United States. For reference, even that US census <a href="http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/acs-22.pdf" target="_blank">included 300 languages</a> to measure for its data.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="CBOX_BlattLanguage_2" src="http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/05/CBOX_BlattLanguage_2.jpg.CROP.original-original.jpg" height="262" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/05/language_map_what_s_the_most_popular_language_in_your_state.html">click here</a>.</td></tr>
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The <i>Washington Post</i> also has a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/25/map-the-most-popular-languages-other-than-the-obvious-english-or-spanish/">really cool graphic map</a> measuring languages spoken by county. The map includes languages where at least 10 percent of people in the county speak a language other than English at home. Ten percent! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H8Pc5t7nqTQ/U49MZS_0kHI/AAAAAAAABxc/_mwItzYZmJA/s1600/languages+spoken+at+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H8Pc5t7nqTQ/U49MZS_0kHI/AAAAAAAABxc/_mwItzYZmJA/s1600/languages+spoken+at+home.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/25/map-the-most-popular-languages-other-than-the-obvious-english-or-spanish/">click here</a>; you can zoom in the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/02/25/map-the-most-popular-languages-other-than-the-obvious-english-or-spanish/">original source</a> too!</td></tr>
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If you're not into trends and aside from the growing popularity of languages other than English, why should you get down with multilingualism? </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzRI48z1gVI/U49G2X6EpCI/AAAAAAAABwo/NGqvKGPOYIM/s1600/Travel+-+Adventure+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jzRI48z1gVI/U49G2X6EpCI/AAAAAAAABwo/NGqvKGPOYIM/s1600/Travel+-+Adventure+Map.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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The <i><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/multilingual-benefits_n_5399980.html?&ir=Politics&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000016">Huffington Post</a></i> had <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/multilingual-benefits_n_5399980.html?&ir=Politics&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000016">an excellent article</a> about all of the major benefits of speaking multiple languages. The article echoed all of the reasons why I wanted to learn additional languages, and why I still want to continue learning (locking down Farsi fluency, then starting with <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.ch/2014/02/french-classes-in-geneva.html">French</a>, then hopefully Arabic someday). I won't post the article in its entirety, but you can <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/multilingual-benefits_n_5399980.html?&ir=Politics&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000016">click here for the full story</a>. In addition, I posted their listed six benefits below.</div>
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<ol>
<li>You can understand and appreciate cultural references and nuances.</li>
<li>Bilingualism can create job opportunities and help you navigate the world.</li>
<li>You notice and appreciate things that are sometimes lost in translation.</li>
<li>You feel a sense of connection with your heritage, history, and family.</li>
<li>Your interactions with people of different cultures go deeper.</li>
<li>And lastly, your self-expression excitingly takes on a multitude of forms.*</li>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">*This last point isn't just referring to the hilarious/confusing times when I say a sentence in a mixture of English/Spanish.Farsi, but rather that people who speak multiple languages fluently or with a high degree of proficiency </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/02/multilingual-benefits_n_5399980.html?&ir=Politics&ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000016" style="text-align: justify;">have different personalities</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> when they are speaking each language. It's pretty cool.</span><br />
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So get inspired! Make deeper connections with the people around you and experience to the fullest extent everything this world of ours has to offer!</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-27763968146505453582014-05-10T15:21:00.000-04:002014-05-13T15:23:29.042-04:00Graduation!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQnJzMYFjOM/U3Jtq9YBMdI/AAAAAAAABl0/PuSoxyYVKI8/s1600/Lion+King+Scar+Sensational+News.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bQnJzMYFjOM/U3Jtq9YBMdI/AAAAAAAABl0/PuSoxyYVKI8/s1600/Lion+King+Scar+Sensational+News.gif" height="188" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have some sensational news: I graduated from Law School this past Saturday!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can feel free to add an "esquire" to the end of that.</td></tr>
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After spending the past twenty years in formal education, I have officially graduated from Law School. Here are a series of GIFs to express how I feel about that.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--h-hCojzwhs/U3JpgolJPxI/AAAAAAAABiU/kV4nFLduXyQ/s1600/Freedom.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--h-hCojzwhs/U3JpgolJPxI/AAAAAAAABiU/kV4nFLduXyQ/s1600/Freedom.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Thank you to everyone over the past two decades for all of the love and support throughout my education as well as being there to participate in this achievement and celebrate with me. Thank you for all of your congratulations as well!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGgOfInk99A/U3Jt20WHc4I/AAAAAAAABmU/wMQ4UMV9Hmg/s1600/Obama-Claps.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yGgOfInk99A/U3Jt20WHc4I/AAAAAAAABmU/wMQ4UMV9Hmg/s1600/Obama-Claps.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you, Obama.</td></tr>
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And now, ALL the dancing.<br />
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Now, I have one week of a bit of downtime before I start studying for the bar exam for the summer, turning into this:<br />
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But for now, time to brush those shoulders off and get back to the celebrations!</div>
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BOOM.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-65736960051819864942014-05-05T23:30:00.000-04:002014-05-24T11:55:50.998-04:00Last Day in Genève :(<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I cannot believe how fast the semester has flown by. Already, it is my last day in Geneva. After packing up my suitcase a bit, I met one of the last people in our Michigan program who was also still in the city at the <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Place+de+Neuve/@46.1998875,6.1440133,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x478c652bb4c46261:0xc37b362f95b1e725" target="_blank">Parc des Bastions</a> (or, the park by Place de Neuve on the #12 tram, or the park with the Reformation Wall). It was such a beautiful, sunny day that we just enjoyed all of the sun and walked around the old town. </div>
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We continued through the Old Town until we passed down by the lake and the flower clock at Jardins Anglais and decided to continue walking along the water until we reached the Brunswick Monument. I had my last dinner in Geneva at the <a href="http://cottagecafe.ch/" target="_blank">Cottage Café</a>, one of my favorite lunch spots in the town. The restaurant sits right in the middle of a beautiful little park facing the Brunswick Monument and the Lake.</div>
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It was such a great experience this whole semester to live and work in Geneva, and to have the opportunity to do so much travelling. I was able to get to know the unique city and country in which I was living, as well as see many different parts of it. I was also able to see some new places in Europe, meet family, and continue to develop my language skills. What a great way to finish law school. Now, it's back to the USA to <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/graduation.html" target="_blank">graduate</a>!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deuces, Geneve!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll be back!</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-56404687582600053092014-05-03T22:08:00.000-04:002014-05-14T21:59:08.841-04:00Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel<div style="text-align: justify;">
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On Saturday, May 3rd, 2014, I had some time in the morning just before I had to leave to go to the airport to catch my flight back to Geneva. I had tried on Wednesday to get inside the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, but without having a ticket reserved, the line would be an all-day wait. Even the line for tours <i>to skip the line</i> had to wait for at least another hour. So, I went back to the hostel that night and talked with some people and learned that you have to do the <a href="http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceLivelloVisita=9&step=1" target="_blank">online reservation through the Vatican Museums' website</a>. Go through the steps on the website, put in your email address, and print out the voucher that will be emailed to you. If you check <a href="http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=supporto" target="_blank">the FAQs</a>, you will see that you can only reserve a certain entry time and that you cannot change or refund your ticket. Make sure that you select the time and date that will work for you. I would recommend checking a couple days in advance to make sure that you get the entry time and date that you want. For example, right as I was filling out the first page of information, the 10:30am time-slot I had selected sold out and I had to move to the 11:30am time-slot (the only other one available for that day).</div>
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I checked out of the hostel Saturday morning and, with all of my belongings, threw my duffle bag over my shoulders and hiked it over via a fully packed bus over to the Vatican Museums. The line itself turns into a mass of people all trying to get in, fended off by one poor security guard who must be so stressed out all the time. Again, showing up early helps and I was able to get in about 20 minutes before my time-slot was scheduled. Security was a breeze and off I went. There are <a href="http://mv.vatican.va/1_CommonFiles/pdf/mappa_musei_vaticani.pdf" target="_blank">maps</a> posted around the Museum path which is helpful, but you can also check out the route <a href="http://mv.vatican.va/1_CommonFiles/pdf/mappa_musei_vaticani.pdf" target="_blank">online</a> if you need to move a little quicker.</div>
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The hall of statues in Museo Chiaramonti was one of my favorite sections. There is a beautiful courtyard outside with a nice fountain, a beautiful bronze globe, and a large bust, then you move inside on the "quick route" to the Sistine Chapel and find yourself near the Museo Chiaramonti. It is basically a straight hallway of statues of Roman emperors, generals, queens, gods, goddesses, and other famous figures from Roman mythology. Under the Treaty of Tolentino in 1797, Napoleon ordered the Papal States to cede the major part of the masterpieces from the Pio Clementino Museum to France. Later on, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and the diplomatic work of sculptor Antonio Canova resulted in the recovery of almost all of the sculptures that were taken by Napoleon. The Museo Chiaramonti was designed to house these recovered pieces and it was designed, arranged, and painted by Canova himself. The Chiaramonti museum is now one of the most important collections of Roman busts with over 1,000 sculptures on display in this little hallway.</div>
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Before arriving at the Sistine Chapel, you will also pass through the Galleria degli Arazzi full of fine tapestries and a beautifully ornate ceiling, the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche with ancient maps, and then you arrive at the Museo Pio Clementino which houses my favorite statue in the Vatican Museums - <i>Laocoön and his Sons</i>. <br />
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The statue was found in 1506 on the Esquiline Hill in Rome and identified as <i>Laocoön and his Sons</i> by Pliny the Elder as a masterpiece by the sculptors of Rhodes. During the Trojan War, Laocoön (a priest of Apollo in the city of Troy), warned his fellow Trojans against taking the wooden horse left by the Greeks outside the city gates. Athena (Minerva) and Poseidon (Neptune), who favored the Greeks, sent two great sea serpents to kill Laocoön and his sons. The statue depicts the snakes wrapping Laocoön and his sons in their coils and killing them. From the Roman point of view, the death of the innocent Laocoön and his children was crucial to Aeneas' decision to flee Troy, heeding Laocoön's warning, which led to the eventual founding of Rome. The statue seems to date from around 40-30 BCE. </div>
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To me, this statue was so incredibly impressive and moving. Just like the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/02/weekend-in-alps-grindelwald-interlaken.html" target="_blank">Lion of Luzern (Lowendenkmal)</a>, you can feel Laocoön's pain and anguish in the tragic events unfolding. You feel the movement of the serpents as Laocoön and his sons struggle against their grip. Even though it is solid stone, you feel Laocoön's silent screams.</div>
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After spending some time at this statue, I moved on to the Sistine Chapel - the big money attraction of the Vatican Museums. Along the way, there were several other great statues.<br />
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Unfortunately, like everywhere else in Rome, the Chapel was so packed full of people that it was hard to appreciate the majesty of Michelangelo's masterpiece. I thought that the scene of God putting life into Adam with hands outstretched might have been larger, but in reality, it is only one piece of the entire ceiling, full of other impressive paintings and biblical illustrations. Given all the detail and the height alone of the ceiling, it is amazing to me that it only took Michelangelo four years to paint it (from about 1508-1512, when he was in his early to mid 30's). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An accurate portrait of the artist, I believe...</td></tr>
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Michelangelo was originally commissioned to paint the Twelve Apostles on the triangular pendentives that support the ceiling and then cover the central part of the ceiling with ornament. Michelangelo instead convinced Pope Julius to give him free reign in the project and this allowed him to create a more complex scheme representing Creation, the Fall of Man, Promise of Salvation through the Prophets, and the genealogy of Jesus. This work is part of a larger decorative scheme within the Chapel that represents some of the most important doctrines of the Catholic Church.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel</td></tr>
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After finishing in the Sistine Chapel (when I was tired of the pushing crowds, loud tour guides, and shouting security guards), I left the Vatican Museums and walked back to St. Peter's Square to catch a taxi to Termini station. From Termini, I hopped on the Leonardo Express train to the airport to fly back to Geneva for the last time this trip. </div>
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<i>Arrivederci Roma!</i></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-49877287613233126692014-05-02T23:30:00.000-04:002014-05-14T21:37:07.804-04:00Gladiating in Rome<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Of all the places I was able to see in Rome, the Colosseum was one of my favorites. The building is massive and to imagine how it must have looked at the time it was built and used in Ancient Rome is pretty impressive. Even despite its brutal history as "a powerful tool for controlling the masses, a showcase for proclaiming Rome's domination of the world," you cannot help but feel awe when stepping inside the Colosseum.</div>
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Even with the deadly matches and fierce competition, <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0303_060303_gladiators_2.html" target="_blank">almost 90 percent of trained gladiators survived</a> the matches (although you were basically a dead man walking if you were an untrained gladiator sent into the arena). They also had access to some of the best medical care available in Ancient Rome.<br />
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A gladiator typically took on a distinct persona—and the weapons to go with it. For instance, during the second and third centuries the<i>retiarius</i>-and-<i>secutor</i> gladiator pairing was the most popular. "The retiarius was the 'fisherman,' who fought with a net, a gladius, and a trident [and was] protected with just a small shoulder shield," <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0303_060303_gladiators_2.html" target="_blank">Kanz said</a>. "His opponent, the secutor, was the 'fish,' protected by a fishlike helmet with very narrow eye holes and a large shield, and fighting with a gladius,"<a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0303_060303_gladiators_2.html" target="_blank"> Kanz said</a>.</blockquote>
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If two gladiators both fought bravely and were equally matched, sometimes both would walk out of the arena alive. Such an incident was recorded by the poet Martial about a fight between Priscus and Verus, who fought as Emperor Titus opened the amphitheater for the gladiatorial games. Because of their fight, both were awarded their freedom that day. You can see a reenactment of the fight in this BBC docudrama about the fight:</div>
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And here is an English translation of Martial's poem (<a href="http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/games/a/40112-Priscus-Vs-Verus.htm" target="_blank">Latin version here</a>):<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">As Priscus and </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verus_(gladiator)" style="background-color: white; background-image: none; color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;" title="Verus (gladiator)">Verus</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;"> each drew out the contest</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">And the struggle between the pair long stood equal,</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">Shouts loud and often sought discharge for the combatants.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">But Titus obeyed his own law</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">(the law was that the bout go on without shield until a finger be raised).</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">What he could do, he did, often giving dishes and presents.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">But an end to the even strife was found:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">equal they fought, equal they yielded.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">To both Titus sent wooden swords and to both palms.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">Thus valor and skill had their reward.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">This has happened under no prince but you, Caesar:</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.399999618530273px; text-align: start;">Two fought and both won.</span></blockquote>
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Gladiators were usually prisoners of war, slaves, or criminals condemned to death or forced labor. Free men rarely chose to be gladiators in order to reach fame, and if they did so, it was only for brief periods. Fighters were assembled in groups trained by entrepreneurs (called <i>lanista</i>). Armor worn by gladiators in the Republican Period of Rome were inspired by enemies' armor. Only during the Augustan Period were the types of gladiators defined according to their equipment. Offensive and defensive weapons that fighters carried were meant to ensure a balanced encounter. There were also <i>equites</i>, gladiators who were armed with a spear, sword, and small shield, and confronted one another on horseback.<br />
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<i><b>A Day at at the Flavian Amphitheatre</b></i></blockquote>
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The spectacle day began in the morning with the presentation of all the participants (<i>pompa</i>). This was followed by the <i>venationes</i>, hunts in which hunters tackled wild animals lurking among sets replicating the geographical contexts from which they came. </blockquote>
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During the lunch interval, when executions <i>ad bestias</i> took place, the condemned, naked and unarmed, faced the wild beasts which would eventually tear them to pieces. During the intervals, there were performances by jugglers, acrobats, and magicians, as well as parodies and re-enactments of ancient myths. </blockquote>
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Finally, gladiatorial combats (the <i>munera</i>) were held in the afternoon. Their origin, perhaps Etruscan or Samnite, was linked to funerary celebrations in honor of eminent individuals. The participants in these combats were usually prisoners of war or slaves, but some gladiators were free men seeking fame and fortune. There were categories of gladiators distinguished by their weapons and techniques. Those who were defeated in a duel could hope to be pardoned by the emperor or the audience, saving their life. </blockquote>
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Thanks to their popularity, the games (<i>ludi</i>) were often financed by politicians who hoped to curry favor with the public whereas intellectuals saw these spectacles as a means of swaying public opinion and as a cause of spiritual decadence.</blockquote>
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From the first half of the 5th century AD, there was a widespread economic crisis that led to a decline and final end of the <i>munera</i> and <i>venationes</i> fights. Between the end of the 5th century AD and the beginning of the 6th century AD, the underground structures in the Colosseum were filled in. Lacking machinery for shifting scenery, the Colosseum served only to accommodate displays similar to modern-day circus performances, with acrobats replacing gladiators as the main attraction. A popular spectacle during this period was the <i>contomonobolon</i>, executed by acrobats who performed spectacular jumps among animals with the aid of a pole (the <i>contus</i>). The last games in the Flavian Amphitheatre (aka Colosseum) took place in 523 AD.<br />
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Before heading over to the Palatino and the Foro Romano, I stopped at the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1762618-Reviews-Pasqualino_al_Colosseo-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">Pasqualino al Colosseo</a> (<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Pasqualino+Al+Colosseo+S.+R.+L.+Pasquale&ll=41.889899,12.49521&spn=0.009728,0.021136&sll=41.889307,12.495212&sspn=0.006134,0.0109864&t=m&cid=0x492c1e7456685074&z=16&iwloc=A" target="_blank">map</a>) for a pizza margarita and a glass of vino bianco for lunch. The food was okay, and even though the initial waiter was good, the one who actually took our food tried to give me trouble about asking for a glass of tap water (it escalated to him telling me that they do not have water at all and me saying, "oh really? do you wash the dishes? what do you use to wash the dishes?" until he acquiesced).<br />
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After spending Friday morning wandering around the different levels of the Colosseum, I headed over to the Palatino and Foro Romano. The Palatino is the hill where Romulus and Remus are said to have been nursed by the wolf. It is also the site of the imperial Roman palace that overlooks the Colosseum and Foro Romano, the main commercial center of Ancient Rome. The church of St. Sebastian also sits at the old vinyards on the Palatino. On the southwest side below the hill lies the Circo Maximo, where chariot races took place.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foro Romano</td></tr>
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The Roman Forum (Foro Romano) lies in the valley surrounded by the Palatine, Capitoline, and Esquiline hills. In the Republican period (5th-1st centuries BCE), this was the political, economic, religious, and commercial heart of ancient Rome. In the 9th and 8th centuries BCE when the city was made up of independent villages, the area was occupied by the cemeteries of the various settlements. Later, the villages began to merge and the Forum valley naturally became the place where their inhabitants met for economic transactions and social activities.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arco di Tito</td></tr>
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Broad and flat, it gradually became the center of the ancient city's social life. Originally, this was a marshy and unhealthy area, especially at its lowest point near the Capitoline hill. This made it necessary to carry out works here to drain the marshy swamp. This was one of the first land reclamation acts of ancient Italy and was ascribed to the Tarquins who built the Cloaca Maxima to channel the waters into the Tiber River. This was when the area took on a specific social and political function within the community. The Forum hosted games, political meetings, and assemblies. It is described by legend as the setting for some of the most important events in early Roman history, including the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rape_of_the_Sabine_Women" target="_blank">Rape of the Sabine Women</a>. Particularly, between the 3rd and 1st centuries BCE, the intense activities carried out here led to the construction of the first buildings with specific sacred and public functions. An initial road network also began to take shape between the temples and basilicas: the Via Sacra, the Vicus Tuscus, the Clivus Argentarius, etc.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Apollo, Palatine Hill Museum</td></tr>
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The Roman Forum retained its importance especially during the Republican period when the valley gradually filled with public buildings whose remains are still preserved here today. These buildings, which almost always had a timber frame and brick facing, were reconstructed on various occasions, in part because they were frequently destroyed by fire or civil strife. It was this unplanned continuity of its buildings over time which gave the Roman Forum its typically disorderly appearance without a unitary plan.<br />
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The area's development peaked with the victorious end of the Punic Wars in the 2nd century BCE when four basilicas were built: the Porcia, Opimia, Aemilia, and Sempronia. Later, first under Julius Caesar and then Augustus and the early emperors (1st century BCE to 1st century AD), the Forum gradually took on a different role - that of monumental center and place of religious memory while public life moved to the nearby Imperial Forums. As a consequence, building activities were interrupted, with one last moment of glory in the late empire with the construction of the honorary columns and equestrian statues. <br />
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True decline began with the imperial court's move to Ravenna and the edicts of the 4th century AD decreeing the closure of the temples, some of which were turned into churches. This was followed in the 5th century by the Visigoth and Vandal invasions. The abandoned buildings fell into ruin while the ground level of the Forum rose to cover what remained. Buried in vegetation and now on the edge of the city, the square became a pasture with the name <i>Campo Vaccino</i> ("Cow's Field").<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Romulus</td></tr>
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One of the main attractions at the Foro Romano is the Temple of Romulus. The temple's round shape was unusual for Roman architecture and was built by emperor Maxentius in 307 AD in honor of his son who died during childhood. The circular building is flanked by two halls opening onto the front with little porticoes decorated with columns. The bronze door on the temple is the original door and the lock still works. Pope Felix V turned the monument into the vestibule of the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Antoninus and Faustina</td></tr>
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The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina was dedicated by the Senate to Faustina in 141 AD and, when he died, to her husband the emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD). The long walls of the <i>cella</i>, in square peperino blocks, were originally covered in marble. At the center of the staircase, added later, are the remains of an altar. The statue visible behind the six columns of the facade probably belonged to the temple, which in the Middle Ages was turned into the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda. Later, Pope Urban V reused construction materials from inside the church to restore the Lateran Palace.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Castor & Pollux</td></tr>
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According to legend, two brothers Castor and Pollux, sons of Jupiter (Zeus), were seen watering their horses at the Spring of Juturna in the Forum after helping the Romans against the Latins and Etruscans at the Battle of Lake Regillus (496 BCE). In their honor, the dictator Aulus Postumius Albinus built a temple - dedicated in 484 BCE - which was transformed several times over the centuries. The high podium dates to its reconstruction by Metellus in 117 BCE. Another important reconstruction took place under Tiberius, to whom the three Corinthian columns can be attributed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vulcan's Temple</td></tr>
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There are also temples to more famous gods that are part of the Forum. Partly cut into the rock and partly built from tufa blocks, the Vulcanal monument (about 3 x 4 meters) was believed to be the sacred space hosting the altar dedicated to Vulcan by Titus Tatius (the mythical king of the Sabines), in existence from the city's origins. It has recently been suggested that the remains belonged to the altar of Saturn, which Latin authors describe as standing in front of the Temple of Saturn at the bottom of the slope leading up to the Capitoline Hill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rostra</td></tr>
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Finally, the Forum also has the Rostra, the podium from which orators addressed the people. The name comes from the <i>rostra</i> (rames) of the Latin ships, captured by the Romans at the Battle of Antium in 338 BCE with which the monument was decorated. Caesar had the Rostra moved here from the nearby Comitium and it was later enlarged by Augustus. The monument has a curved part made of tuff blocks, clad in marble panels. The holes which supported the <i>rostra</i> can be seen on the front. The monument had a platform accessed from a staircase on the side facing the Capitoline hill.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palatino, Imperial Palace</td></tr>
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On top of the Palatine hill stands the Imperial Palace. The palace occupies much of the hill and its slopes. It was built by the architect Rabirius on the orders of Domitian (81-96 AD) and inaugurated in 92 AD. It was the official residence of all later emperors. The palace was divided into three sectors: an official or "public" area (the so-called Domus Flavia), a sector hosting private apartments (Domus Augustana), and a large garden in the form of a stadium with its annexes (called the Stadium).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palatino, Imperial Palace</td></tr>
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The palace was made of brick and its massive foundations were superimposed on earlier buildings, some of which can be visited underneath the Domitianic structures. Conserved to almost its original extent, the palace represented a turning point in the history of Roman architecture, codifying the typology of the dynastic palace in Rome. Its importance is evident from the fact that the word "palace" itself comes from the Latin <i>palatium</i> or <i>palatine</i> because this is where the first imperial residence was built, a model for all later palaces. Its construction made a deep impression on Domitian's contemporaries. Statius and Martial, his court poets, composed admiring descriptions of it, praising its extraordinary size, the beauty of its decorations, and the luxury of its furnishings. "The palace was so vast," Martial wrote, "that one's eyes became tired looking at it, and so tall that in comparison the pyramids of Egypt seemed laughable." (That seems like a wee biiiiit of an exaggeration there, Martial. Tsk tsk).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circo Massimo with Palatino Hill above</td></tr>
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In the afternoon, I walked back to the Vittorio Emanuele II monument for a while. After hanging out there until the guards began chasing people off of the steps, I wandered over to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d3491908-Reviews-Dante_s_Bar-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">Dante's Bar</a> for some gelato (I tried chocolate, strawberry, and tiramisu). Then, when the person I had met at the hostel who had been accompanying me sight-seeing needed to charge her phone, we wandered over to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d3609991-Reviews-Theatre_Cafe-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">Theatre Cafe</a> to find an outlet. Since apparently we were doing dessert before dinner, I kept up with the trend and ordered a delicious, authentic Italian canoli.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious canoli with Grapefruit juice.</td></tr>
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For dinner, my friend from the Geneva program had recommended a restaurant called <a href="http://www.trattoriadalucia.com/" target="_blank">Trattoria Da Lucia</a> (<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Trattoria+da+Lucia&ll=41.890522,12.467616&spn=0.009728,0.021136&sll=41.890415,12.46761&sspn=0.0061339,0.0109864&t=m&cid=0xa061090e6e354fc7&z=16&iwloc=A" target="_blank">map</a>) for amazing pasta. Unfortunately, by the time I found it that night wandering through some beautiful streets and hidden plazas, it was full and the restaurant only takes reservations. So, if you are going to Rome any time soon, <i>call ahead</i> for good restaurants to make your reservations.<br />
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Since that place was full and it was raining hard by this point, I found a different restaurant that was full but did have some room called <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d788914-Reviews-Taverna_della_Scala-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">Taverna della Scala</a> (<a href="http://www.tavernadellascala.it/italiano.html" target="_blank">Italian</a>; <a href="http://www.tavernadellascala.it/inglese.html" target="_blank">English</a>; <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Taverna+della+Scala,+Rome+Italy&hl=en&ll=41.891292,12.468525&spn=0.001216,0.002642&sll=41.891105,12.468444&sspn=0.001224,0.002642&dirflg=w&t=m&z=19&iwloc=lyrftr:m,168711679477003122,41.891103,12.468367" target="_blank">map</a>), where I had some pretty delicious penne all'arrabbiata.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like a real midwestern American, I added the Parmesan cheese.</td></tr>
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Friday night, I was able to come back to the Colosseum to see it lit up. Along the way, we passed part of Foro Romano illuminated as well as a couple bridges on the Tiber River. It was raining on and off all day and the rain had started again at night. While this meant fumbling between umbrella and camera, the bonus was that the Colosseum was beautiful illuminated and no one was there because of the rain. It was really nice to be able to walk around it and admire the structure without having to push through lines of tourists. Definitely one of the major highlights of my trip to Rome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roman Forum at Night</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colosseum at Night</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-35523397483056986292014-05-01T23:30:00.000-04:002014-05-19T17:44:35.337-04:00First Two Days in Rome<div style="text-align: justify;">
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I arrived in Rome from Geneva on Wednesday, April 30th, 2014. I landed pretty early in the morning and hopped the Leonardo Express train to the hostel (<a href="http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Freedom-Traveller/Rome/761" target="_blank">Freedom Traveller Hostel</a> at Via Gaeta 23). The hostel was old and did not have the greatest facilities, but I was able to book a small room and the hostel was about a 5 minute walk from the Termini Train Station. </div>
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<b>Wednesday, April 30th, 2014: Day One in Rome</b><br />
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I went to the hostel, dropped my things off, then went back to the train station to buy a ticket for the hop-on, hop-off double-decker buses to see the city. I was still tired so I figured that the bus would be a fast way to see the whole city and get to and from the major attractions. There are also audio guides that you can listen to with headphones while on the bus so you can learn about some of the sites while riding. I happened to take the <a href="http://www.ciaoromaopenbus.com/" target="_blank">Ciao Roma bus company</a>, but there are a lot of different companies that all go to the same places, so I don't think it matters so much which bus you take. The customer service for Ciao Roma was kind of hit and miss, too. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ciao Roma bus route</td></tr>
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I decided to first take a ride around the city until reaching the Vatican City. I hopped off here and walked up Via della Conciliazione until I reached Piazza Pio XII, just outside the Vatican City. I don't know if I have ever been to a place with so many people packed together. It just so happened that at the time I wanted to go inside the Basilica San Pietro (St. Peter's Basilica), <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis" target="_blank">the Pope</a> was doing an audiencia. An audiencia is where the Pope is in the main square in front of the Basilica and addresses the people and they can last anywhere from ten minutes to a couple hours, depending on what the Pope has to say and how many people he will personally address. </div>
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The Vatican City and Rome police forces who were trying to manage the crowd flows were not letting more people inside the Vatican City until the Pope finished the audiencia. It was hot that day though and there were over a thousand people crammed against the gates waiting for a couple hours to get past the barrier from Rome into the Vatican. I thought it was strange that they police kept telling us that we could not enter the plaza because we had to wait for people to leave, but as people left, more people were not allowed to enter. Finally, we watched the Pope hop into the Pope-mobile and drive off, ending the audiencia. The Rome police finally got the signal from the Vatican police to let people in past the barriers and when they unblocked the gate, there was this huge mob of people that all started running to be the first to enter the Basilica. It was pretty insane. The mob clustered in the plaza, forming a "line." When I saw that it would be at least another hour or so of just standing in the plaza on a really hot day without any water, I decided to leave and try to use the rest of my day to see something else. <br />
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I thought that since the Vatican Museums were nearby, that I would give them a try. However, the line for this too was insanely long - it stretched around for about three blocks before even getting to the entrance (on <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/vatican-museums-and-sistine-chapel.html" target="_blank">Saturday morning</a>, right before my flight, I would finally make it inside the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/vatican-museums-and-sistine-chapel.html" target="_blank">Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel</a>). Once I saw that the line was so long, I decided to leave the Vatican area altogether and do something different. First stop: gelato.<br />
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After the gelato break, I decided that I would just hop back onto the Ciao Roma bus and ride around the entire city at least once to see it and get my bearings for when I'll walk around for the next couple days. Since many people exit at the Vatican City and Colosseum stops, I thought I was in a good location to hop back on and get a good seat on the upper deck. I was right, and managed to find a good place. I listened to some of the new audio and got off the bus once we arrived at Termini. I was pretty tired from the early morning start, so I went back to the hostel, officially checked in, then took about an hour nap. <br />
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That afternoon, I got back on the bus and rode to Fontana del Tritone, a fountain by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Bernini's fountain, located in Piazza Barberini, has four dolphins with upturned tails that support an open scallop shell where Triton sits, blowing into a conch shell. The fountain was designed by Bernini in 1643 and was his first of many fountains he made. Up until the end of the 1700s, apparently the bodies of unidentified people were laid out in front of the fountain and the town crier would call the public to come to identify and claim the bodies. Weird. Luckily, there are no dead bodies in front of the fountain any more and it can be enjoyed sans zombies. Actually, the Fontana del Tritone is my favorite fountain because of its design and how great it looks at night, although the fountains in Piazza Navona are pretty cool too.<br />
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From Fontana del Tritone, I walked down Via del Tritone to the famous Fontana di Trevi. The Fontana di Trevi has a magical quality to it, captured by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000019/?ref_=tt_trv_trv" target="_blank">Frederico Fellini</a> in <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053779/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">La Dolce Vita</a> </i>(although I don't image that it would ever be as empty or as clean as it appears in this scene).<br />
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The fountain was designed to be a celebration of Acqua Vergine, the water conveyed to Rome by an aqueduct constructed by Agrippa in 19 BC. The fountain itself has been remodeled and replaced throughout the centuries. The fountain is so large that it seems to fill the entire plaza/piazza and you can hear the thundering of the water from about a block or so away, despite the crowds of people.<br />
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Here at Fontana di Trevi, legend has it that if you stand with your back to the fountain and throw a coin over your shoulder into the water, you will return to Rome someday. Apparently, the city gets some good use out of this tradition.<br />
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Apparently, there are so many tourists that visit the Trevi fountain that a charity for the poor and needy in Rome called Caritas <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6188052.stm?lsm" target="_blank">began collecting the coins</a> from the fountain each day. The <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6188052.stm?lsm" target="_blank">daily amount</a> is about 3,000 Euros (or about $4,109 USD). Recently, Caritas opened a supermarket to distribute essential items at free or low costs for those in need.<br />
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After making a wish and throwing my coin into the fountain like so many others before, I wandered around the streets nearby the piazza and grabbed a caprese sandwich and bottle of water to go. I walked back to the fountain and found a place to sit along the fountain's left side where I could watch the crowds of people in the plaza as well as appreciate the fountain's beauty and rushing water from up close. Sitting on a high part of the fountain, I ate my dinner and watched the sun set and the lights slowly turn on, one by one, to illuminate the little piazza and make the fountain come to life. <br />
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Making my way back to Fontana del Tritone, I realized that I had waited until after the bus' last time to take me to the Termini stop. I had the hostel's business card with me and there were tons of taxis around the piazza, so I was in no rush. I crossed the busy streets back to the piazza to admire Tritone at night before catching a cab back to the hostel.<br />
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<b>Thursday, May 1st, 2014: Day Two in Rome</b><br />
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Since I had been up so early the day before, I decided that I could afford to sleep in a bit today. The weather forecast predicted a beautiful day, so I decided I would try to go to the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/gladiating-in-rome.html" target="_blank">Colosseum</a>. Unfortunately, I did not realize that May 1st was a national holiday in Italy, so everything was closed. The only tourist attractions that were open were those that were outside (like the fountains and piazzas) and things associated with churches. <br />
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I still decided to walk around the Colosseum and take some great pictures of it and the Palatino today to take advantage of the beautiful weather. I continued walking along Via di San Gregorio until I arrived at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_Maximus" target="_blank">Circo Massimo</a> (Circus Maximus, in English/Latin), the old chariot racing grounds of the emperors.<br />
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Apparently, this is what it looked like in its glory years, after being built around 530 BCE. It must have been pretty incredible to see something like this constructed and then to be there in the stands watching the thundering chariots fly by (or better yet, in the chariot itself!).<br />
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There are not a whole lot of ruins left of Circo Massimo and today, the racing grounds now serve as a public park. I decided to take a break and enjoy the sun, so I walked to the center of the old racing grounds and laid down in the grass.<br />
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After lounging in the early afternoon sun on the grounds of Circo Massimo, I headed over to the Sant'Maria in Cosmedin church, famous for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocca_della_Verit%C3%A0" target="_blank">Bocca della Verita, the Mouth of Truth</a>. Legend has it that if you place your hand in the mouth while telling a lie, your hand would be bitten off. You can see Gregory Peck playing the old prank on Audrey Hepburn in <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046250/?ref_=nv_sr_1" target="_blank">Roman Holiday</a></i>.<br />
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Just like Peck does in the movie, there was a security guard working at the Bocca della Verita who would tease some tourists by shouting AAAAH! when they cautiously place their hands in the mouth. The lips are actually pretty smooth - either chapstick for statues or the result of thousands of tourists throughout the years placing their hands in the mouth. Luckily, despite telling a little lie, I left with both hands and all ten fingers. ;)<br />
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The old theatre, Teatro Marcello, is just up the road. The theatre's architecture with its arches served as an inspiration for the design of the Flavian Amphitheatre (better known as the Colosseum) when it was built some years later.<br />
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My next stop was the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitoline_Hill" target="_blank">Campidoglio</a>, and the church next to it, designed by Michelangelo when he was only 25 years old. The church was gorgeous, especially with its beautiful chandeliers. The Campidoglio was also pretty cool. You climb up several stairs to reach the plaza at the top, with a huge statue of Marcus Aurelius riding a horse. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_and_Pollux" target="_blank">Castor and Pollux</a> (twins and brothers to Helen of Troy), each hold a horse and wait at the top of the stairs to the Campidoglio. From behind the government buildings (with a fountain of the River God Tiber in the front), you can see a statue of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romulus_and_Remus" target="_blank">Romulus and Remus with the wolf</a>, as well as a great view of the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/gladiating-in-rome.html" target="_blank">Palatino and Foro Romano</a>.<br />
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Right next to the Campidoglio, there is a huge white marble building, the Monumento <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Emmanuel_II_of_Italy" target="_blank">Vittorio Emanuele II</a>. Vittorio Emanuele II became king of Italy in 1878 and was the first king of a united Italy since the 6th century. He is pretty famous in Italy and there are streets named after him in many Italian cities. The front of the white marble building has a monument for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, guarded around the clock by Italian soldiers. Just like at Arlington National Cemetery, this Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has a changing of the guard that occurs periodically. I did not film it, but YouTube exists, so this is pretty much what the changing of the guards looked like.<br />
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After watching the ceremony and visiting the monument, I walked over to <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1533382-Reviews-Il_Miraggio-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">Ristorante Il Miraggio</a> (<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=ristorante+il+miraggio+roma+italy&hl=en&ll=41.898987,12.482872&spn=0.019453,0.042272&sll=41.904577,12.50066&sspn=0.000608,0.001321&hq=ristorante+il+miraggio&hnear=Rome,+Lazio,+Italy&t=m&z=15" target="_blank">map</a>), a restaurant nearby for a quick pizza lunch (pizza all'ananas).<br />
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I then began to make my way over to the Pantheon. Unfortunately, the Pantheon was also closed for the May 1st holiday and the piazza was, like everything else in Rome I was soon discovering, insanely packed with more people in one place than I've ever seen before.<br />
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As I moved from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona, I stumbled across the <a href="http://www.chiesasantignazio.it/" target="_blank">church of San Ignacio</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignatius_of_Loyola" target="_blank">San Ignazio in Italian, Saint Ignatius in English</a>). Apparently, San Ignacio was a Basque knight and thus is one of the patron saints for the Basque people in Pais Basco in Spain. The church is incredible though. The architecture inside is actually quite simple and the ceiling is a simple, smooth arched roof. It is the awe-inspiring frescos that make the church come to life. Painted by a lay Jesuit brother, Andrea Pozzo, in the last decades of the 1600s, the frescos are so stunning that you'll never want to look back down. It seems as though the figures are in three dimensions and that the angels are falling from the ceiling down toward you. There is no picture that I could possibly take that can capture how absolutely stunning this place is, but with the beauty of its art and the fact that there were not a whole of of people inside, since it's not a major or well-known tourist destination, it is definitely one of my favorite places in Rome.<br />
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After spending a long time admiring the beauty of this hidden gem, I continued along the way until I reached Piazza Navona. The fountain in the center of Piazza Navona is also by Bernini and is called Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, or The Fountain of Four Rivers. The statues alongside the central column represent the Danube, Ganges, Rio de la Plata, and the Nile rivers. <br />
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According to popular tales, the poses of the statues for the Nile and Rio de la Plata are also that of the statue of Saint Agnes in the church directly behind the fountain. This is said to be because of the rivalry between Bernini and Borromini. Apparently, Rio de la Plata's hand is raised to ward off the collapse of the church's facade while the Nile has its face covered in its refusal to look at Borromini's work (as opposed to the fact that the source of the Nile at this point was not yet known in Europe). <br />
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In this same vein, Saint Agnes' statue is touching her chest in a gesture by Borromini to assure the people of Rome that the church would not collapse.<br />
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The story of Saint Agnes itself though is actually pretty interesting and definitely gives you a different impression when entering the church. I ended up picking up a brochure from the church that explains it in detail.<br />
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<i>There is little known about the life of St. Agnes, but the scarce information we have is enough to throw light on a figure who has been dear to the hear of the faithful through the centuries.</i></blockquote>
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<i>We know nothing about her family, or why this young girl became a Christian. What is certain is that her name was Agnes (in Greek: pure, chaste) and that when she died, she was 12 or 13 years olf, according to the examination of her skull which is preserved in the reliquary in the Chapel of the Holy Head, in the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone at Piazza Navona.</i></blockquote>
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<i>She was martyred under the Emperor Siocletian who unleashed a ferocious persecution of the Christian community around the years 303-304 AD. </i> </blockquote>
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<i>The responsibility for her martyrdom is attributed to the son of the Prefect of Rome who became infatuated with her. When she rejected his advances - she had made a vow of chastity to mark her total consecration to God - she was put on display under the arches of the Circus Agonale, the present day Piazza Navona, where the prostitutes of the time paraded.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>Tradition says that her nakedness was covered by flowing locks of hair which grew miraculously to protect her. A man who intended to buy her favors died before he could touch her. When the prefect questioned her about this mysterious death, Agnes replied that an angel dressed in white protected her and, to prove the truth of her statement, she brought the unfortunate man back to life with a prayer.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>She was next thrown onto the fire, but once again prayer came to her aid, extinguishing the flames.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>In the cad, like a lamb taken to slaughter, her throat was pierced with a sword. This is why the image of St. Agnes always shows her with a lamb at her feet or in her arms.</i><i><br /></i><i>Constance, the daughter of Emperor Constantine, erected a basilica in her honor on the Via Nomentana, where to these days, the nuns raise two lambs each year which are offered to the Pope. Their wool is used to weave the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallium" target="_blank">pallium</a> which the Pope, in turn, gives the archbishops.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>Throughout the centuries the name of St. Agnes has been commemorated in Roman Catholic liturgy and her cult has always occupied an important place in the life of the Church.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>The Basilica of Saint Agnes in Agone is a magnificent evidence of the consideration in which this saint has been held by the Popes and by the many illustrious artists who have conferred so much splendor on her in their works.</i> </blockquote>
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<i>St. Agnes is the patron saint of young women and of gardeners. St. Agnes' saint's day is on the 21st of January, the date of her martyrdom.</i></blockquote>
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The church of St. Agnes also has a chapel dedicated to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Sebastian" target="_blank">Saint Sebastian</a>, another famous Catholic saint and early martyr who was also killed in Diocletian's persecution of the early Christians. His saint's day is on January 20th, and he is a patron saint for soldiers and athletes.</div>
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Just north of Bernini's Four Rivers fountain, you can find a delicious gelato shop and the fountain of Neptune in the plaza. I really liked this fountain and the way that Neptune stood in the water in front of the buildings surrounding the piazza. I took a break from the hot sun and bought a gelato, eating it and relaxing along the edge of this fountain before continuing on.<br />
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I now crossed the Tiber River and made it to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Sant'Angelo" target="_blank">Castel Sant'Angelo</a>. The castle was originally built by Hadrian to be a mausoleum for himself but then was later used as a fortress by the popes. It is now a museum (that was also closed for the holiday). I walked around the front facing the river and then through the park along Lungotevere Castello, making my way north.<br />
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I continued along until I reached the Piazza dei Tribunali/Piazza Giustizia and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_of_Cassation_(Italy)" target="_blank">Corte di Cassazione</a>, the highest court of appeal in Italy (sort of like the U.S. Supreme Court). It is such a huge building and it would have been so cool to be able to go inside. Instead, I took advantage of the fact that I was the only one on this grand building's steps and had an "international lawyer nerd moment" chilling on the steps of the Italian Supreme Court by a statue of the great lawyer, politician, and orator <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicero" target="_blank">Cicero</a>.<br />
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From the Supreme Court, I finally walked back to a Ciao Roma bus stop by Castel Sant'Angelo and rode the bus back through the city until I got close to the Spanish Steps. I thought it might be cool to see the boat-shaped fountain there and eat by the steps but once I arrived, I found out that the fountain was closed and completely blocked off for repairs and the steps were covered by people. I walked to the top to enjoy the view of the city and write a bit in my journal. Then, due to the sheer numbers of people packed on the steps and the lack of restaurants in the immediate area, I decided to make an alternative plan for dinner that evening. <br />
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I made my way back down the steps and walked over back toward Fontana del Tritone and from there, to Fontana di Trevi. I stopped at a restaurant just around the corner from Trevi called <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1791483-Reviews-Ristorante_Sora_Lucia-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">Sora Lucia</a> (<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Ristorante+Sora+Lucia+Sas+Di+Sonia+Marcotulli&t=m&cid=0x460d5f91a62e1da6&z=15&iwloc=A" target="_blank">map</a>). It is just far away enough to avoid the crowds, but close enough to people watch and listen to the rushing waters of the fountain. I had some delicious gnocchi al pomodoro and tiramisu here before making my way back to Tritone to take the bus back to Termini and my hostel for the night.<br />
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Once I got back to the hostel, I had one more thing to do for the day: reserve my ticket for the <a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.com/2014/05/vatican-museums-and-sistine-chapel.html" target="_blank">Vatican Museums</a>. I quickly took care of this and printed out my voucher to be all set to go for Saturday morning. I also met two other people staying in my room who were also travelling alone - a girl from Brazil who was working as an au pair in Antwerp and a girl from Thailand on her way back from a business trip in Europe. Since both had just arrived to the hostel and were hungry, we went across the street to a restaurant called <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1034619-Reviews-La_Famiglia-Rome_Lazio.html" target="_blank">La Famiglia</a> (<a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=La+Famiglia&t=m&cid=0xf63a9102df60581e&z=20&iwloc=A" target="_blank">map</a>) for them to get something to eat.<br />
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Tomorrow <i>inside</i> the Colosseum and Foro Romano should be another great day!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onward!</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-1466705363744145642014-04-28T23:30:00.000-04:002014-05-13T18:17:16.203-04:00Three Country Corrida: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Germany in One Crazy Day<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for a magical train trip!</td></tr>
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I've posted before about how great the Swiss trains are (and the benefits of travelling with the demi-tariff if you take more than two or three train trips within Switzerland), but it gets even better. Each city and town in Switzerland has daily passes that you can reserve that are valid for 24 hours and good on any Swiss train, bus, tram, or any other kind of public transportation in the country. In French, these are called "<a href="http://www.ville-geneve.ch/demarches-administratives/mobilite/carte-journaliere-cff/" target="_blank">carte journaliere</a>," and in Geneva, they cost 40 CHF (as opposed to the unsubsidized price of 71 CHF with the demi-tariff). The only catch is that you have to be registered as a resident of that particular town or city in order to be able to purchase the tickets. They also only have a limited number available for each day, so you have to <a href="http://www.ville-geneve.ch/demarches-administratives/mobilite/carte-journaliere-cff/" target="_blank">check the online calendar</a> and move quickly to reserve one.</div>
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Even though I live in Geneva, I was not officially registered as a resident (apparently, HR never turned in that paperwork), but luckily I have great coworkers who were able to reserve a ticket for me for Monday, April 28th. Since I only had 24 hours and had to be on my last train before midnight to avoid buying additional tickets, I planned out an intense route for the day. My plan was to leave Geneva early, head to St. Gallen (for the <a href="http://www.stibi.ch/" target="_blank">Abbey Library</a> and the old town), go from St. Gallen to Sargans to then cross the Swiss border into Liechtenstein and bus to Vaduz (the capital), go back to Sargans from Vaduz, head to Konstanz in Germany across the northern Swiss border, then from Konstanz back to Geneva, all using only public transportation and my 40 CHF pass. Ambitious, I know. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BUT I DID IT!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BOOM</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">But I did it, and so I am able to document the trip in this blog post. This was my entire route and distance traveled for the day, beginning at 5:30am and getting back to Geneva 12:30am the following day (Tuesday, April 29th, 2014).</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: justify;">First stop: St. Gallen. St. Gallen is Switzerland's largest eastern city with a beautiful Altstadt (old town) and known for centuries as both an intellectual center and the source of some of the world's finest needlework (including the embroidery work on Michelle Obama's gown at Barack Obama's 2008 inauguration ceremony). </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The city is named after the Irish monk, Saint Gallus, who came to the region in 612 AD to live in a hermit's cell in the Steinach Valley. In 719 AD, an abbey was founded on the site where Saint Gallus died. The abbey became a major cultural focus in medieval Europe, especially when the abbey built a library of awesome proportions. It was this library that I came to St. Gallen to see.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the ceiling in the Library's baroque reading room.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The</span><a href="http://www.stibi.ch/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank"> abbey library (the <i>Stiftsbibliothek</i> in German)</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> was built between 1758 and 1767 and still holds an impressive collection of over 100,000 manuscripts. Of these, there are some 1,200-year-old illuminated manuscripts, forming one of the world's oldest and most impressive scholarly collections. There is also a random Egyptian mummy and its inner coffins dating from 700 BCE on display in the Baroque reading room. My favorite piece though has got to be the giant globe representing the world in 1571, with the continents painted as they would have been in the 1500s. Apparently, Zurich took the original globe about 300 years ago, and this reproduction was given to St. Gallen in 2009 in place of the original one.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ychh6ddOvAo/U3J5tgAR1hI/AAAAAAAABnk/KeyaRhegPbs/s1600/Copy+of+the+Terrestrial+Globe.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ychh6ddOvAo/U3J5tgAR1hI/AAAAAAAABnk/KeyaRhegPbs/s1600/Copy+of+the+Terrestrial+Globe.bmp" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">The library's baroque reading room itself is incredible. The wide angle lens used for every picture that you see of the library makes the room appear bigger than it really is, but no matter the size of the room, the frescos on the ceiling and the rows of ancient books across the hardwood floors and beautiful wooden columns are amazing. It really felt like stepping into the library from <i>Beauty and the Beast.</i></span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I mean, this is the library from the movie:</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">This is the library in St. Gallen, in real life:</span><br />
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In addition to the globe and the mummy, the library also had a really interesting display about old forms of paper, books, and illuminated manuscripts. Some of the old illuminated manuscripts copied by the monks who lived in the abbey even had book curses on them. The monks would write curses into the beginning and ending pages of the books they copied. Supposedly, the curses would protect the books from being stolen by cursing all those who harmed the books or took them from their rightful owners. The display cases also had old paper from Ancient China and papyrus paper from Ancient Egypt, along with old scrolls of parchment sewn together. </div>
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There were also old "notebooks" used in the Middle Ages that I found ingenious. They were made of little wooden tablets that were hollowed out to have wax placed inside them. The wax was written on using a metal stylus. The writing end of the stylus was pointed while the opposite end had an edge to smooth out the wax so that it could be reused. These wax-and-wood tablets were then bound together like a three ring binder so that they formed a kind of mini medieval notebook. Pretty cool stuff.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wax and Wood Notebook from Medieval times with a writing & smoothing stylus</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">But in short, that library was stunning. Also on my list for future travels are all the libraries on </span><a href="http://fillthewell.com/here-are-22-of-the-most-beautiful-libraries-in-the-world/" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">this blog's list</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">On to the next stop: Liechtenstein. </span><span style="text-align: justify;">This whole time that I've been in Switzerland, Liechtenstein has been calling my name. Well, right back at 'cha, Liechtenstein.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I mean, seriously, who wouldn't want to see what such a teeny tiny country is actually like (even if it's pretty similar to Switzerland)? From Sargans, I was able to hop a bus into Vaduz, Liechtenstein's capital, for a roundtrip ticket of 12 CHF. Also, just to tell you how much this trip was worth it, the Liechtenstein Tourism Office has a booklet with facts all about Liechtenstein entitled, "Liechtenstein: Experience Greatness - Princely Moments." Indeed.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">House on the hilltop next to Vaduz Castle</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">There is not a whole lot to see in Vaduz. I went on a Monday, so the famous art museum unfortunately was closed. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">However, Liechtenstein is apparently known for its stamps, and the Postmuseum was open to visit for free. It is just a small museum comprising only one floor in a building next to the tourism office, but it has an impressive collection of stamps. There is also a video that describes the whole stamp-making process and how the process has evolved over the years. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">There is also the walk up the hillside to the Vaduz Castle. The prince and his family live in the castle so you cannot enter it, but you can walk right up to it and alongside of it, with a great view of Vaduz in the valley below.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Along the way up to the castle, there are signposts with pieces of history all about Liechtenstein. Because it seems like such a unique thing that Liechtenstein is still its own independent country, I thought I should include the facts here too.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Vaduz is the capital of the country with 5,000 inhabitants. It is also the residence of the Princely House, the Seat of the Government. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The Principality of Liechtenstein is a constitutional hereditary monarchy upon democratic and parliamentary basis (1921 constitution). The power of the state is vested in the prince and the people, and the prince is the head of state. Laws come into force only on receiving the assent of the monarch. State administration is carried out by the government. There is a complete system of courts of justice.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">History since the foundation of the Principality:</span><ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">1699: Prince Johann Adam Andreas of Liechtenstein purchased the Lordship of Schellenberg</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1712: Andreas also purchased the County of Vaduz</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1719: Elevation of both territories to become the Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein, with immediate status, by Emperor Karl VI</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1806: Liechtenstein becomes a member of the Confederation of the Rhine, no longer part of the Empire</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1815 to 1866: Membership of the German Confederation</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1852 to 1919: Customs Treaty with Austria</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1868: Abolition of the Liechtenstein Army</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1924: Customs Treaty with Switzerland</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1978: Member of the European Council</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1990: Joins the United Nations as its 160th member</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1991: Member of the EFTA</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">1995: Joins the European Economic Area (EWR) and the World Trade Organization (WTO)</li>
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Liechtenstein's Economic Activity: 44.8% is Industry and Industrial Trade; 40,3% is Commerce and Miscellaneous Services; 13.6% is Financial Services; and 1.3% is Agriculture and Forestry. </div>
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In the 4th century AD, conveyance of the Christian religion by the Roman army of occupation of the area that is to become Liechtenstein. Around 500 AD, proclamation of the Roman Catholic faith by Bishop Lucius, and Liechtenstein becomes part of the diocese of Chur (in Switzerland). Country patron is Saint Lucius. The Roman Catholic church is the national church in accordance with the constitution (1921). In 1997 the elevation to the rank of Archbishopric of Vaduz by Pope John Paul II.</div>
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The family of the Lords of Liechtenstein is first recorded in the first half of the 12th century, when the knight Hugo of Liechtenstein is mentioned. The original family seat was the Modling Castle, south of Vienna. Many members of the House of Liechtenstein serve the emperor as diplomats and generals. In 1608, Karl I of Liechtenstein was elevated to the hereditary rank of prince. The first ruling prince of Liechtenstein was Johann Adam Andreas, who died in 1712. Prince Hans-Adam II is the 13th reigning prince of Liechtenstein. Hans-Adam II was born on February 14th, 1945, with his accession as reigning prince on November 13th, 1989. On July 30th, 1967, he married Countess Marie Kinsky of Wchinitz and Tettau. Hans-Adam II has four children: Prince Alois, born 1968 (take-over of the government business in 2004 as representative of the sovereign prince); Prince Maximilian, born 1969; Prince Constantin, born 1972; and Princess Tatjana, born 1973.</div>
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Vaduz castle was first mentioned in documents in 1322. The tower dates from the 12th century. It was partially destroyed in the Swabian War of 1499. Two round towers were added in the 16th century. Further extensions were completed under the Counts of Hohenems in the 17th century. It served as the residence of the prince's bailiff for part of the 18th century, then as a prison. Buildings gradually fell into a state of disrepair. The castle was used as barracks for the Liechtenstein army, then as a tavern, until 1896. The castle underwent extensive renovation under Prince Johann II between 1905 and 1912. The castle contains 130 rooms, and since 1938, has been the permanent residence of the ruling princes and closed to the public.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The view from the hilltop where the castle sits was beautiful. The total size of the country though is something like 62 square miles with a population of 36,000 people. Smaller than Michigan State University's campus and student body, and smaller than the University of Michigan's student population.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vaduz Castle</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">From Vaduz, I made my way back into Switzerland to Sargans to hop the train to take me up the eastern border to Konstanz, Germany. The last time I went to Germany was accidental (also </span><a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.ch/2014/01/that-time-i-accidentally-went-to-france.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">how I first ended up in France</a><span style="text-align: justify;">, </span><a href="http://takhte-sarah.blogspot.ch/2014/02/fraaaaaaaance.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">#Fraaaaaaaance</a><span style="text-align: justify;">) when I was driving on the highway from Geneva to Schaffhausen to see the Rhinefall. I was in Germany for a grand total of about 10 minutes then, and due to the rain and train schedules, I would spend about fifty minutes in Konstanz, bringing my total time in Germany to about one hour (perhaps even less). At some point, I should probably spend longer in Germany, although I would rather visit more impressive cities like Dresden, Berlin, and Munich.</span><br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konstanz" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">Konstanz </a><span style="text-align: justify;">is located on the Bodensee (</span><i style="text-align: justify;">see</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> means "lake" in German) on the Swiss-German border. The city was first inhabited during the Stone Age and is famous for its harbor, protected by </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperia_(statue)" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">the Imperia</a><span style="text-align: justify;">. The statue rotates 360 degrees every four minutes and commemorates the Council of Constance that took place in the city between 1414 and 1418. The city also has a beautiful Old Town area where there are remnants of its medieval city wall and is famous for its university (</span><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g198393-Activities-Konstanz_Baden_Wurttemberg.html" style="text-align: justify;" target="_blank">more things too, according to Trip Advisor</a><span style="text-align: justify;">). And a fun fact: Konstanz is the birthplace of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the inventor of the Zeppelin airships. All in all, I was in Konstanz long enough to see the harbor and the Imperia, but since it was raining, there was not a good view of the lake and because of the train schedules, I did not have too much time to make the walk from the train station into the Old Town.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The trip back to Geneva from Konstanz was the trickiest part of this whole adventure. I had to be on my last train to Geneva before midnight to still make my day pass count and I also had to arrive in Geneva before 1:00am when the trams would cut off for the night and would leave me stranded at Gare Cornavin. Luckily, I had stopped at the SBB/CFF offices along the way to have them print out timetables for me. I was able to use these printouts, my knowledge of Swiss trains, and the phone-a-friend lifeline to verify my alternative route back to Geneva from on the train without internet.</span></div>
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Konstanz</div>
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Dep. 19:21 (April 28<sup>th</sup>, 2014)</div>
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Arr. 19:54</div>
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Dep. 19:59</div>
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Bern</div>
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Arr. 21:58</div>
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Bern</div>
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Dep. 22:04</div>
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Lausanne</div>
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Arr. 23:15</div>
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Lausanne</div>
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Dep. 23:21</div>
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Geneva</div>
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Arr. 00:05 (April 29<sup>th</sup>, 2014)</div>
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All in all, the trip was great and I was able to see three countries in less than 24 hours, all for 62 CHF. The abbey library in St. Gallen was magnificent and Liechtenstein was just about as randomly awesome as I had hoped. Maybe a bit longer in some other parts of Germany (with better weather) next time, but definitely a good trip in my last week in Geneva.</div>
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Next stop, Rome!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-5557457417721615592014-04-22T17:14:00.002-04:002014-04-22T18:31:59.446-04:00Picnic with Mahatma<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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Every day on the way to work, I pass this statue of Mahatma Gandhi sitting between the two main entrances to the United Nations complex in Geneva. And every day, I have been waiting for some beautiful spring weather to take a blanket out, spread it in the grass, and have a lunchtime picnic with Gandhi during my break at work. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/12093380003_e06cbafdfa_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7434/12093380003_e06cbafdfa_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter rain Gandhi. Best to wait for nicer weather.</td></tr>
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Well, today Geneva was finally warm enough and sunny enough to make for a beautiful picnic. I sent an email out to all of my classmates, and three friends showed up so that we could all spend our lunch hour for the day outside enjoying the beautiful springtime weather, with none other than Mahatma Gandhi watching over us. It was a great break from work (our last week, too!), and it was so relaxing to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJhCelzmusk/U1bbUguwyrI/AAAAAAAABgs/ZXsZnl_7b2c/s1600/DSC07066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kJhCelzmusk/U1bbUguwyrI/AAAAAAAABgs/ZXsZnl_7b2c/s1600/DSC07066.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picnic Gandhi loves Budget Migros Paprika Wave Chips too!</td></tr>
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In other news from Geneva today, I found this brilliant cartoon from the <i>New Yorker</i> magazine that perfectly sums up our new copy machine system at work. A couple of weeks ago, someone decided that it would be a brilliant idea to not let people print from the large printers on each floor unless they had their ID badge with them at the printer to retrieve the job. Never mind that our office is notoriously slow for giving people properly functioning ID badges in the first place. Or that now they have to retrain the entire building for this new addition to the printer which really isn't that helpful (as in, resources could probably have been better allocated). It's not such a big deal for me, since I print to an old printer right next to my office, but the cartoon made me and my coworkers laugh. Enjoy.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/dailycartoon/daily-cartoon-140416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/dailycartoon/daily-cartoon-140416.jpg" height="308" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/dailycartoon/index.html" target="_blank"><i>New Yorker</i> cartoons</a> are the best.</td></tr>
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But now, only a few more things on my Geneva bucket list before heading back to the great state of Michigan in the USA to graduate from law school! BOOM!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/12092550975_f302dd2ebe_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3809/12092550975_f302dd2ebe_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You're not too shabby, Geneva.</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-65289885112040428982014-03-29T23:30:00.000-04:002014-09-05T16:35:44.640-04:00Of Titanic Proportions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MkyBX5Fq0i4/VAocahPqNAI/AAAAAAAAB8s/RLnkP0PJ7Vw/s1600/DSC05190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MkyBX5Fq0i4/VAocahPqNAI/AAAAAAAAB8s/RLnkP0PJ7Vw/s1600/DSC05190.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>O city of sound and motion!</i></div>
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<i><i>O city of endless stir!</i></i></div>
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<i>From the dawn of the misty morning,</i></div>
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<i>To the fall of the evening air;</i></div>
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<i>From the night of the morning shadows</i></div>
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<i>To the sound of the shipyard horn;</i></div>
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<i>We hail thee Queen of the Northland,</i></div>
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<i>We who are Belfast born.</i> </div>
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~Thomas Carnduff,<i> Songs from the Shipyards</i>, 1924</div>
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Belfast as a city has a fascinating history. In addition to all of its political history from The Troubles, Belfast is also one of the capitals of shipbuilding around the globe because of its deep harbor and played an important role in industrialization at the turn of the century. In fact, Belfast is where the <i>Titanic</i> was built and the port from which she sailed on her ill-fated voyage. The harbor today is still an important feature in international shipping and shipbuilding. When I visited in March, the harbor's activity centered around a large oil rig that had been hauled across the Atlantic Ocean from Brazil in order to be repaired in Belfast before being returned to Brazil. One of the main reasons why the rigger traveled such a great distance for its repairs is due to its size and the fact that the Belfast shipyard is one of the few in the world that can accommodate such large jobs. And in the middle of the vast shipyard, sits the <a href="http://www.titanicbelfast.com/">Titanic Museum</a>. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqYDweY2Cw/VAocc7EbApI/AAAAAAAAB80/zSdjNqJZi40/s1600/DSC05193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xjqYDweY2Cw/VAocc7EbApI/AAAAAAAAB80/zSdjNqJZi40/s1600/DSC05193.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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The museum is really interactive and takes you through the development and growth of the shipbuilding industry in Belfast's earlier days to the birth of the <i>Titanic, </i>what went wrong on her voyage, and the discovery of her remains on the ocean floor. In this post, I am including my pictures and video from the museum, as well as some of the fascinating history from the museum's several exhibits as written by the museum. Enjoy!</div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/CccIw39l_dA/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/CccIw39l_dA&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/CccIw39l_dA&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<b>The Harbor and Early Shipbuilding in Belfast<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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From the early 1600s, Belfast had a port where the rivers Lagan and
Farset meet. The port became
increasingly important for trade, and by the early 1700s was the leading port
in the north of Ireland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As trade expanded, the quays were enlarged to accommodate more
ships. However, shallow water, bends in
the river channel, and inadequate quays were restricting growth. By 1785, the Ballast Board was formed to
manage and improve the port and harbor.
In the mid 1800s, the Lagan was straightened and the Victoria Channel
was created to improve access. Improving the flow of the Lagan and expanding the harbor and shipbuilding facilities allowed shipbuilding to flourish on a large scale in Belfast.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The earliest record of ships being built in Belfast is from 1663. Shipbuilding as a major industry began in
1791 when William Ritchie established his works on the Lagan. At this time, ships were built from wood. In 1838, the first iron vessel was built in Belfast. This was a Lough Neagh steamer – the Countess
of Caledon. In the second half of the 19<sup>th</sup>
century, Belfast became renowned for constructing iron and later steel ships.</div>
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<b>Samson and Goliath</b></div>
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Even today, Belfast is famous for its shipbuilding (as seen in the oil rigger described above). One of the reasons why is that the Belfast shipyard is home to cranes of Biblical proportions, aptly named Samson and Goliath.<b> </b>Goliath is the shorter at 96 meters high, Samson is 10 meters taller
(106 meters). The cranes can safely lift 840 tons each. Samson and Goliath were designed by the German engineering company
Krupp. Goliath was completed in 1969, Samson in 1974. The dock they stand over is a massive 556 meters by 93 meters and is
the largest building dock in Europe.</div>
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<b>Other Major Industries Contributing to Shipbuilding in Belfast</b></div>
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Several other factors contributed to Belfast becoming a global center for shipbuilding. These include the large ropeworks, linen mills, and boombing tobacco industries also present in Belfast at the time.</div>
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As shipbuilding in Belfast grew, so did the need for
a large and reliable supply of rope. The
Belfast Ropeworks was established to meet this demand, replacing a number of
smaller companies. The business quickly flourished. The Board of Directors included Gustav Wolff
as chairman along with other men ‘to whose influence, capital, and enterprise
its success is due.’</div>
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Initially, the ropeworks was established at
Connswater due to the proximitz of the Connswater River, the shipbuilding yard,
and harbor. In the middle of a
working-class area, the ropeworks enjoyed a ready supply of labor. By 1900, the ropeworks was the largest in the
world, employing more than 2,000 people and eventually the factory buildings
covered over 40 acres (16.2 hectares). <o:p></o:p></div>
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The company made a huge variety of ropes, cords,
lines, and twines from large cables to fine packing twine. These were used in many ways, including
shipbuilding, fishing, manufacturing, and for domestic purposes. The ropeworks exported its goods worldwide
and confidently claimed that there was probably no port in the world where its
products were not well known.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Linen mills were also extremely important to Belfast shipbuilding, and multiple large companies vied for the top spot. The success of Belfast’s linen industry was shared
by the firms which made machinery for the preparation and spinning of flax. The two biggest and rival firms were James Mackie
& Sons and Combe Barbour. Outside
shipbuilding, they were the biggest engineering firms in Belfast and the main
firms in Britain for manufacturing machinery for the preparation and spinning
of flax.</div>
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Combe Barbour was founded in 1845 in the Falls Road
area of West Belfast. They also made
machinery for use in other textile industries such as jute, hemp, rope, and
cotton. By the turn of the century, the
premises covered 5 acres (2 hectares) and employed 1,500 highly skilled workmen
and mechanics. Combe Barbour enjoyed a
worldwide reputation and exported their machinery globally.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mackie’s textile machinery manufacturers had
premises at the Springfield Road. They
also manufactured a variety of textile machinery and built up their export and
home markets. During the First and
Second World Wars, they switched from manufacturing textile machinery to
armaments. At its peak, Mackie’s
employed around 6,000 people and covered 133 acres (53.8 hectares).<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the same time as these ropeworks and linen mills were growing in the city, the tobacco industry was also booming and the city's ports were vital for trading these products on a global scale. There were two large tobacco firms in Belfast –
Murray’s and Gallaher’s. By the early 20<sup>th</sup>
century, Gallaher & Co. at York Street was the largest tobacco factory in
Ireland and employed over 1,600 people.</div>
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Gallaher’s produced cigarettes, cigars, pipe
tobacco, and rolling tobacco. Their
range consisted of over 150 brands including Harlequin Flake, Park Drive, and
later Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, and Hamlet. Owner Thomas Gallaher visited America
regularly to ensure that he acquired the best leaf.<o:p></o:p></div>
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By the end of 1891, Gallaher’s had 45 tobacco
spinning machines at work in York Street.
This factory was one of the largest in the world with a floor space of
14 acres (5.6 hectares). The Belfast stores could house 20,000 hogshead (10,000
tons) of tobacco. If the bricks used in
construction of this building were placed end to end, they would have covered a
distance of about 2,700 miles (4,345.2
km).<o:p></o:p></div>
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In 1889, the company paid almost half a million
pounds duty on tobacco leaf imported through Belfast docks. Tobacco manufactured in Belfast by Gallaher’s
was exported worldwide. Gallaher’s
opened many branches in Ireland, England, Wales, and Scotland.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Olympic Class Ships<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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When the Olympic class ships were commissioned, Harland and Wolff was
one of the largest and most successful shipyards in the world. It employed thousands of Belfast men. In 1911, Harland and Wolff launched 10 vessels including Titanic.</div>
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Although Harland and Wolff was a world-renowned firm, it was not the only successful shipbuilding firm in
Belfast in its day. Covering an area of 40 acres
(16.2 hectares), Workman Clark was only the ‘wee yard’ in comparison to Harland
and Wolff.</div>
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<b>Building the Ships</b></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The First Step</b></div>
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Laying the keel, the backbone of
a ship. Titanic’s keel was six feet
high, ran the length of the ship, and carried the frames for the steel hull
plates. The frames were over 60 feet
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Framing</b></div>
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Framing was the erection of
steel rib-like structures that formed the skeleton of the ship. These gave the hull its shape. </div>
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<b>P</b><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">lating and Riveting</b></div>
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Once framing was complete, the
ship was fitted with steel plates that formed the watertight skin. These were held in place with iron and steel
rivets. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The plates that made up
Titanic’s hull were attached to her frame.
They were mostly 30 feet (9.1 meters) long, 6 feet (1.8 meters) wide, 1
inch (2.54 cm) thick, and weighed over 4 tons.
Plates on the bottom of the ship overlapped each other like roof tiles
in the clinker fashion. Plates at the
side of the hull were alternatively sunken and raised, known as inner and outer
strakes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The plating and other structural
parts of the ship were held together with rivets. Altogether, over 3 million rivets were used on
Titanic. Good quality riveting was
essential as it held the structure together.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The process of riveting was done
both by hand and mechanically with hydraulic riveters. Hand-riveters worked in squads of five. One boy heated the rivets in a fire, while
another boy passed the red-hot rivet to the ‘holder up.’ The ‘holder up’ held the rivet in place with
a 13 lb (5.9 kg) hammer while two riveters struck the rivet in turn. The best teams used one left-handed and one
right-handed riveter. </div>
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<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Bulkheads and Decking</b></div>
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There were 15 watertight
bulkheads that ran across Titanic in the lower decks. These divided the ship’s hull into 16
watertight compartments. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The bulkheads were connected to
the shell plating. The collision
bulkhead was located at the bow of the ship and fitted to be an inner
watertight skin should the bow be damaged in an end on collision.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Titanic was designed to stay
afloat if up to three of her four forward compartments were flooded. The bulkheads were only watertight up to E
and D decks, depending on their location.
This was because crew and passengers needed doors to access parts of the
ship. Ordinary doors, such as those in
most passenger areas, were a point of weakness.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The bulkheads which were part of
the boiler and engine rooms, within the hull of the ship, all had vertically
sliding cast iron watertight doors, built to Harland and Wolff’s design. Bells would be sounded before the watertight
doors closed to warn the crew. They
could then escape to the decks above using ladders. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic had eight passenger
decks and ten decks in total. Steel
decks were laid on the deck beams, riveted in place, then covered with either
wooden decking or other materials such as tiles.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Fitting the Rudder</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The rudder was made in six
pieces and then bolted together. The
bolts were covered in cement to protect them from the corroding effects of sea
water. The rudder was over 78 feet (23.7
meters) high with a maximum width of 15 feet (4.6 meters) and it weighed over
100 tons.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The rudder controlled the
direction of the ship. It was a wide
flat blade fitted on the stern post.
Titanic’s rudder was designed at Harland and Wolff and constructed by
Darlington Forge Company in Durham, England.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The rudder was supported by the
stern frame and hung on the sternpost.
The sternpost was the hinge which allowed the rudder to pivot, thereby
controlling the direction of the ship.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The position of the rudder was
immediately behind the central propeller.
This made the steering effective as the rudder immediately gave
direction to the thrust created by the propeller. The rudder was moved by a steering gear which
was powered by two engines. The rudder
was fitted shortly before Titanic’s launch.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The Fit-Out</b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
“The vessels mark a new epoch in naval
architecture. In size, construction, and
equipment, they represent the last word in this science…” <i>The Belfast
Newsletter</i>, June 1, 1911<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b>Titanic’s Communication Equipment<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic carried various types of communication equipment. This allowed passengers and crew to
communicate on the ship with the outside world.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic’s powerful Marconi wireless equipment allowed her to
communicate with stations more than a thousand miles away. The wireless was manned around the clock and
was operated using Morse code. This
equipment allowed the ship to both send and receive messages. The Marconi operators communicated shipping
messages and personal messages for passengers.
News received via the wireless was printed in an on-board newspaper.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
As a Royal Mail Steamer, Titanic had the capacity to carry 3,635
mailbags with 2,000 letters per bag. She
also had a Sea Post Office for passenger use.
Telephones were in plentiful supply for the crew to communicate on board
the ship.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic carried electric lamps which flashed lights in Morse code to
signal to other ships at night. A whole
range of rockets and flares were also fitted to communicate messages to other
ships.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b>Titanic's Navigating Equipment<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic carried a huge range of navigating equipment to help steer the
ship in the right direction. Four main compasses were located at various positions on the ship. A variety of other nautical equipment
calculated the position of the ship, distance travelled, speed, and depth of
water.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic had three wheels for steering.
The main wheel was located in the wheelhouse. Besides the main wheel, the helm indicator
showed the position of the rudder.
Telegraphs conveyed messages from the navigation bridge.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic carried barometers and thermometers for predicting the
weather. These were important as outside
temperature affected ventilation requirements and indicated ice. Clinometers were used to indicate the angle
of roll or pitch. Titanic’s equipment
could pick up underwater bell signals sent from lighthouses, buoys, and other
ships, which warned of dangers such as fog.
The ship also used a range of sextants, telescopes, megaphones,
foghorns, fog books, diaries, navigational charts, and binoculars.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Lighting included masthead lamps, sidelights, and anchor lights. For communicating with other ships, Titanic
used the Marconi wireless, flags, signal lamps, and rockets.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b>Titanic's Ropes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Ropes were used for many purposes on Titanic, including supporting
masts and funnels and transporting cargo and other loads.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
By the time Titanic was built, rope made from natural fibers had been
largely replaced by galvanized steel wire rope.
Wire rope looked the same as that made from manila or hemp, but was
thinner and more durable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Titanic carried some ropes made from natural fibers which were used for
small loads. These were almost certainly
supplied by the Belfast Ropework Company, of which Gustav Wolff was a
partner. Hemp rope was suitable for use as
it was very strong and flexible, as was Manila which had the added advantage of
not being affected by sea water.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
When Titanic was in dock, she was tied to the pier using 18 large steel
ropes known as warps and hawsers. It was
important that the massive ship was held stationary to avoid damage to herself
and other ships around her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b>Changes in Third Class Cabins on the Titanic<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Third Class cabins on Titanic were basic compared to first and second
class accomodations, but were a massive improvement from the large dormitories
on other ships.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The cabin contained a double bunk made from mahogany with pillows and
sheets provided. The room had a
washbasin with a mirror above and a wall seat.
Red litosilo covered the floor, and the walls were covered in white
paneling. Passengers would have had to
go up two decks to reach the public toilets.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
Other third class accommodations on board included two, three, four,
five, six, eight, and ten-berth cabins.
Cheaper, more basic accommodation, without washbasins, with lower
quality mattresses and no pillows were available for single men. Other cabins were designed for families or
single women in mind. No single berth
accommodation was available for third class passengers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
The majority of third class passengers were emigrants heading to
America for a better life. Therefore,
they would generally have been going on a one-way ticket. Third class passenger occupations would have
included laborers, servants, unskilled and semi-skilled workers. The cost of a third class ticket started at
£6.15 from Queenstown to New York. This
was equivalent to almost a month’s wages for skilled Harland and Wolff workers.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-18655050030767845352014-03-29T23:00:00.000-04:002014-06-05T16:01:00.534-04:00Belfast's Political Past (and Present): Ulster Museum's Historical Overview<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uD3ociLAQA4/U5DKIeANP6I/AAAAAAAAByE/UGn0aWZ3OVA/s1600/DSC04924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uD3ociLAQA4/U5DKIeANP6I/AAAAAAAAByE/UGn0aWZ3OVA/s1600/DSC04924.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belfast City Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As a sophomore in undergraduate university, we read a book for class about the public displays of national identity in Northern Ireland. Everyone in our class enjoyed the book and the perspective it brought to interpreting how nationalism can be displayed and the effects this has within communities. The book was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Signs-War-Peace-Conflict-Northern/dp/1403967458"><i>Signs of War and Peace</i> by Jack Santino</a>. Since reading about this in undergrad, I decided that if I ever had the chance to go to Belfast, I wanted to see some of the sights Santino describes. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKJGO-jVGoA/U5DKHa-JhMI/AAAAAAAAByA/M1AMZTJCPX4/s1600/DSC05071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKJGO-jVGoA/U5DKHa-JhMI/AAAAAAAAByA/M1AMZTJCPX4/s1600/DSC05071.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning of the tour, in the Shankhill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Well, I finally made it to Belfast, some six years after reading the book in class. Since the end of the Troubles, Belfast's tourism industry has been growing. Downtown near City Hall, it seems as though you'd never know the Troubles took place if you were previously unaware of the history. However, the wounds are slower to heal and still raw in west Belfast (and other parts of the city). Because of the unique political history, there are actually various "black taxi" tours where a driver will take you in the taxi around west Belfast to see the famous murals on each side of the Peace Wall. There are actually several companies that drive, and you can check out some options <a href="http://visit-belfast.com/things-to-do/member/belfast-famous-black-cab-tours-belfast-attractions">here</a>, <a href="http://www.belfasttours.com/about.htm">here</a>, and <a href="http://belfastblackcabtours.co.uk/">here</a>. There is also a fantastic map of the <a href="http://www.belfast-murals.co.uk/">locations of the murals</a> around the city <a href="http://www.belfast-murals.co.uk/">here</a>, in case you'd rather walk all over.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-51q7L6tmvbo/U5DKOJt3JjI/AAAAAAAAByY/2US1Sb98Gfc/s1600/DSC05080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-51q7L6tmvbo/U5DKOJt3JjI/AAAAAAAAByY/2US1Sb98Gfc/s1600/DSC05080.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King William of Orange mural in Protestant/Loyalist area of West Belfast</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Since the taxi tour I reserved along with a friend I met at the hostel would not start until 11:30am on Saturday morning, I decided to see if there was an easy way to get some more context for what we were about to see. Just around the corner from our hostel are the <a href="http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/leisure/parks-openspaces/Park-6614.aspx">beautiful botanical gardens</a> and the <a href="http://www.nmni.com/um">Ulster Museum</a> (the botanical gardens are beautiful in their own right, in a glass and a white wrought iron building with a gorgeous room filled with flowers, built by designer of the nearby Queen's University Sir Charles Lanyon and completed in 1852 - definitely worth a visit).</div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKbF7qC996s/U5DKRgK53-I/AAAAAAAAByk/YGgWfdVU9RA/s1600/DSC05125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKbF7qC996s/U5DKRgK53-I/AAAAAAAAByk/YGgWfdVU9RA/s1600/DSC05125.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Section of Peace Wall that divides the Falls and Shankhill;<br />
view from Shankhill (Protestant side)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CA4_UgZT6mc/U5DKRnSHX3I/AAAAAAAAByg/vmCzzSRjgCI/s1600/DSC05137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CA4_UgZT6mc/U5DKRnSHX3I/AAAAAAAAByg/vmCzzSRjgCI/s1600/DSC05137.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Ulster Museum was free and it is a fantastic museum. Kind of like a mini-Smithsonian for the city of Belfast. There are actually several great exhibits in the museum on a variety of topics and aspects of history related to Northern Ireland, but the big money exhibit that we came to see was the exhibition on the Troubles. Although I'm obviously not from Northern Ireland and do not know a whole lot about the conflict, especially not from the deeply personal perspective by which it was and still is felt by people living in Northern Ireland, I thought that the exhibit did a good job of presenting the history and informing the visitor about what it was like in Belfast over that 30 year period.</div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAY0zNwd9H8/U5DKSw6mobI/AAAAAAAAByw/EBvZ7EfH7Ag/s1600/DSC05184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAY0zNwd9H8/U5DKSw6mobI/AAAAAAAAByw/EBvZ7EfH7Ag/s1600/DSC05184.JPG" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"International Wall" on Falls Road with<br />
Republican Murals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Because I thought that the exhibit was so helpful in learning more about the conflict, I decided to create this visual layout based on the content from the museum, accompanied with some of my photographs, to better provide foundation for the post I will write about the murals and taxi tour itself. As noted in the presentation, the majority of the textual content comes from the museum itself with a few external sources and links included. I tried to keep the information as close to the museum's as possible in order to maintain a neutral and accurate presentation of a complex time period. Hopefully, you will find the full timeline (truncated timeline available in the presentation) and the presentation itself below helpful in better understanding all the elements at work in the rawer parts of Belfast's lived past and present.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NDuBlJaR6DA/U5DKIxtBGvI/AAAAAAAAByI/A9qb38MDhxE/s1600/Bobby+Sands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NDuBlJaR6DA/U5DKIxtBGvI/AAAAAAAAByI/A9qb38MDhxE/s1600/Bobby+Sands.jpg" height="236" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Famous Republican Mural along the Falls of hunger <br />
striker and MP Bobby Sands</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><i>The Troubles: Introduction</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>The period of Northern Ireland’s history from 1968 is
usually referred to as “The Troubles.”
Much of this period, because it is so recent and because it was so
traumatic, is still painfully – often bitterly – remembered by those who were
injured, their families, and the families of those who died. In all, there were some 3,700 deaths, around
50,000 explosions, and innumerable sectarian incidents.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This gallery is arranged around particular events and
themes. Some of them may be upsetting –
most of them remain contentious. We
acknowledge the sensitivity and the deeply-held views about the issued
reflected here. The exhibition is not
intended as a comprehensive account of all that happened, but rather as a broad
platform of information about complex issues which have shaped our recent
history. We welcome feedback on the
approach and on the potential to develop the gallery.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZE8l6g9JT3g/U5DJCjYgkII/AAAAAAAABx0/5Vr6ZoKM4Qo/s1600/Adjusted+Columns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZE8l6g9JT3g/U5DJCjYgkII/AAAAAAAABx0/5Vr6ZoKM4Qo/s1600/Adjusted+Columns.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click on Image to Expand Timeline</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My <a href="http://prezi.com/4szewsarxpp5/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share">Prezi Presentation</a> of the history of The Troubles. Use the Arrow Keys to navigate forward and backward through the content. You can also enlarge the presentation to enable full-screen viewing.</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://prezi.com/embed/4szewsarxpp5/?bgcolor=ffffff&lock_to_path=0&autoplay=0&autohide_ctrls=0&features=undefined&disabled_features=undefined" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="550"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4436926504151890435.post-85654311683050531332014-03-28T12:30:00.000-04:002014-04-27T12:59:48.800-04:00United Nations in Geneva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/12092991293_f557471802_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/12092991293_f557471802_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All the way back on January 16th, 2014, in the first week of our program, we were able to visit the United Nations. The current Palais des Nations was built between 1929 and 1936 for the League of Nations. After World War II, the complex became the headquarters for the European office of the United Nations in 1946, quickly evolving into the largest center for multilateral diplomacy in the world. Today, Geneva's Palais des Nations hosts about 9,000 conferences and over 25,000 delegates each year. It is second largest nexus for United Nations operational activities after New York.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/12093042205_a331d91b0d_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/12093042205_a331d91b0d_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Chamber, largest conference room</td></tr>
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On our tour, we were able to learn more about this fascinating history and see the works of art that each country donated to the United Nations upon gaining membership to the organization. We also were able to see and sit in the delegates' seats in both the Grand Chamber and the Human Rights Council Chamber. The Human Rights Council chamber is beautiful with the new ceiling, a gift from Spain and finished in 2008. It is called, "The Ocean" and made by Spanish abstract artist Miquel Barcelo. The ceiling first had to be reinforced so that it could handle the weight of the art to be installed. For the ceiling, Barcelo used 35 tons of paint! The whole project cost $23 million to boot. The concept for <i>The Ocean</i> and the multicolored stalactite forms are meant to represent a sea and a cave, in absolute and opposing union, where the each nation is unique, just like each individual stalactite, but together with the ebbs and flows of the water, they can move together in harmony. Barcelo has said that he found his inspiration "on a day of immense heat in the middle of the Sahel desert [where he saw] the mirage of an image of the world dripping toward the sky...flowing drop by drop." The ceiling is impressive from all angles, and I loved looking at its colors and forms.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/12093406304_35bd3629d8_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/12093406304_35bd3629d8_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So cool to be on the floor of the HRC!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/12093334023_73e2788ab3_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3685/12093334023_73e2788ab3_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could stare at this ceiling art all day, and this only one small section!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/12093402384_6cf7d4c69b_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5484/12093402384_6cf7d4c69b_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is even stunning in black and white.</td></tr>
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Out front, the United Nations also has another important large work of art. It is the <i>Broken Chair </i>by Swiss artist Daniel Berset. It is made of 5.5 tons of wood and stands 39 feet (12 meters) tall. The statue was made in 1997 for the NGO Handicap International. The broken leg on the chair is meant to symbolize the harm caused by land mines and cluster bombs and acts as a reminder in front of the Palais des Nations to governments to ban the use of these weapons.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5527/12093338126_b8e3991abc_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5527/12093338126_b8e3991abc_c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Broken Chair</i> in the rain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7346/14056382003_50e44bcdbb_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7346/14056382003_50e44bcdbb_c.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Broken Chair</i> at dusk</td></tr>
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Since our United Nations visit, I have returned to the Human Rights Council chamber several times to watch various sessions. One of the largest events in Geneva at the Human Rights Council are the <a href="http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/upr/pages/uprmain.aspx" target="_blank">Universal Periodic Reviews (UPRs)</a>. These are reviews conducted on each individual country by the Human Rights Council where the country must give a statement about the status of human rights in its country and then answer questions posed by the Council about its human rights record. </div>
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Sometimes, these kinds of events are frustrating to me because it is hard for me to see how this kind of dialogue of reading two minute, pre-drafted statements (that are already made available on record to the public) is at all interactive or likely to lead to improving the status of human rights on the ground in individual countries. However, unlike UN activities in New York, NGOs can participate in the Human Rights Council in Geneva. NGOs are able to ask questions and be present to record the responses given by national delegations to questions posed by the Council. Sometimes, the NGOs can then use these statements made in international forums such as the UPRs to gain political capital at home and hold the government accountable. In other examples, where progress on specific indicators can be tracked annually, this can also lead to improvements, albeit gradual, in human rights on the ground. </div>
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In case you are interested, you can watch one of the UPRs here:</div>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" scrolling="no" src="https://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1722935254001/?bctid=3131279714001&autoStart=false&secureConnections=true&width=480&height=270" width="480"></iframe>
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When I first visited the United Nations in January, the flags had been taken down for maintenance on the grounds. Now the flags are finally up. After work one day, I was able to stop by with my camera and take some pictures of the flags at dusk as night fell. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14033084531_117edc537f_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2914/14033084531_117edc537f_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flags at Dusk</td></tr>
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Being able to actually experience some of the different types of events that take place at the United Nations has been a great experience in my internship here in Geneva. It is so cool to see things I read about first-hand and learn how the international system works. What a wonderful way to finish my last semester of law school.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7378/14056342633_0649f3b2b7_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7378/14056342633_0649f3b2b7_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flags at Night</td></tr>
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