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LUTH increases surveillance over LASSA Fever

10 August 2017

Any suspected case of Lassa fever is to be reported to the response team in LUTH on 08058019466, 08058744780, 07035521015 and 08023299445. "Lagos has had a worse case of Lassa fever and we came out of it. People should go about their normal business, as there is no need for panic", he said.

The Yobe State Commissioner of Health Dr. Bello Kawuwa, has debunked reports that cases of Lassa fever were found in Yobe state north east Nigeria.

Erinosho said the private hospitals where the victims had visited before they were referred to LUTH had been placed under a 21-day surveillance.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga, the government noted that the Ministry of Health in line with worldwide standards was now carrying out "contact tracing" to determine those who might have been infected, adding that isolation centres had been prepared to manage suspected and confirmed cases while drugs and other materials had also been prepositioned at designated facilities.

In a statement released by the hospital, the two patients were said to have been admitted very late and died in spite of efforts to save them.

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"However, we should all be involved collectively and individually to stop further spread of this disease".

"Some resident doctors volunteered to treat those 100 people under surveillance but we want the management to handle the situation more carefully. Health workers are at risk if Lassa fever is not suspected or while caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices", he said.

"The first was a 39-year old pregnant lady with bleeding disorder who died after a stillbirth", he said.

"A resident doctor from the Department of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, who took part in the autopsy was later confirmed with the disease and is now on admission and responding well to treatment at the Isolation Ward of LUTH".

"The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Nigeria has also been contacted".

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He added that two other suspected cases from the state were admitted and quarantined while undergoing confirmatory laboratory tests. "Two other suspected cases from Lagos state are also now admitted and quarantined while undergoing confirmatory laboratory tests", he stated.

Of the 100, 3 persons who developed symptoms tested positive and have been on isolation ward here in LUTH. The virus, a member of the virus family Arenaviridae, is zoonotic, or animal-borne.

Lassa fever, also known as Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF), is a type of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus.

"I urge us to prevent our food items from being contaminated by rats and rat droppings and urine".

"The onset of the disease is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, muscle and joint pains, prostration and malaise".

More news: North Korea threatens the US, Stephen Colbert says we're all gonna die

"Health workers are also advised to ensure that they take universal safety precautions when dealing with patients", he said, stressing that appropriate personal protective clothings like hand gloves, facemasks, goggles and overall must be worn when attending to cases.

LUTH increases surveillance over LASSA Fever


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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Translation Tuesday: A Russian Internal Passport - but Who's

In a long forgotten box of family pictures, my father-in-law pulled out an official looking document.  Right away it looked like it was likely a passport.  However, there was no picture.  My father-in-law's family was originally from the part of Poland which was controlled by Russia until the end of the World War I.

I performed a Google search and found out it was actually an Internal Passport of the Russian Empire.  So one question solved.  However, it was still unclear, who the passport belonged to or anything about what it said.  My guess is that this may have belonged to Casimir Krupa or his wife Michelina Ladakaus.  I have been successful in translating official documents in Latin and Polish, but the Cyrillic writing of this internal passport was essentially unreadable to me.

I am hopeful that a member of the genealogy blogging community with an knowledge of Russian would be interested in helping me translate this Russian Internal Passport.

I would greatly appreciate any that could help with a translation of these few pages of the passport.

Please help!!!

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!!

*****Update:  Sept 4, 2011*************

I am very grateful for the assistance I received on translating the Internal Russian Passport that I have been researching.  Thanks to Greta Kohl for giving of her time and talent to translating the key information from this document for me.  I am sure it will lead to some additional avenues of research and more family discoveries.

With Greta's assistance, I learned that I was incorrect in who I believed this internal passport might belong to. Since it was found with a number of pictures belonging to the Krupa (Cooper) branch of my father-in-law's family, I assumed that it could belong to Casimir Krupa or his wife, Michelina Ladakaus.

I was way off.

The passport belonged to Bronislawa "Bessie" Bartosiewicz.  She was my father-in-law's father's mother.  She arrived in the United States in 1904.

Here are the key points revealed by the translation:

The passport was issued in 1904 (making it likely she needed the internal passport to travel to the port she would depart from for the U.S.)

1.  Bronislava Yuzefovna Bartosievicz (This is the Russian spelling for Bronislawa).  The most important piece of information from this is "Yuzefovna" is the Russian way of saying, "daughter of Yuzef" or "Jozef".  We didn't know what Bronislawa's father's name, so this is a great piece of information!
2.  Rank:  Peasant
3.  Date of Birth:  January 1885
4.  Religion:  Roman Catholic
5.  Permanent Residence:  Village of Jankowo, #15 at Street (undecipherable) Gmina Serock, Łomżyńska gubernia  (This could be of critical importance.  Now we know that she lived in Jankowo, Poland.  I will look up the appropriate church records and see if we can find her and her father listed in this town in Poland.)
6.  Married or Single:  Single

If we are ever to make that family ancestry tour to Poland, then knowing this information will come in handy.

********Update:  Sept 7, 2011*******

Greta posted on her blog what she learned from helping me translate this internal Russian passport.  Here is a link to her blog post.

What I Learned Wednesday: What’s a Gmina Doing in an Uyezd, and Other Bits

Greta, thanks again for your help!!

  1. I would be happy to help, but the background on these makes them difficult to read; would it be possible to get clearer copies of the pages? It appears to belong to an unmarried female born in 1885; the name does not look like Krupa or Ladakaus. The first name might be something like Broneslava, the patronymic may be Yu..fovna, and the last name looks like Bart...evich/Bort....evich. Does that ring a bell?

  2. Hi Greta, it could be my father-in-laws grandmother Bronislawa Bartosiewicz. We thought she lived in Dombrowa, Poland and was born around that time. I can send you the scanned copy of her passport which might be more readable than what appears on the blog. My email address is Pilgrimage1620 at gmail.com. Thank you for your help!! It is greatly appreciated!

  3. Awesome website, very first time at your website and I really experienced studying it.

    Russian translation

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The Ashberg

It is said that this amber-colored, cushion-shaped diamond weighing 102.48 carats, was formerly part of the Russian Crown Jewels. It must have been a late addition to that collection because the stone bears all the characteristics of one from South Africa. In 1934 the Russian Trade Delegation sold the diamond to Mr. Ashberg, a leading Stockholm banker. The Stockholm firm of Bolin, former Crown Jewellers to the Court of St. Petersburg, mounted it as a pendant. In 1949 the Ashberg was displayed, mounted in a necklace containing diamonds and other gemstones, at the Amsterdam Exhibition, the aim of which was to attract new workers to the diamond industry.

Ten years later the Bukowski auction house in Stockholm put the Ashberg up for sale but it failed to reach its reserve and was withdraw. Then its owner succeeded in selling the gem to a private buyer whose name was not revealed. Finally, in May, 1981, Christies auctioned the diamond in Geneva where once again it failed to reach its reserve and was withdrawn. Source: Diamonds - Famous, Notable and Unique by GIA and Famous Diamonds by Ian Balfour.


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...to Mystery, a fanlisting for the singer and actress Faye Wong. Enjoy your visit, and if you're a fan, please join!

"A fanlisting is simply an online list of fans of a subject, such as a TV show, actor, or musician, that is created by an individual and open for fans from around the world to join. There are no costs, and the only requirements to join a fanlisting are your name and country. Fanlistings do not have to be large sites (although some are), they are just a place where you can sign up [to be listed and/or to have your website listed if you have one] with other fans."
-- The Fanlistings Network

Listed: The Fanlistings Network, Tragic Adoration
Category: Musicians: Female
Owner: Trialia
Approved: 14th July 2010 (originally 2004)
Last Updated: 12th December 2017
Member Count: 74, from 23 countries
Pending Members: 0
Newest Members: Riho
Growth Rate: 0.03 fans/day
Script: Enthusiast

 Animation: Movies: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within  Fan Works: General: Fan Mixes  Games: Computer, Console, Video & Web Games: Final Fantasy 5 [V]  Games: Game Characters: Final Fantasy - Ifrit  Games: Game Characters: Final Fantasy 5 [V]: Baldesion, Krile/Cara/Kururu Maia  Games: Game Characters: Final Fantasy X [10]: Belgemine  Games: Game Music: Chrono Trigger - Music of  Games: Game Music: Final Fantasy 8 [VIII] OST  Musicians: Female: DiFranco, Ani  Musicians: Female: Enya  Musicians: Female: Menzel, Idina  Musicians: Female: Ohki, Risa  Musicians: Female: Teng, Vienna  People Miscellany: Physical Appearance and Voices: Women: Brunette/Brown-Haired
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6 Rogue One Spin-Offs We’d Love To See (UPDATED)

Kim Taylor-Foster
Star Wars Movies
Star Wars Movies

This article has been updated following news that a spin-off novel, called Guardians of the Whills, featuring Rogue One characters Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus is being released. Scroll down to the bottom to read the added content about our hopes for a possible Chirrut and Baze spin-off movie.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has always been billed as a stand-alone addition to the Star Wars universe. However, Rogue One spin-off opportunities abound.

At this point, we have to pause to issue a SPOILER WARNING. Read on ONLY if you’ve seen Rogue One or don’t mind learning plot details.

While it’s true to say that most of the characters resist inclusion in any future sequels (due to the fact that they die – we said there would be spoilers), Rogue One is far from stand-alone. Consider how closely it’s tied to A New Hope, the chapter in the saga that immediately follows. The two films are directly adjoined in the film’s rousing finale.

They’re calling Rogue One ‘stand-alone’ presumably because, if we’re talking about making new films, it can’t go anywhere new in a linear sense. But that’s only because it already goes somewhere else. Namely, the original 1977 Star Wars movie and the events that unfold through The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

The term ‘stand-alone’ is problematic for another reason. It suggests you don’t need to see any of the other films to enjoy or make sense of it. The film surely loses impact, though, if you don’t know what comes after. If you’re coming to Rogue One a Star Wars virgin, so to speak, you may find yourself scratching your head. You’ll also probably feel emotionally under-invested. It’s very much a crucial piece of the Star Wars puzzle; a story that fills gaps and one which fans have been looking forward to seeing. It’s hugely dependent on existing fan knowledge.

With all this in mind, Fandom got to thinking about Rogue One’s inaccurate ‘stand-alone’ status and how a number of its characters are ripe for exploring in their own spin-off movies…

K-2SO Runs Amok

K-2SO is a droid with an intriguing back story – what if we delved deeper?

Alan Tudyk recently told Empire that he’d like to see K-2SO – the droid he voices in Rogue One – team up with his human counterpart, Cassian Andor, in a buddy comedy. What we’d really like to see, however, is a film that shows us what he was like before he was re-programmed by the Rebel Alliance.

A former Imperial droid, K-2SO is quick-witted and sarcastic, and loves a bit of mean-spirited banter with Jyn Erso. The vast majority of Imperial droids seen throughout the Star Wars films perform their duties entirely without banter. The Rebellion’s droids, on the other hand, are often seen as quirky and funny with human-like personalities. Just like the re-programmed K-2SO. There’s the prissy, hilarious C-3PO, and everybody’s favourite astromech droid – R2-D2 – the mischievous robot sidekick with maverick tendencies. The experiences of these two Star Wars droids were explored in the animated series “Droids“.

What we want to know, though, is whether K-2SO always had these characteristics in his personality. Or did they only reveal themselves with his re-programming? How much of his personality is part of his mechanical make-up, and how much is learned behaviour? A film exploring the Empire’s droid community could reveal more about this under-explored segment of the Star Wars universe. Perhaps it could even bring audiences an artificial intelligence movie?  A film revolving around a robot revolt as droids become sentient would be timely and relevant, taking its cue from the likes of “Westworld”.

Cassian Andor’s Darker Side

A complex hero like Cassian Andor demands a more in-depth exploration

In Rogue One, leading man Cassian Andor hints at his past as a member of the Rebel Alliance. He admits to doing things in the name of the Rebellion that he isn’t proud of. He doesn’t go into detail. However, we are given a glimpse of the sort of thing he’s had to do when Cassian executes Tivik, who has brought him vital information for his mission.

Attentive viewers questioned Cassian’s actions from a moral standpoint – but here was a guy who was near-hysterical and about to get them both caught, or killed. He also had a bad arm meaning he couldn’t climb to escape – he was a liability to Cassian who had a duty to carry out his mission for the cause.

These darker depths are intriguing. In Star Wars, on the whole, good guys are good, and bad guys are bad. There are one or two examples of exceptions throughout the universe, where characters behave in ways that contradict that. There’s Lando Calrissian, for one, who betrays his friends for his own gain and Han Solo, who initially joins the Rebellion for selfish reasons. He also famously shoots Greedo first. In Cassian, we meet a character like this, who shows us that sometimes the good guys can be conflicted and might do things that perhaps aren’t moral.

We’d love to see Cassian’s past explored in more depth in a gritty take on his involvement in the Rebellion. It might reveal more characters like Saw Gerrera whose methods and motivations are unorthodox. It might also show the sacrifices Cassian and others who have dedicated their lives to fighting the Empire have made.

Saw Gerrera: Metal Legs and Extremism

Saw Gerrera’s fleeting appearance in Rogue One may have been brief, but it was certainly memorable. Saw Gerrera is one of the more developed Rogue One characters within the extended Star Wars universe. He features in “The Clone Wars” animated TV series. He’ll also pop up in the new season of “Star Wars Rebels” in January, and will be voiced by Forest Whitaker.

This means that there is already a wealth of material to draw on to develop the character for a starring role in his own movie spin-off. It also suggests that Whitaker would be willing to pick it up again in another big-screen outing.

We’d love to see the interim period filled in between Gerrera taking in Jyn Erso as a child and the moment they meet years later. His metal legs, Vader-like breathing apparatus and extremist leanings must tell quite a story. Plus, we’d love to see more of Forest Whitaker’s big performance.

Cornelius Evazan Horror Story

A fan favourite like Dr Cornelius Evazan would be brilliant in his own Star Wars spin-off

A character memorable enough to warrant a cameo in Rogue One, Cornelius Evazan first appeared in Episode IV. He famously picks on an unsuspecting Luke Skywalker in the cantina bar on Mos Eisley. He tells him his companion, Ponda Baba, doesn’t like him. He then threateningly tells Luke, “I have the death sentence on 12 systems”. In Rogue One, the duo pull a similar act with Cassian and Jyn in a busy marketplace on Jedha.

When actor Michael Smiley recently revealed he played the role of Dr Evazan in the latest instalment, we were reminded of the character’s interesting back story.

Once a cosmetic surgeon, Evazan went insane and started performing experimental surgery on his patients, horrifically disfiguring them. Hideously maimed himself at the hands of a bounty hunter, Evazan was rescued by Ponda Baba after which the pair teamed up as criminal cohorts.

Imagine a spin-off that delves into Cornelius Evazan’s past. We’re intrigued as to how these two mismatched rogues actually bonded, for one thing. Following in the footsteps of Rogue One’s grittier approach, it could be a dark and horrific addition to the series. Imagine strong horror elements, and scenes reminiscent of Dr Arden’s operations in Season 2 of “American Horror Story”.

Orson Krennic: Teen Angst

It’s always fun to delve into the dark side, and Rogue One gives us a villain in Orson Krennic we love to hate. Flouncing around with a face like thunder in a floaty white cape without a care for the poor person who might have to wash it, Krennic is a flashy and pretentious bully prone to lashing out. He is also desperate to make a name for himself.

You can see the resentment and ambition bubbling inside Krennic and we relish the scenes where he’s put in his place by both Darth Vader and Tarkin. People often say that bullies have been bullied themselves, and this seems true in the case of Krennic.

This, of course, makes him an interesting character with quite a bit of depth. We’d like to see a spin-off film that explores Krennic’s teenage years to show us why he still holds onto all this angst. Did he have any friends? What were his parents like? What did he want to be when he grew up? What led him down the path he took? Did someone used to steal his lunch money?

Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus Backstory

Rogue One Chirrut Ãmwe
Chirrut and Baze have a chemistry that is ripe for exploration

With the announcement that two of the best characters from Rogue One will be featured in their own spin-off novel, it got us thinking about whether Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus might get their own standalone movie.

Perhaps two of the more obvious contenders for spin-off treatment, it’s not really surprising that a novel has been commissioned. It will be written by comic book writer Greg Rucka, who’s worked for both DC Comics and Marvel. A synopsis has already been released, which reveals that the book will focus on a period of time shortly before the events of Rogue One.

Guardians of the Wills Star Wars

The official synopsis, posted on StarWars.com, is this:

Baze and Chirrut used to be Guardians of the Whills, who looked after the Kyber Temple on Jedha and all those who worshipped there. Then the Empire came and took over the planet. The temple was destroyed and the people scattered. Now Baze and Chirrut do what they can to resist the Empire and protect the people of Jedha, but it never seems to be enough. When a man named Saw Gerrera arrives with grand plans to take down the Empire, it seems like the perfect way for Baze and Chirrut to make a real difference and help the people of Jedha. But will it come at too great a cost?

Jedha Rogue One
The holy city of Jedha

It seems a no-brainer that any spin-off film involving Chirrut Îmwe and Baze Malbus would revolve around Jedha. And while we’re all for filling in the immediate backstory leading up to the story Rogue One tells, we’re also interested in learning more about these guys from further back.

The proposed story focuses on the immediate aftermath of the Empire’s arrival on Jedha, and Chirrut and Baze’s involvement with thwarting them alongside Saw Gerrera. But a film about Chirrut and Baze could explore the origins of the Jedi in far greater depth. While the Force, and the Jedi and the Sith, have featured strongly in the cinematic universe, there’s never been an in-depth look at the Force and the origins of those who utilise it, or are attuned to it.

We’d like to see a story set slightly further back than the novel promises, with the Empire’s invasion about to happen rather than having already happened. This would give us a chance to see Baze and Chirrut doing their jobs as Guardians of the Whills, protecting the Kyber crystals that the Empire is intent on plundering. It could also reveal more about the Kyber Temple, its importance, and those that worship there.

It could even delve further into the past, via flashback perhaps, and give us an insight into the establishment of this ancient temple – and the folks who built it.

One of the most appealing things about the Chirrut and Baze we meet in Rogue One is their relationship. They’re like mismatched cops who’ve gone through the awkward hating-each-other stage and on to striking up a bromance. We’d like to see the struggle they went through to get to where they are to add colour –  maybe done in the style of Lethal Weapon.

With so many intriguing characters and untold stories not only in Rogue One but also throughout the wider Star Wars universe, there’s basically an inexhaustible supply of spin-off opportunities. Got an idea? Maybe you should pitch it…

Kim Taylor-Foster
Kim Taylor-Foster is Entertainment Editor for Fandom in the UK. She was raised on an unsteady diet of video nasties and violent action flicks.
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WATCH: Emma Watson Singing as Belle in the Latest Clip from ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is Making Us All Nostalgic

Each clip and preview that we get from Disney’s new, live-action version of Beauty and the Beast is making us more and more excited for this film to be released in theaters.

When it was first announced that Harry Potter star Emma Watson would be playing the role of Belle, the reaction was mixed as to whether or not she would be able to pull off the classic role.  In this newest clip, Watson appears as the perfect embodiment of the beloved character while singing the song Belle from the animated film.

Recently, Watson revealed that she had previously passed on the part of Cinderella, before she even knew of the potential role of Belle.  Watson felt more connected to the character of Belle and the role really resonated with her.  She said:

“When they offered me Belle, I just felt the character resonated with me so much more than Cinderella did.  She remains curious, compassionate, and open-minded and, that’s the kind of woman I would want to embody as a role model, given the choice.”

So far, we think she’s nailed it!  Her voice is sweet and strong.  Her performance, from what we’ve seen so far, is flawless and we think she makes a perfect Belle!

Check out the lasted clip from the upcoming live-action version of Beauty and the Beast below.  The film hits theaters in less than a month on March 17th.

Source: In Style

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Denise Caputo

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A self-proclaimed nerd, karaoke junkie, craft beer enthusiast and lover of all things pop culture, Denise enjoys all facets of entertainment from Broadway to box office blockbusters. In her spare time, she enjoys photography, concerts (lots and lots of concerts), volunteering, reading and playing with her rescue kitten, Samantha (who rescued who, right?). Denise currently resides in Long Island, New York and is honored to be a part of the Fan Fest News team!

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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Aaron's Story Recommendation of the Week :: Advertising at the End of the World by Keffy R.M. Kehrli

I am back to reading short fiction, and my story recommendation for this week is Advertising at the End of the World by Keffy R.M. Kehrli, from the September 2009 issue of Apex Magazine.

"Advertising at the End of the World" begins with perhaps the best opening line I have seen this year:
Five years after her husband died, two years after she moved to a cabin in Montana, and six months after the world ended, Marie opened her curtains to discover her front garden overrun with roving, stumbling advertisements.
The "advertisements" are programmed humanoids, determined to keep pitching the products of vendors long since wiped out by plague. The initial image of walking advertisements mindlessly tromping through survivor Marie's flower garden has a whimsical feel, but Kehrli soon turns the story in a wistful direction, as the advertisements remind Marie of everything she has lost.

Keffy Kehrli only began selling fiction in early 2009, but he has already published stories in Apex, Talebones, and Sybil's Garage, with more forthcoming in Electric Velocipede and Fantasy. Apex, a print magazine turned top-notch e-zine, is notable for publishing up-and-coming authors like Ekaterina Sedia, Theodora Goss, Lavie Tidhar, Eugie Foster, Jennifer Pelland, and Aliette de Bodard. If "Advertising at the End of the World" is any indication, Keffy Kehrli belongs among such company.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Amy's bookshelf :: Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock

Mythago WoodThe featured book is Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. This post is a tribute to Holdstock who died recently at the age of 61 after battling a severe E. coli infection.

Holdstock was a British fantasy writer. He is best known as the author of the Mythago Cycle or Ryhope Wood series, the first published book of which is Mythago Wood (1984).

Mythago Wood features an ancient Celtic wood in England where archetypal characters from myths and legends become flesh and blood. These denizens of the wood of called mythagos. Ryhope wood appears to cover only a small area, but is vast inside. Time runs slower in the wood as compared to the outside world.

Mythago Wood won the BSFA Award for Best Novel in 1984, and the World Fantasy Award for best novel in 1985.

Of Robert Holdstock's works, I've only read Mythago Wood and its indirect sequel, Lavondyss. I found both books, which are different in tone, to be memorable and impressive. Other books in Mythago Cycle, in order of publication but not necessarily in order of events, are The Bone Forest; The Hollowing; Merlin's Wood; Gate of Ivory, Gate of Horn; and Avilion.


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Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Yikes! I didn't realize it had been so long since I had posted here until a couple of hours ago. With the holiday and starting a new job, the time has just flown by.

I still have reviews on the rest of the books in the Pit Dragon trilogy to write. Unfortunately, it takes me nearly as long to write the review as it does to read a book of that size since I read it over and over and revise it about 50 times. So I haven't written those yet with the amount of spare time I've had lately.

After I finish The Winter King, I'll probably read either the new novel by Diana Pharoah Francis's new novel, The Cipher, or one of C.S. Friedman's novels. Or maybe I'll read The Children of Hurin since I'd like to read that before this year is over.

I'm indecisive, so I'm open to hearing preferences or other suggestions for what to read next. A lot of the books I have and have yet to read should be in my "to read" section in my Good Reads account (the link for that is to the right toward the bottom of the sections on what I'm reading, links, etc.). So feel free to leave a comment about what you'd like reviewed in the near future!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Review of Dragon's Blood

Dragon's Blood, which first came out in the 1980s, is the first book in the Pit Dragon Chronicles trilogy by Jane Yolen. Although it is the first book in a series, there are no cliffhanger endings and the book stands quite well on its own. This is tagged as a young adult book and the main story is very reminiscent of books I read as a child; however, there is a maturity in both writing and subject matter at times that makes this book seem a little more adult. I found this tale of a boy and his dragon enjoyable but not very original other than the setting; however, this book is mainly setting up the next two books, which end up moving away from the lighthearted story in the first book.

Austar IV, a desert planet, was once a penal colony that founded its economy on breeding the native dragons, training them to fight in the pits, and betting on the winner. Jakkin, a fifteen year old boy, is working to pay off his bond and become a free man at one of the dragon farms. He believes his only chance at earning enough money to pay off his debt is to use his natural talents with dragons to train one to be a great fighter. Because of this, he makes plans to steal a dragon's egg. Taking an egg is considered acceptable since most of the dragon eggs are decoys that do not actually contain a baby dragon and therefore are not even counted before they hatch.

An unfortunate incident with a dragon forces Jakkin to miss the year's hatching, but later Jakkin slips into the barn at night to take a look at the hatchlings and finds that an error has been made in counting the dragons belonging to one of the hens. Instead of the nine hatchlings displayed on the door, there are actually ten. Jakkin selects the one he believes to be the best, forms a telepathic bond with it, and begins training it in secret.

The writing is simple and the story very plot-oriented, being a young adult novel. However, there were a few recurring adult themes that were not explored in depth such as gambling, prostitution, and drug addiction. Austar IV is not a pleasant, idealistic world by any means.

The story is rather predictable; in fact, it reminded me a lot of the formula used for many of the horse stories I read as a kid but with dragons instead for horses. It was certainly more imaginative than the stories about horses since it was a fictional planet containing Yolen's version of dragons, and the world was grittier than those books, but the overall story of a boy and his animal friend was very similar to stories from childhood.

This is a short book, but the pacing is done well. It is a story that is easy to begin reading and get absorbed in, and the subplots add to the story instead of taking away from it.

Dragon's Blood can be enjoyed by anyone, young or old or in between, who is looking for a fun, uncomplicated story that may feel somewhat familiar.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Review of The Princes of the Golden Cage

The Princes of the Golden CageThe Princes of the Golden Cage

The Princes of the Golden Cage
by Nathalie Mallet
320pp (Paperback)
My Rating: 5/10
Amazon Rating: 4/5
LibraryThing Rating: 3.25/5
Goodreads Rating: 2.5/5

The Princes of the Golden Cage is Nathalie Mallet's debut novel and the first book in the Prince Amir series. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy from a book giveaway on Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Book Reviews last month, so I recently read it to review here. This mystery story is not one I would recommend, but it is good if you are looking for an entertaining, quick read. In spite of its flaws, I did find this book kept me turning the pages quickly until the end, but it was a case of an interesting idea executed poorly.

Prince Amir and his brothers, who number over one hundred, are forbidden to leave the cage they live in until one of them becomes the next sultan. Amir is not interested in becoming the next sultan or being killed by one of his more ambitious brothers, so he tries to remain unnoticed and spends a lot of time in his room studying. However, Amir's compassion for the two insane brothers he cares for is noticed by his brother Erik, who decides to befriend Amir. Amir is unsure whether or not he should trust Erik in a society where the brothers are constantly trying to eliminate other contenders for the throne, but Erik is persistent. Because of his relationship with Erik, Amir meets and falls in love with his cousin Eva who is to become the first sultana after the next sultan is chosen.

One night, one of the Sultan's sons dies suddenly, and observers say this death could have only been the result of dark sorcery, although Amir and the Grand Vizier's assistant are convinced the brother must have been killed by poison. As a pattern emerges in which a brother is killed during each full moon, it becomes more and more obvious that sorcery is involved, and the sorcerer appears to be gaining power with each of his victim's deaths. Rumors abound that the studious Amir is the culprit, and he and Erik must figure out who the real murderer is to clear his name... before they both become victims.

This story, told from a first person perspective, is a blend of mystery and adventure with some romance thrown in. It is a short, fun book that can be read quickly without taking the time to think about it. The Princes of the Golden Cage is entertaining, but it is not thought provoking or well written.

In fact, this book stands out as one of the most poorly edited books I have ever read. The grammar is often quite awkward, which can be attributed to the fact that English is not Mallet's first language and is one she has been writing in for less than 4 years; however, a good editor should have been able to fix that in addition to the many typographical errors in this novel.

The characters are not very well developed, but this is a plot-heavy mystery/adventure story and not a character study. In spite of that realization, I found myself shaking my head a few times because the characters were being so stupid. They were not good at making well developed plans and thinking things through. At all.

The highlight of the novel was the setting of the cage and its affect on the brothers living within it. I had never heard of this before, but a sultan's sons living in a cage until the ascent of the next sultan was based on a historical Ottoman institution instead of being a fictional invention. This society was interesting, and it was certainly different from the medieval European setting often used in fantasy novels.

The Princes of the Golden Cage is by no means an exceptional work of literature with well written prose and intelligent characters. It is, however, light and fun reading, and it was one of those books that kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next in spite of its many flaws.

The next book in the series, The King's Daughters, is supposed to be out in the summer of 2008.

Other opinions on this book:

Friday, November 16, 2007

Review of Lords of Rainbow

Lords of Rainbow by Vera Nazarian is the first book in a duology, although it is a complete story that works perfectly well as a stand alone novel. (I actually thought it was a stand alone book until I looked at the works in progress on Nazarian's site and saw that she was working on a "standalone sequel" called Lady of Monochrome.) This fantasy story was unique and beautifully written, although it had a few flaws that kept it from being as outstanding as it could have been. That being said, this is only Nazarian's second novel and it was still good enough to keep me up reading until 4 am, so I think she definitely has potential to be an outstanding novelist.

Lords of Rainbow is a mix of adventure, political intrigue, and romance told in a fantastic setting. Many years ago, color left the world and its inhabitants can only see various shades of gray. The only colors in the world come from expensive specialized lights, a form of magic made by the secretive Light Guild in the kingdom of Tronaelend-Lis. It bodes ill for this kingdom, led by a pair of siblings who are rather weak rulers, when a dark man comes to the city claiming he is paving the way for his master, who should not be named.

Ranhe, a young warrior woman, finds herself in the midst of the turmoil in the city after she stumbles across Elasand, a young nobleman protecting his aunt and cousin from an attack by several men in dark clothes. After concluding these men must be the deadly Bilhaar assassins she had believed to be mere rumors, Ranhe helps the man out anyway and together they manage to fight off the attackers. Impressed by Ranhe's fighting ability, Elasand enlists her aid as a bodyguard when they run into each other at a nearby inn later. After much coercing, Ranhe agrees to be Elasand's bodyguard under the condition that she is free to leave at any time she chooses - whether the timing is convenient for Elasand or not.

The prose in this book is elegant, poetic, and a delight to read. Even the descriptions of the monochrome world were gorgeous. However, there were two occasions where there were about 8 pages of just description, which was too much for my taste. For the first 2 or 3 pages I did not mind since the way it was written was quite lovely, but after that I started wanting to get on with the story. Since that was only about 16 pages out of over 400, it was not a huge problem, though.

The characters in this book were wonderfully done and each one captured my interest. Ranhe is one of those elusive creatures - a believable female character. She is a warrior, and because of that, she is not feminine although she also has problems that women can relate to. Ranhe is intelligent and witty and not at all the damsel in distress type. The other characters have their flaws and their strengths as well, and I really enjoyed learning more about Elasirr and Elasand throughout the book.

Although I enjoyed reading about all the characters, no matter how minor they were, I did feel like there were far too many minor characters introduced in the first 100 pages of the book. The first quarter of the book skipped back and forth between Ranhe's story and a few pages on various other characters who were mentioned briefly enough in a short span that it made it hard to keep track of them all. After that, the story was mainly about Ranhe and these characters were barely even mentioned again until toward the end of the story. I felt like less focus on these characters in the beginning and more on Ranhe would have made the story tighter and less confusing, and knowing less about these other characters would not have taken away from the overall story.

The world in this story was unique and a pleasant change from the cliche fantasy settings. There was little magic other than the ability to create color and a mythological backstory involving a plethora of gods and goddesses. No races other than humans existed in this world and it did not feel like the city was reminiscent of medieval Europe to me.

The highlight of this book for me was Ranhe's story and that's the main reason I kept reading. When the book was about Ranhe, I found it extremely difficult to put down. The interactions between her and other characters kept the story interesting, and she is one of the more memorable characters I have read about this year.

Although the story could have been tightened up a bit in the first quarter of the book, it was an excellent tale. I would recommend it to anybody looking for a unique fantasy setting, poetic prose, and a strong female lead, and I look forward to seeing what Nazarian does with Lady of Monochrome.

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Review of Making Money

Making Money, the thirty-second novel in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett, is the second book in the series about con-artist Moist von Lipwig. Both stories are self-contained, meaning that you do not have to read any of the previous Discworld books in order to enjoy the newest one, although a few minor parts of the book will probably make more sense to you if you have read the first book about the main character, Going Postal. Some background on some characters appearing briefly exists in some of the previous Discworld books, but reading the previous novels in the series is certainly not a requirement for understanding what is going on in this book. It would just enhance the experience of reading it.

Moist finds he is getting bored with his work at the post office now that it is running rather smoothly and entertains himself by putting his thieving skills to the test and attempting to break into his own post office. Vetinari seeks to relieve Moist's lack of mental stimulation by repeatedly trying to entice him with the new challenge of running Ankh-Morpork's bank. Moist will not accept this position, which turns out to be an offer he can't refuse when the chairman dies, leaves her dog to Moist, and leaves all her shares in the bank to the dog.

Moist's leadership of the bank is somewhat complicated by the fact that making the coins is worth more than the value of the coins themselves, and in a fit of con-man brilliance (or madness) he invents modern economics. Unfortunately, his brain was lagging a bit behind his mouth when he did it, and he spends much of the book trying to deal with the consequences of an economy based on paper money. He must also contend with the Lavishes, the remaining family members of the dead chairman who feels they should be in charge of the bank, and their attempts to destroy his reputation. Furthermore, his secretary, a golem, has not only decided it's female but also that it has a crush on him, and Moist's fiance enlists his help in solving a mystery involving some golem artifacts she found buried underground.

I've read a lot of reviews saying this book was a disappointment and did not live up to the usual standards of a book by Terry Pratchett, so I was not sure what to expect when I read it. It was not my favorite of the Discworld books by any means, but I still thought it was a good book. The Discworld books beginning with Night Watch have been more serious in tone, and the ones from Monstrous Regiment on have not been quite as good as many of the old ones. I did not think that Making Money was any worse than any of the other more recent books in the series.

Moist is not as compelling a character as Sam Vimes or Death, but I do prefer his character to the wizard Rincewind or any of the witches. (That being said, I do believe that some of the books about Rincewind and the witches are better than either of the books about Moist.) However, Moist is an interesting character if you like to read about con men who can say anything and get away with it because they're just that charismatic.

I've also heard a lot of concerns about the plot of Making Money sounding similar enough to Going Postal that it would end up sounding like a rehash of the previous book about Moist. Although the general plot is similar (revolutionizing and modernizing an institution), the scenarios were very different. The circumstances, a lot of the characters, and the side plots were all different, so I did not feel like the books were too similar.

Pratchett has an amazing command of the English language and his ability with wordplay is perhaps unrivaled. He can create a descriptive and humorous scene using brevity, and he has a clever way with words that few do. His stories may seem simplistic on the surface, but he packs philosophy, sociology, religion, and other themes into his work that makes it more meaningful. This book does not disappoint in that respect and showcases this skill with language and adding layers of meaning.

The story is fun, but it does lack some of the excitement and craziness of the other Discworld novels. There were certainly parts that were amusing or worded in such a way as to make one smile, but none of it had me unable to stop laughing for any length of time.

While it is weak while compared to many of the books in the Discworld series, Making Money is still an entertaining book containing insights into economic theory and the foibles of human nature. I would recommend it to any fan of Discworld but not as a starting point for those interested in reading a book from this series for the first time.

Other Opinions on Making Money:

Sunday, November 4, 2007

World Fantasy Winners Announced

Congratulations to all the winners!

Gene Wolfe won the World Fantasy award in the best novel category for the third book in the Latro series, Soldier of Sidon.

A list of the winners is available on the Science Fiction Awards Watch blog.

Review of The Amber Spyglass

The Amber Spyglass is the third book in the His Dark Materials series. (I was going to say it was also the final book, but apparently Philip Pullman is writing a fourth book in the series called The Book of Dust.) While it was still a good book that I did not regret reading, I felt it was the weakest book in the series. There were many interesting ideas in this book, but the end just did not live up to my expectations. It was one of those books that had the potential to be excellent, but I put it down after reading the last sentence feeling like it should have been so much better than it was.

The story picks up where The Subtle Knife left off. After snatching Lyra, Mrs. Coulter hides her in the mountains and keeps her in a deep sleep. Will and Ama, a girl who brought food and supplies to Mrs. Coulter, sneak into the cave where Lyra is being kept and wake her from the drug-induced sleep. During her sleep, Lyra dreamed of speaking to Roger in the Land of the Dead and she and Will decide to go to this land.

Meanwhile, Mary Malone settles for a time in a world inhabited by beings called mulefa. The mulefa appear to be animals at first, but in fact are intelligent. Mary learns to communicate with the mulefa, and they ask for her help in saving a type of tree they are very dependent upon. While in this world, Mary constructs a spyglass that allows her to see Dust.

This book could have, in my opinion, been a bit shorter. The beginning was slow and hard to get into, parts of the middle dragged, and there was a lot more description in this book than the previous two. Description does not always bother me, but in this case it did because the series was about plot and action and all the exposition did little to advance the plot or enhance the story. The prose was well-written, but sometimes fewer words would have made the book flow a lot better.

The characters were better developed than in the previous books since some of the lines between good and evil were a bit blurrier here. However, the characters (other than Lyra) did seem fairly generic and lacking in distinct personality traits. Some of the changes in character were rushed and not very convincing. This is not surprising to me, since young adult novels generally focus more on plot and not as much on character development, but I always find a lack of good characterization disappointing.

This book continued to put a lot of emphasis on the evils of organized religion, particularly Catholicism. The way religion was woven into the storyline was a very fascinating idea with a lot of potential, but in the end, a lot of the themes were emphasized more than the story. The prophecies mentioned earlier in the book or series ended up having very anticlimactic conclusions, particularly the parallel between events in this book and the fall of Adam and Eve. The ending did not seem particularly satisfying or fitting to me.

Although I found this book to be a bit disappointing, I still enjoyed it and found it worth my time. The major problem I had with this book was that it had so much potential to be outstanding, but ultimately, it was merely a good book and nothing exceptional.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

On Ratings

Since opinions differ on ratings and what exactly certain numbers mean, I thought I'd just write a summary of how I see it.

My ratings system is based on a 1 - 10 scale. Basically, anything on the low end (1 - 4) is bad, in the middle (5-6) is ok, and on the high end (7 - 10) is good.

The following is a more detailed explanation of the specific ratings:

10 - Outstanding. A book that stuck with me long after I put it down. The only books I would give a 10 rating would be books that made it into my list of favorite books ever.

9 - Excellent. The book was very good, but was better than your average good book by being unique or thoughtful, having great characterization, and/or just being a lot of fun to read.

8 - Very good. Not a book that kept me thinking about it a lot after I put it down, but very enjoyable and better than just a worthwhile book.

7 - Good. Worth reading but nothing spectacular or mind-blowing.

6 - All right. An ok book that had some interesting elements.

5 - Meh. It's not terrible but nothing about it intrigued me for a second.

4 - Somewhat bad. Definitely not worth reading.

3 - Very bad. Not worth glancing at.

2 - Terrible. All memory of this book should be erased.

1 - Complete crap. The author must have had incriminating photos of somebody in the publishing industry. Books like this are almost enough to make one believe in book burnings.


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Fantasy Football Captain Picks / Latest Articles

Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 10

Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 10

Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 10 2017/18

Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 10. I must admit I completely forgot I was writing this article this week due to mixing up Uni work and FPL work but after getting a swift kick from a certain big chicken I went into overdrive to deliver this masterpiece to you all! Now down to business, Liverpool let in goals (shocker!!), Kane scored a few and Kun was back on the score board. All pretty expected things to happen this past weekend but one thing that was (perhaps) not so expected was Pep Guardiola the Patron Saint of Rotation! With most people transferring Sterling in and even captaining him and others having Jesus up top after Aguero’s injury Pep decided to screw everyone over. I loved it because I have neither and seeing people meltdown on twitter is hilarious, but I felt the pain for all my comrades on these boards. Let’s hope Pep picks a normal team against West Brom at the weekend but if tonight’s line-up is anything to go by then I don’t think we will ever know what is going on in that bald head of his!! Well onto the reason you are all here and that is who I think is worthy enough for the coveted armband this week so here goes in reverse order…

5. Mooy (vs Liverpool)
This is probably a strange pick at first glance but when you really think about it, this pick makes sense! Argument one is that Mooy is on set pieces and has grabbed 2 goals and 1 assist in 9 appearances. Not exactly stats that set the world alight, but the Aussie is a key figure in the Terriers side and I think if Huddersfield score his name won’t be too far away. The second argument and really the most important one is they are playing Liverpool!!! You know that team with the defence that never was? Well with Spurs showing exactly how terrible the Pool defence is (like we didn’t already know!) I can see David Wagner trying to pressurise Liverpool from the onset and pull one over on his best mate, Klopp. Mooy could prove a brilliant differential for those brave enough to back him and Huddersfield.

4. Kane (vs Manchester United)
Harry Kane FC are travelling to Old Trafford for the early kick off on Saturday and usually that puts a lot of people off picking a captain in those early games, but would this really be a captain’s article without Kane? I don’t think so! Well Kane grabbed himself another 2 goals to take his tally for the season to 8 goals and on top of that he picked up an assist too! With United seemingly losing the momentum they had a few weeks ago and coming off the back off a loss to Huddersfield, one could think that Spurs go in strong against United and smash them. I would say this won’t happen, but I still think Spurs score a goal or two at Old Trafford. Harry Kane is at almost perma captain status, but does that early kick off put you off him?? Beware at your own risk!

3. KDB (vs West Brom)
When one Belgian in the form of Lukaku cools off another hits form and that is exactly what KDB has done. Over the last 6 games KDB has either scored or assisted in 5, with 1 goal and 6 assists!! In that same timeframe City have won 5-0, 0-6, 5-0, 0-1, 7-2 and 3-0, they are blowing teams away and KDB has been at the centre of it! With the attacking power that City have been displaying it is just common sense that you need City attack and by this stage everyone has at least 2 if not 3 of the Citizens. Pep is the bane of FPL managers lives with the rotation that he loves but KDB is one player you would think is the safest of them all, if he does get benched you have my permission to beat me up. With most of us, having one of either Jesus or Kun they would be the obvious choice, but I think KDB should definitely be given some consideration.

2. Salah (vs Huddersfield)

Generated by IJG JPEG Library

I may have already pointed out how poor the Liverpool defence is but at the other end of the pitch they are one of the most entertaining in the country. It is widely accepted that Liverpool will concede goals, but they will also score them. With the attacking prowess that Liverpool have and the style of play that they use it is highly likely that they score a few against Huddersfield. Salah has been Liverpool’s best player this season in my opinion, the attacks are going through him a lot of the time and if his decision making and final finish were better his returns of 5 goals and 2 assists would be even higher. With Mane still out I can see Liverpool relying on the Egyptians speed once more as this is the key to those counter attacks. As I mentioned earlier, Huddersfield play a pressing style of football much like Liverpool’s so I expect goals in this game and will predict a 2-2 draw. I don’t think either team will want to sit back as the managers love attacking football too much. Salah has an ownership of 32.3% so a lot of people have the winger, if he scores this weekend and people have him capped you could see a big drop in rank. I would be considering him as Liverpool will want to get back to winning ways after last weekend.

1. Sergio Aguero (vs West Brom)
Well what can I say about this man that we don’t already know?! After getting himself into a car accident a few weeks ago we were all expecting Jesus to take over in our FPL teams which he did for a short time, but the Argentinian returned at almost a superhuman rate and got himself back on the score sheet whilst Jesus sat on the bench and watched on. Obviously, this has put the Fear of Kun into people as 170,574 managers sold Jesus and 238,851 managers brought in Aguero. Remarkably this still only amounts to an ownership of 14%, if you are one of the lucky to have Aguero then I would be taking advantage of his low ownership against a West Brom side who are not the defensively solid team we usually associate with a Tony Pulis team, having only kept 3 clean sheets all season. To add to the Baggies woes Evans took a hard fall at the weekend and looks likely to miss this game so with Dawson and Evans both gone, added to the fact both goalkeepers were injured last week (but made an amazingly quick recovery) one has to think they are maybe not at 100% and so will West Brom be even leakier than they have been this season? Kun has got to be the number one pick for your armband this weekend.

Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 10

This article was written by Matt.

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Gameweek Tracker GW10-19

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  1. 31
    Matt says:

    Evening lads. Had another mess around with my team. Which of these moves sounds the best? I have 1.1 itb and 2 fts

    A. Lukaku and Naughton to Kun and Duffy (play 3-5-2)
    B. Lukaku and Wood to Kun and Rooney (or a lower priced striker) 3-4-3 formation
    C. Lukaku, Naughton and Maguire to Kun, Duffy and Otamendi 4-4-2 formation
    D. Lukaku, Wood and Naughton to Kun, Otamendi and Abraham (or lower priced striker) play 3-4-3.

    Click on image to enlarge:

  2. 32
    Smash10 says:

    Any Everton fans think Kenny will keep his place? Or is it not worth the risk. Think it’s between him and Holgate now Koeman has gone

  3. 33
    Silvers says:

    Come on Init my phone is fu—ked it really is , it does things on its own but so do I :)

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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Fauna in the news

Poaching on Fauna’s Natural Reserve...
Braconnage sur le territoire de la Réserve naturelle du Ruisseau-Robert...

The following article was published in our local paper.

L’article qui suit a paru dans le Journal de Chambly récemment

English version below..

In Memory of Coyote

By: Gloria Grow

We thought of him as the Fauna coyote. He visited everyday. He was young and slender, content to eat the fruits and vegetables we put out for our animals. Coyote never did anyone harm. No one was ever attacked. No one was ever killed, except one day. A Fauna employee was out running at lunch and saw him. He was curled up under a tree. Taking a closer look led to the reason why he would be there in mid day and not stir. He had a snare around his neck. It had cut into his flesh, exposing muscle and bone. The wire had been gnawed free of whatever had grounded it in place -- its frayed end testament to Coyote’s powerful jaws and even more powerful will to survive. He had given up after who knows how long a struggle. He curled up under the tree and let go of life. Fauna’s surrounding Natural Reserve is 200 acres of land to protect Quebec’s native wildlife and flowers. Still we weren’t able to protect Coyote from the wanton desire of someone who wanted to kill him -- with no concern that his method would bring Coyote pain and fear and long suffering before death released him.

When I saw Coyote, I saw someone no different than so many wonderful dogs I have had in my life. I recognized from his compelling similarity to them that Coyote’s only crime was that he did not belong to somebody, that ownership had not domesticated him to be at the command of a human. As I touched him, without any collar or tags to prove his ownership, I knew I was touching an ancient ancestor to the many dogs I have shared my life with. I knew I was looking at someone who would have grown and learned more each day about his own survival – like where he could find berries to eat at certain times of the year or how the rabbits could escape him by fleeing under a building. I saw in this being called Coyote the wild and free and devastating beauty of the natural world...a world that Fauna and everyone should be prepared to prize, protect and preserve.

Because of his need to survive, Coyote was judged by someone who failed to appreciate Coyote’s role in the natural cycle. That someone set out to destroy him. The question remains: why? Was it because his pelt would bring a small amount money? Because his death would make his killer feel powerful? Or was it because of the misguided notion that the only way to be with nature is to destroy all parts of it that don’t serve humans? I will never understand.

We won’t get to see Coyote out there any more and we all grieve this. Even while we are surrounded by nearly a hundred rescued animals for whom we care, we will still feel the sting of his loss. Unlike the rescued residents of Fauna who are forced to live a life of captivity, we all felt assured by Coyote’s presence -- assured that while we tended to those whose freedom had been lost, Coyote was there…free and wild and living in harmony with his natural world. Until, that is, that one day when someone for some reason decided to kill him.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Today is Sue Ellens' Birthday / l'anniversaire de Sue Ellen

Today, March 17th, is Sue Ellen's 43rd birthday; why not purchase an Adopt-A-Chimp package in Sue Ellen's name as a gift for someone special! Sue Ellen is such a sweet little thing. She loves her cooked meals and squeals with pleasure whenever she is eating. She loves pretty coloured scarves, purses and necklaces that she drapes around her belly and carries around, sometime for days. And of course, she is one of the best bed- makers of the entire chimp house.

Aujourd’hui, le 17 mars, Sue Ellen célèbre son 43e anniversaire de naissance. Pourquoi ne pas souligner l‘occasion en souscrivant à notre programme d’adoption au nom d’une personne qui vous est chère? Sue Ellen est si charmante! Elle adore ses repas chauds, qu’elle déguste avec enthousiasme jusqu’à la dernière bouchée. Elle raffole des jolis foulards aux couleurs vives, des sacs à main et des colliers qu’elle enroule autour de sa taille et qu’elle porte parfois pendant plusieurs jours. Et bien sûr, elle est parmi ceux qui font les meilleurs lits de toute la maison des chimpanzés.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Here we have Regis enjoying a nap all sprawled out, with his legs comfortably placed on the ladder.
Regis faisant la sieste, étendu de tout son long et les jambes bien installées sur l’échelle

From the Monkey House / Les petits Singes

Sophie our little capuchin and Pougie our crab-eating macaque
Sophie notre petit capuchin et Pougie notre macaque mangeur de crab

Out like a lite....L’heure du dodo...

Sophies favorite place to sleep..on a warm little Pougie!! / L’endroit préféré de Sophie pour dormir...sur un petit Pougie tout chaud!!

Newton & Darla our Rhesus Macaques
Newton & Darla nos Macaques Rhesus

Newton enjoying his enrichment ... /
Newton qui découvre ses activités d’enrichissement ...

Darla enjoying the view.../Darla admire le paysage...

Sophie and her breakfast.../Sophie et son petit dejeuner...

photos/video by/de: Isabelle Alarie

Spock & Chance

Spock and Chance have been having a good old time playing and chasing each other through the bars. Here is a little video of them both enjoying a little tickle and if you listen closely you can hear Spock laughing.

Spock et Chance ne manquent jamais une occasion de jouer et de se pourchassser de chaque côté des grillages. La video ci-dessous les montre qui s'amusent en se chatouillant. En écoutant attentivement, on entend Spock ricaner.

Great Gifts for the Chimps/Des cadeaux pour les chimpanzés

Special Thank You to all who have donated gifts /Nos plus sincères remerciements à tous ceux et celles qui ont offert des cadeaux..
Evelyn Antypowich, Sonia Boulet & Roger Roy, Purple Passion Project Circle of Giving

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Construction Enrichment / Journée-thème: la construction

One of our theme days was Construction Week...the chimps really loved this one. That morning, everyone was walking around with their own tools. Pepper had her tape measure around her wrist and Chance was carrying around a ratchet set. The tools look so real that Lynda (chimp house cook) called us on the walkie talkie to let us know that Spock had somehow found a screwdriver and was trying to unscrew all our locks on the caging.. It was quite funny, however, we assured her that it was all very safe and that the tools were all plastic...

Une de nos récentes journées thématiques portait sur le domaine de la construction, thème que les chimpanzés ont tout simplement adoré. Un matin, chacun se promenait avec ses outils. Pepper portait son ruban à mesurer au poignet et Chance traînait son jeu de clés à cliquet. Les jouets sont tellement convaincants que Linda, la cuisinière de la maison des chimpanzés, nous a alertés que Spock avait un tournevis en sa possession et qu'il s'affairait à dévisser les verroux des cages... Nous avons bien rigolé, après l'avoir rassurée qu'il s'agissait de jouets en plastique et qu'il n'y avait aucun danger.
Photo by/par: Kim Belley
Construction enrichment being made...all supervised by Toby and Maya in the background!!

Les préparatifs pour la journée de construction, supervisés par Toby et Maya à l'arrière-plan.
Photo by/par: Kim Belley

Helping hand from the Chimps/Un coup de main des chimpanzés

Binky by: Gloria Grow

Last week after cleaning we realized we lost a squeegee!! And that can only mean one thing, the chimps have it in their play area and depending on the individuals that are there, if we're lucky we may get it back intact. I found it hanging off the top platform in one of the back play areas with Binky sitting under it; patiently waiting to see who would come and try to retrieve it. He kindly took it off the top for me and put it on the floor slowly, stuck it under the caging and waited for me to take it. He had a huge play face on and was jumping and smacking his hands on the ground to play with me and the squeegee of course. As soon as I asked him to have it he took off running with it and dropped it in the back corner and came back to play. It was almost as if to say.--- if the squeegee is not there then she will stop asking me for it and play with me instead---so I played a game of chase with the Bub until he had his fill, then asked him for my squeegee again, but he was no longer interested by then...Spock and Jethro were with Binky and I new that Spock would gladly get my tool for me so I called my co-workers over so they could witness the very sweet Spock retrieve it for me. Because of his training at the Quebec City Zoo, Spock literally understands almost everything we say to him in French, even very specific items he will hand back to us if requested. Spock knew what I was asking for, because, he had been listening from the front rooms the whole time. He then popped his head out of the bottom play area door with an apple in hand, looked at me, walked over to the squeegee, picked it up and brought it right over to where Binky, Jethro and I were sitting. All three boys were seriously trying to figure out how to get it under the caging without breaking it. It worked; we got it out and you could see that the boys were quite proud of themselves for helping out...Team work!

Jethro by/par : Frank Noelker

La semaine dernière, à la fin de la journée de nettoyage, il manquait un «squeegee»! Ce qui voulait dire qu'un des chimpanzés s'en était emparé dans l'aire de jeu et que nos chances de le récupérer dépendaient de qui s'y trouvait à ce moment-là. Je l'ai repéré, suspendu à la plate-forme du haut, avec Binky assis juste en-dessous et attendant patiemment de voir qui viendrait le reprendre. Il eut la gentillesse de le déposer sur le sol lentement puis de le glisser sous le grillage pour que je puisse le prendre. Il avait un air espiègle et plein d'anticipation à l'idée que nous allions nous amuser avec le dit «squeegee», il sautait partout et donnait de grands coups sur le sol. Évidemment, dès que je lui ai demandé de me le donner, il s'est enfui avec, l'a laissé tomber dans un coin à l'écart et est revenu vers moi pour jouer. C'est comme s'il s'était dit: si le «squeegee» n'est pas là, elle va arrêter de me le demander et elle va jouer avec moi. Alors on a joué à se pourchasser jusqu'à ce qu'il en ait assez, puis je le lui ai redemandé. Mais il avait perdu tout intérêt. Comme Spock et Jethro étaient avec Binky ce moment-là, et sachant que mon cher Spock se ferait un plaisir de me rendre service, j'ai fait venir mes collègues pour qu'elles le voient à l'oeuvre. Spock a vécu au Jardin zoologique de la Ville de Québec et il comprend presque tout ce qu'on lui dit en français, même lorsqu'on utilise des termes très précis. Ayant assisté à la scène avec Binky, il savait ce que je voulais. Quand il est apparu dans l'embrasure de la porte, une pomme à la main, il m'a regardée, s'est dirigé vers le «squeegee», l'a pris et l'a ramené là où j'étais assise avec Binky et Jethro. Les trois compagnons se sont ensuite affairés pendant un moment à trouver une façon de le passer sous le grillage sans le briser. Cela a marché! Et il fallait voir à quel point ils étaient fiers de leur travail d'équipe...

Spock by/par : Sharon Stewart

Pepper & Sue Ellen

Pepper and Sue Ellen are often the ones we see in the skywalk..they even love to sleep out at night when it is warm in a big bed full of cozy blankets and sheets...

On aperçoit souvent Pepper et Sue Ellen dans la passerelle. Elles adorent y passer la nuit quand il fait doux, bien au chaud dans leurs lits douillets aux nombreuses couvertures...

This particular day the girls spent a good part of their day watching all the gardeners getting ready for the cold weather. Removing flowerpots, cleaning up the chimp house garden and putting down compost...Pepper had noticed one particular garden article that she loved. Christine's bright orange gardening glove..she had been requesting them for a while, however, we were at the office at the moment and she was patiently waiting for our return..upon our return Christine let me know how much she wanted her gloves and said she would gladly give them up to Pepper..

As you can see she did love them and was very happy to wear one of them on her little foot; like she always does; for the rest of the day...

Le jour où cette photo a été prise

And Sue Ellen had the other one very safely tucked away under her arm and tugged it out to look at it and smell it every once in a while..

Happy Girls!!


text:
What must the first day of life be like for a newborn baby? All new experiences; bewildering sensations; strange sights and sounds. A newborn baby doesn’t get to design her own world; no, she is born into a world already formed and ordered by God, with pre-existing realities and rules. These are some of the thoughts that came into my mind when hearing the news that my sister had her baby last week.

You see, the truth is that Jesus is Lord. He is not just Lord of Christians but Lord of all – the entire universe, all the way up, all the way down, and all the way across. He wrote the laws of physics and perfectly crafted the law of gravity. He designed maleness and femaleness, with the wonderful, unique characteristics and responsibilities of each – and made my sister’s baby a girl. She didn’t get to choose her gender any more than she got to choose any of the other parts of her world. She entered a world fully-formed.

Yet the world is filled with people who deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They want to make their own rules. They object to objective reality, and embrace the malleability of truth. They abhor the idea of there being any distinction in the roles of men and women. They reject moral absolutes.

And this denial of God’s created order is nothing new. It is as old as the serpent’s hiss, “Yea, hath God said?” God has revealed Himself not only in the book of Scripture but in the book of Creation – and modern man rejects both and seeks to create his own reality.

But modern sexual confusion is doomed to failure for one fundamental reason: It is not based on reality. And reality is, you know… real. People have jumped off the cliff of faith and are enjoying the feeling of freedom of soaring through the air – almost like flying! Except it is not flying but falling, and it ends with a deadly crash on the rocks below.

God’s Word present the reality of the world as He created it, and how we ought to live in light of that reality. And the way God tells us to live is the only way of happiness and life and joy and fulfillment.

Therefore, we ought never to be ashamed of anything the Bible says. Admittedly, I automatically feel a twinge of embarrassment when reading the words, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.” But this is written in God’s good, inerrant, joy-giving Word, and so I should never be ashamed of it! Therefore, we ought to ungrudgingly embrace the biblical view of complementary relationships in marriage! If the culture is against it, our response should be, “Too bad for the culture!” God says it, the distinction between men and women is real and good and beautiful, and we must love it and live it.

One thing I want to do on this blog is defend some of the teachings of God’s Word currently under attack in our culture – teachings on such topics as egalitarianism, gay marriage, and women pastors.  You can expect blog posts to appear irregularly in the next months on such topics.  I want to help you see how everything God says is good and right and admirable! This is true even if Joe Modern chokes on his latte when you tell him you still believe Leviticus.  Even if he turns purple.


text:
Frederick Ferdinand Schafer Painting Catalog

Image record 1428

Moonrise on Sacramento, California [1], verso, showing inscriptions

No larger image available

[painting photograph]

Image credit: The Potomack Company, 2012.

Related images: Front of the painting.
Detail of signature inscription.
Detail of verso title inscription.

Information about this image:
Original: Digital image of unknown origin
Adjustments: Standard post-processing. Image contains ICC color profile.
Calibration: Targets

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Feb 12, 2017, 16:48 MST