text:
Building Wealth in the Stock Market

Building Wealth in the Stock Market

4.11 - 1251 ratings - Source

Building Wealth in the Stock Market provides a complete model for investing successfully and safely in bull and bear markets. Experienced investor and teacher Colin Nicholson shares with readers his very own investment plan -- one that has been honed over 40 years and that has seen him consistently beat the market and his target rate of return. Everything in Nicholson's investing method is fully disclosed simply and with a minimum of market jargon. The central idea is how to manage risk in order to grow capital and secure a stream of dividends. The various risks to be managed are explained, along with strategies for managing them. Aspects also covered include: how to improve your decision-making skills, modelled on the way the best investors think what is needed to succeed and why having an investment plan is crucial for success how to select stocks, using charting and fundamental ratios in combination to achieve a margin of safety how to manage your portfolio -- when to buy, how to build a position, when to cut losses and when to take profits. The methods are brought to life through case studies based on real investments and the sharing of insights gained from years of experience and research. This book will change the way you think about the stock market forever.A Proven Investment Plan for Finding the Best Stocks and Managing Risk Colin Nicholson ... CORPORATION LTD IIHMIII) ll), IIlla#39;li a#39; | HIa#39; JAN There is a price bar for every day except public holidays, with a reason-able range between the high and the low. Likewise, there is a significant volume bar for each of these days, except between Christmas and New Year, which is a holiday period in Australia.

Title:Building Wealth in the Stock Market
Author: Colin Nicholson
Publisher:John Wiley & Sons - 2011-11-30

You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.

Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.

How it works:
  • 1. Register a free 1 month Trial Account.
  • 2. Download as many books as you like (Personal use)
  • 3. Cancel the membership at any time if not satisfied.

Click button below to register and download Ebook
Privacy Policy | Contact | DMCA


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

WARC-Truncated: length

WARC-Type: response

text:
New Cars and Trucks 2002

New Cars and Trucks 2002

4.11 - 1251 ratings - Source

Provides information on the new features of current car and truck models, lists advantages and disadvantages, safety features, crash ratings, and specifications, and rates and reviews each vehicle.Drivera#39;s side Not tested AutoStick, allowing either manual or With its good looks, roomy interior Passenaera#39;s side Not ... aquot;Ont passenger Not tested Rear passenger Not tested A short drive should demonstrate why the Chrysler Sebring is theanbsp;...

Title:New Cars and Trucks 2002
Author: David Van Sickle
Publisher:American Automobile Association - 2002-03-01

You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.

Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.

How it works:
  • 1. Register a free 1 month Trial Account.
  • 2. Download as many books as you like (Personal use)
  • 3. Cancel the membership at any time if not satisfied.

Click button below to register and download Ebook
Privacy Policy | Contact | DMCA

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-179-198-159.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2018-13
operator: Common Crawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for March 2018
publisher: Common Crawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

text:
Title: Clockwork Phoenix

You are not logged in. If you create a free account and sign in, you will be able to customize what is displayed.

Review of: Clockwork Phoenix Title Record # 908211
Author: Mike Allen
Reviewer: Nick Gevers
Date: 2008-07-00
Language: English
User Rating: This title has no votes. VOTE
Current Tags: None Add Tags

Title Date Author/Editor Publisher/Pub. Series ISBN/Catalog# Price Pages Format Type Cover Artist Verif
Locus, #570 July 2008 2008-07-00 ed. Charles N. Brown Locus Publications   $6.95 80 quarto? mag Checkmark
View all covers for Clockwork Phoenix (logged in users can change User Preferences to always display covers on this page)
Copyright (c) 1995-2016 Al von Ruff.
ISFDB Engine - Version 4.00 (04/24/06)


text:
Islamic Invitation Turkey
       19 March 2018 - Monday - 2 Rajab 1439 | 19/03/2018 (10) 18/03/2018 (39) 17/03/2018 (37) 16/03/2018 (42) 15/03/2018 (37) Total: 135,451 content        Facebook Twitter Youtube

Iran downplays ‘unfounded’ US military threat

22 August 2015 11:27

Iran has dismissed as “unfounded” the latest remarks by US President Barack Obama threatening the Islamic Republic with military action.

“Repeated claims by US officials which are made in line with the Zionist regime’s interests and are aimed at satisfying pro-Israeli lobbies show American officials’ uncertainty and deep confusion when it comes to prioritizing their own national interests,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Saturday.

She added that the US foreign policy is greatly affected by political and partisan rivalries inside the country.

She said both warmongers and the so-called advocates of diplomacy in the United States rely on imaginary, dangerous and horrific ideas which have so far caused irreparable damage to the world.

Afkham emphasized that such policies are currently among the root causes of international insecurity.

“The Zionist regime is the most important source of instability and spread of terrorism in the Middle East,” the Iranian spokesperson said.

She added that all fingers are now pointed at Washington due to the US governments’ support for the Israeli regime as well as its creation of and support for terrorist groups.

Iran will accept no limitations in political, military and security arenas to defend itself, she said.

“The threat of military attack runs counter to the Charter and principles of the United Nations and will place international responsibility on the administration and officials of the United States,” Afkham pointed out.

Afkham’s remarks came after the US president told the Republican-dominated Congress that the military option against Iran will remain on the table for several years despite a nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in the Austrian capital of Vienna in July.

“Should Iran seek to dash toward a nuclear weapon, all of the options available to the United States — including the military option — will remain available through the life of the deal and beyond,” Obama wrote to Congress on August 19, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

Iran and the six countries– the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany — succeeded in finalizing the text of the nuclear agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in Vienna on July 14.

Under the JCPOA, limits will be put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all economic and financial bans, against the Islamic Republic.

Scroll Up


text:
Islamic Invitation Turkey
       19 March 2018 - Monday - 2 Rajab 1439 | 19/03/2018 (10) 18/03/2018 (39) 17/03/2018 (37) 16/03/2018 (42) 15/03/2018 (37) Total: 135,451 content        Facebook Twitter Youtube

Storm Erika leaves 20 dead, 31 missing on Dominica island

29 August 2015 11:43

At least 20 people have lost their lives and dozens of others are missing after Tropical Storm Erika hit Dominica and left a trail of destruction on the small Caribbean island state.

“So far we have confirmed that at least 20 citizens have died, and some are missing,” Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said in a televised address late on Friday.

Officials with the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency also said at least 31 people have been reported missing on the island, which houses about 72,000 people.

A particularly wet storm, Erica has dumped some 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain on Dominica, unleashing floods and mudslides and causing damage to the mountainous island’s infrastructure, roads and bridges.

“The visual damage I saw today, I fear, may have set our development process back by 20 years,” the premier said.

Scroll Up


text:
Islamic Invitation Turkey
       19 March 2018 - Monday - 2 Rajab 1439 | 19/03/2018 (10) 18/03/2018 (39) 17/03/2018 (37) 16/03/2018 (42) 15/03/2018 (37) Total: 135,451 content        Facebook Twitter Youtube

Iran-Saudi row to ease if Riyadh shifts policy: Spokesman

25 January 2016 12:41

Iran says efforts to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh will yield result if Saudi Arabia alters its policy of creating tension in the region.

“The success of any mediation between Iran and Saudi Arabia depends on a shift in Saudi Arabia’s radical policy on the region, particularly Iran,” Hossein Jaberi Ansari, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said in his weekly press conference on Monday.

“Basically, any change should be initiated by the country which has put [the approach of] creating crisis and tension on its foreign policy agenda,” he said.

The Iranian official noted, however, that there has so far been no sign of any change in the Saudi government’s stance in this regard.

Jaberi Ansari was reacting to Pakistan’s expression of readiness to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia to end the current row between the two countries.

Following his trip to Saudi Arabia, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Tehran on January 19 to hold talks with senior Iranian officials, including President Hassan Rouhani.

In Riyadh, Sharif conveyed his country’s “deep concern” to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz over escalating tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia following the January 2 execution of prominent cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr by Saudi Arabia.

Sheikh Nimr’s execution was widely censured by Muslims and human rights activists around the globe as well as different governments.

Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran on January 3 following demonstrations outside the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad by angry protesters.

Besides Pakistan, other countries, including Russia and China, have also voiced readiness to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

No military solution to Syria crisis

Touching upon the ongoing conflict in Syria, Jaberi Ansari reaffirmed Tehran’s stance on the necessity of resolving the crisis through a political approach rather than military action.

“Iran will continue to play a helping and facilitating role to [help] the conclusion of an agreement in Syria,” he said.

The remarks came ahead of a new round of international talks on Syria, which are expected to be held in the Swiss city of Geneva in a couple of days.

The UN-sponsored talks between the Syrian government and opposition were scheduled to begin Monday but the talks seem to be delayed over disagreements as to which parties should be invited to the negotiations.

The Austrian capital of Vienna hosted the first two rounds of talks on Syria on October 30 and November 14 last year. The third round of Syria talks was held in New York on December 18, 2015.

On December 26, 2015, the UN announced plans to convene negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition in Geneva on January 25 in another attempt to end the deadly crisis in the Arab country.

The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria has claimed the lives of more than 260,000 people and left over one million injured since March 2011. The crisis has also displaced millions of Syrians.

Syria blames the crisis on some countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, saying that if it had not been for their support, the terror groups, particularly the Daesh Takfiri group, could have never taken control of the territories across the country.

Scroll Up


text:
Islamic Invitation Turkey
       19 March 2018 - Monday - 2 Rajab 1439 | 19/03/2018 (10) 18/03/2018 (39) 17/03/2018 (37) 16/03/2018 (42) 15/03/2018 (37) Total: 135,451 content        Facebook Twitter Youtube

Iran to become Alzheimer’s disease treatment hub: Scientist

3 March 2016 7:31

An award winning scientist says Iran will become an international hub for Alzheimer’s disease treatment over the next six years.

Postdoctoral Researcher at Harvard Medical School and winner of the US Alzheimer’s Institute’s research grant, Kourosh Shahpasand made the remarks during an interview with Mehr News Agency on Wednesday.

The Iranian scientist, who recently became a faculty member of Iran’s acclaimed Royan institute, won the award for his extensive research on the Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that has a negative effect on memory and other important cognitive functions. Currently there is no cure for a disease but medications and management strategies are used to temporarily alleviate its symptoms.

Based on significant findings of his research, Shahpasand expressed hope that trial and clinical research to immunize people will yield positive results.

Scroll Up


text:
People, Places and Policy

People, Places and Policy

4.11 - 1251 ratings - Source

This book is situated within the context of devolution and constitutional change. The territories of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England - armed with a Parliament (Scotland) and Elected Assemblies (Wales, Northern Ireland, and London) - provide the basis for doing things differently, and better. In Wales in particular, Devolution has certainly been the biggest shake-up to the British and UK state apparatus in recent times. This consolidation of Wales as a regional/national space of social and economic governance, with increasingly sharp territorial definition has refocused attention on the dynamics of spatial difference within the country. The authors of the book analyse the impact of the changes and the way the Welsh localities stack up against one another, with important conclusions for the economy, policy and governance.The Economic Impact of A55 Expressway Improvements. British Road Federation , March. Welsh Rural Observatory (2007) Small and ... /default/files/Market% 2520Towns%2520report%2520final2.pdf. Accessed 17 February 2012. Welsh Ruralanbsp;...

Title:People, Places and Policy
Author: Martin Jones, Professor of Human Geography and Director Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences Martin Jones, Scott Orford, Victoria Macfarlane
Publisher:Routledge - 2015-08-27

You must register with us as either a Registered User before you can Download this Book. You'll be greeted by a simple sign-up page.

Once you have finished the sign-up process, you will be redirected to your download Book page.

How it works:
  • 1. Register a free 1 month Trial Account.
  • 2. Download as many books as you like (Personal use)
  • 3. Cancel the membership at any time if not satisfied.

Click button below to register and download Ebook
Privacy Policy | Contact | DMCA


text:
The Biggest and Best Thing You Don't Know About Well-Being

Let’s pretend we’re sitting down, face to face, and after some easy chit chat, I put on my reporter’s hat and ask you this one dizzying question: What is the single most crucial factor when it comes to living a happy, healthy life?

Take a breath. Reflect. Have a glass of something.

The número uno most important factor.

Exercising daily? Very good guess. Eating well? Nice try.

But it’s not the answer that can change your life in unexpected and remarkable ways.

“The most important factor in a happy and healthy life is a positive sense of connection with others,” writes best-selling author Michael Gelb in his smart and entertaining new book, “The Art of Connection.”

Yes! There’s tons of research to back up Gelb’s statement. Study after study shows that “positive social connectedness” will promote longevity and prevent dementia, diabetes and many other health problems.

Human interaction—with real friends, not Facebook friends—also strengthens your immune system, reduces inflammation and spreads happiness, empathy and compassion in ways that enhance your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Wow. All that, and you don’t even have to join a gym.

“What really matters in life is connection,” writes Gelb, whom I’ve connected with for years. I’ve always been impressed with his powerful insights and practical strategies for fine-tuning our brains, developing our creativity and, in his latest book, deepening relationships and enriching lives. Here are some highlights:

MANAGE YOUR USE OF TECHNOLOGY. “Attention is the fuel of connection,” Gelb writes. And when we pay so much attention to our digital devices, our relationships suffer mightily, and so do we.

“Overdependence on technology is perverting our ability to develop human relationships, and damaging our bodies and brains.”

His best solution? “Make relationships a priority,” Gelb writes. “The most important point in the book is... we must invest in one-on-one, face-to-face relationships with the people who are most important to us.”

CONNECT WITH OURSELVES. “We create ourselves through connection with others, and we deepen our capacity to connect with others through the work we do to connect with ourselves,” writes Gelb, who’s spent decades teaching clients and companies about the true nature of interconnectedness.

“Genuine self-knowledge isn’t a static state, but rather a continuous quest, a never-ending journey.”
And it’s never too late for that journey of discovery to begin. Yoga, qi gong and meditation are three proven paths, and there are many others. Twitter isn’t one of them.

DINE ON HUMBLE PIE. Gelb has fun defining seven relationship-building skills we can work on to enhance our awareness, our relationships and our ability to lead others. One of the most surprising is humility.

“Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending,” he quotes St. Augustine.

“Give up assuming that you know what others are thinking and feeling. Assume that you don’t know and become curious to learn,” Gelb writes. “Curiosity is the driver of continuous learning. Continuous learning is the key to developing the relationship-building skills every leader needs.”

SIMPLE ACTS MAKE PROFOUND CHANGE. “One of the simplest ways to practice the art of communication is to look for opportunities to perform acts of intentional, deliberate connection and kindness in everyday life,” Gelb writes. Smile at the bank teller. Hold a door open. Help someone get luggage down from the overhead bin.

“Notice how you feel when you do these simple acts. You’ll delight others, but you’ll also find that you feel better, more energized and connected.”

SUSPEND JUDGEMENT. This is a biggie when it comes to improving your connection to others and yourself. Stop judging! Everyone does it — Gelb included, until he finally learned not to—and this negativity gets in the way of our natural ability to connect. What to do? Become aware of the tendency, and nip it in the bud.

“Practice nonjudgmental awareness,” writes Gelb.

“Learning to suspend judgment of self and others,” he explains, “liberates tremendous energy for understanding and connection.”

Connection! That’s the major takeaway for today, because it’s the master key to your overall well-being. Listen to others. Free yourself from like and dislike. Be fully present. Cultivate the art of conversation. Turn your attention to people, away from your devices.

“Loving connection,” Gelb concludes, “is the underpinning of life.”

Amen to that.

“A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.”
— Dave Barry —

Marilynn Preston is the author of Energy Express, America’s longest-running healthy lifestyle column. Her new book All Is Well: The Art {and Science} of Personal Well-Being is available now on Amazon and elsewhere. Visit Creators Publishing at to learn more. For more on personal well-being, visit © 2018 ENERGY EXPRESS LTD

Leave a comment

You are commenting as guest.


text:
mugshot not available
facebook share

Full Name

Booked By

Calhoun County Sheriff's Office

Booked Date

May 25, 2017

Individuals are Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Notes:Age: 19

Charges: • Unlaw Poss Of Marihuana 2nd

Tags: #other

Tracking #:2017-05-25-jakob-r-presley

The information on this web site is provided to assist users in obtaining information about county jail arrests. Any use of this data for any other purpose may be illegal. While the information on this website is believed by the website owner to be reliable, it is provided "as is" with no warranties or guarantees regarding its accuracy. An arrest or booking does not mean that the individual has been convicted or is guilty of the crime. You are advised to contact the appropriate governmental agency to ascertain and verify the information contained on this website. By using this web site, you agree to these terms of usage without warranty.


text:
Downey Criminal Defense Lawyer
Downey Criminal Defense Attorney Attorney Profile Testimonials Contact Us
Why hire a former prosecutor? Read more about juvenile crimes

Criminal Defense Lawyer in Cerritos, CA

Fight Back with the Help of a Former Prosecutor

Are you searching for an aggressive Cerritos criminal attorney? At the Law Office of James Mendez, the lead attorney, James Mendez, served for 10 years as a Deputy District Attorney for LA County. In this capacity, he gained a great deal of knowledge and experience at trial. It is important to have an attorney that is extremely comfortable and familiar with the trial experience, and knows how to present a persuasive defense case. With the insight gained as a prosecutor, he established his private practice, which is focused strictly upon criminal defense. Contact the firm immediately if you or your loved one has been arrested and charged. The firm defends both misdemeanors and felonies, both in Superior Court as well as defending juvenile crimes. Each client is given the attention and care that is actually necessary to craft a defense case. Some law firms are impersonal; you may feel that little will be done to help you. You will have full confidence that your case is important to the attorney, and that any defense possibility will be explored fully when you work with this firm.

Cerritos Criminal Attorney With Extensive Trial Experience

Violent crimes such as assault or domestic violence can have very serious consequences if you are convicted. The Three Strikes Law adds an even more dangerous element for those who have a prior criminal record. It is imperative that you have a quality defense lawyer on your side from the outset. If you are facing charges in drug crimes, whether it involves marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, Ecstasy, heroin or prescription drugs, you need legal protection that knows defense law on your side. The firm defends all types of DUI charges, including hit and run cases. If you need to pursue an expungement to clear your criminal record, he can assist you. He also is experienced in defending probation violations, sexual crimes, and all theft charges including burglary and robbery.

There is little question that the quality and skill of your Cerritos criminal defense attorney can have a big impact on the outcome of your case. If your freedom is threatened, or you are facing very serious consequences if you are convicted, you need to know that everything possible will be done for your defense. Attorney Mendez has the skills, experience and contacts throughout the justice system that could be of great benefit to you in your case. Call today.

Contact a Cerritos criminal defense lawyer from the Law Office of James Mendez if you are in trouble with the law and need experienced representation.

Cerritos Links

Areas We Serve
West Covina
Pico Rivera
East Los Angeles
Sylmar Juvenile Court
Van Nuys
San Fernando Valley
La Mirada
South Gate
Hacienda Heights
View our social networking profiles 8301 Florence Avenue, Suite 305, Downey, CA 90240
Law Office of James Mendez - Downey Criminal Defense Lawyer
Located at 8301 Florence Avenue, Suite 200 Downey, CA 90240. View Map
Phone: (562) 923-4946


text:
#navbar-iframe { display: none !important; } Zeshin - Surimono Print | Japanese Prints - Appraisers

Japanese Woodblock Prints – Free Japanese Print Appraisal

Zeshin - Surimono Print

Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891)(是真紫田) - Surimono - Rooster, hen and chickens

Zeshin Surimono – Japanese print. A woodblockprint. © Copyright 1998-2014

Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) - Rooster, hen and chickens

A surimono showing a kacho-ga (birds and flower) subject.
In Japanese art the rooster is often a symbol of the "Five Virtues" - Courage, Martial Spirit, Loyalty, Virtue and Literary Accomplishment.
In the above image he also embodies "Good Husband, protector of the family".

Size: Oversized long surimono, nagaban size.
Condition: Fine, original fold marks, as published.
Impression: Fine.
Signed: Zeshin (signature printed in gold)
Sealed: Zeshin

$ 780

We have a large selection of Shibata Zeshin’s (是真紫田) works for sale; drawings, prints, surimono and paintings.

Description by Anders Rikardson

Inventory: Shibata Zeshin 1wb
Anders Rikardson's Google Author Profile
Description by Anders Rikardson

from the latest news about Japanese prints.
Free subscribtion!

Enter your email

Information about Japanese prints and ukiyo-e.
Also Japanese print appraisal and valuation methods.
We will keep your email address absolutely safe.

Contact us: INFO@JapanesePrintAppraisal.com

Please put "Japanese Prints" in the email message subject line.
Email us, if you have any questions or wishes concerning Japanese Prints.
For appraisals go to the appraisal page:
Japanese Print Appraisal
Japanese Art Appraisal


text:
Muta cum liquida in the light of Tertenia Sardinian metathesis and compensatory lengthening Latin tr > Old French Vrr

MyBook is a cheap paperback edition of the original book and will be sold at uniform, low price.
This Chapter is currently unavailable for purchase.

This article is designed to show that muta cum liquida (branching onsets) enclose an empty nucleus (in case they are bipositional). Arguments come from two data sets. A compensatory lengthening is studied that has occurred in the evolution from Latin to Old French within a muta cum liquida: tr dr > rr, i.e., the loss of t d is accompanied by the gemination of r iff the preceding vowel is short (petra > pierre vs. paatre > père). In Tertenia Sardinian, it is argued that metathesis of r from the right to the left of the o in /sesø døormendu/ → srø ðørɔmmέndu; ndu (with ensuing gemination of the m on the position vacated) occurs in order to circumscribe the second of two empty nuclei (ø) in a row.

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address


text:
Tag Archive - windows XP

Social Media Business Tip: Know Keyboard Shortcuts

Social Media Keyboard Shortcuts

Something I learned about being proficient on a computer, as simple as it sounds, is not being “mouse-dependent.”

Here’s a secret (sort of). The software you use to manage social properties is your browser. Irregardless of hardware platform, social media, blogging and online research are easier and faster if you:

  1. Use your keyboard in addition to your mouse
  2. Know and use the right-mouse button
  3. Understand and take advantage of your browser
  4. Group your online activities by bookmark folder and browser window

I’ll discuss #s 2 – 4 in a future post.  Let’s make you a bit faster with keyboard shortcuts for now Continue Reading…


text:
Franklin tn newborn photographer | Priscilla

When Priscilla came to visit me at nearly two weeks old she was just the sweetest thing ever – so cuddly and in love with her gorgeous mama already!

Contact me above to reserve your newborn session with me in historic downtown Franklin, TN or email

Add a comment...

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

  • Autumn Stanford - Jenny, thank you so much for capturing the new life of our beautiful Priscilla and this precious time! It flies by way too fast! I will cherish these images of her FOREVER! They are truly breathtaking…

    Ashley and AutumnReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - These making me teary eyed, missing my baby being this tiny. Beautiful as always!ReplyCancel


text:
Jerusalem Hotels

Jerusalem Tours

Jerusalemite Blog

Browse by Category

Jerusalem Strolls: The Valley of the Cross

by michael June 20 2008
Things to doJerusalem strolls

Valley of the Cross

Slightly south of the city center, where the neighborhoods of Rechavia and Katamon meet, in an incongruously green and deep valley bounded by busy roads, a valley dominated by the ancient monastery nestled in its center: the Valley of the Cross.

The Valley is cleft deep into Jerusalem's heart spiritually as well as geographically; its gnarled, solemn olive trees and rocky outcroppings provide an island of meditative quiet in the midst of Jerusalem's bustle and traffic, its stillness and natural beauty making it a favorite topic for Jerusalem's many poets. Yehuda Amichai, Jerusalem's most beloved wordsmith, frequently brings up his youth spent in the vicinity of the Valley:

This might have been a poem praising
my sweet imagined childhood God.
It was Friday, black angels filled
the Valley of the Cross, their wings
black houses, deserted quarries.
Sabbath candles danced like ships
at the harbour entrance. "Come, bride,"
wear the clothes of your tears and glory
from the night you thought I wouldn't come
and I came.

The Cross in question is of course Jesus Christ's - Queen Helena, the mother of Constantine, designated the valley (then outside the city) as the location from which the wood for the cross was harvested, and commissioned the construction of the monastery. The monastery, which has not undergone significant changes since its founding almost 1700 years ago, is still occupied by a small contingent of rarely-glimpsed monks; the Greek flag flutters from the ramparts in the stiff Jerusalem breeze.

Naturally, the Valley of the Cross makes for a great walk and a great location for a picnic. To get there from downtown, take King George St. all the way down (away from the city center) towards Kikar Tzarfat (Paris square), where you should turn right onto Ben Maimon Street, which turns into Aza St, the main thoroughfare of Rechavia. Follow Aza all the way down, about ten minutes, until you see the Valley. The Valley can also be accessed from major Jerusalem park Gan Sacher. At the far end of the park, slightly beyond where the running path bends around to head back towards Nachlaot, is a graffiti-plastered cement tunnel which leads straight into the Valley.

Once you're there, leisurely take in the verdant scenery. Clamber over the rocks. Run your hands over the knotted bark of the centuries-old olive trees. In addition to the monastery (which can be accessed during certain posted hours for a small fee), you should be able to see the modernist jumble of the Israel Museum looming over the Valley's western lip, and the blocky Knesset slightly off to the north. Enjoy a picnic at one of the Valley's fire-pit equipped sitting areas, or head to one of the several nearby cafes in Rechavia.

NOTE TO SOLO TRAVELERS: Like any unlit place, the Valley of the Cross is best avoided at night.

Photo of the Monastery of the Cross courtesy of heatkernel under a creative commons license.

Email to a friend Share

Related Jerusalemite Content

Search Jerusalemite Blog
Jerusalemite Newsletter
Sign me up for the Jerusalemite Newsletter
Tell me more

Jerusalem Weather

Blog  /  Maps  /  My Jerusalemite  /  RSS  /  Links  /  Advertise  /  About Us  /  Press Center  /  Contact  /  © Jerusalemite  /  Privacy Policy


text:
Pinto Pounces at the Mount

April 27, 2012
Friday, 27 April 2012

1316b_sm Andrew Pinto #5 Jimco has scorched the field taking first outright at the Dennis Zaglas Memorial Race held at the Alice Springs Mt Ooraminna circuit on 21-22 April.

In an event that was said to have extremely close wheel to wheel racing all weekend, Locky Weir secured second in the #155 Jimco ProLite, banking more club championship points after his first outright at round one in March.

Steven Jenstch clocked in third outright in the Extreme 2WD #421, also showing the good form that took him to second outright at round one.

More details to come


text:
设为首页 | 加入收藏
  • 卷首语
  • 社团与法律：引言
  • 结社，人之群性使然。人有善恶，社分雅俗。古时三两文人墨客同聚，或填词赋诗，或击乐引吭，是为雅集。上至朝臣下至百姓，凡同姓、同族、同乡、同庚、同窗、同道，皆有结社佳话相传。而官场沆瀣、聚啸打劫一类，自属俗集乃至“恶集”。征之于史，结社从来都是有规则法度的。社团内部皆有章程约法，各国法律多有结社规定。社团之生存与发展空间实为法律所设定。结社除与法律有关外，还颇受当时社会政治气氛影响。例如，若上下和谐，则君必不以结社问罪于臣；如上下有隙，则骤兴之朋党祸患，其结果不胜惨烈。清末列强入侵，民族危亡，西方观念与制度亦船载以入，士人呼号，百姓响应，结社之风骤起。从太平天国到义和团，从公车上书到同盟会，从农会、工会到民盟、九三学社，从商会到政党，社团的产生和发展在中国现代史上扮演了重要的角色，关于结社的法律也经历了复杂的变迁，并为我们留下了丰富的研究资源。
  • 结社自由与市民社会
  • This paper includes a survey of domestic law, chiefly of the constitutional provisions, on the freedom of association and some general reflections on the functions of association and its place in private domestic law,followed by an analysis of the relevant international law, mainly of the ECHR and its ease law. Finally, by comparing the outcome of above analysis, the author puts forward some propositions about the possible and desirable way in which this freedom further could be developed in the practice of the ECHR institution.
  • 中国商会制度的创立
  • Guild is the earliest association in China in the modem context as well as the association of the greatest social influence. In the legal perspective, the establishment of guild is a process of the establishment of the identity of merchant and a process of the systemization of commercial organization. According to this view, the guild in modem China is a collective association made up of merchants from all industries which plays a role of mediator between the government and merchants. Compared with the guild in western countries, Chinese guild is more official and relies more on the catalysis of legal institutions. The effect of such catalysis is quite remarkable, which modify,assimilate all kinds of commercial organizations and then becomes a beneficial group of independent identity. Guild has spread all over China and become a main representative agent of local commercial society since late - Qing. The government also uses the guild as an important media for commercial administration. Different from the guild in western countries, Chinese guild contains beth civil and official elements. According to the close relationship between the guild and the government, guild is a semi - official agency. Its leader and some members are all of quasi-official status. As the most widespread and important association, guild plays an indispensable role between the government and merchants. It plays as a connector in the process of implementation of new policies in late - Qing.It is also an indispensable social force in the revolution period. The commercial association is the result of the development of modern commerce and social transition. Merchants could not survive without modern commerce. In other words, under the modern commerce, the economic foundation is not feudalGuild is composedeconomy but capital economy.of new merchants and some capitalists. The establishment of guild means the appearance of an independent social association. It strengthens the relationship betwee...
  • 中国工会的历史、现状及有关问题探讨
  • Currently, apart from those in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, there are 120 million trade union members and nearly 1 million grassroots - level trade union organizations in China, all of them are under the unified leadership of the All - China Federation of Trade Unions. In China, the first trade union organization, the Packing Workers‘ Federation, was established in Guangzhou in 1851 .In 1908, the Qing Government promulgated the first law on association in China, namely the Law on Association and Assembly. On 24 February 1922, the Guangzhou Municipal Government adopted the Regulations on Trade Unions, which provided that any laborer who had reached the age of 16 can organize trade unions and that trade unions were legal persons. This was the beginning of trade union legislation in China. During the Second Revolutionary Civil War, the following laws and regulations on trade unions had been promulgated: Organic Law of Red Trade Unions, which was adopted by the Administrative Committee of Jiangxi Province in January 1930 and provided for the nature and tasks of trade unions, and the Draft Trade Union Law,which was adopted by the Congress of Workers, Peasants and Soldiers in Western Fujian Province in March 1930. Trade union movement developed rapidly during the first 3 years of the People‘ s Republic of China, but suffered great loses under the influence of “ultra- leftist” ideology in the years that followed, almost totally destroyed during the period of “Cultural Revolution”, and started to develop again in the late 1970s. On 29 June 1950, the Central People‘s Government promulgated the first Trade Union Law of the People‘s Republic of China. In April 1992, the second Trade Union Law was adopted by the National People‘s Congress.On 27 October 2001, a decision to revise the Trade Union Law was made by the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People‘ s Congress. The revised Trade Union Law is the third one in the history of the People‘ s Republic of China. Trade ...
  • 现状与未来：我国社团立法状况述评
  • 一 成效与不足：社团立法状况浅析。十一届三中全会以来，我国社团立法取得了一定程度的发展，结束了过去那种无法可依状态，但总体讲还很不完备，主要问题是。
  • 深圳市社会团体发展的现状分析
  • 一 深圳市社会团体发展概况。1979年以前，深圳尚属广东省宝安县管辖的一个乡镇，几乎没有什么社团组织。1980年8月深圳经济特区正式成立后，随着社会主义市场经济体制的建立，经济日益繁荣发展，人口素质不断提高，再加上深圳毗邻港澳，地理位置特殊，信息比较灵通，对外交往不断增多，人们的思想观念比较解放，民主意识增强，公民的结社活动日益增多。20多年中，社会团体数量迅速增加。1997年达到历史最高纪录917个。其后，经过清理整顿、重新登记，社会团体虽然在数量上减少了，但在质量上却提高了，结构趋于合理，分布更加均匀。截至2001年底，经过清理整顿合格而重新登记的市、区社团共有622个。
  • 近期中国社团法研究中的几个热点问题
  • 随着改革开放以来我国社团组织数量“爆发式增长”，以及“依法治国，建设社会主义法治国家”被确立为我国的治国方略，对中国社团法律制度的研究自20世纪90年代中期开始逐步受到学术界的重视。就笔者掌握的资料看，该领域的研究大致集中于下述三个方面：一是对改革开放以来我国社团组织发展状况的认识，其探讨的核心问题是社团数量的“爆发式增长”是否改变了我国国家与社会关系的性质；二是对我国现行社团法律制度的评论，其评论的焦点是《社团登记管理条例》规定的“双重管理体制”和有关社团成立的规定；三是对我国新的社团立法的构想。
  • 国际范围内社团立法的成就与问题
  • 尽管到目前为止，有些国家还没有加入两个人权国际公约和国际劳工组织的几个有关结社自由的核心公约，但是经过50多年发展，人权领域还是取得了很大的成就。人权已经成为合法性的基本标准，尊重人权已经是文明世界的基本准则。作为基本人权的结社自由及其原则社会中发挥了积极的作用。表现在下列方面。
  • 《法学研究》2002年1—3期目录
  • 杰·柯恩教授访谈录——中国法研究、法律改革及其他
  • 杰罗姆·柯恩(Jerome A．Cohen)教授是美国当代中国法研究的开创人之一。从60年代初开始研究中国法以来，柯恩教授对美国的中国法研究做出了重要的贡献。这些贡献包括：创建哈佛大学法学院东亚法律研究中心、倡导中美之间在法律和其他方面的友好合作与交流(包括担任北京-纽约姐妹城市美方主席)、积极协助中国当代的法律改革、培养大量专长于中国法的海外学者和律师等等。(对柯恩教授更详细的介绍，可参见《美国的中国法研究：杰罗姆·柯恩教授纪念论文集》序言，载北大法律信息网，http：／／2111．100．18．62／fxsk／YDSG／reviewcontentasp?fid=15117)
  • 哈耶克方法论个人主义的研究（上）
  • This paper deals mainly with Hayek‘ s methodological individualism as explained by him in his Individualism and Economic Order- Revolution of Science. By this methodology, Hayek argues against both the name individualism and the simple hoslism because these two methodologies make a methodological mistake: they misunderstand the methodological abstraction as the ontological realty, and see individuals and social colleetivities as meaning objects. The author thus argues that Hayek‘ s methodological individualism could only be understood in epistemnlogical way but not in ontological way.
  • 清末和民国时期的司法独立研究（下）
  • With Westem scholarism disseminating gradually in the Orient and under pressures from home and abroad, the late Qing Dynasty had to embark on its judicial reform. The reform basically modeled Westem judicial system. However, the transplant of the system and introduction of concepts and principles were not accomplished at the same time, though the two related to each other closely, neither did they have similar assimilating effect. But such situation just provides us with a point of view to study the judicial system during that period. It is exactly what the author intends to do in this article. The article, indeed, has described the actual situation of the development of Chinese judicial system ever since modern times by analysis of the introduction of the core principle of the independence of judiciary in judicial system and the understanding of its cultural significance held by Chinese. Reference is also taken in regard of the practical implementation and operation at institutional level. All of these have revealed cultural, psychological and institutional response and change shwon by Chinese when facing the process of westernization of traditional Chinese judicial system. The author mainly tries to present readers a true picture of actual situation of the introduction of the concept of the independence of judiciary then and threads of its inherent development in the Qing period, in periods of Nanjing Provisional Government of the Republic of China,the Northen Government, the “Educational Government” of the Guomindang Government in Nanjing and the “Constitutional Government”. In presenting this picture, the author has relied on exploration of judicial conditions as well as historical examination of propositions about the independence of judiciary and theories during those periods.
  • 徘徊于前苏联模式下的刑事责任根据理论及前景展望
  • Criminal responsibility and its grounds are not only points at issue in criminal theory in China,they are also the heart of the matter in criminal law in the former Soviet Union. A wide debate focusing on this issue had been held in 1950‘ last century in the former Soviet Union, with opinions varying greatly among the informed people. As the consequence, the doctrine of criminal components serving as the determinant came out of that debate. In 1970‘, some new notions and theories emerged. However, up till now, criminal law in Rusia still follows the doctrine of criminal components serving as the determinant just as in the past. In the meantime, though there are some new developments in the theory of grounds of criminal responsibility, yet we have never cast off influence of notions of criminal components and other relevant theories of the former Soviet Union. How to break through all barriers of traditional concepts, to absorb the quintessence of modem criminal theory, and to establish a theoretical system of criminal law covering criminal components, criminal responsibility and criminal punishment is just the purpose of this article.
  • 家庭暴力：从国际到国内的应对（下）
  • According to relevant international instruments, violence against women violates women‘ s human rights. Theoretically, there is no universal definition of the concept of “domestic violence”. Facts prove,however, that a broader definition is necessary so to cover different experience of survivors of domestic violence,and is useful and effective to prevent violence against women. With regard to theoretical exploration of causes of domestic violence, there are many diversified perspectives. It is worth to note that feminist research in this field has not only provided us with a theoretical framework for further analysis of causes of domestic violence, but also supplied a deconstruction approach for understanding social, cultural and legal responses that to a great extent, have perpetuated the occurrence of domestic violence. In respect of strategies combating domestic violence, there are mainly two strategies: one involves human rights strategy, the other, legal reform strategy. The two have their respective advantages and disadvantages. We should explore the possibility of a combined approach so to work for provision, protection, prosecution and prevention of crime of domestic violence.
  • 韩国1998年《外国人投资促进法》
  • The article introduces exhaustively 1998 Law of South Korea on Promotion of Foreign Investment(hereinafter referred to as 1998 Law on Foreign Investments) while also touches upon historical change and development of system of direct investments by foreigners in South Korea. In a great number of laws pertinent to direct investments by foreigners in South Korea, 1998 Law on Foreign Investments is one of the most important legal documents. In the course of amendment, the fundamental principle followed changed from the principle of “regulation and administration” to one of “assistance and promotion” .It mainly deals with system of application and report of investments by foreigners. In order to speed up processes of various acceptance/permit formalities, the law provides that within KOTRA, a Center for Assistance of Foreign Investments shall be instituted and One-stop service system shall be set up. Besides, the tax preferential system has been expanded in the said law, defining clearly regions where investments by foreigners may be made and financial and economic assistance central government shall provide to local governments on purpose to encourage the latter to implement measures for absorbing foreign investments. The author points out that against the background of global economic integration, 1998 Law on Foreign Investments serves as a new starting point of South Korean government to seek development in ever fierce competition of international capital market.
  • 欧洲归来话人权
  • 2001年10月，我受中国社会科学院法学研究所指派，参加由欧盟项目办公室和司法部组织的中国一欧盟法律和司法合作项目高级访问者代表团，到欧洲进行了为期一月的学习考察，先后访问了英国、丹麦、比利时、德国以及欧盟和“大欧洲”的有关机构和组织，所涉及的内容比较广泛。大多与公民权利的司法保护有关。本文仅在访问所涉及的范围内，参考有关文献，对欧洲国家在公民权利司法保护方面出现的几种趋势作一概括叙述。
  • 不知老之将至——波斯纳《衰老与老龄》代译序
  • 1995年，56岁的波斯纳法官出人意料地出版了《衰老与老龄》。出人意料不在于波斯纳继续贪得无厌地推进了从经济学进路研究非市场的行为的视角，而在于他把学术目光从性的领域(《性与理性》[1992])投向了老龄化这样一个在法律学术界一直不大看重的领域；的确，这个问题远不如性那么有意思，那样容易引人注目。出人意料还在于，这本书在波斯纳的学术传统和生涯中似乎有点横空出世的感觉。此前，波斯纳发表的论文著作中几乎没有迹象显示他正关注和讨论过这样一个问题(尽管事后看《司法／正义的经济学》中已经涉猎了这样的问题，同时这在某种程度上也是《性与理性》中讨论的生育问题的另一种方式的延伸)。写作此书时，波斯纳本人身处壮年，在美国法官中则当属中年，因此老龄问题似乎也还不是他这位法官的人生问题。此外，老龄问题在美国社会中也并非一个学术热点。但就这样冷不丁，波斯纳拿出了一本不仅令法学家感到意外(这本书是波斯纳著作中最少法律家书评的一本)，而且许多人口学者甚至专门研究老龄化问题的学者也不能不予以赞许的著作(我在网上就发现这本书被列入了一些人口研究院研究生的推荐著作)。
  • 《环球法律评论》封面

    社　　长：张广兴

    主　　编：徐炳

    地　　址：北京市东城区沙滩北街15号

    电　　话：010-64022194

    国际标准刊号：issn 1009-6728

    国内统一刊号：cn 11-4560/d

    单　　价：25.00

    定　　价：150.00

    关于我们 | 网站声明 | 合作伙伴 | 联系方式 | IP查询
    金月芽期刊网 2018 触屏版 电脑版 京ICP备13008804号-2


text:
Head of Commercialisation Support

Robert Gordon University - Research & Enterprise Services

Sorry, but the advert you were looking for has expired.

To see more employment opportunities with Robert Gordon University, please click here.

Perhaps you were looking for something totally different? In that case, it might be best start a new job search from our Home Page. You might also find our Site Map useful too.


text:
Staff Scientist in Micro- and Nanotechnology

Aalto University - Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering

Sorry, but the advert you were looking for has expired.

To see more employment opportunities with Aalto University, please click here.

Perhaps you were looking for something totally different? In that case, it might be best start a new job search from our Home Page. You might also find our Site Map useful too.


text:
Video Source:

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Job Information

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license.

  • Truck drivers and driver/sales workers comprise one of the largest occupations, holding 3.2 million jobs.
  • Overall job opportunities should be favorable, especially for long-haul drivers.
  • A commercial driver's license is the most important qualification for most jobs.

Personality I'm hands on
Salary $37,930/yr ($18.97/hr)
Job Outlook Bright
Education High School diploma


text:
Item # 200437
In the two-day seminar learn about the power of positive dog training at work with
aggression classes. Learn how to manage your good dog. Topics addressed will be:
What is aggressive behavior? Can aggressive behavior be managed? Can aggressive
behavior be improved? The aggressive behavior screening. Using the management,
relationship and education (MRE) system to help owners of dogs with aggressive
behavior. Case studies. The pros and cons of doing Aggressive Behavior Cases.
Walton Family Dog Training LLC was founded in 1986. After training families to train their
dogs for many years, Joel now restricts his practice to fearful and aggressive behavior
cases in the Washington, DC area. He continues to provide classes for aspiring positive
dog trainers. Joel helped start the Association of Pet Dog Trainers in 1993. Joel’s first two
books (both written with Eve Adamson) The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Labrador
Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers For Dummies were both best sellers. Positive Puppy
Training Works, Joel’s first solo effort is being warmly received by the general public and
positive pet dog trainers.

Click to order DVD or Video
Larry Labrador and Mr BB KIng illustrate the fun that dogs can have with each other
when they are properly socialized and do not have aggressive behavior problems.


text:
John's Auto and Tire guarantees nobody sells less, nobody gives you more. With every 4 tire purchase, get lifetime tire rotations and maintenance, free lifetime valve stem care, free lifetime wheel balancing, and free TPMS reprogramming.

Tire Brands in Ipswich MA, Hamilton MA, and Rowley MA at John's Auto and Tire

Tire Brands

More Brands »


text:
Get Involved

There are a variety of ways you can get involved with Joplin Schools! From reading books to elementary students to assisting with school events to participating in school fundraising activities and more, every dollar donated and hour served supports our students and classrooms and provides our district with needed and valued resources.

Click on the specific opportunities to the right or give us a call if you have something else in mind.

Communications & Community Engagement
417-625-5200, Ext. 2224

Thank you for your interest in supporting Joplin Schools!

Section Directory

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2018 West Corporation. All rights reserved.


text:
News for the ‘CHW Training’ Category

Going global

A lot has happened in the last 6 months. Everyone involved with Mobiles in Malawi is excited by the SMS program’s impact on healthcare delivery at St. Gabriel’s Hospital. The medical staff and participating CHWs have taken ownership of the initiative, and what’s left of a public service grant will keep the program running for 10-15 years – at just $500 per year.

St. Gabriel’s is certainly not alone in the challenges it faces as a rural healthcare provider. After witnessing the effects of simple ideas and equally uncomplicated technology on medical care, one thing was clear – each day that a clinic goes without tools they want and need is a day with undue hardship.

To date, I am talking with healthcare organizations working in eleven countries (Burundi, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique, India, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Peru, and Haiti) about partnerships to expand the tools and strategies used at St. Gabriel’s to their respective sites. Details regarding these organizations and my role in supporting them will be expounded upon at in the coming weeks. In addition to healthcare providers, I’m honored to be collaborating with, The kiwanja Foundation, the FrontlineSMS team, and MobilizeMRS.

After speaking with global health organizations and the clinics they’re linked to, it is clear that 2009 must be a year of action. Everything that happens will be posted here. I hope you’ll join me on this journey, and share your thoughts along the way.

Posted: January 21st, 2009
Categories: CHW Training, HIV/AIDS Care, Home-Based Care, Technology, Tuberculosis Management
Comments: 3 Comments.

Full Charge!

This morning, we distributed the first batch of solar panels from G24 Innovations. I was also able to reconnect with CHWs I hadn’t seen in a while. Everyone was extremely happy – I’ll let the pictures tell the story.

Of course, Alex ran the session. The instructions were quick and easy, and everyone was rather celebratory:

To close the meeting, the CHWs sang a song for me that they had prepared – I’m not sure what the lyrics were, but “phones” and “messages” were included! Afterward, I traveled with Dickson Mtanga and Mary Kamakoko to their villages – it took a good two hours on a bicycle. We spent another 3 hours biking around and seeing patients, before I started back to the hospital. Dickson and Mary, using their new panels:

Posted: December 29th, 2008
Categories: CHW Training, Other posts, Technology
Tags: , , , ,
Comments: 1 Comment.

Back on the (Wet) Ground

I’m back in my old room at the hospital’s guest house, and it’s pouring rain. I arrived just in time for the last Home-Based Care course – 21 new, volunteer CHWs were reviewing referral procedures, patient rights, the contents of their drug kits, etc. The group, seen above, is copying acronyms into their notebooks. Here’s a snapshot of what they’re writing:

At the end of the session, the CHWs were asked to turn in a piece of paper describing the location of their home. Most of their responses were paragraphs long – some included extensive maps.

Joanna, who is running PointCare’s CD4-count outreach program, relayed an interesting conversation with one of the CHWs a week ago. She traveled to their farthest site – a good 100 mile drive – and ran into Zakeyo, who said, “You know, Josh is coming on the 19th.” I checked FrontlineSMS, and Alex hadn’t warned him. It’s exciting to know that the next time I see him, I’ll pass along a solar panel accompanied by a solar-powered light.

Tomorrow, I’m going to spend some quality time with FrontlineSMS – working through the communication over the last four months.

Please comment freely, or shoot me an e-mail, with any questions. I have just two weeks before I return to Stanford, and I’m trying to make the most of it! As always, thanks for reading.

Posted: December 20th, 2008
Categories: CHW Training, HIV/AIDS Care, Home-Based Care, Tuberculosis Management
Tags: , , , ,
Comments: 6 Comments.

CNN – “Texting to save lives”

That’s the headline the CNN Technology site is using to pull visitors to a story covering the project. Here’s the link:

Text service provides more than a Band-Aid for rural health service by Steve Mollman

It’s amazing to see Alex and Grace on the site, and I think Steve wrote a wonderful article. I’m headed back to the hospital for Christmas break, and I’ll be updating the blog regularly – starting now. Here’s a (very) quick 30-second video, as a re-introduction to the project and a few of the people involved.

In Writing – What’s Happened

Healthcare challenges

In 2008, FrontlineSMS was implemented as a central SMS hub for a rural hospital in Namitete, Malawi. Located 60 km from Lilongwe, St. Gabriel’s Hospital serves 250,000 Malawians spread over a catchment area 100 miles in radius. The vast majority of the people the hospital serves are subsistence farmers, living on under $1 a day.

• The catchment area has an HIV prevalence rate of 15% combined with widespread malnutrition, diarrhea, Multi-Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB), Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) and other opportunistic infections. Three medical officers are employed at St. Gabriel’s – creating a physician-to-patient ratio of 1:80,000.

• The hospital has enrolled over 600 volunteers to act as community health workers (CHWs) in their respective villages. Many of the volunteers are active members of the HIV-positive community, and were recruited through the hospital’s antiretroviral therapy (ART) program.

• When one ART monitor, Benedict Mgabe, was asked why he started volunteering, he replied, “I began when I saw my relatives and friends who were suffering from HIV and AIDS. I took it very personally; I knew I must get involved in curbing this epidemic.”

A need for a true community health network

Distance presents an often-insurmountable obstacle for patients seeking care at St. Gabriel’s. Many patients walk up to 100 miles to the hospital; those with more resources ride bicycles or oxcarts. In order to report patient adherence, ask for medical advice, or request medical care for remote clients, CHWs had to travel similar distances to the hospital’s doors.

The most motivated of the CHWs kept their own patient records, and journeyed to the hospital every few months. Their activities effectively isolated by distance, the impact of the volunteers’ work was restricted to their communities and disconnected from the centralized medical resources at the hospital – their potential role delivering healthcare stifled by disjunction.

Implementing the project

During the summer of 2008, I traveled to St. Gabriel’s with 100 recycled cell phones and a copy of FrontlineSMS – a free program developed by Ken Banks to act as a central text-message hub. My plan was to implement a text-based communications network for the hospital and the CHWs.

In groups of 10-15, CHWs were brought to the hospital, given cell phones, and trained in text messaging. The volunteers’ locations were mapped, and the phones were disseminated throughout the catchment area.

Stationed at the hospital, a laptop running FrontlineSMS coordinates the health network’s activities. The day-to-day program operations were handed over to hospital staff within two weeks. FrontlineSMS is operated by Alexander Ngalande, a nurse who heads the hospital’s Home-Based Care program.

Mr. Ngalande, on setting up and running FrontlineSMS:

“It was very quick. And, people didn’t know that this thing could work here – because, it’s our first time to have this kind of system whereby people can directly communicate with the hospital using FrontlineSMS. It’s simple and straightforward.”

Impact on patient care and hospital operations

The SMS network has enabled the following:

• Requests for remote patient care

  • CHWs text the hospital staff when immediate care is needed, and the patient is subsequently visited by the Home-Based Care mobile unit. Patient location and health status are communicated, allowing the mobile team to bring needed drug supplies. According to Dickson Mtanga, a CHW in the pilot program, “When I have a problem with my patient, I just send a message to the hospital, at once. If they are helped and assisted, I feel so much better.”

• Patient tracking

  • The hospital is now able to track patients in their distant communities. According to Mr. Ngalande, “Each and every department is free to use FrontlineSMS. We have ART, Home-Based Care, TB, PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission). For example, TB patients who are not coming for their appointments, we use FrontlineSMS to text volunteers close to the patient’s village. It’s easy to get feedback from the community.”

• Checking drug dosages

  • CHWs in the field have been given basic drug supplies (e.g. Panadol, Ferrous Sulfate, eye ointments) for primary care. The CHWs now check drug dosages and uses within seconds. When FrontlineSMS receives an SMS with a drug name, it automatically responds to the health worker with that drug’s information.

• Patient updates

  • CHWs regularly update the hospital staff with regards to patient status, including reporting patient deaths. These messages have created a post-discharge connection to patients’ well being.

• Coordinating Home-Based Care visits

  • In addition to responding to medical emergencies in the communities, the Home-Based Care (HBC) unit also follows a schedule of home visits – sometimes checking on patients have been discharged recently. Other patients are enrolled in the hospital’s palliative care program. Before traveling to the patients’ villages, the mobile unit text messages CHWs in close proximity to the clients they plan to visit. Any response by the CHW (e.g. “Patient is not at home.”) is forwarded to the mobile team’s phone, allowing medical staff to maximize their productivity by visiting available patients.

• CHW-to-CHW communication and group mobilization

  • CHWs are now communicating and collaborating. All texts are shuttled through the hospital, and FrontlineSMS commonly relays messages and requests between CHWs. This has been an important function in setting meeting dates for Village AIDS Committees and linking HIV/AIDS support groups. Hospital activities throughout the catchment area (including microfinance and Positive Living programming) are organized using the SMS network. Baxter Lupiya, a CHW in TA Kalolo, notes, “We used to travel a long distance. Now, we have easy communication with others. The program must be continued, because it is so good!”

• Integrating connectivity into HIV counseling

  • HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) at the hospital has been augmented because of the SMS network. If a client tests positive, he or she is paired with to an HIV-positive CHW with a phone – these volunteers act as models for Positive Living and provide comfortable, relatable links to the hospital.

Other benefits:

• CHW status

  • The connection to hospital services has solidified the CHWs’ role as legitimate healthcare representatives in their villages. The patients and their communities, according to the program’s participants, have noticed the phones, each one clearly marked with the hospital’s logo.

• Incentives and accountability

  • The phones provided very concrete incentives for the volunteer work done by the CHWs. The SMS network created, for the first time, a way to track the CHWs’ activities, paving the way for more informed decisions regarding allocation of resources (e.g. which CHWs should receive bicycle ambulances).

A whole-hearted thanks goes out to everyone who has been reading these posts. I’d be thrilled to hear from you. In the next few days, I’ll put up a post that will (attempt to) cover the various, exciting ways this project is moving forward. In the next week or so, I’ll also be developing a DIY guide, based on a series of FAQs – much more on this later.

Verona Kapagawani; Community AIDS Committee Chair

As promised, here is an interview with one of the Community Health Workers involved with the pilot in Malawi. Verona speaks on why she started volunteering, how the SMS program has changed her ability to care for patients, and what it means to be a healthcare volunteer.

Here are a few of the messages sent to the hospital by Verona, in the first weeks of the pilot:

AK has a problem of CCF; his medicine is finished, and he is getting a bit better.

AJ is on TB treatment, he is taking the drugs following instructions. He is improving. AM had swollen thighs but she is improving. She is taking drugs following instructions – the guardian is strict.

Adherence: TN is alright. He is taking the drugs following the instructions, he did not miss any day.

PT is very fine, working hard in the garden. He did not miss any day.

Straight from the User

After a few days of traveling, I’m back at Stanford. It was difficult to leave Namitete, but there’s plenty to be done in the US.

Below, I’ve uploaded an interview with Alexander Ngalande, the hospital’s Home-Based Care nurse, regarding his experience with FrontlineSMS. Please excuse the poor quality – my equipment was limited to a small, digital camera.

Posted: August 14th, 2008
Categories: CHW Training, HIV/AIDS Care, Home-Based Care, Technology, Tuberculosis Management
Tags: , ,
Comments: 1 Comment.

Virtues of FrontlineSMS

Over the last week, there’s been a cascade of communication. A few examples, of many:

- A man missed his appointment with a TB officer. A CHW was texted, who reported the man had gone to Zambia for a funeral. The hospital will be notified upon his return.

- An HIV support group met, and decided on new member guidelines. Via SMS, the group leader asked the hospital to print copies for the lot.

- A CHW asked about ferrous sulfate dosages, so he could administer the proper amount to an anemic child.

I’m at the halfway point of my trip, and after five weeks on the ground, a discussion of the tools is in order. Ken Banks, the creator of FrontlineSMS, recently wrote an article about the emerging social power of mobiles for BBC News:

Ken is building a community of implementers. Interested parties should visit two of the group’s sites: and

It is precisely due to FrontlineSMS’s smart simplicity that the project has developed organically – first and foremost, to meet the hospital’s needs as it serves its catchment area. The quick uptake of the project was fueled, in no small part, by how user-friendly FrontlineSMS is, as a central communications hub.

It also has provided solutions to some potentially tricky questions. A quick example:

Text messages cost 10 cents. Units can be sent from one phone to another via Celtel’s Me2U service, but managing the units of 100+ phones manually is near impossible. So, I had to find a way to both monitor each phone’s unit level and top up (replenish depleted reserves) automatically.

Before leaving Stanford, I engraved each phone’s faceplate with a two-digit ID number. Using FrontlineSMS’s auto-forward function, I’ve set up a system to automatically top CHWs up. When they are running low on units, CHWs can text “(ID number) Units” to FrontlineSMS. Subsequently, a message is sent to Celtel, with instructions to top up that particular CHW. System abuse is unlikely and avoidable – the volunteers know that FrontlineSMS records every message received, sandwiched by unit requests.

We’re starting to explore additional functionalities of FrontlineSMS. Each CHW is given a kit of basic medications – a portion of the questions we’re fielding involve those drugs. We’ll set up an auto-reply system so that any message containing a given drug name returns a summary – function, dosages, etc. – for that drug.

Increased Coverage

This week, another group of jubilant CHWs was trained in texting. Below, you can watch a one-minute excerpt of the training session – Alex is explaining the first steps in operating the phone. At the end, you’ll hear a chorus of ‘success sounds’ – all the phones turning on for the first time by their owners’ manipulations.

The week has gone very well, and the project’s initial success has been noticed by each arm of the hospital. I took a minibus into Lilongwe, which turned out to be a fruitful venture – I rode into Namitete on a bike taxi wielding extra maps, an assortment of push-pins, and a few surge protectors (which will establish a permanent location for CHWs to charge their phones at the hospital).

Each CHW we train and distribute a phone to will be placed on a map of the hospital’s catchment area, with a different color pin, depending on their program (Home Based Care, ART Monitors, Reproductive Health Volunteers, Counseling, or Youth Volunteers). Particularly committed volunteers assume multiple roles in their community – they’re distinguished by blue pins. The idea is to have the maps, with hundreds of CHWs’ locations marked, displayed clearly for the clinical staff at the hospital. This way, a clinician looking to track down a patient need only consult the map, find the nearest, appropriate CHW’s identifying number (written on the pin), and send out a text. Here are the new maps, along with the locations of the first 20 dispersed phones:

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m attending the staff meeting for those involved with the hospital’s antiretroviral therapy (ART) program. I’ll be explaining the project, and the group will determine a protocol for communicating with adherence monitors in the field. Below, you’ll see me, sitting with Grace, who coordinates the hospital’s ARV provision.

As always, thanks for reading. Any ideas, as this expands?

Posted: July 3rd, 2008
Categories: CHW Training, HIV/AIDS Care, Technology
Tags: , , , , ,
Comments: 8 Comments.

Ready for More

I was excited to hear that PC World picked up an article that Ken Banks (founder of, and the man behind FrontlineSMS) wrote, titled, “Witnessing the Human Face of Mobile in Malawi.” If you’re interested, you can read it here.

We’re ready to expand a bit. We heard from every one of the CHWs in our pilot group (some, many times). In just a few days, we saw some tangible results. Here’s one example:

  1. Verona Kapagawani, who lives in TA Mavwere, alerted the hospital that a patient had run out of his meds.
  2. A nurse at the hospital, familiar with the patient, responded that he should fill his prescription (he has chronic congestive heart failure) as soon as possible.
  3. Verona responded, noting that she counseled the patient. He wasn’t feeling well enough to travel, so she came to the hospital to pick up his drugs.
  4. While chatting with the nurse, Verona charged her cell phone.

I ran into another CHW, Benedict Mgabe, at the hospital today. He’s the chairman of the Community AIDS Committee, and he’s texted me every day. With a smile on his face, he shook my hand and said, “This is a very good program! It is really helping us a lot.” Those short sentences confirmed that I want to have longer conversations with the CHWs, to gather their reactions.

We’re using the pilot group to contact the next wave of CHWs, another 10 volunteers, to be trained and given phones Monday morning. Above, you’ll see Alex (a nurse, who does most of the Home-Based Care community work) and Grace (who coordinates the ART program) using FrontlineSMS to text the group.

I had a long discussion with Dr. Mbeya, the medical director at St. Gabriel’s, about making very definitive links between the hospital and the CHWs’ activities. As the project grows over the next weeks, we’ll create guidelines for reporting and follow-up, based on the specific program. For example, the hospital has a lively prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) program, aimed at reducing vertical transmission of HIV. We’ll develop a protocol for utilizing the CHW network to follow up on mothers who’ve missed their appointments, and the CHWs will provide a link to the communities’ pregnant population.

I’d love to get some other perspectives on this.

Sending good wishes from Namitete.

Posted: June 28th, 2008
Categories: CHW Training, HIV/AIDS Care
Tags: , , , ,
Comments: 3 Comments.


text:
The Results Are In

It has been a long time since I have posted – and there are many reasons, however the most pressing one was that I was trying to complete the few courses I elected to take this term. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I decided to try and inch my way towards my degree this term. The results are in and I managed to successfully pass every course.

That’s 5 down, and 5 to go.

Besides that though, the Lewis Media development retreat that we took at the office was a major sucess and we made significant development progress. We’ve undertaken a number of new, exciting projects, and things are settling into a nice groove. This week though, I’ll be taking the week off to help my parents ship a truck-load of gear out to the east coast. It should be exciting.

VP HCM Products at NetSuite and Founder of TribeHR and Lewis Media. Waterloo Region Enthusiast and active volunteer.

Submit a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


text:
Wednesday, June 13, 2012

To Amnyi Machen - via Ragya monastery

Joseph Rock starts off his article about his 1926 expedition to the 'mountains of mystery' - the Amnye Machen peaks - with the now familiar litany of outlandish and colourful claims. It is a remote and unexplored region, he writes, forgotten by time and peopled by warlike and nomadic Tibetan bandit tribes who know nothing of the outside world. An arduous journey across bleak grasslands is needed to reach this unknown mountain, which he says is 28,000 feet high - "almost as high as Everest" (it is actually only about 25,000 feet in height).

His article continues in this vein for several pages, perhaps to make up for the fact that he achieved so little. His generously-funded and extravagantly mounted expedition did not get anywhere near the mountain, despite two years of trying. After floundering about in the gorges and canyons of the upper reaches of the Yellow valley, Rock only managed to get a glimpse of the Amnye Machen range from a distant mountain pass 30 miles away. This seems especially odd to the modern reader as these days the mountain is easily accessible and can be circumambulated in a few days by backpackers. The terrain in the immediate vicinity of the mountain is bleak but poses no particular deterrent to the competent and prepared traveller. So why did Rock spend so long faffing around in the labyrinths of the Yellow river gorges - especially (as he admits himself) the area is so disappointing from a plant collector's point of view?

Perhaps it is easy with the benefit of hindsight and the images of Google Earth at one's fingertips, to forget how difficult it must have been to approach Amnye Machen in the 1920s. The area had been visited earlier by several western and Russian explorers, but it was still very much an unknown region. The main barrier to any curious outsider must have been the hostile Ngolok tribes who lived in the area and who violently repelled any intrusions by outsiders. And yet Rock had already dealt with a similar situation when trying to visit his so-called "Holy Mountains of the Outlaws", the Konkaling mountains near Muli. This time however, the scale of the country was much greater, and his friendship with the wily Prince of Choni was of little use because the prince held no influence over the distant Ngoloks in another province.

Nevertheless, Rock took the advice of the Choni prince, who told him that the best way to approach the Amnye Machen mountain would be via the small monastery of Ragya (or 'Radja' as Rock calls it) on the upper reaches of the Yellow river.

Rock expedition

With a commission and a large cheque from the Arnold Aboretum to conduct a comprehensive plant hunting expedition in the botanical 'virgin territory' of Amnye Machen, Rock set off in the spring of 1926. He didn't travel lightly. In addition to his 12 Naxi helpers, he had 34 mules and 60 yaks carrying five months of supplies. As if this wasn't enough, he also hired a mob of surly and cantankerous local Tibetan horsemen, known as 'Sokwo Arik' to act as a bodyguard on his journey across the grasslands from Labrang to Ragya.

This was also one of the few trips on which Rock took along another westerner. Although he doesn't mention him by name, Rock brought along the American missionary William Simpson "dressed in Tibetan garb", to act as a Tibetan translator. As already mentioned, Simpson had been working as a missionary in the Labrang area, but Rock soon found he disliked the missionary's "do gooder" ways and lack of firmness with the natives.

Their journey from Labrang to Ragya took them westwards over bleak and boggy grasslands, peopled only by a few itinerant nomads living in black yak hair tents. Rock's photographs portray the Tibetan nomads as wild and magnificent people, but in his writings he dismisses them as ignorant, superstitious and filthy.

On one occasion he looked on with disgust as an old woman pulled out a dirty bowl for him from on top of a heap of dung, wiped it with her filthy fingers and greasy clothes and then filled it with a hunk of yak butter that had the imprints of many other soiled fingernails scraped into it. Rock made his excuses to leave by saying that he had to take photographs outside.

According to Rock, this was a land that time had passed by - the local people had never seen a car or could conceive of a train. They had no concept of electricity or modern appliances and believed the world was flat. Things had not changed since the time of Marco Polo, he wrote. He played them records by Caruso and Dame Nellie Melba and they marvelled at the music produced by the "Urussu" (Russian) - their local word for all foreigners.

The landscape they travelled across was 'dreary' and disappointing, not just to the eye but also from a botanical perspective. So instead of plants, Rock noted the many types of wildlife in the region - marmots and pheasants, blue sheep and rabbits. There were tame birds that had never learned to be afraid of man. But there were also wolves, following the expedition caravan at a safe distance and watching them from the ridgelines.

From Labrang they passed through the Sang Chu valley, still littered with the bones of Tibetans slaughtered in a recent battle with the Muslims. Traversing grasslands dotted with the black tents of nomads, they crossed a 13,000 foot high pass - in a blizzard in June - to descend towards the Yellow River. The 'unruly' Sokwo bodyguard were then paid off to return to Labrang, "without a word of farewell or the slightest sign of interest in me".

It is here that Rock makes another "first white man" claim - this time, to be the first to explore the steep canyons of gorges of the Yellow River, which he says are at least 3000 feet deep.

"It gave me a peculiar feeling in this lonely wilderness to be the first to look upon this mighty river flowing through hitherto unknown gorges," he writes.

Yellow river

After exploring several sheer-sided tributary valleys of the Yellow river and killing a pair of eagles ("now in the museum at Harvard"), Rock made a brief stop at a monastery called Dzangar, before continuing upriver to Ragya monastery.

Once again he was both enthralled and disgusted by the extremes of a remote and secluded community. "Few in the outside world know that Radja Gompa exists ...Life here is unbelievably crude ..."

One of the strange things he encountered at Ragya was a room room full of clocks and timepieces collected by the Abbott of the monastery. It reads like a scene from a movie.

"From floor to ceiling, clocks and watches of every description and size were ticking away, each keeping its own time regardless of the actual hour. Clocks struck at various intervals, some in unison, others in quick succession."

Rock added to the collection with the gift of a watch.

After the long journey, Joseph Rock settled in to quarters at the Ragya monastery, and prepared for the next phase of the expedition - the approach to Amnye Machen though Ngolok territory. However, the officials of the monastery warned him against taking his expedition into Ngolok territory, saying the tribes would probably murder them. If he was to go, he must make a quick dash on horseback, before the Ngoloks knew of his presence, they advised.

Rock demurred and asked the lamas to send an envoy with requests to visit - and accompanied with generous gifts for the Ngolok chiefs. He had not come all this way for a brief visit, and he wanted to spend an extended period collecting plants and viewing the mountain. While waiting for a reply from the Ngolok, he explored the area around the monastery - photographing the stupendous cliffs under which it sat, and the tiny hermit residences on the hillside, where lamas lived on nothing but nettle soup.

He observed the daily lives of the lamas and again was scornful of their superstitious and feudal ways. One lama was observed 'printing' Buddha images on the surface of the Yellow river by slapping a board onto the water carved with a sacred image. "He occupied himself in this way for hours," Rock observes drily. Rock also recounts cynically how the Living Buddhas always seemed to be found among the offspring of families of high lamas and officials - how convenient!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

A new exhibition of colour photographs by Joseph Rock ...

Exhibition is at the Bulger Gallery, Toronto. Wish I could attend! Thanks to Keith Lyons in Lijiang for the tip.

Monday, June 04, 2012

Kumbum monastery, 1925

Kumbum monastery, 1925, originally uploaded by jiulong.

As witnessed by this photo, Joseph Rock made a visit to Kumbum monastery in September 1925 but it doesn't rate much of a mention in any of his articles in the National Geographic. It's surprising because Kumbum was then one of the most important Gelugpa monasteries in the Tibetan-speaking world. Perhaps it didn't rate a mention because it is so close to 'civilisation' in the form of Xining (then known as Sining) the provincial capital of Qinghai. Kumbum was often the home of the Panchen Lama - then as now the great political (and more pro-Chinese) rival to the Dalai Lama.

Kumbum These days, as the guidebooks note, Kumbum seems to be as much if not more of a museum piece than a real spiritual centre of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is also virtually a suburb of Xining - you can catch a local bus from just near the youth hostel and it takes only about half an hour to get there.
I spent a pleasant morning visiting Kumbum, and even in May it was quite busy with tourists. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant place, and had a fair number of genuine Tibetan pilgrims doing a circuit of the monastery, prostrating themselves all the way.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།,

One of the odd things about Kumbum monastery is that it is situated in the middle of what seems to be a predominantly Muslim town. When you get off the bus and walk the half a mile up to the monastery, most of the people you see are Hui Muslims. Anyway, here are a few pictures that I took of Kumbum and the people I saw there.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, This is the main entrance - obviously a work in progress.

Tibetan woman, Kumbum - by Rolleiflex
This woman was one of two Tibetan old women begging outside the main temple. I gave them both five kuai each on the understanding that I could take their portraits, but she was very miserable about the whole thing and the other woman reneged on the deal and buggered off with the money. Bad karma on you, missus.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།,
This is a picture of the main temple complex. As you can see, much of it is being re-built or refurbished. Note also the many new saplings planted on the hillside above the town.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, This is the view looking down back towards the town, which encroaches right up to the door of the monastery.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།,
The golden roofs of the monastery are quite striking and stand out from the surrounding gloomy grey landscape.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།,
You have to pay something like 50 kuai to enter the monastery these days, and for that you get a colourful ticket and a mini-CD (or was it a mini-disc?) to take home and play. Or throw away.

Kumbum There aren't many monks at Kumbum, or at least there don't seem to be many. They are outnumbered by the many visitors. None of whom can be seen in this picture.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།,
Here's a pilgrim doing her prostrations on the 3km circular track around Kumbum. She was getting a bit cheesed off with me snapping away with the Rolleiflex.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, Most of the time I found it quite easy to get people pictures with the Rolleiflex because you don't have to poke a big long SLR telephoto lens into someone's face. The Rolleiflex has a silent shutter and you look down into the camera at the screen so that people often don't realise you are about to take a photo. specially when you're behind them.

Kumbum monastery, near Xining The monks at Taer Si (Kumbum) belong to the 'yellow hat' Gelugpa sect.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, These guys were just sitting down outside one of the Kumbum temples shooting the breeze.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, Inside, where it was supposed to be strictly "No Photography", I managed to take this pic with the Rolleiflex - because I had the place to myself.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, Time for a Rock-related picture. Offerings on a rock at Kumbum.

Kumbum monastery, near Xining It's odd to see the image of the atheist Marxist 'People's Dictator' Mao used as holy offerings to the sacred Buddhist deity. Nice karma for a guy who ruthlessly suppressed 'superstitions' like this.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, Inside the main building the monks chanted and recited their sacred texts.

Kumbum monastery, near Xining Some are chanting, some are plumbing.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, Meanwhile, back down in the town, life went on as usual for the Hui Muslim majority. The old guys sat outside the supermarket, passing the time of day.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, The Hui Muslims have a long history of living in Tibetan communities, where they have traditionally taken up the tasks such as butchery that are anathema to sentient-life-sensitive Buddhists.

Kumbum monastery (Taersi, 塔尔寺) སྐུ་འབུམ་བྱམས་པ་གླིང།, I took a hike up the small hill at the head of the monastery valley, but the view wasn't that great from the prayer flags.

Saturday, June 02, 2012

Interlude in Xining

The bus from Choni to Lanzhou went through unexpectedly marvellous scenery. I'd thought it would go back the same way as I had come - on the good but boring road via Hezuo. However, I found that instead, the bus took a more direct but uncomfortable route northwards back to Lanzhou over some dirt roads that went over some high passes, into spectacular limestone gorges and also through some interesting Hui Muslim towns.

The first stop was in another grotty small town, known simply as "New Town" and which seemed to be predominantly Muslim. After that the tarmac road deteriorated into a rutted dirt track and the bus trundled along for mile after mile until it went over a high pass and into a limestone gorge similar in appearance to the countryside around Muli in Sichuan. This was the Lotus Mountain (Lianhu Shan) district, and it culminated in a small town called Yeliguan, which was surrounded by steep sided rock walls. The bus threaded along a narrow gorge from here, but I noticed that a tunnel was being bored through the mountain to improve access from Lanzhou to this town, which appeared to be being groomed as a tourism centre.

Emerging from the gorge, we rolled out into a flatter landscape dotted with small Muslim settlements, each with its own distinctive mosque. These Chinese-style mosques all had triple golden crescents jutting from their roofs. It was a straightforward drive back to Lanzhou from here - delayed only by a busy market clogging the road in one of the Muslim towns near Kangle.

Muslim market, Kangle, Gansu

Back in Lanzhou, I found the place quite overwhelming. It was noisy, pushy, crowded and very rough around the edges - quite unlike the more sophisticated and flashy cities of eastern China. Again, the Hui Muslim presence was very marked, and sometimes even made me forget I was in China. I checked into another grubby hotel near the station and bought a soft seat ticket to Xining for the next day.

Xining was a revelation after Lanzhou. Where Lanzhou was oppressive and congested, Xining was light and open. The air felt fresher and everything seemed quite green and new. In fact, it almost had the air of a midwestern US town - this was the Chinese frontier and the Han Chinese here had all moved from the east. The buildings were modern and not very Chinese, and the roads were wide and the traffic flowed freely - quite unlike the congestion and confusion of Lanzhou. I was a bit worried when the train whizzed through the city centre without stopping and continued into the no-man's land of the western suburbs. Then it was announced that the train would be terminating at Xining West station because the central station was being rebuilt. It had only taken a couple of hours or so to make the journey from Lanzhou.

Our train pulled in next to a long distance train that was marked as "Shanghai to Lhasa". The very idea made my mind boggle. Could Joseph Rock and his contemporaries ever have imagined there would ever be a rail link between Shanghai, the urbane "Paris of the Orient" on the Pacific, and the remote Lhasa, 'forbidden city" on the roof of the world in the Himalayas? I noted that the carriage opposite me was a hard seat. Who would ride a hard seat from Shanghai to Lhasa - and how long would that take?

Xining 西宁 Qinghai

Everything about Xining seemed to be positive. The people seemed open, friendly and down to earth. I had an honest taxi driver take me to the city centre, and I checked in to the wonderful Lete Hostel, situated on the 15th floor of a high rise just south of the town centre. The hostel was run very efficiently and affordably by a young Chinese woman who had worked in hotels in Switzerland. Something of the Swiss approach must have rubbed off - the hotel was clean and well organised and had a neat little bar-cafe where you could eat her home made pizza and drink a Qingdao beer for only 40 kuai. It was odd to be back among other laowai again. Even more odd was the fact that they all had laptops or iPads and spent all their time gazing at them and tapping on them. This is the "new normal" for travellers in the digital age, but it made it hard to start conversations and chat. When I did get talking to a few other guests, it appeared that most people at the hostel were using Xining as a staging post to get to Lhasa on the train. When I mentioned I was heading down to Amnye Machen nobody had ever heard of it.

I was worried about whether Ragya monastery would be another too-sensitive "closed to foreigners" area like Choni, but had no problem buying a bus ticket to nearby Dawu - apart from a bit of a jostle with the usual would-be queue jumpers. With a couple of days to kill before my departure for Ragya, I took a stroll around the "Muslim quarter" of Xining around the grand mosque. It was an interesting area with varying degrees of adherence to Islamic dress codes. Some young girls wore just a loose headscarf with flashy Chinese clothes, while others wore a veil that covered their mouth and a full length skirt that went right down to the ground. It was interesting to see that Muslim women dressing this way also attracted stares of bemusement and puzzlement from Han Chinese as well.

Xining 西宁 Qinghai

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
And in this way I spent a whole afternoon just mooching round the area near the mosque, people watching, perusing the market and stuffing my face at one of the many great Qingzhen (Muslim) restaurants there.

This is the Dongguan Grand Mosque of Xining, supposedly dating from the 14th century, but mostly built in the 19th century and rebuit as late as the mid-20th century.

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
Xining Muslim market Xining Kids at the Xining market

Xining Any old iron?

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
I just love this picture of the little dumpling restaurant at the market which I used as a hide to tryand take candid pictures from the window.

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
This was the only picture I was able to get from the cafe window. The guy then came in to the cafe for his lunch and gave me the evil eye.

Xining Chicken in the raw.

Xining Not sure what these are. Something red. Artichokes?

Xining Tea. Lots of it. No teabags.

Xining I always wonder where all this fresh fruit comes from in such an arid part of the world. Where DO they grow pineapples in Qinghai? Or are they imported from tropical Hainan?

This old guy knew how to get about. I could have used a bike like that after walking around Xining all day and getting blistered feet.

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
Street hawker. Business a bit quiet.

Bread - as used by the hostel woman to make pizza!

Headwear is a big part of being a Muslim, in China as elsewhere these days.

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
One of the things about China is the way people just run their businesses on the path.

Xining 西宁 Qinghai
Ditto - metal bashing again.

Thinking of some corny line about chicks hanging out with a guy ...

Xining Muslim scholars heeding the call to midday prayers.

Xining Muslim men near the Grand Mosque at midday.

Xining A pretty typical Xining Muslim family.


text:
Hypnosis Fees

Hypnosis Fees in Helston

Psychotherapy £75 per session (1 hour)

Clinical Hypnosis £75 Session (1 hour)

Children’s Hypnosis £75

Stop Smoking Easily £200 (Normally around 90 minutes)

Hypno-Band Weight Loss System £395

Initial consultation  £30

Payments are made by Cash or cheque please

Contact JTR Hypnotherapy in Helston

If you’d like to arrange for an initial consultation at my clinic, or if you have any queries that you’d like me to answer, then you can e-mail me on jorogers@JTRhypnotherapy.co.uk, or if you’d prefer, you can fill out my online-enquiry form.

To find details of my practice location look at the Location page HERE of if you want to see my opening hours then click HERE.

For the cost of my Hypnotherapy Treatments have a look at the FEES page HERE

Call Me To Arrange an Initial Consultation on 07789 078186.


text:
Topics List Inbox Friends Search Admin Information
 You are not logged in.
Username: Password: Register

Meeting in VEGAS?
 This Topic was created by [MATTinSPOKANE] Messages per page: [20] 50 100
Message display order: [Newest first] Oldest first
Go to Parent Topic

drink with us

You do not have enough Respect Points to post in this topic.

There are no Messages for this Topic as yet.


text:
How to Rescue the Publishing Industry

My Current Thoughts:
In the digital age, a book is no longer a “thing.” Reading is a “process.” Our current system for both books and music is still tied up with the idea of objects rather than a time-based process.
As technology improves, I believe that instead of tracking purchases of books and music (that we might never actually process) our gadgets will track the time we spend listening to each track of music and the number of words we read in a book, then charge a unified account accordingly (think nickels, not dollars), with royalties being disbursed to the appropriate artists or writers.
Amazon is experimenting with something along these lines with their loaning library system in which readers “join” in order to “borrow” Kindle books, and the authors are only paid if the reader reads more than 10% of the book. But you pay to join, and you may never get your money’s worth out of it. (And authors are encouraged to write really short books.)
I suspect that there will soon be competition in which you don’t join, but are charged by the item, and by the percentage of the item you “process.” I, for one, would rather pay 10-cents every time I hear a song I like than pay $15 for a CD or even $1 for a song on my ipod. I would rather pay 10-cents for every 5,000 words I read of a book, than risk $1 on a self-published e-book that I might stop reading after two pages. This would be especially true if I knew that the author or artist was actually receiving the bulk of the fee.
Right now, with Amazon controlling so much of the market, they can take a hefty portion of everyone’s royalties (though not as big as traditional publishers). They are trying to consolidate their lead by forcing authors to choose Kindle-only services or get left behind. That can’t last long. There are too many pre-Amazon books out there, and they can’t control the technological advances on their way.