text:
Groundwater is the topic of the day at NorCal water conference

CHICO >> Is Northern California at the "tipping point" for a balanced groundwater system?

Nobody can know for certain, but Maurice Hall of The Nature Conservancy's California Water Program said we are close to the edge.

Hall spoked at the Northern California Water Association annual meeting at Sierra Nevada brewery Friday.

If you look across the landscape of California, some areas are already in deep trouble with groundwater depletion, Hall said.

In comparison, the Sacramento Valley is still relatively healthy, which "reflects the management that has been done in the past and a reflection of thoughtful leadership."

Yet, that could change quickly, he continued.

He used the example of the Cosumnes River, south of Sacramento, which leaks year-round into the groundwater due too much groundwater pumping.

From July to early February, the river runs dry, Hall said. The trend also occurs in other rivers south of the Cosumnes.

"Here in the Sacramento Valley, most streams and rivers run year-round," which means healthful habitat along the wateways.

"Groundwater balance is when pumping is equal to recharge," Hall said.

The Sacramento Valley currently pumps about 2 million acre-feet of groundwater a year. Water stored underground is an important safeguard in times of drought, but only if that water is recharged during wet years, he said.

A water model used by The Nature Conservancy indicates that right about now, or a few years ago, or a few years in the future, groundwater use could reach the "tipping point," where water that normally flows through streams begins to be lost to groundwater.

"We have the option now of protecting the streamflow for agriculture, refuges, wildlife," and fish, Hall said.

"Groundwater really provides our only significant multi-year storage, he said.

NCWA at 22 years

The annual meeting was the 22nd for NCWA, and is a time for water leaders to think strategy, present awards and see each other face-to-face.

Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, praised the creation of NCWA as "the best investment you could have made."

The focus on the north valley has "raised the influence of this region tremendously," Ross commented.

As the state grapples with drought, important decisions will be made in the next few weeks about water supply, she said, with health and safety issues at the forefront.

California has been through times of drought before, Ross said, but this time "people understand the importance of the crops we grow here."

Those crops would not be possible without water, and maintaining water supply is the focus of NCWA.

"When the president came out here last month, Obama said 'Michelle wants Americans eating more of what you grow here'," Ross recounted.

Bryce Lundberg, NCWA chairman, brought this all home to water rights.

"Without the water rights held by entities and individuals in this room, the water in this region would flow south and leave the valley," Lundberg said.

He praised water leaders of the past who struck water deals that "gave up what we did not need for the certainty of what we could not live without."

NCWA was formed at time when water rights were being tested, Lundberg said. At that time, there was not an organization to protect the collective rights of Northern California water users.

"Water interests of the valley could have gone down the river."

And now those challenges have returned, Lundberg continued. Conversations at the state level have included setting priorities for health and safety, for this year and 2015, "with no water for agriculture," Lundberg said.

Also, water quality issues in the delta call for more fresh water for fish.

"These requirements are unprecedented," and have never taken priority over north state water rights, he said.

The goal of NCWA leaders is to help state leaders be more informed and to help come up with creative solutions, Lundberg said.

"We are asking for more flexibility, to have water rights holders be a part of the solution instead of being looked at as the solution."

In his remarks, NCWA president David Guy said there's a presumption by some in the state that Northern California's water system is in "balance," but he asked whether that's truly the case.

The primary reason Northern California is in better shape is because of the strong water deals struck long ago.

"Without all the deals, the rest of the water system starts to crumble."

"We need to maintain that foundation," Guy said.

Contact reporter Heather Hacking at 896-7758.

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Sidelines: Chico baseball's Dance and Dinner scheduled

The Chico High baseball program's eighth annual Dance and Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m., Saturday, April 5, at the Masonic Family Center. There will be a raffle and silent auction, and the dinner will be catered by Smokin' Mo's BBQ. Tickets are $35 and are available from the parents of Chico High baseball players.

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The 7th International Conference Buddhism & Australia
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Buddhist calendar

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By the time Christianity appeared, Buddhism was declining in India. By the 5th century it was being absorbed into Hinduism, and by the 12th century it no longer existed as a viable force in India. It spread throughout Asia, however, where it took firm hold in the ensuing centuries, coexisting with or merging with indigenous religions and philosophies, among them the Confucianism and Taoism of China, the Shintoism of Japan, and the Bon of Tibet.

Various schools and sects have emerged; the two major ones are Mahayana and Teravada Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhism (sometimes called Northern Buddhism) holds that all have the potential for enlightenment and emphasizes faith in the Buddha, love of humanity, compassion, charity, and altruism. The Buddha is considered to be an eternal being, an embodiment of absolute truth, who occasionally takes human form. There have been many Buddhas throughout the centuries. Mahayana Buddhism is largely found in China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia.

Teravada Buddhism (sometimes called Southern Buddhism) holds out salvation to the monks and nuns who join the community, and prescribes a discipline for individual undertaking. The followers of this sect/school believe there was only one Buddha and he was a human teacher. Teravada Buddhism is largely found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The Teravada Buddhist calendar is a basic luni-solar calendar (much like the Chinese or Ancient Greek calendars). It should be noted that each Teravadan tradition has its own version of the Buddhist calendar, complete with names for the months, the holidays, and even cycles of years. It consists of 12 months which have alternately 29 and 30 days. This alternating length of the month is due to the length of the lunar cycle being 29.54 days in length, very close to 29.5 days. Each year the calendar therefore slips 11 days backwards with respect to the sun's cycle of equinoxes and solstices. To help keep the calendar more or less in check with the sun, the Buddhist calendar inserts a leap month of 30 days every third year. Read more about the Teravada Buddhist calendar below.

Buddhists also have many local traditions and holidays that vary from country to country depending on the ethnic group. In most areas of the world, the holy days are in sync with the phases of the moon. Therefore, they vary from year to year in relation to the Gregorian calendar.

In the Tibetan Buddhist calendar most months are given numbers; Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Myanmar (previously known as Burma) are the exceptions - they use names.

Buddhist Calendar Months

Tibetan Buddhist Month

Gregorian Equivalent

1st Month/Moon

2nd Month/Moon

3rd Month/Moon

4th Month/Moon

5th Month/Moon

6th Month/Moon

7th Month/Moon

Leap Day

8th Month/Moon

9th Month/Moon

10th Month/Moon

11th Month/Moon

12th Month/Moon

13th Month/Moon

Every few years

Each month is divided into two 2-week periods. The first or light period begins the day after the New Moon of the previous month and ends with the Full Moon. The second or dark period begins the day after the Full Moon and ends with the New Moon day, which is the last day of the lunar month. The eighth day of each 2-week period is that of the First Quarter and Last Quarter moons, respectively. These four days (FQ, FM, LQ, NM) are known as Uposatha days. These days are observed in the Teravada tradition as days of enhanced practice of the Dhamma. Lay devotees often go to temples or monasteries for the day, undertake the Eight Precepts, and spend the day in meditation, listening to Dhamma talks, and reading about the Dhamma. The practice of observing the Uposatha days as special days of religious practice predates Buddhism. The practice originally comes from ancient India where the four special days of the lunar cycle were set aside for special religious devotions.

Buddhism derives its name from its founder Sakyamuni Buddha. Here he is called Sakyamuni, meaning from the clan of the Sakyas, however, he has been called by many names such as Guatama, Siddartha, and the Buddha, which simply means "The Enlightened One." He was the son of the King of the Sakya clan. In Mahayana Buddhism, the title Buddha may be applied to any historical or even present day enlightened person. Here Buddhism differs from Western religions, which state that there can only one Christ, or Mashiah, or Mahdi, but there have been and may be many Buddhas.

Western religions also have a relatively small number of scriptures, and they have remained unchanged for 1,400 years or more. Buddhism, by contrast, has a huge and ever expanding range of scriptural literature, as a visit to any Gompa on the Annapurna circuit will demonstrate. Like Christianity and Islam, Buddhism includes the life story of its founder within its literature. Buddhists believe in a cycle of birth and rebirth (reincarnation), which ends only with the enlightenment of a soul. Sakyamuni's previous lives as a Boddhisattva are part of his lifestory. A Boddhisattva is someone who has reached the point where his advance in wisdom means that enlightenment is inevitable.

In the Teravada tradition of Buddhism, Sakyamuni is the one and only Buddha. Sakyamuni began his progress toward enlightenment in a previous lifetime when he was a monk called Megha. Megha sought out Dipankara, a Buddha alive at that time. Dipankara, with the supreme knowledge of a Buddha, told Megha that he, Megha, would be the future founder of the Buddhist religion. Now you may be wondering, and indeed you should be wondering, how do we know about Sakyamuni Buddha's past lives? Simple. Buddhas have supreme knowledge. When they become enlightened they can remember all their past lives.

There are four Special Buddha days or Festivals during a year, which relate to the life of Buddha Sakyamuni. During these days, it is said that the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied 100 million times, so practice is strongly advised.

In the Teravada Buddhist calendar there are three seasons, not four. This reflects the climate of India and Southeast Asia where there is a rainy period for four months out of the year (Vassana), followed by a cool season or winter (Hemanta), which in turn is followed by a hot, dry season, or summer (Gimha).

In the Buddhist year the season of Vassana is a time of special religious practices. During this season monks must remain in their monasteries and avoid traveling long distances. The monks normally devote themselves to their mediation and study during this time. Also, lay devotees often enter the monastic order during this season to pass Vassana as a monk or novice. The Vassana season is flanked by two holidays: Asalha Puja (Dhammacakkapavattana) begins the season, and Pavarana (Abhidhamma) ends it.

The period between the Full Moon of Assayuja to the Full Moon of Kathika is set aside as the special season for making Kathina offerings to the Sangha, particularly offering of new robes. Another major holiday occurs during the Hemanta season, namely Magha Puja on the Full Moon day of the month of Magha.

The Gimha season commences the day after the New Moon day of the month of Phagguna. During this season on the Full Moon day of Visakha, the highest holiday in the Buddhist calendar occurs. Visakha Puja commemorates the Birth, Enlightenment, and Mahaparinibbana of the Buddha. At the end of Gimha, we come around again to the holiday of Asalha Puja, after which Vassana begins again.

The years of the Buddhist Era (B.E.) begin from the traditional date of the Buddha's Mahaparinibbana Death (he passed away at the age of 80). According to traditional sources this event occurred in the year corresponding with 543 BCE. As mentioned above, the Mahaparinibbana occurred on the Full Moon day of Visakha, thus Visakha Puja also serves to usher in a new Buddhist Era year. Visakha Puja in the year 2004 CE was in the Buddhist Era year 2547.

If you would like to know the year in the Buddhist Era, just calculate the following:

Not all Buddhists follow this calendar. The Tibetan monks follow a calendar that comes full cycle every 60 years. It is related to the Chinese calendar, with each year named after an animal and an element.

The Life of the Buddha

The name of the Buddha is just an honorary title which means he was Enlightened. His first name was Siddartha, which means "wish fulfilled," and his last name was Guatama. He was born in the year 623 BC in a tiny town called Lumbini, in what is now southern Nepal. His parents were King Suddhodana and Queen Maha-maya.

On the fifth day after his birth, learned Brahmans predicted that he would become either a universal monarch or an Enlightened One (the Buddha).

At the early age of 16, he married his beautiful cousin, princess Yasodhara. He knew no personal grief because his father provided more than he could ever need.

As he lived in a guarded palace, one day he decided to see the world outside. He first saw an old man, then a diseased man, a corpse and a dignified monk. He had never seen such sights before. The first three sights convinced him that beings are subject to birth, decay, disease, death, sorrow and grief, and he then realized he would be as well. The fourth sight, the monk, suggested to him a way to overcome the ills of life, and to attain calm and peace. So, he decided to leave his opulent life to search for truth and eternal peace.

On the day when his first and only son was born he left the palace to become a hermit. At that time he was 29 years old. After searching for the truth for six years, he found it, and at the age of 35, he became known as the Buddha.

The Buddha was the most energetic of all religious teachers. Throughout the 45 years of his ministry, he was constantly occupied with religious activities except when attending to his physical needs, only taking short rests after meals and sleeping about one-and-a-half hours at night. When anyone needed his spiritual guidance, he would undertake even lengthy journeys to help them, on foot or sometimes by using his psychic powers. Even in the last minutes before attaining Parinirvana (passing away), he preached to a person who had another faith and concept, and wanted to know the answers to some problems.

The Buddha's final words were, as ever, pragmatic and encouraging: 'All things are impermanent - strive on with diligence!'

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The Buddhist calendar (Pali: Sāsanā Sakaraj; Burmese: သာသနာ သက္ကရာဇ်, [θàðənà θɛʔkəɹɪʔ]; Thai: พุทธศักราช, RTGS: phutthasakkarat, [pʰút.tʰá.sàk.kà.ràːt]) is a set of lunisolar calendars primarily used in mainland Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand as well as in Sri Lanka for religious and/or official occasions. While the calendars share a common lineage, they also have minor but important variations such as intercalation schedules, month names and numbering, use of cycles, etc. In Thailand, the name Buddhist Era is a year numbering system shared by the traditional Thai lunisolar calendar and by the Thai solar calendar.

The Southeast Asian lunisolar calendars are largely based on an older version of the Hindu calendar, which uses the sidereal year as the solar year. One major difference is that the Southeast Asian systems, unlike their Indian cousins, do not use apparent reckoning to stay in sync with the tropical year. Instead, they employ their versions of the Metonic cycle. However, since the Metonic cycle is intended to keep pace with tropical years, not sidereal years, the Southeast Asian calendar is slowly drifting out of sync with the tropical year, approximately one day every 60 years. The traditional New Year's Day, which used to take place around the vernal equinox in the mid-7th century now falls on 17 April today. Yet no coordinated structural reforms of the lunisolar calendar have been undertaken.

Today, the traditional Buddhist lunisolar calendar is used mainly for Theravada Buddhist festivals, and no longer has the official calendar status anywhere. The Thai Buddhist Era, a renumbered Gregorian calendar, is the official calendar in Thailand.

Thailand's version of the lunisolar Buddhist calendar

The calculation methodology of the current versions of Southeast Asian Buddhist calendars is largely based on that of the Burmese calendar, which was in use in various Southeast Asian kingdoms down to the 19th century under the names of Chula Sakarat and Jolak Sakaraj. The Burmese calendar in turn was based on the "original" Surya Siddhanta system of ancient India (believed to be Ardharatrika school). One key difference with Indian systems is that the Burmese system has followed a variation of the Metonic cycle. It is unclear from where, when or how the Metonic system was introduced; hypotheses range from China to Europe. The Burmese system, and indeed the Southeast Asian systems, thus use a "strange" combination of sidereal years from Indian calendar in combination with the Metonic cycle intended for tropical years.

Epochal date

In all Theravada traditions, the calendar's epochal year 0 date was the day in which the Buddha attained parinibbāna. However, not all traditions agree on when it actually took place. In Burmese Buddhist tradition, it was 13 May 544 BCE (Tuesdsay, Full moon of Kason 148 Anjanasakaraj).}} But in Thailand, it was 11 March 545 BCE, the date which the current Thai lunisolar and solar calendars use as the epochal date. Yet, the Thai calendars for some reason have fixed the difference between their Buddhist Era (BE) numbering and the Christian/Common Era (CE) numbering at 543,}} which points to an epochal year of 544 BCE, not 545 BCE. In Myanmar, the difference between BE and CE can be 543 or 544 for CE dates, and 544 or 543 for BCE dates, depending on the month of the Buddhist Era (as the Buddhist calendar straddles the Gregorian calendar—currently from April to April).

BE Year Equivalent CE Years Equivalent CE Year (Thai Solar)
0 544–543 BCE
1 543–542 BCE
543 1 BCE – 1 CE
544 1–2 CE 1–2 CE
2483 1940–1941 1940 (Apr–Dec)
2484 1941–1942 1941
2556 2013–2014 2013

The calendar recognizes two types of months: synodic month and sidereal month.}} The Synodic months are used to compose the years while the 27 lunar sidereal days (Sanskrit: nakshatra), alongside the 12 signs of the zodiac, are used for astrological calculations.}} (The Burmese calendar also recognizes a solar month called Thuriya Matha, which is defined as 1/12th of a year.}} But the solar month varies by the type of year such as tropical year, sidereal year, etc.)

Waxing and waning

The days of the month are counted in two halves, waxing and waning. The 15th of the waxing is the civil full moon day. The civil new moon day is the last day of the month (14th or 15th waning). Because of the inaccuracy of the calendrical calculation systems, the mean and real (true) New Moons rarely coincide. The mean New Moon often precedes the real New Moon.

Type Days Description
Waxing 1 to 15 from New Moon to Full Moon
Full Moon 15 Full Moon
Waning 1 to 14 or 15 from Full Moon to New Moon
New Moon 15 New Moon

Number of days per month

As the Synodic lunar month is approximately 29.5 days, the calendar uses alternating months of 29 and 30 days.

Sanskrit Pali Burmese Khmer Lao Sinhala Thai # of days ~Gregorian
Caitra Citta Tagu (တန်ခူး) ចេត្រ Bak (බක්) Chittra (จิตร) 29 March–April
Vaisākha Visakha Kason (ကဆုန်) ពិសាខ Vesak (වෙසක්) Wisakha (วิสาข) 30 April–May
Jyaiṣṭha Jeṭṭha Nayon (နယုန်) ជេស្ឋ Poson (පොසොන්) Chettha (เชษฐ) 29 [30] May–June
Āṣāḍha Āsāḷha Waso (ဝါဆို) អាសាធ Æsala (ඇසළ) Asanha (อาสาฬห) 30 June–July
Śrāvaṇa Sāvaṇa Wagaung (ဝါခေါင်) ស្រាពណ៍ Nikini (නිකිණි) Sawana (สาวน) 29 July–August
Bhādrapada Poṭṭhapāda Tawthalin (တော်သလင်း) ភទ្របទ Binara (බිනර) Phatthrabot (ภัทรบท) 30 August–September
Āśvina Assayuja Thadingyut (သီတင်းကျွတ်) អស្សុជ Wap (වප්) Atsawayut (อัศวยุช) 29 September–October
Kārttika Kattikā Tazaungmon (တန်ဆောင်မုန်း) កក្ដិក Il (ඉල්) Kattika (กัตติกา) 30 October–November
Mārgaśirṣa Māgasira Nadaw (နတ်တော်) មិគសិរ Undhuvap (උඳුවප්) Mikkhasira (มิคสิร) 29 November–December
Pauṣa Phussa Pyatho (ပြာသို) បុស្ស Dhuruthu (දුරුතු) Putsa (ปุสส) 30 December–January
Māgha Māgha Tabodwe (တပို့တွဲ) មាឃ Navam (නවම්) Makha (มาฆ) 29 January–February
Phālguna Phagguṇa Tabaung (တပေါင်း) ផល្គុន Mædhin (මැදින්) Phakkhun (ผัคคุณ) 30 February–March

Month numbering

Various regional versions of Chula Sakarat/Burmese calendar existed across various regions of mainland Southeast Asia. Unlike Cambodian and Burmese systems, Kengtung, Lan Na, Lan Xang and Sukhothai systems refer to the months by numbers, not by names. This means reading ancient texts and inscriptions in Thailand requires constant vigilance, not just in making sure one is correctly operating for the correct region, but also for variations within regions itself when incursions cause a variation in practice.

Month Lan Xang, Sukhothai, (and Old Burmese) Kengtung Chiang Mai
Caitra 5 6 7
Vaisakha 6 7 8
Jyestha 7 8 9
Ashadha 8 9 10
Sravana 9 10 11
Bhadrapada 10 11 12
Asvina 11 12 1
Karttika 12 1 2
Margasirsa 1 2 3
Pausa 2 3 4
Magha 3 4 5
Phalguna 4 5 6

The Buddhist calendar is a lunisolar calendar in which the months are based on lunar months and years are based on solar years. One of its primary objectives is to regulate the lunar part that it will keep pace with the solar part. The lunar months, normally twelve of them, consist alternately of 29 days and 30 days, such that a normal lunar year will contain 354 days, as opposed to the solar year of ~365.25 days. Therefore some form of addition to the lunar year (of intercalation) is necessary. The overall basis for it is provided by cycles of 57 years. Eleven extra days are inserted in every 57 years, and seven extra months of 30 days are inserted in every 19 years (21 months in 57 years). This provides 20819 complete days to both calendars.}}

As such, the calendar adds an intercalary month in leap years and sometimes also an intercalary day in great leap years. The intercalary month not only corrects the length of the year but also corrects the accumulating error of the month to extent of half a day. The average length of the month is further corrected by adding a day to Nayon at irregular intervals—a little more than seven times in two cycles (39 years). The intercalary day is never inserted except in a year which has an intercalary month.}} The Hindu calendar inserts an intercalary month at any time of year as soon as the accumulated fractions amount to one month. The Burmese calendar however always inserts the intercalary month at the same time of the year, after the summer solstice while the Arakanese calendar inserts it after the vernal equinox.}}

The actual Burmese calendar year consists of 354, 384 or 385 days.

Month Regular year Small leap year Big leap year
Tagu 29 29 29
Kason 30 30 30
Nayon 29 29 30
Waso 30 30 30
2nd Waso n/a 30 30
Wagaung 29 29 29
Tawthalin 30 30 30
Thadingyut 29 29 29
Tazaungmon 30 30 30
Nadaw 29 29 29
Pyatho 30 30 30
Tabodwe 29 29 29
Tabaung 30 30 30
Total 354 384 385

Note: The Arakanese calendar adds the intercalary day in Tagu, not in Nayon.

Cambodian, Lao and Thai

The Cambodian, Lao and Thai lunar calendars use a slightly different method to place the intercalary day. Instead of it in a leap year as in the Burmese system, the Thai system places it in a separate year. Thus, the Thai small leap year has 355 days while the Thai great leap year has 384 days.

Month Regular year Small leap year Big leap year
Caitra 29 29 29
Vaisakha 30 30 30
Jyestha 29 30 29
Ashadha 30 30 30
2nd Ashadha n/a n/a 30
Sravana 29 29 29
Bhadrapada 30 30 30
Asvina 29 29 29
Karttika 30 30 30
Margasirsa 29 29 29
Pausa 30 30 30
Magha 29 29 29
Phalguna 30 30 30
Total 354 355 384

New year's day

Since the main purpose of Buddhist calendar is to keep pace with the solar year, the new year is always marked by the solar year, which falls at the time when the Sun enters Aries. The date, which at the present falls on the 17th of April, has slowly drifted over the centuries. In the 20th century, the New Year's Day fell on April 15 or 16th but in the 17th century, it fell on April 9 or 10th. Thailand no longer uses the traditional lunisolar calendar to mark the New Year's Day.

Tradition Date in 2013 Notes
Burmese 17 April Varies; will keep on drifting away
Thai 13 April Fixed to the solar calendar

Cambodian and Thai systems give animal names to the years from a cycle of 12. The practice also existed in Burma in the Pagan period but later died out.

Year Animal
1 Rat
2 Ox
3 Tiger
4 Hare
5 Dragon
6 Snake
7 Horse
8 Goat
9 Monkey
10 Rooster
11 Dog
12 Pig

The Southeast Asian Buddhist calendars use lunar months but try to keep pace with the solar year, by inserting intercalary months and days on the Metonic cycle (in the case of the Burmese calendar, on a modified Metonic cycle). However, the solar year as defined by the Buddhist calendars is really a sidereal year, which is nearly 24 minutes ahead of the actual mean tropical year. Therefore like all sidereal-based calendars, the lunisolar calendars are slowly drifting away from the seasons.}} The calendars are drifting one day approximately every 60 years and 4 months.

The accumulating error means the New Year's Day which used to fall on 22 March (near the vernal equinox) in 638 CE now falls on 17 April in 2013 CE. There is no known internationally concerted effort to correct the calendar. Thailand has moved its "Buddhist Era" to the Gregorian calendar under the name of Thai solar calendar. In Myanmar, Burmese calendarists have tried to deal with the issue by periodically modifying the intercalation schedule in the Metonic cycle. One major downside of this approach is that it is not possible to publish future calendars more than a few years (often even a year) ahead.

The Buddhist Era was first introduced to Southeast Asia along with Buddhism in the early centuries CE. It was not a separate calendar but simply a year numbering system that employed the organization and calculation methods of the prevailing lunisolar calendars in use throughout the region. In the early centuries CE, the reference civil calendar of the Buddhist calendar prevalent in Southeast Asia was the Mahāsakaraj Era, which is said to have been adopted by the Pyu state of Sri Ksetra in 80 CE. The Mahāsakaraj Era was gradually replaced by the Burmese Era or Culāsakaraj, first in Myanmar in 640 CE,}} and in other Theravada kingdoms of Southeast Asia between the 13th and 16th centuries. Theravada Buddhist tradition also recognizes pre-Buddhist Anjana Sakaraj (Añjana's Era) since the events of the Buddha's life are recorded in that era.}}

Name Epochal date Notes
Anjana Sakaraj 10 March 691 BCE Said to have been started by the Buddha's maternal grandfather King Añjana
Used to date the events during the Buddha's lifetime
Buddhist Era 13 May 544 BCE
11 March 545 BCE
544 BCE in Myanmar; 545 BCE in Thailand
Mahāsakaraj 17 March 78 CE Civil calendar
Burmese Era (Culāsakaraj) 22 March 638 Civil calendar

The tradition of using different reference calendars continued in Siam in 1912 when King Vajiravudh decreed that the Buddhist Era would now track the Thai solar calendar, the Siamese version of the Gregorian calendar with the New Year's Day of 1 April. Therefore the Thai Buddhist Era year of 2455 began on 1 April 1912 (as opposed to 15 April 1912 according to the lunisolar calendar}}). The Thai Buddhist Era was further realigned to the Gregorian calendar on 6 September 1940 when Prime Minister Phibunsongkhram decreed 1 January 1941 as the start of the year 2484 BE. As a result, the Year 2483 was only 9 months long, and the Thai Buddhist Era equals that of the Common Era plus 543 years.

Current usage

The lunisolar calendar is used to mark important Buddhist holidays. Many of the holidays are celebrated as public holidays.

Buddhist calendar date International date Public holiday in Notes
Full moon of Pausa January Sri Lanka Duruthu Poya: Commemorates the first visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka
Full moon of Magha February Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand Magha Puja in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Navam Poya in Sri Lanka
Full moon of Phalguna March Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka Boun Pha Vet (Laos), Tabaung Festival (Myanmar), Medin Poya (Sri Lanka)
Almost always in Caitra, sometimes in Vaisakha 13–17 April
(varies by country)
Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand New Year's Day
Traditionally, the New Year's Day is marked when the Sun enters Aries but the day is now fixed in most countries; Myanmar still follows the tradition
Full moon of Caitra April Sri Lanka Bak Poya: Commemorates the second visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka
Full moon of Visakha May Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka Buddha Day
Full moon of Jyaistha June Sri Lanka Poson Poya: Commemorates introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka
Full moon of Ashadha July Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka Start of Buddhist Lent
Full moon of Sravana August Sri Lanka Nikini Poya
Full moon of Bhadrapada September Laos, Sri Lanka
Full moon of Asvina October Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka End of Buddhist Lent
Full moon of Karttika November Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand That Loung Festival (Laos); Tazaungdaing Festival (Myanmar); Il Poya (Sri Lanka); {{Wiki|Loi Krathong]] (Thailand)
Full moon of Margasirsa December Sri Lanka Undhuvap Poya (Sri Lanka)

Wikipedia:Buddhist calendar

The Buddhist calendar was established in classical times and set to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. The Buddhist calendar is used throughout the Chinese Buddhist cultural sphere as well as in other countries like Japan. Events noted on the Buddhist calendar can be divided into two major groups: shared and exclusive holidays.

The shared holidays begin with the New Year Festival held in the first month on the first day (1/1) of the Chinese lunar calendar (see calendars and almanacs). This is celebrated by Buddhists as the Bodhisattva Maitreya’s birthday. This is followed by the Dipamkara Buddha’s birthday on the sixth day (1/6), Yama’s on 1/8, and Indra’s on 1/9, which is the last day of the Chinese New Year. However, the Lantern Festival on 1/15 is also widely celebrated at Buddhist temples.

Shakyamuni’s Great Renunciation is celebrated on 2/8, while 2/15 is considered his day of extinction/nirvana and is also considered the birthday of the Chinese deity Guan Di. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara’s birthday is on 2/19 (see Guanyin), the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra’s birthday on 2/21, and the Bodhisattva Chundi’s birthday on 3/16. The next holiday is on 4/4, which is the Bodhisattva Manjusri’s birthday. This is followed by Shakyamuni Buddha’s birthday on 4/8, Bodhisattva Bhaisajaraja’s birthday on 4/28, and Bodhisattva Sangharama’s birthday on 5/13.

The Bodhisattva Weito’s birthday is on 6/3, the Dragon King’s day on 6/13, the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara’s realization day on 6/19, and the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta’s birthday on 7/13. These are all single-day events. The celebration of Ullambana takes place on 7/15, but is usually accompanied by many activities for a couple of weeks in and around this date (see Gongde). On 7/24 the founder of the Madhyamaka school Nagarjuna’s birthday is celebrated. On 7/30 the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha-raja’s birthday is celebrated. The remote Buddha Dipamkara’s birthday is held on 8/22. On 9/19 the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara’s ordination is celebrated. On 9/30 is the Medicine Buddha Bhaisajaguru’s birthday. The tenth month has no holiday and 11/17 is considered Buddha Amita’s birthday. The last month of the year has two celebrations: on 12/8 is the day of Buddha Shakyamuni’sawakening’, and 12/29 is the Bodhisattva Avatamsaka’s birthday. This concludes the shared holidays.

However, there are also exclusive holidays for the Patriarch Huineng’s ordination on 1/15, Bodhidharma’s birthday on 10/8, and the Patriarch Pu’an’s birthday on 7/21. These are all important to the Chan tradition. The Tiantai master Zhiyi’s anniversary is held on 11/4, while the death of the Pure Land Master Huiyuan is remembered on 8/6. Days are also set aside for the founders of temples, monasteries, schools and sects, and there are other holidays exclusive to specific lineages that are of concern primarily to monks and nuns. For personal cultivation, either the 1st, 8th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 23rd, 24th and the last three days of each month, or, alternatively, the 8th, 14th, 15th, 23rd and the last three days of each month are considered days of abstinence. Furthermore, 1/8, 2/7, 2/9, 2/19, 3/3, 3/6, 3/13, 4/22, 5/3, 5/17, 6/16, 6/18, 6/19, 6/23, 7/13, 8/16, 9/19, 9/23, 10/2, 11/19, 11/24 and 12/25 are considered special abstinence days in honour of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.


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Kenyan author reveals he's gay to challenge homophobic laws

NAIROBI -- Influential Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina has revealed he is a homosexual in an autobiographical short story released to protest anti-gay laws on the continent.

One of Africa's most powerful writers and a founder of the Nairobi-based literary network Kwani, Wainaina published a story online at the weekend that announced his sexual orientation, entitled "I am a Homosexual, Mum."

The story has generated widespread support on social media, although also earning strong criticism from some.

"Ten million thank yous to the thousands of Africans and others who have given all kinds of public love, support," Wainaina said in a message on Twitter. "We live in a beautiful continent."

Homosexuality is outlawed in most African countries and discrimination is rife on the continent.

"I, Binyavanga Wainaina, quite honestly swear I have known I am a homosexual since I was five," he wrote in the short story.

"Nobody, nobody, ever in my life has heard this. Never, mum. I did not trust you, mum. And. I. Pulled air hard and balled it down into my navel, and let it out slow and firm, clean and without bumps out of my mouth, loud and clear over a shoulder, into her ear.

"'I am a homosexual, mum.'"

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Petite PopDrive Packs in Two Syncing Hard Drives for Backup

PopDrive wants to be your only data backup solution, and it certainly seems like it has the chops to do so. For starters, PopDrive contains two drives inside of it that are in sync with one another at all times. If one drive fails, it can be replaced with a new drive which will automatically sync with the other working drive. PopDrive is also designed to be portable and compact, so that you can easy grab it and go if you need to. It accomplishes this by packing in two laptop drives and all-in-all it weighs a bit more than a pound yet manages to be pocket-friendly in size. It also features eSata besides USB, for quicker backups. And finally, it will even let you monitor the drive’s operations with an event log and email notifications.

But wait, we still think that PopDrive is missing one last thing that would make it perfect, and that is a complimenting online backup solution. Still, PopDrive does seem impressive.


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Chocoholly Organic Milk Chocolate Fish With Geranium

Posted by in Chocolate Reviews on October 21 2009 | Leave A Comment
Chocoholly Organic Milk Chocolate Fish With Geranium

Another offering from artist-turned-chocolate maker Holly Caulfield, these chocolate fish actually taste like flowers – geraniums to be precise. Having had both good and merely reasonable geranium flavoured chocolate before, I was interested to see what these fish shaped chocolates had to offer. (I was also very relieved that they weren’t mackerel flavoured).

Holly’s organic milk chocolate weighs in at a hefty 45% cocoa, so to my mind all that was required was to get the flavour balance right and we’d have a winner. However, too much geranium and I was going to feel like I’d been drinking air freshener, and too little and I’d merely be disappointed.

Chocoholly Organic Milk Chocolate Fish With Geranium

You can see how dark this ‘milk’ chocolate was – bursting with potential.

There are differences, but essentially when you taste geranium chocolate for the first time, you tend to think of Turkish Delight. Floral flavours are uncommon in confectionery (well, they used to be – other reviews will bear this out) giving little room for comparison with anything else, but you soon begin to notice the differences in flavour between geranium and rose.

It was always going to be the geranium flavour which arrived first. Waves of bright floral scents and a natural heady sweetness preceeded any cocoa flavours by a long way, and it was only as the chocolate really began to break down that it was allowed to show off a little. In fact, I found myself wondering if Chocoholly might produce a bar of this chocolate in an unadulterated form, just so we could really appreciate the potential of a 45% Organic milk chocolate.

Because of its very nature, the floral flavour arrives quickly and takes a long time to leave. The chocolate flavours are always going to be slightly masked by the burst of geranium, but upping the cocoa content was a smart move. When tested on my usual group of (all adult) guinea pigs, the only complaint was that couldn’t have one each. So, a curious flavour which obviously has wide ranging appeal.

Comments On This Post

  1. Yes you can buy a rich milk bar which is 46% cocoa solids,
    its available in John Lewis foodhalls (Oxford st or Bluewater)
    and also on my website for £3.65 per bar.


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Services Overview

Choices serves patients who are over the age of 18 with an opiate addiction, who are able to pay for services. These patients come from all socioeconomic, educational, racial, and ethnic groups. Our locations are in LaPlace, Alexandria and Northshore. All patients will be admitted on voluntary basis to opioid addiction treatment facility using Methadone or Buprenorphine as a stabilizing medication. Although Choices focuses mainly on opiate addiction, other drug abuse issues will be identified and treated with the appropriate methods.

Methadone MaintenanceWomens and Pregnancy Services

Dual DiagnosisMedically Assisted Withdrawal


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Make a Small Bathroom Look Bigger

Small bathrooms don’t have to feel cramped and stuffy. With a careful selection of colors, materials and bathroom fixtures, your small bathroom will not only look but also feel a lot more spacious. What’s more, with a small-scale budget bathroom remodel, you can get the result you want without burning a hole in your pocket. Check out our big ideas for small bathrooms.

Wall-Mount Faucets

Homeowners often choose to mount the faucet on the wall even if their bathroom isn’t small. Do you know why? Because wall-mount faucets are not only space savers, but also very much in vogue. They usually go with a narrower sink, and the combination guarantees your bathroom will feel more spacious. It’s especially popular to combine a wall-mount faucet with a vessel sink for a modern look.

Sleek Sinks

Freestanding Sink - Bathroom Remodel Temecula

Choosing a space-efficient sink is paramount for making a small bathroom feel bigger. Pedestal sinks offer a long lasting appeal so you can’t possibly go wrong if you choose them. Apart from the traditionally oblong ones, rectangular pedestal sinks are gaining more and more popularity.

Wall-hung (or freestanding) sinks are another space-saving option. They are basically pedestal sinks only without the pedestal. These sinks look particularly sleek and contemporary. They also provide ample space underneath for moving around without bumping into anything.

Corner sinks are also a popular choice for extremely small bathrooms.

Floating Vanities

Floating Vanity- Bathroom Remodel Temecula

We’ve come to realize that the best way to maximize the potential of a small bathroom is to move the fixtures and vanities up. We saw the trick works great with sinks, so why wouldn’t it work with vanities? Make the vanities float and you’ll get more space (and fewer bruises!), without compromising the storage space.

Smart Showers

We all dream of a luxury spa-like bathroom with soaker tubs we can just plunge into and enjoy a lavish bubble bath. Even if the size of your bathroom makes this impossible, it doesn’t mean you have to go with a run-of-the-mill shower. Modern walk-in showers come with a range of features that guarantee some bathroom fun time, but also save space. Get rid of the shower door and go for a glass panel instead and your bathroom will feel larger, not to mention look more attractive.

What’s more, there are specially designed steam showers that can fit even small bathrooms. With a 3 feet x 3 feet steam shower, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the revitalizing effects of steam in your very own tiny bathroom. You know what they say – good things come in small packages.

Space-Expanding Colors & Patterns

With a small bathroom, you simply can’t leave anything to chance. You may have loved a set of intricate-pattern tiles you saw on Houzz, but they will only make your bathroom feel more cramped. Go for either large-scale or monochromatic patterns and combine them with bright colors that will open up your bathroom and give it a sense of freshness.

Statement Mirrors

It’s often the simplest tricks that have the strongest effect. The same goes for mirrors. Mirrors play a wonderful trick on our eyes, and suddenly any room, however small, feels more spacious. Install a grand mirror in your bathroom and you’ll see how your bathroom will instantly feel double its actual size. It’s all about the feeling, right?

Want to do a bathroom remodel in Temecula?

If you wish to remodel your bathroom in Temecula or build a new one from scratch, Classic Home Improvements is the place to go. A full-service contractor with years of experience and nothing but favorable reviews from satisfied customers, CHI proudly offers its bathroom remodel Temecula service.

Consult our product selection coordinator about the best fixtures and fittings for your bathroom. Our award-winning design team is creative and compassionate and has only one goal in mind – to make your vision come to life. Call us today at (858) 224-7373!


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Conditions We Treat at the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

The Pediatric Hematology/Oncology team at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC provides outstanding, family-focused care for children with cancer or blood diseases.

We'll work with you to create the best possible treatment plan for your child. And, we'll guide and support you and your loved ones during this emotional time.

Types of Pediatric Cancers and Blood Disorders We Treat

As the largest pediatric cancer center in western Pennsylvania, we're able to offer the most current treatments for childhood cancers and blood diseases.

Types of cancers and blood disorders we treat include:

  • Ewing Sarcoma — a rare type of cancer that forms in the bones or soft tissues. It's the second most common form of bone cancer in children.
  • Hemophilia — a severe, lifelong bleeding disorder.
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis — serious blood clotting disorders that can lead to long-term problems.
  • Leukemia — a type of blood cancer that forms in the bone marrow. It's the most common type of cancer in children.
  • Sickle Cell Disease — an inherited blood disease that affects the red blood cells' ability to carry oxygen to the body's tissues.
  • Brain Tumors/Neuro-Oncology — cancerous tumors of the brain or spinal cord.

Contact Us

To schedule an hematology/oncology appointment or consultation, please call 412-692-5055.


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Wesmen Playing Marathon in Baseball Game

Wesmen Playing Marathon in Baseball Game

By Brian Schultz

University of Winnipeg WesmenBaseball season may be over for the Winnipeg Goldeyes, but Shaw Park will still be put to good use on Saturday.

That’s when the University of Winnipeg Wesmen varsity men’s baseball team will host their third annual Wesmen Baseball Marathon Game.

From 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., the team will raise awareness and funds for their baseball program while continuously engaging in play on the field.

“We are ecstatic to put on this great event once again and have the chance to expose our program to the public,” said Wesmen baseball head coach Mike Krykewich. “We encourage everyone to come out and join us for this event and have a chance to play in a great facility like Shaw Park.”

Admission to the event is free, but fans can pledge their support by making a donation. A silent auction, batting cages, radar gun contests and other baseball-related activities will round out the day.


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Breakfast Strata

Discussion in 'Recipes and Cooking' started by Abba's child, Aug 24, 2012.

  1. I'm always on the lookout for something I can make for my husband, son, and daughters for breakfast that's quick for me, and they'll like and actually e-a-t! I began making this last Christmastime, and it's something I am asked to make about once a week. (apologies to those of you who oppose bacon! ♥)

    1 package (12) frozen hash brown patties, thawed
    1 pound bacon, or 1/2 pound bacon and some breakfast sausage, cooked and broken into pieces
    1 small-ish chopped onion (add mushrooms, too, if you like)
    1. tsp. fresh cracked pepper
    10 eggs
    1-1/2 C. milk or half and half (I use whole milk in this, and in baking breads)
    1 C. cheddar cheese, shredded

    lightly grease 9x12 baking dish with olive oil
    sauté onion till translucent (add mushrooms toward the end)
    lay potatoes in bottom of pan
    top with bacon and sausage
    in large bowl, beat eggs and milk really well, add 1/2 of the cheese and the pepper
    pour over potatoes and meat(s)
    sprinkle remaining cheese over top
    bake @ 400 degrees for about an hour
    serve with fresh fruit

    The original recipe says to put the dish in the frig overnight, or for at least an hour, but my hubby prefers the potatoes crisp, so I wait maybe 15 minutes or so. But, if your family doesn't mind, it's an awesome way to make up breakfast the night before, especially if you're pressed for time in the mornings. I do cook the bacon ahead of time, and I use all natural pre-cooked sausage, so I only have to thaw it and cut it up. :) I sometimes make and bake the whole thing in the evenings, and then my family can "nuke" a plate of it in the morning. (yeah...I have this thing where I try to avoid microwave use as much as possible, but that's just me.)
    This is something I would make for dinner, too, as we enjoy "breakfast for dinner" nights.
    What I like about this is that you can pretty much adapt it to your own preferences. I add worcestershire sauce, tobasco, red pepper flakes at times. You can put in whatever veggies you like. You can use skim milk, or rice or nut milk, which I do if my married daughter (who is dairy/gluten free) is home. (also have to omit the cheese then) You can skip the bacon and sausage altogether, or use/add ham, chicken....only limited by what you like and your imagination.
    I'd never made strata before...can you imagine? lol But they're pretty terrific. We've made them with bread and fruits, too. (tastes like blueberry french toast!)

    My kiddos would love it if I made this in addition to the scratch crescent rolls with orange icing they love. Maybe one day...;)
    Happy eating. :)

  2. Thanks, ellie, for sharing!! Sounds delish! :p I will try it out on the family this weekend! :D
  3. Need a mini version for us singles ...
  4. Try to divide the recipe in half (or by 1/4) and bake in muffin tins, less heat, less time.... wallah! single serve portions! :p
  5. Brilliant!
    I'm so sorry, faeriecat, I still have 4 kids at home, and often forget not everyone is cooking for a football team! Thanks, cbg, for the great idea!
    We have friends who have (brace yourselves) a daughter and eleven sons! (eleven sons!!) They're terrific kids, too. Well, like our children they're not "kids" anymore, but you know how it is with moms...once your baby, always your baby. ♥
    Our friends have moved away. We still keep in contact with them, and are blessed to have 5 of the boys still in the area, still dropping by at dinnertime ( ;) ) and still behaving like siblings with our children. I love to have a houseful of young people. Speaking of--I just heard my daughter and son-in-law pull in! YAY!

    Faeriecat, I will try, in the future, to remember to provide different serving size options. (I have trouble keeping one of our cats away from this dish, too.) :)
  6. LOL Thankya ladies! :) Yeah, it is just me (and 3 felines) so I'm forever having to slash and chop at recipes.

    One of my friends was helpful, and asked a mutual acquaintance for a hummus recipe (I love me some hummus). Mutual acquaintance (who is a professional chef) gladly shared. Only ... the recipe makes enough hummus for 200 people ... SIGH!! LOL I'm still doing the math on that one!!

  7. 200 ppl?? I actually LOLed! I love hummus, too, but that'd be too much, even for my family! And though I happily taught it to my children, I despise doing math. Me, I'm a words gal. So I wish you luck with that task. :)
  8. I am one person and i would eat that whole thing. Thanks for making me hungry.
  9. I was thinking you could use kabana instead of sausage.
  10. what's that?
  11. Its like sausage but its much longer and you eat it cold.
  12. Allso it tastes nothing like a sausage.
  13. Sounds more like a kielbasa?
  14. I dont know, because i dont know what that is.
  15. hahaha--you guys are making me laugh! I was thinking kielbasa, too, faeriecat! you know, I think my son would love that idea. I know what I'm doing in the morning. :)
    I really think you could put in anything that tastes good to you.

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Suri in Catholic School: Katie Holmes Enrolls Daughter Into Prestigious NYC Catholic School

Suri Cruise will attend a Catholic school in New York City following the high profile break up between her parents Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. It has been reported that Suri was enrolled in the Catholic school just days after her mother reached a divorce settlement with Tom Cruise.

The move has come as more rumors speculate that Katie Holmes did not want her daughter growing up to be a Scientologist, the controversial sect followed devoutly by Suri's father Tom Cruise.

Suri was previously homeschooled, but will now attend Manhattan's prestigious "Convent of the Sacred Heart" school, where reportedly she will have to attend a Catholic mass once a week every Thursday.

The school is one of the most prestigious in New York City and will cost Katie Holmes $38,000 a year to send six year old Suri there. However, the actress is of course well off herself, and reports have further suggested that Tom Cruise will be paying more than $10 million in child support as part of their divorce settlement.

Katie moved to divorce Tom just last month when he was away filming his new movie in Iceland. She moved out of the apartment and made the filing for divorce in New York City. The news is said to have shocked Tom Cruise, who was not expecting the split, but it now appears as though Katie was planning everything for weeks and even months in advance.

Katie Holmes and Suri have moved out of the family home in New York and into a $12,500 a month apartment in New York City's Chelsea area.

Holmes was married to Cruise for five years, and since their split she has been reported by the Huffington Post as having registered as a parishioner with the Catholic Church of St. Francis Xavier in New York City. However, an official with the church said Tuesday that the report was false.

Seeking to verify the report, The Christian Post contacted St. Francis Xavier Church Tuesday morning and was told by Parish Manager Jacqueline Salco that Holmes was not listed in the church registry. Salco indicated over the phone that she had looked through the registry, and responded in the affirmative when asked if The Huffington Post report was false.

However, although St. Francis Xavier Church has denied having Katie Holmes as a new member, it is not uncommon for churches to attempt to maintain a certain level of privacy for particularly high-profile parishioners.

(The Christian Post's Nicola Menzie also contributed to this report.)


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Vanderbilt University's All-Comers Policy 'Discouraging,' But Unites Christian Students

While some consider Vanderbilt University's new all-comers policy to be an assault on religious freedom, one lawyer for the American Center for Law and Justice argues that the university's Christian students have become more unified as a result of increased campus hostility.

In early 2012, the private university, located in Nashville, Tenn., implemented an all-comers policy for its student-run organizations. The policy prohibits campus groups from selecting members and leaders based on race, gender, sexual orientation or religion.

David French, senior council of the ACLJ, told The Christian Post that "in a very discouraging incident, this Vanderbilt attack, it's been a bright spot to see how the Christian students have responded."

"At any given moment, there have been hundreds of Christian students protesting this policy, very politely, very respectfully, at all times maintaining and enhancing their Gospel witness on campus, but doing so firmly and trying to convince the University to change course," French told CP.

Vanderbilt University's new policy excludes members of Greek life, still allowing them to be selective in their membership and leadership processes.

"Vanderbilt became increasingly aggressive [and] hostile towards Christian groups on campus, and really made it very clear that they were going out of their way, despite public denial to the contrary, they were going out of their way to single out Christian expression and to target Christian clubs for expulsion from campus effectively," French said.

Christian students on campus rallied against this new policy, arguing that it holds a double standard for the university's Greek life and also infringes upon students' religious freedom.

Christians argued that the new policy violated the central tenets of their faith, as being able to elect faith-filled leaders is integral to the survival of a religious group.

Eleven Christian groups protesting the policy formed the group Vanderbilt Solidarity. To promote their cause, they created a seven-minute video that was shared with faculty and students, as well as issued statements and attended town hall meetings.

"It really brought campus ministries together. They realized that while they certainly have different philosophies in ministry, subtle differences in theology, you name it, that this really was an attack on their presence on campus, collectively," French said.

"Not only did it bring them together to oppose this policy, but I think it really ended up forging a lot of new friendships and a lot of unity. Not just among the students but also among various campus ministers."

According to French, protests against the all-comers policy resulted in "the largest Christian student opposition on any university campus in the country, with 500 to 600 Christian students attending the university's town hall meeting to discuss the new policy."

Several Tennessee lawmakers created a bill that would have indirectly changed the all-comers policy by forcing Vanderbilt to choose between exempting its religious organizations from the all-comers policy, or expanding the all-comers policy to all student organizations, including sororities and fraternities.

Gov. Bill Haslam vetoed the bill, entitled House Bill 2576, arguing that although he did not agree with the all-comers policy, he did not see it fit for the government to regulate the workings of a private institution.

French contends that Vanderbilt University, which has historically been known for its open-minded respect toward religious expression, is now at a crossroads.

"Essentially it's got to decide if it's going to be the school that it has been in the past, which is a top 25 American University that accepts a broad range of viewpoints, or is it going to become a niche player in American higher education," the attorney said.

"It will have to decide if it wants to be known as a radical institution that imposes double standards for the sake of eliminating a particular voice from campus. It appears, at the moment, to want to be that kind of radical institution, which is entirely inconsistent with its history, inconsistent with the wishes of its alumni, and inconsistent with the public trust that of the hundreds of millions of dollars in state, local, and federal funding they get every year," he added.

Several campus organizations that chose to keep religious requirements in their individual charters were not given university recognition, and therefore will not enjoy the perks of using the university name, campus locations, or university sponsorship in the upcoming school year.

The Vanderbilt administration has continued to stand its ground regarding the new policy, arguing that it was implemented due to a 2010 incident in which a student's membership in a student organization depended on his sexuality.

"All along, we have stressed that the policy is about rejecting discrimination and not about restricting religious freedom. We firmly believe the two principles can coexist on the Vanderbilt campus, and are gratified that many of our religious student organizations agree," Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Richard McCartney previously said in a statement.


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Tuesday, May 23, 2017 Elyria 74°
Delivering to Lorain County 7 days a week

Pair of Midview graduates killed in separate crashes

GRAFTON — Two Midview High School graduates died in separate and unrelated crashes on Saturday.

Cleveland Metroparks rangers reported that 22-year-old William Fekete, of Elyria, died at St. John Medical Center after a crash Saturday afternoon at the Bradley Woods Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks in Westlake.

Cleveland Metroparks ranger spokeswoman Monica Banks Hines said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. A Mitsubishi sedan full of five people, including Fekete, crashed into a tree around 4:15 p.m. at the reservation.

Two women in the car were taken to Fairview Hospital and listed in critical condition Saturday night, she said. Hines did not release the names of the others involved, including the male driver and another occupant who was taken to Fairview Hospital.

Fekete graduated from Midview High School in 2009, according to an alumni website.

Earlier Saturday, friends and family members mourned the loss of 18-year-old Dominic Zunis of Elyria.

Zunis, a former Middie wrestler with plans to join the U.S. Air Force, crashed a Ford Taurus into a pond around 7:15 a.m. when he apparently ran a stop sign at state Route 57 and drove off the east side of the road near Mennell Road in Grafton Township.

The vehicle was submerged in approximately 10 feet of water, and rescue crews worked almost two hours to recover the vehicle, according to a release from the Ohio Highway Patrol.

A neighbor, Michael McMillan, said he didn’t hear the accident, but a driver behind Zunis knocked on his door after the accident and called 911. He said the man told him that Zunis was traveling around 60 mph, and he did not slow down.

“There was no indication of stopping at all,” he said.

Ohio Highway Patrol Sgt. Timmothy Hoffman said alcohol was believed to be a factor in the crash, which is still under investigation.

McMillan said the crash site is a dangerous spot as other cars have ended up in the same pond, although the end results haven’t been as tragic.

“What we hope is that the state gets wise and puts a guardrail here,” he said.

Family members declined to speak about Zunis on Saturday, but the owner of Wolfey’s Bistro and Pub, where Zunis worked two years as a food runner, said employees are mourning the loss of a good friend.

“Dominic was an exceptional individual. He was hard-working, very polite and came from a wonderful family,” said Wendy Wolfe, owner of the restaurant.

Wolfe said it was a very somber tone at Wolfey’s after news of the accident.

“He will be deeply missed by his Wolfey’s family,” she said.

Dominic is the son of Terri and David Zunis, a school board member in the Midview district.

Friends and family took to Grafton Grapplers Club’s Facebook page Saturday, offering condolences.

Dominic Zunis was a two-time Division 1 district qualifier at Midview and team captain of the wrestling team his senior year.

In an interview in 2012, Zunis said he began wrestling in second grade, but he hated it. He later came to love the sport in seventh grade, attending summer wrestling camps in high school to improve.

That year, Coach Don Caramell called Zunis a dedicated individual with a lot of heart.

“If it was on heart alone, he’d be a state qualifier,” he said.

Contact Chelsea Miller at 329-7123 or cmiller@chroniclet.com.

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Physician Registration

Physicians practicing medicine in the City of Everett are required to file a Physicians Certificate of Registration under Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) Chapter 112, Section 8.

Persons are exempt from filing a certificate if they are:
  • A resident in training with a limited license
  • An Intern with a limited license
  • Conducting research (exclusively)
  • Teaching (exclusively)
  • Hold an administration position (exclusively)
  • Practicing at a federal facility (veterans administration)
However, if you are employed in such a capacity, you will need to provide our office with a letter from the appointing authority at the medical facility indicating your position, name, status and your medical license number. If there are any physicians practicing at your facilities that do not meet the above exempt criteria, they must file a certificate and they are subject to the fee of $50.

A copy of this filing will be forwarded to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Board of Medical Licensing as required by State Law.


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...The Moss Valley lies in north-east Derbyshire just a few miles to the south-east of Sheffield. The Valley follows the course of the Moss Brook, one of the cleanest Rivers in the area. It is quite a wide Valley, surrounded by the large urban areas of Sheffield and Chesterfield. The Valley covers an area of approximately 4 square miles that has been created by the Moss Brook and its tributaries...

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...for the East Coast Wooden Folding Highchair. ***East Coast Folding Wooden Highchair*** East Coast describe this highchair as ? a natural wood coloured wooden highchair, made from rubberwood which has been lacquered so it can easily be wiped clean and preserve it?s stylish looks. The high chair folds away neatly when it is not in use. It has a 5 point safety harness and a large sculpted wooden...

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by on Mar.05, 2017, under Movie Reviews

tickledCompelling. Unique. Original. Strange. These are all words I would use to describe the documentary Tickled. Directors David Farrier and Dylan Reeve present this bizarre story of how an innocent enough investigation into competitive tickling evolved into an expose on intimidation, public humiliation, hacking and legal threats.

Competitive tickling you say? Yep, it’a a thing. Sort of. But you have to watch who get involved with as there are some sites that promote tickling as an innocent enough fetish alongside something like say a foot fetish. But then, there’s Jane Media and David D’Amato (who has denied all involvement with Jane Media I should add here so he doesn’t bully and threaten me litigiously as he has others). Farrier and Reeve discover Jane through their investigation of this “sport” as an organization that pays big bucks for young men to tie each other up and then get tickled on video.

Initially, the men sign up, make some money and then sometimes that’s it. But it doesn’t always work out so well for the participants where a number of these videos have ended up online to ruin the lives of the guys who join up once they decide that they don’t want to do it anymore. Essentially, they get bullied and threatened when they stop making the videos for Jane and that’s one of the things that drew the filmmakers in to dig further.

You have to really see this one to believe how deep it goes and how strange it gets. The filmmakers are based in New Zealand and after many legal threats telling them to shut down the documentary, they forge on and take the risk of coming to the states to track down the source that’s issuing the letters that are telling them to cease and desist. The long trail does lead to the source I mentioned above and how they get there keeps you tuned in the whole time.

Would definitely encourage a screening of Tickled.

reviewed by Sean McKnight

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• Stardust details

Stardust Synopsis

From the imaginations of best-selling author Neil Gaiman and director Matthew Vaughn comes “Stardust,” this summer’s one totally original fantasy epic that is destined to enchant and excite audiences of all ages. Following the adventures of a young man who sets out on a quest to prove his love, and finds far more than he bargained for, “Stardust” takes on every fairy tale in which anyone ever wanted to believe. From wicked witches to dashing princes, flying pirates to dueling swordsmen, magical spells to mystical destinies, it all adds up to a funny, romantic tale of true love and high adventure unlike any other.

“Stardust” begins in the sleepy English village of Wall, so named for the cobblestone wall that has, for hundreds of years, kept the villagers safely apart form the strange, supernatural realm that lies just on the other side. It is here that young Tristan Thorne (CHARLIE COX) makes a wild-eyed promise to the prettiest girl in the village (SIENNA MILLER), whose heart he hopes to win: that he will bring her back a fallen star. But in order to make good on his promise, Tristan will have to cross the forbidden wall, and enter a mysterious kingdom lit by unending magic and unfolding legends of which he will quickly become a part.

In this fantastical realm known as Stormhold, Tristan discovers that the fallen star is not the meteorite he expected, but a beautiful, spirited young woman (CLAIRE DANES) injured by her cosmic tumble. Now, she is in terrible danger - sought after by the King's (PETER O'TOOLE) scheming sons for whom only her secret powers can secure the throne; and hunted by a chillingly powerful witch (MICHELLE PFEIFFER) desperate to use the star to achieve eternal youth and beauty.

As Tristan sets out to protect the star and bring her back to his beloved on the other side of the wall, his journey will bring unforeseen romance, high-flying adventure, and incredible encounters with a pirate captain (ROBERT DE NIRO), a shady trader (RICKY GERVAIS), and an enchanted unicorn among other surprises. But if he can survive on his wits and the strength of his newfound love, Tristan will also uncover the secret to his own identity and a fate beyond his wildest dreams.

So far the cresting wave of fantasy films kicked off by Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter hasn’t gone anywhere very interesting. Narnia was great, but also the first place you’d expect Hollywood to go when looking for another way to cash in on the LOTR craze. It’s C.S. Lewis after all. Everything else that’s been done in the fantasy genre so far has met mixed results. Eragon for instance, is by all accounts a god awful film, a knockoff that borrows story ideas from other books and films. The whole genre is on the verge of becoming very stale. More Narnia sequels, more Harry Potter movies, more bad knockoffs with dragons and young farmboys fulfilling some mumbo jumbo prophecy. Come on Hollywood, there’s more to fantasy than this.

The more I’m thinking of is Neil Gaiman, one of the few truly original fantasy writers out there. His books aren’t a knockoff of Tolkien or C.S. Lewis, but a completely different mix of the bizarre and surreal. Gaiman’s a fantastic, dark, and sometime disturbed writer and it’s about time his books became movies. It’s happening, and they’re starting with Stardust.

Matthew Vaughn is adapting it, and you might remember him as the guy who almost directed X-Men 3 but didn’t. At the time his take on the franchise has people worried, but in retrospect it might have been at least better than the mediocre effects fest Ratner ended up making. Stardust will be our chance to see how good or bad a Matthew Vaughn directed X-Men movie might have been.

As for the film itself, there’s great potential here for this thing to turn cheesy. It has a suspicious Legend vibe going for it. You know, the movie where young Tom Cruise runs around in a speedo and wraps his milky thighs around the broad back of unicorn. Not good. But I trust in the greatness of Gaiman’s work to shine through, no matter who is adapting it. Vaughn will have to intentionally set out to sabotage it to completely ruin it. Give Stardust a chance.

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So the rumor that caught fire last week was that two time Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz has signed on for a mysterious role in Bond 24. So naturally, people think that his role is that of the film's latest villain. After all, this is the man who won his first Oscar playing famed "Jew Hunter" Col. Hans Landa. Django Unchained or not, Waltz made his first great impression as an antagonist, and a brilliant one at that. This just makes us think that if Waltz is going to be a baddie in the Bond franchise, he's probably going to be the greatest baddie of all: Ernst Stavro Blofeld.

A little background for the uninitiated, Ernst Stavro Blofeld ran the criminal organization SPECTRE, a shorthand acronym for "Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion." Blofeld's organization was behind the evil plots showcased in Dr. No all the way through to Diamonds Are Forever. In the course of those seven films, James Bond was foiling Blofeld's underlings left and right, until he finally took the fight to Blofeld himself in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Just when we thought the fight was over, Blofeld put a hit out on Bond's newly wedded wife and terrorized him for two more outings.

Many Faces Of Blofeld

Blofeld's name was never overtly mentioned in his final appearance in For Your Eyes Only, the reason being that the character was successfully made the property of writer Kevin McClory after a legal dispute. However, last fall the Bond franchise acquired the rights from McClory's estate, allowing them to once again have Blofeld and SPECTRE on hand for their filmmaking purposes.

This brings us to today, as the James Bond franchise has passed its 50th anniversary, and is in full reboot swing. This is the perfect time to cast an actor with as much gravitas and gleeful anarchy as Christoph Waltz has to play the part of the biggest baddie in the history of the James Bond series. If there's any move that the producers could use to drum up tons upon tons of continued interest in the franchise, especially considering it's flying high and only has Daniel Craig for two more films, then that move would be to resurrect SPECTRE as 007’s greatest enemy.

Bringing SPECTRE and Blofeld back into the fold would not only draw older Bond fans, it would also offer a nice through line into the next actor that takes up the Walther PPK. Imagine it: Bond is presumed dead on Craig's last op against Blofeld and his crew, only to come back in Bond 26, fresh faced and ready for action. While the Bond we see on the screen would be new, the villains would still be in play from before, thus lending an air of familiarity. With any luck, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Naomie Harris will also renew their contracts, thus leaving 007as the only new face to adapt to in the future sequel.

Though James Bond fans have been burned before, especially considering how many times Kevin Spacey was hinted at for a villainous role in recent Bond history, only for it not to happen, it would be nice to have Christoph Waltz confirmed as the next man to strike fear in our hearts the way that Donald Pleasence, Telly Savalas and Charles Grey before him could. Should Waltz be cast, but not end up playing Blofeld this time around, that's perfectly fine. Still, it’s what we’re hoping for.

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Hiroshi Nishikiori, Yoshikazu Miyao
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On behalf of my daughter.

Marilyn - posted on 01/02/2016 ( no moms have responded yet )

My daughters baby is 2 and a half months old. She fussed terribly at the breat and after sometime they thought she has a Posteria tongue tie. In the en diagnosis was incorrect. In that time we had to give her breast milk in a bottle and breast.
It is now become a problem that her milk supply has swindled. She is on 4 Eglonyl to increase ( when she was about 2months old breastfeeding was going better and she had a good supply of milk and after every feed she would express to give her a top up if need be) she is also,
on fenugreek. baby drinks then fussy when milk is not coming out and then refuses point blank to take the boob. Then my daughter reverts to the bottle and sometimes she fusses on the bottle also. She is desperate for help. I really mean it.

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Folk Oasis Episode September 16, 2010

Broadcast on 08-Sep-2010

8:28am - 9:59am

Well, summer's about over and we at Folk Oasis hope you enjoyed it! A little under 2 hours of eclectic roots music tonight - mostly new releases from across Canada and the U.S.A.
As always, many thanks for listening, and a special hi to all my fellow Virgos who are celebrating birthdays this month. Amusez-vous bien!


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Americans are getting poorer, and it's going to get worse

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Posted on Thu, Sep. 10, 2009

Most US citizens slowly sinking as

top segment makes off with the

lion’s share

By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers

First posted September 11, 2009 03:47:59 PM

Soup kitchen in 1936. Not unimaginable any more.

WASHINGTON — The early impact of the worst recession since the 1930s pushed median incomes down, forced millions more people into poverty and left more Americans without health care in 2008, according to new annual survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Poor people, working people, blacks, Hispanics and children bore a disproportionate share of the hardship. The new figures, however, likely understate the severity of the economic downturn because a large portion of nation’s job losses and unemployment rate increases occurred after the Census survey data was collected in March as part of the annual Current Population Survey.

The poor performances of key economic and social indicators come as little surprise, since the recession officially began in December 2007 and continued to create economic carnage for 18 months before appearing to bottom out over the summer.

_ Along the way, the nation’s real median income — the point at which half the nation earns less and half more — fell 3.6 percent from $52,163 in 2007 to $50,303 in 2008. That was the first such decline in three years and the worst in the first year of any recession since Census Bureau began collecting the data during World War II, said Lawrence F. Katz, an economics professor at Harvard University.

_ Men and women were both affected. Full-time working men saw their median incomes fall by 1 percent from $46,846 to $46,367, while female earnings declined by 1.9 percent, from $36,451 to $35,745.

_ The worst is yet to come. “This is just the beginning, or the tip of the iceberg because 2008 was not nearly as bad an economy as 2009,” Katz said. The average unemployment rate in 2008 was 5.8 percent, up from 4.6 percent in 2007. That pales in comparison with the 9 percent average unemployment rate so far this year, and it’s likely to increase. August unemployment was 9.7 percent, and it’s expected to peak above 10 percent in the months to come.

_ Because real median household income is 4.2 percent lower than it was in 2000, Katz said, “We’ve basically seen a lost decade for the American family,” with only the top earning families doing better now than they were in 2000.

The national poverty rate also hit its highest level since 1997, jumping to 13.2 percent in 2008 from 12.5 percent in 2007. The increase meant that 39.8 million people lived below the poverty line, the most since 1960. That’s up from 37.3 million in 2007. For children, the poverty rate hit 19 percent, or 14.1 million youngsters in 2008. That means 35.3 percent of the nation’s poor in 2008 were under age 18.

Heidi Shierholz, an economist with the liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute, estimated that 25 percent of U.S. children would be in poverty next year and 26.6 percent in 2010. “This would represent an increase of 10.4 percentage points from 2000 to 2010 — truly a lost decade,” Shierholz said.

Meanwhile, the number of people without health insurance increased from 45.7 million in 2007 to 46.3 million in 2008, even though the percentage of uninsured Americans didn’t change, at 15.4 percent. About 46 percent of the nation’s uninsured are non-Hispanic whites, but as a group, 11 percent of non-Hispanic whites lack coverage,compared with 19 percent of blacks and 31 percent of Hispanics. About 45 percent of noncitizens lack coverage.

Following President Barack Obama’s Wednesday night speech to Congress in which he stressed the need for comprehensive health care legislation, many supporters used the new Census estimates to support Obama’s call for change.

At the Yorkville Common Pantry, an emergency meal program in East Harlem, Joel Berg, the executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, said the troubling numbers underscore the need for health reform. “Today’s new numbers make it clearer than ever that lack of health insurance and inability to pay medical bills is one of the greatest contributing factors to poverty and hunger in America,” Berg said. “People in poor health rarely earn significant wealth.”

Henry E. Simmons, President of the National Coalition on Health Care, another group pushing for reform, said the Census data also shows that more than 600,000 adults who earn more than $75,000 a year also lost coverage in 2008. “The problem of (the uninsured) is not confined to the less affluent. More middle-income Americans are losing their health insurance coverage,” Simmons said.

As in previous economic downturns, public health coverage through government-run programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program helped cover many people otherwise would’ve gone without. Enrollment in Medicaid and SCHIP alone increased by 3 million in 2008.

This expanded coverage caused the number of uninsured children to fall from 8.1 million or 11 percent in 2007 to 7.3 million of 9.9 percent in 2008. “This was the lowest number (and percentage) of children without health insurance since 1987,” said David Johnson, who heads the Census Bureau’s housing and household economics statistics division.

Many experts think the 2008 data substantially understates how many people lack health coverage today because the unemployment rate in 2008 ranged from 4.8 to 7.2 percent compared with 9.7 percent in August.

Ron Pollack, the executive director of the health care advocacy group, Families USA, said every percentage point increase in the unemployment rate adds about 1.1 million people to the uninsured rolls. He estimates that 50 million Americans now lack coverage.

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Insurance company files suit against city

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By Calen McKinney

A Louisville insurance company has filed suit against the city, claiming that it failed to maintain a stop sign that caused a crash on South Central Avenue.

Louisville attorney Craig Hazelet Clark filed suit in Taylor Circuit Court on behalf of American National Property & Casualty Co. of Louisville on July 31. City of Campbellsville is listed as the defendant.

According to the claim, ANPAC provides insurance for Jody Gomez, who owns a vehicle that was involved in a crash in Campbellsville on April 23, 2011.

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Monday, January 24, 2011

Barco At Temple Bar TradFest

Barco, the band formed by Cormac, Fionán en Eamonn De Barra (all from the Moya Brennan band) will perform on 29 -30 January, during the upcoming Temple Bar TradFest. From the festival website: "The virtuoso musical brothers of the De Barra family will fill The Ark’s theatre space with a lively medley of contemporary and traditional Irish sounds. They’ll also be joined by a very special guest or two." For more look at the Ark events website.

1 comment:

Barry said...

Thanks Ed, it's a good job that and the Clannad/Leo & Baba documentary is only a few doors away - that leaves five minutes to race down the street!


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2011-09-08 / Obituaries

Justin Reginald “Reggie” Newton Sr., 57, of Thomasville died Aug. 31, 2011 in Thomasville.

He was born June 20, 1954 in Fulton. He was a United States Army Veteran. He was a truck driver.

Survivors include his wife, Denise B. Newton, Thomasville; three sons, Roger Newton, John Smith, Justin Newton, all of Thomasville; two daughters, Amber Ogle, Thomasville, Misti Motley, Billingsley; four brothers, William Newton, Thomasville, Floyd Newton, Coffeeville, Terry Newton, Phillips, Wisconsin, Michael Newton, Wimberly, Ala.; one sister, Tonette Barnes, Thomasville; seven grandchildren.

A graveside service was Sept. 3 at 11 a.m. at Choctaw Corner Cemetery with Rev. William Gibbons officiating.

Active pallbearers were Heath Bishop, Rocky Newton, Steven Newton, Jared Ogle, Wade Bishop and Bryant Newton.

Honorary pallbearers were Robbie Bradley, Jimmy Nelson and his truck driving buddies.

Condolences may be offered at www.obryantchapelfh.com.

O’Bryant Chapel Funeral Home of Thomasville directed.

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