text:
Closer to the Sun

You thought the peak of Everest was Earth’s highest point? Think again. Damian Hall climbs to the heavens on the dormant Ecuadoran volcano Chimborazo.

F orget Everest. The glacier-covered summit of Ecuador’s Volcán Chimborazo is the highest point on Earth.

The sleeping volcano may be 6310 metres above sea level to Everest’s 8848 metres, but, because of our planet’s equatorial bulge, the Andean peak is actually nearer to the sun than its more illustrious Himalayan rival — and any other mountain in the world.

Is Chimborazo harder to climb than Everest? Well, no. But for me, climbing Chimborazo was the most exhausting experience of my 35 years of life. Its name is still a swear word to me and it also sent me genuinely loopy for a bit.

Sky high

When I arrived in Riobamba, the capital of Chimborazo province in central Ecuador, I went to a local guiding company to arrange the climb and hire equipment. I was told I should acclimatise for three days, but I wouldn’t be there long enough. Altitude sickness, which can be lethal, is a real risk anywhere above 4000m. In Riobamba, which is at 2754m, the air already felt thin and elusive. But some people adapt to altitude faster than others and I just had to hope I was one of those lucky ones. I was advised to eat pasta and drink lots of coca-leaf tea to combat any sickness. The plant is used to produce cocaine, though it’s not nearly as exciting to drink as that makes it sound.

At the appointed time I met up with my fellow climber, Pierre, a Frenchman about my age, and our guide, Juan, who looked exactly like a girl I used to work with but with thighs that would make Cadell Evans feel inadequate. I asked him how many of his clients get to the top of Chimborazo. “About half,” said Juan, avoiding eye contact.

After an hour’s drive and an hour’s upward walk through scree and loose boulders, we were at the refugio, a wooden hut that marks the point where the serious climbing starts. This is at 5000m, so we had another 1310m to go.

The plan was to climb at midnight, when the snow is firmest and safest. We waited out the afternoon and evening with card games, chat and short walks in the snow with the other climbers in the refugio. Sleep was impossible at this altitude.

With balaclavas and headlamps on, Juan, Pierre and I left the hut at 11.30pm. The temperature was -10°C and Juan had made it clear that we had to make fast progress or we’d turn back. I developed a light headache that got rapidly worse and, when we stopped to attach crampons, I alerted Juan as instructed. He gave me an aspirin and the pain subsided.

Up, up and a break

It was relentlessly steep. Every step involved bringing a knee up beyond a right angle, often near to my chest. After about two hours of climbing in the dark, an exhausted Pierre called out for a break. The only reason I hadn’t done so was because I didn’t want to be the first to show weakness. I was shattered. My thighs were burning white-hot. I’d thought I was in good shape. I’d walked from coast to coast in England a few weeks earlier. But it was soon my turn to call out for a rest. Breathing was a battle. I had saved my iPod for when I started hurting and now seemed a good time for the Rocky soundtrack. But my flaky iPod died on the spot, killed by the cold.

At around 6am it was suddenly light, as if someone had lifted the blinds. Snow-topped peaks were all around us, if mostly below, and I felt like a figurine atop an iced cake. The views gave me a much-needed boost, until I reached for my water bottle for a celebratory swig and found it had gone AWOL.

As our calls for rests became more frequent, Juan grew more impatient. He knew our window of opportunity was closing. Soon the volcano would be unsafe. I was beginning to realise we might not make it.

“Are we at 6000m yet?” Pierre asked. It was almost exactly where we were. “That’s it, I can’t go on,” he said. I was surprised — surprised that it wasn’t me who had failed the test. And secretly pleased that it was over. But Juan had other ideas.

Wish Listo

Juan spotted another guide just in front of us, who he knew. Juan called out, they exchanged some Spanish and he said, “Damian, you can go with them.” Well yes, I could… but even though I found myself fantasising about a taking a blissful bath back in Riobamba, I knew I had to go on. There was only 300m left to climb. I scrambled to catch up the other group, then roped myself up to the guide’s American client.

My new guide, David, asked, “Listo?” — “Ready?” It was a word I would hate by the end of the climb.

From here on my memory is vague and dreamy. As the sun beat down, there seemed to be just one colour all around, a kind of hazy, ethereal white. We climbed up and up, sometimes dragged on the rope by David. At some point it got flatter and I’m pretty certain we made the summit at around 7.30am.

But like some kind of monster from Greek mythology, Chimborazo has multiple heads. I don’t remember agreeing to climb to a second, higher, summit, but we headed towards it.

Half an hour later, I flopped to the floor at the highest summit. The views were sensational — I think.

I felt limp and mangled but contented, a bit like someone who’s just finished a marathon. However, I was only halfway through this marathon. Around 80 percent of mountaineering accidents happen on the way down the mountain and I was running on empty.

Down time

The descent was harder. The hot sun, no water to drink, the increasingly dangerous slushy snow and a guide intent on hurrying us along. Most of the time I let the rope pull me along.

I remember expecting my legs to simply give up and refuse to move, and I wanted to lie down in the soft snow and go to sleep.

The American was as white-faced as I imagine I was. Occasionally, I’d offer him some encouraging inanity, but I couldn’t understand his replies. Every half hour or so, or maybe every couple of minutes, I either called for a “momentito” (a small moment) or just plonked myself down on the snow like a petulant teenager. After just 10 or 20 seconds David would say “Listo?” more as a command than a question, and we’d be off again.

At one point David himself stopped. A rest? No such luck. Helmets on, he instructed, we had to run. As I stumbled along as fast as I could, rocks the size of laptops bounced and whizzed past me.

I finally understood the haste. The volcano was warming up and, as it did, so it shook itself. That’s what was sending killer rocks spraying out.

It got even weirder after that. Once, I blacked out while walking and woke up on my knees. Another time, I awoke sliding. I put more snow under my hat and down my back, to try to stay awake. I remember laughing out loud to myself at one point. And hallucinating. I was sure some of my friends were having a picnic on a nearby mound.

Tenth heaven

I finally stumbled into the refugio about 13 hours after we’d left it. After a long drink, I discovered that of the six groups to attempt the second summit that morning, we were one of only two to make it. The guiding company later told me that only about 10 percent of their clients get to the very top.

When I fell into bed back in Riobamba I’d been awake for about 40 hours. But with adrenaline racing around me like a Scalextric car, I couldn’t sleep for another two hours.

It took me a few days to realise the guide, David, whose name I’d been cursing, was heroic. His refusal to allow me to rest for too long possibly saved my life. And I was too tired to remember to tip him. Perhaps I’ll go back and do it again, so I can give him a few dollars. Or perhaps not.

When to go

Generally, climbing and trekking in the Andes is best in the drier months between May and September. However, Chimborazo is accessible for most of the year — December to January is a good time.

Getting there

Fly from Sydney or Melbourne to Santiagio for between $2100 and $2500 return, then get a flight to Quito and a bus to Riobamba.

Getting around

Buses are very cheap, regular and the network is comprehensive, although some of the journeys can seem as dangerous as climbing a bloody volcano.

Guide book

There are plenty of books, but the most popular among climbers seems to be Ecuador: The Bradt Climbing And Hiking Guide by Rob Rachowiecki and Mark Thurber.

Climbing guide

Lots to choose between, including Andes Adventures (, Gulliver Travel (, RainForestur ( and Julio Verne Travel ( Expect to pay around $180-$210, which covers food, transport and kit (including boots, crampons and ice axe). And don’t forget to tip your guide generously.

Ecuador’s official currency has been US dollars since 2000. A budget hotel costs around $8 a night.

You’ll get by OK in tourist regions with a Spanish phrasebook. If you really can’t manage a word of the Spanish language, make sure you get an English-speaking mountain guide.

If you have a valid Australian passport, they’re granted on arrival.

For more on ecuador, visit

Give these alternative South American adventures a go.

1. Lost City Trek — Colombia

Billed as Colombia’s Inca Trail, this six-day trek takes you through the Colombian jungle to ancient Indian ruins. It’s not as spectacular as Peru’s version (see below) but not as busy either. If you like a frisson of danger while on your adventure, this trek goes past a cocaine factory.

2. Amazon River — Brazil, Peru and Colombia

Various adventure nuts have used the world’s second-longest river for extreme escapades. People have walked the length of it, and paddled it in a kayak and raft. In 2007, Martin Strel, a 52-year-old Slovenian, swam its entire length while drinking two bottles of wine a day. You’ll probably want to stick to rafting.

3. Inca Treks — Peru

Peru’s famous Inca Trail, a four-day walk through the Andes to the mountain kingdom of Machu Picchu, is brilliant but busy. There are several excellent alternative treks, some of which still involve Machu Picchu, that offer amazing Andean scenery.

4. Mount Aconcagua — Argentina

At 6962 metres, Aconcagua is the highest peak in the Americas, the highest outside the Himalayas and one of the Seven Summits (a group of the highest peaks on every continent). It’s not a particularly technical climb and is accessible to people without mountaineering experience, although the altitude poses difficulties and a guide is strongly recommended.

5. Patagonia — Chile and Argentina

Trekking in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park will be unforgettable although, like the Inca Trail, it’s extremely popular. But Patagonia is a vast ice kingdom full of glaciers, incredible hikes, good rock climbing and classical mountaineering that’s worth the trip however you do it.


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Truncated: length

WARC-Type: response

text:
Breaking News

Hundreds of registered nurses plan to strike two San Jose hospitals on May 23 and 24 in a lengthy dispute over wages, benefits, pensions and staffing levels.

Members of the California Nurses Association-National Nurses United announced they will walk out of Good Samaritan Hospital and Regional Medical Center, both of which are affiliated with the Hospital Corporation of America.

The strike coincides with the final day of a seven-day walkout that the union has organized against Sutter Health hospitals in the East Bay.

Leaders of the San Jose hospitals could not be immediately reached to determine whether they plan to bring in replacement workers on longer contracts and lock out the striking nurses until those contracts end, as some hospitals have done in the past.

The union held a strike against the same hospitals on the day before Christmas last year.

blog comments powered by Disqus

More in News

warcinfo:
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-185-224-210.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2017-22
operator: Common Crawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for May 2017
publisher: Common Crawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf


text:
Skip to Content

Nuclear Medicine

The Department of Medical Imaging provides the full gamut of nuclear imaging studies. This includes:

  • bone scans
  • renal scans
  • lung (V/Q) scans
  • white blood cell scans for infection.

The gastrointestinal imaging studies that are performed include:

  • Gastroesophageal reflux
  • GI bleeding and gastric emptying studies
  • Meckel’s scans.

Thyroid uptake and scanning are performed using I 123. Thyroid treatment with I 131 is also provided. Gated heart scans (MUGA) are performed to evaluate left ventricular function and cardiac nuclear stress testing is performed in conjunction with the heart station.

Learn how to prepare for your test.

Schedule Your Imaging Procedure

Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital

Mercy Philadelphia Hospital

Nazareth Hospital

Share Page

A Member of Trinity Health

© 2017 Mercy Health System   |   All Rights Reserved.   |   Privacy Policy   |   Non-Discrimination Policy


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

text:
Submit :
News                      Photos                     Just In                     Debate Topic                     Latest News                    Articles                    Local News                    Blog Posts                     Pictures                    Reviews                    Recipes
Read all Latest News and Updates from Gurgaon
Now CCTVs will curb absenteeism in HUDA offices: A look at Praveen Kumar's strategy
This maverick administrator is all geared up to change the face of Millennium City and following his out of box ideas, he has now proposed to install CCTV cameras to curb the menace of absenteeism in the HUDA offices.

THE HUDA administrator is firing on all guns in a bid to improve the work-culture in the department. In a latest move, Dr Praveen Kumar has decided to install CCTV cameras in the HUDA offices in next three months. This step comes after the administrator witnessed the problems of absenteeism first hand in the department.

According to The Times of India, the cameras will be installed in the HUDA offices including the residences and the camp offices of the administrator and the idea is to ensure that the employees are at the desk during office hours. “CCTVs will be procured and installed at all the offices. The CCTV footage will be accessed by computers installed in the offices of senior officials." The CCTV will be installed in all floors and corridors of the HUDA offices,” Kumar told the paper.

The understaffed department is struggling with the problem and the administrator had instructed the Estate office to carry out surprise check but this hasn’t helped too much. Now the administrator is banking on the CCTV footage that will be monitored by the senior officials.

Kumar created a storm in the city after carrying out demolition with few security guards during the dead of the night. Not only this, he has proposed and started to implement out-of-box ideas to make sure that the face of Gurgaon is changed completely. Recently, he proposed a test for the engineers working with the department. The engineers failed to answer some basic questions and that forced Kumar to propose a test for them. He had even gone to the extent of saying that all those engineers who fail the test would be transferred to other wings.

He surprised the residents after he was found inspecting the cleaning work in the sectors at 5 o’ clock in the morning. Fearing that he might turn up anytime, sweepers and cleaners could be seen tending to garbage in the wee hours every day.

On Monday, the maverick administrator sealed marble and furniture shops in Sikanderpur and even declared that the sealed items would be distributed among needy people, hospitals and social organisations. Marble worth crores was seized during the drive that continued from dawn to dusk.

He has been seen managing the traffic, speaking to people through public address systems and convincing people to take away their belongings before carrying out demolitions across the city.

Editorial NOTE: This article is categorized under Opinion Section. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of In case you have a opposing view, please click here to share the same in the comments section.
Email Id
Verification Code
Email me on reply to my comment
Email me when other CJs comment on this article
Sign in to set your preference
merinews for RTI activists

Not finding what you are looking for? Search here.


text:
The Tempest First Night & Colin Morgan’s Performance Review by Donna

ShareTweet I have watched and admired Colin Morgan from the beginning of Merlin. This young actor with a cheeky smile and twinkle in his eye. I bought Island & Parked and fell in love with his talent and skill and … Continue reading


text:
Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Seeking the Spirit

I'm going offline for a couple of days, kids. Hoping to find a little of this year's particularly elusive holiday spirit. I'll let you know if I find it along the way.

Until then, I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy Hanukkah. May you be surrounded by love and peace. And again, thank you to each and every one of you who reads this blog and a very special, heartfelt word of gratitude to all who sent such lovely words and thoughts in these recent challenging days. You are lovely people.

Proof of Life.
I'm still here.
(Merujo by Merujo by accident)

j.m. tewkesbury said...

Beautiful self-portrait, M.

Sending warm thoughts your way. Merry Christmas!

speener said...

Merry Christmas to you also. Hope you have luck finding that holiday spirit.


text:
Tow Ropes

  • Unlike nylon, which stretches 35 - 40%, "Custom Rope" only stretches 12%. With only a 12% stretch, it does not have the dangerous recoil that nylon ropes have.
  • The new synthetic fiber, a 'state of the art' technology, is milled from a bonded mono-filament type of industrial rope yarn that keeps the rope cooler under tension.
  • It is more durable and resistant to hazardous chemicals, including diesel fuel, battery acid, oil, gasoline, hydraulic fluid, and fertilizer. All of which deteriorate nylon ropes.
  • unconditional repair policy offers free repair of cut or broken ropes, regardless of age


text:
Automotive Stamper Announces $6.4 Million Expansion

Thursday, October 01, 2009
Ralco Industries Inc., Pontiac, MI, announced plans to invest $6.4 million to expand to a larger facility, thanks in part to state tax credits worth a combined $2.6 million over seven years. The tax credit helped to convince the firm to expand in Michigan rather than move to a competing site in Tennessee.

Ralco, which according to its website “specializes in converting expensive castings into low-cost welded assemblies for automotive exhaust-gas-recirculation (EGR) systems,” expects to hire 100 additional workers as part of its expansion. It also manufactures steering components, suspension and chassis brackets, seating components and other automotive parts.

Reader Comments

There are no comments posted at this time.

Post a Comment

* Indicates field is required.

YOUR COMMENTS * (You may use html to format)

Visit Our Sponsors


text:
AC/DC - Ballbreaker

7.4 | 277 votes |
Release date: September 1995
Style: Hard rock, Blues rock

400 have it
14 want it
2 trade it

01. Hard As A Rock
02. Cover You In Oil
03. The Furor
04. Boogie Man
05. The Honey Roll
06. Burnin' Alive
07. Hail Caesar
08. Love Bomb
09. Caught With Your Pants Down
10. Whiskey On The Rocks
11. Ballbreaker

Found in 3 lists
Top lists

Comments: 1   Visited by: 26 users
26.02.2016 - 17:37
Bad English
When I was I my teens this was an awesome album, great one, now I do not think so, I don't know why. Brian's outfit was awesome, jeans, t shirt, an ultimal metal dude (yes I thought it was metal back than) anyway ... SSUS some job is coming to you :p
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing

Hits total: 6031 | This month: 32


text:
Art/ Collection/ Art Object

Silk Animal Carpet

Object Name:
second half 16th century
Made in Iran, probably Kashan
Silk (warp, weft, and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Rug: L. 94 7/8 in. (241 cm) W. 70 1/16 in. (178 cm) Mount: L. 103 1/4 in. (262.3 cm) W. 78 in. (198.1 cm) D. 3 in. (7.6 cm) Wt. 206 lbs. (93.4 kg)
Credit Line:
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number:
Not on view
This silk rug demonstrates the part played by the miniaturist in designing rug cartoons. Neither the symmetry usually associated with carpet designs nor the repeat patterns of textiles is evident here. Animals, including fantastic beasts of Chinese origin, arranged singly or in groups, are pictorially laid out in a landscape of flowering plants. As in most Persian carpets, the animals are engaged in combat—possibly evoking the underlying symbolism of a cosmological order dating back to pre-Islamic times as well as referring to the hunt, a symbol of royal power.
This celebrated rug was donated to the Metropolitan Museum in 1913 by Benjamin Altman, along with two others of the same class but with different patterns (see no. 14.40.715 for one of the others). A fourth carpet was added to the Museum’s holdings in 1958. Together these pieces form the largest cluster of so-called Kashan silk rugs in any collection.[1] Overall, the class of silk rugs associated with sixteenth-century Kashan consists of twenty examples. Four of them are large, the two most famous being the great hunting carpets in the Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Vienna, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, which combine centralized medallion designs with figural representations of humans and animals engaged in a hunt. The other sixteen are much smaller. Two main pattern types appear in the small rugs: one is figural, with rows of animals, while the other features central medallions of various shapes—quatrefoil, quatrefoil framed by a band, octafoil, and ogival, occasionally with figural elements used in a secondary way.[2] Remarkably, the Metropolitan’s cluster includes one animal rug and three different medallion types.
The Altman animal carpet has a field pattern consisting of rows of natural and mythical or supernatural animals and animal combats set amid an array of plants and landscape elements. The arrangement is pictorial, meaning that it is intended to be viewed from one side or end. The main border features two palmettes alternating with birds, probably golden pheasants, arranged to provide the same reciprocal rhythm as the more common vinescroll patterns. Three other small animal carpets survive, all of which use part of this same pattern for the field, sometimes repeating entire rows of figures.[3] In fact, there is an interchangeability of pattern elements and specific designs in all of the small Kashan rugs: similar border or medallion forms appear several times, suggesting the use of a pattern book of designs.
The hunting carpets possess the sumptuous materials (silk brocaded with metal thread), fine weave, and superb drawing and balance that one would expect in court furnishings. Furthermore, the theme of the hunt itself is associated with kings, and specific pattern elements have been linked to particular artists working in the royal book atelier.[4] These hunting carpets can be dated to 1530 or 1540, when artistic production at and for the court of Shah Tahmasp (r. 1524–76) was at its peak. The small rugs have enough features in common with the hunting carpets—materials, structure, medallion forms, secondary border patterns, and individual motifs—that they probably come from the same looms although somewhat later, over the course of the second half of the sixteenth century. Although the small rugs have long been said to lack the brocading of metal thread abundant in the hunting carpets, at least one of them includes metal thread (see no. 14.40.715). The animal rugs probably date from closer to mid-century, while the rugs with a central medallion framed by a band are more likely to come near the century’s end, as the same pattern appears in a Polonaise rug dating from the end of the sixteenth or beginning of the seventeenth century.[5]
At the same time, there are significant differences between the two subgroups—in size, in the complexity of the patterns, even in the colors. The hunting carpets have a softer palette based on salmon pink and green, with similar value and little contrast (an effect heightened by fading), while the small rugs have a brighter palette and greater contrast. But the coloring of the small rugs is consistent with the palette used in sixteenth-century Persian carpets in general, while the more pastel hues of the hunting carpets seem exceptional (it should be noted that the salmon pink and green of the hunting carpets are in fact present in the small later rugs, but never in such a predominant way).
The hunting carpets were surely made on order for the Safavid court, perhaps to satisfy some special need. There is no evidence that there was any export market for Persian carpets until about the middle of the century. Yet at the same moment that Shah Tahmasp’s patronage of the arts waned and many of his court artists sought employment at other courts, imported Persian carpets appear in European inventories for the first time, probably as high-end producers adjusted to market realities. Medici inventories in Italy as well as Braganza inventories in Portugal indicate that Persian animal rugs made of silk and gold and silver thread, in sizes consistent with the small Kashan rugs, were imported during the 1560s and 1570s.[6] Two rugs of this class have been in Italy and Portugal since at least the nineteenth century and perhaps much longer.[7] The small silk Kashans thus likely represent the evolution of court furnishings into a more commercial product that satisfied both local and foreign demands.
Daniel Walker in [Ekhtiar, Soucek, Canby, and Haidar 2011]
1. The four Metropolitan Museum rugs are published in Walker, Daniel. "Metropolitan Quartet." Hali, no. 76 (August–September 1994), pp. 104–7, 120.
2. Discussions of the small rugs are found in Riefstahl 1916, pp. 147ff.; Erdmann 1970, pp. 61–65; Herrmann, Eberhart. "A Great Discovery." Hali, no. 36 (October–December 1987), pp. 48–51, 105–6; and Walker, D. 1994 (see footnote 1).
3. The other small animal rugs belong to the Detroit Institute of Arts (no. 25.23), the Musee du Louvre, Paris (no. 6741), and the Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran.
4. For the Vienna hunting carpet, see Völker, Angela. Die orientalischen Knüpfteppiche im MAK. Österreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst. Vienna, Cologne, and Weimar, 2001, pp. 198–203. For the Boston hunting carpet, see articles by Ettinghausen, Dimand, Salmon, and Welch (all 1971) in the Boston Museum Bulletin, vol. 69. Regarding the identification of artists’ hands, see Welch, S. C. 1971, in the same bulletin.
5. Pope 1938, vol. 6, pl. 1245.
6. For the Medici inventories, see Spallanzani, Marco. "Carpets at the Medici Court in the Second Half of the Sixteenth Century." Oriental Art 6 (2009), pp. 206–9, pp. 206–9. For the Braganza records, see Hallett, Jessica, pp. 97–103, in Thompson, Jon, Daniel Shaffer, and Pirjetta Mildh, eds. Carpets and Textiles in the Iranian World 1400–1700: Proceedings of the Conference held at the Ashmolean Museum on 30–31 August 2003. Oxford and Genoa, 2010.
7. The medallion rug with animals now in the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, was acquired by Bode in Milan in 1890, and the banded medallion rug in the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro, Coimbra, may well have come to Portugal long ago.
Prince Princezza, Evora, Portugal; Edouard Chappey, Paris (until 1907; sale Galerie Georges Petit,Paris, June 5–7, 1907, lot 1912, sold to Altman); Benjamin Altman, New York (1907–d. 1913; bequeathed to MMA)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Four Silk Kashan Rugs," August 2, 1994–February 5, 1994, no catalogue.

Harari, Ralph, and Richard Ettinghausen. A Survey of Persian Art from Prehistoric Times to the Present, edited by Arthur Upham Pope. Vol. I-VI. London and New York: Oxford University Press, 1938. ill. vol. 6, pl. 1245, (related).

Dimand, Maurice S. A Handbook of Muhammadan Art. 2nd rev. and enl. ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1944. p. 293, ill. fig. 194 (b/w).

Erdmann, Kurt. Seven Hundred Years of Oriental Carpets, edited by Hanna Erdmann. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1970. pp. 61–65.

Dimand, Maurice S., and Jean Mailey. Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1973. no. 13, pp. 101, 142-143, ill. fig. 79.

Ellis, Charles. Oriental Carpets in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1988. p. 171.

Ekhtiar, Maryam, Sheila R. Canby, Navina Haidar, and Priscilla P. Soucek, ed. Masterpieces from the Department of Islamic Art in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1st ed. ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011. no. 182, pp. 4, 261-263, ill. p. 262 (color).

Related Objects

Silk Kashan Carpet

Date: 16th century Medium: Silk (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile Accession: 58.46 On view in:Gallery 455

Date: first half 17th century Medium: Silk, metal-wrapped thread; tapestry weave Accession: 31.70 On view in:Gallery 458

Date: first half 17th century Medium: Silk, metal wrapped thread; tapestry weave Accession: 51.197 On view in:Gallery 458

Date: late 16th–early 17th century Medium: Silk, metal wrapped thread; tapestry weave Accession: 43.84 On view in:Gallery 458

The Anhalt Medallion Carpet

Date: probably first half 16th century Medium: Cotton (warp), silk (weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile Accession: 46.128 On view in:Gallery 462


text:
Metrolink Passenger Service Representatives

We have a team of over 70 Passenger Service Representatives who attend to the safety and security of passengers. They are responsible for:

  • Providing customer service assistance to passengers, in particular during periods of service disruption and for special events.
  • Providing a visible presence on the Metrolink system to ensure passengers feel safe and secure.
  • Deterring and dealing with incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.
  • Ensuring all passengers are travelling with a valid ticket or pass and reducing fare evasion. They will issue standard fares of £100 to anyone travelling without a valid ticket or pass.
Travel Safe Officers

Passenger Service Representatives who have been accredited by Greater Manchester Police have powers to issue fixed penalty notices, take the names and addresses of people acting in an anti-social manner and confiscate alcohol and tobacco.

"Secure Station" accreditation

As well as the safety and security measures we already have in place on the Metrolink network we are rolling out a programme for all of our stops to gain ‘secure station’ status. This is a national accreditation which is awarded to a station or stop that has reached a certain standard in design and management, crime statistics and passenger feedback.

Further security initiatives

We’re working closely with Greater Manchester Police to further improve safety and security on the Metrolink system. We are developing relationships with neighbourhood police units to share intelligence and carry out joint operations to tackle anti-social behaviour and to provide an additional security presence on the network.


text:
One of my specialties is working with women who have a history of Trauma in their lives.  The Trauma can be small or large.  This experience can be due to many things including being a victim of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse.

A traumatic reaction can also occur due to a loss (miscarriage, still born, traumatic delivery or death of a loved one) or abandonment. I see many women in my practice that struggle with Attachment Trauma. This is where they did not develop a healthy, loving attachment with their mother or caregiver. This absence and/or toxic relationship shapes the way women deal with adversities, develop/utilize their coping skills, and engage in interactions with loved ones, employers, children etc.

Often women will present with many different symptoms including anxiety, depression, rage, numbness, racing thoughts, self-mutilation, addictive behavior (drugs, drinking) and more. This is just the way their body is remembering what happened and helping them to survive their ordeal.

I believe in encouraging safety and appropriate boundaries first with women. I then utilize the mind/body connection to promote healing from the trauma, while encouraging empowerment, confidence, and resiliency.

Depending on the severity of the symptoms, some women have 2 sessions a week or one 90 min session. I also encourage adjunctive therapies for some women including: art therapy, drumming, exercise groups, yoga, therapeutic massage, psychotropic medication, and EMDR. These supportive therapies assist women in developing healthier ways to cope with the past.

Completed additional education and training in this area

Janina Fisher’s “Working with the Neurobiological Legacy of Trauma” Levels 1 & 2


text:
Miami Beach 411
Like what you see? Let's talk about how
we can help your vacation --> Contact Us

Doraku: Sushi doesn’t get any better than this   5-Star rating

We’ve been to Doraku numerous times. We’ve tried many other sushi spots, to challenge it. Some come close but this is THE ONE.

Doraku is located at 1104 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139.

See related reviews in: Recommended, Restaurant, User Reviews  - 5-Star rating

This review is the subjective opinion of the individual traveler and not of MiamiBeach411 nor of its partners.

Michael recommends this business.

Do you agree?
You can leave a response, or submit a new review.
Your comments will help others make the right decision in choosing where to spend their time and money.

Was this review helpful? Share It With Others!

1 Comments on

"Sushi doesn’t get any better than this"

Erika Lee says:

I agree - love Doraku!

Posted on 10/26/2007 at 9:57 PM

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated for spam. An administrator must approve the comment before it will appear on the site.

Discuss the surrounding area in our hugely popular Miami forum.


text:
Music Industry Veteran Steven Machat Wants to Defeat Marco Rubio

Machat thinks he's got a shot at being a senator.
Machat thinks he's got a shot at being a senator.

Steven Machat is a bit of a know-it-all.

However, in this age of politicians who put their gut "feelings" first and discard facts like fast-food wrappers, he might be the ideal leader for a new political enlightenment.

Last September, Machat threw his proverbial hat into the U.S. Senate race to represent Florida. Running as an independent, he's challenging Republican incumbent and former Trump punching bag Marco Rubio, who is likely to win an August primary fight to be GOP nominee. Machat's greatest obstacle may be attempting to steal votes from Democrats who support either Patrick Murphy, a man who regularly suckles on Wall Street's teat, or Alan Grayson, a progressive who's been accused of progressively beating his wife over the course of two decades.

New Times spoke with Machat at an Italian restaurant on Lincoln Road on a bright, sunny Miami Beach afternoon. Fresh from yoga, the 63-year-old New York native arrived wearing an all-white linen outfit and a radiant smile. Throughout the conversation, his eyes never broke contact, and his smile faltered only once, when he discussed the tragic loss of his son to a drug-fueled car crash a couple of years ago.

Machat's endless reserves of stories, historical knowledge, philosophies, policies, and opinions about men he believes are unfit to sit in positions of power come from several lifetimes of experience in both the business and spiritual realms. In fact, when it comes to power and thrusting himself into a position of authority, he humbly declares, "I don't want anything. I can't take it with me."

Before Machat became a dark horse for U.S. Senate, he was a mogul in the film and music industry. He grew up under the tutelage of his father, famed entertainment lawyer Marty Machat, with whom he eventually became business partners. The elder Machat represented legendary figures across the spectrum of pop and rock, including James Brown, Leonard Cohen, Frank Sinatra, Phil Spector, Frankie Valli, and Sam Cooke. Steven became incredibly successful in his own right, adding to the roster high-profile acts such as ELO, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Bobby Brown, and New Edition.

Machat is a devout student of all religions and everything they have to teach us. The author of several books — including Sacred Knowledge: A Rock 'n' Roller's Guide to Higher Consciousness and his popular tell-all, Gods, Gangsters and Honour: A Rock 'n' Roll Odyssey — he can tell you in the same breath both the origin of certain practices and phrases from their Byzantine, Hebrew, Latin, or Sanskrit roots and an absolutely bananas story about Michael Jackson's disturbing proclivities.

Considering his lifelong association with politics — he was friends with Al Gore (a man he says he loves but "has no backbone") in law school and worked for Jimmy Carter's campaign while he was a public defender — it's a wonder he didn't run for office until now.

"I'm doing this so that every boy and girl growing up can have a dream and believe the dream can come true." It's a line that sounds corny and naive, but he believes those words.

Machat is also in favor of legalizing marijuana and finding an alternative to gun violence. Instead of concentrating on the guns themselves, he's more interested in identifying the roots of violence in America and why gun owners feel they're unsafe and must protect themselves. It's a challenging, big-picture mentality that so often escapes politicians looking for a quick fix and quicker reelection.

Steven Machat is and has been many things, but at this juncture in his life, above all, he is a Renaissance man and an idealist with the knowledge and willpower to do what so often eludes others. He's a bit cocky but simultaneously modest. He owns a gentle heart and a calculating, logical mind. He'll appeal to our souls one minute and our collective sense of injustice the next.

The question is, will he add senator to his resumé? One can only dream.

Sponsor Content

All-access pass to the top stories, events and offers around town.

  • Top Stories

All-access pass to top stories, events and offers around town.

Sign Up >

No Thanks!

Remind Me Later >


text:
West Coast's Largest Full-Service Auction House

Conditions of Sale

These Conditions of Sale are applicable to every purchase at Michaan's Auctions. Please read carefully.

By registering to bid at auction, in person, or through an agent, by absentee bid, or telephone or any other means including the Internet and e-mail, you agree to be bound by these Conditions of Sale (and changes made as noted below.) All property and every lot for sale in our catalogue is offered subject to the following terms and conditions, along with any changes that may be published or announced prior to or during a sale by Michaan's Auctions (MA). The terms "MA" "us," "we," or "our" as used herein all refer to Michaan's Auctions. Unless otherwise indicated in the catalogue or at time of sale, MA acts at all times solely as the agent for the seller. All sales shall be deemed to occur in California regardless whether by telephone, mail or through the Internet or the physical location of the buyer.

  1. Hammer price: The highest bid received for a lot upon the fall of the auctioneer's hammer.
  2. Buyer's premium: The amount paid by the buyer as a percentage of the hammer price and in addition thereto.
  3. Purchase price: The aggregate of the hammer, buyer's premium and applicable taxes or other fees, if any, as may be required by law.
  4. Reserve: The minimum price at which the lot may be sold.
  5. Buyer: The person or entity who buys property at auction or private sale.
  6. Consignor: The seller, or the seller's representative, on behalf of whom we are selling the Property.
  7. Lot: The single item or group of items offered by us for sale.
  8. Property: The item or items comprising an auction lot being offered for sale.

Buyer's Premium

The Buyer shall pay a Buyer’s Premium per lot which shall be retained by MA as follows: Twenty percent (20%) of the first $250,000.00 of the bid price, fourteen percent (14%) of the amount of the bid price above $250,000.00 up to and including $1,000,000.00, and twelve percent (12%) of the amount of the bid price over $1,000,000.00. If you choose to pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard or Discover only) or any other form of payment, the buyer’s premium is twenty-three percent (23%) of the first $250,000.00 of the bid price, seventeen percent (17%) of the amount of the bid price above $250,000.00 up to and including $1,000,000.00, and fourteen percent (14%) of the amount of the bid price over $1,000,000.00. Internet Buyer’s Premium is twenty-seven percent (27%) of the first $250,000.00 of the bid price and twenty-two percent (22%) of the amount of the bid price over $250,000.00.

Terms of Sale

a. The Purchase of and Payment for Property
The sale of a lot shall be to the highest bidder as determined by the auctioneer, in accord with these Conditions of Sale. Title to the lot shall pass with the fall of the Auctioneer's hammer. Buyer shall pay the Purchase price, as defined above, and such other fees as may be due, in full, within seven (7) days of the auction sale. Sale is not final and property will not be released to Buyer until good funds for all amounts due, are received by MA. Payment may be made (i) in cash, (ii) by wire transfer (additional $25 fee), (iii) by money order or other guaranteed funds, or (iv) by personal check (when buyer's credit is approved). No lot shall be transferred by Buyer to another person until the sale is final. In the event of partial payment for any lot or lots we shall apply payments, in our discretion, to the lot or lots we select. The Buyer grants MA a security interest in the purchased Property, and we may retain as collateral any property purchased and any funds in our possession, to secure a Buyer's obligations to us, if any. We retain the rights of a secured party under the California Commercial Code. All fees, taxes, premiums or other sums due and not paid pursuant to this paragraph shall bear interest at 1.5 % per month from the 8th day following the sale to the date paid in full.

b. Collection of Property
Upon transfer of title, Buyer assumes full responsibility, including risk of loss and damage, for the Property. Purchased property shall be removed at Buyer's expense within fifteen (15) days after the sale becomes final. Property not removed shall be subject to a service fee of $50, and a storage fee, if retained by MA, of 1% of the purchase price per month. MA may also, in its sole discretion, elect to place the Property in a public storage facility at the Buyer's sole risk, responsibility and expense.

c. Liability for delivery of property.
If, however, for any reason whatsoever, we are unable to deliver the purchased Property to the Buyer, MA shall be liable to the Buyer only for the Purchase price paid by the Buyer and in no event shall we be liable for incidental or consequential damages, including, but not limited to, business interruption or loss of profit.

The Auction Procedure

a. Registration
Bidders must register in advance to bid at auction. (a) If by mail or on the Internet please comply with, sign and send back the requisite form or absentee bid. (b) To telephone bid, Bidders must complete, sign and fax a copy of the Telephone Bid Registration Form, which is available only by calling MA. Telephone lines are limited, and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration to bid by telephone must be completed by 5 p.m. the day prior to the auction. (c) When intending to bid in person, pre register at the desk and obtain a bidding paddle. The auctioneer may refuse to recognize any person not registered and not having a paddle number. MA reserves the right at its sole discretion, to refuse anyone the right to register and participate at an auction.

b. Announcements
We may, at the commencement of, or during the Auction, announce changes in or modifications to the Conditions of Sale or descriptions of Property.

c. Absentee Bids
For a Buyer's convenience, absentee bids will be accepted, when properly executed and submitted in a timely manner. However, we neither accept any responsibility to an absentee bidder, nor any liability whatsoever for a failure to execute the absentee bid for any reason. In the event that identical multiple absentee bids are the highest bids received for the same lot then the earliest received of the competing absentee bids shall prevail at that bid amount.

d. Auctioneer's Discretion
The Auctioneer has the absolute discretion to 1) pass a lot or withdraw it from sale at any time prior to its actual sale; 2) refuse to recognize any bidder; 3) refuse to recognize any bid; 4) resolve any dispute between bidders or resolve any doubtful bid by deciding who is the successful bidder or nullifying the auction of the lot and reoffering it for sale. The Auctioneer's decision is binding as to disputes arising at auction. If a dispute arises post sale, our records of the sale shall be conclusive. Both the Auctioneer and MA shall be without any liability whatsoever resulting from the exercise of the discretion referred to herein.

e. Reserves
All Property is offered for sale subject to a Reserve unless otherwise stated by us at time of sale. Neither the consignor nor an agent or representative of the consignor is allowed to bid on their own property.

Disclaimer of Warranties

Except for warranty of title, neither we nor the Consignor make any warranties, guarantees or representation, express or implied, with respect to the Property, including, but not necessarily limited to, any implied warranty of "fitness for purpose" or "merchantability."

Any and all statements and descriptions in any catalogue or elsewhere by MA, relating to age, attribution, authenticity, size, genuineness, provenance, historical relevance or significance, physical condition, importance, quality, quantity, rarity, period, culture, source or origin, are presented as statements of qualified opinion only.

MA's disclaimer of liability covers information contained in catalogues, and all other printed material published by us, including condition reports. Buyers assume the responsibility to inspect the Property and make their own decision as to the nature, quality and value of the Property.

Neither MA nor the Consignor make any warranty or representation with regard to the existence of or the transfer of intellectual property rights, except and to such extent as may, from time to time, be explicitly stated.

No employee of MA is authorized to nor shall make any warranty or representation on MA's behalf, except as stated in the catalog or in any written addendum.

Estimates of Value

All estimates of value as published in our Catalogues or elsewhere are statements of qualified opinion as to the range of the price a willing buyer might pay for the Property at auction. The actual price paid at auction or subsequently, may vary substantially from the estimates. MA shall not be liable for any such differential.

Buyer's Default

If a Buyer fails to pay for purchased Property, or otherwise does not comply with these Conditions of Sale, the Buyer shall be in default. In addition to all remedies available in law, to MA and to the Consignor, the Buyer shall be liable for the entire Purchase price. Additionally, at our option, we may either cancel the sale and retain all payments made by Buyer as well as retain any and all Property of Buyer in our possession as security against payment of the sums in default, or we may re-offer the Property for sale, at auction or privately, without reserve. Buyer shall be liable to us and the Consignor for the additional fees, commissions and costs on both sales (including handling, storage and court costs and attorney's fees) resulting from the cancellation or resale of the Property and in the event of resale, any deficiency which may result.

The sole and exclusive remedy, available only to the original buyer, is the limited right of rescission set forth herein. MA will cancel the sale of Property if the original buyer establishes to our satisfaction that there has been a breach of the Consignor's warranty of title, or that the identification of Authorship* of the Property as set forth in Bold Type Heading is not substantially correct, based on a fair reading of the Catalogue (as may be amended by posted or announced changes.) IN ALL INSTANCES, YOU MUST GIVE WRITTEN NOTICE TO US WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY, SETTING FORTH THE BASIS FOR YOUR CLAIM AND, AT YOUR SOLE EXPENSE AND RISK, RETURN THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION TO MA WITHIN SEVEN (7) DAYS AFTER NOTICE IS GIVEN AND IN THE SAME CONDITION AS WHEN SOLD. Upon review of the claim and the property, if we are satisfied with the bases for your claim and the property is in the same condition it was in when sold, MA will rescind the sale and return to you the Purchase price, unless we have already remitted funds to the Consignor. In that event, and at MA's sole discretion, MA shall either pay you as provided above, or shall pay you only that portion of the Purchase price retained by us (the Seller's commission, the buyer's premium and any sales taxes collected) and on your behalf make demand on the Consignor for the balance and upon receipt of the funds remit same to you. Should the Consignor refuse to return the funds to you or to MA, we shall disclose the Consignor's identity and assign to you any and all rights MA may have against the Consignor. Any and all liability MA may BUYER EXPRESSLY UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES THAT MA SHALL HAVE NO OTHER LIABILITY TO THE BUYER EXCEPT FOR THE RETURN OF THE PURCHASE PRICE AND THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL MA BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR COMPENSATORY DAMAGES OR LOSS OF PROFIT OR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY.

Unless determined to be a forgery, the sale of paintings created prior to 1870 shall not be subject to the right of rescission.

*Authorship refers to the maker or creator of the Property, and the period, social culture, and origin of the Property as stated in the Bold for a given lot in our catalogue. It does Bold Type Heading.

a. Modification: No modification or amendment of the Conditions of Sale shall bind MA unless contained in a writing signed by MA, except as may be posted or published as noted above or verbally announced at time of sale.

b. Severability: If, for any reason, any part of the Conditions of Sale is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining portion shall be valid and enforceable.

c. Successors and Assigns: The Conditions of Sale shall be binding on all the heirs and assigns of the Buyers and bidders and inure to the benefit of MA's successors and assigns.

d. Jurisdiction, Venue, Choice of Law: Dispute resolution shall occur in Alameda County, California, USA. The provisions of the Conditions of Sale will be construed and disputes determined by application of California Law, without regard to conflicts of law.

e. Notice, Service of Process: Buyers agree to accept all notices and service of process relating to dispute resolution at the address provided by Buyer on any registration forms required to be executed as a condition of bidding in our auction.

f. Dispute Resolution: All disputes and claims arising out of or relating to events and actions covered herein, brought by or against us, shall be resolved by mediation or binding arbitration in accord with the procedures set forth below. This provision does not apply to claims brought by the Buyer directly against the Consignor, including, but not limited to any action brought pursuant to the rescission provisions noted above.

Optional Provisions

Shipping, insurance packaging and handling of purchased lots is at the risk and expense of the purchaser. MA shall not, under any circumstances, be liable for the loss, theft or damage to property, including, but not limited to selection of shipper, the acts or omissions of any shipper or the acts or omissions occurring in packing for shipment. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to obtain a shipping quote for any lot being offered, from an outside shipper, prior to the auction date. Post sale determination of shipping costs does not constitute grounds for cancellation of any purchase made at auction. Purchasers are advised that large and fragile items can be expensive.

Mediation and Arbitration Proceedures

(a) Within 30 days of written notice that there is a dispute, the parties or their representatives may meet at a time and place mutually agreed upon, to mediate their differences. If the parties agree, a mediator acceptable to the parties shall be selected. The mediator shall be an attorney, trained in mediation techniques and familiar with commercial law and the California Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). The mediator's fees shall be shared equally and paid by all parties. At the mediation, all parties shall have actual authority to settle the dispute. Any statements made during, and all aspects of, the mediation process shall be kept confidential and shall not be admissible in any subsequent arbitration or judicial proceeding. Any resolution shall be confidential. (b) If the parties cannot agree to mediation, or if mediation does not resolve the dispute, or in any event no longer than 60 days after receipt of written notice referred to above, the parties shall submit the dispute for binding arbitration before a single neutral arbitrator jointly selected, or absent agreement, selected from the panel of Arbitrators provided by the American Arbitration Association (AAA). If, within 15 days, the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator, then AAA shall select one (1) person as arbitrator in accord with AAA rules. The arbitrator shall be an attorney, experienced in commercial law and with the UCC. The arbitrator shall be required to follow the law in making his award, and the award shall be in writing and shall set forth findings of fact and legal conclusions.(c) The arbitration shall occur within 60 days of the selection of the arbitrator, in either Oakland or San Francisco, California, unless the parties agree to another location. Discovery and the procedure for the Arbitration shall, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, follow the procedures and policies of AAA governing commercial arbitration, subject however to the following modifications:

  1. All arbitration proceedings shall be confidential. None of the parties nor the arbitrator, may disclose the existence, content or results of the arbitration without the written consent of all parties.
  2. The parties shall attempt to agree on the issues to be arbitrated, or identify the disputed issues in writing no later than 45 days prior to arbitration.
  3. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, discovery, if any, shall be limited as follows: (a) Requests for no more than 10 clearly identified categories of documents, to be provided to the requesting party within 14 days of written request therefore; (b) Depositions: No more than two (2) per party, provided however, the deposition(s) are to be completed within one (1) day; (c) Compliance with the above shall be enforced by the arbitrator in accord with California law.
  4. Each party shall have no longer than eight (8) hours to present its position. The entire hearing before the arbitrator shall not take longer than three (3) consecutive days, unless all parties agree otherwise in writing.

The award shall be made in writing no more than 30 days following the end of the proceeding. Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered by any court having jurisdiction thereof. Each party shall bear its own attorney's fees and costs in connection with the proceedings and shall share equally the fees and expenses of the arbitrator.

Property that contains any percentage of material made or potentially made from endangered and/or other protected species of wildlife are, as a courtesy, marked in the catalogue with the symbol “ * ”. Michaan's Auctions does not accept any responsibility or liability for failing to mark such lots. Such material includes, but is not limited to, ivory, tortoise shell, crocodile skin, whalebone, rhinoceros horn, some species of coral and certain woods.

Prospective buyers are advised that several countries completely prohibit importation of property made, all or in part, of proscribed materials. Some countries require special permits, such as a CITES permit, from the relevant regulating authority in the countries of exportation and importation as well. Potential buyers intending to import the property into another country should be familiar with the relevant customs laws and regulations prior to bidding on property containing wildlife material. Regulations may vary as the U.S. prohibits importation of articles containing material(s) from species it has designated endangered or threatened if the articles are less than 100 years old.

It shall be the potential buyer's sole responsibility to research and satisfy the requirements of any laws and regulations that apply to the import and export of property as described in the aforementioned paragraphs. Prospective buyers must also note that the inability or delay in obtaining permits, licenses or other permissions to import or export property containing potentially regulated wildlife material will not constitute a basis for rescission or cancellation of the sale of said property or the delay in payment of purchased items in accordance with the Conditions of Sale.

No Guarantee of Authenticity for Chinese Paintings

Currently, scholarship in the field of Chinese paintings precludes the ability to provide unqualified statements or opinions as to Authorship or date of execution. The terms for RESCISSION in the Conditions of Sale, (as set out on our internet site and in our catalogues) does not apply to Chinese paintings. However, if within twenty (20) days of the sale of any such lot, the original purchaser provides Michaan's with both written notice that the lot is a forgery, and within seven (7) days after written notice, said purchaser returns the lot to us in the same condition as when sold and demonstrates to our satisfaction that the lot is a forgery, Michaan's will rescind the sale and refund the purchase price received to the original purchaser. “Forgery” for the purposes of this provision, is defined as a work created with the intent to deceive.

Bond #71393954

Definitions of Authorship

This is to qualify the relationship between the object and the named person in the catalogue. The following conventions for attribution are used by Michaan's Auctions:

Giovanni Bellini: In our opinion a work by the artist. When the artist's forename(s) is not known, a series of asterisks, followed by the surname of the artist, whether preceded by an initial or not, indicates that in our opinion the work is by the artists named.

Attributed to Giovanni Bellini: In our opinion probably a work by the artist but less certainty as to authorship is expressed than in the preceding category.

Studio of Giovanni Bellini: In our opinion a work by an unknown hand in the studio of the artist, which may or may not have been executed under the artist's direction.

Circle of Giovanni Bellini: In our opinion a work by an as yet unidentified by distinct hand, closely associated with the named artist but not necessarily his pupil.

Style of ......; follower of Giovanni Bellini: In our opinion a work by a painter working in the artist's style, contemporary or near contemporary, but not necessarily his pupil.

Manner of Giovanni Bellini: In our opinion a work in the style of the artist and of a later date.

after Giovanni Bellini:  In our opinion a copy of a known work of the artist.

The term signed  and/or dated and/or inscribed means that in our opinion the signature and/or date and/or inscription are from the hand of the artist.

The term bears a signature and/or date and/or inscription means that in our opinion the signature and/or date  and/or inscription have been added by another hand.

"bearing signature..."/"bearing date..."/"bearing inscription..." In our opinion the signature/date/inscription is by a hand other than that of the artist.

Jewelry Sold at Michaan's Auctions:

It is the responsibility of the bidder to examine carefully any item(s) of potential interest.

For all the jewelry sold here at Michaan's Auctions the following applies:

All gemstone weights are approximate.
We are aware of the many types of treatments and/or enhancements used today on diamonds and colored stones. The purpose is to improve their appearance i.e. color and/or clarity. Techniques like heat treatments, color diffusion, irradiated, HTHP, oiling, resin, bleaching, dying and impregnation are just a few techniques known today. Some treatments combined. Some treatments are not detectable using standard gemological procedures. Not all treatments are permanent. Prospective buyers are therefore reminded that unless otherwise noted in the description(s), it must be assumed that some form of enhancement may have been used.

Regarding laboratories certification: The certifications mentioned in the descriptions only reflect the opinions of the laboratory. From one laboratory to another they do differ on the degrees of grading and/or treatments. And if a stone has a certificate from a laboratory we cannot guarantee this grading.

Watches must be examined carefully. Although we do attempt to mention in our descriptions significant defects, needed repairs, absent stones and the like, we do not guarantee the accuracy or operation of any watch function.

Detailed condition reports are available for most pieces. These reports contain more information than the catalog descriptions. Images shown may appear smaller or larger  than actual size.

Asian Arts Disclaimer:

We are aware of the many types of treatments and/or enhancements used today on jade. The purpose is to improve their appearance, i.e. color and/or clarity. Techniques like bleaching, dying and impregnation are just a few techniques known today. These treatments are not detectable using standard gemological procedures. Not all are permanent. Prospective buyers are therefore reminded that unless otherwise noted in the description(s),* it must be assumed that some form of enhancement may have been used.

* Accompanied by a laboratory report stating natural, no evidence of treatment.

Bid Increments
Minimum Value Maximum Value Expected Bid Increment
from US $ 0 to US $ 49 US $ 5
from US $ 50 to US $ 199 US $ 10
from US $ 200 to US $ 499 US $ 25
from US $ 500 to US $ 999 US $ 50
from US $ 1,000 to US $ 1,999 US $ 100
from US $ 2,000 to US $ 4,999 US $ 250
from US $ 5,000 to US $ 9,999 US $ 500
from US $ 10,000 to US $ 19,999 US $ 1,000
from US $ 20,000 to US $ 49,999 US $ 2,500
from US $ 50,000 to US $ 99,999 US $5,000
from US $100,000 and above US $10,000

Typical Headings

George III Mahogany Chest of Drawers
Third Quarter 18th Century
This heading, with date included, means that the piece is, in our opinion, of the period indicated with no major alterations or restorations.
George III Mahogany Chest of Drawers
This heading, without the inclusion of the date, indicates that, in our opinion, the piece, while basically of the period,has undergone significant restoration and alteration.
George III Style Mahogany Chest of Drawers
The inclusion of the word "style" in the heading indicates that, in our opinion, the piece was made as an intentional reproduction of an earlier style.

Antoine-Louis Barye
This heading indicates that the casting and patination were done by the artist or with his direct authorization or supervision.
Cast After a Model by Antoine-Louis Barye
This heading indicates that the casting and patination of a known Barye model were done by another,i.e., artisans at the F. Barbedienne or other foundry.

Meissen Porcelain Cup and Saucer
Late 19th Century
his states that the cup and saucer were made at the Meissen factory in the last quarter of the 19th Century.
Meissen Porcelain Cup and a Saucer
Late 19th Century
Again, this states that the cup and saucer were made at the Meissen factory in the last quarter of the 19th Century, but it also indicates that the cup and saucer may not have been "born" together.
Meissen Porcelain Cup and Saucer
Circa 1900
This states that the cup and saucer are of Meissen style, and although of the date specified, not necessarily made at the Meissen factory.
'Meissen' Porcelain Cup and a Saucer
19th Century
This states that the cup and saucer are of Meissen style, and although of the date specified, not necessarily made at the Meissen factory.
Meissen Porcelain Cup and Saucer
The title without a specific date simply states that the pieces were made at the Meissen factory but does not specify when, implying that their age is questionable.


text:
Cozy Winter Wedding Inspiration

Cozy Winter Wedding Inspiration | Romantic Winter Wedding Inspiration | Washington Schoolhouse Wedding | Michelle Leo Events | Utah Event Planner and Designer | Jacque Lynn Photography

Winter is here to stay in Utah and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than with some cozy winter wedding inspiration.

The bride wore a faux fur vest for the perfect seasonal touch, especially for a mountain-destination wedding here in Utah. Her bouquet consisted of classic winter whites, a look we will never get tired of.

The tabletop design consisted of a fresh green garland, pinecones, and an array of candles, along with all natural wood chargers, detailed flatware, and a fun, hand-chalked menu with a deer for a whimsical touch. And we can't forget the napkin tied with fresh greens and cinnamon sticks. It was the perfect finishing touch to the place setting.

No event is complete without cake and these are a few of our favorites! We chose to forego the fancy cake toppers and opt for natural elements to finish a festive look like sprigs of evergreen, cinnamon sticks, sugar-dusted cranberries, and pine cones. We can assure you that they tasted just as good as they looked, too.

This classic design has to be one of our favorites and we absolutely love the way Jacque Lynn Photography captured it all. Take a look for yourself. We know you'll fall in love with it just as quickly as we did!


text:
michigan foam products green logo

Michigan Foam Products

Three Decades of EPS Quality

  Ph: (616) 452-9611

  Fax: (616) 452-0533

  • michigan foam products production facility in grand rapids michigan
  • michigan-foam-products-facility-banner-pic1
  • michigan-foam-products-hirsch-gruppe-banner-pic3
  • michigan-foam-products-hirsch-gruppe-pre-expander-banner-pic4
  • michigan-foam-products-expanded-polystyrene-beads-banner-pic2

Michigan Foam Products Expanded Polystyrene at its best

michigan foam gearExpanded Polystyrene Excellence

   Michigan Foam Products of Grand Rapids Michigan has filled an ever-expanding need in the fabrication and production of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam products in the entire Midwest and Canada. Michigan Foam Products' modern 35,500 sq.ft. EPS foam fabrication facility gives them the ability to supply its customers with options and expanded polystyrene (EPS) product diversity that is hard to find elsewhere. The continued growth at Michigan Foam Products is a testimony to the hard work and planning that goes into every project we receive, whether that comes in large quantities or customized prototype work. Your EPS foam project is just as important to us as it is to you. Michigan Foam Products management and production associates take its cutomers production schedules very seriously.

  Tel: 616-452-9611
  Fax: 616-452-0533

michigan foam gearMichigan Foam Products Project Reliability

   Customers of Michigan Foam Products can be assurred that the experience of Michigan Foam Products' management team will guide their EPS project along to completion, and within production deadlines. The Michigan Foam management team has innumerable years of experience dealing with every facet of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam fabrication irregardless of its complexity.

michigan foam gearWhy Michigan Foam Products EPS?

   All of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam we manufacture is expanded and fabricated in the US at our facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There won't be quality concerns about EPS foam product consistancy or dissimilar batch runs. The expansion of the EPS beads are very closely timed and monitored by our Hirsch-Gruppe computer controlled equipment and computer CNC consoles with special formulae that our techs have perfected over many years. After this critical stage, these special blends and mixtures are put into the Michigan Foam Products Hirsch-Gruppe block molding machine. This foam block mold is one of the best in the EPS industry, and highly reliable in the manufacturing of EPS.hirsch-gruppe logo at michigan foam products expanded polystyrene manufacturing company Put that into the hands of knowledgable technicians, and you have a great product. Michigan Foam Products expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is the perfect choice when product protection is your main consideration.

MichFoam EPS Samples

michigan foam products eps and expanded polystyrene samples link image


text:
A teacher turned to a scholarly work to teach her seventh-grade students not to use a racial epithet. But the book _ which was featured in an episode of Fox television's "Boston Public" _ wound up angering some parents.

School officials are not disciplining the second-year teacher, Shannon Schumacher, but the book won't be part of the curriculum for seventh-graders.

Jennings School District Superintendent Terry Stewart said Schumacher had good intentions but bad judgment when she used a chapter from "Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word" by Randall Kennedy, a Harvard law professor and former Rhodes scholar. He's also written "Race, Crime and the Law," and, most recently, "Interracial Intimacies."

Schumacher teaches literature, and she thought it would be helpful to read about the many uses of the word, Stewart said. The material she chose incorporated jokes, prose and poetry, but it also contained offensive language, he said.

Stewart said Schumacher copied and distributed a chapter called "The Protean N Word." Twenty-seven students in two classes received it on Monday. He said calls started coming in the next day. Someone sent the chapter to the media, and the issue became the subject of at least one local radio talk show.

The chapter includes poignant anecdotes and samples of hate letters written to Hank Aaron when he was nearing Babe Ruth's home-run record, and a comedy sketch between Richard Pryor and Chevy Chase on "Saturday Night Live."

Gilkey said several people objected to distribution of the material.

On Feb. 25, the book was featured in a similar classroom situation in an episode "Boston Public." Following that, it was the subject of a senior English class at a high school in Silver Spring, Md., in which both the book and the TV show occasioned a lively discussion that was covered by The Washington Post.

Stewart said Schumacher had talked to the parents of students involved and apologized to parents and teachers.

Schumacher declined to be interviewed, except to say, "It wasn't my purpose, all this trouble."

On the Net:

First chapter of book: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/nigger.htm


text:
WE'RE OPEN MON - SAT, 9am - 5.30pm

0117 9241151

1 - 9 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3PL

Welcome to Mickleburgh!

Take it away H1

Arts Council England's Take it away scheme has been set up to make musical instruments more accessible to children and young people.

It works by letting you spread the costs over 10 months, making it more affordable to buy an instrument for your child. You'll need to pay a deposit and then pay the rest back in 9 monthly instalments - completely interest free. You'll also need to complete a customer declaration confirming that you're buying the instrument for a child under the age of 18.

Young people aged 18 - 25 can also take advantage of a Take it away loan by applying in their own right.

Mickleburgh are your local participant in this scheme and will be happy to answer your questions and help you on the right track. Come and see us in-store or give us a call on 01179 241151 for more information.


text: CST of America is pleased to announce the 5th North American Users Forum to be held at the Network Meeting Center, Santa Clara, CA on Feb 4th 2008. The conference will provide an opportunity for users of CST's products to present and discuss their work to a wide audience of interested parties. CST will present the latest software including a keynote presentation from our CTO, Peter Thoma. Who Should Attend? All engineers and engineering management who use or could benefit from the latest 3D electromagnetic simulation tools. More and more applications require this kind of tool to facilitate a rapid and low risk design process. CST's "complete technology" and advanced workflow management make it a key enabling tool in many application areas including: signal integrity, power integrity, interconnect, PCBs/packages, SiPs, antennas, general microwave/RF, EMC, EMI, and radar. What kind of papers are appropriate? Any work relating to the use of CST STUDIO SUITE(tm) tools is of interest, particularly work with CST MICROWAVE STUDIO®. We want to hear of success stories, novel applications or any application or use that you think would be of interest to a wide audience. Why submit a presentation? You will present it to an audience of peers and also to senior management of CST. This is an opportunity to create interest and excitement in your work and also influence the future direction of 3D electromagnetic simulation. What is included and how much is the event? The event will run from 8AM to 5 PM and breakfast, lunch and materials are all included. The event is free for all attendees. Where exactly will it be held? The event is at the Network meeting Center next to the Santa Clara convention center on Great America Parkway. Parking is free. The event is co-located with DesignCon 2008. Please submit an approx 100 word abstract or any questions to fabrizio.zanella@cst.com. The submission deadline is Dec 17th. Registration is also open at: www.cst.com/Content/Events/ugm.aspx


text:
Decoded: What causes knuckle-cracking sound

New York: Next time when your kid asks you to "pull his finger," also tell him the secret behind the distinctive popping sounds that are heard while cracking knuckles.

Settling a decades-long debate about what happens when you crack your knuckles, an international team of researchers led by the University of Alberta have found that the cause is a cavity forming rapidly inside the finger joint.

Representational picture

"We call it the 'pull my finger study' and actually pulled on someone's finger and filmed what happens in the MRI. When you do that, you can actually see very clearly what is happening inside the joints," explained lead author Greg Kawchuk, professor in the faculty of rehabilitation medicine.

Scientists have debated the cause of joint cracking for decades, dating back to 1947 when British researchers first theorised vapour bubble formation as the cause.

That was put in doubt in the 1970s when another team of scientists instead fingered collapsing bubbles as the cause. To find an answer, the team asked acclaimed chiropractic physician Jerome Fryer to volunteer for the test.

Fryer practices chiropractic care for sports injuries and also conducts spinal research. Fryer's fingers were inserted one at a time into a tube connected to a cable that was slowly pulled until the knuckle joint cracked.

MRI video captured each crack in real time -- occurring in less than 310 milliseconds. In every instance, the cracking and joint separation was associated with the rapid creation of a gas-filled cavity within the synovial fluid -- a super-slippery substance that lubricates the joints.

"It is a little bit like forming a vacuum. As the joint surfaces suddenly separate, there is no more fluid available to fill the increasing joint volume, so a cavity is created and that event is what is associated with the sound," Kawchuk noted.

The ability to crack your knuckles could be related to joint health.

"We can use this new discovery to see when joint problems begin long before symptoms start, which would give patients and clinicians the possibility of addressing joint problems before they begin," the authors concluded.

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Related Stories

You May Like

    Leave a Reply


text:
I'll be surprised if India does not clinch World T20 title: Mohammed Azharuddin

Former India skipper Mohammed Azharuddin tipped Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s brigade to reclaim the World T20 title which kicks off on March 8 in India.

Mohammed Azharuddin
Mohammed Azharuddin

Azharuddin said he would be surprised if India did not win the ICC World T20. “We will be champions in World T20. We are playing good cricket and have a tremendous batting line-up. More importantly, our bowling has become sharper. They (the bowlers) gained momentum in Australia (with 3-0 win in T20 series),” Azharuddin told mid-day yesterday.

“We will be playing on batting tracks, so the chances of our spinners doing well will be very high. The balance of the team is important. We have a good mix of youth and experience. India have players who can perform under pressure. India will have to play really badly to not win the World T20 title. I will be surprised if that happens,” added Azharuddin.

‘Dhoni should not quit’
The ICC World T20 is also touted to be the last tournament that India will see Dhoni leading the side. There is also speculation that he might hang his boots from international cricket after the event.

Azharuddin, however, is not in favour of Dhoni stepping down as skipper. “It is entirely up to Dhoni. I wouldn’t agree if it happens. He should not quit. He is still the best wicketkeeper-batsman. Wriddhiman Saha is not consistent as a batsman.

This team needs a big
finisher. Why should you miss out on a great finisher like Dhoni? In fact, I did not support his retirement from Test cricket too,” said Azharuddin.

Dhoni quit as Test captain in the midst of India’s tour of Australia in 2014-15. He has continued to lead the country in limited overs cricket, but lost the T20 and ODI series against South Africa at home last year. In Australia recently, after losing the ODI series 1-4, they won the T20 series.

You May Like

    Leave a Reply


text:
Welfare scam: State ponders direct cash transfers to avoid scams

The state government has said that enquiries into the welfare scam would be completed within a month and the guilty punished soon; officials also considering direct cash transfers to beneficiaries to avoid mismanagement

Acting on the exposé by this newspaper, the Maharashtra government says the enquiries into the multi-crore welfare scam would be completed within a month and action taken against the guilty soon after. Reacting to questions on what the government is doing to act on the malpractices in the Central Stores Purchase Organisation (CSPO), a subsidised kirana shop run by the government for purchase of welfare goods, Industries Minister Narayan Rane said allegations and counter allegations within the department are flying thick, and a thorough probe is needed to look into them.

Also read: Exposed: Maharashtra govt's Rs 450-crore welfare scam

Taken for quite a ride: Under the welfare scheme, contractors sent schoolgirls several rickety, third-rate bicycles, whose wheels came off within two months of use

“The scam has come to light because of internal rivalries between the contractors. Therefore, we need to be doubly sure that all sides are heard before arriving at a judgment,” he said. On being asked if he was aware of widespread
irregularities in his department, Rane said a swift probe had been ordered to nab the culprits.

“Nobody will be spared if found guilty in the ongoing probes, that much I can promise from my side,” he said.

mid-day investigations had revealed that government contracts for purchase of welfare goods worth R451.88 crore were awarded to second-rate contractors by the CSPO. These contractors produced bogus documents obtained from fictitious foundries at Ahmednagar and Rajkot, and fake test reports from Mumbai laboratories to get the deals done, between 2010 and 2013. Of these, R271 crore was found by the income tax department to be routed through hawala agents, with money claimed from the government without any delivery of goods. Schoolchildren, young girls and working women ended up with shoddy goods, or no goods at all.

As many as six officials and eight contractors are under the scanner in a multi-crore welfare scam in the purchase of welfare goods. Multiple-agency probes from the state industries department, home department and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) are looking into the scam.

New policy
Meanwhile, the government is also formulating a procurement policy for decentralising procurement of welfare goods, including recommending transfer of direct cash to the beneficiaries’ accounts.

On Wednesday, the state said it would soon table in the cabinet a new policy for procurement, which will recommend decentralising the procurement process to the panchayat-level, and e-tendering instead of rate contract for reserved products.

“Moreover, reservations on firms empanelled year after year will be removed. We may go as far as to suggest direct transfer of cash to beneficiaries. If a student wants to buy a cycle, let us give them R3,000 so that they can make their own choice,” said Apurva Chandra, principal secretary (industries).

You May Like

    Leave a Reply


text:
The Life and Times of a Humpback Whale Barnacle

MikeSevernsDiving Diving on Maui, Marine Life 2 Comments

whale barnacle on bottom for blog

Last week we were treated to an unusual find during one of our dives off of Maui. There on the sand was a strange, black, partially-circular object composed of radially symmetrical segments. Was it plastic? Metal? With that symmetry, surely it was man-made.

But no, we’d seen something like this a few years before – it was part of a whale barnacle! Ten feet away from it we found its other half.

Every winter we keep our eye out for these lucky finds. Sometimes we find them soon after they have fallen off. If that is the case, the underside of the barnacle is covered with black whale skin (this one even had the flesh of a different species of barnacle, a gooseneck barnacle, still attached to it). If we find one months later, it has been picked clean by marine organisms.

barnacle undersides for blog

Left: Whale barnacle found (in two pieces) soon after falling off a whale, showing black skin embedded in barnacle (60 mm). Right: Barnacle found months after falling off of whale, picked clean by marine organisms. Photo: P. Fiene.

Until this year, all the barnacles we’d found had been intact. This one was unusual in that it was broken into two pieces. We don’t know exactly why. But, it allowed us to see – and not just read about and imagine – one reason the barnacle’s white shell stays so firmly attached to whales during the thousands of miles of migration, during their spectacular breaching, and through all sorts of sometimes violent male-on-male aggression. More on that later.

A humpback whale can have up to a thousand pounds of these barnacles attached to it! This may sound like a lot, but when compared to how much a whale weighs (35-40 tons), hundreds of pounds of barnacles on a whale is comparable in weight to, say, an aloha shirt and slippers on a human. And these are not just your garden variety barnacle. They are Coronula diadema, a species of acorn barnacle that lives only on whales, primarily humpback whales.*

whale barnacles on tail-A.Schwanke

Barnacles live on many parts of a humpback whale, from the throat area to the pectoral fins to the tail as seen in this photo taken off of Maui by Andy Schwanke.

Barnacle species that have evolved to live on whales are treated to a constant flow of water from which they can strain food particles. The barnacles position themselves in the places on the whale that experience the best water flow characteristics. It is believed that the barnacles are generally not harmful to the whale and might possibly even be beneficial in some cases as a defense or in competition between males.

Just how do these barnacles get on the whale to begin with? Adult whale barnacles are hermaphrodites. They fertilize the eggs of adjacent barnacles with a (proportionately) very long penis. The fertilized eggs develop into larvae which are then released into the water in the Hawaii wintering grounds. After further development as free-swimming larvae in the ocean, they are able to detect chemicals given off from the whale’s skin.** These chemicals cue the tiny larvae to settle on and attach to the whale’s skin, metamorphose into juveniles, grow, and secrete an incredibly sticky cement that tightly bonds them to the whale. Next, they begin to produce six vertical calcarious plates which will fuse to become the formidable circular shell that the animal will live within.

This shell is not solid material though. Cavities are built into the shell all around its circumference. These spike-shaped cavities pull the whale’s skin into them as the shell grows.*** The whale and the barnacle shell are then almost locked together. Because this barnacle was broken in two we were able (with the help of a Dremel tool) to actually see these cavities for the first time. And, as expected, they were filled with black whale skin! Skin also grows up around the base of the shell, leaving it firmly embedded and making it reportedly very difficult to dislodge.

barnacle crossxIMG_2299editwith arrpws

Arrows show where black whale skin has been “pulled” up into cavities in the barnacle’s shell. Photo: P. Fiene.

Given that the barnacle animal is cemented to the whale and given the interlocking-shell-and-skin configuration, it is a wonder that they ever come off. But they do!

Well-known researchers Mark Ferrari and Debbie Glockner-Ferrari have studied humpback whales in Hawaii for 39 years. They have first-hand knowledge of whales losing barnacles while in their Hawaii breeding grounds. Mark recalls that in 1987 they saw a yearling on separate occasions approximately a month apart. Because this individual was lethargic they were able to approach closely enough to actually see the barnacles and document their disappearance. He estimated that about 50% of the barnacles were lost during this time. And the reason they could tell that barnacles were being lost is because when a barnacle falls off, a perfectly circular scar is left, as you can see in this photo they provided below.

'87; M15-32; 2-22-87; Sick Y;for blog

Whale head showing adult barnacles and circular scars where barnacles have fallen off. Also showing many juvenile barnacles growing around the eye and all over the body. Maui, Hawaii. Photo ©Mark Ferrari, Center for Whale Studies, under Federal Permit #538.

Some of the reasons barnacles fall off have to do with male whales using their barnacle-encrusted pectoral fins as weapons in competitions with other male whales. They might also be knocked off when whales slash at tiger sharks or false killer whales in defense, something Mark and Debbie have witnessed themselves.

But most seem to fall off after about a year as part of a natural cycle. A French researcher reported that humpbacks taken by whalers soon after they had arrived in Madagascar for the winter season had large barnacles attached, but by late winter the whales had no barnacles. Instead the whales had barnacle larvae beginning to attach. By spring, the whales had small adult barnacles.* Photos taken in Hawaii seem to corroborate this approximate year-long life cycle. Scars show adult barnacle loss, while tiny new barnacles can be seen beginning to grow, as in the photos below and above.

Whether they are genetically programmed to die after about a year or whether some environmental factor in their breeding grounds causes them to die is, to my knowledge, not known. Could it be that Hawaii’s semi-tropical waters don’t supply the right (or enough) food, are too warm, harbor diseases (predators,  parasites?) or have insufficient available oxygen for the adult barnacles? Could UV radiation be too intense? Could the whale slough more skin or experience an altered immune response (in turn affecting the viability of the adult barnacles)? Perhaps some of these factors have been examined already but I could not find such studies in my search.

2-21-06, 38 Barnacles CU color, (c) MJF-CWSfor blog

Adult barnacles and juvenile barnacles growing on a whale fluke. Maui, Hawaii. (Long, fleshy gooseneck barnacles can be seen growing on the sides of the white whale barnacles. Photo ©Mark Ferrari, Center for Whale Studies, under Federal Permit #393-1772-01.

Considering the millions of pounds of barnacles that travel to Hawaii on the bodies of the humpback whales, and that many of them are falling off here, it seems surprising that to find one while diving is so rare. But when a barnacle falls off, the odds of it occurring in water visited by divers is small. Divers dive in such a tiny fraction of ocean waters, and usually in water shallower than most whales frequent. When you add the small size of the barnacles to the equation, it begins to make sense why such a find is considered a treasure.

barnacle eating

If we do find one, it is always fun to have our divers guess what it is when we get back on the boat and can talk about it. It isn’t often that they guess correctly. They are faced with what looks like a radially symmetrical white shell with a hole in the center. Most people, if they have to guess, think it is a seashell (a mollusk) of some kind. In fact, even scientists thought they were mollusks until 1830. But a barnacle is actually a type of crustacean – a relative of crabs and lobsters. In fact, if you look at the diagram to the left, you can see that the animal looks somewhat shrimp-like.

whale statue Aug. 7, 2014 smallerlong

This confusion is artistically captured in the form of the almost life-sized whale statue in Kalama Park in Kihei.

opihi on whale statue

If you look closely at the belly of the whale in the photo to the right, the artist has sculpted not barnacles, but opihi (limpets) attached to the whale! My mind had to do a little flip-flop the first time I saw this. But it’s understandable. Whale barnacles are a strange life form – and few people will ever have the opportunity to find one on the bottom of the ocean, much less see one attached to a humpback whale in the sea.

barnacles top viewIMG_2275

Whale barnacles as viewed from above. Broken barnacle on left was found soon after falling off of whale and still has some animal tissue (opercular membrane) visible in the center. Barnacle on the right was found long after falling off of whale. Photo by P. Fiene.

Finding a whale barnacle is the closest some of us will ever come to “touching” a whale. We can’t help but view such a find as good luck. Knowing that this barnacle has traveled thousands of miles on a humpback whale and has fallen off in the exact spot where we are crossing its path is nothing short of spine-tingling.

Written by Pauline Fiene. Photos as credited. Mahalo to Mark Ferrari and Debbie Glockner-Ferrari for sharing their first-hand accounts and documented sightings, as well as wonderfully illustrative photos. Thanks also to Andy Schwanke for use of his whale tail photo and to Cory Pittman for his helpful comments.

*Scarf, James, E. Occurrence of the barnacles Coronula diadema, C. Reginae and Cetopirus complanatus (Cirripedia) on right whales. Sci. Rep. Whales Res. Inst., No. 37, 1986.
**Nagota, Yasuyuki and Matsumura, Kiyotaka. “Larval development and settlement of a whale barnacle” Biol. Lett. 2(2006): 92-93. Print.
***Newman, W. A. and D. P. Abbott 1980. Cirripedia. Stanford, CA, Stanford University Press. Intertidal Invertebrates of the Central California Coast: 504-535.

Comments 2

  1. Amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I am one of the lucky few that had the opportunity to see it and touch it!!
    I learned something today, but I always learn something new when I spend time with you!! Thanks!!

  2. Aloha and mahalo for the informative article. I just found one at Papa Bay near Miloli’i here on the Big Island at 55′. I posted pics at my Facebook page, and I’ll post the link to your article too.

Leave a Reply

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


text:
• Preowned

Milani & Norman Auto Sales

20027 Fraser Highway
Directions Langley, BC V3A 4E4

  • Sales: 1 (866) 912-5536
  • Service: 855-979-4888

Manager's specials

Milani & Norman Auto Sales provides a selection of Featured Inventory, representing new and popular items at competitive prices. Please take a moment to investigate these current highlighted models, hand-picked from our ever-changing inventories!


text:
Most Popular Military News

More Military Headlines

Ninth CSAF Laid to Rest in Arlington

The Old Guard leads a joint service casket team 600x400

WASHINGTON -- A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Air Force chief of staff was laid to rest Oct. 25 in Arlington National Cemetery.

Retired Gen. David C. Jones served as the ninth chief of staff from 1974 to 1978 until he was appointed as the ninth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff where he served as the military’s top military officer until 1982.

Current Chairman Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, current Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh III., and other current and former military members joined Jones' family and friends to honor him.

“He was one of the finest military leaders in our nation’s history. He was a tireless advocate for training and readiness but kept one eye focused on the future,” Welsh said, one of several speakers during the memorial service, calling the event an opportunity to “celebrate” the life of a “remarkable man.”

Jones was born in Aberdeen, S.D., and graduated from high school in Minot, N.D., in 1939, where he would ride his bike to the nearby airport to watch airplanes take off and land.

He attended the University of North Dakota and Minot State College until the outbreak of World War II. At that time, he entered the Army Air Corps, beginning aviation cadet training in April 1942, and received his commission and pilot wings in February 1943.

A graduate of the National War College, the general was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1974, an honorary doctorate of laws degree from Louisiana Tech University in 1975, and an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree from Minot State College, Minot, N.D., in 1979.

During Jones’ career, he was assigned to a bombardment squadron during the Korean War and accumulated more than 300 hours on missions over North Korea. He also commanded an aerial refueling squadron and a tactical fighter wing, and became the top aide to Gen. Curtis LeMay. In 1969, Jones served in the Republic of Vietnam as deputy commander for operations and then as vice commander of the Seventh Air Force.

Welsh remarked on many other notable accomplishments during Jones’ tenure, to include direction of the Rapid Deployment Force, what we now know as U.S. Central Command, and played a critical role in shaping DOD reorganization efforts, which led to the 1986 Goldwater Nichols Act.

Jones retired from the Air Force July 1, 1982.

“From those great days as a young boy in North Dakota, Gen. Jones always had a unique ability to see further and with more clarity than others,” Welsh said.  “That clarity, his brilliance, and his dedicated service helped make our Air Force, our military, and our country what they are today.  Seventy-one years ago now, young David Jones raised his right hand and swore that he would ‘well and faithfully discharge his duties’ … promise kept …”

At the time of his death, he was battling Parkinson’s disease.

(Information courtesy of  Air Force Public Affairs Agency)

Related Topics

Air Force

Military News App by

Download the new News App for Android on Google Play or for Apple devices on iTunes!

You May Also Like


text:
• Test title
    testTest Content

  • Miller Parking greeters and attendants provide a warm and compassionate service when people most need it and may feel vulnerable
  • Efficient parking and transportation procedures will enhance your bottom line.
  • Complete facility management includes patient, visitor, physician, and staff parking operating plans, billing, collections, maintenance, equipment recommendations, way-finding and all aspects of customer service.
  • Efficient shuttle or transportation solutions enhance your facility’s image.
  • Our shuttles can be equipped with monitoring systems that record fast stops, sharp turns and other unwanted activities
  • We provide reports on ridership counts, wait times and rider comments so you can gauge our effectiveness