Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday Night Miscellany
Tonight, I'm feeling spooky - this could not possibly have anything to do with the fact that I'm watching a Dateline NBC special on Michael Jackson, could it?
Out of Kansas, a tale of the teenagers with all-black eyes...
Not so scary - a little boy has published a book called "Soul Survivor" and the families of all involved say they believe this is definitely a case of reincarnation. Join with me now in saying they all wish for a big "cha ching..."
A collection of scary tales at American Folklore...
Whoa! This one scared me! The Haunted School...
The image of a "ghost sailor" playing chess - with a doggie looking over his shoulder. Technically it is the left shoulder, but looking at the photograph, it is on the ghost's right side, where the shoulder would be, if there really was a shoulder, except there isn't...
2009 U.S. Open Chess Championship
I received the July, 2009 edition of Chess Life Magazine in the mail today. The lovely Jen Shahade (a former U.S. Women's Chess Champion and current editor of the USCF's Chesslife Online) is on the front cover. I think women should always be on the cover of Chess Life Magazine. (Photo of Jen Shahade from her website).
Curiously, I noticed for the first time in the lower right hand corner that the magazine sells "on the stand" for $3.95. Where? I've never seen it offered for sale anywhere - and I am a frequent habitutee of Borders and Barnes & Noble...
Anyway, I must not allow myself to get distracted, darlings! I have a complaint about the "TLA" pages in Chess Life Magazine. The print is smaller than ant poop! Well, at least I assume it is, because I've never seen ant poop, but you can be sure it's very tiny, as ants are tiny creatures! But even with my magnifying glasses on, I cannot read most of the TLA announcements in Chess Life! Geez, guys, considering that a lot of old fogeys like me read Chess Life Magazine (rather than visiting the online version of Chess Life, which I generally don't have time to do when I'm online because I'm doing so many other things online, like playing chess -), can't you do us all a favor and make the frigging print a little bigger? Please?
The BIG news about this event, as far as I'm concerned, is that GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (now residing in Florida with her nuclear family), will be playing in the event! But since there is no official website for the event, one has no idea just what players have signed up to participate thus far! For such a PRESTIGIOUS EVENT (Jerry Hanken's words in an article in this month's Chess Life Magazine) shouldn't it have it's own dedicated website? I don't disagree that this is a great event. It should be treated accordingly!
Maybe a dedicated website is in the cards down the line - I sure hope so. And if it is, I sure hope the USCF makes it easy to find! A Google search under 2009 U.S. Open Chess Championship did not yield any dedicated website on the first page of search results, but did yield a lot of unrelated stuff.
I was able to FINALLY decipher the url for the website for this event, ta da! Here's some of the poop, er, scoop:
110th United States Open Chess Championship
A Heritage Event
August 1-9, 2009
August 4-9, 2009
August 6-9, 2009
Indianapolis, Indiana
Prize Fund
$50,000 based on 500 paid entries - else proportional - $40,000 Guaranteed!! [80% of each prize]. Top five players qualify for the 2010 US Championship!
A one section tournament with Class prizes.
All schedules merge after Round 6.
Prizes[Projected]
Top Places: $8000-4000-2000-1500-1000-800-600-500. Clear winner - $200 bonus.
If tie for first, top two on tiebreak play speed game [W - 5 min, B - 3 min and draw odds] for bonus and title.
Class Prizes:
Top Master (2200-2399): $2500-1200-800-500.
Top Expert: $2500-1200-800-500.
Class A: $2500-1200-800-500.
Class B: $2500-1200-800-500.
Class C: $2000-1000-600-400.
Class D: $1500-700-500-300.
Class E & Below: $1500-700-500-300.
Unrated: $800-400-200.
Half Point Byes: Must commit before round 4; up to 3 byes allowed for 2000/up2 byes for 1400-1999, one bye for Under 1400/Unr Zero point byes are always available in any round if requested at least two hours before the start of the desired round!
Entry Fee:
Online, $135 by 5/15, $155 by 7/29
By mail, $137 postmarked by 5/15, $160 postmarked by 7/23
By phone, $140 by 5/15, $160 by 7/29
At site, all $180
GMs are free
A Beautiful Chess Park Needs Some Help
Here are photos of the design award-winning chess park in Glendale, California. Will city politics result in the slow death of a beautiful chess park?
FROM THE MARGINS:A few moves at Chess Park
By PATRICK AZADIAN
Published: Last Updated Monday, June 29, 2009 10:10 PM PDT
It took a stroke of genius for park-starved Glendale to turn an unused alley linking a city parking lot into a pocket park. The 4,500-square-foot Chess Park is a space devoted to its namesake, with five illuminated oversized chess pieces standing guard over the 16 concrete tables.
Glendale residents may not think much of the park, but as is sometimes the case, people don’t always appreciate the jewels they have in our own backyards.
The park came to my attention through a modern and well-respected architectural magazine. I had to read the review to the end to realize the photos and more-than-complimentary commentary was about our own Chess Park. I had to do a double-take of the stylish photos. “Wow!” was my immediate reaction.
The park received the 2006 General Award of Design Honor from the American Society of Landscape Architects. A juror described the park as “Fun, fabulous and quirky. Exactly what an urban pocket park should be: playful.”
The Glendale Chess Club was instrumental in making the park a reality. They had approached the city as a group to request a designated space where its club and others could play. The city found a solution by utilizing the undeveloped Brand Boulevard passageway. In a unique and progressive partnership, the city brought the landscape architects together with the Chess Club to ensure the design program met the organization’s playing needs and celebrated the rich history and traditions of chess.
The final design for the park found its roots in the history, evolution and rituals of chess and its unique pieces. Ideas of form, function and meaning of the game as an instrument of culture drove the development of the park elements. More importantly, and beyond its architectural and artistic virtues, the park’s existence is a tiny symbol of victory of intellect over consumerism. In an age where grand malls, chain coffee shops and video games are defining our free time, the concept of a park dedicated to developing young minds and bringing people together is quite noble and should be appreciated.
The park did and still has its detractors. Ironically, the $540,000 price tag was not a major argument against the construction of the park. The budget had already been earmarked before the park’s concept had been realized. The main crux of the argument against the park was the idea that the park could attract the “wrong crowd.” This same argument is as valid for green spaces, malls and the ever-growing number of coffee chains around town.
The difference being, the Chess Park’s premise is to encourage thinking and strategizing during a game that is well-respected around the world. Yet, despite the well-intentioned purpose of the park and the occasional chess tournaments, the park is rarely utilized to its maximum potential.
The construction of the park was initially highly politicized, and anyone wanting to support and promote the park at this point may find themselves alienating powerful lobbying blocs in the city. Moreover, although the initial idea of the park took creative thought and leadership to execute, once the project was completed, the creative thought on how to utilize the park virtually dried up.
Years ago, one of the main critics of the park observed that the park is too hot, has no shade and no restrooms, making it inconvenient for regular use. I find myself in the odd position of agreeing, but not for the sake of confirming the “I told you so” viewpoint. Despite its award-winning design, it is possible that the park also lacks some of the essential conveniences to make it a viable alternative for people to come together.
The beauty is that if managed correctly, residents wouldn’t have to spend money on a cup of coffee or shop for the latest fashions to have fun. Chess Park can be an intellectual, architectural and artistic symbol for our city. Concurrent with earmarking budgets for new projects for arts and culture, we should also learn to best use what we already have.
With the right type of planning, leadership and minor improvements, Chess Park can begin to fulfill its potential by developing young minds, bringing people together and becoming a hip venue. It will take some courage on behalf of city officials and residents to make this happen. The alternative is the slow death of a beautiful idea.
Sophie Matisse Limited Edition Chess Sets
Sophie Matisse Paints Limited Edition Chess Sets for the Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair
Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair announces “The Art of the Game” exhibition by Sophie Matisse, great-granddaughter to famous painter Henri Matisse.
San Diego, CA July 01, 2009 -- Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair (BTB) announces “The Art of the Game” exhibition by Sophie Matisse, great-granddaughter to famous painter Henri Matisse. This exhibition will feature five uniquely painted chess sets, each featuring a distinctive design and edition number. Each chess set can be purchased for $16,000 at The Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair, San Diego, scheduled for September 2-4, 2009 at The Grand Del Mar.
“We are honored to have Sophie Matisse’s exquisite exhibition on display at our fair,” said Ann Berchtold, executive director and founder of BTB. “The four chess sets have their own unique imagery but also come together to create a unique design. Chess had been an important family tradition to Sophie growing up and this body of work became a tribute to that memory for her.”
Sophie Matisse was born in 1965 in Boston. She is daughter to famous sculptor Paul Matisse, granddaughter to famous art dealer Pierre Matisse and great-granddaughter to Henri Matisse, French painter and godchild to Marcel Duchamp.Like her great-grandfather Henri Matisse, she embraces the decorative potential of her pictures. Like her step-grandfather Marcel Duchamp, she rejects the notion that decoration is all they need to offer. Indeed, if she dreams of anything, it is to reconcile the two statements presented above into a singular, harmonious visual entity—a work of art that not only pleases our senses, but that also challenges our intellect.
She studied at College of Art in Boston, Massachusetts, and at École des Beaux-Arts in 1990 in Paris. Some of her extraordinary works are "Lions Den" from 2005, "Queen Easter" 2005 as well as "The 100 Smiles of the Mona Lisa" from 2000, "Real to Surreal" from 1999.
Sophie Matisse is represented by Francis Nauman Fine Art in New York. Lugano Diamonds is proud to be a main sponsor of the Exhibition “The Art of the Game” by Sophie Matisse.
San Diego’s first Beyond the Border International Contemporary Art Fair (BTB) is a 3-day contemporary art fair that will include national and international galleries featuring over 500 works by jury-selected established and emerging contemporary artists from all over the world, exhibiting in The Grand Del Mar’s expansive ballroom accompanied by numerous luxury exhibitors and food and wine events. The event will showcase over $4 million in artwork coupled with sponsors such as Maserati, Modern Luxury Media, Qualcomm, Christie’s, The American Institute of Wine and Food, The California Bipolar Foundation, Lugano Diamonds, and many others. BTB anticipates ATTENDANCE OF over 3,000 new and established collectors over the three days.
The public is invited to attend the event, which marks the first time these national and international galleries with investment-grade art will be presented in San Diego. Go to the BTB website to purchase VIP Tickets and Day Pass tickets: http://beyondtheborder-art/.
Chess Mentor: Orrin Hudson
Posted on Fri, Jul. 3, 2009
Mentor to troubled kids, he's making all the right moves
By JULIA TERRUSO
Philadelphia Daily News
When Orrin Hudson speaks, it's hard to tell whether he's talking about chess or life:
Make every move count.
Surround yourself with smart players who can make you better.
You will win or lose based on the decisions you make.
Hudson, 46, a two-time city chess champion now living in Birmingham, Ala., has a surplus of catchphrases, raps and inspirational sayings that he uses to keep young people out of trouble.
Today he returns to Philadelphia after 10 years to compete in the World Open chess tournament, which runs through Sunday at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, 17th & Race streets.
Hudson was here in 1999 to compete in the same tournament, his last chess competition, coming in fifth overall and winning $200, at the old Adam's Mark Hotel on City Avenue.
A former Georgia state trooper, he started a youth program in 1999 called Be Someone, after hearing about a deadly shooting at a Wendy's in New York.
"I heard about that and I said, 'Evil prevails when good people do nothing.' "
Since then, he has committed his life (and most of his income) to fighting educational disparities and youth violence. Through Be Someone, he has spoken throughout the country, and estimates that he has reached 20,000 children through his chess boot camps and motivational lectures.
Hudson uses pop-culture references and high-energy rap/poetry to keep kids engaged and on the right track.
One such kid was Robert Curry, of Atlanta.
Curry was skipping school, his grades were bad, and he was hanging around with gang members. His mother, Debra, said that she couldn't sleep at night, afraid that he might not come home.
"In my vision, I saw my son either dying far too early or I saw him in jail," she said in a phone interview this week. "I was so desperate for a solution."
She needed an intervention for her son, and after hearing about Hudson on TV, she gave him a call at 1 a.m. and asked for his help.
Hudson began tutoring Curry in chess - and in life - in summer 2004.
Curry admitted ambivalence at first: What could this man with his corny catchphrases about chess do to help him?
But after nine months, Curry said, he started making better decisions. His grades rose. He recalled one night when some old friends came around wanting to take him for a ride and he opted not to, thinking that it could be dangerous. That night, the friends wound up in jail after the cops pulled them over and found illegal substances in the car.
"Orrin used to always say, 'People don't think. You've got to stop and think.' And this one time, I did that and it actually worked," Curry said by phone from Atlanta.
Curry said that the procedural aspects of chess also helped him make it through school, get his GED and then into Georgia Perimeter College.
"He said: 'Here's where you are; here's where you need to go. See it in your head; put it down on paper and get to that point,' " Curry said.
Hudson also had a troubled youth. He grew up in the Birmingham housing projects with 13 brothers and sisters. He was stealing and hanging around with the wrong crowd, when a high school teacher, James Edge, introduced him to chess and a whole new way of thinking.
"He said to me: 'Orrin, you cannot fly with the eagles if you're scratching with the turkeys. You gotta get yourself around people who are doing great things, making the right moves.' "
Hudson said that he owes his life to Edge and is dedicated to paying it forward.
Today, he'll go against chess players from around the world, although he's admittedly out of practice. It hasn't been much of a challenge playing with young men for the last 18 years.
But the odds have been against Hudson before: When he was young, people told him that he wouldn't amount to much, and he was ranked last in the two chess championships that he eventually won.
"I beat some people who had much higher ratings, and it's because nature is neutral," he said. "I teach the kids that."
"You have everything you need to win the game. It's not about blame, it's about your aim. If you make the right move, you can get the right results. You win or lose based on the decisions you make."
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What a great story! Good luck to Mr. Hudson in the World Open!
The "Be Someone" website.
2009 U.S. Junior Chess Championships
(I obtained information from the USCF website and the WSCA website)
Yippee! My hometown is hosting both the 2009 U.S. Junior Chess Championship (Closed) and the 2009 U.S. Open Junior Chess Championship.
I am very happy to see an impressive line-up of the USA's most promising young chess talents competing in this year's Closed Championship (July 13 - 16):
1. IM Alex Lenderman (2654)
2. IM Sam Shankland (2564)
3. IM Ray Robson (2553)
4. IM Salvijus Bercys (2503)
5.FM Elliott Liu (2405)
6. FM Joel Banawa (2392)
7. FM Michael Lee (2384)
8. Maxx Coleman (2182, winner of the 2008 Junior Open)
Alex Lenderman and Sal Bercys are among the chessplayers whom I happily followed during a year in their lives in "The Kings of New York" - a smashing good read! You don't have to "know" chess in order to appreciate the story the book tells.
At stake are spots in the World Junior and the 2010 U.S. Championship. This tournament is right after the U.S. Junior Open , also in Milwaukee (July 10-12), which is divided into three sections: Under 21, Under 15 and Under 11.
Frank Berry will act as chief arbiter. Time control is G/90+30sec/move increment. The games will be broadcast on the Internet Chess Club and CLO coverage will include players bios and reports from Alex Betaneli.
I was not able to locate more information about prizes for the U.S. Junior-closed, the selection process, etc., and I am assuming it will be held at the same hotel complex as the U.S. Junior open, but I'm not sure!
Here is more information about the U.S. Junior Open:
2009 U.S. JUNIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
FOUR SIDE EVENTS ! ! ! ! (Entry Fee: $20 per event.)
BLITZ: Friday at 7:00 pm.
BUGHOUSE: Saturday at 7:00 pm.
SIMUL: Saturday at 7:00 pm.
PARENTS and COACHES TOURNEY: 3SS G/30 (not rated) Sat. 10:30 am - 2:15 pm - 3:30 pm.
NEW LOCATION: RAMADA CONFERENCE CENTER MILWAUKEE
6331 South 13th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53221
Chess Rate of $79 is Valid until July 1st.
Reserve Early at 414-764-1500
In an effort to bring more Regional and National USCF events to Wisconsin, WI Chess Academy, along with Vaja International Chess Academy and the Wisconsin Scholastic Chess Association bring another USCF event, the 2009 U.S. Junior Open Championship to Milwaukee, Wisconsin over the July 10th - 12th, 2009 weekend!
The entry fee for players is $35 advance, or $50 after July 9th. Cash Only at site. SPECIAL OFFER: Only $30 per player if 4 or more players pre-register together!
More info.
To register on-line, click on the "Tournaments" button at the top of this page, find the U.S. Junior Open Championship listing, then click on the red "Register" text link, follow the directions, and fill in the necessary information.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The True Origins of the Koran
From Barbara Walker's "The Woman's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets"
(Image: The Goddess Kore, from the PARTHENON, temple of the goddess Athena on the Acropolis. From the 6th century BCE.
Photo Greek National Museum, Athens. Notice the artistry - are those just braids in her hair, or are they intertwined with serpents?)
Koran
Mohammedan scriptures, often erroneously thought to have been written by Mohammed. Moslems don't believe this.(1) But many don't know the Koran was an enlarged, revised version of the ancient Word of the Goddess Kore, revered by Mohammed's tribe, the Koreshites (Children of Kore), who guarded her shrine at Mecca.
The original writing was done long before Mohammed's time by holy imams, a word related to Semitic ima, "mother."(2) Like the original mahatmas or "great mothers" in India,the original imams were probably priestesses of the old Arabian matiarchate. It was said they took the scriptures from a prototype that existed in heaven from the beginning of eternity, "Mother of the Book" - i.e., the Goddess herself, wearing the Book of Fate on her breast as Mother Tiamat wore the Tablets of Destiny. Sometimes the celestial Koran was called the Preserved Tablet.(3) There was some resemblance between this and other legendary books of divine origin, such as the Ur-text, the Book of Thoth and the Emerald Tablet of Hermes.
As in the case of the Judeo-Christian Bible, the Koran was much rewritten to support new patiarchal laws and to obliterate the figures of the Goddess andher priestesses. See Arabia.
Notes:
(1) Encyc. Brit., "Mohammed."
(2) Campbell, Oc.M., 443.
(3) Budge, A.T., 52.
Ancient Thracian Sanctuary Discovered...
...by spelunkers! Wow, it looks like a spectacular place. As majestic as any medieval cathedral. Just looking at this photograph sent shivers up and down my spine. This is definitely a sacred space/sacred place (it's got rock/stone/water in or nearby and it was [or is - like Lourdes] revered by people as a special place of worship). Now that it's been publicized, it won't take long before it's plundered. Unfortunately, enough information was provided in the article to enable determined looters to find it. I sure hope the archaeologists are already there and that guards have been put in place, with orders to shoot to kill. (That's how I feel about looters - they are barbarians, destructors of everything good, and should be killed on sight).
From Novinite.com
Bulgarian Speleologists Discover Unique Thracian Sanctuary
July 1, 2009, Wednesday
Speleologists from the city of Veliko Tarnovo have discovered an absolutely unique Thracian sanctuary in Northern Bulgaria.
The news has been announced by Evgeni Koev from the speleological club "Dervent" based in Veliko Tarnovo. The speleologists came across the Thracian sanctuary several days ago as they were studying cavern objects along the Danube.
Koev has preferred not to reveal the exact location of the sanctuary, which in his words is similar to the so called "Womb Cave" near the southern city of Kardzhali. It includes tombs, niches, and an altar.
There also drawings of humans on the walls of the cave which look differently depending on the intensity of the sunlight falling on them.
Koev believes that the fact that the sanctuary is located in a very inaccessible area has saved it from treasure hunters; in his words, the complex is in an excellent condition. [Not for long.]
7,000 Year Old Bulgarian Settlement Discovered
Novinite.com
July 2, 2009, Thursday
Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered a 7 000-years-old settlement close to the northeast city of Shumen.
The village dates back to the Stone-Copper Age, and is located in the locality of Chanadzhik, near the village of Sushina and the Ticha Dam.
The archaeologists have discovered over 300 finds, most of which are made of marble.
"These items are extremely rare. They were worn by very specific people. These are decorations that were not available to the masses. There are also others that are made of clay or bone," explained Stefan Chohadzhiev, an archaeology professor at the Veliko Tarnovo University, as quoted by bTV.
The most valuable find of the archaeologists, however, is a fortification that protected the village mound from the west.
According to Ivan Babadzhanov, an archaeologist from the Regional History Museum in Shumen, the fortification probably consisted of a stone wall; the items discovered there are Chalcolithic (Copper Age) ceramics.
Garbage Children?
Did ancient residents in the south of Vietnam dispose of very young dead children (and newborns) as if they were garbage? Here's the report:
Ancient child deaths uncovered
Friday, 03 July 2009
Australian National University
An archaeological excavation in southern Vietnam of a site more than 3000 years old has shed new light on how the death of young children was viewed by community members and uncovered the oldest clear evidence of rice agriculture in the region.
The excavation, led by Professor Peter Bellwood and Dr Marc Oxenham from the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology, studied a site 3-4000 years old named An Son. The research team’s findings suggest that death in young children was so common that community members were unlikely to revere the death of their offspring until they had survived for more than five years.
“The burial of a new born baby without any associated grave goods and positioned within discarded kitchen material may suggest high levels of infant mortality, as well as a reduced emotional investment in very young children that may not live long anyway,” said Professor Bellwood.
“On the other hand, the burial of a 12 year old child with high quality ceramics and stone tools might mean children that survived the danger years – birth to five years old in most cases – could be revered by family or community members in death.”
The excavation has also revealed the oldest clear evidence of rice agriculture in southern Vietnam and uncovered the varied diets and agricultural practices of the pre-historic community.
“While this excavation has revealed the earliest clear evidence of rice agriculture in southern Vietnam, their diets were extremely broad,” said Dr Oxenham. “A wealth of animal bones – some probably domesticated – attest to the dietary breadth of these early Vietnamese, including species of cattle, pig, deer, freshwater crocodile, shellfish and reptile and amphibian remains.
“We also found a large number of stone adzes, many shouldered to accommodate long-since rotted wooden handles. That suggests a significant amount of forest clearance was occurring, presumably to increase the area of cultivatable land.”
The excavation team has also found a large quantity of pottery from humble cooking vessels to massive, ornately-incised and patterned ceramics.
The research team worked with students from ANU in collaboration with the Centre for Archaeological Research, Hanoi and members of the An Son village community. The work is part of a four year ARC-funded project, The Creation of Southeast Asian Peoples and Cultures, 3500BC to AD500.
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How could Dr. Bellwood or anyone, for that matter, make such claims on the basis of two burials?
Elamite Jar Burial Transferred to Museum for Safekeeping
I hope it will be safe in the museum; you never know what the fundamentalist nut-cases who are running Iran may do. They've already flooded out countless ancient Persian ruins with their "dam building" projects and bulldozed others into rubble with their "road building" projects. Still others have been vandalized by bajis - the asshole thugs who think their shit doesn't stink. Ha! I've written about the Iranian government's deliberate destruction of pre-Islamic Persian culture many times in this blog.
This was reported by CAIS from a report on Mehr News:
Elamite Jar Burial Transferred to Haft-Tappeh Museum
Wednesday, 01 July 2009 00:00
LONDON, (CAIS) -- Iran’s most intact jar burial, which dates back to the Elamite era, was transferred to the Haft-Tappeh Museum last week.
Containing a skeleton in fetal position, the jar was discovered during the latest excavation carried out several months ago at Haft-Tappeh, a major Elamite site near Susa in Khuzestan Province, the Persian service of CHN reported on Tuesday.
“This is the first time such an intact jar burial has been unearthed,” director of the Restoration Department of the Haft-Tappeh and Chogha Zanbil Center Kazem Borhani said.
“Urgent actions were taken to preserve the artefact in situ in order to safely transfer it to the centre for restoration,” he stated.
A piece of the jar has been removed to enable visitors to see the skeleton inside it, Borhani explained.
An anthropologist has begun a series of studies to determine the gender of the skeleton, which is believed to date back to the Middle Elamite period (c. 1500-1100 BCE).
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
New Reconstructions of the “Mykenaia”
From The American Journal of Archaeology (online)
Volume 113 No. 3 July 2009
Abstract of an article by Bernice R. Jones.
(Figure: Fig. 21. Reconstruction B of the Mykenaia with outline of the Striding Lady from Thera (drawing by R. Ruppert (modified from Doumas 1992, pl. 6).
This study presents evidence for reconstructing two frescoes, including the well-known "Mykenaia," found at the Southwest Building at Mycenae. It argues that the Mykenaia did not depict a seated goddess facing right but a life-sized, standing woman striding to the left and that the other fresco portrays a half-life-sized enthroned woman, likely a goddess, facing right and holding a miniature female figure. The reconstructions are based on detailed examinations, drawings, and photographs taken to scale of the fragments and on comparanda. The argument is based on the innovative use of both experimental costume replications and digital imaging that superimposes details from other well-documented frescoes onto the fragments to test possible poses and details. The reconstructions proposed here are based on costume details depicted by the frescoes and on textual data, including intriguing Linear B ideograms. These reconstructions are then set within the larger spectrum of cult scenes in Aegean art, and some details of the dress worn in these frescoes are connected to Aegean cult.
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There are lots of reconstructed images and other images to view. The outfit on the image pictured above (left) is very typical of what females of the Mycenaean culture wore: a tight-fitted short-sleeved blouse that buttoned under the breasts, on the ribcage and followed the natural line of the woman's waist downward, except in this instance the breasts appear to be covered by a very sheer fabric. Otherwise, the cinched-in waist and the bell-shaped, multi-layered skirt, are very much like that depicted on the so-called "Snake Goddess" (image right) which I believe dates to about 1650 BCE (not working from my notes tonight, so that may be wrong). Compare the images!
Notice the checkerboard patterns on the reconstructed image. The patterns remind me of similar patterns I've seen on lots of funereal objects and in tomb paintings from ancient Egypt.
Naked Goddess to be Carved into Hillside
This earth-shattering (ahem) story was reported in the Telegraph.co.uk:
Giant naked goddess to be carved into hillside
(400 metre long naked "Green Goddess", which was designed by artist Charles Jencks, and will be carved into the Northumberland landscape. Photo: PA )
A 400-yard naked "Green Goddess" is to be carved into the Northumberland landscape, under a new plan revealed by a mining company.
Published: 11:46PM BST 01 Jul 2009
Dubbed the "Goddess of the North", Northumberlandia will be made from two million tonnes of earth dug out from an open cast mine in Cramlington, and tower 112ft into the northern sky.
The Goddess, designed by artist Charles Jencks, will recline over the Shotton open-cast mine and form the centre piece of a new public park at the site.
The open-cast mine, which began coaling earlier this year, will produce around 3.4 million tonnes of coal, two million tonnes of shale and 750,000 tonnes of fireclay during its eight-year lifetime.
The entire development is estimated to cost around £2.5 million, and work will begin on the sculpture next year.
Plans for the sculpture, which will be visible from the A1, were originally blocked by Northumberland County Council 2006 after 2,500 people objected to the proposals.
But after a successful appeal to the Government by the Durham based The Banks Group, which runs the mine, the Goddess will now be able to go ahead.
Northumberlandia represents an "attempt to provide a tangible, early and permanent benefit for south-east Northumberland", said The Banks Group.
Mark Dowdall, environment and community director at the firm, said: "Our duel aims with Northumberlandia were to create an outstanding artistic landmark which stands alongside the region's other main tourist attractions and to provide high quality leisure facilities for the local community, and we believe this final design will succeed on both counts.
"Northumberlandia has already garnered interest and responses from people right around the world, and we're very excited to now be unveiling the project's final form.
"It will take around 20 minutes just to walk all the way around her, and the design has been enhanced with more paths to allow visitors to the park to easily ascend the figure.
"As well as the artwork itself, the surrounding landform park will offer important nature conservation and public health benefits, giving both local people and visitors an ideal place to exercise, picnic and enjoy themselves."
"This artwork could not exist without the adjacent mining operation, and the sculpture will be part of the long-term local legacy that we always wanted the Shotton scheme to leave."
Bob Downer, chief executive at the Blagdon Estate, which owns the land earmarked for the sculpture said the project was "bold and exciting".
"Northumberlandia is a unique opportunity which will provide an exciting location for many future generations to come," he said.
Northumberland County Council was unable to comment, but county councillor Wayne Daley told the BBC the Goddess was "ridiculous".
"If we wanted something like this why didn't we just ask Jordan to open a theme park," he said.
"It really is ridiculous to think that something like a naked woman, who is only there as a result of all of the slag and the coal from the mine, is a good way of attracting people to Cramlington."
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Er, well, I don't know about you, but I think she's ugly.
Shira Chess Challenge!
Ohmygoddess, darlings. I'm not going to survive this. I'm not. I hope all of my faithful followers will commune and write a really fabulous epitaph for me, for I feel sure I'm soon to expire. For those of you who don't dig poetic crap, that means kick the bucket. Croak. DIE.
aHHHHHH, I'm dying, Egypt, dying.....
The good news is that Kelly a/k/a ChessDaddy has been amazingly patient with me - I'm shocked! Shocked and Awed!
Tonight he instructed me to download a later version of Chessbase Lite. Skeptical all the way, I did as he instructed and it downloaded seamlessly. I ran into a hitch when I had to reboot my computer, which refused stubbornly to reboot!
I solved that problem by kicking off the safety plug thingy that I've got all the techy stuff plugged into. I counted down from 10 and then kicked it back on. Amazingly, the computer booted up in much less time than ever before!
Even more amazing, after re-downloading the data base thingies that Chess Daddy sent to me on June 24th, I opened up the Chessbase Lite 2007 program and hitting "open" and then "open" again (as Chess Daddy had previously instructed me to do, except there was no such function in the prior Chessbase Lite program I'd managed to download), I was able to download the data base thingies with no problem whatever!
Now, of course, I have to figure out a number of things:
(1) How to get rid of the old Chessbase Lite program that I previously downloaded. Mysteriously, it did not show up in my list of "programs" when I opened up the thingy to add/delete programs. So, where the hell is it? If I cannot find it, how do I get rid of it?
(2) How to use those data bases I have now successfully downloaded to the Chessbase Lite 2007 program.
(3) How to find the time to study everything that Chess Daddy has decreed I MUST.
Oh Goddess. I'm already having nervous breakdowns over the two games I'm currently playing. I'm trying to do everything that GM Susan Polgar advised in her prescient Sunday article in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and it's exhausting! And driving me crazy. And at the end of the day, I cannot escape this haunting, mocking feeling that I've no idea whatsoever what I'm doing. I'm scared to death every time I make a move! This cannot be normal!
Help!
Southwest Chess Club: Coming Up...
This week's lecture (tomorrow night) (6:00-7:00 pm) will be given by Allen Becker.
ANTHONY PARKER, as defending Club Champion, will be giving a SIMULTANEOUS EXHIBITION from 7:00 - 10:00 pm. This is a Free Event.
Here is our major upcoming event for the summer:
Southwest Chess Club Championship: July 9, 16, 23, 30 and August 6 & 13
6-Round Swiss in One Section. Game/100. USCF Rated. EF: $7 (must be a member to participate). SWCC Membership $10 (can join prior to first round). (Two ½ point byes available in rounds 1 through 5 if requested at least 2-days in advance; no byes available for round 6.) TD is Becker; ATD is Grochowski.
Thursday events are held at St. James Catholic Church in the lower level of the Parish Center building (immediately in front of the church). The address is 7219 South 27th Street in Franklin. Parking in rear, enter through south door.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Judit Polgar Sighting at 9 Queens!
Upcoming event:
The Unive Tournament in Hoogeveen takes place 16th-24th October 2009 with a new sponsor.
The main four player tournament has: Vassily Ivanchuk, Judit Polgar, Sergei Tiviakov and Anish Giri. There is an open alongside.
Details http://www.univechess.nl/
Unive Tournament Hoogeveen (NED), 16-24 x 2009
cat. XVII (2663)
Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2746
Polgar, Judit g HUN 2693
Tiviakov, Sergei g NED 2697
Giri, Anish f NED 2517
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For a great chess lesson on using decoys from one of Judit Polgar's games as black against GM Yasser Seirawan (white), check out this page at 9 Queens. Hmmm, I think I need to study this really hard...
9 Queens is putting together a chess work book using games and puzzles exclusive from and by women:
Coming Soon
If you’d like to see more tactics like this from world-class female players, you’re in luck! We are putting together a workbook highlighting the lives and games of some of the best female chess players in the world, including Judit Polgar, Humpy Koneru, and Alexandra Kosteniuk. More information about how to get a workbook will be available soon!
The workbook is due out in October. For further information, send email.
Update: The Topper Site, South Carolina
Hmmm, as far as I can tell, there is no new "news" in this account - reports from this site surfaced back in 2004 about evidence pushing back man's presence in North American to 50,000 years ago. It is interesting, though. I find it hard to believe that other than some archaeological evidence, DNA evidence points to a purely "Asian" origin for ALL so-called "native Americans." But they didn't get here 50,000 years ago. I believe the most recent "wave" of Asian immigrants (if present hypotheses are correct), arrived in northwest Canada from Siberia just a couple thousand years ago. And the "Clovis" people are popularly assumed to have arrived some 13,000 years ago.
Did all of the people who made up the Topper encampment from 50,000 years ago, and all of their offspring, die off? Is the science wrong? And if so - whose science is wrong? What are we missing here?
Sunday, Jun. 28, 2009
Archaeological treasure trove surfaces in S.C.
By Liz Mitchell - The (Hilton Head) Island Packet
HILTON HEAD — An archaeologist who’s been digging at the Topper Site in Allendale County for 11 years is uncovering new evidence that could rewrite America’s history.
University of South Carolina archaeologist Albert Goodyear found artifacts at this rock quarry site near the Savannah River that indicate humans lived here 37,000 years before the Clovis people. History books say the Clovis were the first Americans and arrived here 13,000 years ago by walking across a land bridge from Asia.
Goodyear’s discovery could prove otherwise.
His findings are controversial, opening scientific minds to the possibility of an even earlier pre-Clovis occupation of America.
The site is named for Beaufort County resident David Topper, a forester who led Goodyear to the site in the early 1980s. Goodyear only began intense examination of the site in 1998, after flooding of the Savannah River forced him from a nearby dig, according to several histories of the Topper site.
Goodyear believes it was a factory for the Clovis people, where they came to make tools. He also believes it was used long before the Clovis arrived.
So far, he’s found two sets of artifacts at Topper:
• Stone flakes and tools made of flint and chert that date to the Clovis era
• A fire pit containing plant remains that date to at least 50,000 years ago, which suggest man was in South Carolina long before the last ice age.
“The controversy is heightened because that’s just about the time, according to old-world archaeologists, when our species were starting to move away from Africa and get into Australia,” Goodyear said. “That’s true, and there’s no reason to think it’s not... .. But the bottom line is are these artifacts really legitimately associated with 50,000-year-old sediments? And, based on our digging, I think the answer is yes.”
Goodyear finished his 12th dig at the site earlier this month and said he’s found more artifacts there that were “undeniably human made” in the layers of dirt dating to pre-Clovis and Clovis eras.
Dennis Stanford, head of the archaeology division and director of the Paleo-Indian Program at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, visited Topper earlier this month to observe the excavation.
“The Topper site is probably one of the most important sites being excavated in the country today,” Stanford said in a news release. “It’s a whole new chapter of history unfolding. ... The Smithsonian stands for the acquisition and dispersion of science and knowledge to human communities, and that’s exactly what is happening here.”
In the pre-Clovis layer, Goodyear found a “core,” which is rock altered by human hands that would have been used to quarry or make tools. This year, he also found more flakes and stone chisel-like pieces.
In the Clovis layer, Goodyear found a scraper tool, which he has not seen before among Clovis artifacts. It suggests the people might have been skinning animal hides, which could mean they were living at Topper for a few months at a time, instead of just the few weeks they would need to make tools.
“One scraper doesn’t prove anything,” he said. “But we’re wondering if there was another set of activities besides quarrying and making artifacts there. We are going to look at that next year. That would make Topper a much more complex site for Clovis.”
Goodyear said the artifacts at Topper are “sort of the Clovis library.”
“It’s what’s in their Sears and Roebuck catalogue,” he said. “From that tool kit you make inferences about what they are doing there.
“What we are trying to get at is, how do these humans organize themselves across the South Carolina and Georgia landscape?” he said. “As we understand how the tools function and where they distribute, then we are going to be able to say, wow, they were much more sedentary than we believed, or they’re not and just use quarries to refill their gas tank.”
Goodyear said Clovis artifacts have been found as far as 100 miles away.
“We know they are moving,” he said. “But the question is, are there places where they’re staying for a while? We’re just wondering if there might be more to Topper than we know so far based on all of our digging.”
*******************************************************************
Here's the old news from 2004:
From Science Daily, November 18, 2004:
New Evidence Puts Man In North America 50,000 Years
Illegal Antiquities Trade: Mesopotamian Vase
How will we ever solve this culture-destroying problem?
Archeology 30.06.2009
Mesopotamian vase sheds light on Germany's artefacts trade
A legal dispute surrounding an antique golden vase being held in a museum vault in Mainz shines light on the surprisingly important role Germany plays in the often shady world of antiques trading.
The case sounds more like an esoteric crime novel than a simple legal tussle, involving as it does archaeologists, rare-coin dealers, customs officials, and the Iraqi embassy in Berlin.
At its heart is a golden vase just six centimeters high that may or may not have its origins in ancient Mesopotamia.
The vase is currently being held by Michael Mueller-Karpe, an archaeologist at the Roman-Germanic Central Museum in Mainz, Germany. Three years ago he was charged with providing the court with an expert opinion on the provenance of the object, which is at the center of a lawsuit over fencing illegally trafficked goods.
Archaeologist refuses to comply
Now Mueller-Karpe is ignoring a court order, and refuses to turn the vase back over to the customs officials who confiscated it. The Iraqi embassy in Berlin has asked him not to, he says. Apparently they believe the object is safer where it is.
Contrary to reports in the German media, the Stuttgart Customs Investigations Office is not about to break into the vault at the Roman-Germanic museum and grab the vase by force.
"I don't know how that rumor got started, but it's not true," said Dieter Peulen, the acting director of the Stuttgart Customs Investigation Office.
He would, however, like to get the object back.
"I've never seen anything like this before," said Peulen. "At the moment, [the vase] has been confiscated by customs. [Mueller-Karpe] doesn't own it. In my opinion, the court has requested him to give it back, and he should do so."
The vase showed up in Germany years ago in the catalog of a Munich auction house, designated as a Mediterranean piece from the Roman Iron Age. But someone familiar with Mesopotamian art spotted it, and sued the auctioneer for breach of the Foreign Trade Law.
Stolen objects transit through Germany
As part of the suit, customs officials brought the object to the museum in Mainz to have its provenance checked.
Mueller-Karpe said the vase is "most probably" around 4,500 years old, and believes it was stolen by grave robbers from the ancient royal cemetery in the city of Ur, Iraq. Its provenance may be researched further as the case moves through the courts, said customs official Peulen.
International traffic in antiques and artefacts from Iraq has bloomed since the fall of Saddam Hussein. According to the Spiegel Online newsmagazine, of the 15,000 pieces that were robbed from the National Museum in Baghdad in the wake of the US invasion in 2003, just 6,000 have been returned. Many of the missing objects - and more stolen from grave robbers around Ur - make their way through German auction houses at some point on their travels.
Indeed, the case sheds light on Germany's overall role in both antiques trading and antiques trafficking - a distinction that is often hard to make when it comes to the sale of ancient objects, experts say.
'Unfortunate' legal situation
Germany was the last industrial country to sign a UNESCO convention on protecting cultural heritage, and its loose demands for documentation on exports of some ancient objects seen as being friendly to fencers and smugglers.
"The legal situation in Germany is very unfortunate for us," the Iraqi culture attache in Berlin told Spiegel Online. The burden of proof, "especially for objects stolen by grave robbers," is too high, he said. "Even an expert opinion with a probability of provenance of 95 percent isn't enough for the courts."
According to Mueller-Karpe, the two-handled vase - which he believes is a "miniature version" of a Sumerian-era vase that would have served a functional purpose - remains in the museum for the time being.
He told dpa news agency that it would be too dangerous for him to give it back to customs authorities, since the Iraqis have threatened that anyone who is involved in helping fence stolen goods could face a sentence of up to five years in Iraq.
Since he is frequently on archaological digs in Iraq, Mueller-Karpe said, the sentence threat means he would lose his opportunity to work.
Author: Jennifer Abramsohn
Editor: Kate Bowen
Ancient Writing: Cherokee Syllabary
From Archaeology Magazine Online. Sorry, I could not get the Cherokee syllable-figures to show up here. (Image: The earliest writing in the system developed by the Cherokee known as Sequoyah has been found in a Kentucky cave. (Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C./Art Resource)
From the Trenches
Ꮞ Ꮙ Ꮿ Was Here
Volume 62 Number 4, July/August 2009
By Eric A. Powell
The Cherokee known as Sequoyah. (Courtesy Fred Coy National Portrait Gallery)
In 1819, Cherokee silversmith George Gist—better known as Sequoyah—completed work on the Cherokee syllabary, a written script in which each character represents a syllable. By 1825, most Cherokee had adopted the system and Sequoyah ( Ꮞ Ꮙ Ꮿ in Cherokee*) was hailed as a folk hero for inventing the first Native American system of writing in North America.
Now University of Cincinnati archaeologist Kenneth Tankersley has discovered that Cherokee characters engraved alongside petroglyphs in a southeastern Kentucky cave are the earliest known examples of Sequoyah's syllabary, dating back to 1818, or perhaps even earlier.
Tankersley, a member of the Cherokee Nation and Piqua Shawnee tribes, found the characters in a cave sacred to Native Americans as the burial place of Red Bird, a prominent Cherokee chief who was tomahawked to death in 1796 by two white men in a fur trading dispute. Red Bird was known to have created some of the petroglyphs in the cave, which include abstract ancient symbols as well as glyphs representing bears, bats, deer, and birds.
Sequoyah had relatives who lived near the cave and he taught the syllabary to Cherokee boys studying at a local school called the Choctaw Academy. "It's likely that Sequoyah would have visited the cave at some point to pay respects to Red Bird," says Tankersley. "We also know that he visited caves for inspiration while he was working on his syllabary, and that he incorporated rock-art motifs into the system."
Tankersley has identified 15 characters in the cave— Ꮢ, Ꮕ, Ꮇ, Ꮧ, Ꮐ, Ꮰ, Ꮋ, Ꮴ, Ꭵ, Ꮊ, Ꮶ, Ꮍ, Ꮗ, Ꮀ, Ꮻ— accompanied by a date carved in the same hand that could be 1818 or 1808. "The characters don't spell any words—they read almost like ABCs," says Tankersley, who is also intrigued by the ambiguous date.
Accounts of Sequoyah's life agree that he started working on the syllabary sometime around 1809. If the characters in Red Bird's cave date to 1808, there is only one person who could have created them.
"My gut tells me Sequoyah left these characters in the cave," says Tankersley. "But without a time machine, that's archaeofantasy. If it wasn't him, then it was someone Sequoyah taught at the Choctaw Academy, and who was practicing drawing them out just as we would practice our ABCs. Regardless, the person is leaving these characters alongside traditional symbols in a sacred place. For the Cherokee, this syllabary was sacred too."
Tankersley points out that it's not surprising to find examples of Sequoyah's syllabary alongside petroglyphs. "In 1818 Cherokee were adopting the trappings of European life, living in three-story buildings, tending orchards, and eating off of china, but they were still visiting sacred places like Red Bird's cave and practicing their way of life," he says. "It's important to remember that Native American history and archaeology don't disappear after Europeans arrive."
Eric A. Powell is deputy editor at ARCHAEOLOGY.
*If you do not see the Cherokee characters, they are shown below:
Sequoyah
(oops, no they aren't)
15 characters
© 2009 by the Archaeological Institute of America
Southwest Chess Club: Independence Swiss!
Sign up for a one day tournament this coming Sunday! Allen Becker has notified us of this great way to cap what promises to be a beautiful Independence Day weekend in Milwaukee:
Chessplayers,
We are having a Swiss tournament this Sunday, to help fill a chess tournament void this holiday weekend. Note that due to insurance factors, all players must be club members (but you can join the club this Sunday, $10 per year, or Free for 18 and under or college students).
We know this is last-minute publicity, but please consider coming to play. If you wish to indicate your intention to play, via email, that will be helpful to us. There is no "early" entry fee; you can sign up this Thursday at the club, or from 11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m. on Sunday.
Please note that we are in the lower level of the St. James Catholic Church's Parish Center building (immediately in front of the church). The address is 7219 South 27th Street in Franklin (just south of Rawson & 27th) . PLEASE Use the south driveway, and park in the south parking lot (the usual club lot).
Here are the tournament details (with Flyer attached):
Independence Swiss
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Southwest Chess Club
** Club Members Only **
Can Join Club on July 5
FORMAT: Four Round Swiss System - Four Games in One Day
USCF Rated (Dual Rated) -- ONE SECTION SWISS
TIME LIMIT:
Round 1: Game in 45 Minutes
Rounds 2, 3, and 4: Game in 60 Minutes
ENTRY FEE: $ 20
Checks payable to Southwest Chess Club
(Club Membership: $10; Free if 18 or under or in college)
SITE REGISTRATION: 11:15 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.
ROUNDS: 12 Noon – 2:00 pm -- 5:00 pm – 7:15 pm
Pairings by WinTD; no computer entries
PRIZES
1st— $45 C $30
2nd— $40 D $30
A $30 E & Below $30
B $30
Overall prize structure based on 30 total entries;
Class prizes awarded with minimum 3 players in each class.
Tournament Directors: Allen Becker and Robin Grochowski
SITE: Usual Club Location: St. James Catholic Church in the lower level of the Parish Center building (immediately in front of the church). The address is 7219 South 27th Street in Franklin, WI.
PLEASE Use south driveway, and park in the south parking lot (the usual club lot).
ENTRIES TO: Allen Becker —6105 Thorncrest Drive— Greendale , WI 53129 http://us.mc379.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=allenbecker@wi.rr.com
414-423-0206 (home) or 414-807-0269 (cell)
Sets, Boards and Clocks Provided, but Bring your own clock
Half point byes: available in Round 1, 2 or 3 if requested prior to round 1; not available in Round 4.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Name: __________________________________________________
USCF ID#: ________________ Rating: _________ Expire Date: ___________
Address: ______________________________________
City: _____________________ State : _______ Zip: _________
Phone: ________________ e-mail Address: ________________
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